I love red and white.  It seems so simple, but a white wedding with pops of red just seems so cheerful and happy to me, it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!

I love the girls red and white dresses, so I went in search of more red and white dresses, to see where I could find some good ones!

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Debenhams:

Anna Hardy:

Anthropologie (no longer available, but still adorable!)

OMG!  How GORGEOUS is Chandra Wilson from Grey’s Anatomy in this outfit?!  And how great would it be for your maids?!

These two dresses from Forever 21 would be cute for certain types of weddings, but I’m a big NO on the black stockings.  NO, Forever 21, NO!

Kim Fox Photography:

Oops…I couldn’t find where these came from, but still cute, right?!

Raissa Gerona:

Offbeat Bride:

Of course, to pull off a red and white color scheme, the dresses don’t have to be red AND white, right?  You could do a gorgeous bridesmaids dress in red, with a pretty red or white bouquet!

Emilie Inc.

Jennifer Domenick:

Melanie Mauer:

Elizabeth Anne Designs:

Of course, you could also put the bridesmaids in white dresses with red bouquets…how gorgeous would these ladies look all carrying red bouquets with different blooms in them (with the bride with a white bouquet!)

I also like the idea of the bride, rather than carrying a white bouquet, carrying a bright pop of red against her white dress.  It really brightens up the day!

Amy Martin Photography:

East Side Bride:

Jubilee Weddings:

Married & More with Michelle:

Melanie Mauer:

Of course, red flowers aren’t just for the bride’s bouquet…how about a flower in your hair?

Daisy Varley:

Jose Villa:

There are so many gorgeous red accessories out there on Etsy, brides can go CRAZY with them, adding just a little, or a lot!

Alex Bridal:

Pur Designs:

Upstyle:

Las Lopez:

Pixel and Hank:

Storied:

Prettied:

But it’s not just your accessories you can get on Etsy for your red and white wedding — you can get EVERYTHING on there!!!  Your invitations…

ello there:

Frankie and Mae:

Bklyn Stitch:

Royal Steamline:

Your favors…

Tickle My Tummy:

Bees Knees Creative:

Cedar Tree Farm Soaps:

Decor…

Victorian Station:

Pomtree:

Le Maison du Vintage:

And many, many, many, MANY more things!

A few more non-etsy red and white inspiration photos…

Celebrations at Home:

East Side Bride:

Emilie Inc.:

Green Wedding Shoes:

Swanky Tables:

Studio Fleurette:

Do you love red and white as much as I do?  Are you getting things from Etsy for your 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!

Pink and white is probably the easiest of our color combinations for Pink for October.   I mean, you’re probably already wearing a white dress, right?  (Or close to white, anyway).  Add some pink touches, and you’re all set!  (Photo by Amelia Lyon)

Of course, you don’t have to wear white on your wedding day.  These days you can wear any color you like…and there are some GORGEOUS pink dresses out there for brides!  Check out this beauty from Carolina Herrera featured in Martha Stewart Weddings.

Or this AMAZING dress from Etsy seller ouma

The Sweetest Occasion

Theresa Choi

Of course, pink dresses aren’t for every bride, so how about a white dress with a pink bouquet? (Photo by The Wiebners)

Too boring?  How about a pair of hot pink tights? (Photo by Wren and Field Photography)

A pink purse? (100 Layer Cake)

How about a pink umbrella?

Or a classic pink car?  (Rock ’n Roll Bride)

If you just want to add a hint of pink to your dress, how about this adorable dress from Stephanie James Couture?

Or an adorable sash from Percy Handmade?

Or, if the night will be a little chilly, how about an adorable cardigan from Etsy seller Bright Street?

I know, I know, it’s all about the bride, right?  Well, your bridesmaids need to wear something too, right?  How about shades of pink, like these adorable dresses from Thread?

Or this cute Cecelia dress from J. Crew?

Or a pink dress with a white sash, like this one from Coren Moore?

Karlisch Photography:

Elizabeth Anne Designs

Style Me Pretty:

And what little girl doesn’t want to get in on all that pinkness?

Aaron Snow:

Ashley Nelson:

How about some gorgeous bouquets? (Susan Stripling Photography)

Bonnie Tsang:

I absolutely LOVE cabbage roses.  Consider using these when peonies aren’t in season.  They aren’t as fragrant, but they’re just as gorgeous! (Photo from Martha Stewart Weddings)

Also from Martha, this gorgeous bouquet of cala lilies and orchids, among other beautiful pink blooms:

My two favorite flowers are zinnias and dahlias, so I’m a sucker for these two, also from our girl Martha:

And what about flowers for your reception?  There are some lovely options

Jennifer Brooks Photography:

The Inspired Bride:

Or if you didn’t want to go with flowers, how about pink candles, like these from Martha Stewart Weddings:

Centerpieces aren’t the only decor at the reception, though.  We often advise our couples to consider adding lighting to their budget.  It provides a great wash of color that gives that “wow” factor many people are looking for. (Photo by Long’s Photography)

This room is bathed in pink for a party for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation – perfect for a Pink for October post!

The National Building Museum is one of the most gorgeous venues in Washington DC (although you need to have a LOT of guests to fill the huge space!), but how much more amazing does it look here with pink lighting?

Or how about using your linens to “pink up” your wedding?

Cocktail napkins in various shades of pink (Martha Stewart Weddings)

How great are these chair covers?

Etsy Seller Floratouch

Just Chic Events

Kristin Vining Photography:

And, to end the night, how about a dessert bar?

Laura Jane Photography:

Our Labor of Love:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

More Martha…

The Observatory:

OMG.  MUST have these mini pop tarts…on a stick!  From The Family Kitchen

Hmm…they make homemade pop tarts at Ted’s Bulletin (and a mean milkshake too!)  Wonder if they could make those?

Are you having a pink and white wedding?  Will there be pop tarts?  Because if so, I’m there!

Aren’t the bridesmaids bouquets gorgeous? Kudos to Linda from Heaven on Earth who was such a joy to work with!

Here is a shot inside the limo heading to St. Thomas Apostle Catholic Church for the ceremony:

Brian and his best man – his dad Tom! Don’t they look dapper:

Kate and Brian’s attendants were so much fun! Here they are getting ready for the processional:

The ceremony, officiated by Father John Kartje was beautiful and included many special personal touches. Father John flew in from Chicago to be a part of Brian and Kate’s special day!

Husband and Wife! I love this shot:

In the limo heading downtown to take some formal photographs at the monuments:

Kate and her bridesmaids:

A shot of the groom and his groomsmen:

Cassidy DuHon really captures great moments and this is one of my favorites:

The Omni Shoreham was such a  beautiful backdrop for some of the portraits. I love with one of all the girls!

The hammocks on the property made for some great, playful shots:

The patio behind the ballroom served as the site for the cocktail hour and luckily for us, the rain held off just long enough for the guests to enjoy some time outside before heading in to eat.

Atmosphere Lighting did a great job setting the mood with the lighting and the centerpieces Linda put together made the room look absolutely stunning!

I love the green and black color scheme!

Fluffy Thoughts provided this gorgeous (and delicious) three tiered cake complete with a custom damask middle tier.

The couple used Washington landmarks as their table names along with some of their engagements shots. I love the touch of personality it added to each table:

Kate and Brian had one of the best choreographed first dances I have ever seen!

The couples sweetheart table gave them a great vantage point of the room. I loved the green linens and black chiavari chairs!

Brennan Sullivan with Bialek’s Music kept everyone dancing long into the night:

I’ve never seen a dance floor so packed!

Kate and Brian had a great group of friends surrounding them on their special day.

Here is Kate, her matron of honor and the rest of the girls getting down on the dance floor:

The guys did their fair share of dancing as well!

Here are the bride and groom, once again demonstrating their awesome dance moves!

It was such a pleasure to work with Kate and Brian over the last few months. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of such a special day!

April was glowing when she arrived at Josephine Butler to finish getting ready for the ceremony.  She insisted on taking this picture with me and my little assistant (who is due to arrive any day now!).  All of the awesome photographs were taken by Laurel Jensen of Laurel Jensen Photography.

And there is Lindsay getting on his boutonniere just downstairs.  The feathers in all the personal flowers were a great touch.  Bethany and Jeanne from Park Florist in Takoma Park, MD really did an amazing job with all the flowers.

April’s bouquet was absolutely gorgeous.  Bethany and her team secured a hankie that was April’s Grandmother’s to the bouquet using an antique brooch that April had found.  I loved the color scheme for all the arrangements.  The colors were romantic, but very appropriate for the laid back feel that April wanted to achieve for her Memorial Day weekend nuptials.

The couple’s family and friends gathered in the park to witness the ceremony performed by A.C. Warden of Capital Ceremonies.  A.C. did a great job customizing the ceremony to incorporate all the elements that were important to April and Lindsay.

As we all know, it was quite warm that Saturday, so the couple provided these really pretty parasols for their guests.  This blue one really made for some cool pics!  Aren’t these two cute!

The park really was a great backdrop for photos.  These two are a perfect match and Laurel did a fabulous job capturing the special moments.

The front view of Josephine Butler Parks Center in DC.

There are so many wonderful elements in this shot of the welcome/gift table.  April had given the florist a bunch of old scarves, hankies, table cloths and pieces of fabric that she loved and Bethany from Park Florist used them throughout the venue.  I love how this particular piece looked under this arrangement, which was contained in an old fashioned mason jar.  But the best part is the picture of Lindsay’s grandparents who were married 66 years earlier on the exact same day!

Guests were asked to write a message to the couple and leave it in an old box.  Special thanks to both of my assistants that day, Jasmine and Jenny, for helping with all of the set up.

Love this photo of the couple as they enter to join their guests and get the party started!

The reception space is perfect for smaller weddings.  If you love a ton of natural light, this is the venue for you!

All of the centerpieces were slightly different and while it is a bit hard to see in this photograph,  all of the tables had one of those unique pieces of fabric under the flowers.

Love the lace under this one!  I also like the use of the silver julep cups for the centerpieces.  The couple served mint juleps as one of their signature cocktails!

Josephine Butler also has this great terrace on the second floor just off the reception space, which is perfect for guests during cocktail hour and throughout the night.

April and Lindsay enjoying a fun moment during their first dance!

Ok, let me just tell you how delicious the food was!  As always, Peggy McGuire and the folks at Main Event Caterers did a superb job with all the details.   They are always a pleasure to work with.

April and Lindsay didn’t have a traditional wedding cake.  Instead, they decided to have some of their friends contribute homemade desserts of their choice.

The Capitol Building….made from white chocolate….yummmm!!!

The couple chose two pies from the selection to cut in front of their guests.

The couple supplemented the homemade desserts with some yummy cupcakes from Hello Cupcake!  Each flavor was topped with a monogram.  Main Event did a fantastic job with the dessert display.

Congratulations, April and Lindsay!  Thanks for letting me be a part of your day!

xoxo,

Felicia

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!

While R&R Catering & Wish were setting up downstairs, the girls were getting ready upstairs.  Check out the vibrant bouquets that Linda from Heaven on Earth Wedding Flowers brought:

Doesn’t Alison look like a princess?  Her big dreamy dress fit the wedding perfectly:

::le sigh::  Julia really creates some stunning photos:

This is the “OK, let’s get married!” look:

Rose Hill has a magnificent brick terrace that’s perfect for an outdoor ceremony.  This is also a great site for a tent if you have a really large wedding:

Aren’t these two adorable?

Big bridal parties are always a logistical challenge but they sure are a lot of fun:

Rose Hill keeps their grounds pretty manicured.  See what I mean about how pretty Leesburg is for a wedding?

Back inside, R&R Catering’s chivari chairs, gold chargers, and white pintuck linens await the reception:

If you’re going to have a favor, it might as well be chocolate.  Edible favors are definitely the way to go, especially cute personalized ones like these:

Here’s another view of Rose Hill Manor, looking down from their second-floor balcony:

Look who caught the bouquet!

Congratulations, Alison & Jeremy!  For some more photos of this wedding, be sure to visit Julia MacInnis’ blog!

Julia planned every last detail but Chris, a graphic designer, designed all of the paper pieces, including the menus, invitations, and programs!

I absolutely LOVE this photo of the couple, just after they were married, at the church’s entrance.  How gorgeous is that vintage fur stole, compliments of the bride’s grandmother?

After the ceremony, everyone headed to the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks to start the party.  This Marriott has a GORGEOUS cocktail area, made even more beautiful by the lighting from Swank Audio Visuals:

Throughout the planning, Julia kept talking about the “wow” factor in the ballroom.  Well, she definitely got it!  With a combination of the already beautiful ballroom:

Linens from DC Rental:

More lighting from Swank:

…and my favorite part, the centerpieces!  Chris and Julia had three different centerpieces.  Two of them were provided by a Wish favorite, Barbara Von Elm at Growing Wild:

And the third was designed by Julia and put together by my beautiful assistants and me! (and which you’ve seen before, as they’re for sale!)

(The small bride’s cake was based on Chris’ design from the invitations!)

As if that wasn’t enough sugar, Julia’s mom baked mini breads for guests to take home, sealed with the couple’s custom monogram (again, created by the groom) and gave them the recipe for the bread to bake at home!

A few more gorgeous pictures of the day:

Here’s Hollin Hall, looking regal:

On the wedding day, it rained and poured all morning.  Kelly had wanted an outdoor ceremony in Hollin Hall’s beautiful boxwood garden but the forecast was looking grim.  We were watching the radar and trying to play weatherman, keeping hope out for what looked like could be a break in the clouds.  Meanwhile, there was nothing for Kelly to do but get ready:

Barbara at Growing Wild always makes the most stunning arrangements:

Kelly had the sweetest bridesmaids — don’t they look like fun friends?

I especially loved her light blue flats — perfect for their intimate, elegant, yet casual wedding:

The rain did indeed break just before the ceremony but the ground was too muddy to hold a ceremony in the spot we had wanted.  So – Kelly opted for Plan B and we moved the ceremony into the main house.  Here she is, getting ready to go down the steps and straight down the aisle:

I thought the indoor ceremony was just perfect.  We used pillar candles on the mantle and the altar floral arrangements on the floor.  Rev. Wesley Peyton performed a touching wedding ceremony like he always does:

And they’re married!  This is always my favorite moment at every wedding:

While their guests were enjoying cocktails, Kelly and Jason made use of some clear skies and headed into the garden for some portraits.  I’m so glad they were able to get some pictures outside:

Don’t these guys make a handsome pair?

Another cute detail — Jason’s white rananculus boutonniere:

Back inside, the cute escort cards are held up by wine bottle corks:

I love when couples display family photos to share with their guests — I think it helps the two joining families connect:

Outside, the rain was still drizzling but the dinner tent was nice and dry.  Check out these gorgeous tables:

We thought long and hard about the color of these chairs.  I think the natural wood color really makes the blue pop out, don’t you agree?

I couldn’t resist showing you their wedding cakes!  Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe is one of the couple’s favorite spots so it was only fitting to have cakes from there.  While Heidelberg does make some amazing traditional wedding cakes, Kelly & Jason wanted to share their favorite flavors with their guests.  This way, everyone got a flavor they loved!

Of course the cake aftermath isn’t pretty — but it sure is tasty!

Kelly & Jason — I know you guys have already passed your first anniversary so I hope you had a lovely first year of marriage!  I fondly remember your wedding day and hope you both are doing well.  Congratulations again!

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!