Misty Copeland
on the American Ballet Theatre’s return to Wolf Trap
Your Guide to the
Political Conventions
The best hotels, restaurants, attractions
and parties in Cleveland and Philadelphia
Luxury Travel:
South Carolina’s Palmetto Bluff
Society Weddings:
Ali Weinberg and Josh Rogin + SUSAN HEMME AND JAY NUSSBAUM
Inside Homes:
A Summer Getaway on the Eastern Shore
Fine Dining:
&
pa rt i pa es! rt Pa ie rt s! ie s!
French fusion at Convivial
LIFESTYLES | WEDDINGS
NUPTIALS OF NOTE Two stylish spring weddings celebrate love in Washington. BY ERICA MOODY
SUSAN HEMME AND JAY NUSSBAUM
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he bride and groom are partners in Topline Healthcare, a medical technology and services company. The groom is also CEO of Drone Aviation. They reside in Great Falls,Va.
the couple will take short “familymoon” trips within the U.S. and to the Caribbean this year, and next year will embark on an extensive honeymoon in Europe to include Venice, Barcelona and France.
THE STORY: Jay’s daughter-in-law Meridith
THE DRESS(ES): The bride wore three, all
(who later stood as Susan’s maid of honor) introduced the pair in 2014. Following a romantic year of courtship, Jay collaborated with Meridith and his son Drew to surprise Susan with a proposal at Italian restaurant Fiola Mare. Instead of serving the soup she had ordered, the waiter placed a special plate before Susan that was adorned with flowers, an engagement ring and sign that read, “WILL YOU MARRY ME?” Susan and Meridith burst into tears as she accepted Jay’s delicious proposal.
equally stunning. For the ceremony, a blush, Spanish tulle Monique Lhuillier gown; for the reception, a narrow off-white silk chiffon dress by Reem Acra; and for the exit, a rosegold, metallic, knee-length number by Tom Ford called “Liquid Gold.” Their friend, Saks Fifth Avenue Tysons general manager Adam Woitkowski, helped select the gowns.
THE WEDDING: The evening event was held at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. and brought together family from both sides to celebrate.The wedding party was composed of four sons, six grandchildren, two daughters-in-law, one son-in-law, five nieces and a nephew! For the honeymoon,
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hydrangea and roses. The bride wore or carried items of importance in keeping with tradition. “Something old” was a handkerchief her mother wore at her wedding 62 years ago; “something blue” (sapphire blue and white crystal wedding brooches clipped on each shoe); “something borrowed” included treasured rings and earrings from happily married relatives and friends in a silk satchel (pus a sixpence in her shoe). Music was provided by the Greg Denard Orchestra featuring world-renowned vocalist Greg Denard, who performed Sir Paul McCartney’s wedding reception in 2002. SPECIAL TOUCHES: Escort cards contained a
GROOM’S ENSEMBLE: Custom made-to-
measure Lux Tuxedo by Tom Ford and Tom Ford Gianni patent leather evening loafers perfect for dancing the nuptial night away! DETAILS: The couple drew inspiration from
the Cherry Blossoms when planning the wedding with Jodi Moraru of Evoke DC and her team. Each room was decorated with explosions of cherry blossom branches and complementing arrangements of white
personal note from the couple to each guest, not only thanking them for taking part in the celebration, but also saying something that was unique to them personally. NOTABLE GUESTS: Jeweler Tom Liljenquist and Erin Kilday, NFL commentator James Brown and his wife Dorothy, personal health chefs Jay Coelho and Jay Denman, Zilli Men’s Clothing Store owners Lisa and Mike Colen, and jewelers Dino and Farah Pampillonia.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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I M A H E S CO U RT E SY O F B R I A N A DA M S P H OTO G RA P H I C S
MARRIED APRIL 16, 2016
ALI WEINBERG AND JOSH ROGIN
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he is a digital journalist at ABC News, covering Capitol Hill, producing pieces for broadcast and reporting for ABCNews.com and ABC News Radio. He is a Washington Post columnist covering foreign affairs and a political analyst for CNN. The journalistic power couple live in the District with their cat, Sammy Davis Jr. THE STORY: They met in 2009 at a
P H OTOS CO U RT E SY O F D U H O N P H OTO G RAP H Y
Restaurant Nora dinner hosted by The Atlantic’s Steve Clemons. Rogin knew practically everyone there except Weinberg, and after Clemons introduced them, the two became friends. More than four years later, Rogin invited her to the elegant 2013 Meridian International Center Ball, and the rest is history. THE WEDDING: They went back to where it all started, choosing to marry at Meridian International Center after a lively rehearsal dinner at Restaurant Nora. For their honeymoon, given that Rogin taught English in Japan after college, and later covered The Pentagon for the Asahi Shimbun’s Washington Bureau, the couple explored Japan, Thailand and Cambodia.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
MARRIED APRIL 16, 2016
ATTIRE: She wore a Modern Silk sheath bridal
gown from the Martina Liana Collection, featuring a sweetheart neckline and French satin ribbon belt with diamanté embellishments, while the bridesmaids wore dresses by Alfred Sung. He wore a suit by Luca Spano. DETAILS: A. Dominick Events planned the
wedding, Phillipa Tarrant Floral Design did the exquisite flower arrangements and Occasions Caterers served the main meal. As a nod to Rogin’s love of Japan, a full sushi bar was set up in the Meridian garden. Guests were invited to autograph a scratchpad bottle of wine, and to pen their best tips for a successful marriage and leave them in a jar. For the elegant, candle-lit dinner, the couple chose a menu of chevre and potato mille-feuilles, followed by syrah short ribs or a pistachio-crusted halibut. Dessert was a three-deck white wedding cake with vanilla buttercream, chocolate fudge and chocolate truffle ganache, and was cut to Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You).” New York-based band Rhythm Collective provided the evening’s soundtrack, jauntily moving from ’50’s tunes like Frank Sinatra’s “Dancing Cheek to Cheek” (the first dance) to “The Wedding Waltz” from The
| S U M M E R | washingtonlife.com
Godfather,” before graduating to a high-energy dance set, keeping guests on their feet. SPECIAL TOUCHES: Officiant Seth Rogin,
Josh’s first cousin, led the Jewish ceremony of prayer, vows and seven blessings for the couple, followed by the traditional breaking of a glass by Josh. Afterwards, guests joined for a reception in the Meridian’s Linden Grove, where the bride’s father, Max Weinberg, paid heartfelt tribute to the couple. FAVORITE PART: The bride brought the house down when she sang Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.” NOTABLE GUESTS: There’s no shortage of
musicians in the Weinberg clan. Ali’s brother Jay is the drummer for Slipknot and her father the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Springsteen himself attended, along with most of the E Street Band, including Steve Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren. Many Washington news personalities were present as well, including Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Chuck Todd, Luke Russert and Jonathan Karl, some of whom were eager to get selfies with the bride and “the Boss.”
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