Jessica Schneider and Adam Harrison credit the “unprecedented news cycle, the election, and the wonders of modern technology” for bringing them together.
The couple met on Bumble in 2017. Jessica, a CNN correspondent, had just relocated from New York to DC to cover the Trump administration and Adam, a project manager, had been living in DC for about a decade before they matched. For their first meeting, they decided to go for a drink at a rooftop bar in Shaw. “I felt very drawn to Adam within minutes of our meeting,” Jessica says. “I really enjoyed our conversation centered on music, sports, and family.” Adam, too, was taken by Jessica’s down-to-earth character—so much so that after six months of dating he was already planning to propose. The two ended up getting engaged at Jessica’s favorite place, her family’s cottage in the Finger Lakes, and decided to host their big day at District Winery.
For their wedding, the couple wanted to show off the city in which they fell in love—so they held a DC-themed celebration. From the custom designed invitations made by Jessica’s sister to the table numbers and place cards designed by Adam, everything was inspired by Washington, DC. “We planned every detail of this wedding ourselves, and we made sure to incorporate plenty of personal touches,” they say. See more of Adam Harrison and Jessica Schneider’s DC-themed wedding below.
CNN’s Jessica Schneider’s wedding was filled with city-inspired details.
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Invitations featured historic maps of DC and illustrations of various landmarks.
Jessica was glowing in a fitted ROMONA New York gown accessorized with a halter neckline and black-buttoned back.
Jessica gifted Adam custom-made cufflinks as a wedding-day present.
One of Adam’s favorite wedding details was his late father’s tuxedo jewelry that he wore with his suit.
The couple had the ultimate DC backdrop, the Washington Monument, for their first-look photos.
Jessica’s bouquet featured garden roses, lilac, anemone, clematis, stock, ranunculus and masterworts.
“Our guests absolutely loved being able to tour around Washington before our [evening] ceremony,” Jessica says. “They got to see the monuments, try out the restaurants, and a few of my friends spent hours touring the city via scooter!
The couple says they chose District Winery because of its short, walking distance to several hotels, its city vibe, and its all-inclusive nature, which, the pair says, made things easier for them.
The couple hired a string duo to play during the ceremony and cocktail hour.
Among Jessica’s favorite details, was the fact that her cousin officiated the ceremony. She and her cousins (all eight of them!) are very close, so, it was extra special that she was able to incorporate her family into the service.
The string duo, DaVinci Strings, played “Somebody to Love,” by Queen during the recessional.
Custom-made coasters, designed by Adam, featured the couple’s adorable puggle, Bailey.
“To add an extra special Washington, DC touch, we splurged on bringing the Washington Nationals presidents to our cocktail hour,” Jessica says. “We both love going to Nats games, and one of our very first dates was at a game, where we bet on who would win the presidents’ race.”
Adam designed the escort cards, which featured custom-designed pennies with the couple’s initials and wedding date engraved on them. “Adam’s grandfather had an affinity for picking up a penny every time he found one, so we wanted to release some special pennies into the universe to see if any serendipitously come back to us,” they explained. (One of their favorite movies is “Serendipity,” starring Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack). Along with the personalized pennies, each escort card displayed illustrations of the Washington Monument.
In honor of the venue, District Winery, the couple opted for a wine-inspired color scheme.
After dinner, a two-tiered fondant-frosted chocolate cake decorated with florals was cut and served.
For entertainment, the couple chose a live band with full horns.
The Details:
Photography: Genevieve Leiper Photographer | Venue: District Winery | Florist: Loblolly Organic Farm | Invitations: Letter19design | Catering: District Winery | Dessert: Savvy Treats | Hairstylist: Tiffany Bullock | Makeup Artist: Latavia Lewis from Elle Alise Artistry | Bride’s Attire: Romona New York from Kleinfeld Bridal | Bridesmaids’ Attire: Amazon | Music/Entertainment: Encore Band | Transportation: Sunny’s Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation
Jacqueline comes to Washingtonian with close to five years of digital content experience and SEO best practices. She previously was a senior editorial associate at WeddingWire, specializing in wedding fashion, and before that, an assistant at Vow Bride. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, she now lives in Columbia Heights.
