what I love: brunch weddings

I am back in the mix of things after last week's wisdom teeth emergency and today's what I love feature is just as fun as last week's frozen yogurt trend... brunch weddings!

As a wedding planner, I get asked constantly for cost-saving tips, and one I like to suggest that couples often forget to consider is brunch weddings!

Photo credit: Stefan Sisters

I love brunch weddings because breakfast food is so diverse! From Belgian waffles to eggs benedict there's something to satisfy everyone's morning appetites! There are also a number of ways to get creative with breakfast foods! Check out this bacon, displayed perfectly for a rustic, laid-back event:

Photo credit: Elizabeth Anne Designs via Jennifer on Pinterest

Keep in mind, bacon in a jar, like a lot of other ideas on some of the most fabulous wedding blogs is too far "out there" for some, and I like to encourage brides to not get too carried away with ideas they garner from styled wedding shoots (as they often don't reflect real weddings), but you can be creative! Like with this doughnut cake for example!

Photo credit: Bronze Budget Bride via Pinterest

A traditional wedding cake can cost an upwards of $500, but Krispy Kreme donughts are as inexpensive as $9 per dozen! That's a huge cost savings, if you ask me!

May I also suggest heading to some of DC's bottomless brunch spots to get the creative juices flowing? Yes, please!! You know how we love our brunches here in the District!
Here's a quick list of my personal faves:

Includes Unlimited Mimosa
Saturdays

Masa 14 - an Asian flare

Beacon - big, bright, and beautiful

The Getaway - in Columbia Heights

Scion - patio seating available (Spring is upon us! Let's get outside!)

Sundays

Ping Pong - til 4:00 pm
W Hotel  - rooftop seating available!
Ardeo - til 3:00 pm with unlimited champagne, not just mimosas!
Smith Commons H Street - also with a rooftop patio

Vinoteca - bottomless kir royale, bellinis, and mimosas

Not Unlimited Mimosa, but Great Food

Birch & Barley - til 5:00 pm

Founding Farmers - yum!

Belga Café - small, but classy
Blue Duck Tavern - has a brand new patio!

Firefly - gluten-free menu available

Now, of course, brunch doesn't automatically equal an inexpensive wedding! For any restaurant with a delicious brunch menu and a private function space, I'd certainly recommend calling and pricing out a full wedding reception and seeing how they can work with you and your budget. Nonetheless, I think it's so very important to realize that there are definitely a lot of local choices for this type of reception!

What do you think of brunch weddings? It is certainly what I love this week!

Check out more breakfast wedding ideas right here.

what I love: the frozen yogurt trend!

Happy Wednesday y'all! Spring is here and summer is on the way, which means it's time to break out the snacks that cool us down! This one is especially close to my heart... and mouth, after dealing with a wisdom teeth removal yesterday - all things cold and frozen are my friend!

I know you're probably thinking ice cream, but think again: this snack is sweet, but low in calories! Who doesn't love that? I know I do! The real question is: have you ever thought of incorporating something like this into your wedding?

We've all seen candy, cookie, and dessert bars, but there's a new trend on the horizon I'd love to see break into weddings! Hello, frozen yogurt!

Tumblr via Pinterest

Frozen yogurt is the wow factor your guests will never see coming, and that they'll be talking about for years! It's the perfect sweet detail to revamp an outdoor reception and cool down famished friends and family.

Did I mention frozen yogurt machines are easy to setup?

Just think: yummy frozen yogurt flavors and a full bar of fresh fruit and sweet snack toppings! This Florida wedding featured on Southern Weddings did it right!

Photos by Tina Bass

Pretty!

Oh so pretty! 

They aren't the only ones either!

Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt made an appearance in this Caroline Tran wedding, too!

Image via FabulouslyEverAfter.com / Photo by Caroline Tran

Mmmm.

Pinkberry! 

Ok, so. The cost to pull something like this off is definitely worth giving some thought, but for the DIY bride, there's some alternatives! I found this tutorial on making frozen yogurt push-ups that could easily be passed around at the reception after dinner!

So fun, right?

Photo credit

Do you like frozen yogurt?

Have you ever seen anything like this at a wedding?

Would you consider having it at yours?

what I love: washingtonian magazine

Washingtonian's Bride & Groom Magazine is a go-to resource for DC, Maryland, and Virginia brides and there's nothing more exciting for a planner than to have a wedding featured in such a presitigous magazine! Yes, that's right folks...

Photo Credit

What I love this week is dear to my heart because it's years in the making, years of hard work and due diligence. INVITED IS IN PRINT!

It's no big secret that wedding websites and blogs are all the rage, but there's are some timeless elements of wedding planning that aren't going anywhere, and one of them is a good ol' wedding magazine! This one is by far the best in our area, not only because of it's pages and pages of gorgeous inspiration photos but also for the growing list of fabulous vendors in their prestigious vendor guide.

So what are you waiting for?!? Go check out Robynn and Jerome's fabulous DC wedding in the Winter Issue of Washingtonian Bride and Groom, on newsstands right now OR you can check out the event online on Washingtonian Bride and Groom's blog right here! 

what I love: getting brides started!

So you're engaged!! Now what??

Photo credit: Bride Finds

There's probably a million ideas running through your mind: the type of ceremony you want, who should be in your bridal party, your color scheme... the list goes on and on!

You've probably scoured the internet for advice, too, huh? Found Style Me Pretty and The Knot pretty helpful in conjuring MORE ideas! But have you talked to a planner? Better question: have you begun to feel overwhelmed?

You're not alone!! That's why I offer a FREE webinar for newly engaged couples to help them sort through the mess of details, and the best part: it all takes place from the convenience of your home! Here's the low-down:

Who: Just twenty brides - I want you to have my full attention!

What: We'll be discussing the 5 things every couple must know when planning their wedding, followed by a Q&A session! Topics include:

*How to pick a date

*How to set a budget

*How to make the planning process fun and a lot more!

When: 7PM on Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Where: Online! For more information, visit our registration form. Let us know if you have any questions regarding the event at register@invitedspecialevents.com.

What I love this week is what I love about my job - helping brides get started, get organized, and get planning their big day!

So what are you waiting for? Space is limited! Sign up today!

what I love: one big resolution!

New Year's Eve is about fun with friends, sparkly clothes, party horns, and champagne, sure; but, it's really more about resolutions isn't it? Who doesn't wake up January 1st and try to do better, do more, and use this time as a fresh slate of sorts?

Remember my New Year's resolutions last year?

Well, this year I'm doing things a little different.

I'm making one big resolution that I am determined to keep!

Photo credit: Apartment Therapy

This year, I will... blog more often!

There's so, so much on the horizon for Invited, and I can't keep it to myself! It's really only fitting I share it all with you (I know you're curious what's happening behind the scenes!), and what better place to start than this little blog? 

I know this is something I've got to work on because in 2011, I blogged only 13 times! Yikes! That's definitely not enough! We've been busy, which is a wonderful thing, but we can't ever be too busy to blog and keep you, my friends, in the loop! After all, you're helping shape this journey!

It's going to be a great year! Just you wait and see! Seriously!  

So what I love this week is, undoubtedly, my resolution! What's one big resolution your determined to keep this year?

what I love: Wedding Chicks!

I'm going to be brief this week with what I love. Mainly because we've been busy bees over at Invited getting ready for our big Boston wedding (coming up this weekend)! But I had to let you know about what I love this week, because I'm 100% certain you will too!

photo credit: & Unlimited

Wedding Chicks is a fabulous blog! They have free printables, lots of DIY instructions, and so many real weddings to feast your eyes on! Most importantly, today, they've featured one of OUR weddings! Sara and Aaron were lucky enough to get married on a beautiful spring day overlooking the Potomac. Lots of details went into their day, and Meredith Perdue of & Unlimited was able to capture them all on film! 

photo credit: & Unlimited

Check out their gorgeous feature here, and let me know what you think! Love it too?!

what I love: carol hannah wedding collection!

I'll admit it: if there's one thing I adore it's a good ol' Southern gal, and Carol Hannah is just that - a Southern gal thrown into the wild fashion world of New York city. What's more? She's rocking it with her whimsical take on all things beautiful!

She designs all types of dresses. So for those of you who aren't brides just yet, she's go something for you too - like this beauty from her Ready to Wear collection:

But for those of you who are looking for the perfect dress for your big day, you must, must, must check out her wedding collection!

I picture this dress on a chic city bride getting married in a ballroom downtown. It's the perfect blend of elegance and whimsy.

Or this one!

Adorable, huh? Couldn't you imagine slipping into that right before your loft wedding downtown?

And for a casual outdoor affair? She gives you this piece of gorgeousness!

All images courtesy of Carol Hannah

There are no words to explain how much I love her work, and I'm pretty sure you'll find something in her collection to fall in love with too!

what I love: fingerprint rings!

This is one for all those couples out there who know they want something different for their big day but just aren't sure where to start. I was lucky enough to be tipped off to these beauties by one of my most recent clients. They got them for their ceremony, and so for you, I have something so special and unique - I bet you didn't even know it existed: fingerprint rings! That's right. These are 100% custom rings with your (and your hubby-to-be) fingerprints on, or in, them. You truly can't get much more personalized than that!

photo credit: fabuluster

How awesome are these?! And the variations available are seemingly endless!

photo credit: fabuluster

I can't think of a better way to literally have a piece of your significant other with you from now until forever.

photo credit: fabuluster

What's better? The rings are so clean and chic to boot!

So it's true! What I love this week are fingerprint rings! Do you love 'em too?

what I love: ombre!

There are so many things to love about ombre that I don't even know where to begin. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what ombre is, the simplest definition is a shaded effect of color which can be applied to nearly anything. Many people immediately think of ombre fabric. Like this dress features: 

 But the fact of the matter is ombre can be applied to so very many different things! And when you're talking ombre at weddings, you're talking beautiful. Just take a gander at the various ombre items available at our beck and call!

One of my favorite applications of ombre is on a wedding cake. The best purveyor of ombre wedding cakes - hands down? Maggie Austin. And for all of you local DC brides, you're in luck cause her homebase is right here in the District!

photo credit: Maggie Austin Cake

 I know you just fell in love; no need to lie to yourself.

Looking for a gorgeous ombre shift dress, are you? I have the perfect one thanks to Alice and Olivia.

photo credit: a blond and a brunette

And for those of you who are looking for just a pop of ombre, you can't get much better than these gorgeous and (incredibly) unique earrings!

That's leather fringe dip-dyed in a fabulous purple. I know, I know. You just fell in love again.

You didn't think I was going to leave out the original wedding ombre, courtesy of Gwen Stefani. What a gorgeous rebel she is.

Finally, I did in fact leave the best for last - a little wedding DIY ombre project that is oh so simple and, more importantly, oh so undeniably beautiful.

photo credit: Once Wed

What are those? Ombre napkins you see! That's right. You can't get more chic than that. What's better? they're ridiculously inexpensive to pull off. Check out all the instructions over here at Once Wed!

There's no denying that what I love this week is absolutely ombre. You don't have to say a word. I know you love it too!

what I love: cupcake fondue!

After celebrating Valentine's Day with a whole lot of fondue action, I kind of fell in love with the stuff. Plus, I love all things miniature. So imagine my absolute delight in finding this recipe for cupcake fondue thanks to the owner of Bake It Pretty, Amanda Krueger!

I think it would be perfect for a bridal shower, a birthday party, or even as a midnight snack at a wedding! How much fun would that be? I mean, just look at the amazingness that is CUPCAKE FONDUE!

photo credit: Pint Size Social

Since I know you're dying for it, here's the recipe!

Cupcake Fondue
You will need:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup liquid (orange juice, fruit juice, milk, or water)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Miniature-size cupcakes in the flavor of your choice, cooled and unfrosted
Assorted sprinkles, chopped nuts, and other toppings

1. Make a batch of your favorite mini cupcakes – homemade or from a mix. Make them nice and small so you don’t feel guilty about enjoying 2 or 3 of them. If you use paper liners for baking, remove them after the cupcakes have cooled. Pound cake or any other firm cake works well for skewering, but any cake will do. I used a simple yellow box-mix cake. Allow to cool completely before dipping.

photo credit: Pint Size Social

2.  Make the fondue: Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and corn syrup.  Adjust the consistency with a drop of liquid or a dash more powdered sugar until you get have a smooth, thick glaze.  I used orange juice for the liquid portion to give it a citrus flavor and cheese-like yellow fondue color.  You could also use grape juice for a pastel purple, or milk/water and add your own coloring.

photo credit: Pint Size Social

3.  Pour frosting into the fondue pot.  There’s really no need to heat the mixture, but you can keep a small tea light or very low flame underneath just for looks!  Display sprinkles and toppings in small ramekins or portion cups and arrange around the fondue pot.  Skewer cupcakes in the side and dip the top half into the fondue, then flip the cupcake over and the frosting will drip nicely down the sides.  Sprinkle liberally with your favorite toppings.

photo credit: Pint Size Social

You may need to give the fondue a quick stir every now and then to keep it smooth if you aren’t actively dipping... This would be a great addition to a party desert table, or for a special treat on a rainy day.  Enjoy!

So I have no doubt that what I love this week is cupcake fondue, but what do you say - you love it too?!

All images and directions thanks to, Pint Size Social who had the fabulous interview with Amanda featured on their site.

what I love: The Love Shop!

It doesn't get much more apropos than that, ya'll. It's true. I can not resist The Love Shop, and if you haven't heard of it yet I guarantee you'll soon find yourself feeling the same way!

Creator, JJ St James, does an unbelievable job of capturing all that is beautiful about modern love. In her own words, her shop is her "attempt at giving a little love to you and the world." Want proof? Check it.

photo credit: the love shop

photo credit: the love shop

photo credit: the love shop

I'll be entirely honest. 90% of her shop is in my Favorites list. I'm not ashamed. I'm in love. What do you say? You love it too?

what I love: Letterpress Light!

So some of you may be in the letterpress loop already, but for those of you who aren't I've got a definite treat for you! What I love this week is Letterpress Light!

Letterpress Light ain't no normal letterpress y'all! It is a custom process that was created by the owner, Heather Noss, and she did a marvelous job! It's an incredibly unique process that, in their own words, "...enhances the rich texture of regular letterpress printing, resulting in a 50% deeper press.  It adds more expansive & vivid color options, as well as design flexibility not possible with regular letterpress printing."

The color is gorgeous and vibrant, and the pressing is deeper than what you'll ever get with normal, old letterpress! I just can't get enough of their work. Check out a couple of their beautiful wedding invitations!

photo credit: Letterpress Light

Or this beauty...

photo credit: Letterpress Light

 Finally, see how vibrant the color is?! This is nothing like old letterpress! It's absolutely gorgeous and fresh!

photo credit: Letterpress Light

So I'm certain that what I love this week is Letterpress Light! What do you say, brides, do you love them too? If so, get in touch with them soon to get your custom invites!

what I love: Baltimore!

I have some VERY exciting news, and I do not throw around all-cap words very lightly! Invited is expanding to Baltimore! So - you guessed it - I love Baltimore this week!

Baltimore brides have long been seeking a great planning company that is reliable, organized, and (most importantly) fun! We're finally here to answer the call!

Amiee Winchester will be heading up our Baltimore office, and she brings with her, significant experience coordinating conventions, meetings and weddings throughout the Baltimore and Washington areas, as well as an absolute love for planning. Plus, she was a Baltimore bride herself, so she truly knows the ins-and-outs of the Baltimore wedding industry. 

photo credit: Borrowed Blue

She's ready to lead the way for all those Charm City brides! She is incredibly excited to be running the Baltimore office, and she cannot wait to begin working with all those clients seeking the best of the best!

To set up an appointment today or inquire about Invited : Baltimore’s services please email Amiee at amiee@invitedeventdesign.com 

So it's official! Charm City is what I love this week! I'm sure all you Baltimore brides would agree! 

what I love: resolutions!

I may be a tad late on the New Year's resolution bandwagon, but at least I'm getting on! What I love this week are resolutions, and those can be made at any time on any day of any month! However with the start of the new year, it sure does seem a convenient time to make them now doesn't it?

Resolutions are those ever-important promises that you make to yourself in attempts to become a better person, a better friend, a better fiancee, a better partner - just plain better.

So I've decided to make my list and officially post it here for all to see!
Here goes:
1. Get my home organized!  
    Focusing SO much on Invited, and sadly, our house has felt the brunt of that negligence!
    Time to get it together! 
2. Go to the gym - no really.
    GO. TO. THE. GYM. And workout while I'm there too.
3. Travel to (at least) one foreign location that I've never been to.
    Thinking Guatemala...
4. Take time to relax!

Plus these things too!

image credit: Be healthy, Be well

So there it is for all to see! Feel free to hold me accountable for what I love this week! What are your resolutions for the new year? Do you love 'em?!

what I love: FREE webinars!

So how many of you out there got rings on your fingers sometime in the last couple of weeks - hm? What's that I hear?? A whole lot?! That's right! You're engaged! Congratulations, but now what do you do? Where do you start, and who do you talk to?? Well, I can guarantee you that what I love this week, will hold all the answers because what I love this week is OUR free wedding planning webinar!

We'll be holding the webinar on January 12th at 7 PM for ten lucky couples. It will be an exclusive opportunity to chat with a wedding professional about all those questions you have in the beginning of the planning process, and hopefully get that wedding-planning ball rolling.

For your convenience, you can register below for the event.

Remember - only ten couples get in on this, and it's filling up fast!

what I love: Christmastime!

Great news everyone!

It's officially Christmastime! A Christmas Story is playing non-stop on TBS, and Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You is playing non-stop on my computer. That's right - it's Christmastime, and it's what I love this week.

photo credit: humor me

The thing about Christmas is it means more than the presents under the tree, more than the gift wrap or even the amazing tablescapes. It's the togetherness of it all. Whether it's with your new fiancee, your new husband or wife or your new in-laws, the time that we spend together is (get ready for the cheese) priceless. It's a time to enjoy the family you are and the family you will be. Those are moments you can't trade for anything in the world.

It's the warmest time of the year - even though it's the coldest weather, and there's a reason for that. Enjoy the holiday spirit, and don't forget to take a moment to love Christmastime too.

Merry Christmas everyone and happy new year!

photo credit: Etsy

what I love: gift wrapping!

The thing about gift wrapping is it isn't solely allocated to the holidays. One must gift wrap throughout the year (for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries - you name it!). That's the best part about learning how to gift wrap beautifully, you get to use the skill throughout the year.

After all, who can resist a little piece of beautiful like this?

photo credit: a gift wrapped life

The holidays are a time that one's gift wrapping skills are allowed to truly shine. It's all about those details - details, details, details! Besides that's where all the fun is! Take a look at some of these chic and adorable gift wrapping details!

This one comes with DIY instructions courtesy of Design*Sponge!

photo credit: Design Sponge

Plus, nowadays, with the focus on eco-friendliness in every facet of our lives, gift wrap has plenty of eco-friendly options too! Take fabric gift wrap, for instance. You heard me right - FABRIC. Check it out.

photo credit: Etsy

Or adorable fabric drawstring bags!

photo credit: Etsy

And don't forget the icing on the metaphorical gift-wrapping cake - the tags! The number of unique tag options out there is absolutely endless! Lots of DIY options, and lots available to purchase. Lookie here for instance.

photo credit: Etsy

There are even letterpress options - gorgeous!

photo credit: Etsy

I most definitely love gift wrapping this week! Whaddya say? I imagine you love it too!