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Groom: Keegan Yates, 32, Biomedical Engineer
Bride: Alexis Basantis, 29, Engineer
Date: 10/04/2024
Venue: Airbnb, Luray, Virginia
Guests: 30
LOVE STORY
In the summer of 2018, Keegan and Alexis met at Virginia Tech, where they were both pursuing graduate studies. Mutual friends introduced them at a fun football party. In the following months, they became friends and participated in group activities.
In the winter 2023, Keegan proposed to Alexis at Patapsco State Park in Maryland. After climbing a hill and overlooking the river, Keegan got down on one knee and told Alexis how special she was before asking her to marry him. Overjoyed and surprised, she cried, laughed and said yes through tears. They continued a 3-mile run back to the car and Alexis cried the whole way.
Keegan gave Alexis an heirloom engagement ring that had belonged to his grandmother. It was an art deco-style piece that featured an emerald-cut diamond on a white gold band.
VENUE/THEME/COLORS
Keegan and Alexis got married at a 12-acre farmhouse Airbnb in Luray, Virginia. Their ceremony was held in a small, wooded clearing.
Their cocktail hour took place in a rustic barn decorated with barn quilt art.
Their theme was cozy and they wanted guests to have an intimate and memorable experience, enjoying nature and savoring excellent food.
The decor was a mix of DIY and thrifted elements that reflected the fall season with natural, late-summer to early-fall tones like reds, yellows, pinks and greens – all inspired by their surroundings.
ATTIRE
The couple got ready for their wedding day in one of the cozy bedrooms of their Airbnb, enjoying the warm wooden floors and natural light. They chose to get ready together in the same space to create an intimate, low-stress start to their day, aiming to feel grounded and connected.
Alexis’s gown was light, flowing, and bohemian that featured subtle embroidery, a longer back and a simple and comfortable style.
Her jewelry included a pair of earthy, elegant drop earrings purchased in Charlottesville, Virginia. And she wore White Tea perfume.
She paired cream-colored Blundstone Chelsea boots with Darn Tough socks, both durable and versatile, reflecting their everyday life. She chose boots because they planned to go on a mountain climb after the ceremony to have their wedding portraits taken.
Keegan wore a gray J. Crew suit, Jim Green leather shoes and a colorful tie from Christopher Schafer Clothier in Baltimore, Maryland.
BOUQUET
Alexis’s mother-in-law assembled the bridal bouquet from local, seasonal flowers at Harmony Harvest Farm in Weyers Cave, Virginia. The bouquet colors reflected the transition from late summer to early fall—reds, yellows, pinks and greens—with varied textures that created a wild yet balanced look. The stems, wrapped in Alexis’s grandma’s lace handkerchief, added a touch of sentiment. The groom’s boutonniere matched the colors of the bridal bouquet and was placed in the flower pocket of his jacket.
CEREMONY
Keegan and Alexis’s ceremony took place in a small clearing amid tall trees near the Airbnb’s farmhouse. Friends and family gathered for a brief and intimate wedding. Some guests stood and some sat on lawn chairs or tree stumps.
The couple chose to use an IKEA rattan rug as an aisle. The path from the house was lined with wine bottles on shepherd’s hooks that were filled with rust-red blooms and foliage that Alexis’s mother-in-law had arranged.
COCKTAIL HOUR
The bride said, “Our cocktail hour was held in a converted barn on the property, which instantly caught our attention during our first visit to the Airbnb, because of the vibrant quilt artwork on the exterior of the barn.
Inside the barn, it served as the main gathering space, with food and drinks laid out. Family members arranged a charcuterie table. All the food was served using thrifted bowls, stands, and other items. A table was decorated with thrifted wooden frames featuring old family photos and wine bottles filled with local foliage. Outside the barn, guests enjoyed yard games while mingling.
Before the ceremony, the groom crafted two signature drinks—Negroni and Mexican Medicine—served in thrifted glassware, which guests could take home.
RECEPTION
Their reception was held at Broad Porch Coffee Cafe in Luray in Virginia. The tables featured floral stems in vintage glass bottles collected from outside their Maryland home.
A family-style dinner began with an autumn salad dressed in apple cider vinaigrette. The entrees included flat-iron steak with smoky tomato butter, lemon garlic roast chicken with wild mushrooms, pasta with radicchio and walnuts, root vegetable confit and roasted Brussels sprouts with beer and bacon.
CAKE
Their wedding cake was a buckwheat vanilla cake with pawpaw curd (a native fruit that grows in the local forest in the Luray area) and salted vanilla buttercream frosting. They also served affogato with locally made burnt-honey or vanilla-bean ice cream.
FAVORS
At the end of the night, guests left with a bag of locally roasted Broad Porch Coffee and secondhand mugs thrifted for each person. Each favor included a small thank-you note signed by us and designed by their neighbor.
AFTER PARTY
The newlyweds hosted an after-party at Back at the Farm at Hollow Hill in Luray, Virginia. Everyone enjoyed drinks and played a few rounds of Dutch Blitz.
HONEYMOON
The couple plans to take a future honeymoon in New Zealand soon.
Bride IG: https://www.instagram.com/helloitslexi/
Groom’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/keegan_yates/
VENDORS
VENUE:
Farm at Hollow Hill
https://www.instagram.com/farmathollowhill
Broad Porch Coffee Luray
https://www.instagram.com/broadporchluray
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Kara Leigh Creative
WEDDING BAND:
The Ring Collections (Etsy)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRingCollections
ATTIRE:
Gown: ASOS
https://www.instagram.com/asos
Suit: J. Crew
https://www.instagram.com/jcrew
Tie: Christopher Schafer Clothier
https://www.instagram.com/christopherschafer
Shoes: Blundstone USA
https://www.instagram.com/blundstoneusa
Jim Green Footwear
https://www.instagram.com/jimgreenfootwear
HAIR:
Wendy Brown
INVITATIONS:
The Knot
FLOWERS:
Harmony Harvest Farm
https://www.instagram.com/harmonyhrvst
CATERING: Broad Porch Coffee Luray
https://www.instagram.com/broadporchluray
CAKE:
Broad Porch Coffee Luray
https://www.instagram.com/broadporchluray
FAVORS:
Broad Porch Coffee Luray
https://www.instagram.com/broadporchluray
If you are planning a wedding in Roanoke, Richmond, Fredericksburg/Northern Virginia, The Shenandoah Valley, Coastal Virginia, or Charlottesville/ Lynchburg, Virginia, we can help with your wedding planning and ideas.
