Miss Capitol Hill Wedding Recap - The Video

I know I've been major MIA lately, but I'm back to go through the details of my wedding day!

Unlike most brides who like to reveal the wedding to you piece by piece starting with the beginning of their day I'm going to do the exact opposite and show you the whole thing all at once and then go back to the details! I'm going to start with one of my favorite wedding vendors, our videographer - Michael Eller from Monachetti.

Check out our awesome video below (don't worry it's only about 6.5 minutes, so it'll be a good little break from the work you're supposed to be doing).

^Needless to say much of the video quality is lost when it's played through youtube, but the original is full sized, super crisp, and the lighting is better.

I've spoken before about my earlier disdain for wedding videography, so no one was more surprised then me that one of my favorite things from the wedding is something I once swore I didn't even want.

Here are just some of the reasons I'm thrilled with Monachetti -

1) Unobtrusive - Mike from Monachetti was barely noticeable throughout the day. I've seen videographers at other weddings with huge cameras, bright lights, and the cameraman literally in the face of the bride, groom, and guests. But with Mike there were no lights and no giant cameras, and he definitely wasn't in my face...just him and a handheld. I barely noticed he was there.

2) Open - For the most part, I'd like to think I'm not too demanding of a bride but I did have a couple requests. I wanted the video to be in black and white and I wanted the music to be completely un-wedding related (and no country). I didn't want any of the good ol' standards like "at last" or "the way you look tonight." This wasn't a problem. And even after all the editing was done and I wanted a couple extra things added they had a new version done up in less then 24 hrs.

3) Real - Husband and I aren't super models. Our wedding isn't going to be in the next issue of Martha Stewart. We're real people, with a real wedding, and I wanted an authentic video of the day. I LOVE the documentary style of our video. What I hate most about other forms of wedding videography is the overuse of what I call "tricks" - like putting everything in slow motion to make it seem more dramatic, or using soft focus to make things seem romantic. I didn't want our wedding to seem like a Hollywood production. I wanted it to be real. I wanted our video to show us how we truly are....real people---not movie stars. I wanted our video to reflect how our wedding really was. I think Monachetti really captured the spirit of the day.

4) Unique - I've said it before and I'll say it again. No one in our area is doing what Monachetti is doing. Their work is unique, and in my opinion exceptional. I truly believe that other videography companies in this area will have to adapt and follow Monachetti's lead. They represent the new generation of wedding videographers. Modern brides will never look back.

The Get Away!

photo credit

Since we're having an early afternoon ceremony and a cocktail reception, we'll be leaving our reception at the lovely yet early hour of 8pm. When we first chose the cocktail reception, I was a little sad to think we wouldn't be dancing into the night, but then I realized it opened the door to all kinds of fun after reception options! Among the many ideas we've considered are dinner with the wedding party or an after party at a favorite bar, both of which require a get away car (and get away outfit...more on that later).

In my wedding dreams, I see us departing the ceremony in a cool old classic car, maybe something baby blue with fins? Our venue has an awesome driveway that loops around right at the entrance, which would make for a spectacular exit and dash into the back seat!

My dilemma? Where on earth do you find a classic car for hire (with a driver please--gotta have a DD) in the Metro area??? Help a sister out, ladies!

photo credit

Cue the Mission Impossible Theme Song...

I'm off tonight for my first recon mission...I mean wedding! wedding, since getting engaged. It's kind of a big deal because:

a) it's the marriage of two dear college friends
b) it's the first cocktail wedding reception I'll have ever attended!
c) first wedding at The College

So safe to say I'm be taking TONS of pictures, probably shedding a few tears, and taking lots of notes.

Also, a little UPDATE on my flower experiment: I purchased the flowers around 11am Sunday, had them in water around noon and they looked GREAT! when I went to work yesterday morning, but by the time I got home last night the hydrangeas were definitely done. The peonies are holding strong ( I did pick 3 brown petals of one of the blooms, but with no detriment to the arrangement) and the daisies and roses look like they are in it for the long haul. The roses blooms were about half open when I bought them Sunday, and were full on open by Tuesday evening. Full disclosure: we keep our house at 70 degrees (Mr. Fairfax is my lil' space heater).

Thanks to Gary on Picasa for the picture of Wren

Rustic Elegance On Sale

If you liked the natural rustic elegance look of the wedding of Maria and Michael (as photographed by Chenin Boutwell)


And as featured in the wedding of Alexandra and Jeremy (as photographed by Woodward and Rick Photographers via the Southern Wedding Style Blog)




Then you need to get yourself over to the Crate and Barrel Summer Sale and pick up the Savannah Candelabra. It's been marked down from $119.00 to $49.95. Talk about making an impact, and it costs less then the price of most centerpieces.

The Other Side of Yellow

If you've been planning your wedding anytime in the last year then you are surely familiar with the bio of knottie SpringChic. Hers was the wedding that launched a thousand yellow & black themed nuptials throughout the country. And it was featured in pretty much every wedding blog...over...and over...and over again. Brides everywhere have copied her entire wedding wholesale.

And with good reason....it was fun, it was fresh, it was simple, it was modern....it's pretty much the perfect wedding. But the other day I ran across the below images from the wedding of Ellen and Caro on the Next Exit photography blog and thought it was a great example of what two different brides can do with the same space to create a different vibe.

Obviously both celebrations took place at at the Viceroy in Palm Springs. And the one thing both brides did right was work with their venue and not against it. Yellow is a key component of the design charm at the Viceroy and if they had tried to ignore it or work around it, it would have been expensive and probably unsuccessful.

Springchic used black and white as accent colors which really made the yellow vibrant and alive. Ellen and Caro used brown as an accent color which I think added a warmth to the wedding. Springchic had two gowns...both beautiful and structured which created a modern vibe while Ellen had a beautiful, unstructured, yellow Jenny Yoo gown which gave a soft and casual feel to the wedding.

I know when I was planning I loved seeing what other brides did with my venue...though none of them had the same look I was going for it was great to see how one bride's vision could transform the same space.

All photos below credited to Next Exit Photography

Once Upon A Time In Mexico

Not only are the details of Demi & Frederick's Mexico wedding amazing, the photography from Parker J Pfister is simply breathtaking. I can't wait for his new site to be up and running.


^Although they look nothing alike I can't think of a bride that more resembles Grace Kelly then Demi does in this moment. Look at her elegantly gloved hands.


^Her dress was a classic


^Beautiful shot


^Don't think your bouquet has to be large to make an impact. The small size was the perfect compliment to her outfit and the bouquet brooch is amazing.

^Don't forget the bridesmaids. They all looked so elegant...and the bride's dress choice really did compliment all their figures.

^They each carried these simple yet elegant bouquets.

^Love that pop of blue. Very fitting with the Mexican location, but the white keeps it toned down and tasteful

Giving Props

Being a green and white bride myself, I naturally gravitate towards that color scheme. I really love what Jacob and Rachel did with it and how unique their wedding centerpieces were. Using props on the table alongside flowers really made their centerpieces unique and my guess would be that they cost less since the use of fresh flowers was minimal. See if you can also spot the use of fauna in addition to the flora.

All photos credited to Sarah Bussey Photography







^ I know this HAS to be the first time you've seen a turtle shell used in a wedding. If it isn't then I definitely need to hear details.

Lush from Labbancz

Now on the complete other side of the spectrum from Jenna Bush's casual soiree is this lavish wedding that Marie Labbancz had on her blog today. Even though my personal tastes learn towards the modern and subdued, it's a bit of voyeuristic fun for me to see really romantic style weddings like the one below. Hey, if you're going to go lush then you need to go all out!


^The Brides dress was a Pnina Tornai gown from Kleinfeld Bridals . I can honestly say I don't think I've ever seen a white dinner jacket and tie combination (as opposed to bow tie) but I'm liking it.


^Check out that back! Silk Roses were a theme throughout the wedding


^I've often expressed my love for long tables as opposed to round...need I say more?


^Silk roses were incorporated into the invites as well


^Normally I really hate when flowergirls are dressed up as little brides (as I'm sure you can tell by my flowergirl dress) . But this dress is just so much fun I think any little girl would feel like she was in heaven in it.


^Both of the tuxes were custom made


^And of course we can't forget the cake

For more pics check out Marie's blog.

Centerpiece Alternative from CB2

I got a new CB2 catalog in the mail today and I spied a great option for a centerpiece alternative. In general I'd say most flower centerpieces average between $60-100 in our area. Multiply that by 10-20 round tables and you're looking at a $600-2,000 flower bill just for reception centerpieces.

I think the below Lumiere Candleholders bunched into groups of 5 or more would be a really modern and chic alternative. And if you're like me and hate round tables imagine how amazing these would look all lined up in a row down your long tables? I can just see the warm glow of the candlelight now.


^ The candleholders come in a clear hand blown glass style (strong as a chem lab beaker glass). They have both large ($9.95-$12.95) and small ($3.95-$4.95) styles.

^As well as a style of the same glass that has been painted silver ($4.95-5.95)

Below are some more views so you can get a feel for the overall look.













Depending on how many you get for each table and how many tables you have you could decorate your reception tables for as cheap as $250 (5 of the $4.95 candles for 10 tables).

Afterwards you could use some around the house, sell some online, or let your guests take them home (that's better then a centerpiece that dies in a few days!)

Professional Lighting...Is It Really A Must Have?

Over the last five or so years having professional lighting done for receptions has becoming increasingly common and now it's a virtual must-have for many brides.

I'm really kind of torn on the issue. On one hand I've seen really boring and horrible spaces transformed into wonderlands and I'm truly amazed at the difference it makes. And the conventional wisdom says that a bride can spend less on other decorations like flowers and get more bang for her buck with lighting. Not to mention the visual impact it has on your guests.

The other part of me feels like it's just one more thing that's been added to the "must have" list for brides and if you can't afford it then it's just one more thing your wedding is "lacking." And as much as I'd like to tell myself that brides will skimp on other decorations the reality is many will feel pressure to have amazing flowers AND lighting.

We're not going to have professional lighting done..mainly because we don't have the extra couple thousand to spare, but our space is also quite small and because it's already so beautiful it really doesn't need to be transformed into anything else.

For those brides out there who can't afford professional lighting I thought I'd include the below photos from Night Notes and Wine Spills, the photography blog of Ben Chrisman. Isn't it amazing what you can do with simple candle light???

What are your thoughts on lighting? Are you having it for your wedding?

All photos below credited to Ben Chrisman.

Sharp Wedding

If you've been reading this blog for a while then you know from previous posts that one of my favorite non-wedding blogs is Sharp Lily. Sharp Lily is a shopping blog devoted to posting great fashion finds for less $$$. Well the author of Sharp Lily is also a newlywed! She had a lovely December wedding with a classic preppy plaid look. I loved her bouquet and thought the dress was so elegant. To see more pics check out her blog and her photographer's blog.

All photos below the work of Jeff Reeder Photography

Déjà vu

You know you've been reading wedding blogs for too long when you see a Bride's photos on a blog and get excited because you know the bride...and then you realize that you don't know the bride personally at all...you know her from her blog posts! Time for me to get married...

I ran across some images from Mrs. Lime's wedding on her photographer, Michael Norwood's photography blog and she had such a lovely red and aqua wedding with such beautiful details that I thought I'd share a few shots that I hadn't seen before.

All photography below the work of Michael Norwood.

All About the Accessories

I went over to check out Marie Labbancz's blog last week after seeing her work on The Bride's Cafe, and saw the lavish wedding of Kristina and Peter. I think most of us have one item we're willing to splurge on for our attire...a fancy bag, designer shoes, sparkly stones, but this bride rocked every single fab accessory. I'm not sure, but I think her accessories might cost more then my dress...


^ She had these beautiful 5″ (yes 5!) Christian Louboutin shoes!

^She had 2 beautiful head pieces custom made by Leah C. Couture Millinery

^ And yes that is a Prada bag

^Here is the whole look. The dress is Atelier Aimee. I know the gown might be too much for some tastes (i like very simple, streamlined designs), but I love that it's 100% unique and she really works her own style. She "owns" that dress and it looks amazing on her. No one will ever mistake her for a typical bride.

J'Adore Details

Ahh the details...how we do love them. And we aren't the only ones! Southern California based photographers Jasmine Star, Drew Bittel, Trista Lerit, and Ameila Lyon love them too. So much so that they came up with a brilliant idea. They've created a website devoted to the great vendors they've worked with over the years and the little details that make for fabulous weddings.

I know you're probably thinking "how do a bunch of great California vendors help me plan my D.C. wedding?" The pictures of course! The J'Adore Details website is filled with beautiful pictures for inspiration. Click on the websites of the recommended vendors and you'll have even more details to drink in.

And as if that wasn't enough, be sure to check out the J'Adore Details Blog as well. It has just begun but with four talented photographers contributing I'm sure it will be filled with amazing photos. The blog will be updated with great little details from the brilliant weddings they shoot.



^Photo credited to DrewB Photography

^Photo credited to Jasmine Star

^Photo credited to Jasmine Star

Summer Breeze

This is the time of year when I really start to crave the warmth and color of spring. Winter still keeps trying to hang on, but I know it's on it's way out. I stumbled across these shots on the photography blog of photo artist Marie Labbancz and they totally got me in the mood for summer. It reminds me of a summer harvest but the shot of purply blue makes it new and fresh.

Marie shot this table scape for Bride and Bloom Magazine. The flowers were done by the extremely talented Donna O'Brien of Beautiful Blooms (check out her site for major floral eye candy) and the tablescapes were put together by Kendall Brown of Eclatante Event Design.

Showcasing the Cakes

Having numerous smaller cakes instead of one big cake has been a trend for a while now, but usually they are put on cute retro cake stands. I have to admit, though, the display below is pretty kicka** and very original.

Photo from photographer Jose Villa.

McPhee Wedding Photos

Ah celebrity weddings...always fun for eye candy. I like looking at celebrity weddings but honestly I haven't seen too many that I felt like I wanted to copy. I'm often struck by just how typical their weddings are. Sure there are more flowers and the cake is bigger but it's still just a wedding. This one isn't an exception. Don't get me wrong it certainly looks nice, but if I had all the money in the world to spend on a wedding I just wouldn't have chosen so much....pink. To each their own.

All photos from celebrity wedding photographer extraordinare Joe Buissink via People.com.

^Come on now you know the bride had to sing! I believe the gown was Manuel Mota a designer for the Pronovias line.

^That flower girl looks thrilled.

Just A Few More

And here are a few detail shots I snapped from the same wedding. Not as cool as the pro pics, but you get the idea.


^This is the metal gazebo they were married under with hanging votive lanterns.

^One of the flower displays. The wedding wasn't matchy-matchy with colors. The bridesmaids wore brown but they all carried flowers with light green and dark deep purple flowers.

^Cool lanterns were spaced throughout the site. This was one of the cocktail tables.

^Instead of a cake they had this cool dessert tray.

Modern Inspiration

Last month I wrote about my friend's wedding that I went to in Atlanta and posted some shots from her photographer's blog. I also feautured some of the unique brides they had photographed in the past. Well yesterday they posted a few shots of her wedding so I thought I'd share some of the detail pics so you could get a feel for what a cool wedding it was.

All pictures credited to Our Labor of Love

Autumn Blue

Remember in October when I spotted pastel blue in an autumn table setting at Caspari and thought what a unique but unexpected wedding color it would be for a fall wedding? Well go check out the wedding of Viola and Philip over at Anna Kuperberg's blog. I know we're all tired of Tiffany blue and brown at weddings, but when you add autumn orange to the combo it seems very new. The blue just adds a breath of freshness to the typical fall colors.

Sam Hill Entertainment

When looking at music for the wedding Fiance and I were pretty sure we wanted a band as opposed to a d.j. Fiance is a huge live music fan and we both liked the atmosphere that a band can create. Unfortunately, bands usually cost a lot more then a d.j. and Fiance and I didn't want to spend a ton of money...which meant we had to research, research, research to find a good but reasonably priced band.

Hands down the best resource we found for researching bands was Sam Hill Entertainment. They are a booking agency based out of Charlottesville but they book all along the East Coast (focusing mostly on D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina). What sets Sam Hill apart from the other booking agencies is their website and their customer service.

They were the only booking agency we found that listed the price range of the bands on their website. This was so incredibly helpful. We didn't have to contact an agent just to see if the band we were looking at was expensive or not. Fiance and I could look at bands that were within our budget range and not get our hearts set on something we couldn't afford. We could see videos, listen to music clips, and read reviews of the different bands as well. It was also a great learning tool...what's the difference between a $10,000 band and a $1,500 band? Take a listen and see.

Some other agencies I contacted were less then helpful and actually refused to give me a price list for their bands...so there was no way I could compare bands or figure out what fit within my budget. I felt that any place that would refuse to share prices of the product they are supposed to be marketing was probably pretty unethical and trying to hide something so I didn't give them my business. I didn't want any financial "surprises" on my wedding day.

When you look through Sam Hill's site make sure you put in the correct region your wedding will be in...part of the pricing on the bands depends on the location of the band....so a band based out of Philadelphia will be cheaper if your wedding is in Philly and more expensive if the band has to travel from Philly to D.C. Hiring a local band can save you a couple hundred to a $1,000+

Moroccan Vows from Rebecca Bouck - Part III

If you come from an ethnic background consider wearing native dress for some part of your day. It's such a great way to honor your heritage and if you don't feel comfortable wearing it all day then consider doing it for just the reception, part of the reception, or in day after shots. Your guests will probably be more impressed and fascinated by that outfit then they will be by your wedding dress and your parents will be proud.

Be sure to check out Rebbecca Bouck's blog as well. I've added it to my list so I can keep up with the beautiful things she photographs. If you watch reality T.V. you might also recognize this couple. What a happy ending story...you can see their wedding in her portfolio as well.

All photos below by Rebecca Bouck

Moroccan Vows from Rebecca Bouck - Part II

I love the idea of weaving in details either from your own culture or from the cultures of your favorite places. Think of adding in native instruments or singers, common flowers from the country, or traditional decorations. You don't need much to add the right flavor.

Rebecca's prices start at $4,000 which is pretty competitive for our area and considering the caliber of her work I think it is very reasonable. If you look at her portfolio you will see a wedding she did in Maryland so you know she's willing to travel to our neighborhood :) All photos below from Rebbeca Bouck.

Moroccan Vows from Rebecca Bouck - Part I

I ran across this beautiful wedding in the portfolio of talented Arizona based photographer Rebecca Bouck. The wedding was in Morocco and I love how the couple tied in Moroccan themes without being over the top. This is actually something that I think could be very easy to create even on this side of the world with the right accent pieces.