This has been a HUGE week here around Hill City Bride. Our 2012 I Dream of a Wedding winners got married on Tuesday, and it was such a beautiful day. It was amazing to see all of the vendors gather together and show an outpouring of love to this special couple!

I posted Mary’s bridal portraits on Tuesday, and Brad Bennett of Shaking Hands Productions also was on the bridal portrait shoot… he captured a video of Mary while Adam Barnes of Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography was taking his gorgeous photos. Oh and that “extra” girl in the video is me! I had such a fun time getting to know Mary and helping her during the session. I always love seeing the vendors in action. They are so professional, and it is wonderful to see them create art.

Enjoy this video as it gives you a little glimpse into Mary and her personality. Oh, and if you want to be our 2013 winners, just check out I Dream of a Wedding by clicking HERE.

Mary is a sweet girl, and she is so beautiful… inside and out. I have to give kudos to all of our wedding vendors that are involved with I Dream of a Wedding because they all donated their time, talents and services. Here you can see the work of Adam Barnes of Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography, who graciously did Mary’s bridal session… with stunning results, I must say!

If you are interested in entering our 2013 I Dream of a Wedding contest, be sure to head over to our website by clicking HERE. Be sure to enter by the date requested to be considered for our 2/14/13 I Dream of a Wedding package. I can not wait to see who our next couple is!

To view more of Adam’s work, head on over to the Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography website by clicking HERE.

Wow, time really is taking flight! Not only is it the Christmas season, but our HCB vendors (and Mary and Quinton) are also getting ready for our I Dream of a Wedding day, which is only two months away. How exciting!!

I am really thrilled to share Mary and Quinton’s engagement photos set in the backdrop of the glorious colors of fall. Crystal of Crystal George Studios did a wonderful job capturing their personalities and their love … aren’t they adorable?

Ok, that’s enough gushing from me. Enjoy these lovely photos.

So sweet! Thank you so much, Crystal, for donating your time and services for our I Dream of a Wedding Giveaway … I appreciate all of the vendors and their generosity more than they will ever know. Mary and Quinton, we are so looking forward to your wedding day! Also, don’t forget to vote in our 12 Days of Christmas Contest by clicking HERE … Crystal’s work is being featured there, too.

How many of us have a closet full of clothes, yet we stare at that closet so many times claiming to have “nothing to wear”? What we don on our bodies can determine our mood and make us feel ready to take charge of the world or make us want to crawl under a rock for the day. Have you been there? I certainly have!

Well, it’s no wonder that with a bride wanting to look and feel her best on her wedding day, one of the first (and most exciting!) things that a newly engaged girl does is go on the hunt for the perfect dress. No matter her style, size, tastes or budget, finding that “wow” wedding gown is so much fun and such a relief to check off of the wedding “to do” list.

Mary, our I Dream of a Wedding winner, recently visited Lynchburg’s full service bridal salon, Celebration, who offered Mary a wedding gown valued at up to $1000! I am so thankful for Celebration’s generosity and willingness to participate in our first annual giveaway of a dream wedding.

Celebration can meet the needs of not only the bride but her entire wedding party … including the mothers of both the bride and groom. With wedding gowns, bridesmaids dresses, tuxes and accessories, paying them a visit in downtown Lynchburg is not only a way to find the perfect dress, but it is also a way to gain friends along the way. The girls at Celebration are there to help you find that gown that you can really picture yourself wearing while walking down the aisle and/or dancing the night away. I would encourage you to pay them a visit!

Mary had fun trying on the gowns at Celebration with the aid of their helpful staff, and Heather Cheatham of Visions by Heather was there to document the fun of the day. Many thanks both to Visions by Heather and also to Celebration, and congratulations, Mary … your big day is only 3 months away!!

How fun! Be sure to check out the websites of both Visions by Heather and Celebration to find out more about how these businesses can be involved in making your day the one you have always dreamed about.

Well, it is hard to believe, but a mere FOUR months from now we will be having our first I Dream of a Wedding (IDW) wedding. It is so exciting!

In September, several of the IDW participating HCB vendors got together to meet Mary and Quinton (and some of their friends!) and celebrate with them. Below is the Paperless Post invitation that went out to all involved (click here to test out Paperless Post and get 35 free cards of your own to send!).

The event took place out at Riverview Manor, which is a picturesque, historic estate in Hurt, VA … it is worth the short drive to visit this stunning location. The views are breathtaking! Many thanks to Allegra of Allegra’s Studio for taking photos throughout the evening.

I greatly appreciate Riverview Manor hosting the event under their beautiful tent along with Repast Catering treating the attendees to an absolutely delicious dinner as we all mingled with Mary and Quinton.

Just look at the breathtaking beauty of Riverview Manor.

It was so fun to have our guests of honor there and to meet Mary and Quinton … aren’t they adorable?

This beautiful trio of ladies are roommates of Mary. I am so glad that they were able to come!

Many thanks to DJ Stu and Party Patrol Productions who kept the evening fun with his perfect music selections. He often DJs for events out at Riverview Manor.

The ladies of Repast Catering did a WONDERFUL job with all of the food. Delicious!

This was an “experiment” … it was the first time that Repast Catering made this Reuben dip for an event. It was so yummy, and I couldn’t get enough. It was a huge hit!

We had a little fun as vendors with photos. Here I am with Amanda from Ashley Baber Weddings who is helping with the IDW wedding coordination.

Phil of Official Entertainment will be providing uplighting for the reception at City View.

I love this photo of me with my friend, Kim of City View.

Heidi from The Trivium, where the wedding will take place, and Liz of Sincerely, Liz: Photography (who will be doing portrait photography) both made it out to the kickoff party. What pretty girls! We actually ended up having a “mini” headshot session as you will see below. Thank you, Allegra, for being a great sport and snapping photos of us.

This is Jackie and Mary Helen from Riverview Manor … many thanks to them for opening up their beautiful estate for us to have our kickoff!

Jayna from It Works will be wrapping the bridal party before the wedding, and Sandra of RS Exclusive is taking care of the decor. What great smiles!

Connie of At Your Service Events Planner will be helping to coordinate on the wedding day.

Even Adam of Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography (who will be doing the bridal session photography) and Jeremiah of Stone Blue Productions (who will be helping with wedding day photography) stepped it up for the evening … what handsome guys!

These ladies are so sweet and adorable … I hope you get to meet them sometime! Linda from Love Is in the Air will be providing the catering, and Gwen from Mitchell’s Salon on 7th will be helping with what she does best … hair.

And finally Allegra of Allegra’s Studio had her headshot snapped by Adam, and last but not least is me (Jennifer). We had such a fun night!

We ended the evening after sunset, and the skies out at Riverview Manor were beautiful.

Again, many thanks go out to Riverview Manor for hosting the IDW Kickoff Party, Repast Catering for their delicious food and also to Allegra for capturing the evening. Thanks also to DJ Stu and Party Patrol Productions for providing the music, and I am looking forward to keeping everyone posted on the events leading up to our I Dream of a Wedding wedding day … February 14, 2012 will be here soon!