We’ve got a fantastic Georgia wedding film from Three Ring Media this morning – and it’s bound to get your toes tapping, your faces smiling, and your heart beating like no cup of coffee can. Perfect for a sleepy weekend morning, right? This couple is super cute, and wed in a great vintage charm meets modern romance wedding, captured by Harwell Photography. I’m betting you’ll want to spend a little extra time with this couple, after seeing the great highlight film, so make sure to swing through the gallery for a nice jumpstart to your day!

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Angela, after travelling and living abroad, moved to San Francisco, due to a close friend’s strong recommendation, and met Zheng while he was living a humble graduate student life in Berkeley. We joke that there were several “first- time” meetings because we were both unsure of whether or not an impression had been made on different occasions; we had noticed, unbeknownst to the other.

We were so different, there was no denying it. Angela was born in Atlanta to Korean Immigrants, has a nice southern side with a fiery twist, and was spontaneous, free-spirited, and borderline reckless. Zheng, was born in China, moved to the US when he was 11 and grew up in Chicago, focused, systematic, and careful. It wasn’t until Zheng visited Angela in China, while she was studying abroad, that they knew it was real.

Once Angela came back to San Francisco, our first date was at the aquarium in San Francisco. (That’s why we decided to have our reception at the GA Aquarium.) An ideal place for both of us because for Zheng, it was a controlled environment and he knew what to expect, but for Angela the fish and other sea creatures represented the oceans where they freely swam and traveled. It was through times like these we discovered that though we had stark differences in the way we approached and perceived life, it is what made us great…… we were a compliment of each other. And at the root of the both of us, we worked because we upheld the same values, faith, and principles.

The result is us, A+Z. A fun-loving, goofy, happy-go-lucky couple that challenges each other to practice restraint in our own tendencies.. but never to forget to add a dash of hot sauce to everything! Zheng moved to Portland after he graduated and proposed to Angela in a festively lit garden there a few days after Thanksgiving with a group of our closest friends that had come up from San Francisco.

What we hoped to achieve during the wedding, above all, was that it was meaningful to the guests that attended and that they FELT the love by the incorporation of romantic and vintage elements but also bits of our goofy and sometimes childlike personalities. Our colors were gold, silver, champagne, ivory and muted pink. So it was cute & modern meets a little romantic vintage.

We had a koala and owl that represented us on the invitations, programs, and as our cake topper. Angela is the koala, because people have said her nose is shaped like a koala, and come to find out they actually sleep a ton, which used to be a hobby of hers. Zheng is the owl, it befits him, because he has big eyes for an Asian man, operates best at night, and is a very wise man. Angela also loves animal prints, so we asked everyone to incorporate some sort of animal print into their attire.

Photographer: Harwell Photography / Videographer: Three Ring Media / Ceremony Venue: Perimeter Church / Reception Venue: Georgia Aquarium / Catering: Wolfgang Puck / Floral Designer: Your Event Solution / Event Designer & Planner: Bride with friend, Sandra Chong / Stationery: Bride / Cake: Publix / Cake Topper: Kikuike Etsy Studio / Wedding Gown Designer: White from Vera Wang / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Monique Lhuillier

I’m just gonna go ahead and throw this out there and say that SimplyBridal is simply amazing! And who cares if that sounds chiché because it’s true! These people rock the wedding dress world and here’s why: First off, all the gorgeous dresses are under $600. Yup, you read that right, $600! They are made with outstanding quality in fabrics, material, and fit and are sold online, which cuts out the middle man (aka overpriced bridal boutiques and high end retailers) and passes the savings onto you. Pretty amazing, right?

Oh, and the woman designing all these gorgeous gowns has designed for BCBG MAXAZRIA in LA and Suzi Chin for Maggie Boutique in NYC and has over twelve years experience in the fashion industry, along with a BFA in Apparel Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. I’d say she’s highly qualified to create your wedding dress. Just look at these beauties!

SimplyBridal just recently opened up a showroom in LA, so for all you lucky west coast brides-to-be, now’s your chance to see these beauties up close and in person! And now, when you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll not only be kept in the loop, you’ll also be entered into a gown giveaway and get this: One winner is chosen each and every day. Yup, that’s right, one a day!

And just when you thought this couldn’t get any better, it does! SimplyBridal is giving away five wedding dresses (valued at $499 and under) to our lucky readers! All you have to do is leave us a comment below telling us your favorite dress and why, and you’ll be automatically entered to win! Contest ends Thursday, December 29th. Good Luck! xoxo

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Fridays are always a little bittersweet, don’t you think?  We’re excited for the weekend (and the holiday festivities it brings), but we just hate saying goodbye to you lovelies… and to all of the pretty, pretty inspiration we’ve been seeing this week.  Which is why we have one more bundle of wedding goodness up our sleeves, all thanks to the oh-so-talented Michael + Anna Costa Photographers Ltd. and one very glamorous Santa Barbara photo shoot designed by Ariel Yve Design, LLC..  With its fabulous polo club setting, beautiful florals by Juniper Designs and gorgeous cakes by Cakes by Vreeke, this elegant shoot will fill your entire weekend with pretty… and leave you happily swooning until next week.  Click here for all of the lovely!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Ariel Yve Design, LLC…. For this photo shoot, I wanted to blend a bit of the East Coast Glam with the California Casual look that Santa Barbara is known for.  I was incredibly inspired by Ralph Lauren for this piece.  I adore polo, and polo ponies, but didn’t want to create a literal interpretation of a “Polo Theme.”  I love designing environments that convey a lifestyle rather than a “theme,” and Ralph is the master of life-styling.

For the first look, I brought in heirloom blue and white English china, 1930’s crystal stemware and sterling silver.  All from my own families collection.  The linens were a dichotomy of textures, mixing the raw earthiness of burlap with the refinement of La Tavola’s delicate Alencon lace table and chair caps.

Ever since I was young, I’ve associated the color navy, with Casablanca lilies.  I knew I wanted to feature the lily by making it the focal point of a massive floral grouping of all white blooms arranged in vintage silver champagne buckets and urns.

The cake in this feature was designed to mimic the textures of the table linens and set atop an antique Chippendale dresser.  To enhance our decadent cake, I filled the dresser drawers with masses of full blown white roses, riding bits and show ribbons.

For the second look, I wanted to create a luxurious yet effortless picnic.  Any bride-to-be will tell you that she’s fantasized about eloping at one point or another.  I really wanted to tap into that dream, by creating this chic, intimate setting.

For the picnic blanket, I used an ultra glam linen from La Tavola called “Monique”… on which I piled a plush mountain of taffeta and organza rosette pillows in cream, gold, aqua and chocolate. Bringing these scene together were details such as, old cloth bound books, over-sized lanterns and wicker picnic basket overflowing with fresh flowers and a mixture of equine goodies.

For a final bit of whimsy, I created a wooden tree swing using a piece of 2″ thick reclaimed lumber and dozens of ribbons, which acted as the stand for our cream and champagne 4 tiered cake.  The perfect touch for this simply sweet setting.

Art Direction and Set Design: Ariel Yve of Ariel Yve Design, LLC. / Photography: Michael Costa of Michael + Anna Costa Photographers Ltd. / Location: Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club / Accessories: Stella & Dot / Attire, Female Model: Lovella Bridal by Ines Di Santo / Attire, Male Model: Mission Tuxedos / Cakes: Cakes by Vreeke / Cupcakes: Sugar Cat Studios / Hair and Makeup: Brianna Stewart / Flowers: Juniper Designs / Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens / Model, Male: Wesley Wilson (Wesley Wilson Fitness Model & Trainer) / Model, Female: Juliette Glennon / Printed Materials: Zenadia Design / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

If you missed any, here are all of our pretty posts from the week:

a glamorous Charlottesvile soiree
a whimsical Los Altos affair
a swoon-worthy San Diego soiree
a fun-filled Austin wedding
a stunning Seattle soiree
a beyond beautiful Los Angeles affair
a super sweet proposal video
a day filled with eight gorgeous weddings
a gorgeous New Haven affair
a breathtaking Carmel Valley soiree
an elegant New York City affair
a charming Traverse City engagement session + DIYan awesome Dodgers Stadium wedding

Some fabulous links from around the web:

a yummy gingersnap shake via Camille Styles
fabulous flower market favors via {frolic!}
fun holiday photobooth props via Oh Happy Day

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

Kim Starr Wise Floral Events
Mark Schneider Design
Brea McDonald Photography
Four Seasons Hotel St Louis
Sails Restaurant Noosa
EastCoast Entertainment
Stella Harper Events
Conner Catering, Inc.
Fleurs
BlueShore Productions
Event Source
Dreamlove Photography
Capella Pedregal
Lindsey Shea Photography
Leo Timoshuk
First Day Films
Donna Romani Events
Krista Mason Photography
A Dream Wedding   

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

And last, but certainly not least… we have some winners to announce!

Linda Arredondo Photography selected one lucky SMP California winner to receive a complimentary engagement session.  Congratulations to Jill!

Dogwood Floral Design selected one lucky winner to receive a free bridal bouquet. Congratulations to Natalie!

The lucky winner of the twobirds Bridesmaid chiffon mini in the color of their choice is Patty!  Congratulations!

Have a pretty, pretty weekend!  See you back here Monday morning. xoxo

We’re entering the holiday home stretch, LBBers, and I’m sure some of your winter weddings are now upon us. Let me just say – I’m so excited. I love this time of year as much as the next elf, and the fact that some of you lovely brides and grooms might be getting married THIS weekend under a big bunch of mistletoe expands that smile on my face tenfold. And so does this Idaho engagement sesh from Tana Photography. As much as I’m loving the twinkle lights and evergreen smell that are all around me today, this shoot makes me long for a nice long walk in a rural field. So spend some time with this adorbs couple and their dogs, enjoy whatever festivities you’ve got planned this weekend, and we’ll see you back here Monday! xoxo

Photography by Tana Photography.

Scoot on over to the Tana Photography blog for more of Danielle & Dustin’s engagement shoot. A note from this too cute for words, soon-to-be-groom:

There’s one defining moment in a relationship that loudly announces that this person is the one for you. Taking Danielle to my family farm for the first time was that moment. We’d been dating for six months and she had yet to meet my family. Once I saw how seamlessly she fit in, there was no doubt that she was the one for me. The farm is about family, hard work, and overcoming any adversity that may fall before you. When asked where I wanted to take our engagement pictures I could not imagine taking them anywhere else because the farm is everything that I am, and everything that I hope to give to Danielle in marriage.

The week of pretty, pretty weddings all in one spot for your viewing pleasure:

a sweet Kentucky wedding highlight film
a crisp November Colorado mountain affair that is oh-so-pretty
a Pennsylvania wedding with the most amazing floral design
a couple on a tandem bicycle in this adorbs Canadian engagement sesh
a perfectly chic, perfectly Californian fête
a classic Kansas City soiree uniting a master of industry and his lovely bride
an Australian wedding film bound to put a smile on your face
a fantastically bright and beautiful Connecticut affair
a sweet, little tear jerker of a wedding film straight from Atlanta
a very glamorous Delaware ballroom soiree
a fantastic traditional and chic New York fête

Carmel is one of the most breathtaking spots on the west coast. Home to rugid coastlines and fabulous views fit for the loveliest of weddings and this one has organic elegance written all over it. Captured in the most beautiful way by Tinywater Photography with design and styling by the darling of wedding details, Beth Helmstetter, this little number is about to dazzle you right into your weekend festivities. Air plants and sparkling Jimmy Choos, does it get any better than that wildly gorgeous combo? See the full day here!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Tinywater Photography…This wedding has been one of my favorites so far. The fog provided the perfect background for the outdoor ceremony with incredible views of Carmel and Pebble beach at the bottom of the cliffs.

The Point Lobos Ridge Estate was a perfect setting for the rustic and elegant festival theme Kari was going for – complete with driftwood, succulents, airplants, and an outdoor moroccan lounge with live music, hookah, and bonfires for the guests to enjoy. The wedding colors were sage greens, lavender, and mushroom. The couple really enjoyed a raw and organic feel mixed up with a touch of glamour, and with all the beautiful details from throughout the day. From the Rolls Royce to the tree stump cake stand to the flower girl hairpieces – their wedding nailed it!

Wedding Photography: Tinywater Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Justin Fone Productions / Floral Design: Lila B. Design Studio / Event Design + Planning: Beth Helmstetter / Ceremony + Reception Location: Point Lobos Ridge Estate / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Jim Hjelm / Hair & Make-up Artist: Lisa Strutz

I can’t believe another pretty week has come and gone here at SMP Australia! Before we send you off into the weekend, we had to share with you this beyond gorgeous fete by Jonathan Wherrett.  We’re talking lush florals, gorgeous attire, a romantic carousel ride and lots of vintage touches. Yup, I think it’s safe to say that we’re totally head over heels for this elegant down under soiree. Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Michael and I met 3 and half years ago while we were both working at the Park Hyatt in Melbourne. From the beginning we knew that we had found “the one.” We quickly became inseparable and our life together very quickly kicked off. Our friends and family have laughed that our life seems to be one major event after the other. Within several years we had gotten a dog, travelled the world multiple times, purchased a house, had a baby and became engaged, but I guess when you know you’re onto a good thing why wait?!

When Michael and I got engaged at the Islington Hotel in Hobart we knew right away that it is where we would be married. The hotel was perfectly “us” and more importantly it offered us everything we wanted for our wedding. It was small, it was in an amazing location and it was all ours for the entire day and night of our wedding. We knew very early on that we wanted our wedding to be small and intimate so that we were able to fully enjoy the company of our closest friends and family who were all making the trip to Hobart to be with us.

Michael and I share a great love of all things food so it goes without saying that one of the most important parts of our wedding day would be the food. We worked with the chef to create our dream menu, something which we would dream of finding in a restaurant, we worked with the sommelier to match wines to each of the courses and we also created custom “His” & “Hers” cocktails to enjoy with canapés in the afternoon. For our wedding favors we made chocolate and caramel fudge, peanut brittle and chocolate freckles which we packaged up in little midnight snack packs. As an ode to food we also spent months collecting vintage forks which we bent by hand to use as our place card holders.

We were so blessed to have our wonderful friend Jeremy with us who worked tirelessly the entire day to ensure that everything was perfect. Unfortunately when the flowers arrived it was apparent that the florist and I were on different wave lengths but rather than letting me know about this Jeremy took control of the situation and took 30 sad little arrangements and created 10 amazing ones. He also did all the amazing styling for our tables which included vintage books, hessian table runners and my great grandmothers vintage silverware.

Our day went off without a hitch and I can honestly say it was exactly what I had always dreamed off. We managed to hire the most incredibly talented people to work with on the day but none more so than our amazing photographer Jonathan Wherrett who not only captured our day so perfectly but managed to fit into a close knit group of friends and family as though we had known him forever. Having Jonathan capture our wedding day was the best decision Michael and I made and we’re reminded of this every time we look at our amazing photos.

Wedding Photography: Jonathan Wherrett / Floral Design: Jeremy vander Norde, Friend / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Islington Hotel / Wedding Cake: Cakes By Eve / Celebrant: Jill Harper / Music: Adelante / Bride’s Shoes: Ted Baker / Wedding Dress: Martina Liana / Earrings: Ben Amun / Groom’s Suit: P Johnson Tailors / Groom’s Shoes: Loake via Beggar Man Theif / Rings: Jose Fernandez

Get ready for a good dose of lovely because this next little number by onelove photography is overflowing with prettiness. So much so, I am just beyond smitten. I can almost guarantee it will have the same affect on all of you out there because it is a-dor-able. The couple could not look more in love, the personal details could not be prettier and the blush hues could not make me happier. It’s easy to see why I am so smitten, and there is even more to swoon over in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

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From the Bride…We wanted our wedding to be a reflection of who we both are – individually and as a couple. Just as importantly, we saw the wedding as our chance to give our closest friends and family a glimpse into our love story and to celebrate their part in it. Almost all of the decisions we made – both big and small – reflect this.

Our venue, the Carneros Inn, was absolutely perfect for us. The fact that it is in Napa appealed to Ben (a wine lover), and I was pretty much smitten with the property from the moment I set foot on it. From the quaint apple orchard where we had our intimate ceremony, to the adorable cottage where we had our first look, to the gorgeous courtyard with overhanging string lights where guests could grab a drink and warm up by the fireplace, the Carneros Inn was a dream come true. It is the perfect blend of clean and modern, but also comfortable and inviting.

Our ceremony was equally personal. One of Ben’s best friends, Elliot, officiated the ceremony, while one of my bridesmaids read a poem that holds special meaning for the two of us and another – an amazing violinist – played a heartfelt piece. We hoped that even the smallest details would help tell our story, so we chose to give guests jars of our favorite Korean citron tea as favors and created photo collages of our memories from each month we dated to designate the tables at our reception. We decorated the courtyard with photographs of our parents and grandparents at their own weddings and lined our dessert table with many of our favorite treats. The slideshow that my brother-in-law painstakingly made for us added the perfect finishing touch, painting an even fuller picture of the most meaningful moments we’ve shared with friends, family and each other.

We wanted our decor to be fresh, clean, cute, and personal. Because our ceremony took place in an apple orchard, we incorporated green apples into our color scheme and design. We placed bright, granny smith apples at each place setting, which simultaneously added a punch of color to our tables and served as the perfect holder for our guests’ place cards. Our wonderful planner, Cay Lemon, also helped us create a wishing tree filled with congratulatory wishes from our guests. Their notes were written on green apple-shaped cards, reminiscent of the apple orchard where we were just married. Many elements of our wedding and decor were also handmade by the two of us (with help from family): the place cards, menus, welcome sheets and candy bags for guests, favors, petal bags, and photo collages. We hope they added a personal touch to our day.

A few of my favorite memories: the look on Ben’s face when he pulled me out from behind our cottage doorway and we saw each other for the first time, the sound of my sister’s sniffling behind me during the ceremony when Ben gave his vows, the sweet and special moment I shared with my dad during our father-daughter dance, seeing our parents get down on the dance floor, jumping up and down in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by our cheering friends and family at the end of the night.

Wedding Photography: onelove photography / Event Design + Coordination: Zest Productions / Make-up: Audrey Crandell / Hair: Rachel Gardea of It’s a Date at the Powder Room / Caterer: Carneros Inn / Wedding Videography: Sandbox Love / DJ + Lighting: DJ Saint Patrick / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Floral Design: Vanda Floral Design / Groom’s Attire: Astor & Black / Jewelry: Haute Bride / Pearl Bracelet: Grandmother of the Bride / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Officiant: Elliot Ling / Bride’s Shoe: Kate Spade / Stationery: Minted

It’s a ballroom kind of day on the LBB Blog! This bride is so stunning. Her face is so beautifully expressive, we all couldn’t help but catch her excitement. She was so happy to marry her love in a very glamorous, very chic, classic New York wedding, and that in and of itself is the most special part of the day. The beautiful ballroom was filled with gorgeous and heartfelt details, the style was grandeur and stunning, but the love that was palpable through Ulysses Photography‘s rendition of the day – that’s something special. Click here for more!

We wanted the day to be a celebration of family and friends. We were getting married for the first time in our 40’s and have both lost many dear people along the way. We wanted to remember and include them in the day in some way. We had the names of those who had passed that were important to us and our guests included in the wedding programs. Photographs were a priority for us, since they are truly a lasting record of the day. We took the recommendation of a good friend who used Ulysses Photography for their wedding. Jenni and Ulysses were nothing short of amazing with their artist eye for detail, and we are absolutely delighted with the results.

We wanted understated elegance with a vintage feel for the day and achieved this with various details. The tuxes from Men’s Warehouse, Sophia Tolli Phyllis gown from the Bridal Gallery in Salem, Oregon, the long hand-beaded veil, ceremony shoes by Grace, fun blue Caparros Ulysses reception shoes, and amazing hair and makeup done by Rosemarie Pomilla owner of N.Y. Prostyle and her team, helped provide the timeless feel of the day. We had the ceremony in the late afternoon at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception located on campus of my alma mater, The College of Mount Saint Vincent, because we love that when you enter the Chapel and the campus it feels like you are stepping back in time. We choose the Old Tappan Manor for our reception because it was like going to a ball in the ballroom of a private mansion in days gone by. They only have one event at a time, the renovated space is gorgeous, and the food was wonderful.

We wanted things we love as part of our day. The groom loves music and wanted the ceremony to be the most special part of the day. We had Pipe Major Jonathan Henken play bagpipes before and after the ceremony outside of the Chapel. For the ceremony we had singer Stephanie Budelman and The Devonshire Players string quartet. I love dragonflies, bubbles, fall leaves and various shades of blue. We worked these things into the programs, party favors, wedding party flowers, seating charts, napkins, table linens, invitations, wedding bands, and ribbons woven into baskets for the programs, directions and bubbles.

Photography: Ulysses Photography / Flowers: The Flower Shoppe, New City, NY / Ceremony Location: Mount St. Vincent College / Reception Location: Old Tappan Manor / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Shoes: Grace / Dress: Sophia Tolli / Veil: Glamgal Designs / Hair & Makeup: NY Prostyle / Limo: Top Class Limosine / Cake: Homestyle Desserts Bakery

You will not believe the incredible line-up we have for you today.  And that’s just in this post alone!  We not only have an awesome and unique wedding at the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles shot by the extraordinary Adrienne Gunde Photography but also the romantic first look captured by Becca Rillo Photography.  When the bride is a wedding photographer you know that an extra special amount of attention will be paid to the details and feeling of the day.  This day was certainly one of momentous joy and happiness and that is made clear in every single one of these images.  See them all in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Stunning, right?  But before donning her adorable little white dress and heading up to one of the most delightful and cheerful celebrations we have ever seen, this darling bride and her groom had an intimate first look on the field of their hometown ballpark.  Becca Rillo Photography was there to document all the heartfelt moments that began this happy, happy day.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Did I tell you that was a whopper of a line-up or what?  And it’s not quite over yet!  We have the incredible film by New Classic Wedding Films to share with you too!

From the Bride…We met back in our younger days working at a toy store in Santa Clarita, where we both grew up. We were friends and both knew the timing wasn’t right, and we remained on good terms. Although we hadn’t been in direct contact for years, 10 years later, we reconnected on MySpace, a social website. I was so delighted to receive his message, for I had always thought fondly of him. It seems he thought highly of me too. We met up for a casual coffee date and talked for hours. During our date we decided we should probably go to a sushi restaurant next time, since neither of us drink coffee, but we love sushi. It was this time we knew the timing was right on. From there we started going on more sushi dates, and fell in love.

Our engagement was as non traditional but sweet. We had our very own “Freeway Series” and got engaged the weekend of July 4th after an Anaheim Angels game. It was private and personal just as my groom intended. We made an adorable engagement video with New Classic Wedding Films, that went out with our invitations. It was the perfect addition to include because it showed one of my most embarrassing moments to date (re-enacted).

When trying to find a place to get married at, and represent our unique personalities it was quite difficult. We went around and around about different gardens, ballrooms, historic buildings, but none of them fell into place for us. During our 4 years of dating we frequented a lot of Dodger games. We are both huge Dodger fans and have been attending games since we were children. It wasn’t until I chatted with a friend and she suggested getting married at Dodgers Stadium. While I know that they have wedding ceremonies on the field on non-game days, and we didn’t have the budget for that kind of production. More importantly it would be missing the best part of why we love the Dodgers, the baseball game. Then we thought, what if we did it ON a game day. We could have our beloved Dodgers, friends, family, and a perfect baseball game. It took a few nice phone calls to arrange, but 3 months before the scheduled date, we had gotten approval from the Dodgers, our friends and family, and booked our wedding. We sent out the gorgeous calligraphy invitations by Katrina, and tickets to the ball game, all within record time.

For our wedding/reception, we had booked a pre-game reception in the Loge Terrace, for lovely food and open bar for our 50 guests. About two hours before the game was scheduled to start, we had a quick 10 minute ceremony, complete with personal vows, and a few tears. With my Nana’s hankie and my bridal bouquet from Enchanted Garden made with balsa wood flowers, we walked down our isle of friends and family together, arm and arm. We wanted to walk into our future together.

Our officiant was a friend from Jr. High, who was just became officially reverend a few weeks before. He flew out from Oklahoma to officiate his first official ceremony. Although we requested for the ceremony to be quick, simple, and not really about us, he managed to make it perfectly personal and amazing. For his first ceremony as a Reverend he managed to make everyone laugh, cry and hang on his every word and prayer. After the ceremony and the local news crew was their to interviews us, our guest signed our Prim and Pixie sign in board, we cut our Fantasy Frostings cake shaped like sushi, and joined the rest of our guests to watch the game.

One of the most important decisions was who does a wedding photographer, like me, pick to be her photographer for her wedding? The answer is the same for any bride. It is so important to pick a talented photographer that you adore them as well as their lovely work. Someone who you can turn over all your trust and know they will capture the essence of the day, and a make everything look beautiful. Adrienne Gunde was the perfect choice for us. We knew we wanted someone who would photograph our personal and unique wedding, while capturing the all details our coordinator had put together. Our photos came our better than we could have ever imagined and we would say that they represent the day so perfectly. We didn’t mind doing family portraits, or couple portraits after the ceremony. It was that during our photos that made it real, and we realized, we really did it. We pulled off our dream wedding.

We sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at the top of our lungs, and I changed into a custom made, Miss Tashina “firework” dress to go to the field level to watch the Fourth of July fireworks. It was there we had our first dance to “America the Beautiful” under the colors popping in the sky. Truly it was a wonderful experience and we couldn’t have asked for a more unique, fun or personal wedding to fit us. Listening to our hearts, and our wedding coordinator to dream big, no matter what it is, allowed us to have our wedding. All the vendors and friends that helped it all come together will never be forgotten or out of our thoughts. We know a wedding day is just the beginning to our future together.

The entire day was a perfect home run. When we closed our eyes and dreamed our day, it was exactly as we thought. It felt like a dream, and we wouldn’t of believed we could have pulled it off. In fact it still feels like a Field of Dreams.

Wedding Coordination: Alexandra Rembac of Sterling Engagements / Wedding Photography: Adrienne Gunde Photography / Floral Design: Judy Molina of Enchanted Garden Floral Design / Sushi Cake + Desserts: Leslie Maynor of Fantasy Frostings / Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal / Custom Suit: Proper Suit / Wedding Make-up: Jackie Lopez / Hair: Stephanie Mason of Entourage Hair Studio / Signage + Guest Sign in Board: Jennifer Ebert of Prim and Pixie / Invitations + Calligraphy: Maison du Papier / Bride’s Shoes: Figgie Shoes / Custom Logo: Darla Marie Designs / Reception Dress: Miss Tashina / Videography + Save the Date Video: Camron and Katy Carrier of New Classic Wedding Films / Venue Coordination + Catering: Kelly Chong of Levy Restaurants / Venue: Dodgers Stadium / First Look Photography: Photography: Becca Rillo Photography  / First Look Dress: Allure Bridal from  Lili’s Bridal / First Look Hair Accessory:  Lili’s Bridal / First Look Hair and Make-up: Jen Fregozo

When the bridesmaids arrive by boat, you know it’s going to be a great wedding – and when the bride happens to be a wedding planner we love, you know it’s going to be a pretty wedding. And pretty it was! Add to the fact that Vrai Photography was on board to capture all of the super special moments, and we have a wedding you’ll want to spend some serious QT with – be sure to check out all the perfectly pretty details in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…As a Wedding Planner in Chicago, planning my destination wedding in Spring Lake, Michigan seemed like a breeze, at first. I absolutely love my job as a wedding planner and I am so blessed to be able to do this for so many beautiful brides, who I become dear friends with throughout the process. However, planning a wedding for myself, was not easy. I was engaged two years ago but didn’t start the planning process until a year out. That gave me time to really think about what I wanted to do, how I wanted to do it, and focus on my companies’ first year in this business.

I am so fortunate to be able to work with incredible vendors in Chicago and I learned very quickly, that I had to start from scratch to find vendors in Michigan. After a few months of research, I was so fortunate to have found the most amazing vendors to work with. On the other hand, I am extremely lucky that they chose to work with me! It’s not easy working for someone who does what you do. I have the utmost respect for anyone in this industry and that made me enjoy the process even more. I will be life long friends with all of my vendors.

Needless to say, I realized I needed some additional help. There was no way I could do this all on my own….and actually enjoy my wedding weekend. I was able to find an incredible planner who came in and pulled everything together for me. Without her, I could have never been able to relax and enjoy the wedding weekend. A few of my other vendors were from Chicago: The Deja Vu Band, managed by my sister, Jen Knuepfer Kenny, Vrai Photography, I Do Films and HDO Tenting. To spend a weekend as a bride with these vendors, whom I have worked with many times throughout the past few years, was just a blast!

I knew I wanted something different for our Michigan wedding. I see the most beautiful weddings in Chicago and I get to be a part of so many wonderful moments and memories and I knew that was what I wanted for Bryan and myself. Spring Lake is a dear place to us and our families. My Dad enjoyed many summers here growing up, and my family spent many summers and weekend visits together here. It is a place we will be coming to for many years to come. I knew since I was a little girl, I wanted to have my wedding in Spring Lake; the most beautiful place on earth to me. That also meant designing a tent, from scratch. We don’t do many tented weddings in Chicago, so this was new territory to me.

Bryan and I love being near the water, love boating and all the activities that come with it. We also love warm weather and spending time outside. I knew I wanted a nautical feel, to reflect the place we were at, but also a comfortable, casual, warm and intimate setting. I absolutely love lanterns, candle light, hydrangeas and everything navy! Since flowers don’t come in navy, we kept them light and natural and used the navy in other accents. I also wanted the floral to look as though it was picked from our garden; blue and clear hanging mason jars filled with wild flowers throughout the ceremony and reception provided the natural feel I was looking for. I mixed and matched patterns and designs, to create a nautical, but elegant look.

Food was extremely important to me as well and I really wanted the farm to table presentation and quality with local ingredients. Our caterer presented the most beautiful food that was in season, locally grown and absolutely delicious! Of course, we had to end the meal with blueberry and peach pie – a perfect way to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Our bridesmaids arrived by boat, and walked off the dock while the groomsmen lined up at the altar from another side of the yard. It was breathtaking. I walked down the steps from our house on a small hill, facing the lake. It was the most surreal moment walking down that aisle. All I could think was “this is actually happening!” It was the greatest feeling in the world.

Cocktail hour was next to the ceremony site, overlooking the small beach and the waterfront. The bridal party went on a boat ride immediately following the ceremony, while guests sipped “Lake Breezes” in Mason Jars, munched on passed hors d’oeuvres and enjoyed a fabulous cheese station, by “The Cheese Lady.” We were then invited up to the dinner tent by the harmonious sounds of a Bag Piper, which got guests moving! The dinner tent was stunning; Hanging lanterns, beautiful floral, soft lighting and just an overall romantic and intimate feeling.

My grandmother passed away days before our wedding, so it was a blessing to have my entire family with me, to celebrate her and we felt her presence all weekend long. It was a very emotional week leading up to it, and of course the wedding day was filled with tears and laughter; but all joyful. It down poured all morning – and even though my entire wedding was outside, somehow it cleared up an hour before the ceremony and we were able to do everything, just the way it was planned. She was my Angel in the Outfield.

I will always remember this day; not only because of the beautiful details and the hard work the vendors put into the production, but because we were so fortunate to have all of our family and friends travel to Michigan to celebrate with us. My parents worked so hard to create the perfect wedding for us and I am truly grateful for their support. Bryan and I didn’t leave the dance floor all night (we owe that to our band) and to my surprise we ended the night with a firework show! It was truly magnificent and now I know how all of my brides feel on their wedding day, loved and so blessed. It was magical!

Wedding Photography: Vrai Photography / Wedding Cinematography: I Do Films / Floral Design: Modern Day Floral and Event Design / Event Design: Modern Day Floral and Event Design + HDO Tent / Event Planning: Turn Key Management / Tent: HDO Tent / Catering: Christine Ferris Catering / Ceremony + Reception Location: Private Residence / Invitations + Paper Goods: Magnificent Milestones / Bride’s Shoes: Tory Burch / Wedding Dress: Ann Barge / Music: The Deja Vu Band

There is one word that I want to scream from the rooftops right now and that is love.  Love, love, love, love!  I am just filled with it after gushing over these beyond-dreamy images by Rebecca Amber Photography.  We have Spread Love Events to thank for creating the prettiest romantic and rustic details.   The look is soft, sweet and oh-so perfect!  Feel the love in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Spread Love Events…When Jana asked Spread Love Events to help style her wedding we were thrilled. This gorgeous bride and dear friend of ours was marrying her university sweetheart and we were honored to be part of this special day. Working with Rebecca Amber Photography was amazing and as the photos show!

Jana and Colin are university sweethearts both originally from Ontario who began their love adventure while studying at the University of Victoria, then moving to Whistler B.C., Maui, and are now based in Vancouver, B.C. With friends and family traveling from across Canada and the world, Whistler B.C. was the natural gathering place for them and their guests. They were married at the base of the mountain in Creekside and the reception took place in the famous (and their favorite) watering hole Dusty’s.

Alongside Jana, Spread Love Events dreamed up details to enhance their celebration. We wanted to create a rustic and romantic atmosphere that would dress up the venue and reflected their personal style, while remaining true to the character of the space and their desire to cut loose. The ceremony took place at the base of the mountain and cocktail reception on the upper patio of Dusty’s. Guests enjoyed signature cocktails and a giant Jenga game while mingling before dinner. Dinner took place inside Dusty’s, where the space was transformed by intimate long tables and flickering mercury glass candle light. As they’d hoped, like many night’s before, Jana and Colin, and their friends and family danced into the night to the sweet tunes of the Hair Farmers.

From the Bride…When we were planning for our wedding we knew we wanted to get married somewhere that was special to us. After spending a few ski seasons bumming around Whistler, B.C. in our post-university years it seemed like an obvious choice! As for the venue, we chose our favorite local watering hole – Dusty’s.  It is the perfect mix of rustic and romantic.  Not to mention, it is nestled right at the base of Whistler Creek with a gorgeous view of Whistler mountain.  What was most important to us was to have a casual venue in a beautiful place – we wanted our guests to feel comfortable and ready to cut loose. We wanted a celebration and that is exactly what we got!  

As for all the details, Spread Love Events helped us soften the look of our venue with romantic florals and personal details. It’s one thing to dream up the vision you want for your wedding – imagining all the little decor details coming together and being perfect, however it’s another to have this actually come true. Sarah and Ashley of Spread Love Events made our wedding beautiful beyond words. Everything was thoughtfully placed and considered, but not at all overdone. From the florals, to the ribbon wands, our guest book table, to dessert layout, you name it….absolutely beautiful work. Our wedding was truly an amazing day and exactly as we’d hoped. We were so grateful to our friends, family and talented vendors who helped make it possible!

Event Planning + Styling: Spread Love Events / Wedding Photography: Rebecca Amber Photography / Floral Design: Celisa Florist / Venue: Dusty’s, Whistler B.C. / Music: The Hairfarmers / Wedding Dress: Isabelle’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew + Rick Rayburn / Wedding Cake: Jessica Russel, Friend

We’ve got the perfect wedding to wrap up another gorgeous week here at SMP Texas! Just wait until you see the beyond beautiful images by Forever Photography Studio…they are stunning! Posey Floral and Event Design handled all the to-die-for florals that are popping up in each and every pretty corner of this fabulous fete. I seriously can’t get enough of this one and if you are dying over all the pretty details too, just click here and you’ll be whisked away into gallery gazing heaven!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Forever Photography Studio…Where do we even begin? This perfect wedding was held at Riven Rock Ranch in Comfort Texas. So unique, and the details all I can say is WOW! The amazing flowers were done by Posey Events, and they did not disappoint! Also, we cannot finish this post without a big thank you to Trisha with Viridian Design, who did an awesome job coordinating the event. We really hope you all enjoy looking through Brittany and Grant’s wedding.

Wedding Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Wedding Cake + Pies: Sophie’s Choice / Venue: Riven Rock Ranch / Floral Design: Posey Floral and Event Design / Coordination: Trisha Hamil of Viridian Design Studio / Wedding Dress: Pronovias via Brickhouse Bridal / Groom’s Attire: Georgio Armani

As you race around this weekend fighting your way through mall mobs, scouring the shelves for the perfect gift, waiting in lines, never mind the parking, I’m sure you are going to be daydreaming about this lovely and serene Croatia wedding by Carmen and Ingo Photography.  I know I will be!  There is so much to fancy from the shimmering sea, adorable blue, green and nautical-inspired details designed by the bride and groom to the whimsically modern succulent centerpieces.  See it all in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Carmen and Ingo Photography…Steffi and Alex choose this wonderful location for their wedding because they go there for holiday’s every year and they feel like at home at this stunning place in Croatia.

It was hot, really hot that day! At 2pm a wonderful and extremely emotional wedding day started with the getting ready. And this time it wasn’t a hotel room but the family owned boat. Fantastic! The groom was getting ready in the hotel room. They had a blast.

One highlight (of many) was the appearance of Steffi. Her father-in-law drove the boat into the “Harbor of Love”, while Steffi stood in the front part of the boat waving and throwing kisses. The guests and Alex loved that moment and you bet that everyone had goose bumps all over their bodies! What a moment!

They had a wonderful and touching ceremony, with a special sand ceremony, where they filled up a bottle with different colored sand.

Steffi and Alex are photographers themselves and thus pictures are extremely important for them. Steffi did a lot of things by herself. The buntings, the candy bar, the ring holder, the direction sign…all handmade by the bride groom.The details fit perfectly into this wedding location, an old tower directly on the sea. The reception at the tower was just phenomenal and the food extremely delicious. A very cool party started after the freaky wedding dance Steffi and Alex performed.

Wedding Photography: Carmen and Ingo Photography / Wedding Speaker: Silvia Schärfler / Wedding Planning: Mirella Premeru of VOW / Floral Design: Mirella Premeru / Make-up: Ana Benzon / Hair: Mirella Premeru’s Mother / Location: Hotel Mariska Kula / Wedding Dress: Rembo Styling / Bride’s Shoes: Menbur / Suit: Hugo Boss / Decor, Ideas + Concept: The Bride + Groom

A southern gentleman meets his Georgia peach, they fall in love and have one of the most darling weddings you ever did see. It seems like a modern day fairy tale, but Light Love Laughter Photography captured all the lovely to prove that it isn’t all make believe. Filled with fabulous pops of pink, bow ties and nods to their southern heritage, the only thing missing in this fairy tale is the Once Upon a Time. Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Light Love Laughter Photography…Chris is a Southern Gentleman and he found his Georgia “peach” while hanging out with his friends at a special event hosted by Sweetwater Brewing Company. She was “the cute girl in the plaid coat” and she’ll admit that Chris also caught her eye too. Lucky for them they had some mutual friends and were able to meet.

Their wedding was bright and beautiful. They have a group of amazing friends full of personality and energy who were all excited and having a great time celebrating their wedding day.

Beth is one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met and she wanted to keep things simple yet elegant so the day was about them and not about the extravagant details and decor. Mixing simple yet very pretty floral arrangements with candles and peaches wasn’t only simple and elegant but full of Southern charm.

The dance floor was full beginning to end and these two spent a week relaxing and getting used to their new names, “husband and wife” in the beauty of St. John.

Wedding Photography: Light Love Laughter Photography / Wedding Dress: Bride Beautiful / Rings: Bradley T. Harris / Bride’s Shoes: Tory Burch via eBay / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Tuxedos: Savvi Formalwear / Floral Design: Katie Loyd of Boukates / Hair: Jo of Three-13 / Make-up: Kat of Three-13 / Venue: Chastain Horse Park / Caterer: Courtney Lukow of Avenue Catering / DJ: Harrison of Avalanche Entertainment / Wedding Cake: Amy Lampert / Wedding Coordinator: Tammy Johnston of Chastain Horse Park

This wedding is head over heels adorable with so many special touches, it’s hard to know where to even begin! As a designer, the bride knew that fabrics and florals would play a huge role in the overall look and feel of her day so she decided to make her nieces their flower girl dresses, which by the way, are super cute! She also made luggage tags for all the guests (such a great idea) that did double duty as their seating cards. Soiree Floral made sure the groom’s Australian heritage was honored by infusing native flowers like Kangaroo Paw and Waratah. Claudia Kronenberg Photography snapped up all the gorgeous images and there’s more waiting for you in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We got married in Nantucket Massachusetts. The photos are from Claudia Kronenberg Photography based in Nantucket, MA. I don’t know how we are going to choose which ones to buy because there are so many fantastic ones. Libby, our photographer, was wonderful and so patient with my immediate family of 25 plus my new husband’s family.

I purchased my dress from J.Crew. I wanted something simple with clean lines. However, I did want to add my own touches. Many friends and strangers asked if I was making my own since I am a designer. No way. After seeing how much work went into altering the dress down 2 sizes I never would take on such a task. Esin of Sew Elegant, a Vera Wang alum recommended by J.Crew, altered my dress. J.Crew was out of a size 2 and only a size 6 available. She brought it down to size 2 and at my last fitting I dropped a pound or 2 and she had to take it in more. She is amazing, sweet and a very talented seamstress! But I did have a sash created and added buttons I found at M and J Trimming on 6th and 37th in NYC. Robins egg blue was the main theme color. I thought I would never find robins egg blue shoes. I was going to start checking vintage shops in NYC. My husband decided to check J. Crew for suits for the wedding. So one day we walked into one and bam! Robins egg blue shoes right there. I couldn’t believe it! I decided to make a fascinator for my hair instead of a traditional veil. I took a class at 3rdward in Brooklyn with Cha Cha, the millinery instructor.

Considering the wedding was in Nantucket in October chances of it being a bit cool were highly likely. To keep me warm I bought a pashmina and on the reverse side of it I sewed fabric leftover from the fabric I purchased for my sash, the robins egg blue stripe.

As a designer I had no interest in making my own dress but I did design the flower girl dresses. My 2 nieces, Aster and Charlotte, are 5 and 6 and this was their first wedding so they were very excited. I wanted them to wear dresses they can wear again. The bridesmaids wore blue dresses from J. Crew so I started with the color. I looked around at stores and didn’t find what I wanted then I looked on Etsy. I found some dress styles I liked but not in fabrics or colors I wanted. I contacted a woman on Etsy and commissioned her to make the flower girl dresses. Angela from Maple Tree 2000 was wonderful to work with, very accommodating, professional and a very good seamstress.The girls as you can see in the photo looked absolutely adorable! Their flower girl baskets just completed their outfit. Our floral designer Dawn Kelly, owner and creative director of Soiree Floral, knows her stuff!

The tables. Soiree Floral on Nantucket was a click as soon as we met with Dawn the owner and designer. We brought lots of pics and we liked her aesthetic. At our first meeting I spotted a bird cage. I just had to have it! And of course the faux bird that lived there, Mr. Peacock. This worked well since I did want some peacock feathers in my bouquet. Being Australian, Andy wanted some native Australian flowers in the vases. Dawn found some Kangaroo Paw, Waratah and other beautiful Australian flowers. Fortunately my husband has good taste and a good eye. For table names I created cards with names of different parts of the island. I found a picture of a vintage map of Nantucket and tweeked the color a bit. Then I printed it at home on an Epson Workforce 1100 printed on a cream colored card stock. Dawn provided the stands for these.

For guest seat assignments and as wedding favors I made luggage tags using the Amy Butler fabrics we didn’t use for the tables. We purchased alot before we decided on which ones to use. This worked out perfectly because all of the colors complemented each other. The luggage tags were a challenge to make. Once again thanks to my friend Kayte who stayed up till 3 am one night helping me cut and iron. I didn’t have the time to grommet them myself so I took them to Steinlauf and Stoller. Then used a twisted rope for the ties. For presentation, I thought that tying the luggage tags to apples would look cute but the tags were too big (6″ long). Instead Dawn suggested lining them up in silver trays filled with dry red kidney beans. Easy to find your name and looks very stream lined, I like how it turned out.

Lastly the cake. We had cupcakes made by Natasha Misanko who works at American Seasons. She made one little cake for us and cupcakes for everyone else. She creates dreamy mixes like peanut butter fluff in a chocolate cake and has a wide variety to choose from. On the filled cupcakes Natasha was able to make white chocolate whale tails for the tops. For cake toppers we decided to use woodies. These were the cutest things and weren’t stereotypical toppers. The artist I found on etsy, The Little Gift Box, was great to work with. I sent her a few pictures of us and the attire we would be wearing. She sent us a photo of the completed dolls and once we approved she sealed them and sent them off to us.

All in all we were very happy with all of our vendors and the wedding day!

Wedding Dress: J.Crew (plus details from the bride) / Alterations: Esin of Sew Elegant / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Ties: Vineyard Vines / Florals + Design: Soiree Floral / Reception Venue: White Elephant / Ceremony Venue: St. Mary’s / Day-of Coordination: Unique Nantucket / Cake + Cupcakes: Natasha Misanko of American Seasons / Cake Toppers: The Little Gift Box / Wedding Photography: Libby Green for Claudia Kronenberg Photography

Something about the quickly approaching winter season has all of us really craving some great ballroom weddings. And you lovely LBBers are satisfying our taste for gorgeous, indoor weddings – that’s for sure. Take this Delaware wedding, captured brilliantly by mk Photography. It’s just the perfect mix of luxe, grandeur, love, and magical details to compliment our peppermint mochas. And we love it! Make sure to pop into the gallery to see the rest of this lovely affair.

Drew and I met on a blind date in December 2009. We met for sushi and closed the place down! It was no surprise then that we were both interested in seeing each other again. For our second date, we ended up visiting a Meals on Wheels client of mine in the hospital and then went to dinner afterwards. That’s when I knew that Drew was different from anyone I’ve ever dated.

We spent the next year getting to know each other better and it wasn’t long before we realized that what we had was very special. A little more than a year after we met, on December 18, 2010, Drew surprised me with an engagement proposal! We had made plans with my mom and brother to go to the Cleopatra exhibit in Philadelphia. On the way there, we coincidentally found out that Drew’s brother and wife were at the Philadelphia Art Museum. So, he decided that we should stop by and see them! Little did I know, he had a big surprise planned. As we climbed the steps of the Art Museum and we took turns taking pictures of each other doing the ‘Rocky’ pose, I found Drew and I at the top of the stairs, looking down at our own personal paparazzi. At this point, I still had no idea what was about to happen but thought it was funny how our family was standing in front of us and side by side taking our picture doing the ‘Rocky’ pose. Figuring that they were done taking our picture, I started to walk away until Drew called my name to get my attention. As I turned around, he went down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Of course, I said YES! While we were dating, Drew and I had many great times and memories in Philadelphia. I’m not an easy person to surprise, so by making plans for us in Phildelphia, Drew figured it was his best bet! There’s actually a video of the proposal on YouTube.

It was important for us to bring a little bit of my culture into our wedding. We added Middle Eastern hor’dourves and desserts to our menu. Our favors were a set of Middle Eastern tea cups and our guests will probably never forget our surprise bellydancer performance!

Thoughts about wedding planing to share with other brides would be that everyone has their opinions but at the end of the day, do what makes you and your husband-to-be happy! Remember that the two most important opinions are yours and his! You may not be able to stay within a budget so try to decide and prioritize what is most important to you. Some things that you’ll spend a fortune on, or that you’ll spend a lot of time debtaing about, will never even be noticed the day of your wedding. Lastly, and most importantly, be sure to stop and take it all in. Don’t miss out on one of the happiest days of your life.

Photography: mk Photography / Brides Dress: Private Label By G / Brides Shoes: Enzo Angiolini / Bridesmaids Dresses: Bill Levkoff / Bridesmaids Jewelry: Charter Club / Flower Girls Dress: Jordan / Stationary: ESpecial Day / Venue: Hotel du Pont

Oh my goodness, SMPers, do we have a treat for you this lovely Friday morning.  Yes, a double dose of pretty is coming your way, all courtesy of the talented team of Hey Gorgeous Events and Jenna McKenzie Photography.  Not only have these lovely ladies graced us with a swoon-worthy engagement session guaranteed to send your hearts into overdrive, but they have gifted us with an uber-fabulous DIY tutorial, as well!  I know… awesome.  So, find yourselves a comfy place, because you’ll want to take in every last ounce of sweetness from this adorable bride and groom-to-be (Seriously… how cute are they?!?) and then get your craft on with the lovely banner below!  SO fun.  Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Oh, we’re not done with the cuteness just yet.  As promised, a darling DIY tutorial from the fabulous duo of Hey Gorgeous Events and Jenna McKenzie Photography.  Not only is this banner SO very adorable and a blast to create, but it works for ANY occasion.  Just in time for the holidays!  So, have fun… and enjoy!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Supplies:

Wooden characters of choosing
Ribbon, lace, twine – anything to hang your characters from
Scissors
A hot glue gun and glue sticks
Acryllic paint
A paint brush
Cardboard or an old sheet to cover your painting surface

1. Decide what you want to spell out and find all of your characters.  I checked out Michaels, Hobby Lobby and then Joanne’s Fabrics before I found the font style I liked best. I think the letters and numbers individually were $2.99 each. Spread out all of your characters on a covered surface.

2. Remove all of the price tags and stickers on the wood pieces and paint away! I used a soft gray acrylic paint and the same old paint brush I used over here for this project. I used two little bottles of the paint for all of the letters and numbers and that seemed to be more than enough paint to get me through the project. I only painted the sides and fronts of the characters and once the pieces dried, I went back and added a second coat to areas where the wood seemed to peak through.

3. Flip over and lay down all of your dried characters in the order that they will sit/hang on your banner (be careful that your numbers aren’t backwards!) Find the middle character (ours was the ‘9’) and measure out your ribbon or lace or whatever you will be using to hang the banner from that point out. We started with just one skinny piece of ribbon fastened to the ‘9’ but quickly found that because of the weight of the wood characters we would need a little more of something for the sign to hang in a photographic way. So we quadrupled up on ribbon strands because we’re serious like that.

4. I found it easiest to put a ton of hot glue on the top back of each letter then to place the ribbon over top. Then I repeated this process over and over with each piece of precut ribbon, making sure to go back and put little dabs of hot glue in between where the ribbon may have not been adhered to the wood. It really looks like we used a ton of ribbon but you’d be surprised how heavy all of those letters were! We used two spare pieces of ribbon to anchor down the ribbon on the back of the ‘9’ too. This was helpful!

5. For the ends of all of the pieces of ribbon, I clamped them together with a clothespeg and then tied, knotted and made a bow around all of the pieces to fasten them together. I wanted to make sure Grace and Ryan had a place on the banner to hold the sign by and the little bows seemed like a good marker. However, and this is important, do not tie your ends together until you have glued all of your characters to your ribbon and lace! I did this and ended up having to untie the ends because the ribbon had big bunches in it and wasn’t sitting properly on the characters. Tying your ends together should be the last step you make before cutting off the edges to make both ends equal!

From Hey Gorgeous Events… Jenna of Jenna McKenzie Photography and I, recently teamed up together to offer styled engagement sessions to both of our clientele; appropriately dubbed “Love Stories.”  It’s our hope that these shoots will allow our clients to feel like their love is represented in only the most personalized and unique way. So we were both so thrilled when one of Jenna’s sweet couples, Grace and Ryan, shared their interest and excitement in being a part of our endeavors. Soaking up the last little bit of Michigan’s Indian summer temperatures, we headed up to Port Oneida near Traverse City, Michigan which holds a special place in the soon to be newlyweds hearts. Not only do the two enjoy spending time up in Northern Michigan being outdoors and staying active, but it marks the spot where Ryan proposed to Grace.

Between snacking on their favorite flavors of cookies (peanut butter and chocolate chip) and flipping through Grace’s magazine of choice, the two enjoyed a mini picnic near one of Grace’s favorite barns. Making sure not to miss the dreamy light that completely saturates the Sleeping Bear Dunes right before sunset (Considered the most beautiful place in America on Good Morning America!) we headed down to the beach to play a little of frisbee, one of Ryan’s favorite games. And of course the shoot wasn’t complete without a few airplane rides for Grace; one of the things she loves most about being silly with her fiance. If their engagement session was any indication of their upcoming wedding, I’m confident their big day will be nothing short of amazing.

Styling, Floral Design + Coordination: Hey Gorgeous Events / Photography: Jenna McKenzie Photography / Floral Design: Hey Gorgeous Events / Wholesale Florals: J’s Fresh Flower Mart / Cookies: Cookies by Design / Location: Traverse City, Michigan / Ribbon, Lae, Paint + Wood Letters: Joann / Silver Frame + Picnic Basket: Vintage

Happy, happy Friday, lovelies!  It’s been a fabulous week of inspiration here on SMP Florida and what better way to welcome in the weekend than with this elegant Miami affair by Virtuous Creations Inc.?  Literally overflowing with pretty pink and orange hues, this beautiful backyard fête is all about the glamorous details… and we are loving the lakeside ceremony, crystal-embellished vases and uber-gorgeous blooms.  Thankfully, Studio Andy Photography was on hand to capture every moment, so you can start your weekend off in style.  Join me in the gallery for more! 

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Virtuous Creations Inc.… This wedding took place on 11-11-11 at a private home in beautiful Miami, Florida. The bride and groom choose this date because of it’s epic symbolism. The wedding colors orange and pink displayed the bride’s personality bold and beautiful. The ceremony and reception were both outside under the beautiful radiance of the sunset. The gazebo overlayed with orange fabric billowed in the cool breeze as the guests sat in gold chiavari chairs with pink chair pads. The bride wanted to make sure that her wedding showed her chic side, so she stayed with the traditional flower choice of roses. The roses color of orange were enhanced by flower spray and hot pink roses were chosen so that the color would stand out. The bride and groom shared an intimate ceremony with 100 of their closet family and friends. The bride’s attention to color detailed was made relevant through her floral, table linens, chairs, and custom candy favor boutique.

The wedding reception displayed cylinders adorned with two tone diamond wrap in fuchsia pink and clear diamond. Instead of table numbers, table names were given and guests were able to read words that are important in a marriage. The tables also displayed pink satin napkins with a custom designed napkins rings. Orange pintuck taffeta linens with a rose ball in as the centerpiece. As day turned into night guests danced the night away under the cool Miami night sky. The couples logo lights up the floor and candles are lit to add a more intimate feel to the night. To add a little hint of bling, chandeliers were placed right above the sweetheart table. The crystals glistened in the light to add to the brides elegant appeal. Guests were fed buffet style and danced the night away. The bride and groom now live happily ever after!

Wedding Photography: Studio Andy Photography / Floral Design, Event Planning + Design: Virtuous Creations Inc. / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Private Residence

With today’s affair, you won’t find a big reception or loads of bridesmaids; no church in sight. Simply put, it’s a beautiful bride and her smitten groom in an intimate ceremony in Central Park that is bring-you-to-your-knees breathtaking. Carolina Wahnish Rivera Photography captured the magic and every photograph, every ruffle of that lovely gown, every moment between newly crowned Husband and Wife is pure Wedding art. Carve out some time for a stunning collection of images in the full wedding gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Carolina Wahnish Rivera Photography…This wedding was a very small and intimate ceremony at the beautiful Conservatory Gardens in Central Park NYC, a closed off section and very well kept part of the park, containing 3 different gardens (French, Italian, and English). Sandy and Jill were married under a quiet wisteria tree in the English gardens (Jill’s favorite part of the park because it’s less “trimmed”) by their friend who became licensed and officiated the ceremony (to keep it intimate and close!)… we started with Jill getting ready at her Chelsea apartment overlooking Manhattan, along with gorgeous details including a fluffy pink Watters wedding dress, Valentino shoes, and a very unique Alexander McQueen clutch purse.

And although we had a bit of a challenge going through the Manhattan traffic (on the same day as the UN meeting), and as it started to slowly rain and then downpour on our ceremony in the middle of the park, it was still a great time with their closest family and friends! Jill and Sandy also opted for a “day after” (a few days after) bridal session, since the rain caught us off-guard during the portraits, in order to truly capture the beauty of the park. During a bit more of a “dry” day we were lucky to have had beautiful weather, and Jill brought her 2nd wedding dress, a simple BCBG dress paired with an ode to her previous wedding dress, some fluffy pink Isaac Mizrahi shoes, and Sandy a lighter blue, more casual colored suit.

I loved this wedding for it’s “quaintness” and intimate setting, perfect for both of their personalities. 

Wedding Photography: Carolina Wahnish Rivera Photography / Ceremony Location: Central Park Conservatory Gardens / Wedding Dress: Watters / Bride’s Shoes: Valentino / Clutch: Alexander McQueen / Bouquets: Alice Stillman Inc. / Rings: Raffi Fine Jewelry / Earrings: Grandmother’s (vintage) / Veil: Custom Handmade / Bridal Session Wedding Dress: BCBG / Bridal Session Shoes: Isaac Mizrahi

We love our dear friends over at NewlyWish for a million different reasons. So what’s our one millionth and one reason for our obsession, you ask? It’s all their fabulous entertaining tips to consider when building a registry that fits you. Because let’s face it, when you register, you need to look at both your lifestyle and your entertaining style to make all those serious (yet obviously fun!) decisions.

Some things to think about…Are you more of a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre type of girl? Or do you love throwing full scale, fancy dinner parties? Once you figure out your needs, registering and entertaining become a breeze, especially with NewlyWish! Don’t be afraid to register for some fancy, serving pieces like a beautiful bowl, decanter or platter. These special pieces can take your dining table from every day drab to fab in an instant! And when you’re not entertaining, they’ll look amazing as decorative accents in your home.

And speaking of fancy pieces, don’t let them just sit there and collect dust! You registered for them because you love them, so go ahead, sip your morning orange juice in a crystal glass, why not?! And you should feel free to mix these fancies in with some of your more casual, everyday pieces. Your table will look super pretty with lots of different color, patterns, and styles.

Oh, just in case you missed our last NewlyWish post, we want to remind you that they are sponsoring an unbelievably awesome sweepstakes in which one lucky bride to be will win a $4,500 shopping spree for Waterford Wedgwood china and crystal! This includes all of their exclusive tastemaker mix-and-match collections, including our very own Vintage Chic collection by Abby. To enter, simply create a registry on NewlyWish and click here for more info and even more ways to enter. The sweepstakes ends on April 24, 2012 with the winner announced on May 1, 2012. Good luck everyone and happy registering! xoxo