Kaila, a philanthropist from Milford, Connecticut, and Mihran, a real-estate developer from McLean, met when they were paired for a class project as students at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. After an eventual first dinner date, he invited her to watch the end of a Caps playoff hockey game. (“Looking back, I can’t believe he even scheduled a date during the game!” she says.) The game went into triple overtime, and from then, Kaila says, she was hooked—“on both Mihran and the Capitals.” Five years later Mihran popped the question at Tudor Place in Georgetown before whisking his fiancée away for a staycation that included a room full of flowers at the Rosewood hotel, rooftop Champagne, and dinner at Le Diplomate. Over the next year the pair planned a wedding on the Eastern Shore. Mihran’s favorite part of the day? A life-sized Stanley Cup groom’s cake, a surprise from Kaila. “It not only got me going, but really energized the hockey hooligan crowd,” he says. Another special detail for the groom was the vintage bar cart filled with rare whiskey designed in tribute to his late father. The couple’s menu mixed what they called high-end and comfort foods, including a raw bar and lobster salad plus chicken and biscuits and mac-and-cheese bites. Their favorite culinary detail was the Philly cheesesteaks—a nod to the city in which they met—served from a vintage caravan, with to-go bags featuring their school mascot.
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The Reception Details
Kaila and Mihran embraced the natural beauty of the property with a neutral color palette and brought the outside into their tented reception using lush trees throughout. A teepee tent offered lounge space during cocktail hour and then again for the afterparty.
The Details:
Photographer: Lisa Ziesing for Abby Jiu Photography | Planning & Design: Lauryn Prattes Styling & Events | Florist: Jackson Durham Events | Stationery: Yonder Design, Laura Hooper Calligraphy | Caterer: Occasions Caterers | Cakes: Buttercream Bakeshop | Hair Stylist: Ismail Tekin of George at the Four Seasons, assisted by EJ Jung | Makeup Artist: Dean Krapf, assisted by Lori Pressman, both with the Artist Agency | Attire: Caroline Castigliano (bride ceremony), Marchesa (bride reception), both from Rizik’s; Suitsupply (groom); Watters, Brideside (bridesmaids); Peter Millar Suits, Nordstrom (groomsmen) | Music: Camden String Quartet (ceremony); East Coast Entertainment (reception) | Videographer: East West | Rentals: Revolution Event Design and Production (teepee, chandeliers); White Glove Rentals (place settings) | Tent: Sugarplum Tent Company | Transportation: Thoroughbred Sedan, Van, & Bus | Caravan: Get Cozy Vintage Mobile Bars | Cheesesteaks: DC Steakholders
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.
