Jennifer & Ross’s Virginia wedding was the perfect way to wrap up my spring wedding season! These two are some of the kindest, most thoughtful, and most generous people, and it has been such a joy getting to know them over the past year. As you’ll quickly notice, Jennifer has the most contagious smile and laugh, and she brought so much joy to every part of the day!

I was (and still am) obsessed with the incredible texture in their florals. I mean… orchids and calla lilies? What more could you want? Their black-and-white wedding design paired beautifully with the Archer Hotel in Tysons, whose industrial black windows created the perfect dramatic backdrop for so many of their portraits. From the balcony outside the ballroom, where they shared their first look and cocktail hour was held, to the front entrance of the hotel, every corner photographed beautifully. Even the lobby, with its dark green couches and gorgeous natural light, made for some of my favorite portraits of the day.

Jennifer & Ross were married at Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek Catholic Church (the same church where I photographed Marianne & Nathaniel’s wedding just a few weeks earlier!). One of my favorite parts of photographing Catholic weddings is getting to experience the beauty of the Church’s different liturgical rites.

In the Byzantine Rite, the wedding is celebrated in two ceremonies that take place back-to-back. The first is the Betrothal Ceremony, which begins in the narthex of the church. This symbolizes that the couple’s relationship has existed in the world but has not yet been united sacramentally within the Body of Christ. During this ceremony, the rings are exchanged and the couple receives their nuptial candles, signifying their commitment to receive the light of Christ into their lives and marriage.

From there, the priest, deacons, and wedding party process into the church, where everyone gathers around the prayer table for the Crowning Ceremony. Unlike in the Latin Rite, where the bride and groom administer the sacrament to one another through the exchange of vows, in the Eastern Catholic Churches the priest is the minister of the sacrament. During the ceremony, the couple is crowned with matching crowns joined by a ribbon, symbolizing that they are now the king and queen of their new domestic church and family. The crowns also remind them—and all of us—of their shared call to live as priest, prophet, and king. I absolutely love the rich symbolism woven throughout the Byzantine wedding ceremony and the incredible theological depth behind each tradition.

Once Jennifer and Ross were officially married, we headed back to the Archer Hotel for the rest of the evening. I stayed downstairs with the couple to finish their portraits while my second shooter, Emily, photographed cocktail hour upstairs. One of my favorite details from cocktail hour was that Jennifer and Ross hired Neema, a live sketch artist, to create the sweetest illustrations of each guest as their wedding favor. It was so much fun watching her work and seeing everyone’s reactions as they received their portraits! The surprises didn’t stop there, though! Jennifer and Ross made their reception entrance accompanied by a bagpipe performance from Am Bogha Dubh (The Black Bow), who did a fantastic job, and the energy they brought to the start of the reception stayed all evening!

Jennifer and Ross, thank you for allowing me to document such a beautiful season of your lives. It has been such an honor getting to know you both through your engagement and wedding, and I’m so grateful I got to celebrate alongside you!

Xoxo,

Mary Kate

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Vendor Credits

A huge thank you to all the other vendors who came together to make this day possible!

CHURCH // Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek Catholic Church

RECEPTION VENUE // Archer Hotel Tysons

PLANNER // Terry Kaye Events

SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER // Beauty of the Soul

FLORIST // Shining Time Wedding LLC

VIDEOGRAPHER // Six Foot Films

HAIR & MUA // Isabella Vabre Beauty

DJ // ImTheDJ.net

CAKE // Classic Bakery

DRESS // The One Bridal Salon

BRIDESMAIDS // Reformation • One Blushing Bride • Elle Sisters

GROOMSMEN // Jos. A. Banks

LIVE SKETCH ARTIST // Neema Sketch Studio

BAGPIPES // Am Bogha Dubh (The Black Bow)

RENTALS & DECOR // Sammy’s Rental Inc

TRANSPORTATION // Escort Limousine