Howerton+Wooten Events Blog. The musings of a Maryland Wedding and Event Planner

Favorite Wedding Moments of 2010

The Howerton+Wooten Events team is about to embark upon our 2011 Wedding Season!

Before we begin our 2011 wedding season, we would like to pay a little homage to our 2010 wedding season by sharing some of our favorite moments captured by our couples' awesome wedding photographers. 

 
For most children, watching a wedding is like watching paint dry. (Photo: Love Life Images)

 

I love this tender moment between this bride and her father.  There are a ton of people in the room, but you wouldn't know it by the look in their eyes. (A. Britton Photography) 

At Nigerian weddings, the parents, wedding party and bride and groom are literally danced into the wedding reception.  This entrance was so fun.  I must confess that I wanted to dance in with them!  (Photo: Tunji Sarumi Photography)

 

 

Andy and Naomi's first dance song was "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat.  Andy sang the entire song to Naomi while they danced.  I think Andy is awesome!  (Photo: Sandi Foraci Photography)

 

 

This was a lively little group, so I am amazed that Tunji was able to capture such a remarkable moment.  I love this picture!  (Photo: Tunji Sarumi Photography) 

 
Exactly one minute prior to the start of this wedding, the wind started to blow and the skies opened up.  In a flash, this wedding was moved inside.  I will always love Meredith for her amazing spirit throughout our quick move.  (Photo: JA Laub Photography) 

 

I'm a mom, so I cannot help it.  I love pictures of ring bearers and flower girls.  And, there is something so precious about this ring bearer and flower girl standing next to this Marine.  (Tony Richards Wedding Photography)

 

So, tell me.  What was your best wedding moment of last year's wedding season?

Love and Soul Always, Kay 

Scripture Reading From the Royal Wedding

I was moved when James Middleton read the bible scripture at the Royal Wedding.  Not because it was the Royal Wedding -- well, the Royal Wedding had something to do with it.

Given what Kate and William are about to endure as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I found the words in this scripture reading to be powerful and moving.

The scripture below isn't the exact wording that James read.  He read from a modern American version of the Bible during the service.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all"

Romans 12: 1-2, 9-18

 

Here is a video of James Middleton reading the Scripture at the Royal Wedding.

 

Enjoy!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: AP)

Something Borrowed! A Cartier Tiara Worn by Kate Middleton

Wouldn't you just love to have your "something borrowed" be a diamond tiara made by Cartier!

My goodness!

According to the 2011 Royal Wedding website, this "halo" tiara was made in 1936.  The Duke of York (think Colin Firth's character in the King's Speech) purchased this tiara for his Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother).  Story has it that he purchased this tiara three weeks before he succeeded his brother, Edward, as the King.

When their daughter (now Queen Elizabeth) turned 18, this tiara was given to her.  Today, the new Duchess of Cambridge (Kate) wore this tiara on her royal wedding day.  And, I must say that this tiara went well with Kate's elegant wedding gown (designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen).

Hopefully, this isn't the last of this beautiful tiara!

Enjoy your wedding day Kate!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photo: Getty Images)

Wedding Day Love for Patricia and Josh

Last October, we had the honor of taking care of Patricia and Josh's wedding.  This was a wedding that I was truly looking forward to in 2010.

Allison at A. Britton Photography really did an amazing job capturing Patricia and Josh's wedding day.  I must tell you that everything about Allison and Christopher is simply great.

 

This awesome bouquet was created by The Enchanted Florist.  Melissa definitely knows her stuff!

 

I really like this picture of Patricia and Josh laughing.  It was so nice to see them having a good time on their wedding day.

 

Their wedding was held at the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, DC.  Their ceremony was warm, welcoming and very intimate.

 

 

Here is one of the special moments captured during their wedding ceremony. Allison Britton sure knows how to capture those special moments.

 

Patricia and Josh's wedding guests had the pleasure of experiencing Patricia's love for trees.  Here is a picture of their wedding program.  This tree was also pictured on their wedding invitation, menu cards and their escort cards.

 

I love the little tree stumps used to hold their escort cards.  I believe they found the mini tree stumps on Etsy.  We used them to hold their menu cards and table numbers too.

 

 

They even managed to include trees on their wedding cake.  Isn't the cake topper just too darn cute?

 

The cocktail reception was a blast!  The catering was provided by Main Event Caterers, and everything tasted so incredibly good.

 

The mariachis truly set the tone for a lively cocktail reception.  Patricia and Josh searched high and low for talented Mariachis, and everyone thought they made an excellent choice.  After the Mariachis' performance, Evan Reitmeyer at MyDeejay rocked the house!

 
 

Their wedding reception took place at the Carnegie Institution of Washington.  There were three different centerpiece options in the dining room.  This is one of the centerpieces created by the Enchanted Florist.

 

The couple made their grand entrance into Carnegie Institution of Washington during the cocktail reception.  Then, they headed directly into their first dance.  Making a grand entrance into the cocktail reception is easy when your cocktail reception is located in the Carnegie's rotunda.

 

Thank you so much to Patricia and Josh for the opportunity to take care of you on your special day!  We truly considered it to be an honor!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photo: A. Britton Photography)

Wedding Day Love for Kate and Ben

I am excited to share a little wedding day love for Kate and Ben.  Kate is a fellow meeting planner with a heart of gold.  There were so many times when we chatted on the phone, and I simply thought we were kindred spirits.

 

Kate and Ben married last year on Saturday, September 11th.  It was one of those days where the weather was absolutely perfect.  I woke up that morning thinking, "this is going to be an excellent wedding day!"

It was such a nice day that Kate and her wedding party decided to walk to the church from the Mayflower Hotel. 

Their wedding ceremony took place in the St. Matthews Cathedral located in downtown Washington, DC.   

I must tell you that I attend mass in this church at least once every year, but I never noticed all of its glorious beauty until I saw a wedding take place in it. 

Here is the cathedral's amazing organ.  

Have you ever attended a wedding where everyone was simply gorgeous?!?  That was this wedding.  Here is a picture of Kate, her mom and her grandmom.  The best part -- They were just as pretty on the inside. 

And, aren't they completely precious? 

Their reception took place at the Top of the Town. 

This is a view of DC from Top of the Town.  This view of Washington, DC is my favorite part of this wedding reception venue. 

Their centerpieces, created by Da Vinci's Florist, and the linen truly transformed the look of the Top of the Town's dining room.  All of the wedding day paper was created by the talented Christina Barbour at paperzest. 
 
 

Can't you tell that pink is one of Kate's favorite colors?  And, she likes sweets too . . . 

 
 
The mini wedding cupcakes, created by Georgetown Cupcakes, were on a very large pink cupcake stand.  And, they were sooo good.  Especially those little coconut cupcakes.  Wow! 
Even the escort cards were pink candy bars. 

Kate and Ben's wedding guests had a ton of fun!  They laughed and danced all night!  And, that kind of fun made the wedding reception perfect.

 

At the end of the night, we were blessed with fireworks from the Nationals game nearby.  But, they happened just at the right time -- for a minute, I thought we planned them!  Thank you so much Kate and Ben!  We truly enjoyed taking care of you on your wedding day! 

Love and Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: Rodney Bailey Photography)

I Love This Dress: Rubin Singer for RHOA Cynthia Bailey

For the last week, I have read numerous tweets and Facebook posts about Cynthia Bailey's wedding gown created by Rubin Singer.

"It wasn't traditional!"

"It wasn't white"

"It was too dark!"

"It was too much!"

Are you kidding me?  That wedding gown was fantastic.  No, it was flawless.

It looked like a luxurious ball gown.  And, with all of the country and rustic wedding trends right now, we don't get to see formal wedding dresses very often any more.

The back of the wedding gown was hot!  I wish I had the figure to pull that look off.

And, the gown's platinum color was stunning.  It complemented her skin perfectly.

I love it when a bride customizes her wedding day look to fit her, and that is exactly what Cynthia Bailey did.

It was awesome.

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photos: brides.com)

Wedding Day Love for Carolyn and John

Today, I am showing some Wedding Day love to one of the loveliest couples I have every met! -- Carolyn and John.

 
Carolyn and John were married at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Washington, DC.  St. Augustine happens to be the first church I attended when I moved to the DC are.  It is definitely one of my favorites.  (I just wish they had better parking!)

  

 

This is probably my favorite ceremony picture.  Can't you just imagine what she was thinking at that moment?

 

Their wedding reception took place at National Geographic Society Museum.  If you know Carolyn and John, then you know that this is the perfect venue for them.

 
 

 

The DJ rocked the wedding reception.  And, you can definitely tell that they had a great time!

 

Stephen Bobb of Love Life Images took some excellent pictures of the wedding party throughout Washington, DC.

I must tell you that I have never noticed these bikes before.  Of course, I see them all of the time now! 

 

 

Some of my favorite wedding pictures were taken in the Dupont Street Metro Station.

 
 

This is such an awesome shot in the metro station.  Don't you just love how the escalator light illuminates the bottom of Carolyn's gown?
 

Thank you so much for allowing us to take care of your wedding day, Carolyn and John.  Your wedding day was awesome -- just like the two of you!  Like I said, Stephen Bobb at Love Life Images is awesome!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

(Photos: Love Life Images)

Wedding Day Love for Meredith and Ben

We had the privilege of taking care of Meredith and Ben's wedding in May of this year.

Meredith and I first met when we worked together in the Cable TV industry.  I was "beyond thrilled" when she asked me to take care of her wedding.

 

Meredith started off her wedding day with a make-up application from Nyke at Divine Cre8ions.  She opted for an "Old Hollywood" look.

 

This picture gives you a great view of Meredith's make-up and her vintage earrings.  (so lovely)

 

The wedding bouquets (created by Petals Edge Floral Design) were absolutely luscious!  Gerry incorporated Magnolia leaves into the bouquet to represent Meredith and Ben's Kentucky background.

 

This is one of my favorite pictures.  It shows off the ladies' attire and their gorgeous bouquets.

 

The wedding cake (made by Amphora Bakery) was simple, elegant and so tasty!  But, the darling of the night was the chocolate groom's cake in the shape of a UK football!

 
 

The wedding ceremony was supposed to take place in the outdoor courtyard of the Sheraton Suites in Old Town Alexandria.  But, one minute (yes, I said one minute) after the ceremony was supposed to begin, the wind started blowing, and the rain came down.
 
Luckily, our team was able to change and re-set a new ceremony location within 14 minutes.  Yes, I said we did it in 14 minutes.  My team rocks!!

Fortunately, Meredith, Ben and their families had THE BEST demeanor and a fantastic sense of humor.  Here is the bride and groom in their new ceremony location.

 

In fact, the rest of the evening was filled with dancing . . .

 

 

And, joyful, loving emotions.

 

Thank you so much to Meredith and Ben for allowing Howerton+Wooten Events to be a part of your special day!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

PS. Please tell your awesome mom, Bonnie, that we said hi!  She was so wonderful to work with on your wedding preparations.  We couldn't have asked for a better Mother of the Bride.

(Photos: JA Laub Photography)

Grooms Appreciate Wedding Planners

Very often, we are blessed with kindness and thank you notes from brides, mothers of the bride and mothers of the groom.

But, it really does speak to our heart when the grooms take a moment to tell us how much they appreciate us.  Here are some of our favorite 2010 comments/notes.

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At the end of one of our May weddings, the groom said to his bride, "Sheesh, Kay made sure this day was one of the best days of my life!"

The week before our July 17th wedding, John said, "I don't want to sound like Kelly Clarkson, but my life would suck without you."

Right after another July wedding, Cecil said the following to my husband (he's a part of the tear down crew) -- "Chris, you have an amazing wife!"

And, shortly after our final wedding of the season, Amy wrote, " . . . In the beginning, Sean didn't see why we needed a planner.  But, after we left our wedding, he told me that our planner was the best money we spent!"

 

Wow.  I just got goosebumps.  Thanks so much for your kindness guys!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

Wedding Day Love for Martina and Cecil

Today, I am showing some wedding day love for Martina and Cecil.  Martina and Cecil got married on July 17th of this year.  Their ceremony took place in the park near the Netherlands Carillon, and their reception took place at the Top of the Town in Arlington, Virginia.

  

This picture of Martina is so hot!  She was a gorgeous bride (on the inside and out).  I probably told her 100 times how great she looked in her wedding gown.  And, her beautiful spirit really touched my entire team.

 

 

This photo was taken in front of the Palomar Hotel, located in Rosslyn (or Arlington), Virginia.  Martina's make-up was the work of Teresa Atchison with Summark Faces.

All of the wedding day flowers were the talented work of Enchanted Florist.  I have to give a shout out to Melissa -- She is fantastic!

 

The bride's mother was the matron of honor.  You can spend five minutes with the Martina's mom, and you will know exactly where Martina got her good looks and her beautiful spirit.

 

One of my favorite things about weddings near the Netherlands Carillon -- the view of the Washington DC monuments.

 

The same goes for Top of the Town.  Here is a view of the Washington DC skyline.  I believe that their wedding photographer, Michelle Lindsay, took this picture from the Top of the Town's deck during the wedding reception.

 

Speaking of DC monuments, Martina and Cecil took some of their wedding day pictures near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

 

Martina and Cecil are leaning against the Lincoln Memorial in this picture.  This is one of my favorite photos of them.

 

The wedding cake was created by Kendall's Cakes.  And, I must tell you that this cake was pretty AND yummy.  I am sure that I had more than one slice on the following day.

 

The gold detailing on the wedding cake was lovely. 

 

This picture is fantastic.  I think this picture looks like an ad for champagne or an engagement ring.

 

Martina and Cecil, thank you so much for allowing us to take such good care of you on your wedding day.  This day truly was our pleasure!

Love and Soul Always, Kay

 

(Photos: Michelle Lindsay Photography)