Last week I visited Capitol Hill in DC to check out a wonderful wedding vendor.  Volanni is a fantastic 5-year-old floral decor company and I was shocked that I hadn’t met with them earlier!  Michael Lanni and Lisa Abdou create some phenomenally gorgeous pieces of floral art for events.  I especially liked their philosophy on honesty and integrity within the wedding industry.  They source eco-friendly and organic flowers whenever possible and are maintaining responsible business practices.  It’s a company you can feel good about working with!

Here’s my visit to the shop.  The big wooden doors fit perfectly with the urban vibe:

Stepping inside, a totally different feel!  Michael’s there in the center, Lisa off to the left, and one of their floral designers hiding off to the right.  I had to point him out since he was shy about having his picture taken.  Do you see him?

Volanni has an extensive collection of unique vases and vessels:

I could rave and rave all day but the pictures really speak for themselves.  Check out some of their designs:

Check out the size of these peonies!

They have a rather extensive collection of vases and props, like this gorgeous chuppah.  Even if you’re not Jewish I think this piece is a great focal point for a ceremony:

I was particularly head over heels for this arrangement, which I saw in their shop.  It’s so vibrant, textural and simply lush.  I love how the color combination is unexpected but cohesive.  It looks like it popped out of an Anthropologie store.  I keep seeing something new every time I look at it:

Gorgeous, no?  Check out their website for more inspiration!  I like how their style is edgy and modern in some cases but can also lean on the romantic/eclectic side.  If you’re looking for a florist, please tell them I sent you.  You can email Michael or Lisa or give them a call at 202-547-1603.

Looking at caterers?  Windows Catering is hosting an open house!

Email Brianna or call 703-752-9452 to RSVP.  See you there!

Way back in February, Jodi and I ventured into DC for an open house by R&R Catering at St. Francis Hall, located on the grounds of the Franciscan Monastery in the Brookland neighborhood of NE DC.  I was unexpectedly out of the office for a bit, time got away from me, and now I am more than fashionably late on this post.   I hope it’s worth the wait though!

R&R put on a wonderful display, but we were surprisingly taken with the venue itself. It’s a hidden gem in DC and should definitely be on your list of venues if you’re looking for a unique, affordable, gorgeous backdrop for your ceremony and/or reception.  All of our camera shots came out too dark, so these are unfortunately provided by the venue… although it’s much better to visit in person!

From the brick walls to the wrought-iron chandeliers and sconces, it’s uniquely breathtaking and has a very “romantic renaissance” feel. The hardwood floors are just beautiful… no dance floor needed!

The venue can hold up to 250 and the layout lends itself to some unique options in terms of “flow” for the evening.  There are long hallways on either side of those arches that can hold more tables or be used for more tables, buffet lines, candy buffets, dessert stations or cocktail hours! 

  
The modest rental fee also includes use of the smaller gardens just next to the building, the kitchen,the terrace overlooking a small pond (great for cocktail hour), the stage (perfect for a band) and access to the beautiful (and larger) gardens across the street for wedding party photos.   Although you can’t get married in these larger gardens, there are other options on site, including St. Francis Hall itself! on-site parking. Security assisted us with parking and made us feel more than safe in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

 

The rental fee also includes a few other perks like padded chairs, tables, sound system (with mics) and projector screen… as well as some

Cara at St. Francis Hall is fantastic and was happy to offer some great discounts to Wish brides, one of which includes free use of the facility’s gold ballroom chairs and tables.    If you’re looking for a unique, romantic and gorgeous venue, be sure to check out St. Francis Hall… and leave some time to walk around the gardens while you’re there!

::: Cristin :::

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated (except where noted with links to ‘real weddings’).  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Okay, so we’ve covered chocolate cakes, we’ve covered “traditional cakes,” and we’ve even talked about non cakes! Now let’s talk about…well, unusual cakes.  Gone are the days that you have to have a five tiered wedding cake with plastic columns and a Precious Moments cake topper.  (Wait…were those ever the days?)  These days you can have cupcakes, layer cakes, mini cakes…whatever you want!

One of my favorite trends is, rather than having one cake, having a group of lots of different types of cakes!  I mean, not everyone likes the same kind of cake, right?  I have to think this way is cheaper too, don’t you think?  And oh, the possibilities for awesome cake stands!

Here’s Kelly & Jason’s cake table from their wedding in May:

I especially love Nicole & Matt’s cake centerpieces!  :::shhh::: this is a sneak peek.  Their wedding hasn’t even been blogged yet:

(How perfect do these cakes look – yum!)

Another trend that SO many people love is cupcakes!  Laura told you about a new cupcake store in Fair Lakes recently, but there are TONS of amazing cupcake shops in our area!

I love that idea of having a little mini cake for the bride and groom to cut on top of a tower of cupcakes!

Or even a cute GIANT cupcake for them to feed each other!

Of course, there are plenty of options for those couples who still want a wedding cake, but want it to be different.

How completely preppy is this cake?

Take the Cake:

Rebecca McAlfin Photography:

Michelle’s Custom Cakes:

Gabriel’s Desserts:

Of course, you can’t have a post on unusual cakes without featuring semi-local favorite, Charm City Cakes:

I also love the idea of a bunch of mini cakes…too cute! 

Or what about a tower of mini cheesecakes!  (My sister had cheesecake instead of wedding cake…I remember fondly my cousins in my hotel room at 2 in the morning, eating leftover cheesecake!)

Speaking of cheesecake, some couples have decided to go COMPLETELY out of the box and have a Cheese. Cake.  As in a cake, made of wheels of cheese!!! (ed. note: In addition to working at Wish, I also work part time at a shop in Del Ray called Cheesetique.  I’m DYING for someone to ask us to do one of these!!!)

Are you going the non-traditional route for your wedding cake?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated (except where noted with links to ‘real weddings’).  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Remember that episode of Friends where Joey was auditioning for a commercial, and the line was “Mmm…soup” except Joey kept saying “Mmm…noodle soup” and messing it up?  That’s how I felt when writing this blog post.  I kept looking at certain cakes and thinking “Mmm…chocolate cake” instead of just “mmm…cake.”  I realized the only way to resolve this issue was to write a separate blog post on more “traditional” cakes. You can read that one here.  This one is for you chocoholics out there.

I remember a few years ago when my friends Brian and Kristine got married.  I set them up on a date at Maggiano’s and the rest was history.  Yes, I’m not only a wedding planner, I’m a matchmaker too!  Kristine wanted a chocolate cake but her mother was appalled — “You have to have a REAL wedding cake!”  Well, what she meant was that they had to have a white cake.  Oh, how the times have changed!  Yes, of course, a white cake still says “Wedding Cake,” but there are SO many other amazing options out there, and not just the crazy ones you see on Ace of Cakes.  Even a simple chocolate cake with chocolate icing can still look very ‘bridal:’

I am in lovewith this next one.  Buttercream is my favorite type of icing.  You just can’t beat the taste!  This cake just looks SO delicious, but also beautiful.  The swirls just seem rustic and homemade to me, like my mom made it or something (granted, if my mom made it, it would be falling over, but you know what I mean!)

I’m not sure why chocolate cakes just seem so fall-like to me?  Maybe because the color brown is associate with fall?  This cake, photographed by Laura Novak, will explain what I mean:

Or this one from Martha’s magazine:

Or these, also from Martha:

Photos Unscripted:

Then again, look at this beauty — raspberries aren’t very fall-like, are they?

And let’s take a look inside, shall we??  In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, “Hello, Lover“:

I like the idea of three layers, like a dark chocolate bottom, milk chocolate middle and white chocolate top?

And more Martha Stewart goodness:

I love the glossy ganache-look of this cake, by Jeffrey Miller Catering:

Here’s another gorgeous, glossy, ganache one from Heather & Geoffrey’s wedding in 2006:

I sometimes feel like cakes as gorgeous as this one, baked by Natasha Goellner of Natasha’s Mulberry and Mott, are too beautiful to cut into!

Will you be serving chocolate cake at your wedding?  Is your mom okay with that?!

O.M.G.  Can I tell you guys how much I love Hallie and Matt?  I freaking LOVE HALLIE AND MATT!!!  I think every single person involved with their wedding, from my assistants to the photographers to the caterers to the guests all at one point mentioned how NICE this couple is!  I mean, there are just not enough words to express how genuine and adorable these two are.

The day started as the adorable duo that runs Atelier Floral Design, Jen and Rachel, stopped by my house to pick up the INSANE white lanterns that were to be hung at Glen Echo.  I say insane because these were the biggest lanterns I’ve ever seen.  In fact, I had to search my house for some rope because the boxes were so big, they didn’t fit in Jen’s SUV — we had to tie them to the roof!

(Guest Photo)

Jen and Rachel got there a few hours before me because there were SO many lanterns to set up!  Luckily, Glen Echo has this cool rolling scaffolding thing…I mean, lucky for the people who would climb on it.  At the end of the night I got about three steps up before realizing that I was afraid of heights.  Thank God for assistants!

Soon after I arrived at Glen Echo, Tom and Ashley from Documentary Associates showed up and started scouting locations, and I just knew their pictures were going to be AMAZING…you’ll see they didn’t let me down!

How gorgeous is Hallie’s dress?!  Almost as gorgeous as these Christian Louboutin red shoes! In the words of Rachel Zoe, I Die:

Now, when Hallie and Matt told me they were getting married on July 18th, at Glen Echo, in the Bumper Car Pavilion, my immediate thought was “Um…the bumper car pavilion isn’t air conditioned, right?”  No, no it isn’t.  However, someone up there must have realized how truly amazing this couple is, because it was like 72 degrees and AMAZING.  I mean, look at this sky!

It was literally the most perfect day anyone could ask for — in fact, by the time the sun went down, I would dare to say it was actually cool!!  ON JULY 18TH!!!!

Sorry, where was I?  Oh, so, back to the amazing girls at Atelier. Not only do these chicas hang lanterns, but look at their adorable flower arrangements!!!

Hallie wanted lots of different arrangements, and boy did they deliver!  Different shapes and sizes, different vessels…they even had hydrangea in ice cream cones on the cocktail tables!

(Author Photo)

And look at these adorable tea cups, which, if I’m not mistaken, came from Jen’s kitchen!

I loved Matt’s bout, too.

Hallie and Matt wanted a very short, very meaningful ceremony.  And they wanted a great officiant.  Luckily I knew just the gal, having met her at Lindsay and Sam’s awesome wedding last year — Rev. Amanda Tate. Amanda is seriously the NICEST person — and is now registered in Virginia as well as Maryland!  I have referred her to so many of my brides (as well as several of my friends) because she is just so sweet, and makes the ceremony so personal.  Of course, Hallie and Matt added to this by writing their own vows. One of them MAY have been writing her vows that morning, on the balcony of her hotel room…I won’t say who…

(Oh, Facebook, how I love you…)

Speaking of Facebook, I was able to “borrow” quite a few adorable photos from the shutterbug guests at the wedding:

Now, generally, for the stomping of the glass, which is part of the Jewish tradition, couples will either have a special bag or just borrow a linen from the caterer.  Hallie wanted to make it special, so she grabbed a wine bag from their kitchen…and a lightbulb right from their hall closet!  I even saw her unscrew it!  (Tip…glasses these days are pretty hard to break…most people use a lightbulb!)

Speaking of Jewish traditions, Matt and Hallie wanted to do the Hora (Matt’s family is Jewish).  You know, there are some things as a wedding planner that you just have to learn.  One of them is that you need two NON-FOLDING CHAIRS to do the hora!  And preferably a bride whose dress isn’t 100% silk…it tends to be a little slippery!

(Yes, that is a look of terror on Hallie’s face…and she hasn’t even been lifted up yet)

(See what I meant about those giant lanterns?!  Those things were HUGE!)

Before the Hora, though, guests found their way to their seats by the CUTEST escort cards!  Hallie and Matt have a friend who is a graphic designer.  Although I think some of the post cards that were used may have actually been authentic post cards, I believe many of them were created by their friend.  How great to have a friend like that!

I have to insert here that I had absolutely NOTHING to do with the hanging up of these escort cards.  Luckily, I had three amazing assistants with me that day — Felicia, Rene, and Tara — you girls were LIFE SAVERS!  The project was slightly more complicated than I thought it would be, and I am SO grateful to these girls for using some ingenuity to figure out how to make it work!

(Guest Photo)

It wasn’t enough for each guest to have a vintage post card — Hallie and Matt actually went to the trouble of making sure EVERY post card matched where the guest came from!  What a sweet, thoughtful touch!

Another sweet touch was providing tickets for their guests to ride the GORGEOUS carousel at Glen Echo. Check out the beautiful sign…made from my handy dandy Mac

Did Hallie and Matt have a lot of kids at their wedding?  Nope…these carousel rides were for everyone!

(Guest Photo)

(Guest Photo)

After dinner, although they had a small cake to cut, the main focus for the desserts was out in the Cuddle Up.

My favorite caterer, Main Event, not only did an awesome job with dinner, but they had both a cotton candy machine and a sno cone machine going!

Look at the adorable way they displayed the cotton candy!  And let me tell you, it was DELICIOUS!  I felt like I was at the county fair!

(Guest Photo)

Oh, what else have they got there?  ICE CREAM!??!!  Oh, that’s right — Matt somehow tracked down the NICEST guy to bring his ice cream truck out to Glen Echo, music and all!  A.J. was the SWEETEST, and if you need an ice cream truck at your next wedding, birthday party, or, you know, Tuesday, let me know, and I’ll send you his info — you won’t be disappointed!

And now, just because I have to show you just how amazing Tom and Ashley are, here are a few more GORGEOUS shots they took!

As the night came to a close, the guys at Chariots for Hire not only shuttled guests back to the hotel, but also apparently operated a party bus!

(Why, yes, that is our bride and groom, dancing in the aisle of a bus!)

And, just to show you how sweet these crazy kids are, towards the end of the evening, they came to me and said “Rebecca, we have to get a picture with you and your assistant!” — we were happy to have Tom Van Veen of Documentary Associates hop in there too, while his gorgeous wife Ashley took the pic!

Hallie and Matt, thank you SO MUCH for making us part of your day!

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Ah, wedding favors.  How can something so small cause so much stress?!  I’ve had WAY too many brides stress out over this small notion that, up until several years ago, wasn’t even a part of weddings!  For once and for all, you DO NOT need to give favors at your wedding.  Sure, they’re nice and cute, but will people be in shock if they don’t get pear-shaped salt and pepper shakers or a candle at the end of the night?  No.  Their lives will go on, and no one will think less of you.  In fact, I would venture to say 99% of the people at your wedding won’t even notice that there wasn’t a favor!

That being said, if you WANT to do a favor and have room in your budget, there are tons of adorable things you can do.  If you’re a great baker, homemade cookies are a great favor.  Your mom makes a mean banana bread?  Make some mini loaves, put them in the freezer, and wrap them up for a cute take home gift.  (Can you tell I’m a big fan of the edible favor?)  Here are some pictures of cool favors.

At First Sight Photography:

Agnes Lopez Photography:

(Mmm…mini pies to take home…) Lauren Clark Photography:

(Like I said, I’m a big fan of the edible favor!)

There are so many ways to pick a favor.  You could give a nod to the season, like with these leaf-shaped chocolates for the fall:

Or these Halloween-themed Favors:

Or how about these GORGEOUS tomatoes, offered up with cute boxes for guests to take home (perfect if you have a big garden or a great farmer’s market nearby):

For a winter wedding, ornaments or wreaths are a great option.  I wish I had a picture but at my friend’s wedding, the bride’s mom HAND PAINTED ornaments for every guest!  Not only were they GORGEOUS, but it was a very sweet and touching favor.  These ornaments aren’t from that wedding…they’re from a company called St. Nick Studios:

And in the spring, what about a cute potted plant or flower to take home (these flowers, from Martha Stewart, can also double as your centerpiece — what a great money saver!)

A great, heartfelt favor option is to do something homemade.  What are your talents (or your groom, or your Maid of Honor, or your dad?)

How flippin cute are these mini cakes, in little mason jars?!?  (Angry Chicken)

Cranberry Orange Marmalade, from Cooking Light:

Also from Cooking Light, these Mini Fruit and Sunflower Loaves of bread would make a great favor — and you can bake them in advance and store them in the freezer until a few days before the wedding.

Having a picnic themed wedding?  How about some homemade BBQ Sauce?!  (This one, from Southern Living, looks DELICIOUS — it’s called Sweet Mustard BBQ Sauce)

A great place to get packaging for homemade items like these is The Container Store.   They seriously have EVERYTHING — whether you’re making a homemade liqueur, a spice rub, or a 10 gallon batch of spaghetti sauce, they’ll have something for you to put it in.

You can also give guests a favor that doubles as something they can use during the wedding.  For those who want to dance the night away without getting sore tootsies, what about a basket or bucket of flip flops? (This cute bucket from Room Service Home):

Or for a fall outdoor wedding that might take on a chill in the air, how about wraps or pashminas for the ladies?

Or, as guests are dancing the night away, what about having your servers pass a little late night snack that doubles as a favor, like the milk and cookies here from The Knot?

Another cute way to choose your favors is by going with a regional treat.  If you’re from Ohio or Western Pennsylvania (like me), you’re probably familiar with Buckeyes, these AMAZING peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Or if you’re having a destination wedding in Maine, how about these lobster lollipops, also featured by Martha?

A Vermont wedding?  This maple candy (of course, from Martha) looks DELICIOUS!

A lot of you are probably locals (or, at least having a local wedding) in the DC/MD/VA area.  So what about…

A White House Christmas Ornament?

Some Virginia-made cider or wine?

Some Maryland crab cake mix:

Speaking of Maryland crabs, how cute would these crab mallets be — especially if you’re having a crab feast!  You could even personalize them if you’re crafty:

There are some great products made right here in Virginia — like one of my favorites, Route 11 Potato Chips (the Sweet Potato are my favorite):

Or, of course, Virginia peanuts!

What about a favor that speaks to your hobbies?  If you’re into gardening, there are some great favors out there from these personalized seed packets from Beau Coup:

To a spider plant with a hand-painted pot:

Is the groom a fisherman?  What about these lures, from The Knot?

I love these fresh potted herbs, for the couple that loves to cook together (Picture by Evoke Photography):

Family recipes are also a great, heartfelt option, whether it’s Grandma’s cocoa mix:

Honey from a family farm:

Or the groom’s favorite cookie recipe:

Beau Coup is one of my favorite sources for unique favors.  They have some of the cutest stuff, including these mini gumball machines and mini cocktail shakers.

And who doesn’t love Girl Scout Cookies?!

How gorgeous is this mini flower market at one couple’s wedding?  Guests were encouraged to create their own bouquet to take home.  I LOVE it!

I like that idea of guests choosing their favor — it was also used in this mini “jams and jellies” market.

Or for a cute twist on the popular candy bar, what about a popcorn bar?

And finally, a few last favor ideas:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Etsy (a great source for homemade favors!)

Are you having favors at your wedding?  If so, what are you doing?

Recently we visited Oxon Hill Manor in Maryland.  Just across the bridge from Old Town Alexandria, Oxon Hill has become a popular wedding venue since reopening in 2007.  It had been undergoing a renovation and unfortunately caught fire while work was being done.  Now it’s completely overhauled and GORGEOUS!  Check out this beautiful wedding venue.

At the entrance there is a stately driveway and a large circle, ideal for a classic car or limousine to pull up:

Just inside the front door is this foyer space.  I like the black and white tiled floors and the tapestries on the wall.  This is a perfect spot for a guest book and escort cards or even an indoor cocktail hour:

Just past the foyer, you can look down the hallway.  Oxon Hill has several wooden furniture pieces that fit the style of the house:

Here’s the Dining Room with parquet floors and beautiful woodwork.  This room can fit approximately 50-60 seated guests:

On the other side of the house, the Drawing Room is great for dinners.  It can seat another 50-60 guests:

Up the spiral staircase is a bridal room that’s perfect for a bride and her bridesmaids to get ready:

Here’s the bridal room with lots of natural sunlight and seating:

The bridal room even has it’s own restroom!  I think this bathroom is larger than the one I have at home:

One of the bigger appeals of Oxon Hill is the amazingly manicured gardens.  This lawn overlooks a rectangular pond with fountains and is a great spot for ceremonies:

Looking to the right you see another on of their gardens.  In the distance you can see the Potomac River:

If you’re looking for a wedding venues then please consider Oxon Hill!  I think you’ll love it at first site like I did.

Toot toot!  We don’t often blow our own horn but I just had to share some exciting news.  We’re featured in the most recent Engaged! Magazine’s “Who’s Who of Wedding Planners” list!

Engaged! is a wonderful publication which focuses on local DC-area weddings and vendors.  Although it’s only been around for a few years, it’s grown by leaps and bounds and is quickly becoming a top authority on the DC wedding scene.  Being featured on their list of recommended wedding planners is quite the honor!

Here’s the beautiful cover, so you’ll recognize it on the stands:

Here’s the little blurb about Wish:

I feel like such a proud momma when I read nice things about my team.  It’s always such a heartwarming feeling when our efforts are recognized and celebrated.  I hope you take a minute to check out this gorgeous magazine and see it for yourself!

A few weeks ago we attended a party hosted by Elan Artists.  Elan is an agency that promotes wedding bands, DJs, ceremony musicians, photographers, and videographers.  This particular event was a band showcase, featuring the phenomenal entertainment that Elan can provide for weddings.

Seasons Restaurant at the Four Seasons in Georgetown was the venue.  Janet Flowers created some phenomenal floral pieces including the welcome table design you see below.  The nice-looking images were taken by Carlos Andres Varela of Cava Weddings.  The rest are mine:

I also liked these smaller color-themed centerpieces:

Gabriela New York Bridal Salon brought models to showcase their unique gowns:

Carl Ray did the great hair and makeup:

Of course there were yummy cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake:

I wish I had videos of the bands to show you!  You can see videos and learn more about the bands on their own websites.  We were entertained by Nation, The Source, Raggs & the All Stars, and Truth Groove.

A special shout out goes to Frost Lighting, who can make any space look cool!  For more photos and a different perspective, check out the Ritzy Bee Blog.