Huma and Sayeed // Henna Party // VA Wedding Coordinator

I've decided to break Huma and Sayeed's wedding into two parts - namely, because I helped them with two events and their are just too many beautiful photos to share! I assisted with both their informal henna party the night before, and their actual wedding ceremony and reception the following day. Huma and Sayeed were such a beautiful couple to work with. Huma is a self-professed Type A - the social organizer of the pair, bustling with energy and silliness. While Sayeed is super relaxed, chill and down to earth. The way they balanced each other throughout the planning and their days of celebration was a lovely thing to behold - a wonderful match that speaks volumes as to how their marriage will be for years to come.

This was a fun one for me because it was "off season" - in mid December which is rare for us wedding planners. The henna party took place at the Crown Plaza at Crystal City and was a mix of traditional vs. non traditional because this really was a fusion of Pakistani and Bangladeshi families and cultures. It was co-ed rather than all-female, but they did partake in several traditional moments (including the tradition of stealing the groom's shoes and him having to pay to get them back!) - and provided delicious south asian food! Sarah Khan Events did the decor for both the henna party and the wedding - it was so colorful and fun! The Mehndi artist was there all night (I even got to sneak in a quick one myself right before she left) and did such a beautiful job.

So enjoy these beautiful shots by Mary Sandoval (who was fabulous to work with) - and tune in next week for Huma and Sayeed's wedding at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens!

Huma and Sayeed's Vendors:

Coordinator: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue: Crown Plaza National Airport

Photographer: Mary Sandoval Photography

Decor/Floral: Sarah Khan Events

Henna: Henna Harmony

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Rachel and Michael // Riverside on the Potomac Wedding, Leesburg, VA // VA wedding coordinator

Rachel and Michael had a beautiful wedding at Riverside on the Potomac this past November. I must admit, I was a bit nervous at their hopes for an outdoor wedding in November - but they got lucky and we had stunning 60 degree weather that afternoon! Although the cold definitely creeped in once the sun went down, all the dancing, food and merriment kept everyone good and toasty. They started the day with a casual tisch/bedeken followed by the signing of the ketubah. A beautiful ceremony was down by the water - and Rachel hand-made their chuppah! Cocktails were back up in the stables, with dinner, dancing (and ingenious jump roping!) in the barn. We were accompanied throughout the day by the excellent band, Golem. And the evening ended with a stunning view of the super moon! Big thanks to Charlie at Charles Archambault Photography for the photos, and congrats again to Rachel and Michael!

Rachel and Michael's Vendors:

Coordinator: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue: Riverside on the Potomac

Caterer: Kosher Kitchen

Photographer: Charles Archambault Photography

Videographer: On Line Suburban Video

Band: Golem

Florist: Affordable Arrangements

Hair/Make-up: Creative Images

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Laura and Matt // The Whittemore House, Washington, DC Wedding // DC Wedding Coordinator

Laura and Matt were a true joy to work with. I helped coordinate their intimate wedding at The Whittemore House this fall and loved every minute! Unfortunately we had some rain on their day, so they ended up doing their first look in their hotel room, followed by something I adored - they read each other their vows, just the two of them, prior to the ceremony. I really loved that they created this moment for themselves - it was a lovely reminder that a wedding day is about the two people getting married and what they are promising each other.

They decided to have the fireplace at The Whittemore House be the focal point for their ceremony which I loved. After the ceremony, guests went into the front of the house for cocktails while we flipped the ballroom for dinner. Dinner, toasts and dancing followed! (p.s. - THAT DRESS. Ok I'm done now).

Congrats again to Laura and Matt!

Laura and Matt's Vendors:

Coordinator: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue: Whittemore House

Caterer: Main Event

Photographer: Amanda Gilley

Videographer: Michael Brazda

DJ: Good Note DJ

Florist: Palace Florists

Dessert Buffet: Pie Sisters

Officiant: Emily Cook Therapy

Make-up: Polished Studio

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Marie and Brad // George Washington Masonic National Memorial Wedding // Hotel Monaco Alexandria, VA Wedding // VA wedding coordinator

In Marie and Brad's initial inquiry they mentioned that their interfaith wedding was going to reference, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and she planned on walking down the aisle to the theme from The Princess Bride. I was ecstatic.

On their day, after some getting ready photos they did a first look at their ceremony site, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, followed by the ketubah signing. The opening announcement started with "Mawwage... Mawwage is what bwings us togetha...today" (which was not the first wedding I'd done with that opening, which means I'm winning at life). Add in their DIY chuppah, Marie's beautiful veil, a touching tribute candle to a close friend Marie had lost recently, and the gorgeous space and you had a truly lovely ceremony.

Guests were then transported to Hotel Monaco, Alexandria in Old Town. Unfortunately we had a ton of rain, so the courtyard was unavailable for cocktail hour. But we rolled with it and had an awesome reception thanks to the great staff at Hotel Monaco and all the other great vendors. Marie was a DIY queen, putting together her own centerpieces and lots of other fun personal touches. So enjoy these great photos by Andrew Morrell Photography and big congrats again to Marie and Brad!

Marie and Brad's Vendors:

Coordinator: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Ceremony Venue: George Washington Masonic National Memorial

Reception Venue: Hotel Monaco Alexandria

Photographer: Andrew Morrell

DJ: DJ Blitz

Hair/Make-up: Alison Harper and Co

Transportation: DASH

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R & E // Arena Stage, Washington DC Wedding // DC wedding planner

R & E got married this past summer at Arena Stage, a venue I'd been dying to work in for a while now. They're a private couple so we won't be showing any photos of their faces or their guests' faces - but I still had to blog about this one cause it was so special, so much fun, and Jess Latos Photography took some stunning pics! E is Ethiopian, and R is Jewish. They wanted to plan their wedding fairly quickly, so we jumped right in! They incorporated various traditions throughout their day. My favorite was the Ethiopian cuisine  - and the wet naps that were on every table that said "Marriage is Messy"! R was also pregnant - and therefore a glowing, stunning bride. We made it through the hora without any dropping or falling incidents which was my major fear (!), so I considered the evening to be a big success!

This was one of the most beautiful weddings I've done that seamlessly incorporated different traditions - experiencing these cultures merging and celebrating together was really touching and, frankly, brought me to tears at times during the night. So enjoy what photos I'm able to share (and big thanks to Jess Latos Photography for the beautiful images) and join me in wishing R & E a huge congrats on their marriage! I'm also happy to report their new little baby joined their family this fall and is happy and healthy! Congrats again to R & E - much love to you both!

R&E's Vendors:

Planner - Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue - Arena Stage

Caterer - RSVP and Dama Catering

Photographer - Jess Latos Photography

DJ - KC Higgins

Flowers - Whole Foods

Cake - Fluffy Thoughts

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Kathy and David // Josephine Butler Parks Center, Washington, DC Wedding // DC wedding coordinator

Yet another beautiful wedding that Tarra coordinated this year at one of my favorite venues, Josephine Butler Parks Center. Let's hand it over to Tarra for more details!

What a treat this wedding was to work!  Kathy and David planned the most love-filled wedding there could be. Beginning with the warm and charming Josephine Butler Parks Center. It was important to them for their wedding to mean just a little bit more. David, a lawyer, and Kathy, owner of a non-profit writing program for marginalized youth, are both very much involved with giving back to their D.C. community.  So what better way than to host their wedding at an amazing venue that stands for community safety, health, education, arts, architecture, and agriculture?  Not only is JBPC centrally located in D.C., its mission is to grow city-wide park-based community health and vitality by nurturing innovation and partnerships.  Kathy and David took great comfort in knowing their venue rental fee went towards supporting such an important and meaningful establishment.

The love was also felt by the volume of friends and family they invited to this joyous event. I must say the reception space was completely maxed out, but Kathy and David would not have had it any other way.  Surrounding themselves with love and laughter on their wedding day as well as great food and drinks is exactly what they wanted to accomplish. And Spilled Milk definitely delivered on the great food part!

There was no shortage of beauty in the space either.  With Kathy’s wonderful mother at the helm of the décor plan, Yellow Door Floral Design provided quite the array of stunning floral arrangements. In addition to the guest tables, every nook, cranny, and fireplace mantle at JBPC was accounted for in terms of flowers and candles.  It was really a treat to work with and watch this team of vendors transform this already beautiful space into an even more beautiful space.

Though I did not join in the festivities, I was so delighted to see Michael O. Snyder Photography’s super fun and artistic shots of Kathy, David, and some guests at the National Mall.  A place that is very near and dear to Kathy and Davids’ hearts. They were transported there in true D.C. style via the Old Town Trolley post-reception.  Yet another loving aspect of this wonderful wonderful wedding! Congrats again Kathy and David!

Kathy and David's vendors:

Coordinator: Tarra Morgan, The Plannery

Venue: Josephine Butler Parks Center

Catering: Spilled Milk

Photographer: Michael O Snyder Photography

Ceremony/Cocktail Music: Bell Weather Bayou

DJ: Bialek's Music

Florist: Yellow Door

Shuttle Bus/Transport: Old Town Trolley

Hair/Make-up: Glynn Jones Salon

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The Plannery Event Design - the details

For those of you who have been following along this week, we've been rolling out the exciting new event design services we'll now be offering as add-ons here at The Plannery. Below are more details, and you can also always find even more info here!

Moodboard Design:

Can be added to any of The Plannery’s planning packages. This design option is for the couple who likes to do more of their own design work, but needs help narrowing down a visual theme. About five months out from your wedding date, we’ll set up a meeting to go over your style, likes and dislikes, and colors. After this discussion, Kim creates a one-page moodboard filled with cohesive images and colors that convey the overall mood you’re looking for at your wedding. Once you’re happy with the direction of the moodboard, you’ll use it to convey your style and colors to your creative vendors. It also helps you make design decisions on your own that fit the visual theme. Exact Pantone color codes are provided so you and vendors use the same colors throughout. Kim will be available for unlimited email correspondence if you need help making decisions.

Full Design Plan:

Can only be added to The Plannery’s full or partial planning package. With this option you’ll receive everything that comes with creating the moodboard (see above), plus a multi-page PDF with exact specifications for all things design. We’ll start the design process seven to eight months out from your wedding date. Sample pages could include designs for invitations and paper products, florals, tabletop settings, place card display, ceremony setup, attire, and any other details you’d like included. The design plan includes links for where to buy any miscellaneous decor and other items that have been specified.

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More about Kim - The Plannery's new event designer

 

Today I'm excited to tell you a bit more about Kim, our new event designer!

A trained graphic designer and a lover of all things visual, Kim’s favorite parts of planning her own wedding included picking flowers, invitation styles, colors, and wrangling various design elements.

Her eye for design and penchant for organization led to many of Kim’s friends tapping her for design advice when planning their weddings—which led her to realize she could share her skills with others! Looking for a way to broaden her design expertise, she reached out to Katie (who she had hired as her month-of coordinator) to see if she’d be interested in starting a design arm of her company. Katie loved the idea and after a few planning meetings and emails (OK, a lot of emails!) event design at The Plannery was born.

Kim holds a B.A. in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University and is currently a full-time graphic designer at a large consulting firm. She contracts with Katie for clients interested in adding design services on top of a general planning package. She currently lives in Fairfax with her husband in their newly purchased townhouse that she’s enjoyed decorating. In between her day job and wedding designs, Kim enjoys going to barre classes, watching documentaries on Netflix, and discussing Myers-Briggs personality types. She’s an ISFJ, if you’re wondering!

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Announcing - Event Design with The Plannery!

Event design is coming to The Plannery!

Many of you know that ever since the beginning, I have always viewed myself as a logistics-only person. While I do think I have a fairly good eye, and I've obviously learned a lot over my years of planning weddings about what works well and what doesn't, I have never studied design. I often get the question from potential clients as to whether I also do event design. And that answer, for a long time, was "no." Not considering myself anything close to an expert in the area of design, I've never felt comfortable calling myself an event designer. But I was disappointed that I couldn't provide those services to my clients.

And then Kim came along. I actually coordinated Kim's wedding. She was awesome to work with, and did some amazing DIY design pieces for her own wedding (see here). She reached out to me post-wedding to express her interest in partnering with The Plannery. She, unlike me, is an actual designer. As in, she holds a B.A. in Media Arts and Design and is a full time graphic designer - she therefore has a killer eye and is great at creating cohesive visual plans for event design.

As many of my current clients know, we've been testing out the relationship and the process this past year. Slowly rolling it out to see what works and what doesn't, and whether clients were even interested!

And so I'm thrilled to finally announce that The Plannery will officially be offering some great add-on packages to our current services to those interested in event design assistance. Many of my clients are very hands-on, but find they want resources and assistance to narrow down decisions. We're taking that same approach for event design and I'm really excited to offer my clients these new design options! More info is on our website now, and we'll be doing a series of blog posts this week to tell you more, including hearing from Kim herself and more details on the services!

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Angelina and Ron // The Lodge at Little Seneca Creek, Boyds, MD Wedding // MD wedding coordinator

Editor's Note: Angelina used to work at my husband's office. I heard she'd gotten engaged but I always hate it when people feel pressured to hire me because they know me - so I kept my distance :) But I was super-thrilled when she reached out (though disappointed I was no longer free!) - but Tarra took it on and had a wonderful time. Congrats again to you both! Now some more insight from Tarra:

Where do I start with Angelina and Ron?! They are the most witty, fresh ass couple I’ve ever met [insert corny Rongelina joke here, only not quite as funny in light of their divorce].    I really enjoyed our check-in emails and meeting with them.  There were many points in the night that I felt like I was attending rather than working a wedding - they really treated me like a friend.  My only regret with working with Angelina and Ron is that I didn’t get to meet their painfully adorable bulldog, Oliver! 

The October weather was phenomenal. The Lodge at Little Seneca Creek was picture-perfect and the staff were incredible to work with. Add in Main Event Catering, Olivia Jacobs Photography, and DJ D-Mac & Associates and you know I was part of a wedding dream team.  Both Angelina and Ron’s families and friends were also incredibly sweet and kind.

There were many enjoyable details about this wedding that were so true to Angelina and Ron.  One of our favorites at The Plannery was the beautiful calligraphy invitation that we received in the mail with an overly cool Janis Joplin postage stamp. First thought, "Omg how did Angelina know that I LOVE JANIS JOPLIN?!" Second thought, "Our clients are so freaking awesome for 'inviting' us to the wedding!"  Third thought, "I totally wish I could write that lovely and neatly" (the calligraphy was by The Wave Writer fyi). Come to find out, we weren’t the only honorary invitees.  Angelina and Ron went ahead and sent their gorgeous wedding invitation to the POTUS and First Lady, Barack and Michele Obama!

Another stunning (and very true-to-themselves) detail were the centerpieces – garland, and succulents in stone planters.  Angelina is allergic to flowers, so there wasn’t a single flower in sight at their reception (though she braved it by holding a bouquet for a few photos and during the ceremony). And when I say she held a bouquet it was literally for all over 20 seconds at a time!  Her gracious bridesmaids took over the bouquet during any down times.   

The final enjoyable l detail I will mention is the wardrobe change into Traditional Korean clothing.  It was so special to see Angelina and Ron adorned in such brilliant and meaningful garb. Angelina’s parents and sister also wore Korean clothing at one point, and they were able to get some very beautiful family portraits taken. How special is that!? Congrats again Angelina and Ron!

Venue: The Lodge at Little Seneca Creek (Montgomery County Parks) 

Coordinator: Tarra Morgan, The Plannery 

Photography: Olivia Jacob Photography 

Bride and Bridal Party Bouquets: UrbanStems (with some sprucing up by Maiya Dacey, a bridesmaid)

Bride Hair and Makeup: blo blow dry bar, in Gaithersburg, MD

Caterer: Main Event Caterers

DJ and Lighting: DJ Neville C, from DJ D-Mac & Associates 

Officiant: A.C. Warden, from Capital Ceremonies 

PhotoBooth: BoothLove

Bride's Gown: Maggie Sottero, from For My Wedding in Cliffside Park, NJ 

Bride and Bridal Party Getting Ready Robes: The Paisley Box

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