Lauren Simon met William Donahoe on the first day of graduate school, and as soon as they first spoke, she felt such an ease and comfort as though they had known each other their whole lives. “I really appreciate how real she was with me from the first moment I met her,” says William.
He took her out to dinner at Comfort in Richmond—a fitting restaurant for how they felt about one another—and from there their relationship blossomed. When they decided to take the next step and move to DC together, they made a trip to the District to go apartment hunting. On the last morning of their trip, William woke Lauren up with a ring and a promise.
They celebrated their wedding on February 1, 2014 with classic Washington touches—photos on the balcony of The Hay-Adams, the Washington Monument visible in the distance, and in front of the White House, with elegant floral arrangements of dusty miller and garden roses brightening their historic venue. At the end of their ceremony, they pulled out mini bottles of whiskey for each guest, so all could join in toasting their new life together.
Venue: The Hay-Adams
Photographer: Laura Luís Photography
Bride’s Gown: Reem Acra, Bijou Bridal
Groom’s Tux: Ludlow Suit, J.Crew
Hair and Makeup Artist: Bridal Beauty Associates
Event Coordinator: Whitney Vaillancourt, The Hay-Adams
Cake: Kendall’s Cakes
Florist: Edge Floral Event Designers
Caterers: The Hay-Adams
Music/Entertainment: Michael Cruz, Bialek’s Music; Tom Vogt, The Hay-Adams Pianist
Invitations: Minted
Lighting: Edge Floral Event Designers, Bialek’s Music
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.
