DC | Rex and Regina Blog

Posts Labeled ‘DC’

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!

Caren & Ed

aisle runner flanked by hurricane candles nestled in wheatgrass

vine-wrapped chuppah with white floral accents

the ceremony under the chuppah

wheatgrass and tulip floral centerpiece as guests entered

escort cards were later nestled in the wheatgrass arrangement

special roasted coffee beans with Bago & Goon's photos were set in the wheatgrass at the end of the evening for guests to take home

the centerpieces reflected the light green and cream color palette of the wedding

the centerpieces reflected the wedding's light green and cream color palette

children's meals were marked in a whimsical way on the escort card

the cupcake tower was topped with a custom small cake for the bride & groom to cut

a kiss during the cutting of the cake

a stunning bridal bouquet

the mothers carried small, hand-tied posies

a surprise musical number performed by the bride's friends

enjoying the toasts and roasts

The beautiful bride

descending the marble staircase at Hotel Monaco

The Alfa Romeo

A sweet ride

Bago and Goon send their best wishes

Photography: Holland Photo Arts
Floral: Petal’s Edge
Baker: Fluffy Thoughts Cakes
Music: Ray, with Chris Laich Music Services
Venue: Hotel Monaco, Washington, DC
Makeup & Hair: Victoria Stiles

March 25th, 2010

Guest Post on DC Ladies Blog: The Rise of the Macaron

My guest post for the DC Ladies Blog today focuses on the rising popularity of French Macarons in DC. I, myself, have a growing obsession with them, fueled by a dear friend who also adores them.

Check out the post for scoop on where to find great macarons in DC and how to incorporate them into your next social gathering!

Macarons from Adour

March 17th, 2010

Whoopie Pies for Spring Gatherings

If it is not evident to readers by now, I have a major sweet tooth. So when, this past week, I had the chance to sample B. Hall, Baker’s amazing spring whoopie pie flavors, I was over the moon. My report? They are AMAZING! A+ all the way!

The whoopie pies arrived safely in an adorable container embellished with dotted ribbon.

B Hall, Baker Whoopie Pie tin

The six whoopie pies included some B Hall, Baker’s classics as well as their spring flavors:

Dark chocolate
Raspberry Red Velvet
Sour Cherry
Chocolate & Vanilla
Ginger Cake with Lemon
Coconut

6 whoopie pies from B Hall, Baker

Don’t ask me to pick a favorite — they were all divine. The Raspberry Red Velvet tasted of fresh raspberries; the aroma of the Ginger Cake smelled as if I just peeled fresh ginger; the Coconut was so light it melted in my mouth. The cake was moist and the filling soft and gooey — in the best of ways.

Other Spring flavors offered by B Hall, Baker include French Lemon Cake, Carrot Cake and Pineapple, and Peach Mango.

The whoopie pies, which I have mentioned in an earlier post, would be wonderful treats at an Easter brunch or other Spring gathering. And they are so en vouge right now — how could you go wrong?!

March 6th, 2010

Punk Rock Bride Launches New Spring Collection

This week I had the pleasure of attending a preview of Punk Rock Bride’s new Spring collection. Known for its non-traditional wedding dresses, Punk Rock Bride incorporates beautiful details and texture in each of their unique dresses. Rhode Island School of Design-trained Stephanie Ward, founder and designer of Punk Rock Bride, conceived of each dress in the collection and cuts patterns based on the specific measurements of each bride, ensuring a beautiful, flawless fit.

The Spring collection features a dress with a hand-knit corset (second from left below) and one with gorgeous brocade fabric (far right).

DC brides are so fortunate to have such a unique option for wedding dresses in their own back yard. Wonderful work, Stephanie!

four of the five pieces of the new collection

gorgeous dresses with lovely details from previous collections

Punk Rock Bride founder Stephanie Ward (right) with Kari Becker Beard of Sugar B Design

January 19th, 2010

Katie & Masato: A wedding blessed a thousand times over

My last wedding of 2009 was one of my favorites of the entire year. Katie and Masato are a gorgeous and incredible kind couple and their wedding, which happened to fall on the first snow storm DC had seen the entire year, was absolutely amazing.

The couple got ready at Hotel Rouge in DC and then took some photos on the National Mall. A beautiful ceremony took place at All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church in DC with a reception following at the Carnegie Institution.

One of my favorite elements of the wedding was the arrangement of 1,000 origami cranes that the couple carefully and meticulously folded over the months leading up to the wedding. The result was a stunning backdrop for the cake, a focal point for the reception, and, as Japanese tradition holds, blessings for a lifetime.

Helping the bride with her stunning dress

The bride wore a beautiful wrap on the way outside to see her groom for the first time

Walking through the snowy streets of DC

The wedding party, with the girls donning gorgeous purple dresses

The bride in red snow boots. I love it!

gorgeous wreaths, created by Yellow Door florists, adorned the church doors

The married couple recesses down the aisle

Beautiful tablescapes

The Carnegie Institution came alive with beautiful lighting from Atmosphere

A beautiful moment in a beautiful space

1,000 origami cranes handmade by the couple hang from an archway

the intricate cranes

A well-rehearsed and well-executed first dance on the grand floor

The wedding cake boasted fresh coconut shavings

Congratulations, Katie & Masato!

Venue: Carnegie Institution for Science
Catering: Windows
Makeup: Kim Giammaria
Flowers: Yellow Door
Photography: Greg Gibson
Lighting: Atmosphere Lighting
DJ: DJ Lil’ E

October 14th, 2009

A Not-to-be-missed Opportunity: Floral Workshops with Petal’s Edge

Whether you are a bride hoping to save money by doing flowers yourself or a newlywed wanting to dress up yournest for the holidays, one of my favorite DC-area floral design studios has the perfect solution: fabulous and fun workshops!

Petal’s Edge recently announced the following upcoming floral design classes. To register call 703.518.8488. Space is limited so reserve your spot soon!

Petal's Edge centerpieces from a Rex & Regina wedding; photo courtesy of Chris Baltazar

Bridal Bootcamp. Want to save money but feel insecure about your ability to provide a professional look to your wedding flowers? Join this intense one-day, weekend workshop and learn how to arrange flowers with industry experts. Course covers flower selection and care, design tips, and common mistakes. $150 per person, which includes the cost of flowers and box lunch.

Flower School. Love flowers and want more experience? This series of classes takes place over three evenings and is appropriate to the person who wants to learn about how to buy, care for, and arrange flowers. Several methods of flower arranging will be covered. Classes are hands-on with flowers that students take home after class. $250 per person. Wednesday – Friday, December 2 – 4 or December 9 – 11. 6 – 9 pm.

Winter Workshop. Join us for holiday-inspired flower arranging projects. Take one class or both. Course includes the cost of flowers, all supplies, and a holiday masterpiece to take home. $100 per session or $150 for two.Floral Topiary: November 30, 6 pm. Use an uninterrupted mass of carnations to create a festive tabletop tree. Dining table centerpiece: December 7, 6 p.m. Winter fruits and vegetables add a conversation piece to this unusual pairing of flowers and holiday greens.

September 10th, 2009

Top of the Cupcake To You!

In case you wondered about this cupcake craze we’ve been going through in recent years? Yah, it’s not going away. It’s alive and well and growing stronger day by day — especially here in DC. New “cupcakeries” are popping up left and right and established cupcake purveyors are expanding, confirms a recent Washington Post article on the sweet trend.

If you’ve been hit by the cupcake craze and are planning on serving them at your wedding or next event, why not embellish the cupcakes with special toppers to give your event an even more customized appeal?

Here are a few cupcake toppers that I love (check out the captions for sources and click on the photo to take you there); they’d be fabulous for a wedding, shower, birthday, retirement party, anniversary… you name it!

Paper Flower Cupcake Toppers from Millalove on Etsy

Retro Cupcake Pennant Template from Vintage Glam Weddings

Mini Cupcake Topper Pinwhirls

wedding cupcake toppers by Etsy's goosegrease

Printable Bright Baby Cupcake Toppers for Baby Shower - DIY by The TomKat Studio

Creature Comforts DIY Cupcake Toppers

Little Birdie Cupcake Toppers from TheCupcakeGirls on Etsy

August 19th, 2009

The Sazerac and The Rickey: “Officially” Classic Cocktails

My husband and I finally saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button a few weeks ago (Yes, yes. I know we are late to the scene on this one…) which we both agreed was a fabulous film.

The foodie in me could not help but notice Thomas Button’s drink of choice in the movie, the Sazerac. The official state cocktail of Louisiana, the Sazerac was created in the early 1800′s making it one of the most longstanding, classic cocktails around. Made with rye whiskey, this straight up concoction is a particularly nice to warm up with on a rainy evening.

The Sazerac (photo via Epicurious)

Lest you think Louisiana is the only jurisdiction with its own cocktail, DC is working hard to have its local cocktail, the Rickey, declared as its official spirited drink. Taking up the charge is Master Mixologist Derek Brown who makes a wonderful case for the Rickey as DC’s Summer Signature Cocktail. I, myself, am a huge fan of the Rickey. Perhaps it is because I am a sucker for anything with lime juice?

For more about DC’s attention on the Rickey, check out this DC Foodies article on the DC Craft Bartenders Guild’s Rickey Month. And read more about Derek Brown and his latest venture on DCist.

Derek Brown at The Gibson (photo via Washingtonian)

Serving cocktails that are steeped in history can make for great conversation at your next dinner party. Whether you are serving classics like the sazerac or a rickey, do a little research before mixing your guests their drinks and share with them what you’ve learned. It will make for even more spirited (pun intended!) gathering.

August 5th, 2009

Day Three – Celebrating Julia Child: A Countdown to Julie & Julia

One of my dearest friends is in town this week from Kansas City with her seven-year-old daughter. When she mentioned they wanted to do some site-seeing downtown, I asked — OK, begged — her if she’d be willing to include the National Museum of American History on the list. The good sports that she and her daughter are, we all went today to the Museum. As soon as we walked in the doors it was all I could do to not run to the Julia Child kitchen.

Bon Appetit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

If you have not seen the Bon Appetit exhibit, I highly commend it to you. To literally peer into Julia Child’s famed kitchen is a thrill. One of the things that always impresses me with the kitchen are the pots and pans. Paul Child, Julia’s husband, traced each of Julia’s pots onto a pegboard wall in their kitchen so that each pot could easily be returned to its rightful home.

And, oh, the gadgets! I love Julia’s kitchen gadgets. The self-proclaimed gadget freak, Julia had quite the collection. I was particularly impressed with the “boil over disk” — a tool that I had never heard of — that prevents pots from boiling over. Clever! Some of Julia’s favorites kitchen gadgets are discussed in a Food & Wine magazine article which is worth checking out.

The sheer feat of getting Child’s kitchen to the museum to establish an exhibit was incredible. The Smithsonian chronicled the painstakingly detailed process in a website.

What's Cooking? Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian

For DC Area locals, we are so fortunate that the Museum is just around the corner. In honor of Julia Child and the release of Julie & Julia, I encourage you to plan a trip to the American History Museum and visit the exhibit. It would make for a great excuse to pack a picnic (check out this post for inspiration) to enjoy on the Mall.

If you are not able to make it to the museum this weekend, consider going on Saturday, August 29, when author Laura Shapiro will be there to sign her new book, Julia Child: A Life.
When: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 2 – 4 PM
Location: American History Museum, Outside Mall Museum Store, 2nd Floor
Cost: Books available for sale in Museum Store

For more Julia-inspired blog posts, check out Day One and Day Two of the series, and stay tuned for more posts this week!

May 22nd, 2009

The Ultimate Date Night Picnic at Wolf Trap

One of my all-time favorite things to do in DC in the summer is enjoy a concert on the lawn at Wolf Trap. Warm summer air + good friends + great entertainment + delicious picnic food = a fabulously festive time.

There’s really no better date spot in the summer than Wolf Trap. So whether it is a first date, “date night” with your spouse, or even just a time to hang out with friends, create the perfect evening by putting together the ultimate picnic ensemble.

Wolf Trap kicks off its summer season tonight, so what better time to share some tips on creating a super-chic picnic?

Start with the blanket — quite literally the foundation of any good picnic experience.

I adore Yumi & Laurie Blanquettes. They are 100% organic cotton and super plush — great for cozy-ing up!

Furano Blanquette from Yumi & Laurie

If you are looking to impress with a custom blanket, check out this do-it-yourself version from Design*Sponge. The vinyl is a smart way to make sure you stay dry if the ground is at all wet.

Do-it-Yourself Blanket from Design*Sponge

Then, set the table…

I bought this table in a bag for my father a couple of years ago for going to the beach. It makes eating a picnic meal so much more convenient.

Crate & Barrel table in a bag

Reusable plates, flatware, and cloth napkins are not only a must, but are eco-friendly. Here are a few fun options:

Aren't these Warhol quote plates from CB2 totally fun?

Bamboo Flatware from Crate & Barrel

Organic Cotton Napkin Set available at Bambeco

Don’t forget the bubbly for toasting to a great evening.

The Veuve Clicquot Ice Jacket will keep your bubbly cold.

Polycarbonate champagne flutes from Nautical Luxuries

Pack it all up.

I love so many of the products from Picnic Time. This insulated cooler on wheels is perfect for packing all of your picnic food and items.

Picnic Time's Metro Kart