Looking for a venue for a Washington DC waterfront wedding? Less than an hour from DC is The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, a cozy boutique retreat just at the base of the Chesapeake Bay bridge as you enter Kent Island in Maryland.
As a waterfront wedding venue near Washington, DC, the venue offers a mix of the region’s rich history and charm and contemporary elegance. Out-of-town guests can stay at The Inn at Chesapeake Bay Club which features guest rooms and suites and wellness-focused treatments at the full-service spa and salon.
Anna & Ted’s Washington DC Waterfront Wedding
Anna and Ted had a late fall wedding at the Inn Ballroom which is the newest addition to the DC waterfront wedding venue that seats up to 100 guests. The ballroom has a neutral color palette and features cathedral ceilings with exposed wood beams, iron chandeliers, and large windows.
I loved the sparkle wedding gown that Anna chose which was an Etsy designer original. Her bridal colors were emerald green, white, and pink. Her brother and a good friend wore winter green tuxedo jackets with black bow ties and black pants as part of her bridal party. The groomsmen wore black tuxedos with green ties.
She DIY’d her florals and used white lanterns with sparkling lights and Eucalyptus leaves on the reception tables.
Since Anna and Ted love to spend time at theme parks, she brought several Disney mementos from their dates for me to photograph.
The weather did not play nice for their wedding, but they made the best of things with the best attitude and we worked around the clouds and rain. They originally planned to do a first look outside in the private garden but because of the rain, we forgo those plans.
Their ceremony had to be moved inside the garden terrace that is separated from the Inn Ballroom by two sets of French doors. The area has a large sailcloth-style tent that provided their guests with full coverage from the elements. The custom stone gas fireplace was a charming backdrop for their ceremony.
The staff did an amazing job of transforming the terrace quickly after the ceremony to host their cocktail reception.
Aside from the weather, what struck me as so special about their wedding was how Anna incorporated her family into the wedding. For starters, Anna’s Uncle was their officiant dressed in his full military uniform and then later he also provided the piano accompaniment for Anna’s father who sang an original song during their reception which was just so heartwarming. Anna’s sister also sang “At Last.”
Their first dance in the center of the ballroom had a fog effect and was just lovely.
Afterward, the rain had let up just enough for me to do their portraits among the azalea bushes that were still blooming under the white trellis and the lamposts provided nice architectural elements. I shot their wedding party and group photos there as well.
Our original plan was to have the staff take us across the street to the waterfront for sunset pictures. We had to pivot and do their portraits in the lantern-lit courtyard during the reception under the stars instead which turned out to be a perfect alternative. Anna’s reception outfit of a black sequin sweater tunic, black leggings, and boots gave their pictures a fun vibe.
