virginia weddings

Real Virginia Weddings: Bailey & Cayden

  • The Bride: Bailey Marie Brannon | 31 | Pediatric Occupational Therapist
  • The Groom: Cayden Quinn Eagles | 32 years old | Fire Department Lieutenant
  • Date: November 1, 2025
  • Location: Hollyfield Manor, Manquin VA
  • Guest Count: 150

Pen Pals

Bailey and Cayden met online shortly before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Their respective careers brought them in contact with patients who contracted the virus, a challenge they discussed often in letters to one another. “We became glorified pen pals,” said Bailey.

In 2024, Cayden popped the question in downtown Richmond, Virginia. After a resounding “Yes!” from Bailey, the couple celebrated with friends and family at a surprise party.

The couple’s florals showcased a fall palette. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

Focus on Fun

The couple took their time while planning. They discovered that focusing on fun helped them enjoy the process. “When we began planning, our number one goal was for the evening to be as fun as possible for ourselves and our guests,” the couple shared. “We feel we truly made this happen.”

Guests kept warm with blankets. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

They also found success by dividing tasks based on individual strengths. “While Cayden let me take the lead on design choices, he was always there to help with all the overwhelming tasks like stamping envelopes or writing thank you cards,” Bailey said.

Decor featured gold accents. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

The Details

The couple’s fall-inspired palette featured muted blues, pinks, greens and oranges with gold accents. Large, luscious florals with pink and red ranunculus and orange zinnias came from Weddings by Vogue.

The bride’s veil was gifted by a family friend. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

The groom and groomsmen wore olive green suits complimented by boutonnieres, orange ties and pocket squares. Cayden differentiated himself from the group with a patterned bowtie.

The bride and groom posed at Hollyfield Manor. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

Bailey found her dress at Anthropologie on a shopping trip with her twin sister. “I opted for a dress that felt comfortable and flattering but also unique,” she said. “As an added bonus, it even had pockets.” Her bridesmaids wore auburn gowns in various styles from Azazie.

Amanda and Gailan at Lumière de Soi photographed the wedding.

The Day

Throughout the wedding day, the couple found ways to honor and celebrate Bailey’s mom, who passed away while the couple were dating.  “She greatly loved the both of us, and we miss her presence every single day,” the couple shared.

The ceremony location overlooked a pond. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

A clear, cool afternoon and colorful fall foliage at Hollyfield Manor provided the perfect backdrop for the couple’s outdoor ceremony. They shared vows beneath a wooden arch decorated with white drapery and floral arrangements overlooking a pond. In what the couple called one of the most memorable moments of the day, their dog Sadie walked down the aisle with the wedding party wearing a collar decorated with flowers.

Cocktail napkins featured the couple’s dog. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

Afterwards, guests mingled at an outdoor cocktail hour. Signature drinks included “Cayden’s Coke and Rum,” “Bailey’s Belle Isle Mule” and a “Sadie75” dedicated to the couple’s dog. Sadie also made her way onto the cocktail napkins in the form of a gold embossing.

Guests took Polaroid photos throughout the event. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

Fun filled Bailey and Cayden’s indoor reception. A live portrait artists entertained guests, while Polaroid cameras allowed friends and family to capture candid moments. The couple chose an ice cream sundae bar for dessert following an elegant dinner complete with a carving station.

A live portrait artist created paintings of guests. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

At the end of the night, guests waved sparklers while the couple rode away on the back of a fire truck courtesy of Cayden’s work.

The couple left happily ever after. (Photo courtesy of Lumière de Soi)

Adventurous Honeymoon

The couple headed to the Florida Keys for a weeklong honeymoon. They enjoyed taking a sunset catamaran ride with music and drinks, exploring the islands and laughing at the antics of the area’s roaming chickens.

Wedding Ingredients

Virginia Weddings features weddings weekly on the blog. Being featured on the blog does not necessarily mean being featured in the print magazine.

Elizabeth Kanzeg Rowland is a freelance writer and editor. When she’s not poring over manuscripts and searching for misplaced commas, Elizabeth can be found reading in a cozy chair with her cats, performing onstage at her local community theatre or antiquing with her husband.