Love, love, LOVE in YELLOW!

Last week I posted parts of a speech given by father of the bride Aldred Williams. Here is the story of his daughter's day.

As I have previously mentioned, Lauren is the last of the Williams ladies I will get to work with. Youngest of three sisters, Lauren and Malik go back a few years. I was so excited to get the call from her last spring that they were in fact engaged and that Lauren would be planning her wedding from NYC for the next several months before the two moved back to VA.

We quickly chose the Hotel Monaco for her venue given the unique character of the "hotel" space. The fabulous Buddee Clinton made sure all the venue needs were addressed. Decor was an exiting part of the planning and Lauren wanted something fresh in design and fresh for the spring season. Yellow can be a hard color to pull off, but I was excited to match it with slate gray and Lauren quickly embraced all the possibilities. What's more refreshing in spring than lemon, yum!

So, yellow/lemon took on a life of it's own, showing up in the centerpieces, thanks to John Duffy of Yellow Door (how appropriate!) the favors, compliments of ETSY and even on the brides feet! (Stay turned for my exciting blog on wedding shoes- my love, love, LOVE!) The final touch, the yellow lighting on the columns. "The lighting made the room!" I can quote the mother of the bride exclaiming. "It always does," I replied :)

Lauren, Malik along with family and friends took to the dance floor and stayed there all night long thanks to DJ 2 Tone Jones. A shout out to Stephen from Love Life Images and Dolce video for capturing the fantastic night.


xox,
Sara

An Oxon Hill Manor Wedding with A View {Abby + Tim}

Abby & Tim came to me back in February to help them plan their May wedding. They wanted their day to have a sophisticated and intimate feel, which I believed they achieved beautifully.

The exciting day began with the bride, bridesmaids and mother of the bride getting their hair and makeup done, in the bridal suite at the Gaylord Hotel by the talented Kim Steele. The bride was quick to point out when I arrived that she could actually see her reception venue just a couple of miles away from her bedroom window (not planned at all). After hair and makeup was completed, she slipped into her wedding dress that she purchased at Hitched and began her formal photos in the Gaylord’s unique atrium. Photographer Joshua Komanapalli of Freed Photography took care of the ladies' pre-ceremony photos while photographer Bryan Blanken was shooting the men’s pre-ceremony photos.



The shades of peach and lavender are so beautiful together and are perfect for a Spring day in Washington!




The couple chose to get married in the ornate Holy Rosary Church in Washington DC, which was built in 1913. Lots of history at this wedding!




The reception was held at Oxon Hill Manor which sits on a bluff and has amazing views of the Potomac River and the new National harbor development. The tables and fire place ledges were decorated by Bloom Florist located across the bride in Alexandria, VA. Guests were able to sip delicious cocktails and nibble on tasty appetizers in the gardens surrounding the Manor. After the cocktail reception, guests moved inside to enjoy dinner prepared by an Engaging Affairs favorite, Occasions Caterers. The bride and groom worked alongside Meg to insure all that the guests were dining on was perfect including the very tasty dessert buffet that had an assortment of mini desserts. In addition to the desserts, the guests enjoyed delicious raspberry crème wedding cake (yes, you read that correctly…delicious) made by Alexandria Pastry Shop.

And what’s a party without music?! Everyone in the building (including the planners) enjoyed listening to the music of the very talented Winn Brothers. They were able to take requests from the bride and guests including songs such as Sweet Home Alabama, Life Goes On, Kiss.

A special thanks to Katz Audio/Visual, out of Charlottesville, who worked very hard (and succeeded) to get all of the a/v equipment set up within the short time frame allotted for us. I must also thank my fabulous assistant, Kim, who help make this day possible.

Congratulations Abby & Tim!

Christine

Pretty Plaid Wedding Inspiration

Clockwise from top left: tablescape (The Party Dress), cake (Flickr), linens (Brenda's Wedding Blog), invitations (Beast Pieces), candles (Things Festive), bouquet trim (Wedsmack), shoes (Things Festive), dresses (Wedding Stand)

Our love affair with patterns continues! We've done our fair share of Scottish weddings where the groom donned a kilt, but what about using this fun print throughout your wedding? If you claim some Scottish ancestry, you can use your family tartan or select another plaid that you like better (we won't tell).

A little goes a long way when it comes to plaid so be sure to balance it out with more monochromatic flowers and other details. You can also just use a touch here and there to pull the look together. We love the plaid bridesmaids' gowns and the spiky plaid heels are too-die-for! Enjoy!

Toile Wedding Inspiration

Starting at top left: programs, table setting (The Heart of the Sea), tablecloth (Williams Sonoma), ballet flats (Talbot's), cake (Martha Stewart Weddings), table runner (originalrunners.com), cake , china fingerbowls (Brenda's Wedding Blog), parasol (Totes.com)

This week we are all about prints! After spending a good part of last week creating escort card framed boards (more on our DIY fun to come) and searching fabric stores for the perfect blue print, we were reminded about all the amazing patterns and prints out there.

We've always loved toile. We've used pink toile for garden parties, black toile for museum weddings and just about every shade in between. We love the relaxed sophistication of toile. Toile is the cool kid of the pattern world who's cool without even trying. Why not add a touch of toile to your wedding?

Laura and Alison

Wedding Dance Lessons: To Take or Not To Take?

There is a lot of debate among my couples about whether or not to take dance lessons for their wedding. I'd say most intend to and more than half actually do it. I think dance lessons are a great idea and can be a fun prewedding activity. That being said, if one person is dead-set against it, then dragging them through the lessons will not be fun. Better to stand and sway than to have one person gritting their teeth through the dance.

But if you are both willing to try, then go for it! Guests love when couples have a fun first dance complete with spins and dips. And I love seeing the excitement on couples' faces when they finish their dance and get wild applause.

We love the folks at The Wedding Dance Specialists because, well, they specialize in teaching couples to do a first dance. Even in one lesson, they will have you dancing more smoothly! Our own Sara and her now husband took lessons through The Wedding Dance Specialists and danced like pros. Sara says that they are living proof that anyone can be taught!

I also love that The Wedding Dance Specialists work with you on selecting a first dance song and have a list of appropriate songs on their website with clips so you can listen to a bit of the song. As the folks on American Idol will tell you, song selection is important. There is nothing more awkward than realizing halfway through a first dance that the lyrics are totally inappropriate.

So check out The Wedding Dance Specialists and get dancing!

Tag Sale Chic {Three Potato Four}

So, after my amazing wedding on Friday at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (more on that to come), I woke up to our neighborhood's semi-annual tag sale. I'd entertained visions of clearing out our house and setting up shop in our yard, but I was still too weary from running around the day before to trundle out the folding tables and clothes racks. I had promised my four-year-old daughter that she could hold a bake sale, though, so there I was baking cupcakes and brownies at seven in the morning.

Since I was on bake sale duty (and I have to admit that my daughter made a tidy little profit off her cupcakes and brownies), I didn't get to walk around a see what people had out. The reality is that I don't get to flea markets and antique stores as often as I'd like to search for great wedding details. Which is why I was thrilled to find the website Three Potato Four. The site is like a fabulous vintage tag sale or flea market. They have all sorts of great items and finding them is as easy as point and click. I love the custom signs and the fun paper products.





They have a great selection of vintage glass bottles that would work well for centerpieces or even as drink carafes or to serve your signature cocktail from.




Plus, they have tons of fun ways to do table numbers.


I could wander for hours on this site! I hope you have as much fun as I do. Happy shopping!
Laura

Artfully Done {Heidi + Michael}

There is always tons of excitement when Wedding Day approaches for each client we work with. However, for this wedding there was an extra measure of thrill in the air on April 10th as we were the very 1st wedding to take place at the Long View Gallery! And paired with the most fantastic couple, Heidi + Michael, it was such a fun day for everyone!

We did have a few obstacles to overcome that day... mainly that the Secret Service had put up steel walls along 9th St NW to protect the Convention Center for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit. Luckily, Suzi from the Gallery made a quick phone call and we were able to get Secret Service to remove the wall from the front door of the Gallery! Never a dull moment in Washington, DC. The entire crowd was incredibly upbeat all day and lasted through the 7 hour reception - complete with dancing and cigars out back in the alley. My absolute favorite point during the evening was the impromptu smashing of the glass and hora that took place out back sometime around 11pm! What a riot!

HUGE thanks to Robert Holley Photography for capturing the day and getting us fabulous photos to share with you!

I just adore the way the light was streaming in through the garage door! Just enough for an effect worthy of the art-filled space.






We even had our own National Championship Winning Oyster Shuckers on hand for the cocktail hour - HUGE hit with the crowd! Thanks to Martooni's for coming to the wedding and sharing their awesome shucking expertise with us!

Heidi had the perfect perspective on her wedding day - have fun and enjoy the day!

I love how the space transformed from lofty ceremony to a cozy dinner atmosphere. The lighting couldn't have been better for both aspects of the wedding.

Cigars and the hora in the alley, the night just couldn't have been better! Long View offers a TON of options with their alley space - you can even put up a tent to extend the usable indoor space and set up a lounge style space in the back.



Thank you to all the vendors that made Heidi + Michael's day a truly wonderful experience. I can't wait to work with you all next time!

Venue: Long View Gallery
Caterer: Grand Cuisine
Photographer: Robert Holley
Entertainment: DJ Hawk
Bridal Gown: Hitched
Oysters: ProFish
Oyster Shuckers: Martooni's
Trusty Assistant (who saved the day more than once!): Clark
Cake: Fluffy Thoughts
Valet: Marc Parc Valet

Happy Planning!
xo,
Amy Lorraine

Wedding Treats as American as Apple Pie

I know this is not a pressing issue or even one that merits lengthy debate in the wedding world, but I miss apple pie and chocolate chip cookies. Not apple tartin or apple crepes. Regular old apple pie.

The last few restaurants I've been to have had dessert menus that feature culinary delights that are infused with lavender foam or are deconstructed or are topped with sugar cages. All lovely and adventurous options, I'll admit. But none are what I'd call comforting. I love Blue Duck Tavern in D.C. as much for its apple pie and tin of sugar cookies as anything else. The rest of the menu is amazing but, let's face it, I'm really there for the desserts.

I miss apple pie and peach cobbler. Chocolate chip cookies and warm brownies. Real wholesome desserts that make you want to lick the plate, not take a picture of the impressive presentation. Now, don't get me wrong. I can appreciate a cherry blossom branch made out of chocolate and spun sugar that looks like a bride and groom but I don't get cravings for them.



I did a wedding not too long ago where the bride served peach cobbler on her dessert buffet and the guests couldn't get enough of it. Forget the truffles and petit fours. These black-tie guests were happily chowing down on huge bowls of cobbler. And when we serve warm cookies and shots of milk at weddings, it is always a huge hit!

So when you're thinking about dessert at your wedding, think about what you really crave and love. I even had a bride do funnel cakes and cotton candy for her wedding dessert last year and people went nuts for it. Remember that formal and elegant can also be fun and seriously yummy!

What fabulous sweets are you planning to have at your wedding?

Dad's Speech, Listen Closely

We've all heard them. Well, we've heard them begin. Very often, we also hear the last few lines asking us to raise a glass in toast to his daughter and new son. I for sure, have heard my fair share. Some have brought me to tears, others have made me laugh out loud and still others have caused me to walk out of the room and grab a drink :) The art of crafting the perfect welcome/toast to the couple that will appeal to both family and friends is one that does not come easily to all. So what's the secret? A creative writing class? Revisions by the bride or mother of the bride? Who can help our dads?

This past weekend, I had the great joy of working with the Williams family for the second time. Andi and Aldred gave away their youngest daughter Lauren to Malik in great style and I would have expected nothing less. When I first worked with the family almost 4 years ago, I noted the very sentimental speech Aldred gave in honor of middle daughter Devon when she married Adam. I was impressed. I've heard many tributes from dad since then and after this past weekends' words, I found it so necessary to post a few heartfelt excerpts for a chuckle and a sigh.

The road to this union was not without drama
Sometimes there's disagreements and mental trauma
I tried to warn him...show him what's it all about
Let him see after 40 years of marriage, my Creole
Woman still dogs me out.
Malik is not Brazilian, Native Indian or Welsh..
He used to be somebody but now he's somebody else

When he purchases that 72 inch, flat screen HD
Television....fully enhanced
It won't be to watch Kobe and Labron but
....So You Think You Can Dance.

A few days before the wedding
I brought a new grill
But could not put it together
Because I was ill
I asked Malik if he was up to the task
He said sure Doc why do you even ask
After 5 hours of struggle
And with my deck in disarray
Lauren peaked in to save the day
She didn't turn to her father to take a knowledgeable
Stance
She got her Mom who really wears the pants

This was an exercise in training
For life after the weddin
You see Lauren will become Ophra and Malik will become Steadman!

I remember when she was a little girl not that long ago
Lauren and I entered in the annual German kite show.
Her bight shiny eyes were huge with glee
As our kite soared the highest as everyone could see

It was at that moment I realized a monumental thrill
And just knew Lauren would always be my baby girl

We won the contest that day and I was on cloud nine
Little did I know that in the future she would find

A man who could make her feel comparable joy
You know what....I should have had a damn boy.


Aldred, thank you for letting me share your words. I know how much time you put into creating the perfect toast to Lauren and Malik. (Some say the process may have begun before the engagement). Stay tuned for pictures from Lauren and Malik's wedding at the Hotel Monaco in DC
Sara

Aveda & Adele Wechsler Green Wedding Event

Calling all DC brides! Aveda in Georgetown is hosting a fabulous "green" bridal event with Adele Wechsler on Sunday, May 23 from 2-6pm. You will get tips on bridal beauty from Aveda plus get to see the latest from the Adele Wechsler line of eco-friendly wedding gowns. Guests can win Aveda prizes and brides can register to win a honeymoon to Belize or an Adele Wechsler gown! How amazing is that? Hope to see you there!