Mukta and James wanted their guests to have a wonderful time at a wedding that reflected the two of them as individuals and as a couple. Menu planning was of the utmost importance to the couple, given James’ Midwest roots and Mukta’s Indian heritage. Their stationed dinner offered steak and potatoes, sushi, Indian “street food” and a vegetarian salad station. The famous Georgetown Cupcake provided the post-dinner sweets – yum!

Mukta and James paid homage to Mukta’s culture with their color palette as well as the use of an elephant motif – ooo I love!

The fabulous vendor team:

Photography: Amie Otto Photography

Wedding Planner: Janice Carnevale of Bellwether Events

Venue: Hotel Monaco

Officiant: Ed Ingebretsen

Cupcakes: Georgetown Cupcake

Florals: Growing Wild Floral Design

Hair and Make Up Styling: Wendy Rae

Videography: Blue Sky Films

Photobooth: Reliable Photobooths

Rentals: DaVinci’s Florist

DJ and Lighting: DJ Angie D

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   

The fabulous vendor team:

Ceremony & Reception & Caterer: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Photographer: Connor Studios

Planner:  Vicky Choy of Event Accomplished

Lighting: EventEq

Cake: IndAroma Bakery

Rentals & Decor: Nivanjoli

Videographer: Blue Sky Films

Multiflor wowed us with the incredible florals and decor, the Vera Wang fashion show was to die for, Andy Kushner’s Sound Connection rocked out and got us all dancing, and the event was flawlessly produced by Aimee Dominick of A. Dominick Events! What a fun day!

Next up, I have a beautiful wedding to get you going on this Monday! Thanks to The Observatory for sharing Jennifer and Tom’s special celebration!

I love the organic decor by Philippa Tarrant Floral Design against the modern Newseum.  The tables – all quotes from Seinfeld – are too funny! I definitely haven’t seen that before – what a cute personal detail!

The fabulous vendor team:

Bridal Salon: Hitched Salon

Cake: K. Rose Cakes

Florist: Philippa Tarrant Floral Design

Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of St. Matthew

Reception Venue: The Newseum

Jazz Trio: Sterling Artists

DJ: Chris Laich

Videography: Blue Sky Films

Photography: The Observatory

I hope that you all had a fabulous holiday and are hitting the new year with energy and excitement for what is to come — I know that I certainly am! Do we have any new engagements out there?

Today, I am psyched to kick off the new year with this beautiful wedding planned by A. Dominick Events – elegant, whimsical, and custom, all wrapped up in one marvelous day!

Monique and Graham were married at Christ Church in Georgetown and then headed over to historic Evermay for their reception.  All of the custom paper was designed by Cheree Berry Paper and the lovely decor by Multiflor.

Despite the rain, guests stayed dry and warm in the tent  on the patio – which felt like an extension of the historic home.  The night really heated up when Nation and Sin Miedo played with Latin flair.

The fabulous vendor team:

Planner: A. Dominick Events

Stationery: Cheree Berry Paper

Venue: Evermay

Ceremony: Christ Church

Catering: Occasions

Valet: Atlantic Valet

Band: Nation and Sin Miedo

Photographer: Greg Gibson

Floral: Multiflor

Cake: Patisserie Poupon

Vintage Car: RMA Transportation

Tent: HDO Tents

Lighting: Frost Lighting

Ceremony Music: Celebrated Strings

Hair: Meg Ford

Video: Blue Sky Films

Favor: Baked and Wired

Alex and Aisha’s wedding can be explained in three words: classic, romantic, and sophisticated. Alex, a “true prince charming,” proposed to Aisha in front of her favorite place on earth – Cinderella’s Castle in Disney World… what a wonderful true, fairytale wedding story. The couple continued this theme of glamour, elegance, and romance at the wedding, though from a more grownup angle – classic Hollywood.

Sara Muchnick at Engaging Affairs, the planner for this lovely event, explains that Aisha was the perfect Hollywood glamour girl. The décor fit the motif as well, with deep, rich colors and a setting mimicking an old Hollywood bar with ferns, lounge furniture, and crystal lampshades and chandeliers. Everything was incredibly sophisticated, lush, and luxurious. Looking at these photographs, you might mistakenly believe you’re watching an old Hollywood film!

Aisha tells us, “I never imagined that my actual wedding would exceed every expectation I ever had as a little girl growing up.  But it did!  I loved everything about my wedding and wouldn’t change a thing.  Every time I think of how happy I was that day and how perfect everything was my eyes still well up with tears…of joy! I could go on and on and write you a whole story about how much I loved my wedding!  Simply perfect is how I’ll always remember it!”

The fabulous vendor team:

Planner: Sara Muchnick at Engaging Affairs

Venue: Omni Shoreham

Makeup: Nono Girma

Hair: Erwin Gomez

Classic Car: Regal Limousine

Photographer: Michael Bonfigli

Flowers and Décor: Capital Décor

DJ: Aaron Couch

Lighting: Digital Lighting

Solosit: Toni Wilson

Rentals: Party Rentals

Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie

Videographer: Blue Sky Films

***

[Memory is] a man’s real possession…In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor. Alexander Smith (1830 – 1867)

Truth be told, I wasn’t going to do video – I only wanted a photographer.  I felt if you have a great photographer, then you don’t have to worry about missing any aspect of your day.  Because I had expressed remote interest in video, I searched the internet and found companies whose work I liked.  The work that resonated with me was from Martin Andrews of Blue Sky Films.  Aimee set up an appointment to see if this was something I wanted to pursue.

Meeting Martin was great; he was really easy to talk to and I left with a package of information and a demo reel to review.   I let my parents know that I had taken an appointment with Blue Sky and that while I was still thinking about video, I probably wouldn’t have one.  I never realized that something as a (seemingly) insignificant choice of not wanting a videographer would affect my parents (pardon me, parent) as much as it did.

Dad – the gregarious, philosophical, thinker of the family turned into someone I didn’t recognize – sullen and put out because I didn’t want video.  My mom – negotiator, listener, and former teacher revisited her teaching days to get us to understand each other’s position.  After days of Mom hearing my father lament the point, she asked me to talk with him.  During my next visit, he requested 10 minutes of my time to talk.  The morning of my departure, I approached dad and let him know I was ready to talk when he was.  He asked me to go in the library and wait for him.

Arriving in the library, I noticed his Bell and Howell projector was set up along with a chair.  I went in, took a seat, and waited.  About a minute later dad walked in, turned off the light and turned the projector on.  I couldn’t believe what I saw.  Images of me running across the yard as a toddler – 1972, then me running toward my dog Bianca circa 1974, and wait, there’s me again riding my bike minus training wheels in 1977.

I couldn’t believe he still had all of these home movies capturing me at various stages of my life.  He looked at me and said, “Photos capture a moment in time; film documents your life story.”  Okay, he had me there.  Clearly I wasn’t old enough to remember myself at this age, but the moment was forever captured for me to re-live and remember.

I finally got it.  The videographer wasn’t for me, but for him.  He wanted to add this to the collection of memories he had been collecting for the past 39 years and store them away with all the others. I’ll gladly give the man who has given me everything the gift of another memory.  I wonder if Martin is still available on October 16^th.

As some of you may remember, Devon was married this past September.  And, her wedding most certainly showcased her incredible taste, organization and attention to detail – not to mention that Devon was one of the most poised and gorgeous brides I have ever seen!  Here is a peak at the incredible photos by Patricia Lyons of Devon’s Friday night Rehearsal Dinner…

So you ask, what now?  Well, leave it to Devon to find the next perfect step in life.  Moving to Chicago, Devon has merged her passion for weddings and her love affair with beautiful paper design to embark on her new chapter in life, representing Cheree Berry Paper in the Windy City.

So, get excited, because Devon will be back in the District for the rescheduled Engaged! in Washington event on Sunday, March 28th from 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the Ritz-Carlton, representing Cheree Berry Paper.

We wish her the best of luck and look forward to her updates as she continues to take our fabulous wedding industry by storm!  In the meantime, here is more eye candy for your enjoyment!  oxox.

Breathtaking, right?!

The fabulous vendor team behind Devon’s Friday night celebration:

Venue: King Family Vineyard

Catering: A Pimento Catering

Floral and Decor: Beehive Events

Cake: Kendall’s Cakes

Paper: Cheree Berry Paper

Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones

Photography: Patricia Lyons Photography

Lighting and A/V: Blue Ridge Lightforms

Videography: Blue Sky Films

Make Up: Lindsay Steffens Montgomery

Hair: Bridal Hair by Remona

Here is the first round of photos I promised.  Take them in, then I’ll give you a little insight (and more photos) in a bit.  I’m totally smitten over this wedding.  It just may be my favorite so far this year.

And this is only the first round of pics!  Aren’t you in love already?!?  I know it’s getting late, but I still have more to come!