There’s something undeniably special about a New Year’s Eve wedding, and Jenna and Justin’s celebration at Terrain Del Val was a perfect example of that magic. As both the bride and the mastermind behind the event, Jenna Shellhammer, owner and lead planner of Pop the Cork Designs, poured her heart into creating a night that was as personal as it was beautiful. With stunning details, a cozy yet elegant vibe, and plenty of sparkle, their New Year’s Eve wedding was a celebration of love, family, and new beginnings. Keep reading to see how this incredible couple kicked off 2024 in the most unforgettable way!
When planning their wedding, they knew they wanted a destination feel without making their family travel very far. Terrain Del Val had opened up a brand new event space and when they toured it they knew it would be the perfect space for their NYE wedding. For their wedding, the planning came easy for Jenna. As a planner for over 10 years, she knew they would celebrate their wedding on New Years Eve and lean into an elevated black-tie celebration. Since Jenna plans weddings professionally, she immediately knew she wanted a celebration at a venue she had never planned a wedding at before. Terrains stunning views and the ability to create a warm cozy New Years Eve bash made it the perfect venue for their wedding.
Jenna designed the color palette to be completely neutral warm tones with a hint of gold and glimmer for NYE. “People would always ask what my color palette was and the best way to answer was I don’t have one,” says Jenna. “I really wanted to keep everything neutral. I even let my bridesmaid run wild with their own bridesmaid dress” Jenna further explains.
The ceremony decor was simple as Jenna wanted to keep the focus on the stunning backdrop so she opted for an aisle full of candles and flowers, designed by the talented Lynn Vale Studios. After they walked up the aisle to ‘Love on Top’ by Beyonce, guests headed to cocktail hour. Another really important feature for the couple was the food. “We really wanted to have an abundant cocktail hour featuring some of our favorite foods and things that our guests hadn’t seen at a wedding before,” says Jenna. “One of my favorite elements was the charcuterie station and oyster bar… a nod to our Maryland roots I conceptualized with Terrain. It was such a fun interactive element and everyone loved it!” Jenna adds. The couple also incorporated a late night breakfast sandwich bar. Another favorite detail was the escort card wall where guests would look for their name and have coordinated pictures throughout the years with the couple. “Guests loved it!”.
As for the dinner reception, the couple wanted to create simple but modern elegance. Jenna shares that “The grand gatsby-esque head table was one of my favorite elements. It was so unique and something I hadn’t ever seen before”. It was paired with simple dinnerware, textured linens from Select Event Group and custom menus by the bride! Music has always been really important and nothing beats the saxophone soloist who played Billy Joel, ‘New York State of Mind’, during dinner. The couple hired Jake Sherman from Washington Talent who kept the dance floor packed the entire night.
The Planner + Bride Conclude,
“As a planner, my favorite part of any wedding day is to witness the moment of a private cake cutting. It is always the sweetest time for the bride and groom to check back in with one another, have a second to take it all in, cheers and then head back to the dance floor. So I wanted to make sure we had this moment too, of course with a spectacular cake! As a lover of all things sweet, I knew I wanted to lean into dessert. The cake was truly out of my dreams with sugared pearls and a giant bow. Justin’s favorite part was the Champagne midnight toast and cold sparklers that helped us countdown to 2024!
When the Big Day came, I was able to leave the wedding planner role and became a bride and I owe that all to Jessie Benson and the staff of Terrain Del Val. It was truly the best weekend of my life!”
If Jenna and Justin’s New Year’s Eve wedding left you feeling inspired, you won’t want to miss A White Winter Wedding in Berlin – another breathtaking celebration to spark even more wedding inspiration!