We love how playful Nancy Bell and Chuy (Jesse) Vasquez’s wedding theme was, made all the more perfect by hosting it at a restaurant, rather than a conventional wedding venue. Take a look at their fun day, captured in the photos below by Beth Caldwell Photography
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After a Tinder introduction, Nancy and Jesse approached their first date at a bar in Austin, Texas—where both were living at the time—with nerves. Nancy asked her best friend and her best friend’s boyfriend to join her on the date “just in case it went badly,” and Jesse worried that he was in over his head. “I knew she was way out of my league,” he says. “I had to duck into the bathroom to give myself a pep talk.”
Two years later, Jesse and Nancy knew they were going to move back east from Texas, so Nancy planned a going-away party for them in the form of one of her favorite summer activities: a party barge. “It’s basically a giant floating boozy dance party on a boat,” Nancy says. “When we got up to the front of the boat—a few drinks in—to thank everyone for coming [and] tell them how much we will miss them, he completely surprised me and got down on one knee!”
Eleven months later, Jesse and Nancy planned a colorful wedding at Alexandria’s Virtue Feed & Grain that combined Jesse’s Mexican heritage with some of their favorite components of Texas life. Bridesmaids wore floral dresses from Haute Hippie and Asos that worked perfectly with the wildflower-inspired bouquets.
After dancing to John Mayer’s “Wildfire,” and serving Moscow Mules and margaritas to their guests, the pair made their exit with plans to minimoon in Miami.
VENDORS
Venue: Virtue Feed & Grain | Photographer: Beth Caldwell Photography | Event Coordinator: Manager of Virtue Feed & Grain | Bride’s Gown: Allure Bridals | Groom’s Attire: Bonobos | Hair: Jewel Hair Design | Makeup Artist: Maria DeCesaris, Amie Decker Beauty | Cake: Cakes by Long | Florist: Stephanie’s Secret Garden | Caterers: Virtue Feed & Grain | Music/Entertainment: The Bowtallion string quartet; The Dynasty DJs | Invitations: Designed by bride, printed by Worth Higgins & Associates | Welcome Bag & Favors: Designed by bride, printed at Kinkos
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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.
