Happy Anniversary to The Clarks!

Special congratulations to Shayla & T Clark who recently celebrated their first anniversary!

My first meeting with the couple was the afternoon of New Years Eve, 2011. We signed the contract over a glass of wine and well wishes for a happy new year...it was definitely my most festive signing to date!

The couple defined class and elegance. Our meetings in their home were always set with the perfect ambiance....picture soft lighting, a Sade album on play and a fabulous aroma of dinner simmering on the stovetop. They were true romantics in every sense of the word.

Over the next 10 months, my meetings with Shayla and T felt more like get-togethers with friends. We had a comfortable rapport and a similar design aesthetic, even down to the detail of venue choice (Shayla and T were married in the same venue as me and Jordan - The Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row).

Their wedding day was beautiful with the Washington autumn weather that every bride hopes for. And the details were executed flawlessly...after all, the execution of an event is what Bella Cosa is known for!

Their color palette was simplistically clean with all white flowers (designed by Da Vinci's Florist) and champagne accents.

The ceremony was intimate and elegant with touches of classic décor

During the reception, the bride and groom selected three different centerpieces to offer differences in texture and height throughout the room. Da Vinci's Florist designed the perfect mix of traditional meets classic modern.

Here's a glimpse of the kings table for the bridal party!

But with all the beautiful details, the focus was on Shayla in her silk taffeta fit and flare gown, accented with a delicate bird cage veil...

  ...and she had a lot of fun showing off her "something blue" with these stunning Badgley Mischka shoes!

The end of the wedding night is always bittersweet for me as the planner. A room full of dancing guests is the perfect ending to all the hard work that was put into the plans, details and production of that day. But it's also a little sad to know that all the calls, emails, texts and meetings with a great couple like Shayla and T will be coming to an end. They are a beautiful couple and I wish them all the best for the next 100 years!

Happy Anniversary!

And a big thanks to the experts at Freed photography for these great images from their big day - 10.20.12