Melissa and Nathaniel’s radiant outdoor summer wedding features a bold, citrus color palette, gorgeous, bright florals, and a fun photo op!
Living in different cities, Melissa and Nathaniel were first introduced through a mutual friend on Facetime. At the time, Melissa wasn’t thinking of pursuing a long-distance relationship. Over a year later, Melissa was on a road trip and stopped in Denver, where Nathaniel lived, and they met in person for the first time.
Less than a month later he came to Virginia to ask Melissa out, and they started officially dating. They were in a long distance relationship until the wedding!
– Shirley Goodwin (JR Flowers)
Since they were in a long-distance relationship, Nathaniel easily slid under Melissa’s radar and planned a romantic surprise proposal with the help of Melissa’s best friends. Melissa attended a dinner with her friends where they all dressed up and had a great time. On their way out of the restaurant, Nathaniel was waiting, flowers in hand. He led her back into the restaurant and to a private room where a photographer was ready to capture the big moment. Afterward, their friends and family came into the room to join them for an engagement party.
Melissa and Nathaniel’s summer wedding blended timeless, elegant attire with fun, lush florals and citrus colors with pops of pink, creating a fun, yet romantic atmosphere. Each detail seamlessly blended into one another, the florals tying the decor, cake, and tablescape together. For cocktail hour, there was a chic color-blocked flower wall, which served as a gorgeous photo op for the newlywed couple and guests.
See the radiant details of their summer wedding below!
- Couple: Melissa & Nathaniel
- Occupations: Publicist | Data Scientist
- Wedding date: August 26, 2023
- Wedding location: Newton White Mansion in Mitchellville, Maryland
Quick Facts:
- Ceremony entrance song: No entrance! We chose to do a room reveal before any guests entered the space so we could enjoy seeing all our hard work come together. Then, once the cocktail hour ended we welcomed guests into the reception area as they took their seats and used that moment as an opportunity to walk around to each table and say quick hellos!
- First dance song: “Someone Like You” by Snoh Aalegra
How did you meet?
We were introduced virtually by my best friend from high school who went to college with Nathaniel at Duke University. Over a year later we met in real life while I was on a road trip and stopped in Denver where Nathaniel lived.
Tell us about the proposal.
Since we were in a long-distance relationship, the proposal was a total surprise! Nathaniel planned it all with help from my best friends. They planned a dinner where I got to dress up and enjoy my friends’ company, then afterward he surprised me outside with flowers. Back in the restaurant, there was a private room set up with balloons, more flowers, and a photographer who captured the moment he proposed. Then the surprise continued with all our family and friends. They came into the room and we had an engagement party with appetizers and drinks provided by the restaurant.
Wedding Style
Our wedding style was timeless with a little drama! I wore a strapless trumpet-style dress with a layered skirt that was so fun to move and dance in. Nathaniel wore a classic white jacket with a black lapel and details. Both easily selected the attire, selecting the first items they ever tried on!
Did you incorporate any culture into the wedding?
Melissa’s family is from Latin America. To honor that, we had a Spanish scripture reading during the ceremony. In the reception, Melissa and her dad danced to a Spanish song for their first dance and there was a conga player present throughout the party to infuse the powerful Latin drum sound. Plus lots of salsa, reggaeton, and bachata music for guests to dance to!
The bride’s family is from Panama and Cuba. She absolutely loves bright colors, especially orange. We used a citrus themed color palette to design the wedding. Fabulous, lush florals were everywhere, including a eye catching color blocked flower wall.
Shirley Goodwin (JR Flowers)
What is the best memory from your wedding?
Melissa’s favorite memory was dancing with her 80-year-old grandma who traveled from Panama City, Panama to be present at the wedding.
It was a special moment because it took a lot of effort and planning for her to make the long trip.
-Melissa
Nathaniel’s favorite memory was taking portraits with Melissa immediately after the ceremony.
We had a very sweet private time with just us and our photographers where we got some of the best photos of the day. Then, we were joined by our families for some large group photos and it was so encouraging to receive all their love and congratulations for us.
– Nathaniel
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
Enjoy every moment and don’t rush through the process. Even if you have a shorter engagement like we did (eight months), take your time and really savor the experience and celebrations. Also don’t get caught up in all the trends of planning your ceremony and reception. It’s fun to incorporate a few trends, but still make sure it’s true to you as a couple and something you will look back on with joy.
Looking for more summer wedding inspiration?
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Vendors
- Planning & Design: Love Clark Events
- Florist: JR Flowers
- Photographer: Burroughs Photography
- Videographer: Timeless Photo & Video
- Tabletop: Select Event Group
- MUA: Stefani J. Beauty
- Hair: Marlene Franco
- Catering: Genesis Delight Catering
- Cake: A Sweet Confession
- Custom Designs: My Dream Party Rentals
- Rentals: Dalissa Events Party Rentals
- Bartenders: Creme de la Creme Bartenders
- DJ: Hercules Entertainment
- Invitations: Minted
- Bridal Attire: Allure Bridals
Thank you so much! What a dream to have our special day editorialized in THE MunaLuchi Bride!!
Thank you so much for sharing your love story with us!