Valerie & Joe

From big city to seashore, a love that’s set, matched, and forever served.

October 7, 2023–Two Rivers Country Club

Valerie and Joe Norman are a match made for each other—a volleyball match, that is. The sport brought them together when they met at a New York City tournament. “It was love at first sight,” Valerie says. From their first date, everything clicked. Both had lived in Virginia yet never crossed paths until then. Joe, a professional volleyball player, later proposed to Valerie in Greenport, New York, overlooking the charming waters of Long Island Sound—her favorite place in the world.

They brought that sense of destiny and waterfront charm to their Virginia wedding at a picturesque country club in Williamsburg, where the James and Chickahominy Rivers meet in a stunning backdrop of blues. “We envisioned a dreamy ‘Bridgerton meets garden classical’ setting,” Valerie says. The day was serene, scenic, and touched with a bit of New York glam to honor the city where so much of their story began.

She Said, He Said

First look?

They said: Yes, we did an intimate first look overlooking the water, and read our vows to each other—we felt so much love and excitement seeing each other!

Personal touch?

They said: Living in New York, our goal was to have a ‘New York’ cocktail hour for our guests, which we did! We also gave our parents personalized thank you frames with notes of gratitude written into each one. Last, we had a photo booth that doubled as our guest book!

Wardrobe change?

She said: Yes, I changed into a sleek Galia Lahav dress for my second look! It was so comfortable to dance in and brought some spice into my wedding look.

Cake flavor?

She said: We chose a simple vanilla cake with a personalized wedding topper of Joe and I.

A favorite moment from your love story?

She said: The wedding ceremony. We had our friend, Chris Darcy, officiate our wedding and it was so loving with a few funny moments, so Joe and I were able to gaze into each other’s eyes and laugh at the same time!

The Details

Photo & Video: Amative Creative

Planner: Wedding Company of Williamsburg

Florals: Morrison’s Flowers

Band: Tidewater Drive

Décor: Stage Right Lighting

Invitations: Patrice Papier

Makeup: Blushtones

Hair: Flawless On Site

Dress: Kleinfeld Bridal


This article originally appeared in the February 2025 issue.

Hope Cartwright
Hope Cartwright is associate editor of Virginia Living. A native of Traverse City, Michigan, she is a recent graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
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