DC | Rex and Regina Blog

Posts Labeled ‘DC’

May 20th, 2011

Bridal Sweepstakes from Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens

In connection with its upcoming exhibit, Wedding Belles: Bridal Fashions from the Marjorie Merriweather Post Family 1874-1958, Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens is offering one lucky bride a wedding gift brimming with luxury.

Hillwood, the former of estate of the always-fashionable Marjorie Merriweather Post, has partnered with top bridal purveyors to help bring even more glamour to one lucky bride’s wedding day. The winner will receive:

-A $1500 certificate toward a Vera Wang wedding gown from The Bridal Salon at Saks Jandel
-Manolo Blahnik shoes from Neiman Marcus
-Jewelry by Tiffany & Co.
-Day-of make-up by Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas

Brides may enter to win beginning June 15 at the Bridal Bash that Hillwood is hosting. Click here for Sweepstakes rules and instructions.

May 17th, 2011

Bridal Bash at Hillwood Estate

via Hillwood

One of the treasures of the DC museum community, Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens, is hosting a spectacular bridal event on June 15, 2011, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Hillwood is the former estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, heir to the Post cereal fortune and a fashionable and fascinating socialite.

The Museum’s newest exhibit, Wedding Belles, open from June 18, 2011–January 1, 2012, features Post’s wedding dresses, along with those of her mother and daughters.

The Bridal Bash is a wonderful opportunity for brides to preview the exhibit and to be inspired by bridal elegance. Bring your bridesmaids, mother, and mother-in-law and experience the showcase that Hillwood has assembled:

-The Fall 2011 Vera Wang Collection from the Bridal Salon at Saks Jandel
-Bridal shoes from Neiman Marcus
-Silver jewelry from Tiffany & Co.
-Beauty consultations with Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas
-Creative treats from Georgetown Cupcake,Charm City Cakes and Kendall’s Cakes
-Floral ideas from Volanni
-Engagement photography in the gardens

Enjoy a glass of champagne and live music, and don’t forget to sign up for Hillwood’s Wedding Belles Bridal Sweepstakes. The evening promises to be fabulous — if you are a bride, don’t miss it!

Tickets may be purchased online for $35 or for $45 at the door.

January 24th, 2011

Katie & Masato’s Wedding: Featured on United With Love

United With Love, a fabulous new blog created as a resource for DC brides, featured Katie & Masato’s wedding today! Check out the post here.

January 17th, 2011

Phillips Collection 90th Birthday Cakes

My friends Jill and Katarina and I went to the Phillips Collection in DC this weekend to celebrate the gallery’s 90th birthday. The gallery commissioned birthday cakes from eight area pastry chefs to help celebrate the occasion. It’s fascinating to see how each chef interpreted the commission and chose to design the cakes. Check out the “edible artwork” below.

Rebekka Baltzell (Restaurant Eve)

Kevin Boxx (Domaso)

Peter Brett (Blue Duck Tavern)

Warren Brown (Cake Love)

Chris Kujala (Ris)

Travis Olson (1789)

Melanie Parker (701)

Tom Wellings (Equinox)

January 4th, 2011

Jan & Judy: Stunning in DC

I recently worked with a beautiful couple, Jan and Judy, on their DC wedding. Jan, German, and Judy, American, were planning their wedding from Germany and I had the privilege of working with them to prepare the day.

The ceremony took place at The United Church in the Foggy Bottom area of DC with a reception following at DAR, a gorgeous historical building a stone’s throw from the White House.

The bride looked stunning. She wore a gorgeous ruffled gown through the start of the reception and then changed into a long, beautiful spaghetti-strap gown for the rest of the evening.

One of the things I love about working with my clients is that each couple brings their own personality, taste, and culture to their wedding. Jan and Judy celebrated a time-honored German tradition of sawing a log together. One of the first acts as a married couple, the sawing of the log symbolizes partnership and working together. Isn’t that a beautiful tradition?

Chris Baltazar captured the beauty and magic of the day with gorgeous photos.

Flowers: The Enchanted Florist
Catering: Design Cuisine
Photography: Chris Baltazar
Reception Music: Nation
Lighting: Atmosphere Lighting

November 9th, 2010

New DC Wedding Blog: United with Love

Julianne Smith & Nole Garey (of Garter Girl & Oh So Beautiful Paper fame, respectively) have teamed up to launch a great new resource for DC-based brides: United with Love. The site features the best tips and advice on DC-area weddings, along with sweet wedding eye-candy for inspiration, and Real Wedding features. Check it out today and visit often!

September 1st, 2010

Mobile culinary delights hit the streets in the nation’s capital

Mobile food has long been chic in L.A with countless trucks cruising about the city serving up anything from Korean BBQ to sushi to grass-fed hotdogs.

Food trucks have skyrocketed in popularity even beyond LA recently and are on their way to becoming a huge culinary trend. Even cable has gotten on the bandwagon, with The Food Network launching “The Great Food Truck Race,” featuring culinary sensation Tyler Florence.

Not to be upstaged, DC has started a mobile food truck craze of its own.

Curbside Cupcake was one of the first mobile treats in DC. Fans follow the truck’s whereabouts via Twitter (how most of the food trucks attract their customers), stopping at select locations around the city to peddle a variety of cupcake flavors. What a treat (no pun intended, I promise) it would be to have the truck stop by your next party!

yummy cupcakes from Curbside Cupcakes (photo via Curbside Cupcakes)

One truck I am salivating over is Takorean, a truck selling Korean-inspired tacos. Tell me how good a Bulgogi taco with a side of Spicy Kimchi Slaw would be right about now?! Dee-lish!

Takorean's three signature tacos; photo by Alexandra Boule-Buckley

One word. Lobster. If the Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck, which recently expanded to DC from NYC, doesn’t knock our seafood-loving socks off, I am not sure what can.

A beauteous lobster roll! (photo via Red Hook Lobster Pound website)

So hit the streets to pick up lobsters or cupcakes for your next party or take an out-of-town guest on a hunt to find the trucks and share a taco or two… Enjoy!

August 6th, 2010

Patty & Jasper: Dancing the Night Away

With every wedding there are a few bumps along the road. For Patty and Jasper, one of those “bumps” included the original wedding reception venue not living up to its end of the bargain. Ultimately, we had to void the contract and move the reception to another location. That “bump” turned into one of the best things that could have happened for their wedding day. The new location, Hotel Helix in DC, proved to be the perfect space for the club-like feel the couple was aiming for.

Patty and Jasper celebrated the traditional Korean wedding ceremony, the paebaek, the day before the wedding. The next day, they had a traditional ceremony at St Andrew Kim Catholic Church followed by a reception there for parents and the church community. Following that reception, Patty and Jasper’s friends all went to Hotel Helix for food, drinks, and dancing for the rest of the night.

The party at Helix was high-energy and hip, and included lots of fun food, a vodka bar, and amazing music spun by local deejay Russell Belicek with Chris Laich Music.

A few months before the wedding, photographer Ethan Yang went to New York City, where the couple lives, to shoot some engagement shots. Urban and incredible!

The paebaek ceremony was colorful and symbolic. Elders on the groom’s side of the family offered words of wisdom to the couple and the ceremony included a tradition that predicts how many children the couple will have. They ceremony was both joyful and meaningful.

The marriage ceremony took place at St Andrew Kim’s Catholic Church in Olney, Maryland.

The bride and groom and the entire wedding party had a great time throughout the day, enjoying each moment including the dance-filled party at Hotel Helix which lasted late into the night.

Wedding Invitation: SugarB Studio
Photography: Ethan Yang Photography
Reception Music: Russell with Chris Laich Music
Flowers: Petal’s Edge
Venue: Hotel Helix, DC

June 15th, 2010

Kristin & Carl: Don’t Stop Believin’

I had such a pleasure working with Kristin & Carl as they prepared for their recent wedding at The Mayflower. Yes, they were planning a beautiful wedding which was fun to work on, but the real joy for me came when I saw not only how they loved each other, but also how evident it was that they really are each other’s best friend. They were kind to one another, laughed heartily together, and showed great love to both of their families. A sweet couple!

I also loved the way they made their wedding personal to them — right down to a Mets groom’s cake and processional music that the bride had been dreaming of for years and years.

The parents and grandparents entered to “Like A Prayer” and the processional, including the bride, walked in to “Don’t Stop Believin’” — both played beautifully by the Cherry Blossom String Quartet. The bride wanted to enter at a certain point in the song and we were able to time it perfectly so that the doors opened and the beautiful bride processed down the aisle. Later at the reception, one of the bride’s closest friends sang a toast to the tune of “Don’t Stop Believin’” — a fitting tribute!

The groom chronicled the wedding preparations in the Washingtonian’s Tales From the Groom blog. Be sure to check out his witty posts!

The fabulous photos below were taken by Merkle Photography and tell the story of perfect wedding day!

Congratulations, Kristin & Carl!

pinning a groomsman (with some antics in the background!)

adding the finishing touches

A stunning bride

A sweet "First Look"

The wedding party at the Jefferson Memorial

The couple at the Jefferson

Gorgeous!

Preparing for the walk down the aisle

The ceremony took place in the Chinese Room at the Mayflower

Introducing... Mr & Mrs Carl and Kristin Monaco!

The Grand Ballroom was a beautiful backdrop for the reception

Ready for guests to enter

Encore had the crowd on the floor all night

The couple enjoys toasts from their dear friends

The ceremonial cutting of the cake

In honor of the groom: A Mets cake

a monumental kiss

Venue: The Mayflower
Photography: Merkle Photography
Florals: The Mayflower
Makeup: Aisha Alves, Picture Perfect Makeup
Hair: Sarah Bombard, Premiere Makeup
Ceremony music: Cherry Blossom String Quartet
Reception music: Encore
Groom’s cake: Furin’s

June 3rd, 2010

Cats, Cars, and Cabaret: Caren & Ed’s Amazing Wedding

Caren and Ed are two of the loveliest people I’ve had the privilege to get to know through Rex & Regina Events. One need only to have seen the joy, respect, and love their friends exhibited toward them at their wedding celebration to get a small glimpse of how special they are. Caren’s girlfriends went so far as to sing a special musical number in Caren’s honor and Ed’s siblings and parents each gave a very special toast/roast to celebrate him and his new wife.

Caren & Ed’s wedding was not only fun and joyous, but reflective of their personalities and passions, as well. They are the proud parents of two adorable cats, Bago and Goon, who, while not present at the wedding, were amply honored. They are also passionate about cars and their Alfa Romeo Spider provided a sporty backdrop for some of their photos.

The wedding was captured beautifully by Anne & Bill Holland of Holland Photo Arts and came to life courtesy of some amazing vendors, named below.

Congratulations, Caren & Ed!