Relaxed and intimate weddings are some of my favorites! And when that wedding celebration takes places in one of the oldest hotels in DC, even better! Case in point”Carolyn and David’s wedding in Washington DC captured by Sarah Culver Photography. (Before you go on, be sure to check out their intimate wedding ceremony first!) Not only did this cute couple take on DIY wedding details like stationery and floral design, but they also served as their own DJ. With a few playlists (and plenty of Springsteen!), they kept the fun going all night with their intimate guest list!

From Carolyn: Logistically, we had a few priorities, location being one of them. We used to live right around the corner from the Tabard Inn, so it felt meaningful to have the wedding nearby. Food was also important to us, and we picked some of our favorite dishes (sparkling rose, crab cakes and oysters during cocktail hour, ravioli as one of the dinner options, sorbet and brownies for dessert).

We really wanted everyone to have fun, and I think one of my favorite things that we bought were the guest favors” fortune fish that predict what you’re feeling based on the way the plastic fish folds in your hand, and glasses that turn points of light into little hearts. They were cute and definitely conversation starters.

I think the scariest DIY was deciding against a DJ, due to space constraints (the Hotel Tabard Inn had large speakers available for our use). We created playlists on Spotify instead, but were afraid that people wouldn’t be into it. We invited song suggestions from guests when they RSVP-ed, mixed in a bunch of fun old-school music (Spice Girls!) as well as top hits and current music, and catered to our majority New Jersey crowd with lots of Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. We have a great group of friends and family that know how to have fun, and it ended up being a blast!

Thank you so much Carolyn and David for sharing your wedding reception with us! The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:

Venue: Hotel Tabard Inn
Officiant: Travis of Tie the Knot DC
Photography: Sarah Culver Photography
Day-Of Coordinator: Graceful Weddings
Bridal Attire: J. Crew
Hair and Makeup: Salonblu
Hair Accessories: Catbird
Jewelry: BHLDN

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

Photo Credits: Sarah Culver Photography