Tuesday, July 30, 2013
The logistics of moving all your wedding guests from venue to reception is something brides and grooms often forget until the last minute. Here’s a list just for your convenience of creative and fun ways to move your wedding party in Washington, DC.
1) Trolley – Old Town, Alexandria
www.trolleytours.com
How charming would it be if your whole party climbed into darling little trollies after your grand ceremony and trailed after your limo or private trolley to the reception, waving at passersby and having a jolly good time? Pretty darn charming, if you ask me. Renting a trolley is not only unique, but also totally doable. So it would not only be convenient for your guests, but for you as well!
3) Ferry – Washington, DC
How great would it be if you had your ceremony on one side of the potomac and your
http://www.potomacriverboatco.com/cherry-blossom.php
reception at another venue on the other? There are so many different kinds of ferries available for renting: The Cherry Blossom (pictured), The Miss Christin, The Admiral Tilp, The Miss Mallory, The Lady Josephine, and The Matthew Hayes. Don’t limit yourself and your party to only one side of the Potomac, explore all of DC, on and off shore!
The Potomac River Boat Company owns all of the ferries listed above and are open to private charters – all you have to do is call!
4) DC Ducks – Washington, DC
www.mywedding.com
Quack, quack! Yes, what you’re seeing is not just in your imagination, you can in fact rent a DC Duck Boat for your big day. One thing is required for this to work: a sense of humor! Delight will ensue as your guests leave the ceremony and what do they see? DC Duck Boats as far the eye can see! There are no limitations to where the boats could take them, over the river or through town.
5) Horse Drawn Carriages -Washington, DC
Provided by: http://www.shenandoahcarriage.net/
Nothing spells out romance better than horse drawn carriages through DC. A fall wedding would be perfected with this little addition. The Shenandoah Carriage Company, LLC have elegant carriages all available for rent that specialize in making your big day into a real-life fairy tale.
Posted in Washington DC Event Resources, Wedding Resources
Thursday, June 6, 2013
It’s pretty stressful looking for the perfect DC wedding venue that best expresses your relationship as a couple. With all the different options, how is a bride or groom to choose?! Well, I took a few days and went gallivanting through DC to find all the different art galleries and museums that allow weddings – which was a feat in itself, let me tell you. I had a blast looking at all the best art galleries and museums ranging from traditionally beautiful to uniquely funky in order to find the coolest wedding spots in DC.
Traditionally Beautiful:
The Textile Museum
French doors open up to the expanding 1920s-esque gardens that look as if Gatsby and Daisy are behind one of the many tall boxwood arbors engaging in secret affairs of the heart. Pebbled pathways weave throughout the formal gardens and around a glorious white tent accented with yellow fairy lights that twinkle from dusk ’til dawn. Your wedding is a complete success as your guests mill and wander about the formal gardens and chat in quiet corners.
The two historic houses wherein the Textile Museum lies are the perfect venue for the most sophisticated and stylish of weddings. The entrance, completed with detailed molding and gold lanterns, is the former home of the Museum’s founding family; it was designed in 1913 by John Russell Pope, the famed American architect of the Jefferson Memorial (1943). The Museum was later expanded in 1925 into the adjacent building to hold the Museum’s galleries.
Of course, because the event will be held in a museum, there are certain rules to protect the collections and historic buildings:
• No smoking is permitted within the buildings.
• No food or drink is allowed in the galleries.
• No fresh or dried flowers or plants are allowed in the Museum.
• Only votive candles are permitted, and only in the food-serving areas.
• No red wine or red food is permitted.
The Inside Details:
-Primarily an outdoor ceremony-centric venue. Not much indoor activities allowed.
-Wheelchair-accessible
-Exclusive with Windows Catering Company
-Limited on-site street parking (however, only five blocks north from Dupont Circle Metro Station), no valet available
-No on-site overnight accommodations
-Refundable security deposit: $500
-Can accommodate up to 200 people for standing receptions, 125 for seated dinners
Prices:
-Regular Rate: $3,500 for a seven-hour rental, including set-up and clean-up. Additional hours can be rented for $350/per hour.
-501(c)(3) Rate: $3,150 for a seven-hour rental, including set-up and clean-up. Additional hours can be rented for $315/per hour.
-On-site tent available to rent for: $3,500
Update: The Textile Museum will be moving to George Washington University’s campus in 2014, meaning the space will soon have a new owner.
As I toured the museum, I found that this quaint, simple and elegant venue will leave your wedding guests in a state of enchantment.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Imagine looking over your delighted guests as you and your love stand on the artfully crafted Mezzanine that frames the marble dance floor below. The band plays a slow ballad beneath you as you make your grand entrance by gliding down the elegantly detailed staircase and onto the dance floor.
Earlier that day, you donned on your wedding dress and sipped champagne as your bridal party got ready in the The Elisabeth Kasser Room which was converted into a bridal suite located on the Mezzanine level. Your hair and makeup 
was done in the strategically placed bathroom directly next door. You took pictures in front of the large window where you can overlook Washington, DC. Located just a few blocks up from the White House, you feel like American royalty. You then got married in the Great Hall with your loved ones surrounding you or gazing upon you theatre-style. Every candle, flower, light, bow and even the arch where you exchanged your vows were exactly as you had imagined it. Dinner was hosted on the Mezzanine level, an open space where a conveniently placed private caterer room was available to prepare all your favorite dishes. Once every plate was thoroughly enjoyed, your party proceeded to the Third Floor Galleries where your guests had cocktails and made toasts to your newly-made union while amongst art made famous by influential and awe-inspiring women. You and your guests moved back down to the Mezzanine and looked over the bannister to marvel over how the Great Hall, where you had just exchanged vows, was now a dance floor completed with lounge chairs around the sides and a simple but sophisticated bar fully stocked with every drink imaginable.
A bride will never be lacking in choices if she decides to host her wedding in the National Museum of Women in the Arts. From lighting, vendors, catering, set up for the ceremony or reception to everything else that’s important, will be available for the bride to have her every wedding wish come true.
There are a few restrictions practical for every museum (votive candles, please), but the NMWA is definitely among the most accommodating venues in DC. I had the pleasure of meeting with one of the lovely and personable event planners as she showed me around the museum. I left the NMWA knowing that any bride will certainly be taken care of by the wonderful team at the NMWA, because they take customer satisfaction to the next level.
Another perk: the rental fee for the venue is tax deductible! Downside: pretty booked throughout 2013 and most of 2014 – better make that reservation ASAP!
The Inside Details:
-Primarily an indoor ceremony-centric venue. Not much outdoor activities available.
-Wheelchair accessible
-Exclusive list of 25 caterers, six are open to partnering with chefs. (Also, allowed to have all the red wine your heart desires, just not in the carpeted third floor art galleries)
-On-site parking and valet available
-No on-site overnight accommodations
-For a plated dinner, the Great Hall can accommodate up to 180 guests on the dance floor , the Mezzanine level can fit 250
-Price varies during season. (Note: multiple reviews on different sites have said that it’s worth every penny)
National Building Museum
Your wedding will be the event of the season if you choose to have it at the National Building Museum located on G Street. The first thing your guests (which can be as many as 2,000 people) will notice as they enter the breathtaking Great Hall are the eight 
Corinthian columns reaching 75 feet into the air, each eight feet in diameter. Your wedding will be among the many important events that have been held in the National Building Museum, such as the 1885 Inaugural Ball held for President Grover Cleveland.
Before your party (that must end by 1:00 am, alcohol has to stop being served at 12:00), you can host a more intimate affair with 110 seated guests for an elegant dinner, or 200 standing guests for a chic reception. A caterers kitchen, just off the east court on the lower level, is convenient if you choose to have dinner on the main floor.
Having your special day at the National Building Museum would make a statement about who you are, in a very big way.
The Inside Details:
-Primarily an indoor ceremony-centric venue
-Wheelchair accessible
-Has a set list of preferred caterers and vendors (no on-site caterers or vendors available)
-On-site parking and valet available
-No on-site overnight accommodations
-Can accommodate up to 2,000 guests
-$$$$ Pricey, pricey, pricey – regardless of season
Uniquely Funky
LongView Gallery
This rustic, new age venue with track-lighting, concrete floors and brick walls creates an environment that every wedding guest will always remember. LongView’s expansive space can comfortably fit 400 of your lucky guests who will all be saying that you are, without a doubt, the hippest and coolest bride in town. Flooded with natural light and filled with groovy modern art, you and your guests will be able to dance the night away knowing that you are at the coolest party in all of DC.
Located in NW DC, the gallery is in walking distance of three metro stops, seven different lodgings, and two critically-acclaimed restaurants. It is the perfect venue for the trendiest of brides who just want a wedding where guests can, as the people at LongView gallery say, “p’arty”.
The Inside Details:
-Primarily an indoor ceremony-centric venue with 2,500 square feet outdoor patio available for activities
-Wheelchair accessible
-Has it’s own carefully-picked list available, but open to options. (Allowed to have all the red wine your heart desires)
-On-site parking and valet available
-No on-site overnight accommodations
-Can accommodate up to 300 guests at cocktail capacity
-Unique perks: 20’x11′ wall panel for projections, speakers, iPod and wireless mike hookup, wireless internet access available-Price varies during season
-There is a preferred list of vendors. However, it is more diverse and varied than most lists at other venues
-Monthly exhibitions of unique a new artists
-Reasonably priced
Touchstone Gallery
Simplicity and style is the name of the game if you choose to host your wedding or reception in this intimate and 
one-of-a-kind art gallery. Although the space is small, there is no doubt that you would have a tasteful event complete with thought-provoking art and stimulating conversation. As you and your guest sip on Pinot Grigio and nibble on slices of baguette and cheese, you’ll be celebrating your union in complete sophistication. You will forever be known as the most creative of brides for being able to convert the space into something that is uniquely you.
The Inside Details:
-Completely open to any and all caterers or vendors
-1600 square feet flooded with natural light
-15 ft. ceilings lined with track lighting and modern ceiling fans
-Catering prep area, 2 unisex bathrooms
-Handicap accessible
-Onsite parking available
-Capacity: 130-160 standing cocktail reception, 70 sitting
-Perk: art changes monthly
Posted in Washington DC Event Resources, Wedding Resources
Monday, January 14, 2013
Planning a wedding can be a difficult task – even for those who normally enjoy planning parties. The high level of emotions, energy and pressure can come together to turn almost anyone into an infamous Bridezilla. Luckily, in the DC area, there are several great wedding and event planners to turn to so that you can have your perfect wedding without driving yourself crazy.
Bliss
Owner Emilie Staats Hilsenrath has been planning weddings and events professionally since 2007 and is a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants. She and her team of experts specialize in walking their clients through the entire planning process before they walk down the aisle. Bliss covers everything from budget planning to design services.
Ultimate Events
Ultimate Events takes on party and wedding planning literally from conception all the way through to completion. Their clients don’t even have to know what they want their wedding to be like. Clients can work directly with the Ultimate Events planning staff to develop a concept for the wedding and then work on how to make it happen. Their unique approach to wedding planning means the possibilities are endless and that Ultimate Events is truly a one stop shop.
True Wedding Events
Aimee Hardenbergh launched True Wedding Events after a successful career as a Special Event Coordinator where she earned the nickname ‘The Idea Girl’ for her brainstorming skills. Today she brings a flair for the creative as well as a strong background in management, organization and professional contacts to her private wedding clients. That creative streak coupled with her eye for detail means she’s able to give her clients the wedding of a lifetime with every detail in place – from the venue selection to reception activities.
Pineapple Productions
Pineapple Productions is based out of Washington DC but their flair for event planning has them frequently working major events in Florida, Cape Cod and California. Pineapple made a name for themselves by planning events at historic properties and exclusive private properties. They tailor each event to their client’s needs so that every detail reflects the life, vision and spirit of their client couple.
Cherry Blossom Events
The Cherry Blossom team of designers and coordinators has been working to deliver memorable weddings and events since 2006. Their award-winning team has established connections with some of the most highly sought-after vendors in the area and has coordinated weddings in truly memorable venues such as art galleries and historic hotels around the DC area.
Junebug Weddings
Junebug co-founders Blair de Laubenfels and Christy Weber first met in photography school. The two have risen through the ranks together working first as wedding photographers and then taking on a more comprehensive role in the entire area of wedding planning. The result is a wedding that is not only one to remember, but one that is literally made to be photographed. Their combined eye for style has ensured artistic and visually striking weddings for all of their clients.
Blue Canary Events
Blue Canary events is made up of planners with plenty of experience who have been featured in The Knot magazine as well as recognized by Bride & Groom, Wedding Wire and So You’re EnGAYged. Their modern and fanciful take on wedding planning means they’re able to deliver stunning weddings that manage to combine timeless class and beauty with a modern twist. Their team has even taken wedding planning to the next level and were contributors on the book ‘The Father of the Bride Wedding Guide’.
Invited Special Events
Invited Special Events bill themselves as a boutique event production firm which means each event is a truly unique experience. Pavaune Pearson began the firm in 2007 after having spent time as both a corporate event coordinator and an interior designer. Her combined skills and years of experience mean that she and her team can deliver a visually stunning event. Invited Special events has been featured in Washingtonian Bride & Groom magazine and has also made waves on nationally associated websites like WeddingBee, BridePOP and Premier Bride magazine.
Event Accomplished
Event Accomplished covers everything from rehearsal dinner venues through to accommodation for out of town guests and the full service wedding package. They go out of their way to focus on every detail so that the happy couple is free to relax and enjoy their special event without having to worry about the minutiae. They’ve been serving clients since 2004 and have been able to coordinate weddings that combine art deco with sports or lend a touch of Carnival to a classic wedding theme.
Elegantly Chic Events
Elegantly Chic prides themselves on reviving the classic images of chic sophistication with a touch of timeless beauty. The result is exactly what you think – part Audrey Hepburn, part Jackie O. They’ve built their reputation on customized weddings that lend this touch of classic elegance to any personality so even if your own style is more bohemian, they’ll be able to ensure your personality shines through.
A. Dominick Events
A. Dominick Events has become synonymous with some of those most visually engaging events in the DC area. Their focus is entirely customer driven and they remain one of the few coordinators who do not work with vendors based on commission. Though this is a fairly common practice in the world of event planning, A. Dominick maintains a detached but professional relationship so that their clients know any vendor they suggest is based on them being a good fit and nothing else. This level of dedication has resulted in their coordinating one of a kind events throughout the DC area as well as Mexico, the Bahamas and southern France. As a result, their events have been featured in Bride & Groom, BizBash, Destination I Do and Style Me Pretty, to name a few.
These are the wedding and event planners making waves and headlines in Washington, DC. So, if you’re still on the fence about creating and designing your own wedding or hiring a serious professional to make your dream come to life, check out the Bridal Dozen, you’ll be amazed and inspired!
Posted in Washington DC Event Resources, Wedding Resources
