This gorgeous North Fork wedding by Adam Piorkowski might have fallen on one unusually chilly June day, but a little rain and cold wasn’t about to stop this adorable bride and groom from having the time of their lives.  Nope, they made sure to make the most of it by grabbing some cute as can be umbrellas and heading out into the drizzle for some very fabulous photos ops.  Yep, how awesome are they?!?  And with a wedding filled to the brim with gorgeous DIY details, an all-white color palette and the sweetest of nautical touches, you won’t be able to help but love them even more.  Click here for all of the pretty!

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From the Bride… I knew in planning our wedding that we really wanted to capture the essence of the North Fork since that is where we grew up and spend most of our weekends now.  We chose a venue located on the Peconic Bay so people could enjoy the water view and the natural beauty of Southold. Founders Landing, the venue, is a very simple gray building that only fits about 125 people but we loved everything about it!  The building is basically a blank canvas so with the help of my mom, Gerard’s mom and especially his aunt Kathleen, we created a masterpiece!

I wanted everything to be really simple and all white.  For the tables we decided to cover them with different size mason jars filled with votives and hydrgangeas.  I also took a page out of the SMP book and had a man in Mystic, Conneticut create the nautical rope table card holders I had seen at a previous wedding.  I had discussed all of the flower details with our awesome florist Becky Jens but didn’t see the finished product until after the ceremony when I walked into the reception.  I was IN LOVE!  Becky chose the most beautiful full ivory hydrangeas, they looked absolutely gorgeous.  Between the hydrangeas and the candles, the room had a very romantic cozy feel.

Gerard’s Aunt Kathleen handled many of the details around the room.  She covered the walls with one of our favorite poems, “I carry your heart with me” by e.e. cummings.  Each frame had a different verse of the poem.  I also wanted to make sure our parents’ and grandparents’ wedding photos were included in our day so Kath made this beautiful frame out of beachwood, painted it gold and placed black and white photos of all the weddings before us.  The best part was it sat atop a mantle on a fireplace that said, “Gift of the Southold Players,  XMAS 1923” which I thought was really neat.  Instead of a guest book we found these penguin postcards with vintage book covers of all the books they published and had everyone write us a special note.  Kath situated them in a glass bowl filled with sand.

For the food we wanted to make sure it had a very local, seaside feel.  We chose a raw bar as part of the appetizers and a lobster-bake for our main entree.  Matt Kar, our chef, was amazing!  He knew the exact menu we were going for and everything was delicious.  Our cake was done by Miche Bacher of Sacred Sweets.  Gerard and I had met with her to choose a cake and went through all of her beautiful examples.  We thought we had chosen one and then I spotted a magazine cut out from a Martha Stewart Living article she had just been in and I said – THAT ONE!  It was so beautiful and romantic.  It was three tiers with the top tier sitting upon a delicate little cake stand and this glorious fluffy buttercream icing.  Finally she added a beautiful peony on top, which was the very same flower as my and my bridesmaids bouquet.

Of course, we wouldn’t have been able to capture any of this without our amazing photographer and friend, Adam. We really wanted a photographer that knew us and could translate our essence into photographs.  Adam did exactly that!  The day was a very cold, cloudy, blustery, rainy day in June – hence the umbrellas.  But it made for awesome photographs!  My dreams of everyone roaming the grass down near the beach were squashed but the energy inside that little gray building was palpable.  Adam was with us from start to finish and he put his heart and soul into this project.  Our pictures aren’t traditional, but they represent perfectly what an amazing day we had!

Wedding Photography: Adam Piorkowski / Floral Design: Becky Jens of Moments in Time Floral Design / Wedding Cake: Miche Bacher of Sacred Sweets / Catering: Christopher Michael Catering / Wedding Ceremony Location: Sacred Heart Church / Wedding Reception Location: Founders Landing / Cellist: Jody Redhage / Wedding Wand Streamers: Craftupyourlife / Save the Dates: Architette Studios / Table Card Holders: Matt Beaudoin of Mystic Knotwork / Wedding Invitations: Simply Put, by Ashley Woodman / DJ: PopShop! DJs, DJ Colleen Crumbcake / Hair: Michael Lopez / Wedding Dress + Veil: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groomsman Ties: J.Crew

Everyone loves a good fiesta and when papel picado banners and a Mariachi Band are part of the festivities, it takes that fiesta to a whole new level of adoration in our eyes. Love Ala Photography captured this affair and every single one of her images brings a blast of bright colors, perfectly perfect details and yummy paper goods to match. There’s not one single element of this day that we aren’t head over heels for. Translation: WE LOVE IT and we think you will too. Be sure to stop by the gallery for more. Buenas Noches lovelies.

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From Love Ala Photography…Color. This whole day was about color. You could see it everywhere. In the beautiful textures of the flowers and the papel picado swaying in the light breeze and the fireworks that lit up the blackened night sky. But the most colorful of all, was the smiles of Laura & Jimmy. One glance at the Mr. & Mrs. and you could see the colors of their sheer adoration and devotion to one another. Bright, bold with no signs of fading.

From the Bride…My advice for brides, make the wedding YOURS!  Your wedding should be a true reflection of you and your husband-to-be; your likes, interests, hobbies, culture, etc.  Have fun with colors, themes, and DIY type of projects.  Add “details” to your wedding and have fun doing them.  Include your hubby as much as possible, you will be surprised what great ideas and recommendations he will give you. Learn to delegate tasks, you don’t have to do it all on your own. Remember that you can only worry about things you have control over, don’t stress the things you can’t control.  After all, it’s your close friends and loved ones that are there to celebrate you! Nothing can possible ruin the fun you and your guests will have. Savor every minute of the planning process AND the wedding day because it will come sooner than you imagine.  Have fun and Felicidades!

The best part of the wedding day was seeing it all unfold.  Jimmy and I are right brained people. We visualize things and the best feeling is seeing the picture-perfect thought or idea come to life.  All our ideas, our dreams, our visions played out that day.  From the religious ceremony, to the small details, and the firework filled sky.  It was magical! All our work and planning paid off when we saw our guest enjoying themselves; socializing, eating, drinking, dancing.  Receiving comments from friends and family the day of the wedding and thereafter is the most rewarding.  You get married to the person you love, but you have a wedding so that your loved ones can witness it and enjoy it with you. Make sure to do just that.  Have fun and Felicidades!

Venue + Catering: Hotel Maya / Coordinator: Edmundo Pelayo / Wedding Photography: Love Ala Photography / Hair: Stacy Godwin / Make-up: Karen / Bridal Gown: Jobyna’s Bridal / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Cufflinks: Burberry / Maid of Honor Dress: BCBG / Floral Design: Veronica’s Flowers / Invitations: Lena Patel of Blu-fin Designs / Band: Bumptown Band / Wedding Videographer: A Picture Forever / Veil: Made by Bride’s Mother / Rings: Alishan Halebian

This day of pretty isn’t done yet – oh no. While you are packing up to call it a day, we still have two gorgeous weddings coming your way. And this one from Red Ribbon Studio, might make you want to “work” a bit later this evening. It’s an al fresco evening wedding with elegance in the air, and I am absolutely in LOVE with the fact they sat all 100 of their guests at one gorgeous table. Swoon. It’s all equally as elegant, so be sure to check out the full gallery for even more!

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From Red Ribbon Studio… Hillary and Jon were married on the lawn of the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. An amazing feast followed at the coolest wedding table I’ve ever seen, one long table for all 100 guests. It felt like dining with royalty! Every detail was perfect but not overdone. Just right. Simple elegance at its best. Paired with a lot of fun too, including one of the best wedding dance-offs I’ve ever seen, between Hillary and a very energetic dancing guest! Jon’s trusty canine best friend, Andy, was the flower girl. Hillary and Jon are the sweetest couple. I love their story, they dated in high school, went their separate ways for a while, but found their way back to each other. Thanks to Rebecca with Red Letter Day Events for awesome coordination and Annette Gomez for such pretty flowers to photograph.

From the Bride… My husband Jon and I are originally from Las Vegas, but we wanted to be married in a place that was both relatively close and still felt like a vacation. San Diego is one of our favorite cities and has some personal significance because my mother is a native and my parents were married there. We went for a weekend to check out possible wedding sites, and I drug Jon to about 10 venues, all of which Jon displayed mild interest in. When we stopped at our last venue, the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, my previously disinterested fiance got extremely excited and said “We HAVE to get married here”. We loved the Inn’s feel: casual yet really refined. We also loved that, because it was a historic building, it would always be a place for us to return to and relive the magic of our wedding day.

Once we had the venue, we knew we needed a great coordinator to help us do everything from afar. Rebecca from Red Letter Days totally got my vision, had amazing ideas and was patient enough to put up with my 30-page wedding power point deck (which I showed to anyone who would show even the mildest bit of interest). I really lucked out because my friend and fellow book club member Maribeth Romslo just happens to be a world class wedding photographer and was willing to travel from Minneapolis for the big day. How lucky am I! With the venue, coordinator and photographer in place, we could really narrow in on the look and tone of the day.

Because I am a brand manager by profession, it was really important to me that my wedding looked and felt really cohesive from every single touch point. From the website to the floral arrangements to the napkins, I wanted it to feel elegant and romantic but not be overdone or stuffy. We wanted the evening to be mostly outdoors and to have distinct areas for each part of wedding that would flow into each other perfectly but would also build up to the big party at the end. I wanted the property’s Spanish style architecture, gardens and natural beauty to be showcased, so we opted for almost no color. Everything was shades of white and ivory with a few gold accents.

One of our favorite places at the Inn is the huge Brazilian pepper tree on the croquet lawn and it was the perfect backdrop for our vows. We wanted the ceremony to be really simple and focus on us coming together as a family. Our siblings all participated, our dear friend performed the ceremony and our dog Andy acted as the flower girl. We chose to have Flamenco guitar for processional music and during the ceremony. Our guitarist, Anthony Garcia, was just amazing and gave the ceremony the perfect feel.

It was a dream of mine to have all 100 guests at one long table. I wanted the dinner to feel like a fun outdoor dinner party vs. a standard wedding so we had it on an enclosed lawn in a relatively small space. We timed the dinner to be after sunset so the area was lit only by candles and strung lighting.Walking into the dinner area with that huge table filled with white candles and white flowers and lights strung everywhere was one of my favorite parts of the evening. Rebecca had the brilliant idea to bring in a grand piano on the lawn and the music, lighting and ambiance made it a magical dinner. Kudos to Annette Gomez for the gorgeous design, my wedding coordinators Mia and Rebecca for making it happen and the Inn for perfect execution. Once the dinner commenced, we went to an adjacent ballroom for dancing. We wanted this area to have more of a lounge feel so we brought in all white furniture and just used candles with minimal flowers. I wanted to keep the party energy up, so we brought in an espresso bar right off the dance floor and it was a huge hit with guests. The only downside was that I was still wide awake at 4:00 am!

Wedding Photography: Red Ribbon Studio / Venue: Inn at Rancho Santa Fe / Wedding Dress: Monique L’huillier / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Veil: Borrowed / Make-up + Hair: Claire Young / Bridesmaid Dresses: Custom Flutter Boutique / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Planning: Red Letter Day Events / Floral Design: Annette Gomez / Invitations: Bella Figura / Calligraphy: Sue Strumwasser / Wedding Cake + Dessert: Elizabethan Desserts / Sign-In Table Design: Amy Strodl at Varnish Design / Flamenco Guitar: Antony Garcia / Reception Music: The Money Band

Up next we’ve got a seriously fun and colorful DIY wedding by Stacy Jacobsen Photography to share with you. We’re loving the mix of vintage charm and whimsy and those bright little birdies displayed on each place setting. This bride and groom certainly knew how to leave their own personal stamp on their big day and did so by hand making things like the thumbprint guestbook and infusing family heirlooms like the gorgeous dinnerware into their celebration. And that’s exactly what we love most about DIY weddings…all those personal touches! Click here for more.

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From the Bride…Nick and I met 6 years ago. We met on Myspace. At the time, Nick had a music site that he was promoting. So, I listened, we started chatting, and we met 5 days later. He is my best friend and an amazing person. Marrying Nick was the happiest day of my life.

Our inspiration for the wedding was to incorporate our carefree personalities with some whimsy and romance. We wanted the feeling to be surrounded with love comfort and fun. Our colors were all over the map. We wanted bright blues, greens and reds matched with soft muted colors like pink, peach and robins egg. I knew in the beginning that the vision for our wedding would incorporate a lot of vintage feel. I am a collector of all things used and loved. I spent months collecting milk glass vases, vintage books and other random mementos. I also incorporated special pieces from my family. The plates and flatware used for the bridal party are heirlooms. We borrowed lace tablecloths, platters, etc. My family and friends were an enormous help collecting special things for the day and keeping us sane.

When we got engaged, my first thought was, I wanted a venue that was rustic with a lot of character, I wanted mason jars for glasses, brightly colored straws and I wanted to dance. We hired on a wedding planner that guided us through the best ways to execute the vision, planning our day, making our save the date and invitations. I spent more than enough time on Etsy and all the wedding sites I could find (trust me there are a lot out there). It consumed me.

Both Nick and I wanted our wedding to feel like us. Our ceremony was perfect. My cousin’s husband was our amazing officiant. The groomsmen and bridesmaids walked down the aisle to a song Nick had composed. My brother read a heartwarming poem called “I like you” which is from a book published in the 1960s. Nick’s sister composed and sang a song during the ceremony. I walked down the aisle to Snow Patrol and we walked away husband and wife to” The Beatles-All you need is love.” My favorite band of all time. We had lawn games, board games, a photobooth and lots of dancing. There were a lot of DIY elements involved also. I made all of my bridesmaids hairpieces, along with my own. Nick drew out our thumbprint guest tree which was a fantastic. I created the “here comes the bride” banners from vintage place mats.

We  wanted our wedding to be unique and comfortable. A celebration with the ones we love. It was a beautiful success.

Wedding Photography: Stacy Jacobsen Photography / Planning + Event Design: b.a.s.h.ful Events

This garden fête by Sweet Tea Photography is full of such sweetness and goodness and all because of the hard work of the bride, groom and their friends and families.  It is a DIY beauty to behold with the talented group doing everything from the flowers to the catering.  The bride’s grandmother even sewed the adorable yellow bridesmaids skirts that the girls then infused with their own styles and personalities.  It’s the perfect example of how you can combine your personal beliefs and traditions with a fun style that is all your own.  Click here to see all the details!

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From the Bride…I took basically everything in my wedding from Style Me Pretty and other wedding blogs!  I wanted something relaxed and whimsical and really informal so people could just have a good time. Adam and I are pretty laid back people and I wanted our wedding to reflect that. As we were about to leave the reception, I was chatting with my friend and his wife and she said “I don’t know you very well but this wedding just seems so…’you'”. I guess that’s when I knew we had done it!

We wanted our wedding to be very “us” and also wanted it to be fun and entertaining for our guests. We put a lot of thought into the decor and thought that pennant flags would look great in the barn. Then we just ended up putting them on everything (the invitations, the quiz, the cake). We came up with the idea for the quiz as a way for people to get to know us, and some little things about our relationship. As it turns out, no one, not even our closest friends and family, knows anything about us! How disappointing! But we’re still glad we did it because overall I think people really enjoyed it (even if they all did fail miserably).

Adam and I are both Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and knew that a marriage in an LDS temple was essential to us. We believe that marriages must be performed in a temple by an authorized temple “sealer” (officiator) in order to last beyond this life. However, marriages which are performed in temples are very sacred and as such, only adult members of our church can attend. We both have many friends and family members who are not members of our faith so we decided to have an exchanging of rings ceremony in addition to the temple ceremony. It was important to us that those who could not attend the temple still be involved and witness some kind of commitment ceremony, even if we were already married.

I found the bridesmaid skirts that I wanted from another bride’s wedding. I knew they were perfect because they were simple, allowed each bridesmaid to personalize a little with her own top and shoes, and were long enough that my best friend, who is Muslim, could still wear the same thing as the other bridesmaids. I immediately knew I wanted to ask my grandmother to make the skirts. She had sewed bridesmaids dresses for one of her daughter’s wedding and a wedding gown for another so I knew she was the woman to ask! I loved having her make the skirts and she loved doing it. I also loved that every time I called her during the 4 or 5 months before the wedding she was busy working on skirts! It was the best wedding present she could have given me.

We had people from all over the country! 17 states total! I am originally from Virginia but Adam is from Washington State, so when we started planning the wedding in Maryland, we knew we would have to sacrifice having some of our loved ones there but we were so impressed with how many people made a real effort to be there. All 8 of Adam’s siblings…including a sister and her family from Alaska! Planning my wedding from Seattle was, in a word, “h e double hockey sticks”. I wouldn’t change a thing about our wedding but I feel like a lot of that was pure luck. It didn’t help that we were wanting to do everything ourselves which is hard to do from a few thousand miles away. Luckily, we had my sister living in VA who was more than willing to help and we came out two weeks early to do wedding planning like crazy.  In order to save money we didn’t hire a wedding planner, florist, caterer or DJ. I know, right?! It wasn’t easy but in the end we’re glad we did it this way and love how everything turned out!

Wedding Photography: Lisa Marie of Sweet Tea Photography / Wedding Gown: Custom Margot Eltsa / Bridesmaid Skirts: Bride’s grandmother / Groom’s Suit: Indochino / Groomsmen Attire: Their own / Ties: Etsy / Catering: DIY with help from friends and family + Honeybaked Ham + Costco / Flowers: DIY + Fields of Flowers / Hair Stylist: Rebekah, Friend / Make-up Artist: The Bride

The Metropolitan Building is one of our favorite little spots in New York. It’s full of curiosities and fabulous old treasures that play ever so nicely with beautiful weddings like this. Exquisite Affairs Productions crafted the perfect details to accompany such a striking venue – soft and romantic nestled into the old patina of the building. It’s making our hearts beat a little faster after ogling all the fabulous images by Heather Waraksa and with over 175 photographs to get cozy with, the gallery is where you need to be spending your afternoon. See it all here.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…When Craig and I began planning our wedding, we envisioned an event that had the warmth of our annual New Year’s Day open house, where people linger all day at our Brooklyn apartment. It’s become an institution, but an easy one: There’s no start time or end time, no dress code; the food is always good enough to disappear, but unfussy enough that the conversation is the main event. As we began searching for venues, we soon realized that the words “easy” and “wedding” didn’t typically fit into the same sentence. A country wedding seemed too complicated; a big-city wedding too flashy. Then I walked through the Metropolitan Building, an events space in Long Island City, Queens, owned by an antiques dealer. The former electrical parts factory is literally a storehouse of treasures; the nooks and crannies are decorated to the hilt, and as you look around, you can’t help but see the remnants of a thousand other celebrations. The space was big enough for a crowd, but intimate and comfortable enough to make people feel like they were in their own worlds. We were sold.

The rest of the party sprouted up from there, sown from a few simple ideas: For a mix of old and new—inspired by our venue and our taste in music—we hired Lapis Luna, which plays a mixture of jazz and swing, but covers everything from Billie Holiday to Billy Idol. For our May Day wedding date, Jeff at Pennington Flowers wove cherry blossoms and candles into the most spectacular chuppah, accenting the rest of the eclectic space with soft spring echoes. And the hard work of Chef Rossi at the Raging Skillet and Christine Viola at Exquisite Affairs Productions created an evening so seamless that both Craig and I were able to focus the most beautiful moments of all—the ones that could have happened in our living room, but that we wanted to share with 200 people: The warm voice of my family’s rabbi, who also married my parents, who flew in from my Ohio hometown for the occasion. The original song that my father played on his guitar—the one he wrote for me when I was twelve. Speeches and toasts by a few, partner dancing for many, and, most of all, our vows, which we each wrote in our apartment, when the other wasn’t looking.

It was exactly right: A feeling as new as our marriage and as familiar as the faces surrounding us. And thanks to Heather Waraksa’s genius, we can re-live it any time we want.

Venue: The Metropolitan Building / Event Planning: Exquisite Affairs Productions / Floral Design: Pennington Flowers / Wedding Photography: Heather Waraksa / Second Photographer: Mike Gross Photography / Catering: The Raging Skillet / Band: Lapis Luna / Guitarist: Elan Artists / Lighting: After Hours Entertainment / Cake + Cupcakes: City Sweets & Confections / Hair + Make-up: Monica McAlpin / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller / Bride’s Shoes: Via Spiga / Groom’s Suit: Duchess, Clothier / Valet: Parking Systems / Shuttles: Express Bus Services / Linen Rental: Cloth Connection / Chair Rental: Atlas Party Rentals / Officiant: Rabbi Alan Sokobin / Hair + Make-up:  Monica, Friend / DJ: Brad Lee, Friend

We’re keeping this pretty train rolling right through your lunch hour with this gorgeous Hill Country wedding. The pretty, pretty floral displays and overall design by BLUE LOTUS are making it impossible to take my eyes off of these beyond beautiful images by Sarah Kate, Photographer. Everything is simply gorgeous, from the bride’s dress to the 5 star location and lucky for us there is an entire gallery just waiting to inspire. Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From BLUE LOTUS…Amy and Chris were married in a rustic Hill Country wedding at the 5-star resort in Glen Rose Texas, Rough Creek Lodge.  Unique details included succulent wreathes on the church doors, cotton incorporated in the bouquets and boutonnieres, antlers, antique lace doilies.  Being Scottish in heritage, the groom, groomsman, and father of the groom all sported different traditional plaid kilts.  Both the bride and groom are accomplished violinists and treated their guests to a private performance to kick off the reception in the great hall at the lodge.

Wedding Photography: Sarah Kate, Photographer / Floral + Design: BLUE LOTUS / Venue: Rough Creek Lodge / Linens: BBJ Linens / Bridal Gown: Bridal Salon at Stanley Korshak

Prepare to kick those mid-week blues to the curb, SMPers, because this lovely Austin fête by Forever Photography Studio is guaranteed to put a spring in your step and a smile on your face this gorgeous Fall day.  Yes, it’s true.  I have been all aglow with happiness since the moment I laid my eyes on this beauty of an affair, complete with one very vibrant color palette, a breathtaking garden setting and some of the most beautiful blooms I have ever seen by Bouquets of Austin.  And don’t even get me started on the sweet as can be bride and groom, whose description of the day made me cry some seriously happy tears.  Now this is how you spend a Wednesday.  Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here for the entire image gallery!

From the Bride… We couldn’t wait for the day to finally come.  After living in different cities for the past 4 years, we were ready to get married!  When Nick and I got engaged, we knew exactly what we wanted – to get married in Austin near the lake and have an awesome party with our family and friends.  Austin was where we met, and we felt it was only right to start the rest of our lives in the same city we started our relationship.

Nature’s Point was the perfect venue for us – simple, fun, and relaxing with a little Southern charm.  From the moment we started planning, things just seemed to come together and we seemed to always find the perfect vendor that fit our personalities.  From our florist, to our caterer, to our wonderful photographers, we knew that each one of them would help us make our day as special as we had hoped.  They all knew just what we wanted, and we couldn’t have been happier the day of.  Our family and friends got to enjoy some of our favorite foods and drinks – mac ‘n’ cheese with a little Texas Tea – next to a beautiful lake view! The flowers in our bouquets and centerpieces were so beautiful and came out better than we had ever imagined.   And our photographers captured all the perfect moments we wanted to remember for the rest of our lives.

We loved absolutely everything about our wedding, and looking back, we wouldn’t have changed a single thing.  From the beginning, I had told Nick that our wedding pictures were the most important thing to me.  I knew that the day would fly by, and the pictures would help me remember the little things that I might have missed or the moments that I wish had lasted longer – to seeing our parents and my Grandma give their blessings to us, to my sisters so freely accepting Nick into the family, to our friends dancing the night away.  The pictures truly captured the joy in everyone’s face, and we were so happy to be surrounded by those we loved.

Our wedding day not only represented the beginning of our lives together, but also the day we would finally be in the same city and would be able to go to work each day knowing that we had each other to come home to.  We chose to say our own vows at the wedding because we not only wanted to show our commitment to always be there for each other, but to always be there to support each other and to continue to be best friends.  For me, that day showed me how truly blessed we were – we share a love that grows each day, we have a family that supports and loves us no matter what, and we have amazing friends that keep us laughing through all the hard times.  We are truly blessed indeed.

Wedding Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Wedding Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Wedding Dress: Brickhouse Bridal / Flowers: Bouquets of Austin / DJ: Greenbelt DJ Productions / Caterer: Austin Catering / Hair and Make-Up: Keep Austin Gorgeous / Wedding Venue: Nature’s Point

You know those couples that are so in love that you can literally see it radiate off of them? Yup, Kitty and Tuan are just that couple. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger or more beautiful smile on a bride before today. Paper Crane Productions filmed their gorgeous day that included some very sweet moments including Tuan searching for a hidden gift left by Kitty and a funny newlywed type quiz hosted by the wedding party at the reception. And if I’m being completely honest with all of you, I just can’t get enough of those adorable Aussie accents!

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From Paper Crane Productions…This is the wedding of super sweet couple Kitty and Tuan. The wedding was definitely full of love all around. We had a lot of fun that day shooting in the beautiful sunny weather of Sydney and the cozy Sergeant’s Mess for reception. The cute moment during this wedding was definitely when kitty asked her bridesmaid to call Tuan in the morning to collect a special gift she has hidden for him in his house (what a great idea to set the mood for your BIG day from early morning) and also not to forget the fun and funny game organized by the bridal party during their reception. Definitely, this one is one of the most gorgeous wedding.

Wedding Cinematography: Paper Crane Productions / Ceremony: Royal Botanic Gardens / Reception Location: Sergeants Mess / Wedding Gown: Maggie Sottero / Evening Dress: Carla Zampatti / Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy via Legacy Brides / Jewelry: Cartier + Cerrone / Make-up: Christina Cleary / Invitations + Souvenir: Dizzy Wizzy Designs / Event + Floral Designer: Designs by Boo Shi / Ceremony Strings: Accent Strings / Evening Jazz Band: Jazz Fever / Wedding Cake: Faye Cahill / Wedding Photography: Tealily Photography / Celebrant: Sarah Oluk

I have one very serious case of wedding envy for these darling San Francisco nuptials by Gladys Jem Photography.  And, believe me, once you take a peak at every last ounce of pretty below, you won’t blame me one bit… because not only was this stunning affair held at a romantic park called Shakespeare Garden (plus the fabulous Epic Roasthouse), but it’s also brimming with lovely red hues, gorgeous paper goods crafted by Hello!Lucky and beautiful florals by Church Street Flowers.  Honestly, does it get any better than this?  Click here for even more!

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From the Bride… From the beginning we knew we wanted something intimate, simple yet sophisticated and not super-traditional.  The majority of our 50 guests were from out of town and it was important to us to plan a day that would not only allow us to spend time with people we rarely get to see, but to also showcase the city that we love so dearly.  San Francisco has so much to offer and we really wanted to leverage both the beauty and the urban feeling of the city.  As soon as we saw Shakespeare Garden we knew it was perfect for us – so beautiful and lush, with an air of romance.

It was really important that the entire day felt very personal and we started by writing the ceremony ourselves, and creating programs that focused on our journey and the things we hold most dear to our relationship.  My favorite part of the day was when the groom had to call a “timeout” during the ceremony because he didn’t have the rings.  It was so classically “us” to have something like that happen and I can’t remember the last time we laughed that hard – it just made everything that much more personal and real.

We decided on a dinner party reception with the focus on excellent food, wine and company.  By choosing a restaurant we knew we were guaranteed fantastic food and excellent service, plus we didn’t have to think about caterers or rentals!  Cocktail hour and dinner featured a stunning view of the Bay Bridge which provided a beautiful backdrop to a night filled with love.  Tables were labeled with names of places that were significant during our relationship over our eight years of dating.  The food was all local, and we even skipped the traditional cake in lieu of creme brulee (my all-time favorite dessert). Looking back our day was perfect for us.  It’s ok to not be cookie cutter – stick with what you really want, prioritize the most important things, and focus on the love.

Wedding Photography: Gladys Jem Photography / Wedding Dress: Amy Kuschel / Bride’s Shoes: Vince Camuto / Hairpiece: Twigs & Honey / Groom’s Suit: Kenneth Cole / Wedding Invitations: Hello!Lucky / Programs, Table Names, Placecards, Favors: The Bride / Floral Design: Church Street Flowers / Hair + Make-up: The Glamourist / Wedding Ceremony Location: Shakespeare Garden / Officiant: Cynthia Gregory / Wedding Reception Location: Epic Roasthouse

I think backyard, black tie might be my new favorite wedding category after seeing this Beaufort beauty by Virgil Bunao. It is so breathtakingly gorgeous – with that South Carolina charm that seems to bounce off the screen and a bride that couldn’t be prettier. Mix that charm with the perfect amount of elegance from the long bridesmaid dresses, dapper gentlemen in tuxedos and chandeliers, and y’all – we have a winner. It’s southern style done oh so right, and there is even more in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Mother of the Bride...The wedding was held at the Parish Church of St. Helena where Allison had been a member since moving to Beaufort.  The church is celebrating 300 years and it was humbling to be a part of history on Friday night at rehearsal when Allison and Ben signed the marriage ledger which has been in use since the church has been in existence.  Rector Jeff Miller served as clergy and the homily to Allison and Ben and all those present gave the assurance of a successful marriage if it was built on a firm foundation of faith in Christ.  With this firm foundation of faith they would be able to weather any storms in their life. Allison and Ben had their heart set on having the reception at our home where she had grown up and had experienced many happy memories.  This idea was very overwhelming at first but it was their day and we were willing to try to make it happen for them.

Beautiful Beaufort by the sea lies in the heart of the Lowcountry.   The Lowcountry is the coastal plain stretching from Pawley’s Island to the Savannah River.  Beaufort County is composed of sixty four islands and our home, Melrose, is on Lady’s Island one of the larger islands. The home was built in 1905 on the bluff of Factory Creek named after the local oyster factory which was originally here.  Oyster shells are plentiful along the bluff because of its history so as a tribute we filled luminaries lining the pool steps with shells gathered here. The yard has many varieties of hydrangeas including Allison’s favorite the old fashioned French blue mop head that normally bloom mid May to late June.  Allison wanted to have the wedding during this season to take advantage of the display but little did we know it would be an exceptionally hot spring and the season was ahead of schedule but thankfully the blooms stayed around for the big day.

Our family is pretty notorious for being “do it yourselfers” whether it is the house, the yard and I guess now, the wedding so we chose not to hire an event planner.  Allison and I did most of the planning but we definitely had a team approach with the whole family pitching in at some points with everyone from Brad doing electrical to the sisters tying bows.  We learned a lot along the way and I am sure in the eyes of others we made mistakes but we had a lot of fun and when all was said and done it was exactly what Allison and Ben wanted.  They could not have been happier and that was very important to us.  It was a very special experience for our whole family.  Even the sisters commented it was the most fun weekend of their life and it wasn’t even their wedding!

Allison did not want the backyard turned into a ballroom but rather a larger version of some backyard parties we had in the past. We chose a neutral palette of champagne silk linens for the guest tables with natural linen burlap accents on the bar and food stations.  Lighting was with wrought iron lanterns and chandeliers.  Tents rented through Amazing Events in Beaufort were set up to work around the live oaks trees and to catch the view of the Beaufort River. The wedding involved three generations of families and as a special touch, Allison and Ben set up a display table with photos of their parents and grandparents on their wedding days.

Wedding Photography: Virgil Bunao / Caterer: Duvall / Wedding Cake: Singes Bakery / Pies: Suzara’s Kitchen / Floral Design: Outrageous Floral Designs, Sally Hendricks / Band: Loose Chain, East Coast Entertainment / Transportation: Old Savannah Tours / Wedding Dress: White on Daniel Island exclusive design by Jodi Moylan / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaid Dresses: Watters and Watters via Berlin’s on King / Hair + Make-up: Lime Lite Studio / Tuxedo: Amazing Rentals / Invitations: Chesnut Denton Stationery / Stationery + Other Paper Goods: Non(e) Such / Ceremony Location: Parish Church of St. Helena / Reception Location: Private Residence / Film Work: Richard Photo

This Mad Men-inspired wedding by FRESH Photography is just as sweet as can be and, no wonder, as it took place inside the Sweet Dreams Heritage Inn & Cakery.  The very same bakery owned and operated by the stunning bride you see before you.  And if the delectable-looking cakes that she and her groom served to their lucky guests is any indication of the treats that you can get in Rossland I may have to book a vacation there right now.  The rest of this vintage beauty was magically created by a fabulous group of friend-ors and the result is pure eye candy…er…cake!  Click here to see it all!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From FRESH Photography…Becky and Jeremy’s Mad Men-inspired affair was fedora and friend-infused, from their neighbor-friend decor-ista, to the caterer-friend who prepared a delicious spread, to the photographer-friend who narrated aforementioned lovelies.  Becky made a radiant bride bedecked with pretty parasol and hair fascinator, glowing smile and relaxed attitude.  I count myself doubly blessed to share a friends’ wedded bliss and their home and venue, Rossland’s lovely, Sweet Dreams Heritage Inn & Cakery.  That’s history, architecture, and cake under one roof!

And just like that, Rossland’s beloved Cupcake Lady is now a Mrs. Besides the gorgeous grounds and cakes, there were also sightings of porcelain skin, blush crinoline under tea-length gown, John Fluevog shoes in variety of colors, lily & peony bouquet, pearls, and tree-swing bearing hand-painted “Just Married” sign, heirloom cake topper.

Wedding Photography: FRESH Photography / Venue + Cakes: Sweet Dreams Heritage Inn & Cakery / Assistant: Lauren Gilhula / Make-up: Makeup by Emily Kjelshus / Hair: Natalie of Cedar Avenue Salon

Rise and shine Illinois because we have pretty as can be fête that will be sure to give you an extra jolt this morning if your coffee isn’t doing the trick! Not only is it perfectly pretty (and oh it is pretty), but it also goes to show budget-friendly doesn’t mean beauty-lacking. The Bride shares some of her great tips in her description, but make sure to allow some time to gawk over all the pretty images by gina & tony|photographers in the full gallery too!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Mike and I knew immediately that it was important that our wedding not break the bank, and truly be a product of our own efforts.  The first, and most important decision we made was to have our wedding on a Sunday and to keep the guest list small, which gave us the opportunity to afford a beautiful venue, an amazing band and still have some funds left over for our dream honeymoon. We also worked hard on designing every aspect of the day ourselves. The majority of work came in DIYing our paper goods.  They were truly a labor of love in designing without any experience, and sometimes in printer repair after too many failed test-runs.

The overall look of the day began with my wedding dress. I chose the dress that made my mom cry, even though it was nothing like anything else had I tried on, and let it inspire a soft, modern, floral theme that was beautiful at the golf club.  Throughout the next year, I collected and crafted items while scouring the web for constantly changing inspiration.  My favorite projects were creating faux mercury glass vases from thrift store containers and spray paint, and our cupcake-in-a-jar favors.  In the end, when all the details seemed completely overwhelming, I handed everything over to our florist and coordinator and they pulled everything together flawlessly.

We hired vendors who love weddings, who made us feel like a priority, and who we knew we’d love spending the day with.  They were the key to how calm and nerve-free Mike and I felt all day long.  We feel so fortunate to have been able to work with them all, and even more so for the wonderful moments they orchestrated during the day and beautiful memories they captured for us forever.

Our wedding day turned out to be the hottest day of the summer, and our family and wedding party were amazing and tough, even with an outdoor ceremony and photo session.  In the end, my favorite moment of the day was leaving the reception, laughing with my new husband as he said “that was so awesome, that was so awesome!” over and over again all the way to the hotel.  We are so thrilled that the day was truly a reflection of ourselves, and what we love.

Wedding Photography: gina & tony|photographers / Wedding Gown: Enzoani / Bridesmaid Gowns: J.Crew / Hair + Make-up: Kimberly Piech / Floral Design: Kristen Janes of Kio Kreations / First Look + Portrait Location: Cantigny Gardens / Ceremony + Reception Location: Arrowhead Golf Club / Officiant: Barry Kolanowski / Ceremony Musicians: Windy City Chamber Musicians / Day-Of Coordinator: Samantha Hamilton of Get Hitched Weddings / Invitation + Save the Date: Citrus Press Co. / All Other Stationery: DIY / Wedding Cake: Oakmill Bakery / Band: Underwater People / Wedding Videography: Hendzel Productions / Placecards, Programs, Guestbook, Menus, Favors (Cupcake-in-a-Jar) + Faux Mercury Glass Vases: DIY

I just love a couple who isn’t afraid to think outside the box when it comes to planning their big day and this oh-so-adorable Washington D.C. duo did just that and then some with their stunning California affair.  Yes, not only did they orchestrate a fabulous destination wedding in Newport Beach, but they held each and every amazing moment on one insanely gorgeous cruise ship, as well.  A wedding cruise for a day… how seriously fun is that?!?  Thankfully, Jay and Jess  [formerly Session Nine Photographers] were on hand to capture all of the pretty, because I plan to gaze at this lovely for days.  Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… He’s from small-town, Alabama, I’m from a not-so-small town in Arizona. We live in Washington, D.C. So, of course it made perfect sense to get married in Newport Beach, California! But really, when we set out to pick the location of our special day, the goal was to have a wedding that would be small enough so we could spend quality time with all of our guests during the celebration, but large enough that we could feel the love and support from those who are dearest to us. My extended family is HUGE, so while a wedding in Arizona would have been one BIG celebration, it wouldn’t have been the intimate atmosphere we were going for. Matthew and I are also very into all things artistic, so we REALLY cared about the quality of our wedding pictures! Getting good wedding pictures was of premium concern when we set out to choose the location of our wedding and our photographers. Since Phoenix averages about 115 degrees in August, taking pictures outdoors at a Phoenix wedding would have been…well, not very enjoyable. We also wanted our guests to enjoy every part of the wedding, not constantly having to wipe the sweat from their foreheads. We wanted no distraction from the heat. We considered Alabama and D.C. venues for about half a minute before we decided to start looking at beach weddings in California. The day of our wedding was 73 degrees…perfect!

I grew up vacationing with my family in Newport Beach, so that was where we first started looking. We really liked the idea of doing a wedding cruise because that meant our guests would be with us 100% of the time! No cutting out after the cutting of the cake! Everybody had to stay and party with us until the boat re-docked at the end of the night. Since Matthew and I were both living in D.C. during the planning of the wedding, we also knew that if we did the destination wedding, it would have to be at a place where they handled most of the details (linens, catering, DJ, bartenders, etc.). So Electra Cruises was exactly what we were looking for. They had a list of vendors to choose from, but they were also really flexible with letting us use our own vendors too (we brought our own pastors, and used Session Nine as our photographers).  A huge plus to having our wedding with Electra was that all of the vendors had worked on the ship before, so everything seriously ran like a well-oiled machine. Electra also gave us a day-of coordinator for our wedding who really helped with making sure everything followed the timeline of events (and making sure the bride and groom actually get to eat!). Once we decided on a beach wedding, we knew we wanted a venue that would be beautiful on its own, so we wouldn’t have to travel with a lot of decorations or stress out about setting things up ahead of time. The ship we had our wedding on was called The Destiny (how perfect), and it was so beautiful on it’s own, we really didn’t stress out about having a lot of decorations to add to it.

For flowers, we really wanted to add some color to the black dresses and suits, so my florist actually suggested the gerbera daisies. And they’re pretty inexpensive, as far as flowers go! I essentially told my florist what I wanted to spend per bouquet, and she told me I could have a lot of gerbera daisies, or a small amount of other fancy flowers. I opted for the fuller bouquet for the bridesmaids, and I am SO happy with how they turned out!

A lot of the stuff we used for tables (like name place cards and table numbers) we found at Hobby Lobby. For printing, we saved a TON by designing our own programs. Matthew and I formatted the programs in a Word document, then sent them off to this ma and pop printer shop, with instructions about how we wanted them printed. I used a hole puncher to make holes, then tied the pink and orange ribbon on every one. We had a friend design the “AMMP” logo, and used it on the invitations and the programs to kind of make it the theme. (We’ve called each other “AM” and “MP” since we became friends three years ago.)

We also like shoes…a lot. For the love of Viv… I saw the Vivienne Westwood shoes I wanted like a month after we got engaged—they were perfectly pink and orange! We wanted a little southern flair in there somewhere, to match Matthew’s accent, so that’s why MP chose the Dan Post cowboy boots. They looked SO good! And we both have worn our wedding shoes again since the big day!

Wedding Photography: Jay and Jess / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Electra Cruises / Wedding Dress + Veil: David’s Bridal / Flowers: Marina’s Flowers / Wedding Cake: Cinderella Cakes / Bride’s Shoes: Vivienne Westwood / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / DJ: DVS Mobile DJ Service, DJ Von / Catering: Electra Cruises / Wedding Invitations: Papyrus / Logo Design: Tyler Sanderson / Officiant: Pastor Robert Russo / Party Bus: A Private Limousine / Groom’s Shoes: Dan Post Boot Co.

I could waste a good chunk of the day gazing over every pretty image from this Nantucket wedding by Zofia Photography.  The romantic seaside affair has worked its way into my heart and has settled in for the long haul.  There is just so much to love from the beaming bride and groom to her sensational Oscar De La Renta gown to the oh-so pretty arrangements by Soiree Floral. There is so much to love so head on over to the full gallery to soak it all in!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the bride… My and James’ love story began on Robert Moses Beach on Long Island, NY while I was home from college one summer afternoon. Our love flourished in a small seaside town in Rhode Island. James spent countless weekends traveling between New York and Rhode Island visiting me at college. We have a deep love for travel, upon completion of college we moved to Southern California where we resided for 2 years. Upon our return from San Diego, I enrolled as a global volunteer in Bahia, Brazil and worked in an orphanage for several months. That didn’t stop James, who came and spent a month with me working with all the adorable children.

On a sunny July morning when we were on their way to visit our favorite island in New England, Nantucket, James stopped off 95 to get coffee. To my disbelief there was a giant billboard with the words: Gabrielle will you marry me? Once we reached Nantucket they were greeted by my family who flew up just to celebrate the occasion. We fell in love with Nantucket and New England during our college days, it is the most beautiful island we have ever visited, full of quaint homes, hidden gardens, beautiful beaches and adorable shops. I always said it reminded me of a story book.

Following Style Me Pretty religiously throughout the planning process I was inspired by so many gorgeous weddings and took details that I liked and then put our own spin and style on them. I learned what I wanted our photographs to look like and knew I wanted both photos and film to capture our vision. I worked closely with Dawn Kelly to create a vintage, romantic feel. The amazing, Bettina Landt of The White Elephant, was responsible for making my entire day so special – she handled every detail and made my dream wedding come true!

Wedding Photography: Zofia Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Surfside Productions / Floral Design + Event Rentals: Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral / Venue: The White Elephant / General Manager: Bettina Landt / Band: Perry Rossi Orchestra / Invitations: Lettuce Paper / Escort Cards: Village Invites / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Wedding Dress: Oscar De La Renta via Mark Ingram Atelier / Veil: Vera Wang / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Headpiece: Elizabeth Perry Collections / Ring Pillow: Etsy / Hair + Make-up: Darya Salon / Bow Tie: Hermes / Wedding Band: Cartier / Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew / Ring Bearer Attire: Ralph Lauren / Candy: Dylan’s Candy Bar / Initials: BHLDN

I love, love, love a fabulous winter wedding and this Atlanta stunner planned by Susan Graham Signature Events is exactly the reason why.  So warm and cozy and glowing with the most beautiful candlelight….  Seriously, does it get any more romantic than this?  Not to mention that when I first laid my eyes upon the exposed brick paradise that is the King Plow Arts Center, my heart took one very serious leap.  And with moment after breathtaking moment captured by Sublime Photography, this lovely soiree has me itching for December in a big way.  Who’s with me?  Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… We decided to get married in January to escape the “wedding season” madness and couldn’t be happier about our decision. We wanted to create an experience that was warm and welcoming for our guests and also reflect my vintage, romantic style… all on a DIY budget. We started the planning process by choosing a turn of the century renovated warehouse, King Plow Arts Center, for our reception venue. We loved the contrast of the exposed brick walls and open ceiling against my love of vintage romantic elements.

The design of the event centered around my obsession with milk glass. I spent the entire year and a half engagement on a mission to find the best possible pieces at the lowest possible prices to add to my collection. My favorite milk glass find was a small antique/junk shop on the side of the road in the tiny town of Jefferson, GA.

Throughout the planning process I scoured the Internet looking for details that I loved and then tried to figure out how to replicate those on my small budget. I found the most amazing vendors to help me through the process and the wedding was as beautiful as I had envisioned and $1,000 under budget.

Wedding Photography: Sublime Photography / Floral Design: Holly Bryan Floral and Botanical Design / Event Planning: Susan Graham Signature Events / Wedding Ceremony Location: Sandy Springs Christian Church / Wedding Reception Location: King Plow Arts Center / Wedding Invitations: By Invitation Only / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden / Custom Dress: Your Fairy Tale Wedding via Etsy / Hair & Makeup: Nikole Morrow-Pettus and Rod Lawson of Van Michael Hair Salon

This is your one cute couple alert. It’s easy for anyone to look good with the Hawaiian breeze blowing through their hair, and the Pacific sand in between their toes, but these two, they were absolutely adorable. The lovely planners & designers, Mango Muse Events, enlisted the help of Flowergirls to create the florals for the event – which is quickly jumping to the top of my favorite floral designs ever. Live trees as centerpieces, a Bonsai tree as the escort card holder, and, the best yet, those amazing honohono orchid chandeliers. Can I have one of those for every room in my house? Red Heart Photography captured every little detail, every little smile, and every little look shared, to perfection. Click here for the gallery!

Photography: Red Heart Photography / Photobooth: Shakabooth / Flowers: Flowergirls & Mango Muse Events / Event Design: Mango Muse Events / Event Planning: Mango Muse Events / Ceremony Location: Lanikuhonua / Reception Location: Lanikuhonua / Musician: John Cruz / Rentals: Accel Rentals / Catering: Chai’s Island Bistro / Desserts: Sweet Stop / Hair & Makeup: Maleana Cosmetics / Bartenders: Aloha on the Rocks / Plant Rentals: Kamaaina Plant Rentals / Invitation Designer: Upton Designs / Wedding Gown: Nicole Miller / Bridesmaid Dresses: Maggy London / Earrings: George H. Sasaki Jewelers / Brides Rings: The Diamond Specialist Inc.

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Another lovely Wednesday morning is upon us, SMPers… and you know what that means.  Yes, an entire day filled to the brim with darling details, sweeter than sweet moments and pretty, pretty inspiration galore.  I know, right?!?  We are excited, too.  And since we are literally bursting at the seams with eight fabulous affairs that are simply guaranteed to make you smile, don’t forget to add a little extra time to your itinerary for some gallery gazing, swooning and the like.  Trust us, you don’t want to miss a moment.

Up first in our pretty parade is a darling Alabama affair by Stephen Jerkins that I simply couldn’t adore more if I tried.  Boasting one very charming DIY detail after another, this wedding is overflowing with so much love, it’s contagious.  What’s more adorable than the groom proposing in the same exact spot that the bride’s own parents and grandparents were engaged?  Or the bride wearing her grandmother’s headpiece?  Or the entire wedding taking place on the bride’s great-grandparent’s farm?  Yep, absolutely nothing is more adorable… and you can see every last heartwarming moment in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Every wedding is a family affair, but as our wedding day approached, my husband-to-be and I increasingly realized that a marriage, not just a wedding, is something shared by an entire community of the people who have made us what we vowed to love. So we decided that not only did we want our wedding to be personal and reflect our passions and our personal choices; we also wanted to incorporate the history of our friends and families into that day.

We had already gotten started on the right foot. Nick proposed to me on a November day sitting on the antique green velvet couch where my grandfather had proposed to my grandmother and my dad proposed to my mother. At that point, though, we hadn’t realized the stage was set…That realization came to me one day during my engagement when my grandmother pulled out her wedding ensemble from 1958 for me to try on. She’d kept it all–the knee-length eyelet fabric dress, the white pumps, the birdcage veil, and the feathered headpiece. That headpiece. As soon as I put it on I knew I wanted to wear it, both because of its stunning retro look and because I knew that I wanted a piece of her with me when I walked down the aisle.

From that day on all the pieces fell into place. We decided to get married on my great-grandparents’ 160-acre farm in the countryside of north Alabama, where I’m from. Instead of having traditional wedding cake, I asked my dad to make his famous Italian Cream Cake, and in lieu of a groom’s cake Nick’s mother made his grandma’s classic chocolate delight.

Nick and I were both English majors in college and now Nick works as a freelance photographer/videographer, so we incorporated our love of books and of cameras into our Save-the-Dates (book cover postcards from Penguin) and our reception centerpieces. Nick also designed our invitation suite. We’ve also enjoyed traveling together to Italy, Israel, Egypt, and Mozambique, so our guest book was, naturally, a huge collection of vintage postcards from those places and from New York City, a place we love and where we decided to honeymoon.

In the midst of all the vintage family pieces, I will admit it was fun to sneak in something I got from nowhere but–you guessed it–Ebay for $19.99! I was thrilled when I found my vintage reception dress for such a great price. Sometimes your something old can also be something new.

We were also happy to ask my grandfather, who married my mom and dad, to perform our wedding. And so many other family and friends contributed to the day, making cupcakes, cutting the grass, arranging bouquets, and a million other details that took hours of time. It was humbling for both of us. On top of the love our family and friends showed us, we could not have asked for more talented or considerate vendors. Stephen did an excellent job with the photography, his wife Amanda created the most stunning florals, and Dish Cafe was the cherry (or specialty spinach dip, I should say) on top of a wonderful day.

Many couples have told me they don’t recall a single moment from their wedding, that it was just a blur and they were simply ready to get away. Nick and I were so grateful that, on the contrary, on our wedding day we had a blast, surrounded by our best friends, dancing and singing and celebrating the gifts we’ve been given.

Wedding Photography: Stephen Jerkins / Wedding Cinematography: Mark Slagle / Floral Design: Amanda Jerkins Design / Wedding Location: Private Residence / Wedding Invitations: The Groom / Bride’s Shoes: Love / Headpiece: Heirloom, recovered by Epoca by Claire Lifsey / Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Reception Dress: eBay / Catering: Dish Cafe

4Eyes Photography is giving us the gift of gorgeous this morning with this stylish soiree at Capitale. Inspired by the couple’s love of music and the ballroom scene from the whimsical film The Labyrinth, the evening was filled with masquerade masks and dramatic ballroom design. Mile high candelabras? Yes please. And how much do you love those bridesmaids and their seriously fabulous stockings (and shoes!). It’s safe to say that this handsome couple left their mark on each and every element of their wedding design, and you can see even more in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

And you can see even more of this stylish soiree thanks to the fabulous wedding film by Honor Code Visual!

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From the Bride…Mat and I met at a rock show in NYC. It was to see a performance by the UK band, Razorlight. I happened to have a spare ticket and my friend wanted to bring her friend, so Mat ended up being my plus one. Music has definitely played a big role in our relationship. Most of our courtship revolved around seeing bands play. Mat is originally from Leeds and moved to NYC with his band, The Chevin. I’m originally from Atlanta and moved to NYC to work in the music business and I also host a radio show. When it came time to plan our wedding, the music was really a key element and served as a soundtrack to the entire evening.

After about 8 months of dating and falling in love, Mat whisked me off to the English countryside to meet his family. He took me to visit his 91 year old great Aunt Joyce, who lives in a beautiful home built in the 15th century. We had tea and hot crossed buns by the fireplace, played with the 2 week old baby lambs on her property, and enjoyed a lovely meal his mother prepared. After lunch, he took me to explore her home and as I was admiring a pretty vase, I noticed a ring box hidden inside it. Upon opening the box, I found the most beautiful antique diamond ring I have ever seen. I presumed it was his Aunt’s and immediately thoughts raced through my head. I wondered if I could ask Mat to ask his Aunt if he can have the ring one day. Which was promptly followed with the thought: No that’s silly, of course I can’t ask him to ask that. I wasn’t until he dropped to one knee that I realized the ring was for me! I started to cry with happiness and said yes. The best part is that his family knew he was planning to propose, so they were there to celebrate the moment with us.

This may seem out there, but our inspiration was the ballroom scene from the film The Labyrinth starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. That scene is so rich and lush with the big silver ballgown, the candelabras, all the gothic masks, and the music. I vividly remember as a child running around my backyard pretending I was the main character Sarah and wanting to marry David Bowie. Mat is also a big fan of the movie and visually, the look is exactly what we wanted. Plus, the theme of the movie, (a young woman who goes on a long journey and through the friendships she makes, comes out a better person in the end), also fit with us. In a way, Mat and I both had to make a long journey to find each other and now we’re both better for it as well.

We have so many amazing memories from our wedding. The best moment for me was walking down the aisle. I know every bride says that, but now I completely understand why. Weeks before the wedding, I was nervous about being nervous standing in front of our 200 guests. I’m not used to having all eyes on me, that’s Mat!  What surprised me is how calm I felt the whole day. Just before walking down the aisle, I did get a little nervous, but as soon as I looked at everyone, I noticed 3 of my friends from London who had flown over an ocean to celebrate our wedding, and that’s when it really hit me. Everyone here is someone we know and love and they’re so happy for us. It’s the most amazing and blessed feeling I’ve ever experienced. I highly recommend it!

Mat’s favorite moment is during the ceremony, when our officiant asked Mat to place the ring on the tip of my finger, he was a little confused as to where that meant. You see, our wedding was Mat’s first wedding ever! He had no clue about weddings! So he thought he was supposed to literally balance the ring on the tip of my finger. Naturally it fell and after that, he got the giggles and it became contagious. It was such an endearing and real moment. There is a lot of power when everyone can laugh together that hard to create a lasting memory.

Wedding Photography: 4Eyes Photography / Wedding Gown: Lazaro via Kleinfeld Bridal / Groom’s Suit, Accessories + Wedding Band: Against Nature / Groom’s Shoes: Paul Smith / Bride’s Engagement Ring + Wedding Band: Doyle & Doyle / Venue, Catering + Cake: Capitale / Floral Design: Roshy of In Bloom / Wedding Videography: Honor Code Visual / Venetian Masks: House of Masquerades / DJ: Cat Hartwell / Rentals: Ruth Fischl / Invitations: Custom Illustration by Pretty as a Picture / Calligraphy: Joanne Day of Night Owl Creativity / Make-up: Lilly Rivera of Bridal Gal

This wedding is a category all its own, the title of which has been deemed Palm Beach Pretty. Imagine layers upon layers of palm trees, the ocean mere steps away and peonies galore courtesy of Xquisite Events. Heaven, right? It’s classic meets the seashore and Captured Photography by Jenny was there to photograph all the loveliness unfold at the Four Seasons. Who, might I add, is a venue that really knows its way around a great wedding. The proof is in the pudding, or in this case, each and every gorgeous image. See it all here!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…When Kyle and I got engaged in November 2010, we knew we wanted to get married the following fall, but a lot of other issues were up in the air.  We live in New York City and my father had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia. He was going to need to have a bone marrow transplant in February. Since the recovery from this procedure is very long and difficult, we decided to have the wedding in Palm Beach, Florida. My parents live near by and we could maximize the chance that he would be able to be with us that day.  I am thrilled to report that he was there to walk me down the aisle and do our father-daughter dance, which made the day that much more incredible.

As for the wedding itself, we decided on the Four Seasons in Palm Beach for both the ceremony and the reception, and I am so glad we did.  It was a great choice for a wedding of our size—100 people—which felt like a lively and fun party, but still quite intimate.  We both love the water, so being able to say our “I Dos” at sunset overlooking the ocean was perfect.  Our tastes both run fairly classic and clean, and I wanted our wedding to reflect that. So, we chose to keep the decorations very simple so that they would be tasteful and compliment, but not overwhelm, the stunning location.

I have always loved the color combination of pink and grey, so that was an easy choice. I adore J. Crew, so it was the natural choice for bridesmaids dresses. My dress was an Amsale sample which I had a tailor alter to make it original.  We lowered the belt a little, and took in some material around the hips to change it from an A-line to a trumpet shape.

The weather was gorgeous, and as the sun was setting the clouds glowed pink, grey, and blue, which perfectly complimented our color scheme.  I wish I could take credit for that one, but we just got really lucky!  As for the ballroom, the Four Seasons offers some complimentary gold dinnerware and tablecloths, so we decided to just run with that and compliment that color with the same pink we used in the ceremony.  I told Xquisite Events that I wanted a look that was modern, elegant, and romantic, with tons of candlelight, and I thought it ended up looking beautiful.   The whole day was so wonderful, it’s hard to pick any favorite moment, but I loved the way our colors ended up looking against the backdrop of the ocean and the sunset.  Walking down the aisle with my dad, seeing all of the people I love in the world smiling at me, and then seeing Kyle waiting for me at the altar was probably the best moment of my life.

Wedding Dress: Amsale / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Wedding Photography: Captured Photography by Jenny / Venue, Catering + Wedding Cake: Four Seasons Palm Beach / Floral Design: Xquisite Events / Band: Rhythm / Hair: Fairytale Beauty / Ceremony Musicians: Elegant Musicians / Make-up: Shadows Makeup Artistry