An Elegant Wedding at Dumbarton House in Washington, DC

The beautiful gardens and historic museum at Dumbarton House in Washington, DC, won over Lauren Wilk (32 and a lobbyist) and Carl Wilk (33 and in government) for their elegant wedding. "The venue was perfect for a small wedding, with an intimate space but plenty of room," Lauren says. "The house had an interesting history, a great location and a garden that was romantic but a little bit wild." The invitations reflected the upcoming wedding amazingly well, with depictions of Lauren and Carl in cartoon forms near the brick Dumbarton House and floral accents resembling the landscape. They used the gardens and indoor ballroom as inspiration, letting the surrounding environment dictate the wedding day shades. The bridesmaids picked their purple dresses in a style of their choice, and the groomsmen wore their own tuxedos and suits they already owned. Menu cards resembled the initial invitations to the wedding with a design of the Dumbarton House, set at each seat on white-covered dining tables. We loved the classic white four-tier wedding cake perched on top of a thick silver stand, decorated with fresh flowers and surrounded by warm votive candles. See more lovely touches that made this wedding so elegant, below.