Images: Aimee Custis Photography
I‘ll apologize in advance for how much I might gush over today’s real DC wedding feature. I had the absolute pleasure of not only getting to blog this gorgeous wedding, but actually be a part of it (in SO many ways). Allie & Dylan reached out to me last November and I just LOVED their inquiry:
“It’s been so refreshing to go through your blog and find someone interested in low-key, off-beat weddings! We’re really excited about keeping our day about us, and not getting wrapped up in what we “should” do, and finding someone that can help us with that in DC has been a challenge! Also both Dylan and I are severely-profoundly obsessed with Harry Potter, so it’s always nice to find another kindred spirit. I look forward to talking to you!”
These are the things I keep hearing over and over from readers & prospective clients, “we just want a wedding that’s about us’ “we don’t need all the traditions or expensive details” “we just want something low-key & fun, without spending a million dollars” and these are the things I keep in mind when I blog here.
Allie & Dylan (I hope they don’t mind me saying) were like the poster couple for Capitol Romance. They attended my DIY Bouquets & Boutonnieres workshop (and then DIYed all their bouquets & bouts for their wedding), they used some of the DIY tutorials Ribbons & Bluebirds created on my blog (you’ll see those soon), and they just NEVER stopped working towards their ultimate goal of planning a wedding that was true to who they were as individuals AND as a couple. I am so honored to get to share their wedding with you today. Ok, enough gabbing from me!
love love love these DC wedding invitations from Typecase Industries!
From the photographer:
Allie & Dylan are college sweethearts, and when Allie finally moved to DC a couple of years ago to settle in DC with Dylan (they’ve been together FOREVER), our friends were so excited to have her — we adored Dylan, and couldn’t wait to be friends with the amazing woman who lived up to the standards of everything he deserved. I feel like we all knew a wedding was coming, but I couldn’t — literally COULD NOT — have been happier when Allie + Dylan asked if they could hire us as their photographers. I swear, being asked by friends to photograph gives me bigger giddy butterflies than being asked to be a bridesmaid!
Just look at these DIYed bouquets!!! SO STUNNING!
Click inside for SO MUCH MORE of Allie & Dylan’s super awesome, DIY Washington DC wedding.
Bridesmen & groomsladies – this wedding party had it ALL. And each one of them were SO stinkin’ nice!
On their venue:
Allie & Dylan live in Adams Morgan, and knew they wanted their wedding to reflect their awesome life together in DC. They picked a yoga studio just a few blocks from home, Stroga, for their venue, and for pictures, did their first look at the DC Memorial on the National Mall before heading over to the Senate Gardens at the US Capitol for group pictures. There is so much to love about these two that I could go on and on, but I’ll stop, because the photos say it better than I ever could!
On all their awesome DIY wedding projects:
It was amazing to see all the DIY elements we worked so hard on to all come together to am amazing evening that felt so “us!” From a variety of cakes representing different parts of our lives, to framed Harry Potter quotes, to our personalized iPhone playlist, everything felt like the best celebration of who we are, where we are in our lives, and how excited we are to spend the rest of our lives growing together.
Advice for couples currently in the planning process:
Only 1 person is allowed to be crazy at a time. When one person is going a little over the edge in terms of stressing out over tiny, ultimately meaningless details, the other person is honor-bound to keep it together and save their freak out for another time. Ultimately none of the worrying about small things matters, and making a rule that only 1 person was allowed to be stressed at a time helped us not get consumed by anxiety and instead focus on the big picture.
Congratulations again Allie & Dylan! And thank you for letting me be a part of your SUPER AWESOME wedding!
Vendors:
Photographer: Aimee Custis Photography | Venue: Stroga | Catering: Eat & Smile | DJ: DIYed by the couple (speaker rentals from RCI Speakers, using the Wedding DJ app) | Bride’s Dress: Theia from Flair | Wedding Party Attire: Dresses & Suits in Navy of their own choosing | Bride’s Jewelry: Family Heirlooms & Gifts from Parents | Bride’s Shrug: Noa Vide | Bride’s Shoes: Madden Girl | Hair & Makeup: DIYed by Bride’s Sister | Invitations: Typecase Industries | Rentals: Capital Party Rentals | Wine & Beer: Ace Beverage | Poster: Mooseberry Paper Co.
