Jordan Etkin & Jonah Berger

Married on Aug. 16, 2014 in Washington D.C.

Bride and groom

Jordan Etkin, 27, who was born and raised in Arlington (her parents still live in the 1830s farmhouse on North Powhatan Street where she grew up); and Jonah Berger, 34, who grew up in Bethesda, Md. Both are business professors—Jordan at Duke University and Jonah at Cornell Tech. They live in and travel back and forth between Durham, N.C., and New York.

How they met

At a conference at the University of Maryland. “We pulled out our IDs and [realized] we have the same birthday,” Jordan says. “That got us talking, and we hit it off.”

The wedding

Aug. 16, 2014, on the Newseum’s outdoor terrace overlooking the Washington skyline, followed by a reception in the museum’s banquet hall.

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First date

Dinner at Tara Thai in Bethesda

The proposal

Jonah asked for Jordan’s keys so he could retrieve their dog, Zoe’s, bed from her office while she was teaching a class. But instead, he filled the office with 70 balloons and then waited for her. “[The balloons] were all blue, and then the middle one was white, and it said ‘Will you marry me?’ on it,” Jordan says.

Number of guests

140

Ceremony

A traditional Jewish ceremony, complete with the breaking of the glass, a chuppah (canopy), a reading of the seven wedding blessings in Hebrew and English, receiving lines and a moment of alone time as a couple. Jordan was raised Lutheran, but converted to Judaism the weekend before the wedding after months of preparation with a rabbi.

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Décor

Minimalistic flower arrangements, combined with metal, glass and pops of black, white and orange.

Favors

Orange reusable totes, adorned with “J+J” stickers, held welcome notes, water bottles, snacks, a calendar of events and a list of exhibits at the National Gallery, as well as a map of key event locations and favorite nearby bars and restaurants.

First Dance

“Stuck on You” by Meiko

Honeymoon

They plan to travel to Thailand or Australia and New Zealand after their fall semester of teaching.

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Near disasters

Because of the windy conditions, the signed, framed and mounted ketubah (marriage contract) blew off the easel, leaving a trail of shattered glass. Yarmulkes flew off some of the groomsmen’s heads and the maid of honor had to remove Jordan’s veil so it wouldn’t soar away.

Gown

A strapless, A-line chiffon “Reba” dress by Maggie Sottero.

Photographer

George Street Photo & Video

Details

Flowers

Amaryllis Inc.

Hair and makeup

Modern Bridal Studio

Music

D.J. Jared Rosen

Cake

Fluffy Thoughts Bakery

Catering

Wolfgang Puck

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