The Fairmont in Georgetown

VIRGINIA & ALEX

This Impeccable Greek Wedding Featured
Two Crowns, Two Gowns, and One Adorable pup

GROOM'S SUIT DESIGNER — Emporio Armani
GROOM'S WATCH — Rolex
RENTALS & LINENS — DC Rental
LIGHTING — Encore Décor Inc.
ENGAGEMENT RING — Tiny Jewel Box
CALLIGRAPHY — Just Write Studios
ENTERTAINMENT — Rhythm 6, Washington Talent Agency
HONEYMOON — The St. Regis Florence, Villa di Piazzano, Hotel Vilòn in Rome
PHOTO TEAM — Oscar Navarre, Danielle Lawrance, Akbar Sayed

Creative Team:

PHOTOGRAPHY & FLATLAY DESIGN — Anna Schmidt Photography
PLANNING & EVENT DESIGN — Amanda McCabe (Beacon and Berkeley Events)
VENUE & CATERING — Fairmont Washington D.C. Georgetown
CEREMONY VENUE — Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral
FLORALS — Floral and Bloom Designs
HAIR & MAKEUP — Amie Decker Beauty
BRIDAL GOWN DESIGNER — Monique L’Huillier
DRESS STORE — Carine’s Bridal Atelier
RECEPTION DRESS — A.L.C.

This sweet and stylish DC couple met while interning as law students and bonded over their shared love of cooking and gourmet food. After years of dating, Alex surprised Virginia with a special dinner at one of their favorite restaurants, L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls, & proposed in their famous garden.

The garden theme continued into the wedding day, incorporating a mixture of peachy pinks, whites, and blues, echoing the shades of the dahlias, roses, ranunculus, sweet peas, and blue delphiniums in Virginia's stunning bouquet created by Rachel Johnson, owner of Floral and Bloom.

Vines and greenery, punctuated with an abundance of lush pink roses, draped the columns around the dance floor, giving guests the impression of walking into a scene from The Secret Garden as they entered the ethereal reception space. Tables were decorated with a mixture of bouquets in compote bowls, smaller florals in bud vases, taper candles, and crystal candlesticks – all offset by classic blue and white china, light blue place cards, and light blue menu cards inside a floral vellum jacket and enclosed with wax seals. Premiere DC and Boston wedding planner Amanda McCabe of Beacon and Berkeley Events used alternating vellum jacket designs – some featuring monarch butterflies, and others featuring moody florals – for a full garden effect. The table design held special significance for the bride in particular because it was inspired by a combination of elements that symbolize both of her late grandmothers. The heavy emphasis on lush florals and garden motifs was inspired by her father’s mother, who was an accomplished, lifelong gardener. Virginia selected the blue and white china in honor of her mother’s mother, who was an avid collector of Spode Italian Blue and decorated her home with one-of-a-kind blue and white Delft tiles. This ode to Virginia's grandmothers kept their spirits present and close by on their wedding day.

The couple's beloved pug, Dolly, also made an appearance. V+A had custom cocktail napkins made with a watercolor portrait of Dolly on them that said “I do, too!” which were a fan favorite among the guests. The back side of the cake also featured a tiny figurine of Dolly, positioned with frosting on her nose as if she had just taken a bite. Dolly is such a special part of the couple's lives, and they couldn't have celebrated without her!

Virginia and Alex had a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony at the church where Alex grew up – Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Northwest Washington, D.C. In addition to holding such special memories Alex and his family, Saint Sophia is also a work of art in itself: nearly every inch of the church is covered in spectacular, one-of-a-kind mosaic art, the focal point of which is a massive, glittering golden dome that rises high above the pews. The bridesmaids wore simple Jenny Yoo gowns in apricot champagne satin, which shimmered elegantly in the church’s warm light, while the groomsmen looked sharp in classic black tuxedos.

The ceremony itself was beautiful, incorporating a series of ancient rituals – all of which have special meaning in the Greek Orthodox church. The most important of these is the “Rite of Crowning,” when beaded crowns are placed upon the bride and groom’s heads and exchanged back and forth several times. Since the bride and groom do not exchange vows in the Greek Orthodox tradition, this part of the ceremony served as the “I do,” symbolizing the moment when Virginia and Alex were officially considered married. During the reception, the cosmopolitan couple also incorporated a set of traditional Greek music and dancing, which was one of the most raucous parts of the night, and a highlight for both their Greek and non-Greek guests.

Scroll to see more images from this stunning event.