I know, I know — you’re thinking summer, 4th of July, Patriotic, right?  Well, yes…but not always.  There are various shades of blue, and if you pair them with red properly, you don’t have to look like the American flag…unless you want to, of course!

I’ve said this before, but the best way to avoid looking too “themey” is to use two colors primarily (red and white, red and blue, or blue and white) with just small touches of the other color.  For example, I love these bridesmaids dresses in varying shades of blue, and they would be perfect with red bouquets!

Andrea Hallgren Photography:

The nice thing about blue is that there are so many varying shades, it’s easy to use your favorite colors, but not venture into 4th of July picnic territory (again, unless that’s what you’re going for, in which case, do it up!!).  But with varying shades of blue and red, you can invoke a winter feeling…

A springy affair…

Goodlight Photography:

Summer on a California beach…

Marisa Holmes:

Or a Nantucket clambake!

Stacey Kane Photography:

There isn’t a single shade of blue that doesn’t go well with red, from navy:

To cornflower…

Rebekah J. Murray:

To royal…

Merriment Events:

You really can’t go wrong!  Even Martha seems to be a big fan of these colors!

How cute are these little nuggets and their white cardigans and red shoes?!?!

I’m probably not a red pants for men kind of girl, but I LOVE the bridesmaid’s outfit!

In fact, there are a lot of cute bridesmaids outfits out there in the red and blue arena…

Indigo Photography:

Kristen Leigh:

Kristen Gardner:

Scott and Tem Photography:

Wedding Bee:

How about some flowers for you?

Indigo Photography:

Cherry Blossom Weddings:

Jessica Claire:

Snippet and Ink:

I love fun tablescapes — if I had an unlimited budget for my imaginary wedding (which I do…since it’s imaginary…) I would go CRAZY with linens, dishes, glassware, etc.!!

In the Now Weddings & Events:

Michele M Waite:

Wedding Cabaret:

Love Lee Homemaker:

Elizabeth Anne Designs:

Berries are a great way to add these bright colors, especially in the summer!

Jodi Miller Photography:

Simply Recipes:

Modern Beet:

Making Banana Pancakes (I love the names of these food blogs!)

Of course, if you’re not a berry person, there are other ways to dress up your treats!

Bakerella

Kate Headley:

Wedding and Cakes:

Are you having a red and blue wedding?  Are you going for a patriotic theme, or are you using red and blue in other ways?

You heard a lot about this fun color scheme when our very own Cristin was getting married (we still need pictures, Cristin!), but red and aqua are SUCH a fun color scheme, I wanted to make sure they got included with the other red posts for Valentine’s Day!

Amy Atlas:

I love sugar like it’s a food group.  Let’s look at more fun red and aqua foods (and drinks)!

Amorology Weddings

Amy Atlas:

Apple Cider favors!!!  I love it!!! (100 Layer Cake)

Celebrations at Home:

Jonathan Canlas

Balloons and red and aqua seem to go together for some reason…I wonder why that is?

Green Wedding Shoes

Snippet and Ink:

Style Me Pretty:

Blue flowers, especially aqua, are kind of hard to come by, so ribbon is a great addition to bouquets and arrangements!

Jonathan Canlas:

Style Me Pretty:

Under Grace Photography:

Pure 7 Studios:

I love bright aqua bridesmaids dresses with that pop of red, whether it’s a bouquet, shoes, or even a hair accessory!

Amorology Weddings:

Ampersand Photography:

Crosswhite Photography:

Elizabeth Anne Designs:

Heather H Photography:

Love and Lavender (where was this picture when I was featuring leg warmers?!?)

Michele M. Waite Photography:

The Inspired Bride:

Okay, maybe not a bridemaid’s dress (although it certainly could be) but how cute is this blue crinoline under this red patterned dress?!? (Snippet and Ink)

PAPER!  Oh, the beautiful things you can do with paper!!!

Fiore Fresco:

Boutwell Studio:

Details by Ramey via Green Wedding Shoes:

Elizabeth Anne Designs:

Meg Perotti:

Love and Lavender:

Opulent Couturier:

Parrott Design Studio:

Promise Tangeman:

Style Me Pretty:

Do you like red and aqua together?  Stay tuned for more fun red posts leading up to Valentine’s Day!

It is no secret that Glen Echo is probably my favorite wedding venue.  I love everything about it, from the AMAZING Emily Mah Rogers, the venue coordinator, to the GORGEOUS carousel to the wooded areas all around the park, to the fun neon lighting and little touches everywhere, I just love love love it.  However, probably my favorite thing about Glen Echo is that it inspires the most adorable weddings!  I guess it’s because the types of couples that get married there are already awesome?  (See Hallie and Matt and our very own Cristin, who better be blogging her wedding pictures soon, because they are INSANE!!!)  Whatever it is, I see the cutest ideas come out of weddings at Glen Echo.

When Beth and Robert walked down the aisle as husband and wife, I had them get straight into their Zipcar (yes, that was their wedding day transportation — Zipcar!) and head over to Glen Echo, immediately followed by Cassidy and the bridal party.  I always like to make sure that, even if it’s just for a few minutes, my couple has some alone time immediately following the ceremony, plus Beth and Robert wanted to do all of the bridal party photos at Glen Echo — this killed two birds with one stone!

See why I had to break it up into two blog posts?  Cassidy did TOO good a job on the pictures — I couldn’t choose!

There are just so many amazing locations at Glen Echo for pictures — this is in front of the old trolley at the front of the park

Beth took this opportunity to be…Beth

And show off her gorgeous dress…

I’m loving the amazing light Cassidy caught here!

There are also gorgeous wooded areas at Glen Echo to take pictures:

I LOVE this shot of Beth and Rob on the bridge into the park — I’m trying to figure out where Cassidy was standing to take this picture, though?!

The group then headed over to the carousel to take a few more pictures

I don’t know why it seems funny to me that they had to wait in line to ride the carousel, but it does

I love that Beth and Rob shared a horse lion

Then it was off to the reception…with a brief stop at the Cuddle Up

Guests were treated to a DELICIOUS BBQ dinner from Matters of Taste.  Having gone to college in North Carolina, I’m very picky about two things — pulled pork BBQ and sweet tea.  Matters of Taste delivered PERFECTLY on both fronts!  I think I probably had 10 glasses of sweet tea that night!

(Do those lanterns look familiar?  We brought them over from the ceremony!  Good reason to have a wedding planner — to bring things from the ceremony to the reception!)

After Beth and Robert quickly ate their food (something I make sure EVERY bride and groom do at their wedding!) they held a modified tea ceremony.

I like that they did this as guests were eating.  I’m sure it’s not the traditional way — but it allowed them to have private moments with everyone, while others were eating, so there wasn’t too much down time either!

After dinner and the tea ceremony, though, it was on to the dancing!!!

DJ Steve with Jan Davis Entertainment ROCKED the house that night!  This was the first time I had worked with Steve and I hope it won’t be the last.  He was AWESOME!  As an added bonus, he comes from a family of DJ’s, including his gorgeous sister, who came to assist him that night!

I mean, you know it’s a good party when this is your bride on the dance floor!

During a break in dancing, Beth and Rob cut their cake from one of my favorite bakeries (which is DANGEROUSLY within walking distance to my house!), Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe.

I’m not a big cake topper person, but I thought theirs was really cute!

After they cut the cake, it was served along with a “North vs. South” dessert buffet — Whoopie Pies vs. Moon Pies!  (I’m a Whoopie Pie girl, which in Pittsburgh we call Gobs!)

Beth made the cutest signs to put all over the place!  She had them for the dessert buffet, the bathrooms, the bride and groom chairs — SO cute!

Cassidy, yet again, did an amazing job getting detail shots!  The parasols my assistants and I hung before I went off to the reception…

The cards Beth and Rob created explaining the tea ceremony, along with the favors, which they bought in Malaysia

The family photos we strung up with clothes pins and, when I realized Rob had left the clothesline at home, fishing wire from my emergency kit:

The carousel tickets…

And of course the centerpieces.  I LOVED these centerpieces — I’m always looking for non-floral centerpieces for couples who are looking to save money — Beth and Robert are reselling these lanterns to recoup some of the costs, but they could easily be reused in your house or yard

Finally, we had the bubble send off …

And I love this last shot of the newlyweds walking off…to their Zipcar

Congratulations, Beth and Rob!  Thank you SO MUCH for choosing me to be your planner — I had a blast!!!

The day began with the ceremony at the adorable Langley Hill Meeting House.  I had never heard of this place before, but I will definitely be recommending it to other couples.  The members there are amazingly kind and accommodating, the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly, and the meeting room is arranged in the “round” (okay, sort of a square, really, but you know what I mean) so that the couple stands in the middle.  I love the idea of having all of your friends and family surrounding you.

The flowers were done by the adorable Tonya Evans at Occasional Flowers.  I had never heard of this florist before, and I’m not sure where Beth found her, but she is WONDERFUL!  The bouquets were gorgeous, the chapel arrangements looked beautiful, and, when a vendor made a mistake on some lanterns the couple had chosen, Tonya bent over backwards to get them what they wanted!  LOVE this lady.

The bride and groom have some hilarious friends:

I mean, really — how can you resist a photographer that takes that shot?!   Plus Cassidy did something that we wedding planners WORSHIP — he took TONS AND TONS of detail shots!  That’s what we need, guys!  LOTS OF DETAILS!!!

(Why does my hand look so weird in that picture?  Yep…hand model…my next career…)

Beth and Rob, like many of our couples these days, chose to do a first look before the ceremony.  I LOVE when couples do this (and I know photographers do too!)  For those who are maybe a little shy, it allows you to see each other for the first time when it’s just the two of you (well, and the photographer…), plus it allows for picture time to be more relaxed, as there’s not such a huge rush!

It also allows for you to take family pictures before the ceremony, so you aren’t stuck rounding people up afterward!  I won’t bore you with the family shots, but how cute is this flower girl?!

Everyone then went inside the meeting house to get ready for the ceremony.  Cassidy took some lovely ceremony shots — I just wanted to show you a few…

Beth’s dad performed a song on the guitar during the ceremony

You may now kiss your bride…

And then it was off to the reception, which you’ll see tomorrow, with more amazing shots!

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, get ready for a whole lot of pink posts this week!

The first thing you probably think of when I say pink and blue is probably this:

But rest assured…I’m not talking about babies here, or even baby blues!  No, I’m talking about the awesome combo of pink and blue for your wedding!  (Board by Charm City Bride)

Of all of the pink combos we’re doing this week to go Pink for October, navy and bright pink is my absolute FAVORITE!!!  I love navy anyway, and you can pretty much combine it with any color and make me happy.  But combine it with a bright pink, and it’s a fun, preppy way to bring both masculine and feminine into your big day.

Emilie Inc.

Pink and Navy are SO easy for dressing the boys.  Blue blazers?  Simple.

Blue and pink tie?  Check. (Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings)

And as for the girls?  Please…TOO easy!  Navy and pink dresses abound, whether short or long, dressy or casual, printed or solid, there are SO many cute options!

A Simple Photograph:

Attasalina Photography:

Brooke Mayo Photography

A Simple Photograph

Oh, Martha…why must you be so amazing??  Look at how gorgeously these dresses are accessorized!  The hair and shoes…

The Amanda Pearl Necklace:

The pin and sash:

And the gorgeous bolero from The English Department

Of course, bridesmaids don’t get to have all the fun in the accessories department, right?  What kind of shoes would you wear as the bride?  Some hot heels, like these Badgley Mischka?

Some rain boots, like these cuties from Tretorn?

Or would you be like me and go for comfort with a pair of classic Keds?

And you can’t let your tootsies have all the fun, right?  How about this AMAZING necklace from Etsy Seller Sweet Apple 30?

Or this great sash to add a punch of color to your dress, from Etsy seller Happiereading?

Bouquets are easy too, as there are SO many pink flowers!

Style Me Pretty

Wedding Bee

Mike Larson Photography via Wedding Bee

Of course, blue flowers add a nice pop too!

The Knot

Or add some blue ribbon to a pink bouquet to match your colors

Amy Carroll Photography:

Lara Swanson Photography:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Speaking of flowers, how about some gorgeous centerpieces?

Martha Stewart Weddings

Whimsy Floral & Design

How cute is this little pinwheel in a fabric wrapped box?!  Great for a carnival like wedding!

Flowers aren’t the only things that are used for decoration, though…you can add to the decor and color scheme in lots of ways!

Anne McGowan Photography:

MK McKenna

Pretty Chicky

Shauna Younge:

Is cake considered decor?  It is when it adds to your color scheme!

Maria Vicencio Photography:

Erin Kate Photography:

Wedding Bee

Whimsy Floral & Design

Or how about a fun candy display?  (Martha, again)

And HOW AWESOME is this dessert buffet from Shauna Younge Dessert Tables?!?!

But, of course, you know I love me some kids, so we’ll end with these adorable outfits for the little ones!

Little Flowers:

Kelsey Thompson Photography

OMG!  How cute are these little booties from Etsy seller Jenn Ozkan?! I can just see a baby that’s too little to walk in these on the big day!

And these little guys, photographed by A Simple Photograph, crack me up every time!

Are you excited to kick off our pink series?  Are you having navy and pink at your wedding?

Marie had her hair and makeup done in the house she grew up in.  Cori Campbell came up HUGE in the hair department, by doing Marie’s trial the weekend before, and traveling all the way from West Virginia to be in Potomac by 8:00 in the morning!  Makeup was done for the girls by the AMAZING Lori Nansi, who then came to the hotel later for the reception to refresh Marie’s makeup and give her a “nighttime” look — what service!

After a traditional Indian ceremony at the bride’s parents’ house, the bridal party and family made their way to Arlington to the beautiful Cathedral of St. Thomas More

Marie’s bridal party had beautiful teal lenghas:

All of the flowers were provided by Jen and Nate’s florist, Maryam Flowers.  We LOVE Maryam, she is SO amazing!

I’m seeing more and more cascade bouquets these days.  Have you noticed that?

After the ceremony and family photos at the church, the bridal party, transported by the wonderful drivers at Limos, Inc. (Call Elissa there…she’s AWESOME!), headed off to the Library of Congress with Daniel and Neil from Blue Sky Films, one of our favorite videographers. (Here he is in action with his assistant later in the evening…)

I LOVED the pictures from the Library — what a great idea for a photo location, Daniel!  (Caution…slight photo overload ahead

After the visit to the Library of Congress, the bridal party headed to the Sheraton National for the reception.   Their rooftop ballroom has a great view of the city, especially of the Pentagon and the Air Force Memorial.

(This picture is from the hotel’s web site, just so you can see the view!)

When she arrived at the hotel, Marie made her first costume change of the evening, from her white wedding dress to her traditional sari, which was a gift to her from Chris.

She wore this during the first dance and toasts, but, seeing as how she had trouble moving in it, she soon switched to her lengha.

Marie’s cousin, who is a priest at the Vatican, was supposed to perform the ceremony, but due to the volcanoes earlier that month in Iceland, he wasn’t able to get a flight…or so Chris and Marie thought!  Her cousin was able to get there in time for the reception — and he brought with him a blessing from the Pope!  WOW!

Chris and Marie had a DELICIOUS cake from one of my absolute favorite bakeries (which is dangerously close to my house) Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe

And, of course at the reception, we had more gorgeous flowers from Maryam!  (These pictures are from me, not Daniel)

Thanks to all of  the wonderful vendors who made this day great!

Hoo-rah-ray, hoo-rah-ray, ray, ray–U-VA!

That’s right, today we’re featuring the blue and orange of the University of Virginia.  And we don’t have to look too far — remember Meredith and Howard’s wedding?  It was full of blue and orange goodness, shot by Jake Holt:

I also wanted to make sure you saw the gorgeous tent decoration, but the picture is not Jake’s, it’s from my lousy camera (I need a new camera…any recommendations?)

I love everything about this, from the way we set up the tables to the navy pintuck linens to the orange napkins to the orange and blue lanterns!

You know who else loves these colors?  A Wahoo Wedding, a blogger in Virginia planning a Richmond wedding with UVA colors!  Look at her awesome logo!

And look at their cute story, all UVA-themed!

She’s FULL of the UVAspiration

OMG!  How cute are those shoes?!??!!  Speaking of cute shoes…

Julia MacInnis:

The Knot

What, girls get to have all the fun?!

Rachel Clare

(I can’t tell if his shoes are orange or brown, but let’s say orange, okay?)

These are definitely orange, though, right?

And these? (Joe Elario Photography)

(Yes, that was back to the girls again, but guys can wear orange (or blue) Chucks too!)

More for the guys…

E.C. Campbell Photography via Mitten Smitten

A Suit That Fits

Love this bout…

Paper is a great way to use your colors, like this cute invitation:

Or these adorable touches from the Wedding Wire Blog:

Of course, there are TONS of gorgeous orange flowers out there for bouquets — just use some navy ribbon, and you’re all set!

Becker:

Elegance and Simplicity:

Flora Fauna Weddings:

One Thousand Words Photography:

Rachel Clare:

Bridesmaids get to have all the fun when it comes to colors!

E.C. Campbell Photography:

One Thousand Words Photography:

The Preppy Wedding

What Junebug Loves

Of course, the kiddies get some cute duds and accessories too…

Studio Diana

Michelle Lindsay (one of our favorite photographers!)

E Photography:

How awesome is this little man bow tie from Etsy seller Chick and Bud?!

You can highlight the orange and blue in your ceremony decor…

Julia Newman Photography:

Millie Holloman Photography:

Or at your reception:

Heather Saunders Photography:

Etsy Seller Pom Flair:

Renee Broughton:

Vibrant Bride:

Are you having a Wahoo Wedding?  How will you incorporate Blue and Orange?

Continuing our College Football series, we move now to my hometown of Pittsburgh, and the Pitt Panthers!  Although Pitt’s new logo looks like this:

which is more Navy and Gold, I’m going to focus on the logo I grew up with:

Oh, that’s right…the straight 70’s Royal Blue and Yellow!  Both are beautiful, but the bright yellow and royal blue make for a fun wedding color combo, don’t you think?!  Wedding Wire sure thought so

(p.s. How much are you loving those chairs in blue and yellow?!)

Here’s another great blue and yellow inspiration board, from Style Me Pretty:

Mrs. Lemon from Wedding Bee got in on the blue and yellow action too!

Blue and Yellow are easy to use, especially in your wedding party.  I LOVE a blue dress with yellow accents:

Decisive Moment Photojournalists

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bridezilla (That’s the name of the blog, not a commentary…)

How about this cute yellow J. Crew dress with one of the necklaces below, from Etsy sellers Londons Gate and Night Owl Crafts

There’s also this bib statement necklace, which is great, although I’m not sure that the bib necklace trend is for everyone (Etsy seller Lily White Pad)

Or how about a great blue dress with some adorable yellow sandals?! (Coren Moore dress, shoes by Kelsi Dagger at Zappos)

Of course, you need to get the guys involved too!

Next two photos by Millie Holloman Photography

Style Me Pretty

Decisive Moment Photojournalists

And, of course, you can’t forget the little ones!

(Above and below pictures, Millie Holloman)

Union Photography

Actually, that adorable flower girl was in an AWESOME blue and yellow wedding, featured on Project Wedding.

Linens and tableware such as china and glassware are a lovely way to bring your color palette out at your wedding, as shown here by Style Me Pretty.  Of course, a gorgeous centerpiece doesn’t hurt either!

And again here, photographed by Geoff White Photographers:

Speaking of beautiful centerpieces, look at these beauties, photographed by Millie Holloman photography:

Although there aren’t really any royal blue flowers, you can come awfully close with Hydrangea, and mix them with fun yellow flowers to create some gorgeous arrangements.

Theresa Choi Photography:

Style Me Pretty (next two photos)

How about using blue and yellow in your programs like these photographed by Millie Holloman:

Or these from Union Photography:

And, finally, how about some fun lawn games for your guests, like bocce at this Salt Harbor Designs wedding:

Are you a Pitt Panthers fan?  How are you showing them the love in your wedding?

April was glowing when she arrived at Josephine Butler to finish getting ready for the ceremony.  She insisted on taking this picture with me and my little assistant (who is due to arrive any day now!).  All of the awesome photographs were taken by Laurel Jensen of Laurel Jensen Photography.

And there is Lindsay getting on his boutonniere just downstairs.  The feathers in all the personal flowers were a great touch.  Bethany and Jeanne from Park Florist in Takoma Park, MD really did an amazing job with all the flowers.

April’s bouquet was absolutely gorgeous.  Bethany and her team secured a hankie that was April’s Grandmother’s to the bouquet using an antique brooch that April had found.  I loved the color scheme for all the arrangements.  The colors were romantic, but very appropriate for the laid back feel that April wanted to achieve for her Memorial Day weekend nuptials.

The couple’s family and friends gathered in the park to witness the ceremony performed by A.C. Warden of Capital Ceremonies.  A.C. did a great job customizing the ceremony to incorporate all the elements that were important to April and Lindsay.

As we all know, it was quite warm that Saturday, so the couple provided these really pretty parasols for their guests.  This blue one really made for some cool pics!  Aren’t these two cute!

The park really was a great backdrop for photos.  These two are a perfect match and Laurel did a fabulous job capturing the special moments.

The front view of Josephine Butler Parks Center in DC.

There are so many wonderful elements in this shot of the welcome/gift table.  April had given the florist a bunch of old scarves, hankies, table cloths and pieces of fabric that she loved and Bethany from Park Florist used them throughout the venue.  I love how this particular piece looked under this arrangement, which was contained in an old fashioned mason jar.  But the best part is the picture of Lindsay’s grandparents who were married 66 years earlier on the exact same day!

Guests were asked to write a message to the couple and leave it in an old box.  Special thanks to both of my assistants that day, Jasmine and Jenny, for helping with all of the set up.

Love this photo of the couple as they enter to join their guests and get the party started!

The reception space is perfect for smaller weddings.  If you love a ton of natural light, this is the venue for you!

All of the centerpieces were slightly different and while it is a bit hard to see in this photograph,  all of the tables had one of those unique pieces of fabric under the flowers.

Love the lace under this one!  I also like the use of the silver julep cups for the centerpieces.  The couple served mint juleps as one of their signature cocktails!

Josephine Butler also has this great terrace on the second floor just off the reception space, which is perfect for guests during cocktail hour and throughout the night.

April and Lindsay enjoying a fun moment during their first dance!

Ok, let me just tell you how delicious the food was!  As always, Peggy McGuire and the folks at Main Event Caterers did a superb job with all the details.   They are always a pleasure to work with.

April and Lindsay didn’t have a traditional wedding cake.  Instead, they decided to have some of their friends contribute homemade desserts of their choice.

The Capitol Building….made from white chocolate….yummmm!!!

The couple chose two pies from the selection to cut in front of their guests.

The couple supplemented the homemade desserts with some yummy cupcakes from Hello Cupcake!  Each flavor was topped with a monogram.  Main Event did a fantastic job with the dessert display.

Congratulations, April and Lindsay!  Thanks for letting me be a part of your day!

xoxo,

Felicia

Julia planned every last detail but Chris, a graphic designer, designed all of the paper pieces, including the menus, invitations, and programs!

I absolutely LOVE this photo of the couple, just after they were married, at the church’s entrance.  How gorgeous is that vintage fur stole, compliments of the bride’s grandmother?

After the ceremony, everyone headed to the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks to start the party.  This Marriott has a GORGEOUS cocktail area, made even more beautiful by the lighting from Swank Audio Visuals:

Throughout the planning, Julia kept talking about the “wow” factor in the ballroom.  Well, she definitely got it!  With a combination of the already beautiful ballroom:

Linens from DC Rental:

More lighting from Swank:

…and my favorite part, the centerpieces!  Chris and Julia had three different centerpieces.  Two of them were provided by a Wish favorite, Barbara Von Elm at Growing Wild:

And the third was designed by Julia and put together by my beautiful assistants and me! (and which you’ve seen before, as they’re for sale!)

(The small bride’s cake was based on Chris’ design from the invitations!)

As if that wasn’t enough sugar, Julia’s mom baked mini breads for guests to take home, sealed with the couple’s custom monogram (again, created by the groom) and gave them the recipe for the bread to bake at home!

A few more gorgeous pictures of the day: