Young-Ae and John’s Washington DC wedding was intimate and understated. But it was also lovely and sweet. And more importantly, it was full of the kind of moments that make a wedding day memorable. And that make wedding pictures unforgettable! Like, for example, the little looks and smiles the couple shared during their wedding ceremony at St Margaret’s Episcopal Church near Dupont Circle. Or the adorable way they held one another during their wedding portraits on DC’s Spanish Steps. Or the silly things their family and guests did during their University Club DC wedding reception. All of those little moments added up to a beautiful wedding day and an even more beautiful chapter in Young-Ae and John’s love story.
St Margaret’s DC Wedding Ceremony
Documenting Young-Ae and John’s wedding started directly at St Margaret’s Episcopal Church. Because both showed up dressed and ready to tie the knot, they were able to take a few minutes to greet their guests and spend time with their families. The pictures of Young-Ae and her dad chatting before the wedding were particularly sweet. The couple also got to share some very tender moments with one another. For example, the bride helped the groom put on his boutonniere. (With an assist from YouTube, as is often the case!)
Young-Ae and John’s St Margaret’s DC wedding ceremony followed the traditional Episcopal practices. As we mentioned above, though, there were still plenty of “off-script” moments that offered glimpses of what makes the couple’s relationship unique. When John’s eyes lit up with emotion as his bride walked up the aisle, for instance. And when she flashed him a wry and meaningful look as their families gathered around them at the altar. Or when Young-Ae grinned from ear to ear just before John kissed her for the first time as her husband. And when the bride pointed at her wedding band in celebration as she walked back down the aisle. Or when their guests blew bubbles at them while they signed their marriage certificate. (Which was something of a warmup for their bubble exit from the church.)
Spanish Steps DC Wedding Portraits
After the ceremony concluded, we took pictures of the newlyweds and their families on the steps outside St Margaret’s Episcopal Church. The goofiness of their guests gave that part of the day a festive feel and made what is sometimes a slog a lot of fun! The jokes and silliness kept genuine smiles on the couple’s faces throughout the process.
It also set the proper tone for Young-Ae and John’s wedding portraits. That part of their day started a short walk from the church at one of Washington DC’s hidden gems – the Spanish Steps. Tucked away in Dupont Circle’s residential streets, the staircase is a great location for portraiture. Its leading lines, dramatic changes in elevation, tree canopy and relative privacy are great for creating gorgeous wedding pictures.
(As an aside, one of the best things about getting married in the Nation’s Capital is that the city offers so many beautiful spots for couples portraits. Even if you throw out the monuments and memorials, you still have a long list of places like the Spanish Steps. Locations that would be world-famous in any other city. And one of the reasons it pays to hire local wedding photographers like us is our inside knowledge of DC and its best hidden spots for portraits!)
Dupont Circle Wedding Photos
Young-Ae and John’s wedding reception was taking place at the University Club, which is on the opposite side of Dupont Circle from the Spanish Steps. So as we walked toward the club, we took advantage of the chance to create some more portraits in one of the city’s most famous locales. Dupont Circle is as DC as it gets, and as such, it is an iconic spot for photos!
Dupont Circle is so full of life and energy on a spring day that we decided that posing Young-Ae and John in a static way would look wrong. Getting them moving would create the right look and feel for classic Dupont Circle wedding venues. So we brought them into one of the area’s grassy spaces and asked them to dance. They spun and twirled around Dupont Circle while we clicked away with our cameras. As is so often the case, the dancing had the added benefit of loosening the couple up and getting them to laugh a bit. Some of the funnest pictures we took that day featured the couple giggling as they danced.
Rain sprinkled on and off around downtown DC during the couples portraits portion of the wedding. So we were glad that we brought an umbrella that Young-Ae and John used to keep dry. We almost always bring one to photoshoots, and not just when the weather looks iffy. Even on a sunny day, an umbrella can make for a fun prop. More importantly, it allows us to create portraits that really stand out. We can set up a light behind the couple – as we did with Young-Ae and John – that fills the umbrella with an ethereal glow.
University Club DC Wedding Reception
From there, we continued on to the University Club for Young-Ae and John’s wedding reception. Before the fun started, though, the couple popped upstairs to change clothes. To honor the bride’s cultural heritage, both she and her new husband donned traditional Korean outfits. To the delight of Young-Ae’s family, John really leaned into the idea, wearing items that apparently verged on old-fashioned. His wife was less enthusiastic about his choices and made sure to tease him about it. (Our favorite exchange: “This looks bad-ass!” “No, it just looks bad.”)
The couple then came down to join their family, friends and guests for the cocktail hour. Like their invitees, they stopped by a touching little shrine John’s family had set up in honor of his late father.
After the bride and groom had had a chance to greet and chat with just about everyone, the whole party moved to the University Club’s main event space. The entrances of the couple and those closest to them were lots of fun. The best one was undoubtedly the bride’s parents’, who burst into the room with “Gangam Style” amping up the crowd. Young-Ae and John segued directly to their first dance, which was sweet and tender. It was also something of a group effort, as a dozen other couples came out onto the floor at the conclusion of the official first dance song.
Everyone took a break from dancing to enjoy some of the University Club’s delicious food. The couple then quickly cut their wedding cake and returned to their seats for the toasts. The one the groom’s brother gave was short but heartfelt. Young-Ae’s best friend offered the crowd a humorous tour of how she got to know the bride during grad school. Both were amazing in their own way and had the crowd in tears laughing.
Congratulations to a Wonderful Pair of Newlyweds!
Thank you so much, Young-Ae and John, for asking us to be part of your special day! You are a one-of-a-kind couple and were a joy to work with! We wish you all the best in your life together!
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