Weddings

This Dreamy Anderson House Micro-Wedding Was Won in a Contest for Frontline Workers

Photographs by Abby Jiu Photography

Xiya and Woojin married September 27, 2020 at Anderson House in Washington, DC after winning a micro-wedding from Petite Soirée, who partnered with the venue, among other local vendors, for the giveaway. Their wedding was originally featured in the August 2021 issue of Washingtonian. The the details of the day below.

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Xiya and Woojin, both resident physicians at New York Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Medical Center, met during orientation at a lunch in the hospital courtyard and then dated for two years before Woojin proposed during a sunset walk along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

The pair dreamed of a Tuscan wedding before the end of their residency, but they needed a backup plan. Thanks to Xiya’s sister, who nominated them, they won a micro-wedding for frontline workers from Petite Soirée and wed with a 13-person brunch celebration in DC. (They look forward to an intimate ceremony with their parents, who live in China and Korea, at a later time.) The theme was Parisian garden romance, and the palette included dusty blues, soft pinks, cream, white, and gold. Xiya’s favorite detail was the mood-setting musicians—a harpist at the ceremony and a violinist for the brunch reception. For Woojin, who along with Xiya managed Covid patients in the hospital, the ambience at Anderson House “truly felt like an escape to paradise in the midst of the pandemic.” Brunch featured shrimp and grits, French toast, ham biscuits, crabcakes, and a rosé with edible flowers. The sweet ending was individual cakes served under glass domes inscribed with each guest’s name.

The Details

Planning and design: Lauryn Prattes Styling and Events • Florist: Sweetroot Village • Caterer: Get Plated • Cake: Buttercream Bakeshop • Hair and makeup: Beauty and the Bride • Rentals: Maison de Carine, White Glove Rentals • Calligraphy: Laura Hooper Calligraphy • Bride’s attire: Willowby Watters from BHLDN (gown), Eden Luxe Bridal (headpiece) • Groom’s attire: Robbie & Co. Men’s Shop

This article appears in the August 2021 issue of Washingtonian.

Amy Moeller
Fashion & Weddings Editor

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.