Is that not the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? And you know what…it isn’t the least bit surprising coming from a studio like Elysium. I had the sheer pleasure of seeing Julie and team in action at one of our dear friend’s wedding and when I say their work was amazing, I am hardly doing them justice.

We reached out to the photographer behind the event, Aaron Delesie…who also happens to be a friend of ours and a MAJOR style me pretty love…to share some of the pics with us. You can also click right here to see InStyle’s gallery of images and get more information about the affair.

Thank you so much to Elysium and to Aaron Delesie for sharing this ridiculously gorgeous wedding with us. It’s one of those weddings that just a dream, a purely gorgeous dream.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 29 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Aaron Delesie, Elysium, Puerto Rico
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

Angel and Sebastian were married in the small town of Lahaina surrounded by their family and closest friends …

Pretty amazing details, Jen!

Angel wore a stunning Watters gown.

Wow! SO beautiful!!

For more of Angel and Sebastian’s wedding, you can follow the link on Jen Huang’s Blog. Thanks SO much for sharing!

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Post tags: Hawaii, Jen Huang Photography, Orchids, Shell, Watters
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

I got a serious lump in my throat within the first few moments of the film! By the end, outright tears!  First, a few Super 8mm film still-shots grabbed from the amazing cinematographers at Artifact Documentaries … 

*Remember that for the best playback experience, start the film and then press “pause” for just a bit. The film will load in the background (as you check out Artifact Documentaries!) and then come back and play. This is SUCH a joyous and yet, tearful celebration!

Our most sincere congratulations to Namrata & Adam!

And just one more quick note about Artifact Documentaries … in 2004, Kristen & Jeff Turick decided that the standards for wedding videos needed to be raised to the level of artful cinematography. The idea of a wedding film shouldn’t be at the end of the list ~ but uppermost on the list!  Kristen and Jeff shoot both classic Super 8mm film and widescreen digital video. On their website they say, “There’s just nothing like the vintage beauty of 8mm film, and the gentle tickety-tickety-tick of the old-style camera, blended at just the right moments with the richness of today’s digital video to make you feel that you’re experiencing a genuine part of history…”

Thank you, Kristen and Jeff for sharing Namrata and Adam’s beautiful wedding celebration with all of us!

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Post tags: Artifact Documentaries, Hindu Weddings, Super 8 Film
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Cinematography

From Preeti, founder of Spotlight Style and Rita and Mike’s wedding consultant and designer …

Rita and Mike wanted to have a wedding outdoors with a modern feel. Osborne Castle was a beautiful venue with over 300 acres of greens so the couple was able to have a private wedding on a mountain top overlooking Hudson Valley.

The bride wanted a mandap to represent the same feel…so it was made out of birch tree pillars with floral pomanders and chocolate brown fabric.

The guest card table was made with a tray of grass and planter sticks for namecards…to keep with the beautiful outdoors feel.

cake from Jolly Be Bakery

photography courtesy of LaRie Taylor

Congratulations Rita & Mike on an absolutely beautiful wedding celebration from all of us here at Style Me Pretty!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Hudson Valley, J. Crew, Jolly Be Bakery, LaRie Taylor Photography, Osborne Castle, Pronovias, Spotlight Style
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Planners & Designers

The reception took the whole event to another level completely. We loved the crisp, white walls and floors of Studio 450 and maximized the 360 degree views of the city and water. The sunset and night sky were gorgeous against our reds and oranges inside. We did the whole event cocktail-party style with lounge chairs highboy tables and a lit bar. We lined the center of white ottomans with sari fabric and embroidered pillows, we hung clusters of lanterns around the room and set up a long table for anyone who wanted to sit for a bit and get a bite to eat.

We hired Sarina Jain, the Jane Fonda of India and founder of Masala Bhangra to choreograph our routine. After the cocktail hour I made a costume change into a lime green Lehnga, traditional Indian dress. Ravi and I were introduced and walked into the intro beats of AC/DC’s “Back in Black”. We walked around and greeted people and then took our positions opposite one another on the dance floor. Sharad cued Al Green’s, “Let’s Stay Together” and we started a very sexy dance… just when everyone was cheering for that the music exploded into the “Beware of the Boys” remix with Panjabi MC and Jay Z and we started an all out Bhangra routine that then transitioned into the well known “Mauja Hi Mauja” and we finished up with HipHop Bollywood moves.

So all in all, there it is, our own American Bollywood movie in the making. The process was intense, the planning insane but the day of was so worth every minute of it. Our friends and family made it an event that was amazingly filled with love and emotion and really reflected who we are as individuals, a couple and designers. We achieved what we set out to do which was to create an event that reflected us, screamed to the world that we are in love and hugged each and every guest for being the support we need to be where we are today. We are blessed and so thankful for such a wonderful day to remember forever. I didn’t want it to end. Now, I just want to make this a reality for other people in search of a special day!

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Post tags:
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

Here are a few more pics of the gorgeous couple in action…

From the bride…

We had a vision off the bat and that was to take the very best elements of his Hindu heritage and my midwest Christian background and seamlessly intertwine them into one romantic and beautiful ceremony. It had to be bright. It had to have ritual. It had to be happy. It had to be touching. It had to have humor. It had to have tears. It had to have dance. It had to be raw. It had to have art. It had to have surprise. It had to have delight. But more than anything it had to be inspired… It must be about our story and have heart and soul.

As designers, Ravi and I like to take seemingly unfamiliar things and create an unexpected thread that not only bonds them together but is clever or has hidden meaning… but all without a heavy hand. This was no different except that we were creating it for ourselves. A designers dream and nightmare all wrapped into one happy little package. We decided that we needed a theme… our concept deserved  a name. Thus project East Meets West 2009 was born.

Once the naming business was out of the way we needed to set the tone of the upcoming soiree. Create the color scheme, define the overall look and feel, hint at the vibe.. we needed a brand. We wanted to make it clear that this would be something most of our guests would never have seen before, so come prepared. I made a feel book to send with my mother-in-law on her trip to India with colors, fabrics and examples and she came back with the most vibrant fabrics imaginable! We ran with those colors as a guide and added every color in between. Our playground was the entire spectrum from pumpkin orange to ruby red and on into fabulous fuchsia.

About a month before the wedding I got the crazy idea that I wanted to create a video depicting our trek to get our marriage license. I really wanted to make sure that we documented this moment in time, that we are in NYC, because I don’t know how long we will be here and it’s just so full of crazy things. Our friend, Dave Evans, Jr. offered to spend the day with us and film us… what we didn’t know was that he is a kick ass editor as well! He got great shots, found the best song ever and created the cutest video. We screened it at our rehearsal event and everyone loved it. He has since posted it on youtube because everyone has been asking for it. you can find it right here.

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Post tags:
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

The second reason is that this wedding is an absolute explosion of everything that I love in a great wedding. The color, the style, the joy literally pours out of each and every image and I am 100% convinced that you guys are going to LOVE it.

From the STUNNING bride…

Ravi and I knew we were a design duo early on but our light-hearted sense of humor is what took us to the next level romantically. Once we started collaborating, we knew we were onto something good… I know his strengths and he knows mine. I’m the list maker and he’s the dreamer. I love color and he loves form. I tell good stories and he laughs a lot. It’s a good match all around. Everything we do makes the other better – in design and now in love! When we got engaged we knew it was game on… time to embark on the biggest, hottest, most explosively creative and authentic endeavor thus far. We’ve branded everything from hot NYC chocolate shops to tiny start-up rollerblade companies. We’ve pulled off large scale events and art directed just about every retail and hospitality experience imagineable so starting our little studio was a no brainer… embarking on a wedding… our wedding… was a completely different story.  MonkeyThat was about to up the ante!

SO much more to come!

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Post tags: Christian Oth Studios, Indian, Multi-Cultural
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

More from Lisa…

Their ceremony was held in the Hacienda’s chapel which has the most amazing view of the city, the cathedral, and the ocean. It is extraordinary. Our dear Mindy Rice did THE most fabulous petal treatment in the chapel and stunning altar arrangements. For dinner — we scoped out a private corner and created a fabric draped entrance to a gorgeous table for two! Muy caliente! Tabella created a ruffled table linen with coordinating ruffled napkins and chair cushions. For dessert — we surprised Kara and Ray with a gorgeous dessert display and two wedding cakes!

The elopement was beyond romantic and Kara and Ray were such troopers. They had no idea what we were planning, and they enjoyed every second of it. I always love the way Aaron captures our events – but this one in particular made my heart melt. So, so gorgeous!

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Post tags:
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

All my weddings hold a dear place in my heart — but this one is extra special!! I was working in my studio one day and received a phone call from a potential client named Kara. She told me that she and her fiance were going to elope. All she really wanted was for me to design a special “table for two” for her elopement. I got so excited about being involved in an elopement and the thought of designing one very special table — that I kind of went a little out of control. I wanted to design the entire wedding!

I knew of the perfect little romantic hacienda in Mexico for Kara and Ray — and knew my amazing team would be on board to rock out an elopement (and not just a table for two!). I told Kara my thoughts and she was delighted! From that moment on — she let me do my thing and said “I trust you”. (Music to my ears!)

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Aaron Delesie, Elopement, Oh How Charming
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

You already saw the stunning film that Chris Jones of Mason Jar Films put together, but now the bride is stopping by to share a little bit more…

photography by Zoeica Images

Planning a wedding from 4800 miles and 6 time zones away requires loads of patience and a generous supply of optimism. This NOLA bride was surrounded by a Parisian fiancé and loving parents with generous supply of patience and diligence when hers ran short. Born and raised in NOLA, as we affectionately call New Orleans, Louisiana, the wedding location was never a question. Paris exudes elegance, beauty and culture. New Orleans possesses some of that plus a healthy dose of southern decadence for its own special savoir-vivre.

The week-end started with Thursday’s Dads’ Jazz Jam night and Cajun cuisine, Cocktails on Friday in Muriel’s, a historic building off Jackson Square, and ended with Brunch at the Columns Hotel in the Garden District. Guests hailed from as far away as Angola, Africa to London and Paris and as close by as Thibodeaux, louisiana. Saturday, the Day, took off with a classic French Quarter carriage ride from the historic Faubourg Marigny district to the oldest cathedral in North America, the St. Louis Cathedral. The St. Louis Cathedral was named for Louis the IX, sainted King of France. French guests were quite pleased with that cultural reference! New Orleans is steeped in ready references to its French roots.

photography by Zoeica Images

The mass at the cathedral was accompanied by musicians from one of New Orleans’ most famous music families–the Jordans with Stephanie Jordan on the violin and big brother, Kent Jordan, flute. After the ceremony the bride and guests were accompanied to the reception site by the New Wave Brass Band and a ‘second line’ of wedding guests dancing in the street, striding, and stepping away from the Cathedral. The Restaurant Galvez, our reception site was a testament to our patience plus faith — our wedding served as the restaurant’s first post-Hurricane Katrina opening.

A touch of Paris kicked off the reception with a champagne toast and French gypsy jazz band by French native/ New Orleans transplant Pierre Pichon. The music never stopped. Pierre was followed by the Treme Brass Band, the Storyville Stompers Brass Brand. Jazz trumpeter extraordinaire Leroy Jones and Creole crooner John Boutte added a sensitive NOLA jazz touch to the dinner.

photography by Zoeica Images

Dinner included a five course meal completely Louisiana inspired [began with a Creole Crawfish Bisque, a zucchini and goat cheese Napoleon, Gulf Redfish with lump crabmeat and a Chocolate Pecan Tart finished with a French Cheese platter and] topped off by a “pièce montée” the traditional French wedding cake composed of a pastried tower of croquembouche.

Our wedding expressed who we are. It was the perfect marriage of New Orleans and Paris. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 31 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jazz, Mason Jar Films, New Orleans
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Traditional Elegance

A few more last details from Amber…

Mallika’s father created an organic cold remedy from roots that he digs up and he created tinctures in little bottles that were given out as favors.  Holly, of Holly Flora, created arrangements in vintage tea tins, mason jars, and vintage silver vases.

Thank you SO very much to Amber and all of the vendors that participated in this wedding. It was a lovely reflection of all things beautiful and we are thrilled to have featured it on SMP. Here is a vendor list for all of you!

Planning and Design by Amber Events / Catering by Command Performance Catering / Photography by Picotte Photography / Flowers by Holly Flora / Photobooths by Red Cheese Photobooths / Music by NYC DJ’s / Make-Up by Simply Flawless Makeup Artistry / Cupcakes by  Couture Cupcakery

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Amber Events, Command Performance Catering, Couture Cupcakery, Holly Flora, Picotte Photography, Red Cheese Photobooths
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Cultural Beauty

Photographed by Suthi Picotte, this wedding gives me butterflies!

Details from Amber…

Mallika grew up on a Hindu /Yoga Commune and Steve grew up Catholic. They combined their beliefs and had a touching ceremony that included a red string strung around the entire ceremony site (I had the privilege of tying the string after Mallika walked down the aisle) that was later cut up and tied to the guests wrists as a symbol of the community they created.

I know that most of you adore these rustic chic weddings. They are hard not to love! But, if you are one of those brides that would love to see something a little different…head on over to the forums on SMP where we are discussing the types of weddings that you’d like to see on SMP. I’ll use this as my master list as to how I choose the affairs that we feature!

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Post tags: Eastern, Rustic, Suthi Picotte
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Cultural Beauty

photography by Suthi Picotte

From Amber…

Mallika and Steve’s wedding was May 31, 2009 and was the LAST wedding to be held at Eucalyptus Lane in Ventura. They had an original wedding date in August but were told in March that Eucalyptus Lane was shutting down and they had one date left. They hired me in a panic to help them pull together their wedding and give them the confidence that they needed. Mallika, the bride, designed the wedding with the help of the incredibly talented Holly Vesecky of Holly Flora.

So much more on the way!

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Post tags: Amber Events, Eastern, Holly Flora, Rustic
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Cultural Beauty

The wedding was designed by the amazingly talented bride, with the help of Amber Gustafson of Amber Events (fabulous by the way). It was photographed by Suthi Picotte.

We’ve actually seen this venue before in a wedding that Rebecca of {duet} planned and Leigh Miller Photographed. It’s a GORGEOUS space that has unfortunately closed it’s doors. I hate when I hear things like that.  But, lucky for this bride and groom, they were able to move their wedding up before the doors shut, making them the last wedding that took place at Eucalyptis Lane in Ventura.

photography by Suthi Picotte

We have TONS of good stuff coming from this gorgeous wedding…a blend of all things rustic, all things undeniably chic. Can’t wait to share!

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Post tags: Amber Events, Eastern, Rustic, Suthi Picotte
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Cultural Beauty

And one more last look for all of you…

Inspiration boards for today are coming up in just a bit!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beth Helmstetter, Steve Steinhardt
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Cultural Beauty