My Wedding Reception!

So this is an aggressive post! Here are some of my favorite photos from my wedding reception FOUR YEARS AGO! Time has flown by but I still love looking back at these amazing photos from Cherie Cullen of Wars to Weddings! SHE IS AMAZING!

 

p.s. - you might recognize the first photo that pops up :-)

 

Here we are outside of the beautiful Carnegie Institute where our reception was held. Not only is this an amazing venue but it was conveniently located just across the street from the ceremony site!

 

We finished up our family photos at the church pretty quickly so Matt and I were able to steal away for a few moments alone up in the library at the reception site. Our caterer, Susan Gage, had champagne and YUMMY appetizers all set up for us. It was really nice just to have a few moments alone to decompress and celebrate our marriage. 

 

While we were upstairs, we also took the opportunity to spy on all the action below

 

and take additional photos. The venue is just so breathtaking!

My ladies also did some spying. I love this photo!

My amazing friends got all up in my business to help me bustle my dress... It was an aggressive dress!

We danced to "At Last" as our Frist Dance

 

After the first dance it was time for toasts and dinner!

Father/Daughter Dance... I cried

Others joined in halfway and it was so special to see Matt and Emma dancing together

Mother/Son Dance

 

Lots of Dancing.... In a very heavy dress

 

Cake Cutting... Our cake was made by our caterer and our florist just provided flowers for the top!!

After the cake cutting it was REALLY time to get out of my HEAVY dress and into something a little lighter and more fun!

Matt didn't know that I had a dress change planned and it was a fun surprise. I was having a HORRIBLE time finding a shorter dress that I liked sooooo...This dress was actually a full-length Nicole Miller wedding dress that I had altered into a shorter dress...

Here is what the dress originally looked like... I like my version better :-) but I'm partial!

More Dancing... and we turned it up a notch!

My Dad surprised me when he took off his jacket and the back of his shirt was a Hawaiian shirt! We danced together again to "Somewhere over the Rainbow" For about two months leading up to the wedding he had been requesting that I play this song during the reception because he had a "surprise"... he had also been sitting around playing it on his ukulele OVER AND OVER at home... I was convinced that he was going to play at the reception so this shirt was a fun surprise.

At the end of the night I was exhausted but had such an amazing time...

 

I mean this photo says it all... what a happy new family.

At the end of the night we bid our guests goodbye with some hot cocoa and Krispy Cream doughnuts in loo of a traditional favor!

I HEART: Birch and Barley

Matt's Mom and her sweetie were in town last week and we were LOVING having them around and seeing them interact with our kiddos! They live up in Michigan so it is a rare treat to have them around for a whole week.

We had a little belated Christmas...

As much as I know they really only come to see the kids... we also wanted to take them out for a nice dinner in D.C. while they were here! So.... the other night we took them to Birch and Barley! It was my first time and I was a fan. The highlight, for me, was the yummy bread!

 

I had the Pan-Seared Icelandic Cod
House Polenta, Vincotto Beets, Baby Carrots, Romanesco, Marconas, Preserved Lemon

 

We shared a Fig & Prosciutto Flatbread with Gorgonzola Cremificato, Caramelized Onions, Port Reduction

Matt's mom had the Ricotta Cavatelli with Crispy Pork Belly, Mustard Greens & Stems & Seeds, Chili Flake, Rosemary. -- It was one of the best things I've ever eaten and if we were to go back I'd order it for myself!

I'm also interested in their "FEAST" where they butcher a whole suckling pig and have beer pairings with each course! Maybe I will have to coordinate this for something special for Matt.