The groom in today’s real DC wedding feature and I actually have a funny “how we met” story. What feels like a million years ago, John and I actually met at a sushi restaurant, as my co-worker at the time, was our mutual friend. We met a few other times through this mutual friend, then learning that we actually worked at the same day job. And then John started a Groom blog [The Outspoken Groom – check it out!] and we connected a bit more over blogging. And then John proposed to his girlfriend Aleza, and so our emails turned more towards vendor recommendation. John collaborated with us on our John & Abigail Adams Love Story Styled Shoot and found their florist through it and I was happy to send a few other suggestions their way.
The result was a beautiful, modern DC wedding with so much of their awesome personalities tied in. They chose teal for their color and used it perfectly throughout their wedding details. Studio DBI nailed it with the flowers, and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for Border Row Productions‘ wedding video :) But I think my favorite detail of John & Aleza’s wedding is their ever-present laughter. You can see just how happy and good-natured these two love birds are in almost every, single, picture from their wedding. Thanks to Ken Pak Photography for the images.
John & Aleza’s Modern, Teal Washington DC Wedding
Vendors:
Photographer: Ken Pak Photography | Videographer: Border Row Productions | Venue: Westin Georgetown | Flowers: Studio DBI | Cake: Alexandria Pastry Shop | Band: SLY45 | Hair Stylist: Jewel Hair Design | Makeup: Audrey Lee
On their DC wedding venue selection:
We love gallivanting around DC on weekends, exploring new coffee shops, bars and markets. So as soon as we got engaged we both agreed a DC wedding is the only option for us. This was also around the same time I started the OutspokenGroom.com and she started a new job, so I tried to help out planning as much as possible (where I could, ha). We first visited historical homes and museums around the city thinking that was the best way we could incorporate DC-aspects, but as soon as we visited the Westin in Georgetown we fell in love with the venue, and realized we can be as creative with the space as possible.
I love the pops of teal that John got into the groomsmen’s getups. Those teal tie clips?! LOVE
While we didn’t plan for it at all (even though we’re huge fans), several of our guests were telling us we looked like something out of Mad Men. Looking back at pictures though, custom fit groomsmen suits with skinny ties and her lace wedding dress with the fishnet veil probably gives off that vibe. We’re not complaining! It was impossible to find ties that matched the bridesmaid peacock teal dress color though, so instead all the groomsmen wore teal tie bars, polka dot teal socks and I added the little extra with teal shoe laces. All about the subtle things.
Before the ceremony, we went to Meridian Hill Park for pictures with the wedding party.
Click inside for the rest of John & Aleza’s modern, teal Washington DC wedding at the Westin in Georgetown.
You’ll probably notice that several of our pictures we’re laughing, including right after our first look (pic of me covering my mouth) and during our vows. A month before the wedding, we spent a 12 hour roadtrip writing our vows together. Somehow, even though we already knew what we were both going to say we still were laughing at certain points
^How adorable is THAT?!
Love love love the blue suits!
All of the paper products and designs – ceremony programs, table cards, table names, thank you cards that were placed at each setting, and favor tags – we created and printed ourselves at home. We turned a vintage, 1960s map of DC that we found wandering around Eastern Market into our seating chart and carried that through to our table names using all our favorite neighborhoods around the city.
I’ve been obsessed with Batman since I was a little kid, I was even able to convince her to include a Batman reference in our vows! She also surprised me before the reception with a Batman grooms cake.
We worked it out with the band to have her older brother and girlfriend, Meghan Linsey (she’s the lead singer in Steel Magnolia), to perform our first dance. The song was “Has Anybody Ever Told You” which was an original that he wrote. You can see them performing in the background of our first dance picture. It was easily one of the coolest moments of the entire night.
We ended the night in DC fashion, leaving the Westin in a DC pedicab.
Congratulations John & Aleza! Thank you for sharing all the beautiful details of your DC wedding with us! A special thanks again to Ken Pak Photography for the images and all the other amazing wedding vendors that made this wedding possible.
