Emily & Sam in Washington, DC

Using the wedding's historical setting as inspiration, Emily and Sam entertained guests with a classic, elegant affair in Washington, DC. The Bride Emily Burdick, 25 The Groom Samuel Heide, 25 The Date May 21 Emily Burdick and Samuel Heide met during the first day of their freshman orientation at Vanderbilt University. Though the pair quickly became best friends, they didn’t connect romantically till their junior year. Years later, Emily was planning a trip to Mississippi for the Memorial Day holiday when Sam surprised her with a drastic change of plans -- they were booked on a flight for Venice, Italy! On their way to dinner the first night, they crossed the Rialto Bridge at sunset, and Sam, pretending to be unsure where they were going, asked Emily to check the map. When she unfolded it, the map said, “Will you marry me?” The couple celebrated their engagement for the next two days before returning to DC to be feted by both of their families.