what I love: independence celebrations!

Hello there y'all - and HAPPY FOURTH O' JULY!

I'm not going to lie. The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. It's summer incarnate. This fabulous holiday represents all that we are as a nation - both good and bad. There's overwhelming amounts of food (mostly of the fried variety), overwhelming amounts of fire, but most importantly there are overwhelming amounts of friends and family.

photo credit: San Diego County News

And at the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about?

So what I love this week is good ol' Independence Day. Hope you enjoy yours!

what I love: cake toppers

I have a treat for you! This Wednesday, I've invited Invited's lead day-of coordinator, Annie Oudom, here to share what she loves this week! So, Annie, take it away!

Happy, happy, Wednesday everyone! 

I have a few friends that are getting married this year, and they all know how much I live and breathe weddings. One of the infamous questions they always ask is: "What should I do for a cake topper?" My answer to any wedding question is: "The possibilities are endless! But what is it that YOU love?"

There have been so many unique wedding cake toppers that I have seen in my day! Some I question... but nearly all of them I absolutely love. Not only are they unique but I adore the fact that they represent the bride and groom. Whether it's traditional or something a bit wacky, it should really highlight you - as the bride, and your fiance - as the groom. After all, this day is all about the both of you, right?!

We have come a long way since these classic cake toppers:

Although classic is nice and traditional, and nice and... err... ok a bit on the boring side for my liking, I can definitely appreciate them! I've spent a lot of time on Pinterest, either searching for ideas for my own (future!) wedding, or helping out friends decide on what would best suit them for their cake 

Here are some of my favorites:

Cake toppers that resemble the bride and groom

How incredibly cute is this?? I love the fact that the toppers have details of the bride and groom down to a T.

Just flowers
I absolutely love this. The cake looks so dainty and so pretty that I don't even want to eat it! Using flowers as a topper adds a great touch to the cake because it isn't too overpowering.

Monogrammed cake toppers
I also do like using monograms for cake toppers. I'm sure you have seen monograms with the bride and grooms initials of their first name with their last name initial in the center. Or, like the picture above, just using the initial of the last name. What I also love about this particular monogram topper is the bling. I do love my bling. There are just some things I can't deny.

Hello Kitty!
This cake topper speaks for itself. Everyone needs some Hello Kitty in their life, right?!

So loves, what are some unique ideas you have for cake toppers?

what I love: 2013 - Big Things!

Hello lovelies, and happy 2013! (I know I'm SUPER late to the bandwagon on that whole happy new year thing, but please forgive me! We've been busy.)

Speaking of busy, we've marked some major milestones in the last few months here at Invited! To begin, we've officially opened our LA office, and Pavaune (that's me!) gets to spearhead that office. I'm a California native, so it's kind of like a little homecoming. Needless to say, I'm thrilled! Our LA clients seem to be pretty ecstatic too!

So I'm pretty sure you're wondering... who's running the DC office?!  That's the even more exciting news! Ruby Dichirico joined the Invited team last year, and she's heading the DC office. She's absolutely unbelievable. With more than 100 weddings under her belt, all of you DMV brides will absolutely be in the best hands!

photo credit: Leo Druker Photography

What's more?! Annie Oudom, who's been with Invited as one of our fabulous assistants for about 2 years now, has been promoted. She is now a day-of coordinator! After 2 years of experiencing all the ups and downs that DC weddings could throw at her, she's ready to take on wedding days as the head honcho!

photo credit: Leo Druker Photography

Finally, we were lucky enough to have Leo Druker photograph us for all-new company head shots. It was an incredibly fun time shooting with him, and now we can speak firsthand as to how at ease he makes his clients feel! I'm beyond thrilled by the shots that came of it, so thank you Leo!

photo credit: Leo Druker Photography

Needless to say, we have some very big things in store for 2013 - from coast to coast!

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?

who I love: whitney houston

The world is devastated, no doubt by the loss of a music goddess, Whitney Houston, whom I consider the Beyonce or Jennifer Hudson of my day. With her all-powerful voice, strong beautiful presence, and fierce attitude this woman rocked us to the core with songs like "I Have Nothing," that when belted, made us feel more alive and definitely, understood. Not to mention songs like "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" that made us feel like doing just that!

Photo credit: Rolling Out

Among other favorites, I remember "I Will Always Love You," from The Bodyguard, a movie I never tired of watching, even 20 years after it's debut. It's not too often a singer can crossover into Hollywood and be successful, but I believed in the love between Kevin Costner and Whitney. She was just that good!

And even her recent works, "I Look to You," which included a few recent favorites like "Million Dollar Bill" and "Didn't Know My Own Strength," doubled us over in awe of a voice so powerful and lyrics so moving that we thought nothing - not even death - could ever take away that voice away. Now that it is gone, I'm sad that circumstances didn't allow us to celebrate this woman's achievements - as many as there were - a lot sooner, or at least more often and in her presence. It's undeniably heartbreaking to see another great artist silenced by causes that could have most certainly been avoided.

This week who I love is a woman who we all loved, Whitney Houston.

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! 

who I love: barbara of growing wild!

I have the privilege of working with some amazingly talented professionals in this business, and one woman who I absolutely love working with is Barbara Von Elm of Growing Wild Floral Co. This is a bouquet she made for one of my April brides. Totally gorg!

Photo credit: Meredith Perdue

I thought it'd be fun to do a little Q&A with Barbara so you could get to know a little about the woman behind the flowers and why I love her as much as I do!

How did you get into the wedding business?

I was doing a Home and Garden show in DC selling my dried arrangements and a mother of a bride thought I would connect well with her daughter’s natural style... My first 2 weddings were actually done with dried flowers. I was knocked out when I started working with fresh (alive!) florals.. Sooooo much prettier!

Tell me about your farm.

I love my farm. I moved to my 65 acre farm in Delaplane (60 miles west of DC) from Alexandria in 2003, after my 2 daughters went to college. I literally packed up my dogs, cats and horses and moved west. Then I designed and built a house with a studio where we do all of our design work. 

What sets you apart from other florists in the area?

I am putting a lot of time and resources in growing organic florals for the business. We currently are focusing on high-end florals such as peonies, hydrangeas and my favorite cash crop—dahlias. Sadly, since we do up to 5 weddings per weekend (in high season), most of our flowers still come from the wholesalers…I am shooting to get 10 percent of all flowers used from the gardens.

What are good go-to flowers for the Spring? Fall?

Early spring (March-April) brings the classic Spring flowers including tulips, daffs, lilac, and hyacinths. It also is a good time to get flowers like ranunculus, anemone, that are cool weather flowers.

Late Spring (May-June) brings the ever popular peonies! 

My fall favorite is the dahlia. However,  one can find lots of other fun flowers including zinnia, sedum,  and of course, hydrangea.

What advice would you give to a bride on a budget?

Go for seasonal flowers or those that are available all year round (e.g. roses, etc.) and put your money in your bouquets and your centerpieces. Your bouquets (including bridesmaids) are in most of your pictures and your guests will be looking at the centerpieces all night long so that's what they'll remember. 

How much should a bride expect to pay for wedding flowers?

No more than she can comfortably afford.  At the end of the day, it is not about flowers.

What’s your favorite part of this job?

I love to find new ideas that brides bring to the table and I LOVE making gorgeous bridal bouquets! When I begin, I have no idea what it will look like. The flowers will take on their own personality. I let them do their own floral thing. They rarely disappoint unless I try to force them (that is why I ask for flexibility from my brides... it's when you get the best work)!

What is your favorite flower?

Love them all. Some are easier to work with. Some are so fragile that they are not practical.

If you hadn't noticed, Barbara, like me, is a woman who loves her work, and I love that! I'm not the only one who loves Barbara, either! Her clients do! Check out all the recognition she's received:

To see more of Barbara's work, visit her website: www.growingwildfloral.com or email her at growingwild@msn.com, and let her know we sent you!
 

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: a year in weddings!

When the holiday rush dwindles and we near the end of December, I always take some time to reflect on the year past. As an event planner, I have the privilege of seeing a lot of love, a lot of fun, and a whole lot of beautiful weddings over the course of the year, and 2011 was no exception! Invited elevated to a new level this year, and I saw brides happier than ever before. People took notice, too! We were featured on Style Me Pretty, United with Love, Wedding Chicks and we're even in this winter's issue of Washingtonian Bride and Groom magazine!! Could I be prouder? Absolutely not! I'm thrilled with the weddings we helped plan in 2011 and along the way, I met some amazing people (clients and vendors alike). I may not have blogged much (that's my New Year's resolution!), but let's just say I had a good excuse: throwing a heck of a lot of gorgeous weddings! Let's a take a look back at a couple, shall we?

In early Spring, Jessica and Michael wed at the Hotel Palomar in DC.

Photos by Madeline Marshall 

***

Then in April, Aaron & Sara tied the knot at Oxon Hill Manor in Fort Washington, MD.

Photos by Meredith Perdue & Graham Terhune

***

Summer hit, and Anne and Taylor married at Anne’s parent’s home in Medfield, MA.

Photos by Joel & Rita Wiebner of The Wiebners.

***

  

It was a great year, if I do say so myself! All the way from Massachusetts to Capitol Hill, it was a whirlwind of wonderful weddings, only a handful of which are listed here. I. Cannot. Wait. For. More.

Let's go 2012! What I loved this year was everything and EVERYONE who made it what it is.

Was there a consistent theme throughout 2011 for you? What'd you love?

Style Me Pretty Feature!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We're so happy to announce that one of our weddings was featured on Style Me Pretty today! We now get to proudly display this! Yay!


Please feel free to check out the feature here! And don't hesitate to comment!

Hope you are getting a chance to give thanks for all that you have. I certainly know that we are!

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?!

attention!! brand new weekly feature: who I love!

We've got some big changes in store for This, I Love over the next few months, and I'm so anxious about them all that I had to give you one of them a little earlier than the others!

We're starting a brand new feature, y'all: WHO I LOVE!

Every Monday, I'll be introducing you to someone I adore - whether it be a fellow blogger, an invitation designer, an awesome florist, maybe a great interior designer! You can be assured that it will be someone fabulous... and someone that you'll want to know too!

So keep your eyes peeled for the new feature which will be coming to you soon!!!

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!