Congratulations, Ritu & Rohin!

Yesterday I had the honor of assisting at Ritu & Rohin's wedding at the Sheraton National hotel in Arlington. The bride and groom have been working with Mariah for quite a few months, but due to her pregnancy (twins due in October!), she needed an extra few hands to help lift boxes, run around, and stay through the end of the evening. We ended up working 17 straight hours at this event! Special thanks to Kaitlyn and Jessica, who were our right-hand ladies through the day.

Without further ado, here are some amazing photos from Regeti's Photography:
Rolled programs sit in a decorated basket:Bridesmaids welcome the groom and his family into the ceremony:Ritu & Rohin looked so in love with each other:Incense holders served multipurposes as placecards and favors:The Sheraton's renovated ballroom and Partyland's stage decorations:The cake's flowers were expertly placed by yours truly, with expert cheerleading by Jessica and Amy:The centerpieces incorporated peacock feathers, roses, and two types of orchids:Like any good Indian wedding, the party went until 2am:See more photographs from this wedding on the Regeti's blog!

Partyland Flowers & Event Decorators provided the flowers and decor, which were just stunning. Each centerpiece included a submersible LED light which illuminated the orchid and water the entire evening. They also created a beautiful mandap for the ceremony as well as a backdrop behind the couple for the reception. They really pulled off the 'peacock' theme! The cake was provided by Cakes in Style, and I must say the fresh strawberries between the layers were divine. Mmmm! I wish they didn't have so much left over but I didn't mind an extra piece. Blue Sky Films was pleasant as always...Tabitha and Tonya continually went out of their way to get great shots for the final video. Ceremony music was provided by the talented sitarist John Bell and his colleague while the DJ at the reception was a friend of the bride & groom's. Food for the luncheon was provided by Minerva restaurant and the dinner was from Aditi. Rodney from the Andre Chreky salon did the bride's airbrushed makeup and transformed her hair into an evening style for the reception.

The one disappointment was the quality of service at the venue. While their view of the Pentagon and select monuments is fantastic and the new renovations help the aging hotel look like new, there were multiple mishaps along the way. Our sales coordinator spent the entire evening with another wedding happening in the hotel, which I found somewhat surprising. We saw them for approximately one hour the entire day. They also scheduled another wedding ceremony to take place in a room next to our cocktail hour, so I'm very sure the chatter and music disrupted the other couple's vows. I felt badly but we had to look out for the best interests of our couple and their guests. We had a hard time finding the person who knew how to control the light panel in the ballroom, the bartenders were rude to guests when the bar was closed, and multiple other tiny experiences added up quickly. All in all the banquet staff was on top of things but I was constantly reminded of why this particular couple decided to hire us. I do recommend this hotel for the views and the convenience to the city but would definitely caution brides to be sure of their choice before putting down a deposit.

Overall, Ritu & Rohin have been a joy to work with. While Mariah has all the details on their relationship, I could definitely see the love between them and amongst their families. It's always refreshing to share in someone else's joy and we are truly blessed to have been a part of it.