Samantha & Carey’s Smithsonian museum wedding in DC was the sophisticated and classic wedding they always wanted. From the hotel to the church to the National Portrait Gallery for the reception, they celebrated the beginning of the rest of their lives with their loved ones amongst the beautiful artwork and history of this stunning venue.
Samantha met Carey through her best friend and sorority sister – his younger sister! They had their first date in DC, their second date in Italy, and a lot of long distance in between. Carey finally got an internship in DC in the summer of 2022 which allowed them to finally be in the same place, and they sealed the deal!
With their dream of a light, clean, sophisticated, and classic wedding, the National Portrait Gallery was an ideal DC wedding venue for them. They wanted the feel of being outside while being safe from the August heat, and the Kogod Courtyard was the perfect solution. The incredibly unique glass canopy lets the light in and keeps the DC summer humidity out! The reception was surrounded by the building facade with all the trees, plans, and a floor water feature. We had time between the ceremony and cocktail hour which gave guests the opportunity to tour the gallery. Our couple used this time to take portraits around the gallery as well. This Smithsonian museum wedding venue provided a level of sophistication and exclusivity that really elevated the whole event.
One of Samantha & Carey’s top priorities for their day was to be fully present and have the quality time to enjoy with all their favorite people together in one room, dancing and happy.
One of the things we did to accomplish this is make sure we got all photos done during that time between ceremony and cocktail hour. Once the photos were finished, the couple made their grand entrance into cocktail hour. We also had all toasts the night before at the rehearsal dinner. This left us plenty of time to dance after dinner at the reception.
A favorite moment of mine from this wonderful day was Samantha’s dance with her father. He surprised her with the song choice: “I Loved Her First” by Heartland. It was such a sweet moment! I also loved their Italian inspired menu. This was a reference to their second date in Italy and featured their signature drink – an Aperol spritz. They had photos of them in Italy throughout cocktail hour, and it really brought in a personal touch to that part of the day.
There are a lot of moving pieces when having a DC wedding that goes from a hotel, to church, to a photo location, and then a reception venue. More logistics are involved when having a Smithsonian museum wedding, too. Our team handled it flawlessly and we had an amazing team of vendors to thank as well! It was truly a team effort.
I enjoyed getting to know Samantha and Carey throughout the planning. They are the kindest people and made me feel so included, like family. I am going to miss our group texting and seeing Samantha in her hard hat on our google meet calls. I just adore you so much!
Are you wanting a Smithsonian museum wedding of your own? Reach out and let’s make your dream wedding a reality!
