By Liesel Schmidt
Sometimes life has a funny way of bringing people back together. That certainly holds true for Nadia Baksh and Ryan Steele. After meeting in undergrad at the University of Virginia in 2003, the two dated long distance post-graduation and briefly lived together in NYC.
“We parted ways to pursue professional degrees and then COVID brought us back together,” says Nadia. “This time around, we just knew—and we were excited about a future together.”
After a year of dating, their future became even clearer—with a look back at their past.
“Ryan planned a romantic Valentine's weekend in Charlottesville, VA,” Nadia recalls.
“Charlottesville is very special to us, as that is where we met and had our first dance, as well as our first kiss. On February 13th, I was standing by the window of the condo we’d rented and it began to snow. Then I turned around to find Ryan on one knee.”
After making plans for a big, traditional wedding that seemed incomplete after the sudden passing of Ryan’s mother and Nadia’s father, the couple decided on an elopement at Nadia’s favorite building in Washington, DC. With Ryan’s father officiating and their photographer, Katelyn Byng, serving as both witness and photographer, Ryan and Nadia met for a private ceremony at the Kennedy Center on September 25, 2022.
“We had some very memorable moments that day,” says Nadia, who wore a beautiful gown with a lace overlay and plunging V-neck. “Our first look was planned at the Capitol building, but right [at] the meet-up time, dark clouds rolled in. Fortunately, Katelyn was able to quickly pivot and moved it to Union Station. Not only did we get beautiful photos from this location, but later the clouds parted, and the sunlight was perfect for our ceremony. It was the type of sun you can only get after a storm and it's become an allegory for our love story.”
The newly-married Steeles honeymooned for a week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, at the all-inclusive Excellence El Carmen resort.
DETAILS:
- Photographer: Katelyn Alexandria Photography
- Gown: Bronx and Banco
- Tux: Men’s Warehouse
- Shoes: Nadia: Jimmy Choo | Ryan: Jordan 11 “Concord” (2018)
- Venue: The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
- Flowers: Little Acre Flowers
- Jewelry: Vintage from my grandmother
- Ring: Tiny Jewel Box, DC
- Limo/Car: Lyft
- Hair/Makeup: Glamsquad Wedding, Esquire Stelly MUA @esquiremua on IG
- Nails: Nailsaloon, Capitol Hill