See The 1950s-Inspired Celebration for a Couple Convinced They Met in a Past Life

Catherine Edmonson & Jack Hamilton
January 8, 2022

Catherine Edmonson and Jack Hamilton met over a game of ping pong at a bar in Washington, D.C. for a friend’s birthday party. But for Catherine, it felt as though they’d known each other much longer. “We hit it off and had this weird, spiritual connection, like when you meet somebody that you’ve met in a past life,” she says. “I just took a deep breath and was like, ‘Good to see you again.’ ” Though she was dating someone else at the time, she gave Jack her number but blocked his out of guilt. Three months later and newly single, Catherine unblocked his number, and the rest is history. After eight months of dating, the couple got engaged in Florida at Jack’s parents’ house, where her own parents were waiting with balloons and flowers in the backyard. “We just vibe with each other,” she says. “We can sit in a room and be silent and have an entire conversation.”

Cather and Jack Hamilton Portrait

Dressed to Dance

Catherine donned a dress by Nookie, an Australian retailer, for the reception. The couple shared a private last dance to “Lovers Rock” by Sade. “She’s my all-time favorite, and my dad was obsessed with her,” Catherine recalls of her late father. “It was super personal and felt like part of my dad was there with us, listening to her alone together.”

Couples Dance

Marry Go Round

It was planner Jess Wegner’s idea to do the ceremony “in the round,” meaning that the guests and decor were centered around the couple, rather than having one long aisle. “When you walk in, it feels like you’re in this cocoon, or this bubble of love,” Jess says. Additionally, the bride much preferred candlelight to florals inside the ceremony location, which illuminated the space to create an atmospheric glow.