We loved being a part of John and Emily’s wedding. These two were the sweetest and we loved how much fun they had on the dance floor!

John had a few hurdles to jump through when planning to propose to Emily. He first had to ask her father for her hand in marriage, and after that was over with he had to come up a romantic proposal. He decided a weekend getaway to Chincoteague would be perfect. Well, mother nature had another plan, and a large storm was coming up the coast so they decided to cancel the trip. John had his heart set on proposing that weekend so he scrambled to think of something else. The couple had always talked about visiting the monuments in DC at night, so John began planning again. He booked a mani and pedi for Emily, dinner reservations, a limo and enlisted the help of a friend to capture the proposal on camera. During dinner, the limo driver called to say he was in an accident and he would not be able to make it. John didn’t let it phase him, the couple continued dinner and made their way to the Capitol Building. John fumbled with his camera bag while he was bent down on one knee, he pulled the ring out of the bag and began to ask Emily to marry him. As John was reciting the speech he had planned Emily just kept saying, “Yes, yes, yes!”

John and Emily knew they wanted to tie the knot in Richmond because John attended Virginia Commonwealth University and it reminded Emily of her hometown, Philadelphia. The couple exchanged vows at the historic Monumental Church just down the road from us. John is an artist and created the bouquets out of….you will never believe it…. DUCK TAPE! You have to check out the photos below, you would never think they weren’t real flowers. The couple also created paper flowers that they used at their ceremony and behind their cake table. John, Emily and their guests were so much fun they practically never left the dance floor. One of John’s groomsmen said that their wedding showed him what love can look like and we couldn’t agree more. These two have so much love for each other and they have fun together!

Thank you to John and Emily for sharing your love story with us and allowing us to be such a big part of your wedding day. Also a huge thank you to James and Alicia Photography for sharing these photos with us.

Tommy and Jon, owners of The Renaissance and the rest of their amazing team, love sharing a piece of Richmond history with guests and couples alike. With a collective 25 years in the hospitality industry, it is truly their passion that can be seen in every event that takes place in Richmond’s largest Victorian ballroom.