From Sweet Monday…

Melissa & Chris were married at Café Pinot in Downtown Los Angeles, which was so perfect because they live in NYC. Melissa grew up in SoCal and most of her family lives here, so it worked out great for them to get married close to home but still have the urban vibe that really represents them as a couple. We just loved this wedding so much, not just because of the cool location, amazing light, awesome dress, etc. but these are just the nicest people you’ll ever meet and they are so much in love and I think it really shows in the photos.

I am beyond amazed by Café Pinot. Such a stunning location and the decor could not have been more perfect for a warm California evening. Seriously, so gorgeous. I also kind of have a love-affair with city weddings. Something about the modern backdrop and the timeless beauty of the couple is just so breath-taking. Look at these two, aww…

Credits: Coordinators: Cori Sponagle at Corinne Sponagle Wedding & Event Planning and Cynthia White at The Patina Group, Dress by Pronovias, Suit by Sean John, Flowers: Mr. B’s Flowers, Cake by Crumbs Cupcakes, Rentals (linens, chairs, stage, lighting, etc…) from Signature Party Rentals, Music by High Rize, DeBois Entertainment

If you’re dying to see even more of these unbelievable photos head on over to Sweet Monday’s blog to take it all in. Thank you very much to April and Lindsey from Sweet Monday Photography and a great big congratulations to Melissa & Chris on their marriage.

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Post tags: Cafe Pinot, City, City Wedding, Lanterns, Los Angeles, Orhcids, Sweet Monday
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

From Studio Foto…

A little while ago we met Ash and Kaitlin in Boston for their Love Shoot. Krystal and I were super excited because we knew that we were going to shoot in the Wang Theatre. What we didn’t know was what Ash and Kaitlin had up their sleeves.  Just as we arrived we heard from Kaitlin that they decided to theme their shoot after their favorite TV show MAD MEN. Many of you know that we don’t really watch TV, so I quickly googled MAD MEN. Who wouldn’t want to shoot a theme based around that show! And the surprises didn’t stop there. When we were introduced to the theatre manager, we were told we could use the entire theater- yes, indeed- the stage, the dressing rooms- all of it! We were pumped needless to say!

Ash and Kaitlin rocked this photo shoot. It’s provocative, sexy, and really, really fun. The Wang is an awesome theatre and could not have been more perfect for this couple’s engagement session. What a place to let yourself really fall into character!?!

These two were fantastic. They totally worked their outfits (love her hot shoes, by the way!) and the Mad Men-esque attitude for this shoot…the results could not have been better. Click here to see even more of the fabulous e-session on Studio Foto’s blog. Thanks to Paul and Krystal for sharing this kiler e-session with us and congratulations to Ash an Kaitlin on their engagement!

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Post tags: Boston, Engagement Shoots, Mad Men, Studio Foto, Vintage E-Session, Wang Theatre
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

From the beautiful bride, Marissa…

Michael and I got married at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, CT by Rev. Gary Miller.  I walked down the extremely long isle in a gorgeous dress by Anne Barge and a cathedral length veil with 4 inches of antique lace.  My dress has pockets… need I say more?!?!  I wanted a very vintage look as you’ll see in our choice of the 1956 Cadillac from Black Swam Limousine and my antique fur stole.  The ceremony was beautiful but flew by so quickly, which is why we are so happy we chose the BEST photographer in all of CT and we’re 99% sure she’s the best in the world…Carla Ten Eyck and her crew took some amazing pictures that will remind us of just how happy and loved we are.

I’m completely enamored with the bride’s accessories. The fur stole and the antique jewelry are sensible but still so elegant and add just the right amount of vintage-glam to her classic style.

We went to the City Hall in Hartford to take some unbelievable pictures (I’d like to take credit for how truly unbelievable they are but it was the work of Carla and her photographers along with a building that takes your breath away).  Next stop was the reception at The Hartford Society Room.  The food was amazing, the building is exquisite, and the band (Clarke Eno Orchestra) had everyone dancing the night away with their mix of the old (Sinatra) and new (Black Eyed Peas).

Michael and I could not have asked for a better way to begin our lives together. Everything ran smoothly and there is not one thing either of us would change except to do it all over again! A special thanks to Carla Ten Eyck and her photographers, Clarke Eno Orchestra, Dana Montanari at The Society Room, and Shear Artistry in Avon for an awesome job styling the bridal party!

Carla’s style really adds to the vintage quality of the whole day. She completely captured the drama of each location and the pure joy of the couple. Congratulations to Marissa and Michael and a big thank you to Carla Ten Eyck for sending her always beautiful photographs our way!

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Post tags: Carla Ten Eyck, Connecticut, Hartford Society Room, Vintage
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

From Linda at Rose Petals and Lace…

The couple wanted a fall theme with vibrant colors; We choose fall colored dahlias along with freedom red roses. The table had a mix of tall and low centerpieces, Orange mokaras mixed with curly willow in tall cylinders wrapped with burgundy ribbon and for the lows, dahlias with the mokaras.

The flowers were elegant and modern… the perfect compliment to the beautiful venue. The mix of high and low centerpieces also gave the room some real drama. Plus, I’m so thrilled that the couple’s photographer, Elisabeth Millay, took the time to capture the stunning arrangements. If you want to see even more pics of the gorgeous day… click here to check out Elisabeth’s blog.

Credits: Photographs by Elisabeth Millay, Floral Design by Rose Petals and Lace, Wedding Coordination by Pampered Bride Weddings, Wedding Gown by Alvina Valenta, Bridesmaids dress by Jim Hjelm, Reception at the South Gate Manor.

Thank you to the Linda Casals from Rose Petals and Lace for sending this exquisite wedding our way. Truly beautiful. Congratulations to the happy couple, Samantha and Jeremy!

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Post tags: Color Palette Fall, Fall Wedding, New Jersey, Orchids, South Gate Manor
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

THESE lovely ladies celebrated Linnea & Dave’s wedding this past August in Maine. SO PRETTY!

Francie at Tangorra Wedding Planning is sharing a bit of their story with us … and Alexandra Daley-Clark is responsible for all of the awesome images …

from Francie …

These two were so fun to work with, they had such great style and we were able to really showcase their personalities in their wedding weekend, which we love! They both LOVE food and wine – Dave owns a wine consulting company, and has worked in some of New York’s best foodie destinations, so we obviously had to incorporate that everywhere! The weekend started off with a super fun boat tour aboard the “Island Romance” and a welcome lobster bake for all of their guests on Peak’s Island, a tiny little island right off the coast of Portland.

On the wedding day, which was a truly beautiful day – the kind that only exists in Maine – Dave prepped with a professional shave, while the girls primped in a cute little salon in the Old Port. The ceremony and reception were held on the grounds of the Southern Maine Community College, on a spot where Linnea’s Grandfather’s house used to stand (before the college was built), overlooking the beach where her mother grew up taking swimming lessons!

After the ceremony, they had an amazing 5 course tasting meal that revolved around Maine’s finest offerings – mini lobster rolls, seared duck with blueberry sauce, mint ravioli – yum! And of course, every dish was paired with a fabulous glass of wine. The attention to detail didn’t end with the meal, though. This wedding was gorgeous. From their ceremony (which included a wine ceremony!) overlooking the Spring Point lighthouse to the reception in a glowing Sperry tent right on the coast, everything was the perfect blend of New York chic and rustic Maine goodness.

Farm tables and Victoria ghost chairs …. hmmmmm…. doesn’t get ANY better than that!

(invitations by the fabulous Bella Figura!)

And as promised earlier, the details from the lovely bride, Linnea …

Dave and I worked with Francie to create a relaxed, intimate celebration that felt very ‘us’. We really wanted our guests to experience the natural beauty of the Maine coast, so we chose a gorgeous ocean-side site at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. My mother grew up in Maine and my grandfather’s childhood home (until it was turned into a WWII shipyard!) was literally steps away from our site, so there was lots of family significance on my side!

During our ceremony, guests had views of sailboats, scenic Casco Bay islands, abandoned Civil War forts, wildflowers, and not one but TWO lighthouses! We really wanted the focus to be on the natural coastal beauty, so we limited our ceremony decor to galvanized pails of hydrangea lining the aisle.

I took tons of photos when we initially chose our location, which really helped us choose attire for our wedding party later on – I literally cut and pasted photos of dresses onto a background showing where our ceremony would be held! That’s partly why I knew I would love the white dresses we chose for my bridesmaids – they really seemed to pop against the deep blue ocean and bright green grass! I had nine bridesmaids (with a 20-year age span), so I really liked the idea of having the girls coordinate without matching exactly. Thread’s white seersucker dresses were perfect for this – each of the girls chose her favorite style, but the resulting combination still looked very pulled together. The groomsmen’s blue and white seersucker suits were from Jos A. Bank.

Dave and I really wanted to play up the ‘dinner party’ aspect of our reception. We’re both food and wine people – in fact we met while working in the wine industry. We opted for a tasting-style menu – four mini-courses – that allowed us to pair wines with each course. We chose to emphasize fresh, local ingredients – the idea was to create a menu that would be similar to the style of food we would cook for a dinner party at home. Our caterer, Black Tie, was even able to create a version of ‘Mint Love Letters’ (a favorite dish at Babbo, where Dave previously worked as a sommelier) as one of the courses!

We decided to save the dancing portion of the evening until after dinner, and instead created a playlist of ’songs about love’ (think more Magnetic Fields than Barry Manilow) to be played during the meal. Every bride says that her wedding flies by – but I actually think that saving the dancing for last somehow made the reception feel longer! I would describe the overall look of our reception as ‘French-country, with a modern twist’. The combination of the long, banquet-style, wooden tables and the clear Victoria Ghost chairs really formed the backbone of our vision. They created such a strong ‘look’ that we really didn’t have to add too many other decor components – and we were able to fit them into our budget by eliminating costly linens, chair cushions, and so on. I love the Ghost chairs – I splurged on a few to brighten up my otherwise Ikea-furnished flat in London during business school, and Dave and I have since moved them to New York. I really wanted to use them for our wedding, and was thrilled when Francie was able to source them for us! It was really helpful to have a strong central visual in order to explain the look we were going for during discussions with potential vendors. It was really obvious when someone “got it” – our florist, Laurie (of Minott’s Flowers in Portland), did an amazing job of creating a fresh, natural look. She even managed to incorporate our love of food and wine by planting old champagne cases with fresh herbs. They were absolutely beautiful, and a huge hit!

Linnea’s wore an amazing Rosa Clara gown …

This IS just a PRETTY, PRETTY, PRETTY wedding from start to finish! Thank you to Francie at Tangorra Wedding Planning for sending it our way!

photography by Alexandra Daley-Clark

And Congratulations to Linnea & Dave!!

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Post tags: Alexandra Daley-Clark Photography, Beachside Wedding, Bella Figura, Maine, Tangorra Wedding Planning
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

photos courtesy of Alexandra Daley-Clark

We’ll be back with lots of gorgeous images from Linnea & Dave’s August wedding in just a bit. You can take a peek at a few more photos on Tangorra Wedding Planning’s blog …

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Post tags: Alexandra Daley Clark, Maine, Portland, Tangorra Wedding Planning
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

They were married at Terra d’Oro in September and the images that Allison Stahl captured are nothing short of fantastic!

Here’s a little bit from Kristi about their wedding inspiration …

The inspiration for our wedding started with the lovely town of Sutter Creek. Justin and I both loved the friendly, comfortable, small town feel. It was really important for us to have a fun day that reflected us as a couple. Once we discovered Sutter Creek, we started checking out wineries and fell in love with Terra d’Oro. When they described to us how my dad and I would enter down the stairs and through the huge doors, it was too good to pass up.

Most of our favorite times together involve getting outside, fishing, camping and enjoying fresh air. The fall colors came naturally to us once we settled on the venue. With the beautiful trees, vineyards, and wooden trellis, it was the natural choice. Justin does a lot of graphic design for his work and since we both love fishing together, we decided to name all of the tables after local fish. Justin was inspired by a book on vintage travel posters and he came up with all of the designs for the table cards which also served as the menus. I got to choose my favorite country songs for the reception which included “River of Love” by George Strait and “Fishing in the Dark” by the Nitty Gritty Band. It was the perfect setting and the perfect group of family and friends.

* * *

We designed the cake with a lot of help from Justin’s sister, Shannon. She lives in San Francisco and took us to this lovely shop which sells nothing but beautiful ribbon. We spent hours sorting through different styles until we came up with the final design. Ingrid did a wonderful job putting it all together – and it tasted it even better.

Martha Andrews designed some pretty incredible florals to wow Kristi & Justin’s guests!

So to those of you planning fall weddings in the future, we’ve shared some beautiful examples of autumn florals at their very best from Martha Andrews. We thank Allison Stahl and Justin & Kristi for sharing this gorgeous day with us!

* * *

Credits: Blooms by Martha Andrews, Allison Stahl Photography, Chef Beth Catering, Ingrid Fraser Cakes, Stephanie J. Designs (Invitations), Rivini, J.Crew

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Post tags: Allison Stahl, Blooms by Martha Andrews, California, Fall Wedding, Ingrid Fraser Cakes, Pumpkins, Sutter Creek, Terra d'Oro
Post categories: Bouquets, Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Flowers

Sometimes, we get to share our Little Black Book members’ own weddings, but today … LBB photographer Andrea Polito is one of the lovely maids in the wedding! Her friends Alexis and Andy were married on one of those golden October days (2008) in a gorgeous fall wedding in Dallas!

Here’s what Alexis had to tell us about her wedding…

Our floral designers from Fete des Fleurs in Dallas created the most romantic arch for the ceremony with leaves and flowers in rust, cream, and green. Our wedding was in October and we wanted something with a great fall feel, even though Dallas is still pretty green in October. The venue, Marie Gabrielle, created the perfect backdrop with its beautiful trees and gardens, and the flowers (orchids, moss, ranunculus) and small accents (Jan Barboglio iron candelabras, centerpieces, and chargers; candles everywhere, including hanging from the trees; white lights; matchbooks from For Your Party; caramel apple favors from Tart Bakery with hand-calligraphy on letterpress cards by Bella Figura; the flowy green bridesmaids dresses by Vera Wang; the sparkler send-off; our vintage Cadillac getaway car) just tied everything together.

My amazing photographer, Andrea Polito, is a close friend and did double duty at the wedding by also serving as one of my bridesmaids! She was also pregnant and in heels, but was determined to capture all of the details…which she did! She was amazing to watch and during the ceremony had two staff photographers shooting while she stood by my side! It was really great to work with a friend who also happens to be one of the best in the business! She took time to shoot all the little things that often get overlooked, and those details have been the most fun looking back on.

I wore a gown by Lela Rose, a Texan-born designer who I love. She uses unconventional fabrics in her wedding dresses, and I loved the embroidered lace detail all over the dress. I wanted something with a vintage feel that was also comfortable and timeless, and it was perfect.  I also wore a vintage diamond watch that belonged to my great grandmother and carried my grandma’s handkerchief. I found my clutch on Etsy and pinned a brooch on it that matched the ones in my hair. Even though you really couldn’t see my shoes under my dress, I felt so great peeking down at them and seeing those feathers…They are still on display in my closet!

When asked what the most important thing about their wedding was?

Probably the ceremony and vows…We wanted a very personal ceremony, so we pulled from lots of different vows, poems, and traditions to create a custom ceremony that felt like us. We come from different faith backgrounds, so we blended passages that spoke to both of us. My cousin is a judge in Dallas and one of the only people I know who actually towers over my husband, so he officiated. We recognized our grandparents who were no longer with us and had a moment of silence in honor of them. I was very close with my grandmother, in particular, and carried an embroidered handkerchief that belonged to her with her initials. My husband’s brother and best man read a unique version of “these are the hands” during the ceremony, and it was really special to have members from both sides of our family participate in the wedding.

AK Event Design was there for day-of coordination …

Andy and I both love music and knew from the beginning that we wanted a band…He said he knew it was meant to be when I professed my love for Tom Waits the first night we met. We’re both big fans of 70s and 80s rock (Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin), and I’ve always loved Bowie, The Cars, Talking Heads, etc. We listened to a ton of wedding bands online and then came across Skyrocket, a band out of Austin. They were voted Best Cover Band in Austin by the The Austin Chronicle, and we knew we’d found our band! Their setlist had everything from Hot Legs and Rock the Casbah to Brown Sugar and Whole Lotta Love…We were sold! All of the musicians in the band are also recording artists in their own right, including Trish Murphy who fronts the group, so we knew we were getting the best of both worlds…Really talented and really fun! It was a great pick, because everyone from our generation to the older generation was on the dance floor getting down! My husband even did an “unplugged” guitar solo with the band during American Girl that was the highlight of my night!

Ahhhhhh … such a pretty day! Happy Anniversary Alexis & Andy!

And thank you to Andrea Polito for sending us these beautiful images from the celebration!

Andrea has another terrific wedding that she JUST posted on her blog that also took place at Marie Gabrielle ~ Jennifer & Matthew’s wedding celebration!!

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Post tags: AK Event Design, Andrea Polito, Bella Figura, Dallas, Fete des Fleurs, For Your Party, Marie Gabrielle, Tart Bakery, Texas, Vera Wang
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

The colors ~ all those daisies~ absolutely amazing!

I can’t imagine a more perfect spot …

…or a more perfect couple!

Thanks SO much to Julie Afflerbaugh Photography for sharing these and all the previous engagement photos we brought to you today!

More images from Kelly & Michael’s wedding on Julie’s blog!

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Post tags: Breckenridge, Color Palette Yellow Gray, Colorado, Daisies, Julie Afflerbaugh Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

Angel and Patrick are just beginning that journey! They ‘found’ Julie through Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book. Yay! And Angel has shared a little bit about their own wedding plans with us … “Our wedding is about our guests. We want them to enjoy themselves as much as possible and so that plays a big part in the decisions we make to create our day. Trying to find the right balance between what’s best for our family and friends, and doing so in a way that expresses who we are at the same time has been a lot of fun. For example, I’m a HUGE foodie (and now Patrick is too, lol) so it was really vital that our guests enjoy engaging, memorable food. I’ve been to plenty of weddings where most of the adults ended up making their way through the kids buffet. So with that in mind we created an extremely light-hearted menu with a stylish flair including Miniature Grilled Brie Sandwiches on Brioche Served with Smoked Tomato Coulis, Petite Cheddar Cheese Sliders and Condiment Station, Homemade Penne & Three Cheeses Served Individually in Ramekins and Topped with Crunchy Herb Panko, Build Your Own Sundae Dessert Bar with Vanilla Gelato and Toppings to Include Bing Cherry Port Reduction, Dark Chocolate Ganache, Orange Caramel.

And when it came to bridesmaid attire, the same concept applied in making it about them first. People have more fun and look best in photographs when they’re comfortable so I simply picked a designer I liked and a palette of 7 or 8 shades of green ranging from spring green to moss and more in between. My bridesmaids are then able to pick whichever color they would like and whatever dress style they feel most comfortable in. The only other stipulation is that the dresses all have pockets because I have a deeply rooted love affair with pockets and since I couldn’t add them to my wedding dress (yup, that’s right, I tried lol) at least they can all enjoy the splendor of a pocketed dress. It’s details like those that are woven throughout the day that people will notice and say, yup, that’s so Angel.”

Angel is the author of her very own wedding blog, DIY Unveiled. She has lots of great DIY projects and wedding planning tips! To see more of their e*shoot, she has them posted on her  blog here!

We saw lots more great engagement shots on Julie’s blog ~

Erin and Scott were just married in Boulder Colorado. Here are a few of their gorgeous engagement photos …

Corina & Amos’s E*session is one of the ones that really caught my eye on Julie’s blog. Seems like everything we see from Colorado is amazing!

Corina & Amos’ wedding is next September.

And Kelly & Michael …

Kelly and Michael just got married and we have a couple of images to share with you from that!

That color combination of grey and yellow is really sensational! We’ll have more images from Kelly & Michael’s wedding up this afternoon. In the meantime, if you’d like to see more, you can take a look at them Julie Afflerbaugh’s blog right here!

Thanks SO much, Julie … for sharing!

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Post tags: Colorado, Daisies, Engagement Shoots, Julie Afflerbaugh Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

The main inspiration for our wedding came from my two favorite movies, Gone With The Wind and Marie Antoinette. I made Embry watch these movies countless times while we were dating, and when he barely objected, I knew he was the man for me!!! I really wanted to have a traditional wedding, but I also wanted to make sure that our day was young, fun, and bright. So we combined traditional accents (inspired by the two movies) ~ the antique gold candelabras, candlesticks, and bowls from the outdoor dining scene in Marie Antoinette … and a very traditional ceremony wedding gown with all the fixings – corset, lace, tiered layers  (like in Gone with the Wind!).

Our wedding coordinator, Terrica, was amazing at helping us combine everything!

I wanted the bridesmaids to wear lemon-yellow because I thought it would look absolutely gorgeous on them and also because yellow looks amazing under the sun. The hostesses wore beautiful cocktail dresses in plumeria. Both the bridesmaids and hostess dresses were designed by Watters & Watters and were made in dupioni silk. The girls looked absolutely stunning.

Ashaki and Embry were married in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony on the lawn of Crane Cottage at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.  LBB photographer, Agnes Lopez, was there to capture their special day!

More from Ashaki ~

As for me, I knew I wanted a big white dress. When I went wedding dress shopping with my mother, I did not expect to find two dresses that I absolutely loved. For the ceremony, I chose a gown with tiered layers, a corset, and lace everywhere. For the reception, I changed into a strapless gown with a completely beaded bodice and beaded accents on the tulle skirt. And for a pop of color, I wore fuchsia Kate Spade peep toe pumps with both dresses. My earrings were designed by the fabulous wedding jewelry designer, Tejani.

What a beautiful wedding! Our thanks and congratulations to Ashaki and Embry for sharing their day with us!

* * *

More of Agnes’ stunning photography can be seen on her website and blog! Of particular interest ~ a recent bridal fashion shoot with some killer gowns (by Monique Lhuillier, Oscar de la Renta & Romona Keveza): Fashion Shoot (1); Fashion Shoot (2);  Fashion Shoot (3)

* * *

Credits: Wedding Planner- Terrica Skaggs with Cocktails & Details, Video- Christina Grimsley of In Motion Video Productions, Make up Artist- Daren Lee of Glamour Face Makeup, Florist- Gay Whatley Floral Design, Linens- BBJ Linen, Lighting- P.O. Lighting and Sound, String Music- Ambiance Trio, Reception Band- EXCITE!, After Party DJ- Dance Jammers

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Post tags: Agnes Lopez Photography, Jekyl Island, Jekyl Island Club Hotel, Kate Spade, Tejani, Watters
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

I had been planning weddings for 6 years when I got engaged to Jimmy. I pretty much already knew all of the vendors I would choose for my own wedding day, due to my existing relationships and friendships with them. Jimmy gave me free reign for planning the wedding, so I was off and running with the details.

We selected Kirtland Country Club because it is an old mansion built in the 1920’s that was renovated into a country club a few decades later. We felt it was the most beautiful location in the area that had ample space for an indoor and outdoor feel. Jimmy’s idea was to have guests in the gorgeous West Porch Room for the cocktail hour, then to the ballroom for dinner, then back to the transformed West Porch Room for dancing and cocktails. I was leery about that idea at first, and guests moving so much, but it worked out really well and guests told us how much fun they had roaming about all of the different rooms and activities!

Inspiration

My favorite place to go in the summer is Cedar Point, the best amusement park in the world! I’ve gone every summer since I can remember. Every time I go, I feel like I’m transformed into a kid again, and Jimmy loves going too! So I wanted that carnival/summer/love feel for our wedding. With the colors, it soon morphed into a Moulin Rouge feel as well. The details included colors of red, magenta and gold, which I had never seen before for a wedding.

Food and Drinks

Our cocktail hour was serenaded by a lively and vintage recorded playlist including songs from Cirque de Soleil’s “O” soundtrack, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Edith Piaff and Pink Martini. We offered guests our signature drink, “Yellow Cake Martinis”! All of the food was summer themed, with a tortilla chip station and homemade chips and salsas, chicken quesdillas and crabcakes.

Guests found their seating arrangements on mini envelopes addressed in hand calligraphy with their names, sealed with a gold heart sticker and displayed in mini-rhinestones. Inside was a card that indicated their table name. Tables were named after emotion verbs: love, dream, hope, believe, laugh, imagine, dance, etc., and were displayed on homemade caramel apples.  The guests found their assigned seat by finding their name written on a paper-made piece of candy. The color of the candy coordinated to each guest’s dinner choice. The double matted red menus complete with a red heart rhinestone, read at the bottom: “All you Need is Love”!

After dinner, the Carnival Dessert Stand opened with a decadent display of caramel apples, chocolate covered pretzels, a popcorn machine, caramel popcorn, rock candy, salt water taffy, etc. Guests could fill up their bag (monogrammed with “All you Need is Love”) and take all the sweets home!

Guests also enjoyed a second favor. Gold painted baskets with assorted color dancing slippers were available for all of the women to take. Most women ended up taking off their uncomfortable heels at this point anyway, so why not let them enjoy some pretty slippers too? They all raved about it!!

The video booth from Moonstruck Productions was also running all night, where guests could go in and leave a message for us that will show up on our wedding video in its own section later! The wedding cake (from LBB member, Flour Girl) was absolutely breathtaking and of course it included red velvet cake, what else??! The party went until 12:30am with the band and DJ switching on and off every 30 minutes, sure to please everyone’s musical tastes.

* * *

Wow, Valarie! I think you covered all the bases! Every little detail … all the little extras! We, at SMP, wish you and Jimmy all the best! Thanks so much for sharing your day!

* * *

Credits ~ Coordination: Rachel at Kirkbrides, Cake: Flour Girl, Music: Tony Quarles & The Discovery Band and (DJ) Scott Jones, Floral Décor: Grande Designs, Hair: Barb Banko, Lighting: Vincent Lighting, Linens: L’Nique, Makeup: Ramona Dauksiene, Photography: Easywind Studio, Videographer: Moonstruck Productions, Brides Gown: Paloma Blanca, Bridesmaids: Badgley Mischka, Men’s Attire: Calvin Klein, Men’s Wearhouse.

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Calvin Klein, Easywind Studio, Flour Girl, Grande Designs, Kirkbrides, Kirtland Country Club, Moonstruck Productions, Ohio, Paloma Blanca
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Planners & Designers

Jessie and Chris were married in her parents backyard ~ at the local polo fields in Cummings, Iowa. A little bit country (as in a big red barn) and beaucoups of charm!

Love, love, love the mixture of flowers in the bouquets and centerpieces!!

This table setting may be one of my all time favorites. I LOVE the gentle and warm color palette of the flowers mixed with the whimsy of the pickled okra!

From Maribeth’s blog …

There were many homespun elements. Tables named for seasonal vegetables, pickled beans & beets that Jessie and her mom canned, homemade strawberry and pepper jelly … all for guests who dined under a white tent on a perfect autumn night.

So, you see, elegance is defined in many ways ~ casual or classic, inside or out ~ it’s simply ALL in the details!

Wedding coordination and florals by Saley at DiVine Flowers. Congratulations, Jessie & Chris on a lovely, lovely wedding!

* * *

For more of Maribeth’s fantastic photography, be sure to take some time over on her website and look thru her portfolio … not just weddings … but inspirations and travel too. You’ll see the spirit behind her talents come alive!  We absolutely LOVE the vibrancy of her style!  Thanks so much, Maribeth and Red Ribbon Studio for being a part of SMP’s Little Black Book of Very Important Vendors!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Apples, Barn, DiVine Flowers, Escort Cards, Iowa, Red Ribbon Studio, Wedding Favors
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography

First up ~ Maribeth, from Red Ribbon Studio is sharing Jamie & Randy’s May wedding with us. It’s classic, it’s elegant and it’s simply timeless in it’s beauty …

Jamie and Randy were married at the historic Semple Mansion in Minneapolis. Between Jamie’s Peter Langner gown, the grandeur of the venue and the wedding artist they commissioned … well, their wedding kind of blew me away!

Mimi Wedding Planning worked with the couple to pull their modern classic wedding vision together. The floral decor is to die for … and the stunning cake is from Gateaux Inc.

Their wedding artist was Nicole Herzog. She sketched and painted throughout the entire evening and at the end of the day … a gorgeous painting to commemorate the celebration was complete!

What a great idea.  A HUGE thanks to Maribeth at Red Ribbon Studio … and to Jamie and Randy for sharing this joyful day!

* * *

We’ll have another wedding from Maribeth at Red Ribbon Studio in just a bit, so do check back!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Gateaux Inc., Mimi Wedding Planning, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nicole Herzog, Peter Langner, Red Ribbon Studio, Semple Mansion
Post categories: Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

“…you managed to be everywhere, never missing a shot or a moment, but in the most respectful way… your work is fun, it’s fresh, it’s sophisticated, it’s clean, it’s clever and smart!” Pretty great testimonial, I’d say.

So ~ until tomorrow ~ when we’ll be featuring two of Red Ribbon Studio’s weddings with two totally different styles! Jamie & Randy’s elegant wedding at the Semple Mansion in Minneapolis and Jessie & Chris’ elegant backyard wedding on the local polo fields in Cummings, Iowa.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Iowa, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Red Ribbon Studio, Semple Mansion, Twin Cities
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography