Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What the heck are FAQs?

A: FAQ stands for "frequently asked questions" and it's a standard way of conveying often-requested information on the internet. Here you'll find just about everything you need to know to help us celebrate our wedding. Check back often because this page will grow as we add more information. Have a question you don't see answered? Then drop us a line and let us know.

Q: How did Jerry propose?

A: Like the incredible dork that he is. Basically he made a website with a slideshow that listed all the reasons why he loves Kathleen and put it at kathleenandjerry.com. He then linked to it from Kathleen and Jerry's personal blog, nicechat.info, and asked Kathleen if she'd seen the last thing he'd posted. After she'd finished watching the slideshow, he got down on one knee, offered the ring, and popped the question.

This all took place on a Friday at our hotel room in Chicago where we had just finished attending a professional conference. We spent the rest of the weekend sightseeing and enjoying life as an engaged couple. Although Kathleen knew a proposal was forthcoming at some point, she was very surprised. You can see photos from our Chicago trip at flickr. Also, if you'd like to see the proposal website, it's here. Just keep clicking on the images to advance to the next slide.

Q: Is it true the wedding date was dependent on the cake?

A: Yes. Don't judge. Kathleen in a huge of fan of the Food Network show Ace of Cakes. As it turns out, the bakery on the show is Charm City Cakes, conveniently located a few miles away in Baltimore, Maryland. Kathleen loves to bake and generally loves cake as an art form, so the wedding cake is a priority for us. As a result, one of the first things we did after getting engaged was checking the bakery's website to see what dates they had available in 2009. April and May were the months they had left unbooked, which was great because we wanted a spring wedding. After much nail-biting, they called us back and said they could do it on May 9. Kathleen is happy.

Q: What the heck is a D.A.R.?

A: It's the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and they have a beautiful headquarters building near the National Mall in Washington. If you'd like to read more about the D.A.R. and its history, check out their website.

We will have the ceremony on the Portico and the reception will take place in the adjacent O'Byrne Gallery. The address is 1776 D Street NW, and you can get a map and directions right here.

Q: Who's going to officiate?

A: Our wedding ceremony will be conducted by Javier Viloria. Javier is Jerry's best friend from high school and college. Though he's never officiated a wedding before, he's the perfect man for the job. Before he met the woman of his dreams, Javier considered entering the Catholic priesthood, so this should give him a taste of what he's missing. Javier is a mechanical engineer and lives in Miami with his wife and daughter.

Q: Who's in the wedding party?

A: The wedding party is as follows:

The maids of honor are Kelly Purdom and Liz Wilburn, who are Kathleen's best friends since college. Kelly is now a software consultant in Dallas, and Liz works for a non-profit in Denver. The bridespersons are: Laura Turner, who has been friends with Kathleen since they were 12-years-old in Odessa, and is now studying at the University of Texas Law School; Holly Hoyer Moore, who was Kathleen's roommate in college, and now works in the fashion industry; and David Harris, one of Kathleen's best friends since college, who is now studying at South Texas College of Law.

The best man is Kevin Fernandez. Kevin is one of Jerry's best friends from high school and college, and is a newly minted attorney in New York City. The groomspersons are: Kevin Adams, who went to law school with Jerry, and is now a U.S. Army JAG officer; Paul Benjamin, who was Jerry's partner in crime while they worked together at the Cato Institute, and is now a solicitor in London; Dan Rothschild, who is on Jerry's bowling team and runs his own security firm; and Susana Saumell, one of Jerry's dearest and most loyal friends, who is now a teacher in Miami Beach.

Q: What should I wear?

A: The dress is formal, but we want you to be comfortable. Guys, if you wear a tux, you'll be more dressed than the groom. Also, ties are strictly optional. Gals, sundresses and cocktail dresses are A-OK.

Q: Is there a hotel deal for out-of-towners?

A: Yes. We've arranged for a block of rooms at the Hilton Arlington, which is two blocks from our apartment. It's also conveniently located next to the Ballston Metro stop, and not too far from the wedding location.

You can book a room for any days between May 5th and 10th at the special rate. Thursday, Friday and Saturday the rate is $129, but Wednesday the rate is $179. You can book online following this link (the sappy image was not our idea), or you can call 703-528-6000 and mention the group code "OBW".

Q: What's the deal with gifts? Where are you registered?

A: Like a lot of modern couples, we've been living together for quite a while, so we really don't need much. We've got most the pots and pans and towels and candlesticks we need. So, if you'd like to get us something, we'd be thrilled if you help us go on our honeymoon. We've set up a "gifts" page on this website where we have different parts of our honeymoon that you can sponsor. We think you'll like it.

For those of you who would really rather get us a traditional gift, we're also registered at Crate & Barrel and you can find a link to the registry in the "gifts" section.

Thanks so much for your generosity!!

Q: I'm from out-of-town. What should I do in D.C.?

A: Let us answer you with a video daily double.

If you've never been to D.C. before, here's what you can't miss.

Take a tour of the city on Duckboat or Old Town Trolley
The National Mall
Smithsonian Museums

National Gallery of Art
Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Capitol Building (Call your member of Congress for special tickets.)
International Spy Museum
National Building Museum

If you've been to D.C. before and want to go beyond the Mall and the museums check out these off-the-beaten-path spots.

These places are fun walks with lots of opportunities for shopping.

U Street (Here's an article from the NY Times.)
Dupont Circle
Georgetown (Online guide)
Eastern Market (Official site)

Some of our favorite places to eat.

All of José Adrés's restaurants

Zaytinya

Jaleo

Café Atlántico

Oyamel

Q: If I can't make the wedding, will I be able to watch it live online?

A: That's an excellent question! Probably.

Why? There are a lot more folks we'd like to invite than we can, and not everyone we invite will be able to make it. So why not let everyone still share our special day with the help of our good friend technology? Streaming live video today is really simple. All it takes is a laptop, a camera, and an internet connection. That last bit is what makes it a maybe. If we can get some internet access at the venue, you'll be able to come to this site on our wedding day and watch the ceremony live.

Have a question we didn't answer? Drop us a line.