For all of you ladies and gents out there who love swooning over all things wedding, I have a late holiday gift for you!  DC DailyCandy – the area’s source for the hippest, latest, coolest pop culture trends in the area – has come out with a new daily e-mail feature just for brides!  Welcome, Bride Buzz!

I’m a big fan of DC Daily Candy so I immediately signed up for Bride Buzz when it was announced a few months back.    I had completely forgotten about it and was pleasantly surprised to receive my first dose of Bridal Buzz  Monday morning, featuring an oh-so-cute cake topper!

Unlike Daily Candy, Bride Buzz is not specific to the DC area (yet!?!?), but rather features vendors, items and ideas from across the country.   DailyCandy started out as a New York City-based newsletter to share pop-culture trends and tidbits with its e-readers.   It soon expanded to a national site and has since started sites (with free subscriptions available!) to several major cities in the U.S., including Washington DC.   The daily e-mails include everything from trend features to coupons…which have helped with my sugar intake at places such as Red Velvet Cupcakery down by DC’s Verizon Center (LOVE their salted Peanut Butter Cupcakes!).

While Bride Buzz is just getting its legs, I’m hoping it will be as informative, entertaining and inspiring as DailyCandy has been!    If you subscribe to Bride Buzz, you’ll receive a daily dose of bridal eye candy in your e-mail box.  You can also check them out online for past daily features, including my favorite feature of all bridal websites:  real weddings.

For all of you newly-engaged folks out there, welcome!  I hope our site and places like Bride Buzz will inspire you to create a wedding day that is perfectly charming, personal and swoon-worthy!  And for our regular blog followers, I hope none of you made a New Year’s Resolution to “stop-surfing-the-web-for-all-things-wedding.”  If you did, I apologize in advance because this certainly isn’t going to help to that end!

I thought I knew from the get-go what my wedding colors would be.    A whimsical wedding at Glen Echo Park calls for an equally fun color palette.   I initially thought our colors would be light blue, red and white.  But we switched it from light blue to more of an aqua/teal and I’m really happy with the choice!    I’ve always loved aqua.  It’s calming yet bright and reminds me of water, which I love.  My little VW convertible bug is even aqua blue!  I joke that when I’m working with a couple, I automatically arrive with “something blue.”

The choice of red came from one of my not-so-secret indulgences:  red shoes.   I have a somewhat embarrassing number of red shoes.   I love them.  I can’t say no to them.  And I feel my prettiest in them.   Since every bride should feel her prettiest on her wedding day, I decided long ago that my wedding day shoes would be red.    Even if it does make my mother raise her eyebrows a bit… OK, a lot.  And since I want my bridesmaids to be just as sassy and gorgeous, they will each be wearing red shoes as well!  I picked a candy-apple red to match the vibrant reds found all over Glen Echo Park.

So there you have it…..  aqua (more of a blue-ish teal), bright red and a neutral white… maybe with some light blush pink as an accent where necessary.   I’m in love with the scheme and am having a blast building off of it.   Here’s a look at the combination.

This one’s from The Budget Savvy Bride

A fellow Knottie wedding with teal dresses and red shoes (sorry, don’t have a credit!):

Another collection of red and aqua: Couple photo by Jonathan Canlas, Invitation from Bella Bliss Design, Bride and Bridal Party photo by Art of Light, Candy Cones from Brides.com, Tablescape from Gentlandhyers, Cake and candy and centerpiece photo by Jonathan Canlas, Escort card by Rebecca Thuss, Ceremony Program by Martha Stewart, Shoes photo by White Box Wedding

My neice (who will only be 17 months old for our wedding) will actually be carrying a big teal and white lollipop just like this (instead of flowers).   Seeing as she likes to eat everything in sight these days, we figure this will be yummier than flowers…and it fits our theme perfectly!  Photo by Jamie Hammond.

This Indian wedding in California was shot by Lisa Lefkowitz.

This cherry blossom stationery set is by RSVP Stationary. Red and teal is perfectly whimsical for my vintage amusement park wedding… but this would also be a great option for any of you brides using DC’s cherry blossoms as inspiration!  It puts a contemporary spin on a very traditional (and common) inspiration for weddings in the DC area.

This adorable clutch by knitty bitties on Etsy would be a great bridesmaid gift!

These poppy escort cards are by Etsy seller Michelle Brusegaard, who has a lot of red and teal items with both poppies and tulips.

This Mexico destination wedding was shot by DC’s Lara Swanson.  The red and aqua colors were inspired by the colored spaces on a Scrabble board, which played a big part in their engagement!

This table setting is by Martha Stewart, who did a whole feature on this color combo a while back.  While I’m not usually a fan of carnations, I must admit that I L-O-V-E this look.   Since carnations are budget-friendly and will fit perfectly with my 1950’s vintage wedding theme, I have a feeling I’ll be using them.  If done right (such as these tightly-packed red carnations), they can be really gorgeous.  And, after consulting my gramma and grampa’s wedding photos over break, I discovered that their 1956 wedding used only one flower… carnations.   Perfect!

Speaking of red carnations, check out the tightly packed red carnations on the pomanders for this red and teal wedding, Pure7Studios.  Bee-yoo-ti-ful!

While red and aqua/teal are a great spring or summer combo, the weather outside is frigid so I thought I’d leave you with an inspiration board for a winter wedding.   The icy blues are reminiscent of snowflakes, but are warmed up by holiday reds.   The ladies at Masterpiece Weddings in Florida put this inspiration board together and I couldn’t have done it better myself!

So… what do you think?  It’s a vibrant and bold color combination for sure.   And while it can work with a lot of different wedding themes, it’s not for everyone.  With the holidays over and lots of couples newly engaged, we are officially in “Engagement Season!”  Would any of you newly-engaged couples out there consider this color combo? Do you have any color palettes of your own that you’d like to share?

If you’re mailing save the dates, wedding invitations or even your holiday cards any time soon, I just thought I’d share this  bit of information I learned the hard way from the United States Postal Service.

I’ve been doing save the dates, shower invites, bachelorette invites and wedding invites for friends, family and clients for years.  Often times, these include some sort of knotted ribbon.   This is particularly popular on Save the Dates (tying the KNOT).   I did a variation on this for my own holiday cards/Save the Date, which I’ll share more on in a later post.   My STD is a simple cardstock-weight folded card with a ribbon in it.  I’ve sent similar designs out many times before without paying extra postage, so I didn’t worry about getting a sample STD weighed at the post office first.  Here’s a shot of our Holiday/Save the Date cards to give you a general idea of what they looked like before going into envelopes:

After stamping all of my envelopes with a festive Christmas stamp, I waited in line at the Georgetown post office to ask them to hand cancel my box of envelopes so they had a nice DC postmark on them.   Apparently, USPS folks don’t like to hand cancel very much because I was immediately given a hard time.   Then she informed me that it would cost $.20 extra to mail each envelope because of the “bump” (the bump being the knot on the ribbon).  She told me if I mailed them, either my guests would receive an envelope asking for the additional $.20 in order to deliver… or they would be returned to me a full two weeks later with a stamp that says “insufficient postage.”    Since this was the first time I’d ever been told this, I left – WITH all of my Save the Dates in hand.

I returned to my local Virginia post office the next morning and decided to mail a few, make sure they arrived, and then would return to mail the rest.   A gentleman working at the post office stopped me as I was putting the envelopes into the mail slot (I had given up on hand canceling for these) and asked to see one.  I handed one over and to my surprise (and dismay), he also told me that it would cost an extra $.20 to mail each envelope due to the bump.   He repeated the info about the addressee having to pay the difference or that they would be returned to me two weeks later.

!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I asked if this was new and the gentleman informed me that they started enforcing it with the last rate increase in the spring.    Since I don’t want my guests to be charged to save the date, I proceeded to the counter to purchase $.20 stamps.  Of course, they only had $.10 stamps, so my cute STDs looked like this by the time the USPS got done with them:

I returned home, and did some research on the internet.  It is very hard to come by, but I did find this info on the USPS site:

“Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics… are subject to the $.20 nonmachinable surcharge.”

As it turns out, non-machinable characteristics include ribbons, bows, buttons, embellishments (that are common on holiday cards!) and even things like STD magnets inside the card.

Here’s my best advice on how to avoid getting caught off-guard:

1.) Check with your stationary designer on whether your design will require extra postage.   If it’s heavier than 1 ounce, is a square shape, is addressed vertically (instead of horizontally) or has the aforementioned embellishments that cause a “bump” in the envelope, you might have to pay more.

2.) Double-check with the post office by bringing a sample in BEFORE purchasing stamps, or possibly before purchasing the STD, invite, etc…

3.) If you do require extra postage and want to avoid having 2 or 3 stamps on your envelope, be sure to purchase stamps in the right amount.  You may find that sites like Stamps.com or Zazzle.com are very useful in that you can design your own stamp with the exact value required for your envelopes.

4.) Skip the embellishments if you want to save money.    There are ways to “tie” ribbons without a bump.  I’ve already mentally changed my DIY invitation design to include a bump-less ribbon!

I know this isn’t the usual post filled with swoon-worthy inspiration that most of our blog reader enjoy the most, but since ’tis the season for snail mail, I thought some of you out there might find it helpful since the USPS doesn’t promote awareness of this new charge.   Have any of you experienced similar problems with the USPS?   Please share to help your fellow readers avoid the same situation!

Until next time… happy mailing!

Hi all!   I know it’s been a while since I first announced my big news, but we’ve been busy with tastings, meetings and contracts so that we can relax over the holidays.  Now I’ll have to catch you up on my plans!

When it came to picking a location, I have to say that it was an easy choice for us.  As a wedding planner, I’m pretty familiar with most of the DC area’s venues, and there are some amazing options.  But our choice was just PERFECT for us.

A few months ago, I went to go see a children’s theater production at Glen Echo Park with a friend.   I fell in love with both the park and the carefree feeling I got as I walked around.  What surprised me the most is that I’ve somehow lived in the DC area for seven years before visiting this hidden gem that’s INSIDE the beltway!   My fiancé and I try not to take anything too seriously and love being outdoors.  So when I brought him back to this old art-deco amusement park with a running carousel, he was sold as quickly as I was.   It’s the perfect backdrop for a chic and whimsical wedding with some very personal vintage flair.  We’re confident that our guests will be comfortable just being themselves (no tuxes or sequins required!) and will remember the day long after the last dance.   Some of our longtime blog followers might remember that we did a venue spotlight on Glen Echo Park way back when Wish Special Events was Soiree Special Events!  Here is the sign at the front entrance to the park, which overlooks an old trolley that is parked there, seemingly freezing a moment in time.

Weather permitting, our ceremony will be held outside on a grassy tree-lined grove in the center of the park.  But in the event that it’s raining or too sunny, we will be married underneath this Cuddle Up Pavilion, which is the structure that used to house the Tilt a Whirl! 

Guests will be able to explore the park and take a ride on the carousel in between the ceremony and reception.  I’m not a carousel expert or anything, but I have to say that this carousel is beautifully restored and is sure to make any rider feel as happy as John and I will be on that day.  This gorgeous night shot of the indoor carousel is courtesy of Michelle Lindsay Photography.   

When the fun begins, we will be in the Bumper Car Pavilion… a covered structure with fantastic hard wood floors that used to house the… you guessed it… bumper cars!     That’s a coincidental nod to my fiance’s love of all things with wheels.    He’s more in to the motorcycle, truck and racecar variety… but since we couldn’t (read: wouldn’t) get married at a racetrack, this is a pretty good compromise.  This photo is courtesy of Documentary Associates, who were the photographers that worked with Rebecca on Hailey & Matt’s Glen Echo wedding in July 2009.

This park has a LOT of history to it and the friendly park rangers are more than happy to give tours and share this history with anyone that’s interested.   Here’s a picture of the Bumper Car Pavilion when it housed the Dodgem Scooters:

A few other points about this park that makes it perfect for us:

1.)     At one point, this was considered a branch of the Chautauqua Institution.  The original Chautauqua Institution still exists, is one of my favorite places to visit and served as my home for two summers that I worked at its theater company.   Since I’m hugely into the arts (studied voice in college) and Glen Echo  still serves as a home to many artists, I feel a particular connection to the park.

2.)    The park only allows wine, beer and champagne… no liquor.  While some might see this as a downfall, I embraced it as a budget-friendly way to offer adult beverages all night.  Plus, our quick mental review of our guest list proved that most are beer or wine drinkers anyways.

3.)    We chose August 2010… both because of availability and because we’ll receive off-season rates.   I know what you’re thinking:  an outdoor August wedding in DC?   Are you crazy?  Well, maybe a little bit, but we’re also smart.   We’ve having the wedding later in the day after the sun goes down so it won’t be unbearable.  And if it’s a little warm, guests will dress accordingly and we’ll still celebrate just the same.   Let’s face it:  it doesn’t matter what time of year you choose, if you’re having an outdoor wedding in DC, you’re at the mercy of some of the most unpredictable weather I’ve ever experienced.   So you might as well do it at a lower rate when possible!

That’s all for today.   I’ll be back soon with posts on building a wedding website and our DIY Save the Dates!   I’ll leave you with one more shot from Blink Photography of a couple dancing in the Bumper Car Pavilion.  I L-O-V-E the hard wood floors, the geometric patterns in the ceiling and the natural light shining through!

Be back soon!

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!

Hello friends!  I have some exciting news to share.

After years of happily attending weddings as a guest, wedding singer, bridesmaid, maid of honor or wedding planner, I will now attend my first wedding…. as a BRIDE!   My wonderful fiancé John proposed at sunset on the beach in Naples, Florida a few weeks ago while we were in town for  – you guessed it – a wedding!  I said yes…well, I’m told I squealed a bit but we’re pretty sure there was a yes in there.  Either way, the ring is on my finger and although the “happily-staring-at-my-own-ring-phase” isn’t quite over yet, I promise that I keep it to a minimum…well, at least in public.

So that means I’m planning my own wedding.  Although I can’t invite you all to join me on the big day, I can invite you along in the planning process.  You’ll get a unique look into planning a wedding from the perspective of a wedding planner-bride!   I won’t be able to share everything, but I’ll gladly let you in where I can.  Here’s some info on me that should give you a better idea of what’s to come:

1.)  I’m a hugely creative person with a big DIY side: expect lots of hand-made touches and plenty of attention to detail.

2.)  I’m very family-oriented: Yes, it’s my day (and John’s day) first and foremost, but since friends and family are so important to us, it’s really important to me that they be comfortable and have a lot of fun.

3.)   I don’t believe that “wedding” should be synonymous with “bankruptcy.”  It’s not about how much money you spend, but about how you spend it.  I hope to throw a wedding that’s chic, fabulous and memorable, without spending a small fortune.   Difficult?  Maybe.  Impossible?  Definitely Not.

I plan to have a lot of fun on this journey and will definitely still be planning weddings for others as well.  Wedding planning (especially as a bride) should be a fun and stress-free.    I plan to keep it that way!  So if you don’t get a regular post from me, assume that I’m busy planning my wedding or someone else’s and will post as soon as I find a few free seconds.

See you back here soon!

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.

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 :::

A few weeks ago, I got a suspicious phone call from Cristin, one of our coordinators.  “I’m out of town on a super secret mission and can’t tell you much about it.  But I’ll be back tomorrow and can meet with those clients this weekend.  Gotta go — bye!”  Cristin was up to something sneaky.

Little did we know that Cristin had entered her boyfriend’s mother in a Good Morning America contest for Mother’s Day!  Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse cooks an annual breakfast in bed for one deserving mother.  Mrs. Susie Bratt received the surprise of her life this last Friday when Emeril showed up on her doorstep.  Susie’s family has dealt with an awful tragedy very recently and it was wonderful to see her big smile.

Here are the two video clips from Good Morning America:

Surprising Mrs. Bratt & the tearjerker story

One more surprise & the breakfast

An article from the Charleston, WV Gazette

Congratulations Mrs. Bratt!  We’re proud to have Cristin as a part of our family, too.