This Vibrant Wedding With a Pink and Orange Color Palette Was Infused With Personal Touches

Reisha Raney and Julian Doe have their mutual love of rollercoasters to thank for their first introduction. In May 2021, the two of them were visiting a local amusement park when they happened to cross paths. It turns out that the couple had more in common than just adrenaline-pumping rides. After nearly two years of dating, Julian proposed to Reisha on Valentine’s Day at a Lebanese restaurant.

After the duo organized and hosted an engagement party, they only had four months to plan their wedding. For Reisha, pulling off a celebration that included personalized details, a curated wardrobe, and time-honored traditions in a short amount of time was a challenging feat. Their determination and their vendors’ expertise made it all possible, though.

One detail that came together serendipitously was the couple’s wedding venue. Since Reisha grew up three miles from Oxon Hill Manor in Fort Washington, Maryland, and due to its English gardens and unparalleled views of the Potomac River, the pair booked the site for their big day. Little did the bride know that her late father had a connection to the property through his involvement with the Sons of the American Revolution. “We wanted our wedding to be sentimental, and this was another way for Reisha to feel her father’s presence on our wedding day,” the couple says.

On October 21, 2023, Reisha and Julian tied the knot in a vibrant, personalized affair, planned by Favored by Yodit Events & Design and photographed by Hana Gonzales. Read on to see how they pulled out all the stops, despite the narrow window of time.

At the heart of their aesthetic was an eye-catching color palette: blazing orange and hot pink. To set the tone for their celebration, the couple painted their wedding invitations and envelope liner in a wash of the striking hues. Besides colorful décor, the couple also prioritized an inclusive atmosphere at their wedding. “We wanted guests to feel a part of our ceremony and not just spectators,” Reisha noted. “We wanted to create a community who would support us throughout our marriage and feel sentimental—with vibrant color.”

After browsing bridal salons in Washington D.C. and New York City, Reisha finally found the one in Boston. The gown in question was a silk mikado Reem Acra number, featuring a square neckline, long sleeves trimmed with buttons, and 3D floral accents that grazed the shoulders. “This gown was even more perfect than I could have imagined, particularly since I often wear puff shoulder details,” Reisha shared. “It was exactly true to my style—just in bridal.” Another characteristic of the frock that caught her eye was the modest neckline, which Reisha found to be appropriate for her ceremony. 

To match the floral detailing on the shoulders, Reisha worked with LTCoutureAtelier on Etsy to customize a coordinating veil. After the bridal boutique company designed the flowers, Reisha and her mother arranged them. The bride also accessorized with pearl and diamond drop earrings. 

Since Reisha was getting married at almost 50 years old, her goal was to achieve a youthful complexion for her nuptials. So, her wedding prep involved a comprehensive skincare regimen, but one product that completely changed the game for Reisha was Cultura Retinoic Acid. “It keeps fine lines away!” she exclaims. Once her big day arrived, she embraced a “naturally glamorous” makeup look. For her hairstyle of choice, the bride opted for side-swept curls, so her locks wouldn’t obstruct the shoulder adornments on her dress. 

To complement the overarching color scheme, the bride carried a variety of blooms in pink and orange tones, accented with a pop of yellow and a touch of greenery. She wrapped her bouquet in a handkerchief from Julian’s cousin’s grandmother, which functioned as her something old, something borrowed, and something blue.

Julian’s grooming process was simple—it solely entailed a clean shave. Then, the groom put on his outfit of the day, an off-white custom tuxedo made of wool and featuring silk peak lapels from Suitsupply. All-black accessories—which included a bow tie, a pocket square, tuxedo pants, and patent leather shoes—provided a sharp contrast. His look also incorporated a sentimental touch via an inscription of the couple’s names and wedding dates on the inside of his jacket and cufflinks from his daughter and a tie pin from his grandfather in his pocket.

Since Reisha and Julian wanted to spend cocktail hour with their guests, rather than take portraits, they set aside time for a first look before the ceremony. “We invited our immediate family, officiant, and wedding party to witness our first look,” Reisha recounts. “We wanted to share that moment with our closest family and friends.”

Reisha dressed her bridesmaids in the deep hues that comprised her color palette. Some wore floor-length gowns with asymmetrical necklines in red-orange from Halston, while others donned hot pink mini dresses with long, puff sleeves from Nocturne. “Finding long-sleeved, free-flowing dresses in orange and pink for the bridesmaids and hostesses respectively was a steep challenge,” Reisha admits. To counterbalance the bridesmaids’ colorful looks, the groomsmen sported white tuxedo jackets with black lapels. 

Of course, pink and orange also made a statement at the couple’s ceremony site. Clusters of flowers in the bright tones outlined the perimeter of the aisle, and the same arrangements flanked the altar. 

A procession of bells kicked off the service. “The bells ushered in a calm and clarity within the space and set the expectation for our guests to be fully present and in the moment with us,” Reisha explains.

In honor of her late father, the bride walked down the aisle alone until her brother met her at the altar to give her away to Julian. During this special moment, Sterling Strings performed “Trumpet Voluntary” by Jeremiah Clarke.

Before exchanging traditional vows, the couple participated in a Cord of Three Strands unity ceremony. And since the bride and groom wanted their guests to feel involved in the service, their officiant also asked everyone to affirm their role as support systems for the couple during their marriage. Before sharing their first kiss, Reisha gave Julian her late father’s wedding ring.

“We Found Love” by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris marked the end of the ceremony and created a celebratory atmosphere. Before heading to cocktail hour, Reisha and Julian shared a private moment alone, which allowed them to bask in their new marriage. “It was a special moment to be alone amidst all of the activity and to grasp that we just got married,” Reisha reminisces.

As a nod to their bell ceremony prelude, the couple selected brass handbells engraved with each guest’s name—plus, the couple’s names, wedding date, and custom crest—for escort cards.

At cocktail hour, friends and family had the option of playing cornhole, using bean bags and a board that were customized with images of the couple by Skips Garage.

The reception took place in a tent, which was transformed into a magical oasis with white draping across the ceiling. At the center of the space was a monogrammed dance floor, surrounded by mirroring lounge areas and the newlyweds’ sweetheart table. Guests’ tables were arranged on the outskirts. “This was one of the most important and unique reception elements, which reflected our personality, as it felt fresher and more welcoming to our guests, rather than being seated in a typical room of all rounds,” Reisha says of the layout.

Each guest table was engulfed in orange linens, topped with either low or tall arrangements of brightly-hued flowers and light pink taper candles. Gold flatware and gold-rimmed glassware and chargers gave the setup an elegant and upscale feel. To round off the color scheme, Reisha and Julian’s sweetheart table featured a hot pink tablecloth. 

Another standout element was the bar, which was painted in the statement-making red-orange tone. There, guests could order Reisha’s signature cocktail, a hot butter rum apple cider—which followed her very own recipe. 

After making their entrance, the newlyweds shared their first dance to a duet of “When I Fall in Love” by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole. Since her father passed, Reisha’s brother assumed the role for the father-daughter dance. The bride got emotional while the siblings swayed to “Dance With My Father” by Celine Dion.

At the end of the family dances, Reisha and Julian invited everyone to join them on the dance floor. Guests lined up in three circles and rotated in alternating directions around the newlyweds, who stood in the center, while “As” by Stevie Wonder blasted. “These circles reflected our desire to have our guests be an integral part of our lives,” the bride shares. “Seeing everyone surrounding us affirmed how fortunate we were to have our loved ones. We couldn’t believe that everyone actually got up to join.”

Since Julian proposed to Reisha at a Lebanese restaurant, the pair wanted to share the establishment’s idea of a multi-course, semi-improvisational dinner with their loved ones. The duo served an Americanized version of its sofra menu with a five-course meal filled with seasonal ingredients. “Guests were unaware of what they would receive as their meal or how many courses were coming and only discovered as the dinner progressed,” the bride points out. The lineup included a fall harvest salad with butternut squash soup, mushroom risotto, seafood pot pie, and crab cakes.

The fifth course? A slice of vanilla cake with caramel buttercream filling. Doused in white fondant flowers, the confection also mimicked the bride’s gown.

Before Reisha hit the dance floor, she changed into a lace mermaid dress with sheer bell sleeves. 

Although the newlyweds had a certain vision in mind for their wedding, they adopted a flexible approach, which went a long way. “Allow yourself to be stretched into new directions by the experienced professionals you hire, but also, decide which elements you are most passionate about and stay true to them,” Reisha recommends.