Real Weddings: Susan & Dan

A few weeks ago Veronica and I had the pleasure of coordinating Susan and Dan's Italian themed wedding at the Hotel Monaco in Old Town, Alexandria. We were very excited for Susan and Dan's wedding, as it was the first wedding of the season for EE and the wedding took place at one of our favorite venues. Susan and Dan's wedding day was flawless! The bride and groom was blessed with great weather, a great team of vendors and a super fun crowd.

Making it their own: Susan and Dan's officiant was a close family friend. The ceremony was officiated with love and fond memories of the couple. Our bride and groom also chose to engage in a wine box ceremony as opposed to the traditional unity candle or sand ceremonies.

Our All-Star Line Up:Ceremony & Reception Venue: Hotel Monaco Alexandria
Catering: Jackson 20 (Hotel Monaco)
Photographer: Anna Muhhin Photography
Florist: Petal's Edge Floral Design
Cake Baker: Fluffy Thoughts Cakes
Ceremony Musicians: Sage String Quartet-(Cello/Violin duo)
Reception Band: 14K Music Band: The Moonlighters
Hair: Elegant Artisan- KC Felton
Makeup: Tica Beauty- Marti Wright

Below are a few professional photos from the very talented Anna Muhhina Photography and a few from yours truly.

Our beautiful bride peeking at the ceremony set-up.



Our bride and groom chose to see each other prior to the ceremony. I love this shot of the groom taking a first look of his future wife!

Anna Muhhina Photography

The delicious red velvet and lemon cake was provided by Fluffy Thoughts.

 There were three centerpieces designed by Petal's Edge that varied in size and color. Susan and Dan chose a simple and very chic color palette of ivories, white and hints of lavender.

 The guests took home homemade limoncello as wedding favors.

Congratulations Susan & Dan. We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Anna Muhhina Photography



 

Honeymoon Hot Spots: Tensing Pen Resort in Negril, Jamaica

Looking for a romantic and secluded honeymoon destination? One of my favorite vacation spots hands down would have to be Jamaica. My husband and I spent four days and three nights in paradise last June. After doing tons of research via Tripadvisor, Kayak and various other sources, we settled on Negril, Jamaica. A few friends of ours raved about the beaches, locals, and affordability of Negril, so we took a chance.  As Tensing Pen only has a handful of cottages and villas, you are able to enjoy peace and quiet among the ocean. The service was great, other guests were friendly and the food, oh boy the food… IT WAS AMAZING! One of the best meals I have ever eaten was at Ivan’s Bar a few yards away from Tensing Pen.  Great food, great service and great prices make Tensing Pen the perfect location for your honeymoon! Below are a few photos from our vacation and Tensing’s website. Leave us a comment and let us know where you are planning to take your honeymoon!

Loved the view from the pool.

Pillar Suite

Welcoming gates of Tensing Pen

Breath taking sunsets

Blog Love: Tiana Simpson Photography

A few months back Veronica, Cristina and I had the pleasure of coordinating Lindsay and Ryan's elegant and chic wedding DC wedding. Lindsay and Ryan held their event at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, which is now one of our favorite venues. The space was very unique and fit the theme of the wedding, not to mention the staff was amazing! Head over to Tiana Simpson's blog to check out a few photos and let us know your thoughts. Special thank you to Tiana for the wonderful compliments :) Be on the look out for a question and answer session with Tiana coming soon!


Our dear Veronica has to make sure each card is perfectly aligned!



Check out the setup work of Team Exceeding Expectations



*All photos property and courtesy of Tiana Simpson Photography

Wedding Day Accessories: Wedding Shoes

So you have your wedding date set, venue is booked, and you even have your dream dress. However, your ensemble is not complete until you have that perfect pair of shoes! Just as there are numerous wedding dress designers, the same goes for bridal shoes. Selecting the perfect style, heel height, designer and even color can be challenging. Consider these helpful tips when shopping for the perfect pair:

• Start by researching wedding shoes for a designer that you are familiar with. For example, if you are comfortable wearing Nine West shoes, take a look at their bridal section to see if there is something that you like.
•  It is important to be comfortable in the shoes that you select. You will be wearing your dress and shoes for hours on end. Spend some time breaking in your shoes prior to your big day to get accustom to walking in them.
• Looking for a unique way to incorporate your theme, color scheme, or that something blue? Be bold and add a pop of color to your ensemble by wearing a pair of colored pumps.

Below are a few options to consider; A high (luxury), medium (slight splurge) and reasonable (affordable)pair.

1. Luxury: After purchasing my first pair of Louboutin’s I would have to say I am in love with this luxury brand. The $875 satin Greissimo 140mm pump offered by Christian Louboutin is a classic pair sure to turn heads.



Photo courtesty of Christian Loubotin

2. Slight Splurge: Badgley Mischka not only makes wedding dresses but also wedding shoes. The four inch Lissa pump features a rhinestone brooch. The Lissa is also dyeable making it a breeze to match your color scheme.



Photo courtesy of myglassslipper.com



Photo courtesy of myglassslipper.com

3. Affordable: Lastly, but certainly not least is the four and a half inch Elizana sling-back pump offered by Nina. At around $89, this pair of shoes is sure to fit any budget!

Photo courtesy of Zappos.com

Send us your wedding shoes and we will feature them on the blog in an upcoming post!

Five Things I Loved About the Royal Wedding Ceremony

History was made today when Prince William, Duke of Cambridge married Miss Kate Middleton who became the Duchess of Cambridge around 11:00am this morning. Below are my top five favorite items about their ceremony:

5. The Ceremony Music:  The Westminster Abbey Choir and Chapel Royal Choir along with the London Chamber Orchestra, and a fanfare team of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force provided the music for the ceremony that was selected by the Bride & Groom. The musical selections were a perfect fit for the mood of the much anticiapted Royal Wedding.

4. The Guests’ Attire: Although all eyes were on the Bride and Groom, it was hard not to notice the ornate outfits of some of their guests. The most noticeable accessories would be the customary gravity-defying hats typically worn for Royal Weddings. Princess Beatrice, 22, and 21-year-old Princess Eugenie, daughters of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, made a fashion statement with their choice of unique hats. Below are a few of my favorites worn by the Princess' & Victoria Beckham.

3. The Bouquet: Kate chose to carry a modest bouquet made of lily-of-the-valley. According to the royal press release, "The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers." Simple, but classic.

2. Bridal Party: Although I love big grand family affairs, I am a fan of smaller more intimate bridal parties. Princess Catherine & Prince William opted to have their siblings (Prince Harry & Pippa Middelton) as their Best Man and Maid of Honor. Having a smaller bridal party cuts down on confusion and costs. If you are struggling with the decision on who to include on your wedding day, my advice is to keep it simple. You will thank me after your wedding!

1. The Dress: It's Sarah Burton! After months of speculation and rumors, it was revealed that Sarah Burton, The Alexander McQueen designer is the woman behind Kate Middleton's wedding dress. I love, love, love the timeless, elegant, and crisp gown that Kate chose. In this day and age, you don’t see long sleeved laced gowns; however the new Duchess of Cambridge undoubtedly made a fashion statement.

Tell us, did you watch the royal wedding? What were your thoughts?

Congratulations Prince William & Princess Catherine!

 

*Photos courtesy of the Associated Press

The Royal Wedding: William & Kate

As a Wedding Planner, one cannot help but get excited about the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In keeping with the excitement of all things Royal, here are a few details about the much anticipated event!

Save the Date: The marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine “Kate” Middleton will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th April 2011 around 11:00 am.

All about the Bride: A little background on the future princess

Catherine “Kate” Middleton from Berkshire, England was born on January 9, 1982. She met Prince William in 2002 while attending University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Although Kate Middleton does not come from royalty, she is the daughter of a self-made millionaire.

Invitations:

Invitations to the wedding of Prince William and Kate have been issued in the name of Her Majesty The Queen. Around 1,900 people have been invited to the service at Westminster Abbey, and 650 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace given by The Queen.

Reception: Around 300 people have been invited to the dinner at Buckingham Palace given by The Prince of Wales. A rough breakdown of numbers of guests is as follows (this includes spouses)*:

Guest List: The vast majority of guests are drawn from the Bride & Groom's Family and Friends – over 1,000

• Over 50 Members of The Royal Family
• Over 40 Members of Foreign Royal Families
• Over 200 Members of Government, Parliament and Diplomatic Corps
• Approximately 80 guests drawn from Prince William’s charities, including some individuals who are not in senior positions, who the Prince has known for some time
• 60 Governors-General and Realm Prime Ministers
• 30 Members of the Defence Services

Budget: With close to 2,000 invited guests, one might wonder, “Who’s paying for the wedding?” Answer: “The Royal Family, with a private contribution from the Middleton Family, will pay for all those aspects of the day that constitute the wedding (e.g. the Abbey service, flowers, dresses, carriage procession, reception and dinner). The Government and other bodies will pay for costs that are consequential to the wedding.”*

Wedding Bling: In accordance with the couple’s wishes, there will only be one ring, which will come from Prince William for Catherine. The Wedding ring that Catherine Middleton will wear will be made of Welsh Gold. The gold was given to Prince William by The Queen shortly after the couple was engaged. It has been in the family's possession for some years and has been in the care of the Royal Jewellers. There are no further details on which mine the gold was mined from. The Prince of Wales wears his wedding ring under his signet ring.*

For the latest updates and all the happenings of the Royal Wedding, head over the official Royal Wedding Website: http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/

*Taken from the Royal Wedding Media Briefing

Monique Lhuillier Trunk Show

Mark your calendars for the Monique Lhuiller Trunk Show hosted by Carine’s Bridal Atlier, April 28th & April 30th. Monique Lhuiller, one of my favorite designers is the go to designer for celebrity wedding gowns. She has designed gowns for Ashley Simpson, Carrie Underwood, and most recently, Reese Witherspoon. Be sure to give Carine’s a call (202.965.4696) and schedule your appointment today! Carine's Bridal is located at: 1726 Wisconsin Ave. NW 2nd Floor Washington DC 20007

Venue Spotlight: Collingwood Library & Musem

Veronica and I had the pleasure of working at Collingwood Library & Museum last November for Jess & Walter’s fall themed wedding. Collingwood is a historical, but renovated venue located right off of the Potomac River in Alexandria, VA. (My hometown!) After our walk through of the venue and meeting with the Events Manager Kristen Golden, we were instantly in love with the site. The space offers endless possibilities for hosting a river view ceremony, cocktail hour on the patio, followed by dinner and dancing in their American Legacy Center. The reception space holds about 200 guests comfortably. The Collingwood staff (Kristen & Jay) took great care of our bride, groom, guests and the EE Team. If you are looking for an affordable venue in the DC area with a great view, great location and a great staff, be sure to contact Kristen at Collingwood Library & Museum!

Front Entrance

Wrap around porch. Great location for cocktail hour. (Photo from Collingwood's website)

American Legacy Center. (Photo from Collingwood's website)

Patio with view of the river.

Inside of the reception space.

Inside EE

In our latest series, “Inside EE,” I would like to tell you a little bit about how Exceeding Expectatons Wedding & Event Management Company (EE) got started. EE was created in 2006 after I graduation from George Mason University. I had always been interested in entertaining and coordinating, and knew that I wanted to own my own business one day. While studying in my junior year at Mason, I took a Wedding & Event Management course, under the instruction of Carrie Loveless. Along with other event management classes, I found my passion for wedding planning and coordinating. After receiving the highest grade out of all sections of the course, I found my passion. To this day, that has been one of my proudest moments, as I had poured my heart into my work, and it showed. EE was created after studying the ins and outs of the wedding industry and seeing that there was a need for affordable wedding coordination services. I decided that it was important for me to get as much knowledge as possible regarding wedding planning. I studied long and hard and paired my degree in management with a certification in professional wedding coordination and opened the doors of EE in the summer of 2006. With lots of hard work, and the support of my mother, EE was born.
The first year of business, EE planned two weddings. As a result of successfully planning two events, word of mouth spread and the next year we booked fifteen weddings! The next year we exceeded our goal and booked twenty-one events including our first Bat Mitvah for a pair of spunky twins, complete with a mechanical bull! To date EE has proudly coordinated over fifty-five weddings and special events. EE receives most of our business from word of mouth from previous clients. This fact makes me smile, as we love what we do and are proud to be a part of our client’s most important day. As we kick of the 2011 wedding season, I am taking the time to reflect and carefully plan the next stage of Exceeding Expectations. We are truly pleased to be doing our dream job, and can’t wait to work with you!

Our Original Logo

Our Current Logo

Real Weddings: Rachel & Mike

One afternoon out of the blue, I received a phone call from a new engaged bride looking for a wedding coordinator for her upcoming wedding. The bride informed me that she was out of state, and would be relocating to Northern VA. She explained that she was not a "traditional" bride, and had unique and personal details that she wanted to incorporate into her big day. Fast forward a year later, and you have the truly unique, funky and fun wedding of Rachel & Mike. I spent numerous hours working with the bride and groom to ensure that every detail of their day was thoughtfully planned. The bride's aunt is an artist, and the couple wanted to incorporate the aunt's talents into their day. I took on the task of guiding Rachel and Mike through the planning process, while maintaining their personalities. Together with my team a few of my favorite vendors provided Rachel & Mike with top notch service. One of the areas best photographers (Tabatha and her assistant) courtesy of Rodney Bailey did an amazing job capturing the essence of the day. Take a look, and let us know your thoughts! Slide Show: http://www.rodneybailey.com/rachelandmikewedding/

Rachel & Mike's cake that I helped them design.

Custom made sweetheart table

 Place cards & frames that doubled as favors for the guests

 "Lounge area" all items were custom made

Our All-Star Line Up:
Ceremony Venue: Bull Run Unitarian Universalist Church
Reception Venue: Foxchase Manor
Catering: R&R Catering
Cake Baker: Wanda's Cake
Photographers: Tabatha & Naomi
Photo Booth: Posh Booth
Florist: Ultimate Floral Designs
Ceremony Guitarist: Ken Hall-Elan Artist
DJ & Lighting: The DJ Connection
Transportation: Majestic Limousine
Transportation: Antique Car- Prime Transportation
Rehearsal Dinner: Entertainment Cruises