Leyla and Hossein found me through a friend - and I am really glad they did! I traveled to Washington D.C. in April to photograph their amazing wedding at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Robin came along to assist, as the wedding included 280 guests! This was a true destination wedding for us and we were really looking forward to it.

We arrived in Washington D.C. on Friday and immediately set out to scope out the hotel where we were to begin and then the U.S. Chamber of Commerce itself. It was a beautiful walk from our hotel near Dupont Circle to the Chamber, which is located directly across from the White House. We couldn't resist stopping in front of the White House for a few photos and also to admire the incredible flowers that were in full bloom along with the famous cherry blossom trees. The weather couldn't have been better - perfectly sunny and warm, not too hot and not too cold. Anticipation began to rise for the wedding the next day!

We had found the perfect spot to orchestrate the "first look" for Leyla and Hossein at the Hotel Sofitel where Leyla was preparing for the wedding. When we arrived, Leyla was ready to go! We began photographing her final preparations immediately and then arranged for Hossein to meet us downstairs. We had Hossein turned with his back to us as we quietly brought Leyla into the room for the first look. As he slowly turned around, he caught a first glimpse of a magnificent Leyla in an ornately beaded Lazaro gown and looking all over radiant. It was an emotional meeting for both, as each paused to admire the other and savor the moment.

We wasted no time in proceeding with the next item on the agenda - riding around Washington D.C. with the bride and groom to be and taking pictures! After all, that is why they brought me here! Many kudos must be given to their wedding planner, Sara Franklin, who did a wonderful job with the schedule for the day, including plenty of time for Leyla and Hossein to go around with me (and the videographer, Tom, of Suburban Video) to gather the amazing shots you'll see here. Sara was there every step of the way to insure that everything went off without a hitch. She was exceedingly helpful in every way with organizing and orchestrating this magnificent Washington D.C. wedding.

After much difficulty paring down a very long list of sites to stop at for photographs, we ended up at The Smithsonian Castle which boasts magnificent gardens, Senate Park with a fabulous view of the capitol, and the Washington Monument. There are way too many picturesque monuments and places to go to in Washington D.C. to get to all of them, but we think we picked a few of the best during the time we had. We definitely wanted to make the most of this destination wedding, so we did our best to get to as many locations as time permitted. Leyla and Hossein were great sports as we got in and out of the car at each stop, Leyla's heavy dress being somewhat difficult to maneuver along the way. They had to admit, though, that it was all worth it, for they will have these pictures forever and by the time the reception began, all the "work" was over! This is one reason why we encourage brides and grooms to do a "first look" - especially in a situation such as this one, where the bride and groom definitely wanted to get those pictures around town in the daylight. Given the timing and schedule for their wedding, there would have been no way possible to do this on the actual wedding day had they not seen each other.

Once back at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the wedding activities kicked into high gear, as Leyla and Hossein quickly prepared for the ceremony. Theirs was a traditional Iranian wedding, so many customs were involved throughout the evening. From the ceremony right through to the reception, this was an extremely festive affair complete with tango dancers, a knife dance and a lavish meal for their guests. Leyla, an avid cook, was intimately involved in the recipe for their wedding cake as well.

We had a great time photographing this wedding in a most beautiful city, Washington D.C.. We would like to thank Leyla and Hossein for having us there to capture their interesting and colorful Washington D.C. wedding!