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A big part of setting my own wedding date was which flowers would be in season, and while I don’t know if Ashley and Shane planned this from the beginning, with that criteria in mind, they couldn’t have picked a more magical weekend to become husband and wife! These two met, fell in love, and tied the knot in our nation’s capital, and their wedding date landed exactly when the iconic Washington D.C. cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. With the help of their planner, A. Dominick Events, and their florist, Amaryllis Inc., they fully embraced the opportunity to incorporate these seasonal blooms into their day. The results included one of the most incredible ceremony set-ups I have ever seen, as well as some of the prettiest portraits!

We were so thrilled to include Ashley and Shane in V8–thanks so much to Abby Jiu for sharing their special day with us!

Tell us about finding your wedding dress. What was your favorite thing about it? My wedding dress was the first dress I tried on at the first bridal salon I visited! I had my dress customized by the designer, Modern Trousseau. I loved everything about it!

Our wedding was a spring wedding in Washington, D.C. It occurred the weekend that the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. We held our ceremony and reception at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. It started at 5:30 p.m. and the attire was black-tie optional.

Tell us a bit about the wedding ceremony. What part was most special to you? Did you include any special readings? We had a religious ceremony officiated by Reverend Jeff Mazal. We opted to use traditional vows, and reciting them was the most special part of the ceremony. We also had a wine box ceremony at our wedding, which we loved. Our guests seemed to enjoy it too.
What songs did you use for your ceremony? We had a string quartet, Pop Culture Strings, perform the music for our ceremony. For the processional, they played “What a Wonderful World.” I walked down the aisle to “Canon in D.” Our recessional song was “We Found Love” by Rihanna.
Bride’s favorite detail of the wedding: The décor of the ceremony. The cherry blossom-lined aisle made walking down the aisle to Shane more magical than I could have ever imagined.

For the ceremony and reception decor, we chose to focus on modern elements with accents of lush, seasonal florals in shades of pink. The guests were greeted with an escort card display of lucite tables featuring pale pink roses, cherry blossoms, and orchids. The modern aspects of the lucite provided a striking contrast to the stone entryway of the historic venue. At the ceremony, we used lucite chairs, and a breathtaking aisle was created out of cherry blossom branches sitting on pale pink boxes. As the guests enjoyed cocktail hour, the ceremony space was transformed and transitioned to deeper shades of pink. The patterned navy linens tied back to the wedding invitations, while the pops of pink in the table arrangements and napkins brought a fun punch to the otherwise gray room.

Tell us about your wedding flowers. How did you choose them? What did you love about them? I was not a bride who came in with a list of the kinds of flowers that she had to have at her wedding. I knew that I wanted a lot of pink florals, but that was it! I really trusted our florist, Amaryllis, to create beautiful arrangements based on my taste. They did an amazing job! My bouquet was made of garden roses, peonies, ranunculus, lisianthus, and gloriosa lilies. The bridesmaid bouquets included softer colors than the bridal bouquet, and featured pale pink garden roses and a touch of dusty miller.

We had a sit-down dinner that started with a wonderful spring salad, follow by a surf-and-turf entrée. We served a petite filet mignon and a crab cake. Following dinner, we had dessert and cookie tables that guests were able to choose from. The caterers also passed around some late-night snacks, which our friends loved after working up their appetites on the dance floor. The late night snacks included french fries, beef sliders, and mini pizzas.

Tell us about your wedding cake or sweets. We could not decide on just one flavor for our wedding cake, so we had three: carrot cake, a traditional buttercream cake, and chocolate truffle.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. When you ask either of us how we met, we generally reply with a chuckle and say “at a bar.” In 2010, Shane was working part-time as a DJ at a bar in the historic neighborhood of Georgetown in D.C. I was at the bar for a friend’s birthday celebration. Shane struck up a conversation and we hit it off immediately.
Describe the proposal: Shane knew only one thing about how he wanted to propose: he wanted it to be a surprise. He proposed on May 25, 2014. The weeks prior had been full of excitement–we spent a week in the Dominican Republic, Shane graduated from George Washington University, and almost all of his immediate family came to town to visit for his graduation festivities! I was hoping a proposal would happen at one of those events, but it didn’t. A week after Shane’s graduation, one of my best friends, Sara, came home for a visit. Sara wanted to spend some time outside of the National Cathedral (we both had attended and graduated from the National Cathedral School for Girls). I thought this was a great idea and tried to convince Shane to come along. He appeared to be a bit uninterested, but eventually obliged. We all spent about an hour walking through the Cathedral and pointing out our favorite stained glass windows, and walking around the grounds and down into the chapels. Our last stop was the Bishop’s Garden, which is one of my favorite places. By this time, I was ready to leave so we could get home to prepare for a cookout we were hosting that night. However, Shane insisted that we sit and enjoy the garden for a while longer, so we found a spot in the grass. It was then that Shane pulled the engagement ring out of his pocket and asked me to be his wife! Of course, I said yes!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Energetic, joyful, fun
How many guests attended your wedding? 250
What was the most memorable or touching moment of your wedding day? Shane found it difficult to pick his most memorable or touching moment of the wedding day, but he would say it was a tie between walking back up the aisle with me after the ceremony and the toasts. For me, the most touching moment was when Shane recited our vows.
Who was one of the most special guests at your wedding? All of the guests at our wedding are extremely important to us. However, our most special guest was my 90-year-old grandmother. It was such a blessing to have her share our special day with us.
What’s next for you as a couple? Shane is beginning graduate school in the fall. We are going to work to become established in our careers and build a strong foundation for our marriage.
What advice would you give to someone currently planning his or her wedding? If it is in your budget, hire a wedding planner. It was the best decision we made and truly helped us enjoy the process.
Best advice or most memorable comment someone made to you during the wedding celebration: The best advice we received during the wedding celebration was to take a few minutes to appreciate and process what’s happening around us on our wedding day. It is one of the only days of your life when all of your friends and family will be in the same place. Enjoy it!

Photographer: Abby Jiu | Videographer: Blue Sky Films | Planner: A. Dominick Events | Venue: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium | Florals: Amaryllis, Inc. | Caterer: Design Cuisine | Cake Baker: Kendall’s Cakes | Bride’s Gown: Modern Trousseau | Bridal Salon: Hitched Salon | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bride’s Jewelry: David Yurman | Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale | Hair Stylist: Decade Hair Design | Makeup Artist: Nour Kazoun | Groom’s Tuxedo: Alton Lane | Groom’s Shoes: Paul Parkman | Groomsmen Fashion: The Black Tux | Ties: The Tie Bar | Paper Goods: Cheree Berry Paper | Rentals: Party Rental and DC Rental | Linens: La Tavola | Transportation: Atlantic | Lighting: Frosting Lighting | Officiant: Rev. Jeff Mazal of Weddings by Jeff | Valet: MJ Valet | A Capella Choir: Hullabahoos | Pop Tarts: Ted’s Bulletin | Chocolates: Historical Chocolate Company | Champagne Splits: Personal Wine | Welcome Bags: Wedding Chicks | Cake Topper: Better Off Wed | String Quartet: Pop Culture Strings | Band: Sound Connections | Escort Cards: Lettering by Lynne

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Sarah Chancey reply

    The cherry blossoms are to die for in this design, I love how they incorporated it in their photos outside and then brought it inside, genius! Also, how adorable is this couple?

  2. avatar April reply

    What a beautiful wedding! All of the details are carefully thought out. It’s almost as breathtaking as the bride herself.

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned while choosing details for my own wedding, it’s that when in doubt, I should stick to the classics. There’s a reason things like lace wedding gowns, white tiered cakes, and “Just Married” getaway car signs never go out of style–they have already stood the test of time. I would’t be surprised if Shannon and Andrew heeded this advice as they planned their Maryland wedding, with the help of our Blue Ribbon Vendor, A. Dominick Events, and as a result, I imagine they’ll still love everything about their special day when they’re showing these pictures to their future grandchildren!

Thank you so much to Jodi Miller (another beloved BRV!) for sharing Shannon and Andrew’s wedding with us!

I was supposed to meet Andrew in San Francisco for Valentine’s Day weekend, but was snowed in and all the flights were canceled. My mom and I decided last minute to look at some wedding dresses instead. There was a Romona Keveza trunk show going on at the Nordstrom Bridal Boutique in Tyson’s Corner. My mom begged me to “humor her” and try on a dress which seemed too old fashioned for my taste on the hanger. However, when I tried it on, I immediately fell in love. I went back three times that weekend to try the dress on again. It was such a silver lining to the canceled California trip!

Describe your wedding flowers. I carried a beautiful, naturally shaped bouquet that was slightly untamed. It included café au lait dahlias, David Austin garden roses, Queen Anne’s lace, fresh herbs, and white passion flower vine. The slightly wilder bouquet complemented my very traditional wedding dress. Shawn and her team at Beehive Events hit it out of the park!

Did you decide to do a first look? Why or why not? No, we wanted to keep it traditional. The groom seeing his bride for the first time walking down the aisle is always one of my favorite moments of a wedding.
What made you choose your ceremony and reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you? We were married at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, a church that has special significance to both of our families. Andrew’s mother’s family and my father’s family both attended the church growing up.

After the priest announced us as husband and wife, we stood on the altar facing the crowd for a few moments before we processed out of the church. We just took it all in–the incredible commitment of marriage we had just made, and the outpour of applause and cheers from family and friends. There was so much love and joy in that church, and I will never forget that moment.

What is the one detail or vendor that you were so happy to have as a part of your wedding? A. Dominick and her team went above and beyond to execute our vision. They were organized, thorough, experienced, and so much fun to work with. They were great advisors, never making decisions for us, but rather, helping us to make the decisions. They kept us on schedule throughout the planning process and left no stone unturned. On the day of the wedding, I was so relaxed. Aimee and her team made our wedding more special than I could have ever imagined.

Kendall’s Cakes created a beautiful “cake bar” for us with an assortment of small white cakes, half filled with white chocolate raspberry cake, the other half with key lime cake. Each one was decorated simply with white frosting. One was designed to look like the buttons and bow on the back of my wedding dress. They stood on vintage crystal cake stands I had borrowed from family members. It was a stunning (and delicious) display!

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them. Our first dance was to Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing.” It has a good pace (not too slow, not too fast), was soulful, and the lyrics really spoke to our relationship. The dancing at our wedding was so much fun that my dad (who is otherwise very frugal) paid the band to keep playing!

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Pleasant Pops, one of our favorite local food trucks, brought a push cart outside the dance floor. We had four different flavors of popsicles, including Andrew’s favorite, New Orleans Iced Coffee. It was a great way to cool down after all that dancing!

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. We met through mutual friends at a bar the night before Thanksgiving in 2010. Although we had grown up in the same area and had known of each other, we had never officially met. There was an immediate connection. That first night, we talked for hours about everything from education to family. We saw each other one more time that weekend and exchanged phone numbers, but did not know when we would see each other again, since I was living in New York City at the time. Shortly thereafter, Andrew called me to tell me he was going to be visiting a friend in NYC and asked me to dinner. We went on our first dinner date at a little italian restaurant in Nolita. We had such a great time, we met for brunch the next day and had dinner that night as well. We joke that we had our first, second, and third dates all within 24 hours! For the next few months, we kept Amtrak in business traveling between NYC and DC to see one another.
Tell us all about the proposal! Andrew planned a dinner date under the guise of celebrating “the beginning of the school year.” I had just spent the week setting up my classroom, attending teacher development, and finalizing my first week of school plans. I was exhausted, but thrilled to have an easy, early dinner with Andrew to look forward to. We went to one of my favorite restaurants in D.C., The Blue Duck Tavern. For reasons unclear to me at the time, he had made the reservation at 5 p.m., so I was sure to give him a hard time about such an early dinner. After the meal, we took a sunset walk by the Potomac River and ended up at the Kennedy Center. We walked to the terrace, which has a gorgeous view of the monuments. Somehow, we were the only people there, which is a rarity in Washington. That is when he proposed. It was an incredible moment! He was so nervous that he put the ring on the wrong hand, which was a great moment of levity. Then, we went to his cousin’s restaurant, Beuchert’s Saloon, where all of our family had been waiting. It was such a wonderful night!
When did y’all get married? July 19, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 250
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We had dinner stations instead of a sit-down meal, and one of the stations was called “Southern Comfort.” It included mini pulled pork sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, and watermelon salad.
How did you plan for your marriage while planning your wedding? We went to a series of marriage preparation classes through our church with a few other engaged couples. We talked about everything from finances to family. It was incredibly helpful.
What was one way you saved money or cut costs at your wedding? My aunt made bouquets of baby’s breath for the flower girls. We had lots of little girls in the wedding, and knew spending money on fancy bouquets for them would not be worth it. My sister-in-law also made the ribbon wands that were used for our send-off as we exited the church.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? Andrew was offered a job in San Francisco, so we are looking forward to starting an adventure together on the West Coast. While we are sad to leave our family and friends in D.C., it will be a great opportunity for us to explore another part of the country and grow even stronger as a couple.

Photographer: Jodi Miller / Videographer: Blue Sky Films / Planner: Aimee Dominick / Ceremony Venue: Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church / Reception Venue and Caterer: Columbia Country Club / Florist: Beehive Events / Cake Baker: Kendall’s Cakes / Lighting: John Farr Lighting / Band: The Source / Popsicles: Pleasant Pops / Bride’s Gown: Romona Keveza / Bride’s Veil: Nina / Bride’s Earrings: Nadri / Bride’s Vintage Brooch: Glynn Goldsborough Antiques / Hair Stylist: Bridal Hair by Remona / Makeup Artist: Lori Nansi of Le Mariee Makeup / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Monique Lhuillier / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss

Jodi Miller and A. Dominick Events are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
2 Comments
  1. avatar Robyn Van Dyke reply

    I’m in LOVE with the bride’s dress! And Jodi Miller’s work is stunning as always. :)

  2. avatar Fun summer wedding ideas to keep guests happy – Wedding Party reply

    […] Jodi Miller via Southern Weddings […]

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