weddlady

This May wedding was so  much fun. Danielle and Trevor were married in a beautiful ceremony at historic Bruton Parish, followed by a rocking reception at The Williamsburg Hospitality House . Both are closely tied to the local community, and they did an amazing job of incorporating elements of their experiences into their wedding. One of my personal favorite DJs, Ryan, from DJ On the Side kept the dancefloor full all night. The beautiful photos are courtesy of E. Leise Photo Design... Read Full Story

One of the highlights of the recent visit to Orange, Virginia was meeting Sharon Elswick of Holladay House Bed & Breakfast .   Not only is the property beautiful with a vintage flair and contemporary hospitality, but Sharon is positively delightful. When you meet her, you know you’ve met someone who is passionate and invested in her business. While we had less than an hour to tour the site (and eat delicious cupcakes from Charlottesville Cupcake and Cakes by Kristine), I could have stayed... Read Full Story

Each year (well, twice each year, really) I express a very unpopular opinion – I don’t like wedding industry “awards”. To be clear, I don’t like certain kinds of awards. There are great organizations like ISES and NACE and others who grant awards that I think are awesome. They have objective criteria as well as subjective judging. They require submission of a body of work or a demonstration of skill to enter and to win. I don't like awards where the awarding marketing firm doesn't reveal... Read Full Story

Our visit to the Inn at Willow Grove was one of our last stops on the 2-day Orange Weddings Tour (naturally, I refuse to begin at the beginning). Every venue was elegant and hospitable in its own way. Willow Grove was one of the largest properties with some of the newest renovations and most luxury accommodations, and the staff’s greeting matched the site’s grandeur – a line of servers and management holding trays of sweet iced tea and champagne awaited the tandem arrival of our James... Read Full Story

This isn't an epic, well-crafted tome today to shake the wedding world...just a quick tip to all of the couples who are getting close to their wedding days. Allow yourselves enough prep time. Most of the time, you have no idea how long it will take you to tie those invitations with pretty bows, or adorn 200 chairs with ties - or prepare a candy buffet for 200 guests. As I sat and washed glassware in preparation for a gorgeous candy display this weekend (that's handwashing, and a delicate... Read Full Story

Virginia-bound brides, are you looking for a wine-country wedding? Do you drool over photos of simple, yet elegant parties lounging around historic beds-and-breakfasts? Williamsburg has always been a natural draw for weddings like these, but with one winery and many gorgeous, but small B&Bs, it's not always the perfect location for every wedding. What is a rustic-chic bride to do? I am told she should hold an "Orange Wedding"...one in Orange, Virginia that is. And since I'm one of those... Read Full Story

An Admission and Some Thoughts on Self-Awareness If you follow me ( @weddlady ) on Twitter or happen to be a Facebook friend, you’ll know already that I’m an inordinately enthusiastic fan of the Fox hit TV series “Glee” . I have a regular “Hulu” date with Ryan Murphy’s motley crew of loveable characters. I’ve even threatened to fire my beloved assistant Debbie and one of my very favorite florists, The Flower Cupboard , for not watching the show. They must have missed the pre-requisite on my... Read Full Story

We're delighted to feature a guest post by fellow wedding planner, Jennifer McBride.   Let’s face it- this wedding, your wedding, is not your first. Well allow me to rephrase- more than likely, you’ve seen a wedding or two in your day. Embarrassing flower girl dress at the age of 6? Check. Best friend from college’s Maid of Honor? Check, Check. Now it’s your time to shine and the last thing you want to be is a “Been There, Done That” bride.  After all, what’s the point in agonizing over... Read Full Story

I Left My Heart in Sendai   In 2003, I helped chaperone a group of high school students from Newhall Presbyterian Church on a mission trip to Japan. We stayed with host families, immersed ourselves for a too-short week in Japanese culture, played with Japanese schoolchildren at a beautiful elementary school, ate traditional foods, attended the cherry blossom festival, hosted a BBQ to thank our host families and prayed with a beautiful people (in our tradition and in theirs) who have... Read Full Story

Photo courtesy of Brad Howe Photography It irks me when I hear friends and family of engaged couples give the “sage” advice that they should not expect to eat on their own wedding day. While it’s true that there have been plenty of couples who have missed their wedding meals, with planning and a good event director, newlyweds can more than just hope for – they can downright expect – an opportunity to eat on their big day. The Right to Eat As the guests of honor, newlyweds are entitled... Read Full Story