A Decatur House Wedding {Suzanne & Rob}

What a gorgeous way to end the busy month of June!  Again, we are spoiled with the world's nicest clients.  We were so privileged to work with Suzanne and Rob and their families on a lovely Southern-style reception at Holy Trinity and Decatur House.  Suzanne is a North Carolina native and wanted a relaxed reception that echoed weddings she loved from home but also included D.C. elements and wasn't too foreign to Rob's family, who is not from the South (but is equally delightful).  They succeeded fabulously with an elegant and personal event that blended all the charm of Southern weddings with the urban sophistication of a party in the heart of the Capitol.

Suzanne and her bridal party got ready at the recently remodeled Jefferson Hotel with the fantastic Gustavo Mottola's hair and makeup team.  Gustavo did a wonderful job of making everyone look natural but amazing!

Suzanne's stunning dress was by Modern Trousseau. The embroidered organza and scalloped neckline were gorgeous, and the cathedral length veil completed the look. 

I love all the detail shots Andrea from The Observatory got during the ceremony!  Both the flower girls and ring bearer did really well sitting still for as long as they did but a whole mass is a lot for even some adults!

Green seems to have been our bridesmaid dress hue of the season.  It looks so fresh for summer and goes with just about any color.  As one of our florist friends always says, green acts as a neutral in the flower world.

After the ceremony, the happy couple took portraits around the city, including in front of the National Geographic Building, where they both work and met!

After the ceremony, Atlantic Services shuttled guests to Decatur House in Lafayette Park. A string quartet from MSE Productions played during cocktail hour while guests sipped drinks and enjoyed hors d'oeuvres from Main Event Caterers.

Sugarplum Tents (always our go-to tent company) did a great job setting up the tent in courtyard for the reception.  Instead of full seating, we designed the space with two long, high share tables on the sides of the dance floor with lots of small cabaret tables as well as groupings of sofas and soft chairs. I love the cushions in the wedding colors with the wedding date and the couples' new initials (plus a luxe throw, although with the warm weather it was more for a color splash than warmth)!  


The supremely talented (and fabulously fun) Philippa Tarrant did all the floral decor and pulled off the clean, crisp look beautifully.  Suzanne loved lush white flowers against the celedon green linens from Party Rentals!

The bride and groom danced to "Tupelo Honey" then Suzanne and her dad danced to "Carolina in My Mind." Father-daughter dances are such emotional moments for the whole family.

Guests danced and dined simultaneaously in true Southern fashion with stations throughout the Carriage House.  My favorites of the evening were the shrimp and grits with lots of toppings to choose from, the watermelon and feta salad and the mini ice cream cones passed after dark. Kudos to Alison and her team at Main Event for food that guests raved about.  And, as the mother of the bride warned us, her guests know food and loved to eat!

New Monopoly did a fabulous job keeping the energy high and folks dancing. Kendall's Cakes created the gorgeous cake with several flavors (Alison and I couldn't decide if we loved the Tupelo honey or carrot cake more).  Notice the Tupelo honey thing we had going on with the cake and first dance? Subtle but so meaningful to the couple (those are the details I love).

Thanks to Andrea from The Observatory for the gorgeous photos and for being so much fun (and a kindred cupcake spirit). Thanks to the Arioth and the wonderful staff at Decatur House (who even tossed out a group of wedding crashers!) and all of the amazing vendors for another seamless wedding.  And a huge congratulations to Suzanne and Rob!  We loved your wedding and loved you even more!
Laura