The beautiful bride has shared a little bit about her day with us…first up, her inspiration and favorite wedding detail…

I always knew that I wanted a traditional, classic black tie wedding but I also wanted it to be a reflection of both Branden and I. We instantly feel in love with the St. Regis in Washington DC, it is known for its timeless elegance and that is how we wanted out wedding to feel. The ballroom is not overwhelmingly big which allowed us to capture that feeling of being at an intimate dinner party with the people we love the most in the world. The beautiful terrace outside allowed us to be a little whimsical and unexpected with tables covered in a beautiful black and white flower toile which created the illusion of being at a romantic garden party. We didn’t want our wedding to feel stuffy so we took inspiration from one of my favorite designers, Kate Spade. We wanted to use color in an unexpected way which she does often, so I chose rich Kelly Green Bridesmaid Dresses by LulaKate to bring in a pop of color and bright and light pink flowers for my bridesmaids flowers and centerpieces which added a sweet preppy feel.

My dress, Christos by Amsale, really captured the feeling we wanted for our wedding which was timeless and classic. The lace lent itself to the traditional black tie affair, but by adding a black sash that tied into a large double black bow in the back not only subtly reinforced the theme of our wedding but was a true reflection of me, for anyone that knows me, knows how much I love bows and that I can almost always be found in black.

For our wedding stationary we incorporated the pop of color with the front of the card in Kelly Green with the phrase “Debby and Branden are getting Married…” in gold and then on the back of the card in black and white we had fun including our wedding date which is my favorite detail of our wedding 09.10.11. Our invitations were simple and classic in black and white but we incorporated small details such as a black and white striped liner for both our save the dates and our wedding invitations which we carried over into black and white striped linen for our bars.  The phrase “The Best is Yet to Come” which was printed in gold on the shoulder of our invitations and on our napkins is from the lyrics from our wedding song “Someone like you” I loved that these little details were unexpected and added an element of surprise.

Since the St. Regis in only about 2 blocks away from The White House you can’t not feel like you are a part of history as Presidents both past and present have walked the hallways of the St. Regis, this lead to us using Presidents names for our table numbers which is one of my favorite details from our wedding day as this was Branden’s idea.

It is hard to pick a favorite moment of your wedding day…but Debby did have a few that stood out to her!

1. Riding in a vintage 1964 Bentley that I surprised my father with. I remember just feeling so calm as we drove to the church together, I will always cherish those few minutes we had alone just laughing and talking and taking it all in. The best part of our drive together was how calm and relaxed I felt as we road through Georgetown.

2. There was a moment during the night that Branden and I took a moment to ourselves and stepped outside on to the terrace, we looked around and there were people outside drinking and laughing and then we looked inside at the ballroom and the dance floor was packed, it was a great moment to be surrounded by the people we love the most in our lives and see that they were having just as much fun as we were.

3. But, my absolute favorite memory is when the doors of the church opened and I saw Branden for the first time, as I walked down the aisle he was the only person I could see and when I got close enough he said “You Look Beautiful”, it was as if time stopped and it was just the two of us standing there.

And, as for any DIY projects…

I didn’t have too many DIY elements other than often creating Powerpoint presentations for my vendors so that they could really see my vision. My favorite presentation that I created was for our wedding website. I couldn’t find a template that I liked and that I felt that went with our theme and since this was an out of town wedding for everyone, Branden’s family is form Cincinnati, my family is from Connecticut and we live in New York it was important that our website be a tool that our guests could refer to and use to make their travel plans as easy as possible. I hired graphic designer Damian Barchowsky to make our wedding website and it still is one of my favorite elements of our wedding, especially the map that Daley Ann made. Our wedding website is http://debbyandbranden.com/

The fabulous vendor team:

Venue: St. Regis

Ceremony: St John’s Episcopal Church Georgetown Parish

Cocktail Music: Celebrated Strings

Planning: A. Dominick Events

Photography: Rob Garland Photographers

Stationery: Cheree Berry Paper

Cake: St. Regis with flowers by K. Rose Cakes

Floral and Design: Multiflor

Band: Class Act Band

Lighting: Frost Lighting

Dance Floor: Perkins Productions

Candy Bar: Georgetown Candy

Rentals: Party Rental, DC Rental, La Tavola

Transportation: Atlantic

Vintage Car: Regal Limousine

Hair: George Salon

Make Up: Lindsay Steffens Montgomery

The couple embraced the elegance of the St. Regis ballroom while staying true to their own personal style.  Hiram is a composer, and his close friends provided the ceremony music.  Later in the evening. guests were surprised when District Taco arrived late night for a little street food action just outside of the Astor Terrace at the gorgeous St. Regis.

Happy Monday and enjoy this fun, fun, fun wedding!

From the oh-so lovely bride:

Hiram and I wanted to have a wedding that represented us as a couple by enjoying great food, in an elegant but comfortable outdoor space. This was the first time our families were going to meet so we wanted everything to be just right!

We debated renting a property and using a caterer versus going full-package with a hotel. We shopped around both options until we found the St. Regis. We loved their outdoor Astor Terrace, just off the Astor Ballroom and we were very excited about what their kitchen could do for us.

The wedding was in early May so the weather allowed us to have the ceremony outside on the terrace. After the ceremony we lead our guests to the lobby and the hotel salon for cocktails while the staff transformed the outdoor space into a super-cool lounge complete with strings of lights overhead (a brilliant idea from our planner Kate Harlan). After cocktails we led everyone into the ballroom which was exquisitely decorated with a mix of floral designs in mercury glass and glass and a wash of peach light. The inspiration for the whole color scheme was a previous design that we had seen in floral designer Philippa Tarrant’s portfolio.

We worked closely with the St. Regis on every aspect of our dinner menu. Events planner Haydee Gamez and chef Andrew Roche accommodated our desire to incorporate seasonal flavors that Hiram and I seek out each spring; wild ramps and morels, as well as our favorite Italian wines. I am in the food business myself and I was very pleased with the high quality and value of the dinner that was served.

To honor my husband’s Mexican heritage, we hired District Taco to serve late-night snacks from their cart. Haydee Gamez and the St. Regis had no problem with this service and even let the guys roll up on the lawn to be closer to our guests. I need to note that again, this was one of Kate Harlan’s great ideas and it is something that our guests are still talking about!

While the East Village Exchange was rocking the ballroom, the terrace was a wonderful escape for us to spend some time talking with our families and friends. Everyone was so receptive to the use of the terrace, first as a serene ceremony backdrop and then as a magical lounge area complete with rented sofas from AFR. Seriously though, I hardly left the dance floor that night because that band is incredibly talented!

Picking the East Village Exchange (from Elan Artists) was something that my husband was insistent on because he’s a composer and many of our friends are musicians. We knew that the East Village Exchange would deliver a high-quality performance in a variety of styles. When we asked them to learn a Mexican song for us they had no problem getting it completely right.

Our documentarian for the event was the fabulous Kate Headley, who clicked the night away using film cameras exclusively. Her prints are so evocative and beautiful, they are as real to me as my own memories of our wedding. We received our album exactly when it was promised to us so we were able to re-live the night shortly afterwards. Hiram and I had the time of our lives at our wedding and we owe it all to our superb vendors.

The fabulous vendor team:

Photography: Kate Headley Photography

Ceremony: St. Regis, Washington DC

Reception: Astor Ballroom and Astor Terrace at St. Regis, Washington DC

Florist: Philippa Tarrant

Wedding Planner: Kate Harlan, Simply Chic Events

Lighting: FROST Lighting

Furniture: AFR Furniture Rental

Hair: Petra Gephardt

Makeup: The Andre Chreky Salon

Late Night Bites: District Taco

The menu brings Cape Cod to the Capital, featuring passed canapés including little neck clams on the half shell and seafood ceviche, miniature Maine lobster rolls, yellow and red watermelon salad and mixed field greens with beets, peaches and goat cheese.

Items from the grill are available as well, including jumbo shrimp kebabs, king crab legs, skirt steak skewers and corn on the cob. Delicious dessert includes individual Boston Cream Pies, and peach cobbler with blueberry sorbet, the perfect sweet endings to the menu. Yum!

Throughout the evening, guests will also enjoy cocktails from the Daiquiri Station, featuring freshly made strawberry, lime and pineapple flavors.

Now how does that sound for some summer fun?!

Look no further than the St. Regis’s “1920s Glamour Wedding Package,” a new special offered by the historic D.C. hotel that includes an amazing array of style, spa, and ceremony opportunities leading up to and on your big day.

Enjoy a private shopping consultation to select the perfect vintage accessories inspired by the stylish decade (bird cage veils, anyone?). Then, on the day of your wedding, stay in the St. Regis’s lush and lavish Presidential Suite and treat yourself to a relaxing time spent in the luxurious Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. Your mind and your skin will be clear and bright for your upcoming celebration.

And what a celebration it will be! Guests will sit on the lovely outdoor Astor Terrace, enjoying breathtaking views as you and your partner exchange vows in a romantic, unforgettable ceremony. Afterwards, you and your guests can move indoors to the Astor Ballroom for a reception fit for the 1920s: a retro band will provide fun background music as guests try out the black-and-white photo booth, sip on “speakeasy” vintage cocktails, and nibble on plenty of 20’s-inspired food at tables decorated with feathers and beads. Even the staff will be dressed in attire from the era! Every detail, from the food to the flowers, will serve as a nod to the stylish and glamorous time of the 1920s. Your reception will truly be transported back in time – but the memories will stay with you and your guests for years to come.

For details and more information, contact Haydee Gamez at Haydee.Gamez@Stregis.com.

When I first saw today’s wedding, I couldn’t get over how utterly romantic it is – the red and white roses are so sophisticated! Of course, I wasn’t surprised when I found out that Multiflor pulled together the dazzling florals and decor!

Ooo, and that dress – I am totally swooning!! Thanks to Deb Lindsey Photography for sending us the pics!

Ashley and Michael were married at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Alexandria, the same church that Ashley’s parents were married in – so nice!

After the ceremony, they headed over to the St. Regis – traditional, elegant and just downright beautiful.

The fabulous vendor team:

Transportation: Abe’s Limo

DJ: DJ D-Mac

Band: Ed Hahn Jazz Combo

Strings: Cherry Blossom Strings

Wedding Planner: Bash

Photography: Deb Lindsey Photography

Ceremony: Emmanuel Episcopal

Floral: Multiflor

Reception: St. Regis

Audio/Visual Rentals: PSAV

Beginning April 1st, and continuing throughout the month, Hitched invites you to stop by the salon to donate your gently worn (and dry cleaned) bridesmaid dresses (in all sizes!) that will go to students in our community. Due to the great expense of prom dresses, these girls might otherwise not be able to afford a dress for this special night.

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Today’s Real Wedding is a fabulous example of a traditional wedding with flair. Mindy and Eric were married at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, followed by a reception at the St. Regis. The bride and groom described their wedding planning experience with Simply Chic Events as “fun and stress-free”, which is apparent in the photographs by Holland Photo Arts of this beautifully executed event.

Time to get hitched…

The purple hued flowers by Philippa Tarrant really pop. Cheers to that!

Some of our favorite details include the pink flower arrangements in the shape of the bride and groom’s first initial that adorned the gates of the St. Regis to the splash of color used in the décor of the cocktail hour and late night.

Haute Papier designed the beautiful, ornate print materials.

Mindy recalls her special day, “Some of our favorite parts of the day were being introduced at the reception as a married couple…We had our DJ put together a mix of a few songs that corresponded accordingly to our wedding party couples being introduced.”

The bride noted that their guests loved the photo booth by Booth-O-Rama they had set up, which gave everyone a memento to take home from Mindy and Eric’s wedding. I have to say, I love including the photo booth in weddings that I plan, too, and have stepped up to the camera once or twice myself – it’s so fun!

At the conclusion of the reception, sliders, grilled cheese, and mini milkshakes were served as a fun treat for the end of a magnificent event.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

The fabulous vendor team:

Photography: Holland Photo Arts

Ceremony: St. Matthew’s Cathedral

Reception: St. Regis

Planner: Simply Chic Events

Flowers: Philippa Tarrant

Cake Baker: Kendall’s Cakes

Reception Music: DJ D-Mac

Furniture: Capital Decor & Events

Stationary: Haute Papier

Videography: Dolce Studio Films

Photo Booth: Booth-O-Rama

Dress: Monique Lhuillier from Mark Ingram

From 5:00pm to 10:00pm next Friday, Engaged! in Washington will allow guests to experience five of DC’s most luxurious wedding venues, The Four Seasons Hotel, The Hay-Adams, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotel, and The Willard as each would look for an actual wedding.

Guests will also meet the people that make fabulous weddings happen, linger and look, ooh and aah, and then take a limo bus to the next venue for more eye candy!

Photographers at each venue will take portraits, wedding planners and florists are designing knock-out spaces to wow guests, bands and DJs will play music, models from area bridal salons will be wearing the latest bridal fashion, hair and make-up artists will work their magic on attendees – first come, first served!

Click here to purchase tickets today!

We hope to see you there!

The enchanting Astor Terrace provides a magical outdoor space, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and is large enough for both receptions or wedding ceremonies.  Both the soothing sounds of the fountain and the countless lights flickering in the trees make this spot as romantic as it gets.

On 16th Street, the St. Regis is in the heart of DC.  It is so easy to take a few minutes to pop over to the White House to snap some photos – and maybe you will even see Barack, Michelle, Sasha or Malia.

Inside, the Astor Ballroom is awe-inpiring with the lofty ornate ceilings with crystal chandeliers, definitely one of the most romantic ballrooms in the city.

If you are looking for an elegant, timeless yet chic venue, head to the St. Regis. 

All photos by Rodney Bailey.