A Small Wedding Celebration with A Lot of Heart at The Ashby Inn in Paris, Virginia

Abby + Quest | Married

01.23.2021

Imagine getting married in Paris! Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I'd get engaged in Paris so I could only imagine getting married in the City of Lights. Okay, while I'm sure this couple would have jumped at the chance for an elaborate wedding in the most romantic city in the world, we all have to be cognizant of the global pandemic currently at play. This post takes place closer to Northern Virginia.

For Abby and Quest, they were married in a quaint Paris - Paris, Virginia. This town is literally a street lined with a dozen old buildings, some houses, some businesses, and one magnificent little church.

This little church offers the quintessential small town charm. Classic stained glass lancet windows, tall wood doors, and the stucco and stone exterior give it a classic appearance. Upon walking into the church you're greeted by a small entrance to then turn the corner and see all the church has to offer. A space filled with wooden pews facing an altar framed by a lancet shaped alcove with one circular stained glass window above.

Personally, I love decor that takes you back to a different era. This church did just that - dark wood ceiling, hanging lantern pendant lights with ornate chrome details, various shades of green on the walls, amber tones in the stained glass windows, and red carpet on the floors for the cherry on...top [bottom, realistically]. Now I'm no expert in interior design history but I'd venture to say this is from a decade well before I was born.

This wedding ceremony was small and intimate, just like the town where it was hosted. Abby and Quest's immediate families gathered in this antiquated space to witness their exchanging of vows. Just as quick as everyone gathered, Abby and Quest officially became husband and wife.

I say this often but my goal is always for the bride and groom to feel comfortable during their formal portraits. After all, this is their wedding and these moments are unique to their story. Being January, it was incredibly cold and windy despite the sun shining which doesn't make for the most comfortable circumstances to take photos in formal attire.

Fortunately for us, it was golden hour inside the church. Yes, golden hour - indoors. The amber stained glass window above the altar and the sun were in perfect alignment to produce golden warm natural light within the church. What the what? I didn't anticipate or plan for this but the timing was absolutely perfect.

Quickly I found myself in the zone with their first portraits as husband and wife. Abby and Quest were so smitten with each other that they happily posed, adjusted, reposed, over and over for me. A bonus for me - Abby was so incredibly photogenic which you can see in her portraits! The tulle in her ever-so-slight blush pink dress gave soft romantic timeless vibes to reflect the romance the church had to offer.

It took so much effort to stop shooting. Yes, to stop shooting! I loved our portrait time together and didn't want it to end, however, the bride and groom needed to go get to their formal tea reception hosted at The Ashby Inn.

The families greeted Abby and Quest for their tea reception in a private room at The Ashby Inn complete with a fireplace. Everyone enjoyed teas, finger sandwiches, and wedding cake, while talking about what the future held for the newly married couple. The cake was cut, toasts were made, and this sweet elopement in Paris, Virginia, was complete.

Vendor Team:

Venue: The Ashby Inn in Paris, Virginia

Photographer: Emily Marcella Photography in Haymarket, Virginia

Florist: Lavender Green Florist in Paris, Virginia

Cake: Mama Bear's Little Bake Shop in Haymarket, Virginia

Hair & Makeup: Three Ways Beautiful in Gainesville, Virginia

Wedding Dress: David's Bridal in Woodbridge, Virginia