Washington Real Weddings: Sara and Bill

The couple took portraits around Old Town Alexandria. All photographs by Stephen Gosling Photography

Sara and Bill married on October 1, 2011, at the Lee-Fendall House in Old Town Alexandria.

“We had our first date in Old Town, and then years later Bill proposed in Old Town, so it’s a special place for us,” says Sara. The couple also loved the venue’s history and vintage style.

Another theme the pair wanted to incorporate into the wedding: Bill’s love of home brewing.

“Our table names were beer styles, we paired each course of the meal with a different beer, and guests received a personalized beer tasting glass as a favor,” says Sara, who used a color scheme of deep purple and green.

After the 4 PM ceremony, the newlyweds and their 100 guests enjoyed a cocktail hour and reception at the Lee-Fendall House. In lieu of a guestbook, a print featuring a drawing of the couple was available for guests to sign.

At the reception, centerpieces were made of green, white, and purple blooms placed in glass bottles. Each place setting also featured homemade chocolates in the shape of lobsters (in honor of Sara’s home state, Maine) and buffalo (Bill grew up near Buffalo, New York).

The dinner menu included butternut squash ravioli, buffalo short ribs, and chicken saltimbocca—plus, of course, those beer pairings.

The couple performed their first dance to “Someone Like You,” by Van Morrison, and everyone danced to classic and current pop tunes throughout the evening.

“We had a great, personal celebration with friends and family,” says Sara, who honeymooned with her new husband in Greece. “The entire day turned out exactly as we’d hoped.”