Spotted: A Snapshots by Katie Proposal

I hope you're all ready for today's proposal story, because it's a good one. Katie from Snapshots by Katie was nice enough to send this over to TWB, making today the first time we've featured a proposal on the blog. A proposal is such an emotional moment that it makes it hard to remember all of the little moments and details...unless you have a photog shooting away for you, of course.

I'll turn it over to Katie now, so she can fill us in on how this proposal went down. Take it away, Katie!

This was one of the coldest days of the season, yet my heart melted when I was asked out of the blue to capture the moment! All I could think was “THANK YOU, I knew there was a reason I was standing in the freezing cold in Pentagon City”! Sure I was there to support my husband running the 5k but I was desperately trying to capture a cool moment and boy did I! But before I get into it let me give you a little background on the couple, courtesy of their friend Jen!

Demetria is a Richmond, VA native and moved to Arlington after graduating from UVA to finish her Physician’s Assistant school at GWU. Matt is from Massachusetts but finished high school in Woodbridge, VA and studied undergrad at JMU. They met when Demetria was on her ER rotation at the Fair Oaks Hospital where Matt also worked and was her preceptor. They started dating after she finished the rotation and the rest is history.

Funny story (from Matt)… “I had to write her Evaluation for her ER rotation and the Dean of her school read it to the entire faculty because she was so impressed with the things her preceptor (which was me) had to say about her. While she was an awesome student, and deserved all of her high marks… I obviously thought she was smoking hot, so I definitely made sure I gave her good marks. Guess it turned out to be a pretty smart move by me!!”

Ok, how could you not fall in love with this couple now knowing their story?? Ok so now on to the events of the day…

As Demetria and Matt finished the Valentine’s Day 5k ‘Love the Run You’re With’, they were greeted so warmly by friends and family. Matt seemed so calm but Demetria was a bit more perplexed. Family and friends held poster boards reflecting moments of times passed and references made to their future together. I think Demetria was truly overwhelmed with everyone’s presence as she seemed unphased by the wedding advertisements until Matt knelt down on one knee… ‘Click’ and the proposal unfolds.

So some of the photos are of family on the look out for Demetria and Matt to finish the race and then the rest are of how the proposal unfolded.

Spotted: As Seen at Lovesick Expo

As Carina of Love Me Do Photography was prepping for this month's Lovesick Expo, she contacted me about contributing a piece to be included in a small 'zine that was to be handed out to those couples in attendance. Of course I was more than happy to oblige, and came up a quick little advice article entitled "How To Not Stress Out."

Carina just sent me a copy of the finished product and I absolutely loved flipping through the pages. There's lots of great info in there from so many talented vendors, and it's all highlighted with images from Love Me Do.




I've posted what I wrote below for those who weren't able to make it out to Lovesick to get the printed version. Oh, and good news for those already looking ahead to Lovesick '13: it's not only stopping in NYC and Philly again, but it's also adding Boston and DC to the itinerary.







Planning a wedding and getting married should be fun, right? Right! But it's so easy to forget this and slip into stress mode because throwing together a wedding and walking down that aisle is also alot of work. Here are some things to keep in mind so you can stay calm, cool, and totally stress-free.

While You're Planning...
1. Organize & prioritize: Utilize online or old-school pen and paper tools to keep track of inspirational photos, vendor quotes/signed contracts, guest lists, to-do lists, etc. all in one place. While you could gather ideas for décor and debate DJs vs. bands from now until forever, realize what is most important to have around you on your wedding day and work to keep those items within your budget.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: Newsflash...you aren’t the first people to ever throw a wedding before. Chances are that family members and friends have navigated these waters before and will be able to offer up a lot of advice, support, and an extra hand with DIY projects if you need it.
3. Give yourself a break: When you’re looking at months and months of planning, you deserve a wedding-free moment here and there. It’ll be beneficial to your sanity to put the wedding mag down, stop stalking your photographer’s website, and get back to your other pre-planning hobbies. Everything will be right where you left it…I promise.
4. Don’t wait until the last minute: As your wedding date gets closer, you’re going to want the luxury of being able to spend this special time with your family and friends. So try to continually make progress on that to-do list as much as you can. Nothing is worse than writing out escort cards while in your wedding dress (yes, I’ve seen it done before!)

On your wedding day:
1. Get a good night’s rest (also see “Don’t wait until the last minute” above): It’s normal to have a few pre-wedding jitters, but try to go to sleep at a reasonable hour on Wedding Eve. And hey, everyone needs their beauty rest, right?
2. Eat, drink, and be married: Your wedding day is going to be a fun-filled, action-packed, emotionally-charged…LONG day. Be sure to eat enough and drink plenty of water as you’re getting ready for the festivities to kick off.
3. Allow your vendors to do their jobs: You hired amazingly talented people to surround yourself with on your wedding day. Don’t micro-manage them and just let them do what they all do so well. They'll be just fine without you worrying about their every move.
4. Keep your eyes on the prize: If a relative gets on your nerves, a line is skipped during the ceremony, or the cake is cut slightly behind schedule at the reception…just remember that this is the day you are marrying the love of your life. Nothing else really matters or is worth stressing out about. Have a blast and enjoy!

Spotted: Gourmet Amore

If you want to see the world through the eyes (and stomach) of a pastry chef, then hop on over to Gourmet Amore. Here, Rebekah Pizana writes about food, restaurants, and baking. Of course we love to read about food (...who doesn't?), and hearing about it from someone who can whip up a tiered wedding cake if she wants is pretty awesome.

Wedding cakes is actually the main reason I wanted to write this post in the first place. For all you brides out there who are still unsure about what to slice and serve at your wedding, pay extra attention now. Rebekah is offering wedding cakes for only the cost of their ingredients and the cost of gas from October 2011 through March 2012. This means you can score a professionally done wedding cake at an extremely steep discount.

(source)

(source)

For brides in the DC-metro/Northern Virginia area, this is a really awesome offer because that's where Rebekah is based. But for those who might be a little further away, don't fret; Rebekah is willing to work with you as long as you fill up her gas tank!

(source)

(source)

Eyes on the Bride: Nicole E.

Some of you may already be familiar with this next featured bride-to-be, as Nicole is the heart and soul behind the blog Big Day for $10K. Since her upcoming September wedding is now quickly approaching, we thought we'd reach out and ask Nicole to share just a few of her wedding details with us here. Lucky for us, she agreed!

(all photos are from Nicole, who explained that her and Dan were set up at a friend's wedding for the garter/bouquet toss, and these pics were taken in a photo booth right after!)

Bride's Name, Age, Occupation -- Nicole, 25, Social Marketing Strategist

Groom's Name, Age, Occupation -- Dan, 28, Surveyor

City of Residence -- Centreville, VA

Wedding Location -- Great Falls, VA

How you met -- We met my (Nicole) first night of college. He was a senior, I was a freshman and we had a mutual friend. I thought nothing of it... at all! Little did I know that he spent the next almost two years mustering up the cojones to ask me out!

How long you've dated -- A little over 5 years

How he proposed -- This past Easter, before my whole family came over for lunch, Dan made me go on an Easter Egg hunt through our living room, dining room and kitchen. The "last" egg (which I found first and was told to ignore) had the ring in it. :) I was complaining that he was making me leave the kitchen - I had to cook, people were coming over!

Wedding colors/theme -- Rustic, casual. Bridesmaids will be in black, groomsmen in grey tuxes with black ties. Flowers and accents will be mustard yellow, orange, teal and coral.

Bridesmaids' dresses info -- Strapless sweetheart pencil dresses, knee length. They're black eyelet lace and so cute! They'll be wearing flat gold gladiator sandals.

Best part of planning -- Being just about done! :)

Worst part of planning -- The guest list. I should have given both sides a strict number of allowed guests...we are currently over capacity and trying to shave down the list. Really, this has been the only stressful thing about the process!

Most surprising part of planning -- Dan has opinions! Who knew!? Aside from that, no real surprises, just enjoying being almost there!

Favorite vendor so far -- I may be biased because I went to high school and college with her, but our photographer is AMAZING. She is so caring and accommodating and so insanely talented that I can't wait to work with her. You'll have to check her out! {www.jessicasmithphotography.com/blog}

Places you registered -- Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Bed Bath and Beyond, HoneyFund

Any Do-It-Yourself (DIY) plans -- We will be decorating the whole venue ourselves - with the collection of vases, mason jars and milk glass that we've amassed over the past few months, I will be doing our flowers, and we will have a ton of DIY touches (including personalized mason jar name cards/drinking glasses)!

Honeymoon Location -- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (CANNOT WAIT!)



For more details and to follow along with Nicole's planning every step of the way, be sure to check out Big Day for $10K. Thanks for stopping by TWB, Nicole!

Destination Inspiration: Cherry Blossoms in the Nation's Capital

Spring is a really beautiful time of year in the DC area. Starting in late March, the weather takes a turn toward pleasant, and the Tidal Basin erupts with millions of tiny pink and white cherry blossoms. The pretty blooms are a favorite among local brides, and this is a very popular time of year to tie the knot or snap some engagment photos.

Cherry Blossom Wedding Cake, Wedding Dress, Cherry Blossom Tree, Flower Girls and Table Setting, Petal Appliqué Dress, Cherry Blossom Centerpieces and Instructions , Invitations

We're Fans: Tim Riddick Photography

I met Tim at my nephew's first birthday party a few months ago. He was there as a guest, but like any good photographer he came with his camera in tow. We struck up a conversation about wedding photography and of course I had to get some of his work to share on the blog.

Tim shot Dany and Zareth's wedding in Cabin John, Maryland in late November. I love how he captured the really rich saturated colors. Teal and fuschia aren't traditional for fall weddings, but with the leaves just changing and the liberal dose of navy, the combo definitely works.

Congratulations to the newlyweds and thanks again to Tim for sharing the photos! Check out the rest of the pics from Dany and Zareth's big day here.

Real Wedding: Irene & Steven in Leesburg, VA

We are thrilled now to share some photos from Irene and Steven's wedding at the Thomas Birkby House, shot by the creative and energetic Nick Kessler out of Richmond. None of the 100 or so guests in attendance could have dreamed of a better October day to celebrate this couple's new beginnings. The unseasonably warm weather and sunny skies kept the courtyard reception charming and the garden cocktail hour and tented reception lively. Of course we have to thank the vendors who all brought their A-game for that day, as it is truly a team effort that makes any wedding event a success:

Catering: Tuscarora Mill; DJ: Eddy Bobby; Florals: Flower Gallery of Manassas; Ceremony Music: The Dolce Quartet; Make-Up: Jamie D'Agostino.

Book It: A Thomas Birkby House Wedding

We're in the middle of a busy few weeks here at TWB, but we wanted to make sure to tell you about an upcoming wedding we have in Northern Virginia. Near the end of October, we're going to be working at the Thomas Birkby House for a ceremony and reception on the historic carriage house's grounds. We love all the options a venue like this provides, and we're eager to help our couple execute their day at this Leesburg location. Take a look at the photos below to see where we'll be working.

(source)



(source)

(source)

Book It: An Old Town Alexandria Wedding

We can hardly wait for May, because that's when we'll see our newest amazing couple walk down the aisle! It'll be our first time working in Old Town Alexandria, at two stunning locations:

St. Mary's Catholic Church for the ceremony

and Hotel Monaco for the reception.

We're loving the ideas the bride has so far, and are ready to hear more as we move closer to the big day!

Two Web Belles: Inflate Before Reading

1. Whether you're a seasoned gardening pro or still have trouble keeping indoor plants alive, be sure to check out Botantical Paperwork's assortment of plantable paper goods, which include invitations, place cards, favors, and so much more. What really had us wanting for some green thumb action were the confetti pieces that also sprout wildflowers. The seeded bits come in soft pastel petal shapes that are totally worthy of an eco-chic send-off for you and your groom.

2. We sorta squealed with delight when we spotted this balloon save the date on Green Wedding Shoes. It's a just plain cool idea, by FPO. (The graphic design company doesn't have a huge amount of wedding materials posted on their site, but what the do have is funky, original, and smile-inducing) The stark white text on the deep red balloon makes it interesting visually, and the balloon it self was a nod to the short film, "The Red Balloon," which reminded the couple of their engagement in Paris. This fun concept will definitely have their wedding guests talking.

3. DC Brides, are you still cake-less? Creative Cakes in Silver Spring is hosting a cake tasting open house Sunday, July 18th at 12-3pm. We've said it before but large scale events like these are by far the best way to gauge a vendor's skill at preparing something spectacular for a crowd. Plus, free cake! Are there any two sweeter words we could say to you early on a Friday? If you can't make it next weekend, Creative Cakes hosts these events monthly - so save room for dessert.

4. So we're slowly but surely joining the Japanese masking tape obsession. You can find tons of ideas on how to use these around the web, where crafters have come up with about a million ways to use the tapes for sprucing up your walls, furniture, papers, envelopes...and honestly anything else you can get your hands on long enough. They come in so many colors and patterns, so they can be used in conjunction with stamps and craft punches to fit into any theme you want. If we take the plunge and buy some, will we still have time for all of our reality TV viewing?

5. We were just feeling like this should be a fuschia accessory kind of Friday. While the brightness might seem too overwhelming for some to wear right off the bat, these smaller items help to distinguish an outfit without overpowering your look. From left to right: Marc by Marc Jacobs acetate and rubber watch via PoshPosh; bib necklace from Etsy seller Cloverbelle; and, Tapeet leather sandals via NET-A-PORTER.