A PLANNERS LIFE

We are moving :)

2010-06-04T17:45:00.002-04:00

Working Brides has updated the main website and in doing so we have integrated the blog onto the site :)

So please take a peek at the new site and update your RSS feeds to our new location!!

http://workingbrides.com/wp/blog/

Thanks,
T~

Color Palette Thursday

2010-06-03T18:09:00.005-04:00

So today we have something romantic and soft, yet fun and preppy!! Can't you see this palette and plaid print on your invite, bridesmaids dresses, menus etc. Just darling!!

Bridesmaids in sweet yellow dresses and a plaid sash :) I am in L O V E!! Ohh and your MOH can have on pink and do the sash in a more yellow than pink sash, so cute!

T~

Happy Anniversary!!

2010-05-30T23:42:00.002-04:00

This is a Happy Anniversary shout out to Reema & Jigar Patel :) They celebrate One Year tomorrow!!!

Wishing you another fantastic year,
T~

Blog Features :)

2010-05-29T13:40:00.005-04:00

This week Working Brides was featured on the TWO hottest South Asian wedding sites :) It is certainly a great start to the day when you go to read your morning paper (wink wink) and see your work and gorgeous clients on the first page!!! It was also so cool to see that the Maharani wedding was a FAV wedding of mine from last year. It was Aarathi & Ramsey who just celebrated their 1 Year Anniversary!!!!!

Take a peek at what was featured on
South Asian Brides Magazine

&

Maharani Weddings

Thanks Ladies for the blog love :)

Since we were out of town this week we missed our Color Palette Thursday, but will make that up next week and we have a cool feature in the works :)

T~

Color Palette Thursday

2010-05-21T11:56:00.004-04:00

Ok so I am day late, you know I am not good at blogging, lol!!!

Today take a peek at this Summer Fun Pallette for an August bride :) She saw last weeks pallette but really needed it to have an extra pop!! So Claire what do you think of adding green and bringing the blue into a more beachy feel??

T~

Jen & Brad 3~20~10

2010-05-17T15:35:00.003-04:00

The first wedding of the year for Working Brides was for Jen & Brad!! Such a fantastic couple who began with a ceremony at their Alma Mater, the University of Maryland!! This is where the football star and cheerleader met and fell in love as well!

We were nervous about the weather throughout the entire planning process, but really lucked out w/ a FABULOUS day and evening!! The guests were able to enjoy cocktails on the patio at the Newton White Mansion which was a real treat for March.

One of my favorite parts of the reception was Jen changing into her white mini bridal dress, so stinking cute!!

Thanks to all my fab vendors!

Now kick back and enjoy a quick highlight video :)

The dress was adorable wasn't it?
T~

Artistic Difference
Beyond Imaginations
Up do's for I Do's
Red Velvet Cupcakery
Burrell Entertainment
Carriage House Catering

Color Palette Thursday

2010-05-13T21:19:00.003-04:00

This week I was thinking Fresh & Cool, so the teal and yellow were calling my name.

Can't you see it already this relaxing blue as your linen and the fresh, vibrant yellow flowers w/ a splash of white!! You can kick this up in the evening w/ blue lighting and the room will feel like the you are in the ocean

What can you do with these two colors??

T~

Sneak Peek @ Monica & Rahuls Wedding

2010-05-11T22:17:00.003-04:00

This past weekend OFFICIALLY started Working Brides 2010 wedding season!! We kicked it off with one of our amazing South Asian Weddings!! For Monica & Rahul's Punjabi wedding, they selected a color palette of Green and Pink!! I am happy to report that we had a sunny day in Frederick, but the craziest winds imaginable. On more than one occasion the mundap almost blow over and crashed on Partyland Flowers decorator Sachi Sood's head :( For those of you that don't know a mundap is an Indian ceremonial stage where the wedding takes place.

So my pics are horrible and sad to say I only took these few, lol!! Fortunately we had the incomparable Keith Cephus from Virgina Beach as our photog, so FAB pics are sure to surface soon!!

Yes thats an elephant ice luge :)

Happy planning,
T~

Color Palette Thursday

2010-05-07T21:53:00.005-04:00

Ok so I am a day late on Thursday color palette entry, but better late than never!! We have had a CRAZY week here at Working Brides so you have to forgive me, lol!!

So tomorrow we officially start wedding season and in spirit of that I give you a watermelon citrus color palette. Tomorrows bride Monica loved the idea of pink and green together so here is a twist on that adding a splash of bold yellow!! The combination of the shades of pink and green will be what truly help to make the colors pop!

Congrats in advance to Monica & Rahul, tomorrow will be spectacular!

T~

Color Palette Thursday

2010-04-22T16:47:00.003-04:00

Here at Working Brides we are constantly trying to come up w/ news ways to use color so that our clients can have a truly custom day. So play w/ color palettes quite a bit and have decided its time to share :) This is one I call Spring Fling!! Hope it brings a smile to your face and some inspiration for your day!!!

I love the having shades of pink/purple and splashing it up w/ the yellow and green. Then the hint of blue is just for some added fun and flair :) This may be a bit much for my Western brides, but it can certainly be tamed by losing a color or two. I am certain my South Asian brides can imagine the fun they can have incorporating these color throughout their many events.

T~

Summer Day Of Planning Sale

2010-04-18T11:35:00.002-04:00

This is to all you busy, detailed and organized brides, our "Brilliant Bride" Day Of package is on sale!!
You have planned away for the last 10-18 months, its time to release and allow your vision to play out w/ the help of a professional planner!! I know some of you think that your girl friend or Aunt will take care of the details on that day, but do they know what to do in crisis?? Are they equipped to handle stressful, on your feet thinking situations? Are you sure you want to find out??

Working Brides is offering $250 off the Brilliant Bride package for any Summer 2010 weddings.
Space is limited so you need to jump in now!!

T~

WEDDING NOUVEAU

2010-04-16T12:24:00.004-04:00

Hello Ladies,
It is such a gorgeous day today and I was lucky to get started early this morning meeting a new Bride Nikki!! She was super sweet, thanks to her for coming out so early today to meet me!! When I returned to the office I was happy to see Alisha & Marks wedding featured in a lovely spread on Wedding Nouveau!! Thanks so much to Fri Bailey over at Wedding Nouveau for taking the time to chat with me!! Alisha & Marks wedding will have be featured today and one day next week as well!

Let me tell you that this blog is such a great source for fun, different, and cultural weddings. I really enjoy the range of work that Fri shares with her readers and I am sure you will too!! So grab a beverage and take a peek :)

Happy FRIday :)

T~

ps Shout out to Partyland and Baltazar photos for helping make this wedding FAB!!

SitaGita

2010-04-14T13:20:00.003-04:00

What a nice surprise we had today when we were told the Woman over at SitaGita wrote up a column on Working Brides and and all we do :) SitaGita is new to us, so we really want to thank you ladies for taking the time to look into Working Brides and even more for writing us up!!! There first line reads
"Working Brides Wedding Planner is a name to reckon with in the field of wedding planning"
WOW, thanks, lol!!

Take a peek at there site, it is chock full of info:
http://sitagita.com/shaadi/arrangements/planners/working-brides.html

T~

Bridesmaids Dresses, what to do with it afterwards?

2010-04-08T22:28:00.004-04:00

So all you ladies still holding on to a bridesmaids dress or TWO, here is a solution or TWO!!

Hitched a bridal boutique in DC is taking used and dry cleaned gowns and they will them have them available for ladies that can not afford a gown.

OR

Turn your gorgeous gown into a throw pillow :)

Its tough to pay $200-500 for a gown you truly only wear once, so try coming up w/ a way to recycle :)

T~

Day of Planning on SALE!!

2010-03-30T16:28:00.005-04:00

ooh la la, Jewelry

2010-03-26T11:05:00.005-04:00

Ladies and Gents there is a new line of custom jewelry that you must check out!!
City Girl Accents has just hit the airwaves and they are HOT!!!

Brides if you are looking for custom jewelry for your Bridesmaids and Mothers this is the place to go. They haven't launched the bridal portion as yet, but it is soon to follow. I have a few pieces of my own already :)

...and they have the new "Pandora" charm bracelets. they are even having Charm Bracelet parties, where you can invite a bunch of ladies over and make your own bracelet!! Such a great idea and great excuse to hang out with girls, drink wine and leave w/ a keepsake, lol!!

Take a peek at a few of their items, which can be purchased on Etsy!!

This last pic is a choker and is oh so cute ( I have this as well)!!

For the bridesmaids, take a peek at one of my pieces City Girl made :) Ignore pic quality, but these can be necklaces as well and in any color you can imagine to match your color palette

Stop by their Etsy shop :)

T~

FREE SAVE THE DATES!!!

2010-03-23T12:30:00.004-04:00

Hello Ladies, and have I got something for you today :)
Jean M invites is GIVING away up to 75 free Save the Date invites, yes I said it FREE!!! It is for a limited time so move now if you can.

Check out this link and all you have to do is sign up. This is for a limited time and only a select few STD's but they have some cute ones.
http://www.myjeanm.com/index.cfm?ssource=linkshare&siteID=psP_j8p9pfM-WECPyDqQIhU1QidvCyGA0g

T~

Bouquet Love

2010-03-22T12:42:00.011-04:00

Today I have the task of searching for the "IT" bouquet for a late summer bride. So while I wait for a new client to drop by I figure I will share some of my findings with you :)

This is so stunning, the idea of a monochromatic bouquet really is a statement! This brides colors are purple, green and platinum and this is the "IT" bouquet to me!!

Pink & green is such a lovely combo!!

Not a big fan of cascading bouquets, but this one is to die for. Actually Danielle from last year had one similar! So elegant!

I am so in love w/ black Calla's even though they look purple, lol!!

I love the texture in this bouquet!!

Now ladies size really does matter!! This bouquet is lovely, but in the picture it looks far to big for this petite bride. When designing a bouquet the florist must take into consideration the holders size. Make sure that he or she takes that into account for you the Bride, but also for your bridesmaids. Since the BM's are not typically w/ you giving height and body structure to the florist is a must!

What are you thinking about for your bouquet? When looking for pics, don't discredit any due to color. Look at the shape, the types of flowers, the size and the design. Flowers come in many colors and varied shades so color will come to you, trust me.

Good Luck

T~

Forgive me I no not who designed the above bouquets, but if you see your work, please let me know so that I can give you credit!

CAKES, CAKES, CAKES

2010-03-15T13:30:00.016-04:00

So today I would really like to have a nice slice of Clara's Designer Cakes lemon cake :) Since I can't I decided to share pictures of delicious cakes with you!!! I am totally obsessed and in love w/ Clara's cakes so I will start with her designs and move in to some other favs around the country!!

This cake is so amazing, The Can Can Cake!! How can you not love the detail on this baby?? You can see how much love and time Clara puts into each and every cake!!

Pardon the coloring, but I loved this mini cakes that Clara did for a very small wedding we had last January. They were such a hit!!

Now this cake ran a close tie w/ Danielle cake, for my FAV CAKE OF THE YEAR!!! OMG, this is fantastic!! Clara really killed this one, and delivered it for me all the way to Ocean City!! Simply stunning!!

That wraps up Clara's GORG cakes!!! OMG is so AWESOME or what??

I totally heart this elegant cake below, so chic!!

href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__lwaWe_R41I/S55vmeAyCpI/AAAAAAAAAg4/c6Cdp7Ue9-E/s1600h/B+%26+W+CAKES.jpg">

The amazing Slvia Weinstock made this and boy its stunning!!

There is something really bold about this, and I like it, lol!!!

This humidor was done by one of Clara's fav cake designers Swank Cakes out of NC. This is such a fantastic grooms cake!! I mean you don't even want to slice into it!! Great job guys over at Swank!!

OSCARS, OSCARS, OSCARS

2010-03-08T12:38:00.013-05:00

Ok so the 2010 Oscars are officially over!! What a night it was, many may know that I am an actress and lived in LA for a few years, so I do LOVE the Oscars!! Surprisingly its mostly for the clothes, lol!! Here are a few for those of you that may have missed it...

One of my Favs is Vera Farmiga in Marchesa!! I LOVE this gown, the color, the 3D feel. Its FAB!!

Sandra looked great as well!! So genuine and heartfelt!!

Congrats to Monique!! You were amazing in Precious, you really WENT there!! Yea for MD!! I actually met Monique when I lived in LA and she really is so cool and chill and REAL!!

Love that Nicole is all gown up now, but lighten up a bit!! You look gorgeous, but a lil old!

There is something about this gown that I really like :) I know it may make many a bad lists, but I dig it, lol!!

Ok so the top of this gown is great!! Rock the bling Zoe, but for real the train.... OMG

This is a TRAIN WRECK!!!

Seriously Charlize, you know better!!! OUCH, terrible!!

and my WINNER for best Dressed, Best body, just BEST all around is to someone who wasn't even nominated. Demi Moore killed it in this Versace gown!!! My goodness what is this woman drinking, she looks AMAZING!! I don't know how old she is and that's the way it should be. She looks 33. Work it Demi :)

Who was your fav?

T~

Alisha & Marks Wedding Weekend

2010-03-06T22:43:00.002-05:00

Ok so I haven't done a video in awhile, so here is a fun one!!

Thanks to my fantastic vendors:
Baltazar Photography
Partyland Flowers
Mayflower Hotel
Dumbarton House
Marc Parc Valet
Sugarplum Tents
Hair by Giselle
Beauty Mark

Now grab some popcorn and enjoy the movie!! A small bag of popcorn, lol!!

T~

SAME SEX MARRIAGE GREEN LIGHTED IN DC!!

2010-03-04T22:13:00.003-05:00

I am so happy to say that our Nations Capitol has officially given the go for same sex couples to have the same marriage rights as everyone else!! Now to the rest of the USA, if the CAPITOL has said that ALL people deserve the right to marry, then the rest of our Nation should be ready to get on board as well :)

Carolyn Watson Photography

Working Brides is happy to help any and all same sex couples looking to get married in DC area!!

T~

Wish Upon a Wedding

2010-03-01T19:36:00.004-05:00

The purpose of Wish Upon a Wedding is to produce weddings and civil union ceremonies at destinations across the USA for terminally ill individuals, regardless of sexual orientation. With twenty chapters across the nation, we are ready to begin making dreams come true.

If you can help in anyway to this amazing cause please do!!

T~

2009 Knot Magazine Stats

2010-02-23T11:36:00.001-05:00

Just a little lite reading for all you busy brides :)

TOP 10 NATIONAL 2009 HIGHLIGHTS
1. TOP PRIORITIES: Venue, Band/ DJ and Photography: The bulk
of the average wedding
budget is still dominated by the reception venue ($12,838);
followed by the reception band and or DJ ($3,288 and $892 on
average); and photography ($2,444 on average).
2. WEDDING-RELATED EVENTS: Extra Parties and Extra Price Tags: Weddings
continue to become multiple-day affairs (average is three days).
Approximately 87% of couples had a rehearsal
dinner costing $1,163 on average and nearly 30% of couples
hosted an after-party the day of their wedding (an increase over
11.5% over 2008).
3. BUDGETS: Everyone's Contributing: In today's challenging
economic climate, the bride's parents are contributing
somewhat more to the wedding budget, on average (46% of the
budget, a 4.5% increase over 2008) followed by the bride and groom
(40% of the budget). Grooms' parents also contributed (12% of the
budget).
4. MUSIC: Couples Want a Bit of Everything: In 2009, couples
who hired a band chose a mix of music
styles, including oldies and pop (26%) followed by rock and
'80s (24% and 17%).
5. FORMALITY: Weddings Remain More Casual: Weddings continue to be
less formal with only 20% of weddings in 2009 being characterized
as "formal/black tie."
6. PLANNERS: Brides Still Turn to Professional Help: Of the
19% of brides who hire a professional
wedding planner, the results were split fairly evenly between
day-of coordination (48%) and full service (41%).
7. CAKE: Inventive New Flavors: Although traditional flavors like
vanilla and chocolate remain most popular (50%), couples are also
choosing more unusual flavors for their wedding
cakes such as lemon, cream cheese, and red velvet (13%,
10%, and 10% respectively).
8. COLORS: Brides Chose More Jewel Tones: Taking a cue from
the fashion runways, brides are increasingly incorporating more
jewel tones, like purple, into their weddings (a 50% increase over
2008) and forgoing historically popular shades like brown (a
decline of 19% over 2008).
9. WEDDING THEME: Brides Make It Unique: Over 29% of brides
incorporate a wedding logo or monogram into their wedding day
details; 15% include special signature cocktails at the reception
(a 25% increase from 2008).
10. DIY: Most Brides Have at Least One DIY Element: The average
number of DIY
elements was three; the top DIY categories were ceremony programs
(54%), favors (50%), and escort cards (44%).

SOURCE: The Knot Inc.

T~

Seena & Virens Westin Wedding

2010-02-14T18:56:00.005-05:00

Sorry I have been MIA :( I didn't realize I was gone so long, lol!!

Take a peek at Seena & Virens pink and blue wedding extravaganza!!!

As always thanks to my AWESOME vendors...
Timmester Photo
Event EQ
Partyland Flowers
Clara's Designer Cakes

Thanks to all,

T~

SOUTH ASIAN BRIDE MAGAZINE

2010-01-19T21:07:00.004-05:00

To all my South Asian Brides we have a new magazine just for you!!!!!

Finally a mag dedicated to the Indian bride who is modern, fashionable, and a trend setter who wants it all and can have :)

We are so excited about this beautiful new magazine and know you will be as well. You can subscribe to the mag in digital format or order the hard copy, me I choose both, lol!!!

Get a sneek peek on the main site for the premiere issue of the mag South Asian Bride :)

Also take a quick peek at Seena & Virens August '09 wedding featured on South Asian Brides new blog

T~

Also see our ad of the beautiful Reema on the first three pages!!

Saree's, Saree's, Saree's :)

2010-01-17T20:38:00.009-05:00

I have such a love for Indian weddings (duh you say, lol), naturally that means I love the clothes :) Recently I have been browsing the web looking for a FAB saree that I can wear to a Sangeet that my girls will work and I WILL PARTY at, lol!! I could use a lil help though, anybody have any opinions on these??

How is a girl to chose? I love the one with the gorgeous back out, VAVOOM :) That said the black & blue one is SICK!!! OMG, what to do??? Then the black & white print is FAB!!! Oh my....

T~

DC Wedding Workbook

2010-01-05T22:49:00.004-05:00

Hello all you newly engaged ladies, I am calling you :)
There is a new Workbook sold at Borders and Barnes & Noble called the DC Wedding Workbook, and it rocks!! This BOOK ( it really is a book) is full of work sheets to help you plan, budgets, checklists, etiquette etc. It is a cool, well thought out and I believe really helpful book. Not to mention my gorgeous bride & groom Lauren & John Schaefer are on the cover :)

I would pick one of these up!! Its not cheap, but a really smart buy, especially for those of you planning without a planner.

Happy Planning,
T~

Rathod/Shah Wedding

2009-12-27T20:41:00.008-05:00

Working with Nimisha and Gore was such a treat!!! They are the sweetest couple and Gore was one of my most involved grooms EVER!!! He was such support for Nimisha, he actually wanted to help. It was awesome to have a couple that had great vision and personality to match. They actually live in New Jersey so they had to make a few trips down here to MD, but were always ready to come when I needed them.

The weather was a huge concern on their September weekend, but truly all went well and the bride and groom glowed all day and night!! They even managed to get an extra 1/2 hour or so out of the DJ :) Thanks Jag from Event EQ for always taking care of my clients. You go above and beyond each any every event and I truly appreciate that!

We had the ever talented Eli Turner from Freed as the photog for the weekend and as always he rocks!! If you remember he did Nimisha & Gore's Engagement pics in NYC.

So now take a peek at Nimisha & Gore's big day :)

T~

Merry Christmas to all!!!

2009-12-24T15:11:00.003-05:00

As we wrap up the year here at Working Brides, I would like to thank all that have helped to make it a successful year!!! I am certain I need not mention my FAB brides, you all know who you are!!! There are also my AWESOME vendors, that make me look so darn good, here is a shout out to a few of my favs:

Blue Sky Films
Makeovers On Call
Clara's Designer Cakes
Beyond Imaginations
Partyland
My Dee Jays
Event EQ
Connor Studios
Baltazar Photo
Storymotions Photo
Keith Cephus Photo
John Rose Video
Chariots for Hire
Select Event Rentals
Musket Ridge
Stone Manor
Newton White Mansion
Timmester Photo
Jessica Del Vecchio Photo
Fiore Flowers

That is just a small portion of the talented vendors who make weddings happen, so to those I missed thanks to you as well!!!

Merry Xmas to all, be safe and enjoy!!!
T~

I heart Taylor Creative Props!!!

2009-12-14T19:10:00.007-05:00

I can not truly express how incredible the lounge, acrylic tables & chairs and bars that Taylor Creative carries!! They are soooo in tune with what is hot and trendy. Oh how I dream that they were based in DC (they are in NYC and do travel) so that I could use they on a regular basis.

Take a peek at some off their new inventory :)

I mean seriously, how chic are these??

Words can not express how I feel about this table and chair set!!

Oh I can't wait for my 2010 bride that is ready to walk down the path of Taylor Creative with me :)

T~

WHY??

2009-12-08T18:07:00.003-05:00

Yes that's the question we as planners get on a regular basis! I had completely forgotten that I had written these answers last year and posted them on my site. I know you are wondering how I forgot, well thats because it was tucked away in my site. So if I hadn't seen it I can imagine inquiring brides hadn't as well.

So here is the answer to that nagging question "Do I need a planners help? If so WHY??"

Why a professional wedding planner is a smart choice

Congratulations! You’re entering the most amazing time of your life, to be honest, probably the most stressful as well.
Many brides get so overwhelmed by the hard work and stress of planning a wedding that they hardly have time to enjoy it. And if you can’t enjoy it, what’s the point? Your wedding should be a blast!

Enjoying this wonderful experience is the single most important item on your to-do list. And that’s where we come in. As professional wedding planners, we have the knowledge, experience and connections to take care of the hard stuff.
Hiring us means you:
• Won’t have to spend days running all over town looking at venues
o A first-time bride will spend at least four to five hours searching for venues
o And then she’ll have to call the six to eight she actually likes, which takes another two or three hours
o Then she has to drive all over town to the three to five places that are available on her day, which adds another five hours…
o That’s a lot of time wasted when you consider a professional wedding planner can immediately narrow down your choices based on budget, capacity, and location
o A wedding planner will also schedule visits and handle the details—but only for the places that match what you’re looking for
• Can skip hours of research into hundreds of options that aren’t right for you
o Just consider the search for a DJ alone. With hundreds of DJs in the DC area, you could easily spend 10 hours trying to figure out which one’s right for your event. And unless you’ve actually worked with them before, you have no idea what you’re going to get. Nobody wants a cheesy, unprofessional DJ to ruin the biggest party of their life!
• Will have full access to our connections, knowledge, advice and experience
• Can be sure that Bridezilla won’t come anywhere near your wedding!
Hiring a wedding planner allows you to, in the words of Thoreau, “seize and enjoy the moment!”
Give us a call to set up a free consultation and find out how working with us can help you realize your dream wedding!

I hope this will help those of you ladies & gents that are wondering if help is needed!
T~

Sample Sale at Carine's Bridal :)

2009-12-02T17:17:00.004-05:00

Ok ladies here is a sale you don't want to miss!!! This weekend only at Carine's Bridal Atelier

Designer Bridal Gowns For As Low As $999
This Weekend Only!

Up to 75% off sample wedding gowns by
Carolina Herrera, Melissa Sweet, Monique Lhuillier, Reem Acra, Platinum Collection and more!

Carine’s Bridal Atelier of Georgetown is hosting their annual end of year Sample Sale Event on Sunday, December 6th from 12pm to 3pm.
Sample wedding gowns by top designers will
be on sale for up to 75% off retail prices—a fantastic savings for brides! Gowns will be
priced as low as $999 to $1899marked down
from original retail prices of $3000-$9000.
Gowns sold on a first come, first serve basis.

Date & Time: Sunday, December 6, 2009 (12pm–3pm)
Location: Carine’s Bridal Atelier, 1726
Wisconsin Ave NW, 2nd Fl., Washington, DC 20007

Phone: (202) 965-4696

Happy shopping,
T~

2009-11-27T23:20:00.003-05:00

Danielle is truly a special young woman!! She is a Lieutenant in the Marines, she has already been to Iraq and is heading back in a few months. She is an amazing woman and I so happy to now know her! Then there is Adam, quite impressive as well! He too is a Lt in the Marines and has also served in Iraq. Actually that is where there union began!

With that all said let me first thank them both for graciously serving our country! Thank you :)

Now on to their big day. it was August 15th 2009 and wow it was a BEAUTIFUL day! Dani, her mother, MIL and I selected her gown from Betsy Robinson and it was a perfect fit! Dani the marine was a stunning bride!

I had truly been awaiting this wedding all year because Dani fell in love w/ a design that I had been dying to sink my teeth into. Beyond Imaginations out did themselves on this one. On 6 of our reception tables we had 4 ft trees :) the extra touch was that the designers actually carved a huge banana leave and cascaded it on the outside of the vase, it was unreal. They also used asparagus to add life and texture to another tables trio of delight!! Everywhere you looked was a feast for your eyes. I am always beaming when a bride sees her reception space, but this day I was over the moon!!

We also had a GORG cake by Clara's Designer Cakes. The four tiered damask stenciled treat, was accented w/ a pair of labybug bride & groom. You see the bride lost her best friend a few years back and she loved ladybugs. So I asked Clara to create a ladybug out of gumpaste as a surprise. I had no clue she would take the extra step and create cute lil bride & groom ladybugs. It was a tearful surprise for Dani and I am certain her BF was smiling.

Thanks to Jeff of My Deejays, for rocking the house :) Also the awesome staff of Carriage House Catering for a FAB job!

Well I have gone on enough, take a peek at the video. I am getting better at this, lol!!

T~

Leena & Suneils Rain filled day!!

2009-11-19T14:20:00.003-05:00

Well, I know you are as shocked as I am, but I am keeping my promise and the Thursday blog is here!!! I even found a cool lil site that helped me to make a video :) Ok so its not that good and the music is terrible, but it was my first try, lol!!!

Leena and Suneil had quite a day on August 1st of this year. It started out BEAUTIFUL, I mean there were no clouds. Even the forecast was clear. Well we had a surprise let me tell ya. The groom was beginning his Barratt at the bottom of the Evergreen Mansion in Baltimore and the clouds simply opened. Did I mention the ceremony was to take place outside and the mundap had been built for hours!!!! Oh yea, we had to race and I do mean race to reshuffle the reception tent and get a ceremony site together in minutes as the guests stood out in the pouring rain. It was nuts, but the groom was as calm as a cucumber as he rode up the path on his horse. The guests were awesome as well.

In the end it was an amazing event for all!! The bride and groom had a great time dancing the night away!

Thanks to the staff of Linwoods Catering & Partyland, for moving w/ me to change the space so quickly!

Ok so now you can enjoy my lil video debut :)

We are back :)

2009-11-14T13:06:00.012-05:00

Ok so I gotta say that I am the worst blogger EVER!!! I have said it before and its quite possible I will again, lol!! During the wedding season I just find it so difficult to blog, where is the time? IDK, but wedding season is officially over and I can get back on the blog wagon!!

Here is a lil taste of some summer weddings :) I will do a complete wedding blog later in the week and I vow to do ONE blog a week!!! That is until wedding season starts again, lol!

We have soooo much to share, so tune in Thursdays for more pics and fun stories!!!

Thanks to all the brides, grooms & families of the 2009 season!! All of you were a real treat to work with :)

T~

Why to hire a planner??

2009-07-22T12:27:00.003-04:00

So this question is asked over & over again to planners and many other vendors in the trade, well the answers are here!!! Evan from My DeeJays, has asked the planners of the area this exact question, take a peek at the reasons why YOU should hire a planner...
http://www.mydeejay.com/blog

Thanks Evan for putting out such a fantastic article!! See ya in a few weeks at the Panchal/Kildare wedding :)

Sarah & Kris

2009-07-19T21:32:00.006-04:00

Wow it was a tough road (lol), but Sarah & Kris are MARRIED :)They had the most fantastic weather yesterday and I can't wait to see the Lidia Miller's pics. For now take a peek at mine.

Love you guys!! I had a blast :)

Aarathi & Ramseys May Wedding

2009-07-12T11:06:00.006-04:00

Take a peek at the gorgeous work of Alexander Morozov Photography @
http://vimeo.com/5416698

I have been waiting for the still pics of this wedding to share with you, but this will work for now!!

Aarathi, Ramsey & I worked on their amazing May 2009 wedding for about 11 months, and I was soooo pleased with how it all turned out. The weather was fantastic. My bride & groom were beaming!! My decor and cake were breathtaking and the family & friends dined on delicious cuisine and then danced the night away. All in all this wedding was truly FLAWLESS!!

Thanks to all who contributed!

ALISHA & MARK'S E-SESSION

2009-07-08T22:41:00.005-04:00

Alisha & Mark some how found the time in their oh so busy, traveling schedules to hang out w/ the talented photographer Chris Baltazar for an amazing engagement session. Thanks Chris for taking such good care of this cute pair.

Alisha & Marks wedding will take place on Oct 10th & 11th at the Dumbarton House & Mayflower!!! It will certainly be a fabulous weekend in DC for their guests. I just need to make sure Alisha & Mark make it here, lol. Alisha is currently in India for the summer and Mark is in Boston. So getting them to DC will be a must :)

1958-2009

2009-07-07T15:01:00.004-04:00

Thank you Micheal, my inspiration, my friend, and my brother for gracing us with your time, your talent, your walk, your smile!! You are gone to soon, but never will you ever be forgotten!!!!

I am so greatly hurt by this loss. I am deeply saddened and broken today :(

Thank you Clara of Clara's Designer Cakes for this image.

T~

2009-06-25T23:06:00.003-04:00

Take a peek at the District Weddings shout out on Clara's Designer Cakes. I always knew she was Fabulous, happy to see others know it :)

In a more somber note, RIP Micheal Jackson! You are a legend that will not be forgotten :(

2009-06-22T14:56:00.002-04:00

One of my fav boutiques is having a bridesmaids night!! So brides get your fav ladies and go and enjoy the champagne and shopping :)

E-Session with Eli Turner from Freed Photography

2009-06-17T00:06:00.010-04:00

A few weeks ago our Sept 19th bride & groom, Nimisha & Gaurang had a photo shoot in NYC!! They live in Jersey and thought an urban, busy NYC E-Session would be a blast. Well as you can see it was. The wonderful Eli from Freed met them in NYC and luckily the weather held so that they were able to enjoy one another and the city. Thanks Eli you rock, and Nimisha & Gore you look great!!!

Kayna & Matts Wedding

2009-06-11T21:15:00.006-04:00

Last weekend Sara & I had the pleasure to go to Ocean City for Kayna & Matt's wedding. Kayna & I have been planning this uber simple chic wedding for about a year, and it was a thrill to see it completed. Kayna's most important element for her wedding was the CAKE!!! She knew exactly what she wanted and that is exactly what she got :)

I only toke pics of the cake and the evening sky so enjoy these for now!!

Thanks go to Clara's Designer Cakes for not only making a 3+ hour trip, but for making the most amazing, to the tee, dream cake for my bride & groom :)

Thanks to Kayna & Matt for letting us share this fab day with you!!

Reema & Jigar's Wedding Explosion!!!

2009-05-27T17:10:00.033-04:00

There are really no words to describe Reema & Jigars wedding weekend.... All I can really say is WOW!! This event lasted three days down in Va Beach over Memorial Day weekend, and it really was a jaw dropping affair. The sari's came out on Friday for the Mendhi/Sangeet with pizazz & color. Reema & Jigar were stunning and truly set the tone for what was to come.

Saturday evening was an entertaining night of Garba and fun! Sunday morning we began with Barratt and proceeded into the Gardens of the Founders Inn for our lake side ceremony.
The evening started with cocktail hour and live Paneer & Tandoori chicken stations in the Moroccan inspired garden. That's where the party started and didn't end until 5:00 am!!!

Thanks to the amazing team that supported me in this tremendous undertaking. All of the pieces came together and it was because you all rocked. We had
Nashaa Productions spinning the jams, fantastic decor from Partyland Flowers & Decor, video by the highly accomplished Martin Andrews of Blue Sky Films, flawless makeup by Studio Sush and incredible lighting was provided by Blue Steel Lighting. Our Barratt would have been nothing without the gorgeous horse from Smithfield's. Thanks to the staff of the Mariners Museum, and the Founders Inn for being so accommodating. Quick shout out to AJ, Amanda, Kevin, Jim, Tina, Crystal, Kurt, Rahul, & Charlese at Founders!!! Delicious Indian cuisine was provided by Woodlands (Mendhi) and Nawab Catering (garba, brunch, cocktail & reception).Our cake was a 5 tier ivory fondant cake w/ blinged out bands from Lucy's Sweet Treats. A special thanks goes out to Bill and his staff from Distinctive Event Rentals, for making sure our white dance floor was in tip top shape! Finally, I have to thank, for my incredible photos, Agie Photography and the talented, show no mercy Keith Cephus who spent the last 2 days compiling one of the most engaging slide shows I have EVER seen!!!

A special thanks to my team- Lauren & Jen you were my rocks, especially with the place cards lol!!!

To Reema & Jigar, thanks again for allowing WB to take part for the last year in planning your Big Day :) IT was OVER the TOP!!!

New Site, New SIte

2009-05-04T19:54:00.001-04:00

Working Brides is excited to announce the launch of our NEW SITE :)

Please take a peek and let us know your thoughts!

www.workingbrides.com

I hope you enjoy :)

Tyson Corner Ritz Carlton Tasting

2009-04-19T11:15:00.007-04:00

On Thursday Jen & I had the pleasure of going to a tasting at the Ritz featuring their new Indian Chef Shivani Miglani, and the amazing works of Partyland Flowers & Decor!! The Maestro restaurant was transformed into a vibrant & welcoming mecca of excitement for all your senses. Chef Shivani also happens to be the chef for Tandoori Nights restaurants and he presented a tasty feast for all to enjoy.

It was great to get out and visit with old friends in the industry and to meet brand new ones as well.

Something else I have learned over the last week is that Working Brides is truly becoming the "top" Indian wedding planner in the DC area :) Yea for that!! We have heard the buzz around town (from other vendors that we refer our clients to) that we have more Indian weddings than other planners in the area for 2009. It looks like we are beating the competition to the punch for 2010 as well :) We are certainly excited to hear this cool news. We have really dedicated time to perfect an Indian wedding, and our modern yet knowledgeable twist has Wowed many an Auntie & Uncle, lol!!!

So to all of my Bollywood brides out there, looking for a vibrant and exciting 2010 wedding, give us a call 301-972-4223!

Casino Night- A Chance to Give Back!!

2009-04-14T22:09:00.002-04:00

Keller Williams Advantage of Rockville Maryland is hosting it’s Third
Annual Casino Nite Event. If you were there last year, you definitely
know that it will be a blast! There will be no shortage of games of
chance, food, beverages, prizes and loads of fun! Darcars of
Rockville Maryland will feature three of their beautiful highly sought
after cars. Take a glimpse or even sit in a Volvo, a Toyota or a
Nisaan.

Casino Nite benefits Mentally, Physically and Emotionally Handicapped
Youths. All Proceeds from the Casino Nite Bash go to the Young Life
Capernaum Project of Montgomery county. The funds are used to send
these amazing youngsters to Summer Camp. This year we want to double
the number of youths we sent last year which was 8. Come out and
support this cause.

May 9th from 6pm to 10pm at 15400 Calhoun Dr in Rockville, MD. If you cannot
attend, cash donations are greatly appreciated. For more information, contact
Cheryl Santiago 301-758-1092 or 301-251-1221

1st Wedding of the 2009 season

2009-04-10T12:58:00.009-04:00

Last weeks 1st wedding of the season truly went well, and lets say it didn't quite start out that way. There were looming dark clouds and a ton of rain on the Friday morning of Pat & Rich's wedding, but the sky's opened just in time for pics :)

Thanks to my fabulous team of vendors the Bride, Groom, and their guests had a fantastic evening. This was a wedding that I didn't think would do to much dancing, but I was SOOO WRONG (yes I said I was wrong, whatever). This was a very small wedding, about 60 guests ranging from 4-70. Let me tell you the older folks were the most fun, vibrant, and truly entertaining group EVER. They were having a ball and were the first on the dance floor and the last to leave. DJ Evan couldn't play anything that they couldn't groove to, lol!! It was a blast :)

So thanks Pat & Rich for allowing Working Brides to be a part of your oh so special day!!

One last shout to the staff at the Annapolis Westin, you were great!!! Special thanks to Cathy Sandler, Larry the Concierge ( you left w/o that piece of cake) & Fazzie at the front desk (you were so accommodating), you all went above and beyond to make the event a success!!

Take a peek at Micheal Connors blog for more pics
http://connorstudios.com/gossip/

Photog: Connor Studios
Florist: Beyond Imaginations
Cake: Clara's Designer Cakes
DJ: My DeeJays
Venue: Westin Annapolis
Officiant: Lance Orndorff

Keith Cephus Photography

2009-03-30T15:23:00.008-04:00

Reema and Jigar our Memorial Weekend couple just did their E-Session w/ the Amazing Keith Cephus, and here are the results :)

Enjoy...

Reema, Jigar & Keith you ALL rocked this photo shoot :) Can't wait for the big day!!!

Storymotions Photography had a baby :)

2009-03-25T11:29:00.003-04:00

I just want to send out a special CONGRATS to Katya & Arthur of Storymotions on the arrival of their first baby!!!

Precious Ilan Michael was born on March 11th!! What a lil angel :)

I know some of you are saying "Trisha you don't even like babies!". Well I know I don't like them for ME, but for others I am totally excited. As long as I don't have to clean them up, lol! No seriously, I don't do clean up on babies, lol!!

Bobbi & Mike Photography

2009-02-27T23:43:00.003-05:00

I never have posted about a vendor that I do not know, but I couldn't help this one!! Please take a peek at this site and these BREATH TAKING pics. This bride is beautiful, but the shots that the photogs captured are simply stunning. Thanks to A Perfect Engagement & Events out of NC for sharing :)

http://www.bobbiandmike.com/blog/?p=7171

To Bobbi & Mike, if you ever read this, thanks for taking the time to create fantastic work and share w/ all of us :)

A WEDDING SURVEY

2009-02-11T23:04:00.002-05:00

Website Survery - We just need a minute!

I promise, this will only take a minute of your time! If you wouldn't mind, please click on the link below and answer 9 quick, easy questions about different design aspects of wedding vendor's websites.

http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=1152739

We won't record anything about you other than what state or country you are from - we don't even ask for your email address so no spam or anything like that.

You will likely see this link on lots of other blogs and sites - this survey is being shared all over the blog-o-sphere so please take the survey only once.

If you have additional comments on the subject, please feel free to email me with those and I will share them with the other wedding vendors who are participating! We can't wait to hear what you have to say!

(If you are a wedding vendor and would like to participate, just copy this post to your blog and email Emilie Duncan the link at emilie {@} emilieduncan {.} com - She will send you the results once we have closed the survey in March)

Thanks Latrice of Opulent Planning for sharing!!

Humanstory Films

2009-02-06T17:10:00.002-05:00

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting William Gaff of Humanstory this week. He and his Sales Rep Kathleen traveled down from Richmond to meet me for lunch. I must say that I HEART Humanstory and have for some time, but to meet the man behind the lens was an honor. He is such a genuine person who loves what he does. I am so excited to do all I can and bring his style of videography to the DC area. Ladies and Gents it would be a disservice if you didn't stop by his site and truly enjoy what a wedding video can be :)
Website: http://humanstoryfilms.com

Thanks William & Kathleen!!

2010 Brides!!!

2009-01-22T19:50:00.004-05:00

Ok all you newly engaged ladies it is time to get moving :) Weddings are now being planned for 18mths in advance, so don't be the last one out there. Get your vendors and venues contracted NOW (key word CONTRACT, these are a must and READ them CAREFULLY)!!! You don't want be "That" bride, so have a plan and or a PLANNER!!

Enjoy the engagement period by hiring help, or sticking to a schedule :)

Good Luck to you all and Congrats!!!

PS Any 2010 brides interested in sitting down for a free consultation give us a ring 301-972-4223. We are about 1/4 of the way booked for 2010 so don't delay, call us today!!

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-04T22:32:00.003-05:00

Working Brides/Creme de la Creme is back in the office and ready to roll. After a trip to Las Vegas and then TX, I am rested and excited for 2009!! We have a really cool year here in DC and all over the US. Our next wedding is on Jan 21 at the Goodstone Inn in VA. Leonie and Stan are having a quiet, winter wedding for 17 people. I am so excited about this uber quaint event.

As for all you newly engaged ladies and gents WB is here to ease the confusion, stress and keep the excitement revved up. We are almost full for '09, so move quickly if you have interest. For 2010 and 2011 we have also began bookings.

So lets all hold on tight, this is going to be a fun year :)

T~

FIRST LADY'S DESIGN CHOICES

2008-12-10T17:02:00.010-05:00

WOW, the forever trendy Michelle Obama has huge decisions to make!! She has many designers preparing sketches for the Inauguration Celebrations. Oh how I would love to have this very stressful choice to make :)lol!! Take a peek at designs from Reem Acra to Monique Lhuillier!

Reem Acra

Carolina Herrera

Bagley Mischka

Monique Lhuillier

I choose Monique Lhuillier's red ensemble, if my vote counted :)
Which is your pick??

Thanks to North Carolina Planners for posting these fun fashions on their blog today :)

T~

Introducing Center Stage

2008-12-02T13:18:00.007-05:00

Ok so now that "Wedding Season" has officially ended for WB (Working Brides) I realize that I will still need to blog about something. So I have decided to introduce you all to some of WB's fav vendors and venues with a new feature called "Center Stage". You see one of my passions is Acting, so Center Stage sounds appropriate, lol!!!

So for our very first Center Stage entry, I would like to introduce StoryMotion Studios!!! StoryMotions is one of WB's most Fav photography duo's. They are a husband and wife team who really know how to make the best of any situation and capture AMAZING photo's. Based out of Clarksburg MD, this duo travels up and down the east coast and beyond, photographing weddings. I love their passion and commitment to perfection :) Take a peek at some of their work and you be the judge...

Now head over to their site at www.storymotion.com for even more :)

T~

FAB WEDDING AT RONALD REAGAN BUILDING

2008-11-24T10:01:00.010-05:00

I really must say that wrapping up this years weddings has been bittersweet!! We finished up this weekend with the Fantastic couple Kristin and Marcus. They wed at the St Aloysius Chapel at Gonzaga, and the reception toke place at the Ronald Reagan ITC Building!! It was truly a gorgeous affair. The bride was stunning and the groom was quite dapper in his tux.

This couple truly has touched my heart in so many ways that I must share their strength with you. Kristin came to me about 6-8 months ago by way of her older sister Kim. Kim really saw Kristin drowning in her planning and I am pretty sure that Kim was going nuts as well :) Kristin, Kim and their sweet kid sister Kelli are an amazing trio, and they remind me of my sisters in many ways.

About a month ago these amazing young women lost their father. With a month to go before Kristin's wedding, her father lost his battle that I am sure he tried so hard to fight. There was talk of postponing the wedding, but the oh so strong trio decided to move forward. Now let me say that these ladies already lost their mother, and I am still reeling from the strength, and drive that allowed them keep moving. I am sure a few of you are also tearing up as you read this, but it continues... On the evening that they buried their beloved "Daddy", Marcus the groom lost his father...

I know its unreal, unfair, and simply unbelievable!!! With that said we still moved forward!!!! They decided in memory of their lost parents they would progress :) They are truly blessed and inspiring. I must thank them all for showing me that whatever storms may and will come, I can make it!! I thank you for showing me as WOMEN that we have amazing courage, tenacity and resilience!! You ladies are now my family for life (whether you want to or not), and I am blessed to have you!

To the deceased Mr Washington, Mr & Mrs Baldwin, I know that you were all present on that blessed day, (there was a sky light at the reception for you to peek in). I also hope that you know you raised incredible children, that have become unbelievable adults. For Mr & Mrs Baldwin, your little girl (actually all of them, not just Krisitin) in very good hands with Marcus.

May you all rest in peace!

Ok now have a peek ...

So as you see these are my horrible shots, so I will share the real deal when they are set.

As always thanks to my supporting cast, without you all my job would be so hard, lol!!

Beyond Imaginations- Florals
Deez Notes- DJ
Eikon Photography (thanks Karen, you know why)
Amanda Mack- Hair ( you are a trip )
LCA Videomakers
Chariots for Hire- Limo
The Catering and Support Staff of the Ronald Reagan Building (You were all amazing. Danielle you rocked and my Event Manager was so on point)

Thanks Again to you all :)
T~

Special on "Brilliant Bride" Package

2008-11-11T22:34:00.003-05:00

Hello Winter & early Spring Brides for 2009 :)
Working Brides is offering a $200 discount on the "Day Of" package!!! So all you ladies who have worked SOOOOO hard planning and are now just wanting to kick back and relax give us a call. Having a Coordinator on hand on your "Big Day" is just a huge saving grace. Take a peek at a tattle tale form a recent "day of" bride:

Hi Trisha-
I want to thank you and all of the girls for everything on Saturday. Glenn and I both really appreciate all of the hard work that was put into making our big day so perfect. We couldn't have asked for anything better. It was exactly how we pictured the day to be.
Thanks again for everything!!!!!
Megan G

So this offer is for you ladies that have been toying the option of a planner, release so that you can enjoy!! You don't need the added stress of wondering if your cake has arrived safely, neither does Mom!!!

***This offer is for January to April 11th weddings.

A BOLLYWOOD BRIDE

2008-11-05T19:05:00.015-05:00

Well despite being under the weather last week, we had a 2 day wedding we had to pull off and boy did we :) Rupa and Matt have been planning with us for about 8 mths or so and Rupa put her heart and soul into this wedding ( 2 weddings to be exact). You see Rupa is one of Working Brides many Indian Brides and Matt her groom is American. So they choose to hold true to both sides and we actually had both a Catholic and a Hindu ceremony!! On Saturday we had the Catholic ceremony at Georgetown Preps Chapel. This was followed by a Sangeet and Mendhi at the brides parents house. Wow what a blast the family and friends had. It was truly an awesome blending and the Americans loved learning and experiencing new traditions!!

Thanks to Beyond Imaginations for providing the wedding party with fantastic bouquets, boutineers and the killer alter arrangements were used later in the weekend as well.

I often use the creative talents of MakeOvers On Call, but rarely have a hair shot. So I send many thanks to Tara and her staff and her is a gorgeous look at their work!!

On Sunday we started with the Barrat and a tradition Hindu ceremony, taking place at Newton White Mansion in Mitchellville, MD. It was gorgeous!! The bride chose to have a very traditional mundap, created by Navajoli Decor. After the hour and a half ceremony the guests were invited to a delicious cocktail hour. Our authentic Indian cuisine was provided by Raaga Catering (I just love these guys). Guests were welcomed into our amazing ballroom around 6:30 and it was a true feast for their eyes. Once again the decor was done by Prabha Bhambri of Navajoli Decor. The gorgeous centerpieces of curly willow, orchids and candles stood at least 5 ft tall!!

Our stunning bride and groom had the pleasure of being photographed by the ever talented Eli Turner of Freed Photograhpy. Video of this event was shot by Blue Sky Films. We had the amazing crew from EQ Events on hand for the exciting Barrat, Lighting and DJ for the evening!

Thanks to all of the incredible vendors that supported myself and my staff to make this weekend the dream that Rupa & Matt had been having for months :) Now enjoy some pics taken by myself and a bridesmaid !!

DHVANI & MAC'S WEDDING

2008-10-27T18:25:00.005-04:00

Dhavni & Macs wedding reception was truly a blast :) The event was held at the Galleria in DC. As always I was surrounded by a fantastic team of vendors. We had the oh so fabulous photography of StoryMotions. Once they send over their pics I will post them. This event had awesome food provided by 3 Citron and Raaga Catering. So I must send huge thank you's over to Suzy, Sam and the rest of their incredible staff. You two catering teams came together for the first time and you knocked it out the park !!! The food was delicious, hot and the presentation welcomed both cultures. This opened the door and our guests were able to enjoy American and Indian cuisine :)

We had glamorous decor and florals created by Beyond Imaginations. You have seen their work many times because I truly love to work with them. You see if you find a great vendor you stick to it :)

Our fusion of American and Indian tunes came to us directly from the EQ Events!! We had Jag as our DJ and he kept the music coming all night long. Hit after hit our dance floor was packed!!

Huge thanks to the Clara's Designer Cakes!!! She has the most moist cake, with flavors that explode in your month with each bite. Her raspberry, and nutella buttercreams are so delicious, you can't help but have another taste :)

We also had Quiana's Travel, they shuttled our guests around all weekend and as always they are professional and accommodating.

I must say with the team above, how can I go wrong :) Dhvani, Mac & their families had a fantastic time, compliments were coming from everywhere!! This was truly a perfect union!!

ps Working Brides ran on time again!! This is wedding number 14 in a row, in which we started on time or even early. Now that is impressive. Thanks to my staff and lets keep up the FAB work, lol!!

JESSICA & BORINS MUSKET RIDGE WEDDING

2008-10-21T00:53:00.008-04:00

Jessica & Borin's wedding happened on a gorgeous October Saturday. They were beautiful and had a FAB evening.

Thanks so much to Jay Jay & Bonnie at Musket Ridge, for helping us to have such a smooth event. Your staff is always so attentive and pleasant.

We had the pleasure of having Jessica Del Vecchio as our photographer. She along w/ an assistant captured some fantastic shots. I can't wait to see more!

Then to the truly talented florists at Beyond Imaginations, your work speaks for itself. You always hit your mark and go beyond my brides imaginations :)

DJ Carlos Bueso rocked the crowd all night. As always he is prompt and on key with reading the crowd. He is AWESOME :)

Thanks to you all for playing key roles in making this Fall themed wedding a blast.

www.beyondimaginations.com
www.jessicadelvecchio.com
www.musketridge.com

DC MARRIAGE LICENSE

2008-10-16T00:56:00.002-04:00

Just an FYI, that I keep forgetting to post. Thanks Pink Bride Becca over at The Pink
Book Blog, for reminding me about this huge revalation and change in DC.

More than 200 D.C. residents tested for syphilis for no reason
By Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer 10/6/08

The D.C. Superior Court continued to require that brides and grooms-to-be turn in blood tests before obtaining a marriage license even after the D.C. Council had eliminated the test from the city’s code.
More than 200 people applied for a marriage license with the court’s Marriage Bureau Section in the last month, most obtaining a costly blood test even though the procedure was no longer required by law.

OMG I HEART NKOTB

2008-10-03T00:53:00.013-04:00

Ok so I went to the New Kids on the Block Concert and I had an absolute ball :)Aarathi, one of my brides and now a dear friend of mine dragged me along kicking and screaming. NOT!! It was such a blast to see these guys up close and personal. They are in such great shape. They put on a GREAT show, full of dancing, energy and fun!! I was really shocked to see the Verizon Center full to the brim. I mean there were about a million screaming woman and 20 guys in attendance, lol.

Danny can still break dance. Jordan is still charming and HOT. Joey is still super cute and sweet. Donnie, well what can you say about Donnie... he is still extremely flirtatious and engaging. He has the most captivating personality, he was never my favorite, but tonight, WOW. He brought the house down. Then there is the still sweet, shy Jon, he is still adorable and he is an OBAMA fan!!

Ok so at first we weren't as close as we thought we were going to be, but in the end we were closer. The guys came to almost the middle of the floor and that's were the above pics came from. We were so freaking close to the guys that we actually touched them :) ALL OF THEM, lol. It was really cool. They sang one or two songs right in our face, on a revolving stage w/ the piano. We nearly lost our minds. Aarathi actually may have. Donnie was drinking a bottle of water and he handed it down to the crowd... ok no, he handed it to a specific chic and Aarathi grabbed the bottle before the chic could, and drank it, LOL!! wooo that was funny

Aarathi screamed at some point in the night that "this is the best night of my life"!!! Well it may not have been the best for me, but Damn was it close :)

NKOTB, you made a ton of 30 something ladies feel 15 again and we thank you!!!

Stay tuned for video footage!!

Windows Catering & more

2008-10-02T16:33:00.004-04:00

Well you all know I am so bad at this, but I do need to take a moment to thank last weekends vendors.

Jaime & Steve's wedding toke place at The Woman's Congressional Club in DC. The fabulous staff of Windows Catering toke such great care of us all. The staff was prompt, efficient, and oh so attentive. Thank you Debbie, Jose, and an all star staff for superb service!!!

We also had Gathered Stems out of VA, who where truly new to me. We had very simple centerpieces with great vibrant color. Thanks to you ladies, I will return.

Tracy Timmester, you all know her :) She toke care of the pictures for the day. As always Tracy it is a true pleasure to work with you.

We also had DJ Lamboy rocking the house and a great husband and wife team from Hey Cameraman for video. Let me not forget the talented team at MakeOvers on Call, for gorgeous makeup & hair! Thanks to you all, it is always a Working Brides pleasure to work with such professional and entertaining crews!!

T~

Windows: www.catering.com
Gathered Stems: www.gatheredstems.com
Tracy Timmester: www.timmesterphoto.com
DJ Lamboy: www.ljmobiledj.com
Hey Cameraman DV:www.heycameramandv.net
MakeOvers on Call: www.makeoversoncall.com

Facebook & Weddings ???

2008-09-23T20:02:00.004-04:00

Ok so recently at a conference one of the speakers spoke on the fact that Facebook is a great source of networking. This was basically the second time in a week I was told to do this. Now I always knew that socially people networked there, and I can't stand it :( lol, but on a business standpoint, this may be of interest. How many of you are on Facebook? Are you doing this socially or coming from a business aspect? I know there are quite a few of you vendors that use it (Charlotte of Delovely Designs), is it helpful?? Come on tell me, I gotta know. I have so little time in the day, and that's the reason I am terrible at blogging. So will this be, or rather is this an avenue that I should make time for? I am just curious. I don't want to be stubborn & snotty because I think that Facebook & My Space are for high school / college student, lol!! Although I do long to be 22 again, but I digress :) Do I need to jump on board is me question?

BLING, TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH?

2008-09-20T23:23:00.004-04:00

So Platinum Weddings by Kerry featured a bride who had her toes blinged out!!! At first glance you may not be able to tell, so look closer. Now my question is have we gone to far? Is the whole "BLING" element going over & beyond?? You tell me, I am curious.

As for me I say bring it on :) The more bling the better. The bigger and more elaborate the party,the more exciting :) I love tasteful sparkling bling, lol. Now the toes... I am still debating this one. What do you think??

Fab Fall Colors

2008-09-20T23:08:00.004-04:00

Ok so lets just be honest, I SUCK AT BLOGGING!!! I know it, you know it so I just have to face it. IDK why I can't simply write, I read blogs EVERYDAY. I love reading blogs yet I can't find the time and commit to my own, that really is terrible. A perfectionist at some much, but blogging... A loser, lol

At any rate, I have to give a quick shout to Dr. Cory & Cathryn Alfers. Their wedding was last weekend and not only did we have a GREAT time, it was ON time ALL day. We were actually early on many accounts. This was truly a flawless wedding, and Cathryn was the most organized bride, Working Brides has ever had. Thanks Cat you rocked :)*not that you others girls aren't organized :) lol

Ok so Bella's Blog posted the new fall colors today and they are great. Those of you in need of inspiration take a peek.

OMG TIMMESTER PHOTOGRAPHY

2008-09-09T21:12:00.004-04:00

Tracy, Tracy, Tracy... one of my dear fav photogs was just honored with an award from the Wedding Photojournalist Association, for one of her cool pictures she toke at Cara & Javi's Wedding in May. Not only is she awesome, but Tracy (who I spoke w/ today) is also humble she didn't even mention it!!! We had such a great time at Cara & Javi wedding I am not surprised that one of Tracy's pics could win such a prestigous honor!!! Congrats Tracy!!!

Timmester Photgraphy can be found at http://timmesterphoto.com/
The winning pic can also be seen at: http://www.wpja.com/wedding_photography_galleries/contest/08/q2/03-09.htm

Also Cara & Javi pics can be seen at:
http://www.workingbrides.com/gallery2/main.php
(the third album)

Nigerian Wedding

2008-09-07T23:42:00.002-04:00

OMG what a weekend I had... I had the pleasure to be the day of coordinator for Ijeoma & Afam, and boy was it eventful. The bride warned me prior to that as a culture Nigerians aren't so good at RSVP'ing, so we would have plenty of guests simply show up. Let me say that she was not wrong. Many a guests showed up, even a few that actually RSVP'd that they weren't coming at all. We actually had to turn quite a few people away because there wasn't any room for them! It was a true experinece let me just say.

The bride and groom however had a great time. The rain almost ruined the day, but just as the ceremony ended, the sky opened and the rain stopped :) God works magic each and everyday and I saw a bit of it yesterday with the rain stopping at just that moment.

I toke no pictures yesterday, there really wasn't time, but the beautiful outfits that woman and men adorned in that hall filled the space with color and pizzazz :)The many cultural traditions of a nigerian wedding were up held as well and it was quite amazing to see rituals stand with time!!

Thanks again to the beautiful bride & groom, both families, the amazing host and hostess (you know how you are) and a fantastic wedding party! You were all a trip, lol!!

JESSICA & BRIAN

2008-08-29T18:18:00.004-04:00

Just want to share a beautiful pic of this great couple, Jessica & Brian.
They spent some time with photographer Jessica Del Vecchio in Ellicott City and it appears they had a great time. Jessica & Brians wedding is fast approaching on Oct 11th. They are such a no fuss, easy & elegant couple, they make planning so simple :) I look forward to bringing this year of planning to a close with a gorgeous ceremony and reception at the beautiful Musket Ridge.

Check out Jessica's site at www.jessicadelvecchio.com
Thanks Jessica for great work!!

I DO MAGAZINE

2008-08-24T11:11:00.003-04:00

Ok being the computer dork (meaning I know how to do nothing) that I am I haven't been able to tell you about Working Brides little spread in I Do Magazine this summer. Well "I Do" has put the magazine online and I thought "YEA now I can copy and paste". NOT!!! So I will just have to tell you. "I Do" did a small Editorial in the "In the Know" Section (pg 16) about Working Brides :) It was a really nice touch and we thank them for that. Working Brides also has a wedding featured in the Magazine on page 70 :) Thanks to Robyn and Brian Dubois for allowing us to submit their wedding. Also special love out to Beyond Imagination, for the always gorgeous florals & Jennifer Lust Photography for the amazing pictures. So if you get a chance take a peek at the Mag or online at www.IDOFORBRIDES.COM

A BLUE MARTINI NIGHT

2008-08-21T10:59:00.002-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of enjoying the company of some of the finest industry professionals at the Blue Sky, Chris Laich cocktail gathering!! What a fantastic evening we had. It was simply a room full of other wedding/event professionals, no sales pitches, just enjoying one anothers company. Let me tell you there were so many characters out last night :) LOL, there are some really funny people in this business, and if you know me personally you know that laughing is one of my favorite past times.

I must give some special love to a few AMAZING people that I had the pleasure to chat with last evening. Drum roll please :)

Stacy & Sara of Labor of Love Photography (www.laboroflovephoto.com), you girls know that I love ya! These ladies and I have 2 wedding on the books for '09 already. Once you meet them it will be easy to see why!

Brian & Loree Childs of the amazing Stone Manor in Frederick (www.stonemanorcountryclub). If you haven't visited this property than you are truly missing out on PERFECTION!! It was so nice to chat with you two one on one. We are usually with clients when we see each other so this really was a treat.

Michael Bonfigli, now you Mr Bonfigli, you are quite a gem!! Michael is a talented photographer with a ton of class and personality to boot. This was my first time meeting him and I truly enjoyed the laughter and conversation. Michael's site is www.michaelbonfigli.com, please take a peek you will enjoy!

Martin Andrews, what can be said about this gentleman. He is genius and has taken the DC video world by storm, with fresh, and innovative film making. Martin is the owner of Blue Sky Video. You know the company, you have seen them or there ads all around town. Martin and his team of experts make wedding videos that simply make you cry, and you don't even have to know the couple getting married, lol!! Martins site can be found at www.blueskyfilms.com

Chris Laich, this was my first time meeting with the DJ extraordinaire, we have chatted on the phone before, but never in person. This is another person full of energy and charisma. I truly look forward to working with Chris, amazing DJ's are sooooooo hard to find and these guys do it right each and every time! www.chrislaich.com

So I say a thanks again to all of you listed, it was a pleasure. Plus an extra thanks to our hosts. Those of you I have forgotten please take no offense, it was the blue cocktails :)

Oh and sidebar I know there is a way to just put the name of a company and then you can click it and voila you are on their site, but I have NO clue how you do that. So sorry, I will get better at this computer/blog stuff some day.

GURUBATHAM WEDDING

2008-08-19T11:31:00.009-04:00

Sunday Julie and I had a fantastic wedding with Kevin & Tanya. I have been working with this cute couple for a year now and their day finally arrived :) It was another beautiful August day and they really enjoyed themselves. This was my first dry wedding and we also had no dancing due to their religion. So I was honestly a lil worried, but it was AWESOME. Everyone had a great time. I would like to thank the Kulokov and Gurubatham family for their graciousness. You are a great family and I am happy and honored to know you. I must also thank the amazing designers at Fiore Flowers ( www.fiorefloral.com), the florals were amazing. Everyone complimented the design and the bright and welcoming colors. It is also important to thank Kens Creative Kitchen out of Annapolis (www.kenscreativekitchen.com). This was our first, certainly not last time working with Kens and they were fantastic. Ken has said to me a number of times how amazing and beautiful his waitstaff is and I am pleased to say that he wasn't lying :) Thanks Helen and staff you rocked!! Also not to forget Debbie at Spring of Hope 7th Day Adventist, you were so helpful and accomadating.

Here are a few pics that I toke, once the other pics are ready I will be sure to post them.

Thanks Again to all who helped make this day amazing!!

Julie & Rico's Wedding

2008-08-17T10:09:00.002-04:00

So I truly am not good at this blogging thing. I promise to try to get better, but it appears I blog as well as I diet :)

Yesterday Sara & I had the pleasure of being the "day of" coordinators for the new Mr & Mrs Boswell!!! They had an amazing day for an August wedding. I mean it was 85 degrees, when does that happen in the middle of August? The ceremony toke place at the Belair Mansion on the back (but really front) lawn. We did almost lose a bridesmaid as she pretty much fell down the steps, but she was graceful and saved her self :) Good save Amy!!

This was a first for us but the bride and groom met at a Karoke bar and chose to have karoake at the wedding! It really was an interesting twist.

Thanks again to the Groves and Boswell families, you all were so gracious and fun!
Congrats Julie and Rico, we wish you all the happiness in the world!

I am off for todays wedding with Julie in Annapolis. Hopefully tomorrow I will remember to blog about it :)

Happy Bday to me :) Ugh :(

2008-08-07T23:51:00.003-04:00

Ok so its true today was my Bday. I typically spend this day moping and crying, but today I was so darn busy that I couldn't!! That was actually quite nice,I couldn't really think about the fact that I am getting SOOOO old. Then again I have such great friends that don't allow me to do that. They help me to age rapidly.

The best part about my Bday is that I buy a new purse for myself. I will share my new bag when I pick it up this weekend.

Super Cute Stationery

2008-08-05T11:09:00.006-04:00

Since we are all going gaga for damask print, how about a damask thank you card. I was over at the WeddingBee blog and they had a black & white thank you card posted from Crane & Co. So I had to check these out. I am so in love with the Wasabi card (we are kinda getting crazy with the b-n-w). Also check out this other fun thank you's a really cute and light-hearted way to show your personality and say thanks :)

Ok so I am still new at this, but I can't get my pictures to post :( You are going to have to go the extra mile and click the links.
http://www.crane.com/prdSell.aspx?Name=CF1802_TangerineOrangeFloralNotes

http://www.crane.com/prdSell.aspx?Name=JN4704_WasabiGreenDamaskNotesGiftSet

sorry, I will get the hang of this soon!

Elizabeth Anne

2008-08-05T00:57:00.002-04:00

Just want to send a quick thank you to the ladies at Elizabeth Anne Designs for the blog love support :)

As always you ladies are awesome!!!

Thanks

NKOTB

2008-08-01T18:33:00.003-04:00

So today has been super crazy. For starters I had far more phone calls coming in and going out than normal today. It seemed like every person I called during the week that didn't answer, called back today, at the same moment. Then my darn printer decided that it was not going to cooperate, and would not print!! UGH. What a mess!!

The highlights of today were my visit with a June bride Kayna. She and I had a great lunch at PF Changs and we accomplished some great strides with her '09 wedding.

The best part of the day thus far is that Aarathi, (May '09 wedding) wants to go to the NKOTB concert. Ok seriously how many of you know who they are and where in love with them???? If you have no clue who I am speaking about its... New Kids on the Block!!! Total heartthrobs from the 90's!! Aarathi has purchased $300 ticks already. She now wants to upgrade to the almost $400 tickets so that we can go backstage and meet them :) I love them and I have to go.
So spill the beans are we nuts???

I am learning

2008-07-31T21:37:00.004-04:00

Ok so now I think I understand how to add a pic. Lets give it a shot. WOW, I can do things, lol!! This is a cake that the amazing Clara, of Clara's Designer cakes made for me. It was my Aunts Bday and Clara created this for me!! It was such a hit and I still look at it and smile. Take a peek at Clara's site, she is one bad chica http://www.claradesignercakes.com/ :)

Hey Kris, I did it!

OK REALLY OFFICIAL

2008-07-30T23:45:00.000-04:00

OK so now it is truly official. My blog is linked to my site :) So I may even have a reader today, sorry I haven't much to say. Today I was super busy getting ready for our next 4 weddings. I did see something so cute today on a fellow planners blog that I have to share: You can make custom stamps for your invites. Or you can use there beautiful stock stamps. I loved the idea so much that I made a Working Brides stamp already. Take a peek at:

http://www.perfectpostage.com/

I would show you what I made, but I haven't figured out how you put pics on a blog yet :(

Its Official!!

2008-07-22T20:17:00.000-04:00

Ok so its official, I have started to blog :) Why today? I am not sure actually. I think that I am bored from being sick for the last 5 days. So what do you really write about each day, that's tough...so today we will just start with:

Welcome to the Grand Opening of "A Planners Life" the blog of Trisha Cranor of Working Brides Wedding Planner and Creme de la Creme Events!

www.workingbrides.com
www.creme-dela-creme.net

Thanks and I hope to make you laugh and share some interesting & helpful thoughts and ideas :)
T.