This classic D.C. fête? It’s like the Audrey Hepburn of real weddings. Timeless in every way and stylish to boot, it’s made even lovelier thanks to Floral & Bloom with Vicki Grafton behind the camera. See the full day inside The Vault, and if you’re new to SMP click here to discover the wedding style that’s just right for you!
From The Bride…When my fiancé Sam and I first started planning our wedding nearly two years ago, we knew we wanted to immerse our Midwest family and friends in our new home of Washington, DC. Finding the perfect venue within the Daughters of the American Revolution National Headquarters was what finally brought our vision together. The space checked all of our boxes, including monument views, outdoor spaces and historical significance. The light and airy quality of the white marble building worked perfectly with the look that our photographer Vicki Grafton captures in her ethereal and romantic film photos.
Just as important as the venue was the food; we knew we wanted to include Sam’s Coptic Egyptian heritage into our very classic East Coast wedding day feast. We were lucky enough to find a caterer who shared our vision and presented us with a wonderful tasting of traditional Egyptian food, including Dolmas and Kofta appetizers, mixed with east coast favorites like Maryland style crab cakes. Lastly, a Baklava-flavored cheesecake was the perfect blend of cultures in lieu of a wedding cake.
Before we moved to Washington for Sam’s surgical residency, I had actually worked for a wedding consulting firm in St. Louis, MO. So, instead of hiring a planner, I decided to do most of the design work myself. I started with our wedding invitations and found a wonderful little shop in Alexandra, Virginia which allows you to use their presses to print your own letterpress designs. What would have been too expensive of an option before, now turned out to be affordable and fun. Sam and I had a great time learning how to set up the presses!
I continued to add personal touches to the wedding by assembling out-of-town welcome bags filled with D.C. favorites, creating a one of a kind guest card display for cocktail hour and even making sure our favorite fur child was represented on our special day. Sam got in on the planning by crafting our own signature cocktails, an activity that I’m happy to say took up several of our Saturday nights leading to the big day.
My favorite custom project for the wedding was by far my wedding dress. After I met Matthew Christopher at a trunk show, his team and I exchanged dozens of emails over several months in order to bring my dream dress to life. I could not have been happier with my beautiful custom dress; it was perfect for our East Coast Orthodox wedding.
From beginning to end, our wedding day was more than we could have hoped for. The classic D.C. style married perfectly with our traditional Coptic ceremony, and our guests had a wonderful time experiencing the city that Sam and I have come to call home.
Photography: Vicki Grafton Photography | Floral Design: Floral & Bloom Designs | Wedding Dress: Matthew Christopher | Invitations: Old City Press | Ceremony Venue: St. Mark Orthodox Church | Reception Venue: DAR Continental Memorial Hall | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Occasions Caterers | DJ: Derek Romanoff | Groom's Attire: Suitsupply | Earrings: Kate Spade | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola