Sneakers and Rooftop Vows at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library

Ann (she/her) and Whitney (she/her) kicked off their wedding day by flooding the hotel shower, grabbing fifteen towels, and laughing through the chaos. After nearly seven years together (and a secret courthouse wedding a year earlier) they gathered 40 of their favorite people on a Washington D.C. rooftop for a celebration that had it all: cultural rituals, outfit changes into sneakers, a cake that almost didn’t exist, and endless laughter.

Tell us about your love story.

We first connected through our friend Renly just before starting college. We shared our shortlists of schools but kept our final choices secret until deposits were sent in. By chance, we ended up just 20 minutes apart.

Over the next seven years, our relationship grew through late-night library sessions, drive-thru dates, moving in together, surviving COVID lockdowns, cross-country moves, adopting a dog and so many moments in between.

When it came time to propose, we each secretly planned to surprise the other during a trip to New York City. Whitney managed to go first with a handmade book of memories that ended in a proposal. After I said yes, I proposed right back.

Did you face any challenges while planning?

Finding a venue that wouldn’t swallow up our 40-person wedding was tough. Most spaces nearby were built for 150+, so we worked closely with Completely Coordinated to find something authentic, affordable and cozy.

The other hurdle was our cake. Our first vendor had a fire, the second’s delivery driver never showed up, and we ended up with a last-minute combo of a supermarket cake, Main Event Caterers and our planning team making it work. Somehow, they pulled it off and saved the day.

Sneakers, Slides, and Rooftop Vows at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library – photo 1

Sneakers, Slides, and Rooftop Vows at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library – photo 2

What led you to your venue?

We chose the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library because it was affordable, accessible for guests with mobility needs, and easy to reach by public transit. That mattered with friends and family coming from out of town.

The renovation had just been completed, giving the space warm wood tones and native florals that fit the cozy vibe we wanted. Plus, the rooftop terrace is one of the largest in D.C., with beautiful views and the last breaths of summer air.

What advice do you have for managing the budget?

HIRE A PLANNER. As non-locals and some of the first in our friend group to marry, we had no idea what was “reasonable” to pay vendors. Completely Coordinated helped us set expectations, track everything in a shared spreadsheet, and negotiate so we weren’t spending on things we didn’t really want or need.

How did you choose your photographer?

We knew Lexi Truesdale Photos was the one within minutes of our engagement shoot. We’re usually awkward in front of a camera and hesitant about PDA, so it mattered that we felt comfortable enough to kiss and be ourselves.

Her portfolio showed the emotion and timelessness we wanted, and her experience with LGBTQ+ couples was a must. Within a few poses she had us laughing, dancing and totally at ease. By the end we were already asking if she was free for our wedding.

What did you eat on the wedding day?

Food was the most important detail for us, so planning the menu was no small task. With 40 guests and nearly a third managing allergies or dietary preferences, finding a caterer who could balance all of that – and still make authentic Korean dishes – was a challenge. After talking to dozens of vendors, Main Event Caterers absolutely nailed it.

They went above and beyond, even sourcing a specific Soju brand for Ann’s cocktail. Our menu included kimbap, enoki crab cakes, Korean fried chicken waffle cones with kimchi aioli, deviled eggs with avocado and chicken skin, citrus greens, bulgogi, stuffed chicken, cake, fruit and plenty of drinks.

We were so well taken care of that night, with someone dedicated to making sure we always had food and drinks in hand. Honestly, we’d eat with their team every week if we could.

Walk us through your wedding day.

The morning started at the Riggs Hotel, where Ann flooded the shower, which turned into laughter and 15 towels. We shared breakfast and private vows in bed before getting ready with Carla Pressley, slipping into gowns from Sassi Holford and Flora & Lane, and rushing to the venue. Our officiant, Jen, cried, Ann giggled through nerves, and a few wrong aisle songs played, but the ceremony, with a Korean rice wine ritual, a ring warming, and vows we could practice, was everything we wanted.

After a long kiss to Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be,” we took rooftop portraits, rode the library slide in lace gowns, and discovered our cake hadn’t been delivered. Completely Coordinated and Main Event Caterers saved the day with a grocery store cake decorated in petals. Later, we changed into a floral suit from The Tailory New York and a danceable dress from Have Dress, laced up matching Nike sneakers, announced that we’d secretly married a year earlier, and sat down to dinner with all 40 guests at one long table.

The night ended on the dance floor with DJ Mim of Wroyal DJ Company, starting with “At Last,” erupting into “September,” and closing with Beyoncé. We danced until nearly sunrise, then grabbed just a few hours of sleep before flying to Big Sur for our honeymoon.

Did any vendors go above and beyond?

Absolutely. Carla Pressley was our rock, touching up hair and makeup, fluffing dresses, even sliding down the venue slide to test a shot. She was calm, caring and always right there when we needed her.

Lexi Truesdale Photography felt like a best friend with a camera. She kept us grounded, reminded us it was our wedding, and made sure we felt confident, comfortable and seen.

And to Completely Coordinated and Main Event Caterers: you tackled every curveball, including the cake fiasco, with patience and creativity. Truly heroes.

How did you approach traditions that don’t always translate for LGBTQ+ couples?

The best advice we got was simple: only do what we wanted. If something felt gendered, we went alphabetical. If it was religious, we made it secular or skipped it. And whenever outside opinions popped up, our rule was, “If you’d like to pay for that, you can have that opinion.” It shut things down quickly.

We kept the traditions that mattered. Whitney included a ring warming, Ann added a hapgeunrye to honor her Korean heritage, and Whitney wore a necklace with her dad’s ashes. We cut what didn’t fit, like parent dances or picking a wedding party. Even our first dance was shortened to keep the embarrassment to a minimum.

At the end of the day, it was our wedding, our money, and our way.