April 27, 2019
Mike + Karrie are MARRIED!!! There were so many thoughtful details and intentional moments that created THE. BEST. DAY. at Alturia Farm!
We absolutely LOVE this family of 4. We first met them when we did their Engagement Session in their super gorgeous, historic Petersburg home! The joy this family has is contagious. (Here’s a few quick shots from that day because I love these!!!)
Their Wedding Day was one we’ve been looking forward to ever since!
Little Stelly said the morning was full of “nerv-citement” which is quite literally the perfect phrase to describe the nervous excitement that both Mike + Karrie were feeling as they got ready for the day!
Both took time to write their vows down on paper and truly feel the emotion of the morning. I love when couples choose to do this because it allows them to have some quiet time before the day starts.
Karrie and these girls have such a special bond! She was the most selfless Bride – she got her hair and makeup done very early in the morning because she wanted to braid + curl the girl’s hair and spend this time with them. It’s easy to see why Ava + Stelly adore her!!
They all wore cute robes while getting ready – little Stelly was in one of Karrie’s robes that was extra big on her, but matched her big sister.
How amazing are these glittery JCrew heels?! They’re so fun!!
Once the girls were dressed, they were tasked with delivering Karrie’s gift to their Dad!
It’s pretty hilarious that the girls looked over at Sam while he was photographing this and whispered to him that it was a “boring” gift! HAHA! But Mike said these two history books and a framed picture of Karrie + the girls was the perfect gift!
“She knows me so well.”
Let me go ahead and introduce MeMaw to you if you aren’t lucky enough to already know her. She is THE reason this whole day happened after all.
MeMaw is Karrie’s beautiful Grandmother. She was ALSO Mike’s childcare provider. Mike and MeMaw remained close since his childhood days where they developed a very special relationship. Karrie was living in NYC but flew back to Virginia in 2017 to throw a big birthday party for MeMaw. Even though she had no real memory of Mike, she knew it was only right to invite him since she knew how much MeMaw cherished him.
Mike actually has faint early memories of meeting Karrie when they were both little! As life would have it, they went to separate schools and had separate groups of friends.
Life lead them down two separate paths for nearly three decades.
“I didn’t even recognize him when he showed up, and even though he was incredibly charming and flirtatious, I never would’ve guessed what was to come. After a LinkedIn request (which I still tease him about today), and a phone number exchange via email, a month later we were on our first date. Soon I was meeting his sweet girls, Ava and Estella (“Stelly”) and we embarked on a long distance relationship between New York City and Virginia.”
Just over a year later (after becoming frequent flyers on Delta to fly back and forth to see each other!), Mike was up in NYC visiting Karrie. They took a stroll through Central Park and it was buzzing with people. Karrie says she was wearing HIS hoodie, some leggings, sneakers, no make up and no manicure and wasn’t expecting a thing! Mike wanted her to pause for a picture, asking her to turn away facing the pond, so he could get a silhouette of her with the changing leaves across the water.
“Suddenly I felt him pulling at my elbow and when I turned around he was on his knee and there wasn’t a SOUL in site! That is a magical thing to feel like you have all of Central Park to yourselves…”
He gave her a vintage stone in it’s original setting, both from 1905, from her FAVORITE vintage jewelry shop there in NYC. One of the things he said in his proposal was how he wanted to add their story to the many stories this ring already holds. How sweet is that?!
“We waited to announce the news until we’d told his girls in person, and then we let them help us relay the good news to our parents…There are no pictures of the actual proposal and not a soul was there to witness it …and that is incredibly special to me! It was our own magical moment in a magical place!”
“Life. It has a funny way of coming full circle doesn’t it?”
They read aloud the vows they wrote that morning to each other. Both were sweet + sentimental, and both making sure their love for Ava + Stelly was known. The girls were the “Maids of Best Women” standing on either side of Mike + Karrie.
Our portrait time together was split into two! We did a few minutes right after the Ceremony and then came back out at sunset to go play in the fields with Alturia’s horses!!
They are SO much fun!!! They had the best day together as a family!!
Karrie, you are just STUNNING!!!
These two in the getaway car above borrowed this SAME getaway car on their Wedding day 8 years ago!
This cake topper below is a family heirloom! Karrie’s grandmother used this same cake topper at her Wedding!
So proud of Ava for getting up there in front of everyone to say a toast!! Bravest 5th grader ever!!
For the Father Daughter dance, Karrie + her dad waived over Mike + the girls to join them! So sweet!!
It was this little guy’s birthday so the newlyweds surprised him with a song and his very own cupcake!! He was SO happy!!!
Then Karrie’s Dad surprised HER and sang “The Boys are Back in Town” by the Busboys!! He was GREAT!
This photo above and this photo below happened during the same moment. Karrie + Ava smiling over at Mike + MeMaw dancing a few feet away! What a special and fun and meaningful moment in time!
MeMaw, thank you for bringing these two people together!!!
Mike + Karrie,
We continue to become more and more in love with you guys, your story, and your girls!! This day was such a perfect start to your Marriage and your life as a family!! We have loved every second with you! We foresee lot of ice cream dates, barefoot runs through your house (because lil Sticky Jo says her feet get too hot!) and lots of “air biscuits” between the four of you haha!! You two are the real deal. Your love for each other overflows and has created the perfect space to raise those hilarious and vivacious girls! We are so excited for you all and SO thankful to have shared this season with you!! We love you all! The fun is just getting started!!
Love,
The Tuckers
Venue | Alturia Farms
Dress| Annalise Bridal , Seams Alterations
Videographers |Monarch Productions
Flowers | Trader Joes , Costco
Hair | @reagan._.baker
Makeup | @Vtem03
Band | The Bachelor Boy
Coordination | @L_michelle85 , @mocadlx93 (Karrie’s girlfriends)