WESTIN Alexandria Wedding :: Michelle & Luis

Gentle Nudge | Picture heavy post for all the RIGHT reasons.

Date: Saturday, September 1, 2012

Location: Westin Hotel, Alexandria, VA

Colors/Style: Orange, Brown, Purple and Turquoise; playful “Lovebirds” graphics and “Free to Fly” contemporary theme

Happy Friday to everyone out there! I am featuring two incredible people in this entry today: Michelle and Luis. You may remember this adorable couple from their feature in the Washington DC Express Newspaper? Well, the two lovebirds finally tied the knot on September 1, 2012 at the gorgeous Westin Hotel in Alexandria, VA. And indeed, it was *hands down*… the “wedding of the year”!

I knew that Michelle and Luis’ wedding was going to be full of fun and excitement. Hand-crafted decor, self-written vows and a nice fuse of Spanglish (music, words and otherwise)… wow, they had it all! I also knew that it was going to be a feast for the senses: all five of them! Michelle and her family’s labor of love that went into visioning, designing and executing every single intricate detail of this wedding (hey, she IS a graphic designer) paid off a hundredfold. (I could have died and gone to “design that works” heaven!) The wedding was mind-blowing and beautiful, in all aspects of taste, signage, color and imagery. They even included a separate kids’ room (the first I’ve seen at a wedding) with goody bags, coloring pages, snacks, comfy beds and Wii with plenty of games to keep the kiddies entertained as mom and dad danced the night away.

DID YOU KNOW THAT… a (tropical) rainstorm brewed outside for a good 20-30 minutes during the reception. Even though the lights flickered, the party still went on… and at full force, might I add! 

As a wedding favor to her guests, Michelle even designed and included a package of greeting cards, tucked away in a burlap sack for each guest to take home. I intend on doing a separate entry about Michelle’s DYI/design process in the coming weeks (so check back for that feature soon!).

It also tickles me to see how these two totally compliment each other. From Michelle’s tranquil personality and generous heart to Luis’ sense of determination and practicality, it is no wonder that they say opposites attract. Michelle and Luis also have two adorable sons: Jordan and Samuel, who were their ring bearers during the ceremony. On the first evening in September, they celebrated many magical years of being together. They now look forward to even more great life adventures together.

Without further adieu, I would like to showcase some of my favorite shots from Michelle and Luis’ splendid wedding earlier this month. Special thanks to my assistant photographer Emily for all her help documenting the cocktail party and grand entrance while I covered portraits… and to Michelle’s wedding planner/BFF Yanira for her exceptional organization skills.

M&L: I am so grateful to have been a part of such a special celebration and know that the love and prayers of your beautiful friends and family will encourage you in your marriage from here on out!