• Vendor Guide
  • Tips and Advice
  • Real Weddings
  • bridal showers
  • daily pretty
  • dc weddings
  • discounts + freebies
  • diy
  • elopements
  • engagement sessions
  • inspiration
  • maryland weddings
  • proposals
  • Real Weddings
  • rehearsal dinners
  • sunday brunch
  • Tips & Advice
  • upcoming events
  • venue tours
  • videos
  • virginia weddings
  • weekly round-up
  • Submissions
  • Subscribe
  • About Us

  • Home
  • Vendor Guide
    • Attire
    • Cakes and Desserts
    • Catering
    • Event Planning and Design
    • Floral Design
    • Gifts
    • Hair and Makeup
    • Jewelry
    • Music and Entertainment
    • Officiants
    • Photography
    • Rentals
    • Stationary and Calligraphy
    • Transportation
    • Venues
    • Videography
  • Real Weddings
    • By Color
      • Black
      • Blue
      • Grey
      • Green
      • Metallic
      • Orange
      • Pink
      • Purple
      • Red
      • White
      • Yellow
    • By Location
      • DC
      • Maryland
      • Virginia
    • By Season
      • Fall
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Winter
    • By Theme
      • Barn
      • Beach
      • Black Tie
      • Casual
      • Classic
      • Cultural
      • Luxury
      • Military
      • Modern
      • Rustic
      • Tented
      • Traditional
      • Vintage
  • Tips & Advice
  • Travel & Honeymoons
  • Shop
    • Beauty
    • Bridal Shower & Bachelorette Party
    • Bridesmaid Gifts
    • Decor
    • Groomsmen Gifts
    • Headpieces & Veils
    • Shoes
Search results for planning. If you didn't find what you were looking for, try a new search.

Perfect Planning Events
May 18, 2020

Perfect Planning Events is an all-inclusive boutique event planning firm creating discerning events with a highly personalized approach.  The creativity and masterful execution poured into each of our events are highly regarded, illustrious, celebrated and aimed to be impressive by all who encounter the invitation to enjoy.  Richly appointed, sophisticated, perfectly curated, and designed to perfection illustrates the weddings designed to evoke the character of each of our Couples’ wedding day.


Address :
Northern Virginia

Phone :
(571) 402-4594

Email :
TARA@PERFECTPLANNINGBYTARA.COM

Website :
www.perfectplanningevents-dc.com

Portfolio :
View work by Perfect Planning Events
Read More
No Comment


Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Bachelorette Planning Pointers
June 13, 2017

So you’ve been tasked with throwing a killer bachelorette party for your best friend/sister/future sister in law/etc. Congratulations! This may be something you have dreamed of all your life, or it could be something you are dreading. Either way, United with Love is here to help! We’ve got 6 bachelorette planning pointers (plus a few extras…) for whipping up the best bachelorette party ever! If you’re still unsure after checking out the below tips, don’t miss our bachelorette party ideas post and our classy white and gold bachelorette inspiration!

Deb Lindsey Photography via Classy Bachelorette Party Inspiration

It’s all about the bride. We know that you may get swept up in party planning, but don’t forget about the most important thing – the bride! There are so many different options to choose from when planning a bachelorette party or getaway weekend. Just think about the endless possibilities! From a weekend getaway to Vegas, jet setting to an island locale, a wine tasting afternoon or a weekend bar crawl, you can find something for everyone. But don’t let the possibilities distract you. The party isn’t all about what you want! What would the bride-to-be enjoy the most?

Timing is everything. I’m not quite sure why, but for some reason there was a time when bachelor and bachelorette parties traditionally happened the night before the wedding. First of all, when did anyone have time to do this?! Between the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, welcome cocktail party, etc. your wedding weekend is busy enough without adding a bachelorette party into the mix! Plus, as we all know, these things tend to involve heavy drinking or late night slumber parties. The bride probably isn’t interested in being hungover for her wedding or having super sleepy ladies by her side during her ceremony! Opt for a weekend sometime before the wedding – maybe the weekend before or, if possible, on a nearby holiday weekend is you plan on going away for the festivities. This may make it so girls who have to travel are more likely to attend. In that same vein…

via It Girl Weddings

Let the bride make the guest list. You, as the maid of honor, sister, best friend, etc. may think you know just who the bride wants there, but it might not be so obvious. The bachelorette party may be a time in which the bride wants to let her hair down a bit and have some fun before her big day. She may not want her future mother in law, her boss, her coworkers, etc. there! Just double check with her before sending out any invites.

Check your budget. Some girls may be able to spend a ton for their besties bachelorette, but others may not. Try to be as inclusive as possible before you make any grandiose plans for the day or weekend. Keep in mind that some of the ladies may have the additional expense of travel so try to be conscious of that if you’re keeping it local for the bride.

 

Yasmin Sarai via Tropical Bridal Shower

Don’t forget the decorations! Whether you’re planning a low-key party at the bride’s house, a classy dinner party, or going all out and staying in a hotel suite, make sure to dress up the atmosphere a little. A few tasseled streamers, oversized balloons, and crowns can go a long way. And you’ll make the bride feel special! After all, isn’t that what this party is all about?! Don’t worry, you don’t have to go x rated with the décor if that’s not the bride’s style. Not every bachelorette party has to be filled with phallic symbols. Once again, keep the bride in mind!

Ask for help. Planning a kick ass bachelorette party or bachelorette weekend can be stressful and can take a lot of time. We know you’re busy with your own life so feel free to not go it alone! However, we don’t suggest you ask the bride for help. Ask another girl in the group to help you out with the planning process or delegate some specific tasks to others.

Alexandria Monette Photography via Coachella Inspired Bachelorette

Check out a few other one off tips and ideas below!

  • Pick a theme or wear specific outfits for specific nights if the party is extended.
  • Distribute a detailed itinerary to the guests, especially if you’ve planned a weekend getaway.
  • Build in some wiggle room time wise and activity wise. Not everything will go exactly as planned and that’s okay!
  • Hire a professional photographer for a few hours to capture some of the fun!
  • Go with the flow. If plans change mid party, just go with it! If the bride’s having a good time, that’s all that matters.
Read More
No Comment

inspiration and ideas  / miscellaneous  / planning and budget  / Tips & Advice

Event Planning And Design
January 15, 2017

Whether you’re looking for total event design or just a bit of guidance, there are many wedding planners and event designers in the Washington DC area. Use the comprehensive local guide below to find the right DC area wedding planner for you. You can also look for some great (free!) wedding planning advice from all of the top planners and designer in the DC area.

Bellwether Events
Bellwether Events
Bright Occasions
Bright Occasions
Clarity And Class
Clarity And Class
CG & Co Events
CG & Co Events
Elegance & Simplicity
Elegance & Simplicity
Events to a T
Events to a T
Everyday Events LLC
Everyday Events LLC
Kelley Cannon Events
Kelley Cannon Events
Roberts & Co Events
Roberts & Co Events
The Plannery
The Plannery
The DC Event Planner
The DC Event Planner
Trebella Events
Trebella Events
Lily & Grayson Events
Lily & Grayson Events
Perfect Planning Events
Perfect Planning Events
Read More
No Comment


Event Planning and Design
January 10, 2017

The Washington, DC area has many great (and very fashionable) boutiques and places to help you put together your wedding day style. Use the comprehensive local guide below to search for bridal dress shops and more. You can also find loads of wedding day fashion and beauty advice from all of the top pros in the DC area. And, if you are in the mood for a discount, be sure to scope one of the many local DC area trunk shows and samples sales.

We are currently updating this listing of Vendors. Please check back later…

Read More
No Comment


Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Planning Packages
August 16, 2016

One question we get a lot is “What is the difference between each wedding planning package option and which one is right for me?”  We recently featured some great advice from local DC area wedding pros on why hiring a wedding planner is a great idea and we wanted to follow that up with some information on next steps – picking your wedding planning package! First of all, we want to start off this conversion with some wedding professional titles so you know the difference between an Event Planner, an Event Designer, and an Event Coordinator. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, it’s good to know the similarities and differences. Once you have a hang of these titles, reading the general package descriptions can help you to make an informed decision on which wedding professional and package is the best fit for your wedding day!

View More: http://carlyfullerphotography.pass.us/beach-club-styled-shoot

Carly Fuller Photography via our Boho Chic Rustic Beach Wedding Inspiration

Event Planner  An event planner is typically someone who has the expertise to support you in every aspect of creating and implementing your event from finding your venue to hiring your vendors to creative design and flawless implementation. The analogy that many of my clients find helpful is that of the Event Planner as the Coach the central figure with the vision to select the best team of players, the leadership to organize and inspire them, and the depth of experience to help them succeed against all odds.

Event Designer This title is starting to be used interchangeably with Event Planner, but it best describes someone who is an expert in developing the creative vision of an event. This person might be compared to an Interior Designer someone who creates an overall vision, from color palette to personal details, and then contracts others to implement the vision. I’ve seen florists, decor rental companies and event planners all refer to themselves as Event Designers. While there can be a lot of overlap, most couples looking for professional support in planning their wedding will benefit more from someone who offers event design as part of their planning expertise.

Event Coordinator  The use of the word Coordinator or Coordination implies that the planning has already been done and this person will simply be organizing, confirming and implementing the plans you make. This term fits best with those who are hired for Month-of planning packages. A great coordinator sets the event up for success with walk-throughs and meetings prior to the date of the wedding.

Virginia Wedding misa me photography Top of the Town (1)

MISA ME Photography via our Simple and Colorful Wedding Reception in Arlington

Now that you are well versed in the titles of DC area wedding professionals, we have compiled some explanations of what is commonly included in local wedding planning packages. Of course, there can be variations from company to company, but generally the below are some guidelines that can help fine which one is best for you leading up to and on your special day! We also have some pro advice from Margo of Bright Occasions, one of our amazing UWL vendors! She is giving some great advice on the benefits and limitations of each package.

Full Service Planning  Typically, this level of service includes everything from finding the venue to hiring the right vendor team to creating the vision and managing all of the logistics. A Full Service Planner will be able to advocate for you two throughout the entire process and will be able to steer you in the right direction. If you think you will need assistance choosing vendors, balancing your budget, coming up with the perfect design plan, and putting together all of the details, a full service planner is probably the best option for you. With this package you can be a little more hands off (if you’d like) and can leave all of the technical details such as invitations, RSVP cards, vendor discussions, etc. to your planner.

A full wedding planner is there for every step of the process from helping with the budget and selecting the venue, to hiring all vendors, event design, event management and coordination of vendors during the engagement process and on the wedding day. A full wedding planner is instrumental in shaping the event and recommending the best vendors for their clients, while still allowing their clients to make the big decisions and create a wedding that is reflective of their style and personality. There are so many benefits that a planner can provide from saving a client time and money to reducing their stress and streamlining the process. One drawback is that this service may not fit as well into a tight budget, so couples that have limited funds should discuss both full and partial planning options with their wedding planner.

Partial Planning  A partial plan will allow you to be more hands on than a full plan and can be very customizable. Your planner will help with vendor decisions and will give give tips and advice throughout the entire process but will not be involved in each and every aspect of the wedding planning process. A great deal of the responsibilities will still fall to the couple while the planning points them in the right directions. The planner will still be highly involved the month of, organizing vendors, typing up loose ends, and making sure everything goes smoothly.

Partial planning has the most variables, in terms of the areas of help your wedding planner will provide. But generally this is help with hiring some of your vendors and may also include event design and consultations regarding other wedding planning areas. Partial planning typically also includes event management and coordination of vendors during the final month and wedding day. The benefit of this type of planning is that typically the client can pick the areas they most need wedding planning help with. One drawback is that clients may not know what areas they need help with when they are first starting to plan their wedding.

Wedding Coordination  This can vary widely from simple wedding day supervision to actual planning or coordinating prior to the event. For many, this is synonymous with Month-of and Day-of Coordination, below.

Month-of Coordination/Planning  This is generally synonymous with Day-of Coordination as well because it is extremely difficult for a coordinator/planner to jump in ONLY in the day of the wedding. This package includes one month of support immediately prior to the wedding, including full support on the wedding day. This time frame allows for the Professional to be involved in the final walk-through, timeline development and vendor confirmation, as well as the standard ceremony rehearsal supervision and wedding day supervision. A Month-of Coordinator/Planner generally pulls everything together to give you a stress free wedding while allowing you to feel like you

Most professional wedding planners and coordinators in the DC area provide coordination for the final month and/or around 4-6 weeks from the wedding day + the wedding day. So it’s not typically a “day-of” service. In that final month, the planner will meet with the client and caterer to do a final walk-through and discuss the layout and flow of the vent. They will contact vendors and confirm arrival/set-up and breakdown. And they will help their client create a timeline of events for the wedding day. The benefit of this is huge; a wedding planner or coordinator will allow a couple to celebrate worry free and be in the moment throughout their wedding day, rather than dealing with set-up or any issues that may arise. The drawback is that most of the planning is set, so it may be too late to make changes that could better the event. You also won’t develop as close of a relationship, since you are only working together for the final month. And you typically won’t be able to go to your planner or coordinator for planning help that you may want and need before those last 4-6 weeks.

We hope that this has helped to clear up many of our reader’s questions on DC area wedding planning and a big thank you to Margo of Bright Occasions for her awesomely detailed explanation of each type of planning package and her thoughts on the pros and cons of each!

 

Read More
No Comment

Event Planning & Design  / planning and budget  / Tips & Advice

FYI-do! Wedding Smarts Before the Planning Starts!
February 18, 2016

With the plethora of newly engaged couples throughout the winter holidays, we wanted to share a great way to get a leg up on the planning from some of DC’s best wedding vendors. On March 9th, Decatur House will be hosting a one night event, FYI-Do!  for couples to learn tips on planning, see up close innovative wedding designs and lighting, and gather invaluable advice from Magnolia Bluebird’s, Danielle Couick. Best part about this opportunity is that all of the proceeds go directly to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association!

We hope to see you there!

Read More
No Comment

etc.

Are You Just Engaged And Planning Your Wedding In The Washington DC Area?
December 1, 2015

Are you newly engaged and planning (or thinking about) your wedding in the Washington DC area?? First off, you’ve come to the right place! I suspect that many of you got that beautiful sparkler of an engagement ring over the Thanksgiving weekend. If so, congrats! This is the time of year that kicks off the unofficial wedding engagement season, which runs from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day. It is the time of year when most couples become engaged to be married and thus the time when most couples begin to plan their wedding.

washington-dc-wedding-The-Happy-Couple-Photography

Photo Credit: Lauren Werkheiser in Old Town Alexandria Engagement Session

If you are in the newly engaged camp and thinking about a wedding in Washington DC, Maryland and/or northern Virginia, I wanted to take a quick time out and share with you some helping posts – a bit of how we do things around these wedding blog parts! Planning a wedding is very overwhelming, even worse than waiting to become engaged! Here are my personal favorite posts that we’ve done on the blog that I hope you’ll find helpful. Bookmark this page, check back often and hang on. Wedding planning – especially in the DMV – is a wild ride!

  • Newly Engaged Or New Here? – This is a page that I wrote for all of our new readers. If you are looking for a place to start or want to find out more about United With Love and how we do things, start here.
  • Once You Become Engaged! – This is a blog post that where we rounded up all of the best advice from wedding planners in the DC area about what couple’s should do once they become engaged. You’ll be surprised at their answers!
  • What Real Couples Wish They Knew Before Planning Their Wedding – Here is the real deal advice from actual couples that we have featured on the blog. It is full of advice and everything they wish they knew before they started planning their wedding.
  • Advice For The Newly Engaged – When you are ready to start planning your wedding in the DMV, here is some advice for how to get started.
  • Advice From Real DMV Newlyweds – After each real wedding we feature, we always ask couples to share any wedding planning advice. In this post, we rounded up some of the best wedding planning advice from the real couples in the DMV that we have featured.

So, that’s my list of the best getting-started-planning-your-wedding advice posts that we’ve featured on the blog thus far! This should be more than enough to get anyone started who is new to this DMV wedding blog, or who just received their engagement ring and is thinking about a wedding in the DC region. We’ve featured so many different and helpful DC area wedding planning posts over the years, so today’s posts will be more than enough to get you started and then you can look around and just dig deeper and deeper yourself as you begin your wedding planning process.

Let us know, what is your best advice for planning a wedding in the DC area? Leave a comment for us!

Read More
No Comment

planning and budget  / Tips & Advice

The One Thing You Need To Know About Planning A Wedding In The DMV…
September 23, 2015

I’m going to cut right to the chase today and get down to it with a short and sweet post about the reality of planning a wedding in the Washington DC area. What’s the one thing that you need to know about planning a wedding in the DMV? You will have to take time off of work. Yup, that’s it! Just about every wedding vendor, from photography to venue to rentals, in the Washington DC area wishes you knew that you will in fact have to take time off of work to plan your wedding. It might not be a lot of time off of work, but you can’t just do it all at night and the weekends.

Sophisticated-Barn-Wedding-in-Virginia-Pinwheel-Collective-Rustic-Elegance-1

Photo Credit: Pinwheel Collective from Jessica and Creigh’s wedding in Virginia

I know it seems horrible to say to us Washington DC-ers who are known for working and working and working. But, its true. You’ll find it tough to plan your wedding unless you take a little time away from the ol’ job during normal business hours. Time off of work seems so simple, but many engaged couples do not know this fact. They assume that wedding vendors can meet at night or they can tour possible wedding locations on the weekend. However, there are a few reasons why this is not always possible and I’m doing my best here to manage your expectations on the wedding planning front.

Not too long ago I was at a wedding planning advice session at DMV based wedding stationery boutique, The Dandelion Patch. A few wedding vendors from around the Washington DC area were there and they all agreed on one point: wedding planning requires time off of work for the engaged couple. If it is site visits or dress shopping, or a catering or cake tasting, you should expect that you will have to take time during normal business hours to plan your wedding.

True, you can (and you should) do the bulk of your wedding researching and Pinterest drooling at night and the weekends. You can save your lunch hour and long commute to wedding hashtag surfing on Instagram. And, I fully realize that this point might be lost on many of you, because we are all work-a-holics here in the Washington DC area (Read my post about how to plan your wedding on a busy schedule!) But, when it comes time to sign those contracts and start to book vendors (aka start to write checks!) for your wedding, you are going to have to take time off of work to meet in person and see the vendors and/or the space with your own eyes.

On the weekends, most wedding vendors have weddings they need to attend to. Weekends are wedding prep and/or wedding day! Most wedding vendors are busy servicing their current clients on the weekends. They are out and about busy with their weddings. The chances are really high that you might not be able to tour your wedding location on the weekend, because they will be either setting up for or hosting a wedding.

Would you want prospective clients poking around at your venue during the set up of your wedding? Would you want your venue coordinator preoccupied with showing an newly engaged couple around their property while they were supposed to be prepping for your wedding? Probably not. And, be very careful (as in don’t do it!) about asking to attend or peak in or just stand in the background of someone else’s wedding so that you can see the space in action. Weddings are a special sacred time for each and every couple, so don’t go there! The bottom line is this: Venue coordinators, photographers, rental companies, caterers and just about everyone else in the wedding biz will be busy doing their job on a weekend.

During the week, meetings with wedding vendors after 5 pm can be tough and not always a guarantee.Catering chefs typically arrive at their kitchens at 6 am, and that is why they like to schedule wedding meal tastings at noon or 3 pm. Your wedding venue might close at 5 pm, or the sales staff might keep regular weekday business hours. You can ask to meet a self-employed vendor (think a wedding planner or videographer) at night and many do have evening office hours. But, keep in mind, they are human too. Working all weekend, all week day during the day and holding meetings at night does not do a wedding vendor good. These folks have families and hobbies and volunteer work too – and they deserve to have down time like the rest of us!

If you are planning a wedding in the Washington DC area be prepared to take some time off of work to plan your wedding. Your wedding vendors (and your co-workers!) will appreciate it!

Be sure to check out all of the other DC area wedding advice that we have put together for you or look through our list of the best Washington DC area wedding vendors!

Read More
No Comment

miscellaneous  / Tips & Advice

It™s All A Wedding: Wedding Planning Advice From Real LGBT Couples
August 26, 2015

The Supreme Court’s ruling in June said that same-sex couples can marry nationwide and that states can no longer deny marriage to couples based on their sexual orientation. Yes! Married same-sex couples will now have the same legal rights as heterosexual couples in all states. Here in the DMV, we have been celebrating and honoring same sex marriages for a few years. Same sex couples have been marrying in the District of Columbia since 2009 and in Maryland since 2013.

beautiful-brides-washingto-dc-wedding-Jessie-Mary-Photography

Photo Credit: Kelly Prizel Photography of Alex and Kate

Now that same sex couples can marry in all states, I’m wondering is there any difference between planning a marriage for a same sex couple as for a heterosexual couple? Are there any specific challenges or things that LGBT couples wish they knew before getting started in their wedding planning process? Here at United With Love, we’ve taken the approach over the years that it is all just a wedding, straight or same-sex, and each wedding poses its own unique challenges regardless of the sexual orientation of the couple. We try to give general wedding planning advice specific to the Washington DC area so that couples can then apply that advice to their own marriage in they way they see fit.

For more on the subject of LGBT wedding planning challenges (or not!), I turned to Candy at Candy+Co. Events. Candy reached out to a few of her past wedding planning clients who are same sex couples who were married in Washington DC. What did they have to say on the matter? Was their wedding planning experience different or more challenging because they were a same sex couple? What would they advise current LGBT couples planning a wedding? What should they look out for? Here’s what they had to say about their wedding planning experience as it specifically relates to being a same sex couple¦

THE MARRIAGE

The two best pieces of advice someone gave me was: 1.) Hire a professional, even if it is just to coordinate the event on-site. This is your special day, you want to be able to experience it, enjoy it and remember. And not be worrying about whether Uncle Warren is going to remember to pay the caterer. 2.) When planning the wedding, schedule and devote time to NOT TALK ABOUT THE WEDDING. The closer you get, the easier it is to let the final decisions and planning take over every moment. Take some time to let in some oxygen and allow you relationship to breathe. – DJ + Mike

My advice to any couple is make sure you are getting married because you want to and not because you are trying to make a statement. I wanted to be married where I live; not to travel to another state to do it. It just wouldn’t have felt right. My partner and I are not real religious so getting married in a church just didn’t feel right. It is your wedding and your special day so get married where ever you want and find that right person to marry you; not someone that feels obligated because of the new law that was passed. – Jeff + Jim

My husband and I thought about how we wanted ourselves and guests to feel at the wedding to make up a mission statement. We decided we wanted it to be fun, elegant, relaxed, with some Southern (me) and Midwestern flair (him). We gave those ideas to our wedding planner along with our budget and she compiled lists of websites and contacts for us to visit. We found our wedding planner through a referral by a friend.  – DJ + Mike

THE PLANNING

Given that we lived in a jurisdiction that legalized gay marriage back in 2010, we didn’t have as many issues. Our wedding was also not right after the legislation passed; a good 18-months went by until our wedding day. We still did run into instances where people asked about the ˜bride’…and then apologized. We found ourselves using the term ˜bridal party’ and ˜bridesmaids dresses’ a few times as a slip of the tongue. I could only imagine planning a wedding in a location before gay marriage was legalized nationwide. I could also see challenges with some foreign destinations. There were minor things that came up, ˜traditional elements of a wedding’ that did not make sense to be part of a gay wedding. Overall, it was nothing major.  – Bill + Harry

The main thing that made my wedding day easier than I hoped was knowing that I had a dedicated wedding planner and team of close family and friends that were going to do everything to make the day run smoother. I felt that I had a good idea of who was going to show up, how the day was going to run and felt I’d be able to be emotionally, mentally and spiritually present. Also, knowing that my wedding planner had talked to each and every vendor, from the venue to the caterer to the limo drivers, to make sure they had no issues with serving a wedding for two men. I’m lucky to live in Washington, DC, which has been pretty open to weddings of same-sex couples even before the district legally recognized out-of-state weddings in 2009, and then full marriage rights within the district in 2010. I was fairly confident most businesses would be accepting, but given how people all types of political leanings are in DC, you never know how a business might react.  – DJ + Mike

large-wedding-party-DuPont-Circle-DC-Kelly-Prizel-Photography

Photo Credit: Jessie Mary Photography of Bill and Harry

THE VENDORS

For the most part, we didn’t feel like we were planning anything more unusual than a wedding. We did, however, make sure that our vendors had worked with gay couples before (this mostly involved scouting websites to see if there were photos or examples of same-sex couples). One of the photographers we talked to had never shot a same-sex wedding, and we ended up going with someone else partly because of that. We also faced some family drama around the fact that we were two women getting married, but we figure every wedding has its family drama, so that was just our particular flavor. – Kate + Alex

Frankly, we never paid much attention to weddings before we got engaged. Once we started the planning process, we discovered the size and scope of the wedding industry and that many vendors are not up to par…Seek those who want your satisfaction, not just your money. With that being said, being in D.C. or the nearby suburbs, we never felt any of our negative vendor experiences were due to our sexual orientation. Do not assume that those who might treat you poorly are doing so because you are LGBT. In fact, we met with an openly gay caterer who was late, unfriendly and left bridal magazines all over the tasting room. Meanwhile, the straight caterer we ended up hiring (Spilled Milk) wowed us with delicious food and incredible hospitality. Our sexual orientation was irrelevant. Also, realize that a lot of the marketing, advertising and branding has not caught up to the laws or culture. You might have to spend a little extra time or money to find LGBT-inclusive or neutral cake toppers, cards, etc. As an interracial gay couple, we got creative or made a couple of DIY items because of this lack of representation. For example, we bought love birds for our cake toppers because the pre-packaged statues only featured straight couples or they looked nothing like us. – M and T

Separate from the services they provide, it is critical to get a sense of the wedding ascetic that the vendors work with. We met with (and sampled) a lot of really good vendors but it was clear which vendors would fit best with our vision of our wedding day. Thinking about the caterers in particular, most prepared really good food, however, some were very traditional in their service and conceptions about wedding menus. For us, that was not a good fit  I never really thought about this until after the fact. Would have saved us and them a lot of time. – Bill + Harry

For my wedding, I did not feel I ran into any unusual challenges that prevented me from planning my wedding. Even though everyone wants to be treated equally and have the same wedding as a straight couple, there are some differences with a gay wedding and some of your challenges will be with people and businesses who do not want to be part of your day, and frankly why would you want them to be? Look for the people and businesses that are at least gay friendly and/or gay owned and that will hopefully alleviate some of the stress and challenges you might face. Be upfront with them from the start; you are looking for someone to be a part of your gay wedding. You will know if they are worthy of your business. – Jeff + Jim

I did get married in Washington, DC, so gay life is very much recognized and I feel most businesses that we could have chosen from, caterers to flowers to venues and even your officiant, was not difficult to find. In other states, this may be an issue. I felt that every business and all of the staff we worked with were very comfortable with us and our guests from start to finish. I could not have been more pleased. After all, it is your special day and you will find all of the right components, otherwise you won’t be choosing that particular person, venue or area. – Jeff + Jim

THE CEREMONY

Focus on the ceremony – for us, that was the part that mattered. The reception is just a giant party we wanted to have it planned out well enough that people would have a good time, but didn’t want to stress too much about the details. – Kate + Alex

Don’t skip out on the pre-wedding couples counseling. No matter how long you have been together, getting married is a life changing event. Working with a professional or spiritual adviser to put that all into context is very important, and also helping you paint a picture of how your relationship will and should change as a married couple is critical.  – Bill + Harry

THE TRADITIONS

The only two challenges we faced dealt with tradition. First, my husband and I needed to decide which traditions from our families, or heritage we felt were appropriate for us. Were we going to jump a broom? Hold it in a church? Have our parents walk us down the aisle. And the other challenge was that my family didn’t really know how to react to a wedding for two men.  This was the first time many of them attended. To find traditions that felt us, we did a lot of reading, talking to other married friends and thinking about other marriage ceremonies we’d seen that touched us. We decided to start with a social happy hour to get our families interacting. We decided to skip the church, but have a close friend who is a former minister do the ceremony. We didn’t jump the broom, but did have other mother’s light candles that we then each used to light a unity candle right before exchanging rings and vows. As for my family, I had some one-on-one conversations to remind them that they should treat this wedding just like any other wedding they had attended: Congratulate us, send back the response card and don’t bring extra uninvited guests. On the day of, my family had some touching, heartfelt moments that was more meaningful than I could’ve ever imagined. – DJ + Mike

THE GUESTS

Our primary challenge was deciding on our strategy for inviting wedding guests – particularly extended family members – who we knew or suspected did not support marriage equality for same-sex couples. With friends, we were more selective. But ultimately, we chose to invite all family members, putting the onus on them to RSVP ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Others may decide to do otherwise or may feel uncomfortable doing this, but we did not want family members who wanted to attend (and did indeed attend) to feel slighted or insulted that their mother/brother/etc was not invited as well. We also did not want anyone to claim, down the road that they would have attended if invited. Perhaps, and hopefully soon, this won’t be an issue. – M and T

**********************

Wow, thank you so much to Candy and to all of the couples who provided such amazing and personal wedding planning advice for having a same sex wedding here in the Washington DC area. For more from Candy and her incredible team of wedding planners in DC, be sure to check her out at Candy+Co. Events.

In the meantime, be sure to check out all of the other DC area wedding advice that we have put together for you or look through our list of the best Washington DC area wedding vendors!

Read More
No Comment

planning and budget  / Tips & Advice

5 Tricks To Planning Your Wedding On A Busy Schedule
April 8, 2015

I’m going to cut right to the chase here, we are all busy. Washington DC area people are notorious for working hard and long hours – a 40 hour work week would be a picnic! But, what do those long hours and crazy schedules mean once you become engaged? How are you going to fit your wedding planning into your already packed schedule? We’ve all heard married couples complain that planning their wedding was like another full time job! Here are five quick tips for planning your wedding in DC, Maryland and Virginia on a busy schedule. This is real, practical advice from me to you, just for couples getting married in the Washington DC area. After all, none of us need another job!

Unique-National-Mall-Wedding-Portrait-Michelle-Lindsay-Photography

Photo Credit: Michelle Lindsay Photography

Get Off Pinterest
Hello, time suck! Pinterst and other social media – when it comes to your wedding – is nothing more than a huge time waster. You should definitely use the sites to find ideas and inspiration, but once you’ve found what you are looking for, cut it out. Delete the pages, take it off of your phone. Do whatever you have to do. Social media and weddings are an endless rabbit hole of information with each image more beautiful than the next. It will eat every spare moment of time you have!

Hire A Wedding Planner
A wedding planner will save you so much time, energy and money! Before you do anything or waste any energy, spend what little time you have researching wedding planners and hire one. Tell them that you have a limited amount of time to spend on wedding planning. They will be able to give you one or two choices for each of your vendor categories that fit within your price range and budget. Research your wedding planner and let them do the rest.

Divide And Conquer
You need all the help that you can get to plan your wedding when you are busy. Your partner shouldn’t get off the hook! Divide up your task list and let your partner do half of the work, whether that’s research online or setting up meetings. If you truly can’t trust your partner, or they are even busier than you, ask a friend or family member that you trust to help you out. They might really like to be involved and happy that they have a “job.” Once you divide up the work-load make sure you let go a little bit and trust in his or her choices. Don’t micromanage them and instead allow them to do the work in their own way.

Limit The Choices
When you are pressed for time, it is critical that you are limiting the amount of choices that you give yourself. Allow yourself two, or maybe three, choices when it comes to things like dresses, locations, cakes and more. Of course your initial research will include lots of different ideas, so I’m talking about when you get to the end and your making your final choices. You just don’t have the time to seriously explore every single option out there under the sun. Avoid “paralysis by analysis” by over thinking decisions and just make a choice and move on. Limiting the choices upfront will make the decision that much easier.

Be Realistic And Practical
Spend some time in the beginning of your wedding planning going over and committing to your priorities, such as budget and guest count. Be brutally honest with yourself and your partner about your budget. (These will be the hardest conversations you’ll have, so it will be great prep for marriage!) Go over certain non-negotiables like “We don’t want to be married in a hotel,” or “We have to be married in August, because of our work schedules.” Don’t even entertain options that don’t fit within your priorities. If a venue isn’t available on your day or can’t fit your guest count, move on immediately. Don’t spend any time or energy on locations or vendors or ideas that don’t fit within your budget or your priorities. This gets back to Pinterest and social media. For example, don’t spend hours looking at outdoor weddings full of lush florals, if you are getting married inside in the winter. Be very realistic about what you want your wedding to be and then focus on that reality.

Be Organized
One last tip for you! I know I said 5, but here is an extra one just because I love you! Be super organized when planning your wedding and it will save you time and energy in the end. I’m assuming that you are already organized for work, so apply that same skill set to your wedding. Start an Excel file, download an app or get a binder – whatever you need to stay on task. Being organized will allow you to be more efficient. For example, set up a meeting with a wedding planner you are considering at or near a wedding location you are also scouting. This kind of efficiency will save you time and energy.

So, that’s it! I told you it would be fast! After all, we don’t have any time to waste! Now, get over with your wedding planning for the day and get back to work!

Are you looking for more local wedding ideas? Be sure to look through our DC area wedding idea galleries and find wedding advice from local DC area pros. If that isn’t enough, check out our collection of local DMV weddings from the real world and the best DC area wedding vendors who make it all happen.

Read More
1 Comment

planning and budget

Older Posts

  • Sponsored

  • Instagram


  • Follow Us On

  • Recent Posts

    • A Tale of Two Destination Weddings at El Dorado Resorts
      September 21, 2021
    • Bright Hay Adams Wedding Inspiration
      November 20, 2020
    • Festive Fall Burgundy and Red Virginia Wedding
      November 18, 2020
    • Classic Catholic University Wedding in DC
      November 16, 2020
    • DC Kennedy Center Engagement Photos
      November 13, 2020
    • Butterfly Kisses Minimony Wedding
      November 10, 2020


@unitedwithlove

© 2010 - 2017 United With Love, All Rights Reserved. Photo Credits: Lisa Blume Photography