Please arrive between 2:30-3pm. Ceremony starts at 3:30 on the dot. We're looking forward to seeing everybody! Please note that to keep all our guests healthy, we are asking that folks mask or rest at home if you are feeling ill.
Jack Vaughan
Julia Bates
Jack Vaughan
Julia Bates
March 1, 2025
Schedule
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Wedding- Arrive between 2:30 and 3; Ceremony starts 3:30 sharp.
3:30 pm
633 Sligo Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Semi-Formal (dark suits, gowns and cocktail dresses) or Garden Attire (sundresses, floral prints, bright colors and fun hats) are both welcome. The weather will be anywhere from just above freezing to breezy and mild, so we recommend packing layers.
Parking can be found at East Silver Spring Elementary school and on the street around Silver Spring Avenue.
RSVP
Please enter the first and last name of one member of your party below.
If you're responding for you and a guest (or your family), you'll be able to RSVP for your entire group on the next page.
Travel
Hotel
Holiday Inn Express Washington DC N-Silver Spring, an IHG Hotel
Book through the link (the "View" button) to get a discount- note that you must stay two nights for the reduced rate! You can also book by calling the hotel directly- use the Block Code: BWD, and mention you are calling about a reserved block. The block has been reserved under Julia's last name, so you can also say you are calling to make a reservation in the "Bates Wedding Group Block." Per the manager: The link will not work through mobile, and it is easy for "pop-ups" to take you to a third-party booking link. If you get any message stating the reservation is non-refundable, you're on a third-party booking site. Reservations can be canceled up to 48 hours ahead of the arrival date.
Train
RideOn Buses
If you want to do a bit of sight-seeing, the hotel is extremely close to one of our local bus hubs- the Silver Spring Metro Station.
Train
WMATA- DC MetroBus and MetroRail
If you are interested in going into DC, we do not recommend driving to most of the big tourist spots- seriously, parking is awful. Instead, consider taking the Metro downtown! The nearest Metro station, Silver Spring Station, is less than a mile away and easily accessible from the hotel.
Registry
FAQs
Question
Where can I park?
Answer
There is ample parking on the street behind the church or at the nearby elementary school; we recommend navigating to East Silver Spring Elementary and parking there. If you or a passenger has limited mobility, please feel free to drop them off near the half-circle driveway at the front or at the wheelchair accessible entrance at the back. Please do not hesitate to reach out ahead of time so we can arrange for one of our wedding party to come physically assist!
Question
Is the babysitter able to take infants?
Answer
Yes! The babysitter (church affiliated) has experience with infants, toddlers and young children. Please provide an accurate count of children attending, along with their ages, so that she is able to bring additional staff if required.
Question
How accessible is the venue?
Answer
Food and ceremony will be held outside in a tent. To get into the venue there is a short set of steps at the front and a wheelchair accessible ramp around the back. There is also a wheelchair accessible entrance at a lower level. There will be a quiet zone downstairs, which is accessible by elevator. The bathrooms upstairs are gender neutral, while the ones downstairs are gendered. We're also asking our wedding party to be available to assist guests into or out of the building, as well as bringing food from inside to the outside tables. Please let us know if you anticipate needing help with both or either of these things.
Question
Is there a color scheme or dress code for guests?
Answer
We want folks to be as colorful as they like! Regarding formality, anywhere between “garden attire” and “semi-formal” Is fine. Some folks will be wearing suits, some will be wearing polo shirts, and some will be wearing long gowns while others are opting for sundresses. Just make sure you dress for the weather!
Question
How do I get in contact?
Answer
Email bates.julia.m@gmail.com OR text 301-219-5667. If I don't have your phone number already please include your name in the message if you send a text. Otherwise, I will have to treat it as spam.
Things To Do
Veterans Plaza
The site of many a date night, this is the heart of downtown Silver Spring. Most Saturdays will have a farmer's market available to browse, and there's an outdoor skating rink open daily!
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
Fenton cafe
Some of our first dates were here- highly recommend everything on the menu!
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
National Mall
Take the 70 Archives bus from right outside the hotel and get off at Constitution Ave- about a 50 minute ride, give or take. Home to galleries, museums, and monuments galore, and just about everything is free -other than the food, of course.
Sweeteria
Ghar-E-Kabab Indian Restaurant & Bar
Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library (Silver Spring Library)
Takoma Park Maryland Library
Loyalty Bookstores
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema DC Bryant Street
Four Metro stops away!