We have to take a minute to brag about this AMAZING couple right here!  Kayla & Parker stole our hearts from the moment that we met them.  They are two of the most genuine people, & working with them to create their perfect day was an absolute joy!  Reflecting on this day makes us so happy that Lesner Inn could be a part of their Virginia Beach wedding, & we hope to work with more couples just like them!!

How, when, & where did you meet?
Parker and I met in 2015 when he moved to Norfolk for the Navy. He was apartment hunting and I was a Leasing Consultant and rented an apartment to him. I told him that day that I would be his neighbor and I don’t think he took it seriously. He found out a few weeks later that I really was his next-door neighbor! He invited me on a date a few months later and the rest was history!

Dating can be awkward, do you have any funny stories from when you first started dating?
I always give Parker a hard time about our very first date! He asked me out to a hockey game and I had said yes. When I walked over to his apartment, there were 2 of his guy friends there too!! So it was a Parker and Kayla with 2 other of his friends date. Parker says “I didn’t know it was a date, a thought it was an….outing”.

Tell us your engagement story? When did it happen?
Our engagement was super simple and perfect! We bought our first home together and we love our sunsets from our backyard. Last June he got down on one knee at sunset, asked me to marry him, and at the same time our dog Gracie jumped in his face and licked him. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!

What made you pick Lesner Inn as your wedding venue?
We definitely wanted something on the water and a place that we could really have everything all at one place: the ceremony, reception, décor, catering, and coordination. When we visited, the view was beautiful and the venue fit the vision we had for our wedding day.

What additional vendors did you choose for your wedding day, and why?
We had a DJ, Florist, and Photographer. We really did not need to hire many other vendors because there was so much included at The Lesner Inn!

What décor & other design aspects of your wedding were most important to you?
We wanted to keep things simple, so we didn’t want too many decorations. We wanted small centerpieces and flowers with greenery to give our reception and wedding a romantic and sweet feel. That was really important to us.

What was your vision for your wedding day?
Simple, sweet, and romantic on the water!

What unique details did you add to your wedding?
Parker’s a twin so for the mother/son dance, Parker had danced with their mom, and his brother Kyle danced with their Grandma. Half way through the song, they switched places and I thought that was really sweet and unique.

What were you most excited for your wedding day?
I asked Parker this question and his first sentence was “To see the love of my life”! I definitely agree. We hadn’t seen each other since the night before and having the wedding day jitters and nerves; all I wanted to do was see him. Once we saw each other both of us were instantly not nervous anymore and we were calm and ready to walk down the aisle!

How did you handle the stress of wedding planning? Were there any major hiccups along the way?
Planning a wedding can definitely be stressful! We planned our wedding in 8 months but for 4 of those months, Parker was on deployment. This did cause some added stress because of limited availability to talk with each other. What was nice, though, was that many of our vendors were able to fit us in before he left and we go to meet in person with our DJ when he got back so it was cool that they worked with us.

Do you have any advice for couples who are planning their weddings now?
Honestly, I would say to try and bundle! We bundled the ceremony, reception, décor, coordination, planning, catering, and much more all at Lesner Inn and that truly made things so easy for us. Having things taken care of all in one place truly made wedding planning a breeze so BUNDLE when possible! Also, doing the first look with each other was one of the best decisions we made. For one, you save time after the ceremony and are able to mingle with friends and family sooner, and two, seeing each other calmed our nerves that day.

We loved being a part of Kayla & Parker’s wedding day & of course celebrating with their friends & family!  Lesner Inn takes pride in being inclusive, so that our couples don’t have to search for services from several different Virginia Beach wedding vendors.

For more information on our services, contact us at info@lesnerinn.com or 757-481-1122!

Thank you to Kay De Lane Photography for capturing all of these amazing photos!