We’re pretty much convinced that Jiayan and Nick are the coolest couple in the whole wide word. Why? Well, because their wedding day from start to finish proves to be chic, chic, chic. A celebration that exudes major style, we’re here to give thanks the crazy talented vendors who made it happen. From Amie Decker Beauty, to handwritten pretties provided by Meant To Be Calligraphy, to the coolest rentals a la Paisley And Jade, Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography captured it all to share in THE VAULT!
From the Bride… We like to think of our wedding as a lovely culmination of a series of unexpected events. For anyone who is a fan of college football, our relationship is heresy – Nick is a graduate of Ohio State University and a lifelong Buckeye fan from the state of Ohio, and Jiayan is graduate of the University of Michigan and a devout Wolverine hailing from the Mitten. Eight annual rivalry games, two law degrees, a dog, and a move to Washington, D.C. later, we decided to celebrate our unlikely union with our family and friends in a laid-back ceremony in the nation’s capital.
Having been together for so long and attended so many wonderful weddings in the past, we had a good sense of what we wanted for our celebration. The focus was not so much on us as it was on getting together our friends and family members (including some of Jiayan’s relatives who traveled from as far asChina and Australia!) and making sure that everyone ate well, drank well, and – most importantly – danced and had fun. We always knew we wanted to do something other than a traditional sit-down dinner reception, but were nervous about whether we could execute it in a way that ensured our guests were still comfortable. Fortunately, Long View Gallery provided a perfect blank slate for a lounge style reception, and our wedding planner, Pam Barefoot, knew exactly how to arrange the spaceand the order of events in a way that made the night seamless and enjoyable. We created a few seating vignettes of vintage couches and armchairs and methodically placed them, a huge fabulous bar, two long family style tables, and various low and high tables around the gallery for guests to mingle, stand, sit, eat, and drink at their leisure.
We made an effort to have the wedding reflect our personalities and background. Nick’s brother officiated the ceremony, and weweren’t afraid to inject some levity in the form of Game of Thrones references in our wedding program (which was a huge hit). A set of bright red lanterns, brought by Jiayan’s parents from China, hung in the walkway separating the two main rooms in Long View Gallery, and Nick’s father reclaimed wood to hand make the end tables we used in the main seating vignette. A longtime friend of Jiayan’s family, who is a skilled Chinese calligrapher, sketched the “double happiness” and “love” Chinese characters that Sarah Drake Design used to create stamps for the gold wax seals for the invitation suite. The night was also not complete without a champagne bar with all the fixings (Jiayan’s favorite), bourbon bar (in line with Nick’s Kentucky roots), and cake truffles from Momofuku (from which we order regularly thanks to our sweet tooth).
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Photography: Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography | Wedding Planner: Atrendy Wedding | Floral Design: Select Event Group | Wedding Dress: Reem Acra | Invitations: Sarah Drake Design | Bride's Shoes: Christian Louboutin | Bracelet: Tiffany & Co. | Catering: Occasions Caterers | Hair + Makeup: Amie Decker Beauty | Calligraphy: Meant To Be Calligraphy | Lighting: John Farr Lighting Design | Groom's Attire: Burberry | Transportation: Reston Limo | Venue: Longview Gallery | Cake Truffles: Momofuku Milk Bar | Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Palm Strings Quartet | Earrings: Jenny Packham | Furniture Rentals: Paisley & Jade | Groom's Shoes: Mezlan | Music: DJ D-Mac And Associates | Rentals: Select Event Group