Kerry and Josh tied the knot at Lesner Inn on a breezy, October Saturday afternoon while their guests gazed upon the Lynnhaven River. The whole day, from décor to their first kiss and dance to an endearing streamer exit, it was a dream! We could not ask for two more genuine and loving people to work with throughout the planning process and the day of their wedding. We just adore couples like Kerry and Josh, and we hope you enjoy their story and insight on wedding planning as much as we do!

How, when, & where did you meet?

We met in August 2017 at Eagles Nest Virginia Beach (RIP!). I was having a girls’ night out after a concert and was not interested in meeting anyone that evening. But Josh was persistent and thankfully our friend Carnesha told him to keep trying to talk to me – When he asked me to go to the beach for our first date that sealed the deal! He had no idea I pretty much live on the beach in the summer when I’m not at work.

Dating can be awkward, do you have any funny stories from when you first started dating?

I think the night we met was pretty awkward!   

Tell us your engagement story?  When did it happen?

A few months before Josh’s 31^st birthday I asked him if he wanted to plan a trip for his birthday or stay in town – He was adamant about throwing a big party, so we ended up planning this massive Fourth of July themed event (his birthday is in April). His entire family – cousins, aunts, uncles, his brother, and parents – were coming in from out of town for it too. The entire time we were planning I kept saying to myself “Wow this is a lot for celebrating a 31^st birthday!” But it turned out he had planned the entire thing to be a surprise engagement party – I had no idea this was happening until I brought out his cake and he looked so nervous because he was about to propose! It was so much fun to be able to celebrate our engagement with our family and friends that day along with his birthday.

What made you pick Lesner Inn as your wedding venue?

The Lesner Inn had the exact look and feel we wanted for our wedding day – The water views throughout the venue are outstanding and the interior décor is bright, warm, and inviting. We wanted to host our wedding in a space that would be beautiful on its own without having to bring in a ton of extra decorations and Lesner Inn was perfect for this. Also not to be missed, the staff at the here was phenomenal. From the first email to the rest of our planning process, all of the ladies were extremely professional, prompt, and fun to work with!

What additional vendors did you choose for your wedding day, and why?

One advantage for us in choosing the Lesner Inn is that we didn’t have to wrestle with coordinating a bunch of other external vendors – Pretty much everything we wanted was with the venue. One additional service we did add was the day-of coordination service. This was a lifesaver! Liz was outstanding and made sure everything on our big day went off without a hitch – She kept everything on schedule and kept us informed, but we never felt rushed. It really allowed us to enjoy our wedding day to the fullest.

What décor & other design aspects of your wedding were most important to you? 

We wanted our wedding décor to be simple, bright, and to allow our love and the blessing that marriage is to be the focal point of the day. Since the Lesner Inn already had amazing views and a great base for décor, we only needed to bring in a few more items to complete this vision. 

Did you have a theme for your wedding?  If so, how did you select it?

No theme in particular – We just wanted to keep everything light, bright, and airy.

What unique details did you add to your wedding?

One of my favorite details was that we had all of the groomsmen, ushers, and Josh wear American Flag socks. We also had our ring bearers dress up with cute American Flag bowties to really tie in the Fourth of July details from our engagement to the wedding day.

I wanted to have a hand in creating something for our day, so we ordered our flowers through Costco and my mom, grandmother, and I spent the day before our rehearsal dinner putting together the bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces. This brought in a handmade touch to our décor (and also was a great way to save money on florals!)

What were you most excited for your wedding day?

Our Chaplain was wonderful to work with and we felt extremely fortunate that he was able to officiate our wedding – We spent a lot of time with him leading up to the wedding preparing and getting excited about the opportunity to stand in front of God, our closest family, and friends to dedicate our lives to one another. We were also excited to see how all of our planning would come together for a great day of celebration! Most of our family lives out of state, so having the chance to see everyone at the same time was also really special.

Do you have any advice for couples who are planning their weddings now?

Wedding planning is as stressful as you allow it to be. The amount of decisions that need to be made can be overwhelming at times; however, it helps to have a support system during the planning process. Staying organized helps a lot as well! The best piece of advice we can offer other couples is to not lose site of the bigger picture. Your wedding day will go by extremely quick, but the life and love you build together will last a lifetime and that is something to be celebrated every day.

Wow!! Kerry couldn’t be more right. Planning a wedding can be stressful IF you allow it to be. Always remember the bigger picture that, at the end of it all, you will be married to your best friend and that is one of the greatest joys of life!

Photographer: Jessica Boudreaux Photography

DJ: Astro DJ

Hair/Makeup: Best Faced Forward

Transportation: Horseless Carriage Limos

Gown: Studio I Do Bridals

Florals: DIY