Kryssy + Billy | Wedding at the Omni Shoreham Hotel

Our last wedding for 2017 was also one of our favorite weddings from last year!

The Omni Shoreham Hotel, the location where Kryssy and Billy chose to host their wedding, is a picturesque luxury hotel in Washington, DC with loads of historical charm. The ceremony was held outdoors in the hotel’s lush garden overlooking Rock Creek Park, and the overcast skies were just perfect for ceremony photos — the clouds were a natural softbox, making for some stunning wedding photos! We were racing against the weather, though — almost as soon as Kryssy and Billy walked down the aisle together as husband and wife, the skies opened up and the rain began. We had to work efficiently capture the portraits and family photos, then usher everyone inside before we all got soaked. Luckily the hotel staff were incredibly accommodating and provided a box of umbrellas for us to use.

We’ve heard that rain is considered good luck on a wedding day, and we couldn’t agree more! During the reception, once the sun had set, we pulled Billy and Kryssy away from the dance floor for a few minutes to shoot some more portraits in the rain. We set up a flash and had Kryssy and Billy stand in front of it while holding an umbrella. Look how dramatic the raindrops look in the photos! This is most certainly one of my favorite pictures from this beautiful wedding. 

The reception had even more great moments for wedding pictures. To celebrate their big day, Kryssy and Billy opened a huge bottle of champagne after they cut their wedding cake. Turns out, when you open an extra-large bottle of champagne, you will have an extra-large champagne explosion. I love the bride and groom’s reactions in these photos! I was right up close to the action, but don’t worry, my camera gear got away unscathed.

Another one of my favorite moments from the reception was the surprise hora. That’s right — a SURPRISE hora. I quickly guessed what was about to happen as soon as the band started playing Hava Nagila, and got into position as the groomsmen brought in a chair. Turns out, you really ought to practice a hora first. We had a slight mishap during the first attempt to lift Billy up, but the groomsmen quickly added a few more guys to the chair and Billy was safely returned to the ground at the end of the song.

What more can we say? This really was the perfect wedding. From the great band to the tasty food, to the wedding couple who so clearly love and adore each other, it all went off without a hitch. We are so happy Billy and Kryssy chose us to photograph their special day, and we really couldn’t ask for a better final wedding for the season. 

P.S. We’re now booking weddings for the 2018 season. If you’re looking for a photographer for your wedding in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, feel free to chat with us here.