Sara and Chris thank modern dating techniques for putting them together. They had been socializing for years in the same circle without knowing each other—until they both swiped right on a dating app. Much to Chris’s frustration, it took almost a month of text exchanges before they agreed to meet. But a dinner date in Woodley Park followed by drinks at a hip spot in Columbia Heights led to a year of romance and Chris’s proposal during a trip to Italy.
The pair married in a ballroom setting at the Wharf with candle-lined aisles, column florals, and a custom backdrop, which later turned up to grace the Prosecco bar during cocktail hour. After the vows, the ballroom was transformed into a more relaxed lounge-and-station area, draped in green and charcoal velvet with brass accents, for a cocktail-style reception for more than 300 guests. A mix of tables, from round to cocktail-style, were dressed with textured linens topped with tree-inspired floral centerpieces, greenery, and candles to create a modern, eclectic space. Oysters XO offered a mobile raw bar before friends and family helped themselves to three dinner stations serving global cuisines, including duck and lo mein, rice pilaf and lamb, and burritos. For dessert, Sara and Chris chose a four-tier white-and-cream cake with wafer-paper magnolias and layers of chocolate cake with coffee buttercream, chocolate cake with Italian buttercream, and red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Celebrity DJ Marley Marl amped up the celebration, and in the skies above the river, fireworks from the Capital Pride festival lit the night.
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To set the tone and showcase the candlelit aisle, shades in the ballroom were lowered for the daytime ceremony and then raised again for the reception to reveal waterfront views.
The Details:
Photographer: Renee Hollingshead | Planning & Design: Ida Rose Events & Design | Florist: Sweet Root Village | Invitations: Minted | Cake: Fluffy Thoughts Cakes | Hair Stylist: Stephie J, Immortal Beloved | Makeup Artist: Ketta Vaughn | Attire: Cherry Blossom Bridal (bride); Giorgio Armani, Saks (groom) | Music: DJ Marley Marl and DJ Face | Videographer: Suburban Video | Lighting/AV: Frost Lighting; Potomac Sound LLC | Photo Booth: Tickled | Rentals: Party Rental and DC Rental (linens and chairs); Social Supply (furniture rentals and bar)
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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.
