Glamorous White Wedding at the Sequoia Restaurant in DC: Carolyn + Donte

Carolyn and Donte’s wedding came straight out of a fairytale. Glamour was the aesthetic that danced about their reception space. With a pure white color palette and silver accents the wedding was simply stunning. Glass tables and vases were the perfect compliments to the elegant affair. Carolyn’s Sottero and Midgley ball gown was the most appropriate piece for the wedding, the intricate bodice mimicked the glittering blue decor that hung from the ceiling. Photographed by Tunji Sarumi, take a look at Carolyn and Donte’s glamorous white wedding at the Sequoia Restaurant in Washington D.C.

Quick Facts
Favorite item on the wedding menu: Chicken breast and short rib
Bridesmaids/groomsmen gifts: Groomsmen received personalized flasks, bridesmaids received Chanel earrings (daughter of groom received personalized silver heart locket that read “Marriage makes you family, Love makes you my daughter” as a gift from bride; son of bride received a personalized silver bracelet with his name and a cross from the groom)
First dance song: “The Wedding Song” by AhmirBride: Carolyn Jayne Howell
Groom: Donte Angelo Young
Wedding date: September 13, 2015
Wedding location: Sequoia RestaurantTell us all about the proposal!
For the proposal, he told me he was planning a date for your 3 year anniversary that involved going to the spa and a restaurant. When I arrived home from work he told me he would be there shortly. I entered my home and there were a dozen white roses on the steps. As I walked up the steps to the living room I found another dozen red roses in a vase. Then on the living room floor was the TV remote control lying lying in the middle of a heart of red rose petals. He placed a note on the remote that said “turn on TV.” When I turned it on he had a slideshow of pics over the 3 years of our relationship. The song playing in the background was “Marry Me” by R Kelly. The last pic was of the ring! I turned around in excitement to find him walk out in a suit. He he got down on one knee and asked for my hand. A few hours later he took me to Stanford Grill Restaurant in Columbia. When I walked in I was surprised to find he had invited our family and close friends!Describe your wedding dress. What was wedding shopping like for you?My wedding dress was created by Sottero and Midgely and is a ballgown style dress. It had a lot of beading and crystals in the bodice and had an invisible corset. The color is champagne. I actually went dress shopping by myself initially and the dress I chose was the very first dress I tried on! I later invited my mother, mother in law, sister, sister in law and his cousin to shop with me and pick out dresses for me and vote on them. I reserved the dress I already loved for last and didn’t tell anyone I previously went shopping. When I tried it on for them everyone agreed it was THE dress!What is your best memory from your wedding?
Our best memory is seeing each other for the first time when I started to walk down the aisle. We will also never forget “taking in” the set up for the reception while no one else was in the room during cocktail hour. Additionally, it was so special to dance with our parents who collectively have more than 50 years of marriage.What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Stay true to your vision, and prioritize aspects of your wedding so you know what’s worth the splurge and what can be sacrificed. Enjoy the process of planning together and compromise with each other. In the end we had a great sense of accomplishment that we planned and financed the wedding together. It is a big undertaking!
Vendors
Venue: Sequoia Restaurant
Wedding Planner and Coordinator: Gloria Westbrook
Flowers and rental furniture: DaVinci Florist
Dress: Sottero and Midgely
Hair: Sekia The Hair Mystro, Pilus Life Salon
Makeup: Brittany Rogers Artistry
Tuxedo Rental: Ellie’s Bridal Boutique
DJ: DJ Reddz
Cake: Kupcakes and Co
Officiant: Pastor Sean Robinson
Photographer: Tunji Sarumi