D.I.-Why?

Most brides these days are incorporating handmade, personally crafted elements into their wedding for a more intimate and down-home feel.

I, on the other hand, am cheap...

I decided a while back when I first started planning my wedding that I was going to DIY a few things here and there in order to save some money. This idea has turned into quite a laundry list of projects (24 to be exact).

So I figured I needed to find a way to avoid the inevitable stress that DIY projects bring...Yes, that's right...STRESS...I said it! Some wedding blogs would have you to believe that DIY is ssooo much fun! They take you step by step through the process as they do it, you envision some lovely girl with an apron on and a copy of Everyday Living sitting next to her as she meticulously and perfectly glues, cuts, folds and sprinkles crafty goodness into her special day...I begin to day dream and see myself as an urban Martha Stewart, gluing, cutting, folding and sprinkling pieces of crafty magic everywhere...but in actuality, I end up with a scene similar to this... (source)

My plan is to tackle one project at a time. I know that sounds so simple, but for someone like me, it is easier said than done. I have a list that I am working from (it of course has no order) and I decided to just go down the list, find inspiration or instructions on what I want to do and how I want it to look and then, as Nike says, "Just Do It!" With 8.5 months to go, I should be able to get all 24 items done...right?

First on the list was my "Will you be my Bridesmaid?" cards. Those were simple...I did something sort of like what Miss Woodley Park did...I got some photo cards from Target, cut out some pictures of bridesmaid dresses, cut out some heads from pictures I had of my girls and voila! Cards...so simple and easy...I must be a DIY genius! A DIY idiot savant, if you will! Here is how they turned out... (personal photos)

So cute!

Ok, I am good with the cards...so I made our Save the Dates (which I will share at a later time) and again thought I was a crafting maniac!

So in my DIY frenzy, I tried to do our wedding invitations...all 165 of them. One... Hundred... Sixty... Five... Invitations! I eventually decided my sanity was more important than saving a few hundred dollars. But, not before I created 60 of these little disasters.

I did not, however, let this insignificant, although time consuming, blunder deter me. I might have fell, but I got back on the ice and decided to go down my DIY list and do our rehearsal dinner invitations. All I needed to make was 28, not 165 invitations, it was a much simpler project to attack and it did not need as much planning and forethought. One tip Ladies, pick and chose the DIY projects you tackle carefully...if you don't, you might end up wasting much more time and money than you would have if you had just paid a professional (I spent a total of $300 on materials on those ugly invitations...oh...that actually hurt to write!)

I downloaded an invitation template I found here and added the perfect Mexican themed font to it from here. I personalized the template with our rehearsal dinner info via Photoshop and downloaded a simple, yet perfect wrap around label template from here. The paper and envelopes were purchased from Michael's (total of approximately $25) and I printed them out at home. This is the result, check it out. (personal photos)
There are plenty more projects to come. What kind of projects are you ladies working on? Any blunders so far?

Are YOU a Sample Dress Bride?

Going along with Ms. Charleston’s post – I thought I’d follow up with some more things to think about when dress shopping. I agree with all of her advice – definitely have an idea of what you think you might like going in – neckline, color, material, embellishments, but try on any and everything you can get your hands on. I had a word document with dress pictures that I loved, and then stores that carried each designer. But we all know that the dress looks WAY different in a glossy magazine, with teeny tiny model showing the dress off. So my most favorite and valuable nugget of advice was to search sites that sell pre-owned wedding dresses, even if you don’t think you’ll ever buy a “used” one, so that you can see what a type of dress, or even, if you get very lucky, the exact dress you’re looking for looks like on a real girl.

Long story short, while searching for v-neck dresses (which I thought looked the best on me – Mr. OBX has a thing against strapless, and I am fidgety, plus, I seem to have a disproportionate amount armpit fat that never looks good with strapless and until they invent an exercise that targets that area, no strapless for me – though I tried lots on), I came across MY dress online at one of the resale sites. I knew I had to have it. V-neck dresses themselves are a bit more difficult to find, plus I wanted embellishments on the TOP of the dress, and this dress (the one in the center in the pic on the left) was just it.

(www.preownedweddingdresses.com)

I set about finding it in a store in DC, because I knew I had to see it in person. I called the designers headquarters in NY and found out that it had been discontinued, and that my only hope was finding a sample. So I googled and googled, and called stores across the country, to no avail. And then I called Hannalores on a whim, knowing they carry the designer, and they HAD the dress. I was jumping out of my skin, made an appointment for that same afternoon, went in, tried it on, it fit like a GLOVE, and was CLEARLY the dress (plus it was 50% off – which put it actually somewhere near my price range). Of course, I doubted it (and made things WAY more difficult than they have to be – which has become a hallmark of my wedding planning process), and didn’t buy it then and there – I spent the weekend trying on other dresses at Lady Hamilton, Rosalins, Katherine’s, Hitched, and back at Hannalores to try on “the” dress again. I didn’t hesitate this time and I bought it!

The store said they would take care of cleaning the very minimal marks on the dress, repairing some of the beadwork, etc. and would have it ready for me in June to pick up for my fittings. And then I freaked out – I bought a “used” (crinkle nose when saying this) dress for the most important day of my life, it had been in the store for a long time – what if it had changed colors (and my internet research confirmed that this could be a reality), what if the front was too low cut, what if they couldn’t MAKE it perfect, what if this WASN’T MY DRESS after all?

After a slight miscommunication, the store made good on its word, and their seamstresses/repair department made the dress perfect (even to my discerning eye). Pamela did an amazing job at easing my concerns when I was in a tizzy that “I was not meant to be a sample dress bride, I’m way too anxious” – we took the dress outside, and my fear that the dress had turned yellowish was alleviated, and she convinced me that there is no stigma to buying a sample. So, after that very lengthy post – here is my (very biased) list of things to consider before buying a sample:

• Take a deep breath and think about what a sample is – yes it is probably a great deal, but the dress you are looking at WILL BE the dress you will wear down the aisle, and other people have tried it on, and it may not be the letter of perfect. Think about whether this will cause you more worry, stress, and anxiety than the great deal is worth.
• Get unbiased advice on the alterations (and what is possible for your specific dress) before you buy!
• Really examine the dress for wear and tear – be picky and be pushy. In addition to the things you can see, consider the traffic/business of the store, and how long the dress has been in the store. Go over the dress with a fine tooth comb with alterations staff (not salespeople) when its hanging on the hanger in a well lit area (dresses CAN turn yellow after a long time under fluorescent lights, in plastic bags – and there is very little that can done about this).
• Discuss every imperfection and whether it can realistically be fixed. Of the things that can be fixed, negotiate with the store what you expect to be fixed, how you want it fixed, and when it will be done by. Make sure the seamstress is present for this discussion. Get this in writing. Take pictures (if you can) of all marks or changes. Of the things that cannot be fixed, ask for more discounts (but really consider if you are okay with having the mark, or rip, or whatever).
• Do your research and figure out what the dress sells for new, and how old the dress is (what year the designer first offered it). Be able confidently negotiate based on how old it is, the retail price, and the condition of the actual dress. Realize that you are helping the store recoup their costs on the dress, that you are NOT a second class shopper because you are looking at samples, and that you deserve the same level of service as everyone else – they need you more than you need them.
• Be prepared for a no-return policy and don’t let anyone pressure you into buying the dress until you are certain that it is the dress for you. It is likely that the dress will still be there tomorrow or next week. As soon as the dress leaves the store, it will be YOURS, so don’t take it until you are satisfied with how it looks.

And The Winner Is…..

DC NearlyWeds has been nominated for the WeddingChannel.com Bridal Blog Awards.

WeddingChannel.com (http://www.weddingchannel.com/), the number one wedding & gift registry website, has announced its first annual Bridal Blog Awards program (www.weddingchannel.com/blogs).

As a result Yours Truly (DC NearlyWeds) has been nominated for the award. Although the different categories have not been chosen, we are determined to win the “Best Overall Wedding Blog”.

Give DC NearlyWeds your nod toward winning this title by nominating us!

Click here:
http://forums.weddingchannel.com/main.aspx/bridal-blog-awards_blog-nominations_dc-nearlyweds

Reply to the post to second (or third or fourth, etc) the nomination! Also include a link to your favorite blog post and why you think DC NearlyWeds should win!

You can post as many times as you desire, but remember nominations end on July 8, 2009.

We will keep you posted on updates!

Taffeta and Tulle

I thought about this post because I ran into a friend of mine over the weekend who is recently engaged and was off to go dress shopping.

For someone who is off to go dress shopping for the first time, it is a terribly fun and anxious experience. Let's face it, you're trying on wedding dresses. No matter how unconventional or un-girly one claims to be, there is something just so fantastic about trying on that first gown. My own dress shopping experience was LONG. I literally couldn't wait to get to shopping the second I got back from our vacation. Now, word to you ladies about to venture out: shop shop shop. I think one of the best things I did was shop around and try on every single style there is out there for brides. So here are some places and tips from me to you on dress shopping.

1) Know what you want. It's overwhelming when you walk into a bridal boutique and see every color, shape, and style imaginable. Some people find "the one" the second they try it on, while others like me needed a little more time to really find it. So search those websites and magazines and have an idea of what you want, but be open-minded. There are certain styles that are recommended for certain body types but trust me--you want to try on everything.

2) Shop around (if you can and want to and have the time!). It's easier said than done, but sometimes you don't know what you're looking for until you've seen every possible option. This may also save you the trouble of realizing that your spontaneous wedding gown purchase is not making you as happy as you were when you were high on wedding dress fumes when you go in for your first fitting! I went to Hannelores, Hitched (where I swear I found my dream dress), I Do, I Do (where I thought I really found my dream dress), Carine's, David's Bridal, and a few online peeks. Thefrock.com is a vintage/couture dress haven for someone who is looking for vintage Oscar, Dior, and Givenchy to name a few. I thought this dress was adorable:

Vintage Lanvin

By the time I was done I knew that although I'm petite, I loved the ballgown look even though every style guide advised me otherwise. I also knew that I at first shunned strapless but loved every single strapless dress I tried on. I was also going to get a white gown, but a light gold/ivory gown made me look amazing.

3) Bring good friends (but not too many). Bring the ones that will be honest with you. Also, remember that while they are welcome to their opinion, YOU are the one who has to wear it so ultimately, go with you gut, not your gals.

4) Wear clean undies, a strapless bra, and patience. You may be in the store for five minutes or an hour. Some places may also limit the number of dresses you try on.

Those are just some of the things that I know were helpful for me to keep in mind when I went dress shopping. And to be honest, there were times when I went by myself because with too many people and too many opinions it was easy to get lost in the mix. I finally found "the dress," in the most unusual places: The Running of the Brides at Filene's in Mazza Gallerie. My bridesmaids and I went last summer just for fun because I saw a TV special about it and I had tried on so many dresses that I thought it would be fun and worth seeking out a designer gown at heavily marked down prices. The dress was an ivory ball gown, a fraction of the dress I almost bought the week before, and after a few alterations, it is now the perfect dress:

new neckline with the pockets I had put in

Bustle!

Top model pose.

I hope to get the dress 100% done and perfect in the next few weeks.

So good luck as you venture out and look for your perfect gown. For you ladies who found yours, what advice do you have?

p.s. ladies, The Running of the Brides is on July 31, 2009 at Mazza Gallerie. Camp out for the adventure, but there are less people and plenty of dresses left in the afternoon. I'm adventurous so I went, complete with t-shirts and team!

It's my engage-aversiry!

Today marks year THREE since Mr. National Mall popped the question, and it's also my 22nd birthday (yay!) In honor of this lovely day, I figured I'd provide some pictures!


This is us driving up to NYC. Yes, I'm wearing a crown :) Sad to say, I already knew about the proposal because Mr. National Mall was being so secretive, I snooped around and found the info :oops: so I couldn't wait until we arrived!

When we got to NYC we went out to a wonderful dinner at an old Italian restaurant. The first picture is the outside of Barbetta restaurant as it was raining while we were eating in the garden. The second picture is how it looks when its NOT raining and gross, as it always is on my birthday. Much prettier. To start off the evening we ate the best food that I have ever tasted outdoors at this restaurant. It was a wonderful beginning, even though it was raining. The waiters there even sang Happy Birthday to me (and very well, at that!)

My yummy cake Enjoying my dinner :)

After dinner it was of course, raining, but Mr. National Mall insisted on taking a walk to Central Park. I already knew about the proposal (I know, I know...) so I pretended to be mad and mumbled and grumbled the whole way. We reached Gramercy Park and climbed aboard a horse and carriage. I was speechless as to what I found. Inside the carriage was a violinist and a bouquet of white roses. As we rode through Central Park, still raining, the violinist played soft music for us. After a few minutes, Mr. National Mall wanted to give me my "birthday present", and I was completely expecting a ring! He hands me a ring box, and inside are......earrings. Thoroughly disappointed, I said thank you and continued to stare out the window.

All of a sudden I hear the violinist play "Canon in D", the song I want to walk down the aisle to. I turn to my fiance and struggles to get down on one knee inside the cramped carriage. As he does he says "I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle to this song....will you marry me?" I of course, say yes!! Suddenly, it stops raining (of course), and we stop at a lake in Central Park, which was supposed to be the proposal spot. The sky was gorgeous shades of pink and purple, and it was a beautiful moment, even though the proposal had already occcured.

Which brings us to the ring! It's absolutely perfect, and exactly what I wanted. Mr. National Mall did good :) Excuse my awful camera pics...I still can't take a good picture of the ring!

And three years later, here we are today! Finally planning and getting ready to be married. I can't believe it's been three years already, and I cannot wait to marry the love of my life!

Bride$hare!

You do know the Broke-Ass Bride, right? She of the ridiculously cool and funny wedding video, not to mention the great blog? Well, she has a new venture - and it's something that can save you money!

I love, love this idea. Bride$hare is a "networking" style site where you can share wedding items, and maybe more importantly, the cost of wedding items. So just the other day I wrote about my desire for lots of milk glass vases in our centerpieces. Here's how it would work - when I'm sure that's what I want to do, I can find another bride who wants the same thing. Then we work out a way to share the items and the cost. Maybe I buy them and sell them to her after my wedding. Maybe we split the cost of buying them, both use them, then resell them and split the profits. Maybe I just go ahead and buy them and then post them for resale on the Bride$hare boards. There are so many possibilities! Whatever way we do it, the goal is to save money, help ourselves and other brides have great weddings for less, and go a little greener in our planning by reducing waste.

Sound great? Here's what you should do: 1) sign up for Bride$hare, 2) befriend me on the site! (I'm Lysandramarie), 3) join the DC Metro Area group, 4) start sharing and saving!

he popped the question!

The last year Mr. UVA and I lived in DC, I was working as an Instructional Assistant in special education classrooms during the day and nannying in the evenings. Some nights I would come home and collapse on the floor with exhaustion. This night was no exception. I think I got home around 9 or 9:30 and Mr. UVA had kindly waited to eat dinner until I got home (he had also kindly cooked dinner – lucky me!). I was not a pleasant lady that evening. I had baby food caked onto the front of my shirt and the rest of my appearance was less than stellar. After a rushed dinner, I had to catch up on emails I had been avoiding for the past couple of weeks and was fully focused on the laptop in front of me. Mr. UVA sweetly said, “I love you” in my ear to which I rudely responded “I know” and continued with the task at hand. Unfortunately I missed the rest of the message Mr. UVA had prepared (i.e. the proposal) and only turned around in time to see him wrestling under the couch cushion for my engagement ring. He was on his knees by the time I realized what was happening. Crying and shaking my head no, (in disbelief that I had just missed the proposal) I asked him to repeat the whole thing.

Will you be my Bridesmaid?

I spent the few weeks following our engagement trying to figure out a fun and creative way to ask my bridesmaids to be my bridesmaids. I know that some people do cupcakes, some just call them up, and some people do cards. I liked the cards idea, especially since one of my girls lives in Connecticut. However, I didn't want to do a plain card so when I was looking for pictures of me and the girls together, I came up with a plan.

I headed straight to Walmart and picked up all of the newest bridal magazines. Then I went to work finding pictures of a bride and bridesmaid standing next to each other. That task was much more difficult than I had anticipated, but with a little creativity, I was able to find something that would work for each girl.

Next, I designed my own card (with construction paper, ribbon, and glue) and made it pretty, pink, and green.

I pasted one bride and bridesmaid minus the head to the front of my cards, and then cut out a picture of me and my bridesmaids' heads to "attach" to the bodies. It's supposed to look silly, and I think that they turned out fabulously. The girls all loved them and they appeared to be a big hit.



Here's an example of two of the cards (I had seven)! On the inside of each card, I wrote "Will you head down the aisle with me as my bridesmaid/maid of honor?"

I asked several of the girls over dinner at P.F.Changs!




How did you ask your bridesmaids to head down the aisle with you?

My Second Engagement Ring

After yesterday's post, I realize I may have left you with the impression that I've been planning my wedding for the past 6 months with a bubble gum wrapper on my left hand. Not so, dear reader! Mr. 16th addressed that situation, but it did take a little longer than expected.

After his spontaneous proposal, he confessed that ring shopping was already moving a little faster than he had let on. The diamond was on hold and the setting already ordered. It looked like I could have my ring in about a week! But no, there were delays and obstacles along the way. The first setting he chose was discontinued and they couldn't get my size. He changed it to something very similar (that I actually like more!) and then we had to wait for a new special order all over again.

Now, I wholeheartedly do not believe that an engagment happens only via a diamond ring. You can be perfectly, happily engaged with any number of things, or nothing at all, to symbolize your commitment. We had decided, however, to follow the tradition of him giving me a big ol' pretty diamond ring. And, since that decision had been made - I wanted my ring!

So I waited, not at all patiently, for my ring to be ready. When he left for work one morning, which just happened to be Valentine's Day, I asked tentatively, "Do you think it may be ready?" But he assured me that no, it wouldn't be ready, and he was really sorry and eager to get it too. "Oh, it's OK," I joked, "we're not the kind of people who get engaged on Valentine's Day anyway." By this I mean we are cynical and jaded.

So Mr. 16th came home that night and came into the kitchen, where I was preparing a lovely Bayou BBQ Shrimp dish that must be eaten with a fresh baguette and an entire roll of paper towels for the mess. He held up a jewelry box with a twinkle in his eye and said that he had a little present for me, even though my ring wasn't ready. I grabbed it and tore the box open to find . . . two miniature Hershey's dark chocolate candies. Oh. Thanks. I laughed and tried to hide my shattered hopes from him. To distract myself, I turned back to the kitchen to feed the dog. When I turned back around, dog food bag in hand, he had the biggest smile on his face and was holding a box with the perfect engagement ring.

The dog food bag hit the floor and I flew into his arms. I know it's not the ring that makes the engagement, but I sure do love that ring!

I guess maybe I am the kind of girl who gets an engagement ring on Valentine's Day.

etsy fever

I haven't made a Ton of purchases from etsy yet, but I have marked a zillion favorites, and once I pull together a more cohesive plan for the reception decor/wedding party attire/my own accessories, I will be going to Town. So here are some of my favorites that I'm thinking about.

Bridesmaid dresses, custom made by Miss Brache.

Linen invitations, custom made by Artful Beginnings.

Birdcage veil and fascinator, by SmittenXOXO. I might want to try making my own (I'll update on that later when I give it a try), but if it doesn't work out I'll probably buy one from this shop.

Cake topper, by Bunny with a Toolbelt. Actually, we're using the same cake topper Mr. Fairfax's grandparents used at their wedding 60+ years ago, but if we weren't using that one, I would die to have this giraffe bride & groom topper. So. Effing. Cute.

(source)

I have bought a Few things already, including this darling necklace which I hope I like as much in person. I usually go straight to the Weddings section but you should definitely check out the Vintage stuff! Some great finds in there, especially in jewelry.

Miss GWU: Engagement Fever!

This photo is property of Ben Chrisman Source: Ben Chrisman Blog

Stuck at my work desk all day and then in classrooms at night as I finish up my M.A., I have really REALLY enjoyed reading all of the new DC NearlyWeds' posts. I think that's one of the many things I love about wedding stories. There's so much history and rich life-shaping moments that go into building a relationship, taking that leap together, and realizing your dream day as the doors open and the blushing bride walks down that aisle. Almost like our own chance to realize that fairy-tale moment. Anyway, I digress.

So 2 weeks after my engagement, my best friends (and maids of honor) and I were going to meet up in St. Louis for our yearly girly weekend. While waiting for our flight at DCA, Cari, breaks the news that she is engaged. It happened in a nontraditional way. Almost similar to Miss 16th St's story, there was cuddling, there was a look, and then there was something along the lines of "Would you like to get married?" Pretty much a shotgun engagement, Cari and her man are looking to get married in a tres petitie ceremony here in DC. Engagement - June. Wedding - September. Yes, fast turnaround but I have no doubt it will be special and speak to their personalities. No frills but romantical. Think of Pride and Prejudice and you get the idea.

Add another one to the mix, 2 days into our St. Louis trip, our good friend, Brookey, called to inform us that after a good lunch at Spike's burger joint, Good Stuff Eatery, her man got down on one knee and popped the question. They celebrated their engagement at jazz night on the Smithsonian.

I'm telling you ladies, its in the air!!!

Hello from Miss 16thStreet

Hi all! I'm so happy to be blogging here with the other wonderful ladies of DC NearlyWeds! I've been writing for some time over at my own blog, but don't worry - I'll start from the beginning and catch you up!

So where is the beginning, exactly? First I thought I'd start out by telling you the story of Mr. 16th's proposal. But then I realized, that's not exactly the beginning, is it? The beginning for us is, in fact, a bit hard to pinpoint. First date? First kiss? First mention of marriage? The moment we knew we'd spend our lives together?

How about the first time we set eyes on each other? That's about as close to the beginning as you can get, I'd say. Well, in typical DC fasion we met in law school. The first day of law school. Actually, the first day of orientation for law school! I can't say it was love at first sight - we were both in other relationships and just not expecting to meet the love of our lives. But over that first school year, it became clear that we were best friends. By the end of our second year, our relationships had both ended and it was clear we were much more than friends. We had a tough few months, figuring out how this could work and doing it all long distance since I spent the summer working in another city. When I got back to DC for our third year, though, things just fell into place. It was undeniable that we were in love and just plain good together.

By the end of our third year of law school we had a little apartment and a little dog. We spent that summer studying together every day and when fall came we were real, working, barred attorneys! It was natural for talk of engagement to follow, and it did. Mr. 16th even took a part-time job to save up for a ring (we're not the big money kinds of lawyers!). I knew it was coming, and even gave him my opinion on a few settings. Our timeline was spring, or maybe summer of 2009.

Patience is a virtue, and not one that we possess, so we were engaged January 4, 2009! Not exactly on our timeline, but here's how it happened. We were hanging out at home that night, cuddling and being goofy and talking about the future. Should we buy a house? Where are our careers headed? You know how the conversation goes. Suddenly, Mr. 16th looked at me and said, in the most sincere tone, "Just marry me." And without a second thought, I said "OK."

We looked at each other, a little bit stunned, and finally he asked, "Is this for real?" I was shaking a little when I answered "Yeah, it is." "Wait," he told me, "we have to do this right." With that, he jumped up and ran over to his dresser, where he proceeded to make me an engagement ring. He pulled me to my feet, dropped to one knee, and delivered a beautiful, eloquent proposal. Of course, neither of us really remembers what he said - but I do recall hearing that he loved me, wanted to spend his life with me, and that we would always be partners "in life, in love, and in the law." (Nerds!) When it was over we were laughing, crying, and shaking. And we were engaged. I had the ring and everything. My very own custom, handmade ring created on-the-spot from a Bazooka Joe wrapper and a piece of packing tape. Now that's romance!

shoes! <3

After reading the amusing posts and comments on East Side Bride related to finding wedding shoes for Meg at APW (here and here and here), I got all up in a flutter about how ridiculously high the heels are on those shoes and angry about how hard it is to find shoes in my size (a whopping size 10, or more accurately 10.5 but that size rarely exists), and how often shoes in my size come with ridiculously high heels.

This might not be making any sense. It's not even the point. The point is the abovementioned blogs inspired me to go on a big search to Prove I couldn't find the perfect wedding shoes with 1.25 - 1.5" heels (I bought a dress on a sample sale that is only long enough for me to wear shoes at that height, Maybe a maximum of 2" (which is good because I hate towering over people in 4" heels anyway) ) and ended up on Endless.com and found.. the perfect shoes! they're 1.25" and ADORABLE. At least to me. And they have a Button on them. Which is important because I'm being crazy and incorporating a ton of old antique/funky buttons into my wedding (button bouquet maybe? I haven't decided).

I will have to come back soon and gush with Miss Glen Echo about all my super Etsy finds.

I *HEART* Etsy!

Actually, I think a more appropriate word to use may be "addicted," "obsessed," "crazied." In any case, I absolutely love this website and have to say that it is my favorite wedding planning discovery. I have purchased all kinds of treats and goodies from Etsy. Here is a list of some of the treasures I have found on this internet chest chalked full of booty! (all photo credits belong to the shop owners, please see links in post)



My very first purchase was 2 hair flower pins from Brenda's Bridal Veils. I was not sure if I was going to wear an ivory dress or a white dress (more on that later)...so due to my indecisiveness I purchased both.



My second purchase was a custom request from Siver dot Jewelry, a local DC shop, for matching necklaces and earrings for the bridal party (and our Grooms Maid). Oh and Ladies, if you are reading, this is not what you are getting...however you can expect your gifts to look just as fantastic.



My next purchase was extra special. It was an alchemy request or what I like to refer to as a "call to prayer." I had searched high and low for groomsmen ties that were under $20 in a specific shade of purple and could not find anything that matched my criteria (that criteria mainly being the under $20 part). So, I decided to see what I could do on Etsy, because by this time I had become a pro on the site. CredoNedo answered my call and did them perfectly for $12 per tie!



But I have to say that so far, this little exquisite peice of handmade loveliness has been my favorite purchase so far. It is the clutch I plan to wear with my gown. It is totally perfect and needs only but few words. Thank you, Angee W!

In total I have made, oh...around 18 purchases from Etsy...and it won't stop there. Oh yes *smiling feindishly* it will not stop there...

More to come on a few more of my purchases, including our invitations, some extra vintage goodness for my gown and jewelry for the bride.

So, have you guys discovered etsy too? Any good shops to reccomend?

Putting the Cart before the Horse

Again, in the spirit of full disclosure, I’ll share a small detail that maybe isn’t the most romantic. We started, and completed, a big part of the wedding planning before Mr. Outer Banks formally proposed. Mr. OBX announced that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me in November on a hike to Old Rag. My immediate response (after giving him a big kiss and telling him that I felt the exact same way) was “So what does this mean?!” He said he wasn’t proposing right then and there, that he had a plan for that, but he wanted me to know that he was sure that I was “the one for him” :)

Well, the planner in me just couldn’t sit on this information – and we were so excited – so we started talking about EVERYTHING right away…including ideas for our wedding. Immediately, we decided on the Outer Banks because it is such a special place to us, our first (and annual) vacation together was to the OBX, and our family is scattered throughout the country, so it made sense. The decision to pick the Whalehead Club, in Corolla, was equally easy – we had been on bike rides past it and had each thought to ourselves that it would be a perfect place for a wedding. So the planning really SHOULD have stopped there. But we were talking about a short engagement, we both loved late summer for a wedding, and the Outer Banks books fast, so I told him I wanted to call the Whalehead Club to find out their availability.

Turns out, it was a good move. The only Saturday in September that they had available was September 26, 2009. We talked about it, agreed to book while we could, and sent in a deposit – and just like that, we knew our wedding date BEFORE I knew my engagement date. From there, in hindsight, the planning spiraled a bit out of control. I let myself be convinced that I wouldn’t be able to find a decent [fill in the blank] vendor unless I booked immediately. So, Mr. OBX agreed that we could keep planning. He didn’t want to plan before we got engaged, mostly because he didn’t want the proposal to be an afterthought (which it totally wasn’t) and he STILL maintains that “it’s not that difficult to plan a wedding, all you need is 2 months, really”, but he loves me and he knew I needed to PLAN. So plan I did. We booked the location, caterer, photographer, officiant, and rental company (for tents) before we got engaged. I tried on dresses with my mom before I had a ring on my finger because she wanted to be the first person to see me in a wedding dress and she lives far away.

And then the most wonderful thing happened – Mr. OBX proposed in the sweetest, most romantic, best surprise ever (even though I knew it was coming one of these days)! I contacted family and friends and told them the wonderful news and was able to tell them to save 9/26 for our wedding!! I basked in the newly engaged happiness without feeling crunched by the fact that we were getting married in less than 7 months and I had to start planning PRONTO.

Did anyone else start planning before the official proposal?

Hello from...Miss National Mall?

"Miss Rockville" here! Only, I was apparently supposed to me "Miss National Mall" but never got the memo. Oops! So, I changed my name, but don't worry, it's still me. :)

Planning for a wedding without actually having money is well...difficult. Due to the fact that I just graduated, I currently do not have a job. Looking, definitely looking, but nothing has come up yet. So until I get a job (or someone decides they want to give a generous contribution to our wedding fund), planning is pretty much at a halt. However, since I've been engaged for THREE FREAKIN YEARS now, I pretty much have all of the inspiration, ideas, and lists of vendors that I want to look at. So at least there shouldn't be much research involved.

First on the list (besides my long venue search) is catering. Mr. National Mall does not like fancy food. If I would allow him to serve McDonald's at our wedding he would. Seriously. Add to the fact that our budget for the venue/catering/rentals is $10,000, we can't afford to spend $100/person on filet mignon and lobster, even if Mr. Natioanl Mall did want it. So we've decided to opt for interactive stations. I think it will make for a fun and casual experience. Plus, who doesn't love fajitas and a macaroni and cheese bar? ;-) I've gotten a few proposals from companies that are a little shocking though. $80/pp for fajitas and a carving station? Really?? I might just have to deal with the fact that the DC area is just ridiculously expensive and buckle down and pay for it. But do I want to?? Noooooo way.

How did you deal with the sticker shock of the DC area prices?

Hello from Miss NationalHarbor !

Wow! I am so late to the introduction party! I have been absolutely swamped at work and kept putting off writing my introduction until I could really put some time into it - but I see now that that is not going to happen---as the hits at work just keep on coming. So I will just get to it...

My name is Jennifer. I am 34 and work as a technical writer in Ballston. Mr. NationalHarbor is 32 and works for an architectural company in DC. We just moved to a condo in NE last month and we are also feverishly saving for our wedding which is taking place on Halloween night. No- it is not going to be a masked reception filled with werewolves and witches. I have just loved Halloween ever since I was a child and when I sensed Mr. NationalHarbor was close to popping the question I merely hinted that it sure would be awesome if I could meld my favorite holiday with a marriage to my favorite guy. And so he got the picture and here we are!

I will tell a little about the engagement since I find the story vastly amusing. Mr. NationalHarbor had been planning to present me with a ring on a weekend getaway at a hotel in DC which shall remain nameless. He had enlisted the help of my friend, Claire and had the whole thing planned when I threw a wrench in the works because frankly- I could not stand the hotel he had picked and since I had no idea he was planning to ask me to marry him that particular weekend I promptly suggested that we stay somewhere else. Which of course ruined everything since he had already spoken to the staff and had a whole evening of loveliness planned. Long story short- he did switch the hotel for me. After I had put the kibosh on his plans he had called my friend on her cell, begged her to take a long lunch with him and had dragged her to 3 or 4 new possible hotel choices in the city asking her to help him choose one I would love. Later that day he picked me up from work and took me to a fabulous suite filled with roses and champagne at the "engagement hotel" they had worked so hard to find that very afternoon. He was so nervous that we had no sooner entered the room before he sat me on the couch immediately and started talking. Sadly- I cannot really recall much of his proposal because he had gone deathly pale and was actually swaying on his feet as he talked. I was so intent on making sure he did not fall over that I was not really listening to what he was saying. It was only when he fell to his knees in front of me that I got the picture. That and the little black velvet box he was opening drove the point home. I have to admit I love telling that story and get a good laugh whenever i think of it. He was just so cute and endearing- but that is why I am marrying Mr. NationalHarbor.

Now I will give the lowdown on the ceremony so in the next posts I add here I can just get down to the nitty gritty and not have to give background details. Mr. NationalHarbor and I are getting married at Oxon Hill Manor in Oxon Hill, MD. Hence, my blogger name. We are having about 110 guests and have opted for an evening ceremony. We already have contracted the venue, the wedding planner, the photographer, a lighting guy, the DJ, a string quartet, the cake, the officiant, the caterer, and as of last week- a company to supply the alcohol. We are currently tackling the whole room blocks issue- which I will defintiely have to cover in greater detail and we are trying to lock down plans for the rehearsal dinner. And yet- I still feel like I have lots to do. I cannot seem to corral my bridesmaids into one place to pick dresses for them. We are making our own menu cards and invitations and escort cards so I will definitely have to convey my trials and tribulations with that. We have not gotten settled on tuxes for the groomsmen yet. We have not met with the florist yet and after 2 failed attempts at trying to find a make-up artist I have no idea what I am doing on that front. We still need to have the engagement shoot and since we are getting married in the evening- how does one take outside pictures at 10pm? There will be no natural light and the grounds will be covered in darkness. I have to find a way to get pictures on the grounds of the venue with my wedding party during the day. The only problem is that someone has contracted the venue in the afternoon before me and I can't very well push myself onto her day and ask " can i just interrupt your special day take a few pictures with my people near the fountain while your folks are eating? thanks so much." No. I simply have to come up with a better plan.

Ok. Well I think I have rambled enough for now. If anyone has any ideas about how to get around the picture issue please let me know! Next post I will tackle my room block drama. Who knew blocking rooms could lead to such difficulty! Oh, and if my posts tend to sound a little too much like a novel I apologize in advance. My friends are always making comments about that in every email I send to them. But since I write for a living how can I not be overly verbose? That's what they pay me for!

More wedding details coming soon!

the ceremony: probably the important part

So far we've been focusing mostly on The Wedding as a whole, researching vendors, thinking about decor, working up tentative schedules and figuring out attire for the wedding party. Etc. But I know the whole point of the day is to, umm, get married, so I want to make sure the ceremony is just right for us.

We're not doing a religious ceremony, so we don't have a pastor or anyone we already know who could perform the ceremony for us. Luckily there is a whole network of celebrants/officiants out there who perform all kinds of ceremonies, and we're in the process of narrowing down our choice now (you can also search on WeddingWire.com and see reviews from other couples).

So far we've only managed to meet one prospect, but I'm trying to set up a meeting with at least one more person so we can compare. I really liked the first woman we interviewed, she seemed very experienced and gave us a ton of information about how we can personalize our ceremony. The only problem is that she's in Hyattsville, MD and we're having our wedding in Fairfax so her driving back and forth 2 nights in a row (once for the rehearsal) really adds to our carbon footprint, which I'm Trying to keep to a minimum.. So I'm trying to find someone a little more local. Anyone else going the non-religious route? Book your officiant yet? If so please share recommendations!

We know we want about a 30-minute ceremony, and we don't want to write our own vows but we still want it to be personal to us. Pretty silly? I just know myself (and the mister) and I know we'll both get stressed out over making them perfect (how to find that perfect balance between sweet and sappy? funny and meaningful? too much pressure!) and we'll over think everything and in the end I'll never manage to express in my own words how much he means to me and if I feel like I've fallen short I'll feel terrible. So I'm trying to find quotes and poems and exerpts that will explain things for us, and hopefully our officiant will put it all together with everything else she'll learn about us and our relationship and create a cohesive and meaningful ceremony.

If you are planning to write your own vows I think that's amazing. I've seen some great resources out there for ideas on how to format them, but since I wasn't thinking of writing my own I didn't take note of the sites.. I will try to find some and update this post later.

yay surprises!

This post is not so much about my plans as about lovely perks to being engaged and joining a new family.

So this past Saturday, we were supposed to do a Father's Day brunch at the home of my future in-laws (they said they were busy on Sunday), so we headed over to their house, Father's Day card in hand, and when I walked in the door this crowd of people yelled SURPRISE!! Honestly I was so confused for a few seconds, I was like umm wait, he's behind me! (thinking it as a surprise for my future FIL).. And then I recognized all the people as my friends and my mom! I was

still confused until they explained that it was a Bridal Tea for me! Totallyyyy unexpected but lovely and awesome. Here are some pics from the day - all the food made by my talented mother! Hosted by my wonderful future in-laws. And my friends brought big floppy hats for us all to wear!

Cool tea party idea for any of you who might be reading this as a maid of honor or other person planning a party for a bride - as a "project" for the party, Mr. Fairfax's mom bought a bunch of tea towels and transfered embroidery patterns onto them - fun things like "basil" and "mint" and "grapes" and "peaches" that were either cross-stitch or just outlines.. Anyway I'm not sure I'm describing this well but the idea is that all my friends would embroider a tea towel for me so I'd have a set that were hand done by loved ones. Really sweet idea! You should have seen the looks on my friends' faces when my mom announced the project, they looked like deer in headlights - but then they all seemed to enjoy it. I know I did! Who knows if they'll ever finish their embroidery and actually give me the towels, hopefully they will. None of my friends are real experts at embroidery but that's half the fun, I'll love their towels anyway. I will try to post a photo of the one I'm working on so you can see what I'm talking about.

Anyway I'll come back and share more planning stuff later, just wanted to share this lovely surprise. I felt so loved! :)

The Ring

I don’t remember when Mr. UVA and I started talking about getting engaged and rings. I think at a certain point in the relationship, we knew it would happen. What Mr. UVA did not know was the amount of information and pressure that comes with choosing a diamond.
Let me give you some background on Mr. UVA and jewelry purchases. Mr. UVA does research for a living and jewelry is no exception. At one point in the early stages of our relationship, Mr. UVA asked me what kind of jewelry I would like as a gift. I had been wearing the same earrings for about 4 years and rarely wore anything else. But, I had always wanted a simple jade bracelet. Mr. UVA – being the doll that he is – started his research. No exaggeration – about a year and a half later, I received a jade bracelet. I will admit - it is fabulous! When I went to Thailand with my family, women on the street would stop me and ask me where I got it. But the point is that it took a year and a half to pick a jade bracelet.
I had an idea of what type of ring I wanted and what type I didn’t want. I had been sneaking peeks in magazines and on the internet and had sent some images to Mr. UVA to steer him in right direction. He wanted to choose the ring without any additional help from me. He enlisted the help of his brother and a friend of his mom who used to work in the Diamond District of New York City (not a bad friend to have!) and bought a beautiful loose stone. We still had a setting to choose. We had heard of friends going with their boyfriends to choose a ring and had mixed feelings about it. It is a piece of jewelry that you will hopefully be wearing for the rest of your life so you want to make sure you love it but there is the surprise factor of soon-to-be fiancé on one knee with a ring he has chosen for you. Mr. UVA broke down and asked me if I would come with him to look at settings. I’m really glad we chose this route. Some of the rings I had been dreaming of looked totally awkward on my finger and I would have found out the hard way had I not gone with him.





So here is the ring:








{personal photo courtesy of apple's photo booth}

An Engagement Story

Back in June 2008, Mr. Woodley Park decided that he wanted to marry me (of course-- he didn't tell me).

He bought me tickets to the Steelers/Colts game in Pittsburgh for my birthday and the game was planned for the weekend of November 8th (to avoid confusion, I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers junkie). Apparently, Mr. Woodley Park had a major plan, and had previously decided that he would propose while we were there.

The following was all a major shock for me. Of course I knew we were going to get married someday and we had discussed it, but I did not think that it was going to happen then-- or in Pittsburgh for that matter. Mr. Woodley Park was super sneaky and planned everything without me knowing a thing.

Mr. Woodley Park booked a room for two nights in one of the fanciest hotels in Pittsburgh, the Omni William Penn. I wasn't too surprised about this though since we needed somewhere to sleep while we were visiting.

The night before the Steelers game, Mr. Woodley Park let me pick where I wanted to eat dinner, and the answer was Sesame Inn. It's my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh and it's located right in Station Square. We walked around, bought a bunch of steelers gear (for me) and ate, and ate, and ate.

Mr. Woodley Park was cool as a cucumber throughout dinner. He was acting normally, drinking the local beer, and eating like a boy with a huge appetite. Not to mention the fact that he took a nap before we went out to dinner. Seriously, the boy was hours from proposing and slept like nothing was happening.

After dinner, Mr. Woodley Park mentioned that we should go up the incline to Mount Washington. I was more than happy to because it provides a gorgeous view of the city and my prom pictures were taken there back in high school.

We walked over to the balcony, took pictures, talked about how beautiful it was and then Mr. Woodley Park said, "Okay, are you ready to go?" The next thing I knew, I turned around to grab him and he was pulling something out of his pocket. Seconds later, he was down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I started freaking out, cried for about 1.25 seconds and then kept asking him if he was serious. I think I asked about 10 times before snatching the ring from him. The second thing out of my mouth was, "did you ask my dad?" He did, apparently dad was in on the entire thing for months.

It was so incredibly special and beautiful. After the proposal, we called our families and then looked at each other and said, "now what?" haha.

After celebrating via cell phone, Mr. Woodley Park told me the speech that he meant to say as he was down on one knee, but that he was too nervous to get out. Either that or he was distracted by me yelling, "you are kidding" over and over again.

Here's a picture of us riding the incline down, only minutes after getting engaged.



We still haven't stopped smiling that big-- and it's been almost 7 months!

Centerpieces: Flames vs. Flowers

One of the things that I have encountered as being more difficult than it should be is trying to figure out centerpieces. My current battles are:

DIY vs. Buy, which then leads to candles or flowers?

Here's the deal. I can easily put together a swarm of candle on a table and call it a day. But is that the "look" I want? Or I can throw a bunch of blooms in a vase and voila! Instant centerpiece. Or do I want a flower candle mix? I know it seems like it shouldn't make a difference either way, but I plan on spending the majority of my wedding day at my reception and I really want those tables to look warm and inviting.

So as the wedding day looms over the horizon, my future mother in law has lovingly sent me emails asking what my plans are for the centerpieces. I am torn. I am usually really good at making decisions: I picked out the save the dates without feeling torn, picked the invite wording immediately, and picked the bridesmaid dresses in an instant. So here are my current choices/inspirations:

(image courtesy of www.weddingbee.com)

or

(image courtesy of ftdflowers.com)

How did you pick out your centerpieces?

March 27th, 2010, Dinner & Dancing at Glen Echo Park

In continuing with Miss Glen Echo's Five Basic Things, I will introduce you all to the final two tidbits: the "when" and the "where."

The "when" was somewhat a contentious issue. Mr. Glen Echo and I got engaged September 08 and I really wanted to the wedding October 2009. Mr. Glen Echo's brother, however, had plans to go to China and you cannot have a wedding without a best man...so that got nixed.

Anytime before October 09 would have not been enough time for us to save money, and I just did not want a winter wedding. So, we then thought about dates in 2010...but there was one issue...I REALLY wanted to get married before I turned 30. Now, I do not say this to imply that there are any problems with getting married after 30, or 40, or 50 or 100! Do you! I, however, just had some mental block in my mind about it. That meant the wedding needed to happen before April 1, 2010 (yes, I am an April Fools Day baby, ya'll).

So, that pretty much left the month of March. March in the DMV is quite an unpredictable month. I felt to be on the safe side, we should be as close to the spring as possible...hence March 27th, 2010. The good thing about this date is that, for our venue, it is the last weekend to get the lower "off season" rate before the true wedding season of April through October starts. The drawback is that I would not have the outdoor wedding that I always wanted...

The "where" however, was not as hard for us. I will now make a confession, that I hope I am not alone on...I started researching this wedding BEFORE we got engaged. I know, I was quite presumptious. But, I knew he was the one, I knew it was coming...so I figured I would just be prepared. In my research, I came across this lovely place


(source)

This is Newt0n White Mansion in Mitchellville, MD. I visited this place before we were engaged and thought it would be perfect for us. I liked the location and loved the price (plus the discount for living in Prince George's County). I made note...and just waited for the ring.

In the meantime, I read about some classes at Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, MD. I also read that it was sort of a hidden spot for weddings in the area. I saw pictures of the park online and convinced Mr. Glen Echo that we should head over there for a day date to check it out. I walked through the wooded entrance way and saw this


(personal photos)

And here are some of the park at night

(personal photos)

Don't you just LOVE IT! When we saw it, we both realized that it was the perfect place for us. It represents who we are on so many levels. It is fun, quirky, different, nontraditional, classic, off beat and fantastic...totally us in a nutshell! The off season all day rental price was less than what we would pay for half a day at Newton White. What really made us sign on the dotted line was the fact that Glen Echo is totally unique. We did not want a cookie cutter, assembly line generated, run of the mill wedding. Glen Echo was it!

For more information on the history, rental info and the wonderful events at Glen Echo, click here.

There will be much more to come on Glen Echo and our FANTASTIC ceremony venue...that actually makes me feel like I am having the outdoor wedding I always wanted. For a sneak peek on our ceremony location, check out this blog entry from Mary Kate McKenna...I actually saw this slide show and called the church the very next day. Enjoy!

The Chevy Chases find a venue: Part I

Since I'm already well into my wedding planning, I thought I'd recap how Mr. Chevy Chase and I chose our venue.

First, I will let you all in on a little secret ... we started planning long before actually getting engaged. I kept telling friends and close family members about our plans, but my fiance kept it quiet, even from his parents, for a few months. It all started back in September '08 when I casually, prematurely even, asked my mother about family rings. Somehow I thought that bringing the issue up during an IM conversation would make it less of a big deal. Yeah, not so much. Quickly, it all progressed to us planning a DC wedding in peak wedding season. Mr. Chevy Chase will graduate from medical school in early May 2010, and will start residency in mid June, so we really only had a 4-week window to get married if we wanted to be able to take a honeymoon. Given our limited flexibility, we were worried about vendors, particularly venues, booking up 18-24 months out. So even though we weren't engaged, we started compiling a list of possible venues, and my mom and sister, who were in the DC area, made the rounds.

We opted for a DC area wedding because my family is mostly in DC, my fiance has some family in the Baltimore area, a lot of people on the guest list are in DC, and the rest of the guest list is mostly from the Northeast or North Carolina, so DC is a central location. I had always wanted an outdoor wedding ceremony, but for some reason we decided we didn't want to deal with a tent, and didn't even consider any venues that necessitated one.

At the end of September, my parents visited the women's museum. The rental fee was more that we wanted to pay, so my parents were just stopping by to check it out, but once they saw the grand hall, they decided it was worth the money, especially since the majority of the fee is tax deductible, so we penciled in a date and more or less stopped looking at other venues. In November, I saw the museum, and over the winter holidays, my fiance and I went together to see the hall. The first time, I was disappointed, although I couldn't exactly explain why. The second time I saw it, I liked it more, but it still wasn't perfect. For one, we didn't know where to have the ceremony - I didn't want to have it in the museum, didn't want to have it in a church (reasons to come later), and didn't want guests to have to drive from the ceremony to the reception and to deal with DC parking twice. The museum has many many albums of wedding photos that show off the site, and the pictures of museum ceremonies were actually very nice, so I resigned myself to having the ceremony at the museum and giving up on an outdoor wedding. And for a few months, that was the plan. Then, once we were actually engaged and could officially start wedding planning, the Chevy Chases had a sudden change of heart ...

Stay tuned for the next episode of “The Chevy Chases find a venue”

Hello from Miss Charleston!

Hey there DC NearlyWeds!

I am Miss Charleston and I am one of the new bloggers on this site. Like Miss Outer Banks, I live in Arlington, VA but Mr. Charleston and I are planning our October 09 wedding to take place out of town. However, due to our jobs and school, we are planning everything here in DC--meaning we are buying everything in the DC area, and are attending wedding events in the DC area. I hope that I can offer some insight to other brides from out of town planning events from the area or brides from out of town planning their wedding in DC. I think that planning a wedding via email/fax/phone call is one of the most daunting tasks that I have ever encountered and I hope I make it to October sane and in one piece.

But a little about us! Mr. Charleston and I met through a mutual friend. We actually hit if off right away considering we were set up on a semi-blind date:-) One thing led to another and 3 years later being surprised with a proposal while we were on vacation. So here I am today trying to plan my wedding from my couch in Arlington hoping that it goes off without a hitch.

Here are some of the reasons that we are planning a small wedding out of town:

1) We had family and friends planning to come in from all over the US and overseas. Since everyone except a handful of people from this area that we were planning to invite, there would be travel involved. So in order to have a slightly bigger guest list, we found a venue for the ceremony and reception for a much smaller price tag than we would have here in DC.

2) Mr. Charleston has family in Charleston, WV, so we have support from them in terms of knowing the vendors for the big item things, so it has been helpful to have that.

3) You can't beat WV foliage in October!

We do, however, have so much to do here in the area. So I hope to hear from you all about all the great places to find great deals in the area, and I hope to impart some of the things that I have learned or plan to learn in the process of planning this wedding.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

A Dating Story

It's true, my fiance and I met playing kickball. That's me, second from the right (two of my bridesmaids are also in this picture-- middle and second from left).

This was the fall of 2007. I played for the light blue team and he was a referee. We didn't know each other at all, but I think that my fancy footwork (sarcasm- come on, this is adult kickball) most certainly caught his eye.

I remember thinking that he was really cute too. In fact, I immediately text one of my friends, "we have a super cute ref this year!"

To make a long story short, we started talking and one thing led to another. Of first date was about a month after he refereed our first game.

Since then he's quit being a ref and now he plays with me. It's much more fun this way.

Hi from Miss Outer Banks

Hi from Ms. Outer Banks (Diana)!!

I am super super excited to be a new contributor to the DC NearlyWeds blog - I can't even remember how I found DC NearlyWeds, but it's one of my favorite, "check every morning as part of the pre-work routine" wedding blogs. First off, in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll just tell you all that I am not technically a "DC" NearlyWed - I'm getting married on the Outer Banks on September 26th, 2009 (I hear this is a popular wedding weekend)! I do, however, LIVE in Arlington, and I thought that I could definitely offer lots of insight regarding non-venue focused vendors, choices, decisions. Also, because I'm doing the semi-destination thing (and OBX is a popular venue for DC brides), perhaps we can all share advice for out of town weddings (or bringing in out of town guests to a DC wedding).

A little background on Mr. Outer Banks and I (and he is honesty thrilled to have this pseudonym). I am 28, and he is 35, we both work for a management consulting firm that mostly does work for the government. We met almost 3 years ago, though we didn't work on the same projects, we'd see each other every month for the monthly employee birthday parties. A few company happy hours led to us getting drinks on our own, led to a fateful trip to the Outer Banks, led to us! (that's the short story anyway - there may or may not have been an incident where I unceremoniously dumped Mr. Outer Banks after 2 weeks of dating and then begged him to forgive the HUGE mistake I made...4 months later).

I'll save the details of my wedding planning status for the next post, and I'll try to limit my ramblings to DC applicable wedding topics, but if anyone out there is getting married in the Outer Banks and wants my "two cents" - let me know!

Hair Pieces: Whimsical or Romantic

I have so many projects to do today, including pick up our wedding rings, but I woke up early and started researching hair pieces. I've already researched this some when I was preparing for my hair practice appointment with Daphne, but it's crunch time and I need to pick something. I plan on wearing it half up, curled, and pulled to the side. Now I just need to find the right ornament. Thoughts? Our wedding is Mediterranean-Tropical themed, so I kinda like the orchids, but I originally love the look of the first picture.

Source: Etsy

I plan for my hair to look like the gal's above. And I also love the way her makeup looks, too. A little dramatic, but still elegant.

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy


Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

Thoughts? Love or hate any of them?

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Woodley Park

(credit: personal photograph)

Hello, Hello! My name is Ashley-- or Miss Woodley Park. I'm 27 years old and a school psychologist. I'm super excited about contributing to the D.C. Nearlyweds blog, as I have been a reader for several months now. I've had my own blog (which you can see here for almost two years now, so I love the blogging community.

Mr. Woodley Park and I have been planning our October 17, 2009 wedding since November 8, 2008. Because I'm type A, a lot of my planning has already been accomplished, but I'm more than excited to recap all of our exciting plans thus far.

I can't wait to relive our engagement. Stay tuned!

The search for the perfect venue....

Mr. Rockville and I are on a limited budget. Especially for the insanely expensive D.C area. We're trying to keep the total cost of wedding expenses (not including the honeymoon) under $15,000. Not that this isn't alot of money, but anyone living in D.C knows how difficult it is to hold a decent wedding for that price.

It's been a struggle to find a reception site that fits within our budget and vision for the wedding. I do not want a hotel ballroom or any "cookie cutter" wedding venue. I've spent countless hours online searching and studying various sites, and everything that I adore is just way out of our budget. That being said, we've visited two sites so far, and hope to visit more soon.

Our first site we visited was the Rockville Rooftop. This is a gorgeous open-air rooftop in the center of Rockville's new Town Square. We liked this place because it's literally 5 minutes from our house, but also because it has a beautiful, modern space for the reception.

The downside.... after rental fees for the rooftop and the downstairs space (in case of rain), tables, chairs, and set up fees it came out to about $6,000 to rent the space. Sorry, not happening. We absolutely love it though and would reccomend it to anyone who has the budget for it! http://www.rockvillerooftop.com/

Today we visited a site in Laurel called Snow Hill Manor. The Manor is owned and operated by the PG Parks and Recreation Department and I was very surprised by how much I loved it! During the summer months it comes with a tented patio, tables, chairs, ceremony site and use of the house (including and bride AND groom suite) for only $1,300! Definitely much more within our budget. They don't accept reservations for next year until September, so I still have more time to look. (All images courtesy of Beck and Call Photography...I forgot to bring my camera!)

http://www.pgparks.com/places/eleganthistoric/snowhill_intro.html

We still have a long way to go until we buckle down and choose a place...but this is a good start!

colors for a spring wedding

I think I forgot to mention our wedding date: March 20, 2010, first day of spring. Also, it's the wedding anniversary of Mr. Fairfax's parents. I was hoping to do something big to honor them during our wedding but they don't seem to want to be made a big fuss of.. I'm going to have to figure something out that will not embarrass them but will recognize them in some way.. Any ideas?

So we have tentatively chosen our linens - a light sunny yellow for the table cloths, and a cornflower blue for the napkins (images fromWeParty.com). I didn't really mean for it to set the tone for the entire wedding but it definitely has. I am now obsessed with having a yellow and blue wedding. I think it'll really go well with our venue. For one thing, it'll bring the chairs in.

Old Town Hall provides tables and chairs at no extra cost. The chairs look Comfortable, but uhh.. they aint

no chiavari. They're dark blue, and don't look like they'd take well to sashes or anything like that, so I'm not going to fight it. I'm going to work With them instead of against them.

Another thing about the venue, it's a really charming historical building, and inside there's a lot of exposed beams and columns and all like that. So I'd like to have a more toned-down sorta vintage feel to the decor - and then make it really bright and springy with the flowers. We are not hiring a florist. A couple friends have gardens so I'm hoping they'll be able to have some spring flowers blooming by the time our wedding comes along - if they don't, it'll be Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. I'm already saving as many glass jars as I can so I can fill them with flowers and use them as centerpieces - along with some votives and maybe some button flowers. Button flowers? more on that later.. :)

Picking the Date - July 3, 2010

Mr. UVA proposed in March of 2008. Of course, being the planner that I am, we started talking timelines right away. But, let me tell you, a lot of work went in to picking the date (and opinions).

I wanted to get married in spring if only for the flowers - peonies, tulips, ranunculus, anemones...but spring 2009 just seemed too soon. My older sister (a UVA grad) was married last June and we figured that my parents would probably appreciate a little time to recoup. Mr. UVA would just be finishing his first year, and planning a wedding during that would be way too much stress and pressure. And one of the groomsmen (the friend who introduced us and secretly warned Mr. UVA against getting too serious with troublemaker little me) was scheduled to be overseas with the PeaceCorps until this winter and we wanted to wait until he came back. We had a lot going against us getting married in the spring of 2009...so we figured, "why not wait another year?".

Problem solved - spring of 2010....but my little sister graduates from high school next spring. So, without knowing the date of her graduation, spring was out...so we moved into summer. Conveniently enough, the rates for the venue that we chose go down quite a bit between June and July (*tip for all you other soon-to-be's: check out other months than the peak spring months for venue discounts).

While I'm a little sad about the lack of spring flowers on our big day we are really happy with our date. So save it - July 3, 2010.

Talk to you soon!
<3 miss uva

Archie Andrews Pops The Question!!!

---This just in from CNN.com,

"Jughead, do you want to be my best man?" comic book character Archie asks on his blog.Archie Andrews -- who spent decades in high school, flirting with girl-next-door Betty Cooper and heiress-next-door Veronica Lodge -- is getting married."I am so excited, I am getting Married to Archie. There is so much to do, so many plans to make. I wonder if Betty wants to be my Maid of Honor? I bet she is so happy for me!" Veronica writes on her blog.Yup, Archie is marrying Veronica, breaking Betty's heart."I am so sad, I don't even know what to say," Betty writes on her blog. Betty has months to dry her tears.

The marriage issue is due to arrive at comic stores in August and on newsstands in September, according to publisher Archie Comic Publications (archiecomics.com)."It's the milestone 600th issue and we're serving up the Archie story of the century as Archie marries Veronica!!!" the publisher says on its Web site.

"The 32-page issue takes a look at Archie and his friends after they graduate college! What careers will they seek? Will the friends stay in Riverdale or disperse? What would lead Archie to have marriage on his mind? And who would he choose Veronica or Betty? How will Betty react? How will Veronica react? Can Archie shake off his klutzy past and hold down a steady job... for more than a month?

One thing is certain: this will be the biggest Archie Comics story ever!"Archie might be in over his head. According to Veronica's online profile, "She is very conceited, usually fickle, and extremely flirtatious."He went for the bad girl instead of Betty. Her online profile says, "Through every crazy, loving scheme to win Archie's love, Betty always remains completely unaffected, loyal and sweet."Maybe Archie will come to his senses. His online profile says, "He does things on the spur of the moment, which almost always gives him a very keen cause for regret."

Stoked!

I am stoked to join all of the lovely DCNearlywed ladies as "Miss UVA"!

It's funny...I don't feel like a nearlywed at all. Mr. UVA and I have been engaged since last March (that was 15 months ago) and we still have 13 more to go. But I'm sure it will be here before we know it.

Mr. UVA and I met each other at the University of Delaware almost 7 years ago through a mutual friend of ours. I will state for-the-record that I did not like Mr. UVA all that much when I first met him. He intrigued me - maybe. But somehow, towards the beginning of our sophomore year, Mr. UVA got to me and fast forward a few years, we are the the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. UVA.

Mr. UVA and I are both originally from northern Virginia and after graduating from Delaware ended up back in the area. We lived in Woodley Park for a little while before Mr. UVA decided his brain needed a little stimulation - try a 5 year PhD program in Economics. Now we live in Charlottesville, VA with our munchkin of a dog in a house the color of a key lime pie. While Mr. UVA expands his brain with theorems, proofs, and numbers, I get to have fun crafting and planning our July wedding in Charlottesville.

I can't wait to share all of our exciting, stressful, and fun adventures as we plan our big day.

<3 miss uva

Furthermore...

So before I get into all the juicy stuff...like dresses, venues, invites, etc...I feel compelled to delve into into the "what" and "why" of Miss Glen Echo's Five Basic Things.

For me, the "what" and the "why" are one in the same. Being a law student, it is hard to look beyond the realities of marriage as it exists today: half of married couples divorce, women have babies outside of wedlock, couples live together and have a semi-marital relationship with a partner without ever saying "I do." Not saying that all of these realities are necessarily "bad" or "negative", except maybe divorce in most instances, but the point is that, in our current world, the institution of marriage just does not play the same role in our society as it used to.

But Mr. Glen Echo and I, we are getting married. Not merely because we want to and love one another, which is the most important reason, but also because...and I will speak for myself...we have a responsibility to our community to do so. Marriage stabilizes our society. It creates bonds that cannot easily be destroyed. It creates a foundation on which, not only a family can stand, but also one in which a community can look to, rely on, emulate, and hold on to. I won't stand on my soapbox for too long...but I want to express the idea that marriage is not just a private institution, it is also a public responsibility.

I also find it important to bring back what I feel is a dying tradition in the African American community. I know more black women with children that are not married and not with the father, than I know black women who are married. I don't know...I want my wedding to be an example for some of my younger female cousins who either lack the self esteem or understanding to realize that they can and should expect more from the guys that they deal with and that marriage is something that can be a reality for them. I want them to see that they do not have to settle for someone who comes and goes in their lives and leaves the heavy responsibility of raising a child solely on her shoulders. I want them to see that they can also be a bride, a princess, the center of attention, beautiful, graceful, loved...I want them to know that marriage is what you should expect, and not what you give up...

So, I am done with being on my soap box! I promise the next post will be much more interesting...the "when" and the "where," YAY!

Introducing Miss Rockville!!

Hola mis amigos!

My name is Miss Rockville, and I am so excited to be a new blogger for DC NearlyWeds! I have been following the site for over a year now, and I am thrilled to be able to share my journey with all of you. A little about myself - I just graduated from Towson University with a bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education, I've grown up in Rockville all of my life, and I love Redskins football and scrapbooking. :)

Mr. Rockville and I have known each other since we were 12 years old - in fact, when we first met we weren't a big fan of one another! If you can imagine little 7th graders passing each other in the hallway scowling and shouting names, well...that was us haha. Luckily we soon got past that and became friends, then best friends, and started dating junior year of high school. We had our ups and downs like any couple and Mr. Rockville soon proposed.

It was my 19th birthday (yes I'm the youngin' of the NearlyWeds, I'll be 22 at the end of the month!) and Mr. Rockville and I were headed up to NYC for my birthday present. After battling hours of traffic we finally arrived and had reservations at a gorgeous Italian restaurant. Dinner was delicious, but as always it started to rain, a yearly occurance on my birthday. I wanted to go back to the hotel, but Mr. Rockville begged me to take a walk with him in the rain to Central Park. I agreed, mumbling and grumbling the whole way until we reached a gathering of horse and carriages. Mr. Rockville suggested we take a ride and at this point I wasn't going to say no. We climbed into one and inside the carraige was a violinist and a bouquet of white roses (my favorite). As we rode around Central Park the violinist played romantic music for us. At one point she started to play "Canon in D", the song I want to walk down the aisle to. I smiled at Mr. Rockville and he nervously said "I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle to this song...will you marry me?" as he struggled to get down on one knee inside the cramped carraige. I of course said yes! and here we are today!!

Now, I would say that Mr. Rockville and I are a pretty...unconventional...couple. We got engaged at 19, and we PLANNED on getting married June 20th, 2009 (yes, 2 days from now). However, one year ago we were blessed with a beautiful baby boy, so our wedding was pushed back to July 10, 2010. Yeah, we did things out of order, but I wouldn't have it any other way! At this point NOTHING has been accomplished except for extensive research, so I'm looking forward to sharing all of my struggles and decisions in this blog!

A Big Ole "Howdy" from Miss Glen Echo

Hi! Hello! Hola! What's Up! Aloha! and a big ole Howdy ya'll!

I am Miss Glen Echo. I am totally excited to be able to share all of my wedding planning ups and downs with people who actually are volunteering to listen (or rather read in this case). So, hmm...how do I begin to share...I guess I will start off with the 5 basics: who, what, when, where and why. So, here is the "who."

Who: Me and Mr. Glen Echo. This is a pic of us...so cute!

source personal photo

I am a full-time litgation specialist at an insurance company, a part-time (but feels like full-time) evening law student and an all-the-time soon-to-be bride totally obsessed with planning her wedding. Mr. Glen Echo is a phD candidate at George Washington University and, what I like to call, an academic "hustler." He contracts with the government to do research, he adjucts, he teaches the bass, and he is finalizing his dissertation. We are very busy people. No wonder we met on the internet!

Our story is not the typical internet dating romp. I actually was cruising for dates on MySpace *gasp* and saw his picture. I immediately thought, "well, hey now..." and sent him a note. We talked on line for several months (I think it was something like 6 months almost) about all kinds of random things....24, hockey, friends, Kings Dominion (I actually bought a candy apple back from Kings Dominion in the hopes that I would meet him and could surprise him with it)...but after all of that, we never actually met in person.

After 6 months of talking through MySpace email and me slipping hints that I wanted to meet in every note, he finally agreed to meet me. My go-to spot for blind dates was Cornerstone (a bar I used to work at in College) mainly because it was cheap, there is a ton of booze and food and if my date did not work out...I could potentially meet someone else there (which actually happened to me once). But after five minutes, I knew there would be no need to meet anyone else. He was impressed with my charm and good looks, I was impressed that he still liked me after several Ketel One and tonics...what was clear is that this was not just any internet blind date. After that, as they say, "it's all she wrote."

There are many reasons why I love Mr. Glen Echo, but if I had to pinpoint one thing, it would be the fact that he loves me like no one else has. He puts every piece of himself into "us" and loves me with no reservations. He makes me feel beautiful when I feel like I belong at the Brookhaven Institute. He always tries to make me laugh when I feel like I want to laser beam people and destroy the earth a la Cyclopes in X-Men. I totally love his shiny head and everything that is inside of it.

As for me...well you will get to know me, we have so much time together.

So, Mr. and Miss Glen Echo, that is the "who" we are...a soon to be bride and groom!

Et voilà: Miss Chevy Chase

Hi everyone! It’s time to introduce yet another new DC nearlywed.

A quick about-me: I am 27, grew up in Arlington, went to college in Boston, took time off to travel in South East Asia, China, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, then started a MD/PhD joint degree program at UNC-Chapel Hill. I’m 4 years into my program and have 4 to go (yikes!). I’m currently doing psychopharmacology research to get my PhD in pharmacology. I speak French and love everything french; play on several soccer teams; and love food, wine, and travel (especially to France).

My fiancé and I met in the fall of 2005 when we started medical school at UNC together. Although we were in the same small social medicine class, neither of us had any interest in the other, and apparently he actually thought I was “kind of awful.” By chance, in January 2006 we sat next to each other at a UNC men’s basketball game against Davidson, his alma mater. Since we were rooting for different teams, we started a little friendly banter, chatted throughout the whole game, and arranged to attend the next game together. He must have decided I wasn’t so bad after all, because within a week we were inseparable.

He proposed this past February, after three years together. We had picked out the diamond and chosen the setting together, so it wasn’t a surprise at all (I had figured out the exact day he was going to propose), but it was sweet. He bought me flowers (which our cats ate before he could give them to me) and made me dinner, importantly followed by Godiva chocolate cheesecake!

Our wedding will be May 22, 2010 at Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chase (hence the pseudonym). That’s 348 days from now! We are planning the wedding with the help of my mom and sister/MOH/corporate event planner, both of whom are in the DC area. Since we have plenty of time to pull it all together, it’s been fun … so far. I’m sure the stress will come later! To date, we’ve booked venue, caterer, photographer, and band. We’ve also met with a few florists. I found my dress in North Carolina, which will make fittings much easier than having them done in DC. And that’s as far as we’ve gotten. Up next is a wedding website and STDs. I’ve been teaching myself to use Adobe Illustrator so that I can design these. I had thought I’d be a very hands-off bride and would let my mom and sister take the reins, but that’s definitely not been the case. Planning is much more fun that I had thought! I’ve become blog-obsessed (and I never read blogs before the engagement) so I’m happy to be able to start contributing to one!

Virginia venues and caterers

Being engaged is pretty awesome. I mean I'm excited for the life we're going to make together, I know it's the marriage that's important, not so much the wedding.

But right now.. I'm enjoying myself. I mean you do get So Much unsolicited advice, and then there's so much self-inflicted sensory overload with all the wedding porn out there, it can be kind of overwhelming (having said that I definitely have no plans to stop reading these blogs). But every time someone notices the ring, or it comes up in conversation some other way (I've grown really fond of being able to say "my fiance blah blah blah"), I always get really warm and sincere congrats and wishes for our happiness and I have to say, it feels good. Not that I was ever really concerned about "public opinion," but I was getting a Little tired of the "why would he buy the cow when he's getting the milk for free" type of comments about our relationship. Also there's just so much joy surrounding weddings! I'm happy to be at the center of it for this short period of time.

Anyway! I was going to share some research with you. If you're looking in the DC area for non-traditional venues (no hotels, no churches), here are some venues I discovered that you might like:

Arlington

Hendry House at Fort C.F. Smith (the venue of the previous Miss Fairfax!) - very good for outdoor weddings or fairly small gatherings (50 - 60 would be a good number if you want to be inside, up to 150 with a tent outside). Very economical at $2,000 for 5 hours. Unfortunately since our wedding is in March, we needed more space inside.

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - now here's a non-traditional venue for you. It's a great little dinner theater, seems like a great place if you're going very informal and fun. Think of the slideshows! I'm pretty sure there's no site fee, you just need to meet a minimum on food & beverage (I think like $2,500).

Falls Church

State Theatre - have your name on the marquee! That's what I got excited about. Would be great for a 40's movie star type wedding. For a Saturday night affair you need to meet a food & beverage minimum of (I think) $12K. In the end it was just too big for us, but I would just love to hear about a real wedding there, I think it would be fabulous.

OK I think I'm getting carried away here. I have info on a ton of venues (including a sweet little non-denominational wedding chapel in Annandale), please feel free to leave questions in the comments section!

The caterer we picked was The Purple Onion Catering Company, based in Centreville. Bernadette is my contact there and she is just wonderful to work with. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera at the tasting so I can't share any food porn! But it was delicious, and reasonably priced, and they were (literally) the only caterers I contacted who gave me All the costs up front the first time I asked. Everyone else would give me the per person cost but not include things like staff, equipment, taxes, etc. So Frustrating! I'll have to report back after the wedding, but so far I highly recommend the Purple Onion.

Introducing Miss Fairfax

*waves*

Hi there ladies. I'll try to be brief with the introduction because I'm excited to get on to the wedding chit chat.

How we met: at work. I was seeing someone else at the time but I remember the day I was introduced to the new temp and felt the most incredible magnetism. I actually turned back to look at him as I walked away because I was so startled. Later I learned he felt the same thing but it would be eight more months before we started dating. I think it was better that way, we got to become really good friends until I was single again, when he finally told me he'd had feelings for me for a really long time. We had such a connection even then that I knew our relationship was going to be serious. By the end of the year we moved in together, and then a little over a year after that, we were engaged.

How he asked: well, we had The Talk shortly after my sister's wedding - all the hubbub and romance got us both thinking about our own relationship and we realized we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together - but we decided to wait a bit to make it official. He knew I wanted a ring from sustainable sources so we shopped for the ring together, and ended up finding one on BrilliantEarth.com, where the diamonds are from Canada (supposed to be more "eco-friendly" mining, as well as fair labor practices, etc.) and the precious metals are all recycled. So ok yes, the proposal wasn't exactly a shock! But it was still wonderful, we'd packed a lunch and walked out to Teddy Roosevelt Island on a crisp day in early February, and as I sat down on a bench along the marsh walk, he handed me the lunch bag so I could get our sandwiches - and the ring was in the bag! He got down on one knee and said some very sweet things and of course I said yes.

Where we are in the planning: venue booked, caterer booked, dress bought, tux bought. Sounds like we've got a lot out of the way but don't worry, there's still plenty to talk about! Also I'll be sharing some of the things I've learned about vendor searches - I found a ton of great venues, I'm happy to share my research for those of you who are still looking. Photo is of the venue we chose - Old Town Hall, in downtown Fairfax. (source)

About our wedding: we're on a small budget, let me just get that out there now. Like, small. Well, it seems like a Ton of money to us, way more than what we'd ever dream of spending on basically a party, but in the grand scheme of DC area weddings.. So we're trying to keep the guest list to 75, the decor simple, the party low-key. But it's gonna be a lot of fun. That's maybe my one requirement (haha yeah right One requirement). I want the groom and I to have fun on our wedding day! Mr. Fairfax and I are doing the planning ourselves, with a lot of DIY elements (or "DIT," a la A Practical Wedding), but we hope to hire a day-of coordinator to handle the details when the time comes.

So that should do it for the intro, I'll be back soon to post about DC area venues we looked at, our caterer and how we chose them, and, well, everything else. :)

Introducing Mr. and Miss GWU

Greetings NearlyWeds!!!

I recently became engaged on May 15th, which also happened to be my graduation day from GW. However, this is not the reason for our pseudonyms :P. While we live in DC now, Mr. and Miss GWU originally started out in New Jersey. Coming down to DC for college, I met Mr. GWU my sophomore year of undergrad. He had already graduated. Mr. GWU's younger brother introduced us to each other one low key Friday night and you could say it was butterflies at first sight. From there, we went on to date for 4 years, which brings us to here and now. The engagement was beautiful. He surprised me with dinner at Charlie Palmer Steakhouse. The meal was delicious and I had to say, the entire night I was gradually getting more and more suspicious as the serving staff continued to dote on us throughout the night. You name it: complimentary dishes, personal escort to the little girls' room, visits from the general manager - it was there and it was fishy! At the end of our meal, the manager came over and offered to take us up to the rooftop. We rode up 11 flights of stairs and emerged onto a beautiful roof terrace overlooking the Capitol, the Potomac, and just miles and miles of gorgeous DC on a toasty, spring night. The backdrop was all there. Then, Mr. GWU dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course, the answer was a great big teary-eyed YES!

So now, we are wading into wedding planning waters. I have my Knot subscription and Real Simple Wedding Guide ready to go. Fortunately, Mr. GWU is a true partner in this process and contacted over 40 venues thus far to look at proposals and photos. Once I finish a few lingering graduate class credits, we will have more time to go visit these venues. Ideally, we are looking at early summer (June or July) most likely in Northern Virginia. DC tax is no joke. But who knows? If a venue in DC is simply "the one," we might be willing to eat ramen for a year to save enough. Stay tuned :)

Creating the menu

First of all, I've gotta say, our tasting was incredible. Simply, incredible. No other words.

Aside from the stuff that we picked out, there was much more to think about than I initially thought. The combo of food - hors d'uerves v. entrees v. appetizers v. salads. Desserts v. wedding cake. One bite hors d'uerves or two? You don't want anything too messy. Or something that might drip.

So here are the pictures. Everything was delightful. Seriously, I can't say enough great things about it all.

Passed Hors D'uerves. My favorites? The stuffed Cherry tomatoe, the mini beef wellington, the chicken saltimboca and the spanikopita.

First course: Lobster Ravioli, Mushroom Ravioli, Lobster Bisque. Favorite and likely option: Mushroom ravioli.




Salad choices: Caprese salad (delicious!), Boston Bibb Salad, Mixed Greens salad, and chefs choice: Ceasar salad - though an excellent display, it's still a ceasar salad. Likely choice: Boston Bibb. It had an amazing dressing that was light and refreshing. The caprese was delish also though. Tough choice.



Entrees: (top to bottom) chilean sea bass was a win. Will definitely be on the menu. They gave us a couple of "duets" to try which are more expensive and though everything was REALLY good (filet mignon w/maryland crab cake and then some sort of chicken with stuffed shrimp) they're a little out of our budget. The salmon was ok. But the chicken and sea bass were definitely winners.

As far as dessert goes - the cappuccino cake was the winner out of these (chocolate truffle being too heavy but delish no less, and the petit french pastries just being though tasty, kind of m'eh.) though we're likely going to not pick any of these since we probably won't serve two types of cake for dessert.

So kids, there you have it. My five course lunch on Friday. Goodness I can't wait for the wedding!

TNT's New Show, "Wedding Day"

Hey DC NearlyWeds!!

As all you know Diann Valentine is a favorite of our host Vicky Johnson. It is with long awaited anticipation that we have the privilege of making this huge announcement:

Tuesday, June 16th signifies the latest chapter in the Diann Valentine, renowned event producer and designer, journey.

The opportunity as the new host of Wedding Day on the TNT network. TNT has established itself as television’s premiere destination for outstanding original drama series. Now the network is venturing into new dramatic territory with this inspiring, unscripted series from Mark Burnett Productions and DreamWorks Television.

Every couple dreams of having the perfect wedding day. It hails as the most important day in the life of every bride, and equally the most stressful…until now. It us an understatement to say that in TNT’s “Wedding Day” deserving couples from around the country get a helping hand, thanks to the expertise of co-host celebrity wedding designer Diann Valentine. Along with co-host Alan Dunn (“For Better or Worst”), Valentine adds her flare and unique style to each wedding, making this Mark Burnett (“Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” etc.) project the most extreme and heartfelt of them all. Friends, family and community all come together with Valentine at the forefront to create a dream wedding, as viewers learn each couple’s compelling story along the way.

“Wedding Day is an amazing show that will make you fall in love with love all over again, says Valentine. I hope you will join me and Alan in supporting this positive, uplifting and tear-jerking new reality television show”, says Diann Valentine.

Also visit Diann's new website, http://www.diannvalentine.com and blog, which reflects where Diann is in life and career.

We wish Diann the very best on her new show and encourage each of you to get your popcorn ready and stayed glued in front of the tube this season.

Tasting Ahoy!

As of tomorrow, it will have been one whole year since fiance and I got engaged. A whole year! As of today, we're exactly three months out from getting hitched. Man, I don't even want to think of all that's left to do.

But today, we kind of celebrate. Celebrate this one year of being engaged/three months till the big day with a tasting at our reception venue! Our tasting is a three hour long tasting, with three hor doerves, three salads, three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts.

I don't think we'll need lunch OR dinner today just so you know.

What are we tasting? ...

Hors D'oerves

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic and Herb Cheese

Mini Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Skewers
Basil and Extra virgin Olive Oil

Spanikopita

APPETIZERS

Lobster Bisque
En Croute

Mushroom Ravioli
Sautéed Chanterelles
Parmesan Cheese

Lobster Ravioli
Sherry Lobster Cream Sauce

SALAD

CHC Mixed Greens
Raspberries, Kalamata Olives,
Crumbled Goat Cheese,
Roasted Walnuts
Red Wine Vinaigrette

Vine Ripened Tomatoes
Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Boston Bibb
Walnuts, Raspberries, Tear Drop Tomatoes
Lemon Vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Pan Seared Filet of Salmon
Lobster Sauce
Mushroom and Tomato Risotto

Cilantro and Fennell Crusted Breast of Chicken
Israeli Couscous
Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Sesame Crusted Striped Bass
Orange Ginger Sauce
Sticky Rice

DESSERT

Cappuccino Cake
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Array of Mini French Pastries & Petit Fours

Expect pictures and the final menu next week! Did I mention we have a cake tasting set up for tomorrow???

Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland Park

It's official! Were married! We just got back from Hawaii and I have a lot to share. Ill leave you with a few pictures until things settle a bit.
All photos were taken by our guests.

The day started with hair, make-up and a delicious brunch. I was calm as could be! (even I was surprised by this!)

And then it was time to get in my dress and see my man!

While we waited, I got a little anxious....

ok maybe a lot anxious!

After we saw eachother it was picture time! Note to all brides: DO NOT sit on a Piano....there is a finish and it made the back of my dress BLACK! Thank god for a bustle!

My beautiful Bridesmaids!

The Ceremony was perfect. I had fake eyelashes though, which do not work well with a veil...just FYI :)
And we were married!

Mr and Mrs Cleveland Park!

My favorite picture, our first dance. How sweet is this picture!?

The dreaded chair!

Our cake, with our bobblehead cake topper

Yes, I did it....I just couldnt help myself!

Our wedding was everything I dreamed of!

Special Treat For All Our DC NearlyWeds

We hope you enjoy!

Semi-Annual Bridesmaids Jewelry Sale

Erin Gallagher is having their Semi-Annual Bridesmaids Jewelry Sale.

Save 25% on the entire order between June 11 - June 22

DC NearlyWeds can design jewelry to match the dress, personality, or style of each bridesmaid.

Design custom bridesmaid jewelry in our studio or online.

Discount Code: bridalbling

There are prices for brides on different budgets.
From earrings starting at $15 to necklaces at $275.
We're all looking to save money during this recession.

DC NearlyWeds enter the online discount code, bridalbling, to receive 25% off your entire purchase.

Erin Gallagher

erin gallagher inc. owner/designer

www.eringallagher.com

Jo Gartin Teams Up With DB!

Jo Gartin, renowned celebrity wedding planner to such A-listers as Brooke Shields and Tori Spelling (among many more), recently joined forces with David’s Bridal, the nation’s leading and most trusted bridal retailer, as part of their Style Council. Jo, along with the David’s Bridal Style Council of wedding and fashion experts, will assist women everywhere by helping them prepare for and enjoy celebrations that are nothing short of spectacular!

Jo’s exclusive video podcast is live on the recently launched David’s Bridal blog, http://www.blogs.davidsbridal.com/, and offers helpful tips to brides about personalizing their wedding for less. You can also visit YouTube to watch Jo's podcast.

Invitations - Lessons Learned

Our invitations are here! It has been a stressful couple of weeks as we didn't know when our invitations would arrive. We decided to get them from Peculiar Pear Press and worked with Dandelion Patch in Vienna in picking them out and ordering. If possible, I definitely recommend going there on an "off" day, which I would consider only the week days. Stationery stores are super packed on the weekends. I checked out Paper Source in Georgeotown, Papyrus in Pentagon City, Rock Paper Scissors in Charlottesville, and The Paper Store in Clarendon, as well as Smashing Cards (we didn't really think any of their semi-custom made were "us"), and finally D*Lish Design based in California. The invitations we eventually picked out my mother and I had initially seen in Charlottesville at Rock Paper Scissors, but it was a little early in early March and I hadn't seen enough invites yet. We would have gone with them, but Signor Keswick needed to see them and we certainly couldn't drive back to Charlottesville just to see the invitations. Luckily, I found them again at Dandelion Patch, which was my last hope (mainly because they're in Vienna and we're in Arlington, but I'd heard wonderful things about them). We were initially in love with invitations by D*Lish Design, but when we received the samples, we were a little underwhelmed. They looked great in the magazine and beautiful online, but they didn't really cut it in person. Lesson #1: see invitations first hand!

I did like working with Dandelion Patch, Wendy and Debbie there were wonderful. It was Peculiar Pear Press that was a little difficult - as far as I could tell, as they wouldn't return Dandelion Patch's phone calls as to what ink colors were available or when they expected to ship the invitations. This resulted in a much longer process than we had anticipated in the proofing process. Lesson #2: Research in advance what you want your wording to be. It was difficult for us to find wording we were happy with because it's a Catholic ceremony, requiring us to use the terms "holy sacrament" and because it's a sacrament that we administer to ourselves, we can't say "to" (as in at the "marriage of their daughter X to Y").

Then, once we saw it in print, it didn't look right the way the words were spaced out, so we had to enlarge our parents' names and separate them with an "and", etc., etc. Be sure to pay attention to ink colors AND have several people look at the proofs. My mother caught different ink colors being used when I didn't. Lesson #3: Allow for plenty of time for the proofing process. Ours took THREE WEEKS. Part of it was because I didn't know Dandelion Patch still needed information from us in the very beginning of the process (I had actually already discussed this when we were there in person, but they may have misplaced the notes from the meeting), resulting in a delay of a week and a half.

Finally, now that we have the invitations in hand, the ink is still a little different from the colors we saw in the proofs, but it's a digital proof, and you have to expect that. I thought ours were going to be a little more pinkish-berryish, but they turned out more purple/grape. In the end, I'm okay with it because they look less girly and I haven't emasculated my fiance with our invitations, but still not what I expected. Lesson #4: Digital proofs are not the same as printed proofs.

On the positive side, we sent our final approval to Dandelion Patch on May 14 (sooo late according to my timeline) and they shipped the invitations One-Day via UPS on June 8. So we basically received our order of 100 LETTERPRESS invitations in THREE WEEKS instead of the usual five to six weeks. Perhaps it was because there were fewer (they actually gave us 115 instead of 100), so that's awesome. So, even though the proofing process took a bit, their production time was awesome. Maybe because I was a pest. Who knows, but I'm super grateful. Lesson #5: Miracles can happen.

I'll share pictures of the invitations in the next week or so once we have them calligraphed, assembled, and stamped. PS - I looooove the new wedding stamps! Way better than the Celtic looking hearts. No offense, they just didn't do it for me.

The New DC NearlyWeds Are Coming!

Hello All!

I know you all have been anxiously waiting for the new DC NearlyWeds and guess what? They are here!!! Hoo-ray!

Here are our new NearlyWeds, can you guess who you are?

Miss Fairfax

Miss Winchester

Miss Charleston

Miss Woodley Park

Miss PennAve

Miss Chevy Chase

Miss NorthwestDC

Miss GWU

Miss Sterling

Miss DuPont Circle

Miss National Mall

Miss National Harbor

Miss UVA

Miss GlenEcho

Miss 16thStreet

Miss Columbia Pike

Miss Springfield

Miss Potomac River

All of our newbies will be posting their intros and bringing our readers into the hubbub of their planning on Monday, June 15 so get ready!!!

Dresses the Girls Will Want to Wear Again

(photo credit Two Birds Bridesmaid via Ecochic Weddings)

Now this is genius. Two Birds Bridesmaid has designed a dress that can be twisted, wrapped, tied and knotted so it's really something like twelve dresses in one. It's perfect if you want your girls to look similar but flatter all of their disparate body types. It's made out of a gorgeous fabric and comes in every color of the rainbow. And you really could wear it again: throw a cardi over it for work, wear it out to dinner, to a party, whatever.

Here's a secret, though. Isadoraclothing, on Etsy, makes very similar dresses to Two Birds.

(photo credit Isadoraclothing)

But her dresses are $150 cheaper.

I Never Was a Jimmy Girl . . .

Easter weekend long, long ago my mother came in to town to visit and drop off my younger sister as she returned to London we did what we normally do when we're all together. We shopped. I had already been working weekends long before, but family were in and we had some catching up to do. I needed to buy shoes so that I could try them on for my dress fitting that is in just two weeks. I still won't reveal my dress until after the wedding, but I can definitely reveal my shoes.

Front

Back

Aren't they adorable? Meet Juliet by Jimmy Choo. She comes in soft suppler leather in gold or silver. My mother actually bought the same exact pair, but unfortnuately they are turning out to be a size too small. Size 6 anyone? The best part of all was that we got them on sale! You NEVER see Jimmy Choo's on sale. I have never been a Jimmy Choo girl (I kinda think his style is a little audacious for me), but these have made me a believer. The (second) best part of all is that they are super comfortable. But I should def start breaking them in. I just don't want to soil them. Oh what a sad day that will be.

Photo Guest Book

On my list (it has been forever) is our wedding guest book. For the longest time I wanted to do a photo book and I almost used Shutterfly's because they were having a sale. BUT I misunderstood the sale and it didn't matter. Now that I've had more time to research it, I've narrowed it down between MixBook and Picaboo. I really wanted to use a photobook for a guest book because I wanted to take advantage of the engagement photo shoot we had. We love our pictures but after the wedding, I'm afraid that everyone will be oohing and ahhing over the wedding photos and forget about our engagement pictures. Of course, the wedding is probably more important, but our engagement photos were shot where we first met almost 9 years ago and also where Mr. Keswick proposed, so they're very special to us. Plus, I feel like the guest book will be more interesting for the guests. They even made some of my friends and family cry, so I think that's a step up above the usual blank lines and spaces. (Mr. Keswick was opposed to our guests signing a matted photo that we would hang. Not sure why, but I was fine with it.)

Has anyone had any luck with these? I like how neither make you download special software. I don't want to spend more than $50 on a guestbook and these are great professional options.

Homemade Veils v. Storebought

I've tried on so many veils since I got my dress in September. None of them really jumping out at me. While I appreciate the tradition of a veil, I didn't really care what it looked like. I knew I didn't want any sort of embellishments or lace on it so that kind of narrowed it down for me.

Last week when I was in my hometown visiting friends, family and running marathon number 3, my mother and I went into David's Bridal that had recently opened up in my hometown in Vermont. She picked out her MOB dress (separate post on that coming up) and I tried on veils.

First of all, it's difficult to try on veils when you're not in your dress. You wouldn't think that but it's true.

Second of all, I realized, there was no reason to spend more than $50 on a headpiece I didn't give a crap about and was probably only going to wear for a few hours anyhow.

So I did some research on "affordable" wedding veils and finally ordered mine last night over Etsy. I've heard great things about a lot of gals getting their veils on Etsy so I ordered this one.


For $25 (after shipping), not bad. Considering I tried on one exactly like it when I picked up my dress for over $100. It's simple. It's white. And it's elbow length. Exactly what i wanted.

There are dozens of veils/headpieces on etsy - I purchased mine from BellaBridalVeils but there are many others who make veils on etsy as well, you've just gotta be willing to search.

Now I only need to get my undergarments before I can schedule my dress fittings - both of which need to be done before the end of this month!!

(Funny that now that I'm getting so close to the wire, I have much more to write about!!)

Where did you find your headpiece? What type of veil (if any) are you wearing for your wedding day??

STILL Calling All Brides!

Greetings Everyone! DC Nearly Weds is extremely excited about the TERRIFIC responses we have been getting from NEW Bridal Bloggers. We are pleased to announce that we are currently extending our invitation for new Bridal Bloggers to join our Nearlywed ladies until Sunday, June 7, 2009.

Here's who we are looking for:

Brides in the Atlanta area, or brides who are planning to wed in DC Metropolitan area, to blog on the site! Join the Nearlywed ladies and our new Moderator, Miss NotYetWed, as you navigate your way down the aisle! Brides who are interested, please send an email to blogwithus at dcnearlyweds dot com. Each applicant should respond with a short recap of her planning process and vision, wedding date, and story of her relationship and engagement.

What really matters . . .

First, I cannot apologize enough for my complete mia-ness. I know it's not new, but work somewhat exploded in March. It was 2 months before my work's annual event (I help plan a 3-day wine tasting & auction) for a national healthcare organization and we were down to the wire. Then, exactly one month before my event, our third colleague on the event left. My boss and I planned and executed 3 days of food, wine, and auctions. It was a successful event, but it of course had a price: my life for an entire month. Beginning in March, all wedding planning went on hold (except for our invitations because that was non-negotiable).

So, I write this "comeback" post with a heavy heart. No, my fiance did not leave me or cheat on me. My mother's family is rather large. She is one of 7 children. However, there has been some quarreling among them - a little bit expected when there are so many, perhaps. Then, my grandmother past away in February and relations among the siblings have not improved. Now, my mother and her brother have only each other as their siblings refuse to talk to them or entertain their requests to make amends. My uncle and his wife still live in the Philippines. They are a wonderful and loving couple and my fiance and I were so excited to include them as our Primary Sponsors in the wedding. Well, my mother heard from my uncle last night who had been to the American embassy earlier that day to apply for their visas. They were denied. They weren't even asked any questions about why they were coming, or had a chance to show the invitation I sent them to include with their application, or the ability to prove that they wouldn't try to illegally stay in the states.

My mother is devastated and so am I. It kills me that now she will have no one in her family represented at our wedding. When I think of my wedding day, all I can think of is the joining of our families and what a wonderful celebration it is supposed to be. My father has siblings, too, 3 sisters. However, one cannot travel because my cousin is still in school and my two other aunts are coming, but neither of their husbands (my uncles) appear to be able to make it. When my mother told me about it a few weeks ago, I couldn't help but cry. Now when I think of my third uncle not being able to make it, my heart just aches. My fiance's family is huge and so many are *hopefully* coming to the wedding. But it saddens me that they won't be able to meet any of my family. Only when I find out that so few of my family will be there do I realize how important it is for me that they are with me on such an important day. I have always looked forward to this day because of what fun it will be and what it symbolizes for both our families. Now, more than ever, do I realize how much family means to me. It almost feels too late.

PS -- Happier posts to come. I promise, including wedding invitations, tastings, favors, shoes and dresses, and my first dress fitting! If you can, please say a prayer for my family and me.

The Bridesmaids Shoe Dilemma

I decided to go against the usual.

I decided that I didn't have the energy to find a shoe that would please all of my bridesmaids. Besides, I'm the shortest one anyhow, so I don't care if my bridesmaid that's almost a foot taller than me wears 2" heels or wears ballet flats, same with my taller-than-me Maid of Honor (sister)

I decided, as much as comfort is important to me, it should be important to me to let my gals be comfortable in what they wear to my wedding.

I looked for pictures, and the few that I found of brides who didn't put their gals in matching shoes looked fine. I think it'll add a certain uniqueness to the pictures.

Unfortunately, I told them to either get them in navy, green or pink - because well. Who doesn't like a rainbow of colors, right? And since the dresses are all cocktail length and navy from Aria Dress, I thought adding some color and personality to the pictures would add a little umph to the pictures.

But after reading this thread on Weddingbee, I'm beginning to second guess myself. Maybe I should have told them navy shoes. But what if some of them already bought shoes in pink or green?

Weigh in, what do you think? Should bridesmaids wear matchy-matchy shoes (even though not all of them like heels - my sister never wears heels and picked a chunky shoe, my tall bridesmaid would be towering over all of us in any sort of heel, and my other three bridesmaids, are likely indifferent), my biggest thing is comfort and costs. They're spending so much to come down here so I'm trying to keep costs to a minimum and I like to think that letting them wear a dress that they could wear again and shoes they picked out for themselves, they're getting the most bang for their buck.

Thoughts??? Did you make your bridesmaids wear matchy matchy shoes?

(image via Budget SaavyBride)

Calling All Brides!

DC NearlyWeds is ready to explore the lives of a few new brides. We are looking for brides in the Atlanta area, or brides who are planning to wed in DC Metropolitan area, to blog on the site!

Join the Nearlywed ladies and our new Moderator, Miss NotYetWed, as you navigate your way down the aisle! Brides who are interested, please send an email to blogwithus at dcnearlyweds dot com. Each applicant should respond with a short recap of her planning process and vision, wedding date, and story of her relationship and engagement.