As this year comes to a close, we are continuing to share some of our favorite elements of our 2016 weddings! It truly is hard to pick which ceremonies are our absolute top picks because we have so many stunners, but we are doing our best! There are so many things to consider when creating the perfect wedding ceremony, but all of our couples manage to do it. From cultural celebrations, garden parties, and glamorous affairs, we simply can’t get enough! Don’t forget to check out the full spread of each featured wedding below for more amazing DC area wedding inspiration. Also, stay tuned for more best of before the year is done.

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Romantic Persian Wedding

When couples choose to incorporate cultural customs from their background or heritage, we can’t get enough! One wedding ceremony custom that we love seeing is a beautifully crafted Sofreh Aghd. A traditional Persian wedding spread, the Sofreh Aghd is a combination of legal marriage and ceremonial traditions that come together to unite the couple. Having been practiced for years, each Sofreh (meaning spread) and Aghd (meaning ceremony) is personalized to fit the couple and their own unique style.  Nat Wongsaroj Photography really captured the romantic and personal atmosphere at this Stone Manner Country Club wedding.

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Wintery Stevenson Ridge Wedding

As we dive deeper into the depths of winter, we can’t help by gravitate toward this cozy winter wedding at Stevenson Ridge, as photographed by Stephanie Messick Photography.  The exposed beams, wrought iron chandeliers, cathedral ceilings, working fireplace, and abundance of candles, all lent to creating a homey warm atmosphere perfect for a winter wedding ceremony. And we can’t forget the bride’s stunning gown! It fit in perfectly with the beautiful venue and warm ceremony decor.

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Elkridge Furnace Inn Brunch Wedding

We are absolute suckers for a brunch wedding, especially one with a ceremony as beautiful as this one at Elkridge Furnace Inn! This garden ceremony was both personal and fun and included some of the bride and groom’s favorite things woven throughout. The stunning ceremony chuppah and dreamy color palette, photographed by DeFrehn Photography, made this one of our favorites of the year. Just look at those floral accents present on the chuppah; we can’t get enough!

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Castle Hill Cider South Asian Wedding

 We were absolutely blown away by the ceremony design and decor at this South Asian wedding, photographed stunningly by Greg Gibson at the Virginia wedding venue Castle Hill Cider. By incorporating cultural traditions and amazing design details, everything came together perfectly on this beautiful spring day!

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 Southern Maryland Nautical Wedding

The backdrop of this wedding just cannot get any better. We love this picturesque venue with a lighthouse ceremony backdrop, which was used to inspire this wedding day decor. From driftwood sailboats, lighthouse cookies, oyster shell decor, and navy and white striped ribbons, this ceremony takes on a refined yet fun theme that really set the tone for this seaside affair. Beautifully shot by Birds of a Feather Photography, this ceremony is so enviable!

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Gorgeous At Home Virginia Wedding

We’re not sure which part of this wedding we are more jealous of, the amazing grounds of the ceremony venue, or the fact that it is the bride’s family estate! Katie Stoops photographed the beauty that is this private residence, Holman Hall, and we are so excited to be featuring it again! With the jaw dropping floral arch by Lavender Green Floral Designs and the personal touch of the family home in the background, this wedding had us tearing up a little! We just love to relive it again and again and think you will too.

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Iconic DC National Women in the Arts Wedding

Our final “Best of 2016: Wedding Ceremonies” feature is just drop dead gorgeous with dreamy, romantic details that we are swooning over! We all know that the National Museum of Women in the Arts is always a gorgeous venue, but paired with a baby’s breath ceremony arch, ruffled drapery, and adorable flower girl and ring bearer, it is show stopper! Kristen Gardner really captured the beauty of the day in her photographs!

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Keep coming back this week for more of our favorites! For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide and for even more amazing ceremony ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries and other Washington DC area real weddings.