Alicia and Matt's Modern Longview Gallery Washington DC Wedding

Photo by The Oberports

Enjoy this insanely colorful, modern, stylish DC wedding from Rebecca!

Alicia and Matt's modern wedding at Long View Gallery began by throwing tradition out the window right from the start.  The couple knew they didn't want a "traditional" processional, where the bride is the focus.  They felt that, as partners, both were equally important.  As a result they, along with my help (!) designed a ceremony layout with two angled aisles, meeting in the middle, so that the couple could walk in at the same time, meet in the center, and then proceed to the "altar" (in this case a gorgeous hanging greenery arrangement by florist Sidra Forman) together.  

In addition to the ceremony, food was very important to the couple.  Eric Fleischer Catering helped the couple pull together an AMAZING buffet dinner that featured the couple's favorite foods (Steak for the groom, tons of veggies and pastas for the bride) that not only tasted delicious, but was gorgeous as well.  Later in the evening, the couple decided that, rather than a traditional wedding cake, they would do a junk food buffet.  One side was sweet, with Oreos and Candy, and mini tarts and cheesecakes from the Caterer, then on the Savory Side, Eric Fleischer provided mini pizzas, soft pretzels and bags of various flavored popcorns, while the couple provided Goldfish, Doritos and, as a nod to the groom's Lancaster, PA family, Martin's BBQ Potato Chips!

The bride is one of the coolest people I've ever met, and has an AMAZING sense of style.  So it's no surprise that that was reflected both in her outfits for the night as well as the wedding decor.  The bride wore a simple A Line gown from Sarah Seven for the ceremony and dinner, then changed into a Rebecca Schoneveld jumpsuit for the reception, which she told me she felt like a total badass in :)  DC Rental provided crossback chairs, while Something Vintage provided Classic Farm Tables, Vintage Water Glasses, and an AMAZING bar and lounge furniture for the reception and cocktail hours.  All of it was highlighted by lighting from Bruce Pike Productions and greenery throughout.

Alicia and Matt’s Vendors:

Venue: Longview Gallery

Planner: Rebecca O’Donnell, The Plannery

Photographer: The Oberports

Caterer: Eric Fleischer

Florist: Sidra Forman

Rentals: DC Rental and Something Vintage

DJ: Les the DJ

Lighting: Bruce Pike Productions

Our Top 8 Favorite Non-White Wedding Dresses

In my post a couple weeks back regarding Valentine’s Day I started to think about non-white wedding dresses - something I’ve been quite vocal in supporting for years and years. I realized we’ve actually had a ton of Plannery couples who have opted for bright colors when it came to wedding attire, so I thought I’d do a fun round-up of our favorites here to get you engaged folks inspired to embrace more color! Whether it’s for cultural reasons or just to go a non-traditional route, color is always a fun option to try for a wedding. Enjoy!

Nasheed had a custom gold dress made to resemble Belle from Beauty and the Beast!

I adore Aileen’s gorgeous bright blue gown

Pink jumpsuit anyone? Hell yes!!

Huma looked stunning in red

One of my all time favorites: a gorgeous pink!

More red, this time on Mimi

I adore this subtle, gold, tea length dress for a wedding

More red red red!

…and I couldn’t leave out the guys. I’ve always loved Adam and Ryan’s custom blue tuxes. Swoon.

Julie and Charlie's Carnegie Institution of Science Washington DC Wedding

Photo by Rhinehart Photography

The Plannery loves, loves, loves the Carnegie Institute of Science. It really feels like home sweet home for me. If I am not mistaken, it is my most frequented venue working as a wedding coordinator and/or assistant.  It is safe to say that every couple loves the wedding venue they selected, but boy did Julie and Charlie REALLY LOVE their choice in Carnegie. Who can blame them? I am pretty sure that the thought of themselves posing in Carnegie’s infamous upstairs library led to the booking.  Lisa Rhinehart Photography delivered in capturing this darling couple and their wedding party in that unique space.  I bet if I were to invite myself over to Julie and Charlie’s home, I would find a large print of them in the library proudly displayed.

My last two couples including Julie and Charlie opted to have the gorgeous front doors of Carnegie serve as their ceremony backdrop, which I just love.  Don’t get me wrong, getting married in the center of the rotunda space is just as great too! I think somehow Julie and Charlie thought that this would lessen them being the center of attention, but of course that wasn’t the case. They were both way too sweet and stunning not to gawk at!

The couple was adamant about taking an all guest wedding photo and their guests were super happy to participate.  It will be a memory that they will surely cherish forever. Congrats again to Julie and Charlie!

Julie and Charlie’s Vendors:

Month-of Coordination: Tarra Morgan, The Plannery

Venue: Carnegie Institution for Science

Caterer: Main Event Catering

Photographer: Lisa Rhinehart Photography

Florist: Petal’s Edge

Hair and Make-up: Georgetown Bride

Music: Go 4 It Entertainment

A Winter Wonderland Kids Birthday Party

My daughter approached me with a seemingly impossible task as we started to discuss her birthday plans.

My almost 5 year old: “Mom, I want an ice skating party”

Me: “Oh, ok, great! But you’ve never gone ice skating before. Do you think we should give it a try before we have a whole party?”

5 year old: “No, I don’t want a party with ice skating. I want an ice skating party at home.”

Me: …

So… she had me really stumped. My husband was convinced we could do it - “just buy ice skating party stuff.” But the planner in me really couldn’t embrace such a strange theme without coming up with some sort of activity that could go along with it (how else to entertain a bunch of 5 year olds in your home?!!). I was starting to wish she’d gone with her original desire to have a “flying cheetah” party (no, I don’t know what flying cheetahs are, but at this point I was excited by the idea of cheetah print instead of an ice skating party with no ice skating).

Pinterest came to my rescue. After brainstorming a bit, I - along with my daughter’s approval - settled on a Winter Wonderland theme. We could have indoor ice skating (on contact paper stuck to the rug…and socks), have a hot cocoa bar, make edible snowmen out of marshmallows, and thanks to a random Target find, have a “snowball” toss game.

It ended up being a lot of fun for the kids (and the adults - yay mimosas!) and I’m pretty proud that I pulled it off! Just thought I’d share to remind you all that parties can still be at home, and with a little creativity (and Pinterest, who am I kidding?), can be fun!

p.s. mad props to my husband who baked a 4-tier chocolate cake from scratch (now THAT seems like a truly impossible task to me!)

Laura and Brendon's Gramercy Mansion Baltimore, MD Wedding

Photo by Modern Frames Photography

One of the things that's nice about The Plannery being a team is that, when one person books a wedding and then realizes that “Oops, I'm about to have a baby, this is probably bad timing!”, another planner can pick it up and run with it! :) That was the case when Rebecca took over this wedding from Tarra, whose wife was expecting.  But it was clearly kismet, because as soon as Rebecca met Laura and Brendon, there was an instant connection.  The three got along like a house on fire!  This couple was so sweet, Rebecca couldn't help but be charmed by their love for each other (and for their dog Otis!)  Then, when she first visited their GORGEOUS venue, Gramercy Mansion in Greenspring Valley in Baltimore County, she fell in love with the venue too!  Whether the ceremony was inside the beautiful mansion, built in 1902, or outside in the stunning gardens, she knew it would be stunning...but, of course, everyone REALLY wanted the ceremony to be held outside! 

The day of the wedding, this was literally a last minute decision.  It was raining on and off all day, and no less than 5 weather apps were consulted on various phones to try and figure out if it would stop in time.  Chairs were set up, blankets were laid out to ward off the chill, but still, as the ceremony got closer and closer, a decision had to be made.  To complicate things, we had a string duo, neither of whom could play their EXTREMELY expensive instruments in any sort of precipitation!!!  Rebecca consulted with the couple, and, of course, they asked her advice.  She crossed her fingers and took the leap...let's do it outside.  Literally in the MINUTES before the ceremony, the rain cleared, and not only did it stay clear through the ceremony (THANK GOD!) but they were able to do the cocktail hour in the beautiful gardens as well.  There is NOT a bad spot on this property, so guests were able to wander around looking at the gardens, which were still lush through the end of October, and play with Ring Bearer Otis the dog (until he went home for a much earned rest).

Other favorite details from this wedding include Laura’s dad making a sweet toast and pulling out hair ribbons she had loved when she was a little girl (!), their hot apple cider bar in the library, where guests took turns stoking the fire (such a lovely fall touch!), and the fact that this couple was brought to us by PAST clients of ours, who also attended the wedding! Melissa and Tashia have been favorites of ours ever since their wedding back in 2014 - Since then, Tashia has launched her own dog walking and pet care business, Platinum Pets, and she was the one who helped keep Otis occupied during the ceremony!

All in all, this is one of our very favorite fall weddings - so enjoy the lovely photos by Modern Frames Photography, and congrats again to Laura and Brendon!

Laura and Brendon’s Vendors:

Wedding Planner: Rebecca O’Donnell, The Plannery

Venue: Gramercy Mansion

Caterer: Linwoods Catering

Photographer: Modern Frames Photography

Ceremony Music: String Poets

Reception Music: AJ Productions

Draping: Event Dynamics

Cake: Whipped Weddings

Make-up: Ariel Lewis, Airbrush by Ariel

Officiant: Shannon Rice, Royal Ink Weddings

Colin and Mara's Torpedo Factory Alexandria, VA Wedding

Photo by JPG Photography

Colin and Mara were married at The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA this past August - on a hot, but luckily, not stormy (!) day. Mara’s family is Portuguese and she was able to integrate some Portuguese touches throughout the event (including Portuguese music and of course - dancing!) that made it really special. They got ready at nearby Hotel Indigo and did photos prior to the ceremony around beautiful Old Town, while we were getting the venue ready for their big day! D Nicole Settings provided a gorgeous fern wall for their ceremony (which covered the somewhat odd staircase at Torpedo Factory!), while Main Event Catering, Growing Wild Florist, and John Farr lighting also did an awesome job making the space look beautiful. After a very personal ceremony, cocktails were outdoors on the waterfront patio (with no rain! whew!), followed by dinner and dancing indoors. The Bachelor Boys kept the crowd dancing all night long, and Gustavo from JPG Photography provided these beautiful photos. Enjoy!

Mara and Colin’s Wedding Vendors:

Coordinator: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue: The Torpedo Factory

Caterer: Main Event Catering

Photographer: Gustavo, JPG Photography

Music: The Bachelor Boys

Florist: Growing Wild

Fern Wall: D Nicole Settings

Hair/Make-up: Modern Bridal Studio

Lighting/Draping: John Farr

How to Design Your Wedding

Many of you know I brought Kim on board to handle event design services for our clients who wanted some help in that arena. What you may not know is that I did it because I couldn’t! Like many of you, I’m intimidated as hell by it! And yet. I think while many of us feel intimidated by wedding design or “styling” (ugh), we also actually do want our event to have a cohesive look and feel. But we have no idea how to do that. Frankly, many of our clients come to us a bit late - and so I wanted to discuss when in the planning process you should start integrating design. Especially for you newly engaged folks, it’s worth a read so that you’re able to be cohesive without having to overthink things too much.

Wedding Design begins with the venue… or does it?

Photo by JPG Photography

Which comes first, the design or the venue? It’s sort of a chicken or the egg question, depending on who you are. So our first tip is to make note of how much the design/style of your wedding really matters to you. If you are a design fanatic and have strong opinions about what your wedding looks like, start with design first. As in, if you HAVE to have a rustic feel, then you probably shouldn’t check out city venues. However, most of my clients lean more towards the “we care, but it’s not our top priority” realm. So for you, we recommend you book your venue and date first. The location and the season of your wedding will strongly influence your event design. Once the venue is booked, it’s worth stopping a moment and thinking about the design elements so that your wedding can have a cohesive feel. (side note: this is where our design services can really help, once you’re at this point. Kim talks and meets with you to help you determine the following items: colors, and a mood board with which to make all future decisions!)

Wedding colors

Photo by Modern Frame Photography

From there, use your venue to think about the colors and feel you want for your wedding. If you’re having a beach wedding you might opt towards sandy and romantic tones - or perhaps it’s a beach in Mexico and you want to go for bold colors! Kim adds, color is SO personal and much more than just saying to your vendors you like the color pink. What kind of pink? How much pink? Only pink, or other colors as well? Being super clear about particular shades and accent colors will help guid your vendors as they make proposals for you. The season also matters - though I’m a fan of not sticking to seasonal colors to mix things up a bit! If the season inspires you - for example, you’ll be wearing a long sleeved dress for a winter wedding - use that inspiration towards other colors and elements.

Wedding Mood Board

You should then use all of the above to make a mood board. Yes, Pinterest is a great place to start browsing and collecting images that speak to you - but too many images can muddle your vision and confuse vendors. That’s when a streamlined and edited down one-page mood board can do wonders - and where we come in to help! Editing your own thoughts is hard. When you meet with Kim you’ll discuss everything on your mind design-wise and she’ll help narrow down your vision to one that is cohesive for your vendors to work from. This is where I would have killed for Kim’s assistance back in the day of planning my own wedding. Style and design are such visual elements. Talking about them to vendors sometimes…just doesn’t work. But having that streamlined mood board to SHOW your caterer so they can help you pick the linens is a priceless tool. Or SHOW your florist what type of bouquet you’re interested in. This mood board can be a wonderful resource for ALL the future design choices down the planning pike.

But I don’t care about Wedding Design so it doesn’t matter

Photo by Porter Watkins

Don't think you have design choices to make? Unfortunately, you’re wrong. Even if, like me, you don’t consider yourself someone who is sensitive or interested in design, there are lots of moments throughout the planning process when small decisions you make can help determine how cohesive your wedding will feel.

The reason we recommend you start thinking about these things early on is so your wedding website, your save the dates, and then all future correspondence and communication with the guests feels cohesive. Design helps communicate a message to everyone involved - and the practical, logistics-driven person in me adores that element of design: the story it tells and communicates to your guests (which, as a reminder, I believe communication is the #1 key to having a stress free wedding. So mull that over for a bit). Giving guests a clear sense of what to expect, not only in text on your website, and alphabetizing your escort cards, but in the look and feel of your invites, wedding website, and other design elements, help them feel more comfortable and at ease.

How to start wedding planning: The Plannery Guide

Photo by Modern Frames Photography

I decided with the New Year upon us, and thus many newly engaged folks out there in the universe, it’d be smart to put together a round-up of knowledge for you all, with links to past Plannery posts about how and where to begin your wedding planning adventure!

How to Start Planning Your Wedding

This post is a good one to begin with, covering all the major steps you should consider and big conversations you should have as you begin! Priorities and expectations, budget, guest list and venue are the biggest items to consider and discuss.

How to Find a Wedding Venue

This post is a deeper dive into the ever-so-difficult wedding venue search. We talk you through many items to consider when researching your wedding venue options and how to organize it all!

Biggest Wedding Planning Mistakes

This is a really good one, in my humble opinion! It shares some of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen in my many years as a wedding planner. A lot of these mistakes are often made early in the planning process, so it’s great to look through this and try to avoid them if possible!

How to Find the Right Wedding Planner For You?

We just published this one last week, but in case you missed it - it helps talk through the items to consider before researching planners, and then how to find the right one for you!

What Does a Wedding Coordinator Do?

This is a great post to give you more insight on what wedding coordinators do (and don’t!) do! It’ll help you decide whether they might be the right decision for you (hint: I personally believe you can forego a wedding planner, but a coordinator is a MUST. And I swear I’m not just saying that because that’s what we do!).

How to find the right Wedding Planner for you

Photo by Margaret Wroblewski

Happy New Year! With engagement season (aka the holiday season!) having just passed, I thought we’d dedicate the month of January to all things wedding planning for those of you who are newly engaged and just getting started.

We've spoken previously about what wedding coordinators do - but I realized I hadn’t done a deep dive into the wedding planning realm. Having a professional planner can be an invaluable resource you may want to consider - so we’re today we’ll talk about what wedding planning services are out there, as well as how to find the right wedding planner that fits your needs.

Photo by Jess Latos Photography

Which Wedding Planning Services Are Right For You?

The first step is to think about what kind of help you really need - and want.

We offer both partial and full planning - and depending on who are as a couple, either one may be the better fit for you. If you’re someone with an incredibly busy job, who isn’t always great staying on top of to-do items and really want some major hand-holding and guidance throughout the wedding planning process, full planning is the right option for you. We help you formulate your budget, clarify your needs and wants and priorities, schedule and attend all wedding related meetings, assist in researching and booking your venue and wedding vendors, arrange hotel room blocks, among many other details.

If, on the other hand, you’re slightly more proactive, want to be more involved in the planning process, but still want guidance, partial planning is an awesome option (and we find we tend to attract these couples the most!). For Partial Planning we help create your initial budget and nail down your major vendors (venue, caterer, photographer, music, and florist). We then provide you with a planning timeline, with major to-do’s for you to cross off throughout the next months, and then reemerge to assist in month-of coordination to make sure the event runs smoothly. We’re also always available throughout as a resource, with unlimited communication!

Event Design is another wrinkle often thrown into wedding planning services. Some planners offer it with all their packages, others don’t offer it at all. I personally think ours is a great option because it’s similar to our other packages in that we’re able to provide you with event design guidance and tools, tailored to YOU, to then help you make other design related decisions down the line.

I think one of the final questions to ask yourself is what you value and what matters to you for your wedding. If you’re someone who wants someone to make decisions for you and tell you what to do - hire someone who will do that! I will say, however - that won’t be us! We are very upfront about the fact that as planners, we are here as resources and guides, someone who will help narrow your decision making, and make the process easier - but we won’t ever make decisions FOR you. We firmly believe the wedding should be a reflection of the couple - whoever they are and whatever they love - not us, as planners. Also, frankly, it’s your money. So it’s your final decision.

So now that you know what you want…

Photo by Mantas Kubilinskas

What Should You Look For In A Wedding Planner?

This is a tough one because every couple is so different. I firmly believe ALL wedding vendors should make the process of planning easy for you. Therefore, look for someone who is a clear communicator and who is easy to talk to. Did they respond to your inquiry in a timely manner? Did you enjoy speaking with them and feel like they “got” you? What about other forms of communication? Is their website clear? Does it clearly state their services, pricing (pricing transparency is key!! We try our best to be as upfront as possible), and values (see below)?

I also believe your wedding planner should reflect your values. Whether you’re an LGBTQ couple or not, hiring a planner who is outspoke and very explicit in their support and beliefs means that planner will only be recommending similarly supportive vendors. As one of our clients said about The Plannery, “as both my husband and I consider ourselves allies of the LGBT community, I really appreciate how open they are about supporting LGBT couples as well couples of diverse/mixed backgrounds and religions… It was a refreshing ‘icing on the cake’ to work with a vendor who was so transparent and open about this topic and even though we don't personally identify, we truly admire this honorable approach to their services as we have many loved ones in our lives who do.” 

Finally, I always recommend reading reviews and asking for references! Hearing from couples first-hand is a wonderful way to get a feel for a planner - both throughout the planning process as well as on the day-of. I recently went back through our many, many reviews to see what words stuck out the most. We were often described as “responsive”, “organized” planners who provided “seamless” and “stress-free” experiences. If that speaks to you, wonderful! If not, find a planner whose clients describe what matters most to you for your wedding day!

Why to Have a Winter Wedding

As we head into the holiday season, I thought I’d write a small ode to the winter wedding. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but there are some very good reasons to consider it - so for those of you recently engaged and starting to envision your wedding, I urge you to give winter a second chance!

Winter Weddings Save You Dough

Photo by Sam Hurd

Winter is what we in the wedding industry like to call the “slow” season - so most wedding venues will offer discounted rates for the colder, winter months. Similarly, you can often negotiate with other wedding vendors to potentially get their pricing down since demand isn’t quite as high.

Your Winter Wedding Brings Color to a Gray Season, in More Ways Than One

Photo by Mary Sandoval Photography

Let’s face it - after the holidays, the winter season can sometimes be a bit gray and gloomy. People are gonna be super psyched to have a reason to celebrate, and I’ve often found some of the happiest and rowdiest crowds are at winter weddings! Not only that, but having a wedding during the winter means you bring life and color, literally, to the world. No matter what you wear, you’ll pop in your photos against the stark but beautiful background of the colder months.

Embrace the Romance of a Winter Wedding

Photo by Sam Hurd

Winter is a time to hibernate, to snuggle with the ones you love. Many of the winter weddings I’ve worked have really embraced the romance of the winter, with lots of candlelight, warmth and frankly, the magic that comes with it. I had one wedding literally hand out candles to all the guests and do a candle lit ceremony (shut up, how gorgeous is that??!!). So whether it be a venue with lots of fireplaces, having hot cocoa stations, or just some beautiful tapers on long dining tables, winter is a wonderful time to fully embrace the romance of the season.

Winter Wedding Fashion

Photo by Amber Wilkie

Winter weddings mean you get to be a bit more creative with your wedding attire in order to stay warm. So whether you grab your grandmother’s old fur stole, go for a full-on suit, or don a white puffy coat, the options in winter are fun, fabulous and different.