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M & C at Newton White Mansion I have been in events for a long time. Hundreds of them. And I still teared up, It was the moment the bridal party danced into the traditional Nigerian ceremony. The music, the movement, the color, the way the room felt before the bride even arrived. The bridesmaids caught me: "Oh, there goes Mary again!" They weren't wrong. It happened several more times before the day was over. That's the thing about a wedding like this one. When a couple bring

This June, you may have noticed something different about your social media feed. Fewer rainbow logos. Quieter corporate accounts. Some brands that used to sponsor Pride parades simply did not show up. That is not an accident. In 2024, roughly 9% of companies pulled back from Pride sponsorships and public support. In 2025, that number jumped to 39%, and not one of those companies planned to do more. Mastercard, Citi, Pepsi, Nissan, Anheuser-Busch: brands that used to headline

If you're engaged and researching wedding professionals in the DMV, you've probably noticed that some people call themselves wedding planners, others call themselves wedding coordinators, and a few use both terms interchangeably. It can be confusing, and the difference matters more than you might think, especially when it comes to your budget, your timeline, and your sanity. Here's a clear breakdown of what each role actually means, and how to figure out which one is the righ

Finding the right venue is the first step in creating a beautiful Maryland wedding , serving as the stage where your unique story will unfold. As a designer and planner, I view a venue as more than just a backdrop. It is an environment that shapes how your guests feel and how your vision translates into a seamless reality. In my years of theater and event production work, I’ve learned that a space needs to function logistically as well as aesthetically. Whether you are dre

Congratulations! Your engagement is a beautiful, exciting moment. Before you dive into venue tours and Pinterest boards, take a deep breath. I'm Mary at Echo Event & Design, and my job is to make this journey clearer, easier, and actually fun. Here are the immediate, supportive steps you should take right now: 1. Enjoy the Bubble (Seriously!) Before anything else, celebrate! Turn off the planning apps, ignore the well-meaning questions, and just enjoy the "we're engaged!" bub