Elegant Black & White Wedding Colors at a Dover Hall Virginia Wedding

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It was a four-year journey getting to the best day of their lives. Having met online, the couple first connected over their shared hobbies of going to the beach, boating and snowboarding. After messaging for a month, this led to a four-hour drive for their first in-person meeting. After proposing on her birthday, they planned for a classic fall wedding at Dover Hall in Virginia.

THE VENUE: a Dover Hall Virginia Wedding

Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue exterior

brick, stone and glass of the Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

green fireplace at historic wedding estate

They wanted an elegant, classic feel to their day celebrating in such a beautiful way. Jackie and Justin chose black and white wedding colors that perfectly complimented the historic features of the Dover Hall estate. The Richmond, Virginia wedding venue includes variety both indoors and outdoors.

bridesmaids in black silk robes during wedding getting ready

Dover Hall Virginia is an English Tudor estate about two hours outside of Washington, DC with a European flair including stonework, vine-covered exterior, backyard terrace and reflection pool, flowering gardens, and a vineyard. The epic rooms with historic decor including grand fireplaces transport you to an entirely different place.

bride has wedding dress buttoned by bridesmaid

bride stands on spiral staircase at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

bride holds wedding bouquet in tub of bridal suite

Both the bridal and groom’s suites have a spiral staircase with the groom’s room having a more masculine look with its woodwork, leather and in-room bar. The bridal suite has the addition of an oversized tub fit for wedding bridals. Between these two getting-ready spaces there was plenty of room for their larger wedding party of ten each!

groom writes vows next to fireplace at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

groom sits in getting ready suite at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

groom laughs with groomsmen at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

Here are additional highlights of what Dover Hall Virginia has to offer:

white and black wedding reception decor and florals

white and black wedding ceremony decor and florals on fireplace

The Ballroom: floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, 2,400 square feet, wood-covered ceilings and chandeliers with a large fireplace. The couple used a black and white checkered dance floor and utilized draping to transform the room from ceremony to reception space seating 150 guests.

There are a few different garden outdoor options for the ceremony depending upon the size. Flipping The Ballroom from a ceremony to reception location is also the rain plan.

wedding ceremony at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

white candles and petals at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

Option for multiple-day usage of the property for any pre-wedding photo sessions such as an engagement session, bridal photo shoot, or bridal boudoir.
In-house catering.

bride sits with bridesmaids in bridal suite tub

THE DAY: Capturing Every Corner of Dover Hall Virginia

couple walks holding hands at historic Virginia wedding estate

couple twirls at historic Virginia wedding estate

The order of priorities for the day are best described in the couple’s own words: “Friends, family, and us!” They also found the inside and outside of the venue so gorgeous that they wanted to utilize all of the spaces throughout their day. We accomplished these priorities by planning a wedding photos shot list that accommodated the space, lighting, and timeline.

couple walks with wedding party at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

couple embraces at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

couple stands under Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

We did the couple’s first look outdoors beside the covered patio and cobblestone driveway surrounded by the late fall natural beauty of the property. We then captured the wedding party outdoors just outside of the main entrance to the hall.

couple kisses under twinkle lights at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

couple holds wedding bouquet beside reflection pool at Dover Hall Virginia wedding venue

Planning according to the lighting keeping the sunset time in mind is key! Setting aside enough space in the wedding photography timeline allows us to really take advantage of all the areas on the grounds! Jackie and Justin were up for anything! They really embraced using the different types of lighting throughout the day. We took golden hour photos which provided a different look under the twinkle lights and beside the reflection pool.

couple walks holding hands at outdoor sunset wedding

Dover Hall in Virginia is so magical, I love it no matter the season! There are so many little gems amongst the grounds both indoor and outdoors.

THE COUPLE: Paying Attention to all the Details

couple embraces on dance floor during wedding reception

These two wanted wedding photos that captured the emotion of the moment so they could remember exactly how they felt on that day. Despite keeping things pretty formal, they included elements that encouraged fun memory-making experiences! This started with Jackie changing into a wedding reception dress accessorized by white heart sunglasses during the dance party. There were many emotion-filled details added to their Dover Hall Virginia wedding day: