Say Cheese { Wedding Paper Props}

I know that mustaches on sticks are nothing new but I did love this site that does all sorts of paper signs and props for weddings. Local designer Carla David is so innovative with her invitation design and this latest creative endeavor is just as fabulous. Here is what she has to say about "Say Cheese"

"Our aim is to be a haven for event planner’s, mom’s, photographers, brides, grooms, and anyone who’s looking for a paper prop. Shimmery card stock, durable wood sticks, and chic designs have resulted in happy customers who can be witnessed smiling and laughing throughout their events." Sounds great to us! Check it out for lots of fun ideas!

Styling Party at Love Couture {Lifestyle Wedding Planning}

We mentioned earlier the fabulous Lifestyle Wedding party we had at Love Couture for our brides and now here are some photos!  We had such a fun time with our brides. Usually we're busy planning but this was an evening for sipping bubbly and just enjoying ourselves with our clients. We did a few moments before guests arrived to take some pictures of our Engaging Affairs team!

This event was held at our friend Sandy Leone's gorgeous bridal salon, Love Couture Bridal, and was a wonderful chance for brides, their moms and maids to see the latest in bridal fashion straight off the New York runways and also see how to change up their look with veils, jewelry, gloves and hairpieces. The dresses were gorgeous! Some of our mothers even shed a few tears when they saw a model transformed into a bride when she put on a full veil and blusher!

Brides and their maids were then treated to hair and makeup trials with some of DC's top artists: Carl Ray, Remona, Giselle and Nikki.  Everyone looked so glamorous after their transformation!

Everyone had such a lovely time mingling and sampling the yummy sweets provided by the talented ladies of The Sweetest Affair. We love their custom lollipop and dessert displays!

Brides had fun meeting each other and talking "weddings" and two of our moms happened to be old friends. It is a small wedding world!

Everyone left with Engaging Affairs gift bags filled with bottles of pink champagne and other goodies. It was such a lovely evening! Thanks to Sandy Leone and the amazing team at Love Couture for hosting the party, our wonderful stylists who made everyone look stunning, the delightful duo from The Sweetest Affair for the spectacular sweets display, Daniel McGarrity for capturing all the fun moments, my Engaging Affairs team and our phenomenal brides for just being so fabulous!  Can't wait for the next Lifestyle Wedding party at The Dandelion Patch!

I See Green!

Green is for summer.  It's also for St. Patrick's Day, which does not usually feel like summer, or even spring for that matter!.  While I don't remember the weather on St. Patrick's day this year, I sure do remember the weather the day after for Shannon and Kevin's "St. Partick's Day feel wedding at St. Bartholomew's and Congressional Country Club in Bethesda.

Enjoy these pictures from a cooler part of the year :)

Sara

Remembering an Outdoor Wedding...during this heat!

As stifling as last week and weekend had been, it is a true blessing in disguise.  I have planned many a summer wedding in my time, but how do you get those excited couples planning their July and August weddings during the beautiful fall months to remember just how hot summers in DC get?  While I am on a small wedding hiatus after my jam packed spring, I can't help but think of the handful of summer weddings I have next year and how glad I am that I can use this weather to point out that being outside is not something you want to take a chance on.

It makes me think back on a couple I worked with in June of 2008 and the absolutely beautiful weather we had...oh wait, that was not without stress.  If any of you remember June 2008, it rained just about EVERY DAY, including the morning of Laura and Ben's wedding at his family home in Easton, MD.

Armed with what photographer Mary Gardella of Love Life Images called my "wellies" I made the command decision to carry on as scheduled with the outdoor ceremony an hour before we were supposed to begin, just as the rain started to ease.  (Note, not every planner is as adventurous as I)  The event that followed could not have been any more perfect.  Enjoy!

Sara

Calling All Bridesmaids! {Jenny Yoo Trunk Show at Love Couture}

Lucky in Love at The Park Hyatt {Stephanie & Ron}

One of the things I love about having planned weddings for so many years is that I get to do multiple weddings within a family and see my former couples and their new children. I especially love having children of my former couples in the wedding party!  Stephanie and Ron's gorgeous wedding at The Park Hyatt was one of these family affairs.  I have planned the weddings of at least three of their cousins and friends and one of the flower girls was the daughter of a favorite couple of mine from several years ago. It was such fun to see my past brides and grooms and get to catch up with them (and I'm happy to say that they are all still very happily married). Love that!

The day started out with getting ready at The Park Hyatt by the talented makeup artist Pattie Martin and hairstylist Maria.  The girls were relaxed sipping champagne and laughing before heading off in limos to the ceremony at Our Lady of Mercy in Potomac.

The beautiful ceremony was made even more of a success when our tiny flower girls made it down the aisle!

After the ceremony, the bridal party dashed off for some fun photos at Glen Echo Park despite the on and off drizzle!

Back at The Park Hyatt, guests were enjoying cocktails and were serenaded by the Sage String Quartet from Bialek's Music. The ballroom was set with flowers from Petal's Edge, linens from Party Rentals and lighting from John Farr Lighting. Tables alternated between profusions of baby's breath, taper candles and elevated arrangements of roses, hydrangea and stock. Gold embroidered linens and cream fabric draping the walls completed the look to give the room a warm, intimate glow. Truly romantic!

Tables were set with menu cards and two favors for each guest: a set of crystal elephant salt and pepper shakers in a gold box and a jar of the Groom's grandmother's famous strawberry jam (how she made 200 of these and lived to tell the tale, I'll never know!)  The extra surprise of the evening was the red envelopes under guests' plates filled with lottery tickets!

After an amazing dinner by Chef Brian McBride from The Park Hyatt (I can personally attest to how amazing the shrimp ravioli were) and some heartfelt toasting, DJ Aaron from Chris Laich Entertainment kept the guests on the dance floor all night.

But the surprises didn't stop! Guests were treated to a traditional dragon dance and the bride and groom changed into Vietnamese outfits for the occasion. Talk about high-energy!

Thank you to my wonderful team for making this wedding such a success and such fun!  Michael Deltette from The Park Hyatt was a rock star, the ladies from Egomedia Photography were true professionals and captured amazing images (and a huge thanks for letting us showcase them here), the video team from Photoria was completely unobtrusive and the dragon dancers from Wong People Kung Fu were so easy to work with. I could not have done it without my amazing assistant, Maeve, who always makes the wedding days fun.

Special thanks to Stephanie and Ron and their families for being so wonderful and including me in so many of their family celebrations. I can't wait for the next one!!
Laura