A big Happy Birthday to Wish, who is celebrating five years today. We started out as Soiree Special Events in 2005 and have never looked back! Over the years we’ve served over 200 couples in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. We’re so thrilled to have such wonderful supporters who have kept us in business through this economic craziness. Thank you to all our past and future clients — we love you all!
xoxo,
We’re so very excited that same-sex couples in the District of Columbia can FINALLY apply for marriage licenses, starting today. Of course they still need to wait until May 9th to actually tie the knot but today is a big day for the LGBT community! Click here to see some photos from the Washington Post on the activities at the DC Superior Court today.
Here at Wish we love to help all kinds of couples with their wedding celebrations. If you’re not quite ready to hire a planner but are looking for some advice, here are some wonderful same-sex-friendly wedding resources:
SoYoureEngayged.com
GayWeddings.com
GayRites.com
TheKnot.com’s Real Weddings
Rainbow Wedding Network
If you participate on Twitter, here are some great folks to follow:
SoYoureEngayged, resource
Bernadette Smith, wedding planner
Rainbow Wedding Network, resource
Of course don’t forget to follow me on Twitter too!
Congratulations again!
Reston, VA – February 26, 2010 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Wish Special Events has been selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Wedding Planning in the Washington, DC area!
The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.
Wish Special Events is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.
“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”
We are happy to announce that Wish Special Events is among the very best wedding planner within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards.
For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.
WAHOO! For the third year in a row, Wish Special Events has been included in Washingtonian Magazine’s best wedding vendor list. This is no small deal, folks. Washingtonian Magazine has been publishing this list for quite a few years and has really become the gold standard in the DC area. We’re thrilled to be included yet again!
Here’s what they had to say about our team:
Sounds like us, right? They hit the nail on the head. I’m really fortunate to have such a wonderful group of planners on my team.
A special round of applause goes to all our (friendly) competitors who also made the list. We’re honored to be included amongst: Aimee @ A. Dominick Events, Alexandra Kovach, Atrendy Wedding & Event Co, Sara @ Bella Notte, Bonnie Schwartz & Co, Alex @ Cherry Blossom Weddings & Events, Creative Parties, Distinctive Events by Susan B. Katz, Katie @ Elegance & Simplicity, Laura @ Engaging Affairs, Events by Andre Wells, Events by Ayran Kanter, For All Occasions, Jodi @ Jodi Moraru & Associates, Michele Hodges Events, Party Portfolio, A Perfect Wedding, Pineapple Productions, Rave Reviews, Maria @ Ritzy Bee Events, Sandi Hoffman Special Events, Jamie @ Simply Chic Events, Sara @ Social Scene Events, Soco Events, and Terri Bergman Events. Congratulations everyone! We did it!
I have a few extra copies of the magazine and would be happy to mail one to you. The first five commenters below will get a copy!
We’re so excited to announce that Hallie & Matt have been published! Their July wedding at Glen Echo made it into the sparkling new Eco-Beautiful Weddings magazine which was just released this week. The e-zine focuses on environmentally friendly wedding ideas without compromising style, design, or quality. There are some gorgeous things in this baby!
Best of all? The magazine is ONLINE which means you don’t need to drive to a store to pick up a copy. Just click here to flip through the pages in your browser! What could be easier?
While you’re there, be sure to check out Hallie & Matt’s wedding on pages 102-104. Here’s a sneak preview:
Our congratulations goes to Rebecca Dick, a WishPlanner who coordinated this event. This is Rebecca’s first published wedding and we’re so proud of her!
Another huge round of applause goes to our friend Katie Martin who poured out her heart and soul for this magazine. A ‘green’ wedding planner since before it was trendy, Katie really knows her stuff and is passionate about sharing her eco-friendly advice with the wedding industry. We glad we could be a part of it, Katie!
I just beam when I see lovely letters come in from our brides about our team. Of course I know we do a great job for our clients but it’s nice to be reminded now and again. Here’s a fabulous letter from one of our October brides that I couldn’t help but share:
Hi Cristin!
We’re just back from Grand Cayman (I actually kissed a stingray!!) and I wanted to write a quick note to say a HUGE thank you for everything you did to make our day so awesome!!! We truly couldn’t have done it without you!! I know people always say that, but this time it is really, really ture!! You made everything run so smoothly and we all felt so comfortable with you organizing the day! From your quick, helpful responses to emails when we were far out, to communicating with vendors the week of, to lighting a million candles, tipping folks at just the right time, fixing my mistakes on guests’ names (oops!), and keeping us on schedule throughout the night, you were fabulous with ALison, our flower girl, and that wand was perfect and taking her to get her sundae first! Her parents were so impressed with you and your skills. You’re AWESOME and I “wish” I knew someone getting married soon so I could recommend you to them right now!!! I’ll be singing your praises for a long, long time! You made our wedding a success!!
All the best & much love,
Holly
Thanks for your note, Holly!
In this series, we interviewed our team with a handful of lighthearted questions. You can read Cristin’s formal bio here. Read below to learn a bit more about who she really is inside:
How would you describe your approach to planning weddings?
I am a very organized, creative person and I bring those elements to the table whenever meeting with a couple. But then I really let them dictate my approach since it’s their big day, not my production. Once I have a feeling for the couple and their style, I use my experience, organization skills and creativity to bring their vision to life for the big day.
What do you do for fun?
I plan weddings for fun! But aside from that, I work on way too many craft projects, sing, do yoga, play softball, ready celebrity magazines, watch football, shop and cook (although not always very well!).
What’s the most important piece of advice for brides?
Always remember that your big day might not be perfect, but it will be perfect for you. Just like a marriage, your wedding is likely to have a few surprises. Once the day arrives, don’t sweat the little things. The day is about celebrating your love and new life with another person, so don’t let the details keep you from enjoying your own celebration.
What inspires you?
People. Whether its crafts, music, a wedding….I like using my talents to creat things for others that will make their life a little happier.
What sets you apart from other wedding planners?
When I’m working with a couple in the weeks before a wedding, I like to focus all of my time and energy towards that couple. I prefer to only take one wedding a month so that I can immerse myself in that wedding and ensure that it is a memorable day for everyone involved!
What blogs do you frequent often?
Style Me Pretty, Etsy Wedding, Cupcake Takes the Cake
What’s the best thing about weddings?
I love watching the first dance and imagining what the bride and groom are saying to each other as they twirl (or maybe trip a little!) around the dance floor in the middle of all the people that mean the most to them.
What’s the worst thing about weddings?
The cost. I love working to help keep costs reasonable for each couple.
What would you do with $1 million dollars?
Buy a house in Arlington with a yard for dogs. I’m not sure I’d have much left after that!
What is your favorite wedding trend right now?
I am becoming a fan of engagement rings with gemstones as the center stone instead of a diamond. Princess Diana did it years ago (she had a sapphire surrounded by diamonds) and I thought it was beautiful. I think a ruby, aquamarine, pearl, sapphire or other precious gemstone can be unique and different way to show someone that they are special and beautiful (I’m partial to vintage aquamarine). And if you really want diamonds, surround the gemstone with diamonds or add a diamond band as the wedding or anniversary band. I’m also a big fan of cupcakes, but I have to say that I’ve been a fan of cupcakes BEFORE cupcakes were cool!
What is your least favorite wedding trend right now?
iPod playlists without a DJ. I know it’s cost-effective, but a great DJ or band really sets the mood for the whole party.
“Meghan and Eric’s wedding ceremony and reception were Saturday at Oatlands Plantation.The event was absolutely perfect! – and in no small measure due to the attention to detail and determination of Rebecca. She was everywhere – but most importantly she was exactly where the action was before something could go wrong – and made sure nothing was allowed to go wrong.
Her recommendations covered the gamut from decorations to organization – and the kudos I received from family and friends from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries really belong to her.
I’ll recommend Rebecca to anyone as a wedding coordinator! That recommendation also extends to your whole staff.
My sincere thanks for a job done extremely well – with courtesy and a professional attitude.
Jerry KellyFOTB”
Did you know we had a monthly e-newsletter? We do!
We’d love to add you to the list so you can get great planning advice, direct links to our best Real Weddings, and upcoming bridal events. We promise we won’t use your email address for anything else or sell it to another company.
Every so often I get an email or a note that reminds me why I love my job. It’s such a great feeling to know that we’re making a positive impact on people’s happy memories. I received this wonderful email from Hallie and Matt and just had to share. I thought you might like to see it too:
Laura,
Hello from Hoi An, Vietnam! We’ve been meaning to write you over the past two weeks as we’ve been traveling throughout Asia for our honeymoon, but couldn’t seem to find the time or 21st century Internet connection until now. However, our lack of expediency is no reflection of our amazing experience with your planner, Rebecca Dick.
As my wife, Hallie, can attest I was very much against hiring a planner for the wedding as I thought we could do it on our own. Yes, winning your contest for the free planning eased a major part of my concern, but I still didn’t foresee the value of hiring someone to do the planning for us. I’m not wrong often
, but this time I was very wrong. Without Rebecca, I don’t know what we would have done. She was truly Super Woman and the key to our perfect wedding.
Where should I begin to sing her praises. Let’s start from the beginning and our initial meetings with her. Despite my initial reluctance of meeting with her, upon our first meeting on a Saturday morning in Starbucks we were immediately impressed. Her organizational skills, knowledge of the planning world, and passion for her job were evident from the beginning. We drew an immediate comfort with her professional skills and personable nature. From there, things only got better.
In the weeks prior to our wedding, she handled everything flawlessly. Her unbelievable organizational skills were crucial to us having a literally perfect wedding day. If it were left up to us, I have a feeling our guests may still be talking about the wedding that never happened. She was an excellent source of knowledge and a sounding board for questions we had about music, food, favors, etc. In our opinion, she went over and above the call of duty by meeting with us and communicating via email several times.
Now to the wedding day and the couple of days beforehand. I think that it’s natural for most brides and grooms to be nervous about their wedding day. Not necessarily about the person they’re marrying (at least I hope not), but more about the stresses of the “day” actually working out as planned after the culmination of a full year’s worth of work. For us, that nervousness never set in…in large part because of Rebecca. Not only did she assure us when we questioned ourselves, she took proactive steps to make us feel even better. For example, I hired an independent ice cream truck that I had little faith in as there was a clear language barrier and I was never sure if he clearly understood that he was the ONLY dessert at our wedding. Rebecca knew this was one of my biggest concerns and went out of her way to get in touch with this guy numerous times before the wedding to ensure that he arrived and arrived on time. With her help, he did and the ice cream was a big hit. (AJ the Ice Cream man wound up being a nice guy and someone you should consider using now that we know he is reliable and actually does have an ice cream truck not a Camry with Mr. Softee music). Just a small example of her diligence and concern for making us feel more comfortable about our wedding day. In addition to her handywork with securing the ice cream truck, she made my wife feel extremely comfortable that every base was covered and that there was no need for us to worry about a thing. I could list several examples, but suffice it to say that she didn’t miss a thing.
On the actual wedding day, in true Rebecca style she took control of the evening and coordinated seamlessly with all of our vendors.. She ensured they were all there on time and from conversations afterward with the other vendors; they’ve all said she was a pleasure to work with.
So to summarize our gratitude for Rebecca’s work, the highest praise I can give her is to simply say that we had an absolutely perfect wedding day! There was zero stress, anxiety, or problems throughout the night. Over the past couple of weeks we’ve relived our wedding night and still cannot think of a single thing that didn’t go as planned. In large part thanks to Rebecca our married life together has started off on the right foot.
Clearly Rebecca is only one person in your company and we thank you as well for the job Wish did!! We’ve already referred one friend to Rebecca and will be sure to recommend others in the future.
All the best and thank you!
Matt & Hallie Offen
 |
 |
 |
 |
We contributed to a book! Really!
