Want a memorable marriage celebration? A Washington DC snow wedding is one that your guests will talk about for years! Snow in appreciable quantities is a somewhat rare treat in this part of the country. So when it falls on a wedding day, it makes a special day something unforgettable. Like it did for Tiana and Dan during their winter Washington DC wedding. Throughout their marriage celebrations, snow swirled in the air and blanketed the ground. Needless to say, the white flakes added a touch of magic to all of their pictures. The dusting on Dan’s jacket during their first look at Grant Circle in Northwest DC added something special to images of that moment, for example. Similarly, the contrast between the white of the ground and the blue of the sky made their Constitution Gardens wedding photos really striking.
A Thoroughly “Local” Winter Washington DC Wedding
Of course, no bride or groom can “special order” a snow-filled wedding. It is obviously all a matter of chance. The snow that made Tiana and Dan’s winter Washington DC wedding so magical came sandwiched between unseasonably warm weather, for example. Fortunately, the falling snow wasn’t the only thing that made their celebrations special and unique. Their snowy wedding event was also very “DC.” Though neither the bride nor the groom were from the Nation’s Capital, Washington has played a key part in their love story. So it was only fitting that this monumental step in their journey together take place in DC.
What do we mean when we say that theirs was a “DC” wedding? Well, it was one of the most “local” that we’ve ever photographed. It was a DC insider’s wedding, if you like. Not only because it took place entirely within the borders of the Nation’s Capital. No, it was because Tiana and Dan’s celebrations embraced the parts of DC that are off the beaten path. The areas away from the monuments, memorials and museums. The local institutions that make Washington, DC, special to those of us who live here.
Preparations for a Washington DC Snow Wedding
Tiana and Dan’s marriage celebrations started in the most “local DC” way possible. The bride got ready in an AirBnB in the city’s Petworth neighborhood. Her mom and sister helped her into her dress while her grandma looked on with pride. (Tiana’s grandmother was one of the undisputed stars of the wedding, for reasons we get into below.) Another highlight of that part of the day was the laughter-filled first look the bride shared with her dad.
Of course, Tiana’s preparations also included provisions for the weather. To be fully ready for a Washington DC snow wedding, the bride eschewed fancy shoes in favor of sturdy (and warm!) hiking boots. Some of our favorite pictures from the whole day were of her putting those on. To everyone’s surprise, they fit perfectly with her wedding dress! Also complementing her outfit perfectly were an adorable pink sweater and thick knit gloves.
Dan dressed and prepped a few blocks away at the apartment the couple shared. He was already in his wedding suit by the time we arrived, so we focused on taking pictures of Dan bonding with his family and friends. The groom hung out in the kitchen, chatting and sharing mimosa toasts with his parents, brother and sister-in-law, and closest friends. The laid-back atmosphere led to some really sweet and intimate moments. The mother of the groom animatedly detailing the differences between her sons when they were boys. Dan’s niece tugging at his beard. The groom’s mom sorting through photos of Dan over the years.
Dan also bundled up in anticipation of the snowier aspects of their DC marriage celebrations. A heavy jacket and knit cap kept him warm despite the unusually chilly conditions.
Snowy First Look at Grant Circle DC
After he finished getting ready, the groom braved the unusually snowy conditions to head to the first look at Grant Circle. Though it was only a few blocks from the couple’s apartment to that spot, Dan and his family had some really fun little moments along the way. All of which we captured on film for the bride and groom. For example, we photographed his dad shooting the broken top of his umbrella at his mom when the two were leaving. We also got a fun picture of his friends receiving a food order for the apartment upstairs. (Don’t worry, they didn’t eat it!)
Tiana chose to keep her ears warm and wedding dress snow-free. She smartly hitched a ride over to Grant Circle with her dad. Once there, the bride cut across the grass to the huge tree at the center of the circle. Waiting there was Dan. She tapped him on the shoulder, and we captured on film his very sweet and tender first look at his wife-to-be.
After we took a few lovely couples pictures under the tree in the middle of Grant Circle, the four of us walked to their ceremony venue. Along the way, we stopped to take some more couples portraits in front of some of the neighborhood’s more distinctive backdrops. We also captured a hilarious moment when a very gregarious passerby congratulated the couple and enthusiastically complimented the bride on her appearance.
A Commonwealth Cantina Event: Salsa Class and a Wedding Ceremony!
Our walk through the snow and wind ended at Commonwealth Cantina, a laidback local Tex-Mex eatery. Tiana and Dan’s family and friends cheered the couple’s arrival from the restaurant’s second-floor balcony. Once inside, the bride and groom spent a few minutes greeting their guests and sampling Commonwealth Cantina’s delicious food. Before their ceremony got underway, though, they gave their family and friends a fun treat. Tiana and Dan had arranged for a local dance company (Salsa with Silvia) to give an hour-long salsa class. Though the entire group loved this special wedding-day touch, the bride’s dad was the undisputed star of the show. He impressed the crowd by deftly twirling both his daughters around the dance floor simultaneously.
That same sense of fun infused their self-officiated wedding ceremony in Commonwealth Cantina’s event space. Not all of it, of course. Before saying their “I do’s,” the couple distributed lovely handwritten thank-you notes to each of their guests. Those vows were exceptionally touching and left both the bride and groom teary-eyed. The laughter was never far away, though. For example, after Dan handed Tiana’s grandmother her card, she rubbed it on the top of his shaved head. She also cracked the guests up by ringing a glass bell that she was supposed to ring once during the ceremony whenever the mood struck her. And though the speech by the father of the bride moved his daughter to tears, his (mostly) joking words about his initial doubts about Dan got a huge laugh from the crowd.
The highlight of the ceremony, though, was the bride leading the groom’s family in a rendition of “Shout.” This was not the usual wedding reception dance floor favorite, though. It was a special Buffalo Bills fan version that Dan – a huge supporter of the team – absolutely loved.
Constitution Gardens Wedding Photos
Tiana and Dan’s marriage celebrations concluded with a trip down to the National Mall for more wedding photos. The original plan was to embrace the full DC experience and take the Metro. Unfortunately, though, it would have taken too long to get to the Mall and back. Also, we learned that you can’t take professional photos on the Metro. So we all jumped in an Uber and headed off.
Our destination was Constitution Gardens, one of the most underrated DC memorials. A small park within a park, Constitution Gardens sits between the Vietnam War Memorial and World War II Memorial. It comprises a pond with a small island in the middle, and it offers a gorgeous view of the Washington Monument.
That view is just one of many things that make it a great location for couples portraits. Constitution Gardens also has beautiful willow trees that are perfect for cuddling under. The bridge connecting the island to the shore is ideal for wider compositions that work in the water below the couple, the trees beside them and the wide-open sky above them. As you can see in the images posted here, we took advantage of all of those in creating gorgeous Constitution Gardens wedding photos for Tiana and Dan.
After a brief stop back at the AirBnB for a bite to eat, the bride and groom walked over to The Midlands Beer Garden for an informal reception gathering with their guests. It was there that we bid them “fair morrow” and made our way through the snow back to our car.
A huge congratulations to the newlyweds on this new step in their life and a big thanks to them for entrusting us with documenting their celebrations!
Vendor team:
Venue: Commonwealth Cantina
Photographer: Potok’s World Photography
Hair and Makeup: JSL Visions
Florist: Little Acre Flowers
Salsa class: Salsa with Silvia
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