A Winter Elopement at River Farm in Alexandria, Virginia

Nawel Moreno (33 and a lawyer and paralegal recruitment manager) and Joe Moreno (34 and a lawyer) wanted to run away and get married on a beach somewhere, but they knew their families would want to be there. So they had an intimate ceremony at River Farm, a historic venue in Alexandria, Virginia, that used to be part of George Washington's estate. "I can't rave enough about River Farms or the people who work there," Nawel says. "They truly care about what they do and went above and beyond to make sure we had a special day." The ceremony took place in the parlor room of the main house on the farm. Nawel and Joe's 13 guests sat around them in a semi-circle while the couple themselves stood by the large Christmas tree in the corner as they said their vows. The mantel was decorated with spray-painted silver and gold scabiosa pods, pinecones and ornaments for the occasion. During the ceremony, guests participated in a "ring pass" in which each guest held the wedding rings and made a wish for the bride and groom. "It meant so much to Joe and me to have them part of the ceremony instead of just observing," Nawel says. Jacqie Q Photography captured the day—see more, below.