Monday, February 21, 2011

Hotel Monaco Elegance {Kelsey and Nick}


I know I talk a lot about how wonderful my clients are but Kelsey and Nick and their families were so fabulous!  Everyone involved with the wedding was amazing and you could feel the joy throughout the day.  This wedding was a wedding planner's dream!


I also loved the sweet and elegant details about this day.  This was a classic D.C. wedding with lovely touches that made it so special for the couple.




We started off the day with a little hiccup: the custom-made satin and crystal sash for the bride's gown went missing!  Even worse, the bride had gotten this sash overseas so there was no way to get a replacement in a matter of hours. Luckily, my dear friend Sandy Leone, owner of Love Couture Bridal, had a selection of satin sashes that she let me borrow and rush down to the bride.  Kelsey picked out a gorgeous sash that everyone loved even more than the original.  Crisis averted and a bride happy! Big thanks to Sandy for saving the day!


The bride and her maids and mom enjoyed the rest of the morning getting hair and makeup by the fabulous Kim Steele and tossing back some champagne.


The full mass at St. Patrick's in D.C. was gorgeous, and then the bride and groom dashed out with the super-talented Greg Gibson for photos around the city before the evening reception.






St. Patrick's is such a stunning stone church and right in the heart of the city!



I love that each bridesmaid's dress was slightly different: one was one shouldered, one had spaghetti straps and one had a ruffled neckline. And the color looked great on everyone!




The reception kicked off at The Hotel Monaco in D.C. with cocktails in the Athens Room and then dinner and dancing in the Paris Ballroom.  We love working with Buddee Clinton and his team at the Monaco!  Guests enjoyed the sounds of a Latin guitarist from MSE Productions during cocktails and DJ Michael Tate kept them on the dance floor after dinner.

Kelsey chose lush flowers in soft tones to go with her classic palette of royal blue, gold and cream.  The lovely ladies of Petal's Edge created beautiful arrangements which had an elegant European feel. Menu cards echoed the elegant swirly design of the invitations and programs.






Fluffy Thoughts designed the lovely cake with sugar flowers and satin ribbon around each layer.


One of my favorite things about the Monaco's ballroom is the built-in bookshelves that couples can personalize with framed family photos.  Kelsy and Nick went one step further and put photos in the pages of books!  Love it!


Guests signed a beautiful framed art print of a gold heart instead of a guest book.



For a take-away treat, guests were given bags to fill with gourmet macaroons from Michel Patisserie. I can speak from experience: yum!


Thanks to Kelsey and Nick for letting us share your beautiful day and thanks to Greg Gibson for always providing such stunning images!
Laura