I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked what to get a bride for her wedding. If you are looking for the perfect gift for that special bride, one of our Hunt Country Celebrations members www.huntcountrycelebrations.com, All Season’s Floral Preservation specializes in preserving actual wedding bouquet and flowers from all those special occasions worth remembering. The delicate art of floral preservation dates back to our Victorian ancestors and was very fashionable among ladies of that era. This gentle art evolved producing modern drying techniques that naturally allow for color retention. Your pressed flowers will resemble a delicate painting. These designs can become precious heirlooms or mementos that can be enjoyed for generations. Check out the following link  for more information on how to creating the ultimate wedding keepsake. Photograph by Rodney Bailey.

Pam and Ben didn’t have a lot of time to plan the wedding of their dreams, but they certainly put it all together in a short amount of time and WOW, it was a dream wedding!!! They were blessed with terrific weather, sunny skies and 70 degrees in late November. Ben looked stunning in his tux; he and the groomsmen came early to get ready at the Inn. What a handsome groom!  Pam and her bridesmaids came later for pictures and what a BEAUTIFUL bride! Pam looked just like a Barbie doll in her stunning gown, complete with a fur stole. Their beautiful daughter Gia had an emotional moment with tears of joy as she gazed out the window at Pam and Ben. The ballroom never looked better with the help of Michele Hodges, wedding coordinator and Dragonfly Florist www.dragonflyevent.com. The floral arrangements were absolutely stunning. Ben’s mom made the most delicious Italian cookies for dessert. They rocked the night away to Night Life. Stunning couple, terrific event ~ a great time was had by all!  

Photo credits: Okodio Star Dusted Media--Nathaniel Renouf www.okodio.com

Kirby and Lek were married in Thailand about a year ago, but most of their family and friends were unable to partake in the wedding festivities, so Kirby planned an American wedding at the Black Horse Inn. His beautiful bride wore a fasionable short wedding dress. Fortunately the weather cooperated with just a hint of coolness in the air on this brilliant fall day as they posed in front of the gingko tree on a blanket of gold leaves. A Taste of Elegance~www.tasteelegance.com, premiered for the first time at the Black Horse Inn with a delightful filet mignon dinner. Kirby & Lek enjoyed their family and friends for a wonderful American Wedding Celebration. We look forward to seeing them for their first anniversary!

From the Bride: Thanks for everything! We had a great time and our family and friends love love loved the Black Horse Inn. The staff were all very sweet and we're especially gonna miss that Joyce :). John and I met at a mutual friend’s birthday party. John went way out of his way to make sure and introduce himself to me lol. (I’m pretty sure John fell for me after I kicked his butt in a game of tag in the front yard, lol) He then asked about me about 5 months later, John finally convinced me to hang out. And from that moment, John and I couldn’t spend a second away from each other, fell head over heels in love, and the rest is history! We got engaged on October 31st 2010. (only because Johns attempts to get me to take off the next day, Monday, November 1st, fell through because I couldn’t take off. He wanted to propose to me on my birthday the 1st). He was so excited that he proposed to me first thing in the morning!   What is your best advice to other couples for planning a wedding? Though it can be stressful and time consuming at times, never forget that your #1 priority is each other. Also, don’t get too involved with the logistics of the wedding day, just show up and enjoy every second of it!  What did you most enjoy about your own wedding? At one point during the reception, we took a moment to look around at all of our family and friends. Seeing how much fun everyone was genuinely having, made our night! The DJ from  Main Line Music (Mike Packard) said that we made the most impressive dance train he had ever seen! :)

Bess and Geoff met while they were working for the State Department at the American Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. They both had similar backgrounds and their interests complimented one another. On April 3, 2011 they decided to tie the knot. They were engaged in Bethel Park, PA. When the bride was asked to give her best advice to others planning their wedding she said “make decisions and stick to them.” I love her philosophy, not only for wedding planning but life in general! They most enjoyed seeing the happiness of friends and family. Likewise, their families enjoyed seeing their glowing happiness. Bess was radiant in her wedding gown and also wins the MOST ORGANIZED BRIDE of the year award. Her mother Gay and father Vince were such a delight and they arrived a day early to ensure that the grand ballroom was exquisitely decorated . Gay made the most beautiful heirloom centerpieces for the tables and they were adorned with yellow roses. Each was carefully thought out with renditions of the couple’s life and mementos from their past. What a special couple! They are honeymooning in the Canadian Rockies, where they will enjoy the cold & wet of the beautiful mountains before the set up their new home in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

   Who says that internet dating doesn’t work? This couple met on www.eHarmony.com. On Memorial Day, their first date was in Old Town Alexandria where they walked around the town for seven hours, while enjoying each other’s company. They were engaged on Valentines Day of 2012. The bride is the Director of Catering Sales at the Ritz Carlton and the Groom works for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Alicia picked the most beautiful chocolate and green linens to compliment the floral arrangements, made by Mother of the Bride--Scheila. Scheila had help with the flowers from her close friends Ann C. and her sister Trish B., as well as assistance from the mother of the groom, Linda D. and one of her best friends Patty T. Scheila used to be involved in the local garden club and so she wanted this expertise be part of floral décor for the wedding.  The enitire ballroom looked magnificent! Their 18 piece band , the Swing Machine rocked the night away!  This couple’s advice on planning a wedding is “to just have fun.”  When I asked them what they most enjoyed about their own wedding, they replied, “having their most cherished people ~ both friends and family, surrounding them.”  They plan on going to the Ritz in Charlotte, NC as well as Asheville NC for a couple of nights to see the Biltmore this coming weekend on our “minimoon” & then to the northern mediterranean next spring for a cruise for the actual honeymoon.Kudos to eHarmony for this match made in heaven!

They met on www.match.com and it was a match made in heaven. This couple was so very much in love! They were engaged on October 1, 2010, so they had a good year before the wedding planning kicked in. The bride was a terrific organizer and her ideas were incredibly creative. She pulled together the most beautiful centerpieces, with candelabras, crystals and florals. Her linens were a beautiful navy blue, which complimented the gold chivari chairs and the motif in the “Gilded Fox” Ballroom. Megan looked like s "barbie doll" the day of her wedding, everything so perfect about her! She is employed at Fannie Mae and Andrew at Sparks Government Solutions. Her advice to couples planning a wedding: “give yourself plenty of time the week before the wedding to get all of your last minute items together. Believe me it is a stressful week.” When I asked her what she most enjoyed about her own wedding, she said that she and Andrew had done such a great job planning, that they decided that they were just going to enjoy themselves. So they relaxed and took it all in. She said that the venue is so beautiful and really provides he most amazing setting. They loved the Black Horse Inn. They are heading to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for their honeymoon!

Bethlehem met Neb through a mutual friend. Neb was attending a six week course in radiology that Bethlehem was also attending. Fate had love in store for this couple! After dating for nearly two years, Neb bought an engagement ring on Valentine’s Day and proposed on February 19th. Their wedding was steeped in Ethiopian tradition. The bread cutting ceremony is traditional in Ethiopian culture, for the family members to name the bride. They named Betty “Amale work” a person of good character; a person worth gold. The departure ceremony was also steeped in tradition, where the Bride and Groom kiss the knees of the family members showing respect for the elders. This tradition is to thank the family members for the love and caring they have had throughout their lives and to thank them for the wedding. Betty works as a radiologist for Fort Belvoir and Neb serves as a fellow radiologist at Johns Hopkins. They plan to honeymoon in the Bahamas and in Venice Italy!

Photo credits: Gedion