Celebrating a Timeless Love: Kate & Victoria’s Unique Wedding Weekend

“Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.
And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
Because this is what love is.
Love is not breathless, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion.
That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.
Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and, when all of the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.”

— Louis de Bernieres

At House of Joy, we take pride in creating unforgettable wedding experiences that reflect our clients' unique love stories. Recently, we had the pleasure of designing and planning the wedding weekend for Kate and Victoria, a beautiful couple whose love radiated throughout their celebration. From navigating multiple venue changes to accommodating their beloved dogs, Nychta and Roo, every detail of their special weekend was meticulously crafted to perfection if we do say so ourselves.

Kate and Victoria's wedding began with a journey through two different venues due to changing guest counts. Our team at House of Joy expertly managed these transitions seamlessly, ensuring that every aspect of their wedding maintained the elegance and charm they envisioned.We finally decided on a beautiful resort in West Virginia with an incredibly picturesque scenic overlook that perfectly accommodated the bridal party and guests. After falling in love with the view, we hit a bump when we realized that a standard reception tent would not do the view justice. It was extremely important to Victoria to showcase this breathtaking venue feature, so we worked with the tenting team to customize their tent with taller legs to preserve the magnificent view.

Two very special guests also played a role in creating a memorable weekend. Kate and Victoria's dogs hold a big place in their hearts, and we made sure they were a part of the wedding festivities. Just two days before the wedding, the adventurous pups decided to explore and chase a deer, leading to an unexpected hour-long search experience. Our team was very relieved to hear that Kate and Victoria were safely reunited with their furry family members. This heartfelt moment added a touch of spontaneity and love to the weekend's events.

The day before the wedding brought plenty of rain, challenging our planning and logistics. We adapted our production plans and prepared the team for possible rain plans the next day to ensure that the most important elements of the wedding remained intact and beautiful. Our expertise in navigating unpredictable weather ensured that Kate and Victoria's day was nothing short of magical, despite the rain. We always say there are more letters to the alphabet than A and B, so we need to have more than just B plan for different rain situations.

Kate and Victoria wanted their guests to feel cherished and entertained from the moment they arrived. The night before the wedding, they hosted a karaoke-themed welcome party, complete with a pajama dress code. This unique and fun-filled event set the tone for the weekend, allowing guests to relax, laugh, and celebrate the love that brought them together. At House of Joy, we understand the importance of creating memorable experiences that resonate with our clients and their guests. The icing on the cake was when they found out that their wedding photographer used to be the singer in a band when they jumped on the karaoke stage and lit up the night!

One of the original planning ideas we worked on with Kate and Victoria was the concept of hosting Camp Randelliot, a combination of their last names, which would be a full weekend of celebrating with fun and relaxation as the center event concepts. This naturally expanded into choosing design elements that would resonate with our sweet couple. We wanted the entire wedding weekend to be approachable, easy-going, and beautiful. For the wedding reception, we brought in a stunning celebration of texture and color, thoughtfully designed to create an inviting and sophisticated atmosphere. We incorporated many of the natural elements of the venue, such as wood, stone, clay, and linen, which beautifully complemented the lush green florals that adorned every corner. The color palette featured an elegant mix of greens, blues, yellows, and creams, creating a harmonious and serene environment that perfectly reflected the couple's style.

Kate and Victoria wanted to have the wedding party all in the same color, but still wanted the overall feeling of ease to be present. The end result was the bridesmaids wearing dresses in various styles and shades of green, adding a touch of individuality while maintaining a cohesive look. Kate looked radiant in a simple, elegant dress with an open back, clean lines, and a row of tiny buttons cascading down the back and onto the train. Victoria worked with Renee Grace Bridal to create a custom suit with a long, detachable train featuring navy blue satin trim that matched Kate’s shoes.

The reception was a true reflection of Kate and Victoria's love, combining natural elements, a refined color palette, and personalized details to create an unforgettable celebration. It was especially marked by their love of dancing. There was truly no shortage of fun on the dance floor as they had worked closely with the DJ to create a transitional playlist that ended the night with the all-time best dance crowd and their favorite techno music.

The day after the wedding, Kate and Victoria hosted a casual brunch at their West Virginia venue outside one of the historic homes. This final gathering allowed everyone to reminisce about the weekend's joyous moments and share in the couple's happiness one last time. There were many laughs and smiles! We loved designing this last, special touch as an endcap to their Camp Randelliot inspired wedding weekend.

Samantha and her team could not have been more of a dream come true for our wedding weekend. I seriously underestimated the level of detail and nuance that goes into wedding planning and HOJ did it flawlessly. My wife, Victoria, and I were so impressed with how Samantha delivered despite all of the headaches that some of our vendors (in particular, our venue) continued to give her and her team. She rolled with all of the punches and still created the most beautiful wedding for us. Seriously, we cannot thank Sam and team enough for creating such a wonderful experience that we'll cherish for a lifetime. HOJ will always hold a special place in our hearts for everything that they did to make these memories possible for us. - Kate, Bride