Real Richmond Wedding: Jenny and Connor at Amber Grove

Jenny and Connor
March 3, 2018

How They Met
Jenny and Connor first met in 2012 during their senior year of high school, Jenny was at Midlothian and Connor at Clover Hill. Jenny’s neighbor happened to be Connor’s childhood best friend. The two met at their mutual friend’s bonfire, and swear their friends were trying to set them up. They made plans to go to a movie, and after it ended, they talked for hours. Jenny explains, “The rest is history!”

Connor joined the Marine Corps during Jenny’s sophomore year of college at James Madison University. They had a long distance relationship for three years while Connor got settled in his life as a marine and Jenny finished college. “We wrote letters through boot camp, I drove hours to graduations, he drove hours to see me at home and school, and we became masters of Skype dates!”

Once Jenny graduated in 2016, the long distance was finally over and they moved into their first place.

The Proposal
Connor asked Jenny to be his wife on their five year anniversary, February 18th, 2017. He planned an entire day for the two of them, doing a bunch of things they loved to do together on Hilton Head Island. “We cooked a big breakfast together, went out to lunch, went mini golfing, with the loser buying ice cream after (Connor).” He made reservations at their favorite restaurant for dinner, and after as they were strolling the Shelter Cove Marina, Connor said he had an anniversary present for Jenny. He handed Jenny a bag and told her she should sit down. Jenny took out the tissue paper and saw a ring box sitting at the bottom. Jenny was stunned. “I just looked at him and he finally said, ‘Jenny I need you to hand me that box.'” Connor got down on one knee and proposed. “It was the most meaningful day and the perfect proposal.”

The Details
They chose Amber Grove because of how almost every aspect was taken care of. “We worked with Amber Grove on everything from timelines to linens to menu to location of the getaway car.” Jenny’s bridesmaids had the perfect space to get ready as did Connor’s groomsmen. “Because of the amazing staff, everyone was able to enjoy the day and not feel like they were working!”

Jenny and Connor were stationed in South Carolina during their planning process, but the two were set on Richmond and wanted that romantic southern wedding feel. “Pinterest definitely helped!” Their colors were classic with navy, gold, and blush accents. For the flowers, they used light pink and white flowers with an abundance of greenery.

Their ceremony was picture-perfect in Amber Grove’s barn. White petals lined the aisle, and throughout the ceremony, they had personalized details like a picture of their dog, Scout, on the back of the program as the “Dog of Honor.”

“We wanted the entire event to be meaningful, light, and fun!” At their reception, they had a s’more’s bar, giant Jenga, corn hole, and a cigar bar for guests to enjoy during the cocktail hour. They also had a Polaroid camera guest book, which Jenny says is her favorite keepsake from the day. Instead of favors, Jenny and Connor made a donation to an organization near and dear to their hearts, The Wingman Foundation. “On Connor’s first deployment, one of his pilots died tragically during a mission. It was devastating, but we were able to witness first hand how this foundation supports affected families and the military community.”

Their night ended with a sparkler send-off as they drove off in Connor’s beloved Chevy Silverado.

Favorite Part of the Day
“Our absolute favorite part of the day was the first look. Originally we did not want to do one, but we decided to go for it. It helped to calm our butterflies and was so meaningful to have those private moments together before the ceremony.”

Biggest Challenge
“The biggest challenge was that we planned a majority of the wedding from a distance. It was a lot of FaceTime with vendors and pictures of ideas!”

Best Piece of Advice
“Once you make a decision, stick with it! It is so easy to go back and forth and change your mind when there are so many ideas and opinions…It’s your day!”

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