You hear about couples wanting to make their wedding day their own, but when it comes to Phil and Samantha’s big day you really get a distinct feeling for who they are as a couple through all their sweet wedding day details. We are in love with her pink studded heels and can’t get enough of their perfect wedding favor idea.
Keep scrolling to find more of this beautiful day brought to you by Samantha C. Cross. Plus you can find all of the photos taken by the talented Sarah Shank Photography in our full gallery.
Their love story
Phil and I were engaged just 6 months prior in Nantucket to our end of February wedding in Washington, DC. We knew we wanted an urban, stylish, and intimate wedding. Simple, but with elements that showcased our personalities and tastes. We tossed around just a couple of ideas, but we ultimately wanted our family and friends to share a piece of our lives that we’ve made together in Washington, DC. We met in DC, by chance, over salads one summer day 4 years earlier. Phil asked me, “what kind of salad are you eating?”, and the rest, as they say, is history. We have since lived in the same neighborhood together for all of that time.
The Venue
We saw our venue, The LINE Hotel, being built from a construction site, to completion and the second it was open, we had to check it out. The LINE was converted from an old First Christ of Scientist Church. The hotel maintained many of the original details of the Church such as milk glass, re-purposed pews, organ pipes, and original wood floors. We knew immediately we wanted to be married here, and that it would be the perfect way to show our loved ones our special place.
One of the main reasons we chose The LINE was for the incredible rooftop, which has arguably one the best view of DC, and we planned to have our ceremony on the rooftop. It rained on our wedding day, so we had to shift gears, but with the coordination of The LINE, and our wonderful photographer, Sarah Shank, the day was equally as beautiful, and our ceremony was set in a separate indoor space from our reception. The LINE continues to be a place Phil and I often frequent, and love to meet up with friends for cocktails or dinner.
The Wedding Style
I wanted my color palette to reflect my personality, which is fun, upbeat, but also sophisticated. My dress was fairly simple, so I wanted to ensure my shoes and florals exuded a bright pop of color. There were bright pinks, corals, hints of orange, yellow, and of course lots of lush greens. One of the most exciting parts of my bouquet was the yellow poppies. Together with our florist, Meredith E.S. Wallace of Rockingbird Flower Co., we chose the palette based on my favorite color, coral, and my Valentino shoes matched perfectly. The bridesmaids’ dresses were also dark green, as were the groomsmen’s ties to tie into all the lush greenery.
In terms of a venue, we wanted to have a chic, vintage feel. The LINE was the perfect mix of hip, modern and urban with vintage flair throughout. With only 70 guests, we wanted the Banneker Ballroom at The LINE Hotel, which was part of the original church basement, to feel like an intimate dinner party. We set up a lounge area and bar on one side, long farmhouse style tables in the center, and the DJ/dance floor on the opposite side of the room.
Sweet Details
My husband bought a vintage Hermes 3000 typewriter during a trip to NYC for his bachelor party. He typed out our escort cards using the type writer. Each card had the guest’s name and table number on them, as well as a fun inside joke typed on the back. We then secured them to our favors, which were FieldNotes notebooks. My husband writes and journals every day, and wanted to share a favorite small business with guests.
One of the most important things to both of us were incorporating lots of family photos into our day as well. The reception room had 3 large fireplaces and mantels and were decorated with lots, and lots of family photos and family wedding photos. In keeping with our desire for our day to be intimate and focused around family and close friends, we chose our siblings to be our bridal party. I have 2 sisters, and Phil has 2 brothers, so we felt that made the most sense to us. Phil’s brother also officiated the ceremony, and our best friends each read a poem during the ceremony.
My favorite moment of the whole day was walking into the reception room before all the other guests arrived to have a quiet moment to reflect on the day thus far. My husband and I walked around, checked out our cake, and the table scapes.
The Budget Breakdown
Photographer – $2,500
Florals – $2,500
Rentals $2,000
Venue & Catering – $20,000
DJ – $1,500
Paper Goods – $500
Wedding Dress – $1,000
Bridesmaid Dresses – $500
Groom’s Suit – $1,500
Groomsmen’s Suits – $500
