Cocktails Anyone?

Your cocktail hour doesn't have to be boring! Cheese and fruit displays are not required!
Here are some great ideas for appetizing bites sure to please any crowd.

Treat your guests to a delicious tossed salad served in a martini glass. 

How about these bite sized mozzarella balls with a tomato basil sauce?

Great fruit salad option, that won't go to waste!
Image via Hostess With the Mostess.com

Mini burgers are trending.  And it's easy to see why.
Very easy to  pop in your mouth, no mess and delicious!

And what is cocktail hour without the cocktail? We love this light  and refreshing
Strawberry Lemonade Sparkler. with vodka.  Omit the vodka to please guests who don't consume alcohol.  Perfect for a summer or spring wedding.
Click here for drink recipe

There is nothing wrong with adding a light dessert to your cocktail hour menu.
We think this tower of chocolate mouse is the perfect addition if you want to treat your guests to a little something sweet.
via Projectwedding.com 

Forgo the Engagement Ring?

Times are still tough, and by many accounts we are still in a recession.  Weddings, no matter how small; do cost money. Many couples are looking for alternatives and ways to save money on their wedding expenses.  Some are doing without flowers for their wedding and saving money with DIY projects as opposed to professional services.  But would you forgo the ring?  This was a question posted on the LearnVest site, (LearnVest is a site that helps users live their "richest life", and is full of great tutorials and information for budget-savvy consumers).

So...would you skip the engagement ring in order to save money, to make a down payment on a house or for other financial reasons?  With engagement rings averaging over $5, do you feel that money could be put to "better" use?  Leave a comment below and let us know if you would be willing to skip the engagement ring.

Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo is Today

Special Guest Kathryn Hamm at Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo on June 3rd!

We are so excited to announce Kathryn Hamm, of Gayweddings.com will be a special guest speaker at Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo on June 3rd!  How awesome is that?

Practically a legend in the same-sex weddings community, Kathryn is a pioneer in the gay weddings arena; promoting marriage equality before it gained the momentum we see today. Kathryn will be providing a weddings Q&A for couples who are looking to get the scoop on everything wedding for their upcoming same-sex nuptials.

We are elated to have Kathryn as a workshop speaker at our 3rd Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo!

Kathryn is one of the original "Poster Brides" of TwoBrides.com. She joined her straight mom (and company founder) as a full partner in the family business in 2005. She holds an M.S.W from the Catholic University of America and an A.B. in Psychology from Princeton University. Prior to becoming the President of GayWeddings.com, Kathryn spent 10 years as an educator and administrator in the Washington, D.C. area. Though she and her partner exchanged vows in a memorable ceremony on the Eastern Shore in 1999, they are not yet legally married.  via @ gayweddings.com 


We think it's totally cool that Kathryn's mom, Gretchen Hamm founded a company so Kathryn could have the same choices for her wedding as straight couples.  Seeing the lack of gay wedding products and resources, she Mrs. Hamm took matters into her own hands and created what now is GayWeddings.com.  And for that, we are all thankful!

Join Kathryn at Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo in Washington, DC on June 3rd! Kathryn will be presenting a Q&A: Everything You've Wanted to Know About Your Same-Sex Wedding For Free!  To register visit www.sayidoexpo.com or get your tickets through www.equalityvirginia.org.

Ask The Expert: Pro advice for your gay wedding

Let's face it, wedding planning can be challenging and most couples find themselves overwhelmed with questions and no answers.  Our "Ask The Expert" columns are here to help.  Experts provide answers to your most pressing wedding challenges.

Our first question comes from a bride who is having a commitment ceremony and not sure what to look for in an officiant or what the "correct" verbiage should be.  Our expert Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns who has over 8 years experience as a wedding officiant answers our brides' question below

Question:
I live in a state where gay marriage isn't legal, so I will be having a commitment ceremony instead of a wedding. Being as how it's a commitment ceremony and not a legal marriage are there do's and dont's for the ceremony part of it?

-Tongue Tied Bride
Michigan

Answer: 

1. Don't hire an officiant who does not know the legalities of officiating a commitment ceremony.
2. During your vows and the ceremony the following words cannot be use in addressing you, your partner or your event: marriage, wife, husband, or any euphemism of husband or wife.

I hope that helps.

Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns 
MD Wedding Minister and Maryland Wedding Officiant
Specializing in Customized Wedding Ceremonies
4722 Morning Glory Trail Bowie
Maryland 20720
(202) 253-3629
revsjburns@gmail.com
revsjb@comcast.net
http://www.startum.com/revburns.htm

Business Spotlight: Mixology Bartending

Today's business spotlight belongs to Mixology Bartending. Mixology can help you celebrate your nuptials with their personalized beverage services.  See below to learn more about Mixology!

Mixology Bartending Services Co is an award winning, woman owned beverage catering services company. In 2012 they were named one of the area’s Top 100 Minority Business Enterprises. T he company provides specialized services in the area of beverage and event planning. Mixology’s clients are unique in that they do not want just bartenders at their events they want a personalized beverage experience created just for them and their guests. Our client’s events are from 20 to 1500 guests enjoying the Mixology beverage experience. Our beverage experience can include Hand Crafted Signature Drink Creations, Organic and Dietary Fruit and Yogurt Blends, Bar Rental Services, Liquor Consulting, Wine Selection Consulting and Event Staffing.

Visit Mixology online at: http://www.mixologybar.com 

Love Portrait: Rob and Anthony

We are excited to share the love stories of Cutest Couples Contestants!   Meet Rob and Anthony, currently in the running for our cutest couple! Keep reading to learn more about their romantic meeting and future plans.  To vote for Rob and Anthony, use the poll on the right hand side of this blog.

I'm (Rob) a flight attendant for a major airline and was flying the NY Giants to their Thanksgiving Day game 11/26/09.  We stay with the team and then fly them back to NYC. While the team slept for their Turkey Day game I decided to go out and do a little Denver line dancing.  I met Anthony on the sidelines of the dance floor instruction hour for the country dancing.  Within minutes I knew this was the one.  I just officially moved to DC January 1, 2012 and we reside together now.

Anthony is in Management with a large scale construction company based in Sweden.  Rob is a flight attendant and Paramedic for a Medical Rescue Helicopter.  We are known by our friends as the ones to call on a Friday thru Sunday.  We don't go out to the bars or clubs much but we love cooking up a storm and entertaining our friends all night.  If it's been a long work week we are very well known for hosting movie nights will all the fixing for our friends.  I always say how important our friends are to us. We would rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies. 

We have been engaged for over a year and are going to pick a venue first then set the date. That way we can guarantee we get exactly the place we want.  Ideal would be fall of 2013. We want a venue that will be start to finish for our wedding..ceremony to cocktails to reception. Two of our options are a hotel rooftop or a VA vineyard.

---------------

Congrats to Rob and Anthony and their engagement,
they certainly are a cute couple!

Business Spotlight: Olivia Travel

Our business spotlight shines on Olivia Travel, the premier lesbian travel company. Let Olivia, the leader in lesbian travel, spoil you with a honeymoon to remember! Whenever and wherever you tie the knot, know that Olivia has the perfect honeymoon escape for you.  We always charter the entire ship or buy out the whole resort, so you will be surrounded by women, able to be out and free.

Set sail on a Caribbean cruise for a week of fun-in-the-sun, take a riverboat cruise through romantic France, or try an all-inclusive resort vacation, like our Vallarta Palace Resort in beautiful Puerto Vallarta—Mexico’s most gay and lesbian friendly destination.

Let us delight you with our touching group commitment ceremony complete with champagne and cake.  Maybe we’ll even see you starring in our popular Oldywed/Newlywed game!

For a full list of our great lesbian honeymoons, visit www.olivia.com

For more information or to make a reservation, call 800-631-6277 or 415-962 5700, option 1 or submit an online request form. 

Business Spotlight: Lia Sophia

Jewels are a girls best friend and Lia Sophia has beautiful and affordable jewelry for your wedding adornment or as gits for your bridal party.  Read a bit more about Lia Sophia as today's spotlight shines on Cindy Barrett, Independent Lia Sophia Advisor.

Lia sophia connects women to their dreams, from obtaining beautiful fashion jewelry to empowering their financial futures. The company always has Customer Specials and their Hostess Benefits are the best in the in the industry. The jewelry is also covered by a Lifetime Replacement Guarantee and all the pieces are made from semi-precious stones, electroplated in rhodium (part of the platinum family) and 14 - 22 k of gold mils. Celebrities love the jewelry and it is perfect for weddings, bachelorette parties, girl’s night out…and much much more!

For more information visit:

www.liasophia.com/cindyhuerta

Meet Zavos Junker Law Group

Legal planning is especially important for LGBT couples, Zavos Juncker Law Group is one of the best in the business at helping you protect your family. Keep reading to learn about the many beneficial services they offer...

Attorneys at the Zavos Juncker Law Group, PLLC, have served our community for more than 30 years.  We have been pioneers in the establishment of legal protections for our families.  We represent clients in matters of pre- and post-nuptial agreements, estate planning, including wills and powers of attorney, adoptions, custody and visitation, divorce and dissolution, probate, surrogacy, donor and parenting agreements, and all issues of LGBT family law.  We practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.

Visit online: www.zavosjunckerlawgroup.com

Meet Vintage Ivy Events

Next up in our spotlight series is Vintage Ivy Events who is ready to help you plan your wedding to a tee! They certainly know how to throw a party!  Keep reading to find out more about them...

Impeccable planning creates signature occasions! 

 
Vintage Ivy Events is an Events Planning and Design company with exquisite style, impeccable planning, and seamless execution. We will guide you through every step of the planning process from helping you choose a spectacular venue, connecting you with our talented vendors, taking your initial ideas and creating a personal style for your event that defines who we are. Having Vintage Ivy Events is an advantage because we reduce the amount of time, energy, and money you would spend if you were to do it on your own. With a touch of our expertise, resources, guidance, and personal attention, no details are overlooked. Planning and designing your exquisite celebration is our passion! Let us be your events planning and design team for your next wedding or event!

Visit Vintage Ivy Online at: http://www.vintageivyevents.com. 

 

Say I Do! 2011 Washington, DC Photo Summary!

Say I Do! 2010 Recap

LGBT Wedding Expo - Hotel Palomar - Washington DC from PhotographyByAlexander.com on Vimeo.

We're going to Phili! Get the scoop at www.sayidoexpo.com

Cutest Couple Contest - DC Edition

Our first Cutest Couple Contest Winners!!

Couples! It's that time again...our Cutest Couple Contest is back! But with a twist!

This contest is our Washington, DC edition. Only Washington, DC area couples are allowed to throw their hate into the ring for this contest. PLUS, this 'go round is for engaged couples ONLY!  So, you have to be planning to tie the knot within the next 18 months.

Alright, so throw your hat in the ring and be our cutest couple! Email your picture to hello@pinkdotconcepts.com with your names, ages, location and wedding date.

The winner will receive 2 complementary tickets to Say I Do! Wedding Expo and a feature in 10,000 Couples Online Magazine!

To enter read our brief but necessary, contest rules:

1. Like us on Facebook.  Like both 10,000 couples and Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo on facebook.  And you may want to follow us on twitter too, here and here :-)
2. Get your free subscription and all-access pass to 10,000 couples by clicking here.
3. Send us your picture, location, wedding date and ages to hello@pinkdotconcepts.com. Be sure to complete #1 and #2 first
4. Hit the "easy" button and tell your friends and family to get ready to start voting.  Couples who are entered will receive acknowledgment within 24 hours of completing the above steps!

And The Winner Is...

And The Winner Is (Drumroll Please...)

Ebone and Angell!!!!

Are the winners of our cutest couples contest!!! With 127 votes!!  Congrats ladies! They are the lucky winners of a special treat from the Lollipop Chef.  6 mouth-watering lollipop brownies will be to their door courtesy of Say I Do! and the Lollipop Chef!  2 tickets to Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo and a $50 shopping spree courtesy of 10,000 Couples Magazine!

Thank you and congrats to all our couples and a round of applause for their participation!!!

*Winners will be contacted in 5-7 business days; however, if you are the winner feel free to reach out to us and claim your prize!

Love Portrait: Davone and Tiffany

We are delighted to bring you yet another love portrait. This time we get a glimpse into Davone an Tiffany's story. They are currently in the running to be our Cutest Couple, to vote for them click here to visit the contest page.

A 2008 Love Affair...
Our love affair dates back to 2 years ago in 2008. We met through Dollhouse Enterprises Inc., a social networking company for lesbians and bisexuals in which Davone is CEO and Founder. Tiffany emailed Davone regarding a few events she was interested in attending and they immediately began to date after that. Davone instantly knew Tiffany was something special. Tiffany told Davone she found her to be beautiful, smart, funny, ambitious, and down right sexy. Davone found Tiffany to be extremely attractive, intelligent, and so warm and giving. They had so much in common and conversations between them were never dull. Tiffany was hesitant to tell Davone her age as she knew Davone would have an issue with Tiffany being 27 years old and Davone was 35 at the time. It took Davone for a loop when Tiffany revealed her age, but Davone began to call Tiffany her PYT (pretty young thing)! Sadly 2 months later Davone started to push Tiffany away because of the age factor. Davone and Tiffany eventually went separate ways and they both were saddened, because they knew deep down that they were perfect for each other.

A Second Chance at Love...
Davone: 2 years and a couple of emails, texts, and phone calls passed by, in June 2010, we ran into each other at a Pride event. As soon as we saw each other, the same feelings from 2 years ago came over us. We hugged each other and we instantly didn't want to let go. Tiffany sent me the sweetest text at 5AM when I got home saying that she was happy for me and the growth of my company and that I looked amazing. I immediately called her back and we had an hour long phone conversation at 5AM which was amazing and felt like we never left that moment in 2008. We went to dinner the very next, or I should say the same day and we were inseparable ever since.

We always talked about getting married like it was second nature but on a chilly evening in October Tiffany said lets go get our initials tattooed on our ring fingers to signify our love. We went to a tattoo parlor in Greenwich Village and got engaged. As flashy and over the top as I am, this was the most low key thing She has ever did, but it was the most emotional thing as well. It was as if Tiffany got down on one knee and asked me to be her wife, but we did it OUR WAY! We instantly went into planning mode for our wedding and that's where we are now. We are planning a huge Diamond winter wonderland theme wedding that will be taking place in December of 2011 in Long Island, NY. We will officially be getting married in Connecticut about a month before our huge NY ceremony. We are planning on honeymooning in St. Barts. After about a year of being married, Our plans are to expand our family and have a child.

About us as a couple:
We truly enjoy laughing together, laughing, shopping, traveling (Tiffany took Davone to Aruba for her birthday in September 2010), working on our weekly radio show Dollhouse Life Chat, going to Broadway and off Broadway shows and being pampered at spas. We also attend church weekly as our faith and spirituality is very strong to us and keeps our relationship grounded. We have date night once a week to take time out as a couple because our work schedules can get hectic at times. We both got a second chance at love and we vow to not let it go this time around.

A little bit more about Tiffany Jackson and Davone Madison:

Tiffany Jackson, New York City, is 29 years old and works as a computer engineer, Radio Talk show host and IT expert on the weekly internet talk show Dollhouse Life Chat Radio Show and is starting her own IT Consulting firm in 2011. She loves technology, sports, cars, and helping others in any way she can.

Davone Madison, New York City, is 37 years old and works as a finance supervisor for the federal government. She also CEO and founder of Dollhouse Enterprises Inc., social networking company for lesbians and bisexuals that has entities in NYC, NJ, ATL, TX, Philadelphia, and Canada. She is also owner of Dollhouse Media Group and host of Dollhouse Life Chat Radio Show, a weekly internet talk show. Davone will be appearing on TLC's show Say Yes To The Dress which will showcase her looking for the perfect wedding dress at the prestigious bridal shop Kleinfelds in NYC. She is the first African American lesbian to be featured on the show and the 3rd lesbian to be featured on the show in 6 seasons. The episode will be airing in April 2011.

New Find: La Bella Bride Magazine

Photo from La Bella Bride.com

While in one of my favorite places today, Borders; I came across a magazine I'd never seen or heard of before.  Now, there are a lot of glossy, eye-catching magazines on shelf many of which I consider the same-old stuff, same-old articles and tired themes. 

La Bella Bride is a New England publication that features trends, love stories and real weddings mainly in the New England area.  On the cover, was an African-American model which for a publication that is not exclusively for African-Americans is rare to see.  And inside they actually featured a same-sex couple, a lot of information and inspiration. I was instantly drawn to ad by Diane Gaudett which featured a stunning black and pink table design with a damask runner.  LOVE IT!

On their site, they show snippets of the wedding of Alan and Luis who tied the knot at a lake wedding in Connecticut.  I personally love their matching tuxes.  Check it out here: http://labellabridemagazine.com/blog/?p=381.

Let Them Eat Cake! March 13, 2011

Need I say more? Get the scoop at www.letthemeatcakedc.yolasite.com

Kiss & Tell Contest

Did you pop the question on Valentine's Day?

Were you surprised with a proposal from your honey on Valentine's Day?

Tell us your story! We are looking for 4 couples who got engaged on Valentine's Day for our kiss and tell contest! Email hello(at)pinkdotconcepts.com to enter!!

Happy New Year

While I'm a little late with the well wishes, they are heartfelt just the same.  2011 brings a new year and with it new possibilities. I for one am uber excited about the new year.  Say I Do! in June, the Nonconforming Bridal Fair in April and possibly Say I Do! in another city (stay tuned for details)!

So I've been quite busy, busy as a bee and that's a good thing.

I am still looking for couples who attended Say I Do! and have gotten married since the expo.  Email me at hello(at)pinkdotconcepts.com. OR, if you've gotten engaged over the holidays, drop me a line as well!