Anastasia and Clifton's Whimsical Wedding at The Virginia House

Brittney Poole
29 minutes ago
6 min read

Bride and groom kiss outdoors, surrounded by cheering wedding party in pink and beige attire, holding bouquets, in front of a yellow building.

Photography by Imagery by Erin

In Collaboration with Virginia Wedding Magazine:

Every Tuesday around noon, Clifton would buy a hot cup of coffee and a sandwich from the cafe across from his workplace. It was on one of these Tuesdays that Anastasia rushed into the cafe for a last-minute cup of coffee and bumped into Clifton, spilling her drink on his pristine white work shirt. Many Tuesdays and two dogs later, Clifton asked Anastasia the big question.

Clifton proposed to Anastasia during the Christmas season, right after they finished decorating their Christmas tree. They were sitting by their fireplace, listening to music and relaxing with their puppies, when Clifton got down on one knee and proposed. Anastasia happily said, “Yes,” even though she was wearing pajamas for the special moment.

The couple hired a wedding planner, Forever Moments, led by Brittney Poole. She made everything seem easy and kept Anastasia completely calm throughout the process.

Anastasia had a vision inspired by Virginia’s history and shaped by whimsical and personal elements. She grew up near Richmond and knew deep down that, when she got married, she wanted to incorporate the city’s rich history along with the beauty of the James River. Having spent her childhood visiting local historical sites, the bride had the Virginia House in mind for her big day. She felt this location embodied Richmond’s Southern roots with a touch of modern charm.

Anastasia aimed for a simple aesthetic, featuring mint, forest green, blush pink, and dark rose. Her inspiration combined elements of Shakespeare and the television show “Bridgerton.” For the wedding day scent, she chose Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia.

The bride decided to make her own invitations. She wanted to include some family touches. Using personal stationery and a quill pen, she designed and printed the invitations on linen paper. She sealed each envelope with a wax stamp.

The couple incorporated the groom’s Goan culture and the bride’s Eastern European heritage into their wedding plans. The rehearsal dinner had an Indian theme, with guests in traditional clothing, savoring Indian food and enjoying Bollywood music.

The bride’s gown served as her “something old” for the ceremony. This vintage gown had beautiful cascading details and a luxurious feel. It was ivory-colored, strapless, and featured an elegantly draped A-line skirt created with satin pleats. The seamstress, a family friend, added lace to the back of the dress for a perfect fit. The bride accessorized with pieces from Bygones Vintage Clothing in Richmond. The bride’s second gown was “something new.” It was worn during the reception for the couple’s choreographed first dance to Daniela Andrade’s cover of “La Vie En Rose.” The Pronovias gown had an empire silhouette with an embellished neckline. The bride paired it with Golden Goose sneakers for maximum dance floor readiness.

The bride wore her great-grandma’s Art Deco-style ring and her cousin’s earrings shaped like white pearl flowers as “something borrowed.” For “something blue,” the bride wore Badgley Mischka crystal pumps in electric blue. Instead of “sixpence in your shoe,” the bride’s mom sewed a cross from the bride’s grandma into her first dress.

The bridesmaids hailed from around the world, including Dublin, Tours, and Milwaukee. Because of this, each bridesmaid wore her favorite red dress. To create uniformity, they all wore white fur shawls. The color variations gave a distinctive, bright look. Everyone had a great time, and each bridesmaid felt very comfortable.

The groomsmen wore black suits from Men’s Warehouse by Vera Wang. The pants were also black, paired with tuxedo shirts, wine-colored bow ties, black-and-silver cufflinks, and white pocket squares.

In keeping with the theme, the bride’s bouquet featured dark red garden roses, spray roses, safari roses, disbuds, sinensis, mini calla lilies, protea, scabiosa, carnations, silver dollar eucalyptus, parvula eucalyptus, and baby blue eucalyptus. The bridesmaids carried smaller versions of the bride’s bouquet, and the boutonnieres included protea and white roses.

Imagery by Erin was the couple’s photographer. The couple married on a day in March that was unusually warm, with the sun shining brightly. They took advantage of the weather and had their first look photos taken in front of the main house, which provided a beautiful backdrop.

The guests sipped drinks and listened to a harpist while the couple took their first look photos. They chose their photographer because she is known for creating sparkling, memorable, and detailed images.

Clifton and Anastasia’s ceremony took place in the Four Seasons gardens behind Virginia House. The hill where they exchanged vows overlooked the beautiful James River. At the top, the elegant indoor mansion provided a cozy, wood-paneled space for guests to gather as the temperature dropped later in the evening.

Father Tony Hash officiated Clifton and Anastasia’s ceremony. He wrote the ceremony script and made it warm and personal by adding humorous remarks that made the guests laugh. He even included family memories in the homily. For their personal vows, the couple wrote notes to each other in a lovely lace-covered book. The bride included Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 in hers, and the groom used poetry from Rabindranath Tagore. The couple hired local harpist Karlee Lanum to create memorable wedding music. During the prelude, she played pieces like “Greensleeves” and “Méditation” from Thaïs. As the bride stood at the top of the stairs, Lanum performed a beautiful fanfare that transitioned into Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” for the bridal procession. The recessional song was Handel’s “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.”

During the cocktail hour, hors d’oeuvres included strudel, smoked duck breast, and spring rolls. Cliff’s signature drink was a Bengal Tiger — an ode to his childhood in India. Anastasia’s signature drink was a Boulevardier, because she loves walking around Paris. The “Bridgerton” soundtrack played in the background as guests mingled.

The reception was held in a cathedral tent behind the mansion. The couple designed all the decor themselves, aiming to create a truly personal space. The centerpieces featured flowing pink flowers on chandelier stands paired with pink napkins, rose tablecloths, and burgundy up-lighting. Inside the house, they set up a table filled with old family pictures, complete with a velvet guest book. During the reception, the DJ played a mix of 80s, 90s, and contemporary music.

A Sharper Palate was the couple’s caterer. The menu highlights included red wine-braised beef brisket, pan-seared salmon, roasted broccolini, and wild mushroom risotto.

The wedding toasts were memorable, poignant, and funny. The bride’s mom’s toast brought the bride and groom to tears. The bride’s friend, Cameroonian poet Delphine Ngo Kattal, wrote a special poem for the wedding.

The wedding cake was a three-tiered cake featuring a 10-inch, 8-inch, and 6-inch tier. The vanilla base layer was paired with wedding cream cheese. The middle tier was made of chocolate and a cookies-and-cream mousse, and the top tier was carrot cake. Design elements include ivory buttercream decorated with pink roses and dark green ivy.

Clifton and Anastasia’s first dance song was Daniela Andrade’s cover of “ La Vie En Rose.” The bride and her father danced to “Isn’t She Lovely” by Frank Sinatra. The groom and his mother swayed to “My Mother’s Eyes” by Frankie Valli. The couple’s last dance was set to “Last Dance” by Donna Summer.

The guests blew bubbles as the newlyweds walked under the house’s historical archway. Anastasia said, “It was a gorgeous end to a magnificent night.”

The bride’s sister-in-law made all the favors. To match the couple’s theme, she created charming bags of various teas, flavored honey, heart-shaped spoons, and heart-shaped loose tea steepers.

The newlyweds are planning a Christmastime honeymoon aboard the Belmond Royal Scotsman Train.

Wise Words: A guest offered the couple these words of wisdom: “Trust each other and keep going on dates together.”

Wedding Disasters: The bride was worried about falling down the large stone steps at the back of the mansion during the processional. The bride and groom made it down the stairs without any issues. However, during the recessional, she tripped on the steps.

Best Gift: The bride said, “My amazing cousin lovingly had a local French artist draw a design of our zodiac signs on an umbrella.”

You can find a physical copy of Virginia Wedding Magazine Spring/Summer 2026 Edition in select stores across the state!

As seen in: Virginia Wedding Magazine

Venue: The Virginia House

Photographer: Imagery By Erin

Planner: Forever Moments

Catering: A Sharper Palate

Lighting: Lighting Professors

Officiant: Get Me To I Do

Flowers: Publix Floral

Cake: Publix Catering

Harpist: Karlee Lanum Harpist