Ariel Toback and Patrick Finnegan looked to the city for inspiration on their wedding photoshoot: they posed on the balcony of the Capitol for epic views of the Washington Monument and herded their wedding party out to the National Mall for shots in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Check out the resulting images courtesy of Nick & Erin Photography.
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Ariel Toback and Patrick Finnegan met at a halloween party. They had both gone with holiday themes—he was dressed as a leprechaun and she was decked out as a turkey. As they were leaving, Patrick offered up his cab to Ariel. She was charmed by the gesture, as well as his bright green eyes.
Ariel and Patrick arranged to meet for their first date at Clyde’s in Georgetown. According to Patrick, the dinner could have been a little smoother on his end.
“This was when I was surviving as a staff assistant on the hill, and I did two things that I embarrassingly shake my head at now,” he explains, “I ordered lobster, and I paid with a gift card.”
Ariel noticed.
“He wore a bib on our first date,” she says.
However, Ariel was willing to forgive the minor snafu, and five years later the couple got engaged. Patrick proposed at Acqua Al 2 at Eastern Market, and afterwards they headed to Barracks Row to celebrate.
For their wedding, Ariel and Patrick wanted to blend their Catholic and Jewish wedding traditions, and also infuse a bit of fun. They decided on an outdoor ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental. Ariel wore a dreamy Mira Zwillinger dress with sequined embroidery and a sheer panel inset, and a bagpiper played as she walked down the aisle.
Afterwards, they headed indoors to the reception, where they danced their first dance to “Falling Slowly,” a duet by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Since Patrick’s mother and Ariel’s father were both talented vocalists, they sang the duet live with the band. Afterwards, Patrick and Ariel celebrated with an elegant tiered cake with a cherry blossom motif made by Buttercream Bakeshop and toasted blood orange bourbon cocktails. The newlyweds honeymooned in Thailand.
VENDORS
Photographer: Nick & Erin Photography | Wedding & Reception Venue: Mandarin Oriental | Event Coordinator: Brittany Collier and Chancey Charm Weddings | Bride’s Gown: Mira Zwillinger from Mark Ingram Atelier | Groom’s Tux: Hugo Boss from Bloomingdale’s | Hair & Makeup: Alison Harper & Co | Wedding Cake: Buttercream Bakeshop | Florist: Amaryllis Floral & Event Design | Transportation: Culdesac Chauffeur Service | Videographer: Ryan Geldermann | Entertainment: Gazze | Invitations: The Dandelion Patch | Bag Piper: Tim Carey
Hayley is an Associate Editor at Washingtonian Weddings. Previously she was the the Style Editor at The Local Palate, a Southern food culture magazine based out of Charleston, South Carolina. You can follow her on instagram @wandertaste.
