Photographer Spotlight {Corey Hendrickson}

We love finding fabulous new (to us) vendors. Check out these fun engagement photos by talented photographer Corey Hendrickson.

Corey photographed Heather and Michael (and Wyatt) a few weeks back in Arlington VA.  They had perfect weather and plenty of people to work with at the Lincoln Memorial.  After that they walked around Georgetown.  Heather and Michael are getting married August 7th 2010 in California, which will be photographed by Corey.

Corey uses a quiet and artistic approach to create photographs that are elegant, natural and unique. He works in 35 mm digital and medium format film. Martha Stewart Weddings, VT Vows, and InStyle Weddings are among the publications that feature his photographs. His website, with more photographs and booking information, is http://hendricksonphotographyweddings.com.

Navy & Gold Wedding Inspiration

Clockwise from top left: shoes (Style Me Pretty), boutonniere (Style Me Pretty), cake (In Style Weddings), flowers (The Knot), M&M favors (The Knot), quilt banner (The Knot), parasol couple (Style Me Pretty), seed favors (The Knot), program (The Knot), bridesmaids (The Knot)

Continuing with our navy blue inspiration, we have the fabulous shade paired with a shade of gold between sunshine and mustard. Navy and yellow doesn't have to be just nautical!  The sophisticated shade of yellow really livens up dark blue dresses. We love the cake decorated with blueberries and topped with lemon peel.  So fresh and fun for summer!

Laura and Alison

True Blue Inspiration {Navy, Orange and Pink}

Photo credits clockwise from top left: table (Brides.com), bridesmaids (Style Me Pretty), bride & groom (Mark Brooke Photography), cake (The Knot), clutch (The Knot), sea urchin tray (Style Me Pretty), invitations (The Knot), reception (Style Me Pretty)

Our team has several upcoming weddings using navy as a base color  so we thought we'd do some fun color combination inspiration this week. Love mixing orange and pink for that punch of color.  And you know we love those orange shoes! Enjoy!

Laura and Alison  

Memorial Weekend at The Mellon {Kristen and Eric}

I wouldn't normally recommend being anywhere near Rolling Thunder over Memorial weekend but being downtown in the middle of all the madness was definitely worth it for Kristen and Eric's amazing wedding.  While the bikers did create some logistical challenges for us (we had to load everyone into the Mellon super-early before all the streets were closed off and we had to reroute the shuttles around the parade), the day turned out to be fabulous!

The bride begin the wedding day getting ready at The Willard Hotel with a hair and makeup team from Gustavo Mottola. She was completely calm and happy (even though she'd only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before).

The bridesmaids donned mint green dresses and the bride slipped into her gorgeous gown before heading off for St. Matthew's Cathedral for the ceremony.  My favorite part of the traditional Catholic wedding mass was the rows of Kristen's kindergarten students waiting eagerly to see their teacher.  They were so excited they were bouncing up and down and nearly passed out when they saw her! Very sweet!

After the ceremony, Kristen and Eric hopped in a classic white Rolls and took a few photos down around the Capitol before joining their guests at the Mellon Auditorium.  Frank from Rock Creek Limo pulled together the many limos and shuttle buses (including the classic car) we used on the wedding day and was a pleasure to work with.

At the reception, guests enjoyed cocktails upstairs on the terrace before entering the spectacular ballroom. Karen Kallmyer did a lovely job with the natural look that Kristen wanted for the tables and escort card display, using lots of wheat grass, bark and moss to create the rustic yet sophisticated decor.

The tables were set with white linens and gold and white china for a crisp, clean look.  White and green menu cards were tucked into white hemstiched linen napkins.

Capitol Decor and Events provided the glossy white dance floor and lounge furniture while John Farr Lighting provided the lighting.

The bride and groom took a few photos at The Mellon with the fabulous team of photographers from Hamilton Photography.

After cocktails, guests entered the auditorium to the sounds of Party On The Moon, unquestionably one of the best bands I've ever worked with.

After an amazing dinner by Susan Gage Caterers, guests took to the dance floor and kept the floor packed for the rest of the night.

Party on the Moon was nothing short of amazing, inspiring guests to do back flips (literally)!

A huge thanks to all the vendors who put in lots of extra hours to be set up early and to the band who drove up from Atlanta and was so easy to work with. Everyone went above and beyond to pull off a wedding on what may be one of the toughest days to work in downtown D.C. (especially if you're working on the Rolling Thunder parade route like we were). A big hug to Jenna at The Mellon for giving us the extra time we needed to pull off the set-up, and kudos to my assistants Renee and Nicole. I couldn't have done it without you!

Thanks to Mark Hamilton for the stunning images and for being such a delight to work with. And a special thank you to Kristen and Eric for letting us share their gorgeous wedding!
Laura

Nicole Miller Trunk Show!

If you love the classic, sleek designs of Nicole Miller as much as we do, you'll want to check out their trunk show this weekend at Tysons Galleria in Virginia.  Enjoy!

Congratulations to Justine Ungaro!

We were so excited to open the latest edition of Martha Stewart Weddings and see our dear friend Justine Ungaro featured inside.  Her gorgeous wedding in Palm Springs has a fabulous two-page spread. Justine is one of our very favorite photographers and has shot some of our most spectacular weddings over the years (including the wedding of our very own Sara). So be sure to pick up a copy and check out the stunning images by Justine.  Congratulations, Justine!  We love you!

How To Choose the Perfect Wedding Ring

Today we have a guest blog from www.myjewelrybox.com with some helpful advice on selecting wedding bands. This is an area I rarely see any advice on so I love hearing these tips!

So you have set your wedding plans in motion and it's time to get your rings. This is one of the most intimate details of your wedding when you choose a symbol of love to wear on your finger the rest of your lives. However, though the moment might stimulate romantic notions and starry-eyed dreams, there needs to be a reality check before you hit the cash register. Wedding rings mean different things to different people and may be the pinnacle of your ceremony, just be sure that you use some cerebral flexing in between heartbeats. Your wedding rings are a visible sign to inspire and encourage your love, however practicality serves you well in the long run.

1. Choosing the style, thickness, material components and price range is the first hurdle to the alter. If you elect a traditional and simple gold band, you can be sure it's not all that simple. Each partner extends a uniquely crafted hand that will vary in size and shape from the other person, so therefore, your wedding band sets should be a comfortable fit for both of you. Persons with shorter fingers possess a smaller space between their knuckles and may find a thinner band to be the ticket. Conversely, he or she with the larger hand will fare better aesthetically with a wider band. No problem with the band width; you still have a match.

2. Some brides need a little sparkle and want to see a few rocks on their fingers. Wedding bands inlaid with diamonds are popular with both clusters and single stones and can be mixed with her favorite shades of sapphire, rubies, jade or topaz. The trend today is to follow your own way and cut your own path. Traditional rings never go out of style, however, the neo-bride may wish to design her own custom settings and clusters. If you elect to wed this route, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to mull your ideas, experiment with design and find a jeweler that see's your vision. Six months should get you to the alter on time.

3. They say that love is blind, but lets hope you have 20/20 vision when setting the price limit on your rings. The amount you pay for the rings is not a mathematical equation for the depth of your love, but rather a matter of good business sense as to what you can afford. The true value of your wedding ring comes from the sweetheart who will slip it on your finger, and not how many zeros are on your receipt. Save money when you can and be happy with what you get. As the years roll by, your wedding ring will become more precious to you, so no need to spoil the ride with a mountain of debt.

This One's for My Girl!

This blog is just as much for our FABULOUS resident cupcake expert Alison, as it is for all you sweets loving brides out there who want to do something a little unique to get your guests talking.  The other day I was at the gym reading through whatever months old magazine was lying around.  I almost tripped over my own two feet on the elliptical when I came across something I could blog about.

 The title read: Eat cupcakes, save calories.  Now, who among us doesn't want to know how to do that?  So, what am I talking about?  At 45 calories a piece, you can have as many "shots" of cupcake frosting you want!  Apparently, cake free cupcakes are showing up all over the country.  Specifically, Buttercream Cupcakes and Coffee in Miami will ship these wonderful frosting shots for only $.75 plus shipping!  And, there is no minimum!

PS- I hear from a trusted and favorite DC cupcake sources that the original "Georgetown Cupcake" started in LA called Sprinkles is on the move and coming to DC.  Make room for more cupcakes everyone!


Sara

A Spring Wedding at The Fairmont Hotel {Sarah + Jason}

My first wedding of every season always holds a special place in my heart.  This season’s first wedding was no different.  I had the pleasure of spending the first Saturday in May with my bride, Sarah, and her family at the beautiful Fairmont Hotel while they were primped and pampered by makeup artist Leah McKay, and Hairstylist, Diane, of Hair by Diane.  

Once the ladies were done getting ready, they were transported to beautiful 6^th and I Historic synagogue where the bride stepped into her wedding dress and was given a special gift from her grandmother…her grandmother’s wedding band. 



After tears were shed, she and her bridal party were able to relax a little before the groom, Jason, and his groomsmen arrived for the Ketubah signing.  After the Ketubah signing was done, the bride and groom along with their bridal party and families had their formal photos taken by the talented Greg Gibson and his second shooter, Kurstin Roe. 

As guests began filing in, the Sage String Trio began to play music specifically chosen by the bride such as the theme song from Forrest Gump, "All You Need Is Love" and Coldplay's "Clocks", to name a few.  The ceremony was lead by a rabbi very close to the bride and groom, the groom’s brother.   



After the ceremony was concluded, the bride and groom along with their guests were transported back to the Fairmont Hotel for a night of good food, good drinks and good memories in the Courtyard and the lovely Colonnade Room. 



The Colonnade Room was decorated with simple yet beautiful centerpieces by Petal’s Edge who also designed the bride and bridal party’s bouquets.  The bride and groom worked with the amazing Bob Mikolitch at the Fairmont to design a menu that included lobster mac and cheese, mini monte cristos and mini pizzas for cocktail hour and vegetable wellington and free range chicken for dinner.  

Once dinner was done, guests were ready to dance the night away.  With the help of the talented band Prelude, that was accomplished.  At one point, I looked around and not one person was sitting (especially during the 10 minute long hora).  After a late night of dancing, the bride and groom left for an eight day trip to Hawaii.



Thank you to all of the vendors that help make this day possible and also to my wonderful assistant, Lauren.  Congratulations Sarah and Jason!

Christine

My Awesome Outdoor Duo!

Ok, I haven't blogged yet about my amazing Memorial Day weekend couple.  Stay tuned for pictures.  But you can check out Cherie and Trop and their story at a special Washington Post section:

LOVE them!

Sara