Sophisticated Fall Capitol Wedding

Sienna and Kevin first met in high school during gym class and later reconnected through Instagram after finishing college in 2013. Thanks to Sienna’s love for Justin Timberlake and her constant posting about his release of the 20/20, Kevin commented on one of her posts and the conversation kept going from there. He finally grew tired of communicating via Justin Timberlake and asked for Sienna’s phone number. Since this was before direct messaging was a thing, Sienna found him on Facebook and sent him her phone number. About a week later, the pair went on their first date and they have been together ever since. Take a peek at Sienna and Kevin’s sophisticated fall wedding at The Capitol View at 400 in Washington D.C., captured by Judah Avenue Photography.

Bride’s full name, age and occupation: Sienna Marie Smith-Webster, 30, Event Sales Manager at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at University of Maryland

Groom’s full name, age and occupation: Kevin Leroy Webster Junior, 29, Program Analyst at The National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia

Place of residence: Greenbelt, Maryland

Wedding Location: The Capitol View at 400 in Washington, DC.

Wedding date: September 9,2017

Engagement story:

On Kevin and I’s seconddate, he took me to the National World War I Memorial in Washington D.C. For as long as I have lived in the area, I had never had the chance to go to the memorial at night, which I always heard was even more beautiful in the evening. So Kevin took me there and we shared our first kiss that night.

Fast forward to two years later, Kevin surprised me by taking me back to the spot where we shared our first kiss at that very memorial and delivered the proposal of my dreams! There at sunset in front of our closest friends and family, Kevin asked me to be his wife in true goofy Kevin form by pulling out the most beautiful ring and proclaiming he got me something from Claire’s (yes, like Claire’s the kid’s jewelry store in the mall!). All I could say was, “Oh my gosh, that is not from Claire’s!” After I said “yes,” he had each of our friends and family give me a single red rose. It was beautiful!

For the Groom: Walk us through the behind the scenes of creating this special day.

This story started around October 2014. I’m a planner and a chess player so mentally I was already in early-2015 and knew I wanted to propose to Sienna around March of that year. She showed me the setting she liked from a jewelry store in Crofton, Maryland, and told me she wanted an oval diamond. Around Christmas, we were at the mall and another ring setting caught Sienna’s eye and mine too. It was beautiful and we both fell in love with it. We left and I told Sienna I wasn’t going to get that one because I didn’t have the money, but I did. Within the week I bought it. It was perfect because she spent so much time looking at the setting in Crofton that she wouldn’t expect to ever see the one from the mall again (and did I mention it was on sale). At the same time, I was also starting to look at real estate. I found a nice condo in Laurel for a good price. Unfortunately it wasn’t up to Sienna’s standard. Long story short we begin looking together and end up putting a contract on a newly built condominium townhome. This postponed my plans to propose, but I had to assure Sienna it was coming. I used this to throw her off saying I didn’t have the money and that I would have to get her a ring from Claire’s if she wanted to do it sooner than later.

Fast forward to a month and a half later, I buy the aforementioned oval diamond; It was the perfect cut, color, clarity and size (Sienna really should wear the price tag). Now I’m all set to plan the proposal. Like the respectable young man I am, I went to ask her father for her hand before Sienna got home from work. Some (Devin, Sienna’s brother) may tell you that I was so nervous I didn’t even ring the bell but I don’t remember that part. Anyway, he graciously accepted and exclaimed to everyone to “act normal” before Sienna entered. Around the same time of the proposal, one of my best friends also proposed to his lady and we sent each other pictures of the rings. Long story short, through some investigating and an untimely exclamation Sienna knew it was coming.

I planned everything for June 13, the Saturday after our anniversary. I didn’t realize until after everything was planned that June 13 was the day of a gay pride parade and then found out there was a 50 percent chance of rain. I had to power and pray through it because everything was already planned. I was to supposed have an impromptu trip to D.C. to see Jurassic World and then a tour of the monuments with Sienna’s siblings. We would walk to the WWII Memorial where we fell in love and would be met by all our family and friends, and then I would propose. During the movie, Sienna receives a text which says “Did he do it yet.” I forget what excuse Sienna came up with but I knew that she knew. But again, I couldn’t cancel it since everyone was already in place. Everything goes according to plan except for a few untimely phone calls that I had to smoothly finesse. We get there, everyone is hiding. After about a minute of sitting in the exact spot we sat at on our second date, I motion for everyone to come over. I tell sienna to look back, she smiles and laughs and asks “what’s going on?” I turned to her, took out the ring, got on one knee, opened the box, and told her “l got it from Claires…”