After Danielle Oliver landed an internship for Maryland congressman Steny Hoyer, staffers told her she would likely be working alone. When she walked through the door on her first day to see Bob Morton III sitting at the intern desk, “apparently I couldn’t stop staring,” she says. Their unlikely first date—crashing the retirement party for a federal judge—cemented their attraction as the self-proclaimed political nerds discussed all the conventional taboos, from their philosophies about money to their partisan views.
Three-and-a-half years later, Bob caught Danielle with a quiet surprise proposal at his apartment the fall weekend before Halloween. Intimate and quirky, the moment was perfectly fitting for the low-key couple. Danielle spent the next few days thrilling friends with the query: “Guess what I am for Halloween? Engaged!”
The pair chose Meridian House for their springtime reception and kept the vibe romantic with jewel-toned raspberry, mauve, and Carolina-blue accents that included seasonal varieties of peonies, ranunculus, and garden roses along with flowering branches and foraged elements from florist Darling & Daughters. Guests played games on the Meridian House lawn and toasted the newlyweds with salted-caramel bourbon milkshakes. At the end of the night, well-wishers headed home with bottles of rosemary sea salt tied with ribbon and an illustration of the couple’s beloved cat.
“The cake couldn’t just look good, it also had to taste good,” says the bride. The couple chose almond cake with raspberry filling and vanilla cake with strawberry filling, both topped with honey butter cream and exquisite handcrafted sugar flowers.
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The Details
Photography: Lauren Louise Photography | Venue: St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill, Meridian House | Event Planning & Design: A. Griffin Events | Florist: Darling & Daughters | Stationery and favor illustration: Emily Baird Design | Caterer: Well Dunn Catering | Cake: Catherine George Cakes | Hairstylist: Brooke Bailey-Morgan | Makeup artist: Wink & Pout by Kym Lee | Bride’s Attire: Naeem Khan, from Saks Jandel | Groom’s Attire: Raja Fashions | Reception music: Nelson Vargas of Chris Styles Events | Videographer: Harrison Wedding Films | Lighting, photo booth, & games: A2Z Music Factory
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.
