Publishing this late Friday when Kara told me it was ready on Wednesday …. about sums up the week. Came back from a mini-Fall break on Tuesday, with a sick kid in tow. So 5 days of work, crammed into 3 days, with a sick 3yo home for two of those days and let me tell you: new levels of exhaustion – achieved! I am trying not to let it all get to me, and just take it one day at a time but MAN am I overwhelmed with work, life, and other things lately.
At least Fall weather returns to DC on Sunday. Have a great weekend Romancers!
We got engaged in the middle of the pandemic and agreed that the safety and health of our family and friends was our top priority. We wanted to plan within our control and not have to face the uncertainties and possible postponements of a larger wedding, so we decided to have an intimate ceremony with our immediate families and livestream it to our loved ones, followed by a reception at a later (and safer) time. The DC War Memorial was the perfect setting for an intimate ceremony, with the beautiful greenery and natural light, white marble columns and architecture, and covered roof (no rain plan needed made my planner self very happy!). We had our families color coordinate their outfits, with the moms in champagne-colored dresses, and the dads and brothers in dark navy suits with champagne ties. It fit my vision perfectly with the balance of an indoor/outdoor setting complemented by the classy, tasteful, and “simple yet elegant” style.
Even though our wedding was virtual, due to unprecedented circumstances, we were still very happy that our family and friends could watch our livestream and be there with us virtually. Seeing everyone’s comments, screenshots and messages, and being showered with so much love was a wonderful feeling. It was also so helpful to have a great vendor team, including our videographer who was our childhood friend, to help make everything go smoothly and relieve us from a lot of potential stress.
The most special part was to see our families come together and to celebrate this special moment in-person with the ones we love most. We had all been involved, in one way or another, in the planning stages, and to see the built up stress all float away in this moment was an incredible feeling. It was also special to see everyone get emotional in their own way.
Our advice to engaged couples is to plan your wedding for you and only you. Both families will naturally want to be involved in the planning stages and share their opinions, but at the end of the day, remind yourself that this day is for you and your partner to be happy and celebrate your love for one another. Your opinions will matter most and you and your partner should be the ones making the decisions, and having the final say. Don’t let others pressure you into anything you are uncomfortable with and most importantly, have fun! It is a special time leading up to a very special day, after all.
Vendors:
Photographer: Megan Rei Photography | Venue: DC War Memorial | Florist: Le Soleil Floristry | Dress Store: Brooke’s Bridal & Ball | Rings: Blue Nile & Brilliant Earth | Makeup Artist: Beauty by Euni | Groom’s Suit: J. Crew | Videographer: Alex Ham Studios |
