Katie and Kyle’s Wedding at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., was a breathtaking affair, steeped in a captivating blend of moody elegance and vintage allure.
Inspired by art deco accents, their choice of bold teals, blues, magentas, and purples, accented with gold, set a mesmerizing tone. The venue adorned with patterned stained glass details and delicate peacock feathers exuded a sense of timeless charm.
With growing gardens and flickering candles casting a romantic glow, every moment was immersed in a perfect symphony of colors and ambiance, creating an unforgettable experience.
Where did you get married?
We married in our parish church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and held our reception at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC.
Why did you choose to get married at International Spy Museum?
We had a lot of out-of-town guests, and this venue offered a gorgeous view of the DC skyline throughout the ballroom and a beautiful rooftop space for our cocktail hour.
What was the most memorable part of your wedding day?
Our wedding was full of color! From the escort wall, the various table-scapes, and the elaborate florals – every detail captured our favorite jewel tone colors with inspired art deco details. When we first entered the room as husband and wife, I will never forget seeing all our family and friends looking so excited in this gorgeous setting we had created.
It was truly overwhelming seeing the entire vision so lively and joyous and all set to one of our favorite songs by Lauv (All 4 Nothing – I’m So In Love) played by the live band as we walked through everyone smiling to begin our first dance to Ben Rector’s Love Like This.
Katie, paint us a picture. What was the theme, style, colors, and overall vibe of your wedding day?
We went for a moody, jewel tone color scheme that was inspired by art deco accents. Our colors were bold teals and blues, magentas, and purples with gold vintage accents.
We featured patterned stained-glass details throughout, a few peacock feathers, growing gardens across the tables with plenty of candles to add to the moody romance. It was perfect.
What was your favorite part of planning your wedding?
Working with the planner, Cherry Blossom Events, and our stationary vendor, OhEleven, was such a fun experience! It was one of the first big wedding details we planned and ended up creating a beautiful suite of invites, menu cards, welcome signs, and more that really highlighted the small details throughout the event. It pulled everything together and gave it a very personal and luxe feel. It really set the tone for our entire theme and the décor that we selected.
What was the best investment you made for your wedding?
Live Band & Cake of my Dreams! We and our guests absolutely loved our band, and it made the dance floor so much fun all night long by adding a lot of energy and presence. And while there are many options for desserts these days – I will never forget our wedding cake. It was so glamours and fun, exactly what I’ve always wanted. The design shines through in pictures, it was just everything!
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Worry less about the weather. It’s the one thing you have zero control over and its’s not going to change what matters most on the day. Remember, it will be the BEST day no matter what the weather (barring any seriously extreme weather mother nature comes up with…) and your guests are there for you, not the sunshine!
What was your favorite part of using WedSites for your wedding?
We loved being able to create a custom site that really reflected us as a couple and our vision for the wedding. Kyle likes to code and is passionate about web design, so this was a fun project to allow us to really break outside of the standard wedding templates.
We not only got to highlight all the wonderful photos of us over the years and align them to the colors and style of our full event. It really set the stage. The best element we added was a small nod to our Spy Museum venue. We added a small business-like card to our invitations that had a QR code and some fun details about the event. The QR code led to a landing page with a secret mission for the guests, instructing them to hunt through our website and click images of us at other weddings. Each click revealed a letter and once all were correctly uncovered the “Party With Us!” message appeared with colorful lights around the page. During the RSVP section online, they could submit that message and guests who submitted correctly received a commemorative matchbox of the event at their seat in the reception. It was a unique and fun addition that could only be added with custom coding!
Katie and Kyle’s custom designed wedding website
Wedding planning is notoriously stressful. Now that you’ve gone through the process, do you have any advice or words of wisdom for couples who are currently in the midst of planning theirs?
First I’d say to trust yourself when it comes to sticking to your vision! Ask for help along the way, but don’t be afraid to seek out vendors and details that will make your event memorable and unique to you. And remember, even if it rains (like on our wedding day) you may end up with an even better sunset (the photos speak for themselves)! Also – just get the videographer, you will want to relive your day!
Secondly, if it fits within your budget, I would absolutely recommend having a planner/coordinator so that you can relax and enjoy your big day – it flies by and hardly feels real in the moment! Our wedding planner made the day so easy. She had thought of everything, and we didn’t have to worry at all about the little details and timing.
The amazing team of vendors involved with this wedding
Venue: Spy Museum
Photographer: Sarah Murray Photo
Caterer: Spilled Milk Catering
Cake Baker: Fluffy Thoughts
Decor: Something Vintage Rentals
Entertainment: Sound Society Band
Florist: The Rosy Posy
Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist: Carla Pressley Hair and Makeup
Wedding Dress: The Bridal Room
Bridesmaid Dresses: Revelry
Stationer: Oh Eleven Studios
Rentals: DC Rental
Transportation: Limos Inc.
Lighting: Frost Lighting
Wedding Planner: Cherry Blossom Weddings
Videographer: Bowen Films
Others:
Church: Immaculate Conception Church DC
Photo Booth: Dan Goldman Events
Violinist: Entertainment Exchange
Wedding Website: WedSites
