graffiti love e-session | alexandria + derrick

This is too hot to not share... This e-session of our clients: Alexandria + Derrick is oh so hottt!!! With their love of culture, the arts and all things eclectic this session captures them perfectly. We look so forward to Alexandria + Derrick's phenomenal upcoming wedding at the American Visionary Art Museum!

{vendor spotlight: michael clark photographics}

romance + bath time bubbly

oh, la, la... spark up romance during bath time with this fabulous bath caddy. this bamboo bath caddy will hold your favorite glass of bubbly and any other sexy foods you have in mind for your bubble bath adventures. we absolutely love this item... and think it would make a perfect wedding gift for any couple.

{photo: redenvelope}

happy bath time! ;O)

yummy | perfect fall favors

Who doesn't love chocolate? We've discovered these amazing Fall chocolate sensations from none other, than the fabulous Godiva. These are absolutely perfect for Fall Weddings...

{photos: godiva}

Enjoy...

Happy chocolate!

nicely quoted...

To find someone who will love you for no reason,

and to shower that person with reason,

that is the ultimate happiness. ~ Robert Brault

{vendor spotlight : michael clark photography}

over the moon + stars

set the scene with the moon + stars at your next event! we think this is a charming idea for any photo back drop. it's enchanting, whimsical... and just plain fun. think of all the creative ways to bedazzle your photo backdrop... a huge red paper heart, a picture frame photo gallery cut-out backdrop...

{photo credit: martha stewart}

happy picture taking!

1,2,3… lift off!!! | wish upon a wedding – dc chapter launch party – pt. 1

We have some great news! The Wish Upon A Wedding – DC Chapter has officially launched. Yipee! :O) Thank you so, so very much for those who came out to support us; the fantastic vendors who donated their services, all the helping hands with executing this event, and to all of our special guests.

The event was absolutely amazing, more than we truly expected. We had a chance to chat with our very close dear friends and make a bunch of new amazing friends too. It was truly a blessing for us to work alongside some of the most fabulous women in the wedding industry all for a great cause. Thank you ladies for a very magical day! We truly felt the love and support for the launch of this amazing endeavor – Wish Upon A Wedding, non-profit organization.

Take a peek at the pics from our magnificent launch party… Wish, Dream, Love!!!

Amazing pictures courtesy of: Sweet Tea Photography.

It’s not too late to be a part of the festivities. Sign up today to be a wish donor, volunteer or to simply donate money to Wish Upon A Wedding.

By Design Events is truly honored to be on the executive Board of this amazing organization. You too can make a difference! Join us to see how.

We hear there is another fabulous event planned for this coming November. And its a Gala!!!! Stay tuned for further details...

Happy wish granting!

mrs. brewington confidential : gowns | to sample or not? pt. 1

Do you imagine yourself as the hidden princess waiting for your pumpkin, a fairy godmother and the perfect glass slipper? Or maybe you're a graceful Audrey Hepburn full of whimsy and silent beauty; think Breakfast at Tiffany's meets Roman Holiday. Weddings bring out the inner diva in every bride. It's a time to wear a beautiful gown, sparkling jewels and glam it up on your personal red carpet. The choices for gowns, and their price points, are endless! Let me start by saying I fell all in. I was helplessly head-over-heels overwhelmed with all of the choices. Ball gown, empire waist, goddess, strapless; the list is astounding. Although I spent months flipping through magazines, when it actually came to looking there was nothing like trying it on firsthand.

To prep for this adventure, I spent time watching several wedding shows, Say Yes To the Dress, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and Platinum Weddings. I knew I wanted 'that' experience; slowly emerging from the dressing room turning the corner and seeing the reaction of your mom and closest girlfriends. As you turn to look in the mirrors to get the full effect you hear gasps and see the tears of joy while onlookers remark how beautiful you look and you know ‘This is the dress’. At least that’s how it always played out on television.

My first outing I was accompanied by my mom, maid of honor, my planner and her assistant. Rule #1 - Anytime you plan your gown shopping search definitely book an appointment. It saves time confusion and frustration. The bridal consultant can help you navigate the daunting and exciting task of narrowing your selection. We had great fun and I liked each gown I tried on, but didn't love any one in particular. My entourage was not short of varying opinions and patience. Rule #2 - "Too many cooks spoil a great meal." In the end I had tried no less than ten gowns and didn't select one. At the end of the day Samara (Fab Wedding Planner Extraordinaire) gave me that great pep talk and said "you have to be happy and most of all comfortable."

This is just the beginning of the adventure of finding my fabulous wedding dress... stay tuned to see what happened!

Mrs. Brewington

photo credit: labor of love photography

mrs. brewington confidential | to hire a wedding planner or not?

Rings, gowns, vows, and tears of joy . . . It’s wedding season! And nothing says ‘I do” more than an autumn and fall wedding. Well, at least for me. That was my ideal time to marry my husband (October 11, 2008). Unfortunately that was the extent of my wedding vision. I didn’t really think of myself as the fairytale princess type. The very best I’d done to imagine that day was visualize the leaves falling in their beautiful colors, after that the picture of my wedding vision fell flat and to be honest I really didn’t think of it that much.

So where did I begin? Well, I knew I needed help. Planning a wedding is a big job and not for the faint of heart. I wrote down some key elements that were important to me for my day: creativity, warmth, friendliness, a workable budget, and find the best darn planner I could find. Who was I kidding? I had absolutely no clue. I needed someone who would care as much as I did about my wedding, have a flair for design, and know weddings inside and out.

The best thing I did in this entire process, besides saying ‘Yes’ to the proposal of course, was hire a wedding planner. It allowed me to truly enjoy planning all of my wedding details and my wedding day. I’ve heard many women complain about the things that went wrong either in the planning, the wedding day, or both. The bridesmaids fell apart a month before the wedding. The caterer bailed, or their parents secretly invited an additional 60 people without telling them; a whole host of obstacles that threatened to ruin their experience. To avoid these types of things happening for my wedding I knew I better get a planner. I knew early on this is where a wedding planner can save me from so many of the headaches that could (and possibly will) occur.

I've come to realize planners provide so much skill and knowledgeable advice to assist in planning for my special day. From the gown to the décor, the food, to the favors, a professional wedding planner can provide the extra bit of pizzazz that will elevate your wedding from an every day wedding to a wonderful platinum affair that is full of elegance and fun for all.

I'm happy to say... I look back on my planning experience and wedding day with no regrets. My wedding gown was simply gorgeous, the cake and décor from the ceremony to the reception was stunning, and the food was simply delicious. Yes, I had a bridesmaid back out, the DJ delayed the start of the wedding, and some of our relatives danced the night away (read: spent a little too much time at the open bar). But despite all of the little hiccups, I was able to truly laugh, love, and cry tears of joy on my day. I wouldn’t change a thing thanks to my wedding planner, Samara Mendoza, and her fab team at By Design Events. They were able to handle all of the details and allow me the opportunity to not ‘sweat the small stuff’.

My best advice to the newly engaged? Hire a planner early in the process. Even if you only use them for the day of or to consult throughout your planning process, it’s definitely worth it!

Until next time...

Mrs. Brewington