1. Real Weddings

A Glamorous, Formal Wedding at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Lauren Forman (27 and works in catering sales) and Jonathan Rubenstein (34 and a recruiting manager) planned a glamorous, formal event at the Fairmont

Lauren Forman (27 and works in catering sales) and Jonathan Rubenstein (34 and a recruiting manager) planned a glamorous, formal event at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. for their early summer wedding. With the help of the planners at Creative Parties the pair transformed the ballrooms of the Fairmont into a romantic, modern backdrop for their elegant affair. Never a fan of pink or purple hues, Lauren knew right from the get-go that the color palette had to feature blue. The bride-to-be chose deep shades of the color to create a formal feel, with ivory, white and silver adding an element of sophistication and polish. 

The day started with a ceremony in the venue’s Colonnade Room, which the couple were immediately drawn to because of its unique circular shape. The pair kept the decor simple, adding a classic white aisle runner, clusters of floating candles at the head and end of the aisle, as well as a traditional chuppah, with a base handcrafted by Lauren’s grandfather and a canopy sewn by her stepmother using parts of Lauren’s mother’s wedding dress.

After exchanging vows, the newlyweds whisked their guests off to the Grand Ballroom for the reception. “The Fairmont has special meaning to our family,” says Lauren, “both my brother and I had our Bar and Bat Mitzvahs there, so having my wedding there really made things come full circle.” Bunches of fresh white blooms in varying arrangements, silver candelabras with flickering white tapers and metallic chargers enlivened dark navy linens, while a mix of long, round and square tables added an element of texture to the room. Cool purple and blue uplighting brought the drama and details like a monogrammed dance floor, a fun photo booth, custom cake topper and a live band put a personal twist on the day. A tip for the taking from Lauren: “You aren't going to make everyone happy. While it's nice to take into consideration other people's opinions, ultimately its your wedding, so the two of you need to be happy.”

To set a formal tone for the wedding, Lauren and Johnathan worked with Creative Parties to design classic, elegant invitations with a subtle modern twist — using navy in place of classic black. Each element of the stationery suite featured a unique design with the main invitation featuring white paper accented with a navy and iridescent beige border. The rest of the stationery followed suit, with each detail boasting the navy and white color scheme.
“I am actually not very picky on flowers,” says Lauren, “so I gave the florist pretty much full reign on picking them. I knew I wanted white and that was about it.” Edge Flowers created a lush, romantic bouquet for Lauren to carry down the aisle, the perfectly arranged bundle filled with full peonies and roses in soft shades of ivory and white.
To tie into the navy theme, Lauren had her bridesmaids don long navy Monique Lhuillier gowns, with each girl wearing a different style to create a textured, yet cohesive look.
The festivities kicked off with a ceremony in the Fairmont Hotel’s Colonnade Room, whose unique circular shape the couple was instantly drawn to. Lauren and Jonathan kept the decorations to a minimum to highlight the light-filled room’s elegant features, adding a classic white aisle runner and a few clusters of floating candles for a wedding-ready touch. “The Fairmont has special meaning to our family,” says Lauren, “both my brother and I had our Bar and Bat Mitzvahs there, so having my wedding there really made things come full circle.” 
The couple exchanged vows under a chuppah that Lauren’s grandfather made himself many years ago and hand-sewn canopy made from Lauren’s mother’s wedding dress. Following tradition, the pair incorporated the Seven Blessing and the breaking of the glass into the ceremony.
Add drama and texture to the formal ballroom, Lauren and Johnathan opted for a mix of square, round and long rectangular table shapes. The centerpieces reflected this variation, with round tables featuring bundles of romantic white blooms piled high on tall glass pedestals, while the rectangular and square tables were topped with low arrangements and a scattering of brightly lit candles.
Flickering candlelight played off the head table’s sequin-studded tablecloth to create a whimsical and glamorous effect.
In addition to their first dance to “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney, Lauren and Johnathan made sure to include the traditional Hora into the evening’s festivities.
As guests made their exit after a night filled with dancing and celebrating, they scooped up a box of perfectly packaged sweets displayed on a table dressed with sparkling navy sequins and romantic candlelight.