Carter and Caleb’s summer garden brunch wedding featured peachy pink decor and florals, fun and modern details, a live harpist, and a big family-style brunch! Bride, Carter, wore a detailed couture-style dress, which made her guests gasp during the ceremony.
Carter and Caleb first met while studying at Hampton University in Virginia. Years later, they reconnected and went on their first date to a Pop-Up Art Museum on U Street.
Caleb couldn’t have timed his proposal to Carter more perfectly. Carter and Caleb decided to organize a brunch for their families to meet and get to know one another while Caleb’s parents were visiting from out of town.
Not suspecting a thing, Carter drove to Maryland to pick up her grandparents the morning of the brunch. When Carter arrived she made her way up to the rooftop and was surprised to see everyone she knew and loved standing there. She turned around to find Caleb down on one knee, asking her to marry him.
I just cried and looked around in disbelief that everyone could pull off such a surprise without me picking up on it! Truly one of the best days of my life.
– Carter
Carter and Caleb wanted to include their family’s multi-generational tradition of having a weekend brunch into their special day. Adrienne Rolon of Heart’s Content Events and Design shares, “Their hope was to be surrounded by love and have a day filled with moments that they would remember forever and be able to tell their future family for years to come, and the meal acted as a vehicle to celebrate their marriage and foster long-lasting relationships.”.
Read more about the couple’s love story and see the joyful details below!
- Couple: Carter & Caleb
- Occupations: Third-grade teacher | Voting Rights Lawyer
- Wedding date: August 27, 2022
- Wedding location: The Riverview at Occoquan (Lorton, Virginia)
Quick Facts:
- Gifts for bride’s and groom’s people: The groomsmen’s gifts were Comme des Garcons wallets. The bride’s people received monogrammed robes and jewelry (earrings and a necklace) to accompany the wedding look.
- Gifts for one another: We gave each other our signature fragrance. Caleb gifted Carter Miss Dior: Eau de Parfum. Carter gifted Caleb Burberry Brit for Men.
- Ceremony entrance song: The couple had a classically trained harpist play beautiful pieces for the ceremony. The groom entered during “Ribbon In The Sky” by Stevie Wonder, and the bride proceeded to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.”
- First dance song: “Adorn” by Miguel
How did you meet?
We met while in college at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, but we reconnected in D.C. years later and began dating. On our first date, we went to the Pop-Up Art Museum on U Street.
Tell us about the proposal.
Caleb’s parents were planning to come to town for a visit from Dallas. We decided to host a brunch for our families to get to know each other and for my Grandparents to meet Caleb’s parents for the first time. I was responsible for picking up my Grandparents and bringing them to Caleb’s house in DC. I suppose this was the plan so that everyone would have time to arrive in secret because I live in Virginia and my Grandparents live all the way in Maryland.
Once we arrived at his house, my Grandparents asked me to drop them off in the front (which was strange because there was plenty of parking close by and they usually opt to walk). Anyway, I let them out and parked and had to wait downstairs for Caleb to come and get me because his place required a key fob. We went up the elevator to the rooftop where we had planned to host brunch and when I turned the corner, I saw all of my family and friends: Cousins, God Mom, Line Sisters, Best Friends, EVERYONE.
I turned around to find Caleb down on one knee. He shared some of the sweetest words anyone had ever said about me and asked for my hand in marriage. I just cried and looked around in disbelief that everyone could pull off such a surprise without me picking up on it! Truly one of the best days of my life.
Wedding Style:
Caleb’s style is clean and classic but he’s not afraid to surprise people with his love of color. For the wedding, he looked dapper in a navy blue custom tux with a black shawl lapel. We paired that with a lush floral pocket square!
What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
It took a while for Carter to find her perfect dress. She went to multiple shops, including making an entire trip to New York to visit Kleinfeld’s with no luck. She finally found the perfect dress closer to home at Love Couture Bridal in Potomac, Maryland. This Eisen Stein Bridal gown had a fun and playful, yet couture look, with structured boning in the bodice and sweetheart neckline, feminine pearl beading throughout the dress, and feather accents for a flirtatious flair.
Carter admitted that the gown wasn’t something she would typically think to wear before dress shopping, but she LOVED the way she felt in it and that it made her feel like her best self! The gown was such a stunner and accented her beautiful and vivacious personality. The gown made such an impact that when she came through the doors to the courtyard to make her bridal procession, all 250 of her guests gasped at how stunning she looked!
The couple desired a modern, fun, joyful, and slightly cheeky wedding aesthetic, which is absolutely perfect for a Saturday Brunch!
– Adrienne Rolon (Hearts Content Events and Design)
Even more than all the pretty things, every detail was curated in such a way to help their guests feel enveloped in the couple’s love story, and to feel like they are fellowshipping with one another at one of the couple’s favorite brunch spots.
– Adrienne Rolon (Hearts Content Events and Design)
Culture:
The couple wanted to incorporate their family’s multi-generational tradition to have a weekend family-style brunch, at their wedding. Breakfast and brunch-style meal items were served on large platters so that guests could pass them amongst strangers who were now becoming family!
Their hope was to be surrounded by love and have a day filled with moments that they would remember forever and be able to tell their future family for years to come. The meal acted as a vehicle to celebrate their marriage and foster long-lasting relationships.
Carter and Caleb are one of the sweetest couples you will ever meet. They infused their love story into their wedding day, truly making every guest feel loved, served, and cared for as a part of their beautiful journey together!
– Adrienne Rolon (Hearts Content Events and Design)
What is the best memory from your wedding?
Our favorite memory from the day was the time in between the ceremony and reception when we got to spend some time alone with each other and cherish our union before sharing the moment with our family and friends.
What is the best advice you can give to engaged couples?
Spend the year or months that you are planning the wedding reinvesting in your relationship with your partner. The journey to the wedding day comes with a range of emotions and lots of decisions. It was amazing to use that planning time to learn more about each other’s creative process.
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Vendors:
- Planner & Designer: Heart’s Content Events & Design
- Venue & Catering: The River View
- Photographer: Christian Nwosu Photography
- Floral Designer: Heart’s Content Events & Design
- Cake Artist: Jenny Baked It
- DJ: DJ Breemz
- Mirror Photobooth: Focus and Fabulous
- Hair Stylists: Aesthetics Salon
- Makeup Artist: Shannie on The Beat
- Furniture Rentals: Something Vintage Rentals
- Table Top Rentals: Select Event Group
- Harpist (Ceremony Musician): Dr. Verneeta Williams with Harp Sisters
- Guitarist (Cocktail Hour Musician): John G. Lewis
- Getaway Vehicle: Rolls Wedding Limos
- Save The Dates: Minted
- Invitations & Day of Paperie: Paper Dolls Design
- Signage: The Native Lion
- Escort Cards: Erica Leigh Design
- Bridal Boutique: Love Couture Bridal
- Bridal Gown Designer: Eisen Stein Bridal
- Groom’s Tux: Dolvini Bespokes
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