The Blog

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Our guest blogging feature has come to a close and we are now back to our classic Style Me Pretty routine…tons of new real weddings, DIY ideas and so much more. Thanks so much to all of our vendors who provided us with constant inspiration while I was taking care of our little bundle of joy. Let’s get right to it!

When I got an email from Kelly, a Style Me Pretty reader, about her recent wedding, I immediately jumped ship on what I was doing to get it up on the blog. This wedding is one of the most intimate, gorgeous weddings I have ever seen…clearly filled to the brim with tender loving care. Here is a little teaser of what’s to come throughout the day…

all photographs by Steven Mastroianni

I’ll have ALL of the details throughout the day (including fashion sources, DIY ideas and beautiful little touches), but for now, I just wanted to tempt you with with this insanely gorgeous color palette.

I have to say, I am generally pretty boring when it comes to color. My personal style is white…every different shade of white layered among each other. And yet, this wedding has me changing my tune. I looooove the colors. The bold, oh-so-fabulous hues make me want to re-think everything about my personal style. If I haven’t said it enough, I love this wedding.

Stay tuned!

I am really excited about today’s guest blogger! Alison Hotchkissis one of San Francisco’s premiere event planners, who specializes in oh-so-fabulous, absolutely gorgeous destination style weddings. Her book, “Destination Weddings; The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Wedding from Afar” is due on stands this upcoming February. Yep, she’s the real deal. And, she is sharing an excerpt of from her book with us today on a topic that is so important….the BUDGET.

So, although I could go on and on, I will just pass the torch over to Alison!

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“When it comes to figuring out your wedding budget, there’s no one magical formula. Despite staggering figures that grow every year, your budget should be based on what’s comfortable for you, rather than what you’ve heard is the average cost of a wedding. The figure will likely end in the word “thousands,” but can start with a two, a twenty, or a two hundred. The answer lies somewhere between what you want to spend and what you can actually afford to spend.

Don’t base your budget on figuring out how much your dream wedding will cost then figuring out how to finance it. If you start with what your wedding could cost, you could easily end up trying to live some impossible expectations (“But I really don’t think our marriage will be successful if we don’t serve caviar at the reception!”).

You’ll either have to scale back, in which case the reality will never live up to the fabulousness of your original plan. Or you’ll stretch yourself thin trying to make it work, charging things you really can’t afford that will seem really frivolous later when you’re trying to buy a house.

Instead, start by figuring out what you have to spend and then allocating it properly. Add up what your parents can contribute, and possibly what your grandparents can contribute (if they’ve offered). Then see what you’ve got in savings. Stretching a little is okay, but when it starts to seem uncomfortable, stop. And while a little credit card debt can seem like a small thing in exchange for your dream wedding, you will likely not feel that way six months after the wedding when you’re trying to pay for real-life items like groceries and gasoline.

Oh, and don’t get caught up in the old etiquette rules about who pays for what. Chances are good that the money for your wedding is coming from a variety of sources—including your own joint savings— so come up with a lump sum, then figure out how best to throw your wedding weekend within that budget. It’s more appropriate for a destination wedding, and, besides: It’s easier!”

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An oh-so-FAB rehearsal dinner designed by Alison Events coming up next!

Here is a bit more from the oh-so-talented Parker J…

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Hello again all of you PRETTY people! I wanted to share a few thoughts about the importance of finding a photographer that is the perfect fit for you.

First, find a photographer that has the exact styleyou are looking for. Your choices aren’t just traditional and photojournalistic anymore. There are many different styles to choose from. Find one that fits your personality.

A photographer that puts you at ease and lets your personality shine through is also very important. Make sure you and your photographer click. We develop an instant friendship with every one of our clients, and more often than not, we get together with them several times before and after the wedding day to have dinner or drinks and catch up.  We believe keeping that connection is very important.

Another thing to look for is a photographer that makes consistently great images. With all of the beautiful moments at your wedding day, anyone can get a good shot or two. But can they make great emotional images all day? Ask to see their complete interpretation of the day.

Here is one of ours that was a real challenge as it rained all day. Amy & Allan didn’t let the rain put a damper on their wedding day though. We played in the rain before the ceremony and they ended up having to move the ceremony into the wine cave! What a great day! (click on the image for a full slideshow of this gorgeous wedding!)

Don’t settle with your wedding images. This day only happens once. This is a day that you have been dreaming of since you were in pigtails. This is a day when you will see your father cry for the first time. This is a day that marks the beginning of a new life. This is a day that will never happen again. How will you choose to remember it? An image should not only be seen with your eyes, but felt in your heart.
A writer I am not, a photographer I am, so on with the images…

Oh…I so love these images. Absolutely gorgeous. More to come from Parker J!