When you’re lucky enough to have a couple contact you after being a part of a wedding you planned years back, you know you’re in for a great time!

Back in 2015, this groom was a groomsmen in a wedding of mine. Fast forward 4 years later and it’s his turn to get married! His beautiful bride-to-be contacted me on their behalf and let me know that her soon-to-be husband had one thing to say:

“Hire Angelica.”

The rest was history!

Chelsea and I took our time planning the details of their day. She knew a few things from the beginning but really needed my help in pulling together her thoughts and streamlining her ideas. As a wedding and event planner, that is the best part! I love when couples come to me with a ramble of energetic thoughts and random pins on their Pinterest of things they’ve collected and gathered over the years. To me, design is all about finding and identifying their patterns, so the more they talk and the longer they’ve been pinning I’m often able to easily see similarities in their aesthetic which help me piece together their day as a whole.

For Chelsea, shades of pink, timeless elegance, and classically beautiful gold accents became our focus. As we spent a little over a year together, our design evolved slowly overtime. Hot pink transitioned into more muted tones and some bolder parts of our look became more refined.

For all weddings that I plan, whether in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland, or Charlottesville, Virginia the transformations are one of my favorite parts!

All details aside, as beautiful as our planning had gone in the year leading up to Chelsea and Tom’s June 1st wedding at Stone Manor Country Club we hit a very unexpected bump in our road. Just four days before their wedding, the Mother of the Bride had a stroke. She was immediately rushed to the hospital by her husband, who fortunately caught the signs early. But, sadly, she was unable to be there by her daughter’s side on a day they were all very much so looking forward to.

But when there’s a will, there is a way! So despite the fact that Chelsea’s mama was recovering nicely in the hospital, we all knew she had to be present some way, some how. We decided to FaceTime her in for all of their moments throughout the beginning of their day. (Thank you, technology!)

I’m beyond thrilled to say she was able to see her soon-to-be son in law and his guys standing in line before they walked down the aisle and send them all well wishes. I’m even more thankful that right before her daughter walked down with her dad they had a private moment together— just the three of them.

I’ll admit…I couldn’t hold back my tears.

Her mama witnessed an incredibly beautiful, garden view ceremony from what would have been her chair in the front row.

An all around beautiful day turned into an experience I’ll never forget with people that will be a part of my life forevermore.

Wedding Planner: Angelica & Co. Weddings @angelicacoweddings

Venue: Stone Manor Country Club @stonemanorcountryclub

Photographer: Paige Ryan Photography @paigeryanphoto

Videographer: D.P. Weddings @dpweddings

Caterer: Carriage House Catering

Bar & Beverage: Lakefront Fine Wine & Spirits @lakefrontwine

Florist: J. Morris Flowers @jmorrisflowers

Hair & Makeup: JKW Beauty @jkwbeauty and Emily Bella Makeup @emilybellamakeup

DJ: Michelle Portenier

Desserts: Sweet From Scratch @sweetfromscratch

Transportation: On The Town Limousine @onthetownlimos

Stationary: Minted @minted

Officiant: Kyle Tucker