Seashells + Palms: A Rustic, Coastal Wedding at Brittland Estates

The couple: Amanda Knopf + Dallas Harrington

Wedding date: September 26, 2020

Number of guests: 170

Worth the extra money: A sailcloth tent. "It’s difficult to put into words, but the vibe it sets can really make a wedding," Amanda shares.

// How They Met

When Amanda, an Annapolis native, transferred to Flagler College for her senior year, she got a degree plus a little extra. Dallas was an Ocean City “surfer kid,” who lived a street over and gave her butterflies every time she saw him. He drove a conspicuous blue lifted Chevy truck, of which Amanda always took notice. Dallas, meanwhile, had also developed a crush on the cute, laidback blonde. Before long, the duo ditched their Maryland crew for time alone and became “annoyingly inseparable” — although their first date “was not really a fairytale night,” according to Amanda. Dinner at a seafood restaurant in downtown St. Augustine was interrupted by a squeaky third-wheel who scurried down the wall. “It was definitely an ice breaker and made us laugh and relax a little,” Amanda says of the date-crashing mouse.

// The Covid Cries

“Where do I begin with my friend COVID… it was a tremendous, ongoing problem for our wedding… A lot of tears, frustration, and difficult decision-making occurred.”

Dallas proposed on November 25, 2018, when Amanda was six months pregnant, so the pair didn’t begin planning their wedding until the summer of 2019, after their son Brodie was born. When the pandemic erupted several months later, however, they had a lot of tough decisions to make. The first question for Amanda and Dallas was whether or not to reschedule the wedding they had waited three years for. They knew that their 260-person guest count would dip significantly, but, with regulations constantly changing, they had no idea if their event would be allowed to go forward. Another stresser was the fact that Amanda’s oldest brother was deployed in the Middle East. Nobody knew if he would be allowed to travel or take leave in the middle of the pandemic. (Three weeks before the wedding, he learned he would be able to attend.) Amanda’s bachelorette weekend in Savannah, Georgia, brought the third crisis. Four days after arriving home, Amanda lost her sense of smell and tested positive for COVID. Fortunately, she was the only one of the bridal party who contracted the virus, but her bridal shower had to be cancelled as a result, since it was scheduled to take place during her quarantine period.

// Finding Their Venue

"I never wanted a venue that kicked me out the door at 10pm… I wanted to drag out this big wedding thing as long as possible."

Amanda had eyes only for Brittland Estates after a resplendent tour with Dallas and her parents. But there was a hiccup in her daydreaming -- she had selected her date, September 26, based on her photographer Sarah Murray's availability and Brittland was already booked up. "I was set on the month of September, and didn't want to risk it being too hot or too cold," she says, but Sarah didn't have any other openings until later in the fall. The team was pondering their options, when, miraculously, the Brittland coordinator called: the September 26th couple had backed out. Amanda and Dallas were not going to miss this opportunity to snag their dream spot. "Brittland was everything we wanted and more: the freedom to make it yours through Sunday, the breathtaking property, the separate river lodge for the boys, the big hill overlooking the water -- we felt like royalty!" Amanda says.

// The Weekend Itinerary

Eager to maximize their incredible venue, Dallas and Amanda packed their wedding weekend with a full itinerary, from a post-rehearsal welcome bonfire to a chicken-and-waffles brunch send-off (catered by Vittles).

//  A Lovely Low Back

Amanda stalked various designers’ Instagram accounts before zeroing in on Lovers Society. She found a local shop, Lovely Bride in Georgetown, that carried the New Zealand brand’s beachy, bohemian gowns. Even after visiting two other stores, Lovely Bride stood out. “The girls actually seemed to care about you and wanted to help you find that dress that was everything you dreamed of your whole life.

 // A Quality Investment

“I honestly did not stress about little details such as bridesmaids shoes, crazy floral arches or color-coordinated centerpieces.”

Amanda maximized her budget by prioritizing quality vendors over bespoke details. “I didn’t focus on fancy menus, silverware, or garnishes,” she explains. “We put money into things that I felt would be worth it when the day was over, like the venue with its atmosphere and the amazing people capturing our day.” Amanda took a more minimal approach to her aesthetic, too. She selected palm-leaf arrangements studded with orchids and a simple white color scheme accented with champagne. “Most of the small details that stand out in my pictures were really credited to my unquestionably best last minute decision I ever made — hiring Hannah Dann, the owner of Hannah Belle Events,” says Amanda. “Her and her crew tied everything together in one day, it was unbelievable.”

// To Force Mom to Relax

What do you do for the woman who does it all? Hire someone to do it so she can’t!

“My biggest supporter and helper in this wedding planning journey was, by far, my mom.  She took the runt of all my meltdowns, was there for every meeting and tasting, covered every detail head-to-toe, and did everything she could to give me the wedding of my dreams (along with my dad, of course!)"

Amanda knew the only way to get her mom to slow down and focus on herself was to hire someone to handle the day-of-logistics. "This led me to find Hannah Dann," Amanda explains. "She got there from the crack of dawn and, I swear, did not leave until 10 o'clock!"

// Thanks To...

Bride's gown: Lover's Society (designer) + Lovely Bride (shop) + Green and Blue (alterations) / Bride's hair: Oh My Hair Salon / Bride's makeup: Mairead McAlister + Jaime Coston / Bridesmaid dresses: Show Me Your Mumu / Cake: Little Village Bakery / Caterer: Chesapeake Celebrations / Day-of-coordinator: Hannah Belle Events / DJ: DJ Groove / Florals: Flowers by Allison & Bloomin' Wild / Groomsmen attire: J. Crew / Officiant: Brian Pugner / Photographer: Sarah Murray Photography / Venue: Brittland Estates / Videographer: Nate Bittinger

// With Some Special Shoutouts...

Officiant: Brian Pugner, Coastal Church (Ocean City)

For sitting with us multiple times leading up, to prepare and teach us about the true meaning of marriage and how to successfully make it.

Photographer: Sarah Murray Photography

We made sure she was going to be able to do our wedding because we knew how worth it she is. And she went above and beyond and captured the most perfect moments, especially with our little boy Brodie!

Tent + rentals: Eastern Shore Tent and Events

Michelle, from Eastern Shore Tents, her patience and consistent help in creating the vibe I wanted with the tent and all the other rentals. Venue: Brittland Manor /

Videographer: Nate Bittinger Photography

Nate Bittinger is amazing. He did our video and I can't stress enough how important that was. He made sure to get all the details while staying in the shadows so it didn't feel like we had to entertain the fact that he was filming the whole time. He is insanely talented and made a video that exceeded our expectations.