Alison and Chris

I made a dear blogging friend in Alison before I realized that only days before we "met", I was drooling all over her big day on Martha Stewart Weddings! The collegiate theme (the lovebirds met at Georgetown) and the classic pairing of cobalt and white are a prepster's dream come true, and these newlyweds beautifully blended family traditions to create an event that was steeped in prosperity! Best of all might just be Kate Headley's pitch perfect photos, that capture every moment and detail beautifully!

Alison and Chris tied the knot at the Dumbarton House in D.C.; they were married in the gardens and celebrated their nuptials with a dessert reception at the historic house. The bride wore a ruched gown and classic veil by Paloma Blanca and a pair of cobalt patent leather pumps from Gucci, set off by a string of Mikimoto pearls (a wedding gift from her groom) and a pair of sapphire "Valentine" earrings from Adorn.com, a divine jewelry boutique with the option to rent! Bridesmaids donned Lela Rose dresses, and so did Alison when she and Chris made their grand exit; the girls accessorized their blue frocks with shoes from Ann Taylor, hairpins from J.Crew and earrings from Banana Republic. The groom and his men looked dapper in grey Joseph Abboud suits from Men's Warehouse and blue ties from Turnbull & Asser.

The bride and groom were adamant about making their wedding day their own; to that end, they were married late in the day and skipped a more traditional sit-down dinner in favor of a dessert buffet. Design Cuisine provided nibbles both sweet and savory, as well as a stunning cake (a two tier key lime with blueberry filling) that incorporated many special details Alison and Chris included in their reception decor and invitations.

The bride's bouquet (designed by Holly Heider Chapple Flowers) included rosemary and hydrangea in honor of her grandmother, Rose Marie, and her dress and the wrapping for her bouquet was trimmed with lace from her great-grandmother's wedding gown. The bride's grandmother Katherine passed away six weeks before Alison and Chris were married, and she was able to wear her special ring on the big day. The groom also wore a ring with rich history; it belonged to the bride's grandfather, who received it from his mother, and they used his grandparents' cake servers when cutting into their classic confection.

The letterpress invitation suite designed by Paper Moss was an instant classic, and features D.C.'s beautiful cherry blossoms, while the stamps on the outer envelope represent the bride, groom and their history (a Dolley Madison stamp honors her stay at their venue, Dumbarton House, Alison grew up in Indiana while Chris is a Maine-born boy, and a LOVE stamp designed by Robert Indiana, two George Washington stamps and three D.C. stamps tell a tale of their courtship).

When it came to ceremony decor, Alison, Chris and their planners at Ritzy Bee were equally committed to showcasing the bride and groom. Alison's 400 prize ribbons from 4H fairs and track competitions, as well as vintage pennants, varsity letters and trophy cups gave the reception of winning collegiate feel. The bride also collected vintage books from D. Kelley Fine Used Books, proving these two are as bright as they are athletic.

At the end of the night, guests took home iced cookies, made by Design Cuisine, in the shape of the lovebirds' home states, and packaged with small buttons designed by Paper Moss and made by Just Buttons. Ladies also wrapped up in pashmina shawls on which the bride stitched custom labels from Initial Impressions for weeks!


A big thank you to Alison and phenomenal photographer Kate Headley for sharing these stunning shots with me!