Love and Luck: Stephanie and Ed, October 17, 2009

The day of Ed and Stephanies wedding broke gray and rainy but it's been said that rain is actually good look for a wedding and the gray skies did make a beautiful back-drop for their outside photo session!



Before the ceremony, everyone was busy getting ready ; ) I hope they were winning!

Meanwhile, Stephanie was putting the finishing touches on outfit #1 - the formal white wedding gown.




Because of the rain, they elected to have the ceremony inside. Here comes the bride!


And then they were married! Off to a photo shoot in the garden and lobby areas of the hotel while the guests enjoyed the cocktail hour.

Inside, the ballroom everything was set with red linens and lighting and adorned with symbols wishing the couple good luck and fortune in their future. Stephanie made a wardrobe change and emerged in her traditional red gown in time for a formal tea ceremony to open the reception.






Afterward, they enjoyed dinner and dancing.




Best wishes to Ed and Stephanie for a long and happy marriage!

Photos provided courtesy of Simple Pleasures Photography. Also, please note that Simple Pleasures Photography is offering a special to clients of the Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax. Mention our name before booking and receive a free engagement portrait with signed contract.

Photo locations near the hotel

Although the hotel and surrounding areas offer a number of photo locations, sometimes our couples prefer to shoot some photos off property. Previously, Lauren and Chris provided some photos taken on campus at nearby George Mason University. These photos, provided by Philip Kent, were taken at Fair Lakes Park only a few moments from the hotel.

Brandon and Lauren: Elegant Simplicity October 10, 2009

Although it was a damp fall day, Lauren and Brandon still decided to have their late morning ceremony outside in the Garden Patio. As you can see, all of the recent rain made the garden look fresh and healthy. You may notice that the garden had recently received a slight transformation, replacing the vines in the low planters around the fountain with cheeful fall mums.














For the reception, Lauren chose fall themed elements and colors which brightened the reception in spite of the overcast start to the day.



For the menu, they chose a served luncheon with a choice of entrees starting off with our house green salad.





Entree options included the 8 ounce pepper crusted strip sirloin with roasted red bliss potatoes and vegetable salpicon,




Dijon crusted pork tenderloin with bouquet vegetables and garlic yukon mashed potatoes,



and grilled mahi-mahi with tropical fruit salsa, saffron rice and seasonal vegetable medley.




The guests enjoyed their raspberry sorbet before helping themselves to wedding cupcakes. Yum!








To Lauren and Brandon, it has been a pleasure working with you! Best wishes for a long and happy marriage!


Photos provided courtesy of Philip Kent.

Singing in the rain: Jennifer and Layton, October 17, 2007

Another blast from the past, I recently ran in to the photographer from this wedding and she forwarded me these photos from 2 years ago.

It may have been a rainy day for Jennifer and Layton's wedding but nobody was singing the blues. Early in the morning, Jennifer called me from her room upstairs. She could see huge puddles on the garden patio and made the decision that the ceremony would be inside. Later that afternoon, however, Layton came down and decided that the rain was getting lighter and they should have the ceremony outside so outside it was!

Here are a few photos of everyone getting ready:

What a handsome groom!

And then an adorable flower girl!

And, of course, a beautiful bride!

And then it was time for the ceremony to begin.

Everyone was ready and then here comes the bride!

You may now kiss the bride!

Presenting the happy newlyweds!

The details . . .

Deep red against a field of white - perfect for a fall evening.

The formal introductions led into the first dance.

After dinner, there was more dancing and then it was time for cake.

All the single ladies and all the single men gathered together
for the bouquet and garter tossing.

The couple still found time during the evening to slip away from the party and snap a few pictures around the hotel including one in the twinkle lit garden after dark.

Best wishes to Jennifer and Layton for a long and happy marriage!

Thank you to Tuesday Ferguson with Artist Touch Photography, LLC for providing
these images.

Ceremony Officiant, Bill Cochran with Say I Do Your Way.