A wedding to read about: Patrick and Casandra, September 26, 2009

Patrick and Casandra had their own sense of style and they wanted their wedding to reflect some of the things that made them unique. The result was a wedding that was definitely an original! What else would you expect from a couple that met working at a book store and shared a love of reading but a Scrabble themed event?


Patrick shows off his P for Patrick and C for Casandra cuff links. Meanwhile Casandra and the ladies are getting ready to make their appearances!





Patrick awaits his bride.


And here she comes!


What a happy couple!


Casandra and Patrick found numerous small ways to incorporate the Scrabble theme into the reception including tables named after the scrabble letters.




This is their signature quilt that they had made to use as an alternative to a guest book.



And their darling centerpiece arrangements complete with giant Scrabble letter tiles, Scrabble game boards and real Scrabble pieces mixed in with colored gems and table squares and runners.

Even the cake got a Scrabble make-over with large letter tiles on each side and normal sized letter tiles spelling out words such as "love" on the tiers.



Casandra and Patrick enjoyed their first dance and then enjoyed a served dinner with their guests.
Afterwards, they cut their cake using grandfather's sword.




As a special treat for the guests, Casandra and Patrick baked an entire cookie buffet! Yum!




The guests seemed to really enjoy themselves! Good thing that Scrabble tiles were nearby so they could express their feelings ; )


Later, the DJ broke out some glow sticks and the guests enjoyed playing with them. They also made a handy way to send Patrick and Casandra off in style.



Best wishes to Patrick and Casandra for a long and happy marriage!

Photos provided by photographer who has requested to be known only as "LG". Thank you for providing these great shots!

Welcome Do-It-Yourselfers!

Do you have Do It Yourself projects you’ve been meaning to get to?

Do you wonder how your ideas will look inside the ballroom?

Could you use a few hours of quiet time to get some work done?

Wish you had an extra pair of hands to help out?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, grab your materials, some friends and

join us at the

Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax DIY Day.

• Free event for you and your guests
• Meet & share ideas with other HGIF brides
• Catherine will be an extra set of hands
• Have fun
• Leave with your project completed
• 
  

Save the Dates ~ Favors ~ Escort Cards ~

Address Invitations ~

Thank you notes ~

Photo Collage ~ Centerpieces

DIY Day is scheduled from

1pm – 4pm. Please RSVP to Catherine by Thursday.

January 23

February 20

March 20

April 24

May 8

June 5

July 10

August 14

September 25

October 9

November 13

December 11

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

A few fun photos taken last night and this morning - around 9pm,

10 pm,

11pm,

7:00 am

and 8am. Enjoy!

Stay warm and dry!

What happens if it rains for my garden ceremony?

What happens if it rains on my wedding day? Do I have to move my ceremony inside? What will the guests think? How will the pictures turn out?

These are questions that I get asked frequently and thank you to Lauren for providing some photographic answers! Earlier, I posted the professional photos from her wedding and as you can see, the overcast skies are perfect for taking beautiful pictures without shadows, glares and squinting eyes. There are a few other weddings recently posted that also had their ceremonies in the rain - Jennifer and Stephanie.

However, Lauren's guests also took some photos from her wedding and while professional photographers take great care to keep you from noticing these rainy day elements in their shots, from these photos below, you can easily see the wet pavement, lush garden foliage and flower colors brightened by a fresh drink. Please remember that the decision to have your wedding inside or outside is yours unless circumstances exist such as hail, lightning or dangerous winds that would make a garden ceremony an unsafe situation for your guests.

The most important thing, though, is that you do not let a rainy day get you down!

Menu Tasting on November 12th was a yummy success!

Everyone that attended the menu tasting on November 12th had a great time! The good news, they brought their appetites! Here are a few photos from the event taken by our friends at Simple Pleasures Photography.

The buffet was decorated using white and yellow lighting. A sprinkling of flower petals completed the look while allowing the food to be featured event!

Raul applied the finishing touches to some of our featured tables showcasing some recent additions to our hors d' oeuvres menu as well as delicious wedding cake provided by Wanda's Cake Decorating.



You can really see the impact of the stronger blue and red lighting. After finishing with the decor, Raul made his way over to the bar where he offered Copperidge wines and soft drinks to our guests.

Once everything was in place, we opened the doors and the guests made their way to their tables. Although we always provide a standard table set-up, Donna with Gala Cloths by Dulany graciously provided us with some sample chair covers, sashes and colored napkins for display.


The lovely centerpieces and flower petal were courtesy of Rick at the Flower Gallery of Chantilly.











If you missed this tasting event and would like to attend one in the future, please contact me or Kelly to secure your reservation. Our dates for 2010 are:

January 28th

April 20th
June 30th
September 30th

If you are a photographer who would like to shoot an upcoming tasting, please contact me for date availability.