Kim and Todd // National Museum of Women in the Arts Wedding, Washington, DC // DC wedding coordinator

Kim and Todd have an awesome love story. As Kim’s dad recounted during his toast, thirty-some years ago - before Todd and Kim were born - their dads met at a job they both took after college and stayed good friends from then on. They each had children around the same time and they would often joke that they wanted to set their kids up so that one day they’d become family. Fast forward - Todd started college at James Madison University a year before Kim decided to go there too.  Todd's dad told him to help Kim and her family move her into her dorm, so he did. The week before classes started, Todd and Kim met for lunch a few times and were officially dating a couple weeks after that.  So, although they've been together for 7 years, they've actually known each other for over twenty!

They had a beautiful wedding this past June, with a ceremony at Holy Rosary Catholic Church and the reception at National Museum of Women In the Arts. After getting ready, their first look, and some portraits, the ceremony began. We amazingly crunched in some more photos post-ceremony before the rain really came down - it made for some windy but beautiful pics by Matthew D’Agostino of Love Life Images.

This was yet another example of a fairly traditional wedding made personal with small touches throughout the night. Kim made the NMWA venue even more beautiful with her stunning DIY projects which included escort cards on keys, Kim and Todd’s initials in flowers, and hand-made preserves as favors. Add in the beautiful florals by LynnVale Studios and delicious dining by Main Event and you had an incredible evening. After dinner, the guests danced the night away to Elan Artists’ band Nation - and had a very cool surprise set with Kim’s uncle (E Street Band’s Nils Lofgren!) and Kim’s father. The icing on the cake (pun intended) was that their wedding cake was made by their grandmother!

Huge congrats to Kim and Todd! Thanks for letting me be a part of this beautiful day

Kim and Todd's Vendors:

Coordinator: Katie, The Plannery

Ceremony Venue: Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Reception Venue: National Museum of Women in the Arts

Caterer: Main Event

Photographer: Matthew D'Agostino from LoveLife Images

Florist: LynnVale Studios

Band: Nation, through Elan Artists

Hair/Make-up: Amie Decker Beauty

Drapery: Fabrication Events

Lighting: Atmosphere Lighting

Transport: Atlantic Transport

Elan Artists Showcase

Last week I attended one of Elan Artists' dance band showcases. They featured their very popular band, The Source, as well as their retooled version of Nation (they added some new lead singers). It was an awesome evening at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown, with delicous cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. But most of all, it was great, live music. I was really impressed with both bands.

Nation has two new lead singers - who sounded amazing. Nation's repertoire includes the very best of Funk, Soul, Motown, Sinatra-style Jazz & Swing, Rock, 80's, 90's, and Contemporary. What I personally loved about them was that one of their musicians doubles as a sax player and vocalist - and he was rad. It's always awesome to get some horns in on the action - I think horns add a ton to the evening. I also really liked Nation's vibe - they were laid back while still being full of energy and producing a high quality performance. FYI, this variation of Nation is so new, they haven't updated their website yet. I was told they'll be getting new footage and clips up soon - but I'd give Elan Artists a call directly if you want more info in the meantime.

In my opinion, The Source has a different vibe. This is a great band for people looking for a more upscale but still semi-traditional wedding band - i.e. they had choreographed moves and had a bit more showmanship. But like Nation, they sounded fantastic and brought really powerful energy. They also cover a wide variety of songs and styles through Jazz & Swing, Soul, Motown, R&B, Rock, Funk, Disco, Reggae, Hip Hop and more.

Everyone has their own personal tastes - based on this showcase I'd recommend either! Both did an excellent job with a variety of styles, sounded great, and brought positive energy to the room. Hearing bands live is the #1 way to tell how they really are, what they sound like, and whether you like them. I think it's fantastic how often Elan Artists do these showcases - if you're on the lookout for a band, keep your eyes peeled to their website and definitely attend their next showcase!