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: 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: 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: featured weddings!

Hello loves! Well this week's love has been hijacked by another blog, but it's okay! I've given this week's post over freely to Elizabeth Anne Designs (EAD) because they have featured one of my favorite weddings EVER - Melinda and Jason's January gem!

To say I adore this couple is an understatement. They are the absolute bee's knees, and Melinda did a fabulous job as a Wedding Bee (Miss Lamb!) They have been through so much together, and they've continued to be each other's rocks. The love that they share is so very evident in their photos, so I'll share a few for you here! All photographs are courtesy of Sam Hughes Photography. For the rest of the feature you can check them out over on EAD!

So, yes, what I love this week is one of my own! But can you blame me?!?

what I love: style me pretty's style circle

Okay, I don't know if you've checked it out yet, though I'm certain you've heard word of it on the streets: Style Circle. Style Me Pretty (yes, the fabulous blog with all things weddings) has created an amazing Circle of wedding lovers.

The Style Circle is composed of all those who love weddings - a place for them to chat, share concepts, color schemes, and best of all (what I love) inspiration boards! They have this magic inspiration board maker that provides the format, the pictures, the ideas - the everything! It's amazing, to say the least.

Look at what I produced in no more than 15 minutes!

Credits: Docuvitae, Karen Wise, Millie Holloman Photography, Raya Carlisle Photography, Jose Villa

You don't have to be jealous of this awesome inspiration board though, because you can hop right on over to the Style Circle and make one yourself - right quick! Trust me (I don't have to ask) you'll love, love, love it!

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!