Steampunk Style

The Hay-Adams Hotel is welcoming, warm and drop-dead gorgeous — and just across the street from the Obama family! For any brides who are looking to

host their wedding this summer, look no further — The Hay-Adams is offering a special Season of Love promotion for July and August weddings! Call or email for details!

Pretty shot of a St. Regis ceremony to brighten up this overcast D.C. day!

Whether casual or formal, understated or over the top, intimate and small or a gathering of many, Salamander Resort & Spa has a selection of indoor and outdoor settings to customize any celebration. From the 5,000-square-foot Middleburg Ballroom that fits 340 guests to the the Stallion Barn, a 100+ year old stone building adjacent to the Grand Lawn, Salamander Resort & Spa offers several spacious beautiful indoor venues, many of which open to outdoor terraces.

For more information, please call 540.326.4162 or email .

Hooray, spring has finally arrived and the Cherry Blossoms are blooming! How pretty is The Hay-Adams hotel in this warm weather?! Love it!

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend! I enjoyed “date night” this past Friday evening at The St. Regis while sipping a glass of champagne surrounded by the holiday decor!

In that vein, I am delighted to share these photographs of the hotel from Multiflor , of the jaw-dropping photo shoot Nick of Multiflor did this past month! Could these be any more romantic?! My, oh, my, I love.

The newly redesigned Hilton Mclean Tysons Corner is made for every type of bride. With several different event spaces available, the Hilton McLean is a great spot for celebrations large and small, formal or relaxed.

For starters, those who are interested in incorporating the outdoors into your celebration, the Atrium at the Hilton McLean is the ideal spot. Surrounded by gardens and home to a breathtaking cascading chandelier, the Atrium is like something out of a fairy tale. Interestingly, the garden is also used to grow peppers and various herbs that are used in the farm-to table restaurant at the hotel. Talk about fresh ingredients!

Two other popular spots at the Hilton McLean include the International Ballroom and the Continental Ballroom. The International Ballroom can accommodate a variety of different sized weddings- from 100 to 750 guests, and has an air of sophistication and glamour, while the Continental Ballroom has a more relaxed vibe.

Image Credits: Sammy Dyess

In addition to the great spaces, let’s not forget the food and drink bars that are a hotel specialty. Everything from a mini-taco bar to a churros and chocolate bar has taken place here!  If you’re looking for a space that is easy to transform, and a history of fun touches, the Hilton McLean is the ideal spot.

With a fantastic location just one block from the White House, the Willard InterContinental Washington is an elegant and sophisticated spot for ceremonies and receptions, as well as rehearsal dinners or brunches. Whether you have a group that is large or small, the Willard can be transformed to match your vision. Steele Haley Stevenson, the Director of Catering and Conference Services at the Willard, describes the exquisite space:

The Willard is a magical place to get married. We often say here that “Washington was built to impress the world, but the Willard was built to inspire romance.” We gracefully orchestrate celebrations of consistent quality, classic elegance, attention to detail and personalized service. These have been the hallmarks of our hotel since 1850.

Photo Credit: Steve Canning Photography

Steele continues…

We have multiple event spaces within the hotel where we host Weddings. We can accommodate Weddings of any size, from 10 people up to a Wedding for 350 people. For the smaller, more intimate weddings we have two unique spaces called the Grant Suite and the Nest. These two spaces can either be used simultaneously or separately, depending on the preference of the guest.

The Grant Suite, a former guestroom suite, has been converted into a unique, comfortable space that can seat up to 30 guests. This room has a hand carved mahogany f aux fire place, a portal window and a warm color scheme of navy blue and gold.

The Nest, located on the mezzanine level is a special room with floor to ceiling windows that flood the room with natural light (perfect for a daytime wedding) and a rich color scheme of gold and burgundy. The Nest can seat up to 60 guests for a private event.

For the larger Weddings we have our Grand Ballroom, the Willard Room and the Crystal Ballroom. The Grand Ballroom, the largest space in our hotel boasts beautiful crystal chandeliers, soft green, buttercup yellow and pale blue hues and a beautifully hand-painted landscape mural. This room can seat up to 350 guests with a dance floor.

The Willard Room, our formal fine dining restaurant, has been richly appointed with hand carved mahogany paneled walls, elegant brass chandeliers and dramatic floor to ceiling windows. This room with it’s enchanting color scheme of burgundy, ivory and silver can seat up to 160 guests with a dance floor.

Our smallest ballroom, the Crystal Ballroom, can seat up to 150 guests with a dance floor and shimmers in turn-of-the-century splendor with it’s dazzling Crystal chandeliers, hand painted marble columns and intimate color palette of soft green, gold and ivory.

Greenworks Florist, located within the hotel is the preferred florist for the Willard.  Other wedding vendors are all welcome.

For more information, contact Steele at steele.stevenson@ihg.com.

The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. has a 10,000 square foot luxury ballroom, the largest luxury ballroom in the District.  It is a gorgeous and classic space, perfect for ceremonies and receptions.  The hotel is known for elegant weddings and hosts many multi-cultural weddings – remember this one ?!

Photo Credit: Jonathan Rouse

Of course, when you have your wedding at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. ., you are sure to receive their uncompromising personal service and signature attention – and until you experience the service, it is hard to describe just how impeccable it is! Take it from me though, the hotel is unreal!

Photo Credit: Jonathan Rouse

Their wedding team will custom-design the entire experience, from the ceremony or reception to complementary celebrations such as a bridal shower at Afternoon Tea or martini night for the bachelorette party.

For more information, call 202-835-0500.

The Ritz-Carlton Washington D.C. is looking beautiful for the holidays! Love it!

Stop by the festive Westend Bistro for a cocktail and a dose of relaxation and see why this hotel is one of my favorite venues in town!

If you are a D.C. couple looking for the unique charm and “get-away” feeling of a destination wedding – but do not want the hassle or expenses unavoidably linked with extensive travel – you definitely want to consider Keswick Hall for your wedding venue. It is only two hours from the District, but, according to Julianne Giuliano, Director of Sales and Catering at Keswick, once on the beautiful grounds, you will feel like you have been “transported to a private estate in Italy.”

I must say, after personally spending time there, I have to agree – the property feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but is just a short drive. When I was there, I don’t think I had been that relaxed in months…maybe years…

Situated on 600 acres of “pure privacy and relaxation,” Keswick is near historical attractions, vineyards, and the adorable downtown Charlottesville – which makes it a perfect location for guests who wish to make this “destination wedding” a true vacation. That being said, guests can make a vacation just by staying on the grounds: Keswick Hall provides plenty of diverse activities sure to fit any guests’ tastes, including golf, spa days, fly fishing, swimming at any of their three swimming pools, bird watching, croquet, nature walks, and so much more. I even got to walk with the hounds – a personal favorite! Best yet – it’s a resort without the crowds!

With their versatility, open-mindedness, and ability to cater to any couple’s needs, Keswick Hall promises to create a beautiful, incredibly unique, and memorable wedding. Demonstrating their one-of-a-kind appeal, Keswick Hall asserts that the imagination is the limit at their venue: they even offer a Cinderella Wedding, complete with a custom fireworks show. “You can come to four weekends in a row and never see the same look twice,” states Julianne. “We want everyone to be unique and stand out on their own.”

Furthermore, they offer fun (and potentially hilarious) meet-the-family events, including Champagne Putting Contests and Croquet/Wine Tasting Receptions. Keswick wishes to create a true “wow factor” for you and your guests by making these activities as fun and unique as possible.

Since Keswick offers only 48 rooms, not only can the guestrooms be handpicked to match each guest’s personality, but it also ensures superior customer service. The feeling of being the only guests at Keswick, alluded to by its small size and quaint location, can be made a wonderful reality with the option of buying out the entire property for the celebration. This exclusivity and privacy adds plenty of charm to the experience for the guests. “It feels like you are at someone’s house for a nice weekend getaway,” explains Julianne, “and it allows guests to use areas of the hotel that are not typically accessible, such as the Horizon Pool and Fossetts.”

Keswick Hall prides itself on its ability to host any size wedding, from six people to 400 people!

The cuisine at Keswick is also one of its major attributes. Delicious as well as versatile, the cooks can customize their menus to fit the personal tastes of the wedding party and guests. Julianne emphasizes their culinary openness, explaining that the Keswick kitchen can even use family recipes. She tells a story that features this characteristic, describing a certain event during which the mother-of-the-bride helped in the kitchen, teaching the cook how to cook Persian rice!