July 20, 2024
Chad and Danai first met in college at CNU in 2016 and spent several years as close friends. During a spring break trip in 2018, they jokingly made a “marriage pact” promising to marry each other one day if they were still single (very Chandler and Monica!). Life had other plans, though. Just a year later, after reconnecting at a New Year’s Eve party in Richmond, the two shared a midnight kiss. The rest, as they say, is history.
On December 3rd, 2022, Chad planned a surprise proposal under the guise of a night out to see Wicked at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Instead of a show, Danai got the sweetest surprise of all, a proposal! Chad followed it up with a thoughtfully planned celebration at a restaurant in Arlington with their closest family and friends.
Their wedding was deeply rooted in tradition and love. Before the rehearsal, Danai’s family hosted a “Learn to Greek Dance” night, where guests unfamiliar with the steps were joyfully taught in preparation for the big day. At the reception, both families, bridesmaids, and groomsmen joined the couple in a beautiful, traditional Greek wedding dance, a moment that reflected not just celebration, but unity and shared heritage.
The ceremony took place in a church that holds incredible significance for Danai’s family, the same church where her parents and grandparents were married after emigrating from Constantinople in 1962. Chad even converted to the Greek Orthodox faith to honor Danai’s culture and upbringing, a gesture that meant the world to her family. They were married by three priests, including the one who baptized Danai. The ceremony included meaningful elements such as the couple wearing crowns and their ceremonial walk around the altar, a powerful symbol of their sacred union.
Some words of wisdom from the couple: “Sounds cliche but make decisions that will truly make you happy! Ignore the trends and outside opinions. When you plan the day YOU want, you will have no regrets!”
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