A Modern, Black-Tie Wedding in Washington, D.C.

Arielle Goldberg and Matthew Houlihan met at college in California, where they were both playing Division I volleyball at the time. The two hit it off, and after six years of dating, Matt knew he wanted to surprise Arielle with a proposal in her hometown of Washington, D.C. So during a planned trip to visit her family and for a competition, Matt convinced Arielle to visit the Jefferson Memorial. With a hidden photographer nearby (orchestrated by Matt and his future mother-in-law), he completely surprised her and popped the question. "I didn't realize he was proposing until I looked over and saw my mom with her phone out, crying, and taking photos," the bride recalls.

The San Jose-based pair (who both serve as directors of the Bay to Bay Volleyball Club) wanted to incorporate California's effortless feel into their wedding, and had a laid-back black-tie wedding in the nation's capitol. On April 10th, 2016, Arielle and Matt exchanged vows in front of 100 guests and held a modern party at The National Headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The couple passed on traditional wedding elements, like a first dance and cake, and instead focused on having a joyous, memorable celebration for everyone. Modern Weddings