Lynne and Ray’s 10-Year Vow Renewal in March was one for the books! To begin with, they are such a warm, kind, intentional, and thoughtful couple to work with and to see interact with each other.
They each have their own international backgrounds, together and separately. Because of this, they wanted to include minority-owned businesses within their vendor team. They also wanted to support local and international small businesses as they decided on items to include in their beautiful favor boxes they gifted to guests. Each item in their gift box is from a country they both have a rich history with.
Portraits
Lynne and Ray had gotten married in Pakistan 10 years ago and circumstances didn’t allow them to have a traditional wedding with all of their family and friends in attendance. So Lynne, in particular, wanted their vow renewal to be special and memorable.
And boy, was it!
Since Lynne and Ray hadn’t taken many photos of their wedding day, they prioritized securing a talented and engaging photographer for wedding portraits and reception photos, and Terri Baskin absolutely delivered! The Library of Congress and the US Capitol were the perfect backdrops for portraits before the ceremony and dinner. We love how both Lynne and Ray’s personalities shine through the photos.
Ceremony and Dinner
The vow renewal ceremony and dinner was at the stunning and impressive La Vie on the DC Wharf.
As part of their vow renewal, Lynne and Ray had a Quaich Ceremony. A Quaich is a Scottish traditional cup with two handles. The Quaich is often referred to as the love cup as each person takes a handle to take a drink, showing they trust one another to share the cup. You can fill the cup with a drink of choice, usually whisky. It is an ancient vessel used by two families or clans, to celebrate a bond, with each leader partaking of the offered drink. It is symbolic of the sharing between the couple.
From the beginning, Lynne had a vision of what she wanted the dinner to look like – she definitely knew she wanted an aura of elegance, the color teal, beautiful flowers, and hoped to be able to incorporate her beloved Glassybabby handmade glass votive candle holders somehow at the dinner.
With the amazing work of Yen at Chic Girl Flowers, Mission Accomplished!
Stationery, Gift Boxes and Cake
All the celebration stationery – invitations, menus, and favor box inserts and wax seal were designed by Bridget Goldsmith, and were as striking as they were perfect.
Inside each favor box was:
- Sage Honey from California
- Cape Malay Curry Blend from South Africa
- Lemongrass Candles from Bangkok
- Himalayan Pink Bath Salts from Pakistan
- Cherry Blossom Cookies from Washington, DC
Finally, the wedding cake and groom’s cake Sally from the Cakebee made were on another level. The backstory for the groom’s cake – years ago, this Jeep model was Ray’s most prized (material) possession, but he ultimately had to sell it to pay for his son’s surgery. Lynne surprised Ray with this after dinner and there were definitely tears!
And that’s a wrap for a beautiful couple, inside and out! This 10-year vow renewal was a truly memorable and picturesque night on the town!
Vendor Team:
Planning and Design: Honey and Lavender Events
Venue: La Vie
Photographer: Terri Baskin Photography
Florist: Chic Girl Flowers, Blooms
Bakery: Cakebee
Calligraphy: Bridget Goldsmith Stationery and Design
Gift Boxes: Carmel Honey Company, Get Spice, Cosmic Grounds, Small Peace of Home, Michelle Chiu
Be sure to check out last week’s blog on 4th of July party ideas!
