Hotel Winter Wedding in DC by Lexi Truesdale Photography

Did you know that I not only can photograph your wedding but your rehearsal dinner too?! When Ashley and Max first inquired with me and told me they wanted not only their wedding covered but also their rehearsal dinner, I JUMPED on the opportunity. From sipping champagne in an Irish pub to celebrating their wedding in a luxurious hotel, this is one day you’re not going to want to miss. Keep scrolling if you want to read more about their beautiful Hotel Winter Wedding in DC.

How It All Began

Before diving into all of the nitty-gritty details of their wedding day, it’s important to know where and how it all began. Ashley and Max started out as friends, of course how a lot of relationships start. Ashley and Max were co-workers first and mainly hung out when it was with their mutual friends. However they never viewed each other romantically. It wasn’t until January of 2020 that things slowly began developing into something more. Right when the pandemic hit is when their relationship took a turn and became official. It really seems like the pandemic brought love to a lot of couples, am I right?

Throughout the next year, they spent as much time as possible. Traveling between both of their homes up until March of 2021 when they both decided to move in together. Since then Ashley and Max’s bond has only grown stronger and now I’m out here photographing their wedding! My job is quite literally the coolest, just sayin’.

Rehearsal Dinner

For their rehearsal dinner, we made our way over to Kelly’s Irish Times here in Washington, DC. Ashley and Max love sipping on some good beers together, so it was only natural to have their rehearsal dinner at a pub. Surrounded by their closest family and friends, we spent the night sipping champagne, dancing on tabletops, and soaking up the moments before their big day. Since it was night when all of this occurred, my flash was my best friend. We even went outside to take some flash photos of Ashley and Max walking down the alleyway. Which if you ask me, gave me major paparazzi vibes!

Hotel Winter Wedding in DC

Getting Ready & Detail Shots

On the day of their wedding, it was a beautiful February day. I and my second photographer and arrived and split up between Ashley and Max’s getting-ready locations. Since they were both getting ready at the venue, this wasn’t a difficult task.

However, this is a good point to mention that if you want both getting ready moments photographed on your wedding day and have different locations (meaning locations or even hotel floors), having a second photographer is the way to go. Since I can’t be in two places at once, having a second photographer ensures that every moment is captured perfectly. We took a few detailed photos while Ashley and Max were finishing up getting ready. I always recommend that before your wedding photographer arrives, to have your detailed shots all squared away. Items such as necklaces, shoes, invitations, mementos, etc can be tucked away in a box so that when your wedding photographer arrives everything is in one place. This leads to less scrambling and more preparation – trust me!

The First Look(s)

Once Ashley and Max were done getting ready, it was time for them to meet up for their first look. We headed to the rooftop of their venue where Max was greeted by his beautiful bride-to-be. His reaction says it all. Ashley also mentioned that she really wanted to do a first look with her dad and Max’s groomsmen, so we did just that. If you ask me, I LOVE when my couples want to do multiple first looks. Stepping outside of the box, doing something different, and wanting to involve all of the people you care about is not a bad thing, in fact, it’s encouraged! Do what you want to do, have a first look with whoever you want to have a first look with, and live your best life. I mean after all… you are getting married.

If you want to read more about what a first look or what a first touch is, check out this blog here where I go a little bit more in-depth!

Portraits

After first looks, we spent the remaining amount of time taking portraits. Whenever I work with my couples, I always send out a wedding questionnaire that helps me build out your wedding day timeline. This timeline is CRUCIAL when planning out your photography coverage for your wedding day. It ensures that every moment that you want to be captured will have its place and that we will have enough time in the day to do so. The last thing we ever want is to feel rushed, slow and steady wins the race so having dedicated amounts of time will help us in the long run.

When I tell you that Ashley and Max looked like models, I’m not joking. They really gave off that sultry editorial look which was exactly what we were going for. We spent our time on the rooftop of their venue taking solo portraits & wedding party photos before heading to the ceremony.

Ceremony

Ashley and Max’s whole wedding day was held at The Conrad, here in Washington, DC. This hotel offers a contemporary luxury feel and really centers its decor on the beauty of art. It truly ties in all of the Washington DC culture, history, and art and fully immerses you in it. Its many different spaces for weddings & events make an elevated experience that you truly don’t want to forget. This has to be one of my favorite wedding venues in DC and looking through these photos, hopefully, you’ll see why.

Ashley & Max’s ceremony was dimly lit and had candles lit up down the center aisle. It created a very elegant and moody vibe and was so simple yet so absolutely perfect. So if you’re in the middle of planning your wedding and are unsure of wedding decor, listen up. While decor can play a big role in creating the overall theme or mood of your special day, sometimes a simple & minimalistic approach can speak volumes. Do what you feel fits best, not just follow the inspiration you find while scrolling through Pinterest. Speaking of Pinterest, if you’re ever in need of some inspiration don’t be afraid to stalk my page. Just click here!

Reception

After the ceremony, I snuck Ashley and Max away for a few night photos. At The Conrad, there is a beautiful grand staircase so, of course, we had to take some flash photos. One of the important things that Ashley and Max stressed was that they wanted their wedding photos to be fun, sexy, and candid. True reactions that reflect their fun-loving personalities. We then went outside to do a celebratory champagne pop before meeting up with their wedding guests.

The Neufeld’s were officially married and it was time to get the party started. We spent the remainder of the night listening to some emotionally heartfelt speeches, cake cutting, and a whole lot of dancing. Ashley even came prepped and ready with sneakers to make sure she was able to groove on the dance floor, which I would 10/10 recommend. Ashley and Max shared some slices of pizza before ending off the night with a final kiss as a confetti cannon went off. Now if you’re wondering what “going out with a bang” looks like… well this is it. This beautiful Hotel Winter Wedding in DC is one to remember and one I most certainly won’t forget.

If you loved reading all about this Hotel Winter Wedding in DC, then you’re going to love this Intimate Wedding Ceremony in DC.