One of the most iconic images of the Williamsburg wedding scene is the Crim Dell Bridge on the campus of the College of William & Mary. Every freshmen learns the legend on the first day of orientation: kiss your sweetheart on the Crim Dell and someday the two of you will marry.
The bridge dates back to 1966 when it was opened on the first-ever "Parent's Day". It is nestled in a private little dell at the end of the Sunken Gardens and is the result of damming College Creek. Evidently before becoming a romantic destination students used to use it to dispose of their trash (nice). Most visitors wouldn't even know it was there, especially in spring and summer when the foliage has returned and shrouds it in secrecy.
The bridge was funded by the 1964 class gift - that class seems to have endowed half of the college, incidentally. It is named after "distinguished alumnus" John Crim (Class of 1901). The plaque that is mounted near the bridge features a quote from the college president who commissioned the bridge, Davis Paschall: "that one may walk in beauty, discover the serenity of the quiet moment, and dispel the shadows".
It is certainly the beauty (and even the shadows) of the bridge, along with the legend of the kiss that bring to it newlywed and engaged couples alike, with photographer in tow. But there are other rumors about Crim Dell too (that would be as cool in photographs if you ask this alumna): the only cure if you've kissed on the bridge to prevent marriage? You must throw the person you kissed off the bridge (I'm sure campus security loves that one). And another gem: women should not walk alone over the bridge. If they do, they are doomed to a life of spinsterhood.
It's lucky, then, that the bridge doesn't provide convenient access to anything. In fact, if you decide to take the requisite "Crim Dell Bridge Photo" on your wedding day, be prepared for a little offroading. All paths that lead to the site are unpaved and involve weathered steps or steep grading.
Did you, or will you have a Crim Dell photo taken on your wedding day? Why don't you share your photo on the Williamsburg Wedding Design Facebook page and tell your best bridge story!
Resources:
Photo courtesy of Brad Howe Photography: www.bradhowephotography.com
Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crim_Dell
Website of the College of William & Mary: https://alumni.wm.edu/magazine/spgsum_2006/feature_5.shtml


