Dominion Valley Country Club Wedding

As a Washington, DC wedding photographer, I’ve seen more than my fair share of thoughtful wedding gifts being exchanged between brides and grooms. But Stephanie and Robert, who were married this August at Dominion Valley Country Club in Haymarket, VA, may just take the cake. These two expressed their love of all things Harry Potter to me the first time we Skyped about their big day and Robert found the absolute best way to incorporate that for Stephanie: with two tickets to see The Cursed Child live in London next November! I listened on the edge of my seat when they described the process of signing up for the lottery at 5:00AM EST for tickets, finding out they were a cool 40,000th or so in line, and waiting back and forth for 12 hours as they slowly watched the queue drop to 1. The wait was worth it, however, because now they know exactly how they will be celebrating their first year of marriage!

And I’m not sharing all of this just because it’s an awesome gift (which, it is – I’m super jealous, you guys!), but because I feel like this says a lot about Stephanie and Robert as a couple and what the future holds for them. Because, think about it, just for this one small event in their lives, they: solved a problem (finding seats to an impossible show), worked together (saving their spot in line back and forth), and were relentless in their quest (12.hours.) — all qualities that I know both will apply even harder to their marriage. Not one will ever tell you marriage is easy or that you can get through it without a fight, but obviously these two are ready for what comes their way in the years ahead. With a bond as deep as theirs, it’s clear to see that Stephanie and Robert have truly formed the unbreakable vow.

I can’t tell you both enough what a joy it was to meet your families and celebrate with your friends! I’ve felt so lucky over the past year to get to know both of you and for that reason alone, this will forever be one of my favorite wedding days. Always.

A classic summer wedding filled with shades of pink and maroon is held at Dominion Valley Country Club in Haymarket, VA; just outside of Washington, DC.