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Friday, December 21, 2012

Original Wedding: Danita & Fritz

This past weekend, on a sunny December day, Danita & Fritz tied the knot. Both their ceremony and reception were perfectly elegant with romantic draping and tons of up-lighting. The food was spectacular, the cake was to die for and not a single guest left without a smile on their face!

My favorite things:

  1. Little Aiden, the ring bearer, going out of his way to give me a hug at the end of the night. So precious!
  2. Watching the entire dance floor "gangnam style". That's right, it's a verb.
  3. The elegance of the reception room. It's amazing what up-lighting and pipe and drape can do for a ballroom.
Things I learned:
  1. A ceremony room can be turned into a reception room in a matter of minutes. I had NEVER seen a room flip done so quickly but apparently if you have the right staff and the right frame of mind, its a piece of cake!
  2. The United States Postal Service owns event venues... who would have thought.
  3. If you need mingling guests to move from the lobby to the cocktail room, just mention the open bar!















Danita & Fritz-- Thank you for letting NoLo be a part of your special day. I wish you nothing but the best!

Florist/ Rentals/ Decor: Da Vinci's Florist
Photographer: The Pros
Wedding Cake: Cakes Plus

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Connecting with Wedding Vendors

Connecting with wedding vendors is always something that I have felt strongly about, not only as a bride but as a planner. As a bride, I want my vendors to understand Josh and I. I want our photographer to understand our style so that we love our pictures and for our DJ to know us and our families so that everyone stays entertained. Most of the vendors we selected, we selected because they felt like friends. And because of this, I feel confident that on our wedding day I will not be disappointed, I will not have to watch over and make sure that they are doing exactly what I want and I will feel perfectly comfortable.

More importantly-- As a planner, I want to connect with my brides and grooms. I want to understand their personalities and who they are as a couple. And not only do I want to connect with the bride and groom, but when it comes to the big day, I want to connect with the family as well! I honestly feel that the wedding day is such a nicer experience for the family (especially the parents and grandparents) if they connect with the me as the wedding planner. If we can laugh and joke and goof off (when appropriate of course) the  rehearsal and formal activities are so much more enjoyable! I have had so many parents and guests come up and thank me at the end of a loooooong day of wedding activities for such a great time, and that means the world to me. That is why I continue to love this job.

Last weekend's wedding was the perfect example! (That's the ring bearer hugging my partner in crime, Nora!)


Thursday, December 13, 2012

Potomac Floral: Great For the DIY Bride!

If you are a DIY bride in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, and looking to make your own bouquets and flower arrangements, you should DEFINITELY check out Potomac Floral. They are a floral warehouse in Silver Spring that let's individuals purchase, not just companies. As a bride who is doing all of her own flowers, I took a drive down there a few days ago and was very impressed. The warehouse isn't quite as large as I was expecting, but they have a ton of flowers! They even have a supplies section where you can find all of the floral tape, ribbon and accessories that you need.

The staff is also extremely helpful. I was provided with a list of private florists who could help me if I end up needing it and they made sure I was aware that the flowers I would see now, in December, would not be the same as what would be available in April. The person I spoke too gave me recommendations on when to order and pick up and how long the flowers would stay fresh after I make the bouquets. I was also allowed to wonder around the warehouse and look at all they have to offer. Although I knew some flowers would not be available in April, I still took the time to walk around just so that I could see the quality and condition of the flowers they offer. They were all beautiful! Great quality and phenomenal color choices.

Potomac even makes ordering easy. You can call or order online and all of the prices are listed right on their website. So far, with all of my researching, they have the lowest pricing that I have seen. I have a few more places to check out, but I'm pretty positive I will be using Potomac Floral for the flowers at our wedding!

Here are my favorites-- Look at how gorgeous!



I was so surprised to see actual cotton!




Peonies and garden roses are my absolute favorite!






So many colors of daises!




Tip-- Carnations are extremely affordable and so pretty! If you are trying to save money, definitely work these into your arrangements!


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Original Wedding: Alexandra & Anthony

The award for most personal wedding that I have to done, to date, definitely goes to Alex and Anthony. The couple not only created an amazing wedding day to share with family and friends, but they did so while sharing stories and facts about their relationship throughout the entire day. We started on Georgetown campus in DC, where Alex and Anthony both attended college, and ended at the Washington Club, where the couple met years ago. There were very personal touches from start to finish, my favorite being Anthony's speech that took place in the exact spot that the couple met. They even decided to use family recipes for some of the food items, and selected others based on places from their past (like their first date!). Even the champagne was specifically selected to be what the couple had brought to their table the night they were engaged. The night ended perfectly with a popcorn truck right outside for guests to grab a midnight snack!

My favorite things:
  1. The popcorn truck. Hands down. The absolute best end to a wedding ever.
  2. The personal touches throughout the entire wedding. There is nothing better than a wedding that reflects the couple in every single aspect.
  3. The hot chocolate bar!!
Things I learned:
  1. Being a maverick at the DC metro system does not necessarily make you a maverick at the DC metro bus system. Leave extra early. 
  2. The majority of Georgetown campus is not supposed to be driven on... noted.
  3. If you see a DC taxi driver wave to be let in, you let him in. What will unfold next as he does a 3-point turn in the middle of oncoming traffic is quite possibly the best entertainment you will have all month. Maybe all year. (I SO wish I had those 45 seconds of my life on video for those that did not get to experience it. It was hilarious. Literally everyone stopped to give this man room and that's saying something for DC drivers!)
I just realized that all of my lessons learned involve navigating in DC. I've lived within 20 minutes of DC my entire 24 years of life... let this be a lesson to all that you will NEVER figure out DC roads, navigation or traffic. Ever.












Alex & Anthony-- After taking part in your wedding day I felt like I had been there throughout your entire relationship. It was such a treat to see your day come together and I wish you both the absolute best!

Coordinator: NoLo Weddings & Events
Photographer: Monika Broz
Wedding Cake: Cakes by Carolyn
Band: Laissez Foure
DJ: Bruce Pike Productions
Videographer: The Pros
Ceremony Musicians: Sage String Quartet