A Classic DC-Style Celebration - Kerry & Danny

What a way to leave DC! I worked with Kerry and Danny for almost a year to the date in planning their DC celebration... which would also be my final DC-area wedding before moving the company to Boulder, Colorado! I could not have asked for a better couple with which to end. These two really know how to have a great time!

Both hail from New York and so the weekend would be a destination for almost all of their guests. We chose the Carnegie Institute because with its large columns and steps in front, central location close to the Dupont Circle neighborhood, and breathtaking marble rotunda, it was just the perfect location to show their guests what DC was all about.

Kerry and Danny wanted the focus of the day to be on truly enjoying this special time with their friends and family. Priorities were in having a hearty, delicious Italian meal, free-flowing libations, and high-energy music. The ceremony and reception would take place at the same location to avoid losing any time with travel.

The entire day flowed perfectly! Guests were greeted at Carnegie and seated in the Rotunda for the short ceremony. The intimate setting allowed for an emotion-filled and touching ceremony, highlighted with a reading of lyrics from a special song and untraditional wedding songs to include Here Comes the Sun and All You Need Is Love played by the string trio.

Following the ceremony, our team of vendors converted the Rotunda to the reception space quickly while guests were greeted in the Boardroom with specialty drinks and a large assortment of food. Kerry and Danny chose to do a 1.5 hour cocktail "hour" to ensure that they had ample time with their guests, as well as to help set the tone of the evening... to celebrate! Occasions Caterers provided an impressive buffet spread for guests and soon after guests were dancing for more than two hours to the high energy band - Jangling Reinharts.

It was a fantastic celebration and such a great time for all - guests and vendors!

We have not yet received all of the photos for the event, but in the meantime, one of my favorite photographers - Jay Premack - has shared a few on his own blog.

I will certainly be sharing more once we get the full collection, so stay tuned!


I LOVE these vendors! They did an amazing job as always :)
Venue: Carnegie Institute
Caterer: Occasions Caterers, Matt Sipala
Florist: Growing Wild Floral, Barbara Von Elm
Photographer: Jay Premack Photography
Ceremony Music: St. Charles String Quartet, Neil Puzon
Reception Music: Jangling Reinharts
Cake: Cakes by Carolyn
Rentals: DC Rental, Liz Kelly Waylan
Officiant: Rev. Ken Knapp
Transportation: Reston Limo, Daniel Oh
Pipe and Drape: Fabrication Events
Wedding Planner: breathe. event planning, Lauren Freeman, CMP

A Winter Wedding - Hye-Hyun & Chang Sik

We had such fun starting 2009 with Hye-Hyun and Chang Sik! These two designed a beautiful wedding for about 300 of their friends and family. Their inspiration was Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman's stunning 2005 "winter wonderland" wedding. The photos below, taken by Hyon Smith Photography, help to tell the story of the day:

The bridal party was large, with twelve bridesmaids and ten groomsmen. The gorgeous bridesmaids were decked out in gowns by Vera Wang.

The traditional Catholic wedding ceremony took place at St. Paul Chung Catholic Church in Reston, Virginia.

Following the ceremony, guests travelled about ten miles to the Hyatt Regency Reston, where they were greeted by hors d'eovres, drinks and traditional Korean rice cakes. Photographer Hyon Smith also had on display a gallery of Hye-Hyun and Chang Sik's gorgeous engagement portraits throughout the cocktail hour space. Guests also had the opportunity, throughout the evening, to have a portrait taken by Hyon's team. Prints were made on-site and given to the guests before the end of the evening. This is always such a hit with wedding guests -- people love it!!

After entering the reception through a shower of petals, Hye-Hyun and Chang Sik totally ROCKED the reception by surprising all of their guests with a lively and entertaining first dance with two of their friends!

I worked secretly with the groom to coordinate one last surprise -- this time for the bride! Chang Sik brought Hye-Hyun (and many guests) to tears as we pulled a grand piano from behind a curtain on which he performed and sang a song for his new bride.

Two incredibly impressive cakes were created for the bride and groom by The Food Network's very own Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes - Charm City Cakes. The wedding cake was a delicious five-tier cake adorned with highly detailed flowers made of sugar. The groom's cake was based upon HH and Chang Sik's engagement -- a mountain ski slope with HH on a snowboard and Chang Sik on skis heading down "The Plunge". Fantastic!

These two pics are taken, unfortunately, by my own camera phone - so not the best :)

Special thanks to the fantastic vendors who helped make this event so perfect:

Reception site: Hyatt Regency Reston

Photographer & Videographer: Hyon Smith Photography

Flowers: Sophia Kim

String Quartet: Montebello Strings

Transportation: Prime Transportation (Rolls Royce); Chariots for Hire (Hummers)

Pipe and Drape: Fabrication Events

Rentals: DC Rental, Liz Kelly Waylan

Cake: Charm City Cakes, Duff Goldman

DJ: Shane, Friend of Bride and Groom

Wedding Planner: breathe. event planning, Lauren Freeman