Hmmm, so where do I begin on this one?  The bride is Mary Kate McKenna (of Mary Kate McKenna Photography) and has been a friend of mine since we worked on a wedding way back in 2007.  She and her husband Joe have one of those fantastic love stories that Nicholas Sparks bases his novels on.  He’s in the Army and she’s a world-traveling creative who deserves every little crumb of joy in her life.

To give you a taste of how cute these guys are, here’s what MK posted on her blog just before the wedding:

“I’m going to marry the guy who told me in high school we’d end up together.

The guy who pursued me for 12+ years,

while I traveled the globe and did my own thing.

He waited. He waited a long, long time.

Well, on Saturday, he finally gets his way.

It’s hard to describe how I’m feeling right now.

Excited I guess is the only word that kind of describes it.

I’ve been to so many beautiful weddings,

and I’ve always loved watching the day unfold.

And now it’s our turn. Surreal.”

Being a wedding photographer, naturally MK has been to nearly every wedding in the DC/MD/VA area.  When it came time to pick a venue for her own shindig, ThorpeWood was an easy choice.  This 155-acre retreat in the Catoctin Mountains has multiple buildings and also serves as a camp for at-risk youth.  They’re eco-friendly and proud of it which gave her more than enough reasons to get married there.

Here’s the main building on the grounds:

While being a photographer made it easy to pick a venue, it made picking a photographer really really really hard.  MK and Joe finally decided to work with Christobal & Kathleen Perez of Azul Photography out of Raleigh, NC.   Check out their eye for stunning detail:

While MK got ready inside the main barn, I was busy setting up the ceremony spot.  With 155 acres, you can imagine that there are plenty of places to pick from for an outdoor ceremony!  They chose this little wooded area with a small stone footbridge that goes over a babbling brook.  It was all quite lovely:

Here comes the bride!

The other advantage about being a wedding photographer is that all your friends are photographers too.  MK’s friend Jaime Windon (aka The Blonde Photographer) snapped a few here and there.  I really liked seeing how two photographers can see the same moment differently!  See Christobal’s version above and Jaime’s below:

The happy couple, getting hitched!  Check out their custom-made wooden canopy structure.  Although this was not a Jewish wedding and that’s not a chuppah, it’s a gorgeous piece that framed the ceremony just beautifully.  A big special thanks to Katie Martin at Elegance and Simplicity (and her master-carpenter-husband) who built it:

Married!

After the ceremony, MK & Joe took a few minutes with Christobal to get some portraits:

Then it was time to PAR-TAY!

Look at the size of those peonies in the bouquet!  That thing weighed like 30lbs.  Katie did a really spectacular job on the bridal bouquet and it ranks right up there as of my favorites of all time.

Can you believe that MK made this sign?  Yeah, she really MADE it!  Cut out the wood and everything!

Inside the barn building, the reception’s ready to go:

My favorite detail were these fun poms from Etsy seller Prost to the Host!

MK spent months and months scouring flea markets, garage sales, and antique stores to find all the Mason jars and antique glass for the floral arrangements:

Here’s the first dance.  MK & Joe are cute and all, but the real focus of this picture is the adorable centerpiece box!!!  MK made a white wooden box for each table and those glass jars went inside.  I wish I had a better picture to show you the detail but these guys were really quite adorable!

MK wrote one of those toasts that made everyone, including Joe, need a tissue.  I’ve heard hundreds of wedding toasts and am definitely jaded enough that I usually don’t even listen to them anymore.  MK’s even got me too!

Cheers!  The day was filled with all kinds of emotions but this was a more lighthearted moment:

(This photo was taken by Jaime)

Some more images by Jaime that give you an idea of how fun this party was:

I can’t get over how cute this one is.  Christobal really has an eye for this stuff.  Again with the touching moments!

ThorpeWood just happens to have a ping pong table outside.  And MK just happened to be sure to bring balls for it.  And she also just happened to win:

It was a lovely evening to enjoy the patio and lawn:

Happily ever after!

(this one is Jaime’s too)

Congratulations again, MK & Joe!  You two make quite the perfect new family.  I wish you both all the very best and look forward to watching your love story continue.

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

I know…I should have a catchier title.  But as division rivals to my beloved Steelers, that was the best I could muster.

Still, purple and gold are SUCH a fun color combination, and with two Wish weddings coming up in the Baltimore area, including one walking distance to the Ravens stadium, we couldn’t well leave them out, right?!  (Still…Go Steelers and all…)

Did you know you can get married at M&T Bank Stadium!? (Timmester Photography)

It’s true!  You can get more information here — you can even get the mascots to come to your wedding!

If you don’t want to get married at the stadium, though, there are still a lot of great ways to incorporate the Ravens purple, black and gold into your wedding.

Roman Grinev Photography

Of course, as always, the bridal party is the easiest way to add color to your day.

Amy Carroll Photography

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Flutter Photo:

Julia MacInnis Photography:

And when I say bridal party, you know I mean the little ones too!

Kelsey Thompson, one of my favorite photographers!

OMG.  As if Becker isn’t amazing enough, these little girls are the BOMB!

How about the flower girls in purple, the ring bearers in yellow, like these adorable little guys?!  (Michael Clark Photography)

And how about these ties from Etsy seller Projector for the groomsmen?

Or perhaps something a little more preppy?

Accessories are an easy way to add color to your wedding

Becker:

Amy’s Funky Fibers on Etsy

Millie Holloman

FlipChick1369 Etsy Seller

Wedding Chicks

Or how about these gorgeous coats on these brides from a winter wedding featured on So You’re EnGAYged

Of course, you can’t forget the flowers

Philippa Tarrant Floral Design

Kevin Weinstein Photography:

True & Wesson

and flowers at the reception, too!

Amy Carroll Photography

Corbin Gurkin Photography

Soiree Floral

Of course, it’s not just the centerpieces that make the table pop, it’s the linens and place settings too!

Nancy Liu Chin

2 Chic Events and Design

BBJ Linens

Hitched UK

Wedding Wire

Any wedding planner or designer will tell you that lighting adds a tremendous amount of “pop” to your reception!

Almasy Photography:

Emilie

JM Visuals

And, of course, we can’t forget the cake!

Kelli Hunt Photography

So, it’s kind of creepy.  But how about a Ray Lewis cake, like this one from our friends at Kendall’s Cakes?

Maria Vicencio Photography

And although this cake isn’t a Ravens cake, necessarily, it is a Baltimore cake through and through (check out Natty Boh and the Domino Sugar sign!)

Speaking of Baltimore and Natty Boh, how cute is this billboard?!

Are you getting married in Baltimore?  Are you honoring the Purple and Gold?

We’ve been planning weddings for five years and have helped over 250 couples tie the knot!  Luckily for you, that means we know the ‘ins and outs’ of nearly every wedding venue in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland (beltway & eastern shore).

For an inside look at some weddings at our favorite venues, take a peek at the links below:

Historic/Garden:
The Carnegie Institute – and here – (Washington, DC)
The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens (Vienna, VA)
The Wilson-Farr House (Fairfax, VA)
The Lee-Fendall House (Old Town Alexandria, VA)
Woodend Sanctuary (Chevy Chase, MD)
The Newton White Mansion (Mitchellville, MD)

Hotels/Clubs/Ballrooms:
The Willard Intercontinental (Washington, DC)
The National Press Club (Washington, DC)
The Hay-Adams Hotel (Washington, DC)
Tyson’s Corner Marriott (Tyson’s Corner, VA)
The Sheraton Reston (Reston, VA)

Restaurants:
Sequoia Restaurant (Georgetown, DC)
2941 Restaurant (Falls Church, VA)
Famoso Restaurant & M Cafe (Bethesda, MD)
Old Ebbitt Grill (Washington, DC)

Museums:
The International Spy Museum / Zola (Washington, DC)
The Newseum (Washington, DC)

Eastern Shore/Bay:
The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club (Stevensville, MD)
Queenstown Harbor River House (Queenstown, MD)

Non-traditional:
Glen Echo Park (Glen Echo, MD)
Signature Theater (Shirlington, VA)

Here’s a list of the venues we’ve featured as part of our Real Weddings:

Historic/Garden:
The Decatur House (Washington, DC)
The Carnegie Institute (Washington, DC)
Newton White Mansion – and here – and here – and here – (Mitchellville, MD)
Mount Airy Mansion (Upper Marlboro, MD)
Oxon Hill Manor (Oxon Hill, MD)
Woodend Sanctuary – and here – (Chevy Chase, MD)
The Mansion at Strathmore – and here – (Bethesda, MD)
Brookside Gardens (Wheaton, MD)
Stronghold Mansion (Sugarloaf Mountain, MD)
Collingwood Library – and here – and here -  (Alexandria, VA)
River Farm (Alexandria, VA)
Hollin Hall (Alexandria, VA)
Old Town Hall (Fairfax, VA)
The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens – and here – and here – and here – (Vienna, VA)
Oatlands Historic House & Gardens (Leesburg, VA)
The Thomas Birkby House – and here – (Leesburg, VA)
Raspberry Plain – and here – (Leesburg, VA)
Rose Hill Manor (Leesburg, VA)
Long Branch Historic House (Millwood, VA)
Whitehall Manor – and here – (Bluemont, VA)

Hotels/Clubs/Ballrooms:
The Fairmont Hotel – and the Colonnade here – (Washington, DC)
The Mandarin Oriental (Washington, DC)
The Omni Shoreham – and here – (Washington, DC)
The St. Regis Hotel (Washington, DC)
The Ronald Reagan Building – and here – (Washington, DC)
The Westin Grand – and here – (Washington, DC)
Hotel Monaco – and here – (Washington, DC)
The Washington Club (Washington, DC)
The National Press Club (Washington, DC)
Fort Myer Officer’s Club (Arlington, VA)
The Army Navy Country Club (Arlington, VA)
The Westin Arlington Gateway (Arlington, VA)
Top of the Town (Arlington, VA)
The Sheraton National (Arlington, VA)
The Hyatt Regency Bethesda (Bethesda, MD)
The Hyatt Fair Lakes (Fair Lakes, VA)
Fairfax Marriott (Fairfax, VA)
Old Hickory Golf Club (Woodbridge, VA)
Hidden Creek Country Club – and here – (Reston, VA)
River Creek Club (Leesburg, VA)
The Hilton Washington Dulles (Dulles, VA)
Foxchase Manor – and here – (Manassas, VA)

Eastern Shore/Bay:
Queenstown Harbor River House (Queenstown, MD)
The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club (Stevensville, MD)
Kent Manor Inn (Stevensville, MD)

Non-traditional:
Glen Echo Park – (Glen Echo, MD)
The Barns at Wolf Trap (Vienna, VA)
The Torpedo Factory (Old Town Alexandria, VA)

Have you already picked your venue?  Where will you be tying the knot?  Which venues did we miss?

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!

A few weeks ago, Laura and I traveled up the beltway to Potomac to check out a place I had heard a lot about, but had never seen, The Bolger Center.

The Bolger Center is an unusual local venue.  Originally built as a convent, it was later sold to the US Postal Service as a training facility.  Although it is still owned by the USPS, it is operated as a hotel and conference center.  You can definitely see the Post Office influence throughout the venue in some really cool ways:

The first thing we saw was the Pony Express Bar & Grill.  See what I mean about the cute Post Office references?  I LOVED this space.  I completely pictured either having a rehearsal dinner or even a casual reception in this space!

Sorry my pictures are kind of dark!  You walk into the grill, and immediately see these adorable cocktail tables and a shuffleboard table.

To the right is a great, HUGE hardwood bar, and then another large area to put additional seating, buffet tables, or even use the pool table!

One of my favorite parts of the space, though, is the HUGE courtyard right outside.  If you were using the indoor space for a reception, this would be a great cocktail area, or even a cool area for a ceremony:

One of the nicest things about it is that a large portion of it is covered, so even if it rains, you’re protected!

The Bolger Center landscaping and gardening staff must be the hardest working guys in Maryland.  There are acres and acres of land there, and yet, not a piece of grass seems out of place.  The lawns were beautifully mowed, the trees were in great areas to provide shade to every courtyard area, and the flowers are apparently in bloom all year round!  There are even adorable fountains throughout the property:

The above path leads to the GORGEOUS Stained Glass Hall.  This hall used to be a chapel, back in the days of the nunnery, and can now be used for either a church-like ceremony or for a great reception.  The hall holds about 120 for a ceremony and around 180 for a reception.

Here is the room set up for a conference.

I seriously couldn’t get over the gorgeousness of these windows!

Here’s a picture of a wedding ceremony in the Stained Glass Room.  Pretty, no?

Another option for your ceremony (or your reception, if you wanted to use a tent) is in the front of the building.  This HUGE grassy area is large enough for thousands for a company picnic, so it can obviously fit any size ceremony or reception, and there are dozens of places to choose from, all of which have great views!

The next area we saw was the courtyard outside of the larger ballroom:

Annette at the Bolger Center sent me some great pictures of an event that took place in this courtyard at night:

That courtyard leads to the larger indoor event area, the Ben Franklin Ballroom.  Unfortunately, right now the ballroom is, well…not too pretty. However, hooray, hooray, they’re renovating it as we speak, and in January it will be GORGEOUS!  Check out the pictures of the renovation!

The room is HUGE, and the renovations are going to make it VERY popular for all kinds of events, but especially weddings!  The Ben Franklin Hall can hold almost 500 people, so it’s perfect for a large wedding.

If it’s raining or cold, the ballroom also has a great indoor area for cocktail hour.  Again, keeping with the postal theme, how cute is this?!

Finally, one of the best parts is that the rooms are INSANELY affordable!  There are plenty of rooms for you and your guests, so you never even have to leave the grounds.

So if you’re looking for a great venue in Maryland, definitely call Annette at the Bolger Center at 301-983-7000.  She’s great, and will set you up at a really great venue!

O.M.G.  Can I tell you guys how much I love Hallie and Matt?  I freaking LOVE HALLIE AND MATT!!!  I think every single person involved with their wedding, from my assistants to the photographers to the caterers to the guests all at one point mentioned how NICE this couple is!  I mean, there are just not enough words to express how genuine and adorable these two are.

The day started as the adorable duo that runs Atelier Floral Design, Jen and Rachel, stopped by my house to pick up the INSANE white lanterns that were to be hung at Glen Echo.  I say insane because these were the biggest lanterns I’ve ever seen.  In fact, I had to search my house for some rope because the boxes were so big, they didn’t fit in Jen’s SUV — we had to tie them to the roof!

(Guest Photo)

Jen and Rachel got there a few hours before me because there were SO many lanterns to set up!  Luckily, Glen Echo has this cool rolling scaffolding thing…I mean, lucky for the people who would climb on it.  At the end of the night I got about three steps up before realizing that I was afraid of heights.  Thank God for assistants!

Soon after I arrived at Glen Echo, Tom and Ashley from Documentary Associates showed up and started scouting locations, and I just knew their pictures were going to be AMAZING…you’ll see they didn’t let me down!

How gorgeous is Hallie’s dress?!  Almost as gorgeous as these Christian Louboutin red shoes! In the words of Rachel Zoe, I Die:

Now, when Hallie and Matt told me they were getting married on July 18th, at Glen Echo, in the Bumper Car Pavilion, my immediate thought was “Um…the bumper car pavilion isn’t air conditioned, right?”  No, no it isn’t.  However, someone up there must have realized how truly amazing this couple is, because it was like 72 degrees and AMAZING.  I mean, look at this sky!

It was literally the most perfect day anyone could ask for — in fact, by the time the sun went down, I would dare to say it was actually cool!!  ON JULY 18TH!!!!

Sorry, where was I?  Oh, so, back to the amazing girls at Atelier. Not only do these chicas hang lanterns, but look at their adorable flower arrangements!!!

Hallie wanted lots of different arrangements, and boy did they deliver!  Different shapes and sizes, different vessels…they even had hydrangea in ice cream cones on the cocktail tables!

(Author Photo)

And look at these adorable tea cups, which, if I’m not mistaken, came from Jen’s kitchen!

I loved Matt’s bout, too.

Hallie and Matt wanted a very short, very meaningful ceremony.  And they wanted a great officiant.  Luckily I knew just the gal, having met her at Lindsay and Sam’s awesome wedding last year — Rev. Amanda Tate. Amanda is seriously the NICEST person — and is now registered in Virginia as well as Maryland!  I have referred her to so many of my brides (as well as several of my friends) because she is just so sweet, and makes the ceremony so personal.  Of course, Hallie and Matt added to this by writing their own vows. One of them MAY have been writing her vows that morning, on the balcony of her hotel room…I won’t say who…

(Oh, Facebook, how I love you…)

Speaking of Facebook, I was able to “borrow” quite a few adorable photos from the shutterbug guests at the wedding:

Now, generally, for the stomping of the glass, which is part of the Jewish tradition, couples will either have a special bag or just borrow a linen from the caterer.  Hallie wanted to make it special, so she grabbed a wine bag from their kitchen…and a lightbulb right from their hall closet!  I even saw her unscrew it!  (Tip…glasses these days are pretty hard to break…most people use a lightbulb!)

Speaking of Jewish traditions, Matt and Hallie wanted to do the Hora (Matt’s family is Jewish).  You know, there are some things as a wedding planner that you just have to learn.  One of them is that you need two NON-FOLDING CHAIRS to do the hora!  And preferably a bride whose dress isn’t 100% silk…it tends to be a little slippery!

(Yes, that is a look of terror on Hallie’s face…and she hasn’t even been lifted up yet)

(See what I meant about those giant lanterns?!  Those things were HUGE!)

Before the Hora, though, guests found their way to their seats by the CUTEST escort cards!  Hallie and Matt have a friend who is a graphic designer.  Although I think some of the post cards that were used may have actually been authentic post cards, I believe many of them were created by their friend.  How great to have a friend like that!

I have to insert here that I had absolutely NOTHING to do with the hanging up of these escort cards.  Luckily, I had three amazing assistants with me that day — Felicia, Rene, and Tara — you girls were LIFE SAVERS!  The project was slightly more complicated than I thought it would be, and I am SO grateful to these girls for using some ingenuity to figure out how to make it work!

(Guest Photo)

It wasn’t enough for each guest to have a vintage post card — Hallie and Matt actually went to the trouble of making sure EVERY post card matched where the guest came from!  What a sweet, thoughtful touch!

Another sweet touch was providing tickets for their guests to ride the GORGEOUS carousel at Glen Echo. Check out the beautiful sign…made from my handy dandy Mac

Did Hallie and Matt have a lot of kids at their wedding?  Nope…these carousel rides were for everyone!

(Guest Photo)

(Guest Photo)

After dinner, although they had a small cake to cut, the main focus for the desserts was out in the Cuddle Up.

My favorite caterer, Main Event, not only did an awesome job with dinner, but they had both a cotton candy machine and a sno cone machine going!

Look at the adorable way they displayed the cotton candy!  And let me tell you, it was DELICIOUS!  I felt like I was at the county fair!

(Guest Photo)

Oh, what else have they got there?  ICE CREAM!??!!  Oh, that’s right — Matt somehow tracked down the NICEST guy to bring his ice cream truck out to Glen Echo, music and all!  A.J. was the SWEETEST, and if you need an ice cream truck at your next wedding, birthday party, or, you know, Tuesday, let me know, and I’ll send you his info — you won’t be disappointed!

And now, just because I have to show you just how amazing Tom and Ashley are, here are a few more GORGEOUS shots they took!

As the night came to a close, the guys at Chariots for Hire not only shuttled guests back to the hotel, but also apparently operated a party bus!

(Why, yes, that is our bride and groom, dancing in the aisle of a bus!)

And, just to show you how sweet these crazy kids are, towards the end of the evening, they came to me and said “Rebecca, we have to get a picture with you and your assistant!” — we were happy to have Tom Van Veen of Documentary Associates hop in there too, while his gorgeous wife Ashley took the pic!

Hallie and Matt, thank you SO MUCH for making us part of your day!

Recently we visited Oxon Hill Manor in Maryland.  Just across the bridge from Old Town Alexandria, Oxon Hill has become a popular wedding venue since reopening in 2007.  It had been undergoing a renovation and unfortunately caught fire while work was being done.  Now it’s completely overhauled and GORGEOUS!  Check out this beautiful wedding venue.

At the entrance there is a stately driveway and a large circle, ideal for a classic car or limousine to pull up:

Just inside the front door is this foyer space.  I like the black and white tiled floors and the tapestries on the wall.  This is a perfect spot for a guest book and escort cards or even an indoor cocktail hour:

Just past the foyer, you can look down the hallway.  Oxon Hill has several wooden furniture pieces that fit the style of the house:

Here’s the Dining Room with parquet floors and beautiful woodwork.  This room can fit approximately 50-60 seated guests:

On the other side of the house, the Drawing Room is great for dinners.  It can seat another 50-60 guests:

Up the spiral staircase is a bridal room that’s perfect for a bride and her bridesmaids to get ready:

Here’s the bridal room with lots of natural sunlight and seating:

The bridal room even has it’s own restroom!  I think this bathroom is larger than the one I have at home:

One of the bigger appeals of Oxon Hill is the amazingly manicured gardens.  This lawn overlooks a rectangular pond with fountains and is a great spot for ceremonies:

Looking to the right you see another on of their gardens.  In the distance you can see the Potomac River:

If you’re looking for a wedding venues then please consider Oxon Hill!  I think you’ll love it at first site like I did.

We’re thrilled to announce that Lindsay & Sam (remember last year’s Indian/American wedding on the eastern shore?) were featured as one of the ‘real weddings’ in the Washingtonian’s Bride and Groom magazine:

I was ecstatic when I flipped through the pages and saw their smiling faces.  Here’s the first page of their beautiful spread:

Second page:

A big special thanks goes to DC wedding photographer Greg Gibson who photographed this gorgeous event and submitted it to the magazine.  He really captured the beauty, emotion, and love of the day.

To read their full story you have to see it for yourself!  They are on pages 80-81.  You can pick up a copy of Bride & Groom at many local DC retailers (usually Barnes & Noble is a good bet).

Hey, gang!  Due to unforeseen circumstances, one of our couples is moving the date of their wedding.  As a result, the beautiful Oxon Hill Manor is now available for the evening of Saturday, October 17th, 2009.  If you’re still looking for a venue, don’t rule out this gorgeous building.  It has beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces and you can bring your own caterer.

Here are some pictures from their web site.

Entrance to Oxon Hill Manor

Beautiful Walkway paved with flowers, and you can see the river!

Gorgeous courtyard where you can have your ceremony or cocktail hour

Great water feature that I picture with tables all around it

GORGEOUS brides room!

Foyer for an escort card table or a bar

Use the ballroom for dancing or dinner

A few weeks ago I had the chance to tour the beautiful Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.  You may remember this as the location of the most recent ISES Expo although it looks a lot different set up for a wedding than it does for a trade show.  Here’s about half of one section of the ballroom (it splits into four rooms):

Here’s a photo from the hotel that better shows a wedding setup:

And another from the hotel that shows the whole ballroom.  This room can seat up to 1700 guests banquet-style!  To get an idea of the scale, consider the size of the double doors on the opposite wall:

The Marriott set up sample tables for us with beautiful floral arrangements:

On the tables, the chef prepared some tasty-looking entrees for display:

And of course some amazing desserts like this tiramisu:

And the chocolate chocolate chocolate layered mousse:

After checking out the ballroom and meeting space we took a tour of the rest of the hotel.  Here’s the lobby:

And some photos of their ultra-luxurious Presidential suite:

One of the things I noticed that sets this hotel apart is it’s attention to detail.  Check out this funky tic-tac-toe set:

I especially loved this beautiful glass artwork inside the suite:

I really enjoyed my visit to the Bethesda North Marriott and think it would be a beautiful location for a larger wedding.  If you have 250+ guests, be sure you add this hotel to your list!