We all take inspiration for our wedding from something. Some detail we fell in love with in someone else’s wedding. Some vintage piece our grandmother passed down. Some color, smell, season. But this couple, this gorgeous couple, took inspiration from the city where they met and fell in love – San Francisco. And the wedding, planned by the wonderful Amy Nichols Special Events – it’s phenomenal. Absolutely perfect. It’s a little modern, very clean and simple, and yet so chic and beautiful. SO very San Fransisco. Mission totally accomplished. I know you will love this wedding just as much as I do – so make sure you check out the rest of Lori Paladino Photography‘s view of the fabulous day in the full image gallery.

When we got engaged, Lee said that he’d found his southern belle, though not exactly true, I’m from Southern California, not the deep South!  I met and married a charming Tennessee boy in the city where we fell in love and now live, San Francisco.  With our nearest and dearest traveling from near and far, we decided to create a wedding that celebrated the City.

Old Saint Mary’s Cathedral is the oldest Catholic cathedral in California and is truly a blessed location, built in 1854, the outer walls and bell tower were just about the only things in downtown SF that withstood the shaking and fires after the great 1906 earthquake.  The priest who married us, Father Bart, was perfect too—he is a Catholic Southerner!  During our engagement, Father Bart took the time to get to know us and his homily was spot on.  He had the congregation laughing with him and our ceremony could not have been more special.  We fell in love with the Ferry Building as a venue—it’s a historic building on the water with beautiful views of the Bay Bridge and the added bonus was that Paula leDuc Fine Catering is the exclusive caterer.

Once we had a date, the venue and the church, it was time to start thinking about the details!  After searching through all kinds of poof and lace at bridal salons throughout San Francisco, I finally found a dress that fit my personality at Priscilla of Boston.  From the minute I tried it on, I knew my search was over.  I then began working with the fabulous husband and wife design team, Samantha and Owen Troy, the brains behind Designs des Troy.  They created every printed piece imaginable from our save the dates and invitations, to the table cards to the welcome bag letters.  All in all, they created 25 unique icons to represent some of our favorite landmarks in San Francisco which we later used on each of our tables in lieu of simple table numbers. Their work was simply stunning!  Classic Cable Cars trotted our guests from the hotels to the church and back to the celebrate at the Ferry Building in style.  Tainted Love was on board to ensure the dance floor was rocking all night long with fabulous 80’s tunes—and they did not disappoint.

Then, we were in over our heads.  We brought on Amy Nichols Special Events to provide creative feedback, make vendor suggestions and orchestrate our wedding weekend with pizzazz!  Amy put me in touch with Emily from Soulflower, thank goodness.  Emily was able to take my lack of floral knowledge and comments like, “I like these, but not this” and create a beautiful ambiance.  Paula Le Duc put together a menu including the finest seasonal and local ingredients.  They even paired local wines to match perfectly with the meal.  Simply perfection.  Gerhard Michler created a delicious cake with multiple flavored tiers for when guests needed a sweet bite between dance moves.  Thanks to Lori Paladino and her talented team, we have lasting memories of a beautiful evening!

It was a night I will never forget!  But, most importantly, none of this would have been possible without my parents.  They truly believe that love is something that should celebrated, and so they threw one hell of a party!

Photography: Lori Paladino Photography / Ceremony Venue: Old St. Mary’s Church / Reception Venue: Ferry Building / Event Planner: Amy Nichols Special Events / Caterer: Paula LeDuc Fine Catering / Floral Design: Soulflower Design Studio / Band: Tainted Love / Lighting: Got Light? / Cake: Gerhard Michler, Creative International / Stationery: Design des Troy / Transportation: Classic Cable Car / Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Each wedding we share is magical in its own way but once in a while we see a wedding that, when all the forces combined, is completely and utterly majestic.  This summer camp wedding, tucked in the woods of New Hampshire, just wouldn’t have been the same if it hadn’t rained creating an ethereal mist that lovingly wrapped itself around the wedding cabin.  Nor would it have been the same if photographer superstars Our Labor of Love hadn’t been there to capture every magical moment.  The result is something out of a dream!  Click here to see it all!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Josh and I have been together for six years and in this time we’ve traveled extensively around the world. He proposed in El Bolson, Argentina, midway through our month long trip to Argentina and Chile. It came as a complete surprise but the best part was being able to spend the next two weeks of our vacation as a newly engaged couple. I grew up in New York City and Josh is from Atlanta. We currently live in Brooklyn. While we would have loved to have had our wedding in one of these cities, we felt that having our wedding in a natural setting would both suit our budget and our love of nature. We took many road trips in search of a wedding location, then my friend suggested I look at places in New Hampshire because many of the towns had that quaint feeling that we experienced at summer camp when we were kids. I remember hearing about the Squam Art Workshop and how lovely the photos of Rockywold-Deephaven Camps were.

After first setting foot inside Rockywold-Deephaven Camp, we just knew that this is where we would have our wedding.  The air was crisp and clean and the shimmering lake reflected the lush forest in every direction.  As is customary with every cabin on Squam lake, they’re built inside the forest so as not to cut down any trees unless it’s absolutely necessary.  Looking out across the lake, man-made structures are barley visible through the towering forest.   Many of the cabins also have their own docks.  I also love that the camp only allows three weddings a year.  Rockywold-Deephaven Camps reminded me of the film Dirty Dancing and that was it, I was sold. I decided it would be my something old as it was founded in 1897.

Among our friends, we are known to have food fever. Every time we throw a cocktail party we make sure there’s a ton of food, so we knew we couldn’t disappoint our friends.  My family’s from Haiti, so we had an authentic Haitian feast of rice with mushroom broth, stewed chicken, shrimp creole, and Haitian conch.  A few of the dishes were prepared by a professional caterer, but many were made by my mom and her friends. Josh’s friend from college owns a dessert company, Ovenly, who provided a wide variety of delicious cakes, pies, and gluten-free cupcakes.

The night before our wedding, I was awakened by the sound of the rain pounding down on the rooftop of my cabin. Having heard the rain fall all night, it prepared me for the type of wedding we were going to have. Before I left our apartment in Brooklyn, I grabbed my rain boots as we were heading out the door just in case it rained. I was so glad I did. Everyone at breakfast kept telling us that the weather would clear up but when I checked the forecast it read 100% precipitation. We had to scrap our original plan of getting married under a birch tree trellis and decided to get married on the porch of the Longhouse. We were really lucky to have Lisa. She was our florist and day of wedding planner. She got married at Rockywold-Deephaven so she knew just what to do. Josh kept saying all week, “lean into it,” and that’s exactly what we did. The ceremony was incredibly majestic.  The clean air and mist on the lake made it perfectly romantic. I remember walking onto the porch with my dad and seeing my best friend shed some tears. I tried my best to hold it together. I had not seen Josh prior to the ceremony and he looked so handsome. His eyes were just beaming with energy.

We were so glad to have Jesse & Whit of Our Labor of Love take our photos. They were recommended to us by Max Wanger. When we met them a few months before our wedding for our engagement photo session, we knew instantly that we had made the right decision to go with them. They made us feel so comfortable and they compliment each other so well.  By the time our wedding rolled around we were confident that they would do an amazing job. They certainly were magnificent at capturing our special day.

Wedding Photography: Our Labor of Love / Ceremony Location: Rockywold-Deephaven / Floral Design, Design + Planning: Blooming Vineyard / Invitations: Bella Figura / Wedding Dress: Saja / Bride’s Belt + Veil: Hushed Commotion / “Here Comes The Bride” Sign: Bragging Bags / Reception Music: DJ NikFit / Wedding Cake: Ovenly / Groom’s Ring: Sarah Abramson Jewelry / Wedding Programs: Scrapping Innovations / Ring Pillow: Giggle Room

You know those weddings that stop you in your tracks and leave you speechless?  The ones that have you literally picking your jaw up off the floor, they are just that incredible?  You spend your day oohing and ahhing over every last image, every last gorgeous detail… and filling your inspiration folders with pretty?  Well, prepare yourselves, SMPers, because this is one of those weddings.  From the fabulous purple hues, to the beautiful crystal-filled blooms by D3W Creative Concepts to the uber-stunning bride and groom (who also happen to be one fab photography team), this glamorous Brooklyn affair will leave you swooning all.day.long… and then some.  All coordinated by Imaginative Creations by Shanelle and captured in breathtaking images by STAK Photographer Duo, you don’t want to miss a moment of lovely.  Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From STAK Photographer Duo… Anyeka + Josh are also a husband and wife photography team in New York, and got married recently in April.

The ceremony took place in Brooklyn, where he grew up.  A local church by their home.  The wedding reception was at Elite Palace.  After the ceremony, we traveled to DUMBO for a few portraits. In the morning, they got ready at the Brooklyn Marriott because Josh loves the Brooklyn Bridge.

Wedding Photography: STAK Photographer Duo / Wedding Coordinator: Imaginative Creations by Shanelle / Wedding Ceremony Location: Miracle Temple Ministries / Wedding Reception Location: Elite Palace / Floral Design: D3W Creative Concepts / Wedding Cake: Desserts by Dana / Tuxedos: Kleinfeld Men / Wedding Dress: RK Bridal / Prep Location: Brooklyn Marriott / Portrait Location: Dumbo NYC

We’re wrapping up another fabulous wedding Wednesday with this gorgeously elegant ranch wedding so full of beautiful blossoms, it’ll make your head spin. The blush colored flirty dresses on the bridesmaids are super fun and totally re-wearable and that’s just part of the reason we are swooning over this one today. Evelyn Francesca Events and Design planned the entire pretty fete while Allie Lindsey Photography captured all the breathtaking details and lucky for us there is a gallery overflowing with even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Allie Lindsey Photography…Evelyn & Aaron have a really amazing love story. These two were introduced through a friend and it was love at first sight. After dating for some time Aaron was deployed and Evelyn contacted me to photograph a boudoir session to send to him as a surprise overseas. She decided to save the boudoir gift to give to him on a R& R that they were going to use the time to take a cruise together. Well, she gave him the gift … and he gave her a engagement ring! Both of them had been planning on surprising the other and the timing was perfect! She contacted me as soon as she was home from the cruise to book me for her wedding. She is also a very talented event planner and so while Aaron was deployed she planned the entire wedding ALONE. The wedding venue was actually the backyard of Aaron’s grandmother, and a lot of love went into making this a special day! Aaron was only home 2 weeks prior to the wedding, so it was a very joyful (and perhaps a tad stressful) few weeks leading up to the wedding day. I will forever feel honored to have been a small part in this big love story!

Event Planner: Evelyn Francesca Events and Design (The Bride) / Wedding Photography: Allie Lindsey Photography / Make-Up Artist: JH Artistry / Wedding Cake: Jaime Knight / Florist: Barliz Florist / Venue: Private Backyard

Vintage Parisian Romance. Those three little words directed the bride’s vision for this stylish soiree, and the result is fabulously glam occasion. With gorgeous stationery by Paper Moss around every pretty corner, romantic blush hues and a chandelier and candlelight ceremony – it’s enough to make anyone feel the romance. And it doesn’t have to end here – there is so much more Vintage Parisian Romance in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We drew most of our inspiration for the wedding from the venue itself.  I just loved that the hotel was over a 100 years old, and had such a rich history in San Diego. The old world glamour feel of the hotel, was perfect for my theme of Vintage Parisian Romance.  We fell in love with the idea of getting married by candlelight, because it made for such an intimate moment, and I think everyone could feel the love in the room. I decided since I was doing a Parisian theme to use a classic Coco Chanel color palette with blacks, grays, pale pinks and gold accents to really drive the theme home in a subtle and tasteful way.

My dress really captured the soft romantic feel of the day. I felt like I was walking in the clouds all day long. I wore two different sashes one ivory and one black to the ceremony and reception. We kept the florals very soft and pale as well. We stuck to mainly whites, blush pinks and pale icey greens with just a few pops of French anemones. We repeated this color palette on the cake and cookies the guests got to take home at the end of the night. The men wore white boutonnières in order to really pop from the dark gray tuxes.

One of my favorite parts of the day was my centerpieces and linens. They were so grand and beautiful, that it gave the room a very opulent feeling. The lighting and the custom dance floor with our monogram completely transformed the ballroom, which had once been a speak easy during prohibition, into fabulous party area. For the invites we played with simplistic French lines to create something that was classic, but still incorporated our own personalities. Small French details, like the fleur de lis, were placed throughout our designs to subtly reinforce the theme. Another one of my favorite details of the reception was the photo booth. Our guests really enjoyed it, and we had such a laugh looking over all their photos after the reception was over.

The best part of the day was getting married to Tyler. The day was beyond anything I had dreamed of as a child. After all the planning we did together, we were so happy our vision went off without a hitch. And best of all, during the planning process the two of us learned what a great team we make together.

Venue: The US Grant Hotel / Wedding Photography: Laura Ashbrook Photography / Stationery: Paper Moss / Florals: Floral Palette / Linens: La Tavolla / Wedding Videography: Epitome Visions / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang via bliss bride / Ceremony Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Reception Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Jewelry: Adorn / Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang via Bella Bridesmaid / Custom Dance Floor + Lighting: Platinum Pro / Wedding Cake + Cookies: Heidi Rogers / Make-up: Keely Marie Makeup / Hair: Elizabeth Hawthorne / Day-of Coordination: Stephanie Furlong Events / Officiant: Pastor Dave Hall / Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Music: Kenneth Anderson / Reception Music: Jukebox Band

Yes, this wedding is adorable and yes the images from Melissa Munding are the perfect compliment to the planning and design by Events With A Kick, but I think my most favorite part of this backyard wedding is the message from the bride. I love that she totally had the guts to drop her original plans of a huge “cookie cutter” wedding and traded it all in for an intimate backyard soiree that focused on family and friends, instead of “the way the napkins are folded.” Her bold move paid off big time and we just can’t get enough of the pretty, homespun goodness. Click here for the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…My advice to future brides would be to remember that a wedding is about the marriage and the uniting of two families, not about the way the napkins are folded or the color of the runners. If you can remember that then everything else seems to fall into place because you are with the people you love, celebrating the greatest love of your life. On a less philosophical note, I would highly recommend hiring a coordinator. It was the best decision I ever made. My husband and I got to be guests at our own wedding and didn’t have to worry about the time table, or if things didn’t work. Our wedding was also at my mom’s house and having our coordinator there to set up and take down everything gave my mom peace of mind.

My biggest surprise was that I cried. Not just cried though, I bawled! I was seriously close to the ugly cry walking down the aisle and all I could think was “this is not going to look good in my pictures.” I was just so overcome with happiness that it was all I could do. Thank goodness for grooms and matrons of honor with tissue!

For weeks we had worried about my Dad’s toast, he can be kind of crazy and out spoken and we thought for sure he was going to say tell some embarrassing story. But when it came time for the speech it was so sweet and heartfelt that I started crying (again!). He was such a proud Dad in that moment that he was just emanating love and happiness. It was something neither of us will forget and something we can’t wait to feel with our own children, in the very far future.

Jeff and I originally set out to plan a gigantic, over the top wedding in Temecula. A couple months in I had a panic attack and realized that I was planning a wedding that wasn’t ours. It was a cookie cutter, straight out of a magazine, no personal details, wedding. So we scrapped the whole thing, including our location and starting working on an evening that would focus on our friends and families being together and having a great time, with a huge emphasis on the things we loved. In the end, I would describe our wedding as country chic. It was very down home, with comfort foods and familiar faces. It was perfect.

My absolute favorite wedding detail was our guest “book.” My friend Alex painted a gorgeous tree that the guests added their thumb prints and signatures to. It is a stunning piece of art that now hangs in our house. This was something I had seen in several wedding blogs, and something you can order on Etsy, but having my friend paint it made it so much more personal. I also loved our favors which were mason jars with wooden etched hearts tied around them. The hearts had our names and wedding dates on them and the glasses were used as drinkware at the wedding. It made everything feel homey, like you were just at a friend’s backyard picnic.

Wedding Photography: Melissa Munding / Flowers: Lyndsey Apodaca of Blyssful Blooms / Event Design + Planning: Salynn Simon of Events With A Kick / Ceremony Location: Bride’s Parents’ Backyard / Hair + Make-up Styling: Jabez Salon / Wedding Dress: Courtney Little / DJ: Turntables Unlimited / Caterer: Chef Adam’s Catering Service

Not only is this Hopland wedding by Zoom Photography a lovely example of rustic chic but the whole celebration, set on a beautiful organic farm, is sustainably chic as well.  Each hand-stamped detail, jar of strawberry jam and burlap garland was created with lots of love and care by this sweet bride, groom and their families and friends.  We love weddings that not only have the prettiest of decor but a dedication to awesome eco-friendly and DIY details as well.  Click here to see it all!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Everyone in Adrian’s family and mine pitched in, anything from hand squeezing limes to hand stamping cocktails napkins…making our wedding absolutely beautiful and memorable. After being together for 8 years Adrian proposed. I had never really thought much about our future wedding but as soon as he proposed I had a clear vision of what I wanted. My three brothers, sister and I grew up on a very rural 80 acre organic farm. To give you an idea of how rural it really was, we had a 2 hour bus ride to school, one way.  We had acres of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. All of my brothers, sister and I were constantly picking, weeding, planting and reluctantly helping out on the farm. For dinner we always had something delicious that we had picked that day in the garden.  I wanted my wedding to remind me of my life growing up on a farm.

Campovida is an all organic farm and winery. Not only was Campovida one of the most beautiful places, it is very environmentally conscious. They use all sustainable and local resources, have a composting and recycling program, solar panels, and they even have there own honeybees they use for honey. After meeting the gracious owners and taking one look at the gardens, I knew Campovida was the perfect place for our wedding. The owners Gary and Anna were so extremely welcoming and accommodating. The ceremony took place in the beautiful gardens. As you walked to the ceremony site, you pass these gorgeous flowers, herbs, vegetables, artichoke plants, and fruit trees. Everything was in bloom and thriving. One of the things my venue had to have was a barn and Campovida had the most beautiful barn,  blend of modern and distressed. I knew the barn would be perfect for the reception. My wedding planner did an amazing job setting up the barn exactly the way I had pictured it.

I wanted my style to be rustic chic. The day after Adrian proposed I started saving every jar and milk jar that we used. I remember as a little girl my mom saving and reusing jars for all different purposes.  For the jars I wrapped them with lace and tied a piece of twine in a bow around the jar. With the milk jars I tied the top with raffia. We used all of the jars for the flower arrangements. I bought 22 yards of burlap and cut them for the table runners. For the table numbers, I bought wooden numbers and stands at a crafts store. I painted them, and then, hand sanded and painted them again with an antiquing paint. They ended up looking old and rustic just the way I envisioned. I set the table numbers on top of old books that I had bought at an antique store.

For the seating cards, I hand stamped shipping tags tied them with raffia. The stamp was a very cute fork, spoon and knife set. I used miniature clothes pins to pin the tags onto old shutters.  I made three different banners that we used for photos and the reception. I cut out squares and triangles of burlap and stenciled them with hand paint. We hung one that said, “Love is Sweet” from the dessert bar.  Mr. & Mrs form the chairs that Adrian and I sat at for dinner.  The last one, “just married” we used for photos. Our gifts for our guests I wanted it to be something homemade. With strawberries being in the peak of their season, I knew strawberry jam would be perfect. With the help from everyone we canned 145 little jars for organic strawberry jam.

Rosso’s Pizzeria was our caterer. We chose them because of their focus on farm to table food. They source all of their produce from local organic farms. They often use vegetables that were picked that morning for serving that evening, just like we did when I was little.  They use a Tuscan wood-burning oven that makes the most delicious crisp Italian style pizzas. We also chose to roast an entire local pig in their brick oven. To go with the pizza we served one of the first wines Joseph Jewell made, a 2006 Pinot Noir.  We also served a 2009 Russian River Valley Apian Way Pinot Noir. I loved that we were able to serve wine that we actually made.

One of the reasons I choose Lauri as our photographer was because of her amazing candid and unique shoots on her website. I would look at her photos over and over because they were so captivating.  As soon as I talked to Lauri I felt like I had known her for years.  Lauri and her assistant Jess had such amazing energy. They made everyone feel so comfortable and relaxed. They were quick, very professional, and very well organized.

Wedding Photography: Lauri Levenfeld of Zoom Photography / Second Shooter: Jessica Epstein Photography / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair + Make-up: Brush Salon / Wedding Dress: Mon Cherie / Wedding Cake: Sister of the Groom / Other Desserts: Family + Friends / Catering: Rosso Pizzeria / Band: AM Radio Band / Venue: Campovida / Men’s Suits: Tuxedo Gallery / Wedding Planning + Floral Design: Somer Wallan of Wallan Event Designs / Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events / Invitations + Save the Date: DIY by the Bride / Ring: Gold Bloom Jewelry

Ever wonder how some people are able to cram all the important wedding planning into a short amount of time, limiting any stress involved with the process and walking down the isle to their love in record time? All whilst getting everything done? Without going crazy? Yeah. Me too. Some of us were those little boys and girls who started ripping out photos from magazines back in the day before blogging was even a word (guilty). But even for those prepared brides and grooms to be, wedding planning can easily span months, even years, when all you want to do is pledge your love – in the prettiest way possible. Which is why, when Lynda from I DO Wedding Consulting told us her daughter was getting married, in London, and she had a week to plan, we didn’t just let her stop there. I begged her to give us all a little advice on how the heck she got the planning done so quickly. And here is what she had to say.

I was visiting my younger daughter in England when her boyfriend proposed. What a joy to share this time with them! They told me that they wanted a small, elegant wedding… in London, where they live… in seven weeks. So, here was the planner’s challenge! And yes, it can be done.

These are my favorite dozen tips for planning a quick destination wedding with a week to do the planning.

1. As always, start with your guest list. Make “rules” (no kids, only first cousins) and agree to stick to them. You won’t have time to visit more venues if your guest list suddenly mushrooms.

2. Know that you aren’t going to investigate every venue, band and florist in the universe. Ask for recommendations from locals and go from there. We kept with the “Rule of Three” and interviewed no more than three wedding professionals in any category.

3. Know your vision. And stick with it. Go online to help your search, and call your first three venue choices to see if your date is available. Then visit only three – and make your choice.

4. Have a computer with you as often as possible, and stay in touch with the venue and all of your wedding professionals. Ask all of your questions now.

5. Decide what you want. Abundant flowers? Simple centerpieces? Bring photographs to the florist, who is probably very visual and will understand what you want from the pictures.

6. After you have the venue, secure an officiant. Make sure you ask what the local laws are as well as any religious requirements.

7. The minute you have the place and the officiant, start with wedding invitations. And ask about local customs. In London, we discovered that the name of the groom’s parents shouldn’t be listed on the invitation unless they are helping to give the wedding, the letters RSVP appear on the bottom corner of even the most formal invitations even if there is a separate RSVP card, the RSVP card should have some sort of check-off spot rather than just a blank card, AND the first names of the guests should be hand-calligraphied at the top of the invitation. In addition, no return address is used on the envelopes! Remember not to put stamps on an RSVP envelope if the invitation is going to another country.

8. The “Rule of Three” works with music too. Meet with no more than three bands/DJs/entertainment companies. The goal is to find a sound you like… And quickly.Venues and other wedding professionals will have recommended lists of vendors. Ask if these groups pay to be on the list. And if you start seeing the same name on several lists, you can figure that they are well-known and reliable. Even if a vendor is paying to be on a list, a venue can’t afford to have someone who doesn’t perform well.

9. Call a bakery or two and make an appointment to have a cake tasting, not just a chat. Either bring in photos of cake designs you like or be prepared to choose one that the bakery shows you.

10. Block rooms for guests. The “Rule of Three” applies again here. Remember to find hotels in different price ranges. Guests will already be spending a lot of money to get to the wedding. And if you are a member of a club in your home city that has reciprocal privileges in the city of the wedding, you may find some treasures. We found a terrific hotel in London, right around the corner from the wedding venue, this way.

11. Wedding dress shopping… The “Rule of Three” applies here too! But as with other dresses, you sometimes can’t tell how a dress looks on a hangar. Go to no more than three shops, but try on lots of dresses at each.

12. If you will be providing welcome bags for your guests, go to the tourist area in the city. I went to the souvenir shops in Piccadilly Circus and got everything… the bags themselves, London umbrellas, Kate and William pens, and the like.

What is most important at this wedding, and at every other, is the people. The room will be filled with guests who truly love the bride and groom and who mean so much to the couple. All of the other details will fall into place.

We’re keeping the pretty train rolling this afternoon with this gorgeously woodsy, perfectly DIYed west coast wedding. This stunningly beautiful bride got her craft on for her big day and made all the hair pieces and even reconstructed her dress with the help of an alterations specialist to ensure that it was perfectly unique. The charm of this homespun affair is seriously off the charts and thank goodness that Ashley Forrette Photography was there snapping away because we’ve got a full gallery just waiting to be devoured. Enjoy!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Ashley Forrette Photography…Eli and Jessica were married at Ron’s Pond in Monmouth, Oregon. The wedding was 100% DYI. Jessica, with the help of an alterations specialties, broke down and reconstructed her wedding dress to her personal taste. She also handmade both of her headpieces for the wedding, and flowers for her bridesmaid’s hair. They picked up donuts from their local grocery store and assembled a donut cake, and had guests perform music for the reception. Friends and family helped set up the tables, arrange flower centerpieces, and cook breakfast for dinner. And by the end of the night the 18 person wedding party ended up in Ron’s Pond. Now that’s a party!

Venue: Ron’s Pond / Wedding Photography: Ashley Forrette Photography / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal via Bridal Exclusives / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles via Nordstrom / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: H&M / Bridesmaids: Mod Cloth / Flowers: Buena Vista Flowers / Catering: Adam Harney, Friend

This charming Mt. Warning affair by Rachel Richter Photography has made my Wednesday.  It’s true.  I am beyond smitten with every last darling detail, including those gorgeous bouquets by Crystal Creek Flowers, the mismatched bridesmaid dresses, the uber-adorable cake topper and the cute as can be bride and groom.  And don’t even get me started on the spectacular setting.  I am loving the laid-back vibe.  Yes, I am head over heels for this fabulous affair… and you will be, too.  Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Rachel Richter Photography… Dan and Peta were surrounded by a group of close family and friends and their baby boy, Elijah as they exchanged vows at the magnificent Mavis’s Kitchen set in Uki at the base of Mt. Warning, NSW.

There was a strong input from family on their day – their ceremony was conducted by Dan’s Uncle, Peta’s sister was the wedding photographer, her two nieces were flower girls and her four nephews all played parts as well, giving a reading and handing out flower petals.  Peta’s father made the sign directing guests to the ceremony site and he also fully restored an EH Holden, ensuring it was ready in time for the big day.

Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Mavis’s Kitchen / Wedding Photography: Rachel Richter Photography / Wedding Cake: Mavis’s Kitchen / Cake Toppers: Sarah-Jane of Cake That! / Invitations, Place Cards, Wishing Tree Card, Fingerprint Guestbook: Michelle Stark of Stark Design / Bridal Gown: Noela Perry / Flower Girl Dresses: Tea Princess Special Occasion / Flowers: Crystal Creek Flowers / Hair: Liloki Hair Design / Make-up: Nadine Abraham / Sign Post: Father of the Bride / EH Holden Car: Father and Brother of the Bride

I love engagement sessions that truly capture the personality of a couple.  This adorable ranch shoot by Becki Walker not only shows off the bubbly, fun-loving personalities of these two lovebirds but the love that they so obviously share.  Their bright smiles are so infectious and totally light up each and every picture.  Click here to see it all!

Click here to see the full gallery!

From Becki Walker… When consulting with these two, Breah really wanted a session that captured “them” and really displayed who they are individually, as well as a couple. Our thoughts were to combine both “loves & passions” into one location – Ponderosa Ridge Ranch in Anderson, California (outside of Redding, and a great wedding venue).

Breah loves horses, raised and trained them, and she’s a cowgirl at heart! Jack loves to hunt, fish, trap, and do anything remotely manly (as she described him!). He actually proposed on a New Year’s camping trip while fishing for trout – he tied the ring to the end of a fishing lure and had her cast it!!! We incorporated the “camping” theme into their session as well with blankets and tin cups. Using the chalkboards, we were able to capture their fun-ness, as they really do joke about cartoon characters and actually call each other by those nicknames! There was a constant gaggle of laughs during this entire session, as I’ve realized that they LOVE to have fun with each other. Listening to music and sharing that together is also something they love!

Photography: Becki Walker

This Hampshire House soiree by Meredith Perdue is such a fabulous example that DIY can be applied to any party. From barnyard to ballroom, if you have the knack for projects, you can make it work with your wedding. And this lovely bride did just that. From arranging all the flowers to designing all of the paper at the party, this beautiful bride had a hand in making her DIY wedding perfectly timeless and elegant – and it sure turn out gorgeous! Click here for even more pretty!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…From the beginning, our goal was to have a wedding that was special for us, incorporating our own style with things that are meaningful to us. We wanted to make it warm and inviting, while celebrating our different cultures and heritage. As we are both Boston transplants, our families were traveling long distances to share our special day with us.

Many aspects of the wedding were DIY, with a lot of personal touches. We wrote our own vows (which made everyone cry and laugh), Igor played the guitar as I walked down the aisle (this was a surprise to everyone except for me), and I designed and/or printed and assembled all of the paper details, and flowers from Whole Foods. In honor of our upcoming 10 month around-the-world honeymoon, where we would spend the majority of our time in Argentina, we used a personally choreographed version of the tango for our first dance. Given that most of our guests were from out of state, we wanted to incorporate a few New England touches. Our wedding favors were handpicked apples, dipped in caramel and chocolate, from a local apple orchard.

Our venue, a turn of the century mansion in Beacon Hill, overlooks the gorgeous Boston Public Garden. To make sure our wedding memories stayed with us forever, we had guests sign and leave special notes on quilt squares, which my aunt then sewed together and presented us with the final product on our 1 year anniversary. The wedding was so much fun, and passed too quickly. We wanted to make sure we enjoyed our special day, celebrating with close friends and family, while not worrying too much about the details. We did just that, and I wouldn’t change a thing about the day.

Venue: Hampshire House / Invitations: Two Yellow Shoes / Flowers: Whole Foods / DJ: DJ Shyne / Wedding Cake: Cakes to Remember / Apple Favors: Shelburne Farm / Wedding Photography: Meredith Perdue

OK, all you style-savvy wedding gurus out there it is time for you to step up to the plate and show off your stellar design skills.  We have an awesome chance for you to gain some major board building bragging rights because the incredibly talented Sarah Drake is back for another From Inspiration to Invitation challenge SMP Illinois style!  We are looking to you to come up with a chic, unique inspiration board that Sarah will turn into a gorgeous stationery suite!

Past From Inspiration to Invitation winner Chiara Francolino

The rules are simple, just create an inspiration board using our easy peasy board building tool based on any style/look/theme you’d like to see translated into an invitation design. (Please note, this is a design challenge not a giveaway.) You must tag your board “SD Challenge” to be considered. Sarah will pick one of your boards to turn into a fabulous new invitation and we cannot wait to see what you come up with. We’ll announce the big winner on Friday, November 11th and share the sure-to-be-amazing invitation right here on SMP in January!

You just can’t look at this fun-loving wedding by Ely Fair Photography and not be happy. It’s the type of  fête that will make you grin from ear to ear from all of it’s style, spunk and cheery yellow color palette. With hand made details galore and an oh so adorable couple, it’s sure to make your day that much brighter. It’s a DIYer’s dreams come true , and the gallery is full of steal-worthy inspiration for you to bookmark!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Ely Fair Photography…I am in love with this Tulsa, Oklahoma wedding. Michael and Jill’s indoor/outdoor wedding is one of the most thought out and handmade that we have had the joy to photograph. The ceremony and reception took place at the Harwelden Mansion, a perfect venue for the charm of an older home, yet still personal and cozy. The bride and her maid of honor made almost everything- including pinwheel bouquets and boutonnieres, dying her bridesmaid dresses the perfect color yellow, hundreds of cut out bunting and folded paper cranes. The bride’s dress is vintage, ordered off of eBay and topped off with a sweet bird cage veil. But not to leave the groom unmentioned– he works at a screen printing company and majored in graphic design, so he designed and screen printed their save the date and invitations.

One of my favorite things about this wedding was their first sight. Most brides will timidly approach their groom. But not Jill. She walked right up to Michael, and tickled him. It was pretty fun. Michael and Jill have the cutest little girl together, and after their first sight, it was really fun to get to take some family photos of the three of them. Lots of love going on on that day.

Wedding Photography: Ely Fair Photography / Flowers: DIY by Maid of Honor / Ceremony + Reception Location: Harwelden Mansion / Invitations: The Groom / Wedding Cake: Merrit’s Bakery

I love a pretty garden wedding, so when I saw this beauty on my calender I may have let out a little squeal of delight! The bright colors, pretty flowers, and rustic gardens all combine to make for a gorgeous wedding day indeed. White Frame Photography snapped all the details of this gorgeous DIY day. There are so many fun ideas and ways to make your wedding day special and unique in the words from the bride below so make sure to read and click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We wanted our wedding to be relaxed, joyful, meaningful, and fun! Our love for the outdoors is something that connected us from the first day we met so it was a natural fit to get married outside.  We looked into a few venues but fell in love with Van Dusen Gardens the moment we saw it.  It had the right mix of beautiful gardens and unfussy natural forest.  Shaughnessy Restaurant sits in the middle of the gardens and is a gorgeous, bright, relaxed space.  Once we stepped inside we knew it was the perfect place for our reception, and having everything at one location kept the day really easy and uncomplicated.

I loved planning the details of our wedding.  Our cake topper was custom made to look like us, and our dog Hailey in a canoe. Our guest book was a photo book of pictures from our nine-year relationship with room for guests to write messages.  Adrian made our ‘birds on a wire’ seating chart, we ordered our thumb print tree online and I made dozens of paper pom poms that decorated both our ceremony and reception. My brother also made a slideshow of Adrian and I growing up and some of our favorite photos of us together. We served raspberry mojitos at our cocktail hour because we both love mojitos. These details really made the day feel special and uniquely ours. We wrote our own vows, which included personal things such as promising to bake carrot cakes on birthdays and providing comfort when the Canucks lose. Adding a little humor made the ceremony feel more meaningful.

I chose yellow bridesmaid dresses with pockets because I love yellow and I liked the joyful feel it brought to our wedding.  The grey tuxes looked great with the yellow and were just a little different from traditional black.  We kept our flowers simple since the bridesmaid dresses were so bright.  The bouquets were mostly white and green with a little yellow added into my bouquet, they smelt amazing!  In the end we loved our wedding day. We were surrounded by our amazing friends and family, we felt blessed and happy, and we danced all night long!

Wedding Photography: White Frame Photography + Sugarsnap Studios / Flowers: Flower Factory / Event Design + Planning: DIY by the Bride / Ceremony Location: Van Dusen Gardens / Reception Location: Shaughnessey Restaurant / Hair + Make-up: Pamper Me Pretty Mobile Hair + Makeup / Wedding Cake: Sweet Obsession Cakes & Pastries / Cake Topper: Itty Bitty Wood Shoppe / Menswear: Tip Top Tailors / Wedding Dress: Bello / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Rings: Luksus Diamonds / DJ: Jet Set DJ Services / Fingerprint Tree: TJ Love Prints

It’s certainly no secret that I have a huge crush on all things Solage Calistoga.  Yes, I am full-fledged obsessed with this Napa Valley paradise and I am singing it from the rooftop!  Even better… when you combine all of the fabulous that is my favorite venue with all of the gorgeous that is this modern affair by A Dream Wedding, I can barely contain my excitement.  The sleek and sophisticated design, the beautiful blooms by Fleurs de France and the fresh color palette of white and green is beyond, beyond, beyond.  I am so in love with this amazing fête, I could stare at the images by Ken Viale for hours.  Sounds like a very good plan to me.  So, join me in the gallery for even more and then stay tuned for a wonderful film from Thomas Hughes Productions below!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

As promised, this fabulous film by Thomas Hughes Productions will leave you smiling for the rest of the day.  Enjoy!

From A Dream Wedding… I don’t often see contemporary, modern weddings in Napa, but Sara and Bryan wanted just that when they traveled from Las Vegas for their May 2010 wedding.  The sister of the bride styled the wedding and created the stationery with the theme “Fate, Friendship, Forever.”  This was carried through to the invitations, programs, favors, and décor in the reception space, and was the perfect message for this beautiful couple!  Clean colors and lines, and modern floral arrangements by Fleurs de France perfectly suited the contemporary resort, and large canvas portraits of the couple were installed over the existing artwork in the dining room.  The day brought some unusual weather to the outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour  – rain, wind and hail – but the couple simply smiled and reminded me that all that mattered was that they were together with their friends and family.  It was a beautiful day!

Wedding Photography: Ken Viale / Wedding Coordination: Suzy Berberian for A Dream Wedding / Wedding Location: Solage Calistoga / Floral Design: Fleurs de France / Officiant: Chris Licata, Family Friend  / Hair + Make-up: It’s a Date at the Powder Room / Wedding Videography: Thomas Hughes Productions / Music: Audio Journal / DJ: AL3 / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Lighting: Twilight Design / Wedding Cake: Sweetie Pies / Audio Visual: Napa Valley Audio Visual

Take a seat, get cozy and get ready to be blown away by some oh so pretty vineyard inspiration captured by Carlea J Photography at Westcave Cellars Winery. I don’t even know where to begin with this beyond stunning shoot – shall I start with the amazing design by Petal Pushers? I think I shall, because every little detail they brought to the oh so pretty table is perfection. Or how about that drop dead gorgeous ombre cake by Amazing Kakes? That’s a pin-worthy cake if I ever did see one. And the custom jewelry by Merrick Jewels? I die. It’s all so lovely, and there is more inspiration to soak up in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Carlea J Photography…The idea for this shoot came from several evenings spent drinking wine under the trees with our good friends Margaret and Allan Fetty who own Westcave Cellars Winery.  My husband Dustin helped plant the original vines in the vineyard when he was in high school and ever since I started coming around,  I always thought it would make an excellent wedding venue. What really drew me to it was the idea of creating an event without a defined space or the use of a lot of extra elements and structures. There doesn’t need to be a tent or a stage or one set area when there is so much natural beauty to incorporate instead. So many options for each bride to use the space differently! From there, the idea for a styled shoot with a ceremony in the actual vines was born. I went for a more formal look with the tux and high end jewelry to show that just because you are having an outdoor wedding, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be elegant and push the envelope of what people are expecting when they hear “outdoors.”

Margaret loaned us her antique table and the hutch for the dessert display. She hand wove all of the wooden vine elements, including the fixture above the table, the wreath in the ceremony setting, and the L and D letters. Margaret acted as a liaison for all of the vendors, facilitating visits and meetings to conceptualize for the shoot. Her husband Allan did lots of heavy lifting, including constructing a last minute apparatus to hoist the ceremony wreath overhead.

Stacey and the team from Petal Pushers completely and totally blew me away with what they created. I told her that I wanted something enchanted, romantic, and vineyard-feeling, with lots of deep wine colors and greenery. Something loose and unkempt and earthy, that would blend with the natural setting. I especially love the artichokes and lettuce she incorporated into the bouquets as well as the dark black fuzzy flowers. The flowers she hand wove into the overheard fixtures are to die for! The centerpieces were amazing. I loved the way they seemed to be growing out of the urns rather than stiff or arranged just right. Down to the smallest details, like the boutonniere, everything was just spot on. Stacey also loaned us the chairs and china for the shoot. Petal Pushers has recently expanded into event design and rents several items including chairs and decorative china.

Amazing Kakes created a three layer purple cake that fades to white at the top. She also supplied fruit tarts, cookies, and an original dessert that she calls Kake Krystals, which are layers of Westcave Cellars wine infused red velvet and vanilla cake and icing alternated in etched Westcave Cellars wine glasses.  (We got to taste them after the shoot and they were divine!). We wanted the hutch to look like it was being taken over by nature, thus the vines growing out of the drawers and shelves.
Merrick Bean, owner of Merrick Jewels, designed an array of bridal statement pieces for the bridal model to wear, as well as several colored pieces for the bridesmaid model. In addition to her ongoing line, Merrick has recently begun to work with brides create custom pieces for their big day.

Adrienne of Makeup by Adrienne created a bold yet romantic makeup look with purple eyeshadow for the bride and stained lips for the bridesmaid to compliment both the whimsical feel of the shoot and the modern jewelry. Drew and Jordan of Doopla Salon twisted and braided the girls’ hair into a loose, enchanted look. The bridal gown was loaned by Signature Bridal Salon in Austin Texas and the tux was loaned by Capra and Cavelli.

A big thanks to the models, Lauren, Dave, and Avery, for enduring the 100+ degree August heat with a smile on their faces!! I could not have done this shoot without my amazing second shooter, Ashley Font, who is the yin to my yang, and captured half of the wonderful photos from this day.

Concept + Styling: Carlea Wilson of Carlea J Photography / Wedding Photography: Carlea Wilson + Ashley Font of Carlea J Photography / Location: Westcave Cellars Winery / Floral Design, Set Design + China and Chair Rentals: Petal Pushers / Table + Hutch: Antique, borrowed from Westcave Cellars Winery / Bridal Gown: Signature Bridal Salon / Tuxedo: Capra and Cavelli / Make-up: Adrienne Pitkin of Makeup by Adrienne / Hair: Drew Beech + Jordan Reusche of Doopla Salon / Jewelry: Custom Merrick Jewels / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Amazing Kakes / Models: Lauren Burns, David Kanne + Avery Lewis

I totally think more brides should do these fun bridal sessions especially when you think about how much money we spend on our dress and accessories to only wear them for a few hours! So why not don your wedding day goods a few months early to capture that special pre-wedding glow? Laura Barnes Photo captured Maegan in her vintage dress and accessories on a hot, hot day in April, but we think she looks fabulous and shows no signs of melting in that southern heat! Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Laura Barnes Photo…This bridal session was so much fun! Maegan and Brian were married in July, and Maegan’s bridal session took place in April… and it was a hot day! Maegan was a gorgeous bride and literally glowed the entire session. We had lots of fun talking about details from her upcoming wedding.  She stayed with a fun 1920’s vintage theme for her bridal session as well as the wedding. I loved all of the thought she put into the props for her session and her dress was amazing!

Photography: Laura Barnes Photo / Wedding Dress: Suzy Q’s / Hair + Make-up: Family Friend

This may not be the first time anyone has ever thought of an inspiration shoot with a real bride in her real gown, and in fact I know it’s not. But let me just say, it’s gorgeous, and it is the best idea I’ve heard all week. When Luxe Event Productions sent over this Oregon shoot, which she teamed up with Mosca Photo and countless other fabulous vendors on, I just about had one leg in my wedding dress. I’m so hoping this fabulous shoot has inspired a few of you to don your beautiful gowns and get a little more time in them. I’m seriously dying to throw mine on, find a fabulous locale, and call up my favorite photographer. Anyone else in? Click here for the rest!

And just a little more eye candy from Black Label Event Films…

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/24927653 601 339]

Real Wedding | Bridal Portrait | Sauvie Island Historical Farm from Black Label Films on Vimeo.

From Luxe Event Productions … After months and months of anticipation, a bride’s wedding day comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, there is a barrage of flowers, ribbon, rushing bridesmaids, flashing photographers, cake, toasts and dancing uncles. Even the most observant and existential couple can find themselves wishing they had more time to take it all in. A pre-wedding bridal shoot is something that any bride can take advantage of. Use the dress – don’t abuse the dress! Forget “trashing” the dress, instead rock the dress with your own fashion shoot. With the help of a wedding coordinator, it’s possible to do anything from a stressless day with a photographer taking photos in your wedding dress to a whole new theme, bouquet, dress, etc. The aim is simple: Get the most out of your wedding bliss with a relaxing and chic photo shoot.

Produced and Styled: Luxe Event Productions / Photography: Mosca Photo / Videography: Black Label Event Films / Dress & Accessories: Charolette’s Weddings and More / Hair: Yen Nguyen / Makeup: Kimmie Nguyen / Location: Sauvie Island / Floral: Zest Floral and Event Design

Don’t you just love Wedding Wednesdays?!?  I sure do.  Seven uber-stunning soirees, bundles of gorgeous inspiration and galleries filled to the brim with lovely…. It all makes for one very fine way to spend a Wednesday, don’t you think?  Not to mention that we’re bringing the pretty and then some with a fabulous lineup that includes a little something for everyone… and it just doesn’t get much better than that.  So, sit back, relax and add some gallery gazing time to your itinerary.  It’s going to be a wonderful day.

Up first is a charming Sun Valley, Idaho affair that has me feeling all sorts of giddy this lovely morning.  Oh yes, I am loving the sparkly heels, the gorgeous blue, orange and pink hues, that gown and those adorable flower girls dressed in the cutest little ballet flats I ever did see.  All planned to perfection by Absolute Weddings and captured by the oh-so-amazing Hillary Maybery Photography and second shooter Kristin Cheatwood, this is one seriously swoon-worthy affair.  Plus, the gallery is literally overflowing with delightful details just waiting to be adored.  Join me there for even more and then stay tuned for a fabulous film from Max Monahan Productions below!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

The fabulous doesn’t stop there.  You don’t want to miss this ah.ma.zing film from Max Monahan Productions.  (Psst… Prepare yourselves for some happy tears!)  Enjoy!

From the Bride… Alex and I knew that we could have been happy with a number of different types of weddings- from a traditional church wedding similar to those that were familiar to our families, a casual beach wedding in Malibu where we both attended college, or a rustic vineyard wedding to reflect our love of all things Italian, the country where we met and where Alex proposed three years later.

What our wedding eventually became was a collection of all of our favorite things, and it couldn’t have been more perfect for us. We chose beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho, as our location, a place that has always been special to my family that we wanted to share with all of our guests. We wanted the details to reflect our personalities and the things that we loved. After scouring over Style Me Pretty, friends’ weddings, magazines, and other blogs, we found our favorites of everything and put our own spin on them. We used our favorite colors, our favorite foods, and our favorite songs. We played lawn games at cocktail hour and had a photo booth running all night. Our wedding party was introduced with a choreographed dance that kicked off the party, and a good friend sang “That’s Amore” during dinner while Alex and I toasted each table with wine. By the time the DJ could invite everyone to the dance floor, it was already full and never lost its momentum.

We wanted the members of our wedding party to know that their roles were each unique and personal as well. The bridesmaids chose their own dresses from three shades of blue at Priscilla of Boston, and the groomsmen each wore unique cufflinks- Superman, cowboy hats, cassette tapes, wine openers, and more. Alex and I found the cufflinks and the bridesmaids’ jewelry on Etsy and surprised them with it on the day of the wedding.

Because we planned most of our Idaho wedding from Los Angeles where we live, the most important thing that we did was hire the right vendors to help us. We started with Hillary Maybery, who we knew would capture our day perfectly, then secured our favorite wedding planner, florist, and DJ. We could not have planned our long distance wedding without them or without the help of our fabulous families and friends who were there from the time Alex proposed to the time we closed down the party with a magical sparkler exit. The day turned out to be exactly what we wanted and a perfect reflection of the two of us.

Wedding Photography: Hillary Maybery Photography / Second Photographer: Kristin Cheatwood / Wedding Planner: Amanda Seaward of Absolute Weddings / Wedding Reception: Trail Creek Cabin / Wedding Videography: Max Monahan Productions / Make-up + Hair: Jamilynn from Vertu / Flowers: Tara Bella Flowers / Suits: Marc Echo / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Photo Booth: Funny Face Photobooth / DJ: Lenny Joseph / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / / Wedding Planner: Amanda Seaward of Absolute Weddings