We love a ballroom wedding that isn’t afraid to go all-out on the glam. Dana Lavine and Kevin Cernohorsky’s celebration at Hotel Monaco not only decked out the room with gold sequins and ivory florals, it also included some truly touching family moments. Take a peek at their day in the photos below by Susie & Becky Photography.
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Dana was visiting a friend on a Marine Corps base in North Carolina when her friend introduced her to Kevin. Dana’s friend took her out to a bar that evening, where Dana and Kevin crossed paths again. This time, they struck up a conversation, and soon discovered they’d grown up just half an hour away from one another. They exchanged numbers at the end of the night, and even though they lost touch afterwards, a few years later, they found one another again via social media. A first date hiking the Billy Goat Trail, picnicking, and chatting for hours sealed the deal.
A little over a year after they’d started dating, Kevin took Dana on the Ferris wheel at National Harbor. When they reached the top, Kevin asked Dana to be his wife. Afterwards, they met up with family at a local restaurant to celebrate.
They brought the glam to their gold ballroom wedding at Hotel Monaco DC. Glittering sequin tablecloths, acrylic ghost chairs, and floating candles all helped contribute to the upscale party vibe. The most memorable moment of the wedding was the toasts. The maid of honor ended hers with a rap, while Dana’s father took the opportunity to honor Kevin’s late brother, also a Marine. During his father of the bride speech, he called out to all the Marines in the room and said, “Most people believe that a moment of silence is appropriate, but I believe the best way to remember someone is to make some noise. So, my Marines, please stand up. Marines, what do we say?” To which they cheered “OOORAH!”
The happy couple danced the night away, serving pies and an ice cream float stand with unusual combinations like Coke and chocolate and sweet tea with creme de menthe in place of a traditional cake. When the night came to a close, the newlyweds departed, a honeymoon in Antigue their next big adventure.
VENDORS
Venue: Hotel Monaco DC | Photographer: Susie & Becky Photography | Event Planner: Bellwether Events | Bride’s Gown: Elle Zeitoune | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman and Converse | Hair & Makeup Artist: First Impressions Salon | Floral Design: Holly Heider Chapple | Caterer: Poste (now closed) | Invitations & Stationary: Jill Klein of Sincerely Yours | Band: SoundNation, Andy Kushner | Dessert: Pie Sisters | Videographer: Tom Bowen, Bowen Films | Favors: Krispy Kreme
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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.
