Patricia Loureiro, a product manager from Bethesda, and Rahul Monga, a software engineer from Germantown became fast friends as coworkers on the product development team at WeddingWire. Their first date was at Mon Ami Gabi in downtown Bethesda, and a year-and-a-half later he popped the question at their first apartment just steps away from that meaningful spot.
For their Maryland wedding, the couple played off of their venue’s romantic gardens and historic mansion in order to create a chic and sleek aesthetic. Marble chargers and velvet linens elevated the sophisticated place settings, and black-olive trees and greenery brought the outdoors in for their tented reception. They even incorporated their adorable dog throughout their wedding decor, too. See more of their ethereal Maryland wedding to gather more ideas on how you can dress up your venue with outdoor elements, personalize stationery with pictures of your pet, and more.
The Wedding Theme
The Maryland wedding brought together three important things: her Brazilian roots, his Indian culture, and their puppy, Zoey, who was featured on their custom wedding stamps and cocktail napkins, and on the cufflinks Patricia gave to Rahul.
The Wedding Dress
Patricia looked effortlessly gorgeous in a romantic silk crepe gown designed by Theia. She also wore her hair in a classic bun and donned soft and airy makeup. “She was totally channeling a modern day Audrey Hepburn,” says photographer Sarah Kazemburg.
The Ceremony
At the ceremony, the bride entered on her father’s arm to “Tale As Old As Time” from her favorite childhood movie, Beauty and the Beast. They also decided to commemorate the day by taking the last few lines from their ceremony and printing them on a custom star map, which now hangs in their living room.
The Reception
The couple and their planner took decor cues from the “lush surroundings and historic dove gray mansion,” deciding on a palette of greens, grays, and ivory, with modern touches such as ghost chairs and acrylic signs. Dinner included Brazilian picanha and chicken tikka masala. Brazilian cheese bread was passed at each table, and bem-casados ( “happily married”) cookies were set at each place. For dessert, a traditional Brazilian selection included 800 brigadeiros, or truffles. Rahul’s affinity for rap also played into the day: The pair made their debut as Mr. and Mrs. Monga to “Started from the Bottom” by Drake, and guest tables were named after rappers, including Project Pat and Future.
The Details:
Photographer: Clarence Chan Photography | Venue: Strong Mansion at Sugarloaf Mountain| Planning & Design: Sarah Kazemburg Events & Styling | Florist: Emily Lin, Love Blooms | Invitations: Minted | Caterer: Spilled Milk Catering | Cake: Design by Miriam Cakes | Hair Stylist: Styled by Anna Fazio | Makeup Artist: Pattie Martin| Bride’s Attire: Theia from Lovely Bride DC | Groom’s Attire: BLACK by Vera Wang from Men’s Wearhouse | Music/Entertainment: DJ Evan Reitmeyer, MyDeejay | Transportation: On the Town Limousines | Videographer: David Schmitz, Waves Media | Lighting: Pretty Simplified Design & Co. | Rentals: Select Event Group; Plants Alive! (trees) | Brigadieros: Doce Sabor
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.
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
