The couple: Jeanne Choi, VP of marketing and communications at the real estate firm McEnearney Associates (she is also on the Arlington Historical Society board of directors); and Matt Hill, chef and partner at The Liberty Tavern Restaurant Group, which consists of The Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall, Northside Social Arlington, Northside Social Falls Church, LeoNora Bakery and Liberty BBQ. They live in Donaldson Run.
How they met: Eating oysters at The Old Ebbitt Grill in D.C.
Perfect together because: “We passed the rocking chair test,” Jeanne says, “meaning that when we’re 80 years old we’ll look back with no regrets. We are soulmates and best friends. We laugh at the same silly things. Each of us knows how the other feels without saying it. And we make each other stronger every day.”
The wedding: April 22, 2017, at Northside Social Arlington
The ceremony: “We played Beirut’s ‘The Rip Tide’ when the bridal party entered and Barry Louis Polisar’s ‘All I Want Is You’ for the recessional,” Jeanne says. “We wrote our own vows. Looking out and seeing all of our closest friends and family made it truly intimate. We felt an incredible energy.”
Number of guests: About 80
The setting: “Northside Social was a natural choice,” Matt says. “It’s in a historic building, formerly a trolley station, with a lot of character, distressed hardwood and white-painted beams.” Simple accents included eucalyptus leaves, white hydrangeas, French napkins and white candles.
Oops: “Two customers missed the sign on the door and wandered in looking for coffee just before the ceremony started. We all laughed about it afterwards.”
The food: Matt customized the menu with their favorite dishes, including fresh shellfish, fried chicken sliders, homemade biscuits and preserves, quinoa-beet salad, vegetable antipasto, smoked brisket, mac and cheese, and collard greens. A dessert table by pastry chef Bridie McCulla featured a vanilla-buttercream-chiffon cake, almond and chocolate fleur-de-sel tarts, strawberry and red-velvet cupcakes, macarons, and three kinds of pie.
Signature cocktail: The “Tipsy Palmer,” a boozy riff on an Arnold Palmer featuring black tea, bourbon, lemon syrup and angostura bitters.
Music: Guests were asked to put song requests on their RSVP cards. The playlist included everything from Marvin Gaye to Spice Girls to New Order.
Photographer: Zach Glenn, Bow Tie Photo
Details: Event Planning: Erin Hutchins and Sean Lowder; Catering: The Liberty Tavern Restaurant Group; Flowers: Galleria Florist; Music: Jay One; Bridal Gown: Watters at BHLDN; Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein; Rentals: Party Rental LTD; Hair & Makeup: Beatriz Jackson
The honeymoon: Islandhopping in Hawaii
Favorite hangouts: Tachibana, Kogiya Korean BBQ, Peter Chang, B Side, Kapnos Taverna and, of course, Liberty Tavern and Lyon Hall. Says Matt: “We also love going to the Marymount and Falls Church farmers markets.”
