A Same Sex Wedding Celebration in Washington DC

Where was I this weekend? Attending (and photographing) the must-see same-sex wedding celebration of the year. Matt and Robb tied the knot in Washington DC, and in addition to being a beautiful ceremony, the weekend also turned into a mini- reunion of sorts since Robb and I attended high school together.   So let’s reminisce together in today’s blog post.

First, let me introduce you to Matt and Robb. Robb and I go waaaaaay back…all the way to the Boone High School class of 1993. We’ve kept in touch through the years and I was thrilled when he introduced me to the love of his life, Matt. Matt and Robb met on a blind date at Hank’s Oyster Bar in DC six years ago. Their same-sex wedding on Saturday was a celebration of both their love for one another and for marriage equality. Indeed, they decided to get married after Justice Kennedy retired from the Supreme Court.  While the evening was not overly political (it was still a party, after all), their wedding made a statement and all of us were there to show our support for Matt and Robb and the basic right to love one another.

So let’s dive in to the details. After six years together, the priority for Matt and Robb at their wedding was to enjoy themselves alongside all of their friends and family. A stuffy, traditional wedding wasn’t their style. Instead, Matt and Robb’s wedding had an easy elegance starting with the bouquets of fresh flowers on all of the tables and the hanging foliage marking the ceremony location. Matt and Robb chose to walk each other down the aisle. The ceremony itself was a simple, but meaningful, exchange of vows and rings in front of those people dearest to the couple. After the ceremony, the couple quickly moved to their first dance, followed by mother-son dance. Midway through the dance, Matt and Robb exchanged mothers, so to speak, and it was a sweet moment for both families.

For the reception, it was important to Matt and Robb that all of their guests meet one another. The guest count was about 140 people, and in order to facilitate mixing and mingling there were no table assignments. There was plenty of seating available, but with two buffets and two bars split between the two rooms of the venue, guests could easily walk back and forth. At the end of the evening, a cookie and ice cream truck arrived to bring out the little kid in every guest.

The guest favors for the evening were Moscow mule copper cups, and the couple had a rainbow flag background set up for a Polaroid photo booth. These photos in turn became the guest book. Also, it’s worth noting that Robb – a former graphic designer – helped to design all of the stationery and signage for the wedding.

If you are a same-sex couple looking to throw a similar celebration, I recommend you follow Matt and Robb’s lead – especially in regards to the details of their wedding attire. Matt and Robb may have been groom and groom, but you can see subtle differences in both the lining of their tuxedo jackets and the style of their wedding rings. Also, each groom chose a different style of shoe to make a stylistic statement.  And did you catch the words, ‘I Do,’ embroidered inside the collar of their jackets?  It’s the little things that matter.

For Matt and Robb’s portraits, I wanted to keep the couple close to the venue so that we could save on transportation time. The venue, Malmaison (now called The Berliner), is located in the heart of Georgetown. Matt and Robb were interested in areas that incorporated the industrial feel of the area just outside of venue, so I made sure to take photos underneath the Whitehurst Freeway overpass. We also took photos by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, located behind the venue, as well as the Georgetown Waterfront Park, overlooking the Potomac River.

It was a fun weekend and a wonderful chance to reconnect with friends of mine that I haven’t seen in years. I hope you all have the chance to reach out and rekindle friendships as I did on Saturday. Enjoy the photos!

• Ceremony & reception venue: The Berliner (formerly known as Malmaison), Washington DC
• ‘Getting Ready’ hotel: Kimpton Hotel Palomar, Washington DC
• Officiant: Dan Furmansky, A Meaningful Day
• Event planner: Trenard Laurentis, Savvy Orchid
• Florist: Philippa Tarrant Floral Design
• Caterer: Keith Johnson, Bienvenu Catering
• Cookie Food truck: Captain Cookie Food Truck
• Special cocktails: Seedlip Drinks USA and The Shrub District
• Cake: Cakes by Gene
• DJ: DJ Aria
• Invitations and Day-of Stationery: Type A Invitations
• Vintage Postage Stamps: The Little Postage House
• Groom’s attire: Trunk Club
• Robb’s shoes (velvet slippers): Magnanni
• Matt’s shoes (patent leather): Jared Lang
• Rings: Aspen Jewelry
• Hair stylist: By Subairi
• Welcome reception venue: The Dirty Goose, Washington DC

If you would like to see another example of a fantastic same sex wedding, make sure to check out photos from Chris and Rob’s wedding at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe.

Want more photos???  Please visit my website – www.KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com