The Maryland Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society held their Man & Woman of the Year Fundraiser Kick-off Celebration at Chase Court on Wednesday evening. This was our gift to LLS. It’s the beginning of a relationship we expect to last for a long time.

Lymphoma is personal with us. The work of LLS has been real and tangible in the life of Chase Court. We’re delighted to have found this wonderful way to support lifesaving work in the fight against cancer.

Rouge Fine Catering worked with event florist Blue Sage to create an outstanding look for LLS. They used the LLS colors of red and black throughout, tying Chase Court’s Gothic architecture to the LLS theme with touches like the very cool candelabras on the bar and the roses in red woven vases. They both did a magnificent job with the decor. The guests loved it!

Leukemia is personal with Blue Sage. Their appreciation for the work of LLS was beautifully evident in the work they did – completely donated – for this event.

Here’s the same view of the library as in the image above, this time populated with happy guests!

High and low cocktail-size tables look great at Chase Court and worked exceedingly well for the LLS event. Rouge alternated the linen colors between tables, and Blue Sage’s flowers set each table off perfectly. It was really gorgeous. I like how the decor didn’t have to be complicated to be effective. We had some of the same tables outside in the garden, too.

Half a dozen black Chiavari chairs around the low tables made for an inviting place to sit and chat. Three simple candles in the ballroom windows were elegant and just enough.

Rouge does stunning presentation and food to match. Both were spectacular! All of the stationary and butlered hors d’oeuvres were creative in look and taste, like the Asian Duck Petit Homemade Crêpe filled with Fresh Mango, Cucumber, & Spring Onion and Finished with Apricot-Plum Glaze.

At our urging, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Rouge Fine Catering worked out a relatively-small financial arrangement that will allow Rouge to support this event year after year. By having some of their basic out-of-pocket costs covered, Rouge is able to make most of the event a gift, and one that they can continue to give year after year. We are very, very grateful for the participation of Rouge Fine Catering and Blue Sage with Chase Court in supporting the work of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

The volunteers supporting LLS through the Man & Woman of the Year campaign are an enthusiastic and dedicated group of people, as you can see from the red-on-black look this guest is wearing. By the way, that’s Puff Pastry with Wild Mushroom and Herbs on the end of the buffet. The guests raved about the food!

Here’s Jon Rosa, Executive Director of the Maryland Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, welcoming everyone to the event. All of the LLS staff did a great job. Campaign Manager Kim Lennon and Campaign Director Beth Prensky were a joy to work with as we prepared for this event. They made it a fabulous event, from start to finish.

The video everyone is watching told the story of two children’s successful journey through treatment for leukemia, the disease that accounts for about one third of childhood cancers. As if this group wasn’t inspired enough – and let me tell you, they absolutely are – the story of overcoming cancer as told by the children and their parents said it all.

Lots of men, women, and children have encounters with lymphoma and leukemia that are a lot less deadly thanks to the work of LLS. Every one of the people present on Wednesday evening got that, and they are giving back.

The goal of the 2012 Man & Woman of the Year campaign is to raise $350,000. Here are the candidates, and here’s how you can support their efforts.

Venue: Chase Court
Catering: Rouge Fine Catering
Florist: Blue Sage

We’re looking forward to next year, and hosting the 2013 Man & Woman of the Year Kick-off Celebration! —David

Euonymus is an evergreen, so it looks like this all year round. Using lots of evergreens was a key part of the Great Perennial Change-Over that we did a few years ago. I think it’s important to give winter and early spring weddings as good a look as possible, inside and out. Our evergreens go a long way toward making that happen.

We have a whole grove of this incredible plant! Another evergreen: Wood Spurge, Robb’s Euphorbia (Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae). These are just the coolest-lookings flowers! The foliage, which are the dark green ovoid-shaped leaves near the bottom, is lovely though the winter, but come spring, these other-worldly flowers jump up. They look great en masse, which is how we have them.

One of the goals of the Great Perennial Change-Over was to build a look throughout the garden that would be different that what you see everywhere else. Euphorbia is uncommon, interesting, and helps the entrance garden do it’s magical work as guests walk through its hundred feet to our doors.

This is one of several varieties of Heuchera (common name: ‘coral bells’) that we have in the garden, all of which have great names like ‘Tiramisu’ and ‘Caramel’ and ‘Citronelle’ (the latter of which we have one of in the ceremony garden. It looks just like its name). I love Heuchera. It’s evergreen – which you now know is a big deal around here – and the leaves are sumptuous and beautifully colored. Heuchera and Hosta are the two sections at the nursery that I have to force myself to walk past, repeating the mantra, “no more space, no more space…”.

Helleborus are the champions of the shade garden. They grow in our deepest, darkest shade, where nothing else has the slightest chance of succeeding. We have a lot of them, all doing fabulous work to make the garden look great. Not only are they evergreen, but they bloom in the middle of the winter! Really, what more can you ask of a plant?

By the way, that’s a small piece of one of our two huge holly trees in the background. The berries are bright red and beautiful in the winter garden. The trees are coming into flower right now, with delicate little white blooms.

Bleeding heart! Dicentra spectabilis is absolutely beautiful, and is going completely nuts in our garden this spring. Ours will last into the summer or even the fall, depending on how hot it gets. We have them in both the entrance garden, where they’re HUGE, and the ceremony garden. Bright color, beautiful details—a lovely plant.

There’s another seventy-degree day coming tomorrow! More on the garden soon! —David

Photographer Stacey Lee Prosper has done a big blog post with lots of photographs of a lovely wedding that took place at Chase Court early in March. You can see it all here. It’s a nice way to see the highlights of a wedding at Chase Court, all the way from getting ready in the bride’s room to cutting the cake.

Want more? We blogged about this wedding a few installments ago.

Thanks to Stacey Lee for sharing her post with us!

Venue: Chase Court
Catering: Absolutely Perfect Catering
Florist: Shelley Baker, Shelley’s Blossom Shop
Wreath over Fireplace: Blue Sage Floral
Cellist: Dorotea Racz
DJ: Mark Bishop
Cake: Absolutely Perfect Catering
Officiant: The Reverend Joseph Lettrich
Photographer : Stacey Lee Photography (Photograph above by Chase Court.)

—David

This is Heuchera Strawberry Swirl. Isn’t that a great plant name?

Bleeding Heart! Okay, Dicentra Spectabilis. These didn’t have flowers a day ago!

As always with the spring garden, more to come! —David

Those beautiful blossoms turn into tasty apricots just about July 4th.

The ceremony garden is already alive with activity. This big beautiful flower is Camellia Japonica April Blush. It’s been blooming, one flower at a time, for a couple of weeks.

The Helleborus have been carrying on since early February. The blooms are starting to lose their vibrant colors and fade to green, which they’ll maintain for several months.

This is Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), just starting to open up.  As the season progresses, these shrubs become stars of the entrance garden with huge, absolutely stunning blossoms.

More soon! —David

Isn’t this a magnificent set-up in the Ballroom! I love the look of long tables. The candelabras add a nice touch.

Venue: Chase Court
Catering: Absolutely Perfect Catering
Florist: Shelley Baker, Shelley’s Blossom Shop
Wreath over Fireplace: Blue Sage Floral
Cellist: Dorotea Racz
DJ: Mark Bishop
Cake: Absolutely Perfect Catering
Officiant: The Reverend Joseph Lettrich
Photographer : Stacey Lee Photography (Photograph above by Chase Court.)

—David

Jason Putsche (shown here with his bride-to-be, Ella) is a young up-and-coming wedding photographer whose work I really like. Not only is he a very nice guy, which helps, but he has a good eye for shooting the meaningful moments of a wedding. Equally important, Jason understands the technical side of photography. For example, his photographs made in the Chase Court ballroom make our guests look good while not ‘burning out’ the walls to white. Everything looks just like you’d see it with your eye. That’s what you want in your photographs.

Here’s a link to a whole wedding that Jason shot at Chase Court.

One of the standing pieces of advice about choosing wedding photographers is to look at a whole wedding. Anyone can get lucky for a few shots. What you want to see is how they did start to finish. I think you’ll love Jason’s work just as much as I do.

By the way, this wedding shows 96 guests at Chase Court, and it shows an indoor ceremony. Both look great and are a very comfortable fit in the space.

Viewing tip: Under the ‘Style’ menu switch to ‘Thumbnails’ to see many more images per page.

Venue: Chase Court
Catering: Sascha’s Catering
Bouquets and corsages: Wegman’s Grocery
Hammered Dulcimer & Violin: Ken Kolodner
DJ: Eric Filipowicz
Cake: Sascha’s Catering
Officiant: Tina Beneman
Photographer : Jason Putsche

Enjoy! —David

Sascha’s Catering has been one of our favorite caterers at Chase Court for a long time. Along with their 20+-year-old catering business, they run a fabulous restaurant here in the neighborhood, Sascha’s 527, and a drop-off catering business called Sascha’s Silver Sacs. The lunch fairies, better known as Jane and Tara from Sascha’s Catering, ran around town today to deliver Silver Sacs lunches (including the baby’s breath on the table) to some of their clients and friends. I got one, and it was yummy! Thank you, lunch fairies!

Sascha’s will be here for the Chase Court Wedding Show on Saturday. Come meet Jane in person, and get a taste of their food for yourself! —David

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4th

11 AM to 3 PM

Free Admission!

Complimentary Valet Parking by Jay’s Valet.

Everyone who registers will be entered into a
drawing for a groom’s cake from Sugarbakers Cakes!

Imagine finding the perfect place for your special day and vendors you’ll love, all in one afternoon.

The fireplace will be burning brightly with a warm welcome for you in our Gothic ballroom. Chase Court will be filled to the brim with an outstanding selection of caterers, bakers, photographers, florists, and more. Join us for an easy, relaxed visit in an intimate, romantic setting. Chat with savvy, cheerful wedding professionals about what’s important to you, and sample the best of what they have to offer.

All of these exceptional Chase Court Approved Caterers and Recommended Vendors will be here to meet you. Taste from great menus, see their work, and ask all of your questions!

Exhibitors include:
Rouge Fine Catering
Sascha’s Catering
Atlantic Caterers
Charm City Cakes
SugarBakers Cakes
Fleur de Lis Florist
Blue Sage
Absolute Entertainment
Friendly Entertainment
Jackson Photography
Jason Putsche Photography
Photography by Alexander
Jay’s Valet
Serenata

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