I absolutely adore the classic black and white decor, the polished attire, and the beautiful courtyard ceremony at the Decatur House.

Thanks to The Observatory and Documentary Associates and Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers, Inc. for sharing the images!

The cake by Cakes by Design and the delicious food by one of my Favorites, Occasion Catering looks to die for — and you just cannot beat the festive colors of Izze and Jones Soda. Love!

Congrats Virdina, Kevin and the entire vendor team!

The fabulous vendor team:

Planner, Flowers, Photo Wall, and Guest Book Wall:  Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers, Inc.

Catering: Occasion Catering

Décor, Furniture, and Lighting: Ampa Events

Linens: Table Manners

DJ: Disc Jockeys on Call

Officiant: Jim Burch

Photography: The Observatory and Documentary Associates

Venue: Decatur House

Color Analysis, Bride, Groom, and Bridesmaid Styling: Polished Image and Style

Videography: Jessica Pi

Hair: Elegant Hair by Giselle

Make-up: Carola Myers

Live Streaming Video Marry Me Live

Wedding Cake: Cakes by Design

Do you think being an industry insider made certain aspects of your wedding planning process more effortless or more difficult?

Some aspects of the planning process are certainly easier because I am an industry insider.  Of course I know who my caterer will be!    Usually when couples start planning their wedding, one of the first things they do is book a caterer and decide on a menu.  For me, that is the least of my worries- I can always worry about the food later.  I also have the advantage of being familiar with the rental companies and their equipment inventories.  Often brides are overwhelmed by all of the choices available to them when it comes to linens, china, glassware etc. but I am very familiar with what is available and I think I have a pretty clear idea of what I would like to do for my wedding.  The flip side to this is that I sometimes feel like I have seen it all, and the tricky part is to use my resources to pull together an event that feels unique and special.

Some parts of the planning process are just as new to me as they probably are to all the other girls getting married.  I did not realize how complicated dress shopping would be!  I certainly thought I would be able to find a dress after only visiting one or two boutiques, but what I quickly learned is that most of the stores only carry a small sample of the designer’s full collections.  In order to compare and contrast, I feel like I really needed to visit as many shops as possible!

What sorts of information were you privy to while planning your wedding that many of our readers would not be?

I definitely feel like my existing relationships with vendors in the industry have made this experience much more manageable.  For example, most brides wouldn’t know who to call if they wanted to hire busses to transport their guests from the hotel to the reception, or if they wanted to hire a valet company to park cars upon guests’ arrival, but I knew exactly who to contact.  All it took was one quick email and that part was taken care of!

I also think I had a better idea for how much everything would cost.  Most brides have no idea what a wedding costs, but because I plan other people’s weddings all the time I feel like I have the upper hand in knowing what things should cost.  I don’t need to spend all of my time bidding each part of the wedding out to three different vendors because I know what the price is going to be before they even tell me!

One tip that I always tell my brides is that a little lighting goes a long way.  Regardless of the venue, lighting always enhances the environment and gives the event a look that flowers alone cannot accomplish.

Did you find inspiration for your wedding from the events you have planned, or do you think being involved in so many weddings made you more clear of what you did not want for your own special day?

Planning other people’s weddings definitely has given me a more clear vision for what I would like in my own event.  I get so many unique and creative ideas from brides, and I am so excited to pull some of those ideas into my own event.  I am constantly making personal notes of all of the ideas that I have gathered from my own experiences so that when it comes time to pull all of the details for my own wedding together I will have a good source of inspiration.

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Thank you to Jayne for sharing her planning experience with us and I certainly hope that she tells us when she does create her menu – I can only imagine how divine it will be!

The bride and her ladies look like they are right out of a photo shoot, simply gorgeous.  The fabulous Carine’s Bridal Atelier designed custom bridesmaid dresses for each lady, gowns that you could actually wear again after the wedding – crazy, right?!

I love this moment with Bridget and her father on the way to the church – again, this is such a great shot that it looks like a pre-designged photo shoot.  The American flag in the background is so fantastically DC inspired.  Jennifer Lust Portrait Design makes me feel like I am actually with them on their big day.

After pronounced husband and wife, Bridget and Ryan are so happy that they look they are going to skip down the aisle.

Here are the elegant rooms shots with the gold chivari chairs, the mix of tall and low neutral arrangements by DaVinci Florist, Laura Hooper Calligraphy on the menus…yes, I am gushing.

How cool is the Notre Dame ice sculpture?!  A personal detail that is playful and unique.  Then, don’t you just want to get on the dance floor with the bride and groom?  Sound Connection by Andy Kushner Entertainment rocked it.

The fabulous vendor team:

Church: St. Aloysius Catholic Church

Reception: Andrew Mellon Auditorium

Photography: Jennifer Lust Portrait Design

Dress: Christian LaCroix – Carine’s Bridal Atelier

Bridesmaid Dresses: Custom made by Carine’s Bridal Atelier

Floral,  Lighting, Linens: DaVinci Florist

Band: Sound Connection – Andy Kushner Entertainment

Invitations, Menus, Place Cards: Laura Hooper Calligraphy

Video: Suburban Video

Caterer: Occasions Caterers

Hair: Jean Bay – Salon Jean

Make-up: Stacy Ferguson

Event Coordinator and Designer: SoCo Events

Aimee Dominick, planner extraordinaire and owner of A. Dominick Events,  pulled together this gorgeous fête.

The picture perfect couple is not only one of the most handsome I have seen, but also are two of the kindest and thoughtful individuals of all time.  They truly deserve each other.

Alex and her sister, Isabella, have such a special relationship….

Can’t you just feel Alex and Taylor’s happiness from these beautiful photographs?!

I love the sweet cake-topper that Alex made and painted herself out of wooden clothes pins – how cute?! And, why not share a beer after the ceremony? Yum.

The Fabulous Vendor Team:

Planner: A. Dominick Events

Photography: Jay Premack Photography

Flowers: Sidra Forman

DJ: Evan Reitmeyer – MyDeeJay

Video: humanstory films

Catering: Occasions Caterers

Classical Guitarist: Said Tinat

Hair: Elegant Hair by Giselle – Giselle Chreky

Makeup: Kim Reyes

And, like anything Occasions does, these cakes are second to none.  They are gorgeous, unique, and absolutely delicious.

Aren’t they fabulous?!?

These cakes look so nice sitting atop the clean, white cake stands.  (I found white cakes stands for our wedding here.)

Oh, I love them all!

A special thanks to Danielle at Occasions for passing on this incredible news.  Occasions does everything so well; I just can’t say enough about them.  The service, the food, the creativity…Occasions is just fabulous.

How far in advance do you first meet with a couple who is interested in your catering services?  When do you usually schedule a tasting and who usually attends?

While we always prefer to have a meeting with the bride and groom, we often do not have the opportunity to meet personally prior to providing a proposal if the client lives out of the immediate area.   We can easily establish an email and phone relationship to get things started until we meet for a tasting.  Depending on a couple’s needs we sometimes will do a tasting very far out, perhaps 10 months.  However, it is preferable that we do a tasting a few weeks prior to the wedding so that you can experience the seasonal produce we will serve at the event.

Do you recommend pairing wine with each course?  How do you differentiate the menu of one wedding from another?

Wine pairing depends on the client and the style of the wedding as well as the guests. From small, intimate dinners to large, more lavish parties we work with the client to choose a wine selection fitted for their wedding.  Some couples are happy to offer one red and one white wine throughout the evening.  While others are more interested in pairing wines to compliment each course of the meal.

Each of our menus is customized based on the couple and their unique vision for their wedding.  Wedding meals may range from plated meals for a sit down dinner to ethnic buffet stations to passed tapas style menus for a cocktail reception and more;  there are many ways to make your wedding meal memorable and special.  Seasonality of the food is also a factor in the design of the menu and we always take this into consideration by recommending different items based on what is freshest at that time of the year.

Photo: Ralph Alswang

Do you recommend that couples request guests’ meal preferences in advance of the wedding on response cards?  How much does this affect the cost?  What about table-side entree selection?

We recommend that couples decide in advance to serve one entrée, or a dual entrée, based on what they like.  If they are going to offer an option, response card selection is the most effective way to tally guests’ choices.  With table side choices it can end up being more costly because without knowing what each guest will choose on the wedding day we must prepare significant quantities of each option so that we do not run out.  In any scenario, we will always have vegetarian options and can meet dietary restrictions.

When would you suggest having a buffet versus a plated dinner?

This depends on the type and size of venue, the style of the wedding, and time of day.  A buffet is great for couples who want a more casual style where guests can choose from a variety of options as well as have the chance to mingle.  However, the cost is similar for both options so the decision should be based on the atmosphere you want to create on your wedding day.

Do you ever prepare food-related favors, such as dessert bars, etc.?

Absolutely!  We create anything from customized boxed chocolates or cookie favors to dessert buffets where guests can fill their own bags with sweets and take them home at the end of the night.

What trends are you seeing in wedding catering?

Right now we are seeing requests for comfort and home-style foods.  Couples want a simple presentation, but with a twist on the family classics.  Mini mac & cheese bites, sliders, and short ribs are very popular because they are familiar and always delicious.  Also, late-night snacks are a fun addition to the celebration, such as passed desserts like mini ice-cream cones, truffle pops, cupcakes, and milk shakes.

Thank you to Joel and Occasions for stopping by today!

Listen to these absolutely perfect details… The signature cocktail?  The “Perfect Pair.”  The chuppah?  Suspended baby’s breath.  The first dance?  Acoustic Rihanna!  Don’t you wish you had been there?!?

Look at the cupcake flowers, beautifully created by Fancy Cakes by Leslie.  And just in case their guests were still craving something sweet, the couple (with Jodi’s help) arranged for strolling dessert carts attended by waiters.  Love it!

Who is responsible for all of this beauty?  One of D.C.’s BEST…Amaryllis.  I know it seems like I call everyone “one of D.C.’s best” but really, it is true.  This blog is dedicated to showcasing the work of D.C.’s top wedding professionals, so when I say they are the best, I promise it’s the truth!

And the rest of the dream team assembled by the oh-so-talented Jodi Moraru…

Photography: Matt Mendelsohn

Room Block: Hotel Monaco

Videography: Blue Sky Films

Pipe and Drape: Fabrications

Caterer: Occasions Caterers

Lighting: Frost Lighting

Ceremony Musicians: Crystal Strings

DJ: Chris Laich

Hair: Giselle Zlotnisky

Make-up: Kim Giammaria

Transportation: Chariots for Hire

Thank you, THANK YOU to Jodi, Danielle, and the entire team at Jodi Moraru & Associates.  If you are looking for a planner to infuse your wedding with beauty, charm, and personality, this is your crew.  Give Jodi a call!