When Kim Nguyen and Elliot Meek got engaged, the couple knew right away that they would forgo a traditional celebration and the large guest list. Instead, they opted for an intimate rooftop wedding and invited only their immediate family (12 guests to be exact!) to share the special day with them. “[We wanted] the focus [to] be on sharing this milestone with the people who’ve been an integral part of our journey,” the couple says. Check out their intimate rooftop wedding below to see all the ways they ensured their big day was filled with meaningful moments. From the groom’s grandfather as their officiant, to their romantic sit-down dinner party, this rooftop celebration at the Line is filled with small wedding ideas for a chic (and private!) affair.
Get more Washingtonian Weddings inspo:
Newsletter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
The Intimate Rooftop Wedding Day Theme
The couple says the four words that best describe their special day are “intimate, romantic, relaxed, and unique.” “Since we were having an intimate wedding in the city, I wanted a romantic minimalist look that would complement our modern mid-century venue,” Kim explains.
The Wedding Fashion
For their wedding-day wardrobe, the couple leaned more to a relaxed and effortless look, versus the typical traditional ballgown and tuxedo paring. Kim says she was inspired by Carolyn Bessette’s “effortlessly chic bridal style,” and therefore donned a sleek satin sheath gown with her hair pulled loosely half-back and accessorized with a veil. Elliot, opted for a two-piece navy suit paired with a burgundy necktie. They skipped having a wedding party—minus of course their dog for some adorable photo-ops.
How They Met
“Like all great millennial love stories” the couple says a dating app helped introduce them. They began messaging the night before Elliot’s birthday and claim the conversation flowed so well that Elliot asked Kim on a date that same weekend. “Who was I to reject a birthday boy’s wish?” Kim jokes. They’ve now celebrated his birthday five times since that conversation.
The Intimate Rooftop Wedding Ceremony
The wedding took place on top of one of DC’s newest hotels, the Line in Adams Morgan. For their big day, the couple booked the Monument Master Suite, a 1200-square-foot suite with a dining space for 12 and a 1300-square-foot rooftop terrace with panoramic views. The rooftop overlooks the city, which provided a picture-worthy backdrop for vows. Equally memorable from the ceremony, the couples says it was filled with “joy and grandpa-ly wisdom” because they had Elliot’s grandfather, a retired minister, officiate. “As a gift, he gave us the journal he read from, so that we could cherish his words forever,” the couple says.
The Intimate Rooftop Wedding Reception
After the ceremony, guests were invited to a sit-down reception in the suite, where guests were greeted with wine and cheddar biscuit crab cakes as starters. Then for dinner, kale salads served with oyster dressing started the three-course meal which consisted of a hearth-grilled flat iron steak as an entrée paired with fried onions, braised greens, and a mushroom catsup, and ended with a house-spun vanilla ice cream mixed with berries and goat cheese as dessert. They also had a one-tiered wedding cake which was inspired by “strawberries and cream,” says Kim. To make the big day even more special the couple paid for all their guests to stay at the hotel and even invited them back to the suite in the morning after for a send-off brunch on the terrace.
“By stripping our wedding down to only the key elements and finding the perfect venue for it,” says Kim, “we were able to hold our wedding just three months after getting engaged. The best part was that Elliot and I never stressed during the planning process. We were so excited to become husband and wife and knew everything else would work itself out.”
The Details:
Photographer: Jenn Manor Photo | Venue: The LINE DC Hotel | Florist: Sweet Blossoms | Bride’s Attire: Halfpenny London | Groom’s Attire: Indochino | Videographer: Love Per Second
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.
