Katherine & Matt Wedding⎜Arlington, Virginia
Katherine and Matt's Filipino wedding celebration was definitely one for the books! The couple chose to get married in the fall at the Lyons Community Center in Arlington, Virginia and they wanted to include a few special Filipino wedding traditions in their day to honor Katherine's heritage.
If you’d like to discover more wedding venues in Northern Virginia, check out my list of the best 25 locations in NOVA.
Getting Ready Moments with Loved Ones
The day started out with the couple getting ready at their own home which created such an intimate setting to start out the day! Katherine's friends and family helped her get ready and they even covered her face with a plastic bag while helping her get into her dress so that she would not smudge her makeup. Now, that's what I call friendship :)
A Sweet First Look & Couple Portraits
After getting ready, Katherine and Matt did a first look together and Matt's reaction to seeing Katherine was so sweet! First looks are some of my favorite wedding moments as they provide a chance for the couple to spend some alone time together before the ceremony and help ease some of the pre-wedding jitters. After their first look, the couple did a small photo session with their two pups before heading over to the ceremony to exchange their vows.
A Filipino Wedding Ceremony Filled with Traditions
Katherine and Matt's ceremony was filled with meaningful Filipino wedding traditions from the Filipino veil and cord to represent the couples' bond, to the arras de boda (wedding coins) which signifies the couple's commitment to providing for their shared future. The items used in the ceremony were also very meaningful as the veil used for the ceremony would be their baby's first blanket and the wedding coins had been donated by friends. Watching couples incorporate meaningful wedding traditions into their wedding day is so special and one of my favorite parts about photographing cultural weddings.
A Party on the Dance Floor with Even More Filipino Wedding Traditions
After the ceremony, the couple spent some time taking couple portraits before heading inside to meet their guests for the reception dinner. The reception party was a hit and included even more traditions such as the Filipino money dance to shower good fortune on the newly married couple. One of my favorite parts of their reception was the dancing. Katherine and a couple of other guests who were also pregnant were all gathered together on the dance floor showing off their bumps! This definitely made for a fun and memorable time during the evening!
This Arlington wedding was a beautiful blend of families, both the families that were joining together as well as the family that Katherine and Matt were growing together. Keep scrolling to see more from this Filipino wedding and if you are looking for an Arlington wedding photographer to help plan your wedding day, send me a message!
