A fine wine is slow and succulent, wiser with time and sweeter with company. The life of a wine is transformative, yet steady; a quiet moment opened like a gift in the busy noise of the everyday.
Channing Martin & Bobby Jones recognized the nuances of marriage omnipresent in the character of wine and the ritual of sharing it. District Winery, an urban, romantic space nestled in DC’s Navy Yard, gave face to this sentiment.
The couples’ vision for their union revolved around cyclical imagery. The bride states, “It represents notions of infinity, eternity, unity, wholeness, and safety.”*
While the winery provided a backdrop of seasonal flavors, Uche elaborated this symbolism into the foundation of her design. Appropriately, the reds and whites of the winery’s bottles reappeared in a pure, classic color scheme, woodsy and timeless. The interwoven greenery perpetuated the blossoming story of growth and continuity.
Uche’s circular momentum was expressed with golden rings cradling ivory candles, boutonnieres cresting in huckleberry wreaths, and a magnificent rounded arch of salal and huckleberry branches, refreshed with a dreamy burst of red and white roses.
Above the long wood tables set with satiny scarlet napkins, floral chandeliers dripped with wisteria, braided with carnations from salal halos, knotted to exposed country beams. Dainty single flower stems dotted the canvas below in subtle pops of color beside glasses of dark wine, iconic and tender. The rustic scene unfolded in soft yellow light.
Channing, illuminated by her bouquet of peonies, roses, hypericum berries and silver dollar eucalyptus, was moved to tears upon first sight of the fully decorated venue. Her Pnina Tornai gown embossed with bloomy silhouettes settled beautifully into the rustic magic of her dreamscape.
Bobby, in a smooth, deep sapphire Ted Baker suit, looked like a wave of cool water, the essential element. Before the wine, there was the rain cycle. With craft and care, it becomes artisanal, special, and delicious.
*The Knot, Spring/Summer 2019
Photography: Iris Mannings photography
Planner: C'est Belle Events
Floral Design: Designs by Oochay
Venue: District Winery
Hair: Radiant Styles by Darie
Make-Up: Makeup by Toshia
Stationery: Papered Wonders
Cake: DC Sweet Potato
Lighting: Pike Productions
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Dress: Pnina Tornai (courtesy of Kleinfeld)
Tuxedo: Ted Baker