Spring Women’s Club of Portsmouth Wedding

Andrew & Rachel tied the knot yesterday in Portsmouth, VA in a beautiful, memorable ceremony followed by a reception to remember at Rachel’s parents home in Windsor, VA.

When I spoke on the phone with Andrew and Rachel before they booked me, I asked them what their wedding would look and feel like. They told me how much family meant to them, and how much they wanted to incorporate that meaningfulness into their day. Andrew comes from a large Italian extended family, and Rachel’s immediate family is BIG (she’s one of 9!). Andrew’s Poppy passed away over 10 years ago and wasn’t able to be there to celebrate, but Andrew had shared with us how his wedding band was fashioned just like his dad’s and Poppy’s.

One thing I loved about the Women’s Club in Portsmouth was how versatile of a venue it was! Both bridal parties were able to get ready at the venue, and we had so much variety when it came time to do portraits!

Rachel and Andrew put just as heavy of an emphasis on prayer as they did on family during their day. Both bridal parties took some quiet moments before the ceremony to pray over the bride and groom. Instead of doing a “first look”, Rachel and Andrew opted for a first “touch” in front of the Women’s Club, and prayed together before their ceremony. It was so beautiful and heartwarming to see them combining their love for each other and their faith.

Rachel did such a great job planning the timeline, we were able to squeeze in a first look with her dad, and I’m SO glad that we did it!! His reaction was absolutely priceless.

One of Rachel’s brothers is serving in the Marines and was unable to attend the wedding, so to honor him, Andrew and his groomsmen all wore US Marine Corps pins on their jacket & suspenders. It was such a thoughtful way to continue the theme of focusing on their families.

Rachel and Andrew truly had the most beautiful decor at their wedding and reception and included so many thoughtful touches to pay homage to family and their faith. Anyone who was in attendance was lucky to have been called a friend by these two.

Stay tuned to see more from Rachel & Andrew’s wedding along with a full list of vendors!

Interested in having me photograph your wedding?

Fill out this form or shoot me an email at hello@victoriahartell.com, and let’s create some memories for you!