This vivid, autumn Silverbrook Farm wedding in Purcellville Virginia was picture perfect!
This unique wedding united a blended family of TEN! It included: high kicks, fence climbing, a cozy fire and more. Candid moments were this couple’s biggest priority. Their romantic portrait session was my shortest to date, clocking in at less than 5 minutes! The photo below is one I snapped during their walk from the ceremony to the barn reception.
Silverbrook Farm is nestled in the Blue Ridge Foothills, surrounded by vibrant fall foliage. I’m sure you can already see why it’s one of my favorite rustic wedding venues!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Stephanie explained, “We chose Rhinehart Photography because of their friendly nature. From the first time we met, it felt as if we had known each other for our whole lives.”
Steph shared, “Working with Lisa was great, she walked us through every detail of what our day would be like during that initial video chat. We loved the pictures she showed us of the previous weddings that she photographed. Her unique eye was what really made the decision for us to share our wedding day with Lisa.”
I felt like they could be comfortable and be themselves around us, so we caught lots of candid moments like this…
Candid Moments
It was super important to Stephanie & Bill that I capture authentic expressions and natural moments for them. Here I placed an extra flash in the hayloft to add some rim-light and punch to the shot of them entering their reception for the first time as husband and wife!
Rustic Virginia Wedding Venue
Bill & Steph wanted scenic views and rustic feel.
Bill shared, “The ceremony space overlooking the landscape was just beautiful. I knew it was the perfect spot to make Stephanie my wife!”
The Little Things…
The vintage decor in the getting ready room made the perfect backdrop for styling details.
I like how the gold leaf and organic themes show in both this pitcher and their wedding invitation:
There were so many interesting bits to include, like this antique cross-stitch for the ring shot. It also brings in that same organic gold vibe.
Mama Mia!
Steph’s mother and daughter helped her to dress– three generations. Four and a half ladies in this image– can you see them all?
I love little Mattison’s smile here, pure joy!
Steph smiled, “Seeing my daughter’s joy as she put on her dress was s special moment for me.”
Here she plays with a “veil.” Mini-bride for sure :).
The gorgeous antique table complemented the blue and white flowers perfectly.
Meet the Bride
Bill shared,”From the first time I spoke with Stephanie over the phone I was mesmerized!”
He continued, “Her voice conveyed an easy-going and fun personality. Stephanie is such an affectionate soul.”
He continued, “From the first time we met, I found her intelligent, funny, and so beautiful.”
Steph you are so beautiful! The garden at Silverbook Farms was heavenly!
Stephanie’s kiddos were so excited to get dressed up and be a part of this special time for mom.
Steph shared, “I loved having my kids by my side as we all start this new chapter in our lives.”
Parents of the Bride
Steph’s first look with her dad was the sweetest! 
Stephanie smiled, “My mom and I are close. We wanted to incorporate my mother’s wedding gown into mine somehow. My amazing seamstress suggested sewing a piece inside, my mom added a message that was sewn in as well. I found the message with her standing by my side moments before I walked down the aisle! It was a sweet moment.”
The fall leaves made for the perfect frame! I couldn’t stop photographing this gorgeous bride :).
Motherly Love
Between the two of them, Steph and Bill have *seven* children.
Silverbrook Farm was the perfect location to allow the kids to fun around and explore.
The enchanted backdrop around the farm was so dreamy!
All the hugs…
So much sweetness:
Meanwhile in the Grooms Suite…
As I photographed the bride, my second photographer, Jim, focused on the groom.
The boutonnieres were made from Lilly’s and were a simple and timeless touch to Bill’s attire.
Here Bill’s boutonniere is pinned as he stands by an intricately carved wooden chess set!
I love Jim’s angle here:
Stephanie said, “I fell in love with Bill because of the way he cares about everyone around him. He puts in the time to really get to know you and makes you feel like you have known each other for a lifetime.”
She continued, “He is so encouraging and positive, he has really changed my life for the better. “
Authentic Moments Are Key
I’m all about natural moments, the unexpected little things that press the pause button on this exact moment in time.
Here I caught Issac finding a shortcut to the ceremony space! 🙂
Stephanie explained, “Leading up to our wedding day Lisa contacted us to go over the timeline and make sure we had all the pictures we wanted. On the day of she was there every step of the way capturing those special moments. I knew we would be getting amazing pictures to remember our special day.”
Purcellville, Virginia Wedding Ceremony
Friends and Family Gathered at Silverbrook Farm, here Bill laughs as he chats with the guests…
Dot, the owner of Silverbrook Farm is so amazing!!
I feel so privileged to work with her.
Here Comes the Bride
Bill shared, “One moment really stood out for me on our wedding day. I had waited months to see Stephanie in her handmade, one of a kind, wedding dress. She worked so hard with the seamstress selecting styles and fabrics. I remember standing at the alter with Pastor Davis when she emerged from the old farm house. She radiated beauty in her white dress with the blue and white bouquet in her hand. Her hair was perfect. She was absolutely amazing. She was so graceful.”
Stephanie loved having her kids walk with her and her dad down the aisle.
Walking down the aisle, and capturing this angle with the kids framing them tells such a special part of their story!
Parents of the Bride
A few things I noticed were how happy Steph’s parents were, they seemed really supportive.
Everyone at their intimate ceremony seemed so touched when Steph’s dad gave his daughter away.
I LOVE this moment– hugging mom, holding her husband’s hand.
Bill said “Standing face to face it was as if I was seeing her for the first time. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Here, before me, was the most beautiful woman and she was about to be mine. I thought to myself how absolutely blessed I was to have such an incredible lady.”
Unique Perspectives
My main goal during each wedding is to allow the couple to relive their wedding day for years to come. Part of how I accomplish this is by getting many different perspectives of one scene.
Here I’m using a telephoto lens from the balcony of the Silverbrook Farmhouse.
Steph shared, “When I saw him for the first time on our wedding day he took my breath away. He looked so handsome and happy, I could not wait to get down the aisle so I could stand next to him and become his wife.”
Here my low angle gives me the perfect view of Bill’s smile and the fall foliage in the distance:
I really played up the fall color in the foreground this time, allowing it to subtly frame the couple, adding softness and a golden glow:
Changing Focus
I like to play with different elements like perspective and focus to add variety to my photos and to highlight certain aspects.
In this case, I wanted to focus on the worn Bible pages, the officiant’s notes, and the wedding invitation book marking the minister’s page.
Here I focused on the wedding ring…
Here I focused on her parents holding hands as Steph and Bill exchanged vows.
Behind the Scenes at Silverbrook
As you can probably guess, I’m constantly moving like a ninja: in the tree leaves, in the center aisle to the side… I move around a lot and that is a big reason why I can offer such interesting perspectives.
Standing here, I got a pretty, straightforward shot of the happy couple, using a telephoto lens to bring the mountains closer.
From that place, I got down low enough to silhouette Steph, Bill and the officiant and frame them in the arbor:
I moved to the back side, to catch “the kiss.”
Two Photographers
Having two photographers was a real plus for Steph and Bill. Jim and I were able to give them two perspectives all day long. This allowed us to catch so many more moments, which was key with their focus on “candid shots.”
While I was up close for this one and got a big smile from Steph…
My associate photographer, Jim, captured this huge smile on Bill and sweet expression from Steph a few seconds after the walked past me.
Kids Roam Free
The grounds at Silverbrook Farm in Purcellville are exquisite…a kids dream! The overall look and feel they were going for at their Silverbrook Farm wedding, was a relaxed environment, one that everyone would enjoy (especially the kids!).
AJ was unsure about the fancy food! (haha!)
Can’t you imagine Mattison saying, ‘I’ll take a fruit punch, on the rocks, please!’
Family Portraits
With all of this focus on candid moments, people often ask if I get more “traditional” wedding photos, too– of course!
Blended family with 7 kiddos! I loved how joyful all of the kids were. They seemed to really have a blast.
That being said, we caught plenty of shots of kids being kids…
I love the movement of this shot of Joshua:
Haaa these two look like mini-men, especially the little guy!
Leaping off the treehouse bridge!
Cocktail Hour at Silverbrook Farm
As the kids roamed, adults enjoyed the space in their own way. The cocktail hour immediately following the ceremony was elegant and well catered. Their guests were able to chat over drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
Steph and Bill stepped away to enjoy their own private moment. This is something Dot is very particular about offering to all of her guests.
It’s amazing how much difference 15 minutes alone can make on savoring this special moment as a couple.
The space for their first private moment as husband and wife was the perfect place to catch their breath.
Steph and Bill were all about candid moments, but I did make sure to fit in a couple of portraits.
Purcellville Wedding Reception
I created this custom guestbook from Steph and Bill’s family portrait session. It made the perfect keepsake for guests to leave them a special note at their Silverbrook Farm Wedding.
Steph and Bill shared, “We were most excited to be in the barn where they could catch up with family and friends and enjoy becoming man and wife.”
Ninja Mode
I used the barn doors as a frame to capture their first dance as husband and wife.
Next, I climbed up into the loft for a birds-eye view of them dancing….this space was magical!
Parent Dances
The twinkling lights in the background for the mother-son dance made the perfect backdrop for this special moment.
Here I caught the memorable dance with dad while looking through the ladder.
Packed Dance Floor at Silverbrook Farm
By using a knot in the wood, I got this unique perspective of the dance floor!! Plus, the DJ was so great!! The family members and kids really enjoyed dancing
So many guests were really enjoying themselves. Here are just a few…
High Steppin’ in the barn!
Isaac, (a.ka. Bird Man), had a blast on the dance floor along with all their guests! Love his creative mind!!
See you guys, I’m headed the to the fire>>
Chillin’ around the campfire, the “older kids” cozied up with blankets.
Silverbrook Farm Wedding Vendors:
- Photography: Rhinehart Photography
- Venue: Silverbrook Farm
- Catering: Smokin Willy
- Dress: Fashion Irina-Custom Wedding Gown
- DJ : Todd Robbins
Want More???
Loved seeing this family’s special day? Here’s more of them from their beautiful portrait session
Check out more stunning Silverbrook Farm Weddings HERE