This Bride is so animated and adorable, the second you lay eyes on her you’ll want to be her best friend. Plus she’s rocking a blush colored Vera gown, so you just know she’s all kinds of awesome and toting images by Fresh In Love Photography to prove it. With loads of DIY charm and personality coming out the wazoo, I dare you to look through the full gallery of this Alexandria wedding without brandishing a big, huge smile. It’s contagious, I’m telling you.

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From the Bride… Vihn and I have very different personalities. I love vintage and soft flowers, while he prefers a modern, ultra-clean look. So combining the two looks took some planning, but in the end it all seemed to come together and work well. We did seating placements by writing on old window panes (vintage) but then put chevron on the tables and made the seating names in a modern font. I really wanted a soft simple wedding look on the day, so I chose the most beautiful dusty pink Vera Wang dress that looked beautiful and not too wedding-y. I did my hair and makeup myself, and even my flowers! I’m so glad I did because I felt like myself on the wedding day, just a more beautiful version of me! 

We are both chill people, so even though we knew there would be some procedure involved in a traditional church wedding  we wanted to make sure the reception was all about having a big party with our friends and family. We did do a cake cutting but didn’t make a big deal out of it and let people keep dancing while we did it so that the evening continued to flow perfectly. The best memory is the photos we took with our bridal party right after the ceremony. It was just us and a few super-close friends walking around in the sunshine celebrating the first hour of our new lives together. It was magical.

Wedding Photography: Melissa O’Connell of Fresh In Love Photography / Wedding Venue: The George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia / Floral Design: DIY by the Bride and Her Friends Julia Bresnak-Arata-Siebenaler + Albert Siebenaler / Wedding Invitations: DIY by the Bride / Catering: R&R Catering / Lighting: Brian King of Superlative Events / Wedding Dress: White by Vera Wang / Dress Alterations: Carol of Novella Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Hair: Frizzles Salon & Spa / Makeup: DIY by the Bride / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Charlotte Russe, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie, Forever 21 + H&M / Men’s Suits: Banana Republic