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.

Jillian and Chris took a non-traditional perspective to the design of their April wedding. Merging both of their careers and passions in life, the whole wedding took on an architectural perspective that highlighted their taste for modern design. For them, red really is the new black

Before we get started, all of the pictures are courtesy of the fantastic Brian Tropiano. It is an incredible pleasure to work with him and, well, the photos truly speak for themselves. Thanks, Brian!!

The ceremony took place at the beautiful St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill.

The bouquets, created by Laura Williams of Loda Floral Design, were a composite of various red flowers. Laura even crafted small floral combs for the ladies to wear:

Jillian opted to wear a white orchid in her hair but wanted to complete her ensemble by wearing the perfect red shoes:

With a few hours between the ceremony and reception, Jillian and Chris headed out to parts of Capitol Hill and Old Town Alexandria to take a few photos. The photos are stunning…

From here, everyone headed to the party. Everything was a wash with Jillian and Chris’s colors: red, black, and white. From the table linens by DC Rentalto the uplighting by John Farr, the Torpedo Factory had a hip but classic vibe that resonated with the couples’ feel for design.

The biggest surprise of the night was the main course: pizza!! Alluding to the start of their relationship, Jillian and Chris chose to serve pizza to their guests. The two started dating while studying abroad in Rome (how romantic!) and, well… as they say, the rest is history.

The delicious pizza and gelato was catered by Larry Ponzi and Cafe Pizzaiolo.

The one detail from the entire wedding that took my breath away was Jillian’s dress. From the start of the planning process Jillian told me that her sister would make her dress. This is such a beautiful, personal touch to the wedding that I was excited – but I didn’t know how gorgeous the dress would be! I wish Jillian’s sister had her own company (because I would recommend her!!) but until she fully enters the world of fashion design, we will just have be marvel at this beautiful couture gown.

Best wishes for all the happiness in the world, Jillian and Chris! I enjoyed working with you and appreciate your “out of the box” thinking. Hope to see you in Old Town some time soon.

Cheers,