Sarah Elizabeth Reid, who works in employer branding for Hilton, and Thomas Christian Gordon Fletcher met through mutual friends when they were in their early 20s. After a few run-ins, they really hit it off at a friend’s birthday party, and he grabbed her number from another one of their pals. After four years of dating, he proposed in their first home together in Georgetown.
“With the help of one of her best friends, I left work early and set up candles and placed white peonies and hydrangeas, which I know are her favorite because they remind Sarah of her Nana, throughout the house,” Tom says. “It was perfect!” she adds. “[It was] the quickest answer I have ever given, and I can be long winded.” That night, they celebrated with friends at Martin’s Tavern, and Tom had reserved the famous Proposal Booth, where JFK proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier.
Sarah had always imagined getting married in her hometown of Springfield, Illinois. “I know all roads lead to Springfield for Sarah, so before I even proposed, I imagined getting married there,” Tom says. “Abraham Lincoln is another famous Springfield transplant to D.C., and we may have over-indexed on the Lincoln theme, but everyone got a kick out of it,” the bride says. The festivities even started off with a rehearsal dinner at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library.
To help plan their entire summer solstice, black-tie weekend, the bride relied on LeFleur Floral Design & Events. And Sarah’s grandparents’ garden served as the inspiration for the invitation suite, florals, and reception decor at the country club.
On the morning-of, Sarah got ready at her parents’ home with her bridesmaids. Since she was the girl that had been dreaming of her wedding dress since she was a young girl, she knew that she wanted something that would make an elegant statement. “I drew inspiration from Grace Kelly, Maria from The Sound of Music, and Jackie Kennedy—a unique assortment of brides, I know,” Sarah says. The Monroe by Lela Rose fit all of her criteria, and it was love at first “try-on.” It even featured a detachable Watteau, which the bride removed after the church ceremony.
“She looked breathtaking!” Tom says. “I know that no one really cares about what I wore, but it was an Alton Lane black tuxedo.” To further complement the breathtaking bride, her bridesmaids were her “something blue” in Carolina Blue Lela Rose dresses.
The ceremony took place in the Catholic church, with stunning stained glass windows, that her family had grown up going to. Their priest presided over the service, and they pulled off a traditional ceremony in fewer than 30 minutes. When they were finally announced as a married couple, they recessed as their friends tossed white rose petals.
Everyone regrouped at Sarah’s family’s country club for cocktail hour on the green at sunset and then sat down for the delicious dinner and rousing toasts. “My dad hilariously begun his speech by showing everyone redacted lines that he claimed my mother, sister, and I forced him to remove,” Sarah says. “The lawyer in him was out in full swing!”
After the meal, the new Mr. and Mrs. sweetly cut their vanilla cake with two turtle dove toppers that her grandparents had used at their wedding. And they hit the dance floor for their first dance to “I Second That Emotion” by Smokey Robinson.
When the party was really kicking off, Sarah changed into a silver, sparkly Veronica Beard dress to celebrate the night away in. “One of my favorite moments of the reception was looking around the dance floor and seeing all of our loved ones dancing, wearing Abe Lincoln top hats—a party favor passed out later into the night!” she says. Once the formal evening finally came to a close at 1:00 a.m., people headed to the bar across the street for the after-party, which consisted of ordering a lot of Domino’s Pizza. “What happens in Springfield stays in Springfield!”
