{Matt & Lydia’s Oak Barn at Loyalty Wedding}
Matt and Lydia’s wedding at The Oak Barn at Loyalty in Leesburg, Virginia is one I won’t soon forget! They are such a cute couple, who are such a perfect match for each other. I’m so happy that they are friends of mine!
I’ve known both of them for a while, because we’re part of the same friend group at church. In fact, that’s where they met! The FIRST time I met Lydia, I was struck with the thought of how perfect she’d be for Matt! While Matt is a quiet guy, with a sweet and thoughtful nature, Lydia is a wild and free spirit. Together, they balance each other out so well!
Now I’m not taking credit for this at all, because I never said anything…I just thought it. 😂 But I tell ya, I was so excited when they started dating a few months after meeting each other!
After eight months of dating, they knew they were a perfect match! Matt proposed to Lydia as they were walking one evening. He tells a funny story about how he hid the ring box IN HIS SOCK, because he was afraid of it being visible in his pocket. This seems like a great idea! Until he confesses the struggle it was to get it out of his sock when it came time to propose. 😂
We had their engagement session at the Virginia State Arboretum. It was my first time at the arboretum and my eyes were about to pop out of my head! There were so many beautiful locations for photos!! And on top of that, they were such a cute couple to photograph!
It was super sweet to spend time with them during their session! We walked from tree grove to tree grove, and then ended the session at the famous arched entrance. Matt and Lydia also had a really fun idea to do a cute save the date photo! They wanted to try to actually save their date! They brought along a wooden sign of their wedding date, which they dropped from a tree and pretended to save it as it fell. Lydia later told me that was her favorite moment of their engagement session! Which just speaks so clearly of that beautiful free spirit in her. You can click here to see their session AND the famous save the date photo!
Their wedding day started in the bridal suit at Oak Barn. The suite is an adorable pitched-roof style with 2 gable windows, which were perfect for photos. Lydia and her girls got ready while jamming to music. They were all outfitted in adorable sunflower patterned robes (which was perfect, cuz that was their theme!) Halfway through, Matt sent Lydia a letter, which gave her a moment to really take a break and savor the morning.
While I was hanging out with Lydia and her gals, my second shooter, Stu, was hanging with Matt and his guys. They were super chill all morning (which seems to be the case with most grooms), and even had time for a few games of pool before getting ready! Stu followed that up with some cool groomsmen photos afterward.
After Matt and Lydia got ready, they had a quiet moment of prayer together, instead of a ‘first look!’ Matt was blindfolded, and they held hands around a corner and prayer with each other before the ceremony. It was such a sweet moment.
The rest of their day was just as beautiful as the morning. They had a great turnout of family and friends and the ceremony was beautiful! One of my favorite parts was when their guests blew bubbles at the end of the ceremony. It was so much fun AND made for an adorable exit!! The rest of the evening was filled with so much love and laughter from family and friends, sweet toasts, and a fantastic dance party!
One of the things I’ve gotten THE MOST questions about from this wedding is, “Who was the florist for the bouquets???” And I have to tell people that those bouquets were one of a kind, because Lydia and her mom MADE THEM!!!! They got the flowers from Costco and arranged the bouquets themselves. They were beautiful and I’m sure are an inspiration for many other DIY brides out there!!
I said that their wedding is one I won’t soon forget for a few reasons. Besides it simply being gorgeous, it was one of the HOTTEST days we had in July!! 😂😂😂 Honestly, I shouldn’t have been surprised, because in Virginia, the month of July is super hot, so July weddings are as well. But we made it through with lots of water and air conditioning. The venue actually had a big industrial fan that we were able to stand in front of, which was a bonus when we did their outdoor family portraits. Normally, I would never do something like this, but because Lydia’s dress was a ballgown style, you couldn’t see the fan, and it actually helped fluff out the dress a bit!
Matt and Lydia, I am so excited that God crossed your paths and that you guys are now a married couple!! You guys are so perfect for each other! It was such a blessing to be at your wedding and witness you both step into this journey of marriage together! I pray that the Lord continues to bless you both and that it will always be a fun and exciting adventure!
CEREMONY VENUE: The Oak Barn at Loyalty
CATERER: Smokin’ Willies
PHOTOGRAPHER: Me! @bethanievetterphoto
BAND/DJ: Eric Gamberdela of Surf and Sound Events
VIDEOGRAPHER: Tyler Scheerschmidt of TS Video Productions
RINGS: Ketterman’s Jewelers
