1. Paper goods are the easiest way to add the silhouette to your upcoming day. For a classic take with a slightly modern edge, try these William Arthur invites on for size. Our newest collaboration proves a perfect accompaniment to this style of fête

2. And it doesn’t have to stop at your invitations, with a custom silhouette portrait, you can slap those pretty profiles on just about anything your heart desires. From gift tags, to menus, even place-cards, the possibilities are endless

3. Love is sweet and so are these honey keepsakes for your guests. Finish them off with a customized tag and voila, instant charm. Em Weddings has a great option that won’t break the bank

4. We positively adored the Bride’s English Department frock from this fab affair. It’s the perfect combination of elegance and ease and layers upon layers of pretty tulle is never a bad thing in our book. For a similar look, the J.Crew Arabelle gown is just what the Doctor ordered.

5. Oh Tom’s, how we love thee. And now they offer a range of fun wedding styles perfect for that laid-back Bride who also wants to give back to those in need. Our favorites? These petal colored loves

6. The gorgeous wood chargers at this Florida wedding almost sent us into swoon overdrive. Granted not every venue offers such lovely plating but these Acacia dessert plates are pretty stand-ins and could even be used sparingly. Think one per table with succulents or flowers set atop

7. For that organic feel, a lovely herb sprig at each setting does wonders and smells quite nice too and mixed with potted succulent centerpieces? Organic, green, herbal heaven.

Invitation: William Arthur / Succulents: JM Succulents / Silhouette Portrait: Etsy shop OutOfAlabaster/ Honey Jar: Baby Showers.net / Wedding Dress: J. Crew / Shoes: Tom’s / Wood Plate: Crate and Barrel / Herbs: Hub Pages

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Post tags: Apalachicola, Buying Guide, Red Fly Studio
Post categories: Look for Less, Shoes, The Blog, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

Before we delve into the photos fully, let’s take a few minutes to fully appreciate the highlight of this great wedding, as captured by AwesomeShot Studios.

V.Sattui Winery Wedding: April and Dave from AwesomeShot Studios on Vimeo

That adorable parasol is from Customized Wedding Creations.

More fun in the gallery!

For some, it’s the dress. For others, it’s the food. For us, it was the details. As Dave and I started planning our wedding, we decided early on that the small but memorable touches would be the most important aspect of our big day. We met in high school and Dave (who is an unbelievable artist!) would draw adorable cartoon pictures of me during class. They never failed to brighten my day! Staying “forever young” has had such a positive impact on our relationship and that motto served as an inspiration for the most important elements of our wedding day.

Early in our planning process, my husband drew a cartoon illustration of the two of us as he imagined us on our wedding day and that served as the signature design for our wedding. We used it on our wedding website, hand-crafted invitation suite, program and menu cards, wine glass favors, and even a personalized cake topper that was a labor of love by a close friend. Other DIY aspects of our wedding day included coloring books and crayon kits for the kids, table numbers featuring childhood photos from each year, wine cork placecards, a cupcake stand and paper cones holding flower petals for tossing.

We were also lucky enough to win a beautiful parasol from Customized Wedding Creations and purchased a few products from Etsy to match the theme of the event. I also loved working with my husband to create our interactive wedding website, which featured an “Our Story” video, video introductions to each member of the bridal party, quizzes about ourselves and the bridal party, links to fun Bay Area activities for the out-of-town guests and a video and photo gallery.

We were married at our favorite winery, V. Sattui, which is a family-owned vineyard in the heart of Napa Valley. The rustic courtyard and rising stone tower with balcony provided the perfect backdrop for our day – and the staff could not have been more friendly! Our color palette of sage green, blush pink and chocolate brown complemented V. Sattui’s dark wood elements and pale pink florals.

Dave’s gift to me on our wedding day included an illustration of him pushing me on a swing with the caption, “I can’t wait to never grow up with you.” A pretty perfect summary of how I felt that day. We enjoyed our wedding day from start to finish and both felt so relaxed as we watched our family and friends discover all the elements we had created with such love and care. Seeing the look on my husband’s face as I walked toward him down the aisle is a moment within a day that I’ll never forget.

Venue: V. Sattui Winery / Photography: Michele Beckwith Photography / Cinematography: AwesomeShot Studios / Catering: Elaine Bell Catering / Cake: Sift Cupcakes / Cake Topper: Candicakes / Parasol: Customized Wedding Creations / Flowers: VBKirk Flowers & Events / Day-of Coordinator: Events by Darlene / DJ: Close-Cut Productions / Pianist: Wine Country Piano Music & Strings

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Post tags: AwesomeShot Studios, California, Candicakes, Close-Cut Productions, Customized Wedding Creations, Elaine Bell Catering, Events by Darlene, Michele Beckwith Photography, Napa Valley, Sift Cupcakes, V. Sattui Winery, VBKirk Flowers & Events, Wine Country Piano Music & Strings
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Cinematography, Wedding Details

see the FULL shoot here!

Always inspired by fashion, we drew our inspiration for this Fall shoot from the classic all American brand Ralph Lauren. We wanted to translate the Ralph Lauren themes of tradition and elegance into a fall-appropriate tablescape, dessert table and bridal look. To achieve this we used a quiet color palate of neutrals and infused natural earthy elements into the floral design to keep the overall design from feeling stuffy. We chose the lovely Nixon Library as our venue since it captured the feeling of a grand estate hosting an intimate affair in the gardens. For the bride, we choose a beautiful lace A-Line dress from L’ezu for its classic lines and subtle detailing, including the pleated chiffon skirt, and silk covered buttons down the back. To play up Ralph Lauren’s equestrian heritage we took some fun shots with the dress paired of elegant riding boots and a simple blusher veil adorned with a few pheasant feathers (pheasants being another classic fixture in Ralph Lauren). The bride’s jewelry was kept simple; a beaded necklace in fall bronze, gold and silver was garnished with a chocolate brown ribbon, and a gold flower cuff adorned her wrist.

For the tablescape we went with a natural farmhouse wooden table, a cream linen runner, khaki linen hemstitch napkins and a narrow burlap overlay. The main centerpiece was created from a few bunches of dried ‘bunny tail’ foliage finished off with a satin mocha ribbon. Keeping the overall simple and elegant aesthetic in mind, we went with a white, cream and black floral theme infused with a few pheasant feathers and pops of fresh greenery for added texture and visual interest. The table flowers and the bridal bouquet were created using hyndrangea, white China mums, lisianthus, tuberose and dahlias. The asymmetrical bridal bouquet’s handle was adorned with a four inch wide oversize gemstone trim mounted to a mocha tulle, finished off with a thin silk ribbon bow for a rich, layered feel that was completely unique. Baked from Scratch baked the goodies for our Ralph Lauren inspired dessert table, including the simple white cake which we adorned with pheasant feathers and dried bunny tails. Marshmallow squares, sweet potato whoopie pies, mini meringues and bite sized donuts were some of the delicious little treats on the dessert table spread.

Photography: Studio 28 Photo / Planning and Styling: The Stylish Soiree / Venue: Nixon Library / Desserts: Batch From Scratch / Flowers: Stylish Soiree / Dress: L’ezu Beverly Hills

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Post tags: L'ezu Beverly Hills, Nixon Library, Photo Shoot, Studio 28 Photo, Stylish Soiree
Post categories: Accessories, Bouquets, Centerpieces, Photo Shoot, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Style

see more from this gorgeous shoot here!

From Jennifer Bergman…

In Alberta, Canada, there is a very short window of time between the end of summer and the first snowfall. Our goal of this shoot was to capture the warmth of the Prairie landscape in autumn, and so we crossed our fingers that Mother Nature would cooperate and we set to work designing a Rustic Prairie tablescape that harmonized natural and artificial elements with vintage and modern flair. Radelle from Eternal Reflections Photography found a quaint fishing pond in the country located just outside of Edmonton – at first sight we knew it was a perfect fit! The table itself became our focal point for the shoot as we contemplated how to let the beautiful Alberta countryside really shine through. Glass was the obvious choice for a tabletop! Small stumps wedged between two identical glass tops created a unique double-paned effect. We decided to contrast the rustic, natural setting with acrylic ghost chairs from Special Event Rentals. The chairs also provided the modern touch that we wanted to ensure was present. The table base was a tad trickier to execute! With the help of an experienced woodsman (my husband!), we set off to our family tree farm to cut the perfect stumps to support our table.

We chose a neutral palette for the florals and focused on layers and texture to give the table incredible depth. Janine and James – the highly talented floral designers from La Piazza Dasee – filled the double-paned glass table with rustic floral elements, lace, vintage pearls and cameos. Their creativity truly came to life when designing the bride’s fan-inspired bouquet – it was fabulous! To add romance, we incorporated lace throughout many elements of the shoot. Lace trim was hand-sewn to the crisp, white napkins and we tied lace ribbon around the edible guest favors – scrumptious individual servings of bread pudding. Our favorite project involved spraying a lace pattern onto cylinder glass vases with white floral paint – the effect was phenomenal!

The true “Martha Stewart” that she is, Jenelle from PinkPolka Wedding Design added a homespun touch to many of the stationery elements. From sewing escort flags out of Prairie-inspired fabric to the matching invitation pocket, every detail was carefully considered. The day turned out to be sunny and warm (by Alberta standards) and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this collaboration of local talent. Enjoy!

Event Design and Styling: Jennifer Bergman Weddings and PinkPolka Wedding Design / Photography: Radelle from Eternal Reflections Photography / Floral Design: La Piazza Dasee / Stationery Design: PinkPolka Wedding Design / Chairs & Dinnerware: Special Event Rentals / Models: Jill Billingsley and Levi McIsaac / Hair and Makeup: Perugia Salon & Spa / Bride’s Gown: YBF2  / Bride’s Ring: Georgie Designs / Clutch: Bella Fiore / “Love” Hanger: The Painted House and More / Groom’s Suit: Vintage Ralph Lauren  / Custom Made Tie: Tie Obsessed / “Edmonton” Cufflinks: Arete

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Post tags: Bella Fiore, Canada, Eternal Reflections Photography, Jennifer Bergman Weddings, La Piazza Dasee, Photo Shoot, PinkPolka Wedding Design, Ralph Lauren, Special Event Rentals, Tie Obsessed
Post categories: Bouquets, Centerpieces, Photo Shoot, The Blog, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Invitations & Stationery, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Style

you can find even more inspiration here!

From Amy Majors Photography…

The inspiration for this shoot began with a small piece of scrapbook paper which had a design in tiffany blue and orange. I loved the way these colors worked together so the search was on to find fabrics that reflected and coordinated with this color scheme. Once found, these fabrics set the tone of the event as a lively, outdoor garden party. In retrospect it is fun to consider how the whole design took shape, as one detail determined the next. Tara, the florist of A Day in Provence, did an amazing job of mixing sweet and whimsical flowers with brightly colored fruit to draw out the colors of the pattern in the floral fabric of the table runner. Each place setting was further adorned with dainty ranunculus blossoms. In order to pull in the colors of the overall scheme, Tara used tiffany blue ribbon on the bridal bouquet covered with crocheted lace. The floral print from the fabric was also repeated on the paper pieces designed by Sarah of A Milestone Paper Co. The playful invitations she designed captured the feel of the event with hand-stitched embellishments and intricate calligraphy by Rosann Konieczny. Personalized drink stirrers replaced the usual place cards for a creative twist. Sarah also carried out the vision I had of attaching baskets to the bride and groom’s chairs as a way to drop in sweet love notes for each of them.

Of course, no wedding inspiration shoot would be complete without a lavish sweets table. Laurie of Cocoa & Fig created all of the lovely (and delicious!) desserts complete with an elegant two-tiered cake, coconut garnished cupcakes, french macarons in just the right shade of orange, fabulous lemon and raspberry trifle dessert shooters, and cake pops drizzled with orange icing. Because the overall feel was more casual, it seemed that a wedding dress for our model with clean lines, enhanced by special extras would be the perfect fit. From the a.b. Ellie jeweled sash to the cropped veil and stunning jewelry by Erica Koesler to the Lila Couture dress to the Benjamin Adams shoes, all were graciously provided by Posh Bridal Couture. Amber of Smart & Chic Bride finished the model’s look with amazing hair and flawless makeup; combining playfulness and elegance.

Photography: Amy Majors Photography / Floral Design: A Day in Provence / Invitation & Paper Design: A Milestone Paper Co. / Calligraphy: Rosann Konieczny / Cake and Desserts: Cocoa and Fig / Dress and Bridal Accessories: Posh Bridal Couture / Hair & Makeup:  Amber Brenke of Smart & Chic Bride / Models: Lydia Livingston & Sean Mailen

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Post tags: A Day in Provence, A Milestone Paper Co., Amy Majors Photography, Cocoa and Fig, Photo Shoot, Posh Bridal Couture, Rosann Konieczny Calligraphy, Smart and Chic Bride
Post categories: Bouquets, Calligraphy, Centerpieces, Photo Shoot, The Blog, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Invitations & Stationery, Wedding Photography, Wedding Style

photography by Art of Love /cookies by Whipped Bakeshop -   click here to see all of the gorgeousness!

So hold on to your hats, kids. We’re doing Halloween SMP style…with the most gorgeous details you can imagine and weddings that are as whimsical as they are chic. Back in a flash!

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Post tags: Beautiful Blooms, Donna O'Brien, Halloween
Post categories: Wedding Details, Wedding Flowers

Fall even more in love with this shoot here!

From DM Events…

We can not imagine a more quintessentially perfect time of year than Autumn in New York City! As designers, we are inspired by the colors, textures, and most of all the feeling of a crisp Autumn day – it is the perfect time of year to Fall In Love. Through the years we have designed many fall-themed events filled with apples, pumpkins, leaves, and all the New England goodness you can imagine. As we planned for this shoot, we wanted to capture the regal side of Fall – a season not just filled with whimsy, but also grace. We stopped into Classic Party Rentals where we discovered an unique silverware set and amazing stemware collection that was reminiscent of a “grown-up” society dinner party (think the Rockefellers circa the early 1900s) – at that moment the fate of the shoot was sealed! The next challenge was to bring in fall colors without deferring to a traditional orange and red palette – we decided to stay true to the organic aesthetic of our venue and use burgundy and a variety of browns. This time of year the flower district is full of Cockscomb flowers – and we used the uniqueness of the shape to balance out the softness of the dahlias. We wanted to incorporate dried flowers into the arrangements and bouquets to reflect the harvest aspect of fall.

Next, we were off to find the décor! Scouring antique stores and boutique shops is honestly one of our favorite tasks! We found tons of copper and oversized wooden pieces that worked together like magic! The copper played up the regal aspect of the shoot, while the wooden pieces were a warm accent, keeping us true to the Fall season. We are always looking for an excuse to use Kraft paper but needed to ensure that we could still maintain the richness of our vision. This type of detail is what Jenna of Love, Jenna is best at! She paired the Kraft paper with fabulous paper patterns and her brilliant calligraphy in metallic inks. If you have any doubts about the pairing, just look at the scroll menu she created – we literally fell in love when we saw it! (And wasn’t that the whole point of the shoot )

The dessert bar was divine in every way! Nine Cakes created all the sweet creations with flavors ranging from Apple Cinnamon Caramel to Pumpkin Walnut Maple. We knew the dessert bar was a perfect place to introduce our copper antique finds – we coupled them with mercury candles and the vintage fall look came to life! Gabriella New York provided the beautiful Ulla Maija dress. The question remained… where should we showcase the dress? The most obvious place was the wine rack set against an exposed brick wall of the venue, but we rarely do anything that’s typical! So we brought in a vintage Louis Vinton trunk (every girl’s dream!) and the result was, once again, magical!

Styling, Design, and Florals: DM Events / Photography: Allan Zepeda / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Calligraphy: Love, Jenna / Cake: Nine Cakes / Dress: Bianca by Ulla Maija, provided by Gabriella New York / Location: Private loft, Chelsea, NY

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Post tags: Allan Zepeda Photography, Chelsea, Classic Party Rentals, DM Events, Fall Inspiration, Gabriella New York, Love Jenna, New York Weddings, Nine Cakes, Photo Shoot, Ulla Maija
Post categories: Bouquets, Calligraphy, Centerpieces, Photo Shoot, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Style

From the ah-mazing Geneve Hoffman ….

This bride is a photographer, and a stylish one at that, so I was flattered that she chose me to document her wedding day. I knew it was going to be a perfect day the minute I arrived…Kate had all her details laid out for me in one of the rooms of a charming Colonial period bed and breakfast called Inn by the Bandstand in Exeter, New Hampshire. We used every nook and cranny of the inn for her details and bridal portraits.

Flag Hill Winery is one of my favorite wedding sites–the scenery and location make it a very sought after venue. Heather Houle and staff are on top of every detail and allowed Denise, the brides mom and wedding planner extraordinaire, to work her magic and transform the vineyard into a scene straight out of a lush Victorian novel.

Where to start with all the fun moments and details…Kate was the curator of her own wedding and over the past year has been collecting precious little items from sources like Palomas Nest, Pomp & Plumage at Etsy to name a few. Her invites arrived to guests door boxed and nestled in petite twigs with a hint of what is to come…two corks with the Flag Hill insignia. Her vintage inspired dress and accessories played well with her soft pink, leather brown, and ivory palette. The boys wore khaki suits and looked ready to play their part in the beautiful garden party love story to come.

{click on any of the detail shots and you’ll be linked to the gallery of full size images}

Guests were greeted by sweet romantic signs all around the vineyard, handmade by Kate. Each guest found their table number and favor, an engraved wine glass with Kate & Adam’s name and the wedding date (a Flag Hill Signature), inside an antique chicken coop dressed up in vintage lace. Tables had antique gilt frames and white washed urns neatly filled with baby pink hydrangeas, twigs, and hypericum berries. The linens were a custom ordered ivory and tan damask, and reflected the hanging parasols to create a warm, inviting space for guests under the tent.

Their interfaith ceremony took place on the grassy lawn facing the vines and was decorated with pink hydrangea and copper galvanized shephard hook arrangements. Kate’s happiness burst through during her poignant and stirring vows…not a dry eye to be seen! They waltzed all around the vineyard after the wedding, and I was lucky enough to be capturing every romantic and joyous moment. Guests enjoyed the merry photo booth run by my assistant Angela Avery and literally framed themselves with ornate old frames. Kate created a little “library” on the grounds complete with a vintage typewriter, school house chalkboard, and leather bound guest book. The children (of all ages, ahem!) enjoyed the vintage spinning tops and giant alphabet blocks. The hand made date banner rocked gently in the warm Summer afternoon breeze, and made a great prop too!

Kate and Adam played with the vintage camera’s–which were fitting for bride photographer! But Kate graciously left the real photos to me, and what a true pleasure it was. Guests whiled away the hours dancing to the swinging tunes of a 12 piece band, enjoying the surprising red velvet cake, sipping wine, and strolling the extensive vines. Perfect. Wedding. Day.

Congrats, Kate and Adam! – Geneve Hoffman, photographer

And now, from Kate, today’s beautiful bride …

Adam and I met a short three and a half years ago through his sister. I had no idea he was going to be my one and only. Planning our wedding was at times stressful, but a lot of fun – and in the end, VERY rewarding. I did a lot of, “Hun, is this ok?? Do you like this color for the dresses? Are you sure I can’t show you my dress?!?!?!” His support throughout the entire wedding process has made me love him more than ever. I couldn’t have done it without him. Obviously!

Our wedding weekend began at an inn built in the early 1800s where we had our rehearsal dinner and stayed the night. We booked out most of the inn with out of state family so the stay at the inn was extra special! Before I knew it, the wedding morning arrived and I was swept away to the vineyard where we would be having our ceremony and afternoon reception. Everything went by so quickly, but I was quite surprisingly composed throughout the whole thing! Even though my groom had forgotten his suit.

So as for a little background – I am a full time graphic designer and part time photographer. I had a vision from the beginning of our engagement of a very soft, romantic afternoon wedding. I’m guilty of stalking Style Me Pretty for endless hours for my inspiration. In fact, I believe I spent more time with SMP than with my fiancé throughout my whole engagement! When my photographer asked what our theme was, I told her… “Style Me Pretty!!” That is a theme, right?? But alas… we settled for vintage glam.

Once we found the perfect venue, everything just started to fall into place. I am a huge fan of Etsy and support all of the wonderful sellers there are out there. Most of my accessories for the big day were Etsy purchases and I’ve included all of the seller links, so be sure to stop by their shops and take a peak! I received so many compliments on my hair piece, jewelry, date banner, etc. and everyone asked, “Where did you get that?!” My favorite find had to be the vintage rosette headbands I purchased from Banner Boutique on Etsy for my 18 month old flower girl and 9 month old niece. They were a huge hit!

I designed all of my stationery for the wedding starting from the save the dates all the way through table numbers and menu cards. My goal for the entire wedding was to make everything as personable as possible, and it showed. Detail is everything, and it’s a whole lot of fun. Which leads to projects! Boy, I had a lot of projects. All of the furniture props you see were purchased at an antique shop here in New Hampshire and my father worked hard to fix them up. Our most talked about piece was our chicken coop! My mother had the idea of using the old coop as a wine glass holder. Each guest received an etched wine glass as their favor and the glasses also served as seating cards. I attached a small tag and hand wrote every name and table number for each guest. There were 16 compartments in the coop and there happened to be 15 tables plus our head table! Woo! With all of my ideas and projects galore, I maintained my vision. This was so important to me and to see it all come together was quite overwhelming. My parents and my aunt were a huge help with all of my DIY projects – right down to styrofoam letters and reupholstering an antique chair!

I wouldn’t have done a thing differently, except started sooner. If I had more time, I would have fit in a million more DIY tidbits. They really contributed to the whole ambiance of the wedding and we will forever be grateful for the friends and family who joined us on such a beautiful day!

Yay for Style Me Pretty “bride-style”

Bridal Prep Location: Inn By The Bandstand, Exeter / Photography: Geneve Hoffman Photography, NewYork, Maine / Hair & Makeup: Brittany Demaine of My Reis Salon / Cake: Candice French / Entertainment: Wicked Smart Horn Band / Flowers: Creative Gardens, Lee, NH / Event Planning & Design: Bride, with help of Mom / Ceremony & Reception Location: Flag Hill Winery, Lee NH / Bride Shoes: FiFi by Filippa Scott / Dress: Milana by Maggie Sottero from Madeleine’s Daughter / Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo Bridesmaids Shoes: Davids Bridal / Etsy Shops: Pomp & Plumage, Luxe Deluxe, Garter Lady, Well Wud Ja Look At That, Sushi Pot Parts, 31 Vintage Road / Lanterns: Luna Bazaar

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Post tags: Flag Hill Winery, Geneve Hoffman Photography, Maggie Sottero
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Vintage Chic, Wedding Decor, Wedding Details, Wedding Photography