Like many modern couples, Genger and Steve met online.
However, when Genger agreed to a first date, she did not expect it to involve exercise. Steve was determined to take her hiking. She recalls, “realizing I would not shake this guy unless I faced my fear of falling down a rocky embankment, I agreed to meet him. That morning hike turned into lunch and then a trip to the zoo and plans for date number two. We’ve been a couple ever since!”
Their proposal story is just as unique. After returning home from a trip to New Orleans, they discovered a major leak in their apartment. They slept in the only room that was untouched- the guest bedroom. The next morning Genger recalls, “Steve looked at me lovingly and then told me to wait a minute […] he said something to the effect of, ‘I love you, and while sleeping in our small guest room due to a major leak is less than ideal, it also reinforces that I would not want to do it with anyone else. Will you marry me?’ ” It was an intimate, sincere, and charming proposal.
Genger and Steve are used to persevering throughout hardships, so when Coronavirus threatened their wedding plans, they worked with their vendors to come up with creative ideas to ensure the safety of their guests. Genger shares:
“COVID-19 pandemonium was just starting to surface in the days leading up to our wedding. Two days before, public health authorities were recommending no events of more than 250. We contemplated whether we should proceed at all but at 120 we thought we’d be fine – we were well within public health guidance! By the following week, stay at place orders were being passed all over the country. We took all the precautions of the local and federal public health authorities including encouraging guests to wash their hands, no handshakes, putting out hand sanitizers, no shared utensils, etc.
Our venue and vendors handled the whole event beautifully and fortunately, we had no cases arise from our event. That said, given all that we know now, I am not sure we would have proceeded. The two weeks after were brutal as the news just kept getting worse. Our hearts go out to all the people who have had to postpone. Our guests will certainly always remember our pre-pandemic wedding!”
Genger and Steven’s wedding proves that “Love is not canceled!” See all of the details from their beautiful nuptials below.
- Couple: Genger & Steve Maslowsky
- Wedding Date: Mar 14, 2020
- Wedding Location: The Darcy Hotel; Washington, DC
Quick Facts
- Wedding flowers:
- Bridal bouquet: Hand-tied lush bouquet, organic style made of open roses, mini roses, stock, lisianthus, accent of greenery, blush astilby, adding some blush colors, silver dollar eucalyptus, Italian Ruscus, lemon leaf wrapped with silk ivory ribbon
- Altar installation: Floral installation made of lush assorted greenery, lemon leaf, Italian Ruscus, camellia, white roses, mini roses, accents of blush roses
- Tables: Lush centerpieces made of a lot of assorted greenery, roses, mini roses, lisianthus, white hydrangeas, accents of greenery with gold-toned lanterns
- Favorite item on menu: Tacos!
- Bridesmaids/groomsmen gifts: Loungewear for my sister, the MOH.
- First dance song: Chicago – “You’re the Inspiration”
- Advice for brides: It really, truly goes by fast. Designate 2-3 people to keep an eye on you two to make sure that you and your spouse never spend more than 10 minutes apart.
Tell us how you met.
Like many modern couples, we met online. After initially accepting Steve’s invitation for a first date, I (Genger) tried to get out of the hike Steve planned. Steve, however, saw the woman of his dreams in my profile and so he persisted – offering to reschedule if the timing did not work. Realizing I would not shake this guy unless I faced my fear of falling down a rocky embankment, I agreed to meet him. That morning hike turned into lunch and then a trip to the zoo and plans for date number two. We’ve been a couple ever since!
How did he propose?
Genger: We had just come back from a vacation to New Orleans with my family where I suspected that Steve may have asked my parents for my hand in marriage, but he had not asked yet. After unpacking we went to a neighborhood shop for takeout dinner and came back to our apartment to discover water flowing from walls and raining from the ceiling in multiple places. After placing pots to catch water and contain the damage we called the emergency maintenance personnel who shut off the water to our apartment and directed us to sleep in our guest room, the only unscathed area in our home.
The next morning when we woke up, Steve looked at me lovingly and then told me to wait a minute. I saw him disappear to our bedroom which still had a wet carpet and when we reemerged he looked a bit sheepish and said something to the effect of, “I love you and while sleeping in our small guest room due to a major leak is less than ideal, it also reinforces that I would not want to do it with anyone else. Will you marry me?” Other than our families and very closest friends, we did not tell anyone for a week which was a fun secret to have!
How did you know they were “the one”?
Genger – I knew by the end of our second date that it was going to get serious!
Steve – When she was willing to learn how to score a baseball game, I knew she was a keeper!
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?
My family is from Haiti and Steve is of Ukrainian and Irish heritage. It was important to us to have a way to recognize where we came from and the series of sacrifices that were made by the generations of people before us. For that reason we had Genger’s godsister do a reading in Haitian Creole and we had the DJ incorporate Haitian music at the reception. Our cake was a nod to a traditional Ukrainian Wedding Bread (Korovai) which included decorations representative of Irish and Haitian culture. Clovers for Ireland. Hibiscus for Haiti.
Describe your wedding style.
The original vision was cocktail meets traditional. I love a good cocktail party but the pressure for a more traditional event was real. Our planner helped to create a scenario where guest were not bound to their tables but could move freely throughout the night while, particularly our older guests, had a home base at a traditional table.
Describe your wedding dress and your favorite wedding accessory.
My dress, by Watters, was nude with a lace overlay. I appreciate Watters for having a “nude for me”. It was a dress I found early in my journey, but I tried it on several times before settling. The team at Nordstrom was great and patient in helping me. One of the most notable features of the dress was that it had a lower back. I had scoliosis surgery when I was a teen and I also have vitiligo. I wanted to find a dress that didn’t hide what makes me, me! My favorite feature however was the “Steve’s Wife” denim jacket I got on Etsy!
What is your best memory from your wedding?
The fun our parents seemed to have and the after party!
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Try to have the wedding you want – even if that is not a big wedding at all! Whatever you decided to do, get a planner. They know things you would never even think of and have relationships that will save you in the jam you will most certainly find yourself in. And develop a budget. We went over ours, but because neither of us wanted to go overboard on the wedding, we also started quite frugally. That helped keep overall costs down and forced us to reevaluate what was really important. Ultimately we wanted for nothing!
Vendors
- Photographer: Sokolov Photography
- Event Planner: Lily & Grayson Events
- Reception Venue: The Darcy Hotel
- Floral Designer: Bee Inspired
- Wedding Cake: Buttercream Bakeshop
- Beauty: Aesthetics Salon & Conceptual Beauty
- Wedding Dress: Watters
- Groomsmen: Suit Supply
- Invitations: Zola
- Favors: Stella’s PopKern
- Cinema & Video: Vona B Productions
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