Styled Sessions with Stephanie

A couple months back, Stephanie, of Stephanie Dennehy Photography, reached out to me about helping her with a new project she's been working on! Stephanie has transitioned from weddings to families and wants to provide to her a clients, a styled, fun, family friendly experience! That's where I come in ;-)

Together, we will be creating a family styled shoot EXPERIENCE! You and your loved ones can enjoy awesome, candid-friendly family activities designed and tailored around your families hobbies and interests, while Stephanie snaps away! This will totally ensure giggles and smiles for when it's time to take the more portrait style photos ;-) This project is a tad different from what I normally do, but I love kids and love creating memorable and beautiful moments for people of all ages!  

If you're interested in booking a styled family session, or would like more details, email Stephanie today!
S T E P H A N I E : stephanieKDennehy@gmail.com
W E B S I T E : http://www.stephaniedennehyphotography.com/
F A C E B O O K : https://www.facebook.com/StephanieDennehyPhotography/?fref=ts

Also, please check out Stephanie s new blog, Worthy is She! It is designed as an outlet for healing, building each other up, and encouraging each other to pursue our dreams . Her focus is to help others heal from the inside out! She will share her personal experiences, as well as stories shared by the community. 

Cheers!

Styled Shoot | Initimate Coffee Shop Wedding

The inspiration behind this shoot was simple: We wanted to capture the intimate love and emotion seen between two people in a familiar setting. We chose to shoot this concept in a Richmond local coffee shop, Lamplighter Roasting Co., because of it’s quaint, industrial, and friendly atmosphere. The contrast between the space’s tile and metal composition and the gentleness of the garden picked flowers and re-purposed decorations, brought the charm we were looking for.
Our models, who are very much in love, encapsulated the feeling and emotions we wanted to capture. We chose to dress them in a casual, bohemian, almost hipster style, to stay true to our Richmond surroundings and show that not all weddings have to be all glitz and glamour.

 

“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it." -  Nicholas Sparks

Photographer: Jeffrey Ocampo Photography
Venue: Morris St. Lamplighter Roasting Co.
Florals: Old Time Feeling
Makeup: GoGo Gorgeous Makeup Artistry
Published in: Brooklyn Bride Blog
Models: Jessica Filipelli and Matt Stay

5 Tips for a Seamless Wedding

We all want to have a stress-free and seamless wedding day, right? RIGHT! No one wants to be running around, forgetting timelines, losing focus, and most importantly not enjoying the big day. So below I am sharing my 5 tips for helping you to stay in control and stress-free in order to treasure this special memory.

  1. Celebrate: After you first get engaged, your brain is running wild with the endless possibilities for your big day! Cherish that. Don't rush in to planning the day after you're engaged. You need to be able to celebrate and share this special news without worrying about diving too fast in to the crazy that is called wedding planning. Your engagement is a special time and you will only have it for a short while!
  2. List Out Your Vendors: Start by listing any and all vendors that you or your partner have been interested in, and start contacting them! Going down the list of vendors and checking each off the list is the best first step of the process. If you're not sure about who you think would fit your style, budget, and needs, contact your coordinator FIRST! We are here to help you with the process from the very beginning! Once your "team" is created it is so much simpler to begin the aesthetic process and nitty-gritty details that come along.
  3. Set Aside Allotted "Wedding Planning Time": Since wedding planning can sometimes be a very time consuming process, it's so important to remember to set aside certain times in the week to work on everything. For example, "Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be my days allotted to emails, appointments, cake tastings, etc.!" This will help you stay focused when you need to, and relax and decompress for the rest ;-)
  4. Make Time for Yourself: For the months leading up to your moment, it is so crucial to make sure you give yourself some alone time. Whether this means taking a small relaxing trip, catching up on old or current hobbies, enjoying some quiet time, etc.! You're about to spend your life with the person you love, so take moments to reflect on that, who you are and how this person, yourself and others have shaped you to be the individual you are today.
  5. Trust Your Coordinator(s): Sometimes it's hard to sit back and let go of the reigns... we get that! But we are trained and ready to handle anything that flies our way to ensure that your day runs as seamlessly as possible. We've seen all kinds of craziness that happens at weddings through the years, but that doesn't mean you have to too. Trust that we got it under control and have you and your partners best interest in mind!

Unplug Your Ceremony

Have you ever attended a wedding where everyone seems to be snapping cellphone photos during the wedding? I know I have!  I can tell you that it is one of the most frustrating and heart breaking moments of any ceremony. So many times I have seen photographers miss the first kiss because someone is standing in the aisle, or lose memories of those special dances because guests will walk in front of the camera or miss other precious moments due to guest interference.

As best I can I try to remind guests to refrain from using their cellphone during the ceremony, but there's always at least one person who slips through the cracks! Wedding couples can spend thousands of dollars on photographers to capture those memories, so photographers want to follow through on their promise to deliver their best quality work. It's disrespectful not only to the couple, but to the professional photographers as well.

Thomas of Thomas Stewart Photography took the words right out of my mouth with his recent Facebook post. You may view his post below, and I encourage you to browse through his stunning photos!

Right, I've had enough. I want to talk to you all about guests using mobile phones / cameras at weddings. I want to...

Posted by Thomas Stewart Photography on Thursday, November 5, 2015

Cheers!

Amanda and Will | 9-6-15

This past labor day we had the great pleasure of coordinating Amanda and Will's adorable "I do's"! Amanda and Will met when they both attended Virginia Tech, but didn't start dating until after Will had graduated and moved away! Luckily (as fate will have it), Will came back for a birthday party and these two love birds hit it off and started their journey together! Soon after Amanda's graduation, the two packed up and moved down to Baton Rouge to pursue her Chemical Engineering and his Wood Science career!

The two decided to get married where it all began, in good ol' Virginia :-) They chose the beautiful Mill at Fine Creek for their nuptials. Though it had rained the days leading up to the wedding, we were still able to have their ceremony on the lawn in front of the Mill! Their wedding was filled with blush tones, dusty browns, and gorgeous greens, not to mention, all of their beautiful friends :)

We are so happy we were able to work with this wonderful couple and get to know them more throughout the process! Happy 2 month anniversary you love birds you!

 

Cheers!



Mallory + Irving | 8-29-15

Burgundy, purple and blush, oh my! Mallory and Irving's wedding this past August was filled with not only these captivating colors, but with laughter and love! It was such a treat working with the quirkiest, coolest, self-proclaimed nerds I've ever met! Getting to know their hobbies, how they share quality time together (this includes comic-con!), and getting to know them as individuals was so much fun. 

Their wedding was elegant yet relaxed at the same time, taking place at the wonderful Williamsburg Winery in Virginia. The couple chose to decorate with gorgeous flowers by Norfolk Wholesale, pearls, custom numbered wine bottles, and candles galore! I don't think there was ever a moment during the reception that the dance floor was empty! It was just such a fun group and joyous occasion!

Scroll through the pictures below to enjoy their beautiful day with me! And look for Mallory's special surprise grooms cake for Irving ;-)

Styled Shoot | Wallaton Hall, UK

Since late middle school, I have had the pleasure of knowing Kaitlyn of Kait Winston Photography. We grew up on the JCC Dolphin's swim team together, and that's where our friendship began! Kait's passion outside of the pool was always photography (taking after her dad's footsteps). Since high school I've watched her grow in her photography and develop her talent into the whimsical beauty it is today!

Kait and I created our first styled shoots together after we both "broke in to the biz". It was such a fun learning experience, and I'm glad I got to share that with her. In total, we have worked on 6 styled shoots together, published in Rock n Roll Bride, Sweet Violet Bride and Modele Weddings Blogs! Below I'm sharing some photos from a styled shoot Kaitlyn shot at Wallaton Hall, UK., as well as some words from Kait about the shoot! I wasn't able to travel with her to style the shoot, so instead, I designed and created the bride's dress! :-)

TWR: Kait, it's evident that you are a lover of traveling, and England is your favorite destination! What would you say you love most about England?

Kait:  It has such a deep, rich history that has really always fascinated me having an English lineage myself. I have personal connections there, which deepens the love for the country as well. The people are so warm and inviting, and you just walk around any city or the countryside and are just enveloped in charm and character. It boasts some of my favorite architecture, and you can't beat an English accent.

TWR: Wallaton Hall is such a beautiful yet stoic masterpiece. What was your vision behind this dreamy bridal shoot?

Kait:  I stumbled across this wedding dress that had a lot of fluid motion and color. I was instantly drawn to the unique nature of the material, and thought it would be an interesting centerpiece for a styled bridal shoot. I had a trip planned for England that happened to coincide with the Easter holiday and the colors that inspired me in the first place were romantic pastels, which fit very nicely into that scope. I have connections in Nottingham and knew I could make something really special come together if everyone was available, and having visited the place before, I knew it would be a perfect backdrop for the dress. It was a perfect fairytale.

TWR: How was it traveling with that very over-sized dress?

Kait: Traveling wasn't too difficult at the beginning. I managed to tie the dress down into a small bundle and pack it into a suitcase with the rest of my belongings on the way to England. It was when I started getting a little less organized along the way to all my stops and after the shoot itself that it become slightly more difficult to manage repackaging everything. I had to get a different bag for the dress and charm the baggage claim worker into letting me carryon three bags on my way home by finding a rule that allowed wedding dresses as an extra carryon. 

TWR: Do you have any plans to create another styled shoot on one of your next traveling adventures?

Kait:  I would love to do another styled shoot abroad. It's so inspiring to be able to create works of art essentially in gorgeous places that in themselves serve as a sort of muse for your work.  I like traveling light, so being able to figure out how to manage a desirable wardrobe situation is a priority, and it's always so hard to pick where to go to next. 

Cheers,

The Wedding Rabbit

Styled Shoot | Two Brides

For today's Throw Back Thursday, I thought I would share a few snaps from a shoot I collaborated on with Kimie, of IYQ Photography several years ago! With the stark contrast of black and white lines, the muted tones of tarnished coppers and brasses, and the graces of two beautiful women, this shoot came into being. Set at the ever-so-charming, Hisotirc Mankin Mansion,  Kimie killed it with these photographs. So enjoy today's throwback, and check out the awesome vendors involved!

You can see our shoot published on Capitol Romance blog here , as well as in the 2014 Winter/Spring volume of the Virginia Bride Magazine!

Location: Historic Mankin Mansion
Photographer: IYQ Photography
Styling: The Wedding Rabbit
Florals and Cakes: Sweets and Soirees: leave the details and even the dessert to us!
Invites: Eden Events
Makeup/Hair: Healther Toler - Hair and Makeup
Models: Sam Gise and Deanna Bennet
Wardrobe: Tremayne Hill

Best Man Duties

You’ve just been chosen as Best Man for your buddy’s wedding.  Congrats!  Being the Best Man is an exciting time, and comes with its own set of responsibilities.  There's probably a reason you were chose as the front man, whether that means you've been best friends for 20 years, he's your brother, or you are someone he truly respects and appreciates!  If you're unsure of what is expected of you for the wedding, here’s a quick checklist to help you out: 

  1. Help the Groom With the Tuxes: If the groom has decided on going the tux-route for his wedding, help him pick out and decide on the color, fit, and details of his and each groomsman’s tux. Once this has been decided, help him with organizing the fittings for all of the other groomsmen, and make sure everything is on schedule (fittings, pick up time, drop off time, etc.).
  2. Bachelor Party: Here it is, probably what you're looking forward to most! You’ll want to plan a bachelor party for the groom and his groomsmen that allows all to feel included and welcome, especially if there are out-of-town groomsmen, or some of the guys haven't met each other.  Coordinate with the other men to see what would interest everyone the most that would ensure a great time for all.  I recommend starting a closed Facebook Group or email thread is ensure everyone is in the loop.
  3. Groomsmen Gifts: Traditionally, the groom will give gifts to all of his groomsmen at the rehearsal dinner before the wedding. In the case that he is blanking on ideas, help him out! It's always helpful to bounce ideas off of another person.
  4. Scheduling: Try to stay ahead of the game and keep in close contact with the wedding coordinator about any scheduling or timeline changes. Help coordinate the couple’s wedding night departure, and confirm all hotel reservations for that night.
  5. Toasts: Be sure to prepare a toast for the rehearsal dinner and the reception itself. For the rehearsal dinner, be sure to wait until after the mother or father of the groom gives a toast if they chose to do so.
  6. Day of Payments: Collect any outstanding payments or tips for the vendors the day of the wedding and disperse to the appropriate vendors after the ceremony.
  7. Rings and License: One of the most important jobs for the wedding day is to make sure you have the rings held and safe for the ceremony, and remind the groom to have his wedding license on him. We don't want to lose these things!
  8. Sign the marriage license as an official witness

Photo by: Jeffrey Ocampo Photography 

Cheers!
The Jack Rabbit

Krystle and Nick | 9-28-14

For the past several years, I have had the pleasure of calling Nick and Krystle my friends. So of course, when they asked me to help them coordinate their wedding, I was more than honored!

Our styles are identical, they always make me giggle, and the unconditional love they share is incredible. Even in the smallest (and most precious) of ways, they show each other that love daily, and it's so beautiful! Adding to their awesomeness, they smoked a pig in the ground for the 3 days leading up to their wedding to grace the tastebuds of their guests! The yard smelled amazing! I don't prefer meat, but I tasted it, and let me tell you..... absolutely incredible.

A big congratulations goes out to these two as they have finally found their first (and oh so cute) home together! So, without further a-do, please enjoy these breathtaking photos by Ashleigh Carr Photography.

Happy belated anniversary you two!

Venue: Family Home, VA
Photography: Ash Carr Photography
Rentals: Paisley and Jade
Florals: The Green Flamingo
Coordination: The Wedding Rabbit
Cake: Kuba Kuba
Featured on: Junebug Weddings

The Chill Garden

One of my favorite parts about this summer was starting my first vegetable garden! I've wanted to do this for so long, and so excited that I was finally able to have the space and time to do it this year. My grandfather is a farmer and I remember as a little kid going through his garden with him and him teaching me the basics of vegetable care! Honestly, I was just going off of faith, general research and knowledge, and his wisdom when I started this garden. It was totally a "trial and error" kind of deal, but I am so happy with the results.

So I started my garden 18 weeks ago, and all of my produce were little seedlings. I planted basil, cilantro, parsley, chives, strawberries, cantaloupes, silver queen corn, green peppers, yellow peppers, red peppers, sante fe peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, white eggplant and tomatoes… seesh! So many things :) Everything produced SO well (except for the peppers…. I got one green pepper out of the whole pepper family)! I was able to eat to my hearts content and share my produce with so many of my friends. I picked about 12 cantaloupes, 20 cucumbers, 10 squash, 3 zucchini, 10 eggplants, 15 ears of corn, 6 tomatoes (about 25 more are growing now!), SO many herbs, AND fed all the wildlife in my yard whatever amount of strawberries they stole (I got to have 3 -___-)!

My secret? I put bunny poop in the soil (hehe)! I have 3 bunnies, and for the past 3.5 years, I have deposited their "soil" in one area of the yard. That particular area happened to be where I wanted to start the garden, so I dug up the ground, toiled everything, added additional soil, and went at it! A natural fertilizer is where it's at apparently! All of my veggies and fruit were so sweet, rich, and the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. I remember after tasting my first tomato, I could have just eaten it like a peach.

If you haven't tried your own mini garden, then I would suggest you try! It's so rewarding and so delicious! My philosophy is that if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, and at least you tried! It is so gratifying being able to not only eat locally (I try to purchase my groceries local), but to literally eat from your backyard! So please enjoy a few snaps of my garden progress this summer :-) I'll keep you all in sync with what's to come for the Fall garden!

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

"Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens! Bright copper kettles, and warm woollen mittens!" OK, so those aren't some of my favorite things (except for copper cookware!), but today I will be sharing with you a little about myself and what I love!

  1. Otters: Despite my name being The Wedding Rabbit, my favorite animal is actually an otter! I love their care-free, spunky nature, and how much they love the water! I had the opportunity to hold a baby otter when I was a kid, and to this day probably one of the best days of my life.
  2. White Cheddar Popcorn: Not only is this the best snack in the world, it is a must-have for me on days that I'm coordinating! It's pretty much all I ever want when I'm on the run!
  3. Pen and Paper: I love good old fashioned pen and paper! It allows me the creative freedom to write where I please, draw doodles in the margins, and sketch up a quick draft of a table-scape idea for a bride! You just can't do this with a computer!
  4. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans: You can call me "Kelly Belly Jelly" if you want.
  5. Nature: I love all things green and growing! Being outside is my happy place! If I had the choice, I would just be outside all day long! This year I started my first vegetable garden (I've been wanting to do this for years), and I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. It was so much fun going to the garden everyday and literally picking my food for the day!
  6. Richmond: I was born and raised in Richmond, and I just love it! Richmond is so full of art, history, community, wonderful restaurants, and it's so diverse! I love that at any given time there is at least one festival to attend! Whether it be the Greek Festival, the Beer and Barley Fest, the State Fair, or (my favorite) the Celtic Festival! If you haven't had a chance to visit, please do!
  7. Flowers: There's just something sweet of having fresh arrangements around the house :)
  8. My Clip Board: My clip board is nothing special, but special to me! The one I use is just from Target, and I bought it 8 years ago when I first started doing events. I love that it's been loved and used and has been so reliable (the clip still works too)! ;-)
  9. Printed Photos: We live in a day and age where most everything is online or on our computers. But I still love to have photo prints! Being able to flip through photos whether in a book or in hand, is so wonderful and timeless!
  10. Making your day special!: I came in to this industry with the dream and desire to create events that are completely personal or unique to it's host! Growing up with my mother who is the master of tradition and attention to detail, I quickly became enthralled with the idea that I could help everyone to have a one-of-a-kind experience and event of their own! It makes me so happy to see that joyful faces of my wedding couples and their guests!

What are some of your favorite things?:)

​

Styled Wedding Shoot | Midsummer Night's Dream

Considering it is now midsummer, it is time to share some beauties taken by Kait Winston Photography! Kait, Shana (of Sassy Snap Dragon Florals) and I created this shoot to embody the whimsical and dream-like summer romance of William Shakespeare's phenomenal play. Shana created enchanting floral details that popped beautifully with the romantic, earthy river-scape. Pearl's Cupcakes designed and provided the sweetest cupcakes that were not only pleasing to the eye, but absolutely delicious! The model of the shoot was yours truly! It was so fun to design, style and model for this shoot:) So without further a-do, please enjoy the photos below!

 

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” 
-William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Nights Dream

Photographer: Kait Winston Photography / Event Coordination + Design: The Wedding Rabbit / Cake Designer: Pearl’s Bake Shoppe / Floral Design: Sassy Snapdragon Floral / Model: Kelly Harrison of The Wedding Rabbit / Model: Todd Baker / Published: Sweet Violet Bride

Styled Wedding Shoot | Botanical Blooms

There is nothing like spring time in D.C. especially when it's cherry blossom season! This shoot took place in D.C. during the Cherry Blossom festival and it was a big inspiration. Ash Carr and I teamed up to created a styled shoot that was very romantic, vintage, and centered around botanical blooms. The florals were done by Sassy Snapdragon Florals, and the stationary, invites, and photography all done by Ash Carr. I loved all the pieces we used and the mixture of mercury glass, copper, lace, fresh herbs, vintage tableware, and bright flowers.  Enjoy some peeks below :)

To see more images of our shoot, jump over to Ruffled Blog!

 

Cheers!

The Wedding Rabbit

Maid of Honor Duties

Have you been recently asked to be a Maid of Honor, and have no idea what you're actually supposed to do? Don't fret! If you've been asked to be a Maid of Honor, this is really that... an honor. Whether you've known the bride since childhood, she's your sister, or you have become inseparable in a short amount of time, the bride has asked you to be her leading lady on one of the most special days of her life, so it means that she loves and trusts you!

So first things first.... breathe. I know it seems like a lot of work is coming your way, but taking a step back and enjoying this moment is a wonderful thing! 

As a Maid of Honor, here are the list of duties that are traditionally your responsibility:
(Consult your bride or her coordinator to see if she would like extra assistance, or less!)

  1. Assist the bride in the selection of the bridesmaids attire: Listen and absorb the ideas the bride has for her bridesmaids. Assist her with the selection of the bridesmaids attire, and give your input where appropriate.
  2. Assist the bride in addressing invitations and place cards: Addressing invitations, licking envelopes, etc., is a lot of work, and usually left to the bride! This is an opportune moment to help her out, and take a little bit off of her shoulders.
  3. Coordinate the Bachelorette Party: OK, so this is the fun one! Coordinate with the bride and the bridesmaids to create a fabulous Bachelorette party to celebrate the bride! Be creative, and have fun with it!
  4. Record the gifts: Whether it's the bachelorette party or the bridal shower, be sure to record all of the gifts and givers so the bride can send out thank you notes after the wedding.
  5. The Wedding Ring: You will be in charge of holding the groom's wedding ring. Be sure to speak with your coordinator and have the ring on you before you walk down the aisle.  
  6. Be present for the signing of the marriage Certificate
  7. THE TOAST: She's asked you to be her Maid of Honor for so many reasons... Now's a chance to speak from your heart, speak words of encouragement, share funny stories, and express your excitement for the happy couple! Start working on the toast as soon as possible, as over time you'll edit and change what you've written!
  8. Help the bride change in to her going-away clothes: Not all brides choose to change in to a new outfit to leave, but if your bride does, be sure to help her and account for all of her wedding accessories and her dress to be transported to their desired location.

Photo by: Ash Carr Photography

Cheers!
The Wedding Rabbit

 

Why The "Rabbit"?

"Why the "rabbit?" is a question I receive quite often! So I thought I would explain how I chose my business name, and why it's special to me.

In the zodiac sense, rabbits represent gentility, peace, efficiency and ability to create romance. Symbolically, rabbits are thought to be highly observational, good coordinators, and hard workers behind the scenes! So it's no secret that obviously all rabbit's should be wedding planners, right? They clearly have most of the essential skills needed! ;-)

I have three bunnies of my own; Gnocchi, Ziti and Orzo, the eldest being Gnocchi. He was there with me when I first started the wedding portion of my business three years ago, and has just been a little fluff ball of a blessing for me. I definitely attribute partial inspiration for my name, to him.

I aspire to be like rabbits by nature, and provide my brides and grooms with seamless, gentle, and creative experiences. In the ways that my rabbits bring me peace, I as well hope to bring this to my couples!

Emily and Andy | 8-2-2014

This past August, I had the pleasure of coordinating Emily and Andy's wedding. In the process of planning and coordinating with this wonderful couple, I gained two great friends, and had some awesome laughs! The love and joy these two share together is beautiful and contagious. Their dream honeymoon was to go Ireland (my ancestors homeland!), and this past December, their dream came true! 

Emily, her father, and Andy collected all of the railway spikes, and train-smashed pennies that you see on their tablescapes! Emily explained that it was a wonderful bonding experience to enjoy in the months leading up to her wedding. That's some awesome quality time right there! With rusty orange, chocolate browns, and a pop of soft powder blue, Emily's vision came to life!

So enough from me... please enjoy these stunning photos by Molly Scott Photo of their Main Street Station RVA wedding!

 

Venue: Main Street Station
Photography: Molly Scott Photography
Catering: Dixie Bones BBQ
DJ: Tyler Northrup
Coordination: The Wedding Rabbit
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Florals: Vogue Flowers
Cake: WPA Bakery

Give Away!

Just days ago, I updated my look, released a new website, and also launched this blog! It's been a long time coming, and I've had so much fun working on everything in the process. Along with my re-brand, I am teaming up with Molly Scott Photography to offer a FREE styled photo-shoot giveaway! Details are listed below. Also, stayed tuned over the next couple weeks for an even bigger announcement!

CONTEST DETAILS:
- LIKE this page
- LIKE this image
- SHARE this image
- SEND an email to theweddingrabbitrva@gmail.com, describing your dream styled photo-shoot

Winners will be chosen at random, after I receive at least 10 submissions. Be sure to share with friends! smile emoticon

Refer to the links below to check out what has been in the works for the last couple of months!
WEBSITE: www.theweddingrabbit.com
BLOG: www.theweddingrabbitblog.com