Photo by Karen Gage Photography
Abigail Whitt and Peter Paradis first met as sophomores at Longwood University in 2018, and their love story continued as they moved throughout Central Virginia. They got engaged five years later at Lake Anna in Louisa County. “We had spent a lot of time [at Lake Anna] when we were dating,” Abigail says. “His parents have a lake house, so we took a lot of weekend trips there. So, it made the most sense for us to get engaged there as well.”
When they started considering wedding venues, Abigail saw an advertisement on social media for Historic Whitewood in Powhatan. “I just loved the look,” she says. “I loved the vibe. We toured it probably a week after we got engaged, and we both were like, ‘Yep, this is it.’”
Choosing their flower girls was another easy decision for the bride and groom, as Abigail was a nanny to two sisters for several years. “When it came time to me thinking about who I wanted my flower girls to be, [they] were the first girls in my head, just because I’ve known them for so long,” she says.
The couple wed on Oct. 26, 2024. During the big day, one of the sisters came running into the bride’s outstretched arms. The special moment was captured by the wedding photographer, Karen Gage. Abigail says the girls, clad in their blue-bow dresses, had the best time at the ceremony and reception. “They were working the crowd,” she adds. “Everybody loved them. They rocked it. They were amazing.”
