Vanessa and Michael’s love story is proof that sometimes office romances do work out. And we are so glad it did! This month we are going to take a peek back at both their Washington DC engagement shoot and their Florentine Spring wedding at the Fairmont Washington DC with Grit & Grace.

Back to Vanessa and Michael’s sweet story. Vanessa met Michael when she started at his company shortly before graduating from Georgetown University. The office was fittingly located at the notoriously scandalous Watergate building and they quickly realized there was something more to their relationship than work. So, on one balmy evening in June 2011, they broke the office ‘rules’ and went on a first date. Fast forward almost six years, Michael took Vanessa back to the Watergate rooftop to ask the question she had been waiting to hear.

After that yes, we headed back to the neighborhoods so dear to their hearts for a fun and light filled spring evening Washington DC engagement shoot. We started with a couple cocktails, a stroll down Georgetown’s iconic streets and finished up at the roof of the Kennedy Center (overlooking that fateful Watergate).

Vanessa killed the wardrobe game. The two started in a springy blue dress and blue suit and then changed in to a more evening black and white look. Vanessa’s pop red shoes were a close contender but I have to say both of her statement earring choices were a personal favorite.

Get ready to ogle over these two and check back for their dreamy wedding soon!

Attire:

Blue Lace Dress: Club Monaco Both Earrings: BaubleBar Silver Shoes: Valentino Striped Skirt: TY-LR from Rent the Runway Black Top: Club Monaco Red Shoes: Christian Louboutin

It is no secret that I love a Hay-Adams wedding! The venue has so many elements that make this photographer happy: beautiful light, good bones, stunning views and flawless service. Okay, that last one may not be for the photographer in me but it is still an amazing detail.

Katy and Matt’s Hay-Adams wedding was no exception and if anything only fueled my love affair with the space. Katy and Matt worked with A. Dominick Events to plan a light, airy and cheery summer wedding – just like Katy. The day started with getting ready in one the Hay’s gorgeous bridal suites. Katy bridesmaids wore the most adorable pjs before slipping in to their stunning neutral dresses (remember these neutral bridesmaids beauties?). Although Katy’s backless lace gown stole the show!

After the ceremony at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (another gorgeous space) the bridal crew headed back to Lafayette Park for formal portraits. In addition to being across the street from the Hay-Adams, Lafayette Park is such a great option for wedding photos. The park offers a variety of backdrops from DC focused to beautiful and neutral greens. We elected for mostly greens for Katy and Matt. The greenery complimented the overall aesthetic of this wedding including the pop of green in the Cheree Berry Paper invites.

After photos and a cocktail hour in the dark and moody Hay-Adams room the celebration continued in quintessential Hay-Adams wedding space – The Top of the Hay. Decked out with stunning neutral linens and cream chairs the perfectly peach flowers by Sidra Forman popped. Finished off by a super sweet first dance, thoughtful toasts and, of course, a skyline view shot – this wedding was one for the books.

Hay-Adams Wedding Vendor Team:

Church: Holy Rosary Church Reception Venue: Hay Adams Hotel Photography: Bonnie Sen Photography Event Planner: A. Dominick Events  Floral Design: Sidra Forman Hair and Makeup: Amie Decker Beauty Paper Materials: Cheree Berry Paper   Cake: Buttercream Bake Shop Dancefloor: Fabrications Events

Rob and Franco’s oceanfront wedding in La Jolla, California has everything you could possibly want in a destination wedding. Impeccable design, thoughtful details, meaningful cultural traditions, dapper style and two of the nicest grooms in the world. These two met through mutual friends, survived long distance and a cross-country move to be together before heading back to West coast where it all started to tie the knot.

Rob and Franco opted for an oceanfront celebration that reflected their personal styles. They wanted the wedding to feel like a gathering in their home with all their favorite people. They incorporated masculine-yet-refined elements and textures. And showcased the coastal city they hold dear to their hearts.

The modern botanical invitations set the tone for the celebration. Rob and Franco wanted the invites to serve as a nod to the venue’s history and feel like a researcher’s botany book. The letterpressed invitations from Minted are accented with a vellum overlay, green envelopes and vintage stamps from the grooms’ home states.

The countless personal details continued on the wedding day. The two wore lapel pins in place of boutonnieres to represent their sweet pup, Aki. Earlier in the day, Rob and Franco distributed the same pins to 10 of their closest friends to thank them for being a part of their pack. During the ceremony they included a sake ceremony as a nod to Franco’s practice of Nichiren Buddhism. And donned traditional Hawaiian Maile leis to honor Franco’s Polynesian heritage.

I could go on and on about all the perfect detail but you can see more of this gorgeous wedding and all the thoughtful details on Martha Stewart Wedding here. Don’t miss the engagement story, inscription on the saber and story behind Franco’s Polynesian dance.

Oceanfront Wedding Vendor Team:

Location: The Martin Johnson House  | Day-of event coordination: Adore Wedding Design | Catering: Culinary Concepts | Flowers: Layered Vintage | Leis: Puna Kamali’I Flowers | Stationery: Minted | Cake: Hey There Cupcake! | Music: Tim Anderson Rentals: Folklore Rentals | Rob’s suits: Hugo Boss | Accessories, J.Crew (shirts and Franco’s tie); The Tie Bar (Rob’s tie); Hava Lazar (wedding rings); Bruno Magli (shoes)| Lighting: Farm Tables and More | Sake set: Eastern Market Pottery | Donuts: Donut Bar | Guestbook: Undercover

This summer we spent a few weeks traveling throughout Europe and Milan was one of the stops on our journey. The thought of being in a beautiful city filled with fashion and not doing some sort of photoshoot was definitely out of the question.

During this shoot we wanted to capture the essence of the Italian girl in Milan: brave, outgoing, adventurous and optimistic. We shot outside the gorgeous Duomo di Milano among the pigeons, people and indescribable Italian light. Our girl wore a fashion-forward embroidered dress and simple hair and make up. Both elements allowed her effortless beauty to shine through.

The moral of the story, go to Europe every summer and live the life of the Italian girl. I think we can safely say that we will be back in Milan. With the proximity to Lake Como, southern France and of course the Mediterranean coast, Milan just might be my favorite European city.

Quick tip though, if working with a modeling agency abroad, be very aware that things might not go your way. For us this moment happened when our model overslept and we ended up missing sunrise. This meant that we had to compete with lots of tourists for the spot in front of the Duomo. We had arrived early the day before to check out sunrise, and we go there early the day of the shoot to get environmental photos. But alas, even the best laid plans go awry. However, we got the shots we wanted! And let’s be honest, setting this beautiful city in soft glow of sunrise and the privacy of the early morning is a treat each time.

This garden wedding editorial is a fun collaboration with some of our favorite industry creatives. Make sure you saw part one of this day in the first part of the recap on the blog here. 

We are back today for part two of our Jardin de Buis “love bird” shoot with Veronica Rogers and Max Owens Designs. As I talked about yesterday I tend to pull inspiration from architecture, scenery, and my surroundings. But I love seeing what spurs creativity in others. As Veronica gathered inspiration for the shoot she was drawn to de Gournay intricate bird drawings.

In conclusion, Veronica carried the birds and aesthetic of these drawings throughout. To create the “love bird” theme. Therefore, the bird-inspired makeup, subtle bird accents in the stationery, and of course, the real birds featured in many scenes reinforced her design. Veronica strived to show brides that a theme doesn’t have to feel kitsch or tacky. This way a theme can be used as a feeling and overall direction for a garden wedding. Altogether I find that the flowers and birds are a perfect complement to the beautiful garden setting. 

Garden Wedding Vendor Team:

Styling and Design: Veronica Rogers | Florist: Max Owens Designs | Venue: Jardin de Buis | Paper: Carli Anna | Rentals: Something Vintage Rentals | Hair and Make Up: Anna Breeding | Model: Anderson Noel | White Dress: Samuelle Couture from SPINA | Green Appliqué Dress: Santos Costura | Skirt: Liz Martinez | Pink Bodysuit: Fleur du Mal | Blue Dress: Dennis Basso from Gossamer | Veils and Headdress: Agnes Hart | Shoes: Prada and Tamara Mellon | Jewelry: Sofia Kaman | Tux: Gucci | Bird Rental: Taxidermy Rental