Spring Micro Wedding in Old Town Alexandria & Washington, DC

Most couples begin planning their wedding day by asking, “Where should we get married?” It’s a natural place to start. There are so many beautiful wedding venues, parks, museums, gardens, and city views throughout Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia. But one of my favorite parts of helping couples plan an elopement or intimate wedding is encouraging them to ask a different question:

What do you want to experience together?

Because your wedding day is not just a single moment or a single location. It’s a story, and every chapter deserves a place of its own. 

You might want time alone to exchange personal vows. You might want to explore somewhere that feels connected to your everyday life. You might also want your family there to witness your ceremony, give speeches, and sit down for dinner together. And you don’t have to choose only one of those experiences!

Alexis and Laila’s micro wedding in Old Town Alexandria and Washington, DC, was the perfect example of this. Their eight-hour timeline gave them plenty of room to divide the day into two parts: several private hours together in Washington, DC, followed by a ceremony and intimate dinner reception with their loved ones in Old Town Alexandria. Every location added something different to their experience.

Let’s walk through their amazing day together so you can envision what your day could look like, too, if you also don’t want to choose between privacy and including your loved ones!

Their Love Story and Why They Chose to Elope

Alexis and Laila met while they were both student leaders at Western Michigan University. Go Broncos! They are still huge hockey fans.

They met toward the end of a spring semester, when campus life was beginning to feel a little more normal again after COVID. Alexis was in her junior year, and Laila was in her sophomore year. They instantly hit it off and have been inseparable ever since.

Their first date involved Alexis giving Laila a modified version of the official campus tour before they drove into downtown Kalamazoo for dinner. The restaurant, unfortunately, no longer exists. Similar to their wedding day, Alexis wore an elevated pantsuit, and Laila wore a suit for their date!

It was the end of a spring semester near the tail end of COVID, and at an event teardown with a mutual friend, Laila accidentally held Alexis’ hand for more than two seconds. They both still laugh about that. 

Alexis and Laila had originally imagined getting engaged and married a few years later. But given everything happening in the world, they decided they were tired of waiting. Saying “F it” to society’s expected timeline felt authentic to them.

They approach almost everything as a team, so deciding to get married together felt natural too. They didn’t need a big production. They wanted to feel present, connected, and officially married without stretching the process out simply because that was what people expected them to do.

Alexandria, Virginia, was especially meaningful because it was the first place they had considered home that wasn’t tied to either of their families. Washington, D.C., represented choosing themselves, pursuing their own dreams, and building a life based on their own values instead of other people’s opinions.

Those answers became the foundation for every decision we made while planning their day.

Getting Ready at Home

Their wedding day began at Alexis and Laila’s home in Alexandria. Friends and family were there hanging out while everyone got ready. There was time for lunch, snacks, conversation, and all of those little moments that happen before the day officially begins. Instead of rushing into portraits, they were simply enjoying time with the people they love. 

Capturing these moments in their home also gave us a glimpse into the life they had already built together. National park pennants, science books, Lego sets, spacecraft models, and personal items filled the space. Alexis serves in the Air Force Reserve, and Laila is a pilot, so those details were not random decorations chosen for wedding photos, but part of them and who they are.

Starting your wedding day somewhere comfortable can completely change the pace of the morning. Instead of immediately rushing into portraits or traveling between locations, you get to enjoy a calm and intentional start to the day. 

Taking the Metro & Hiring a Private Driver

Alexis and Laila often ride the Metro together, so, of course, we had to get Metro photos!

We hopped on together, and it was one of my favorite parts of the day! There’s something so genuinely joyful about two people in wedding attire just… riding the train, holding hands, cracking each other up in an empty car. Those photos feel extra personal because they were not pretending to do something for the camera. It all came naturally to them in the moment!

The couple also hired a private driver for the rest of the day, which is something I highly recommend to my couples. Having a dedicated driver meant they always had somewhere to store extra belongings, easy access to water and snacks, no need to worry about parking or Ubers between locations, and the ability to stay cool during what turned out to be a very warm April afternoon. The private driver added a little luxury to the experience, but more importantly, it removed stress. 

Overall, transportation doesn’t have to be treated like empty space between the “important” parts of your wedding. It can become part of the experience while also helping the day flow more comfortably!

Private Vows at Constitution Gardens

After the Metro, we made our way to Constitution Gardens on the National Mall, where Alexis and Laila found a quiet place beneath a willow tree to exchange their private vows.

Baby ducks swam nearby in the water, and the Washington Monument rose in the background. Even though we were in the middle of Washington, D.C., the area felt peaceful and tucked away.

Private vows were important to them because they wanted to say certain things to one another without standing in front of an audience. Their family would still witness a meaningful ceremony later, but these words belonged only to the two of them.

Laila also proposed to Alexis with a custom ring, and they ultimately proposed to each other. 

Alexis and Laila added my Keepsake Ceremony Video option, so I recorded both their private vows and their later ceremony using my phone and tripod. Many couples choose this add-on because it gives them a simple way to preserve the words they exchanged without turning the day into a large video production.

One of the biggest benefits of blending an elopement with a micro wedding is that you don’t have to choose between intimacy and celebrating with your loved ones. You can intentionally create space for both!

If you’re curious about how that works in practice, I wrote about this whole concept in depth over here: Elopement vs. Wedding: You Don’t Have to Choose

Portraits at the National Gallery of Art

After Constitution Gardens, we explored the Sculpture Garden and the National Gallery of Art. It wasn’t just another random photo location for them. For Alexis and Laila, who love art and architecture and wandering through museums together, it was a natural extension of how they actually spend time. It also gave them somewhere to slow down, cool off, explore, use the restroom, and grab some food at the museum cafe. All very glamorous wedding-day necessities!

Pro tip: Museums are a fantastic backup option for rain, wind, or extreme weather, and they photograph beautifully in all seasons. 

And if you’d like to learn more about how to elope at the National Gallery of Art, I have a full guide for you!

After exploring the museum, Alexis and Laila took a little bit of a break before their ceremony. They had time alone to decompress and prepare themselves for the second half of the day. Another wonderful reason for booking longer days of photography coverage because you actually have the time to slow down, be present, and take breaks. Instead of rushing from one event to the next, couples have time to recharge, eat, cool off, and simply enjoy being together. This is especially valuable for introverted couples before joining family and guests.

 

Their Micro Wedding Ceremony in Old Town Alexandria

The day shifted once we returned to Old Town Alexandria for the ceremony at Carlyle House. The intimate, just-the-two-of-them energy of the morning turned into celebration with their loved ones.

Carlyle House was a perfect fit for the atmosphere they had envisioned. They wanted somewhere that felt both green and architectural, and the garden seamlessly brought those two elements together. The historic stone walls covered in ivy, a brick courtyard, and towering magnolia trees were an absolutely stunning backdrop for their ceremony and photos!

Alexis and Laila walked down the aisle together. Their ceremony was personalized with the help of their officiant, and their closest family and friends gathered around them in the garden.

After the ceremony, we took family group photos before the guests headed toward cocktail hour. Alexis and Laila stayed behind for a few quiet newlywed portraits together. That gave them one more private moment together before joining everyone else.

Even a short window for just the two of you, after the ceremony, before the reception, can be one of the most meaningful parts of the whole day.

Their Micro Wedding Reception in Old Town Alexandria

From Carlyle House, we walked through Old Town Alexandria to the restaurant, and the walk itself already felt like a celebration. Old Town Alexandria is exactly the kind of neighborhood that makes you feel like life is good!

We then walked over to the restaurant, where everyone was waiting for us in the back courtyard! The restaurant served drinks and appetizers as a few family members gave speeches during cocktail hour. Family then helped set up the room inside with candles and decor, including twinkle lights, to set the mood for dinner. 

My favorite detail of the day was how Alexis and Laila had handwritten each guest’s place card with a personalized note. They included personal stories, inside jokes, and reminders of why each person mattered to them and why they were so glad they were there.

I watched guests pick up their place cards and read them. I watched some of them laugh, and some of them get a little weepy. That detail captured what their micro wedding was really about. You can actually see every person in the room. 

What The Elopement Couple Says

“Similar to other couples who have worked with Juliana, we found her to be one of our best purchases to support the day. When Laila and I reached out, we knew very little other than the fact that we wanted a micro-wedding on an expedited timeline.

While working with Juliana, we were able to pull off one of our dream days. From venue vetting to showing us plenty of grace throughout the process (including day-of!), we could not recommend her enough. While certainly not required, she turned around a massive preview within two business days of our wedding.

We’re thankful to have worked with her to capture such a meaningful day full of laughter, joy, and love.” – Alexis & Laila

Plan an Intentional Micro Wedding in Old Town Alexandria, Northern Virginia, or Washington, D.C!

Alexis and Laila’s day wasn’t memorable because they visited so many places. It was memorable because every place served a purpose. Their home created calm and anticipation. The Metro reflected everyday life together. Constitution Gardens gave them privacy and a proposal they’ll talk about forever. The National Gallery of Art created space to explore, eat, cool off, and breathe. Carlyle House brought their closest people together for the ceremony. Old Town Alexandria gave them the perfect setting to walk into the celebration and end the night around a dinner table.

Beautiful wedding photos don’t happen simply because you visit beautiful places. They happen because every place gives you something meaningful to experience together.

One of my favorite parts of working with couples is not simply giving them a list of pretty locations. It’s helping them design a wedding day where each chapter has its own purpose. We’ll think through how the locations connect, how much time you need, when you might want privacy, and where you can build in food, rest, and room to breathe.

You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. That’s what I’m here for.

Every Elopement and Micro Wedding Package with Juliana Wall Photography Includes:

• 4 hours to two days of Photo Coverage with me, Juliana
• In-depth questionnaires, so I can truly get to know you and help create a day that feels right.
• Sneak peeks within 3 business days, so you have gorgeous photos to share ASAP.
• Personalized planning assistance – helping you with locations, permits, vendors, and timelines.
• A private online gallery – to easily download, share, and order prints of your photos.
• Photographer’s travel costs included 
• A new adventure buddy!

If you’re dreaming of planning an intentional elopement or micro wedding in Old Town Alexandria, Northern Virginia or Washington, DC, I’d love to hear about it! Learn more about my packages here! 

To inquire about working with me, fill out this form and schedule a FREE consult.