Kathleen and Joel wed in a beautifully elegant wedding at Strong Mansion in Dickerson, MD. Their garden chic wedding in Maryland was one filled with the beauty of nature - both inside and out. Their wedding ceremony took place in a gorgeous garden on the property, before their wedding guests moved under a white wedding tent for the reception. But not before guests played a few rounds of lawn games during the cocktail hour - Oh what fun! Then the reception decor incorporated elements from the outdoors in, like the garland flanking the reception tables (a favorite of the bride’s and ours too!). But it was the serenade with the band from the groom to his bride that really stole the show! What an amazing surprise for Kathleen and everyone in attendance to enjoy!? Their wedding day is certainly picture-perfect, but not without the help of Washington DC area wedding planners, Event Accomplished, especially when during the planning process, especially when the bride and groom moved to Toronto and had to plan their wedding from afar! It doesn’t look like they skipped a beat on their beautiful wedding day in Maryland! A special thanks to Washington DC area wedding photographer, Mary Kate McKenna Photography, for sharing Kathleen and Joel’s wedding photos with us!

From the bride: We wanted a simple, elegant and timeless wedding that incorporated the beauty of Strong Mansion and the outdoors in Maryland.

Joel wore his soon-to-be father-in-law’s cufflinks. I had my mother’s wedding dress fabric wrapped around my bridal bouquet along with a blue butterfly pin that was a dear family friend’s that had passed away.

We moved to Toronto seven months before our wedding and I was very nervous about planning long distance. Vicky, our wedding planner, did an amazing job of keeping us on track, visiting our wedding vendors when we were unable to and assisting us along the way which made our wedding day perfect!

The band and caterer were our main wedding priorities. We wanted our friends and family to eat well and not want to leave the dance floor at our wedding!

Joel sang “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” by The Darkness during our wedding reception, which was a surprise to the me and our family and friends. The band had made wagers if he was going to bomb or knock it out of the park - he knocked it out of the park! I also loved the garland on the reception tables and the flowers. These decor elements brought the nature and beauty of Strong Mansion inside the wedding reception tent.

Advice from the bride for other couples planning a wedding in the Washington DC area:

Trust your wedding planner and the vendors - they are the experts! Make sure that you tell your wedding vendors anything that can help in making your day go smoothly. For example, Joel hates taking pictures and Mary Kate (our photographer) was efficient and understanding and worked her magic to achieve beautiful wedding day pictures rather quickly.

Congratulations to Kathleen and Joel! Thank you for sharing your garden chic tented wedding with us! The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:

Photography: Mary Kate McKenna Photography
Wedding Planner: Event Accomplished
Stationery: LBC Design Co.
Transportation: Reliable Limousine
Floral Designer: En Masse
Hair Stylist: Remona Soleimani
Makeup Artist: Leah Margosis
Bridal Gown: Romona Keveza
Bridal Salon: Hannelore’s
Bridal Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew
Accessories: Kate Spade
Groom’s Attire: Nordstrom
Groomsmen Attire: Joseph A Bank
Ceremony + Reception Venue: Strong Mansion
Officiant: John Crawford
Ceremony Music: Perfect Harmony
Caterer: Spilled Milk
Reception Music: Bachelor Boys Band
Cake/Dessert: Fancy Cakes by Leslie

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide and for even more amazing local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries and other Washington DC area real weddings.

Photo Credits: Mary Kate McKenna Photography