An Historic St. James on the Glebe Anglican Wedding

A Wedding at the Historic St. James on the Glebe Anglican Church

Anya and George got married at St. James on the Glebe, an Anglican church located on 300 year old historic Anglican farmland in Gloucester, Virginia. It’s beautifully centered around the Abingdon Glebe House, a designated Virginia Historic Landmark built in around 1700. This beautiful, peaceful site provided a meaningful wedding day experience for Anya and George, and when you add an historic landmark such as this with warm, Southern hospitality, you get iconic, colonial Virginia elegance wrapped in modern romance.

Their Love Story

Both maritime officers, Anya and George met last Spring after Anya moved to Virginia from California to pick up a year long contract on a sailing vessel- which turned out to be the same vessel George was assigned to. He’d been with the same company for 10 years, and was told to train the newly contracted mariner- Anya. During the first few days of her employment, they spent a lot of time together as George trained her. After the training period ended and George was moved to another shift, they had a mutual agreement that they’d enjoyed spending time with each other so much that they decided to come in early to work and stay late afterwards just so they could “continue talking”. They’re both hard working professionals that were cautious in the beginning to not sour the work environment with potential workplace romance drama, but secretly were also hopeless romantics that wanted to settle down.

Spending nearly every day together since George was assigned to train Anya, they kept their relationship professional while aboard the ship, with an occasional discrete flirtation.

The Proposal

George proposed to Anya on Valentine’s Day, nearly one year after they first met, at the Virginia Aquarium. It was their first Valentine’s together. He chose the aquarium because of her previous career as a marine biologist. She was so excited when he began to propose, that she never even let him get the question out. She just kept repeating “Yes!”!

Their Wedding Day Begins

As thoughtful as their proposal was, it was no surprise that their wedding would have thoughtful touches as well. Their day began in the Abingdon House, an historic house built around 1700. I couldn’t help but wonder about the history of this 300 year old house- the love shared, families sharing a meal in the dining room, snuggling near the fireplace in the evenings. I can only imagine the many love stories that played out there. The Abingdon House was nothing less than the most perfect background for the bride and groom as they prepared for their wedding ceremony. The light inside was insanely perfect- an intentional plan prior to having electricity, which provides the proper amount of light in each room throughout the day. The inside of this incredible house was drenched in touches of colonial charm.

Anya, her Maid of Honor, and her family prepared for the wedding ceremony in the most beautiful space. There wasn’t a rush of activity- it was simply time together with the ladies in her family, who traveled to Virginia from California to be there for the wedding. It was peaceful and joyful all at the same time. And, when Anya slipped her wedding gown on, I had the perfect spot in mind in that beautiful room just for her and her bridal portrait.

As the ladies finished getting ready, I stepped out to photograph George and his Best Man outside, and also captured some candid photos of his mother placing his boutonniere on his lapel in the chapel.

The Wedding Ceremony

Family and friends gathered in the chapel. This beautifully decorated place of worship serves as the current place where church members gather weekly, and offered a warm, intimate setting for Anya and George’s wedding. (They have plans in the near future to build a new, larger building on the historic Glebe, which will provide a larger worship space for their growing church.)

Anya and George’s wedding began with the entrance of the groom, priest, Maid of honor, and the cutest flower girl. Anya’s entrance lit up the room as she proceeded down the aisle on her father’s arm, carrying a cascading bouquet with a picture of her late grandparents and a cross adorning the base of the bouquet. Their ceremony began with the declarations and vows, followed by mass. The traditional, sacramental service of worship was inspiring as they celebrated their new marriage, and included communion, songs, and a rich liturgy.

The Receiving Line

Following the ceremony, they personally greeted each friend and family member as the guests exited the parish and headed to cocktail hour.

Formal Bride and Groom Portraits

For their bridal portraits, we were able to incorporate a variety of this historic location, to include the field near the parish and the Abingdon House. I was so grateful for the beautiful weather, and although it was a little hot outside, Anya and George had the most romantic bride and groom session. Their classic, editorial-inspired portraits were a seamless blend of history and timeless romance. We were fortunate enough to be able to finish up their portraits inside the historic home, giving an elegant (and much cooler) end to their portrait time. Their joy and love for one another shine through every image- a genuine reflection of the relationship they share.