Wedding Celebration Album

When it comes to your wedding day, there is more to consider than you can shake a bouquet at. That’s why it can be helpful to talk to friends and family who have already been through the conjugal ringer. So, to get some firsthand words of wisdom, The Georgetowner spoke with a few friends who have recently tied the knot, and asked them about special wedding day tips, how to keep from getting overwhelmed, standout memories and more. Here’s what they said:

Chandra Anderson
——

Take time to absorb the moments of the day—it flies by so quickly. You’ve already done everything you can do to prepare by that point, so try not to worry about the little things you’ve been fretting about, like the caterers or the floral arrangements. If you don’t step back and focus on enjoying the moment you’re in, you wedding day will fly by you before you realize it had even arrived.

Alexandra and Kristopher Powell
——

On a logistical level, limit yourself to researching only three to five vendors for each element of your wedding (bands, caterers, etc…). Any more than that and the choices start to become overwhelming. On an emotional level, take a moment with your new spouse to step back and take it all in on your wedding day. It will fly by so fast, it’s worth taking a mental picture so you both can always remember how the day felt.

Rina and Keith Lippert
——

We each wrote down five things we love about the other. On the day of the wedding, we put it in a “love note” and read them to one another. It put the focus on what the day is truly about. It’s easy to get lost in focusing on things that don’t matter, but the bigger picture is what’s important here.

David and Ashley Murray
——

If you don’t have a plan for your wedding cake already, consider doing something creative. We ordered a customized cake from Creative Cakes in Silver Spring, and it was one wedding expense that we had no regrets about. Our guests were raving!

Ours was also the last wedding to be held at Halcyon House. My father, Chris Murray, having opened Govinda Gallery around 1975, held his first Govinda party there. So we are deeply connected to Halcyon House and were really honored to close it out with our wedding. John Dreyfuss is a pillar of Georgetown for us, he’s invested more than three decades of energy into taking care of that house—and his sculpture studio in the basement is just amazing. We wouldn’t have been able to have such a wonderful wedding if it wasn’t for John. He’s been such a good friend. I can’t think of a more elegant house in Georgetown, or a better wedding venue in the city, than Halcyon House.

Yvonne Taylor, photographer
——

We only had three months to plan my daughter Noelle’s wedding from the time she told me she was getting married. I’m in the business, which makes things a little easier, but it was still daunting. We went to a wedding planner, but realized that we could do a lot of this ourselves. So we made it a community effort among friends and family. I’ve been a part of some pretty expensive weddings, but my daughter’s ended up being very organic and real, and it was actually one of the most enjoyable weddings I’ve ever been to. I catered it myself, we held the party in my home. It became less about the event and the spectacle, and we were able to focus more on what the day is really about: love, family, friends and the moment. Bottom line is don’t let the money scare you, because there are ways around spending $80,000 on your big day. I know people who have waited for years to get married just because of how much it costs. Remember, a wedding is ultimately about love and family, not a flashy reception.

Aaro Keipi, Wedding Photographer
——

As a photographer, take advantage of unique situations. An overcast day like the one in my photo actually added a nice atmosphere and light to the photo ops for this outdoor wedding.

Liji George
——

It’s great to incorporate traditions from both sides of the family. We had a cross-cultural wedding, and it really brought everyone together in a unique but familiar atmosphere.