Charlottesville Wedding Boar's Head Resort // Annie & Riley

After working through logistics of moving a wedding to handle a global pandemic and working with military deployment start dates, Annie and Riley finally said “I do!” this past Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia. While all the guests wore masks and sat many pews apart, Annie and Riley were able to have their wedding in the Holy Comforter Catholic Church. The party continued at the Boar’s Head Resort down the road, overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

My second shooter, and sister, Rebecca and I prepared for a “new” kind of wedding day. We had ample hand sanitizer bottles on hand and I made sure I had masks in all of my bags. We even prepared for the 100 degree weather. We packed a Yeti cooler with ice and water to make sure we were hydrated after moving from location to location throughout the day, which ended up being a total lifesaver for us and the bridal party!

I met Annie first thing that morning at her bridal suite at Boar’s Head, where she and her bridesmaids spent the morning getting dressed and ready together. I could feel their excitement as soon as I walked in the door. Shortly after graduation from UVA, Riley reported to Marine Corps training, separated from Annie for the past eight months.

As soon as Annie entered the church and began walking down the aisle, I quickly turned to capture Riley’s reaction to seeing his bride for the first time. . Riley starred with tears in his eyes as Annie came down the aisle with her dad. It was the sweetest moment of the day. After the ceremony, the newly married couple walked out of the church to their family and friends under a Marine Corps sword arch.

We spent the afternoon taking bridal party and bride and groom portraits at the Rotunda on the UVA grounds. This is where the Yeti cooler really came in handy! Ice cold water was key to survival in the crazy heat! We worked around the Rotunda in several different shaded locations. When it came time to focus on just Annie and Riley, there was no denying their joy and excitement at finally being married! Riley’s constant attentiveness to Annie and the way Annie looked up at Riley certainly showed off their deep love for each other.

The reception was a fun-filled evening at the Boar’s Head Pavilion. The room was traditional with beautiful wood beams and candles lit on all the tables. The tables were adorned with greenery and ornate hand sanitizer bottles. It’s a sign of the times, truly.

Their wedding was pure, gorgeous, and an absolute blast, but my favorite moment came during their first dance. Riley must have had some experience with swing dancing because he effortlessly twirled his bride around the dance floor. This moment was clearly their own: they were surrounded by friends and family but they were in their own world. They had huge smiles on their faces and laughed together for the first time as husband and wife. Truly a beautiful moment.