Multicultural Wedding at Crosskeys Vineyards, VA
I first met Tamillia and Nealson over a client meeting at La Concha Resort during their wedding planning trip to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, COVID-19 got in the way of their Caribbean destination wedding plans, and they took the painful but necessary decision to uproot their wedding and moved it closer to home. Still, I feel so incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to them instead and document their beautiful multicultural wedding at the Crosskeys Vineyards in Virginia.
Rehearsal Dinner at Crosskeys Vineyards
After a few days in Charlottesville, VA, I traveled one hour north to the Crosskeys Vineyards the day before Tamillia and Nealson's wedding for their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. I fell in love with the venue; back home, we don't have vineyards (too hot for grapes), and I spent a few hours touring the area before our appointment.
I don't get to participate in these pre-wedding events as much as I would like to; I'm so grateful I was able to in this particular case because I was able to get acquainted with both the venue and friends and family members essential to the couple. Being Puerto Rican and far away from home, I felt so much at home by their friendly guests, who truly made an effort to make me feel welcome and get to know them and the couple a little better through them.
Multicultural Wedding at Crosskeys Vineyards
While Tamillia is American, Nealson is a native of Ghana: which is why they initially fell in love with Puerto Rico as their wedding destination, as the tropical climate and the warmth of the natives reminded him of his African motherland.
Some of his Ghanaian loved ones couldn't make the trip to Virginia due to the pandemic, so they brought a bit of the Ghanaian culture and wedding traditions into their otherwise Western celebration. They would have two wedding outfits, a Western-traditional look for the ceremony and Ghanaian formal wedding attire for the reception.
A rainy-day backup plan
We had a rainy wedding day, so the ceremony was celebrated in the basement barrel room, which had a different look to the outdoorsy fields and vineyards but was still gorgeous. Family members officiated the blessed celebration, and it felt so personal to the couple. After we finished, we did the family and group formal photos right there, after which we all went upstairs for the cocktail and then straight to reception.
Photos would've happened by now on a typical wedding timeline. But, we were really holding on to the hope of doing the newlywed portraits by the vineyards. And we did, just a few hours later while we still had sunlight. Then, overcast skies allowed us to rush out to the fields and do a beautiful set for the special couple, after which they changed into their Ghanaian party outfit, and we danced the night away.
I'm glad and fortunate to have worked with them on their wholesome, fun, and incredible vineyard wedding. Every minute was a blast with Tamillia, Nealson, and their guests; I didn't want the night to end!
xo,
Cami
For this event
Virginia Wedding Vendors
Wedding Photography Camille Fontz
Wedding Cake SugarBakers Cakes
Music & DJ Keyana Stewart (Soloist), DJ QFresh
Make-up & Style Artistry by Aisha Sadiq
Officiant Charles Harvey
Designer/Store for dress of couple and wedding party: Wear Bobra, Stacy Adams, Amina Abdul Jillil
