One thing, in particular, stood out to me at Alex and Mike’s St. Mark Orthodox Church wedding, that really sums up their character and how awesome and caring and kind these two are:  Alex, who was just stunning on her wedding day, kept complimenting her friends and guests on how pretty they were.  Now, I don’t know about you, but on my wedding day, I was pretty much just thinking about how good I (hopefully) looked.  It was just a little thing that I noticed, but Alex and Mike were just so kind the whole day.  Alex and Mike had a traditional Orthodox wedding ceremony at Saint Mark Orthodox Church in Bethesda  MD (go figure, with Orthodox in the name).  I had never been a part of an orthodox wedding ceremony, but it was SUCH a cool experience!  Everything that goes on has a meaning, and I loved that Alex and Mike explained all of it in their programs.  I’ll explain below! But for now, Enjoy these lovely images from their wedding from Mike getting ready at The Hyatt Arlington VA, to their Orthodox Wedding Ceremony at St Mark in Bethesda, to their gorgeous wedding reception at Top of The Town in Arlington VA.

Taken straight from their program:

“The Orthodox wedding service, which has been celebrated in its present form for more than a thousand years, consists of distinct parts.”

“The betrothal begins with petitions  and prayers to ask God for the couple’s salvations, for a perfect and peaceful love, harmony and faith, and an honorable and pure marriage.” (from top left to bottom right, images 1-5)

“The wedding crowns are signs of glory and honor with which God crowns the couple during this sacrament.  The crowns also remind us of the crowns of martyrdom, for every true marriage involves self-sacrifice on the part of the husband and wife.  Three prayers are read asking God to bless the couple as He blessed the great saints of the Bible.” (from top left to bottom right, images 6-7)

“The priest then joins Alex and Michael’s right hands to symbolize the oneness of the couple as they take their first steps as husband and wife.  The priest leads the couple in a circular procession. The joyous procession, known as the dance of Isaiah, is the beginning of the couple’s journey together in married life, no longer alone, but united in the love and mercy of God.” (from top left to bottom right, images 8-10)

How cool, right?