District Weddings

I am so excited to introduce Sarah Christine…our new District Weddings Bride Blogger!  Sarah will be checking in with us every so often to give us an update on her wedding planning progress.  She is so darling and so friendly – I think you’ll like her as much as I do!  I’m also so excited to hear about what she learns along the way.  Without further ado…!

From Sarah…

Hello!  My name is Sarah and like many brides who visit this must-read blog, I’ll be getting married in the lovely city of D.C. this October 10th. Here’s the catch, we were born in New Jersey, grew up in New Jersey and currently live there. Washington D.C. is my destination wedding.

To speed you up to present day, my fiancé went to school at George Washington University and while he was there, he bought an apartment. Shortly after we first met (November 2004), we both felt we needed a get-a-way from the work and school grind. With slight hesitation, my fiancé (Jon) mentioned he had kept his apartment in D.C. and wondered if I’d be interested in taking a weekend trip there. The fond memories from my 8th grade trip quickly popped into my head and I said “Yes” eagerly.

Well, that weekend we feel in love — with each other and the city. Since then, we try and come back down three to four times a year just to rekindle that feeling that sent us into our current love affair. Last May, he brought me down to D.C. for my graduation gift where he treated me to an unforgettable five days at the Mandarin Oriental, meals at some of the city’s best, a bike-ride around the city (more on that later) and a proposal that left me speechless at the now closed venue, Evermay. We fell in love in D.C., got engaged in D.C. and now we want to get married in front of our friends and family in the city that is most reflective of our relationship. 

Photo: Sarah and Jon

So like many brides that are planning a destination wedding, I found myself juggling to find the best vendors from miles away — going off of the great recommendations found right here on this blog.

While D.C. is a small city compared to the metropolis I work in (New York), it has so many great venues, caterers, florist, bands and restaurants to offer. I wanted to make sure that I saw every venue the city had to offer — and in one weekend, we managed to see thirteen of them.

Each time we visit D.C., we make sure we get as much done as possible. My best friend Kerry, also known as my driving force and wedding coordinator, made these appointments more than a month in advance to make sure each venue was able to give us their full attention. Each venue had its charm and beauty…

Photos: Dumbarton House; Ronald Reagan Building; St. Regis Hotel; Fairmont Hotel

…but the winner was the historic Meridian House!

Photo: Meridian House

I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and hope to aide in the planning of District Brides everywhere!