A Candlelit Ballroom Wedding Infused With Romantic Details and Playful Accents

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Classic white, and black[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

First and foremost, they wanted it to be fun. But beyond that, they wanted something romantic and inviting—warm, intimate, and glowing with candlelight. The bride envisioned a space that felt soft, elegant, and a little magical. To bring that to life, they filled a candlelit room with delicate blooms in bud vases, and statement rustic head tables that complemented and transformed Congressional’s historic ballroom. They also knew that incredible hors d’oeuvres were a must, dirty martinis in hand at all times, and as many nods to their dachshunds, Arlo and Poppy, as possible. If you know these two, you know they love cocktail hours, our wiener dogs, and a perfectly made martini. So, “Weenies and Martinis” became their unofficial, yet incredibly fitting, wedding theme. We also knew that incredible hors d’oeuvres were a must, dirty martinis in hand at all times, and as many nods to our dachshunds, Arlo and Poppy, as possible. If you know Greg and me, you know we love cocktail hours, our wiener dogs, and a perfectly made martini. So, “Weenies and Martinis” became our unofficial, yet incredibly fitting, wedding theme. As planning went on, I kept finding new ways to weave Arlo and Poppy into the details. I fully embraced a “why choose?” mindset when designing the cocktail napkins and matchbox favors, covering them with illustrations of our dogs, Congressional, martinis, and more. Our signature cocktails also paid tribute to our pups—Arlo’s Aperol Spritz, Poppy’s Paloma, and the Tabb Tini (an ode to Greg’s martini recipe crafted during our quarantine days). We even had dachshund-shaped drink stirrers. Guests found their seats at our escort display, where their cards were adorned with alternating dachshund and martini pins. Once there, they discovered their place cards in the form of little dachshund cutouts. Later, as the dance floor opened, oversized cutouts of Arlo and Poppy made their debut (and yes, the posters still live in our home). Looking back, I might have gone a little over the top—but honestly, no regrets. In the end, every detail came together in a way that felt so uniquely us—eccentric dachshund touches and all. Seeing how beautifully the space transformed was incredible, and I’m beyond grateful to everyone who helped make it a night to remember.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]

Greg suggested a trip to Jupiter, Florida, with their friends to celebrate her birthday. They all decided to have cocktails at the dock before dinner, and Greg told them not to be late so they wouldn’t miss the sunset (especially the bride, the perpetually late one of the group). She shockingly was the first of their friends to be ready, and that should’ve been her first sign. Greg and Madeleine made their way down to the dock to wait for their friends and watch the sunset. As they reached the dock, she paused to admire the full moon behind them that was peaking through the sky. When she turned back around to take in the sunset, Greg was down on one knee during the most magical golden hour with the lighthouse backlit across the water. She said “YAA!” through happy tears (it was giving dolphin). Their friends came running down—along with our dog, Arlo—to celebrate and pop champagne before they hopped on a boat that Greg had arranged to celebrate with dinner at their favorite restaurant. It was the best night ever. And as for Poppy, a.k.a. the second half of their “weenies and martinis” inspiration? Well, one week later, we were driving to pick up their little girl as fiancés. BEST BIRTHDAY WEEK EVER.

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[board_carousel title=”Bridal Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Flat Lays”]

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[board_carousel title=”First Look”]

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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”][/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”][/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Wedding Party”]

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[board_carousel title=”Ceremony”]

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[board_carousel title=”Cocktail Hour”]

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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]

As planning went on, they continued to find new ways to weave Arlo and Poppy into the details, covering cocktail napkins and matchbox favors with illustrations of their dogs, Congressional, martinis, and more. Their signature cocktails also paid tribute to their pups—Arlo’s Aperol Spritz, Poppy’s Paloma, and the Tabb Tini (an ode to Greg’s martini recipe crafted during our quarantine days). They even had dachshund-shaped drink stirrers. From the bride: “If I had to choose, anything involving cheese was my ultimate favorite. I cheered when the Caesar salad in a parmesan crisp bowl was served. And if you were anywhere near me that day, you would have heard me say, “I can’t wait for the mac and cheese balls” every 30 minutes. My amazing bridesmaids and planner, Risse, even made sure I had a full plate of them waiting for me when we arrived at cocktail hour. Speaking of hors d’oeuvres, another favorite of ours was the bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese. On the other hand, Greg is stating that I need to mention the crab cake balls, and the filet mignon entrées with family-style Béarnaise carafes. Honestly, if we keep going, then we’d just be listing our entire menu!”

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[field title=”Florals & Decor”]

Delicate white florals in a modern design decorated everything for the day. The dachshunds existed throughout the wedding day as well, from on the matchboxes that were gifted to guests, to their table assignment chart at cocktail hour, to guests’ seats at dinner.

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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]

Giving a nod back to the traditional essence of the day, the cake was decorated with traditionally vanilla frosting and adorned with white florals.

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[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]Guests found their seats at our escort display, where their cards were adorned with alternating dachshund and martini pins. Once there, they discovered their place cards in the form of little dachshund cutouts. [/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]

Later, as the dance floor opened, oversized cutouts of Arlo and Poppy made their debut (and yes, the posters still live in our home). Looking back, I might have gone a little over the top—but honestly, no regrets.

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[field title=”Special Detail #3″][/field]
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[board_carousel title=”Couple Portraits”]

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[board_carousel title=”Reception”]

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