When Brenna found that “I could totally be myself around him and he made me laugh harder than anyone else,” she knew that Alexander was her partner for life! Fast forward a few years to the day the two of them were visiting a winery in Charlottesville, Virginia with a few close friends when Alexander led Brenna to a hill overlooking the winery and proposed—of course, the answer was 100% ‘yes’!
As the two began to plan, one thing was clear—their wedding had to be at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Explains Brenna, “We spent a lot of time at this museum (they have a great happy hour, too). It’s also where I met his parents for the first time, and we spent many evenings/afternoons/weekends during COVID walking to the museum and sitting on the lawn, spending time together when we couldn’t go anywhere else. So, it is a very special place for us.”
From there, everything for their cocktail-style celebration fell into place, including Brenna’s gown. She’d known she wanted a timeless, elegant, and simple gown, and she found it at Annalise Bridal Salon! Says Brenna, “The second I tried on the Revel dress, I knew it was special—I felt so beautiful and confident! The bow on the back added the perfect touch of elegance to the dress and made it stand out. I loved every detail about my dress!”’
More about Brenna and Alexander’s day from our bride, who jetted off for a magical honeymoon in Barcelona and Malta, below:
How did the two of you meet?
“We met through mutual friends almost six and a half years ago. My husband was visiting a friend from college, and I worked with/was friends with his friend’s now wife. I was hanging out with my friend, and we ended up meeting up with my now husband and her boyfriend at the time (now husband, as well) at a local sports bar to watch a football game. He didn’t live in town then but ended up getting a job where we lived and moved shortly after we first met—the rest is history!”
wedding dress: Lea-Ann Belter Revel and Sara Gabriel veil via Annalise Bridal | photographer: Ashley Hesse Photography | full vendor list at bottom
How did you two get engaged?
“We got engaged in Charlottesville, VA, at a winery with a few of our closest friends. It was a rainy, overcast day—but it ended up being the best day ever! He knew I did not want to get engaged in public, but I wanted a picture of the moment, so we all walked up this hill overlooking the winery, and he asked me there in front of our close friends and had my parents on FaceTime! (This was during COVID, so it was extra special that my parents could be there virtually to see it!).”
Tell us about your outfits! How did you choose your gown?
“I knew I wanted a classic, elegant, and simple dress—I purchased my dress from Annalise Bridal Salon in Richmond, VA. The second I tried on the Revel dress, I knew it was special—I felt so beautiful and confident! The bow on the back added the perfect touch of elegance to the dress and made it stand out. I loved every detail about my dress!”
Tell us about your day!
“We wanted the day to reflect how close we are to our family and friends! We did not have a traditional sit-down dinner—it was more of a never-ending cocktail party with drinks/food/dancing all night! The dance floor was packed—I have never danced so much at a wedding. I think our day was a great example of how we have brought two lives together in our friends and family and were so honored to have everyone there to celebrate with us! We also had a table at the reception entrance with wedding photos of our parents, grandparents, and other family members, which was very special.“
What was your first dance song?
“Who I Am—Wade Bowen.”
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
“Making sure we focused on the fact that the wedding was for us coming together as a couple. We wanted to focus on having a blast with our guests, good food, and music!”
What was the funniest moment of your day?
“I forgot to tip the driver that dropped my bridesmaids and me off at the church and remembered halfway through the ceremony (you can see me talking about it in some of the pictures during the ceremony—don’t worry, I tipped the next day!”
What was your something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue?
“Old: Grandmother’s locket was attached to my bouquet
New: A bracelet my husband gave me for my 30th birthday (two weeks before the wedding)
Borrowed: Grandmother’s locket that was attached to my bouquet
Blue: Blue shoes!”
Three words that best describe Alexander:
“Funny, thoughtful, grounded.”
Any tips for couples getting married?
“It can be easy to get lost in all the planning details and everything that happens on the big day! Remember to focus on each other and remember why you are getting married. Have a moment with each other during the day and take the entire experience in. It really does go by as fast as they say!”
Brenna + Alexander’s Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Wedding Vendors
wedding dress: Lea-Ann Belter Revel and Sara Gabriel veil via Annalise Bridal | photographer: Ashley Hesse Photography | ceremony venue: St. Benedict’s Catholic Church | reception venue: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts | gown alterations: Seams Alterations | hair + makeup: BRIDEface Richmond | groom’s tux: Peter Blair Men’s Clothing | florals: Weddings by Vogue | DJ: All About the Music (Scott Titmus) | transportation: James Limo Richmond
