This Couple Met Waiting in the Rain to Get Into an NYC Bar. That Marked the Beginning of a 48-Hour Marathon First Date.

Michelle, who works for TikTok, and Adam, partner at a law firm, met waiting in the rain to get into a bar in New York City one Halloween weekend. Michelle, from Bethesda, was with her best friend from college who went on to become her maid of honor, and Adam, from Alabama, was with a friend from work who later officiated the wedding. Sparks flew, and what started as a chance Friday night meeting turned into a 48-hour marathon date they say included bagels, the movie theater, drinks at a wine bar, and pizza. Four years later, Adam proposed to Michelle on another rainy day in New York.

For their September wedding at the Willard, the pair say they wanted the occasion to match the city: elegant, romantic, and timeless. They chose a black-tie dress code they felt was in keeping with the style of the hotel, and say they honored the history and tradition of the venue with a neutral color scheme that allowed it to shine. The ceremony was designed to bring the outside in with a “sea of florals.”

The couple blended their cultural traditions by including both a Persian Sofreh Aghd and a traditional Jewish glass breaking at the ceremony; and both the Persian Knife Dance and the Hora at the reception. They wanted an abundant cocktail hour spread and chose a menu that included a seafood tower, charcuterie station, and Maryland crab cakes. After dinner and dessert, late-night bites included sliders, fries, milkshakes, and cookies alongside Persian pastries and a coffee/tea station. Other highlights included a larger-than-life wedding cake; a playlist that combined her favorite tropical house music and his hip hop with a DJ, sax player, and a drummer; and a choreographed first dance for the bride and groom, and one for the groom and his mother—a competitive ballroom dancer.

See the details of their big day below.

Wedding Details

Amy Moeller

Fashion & Weddings Editor

Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.