We got married 9/6 and had an amazing time! Below are some reviews--if I become more computer literate I will try to post on DC knottie reviews. I would recommend all of my vendors very highly.Venue--Decatur House--great for a small wedding, (we had 85, capacity says 100 but I think that would be awfully crowded unless you tented over the gorgeous courtyard which was our favorite part). Arioth, the coordinator, was refreshingly laid back and said yes to most of our requests without seeming anxious or rushing to tack on charges. The venue fee was pretty steep but their flexibility let us have a wedding that was relaxed and totally us. Our guests loved it and for out-of-towners it's very DC. Catering--Catering Company of Washington. We wanted a middle-eastern meal with family-style service, and they were the only caterers who really put thought into our requests and our proposed budget instead of just sending out a generic 100-page sample menu. Kiley, the coordinator, was always on top of things and when we decided to move up some events at the last minute because the rain forced us inside they were able to switch around seamlessly (or at least they made it look seamless to us
. She has tons of experience and was able to point out several issues I wouldn't even have thought of before they happened. There was a problem with one of the tables being assigned incorrectly to a back corner location (unfortunately, my mom's) but our table scheme was pretty complicated and I probably should have checked it over myself before people were seated. The food was really good--we ate a ton ourselves and got dozens of complements. The staff were all extremely friendly and professional as well.DOC--We went with Sheena and Tabitha from Embellished Affairs. They were great--they're extremely organized and thorough, and even though we got their day-of package they were in touch with me regularly for weeks before the wedding to make sure I didn't get behind in my planning. On the day of the wedding itself, I felt like I barely saw them except that whenever I thought that there was a problem that needed to be fixed or or that I should go let somebody know about what was coming up next, they were already there taking care of it. Favor Bags--From Periwinkle, a super-cute gift shop on Livingston street near Friendship Heights. They do a lot of gift baskets so for my bags they added all sorts of custom things with stamps and tissue and bows and made them look way better than I could have on my own. People were emailing us (on our honeymoon!) to ask if we had saved any extra. We didn't have bridesmaids or groomsmen but they could do great baskets for those as well.Wedding cake and scones for favor bags--Mehreen Chaudhri. She is a local baker who's just starting to do wedding cakes. Her designs are very simple so if you want something really elaborate with 20 tiers and crazy fondant you may have to look elsewhere. We absolutely loved our cake--it was delicious (she baked for 100, we had 84 and we STILL didn't get any leftovers to take home). She was unbelievably nice about working with us and with my mother-in-law who is from Maine and became very enthusiastic about including Maine blueberries in the cake--this turns out to be much harder than it sounds, but Mehreen took it on as a personal challenge and made it happen, which made my husband's family really happy. The scones were also delicious--having seen what happened to the cake, we made sure to steal a few extra for ourselves.Dress-J Crew. I love J Crew! $125 for a nice, simple, high-quality dress (I think it's called Sophia) shipped right to my door.Music--Janine Carter-Gilbert and band--We hired a jazz combo and vocalist for our cocktail hour and reception. They were wonderful--Janine was very willing to learn new songs for us and has a really warm personality that made even my very reserved family members feel comfortable getting out on the dance floor. Lots of compliments from guests. Our hotel suite for the night before and the night of the wedding--the Hay Adams. If finances permitted, I would live there. Our suite was gorgeous and large and a great place to relax in between events. The staff are always doing things for you but never make a fuss over it--my husband drove up to the hotel the day before the wedding, totally stressed-out and frazzled and with a car full of stuff for the reception and cases of liquor (Ace doesn't deliver alcohol in DC on Sundays--who knew?) and before he knew it they had one group of staff members taking the liquor to the hotel refrigerator, another group taking the boxes up to our room, the valet taking away his car keys and the receptionist sending him up to the room to relax. Also not cheap but we got our money's worth--we had a pre-wedding gathering for my husband right before the ceremony and also an after-party when the reception ended. Our friends said the desk staff appeared mildly alarmed when the 29th or 30th person asked for our room (it was big but not *that* big), but otherwise they never strayed from their perfect Jeeves-like composure. We also got a small room block there and the guests were very happy with it.Hair and makeup--Aveda Georgetown, I'm killing myself that I can't remember the stylist's name because she did a really good job but it starts with a K, possibly Kelsey? Super nice, I brought in a few pictures a week or so in advance and she said we didn't need to bother with a trial session. She was very creative and seemed like she had all the time in the world to figure out what would look best on me. She and the rest of the staff were also extremely nice when a group of my friends including a very active 1-year-old established themselves in the salon area, with takeout food, to offer me much-needed moral support. I absolutely loved the result.Honeymoon--1804 inn near Charlottesville. Very convenient, just a short (~2 hr) drive from DC. The inn is attached to a vineyard/restaurant as well as an historic site (some ruins). We stayed at one of the cottages which was perfect--sort of like a B&B in that someone comes by to bring you breakfast every morning, but much more private in that you're in your own little cottage and not in a house bumping into other guests in the hallways. Along with breakfast in the morning, they also bring you a fruit and cheese platter, a bottle of wine from their vineyard and a plate of chocolates and nuts every afternoon--and pre-wedding weight loss I had was sadly obliterated. There's a small kitchen if you want to cook for yourself as well.The restaurant is definitely for foodies--it's italian and they've won all sorts of awards--but the breakfast food etc. you get as an inn guest isn't as gourmet--however, the innkeeper is really nice and will absolutely go out of her way to try and make whatever you suggest. We loved the french toast.Okay, there was one vendor we didn't think was wonderful--we got a room block at the Hilton Garden Inn. We signed a contract in October; when a guest called in June to book they told her the room block didn't exist and charged her the regular rate. When I called them to remind them of the signed contract they said they 'forgot'. Hope this helps--thanks everyone for all of your advice during the planning process!