Details were king at this modern wedding at The LINE in Washington DC. Our bride Jennifer admits “no detail was too small for me to think about. I knew that the details mattered to me, even if they wouldn’t be noticeable by everyone in the end.” As photographers we could not be more happy with Jen’s state of mind! As a result this minimalist wedding was chock full of gorgeous details to capture.

Jay proposed to Jen at the base of the Washington Monument. As the planning began the couple landed on The LINE for their I dos even before the hotel opened. Uniquely, the LINE is not your traditional hotel ballroom but a historic church converted to a modern hotel. Details like the organ turned in to a chandelier and pews used as seating create a space unlike anywhere else. Not to mention breathtaking views from the rooftop of the Washington Monument which created such a special full circle first look for J&J.

Personal and Thoughtful Details

Jen and Jay worked person touches all throughout the wedding celebration to honor both their love and they city they love together. For instance the meal and bar featured ingredients and spirts from local providers. Correspondingly, one of the specialty cocktails was a recreation of a family punch recipe. Also, as a nod to history Jen had her wedding dress customized with a pearl button from her grandmother. Also, the couple’s dog, Panda, served as the “dog of honor” walking down the aisle with the best man.

Jen initially didn’t want any flowers for the dinner tables. Jen’s planner and florist, Julie of Kruse & Vieira, convinced her that a few simple arrangements of roses and greenery would be elegant and modern. Furthermore Julie and Jen designed the tablescape to be minimal allowing for the family style meal to be served.

Finally, the table numbers were based on the four letter park codes assigned to each National Park by the National Park Service. Not only did the groom work for the NPS, but the bride and her late father spent a lot of time hiking in National Parks. Furthermore the ode to the National Parks continued with vintage parks postcards on the tables and a donation to the National Park Service made in lieu of favors in memory of bride’s dad. 

See much more of this modern wedding featured on Brides.com.

Modern Wedding Vendors

Ceremony & Reception Site: The LINE DC

Planner & Floral Design: Kruse & Vieira Events

Officiant: Jeffrey Schwartz

Bride’s Dress: Floravere 

Bride’s Veil: Tania Maras 

Alterations: Cheryl Lofton & Associates 

Bride’s Jewelry: BLHDN, Giantlion

Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman 

Bridesmaid Dresses: BLHDN

Groom’s Attire: Ezra Paul Clothing 

Groom’s Barber: Max Men DC 

Flower Girl Attire: Ava & Yelly, Nordstrom

Rings: Tiffany & Co

Stationery: Minted 

Guest Book: Ansel Adams 

Music: Mixing Maryland 

Catering: The LINE DC 

Cake: Buttercream Bakery

For this Indian elopement, I partnered with Nisha of Bridelan, an Indian styling company. We went on a Calcutta trail; partly to rediscover my and Nisha’s roots and partly to bring the Calcutta of our collective consciousness to the contemporary lens.

The Bengali life is full of nostalgia and we aimed to capture this perspective in our shoot. We took our inspiration from the venue, the Raj Bari, a historic elite mansion turned luxury hotel on the outskirts of Calcutta.

We styled two bridal looks for the elopement. The first, a lace gown, is by Naeem Khan, who has an ability to bridge cultures in an elegant and understated way. The second look is by Sabyasachi, India’s most famous bridal designer. In India, brides from Bengal traditionally wear red for the Hindu conjugal ceremony. However, in a departure, we kept it white. Our inspiration was the white wedding dress made in Indian style, paired with red accents of Bengal.

The florals were simple and pulled inspiration from the colors of the environment. Bright fuchsia greeted guests in the main hall of the Bari. Then we used those colors to create the tablescape and ceremony backdrop. The cake design was inspired by the celebration of the most important goddess to Hindy locals, Durga. The minimalist cake design by the Rogue Cafe was, as with the rest of the shoot, a beautiful blend of cultures. 

See more of this Indian elopement and read more of our inspiration for the shoot on Style Me Pretty.

Indian Elopement Vendors:

Photographer Bonnie Sen Photography Film Fuji Film Styling & Creative Direction Bridelan Florist Orchid Garden Banquet Cake Rogue Cafe Jewelry Raniwala Hair & Makeup Bhavani Kumar Calligrapher Bawa Studios Venue The Rajbari Bawali Video Devang Vyas Film Scanning Goodman Film Lab Creative Consulting Linda Ha Wardrobe Naeem Khan Paper Goods Niru & Baku Wardrobe Sabyasachi Producer Shaikh Ayaz, Sinaya Khan and Tom Milavec

In the city that never sleeps, there are very few things worth waking up at dawn. Rachel and Jon’s NYC engagement shoot was one of them.

We will be shooting Rachel and Jon’s wedding this November at the St. Regis in DC. The pair lives on the Upper West Side so we headed up for a NYC engagement shoot. We love capturing our couples in the cities where they have built a life together.

We started the day at sunrise with the classic Bethesda Terrace in Central Park. The gorgeous morning light and early hours free of tourists made for one of those magical NYC moments only true New Yorkers get to experience. After a quick outfit change to a second Rent the Runway look, we ventured to SoHo to finish off the day.

It is no secret that my husband Tom and I love all things architecture.So when we met this adorable couple, with an architect groom, we knew it was a match made on a blueprint. Hayley and John are getting married later this year in Annapolis but for their destination engagement shoot we headed north to Rhode Island.

Second only to architecture is our love for travel so we love a destination engagement shoot. We absolutely loved visiting Newport, Rhode Island for the first time. It is impossible to not feel like you are in a Diane Keaton movie as you stroll along the beach and staring up at the stunning houses. If only I hadn’t left my perfect cream turtleneck at home!

We will be back near the water in September as these to tie the knot with the help of Strawberry Milk Events and can’t wait get these two behind the camera again.

An Eastern Shore wedding was an obvious choice for Jackie and Ari’s wedding celebration. Jackie has been visiting Maryland with her family for years so the shore is already full of happy memories. Fast forward past a Bumble swipe and a waterfront proposal in NYC, it was time for Jackie and Ari to pick a wedding venue. The couple knew they wanted a spot where their guests could all be together, relax and enjoy a weekend away. Enter The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, Golf, Resort, Spa and Marina.

This gorgeous property gave the couple everything they wanted in a wedding weekend: a quick escape for their friends and family, a waterfront ceremony and a gorgeous ballroom (no rain plan worries here!). After a waterfront ceremony under a modern wooden chuppah the celebration moved indoors for dinner and dancing. Jackie and Ari worked with the amazing Leslie of Elizabeth Bailey Weddings and Jeff of Blue Vanda Designs to bring the outdoors in to the Hyatt’s ballroom.

Jackie envisioned a “California chic vibe” with decor that was “natural, lush, organic, effortless, and feminine.” Leslie and Jeff achieved this look with a mix of different sized tables and centerpieces including a tree centerpiece made of privet and camilla leaf branches growing out of the table, a head table with a runner of greenery, rocks, succulents, moss, and terrariums and place cards with names calligraphed on magnolia leaves.

The celebration was rounded out with a few quintessential Eastern shore wedding details. Nothing says Maryland more than a crab cake entree and Smith Island Cake wedding cake (the state cake of Maryland). Top it all off with a little confetti!

See more of Jackie and Ari’s celebration in Modern Luxury Weddings Washington DC.

Eastern Shore Vendor Team:

Venue: Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina
Wedding Planner: Leslie McKenzie of Elizabeth Bailey Weddings
Bride’s Gown: Matthew Christopher
Alterations: Zoya’s Atelier
Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Bride’s Hair & Makeup: Becky Watson, Oxygen Salon
Groom’s Tux: MySuit
Groom’s Shoes: Gordon Rush
Rings: Stuart Krell, F. Silverman Jewelry
Florals: Blue Vanda Designs
Cake: Smith Island Cakes by Angie Pendry
Invitations: Ruby The Fox
Calligraphy: Miya of Layers of Loveliness
Reception Tables: Syzygy Event Productions
Rentals: White Glove Rentals, Select Event Rentals and Table Toppers
Lighting: EventPro
Entertainment: SoundConnection from Andy Kushner Entertainment
Videographer: Ryan Geldermann Cinematography