Michelle + Steven | Bethesda Marriott Wedding Photos | Bethesda, MD | Photography by Brea

February 22, 2023 Michelle + Steven | Bethesda Marriott Wedding Photos | Bethesda, MD

This past weekend we celebrated with Michelle and Steven as they officially started their lives together as a married couple and it was SO. MUCH. FUN.

The Couple

“It all started at the beginning of 2018, when Michelle was back on The Apps and “liked” one of Steven’s pictures on Hinge. Steven saw that one of Michelle’s pictures had a very cute puppy (now adult dog, shout out to Zorba Langer!) and sent her a message back asking “Is that your doggo?” Alas, it was not, but nonetheless things had been set in motion that would change both of their lives forever.

“The two met in person on January 15th. It was a mild Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and they decided to grab a coffee. Michelle arrived at the intended location – Pear Plum, in Mount Pleasant – early, and despite her glasses fogging up she could tell there would not be room for the two of them to sit and chat. So when Steven arrived, they said hello and set out to find another place to enjoy a hot drink and each other’s company. They tried the next-closest place, and it was also full, as were the next three places they tried to go. But eventually, on their sixth attempt, they found a corner of the bar at The Coupe in Columbia Heights, and to their surprise and delight, each wanted to go on a second date with an Internet stranger. The rest is history.”

The Wedding

Michelle and Steven first ‘met’ me when I photographed their friends Rachel and Joe‘s wedding back in 2019 (also on President’s Day weekend!). Michelle then referred me to her sister Rachel (+ Colleen!) for her wedding (they were two of six Rachels in attendance on Sunday, btw) so I got to hang out with them there too. Michelle even pulled me aside at one point to tell me that they’d be reaching out about their 2023 wedding sooner than later. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when that happened, and it was time for Michelle and to start planning their own wedding. Rachel and Joe and Rachel and Colleen’s weddings were two of the most fun weddings I’d ever been a part of, largely because of the wonderful friends and family they have. So I knew that Sunday would be a blast.

Michelle and Steven are uniquely special people. They are loving, kind, thoughtful, warm, intelligent, driven, and moved to activism for the causes that are important to them. And in each other, they’ve found a partner that perfectly reflects those qualities and values. They surround themselves with equally special people. We absolutely adore their family and their friends. Sunday was one of the most special days we’ve ever been a part of and I’m excited to share the highlights on the blog today!