Classic DC Wedding at Washington National Cathedral & Army Navy Country Club
If any destination is a magnet for a classic black and white affair, it is surely DC. Especially for a wedding that nods to family military history and deep-rooted traditions. But today's fete also has a touch of modern flair, thanks to Caroline Dutton Events and Sweet Root Village. The lovely Audra Wrisley was in attendance, behind the lens—you can see all the pretty proof unfold below.
From Audra Wrisley Photography... Katie and Ryan's wedding was grand and elegant, held at the Washington National Cathedral with a reception to follow at the Army Navy Country Club. To offset the traditional venues, the bride chose modern irises and orchids; to keep the design fresh and the perfect nod to the wintry season around the corner. The wedding design was thoughtfully created with a neutral palette of white, gray, greens and black accents, using the bride's background as an interior designer to pull inspiration from.
Katie wore an asymmetrical Monique Lhuillier gown and veil and her groom, Ryan wore a custom white tuxedo jacket, with Jimmy Choo loafers. The bridesmaids wore Amsale gowns in black, and the groomsmen escorted them in classic black tuxes.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom were whisked away in a classic car for their first ride as husband and wife, on the way to their reception of dinner and dancing. The bride and groom's favorite detail of the day were the bourbon favors, hand-calligraphed by Allison R. Banks Designs and hand-tied by the Bride's mom.
Favorite details from the Bride... The inspiration for our Big Day was to tie the traditions of old D.C. with the modernity of the city. It was important to represent both because that is exactly what D.C. is to my family. It represents our military history and my family's time at the pentagon and capitol building but it also represents my experiences at GW just exploring the growth of the city.
I loved having a traditional venue and church experience but with modern touches like black bridesmaids dresses and calla lily flowers. Also the contrast between my rehearsal dinner and reception. I loved that I had both experiences of a colorful modern rehearsal on the wharf and a traditional ceremony in one of the most iconic DC buildings.
My favorite part of the ceremony was my music - it was chosen by my late grandfather and it like a great way to honor him. My absolute favorite detail of our wedding was our monogram, and it is really the element that tied the wedding together from initial wedding invitation through the reception. On paper it represented Ryan and I starting our own family together. We used our two letter monogram on our wedding invitation, and welcome boxes, and used our three letter monogram for the first time at the reception after we were married. Probably a detail no one noticed haha!
The head table was also a favorite detail. I wanted to be a part of the party and we enjoyed sharing that time with our bridal party. We have been together for almost nine years, and weddings only happen once, so we didn't want to waste a moment away from the action. We love bourbon, and using bourbon bottles as the table cards felt more personal like we were sharing a drink with our guests.
I also loved the vintage car with my dad on the way to the church, and with my new husband leaving the ceremony. Having a moment alone with each of my favorite men was important for me to absorb the moment.
For the overall design, it was important to me to have a color palette, and not a "wedding color." I wanted to create an event with a lot of depth and detail - more of an experience than a moment.
I wore my grandmother's garter as something old, and my sister in law's hair pins as something borrowed. It was sweet to include both my family, and my husband's family, in this tradition.
A really special moment was when my Dad recognized all of the active and retired servicemen in the room during his speech. We had someone from every branch present at the event and really a cool moment to have everyone stand up together.
I loved having a traditional venue and church experience but with modern touches like black bridesmaids dresses and calla lily flowers. Also the contrast between my rehearsal dinner and reception. I loved that I had both experiences of a colorful modern rehearsal on the wharf and a traditional ceremony in one of the most iconic DC buildings.
My favorite part of the ceremony was my music - it was chosen by my late grandfather and it like a great way to honor him. My absolute favorite detail of our wedding was our monogram, and it is really the element that tied the wedding together from initial wedding invitation through the reception. On paper it represented Ryan and I starting our own family together. We used our two letter monogram on our wedding invitation, and welcome boxes, and used our three letter monogram for the first time at the reception after we were married. Probably a detail no one noticed haha!
The head table was also a favorite detail. I wanted to be a part of the party and we enjoyed sharing that time with our bridal party. We have been together for almost nine years, and weddings only happen once, so we didn't want to waste a moment away from the action. We love bourbon, and using bourbon bottles as the table cards felt more personal like we were sharing a drink with our guests.
I also loved the vintage car with my dad on the way to the church, and with my new husband leaving the ceremony. Having a moment alone with each of my favorite men was important for me to absorb the moment.
For the overall design, it was important to me to have a color palette, and not a "wedding color." I wanted to create an event with a lot of depth and detail - more of an experience than a moment.
I wore my grandmother's garter as something old, and my sister in law's hair pins as something borrowed. It was sweet to include both my family, and my husband's family, in this tradition.
A really special moment was when my Dad recognized all of the active and retired servicemen in the room during his speech. We had someone from every branch present at the event and really a cool moment to have everyone stand up together.