Spring (and love) is in the Air {Leslie + Steve}

There were so many personal family moments that made the wedding of Leslie and Steve an amazing celebration for all who attended. 

The bride and groom chose to get ready at their reception venue, The Fairfax at Embassy Row.  While the groom hung out with his groomsmen, the bride and her bridal party were primped by the very talented hairstylist, Diane of Hair by Diane and makeup artist, Lisa Martindale.  

Once makeup and hair were done, the bride slipped into her beautiful dress and fun shoes that had “I Do” on the soles.  

After some pictures around the classic car, the groomsmen headed over to Georgetown Epiphany Catholic Church to get tucked away before the bride arrived.  All video of the emotional ceremony was taken by Dennise of Timeless Memories.

With a color palette of chocolate brown paired with green and shades of pink, none of the details were overlooked, including programs, bridesmaid dresses, favor boxes and menu cards.

The bride and groom left the church amid a cloud of bubbles (one of our favorite photo ops)!

Photos were taken in the garden outside of the church by the creative Rodney Bailey, and then everyone headed back to The Fairfax for cocktails, dinner and dancing.  Upon arriving, guests were treated to the bride’s favorite cocktail, a mojito.

The beautiful floral decor was created by Petal’s Edge.  Even before dinner was served, the guests had filled the dance floor and were even dancing next to their tables.  You could tell already this was going to be a partying crowd!  Philadelphia’s Tribeca Grand Band was so amazing the bride’s father decided to extend the party as late as they could go.      

When guests needed a little sugar rush get back out on the dance floor, they nibbled on wedding cake designed by Lara of Fluffy Thoughts and a large dessert buffet provided by The Fairfax.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this wedding to make it a success!

Congratulations Leslie and Steve!

Christine

ACKC Cocoa Bar giveaway!

Man, I have got to stop writing these blog posts before lunch! Because there is no way you can peruse through the Artfully Chocolate Kingsbury Confections (ACKC) website without your stomach growling and your mouth watering at the sights. Forget eye candy—this is just pure candy. The finest cocoas and confections in the DC area.  

We all know life is like a box of chocolates. Well I would like this book of chocolates in my life, immediately. Pretty please with a cherry on top?

Chocolate for wedding favors are always a huge hit. At ACKC, artist-owner Eric Nelson says that brides and grooms love the truffles, and that in general, “People are really learning to appreciate locally-made artisan chocolates and how much more flavorful (and healthier) they are than mass produced chocolate.” (Confession: what I took away from that sentence is chocolate is healthy. Don’t correct me if I’m wrong.)  

We asked Eric, who shares the business with chocolatier Rob Kingsbury, a few questions after he was kind enough to offer Bridal Bubbly readers a $35 gift card to ACKC (which in addition to two cocoa bars in DC and Alexandria, also has an online store). Keep reading after the interview to find out how you can win the gift card! 

What is your favorite type of chocolate (or way to eat chocolate)? 

Rob loves the Chipotle Cinnamon truffle that we make and I love the Rita Hayworth milkshake (made with chocolate ice cream, ground cloves, caramel and orange extract).

If you could offer one tip for brides or grooms, what would it be? 

You are launching your life together.  Make your wedding as special as you possibly can.  Cherished memories can help pull you through life's challenges. 

Thanks, Eric! To enter to win the gift card, email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com with ACKC in the subject line. Good luck! Now I'm off to get something sweet to eat :)

-Alison 

How to contact ACKC:

Website: http://www.ackccocoabar.com/index.htm

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cocoabar

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ackc_cocoabar

Bonzie Winner!

The very lucky winner of the Bonzie wrap giveaway is  .  .  . me!  No, just kidding.  I wish!  The real winner of the Bonzie giveaway is Laura Biggers. 

Congratulations!  Laura, email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com and we will hook you up. More fab giveaways coming up so keep playing everyone!

Gilded Bee giveaway!

Yesterday, I called fashion designer Bonzie's creations total eye candy. Visiting the Etsy store of today's giveaway sponsor is akin to wandering down the aisles of a candy shop and wanting everything in the store. Sasha's creations are just so delicious--a feast for the eyes, and the kind of details that elevate a great wedding into an unforgettable one.  Not that you even need to be planning a wedding as an excuse to spend some time frolicking among the flowers and butterflies at the Gilded Bee. 

So now that you've got some Gilded Bee in your bonnet, enter today's giveaway for a chance to win a $40 gift certificate to the Etsy store. Just email us at weddings@engagingaffairs.com with Gilded Bee in the subject line to enter the drawing. The winner will be announced early next week. And in the meantime, enjoy this interview with the creative mind behind Gilded Bee, Sasha Lynne North. 

How did you start your business?

I started selling handmade stuff when I was a kid at craft fairs and local shops. Then after I graduated from high school, I discovered etsy. I started very small (etsy is so easy to use), and have been working towards selling online full time.

What is your design style?

Whimsical, and somewhat vintage. 

Where do you find inspiration?

Nature, the candy aisle at the grocery store, other crafters and artists, paint chips, vintage design, vintage ephemera and wallpaper-- almost anywhere.

What is your favorite design in your line? 

That's a hard choice! I love the butterflies and mini flowers :) 

What do you love about weddings?

The personalities behind the events.

What is one piece of advice you'd offer brides?

Incorporate what you love. Look for inspiration in quirky places. Once I made flowers from the wedding party’s favorite comics!


How to contact The Gilded Bee:
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thegildedbee
Blog: http://iamthebee.blogspot.com/

Good luck!
Alison

Bonzie bridal wrap giveaway!

Everyone at the Engaging Affairs office could not be more excited about this next giveaway, let me tell you. Excited, thrilled, and a wee bit envious for whoever the winner is, because the prize is just that good. 

There was a lot of drooling over keyboards the day we discovered Irish fashion label Bonzie's Etsy shop. Simply put, we're OBSESSED with Yvonne and Ger's "tattered chic neovictorian steampunk" aesthetic. It's just so cool. Behold:

I can keep going, you guys. Check out these boleros and wraps. Total eye candy:

And now the best part: Bonzie is giving away a bridal wrap to one very lucky Bridal Bubbly reader! The selection of wraps can be seen at this link to their Etsy store. They're all one size fits all, and all absolutely to die for. To enter the drawing, send an email with Bonzie in the title and a quick note to weddings@engagingaffairs.com.  We'll pick a winner on Friday so check back!

Thank you so much to the entire Bonzie team for this fabulous giveaway-- and a special thanks to Yvonne for sitting down for an interview!

How did you start your business?

Both Ger and I studied fashion and designs in University and we have always loved to create. However, it wasn't until we opened our wares to the International Online audience that things really took off. Coming from a small town in the South of Ireland had its limitations and we found that opening our world to a larger audience has really helped our brand establish over the last two years. We now run a busy etsy store where we sell our trademark wraps and boleros, as well as tattered couture accessories. We also keep a blog at www.designsbybonzie.blogspot.com where we share our world with our readers on a regular basis.

Where do you get your design inspiration?

We are both hopelessly romantic so we tend to look back to era's in fashion where romance, ruffles, decadent embellishments and elegant sensibilities were the order of the day! There is no finer period in time than the Victorian Era for this! Bonzie is particularly influenced by this time and create Victorian Inspired fashion with romantic, vintage appeal.

How would you define your style?

Hopelessly Romantic with an elegant edge!

What do you love about weddings?

The sheer excuse to dress up in finery! I love that a bridal party can totally indulge in whimsical nostalgia for the day and the overall fantasy of the elaborate ensembles. As designers it would be much like a child in a sweetshop!

What is one thing (equipment, tool, timesaver) you couldn't do without in your work?

This one might surprise you given that you might be expecting a sewing accoutrement, however I should think that the laptop and our accessibility to our clients worldwide via the web is one of our most indisposable items. We have enjoyed working with an online audience over the last few years and there is nothing quite like that feeling in the morning whereby you switch on your computer to find emails from brides all over the world introducing themselves and sharing their special day from afar. It's an incredible feeling that the world is so small and connected.

What is one piece of advice you'd give a bride?

Time and time again we would advise our brides to be totally ‘comfy’ with their choices in design/shade/style etc. Often brides get a lot of input from family and friends around them regarding what they should wear etc. However we would always recommend that a bride take a moment to ask herself if she is totally comfy in her choices as it is her special time and having confidence in her ensemble choices will go along way to feeling good on her big day! In a nutshell: try not to be influenced too much by those around you, take their advise on board but go with whatever makes you feel good about yourself overall!

How to contact Bonzie:

Etsy Store: www.etsy.com/shop/bonzie

Blog: www.designsbybonzie.blogspot.com 

Good luck!
Alison

Parker's Crazy Cookies Winner!

The winners keep coming!  Picking winner is seriously a lot of fun!  And in case you're wondering, we are super scientific over here. Okay, maybe not.  We have a bowls and tiny slips of paper and we all take turns grabbing names after being blindfolded and spun around a few (dozen) times.

Congratulations to Amy Wang for winning the 25 bags of wedding cookies.  Don't eat them all at once!

Introducing Seaside Collections!

Today we have a great deal for all the readers of Bridal Bubbly!  Any reader can get 20% off of any of the great products from Seaside Collections for the rest of the month of July.  Cool, huh?

Seaside Collections carries lovely Unity Sand Sets for your ceremony plus beautiful glass jars to be used for place "cards," centerpieces, favors or honeymoon memories.  Their products are perfect for beach weddings!

Plus, Seaside Collections is environmentally friendly.

• They use environmentally responsible materials and vendors to create, market, gift wrap, and ship their products (for example, recycled, natural, renewable, non-toxic, recyclable, reusable, biodegradable, FSC certified).
• They use the internet wherever possible for sales and marketing to limit the use of paper and reduce their carbon footprint.
• They reuse packaging wherever possible and recycle packaging and other waste that cannot be reused.
• They encourage clients to reuse or recycle everything they send them including packaging, gift wrap, ribbons, tags.
• They donate a portion of their profits to offset the carbon footprint they leave in creating and shipping their products and to charities that support beaches and oceans.

To take advantage of the great discount, use the code BB720 at checkout.  This offer can't be combined with other discounts or volume pricing.  Happy shopping!

A St. Regis Wedding with Heart

A couple of months ago, I had the distinct honor of working with Jennifer and Andres on their wedding.  I actually didn't meet the bride until about a month prior to the wedding and didn't lay eyes on the groom until the wedding weekend. Jennifer's mother and I did almost all of the planning together with the bride weighing in from overseas.  Very far overseas. You see, both the bride and groom were military doctors stationed in Afghanistan.

Luckily, the Mother of the Bride had exquisite taste and really worked hard to select things she thought her daughter would love.  Jennifer got home just a few weeks before the wedding and was able to come to the tasting and select linens and see the floral arrangement but the groom returned later so he missed all that fun.

After being pampered at the Andre Chreky Salon, the bride slipped into her gorgeous gown for some pre-wedding photos.  I love the Empire waist on this gown and the exquisite beading!

Then she was whisked off to the  ceremony at St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

She was ready to start the ceremony even before the priest was!  I love a bride who is on time.  We were perfectly on schedule (and most of the time a bit ahead) the entire day!

After the ceremony, the couple returned to the St. Regis Hotel for the reception.  Guests were entertained by a Latin guitarist from MSE Productions (a tribute to the groom's Colombian heritage) while dining on hors d'oeuvres.

The St. Regis looked gorgeous with stunning flowers from the always fabulous John Duffy of Yellow Door Floral Design and lighting from the talented guys at Event EQ.

We chose dark blue pintuck linens from DC Rental to set off the white and cream flowers.

The menu cards (all invitations, programs and menus courtesy of Michelle's Memos) tucked into the napkins had coordinating dark blue ink and we included "wish cards" at each place so guests could give the couple some advice or a wish for the future.

The pastry chef at The St. Regis created this breathtaking Wedgewood blue wedding cake!

 The couple practices their first dance with the amazing band, Nightsong, before guests come into the ballroom. Love this sweet moment and the gorgeous lighting! Nightsong kept the guests dancing the entire night and was so much fun to work with!

This was a very happy couple! Don't you love the pretty beaded ribbon tied around her hair?

What I loved about this couple was their perspective.  After living in a war zone for 6 months (and the groom actually volunteered after the bride received orders so he could be closer to her--how's that for true love?), they simply didn't let little things bother them. They never lost sight of what was important on the wedding day: getting married!  I felt very privileged to be a part of such a special day.  I had such fun working with the mother of the bride and loved getting to know the couple a little!

Thanks to everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this wedding so wonderful.  Haydee Gamez from the St. Regis was phenomenal; the St. Regis staff from our amazing captain, Luis, to the front desk managers to the banquet servers were so amazing; Linda and Esther from Linder and Associates ensured flawless transportation; Bill Bowen from Suburban Video was the pinnacle of professional and unobtrusive (and we can't wait to see the video!); and my assistant, Alison, was invaluable.  Special thanks to Steve Canning for sharing the gorgeous images!

Congratulations to Jennifer and Andres!
Laura

Sneak Peek!

Our spring season has been a busy one here at Engaging Affairs and I know we all have a TON of great weddings that we are working to blog about over the next few weeks!  On July 3rd, I had a blast at the new APhA venue {right on the corner of 23rd and Constitution} and had to share a snapshot!  The fabulous Jenni Green, of Studio Diana, was so kind as to share a few photos with me and I will be posting more soon. 

Happy Planning!
xoxo,
Amy Lorraine

Lillipop Winner!

Drum roll please! The winner of the $50 gift certificate to Lillipop Designs is Vicki Wanielista!  Congrats Vicki!  Shoot us and email and we will hook you up. 

Thanks to everyone who entered. Keep reading and entering.  We have another giveaway coming later today!