Hayden and Mike were married on a gorgeous day in August in a very DC wedding.

The adorable Kelsey Thompson photographed the day, and was AMAZING to work with.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt that her pictures are gorgeous too!

(Okay, the subjects aren’t too bad either

The day started at the Mayflower Hotel, right in Downtown DC, with Hayden and her many bridesmaids getting hair and makeup done.  Krystal Morant (contact me for info) and Jet Miller did an awesome job — the girls looked GORGEOUS!

My assistant Jamie and I offered a little help getting the flower girls’ crowns on — I am SO not good with hair!

The girls were all excited when Diana from DaVinci’s, one of our absolute favorite florists, came in with the flowers!  (They did the crowns above, too.)

I got the boys into their bouts…

And then it was off to the church, the STUNNING St. Peters on Capitol Hill.

I stayed just long enough to get everyone down the aisle…

(LOVE the shots of the groom first seeing the bride…)

And then it was off to the National Museum of Women in the Arts to set up for the reception.

While the assistants and I were setting things up, along with the AMAZING staff at R&R Catering (thanks, Heidi!!), the bridal party headed over to the Capitol with Kelsey for some pictures

(Yes, Hayden’s sister was VERY pregnant!!!)

The bride and groom managed to get a little alone time in the limo on the way back to NMWA

I love how they’re checking out the bling   Here’s a close up…

LOVE the rings   (Hmm…someone want to pass that info along to my boyfriend?

Kelsey and her assistant arrived with the bridal party and were able to get some great detail shots before things kicked off

The bride did the embossing on the programs and the escort cards herself!

Tables were named after DC area monuments and were marked by pictures taken by the groom

More gorgeous flowers from DaVinci’s

Lighting by Exclusively Entertainment

Fancy Cakes by Leslie provided the GORGEOUS cake:

And the bride and groom danced to the sounds of DJ Philipz (a little note about the DJ — this kid is GOOD.  Like REALLY REALLY good.  He is just starting to get into doing weddings, and has mostly done club work.  But not only will he SERIOUSLY rock your party, but he’s crazy affordable too!  Definitely shoot him an email, you won’t regret it, the guests danced like CRAZY!!!!!!)

This museum is PERFECT for a bouquet toss — the balcony!  The chandelier!  I love it!

Guests were treated at the end of the night to a cookies and candy buffet, with the majority of the cookies and treats made by Hayden and her bridesmaids!

(I’m loving that linen!)

Congratulations, Hayden and Mike!!  Thanks for making me part of your day!

Nicole and Carl probably the most unique wedding I’ve ever done.  From the order of things, to the herbs used in place of flowers to the non-traditional ceremony, everything about this wedding screamed “Nicole and Carl,” especially the location, the AMAZING Patapsco Female Institute.

(All photos, unless otherwise noted, by photographer Nat Wongsaroj)

The Patapsco Female Institute is a former girls’ finishing school in Ellicott City, MD which was later a hospital for wounded World War I soldiers.  What remains of the school are the gorgeous stone ruins and blue steel beams that made up the beautiful building.  The lower level has “rooms” with gravel floors, which were perfect for Nicole and Carl’s cocktail hour, which started off the evening

Yep, that’s right, the cocktail hour STARTED the event, not the ceremony!  I actually loved this, as Nicole and Carl got to mingle with their guests and have a relaxed day.

The “flowers” (which were mainly herbs) were provided by Willow Oak Flower and Herb Farm.  They smelled AMAZING!!  And I’m dying to visit their farm, which is supposed to have these amazing gardens, and a drying barn with tons of dried herb decorations.

This photo of the bride’s pomander (which she carried in place of a bouquet) is by the sister-in-law of the groom, Emily Smith.  Emily is AMAZING with detail shots — I was so grateful to have her there for her help and for all of her amazing detail shots!  If anyone needs a “2nd shooter” to do some detail stuff, let me know and I’ll pass along her info!

After the cocktail hour, we invited guests upstairs to the “dining room” for dinner.  They found their seats on these “luggage tag” cards, which were hand stamped and typewritten by Nicole and Carl.

Photo by Emily:

The symbols on each card were the “table names” — Wood, Sheep, Bricks and Grain — anyone know what that’s from?  It’s from this great board game called Settlers of Catan! I LOVE this game — it was so funny when I realized what they were doing — I knew we were a good fit

See the centerpieces behind the table pictures?  More fragrant herbs, in lots of cute jelly and mason jars!

Dinner was catered by the delicious Beefalo Bob’s!  YUM!  I love a BBQ wedding, and I’ve had quite a few this year!

OMG, that’s making me so hungry!  It was SO YUMMY!!!  This place is the real deal — they brought this awesome smoker right out to PFI and smoked the pit beef right there on the grounds!  I even watched as they shucked the corn right there — LOVE fresh food catering!  It’s amazing what these guys did with no electricity or water!

Check out the adorable bib!  Nicole and Carl provided these AWESOME bags as favors — I’ve used mine a few times already for groceries! They screenprinted them themselves — without a screen printing machine!  They had a roller, a laser cut stencil (made by a Baltimore Etsy seller!) and a group of friends to help — I need to get some friends like that!  Inside the bags were a timeline/program for the evening (which was so sweet, as it thanked all the vendors!) and a dinner “emergency kit” with a bib, handi-wipes, and a mint.  Too cute   (Photo by Emily)

I LOVED how we did the tables!  We had plain white linens on them, but then they were covered with Duck Cloth (cut by Nicole and Carl), then topped with a cute runner, which was hand sewn by Carl’s mom, and then adorable rustic cloth napkins, which they found at Ikea!  Carl’s mom tied EACH NAPKIN with raffia — how sweet!  They were all delivered to us in a huge suitcase!

Also on each table was bug repellant — THAT NICOLE MADE HERSELF!!!  Talk about DIY!  What a crafty bride, I love it!  (And it smelled WAY better than any commercial bug spray out there!) (Photo by Emily)

Nicole and Carl snuck away with Nat during dinner for a few photos of just the two of them:

After dinner, guests made their way to the ceremony site, which had a chuppah that was made by Carl and set up by the couple’s brothers and sisters in law.

Friends of the couple played the guitar and banjo for the processional and recessional (my favorite part was their recessional — Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” — I told you I loved these guys!!)

And the ceremony was officiated by two family friends

After the ceremony, we made our way to the AMAZING front of the house for champagne toasts.

Then it was back to the cocktail area to cut the DELICIOUS cake by one of my favorites, Heidelberg Bakery!

Oh, that’s right — they had photo cakes instead of a traditional wedding cake!  They also had cookies by Pastries by Randolph (also dangerously close to my house) and macarons from Patissierie Poupon, which has locations in Georgetown and Baltimore (but, strangely, no web site)

Guests mingled for a little while longer as the sun set, lit by rope lighting strung by Grand Rental Events (photos by Emily)

Then it was back to DC, where guests continued to party at the Omni Shoreham and Open City across the street, which also hosted brunch the next day.

Congratulations, Nicole and Carl!  We definitely need to hang out in Baltimore soon!

Um, you guys?  It’s cold.  REALLY freaking cold.  Like, I’m wearing gloves and a scarf at work cold (and, I’ll be honest, my snuggie goes on as soon as I get home!)  This is unacceptable.

I was thinking how nice winter weddings are, but with so many strapless dresses out there, it’s hard for a bride to stay warm (not to mention her bridesmaids, guests, flower girls…)  So today I wanted to do a post to keep you warm…hope you enjoy!

Grazier Photography:

Many brides don’t want to put a coat over their dress, but there are some gorgeous options out there!  How about this one from Old Navy for the budget bride?

Or for the not so budget bride, how about this great Burberry Biker Jacket?

Or for in between, here are a few more…

Dorothy Perkins:

DKNY:

Kate Spade:

Don’t believe me that a bride can look gorgeous in a coat?

Ben Blood:

Stephanie Williams:

Are you a fur kind of girl?  Faux or real is up to you (we encourage faux)…but it keeps you super warm!!!

egomedia photography via District Weddings:

Wedding Bee:

James Christianson:

How about our very own Wish client Julia?

Speaking of fur, you could go with a fur wrap or shrug instead of a coat…

Holly Bloom Couture on Etsy

Leigh Miller Photography:

West Park Photography:

Of course, not all wraps and shrugs are in fur…

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Brinton Studios via Style Me Pretty:

Erin Hearts Court:

Etsy seller Bonzie

Oh, J. Mendel, why must you be so gorgeous…and expensive…

You know what else keeps people warm?  Cardigans!  I love cardigans at weddings!!!

Acres of Hope Photography via Style Me Pretty

Cameron Ingalls

Dreamlove Photography:

Fashion Bride:

Kate Headley:

It’s not just your arms that get cold, though, right?  What about your tootsies?!  How about some boots — I mean, if Samantha Jones can pull it off…

I REALLY want a pair of these boots.  I would wear them ALL THE TIME in the winter! (Neiman Marcus)

Oh, Manolo…

These Oscar de la Renta boots would keep your feet warm, but if it’s icy outside BE CAREFUL!!!  Those are some serious heels.

Martha featured a winter wedding where the couple gave the female guests winter boots and the male guests great flasks.  That is TOO CUTE, but, would be WAY out of my budget!

Slushy outside on wedding day?  Martha to the rescue again…

Okay, cardigans?  Tights?  Boots?  I need more details on this wedding, photographed by Ali Beamish…

Speaking of tights, what better way to stay warm?!

The Leekers:

HOW CUTE IS THAT?!?!??!

Caught the Light:

Chictopia:

Classic Bride:

How gorgeous would this dress by David Meister be for your maids?

Levi Matthew:

Manolo for the Brides:

Did you guys know legwarmers are making a comeback?  I’m kind of loving them!

Alice and Olivia:

Asos:

thisnext:

Or, of course, you could just wear a long sleeved wedding dress!  (SHOCKING, I know

Amanda Wakeley:

Anne Bowen (I totally think this dress would be cute with tights!)

Carolina Herrera:

And look who just wore a long sleeved Marchesa at her wedding!

GORGEOUS!!!  Will you be keeping toasty like Nicole Richie with a long sleeved dress?  How will you be staying warm this winter?

I am SO BEHIND on blogging weddings, this one was in JUNE!!!  I know, I know, I’m a slacker.  But today I have a gorgeous wedding for you to make up for it!

Michelle Lindsay took some BEAUTIFUL pictures of Diane and Allen’s wedding way back in June, and I’m so excited to finally share them with you!

The bright, sunny (HOT) day started with Diane and her girls getting their hair and makeup done at the couple’s condo in Arlington.  Pia and Sonia with Bridal Artistry did a stunning job with these ladies — I mean, just take a look!

You know I love navy and pink for bridesmaids, and these ladies just proved my love!  Look how amazing they look!

And HOW INSANE are those bouquets?!?!?!  That is the gorgeous work of John Duffy at Yellow Door, who is like a ninja — I’ve still never met him because he slips in and out of places completely undetected.  These flowers were already at the chapel waiting for me when I got there, and when I got to the reception, he had already come and gone!

Speaking of the chapel, Diane and Allen’s wedding took place at the beautiful (and SO easy to work with!) Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer.

See what I mean about the bright and sunny day?!  Michelle took advantage of it, and took a bunch of pictures of the girls outside on the grounds before the boys arrived.

Once the men arrived, the ladies scampered downstairs to the basement to wait, where Diane was keeping order…

And then it was time for the processional to begin!

This little one, along with her brothers, almost stole the show!

Yes!  They’re triplets!  I love triplets!!!!  And they have an older brother, who was maybe the most adorable reader ever!

His hair gets me every time!

Once the couple was married (by a priest who, strangely, looks exactly like my Uncle Al, which is neither here nor there, just interesting…) the bridal party was off to the Kennedy Center for group pictures.

What’s that you say?  That doesn’t look like the Kennedy Center?  No, that’s the bus.  Sadly, the Kennedy Center doesn’t allow you to blog pictures taken there, but trust me, they’re gorgeous — definitely a great “secret” find (thanks, Michelle!) for bridal party photos to have for your album.

While the bridal party was taking pictures, I ran over to the Clarendon Ballroom to get ready for the reception.  When I got there, though, almost everything was done!

Between John Duffy being a ninja and the AMAZING team at Clarendon Ballroom, I didn’t have much to do but set up some candles and wait for the guests to arrive!

All of the stationery items that day, from the programs to the table numbers and escort cards were designed by the groom — who did an AWESOME job!!!

The gorgeous plants were done by Plants Alive, a plant rental company here in the DC area.  These guys are awesome, and made the huge ballroom look really warm and intimate.  Plants really add a gorgeous touch to a wedding — definitely give them a call if your venue needs a little sprucing.

The uplighting was done by one of our favorites, John Farr Lighting.  These guys absolutely never disappoint and, like plants, lighting adds a HUGE dimension to weddings!

After Michelle snuck in for a few shots before the guests came into the curtained off area, DJ Aaron from Chris Laich Music Services introduced the bridal party.  Yet again, these little ones almost stole the show!  How cute are the little guys’ shoes?!?!?!

After dinner, guests were treated to this gorgeous little number:

That chocolate smelled SO amazing, and the taste was unbelievable.  The Clarendon Ballroom has a baker who does their cakes, but I don’t know who it is!  If you like this cake design, though, definitely call Sandra at the Ballroom and ask her — it was SO GOOD.  I think every guest with a camera took a picture of it!

Not only was there cake, but look what the Clarendon Ballroom provided after dinner!  Warm chocolate chip cookies!!!!  YUMMY!!!!!!

Still, everyone’s favorite part of the night was probably the photo booth, provided by Posh Booth:

I say this all the time, but it’s totally true — no matter how many times you’ve seen something on wedding blogs, whether it’s a photo booth, a candy buffet, or cupcakes, the majority of your guests don’t go to tons of weddings and certainly don’t read wedding blogs.  Things become a trend for a reason in the wedding world — because people love them!  So even if you think something’s been “overdone” because you’ve seen it on a million blogs, but you love it anyway, just DO IT!  I promise many of the guests will never have seen it before at a wedding and will think you’re the most clever person to ever walk the face of the earth!

The crew at Posh Booth comes with the booth, some awesome props (although Allen provided the mustaches and lips!), and even a guest book for your guests to put their pictures in and sign. People of all ages flocked to the photo booth:

\

Congratulations, Diane and Allen!  Let’s go to Cafe Asia again soon!!!

Did you miss Part One of Beth and Rob’s wedding?  Go see it here!

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!!!

I started blogging Beth and Robert’s September wedding, but I quickly realized that there were just WAY too many amazing shots by the talented and delightful Cassidy DuHon to put into one post!  So I’m breaking it up — today you’ll get the ceremony and some of the details, and tomorrow we’ll move on to the party!

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!

You all may remember Erika and Jamie from their star turn in The Knot, but in creating the VERY long list of weddings I need to blog, I realized I never blogged the pictures from their wedding!  And since their 1 year anniversary is November 7th, well, I think it’s about time, don’t you?

Kate Headley was Erika and Jamie’s AMAZING wedding photographer.  I mean, this girl takes STUNNING pictures — plus she’s a super sweetheart, and my former neighbor!!  I mean, look at this gorgeous photograph!

Okay, okay, so it doesn’t hurt that not only is Erika beautiful, but she has an AMAZING sense of style!  From her dress to her veil to all of the small touches throughout the wedding, Erika made everything look amazing — and she handcrafted nearly all of the elements!!!

That’s right, she Goccoed (is Goccoed a word?  Let’s say yes) the invitations (and the programs) herself!  I might need to recruit her to do my invitations someday!

The wedding was held at the perfect fall venue, Woodend Sanctuary.  Between the leaves falling, the deer walking up to the ceremony just to check out what was going on, and the cool, crisp smell in the air, you never would have guessed you were less than 10 minutes from DC!

As the wedding was in November, there was a chill in the air, but it was gorgeous outside, so we moved ahead with having the ceremony outdoors, like they had dreamed.  To keep her guests comfortable, Erika provided some beautiful wraps in their wedding colors of green, purple and cream for people to snuggle under!

Both before and after the ceremony, Kate took some lovely couples portraits — look at these two — so in love!

After the ceremony (officiated by my absolute favorite officiant, Amanda Tate – I recommended her to Erika and Jamie, as well as Hallie and Matt, one of my good friends from my Container Store days, and one of my couples next summer is using her as well!  Seriously — she’s the BEST!) the guests were treated to delicious food from Marco Polo. Seriously — the wedding was a year ago and I still remember the food!  They also got to see more of the couples adorable touches throughout the house.

These moss letters were hanging on the wall in Erika and Jamie’s house.  When I went to meet with them a few weeks before the wedding, I asked Erika “these are coming to the wedding, right?”  She hadn’t decided yet at that point, but they just seemed to fit in SO perfectly, we had to have them!  Also, the mason jar there?  It has a chain attached to it — we used a bunch of them outside during cocktail hour as it started getting dark hung on shepherd’s hooks — I LOVED that look, so simple, but so romantic!  (The lanterns, along with many of their items, came from…where else?  Etsy, of course!)

Guests then began making their way into dinner, after a stop at the beautiful escort card trees that Erika made.  She not only made the trees, but made the leaves and handpainted the guests names on them as well!

The girl is talented, right?!?!

After dinner, guests moved to the Great Hall for dancing.  Erika and Jamie had a beautiful first dance, choreographed by Erika’s “man of honor,” her sweet cousin!

Then the party REALLY got started, with one of my favorite DJ’s, Mike Bell, of My Deejay.  These guys are consumate professionals every time — I’ve worked with several of their DJ’s now, and they really are great!

While dinner and dancing were taking place, Kate had also set up a photo booth, complete with a chalkboard we stole borrowed from one of the offices there!

During a break in dancing, Erika and Jamie cut their cake.  I said it then, and I’ll still say it now, a year later.  It was, 100%, hands down, the best wedding cake I’ve ever had.  My assistant that day worked with me again at a wedding a few weeks ago, and she said “is the cake red velvet?  Remember that red velvet cake from that Woodend Wedding?  Oh my God, that was the best cake ever.”  And I totally agree.  I’ve had some delicious cakes in my day, but dear Lord.  Fluffy Thoughts really, pun intended, took the cake on this one.

I love the simplicity of it, as well as how Lara used twigs to tie in the theme of the wedding.  See that amazing tree trunk cake stand?  Another Etsy find!  (And OH MY GOD, was it heavy — that thing must have weighed 100 lbs.!  Okay, probably not, but it was heavy, you guys!!!)

As things were winding down, guests were encouraged to choose one of two favors that Erika and Jamie had thoughtfully picked out.  For those who had yards in which they could plant trees, they were given a tree to plant!

And for those who didn’t, they were given a smaller tree bulb, which could be grown in a pot.  How sweet and thoughtful is that!?

And, of course, everything was hand tied and tagged by the crafty couple

The gorgeous flowers were provided by Sidra Forman (I’m totally going out of order here, I know…)  Sidra was SUCH a sweetheart, and her little girl even came along for the delivery — what a cutie!

I just want to point out that I didn’t pin this boutonniere.  How do I know?  Because I would never leave a pin sticking out like that! (Still…gorgeous bout!!)

Seriously…who did that???  See, this is why you need a planner — proper bout pinning

To continue their tree theme, Erika and Jamie named their tables after types of trees

Congratulations on one year together, and on a beautiful wedding!

::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::

Just after I began writing my Pink for October posts, I got an email from my dear friend Dana, to inform me that her mother had, after a long struggle with breast cancer, passed away.  I cried for Dana, for her kids, and for her mom, who was an amazing, funny, generous lady.  I know it’s been a lot of pink this month, and we’ll get back to blogging real weddings, DC area deals and venues, and all other kinds of cool wedding stuff in the months to come, but I’m glad that during Breast Cancer Awareness Month we’ve been able to highlight this disease.  Hopefully you’ve learned a few ways to honor a loved one who has battled with breast cancer, raise money for the cause, or just raise awareness of this disease this month.  I know I’ve learned a lot this month — not just new color combinations and pretty pictures, but how to make a difference.

My friend Dana at her wedding with her mom

And before it gets all dusty in here,  lets end the month without a lot more chatter, just lots of pretty pink pictures.

A Little Lollipop Tree

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Palos Studio:

Jeffrey and Julia Woods:

Party Poms:

Rebekah Westover Photography:

Stephanie Cristalli

Etsy Seller Pink Gasoline:

Go Steelers!

Twig & Thistle:

Vineyard Vines

Navy & Lavender:

Celebrations at Home:

Hostess with the Mostess:

JNP Studios:

Project Wedding:

Sofia Rose:

Oakstream Photography:

The White House, lit up in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Kimberly Reed Photography:

Anna Malie Design:

Laura Hooper Calligraphy:

Chewing The Cud:

Inkie Livie:

For more information on Breast Cancer Awareness, including treatment, prevention, raising money and other ways to help, go to these great organizations.

American Cancer Society

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

National Breast Cancer Coalition

National Breast Cancer Foundation

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

And many other wonderful organizations.  For more information on charities, visit Charity Navigator.

Thanks for being with us during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’ll see you in November for lots of new stuff!

::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::

In my search for pink photos for Pink for October, I came across HUNDREDS of amazing pics!!!  The problem was, a blog post can only have so many pictures before you’re like, “okay, seriously…enough with the pictures already!”  So that left lots of awesome shots unused!  So I thought I’d do a couple of more pink blog posts (you can never have enough pink, right?!)

Today we’ll focus on what everyone’s wearing. 

If you’re having a bridal party, they not only serve as valuable emotional support during the wedding planning process, they really brighten up the day, both mentally and physically, on the wedding day!

Craig Photography:

Your bridal party, especially the ladies, really adds a colorful touch!

Kelly Oshiro Events:

So let’s focus on your crew for a little bit, shall we?

Kimberly Brooke Photography:

I love looking at different bridesmaids dresses — they can be so colorful!

Amy Carroll Photography:

Project Wedding

Lauren Wright:

Regetis

Sarah K. Chen Photography:

Tia Gavin

Victoria With Roses:

Wedding Bee:

Of course, black dresses are just as amazing as colorful ones — I can’t decide which I love more!

Eleise Theuer:

Michael Clark:

Studio Juno:

Wedding Cabaret:

To spice up those black dresses, how about a few pink accessories?  Maybe some pink shoes?

Kate Spade:

A pair of Manolos, photographed by Sarah K. Chen:

Classic Chuck Taylors:

Zappos:

Mike Larson via Wedding Bee

Or maybe a sweet pink wrap, like this one from Etsy seller The Social Seam?

Or a cute clutch?  Etsy has SO many adorable ones — I especially like these two…

Mermaids Dream

Ruffled

Hmm…those would be cute for the bride too, not just the bridesmaids!

Speaking of the bride, let’s see what we can find for her, shall we?  How gorgeous is this pink Alisa Benay dress?  For the bride who doesn’t feel the need to wear white…

Or this beautifully pink embroidered dress, photographed by Wrinkle in Time Photography:

What about a little something for the wedding night?

Lane Bryant:

Macy’s

Victoria’s Secret:

VA VA VOOM!!!

I guess we should dress the guys too, huh?

Watson Studios:

Amelia Lyon:

Daniel Nobre:

Eric Kelley Photography:

Pink can be used in so many parts of your wedding decor.  Are you using pink in your wedding colors?

::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::

Weddings involve a LOT of shopping.  Not only are you paying for catering, alcohol, tents, a dress, flowers, etc. but you find lots of other expenses out there too.  Today I thought we might help you out, while also directing you to places where you could do some good while shopping!  All of the items featured in today’s blog post are “shop for the cure” items, which means when you buy them, the seller is donating a portion of their sales to breast cancer awareness or research!  So not only are you getting some great goodies, you’re doing good too!

One of the most fun things about being a bride is getting to thank your ladies for helping you on your big day (and for putting up with your incessant wedding talk in the months leading up to it 

Avenue, one of my favorite stores for inexpensive clothing, is donating $5 from the sale of every Hope Charm Bracelet to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  What a cute little gift for your bridesmaids!

How about an adorable headband to go with her dress?  I love this one from Etsy seller Sweetly Fallen, who is donating 25% of all October pink sales to the Houston affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Etsy seller DK Jewels has an entire “Beads for Boobs” section, and is donating 30% of all sales from that section to Susan G. Komen.  She has some really cute stuff for your girls!

I LOVE Philosophy products, so I would be thrilled to find this Philosophy Shower Gel in my bridesmaid stocking

Even if you’re doing a french manicure for the wedding, your girls can have pink nails, right?  So why not use OPI (my favorite brand!) nail polish in “Pink of Hearts,” their special edition nail polish for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  OPI is making a $25,000 donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in support of the polish.

LOVE the “Simply Vera Wang” line at Kohl’s — even more now that I know that 100% of the proceeds of her entire “Committed to the Cause” collection are going towards breast cancer research.  Why not add this adorable change purse to your girls’ bags?

Speaking of bags, who needs a gift bag when you can put your girls’ goodies  in this great bag, from Organize.com – it holds their stuff, they can use it on the wedding day and for years to come!

There are always lots of beauty products to buy leading up to the wedding as well — why not donate to the cure while you’re at it?

Are you looking for a new fragrance for your wedding?  How about Cashmere Mist by Donna Karan?  Donna Karan is donating $15,000 in association with the sale of her limited edition perfume to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Oops?  Is that a stray hair I see?  How about plucking it out with these adorable Tweezerman tweezers.

Are you a hot roller kind of gal?  If you need a new set, how about these Conair rollers, sold at Target? For every set sold, Conair will donate $1 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (and they come in a cute pink bag!)

How about going in the opposite direction and straightening your hair for the big day?  I’ve heard that Chi hair straighteners are the best — well, it turns out they’re a pretty great company too.  A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this pink straightener combo will go to breast cancer research.

Stressed out from all the wedding planning?  Why not soak in a hot tub with these AHAVA Hope Blossoms Mineral Bath Salts?  Have the fiance draw you a bath, light a few candles, and ease the stress away (or read a bridal magazine while AHAVA makes a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation?

Going in for a spray tan for a glow on your wedding day?  Do some exfoliating in the weeks leading up with this Special Edition Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub from The Body Deli. $6.00 from every jar sold will go to Gilda’s Club, an organization named for former Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner, who died of Ovarian Cancer.  Gilda’s Club provides emotional and social support for those living with cancer and their families.

Of course, the ultimate in wedding shopping is getting to register!!  Kohls (again, I’m a Kohls addict) has a registry program, plus they sell a ton of stuff from Kitchen Aid’s “Cook for the Cure” line.  KitchenAid donates 10% from the sale of every Cook for the Cure product to Susan G. Komen for the Cure

If you add your registries from a huge list of stores, from Bloomingdales to Crate and Barrel, to Wedding Channel’s Charity Registry, every time a guest purchases a gift off your registry by going through the Wedding Channel web site, they will make a donation to the charity of your choice, which includes such organizations as Susan G. Komen for the Cure or the American Cancer Society.  You can also ask guests to donate directly to the charity through the Wedding Channel site in lieu of gifts!

I absolutely LOVE Riedel wine glasses — something about the stemless glasses feels so sophisticated!  Register for the Crescendo Pink Wine Glasses, and Riedel will make a donation to Living Beyond Breast Cancer for every set sold.

Registering at Target?  Don’t forget a set of tools!  This tool kit from Apollo tools is not only adorable (hmm…will the hubby expect you to actual do WORK with those tools?) but Apollo will donate 50 cents from the sale of every kit to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Shopping for the honeymoon?  Why not get an ereader for the plane?  Sony’s ereader “bundle” includes a pocket sized reader, a limited edition pink cover, and two free books from the Sony “bookstore”  Plus, how cute!!!

Need a new pair of sunnies for the trip?  How about these cuties from Lacoste?  Lacoste has an entire Pink Croc store, and 10% of the sales from items in that store will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

I always take a deck of cards with me on a trip in case it rains, or we get stuck in an airport.  So take along these cards from Bicycle, sold pretty much everywhere, and 15 cents per pack will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Still trying to choose an airline for your honeymoon?  How about Delta? Delta is a MAJOR supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and flies a pink plane year round to raise awareness and funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  In October they’re selling pink lemonade on each flight, and all proceeds go to the Foundation!

Are you shopping for the cure?  What pink wedding products are you purchasing?