The Kate dress from Love Lane Collection. Photograph courtesy of Love Lane Collection

Maintaining your friendships with your bridesmaids should be an important goal of wedding planning. Ergo, it’s probably not the best idea to make them spend half their paycheck on a dress they’ll only wear once. We promise you, they’ll be bitter. So of course we’re super-psyched about a new diffusion line from one of our favorite bridesmaid dress designers, Ivy & Aster—all of these super-cute dresses are under $220.

The Love Lane Collection, available exclusively at Bella Bridesmaid stores (including the shop in Bethesda), features dresses available in either crinkle chiffon or charmeuse, and in about 20 color options. We’re particularly loving the chiffon Kate style (shown at right)—it’s just so flirty, swingy, and fun. For more-formal weddings, full-length gowns are available, as well.

To view the full collection, visit Love Lane’s website, and if you’d like to see these dresses in person, give the Bethesda Bella Bridesmaid a call at 301-664-6436 to set up an appointment.

 Slideshow: Margo and Kyle's wedding

Occupations She’s a graduate student; he’s an investment banker Hometowns She’s from Washington, DC; he’s from Rockville How They Met At Holy Cross College First Date The movie Runaway Jury Favorite Restaurant Kefi in Manhattan Where They Got Engaged On the beach in East Hampton, NY Wedding Cocktail Elderberry Royale Wedding Flowers Baby’s breath, amaryllis, cymbidium orchids, and brunia berries Favorite Wedding Detail Mini milkshakes passed around at the end of the night Wedding Cake Chocolate with raspberry filling Biggest Surprise of the Wedding It didn’t snow! First Dance “Just What I Needed” by the Cars Wedding Theme Classic elegance and retro glamour Four Words That Describe the Wedding Timeless, personal, magical, festive Honeymoon Spot St. Lucia Where They Currently Live New York City

This wedding first appeared in the Winter/Spring 2012 issue of Washingtonian Bride & Groom. Click here to reserve your free copy.

The team from Amaryllis created a booth that resembled a rustic flower market. Photograph by Holland Photo Arts

The vendors at our Unveiled 2012 wedding showcase let their imaginations run wild—the jaw-dropping creativity on display was truly inspiring. From lush flower arrangements (and live bouquet arranging!) to ribbon lanterns to a dress made of Pantone squares to an actual flower girl, each booth had its own incredible details and features.

The happy newlyweds. All photographs by The Observatory

Sara and Dustin first met while playing on the same kickball team. The couple eventually moved to Woodley Park, and Dustin proposed while they were taking their black Lab for a walk on a seemingly typical Saturday morning.

“It was perfect because it was meaningful, intimate, and surprising,” says Sara. “I was not expecting it when I was in pajamas and without makeup!”

The couple married at St. John’s Church in Lafayette Square, with a reception at the W hotel.

“We chose St. John’s and the W because we were going for a wedding that was traditional with a modern twist,” explains Sara. “St. John’s is a historical DC spot, and we love the traditional elements of the ceremony. The W was perfect because it is in the old Hotel Washington, but we love its modern design.”

The couple chose a bold color scheme of their favorite hues: blue (Dustin’s) and yellow (Sara’s).

Two of Romona Keveza's newest wedding gowns—including a major "something blue." Photographs courtesy of Romona Keveza

Designer Romona Keveza has become a staple on the Hollywood red carpet, dressing the likes of Angelina Jolie, Lea Michele, and, just last night at the SAG Awards, actress Kaley Cuoco—but she’s perhaps even more well known in the world of wedding gowns, creating feminine dresses with a whimsical twist.

One of our absolute favorite gowns from October bridal market was the Romona Keveza Couture gown shown above left, a corseted bodice with a Swiss-dot skirt that shows off a little leg—just the right mix of sweet and sexy. She’s also known for her use of color, especially a Tiffany blue shade (shown above, right).

While Keveza is certainly adept at creating more-classic silhouettes, she turns out stunning examples of the little white dress or destination wedding gown variety, too. Keveza also designs a diffusion line, called Legends by Romona Keveza, which has a lower price point.

If you’re in love with these gowns, they’re sold at Rizik’s in DC, Hannelore’s in Old Town Alexandria, and Jeanette’s Bride ‘N Tux in Manassas. Check out the full Romona Keveza Couture Fall 2012 collection after the jump, and let us know what you think of the gowns in the comments.

Our Unveiled wedding showcase was a one-stop-shop for wedding planning. Here, a couple chats with a vendor. Photograph by Holland Photo Arts

Hundreds of brides, grooms, vendors, and guests attended Washingtonian Bride & Groom’s fourth annual Unveiled wedding showcase on Sunday, January 22, at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC. The event, coordinated by Washingtonian’s marketing team of Rebecca Schwartz, Eleni Savopoulos, and Katharine Ragsdale, went off without a hitch.

From the moment brides entered the Mandarin, escorted by strolling musicians from Bialek’s Music, the event was inspiring, informative, and, like every wedding should be, fun. The Reem Acra fashion show, emceed by WJLA’s Pamela Brown, elicited oohs and aahs over the amazing wedding gowns, the “Everything You Need to Know About Your Wedding, But Didn’t Think to Ask” panel discussions with expert vendors answered many brides’ (and moms’) toughest questions, and several guests won amazing door prizes.

Other highlights included the Champagne-flute chandelier manned by servers on stilts, the delicious food from the Mandarin Oriental (the lobster orzo station was a big hit), the photobooth from Booth-o-Rama, and an onstage Q&A with Leslie Milk, Washingtonian lifestyle editor and author of It’s Her Wedding but I’ll Cry if I Want To.

Sad you missed out? Sign up for our Bridal Party newsletter for updates on next year’s event.

Despite the DIY fails and the last-minute menu adjustments, Jenn and Brandon are too happy to care. Photograph by Jenn Link Photography

Not only do we love the photos by Jenn Link Photography from this Carnegie Institution for Science wedding, but we also appreciate the bride’s honesty when discussing planning her nuptials. Things don’t always run smoothly, but in the end, it’s worth it.
—A Practical Wedding