Baltimore Wedding Blog // Charm City Wed

Piney Branch Golf Club Wedding by Michelle Zahn Photography

12.04.12 by Serena Jae

Today’s gorgeous wedding at Piney Branch Golf Club takes you to a place of beauty and serenity. You can see the love in this couple’s eyes for each other… and possibly for that scrumptious tier of cupcakes as well! We love the bride’s vintage inspired dress and her beautiful, vibrant bouquet– a perfect pairing for a perfect day.

Cake: Snickerdoodles Bakery
Ceremony: Immanuel Lutheran Church
Dress: White by Vera Wang
DJ: PartyTyme Entertainment by Barry Hart
Hairstyling: Magnolia’s Day Spa & Salon
Men’s Attire: BLACK by Vera Wang
Photography: Michelle Zahn Photography
Reception: Piney Branch Golf Club

by Serena Jae

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Planning 101: Creating Your Wedding Guest List

12.03.12 by Serena Jae

Guest lists are one of the most complicated aspects to planning a wedding. Who do you invite? What’s the maximum guest amount? Will so-and-so be offended if we don’t send over an invitation?

There’s really no correct or incorrect way to do this, but today, we’d like to give you some simple tips on how to go about creating and minimizing your wedding guest list.

Make a list of everyone you’d consider sending an invitation to. If you haven’t spoken a peep to them within the past year, consider putting them on a “Maybe” list. If you’re trying to stick to a certain guest count, this could help determine it.
Regardless of what people may say to you, a +1 for every guest you invite is not required. If you’re 100% certain you don’t want them there, then place only your invitee’s name on the response card! Simple as that. It’s not “rude” and many couples go this route to cost their costs and limit their special day to only those they want to celebrate alongside.
Co-workers: The all-or-nothing rule applies here. There are a few exceptions to this rule: A very close work friend or your boss. Otherwise, it can make the workplace quite awkward – which no one wants.
For seating purposes, do not be afraid to announce that it’s an “Adults-Only Reception.” If you’re expecting a rowdy crowd and are planning to have fun late into the night (after-party, anyone?), then let people know. You want your guests to be able to enjoy themselves and not have to babysit. This can be solved by asking parents to leave their children at home – or to have a separate kids-only room, with a qualified babysitter.
Keep a copy of your wedding guest list online. Google Drive (formerly Google Docs), for example, is a great way to keep track of this. You can share this list with your significant other, which can help to avoid confusion by keeping things organized and up-to-date.

Remember: Your wedding is all about you. Be comfortable with who you invite, as it’s your celebration. Happy planning!

by Serena Jae

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LoveBirds: Things To Do Around Baltimore – December Edition

11.30.12 by Rochelle Matheson

December is right around the corner (tomorrow!), and with the cold weather comes the holiday season in full swing. We’ve got a few great ideas on how to spend some quality time this season with your sweetie! Baby, it’s cold outside…

Photo Credit: Love by Serena

What’s more classic during the holiday season than a production of The Nutcracker? This ballet with score by Tchaikovsky is one of the most popular and recognizable productions in the world. There are many productions going on around Baltimore to choose from, but a great recommendation is Baltimore Ballet’s production, playing Dec. 8th and 9th at Goucher College’s Kraushaar Auditorium. Adults $30.00, Children $15.00. Students from the school put on a beautiful performance of professional quality, and is not to be missed!
We’ve got another great holiday performance suggestion: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday POPs Celebration! This upbeat celebration features holiday favorites performed by the BSO, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, and other guest vocalists. And yes- there will be sing-a-longs! This production runs from Dec. 12th – 16th; tickets $17.50 – $80.00.
Looking for a great place to get handmade goods for loved ones this holiday season? Stop by MICA’s Art Market, running December 5th – 8th from 10:00am – 6:00pm. As per their site, “One-of-a-kind gifts include jewelry, illustrations, paintings, prints, posters, sculptures, mosaics, stationary, T-shirts, ceramics, book arts, toys and wrapping paper. A portion of the proceeds goes to scholarships for MICA students!”
There’s a holiday tradition in Baltimore that can’t be beat… and not just because it’s free, but because it is a amazing sight to behold. We are talking about the 34th Street Lights in Hampden, and they continue as strong as ever this year, their 65th year! It is truly a treat to see for everyone, young and old.
What’s the holiday season without a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate to warm up with? A great place, also in Hampden, is Common Ground Coffee House! Their cozy atmosphere and famous muffins are the perfect place to stop and get a hot treat.

Happy December, Lovebirds!

by Rochelle Matheson

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Turf Valley Ellicott City Wedding by Liz & Ryan

11.29.12 by Serena Jae

When we got this stunning wedding from Liz & Ryan in our inbox, our hearts jumped! We love a couple truly excited and in love, cute details that fit them so well, and a dearly written wedding snippet. That said, we’ll let Liz & Ryan take it from here:

“Leading up to their wedding, we pretty much screamed with excitement every single time we came across a Facebook update from Amy! She hinted about the rustic chic details they were pulling together for their wedding and even showed a sneak peek of their cake toppers customized from Etsy, complete with a fireman’s hat for Eric and a cute bow for Amy. Both Amy and Eric were so excited for their big day that Ryan and I could not wait to be a part of the excitement!

As we walked into the bridal suite, we found ourselves surrounded by a super sweet bridal party who had nothing but excitement for Amy and Eric. There was a calmness in the air. A calmness that created relaxation. Amy was so relaxed she kept asking everyone else if she could do anything for them… and that’s just Amy’s personality shining through! Always caring about other people, it was amazing to witness a special day for Amy and Eric to focus only on each other. We are so incredibly excited for Amy and Eric. From their rustic chic details to their sweet sweet personalities and the relaxed atmosphere… Amy and Eric’s day was like a dream!”