Classic DC Wedding at the Carnegie Institution for Science

Chloe and Troy’s spring wedding oozes classic Washington DC charm! The couple worked with Roberts & Co. Events to celebrate Chloe’s hometown with an elegant soiree at the Carnegie Institution for Science. A color palette of blush and gold for the reception paired with a heavy dose of candlelight, and fun details such as a southern-inspired biscuit bar with fried chicken, jam, and butter insured a fantastic guest experience. Chloe even kept the best secret ever from her guests: the Washington Nationals Presidents visited for a raucous dance party! From the stir sticks featuring their pups to the stationery accented with dogwoods to represent Virginia, this is one DC event we won’t soon forget, and it’s all captured wonderfully by Kristen Gardner!

Navy and Pink Wedding Stationery
Classic Bridal Portrait Kristen Gardner
Pink and Ivory Bride Bouquet
Bridal Party in Black Dresses
Bride in DC at Jefferson Memorial
Classic Washington DC Wedding 3
Black Bridesmaids Dresses
Classic Washington DC Wedding 5
Classic Washington DC Wedding 10
Garden Rose Bouquet
Classic Washington DC Wedding 15
Classic Washington DC Wedding 12
Classic Washington DC Wedding 4
Rose Gold Sequin Table
Champagne Station for Wedding
Gold Ballroom Wedding in Washington DC
Elegant Candle Centerpiece
Pink and Gold DC Ballroom Wedding
Gold Ballroom Wedding in DC
Custom Wedding Stir Sticks
Petite Three Tier Wedding Cake
Pink Gold DC Ballroom Wedding
Washington Nationals Mascots Visit Wedding 3
Washington Nationals Mascots Visit Wedding 2
Classic Washington DC Wedding 17

In their own words

How did you meet?
We met in college at Lehigh University and dated our junior and senior year. We tease each other because we can never remember the exact moment we met. After college, Troy moved back to his home state of Arizona and Chloe moved to DC to pursue her passion in politics. Eighteen months later and countless flights back and forth, Troy moved to the East Coast.

What is your proposal story?
We had been dating for six years and knew we would be get married, it was just a matter of when. We had visited a local jeweler to design the ring, but Troy wanted to it to be a surprise of when he would actually propose. The unfortunate part is he is terrible at keeping secrets. Chloe knew he had picked up the ring so was just waiting for when it would happen, knowing he couldn’t hold on to it too long. The day after he picked up the ring, he picked up Chloe from a night out with girlfriends and brought her back to their condo and proposed with football playing in the background (he played college football) and our two dogs jumping up and down excitedly from the commotion.

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?
The most important thing to us was our guests having the best time. So many of them had traveled to be with us and we wanted to throw them a great party. To that end, food was extremely important to us. We love to travel and one of our favorite places that we go back to again and again is Charleston so the cocktail hour was southern inspired with a biscuit bar, including fried chicken, jams and butter.

What were your favorite parts of the day?
Both: We had a Catholic mass and being on the altar looking out at all of our family and friends and being next to each other was incredible. Chloe: The National presidents coming into the reception was amazing. It was something I had kept a secret during the planning process and was so excited to see everyone’s reaction. They were a HUGE hit and so fun to dance with at the reception. It definitely gave a DC flair to the party. Troy: I have become a scotch enthusiast over the years and Chloe surprised me (and our guests) with a scotch bar with tastings of some of my favorites. She put so much planning into the entire day, but this was such a personal touch to give me.

Describe any DIY, handmade, or personal details.
It was extremely important to us to have our wedding be a representation of us as individuals and a couple. We wrote notes to each of our guests to have at their place setting when they sat down. We wanted them to know how grateful we were to have them join us in celebrating our marriage. We have two dogs (Dalton and Macon) that we adore. We knew they couldn’t be there the day of but wanted to ensure that they were represented that day. We named each of our cocktails after them and had personalized drink stirrers made with their silhouette. Chloe’s dad is not a particularly emotional person but she surprised him by dancing with him to Country Roads. As a West Virginia native, he may have shed a tear or two. We travel a fair amount and wanted a piece of the day to reflect our passion for it. Our guest book was a globe with the inscription “you are my greatest adventure”. It has become a cherished part of our home decor. We also brought in the Washington Nationals Presidents for our reception!

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
Set aside time with each other that is not wedding related! It can quickly be all consuming and having that time is crucial to reconnect with your fiance and remember why you’re getting married in the first place. Each year we write down 12 things we want to do together over the year. Some of them are simple like a visiting a park and some are larger like a weekend getaway. On the first of every month, we pull one of them out a vase and make a promise to do it that month.During our 18 month engagement, that was a great way to have something to look forward to outside of wedding planning.

Event Credits

Ceremony VenueHoly Rosary Church
Wedding PlanningRoberts & Co Events
Wedding DressBHLDN
Bride’s ShoesKate Spade
Bride’s ShoesJack Rogers
Bridesmaids DressesBella Bridesmaids
Wedding DressJenny Yoo
Groom’s AttireBrooks Brothers
Bridesmaids JewelryJulie Vos