A few weeks ago, Tori (who you’ll meet soon…she’s our newest planner!) and I went to the Fairmont Hotel’s annual “Sip and Sample,” which highlights their GORGEOUS Colonnade room, a light filled room next to the courtyard, surrounded by windows on all sides (photo from the Fairmont’s web site):

And look at this stunning courtyard (photo by Greg Gibson):

Needless to say, Tori and I were quite excited to see what they had done for the event, and we weren’t disappointed! (The rest of these pictures are by me):

As we walked in, the first thing we were greeted by were these GORGEOUS cakes, from the Fairmont’s in house pastry chefs. I mean, look at the detail on these!

Aren’t those little sugar strawberries so cute?!

And how about the bees and the little beehive on this one?

The cakes were sitting on these really cool tables that had mini chandeliers hanging underneath them — these would be great for cakes, or a cocktail hour.

All of the tables had AMAZING looking linens on them, provided by Party Rental, Ltd.

Tori was in love with this table, from the linen to the hot pink chivaris! I’ve never seen hot pink chivaris before!!!

My favorite was this amazing centerpiece — look at the wood vase! I’m so sad I don’t know who the florist was that did this, but it’s SO gorgeous:

We both thought this table looked cool, but wondered how comfortable those stools were. We were afraid to sit in them — look how high they are! For a shorty like me, I would probably have fallen:

Loved this centerpiece too, with the orange roses mixed with the orange tulips. The flat design is really interesting and creative, I think.

You know what else was on that table? Food!

Doesn’t that look yummy? Let’s look closer at some of the nibbles they had!

Desserts too!

This Peanut Butter “Snickers Bar” was my favorite thing all night…SO yummy!

(Love that plate too!)

They had a little lounge area set up with a cute centerpiece on the coffee table — perfect for an area to get comfy and chat!

But what I REALLY fell in love with in the lounge area were these pillows! OMG, I want them in my house RIGHT NOW!

They had some fun little stations set up throughout the room — here there was a tea station with all different types of teas, but they also had coffee and, my favorite, hot chocolate!

I also LOVED this beer pairing station — they had different beers paired with small bites, a really cute idea for a “man” station

Several vendors I’ve worked with before were there — Pablo from Freed Photography was taking pictures (you may remember him from Rob and Maya’s gorgeous sunflower wedding, seen here):

DJ Aaron from Chris Laich Music Services was there — he was the DJ at Diane and Allen’s reception at the Clarendon Ballroom (photo from their wedding here by Michelle Lindsay):

And I actually got to take a picture of Nour of Made Up Art at her booth!

She did the GORGEOUS makeup of Maddy and her bridesmaids last year (seen here), but this was my first time meeting her.  I hope to work with her again, their makeup was flawless!

My favorite part of the day, though, was when I fell in love. Not with a man, not with a woman…with a dress. Actually, two dresses. Oh, Hitched, why must you have such adorable employees wearing your gorgeous dresses?!?!?!

Both dresses were from Amsale, who is officially my new favorite designer. I mean, look how cute! Pockets! Cute neckline! LOVE!!

And this one? Look at that skirt! MUST HAVE!!!!!!! I don’t care that I’m not even engaged, I want one NOW! (I feel like Veruca Salt right now…)

Thank you, Fairmont, for a lovely evening! We had a great time, and hope to see you again soon!

It’s taken me FOREVER to get Maggie and Gareth’s wedding blogged, but you’ll forgive me when you see the GORGEOUS photos from Deb Lindsey!

Is that veil AMAZING or what?!?!  And how beautiful is this bride?!

Maggie’s gorgeous bouquet, and all of the flowers, came from Kendra at Greenworks, who did an awesome job!

The ceremony was held at one of my absolute favorite churches, Holy Trinity in Georgetown.  The bride’s room there has beautiful hardwood floors, and is a perfect place to take some last minute photos of the bride getting ready…

While the girls were putting on the last minute touches at Holy Trinity, the boys were having a last minute drink at the hotel!

Hmm…what’s that in the picture…is that a dog??

That won’t be the last time you see Journey, Maggie and Gareth’s adorable pup!

But wait, first we need a few more getting ready shots!

(Does Gareth look like an Old Hollywood star or what?!)

I loved this little guy — at the rehearsal, when I asked him to hand the best man the ring pillow, he just threw it at him.  I had to laugh out loud, it was so cute!

Once everyone arrived at the church, it was time to get things started!  Maggie and her dad waited outside…

And I began sending everyone down the aisle, starting with a bevy of adorable little ones!

I mean, how can you resist these faces?!?!

Then we opened the doors, and everyone stood for Maggie to begin making her way down the aisle with her dad.

I love the look on Gareth’s face here, like he’s not sure if he’s doing it right…

Does anything seem odd here?

If you’re wondering if Holy Trinity allows dogs: no, no they do not.  I’m lucky I haven’t been banned from the church for allowing this little visitor!  But it was really important to Maggie and Gareth that he be there…and look at that face, how can you resist?!?  (Plus, I swear, I didn’t know about it until the last minute!)  And look how happy he is for his mommy and daddy!

And look how well behaved he was for group pictures!

While Reston Limo shuttled guests over to the Ritz Carlton for the reception, the bridal party made their way around the streets of Georgetown for pictures.

This shot was only the beginning of Maggie and Gareth rocking out all night…

After they completed their photo safari, Maggie and Gareth were driven back to the Ritz by Drew at Secure Limo, where they went up to their gorgeous suite to take a few pictures on their balcony.

Do you want to know how amazing the staff is at the Ritz?  The bright green drink in Maggie’s hand was their signature martini — but Becky Jones, the Event Coordinator at the Ritz, was afraid the drink might spill out of a martini glass, so she had the bartenders pour it into a wine glass for her.  It’s little, but those little touches mean SO much to a couple on their wedding day!

One of the many things I love about Deb is how she takes SO much care to take detail shots of the day.  I mean, look at all of these great pictures!

Love the pink toenails

Some more gorgeous flowers from Kendra at Greenworks (I LOVE how those tulips are arranged!)

The delicious cake was provided by the Ritz Carlton as well

Maggie and Gareth did one of the cutest cake cuttings I’ve seen

I love their adorable reaction to one of the toasts as well…

And Journey makes another appearance — he now has a fan club!

Maggie and Gareth then kicked things off on the dance floor to, what else, Journey!

And then, I swear, I think that was the last time I saw them all night, because their AMAZING band, Round Midnight, kept them on the dance floor ALL NIGHT LONG.  These guys are seriously AWESOME!

Old and young rocked the floor all night with these guys, including the gorgeous lady below in gold — the groom’s total sweetheart of a mother!

Speaking of the groom’s parents, Gareth’s dad is the Chairman of Beleek Pottery, which is a famous Irish china and pottery company.  The favors were a beautiful porcelain vase with a shamrock on it to represent the groom’s Irish heritage, and a pair of Irish lead crystal champagne flutes from one of Beleek’s subsidiaries, Galway Crystal.

These were probably the most beautiful favors I’ve had at one of my weddings — I’m honored to have a pair of these flutes in my cabinet at home, but they’re so gorgeous, I’m afraid to use them!!

Maggie was, if you can believe it, my very first bride to do a bouquet toss (it’s even been a few years)!

But then it was Gareth’s turn…

This is probably one of the best wedding action shots I’ve ever seen — this guy got some serious air!

Congratulations, Maggie and Gareth!  It was a pleasure working with you and your wonderful families!

I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Melanie & Adam on their gorgeous wedding at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC.  I met Melanie in the spring of 2009 and it was a pleasure every step of the way.  I wish I could take credit for this girl’s fabulous details but all the cute touches are her own!

I was really thrilled to be working with a phenomenal team of vendors.  A big special thanks goes to Mark Medrick at the Fairmont, who really made sure the service was top-notch.  I wish I could steal him from the Fairmont to work weddings for Wish –he’s a true gem!  Another big thanks goes to Regeti’s Photography.  Amy & Srinu Regeti are, well, amazing.  Take a look for yourself!

Our bride, Melanie, gets finishing touches by the very talented makeup artist Carl Ray:

She’s looking pretty fabulous, eh?  All ready for a wedding!

I love the ‘Regeti’s-style‘ portraits.  They come up with such lovely, natural, and elegant poses:

Melanie & Adam are Jewish so they saw each other before the ceremony.  In Jewish tradition, the signing of the Ketubah (marriage contract) is the real wedding ceremony.  They get married before the bride walks down the aisle!  Luckily this event also means that we can do some cute ‘first look’ and formal portraits before the events begin:

I have a pretty lucky history with weather and this wedding was no exception.  Big gray storm clouds threatened some rain but it held off long enough to get some stunning photos in the Fairmont’s garden courtyard.  These portraits go perfectly with the garden theme of the wedding:

I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit to our wonderful florist, Alison de Wit at Distinctive Floral Design.  Check out Melanie’s bouquet!  Just wait until you see the centerpieces.

Don’t Melanie & Adam have a handsome group of friends?

After the portraits were done, the bridal party and family headed up to sign the Ketubah in a private ceremony.  An hour later, it was time for the second (public) ceremony.  Rabbi White did an excellent job in keeping the service lighthearted but also endearing.

Obviously this photo was not taken by the Regeti’s:

A special shout-out goes to the Cherry Blossom String Quartet.  I love working with these guys since they’re always on time, play beautifully, are professional, and are very easy to work with.  Plus, we did Julia’s wedding a few months ago 

I especially loved this photo of Adam reading his vows:

After these two lovebirds tied the knot for a second time, guests celebrated with some cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  Even though it wasn’t raining, the heat outside prohibited us from using the courtyard like Melanie had hoped.  Luckily the Fairmont’s lobby is quite large and we had a private area with plenty of sofas and mingling space.

The ‘English garden’ theme was really played up with her adorable vintage-esque birdcages and fresh English roses:

I especially liked the little pewter chairs that held the escort cards:

Back in the Colonnade, the ceremony room was being ‘flipped’ for the reception!  If you’re having your wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue, this is a wonderful way to make the best use of the most beautiful space.  The Fairmont’s ballroom is particularly beautiful since there is so much natural light from the pretty garden courtyard.  I bet you couldn’t even tell that these tables were waiting ‘in the wings’  the whole time:

Vintage postcards marked tables instead of numbers:

Check out these lush centerpieces!  Doesn’t this just scream ‘romantic English garden tea party‘?

As cute details and wonderful conversation pieces, Melanie & Adam displayed vintage wedding cake toppers from several family weddings:

Another detail that can’t be overlooked is the stationery set.  These wedding invitations and programs were HAND-PAINTED by Kristy Rice’s fabulous team at Momental Designs.  The floral motif is based on Melanie & Adam’s china pattern!  I think this is a wonderful piece of art that really sets the tone for a fabulous event:

The wedding cake by Cherry Blossom Cakes was truly yummy:

Yet another photo not taken by the Regeti’s:

I couldn’t get over this photo of our newlyweds cracking up during one of their toasts.  I wish I could remember what the joke was!

Instead of a traditional guest book, Melanie & Adam chose a photo booth and photo guest book by Posh Booth:

Of course it wouldn’t be a Jewish wedding without the Hora!  DJ Chris Laich kept everyone on the dance floor all night:

Cutting the cake:

Here’s our lovely couple with Mark Medrick, the wonderful host at the Fairmont.  He was excellent every step of the way.  If you’re interested in having your wedding at the Fairmont, definitely get in touch with him!

Melanie & Adam wanted an extra surprise for her guests before they left for the evening.  She chose a macaron display with several flavors of macarons.  Boy were the guests surprised when they walked out of the ballroom and spotted this spread of treats!  These scrumptious macarons were provided by Michel Patisserie:

Of course the Regeti’s did a much better job with the photos than I did:

It will be a few more weeks until we have some video of this event, but it was filmed with a regular HD camera and also Super 8 film (!) by Blue Sky Films.  I can’t wait to see what Colin shot & how it’s edited together.  Those guys always come up with some wonderful films.

…and they lived happily ever after:

Congratulations again, Melanie & Adam!  It was really a joy to work with you both and I wish you many successes and much happiness over the years.

PS – want more photos of this wedding?  Check out the Regeti’s Photography blog!

Do you remember Victoria & Michael’s wedding at the Westin Grand in Georgetown?  I just got some of the professional photos from Joseph Allen and wanted to share them with you.

First, how stunning is this portrait of Vic, taken in their awesome honeymoon suite at the Westin Grand DC?  Mike’s a lucky guy!

We lucked out on the weather and were able to hold the wedding ceremony outside in the hotel’s courtyard.  I really loved the patterned parasols that Vic found:

Gettin’ hitched:

They’re married!  After the ceremony, our newlyweds took a stroll around Georgetown:

How cute are these two?

I really thought that Vic’s long veil suited her and her gown just perfectly.  Plus it made for some fun portraits:

Woo woo!  They even got a little sexy!  Didn’t Joseph do an amazing job on these photos?

Another cute Georgetown street shot:

Meanwhile back at the Westin, guests were enjoying cocktails in the courtyard and we were putting the finishing touches on the reception room.  If you want the convenience of a hotel wedding but not a typical hotel ballroom, check out the Westin Grand!  It has big beautiful wooden columns, a wooden floor, two steps down to create an elevated dance floor area (or head table area or cocktail area or ceremony area or whatever you want it to be), and a funky little nook that’s perfect for the bar and a seating lounge area.

I would be amiss if I didn’t point out the GORGEOUS centerpieces provided by DaVinci’s Florist.  The black vases were topped with rose and calla lily domes and also featured dripping crystals.  The candles on the tables made the crystals sparkle and the whole piece made the room look very dramatic:

Another stunning feature was the black and white damask wedding cake made by Lara Stuckey at Fluffy Thoughts.  Isn’t this thing beautiful?  I liked how the tiers alternated square and round.  You can also see Vic’s bouquet which we displayed next to the cake:

Well, that’s the party, folks!  Vic & Mike also had a traditional Chinese tea ceremony which was an intimate moment for both families.  She also changed into a traditional Qi Pao for the second half of the reception:

For some more detail shots and my perspective on the day, be sure to check out the original post about Vic & Mike’s wedding at the Westin Grand DC.  I really loved this wedding and hope you do too!

UDPATE!  PHOTOS FROM FREED ARE HERE!

Earlier this month, we were invited to attend an industry party for event professionals only!  I love this time of year, when local companies invite their colleagues to an evening out and show off the things they can do.  This particular event was hosted by Capital Decor and Events, a props/staging/decor company.  Remember my post about their gorgeous warehouse?  Yep, that’s the same company!

We arrived to the Halcyon House in Georgetown, a phenomenal estate in the center of the historic district.  Walking in through what seems like the back of the house, it’s not extremely impressive.  Just a standard brick facade in Georgetown.  THEN you go upstairs and out the ‘front’ door.  Check it out!!

Can you believe this thing is smack dab in the center of Georgetown?  Check out all the phenomenal rooftop garden space they have, designed by L’Enfant himself:

Does it look familiar?  Wedding photographer Justine Ungaro just got married here a couple months ago:

The expansive space is perfectly suited for outdoor wedding ceremonies or cocktail hours.  Did you know that the Halcyon House is a private residence?  It’s the home of a fabulous modern sculptor, who displays his work nearly everywhere you look:

This thing goes on and on!  They even have a pool up there!

You really can’t argue with a view like this!  That’s the Key Bridge, stretching out towards Rosslyn in the distance:

Back inside, the upper level is set up with furniture like a regular home.  This is perfect for indoor cocktail parties in case the weather doesn’t cooperate:

In one of the rooms, Capital Decor had set up three beautiful fall tablescapes to tease our imagination!  They used all kinds of fun things, including rose-colored champagne glasses, a playful swirl-patterned linen, and even artichokes and eggplants in the centerpieces:

It was romantic and dim in the room so please excuse the lack of detail here.  The two centerpieces are overflowing with purple orchids.  On the table, three green beaded lamps are clustered in the center, drawing the eye down to the table:

This table was a bit more modern, with tightly packed rose centerpieces and green-colored water goblets.  I especially loved the way the napkins are set…horizontal like a bow tie:

So if those tables are just for show, where’s the party!?  Well, it was in the basement!  I have too many photos to share with you today but will follow up in Part Two, coming tomorrow.  Be sure you check back to see all the fabulous decor pieces.  For now, here’s a sneak peek of the entrance:

The first weekend in October was a fabulous time for a wedding!  Stacey & Todd had a gorgeous fall day with warm sunlight and a cool breeze.  We started the day off in Georgetown, at Holy Trinity’s Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola.  I always love weddings in historic Georgetown:

Here’s the front of the chapel.  35 years older than the main church, this pretty building dates to 1794!  I loved the white hydrangea wreaths that DaVinci’s Florist hung on the doors:

After the intimate and touching ceremony, Stacey, Todd, and their families took photographs outside in the chapel’s pretty courtyard.  I thought Stacey looked just stunning in her elegant gown and long veil:

After the family photos, the newlyweds and their bridal party went on a photo safari around the DC monuments.  The advantage of having an afternoon ceremony and evening reception is that you have plenty of time for photos like these!  The next two images were taken by photographer Armin DeFiesta:

The steps of the US Capitol are so utterly ‘DC’ in every way.  I really like this photo because it shows Todd’s “groomswoman” on the right.  His friend Jody stood on Todd’s side during the ceremony and wore black to match the tuxedos.  She carried a bouquet and had a similar style gown like the bridesmaids.  I thought it was a perfect way to match her to the rest of the bridal party:

Armin somehow convinced the US Capitol Police to get them closer to the building!  Here they are coming down from the photo shoot, escorted by the police.  Want to see the images he captured?  Check out Armin’s Blog to see more!

Meanwhile, the set-up at The Washington Club on Dupont Circle was going smoothly!  Here’s the stunning white face of the building:

Just inside, we displayed the guest book and family photographs on an existing marble table:

The guest book was a coffee table photo book of DC!  Guests could use a black or silver marker to write notes to the couple.  What a great way to incorporate DC into the festivities:

Upstairs inside the club, Ridgewells, DaVinci’s Florist, and the band were hastily setting the final touches on the reception:

Here’s a view from the back of the room.  Did you know that The Washington Club has it’s own in-house uplighting?  Stacey & Todd chose an amber color to match the gold & ivory colors of the wedding as well as the warm wood tones in the room.  The band, Doctor’s Orders, somehow all fit on the little stage:

This was one of my favorite floral pieces of the day.  DaVinci’s Florist created this solid rectangular cube out of hydrangea and nestled votive candles inside.  It sat on the sweetheart table and provided just enough romantic candlelight for the newlyweds.  Gorgeous!

My second-favorite piece was the bridal bouquet.  Stacey carried this all-white collection of roses, calla lilies, and poppies:

The wedding cake is a little tricky to see here but really was beautiful!  It mimicked a photograph that Stacey gave the baker, Lara Stuckey of Fluffy Thoughts.  I especially loved the little twigs sticking out of the flowers to match the centerpieces:

Doctor’s Orders rocked the party the whole night!  We should have had a bigger dance area but we moved some dinner tables out of the way once people were done eating.  What a fun time everyone had!

The night was full of culinary surprises.  Towards the end of the evening, Ridgewell’s came out with mini sliders and hash browns, perfect for anyone with the late-night munchies.  It was so much fun to see the shock and delight on the faces of their guests when they realized what they were being offered!  I always love little surprises like that.

Then, as guests headed back down towards the staircase at the end of the evening, they were encouraged to take a little bag of sweets from the candy table.  Some of the chocolates were hand-made by Stacey!  Isn’t this display adorable?

Congratulations again, Stacey & Todd!  I hope you had a fantastic time on your honeymoon in South America!

If you want to see more images from this wedding, be sure you go to Armin DeFiesta’s Blog and watch the slideshow!

Last week I was invited to visit Sequoia restaurant on the Georgetown waterfront in DC.  What a gorgeous restaurant!  It’s been two years since we’ve done an event with them and they’ve made some major adjustments since then.  First, they’ve replaced a large portion of the staff and are starting fresh with some accomplished chefs in the kitchen.  Second, they’re giving the whole restaurant a face lift.  They’ve installed a beautiful art piece, updated all the patio furniture, and completed some nice landscaping on their huge deck.  They’re also vamping up their wedding reception packages to make the restaurant a more appealing option for brides and grooms!  Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!

Of course I took some photos…what would this blog be without pictures?

The view from the boardwalk along the river.  The restaurant is on the second floor of this massive building and their outdoor patio is really expansive:

The view from the top:

Another view of the patio and their new palm trees and furniture:

Stepping inside the restaurant, you’ll see the beautiful wooden floors, the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, and the gorgeous blue art installation.  I wish the sun was in a better spot so the photo wasn’t so backlit…hopefully you get the idea.  These chandeliers reminds me of an installation I saw in an airport….the one I’m thinking of had little white birds suspended from mono filament.  The little birds made up the shape of a bigger bird and from one cluster to the next they morphed into an airplane.  Does anyone know what I’m talking about?  It sounds crazy but it’s truly beautiful, just like the blue ones they have at Sequoia:

Sequoia also has a second level.  Up here there are a few dining tables, a big long wooden bar, and a smaller area on the opposite side (which seats about 20 guests):

Another photo of the bar.  Sorry for all the backlit mess!

Back downstairs there is a private room that will seat up to about 150 guests.  I like how the bar is built-in along the back wall.  The windows look out over the river.  They will be remodeling this space, replacing the chairs, and jazzing it up a bit.  I think it’s going to be gorgeous!

Mr. Scott Moon (on right, the go-to guy for weddings at Sequoia) and his boss, Mr. Walter Rauscher.  Here you can see the blue lighting installations a little better:

I really had a great time visiting Sequoia and urge you to check it out for your own event.  Even if you already have your wedding reception venue booked, how about the rehearsal dinner or a Sunday brunch?  This restaurant is turning a new leaf, kicking it up a notch, and would love to show you how they can make your event fabulous!  Email Scott Moon today to set up an appointment.  Tell them I sent you!

We just received images from talented photographer Laura Novak!  Meaghan and Kevin’s wedding was coordinated by the one and only Ryan.  Here are the ladies getting ready in their suite at The St. Regis:

Multiflor provided all the flowers for this wedding.  Isn’t Meaghan’s bouquet just beautiful?

Beautiful flowers for a stunning bride.  Here’s Meaghan under the gate at The St. Regis:

Well, the boys don’t look half bad either!  That’s Kevin our groom towards the left:

The ceremony was held at Georgetown University’s Dahlgren Chapel.  The gothic details, dark wood, stained glass, and low light make it oh so romantic.  We just love working here:

This one speaks for itself:

Gettin’ hitched:

Pretty maids all in a row:

Married!  These types of photos are always my personal favorite.  The expressions of pure joy are just overwhelming:

Dahlgren is the perfect spot for a bubble exit:

Back at the St. Regis, the finishing touches were being put on the reception.  Nick at Multiflor outdid himself with the table arrangements.  I especially love the varying height of the candles:

Let the party begin!  Entertainment was provided by McCusker & Barrick Music:

The St. Regis provided this simple but beautiful cake.  I can taste the buttercream already:

A goodnight kiss:

Congratulations again, you two!  We hope you enjoyed every tiny little moment of your wedding day and we were thrilled to be a part of it.

For a few more images from this wedding, be sure to check out Laura Novak’s blog!