So it's no secret that I'm not an award winning blogger-hence the reason I am just now posting about a September 2011 wedding. Whatever. We all have our flaws!
This wedding was very special to me, as I have known the bride since I was 5 years old. We grew up in the same neighborhood in Annapolis, and my childhood best friend lived across the street from Courtney. My family moved away, and Courtney and I lost touch until we started running into each other at the bar during college breaks. We stayed in touch via Facebook, and when she got engaged, she hired the best wedding planner on the planet (me). I was SO excited to reconnect with Courtney and her family, and had so much fun during the planning process. Her mother is one of the funniest people I know, and I just adore their whole family!
Courtney met her now husband, Robb, during an annual summer tradition in Annapolis...the south river raft up. For those of you not in the know...it's just an excuse for everybody to go out on their boats and day drink. Courtney and Robb both grew up in the area, and had lots of mutual friends. They quickly fell in love, he popped the question, and they started planning their big day. The final 3 months before the wedding, they moved to Texas where Robb is a Naval Student Aviator training to be a jet pilot. This meant all final details were planned via phone, e-mail, and her mother and I going to meetings with vendors. Thank God for technology!
The groom and his guys. So dapper!
Courtney wanted a very sophisticated, modern wedding, and she wanted to add a nautical element as a nod to their Annapolitan upbringing. We achieved this by going modern with the wedding decor, and modern/nautical in the paper (invites, menus, etc). We went with a scheme of fuchsia and navy blue, with accents of silver and white. During the cocktail hour, an electric violinist played, which was truly amazing (La Femme/Elan Artists). The band was also contracted through Elan Artists...The Source is an AMAZING wedding band that had everyone on the dance floor all night. They played everything from classic songs to Beyonce! Lovely Day Photo Works provided a fabulous photo booth complete with props that was a hit with the guests.
Makeup and Hair was done by Ashley Riddle and her amazing team at Up-Do's for I Do's. I think every bride should feel like a celebrity on her wedding day, and having a team of professionals pamper the bride and bridal party in their hotel suite is the best way to achieve that.
The bridesmaids wore the Lula Kate "Zoe" dress in fuchsia silk dupioni. The dress was chic and fun, definitely a great party dress!
I had the privilege of working with some of the BEST vendors in the industry. The ceremony was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in historic Annapolis, which is absolutely breathtaking. The reception was held at the Westin Annapolis, one of the newest and most fabulous venues in the area. Laura Fosler, the coordinator at the Westin, was an absolute dream to work with, and she made sure everything on her end was executed flawlessly. The staff at the Westin was so amazing to work with, every single one of them was polite, courteous, and able to fix any issue that arose within minutes.
Such a STUNNING bride!
The flowers were done by Janet Flowers, an award winning event design firm based in Rockville. I cannot say enough good things about the flowers...they were chic, modern, and so glamorous. There were several different designs for the centerpieces, which I absolutely LOVE because it is so visually pleasing and not predictable.
The escort card table was so lush and sophisticated
The lighting was done by Party Plus Baltimore, another absolutely amazing team of talented people. The whole room was washed in pink, with accent walls done in a hot pink. The tables had pinspot lighting to highlight the gorgeous centerpieces.
Linens and chiavari chairs were provided by Rentals To Remember in Annapolis. I absolutely love working with Roberto, his team is so fabulous. There was a particular linen that I just knew we HAD to have for the tables...it was a textured navy blue fortuny linen, that mirrored the texture in the wave walls that the Westin has in their ballroom. This wasn't a linen that Roberto normally had in stock, so he went above and beyond to secure it for us.
The cake from Sweet Bakery in Baltimore was to die for...see the flowers? I placed those! Skills I tell ya.
The candy bar we created was a HIT!
Courtney making her entrance in her reception dress to Ru-Paul's "Supermodel" WORK!
Courtney's brother John, whom I absolutely LOVE, and yes, that is J.Lo's manager, Benny Medina, sitting next to him. I am an A-list event planner, obvi.
I love that Courtney paired her fabulously feathered reception dress with Christian Louboutin Swarovski crystal encrusted shoes. DIVINE!
My favorite photo, taken at the end of the night. So Hollywood glam!
Ceremony- St. Mary's Church, Annapolis
Reception- The Westin, Annapolis
Hair/Makeup- Up-Do's For I Do's, LLC
Lighting- Party Plus Baltimore
Linens/Chairs- Rentals to Remember
Band- The Source/Elan Artists
Photography/Videography- Bella Pictures
Photobooth- Lovely Day Photo Works
Flowers- Janet Flowers Wedding & Event Design
