Introduction to the Dinner Diaries
Welcome to the first edition of my Dinner Diaries series! Aside from planning beautiful and meaningful weddings for lovely couples across the D.C. area and beyond, one of my greatest joys in life is hosting dinner parties for my friends and family. Gathering around a table to share the latest news and make new memories is a cherished and time-honored tradition for me, and I want to bring that feeling to this new series that I am excited to share with you all.
In each Dinner Diaries post, my team and I will be writing about a variety of themes and topics that might very well pop up while discussing an upcoming wedding at your own dinner table — a guide on how to select a venue that honors and reflects who you are as a couple, tips for incorporating the perfect “something blue” into your special day, or ideas for a delicious dessert bar menu. Through each post, I want to welcome you into the fold of the Cristina Calvert Weddings family and share a glimpse of the creative process and fun research that go into planning one of the most special days of your life.
For those new to the CCW family, it’s wonderful to meet you and thank you for being here! A bit about me: My name is Cristina, and I am grateful to have built a reputation as one of the premier wedding planners in the D.C. area. I started my business in 2012 with the philosophy of approaching a couple’s special day from a holistically creative standpoint. One of the core ways I accomplish this is by focusing on incorporating all five senses into the experience. As everyone who has attended a truly banner wedding can attest to, what makes the day (or weekend!) so special is the way in which every detail pulls you in and allows you to engage with the wedding festivities both as event details and as extensions of a beautiful couple’s love story. When my team and I are collecting inspiration and putting details in place for your wedding, we work hard to ensure that all senses are “spoken to” and furthermore reflect the unique styles and trademark tastes of our couples. For example, if you and your spouse-to-be were brought together by adventurous travel to far-flung corners of the world, perhaps we would include the colors, scents, and decor motifs from these trips on your special day. Or, if trying out new recipes is your idea of the perfect date night, we can ensure that your favorite dishes and spices are included in the dishes that are served at your cocktail hour, reception dinner, late-night celebrations, and even a farewell brunch.
As esteemed British chef Heston Blumenthal once said: “To me, food is as much about the moment, the occasion, the location, and the company as it is about the taste.” This quote speaks to me and perfectly captures my philosophy on the importance of meaningful connection in all that we do. Of course it comes to mind when I am planning my dinner parties for friends and family, reminding me that a communal meal is about so much more than just the food on our plates. But it also plays in my mind with every wedding I plan. As our couples know, a perfect wedding does not come about solely through meticulous attention to perfection of detail. Rather, a perfect wedding is created by centering a couple’s unique love and honoring the traditions and details that matter to them.
I hope you stay tuned for the next installment of my Dinner Diaries series. We will be posting fun missives monthly, so look forward to bright ideas and engaging insights from the wonderful world of weddings and events. Sit back and get comfortable with your favorite drink in hand, I promise you that we've got a delicious menu waiting for you!