Mandarin Oriental wedding Washington DC

It is not an exaggeration to say that Hiba + Matt’s Mandarin Oriental summer wedding in DC was a nonstop day of emotion, laughs and so many surprises! They were determined to give their guests an event they wouldn’t forget.

The Mandarin Oriental ballroom was transformed beautifully and guests sat at their tables to watch the ceremony unfold on a stage surrounded by flowers. The elegant pops of red were just the right touch. Officiated by family, the ceremony was lighthearted and funny. And then, the party!! The wedding party was escorted back into the ballroom by Lebanese drummers as a nod to the bride’s heritage. Yes, they did the traditional first dance but that was after two of the groomsmen “kidnapped” the bride but were foiled when Matt burst into the ballroom accompanied by the “Mission Impossible” theme. From that point on the dance floor was packed–led by the bride and groom who were terrific dancers. The final surprise came during the cake cutting. Did I mention it was a 7-foot cake by Buttercream Bakeshop?? Cut with a sword. And with confetti cannons firing? Or the bride and groom simultaneously tossing a bouquet and a football with a garter on it? Like I said, non-stop action and so many fun things to photograph.

With so many moving parts it’s critical that an extraordinary planner be the one behind the scenes. Kudos to Sara Bauleke at Belle Notte for making it all happen without a hitch.

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