Venue stalking.. I mean hunting…I mean booking.

One of the first things a couple should reserve is the venue. Whether it be a restaurant, antique mansion, hotel, or banquet hall be sure to book your place a year in advance to ensure you get the date that you want. Now, if you are highly obsessive and anxiety-prone like I am you’ll reserve you’re venue within 57 seconds of being engaged. Not that I suggest that to anyone, but do research and grab up your places quickly!

There were a couple places that Mr. M and I considered for the venue. We narrowed it down to two choices. It was either going to be at the Ritz Carlton or Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC. After careful deliberation (two nights and a discussion after breakfast), we decided to go with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for a number of reasons. First being, Mr. M and I had a few romantic dinners in the Mandarin so it was nostalgic for us. We loved the Asian-inspired decor and the atmosphere was very warm and inviting. There are walkways out to the garden where the river can be seen- muy romantico. Secondly, The Ritz -although lavish and luxurious it may be, can be cold and unwelcoming at times. We wanted all of our guests to feel at home. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel combined five star service with a warm and romantic environment all of our guests could relate to.

photo courtesy of mandarin oriental

The hotel has a number of ballrooms. Our ballroom is the Oriental Ballroom (the name choice is shocking, I know) … which is beautiful as it is. But of course, it will still be redecorated. The wedding coordinator Michael showed me photos of previous weddings they hosted. After the walls were draped in ivory sheer silk (which we opted for as well)….this magical wonderland emerged:

oriental ballroom

I won’t spoil ALLLL of the surprises…but hopefully with our color and decor changes the wedding will be just as beautiful as their previous events. Lord knows it will be just as special with Mr. M by my side.