It’s Saturday, LBBers, and you know what that means… It’s time to spend a little time laughing, crying, and smiling our sleepy little behinds off over a bit of fantastic wedding cinematography. And today’s highlight film, from Life Stage Films, starts in the most dramatic fashions I’ve ever seen on a wedding film. Which is fitting, because the wedding was phenomenal. And adorable.

Photography by Blue Sky Photography.

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The day I got engaged was the day I started planning our wedding! Okay not really… I had been planning since the day we met! But I started REALLY planning the day we got engaged. We both knew that we wanted to get married on the beach and have a destination wedding where we could enjoy a few days with our friends and family. Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina seemed like the perfect spot and Knots Landing was the perfect fit for what we wanted on our big day. I booked Knots Landing two months after we got engaged and then the countdown began.

I loved everything about our wedding because it was planned with such love and every small detail was handcrafted. My mom spent almost two years making all of our shell centerpieces, shell champagne flute favors – pretty much anything that you see with shells she made with shells she found on North Carolina beaches! The wooden signs (for the cocktail and reception) were made by Eric & I a few days before the wedding, which we still have and love!

Our family’s love and support is what made this special day even possible. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to pull off such an incredible wedding…and without Life Stage Films we wouldn’t be able to look back at all of these things that made our day so incredible!

Cinematography: Life Stage Films / Photography: John Urban, Blue Sky Photography / Caterer: Terry Bland, Art Catering / Florist: Buds and Blooms / Event Coordinator: Brittany Adams-O’Neil, Knots Landing / Ceremony Officiant: Margo Sears, Beach People Weddings

It’s time for our favorite Saturday of the month here at SMP! We seriously love being able to take some time to introduce you to all of our new and fabulous advertisers. Not only do they possess some serious wedding goodies for your viewing pleasure, they also have some fabulous giveaways and offers. So kick back with a hot cup of coffee or tea and get to know our newest members of the SMP family. We’re super happy to have you all!

When it comes to your wedding reception, you have to admit it that your cake totally steals the spotlight at one point or another. Everyone is always so excited to see you and your new hubby dig into it and feed one another. And whether you’re a cake smoosher or a delicate fork wielding bride, it’s all about the cake topper. Our friends at Weddingstar know how important the details are and that’s why they create some of the coolest cake toppers out there. From romantic, funny, traditional and even sports themed, Weddingstar totally has you (and your cake) covered.

These unique designs are hand crafted and intricately detailed and are anything but ordinary. If you decide to go with a bride and groom figurine, you can change their hair colors to look more like you and your hubby, and you can also choose between eight shoe colors to match the bride’s shoes with yours! Super cute, right? To stay on top of all the latest trends in cake toppers and all wedding accessories, stationery and favors, follow Weddingstar on Facebook here.

GIVEAWAY! Do you love the mix of modern and vintage designs? If so, you’re gonna go ga-ga over these super pretty wedding invitations and save the dates, by the talented peeps over at Love vs. Design! Not only are these some of the sweetest designs we’ve seen, but they are budget friendly too. You can choose to have them printed for you, or to save some moola, you can print them yourself. And everything is customizable! You can change the colors, fonts, wording, and size of your favorite design to match your wedding colors and style. Talk about easy and fun! Check out these gorgeous designs with photography by Studio Castillero.

For a limited time only, Love vs. Design is offering $1 printed samples for all their Save the Dates and Invites! Oh, and each and every Tuesday Love vs. Design comes out with new Printable Template items that you can download instantly for free or for a small fee. How cool is that?! You’ll find adorable free downloads like, Will you be my Bridesmaid, Place Cards, and Thank You cards.

Aaaand, it gets even better! One lucky reader will win a $150 Love vs. Design giftcard! All you need to do is check out their designs and then comment below with your favorite one. Good luck!

Once you’ve figured out all the design details for your big day, it’s time to head over to Perfect Details, a fabulous on-line bridal boutique, to get your accessory shopping on. These fabulous ladies have been in business since 2000 and offer designer jewelry, shoes and accessories for you, your maids or just a night out on the town. Their showroom is in Burlingame, CA so if you’re lucky enough to be a California bride, we totally recommend you head over in person to find the perfect jewelry, shoes and accessories to complete your big day look.

photos by Love Knot Photography

You’ll find exclusive bridal jewelry found only in select boutiques such as Erin Cole, Debra Moreland for Paris, Margaret Rowe as well as renowned jewelry lines such as Majorica Pearls, Badgley Mischka & Sorrelli. You’ll also find amazing evening bags, gloves, wraps and faux furs. See, we told you they are fabulous!

DISCOUNT! Ever wish you had a personal stylist to handpick all your accessories before you step out the door? Well, now you don’t have to wish anymore because Jewelmint is officially the coolest new members-only shopping site designed by Kate Bosworth and stylist Cher Coulter. Based on a style quiz new members take, Kate, Cher and the Jewelmint team offer personalized picks each month! Hello, dream come true!

As if Jewelmint wasn’t already too good to be true, they are offering all of you 50% your first piece. Sign up here and just use the promo code PRETTY when checking out, but hurry, offer ends January 31st.

Do you obsess over bridal accessories? Does your dream wedding day look include a blusher, fascinator, some feathers, headbands or a bridal belt? Well, my friends, you’re in luck because J-Picone, makers of beautiful and affordable accessories, is here to make all those fabulous dreams come true. Now you can make a statement without breaking the bank. These pretty little numbers can be special ordered or are available on demand and in store for those of you who like to live on the edge and make decisions last minute!

Can’t you just see yourself in one of these fabulous little numbers on your big day? Check out their fab collection here.

DISCOUNT! If you’re sentimental like me, you probably have some dried flowers left over from your wedding day sitting in a closet somewhere in your house. I know, it sounded like a good idea to keep them, but now I don’t know what to do with them and can’t just toss them in the trash! Enter Erica of Studio Eriksdotter, a fine arts painter who specializes in painting bridal bouquet portraits. Now you can preserve your bouquet with a gorgeous one of a kind painting. Totally brilliant if you ask me! Now your flowers will always look fresh, last forever and add a personal touch to your home. These paintings also make for a perfect gift and there’s no need to give up your real bouquet because Erica works off of your photos.

And now through Feb. 29, you can receive 15% off of ordered bridal bouquet paintings! Just fill out this form or email Erica at erica@studioeriksdotter.com and mention SMP to receive this discount.

So there you have it. We hope you love our newest Advertisers as much as we do and make sure to stop by their sites and show them some SMP support! Welcome aboard everyone, we’re super happy to have you!

It’s going to be a cold one this weekend in New England, so I think spending the day cuddled up and getting lost in the SMP archives sounds like the perfect way to spend this Saturday. Don’t you agree? Let’s start your journey through the archives of lovely with a warm welcome to one of our newest members of the SMP Massachusetts family – Jubilee Events. Although they don’t really need an introduction, you probably swooned over this shoot or this wedding or this wedding or this wedding … you get the point, they are fab! So be sure to stop by their website and give them a big virtual hug, we are so happy to welcome them to the SMP Massachusetts family!

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck

From Jubilee Events…Jubilee Events is a renowned Connecticut based event design and planning boutique specializing in artful weddings, events and occasions. We are best known for our broad range of eclectic, sophisticated styles from elegant dinners on the farm to dramatic tented affairs. We are young, stylish,creative, artistic, and fun – and love to infuse that energy into every event we do. It is truly our affection for love stories, families, celebrations, details and our clients that creatively inspire us. We have designed and planned weddings all across New England– from Connecticut to Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts. Our clients have hired us to design and plan adventures in Paris, Spain, Costa Rica and through out the United States.

Jubilee Events has recently launched an e-zine, bringing inspiration and ideas straight to your inbox! You can sign up for our next issue here and read our premiere issue of A Jubilee Event here.

Welcome welcome! With arms wide open to the SMP Massachusetts Family! xoxo

Well, SMPers, it’s time to say goodbye to yet another fabulous week here on SMP and I don’t know about you lovelies, but I am super excited for the weekend!  I have big plans that involve football, shopping and, of course, re-living all of the pretty, pretty inspiration that graced our pages this week (via my comfy sofa).  Life is good.  But, before we bid a final farewell, we just had to share this breathtaking boudoir session by the ever-so-talented Jen Curtis Photography.  Set against the gorgeous backdrop that is the Figueroa Mountain Farmhouse, this photo shoot will take.your.breath.away one brilliant image at a time.  And the beautiful bride-to-be?  Stunning.  So, cozy up for a Friday night spent in the gallery and then have a FAB weekend, lovelies! xoxo

Click here for the entire gallery of images!

From Jen Curtis Photography… Anna is a real bride who wanted to do a boudoir session in San Francisco, but I suggested we do it outside at her wedding location, Figueroa Mountain. The mountain location was the perfect setting.  I found a cute vintage bench in the farm house and we brought it out to the middle of the field for our shoot.  Anna got married a few days later.

Photography: Jen Curtis Photography / Hair & Makeup: The Bride-to-Be / Location: Figueroa Mountain Farmhouse

In case you missed any, here are all of the pretty posts from the week…

an elegant Lexington soiree
a pretty, pretty San Francisco wedding
fabulous Oahu Beach inspiration
a gorgeous San Luis Obispo affair Part I, Part II and Part III
a day filled with eight amazing weddings
a magical Chalk Hill wedding
a modern inspiration shoot
a dazzling New York City affair

Some fabulous links from around the web…

beautiful DIY paperwhite centerpiece via Camille Styles
a yummy chocolate lavender pie via Sunday Suppers
gorgeous winter bouquet inspiration via One Lovely Day

We’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Little Black Book members…

Laura’s Couture Collection
Chestnut & Vine Floral Design LLC
Joseph F Bauer Studios
Chic Ink
Caroline Joy Photography
Lé Soirées Weddings & Events
Declaration Boutique and Events
Your Special Day by Joni
david beahm design
Catherine Mead Photography
emporaflora
Creative Lighting Design

To apply to become a member of our LBB click here. We’d love to hear from you!

Have a happy, happy weekend, lovelies!  See you back here Monday morning!  xoxo

It’s my favorite time of the year, and I am crossing my fingers that we’re going to get a big influx of snowy and fabulous winter weddings, despite the crazy weather we have been having this season. In fact, I’m really hoping some of you are getting married this weekend and embracing the cold weather trends. As it is almost quitting time, we’ve got one last treat for you LBBers in the form of a fantastic farm engagement session á la Ulysses Photography. Enjoy, and we’ll see you Monday morning! xoxo

Photography by Ulysses Photography.

The week of wedded bliss, just in case you missed anything:

an adorable Texas bride & groom absolutely in love in this highlight film
a Santa Barbara affair with the perfect mix of romance, vintage, and chic
a bride and groom from Canada with the sweetest sentiments
a modern (and vintage), chic (and clean) soiree in Austin
a gorgeous, organic affair straight from the California wine country
a beautiful New Orleans wedding dripping in southern charm
a very touching story accompanied by a stunning fête in New Jersey
an American wedding in Paris, the epitome of romance
a piece of perfectly nautical nuptials straight from a Maine island
a lakeside Pennsylvania wedding with the perfect combination of pink & blue
a few of our favorite cinematographers, chatting about the biz in a vendor spotlight

A few pieces of inspiration we’re digging from around the web:

a bit of classic romance inspiration we’re totally loving via The Sweetest Occasion
a great star cake topper DIY, perfect for any affair via Project Wedding
our Best Weddings of 2011 digital magazine, in case you missed it last week via Style Me Pretty

This wedding is kind of like happiness realized. It’s bright and sunny, full of texture and color. The gorgeous bride and groom are smitten and the style is all about homegrown gorgeousness. But the best part? The personal touches warmed our hearts and convinced us that this wedding was definitely love at first site. The couple even hired a custom silhouette artist to design keepsakes for their guests. Amazing doesn’t even beging to cut it. And with photographs by Bryan N. Miller? Well, this is quickly rising to the top of the favs list. Click here for even more.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Both Dan and I knew we wanted to make this wedding all about family. We wanted it to have a warm and inviting feel, just like all our family gatherings, but we also wanted to incorporate distinctive details that would make it feel special for each guest. After browsing countless web pages and magazines, and reflecting on the things that remind us of home, I decided on a rustic vintage theme that incorporated a variety of antique containers and décor. Shopping for each item was a true adventure. I wasn’t after antiques in perfect condition … I wanted the beat up containers … the ones you knew were once loved by their original owners. Each piece seemed to tell a story and that really added to the ambiance we were trying to achieve.

To add more personal touches, we incorporated our silhouettes into the décor and also had a silhouette artist on hand at the reception to create silhouettes for each guest. It was a big hit! And whether you were out on the patio enjoying a game of checkers or inside listening to the rich, soulful sounds of the jazz band, you couldn’t help but feel the love! And the venue we chose, The Crosby in Rancho Santa Fe, California, provided us with a beautiful and intimate space that perfectly complimented the mood.

In the days leading up to the wedding, I was so worried that it might not all come together, but on October 22nd, somehow, someway, it did — and it was unforgettably amazing.

Photography: Bryan N. Miller Photography / Flowers: Lois Mathews / Event Design + Planning: AR Affairs / Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Crosby / Live Music: Allison Adams Tucker / Silhouettes: Nancie Marie / Cakes: Nothing Bundt Cakes / Wedding Gown: Watters

I loved my wedding. It was the happiest day of my life. But ask either my husband or I if we have any regrets, and we will both tell you we wish we would have hired a cinematographer. Wedding cinematography has come so far in the last decade. It’s a true art form. It’s such an emotionally charged account of your day. At SMP, we all LOVE wedding cinematography as much as we love the weddings themselves. And we love Three Ring Media. They have a unique way of looking at a wedding and including the couple’s story. Because that is what a wedding is, right? Part of a couple’s story. A big part. So we asked Suzanne & Jeremy of Three Ring Media to sit down with us to learn more about the team behind these amazing films. And as a special treat, we’re also sharing THREE of their phenom Cinematic Trailers with you lovlies!

1. Who is Three Ring Media? You, and a team? What do you do?

Three Ring Media was started by my wife, Suzanne, and I in 2006 with the goal of creating wedding videos that were more compelling than what was available at the time. As I was already working in the video and film production field, the transition to producing cinematic style wedding videos was a natural step. It ended up being a great thing for us since we inadvertently ended up being on the cutting edge of the cinematic wedding video trend without realizing it! Suzanne and I got married in 2005 and were unhappy with the options of wedding videos at the time, so we designed a wedding video format that was both entertaining and beautiful with the goal of preserving a couple’s story as a token for themselves, their children and grandchildren.

We’ve been very blessed and have grown to include a team of ten highly creative & talented people who have a passion for telling story. And we’re lucky because we really love each other and get the opportunity to work with people that are also close friends – it is an incredible blessing!

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Rob & Karin’s Cinematic Trailer

2. So what first peaked your interest in the world of Wedding Cinematography?

Filmmaking has always been a passion of mine! I was twelve when I created my first short film – it might not be worth mentioning today, mind you, but it ignited a love in my heart for the craft! Suzanne has a background in theatre and many of our early dates led us to the movies where we watched stories and then dissected what did or didn’t make them great. Through the years, I have learned how emotion and compelling stories go hand in hand and the best stories are ones that happen in real life. Capturing the love that a couple shares and the journey that led them to the decision of marriage is one of the life’s richest stories. So it was a logical step for us to combine storytelling with wedding cinematography, especially after seeing first hand the great need for it.

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Brendan & Nicole’s Cinematic Trailer

3. What is the very best part of your job?

Honestly, interviewing our clients! That is why we do what we do! We enjoy listening and learning about them so that we can find the most appropriate way to tell their story. We believe that every person is significant and we define success as illuminating what that distinction is in our couples through storytelling.

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Rai & Jen’s Cinematic Trailer

4. What kinds of videos do you make for your clients? And of course, what’s your favorite?

While we offer all of the video segments that you would expect with a traditional wedding video (ceremony, reception, etc) our focus is on the story pieces (cinematic trailer, story and same day edit). We love the creative opportunities that those segments produce for us and get fired up about using our creativity to share our couples’ uniqueness.

5. What’s your best advice to the newly engaged?

Get a wedding video! Whether you prefer a story-based, cinematic style, or traditional wedding video, you will regret not having a record of the sights, sounds, and emotions of your special day.

We totally agree! How much do you love Three Ring Media now? I think their fan club is about to receive an influx of applicants. Seriously though, the work Jeremy, Suzanne and their team does is the perfect way of capturing your story as a couple. As you can obviously see through Rob & Karin’s, Brendan & Nicole’s, and Rai & Jen’s Cinematic Trailers.

Cinematography: Three Ring Media

An engagement session in San Francisco sounds right up our picture loving alley. The fog, the Pacific, the Golden Gate – it all makes for the dreamiest of backgrounds and is completely bringing to life the love between this awesome couple. And by awesome, we mean a dynamic pair that is ever so cute AND insanely fashionable. This could be in part because the lady half of this duo is none other than the founder of The Glitter Guide; one of our favorite morning reads. Taylor Sterling is her name and rocking fabulous outfits is her game. After you’ve scrolled through the lovely images by Ashley Batz and visited the gallery for the full spread, be sure to take a look at a round-up from Ms. Sterling of the perfect engagement shoot outfits. It’s a big ol’ whopping fashion bonus of glitzy glamy goodness.

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

And as promised, Taylor has whipped up some no fail outfits perfect for an engagement session of the glittery kind. Have a look…

1. Little Black Dress: Zara / Necklace: Juliet & Company / Black Bow Heels: Kate Spade

2. White Dress: ASOS / Black Glitter Shoes: Topshop

3. Chambray Shirt:  J.Crew / With these AH-MAZ-ING Green Pants: Alice + Olivia /  Nude Pumps: BCBG / Necklace: J.Crew

4. Glittery Dress: Parker / Heels: Boutique 9 / Earrings: Dannijo

5. Sequin Gold Top: Vince / Jeans: Paige Denim / Black Ballet Flats: Topshop

6. Nail polish: Essie

From the Bride-to-be… Joey and I met back in 2007 and became instant friends! About a year later we started to realize our connection was deeper than just friendship and we wanted to be together–we have been ever since. We fell in love on a date in San Francisco and knew that it would be the perfect place for our engagement session. We chose Ashley Batz who also works for The Glitter Guide like I do. She really captured our love and our sense of humor! We can’t wait for our wedding in August of next year at the Ainsley House garden in Campbell, CA!

Photography: Ashley Batz / Makeup: Priscilla Francine / Location: San Francisco / Bride’s Green Dress: BCBG / Bride’s Shoes: Aldo / Necklace: Forever 21 / Bride’s Black Dress: Diane von Furstenberg / Groom’s Brown Sweater: J.Crew / Jeans: 7 For All Mankind / Shoes: J.Crew / Groom’s Black Shirt: Banana Republic / Pants + Shoes: Nordstrom

Welcome back to another great edition of our Q + A series with event planner extraordinaires Aleah and Nick of Valley & Co.!  If you’re new to the scene, each and every month this incredible design duo answers your ultimate wedding planning questions.  If you want some expert advice all you need to do is leave a comment below with whatever planning conundrum has been keeping you up at night.  Next month, Aleah and Nick will pick a handful of your questions from the comments below and bring their never-ending buckets of knowledge to SMP California!

So without further ado, here are the answers to your questions from last month’s post!  Don’t forget to leave your question in the comments below!

We have asked a good friend of ours to be the officiant at the ceremony. While we are thrilled he said yes, we have no idea where to start when it comes to planning what elements we need to include and the flow of the ceremony. We are not religious and are not sure of what needs to be covered to make it a meaningful ceremony for us and our guests. Readings, stories, vows.. do we start with “dearly beloved”? Help! Thanks so much in advance!

Your wedding ceremony is where it all begins: it signals the start of your life as a married couple, so it should be heartfelt, thoughtful, and really meaningful to you both and also to the guests who’ve come to wish you well. It should be magical and a welcoming entry into wedded bliss. To start the process map out what’s most important to you and your fiancé, starting with the formality. Are you two more formal and serious? Perhaps you’re both goofy and love to laugh? Think about the seriousness and traditional elements of the ceremony and you’ll determine the level of formality you’d like. 

Writing your vows can be a wonderful way to personalize the ceremony, but it’s not for everyone. We love when our couples sit down with their officiant and tell him or her the story of their lives growing up pre-courtship, the courtship itself, and the engagement. The more sentimental and silly the stories are the livelier your vows will be. Share snippets of your lives with your families and friends to give a sweet nod. Then let the officiant weave a beautiful story about your lives coming together. 

Leading with Friends and Family… is a great way to start and signify that the ceremony will be a little more lighthearted or not-so-traditional. However, there is something to be said about “traditional” vows as they’re steeped in years of history and thousands of couples have said those very words, dating back centuries {though they have evolved a bit}. A combination of your love story and traditional vows would be quite lovely.

We would also ask a family member who’s a talented poet or writer or perhaps a guitarist to lend something special to the ceremony. This could be a simple scripture reading {if you’d want to include something subtly religious or spiritual}, a beautiful poem, a book excerpt, or a song they wrote especially for you. It’s the perfect way to seal the personalization of your ceremony. A groomsman at one of our weddings some time ago actually read the entire book Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss at a very formal ceremony. It was the perfect sentiment and it made everyone laugh but really appreciate what he was saying.

Wherever you start, just remember to keep it true to you both.

I got engaged over Christmas break and am excited to get started but don’t know where to start. Thinking about it a spring wedding would be perfect but is that rushed? If most of our invited list lives nearby how much advance should we give them? What about vendors? What would you say is the first place to start (aside from budgeting and a date?)

Congratulations! What an exciting time! Getting started can often times be the hardest part: then the fun follows. First thing’s first: make sure you and your fiancé are on the same wavelength and discuss the vision you both have for your wedding. 

Consider:

Formality, time of year, ambiance, and the overall experience you both want for yourselves and for your guests. Put logistics like budget and restrictions {like so-and-so can’t attend if it’s here} completely out of your minds and lay out on the table what you your ideal wedding would consist of. If one of you says 250 guests under a glittering tent in the summertime with a band playing into the wee hours and the other would like an intimate lodge celebration in the dead of winter with classical music and a tasting menu and wine flights, you’ll need to do some compromising { we could envision a really eclectic fusion here!}.

But having this conversation up front is the perfect way to sync up and also to voice your personal visions before you get anything cemented. Getting into the planning process in a comfortable smooth way is really important; it signals a new process together. Once you determine overall what you’d both like to see as your wedding day it’s time to move onto the nitty-nitty details. Enter: budget, realistic number of guests, a date, and a venue. The rest will fall into place once these key elements are secured. 

In terms of a spring wedding, while anything is possible be sure that if you go for it you really take into consideration the feasibility. If your guests do live nearby then it should be ample time if you can mail out their invitations 6-8 weeks in advance. Regardless of the distance all guests should have as much notice as possible to plan accordingly. 

The good thing is that if your heart is set on a springtime wedding and a venue still has your date available you can likely get a great rate as they want to book up. Vendors like florists, planners {like us}, photographers, and the like should be able to accommodate a shorter planning timeline if they are available, but ample time is always a nice luxury. If you want to shorten the planning process for a reason like deployment, moving, etc. then a spring wedding could be perfect. Just make sure that you can accomplish the wedding you envisioned and bring on a stellar team that can bring your vision to life. Good luck!

Happy Friday, SMP Australia! We’ve got the sweetest DIY inspired English garden wedding to share with all of you today. The bride, a crafty girl indeed, worked her magic and created everything from the adorable bird cake topper to the save the dates and invites. Karen Buckle Photography captured all the made with love details and lucky for you, there’s even more to see here in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Taking inspiration from blogs, magazines, Pinterest and Gregory’s and my backgrounds we came up with a English cottage garden style. Many of Gregory’s family and friends made the long journey out from England to share in our day, so we wanted to include them as much as possible. Gregory and I wanted our reception not just to be ‘our’ reception. We were celebrating finally being together, permanently, not just for 12 weeks at a time or less. We wanted all of our friends and family to ‘party’ with us, even if some of us were only meeting for the first time. I had been eyeing off a beautiful venue for the reception for quite a while which I knew our style would suit perfectly.  We live by the beach, but wanted something that if we ‘picked it up and put it in England’, it would look as though it was meant to be.  Being a DIY, art and crafty person from way back, I knew I wanted to put a personal touch to many of the details. Considering I am not the only DIY-inclined girl in my family, I convinced my mum, sister and grandma to take on a few of the projects.  A couple of my favourites were the two little birds that sat on top of our wedding cake that my sister made, the choc-chip and almond bickies my grandma made as part of the favours for our guests, our save-the-dates and wedding invitations I made and the Liberty inspired bunting my mum made (love).  

A lot of time was spent hunting for floral fabrics and pretty papers and card that would fit perfectly amongst a colour palette of mustard yellow, beige, browns and a hint of peach. Etsy and ebay almost became a one-stop-shop for little details such as the English floral hankies used to wrap the favours, hilarious props for all the silly photos and little glass milk bottles.
I did want to be careful though not to get anything that I thought I wouldn’t have wanted to get for our home and to keep once our wedding was over.  My mum and grandma were wonderful in lending some of their hand-made doilies and my mother’s (very expensive) Irish linen table cloth sat perfectly on the head table. I found the most amazing florist in Roberta from Green & Bloom. Her gorgeous flowers just took my breath away and it made everything look like we were in a Jane Austin novel.

We all shared in so much laughter, love and happiness throughout the entire journey towards our wedding day…the reception just helped finish it off with a spark. Our guests danced the night away to the live Irish band and even the ‘oldies’ gave the photo booth a run. I hadn’t really prepared a big speech or anything, but being a muso, I sang ‘Make you feel my love’ by Bob Dylan for Gregory. We were just so grateful to everyone for playing such a special part in our day. We couldn’t have dreamed for a better occasion!

Wedding Photography: Karen Buckle Photography / Ceremony Venue: Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Clear Island Waters) / Reception Venue: Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove / Wedding Cake: Taya of Deliciously Decadent / Cake Topper: DIY by bride’s sister / Flowers: Roberta of Green & Bloom / Band: The Barleyshakes / Dress: Watters / Hair: Charmaine of Salon Indulge / Hairpiece: Myra of Twigs & Honey / Makeup: Steve Mena / Shoes: BHLDN / Bridesmaid Dresses: Custom / Table Decorations, Bonbonnieres, Menu & Place Cards, Bunting, Etc.: DIY by the bride

This Forest Lake wedding by Joseph Kang Photography is proof that you don’t need a barn or a remote wheat field to host an amazing rustic celebration.  With loads of eye-popping details from the adorable jars of homemade jam to the perfectly wild centerpieces this couple brought a little bit of country to a classic white tent setting for a result that is elegant and playful all at once.  See it all in the full gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

Get up and personal with all the gorgeous details with this film by Leap Weddings…

From the bride… We decided that we wanted to have a rustic/country wedding.  Also, to make the wedding as personal as possible, I chose to DIY several different wedding projects including our save the dates, wedding programs, napkins, out-of-town bags, my hair fascinator, moss letters to tie on the backs of our chairs, strawberry jam place cards/favors, and activity/snack buckets for our young guests. I chose light dove grey dresses for my bridesmaids.  The dresses were A-line with a sweetheart neckline in a soft chiffon.  All of my girlfriends look absolutely stunning in them.  My florist and I decided on rustic, textured flowers in light pinks, creams, peaches, and yellows.  All of the bouquets were wrapped in beautiful light, burlap ribbon and the boutennieres were wrapped in natural twine.  Our florist also incorporated dusty miller and brunia into the floral pieces to really tie in the rustic feel of our wedding.  

Our traditional Catholic wedding ceremony was held at the church where I had my first communion as a child.  We then proceeded to our wedding reception.  When we were researching venues, we thought that a wedding in a tent would just fit the elegant yet playful wedding we wanted to have.  We immediately fell in love with the marquis tent at the Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort.  The beautiful white fabric draping and the chandeliers that lined the center were just gorgeous.

During our cocktail hour, we had a traditional Korean pae-baek wedding ceremony.  During this time, we bowed to show our respects to our elders and they shared their well wishes for us on our marriage.  They then threw chestnuts and dates for us to catch in a cloth to represent the number of children we will have (the chestnuts represent boys and the dates represent girls). We decided against having a traditional guestbook. We knew it just wasn’t something we would be looking at in the future.  So to tie in the rustic theme of our wedding, we had a bench made for our guests to sign and write messages to us.  It turned out absolutely beautiful and it is proudly displayed in our home. The evening ended with all of our guests dancing until the final few minutes of our reception.  Seeing everyone have fun and enjoy themselves at our wedding was the icing on the cake.  We are so thankful for all of our loving friends and family that were able to celebrate with us.  Their presence was what really made our big day spectacular. 

Ceremony Venue: St. Bernardine Catholic Church / Reception Venue: Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort / Photography: Joseph Kang Photography / Cinematographer: Leap Weddings / Flowers: Vale of Enna / Hair: Livia Caporale / Makeup: Sonia Roselli / Dress: Enzoani / Veil: Sandra’s Designs / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: After Six via Bella Bianca / Cake: Oak Mill Bakery / Honeymoon: Barcelona and Paris

My favorite weddings are those infused with the couple’s own unique personalities.  When you can see their style and love shining out of the images through quirky, handmade details and personal touches you know that it must have been an amazing, memorable day.  One of those weddings where all the guests exclaimed “Oh, this is SO them!”.  That must have been the case with this darling DIY affair coordinated by Madeline’s Weddings & Events and captured by Blue Bird Creative.  The simple, rustic backdrop is perfect for all the unique, colorful details that this cutie couple incorporated.  See them all in the full gallery!

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From Madeline of Madeline’s Weddings and Events… We adored these two as soon as they walked into our office. Both of them were really hands on for their entire planning process.  Their wedding ceremony and reception took place at a little gem just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Hitch n’ Post. This venue is known for their rustic landscape and delicious cuisine. 

Right from the start Leah wanted to make sure her theme and style were carried out throughout the wedding and we did just that. The ceremony took place in the later morning and the reception was a fantastic luncheon reception for the couple and all their guests.

The main colours of their wedding were baby pink, robin’s egg blue and white. Leah and Travis chose to have white organza overlays for the guests with baby pink napkins. For the head table, we had floor length white satin linens, with swooped white organza in the front. The head table also had candles, glassware, spotlighting and rose petals.
We had set up a picture table full of fabulous framed images of the couples families throughout the years. For this table we used a blue floor length pinched linen.  The candy table, which the couple used as favours was a hit with all the guests – everything of course matching their colours!

The bride Leah, was the DIY Queen and we just loved every minute of working with her. Her DIY projects:

* Her centerpieces were thin round logs that Travis’ Dad cut for them. Then old mason jars with homemade pinwheels in them, all different colours and designs that match the theme.
* Their table numbers were also hand carved from wood and stained dark then glued on to little white circles from aluminum cans.
* They made triangle flag banners to hang on the fence for the ceremony.
* They also made a ‘Thank You’ banner to use for their thank you cards.
* Little yarn ball flowers were placed on the program table and registry signing table.
* There were big KRAFT paper wheels hung behind the head table which were really neat.
* She also made blue tissue paper pom poms that we hung from the rafters.
* She also painted LOVE letters pink and a base blue to put on the love table.

Venue: The Hitch ‘n Post Ranch / Wedding Planner + Coordinator: Madeline’s Weddings & Events / Florist: Roy’s Florals / Photographer: Meghan and Marcus Fowler of Blue Bird Creative / Linens & Décor Rentals: Madeline’s Weddings & Events / DJ: Brandon Williams (tubaboy78@gmail.com) / Live Music: Erin Propp (vocals) + Andrew Dyck, bride’s cousin (vocals/guitar)  / Wedding Gown: Allure Bridal via 7th Avenue Fashions / Favours + Candy Buffet: Madeline’s Weddings & Events/ Hair: Kim Patterson of The Style Council / Makeup: Marcie of The Style Council

From start to finish this film by Studio Artifice is one of beautiful landscapes and architecture, tender moments and stunning details.  Tucked away in a majestic village in Provence, France, each and every second is filled with romance and beauty.  With a destination like this the couple must have felt like royalty stepping into the 12th-century church and surrounded by so much splendor.  Their reception was one of glamorous, classic details paired with fun, personal touches including a surprise bollywood dance!

From the bride… Channou is from Switzerland and I am from Singapore. Since we are living in Singapore and don’t get see our friends and family from Europe as often as we wished, we decided to have the celebration somewhere in Europe. We traveled to Provence for a holiday in 2009, and really loved that place. So, when we were thinking of a location for a wedding, Provence was on top of our list — a great destination for our friends and family from Asia to make them discover the beautiful region and a chance to see all of our friends in Europe.We came across Bastide de Capelongue and fell in love with it. That place had the perfect backdrop for our day; fields of lavender, magnificent views from the pool of the village, and all the sunshine we could ask for- and of course not forgetting the most amazing two Michelin starred chef at the restaurant — Chez Edouard Loubet.  The wedding had to be Capelongue.

We had a few DIY projects for the wedding (inspiration from all the wedding blogs!), from the wedding invitations to the “just married” tag on the car. But one that I was really proud of was the welcome bag. This welcome bag was a cotton recyclable bag that I almost gave up looking for since most places would only allow us to order it by the 1000s. It was also challenging to get the silk screen print done as the illustration was too fine to be printed on properly without being too faded, so that also took a lot of effort to find the right person to send it to for it to be done the way we wanted it. But the efforts paid off when we saw our guests using them!

The entire day felt pretty magical, we were very lucky to have amazing weather for the whole week we were there. But if we had to choose, we’d probably have two favourite moments of the day. The first favourite moment was when we first stepped out of the 14th century old church as man and wife, listening the chime of the church bells , the cheering of our friends and family,  facing the clear blue skies with rose petals falling everywhere. That moment was really special… The second favourite moment had to be when we surprised everyone with our bollywood dance routine as the first dance of the night. That definitely took everyone by surprise, and we really enjoyed our few minutes of fame. We really have our amazing vendors to thank for managing to deliver how we envisioned our wedding day to be. We loved every bit of it. This video is a proof of it!

Photography: Franck Boutonnet / Cinematography: Studio Artifice / Flowers: Laetitia C. of Fleurs d’Atelier / Ceremony Venue: Eglise de Bonnieux / Reception Venue: Bastide de Capelongue Bonnieux / Invitations & Illustration: Skinnypop / Welcome Bag: B-Diff / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Groom’s Shoes: Dior Homme / Dress: Time Taken to Make a Dress / Groom’s Suit: Dolce & Gabbana / Bridesmaids Dress: Two Birds Bridemaids

It would be so easy to go on and on about how gorgeous this wedding by Sara Donaldson is. I could literally go on for days about the pretty navy bridesmaids dresses and how the flower displays and bouquets by Bella Flora of Dallas are insanely beautiful…but I think I’d be missing the underlying message in this wedding and that is one of love and commitment even in the toughest of times, like when this beautiful bride battled (and beat!) breast cancer with the love of her life by her side. Love really is a powerful thing of beauty. Click here for even more.

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From Sara of Sara Donaldson Photography… The latest entry on Magan’s blog post is titled, “If you love the life you live, you will live a life of love.” Maegan lives a life of love: Her wide-open heart and strong yet soft demeanor draw you in. Maegan was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks before her 24th birthday. With the help of her beloved, Ryan, she decided to do everything in her power to beat cancer. She endured chemo, radiation, multiple surgeries, infections and hospital stays, with Ryan at her side. Today, she is in remission, married to the love of her life, with a set of beautiful images that captured her truly enchanting November wedding day.

As I prepped my gear for their outdoor wedding, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was going to rain. I packed umbrellas and a rain cover for my camera as a precaution, considering the forecast looked lackluster at best…and thought to myself, it’s ok. If the heavens open up today with rain, it will be heaven’s happy tears. A bright-eyed beauty is marrying the love of her life today, supported and loved by him in a way not often seen. When I arrived at the venue, the amazing team from Bella Flora of Dallas was buzzing about, making the final touches to their exquisite set. Among the box of details I was to shoot, I found, to my tearful surprise, dozens and dozens of vintage hankies, wrapped with a sweet bow and tied with a tag that said, “Happy Tears.” The day swiftly went from gloomy and cloudy to perfectly sunny; the heavens opening up to showcase a perfect sunset and a beautifully mild evening as the backdrop for Maegan and Ryan’s proclamation of love. It was one of the sweetest moments thus far in my career to watch them through the lens that day. I am grateful to have opportunities in my life to provide such lovely people with lasting memories. What a joy. If you would like to learn more about Maegan’s battle with cancer, please visit Maegan’s blog.

From Jaime of Bella Flora of Dallas… When I first met with Maegan and Ryan, they had just decided to scratch their idea of a destination wedding on the beach and keep the nuptials in Ryan’s home state of Texas. Neither wanted a stuffy, super formal affair, but wanted to incorporate the bride’s love of Anthropologie and the groom’s love for cars into their special day. Maegan and Ryan exchanged “I Dos” at Vaquero Golf Club — the same place where they fell in love under a sky of bright fireworks on July 4th. To everyone’s surprise, a fireworks show erupted as soon as the bride and groom made their way back down the aisle. The entertaining show was the perfect precursor to the enchanting reception that was to follow. The porch at Vaquero where Maegan and Ryan had shared many meals had been transformed with a grand tent, glowing candlelight, and fluttery blooms in romantic tones. Guests sat at wooden tables complete with Jan Barboglio chargers, vintage china and paisley printed chairs. Lush garden roses, peonies, hydrangea, queen ann’s lace, and lisianthus spilled out of tall mercury vessels. The eclectic but sophisticated look was the perfect blend of Maegan’s dream and Ryan’s mother’s exquisite taste. Touches of Maegan and Ryan’s personalities were seen throughout the night. Guests snacked on a late night buffet of carnival foods complete with mini caramel apples, donuts, and caramel popcorn. Guests were given vintage hankies for their “happy tears” during the ceremony, and festive pashminas were displayed in a delicate chest that had been passed down through Ryan’s family. In true Isip style, the couple departed in Ryan’s dad’s roaring Ferrari. There was not a dry eye as the couple’s friends shared their love and appreciation for Maegan and Ryan. Less than a year before the wedding, Maegan conquered her battle with breast cancer, and Ryan was there with her every step of the way. Through the chemo, surgeries, and hospital stays, the couple grew even more in their relationship, and it was evident of their love on their wedding day.

Photography: Sara Donaldson / Venue: Vaquero Club / Event Coordination, Design + Flowers: Bella Flora of Dallas / Hankies: Vintage / Wooden Chest for Scarves: Family / Getaway Car: Ferrari / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier / Pashminas: A California flea market / Cocktail napkins + Rentals: Bella Flora of Dallas / Wedding Cake + Mini Vanilla Cakes: Panini Bakery / Food + Chocolate Lava Cakes: Vaquero Club

There’s just nothing like a sweet, sweet love story to fill the weekend with happy and this darling Savannah affair by Cheryl Joy Miner Photography is sure to leave you smiling ’til Monday with a bundle of heartwarming moments and one VERY adorable bride and groom.  Yes, these two lovebirds have most definitely captured our hearts with their sweet as can be proposal story, plus a wedding day that is filled to the brim with pretty details and vibrant blue and pink hues.  We’re LOVING every last fabulous moment planned by Posh Petals and Pearls and, trust us, you will, too!  Join us in the gallery for more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… I met my husband over five years ago and it was as close to love at first sight as it gets. Dan is a pilot and amazing at pulling romantic surprises out of nowhere. Once for my birthday, he rented a plane and flew me to a small island in Georgia for lunch. When he planned a trip to Savannah, Georgia as another surprise, he had no idea how madly in love we would fall with the city. As soon as we got there, we knew our wedding would have to be there, and that we would plan to live there one day. When Dan was ready to propose, as he told me later, he knew he would have to do it there. He proposed in Chippewa Square.

Being so completely in love, I just happened to find my dress before Dan and I were engaged. I tried on several others after his proposal, but I kept coming back to the one. It is blush, not traditional white, with a beaded lace-style overlay. It fit perfectly into the romantic, Southern theme of our wedding. My something borrowed was the jewelry. My aunt let me borrow her pearl and diamond drop earrings that she had designed for her own wedding. Another aunt let me borrow a vintage 8-10 carat diamond watch that was owned by my great aunt. I didn’t even know the watch existed until my aunt asked me if I would like to wear it for the wedding. The brooch on my bouquet, which my mother let me borrow, was also vintage and owned by another great aunt of mine. The borrowed family jewelry helped me stay on a budget and the family heirlooms are so special to me.

My younger sister studied art and went above and beyond to create beautiful, thoughtful signs and special details, like our ring bearer pillow with number pins from a vintage store in Savannah. My advice to future brides would be to find creative pieces and resources to make your wedding more special to you. You don’t necessarily have to buy something new for your wedding to be gorgeous. My sister’s hand painted signs, aunt’s earrings and my friends’ music meant so much more than anything I could have bought. Incorporating a bit of family history and vintage finds along the way will only make your day that much more special.

Wedding Photography: Cheryl Joy Miner Photography / Cinematography: Savannah Wedding Films / Flowers: Garden on the Square / Event Planning: Posh Petals and Pearls / Wedding Ceremony Location: Whitefield Chapel / Wedding Reception Location: The Olde Pink House (912-232-4286) / Wedding Dress: Sottero & Midgley / Bridesmaid Dress: Bill Levkoff / Praline Favors: River Street Sweets / Cake Topper + Other Creative Details: Cathy’s Concepts

When a Bride says the source of her wedding inspiration came from J.Crew and Kate Spade, I immediately fall in love her and consider her my bestie. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I fell head over heels in love with all the perfectly preppy pictures captured by the talented Kristin Spencer Photography in this colorful Connecticut celebration at the gorgeous Jonathan Edwards Winery. From the fabulous pops of color to the gorgeous New England backdrop, it’s hard not to love the wedding of this adorable duo! Click here for even more!

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From the bride… The whole feel of the wedding was based around my love for the styles and colors of Kate Spade and J.Crew. Two of my favorite stores — the day was a combo of both. We wanted the feeling of the wedding to be preppy but not nautical since we weren’t having it directly on the water. So, we went with preppy colors and patterns but nothing that was blatantly nautical. We had lots of red, white and blue mixed in with bright poppy pinks and lots of pretty soft turquoise. We brought in the burlap on the tables and twine on the invites (that’s the J.Crew part for me) and then we also, as contrast, had gold glitter sparkly table numbers with hot pink and red flowers on the tables (a little Kate Spade action). Lots of stripes– the ribbon on my bouquet, the guys ties, the invites…

For our cocktail hour, we had a special signature drink — pineapple orange margaritas — that we had them serve in mason jars and we also gave them some red and white paper straws to put in each glass. SO CUTE! Cocktails were on the two outside patios and inside the tasting room at the vineyard.

We wanted to have a lot of little touches to make our event really unique and I think we succeeded. By adding things like striped paper straws in signature drinks, making little pennant flags to stick in the cupcakes, a burlap banner that said Love Is Sweet to hang across the front of the dessert table, writing a note to our guests and printing it out on cards to put at each place, etc., we were able to personalize the event. We did a lot of DIY projects- made the cupcake flags, made the table numbers (not an easy task!), made the escort cards… it all added up and people really took notice that we had left our signature on the event! The swing band was OUTSTANDING and every single guest agreed. Literally everyone was on the dance floor from start to finish. Even the band kept saying this was the best wedding they have ever played! It was great. I loved our venue. I think that doing a tented wedding- if you can pull it off- is a great canvas to really get creative and transform the space. A ball room is a ball room– but a tent you can really play with and make it feel like another world! The lighting in our tent was awesome! It really felt like you were in a totally different place!

Photography: Kristin Spencer Photography / Swing Band: Bellevue Cadillac / Catering: A Thyme to Cook / Flowers: Verdant / Venue: Jonathan Edwards Winery / Wedding Gown: Paloma Blanca / Shoes + Earrings: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Invitations: Ellie Snowe of Hello Tenfold

JPC Event Group blew it out of the water at this waterside Pittsburgh wedding. They provided a phenomenal cake and mouth-watering nosh, which perfectly complimented this nautical bride and groom’s style. They put together a fabulous wedding that has us all looking forward toward warm summer weddings by the lake (even this winter-lovin’ blogger). Plus, Michaelwill Photography + Sarah Winkler Photography loaded up a gallery with so many images, it’ll take you all weekend to get your fill!

Jon and I met in college through mutual friends at an annual beach themed party. The night after we met Jon called me to go on a date but I got so nervous on the phone that I turned him down. When I told my roommate that I had said “no” to going on a date she immediately convinced me that it was a bad decision and that I had to change my mind. I think her words were “Why would you say no? It’s just a date…it’s not like you’re going to marry the guy!” I sent Jon a message apologizing for not being available that night and suggested we get together another night that week. He luckily took me up on my counter offer. It was because of my roommate’s convincing that I went on that first date – little did we all know that five years later Jon and I would be getting married!

My family has been spending our summers on Conneaut Lake for three generations now and it has always been a special place to me – there is just something about the laid back lifestyle we live while staying at our lakehouse that I love – the air is fresh, the days are spent with friends on the lake and there is always time for a cocktail while watching the sunset. Jon knew how much I loved it there and even decided that it would be the perfect location to propose (which it was!).

My mom is an assistant to an interior decorator and just has impeccable taste in decorating our house– so I knew that I would never find a location that was as unique and had as much meaning to me – so having the wedding at our lake house was an easy decision. The house has a classic shabby chic cottage feel to it with splashes of color all over the house. Since the scenery at the lake is naturally so beautiful and colorful– we wanted the outside tenting to be open and airy with a “shabby chic but elegant” feel to it. I chose soft blooms with mostly hydrangeas and large open garden roses for floral arrangement with crisp navy blue and white table linens. We complimented the shabby chic feeling with lace accents throughout many other wedding details including my dress and veil, our invitations, bouquets, vases on the tables and even our cake.

We wanted our guests to feel like we thought about them in the planning process as much as we thought about ourselves. Be it from the transportation we offered (a shuttle bus, valet parking and water taxis) or the food we picked (five courses so everyone could taste a little of everything!), we wanted each of our guests to enjoy the day just as much as we did.

Even though we had almost 230 people at our wedding, we personalized a menu at each person’s seat so that they could feel a little personal touch when they sat down for dinner. Also, since most of our guests came from out of town – we wanted people to have the experience of “the lake” so we offered mini boat cruises around the lake after dinner so that our guests could get a tour of Conneaut Lake and see the tents and wedding from the water. All of the décor, flowers and food were impeccable and better than I could have ever imagined thanks to my amazing vendors but I think that our guests really enjoyed the little touches of “us” too!

It was very important to us that we try to incorporate things about the two of us into our wedding. We did this through a number of ways – our tables were all named after our favorite places at Virginia Tech (where we met), the appetizers were all of Jon’s favorite foods, and Jamie loves to drink wine, so we had a wine bar with wines that we could tell stories about that involved the two of us. Each of the details had a purpose behind it from adding a silk rose from Jamie’s Mom’s wedding gown to her bouquet to offering classic Pittsburgh (where the Jamie is from) and Baltimore (where Jon is from) beers after dinner and having a cigar bar, which reminds us of Jamie’s Dad.

Photography: Michaelwill Photography + Sarah Winkler Photography of JPC Event Group / Cuisine and Bar Services: JPC Event Group / Wedding Cake: JPC Event Group / Wedding Gown: Priscilla of Boston / Wedding shoes: Jimmy Choo / Ceremony location: Our Lady Queen of the Americas / DJ Service: Elegant Performances, Kirk Dietrich / Table Linens: La Tavola Linens, JPC Event Group, + Chaircovers & Linens / Floral: Mocha Rose Floral Design / Tent & Equipment Rental: All Occasion / Hair: Brooke Rockwell / Make-up: Simply Beautiful / Day of Coordination: Simply Perfect Weddings / Stationery: More Than Words

I’ve never had the opportunity to visit Portugal, but I am fairly certain it’s my new favorite country.  Yep, all it took was one look at this stunning Amares affair and I was SOLD.  The lush citrus-filled landscape, the historical setting, the breathtaking views, the couldn’t be happier bride and groom… I could get lost in this pretty for hours.  And with the oh-so-talented Brancoprata behind the impeccable styling, gorgeous florals, fab paper goods AND brilliant photography, I can’t think of a more perfect way to spend the day than wrapped up in all of this lovely.  Wouldn’t you agree?  Click here for more.

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From the Bride… When Rogerio and I decided to get married, Pousada de Santa Maria do Bouro was a natural choice for the venue (actually, since I was a teenager I had been dreaming of tying the knot here). This historic luxury hotel is just beautiful and the surrounding landscape is breathtaking… It is located in the north of Portugal, between the city of Braga and the Gerês mountain range, and results from the restoration of a former Cistercian Monastery of the XII century, in a remarkable work of the 2011 Pritzker Prize winner Eduardo Souto Moura. Since many guests were coming from other parts of the country and abroad (US, UK, Italy and Netherlands), we booked the whole hotel for them to stay overnight. Another easier choice was Brancoprata. I had been following this team’s work for quite some time, and knew they provided the services we wanted with the best desired quality: invitations and paper goods, flowers and styling, photography and babysitting were services we booked all at once, which made the whole wedding planning a lot easier.

One of the most creative parts for us was planning the ceremony. Both Rogerio and I had never attended a non-religious ceremony in Portugal… However, with some guidance from the (most amazing) officiant, we came up with an idyllic ceremony. We can’t even describe how it feels to have your most loved friends singing in choir accompanied by a piano…

Since it is always a treat to eat in this historic hotel, choosing the menu was probably the hardest task in the whole wedding planning! Dinner was served in the cloisters, as well as the wedding cake, which just felt magical… In the old kitchen wing, surrounded by giant hearths under a soaring ceiling, guests enjoyed dancing, drinks and a photo booth with several props that kept everyone entertained all night. As wedding favors for our guests, we offered plants and local honey, a traditional product from Gerês mountains. Overall, our wedding day was like we were dreaming of: relaxed, fun and memorable.

Wedding Photography: André Teixeira of Brancoprata / Bride’s Headpiece: Miira / Bride’s Shoes: The Seller / Bride’s Bouquet: Bloom Flores /  Wedding Dress: ModelNovias / Stationery, Paper Goods + Event Styling: Sofia Ferreira of Brancoprata / Floral Design: Brancoprata / Venue + Catering: Pousada de Santa Maria do Bouro / Music: DJ Motinha

Is there a detail from this Hudson Valley wedding that I don’t absolutely love and adore?  That would be a big, fat negative!  Each and every one fills my heart with delight.  Yellow, green and white is a color palette that will always be fresh, cheerful and charming especially when paired together with so many cute, personalized details from the drink straw pennants to the sweet thank yous tucked inside each napkin.  Weddings by Two always brings a magical quality to the celebrations that they shoot and this one is no different!  See all their images in the full gallery!

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From the bride… When my husband and I were searching for a wedding location in the Hudson Valley, Shadow Lawn quickly stood out to us. We were able to rent the property for the entire weekend, so we could host our rehearsal dinner, wedding, and Sunday brunch there. The owners of the property went an extra mile to make everything perfect for us after Hurricane Irene, and I think that the beauty of the property was partly what made all of the pictures so gorgeous!  The Sheeley House Bed & Breakfast next door was the perfect location for our wedding party to stay, and my husband and I had a great time being so close to everyone all weekend long.  

We worked closely with our officiant, Barbara Ann Michaels, to create a ceremony that was both deeply personal and non-traditional. Two couples from each side of our family spoke and provided us with marriage wisdom. Instead of a traditional favor, we rented a photobooth from Weddings by Two/We Love Photobooths—it was packed all night long! Everyone from the grandparents to our youngest cousins loved snapping their pictures. Another highlight was my last-minute decision to purchase the cakes from our favorite bakery in New York City—Momofuku Milk Bar.  Ryan and I had to drive to Brooklyn the Friday before to pick up the cakes and bring them to the wedding ourselves. They were the hit of the night. Everyone raved about them!

It was daunting to choose a location that was not all-inclusive, and my husband and I both did a lot of work the entire year leading up to the wedding (much more than we had expected)! In the end, all of our vendors came together to make it an unforgettable day!

Photography and Photobooth: Weddings by Two + We Love Photobooths / DJ: Lutz Entertainment / Day-of Coordinator: Hudson Valley Events / Officiant: Barbara Ann Michaels / Floral Design: Steven Bruce Design / Caterer: Main Course / Wine: Stone Ridge Wine & Spirits / Venue: Shadow Lawn / Cakes: Momofuku Milk Bar / Calligraphy: The Left Handed Calligrapher / Dress: Elizabeth Dye via Lovely Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Hair + Makeup: Face Stockholm

As we bid adieu to yet another gorgeous week on SMP Florida, we couldn’t resist sending you off into the weekend with this floral-filled Miami affair by the talented Captured Photography by Jenny. Held at the breathtaking Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and complimented by the floral design of Kitanim – A Floral Design & Event Company, it’s hard to find a wedding more lush than this one! You’ll have all weekend to lust over all the pretty details, so don’t forget there is even more in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL Wedding!

From the bride… Ryan and I live in Los Angeles.  When Ryan asked me to marry him in Santa Barbara in March. Soon after, we decided we wanted to have our wedding in my hometown of Miami. I always knew I would get married at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.  My family has been involved with the Garden for years, my Bat Mitzvah was there, and it’s just a fascinatingly beautiful and unique place.  I fell in love with Jenny’s photography on Style Me Pretty.  Her pictures consistently articulated this youthful bliss, this sense of happily-ever-after, that I just adored.  When a friend of my mother’s told us she had hired Jenny for her own wedding, we knew it was meant to be.  Jenny and her assistant, Shelly, were a dream team.  They laughed with us, snapped more pictures than I thought possible, and made everyone feel so comfortable. 

Ryan’s cousins happily agreed to be the musicians for our ceremony.  They played such interesting music: scores from Forrest Gump and The Princess Bride for the processional, and a totally funky take on “Sign, Sealed, Delivered” for our recessional.  And before the ceremony, as we played cat and mouse with the Florida rain, our talented cousins kept our guests entertained with instrumental versions of old favorites from the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and other classic artists.  Ryan’s sister and father sang “You’re All I Need to Get By” during the ceremony, a beautiful wedding tradition in the groom’s family.  Having our family so involved in all of the music really made our ceremony one-of-a-kind and very personal.  

Kitanim did our floral and event design and provided our day-of-coordinators too.  Meredith, the owner, is so sweet and so dedicated to her work.   Meredith and her team at Kitanim took my ideas and suggestions and turned them into a breathtaking reality.  Every detail was better than I could have planned.  I wanted centerpieces with height, but I did not want that height to seem unnatural or forced.  I wanted plenty of green, but I also wanted pink; I was looking for something natural, old-fashioned, but fresh and sweet and lovely.  Each table—complete with its centerpiece, soft burlap linens, and decorative stones, candles, jars and vases —perfectly bonded that mossy, old-garden feel with a sweet, youthful brightness.   (My mom, true to self, spent the summer scooping up all the jars and lanterns on sale at Pottery Barn.) As a midnight snack and a thank you to our guests, we provided fresh oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies, along with little cartons of milk.   After a send-off full of bubbles and laughter, we hopped into the convertible and drove down Old Cutler Road, one of the most scenic routes in Miami, as husband and wife.  It was such a sweet ending to an amazing night.

Photographer: Captured Photography by Jenny / Floral Design, Event Design + Coordination: Kitanim – A Floral Design & Event Company / Venue: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden / Hair: Rodolfo Hair Gallery (305-444-7443) / Cake + Desserts: Divine Delicacies / Caterer: David Schwadron / DJ: Corey Feldman / Dress Designer: Nicole Miller via Nicole Miller West Hollywood / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse /  Jewelry: David Yurman + Maria Elena / Shoe Designer: Kate Spade / Stationery: William Arthur via Paper Pigeon / Veil + Hair Accessories: Nordstrom at Village of Merrick Park / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew