From polka dots and drumsticks to pick-up trucks, sassy yellow shoes and sneakers …

Gotta’ love the Chevy!

Justin & Mary Marantz are two of our favorite Little Black Bookers … We’ve featured a couple of their really great weddings (Katie & Colin, Josh & Beth). But to be perfectly honest, Julia & Mike’s engagement shoot is probably the all-time BEST Little Black Book Blog feature ever. Mary guest-blogged for us about engagement shoots {Getting to Know You!} and Julia & Mike’s was a real hoot! Take a look … {click} A 1952 Better Homes & Garden spread. Super cute. And for more of their vintage-themed engagement shoot, here’s a link to the original Marantz post.

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Post tags: Connecticut, Drumsticks, Justin Marantz Photography, New Haven, Paper Lanterns, Polka Dots, Rose, The Carousel at Lighthouse Point, Truck
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Casual Elegance, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Whimsical

Kacie designed an inspiration board for on of our contests a while back. Here it is…

And here is how her insanely gorgeous wedding turned out…

photographs are all taken by Kacie’s childhood friend, Dawn Heumann, and her sister in law Lisa Dick

I am impressed by how beautifully the inspiration board translated into a real wedding. The vintage chic charm is just so lovely…it seems like every detail was tended to.

Stay tuned, we have more details and photos from Kacie’s wedding!!

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Post tags: Eyescape Photo, Lisa Dick, Melissa Sweet, Sonoma
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Inspiration Boards, Real Weddings, Vintage Chic

How much do you love the stationery? It was designed by MaybelleImasa-Stukuls…one of the most talented calligraphers out there.  Thank you so much to Lisa Lefkowitz for sharing these gorgeous images. And of course, to the oh-so-talented Amy Nichols for introducing us to this beautiful affair!

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Post tags: Amy Nichols, Destination Wedding, Lisa Lefkowitz, May+Bell Calligraphy and Design, Mexico
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Cultural Beauty, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers

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Post tags: Amy Nichols, Destination Wedding, Lisa Lefkowitz, Mexico, Photography
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Cultural Beauty, The Blog, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers

photography by Punam Bean Photography

I have to say, this is one of the prettiest weddings I have ever seen…with or without a budget. I love the sweet, understated details of the day and the intimate feeling of having just close friends and family as guests. You really get a sense of just how special this couple is.

And, I was totally floored by the incredible journal that Nole wrote both during the planning phase and after the big day. You can see her planning documented right here on her Knot Bio…it includes inspiration boards, fun DIY projects and other really interesting tidbits. Her post wedding re-cap can be read right here and is filled with vendor reviews and ideas that are so helpful to any bride planning her wedding. Thank you so much, Nole, for sharing this with us!

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Post tags: Nole and Andrew, Punam Bean Photography, Washington DC
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Budget Beautiful, Real Weddings

More details from Nole…

In order to stay in our budget, we kept our guest list to only our closest family and friends (around 50 people) and prioritized some wedding elements (such as food and photography) over others (such as floral arrangements). We also tried to do as many DIY projects as we could.

We made most of the big decisions pretty early on, including our color palette, flower choices (but not a florist, which came much later), caterer, bakery, and photographer. For the flowers, I knew that I wanted a bouquet of lilacs and sweet peas, ever since I’d seen a similar bouquet in Martha Stewart Weddings a couple of years ago. For the reception, I wanted a mix of spring flowers — peonies, ranunculus, anemonies, etc. — in shades of purple and white.

For our caterer, my husband and I are both big foodies, so having great food at our wedding was a big priority. We also knew that we wanted a global-inspired tapas meal service for the reception, and worked with our caterer to develop a menu that included Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Latin dishes with enough choices to satisfy all of our guests. For the cake, we used three 9″ cakes from a famous DC bakery called CakeLove, which makes just the most amazing cakes and cupcakes. Our families are big coffee and tea drinkers, so we also bought heart-shaped sugar cubes and sugar swizzle sticks from Sur La Table to use as sweeteners when the coffee and tea was served with dessert.

For photography, it was important to us that we have a photojournalist-style photographer that would document the entire day, particularly as we had some important family members (my grandmother) who were not able to travel for our wedding. We found our photographer, the amazing Punam Bean, via Weddingbee, and instantly fell in love with her work and documentary-style approach to wedding photography.

Throughout the planning, we looked for ways to save that wouldn’t affect the overall look and feel of the day…we saved a lot by having a friend play the music for the ceremony and using our iPod to provide the music during the reception, both which probably saved us thousands of dollars. We only served wine (which we purchased directly) rather than having an open bar at the reception. And we find a lot of our decorations on ebay, including the mason jars used to hold the floral arrangements and moroccan lanterns which lined the entrance path to the venue.

We ultimately spent around $13,000 on the wedding, so we didn’t do too bad – particularly since we live in one of the most expensive cities in the country!

We have MANY more pictures to come, so stay tuned!

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Post tags: Nole and Andrew, Punam Bean Photography, Washington DC
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Budget Beautiful, Real Weddings

One of our readers, Nole, emailed me back in January with questions about her upcoming wedding. It turns out that Nole’s wedding went off without a hitch and she has generously offered to share some pictures and details with us!

photography by Punam Bean Photography

Details from Nole…

My husband and I met in grad school while working on our M.A. degrees in international affairs (me) and security policy (him). Given our mutual background in international affairs, as well as my love of all things vintage and my husband’s love of history (he was a history major in undergrad), we knew that we wanted a wedding that was inspired by both vintage and global elements. I’ve always wanted a Spring wedding just because of the flower choices in the spring, and we both knew that we wanted to have an outdoor wedding if at all possible. We also wanted a really informal and intimate wedding — essentially a fun dinner party with all of our family and friends. We chose our venue, Woodlawn Manor, because it had the perfect historic feel (it was part of the underground railroad in the 1800s) as well as beautiful outdoor lawns for outdoor ceremony and reception.

And thus, we set out with the goal of pulling off our perfect wedding with an initial budget of $10,000….

We have so much more from Nole coming, so stay tuned!

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Post tags: Nole and Andrew, Punam Bean Photography, Spring Wedding, Washington DC, Woodlawn Manor
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Budget Beautiful, Real Weddings

all of these amazing photos were taken by Adi Nevo

I am not usually a fan of purple…but WOW. This wedding is so super chic, so super elegant. I absolutely love it. With the raspberry and natural green accents paired against the stark white linens, the grass and the pristine blue pool…it’s just so smart.

A few more details from Alison…

Joe and Lallo got married in Sonoma County at a private estate located on a lavender farm. They exchanged vows under a tree lined grassy field and enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as a Brazilian singer performed some of their favorite Bebel Gilberto songs. Being Brazilian, Joe and Lallo had many guests who traveled far to come and support them in their union.

The menu was fresh and local organic Californian cuisine. They served local fish, flank steak and chicken right from the grill and a variety of green salads for dinner family style. And of course caipirinhas were flowing all night long. They had several different flavored cakes with an adorable cake topper of two grooms which Alison gave them as a wedding present.

The tables lined both sides of the pool and were dressed with a slate grey floor length linen and the white linen napkins were then tied with lavender ribbon and a lavender sprig was placed inside. The flowers were designed and created by the couple and placed in beautiful white ceramic containers.

Their dogs who walked down the aisle and they were their ring bearers….and their officiant was there homestay mother from when they both came to the US to study abroad. The invites were designed by Lallo.

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Post tags: Adi Nevo, Alison Events, San Francisco
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Contemporary, Real Weddings, Wedding Planners & Designers

I looooove the discs that are hanging from the ceiling…they add a modern sensibility to the affair. I also think that the huge banquets style tables with the tall centerpieces lining the center are just gorgeous. Dramatic, but in a tailored and sophisticated way. Here are a few more pics…

Doug McGoldrick is an incredible photographer and if you aren’t already familiar with his work, definitely check out his website. It has tons of gorgeous eye candy that can serve as inspiration for so many types of affairs.

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Post tags: Doug McGoldrick
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Contemporary, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography

I love the easy, relaxed vibe of this reception. Using the floor cushions as extra seating is both practical and oh-so-chic. The style reminds me of a really great, intimate dinner with friends, which is just what a wedding should be.

More Details from Kim…

I had the best time styling a Moroccan styled banquet. Being a stylist, it’s the one chance I had to please only myself.

We had the most beautiful Venue , a family farm – www.knorhoek.co.za great for weddings and for shoot locations! After the ceremony, guests chilled on cushions (my mom made from fabric I collected over the years from shoots) on kilim carpets under the trees to fend from the still hot setting sun. Candles in bright oranges, greens, reds and bronzes added such warmth to the atmosphere and having lots of little glasses of flowers made for easy conversation around the tables instead of dodging huge arrangements.

Kim is the most talented stylist…you can check out her work and her inspirations on her blog. Brace yourself, there is so much eye candy, you’ll be on the site for hours!

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Post tags: Kim Gray, Moroccan Wedding
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Casual Elegance, Real Weddings

photos by emielke

Aside from her AMAZING dress and the oh-so-adorable flower girl, I just love the sweet simplicity of this ceremony. Set in a pretty garden, among friends and family, this couple completely takes center stage. Stay tuned for so many more details and images from the Moroccan themed reception that Kim designed!

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Post tags: Emielke, Kim Gray
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Casual Elegance, Real Weddings

Photos by Kate Leigh, Candy Photo by Envi Photo

More from Annette…

-My flower girl and ring bearer weer carried bird’s nests that I made myself using materials from Michael’s Arts & Crafts. They were about 6 bucks each. I also had a set of wings ;made by a designer on Etsy for my flower girl, which ended up costing about $30.

-For our favors, we bought white boxes at the dollar store and filled them with a bottle of wine and 2 wine glasses.

-for my table and for my escort cards I used vintage photos of Yankee and Fenway as my husband is a huge Red Sox fan and I am huge Yankee fan. These were complete hits!

-One of my biggest splurges was my candy bar, I had a local company set up the entire thing for a small
fee, they even cleaned it and I didn’t have to worry about what to do with the glass jars after the wedding. I
would recommend this to any bride!

Thanks so much to Annette for sharing her beautiful wedding with us! A wedding in New York City for under $20,000 is such an accomplishment and to throw one this beautiful…well, it’s a treat for all of us, to say the least!

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Post tags: Envi Photo, Kate Leigh
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Budget Beautiful, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Real Weddings

Photographs by Envi Photo and Kate Leigh.

Here are some of the cost saving tips that Annette discovered…

-First, I used Target.com to find my bridesmaids dresses. They were $50 each and free shipping. I couldn’t believe how pretty they were and how well they worked within my vision. I brought my dress at David’s Bridal, always thinking I would wear a Kleinfeld gown, I chose a Oleg Cassini for under $1500. My guy’s tuxedo was rented and because 5 of them had to rent tuxedo at Men’s warehouse, his tuxedo was free.

-As luck would have it, I woke up on the day of my wedding to a monsoon. After a glorious week in NY, I was completely disappointed. But, I ended up finding these great pink and blue umbrellas at CVS that made our pictures so incredibly fabulous…the rain turned out to be a blessing!

-I didn’t decorate my ceremony at all, I kept the entire area bare. I walked down the aisle with a lily of the valley bouquet, a homage to my mom (she walked down the aisle with the same one) and a surprise! She had no idea until she saw them and then tearfully she began to say how this was the happiest day of her life. I also carried my grandmother’s rosary. My bridesmaids had hot pink bouquets with rosaries that I gave them at the bridal shower.

-Our reception was at Arthur’s Landing in Weehawken, NJ. I chose the site for it’s view of the NYC skyline and for it’s amazing, catering manager, Jody Reynolds. I wanted a NYC feel through the entire wedding and looking endlessly in Manhattan, we just couldn’t afford it. Jody bent over forward and backwards to accommodate our needs within my budget.

-The first month of wedding planning, when I started looking for decor, I saw something on SMP that I loved, terrarium centerpieces. I went to about 6 florists and no one really understood my vision. Seeing how frustrated I was becoming, my mom’s friend, who is a “florist” volunteered to do them. We ended up with these gorgeous, glass apothecary jars filled with moss we brought at a floral wholesaler, butterflies, bees and one hot pink orchid for the wow factor. They were about 15 dollars each and I had about 20 of them, not bad at all. She also did our bouquets for about $20 each.

-I had a local designer, Jennifer Palacio from Laura Clare decorate my reception site. She hung hot pink lanterns in various shapes and sizes across the length of the skyline and we hung a chandelier over the dance floor to separate the dance area. The look and feel was magical. She also hung tons of ivy w/ pink ribbons and more lanterns were used over the bar area.

-One of my husband’s friends volunteered to use his iPod & equipment (he is a musician) to host the wedding. I gave him free range and he and my hubby arranged the night’s music. They surprised me at the end with a small serenade that they both sang to me as I danced & cried. One of my most touching moments of my life.

If it wasn’t for the tireless help of our friends and family, this day wouldn’t have happened.

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Post tags: Envi Photo, Jennifer Palacio, Kate Leigh, Kleinfeld Bridal, Laura Clare, New York
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Budget Beautiful, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Real Weddings

Here are some notes from Rebecca, the planner behind this gorgeous day…

Welcome – As guests entered the grass from the dusty gravel road, they were greeted with lavender garnished lemonade in mason jars. The property had a bunch of old paint chipped doors lying around, so we used those to make up the table tops anywhere we had an excuse to! The mason jars sat atop the wooden door (which was resting atop wine barrels) and we adorned the table with a scattering of bricks and an old crate tumbling with lemons.

Best Wishes – We used another old door table top to display Sarah and Mike’s wish table. Beautiful apothecary jars were used for guests to write notes for Sarah and Mike to open on their one-year anniversary as well as for them to take a pre-written wish that Sarah and Mike had made for their guests.

Right this Way – As a way to encourage guests to move from the welcome lawn to ceremony, I strung along an old fence a long line of twine and small clothes pins featuring dozens of photos of Sarah and Mike as babies, childhood, up until photos of them together as adults. Even the embarrassing glamour shots and awkward teenage phase photos made their debuts – guests were delighted.

Escort Cards – Juniper provided gorgeous terra cotta pots planted with herbs and lambs ear. I had guest names calligraphed on wood (tongue depressors!) and stamped table numbers in a fresh moss green.

Get Cozy – Wood boxes and baskets held slippers and pashminas encouraging women guests to kick off their heels and get cozy. The weather turned cool almost immediately after the ceremony so this touch was totally appreciated.

The Bar – I had Sarah and Mike come up with a few signature drinks that would be special to them- something they shared on a romantic vacation, their first date, a funny story, etc. We created a large chalkboard menu for them listing their signature drinks with funny and sweet descriptions of each drink and how it came to be.

The incredibly personlized touches that Rebecca infused into this wedding are just perfect. The end results seems like this magical evening, filled with intimate touches and understated elegance. Thank you so much to Rebecca of Duet Weddings and to Leigh Miller Photography for sharing this gorgeous wedding iwth us!

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Post tags: Duet Weddings, Juniper Presence, Leigh Miller Photography, Signature Cocktail
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Casual Elegance, Real Weddings, Vintage Chic, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers

Thank you so much, Anthony, for sharing these gorgeous images with us!

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Post tags:
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Whimsical