My Best Friend's Wedding

This past weekend, one of my best friend Lilian married her best friend Eddie. They had a beautiful wedding in Historic Fredericksburg. It is always so hard for me to step out of the planner role and just enjoy weddings as  a guest. I always want to perfect every detail. It was my first time I Fredericksburg, and let me tell you, it's a beautiful town!

I was a bridesmaids along with two of my other very close friends and we all wore different dresses by David's Bridal. I LOVED mine :) We spent the morning getting ready at this beautiful salon on the Potomac and had a total girls morning with mimosas, fresh fruit, and croissants! The morning went by so fast and was ridiculously calm.

The ceremony was held at this beautiful, old historic church- St. George's Episcopal Church. It minds me of my Grandparents church down in Beaufort, SC.

I loved the huge organ!

The wedding party took a trolley around town after the ceremony and had a BLAST!!!

How cool are they??!!

Lastly, the reception was held at another historic landmark, Fredericksburg Square.

It was like taking a step back in history! It was amazing! We all had such a good time and the time passed too quickly.

Katelyn James was the photographer and did an amazing job! Click on the sneak peek below to check out her website!

Lilian is currently enjoying the beautiful weather of the Dominican Republic, and I'm staring at the window looking at gray, rainy skies. Totally jealous!!!

Wedding Couple in the Washington Post!

One of my most recent couples were recently featured in the Washington Post. Check out their article!

'I didn't want to miss my chance'

GALLERY

He stole her heart

Krysta Borkowski and Mike Scanlon can credit the 2007 holiday shopping season and a couple of shoplifters for helping them find each other -- and fall in love.

» LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

By Ellen McCarthy

Washington Post Staff Writer

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The first time she met Mike Scanlon, Krysta Borkowski had just caught two teenage girls shoplifting. The Virginia Tech senior was home for Christmas break, working at Macy's at Fair Oaks Mall the day after Thanksgiving in 2007, when she called Fairfax County police to help with the incident. She knew two of the officers who showed up from previous cases, but didn't recognize Scanlon.

"I thought he was the cute, hot cop," she recalls. "But I also really liked his sense of humor -- he was the one who kept everybody laughing."

Borkowski, then 22, guessed that Scanlon was about 28, and though she'd had an on-again, off-again boyfriend since high school, she hoped that duty would call Scanlon back to the mall a few more times that holiday season.

In fact, he'd be there almost every day. Scanlon had been on the force for 13 years, but this was the first time he'd been assigned to the Christmas anti-theft team. His unit was specifically tasked with covering Fair Oaks; he and a partner would patrol the mall in 11-hour shifts looking for criminal activity.

Borkowski spent her days in a closet-size room full of dozens of monitors. After working as a salesperson at the store for several years during high school, she'd joined their loss prevention team and was responsible for helping to prevent thefts and accidents.

Because of Macy's size, Scanlon checked in regularly with Borkowski's security office. Between laps around the mall, he'd plant himself in the tiny room to watch their shoppers -- and visit the pretty blonde with the easy laugh.

"I was enamored enough with her that I would always volunteer to go in early," he recalls.

Over the weeks leading up to Christmas, the dark office became, he says, "like a confessional, almost. A lot of sharing was done in that office and expressing how we felt about life and the world in general -- politics, religion, everything."

Borkowski told Scanlon about the problems she and her sometimes-boyfriend were having. Scanlon told her he wasn't 28, as she'd assumed -- he was 37, father of two teenage daughters who live in Upstate New York and just coming off a divorce after 16 years of marriage.

"It was open disclosure from the very beginning," she says.

Her crush grew increasingly intense, but Borkowski was certain the feelings weren't mutual. "I just kept telling my friend, 'Oh, I hope he comes today,' " she recalls.

In January, the week before she went back to school, Borkowski made brownies for all the officers who'd helped throughout the season. "I wanted to show appreciation for their work, and I also had an ulterior motive -- for him to recognize that I liked him," she says.

She persuaded him to help pull a prank on a friend who had recently ditched her and another pal when they were out at a bar. So while the three women were at dinner that night, Scanlon put a ticket on the car of the offending friend, writing out that she had "Violated the Friend Act." He pulled up in his cruiser just in time to witness the discovery of the ticket, and after they all had a laugh, Borkowski invited Scanlon and his buddies to join them at a nearby bar when they got off work.

The group spent the evening chatting around a table, and at the end of the night Scanlon walked Borkowski to her car. "I think we were out there for an hour and a half, just talking," he says. "And that was where we had our first hug."

A few night later they hung out again. As Borkowski drove Scanlon back to his truck after the date, he began to frantically strategize about how to kiss her when they said goodnight. "Being my age, you'd think it was no big deal, but it was a huge deal," he says. "I don't want to just leave with a handshake and a hug. I want to give her a kiss, but how do I do that? Do I give her a kiss on the cheek? Do I kiss her on the lips?"

Before he had a chance to figure it out, Borkowski brought the car to a sudden halt, put the parking brake on and leaned over the console to kiss him. "I didn't want to miss my chance," she says with a shrug.

Scanlon sank into a funk when Borkowski went back to school, but they began to text constantly and talk on the phone whenever both had a free second. She told the former boyfriend they were done for good and began coming up to Washington every weekend, often staying until dawn on Monday, when she'd drive four hours back to Blacksburg to make it to her 8 a.m. class.

By February, he'd told her he loved her, but she still wasn't sure where the relationship was headed. "I had never dated anybody that there was such a huge age difference," she says. "Our lives were totally different."

She hadn't worked up the nerve to tell her father about the relationship; her mother and several friends reacted with skepticism. "Cops don't always have the best reputation. Some of them are known as womanizers," she says. "I kept telling my mom, 'No, this guy is nothing like that.' "

Scanlon never considered the age difference a problem but knew it made others wary.

At Easter, Borkowski took him to her parents' Clifton home to meet the entire family. "I've been shot at. I've driven 125 miles an hour chasing people through busy traffic," he says. "But meeting her dad was probably the most trepidatious thing that I've ever done."

They quickly warmed to each other, despite concerns about Scanlon's age. When Borkowski graduated, she returned to the area and moved in with Scanlon. "It was very natural," says Borkowski, now 25 and working for a government contractor. "I've never gotten along with a roommate as good as I did with Mike. We just clicked."

And to Scanlon's great relief, the no-holds-barred communication that began in the Macy's security office and continued over the phone while she was at school remained intact. "I'm not afraid to tell her what I think or feel, and same thing for her -- she can tell me anything," says Scanlon, now 40. His one regret is that of his two daughters, now 17 and 18, only the younger has wanted to meet Borkowski.

Still, over the course of 2008 he began to think seriously about marriage. The relationship "was just so easy," he says. "There was no work involved. And to have that -- I don't want to lose it."

In March 2009, using a ring made with her grandmother's diamond, Scanlon proposed. (Actually, he proposed twice that day; the first time she cut him off after finding out he hadn't asked for her parents' blessing. He zipped over to their house to ask for her hand, hurried back and got down on one knee again. That time, she responded, "Of course.")

By then, she says, the skepticism from others had vanished -- "just after seeing us interact with each other." At Fairfax Old Town Hall on Oct. 16, Borkowski walked unaccompanied down the aisle to meet Scanlon, and the two were married before 100 guests.

Two days before the wedding, she sat thinking about what made their pairing work. "A big part is the age difference," she concluded. "I would say I'm a little bit more mature for my age and that Mike is a little bit immature for his age. And we somewhat meet in the middle."

Think your wedding cost a lot?

Think your wedding cost a fortune? See how your wedding compares to last years stats!

Greater Washington DC Bridal Spending (2009):

Reception -    (120 guests)    $12,627
    Location- $3,067
    Food- $4,321
    Bar Service- $2,538
    Tips & Accessories- $2,702

Jewelry- $6,708

Flowers & Décor - $2,411

Music & Entertainment- $2,346

Attire- $2,211

Images - Photography- $2,149
Images - Videography- $1,567

Ceremony Services- $1,841

Gifts & Favors- $1,103

Invitations & Access.- $879

Beauty, Health- $877

Transportation- $1,124

Cake- $435

Planner- $1,459

*Source: The Wedding Report.

Wedding Wire

Today, nearly the entire wedding market is done online. Whether it be bridal forums, searching for the perfect dress or venue, or creating inspiration boards, the internet is booming from the bridal industry. Wedding Wire is a one stop shop for all things wedding. Brides and Grooms can rate past vendors and brides can chat with one another to talk about any and everything.

Ashlee Virginia Events was just recently rated as a top 2010 Wedding Wire Vendor!!

To check out Wedding Wire, click here!

Happy Fall!

Hey Everyone!

Hope you are all having a good start to your Fall Season. Fall is my most favorite wedding season. You have the beautiful colors of the changing leaves and the cool breezy weather!

Check out these great Fall wedding inspiration boards!

A Summer Wedding in PA

Sorry I have been so MIA lately. This summer has been crazy with travel! Check out a sneak peak of pictures from one of my beautiful brides Katie, and her handsome husband Brandon. They got married at Katie's family's farm in Lancaster, PA. Though the weather was less than desirable, it cleared up just in time for the outdoor reception!

Click here to be forwarded to Molly's Photography Blog to take a look at the pictures! Molly was fantastic to work with. She can do weddings in the DC area as well!!

Hope you all are staying cool!

Ways to Beat the Summer Heat!

As summer is nearly here (or at least it surely feels like it with these 90 degree days!), many brides are worried about sweat stains, running make-up, and HOT annoyed guests. Here are some ways you and your guests can keep your cool ;)

Fan Programs

How awesome are these fans programs from Custom-Programs? You can have up to 5 petals and have an array of different colors, styles, and designs printed on them!

Bridal Makeup

Foundation: The most important thing when it comes to foundation is staying power; you don’t want your base to melt down your face on the most important day of your life.  I recommends trying a spray foundation for its light airy feel, which will stay on all day. Pick a foundation that is oil-free as this will help with shine and not clog your pores. Don’t forget to set your foundation with loose powder!

Eyes: Waterproof mascara is a must on your big day. Even if you vowed you won’t cry, take the precaution. When it comes to creating your eye look, stay away from cream based eye shadows that will oil up in the heat of summer. Choose powder shadows, and don’t forget to apply two layers for a lasting effect.

Blush: Blush is an essential element of your wedding day look, so don’t think about skipping it because you’re worried that it could cake up in the heat, or streak down your face. Carmindy recommends a mousse or powder blush for its long-lasting power. A nice summery look is bronzer, so place blush on key parts of your face like the temples and cheekbones. This will create nice lighting to your face.

Lips: Don’t think about just throwing on a little gloss for your big day. It will fade and look terrible in pictures. For a long-lasting pout, first use a light lip pencil to shape your lips and fill in. Second, add a moisturizing lipstick on top. For the finale and an extra pop, add lip gloss to the middle of your lips!

Wedding Umbrellas

Most wedding parties are out in the sun for a few hours taking pictures. Having a cute umbrella can not only make for cute pictures, but can allow you to stay covered in some shade!! Umbrellas carries multiple styles that can easily fit any wedding theme.

Hydrate!

Be sure that your guests have access to water at all times if ceremony or reception is outdoors. Remember your guests, hopefully, arrived 15 minutes before the ceremony started and have been taking in the heat!!

How are you staying cool this summer?

Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton Engaged!

Country singers Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton make it official!! 

By: Eileen Finan (People.com)

He may be classified as a "hillbilly" singer, but Blake Shelton polished up his manners when it came to popping the question to Miranda Lambert. 

"He called my dad and got his blessing first," Lambert tells PEOPLE about Shelton's surprise proposal on May 9. "That was so Southern and old-school and perfect." 

Equally perfect: The diamond-and-platinum ring "Hillbilly Bone" singer Shelton, 33, chose on his own. 

"I was so proud of him," says Lambert, 26. "We've been together five years, so he knew exactly what I wanted but it's so much more perfect than I could have picked out myself."

The setting for the proposal was distinctly down-home – in the woods near Lambert's Tishomingo, Okla., home. And the celebration was similarly informal: "We had a couple of Bacardi and Diet Sprites – in a Solo cup!" 

The engagement is yet another high point in a stellar year for Lambert, who in January scored her first No. 1 single with "White Liar" and in April won Album of the Year and Top Female Vocalist at the ACM Awards. Tuesday morning, Lambert was nominated for two CMT Awards, while her groom-to-be also received a nod. 

"2010 will not be forgotten in my world," she says. 

And the best may be yet to come. "Weddings are great and engagements are great and diamonds are especially great," Lambert says. "But I'm just excited to be married because I want to tell Blake I really can love him the rest of my life and be happy and make him happy." 


For more on Lambert and Shelton's engagement – and a photo of the ring! – pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday

Spring is here!

May has arrived and kicked the Spring wedding season off to a great start! So far, we have been very lucky with having great weather! Fingers crossed it will keep up! 

When I think of Spring, I think of lots of greens and fresh, full flowers.

Want to make your Spring wedding stand out?

Use props as centerpieces. This antique weight scale will certainly be something for your guests to remember.

A great way to personalize your wedding is to wrap fabric around your vases. It is a great way to make a statement if your linens are white or ivory.

And how adorable are these mint julep cups? You can get them customized at many stores with your initials (Things Remembered is one I can think of off the top of my head)

Bud vases are also really popular right now. You can mix and match different vase widths and heights to make a gorgeous statement. 

What are you doing to make your Spring wedding your own?

**All photos courtesy of The Knot**

Welcome!

Hey ya'll! Thanks for stopping by my new blog! I started it to go along with Ashlee Virginia Events to give brides and newlyweds inspiration for weddings, interior design, and everything in between.

I live in Virginia with my long term boyfriend, Brennan, and our two babies Rusty (a 1.5 year old Doberman), and Jack (a 9 year old half lab, half pain in my butt mix, as Brennan likes to call him)

(can't you tell they are the best??...yeah RIGHT!)

I encourage you to follow my blog to get great inspiration for event planning, interior design, and a good laugh!