Caitlin and Philip met back in 2015 on Hinge, bonding instantly over the fact they had been to many of the same DMV restaurants—thanks to Tyler Cowen’s Ethnic Dining Guide. Philip and his college friends often used the guide to find restaurants beyond the Georgetown campus. Caitlin’s dad, coincidentally, helps Tyler Cowen manage the food-inspired blog. “A lot of our earliest conversations revolved around food and eating out,” says Caitlin. After many dinner dates and a few years of dating, the couple got engaged July 2019 on a romantic vacation in Costa Brava, Spain.
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As for their wedding, the couple initially wanted to plan a big celebration at the National Arboretum in September 2020. “We had planned to have 150 people at a ceremony in the bonsai museum, happy hour in the knot garden, and dinner and dancing under a sailcloth tent,” says Caitlin. She tells us she had even dreamt up the perfect bold color scheme, with an emphasis on red, to pay homage to her Chinese culture. Unfortunately, like many 2020 couples, they had to pivot their plans. They decided to elope at White Oak Canyon in Virginia. The weekend after, they held an intimate family dinner party at Philip’s parents’ house. “Sometimes, you just need to run into the woods and marry your true love,” says Caitlin. See more of their scenic elopement and intimate dinner party below.
Details
Photographer: Carrie Coleman Photography | Venue: Private Residence | Florist: Wollam Gardens + Plantmasters Farm | Invitations: Calligraphette Co
