CEREMONY VENUE // National Arboretum
CAKE // Buttercream Bakeshop
RECEPTION VENUE // Ivy City Smokehouse
DJ // Dan Goldman Events
Kali and Maggie’s National Arboretum wedding was intimate and cozy in all the right ways. Surrounded by their closest friends and family, they exchanged heartfelt vows in the beautiful garden and then partied the night away at Ivy City Smokehouse.
Washington DC LGBTQ+ Wedding
The National Arboretum in Washington, DC is a gorgeous spot for weddings, and Kali and Maggie’s warm fall day was no exception. We started the day out with a private first look between the two under a beautiful trellis of greenery. They were so excited to see each other and neither one could stop smiling. We then quickly snuck off into the nearby wooded area for some couple portraits before their ceremony began.
Kali and Maggie’s ceremony was held right in front of the National Capitol Columns – the most well-known landmark of the National Arboretum. These columns were created in 1828 to be part of the Capitol building downtown but were found to be structurally insufficient and ended up as a gorgeous addition to the landscape at the Arboretum. The ceremony was short and sweet, and beautifully tied together these two families.
After the ceremony, we all made our way over to Ivy City Smokehouse to start the party! Ivy City knocked it out of the park with the food – ranging from raw oysters to freshly carved smoked brisket. Kali and Maggie had a custom cake topper featuring their two dogs and had guests sign Jenga pieces instead of a traditional guestbook. The dance floor was packed, the drinks were flowing, and as the sun set guests began to spill out to the patio with conversations around the fire pits.
This wedding was such a great reminder that an intimate wedding can still follow the traditional flow of a wedding day. Kali and Maggie had the wedding of their dreams and got to enjoy individual time with the people closest to them.
