I'm baaack! January, as always, has been a very busy month. But I'm kicking off my first official blog post of 2014 with my final wedding wrap-up from 2013! And what a great one to end with. Ah, Marie and Alex. Marie and Alex were truly amazing clients. They had a very unique wedding (which you know I love), and it was such fun to help them execute their wedding day! Marie and Alex started with an afternoon ceremony followed by a dessert reception at the Katzen Arts Center at American University. They then had several hours to relax, regroup, grab some dinner and then go party some more at a reception at a bar! You can see more of their bar reception at Capitol Romance. But my portion of the day was helping set-up their ceremony and afternoon reception. I really loved this structure as it not only provided beautiful light for their ceremony and photos, but it's a great cost-efficient way to still have a meaningful ceremony, a reception with your loved ones, and a rowdier party later in the evening (plus down-time with your significant other to soak in the fact that you're MARRIED!)!

Marie and Alex pseudo self-catered - they placed orders for cupcakes, cookies, treats, hummus and veggie plates, and pies with various DC vendors (including Dangerously Delicious Pies, Cava, and Hello Cupcake). The vendors delivered the goods that morning and I helped set up the buffet with the platters and cake stands Marie and Alex provided themselves, and the rest of their decor.

And oh, their decor! The Katzen Arts Center is an awesome, really modern venue (with lots of great photo opps, as you’ll see). With gorgeous natural light and beautiful design, you really don’t need much decor. Alex and Marie decided to embrace the modern simplicity (as well as the circular form of the room) and got beautiful large balloons to place around the room as well as at the “altar” and behind the buffet. Wendy from Balloon Affairs of Frederick was excellent to work with and did a wonderful job.

I have to mention a couple of other details I really adored. Marie ordered her dried bouquet online from New Hampshire Woods Creations and it was stunning! I love dried bouquets because they last forever - as will the memories. Alex also had a best lady on his side for the ceremony - and while I unfortunately don’t have any good pictures to show it, she wore a beautiful grey dress to match the gentlemen’s grey suits. LOVED IT. Finally, Marie is a bad-ass and got her dress from The Bride's Project, a wonderful non-profit organization from her home town that helps fund programs and services at the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor.

After the ceremony we did a quick flip of the room so that people could come back after some cocktails and enjoy the tasty treats. In addition to their buffet, they also ordered a small cake topped with Marie’s grandparents wedding topper which was such a personal touch.

Their centerpieces were vases of the ribbon wands the guests later used to send off Alex and Marie.

Big congrats to Marie and Alex on their marriage!