About Us
Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. is a full-service, full-time wedding styling, planning and design company, based in Bethesda, MD and serving the entire world. We match vendors to your wedding planning needs, style and personality. We always take time and sincere thought in matching you to each and every vendor who complements your wedding style and budget.
Our weddings are extremely unique and customized to our engaged couples. It’s not about us - it’s about you! Our clients will tell you that working with us means that you’ll not only get straight-forward, impartial feedback, but you’ll also get someone who is here for you emotionally and more. We all need support and feedback, and we are all that and more for our engaged couples and their families. Katie Martin is the author of The Everything Mother of the Bride Book, 2nd Edition (to hit bookshelves in March of 2010), The Everything Wedding Book, 4th Edition (to hit bookshelves in November 2010) and Eco-Beautiful Weddings (to hit bookshelves in 2010), so she is THE expert on weddings in general and understands what families go through when planning a wedding.
We know that weddings are family gatherings in addition to being a highly styled and personalized event. There is a ton of emotion that goes into planning a wedding. Why do you think we love weddings? We love the emotion and love associated with them. The thrill of watching a bride make her way down the aisle or a groom waiting to see his betrothed. There really is nothing more exciting than those moments we have with our clients. We are typically the first to congratulate our clients after they are married, which is the biggest honor and privilege for us. Come in today for a free consultation and find out why our clients call us their friends after each wedding.
Here are some important frequently asked questions about our services:
What sets you apart from all the other wedding planners in the DC area?
We are also THE source for eco-friendly weddings in the world. Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. owns and operates the world’s first eco-friendly wedding magazine, Eco-Beautiful Weddings. Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers, Inc. is the only wedding planning firm in the DC area where all of their staff are trained in floral design. We have over 11 years of doing business and no other wedding planning firm has the amount of accolades that we have! Click here to go to our press page.
Can we afford your wedding planning services?
The average engaged couple takes over 400 hours to plan their wedding. That’s TEN 40-hour work weeks. Who has time for that? A good wedding planner is one that is going to save you money. Every single one of our clients tells us how much they’ve saved in time, money and energy by working with us.
We have had several clients who have decided that we were “too expensive” to work with, but came back after their weddings and let us know how they tripled or quadrupled their budgets. Why? This is all due to the fact that they didn’t know what they were doing, and worst of all, their weddings were not even close to what they wanted. We do not want that for you!
Unfortunately there are several event professionals all over the world that simply take advantage of brides and grooms. They know this is your first time planning a wedding (typically) and they know you have no idea what the average cost is for each type of service. We do! We know what everything typically costs and we are also a powerful tool for your vendors. We not only bring them clients, but we also save the vendors time as we have already educated you as our client as to what each vendor can provide for them. We are thought of as “repeat clients” to other wedding professionals as we the ones bringing clients to them constantly. As an individual, they do not see “repeat business” in your eyes and therefore their goal is to make as much money as possible off of you.
So, really think about what your dream wedding looks like and what that means to you. Are you able to communicate and negotiate effectively? Are you aware of new and innovative ideas in the wedding industry including trends, colors and eco-friendly options? If not, call or visit with us for your complimentary initial consultation so that we can really talk about your wedding vision and how we can make it a reality. The answer to the above question is: You can’t afford not to hire us!
Do you provide eco-friendly planning and floral design services?
Yes – our goal is to make sure your event is green! Ask us how to make this seamless for your event!
Can I still have a high-end wedding and still be eco-friendly?
Yes, we specialize in eco-couture weddings.
Where are you located?
We have a studio located in downtown Bethesda , MD. We also have a design studio in the DC area which is not open to the public.
Why do you not post your address on your website?
We are by “appointment only” in order to ensure the highest in customer service. Once an appointment is confirmed via telephone or email, we will gladly give you our address!
How long have you been in business?
The firm was started in 1998 as a wedding consulting only firm. Floral designs were added to our list of services and products in 2001.
Do you travel outside of the Washington DC /Baltimore areas?
Yes!!! We have travel anywhere in the world!
Do you charge for an initial consultation?
No!!
Do you have a minimum charge for wedding floral designs?
No, we don't have an overall minimum charge for weddings. However, we do have minimums on individual floral designs within weddings and a minimum delivery charge associated with the amount of items that are being delivered. Please note that a typical client of ours will spend about 10% of their overall budget on flowers with us. For example, if you have an overall budget of $50,000, you will probably spend approximately $4,500-$5,500 on floral designs. This is based on an average.
Can you give me an estimate over the phone? A ball-park figure of what my wedding flowers will cost?
No, we can tell you what our minimums are on individual elements of a wedding. However, every single wedding we do is different!!! Everything is customized in a wedding. We want to make sure that we fit into your style – you can't tell that over the phone! Please come in and meet with us – we want to know all about your venue and about you!
Will I still have control over my wedding if you are planning it for me?
Of course! You are the focus of your wedding and it’s totally your day. We’re just here to help you fully explore your potential and fully realize your vision for your wedding in ways that you never even realized! You will never, ever lose control. It is YOUR day. Period.
Will you work with vendors I’ve already found or people I want to work with?
Of course. We will work with your fabulous vendors. It is not necessary for you to only work with people we’ve planned with in the past; however, we do have amazing vendors at our fingertips that we can easily match to your needs.
Do you take credit cards and can we have a payment plan?
Yes. We happily accept all major credit cards.
Do you have liability insurance?
Yes. We have liability insurance that allows us to work confidently every where. We have never needed it, but we are protected to help you feel more secure and safe for your peace of mind knowing that we’re fully covered.
Do you take more than one wedding per day?
Yes and no. Since we are team of over 40 wedding professionals doing both wedding planning and floral designs, we can take up to 6 weddings per weekend. However, none of our staff works more than one wedding per day so you can be fully confident that your wedding will have the most in customer service and quality.
What can we do to get started with the wedding planning process?
The next step for you is to call us at 800.768.8814 or you can email us at inquiries@eleganceandsimplicity.com to set up a complimentary consultation. We want to hear all about your vision and style for you wedding day and what you’d love to see your day be like. (make sure the email clicks through to that email address)
To see more about our packages – click here!
To learn more about Katie Martin – click here!
