Ben & Molly chose a DC War Memorial Wedding.  With family and friends flying in from around the country the two wanted their guest to enjoy many of the same things they love about Washington DC.

Keep reading for more about Ben & Molly’s DC War Memorial Wedding AND three bonus wedding day tips!

Being financially responsible with their wedding expenses was as important to Ben & Molly as was making sure they invested in the wedding day services that would make their wedding one they and their family would enjoy looking back on for years to come.

One of the first choices Ben & Molly made that not only was a wise wedding budget decision, but also one that made their day particularly special and their own was choosing to get ready together in their own Washington DC town home along with their families.

Molly chose a lace BHLDN gown with a simple pink sash for their DC War Memorial Wedding.

The two shared their First Look before their wedding at their own home.  Molly exited the master suite while Ben waited for her in the hallway.

The look on the groom’s face during this first look is nothing short of priceless.

Washington DC Wedding Tip #1:

Ben & Molly also chose to hire a driver for their wedding day.  Hiring a car is one of my favorite Washington DC wedding day tips!  Transportation in the district can be tricky, but hiring a car can make it simple & stress free.  AND also make it easy to travel between many of Washington DC’s most iconic wedding portrait locations.

We arrived at the DC War Memorial for their spring wedding on the most beautiful spring day.

Ben & Molly chose a friend to play violin inside the War Memorial before and after their wedding.  The sound of the violin carried beautifully inside the DC War Memorial and was the perfect simple touch for their Washington DC Wedding.

Washington DC Wedding Tip #2:

Another of my favorite wedding budget tips is for the groom to buy a suit instead of renting one for the wedding day.  Firstly it’s the absolutele best way to guarantee you know how well your suit will fit on your wedding day, but depending on the suit you choose, it may also be comparable and price AND the best part is you’ll be able remember back to your wedding day every time you wear it.

Ben chose a timeless grey suit for their wedding day at DC War Memorial and paired it with a light blue tie and calla lily boutonnière.

As wedding guests arrived to the DC War Memorial wedding, they sat in the shade and enjoyed this beautiful spring day in Washington DC.

Ben an Molly joined their family and friends inside the DC War Memorial for their wedding while the violinist played.

The maximum capacity for a wedding inside the DC War Memorial is 200 guests.

Instead of having chairs, Ben & Molly chose to have all 110 of their guests stand inside the memorial to create an aisle for them.

Washington DC Wedding Tips #3: Make your wedding truly your own.

One of the most inspirational things Ben & Molly did was choose to mutually change their last name instead of taking or keeping either of their existing last names.  Both Ben & Molly are avid hikers.  When hiking trail markers are often created by piling rocks to create a structure.  The rock structures marking a trail are refereed to as Cairns.  By marrying each other they wanted to celebrate the fact that they will always be there for each other to mark the way.  Ben & Molly chose a less traditional spelling of the word.

Please meet Mr. & Mrs. Kairn.

After their DC War Memorial Wedding, Ben & Molly chose several favorite iconic Washington DC locations for their portraits.  Naturally they started at the DC War Memorial.

While they were doing portraits, Ben & Molly arranged for their guests to go on a one hour Bus Tour with Big Bus Tour company.  The tour of Washington DC served as their wedding favor and doubled as transportation for their guests from DC War Memorial to Agora for their reception.

After doing portraits at the DC War Memorial, we headed over to Reagan Building and the Federal Triangle metro stop.

We caught a little glimpse of the capital down Pennsylvania Avenue.

And chose Union Station as our final wedding portrait stop.

After doing portraits at Union Station in DC, we jumped back in Ben & Molly’s hired car and headed over to Agora for their wedding reception.

Both Ben & Molly are vegetarians, so naturally they wanted to create a vegetarian wedding reception with food not only they would enjoy, but also their guests.

Agora served up a varied of Vegetarian and Vegan dishes that were absolutely delicious.  Guests were served and seated family style.

To further represent their choice of Kairns as they mutual new last name, Ben & Molly used rocks as they seating chart.

Each table was then able to create their own Cairn.

Ben & Molly chose photographs that best represented their time dating and engaged to use as table numbers.

Ben & Molly also chose to invest in dance lessons as part of their wedding budget.  Their first dance was both beautiful and entertaining.

Ben & Molly left their wedding reception at Agora beneath an arch of sparklers held by friends and family.

Want to see more weddings photographed by Erin Tetterton Photography?  Check out this Carlyle House Alexandria Wedding or this wedding at 48 Fields in Leesburg, VA.

Wedding Venue: DC War Memorial

Reception Venue: Agora Restaurant

Dress: BHLDN

Hair: Glam Squad

Wedding Flowers: Greenworks DC

Coordinator: Laura Runnels

Erin Tetterton is a Fine Art Wedding Photographer based in Alexandria, Va and serving couples with classic taste in the greater Washington DC area.  Erin Tetterton Photography takes a limited number of Engagement & Wedding Photography commissions each year. If you are looking for an engagement or wedding photographer in Washington DC, check out Erin Tetterton’s portfolio and get in touch today.