Another Bridal Bubbly Giveaway!

Happy Friday everyone! It's time for more fun and free wedding goodies from Bridal Bubbly. Since we are all about wedding planning, we're offering a copy of "Stop! Don't Plan a Wedding Without This Book." This is my no-nonsense guide to planning a wedding without losing your mind. It's full of checklists and helpful tips. Kind of like a girlfriends' guide to wedding planning if your girlfriend had planned 500 weddings!

Just send us a message and you'll be in the running. We'll draw a name next Friday. Good luck, everyone!

Have a great weekend, and wish us luck. We have a couple of amazing weddings this weekend and our fingers are crossed for good weather!
Laura

Anna-Maier/Ulla-Maija Trunk Show {Hitched}

A personal favorite, Anna-Maier/Ulla-Maija, is showcasing at Hitched Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November 21st. For the discerning bride who wants a gown as unique and fabulous as she is.



From Hitched owners, Julia & Carin:

We are looking forward to having our favorite designers visit Hitched for the following trunk shows. Contact us at 202-333-6162 or appointments@hitchedsalon.com to schedule an appointment.

Anna-Maier/Ulla Maija Trunk Show
Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November 21st

Amsale Bridesmaid Trunk Show
Saturday, November 28th

Oscar de la Renta Trunk Show
Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th

Carine's Bridal Atelier Trunk Show and Anniversary Sale!

Be sure to check out the latest amazing trunk shows and celebrations at Carine's Bridal Atelier. Happy 3rd Anniversary to Carine and her amazing staff! Our brides love you guys!

Thursday, Nov 12 - Saturday, Nov 14
Junko Yoshioka Trunk Show
View the latest Fall 2010 and Spring 2010 Bridal Collections by Junko Yoshioka.
Save 12% off Thursday and Friday and save 10% off on Saturday on all Junko Yoshioka gowns purchased over the trunk show weekend. Japanese designer, Junko Yoshioka designs innovative contemporary gowns with the timeless elegance of haute couture. Her gowns are often seen on the red carpet on starlets such as Jessica Alba, Kathryn Heigl, Ana Paquin, Helen Hunt, Jamie Pressley among others.


Friday, Nov 20 - Saturday, Nov 21
Third Anniversary Sale
Celebrate Carine's Bridal Atelier's third anniversary of the store opening with 13% off your dream gown! This weekend only!


Carine's Bridal Atelier is open Monday-Friday from 11am-7pm and Saturdays from 11am-6pm. All viewings are by appointments only.

Location: 1726 Wisconsin Avenue, 2nd Flr. Washington, DC 20007. Phone: (202) 965-469.

A Carolina Blue Wedding: Hillary & Tim

Hilary and Tim were about as lucky as a bride and groom can get. Their mid-September wedding day was absolutely perfect: gorgeous blue skies, mid 70s, not too hot but not too cool. The exact day you envision when you decide on a September wedding in D.C. Especially when you get married at the DAR with the Washington Monument as your backdrop!








And the blue skies were a perfect match for the shades of blue they had chosen for their wedding colors. Both the bride and groom attended UNC so Carolina blue was in abundance at the wedding. This wedding was near and dear to our own Alison's heart because she went to UNC so she was thrilled by the profusion of pale blue! Those who know me know that I favor a darker hue (some might call it "Duke" blue) but I have to admit the wedding colors were spectacular.





I started working with Hillary only a few months before her wedding but was immediately impressed by her organization. And that was before I met her mom! My heart sang when I saw that all of the wedding items the Mother of the Bride gave me were labeled and organized in boxes according to their use. Talk about wedding planner heaven! And on top of being super-organized, everyone (from the bride and groom to their families to the guests) was about as nice as humanly possible. Being a North Carolina girl myself, it was wonderful to be in a room brimming with Southern hospitality.




Everything on the wedding day went as perfectly as the weather. Thom from Dragonfly created the gorgeous floral decor while we set up for the ceremony. The bride got dressed upstairs in her stunning gown from Hitched. The ceremony featured a string quartet and solos from a family friend with a beautiful tenor voice.








After the ceremony, the bride and groom ran off to take photos with Babs Evangelista with Poetic Reality Produtions, a super-talented photographer they brought up from North Carolina. They even stopped and grabbed a hot dog from a street vendor before heading back to the party!







Guests went inside the O'Byrne Gallery for a lovely dinner by Capitol Catering, which was topped off by cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes. I have never seen a cupcake display cleared out so quickly. These guests loved cupcakes!





A guest writes a note to put in the antique birdcage that served as a "guest book."



After dinner, guests moved back out to the portico where they danced the rest of the evening away under the stars. The fabulous DJ Derrick from Bialek's Music provided both cocktail and reception music and set the perfect tone for the evening. It was truly a perfect September wedding in the city!


The bride and groom depart amid a flurry of bubbles!

Thanks to Babs for sharing her stunning images with us, and thanks to the amazing vendors who made the day flawless!

Laura

More Fall Wedding Details!

Photo Credit: Love Life Images

With the temperature dropping and more and more leaves falling outside the
Engaging Affairs' office windows, we thought it’d be fun to celebrate the season
by posting some of our all-time favorite autumn wedding details!

Speaking of leaves… a few weeks ago, Laura shared bride Kendall’s
foliage-inspired Save-the-Dates and invitations. Leaves can also be a festive
substitute for flower petals strewn down the aisle, and give floral arrangements
and centerpieces that perfect fall touch!






Photo credits: i.ehow, Martha Stewart Weddings

And of course, nothing says autumn like pumpkins!
Whether you’re getting married in a rustic barn or
elegant ballroom, with a little creativity, these fall
staples can be inserted seamlessly to create a real wow factor.

Photo Credits: Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding, Portland Wedding and Portrait Photography, Love Life Images- Stephen Bobb 

And because everything should end with food, some delicious images of
autumn’s bounty to send you on your way (and if you’re like me, straight to the
refrigerator— I thought I saw a slice of pecan pie in there somewhere...)



We seem to be drawn to silhouettes lately.  These cinnamon
orange molasses silhouette cookies look so yummy!



Caramel cookie coffee warmers--
they even sound cozy!


What could be more Fall than s'mores? 
Love the pre-packaged s'mores favor!

Photo credits: Smores from Little White Book, all other images Martha Stewart Weddings

Happy Fall, everyone!
Alison

Engagement Photos {Amy & Clark}

Clark and I recently met up with a great friend of mine, Ralph Alswang, for our engagement photo shoot. Ralph is an amazing photographer and SO much fun to be on a shoot with! {Little known fact: He was the personal photog for Bill & Hillary during their 8 years in the White House}


We had a wonderful time revisiting our first date spot, Starbuck's on M Street in Georgetown. It brought back some great memories for Clark and I. Not to mention, it was good experience getting in front of the camera. I was surprisingly intimidated!! Engagement shoots can be fun and produce some pretty classic pics but if nothing else, it's a time for you to get comfortable in front of the camera! I cannot imagine if my wedding day was the first time I had had this experience as I am sure I would have been even more timid.



Tips for making the most out of your shoot from Ralph:
1) Make time in your schedule for the shoot depending on when the photog suggests will be the best light. Work and life may be insane but take the time to enjoy your engagement!
2) Start out at a location that sparks favorable memories of your time together. This will help you loosen up and get comfortable. If you want to go to a new location, talk to your photog about traveling there after you have had a few shots taken at a familiar spot.
3) Dress for success! Wear an outfit that is YOU - just like your wedding day, don't venture out of your comfort zone. Your confidence will shine through in your photos.
4) Snacks - not sure about anyone else, but snacks are a crucial piece to remaining in a good frame of mind for me. Hunger = unhappy bride ;)
5) Live it up! Being engaged is a wonderful season of life, enjoy being with one another!

Ralph also put together a fantastic little slide show for us - http://ralswang.myshowit.com/guthridge


For more of Ralph's fabulous photos, check out his website here. To get him on your wedding day dream team, he can be reached at ralph@ralphphoto.com.


xoxo,
Amy Lorraine

Freakin Fabulous Friday: Honeymoon Deals!

My brides have been using (and loving) Teresa Belcher of Honeymoon Islands for well over a decade now. She has planned some amazing honeymoons for my couples to everywhere from the Caribbean to Bora Bora to the Mexican Riveria. I have always loved Teresa's professionalism and attention to detail. I think that your honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime trip so it's important to work with someone who knows the romantic resorts and how to get the best deals. And Teresa really knows the honeymoon hot spots (and out-of-the-way spots) and how to get the most bang for your buck.

Even better, Teresa is now a member of the very prestigious organization, Virtuoso, to which less than 1% of all travel agents gain acceptance. Leveraging the combined buying power of Virtuoso, Teresa will now be able to not only offer the most competitive pricing in luxury travel, but also special added-value amenities, at no cost to the traveler. This translates to complimentary room upgrades, airport transfers, special dining experiences, exclusive shore excursions and custom itineraries for you, offered by the world’s best providers of upscale travel. Cool, huh?

Check out these deals from some gorgeous new luxury resorts in Mexico that Teresa is offering to readers of Bridal Bubbly!

Purchase one night, receive one night complimentary at Capella Pedregal - Cabo San Lucas Purchase one night at Capella Pedregal between now and December 18, 2009, and receive every second night complimentary. call Honeymoon Islands 800-937-3104 and ask for this offer. Honeymoon Islands, Inc Offer available for stays up to 14 nights, subject to availability; complimentary night(s) will be applied at checkout. Rates do not include 13% tax or 15% nightly service charge. Service charge equal to 15% of rate on paid night(s) will be applied on complimentary night(s). All rates are quoted in U.S. dollars. Advance Purchase Rate at Capella Pedregal Receive 20% off our Best Available Rates, good from December 19 to March 31, 2010. Must book by November 15, 2009. call Honeymoon Islands 800-937-3104 and ask for this offer. Honeymoon Islands, Inc Book by November 15 for stays from December 19, 2009, to March 31, 2010. Bookings are fully pre-paid at the time of booking and non-refundable. Rates do not include 13% tax and 15% daily service charge. Purchase one night, receive one night complimentary at Capella Ixtapa Purchase one night at Capella Ixtapa between now and December 25, 2009, and receive every second night complimentary. call Honeymoon Islands 800-937-3104 and ask for this offer. Honeymoon Islands, Inc Offer available for stays up to 14 nights, subject to availability; complimentary night(s) will be applied at checkout. Rates do not include 18% tax or 10% nightly service charge. Service charge equal to 10% of rate on paid night(s) will be applied on complimentary night(s). All rates are quoted in U.S. dollars. Advance Purchase Rate at Capella Ixtapa Receive 20% off our Best Available Rates, good from December 26 to March 31, 2010. Must book by November 15, 2009. call Honeymoon Islands 800-937-3104 and ask for this offer. Honeymoon Islands, Inc Book by November 15 for stays from December 26, 2009, to March 31, 2010. Bookings are fully pre-paid at the time of booking and non-refundable. Rates do not include 18% tax and 10% daily service charge.

Black and White Chic {Colleen and Mike}

Colleen and Mike were such a fun couple, and I was so excited to work with them on their wedding! Upon arriving to the St. Regis on the Big Day, the bride, surrounded by her bridesmaids, was all smiles. Giselle of Hair by Giselle was already working on everyone’s hair and Nour was working on their makeup. Colleen's dress was a stunning custom Monique Lhuillier creation from Carine's Bridal Atelier. Carine herself helped the bride into her dress! When it was time to head off to the ceremony, the bride was transported, along with her father, in a vintage Bentley provided by Regal Limo.

The venue they had chosen was the modern 2941 Restaurant located in Falls Church, VA. The restaurant, with floor to ceiling windows overlooks a man-made lake, which would serve as the backdrop for their outdoor vows. Guests were greeted by the two very large koi ponds located at the front of the restaurant as they arrived. The ceremony took place along the lake while waterfalls could be heard running in the background.

A black and white custom runner sets the modern tone.

A gorgeous profusion of all white flowers!


In addition to the beauty of the natural environment, DaVinci’s Florist designed beautiful white arrangements that served as additional décor for the ceremony. After the couple said their “I Do’s”, their guests enjoyed cocktails both outside by the lake and inside at the bar. The couple wanted their guests to be able to capture their own fun memories of this special day so they brought in a photobooth, provided by Booth-O-Rama. After cocktails, guests were invited inside to begin the dinner festivities.

The monogram at the top of the menu cards echoes the aisle runner.

Dinner began with guests being treated to a slide show of the couple, put together by the Maid of Honor, Carine of Carine’s Bridal Atelier. Guests then enjoyed their meals listening to the smooth sounds of the Brandon Combs Trio. The cake, provided by Lara of Fluffy Thoughts, was not only beautiful but super delicious.

The silhouette motif used on the program and the wedding cake. So retro chic!

After dinner, guests were invited into a separate room where a traditional Korean ceremony took place to honor the bride's heritage. After this beautiful ceremony, the guests were ready to party. DJ Nica cranked the music and guests danced through the night. All of these special memories were captured beautifully by Nicole and Brad of Sota Dzine Photography. Thank you for your amazing work!




I want to send a special thank my assistant for the day, Grace, who helped me make sure the evening was seamless and stress-free.

Christine