This vibrant, richly cultured wedding features exquisite monastery gardens at St Francis Hall, incredible Ethiopian traditions, and a real-life *cave*– don’t miss this interesting (Ethiopian-Texan!!) Multicultural DC wedding!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Temnite shares, “We chose Rhinehart Photography for our wedding day based on an impressive portfolio, and positive reviews, and because we felt comfortable and confident after meeting with Lisa!
She continues, “Working with Lisa on our wedding day was fantastic! We appreciated her ability to capture timeless moments. We’re hoping to see a lot of classic photos but also a blend of artistry, creativity, and emotion in our wedding photos.”
Pampering at St Regis Hotel
I love working at St Regis in downtown Washington DC, just a block from the White House. The large windows, clean lines, and color palette make it an ideal getting-ready location!
Temnite says, “My sister, who is my maid of honor, and I started getting ready for hair and makeup around 8:30 am at St. Regis! My bridesmaids arrived before noon, it was a busy morning!“
Capturing How It Feels
I wanted to give a bit of a tipsy feeling with the champagne– I like bringing my artistic perspective in!
Noticing the Little Things
I have an eye for noticing the details... I loved the unique detailing on the gown & the lipstick on her champagne glass…
For me, photography is all about the art of being present and observing.
Multicultural DC Wedding Photographer
While my focus is colorful, creative, custom-tailored photography, I also make sure to get flattering, well-lit, well-composed photos in addition to those creative images, too.
Here I’m bringing in some artistry and creativity along with the traditional bridal portraits.
Creative DC Wedding Photographer
I love playing with vibrant colors, silhouettes and reflections, and showing you a bit of behind-the-scenes, too… Temnite loves the National Portrait Gallery so I made sure to incorporate plenty of classic artistic techniques, composition, and lighting into her photos.
You can see the Washington Monument, reflection, playing up the blue sky, and loving vibrant color in the photos below…
St Francis Hall Multicultural DC Wedding
Temnite smiles, “It was a lot of fun to have my roomates and dear friends from college, whom I trust and support me, by my side. A couple of them traveled from abroad for the weekend to celebrate with me. The limo ride was just fun, with all the ladies together, making sure I was having a good time.”
TRUE STORY, haha: I was trying to photograph the perfect angle for a picture of the bridesmaids… and as I backed up, I finally got the perfect perspective, but it needed to be a little lower. As I squatted down, I inadvertently sat on a cactus! Temnite’s friend was AMAZING with helping me out with those cactus needles!
Meet Will
Will moved from Texas when he was younger and grew up in Virginia but moved to DC for school and work. He loves to travel and has studied abroad— he has been to Scotland and Jordan for school and work!
St Francis Hall: A Multicultural Wedding First Look
Temnite recalls, “I was nervous and happy for the first look, as I knew it marked the real start of the day as a couple with Will. Being in the upper garden at St Francis Hall felt beautiful, like the courtyard of a castle.”
St Francis Hall: Multicultural DC Wedding Ceremony
From Addis to Amarillo— I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was when I heard that Temnite & Will’s wedding would be blending Ethiopian and Texan cultures together. I love how unique all couples are, and really love to play that up in photos, but having that additional cultural uniqueness gave me so much to work with!
Temnite + Will: Diverse Cultures and Shared Values
Temnite shares, “Will and I met a few months before the pandemic so we are so lucky to have met each other before the lockdown!”
She adds, “We were drawn to each other by a shared sense of humor, values, openness, and love for adventure. Our differences in culture added richness to our relationship as we both have studied abroad and love to explore and understand other cultures. I have been to France and he has been to Scotland and Jordan for study and work. On our wedding day, we experienced a mix of excitement, joy, nervousness, and gratitude for having our families who traveled thousands of miles to be with us.”
Family Bonds & Missing Mom…
Temnite smiles, “My nieces and my goddaughter, who were the flower girls, added so much joy to our day!”
She continues, “My dad’s presence meant a lot, as this was one of the few beautiful events we had as a family since my mom’s passing. Reserving a seat for my mom was very important, as I wanted to respect and reserve space for her at our ceremony.”
St Francis Hall Wedding Reception
Temnite shares, “We chose the St Francis Hall for its’ unique and serene atmosphere. What we liked most about the venue was all the distinct areas it offered.”
She continues, “We loved how it felt like we were in a Spanish garden. The cave (replica of the cave from the Bible) is our favorite part, as we had an intimate time together before the crowd joined us. The beautiful upper garden in the monastery adds to the peaceful atmosphere we both enjoy. The ballroom, with its beautiful lights, provided another elegant touch that we both enjoyed.”
Multicultural DC Wedding Traditions
Temnite smiles, “Our wedding day was uniquely special with the blend of culture, the intimate cave moment, and the vibrant Ethiopian/ Texan celebration, making it a memorable and distinctive experience.”
She adds, “The Ethiopian food was the best and an easy choice for us to share with our guests, as it usually offers delicious flavor options for everyone.”
I used perspective to capture the overall feelings during the opening dance set– how much fun was this packed dance floor?
Sunset Getaway
One of my favorite parts of each wedding, is taking the couple out to enjoy a few moments alone during golden hour.
I also love how St Francis Hall had everything from Spanish Gardens to a cave to crosswalks to work with. It really allowed for unique, creative shots.
Multicultural DC Wedding Traditions
The start of the reception focused more on American traditions and was just breathtaking in St Francis Hall! I absolutely love being a Saint Francis Hall Wedding Photographer!
End of the Multicultural DC Wedding Night
The couples’ family and friends really packed the dance floor! It was so fun to watch this Ethiopian Wedding dancing…
Temnite says, “The dancing is called eskista; it’s usually a community dance rather than just couples, and for a large wedding crowd, it’s a lot of fun.”
Nights End for this Washington DC Wedding at Saint Francis Hall
Temnite smiles, “Walking out at the end of the evening felt like we both really enjoyed our celebration and were happy to have shared it with everyone we love!”
Vendors:
- Venue: St Francis Hall
- Florist: Lavanda & Eucalypto
- Caterer: Dama Restaurant
- Videographer: Le Moment Capturer
- Makeup: Blush by Makki
- Photography: Rhinehart Photography
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