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Choosing Your Wedding Color Scheme

Have you chosen your wedding colors? How about a full palette? While you might have chosen your main wedding color, some of the best weddings use a few accent colors, too.

Wedding Color Palette

Your main color will be the one that shows up the most. It’ll be the color of your bridesmaids’ dresses, any color accents for the groom and his groomsmen, and has probably featured in your invitation designs.

In addition to this main color, you’ll also want to incorporate a few other hues of the same color. If you’ve opted for a dark color, a pastel version of it can be a great choice, and vice versa. Multiple hues can also be used for bridesmaids and for your flowers.

However, you shouldn’t stop there. Consider adding a few other shades to your palette for a really finished wedding look. A contrasting or complimentary color will make your main color look more vibrant, while neutral tones can give a calming effect to your overall wedding style.

Your wedding palette can also be a reflection of your wedding venue. Here at Dandy Restaurant Cruises, we love nautical palettes, of course!

If you’re looking for the perfect Washington DC wedding venue, get in touch today!

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Already Married? Think Vow Renewal Ceremony!

Wedding season is here, and it’s so inspiring to see couples in love getting married. But for those who are already married, it can make you wish you could do it all over again. Well, you can! Vow renewal ceremonies are a huge trend and it’s no surprise.

Vow renewal

Vow renewals used to be fairly uncommon, and were generally for couples who had been married more than 25 years. Now, though, they’re taking the place of traditional anniversary parties. Many couples are using a vow renewal to celebrate their fifth anniversary.

The bonus of a vow renewal is that you get the joy of your wedding day, only with much less stress. you get to have all of your friends and family come together to celebrate your marriage with you. if you have children, a vow renewal can be designed to include them as the important part of the marriage they are.

Vow renewals are a big thing for celebrities, too. In the past week Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon had a vow renewal for their fifth anniversary. Last month, Matt Damon and his wife had a destination vow renewal ceremony.

To find out how you can plan your vow renewal ceremony on board the Dandy fleet, give us a call today!

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How to Create Your Wedding Seating Plan

You have your guest list, you know how many tables you’ll have, now to decide who sits where. This can be a challenge for any couple, but is easier when you decide on some basic aspects of your seating arrangements.

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  • Mixed or matched: Matched tables mean grouping people together, such as keeping all co-workers at one table. Mixed tables mean spreading people out over all the tables. Matched tables ensure people know each other, while mixed tables can encourage mingling.
  • Age or family: Setting tables by age can be good for keeping people with similar interests together, while seating by family can help keep people with those they know very well. In either case, small children should always be seated with their parents.
  • Top table: Before you set the rest of the room, it can be helpful to decide who you want at your top table. Is it just you and your fiance, or more of your family?

If you’re planning your wedding reception, working with an experienced venue like Dandy Restaurant Cruises can be a big help. Get in touch with us to find out how we can help make your wedding seating perfect!

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How To Handle Divorced In-Laws At Your Wedding

With the upcoming release of the new movie, “The Big Wedding” starring Robert DiNiro and Diane Keaton has everyone talking about how to handle divorced in-laws at a wedding.  Is it really that big of a deal?  Well…it can be!  Of course, Dandy Restaurant Cruises has been hosting weddings in DC for over 29 years so we’ve seen quite a bit of drama.  And that’s why we know how to handle anything that comes up.

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For example, seating your Mother and Father who are recently divorced next to each other may not be a good idea.  We would recommend them sit on opposite sides of the table.  Or an ex brother in law that you’re still friends with may not wish to dance the family dance with your sister.  That’s fine!  We’ll cue the DJ or wedding band so they know not the request it.  Having a quick conversation with your wedding vendors will go a long way in keeping the peace between divorced in-laws at your wedding.  Simply share with them who doesn’t get along with whom and relax.

Need some help in this department?  We know what it takes and can help prepare a beautiful wedding on the water that everyone will enjoy.  Please give us a call and let’s plan your upcoming DC wedding.

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Wintry Boat Wedding Reception Venues

Dandy’s Restaurant Cruises can help anyone planning a wedding to get the most out of the joys and delights on nautical weddings. However, people always associate sunshine, blue oceans and white beaches to anything linked to boats and weddings. That being said winter is probably one of the most beautiful periods of the year. People who plan for wintry weddings avoid thinking of the boat. Why?

Winter is a special and very intimate period. We are all huddled up in the warmth however mother nature is at her most beautiful. So, why not think about hiring a boat as a wedding venue during the Autumn/Winter period? Dandy’s Restaurant Cruises will be more than happy to help you follow in the footsteps of Larry Ellison of Oracle and the upcoming nuptials of Pitt and Jolie to make your wedding experience a beautiful and wondrous day.

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Remember if you choose winter – you need to chose early or late Autumn/Winter as the weather conditions will be at their modest. This will make the experience slightly more pleasurable. The team at Dandy’s Restaurant Cruises are here to make sure you plan and get the dream day you’ve always wanted.

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Brad Pitt Planning Wedding Cruise

Brad Pitt has the right idea! The A-list actor is working out a way to have part of his wedding on board a boat.

When Brad marries Angelina Jolie this spring, part of the wedding celebration might be on the couple’s new boat. Having a wedding on a boat is an excellent idea, and can make your day something really special.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

According to reports in Grazia, Brad has recently spent millions on his new boat, and is eager to find a way to work it into the couple’s big day. The wedding itself is expected to take place next month, and will likely be at the couple’s house in the South of France.

If you want to capture Brad’s sense of nautical wedding adventure, but don’t have a yacht of your own, why not consider a wedding on board the Nina’s Dandy?

We offer all the fun of a wedding on the water with the added bonus of being conveniently located here in Washington, DC. What’s more, you and your guests will also get to see all of the capital’s best landmarks!

To find out more about how to have your own boat wedding, give us a call!

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Pregnant Bridesmaid? How To Handle It

You’ve set the date, chosen the bridesmaids, and are getting on with planning, when your best friend gives you the news — she’s pregnant. Along with being happy for her, it’s only natural to think about how this will change your wedding day.

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If you’re worried, give her the chance to back out of bridesmaid duties. It might be a difficult conversation, but you can also offer her other ways to be involved in the wedding that won’t take as much energy.

If she is still up for being a bridesmaid, you’ll need to be prepared to make a few changes. If you’ve already picked out a bridesmaid dress, it might not fit her when the big day rolls around. You might need to find a different style for her bump and book extra alterations.

Another important thing to remember with a pregnant bridesmaid is that she might have extra needs on the day. From extra water to a chair for during the ceremony, you might want to take small steps to ensure she’s comfortable and safe throughout the day.

If you’re looking for the perfect Washington, DC wedding venue, check out what we can offer on board the Nina’s Dandy!

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Spring 2013 Wedding Trend: Ombre Colors

It’s not quite the warm spring weather we’ve been waiting for, but it’s spring nonetheless. For us here in Washington, spring means it’s time for the cherry blossoms. The beautiful pink of the cherry blossoms is a great inspiration for a popular choice in ombre colors, one of the season’s biggest wedding trends, too.

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Ombre colors have been gaining popularity in the fashion world for a while now, with the dip dye look showing up on catwalks around the world. Now the same shaded color motif is moving to weddings.

Of course, it’s part of wedding attire, with ombre bridesmaids dresses — either each dress having the dip dye effect or each bridesmaid having a slightly different tone of a color — a very popular choice. Brides are also taking the plunge, having touches of ombre in their gowns and accessories.

It’s also a beautiful touch for wedding decor. Ombre flower arrangements are a popular choice, and can give a great effect that’s very elegant. Having a selection of flowers or table linens that vary from a dark hue to a pale, almost white version can be great. It’s also a great look for a wedding cake!

To find out how to have your cherry blossom inspired ombre, or any other color scheme, at a wedding on board one of our boats, give us a call today!

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Come Aboard to See the Cherry Blossoms

View the magnificent display of our city’s famous cherry blossoms aboard Nina’s Dandy.  On Nina’s Dandy, you’ll see the beautiful blossoms just outside your window, or from the expansive upper outer deck.

Cherry Blossoms

Nina’s Dandy offers gourmet dining, dancing, and an unparalleled view of our nation’s monuments.  Clear spring days, star studded nights or misty afternoon showers are equally enchanting.

Nina’s Dandy is available day or night, rain or shine, year round. We offer climate-controlled comfort for dinner, lunch, Sunday brunch, mid-day afternoon and midnight cruises for any occasion, be it business or personal.

Nina’s Dandy will also be cruising on Easter Sunday for lunch and dinner.  Easter reservations are currently being taken.  Call 703-683-6076 or reserve on line. Spaces are limited for these special cruises, so act fast!

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Washington, DC Weddings Among Most Expensive

In news that won’t come as much of a surprise to Washington, DC brides, city has come in as the 14th most expensive location for a wedding. The ranking was part of the 2012 Real Weddings Study, released annually by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com.

The survey of over 17,500 brides who were married last year showed that the average cost of a Washington, DC wedding was $3,118. While this is still less than half the price tag as that of the top location, New York City, it is still above the national average of $28,427.

Washington, DC Wedding

Of course, Washington, DC is a great place for a wedding, and the trend of entertaining guests for a full weekend is perfect for the nation’s capital. Your guests can take in all the museums, the monuments, and more as they celebrate your special day.

Whether you treat your guests to a tour of the Smithsonian or not, having your wedding on board one of our boats is a great way to show them all Washington, DC has to offer. To find out more about how you can have your wedding on the Potomac, whatever your budget, give us a call or send an email today!