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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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

Emily and Paul // Whittemore House Wedding, Washington, DC // DC Wedding Planner

After I first met Emily and Paul I came home to my husband and said "I really want them to be my friends." They're just those people. So warm, so freaking funny, so great, so cool. Their family was also hilarious and awesome. I basically have a client crush on them, I’m not gonna lie.

I did partial planning with Emily and Paul - helped them find their venue and major vendors and then came back towards the end of their planning process to do month-of coordination.  Emily and Paul got married at the Whittemore House - they had a really elegant wedding but with some fun pops that matched their personalities. Studio DBI did their beautiful florals. They stuck with lush neutrals for the ceremony, but then transferred over to really colorful centerpieces for the reception. The bridesmaids wore different colored dresses and I loved the fun rainbow effect - and Emily was freaking STUNNING (can we talk about that necklace?? And more importantly, that smile??). After their (very funny and personal) ceremony, with music from the string trio Anthem, guests went upstairs for cocktail hour while we flipped the ballroom to the reception.

Emily and Paul love to throw dinner parties and they wanted their wedding to feel like one big dinner party - so Main Event helped put together a great family-style meal, complete with my personal favorite which was a starter course (rather than a salad) of a rustic antipasto platter preset on the table so guests could dig right in. After some colorful toasts, Soul Expressions kept everyone on the dance floor. Instead of cake Emily and Paul served mini desserts, cookies and donuts, and as guests were leaving, they were treated to some yummy subs from Taylor Gourmet.

Enjoy these fab pics from Leo Druker - such a great event!

Emily and Paul's Vendors:

Wedding Planner: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue: The Whittemore House

Caterer: Main Event Catering

Florist: Studio DBI

Photographer: Leo Druker

Ceremony Music: Anthem

Reception Band: Soul Expressions

Uplighting: Frost Lighting

Sandhya and Steve's Alexandria, VA Wedding at Torpedo Factory

Sandhya and Steve were basically my first clients upon moving to DC and launching The Plannery. So I’m not gonna lie, I have a soft spot for these two. Sandhya was one of those brides that was convinced she was a bridezilla and was in fact my dream client: super smart, super savvy, super fun, super sweet and deeply in love (I’m a romantic, what can I say?). She and Steve were so much fun to work with - from tastings to photographer meetings to walk throughs to the day-of. Plus it didn't hurt that they lived near my neighborhood and frequented my favorite Mexican restaurant - so obviously they had great taste.

They got married in one of my favorite venues, The Torpedo Factory. The Torpedo Factory is in my hood (whassup Alexandria!!) and is modern, funky, non-traditional, and very fun. As you shall see. The day was captured by the ever-awesome Leo Druker.

Sandhya is half-Indian so while she didn’t do an official (epic) Indian wedding, she did want to incorporate elements into her ceremony and the reception and I thought she did a beautiful job. She wore the white sari her mother wore on her wedding day, and her uncle did a traditional blessing as part of the ceremony (those garlands… THOSE GARLANDS. sigh). And can we just say that my new favorite way to end a ceremony is with a high-five?? BEST.

After the ceremony they did some beautiful portraits in Old Town and by the waterfront.

Then Sandhya changed into her RAD reception dress (let’s hear it for non-white dresses, ladies!), and sat down for a great meal. After the speeches, her sister played a song for them on her violin - so lovely!

They kicked off their dancing with a ridiculously awesome first dance to Fly Me To The Moon.

Dancing and partying ensued thanks to Evan from MyDeejay.

And the night ended as only the most amazing wedding can end: with an impromptu push-up contest.

Sandhya and Steve's vendors:

Event Planning: Katie Wannen, The Plannery

Venue: The Torpedo Factory

Photographer: Leo Druker

Caterer: Main Event

Music: Evan from MyDeejay