thank you, daily candy dc.

today's daily candy dc arrived in my inbox, and it was all about wedding stuff in the district. and I am all about free advice. ps - I would really like to go to the solarus salon & spa...this weekend, and next weekend...why wait until the big day?? (which we are still waiting to determine...)

love you do
spring 2008 wedding guide
you’re a total individual, so why should your wedding be like every other? make your special day one that speaks volumes about you.

you love chocolate
who needs a boring cake when you can have a chocolate centerpiece from Krishon? from a simple heart covered in real gold to a towering rodin imitation using likenesses of the bride and groom, chocolatier eric johnson can make your chocolate ideas come to life. he can even spice up the bachelorette party with edibles in naughty shapes.

you look good in green
ecominded does not have to mean ugly. adele wechsler’s new ecocouture wedding gowns, arriving at Rizik’s next month, are made from organic silk and hemp with recycled lace detailing (1100 connecticut avenue NW; 202-223-4050).

you go old school
surround yourself with the people who mean the most to you at a tiny, old-fashioned ceremony behind georgetown’s historic old stone house. You can host up to 50 people in the grassy, flower-filled garden (3051 m street NW; 202-895-6000).

you like sparkle
local jeweler Zsuzsi Wolf hand fabricates and sets custom rings to order in her torpedo factory art center studio. she pairs traditional metals like platinum and gold with atypical stones like raw, industrial, or rose-cut diamonds. a last-minute bauble? she can make it in as little as two hours (105 north union street, alexandria; 703-548-3319).

you feel good
gather the ladies together for a day of pampering at Solarus Salon & Spa. they will customize a package to pamper your feet, remove unsightly stubble, and work out prewedding kinks from your neck and shoulders. their professionals can also handle hair and makeup (1920 clarendon boulevard, arlington; 703-243-7283).

you’re photogenic
the sky’s the limit for photographer Stacey Vaeth. in prewedding consultations, she’ll discern the vibe and images you want her to capture. from old-fashioned black-and-whites to futuristic mobiles of the bride and groom hanging from the reception hall ceiling, she’ll make sure that the event is picture perfect.

you’re bookish
a picture is worth a thousand words, and you can get a library’s worth of photos together in Chrome’s new bound albums. the shop’s pros will help customize the size, cover, and color, offering suggestions and printing proofs until you’re happy (3247 q street NW; 202-333-3270).

six rules for wedding dress shopping.

rule #1:
finding your style
when choosing a style of wedding dress, start with the type of place you're having your wedding. let the style of the dress reflect the venue for an appropriate look on the big day.

rule #2:
accessories
if you are wearing a dress to the floor with lots of volume, go with larger accessories to keep things in proportion.

rule #3:
jewelry
when choosing a necklace for your wedding dress, make sure the necklace works with the neckline. for example, if you're wedding dress has a deep V choose a necklace that has a drop and fills the space. proportion in jewelry is very important.

rule #4:
shoes
if a wedding dress is not stark white, a softer metallic shoe compliments the dress more.

rule #5:
beach weddings
if you're having a beach wedding, keep the accessories light and fresh.

rule #6:
look at the details
a lace appliqué or two different fabrics in a dress create a more visual interest in the dress.

(photos courtesy tlc)

brides against breast cancer.

best. non-profit. ever.

my sister got her dress from this organization (no pictures, in case chad wanders over here!!) and the lady who founded this organization is the most thoughtful, caring person in the world. it's a great opportunity to get a new (donated) or slightly used dress at a great price, all while helping a wonderful cause.

here is some information from the website about the trunk shows...

"brides against breast cancer - nationwide tour of gowns"
this unique opportunity allows brides-to-be a chance to find the gown of their dreams at a remarkable price, while helping to make wishes and memory-making events come true. most gown prices range from $99 to $799, including hundreds of beautiful new name brand and designer gowns valued up to $8,000.

the next stop on the tour of gowns is near DC, so I will be going to check it out next weekend.

Crowne Plaza Hotel
Timonium, MD

** VIP Night Thursday, April 24, 6 pm - 10 pm (Brides: $50, Guests: $25 each)

** Friday, April 25, 10 am - 8 pm (Free Admission)

** Saturday, April 26, 9 am - 2 pm (Free Admission)

i have the best sister in the world.

my sister had flowers sent to me on monday!! they are gorgeous, are they not??

(cally, bailey thought they smelled good...)

how it happened. (part 2)

so we left the gardens, and carly and mitch (ryan's cousin and her husband) had a room reserved for us at the latham hotel in georgetown. turns out ryan and mitch had discussed the engagement a day earlier, when we met mitch and their boys for the parade (it was the end of the cherry blossom festival here in DC...big parade...but back to more important things) we ended up getting stuck in 9awful) traffic, and I got out of the car with the boys so we could go to a bakery. ryan told mitch about his plans for the next day, and mitch asked him what the plans were after he popped the question. ryan didn't have any...

so as an engagement gift, carly and mitch arranged for the room at the hotel. ironically, this is the hotel my parents stayed at last week when they were out here visiting. never would have known it was even there...

so we got to the room, and a chilled bottle of wine was waiting for us. (thanks carly and mitch!!) ryan still had to call his dad, so he made that call, and then we decided it was time to get some food. so we walked about georgetown for a bit...nothing was really jumping out at us. we walked past a place advertising FRIED PB&J AND BANANA SANDWICHES!!! I was all for it, but ryan said that wasn't very romantic! ha

we settled on papa.razzi, an italian restaurant. we walk in and the maître d' says something along the lines of "I hope you are having a great day" and I of course blurt out, "we are, we just got engaged!!" (I was still wanting to shout it from the rooftop!!) the maître d' was so excited, and told the hostess to sit us at a "special table" because we were celebrating. we sit, our waitress comes over, we order drinks, she brings them to the table. at which point, the maître d' comes over and tells our waitress (marisa, by the way...we became friends) we are celebrating. she asks what, exactly, we are celebrating...and you know I couldn't resist telling someone else!! :)

she squealed (girls get much more excited than boys about this kind of thing) and said she wanted to hug us. turns out, she was having a crappy sunday, so she was glad we were sitting in her section. we chatted in between her serving her (much less exciting) tables, and she ended up bringing us tiramisu, and the maître d' brought us some champagne. (I could get used to this!!)

all in all, it was a great night...and we are so happy!!

let the planning begin!!!

how it happened. (part 1)

so yesterday ryan wanted to go to dumbarton oaks (http://www.doaks.org/gardens/) in the afternoon. usually I am the one dragging us from monument to event to tourist trap on the weekends, so when he suggested going for the afternoon, I was all for it.

we went to target and trader joe's in the morning for groceries, then we came back and ate lunch. I had to run to macy's to return something, and ryan said he would take the dogs out while I was gone. when I got home, though, he still hadn't taken them. (I was a little annoyed, since it was starting to drizzle and I didn't want to go to a garden in the rain.) so I took the dogs on a walk. when I got back, I went to brush my teeth before we left (ryan will tell you this is weird...I didn't think it was weird.) and I couldn't find my toothbrush. I asked where it was, and he said he didn't know. (right.)

so we get in the car, and head over to georgetown. the gardens are beautiful, and you take a self-guided tour through the various parts of the (massive) estate. we walked past a bench, and ryan said we should sit down for a minute. so we were just sitting there, looking out over the expanse of land, and ryan kind of shifted his weight. the next thing I knew, he was down on one knee...the rest is kind of a blur...I know the words "will you marry me" came out of this mouth at some point, but I don't really remember what else he said. I said yes, and put the (gorgeous, perfectly-sized) ring on my finger. I was in total shock...

so we started onto the next portion of the tour, and then I started crying. I was so happy, and so in shock...I didn't know what to do with myself. as we continued walking, there were a coupld of guys walking up the hill behind us. the one guy said something to the effect of "your hair is beautiful...it made my day" to which I turned around and blurted out "thanks...I just got engaged. that made my day" to which he started crying. they took a few pictures of us and we stood and talked to them for a few minutes. I was obviously willing to tell anyone and everyone that I was engaged! ;)

I called my dad, who knew this was going to be happening because ryan listened to my hints and asked my dad before he asked me. thank goodness my dad can keep a secret! with cally's wedding in november, it's not looking like he will get his corvette for a few more years...

then I called my mom, who was on her way back from a bridal shower. she was freaking out, and had to pull over the car to avoid an accident. she wanted details, and I think she is still in shock...

I finally got in touch with my sister after that. we can now plan together!! :)

ryan asked me to marry him yesterday.

and I said yes...

everyone wants to see a picture of the ring, so here it is. also included, a picture of me on the bench where mr. patrick proposed.

one of my 2008 "resolutions" was to start a blog. I know, I know...it's april already. but now I actually have things to blog about!! :)