SoCo Events Featured in Washingtonian Bride & Groom!

We are absolutely thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Washingtonian Bride & Groom on this piece by LauraWainman.  Check out the article by clicking the link below.

'How to Incorporate Children Into the Wedding of Your Dreams'

Summer Weddings: Chill Out!

As the temperatures approach triple digits today, we wanted to provide you with some tips to keep your guests cool during your outdoor summer ceremony.  When making the decision to say your "I do's" outdoors, always take into account rising temperatures and blistering sun.  Aim to not have your ceremony during the hours were the sun is the strongest and choose a spot that provides shade.  It is also a great idea to include the following:

Greet guests with a refreshing cold non alcoholic beverage

These misters will provide great scented relief

Because no one wants unprotected guests!

How amazing would chilled towels feel after a hot ceremony?!?

Stay cool today!!!

{Photo Credits: 1-4 Martha Stewart Weddings}

Happy Father's Day!

Fathers are usually the unsung heroes at weddings.  They start the entire wedding journey when a nervous boy asks for their daughter's hand in marriage.  From that moment on, they are often asked to support with a smile, not ask questions about how much the flowers cost and keep their speech to under 3 minutes.  This weekend, Dad deserves his day and we have gathered a few of our favorite FOB moments from years past.

Speechless as he sees his little girl for the first time on her wedding day

While everyone is getting beautiful, Dad is taking care of business

Is this not the best?! Dad carried around a picture of he and the bride as a child

Someone has got to work.....to pay for this wedding!

Putting the final touches on his speech..or waiting to get his hair set!?!?

This dad loves his daughters! This is the second daughter I helped him get down the aisle, and he was just as emotional the first time!!

To all the father of the bride's past and present that practice their speech incessantly, take lessons to master their dance perfectly and who write checks without complaint we wish you a day full of love and laughter.  And, maybe just maybe let your son-in-law pay for dinner this time ;)

{Photo Credits: 1-Greg Gibson, 2-Jennifer Lust Portrait Design, 3&4-BinaryFlips, 5&6-Ron Lynch Photography}

2012 BRIDAL TREND: LACE AND SLEEVES!

Brides can thank Kate Middleton for the 2012 wedding fashion trend -- long sleeves and lace!  We are thrilled that this trend might be here to stay.  The long sleeves and lace trend is a fashion forward twist on a very classic look.   

Think Grace Kelly meets Kate Moss.  

Kate Middleton

Not only was this look prominent on the runway during Spring Bridal Week 2012, but it has been embraced by celebrities.  We expect to see this elegant look for quite a few years to come.

Grace Kelly

Ivanka Trump

Drew Barrymore

Lauren Bush

Ashley Biden

Below are some of our favorite pieces from the Spring 2012 Bridal Shows.

Reem Acra 2012

Monique Lhuillier 2012

Carolina Herrera 2012

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

Bride Love

I am so happy and honored to have such great ladies that work with me in this wedding world.  As SOCO has grown, Nicole and Bridget have excelled at their own events, which makes me very proud and excited for their future weddings!  This week I received glowing ratings from recent clients of theirs via Wedding Wire.  I just had to share them with you, so you too can see how great Bridget or Nicole would be for your wedding! 

 Also be sure to follow them on Twitter @SoCoBridget and @SoCoEventsNikki

Nicole's 4.21.12 bride at The Willard had this to say...

The day I chose SoCo events for my day-of planning, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Nicole was everything I was looking for in a wedding planner! She was very organized, professional, and excited to be a part of my big day. I knew I would be able to enjoy my wedding day without having to worry about anything. 

Two months out from the wedding, I was so grateful to have Nicole. She was very responsive to my emails and she scheduled phone calls and meetings so we could go into more detail with the wedding planning. Nicole was in constant communication with the on-site wedding coordinator as well as my other vendors. 

The day of the wedding was surreal and I was able to relax and thoroughly enjoy it because of Nicole. She arrived early with Jen to put together my macaroon wedding favors and they came up to the bridal suite often to check on the bridal party. My parents were very impressed with how great a job she did and how attentive she was to me and my husband at the reception. 

The whole day was just magical. I have received so many compliments from guests on how beautiful the wedding was and how much they enjoyed themselves. I highly recommend SoCo events to any bride and groom. My sister has already decided she will be using them for her wedding!

Bridget's 4.28.12 bride at The Mayflower had this to say...

Our wedding planner, Bridget, was fabulous! She helped make our wedding flawless from beginning to end. She is extremely efficient and organized, and communicated to us in a very timely manner. Bridget kept all the details in order and she showed me creative options for decorating and personal touches for the guests that I never would have considered. She helped design our wedding bags, favors, and even our invitations. Her creativity and eye for design turned my wedding into an elegant masterpiece. Thank you Bridget!

Thanks girls for helping SOCO Events Shine!!

Making a Splash!

We are recovering today from an amazing wedding weekend and want to thank our beautiful couple Marybeth and James for letting us be a part of your special day.  

It has been a great year of planning with you, and it was so wonderful to see all our

hard work pay off!

Special thanks to Celeste at Charlie Palmer, DaVinci Florist and the uber-talented Jennifer Lust for her photographic genius.  More from this wedding to follow, but I leave you with the image below.  

I think it sums up how fun and daring these newlyweds are!