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All Smiles: The bride wore an A-line gown from Rosalin’s Bridal Boutique in Falls Church, and the groom donned a tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse.
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Forever Family: Grecielle gifted custom cuff links to her husband, father-in-law and brother-in-law featuring their family crest. “I thought it would be really special if all three of them had the same cuff links, so eventually they can hand [them] down,” Grecielle says.
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Christmas Magic: The couple posed for photos with The Jefferson Hotel’s iconic 30-foot decorated tree as a nod to their love of the holiday season.
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Traditional Dress: To honor her Filipino heritage, the bride customized her gown with removable butterfly sleeves, which she wore during the ceremony.
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All in the Details: The wedding invitations were created by online stationery designer Truly Engaging. The engagement ring and wedding bands were purchased at Blue Nile, and Grecielle’s crystal earrings were from Swarovski. She also carried a pin on her bouquet with photos of her mother, who died while Grecielle was in high school, and her Pomeranian, who died a year prior to the wedding.
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A Sweet Treat: The couple’s wedding cake featured two flavors: red velvet and Champagne. They took the top tier home to preserve for enjoyment on their one-year anniversary.
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To Have and to Hold: Grecielle and Jason hosted their ceremony in The Jefferson Hotel’s Empire Ballroom.
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Beautiful Blooms: The bride’s bouquet featured lilies, roses and eucalyptus. She also incorporated pieces of evergreen tree branches from her father-in-law’s property.
After meeting through a mutual friend in 2016, Grecielle Sabarre and Jason Sengstack got engaged on Dec. 23, 2022. The couple lives in Northern Virginia, but after traveling to Richmond, both separately and together, the city was on the couple’s short list of locations for their wedding. Jason suggested The Jefferson Hotel after seeing it decorated for Christmas. “[Christmas] is a very special holiday to us, and we always imagined our wedding being around the holiday season,” Grecielle says. “We walked [into The Jefferson Hotel], and I instantly knew. It was exactly how I envisioned my wedding to be.”
It was also important to Grecielle to incorporate her Filipino heritage into the big day. One way the couple accomplished this was through their attire. Grecielle purchased her customized A-line wedding dress from a Filipino-owned boutique. During cocktail hour, Jason wore a traditional embroidered long-sleeve formal shirt called a barong, which he brought back from a family reunion trip to the Philippines. During the ceremony, a veil was draped over the couple’s shoulders to symbolize being clothed as one, and a cord, known as a yugal, was wrapped around the couple in a figure-eight pattern representative of the eternal bond of fidelity.
After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres, a seated dinner and late-night bites. During the reception, the couple hosted an anniversary dance spotlighting Jason’s parents, who had recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. “All I could feel was pure happiness. The atmosphere of the holidays and knowing all our friends and family were there made the day so special,” Grecielle says.
The couple planned to celebrate their first anniversary at The Jefferson Hotel.
Coordinator: Happily Hitched
Florist: Designs by Ron
Caterer and Cake: Lemaire Restaurant
Hair and Makeup: Transformations Artistry DJ: Black Tie Entertainment
