Rooftop Elopement in Washington DC
Rooftop Elopement | Smithsonian Gardens | Georgetown, Washington DC
September 14, 2025. Tessa and Brendan chose an intimate rooftop elopement in Washington, DC — surrounded by plants, skyline views, and a full day around the city that marks this chapter of their lives. Tessa starts the day getting her hair and makeup done, doors open with cool air moving through the room. Brendan runs out for coffee and breakfast.
Getting Ready in Washington, DC
Brendan returns with coffee and pastries, and the morning slows down. They talk about how they met, early memories, the small details that led here. Tessa finishes writing her vows. They get dressed separately, take a few portraits, and then make their way upstairs for their rooftop ceremony overlooking DC.
Rooftop Garden Ceremony
We walked upstairs and Tessa ran to Brendan immediately.
They exchanged handwritten vows and officiated their own ceremony on the rooftop garden overlooking the city. It felt intimate, intentional, and entirely their own.
Tessa is an amazing chef and works at a vegetarian restaurant in DC, so she made the cake herself — it was perfect! After the ceremony we all sat around on the rooftop eating cake together before heading to the Smithsonian Gardens.
Portraits Around Washington, DC
Smithsonian Gardens
After the ceremony, we drove to the Smithsonian Gardens to wander for a bit. The light was perfect and the gardens were quiet, which made it feel like we had the whole place to ourselves. Bright pink love-lies-bleeding draped over the paths we walked while taking portraits before heading over to the National Museum of Asian Art.
Asian Art Museum
From the gardens we walked over to the National Museum of Asian Art. The courtyard was still and the fountain reflected the sunlight. We spent a little time observing the space and taking portraits before heading inside.
Inside the museum, the mood shifted. Dark green walls, gold frames, softer light, and calm galleries made everything feel slower. We roamed through a few rooms taking photos before ending up by the tall windows overlooking the courtyard.
TACO BELL & A STOP AT HOME
After the museum we headed for some much-needed Taco Bell. It felt like the right and only way to celebrate the day!
On the way back we stopped at home to see Gobi (a perfect angel) and give her a few treats before taking a little time to rest before the evening.
And of course, Gobi!
AN EVENING IN GEORGETOWN
OLD STONE HOUSE
Later that evening we met back up and headed to Georgetown as the sun started to set.
Our first stop was the Old Stone House, a historic courtyard tucked into the neighborhood where we stopped for a few portraits before heading back out into the streets. The walls were covered in vines and the last bit of sunlight was coming through the trees.
GEORGETOWN STREETS
After leaving the Old Stone House we strolled through the neighborhood, stopping for a few more portraits along the way before grabbing a sweet treat.
We found a really unique row of colorful houses covered in September foliage before eventually finding ice cream!
Washington DC ended up being the perfect place for their elopement. Within a single day we moved from a rooftop ceremony to the Smithsonian Gardens, wandered through the National Museum of Asian Art, and finished the day walking through the streets of Georgetown as the sun set. For couples planning an intimate wedding or elopement in Washington DC, it’s a city where you can move easily between incredible locations and let the day unfold naturally.
In the months before, we spent time planning the day together — thinking about places that felt meaningful, personal details we could incorporate, and how everything could unfold naturally across the city. We had a few calls leading up to it just getting to know each other and talking through what they wanted the day to feel like. That part always matters to me, because I want the photos to feel personal and specific to you. By the time the day came around, everything felt easy and natural, like we were just moving through the city together.
If you're planning a Washington DC elopement, you can learn more about my work at wedding and elopements or reach out through my contact page.
Washington DC elopement photographer Alyse Stiles.
