Jane Austen-Inspired Wedding in Virginia

This wedding at the historic Mankin Mansion was pure romantic whimsy — a modern-day Jane Austen novel with a twist. Madelon and Shalev exchanged vows beneath a floral-adorned iron arbor transformed into a chuppah, a beautiful blending of their Jewish and Catholic traditions that set the tone for a deeply meaningful ceremony. Pastel blooms and vintage-inspired details carried through the celebration, where guests were greeted by tables dressed in garden florals and delicate plates echoing the motif. Above them, cascading greenery filled the reception tent, a hanging installation so breathtaking that guests audibly gasped as they entered. One of the most special touches came from a friend’s watercolor painting of the venue, used in their invitations and later framed with the signatures of every guest. The night was filled with laughter, from heartfelt vows to the Hora and a dance floor that erupted to Meghan Trainor’s “Criminals” (a fun nod to how they met).

“Madelon loves all things vintage and wanted the wedding to feel like a Jane Austen novel with a whimsical flair. We were able to lean into the natural and historic beauty that Mankin Mansion provides and used pastel florals to add color and a playful touch.”

“Madelon got her wedding dress from Loversland in Toronto, Canada, where Shalev grew up. She wanted a dress that was elegant and romantic, that also spoke to her unique style. She fell in love with her dress by Former Girlfriend and topped it off with an ivory veil with floral embroidery by Ofrenda. A pair of vibrant green satin shoes by Sam Edleman was the pop of color she needed to complete her bridal look.”

“It was important to us to honor both Madelon’s Catholic upbringing and Shalev’s Jewish heritage in our wedding. We had a Rabbi as our officiant, who helped us transform the iron arbor into a chuppah. Our ceremony included Catholic readings before we signed our Ketubah. We topped off our reception with the Horah and held on to our chairs for dear life!”

“Our flowers and table settings were some of our favorite details. We had a hanging installation in our reception tent that was nothing short of magical. Our centerpieces were whimsical arrangements of flowers with plates that echoed our floral motif.”

“One of the highlights of our night was dancing with our guests to Meghan Trainor’s, “Criminals.” We saw a show on Netflix where the cast did a choreographed dance to the song at a wedding and thought it was so cool. Add in the fact that we met in a criminal defense office- it just seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. We blasted out the song to our family and friends and they did not disappoint on the dance floor!”