The wedding of Lisa Caligiuri and Dean Niedosik was full of contrasts: modern, yet rustic; urban, yet full of lush greens; elegant, yet Philly cheesesteaks were served. Altogether, this modern celebration is exactly what it should be: all the different parts and personalities of the couple reflected in a party, and captured by Kurstin Roe Photography.
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True love doesn’t always begin at first sight, which was good news for Lisa and Dean, who didn’t even like one another when they first met at a dinner party with mutual friends. Lisa thought Dean needed a wardrobe makeover, while Dean thought Lisa was just too opinionated. The tides turned, however, when Dean asked Lisa on a date in his hometown, Philadelphia. When Lisa attended Dean’s childhood friend’s birthday party, she realized that she and Dean had more in common than she thought. “I completely fell in love because I realized that he had the same values and [grew] up the same way I did,” says Lisa. “It was a magical weekend.”
Two months later, the pair was visiting Toronto, where they dined on the waterfront. After dinner, they went for a stroll. “We walked the streets and talked about getting married,” says Lisa. “We both decided together this is absolutely what we wanted.”
For their modern ceremony at Long View Gallery, they wed in front of a boxwood backdrop. They kept to the theme of rich, deep greens at the reception with tall, rain forest-like arrangements. Clusters of candles on tall stands provided an illusion of floating candles above the rustic wood banquet tables and metallic chairs.
Near the end of the reception, the couple served Philly cheesesteaks on authentic Amoroso’s bread as a late night snack follow-up to the wedding cake they’d suspended from the ceiling. After swaying to Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” the bride and groom departed to honeymoon in Hawaii.
VENDORS
Venue: Long View Gallery | Photographer: Kurstin Roe Photography | Event Coordinator: Sara Muchnick, Sara Muchnick Events | Bride’s Gown: Anna Maier Ulla-Maija | Hair Dresser: Thania Trieu | Makeup Artist: Nikki Fraser, Beauty ’n the Bride | Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie | Florist: Amaryllis Floral & Event Design | Caterers: Main Event Caterers | Videographer: Jason Siemer Productions | Music/Entertainment: DJ Chris Styles | Invitations: Michelle’s Memos | Lighting: Digital Lighting | Rentals: Party Rentals LTD., DC Rentals, Something Vintage | Calligraphy: Just Write Studios
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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.
