Katie and Rachel married at Quirk, a fun, bright, modern wedding venue with a whole lot of personality and spark.
Tell us about the proposal.
Our first international trip was to Greece. We went to Mykonos first, then Santorini, Milos, and Athens. Rachel proposed the first day over breakfast on our hotel room balcony in Mykonos. We had the rest of the trip to celebrate and spend quality time together!
Katie proposed back to Rachel a couple of months later in Brooklyn, New York, when we were going for suit fittings at Bindle & Keep. Katie had a photographer come to the fitting and say she was doing a Bindle & Keep feature. She was actually there to capture the proposal, and we had an engagement shoot in our new suits! We spent the rest of the weekend celebrating with friends in New York.
What lead you to the destination?
We looked at getting married in Richmond because Katie’s parents live there, and her mom was really excited to help with planning. We saw the Quirk online and thought the photos were too good to be true, but we fell in love when we went in person!
Talk to us about your experience finding the perfect outfits.
Rachel shopped for a dress with a few of her bridesmaids at Lovely Bride in Washington, DC. She loved the lace and train of the dress she chose and knew Katie would love it as well.
Katie had a suit and shirt made at Bindle & Keep, where she proposed to Rachel. Rachel went with her to select the materials, but Katie went back for a fitting by herself to keep the suit a surprise. Bindle & Keep was kind enough to ship the suit back and forth for a few adjustments after that fitting.
Talk to us about the wedding day.
We got ready in separate suites at the Quirk with our bridal parties and our moms. Katie’s brother and sister-in-law were a huge help and brought us food, coffee, and snacks.
We had a first look in the Quirk courtyard. Rachel walked up to Katie, who was turned around, and Rachel started crying before Katie even saw her.
Our close friend Maggie officiated the wedding and did an incredible job. We wrote our own vows and kept the cards we wrote them on, a beautiful memory to look back on. We had so much fun seeing everyone and being close before a long period without contact, so we really treasure that whole day.
We took photos, and we had a short ceremony where we signed a ketubah and Katie broke glass and spent most of our time dancing! When the night ended, we went to Babes of Carytown, a lesbian bar in Richmond.
What does marriage mean to you?
The past few months have obviously been difficult and brought a lot of uncertainty, and we feel so fortunate that we were able to commit to each other and start our lives together beforehand. We’ve learned that we love spending time together, and we’re so happy and excited to be each other’s partners through it all.
Photography by Kelly Prizel
Bridal Boutique Lovely Bride DC
Cake Whisk RVA
Catering & Venue Quirk Hotel
Celebrant Maggie Larkin
Engagement Rings Vrai, Brilliant Earth
Entertainment Black Tie Entertainment
Florist Vogue Flowers
Gown Designer Made With Love
H&MU Lou Stevens
Hair Piece Truvelle
Jacket Unreal Fur
Planner & Stylist The Hive Wedding Collective
Stationery Josette Matoto
Suit Designer Bindle & Keep
Wedding Rings Vrai, Catbird
