wedding recs

I also wanted to make sure to recommend all the major vendors we used for our wedding. They MADE it! And affordably too (as weddings go). Each of them come with my highest recommendations. Spread the word.

Photographer
Jan Graves
703.975.1761
www.janmichele.com
Jan is a personal friend, since we worked together on the Hill five years ago. But she's definitely found her true calling as a photographer. From start to finish, Jan was responsive, patient with all my questions, professional, and so easygoing and fun to work with. Everyone who sees our wedding pictures exclaims, "Great pictures! Great photographer!" and our parents could not be happier with Jan and her work.

Florist
James Cox
202.232.5011
I couldn't say enough about James. He does flowers OUT of this world. And he has no set prices because will totally work with your budget. The amount and variety of flowers he used, many of them rare and costly, and the time and heart he put into each arrangement are unparalleled. Plus he saved us hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars, for the quality he gave us. He works out of the basement of Church of the Holy City on 16th St, so he's able to keep his costs down. He's also a pleasure to work with.

Caterer
Menus by Mary
703.669.6525
God guided my fingers as they "walked" through the caterer phone numbers I had in front of me that day. Mary took hold of the vision for "our fav foods" instantly and made it work within our outrageously low budget. She even added extras along the way, like a lovely wedding cake we could cut and display, and spent more time researching napkins and plates than I would have! She not only was very concerned with making me happy with each little detail, she wanted my parents to be happy as well. And we certainly were.

Wedding Coordinator
Katie Kuperus
I had Katie "locked in" as my wedding coordinator months before Steve even proposed! She was thoroughly organized and helped with ideas and research, meetings at the church, keeping track of finances, and all the myriad details that go into wedding planning. She'd be worth anything she charged. Email me if you're interested in her services.

Makeup
Tanya Curtis
443.739.4629
Tanya was recommended to me by some of Steve's friends since she has her own business doing makeup for brides. At our consultation, she had creative and beautifying ideas, but also listened to my input and preferences. On the morning of the wedding, she was timely, poised, and added a spirit of relaxation. My makeup "stayed put" the whole day and I was thoroughly pleased.

Venue
McLean Presbyterian Church
703.821.0800
www.mcleanpres.org
Available for weddings to members of PCA churches, this newly renovated church building was gorgeous and perfect for our needs, and is relatively affordable for the DC area. The church assigns a wedding and reception hostess to help you. Just make sure you read their Wedding Handbook before you decide to book with them, because there are no exceptions to the rules.

Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott, Tysons Corner VA
Mary Ann Navarrete
703.584.2132
They gave us a great deal at $89 and $109 per night, and threw in some other perks as well if we reached a certain number of rooms. Mary Ann was a delight to work with.

Bridesmaids Tea
Henley Park Hotel, Chinatown area
Megan Showers
202.414.0509
www.henleypark.com
When the original venue for my bridesmaids tea fell through, I called the Henley Park Hotel in desperation, and they were such a breath of fresh air, being professional and friendly get-it-doners. The lower level of their tea room is perfect for parties of 10 or so, and the food/drink was yummy. Ahhh, so lovely and relaxing.

Attire
David's Bridal, Rockville MD
www.davidsbridal.com
I know David's can be hit-or-miss, and many of their locations are ghetto, but Mom and I had a fantastic experience with the Rockville location. Make an appointment to try on dresses during the week, as the weekends are too hectic. We went on a Friday morning; there was only one other bride trying on dresses with me, which added to the fun and valuable input; the staff was responsive; and if you need alterations, Maria with 30 years of experience is your lady. Plus the prices for the quality really are unbeatable. Who needs those stuffy boutiques? (no offense)

Name changing
www.missnowmrs.com
So easy! All you do it pay $30, plug in your information, and print out all the forms you need. Done!