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Real Virginia Weddings: Katie & George

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  • The Bride: Laura Katharyn “Katie” Hogge | 31 | Writer and Conservation Communications Manager
  • The Groom: George Moore IV | 34 | Finance and Investment Specialist
  • Date: December 7, 2024
  • Location: Williamsburg, Virginia
  • Guest Count: 170

Grow Old with Me

When Katie and George met online, they felt as if they had known each other forever. After four happy years of dating, they got engaged in July, 2023 at Richmond’s Maymont Park Italian Gardens. A sundial at the park reads, “Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.”

“It reminds me to this day that no matter what happens in life, growing older each year with each other is a privilege we thank God for, and we’ll always work hard to focus on the sunshine we bring each other every day,” said Katie.

Katie and George. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Planning Dream Team

Lauren Donnally and Katie’s mom teamed up to help the Katie and George plan their special day. Together they helped execute the couple’s vision for a traditional ceremony and festive and fun reception. “Lauren’s planning tools and genius spreadsheets, outlines and layouts allowed me to feel organized, together and ready for anything. And, most importantly, allowed me to fully enjoy every moment of being a bride without getting too stressed out,” Katie explained.

The Details

The couple envisioned a nostalgic winter wedding straight out of a Hallmark movie. The color scheme pulled in holiday elements like greens and golds as well as red, white and blue — a nod to the wedding’s historic Colonial Williamsburg setting.

The couple chose a Colonial Williamsburg venue. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Holly berry accents and garlands of oyster shells tied in both themes. Floral arrangements and the bride’s bouquet featured blue thistle, blue delphinium, white roses, spray roses, stock, baby’s breath, red hypericum berries, Magnolia greenery, noble fir and flat cedar.

The bride’s bouquet featured white roses with blue and red accents. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Invitations were printed on deep navy paper with gold foil. An accent card highlighted Colonial Williamsburg imagery and featured a deep red seal with the Auspice Maria symbol.

Deep navy paper highlighted gold foil text on the stationery. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Katie wore the Martina Liana 1413 ballgown with an off-the-shoulder detachable jacket. Her style inspiration came from Southern belles, Princess Aurora and Taylor Swift’s Speak Now ballgown worn on the Era’s Tour.

The bride paired a jacket and veil with her gown. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

For “something borrowed” and “something blue,” she accessorized the look with her mother’s necklace and pearl earrings. She also honored her grandmother by wearing a gifted blue and white replica of Princess Kate’s engagement ring.

The bridal party wore blue. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

The bridal party wore royal blue velvet dresses from Revelry while groomsmen donned tuxedos from Jos. A. Bank.

Paige Ryan of Paige Ryan Photography photographed the wedding.

The Day

Katie and George selected St. Olaf Catholic Church for their timeless and traditional Catholic ceremony complete with scripture readings. Flowers and greenery adorned the altar.

The couple was married at St. Olaf Catholic Church. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

After the ceremony, guests made their way to the Williamsburg Inn and Lodge, an official Colonial Williamsburg venue. Classic Christmas tunes played while guests enjoyed signature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

Gold and white tables greeted guests. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)
Greenery and goblets set the scene. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Instead of a traditional guest book, the couple invited friends and family to write in a Christmas book from the bride’s childhood home. “We displayed it with silver and gold sharpies for our guests to sign their names and warm wishes,” the couple said. “Now, it will be a timeless holiday tradition to pull out during Christmastime!”

The guest book doubled as a new Christmas tradition. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Centerpieces incorporated magnolia leaves, oyster shells and hurricane glasses. Blue goblets and ribbon-bound menus set the scene for a dinner of salad, filet and crab cake.  

For dessert the couple selected an almond cake with raspberry filling.

Guests enjoyed the multi-tiered cake. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

The couple named each reception table after a body of water in Virginia, strategically selected special locations for guests. For example, “Mill Creek,” represented the bride’s family table, paying homage to the waterway her grandmother lived on.  

The couple used a unique seating chart. (Photo courtesy of Paige Ryan Photography)

Every Time a Bell Rings

The couple cherished the speeches made by friends and family at the reception. “My Dad said some amazing things during his speech, but the most memorable was this,” said Katie.  “Marriage isn’t between two people; it’s between three points. At one point there’s George, at one point there’s Katie and at another point there’s God. Keep God in your life. If you do, everything else will turn out just fine.”

The couple exited the party using the venue’s grand staircase after raucous dancing and lots of laughs. Guests rang silver bells, which they also took home as favors. Surrounded by friends and family, Katie and George rang in not just the holiday season, but a bright future spent hand in hand.

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.

Tags : Christmas weddingcolonial williamsburgholiday weddingReal Virginia WeddingsVirginia Wedding
Elizabeth Kanzeg Rowland

The author: Elizabeth Kanzeg Rowland

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.

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