Many couples decide that they would like a little extra bling of decor to make their wedding reception a bit more elegant.  You do not necessarily have to do a great deal; sometimes a little uplighting can add enough warmth to make everything in the room look romantic and elegant.

Using different size tables makes a difference as well.  Here are a few examples of a wedding I did that took us a little out of the box, and was all about lighting and being different.  It was a fun wedding just like the wonderful couple who got married! Thanks to Tony Brown of Imijination Photography for his excellent images.

 I had the pleasure of meeting Jeffrey Fox of Capital Decor and Events last evening at The Association of Wedding Professionals monthly meeting. It was held at The Hilton Alexandria Mark Center where we were wined and dined with delicious food and great service.  After cocktails in the Capital View on the 29th floor of the hotel which boasted a wondeful view with it's spiral staircase and quaint space , we went dowstairs for dinner in the Terrace Ballroom.  What a pleasant surprise to see the room decorated with tables and benches for our dining pleasure, compliments of Capital Decor.

Mr. Fox gave us some new ideas and insights into trends of the new year.  "Less is More" is the attitude with simple being the key word.  Furnture  groupings can play a huge part in the design of the room for your wedding, softening the look. Round tables which we are used to, are no longer the norm.  Being creative with tables, tablescapes and lighting can help capture any theme for your reception. Using the same color in different shades and textures instead of two complmentary colors is really a neat idea this year.  Details at each place setting is something you might consider instead of a huge centerpeice on the table.  Sometimes this is more cost effective for you.The one other thing that I was happy to hear about is that feathers are being used again ...what fun they can add to centerpieces and room decor.  Consider them when planning your special day!

 Wedding season is upon us and so are many bridal shows.  Please join me and meet my colleagues at Stonewall Golf Club's annual Bridal Show tomorrow, Sunday, Feb 21st between 11 and 3pm.  There will be lots to see and learn, so hope to see you there.

 Next Saturday, February 27th, meet with me at Ft. Belvoir's Bridal Fair also from 11 to 2pm.  Many talented wedding vendors will be present with some exciting products and services for your wedding day. Make sure to visit Ron Jones at his photography booth and spin the wheel for many wonderful prizes....even a special prize from Myrna at For All Occasions can be won!

March 7th at Bristow Manor Golf Club is where you can chat with me next. Planning your wedding can be a fun and exciting time...too stressed?  Ask me your questions on how to enjoy the process.  Looking forward to meeting many newly engaged couples!

Thank goodness the snow is finally behind us, for now.  I hope you all have kept safe and warm during these last two snow events.

While I had some time without seeing clients this past week, my thoughts rolled over to the topic of wedding insurance.  It is a relatively new idea in the industry, but I do believe that for certain instances , it would be something very important to have.  Case in point, this last storm when so many events had to be canceled and/or postponed. Wedding insurance not only covers the bride and groom, but can also cover the parents of each and some airline flights.

When you have a moment, do some research.  There are several companies that offer wedding insurance, but I would suggest checking out a site at www.protectmywedding.com .  This is a company that some of my couples have used. It is better to be safe, than sorry!

Happy Planning..

 It is so important to read all of your wedding contracts.  This weekend I was to do a wedding at a hotel in DC. Due to the weather predictions, my couple and I sat down on Wednesday to review all options in the contracts just in case the snow was to become an issue.  Sure enough, it has become an issue, but because we were on top of things, it was easy to postpone the wedding by enforcing a clause called 'Force Majeure'.  Although it is a very sad and disappointing time for my clients, they at least have not lost any monies and can look forward to a spring wedding when the weather will not be an issue to ensure their guests a safe and pleasant day.

Lesson learned, if planning a winter wedding, keep in mind the weather is so unpredictable..who would have thought we could get another 12 to 24 inches of snow, and remember, if you are not using a planner to assist, please read and be familiar with your rights and options in every contract you sign.

 enjoy the snow!

To keep abreast of all the latest trends and wedding happenings in our area, it is important as a certified wedding planner to continually network. I had the pleasure today to network with members of The Association of Wedding Professionals at The Hilton Garden Inn in Greenbelt, where our speaker Vicky Johnson, from Whose Wedding Is It Anyway , and owner of her own planning business , gave us great insight into how to continually have a vision  for our business and how to assist our clients in understanding thier visions for their wedding.    

Tonight I had the opportunity to be part of The Association of Bridal Consultants first meeting in Northern Virginia. David Wood, the Presdient of the national organization spoke to the group at The Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner.  He spoke of how important education is in the wedding business. By taking classes, going to conferences, and by networking with others in the industry, we as wedding professionals can offer so much more to our wedding clients.

Networking opportunities and continuing education keep me fresh and excited to plan the next wedding!

Last night after the rehearsal for today's wedding, my bride said the perfect word...she said she was so glad because she kept the wedding"simple".

We were in a small church that had it's own ambiance. The window sills were adorned with glass hurricane globes; they were beautifully lit. At first she was going to put silver ribbon around them but did not have time to do so. When she looked at them a second time, she realized they did not need any more decoration because they were giving off a beautiful romantic glow just as they were.

Today at the reception, we are again keeping things simple.  The day is about the bride and groom, not about how much "stuff" is adorning the room or the tables. The tables will be set with beautiful and  colorful floral arrangemnts making the tablescape pop; enough pizazz! The  favors are taking a dual role as they are also the seating cards; these are special because they are little cakes individually wrapped by the bride. Each one has 2 little flags denoting the bride and groom's ancestory. This simple little touch is what makes this day unique...it is all about the couple!

So when planning your wedding, keep in mind it is not about how much you spend or how much "stuff" is in the room or on the tables.  It is what makes you two as a couple unique; personalize your day, but keep it simple!

Back from the Special Event conference with some new and exciting ideas for your upcoming weddings. According to the trend setters in New York and California

_Turquoise is the PAntone color for the year

- Tangerine and cobalt will be seen as another new color palette this wedding season

- An all white wedding party; "an upscale estate" style which will look simply elegant in photos

- Bright colorful shoes under the wedding gown...bright reds and blues take the lead

- Vegetable centerpieces...tomatoes too?

- Multiple  wedding cakes that are small and placed on various cute cake stands

- and,last but not least, the retro birdcage veil is back allowing for an unobscured view of the gown's neckline and back

Happy New Year to all. I am looking forward to a great 2010 wedding season and hope to be able to share tidbits of information with all.

Next week, I will be attending The Special Events Conference in New Orleans. I will be taking fun  classes such as Hot Event  and Entertainment Ideas for 2010, Creating Design Boards for Today's Bride, Creating Opulent Cultural Weddings to just name a few.   I am so excited to be attending and hope to share some fabulous new and exciting ideas with you.

FYI:  Pottery Barn is offering a complimentary in-store demontration  on "Setting Up Your New Home" on January 16th.  Check your local store for time.

They will offer ideas on how you should pick things for your registry, give you the latest trends for 2010 in decorating etc.  Enjoy!

Coming up on February 21st from 11 to 3, I will be taking part in Stonewall Golf Club's Annual Bridal Fair., and then on March 7th from noon to 3, at Bristow Manor Golf Club.  Come on out and say hi and meet some fabulous wedding vendors to help make your wedding day special.

Until next time....Happy Planning

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of working with a group of colleagues in The Bliss Collection. We are a group of professional wedding vendors covering each facit of the wedding industry.  All of us don't always have the opportunity to work together, so we decided to put together a wedding with each of us doing our part, and then new clients can see what team effort can afford them.  When trusting your wedding details to vendors that are used to working together, the results are just fantastic.

I asked one of my former clients if they would play "bride and groom" again (they were already married 1 year), and they were thrilled to help out.  I collaborated with the other wedding planners in the group and we came up with the type of wedding we wanted to have portrayed, then each vendor contributed their share of expertise.  We all had so much fun with the day.

To see the video done by Jessica of Jessica Pi Productions, visit www.theblisscollection.com

Hope you enjoy it!