{"id":5390,"date":"2018-01-01T13:00:17","date_gmt":"2018-01-01T17:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.wordpress.com\/?p=5390"},"modified":"2018-01-01T13:00:17","modified_gmt":"2018-01-01T17:00:17","slug":"best-of-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/blog\/best-of-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of 2017!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ll be honest. We think that we have the best job on Earth because every day is a party at Lesner Inn<\/a>! Every Monday, we meet to recap the weekend\u2019s events & have been keeping a running list of some of the most memorable weddings<\/a>\u00a0of 2017. At the end of each year, we sit down to go over all of these lists & pick our favorites to share with you, our past, present, & future couples!<\/p>\n

We hope you enjoy scrolling through some of the most beautiful, touching & even comical moments from Lesner Inn<\/a> over the past year!<\/p>\n

Best Something Old<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As the saying goes, you must have something old, something new, something borrowed & something blue on your wedding day<\/a>. Courtney nailed it with her something old by altering her mother\u2019s wedding dress for her own wedding<\/a>. Her mom did not get to see the dress until the day of & the result gave us all chills!<\/p>\n

Below: Love Simply Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Something-Old-Refurbrished-Wedding-Dress-Love-Simply-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Something Borrowed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Continuing along the path of something old, new, borrowed & blue, Liz’s something borrowed pulled at our heart strings when she wore a bracelet from each of her grandmothers. We love that she tied in both sides of her family on her wedding day<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Below: Beth Hamilton Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Something-Borrowed-Bridal-Suite-Venue-Virginia-Beach-Lesner-Inn-Beth-Hamilton-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Something Blue<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Elizabeth made sure not to forget a single bit of blue on her wedding<\/a> day & we loved her take on a coastal wedding. They even kicked off the day with blue champagne!<\/p>\n

Below: Echard Wheeler Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Something-Blue-Wedding-Decor-Echard-Wheeler-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Cake-Waterfront-Venue-Lee-Yen-photography\"<\/a><\/strong>Best Cake<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This amazing creation by Whipped Up by Mimi<\/a> quite literally takes the cake for the year! We see so many different styles of cake but we were head over antlers for this rustic naked cake. Oh & those antlers\u2026they\u2019re pure white chocolate!<\/p>\n

Right: Lee Yen Photography<\/p>\n

Best Cake Smash<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tim & Kate cracked us up from day one & that didn’t stop after they said “I do”! These two have such a laid back style & didn\u2019t feel the pressure of wedding planning<\/a> one bit. Kate clearly wasn\u2019t worried about what Tim’s white shirt would look like after she smashed cake into his face, and we found it hysterical!<\/p>\n

Below: Echard Wheeler Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Cake-Smash-Lesner-Inn-Wedding-Reception-Echard-Wheeler-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Dessert Alternative<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Amanda & Surge aren\u2019t big cake people so, instead of a traditional wedding cake, they brought in Confetti Gelato<\/a>! We knew that we loved this sweet couple but, when they told us that they were skipping the cake & going for gelato instead, we knew that they were meant to roll with the coordinators at Lesner Inn<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Below: Wasin French Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Dessert-Alternative-Lesner-Inn-Wedding-Gelato-Wasin-French-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>Best Cake Topper<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Justin & Ariel weren\u2019t messing around when they picked out their cake topper!\u00a0 We got such a kick out of this one that we had to award it best cake topper of 2017!<\/p>\n

Left: Ashley Peterson Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Bridal Bouquet\"Best-Bridal-Bouquet-Virginia-Beach-Wedding-Venue-Luke-and-Ashley-Photography\"<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kelly Gish<\/a>, you are the florist of the year with this incredible bouquet! We loved Nelson & Nicole\u2019s color palette for their wedding<\/a> & the flowers were just the cherry on top of a beautiful day. Check out those small pops of purple nestled in the arrangement!<\/p>\n

Below: Luke & Ashley Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Ceremony<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s rare that a bride & groom can surprise us with something new, but we are pretty sure that this is our first couple to get married ON the water. Morgan & Jake sailed out into the Lynnhaven River with their immediate families to tie the knot while their guests enjoyed cocktail hour in the Waterside Deck. This beautiful moment is definitely the most unique ceremony of 2017!<\/p>\n

Below: Lee Yen Photography<\/p>\n

\"Best-Ceremony-Unique-Ceremonies-Lee-Yen-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best First Look<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Mike, you HANDS DOWN had the best reaction of any groom seeing his bride for the first time when Alishia walked down the aisle. We are so glad Dustin Lewis captured this moment!<\/p>\n

Below: Dustin Lewis Images<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-First-Look-Wedding-Day-Virginia-Beach-Waterfront-Ceremony-Dustin-Lewis-Photography\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>Best Kiss<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The moment that we saw this photo, we knew that it had to be awarded the best kiss of 2017. We love that this groomsmen got down on his hands & knees to give Jonathan a boost to his bride!<\/p>\n

Right: Kelly Dier Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Cutest Ring Bearer & Flower Girl<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Alright, so these two actually weren\u2019t from the same wedding but we were so taken with them that we had to award them cutest ring bearer and cutest flower girl. Kayleigh & Wayne created this \u201cRing Security\u201d badge for this little guy to make sure that everyone knew what his main job was. And even though it took a little nudging from their coordinator, Kyle & Amy\u2019s flower girl strutted her stuff down the aisle once she realized that she was the center of attention!<\/p>\n

Left: Jason Jarvis Photography<\/a>\u00a0 –\u00a0 Right: Dragon Studios<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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Best D\u00e9cor<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Style Events<\/a> did it again with one! Meghan & Craig had a beautiful wedding<\/a> with long banquet tables, stunning linens from Waterford Event Rentals<\/a> & romantic florals from Palette of Petals<\/a>. Their use of creative floor plans & floating florals on the arch wins them the best d\u00e9cor of 2017!<\/p>\n

Below: Echard Wheeler Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Decor-Style-Events-Virginia-Beach-Lesner-Inn-Wedding-Echard-Wheeler-Photography\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Theme<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We will be the first to admit that we were a little confused when Tim & Kate told us that theme of their wedding<\/a> was going to be America. But these two are the goofiest, most fun-loving people so we knew that we were in for a treat. They tied the knot on Memorial Day weekend<\/a> & requested that all of their guests wear white with patriotic flair, had Statue of Liberty centerpieces, & danced to God Bless the USA for their first dance while their guests surrounded them waving American flags. Hands down, the best theme of the year!<\/p>\n

Below: Echard Wheeler Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Theme-Patriotic-Wedding-Virginia-Beach-Echard-Wheeler-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Stationery\"Best-Stationary-Wedding-Stationary-Ideas-Wasin-French\"<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the parts of the planning process that we rarely get to see is the invitation suite. Every once in a while though, a couple will bring them in so the photographer\u2019s can snap a few photos of them. We loved Nelson & Nicole\u2019s trendy invites with the agate textured background!<\/p>\n

Right:\u00a0Wasin French Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Traditional Wedding<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We see all sorts of family, religious & cultural traditions at Lesner Inn<\/a>. This year we were lucky enough to be able to learn about the Bengali culture during Trina & Greg\u2019s wedding ceremony<\/a>. They incorporated both of their traditions into their marriage<\/a> ceremony & you can read much more about the traditions and customs in their wedding spotlight here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Below: Chelsea Anderson Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Most-Traditional-Hindu-Wedding-Virginia-Beach-Venue-Chelsea-Anderson-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Exit<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Oh hello beautiful Lynnhaven River! We love when couples utilize the water for a boat exit or entrance &, even though it was a misty day, Thomas & Lauren still sailed away in style. This boat exit<\/a> won the best exit of 2017!<\/p>\n

Below: Dragon Studio<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Exit-Boat-Exit-Waterfront-Venue-Wedding-Mike-Dragon-Studios.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-First-Dance-Ballroom-Lesner-Inn-Virginia-Beach-Reception-Kelly-Marie-Photography\"<\/a>Best First Dance<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tyler & Rachael\u2019s first dance gave us all the feels & when we saw this photo from Kelly Marie, we knew that they stole the spotlight for 2017. What is better than a handsome man in uniform spinning his new wife around the dance floor?<\/p>\n

Right: Kelly Marie Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Sunset-Lesner-Inn-Virginia-Beach-Winston-Veranga-Photography.jpg\"<\/a>Best Sunset<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lesner Inn<\/a> is FAMOUS for the epic sunsets that you can catch every evening from the venue. While there were 365 contenders, Jon & Andrea win the award for the best sunset photo of 2017!<\/p>\n

Left: Winston Veranga Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Party Crowd<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Everyone looks forward to a wedding<\/a> for the drinking, dancing, & love. Jordan & Nicole\u2019s guests were no different but these guys REALLY came to party! Check out the top right photo, even Grandma got in on that open bar action!<\/p>\n

Below: David Champagne Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Party-Crowd-Virginia-Beach-Wedding-Venues-David-Champagne-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Dressed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This category is a liiiiittle deceiving, but it is going three years strong now! We aren\u2019t quite sure what makes guests want to strip down on the dance floor, but anyone who does definitely deserves to win best dressed!<\/p>\n

Below: Dragon Studios<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Dressed-Dancefloor-Wedding-Party-Mike-Dragon-Studios.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Rainy-Wedding-Rainy-Weddings-Bryan-Myhr.jpg\"<\/a>Best Rainy Wedding<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rain on your wedding day isn\u2019t what most couples hope for, but sometimes Mother Nature has another idea in store for us. Kent & Haley rolled with the punches so well when it started to pour right before their ceremony, but luckily our Sunset Deck<\/a> is covered so you can still have your outdoor ceremony<\/a>, even with a little inclement weather. Because of their positive attitudes all day, they get the award for best rainy wedding of 2017!<\/p>\n

Left: Bryan Myhr Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Groomsman Photo<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Guys can be goofy… but this crew really had us giggling! We love that they took posing into their own hands by stealing the bridesmaid\u2019s bouquets.<\/p>\n

Below: Jason Jarvis Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Groomsman-Photo-Waterfront-Wedding-Venue-Jason-Jarvis-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Squad Pic<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Amanda & Matt got busted with their squad when the First Landing State Park rangers jumped in on the action. Nothing says a party like some flashing lights & sirens!<\/p>\n

Below: Dustin Lewis Images<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Squad-Photo-Dustin-Lewis-Photography-Virginia-Beach\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Best Personal Touch<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jamie & Jill hid a little personal touch inside of their wedding dresses. Here is what they told us when we asked about these blue hearts:<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing that we decided to do was cre\u00adate our own lit\u00adtle memo\u00adri\u00adals for those who couldn\u2019t be with us on our spe\u00adcial day. Jill\u2019s father passed away sev\u00aderal years ago, so she cut a heart out of one of his blue shirts\u2026 and, Jamie\u2019s grand\u00adfa\u00adther had passed away in Feb\u00adru\u00adary, so she cut a heart out of one of his favorite jean jack\u00adets. We pinned these inside our dresses \u2013 as our some\u00adthing old and some\u00adthing blue.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You can read more about their wedding on their wedding spotlight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Below: Valerie Betz Photography<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Best-Personal-Touch-Unique-Wedding-Ideas-Valerie-Betz-Photography.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2017 came & went so quickly, & we cannot thank the people & vendors we worked with this year enough for making our weddings such a success!\u00a0 We can’t wait to see what 2018 has in store, & to meet all of the wonderful, beautiful couples who will tie the knot at Lesner Inn<\/a>\u00a0with us in the years to come!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ll be honest. We think that we have the best job on Earth because every day is a party at Lesner Inn! Every Monday, we meet to recap the weekend\u2019s events & have been keeping a running list of some of the most memorable weddings\u00a0of 2017. At the end of each year, we sit down […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,14,15,58,17,19,20,30,31,34,61,38,39,40,48,50,51,52,55],"tags":[72,117,143,185,204,256,258,269],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5390"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5390\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesnerinn.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}