On December 24th, Christmas Eve, I celebrated my 45th birthday. Life is good, and I am so happy, but realizing another year had passed so quickly had me feeling a little sad and very melancholy. I got over my birthday blues very quickly when photographer Genevieve Leiper walked into my sister's home to surprise me with the newest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings.  Gen and I had worked on an amazing wedding in the snow storm last Feb. known as the Snowpocolypse. During that storm I was contacted for the first time from an executive at the Martha Stewart offices. I believe this particuler exec. was in marketing or website development. It was all such a blur, it's hard to remember all of the story, but the Martha rep said she liked the look of my website and she needed flowers for her mother-in-law. Well, with 2 feet of snow on the ground and more falling, I was unable to take the flower order. This was incredibly frustrating and sad for me as I have always wanted to impress and or provide flowers for anyone affiliated with Martha Stewart Weddings. But she did say that I could submit information to her if I had any spectacular weddings in the future, and she would help me get the story to the right editor. Oddly enough, at that very moment my bride Tricia was walking down the aisle and her walk would become an incredible story. Tricia and Joe married in the midst of the biggest blizzard I have ever seen. Working with them and having their wedding happen on time, in spite of the snow, was truly wonderful and miraculous. To protect my bride's flowers, we delivered all of the flowers to the reception and the hotel one day early.  It was very clear that this was going to be a real snow storm and I knew we had to be proactive. Photographer Genevieve Leiper and make-up artist Kim Reyes got rooms in the hotel next to the reception to ensure that they would be able to get to the wedding. Only hours after I spoke to the Martha rep, Genevieve began sending me images of the day, and I knew we had something worthy of sending into Martha Stewart.

Getting published or developing some type of relationship with Martha Stewart was truly my goal for last year. One month after setting that goal and one month into 2010, I had a potential wedding that would be featured either on-line or in print, and I was truly thrilled. Just days before 2011 arrived I saw my goal come into fruition. Are we ecstatic, over the moon, and just plain giddy? You bet! But, more than that, we are completely sure it is our commitment and our constant devotion that brings us to such amazing places. It's been almost one year since this wedding, and waiting to share these images has been excruciating but oh so worth it. I want and need to give a huge round of applause to photographer Genevieve Leiper who delivered some of her finest work in the middle of several feet of snow. Genevieve operates her business with the same integrity and thoroughness as we do here at Holly Heider Chapple Flowers,while always delivering amazing art. Here are the remarkable images of the day.

The Cosmos Club, was to be the site of the reception but also stood in for the ceremony as the National Cathedral had to close for the safety of their parish.

Tricia and her guests were staying at the Fairfax On Embassy Row, right across the street from the Cosmos. The bride and guests simply crossed the street to make it to the wedding. I love, love, love, these images.

This couple may be one of the luckiest couples I have ever met. To think that this beautiful ceremony site was a back up plan is hard to believe. I don't think things could have been more lovely, even at the cathedral.

My favorite part about Tricia and Joe was their attitude. Trica never panicked or moaned, she simply said as long as she could marry Joe nothing else mattered.  She kept saying, "All I need is Joe and the vicar." It was that attitude that made all of us want to work so hard for the couple.

Can you imagine standing outside in a blizzard posing for your wedding pictures?

Joe's bout was designed with an onyx pendant that Tricia was wearing the first time they kissed. Joe asked to see Tricia's necklace, and he swooped in for a kiss. Clever Joe!

Tricia's bridal bouquet began by clustering masses of of green foliage's. We actually even used evergreens that we had been hording since Christmas. We also used green hydrangea, green cabbage roses, green bells of Ireland, green berry, blue thistle, blue delphinium, blue muscari and peacock feathers.

 Great, great, grandma's cameo brooch was used to bind the bouquet.

The place card table design featured all the flowers of the day with branches of pussy willow.

Vintage compotes were gathered by Tricia and I to provide a unique look to the centerpieces. 

The venue provided incredible photo opportunities. These images of Tricia and Joe are my absolute favorites of the day.

The couple chose a coffee table book called Washington: Scenes from a Capital City by John Cleave  and Benjamin Forgey as their guest book.  The book features watercolor renderings of the major buildings, monuments, and small neighborhood snapshots. One guest found a picture of her Georgetown row house in the book!

I adored this snow globe that was given to the couple by one of their guests. The globe was purchased at the hotel gift shop and placed next to the programs and the favors.  The snow globe is still on display in the couples home today.

Joe Blumka an accordionist was the only musician that was able to make it to the wedding. Joe performs with The Strolling Strings.

You may wonder what my goals are for 2011, well honestly I am pretty content right now. Its obvious that what we have been doing is working, so are goal is to remain as devoted and as committed as we were in 2010. We  are so happy with this feature and that we have been recognized by Martha Stewart.  Mostly I am so happy to wish Tricia and Joe a very happy married life. I am SO GLAD I was chosen to do your wedding flowers. What a blessing!

Tricia and Joe's wedding was also featured on Martha Stewart Weddings' website, here.