Kerry & Kevin’s Irish Themed, Family Inspired Green & Gold Wedding at Eastern Market

Kerry & Kevin’s wedding was my last wedding of 2018 before I had Conrad. It was hot, it was busy, it was a bit challenging on my back, but I had Amanda with me (who thankfully took over after dinner so I could go home and rest) and I am so thankful I was able to make most of this one. Because Kerry & Kevin were not only one of the sweetest couples, but THEIR FAMILY & FRIENDS YOU GUYS – some of the NICEST people. They’re friends came in droves to help decorate & setup, and boy were we thankful for that. They were kind, appreciative, and there was just SO much love in that room that warm summer day.

There are a TON of details & touches you guys are going to love about their Eastern Market wedding – the handmade harps at each table (handmade by Kerry’s dad), the live Irish band (which was seriously SO much fun to hear, and they were an absolute pleasure to work with), the impromptu ‘Danny Boy’ performance by a family friend, and the chipwiches from Bakeshop. Omg you guys, these chipwiches were EVERYTHING to an 8mo+ pregnant lady ;) I’ll let Kerry & Kevin share more of their perspective, but as always, let’s take some time to relish in some things like love, happiness, & family, in these trying times.

In terms of overall theme, we wanted it to feel romantic and dreamy, with a touch of modern. We also wanted to incorporate some Irish elements. Instead of picking two colors and calling it a day, we decided to go with a whole color palette to make it as vibrant as possible in the North Hall – think sage and hunter greens, slate blue, heather gray, pale pink, champagne, and gold. We incorporated a floral pattern from Rifle Paper Co into the ceremony programs, menus, signs, and pennant banners to have a cohesive element running throughout.

The wedding ceremony was held at Holy Rosary Catholic Church on 3^rd St NW before the reception at Eastern Market. Kerry was passionate about every tiny detail in the ceremony and reception. Kerry and her dad walked down the aisle to a beautiful recomposed version of Spring I by Vivaldi, taken from an episode of The Crown that the couple watched together months before and instantly decided must be part of their wedding soundtrack.

Kevin grew up in Brooklyn and Kerry grew up in this area, so we knew we wanted to have the wedding in the Washington, DC area. We did a fair amount of venue searching and ended up loving North Hall at Eastern Market. With the North Hall’s 50-foot ceilings and bare white walls, the venue was like an empty canvas for us to decorate just the way we wanted to. It was a historic site that you rented from the DC government, which was a little more offbeat than your typical hotel ballroom. You can also rent additional outside space under the green bays, which was nice for guests to step outside.

The wedding had a real city feel to it – guests and the wedding party stayed at Phoenix Park Hotel and kept the party going at The Dubliner. We took photos at the National Portrait Gallery and Union Station.

Kevin’s dad handcrafted 18 wooden harps that stood at each table’s centerpiece as a nod to our Irish heritage. We kept the Irish harp theme running on our wedding invitations and escort cards. An Irish band, Across the Pond, played the cocktail hour, Galway Girl for the father-bride dance, and a half hour following dinner. Kevin’s dad, once in a band and originally from Ireland, surprised us with an incredibly moving rendition of Danny Boy.

The North Hall was also outfitted with string lights and pale pink, sage green, and champagne paper lanterns hanging above. We put up floral garlands of blue and white flowers from Michael’s below each of the tall windows to brighten the white walls. The flowers were the most stunning. A dedicated family friend team comprised of Kerry’s mom’s high school friends and one of their daughters made magic happen. The day before the wedding, we went to a floral wholesale where my only requirement was no yellow or orange flowers. We went wild and had the best time. The bridal and bridesmaid bouquets, groom and groomsmen boutonnieres, and all of the floral centerpieces were ethereal and dazzling. We rented gold stands on some of the tables to elevate the flowers and make use of the vertical space in the hall.

In lieu of a traditional guest book, we purchased three maps from Etsy for guests to sign – one for Washington DC, one for Brooklyn, and one for Williamsburg, VA where we went to college and met each other.

We served beer with a nod to both places where we grew up – Brooklyn Summer Ale for Kevin and Port City for Kerry. We also served Green Hat Gin from DC.

Needless to say, this wedding would not have happened without friends and family pitching in. A dedicated family friend team comprised of Kerry’s mom’s high school friends and one of their daughters made all of the bouquets, boutonnieres, and floral centerpieces for the reception. A family friend lent his design expertise and produced stunning wedding invitations (ByHand Invitations http://byhandinvitations.com/). The DIY-ness of the wedding meant we needed an entire decorating committee to set up the North Hall, help at the church, and coordinate the alcohol. Another family friend lent their car to be the getaway car for bride and groom, outfitting it with empty cans of LaCroix clanking behind.

We skipped the bouquet toss and garter toss and did an informal cake cutting to keep the dance party going uninterrupted.In lieu of a traditional guest book, we purchased three maps from Etsy for guests to sign – one for Washington DC, one for Brooklyn, and one for Williamsburg, VA where we went to college and met each other.

We managed to find an Irish band to play cocktail hour and a DJ to play the after-dinner dancing within budget, which satisfied our desire to have live music but also have a dance party.

We went for a “classy” photo booth sans props and all photos turned out black and white. It made even the drunkest look dignified!

We ordered desserts from Bakeshop (http://www.bakeshopva.com/) – a small chocolate chip wedding cake, five different varieties of cupcakes, and most importantly, enormous chipwiches! Bakeshop makes the cookies and the ice cream comes from Trickling Springs Creamery in DC.

Nearly all of the decorations including floral pennant banners made from Rifle Paper Co wrap paper, escort cards and escort card display, welcome sign, wooden harps, and flip-flop box were DIY. Felt like a success with all of the flip flops scattered around the dance floor after the party ended!