Death on the Aisle {Chapter Thirteen}

Chapter Thirteen

            “What do you mean you need to seal off the boat?”  I tried not to let my voice sound as hysterical as I felt. "Because you think the chef was murdered?"

            Detective Reese took my arm and pulled me away from the crowds that had gathered in the parking lot. “Keep your voice down. I don’t want people to panic and start rumors.”

            I tried to stay outraged but he was holding me so that I was nearly pressed against him. “If you shut down my wedding, I’ll be the one panicking.” I held up a hand and started ticking off fingers trying hard not to focus on how good he smelled. “Not to mention the bride, her stepmother, Richard. . . .”

            “Be reasonable, Annabelle,” Reese said. “If this is a murder, we can’t let you have a wedding on top of the crime scene.”

            “The wedding is still a few days away,” I said, wiggling out of his grasp. “Can’t you get all the evidence you need before then?”

            Reese shifted from one leg to the other. “Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean the boat is safe. If it was an accident, there could be faulty wiring and you don’t want that during a wedding.”

            I crossed my arms over my chest. “But you don’t believe it was an accident, do you?”

            Reese looked uncomfortable. “No, I don’t.”

            “So bad wiring is out.”

            “That still leaves you with a killer on the loose,” Reese said. “And no idea of motive.”

            “Throw me something I haven’t dealt with before,” I sighed.

            Reese saw that I was serious and laughed. “Are all wedding planners like you?”

            “Definitely not,” Richard said, joining the conversation.  “She’s one in a million.” From his tone, I couldn’t tell whether I’d just been complimented or insulted. But that was usually the way with Richard.

            “What do I have to do so you won’t seal off the boat?” I begged Reese.

            He considered me for a moment. “Can you convince the family to pay for private security?”

            I glanced at Richard and he nodded. “I’m sure they’d pay for anything that would keep the wedding plans moving ahead.”

            Reese pulled out his cell phone. “I’m going to call the best security company I know, all former law enforcement guys, and have them put a 24-hour surveillance crew onboard. That way we can make sure that nothing else happens and that our officers can process the evidence.”

            I breathed a sigh of relief. “That sounds fair.”

            Reese dialed with his thumb and then narrowed his gaze at Richard and me. “They’re going to be reporting straight to me, so both of you had better behave.”

            Richard put a hand on his chest. “I resent the implication that I would do anything but help law enforcement to the best of my ability.”

            “Seriously?” I whispered to Richard as Reese turned away and talked into his phone.

            “Too much?” Richard asked.

            “Well, considering you’ve operated your business against police orders before and tried to get Leatrice falsely arrested on more than one occasion it may be a touch insincere.”

            Richard tapped his chin. “You make some good points.”

            Leatrice walked up with Brody in tow as Reese put his cell phone back in his jeans pocket and turned back to us. He jumped a bit when he saw Leatrice standing there but a tiny old lady with jet-black hair and a full-on sailor suit could do that to anyone.

            “We’re all set with the security,” Reese said. “They’ll be here in an hour or so.”

            “Security?” Brody asked. “What’s going on?”

            “There’s been a murder, dear, remember?” Leatrice said in a stage whisper and patted his arm. She leaned over to me. “He’s very distraught.”

            Reese looked like he was making an effort not to laugh. “In order to move forward with the wedding plans, we need to put some security on the boat.”

            “Like armed guards?” Brody asked.

            “More like retired cops,” Reese explained. “Just to keep an eye on things and make sure there aren’t any more accidents what with all the wedding preparations going on.”

            “I suppose that’s necessary?” Brody rubbed his forehead. “My stepsister is already pretty upset.”

            Reese shrugged. “It’s necessary if she still wants to get married on the boat. Otherwise, we can remove everyone from onboard, seal off the boat and lock it down entirely.”

            Brody’s eyes widened. “My mother would flip out.” He looked at Richard and me. “And that’s something you don’t want to be near.”

            “So as long as we have the security team, we can go ahead with the wedding as planned?” Richard asked.

            “Once the forensics team is done.”

            “Forensics?” Brody looked at the boat. “This is out of control.”

            I’d seen a lot of wedding craziness, but I had to agree with him. This wedding was not going as planned.

From The Cathedral to The Corcoran {Sneak Peek}

This is one of my favorite shots from a wedding I did at The National Cathedral and The Corcoran. I've worked at both many times and love them for their grandeur and their quintessential Washington elegance.  I love this quiet moment in a wedding day full of excitement and energy because the couple is enjoying a few moments walking in the Cathedral gardens before dashing off to the reception. The day is perfect, the sun is dipping low and you couldn't hear anything but the bride and groom whispering to each other. Perfect!

Thanks to Greg Gibson for the always breathtaking images. More on this stunning wedding to come!
Laura

Ladyfingers Letterpress {Wedding Invitations}

I just opened a package from the lovely ladies at Ladyfingers Letterpress and was so charmed!  The gorgeous paper, the sassy inks and the delightful design make me stop in my tracks, and I just had to share this find with you.

Not only do I love this company's work, I really love their story and their company philosophy. The company owners, Morgan and Arley, met after both graduated from design school (one from RISD and one from Parsons). They fell in love, got engaged and couldn't find any wedding invitations that spoke to them so they did what any creative, entrepreneur-types would do: they started their own invitation company to be LGBT-friendly and appeal to all couples.

 

I also love that the company has a program they call "Ten Percent 4 Love." Because they feel so strongly that discrimination towards people because of their sexual preference, race, religion, etc, is wrong, they donate 10% of the total cost of every order placed through Ladyfingers Letterpress to the Human Rights Campaign. The Human Rights Campaign is a non-profit organization that works for equal rights and marriage equality in America.

 Be sure to check out the gorgeous work from these talented women who are making a difference one invitation at a time! And while you're perusing, be sure to read their bios. These are two cool women. Hot air ballooning and pie-making? When can we go hang out with them?

A Spring Cocktail {The W Hotel}

Last week, the Engaging Affairs team was lucky enough to enjoy drinks on the rooftop terrace of The W Hotel in Washington D.C. What an amazing view and stunning setting! Watching the sun set while sipping on specialty cocktails and nibbling on flat bread pizzas is the perfect end to a day.  The W has just added the flat bread pizzas to their rooftop menu and they are so yummy. The flavors are truly decadent: truffles, wild mushrooms, tomato and basil.

The rooftop at The W is also known for their fabulous drinks. This is the place for a hand-crafted Dark and Stormy or a really fresh Strawberry Lemonade.  My favorite drink is their Berry Capriosca. If you can't get to the rooftop at The W to try it out, you can try your hand at making them yourself (but you won't have the killer view)!

Berry Capriosca from P.O.V. at The W Hotel D.C.


1.5 oz vodka
1 oz simple syrup
4-6 muddling limes
muddled berry assortment
ice cubes, crushed


Slice limes, muddle with berries in your chosen glass. Fill glass with crushed ice and pour on the vodka, top up with simple syrup, gently mix and then serve.


The best place to enjoy a perfect Spring evening is on the roof of The W with a fabulous drink so we hope to see you there!

Starting the Year off Right {Shannon & Kevin}

2011 is going to be a great year for weddings.  I know because for me, it started on the most beautiful day in March we've had.  Shannon and Kevin really lucked out for their St. Patrick's Day-esque wedding on March 19th at St. Bartholomew's and Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD.

Just look at the view from Shannon's bridal suite over the 18th hole of the golf course.

Shannon got her bridesmaids the most beautiful necklaces from Stella and Dot (Stella being my favorite name so be sure to look out for a dedicated blog on their stuff soon).

Shannon took time out from dancing to pose for a picture with her best friend Claudia.

Of course, it wouldn't be an Irish wedding without lot's of beer.  This was the beverage of choice for most guests over the weekend and just so that their guests keep them in mind long after the party has ended, Shannon and Kevin sent their friends and family home with custom beer koozies to get them through the rest of March Madness and into the summer months.

Thank you Shannon and Kevin for a great first wedding of 2011!

Sara

Death on the Aisle {Chapter Twelve}

 Thanks for your patience, everyone! I'm writing two books at the same time (only one of which is going up on the blog) so it gets a little crazy sometimes going back and forth between them. Sorry if I miss a week here or there. Thanks for reading! I really appreciate all your sweet emails and comments. I'm amazingly lucky to have wonderful readers and Annabelle Archer fans. Have a fabulous weekend!

Laura

Chapter Twelve

            “It was awful.” Richard had fought his way off the boat and the police gave up trying to keep him quiet.

            “We already questioned him,” one of the officers said to Detective Reese when they let Richard off the dock. “He’s all yours.”

Reese didn’t look thrilled.

“Richard.” I grabbed him by the shoulders. “What happened?”

Richard took out a lavender toile pocket square and dabbed his brow. “I just went in the kitchen to talk to the chef about our kitchen space. That galley kitchen is much too small for us to cook out of but I thought the ovens might be good for warming food. The equipment is top-of-the-line, you know.  And have you seen the wine cellar?”

Reese cleared his throat and gave Richard a pointed look. “Is this going anywhere?”

Richard pursed his lips and turned away from Reese. “As I was saying, I was talking to the chef about his equipment when he plugged in the blender and started twitching.” Richard put a hand to his mouth. “It took me a minute to realize he wasn’t just disagreeing with me.”

I put an arm around Richard. “That’s awful.”

“When he collapsed, I realized something was wrong and called for help.”

Reese took notes in his small leather notepad. “He screamed so loud that the police got calls from half a dozen nearby boats.”

“You’d think that someone would have come faster.” Now it was Richard’s turn to give Reese a pointed look. “I thought the DC response time had improved but the captain was the first person on the scene and then Mandy. It was a good ten minutes before the police showed up. I had to help Mandy to her quarters before they even arrived because she became a bit hysterical.”

I could only imagine what a mess Mandy had been if Richard classified her as hysterical. Richard didn’t look so hot himself. His beige linen suit looked like it had been slept in.

“Do you want me to take you home so you can change?” I asked.

“Change?”

“Well, your suit is all wrinkled,” I said.

Richard looked at the creases in his pants and jacket. “This is linen, darling. They’re money wrinkles.”

“Wrinkles are wrinkles, if you ask me,” Kate said, walking up to join us.

“I certainly didn’t ask  . . .” Richard began, running his hand over his jacket sleeve.

 “I thought you were helping Leatrice entertain Brody,” I said. I looked across the parking lot to where Leatrice stood her arm tightly linked with the bride’s stepbrother.  Brody wasn’t getting free from Leatrice anytime soon.  I only hoped he enjoyed talking about Matlock or violent crime reports.

Kate threw up her arms in mock surrender. “I give. A fiancé I can handle. But a fiancé and Leatrice? No thanks.”

“It isn’t like you to throw in the towel so easily,” Richard said. “Especially when they’re cute.”

“Well, I’m already seeing a couple of people and if I get too many, it just gets confusing.” Kate said. “You know what they say, two’s company, three’s too loud.”

Richard gave her a snarky smile. “I’m sure it is.”

I elbowed him and noticed Reese grinning at me. I gave him an apologetic smile. There was no chance of steering the conversation back to how I’d missed talking to him or how long it had been since we’d seen each other. Not with Richard and Kate (not to mention Leatrice) out in full force.

Richard tapped his pen on his notepad and looked at Richard. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Richard shrugged.

“Why was the chef plugging in the blender?” Reese asked.

“To make Mrs. Barbery’s smoothie. She has them three times a day so she can lose weight before the wedding.”

“Really?” Reese scratched away in his notepad.

“Mandy told me when I walked her down to her room. She was babbling about the smoothies and how it was Mrs. Barbery’s newest obsession and she had the chef get fruit each morning and make them fresh. But she got bored easily so he had to come up with new combinations every time.”

“So it sounds like anyone who knew about this would know that the chef would use the blender on a regular basis,” Reese said.

“What are you thinking?” I asked.
            “That I’m glad I don’t work for Mrs. Barbery.” Richard shuddered. “A top-notch chef like Bernard being reduced to making smoothies. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a suicide.”

I ignored him and looked at Reese.

Detective Reese swung his notepad shut. “I’m thinking premeditated murder.”

Inspiration Flashback {Cherry Blossom}

credits: tablescape (A Delightful Day), bridesmaid dresses (In Style Weddings), centerpieces (In Style Weddings), cakes (Martha Stewart), invitations (Hello Lucky), landscape (Martha Stewart), cupcakes (Martha Stewart), cake slice (Martha Stewart), boutonnieres (Martha Stewart)

As the trees and flowers begin budding and blooming here in D.C., that means one thing: cherry blossoms are almost here! Enjoy this flashback inspiration board inspired by our city's trademark blooms!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today reminds me of the amazing trip to Ireland last year with Engaged Magazine. Ireland is such an amazing place for a wedding with all of its castles, gorgeous coastline and luxury hotels. Here we are at the historic Powerscourt estate (imagine a cocktail party on this lawn)!

And at the stunning Ritz-Carlton Powersourt!

And sampling the local brew!

Ah, to be back in Ireland!  Happy St. Patrick's Day! Thanks to Jennifer Lust for the fab photos that bring back great memories!

Welcome to our Newest Weddingista!

Engaging Affairs is thrilled to announce that we have a fabulous new associate, or as we like to say, Weddingista!  Amanda Smith brings a ton of wedding and event experience to our team, having planned weddings for the Clarendon Ballroom for several years before moving to DC Rental where she designed looks for events in venues all over the city.  We're so excited to welcome her as part of our awesome wedding planning team!

Engaging Affairs at the Top of The Hay

I wanted to share the fun space we created for Engaging Affairs at the Engaged Show last Sunday at The Top of The Hay-Adams Hotel. Since our company colors are pale green, white and black (with a touch of pink when we're feeling preppy), we set up a fun area using modern lounge furniture from Capital Decor and flowering branches from Janet Flowers. 

Ghost chairs were topped with green petaled pillows and lacy white compote bowls held mint green macaroons.  A black basket was filled with green and white pashminas tied with pink rafia as our gift to brides.

Sara, Amanda and I wore white suits and red pumps (we just love red shoes)!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see us last weekend.  We had an amazing time meeting brides (and their grooms, mothers and friends)! And thanks to our friend and amazing photographer Jennifer Lust for the fab photos!