We’re no strangers to a good giveaway here on SMP. In fact, we love ’em so much, we couldn’t help but team with with our faves at BaubleBar for another sparkly extravaganza! And this time around, we’re spreading the love with $500 buckaroos toward the fabulous Style Me Pretty collection. Talk about the perfect treat for you and your girls!

So here’s how it’s going to go! You’ve got to pin it to win it, so just follow BaubleBar + Style Me Pretty on Pinterest, create a new board titled “BaubleBar x Style Me Pretty,” and get to pinning! Fill up that board with all your wedding inspirations (including 10 pieces of BaubleBar jewelry), tag each pretty pin with #BBWeddings and #stylemepretty, and voilà! You’re entered for the grand prize of a lifetime.

Get those pinboards started because the contest ends on Nov. 19th at midnight. Crossing our fingers for you, lovelies! xoxo

If you’ve spent any length of time around our pages over the course of the last few months chances are you’ve already come across In Honor of Design and some of her incredible monthly projects. As our DIY contributor, she’s kind of aces (and no, we’re not biased!) But did you know she also has style for days? Scratch that. Years! As a busy mom of three small children, this girl does everything but let her style fall by the wayside. So let’s take a peek at her must-have wardrobe essentials, shall we?

Denim (or skinny jeans)! That pair of jeans that feel as if they were made for you (even if it takes 20 pairs to find them!) The ones that make you feel your best and will be comfortably worn whether you’re hanging around the house, running around doing errands, or dressing up for dinner.

A soft v-neck tee. Pair it with a blazer, a maxi and statement necklace, or just your favorite jeans.

A midi skirt makes a girl feel feminine and fun while allowing some comfortable versatility!

I don’t know any other type of boot to be as versatile as the ankle boot. Bonus? It’s flattering for almost every leg size and shape.

A leather tote is an absolute must have. I can’t imagine facing the day without. I use a carry all bag to tote around my life on the go, but it’s also a fun way to complete a look.

Blogger & Photography: In Honor Of Design | Boots: Sole Society | Leather Purse: BaliELF | Pink Midi Skirt: ASOS | Skinny Jeans: Shopbop | V Neck: J.Crew

There is something about a Southern wedding that draws you in with all five senses. They drip with romance, and when you throw in Urban Poppy’s florals you get something like this – whose beauty could be straight out of a Nicholas Sparks novel. The couple at the center of the big day, captured by Our Labor of Love by Heidi, is not just beautiful and so much fun, but they are so sweetly in love that you can feel it radiating through your screen.

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From the stunning bride… When Sam proposed to me using our at-home karaoke machine, surprising me with his rendition of “Try a Little Tenderness,” I burst into tears and erupted into laughter. Which is, I think, the best way to describe our relationship—slightly offbeat, fun AND funny, but very much in tune. We wanted a wedding that would celebrate those qualities—while also being laid-back and low key.

For the ceremony and reception we chose Belfair, a private golf community just over the bridge from Hilton Head Island in Bluffton, South Carolina. With its historic oaks, scenic bluffs, and moss-shaded streets, we knew it would be the perfect location for an outdoor spring wedding. Florist Anissa Manzo of Urban Poppy created soft, colorful arrangements to balance the well-groomed golf course environment, and added touches of nautical whimsy to the bridal party bouquets and aisle markers—a theme established in our invitation suite from Callie Burnette of Calliespondence.

Music and food were among our biggest priorities, so we let the region’s delicacies inform the menu and the local sounds inspire our music. Our guests feasted on fresh oysters and a “Lowcountry Boil” from the Bluffton Oyster Company for our rehearsal dinner, and ended the night in song with karaoke. For the wedding, we wanted our guests to mix, mingle, and dance all night, so we opted for a Southern-style reception, with food stations and open seating. The Belfair catering was incredible—shrimp and grits, fried chicken, she-crab soup, Charleston red rice—and Signe’s bakery created the most delightful key lime almond cake.

Sam and I love college a cappella music, so he sought out The College of Charleston’s Chucktown Trippintones, who sang me down the aisle to an incredible arrangement of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” For our reception music, we were lucky enough to gather an ensemble of touring Southern rock musicians that played a custom set list. The whole wedding weekend felt like one giant party, and we loved it.

My one “D.I.Y.” project was creating a photo guest book with pictures of Sam and I with our guests—to be signed like a yearbook. I also gathered and framed wedding photos of our immediate family members for a wedding photo table inside the reception. My late grandmother collected bottles, so we used some of her treasured antiques to hold tiny blooms around the frames.

I was very emotional on the big day, and I give enormous credit to our photographer, Heidi Geldhauser from Our Labor of Love, for capturing all of my very genuine feelings in those moments. I wanted the day to unfold organically—for her to focus on the moments that captured the entire wedding day, without forcing us into staged shots that weren’t authentic to us and our friends. She was creative and artistic and helped us keep the focus on the fun of our actual day, and we couldn’t have been happier.

Photography: Our Labor of Love by Heidi | Floral Design: Urban Poppy | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Cake: Signe's Heaven Bound Bakery and Cafe | Stationery: Calliespondence | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Belfair Plantation | Makeup: Jill Liebel | Hair: Salon 1050e | Groom's Suit: H. Freeman & Son, Inc. for Hunt Club Clothiers | Groomsmen Suits: Jos. A. Bank | Ceremony Music: Chucktown Trippintones | Venue: Belfair Plantation | Reception Music: The Last Waltz Ensemble

When it comes to beauty, Mar Romero knows her stuff. Not only is she hair and makeup stylist to red carpet stars, but she knows how to make any bride feel beautiful from the inside out. So when we asked Mar to share her tips for that flawless wedding day skin, she delivered big time. Armed with her favorite L’Oreal products and Mi Belle on hand, she whipped up a simple skincare guide that’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Oh, and if you missed Mar and Jose Villa’s amazing cover shoot in this year’s Fashion & Beauty e-mag, do yourself a favor and prepare to swoon.

From Mar… I’m all about great skin! I was inspired to do this skincare segment because I want brides to know it’s so important to their wedding day look to have great skin. I believe in prepping the skin, taking care of your skin rather than using makeup to cover up imperfections, use it to enhance your natural beauty.

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Photography: Mi Belle | Skincare: Mar of TEAM | Products: L’Oreal Revitalift Wipes, L’Oreal Revitalift Eye Cream, L’Oreal Face Serum, L’Oreal Primer, L’Oreal Luminizer

I love a dash of neon or a fabulous sequin blazer just as much as the next girl but if there’s one thing I’ve learned when it comes to your wardrobe workhorses; it’s that classics are always in. A good bag or that perfectly worn in pair of riding boots can complete an outfit for years to come. Investing in quality is also a major do and we’ve taken the leg work out of finding just the right staples. Have a look at our round-up of twelve wardrobe classics that are a total must for your closet.

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Jeans: J.Crew Toothpick Jean | Nude Pumps: Pour La Victoire Marcie Pumps | Scarf: Madewell Mountain Shadow Scarf | Blazer: Gap Wool Academy Blazer | Clutch: Anthropologie Panthera Beaded Clutch | Boots: J.Crew Dean Boots |  White T-shirt: Zasha V Neck t-shirt | Statement Necklace: Nocturne Sandi Necklace | Bra: Faire Frou Frou Mimi Holliday Bra | Dress: Misook Sleeveless Jersey Dress | Leather Tote: Madewell Transport Tote | Trench Coat: J.Crew Collection Icon Trench

Allure Bridals is a powerhouse when it comes to wedding day attire and their collection of goodies isn’t just limited to dresses. Think gorgeous accessories including jeweled sashes and classic white heels to pair with all those stunning gowns AND some very dashing looks for your Groom too. It’s the total package. For our recently debuted Beauty & Fashion E-Magazine, we teamed up with Allure to showcase a style guide built around Lace Romance. Have a look at how we styled a classic lace gown…

Gown: Allure Romance Style 2700 |  Sash: Allure Bridals Style s73 |  Shoes: Allure Bridals Style Danica | Earrings: BAUBLEBAR Mixed Crystal Drops | Nailpolish: Essie Poppy Art Pink | Suit: Allure Men by Jean Yves

This look is all about the delicateness of lace and timeless beauty, plus adds a layer of glamour that we can so get behind. And the Allure Bridals collections don’t stop there. From modern, to vintage and our much beloved classic styles, they have many a pretty options to choose from. So much so, you might have a hard time deciding just what look you love the most. Get started perusing everything Allure Bridals has to offer right here.

Overflowing with style and spunk, this wedding captured by Studio Sixty Photography is one for the books. With DIYs that will leave you dreaming for days, florals that will have you begging for more, and a couple that just seems like they were made for each other – this gallery is as good as they get. See it all here.

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From Studio Sixty Photography…I give you Emily and Matt. Gorgeous, stunning couple with oodles of taste and style. Married on her parents stunning property in Tenterfield, this wedding had it all. A stunning Paul Hunt dress, designer suit and tie, beautiful and breathtaking floral displays. Every single detail was taken care of and thought out except, and it is the exceptions that often make the wedding day, the crazy, unpredictable weather. Pouring, torrential rail hampered the outdoor ceremony but made for some stunning and moody images.

From the Bride…Our wedding as a joyful, intimate & colourful wedding in a country setting at my family’s Angus beef cattle property “Knockdon Park” in Tenterfield, NSW. On first impressions, Jason from Studio Sixty Photography is an easy going, friendly and trendy guy; all of which ticked boxes for me. We got talking about our wedding and Jason’s enthusiasm for mine was really reassuring that he wanted to take spectacular photos as much as I wanted spectacular photos captured of our day. Even though Jason is based in Brisbane he didn’t even blink an eye that my wedding was being held 3.5hrs from Brisbane. Jason and his extra photographer met me at the farm on the morning of our wedding, we all jumped in the car and headed off to a few spots on the farm our stockman and gardener had picked out as special spots for photos to be taken (the ceremony didn’t start until 4pm so we had plenty of time). Jason was so enthusiastic. He jumped out of the car in a paddock, pulled out his camera and started firing. I was so happy he had liked the areas we had chosen; However I was yet to realise it would all go to waste. Sadly the rain started to fall half an hour before the ceremony was due to start. I didn’t even think about where we would now take photos! I soon found out that Jason had selected other areas around the house I had not even noticed! For example the unusual tree standing alone in a paddock with the storm cloud covered mountains in the background; the wide-angle photo of this is magnificent.

We had the ceremony and reception in the garden surrounding the farm house. The ceremony was meant to be in the garden, however due to the rain was moved into the marquee where the reception was also held.

Matty and I didn’t think about what we would do for our first dance until about 6weeks out from the wedding. We ended up taking dancing classes and managed to fit in about 7 lessons before our wedding. Unfortunately this wasn’t enough lessons and we could only remember 4 of the moves! We just repeated what we could remember…

For DIY details, we use a lolly buffet as our ‘favours’ to our guests. For the lolly bags, I ordered a personalised stamp from Etsy (“a sweet thank you, Matthew & Emily”) and brown paper bags and stamped all the bags. I also covered the inside of large photo frames with floral fabric and wrote some lovely quotes with wooden letters. “Oh darling let’s be forever”, ” I want to hold hands and waste Friday nights with you”, & “grow old with me the best is yet to be” these hung behind the bar.

During the winter months, when the leave had fallen, we cut many branches from the tortured willow on our property. We bundled them up with the help of or dear friends, property manager/stockman Paul, and gardener Nicci and stored them in the old wool shed.

Our gardener Nicci suggested we use wooden electrical cable reels as dry bars and coffee tables. When turned on their sides they make a great platform. We white-washed the small ones as they were going inside the marquee but left the large ones natural as they were outside in the garden. They were sourced from a local business. Thankfully our stockman organised to get them to the farm which I heard was quite the ordeal! They had to make a number of trips as they were so big and use the tractor to load and unload them!

We also sourced (of course not from our property) some very old and dried bovine skulls over the leading months, our florist had a great idea to stick flowers in the eye sockets to make for interesting detail! Just one of the many creative ideas our wonderful florist had.

The most exciting time for me was seeing all the planning come together in a flurry of activity on the morning of our wedding. Kate Dawes the florist arrived early with a van FULL of flowers and 3 helpers, Excel Hire from Brisbane arrived with a massive truck full of the hire equipment and 4people, our friend and chef Lien Yoeman arrived with two car loads if people (chefs and waiters) even a young Vietnamese man who is one of her star students in the cooking school she has set up in Vietnam that helps to give young people skills to enable them to get a job; our wedding planner Angie Rogers and one helper ( though I think she could have done with several helpers!); our outstanding photographer Jason Starr and his assistant; my dad and his friend testing all the lighting they had put up trees; our gardener and close family friend Nicci mowing the lawn to have it looking its best; our stockman and family friend Paul sorting all the generators needed to power the event; the farm was a buzz of activity and excitement. I had the whole morning to enjoy the excitement with my two sisters!

As it was raining, I walked over the grass from the house to the marquee with my Dad, under umbrellas held by our wedding planner Angie. My bridesmaids (who are also my sisters) walked from the house in gumboots and changed into their high heels that were neatly placed inside the entrance by Angie. One of those moments I will never forget is when I entered the marquee. I had my head down (to shield my face from any rain) and the organza skirt of my wedding dress all bunched up in my hands, I stepped inside, the music started, I dropped all the fabric bunched up in my hands, looked up and caught a glimpse of Matty through the crowd..

I will also never forget the moment I got to the top of the aisle, turned around to face all our family and friends and said to Matty “everyone looks so good”! Our guests had really gone all out, and many were wearing beautiful hats as encouraged in the invitations.

Excel Hire from Brisbane who brought everything from the marquee, kitchen for the chef to the cutlery, were amazing. Nothing was too much trouble for the team of four men who made the trip to Tenterfield. The guys set up the kitchen for our chef, helped the florist hang the tortured willow inside the marquee, they had even packed extra items, just in case we needed them! Excel Events are obviously used to putting on large scale events, much larger than our wedding, as they knew exactly what I needed. They helped a lot with quantities of items needed and visualising the space of the marquee and the furniture inside.

Kate Dawes of Kate Dawes Flower Design: so creative. I just told her that I loved hydrangeas, she suggested peonies as well, gave her an idea of the things I had come up with, and the rest I left to her. I loved that she use the native flower kangaroo paw, mixed with roses, peonies and rosemary in the boys button holes. I wanted a wrist corsage as I didn’t like the idea of having to hold a bunch of flowers all day then leave them on a table for the rest of the night; I wanted to have flowers on me all day and night! From the breath-taking wreath hanging from the ceiling to the small detail of flowers hanging in trees, it was all magnificent.

Angie Rogers of Tickled Pink Events: Angie helped me all the way through from styling to organizing  She really came into her own when it started raining just 30mins before the ceremony was due to start and she had to re-organize the whole ceremony! She ran the day to a tee; I didn’t find out until weeks later that there was a major power problem between the ceremony and reception, she sorted it out and I was none the wiser! A perfect wedding planner.

Photography: Studio Sixty Photography | Wedding Planner: Tickled Pink | Flowers: Kate Dawes Flower Design | Cakes: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Brides Shoes: Charlotte Olympia Dolly Slingback from Jean Brown | Bridesmaids Shoes: Karen Walker | Bridesmaids Dresses: Karen Walker | Caterer: Lien Yeomans | Makeup: Eva Bergstrom | Hair: Eva Bergstrom | Groomsmen Bowties: Burberry | Grooms Attire: Hugo Boss | Groomsmen Attire: Rhodes & Beckett | Ceremony Music: Radio Club Band | Brides Dress: Paul Hunt | Brides Jewellery: Charlotte Olympia Dolly Slingback from Jean Brown | Bridesmaids Hats: Felicity Boevink | Grooms Bowtie and Pocket Square: Elie Saab | Grooms Shoes: Hugo Boss | Marquee and Event Hire: Excel Hire | Reception Music: Radio Club Band

This is the kind of duo that just knows how to have a good time.  The kind of duo that announces they are tying the knot and you simply can.not.wait for their wedding.  Because if anyone is going to throw a drop-dead gorgeous + super fun soiree, it’s these two… and it’s one that is chock-full of beautiful details and heartwarming moments that will seriously take your breath away.  See it all captured by Blissfully Illuminated Fine Art Photography in the full gallery.

From Blissfully Illuminated Fine Art Photography… Capturing the love between Marissa and Davin on their wedding day was such a joy! After shooting their urbex engagement, we couldnt wait to see their beautiful wedding would be like.

M + D chose the Wayfarers Chapel in Racho Palos Verdes, California to say their I do’s. Seated on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean in a garden of young redwoods, the glass chapel was designed by Llyod Wright to be natural sanctuary. Marissas elegant lace wedding gown paired with the modern and romantic architecture of the chapel was breathtaking!

Their reception was held at the Cabrillo Marina in San Pedro. The bride and groom shared their vision with their friend and designer, Liz Mahlo, who brought the marina to life with bold colors and patterns, vintage props, and one of our favorite decorations – the ribbon divider! Marissa shared one of the sweetest dances with her father while her brother played a ukulele version of Butterfly Kisses. Twinkling lights strung across the courtyard amplified the romance of the evening, and laughter and silly dancing filled the dance floor. As the sun set and the moon rose higher, Davin serenaded his wifey under the stars with his guitar, with friends and family singing along. All of the love in the air pointed to one thing the love between M+D is brings great joy to everyone around them, and they will surely be missed! The happy couple departed the next day for their honey-move to Hawaii, where they will make their new home together. We couldn’t be happier for them! Mahalo, and blessings, to M+D!

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Photography: Blissfully Illuminated Fine Art Photography | Cinematography: 24kt Sound + Video | Dress:Shelly at Dressing Up, Orange, California | Floral Design: Paula Vasin | Ceremony Venue: Wayfarers Chapel, Racho Palos Verdes, California | Reception Venue: The Plaza at Cabrillo Marina, San Pedro, California | Bride’s Shoes: BCBGeneration | Caterer: Love at First Bite | Event Planning: Liz Mahlo 

Oh SMPers, you are going to love this beauty from Whitney Krutzfeldt  with all your wedding-loving hearts. I know this, because I do. It’s just pure perfection from the details to the gorgeous couple to the stunning outdoor setting – really, there isn’t a single thing sitting in this gallery that I don’t just adore, and you can see every last (lovely) moment right here.

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From the Bride… I had always dreamed of a beautiful, summer outdoor wedding, and thankfully the man of my dreams was on board for this as well! Living in such a rainy part of North America (Vancouver area, BC), this made us extremely nervous, but we felt the risk was worth it. We were blessed with the sunniest July Vancouver had seen in years, and a perfect, sunny wedding day.

Heron’s Bridge was our preferred location from the moment we laid eyes on the property, and the beautiful garden venue was exactly what I had always dreamed of. The landscaping, gardening and unique touches all over the property were perfect compliments to my vision for decorating.

Natural, simple, neutral colors have long been my favorite looks for any type of decorating, and I loved incorporating them all throughout our venue. My bridesmaids wore light grey, floor length chiffon dresses that brought an elegant simplicity to the wedding party. The groomsmen sported a classic look, in dark charcoal suits and bow ties.

I searched for the perfect dress, and always found a flaw in the strong options to make me hesitant to commit. Thankfully, a good family friend is an incredibly talented seamstress and designer, and she offered to custom design my dream dress. It was so special to have a dress that was completely unique to me, and the finished product fit my vision exactly. Working towards designing my own dress was such an amazing experience, between the fittings and brainstorming, and I was so thrilled with how it all turned out.

Looking back on our wedding day, it seems like every aspect went flawlessly. One of our favorite parts was Brendon’s dad officiating the ceremony. It was so personal for us, and no other officiator would have been along for our entire relationship journey like his dad was. We have such a strong community of friends and family who supported us throughout the process and sharing the day with them was an amazing blessing.

Photography: Whitney Krutzfeldt Photography | Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo | Men's Attire: Tallia | Flower girl dresses: Paradise Tutu’s | Reception and Ceremony: Herons Bridge | Second Shooter: Taryn Baxter | Wedding decor: Dream Day Designs

You know how we like to kick off our Thursday mornings?  With a big ol’ dose of cuteness, that’s how. And when that cuteness comes to us in the form of a drop-dead gorgeous engagement session captured by Christy Tyler Photography?  Awesome.  Because what’s better than two cuties in love, the Chicago skyline and one image after another of pretty?  Absolutely nothing. See it all right here in the full gallery.

From Christy Tyler Photography… Sean and Trisha live in San Diego currently, but Trisha is originally from Chicago and they will be getting married here at the Newberry Library this October. For their engagement session they wanted to showcase the stunning city that Chicago is and hit up as many locations that scream “Chicago” in our time together as possible… starting at sunset at the river walk and finishing at dusk with a skyline view you can’t beat!

These two are so beautifully at ease together and we had the best time heading from location to location together, capturing not only the gorgeous city that is Chicago – but more importantly their beautiful love!!

Photography: Christy Tyler Photography

Right about now, as the temps have dropped and forecasters are predicting snow flurries (what?!), I’m more ready than ever to plan my tropical getaway! And what better place, my dears, than the brand new Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort! Opening next month, the amazingly gorgeous resort boasts spacious suites, breathtaking views and incredible golf + dining all secluded in the exclusive community of Puerto Los Cabos! So whether you’re planning destination “I do’s,” a fabulous honeymoon or just a mid-winter getaway, look no further than this amazing new resort.

I mean, does it get any more beautiful than that?! Surrounded by the mountains, Baja desert and Sea of Cortez, Secrets Puerto Los Cabos offers guests incredible views at every turn. Close to the Marina, you and your guests can partake in world-class fishing, gardens and an artisan walkway as well as world-class golf, dining at the resort’s eight restaurants and six bars and an incredible spa! Massages, anyone? And with a fabulous location only 30 minutes from the Los Cabos International Airport, it’s amazingly easy to escape to paradise! Oh, and did I mention the 3 miles of pristine beachfront and stunning wedding ceremony and reception locations? It doesn’t get much better than this, my dears!

Top it all off with Unlimited-Luxury® privileges, including 24-hour room service, daily refreshed mini-bar and more as well first floor suites offering swim-out access, and we’ve got my dream destination! Ready to book your Secrets Puerto Los Cabos getaway? Head over here for additional details and to get planning! Enjoy, my dears! xo

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What can I say about The Nichols, other than they seriously rock my world?  It’s like this talented twosome just lives for capturing drop-dead gorgeous weddings, and when they send one of their latest masterpieces our way, it’s akin to Christmas morning.  Need proof?  Check out this darling Fredericksburg gem, an oh-so-fabulous party mixed with some of the loveliest rustic details you will ever see (thank you, Maggie Gillespie Designs).  Get your pretty on right here in the full gallery.

From The Nichols… Kristen’s classic bridal style reminded me of Grace Kelly… such a stunning bride! The neutral palette of greens and whites suited her look so well. And the chevron-patterned table runners brought in just the right touch of modern to the natural decor. We were blown away by this new Texas Hill Country venue! Boot Ranch was a beautiful backdrop for Kristen + Kyle, and although the rain moved the ceremony indoors, nothing could put a damper on this joyful celebration! 

From the bride… Kyle and I had talked about our desire to get married outside, so when we decided on my hometown of Fredericksburg, we knew we wanted to highlight the beauty of the Texas Hill Country. Boot Ranch, located atop a hill with views stretching for miles, was the absolute perfect venue to do just that.

We wanted our wedding to feel comfortable and light, with the focus on bringing our family and close friends together in this beautiful place for a once in a lifetime celebration. We chose to let the beauty of the environment speak for itself, so complementary decor was selected that felt green and organic — we used clear vessels with lots of foliage and big white blooms, adding contemporary accents of chevron runners and succulents in glass, while keeping the color palette very clean and natural with greens, gray and touches of blue.

The night was filled with favorite moments: when rain showed up, our incredible design crew moved the wedding indoors so beautifully you couldn’t tell we hadn’t planned it that way. And for the rest of the night we celebrated with our friends and family, all together in one beautiful place, where we enjoyed delicious food and danced to a wonderful band that had everyone out on the dance floor all night. Altogether, the night was such a perfect one made even better with an unexpected surprise at the end. As Kyle and I made our exit under a happy shower of long sparklers, we found my dad unable to start the 1955 Bel Air convertible we were supposed to leave in. Kyle and I got into the car any way, hoping to get one last good photo. My new husband decided to give the car one more try and turned the key in the ignition — and the engine started right up as if it had been waiting for him, making that a perfect ending to a very special day.

Photography: Nichols Photographers | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Catering: Boot Ranch | Band: The Mott's | Wedding Venue: Boot Ranch | Bridal Boutique: Serendipity Bridal | Classic Car: Street Dreams | Floral and Event Designer: Maggie Gillespie Designs

I know this goes without saying, but… Cape Cod weddings are awesome.  They’re the perfect mix of preppy, classic and elegant, with a dash of whimsy for good measure.  And when we get our hands on a stunning Cape Cod affair like this one captured by Kristin Studio, we go just a tad bit crazy.  Because when the fabulous stylings of The Pink Polka Dot Events join forces with the amazing Chick Invitations and the Chatham Bars Inn, magical things happen.  See so much more right here.

And feast your eyes on even more lovely from Travis Wilber right here…

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From the Bride… Mike and I met almost eight years ago at our very first job out of college. Actually, we met at the interview months before we graduated and were both so excited to find out the other had gotten the job. He from Philly, and I from San Antonio, we packed up our stuff and moved to Chicago for a four month training program. It was there that our relationship grew strong enough to weather three years of long distance, when I moved back down to Dallas and Mike moved back to Philadelphia. Once I made the move to Philly, we spent every free weekend making the six hour drive up to Cape Cod. It could not have been more perfect! We loved everything about being there. It was back then we knew we wanted to get married there some day.

On March 16, 2012, Mike proposed to me days before we found out we would be transferred to Nashville for his job. As Mike packed up, I remained in Philadelphia for a few months as I tried to transfer my own position to Nashville. During that time, I took every opportunity to head up to the Cape to plan the wedding.

I immediately reached out to Jen Chagnon at The Pink Polka Dot to explain that I didn’t have much time before I would be planning this wedding from a thousand miles away. She was amazing! She guided us through finding vendors, gave me moral support, and kept me sane as I planned this shindig while moving half way across the country.

Finding the venue was hard. There are so many beautiful spots to get married there. Spending most of our time in Sandwich and Falmouth when we visited the Cape, we had never been to Chatham Bars Inn before we went for the tour (GASP!). It was absolutely perfect! It is quintessential Cape Cod. Our guests would all be traveling, and I wanted them to be able to experience the best of the Cape, in the short amount of time that they were there. With Chatham Main Street, Chatham Lighthouse and the beautiful scenic views of Chatham Bars Inn… I knew our guests would have it all!

It was the perfect day. Spent with the most amazing people. And we are so thankful to all of our amazing vendors that helped make it beautiful.

Photography: Kristin Studio | Cinematography: Travis Wilber | Event Planning: The Pink Polka Dot Events | Floral Design: All About Flowers For Weddings | Invitations: Chick Invitations | Ceremony Venue: Corpus Christi Parish | Reception Venue: Chatham Bars Inn | Makeup: Painted Red Nails, Emma Josselyn | Hair: Salon in the Mills, Sara Aspden | DJ: Cape Tunes

You know what would be a dream come true? If Buffy Dekmar could follow me around all day and make my life look lovely through her beyond talented lens. It only takes a little look at the gorgeous engagement session below to see that magic from her amazing eye unfold, and there is even more waiting for you right here.

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From Buffy Dekmar Photography…Lindsay and Cody are the kind of couple who are connected on every possible level. They can communicate without speaking. They have smiles for each other that relate far more than happiness. They are lovely as individuals, but there is a physical and visual completeness that makes them even more attractive as a couple. It was an honor to photograph them in and around Atlanta’s Poncey Highlands neighborhood against the autumn leaves and the golden sunset!

Photography: Buffy Dekmar Photography | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab

When the talented team at Hustle & Bustle pair up with a DIY bride the results are nothing short of magic. The planners and designers produce some of the most amazing weddings on their own, but add a ridiculously talented and resourceful bride into the mix and you’ve got this. A stunning outdoor wedding at Saddlerock Ranch, captured by B&G Photography that I’m predicting is going to be a trendsetter.

From the beautiful bride… Our wish was to make sure everyone had a blast and saw elements of “Caitlin + James” everywhere they looked. What really helped us achieve both was a theme throughout that represented us, lots of DIY touches, and making sure humor was sprinkled throughout. That last item served two purposes because I knew there would have to be lots of jokes to stop me from balling uncontrollably.

We looked at venues all the way from Tahoe to San Diego,but when we visited the Chateau at Saddlerock Ranch and Vineyards it was almost as natural of a decision as us knowing we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Amazing Malibu hills views, wine and zebras…what more could you want?

Next, we started thinking about possible themes…hmmm James designs airports, I fly every week for work, James has his private pilot’s license…oh, airplanes and travel! I started designing a stamp incorporating an airplane and our initials that we used on all of our invitations and wedding decorations.

I wanted one fabric that i could use throughout the wedding so I spent weeks perusing every online fabric store and dragging James to the LA fashion district. Finally I chose one and used it to create all of the table runners (thanks to some help from my mother in law), bridesmaid belts, groomsmen pocket squares and as an element of our invitations. It was really neat to have our guests see the stamp and fabric before the wedding and then tying it all together at the actual wedding. However, the most important fabric at the wedding was the lace I took from my mom’s wedding dress to be wrapped around my bouquet. I also create all of the stationary myself (PPT can do wonders!) so it was personal and really from us: the witty program to guest mad libs to thank you cards at each table setting.

When i saw that renting a chandelier was $95 I decided to make my own…out of wax paper – totally sane decision, right? This was definitely James’ least favorite project because it involved him cutting out hundreds of wax paper circles as I sewed them together and hung them from a wire frame. I loved it and am still trying to convince him to let me hang it in our bedroom. His favorite project was the 70+ wine bottle hurricanes candles I decided to create because it involved “being forced” to drink an excessive amount of wine and then cutting glass by dipping it in boiling and then freezing water.

To stick with the travel theme, we created a baggage claim ticket for each guest that let them know their destination for the night. Each of the tables were named after a place James and I have gone together and marked with a framed picture of us in that location. For our guest book we had a globe that everyone signed and is now sitting on our bookcase.

The day was made even sweeter with an amazing dessert spread our friend created just for us and the beer her fiance (and our best man) created for our wedding. Although our 90 lb lab Kona was not invited to the wedding, she was able to make an appearance on our cake topper.

I could not have imagined a more perfect day with friends, family and the man of my dreams.

Photography: B&G Photography | Event Planning: Hustle and Bustle | Floral Design: Primary Petals | Makeup: Mariah Nicole Beauty | DJ: DJ Dais | Officiant: Bob Scheider | Wedding Venue: Saddlerock Ranch | Ceremony & Cocktail Musician: Jason Sulkin | Photo Booth: Best Booth Plus LA | Rentals: A Rental Connection

There’s something so light and romantic about the way Leslee Mitchell shoots a wedding. Her captures tells a story, and turn the “everyday” into art. So whenever see sends her work our way, squeals are naturally bound to follow. *Enter* this Rosemary Beach beauty. It’s winter wedding perfection with planning by Savoir Flair Weddings and blooms (pink peonies in December, my friends!) from Nouveau Flowers. We’ve got a gorgeous spread ahead, but it’s only scratching the surface. Find every sweet capture sitting pretty right here.

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From the Bride… My husband is my best friend’s (since I was 11) older brother. I knew him growing up, but he was 5 years older and left for college when I was 13. We started dating almost 2 years ago, after I flew from a meeting in Dallas to Memphis (where he was living at the time) for my sister’s graduation from graduate school in Oxford, Mississippi that weekend. He knew I would be in town for the night so he took me on a date, and we have been together ever since!

It was very sweet and thoughtful, just like him. We were at Ross Bridge Resort in Birmingham, so he told me that morning that he got me a facial, manicure, and pedicure at the spa as a surprise. While I was at the spa he had two dozen roses delivered, prepared champagne, and candles. He had saved mementos from our first date like a piece of paper he jotted my phone number on after his phone went dead, and tickets to an event we went to after dinner. He had also saved little notes I would leave him when I left Memphis to go home (I lived in Mobile, Alabama at the time). He said some very sweet things he would kill me if I disclosed publicly, and asked me to be his wife. I said yes of course!

My dress was the one I always thought I wanted. I often admired it online. I always said if it looked good on me I was getting it! I tried it on, and loved it immediately! Vera Wang has a way of cutting her gowns to flatter any woman’s shape to perfection. It took me about 30 minutes to decide and one stop to Ivory and White. The owner, Brooke, is amazing. She can literally look at you, and pull the perfect dress. She pulled Gemma before I even told her it was my favorite! I added a beautiful, yet subtle sparkly belt that tied in the back. I also wore some fabulous gold Jimmy Choos that I loved! Since I had some bling from my belt, I opted to wear some soft diamond drop earrings, and simple jewelry. I wore my hair half back with a simple, wispy, veil.

I just wanted everything about the wedding to be happy, elegant, and soft. I chose creams and golds. Lighting was very important to me. My florist, Christina, of Nouveau Flowers was so talented. She hung striped gold and cream drapes at the tent entrance with bistro lights. Linens were cream, and chandeliers hung inside the tent. The bridesmaids carried cream hydrangeas; and I had pink peonies, which I always wanted (and my florist pulled off despite it being December).

The day felt like my own personal fairytale. It was beautiful that morning, and unseasonably about 72 degrees. It did start to rain for about two hours, during the middle of the day. I somehow knew it would stop and didn’t get upset. Thankfully the rain cleared, and made the sky so beautiful. The sunset was amazing, and made the sky pink. I prayed for good weather, and God made it perfect and even gave me a little rain for good luck!

Photography: Leslee Mitchell | Event Planning: Savoir Flair Weddings | Flowers: Events by Nouveau Flowers | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: Cafe Thirty-A | Makeup: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Hair: Jonathan Doria | Beach: Rosemary Beach™ | Bride's Dress: Ivory & White Bridal Boutique | Ceremony & Reception Location: Rosemary Beach™ | Rentals: Elegant Tents & Events | Wedding Dress Designer: Vera Wang

For as long as I can remember, I’ve imagined honeymooning in Thailand. It has always seemed like that magical mix between adventure and pure relaxation (which is no easy feat!) After setting my sights on Love Is My Favorite Color‘s photos I either need to get married immediately so we can get this ball rolling, or I need to revisit my plans. Because it’s seriously taking all of my willpower to not pack my bags immediately. And if you’re looking to get lost for just a little longer, click here.

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And if you have the opportunity to head that way any time soon, here are a few tips from Rui:

Eat: Baan Phu Lae Resort , amazing food with an even more amazing view

Sleep: Oriental Residence Bangkok, a very trendy home away from home!

Drink: Drunken Sailors Coffeeshop, they have real coffee made in a real coffee machine, very rare in Thailand!

Wear: head on over to little hand made shop for a collection of the loveliest clothes (and other fun things) ever!

See: Mo Koh Lanta National Park, this is were i shot those elephant pictures, I could live there happily.

Do: Rock Climbing in Railay Bay, it’s like a mecca for rock climbers. The views are breathtaking!

Photography: love is my favorite color | Honeymoon: Thailand | Process and Scanning: Richard Photo Lab

Classically perfect, this wedding at the Timuquana Country Club from Agnes Lopez is the type of soiree that will stand the test of time. And the pictures are proof that a little rain won’t damper your day, it might just make it all that much more lovely. See what I mean right here.

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Photography: Agnes Lopez Photography | Cinematography: Scenecrafters | Event Designer: Ann Evans | Event Planner: Nancy Padgett | Ceremony: St. Mark's Episcopal Church | Reception: Timuquana Country Club | Makeup: Maureen Riley | Lighting: Mark Grandin Events | Band: EastCoast Entertainment | Bridesmaid Hair: Saskia Penland | Hair (Bride + Mother): Antoinette Merchan

I am thoroughly convinced that there is no better place to say “I do” than a beautiful backyard setting. And when that backyard setting is as stunning as this Long Island home, and those “I do’s” happen to feature pizza AND sushi, it just doesn’t get any better.  Because this, my friends, isn’t just any backyard affair. It’s a non-stop day of lovely with two of the cutest sweethearts you will ever meet. See so much more captured by Isabelle Selby in the full gallery.

From the Bride… I remember trying to not check the weather forecast but to no avail, friends would text me with umbrellas, raindrops, or sun emojies throughout the week, wishing us a sunny wedding day. We hoped for the best even though family reassured us rain was good fortune. We were truly fortunate that day. Miraculously, skies cleared only on the day of our wedding that weekend.

Dan and I always knew we wanted to try to keep our celebration intimate and fun. We wanted nature to play a big part in our wedding day so no better place than the private lush green yards of my parents’ home, a special place dear to my heart. The sailcloth tent from Sperry Tents created a magical ambiance allowing light in during day and glowing at night. Cedar benches for the ceremony were made by my husband, his brother, uncle, and friends.

Good food was one of the top priorities on our list. We were so overjoyed when Roberta’s Pizza and Luke’s Lobster agreed to cater our event. Roberta’s provided a full staff including a day-of-coordinator, Marissa Chen. We sincerely appreciated all the hard work the staff put in that day to make it so seamless and memorable. Dan and I loved the heart shaped pizza we got for our dinner, which they thoughtfully packed away and labeled “love pizza” and ate the following morning.

We also love Asian food, so had to include sushi from Shiro, the local restaurant I grew up with. Lassi pops served from a bicycle cart were an extra special treat we were so excited to share with everyone. Red Leaf cakes are especially sentimental since it’s become a family tradition for special events. We love how fluffy fresh and not super sweet their cakes are.

Together our vendors created a real down to earth vibe. DJ Tevis from Sugartown set the mood with rock and 90’s hip hop tunes. And there was no doubt Isabelle Selby would be able to capture the spirit of our day beautifully with her photography. Our good friends made our ceremony more personal by graciously officiating and playing string duet for my processional.

My childhood friend Dustin of Shootbooth set up a self-clicker photobooth so friends went wild taking close to 1000 photos that night. We all had a good time looking through the hilarious creative shots post-wedding.

When the Sprout flowers arrived, I was thrilled with how gorgeous they were. Doan really got the organic whimsical feel I wanted to have. The ginormous balloons from Balloon Saloon and Cedahurst Paper were a hit with the kids. We even got to bounce them around a week after the wedding. We made notebook favors from Muji and pasted cut out newsprint hearts on them to add a personal touch.

Having a home wedding is no small feat. We were so grateful for friends and family helping out to prepare for our celebration. We didn’t realize how much there was to do having it at home. Dan, the coordinator, bridesmaids, and my family did a good job at keeping all the craze away from me that morning while I got my hair done by Stacy B and makeup done by my good friend Kimberly Chin. All the love and energy we felt that day will stay in our hearts forever.

Photographer: Isabelle Selby Photography | Floral Design: Sprout Home | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Shoes: Prada | Caterer: Roberta's Pizza | Caterer: Luke's Lobster | Caterer: Monsieur Singh Lassi Pops | Caterer: Shiro | Makeup: Kimberly Chin | Hair Stylist: Styles On B | DJ: Sugartown Industries | Favors: Muji | Suit: Vera Wang | Tent: Sperry Tents | Cake Artist: Mount Tabor Park

This post is like two fabulous things in one. First, a drop dead gorgeous (and I mean, gorgeous) wedding at the beautiful Connecticut River Museum captured by Julia Jane Studios from some of our favorite vendors including True Event, BLUSH Floral Design, Ryan Designs, and Sperry Tents (just to name a few). And it’s also a little invite from me to you asking you to join the ladies of True Event and me at this very venue next Wednesday for a yummy breakfast where we can chat about all things weddings, or anything else you can dream of! Details are below, but we’d love, love, LOVE to see you there!

And you can see this gorgeous venue in person, and ask little ol’me all the questions you could possibly dream of on Wednesday, November 20th! Here are all the deets! Hope to see you there!

Event Information: 

Date: November 20, 2013

Breakfast: 9:00am- 9:30am

Style Me Pretty Q & A: 9:30am-10:00

Open House/ Tour of the property: 10:00am -11:00am

* Park at the Museum at 67 Main St,…and walk up the stairs to the tent.

RSVP by 11/15 to caitlin@trueevent.com

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From True Event …A beautiful fall wedding holds little to the romantic and magical night that lay before Lauren and Adam on their special day. The day turned from overcast skies to clear heavenly ones, the moon and the stars twinkling above as the overabundance of candles twinkled below. Lauren wanted a warm, modern, and romantic wedding filled with lots of natural beauty all around, and the newly acquired Lay House property at the Connecticut River Museum encompassed all the natural beauty she could desire. Located along the Connecticut River, The Lay House offers a spectacular waterfront view along with an amazing flat green canvas to meet the wishes of any wedding couple! The crystal chandeliers, the blush and soft tones of the flowers and linens embraced the design that Lauren envisioned. Ryan Designs captured the lighting perfectly with these amazing crystal chandeliers of varying sizes. Elisabeth from Studio Blush brought out all the soft tones by using garden roses, dahlias and ranunculuses in the floral arrangements. The chuppah was the epicenter of all things beautiful as it was overflowing with gorgeousness down to the ombré aisle of pink rose petals. Warmness filled the ever so perfect Sperry tent with the subtle gold touches in the décor. And to top it off, an Ana Parzych cake that looked too good to be real with its sweet pink and gold accents, made everyone gawk at its beauty. Seriously, how could you not?! And if that wasn’t enough for you dessert connoisseurs, Del’s Lemonade served up some of it deliciousness too! A beautiful starry wedding filled with romance and magic, yeah, that’s what this wedding was, and we couldn’t wish this for a more wonderful and deserving couple. Congratulations Lauren and Adam!

Photography: Julia jane Studios | Videographer: Hart Pictures | Wedding Planner: TRUE Event | Floral Design: Blush Floral Design Studio | Cake: Ana Parzych Cakes | Reception Venue: ct river museum | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Gourmet Galley Catering | Makeup: Kai Pitchard | Hair: Mia Moore | Lighting: Ryan Designs | Ceremony Music: Juhasz Music | Tent: Sperry Tents | Del’s Lemonade: Del's Lemonade | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Music: Jerry Kravat New York | Paper: Tie That Binds | Port O Potty: Country Portables | Rentals: Rentals Unlimited | Trolley: Jolly Red Trolley