Airy and Ethereal Summer Wedding | Gabriela + Brent from Manassas, VA
Finding the perfect wedding venue right before you move to a new state is enough to put any engaged couple into a frenzy! We met Gabby and Brent during this whirlwind phase of their wedding planning. They were due to move from Missouri to Virginia and needed to find the perfect spot for their wedding before they left Missouri. They toured a few different venues, but when they walked through the doors at Emerson Fields, Gabby says she “knew it was the one.”
“Emerson Fields was the most beautiful venue we toured, with options for an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception. The big selling point was the full weekend rental included in the price. Living in Virginia and planning a wedding in Missouri, Emerson allowing us the venue for the weekend made decorating and cleaning up so much less stressful! We also loved that they had lists of recommended vendors as we were planning a wedding from states away! ”
This sweet couple had our hearts from our first meeting with them too! We loved hearing a little about how they met and what led them to this moment in their lives. Here is what Gabby had to say about their love story.
“In the beginning of their relationship, if you were to ask Brent how they met, he would’ve said “fishing”. In all reality, fishing sounds better than Bumble. But how else would two adults, creeping closer and closer to 30 meet someone in a new town? After Brent ignored Gabriela’s messages for over a week, a date was finally scheduled at Addison’s in Columbia, Missouri.
Gabby was excited because she’d heard Addison’s had AMAZING buffalo wings. Imagine her dismay when they arrived and Brent had ordered a salad…. She ordered one as well, to be polite, with a side of fries. However, the salads were barely touched and the last fry was fought for. As they say, the rest is history. Goodnight phone calls became routine.
A year after they met, they took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, one of Gabby’s favorite places to visit, where Brent took her on a drive full of bear sightings and beautiful Mountain Views. At the end of their drive, Brent popped the question, tears were shed, hands were shaking, and Gabby completely forgot to even say “yes”.”
It is always a privilege to host our couples at Emerson Fields, but we truly enjoy seeing how each one customizes our beautiful venue. Gabby and Brent had a lovely, airy summer wedding with a simple, laid-back vibe. Gabby didn’t want to fuss with too many decorations or “extras” and the simplicity of their breezy, August wedding day was perfect.
Gabby and her bridesmaids got ready upstairs in the dressing suite of the venue. One way Gabby made her wedding day unique was by including her grandma in the bridal party. Grandma Barbara was Gabby’s Matron of Honor!
Gabby shared some of her initial concerns about the venue below, but in a turn of events, her early concern became her biggest joy because of our all-weekend rental plan!
“[Before we toured] we were nervous about the price being a little high- but when we found out it was an all weekend rental- it seemed low! And worth it!!”
“Almost ALL of our vendors were off of their recommended vendor list, and they were all fantastic. Amelia answered my call two days before the wedding when our coordinator had cancelled and helped us find a new coordinator. This is so much more than a venue. She offered words of wisdom, planning help, comfort, and friendship. Planning on our own was only possible because of the venue we picked! ”
We coordinated several phone calls throughout Gabby and Brent’s cross-country wedding planning. We could discuss logistics, floor plans, vendor recommendations, and more from hundreds of miles away. About a week before the wedding though, Gabby’s wedding coordinator had a family emergency that would not allow her to help with the wedding.
Because we knew Gabby well by now and have such a close relationship with our local vendors, we were able to quickly help Gabby and Brent hire a new wedding coordinator at the last minute. Our good friend and professional, Tyena of D-Zines Weddings, was able to step in and coordinate the day so this lovely couple could still relax and enjoy their wedding weekend.
Gabby shared these thoughts on the importance of having a wedding coordinator:
“Having a coordinator made my wedding happen. The day of our wedding, our Photo Booth contact reached out by email to cancel due to illness, and our coordinator, Tyena used her connections to fix the issue before I even saw the email. I had never been to a wedding before, so having her at the rehearsal to make sure things were set up properly was amazing! She made sure everyone was paid, fed, and happy, and I couldn’t have done this without her.” In other words, having a professional coordinator is PRICELESS!
You can see that this couple knows how to relax and have a good time! It was difficult to find one picture where Gabby isn’t smiling ear-to-ear. Her joy just radiated throughout the entire weekend! Her light and airy wedding design style paired perfectly with the couple’s joyful wedding party and love for the outdoors. This playful and fun couple kicked back and relaxed as a true destination wedding couple should.
Gabby and Brent really wanted an outdoor wedding, so the open-air pavilion was the perfect choice for their Missouri summer wedding! The sheer drapery billowing in the rafters, simple eucalyptus greenery tied to the chairs with white satin ribbon, and the wooden cross from Emerson Fields for the altar created a simple, airy outdoor wedding ceremony with an ethereal vibe.
The warm August breezes were the perfect touch none of us could have planned for and the guests enjoyed it so much. Couple the shade of the pavilion with the lovely breeze and this location is our most popular for outdoor wedding ceremonies in the summer months.
“Writing our own vows was so important to us to make our ceremony unique! ”
Gabby and Brent’s loved ones traveled from all over to Emerson Fields to see these two be united in marriage. Gabby was escorted down the aisle by her grandma, a sweet and loving touch to this wedding ceremony while the theme music from the movie “Up” played.
Gabby and Brent each wrote personal vows and read them aloud to one another. Their personalized vows were so touching. During Brent’s vows, he said that “ I realized that I only knew half of who I was before you, but the other half I’m so sure of now. So, Gabby as I stand with you holding your hands on our wedding day I vow that these hands will hold you and protect you and our future children and our lives together. I vow forever and always to be by your side, to follow you, and lead you, and never let you down.”
Cue the tears!
As Gabby began her vows she had to take a minute after a nervous giggle to begin sharing her thoughts. “Ummm, whew, sorry I’ve been crying. I could stand up here today and say that I knew from day one that you were the one, but that’s not true is it? I didn’t know at day one, but I did know at day fourteen. On day fourteen I looked at you and I said, ‘Brent, I think I love you’ and you romantically replied, ‘you don’t even know me Gabby!’. [lots of laughter from the guests] SO, now, a little over two years later, in front of all of our family and friends, I just wanted to take a minute to say, I told you so!” [roars of laughter}
These two are effortlessly fun and their entire ceremony reflected their love and lightheartedness. Gabby finished her vows by sharing that “loving you for the rest of my life won’t be long enough to love you like you deserve.” [wow!] Their loved ones cheered them on as they sealed the vows with a kiss!
The newlyweds almost skipped back down the aisle and shared a kiss as clapping, cheering, and “You Make My Dreams” by Hall and Oats rang out!
They took almost all of their portraits outside near the lake on this breezy, August day. With so many backdrop options at Emerson Fields, a summer destination wedding can have countless ethereal photographs! This couple utilized Emerson Fields to the best of their ability: from the couple in the meadow, walking by the lake, snuggling in the bridal suite, dancing in the venue, sharing personal vows in the pavilion, and laughing on the patio overlooking the lake.
“Having the venue all weekend, and the chairs, tables, and linens included saves so much stress, time, and money!
The venue is a great central location from both airports, and every single guest told us how beautiful it was! ”
Planning a wedding from states away may seem hard, but the right wedding vendor team can help alleviate a lot of that stress. We loved getting to work with some wonderful wedding vendors for this airy summer wedding, like Good Stuff China, D-Zines Weddings, Cakes by Kristina, Noland’s Catering, and many more!
This ethereal wedding style for the reception played up the all-white interior of the venue with white linens, soft eucalyptus greenery arrangements, candles, and blush pink accents. The vintage pink goblets were the perfect touch of glam and were hand-selected from Good Stuff China, a vintage rental company from Kansas City, MO. This vintage depression glassware gave each place setting a perfect soft pop of color. The plates and cutlery were a mix of vintage white china and stunning gold flatware and were also rented from Good Stuff China. The head table on the stage kept with the white and blush theme but added a sparkling rose gold accent tablecloth, perfect for drawing wedding guests’ eyes towards the couple.
At each place setting was a thoughtful thank you note from the couple. Each thank you outlined the most sincere appreciation from Gabby and Brent to their friends, family, and parents. We love how they let their guests know that “you are our absolute favorite people in the world.” It was also a great spot to outline the outside, inside, and late-night activities. On the backside of the thank you card was the bar menu, also a great place for guests to be informed and pre-select their drink order!
After the wedding ceremony, all of the guests enjoyed a cocktail hour on the back patio before beginning the main reception with dinner and dancing. We love that Brent and Gabby added a second bar to the patio so all of their guests could be served quickly. The rolling wooden bar rental from D-Zines Weddings was a perfect choice. Who doesn’t love a cool cocktail on a warm summer evening on a patio with lake views?!
“I would describe our wedding style as light and airy. We had no florals on the tables, just greenery, and we kept our colors light and classy. The great thing about Emerson Fields is you don’t need a ton of decorations to make your wedding beautiful. The venue is stunning on it’s own! ”
Brent and Gabby's ethereal and classic taste showcases how a wedding with simple and elegant accents looks gorgeous at Emerson Fields. No matter how big or small you decide to go with the décor, you can have a beautiful, personalized destination wedding.
This fun-loving couple enjoyed their wedding weekend. There were many smiles and lots of laughter was heard throughout the night. Their guests traveled from all over just to celebrate the Paszts’ wedding day. They danced, took pictures in the photo booth, spent time out on the patio, and simply focused on having FUN together.
As “Love Shack” rang through the venue a late-night snack was brought out by Noland’s Catering of Macon. Hot pretzels with beer cheese were quickly devoured as guests enjoyed those delicious bites and danced.
Gabby had called Amelia at Emerson Fields before the wedding to ask for a licensed pyrotechnic fireworks vendor recommendation as a surprise for Brent. She wanted them and the guests to be able to relax and be wowed at the end of the wedding reception with a celebratory fireworks display. The couple went out onto the dock after the dancing was finished and their guests gazed from the patio while these beautiful fireworks danced over the lake at Emerson Fields.
“The fireworks at the end of the night was the BEST decision we made. It was so nice to stand there together (after the busy night we just had) and watch the fireworks over the lake surrounded by our friends and family. It was our favorite part of the entire day!”
Even when planning a wedding from states away, Brent and Gabby were able to create an airy and ethereal summer wedding weekend at Emerson Fields. We loved that they chose us to host their wedding and the start of their new life together as husband and wife. It’s a pleasure to work with couples who radiate so much joy and want a destination wedding feel.
Are you planning a destination wedding? With our preferred vendor directory, blogs of advice and tips, strong communication, and desire for you to have the best wedding ever, Emerson Fields is the perfect Missouri wedding venue for you!
Check out this other blog all about How to Create a Midwest Destination Wedding Experience.
Vendor Team
Guest Count | 120
Wedding Venue | Emerson Fields
Wedding Photographer | Abbey Lane Photography (no longer in business)
Wedding Videographer | Superlative Cinema
Floral Décor & Decor Rentals | D-Zines Weddings
Wedding Coordinator | D-Zines Weddings
Bridal Gown | The Ultimate Bride STL
Bridal Gown Designer | Essence of Australia
Cake | Cakes by Kristina
Caterer | Nolands Catering
Bartender | Vertigo Event Services
Bridesmaid Gowns | David’s Bridal
Menswear Rentals | Black Tux
China Rentals | Good Stuff China
Napkin Rentals | AB Heltons Fine Linen Rentals
Photo Booth | Redlight Photo Booth
Hair Stylist | Emma McDonald Beauty
Makeup Artist | Makeup by Angela
Officiant | Jerome Wachter - Hearts2Gether4Ever
Fireworks Display | SW Productions
03/23/2023 - Gabrielle Isom (updated)
