Washington National Cathedral Wedding | DC Wedding Photographer

Summer and Nick meet at teenagers at the majestic National Cathedral during a choir concert in 2008. They were each singing with their respective high school choirs and a mutual friend suggested that they meet. A few months later Nick asked Summer out on a date and the rest is history! To this day they still enjoy singing karaoke together on the weekends, which they incorporated into their after-party.

After college, the pair moved to New York City where Summer was working as a television reporter host and Nick, a producer at the Today show. Nick decided the City would be the right location to arrange a surprise engagement with a level of detail befitting of a professional television producer. Nick’s sister was tasked with sending the couple a fake online invitation to a book party. When they left the apartment, Nick suggested that they walk through Madison Square Park on the way to the restaurant. Not only did Nick have a photographer (also a dear friend of the bride) hidden to capture the moment but when they returned to the apartment, both families were there waiting to toast the couple.

From there the group went to dinner at Upland where 10 years of pictures from their courtship were on display. And following that, an engagement party in the basement of Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room attended by dear friends of the couple including many who flew across the country to be there.

Once they began planning the couple agreed that returning home to Washington D.C. would be the spot for the celebration of their dreams. Summer explained, “I’ve always wanted a big, classic wedding.” Naturally, their first call was to National Cathedral and they were thrilled to discover that it was available for their preferred fall date.

The couple worked with premiere wedding planning and design company, Pineapple Productions to plan a big event that included dear friends and family from both of their vast social networks. According to Summer, “My family always taught us the importance of being inclusive for big life events, and the wedding was no exception!” And so planning for a black-tie celebration for 400+ guests ensued.

Allison Jackson, owner and lead event planner from Pineapple, connected the couple with a dream team of vendors to create a wedding that reflected them as a couple. Principally among them was Cheree Berry of Cheree Berry Paper (one of my personal faves in the industry!) who designed the paper goods, including custom watercolor illustrations that adorned everything from the save the date to a set of playing cards included in the welcome bag. The invitation itself was very classic and simple with a timeless letterpress script in navy with their names in gold foil calligraphy.

Summer picked out a strapless gown from Carolina Herrera, the “Fiona,” that she felt was “both simple and sophisticated.” The gown also featured her favorite detail — pockets (me, too, Summer!)! She added a Cathedral length train to match the formality of the venue and finish the look.

For the ceremony, Summer and Nick requested that they have representatives from both their faiths, a Catholic priest and a Rabbi, joined the Dean of the Cathedral to conduct the ceremony. The resulting interfaith service was a highlight for the couple. The bride’s father, John Delaney, walked Summer down the majestic aisle adorned with lush florals and hundreds of candles by Amaryllis Floral and Event Design. The service featured the celebrated National Cathedral Choir. Summer’s bridesmaids included three sisters Brooke, Lily and Grace and her sister in law Meredith who all wore Alfred Sung full length gowns. Immediately following the ceremony the couple departed in a 1955 Vintage Rolls Royce and headed straight to their reception at the Chevy Chase Club.

This wedding was so extraordinary and had so many great details that I have decided to break it into two posts! Check back for a complete write up on the reception.