The Tea Can Company {New Find}

I love the pretty customized tins of specialty tea from The Tea Can Company for wedding favors or to put into welcome bags. You can get a sampler bag of lots of different teas or a pretty tin. I've personally sampled the Moroccan Mint tea and it's so yummy!

Top 5 Tips For Planning a Destination Wedding!

Have you decided to jaunt off and get married someplace exotic?  A Caribbean island perhaps or a romantic castle in Ireland?  Here are some tips from our own Amanda Smith McCabe who recently planned her own destination wedding in Turks and Caicos. Enjoy!

1)   If you have the time and resources, do a site visit!  Besides seeing your venue and putting a face with some of your vendors, you can learn valuable information such as cost and means of transportation from airport to hotel, length of time from airport to hotel, and restaurants or other site attractions nearby!  There also may be sections of the island/city/area that you do not want guests to go to!

 

2)   Hire a planner!  Just as if you were having your wedding locally, you will want to relax and enjoy your day.  You can bring someone down with you from your hometown or research to see if there are planners that are local on the island- they can be a valuable resource!

3)   Before you decide to ship down favors/welcome bags/décor, do some research on the import tax if you are in a different country than the US!  It may be more practical to bring these items down in suitcases- plus that leaves room for more shopping after the wedding!

4)   Don’t be scared to get some vendors locally.  They, after all, live there!  Unless your dream is peonies at your wedding- trust the locally grown florals- they look fantastic in their home setting!

 5)   HAVE FUN!  How often do you get to have a group of friends and family (most who probably don’t know each other well) all together in one location for a few days?!  I love the idea of planning some side activities such as snorkeling, fishing, horseback riding, etc. to have those special experiences with your guests!!

The Dandelion Patch {Vendor Love}

If you haven't noticed, there have been dandelion patches springing up all over the DC area. First out in Virginia, then Georgetown and now at National Harbor! We don't mean the sweet little flowers that my daughter loves to pick but the super-stylish paper and gift shops named "The Dandelion Patch."

We are huge fans of these fabulous shops and our brides love shopping there for elegant invitations, swanky save-the-dates and even deluxe bridesmaids' gifts.  These fresh stores really do have an amazing selection of upscale paper products (think luxurious letterpress from Sugar and sophisticated Vera Wang designs), Vera Bradley totes in all colors and even fabulous favors.

Now that there are so many locations, it's even easier to pop in a check out their amazing selection. I just bopped over to the new National Harbor store the other day and picked up a gorgeous layered necklace.  We were lucky enough to co-host a "Paper Party" with the Georgetown Patch a few months ago and their amazing team (pictured below) led our brides through the process of wedding paper products.  And on top of it all, The Dandelion Patch is headed by the fabulous Heidi Kallett, who is truly one of the sweetest and most delightful people we know!

So if you're looking for invitations or just a pretty present, skip on over to "The Dandelion Patch" and have a blast!

Styling Night at Hitched!

Accessorizing an outfit to fit your personal style can be a bit of a challenge, and the process can seem even more daunting when it comes to your wedding day ensemble! If you've been feeling a bit overwhelmed [or underwhelmed, for that matter] by the selection of bling and baubles you've seen so far, stress no more! The Hitched gals would love to help you put the final touches on your bridal look at their next Hitched Styling Night on Thursday, August 23rd!!

What: Styling Night Open House at Hitched

When: Thursday, August 23rd from 5pm-8pm

Why: To experience an incredible selection of veils, jewelry, belts, sashes, birdcages, statement necklaces and hairpieces to complete your wedding day look!

Details & Perks: As an added perk, all accessories purchased during the event will be 10% off!

RSVP: 202.333.6162 or info@hitchedsalon.com
No appointment is necessary, but they do need an RSVP for the Open House.

Breathtaking Waterfront Wedding Featured in Sarasota Magazine!

The media blitz continues with one of Sara's gorgeous weddings (this one took place in Sarasota, Florida) appearing in the latest issue of Sarasota Magazine.  The wedding of Jessica and Todd was featured in the magazine's annual Platinum issue featuring the most luxurious weddings and we must agree. This wedding was exquisite and elegant!

Glamorous NYC Wedding Featured in The Knot Magazine{Real Weddings}

More stunning Engaging Affairs weddings by Christine featured in The Knot Magazine!  We love the fun shots of the bridal party around New York City--so fun!!

Engaging Affairs in The Knot {Real Weddings}

We're thrilled that Christine's two latest NYC weddings have been featured in The Knot magazine! First up, Samira and Jesse's sultry Gotham Hall wedding.

Monique Lhuillier at Carine's {Trunk Show}

Wedding Planners Save the Day!!

At almost every wedding I've ever coordinated, I stop and wonder at some point how things would have gone if I hadn't been there. There have been so many times when I've done things behind-the-scenes to prevent a disaster or make something happen perfectly. Not every wedding . . . but just about.  Sometimes it's something small like sewing a missing button back on the groom's tux right before the ceremony but sometimes it's something big. What Christine did to save her wedding this past Saturday was BIG.

I love getting to assist my team (assisting is a breeze compared to being the go-to planner) and Saturday I bopped on down to The Mandarin Hotel to help out Christine.  When I arrived, she'd already discovered that the bride really wanted plywood under the aisle runner because the ground was soggy and everyone's heels were sinking. Alas, the design company didn't have plywood so Christine made a few phone calls and found someone who could run out and buy the plywood (not easy to find on a Saturday morning), load it onto a truck and deliver it to us. This may have been the first weeding where I've actually helped haul sheets of plywood from a hotel loading dock (hello, splinters)!

The first crisis was averted and the now sturdy aisle runner was in place when the rain storm we'd been watching on radar all day decided to unleash on us 10 minutes before ceremony time. We rushed the important items inside (like the microphones and keyboard) but Christine remained outside with the amazing Bret from The Mandarin and the two of them held onto the chuppah to make sure it didn't blow away in the increasingly strong winds. Talk about dedication!

The rain passed quickly and, along with the very efficient hotel staff, we got the ceremony chairs wiped off and everything moved back outside so the ceremony could begin only a couple of minutes later than originally planned.  Not every planner would have (literally) held the wedding together so that it could proceed so smoothly and with almost no delay. Completely impressive!

The bride and groom and their families were so appreciative and, although I know Christine would have done it regardless, their gratitude made everything even more worth it. Most couples have no idea all the things we do to make their weddings happen but it's nice when they thank you for getting splinters and getting soaked to the bone so their wedding can be fabulous!

Hats off to all the amazing wedding planners out there who make it happen (mostly behind-the-scenes) and huge kudos to Christine for being AMAZING!  I would love to hear from the other planners out there. What is your best wedding day save?
Laura

Stunning Indian Wedding at the Mandarin {Video}

Natasha & Ravinder's Wedding Highlight

Another gorgeous wedding planned by Christine and shot by Thomas Bowen at one of our very favorite venues, The Mandarin Oriental DC!  Enjoy!