why: hire a planner?

Excerpted from Elizabeth Anne Designs

I have to tell you this is one of the best and most concise explanations I've ever seen as to why you need a planner for your wedding day - more than you might know!

"I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked this question! Hiring a planner is the best investment you can make in your wedding.

Whether you hire one for the day of or the whole process, a planner can take the pressure off and make the planning process more fun and less stressful. Or course, if you watch those “reality” shows, you may ask yourself - “are they for real?!” Well, unfortunately, yes they are. Be careful! Just because someone planned their own wedding and is now charging dirt cheap prices for helping you, doesn’t make them a wedding planner. Florists are not wedding planners, the event coordinator at the club or the hotel is not a wedding planner and your Aunt Sally may be more than willing to help out, but she is not equipped to handle emergencies on your wedding day.

You want a planner that is there for YOU- from beginning to end! This is the most important day of your life! Don’t entrust it to just anyone. Ask questions, do your homework and get references."

what i love now: trash the dress shoots

Photo by K & K Photography

I have to say that one of my favorite trends emerging in the wedding photography arena right now is the "trash the dress" shoot!

If you've never heard of a "trash the dress" shoot, it is simply a day-after (or week-after, month-after, year-after, etc) photo shoot where you get to trash that beautiful white dress you wore on your wedding day. The thing to think about is this: when will you ever, ever, ever wear that gorgeous dress again? More than likely, it will be hanging in your closet for the next only-God-knows-how-many years doing nothing but attracting moths - so why not get some more beautiful (and fun) photos out of the dress before you have to get it cleaned and put away? Here is an example of a fabulous "trash the dress" shoot that some of my favorite photographers, K&K Photography, did just a bit ago!

What do you think? Could you see yourself getting down and dirty in your perfect, white wedding dress?

it's my birthday!

It's my birthday!

Has anyone noticed that as you age, your birthdays become less and less eventful? Honestly, being an event planner, one may believe that I would have the most beautifully detailed birthday parties for myself. (Surprise, I don't!) But if I did have the time to plan one and the perfect location to hold the event, these are just some of the details I would include for my day!

Keeping it bright with a lemon-y yellow theme, since a birthday is a celebration after all, and what screams celebrate more than yellow? I love the contrast of that beautiful purple with the yellow in those orchids (one of my favorite flowers, mind you)!

What ideas do you have for fabulous birthday color schemes?

invited on districtweddings.com!

I don't know if you've heard about an amazing little blog called District Weddings, but if you haven't - here's your introduction! They discuss all weddings, all the time, always DC. They have fabulous interviews, tips, real weddings, etc and on that note, they recently interviewed Invited!
Check it out here!

new brides and grooms!

Hello new brides and grooms!

What a fabulous time! The excitement of the upcoming events in your lives and the fun planning process about to ensue! Though this may not be the case for everyone - and whether it is or isn't, one can guarantee you're going to need help somewhere along the way. That's where we come in. When the planning gets tough, not so fun anymore or you just don't know where to begin, we step in and help lead you along the planning path!

Trust me. It doesn't have to be scary or frustrating getting ready for your big day, so let us help you make it enjoyable!