Sarah-Pete Petersen

With more than 25 years in hospitality, weddings, and events, Sarah-Pete brings both creative strategy and operational expertise to The Estate at River Run. Her career began in Virginia Beach and has spanned luxury hotels, nonprofit work, international conferences, venue development, and marketing – all rooted in her passion for storytelling and guest experience.

After studying Vocal Performance and Entertainment Law at James Madison University, Sarah-Pete launched her career in the luxury hotel market before becoming an international event planner for the Department of Defense and veteran associations for WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. In 2010, she joined the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., as Wedding & Conference Manager. During her time in the city, she helped raise over $1 million for the nonprofit Food & Friends, completed a degree in Organizational Management and Public Administration, founded a local makers market, led art studios, and helped build event departments for several well-known venues, including The Loft at 600 F and for the Popal Group.

Before becoming endorsed as a Humanist Celebrant in 2020, she owned her planning & design company, Sincerely Pete Events. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Inside Weddings, and The International Wedding Trend Report, and she was selected to design WeddingWire & Pantone’s 2019 Wedding Colors of the Year showcase. She has been honored as one of the Rising Tide Society’s Top 20 Wedding Professionals on the Rise, and most recently recognized as a Best Wedding Officiant by Washingtonian Magazine, Virginia Living Magazine, and Richmond Bride.

Since moving to Richmond in 2022, Sarah-Pete has added “urban farmer” to her résumé, cultivating a backyard garden that now produces full seasonal meals. Born in Newport, Rhode Island, and raised near the coast as the daughter of a Navy officer, she still finds calm near the water — even if the beach is now a few hours away. She is also an avid traveler with her life partner Josh and miniature schnauzer, Henry.