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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

White Teeth and Friends

That is what I will be doing this weekend---getting my teeth whitened and hanging out with my good friends--I am very very excited! I am going to Columbus to have one of my bridesmaid whiten my teeth for me professionally---don't worry she is a dentist :) Another one of our close friends is flying in from Chicago, she is a bride to be also and is getting her teeth whitened too. We are planning on seeing Made of Honor on Friday and having a fun filled weekend, with I'm sure a lot of wedding talk. Are any of you guys "using" your friends to help take care of wedding related expenses free of cost/minimal cost?

Honestly--I am so excited to get away for the weekend and not have to worry about invitations/guest list/ favors--and a million other wedding related items! My calendar is booked solid until the end of July--every weekend there is one thing or another, and it isn't all wedding related! Work is crazy and with all the other weddings we have this summer, I'm starting to wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew?

The one thing that keeps me constantly grounded is my wonderful FI--he has made my crazy DIY/To -do list into an organized list sorted by deadlines and necessity, just looking at it helps keep me calm. Also the bridesmaid dresses order went in this week--we did decide on the Melissa sweet:




The bridesmaids are wearing it in dark smoke and my MOH's are wearing it in Crimson! I think it will look great, and I am very excited to see them in person, just have to wait up to 17 weeks!

So that's a brief update on where I am right now--I am sorry things have been so busy lately, but I promise when I return on Monday I will go into mass updating mode we're getting closer to the 4 month mark, where things will be in high gear! I can't wait :)

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The Macbeth Collection Discount

The other good wedding deal from today's DailyCandy is a 25% off code for Macbeth Collection wares. Just type in DCDEALS. All of their goods can be customized in over 200 different styles/colors. These would be perfect for flowers, flip-flips, iced-beverages, or even as containers for all your wedding cards.



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April Showers...

My weekly deals e-mail from DailyCandy brought me fun wedding things this morning. The first are these stylish umbrellas from Tray6. Enter code DCDEALS for 25% off.








^This one is for you girly-girls...hearts and "Love" all over it.
Since I'm a May bride I'm hoping that whole "April showers May flowers" thing holds true. Although I really wouldn't mind rainy day pics if I had a fun umbrella.

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It's That Time Again.....


Set your DVR's, get the TIVO programmed, pop your popcorn and get a glass of wine. Who's Wedding Is It Anyway? comes on tonight featuring.... Yup us again! The episode has all the drama one could want in prime time television. You'll cover your eyes, you'll gasp.......

OK perhaps not all that but it is a good one!!! Tune in and watch the beautiful Christine marry her knight in shining armor Donta (Don-Tay) at their alma mater McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Shout out to all the alum of McDonogh! I had a blast this past Sunday on the radio with McDonogh alumna Joi Thomas on her radio show Gospel Grace (every Sunday from 1-5pm 88.9 FM WEAA - Check her out!)

Enjoy the show!!!

Monday, April 28, 2008

Feather Our Nest

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but Mr. Georgetown and I just closed on our first house together on Monday. Our purchase was even featured on a local Brooklyn blog today! We can't be more excited...or over whelmed. The whole home buying process has me really questioning the need for the items we registered for so I started doing a little research on registry alternatives.

For those of you who haven't made the biggest purchase of your life yet, here is a neat alternative to more traditional department store registries. It's called Feather Our Nest. The idea is that your guests give you money for a downpayment for your first home together, instead of towels, sheets or the china you'll never use. When your guests contribute, they even get a gift card so they'll have something to "physically" give to you on your wedding day. It costs $300 per couple to start your registry, but it's fully refundable when you close on your new home!

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Friday, April 25, 2008

Pink Week Tribute

One of the many wedding blogs I have in my reader is, of course, Elizabeth Anne Designs. All this week over there has been "Pink Week" so if this is your wedding color it's a must read.

Personally I'm not big on pink at weddings but if you have to go pink I think you should TOTALLY embrace it. Go all out!

So since today is Friday I'd like to post the below dress I saw today on Nordstrom.com in honor of a very fun and inspiring Pink Week.

It's a Kay Unger with pleated ruching, an obi style tie at the waist, and it is made out of multiple tones of iridescent silk taffeta. I officially declare it the most perfect pink bridesmaid dress in the world.

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

Yummy Yummy Cake

So I haven't told you guys yet what i decided to do for the cake, FI and I went to a couple of cake tastings (FI favorite part :) )---but there was one place that stood out by FAR and that was Cakes by Carolyn . We met her at her lovely house where we had a tasting of some of the best cakes I have ever tasted! Although we sampled a variety of flavors and frosting-- FI and I decided we wanted a couple layers of coconut and sticking with our Spanish theme, we are going to have a layer of Dulce De leche--along with a vanilla and raspberry cream layer. Carolyn obviously showed her 30+ years of experience with her vast knowledge of everything wedding related. After seeing the styles of cakes she had and getting to know her, we knew that was our obvious choice. I have a strong belief that I want to like all of my vendors. I know that they are there for there talent, and that is obviously important, but I am a friendly open person and I really like getting to know my vendors, and being able to talk with them. I have been incredibly lucky so far to find vendors that are not only incredibly talented but that are also personable and friendly! Carolyn is designing our cake for us, based on designs I showed her, but here are a couple of cakes she has created in the past :







If you havn't found your cake person yet, I highly reccomend meeting with Carolyn!

Holly Slayton of Artikal

This evening the ever talented Marie Labbancz posted the most beautiful images on her blog. She was photographing the bridal headwear of Holly Slayton of Artikal. I hadn't heard of Artikal before but Holly's work is beautiful and quite reasonably priced compared to some other milliners I've seen. You can pick up some of the fascinators for only $50.

Marie Labbancz has some more of these great images on her blog so be sure to check them out...she'll be posting more in the weeks to come!




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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

New JCrew Dresses are In

FYI if you are still looking for bridesmaid dresses or you are going to be a guest at a summer
wedding -






^ Polka-dot Rosette Dress - $168





^Portico Wrap Dress - $150


^Jillian Strapless Dress - $295



^Strappy Florence Dress - $250 and Strapless Florence Dress - $250

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Monday, April 21, 2008

The Most Beautiful Wedding Cake in America?

Some of you may remember when Bride's magazine featured 50 wedding cakes from bakers across the U.S. and we got to vote on our favorite (you can see 25 of the entries here on their website.)
Well America has voted (heehee) and decided that Something Sweet by Michelle in Worcester, MA. has won.

Michelle says she her goal was to make the cake look as feminine as a hand-painted silk kimono. You be the judge:



I think it's interesting that despite all the new and different designs, shapes, and colors out there today, America still goes for the classic/traditional shapes and colors. Those flowers are absolutely amazing though!
Do you agree with America's decision? Would you want this cake for your wedding ($30 a slice and serves 200)?

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Get Into The Event Planning Game


GETTING INTO THE EVENT PLANNING GAME

April 18, 2007What do YOU need to know?
Join Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? Planner
Vicky Johnson

In response to a myriad of calls and emails from persons wanting to start their own careers in the field of wedding and event planning. Vicky Johnson, featured planner on Style Network's Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and owner of Washington, DC wedding planning firm holy matrimony will host a power packed workshop on the realities of the wedding/event planning industry. This interactive workshop will answer your questions and give an insider's view on the realistic demands of the industry and what you need to know to get into the market and become a viable player.

Face to Face Q & A Session on being a Planner

This is your opportunity to ask your questions directly to Vicky Johnson on planning and executing large scale weddings and events. Maximize the Moment to pick the brain of a planner. See how you fare when presented with the everyday trials of working in this industry. Hear from other local industry professionals on how planners impact what their jobs and how a planner can make or break an event.

Are You a Rock Star?
We're Hiring!!

Are you up for the challenge? Do you think you have what it takes to make it in the fast paced unforgiving world of the wedding planner? Well then bring your A Game to the workshop, we'll be watching YOU! Visit our website for open positions and criteria and submit your resume. We will holding interviews on site for those of you who truly Wow us and have what it takes to be a rock star in this field.
The Details
Saturday May 17, 2008
Homewood Suites by Hilton
8320 Benson Drive Columbia, MD
8:00am - 12:00 pm
$60 in advance
No onsite registration
Resumes
No Phone Calls or Mailed Resumes. ALL Resumes should be emailed to
mrsmatrimony@gmail.com No Exceptions. Resumes received onsite will not be eligible for interview.
Register NOW Space is Limited
Continental Breakfast provided, Free Parking
Both paid and internship positions are available.
For Questions please call 202.517.9189 or email the address above.

Interview Requested?


--



Positions Available at holy matrimony

Well to say that the corridors of holy matrimony are bustling is really an understatement. I applaud all the brides out there that are diligent about hiring planners to assist in the execution of their most special day. The ideas that clients come to us with are mind blowing! We are really having a great time with this season's brides. But let me be the first to say, next year's bride's are going to be out of this WORLD!!! The ladies at holy matrimony are working hard with our out of town brides, our local, brides, ,our destination brides our Mother's of the Bride, their vendors, their venues..... You get the idea. We're swamped! We've added some positions and if anyone is interested in applying head on over to the holy matrimony site and read the job descriptions and apply. We would love to work with some of the talent out there and be an integral part in the shaping of someone's career. Warning! It's not bon bons and cake tastings all day. I am going to work your butt off!! But you'll enjoy it if you are cut out for the business. Keep an eye out for word on our workshop coming up next month. That will be a lot of fun and a great help for those of your looking to get into the industry and get some face time with local wedding professionals.

Just a couple of requests: PLEASE DON'T CALL WITH QUESTIONS, send them to the email address specified on the website.
Be original, we already know that "Event/Wedding planning is my passion....." WOW US!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Monachetti - All I can say is WOW!

You know, after a 2 yr engagement and 9 months of blogging about DC area weddings and vendors it's not often that I come across something that blows me away anymore. Well, thanks to Laura and her blog I have been incredibly impressed with the talent of Mike at Monachetti.

When we began planning, Fiance and I briefly considered and then disregarded the idea of a videographer for our wedding. Why? Well for one thing videography can cost up to $10,000 (yes!) in the D.C. area and honestly I wasn't all that impressed. The cheaper vendors were cheesy and even the work of the more expensive videographers seemed very contrived to me. It was all kind of overly dramatic, slow motion shots that just didn't fit me or what I wanted my wedding to be.

I briefly flirted with the idea of 8mm films but there weren't many vendors in the area offering this service (if you are interested check out In Films - packages starting at $2,000 and Layer Cake Films- packages starting at $2,300) . And with so many other things to pay for I just couldn't convince Fiance that this was a necessity.

I can honestly say now, though, that if I could chose anyone to film our wedding it would be Monachetti. Just watch these two sample clips and tell me you aren't totally IN LOVE.

The Wedding of Amy and Casey



The Wedding of Shannon and Matt


Mike is really kind, and his prices are consistent with quality DC area videography (don't worry, he's no where near $10,000!). He's also willing to negotiate with price.

What appeals to me most is that his films look like a beautiful documentary of your day and not like the "Hollywood production" of your day. Nothing contrived here. He also has great taste in picking really unique music that creates the right vibe for your video.

Be sure to check out all the clips on his site under "video". The two I featured above are black and white, which I happen to prefer, but if you want color he has done plenty. Of the color films, I liked "Sarah and Stephen" because the bride has beautiful red hair and the ending was so happy it made me smile.

I don't know why I hadn't heard of Monachetti before (i haven't seen him on/in the knot boards, dcknottiereview, weddingwire, Washingtonian Weddings, blogs, or the usual wedding magazines) but this Gem is a secret no longer!

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Bush Bridesmaid Details Revealed

According to the Washington Post (via Vogue Magazine) Jenna Bush's maid of honor (her sis Barbara) and her 14 attendants (not bridesmaids...a "house party") will be wearing Lela Rose dresses for her wedding on May 10th in Texas.

According to Women's Wear Daily, maid of honor Barbara will wear a long "moonstone" colored dress which "matches the color of her eyes."

While the 14 other attendants will wear 7 different styles of knee length dresses made from crinkle silk chiffon backed with cotton voile and inspired by the wildflowers of Texas. The dresses will have handmade rosettes and the colors will embrace the cool color spectrum and range from mauve, to teal, to "bluebonnet," the state flower. And interestingly NONE ARE STRAPLESS. Hallelujah the designers are finally listening!

And just in case you are wondering what Jenna herself will be wearing...she's decided on an organza Oscar de la Renta gown with embroidery, matte beading, and a small train.

200 people have been invited to attend so if you feel like you just can't keep your guest list smaller then 200 and you're forking out major money because of it keep that in mind. If the President can do it...you probably can to.




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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

What Would You Do?

Fiance and I met with our photographer this last weekend and we have an interesting decision to make and we're kind of torn so I thought I'd open it up to everyone to see what y'all think.

The Situation: My photography package includes an Engagement Photo Shoot, but since we've been engaged for two years we already did engagement photos and don't need any more. We asked our photographer about other options either in cost or in kind.

The Choices:

1) Have a "day after" shoot in Charlottesville (where we are getting married)
Pros: It will literally be the day after the wedding, we will already have all our stuff there, and it should be pretty easy to go around and take photos.
Cons: Fiance and I really don't have any major connections to Charlottesville...we didn't go to school there and we aren't from there originally. So while a photo in front of the Rotunda will be picturesque, it doesn't have the same meaning for us as it does for other couples. Does this matter? We also might have to miss out on the last moments with our family and friends before they have to head back to their home states.

2) Have a "day after" shoot in the D.C. area (where we live)
Pros: We'll get to spend the day after with our friends and family and pictures around D.C. have more meaning for us since we live here and have a lot of good memories from here
Cons: It'll be after the wedding but possibly a few weeks after...which means longer to get photos back. Would it be weird to have it so far after? We'll have to deal with the hassle and cost of getting "permits" to take photos at any of the monuments. Might have to start shooting as early as 8:00 a.m. to avoid the summer crowds and horrible heat.

3) $125 Credit towards an album
Pros: An album credit is what we would prefer most since really how many pics of yourself do you need? I feel like we'll have plenty from our earlier engagement shoot and from the wedding pics so I'm not sure we need "day after" pics. Albums usually cost around $1,000 for the largest kind.
Cons: What's $125 when you're already spending $1,000? It's barely a drop in the bucket. I feel like taking one of the day after shoots is a much more "valuable" credit then $125.

4) Any other suggestions/options?
Let me know in the comments section if you think there is a better option. As an aside I'm not really a big fan of "boudoir photos" or "trash the dress" (maybe I'll blog about this some other time). I've considered doing a traditional bridal shoot before the wedding (like a true southern girl) but not sure how I feel about it...once again how many pictures of myself do I need lying around?


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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

More Wine Please...

We are reaching our 5 month mark---It seems like most of the "Big" decisions have been dealt with---Now We are left with the hundreds of small decisions...the many DIY projects ( our gocco came yesterday!) and realizing how much is involved with planning a wedding!
I'm sorry if I sound drained , but btw weddings/family/moving/Work/life FI and I have something almost every single weekend until our wedding, just looking at our calendar is enough for me to want to crawl into a cave and hide for the next 5 months :)

However, FI pulled me out of that stupor this morning, when he announced that we had a wine tasting next Friday. My immediate response was "we don't have time" at which he informed me that it was wedding related! FI had found a place for us to taste wine for our wedding bar! Ahh alcohol, how could I have forgotten you! Although FI and I are big fans of two buck chuck, we knew we wanted something a "tad" more classy for the wedding. Since a "free" champagne toast comes with our catering costs, we just have to focus on the wine/liquor/ and beer. Liquor and Beer are pretty easy, we have a good calculator of how much we need, erring on the side of more than less ( better be safe than sorry!) but when it came to wine FI and I weren't sure exactly what we wanted. Now we have an apt for Friday at
The Curious Grape in Shirlington! Living very close to shirlington ( we are going there for dinner tonight!) I have seen this store before, but I must admit I have never ventured inside.



They carry 100 wines under $10 and 200 wines under $15--and they do offer discounts on bulk ( which I'm sure we will have)! They also have wine from all over the world! I am very excited for the tasting on Friday, I will definitely keep you informed! Oh I almost forgot to mention, they also would deliver to our reception site which would be perfect!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Coming Soon! Agent Provocateur Bridal Line

This just in: According to British Vogue, Agent Provocateur, the sensuous British based designer lingerie store, is set to debut a Bridal Line in the coming months! The new spokesman for the line will be Kate Moss and if it's anything like their current offerings you can expect an exciting mix of naughty and nice.

If you can't wait until the bridal line debuts then you should check out their current collection for honeymoon outfits. The below Marie Collection is sweet enough for you but sexy enough for husband to be and would make the perfect "first night" gift for both of you. Sure it'll set you back about $500 for the whole set, but you know some brides spend that on their shoes so why not on their lingerie?

I'll keep my ears and eyes open for any news on the debut date of the new line.






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Sunday, April 13, 2008

The Great Mascara Hunt

I'm not a big makeup person in general (mainly cause I don't know how to put it on very well), but there are two makeup items I'm very picky about. 1) Foundation. I'm super super pale so finding a foundation that matches is really hard (more about this later) 2) Mascara. I like my eyes, and like my lashes so it's a feature I like to play up, but not all mascaras are created equal.


I thought I'd share some of my favorite mascara finds from the past year or so. Mascara is a personal thing and it all depends on what you're looking for (curl? length? thickness? all of the above?). So before I start I'll tell you about my lashes and what I look for in a mascara.

1) I already have a lot of lashes and they are already long so I can't promise that the mascaras I like will work for someone with really short or sparse lashes. I don't really care about curling b/c I never felt like it really made a difference for me.

2) I don't like waterproof mascaras. I feel they are too harsh and I definitely wouldn't wear it everyday. Plus even though they are waterproof they still SMUDGE! Waterproof doesn't mean oil proof.

3) I HATE smudging. I already have dark circles under my eyes so smudging is something that really bugs me cause it makes me look even more tired then usual.


4) I have REALLY sensitive eyes. For some reason I tend to develop allergies to certain brands...even if I've been using them forever, sometimes my eyes will itch, get red, and swell. I regularly replace my mascara and even if I go and buy a brand new tube it doesn't help. So there have been a few times that I've found mascaras I really like only to have to go and find a new brand once my eyes develop an allergy to it.

So with that in mind here is what I liked and why:


1) ^Longcils Boncza Classic Cake Mascara in Noir. I know this French mascara doesn't really look like mascara. That's because it's cake mascara. It's mascara in powder form. You simply wet the brush, rub it into the powder cake and then coat your lashes with the brush. This particular cake mascara was worn by Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. You need not travel to France to get it, though, you can buy it in the U.S. here.


The Pros: I was really amazed that this actually works! My eye lashes were super soft and totally natural looking. It looks like I was born with naturally dark lashes. This is a great every- day, going to work mascara if you don't want to look like you are caked in makeup. The mascara is all natural (it has beeswax and rosewater in it) and it is the one mascara that NEVER bothers my eyes. Because it's in a powder form it doesn't breed bacteria like tube mascaras so you don't have to replace it as often. It's also very easy to remove at night. Wear this to give your lashes "a rest" from your normal routine.


The Cons: It takes *slightly* longer to apply in the mornings then just your normal tube and swipe mascara. If you want super dramatic lashes or you are use to heavy makeup then this is too subtle for you. It was great to wear during the winter, it has withstood the tear test as well, but now that humid days are back it definitely smudges by the end of the day. I'll probably wear this mostly during the non-humid months.



2)^ Blinc Kiss Me Mascara - This was the first "tube" mascara I ever tried and I loved it! Instead of painting your lashes it forms little black tubes around them.


Pros: Because there is no painting involved there is no smudging, smearing, or running. The only way to remove this is with warm water and gentle pressure (i just use cetaphil face cleanser and a wash cloth and have had no problems). It's pretty gentle on your eyes. Sometimes I have slight irritation but for the most part it's non-irritating. It has withstood the tear test. No smudging either!


Cons: I still have some irritation even though it's minimal. It's a good everyday mascara but once again it isn't SUPER dramatic. Probably not the best for special occasions.



3)^Imju Fiberwig - Similar to tube mascaras, Fiberwig forms a film around your lashes instead of painting them. Unlike Kiss Me mascara, however, it coats your eyes with fine micro fibers to give your lashes more length and thickness.


Pros: Provides a much more dramatic look then Blinc Kiss Me. This is a good mascara for everyday and for going out. When I first wore it Fiance said "your lashes look really long." And another friend I hadn't seen in a while commented on how long my lashes looked. It's easy to remove (cetaphil and a wash cloth). It has withstood the tear test and NO SMUDGING.


Cons: The biggest Con for me is that even though there isn't smudging, there is FLAKING. By the end of the day I always have few specs of black under my eyes from the mascara falling off my lashes. It's nothing major and way better then smudging, but still kind of annoying. This mascara is also slightly irritating to my eyes if I've worn it for a while.




4^Kevyn Aucoin "The Mascara"-Curling - Kevyn Aucoin based this mascara off of Japanese mascaras like Fiberwig. It's another type of "tubing" mascara but as it dries it "shrink-wraps" around your eyelashes to make them curl.


The Pros: Definitely the most dramatic lashes of all the other mascaras I've mentioned. You will definitely have super dark and long lashes. Easy to remove (cetaphil/washcloth). It has withstood the tear test and there is No Smudging! I've also gotten compliments with this mascara on how long my lashes look. It flakes much much less then Fiberwig.


The Cons: I've never really noticed that it makes my lashes curl anymore then any other mascara. Some flaking but less then Fiberwig. Even though this flakes less the Fiberwig it can also be REALLY clumpy. You HAVE to wipe it with a tissue or along the rim before you apply or your lashes will stick together and be clump city. This kind of annoys me. This does irritate my eyes after I've worn it all day.




5^Giorgio Arman Maestro Mascara - This is just a normal mascara but it has a really unique brush. The brush actually looks a little scary. It's not soft and fluffy like other mascara brushes...it's a hard wand with rigid teeth. I know this sounds horrible but it doesn't hurt and it's pretty easy to apply.


Pros: Hands down this is for SUPER DRAMATIC lashes. I've never really noticed if mascaras are "thickening" or not but THIS is thickening. I already have a lot of long lashes but with this mascara I felt almost like I was wearing fake lashes they were so dramatic. This is for a special night out or if you are use to having diva makeup on.


Cons: I only had a one day sample of this so I really can't speak to whether or not it will withstand the tear test. I can say, though, that it didn't smudge (even after a day on an airplane). It does irritate my eyes after a day of wear.


6) P.S. Two mascaras that often get raves that I just didn't really "get" are 1- Maybelline Great Lash Mascara- I know it's the best selling mascara in the U.S. but it seemed clumpy and smudgy to me. I just don't understand the popularity. And 2 - Dior Show Mascara - I know it gets rave reviews and everyone loves it, but I just didn't see what was so special. My lashes weren't any longer, darker, or thicker then with any other mascara. What am I missing about this, why is it so popular?

So what's your favorite mascara? Got any recs for me to test drive? Remember I like non-irritating, non-smudging and preferably water resistant but not a "waterproof" mascara.

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Saturday, April 12, 2008

Contact Form Glitch


Hi There Everyone:
It has come to our attention that many of you may have tried to contact me or my staff over at holy matrimony, but did not get a response. We REALLY apologize, there was a glitch that occurred on the site and we did not receive any of the contact forms for the last couple of weeks.
It has been fixed and if you sent us a message previously via our contact form and did not receive a response, I am asking that you resubmit your inquiry or contact us via email. You can use the link to the right of this page.

Again, thanks so much for understanding and we hope to hear from you REAL SOON!!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Weddings for Wine Lovers

Who says you have to live in Cali to have an amazing wine themed wedding reception? D.C. has several highly rated wine bars that take you straight to Napa, most with private dining rooms. Here are some cool options if you're having around 50 guests. Mr. Shirlington and I are looking into having a second local reception for our friends who can't make it all the way down to Florida for the real deal. Yay for a second chance to wear my dress!

At Dino, D.C.'s top rated wine bar according to City Search, you can serve your guests authentic family style Italian food starting at only $37 per person! The only catch is that their private dining room only holds 20 people with a minimum expenditure of $1900. To rent the entire second floor, which seats 60, the minimum is $3000 Sunday through Thursday and $5000 on Friday. Please note that the upstairs cannot be rented out on Saturdays.

That may seem steep but if you count in the cost of alcohol and food, it's average for the area as far as a per person cost, but adds up to great savings since there's no room rental fee.

Tallula


Lounge
Dining Room
Tallula is rated number 2 on City Search's top wine bars in DC. It's actually located in the Arlington area. With an interesting menu including sunchoke soup (MMmmmMmm) and vidalia onion ravioli, it's sure to be memorable for all your guests. The hor douvres also sound fab! Think baby burgers with truffle oil and seabass ceviche....

Lounge: The maximum capacity for this room is 50 people, and there's no room rental fee. This room is best for reception style parties featuring passed hour douvres. The minimum for the space is $750 and it can be used from 4p.m. to 9 p.m. Perfect for a reception and then an after party at your favorite D.C. club or bar.

The Wine Room:
This area is better suited for seated dinners for up to 18 people with a $500 minimum, and again, no room rental fee.


Sonoma


This is actually one of mine and Mr. Shirlington's favorite Capitol Hill spots. He threw me a surprise birthday party there knowing how much I love the "wine on tap" and exposed brick walls.

The Avenue Lounge: Shown in the photo above, the avenue lounge is the second level of Sonoma and can fit up to 125 guests for a cocktail reception. It also has a third level mezzanine which overlooks the fireplace area.

The Wine Room: This room has a private bar and can accommodate a seated dinner for up to 40 people and a cocktail reception for up to 60.

This is the place to go if you're really looking to serve alcohol. Beer and wine service is $12.50 per person per hour, well open bar is $15 per person per hour and premium open bar comes in at a whopping $20!!! per person! per hour!! Stationed appetizers are $5-$7.50 per person per hour, and you can choose four+ to be served. Lunch buffet prices start at $47 per person and dinner prices are not listed. However, there's still no room rental fee.

Beer and wine for 60 people for three hours: $2500
Buffet style dinner (I guessed around $50 per person) for 60 people: $3000

It still comes in around $80 per person, which is around average for D.C. and with no room rental fee for that amazing loungey space it's quite a deal.

Is anyone else thinking of having a not-so-traditional reception?