June Re-cap

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

If the Holiday Inn on the Hill wanted to present another side of the familiar chain – they succeeded in royal style. The newly-renovated facility sets the scene at the entrance with a very contemporary lobby that makes ample use of strong optical shapes and rich colors. In the interest of highlighting their expanding bridal business, the Holiday Inn on the Hill sponsored a tabletop design contest with a wedding focus: “What I Did for Love.” Six contestants competed for the grand prize: A weekend stay at the Holiday Inn on the Hill with breakfast.

When the doors opened to the champagne reception, it was like entering six different events. The lights were turned down and soft candlelight flickered everywhere. Six incredibly different designs were displayed atop a parquet dance floor. Guests leisurely viewed the tabletop designs, voting ballots in hand, as they sampled a fantastic array of hors d’oeuvres.

Guests then met for a Town Hall meeting, the induction of the new Board and a very humorous and imaginative “passing of the torch” as outgoing President, Raegan Smythe presented the new ISES DC President, Alysha DiGiorgio with a Presidential Survival Kit. At which point the contest winner was announced – Travis-Lee Moore of Capital Party Rentals!

Our last event of the season concluded with a buffet dinner on the Holiday Inn on the Hill’s poolside rooftop overlooking the city and a magnificent sunset. Cuisine was very South Hampton: Lobster-stuffed fingerling potatoes with white truffle oil; miniature crab cakes with sweet pepper jam; grilled shrimp with cranberry-barbecue sauce and pomegranate; swordfish and sweet potato kabobs; and a lavish cheese and fruit buffet. Personal favorites included strawberry rhubarb shortcakes and fruit tartlettes.

Steel drums, provided by Bialek’s Music Ltd., filled the airwaves with the sweet sound of summer. Party Rental Ltd. draped the tall reception tables in textured sheer linens while the poolside linens were reminiscent of striped beach awnings in seaside colors. Dragonfly complimented the nautically nuanced ambiance with sumptuous flowers set in a clear base of floating seashells.
Contest will also be covered in the upcoming issue of Brides & Weddings of Northern Virginia, available mid-July through The Registry at Bloomingdales and over 100 jewelers, reception sites and bridal salons, as well as the complimentary publication newsstands of Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores.

Click here to see additional photos.

Winning Company:
Company Name: Capital Party Rentals
Website: www.capitalrentals.com
Title of Design: “Chocolate in Autumn”
Designer: Travis-Lee Moore

In an imaginative play on a familiar wedding ditty, Travis-Lee Moore created a splendid autumn wedding vignette when he borrowed a vintage theme of chocolate accents against a background of something blue and used an old palette to create something new.

In characteristic style, Travis’ exquisite tabletop design is noteworthy both for its originality and his superb attention to detail. The draped Chateau French blue table linen with chocolate filigree was simply stunning. Traditional mahogany chiavari chairs and smaller ottomans fashioned from garden urns were adorned in reverse colors of the same fabric. Floral arrangements in vintage milk glass were a wonderful contrast to contemporary tall glass vases filled to the brim with fresh, blue blossoms. Other table accents included small plexi-glass boxes filled with chocolate covered espresso beans and fixed with place cards, chocolate napkins accented with baby calla lilies, fresh blueberries and scripted menu cards citing historical quotes of chocolate and romance.

Travis-Lee Moore, CPCE brings a wealth of experience to Washington, DC. Travis-Lee ran his own event production company, Wretched Excess, for ten years in Austin, TX. He has also worked at the acclaimed Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Ellison’s Interior Design Group in Fort Worth. He is a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 1989.

Originally from central and west Texas, Travis-Lee comes from a long line of proud Texan farmers. Since arriving in DC, he has enjoyed a warm welcome and delights in entertaining droves of friends at his Sunday suppers. He presently lives in Fells Point pursuing his true love of creating “jaw-dropping” visuals and event experiences as Event Specialist for Capital Event Rentals.

In one magnificent gesture, Rick Davis transformed table top design into pure art. The design statement was adventuresome, yet the overall effect was romantic and mesmerizing. The table, set only for the bride and groom, was imaginatively built upon a tall column of fresh roses and hydrangeas in delicate colors of vanilla and apricot sorbet. A shimmer of fabric adorned the clear glass tabletop while tall chiavari chairs and elongated lead crystal candle holders complemented the height of the room. A sumptuous bridal bouquet of white roses and orchids was perched upon one of the chairs and rose petals were sensually strewn about. The overall color scheme was monochromatic, but the combination of colors, shapes, surface textures and accent pieces was undeniably spellbinding.

Company Name: DC Rental
Website: www.dcrental.com
Title of Design: “February Wedding in Kaula Lampur”

Liz Waylan and Anna Richey’s design sprang from multiple inspirations and is evocative of the alluring, faraway places one yearns for during the cold winter months in Washington, DC. In a unique and imaginative twist, table and chairs were low to the ground and seemed to be made of traditionally-woven native grasses. Jade-toned silk chair pads and matching napkins added spark to their elegant and eclectic design. The exquisite beauty of the design was not dependant on fine linens or stemware, but rather on an elegant simplicity and a monochromatic color scheme which successfully incorporated both the traditional and unconventional elements.

Company Name: Main Event Caterers
Website: www.maineventcaterers.com
Title of Design: “Land of the Rising Sun”

Dani Williams-Jones’ inspired design was a study in minimalism at its best. A consistent Japanese theme was underscored by a stylish juxtaposition of geometric shapes and complementary colors. Amber-toned square china and sleek golden chopsticks were set atop a vibrant orange silk table linen embellished with golden embroidered circles. The napkins, folded to drape straight over the edge of the table, were reminiscent of an obi sash found on traditional kimonos. Bronze Chiavari chairs were stylishly appointed with a hint of sheer fabric hint of fabric adorned with glistening glass beads. In keeping with an Asian style of elegant simplicity, the tabletop was adorned with live bamboo shoots set in low rectangular vases along with petite clusters of golden hued cymbidium orchid blooms.

Party Rental Ltd’s vision was an elegant late fall setting designed to serve a unique niche – the second marriage. Luxurious textiles were central in creating a refined look with an old world ambiance. The beautiful Moss Exotica brocade tablecloth had inverted pleats piped in a coordinating color which formed clean, smooth lines and the matching to-the-floor chair covers and corded pillows were luxuriously comfortable. Antique ivory plates edged in gold leaf and crisp ivory linen napkins trimmed with traditional handiwork were set atop gold chargers. The design was accented by 19th century beaded tulip lamps. A traditional bouquet of apricot-hued David Austin roses by Amaryllis completed the picture.

Company Name: Windows Catering Company
Website: www.catering.com
Title of Design: “The Dinner Party”

Danielle Couick teamed up with JLB Floral to create a late fall setting that was decidedly bold and unflinchingly imaginative. The impressive scale of the table formed the framework of a design that was visually stunning. The table “cloth” was composed entirely of large rose petals carefully laid out in beautiful organic symmetry. Petals from several varieties of roses–Bunda, Black Bacara, and Charlotte – were of deep rich tones ranging from crimson to almost black and opulent spherical pomanders of roses floated behind the tall black chiavari chairs. Shimmering silver pebble glass chargers donned a classic white with platinum china pattern while a coordinating napkin accented the table linen. Danielle also created the romantic look by adding crackled glass votives and cylindrical glass hurricanes dusted with diamond glass. A black iron candelabra with overhanging crystals and flickering candlelight completed the very luxurious and romantic look.

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