Steeped in patriotism and Greek revival architecture, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall in Washington, DC is a stunning place to get married. A place this grand could easily overshadow the happy couple. But at Chelsey and Ian’s August wedding, nothing could outshine these happy faces.
This lovely event was spread out across three distinct event spaces at Constitution Hall, each with its own special feel.
The ceremony was held out on the open portico, up a handsome stone staircase, and next to the grand rotunda (which we will revisit later.) The parents, grandparents, and wedding party all entered to the live version of Love You For a Long Time by Maggie Rogers ft. Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes. And for Chelsey’s processional, they went with a song we’d never heard at a wedding before…Nemo Egg from the Finding Nemo soundtrack!
(If you can’t place it—this is the main theme that we first hear when Marlin finds the last little egg…Nemo’s egg…after the barracuda attack. Try not to cry.)
When Chelsey met Ian up at the front, the guests could all see the Washington Monument standing tall off in the distance. So pretty! And after the ceremony was complete, the couple beat a retreat to How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by James Taylor.
Cocktail hour was next, out on the covered rotunda on the portico. This area is lined with a semi-circle of enormous Greek revival columns, each one bathed in an amber glow with uplighting from Maryland’s DJ.
The couple made their own cocktail hour playlist, with must-play songs that they knew they wanted to hear. They explained that these were good songs that they wanted to include in the wedding, but they wouldn’t be the best choices for dancing. The playlist included Sweet Pea by Amos Lee, River by Leon Bridges, and invisible string by Taylor Swift.
Instead of inviting the party into the reception space and then doing a grand entrance, Chelsey and Ian switched things up a bit. They made their intros right into the cocktail hour space accompanied by Best I Ever Had by Drake, and then went right into their first dance to Tyler Childers’ cover of Space and Time by S.G Goodman. The cocktail hour rotunda doubled as the party’s dance floor, so this change to the “standard” way of doing things made a lot of sense.
Then they escorted the wedding party into the O’Byrne Gallery right off the rotunda for an intimate dinner. This fantastic room has a beautiful barreled ceiling and huge glass doors for easy passing from the reception area to the dance floor.
Chelsey and her dad danced to I Loved Her First by Heartland. She asked for the song to be shortened but trusted Maryland’s DJ to make the call on exactly when to fade it out. Then Ian and his mom danced to Carolina in my Mind by James Taylor (Mr. Taylor’s second appearance!).
This wedding brought together some of the best wedding vendors that Washington, DC has to offer. From photographer Megan Bennett to wedding coordinator Laura Louise Events to Maryland’s DJ, we all worked together to make this classic wedding flow beautifully from start to finish.
If you’re getting married in Washington, DC, we want to help. Contact us today so we can pair you up with the perfect DJ to bring classy vibes or a wild ride to your wedding day.
All photos by Megan Bennett Photography
Published on:
Thursday, November 3, 2022
