Style Me Pretty: Wedding Blog for the Style-Obsessed Bride

Raspberries and Peaches n’ Cream Shoot from Milton Photography

I’ve never really been what you would call a “girly girl” but show me some vibrant fuchsia hues and a whole host of drop-dead gorgeous details and I turn into a literal swooning mess. And today it’s a swooning mess for this darling inspiration shoot from Milton Photography, aka, a crazy amazing inspiration sesh just waiting to be pinned away. Click here for sooo much more.

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From Milton Photography… I thought up this shoot that was just so gorgeous I had to put it together. With raspberries and peaches in season, having both on top of vanilla ice cream one day, the colors were gorgeous and the flavors were fantastic! I simply had to expand on this idea more. With the idea of an intimate backyard elegant estate style wedding, this styled shoot came to life.

I shared my ideas with Rena, the wedding planner and she helped me create exactly what I envisioned, Rena & Heather came together to set everything up with me on the day of the shoot, it was a great team that really helped the shoot come to life, it was absolutely breath taking when it was all put together.

I bought up old tables, and 6 antique church pews, I sanded them all down and painted them a shade of white called ‘pot of cream.’

The old estate style table was perfect for the head table, I had this idea for an intimate sweetheart table with a floral table runner and in my exact words “so many candles it’s a fire hazard.”

I scoured every thrift shop, every vintage shop and second hand shop in the city to find a ton of old brass candle holders and pots and bowls for the center pieces. I found so much! Using the tall skinny elegant candle holders for tall candles, and the more decorative ones for small fresh floral arrangements to go on the two guest tables.

I wanted this shoot to be modern yet very elegant, I hunted every blog, website and shop I could find to get the chevron table linens I wanted, La Tavloa was the ONLY place that had the linens I wanted, and determined to have this shoot be just perfect, with only 2 days to go I had them rush ordered to me, & boy am I glad I did, they looked phenomenal!

The flowers were gorgeous, I wanted it to be swimming in flowers, I tried finding succulents and didn’t have much luck, thankfully my mom grows a bunch in her yard, so I kindly pruned them for her! They looked great amongst the rest of the florals! To add a bit of a spin we stuck some real raspberry plants into the arrangements and the bouquet, it was a perfect pop of color.

The cake/pie plates were all DIY. using brass candle holders, usually upside down and using epoxy to glue a plate or pie plate to the candle holder, they make the perfect white and gold pedestal stand!

The martini glasses I wanted to be super fancy so we used edible sprinkles and rimmed the glasses using egg whites to make the sprinkles stick.

We baked our own table favour pies using peaches and raspberries in mini mason jars. We cut out a heart shaped pie topper for the pies and attached little tags around each jar for the guests.

I had a profesional personal chef come in and prepare some dishes for the shoot, they were amazing!

Austin Wedding from Everest Road Photography

You know what makes for an amazing wedding? One pair of adorable high school sweethearts, the city of Austin and a pretty, pretty love-fest featuring all of the above. Because when it comes to stop-you-in-your-tracks nuptials, this lovely little gem from Everest Road Photography is the epitome of awesome, complete with some of the happiest faces you will ever lay your eyes upon. Click here for more.

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From start to finish, Tyler and Emilie’s wedding was comfortable, a blast and just… well …right!

They’ve been together for almost half their lives. After ten years of knowing each others quirks, families and life plans, this day was a long time coming. He sent her off after dating through high school for four years in Aggieland while he worked hard at that University in Austin. So watching my new friend – playful, laid-back Emilie – say yes to her handsome, kind-hearted Tyler felt like such an honor to me.

And it made a lot of sense that they celebrated with an everything Austin wedding day! I’m about as crazy about this couple as I am this city… so I approved of a day that began at The Hampton Inn overlooking our state capital. After the ladies were ready, they hopped on a perfectly vintage trolley and headed to Central Christian Church…a gorgeous backdrop for their vows. Finally, they danced the night away at that building right off campus, that every Longhorn recognizes – The Mansion. And this crew can get down. Their reception was one heck of a dance party!

From the Bride… We grew up, met, and fell in love in Austin, Texas so we really wanted all our friends and family to experience our favorite city. We got ready for the wedding at the Hampton Inn & Suites hotel overlooking the capital, it was a beautiful view. Our ceremony was right down the street at Central Christian Church, the sanctuary is ornate and lovely, and it fit our 250 guests perfectly. Some of our wedding party sang during the ceremony which was really a special treat.

We rode with our wedding party on a trolley to and from venues so we could spend some extra time with them. Tyler and the groomsmen made a pit-stop at the UT campus to take some pictures in front of the UT tower, his alma mater. After we said “I do,” we headed to the reception at the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs Mansion, an elegant indoor venue to beat the Texas summer heat. We had cocktail hour in the historic front rooms and dinner and dancing in the grand ballroom. Our caterer provided scrumptious food and our florist decorated with a variety of corals and pinks, perfect for summer in the south. We did a lot of DIY projects including the invitations, signage, and table numbers.

Tyler is a Longhorn and I am an Aggie so we had a house divided groom’s cake and sang our hearts out to the Aggie War Hymn and the Eyes of Texas. We both love dancing, thus keeping the party going was really important to us. Our DJ did a wonderful job and the dance floor was packed all night. We both are Blue Bell Ice Cream fanatics so we had an ice cream bar to go with the cakes, it was a huge hit. We sent everyone off with a warm box of Tiff’s Treats, the best cookies in town. It was truly the best day of our lives and we feel so blessed to have spent it with everyone we love.

Destination Wedding in Mallorca, Spain from Claire Morgan Photography

If you want to find me today, you can find me swimming in the sea of pretty right here in this gallery of images from Claire Morgan Photography. You might just find me there tomorrow too, because this wedding is basically my dream come true. A stunning destination setting, a custom gown I might cry over it’s so pretty and gorgeous details around every corner – can you blame me for planning my day around this gallery today? See it all here.

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From Claire Morgan Photography …Sabine and Tassilo’s dream wedding in Mallorca came true at one of the most spectacular settings I have ever photographed – the Cap Rocat in Llucmajor, Mallorca, Spain. The couple are originally from Germany.

Their celebration took place over 3 days, with the rehearsel dinner and get-together taking place on the Friday evening before the wedding. It was an all white theme and guests enjoyed cocktails as the sun set over the horizon before enjoying dinner.

The following day the couple and family got ready at their suite for the wedding of the Cap Rocat Hotel and the ceremony took place at the Capilla de Sa Torre. The theme of the wedding was turquoise and the wedding planner did a fabulous job of organising all the decoration and stationery which was mostly flown in from Austria and Germany. It was the perfect summer day without a breath of wind for the outdoor dinner setting which was held back at the Cap Rocat Hotel.

After late-night partying the guests then enjoyed a breezy brunch by the sea at the Cap Rocat beach bar with BBQ and all sorts of other delicious delicacies. It was here that the couple also cut their cake.

Martha’s Vineyard Wedding from Yuna Leonard Photography

So… I’m pretty much obsessed with this wedding. Like that swoon over every last detail and memorize every moment kind of obsessed that sort of goes hand in hand with a breathtaking Martha’s Vineyard affair. You know what I am talking about – sweet blooms from MV Florist and Gifts, fab paper goods from Paperless Post + Minted and one drop-dead gorgeous moment after another captured by Yuna Leonard Photography. See them all in the full gallery.

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From the bride… Vlad and I met in Sydney, Australia while we were in college on a study abroad program. On our six-year dating anniversary, he got down on one knee in our Boston apartment and asked me to marry him with a rose gold ring his grandmother had brought with her from the Ukraine.

As we began to plan for our wedding, we tried to stay focused on creating a day that felt true to us, rather than following conventions. We were both intrigued by the idea of a destination wedding, but didn’t want the location to be too limiting for our guests. One place that had been special to us through the years was Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. We decided to travel there the weekend after Thanksgiving to see what the possibilities might be. We rented mopeds and rode around the island, checking out a few places. When we arrived at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society barn, known to locals as the “Ag Hall,” we knew it was the perfect spot for us. Not only had we met on an island (albeit a very large one), now we’d be married on one as well!

The very first vendor we booked was our photographer, Yuna Leonard. She has a way of capturing moments that look real yet dreamy. The next decision we made was food. One of our favorite things to do is eat, so it was really important to us to create a delicious experience for our guests, and ourselves. We decided on Southern barbecue from the amazing Blackstrap BBQ. With the major necessities in place, a theme of casual, festive elegance emerged. We chose gray, navy, and shades of coral to help us plan the details for our day.

A few of the most special touches were designed by family members. My mom and grandparents built a gorgeous chuppah out of bamboo and a tablecloth that had belonged to my great-grandmother. Vlad’s grandmother made stunning tablecloths for the reception using fabric we picked out. We weaved the letters M and V throughout different parts of the day, as they are not only the first letters of our names, but also form the abbreviation for Martha’s Vineyard.

The week of our wedding, we rented a historic Gingerbread-style house on the island. Some of our friends and family stayed with us, and others stayed nearby. This allowed us to really take in the whole wedding week and spend time with our guests watching sunsets and eating lobsters fresh from the fishing boats.

On the morning of the wedding Vlad and the groomsmen got ready on the upper floor of the house, while the girls and I were glammed-up downstairs. Two vans then came to pick up Vlad and I, and we rode separately to the historic East Chop lighthouse where we did our first-look. It was such a special moment when we saw each other and we will never forget it. After that we went to the beach to capture some shots with the wedding party, and the sun came out just long enough for us to take our photos. As we were finishing, the sky suddenly opened and we all ran back to the vans as quickly as we could!

Our guests arrived at the ceremony on Martha’s Vineyard sightseeing buses. While they were getting seated, we had our ketubah ceremony under one of the alcoves of the barn. Vlad helped design our ketubah with an image of the island and nautical ropes, using our wedding colors. Our Rabbi worked with us to create a ceremony that was everything we envisioned and more. We wrote our own vows, and I would recommend doing so, because it made the moment very personal and meaningful. Vlad’s grandfather, a talented musician, played violin during the processional and recessional, which was truly special.

During planning we always talked about wanting to have a really fun party. At the cocktail hour we had an oyster shucking station with our favorite oysters, which was a big hit. I created a photo-booth-like area using a banner, chalkboards, and props, so that guests could stop by and take photos throughout the evening. Our southern barbecue buffet created a relaxed and delicious dinnertime. I surprised Vlad with a robot-surfer groom’s cake that combined two of his favorite things, and even had a bathing suit that matched one he always wears surfing. With the huge barn doors open on three sides of the building, guests could wander in and out as they pleased to gaze up at the stars as it got dark. A very close and talented friend of ours DJ’d, and created a vibrant atmosphere for dancing, getting everyone up on their feet.

The most important thing Vlad and I needed to keep reminding ourselves of throughout the planning process was to create a day that was true to us and what we wanted. With that in mind, we were able to bask in a truly memorable and celebratory day, that was absolutely “us.”

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Whimsical Bridal Portraits from Julie Anne, Wedding Photographer

I think we can all agree that bridal sessions are all sorts of awesome. I mean, an entire day dedicated to frolicking around the countryside (or beach or city) wearing your Big Day duds and capturing every moment in beautiful imagery? That’s what we call the best day ever, and when it’s a gorgeous sesh like this one captured by Julie Anne, Wedding Photographer, well… seriously amazing. See it all right here in the full gallery.

From Julie Anne, Wedding Photographer… Lauren is a professional dressage and eventing instructor and owns Bigtime Eventing in Alpharetta, Georgia. Her dream was to have her bridal portraits with her horses and her dog Punch at Wilson Farm where Bigtime is headquartered. To make it extra special, I brought in Flowers by Holland and Posh Hair by Lindsay. The shoot was designed to highlight Lauren’s natural beauty and her whimsical Nicole Miller gown. We chose a fall color palette that matched well with Lauren’s brown hair. We decided to give Lauren two different looks – one for each horse! We even decorated the horses and pup to make them look dressed up! I believe all women should have a portrait session as lovely as this when they get married!

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How to Give an Amazing Wedding Speech from Long Haul Films

The only wedding speech I’ve ever given was at my sister’s wedding. She asked me to do it 20 minutes before the wedding—surprise Melissa! Thanks sis. I was a blubbering mess but one thing is for sure, it came straight from the heart, probably because I didn’t have months to dread it. If you’re one of the lucky guys or gals asked to make a speech (and ahem, actually have time to prepare for it), you’ll want to cozy up to this helpful and if I may add, quite amusing video from Long Haul Films and Love 24 fps. Cheers!

From Tom Dowler of Long Haul Films… We witness a huge range of wedding speeches—some that are funny, some that are touching, and, unfortunately, some that aren’t very good. The real key to giving a great wedding speech is authenticity and confidence. Many times when a speech goes badly – if it descends into an awkward roast or someone delivers a poorly-executed song-and-dance routine – it’s because the speaker isn’t confident that they’ll be interesting enough if they keep it real. But the best speeches are just that—people speaking from the heart with love and authenticity.

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Wedding Speech Tips Recapped

Memorize your speech. Write down key bullet points on index cards to help jog your memory if needed.
Forget about “winging it”. The best speeches are those that have been carefully crafted and rehearsed so they look off-the-cuff, but are anything but.
Cut out the sarcasm and speak from the heart. This can often be tougher for guys, but remember, this is a wedding, so people expect even the hardest-nosed bro to get a little emotional.
Keep it simple. Unless you’re a professional, don’t attempt a song or a poem instead of a speech. If you’re sincere and authentic, you’ll get a great reaction.
Think of a pithy metaphor that sums up the happy couple’s relationship, and use it as the thematic backbone of your speech.
A drink can be great to calm the nerves, but be super careful not to overdo it. Make sure the guests are talking about your speech the next day for all the right reasons.
Leave the microphone on the mic stand. That way you’ll stay in one spot instead of nervously pacing, and you’ll have two free hands—one for your notes and the other for your toasting glass.

Cinematography: Long Haul Films | Image: Josh Gruetzmacher Photography | Speech Tips: Love 24 fps

Bristol, Rhode Island Wedding from Rebecca Arthurs

Once you spend a little time with this Rhode Island affair, you’ll realize it’s something truly special. I’m positive. Because when you’ve got a couple this crazy talented (who, PS, co-designed the bride’s dress by hand!), you know this isn’t your run-of-the-the-mill day. Making it all the more lovely? Golden Gate Florist, Gus and Ruby Letterpress and Joli Visage. They teamed up to ensure all the wedding to do’s were done, and the result is a gallery filled with some of Rebecca Arthurs’ best work yet.

From the Bride… Derek and I are creative souls. Art runs through our veins. We met while attending design school in 2003 and since then have tried to fill our lives with as much creativity and inspiration as we can stand. Derek is an interactive designer and I am a textile designer. Our lives are a swirl of kerning, fonts, Pantone swatches and patterns in repeat. We find inspiration in the most unlikely of places. Derek designed my engagement ring after falling in love with a vintage sapphire estate piece that reminded him of lilacs. “Lilac” was my first word as a baby and the smell of them reminds me of my grandmother’s backyard and long summer days where the sun doesn’t set until well after bedtime. I am a child of summer – born on the longest day of the year, so when we sat down to decide on a wedding date, summer was our natural choice. We chose June 15 because it seemed like a day with so much promise – the middle day of the middle month – half the year gone and still half to go; so much life already lived and yet so much to still look forward to.

We wanted our wedding to be like our wedding date – a reflection of where we’d come from as well as a celebration of all we had to look forward to. Derek designed our wedding invitations – a unique mix of creative typography in letterpress and his hand-drawn illustrations of our beloved wedding venue. Together we pushed the envelope (literally!) – turning Derek’s illustrations into custom envelope liners and stamping the text of our RSVP cards – staying up all night laughing and creating an invitation suite that was uniquely ours. And I made my wedding dress – vintage-inspired lace with a dramatic watteau train. Most brides hide their dress from their future husbands until their wedding day, but my husband helped me design mine – he held my hand while I purchased my fabric on West 37th and helped me pin seam allowances I couldn’t reach . Not many people can say, “on our wedding day, I was lucky enough to be married in a dress created with love by both of our hands”. It must come as no surprise that when we chose a wedding venue, we wanted something unique – the road most traveled has never been our path. We wanted somewhere with history that we could tie into the story that we were about to begin together.

We found Linden Place on a chilly day in February and knew it was perfect the moment we saw it – we couldn’t even imagine how beautiful it would be come summer time and to be truthful, it outdid our wildest expectations. The morning of June 15th dawned more glorious that we could have imagined – brilliant blue sky and a warm sea breeze. Our guests entered through the majestic front doors of the Linden Place mansion, passing by the breathtaking chandelier that once hung in Buckingham Palace and a four story spiral staircase that opens to the sky. They made their way to the gardens behind the mansion, passing under a magnificent magnolia tree and taking their seats – placed in a semi-circle so we could be married the way we try to live our lives – surrounded by love. Both of my parents walked me down the aisle while a dear friend played a song that had been part of our lives and our love for as long as we could remember. We were married in a ceremony that we wrote together, in a spectacular garden that was a-bloom with summertime roses.

We spent our cocktail hour in the shade of the magnolia tree, celebrating and laughing with the people we love most. Our reception took place in the restored carriage house – its spectacular doors and dramatic vaulted ceiling needing nothing to enhance its beauty. We filled the room with vintage picture frames and soft summer flowers, bathing everything in a warm glow from eclectic cut-glass votives. Our first dance as husband and wife took place under the dramatic arching doorway of the carriage house to a song that was uniquely ours – sung by a beloved couple whose love only enhanced ours and magnified the joy of such a spectacular day. We and our guests celebrated the night away – taking time to leave us messages on our vintage typewriter that served as our guest book, and escaping for a brief moment at sunset to take some spectacular photos with all our guests that still leave me breathless.

We surrounded ourselves with the people we love most, and an incredible team of vendors that shared the same passion and creativity for our love as we did – together they made our wedding day magical. I had often heard that your wedding day should be the most spectacular day of your life, but I had no idea that a single day could hold so much love and happiness.

Lavender Lemonade

We spotted this beauty of a cocktail – or I should say mocktail that is begging for some vodka – tucked inside this beautiful party. We, of course, had to have it so the lovely Buffy Dekmar & Simply Charming Socials sent us the recipe that she originally found on Use Real Butter. And thank goodness for such a good recipe because we’ve already made it twice and are about to start the next batch.

Lavender Lemonade

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Ingredients

4 tbs (1/4 cup) culinary lavender (for pink, choose Hidcote variety)
2 cups boiling water
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
2 cups cold water

Instructions

Steep the lavender in boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and discard the lavender.
Put lavender tea and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and the cold water. Add more to taste. Serve over ice!

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Photography: Buffy Dekmar | Design & Styling: Simply Charming Socials | Recipe: Use Real Butter

Shelter Island, New York Wedding from Kate Osborne Photography

The images sitting in this gallery from Kate Osborne Photography are nothing short of art. Beautiful works of art that left me speechless and aching for more from the moment I laid eyes on them. There simply aren’t words pretty enough to describe how I feel about just how gorgeous this seaside soiree is, but you can see for yourself right here.

From Kate Osborne Photography…Nadine and David had a beautiful beachside wedding on Shelter Island New York. Nadine and David had friends and family fly in from across the world from England and Brazil to celebrate with them. Nadine is from England with a Chinese/American heritage and David grew up all over the globe. They met in the states and decided to have the wedding in the beautiful Hamptons. The night was filled with a mix of culture, languages, food and celebration. It was a simple yet beautiful day as friends and family all gathered together on this charming island to celebrate such an amazingly kind and beautiful couple.

Spain Inspired Engagement shoot from Shea Christine

Wow. That’s literally the only word I could actually mutter when I came across this stunning session from Shea Christine Photography. Just wow. It’s absolute perfection from start to finish (and don’t even get me started on her hair, so gorgeous), and it’s all waiting for you right here.

From Shea Christine… Ashley and Adrian’s engagement session took place on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach. A place rich with history and inspiration. Their outfits were lovely and they sparked with happiness.

From the Bride… Adrian and I were raised in Miami, with many mutual friends and knowing many of the same people. We always missed meeting each other and didn’t even know it until after we were already together. But you don’t force magnets together, you just put them relatively close and it just works. That’s all it took. To get us in the same room together for the first time and the bond was formed instantly, without either of us knowing. We were linked together. We had no choice. It’s science.

Fast forward four years later, we’re on a mountain top in Barcelona overlooking the beautiful Park Güell and Adrian asked me to spend the rest of my life with him and it was the greatest surprise I could ever dream of! (How he managed to keep the ring a secret for the week we had already spent in Spain, I have no idea) We’re getting married in February and are extremely excited.

Photography: Shea Christine Photography | Dress: Zara | Makeup: Miami Beauty Agency

Seaside Stockholm Wedding from Annevi Petersson

I’ve been dreaming of this Stockholm wedding since I first laid eyes on the beautiful images from Annevi Petersson, and I am so excited it’s finally time to share it. With elegance that will stand the test of time, and a love that is equally lovely, every image sitting in this gallery is just plain gorgeous. So trust me when I say you’ll want to spend some time with them right here.

From Annevi Petersson…Caroline and Stuart live in Melbourne, but they decided to get married in the bride’s hometown Stockholm. They rented the international styled house, Villa Soludden, situated in the Stockholm archipelago.

Villa Soludden offers hotel, restaurant, spa, private beach and a large jetty in an enclosed environment in the fashionable area Varmdo. This arrangement worked well as the groom’s family had travelled from Australia as well as many of the guests. But furthermost, Villa Soludden has stunning ocean views of the archipelago. Caroline is a graphic designer and she had done all the stationary. She likes her design to be clean and minmalistic and you could tell by the way she had styled the wedding, the clothes and stationary. The theme colours were white and peach and details like Caroline’s shoes and flowers all went in this colour.

The guests arrived at Villa Soludden and the small outdoor ceremony was held at the jetty. It was mostly Australian music playing throughout the day and Caroline’s father walked her down the aisle the song Two way street by Kimbra. Drinks were served at the large outdoor terrace after the ceremony. The sun was shining and the water was glittering and Caroline and Stuart couldn’t have picked a better day to get married. The reception was held indoors at the same estate.

Caroline said that one of the special moments of the day was her father’s speech. He mentioned Swedish princess Madeleine’s upcoming wedding, then turned and said to his daughter that the real princess is getting married today, referring to Caroline. Caroline said that the fact that he welled up and almost cried, something he never does, made it very special to her.

Santa Monica, California Wedding at Casa Del Mar from Michael Segal

Ballroom weddings have a way of stealing my heart. And when they’re designed in the hands of Green Ribbon Party Planning Co and Brown Paper Design, you know they’ll be spot-on amazing. From the sparkling chandeliers to the bride’s dreamy Kirstie Kelly gown, the result was basically a fairytale brought to life. Michael Segal was there to capture every moment and this post? Well, we’re only scratching the surface. There’s so much more to love in the full gallery right here.

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From the Bride… To start, I was never the little girl that dreamed of a big wedding and all of the details. I always wanted to get married but I definitely did not have it all planned out. When I did meet the man I would ultimately marry, I can honestly say I knew from our very first date that he was and is the one. Over the course of our relationship, he’d ask me every so often when I wanted to get engaged and I’d say things like: “last week” or “tomorrow”. Little did I know that he had been planning to propose for months. Needless to say, it was incredibly romantic and more perfect than I could have ever imagined. And then began wedding planning. Jeff and I are both Jewish and knew we wanted a Jewish, but not too traditional Jewish wedding. We wanted our wedding to be elegant and classy, but also FUN! We wanted our guests to really feel part of our relationship and the new life we were starting together and we accomplished that with all of the little details throughout the night. Our goal was to make sure our guests had an amazing time and create memories we’d hold onto forever.

We actually waited about 6 months to start looking at venues and ultimately set a date. Like any engaged girl I was constantly looking at dresses and weddings online and stumbled upon my dress. Just from the picture, I knew that it was going to be the perfect dress for me…I just had to find it. After a quick search, I found the designer Kirstie Kelly and learned that her showroom was only 10 minutes from my house. It was fate!! I made an appointment and brought my Mom and my future Mother-in-law, and it was literally that simple. I put on the dress from the picture, decided I wanted it to be white, and I had my dress and found a dress for our rehearsal dinner! Kirstie and her team are amazing!!! They are so fun to work with and made the process a breeze. After finding my dress, it was time to set a date.

Jeff and I looked at quite a few venues. We knew we wanted to stay fairly local since both of our families live in Southern California. Jeff and I live a few blocks from the beach and we love how beautiful and relaxing it is to see the water. We gravitated towards venues near the beach, and one day I decided we should go to one of my favorite places to have dinner and drinks: Casa Del Mar. Casa Del Mar has such a historic and romantic feel, but not stuffy. After seeing the insanely gorgeous ballroom and meeting with their impeccable staff, our search for a venue was over. The ballroom is magnificent but not overdone and has floor to ceiling windows that open to a terrace overlooking the beach/ocean. The staff at Casa Del Mar was beyond accommodating during our planning process. They went above and beyond in making our day perfect. Our guests still gush about how amazing the food was and how gorgeous the cocktail hour overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the iconic Santa Monica Pier was.

With a wedding date set, it was time to find a wedding planner. Lucky for us, a mutual friend suggested I meet with Nicole Arena of The Green Ribbon Party Planning Co. Nicole and I bonded over love of stripes and J.Crew, and she genuinely understood the vision we had for our special day. Nicole was available 24/7 for us, setting up meeting with amazing vendors who made our day absolutely perfect and explaining exactly what we wanted when I was at a loss for words (and memory). Nicole really tied our whole theme/vision together – from making sure color palette was always incorporated, to making sure all of our paper goods used the same fonts – she nailed the details to a T.

Our photographer, Michael Segal, is more than we could ever have imagined. After a weekend trip to Palm Springs, we asked the hotel to send us their wedding information and that’s how we found Michael Segal. Michael’s personality makes everyone so comfortable and he gets the most gorgeous photos. We are incredibly lucky to have had the chance to work with such a talented photographer and team.

We selected Posh Paperie to do our invitations and paper goods and I loved how everything turned out! When I saw the invite I was beyond excited – the gold foil was perfect and I loved the blush pieces and how they all worked with the room décor. All of the extra details really made my wedding look special.

Having a Jewish wedding meant having a Chuppah (wedding canopy) with a Tallis on the top. Jeff and I were lucky enough to have two Tallit from my maternal Grandfather and my Father above us. We also used my parent’s wedding bands for the ceremony, and had our initials and wedding date engraved next to theirs. We intend to pass the rings onto our children and grandchildren to do the same.

After the ceremony, our guests had cocktails and appetizers on the terrace while we took photos. Then came the fun! Our band, Masta from DeBois Entertainment, could not have been any better. From our first dance to the traditional Jewish Hora and being tossed around in chairs, our guests didn’t leave the dance floor until the end of the night because the band was so much fun! Jeff and I wanted our guests to have fun and Masta made that happen!!

Brown Paper Design did an outstanding job with the flowers – creating the exact look I wanted. My bouquet was drop-dead gorgeous and the chuppah looked exactly how I imagined. The whole look of the ballroom was breathtaking and I couldn’t have asked for a better team.

Love is sweet, especially when your cake comes from Sweet & Saucy – BEST tasting wedding cake ever! An of course we had to get a table full of mini desserts after we had the tasting and tried all of their amazing options!

A really special touch, was the same day edit our videographer Imagique did. They put together a short video with things our guests didn’t get to see throughout the course of the day – getting ready, signing the Ketubah, parts of the ceremony and show it at the reception. It was really lovely and so fun to watch and helped our guests feel even more involved in our big day.

My wedding was the best day of my life and I am so happy that I got to marry the man of my dreams and have a wedding I truly loved! It was beautiful and fun – exactly what I wanted!

Modern Toronto Wedding from Mango Studios + Melissa Andre Events

This wedding had me at Valentino; as in a wildly good-looking pair of shoes that stole my heart from the get go. And the modern affair crafted by Melissa Andre Events that followed suit is another notch on the wildly good-looking belt. It has bold pattern, a classic black and white palette and a cool city vibe all captured by Mango Studios. But the best part has to be the late night popsicle bar. Pure genius. Have a look here for even more.

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Summer Weddings

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Event Venue

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Modern

This Chic downtown city wedding was black, white, and gold all over. Mix-and-match graphics layered in ultra-contrasting shades added a level of sophistication that was current, uniquely customized, and party-perfect. Guest dined on a luxurious menu of lobster, oysters, filet mignon, an over-the-top delicious cheese spread by The Cheese Boutique, and individually plated strawberry shortcakes with color matched salted caramel french macarons. Melissa Andre created a beautiful custom popsicle bar for a late-night surprise that served key-lime pie, chocolate peanut-butter, and mini egg frozen treats. Guests danced the night away in an expertly designed space, lounging on chic custom furniture, gold houndstooth, and floral runners made of rose hedges in diagonal striped shades of green and white. Each guest took home a gorgeous personalized porcelain black and white Mug with their personal initial on it.

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Wedding Dresses

Jenny Packham

Bridal 2016 Catwalk

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Amsale

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2014

Amsale Bridesmaids Spring 2014

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Amsale Bridal Fall 2014

Amsale Bridal Spring 2015

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Amsale Bridal Blue Label

Amsale Bridal Spring 2016

Amsale Bridal Fall 2016

Amsale Bridal Spring 2018

Amsale Bridal Fall 2018

Amsale Bridesmaids

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Rustic 30th Birthday Bash from Ashley Nicole Events

When Ashley originally emailed me about featuring her 30th birthday, she had the audacity to mention that she wouldn’t be offended if it wasn’t the right fit. The right fit!? My god! It’s pretty much the most beautiful thing I’ve ever SEEN. And if this is what turning 30 looks like, you better believe I’m ready for it. Captured by Cassidy Brooke see the entire, beautiful, glorious shebang right here.

From Ashley… I rented out an entire “dude ranch” in the Colorado Mountains and had all my friends and family attend. It was a really intimate weekend with plenty of activities for all..including the kids. Aspen Canyon Ranch is a beautiful rustic ranch that hosts weddings, events, reunions and more so it was no surprise that when choosing the perfect venue for a weekend with friends and family. Aspen Canyon Ranch immediately became our home for the weekend. Surrounded by mountains, family and friends created the perfect backdrop for this event. Its here where you can dream with your eyes open! The weekend began with lunch and activities outdoors near the river followed by a casual dinner in the main lodge that evening. On Saturday morning we started the day with a hike and horseback riding, followed by massages near the river. That evening was the big celebration with a 5 course boho chic dinner in the main lodge and ended with a dance party! It was a weekend we will never forget and thankfully was captured perfectly!

Jacquelyn Clark

Colorado Mountain Wedding from Lovebird Studios

If I have one regret from my wedding day it would be not hiring a cinematographer. Anyone else? Since I got married before the days of SMP and all things wedded chic, I had no idea how special a highlight film can be. I reach for the tissues multiple times a day over couples I don’t even know, but when the cinematographer is as great as Lovebird Studios and the couple is as sweet as Meredith and Ben, who can blame me?

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/72388630 600 338]

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Summer Weddings

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Rustic Weddings

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Rustic

From the cinematographer… Its hard to find the words to describe this wedding. Their day was breathtaking. A filmmakers dream. Meredith is a wedding photographer (she actually shot our wedding!). She wanted a wedding that was like no other wedding she had ever had the opportunity to shoot. I think she pulled it off! They spent the week in a secluded beautiful mountain lodge. From the intimate ceremony in a field surrounded by mountains, to the yard games, to the most amazing photo session in the mountains, the day was magical. Most importantly the day was filled with emotion and beauty. With all of that said, Ben + Meredith were the center of the day and together made the day perfect.

Photography: Deidre Lynn Photography | Venue: Moose Lodge

Palos Verdes Wedding from Emily Blake Photography

This sweet little family of three has officially stolen my heart. Like forever and ever, throw away the key, and it’s got everything to do with these incredible snaps from miss Emily Blake. She let story unfold behind the lens, and today we’re reaping the rewards. I’m talking all-white blooms by Art With Nature Design, a chocolately yum-fest from Susie Cakes and sooo much happy it could almost hurt your heart. Almost. Dive straight into this Italian style fête right over here.

Carly & Clay chose the symbol of olive branches throughout their wedding especially to remember the peace God provides. It also tied in perfectly with an Italian theme inspired by their honeymoon adventure in Italy, which they left for the very next day. Their wedding was designed to celebrate the goodness of God in their lives, their love for one another & the start of their life together as a family with Carly’s 2-year-old daughter Savannah, who was the special guest of honor. To them nothing said celebration like an Italian family feast! A menu of Bruchetta, stuffed mushrooms, hand-tossed gourmet pizzas & of course GELATO set the tone, along with decorations featuring their olive motif. Clay’s mom handmade napkins for each guest featuring rustic black & white ticking fabric & strewn throughout the event where hits of their rustic/elegant Italian theme.

Clay & Carly will always cherish the memories of their special day. Especially being surounded by their friends, family & special little guests- the children! A father daughter dance was held for Clay & his new daughter Savannah, who were later joined by all fathers & daughters in attendance. It was especially important to the bride & groom that Savannah have a memorable day she could look back on as the start of her new family. Clay included a beautiful vow to her during the ceremony & a special table was set for Savannah to enjoy the evening with some of her little friends.

We are so very grateful to all of our amazing vendors, family & friends who made this season of celebration so rich & memorable for us! We could not have imagined a better beginning of our journey together as a family of three.

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Reem Acra

Spring 2015

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5 Tips On Protecting Your Online Reputation with Randi Zuckerberg

Though the digital era we seem to have found ourselves in can be a ton of fun, every once in a while it’s important to step back and take a look at what we may have created for ourselves. Unfortunately, those late night tweets and terribly unflattering photos (oh, you know the ones!) have a way of coming back at us. We recently had the chance to catch up with Randi Zuckerberg (yep, the infamous Mark Zuckerger’s sister, no big deal… *cue squeals*) and we obviously had to gather her thoughts on the subject! Oh, and this brainiac has just launched a fabulous book on this very topic, in case you want to learn more.

From Randi… We all know the importance of that first impression– but what about your first digital impression? I started working for Facebook in 2005 and had a front-row seat as people around the world struggled to create and define their digital identity, walking the thin line between oversharing and not sharing enough. When I started my own company, Zuckerberg Media, I knew I wanted to help people figure out how to act online and how use technology in a way that didn’t detract from their “real lives.” Enter Dot Complicated – my web community and recent book on that very subject.

Even the most careful, cautious person will eventually post or be tagged in an unfavorable photo, or tweet something they regret. I know I have. So here are my tips for protecting your online reputation– all learned through trial and error, I’m embarrassed to admit. In our digital era, hiring managers and potential dates really do check you out online first, so be sure they like what they find.

1) Beware of your “digital doppelgängers” and make sure you differentiate yourself from them.

For example, my colleague Bradley Lautenbach chooses to go by Bradley because there is already a well-known Brad Lautenbach, race car driver, who dominates search results and my colleague wanted to make sure he could stand out. Some expectant parents are even going as far as to choose names for their children based on “Googleability” — the last thing you want is someone with the same name as you running around damaging your reputation without your knowledge!

2) Remember that people will judge you not only by what you post, but by who you interact with online.

Your friends are part of your online identity! These days, people judge you not only by what you share online, but also by the company you keep. Take an extra second to think about who you accept friend requests from, across all your platforms. Tell your friends to be mindful of that when posting photos and adjust your privacy settings to let you approve photos before they appear on your profile. In addition, the pages you “like” and people you follow also show a 360 degree story of who you are.

3) Set a Google Alert for yourself.

It might seem vain to get an update every time something is published about you online, but you need to know what’s out there. A job interviewer or potential first date is going to do is Google you, so you should be aware of what they will see. While you’re at it, set Google Alerts for some of your less tech-savvy family members too, so you can let them know if you see something pop up that might warrant their attention.

4) Be proactive about cleaning up your online reputation.

If there are a few small things that aren’t career-ending, start blogging and including more links in your Twitter bio. Ask your friends to write nice blog posts about you. Create profiles on social media sites such as LinkedIn and Tumblr. By adding more content that you “control,” you help push bad results further down in Google. If the post or picture truly is career-ending and you have money to throw at the problem, you can turn to a service like Reputation.com to help you out for a hefty, but likely worthwhile, fee.

5) Keep your privates, private.

This is just a general good life lesson, people. It didn’t work for Anthony Weiner and it’s not going to work for you. While I really believe that people shouldn’t be afraid to share their authentic self online, including their hobbies, family life, and passion projects, there are just some things that don’t ever need to be uploaded, ever.

Book: Dot Complicated | Headshot: Delbarr Moradi Photography | Interview: Randi Zuckerberg

Jacquelyn Clark

Adelaide Engagement from Rachael Elizabeth Photography

You can feel the love this couple shares with just one peek at the pretty below captured by Rachael Elizabeth Photography, and how can you not love that? It makes you want to smile from ear to ear and hug your loved ones a bit closer, and that’s when I know we have a good engagement session on our hands. See it all here.

From Rachael Elizabeth Photography…Ben & Kristen had some unique ideas for their engagement session – they wanted photos that represented who they were and the things that they loved. And so we incorporated as many of these things as we possibly could to create not only one of the most fun but one of the most beautiful engagement sessions ever. They love their bikes, books, wine, picnics, their TOMS and the beach – and most of all each other.

It was a beautiful day when we all piled into Ben’s parents’ giant yellow van along with Ben & Kristen’s bikes, a picnic and their favourite blanket and wine. We found a field and an old, graffiti’d shed near Willunga, SA that also had a beautiful little vineyard across the road – and then went down to the beach at Moana, SA. Magic ensued. They were even willing to go waist deep into the freezing cold water and it was absolutely beautiful. There was just SO much love (and I was in a little bit of heaven with the beautiful golden sunlight!!).

Their bikes were handmade by Ben and match with opposing colours and they found some beautiful vintage books to bring along as well as their favourite TOMS! It was absolutely perfect and I’m so excited to share it with you!

Photography: Rachael Elizabeth Photography | Dress: Witchery For Kids | Shoes: Toms | Location: Moana Beach | Location: Willunga

Anne Barge Lookbook Fall 2014

I was lucky enough to see Anne Barge’s new designs firsthand this fall. And boy, did she deliver. She sent gowns from her three amazing collections down the runway, and you better believe I loved every. single. one. From the Anne Barge Fall 2014 collection, to Blue Willow Bride and Black Label, there was enough pretty to set any fashionita’s heart a’flutter. But today we’re getting up close and personal. We’re sharing ALL the fresh-off-the-runway goods with you in Anne’s SMP lookbook. Get excited!

With a mix of stand-out details (illusion neckline, anyone?!) and classic silhouettes, Anne Barge’s gowns have a way of staying totally timeless yet right on trend. Take her Black Label collection, for example. It’s filled to the gills with vintage glam-inspired looks that could leave any bride stealing the show.

Pretty gorgeous gowns, right?! I think we could go on for days about our Anne Barge love , but let’s not waste another second and head straight to the lookbook for sooooo much more, shall we?

Fraser Valley Wedding from Kristy Klaassen Photography

It took about two seconds of touring the Fraser River Lodge for this adorable duo to know that it was THE place to say “I do”… and about five seconds of perusing their beautiful wedding gallery for me to whole-heartedly agree. Because when it comes to tying the knot amongst jaw-droppingly gorgeous mountains and stunning scenery, this locale is seriously mesmerizing. Add in some pretty purple hues and an entire day of personality-filled details captured by Kristy Klaassen and it’s enough to make you dizzy from the pretty (seriously). Click here for more.

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Summer Weddings

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Lodge Outdoor Weddings

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Classic Weddings

From the Bride… The Fraser River Lodge was the first and only venue that Jordan and I looked at. When we stepped out onto the wraparound verandah we were in awe of the natural beauty in front of us, and we knew that it was going to be the place where we said our vows. Wendy, the Lodge’s Event Coordinator, was unbelievably organized and so helpful! We wanted our wedding day to be natural, comfortable and inviting for our guests. Despite only meeting a few times in the year leading up to the wedding, Wendy understood our vision perfectly and was there on the day to make sure that it was exactly what we had hoped for.

We wanted as much of our wedding as possible to be handcrafted and meaningful. Over the year we were engaged, I slowly worked to bring life to all of the projects that I had created in my mind. Jordan patiently helped me with a lot of the projects, as did many generous friends and family members. Seeing all of the finished decorations in place at our venue was almost as exciting as the day itself!

We loved that our family was incorporated into many of the details. To collect cards, we used a tiny dresser that my great-grandfather had made for my grandma when she was a little girl. Lace from my mom’s wedding dress was used to tie my bouquet. As a surprise, I had collected wedding photos of our parents and grandparents (who are all examples of what a lasting marriage should be!) and created a photo collage for our reception.

One of our favorite parts of the day was our first look session at the fire hall where Jordan is a firefighter. Many of our married friends had told us to savor every private moment we could find, as the day would pass before we knew it…and they were right! At the end of the day, I was so happy that we had planned to have that short time before the drive to the Lodge. We wanted the moment we first saw each other to be our own (and our photographer’s, although she did a good job of hiding!). It really made for some great memories, and some wonderfully unique photos.

Looking back on our wedding day, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. I know that many brides have their weddings planned from the moment they read their first fairytale, but I am proud that our wedding was truly a combination of details which Jordan and I had both envisioned. The time we spent making decisions and handpicking our vendors was well worth it. Some were close family friends, some were referred to us, and some were the serendipitous result of late-night internet searching (including our fabulous photographer, Kristy Klaassen!), but each and every one of our vendors put so much love and thought into their part of our wedding. We felt so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing and talented group of people helping us put together our perfect day.

Even though the day is over, we’re so happy to have so many wonderful memories from our wedding day – those will truly last a whole lifetime!