When Christina Karonis met Matt Radio on a bar crawl in Arlington, she was immediately attracted to his smile and sense of humor. A magical first date at Matchbox in Chinatown led to an equally spark-filled relationship, and after three years of dating, Matt took Christina on a getaway to Orlando. As they pulled up to their dinner spot, the Reunion Grande Hotel, Matt was so preoccupied with what was to come next that he forgot to put their rental car in park when he got out. Christina, who was still seated in the passenger seat, had to yank the car into park before she started rolling away. Despite the rocky start to the night, the rest of it went off flawlessly—Matt proposed, they ate a celebratory dinner, and then walked out onto the resort’s rooftop deck just in time to see the firework show from a neighboring theme park.
The couple’s wedding took place ten months later on a gorgeous day in mid-August. Matt and Christina snapped some pictures at the World War I memorial before their reception at the Daughters of the American Revolution Memorial Continental Hall. Guests sipped rosemary lemonade with vodka and Prosecco and ate cake topped with an ornament the bride’s grandparents had used in their wedding. At the end of the night, Christina changed into a white flapper-inspired dress, and she and her groom departed to begin their married life together.
Ceremony Venue: St. Agnes Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Daughters of American Revolution Memorial Continental Hall
Photographer: BB Shots Photography
Bride’s Gown: Leura gown by Pronovias, Love Couture Bridal
Groom’s Tux: BLACK by Vera Wang, Men’s Wearhouse
Hair and Makeup: Jordan K. Winn & Company
Event Coordinator: Jennifer Arezzo, A New Leaf Events
Cake: Sweet Ladies Bakery
Florist: BrookHill Florist
Caterer: Well Dunn Catering
Transportation: US One Limo
Music/Entertainment: DJ Derek Romanoff, Bialek’s Music
Invitations: Simplicity Papers
Photo Booth: Bash Booths
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
