District Weddings » Planning & Ideas

Sareh Nouri

Danielle Freedman — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:47:52 +0000

I always love seeing local talent and when I got wind of Sareh Nouri recently, I was totally blown away — I mean, look at these jaw-dropping designs!?

Well, if you are as in awe as I am, then you are in luck because Love Couture Bridal is hosting a trunk show this weekend!

If you need a little more eye candy to get through this dreary day, then here are even more lovely Sareh Nouri designs to enjoy…

Photography: Moshe Zusman; Make Up: Makeup By Nour Kazoun for Madeupart; Hair: Bridal Hair by Remona

Dance Band Showcase – Monday, February 6th

Danielle Freedman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:12:23 +0000

When I work with couples, they often feel like they need to see a band perform before they hire them for the big day. Of course, this is totally understandable, but sometimes it can be hard to do as are often playing at other private events and book up quickly. So, when a showcase comes to town, it is a huge opportunity to check out D.C.’s top entertainment talent.

On Monday, February 6th, Elan Artists brings top bands in our area, including two of my favorites, the Source and Raggs and The All Stars, to a showcase at the Willard.

In the meantime, I caught up with my friends at Elan to ask a little bit about the bands and working with them…

How do you describe the Source and Raggs & The All Star’s individual sounds? To what type of couple would you recommend each?

The Source is a refined, high energy variety dance band with DC’s creme de la creme musicians. Playing music from Gershwin to Gaga. With diverse vocalists they cover every genre with incredibly unique level of capturing the original sound and feel.

Raggs has a classic 1940′s Sinatra orchestra feel and look playing your favorite Jazz, Swing dance music from Ella, Louie, Big Band and more. What separates them from other “Jazz” bands is there ability to also cross over and play variety music as well from Soul and Motown to Funk, Disco, Contemporary hits and more. They recently played a magical dance party for the Clinton Party.

How far out to you recommend that a couple book a band for their wedding?

Minimum of 6 to 12 months. Our groups are boutique and specialized – so people often book further in advance.

Leading up to a wedding, how do your bands and Elan work with a couple to plan the logistics behind the big day? What types of things does a couple need to consider when planning the music for their wedding reception?

Personal customization is key. We work with clients to learn music that is totally specific to their tastes so the overall feel directly connect with their personalities.

Bride Blogger Update: Shoes

Danielle Freedman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:50:53 +0000

We are a bit out of order this week but are kicking off our Wednesday with a Bride Blogger update from Marybeth. Last week we heard about cake, and today we get to hear about shoes – Fun!! I love all of the options that she has pulled – which one would you pick?

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I have to confess I am a shoeaholic, so it should come as no surprise to those who know me that I have spent numerous hours online viewing potential wedding day shoes.

For some brides, shoes are one of the last items they think of, almost as an after thought. Not for me. I think the shoes are a key part of your overall wedding look and there are so many decision, color or no color, heel or wedge, strappy or peep toe…I could go on and on.

Instead of going on and on, I have compiled my favorite finds ranging from the more traditional pink and ivory BHLDN pairs to the preppy and colorful Kate Spade and J. Crew pairs. I’ve saved mine to share at a later date as part of my overall look. In the meantime I hope these spark some inspiration for you.

Credit: BHLDN

Credit: Kate Spade; Kate Spade; J. Crew

More Upcoming January Events!

Danielle Freedman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:00:10 +0000

I hope that you all are having a great week! With this chilly weather, have you been hunkering down to do some major wedding plotting and planning?

If you are still looking for a dress or stationery, here are a few upcoming events to check out –

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You may remember that I mentioned the Paloma Blanca trunk show earlier this month. Well, there are a few appointments left so contact Love Couture Bridal to get on the list!

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Next up, the Georgetown location of the Dandelion Patch is having a Paper Party on Thursday at 6:30pm.

Here is the scoop:

1. At the end of a fantastic evening, they’ll pull one lucky winning ticket to win a FREE set of 50 save-the-dates.

2. Anyone who places an order for invitations or a save-the-date at the party will receive 50 free insert cards.

3. To sweeten the deal, The Dandelion Patch will offer a $25 gift card to every attendee!

To register and learn all the details (and fine print), email georgetown@thedandelionpatch.com.

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Finally, Carine’s Bridal Atelier is introducing a new designer to D.C., Liancarlo, this weekend…

Mount Vernon Inn

Danielle Freedman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:00:04 +0000

Couples looking for a spot rich in history but not short on views will find the romantic Mount Vernon Inn to be absolutely perfect. Located just outside of D.C., the Mount Vernon Inn is a beautiful historic spot with Parkway views.

Photo Credit: L.H. Lindberg Photography

Featuring three fireplaces and six colonial-style dining rooms which range in size from small and intimate, to spacious and open, the Inn can accommodate up to 275 seated guests. A tented outdoor ceremony on the back patio can accommodate up to 160 guests.

Photo Credit: L.H. Lindberg Photography

Photo Credit: Emily Chastain

The Mount Vernon Inn provides a list of recommended vendors. The Inn also offers in-house china, glassware, flatware, tables, chairs and linens while additional upgraded outside equipment may be rented through their business partners.

Bride Blogger Update: Cake!

Danielle Freedman — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:02 +0000

Until you start planning a wedding, you may not know how many cake designs and flavors there are out there — so many fabulous options that it can be hard to decide! It sounds like Marybeth and James have made a fabulous decision on their wedding cake…

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Things are really moving along with our wedding planning and I cannot wait to head back to D.C. in March for more big meetings and decisions. Over the holidays I headed to Fluffy Thoughts with my mom and wedding planner to tackle the cake.

There are so many decisions to be made for the cake including flavors, filling, buttercream, fondant and the design. Luckily with the help of the team at Fluffy Thoughts I was able to determine the flavor and the look in under an hour – hooray!

James and I both wanted to keep the cake on the simple side and while searching on Pinterest and Lover.ly I found great inspiration. Below are two of the photos I found, where the cake has actual ribbon wrapped around it to create a simple, elegant design. The team at Fluffy Thoughts suggested a monogramed cake topper similar to the one below and I was sold. The letter with the ribbon created just the look I wanted.

Moving on to flavor, I quickly determined white cake was the flavor for us. It was light and fluffy and would nor overwhelm the fillings or be too sweet. James and I both love Raspberry so I was drawn to the raspberry jam and buttercream fillings.

At the suggestion of our consultant I tried the raspberry fillings paired with a little lemon curd. It was fantastic! Since the cake would have three layers of filling we decided to go with two layers of raspberry jam and buttercream and one layer of raspberry with lemon curd. The acidity of the lemon helped balance the tart sweetness of the raspberry, keeping the cake from being overly sweet.

I cannot wait see the final product on our wedding day, it may be too pretty to cut into!

Upcoming January Events!

Danielle Freedman — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:06:38 +0000

Good Morning and Happy Thursday! There are quite a few upcoming events in the D.C. wedding world so whether you are looking for a dress or pretty stationery, mark your calendar with these!

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What: Lela Rose Bridal Trunk Show at Hitched

When: Friday, January 20^th & Saturday, January 21^st

RSVP: 202.333.6162 or appointments@hitchedsalon.com

Details & Perks: At the trunk show, you’ll have the opportunity to try on the latest Lela Rose gowns [hot off the runway!], as well as the chance to chat with a representative from the company about options for customization. As a special treat, they’ll be offering a 10% discount on all gowns purchased during the trunk show!

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Mansion on O Street

Danielle Freedman — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:11:10 +0000

For a couple seeking a unique and unexpected space, the Mansion on O Street is wonderfully fun. With 32 secret doors and over 100 rooms, this venue is certainly not short of surprises! The Mansion on O Street combines art, architecture and literature to create an inspiring venue.

Photography: PBJ Pictures

With a plethora of spaces to choose from, the Mansion on O Street, located just off of Dupont Circle, has the ability to hold ceremonies and receptions ranging in size from 2 to 300. With 30 dining areas, both formal and informal, every bride is sure to find something she likes!

The Mansion on O Street has in-house catering and complementary wedding advisors on-site to help each bride make her dream a reality. The space is known for hosting a number of distinguished figures from heads of state to members of the entertainment industry – so very VIP D.C.!

For more information please see visit their website, or Facebook or twitter page.

Bride Blogger Update: Flowers

Danielle Freedman — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:14:48 +0000

The last time that we heard from Bride Blogger Marybeth, she was working on her wedding plans and was about to come back to D.C. to check off some of the big items. Today, she is back with an update on flowers!

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Last week our wedding seemed far off and had yet to come together. Fast forward a few days and it is only 5 months until the big day. I am finally starting to picture what the day will look like, thanks in part to our flower and décor meeting with Da Vinci Florists over the holidays.

Early on James and I decided we wanted to keep the flowers simple and focus instead on showcasing the amazing view at 101 Constitution. We both agreed that candles, lighting and smaller centerpieces would create a romantic yet modern and elegant look.

Photo Credit: Bouquet Bridal

While looking through photos of previous weddings, Jen suggested choosing a flower that was in-season during May, explaining that it would be less expensive to use an in-season flower. James and I both love tulips and are in luck, because they are in-season in May.

Photo Credit: Silk Wedding Designs

With the flower choice selected we started on the smaller floral arrangements – the bouquets. From then on we were on a roll. Since our colors are navy blue and pink, our tulips will be white, light pink and a deeper pink. Bridesmaids will have bouquets of light and deep pink, my bouquet will be white and light pink. Our centerpieces will feature all three colors. In this post are photo examples of different tulip bouquets and centerpieces that were our inspiration. In March I will get to see samples of the actual pieces and I will make sure to take photos to share with you.

Photo Credit: Perfect Wedding Day

Modern Orthodox Jewish Gay Wedding

Danielle Freedman — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:00:07 +0000

Ron and Yoni are a gay couple and they are also Modern Orthodox Jews. They wanted to be married in D.C. under a chuppah, in a synagogue, and by an Orthodox rabbi.

This past November, at Sixth and I Synagogue, they were married by Rabbi Steve Greenberg surrounded by family and friends from the D.C. Minyan where the are members. Ron and Yoni took the better part of a year to create the ceremony, adapting the traditional Orthodox Jewish wedding ceremony to be acceptable for a gay couple. Very special!

The fabulous vendor team:

Photographer: Michael Temchine Photography

Venue: Hotel Monaco

Lighting: Washington Talent

Videography: Blue Sky Films

Band: Kol Chayim Orchestra

DJ: Marc Wilmer via Washington Talent

Wedding Coordinator: Susan Massin of Concierge America