Chinese Cultural St. Regis DC Wedding | Ivy & John
Ivy and John celebrated the most incredible day of their lives on a perfect August afternoon. The couple had a Catholic ceremony to honor John’s religion at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. The couple loves Classical music, so they had the church’s organist play a lineup of songs, including the Cathedral cantor singing “Ave Maria” as Ivy walked down the aisle. And if the song itself did not reduce you to tears, seeing the bride in her dress absolutely would. She wore a lace Ines DiSanto ballgown with an illusion top and full skirt. Her bouquet was bold and rich with shades of red, which is culturally significant. Holly Chapple Flowers used blends of garden roses and dahlias which were stunning, but peonies flown in from Alaska definitely tied the bouquet together. John and Ivy incorporated red in many aspects of their special day. From the invitations to the programs to the lanterns strung in trees, this romantic color was everywhere.
The bride and groom had a traditional Chinese tea ceremony as well. An incredible floral circle that can only be described as visually stunning was the backdrop for this. It had the same red and ivory flowers as Ivy’s bouquet, but in the hundreds. For this portion of their day, Ivy had changed from her lace gown into a red, off-the-shoulder Rachel Gilbert dress. She let her hair down and looked so glamorous next to John in his black suit. Even her shoes were the epitome of glam. She wore crystal encrusted Christian Louboutins as well as Christian Dior sling-backs. Every bride’s dream come true to have both “Christians” at their wedding! The reception was held in the Astor Ballroom of the St. Regis in Washington, DC. Gold accents could be found in the silverware, edging the charger plates, and even rimming the wine glasses. Beautiful floral arrangements were placed throughout the table settings to bring in the red pop of color. The couple choreographed their first dance which was a fun surprise for their guests, but Ivy’s performance of a traditional Chinese sleeve dance was the perfect end to an amazing day.
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Planning + Design - Bright Occasions | Ceremony Venue - Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle | Reception Venue - The St. Regis Washington, D.C. | Floral Design - Holly Heider Chapple Flowers | Wedding Dress - Ines DiSanto | Hair - Iva Bella Salon | Makeup - Mimi B. Tran | Groom's Attire - Ermenegildo Zegna | Catering & Cake - The St. Regis Washington, D.C. | Rentals - DC Rentals | Entertainment - Northern Lights Dance Orchestra | Invitations - Stephanie B. Design | Transportation - Sunny's Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation & Vintage Limos