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! 

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?!

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: 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: 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: monograms!

One of the BEST things about getting married is (arguably) getting to now share an initial with your one true love. (Yes, I am aware of the fact that nowadays many women aren't taking their fiancee's names, but for the sake of this post, we'll be momentarily ignoring that trend!) I'm talking about a monogram! Tell me you don't love them?! They can be everything from the chicest of the chic to the most elegant of the elegant, and no matter what - they're gorgeous and fun!

The most amazing thing about a monogram is that a truly beautiful one can transition from "weddingware" to houseware! And there are so many beautiful ones out there, I'm certain you can find one that you'll fall in love with.

For example, are you looking to keep things a little more simple and modern for your big day? Go with this beauty.

photo credit: Rock, Paper, Scissors

 Or maybe you fancy yourself a bit more vintage and elegant? Look at all of these REAL vintage monograms!

photo credit: Elizabeth Anne Designs

Perhaps what you're going for is a tad more rustic? Well don't let sheer oversight make you forget all the places a monogram can go! Take these adorable linen bags for instance!

photo credit: Style Me Pretty

Inspired by one of our full-planning clients, I found this modern, butterfly-themed monogram. Too adorable right??

photo credit: Elizabeth Anne Designs

So this week I'm certain of what I love, and that's monograms! What do you say? Do you love them too??

what I love: backyard weddings!

It's official! I'm inspired because I have one of the most exciting client weddings ever - an adorable backyard affair! I can't wait for the splendid event, and due to this overwhelming inspiration, I couldn't help but love backyard weddings this week.

Let's discuss some of my favorite parts of backyard events! The best part is you get to keep it relaxed and it truly feels like home (since it is!)! All of those special details that you never get to include in a rented space are all the things you get to have fun with at a backyard wedding. Most importantly, you don't have to follow any rules, so you get to make all your own!

Check some of these awesome backyard event details out for a little taste of what I love!

First, have you seen such an adorable backdrop for a ceremony - vintage doors?! A. Door. Able! (Ba-dum-ching!)

Via OnceWed

A gorgeous home-style display of bride and groom photos through the years. Don't think you can get more darling than that!

via Young House Love

Flip-flops for your guests - a perfect and comfy idea! Plus the adorable display in an aluminum bin!

via Creative Image Collections

Finally this homemade photo booth is one of the most beautiful I think I've ever seen. A gorgeous sheet of fabric that the bride and groom clothes-pinned up to make a pretty little photo booth for all sorts of fun!

via Jill Thomas Photography

 What do you say? Do you love backyard weddings too??

what I love: happy brides!

I have to admit; it's been a long while since my last "what I love" Wednesday, and I am truly sorry for that! But we've been so busy over here with new clients, weddings and fun - after all it is wedding season! We've been feeling the heat over here, that's for sure! It's all about those details, details, details! But at the end of the day, what's it boil down to a happy bride (and groom)! What I love this week, and every week for that matter, are happy brides. What rekindled this love you might ask?

A little character some know as Mrs Lamb (otherwise known as Melinda of the famed Invited clients, Melinda and Jason!) happened to write an incredibly endearing post about our wedding planning process. In it, she explained to her followers just how much she appreciated us by her side through the process.

In her oh-so kind words, she had this to say about just a few of the items involved in her big day:
"Who stayed at the Opera House on Wednesday to ensure we didn’t pay delivery fees on the holiday? Who set each table setting? Who gave all of the vendors the day of time line? Who coordinated the clean up at the church? Who relentlessly tracked down absentee vendors? Who finished and delivered all of the OOT bags? Who oohed and ahhed at my fitting? Who assured me that my reception dress was off the hook? Who had extra bobby pins for my fascinator? Who delivered all of the presents to the hotel? Who stayed up all night after the reception packing all of the DIY centerpieces and decorations? Who facilitated between us, parents and vendors?
Pavaune. And it was worth every single penny."

Needless to say, what I love this week (and will adore forever) are happy brides. Thank you Mrs Lamb, and thank you to all those brides who have allowed us the opportunity to make your day that much more special!

what I love: sofitel!

Okay, my loves! I'm back from the dead. Well, not so much the dead as the "nearly dead", but who's keeping track?

I have great news for you! Invited has some fabulous new clients who are based in London but are having an amazing wedding in DC. The even better news is we're having their wedding and reception at a beautiful venue (which also happens to be my "love" this week) the Hotel Sofitel!! That's right! This week I love the Sofitel, and let me tell you why! With its French and Art Deco inspired sensibility, it is a surefire location for a beautiful event - no matter the theme! They have a gorgeous Art Deco ballroom with some amazing chandeliers!

And, most importantly, a pretty photorealistic mural of the City of Lights! (Might not be perfect for all weddings and events, but that's the beauty of pipe and drape, right?) Nonetheless this space is perfect for a small and intimate wedding, and I just can't wait to put on a fabulous event there next fall!

What do you say? You love?

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!

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?