Remember those adorable love bird’s from yesterday’s Capitol Romance engagement session? Well, as promised, we are back with their gorgeous Washington, DC wedding thanks to An Endless Pursuit [submitted via Two Bright Lights!].

Yesterday, the “love is a battlefield” song title was introduced to describe Gian & Casey’s adorable Old Town, VA engagement session – but it works yet again, as the both share a deep family military history!

An Endless Pursuit shares:

This lovely Washington DC wedding started and finished at the National Sheraton Hotel overlooking our Nation’s Capitol and the national monuments. The couple wanted their portraits to be taken in a way that honored their family’s military service so we traveled around to historic locations including the Capitol, The Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial.

 

Her dress. RIGHT?! I am in love – just wait ’til you see the rest of their amazing blue & colorful Washington, DC wedding!

Casey shares:

Gian and I met in the Fall of 2008. We met by accident. I was invited by my sister and brother-in-law to play paintball with some of their friends and Gian happened to be one of the friends that tagged along.  We spent most of the day talking…when he wasn’t shooting his paintball gun.  At the end of the day Gian asked me if I wanted to go to a movie or something… we ended up never seeing a movie, but did start dating. We had our first date at the Kennedy Center watching the National Symphony Orchestra Pops.  Our relationship strengthened and grew through time and distance ( I deployed for 6 months in early 2009).

 Gian proposed December 4, 2010 at Rockefeller Center in front of the Christmas tree. It was absolutely perfect and amazing! We decided to get married in the fall of 2011 as sort of process of elimination.  I love the summer, but Gian does not like the heat. Gian loves the winter and I did not want to be cold on our wedding day, so we compromised (the first of many I am sure) and decided fall.  We chose October 15th simply because the venue we loved was available and it would be great weather in DC.

Casey sporting a veil alternative! Love!

in LOVE with these organic, natural looking flower bouquets!

Click inside for the rest of Casey & Gian’s beautiful & blue Washington, DC wedding!

 I grew up in Northern Virginia and my family still lives here. I couldn’t imagine being married anywhere else.

Gian and I are both Catholic and it was important to us and our families that we started our union in the church. We were wed at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Alexandria. It is historic and beautiful.

love the mason jars with greens lining the pews

We started the weekend as a family to the Kennedy Center for a Pops Concert (it coincided nicely). It was an opportunity for our families to relax, have fun and start the weekend! It was a great gift from my PopPop.

Another non-traditional portion of the wedding occurred Friday night after the rehearsal dinner. All out of town guests were invited to a private room in the hotel for cookies, brownies and Espresso! IT allowed family and friends to meet before the wedding and start the party sooner!

it just doesn’t get much more “DC” than wedding portraits in front of the Capitol Building


My parents purchased my dress.  We went to Jeanette’s Bridal.  My Aunt, sister and best friend all purchased their dress from there. My dress was not what I originally thought I wanted, but when I put it on I just knew.

 how much do i LOVE Casey’s blue sash and the bridesmaids’ two-toned, blue & gray dresses!?!?

When it came to [picking] photography we knew we had to make a GOOD decision. Gian loves taking photos and since this would be the lasting memory of the event, it was truly important.  We found Endless Pursuit by luck.  We had been looking for a photographer and started discussing it with my mom, who in turn spoke to her close friend and the mother of my brother’s girlfriend.  She mentioned that her son and wife had started a photography business and maybe we would like to meet them.  We did just that and our search ended there.

An Endless Pursuit is a married couple who are warm, inviting, and understanding of the day.  We could not have asked for better photographers (and I am not just saying that because they are kind of family).  The pictures came out amazing and we have received nothing but compliments. Having them at our wedding was seamless. They took photos (TONS) but never appeared to be anywhere. They blended in.

 i never grow tired of this display at weddings. so beautiful to include all the married couples in your family across so many generations…

Gian and I are so very blessed with amazing families.  It was important for them to be a part of the wedding every step of the ways.  In addition, my family paid for the wedding, which enabled Gian and I to purchase a home. With that said, we had many little personal details in the wedding.

Mostly DIY projects that my mom did out of the kindness of her heart and love of weddings. One of the best projects were our place cards.  They were small canning jars that were filled with Hershey Kisses (My late MeMe , grandmothers favorite) and 5 traditional Italian confetti candies. It was a blending of two families.

^so touching!

Our venue choice was simple. We wanted a view of DC for our guests. Gian’s Family and my extended family are from out of town and we wanted them to see how beautiful our city is.  We chose The Sheraton National for the view and their amazing staff. The event coordinator was amazing! Her name was Betsy and she made the planning simple, fun, and relaxing. I never felt that there would be a problem! She was the key to the event running smooth!

 Our Cake was from Occasionally Cake (SO GOOD!!!)

 …flowers were from Twinbrook florist.  Mike was our florist and he took my non-traditional floral arrangements and made them reality.

really digging these floral arrangements – so colorful and natural looking, they have an almost “wild” sense about them

We had an amazing day with incredible memories that will last a life time!  It was due to HUGE family efforts of stuffing envelopes, filling jars, tying bows and loving us.

Congratulations Gian & Casey! Thank you for sharing your beautiful Washington, DC wedding with us! A special thanks to An Endless Pursuit & Two Bright Lights for making this submission possible!

Vendors:

Reception Venue: Sheraton National Hotel
Cake Designer:  Occasionally Cake

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