Meagan and Kristen wanted to have a day they would never forget, but they did not want the event itself to upstage the meaning of the day. We think this is so important, too! It can be easy to lose yourselves and the “reason for the season” while planning your DC area wedding. Meagan and Kristen worked really hard to not let the wedding get away from them. In the end, their Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens wedding was everything they wanted it to be with personal touches, and meaningful moments.

Kristen proposed to Meagan by creating a photo book of their past eight years together, and on the last page, asked if she would marry her. The day of the proposal, they went to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens to view their Christmas lights display. They ended up getting married there, as well, purely through coincidence and serendipity. It’s a fantastic spot for a proposal and a Virginia garden wedding!

The pair had been in a relationship for ten years prior to getting married, so they wanted to celebrate that milestone with the community that had supported them through their journey. In the end, the result was a perfect combination of the two women, in an intimate same sex wedding ceremony officiated by Reverend Louis Schwebius. For example, Meagan spent a lot of time thinking about the music choices that would set the right tone for the evening. Kristen, as a homebrewer, decided to splurge on getting local Virginia craft beers for the reception. Thank you to Designed Perfectly Events for sharing their colorful Meadowlark Gardens wedding with us today via Matchology.

What were your favorite parts of the day? We had friends fly in from Australia and Ireland for the big day, and it was extremely special to have them present. During the ceremony, our officiant, Rev. Louis, made us pause and take the time to look at everyone in the audience. It was such a beautiful moment because we got to take in all of the love from everyone who was there. Rev. Louis also stopped us at one point during the ceremony to take a synchronized deep breath, which made us and the audience laugh.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now? Take it one day at a time; make it about the two of you. Secure the location and vendors you want early - DC and the surrounding suburbs are a competitive market. We had a year and ten months to plan, which is a lot of time, but it allowed us to secure our #1 vendor choices. Once you have the time sensitive elements locked in, you can focus on the details. It was nice for us to have a lot of time to plan and not be rushed. Remember, your wedding is a happy day. After all, you are celebrating love!

Photography: Liz Stewart Photography | Venue: The Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens | Day-of Coordination: Designed Perfectly Events | Floral: Maryam Flowers | Catering: Great Blue Heron Catering | Entertainment: Black Tie DJs | Transportation: Fleet Transportation | Desserts: Sprinkles Cupcakes | Hair: Maude Salon | Makeup: Maude Salon | Officiant: REV. LOUIS SCHWEBIUS | Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal | Bride’s Suit: WT CLOTHIERS | Wedding Ring: JENN PARNELL DESIGNS | Submitted via: Matchology

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide. For additional local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries. Especially relevant would be our Washington DC area real weddings.