Summery and sweet, we love everything about Katherine (Katie) Schafer and Patrick Lane’s DAR wedding. It’s all captured in the photos below by Abby Grace Photography.
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About to enter her sophomore year at Virginia Tech, Katie dragged her twin sister Erika to a welcome-back party. Katie knew nearly everyone there—except Patrick, one of the hosts. “She wasn’t the only pretty girl at the party,” he remembers, “but there was something different about her.” As they crossed paths that fall at get-togethers and tailgates, Katie was struck by Patrick’s thoughtfulness. “Every time we saw each other, he would give up his seat, offer me a drink, or quickly seek me out to make sure we had time to catch up.” A more reserved foil to Katie’s outgoing personality, Patrick waited a month before asking her on their first date: a weekend-long fraternity outing in Myrtle Beach. “Even after a six-hour car ride, we still wanted to be together for the entire trip,” Katie says. “We’ve been inseparable since.”
Six years after that South Carolina weekend, the couple was in Savannah’s historic Chippewa Square when Patrick asked her to spend the rest of their lives together. The duo wed in a sleek Southern-inspired affair on a beautiful late-summer afternoon.
Event planner Laura Ritchie, who also designed the weddings of Katie’s two sisters, drew inspiration from the “not too girly” Kendal Gray table linen from DC Rental, and brought out the rest of the couple’s color palette with arrangements of Cafe au Lait dahlias, cabbage roses, and seeded eucalyptus garland. Ribbon accents—another subtly preppy touch—were everywhere from the ceremony exit to the bar garland. (Katie’s favorite instance: her monogrammed Oatmeal Lace bouquet wrap.) Ritchie herself painted the water-colored escort cards, and displayed them on a linen
tri-fold board from World Market.
Clear skies let guests enjoy DAR’s outdoor portico area. They sipped cocktails in the vintage furniture lounge and later danced al fresco to Top 40 and classic ’90s hits—a few even jumped onstage to perform with the band. Katie swapped her ball gown for a flirty Parker dancing dress, and well-wishers shook illuminated tambourines to the music. After saying their farewells, the Lanes drove off in a vintage Bentley. The pair honeymooned on the beaches of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, then returned home to Chicago, where he is a financial analyst and she is in software sales.
VENDORS
Venue: DAR Constitution Hall | Photographer: Abby Grace Photography | Event Design: Grit & Grace | Flowers: BrookHill Florist | Bride’s Gown: Paloma Blanca, Love Couture Bridal | Hair & Makeup: Modern Bridal Studio | Groom’s Attire: Suit from Suitsupply; bow tie from The Tie Bar | Caterer: Main Event Caterers | Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie | Music: Walrus, Sam Hill Entertainment | Glassware & Linens: DC Rental | Lounge Furniture & Bar: Something Vintage Rentals | Transportation: Atlantic Limousine, Inc. for guest buses; getaway car from Regal Limousine | Paper Goods: Brave Creative Design | Calligraphy: Meant To Be Calligraphy
What’s a party without good food? Find a caterer for your big day on our list of the area’s best.
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.
