from Hello to Hitched

A. Dominick Events 'Tip Of The Week'

With a bittersweet heart, we'd like to welcome the ladies of A. Dominick Events with their final Tip of the Week! Today is the last day to enter the Prove Your Love contest, so be sure to email your entries to [email protected], and check back with us tomorrow when we'll announce the lucky couple!

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After six weeks, our fun giveaway contest is coming to a close. We have received so many amazing entries and cannot believe that this series is almost over! Thankfully, we get to look forward to the fun of planning our winner’s wedding! Thanks for stopping by to check out our final Tip of the Week.

How to make your guests’ experience super special --- here are a few of our ideas:

Welcome Bags: As out-of-town guests arrive, it is thoughtful to greet them at their hotels with a welcome gift at check-in. In addition to being a lovely way to start off the weekend, it recognizes that your friends and family have traveled to be with you on your special day. We love to include the schedule of the weekend, a list of favorite local haunts, something sweet, something salty and something to drink. Oh, and maybe a packet of Advil--they'll need it in the morning post-wedding!

Transportation: On the wedding day, transportation is the first and last thing that guests encounter – from getting to the wedding ceremony to getting home at the end of the night. If possible, we think it is gracious to provide transportation for your out-of-town guests. Not only does it require them to think of one less thing, but it also allows you to help manage the timing of the day and create a relaxing flow of schedule.

Timeline: Putting together a thoughtful timeline of your wedding day will make the celebration more enjoyable for both you and your guests. For your first dance, try to shorten the special song to only a minute or two; Ask those giving toasts that they keep their remarks to 5 minutes or less; Maximize dance time by using band breaks to take care of ceremonial items such as cake cutting. Although these things seem small, they will have a huge impact of the experience of everyone celebrating with you!

Thanks so much to the A. Dominick ladies for all of their thoughtful tips over these past several weeks. We can't wait to announce which couple will win the fabulous prize of one of their amazing wedding planning packages... so be sure to stop by tomorrow for the big announcement!

[Photo credits: 1 Source, 2 Source]

Web Surfing Wednesday

With spring comes a carefree sense of style that we adore so much-- long flowy dresses, floral prints, and brown leather sandals among them. We spotted that Bohemian-chic vibe all over the web this week. These photos make us want to stick a flower in our hair and go traipsing through a forest or field!

This boho-inspired photo shoot via 100 Layer Cake makes us crave an invitation to this sort of intimate, eclectic celebration...

There's something mysterious and intriguing about this gorgeous affair via Green Wedding Shoes...

Loving the quaint, colorful details [just look at these accessories, for example] of this darling wedding via Elizabeth Anne Designs...

This stunning bride's hippie-chic ensemble is to die for, spotted over at postcards & pretties...

Hope you all have a wonderfully peaceful and pretty rest of the week!

Hitched Hearts: J. Schmitz Wedding Photography

Yesterday we shared some oh-so-pretty snippets from Jaqueline & Andrew's Maryland wedding and left you with a teaser about her own photography business. We recently had the chance to sit down with Jacqueline to chat about J. Schmitz Wedding Photography, a labor of love that became even more of a passion after getting married herself. Here's a bit more from Jacqueline, as well as some examples of her stunning work.

Jacqueline: I loved my wedding, as well as the whole planning process. Luckily, I have an excuse to keep involved in all things wedding since I am a wedding photographer myself! I'm really happy to have recently gone through the whole experience, so I can fully understand what my couples are feeling when I shoot. I love what I do and I would love to work with other Hitched brides!

Not only is Jaqueline an incredibly talented photographer, but she is wonderfully sweet and pleasant to be around-- which are extremely important qualities to consider when booking your wedding vendors! To see more of her amazing work or for more info, be sure to visit J. Schmitz Weddings.

They Got Hitched! - Jacqueline & Andrew

We love it when brides keep in touch with us after the big day and keep us in the know about their post-wedding lives. Jacqueline is one such bride, who came back to share her gorgeous wedding photographs with us, but also to let us know about her own wedding photography business [which we'll share more about tomorrow]!

When a photographer gets married, you can almost always be certain that they will choose someone stellar to shoot the big day since they're already so particular about pictures. Well, Jacqueline & Andrew's wedding was no exception! The eye candy you see below is the work of Alisandra Photography, who perfectly captured the crisp, chic, loosely nautical-themed event which took place at the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Maryland. Here's Jacqueline to tell us a bit more about her experience at Hitched and her fabulous day.

Jacqueline: I walked into Hitched about two years ago to find my wedding dress. Just looking at the beautiful dresses hanging there out in the open got me so excited! That day my mom and I found two front-runners, an amazing modern Amsale and an incredibly romantic Judd Waddell. I left with both dresses on my mind and I knew I had to come back with my bridesmaids. I made an appointment for the day of a Judd Waddell trunk show to seal the deal and was thrilled when the designer sketched the dress for me to keep.

Standing there in my dress, I could picture myself walking down the aisle toward Andrew and, being the sap that I am, the waterworks started going! Here are some pictures from our day, which couldn't have turned out any better (these images, minus the Judd Waddell drawing which I took, are courtesy of Alisandra Photography)...

We were so thrilled to see that Jacqueline & Andrew's wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty, so for more gorgeous photos and wedding details, check out the full post here!

Many thanks to Jacqueline [the bride] for sharing her special day with us-- and be sure to check back with us tomorrow, when we'll introduce you to Jacqueline [the photographer]. She's just as talented as she is beautiful, so you don't want to miss it!

[Photos by Alisandra Photography unless otherwise noted]

Spring Sample Sale Soiree!

It's that time of year again, where we have to bid adieu to so many gorgeous wedding gowns in order to make room for new ones! It's like our version of spring cleaning, where you get to reap the benefits! Please join us on Thursday, March 31st for Slip In & Slip Out with a Steal-- our sample sale soiree!

What: Slip In & Slip Out with a Steal-- The Hitched Sample Sale Soiree

When: Thursday, March 31st from 5pm-8pm [first-come, first-served—no appointment necessary!]

Why: To find the dress of your dreams at a steal of a price! Couture weddings gowns [think Anna Maier/Ulla~Maija, Amsale, Judd Waddell, Oscar de la Renta, and more] will be up to 60% off, and once purchased, are yours to take home with you that evening.

RSVP: Although no appointment is necessary, please RSVP to [email protected].

Here are just a few of the beauties that will be up for grabs at the sample sale event:

Christos "Spring Blossom"

Modern Trousseau "Portia"

Adele Wechsler "Fern"

Lea-Ann Belter, "Mathia"

Feel free to check out our website for more of the gowns that will be sold, but keep in mind that we often continue to add them to the list right up until the last minute-- so get excited for some suprises!

Details: Please note that all sample sale gowns are final sale, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Because the sample sale gowns are stored off-site, the sample sale event is the only time we allow sample gown trials. To inquire about purchasing a sample sale gown over the phone [or with any other questions], please contact us at 202.333.6162 or [email protected].

So grab the important decision makers in your life and be prepared to have some fun and find "the one!" We can't wait to see you!

Upcoming Anne Barge Trunk Show

Still haven't found the dress of your dreams? Why not turn to a bridal gown designer whose spectacular gowns have been recognized in the bridal industry for years? Appointments are still available for our Anne Barge Bridal Gown Trunk Show next weekend [Friday, March 25th & Saturday, March 26th]!

The latest collection by Anne Barge is so incredibly stunning that you certainly don't want to miss out-- and so many of her classic designs continue to blow us away, too! The trunk show is the only opportunity to see so many of these gowns at once. Here are some of the beauties we're expecting...

Don't forget-- the trunk show is a great opportunity to discuss custom gown changes with a representative from Anne Barge, as well as to receive a special 10% discount on your gown! For more details or to make an appointment, give us a call [202.333.6162] or shoot us an email [[email protected]]. We can't wait to see you there!