Sarah & Kevan's Summer Rixey Manor Wedding

Sep 4

4 min read

Sarah and Kevan’s August wedding at Rixey Manor was both incredibly beautiful and unmistakingly theirs. With a soft summer palette of peach, pink, sage, yellow, and warm orange tones, their day brought together the elegance of Rixey Manor with details that felt completely personal to them. From their beloved cats making appearances throughout the reception to a dance floor filled with light-up foam sticks, every part of the day felt intentional without ever taking itself too seriously.

And perhaps the best part? Their wedding party was absolutely bursting with personality, joy, and excitement. It was one of those groups that made photographing the day incredibly easy because they were genuinely thrilled to be there.

A Morning at Rixey Manor

Before getting into her wedding dress, Sarah relaxed in her pajamas with a glass of champagne, giving us some fun, editorial getting-ready portraits. Later, we returned to the same space for something entirely different — Sarah in her wedding dress, taking advantage of the beautiful architecture and light of the room. It was such a fun way to photograph the transition from getting ready to bride while still keeping the images connected to the story of the morning.

Elegant Details With a Very Personal Touch

One of my favorite things about Sarah and Kevan’s wedding was how they balanced an elegant venue and beautifully designed wedding with details that were completely them.

A bridesmaid hand-painted several different tambourine designs for the tables, giving each table its own little piece of personality. It was such a thoughtful detail — and one that guests could actually interact with throughout the evening. Their cats, Lucy and Beau, also made an appearance on the cocktail napkins. Because if your cats are part of the family, why wouldn't they get an invitation to the wedding? The result was a wedding that felt polished and elevated without losing the personalities of the people actually getting married.

A Ceremony With a View

Rixey Manor has no shortage of beautiful places for portraits, but the ceremony setting is hard to beat. Sarah and Kevan exchanged vows with the rolling Virginia hills stretching out behind them, creating the perfect backdrop for their ceremony. The setting gave their portraits that classic, romantic feel while still allowing the surrounding landscape to be part of the story. As photographers, we love a venue that gives us beautiful options throughout an entire wedding day — and Rixey Manor absolutely delivers. We are especially honored to be one of Rixey Manor’s recommended photographers and to have the opportunity to photograph couples in such a beautiful setting.

Let the Party Begin

Once the formalities were over, the day shifted gears. Guests could stop by a temporary tattoo station before the dance floor opened, and once the party really got going, Sarah and Kevan brought out a make-your-own hot dog station with serious convenience-store energy. And then there were the cats.

Giant cutouts of Lucy and Beau made their way onto the dance floor, joining the guests alongside an assortment of light-up foam sticks. The DJ booth even featured a screen playing slow-motion videos of Sarah and Kevan from their sunset portraits. It was elegant wedding meets slightly chaotic dance party — and somehow, it worked perfectly.

Sunset, Sparklers & One Last Run to the Dance Floor

Instead of ending the evening with a traditional sparkler exit, Sarah and Kevan chose to create a sparkler photo moment shortly after sunset. We gathered everyone together, captured the moment, and then Sarah and Kevan ran down the line before heading straight back into the manor. And naturally, their guests followed. Rather than slowly winding down the evening, the entire group went right back onto the dance floor to keep celebrating.

Sarah and Kevan, thank you for trusting us to document your engagement and wedding day. We loved every minute of it, and we are so grateful we got to be there for such a joyful celebration!

Enjoy a look at their preview gallery we sent less than 24-hours after the wedding!

Wedding Vendors

Venue: Rixey Manor — @rixeymanor

Photography: Rachel Dodson Photography — @racheldodsonphotography

Florals: Good Earth Flowers — @goodearthflowers

Catering: Serendipity Catering VA — @serendipitycateringva

DJ: I’m the DJ — @imthedj_va

Cake: Gateau — @gateauva

Hair & Makeup: Yisell’s Makeup — @yisellsmakeup

What Sarah & Kevan Booked

For Sarah and Kevan, we provided:

8 hours of wedding day coverage, from getting ready through their evening celebration.
Over 1000 images delivered in their final gallery.
They received over 100 previews in less than 24-hours after their wedding.
Plus, an engagement session, timeline planning, and more!

Key Notes From Their Wedding Day

They chose a first look with private vows, allowing for more relaxed portraits before the ceremony.
They chose a sparkler photo moment instead of a traditional send-off, giving us the opportunity to photograph from 1–9 PM and capture more of their day.
Rixey Manor’s coordination team helped everything flow seamlessly throughout the day.

If you’re planning a wedding in or near the Shenandoah Valley and looking for classic and refined wedding photography to match your special day — we’d love to connect. At Rachel Dodson Photography, we specialize in classy, refined weddings with a timeless feel, crisp whites, natural colors that pop, and a relaxed but intentional photo experience. Reach out to us today so we can chat about your vision and craft a photo plan that supports it. Let’s make your wedding day as calm, beautiful, and unforgettable as you hope it will be.