A Heartfelt, sentimental celebration at White Oak Manor

All weddings are beautiful.
And some weddings are deeply personal.

The way Thienson and Ben floated through their White Oak Manor wedding will stick with me. It’s the effortless, emotion-filled, genuinely joyful, kick-off-your-heels energy I want for all of my sweet couples.

They were married on a perfect spring day in March, surrounded by soft pastel florals and the kind of love that reaches generations deep.

Let me start by saying Thienson is a peach, I adore her. When I arrived, she was in the middle of telling each of her bridesmaids what they meant to her. One by one, she said the kind of words most of us don’t say out loud often enough, and the room was full of big tears and bigger hugs. T & her girls spent the rest of the morning curling hair, painting toenails, and taking Polaroids in the downstairs bridal suite of White Oak Manor. One thing to note - the natural light in the bridal suite is just a dream, with huge windows on two sides and large mirrors on the inside wall. If you’re looking for a bridal suite where the light flatters you from every angle, this is it and your photographer will love you.

Meanwhile, Ben and the guys arrived, took a celebratory shot, and then wandered the grounds, checking out White Oak Manor’s resident goats (they have those gorgeous adorable fluffy ones!!).

A highlight for me personally, was Thienson & Ben’s first look. The two shared deeply emotional letters and personal gifts that had each of them (+me) teary. My best advice for couples planning a first look is this:

A first look is not just for photos, and to treat it as such is to pull the emotion out of it. I love to ask my couples, how would you experience this moment if I wasn’t going to be there? What would you do? What would be important to you without the pressure of the camera? This keeps us grounded in what is important - you two, feeling your feels, hanging out with each other for a few moments, sharing this big moment, calming your nerves. This is also ironically my secret to getting genuine first look photos! If you’re debating sharing a first look for your wedding day, I break down the pros and cons here—

Should we do a First Look? A Virginia Wedding Photographer’s Honest Take

A WEDDING Venue That Feels Like Home

If you’re considering a White Oak Manor wedding, here is what has made it one of my favorite venues of the season—

The manor house itself is full of character—each room feels warm and lived in, elegant but not overly styled. No target furniture or tacky signage. It's the kind of space where you can take your time. Where you can braid your flower girl’s hair on a velvet couch or tuck away for a quiet cry with your mom. Rooms are winding and feel quiet & personal, and there are lots of them. As a Virginia wedding photographer, this is the kind of space that makes my job simple and your photos timeless.

The little white chapel is one of my favorite spaces on the property. It’s simple and adorable, perfect for a pre-ceremony moment like Thienson’s first look with her dad. The white walls, wooden pews, and soft light give it a sacred feeling, even if you're not planning a religious ceremony.

The pond-side gazebo is where T&B held their ceremony. Arrangements by Over the Top Flowers spilled out of urns, gently blowing in the breeze, and the sun wrapped around these cuties and their guests just right. After the ceremony, the gazebo also becomes the ideal spot for family photos—convenient, shaded, simple, and naturally beautiful.

Details with Heart

What made this day unforgettable wasn’t just the beautiful spaces—it was the meaning infused into every part of it.

So much of Thienson and Ben’s wedding was handmade by people they love. Her cousin designed their wedding logo, which they used on matchbox favors. Her sister crafted the cake topper and even custom coloring pages for the kids. Thienson and Ben wove the flower girl baskets themselves, using ribbon made from her dress. That same ribbon showed up again—stitched inside Ben’s suit with words from his late father,

“That’s my boy,”

embroidered in his dad’s handwriting.

She wrapped her bouquet with a rosary that belonged to her grandmother. Their friends sang their recessional song—Better Together, the soundtrack to many slow mornings making breakfast. And their first dance was to a song from a waltz album Ben taught her to dance to years ago.

They've danced to it together every anniversary since.

from golden hour to cake to sparklers

Right before dinner, we slipped out for newlywed portraits in the field. The light at White Oak Manor in the late afternoon is golden and sparkles off the tall grass and the pond. It sets almost right over the Chapel.

As a Virginia wedding photographer, this is what I want to give to every one of my couples— a few unhurried minutes to be together, run barefoot, and just feel it all. Their portraits weren’t about posing—they were about presence and celebrating the absolute culmination of every ounce of joy built up from the day. Thienson kicking off her shoes and saying, “do I even need these” is quite simply the best way to begin a portrait session. Again, I just love these two.

Inside, their loved ones toasted to them with equal parts laughter and tears. Thienson surprised everyone with the CUTEST choreographed dance for Ben, featuring all her girls. Later, he stood up and spoke to her family in Vietnamese—words he’d practiced just for this moment, a gesture of love that moved everyone in the room.

At one point, their song played again, Better Together, and I caught them slow dancing alone behind their sweetheart table, completely in their own little world.

They cut their cake, fired off t-shirts into the crowd (a t-shirt cannon instead of a bouquet toss—10/10 recommend), and ended the night with a quiet, private last dance before heading out into the night under sparklers.

Planning a White Oak Manor Wedding? Here’s What to Know—

The Layout Feels Effortless
You won’t need to trek from one space to another, and yet spaces are distinct. Getting ready in the manor, ceremony under the gazebo or in the chapel, and celebrating in the barn flows beautifully. Each space is close enough to be convenient, yet far enough to feel private.

The Light is Gorgeous All Day Long
From the soft, well-lit interiors to the open fields at golden hour, this venue is made for natural light photography. It adds to the warmth of your gallery in a way that feels rich and true—not washed out.

The Chapel is a Hidden Gem
Use it for first looks, quiet prayers, or moments with parents. It’s peaceful, photogenic, and tucked just far enough away to create breathing room in your timeline. It is also just so precious and quaint.

Family Photos are convenient
Post-ceremony portraits can happen right under the awning, or in the grass on an overcast day. It is shaded, scenic, and close to where guests already are—which keeps the energy moving while still allowing for meaningful moments.

a Place That Slows You Down
You won’t be rushing from photo op to photo op. White Oak Manor invites you to breathe, to connect, and to remember why you're there in the first place. It genuinely feels like home, yet gives your guests an elevated experience.

If you’re planning your own White Oak Manor wedding and you want a photographer who sees what matters—who might cry behind the camera along with you, and who will notice the smaller moments just as much as the big ones, I’d be honored to document it.

Reach out below to inquire about your date. Let’s make something real, lasting and joyful, shoes optional ;)