Wine-y Weddings

We’ve had a lot of clients who are wine lovers and want to somehow incorporate their appreciation into their big day. So in honor of National Wine Day (who knew?), today we’re talking wine. Whether it’s just for your toast, or it’s the backdrop of your wedding, here are some of our favorite wine-y weddings!

Getting married in a Vineyard. Like, actually IN it

Photo by Anne Lord Photography

If you’re looking for an outdoor ceremony, a vineyard can be absolutely stunning and romantic. Like the wedding above, at Stone Tower Winery, outdoor ceremonies can provide beautiful backdrops and lots of gorgeous photo opportunities, too!

Wineries make gorgeous backdrops

Photo by Robinson Imagery

Here in the DC area we’re lucky to have a lot of nearby wineries. For those who want a gorgeous outdoor venue beyond the ceremony, wineries are still a wonderful option to consider. Not only do you get to drink some great local wine, but you also get beautiful photo opps (like the above, at King Family Vineyard in Charlottesville).

DC makes great wine

Photo by Mason Photography

Like wine but don’t like the country? DC has an option for that, too. Enter District Winery, a stunning venue right by the water that offers gorgeous views, great wine, but a more urban feel!

Wedding Wine Tastings

Photo by DuHon Photography

If you want your guests to participate in your love for wine, I encourage adding a wine tasting to your cocktail hour or event your reception! Some couples offer tastings to guests along with their hors d’oeuvres, while others sometimes include it in the actual meal, like a wine and cheese pairing.

Bubbly is wine, right?

Photo by Love Life Images

…and don’t forget the champagne! If you’d rather save all the sparkling wine for yourself, make sure you have some special bubbly ready for you and your wedding party either before or after the ceremony.

Wedding Cocktails

Photo by Rhinehart Photography

In honor of World Cocktail Day, we’re talking about how to have some fun with your wedding cocktails and cocktail hour!

Shaken or Stirred?

Photo by Shandi Wallace

Cocktails are a fun way to add some small details and a dash of fun. This couple chose to create personalized cocktail stirrers to play into their wedding theme. Whether it’s umbrellas, crazy straws, or monogrammed cocktail napkins, you can add your own twist (get it?) to your cocktails during cocktail hour.

Showcase your favorite spirit

Photo by DeNeuva Photography

A lot of folks personalize things by showcasing and sharing their favorite spirit with their guests. Whether it’s a whiskey bar, a martini bar, tequila tasting, what have you - it’s a great way to make your cocktail hour feel like YOU - and share a little of your favorite thing with your guests.

Share a sip with your new spouse

Photo by Go Kate Shoot

I always encourage couples to have a moment alone after the ceremony. The rest of the day - although fun - will be hectic and often chaotic. So why not grab a drink with your new spouse, relax and enjoy the moment?

Signature Cocktail

Photo by Shandi Wallace

This is an oldie but a goodie - most caterers offer to provide signature cocktails at the bar for free. And it’s especially fun to have each couple choose their own to reflect their own favorite!

Why Wedding Planning is about Mental Health

Photo by Margaret Wroblewski

We don’t often think about weddings and mental health. But because this is mental health month, I thought I’d take a moment to talk about why weddings, and wedding planning in particular, are actually connected to your mental health.

I hadn’t made this connection until recently, when we decided to take a look back at the many reviews and input we’ve received from our clients over the years. And what suddenly became apparent was that nearly all reviews talked about how we made them FEEL.

“Unlike many of our friends, my (new!) husband and I thought wedding planning was super fun and did not find it stressful. ”

— Emily and Paul

“my husband and I were actually able to enjoy our wedding from start to finish—we were able to eat, drink and dance all night, not having to worry about the little details.”

— Rebecca and Andrew

“I truly felt like I could sit back and enjoy my wedding and not have to worry and that is the best feeling.”

— Kylene and Tony

And those feelings often had to do with stress and worry. And stress? Stress can be a huge trigger for poor mental health.

Now I’m not in any way saying our expertise as wedding planners can compare with a therapist or mental health professional! Heeeeeeck no. But. The wedding planning process can bring up a LOT. You’re navigating decision making with your new partner, sometimes for the first time. You may be navigating difficult family dynamics. You’re looking at budgets and money and finances, which can sometimes cause stress. Not to mention the ridiculous and abnormal stress society at large puts on this ONE BIG DAY (which I call bullshit on BTW).

So whether it’s one of us at The Plannery or not, I urge you to hire vendors and wedding planners who make your life easier. Who take away the mental stress, rather than add to it. Who help you FEEL good, both during the planning and on your wedding day. We all need to take care of ourselves these days, so please think about your mental health as you begin your wedding planning journey.

Jordan and Zachary's Dockmaster Building DC Winter Wedding

Photo by Bee Two Sweet

I love me some winter weddings, especially on the water. This stunning bride and groom were dressed to impress as they cemented their love in classic Jewish tradition at the breathtaking Dockmaster Building, one of the awesome event spaces that the Wharf in DC can provide. One of my favorite touches: The couple incorporated books, old and new, from their personal library…a cornerstone of their relationship - and even incorporated flowers from book pages in the bride’s hair and bouquet!

Congratulations to Jordan and Zachary! Enjoy the spectacular captures from Brittany at Bee Two Sweet Photography 

Jordan and Zachary’s Vendors:

Wedding Coordinator: Tarra Morgan, The Plannery

Venue: Dockmaster Building

Caterer: Main Event Caterers

Photographer: Bee Two Sweet

Florist: She Loves Me

Cake: Buttercream Bake Shop

Hair/Make-up: TC Beauty

Rainy Day Weddings

Photo by Jess Latos Photography

As we start to look ahead towards the Spring, I was thinking about all the spring showers that are ahead of us - and how upset brides and grooms often get thinking about rainy wedding days. But we’ve had plenty. And not only do they always end up as great wedding days - they also make for some beautiful photos and memories! Enjoy some of the photos below if you’re worried about the rain - they may change your mind!

Photo by Breanne Furlong

Photo by DuHon Photography

Photo by Mantas Kubilinskas Photography

Photo by George Street Photo

Photo by Mary Sandoval Photography

Photo by Shandi Wallace

Photo by Andrew Morrell Photography

Why we don't make your wedding decisions for you

Photo by Ayesha Ahmad Photography

“She doesn't force her opinion on anyone, but gives amazing, decisive advice when you ask for it.”

- one of our recent clients about our lead planner, Rebecca O’Donnell

We get this feedback a lot from our clients. And this is one of the major factors in figuring out what kind of a wedding planner you’re looking for. Do you want a planner who is going to take the reigns entirely and make decisions for you, or one who will assist you in making wedding decisions? Neither one is better or worse. It’s about what’s right for you.

Here at The Plannery, we won’t make wedding decisions for you. We not only believe it’s YOUR money to spend (therefore your decision), but most importantly, we always want our clients weddings to reflect their values and their priorities - not OURS.

So what do we do if we don’t make wedding decisions? We help make those decisions easier. We listen to you. We help you figure out what your values and priorities are to begin with! We then narrow down your options when it comes to vendors and other wedding planning decisions. Not to mention, we keep it practical in terms of helping you see which decisions are even possible when it comes to your wedding budget.

Some folks are so busy that they actually want someone to make final decisions for them. Some really want to hear what is on-trend and just do whatever that is for their wedding. And again - that’s great if it’s right for you! But we are not those planners. We take our cues from you, listen, help you clarify your vision, desires and priorities, and then make the decision making process easy.

Which one is right for you?

Lion Birthday Party

In the time of COVID, outdoor birthday parties are still a thing (especially for my youngest, who still isn’t eligible for the vaccine). So we had to get creative again this year (and also pray for good weather!). We decided to use the outdoor pavilion at Chinquapin Park in Alexandria, so that in case of bad weather, we still had some cover :)

She’d asked for a lion theme. Not Lion King. Not Lion Guard. Just plain old “Lion.” So I, too, got to be a bit creative! We decided to go for a jungle theme - I got some very fun jungle leaves on Amazon to play with, and bought a variety of colors of items for our outdoor breakfast (bagels and coffee - I think the parents were very happy!). We had yellow, orange, green and pink items and balloons and streamers.

The most fun part was we bought all the kids lion ears to play with at the party and take home. We also did some face painting! I DIY’d a lion cub bean bag toss which ended up working out quiet well for some outdoor activities. And I also DIY’d the lion cub cupcake toppers which were super fun and cute!

So overall - a success I think. Outdoor parties can be tough, but keeping things simple and fun (and keeping in mind back up plans for bad weather!) makes it fairly easy.

I think it was a roaring success ;)

Wedding Transportation

Wedding transportation can seem like one of the more boring and logistical elements of your wedding day, but we’ve had some fun forms of transportation over the years by couples who chose to add a bit of fun! Take a look below for some fun wedding transport options to consider:

Pedicab to your reception

Photo by Stephen Gosling

We loved this couple that chose to have a pedicab bring them from their ceremony over to their reception. It’s a great option in an urban area, especially DC!

Vintage Cars

Photo by Love Life Images

Photo by Bee Too Sweet

Photo by Casey Crowe Taylor

The style of car can differ, but no matter the style, a vintage car is always a classy and fun way to add a little something to your wedding day. Some of our clients opt for the older, traditional car - while others sometimes opt for the slightly more funky Cadillac!

Wedding Sightseeing Trolley

Photo by Michael O’Snyder

If you’re getting married in DC, you might as well take advantage of it and show your guests a good time! This couple gave their guests a late-night sightseeing monument tour post-reception on a trolley! I adore this idea - and it makes for some great photo ops as well!

Hoof it on Foot

Photo by Edward Underwood

And finally, some folks keep it old school and walk! I’ve had several couples embrace how close their ceremony is to their reception and have a short “parade” of sorts to walk everyone over to the reception. Weather dependent? - yes. But cheap and fun? - definitely!

How to Honor Those Dearly Departed At Your Wedding

Sadly, weddings are often a reminder of those who are not able to attend. As wedding planners, we are often asked about ideas - how can we honor our loved ones? Whether it be a parent, grandparent, or other close family member who has passed, there are many f thoughtful ways to honor ones you’re thinking of and missing on your wedding day.

Save a Seat for Your Loved One

Photo by Photo Lady Love

We’ve had many couples choose to reserve a seat for their loved one, even though they’re not there in person. Some choose to put candles on the chair, signs recognizing who is missing, or as in the wedding above - a flower.

Include Loved Ones In Your Ceremony

Photo by Jessica Latos Photography

The most comment way we’ve had folks include those who have passed is to include them in their ceremony. Often the officiant mentions them and may ask for a moment of silence. Other times their names are included in the ceremony program. But my favorite way was in the wedding above, in which the bride and the groom held a private memorial honoring departed family members prior to the ceremony. With their closest loved ones present, they carefully placed marked roses within their gorgeous DIY chuppah.

Honor Them Through your Taste Buds

Photo by Shandi Wallace

We’ve seen many couples make thoughtful cuisine choices as a nod to their loved ones. My favorite was the above wedding that featured a Polish cookie table in honor of her Grandmother.

Carry Them With You

Photo by Photo Lady Love

Many brides opt to include small charms or photos within their bouquets as a way to carry their dearly departed with them, and keep them close always. I adore this option - it’s such a meaningful and beautiful way to help folks feel less alone and feel as though their family is with them - always.

Let Photos Do the talking

Photo by Jessica Crews

The most common way is to include photographs of those who have passed as a way to remember and honor them. Lots of folks choose to use wedding photos as a way to honor love through the ages!

Wedding travel inspiration! How to incorporate travel or locations into your wedding day

We previously posted about how to incorporate an extra dose of your love of music into your big day. But what if your and your partners passion is travel? Or what if you really want to share your hometowns with your guests, or get them excited about the location of your wedding? Today we’re talking about how to incorporate a love of travel, or a love of a particular place, into your big day. See below for more inspo!

Serve regional specialties to your guests!

Want to share part of your hometown or a particular place with your guests? Serve them some of that regions special food or treats! We’ve had lots of weddings that included Ohio buckeyes, and also had someone serve “Reception Sticks” - treats from Missouri that were originally created for a wedding!

Photo by Love Life Images

Photo by Amanda Gilley

Put your wedding on the map

There are lots of fun map options when it comes to weddings, and we’ve seen a lot - our favorites are using a map for your guest seating chart, or having guests sign a globe for your guest book!

Photo by Chris Zarconi

Photo by Reinhart Photography

Travel Related Centerpieces

One of my favorite clients drew inspiration from their own travels to all the national parks for their own wedding. They decided to name each table after a national park, and even had the florist create different arrangements to represent each park! Another couple named each table after a metro stop in the area - and had their menus designed as a metro map as well! So creative…

Photo by Chris Zarconi

Wave your flag!

We’ve seen lots of couples incorporate a place’s flag into their wedding in one way or another. Signing a flag or art of a flag is a great idea for your guest book:

Photo by Mathy Shoots People

Make Travel Functional at your Wedding

We’ve had several couples add a little travel-related touch to very functional items: including cocktail napkins, and boxes for programs!

Photo by Rhinehart Photography

Photo by George Street Photo