Kicking off the 2006 Wedding Season

The April showers welcomed us into the first wedding of 2006. Even the rain couldn't put a damper on what turned out to be a beautiful celebration.

Rebecca and Kyle have become one of my favorite couples and I will totally miss their sense of humor and their cute kitties.

I experienced one of the most emotional moments I've ever had at a wedding (as a coordinator). The moment when Kyle saw Rebecca for the first time was the most genuine and heartfelt moment! It made me cry! Let me set the scene for you:

We're at the Old Town Hilton (which has a pretty lobby, BTW). It's raining, winding, gloomy and cold outside but inside, there was a warm and loving story beginnign to unfold. Rebecca, with her entourage in tow (4 bridesmaids and Moms), has just come out of the elevator to the lobby. Meanwhile, Kyle is hiding around the corner underneath a 20-foot tall mural, a quiet little nook area with nobody else in sight. You can see the anticipation on Kyle's face. Other family and friends have gathered in the lobby as well, along with Stacey and Jason, the creative photographers from Labor of Love Photography. The bridesmaids, trailing with Rebecca's train in hands, escorted her about half way towards Kyle. You can feel everyone holding their breath as Rebecca took the final few steps before turning the corner. Being a classically trained dancer, she carried herself with such grace and the way her dress flowed made her look so regal. As Rebecca turned the corner, you saw the biggest smile on Kyle's face. They hugged and kissed and it felt like they were the only two in that lobby, even as we all gleamed from ear to ear and broke out in applause.

That, was clearly my favorite part of the day.

What made the day so much fun for me was getting to know the bridal party and the families. I especially loved the bridesmaids. Alana, the most animated matron of honor I've ever met was exactly the kind of gal I would want as the MOH. And a message to Kerry -- don't be so pessimistic!! Dana and I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor repinning Rebecca's bustle :)

The day would not have been as wonderful if not for the fun music provided by Steve at GoodNote DJs. He kept everyone dancing all night long, including Kyle's grandparents who will be celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary next week. The most vibrant bouquets of tulips I had ever seen came from the veteran skills of Wendy at Heather and Honey, a 5th generation florist who brought her 90 year old Dad along. Dad was the youngest 90 year old I had ever met and clearly loved his craft too. And you can tell that he passed his passion onto his daughter. Kelley Epps of Face Mode and Kara Breissinger worked their magic with the ladies' makeup and hair.

Finally, a major THANK YOU to my newly recruited assistant, Sydney Williams. Sydney and I met while volunteering at a conference type event. She is completing the certificate program in event management from George Washington University. With a day like that, I could not have done it without her and I hope she enjoyed herself as well.

After a hiatus since October, it's great to get the adrenaline rush from coordinating an event again. I'm really looking forward to this season and hope to learn more about what I can do better. I'm doing events at locations I had never been to before and working with other professionals I haven't worked with yet. I'm working on several projects to provide my clients with improved service and hope to have those ready to go soon. And as always, if you have any suggestions, please email me!