EVENT: Rivini Trunk Show at Carine's Bridal

EVENT: Bliss Monique Lhuillier Spring 2013 at Carine's Bridal Atelier

Shop the gorgeous Bliss Monique Lhuillier Spring 2013 Collection at Carine's Bridal Atelier September 27, 28 and 29!  

Book your appointment today by calling 202.965.4696.

EVENT: Monique Lhullier Trunk Show

Monique Lhullier Trunk Show at Carine's Bridal Atelier, August 23 - 25.  By Appointment only.

EVENT: Liancarlo Trunk Show at Carine's Bridal Atelier!

Carine's Bridal Atelier

EVENT: Carine's Bridal Atelier Sample Sale

We had to post this gorgeous picture! We are swooning over the selection!  

Spend this evening with Carine's Bridal Atelier to view designer gowns at their Sample Sale!  

Details HERE

EVENT: Sample Sale at Carine's Bridal Atelier!

Carine's Bridal Atelier

Real Weddings: The Meridian House - Washington, DC

If there were a wedding that defined the word “love”, it would be the marriage of Kara Frank and Brendan Williams-Kief.  The love that Kara and Brendan have for each other is evident from the moment you meet them.  They are lighthearted, carefree and such a joy to be around.  The love that they have for each other, as well as their friends and their family, is contagious. 

Kara and Brendan met in college.  There is no doubt that these two were always the life of the party. This couple knows how to have a great time!  To top it off, they have some serious dance skills!  Kara and Brendan didn’t leave the dance floor all night.  There were multiple VERY impressive “dance off” moments throughout the evening.  It was some of the best dancing that I have ever seen at a wedding.   

Kara and Brendan not only owned the dance floor, but they owned my heart that evening.  In lieu of favors, the couple made a donation to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, which raises money to help fight children’s cancer. 

The Ceremony in Linden Grove at The Meridian House

The Wedding Party

First Dance

The Dance Floor

The Send Off!

Click HERE to view the full gallery.

SoCo Events was hired as a “Month of Planner” to assist the bride and groom with the details and execution of their dream day.   Kara and Brendan had decided upon an ‘Elegant Garden Evening’ theme with a gorgeous color selection of navy blue and blush pink.  Their venue, The Meridian House, was perfect.  The Ceremony was held in the Linden Grove beneath a canopy of trees with hanging lanterns.  The sounds of the string quartet set the mood for a beautifully romantic evening.  The ‘first dance’ was to the song “Just Like Heaven” by the Cure.  Brendan was singing to Kara as they swayed under the beautiful chandelier with all of the guests surrounding them. 

This was followed by an elegant candle-lit dinner in the dining room and library with heartfelt toasts from the bride’s parents, maid of honor and best man.  The evening concluded with the newleyweds being sent off through a cheering crowd and sparklers to be whisked away in a vintage Bentley to their honeymoon destination of Portugal.

Wedding Date: September 17, 2011

Number of Guests: 150

Ceremony Venue: Linden Grove at The Meridian House / Reception Venue: The Meridian House / Photographer: Amy Raab Photography / Caterer and Wedding Cake: WindowsCatering / 
Invitations: The Written Word / Ceremony Music:  Ceremony Strings Quartet / Cocktail & Reception Music: Evan Reitmeyer – My Deejay / Florist: DaVinci’s Florist / Hair & Makeup: Bella Bethesda Hair Salon / Transportation: RegalLimousine / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier Bliss Collection from Carine’sBridal with vintage style crystal belt

Planning101: Wedding Flowers by Season

As we move into the month of May where ‘April Showers bring May Flowers’, it made me think about the beautiful assortment of flowers available to brides throughout the year.  Living in an area that has four distinct seasons, our florists are fortunate enough to have access to quite a few floral varieties locally.  However, we realize that this is not the case for all of our brides.  

Since most brides begin planning their wedding a year out, we will focus on popular spring florals for this post.  If you are planning for next spring can use this list to determine if the florals that you have always dreamed of having in your wedding are in season and perhaps discover some gorgeous options that you didn’t realize existed. 

Always remember to be open-minded about your flower types.  You don’t want to have your heart set on one particular type to find out that it is naturally not available in the month you choose to get married. 

Anemone

blue, red, pink, white

Bells of Ireland

green

Boronia

pink

Casablanca Lily

white

Daffodil

yellow

 

Delphinium

white, blue

Hyacinth

 purple, pink, white

Lilacs

violet, white

Narcissus

white

Peony

pink, white

Ranunculus

white, pink, red, orange, yellow

Star Gazer Lily 

pink, white

Sweetpea

white, pink, red/coral, lavender/purple

Tulip

white, pink, yellow, red, purple

Waxflower

pinky purple, white

BRIDAL BEAUTY: Hair Tips

Preparing for your wedding day can be an incredibly stressful time for many ‘brides to be’.  To help you out, we have created a series called ‘Bridal Beauty’.   ‘Bridal Beauty’ is a series of beauty tips that will help you to alleviate some of the pressure that comes with planning a wedding.  We want you to sit back, relax and enjoy the process of prepping for your walk down the aisle.

The team at SoCo Events has held the hands of many brides through the process of creating their bridal beauty regiment and appointments.   We are here to share with you some of our best wedding day beauty practices. 

We are going to begin this series with ‘Bridal Beauty: Hair Tips’.  Taking proper care of your hair and scheduling maintenance leading up to your wedding day will make all the difference in a perfect hairstyle the day of your wedding.  It is just as important to stay on track with your beauty appointments as you do with the planning leading up to your wedding day.

The most important thing to remember: TIMING IS EVERYTHING! 

·       Trim your tresses!  Schedule a trim about 2 to 3 weeks out from your wedding day – this will allow for that awkward “just cut look” to subside and your hair will look fresh and healthy. Also, be sure you do not do anything drastic  - meaning a completely different hairstyle or color right before your wedding…you do not want to be stuck with a look that you hate on your big day.

 

·       Color, color, color!  Schedule any color or highlight appointments for approximately 10 days out – so your color is fresh and you have no roots to be found! Again, just stick to a color you know and love – this is not the time to see if Katy Perry’s latest electric blue color works on you.

·       Schedule your Stylist!  Be sure to find and book a hair stylist you are excited about working with to create your bridal look. Sought after stylists in the DC Metro area book up fast!  This is something you or your planner should book early in the planning process to ensure you get your first choice. Regardless of how great your stylist is, make sure you do a bridal hair trial.  This will give you the opportunity to discuss what styles might work best with your face shape, your gown and the overall look you want to achieve on your wedding day. There is nothing worse than having no idea what you want to do with your hair a few hours before you walk down the aisle. 

SoCo Events has great relationships with several fabulous stylists all over the East Coast.  If you would like a recommendation, please do not hesitate to email us and ask! info (at) socoevents (dot) com 

Real Weddings: Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, MD

Being a planner, there are certain weddings that you will always remember.  The marriage of Reina Arai and David Pomeroy is one that I will never forget.  This wedding was a true celebration of love and devotion.  Reina, a talented singer, and David, a Marine, originally met while Reina was on tour with David’s brother in the Earlham College choir.  After the tour ended, David and Reina sporadically kept in touch as they both traveled around the world for their professions.  Almost two years after meeting, David and Reina had their first date.  During the first nine months of dating, David drove from North Carolina to Virginia every weekend to visit Reina.  David and Reina are a true testament to the quote, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’.   

First Look

Reina showing off her fabulous red shoes!

The Kiss

The Reception Décor

Reina’s sister and niece during the ‘bubble send off’

 Click HERE to view the full photo Gallery

 

SoCo Events was hired as a “Month of Planner” to assist the bride and groom with the details and to make sure everything was perfect.  Reina, who is incredibly organized, had already solidified her vision and major details to her wedding when I met her 11 months prior to the big day.  Reina’s vision included the color scheme of red, pink and grey for the décor.  She also wanted to celebrate David’s Marine Corp background, as this was such an important part of both of their lives. 

These elements were visible throughout the wedding.   The Ceremony ended with the newly married couple walking through a traditional sword arch.  Each of the tables had been named after different ranks in the Marine Corp.  The bridesmaid dresses were grey and Reina’s two maids of honor wore red.  Red, pink and grey poms were strung from the ceiling in the reception.  The guest book was canvas that had been monogrammed in red and grey.  The men wore their Marine Corp uniforms.  The details extended to the grey escort cards that were displayed in beautiful trays filled with red candies. 

In addition, Reina had planned a big surprise for David.  She had a secret second wedding gown.  Reina knew that they were going to see each other prior to their ceremony since they were taking photos together.  After the photos and Immediately before the Ceremony, Reina changed into a second surprise gown.  David was able to see Reina for the first time all over again! 

Wedding Date: September 10, 2011

Number of Guests: 115

Ceremony Venue: Chesapeake Bay Beach Club Grass Terrace / Reception Venue: Chesapeake Bay Beach Club Beach House / Photographer: Susan Solo Photography / Ceremony, Cocktail and Reception Music:  EvanReitmeyer of My Deejay / Caterer: Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

Florist: Da Vinci’s Florist / Hair: Up Dos for I Dos / Makeup: Tish B! – Lead Makeup Artist