New Blog- COMING SOON!

Hello Everyone! We've been bad and it's been WAY too long since we've blogged. However, we're so excited to be working with the the fabulous Miss Merkle Designs to introduce a new website and blog. Be on the lookout for our new look (and many more new posts) coming soon!

Amy & Jeff: Raspberry Plain

There are couples we meet in this business who we immediately identify with and end up wanting to stay connected to long after the wedding is over. Amy and Jeff were definitely one of those couples for me. Coincidentally, Amy found that we shared a mutual "friend-of-a-friend" after sharing our website with one of her bridesmaids while considering us for her day-of-coordination. She brought Julie, the "friend-of-a-friend" and bridesmaid, with her to the meeting and we ended up having a great time chatting and laughing as if we had known each other for a while. Getting to know Amy over the months leading up to the wedding day and finally meeting her fiance, Jeff a few weeks beforehand was an absolute pleasure. She was such a joy to work with - about as sweet, funny and laid back as bride could be. I could tell how much fun Amy and Jeff were as a couple and their wedding date solidified that image in my head. From start to finish, the day was filled with emotion and joy. Guests packed the dance floor all night and thoroughly enjoyed themselves while posing in the photo booth (which Amy and Jeff stocked full of props). It was evident how in love they are and how much their family and friends shared that sentiment. Thank you Amy and Jeff for choosing me to share in your day - I felt like I was at a good friend's wedding! ...And we look forward to being part of Julie's wedding next year!

Thanks to Joe at The Happy Couple Photography for sharing these beautiful images!

Amy and her mother Maria - How sweet are they?

New Year, Buffer You?

It's the New Year and you know what that means...time to make some resolutions and hopefully this year, see them past the second week of January! Like many of you, I overindulged this holiday season and came home with a few extra, unwelcome lbs.

My goals this year are to eat better and commit more time to working out to achieve my weight loss goals and to live a healthier overall lifestyle. What are yours?

For many brides, it's to look amazing in their wedding gown when their big day finally rolls around. If that is your goal this year, I'd like to introduce you to the fabulous Melissa Farley (pictured left in Runner's World Magazine) of Fit-Trition and her "Buff Brides" Series.

A former DC bride, Personal Trainer & Holistic Nutritionist, Melissa will work with you to get you in your best shape before your wedding day. It entails a 6-month program designed for 2 personal training sessions a week, for a total of 48 sessions. It also includes a nutrition consultation, custom meal plan, kitchen makeover, and cooking tips and recipes.

Here is a testimonial from a recent bride:
Prior to working out with Melissa, my workout experience had not been very
effective. I found myself doing the same old thing without any drive
or result. Melissa brings a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, energy and
experience to every workout. I am consistently and constantly challenged by
new exercises and routines. My body literally shrunk in weeks of working
out with Melissa and following her nutritional advice. I loved working with
someone who KNOWS how to achieve results! I wholeheartedly recommend Melissa for all she has done for me and for her energy, professionalism, knowledge and enthusiasm! -Former Bride Tara Morrissey

For more information on Melissa, Fit-Trition and the services she offers, please visit her website or her blog.

Whatever your New Year's goals may be, I wish you lots of luck in achieving them! Remember, one day of slacking doesn't mean that you've failed. Start again the next day with renewed energy!

Melissa on her wedding day- 7/31/10:



(Photo credit: 4eyesphotography)

Marianna & Todd: 101 Constitution Avenue

Hi Everyone! I'm so happy to contribute my first entry to the KCE blog and especially excited to share Marianna and Todd's day with you. This couple was special to me for so many reasons - they're fellow Floridians, were my first clients while at KCE and more importantly are two of the sweetest, most thoughtful people I've worked with to date. Everything about their wedding day spoke to them as a couple; each detail expressed a part of who they were and told their story which made me feel as if I had known them forever. I always appreciate couples who interlace touches of their personality throughout the event, whether it's with DIY projects or custom made goods - it always ends up making the wedding that much more special and warm for their guests to take part in and Marianna and Todd did not disappoint.

So onto a little bit of background before I share the gorgeous details. Marianna and Todd met in high school (when she developed a huge crush on Todd) and later reunited while attending University of Central Florida (to Marianna's delight). They're huge fans of puzzles and games, insanely creative and clearly love DC's rich history which was reflected in every aspect of the wedding from the homemade wedding cake (you won't believe it when you see it!) to the escort cards which doubled as clues for the guests to find their tables. The location couldn't have been any more perfect with breathtaking views of the Capitol on a splendid Fall day. I could go on and on but would rather let you see the amazing photographs for yourself from the super talented, Andrew Harnik of Andrew Harnik Photography. Enjoy!

Didn't I tell you their homemade cake was unbelievable?

The escort cards contained clues which led each guest to their table adorned with a DC landmark centerpiece. The guests were asked to take these beautiful mementos home at the end of the night.


Todd and Marianna danced the night away especially when "la hora loca" began, a Venezuelan wedding tradition which everyone got into!


Can't beat the view...or this night - Congrats Marianna and Todd!!

Jen & Jeff's Strathmore Wedding- 8/28/10

I had the pleasure of working with Jen & Jeff at their wedding at Strathmore Mansion in Bethesda on August 28th. It was a warm weekend, but the weather turned out to be really nice at sunset when they had their outdoor ceremony on the back lawn.

Jen & Jeff are both huge Knicks fans and used that as their inspiration for the wedding decor. Blue and orange touches included the blue bridesmaid dresses and linens, orange flowers, and blue and orange chopsticks for the favors. Another fun feature were the escort cards, which were printed to look like basketball tickets, which guided guests to their seats.

The couple had an amazing group of family and friends to support them on their day. After the love-filled toasts and the laughs and tears during the slideshow, their guests kept the dancefloor packed until they literally had to leave. Thanks so much for having me as part of your day, Jen & Jeff!

Special thanks to Roman Grinev Photography for the beautiful photos.
Venue: The Mansion at Strathmore
Flowers: Shelly Bagdashian Floral & Event Designs
DJ: Andy Green from Washington Talent
Cake: Just Cakes

Etsy Love: Sunshine & Ravioli

I, like many of you, am obsessed with Etsy! I was just placing an order for a client of mine (some really cute table numbers and signs for their reception in November) and decided to peruse the site to see what other goodies I could find.

How excited was I to stumble upon Sunshine & Ravioli! They have a lot of different vintage inspired items, from Save-the-Dates, favors, raffle tickets, invitations, bookmarks and much, much more! So many would be excellent for a Fall wedding! Check out some of my favs:

I love these cones for favors or for serving a treat at the reception!


Love these save the dates!






Thank you gift/favor tags




Fairytale theme anyone?


Definitely check out the Sunshine & Ravioli site to see if they have anything that might work for you! They love custom work, so don't be shy to ask!

Russia House Rehearsal Dinner

We have had such a wonderful time working with Nairi & Marc throughout their wedding planning process. We previously shared photos from Nairi's shower over the summer and now we wanted to share a few from their rehearsal dinner on September 17th. We just got to see the preview of their wedding photographs and they are beautiful- cannot wait to share those next!

Nairi & Marc originally met at Russia House, so it was totally fitting that they had their rehearsal dinner there as well. Their group of 50 took over the 4th floor of the restaurant and guests enjoyed the Russian-inspired cuisine as well as the couples' favorite beer, wine and martini selections.


Nairi wrote out the place cards and made the menu cards fitting the red/black lounge feel of the venue.


Karla put together these wonderful mint julep cups filled with red roses as the centerpeices.





Love the city as the backdrop for this shot!


Nairi & Marc's wedding colors were purple and black and I loved how she incorporated the colors into her hairpiece!


Special thanks to Laurie Bracewell for the beautiful photography!