Julia and Nick were ahead of the curve with their 2019 Microwedding in Alexandria, Virginia.
They opted to keep things small and had just 10 guests for their wedding at Carlyle House. Apparently they actually met in a town called Carlyle, so it was fitting! They strolled around their favorite spots in Old Town and even made a pit stop for taco along the way. This is why I love tiny weddings. So much flexibility to just enjoy the day….. and tacos!
Check out their day and some Q&A with the couple below!
Photography: Megan Rei Photography
Ceremony Venue: Carlyle House
Reception/Dinner Venue: Columbia Firehouse
Event Planner: Blue Sapphire Events
Dress: BHLDN
Groom’s Attire: Dash’s of Old Town
Ring Designer: Dejan Studio Jewelry
Music: Charm City Baroque
Hair : Giana Hair Salon
Flowers: Flora Roots and Stems
Tacos: Riverside Taco Company
Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
A: Nick and I met my senior year of college back in 2006. It was halloween weekend and I being more the studious type than the partying type, was dragged out of my room to some Halloween parties. My friend happened to know Nick from a summer program they had done together. Nick was living in the ROTC house and had told my friend about the party. My friend and I were standing out in the cold banging on the door because in typical Nick fashion, he did not respond to the cell phone calls my friend was making to try and get ahold of him. I was seriously about to give up and go back to studying when some random person walked out the door, giving us the opportunity to grab it and walk inside. I had never met this Nick person but walked in and saw this guy standing in the middle of the room (who I later learned was actually Nick) and felt this instant gravitational pull to him….the rest is history! It took us 12 years to actually get to the marriage/proposal part because of spending some time apart, then doing the long distance thing, then some major life setbacks. Nick and I both enjoy the outdoors so we spend a fair amount of time hiking. One lovely day in October of 2018 I thought we were just going out for another one of our hikes and about half way through on a secluded little section of the trail, he totally surprised me. I was in complete and utter shock and of course started crying. He had gone through the whole process of designing the engagement ring down to the colors of stones and textures and had it made by a well-known jeweler in town. It was unbelievably magical.
Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
A: Nick and I had been together for almost 12 years by the time we finally got married. That is a long time! Yet, I was still unbelievably nervous for our first look. I stood there with my back to his and everything we had been through over the last 12 years flashed in front of my eyes. Now, here we were, having survived it all, standing back to back about to jump into the next chapter as husband and wife. It was exhilarating and nerve wracking all at the same time. After we got through that moment, I could breathe a little more easily.
Q: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
A: Our wedding was the perfect blend of simple and elegant. We had a total of 10 guests. The inspiration behind the day was to keep all of the decisions down to a minimum! We are not religious so did not incorporate any religious/cultural traditions. A mutual friend officiated the wedding and another long-time friend from Switzerland joined us for the occasion. We had her read Blessing For A Marriage, By James Dillet Freeman which was the perfect dose of sentimentality.
Q: Let’s talk wedding decor and florals. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
A: No decorations save for floral arrangements – we really were not joking about keeping the decisions to a minimum! We did supply eco-fetti for the guests to throw after the kiss! Ihired a florist and told her generally that I wanted a monochromatic pallet with a small pop of color. Beyond that, i left all the arrangements up to her! The bridal bouquets and centerpieces turned out perfectly. I wrote her after the wedding telling her I could not have designed them better had we spent hours laboring over every single detail.
Q: Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
A: Our favorite part of the wedding was that by keeping it small, we actually got to enjoy it – every single minute of it. We loved not having to rush back to a reception which gave us tons of time with the wonderful Megan. All of the time between the ceremony and dinner allowed us to have a spontaneous stop at a taco truck, at which we shared our first meal/snack as husband and wife – lady and the tramp style!!! Nick and I are both total foodies so the taco stop was an absolute highlight and will become a yearly anniversary tradition.
Q: Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
A: Since we were going for simple, I originally pictured myself in a simple, knee-length dress with no frills. I then, however, started trying on all the gowns and fell in love with the one I ultimately purchased. When was I EVER going to get another opportunity to wear a dress with a train? The dress was unbelievably simple with no lace, or tule, or anything frilly – yet it was incredibly elegant because of the plunging neckline, all of the “pearl” buttons going down the back and the very long train. I then purchased a simple “pearl” wired belt from ETSY which the seamstress sewed into the hem between the bodice and the skirt. I felt like a princess! Nick is a lover of James Bond and with this comes an appreciation of a well fitting suit. In fact, he will not settle for anything less. Instead of going the normal route of renting a tux/suit from one of many supplies, we found a mens’ designer wear store crunched in between a bunch of restaurants in Old Town Alexandria (where the wedding was to take place). Victor was the sole proprietor of the store and knew mens’ clothing like the back of his hand. To save a little money, Nick ended up getting a suit off the rack (which I think still cost more than my wedding dress) instead of having one custom made. Fortunately for Nick, he gets to wear the suit again.
Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
A: Wedding planning is stressful! Even if you think it won’t be, it will be! If you find yourself stressing about the process more than enjoying it, don’t be afraid to re-evaluate your priorities. After all, it is your day. Make sure you can enjoy it!
