Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
As our guests moved from the cocktail hour on Pippin Hill’s patio back into the granary for dinner, my bridesmaids and I went up to the bridal loft for my dress change.
Along with the dress change, I decided to change shoes. My ceremony shoes were simple, and I thought it’d be fun to wear some more sparkly shoes for the reception.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
In my post about our ceremony, I forgot to mention a surprise element that got added at the last minute. A chorus of little frogs started whirling outside the venue just as the ceremony started. As animal lovers, Mr. Mink and I were totally charmed by the amphibian symphony just outside the doors of Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards. A friend who worked at the venue told me that they had never heard the frogs before that evening.
I know there was one near us while we were taking post-ceremony photos on Pippin Hill’s patio and sure enough, there was one perched on top of one the lanterns that hung on the patio supports.
The sound those little frogs made was almost the same sound that the tree frogs in Jamaica made. We fell asleep to that sound every night on our honeymoon.
Our nephews and nieces were delighted over the little frogs. One of my nephews was giddy over having touched one before he jumped into one of the water cisterns outside the venue.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
I’ve been dragging my feet when it comes to posting our wedding portraits because this part of our day was disappointing. Who am I kidding? This part sucked. When we planned a vineyard wedding, at a vineyard that was built overlooking land that had meaning to us, we imagined taking pictures among the vines with the Blue Ridge Mountains behind us. Because of the storm that came through the area in the hours leading up to our ceremony, I spent our portrait sessions pretty much standing in the same spot, holding my dress up so it didn’t get soaked.
At one point while we were taking portraits, the rain started to fall again. Thank goodness Jeanne Cusick of Cville Makeup stuck around because my hair was looking terrible by the end of our pre-ceremony portrait session. Not that I cared. The rain had changed everything, but I just wasn’t going to freak out about the details any more. I honestly just wanted to get married and was in a tunnel by this point.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
The Mink recaps left off with a post in which I shared our first look and images of the ceremony space. The ceremony was moved indoors due to a storm blowing through our area earlier in the day. After our first look, we took portraits, but we did some more after the ceremony and I thought I’d save those pictures for a later post. Let’s move on, to the ceremony!
Just beforehand, word came that the venue was allowing our dog, Junior Mink, inside the building for our ceremony. We had originally been told that Junior Mink was not allowed inside, so we had thought the rain was the end of our outdoor ceremony and Junior Mink’s participation.
Moving the ceremony inside meant that we’ve process into the space from the side. I stayed up on a landing while most of our bridal party processed, so I didn’t get to see any of what took place before I got into the room.
All but one member of our wedding party were seasoned veterans of weddings, so the procession of the adults was pretty straightforward. Mr. Mink’s best man is his co-host on his radio show, so we’re calling him DJ Best Man. Then came GM Blue, who has been mentioned before. Last, was the rookie. Mr. Mink’s oldest nephew was a groomsman for the first time. He’s a Star Wars fan, so we’ll call him Luke Groomswalker. Read more…
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
A pretty severe storm had just blown through the area around our venue, Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards, and there was a break in the weather. As soon as I saw a little sunshine, I wanted to get outside and take some pictures. For all I knew, we had the only break in the weather in front of us. The ceremony we so wanted to have with the Blue Ridge Mountains behind us wasn’t going to happen, but maybe we could get a few pictures of the view that sold us on our venue. Goodness knows the pile of dirt that had been there when we signed our contract wasn’t the selling point!
Of course, first looks come before portraits, so I anxiously waited for Mr. Mink to be put in position so we could have our first look. Just as I felt butterflies when the men arrived at the venue, I was nervous for this moment. It made no sense. Mr. Mink is the kind of guy who says you look great in pajamas. I knew his reaction would be sweet and positive…
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
Mr. Mink and his groomsmen arrived at our venue just before a massive hail storm moved through the area. Knowing they were getting ready while we watched the storm, I sent Sister Mink to the groom’s loft with my gift for Mr. Mink.
My gift to Mr. Mink was a nod to all the gifts he’s given me in recent years. I have a thing for a particular jewelry designer, David Yurman, and every year, Mr. Mink gives me a piece of it for my birthday or for Christmas. He jokes that he never expected to have someone he considered to be “his” jeweler, but he’s become friends with the woman at the store where he buys my gifts.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
Just as we finished getting ready, Dr. Bridesmaid noticed that the men had arrived at our venue, Pippin Hill. You’d think that after knowing Mr. Mink for seven years this wouldn’t be a big deal, but I actually got butterflies when I saw him coming down the little hill.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
Once we arrived at Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, I nervously frittered about, organizing things in the bridal suite. My MOH and I were there before Jeanne Cusick of Cville Makeup and Elisa of Elisa B Photography, so there wasn’t all that much that we had to do. The rest of the bridal party, Dr. Bridesmaid and Sister Mink, joined us soon after and the venue staff brought the food I had ordered.
Much of the morning and afternoon are a blur. I don’t know what came over me, but I stopped caring about all the details at some point and just wanted to go get married. When sweet Jeanne asked me if I liked something she was doing with my hair or makeup, I wound up looking at my MOH or Elisa. I guess I checked out a bit.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
Looking back, the morning of our wedding makes me laugh…even though I was in tears at times.
We woke up and did our usual morning things. I gave Junior Mink his breakfast and Mr. Mink took him outside while I made coffee. Mr. Mink decided to go out and get bagels to hold us over until we met up with our respective parts of the bridal party for food in the afternoon. (I had ordered food to be sent to the bridal loft, and the guys made plans to go to a pizza place near our venue for lunch.) I packed the last of our decorations and supplies and Mr. Mink loaded them into my car.
Photo by Mrs. Mink
It was overcast outside, but otherwise the weather was just fine. It wasn’t all that hot or humid out, either. The optimism of the venue staff started to have an effect on me. Maybe they were right and the weather that was headed our way wasn’t going to be as bad as the weather reports predicted.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
The day before our wedding was absolutely gorgeous. After manicures and pedicures with my bridesmaids in the morning, I went to Pippin Hill that afternoon for a walk-through with the venue staff. At this point, all of the different weather sources agreed that the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl would arrive in the morning. I don’t know if they were trying to make me feel better, but the staff kept telling me that it wasn’t going to rain. The rain plan was discussed for a few minutes. The brevity of the rain-plan conversation made me nervous. They told me the call to put the rain plan into action would be made at 2:30 PM on the wedding day.
The walk-through did the exact opposite of what it was supposed to do. I felt like I was the only one being a realist. When every forecast says there’s a 100% chance of rain, you prepare for rain. I wanted to put the rain plan in action right then and there.
Photo by Dr. S
When people started arriving for the rehearsal, I gave my camera to Mr. Mink and told him that he was in charge. Documenting every step of the planning process was wearing on me and I wanted to enjoy having our friends and family around us. I’m thankful that Dr. S, one of my bridesmaids, also took some pictures.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
The day before our rehearsal was a day to tie up a few loose ends. During the day, I finished two small projects. First, I wanted to customize a little bunting kit I had bought a few weeks earlier at a local shop called Rock, Paper, Scissors. The bunting was by a company called Figs & Ginger and was supposed to be held together with string. The image of the bunting on the company’s blog was cute:
I had seen bunting used quite a few times and thought it would be nice to make ours look a little bit different. I decided to see if I could thread a bunch of ribbons through the holes in the wood pieces of the bunting.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
In the months since our wedding, I’ve posted about a few things I never covered during our planning. I also wrote a few of the traditional posts that bee bloggers post over the course of writing for Weddingbee. With images in hand, it’s now time to start our recaps.
Perhaps it’s best to reintroduce myself for those who found Weddingbee after our planning ended and our marriage began. I started blogging for the bee last November. Mr. Mink and I met at a concert through a mutual friend. I was the city girl from the north and he was the outdoorsy guy from the south. On the surface, we might look like opposites, but we share a love of music, travel, animals, and great food. We never felt pressured to get married, but talked about it a lot after a few years together. Just before our fifth anniversary, Mr. Mink proposed on the beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
We searched for venues with an outdoor ceremony in mind. After considering many options, we settled on a venue that wasn’t built yet because we loved their plans, trusted their team, and were getting a discount on the rates they’d charge once they were built. When the venue finally opened, it was gorgeous and it quickly became one of the most sought after venues in the area!
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
A dramatic post-wedding haircut is a bit of a tradition around here. I shared that I love this kind of haircut in my Secret Life of Bees post, but my post-wedding chop wasn’t as exciting as the previous cuts I’ve done for charity have been. There was a reason for this, but that’s coming.
One afternoon after we got home from our honeymoon in Jamaica, I went to see Erica Haskins at her salon, Top Knot Studio.
Aside from having a beautiful, private salon, Erica has the most charming staff. Her assistant, T. Beau, is an enthusiastic greeter and will keep you company in the chair.
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
I’ve been asked to share my recommendations for visitors to Charlottesville many times via private message on Weddingbee. When I learned about the “Honeymoon in My Hometown” tradition among Weddingbee bloggers, I was excited to write my own edition.
First of all, know in advance that if you visit Charlottesville, you will always want to return. People call it a boomerang town because everyone who leaves will wind up coming back.
Where to stay
There are plenty of wonderful hotels and inns around Charlottesville. We also have several companies that serve as clearinghouses for people who rent out vacation properties, carriage houses, or second homes to visitors. Mr. Mink and I agreed that if we were honeymooning in Charlottesville, we’d stay at Keswick Hall, a small resort on the outskirts of town.
Just an afternoon at Keswick’s infinity pool can make the office feel a million miles away. An extended stay would be wonderful!
Mrs. Mink, Charlottesville, VirginiaAge and Occupation: 34, College AdministratorFiance's Age and Occupation: 40, Craft Beer ConsultantEngagement Date: November 26, 2010Wedding Date: June 2012Venue: Pippin Hill Farm & VineyardsAbout Me: I left a pre-war brownstone in Boston six years ago to live in a funky, Southern city where Thomas Jefferson, Dave Matthews, and urban chicken keepers enjoy equal social standing. I still love my Patriots and Red Sox, but have fallen in love with Virginia. I work in education and specialize in integrating technology into my work to improve the student experience. I’m a diehard blogger, animal lover, jamband follower, and DIYer. I paint to relax and have transferred by energy from home projects to wedding projects in recent months. When Mr. Mink and I started talking about marriage, we knew our wedding would be outdoors, that my golden retriever would be part of the day, and that the music would be fantastic. We’ve taken a few risks during our planning process and we’ve been enjoying the process immensely!
I’m a politics and news junkie.
I am fascinated by politics and the media. While I remember loving current events when I was young, I think my interest in the media stems from a short stint working at MSNBC just after my freshman year in college, when it was a brand new network. My job was purely administrative, but I was in awe of the staff of The News. The News was Brian William’s old show and his staff occupied the area of the newsroom next to my desk. I would FedEx plane tickets to producers or prepare shipments of MSNBC swag to be given out at the DNC while listening to his staff talk about how they would cover the events of the day. I loved being a fly on the newsroom wall.
While many are getting tired of the media’s coverage of our candidates’ every moves, I’m amped up for the final weeks of the election season. I only wish Tim Russert was still around with his white board.
I sometimes drive an animal taxi. Our love of animals isn’t a secret, but I’ve never discussed some of the rescue work I do. One of the activities in which I’ve loved being involved is called rescue transport. Rescue transporters relay homeless animals, often from kill shelters in the south, to new homes in the north. A coordinator assembles a list of drivers by putting an itinerary out on a listserve. Drivers sign up to cover a segment of the trip, meeting the next driver on the list at a designated spot where a transfer is made. At the end of the day, there’s usually an update about the passenger getting to his or her new home.
On the left, my first passenger (from years ago…look at my short hair!) and on the right, my most recent one.
