Timeless Romance: Laura and Christian, May 2, 2009

Laura and Christian were such a pleasure to work with from the moment I met them. They actually utilized the hotel as the host for an out of town guest room block for their engagement party.

On the day of the wedding, they both got ready here at the hotel. You can see them both as they apply the finishing touches.

Then Laura was whisked away in this classic car to the church for the ceremony.

As newlyweds, they did a photo shoot at the church and then returned to the hotel for the reception. They still found plenty of time to shoot some photos around the garden.

Meanwhile, the guests enjoyed the cocktail reception before going into the Providence Ballroom to begin dinner.

Laura and Christian were announced by the DJ and entered the room under a graceful sword arch before going into their first dance which, as you can see, they quite enjoyed.

Then it was time to cut the cake which they did with pizzazz.

And toss the bouquet and garter.

Afterward, they danced the rest of the night away. As you can see, everyone had a great time!

Thank you to ThePros photographer Rossen Kirilov for some great shots! Best wishes to Laura and Christian for a long and happy marriage!

Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax hosts Association of Wedding Professionals

On Tuesday, May 26, 2009, the Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax was proud to host the Association of Wedding Professionals for their monthly meeting. I was a little disappointed that damp, chilly weather kept us from enjoying cocktails and hors d' oeuvres outside but the spirit inside was enthusiastic nonetheless. Here are a few photos provided by photographer Ron Jones.

Chef Ed Martinez provided an assortment of hors d' oeuvres including Mini Lamb "Lollies" with mint dipping sauce, Mini Quesadillas wiht Avocado Cream, and Lump Crab Bruschetta. Yum! Banquet Manager Julio Lemus created a special cocktail for the event - Strawberry Puree mixed with Dry Champagne. Sometimes the most simple is the most elegant!

Inside the ballroom, there was a profusion of spring color. The beautiful linens were provided courtesy of Donna Felter with Gala Cloths by Dulaney. The lovely centerpieces, provided by Melissa of Sylvain's Florist featured self illuminating bases. Myrna Grossman of For all Occasions provided the candle favors. Thank you to everyone for your contributions to this successful event!

Our presenter for the evening was Dr. Maggie Daniels, a wedding planner, published author and professor at George Mason University. She provided fantastic information on recent survey findings regarding which criteria engaged couples use to identify their wedding venue. Additionally, she included the detailed process on how surveys should be created to ensure maximum participation and the most accurate results. On top of all of that, she brought some gifts for the attendees - favors that she had created herself. Thank you Dr. Daniels for sharing your insights with our group!

After the presentation, the group was delighted by a fabulous menu created by chef Ed Martinez including a Micro Greens Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella with Balsamic Viniagrette.

The main course was a duet of Filet Mignon with Port Wine Demi Glaze paired with Mahi Mahi topped with Citrus Thyme Butter. This sumptuous entree was accompanied by Scalloped Potatoes and Tourney Vegetables.

For dessert, we enjoyed a Chocolate Raspberry Dome and Starbucks Coffee. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves!

To read more on this event, visit Ron Jones account and see additional photos at Ron's Blog.

They're heeeeeerrrrrrrrre! Garden Report May 22, 2009

The hibiscus have arrived for the summer and the verdict is . . .

Two are a creamy, peachy color and two are a bright pink color. They are located on opposite corners of the fountain so you see one of each from all sides.

Local Information from Visit Fairfax

Yesterday, the team at Visit Fairfax, our local convention and visitors association, treated a number of us to a tour of some of the local sites and a lot of good information. One of the best tips for those of you planning on preparing gift bags for the guest rooms of your out of town guests, is to contact Trevor Curtis at tcurtis@fxva.com and he will be happy to send you some brochures or arrange to meet with you so you can pick them up. This is a great way to introduce your guests to some fascinating local sites!

Garden Update May 15, 2009

The flowers in the vines on the arbor have begun to bloom.

Here are a few pictures for the week!