josh and ross // dc engagement shoot
Josh and Ross are clients of mine who are getting married this coming October at Rocklands Farm. They are awesome. Case in point, their wedding may or may not feature a totally rad 90's cover band (whattt), and they have an excellent engagement story which I won't go into here, but needless to say it involved surprise international travel. They recently had their engagement session with the wonderful Leo Druker and I had to share because a) these pics are great b) they have an adorable dog and c) they're hot (it has to be said) Enjoy - and congrats again to Josh and Ross on their engagement!
(in super-sad news, I won't be coordinating their day because of a last-minute date switch - but they will be in good hands and I will have to live vicariously through the undoubtedly awesome photos Leo Druker will take).
Retro flower girl dresses by Darling Betty
As some of you may know, I'm a member of the Del Ray Business Association. I love my little neighborhood of Del Ray in Alexandria, and I've met some really remarkable small business owners through the DRBA. One of those fabulous small business owners turned out to be a neighbor who lives right down the street (and a kick-ass lady, at that)! Kelly is a native Australian living in America with her Naval officer husband. She describes herself as "an old soul stuck in a young body" and adores all things vintage - a love that drew her to launch her own business, Darling Betty. Darling Betty makes custom dresses for young girls - and they are adorable. Using custom, retro-inspired patterns (and she has a professional pattern maker creating her patterns - these are no store-bought patterns!), Kelly creates really beautiful dresses - and ones that I think would be perfect for the little flower girls in your wedding. Not only can you have a say in the fabric and style, but these are also stylish pieces that the girls can wear post-wedding as they're not super "bridal."
Right now Kelly has four main styles - the Sprinkles, Emmaline, Maple, and Alice dress (the Alice is my favorite. Like Anne of Green Gables, I love me some puffed sleeves). There's also a very cute skirt called Skip To My Lou. Kelly has also just started making women's sized dresses as well - so if you want some bridesmaids options that would match your flower girls, check out her "Vertie" dress!
It's also important to note that Darling Betty garments are locally, 100% American made with domestically sourced fabrics that are of superior quality. Ordering is really simple. You can either order straight off the website or email or message her through Facebook (she often uploads photos to FB of limited-run fabrics) and she'll send you a Paypal invoice. Shipping is $6 domestic and she offers free personal delivery in Alexandria. Sizing is 2T-6 for girls (there is sizing specification on her website with more info). If you choose a custom dress, turn around time is approximately 2 weeks. If it's an inventory dress, it will be posted or delivered in 1 business day.
So check Darling Betty out if you're looking for some fun, local and unique alternatives to the usual flower girl options. And be on the lookout next month when Kelly launches a new Darling Betty signature dress!
Personal: March in photos
Topaz + Arrow // DC DIY workshop
Last week I attended one of Topaz + Arrow's DIY workshops in DC. Topaz + Arrow is a monthly, DIY workshop series that "infuses the handmade into a curated and creative lifestyle." It was awesome. The workshops are held at the Ulysses Room, a modern yet warm space. We were treated to some delicious snacks and drinks from Honest Tea, Boulevard Brewing Company, Creme Yvette, Teeny Pies and KIND Snacks.
This workshop was called "Leather, Branches and Hooks: Handmade Jewelry Organizers with Topaz + Arrow"
It was a great afternoon. The workshops aren't heavily structured so the hosts, Virginia Arrisueno and Morgan Hungerford West, really want you to explore your creativity and make each project your own. They quickly talked through the basics and then let us at it (though they did walk around the room offering suggestions and also did a lot of the heavy labor, like copper pipe cutting and branch sawing).
I loved the branch I ended up with, and deliberately picked one with some character (some knots and holes, etc). I kept it simple, deciding to pick a nice blueish gray leather and subtlety painting the branch with copper accents (which matched the copper pipe accent on the leather).
The cost included all of the materials and the lovely refreshments. I felt like it was totally worth it and was a great afternoon for anyone to either spend on their own, or with a group of friends.
Definitely check out some of their upcoming workshops, which include Paper Lanterns & Cherry Blossoms: DIY Lighting and Decor, as well as Hoops, Yarn and Feathers: Handmade Dreamcatchers.
It could give some couples great ideas for wedding or event decor, and would also be a great shower or bachelor/bachelorette hang!
p.s. Virginia is a fantastic artist - founder of DeNada, an accessories line, and Morgan writes a fab lifestyle blog, Panda Head. Check them out.
Studio DBI
March seemed to be the month of vendor events! In addition to the Dock 5 party, I was also invited to Studio DBI's open house last week - and had an absolute blast.
Studio DBI is an amazing, very creative company that provides floral and design services (as well as month-of coordination) for all types of events. They recently opened their own studio space in Old Town, Alexandria. Since it's right down the street I had to drop by! Liza and her staff had decked out the studio with beautiful floral decor (obviously). I unfortunately didn't grab a picture but they also hung tulips around the windows in a really modern and fun way which may or may not have involved staples (and as it turns out, was a list minute fix when something she'd ordered didn't come in! Brilliant).
They'd brought on some great partners to make the party a success, including DJ Maskell (who rocked not only the DJing but the uplighting as well), Little Bird Creative, Simple Flare Productions, Paired Images, and In Style Caterers who served some really delicious food! I had a lovely evening hanging with other wedding vendors and celebrating Studio DBI's success!
Big thanks to Liza and her whole team, as well as the awesome sponsors, for a great evening.
DC Ballroom Dancing
Last May, my husband gave me my most favorite present ever. Three private ballroom dance lessons.
You see, I used to dance. A lot. I started taking classes in third grade and basically never stopped. I started with jazz, moved on to modern, tackled tap in high school (after seeing Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk), and hip hop in college. But I never did ballroom. My husband on the other hand, took ballroom classes as a kid (which, by the way, is why my mother-in-law is awesome and raised two great men).
Anyway, fast forward a million years and he gave me a gift certificate on my birthday and I cried from happiness (seriously). Then life intervened and we never got off our butts to schedule the classes. Fast forward another ten months, and we finally did. I dug my old character shoes out of the closet and we had our first class three weeks ago, and the second a week after. I really didn't know what to expect - but it was fantastic!
My husband got the classes from a small studio called All2Dance - located right on MacArthur Blvd (really convenient location, by the way). This studio offers private lessons as well as group lessons and a ton of other options.
It's a husband and wife team (we've been working with the husband only, so I can't speak directly about Ann but she seems great), and Victor is fantastic. As someone who has worked with a variety of teachers, he's really awesome. He teaches very important technique in an easy, light atmosphere. He's fun but also is actually teaching you (something I really appreciated - I'm all for having fun, but at the end of the day, I want to walk away having actually picked up some real skills). I'd highly recommend him to any couples looking to put together a special first dance for their wedding, or just get some basics so they feel comfortable on the dance floor. We started with a fairly easy style, the Sway. And we love it.
Now we just need to know where to go practice in the DC area! Any recommendations?
Dock 5 // DC event space
Last week I attended the launch of Dock 5, a great new event space in DC. Dock 5 is a very raw, warehouse-type space, and features over 12,000 square feet, 22’ high ceilings and glass garage doors. The venue is directly above the artisanal marketplace, Union Market, which houses over 30 of the top food producers in the region. By the way, the excellent photos, below, are taken by Mary Kate McKenna - the bad ones are by me (I was having too much fun to focus - isn't that the sign of a good party?)
It was a really fun event. Buffalo Bergen provided wonderful cocktails and sodas. Dolcezzo Gelato had a Gelato truck with a choice of salted caramel gelato and blood orange sorbet. Spilled Milk catering provided tasty passed hors d'oeuvres - but my favorite item was the bacon garden in which candied, spicy bacon was available on a stick. It was awesome. I've decided all events should now have bacon on a stick.
Rappahonnock Oysters also had a raw oyster bar (delicious and decadent) and we may or may not have taken some of Spilled Milk's bacon and used it as a topper on an oyster. Just saying. Maybe. And maybe it was delicious.
The space has a ton of possibilities. It is quite raw, so one definitely needs to consider lighting, decor, and furniture to create various spaces and help create a flow for your evening. The huge bonus is that it's very large for DC - it's hard to find venues this size in the area, so anyone with a large guest list and a modern sensibility should definitely check it out.
Big thanks to Dock 5 and the whole team for a really fun evening!
p.s. Sarah of Val & Sarah also most definitely created the next bridal trend. Two words: bacon bouquet
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!
Party Supplies from Oh Joy! at Target
A quick post today to give you a heads up that Target is launching their partnership with Oh Joy! on March 16th. Target partnered with top Pinterest pinners to create party collections and this is their first launch. There will be four Oh Joy for Target collections this year—Spring, Summer, Fall and Holiday—each in stores for six weeks only.
After the cold spell we've had around here, her party supplies will bring a lovely breath of spring air. The collection looks pretty awesome - dynamic colors, very cute supplies like cake stands, banners, party hats, lanterns and more. Based on my past posts about things you need to party and putting a party together at the last minute, you all should know I'm a big fan of Target and of using small items to make things festive. You don't have to go crazy and you don't have to craft. Sometimes, splurging on some fun purchases is what makes it easy - which means you get to have fun and stop stressing!
Let me know if you all pick up anything fun. I'm looking forward to checking it out. And no, this is not a sponsored post. I just really love Target and cheap, happy, party goods!