A Luxe, Yet Laid Back French Aesthetic in Washington, D.C.

Romantic, timeless aesthetic inspired by the bride's hometown of Bordeaux, France.

The backstory in their words: Like all great romantic comedies, our story began with a "meet cute". The first time Lili saw Chris, he was walking down the sidewalk wearing a pink collared shirt and boat shoes, carrying a pair of wine glasses. Just another cliché DC bro, she thought. Much to her chagrin, he entered her friend's apartment building right in front of her, and as they shared an elevator to the same floor, it became apparent they were both headed to the same dinner party. Fortunately for our story, over the course of the evening, Lili discovered Chris to be not only less bro-y than anticipated, but actually quite sweet, funny, and most importantly, the dog papa to an incredibly cute puppy, Kita. Chris found Lili to be one of the most interesting people he had ever met, and on top of that, kind, caring and nerdy (in a cute way). The next time they saw each other at a local beer garden, Lili and Chris spent the entire evening chatting, and after impressing her with a few karaoke songs at Wok n Roll, Chris summoned up the courage to ask Lili for her phone number. They went on their first date shortly thereafter, and before long were falling fast in love. Three years later after many hikes, trips up and down both coasts, more nights of karaoke and living together through a global pandemic, Chris proposed to Lili on the eve of a holiday trip to see Lili’s family in France.

No wedding party. Lili and Chris opted not to have a formal bridal party, which gave them the benefit of having a laid back timeline for getting ready and photos. They finished the majority of their formal photos prior to the ceremony which allowed them to attend cocktail hour and spend ample time with their guests.

Guests were greeted with signature cocktails inspired by each of their hometowns – Lili’s a French 75 and Chris’ a Kentucky Mule, a nod to his hometown of Louisville, KY. Lili and Chris dined with their guests in DAR’s O’Byrne Gallery. An abundance of candlelight, romantic florals and thoughtfully curated place settings created an intimate, laid back dining experience that made it easy for guests to mingle amongst themselves and revel in the moment.

In addition to the venue setting, we drew inspiration from Lili’s French family roots and her hometown of Bordeaux, France. A luxe, yet laid back aesthetic with a soft color palette of sage green, mauve, pinks and burgundy set the scene for the romantic, timeless aesthetic. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed an open-air cocktail hour on the Portico. A statement bar covered in florals continued the French Garden theme with bistro string lights overhead as the sun set into the evening. A custom backdrop wall featured monochromatic gallery art inspired frames in sage green to lead guests to their seats for dinner. The top of the frame included the French phrase “Trouvez Votre Place” translating to “Find Your Place” – with so many of Lili’s family having traveled in from France, it felt like a thoughtful way to make them feel at home.

Ending on a sweet note, a Chambord buttercream cake featured a deckled texture and hints of subtle sage green with fresh flowers, along with quintessential French macaron towers in passion fruit and lemon. Florals from the ceremony were repurposed for a wow factor to complete the dessert table look.

They exchanged vows on DAR’s Portico overlooking the Washington Monument. French garden inspired floral arrangements lined the aisle and the stone banisters behind the altar to soften the space while feeling organic and elegant. A string quartet performed “La Vie En Rose” as Lili came down the aisle with her dad.

Lili and Chris selected their wedding venue, DAR in Washington DC for its quintessential DC atmosphere to host their loved ones in the city where they fell in love and now call home. The classic architecture, views of the Washington Monument and opportunity for dancing under the stars felt perfect for their early autumn wedding.

Following dinner, Lili and Chris shared their first dance to “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” under the Portico columns. Guests continued to dance the night away under the stars. Following the wedding, Lili and Chris headed to none other than their favorite karaoke bar where they continued the party into the early morning hours with their guests.