The Secret to This Classic Easton Wedding is Lanterns and Eucalyptus

Couple: Margaret Murray + Austin Garcia

Wedding date: October 17, 2020

Number of guests: 120

Favorite menu item: Late night French fries

// How They Met

Maggie and Austin met in high school and hit it off right away. "My first impression was that Austin was caring and funny," Maggie says. Austin, meanwhile, was drawn to Maggie's beauty and her easy-to-talk-to personality. Their first date, to see the movie Easy A was on October 17, 2010 (exactly 10 years from the day they were married!) "Neither us had our licenses, so we had to find rides each way," Maggie recalls. When she finally arrived to the theater, nearly an hour late because of a long field hockey practice, Austin had to buy a new set of tickets for a later showing. "He waited for me the whole time and was so sweet about it," Maggie says. "That's when I knew this man was going to be the most patient and understanding man."

// Choosing Their Venue

"When we walked into the Tidewater Inn, we instantly knew this venue was meant for us," Maggie says. "The grand stairwell was absolutely stunning, but the tented area connected to the gold ballroom was the selling point." Beyond the inn's beauty, Maggie and Austin valued the venue's accommodations and accommodating staff. "We had our rehearsal dinner there, the bridal party got ready there, and every guest was able to get a room," she says. "It was amazing for the whole weekend to take part in one beautiful area with the best staff."

// Coronavirus Curveballs

With the spread of COVID, Maggie and Austin had no idea whether they'd be able to move forward with their wedding. "We spent countless hours watching the governor speak and hoping he wouldn't shut us down," Maggie says. Her bachelorette party, which was supposed to take place in Lake Anna, Virginia, became a garage crawl through her parents neighborhood. The bridal shower was outside, and the wedding itself didn't suffer too many changes. "The Tidewater Inn was the absolute best to work with," Maggie says. "They allowed us the choice to use an extra ballroom to spread out guests, although we didn't end up needing the extra room because our guest count was under the maximum." The couple used a colored wristband system to help guests dictate how comfortable they were with physical touch (red signaled others to "stay six feet away," yellow indicated "elbows or high-fives are okay," and green was a go-ahead for hugs.) Dancing took place in a tent station outside, and masks were required when walking around the venue.

// The Aesthetic

Maggie's goal was for the venue to glow - and it did! "I wanted tons of greenery, lanterns and candles everywhere," she says. The color scheme was burgundy and navy blue, with bridesmaids in a mix of full-length styles. Maggie's favorite details were the head table and the lush pillar arrangements that bookended her and Austin during the ceremony.

// Groom's Choice

Austin's biggest priorities for the day were cornhole and a good wine selection. "He had opinions on certain things, but mostly he wanted me to be happy and loved all the ideas," Maggie says, of her groom.

// Selecting Their Vendors

Maggie and Austin had a year and a half to plan their wedding. The first vendor they booked was their photographer, Kira Rogers, who had shot Maggie's cousin's wedding. Within a matter of months, the rest of the details fell into place. "My parents were a huge help in the wedding planning," she adds. "My mom had the biggest, most organized binder, with every single detail written down, and my dad is a huge party man and throws the best events, so he was also a huge help." 

// Details

Bride's gown: Wren Bridal (shop), Essense of Australia (designer) / Bride's hair + makeup: Pretty Weird Beauty / Bride's jewelry: J. Crew / Cake: Kim Milligan / DJ: Steve Moody / Florals: Floret + Vine / Photography: Kira Nicole Photography / Venue: Tidewater Inn / Videography: Fordham Films