Wedding | Sophie & Cameron

The Anti-Bride
1 minute ago
5 min read

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We live in Baltimore County with our chihuahua, Penny. Cameron works in the trades, and I’m a graphic designer. We love home renovations, taking care of our chickens, and spending time outdoors.

We were set up on a blind date by Cam’s high school friend and my cousin, who are in a relationship. I kept hearing about this “guy I would like” and finally said, “Set me up!” At the time, Cam was living at home briefly after eight years in the Coast Guard and figuring out his next move, and he never left. It was an instant connection and things just clicked from the start. I left our first date knowing my life might have just changed forever. IYKYK!

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Cam and I live in Baltimore, but we fell in love spending time at my family’s farmhouse in Edinburg, Virginia. About fifteen minutes away is the tiny town of Orkney Springs, centered around the historic Shrine Mont. Once a summer hotel getaway for Washington, D.C. residents, it’s now a retreat and conference center owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, filled with charm and character.

Shrine Mont felt like our dream venue from the very beginning. It’s truly one of a kind. Guests stayed onsite, shared meals together in a communal dining hall, and spent time by the pool or on the wraparound porches. The cell service is spotty, which made it all the more special. Our ceremony took place in front of a stone shrine, and our reception was held in the most beautiful old ballroom. It was pure magic.

How many guests did you have?

We had 138 guests. Outtakes Studio captured our day.

What was your budget?

I quickly learned that wedding planning is all about balance. You dream big and then figure out how to make it all work. We splurged on photography and flowers since those felt the most meaningful to us. We found a wonderful local caterer who worked within our budget, and I took on most of the design work myself. I used a local printer for our paper goods and sourced a mix of vintage pieces and Etsy finds instead of renting, which made everything feel more personal and unique.

Tell us about your outfits.

Buying my wedding dress was the very first thing I did after booking our venue and date. I had planned a trip to New York to browse designer vintage and second hand boutiques, but during an online search I came across a site selling overbuys, samples, and cancelled orders at incredible prices. I ordered four dresses to try on at home, and the one that won, thanks to my mom’s pick, was an eyelet Pronovias gown.

It originally had a halter neckline, but with the help of my local seamstress, we reworked it into something that felt more like me. I reached out to Pronovias for more info on the dress and learned it was from their 2007 collection, which made it feel even more special and one of a kind.

It was hot in July, so for the reception and dancing I changed into a little blue Sandy Liang mini dress and a pair of comfy vintage shoes.

For Cam’s tux, we happened into Joseph A. Bank during a sale and somehow found his entire look for $100, which still feels unbelievable. He chose a white dinner jacket to set himself apart from the groomsmen, who wore classic black tuxes. Since we saved so much, we added a Bode cross tie inspired by our shared obsession with Little House on the Prairie.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

We wanted our wedding to feel traditional, yet completely authentic to us. It was formal in some ways but still relaxed and low-key, summer weekend in the magical Shenandoah Valley. I fussed over some details but didn’t want the wedding to feel fussy. More than anything, we wanted our guests to remember being in a setting that we love so much.

We also wanted it to feel timeless, like a wedding either of our parents might have had in the 1980s. A priest officiated, we had a bridal party, matching bridesmaids’ dresses, white linens, buffet-style food, and plenty of dancing to pre-2000s hits. My mom gave me Martha Stewart’s 1987 book Weddings while we were in the midst of planning, which definitely had some influence.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

As a graphic designer, I knew from the start that I wanted to be hands-on with every visual detail. I designed our invitations with the help of my friend Bijou Karman, who created the illustrations and hand-drawn calligraphy. I had so much fun designing all the printed pieces used throughout the weekend, from the welcome poster to the menus and matchbooks.

I also have a jewelry brand, Object Of, and knew I wanted to make something special for my bridesmaids to thank them for all their love and support. I designed 14k gold flower studs for them to wear forever and paired them with vintage hankies for all the happy tears.

We also love photo booths, so we had a vintage film booth travel all the way from New Jersey. It was such a hit, and flipping through the photo strips afterward gave us the most incredible record of our guests.

Any tips for couples getting married?

There’s so much pressure around weddings, no matter how you do it. Make your decisions and move on; there will always be something you could have done differently. Hire a day-of coordinator — truly the best investment. Things might not go exactly as planned, but let it go and stay present. Talk early on with your fiancé about what kind of experience you want to have and plan your day around that. Once you walk down the aisle, don’t leave each other’s side. And write everything down the next day before the little moments fade.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Toward the end of planning, decision fatigue is real, and that’s when you have to trust your vendors to carry you across the finish line. We were so lucky to have the best team behind us.

A huge thank you to Sabrina Hambrick, who is simply the best in the business, and to Yarrow Floral Co., who took my “I trust you” and turned it into something beyond my wildest expectations.

Photographer: Outtakes Studio @outtakes_studio | Day of Coordinator & Styling: Sabrina Hambrick

@sabrinaallison_design | Flora: Yarrow Floral Co @yarrowfloralco | Ceremony & Reception Location:

Shrine Mont @shrinemont | Celebrant: Thomas Clement | Rentals: MS Events @mseventscville | Makeup:

Artistry by Lexi @artistrybylexi | Hair: Kathleen Elizabeth @boho.bridal.babe | Catering & Beverages:

Dayton Catering@daytoncateringco | Cake: Heritage Bakery @heritage_bakeryandcafe | Stationery: Bijou Karman@bijoukarman | Entertainment: Amy Reid @amyreid_music | Ring Pillow: Millie Amber