Continuing on from Wednesday and last week, I wanted to show you the details from Caitlin and Dan’s reception.  The above is simply one of my favorite designs from 2011.  We used plums inside the vase with orchids as well.  The orchids and hanging votives created such a stunning effect at night.

We placed little keepsakes of rosemary and wheat for each place setting.  The wheat symbolizes fertility and the rosemary symbolizes fidelity!

The gorgeous cake designed by Design Cuisine!

In addition to the cake, Design Cuisine also made a gorgeous dessert bar!

The day of the wedding we were all so worried about the snow, but I think Caitlin and Dan would agree – it made for remarkable and beautiful portraits for them!

Congrats to Caitlin & Dan!

Have a great weekend!

Photography by Greg Gibson

We gave you a sneak peek of Caitlin and Dan’s snowy wedding last Friday…here is the second installment!  As the snow and the rain fell down throughout this Saturday in October, we knew we would have to use the backup tent!  So we jazzed it up with our hanging glass lanterns in jewel tones and set up the ceremony chairs along with fun lounge furniture.

We loved designing her beautiful bridal bouquet with purple calla lilies, dianthus, purple delphinium and red cymbidium orchids.

We are still so in love with their purple umbrella!  Stay tuned…on Friday we will show more details from the reception inside the Meridian House!

Photography by Greg Gibson 

Want something different for your Valentine’s Day?  Just let us know what you want to send or receive!!  We take care of everything from plants and roses to fun jars with candy or gum for your sweetheart!  Make your order by this Friday and get $10 off!!!  Call or email us today:

inquiries@eleganceandsimplicity.com

301.656.5560

Photo credits:

1st Row – Documentary Associates and The Observatory 

2nd Row – Documentary Associates

3rd Row – Us!

Here is just a quick sneak peek for the weekend for a wonderful wedding we can’t wait to showcase next week!  Remember when it snowed back in October?  Yep!  Caitlin and Dan do too!  Love this shot of them by Greg Gibson that day!  Stay tuned and have a wonderful weekend!

Green glam up your aisle with Eco Armani!  Both Colin and Livia Firth had their tux and dress made with recycled bottles at the Golden Globe awards!

Check out Livia’s dress – amazing!  Perfect mother of the bride dress and Colin’s tux is perfect for any groom!  Take a cue from the Golden Globes on how to glam up your wedding and still stay green!

One of the biggest trends in flowers for 2012 weddings is all about the color green!  There are tons of ways to use green in your bouquet.  The above bouquet has folded green leaves, green hypericum berries, Belles of Ireland and Emerald roses along with eucalyptus.  One of our favorite bouquets from last year!

Other beautiful green flowers and accents are hellebores, hydrangea, seeded eucalyptus, green beading, zinnias, succulents, mums, coxcomb, calla lilies, orchids, bupleurum, lotus pods and so much more!!

(photo by Kimberly Williams)

We are thrilled to be named once again among the top 5% of wedding vendors by Wedding Wire with their Bride’s Choice Award for 2012!

…something new…something blue…

Yep – it is finally here!  Wedcoupon is launching in February and it is the first ever coupon site for weddings both nationally and locally!  Think of it as your Groupon site sprinkled with Gilt City for engaged couples!  Want to be the first in line to see when it goes live in February?  Be sure to click on the logo above and sign up!

We are thrilled to announced that we were chosen as a Bayside Bride Handpicked vendor for floral designers!  We have done a lot of weddings on the Eastern Shore and Bay area and we love all the details of doing fun weddings in Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay!  Here is a fun smattering of photos from weddings we did on the bay and Annapolis this past year!

Top two photos taken by Matt Mendelsohn 

There is usually no shortage of kissing at weddings – but these are some of our favorite kiss photos over the past few years!

Enjoy!

Photos (left to right, top to bottom): Kathy Blanchard at Rust Manor, Jennifer Hughes at the Engineer’s Club in Baltimore , Documentary Associates at Decatur House and Lafayette Square, Mary Kate KcKenna at Thorpewood, Love Life Images at the Ourisman Family Home, K. Thompson Photography at Brookside Gardens

For those of you who have been wondering – Katie had her baby girl on December 14th!  And yesterday was Katie’s bday!

Happy Birthday to Katie and we welcome Elena Marina Vasquez to the Elegance & Simplicity team!

(photo by Documentary Associates)

We are so excited about the war ending in Iraq and we are hoping that a lot of service men and women are finally coming home and ready to tie the knot in our nation’s capital!  We have been offering a military discount since day one!  So – if you or your fiance is in the military – do not hesitate to let us know so we can extend our discounts to you so we can do our part in giving thanks for your service!

(photo by Documentary Associates)

We are thrilled to be named one of the best wedding planners and floral designers for the DC area by Washingtonian Bride & Groom for 2012!  We have been on their list since 2005 and we are honored!!

We are looking forward to another year filled with beautiful, romantic, quirky, whimsical, vintage, sassy, incredible and amazing weddings with you!!

(photo by Documentary Associates)

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/washingtonian-bride-groom/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/lo-boheme-2/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/lo-boheme-2/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:30:12 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=6285

Get a jump start on your planning and get to Lo Boheme to check out their new selection of headpieces for your spring nuptials!!!

Happy New Year to all of you from our families here at Elegance & Simplicity!  We look forward to serving you in the coming year!

(Edible toppers from Etsy)

So you just got engaged!  Congrats!  You have the engagement ring – now its time to get those bands!  Make sure you go green with your bands as it is super important for the environment!

If you love buying online - Brilliant Earth is the way to go!  They are the most reliable eco-retailer for conflict-free diamonds on the internet.

Keeping it green locally means finding a company that does everything locally and does not buy from conflict miners and does the craftsmanship here!  Our favorite and only recommendation for this is Dominion Jewelers!  A small shop in Falls Church that makes jewelry for other larger stores in the area and keeps the price low for their direct customers.  Ethical and easy to work with!!!  Be sure to ask for Carol or Marsha!  Set up an appointment with Carol and tell her we sent you by emailing her at carol@dominionjewelers.com!

Congratulations on your engagement – let us know where you got your ring and how you are keeping it green!

If you are about to start that new training or exercise program to get buff for your wedding day…getting those new shoes are in order.  Don’t just throw away or donate the old ones…recycle them with Nike’s shoe recycling program - click here for more details!  Old sneakers get made into new shoes, basketball courts, football fields and more!

So your honey got you that new smart phone for the holidays – don’t just throw the old phone in the trash or in the drawer – recycle it!  Recelullar will actually buy your old to resell it – so go beyond just recycling there!  Or you can straight donate it to them and they will send your old phone to soldiers overseas!!  Believe it or not millions of cell phones just get thrown in the trash!!!

So you decided to finally get those new swanky eyeglasses!  Donate your used ones at One Sight – help give others the gift of sight!!!  They make sure that various retailers redistribute your used glasses to the needy!

Got the latest new laptop for the holidays?  Donate your old one to your local school program through the EPA’s community program.  Find out where you can donate here!

Tell us how you are donating this holiday season to inspire others!

Wishing you and your families the best Christmas ever as you spend the holidays with your new families!

(Banner from Etsy)

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/merry-christmas-2/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/halcyon-house-wedding/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/halcyon-house-wedding/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:30:13 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=6259

Here is our final installment of photos from Lillian and Henry’s wedding at Halcyon House from their very talented photography Ken Luallen!

We loved her beautiful stationery!  We decorated the trellis with simple greenery and white lisianthus.

It was such a gorgeous day with so many beautiful and interesting details!

Congrats again to Lillian and Henry!

Let’s face it – some of you want kids at your wedding and some of you don’t!  It’s pretty much one or the other.  If you fall into the “Well – we don’t want kids at our wedding,  but my brother has a baby and a toddler that I really want to be present” category – then there will be at least some kids at your wedding.

No matter what – kids somehow make it to weddings – either with babysitters at hotels or just at the rehearsal.  Here are a few gifts for the little ones that are coming to your wedding that are easy on the environment and will show how much you love the little ones that do come!

(above is our favorite little organic grape plush toy from Pure and Little!

Having an outdoorsy wedding?  This cute wooden tractor from The Wooden Wagon is perfect for the little guys!!!

We love these bags and bean bags from Cocoon Couture!  Handmade and perfect for your flower girl or Junior Bridesmaid!

Of course with the holidays here – you can always send  a gift like these in the mail reminding them about how excited you are to have them in your wedding!
Tell us what you are planning for your ring bearer or flower girl gifts!!

Don’t forget to check out our own Katie Martin’s Editor-in-Chief’s picks in the current issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine!!!  We just love this purse (made from all biodegradable materials!)

The Winter 2012 Issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine is live!  Click on the cover to see!!!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/eco-beautiful-weddings-winter-2012-issue-is-live-2/feed/ 1 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/wedding-drink-style/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/wedding-drink-style/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:30:05 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=6219

A few of our favorite drinks from over the years…

Ginger lime mojitos from Design Cuisine with our straw escort card tags in Stewarts Soda Bottles – Photos by Kathy Blanchard

Wonderful Cocktail concoctions from Farmers & Fishers from our article in Eco-Beautiful Weddings – Photos by The Obsvervatory

Cucumber water station from Main Event Caterers (photo by K. Thompson Photography) with sodas from our Green Wedding Giveaway (Photo by Documentary Associates + The Observatory)

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/wedding-planning/wedding-drink-style/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/floral-designs/purple-green-and-black-wedding/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/floral-designs/purple-green-and-black-wedding/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:30:42 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=6206

Did you see the gorgeous mandap we did for Beejal’s wedding in the last post??? We just love the landscape that we designed for Beejal’s wedding at the Ronald Reagan Building in November!  We designed her bouquets with rich eggplant mini calla lilies and green hypericum berry accents.  Her bridesmaids bouquets had local hydrangea with calla lilies and astrantia.

We provided purple and black linens to go with our tall rectangular vases filled with submerged mini calla lilies with green beads inside.  We had our signature manzanita branches with hanging green glass votives and purple orchid accents.  Floating above our our purple, green and black paper lanterns!

Then – the talk of the night – our elephant decor design!

Congrats to Beejal + Ben!!!

Can’t wait to show you the photos from this wedding!  One of our gorgeous weddings at the Ronald Reagan Building that we did in November!  Above is our mandap with curly willow, delphinium and orchids going up the sides along with our gold aisle aisle runner and stage cover.  We also provided the floating candles and orchids.

Gorgeous fun wedding cake from The Knot with orange drink stirrers from Bab’s Etsy Shop

Our own gloriosa lily bouquet with our in-house lanterns (photo by Roman Grinev)

Fabyan Orange Gown via Wedding Inspirasi with beautiful earrings from Rachelle’s Jewelry Box

Orange Brocade Kitten Heels from BHLDN with our menus and orchids (photo from Documentary Associates)

I can’t wait until we get the professional photos back as my photography skills simply cannot show how beautiful Caitlin’s bridal bouquet was!  While Caitlin’s wedding was on that snowy rainy day in October – it was still an absolutely gorgeous wedding!  I made her bridal bouquet with dark purple mini calla lilies, dianthus, red cymbidium orchids and purple delphinium.

The bridesmaids bouquets had terra cotta roses with calla lilies.

Since we had to have the ceremony outside in the tent – we went all out hanging clear, gold and jewel toned glass lanterns for a whimsical and romantic feel.

Entrance decor with calla lilies and curly willow.

The taller centerpieces had cylindrical glass vases filled with plums and orchids with manzanita branches artfully places with hanging votives and orchid accents.

Then for the low centerpieces – we custom designed low reclaimed wood boxes filled with moss, calla lilies, lavender and wheat.  We also added these new wooden frames to our inventory!

I can’t wait to get the photos from Greg Gibson!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Here is a sneak peek from the wedding we did when it snowed back in October!!!  This is the aisle decor we used – which I loved!  Manzanita branches with rosemary and calla lilies…This jewel-toned wedding is not to be missed!