Baubles That Give Back

Our brides are always on the lookout for unique bridesmaids' gifts and we've found some that not only are unique, but the proceeds benefit charity (which we love). We are very into finding products and vendors who improve the world or help the environment, and these items certainly fit the bill!

You may have already heard about The O Bracelet because it's sponsored by Oprah and, well, that woman can market. The bracelets support women in Rwanda and Kenya who face ethnic violence. The women actually handcraft the bracelets and they (and their communities) are the only ones making a profit from the enterprise. The bracelets range in cost between $54-$350. There are several versions with semi-precious stones, as well as the newest design of mesh filled with crystals. To order, visit Macy's website.

Brighter Futures Project is another group that helps women through the sale of some pretty cool jewelry. Their bracelets are each $56 and are made by orphaned teen girls in Third World countries. The money supports these women as they transition from orphanage life to life on their own. The bracelets are made of semi-precious stones like amethyst, jasper, and tiger's eye and each one is unique. Each bracelet comes boxed with information about the project, as well.

These are both amazing projects that help empower women so please check them out!

Glamour Shots

We have a tradition at Engaging Affairs of sending Valentines cards instead of holiday cards. Frankly, it gives us more time to get them together after our Fall wedding season ends. We like to do a company photo on the card so all our colleagues can see our team so this means we have to do a photo shoot each year. It's a lot of fun but it takes some coordination to find a great site and get the photography team lined up. This year we chose to do the shoot at our new favorite event site, L2.

L2 is a membership club in Georgetown with fabulous exposed brick, a bar with customized lighting and funky, modern furniture. Plus, their food is really good! We planned a book launch there in October and it was a huge success so now we're working on booking the space for rehearsal dinners and cocktail parties. If you're looking for a hip venue for up to 200 guests (standing) that no one has seen before, this is the place!

Our contact at L2, Lucia, was kind enough to arrange for us to come in on a weekday and take over the club. As you can see, we had a great time toasting with our martinis (okay, they're just water and olives) and taking some fun shots. Juan Carlos Briceno of Fotobriceno took the photos and was endlessly patient with us, shooting all over the club for a couple of hours. We even took a shot of us checking out the recently released Washingtonian Bride and Groom magazine. Both Amy and Sara have weddings featured in the issue so you can understand our excitement!