1. Real Weddings

Rebecca & Elliot: A Modern Wedding in Washington, DC

Rebecca and Elliot met their freshman year at Duke University. They lived in the same dorm and, as they were studying in the same program, met their v

Rebecca and Elliot met their freshman year at Duke University. They lived in the same dorm and, as they were studying in the same program, met their very first day of classes. The two were good friends from the start and soon became more than that. After graduation, both relocated to New York. The Bride Rebecca Kristol, 24, project manager The Groom Elliot Silver, 25, lawyer The Date May 27 There, five years after they had started dating, Rebecca arrived to meet Elliot and his family for dinner and found no one was at the restaurant. She called Elliot, who said their plans had changed and that they were at a different place down the block. It turns out it was just him waiting, and he had reserved a private room inside the romantic French restaurant just for them. After asking Rebecca to marry him, Elliot surprised her once again -- with two plane tickets to the Bahamas to celebrate their engagement.

Rebecca and Elliot married beneath a huppah set up in the west atrium of the National Building Museum in downtown DC. The indoor ceremony took place at twilight.
Rebecca and Elliot cut a five-tiered cake frosted in white buttercream and adorned with fresh flowers in their wedding colors.
Apple green, pin-tuck linens covered the dinner tables, which also boasted centerpieces of colorful roses, orchids, and calla lilies of varying heights. Laurel trees hung with votive candles also sat atop some of the tables.
Rebecca’s bridesmaids carried bouquets in a mix of coral, deep pink, peach, and green hues including parrot tulips, roses, and orchids.
After the ceremony, Rebecca and Elliot’s guests headed to the building’s east atrium for a cocktail reception before dinner and dancing, which took place in the center atrium. Columns that nearly reached the roof -- almost 15 stories high -- framed the main space, which has a fountain in the center. The gold columns were uplit in amber, and potted peace lilies surrounded the pool.
Rebecca and Elliot’s guests danced to their band’s mix of Motown and contemporary hits -- and, of course, the hora! The couple shared their first dance to Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love.”