Don’t you just ADORE a destination wedding?  Yep, me, too.  And, really, what’s not to love about jetting off to paradise with your nearest and dearest and transforming your big day into a once in a lifetime vacation?  Dream.  Come.  True.  Which is why we’re taking a break from this gorgeous Fall weather and heading south of the border to the Grand Cayman for a little destination lovely, complete with one very stunning seaside location, the sleek and sophisticated stylings of Celebrations Group Ltd. and a bundle of brilliant images captured by Rebecca Davidson Photography.  Yes, this charming fête will have you seriously considering some nuptials of the Caribbean kind… and when you’re done taking in every last ounce of pretty, we have some destination wedding tips from the oh-so-amazing Engaging Concepts to jump start your very own planning process below.  Sounds like a plan, no?  Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Rebecca Davidson Wedding Photography… Maria and Martin were married in Rum Point, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands on the 18th of August 2011. They are both professional ballerinas and brought guests from the UK and USA. They hired a beautiful villa on the beach where they stayed for their honeymoon also. Celebrations decorated the reception area gorgeously, with a cupcake ‘cake’ and fabulous colors. The bride and groom went off for photos to Starfish Point and the garden around the villa. After the reception the guests had a blast with a photobooth and of course a choreographed first dance!

Wedding Photography: Rebecca Davidson Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Aaron Rebarchek / Floral Design, Event Design + Planning: Celebrations Group Ltd. / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Sun Salutations Villa

Have your bags packed yet?  As promised, Engaging Concepts is here to help with their top ten destination wedding tips.  Happy planning!

Top Ten Destination Wedding Tips by Engaging Concepts

1. Cast a wide net and consider lots of different destinations that reflect your passions and style as a couple.

2. Save your sanity by leaving it to the experts – don’t DIY the planning part of your destination wedding.  There are destination wedding planning specialists in your hometown and in your chosen locale – use them!

3. Celebrate the culture and uniqueness that your destination is known for – through cuisine + cocktails, music, flowers, traditions and much more!

4. Consider your guests – attending destination weddings can be very costly for those attending, so be sure to research a variety of accommodations to offer in different price ranges.

5. Plan some fun and casual group activities suited to your destination for your guests to get to know each other over the course of the few days.  But be careful to not over schedule every moment – sometimes the best bonding occurs naturally!

6. Reach out to local experts and ask them to recommend off the beaten track or less known venues, villas and restaurants.  Be open to the charm and opportunity to discover someplace unique and special!

7. Delight guests with thoughtful and fun welcome totes letting them know how much you appreciate the fact that they have traveled to join you.

8. Carry your wedding dress, shoes and accessories with you on board the plane or ship – this is not hte time to take a chance on lost or missing luggage!

9. Build in some time on either end of the wedding to arrive early to your destination to take care of last minute preparations and stay late so that the two of you can relax and enjoy time together!

10. Focus on quality, not quantity – choosing a destination wedding almost always means less guests and that allows for you to really pay attention to the details that are the most important to you.  Enjoy!!!

This wedding is so sweet and romantic with its pink, white and red flowers and hints of blue in the linens. I’m totally loving this fresh and not often seen color palette. The bride and groom are absolutely adorable and you can tell by looking at the pretty, pretty images by VUE photography that they are totally head over heels in love. The gorgeous gown, the incredible flowers, and the amazing beach all add up to a fabulous Florida wedding and I have no doubts that you’ll be hitting up the gallery as soon as you’re down scrolling through these beauties!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…May 5, 2007 was a chance meeting of two avid college football fans, in Auburn, Alabama. Gary and I were both visiting for the weekend. Starting with our love of college football, Gary and I talked for hours, finding many additional interests and experiences in common. Over the coming months, a geographical separation not withstanding, we grew closer, and a romance blossomed. We soon discovered our mutual love all things Southern, and most especially, Southern beaches. We had our first “official” date over Memorial weekend, and once we became engaged, knew that our wedding had to be that weekend. After seriously dating for a little over two and a half years, I was very ready to be engaged.  On December 17, 2009, Gary had taken me to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, and we had planned to watch a Christmas movie back at my apartment after. Unknown to me, Gary had hidden the ring in the family room earlier in the day. When we arrived from dinner, he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. I was so surprised, and very excited to finally say “yes”!

After visiting several potential wedding venues, I knew that Carillon Beach, Florida was “the place.” Gary and I love the Gulf Coast, and wanted a location where friends and family would be able to enjoy the beach. When I walked into the Meeting House, I became teary eyed and knew that we had found our perfect venue. Starting at age 13, I have been collecting wedding magazines. I have always admired the beautiful flowers, picturesque settings, and sweet romantic details. To put it lightly, I had a very specific vision in mind with pages of torn out magazines as the example. Victoria & Avis at Carillon Weddings were beyond helpful. The vendors executed my vision better that imagined (and everything was even more beautiful than the magazine pictures!) Vue Photography and Diva Productions captured our day perfectly.

The planning process was fun, and stress- free. I loved our traditional Anglican vows. Our officiant was the father of a long-time fellow dancer, so it was very special to have him marry us. The scripture passages were from Song of Solomon, and I Corinthians 13: 1-13. We both just loved what the passage said about love- how a mature love puts the other ahead of oneself and is patient and kind.  His reading of this passage said everything about the way we want our love to endure, and the way we want to act toward each other.  Our priest reminded us that we must care about others in our world as well. And saying The Lord’s Prayer was so special to me because I really contemplated each line, and realized the powerful words it contains. As we walked out of the chapel as Mr. and Mrs., the Battle Hymn of the Republic was played as a homage to our SEC schools- Auburn and Georgia.

Gary and I loved all the food at the reception, but the martini glasses of fizzled shrimp and grits were our favorite. Being a dancer and having many of my ballerina friends in attendance, we danced the night away. I loved all of the gorgeous flowers, and the spectacular wedding cake. My only disappointment of the night was having to cut apart such a magnificent creation! The evening was everything that we had hoped it would be, and more. As we were whisked away on a golf cart, we both said the night was the perfect way to begin happily ever after.

Ceremony Venue: Carillon Meeting House / Reception Venue: Carillon Village Green / Coordinator: Carillon Weddings by Victoria / Wedding Photography: VUE photography / Wedding Cinematography: Diva Productions / Catering: Townsend Catering / Flowers: Events by Nouveau Flowers / Wedding Cake: Confections on the Coast / Invitations: Dauphine Press / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Wedding Dress: The Collection Bridal / Bridal Bouquet Pendant: Paloma’s Nest / Officiant: Dr. David Sokol / Hair: Ashley Carter / Make-up: Two Fishes Artistry, Robin Klag / Veil: The Collection Bridal / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Guest Book: MCG Custom Wood Photo Puzzles / Picture Frames: Ocala Traditions / Ceremony + Cocktail Hour: Wedding Music Plus + Gulf Talent Services, DJ Paul Kirker

We’ve seen a few engagement videos popping up here and there and I have to say I love this new trend.  What a sweet way to remember the beginnings of your life together.  When you are as full of love as the two lovebirds in Fioravanti Films‘ video something magical happens on the screen.  What caught my eye, though, just as much as how comfortable they look in front of the camera, is how beautifully the area in Brooklyn was captured.  It’s such a wonderful way to pay tribute to a city and to love.

From Fioravanti Films…This engagement session was recorded at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It was a beautiful day and the setting was gorgeous. It all worked out perfect to show the love that goes on between this couple. They picked out the song and their love, the location and the lighting of the day just all came together to be a perfect engagement video. We surprised the couple and showed them and their guests the video during the reception…it was awesome to see their faces and their reaction watching it.

Cinematography: Bruno Fioravanti + Michelle Marques of Fioravanti Films

People often ask me what my wedding style is. The honest truth is that I don’t have one. Some days I lean towards a cleaner, more modern look. Other days I love to embrace the richness and warmth of a rustic affair. But I suppose the weddings that give me the most butterflies are those that are a little bit classic, a little bit country. A little bit chic and sophisticated, a little bit sweet and girly. But most of all, I love to see weddings where you can literally feel the happiness radiating out of each and every picture. Leo Patrone Photography, photog extraordinare behind today’s next wedding is a master at finding the most beautiful of moments in the quietest of looks, the subtlest of smiles. And this patrone-ographed wedding is a pure masterpiece. Oh and if you’re interested in seeing just how freaking awesome this couple is …make sure you watch the save the date video below. It’s beyond. Click here to see the full gallery.

And the save the date video that has me convince I could be best friends with this pair….

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Last but certainly not least, the gorgeous-in-every-way film courtesy of Well Spun Wedding Films.

From the Bride…Our dream wedding would been a simple backyard wedding where family and friends could just kick back, relax, and enjoy some good food and each others’ company.  But since backyards are pretty hard to come by in NYC, we did the next best thing available and chose to have our wedding under a tent in the “backyard” of the Glenmere Mansion. We invited everyone we love to come celebrate the day with us, including our puppy who came dressed in her very best.  In fact, since our puppy was the star of our save the date, it was only proper that she should attend.

The wedding had a formal dress code, but we wanted our guests to feel like they were at an intimate family gathering by serving a family style menu. Our floral designer, Karen Splendido, did a wonderful job transforming a blank canvas with her beautiful centerpieces.  She also created the perfect peony and juliet rose bouquet to compliment the romantic style of my Jenny Packham dress.

Rain threatened to come down every minute leading up to our ceremony, which almost dashed my dreams of an outdoor wedding.  Our wonderful coordinator, Katie Berger, did everything possible (including setting up two ceremony areas) so that we wouldn’t have to give up hope until the last minute.  Luckily, the rain held off just long enough for us to say our vows.  We are so happy that our photographer, Leo Patrone, and videographer, Well Spun Wedding Films, did such a great job capturing all the moments even in the misty rain.

We were very lucky to have had a lot of help throughout the process.  The wedding was put together in less than four months, which meant that I had to cheat on some things (like decorating the tables with table letters from Urban Outfitters) and had to rush on others when I realized I had dropped the ball (my mother made my veil for me a week before the wedding when I couldn’t find one and ran out of time to order anything).  And even though our vendors were wonderful, our families made it a special and personal affair.  A cousin officiated the ceremony, other cousins sang during the ceremony and others helped to put together all the escort cards, name cards, menus and programs.  Even though the wedding required a lot of work and time, it truly was an incredible day that we will always remember.

Wedding Photography: Leo Patrone Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Well Spun Wedding Films / Floral Design: Splendid Stems / Event Planning: Sara Kate Events / Ceremony + Reception Location + Catering: Glenmere Mansion / Tenting: Sperry Tent / Bride’s Shoes: Yves Saint Laurent / Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham / Bolero: B H L D N / Save the Date: Mallory Berry / Lighting: Stortz Lighting / Make-up: Laura Nadeau of Lo & Co. / Cupcakes: Everything Frosted

Yep, it’s time to announce the big winner in our first ever Style Me Pretty by William Arthur Giveaway and we couldn’t be more excited. If you missed the announcement, you can check out our latest and greatest right here. You see at SMP we believe that it’s the invitation, that first moment of pretty that your guests receive, that will always set the tone for the kind of wedding that you are going to host. From that perfect piece of paper, you will be introducing your friends and family to the gorgeousness that is yet to come and it will forever be the first impression for the day that you’ve worked so hard to plan. As far as we’re concerned here at SMP, the invitation is as important as the beautiful gown that you don, the perfect photographer you choose, the flowers you help design.

Which is exactly why we are giddy as schoolgirls to debut our collection with William Arthur. And why we’re excited to start bringing more and more paper inspirations from different designers around the globe to the pages of SMP. Our first invitation spotlight feature will be this Friday and will shine a pretty light on our favorite garden inspired paper goodies…so mark your calendars!

Okay, I know. We’ve made you wait long enough. So without further ado. The winner of the SMP by William Arthur Giveaway, chosen completely at random using random.org, is…Jennifer who said:

“Destination! Our wedding will be in Hawaii at a Waikiki ocean front hotel :) I love how it is has a classic and elegant look, yet still evokes the ocean/beach feel with the Turquoise edge and without the typical seashell icon. We are hoping for a wedding that is exactly that – elegant with a hint of destination.”

A huge congratulations to Jennifer who has snagged herself 100 invitations from our collection along with a feature on Facebook AND right here on the pages of SMP!

We all love cruising the local thrift store to find those vintage treasures and trinkets hidden in the rough, right? Maybe that is why the vintage, quaint wedding has been all the rage for years, and is going nowhere anytime soon. So when the lovely team at Wildflowers by Design sent over a family heirloom, homespun-inspired shoot, shot by the fabulous Brooke Courtney Photography, I was all about it. The best thing about this shoot though is the perfect decor for a wedding, a shower, a morning after brunch. Any party included in the big day could borrow some eye candy from this fantastic shoot. And when you visit the gallery where there is even more – you’ll flip.

From Wildflowers by Design … I really wanted to create a setting that allowed for both a very styled/designed look & homemade charm to be showcased.  I love the idea of mixing pieces from different styles – so there is a blend of modern vases with vintage china & linens.  All the wonderful table doilies & napkins were handmade by my grandmother.  Many of the vintage vases/goblets, books, buttons & other accessories were also from her collection, now inherited by me.

From my home came the wooden farmhouse table, bench, sewing chair, & trunk in shades of earthy yellow-green, mustard & aqua.  I instantly had my color palette to start with, wanting to add more white & peach into the mix.  I’ve always wanted to shoot in an orchard, and a private property came to mind.  I pictured a our lovely model Nicole with her fabulous red hair, a short cotton/eyelet dress, plenty of sass & charm.  I asked my good friend Jessica, from Love, Jessica Handmade Invitations to design custom stationary, explaining my concept, she totally rocked it out!  A lovely blend of cream, mustard, and turquoise with a delicate floral design, yet not to match completely to the lovely china settings borrowed from another friend.

Suspending my homemade yarn balls and paper lanterns from the tree overhead was a must, along with the perfect way to display our menu and table number.  Using just the right blending of twine and lace along with heirloom varieties of some of my favorite flowers, including the ranunculus and dahlias in Nicole’s bouquet.  A perfect finish is the vintage turquoise pin, mimicking the pattern on the invite.  I love the deeper color saturation in Nicole’s bouquet, how it really pops against the softer colors, an idea I hope garners more interest!  I also wanted to have a few sweets featured, nothing says country charm like a yummy Lemon Sponge and Peaches & Cream pie!  And how sweet and sophisticated are the little almond tarts.

Finally, I knew I needed the perfect photographer to capture my vision & I had to have Brooke, who I knew would totally get the ideas & bring some of her own fabulous creativity to the shoot.

Photography: Brooke Courtney Photography / Flowers: Wildflowers by Design / Event Design: Wildflowers by Design / Invitations: Love, Jessica / Dress: In White / Model: Nicole Cascio

For a sleek, modern take on the ballroom wedding, one needs to look no further than The Parker Palm Springs. Its ultra cool backdrop plays ever so nicely with the crazy gorgeous blooms by Flowerwild, the perfect-in-every-way details coordinated by Save The Date Events and the beautifully captured moments by Amy and Stuart Photography. Yep, this wedding is taking the indoor fête to a whole new level of stunning and we’re eating it up image after lovely image. Join us in the gallery for a whole lot more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…After getting engaged in Palm Springs, Adam and I looked around, saw palm trees, blue skies, and gorgeous mountains, and decided that getting married there would be a fantastic idea.  The Parker quickly became the perfect place to do it. We wanted something that would showcase the beauty of Palm Springs and show our guests why it’s such a special place for us. We also wanted a venue interesting enough for our friends and elegant enough for our parents. For us, The Parker had it all.

We wanted our wedding to have a modern California feel. Our color palette was coral, whites/creams and green. My bridesmaids wore coral, (They all wore the exact same dress! Old fashioned, maybe. But I loved it.) which was the perfect compliment to the lush greens of The Parker. We made sure that the coral color ran through all elements of the wedding. From the letter-pressed invitations to the outstanding flowers (created by Kate from Flowerwild).  Amy and Stuart did such an amazing job with our photography. Some of our favorite photos were taken at the cocktail reception. We strung lanterns up through the trees and the sun was just beginning to set. Everyone looks so happy and relaxed in these photos and they just perfectly capture the joy and the vibe of the day.  It was our family and friends and family-friends who really made our wedding day what it was. So many people made the trip to Palm Springs to help us celebrate, and that was truly the best part of the weekend. And the band. The band was pretty kick-a too.  One year later, we still can’t stop talking about our big day. It really was, and remains, the very best day of our lives.

One of our favorite things was the wedding favor we gave our guests. The Parker was designed by Jonathan Adler and Adam found these great little vases he also designed, so we incorporated them into our place settings and asked each person to take one home. (I think we completely cleaned out their stock for months!) It’s so fun to see them on display in people’s houses and such a great reminder of our awesome day!

Ceremony + Reception Location: The Parker / Wedding Coordinator: Save The Date Events, Kathy Recchia / Wedding Photography: Amy and Stuart Photography / Officiant: Rabbi Marc Rubenstein / Florist: Flowerwild, Kate Holt / Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Music: West Coast Music / Band: West Coast Music – Cowling Band / Wedding Videography: Epoch Productions / Hair + Make-up: Hair: Psyc at The Parker (Jose Mirras + Neerja) / Lighting: Bella Vista Designs, Inc / Groom’s Attire: Ermenegildo Zegna / Tailor: Garrison Bespoke / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Invitations: Bella Figura / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Photography

Amy and Stuart Photography

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By now you may know that I am simply bonkers about wedding flowers and gorgeous arrangements can send me over the edge into la-la-land.  When I saw these wildly beautiful bouquets and centerpieces my heart melted into a little pile of goo.  And when I learned that they were all created by the bride’s mother and her friends not only was I completely in love but quite impressed as well.   The rest of this Portola Valley wedding captured by Gia Canali Photography is equally as breathtaking.  Click here to see all the romantic details!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Everyone told me while we were planning the wedding that I shouldn’t spend too much time focusing on little details because the day is such a whirlwind that you won’t even notice them. This ended up being so true! I spent weeks gathering old wedding photographs and mementos from my family and Brian’s family to display at the reception including my great-grandmother’s wedding shoes from the early 1900’s! The display was put up in a separate room that would have been easily accessible if the weather was nice, but I never even saw it set up on our wedding day. I was really glad our photographers took so many pictures of the display so we could at least see what it looked like!

There were so many details though that made the wedding very special and personal. Some of my favorites were the flowers, inspired by the wildflowers that were supposed to have been blooming at Portola Valley and on Stanford campus that were arranged by my talented mother and her friends, the shoes worn by our wedding party – white leather golf shoes for the guys and special pumps for the girls – and all the music chosen for our ceremony and reception.

Brian and I love to travel, and when he proposed he gave me a ring with seven stones to represent the seven continents in the world that we would travel together. We used this as a theme throughout our wedding planning and our wedding invitations and details at the reception featured vintage maps and photos from our travels together to date. Our first dance was to “See the World,” by Gomez, a concert we went to at the beginning of our relationship and the promise we made to each other on the day we got engaged. After we kicked off the dancing, we enjoyed grooving to everything from the Beatles to Katy Perry! The photo booth was another highlight, a place where our guests could put on costumes and props and take silly pictures of themselves. We can’t stop laughing at what everyone came up with! Our guests were so creative!

My favorite part of the day happened in between our ceremony and reception, after Brian and I had taken our photos at Stanford and left to make our way to the Portola Valley Town Center. Our “getaway car” was my cousin Harry’s ’57 Chevy Nomad, a gorgeous black and white classic car. We took some great photos in and around the car before we left Stanford, and as Harry drove us our wild party, Brian and I had a little quiet time, our first few minutes to enjoy being husband and wife. That 15 minute drive was so special — recounting the vows we said to each other in the church, some of the “bloopers” that had happened before the ceremony, and just being able to take a few breaths to let the fact that we were married wash over us.

Wedding Photography: Gia Canali Photography / Ceremony Location: Stanford Memorial Church / Reception Location: Portola Valley Town Center / Caterers: Savory and Sweet Catering / Wedding Cake: The Prolific Oven / Cupcakes: Sibby’s Cupcakery / Floral Design: Nyna Dolby + Friends (Mother of the Bride) / Hair: Linda Thomas-Mayfield / Bridal Gown: Watters / Bride’s Shoes: Converse / Make-up: Chanel / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Banana Republic / Groom’s Tie: Burberry / Groom’s Shoes: Footjoy / Groomsmen Ties: J.Crew / Film Work: Richard Photo

As far as I’m concerned, the people at NewlyWish are pure geniuses. They’ve brought together a talented group of top wedding industry tastemakers including our very own Abby Larson, renowned Eventiste Marcy Blum, Atelier Mark Ingram, stationer extraordinaire Ceci Johnson, dynamic duo Xochitl Gonzalez & Mayra Castillo of Always a Bridesmaid, plus Jorge Pérez, and Lord Wedgwood to style signature table settings using pieces from across their product catalogue. Like I said, pure geniuses. We’re talking iconic china and crystal manufacturers like Waterford, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton, the makers of Vera Wang, Monique Lhullier and Jasper Conran namesake china. Each of these insanely gorgeous tastemakers’ collections will be available exclusively through NewlyWish. Go ahead and take a sneak peek at the stunning collections below and don’t forget to enter their big $4,500 sweepstakes!

First up, is our very own Abby Larson’s collection, Vintage Chic. How sweet are those dainty little birds and pretty flowers?

We love the classic blue and white palette of Ceci Johnson’s Downtown Style Meets Classic Elegance.

Marcy Blum’s Rhapsody in Blues is complete with blue crystal wine glasses. Hello gorgeous!

Nothing says tea time like Lord Wedgewood’s Quintessential British Elegance.

If you’re into understated elegance, Classic with a Modern Twist from Atelier Mark Ingram is all you.

If you’re like me and you love the color green, you’ll love Mayra Castillo and Xochitl Gonzalez’s City Chateau.

We’re loving Marcy Blum’s bold and graphic, Cocktail Party at Marcy Blum’s. Pass the martinis!

To celebrate the launch of these collections, NewlyWish is hosting an insanely generous Registry Re-Patterned Sweepstakes, with the grand prize winner receiving a $4,500 credit to use towards Waterford, Wedgwood, or Royal Doulton china and crystal. Yup, you read it right, $4,500! To enter, simply create a registry on NewlyWish. Go here to find out more, including additional ways to enter! The sweepstakes begins today, October 24, 2011 and ends on April 24, 2012, with the winner announced on May 1, 2012.  Good luck everyone and happy registering! xoxo

From Amanda Allen of NewlyWish…Creating a dinnerware registry is no longer about choosing a single china pattern, it’s about building a collection that reflects the couple’s personality and style. Our goal is to allow clients to bring some of our tastemakers’ style directly into their homes, or be inspired to create their own personalized looks. We’re so thrilled to have such a great group of tastemakers to work with on this project; each of them is so influential in the wedding industry, with people coming from, literally, all over the world to get style ideas and inspiration from them.  And we’re thrilled to be able to offer our customers a little bit of that style through these collections.  One of the really fun parts of this is that you can truly see each of their personalities in these tablesettings.  From the refined elegance of Mark Ingram’s to the luxe but still playful feel of Marcy Blum’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’.  And I don’t think it’ll be hard for anyone to guess which collection Abby put together! Vintage chic, indeed! I also really want to mention and thank the team that came together for the photoshoot and produced the incredible photos shown here.  We shot seven collections in one day, which is a feat in itself, but we also had to contend with Hurricane Irene bearing down on the city.  In between getting updates on which neighborhoods were being evacuated, Eric Hildebrand did an absolutely incredible job styling each of the settings, capturing the essence of the tastemaker but bringing his own creative point of view to the design.  The wonderful Karen Mordechai brought her signature style to the photography, making each shot feel like a piece of art but maintaining a wonderful relaxed vibe.  And, last, but not least, Melanie Arden of Melarosa, whose floral creations were truly the icing on the cake.  We couldn’t be happier with how the collections and photos came out and we really hope you all love them as much as we do.

Photography: Karen Mordechai Photography / Stylist: Eric Hildebrand / Floral: Melarosa

Gorgeous. Just simply, perfectly gorgeous. I’m not sure if I could love this lovely couple and their practically perfect wedding more. The bride’s lace cap-sleeved dress is what my dreams are made of, and her round toe shoes are dream-makers too. Kelly Tunney Photographer has seriously made my day with this beyond lovely affair, and there is even more to swoon over in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Sam and I met in high school, initially brought together through our mutual interest in soccer. This turned out to be one of only two mutual interests: our other hobby together is cooking – I do main courses and Sam bakes a mean cake. On the surface, we’re very different (I am fairly intense and driven, who loves politics, history and music where as Sam is relaxed and gentle, and a keen sportsman (particularly mountain biking and soccer but anything that involves outdoor adventure) but we really complement each other. Over the last eight years, Sam has always been my best friend and we discuss everything together. We’ve travelled heaps, supported each other through tough times, celebrated the successes and moved across Australia together. We can’t wait to explore the rest of our lives together.

We wanted a day that was first and foremost a celebration of our love for each other, and our love for our family and friends. It was incredibly important to us that our wedding reflected us both equally. With that in mind, we wanted to keep things simple and honest to allow us to concentrate on the things that are most important to us: good food (and drinks!), good music and good company. Our theme was ‘vintage romance’ – we wanted a timeless look that contrasted touches of glamour with the gorgeous country backdrop.

St John’s Anglican Church is a lovely little church that predates Canberra itself. It is such a warm and intimate parish and we loved working with Paul in the lead up to our wedding – especially because he is originally from our hometown. Grazing, where we held our reception just 30 minutes from Canberra, is our favourite restaurant – we love their commitment to using local and seasonal produce, the divine food and the relaxed atmosphere in the country. The restaurant is in an incredibly picturesque restored 1865 pub and we loved the idea of holding our reception in the stone stable at the back of the restaurant, surrounded by veggie gardens and sprawling roses.

Every person we worked with we chose because we felt that they understood us and what we wanted, and put us at ease. This theory resulted in us having a completely stress free wedding! But three deserve special mention: First, Kelly Tunney our photographer. From the moment we sat down with her we realised that we weren’t booking a photographer, we were booking an artist. She completely understood our desire to not document our wedding with photos, but capture the emotion and atmosphere of the day. Every time I tried to find something to stress about, Kel already had it sorted – even things that were beyond her job description! So professional, so much fun and gave us photos that make us cry and laugh as we look back on the day. Secondly, the team at Grazing. A beautiful setting, spectacular food, staff that couldn’t do more to help us and they were so generous with going above and beyond what we expected to ensure we had nothing to worry about. Such a pleasure to work with them (and my friends are still raving about the food). Thirdly, Wendy Makin (my dressmaker) all along Wendy and her brilliant team took all the stress out of wedding dress shopping with their commitment to professionalism, sophistication and elegance. But it was their making my dress in three days in the lead up to Christmas in the middle of the Queensland floods just to suit my schedule that really humbled me.

Wedding Photography: Kelly Tunney Photographer / Reception Venue: Grazing / Wedding Gown: Wendy Makin / Hair: Stephen Lloyd / Music: DJ Ashley Feraude + Diva String Quartet / Jewelry: Plumb Crazy / Floral Design: Capital Flowers at Oaks Estate (bouquets) / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Sugar and Slice Cakes / Bride’s Shoes: Shoes of Prey (the Bride designed the bow)

What better way to welcome in another fabulous week here at Style Me Pretty Canada then with one the prettiest, country-inspired weddings we have ever seen.  Sweet, soft hues of pinks and browns create a warm and cozy backdrop for these adorable nuptials captured by Sugar and Soul Photography.  The day is made even sweeter with all the DIY and vintage magic that filled each and every corner.  Click here to see all the details!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We both grew up in the country, so we knew we wanted a country, homey, fresh feel.  I scoured wedding blogs (a lot of time spent on SMP!) gradually building up the vision I wanted – DIY, soft pinks, greens, tans, white, with a country, antique vibe.  We had just over a year to plan, however, when our original location (Lundar) was affected by flooding, we had 3 weeks to find a new reception venue, ceremony location, hairdressers, and accommodations for our guests (the vast majority being from out of town).  While the last-minute re-planning was pretty stressful, we were able to find new vendors, and everything went off without a hitch!

The bridesmaid style was a continuation of the entire vibe of the whole wedding. I gave them a pink swatch and told them to find a dress they liked in that color, and that was old-fashion, vintage-y.  I told them they could do their hair, shoes, jewelry however they wanted. Groom and groomsmen styles were classic, but sharp.  They all wore the same pant, then were asked to wear a white collared shirt and a tie with a bit of pink in it.

For the ceremony, our mothers read traditional bible verse readings.  Matt’s cousin played the guitar during the signing of the registry.  I carried my mom’s bride bible (which she also carried on her wedding day), along with my bouquet, as I walked down the aisle.  My 2 brothers were the ushers.  My dad walked me down the aisle to Glasgow Love Theme from the Love Actually soundtrack.  Our wedding party walked to Calico Skies by Paul McCartney, and our recessional song was Send Me on My Way by Rusted Root.

My friend and hockey teammate from the University of North Dakota who now works at a floral shop, did all of the flowers.  She also made all the hairpieces (including mine), the pew markers, and other little details at the reception venue, like hanging ivy and fabric here & there, and hanging doilies above the dance floor.  She drove from Edmonton (13 hours one-way) with all the flowers and materials in the back of her truck, and assembled them all in the conference room of the hotel she was staying at (with the a/c cranked up!)  Because she knows me so well, she knew exactly what I wanted, even if my descriptions of what I wanted weren’t very good!

We had a lounge inside our reception tent with a cushioned chair from my parents’ house, benches made by my brother, chairs from my parents’ house, a floor mat anchored the space, as well.  We also brought in a wine barrel and a small step ladder for the lounge that served as places to set drinks.  My mom and her friend bought 6 hanging flower planters which accented the tent.  Our old-fashioned vibe really came to life at our tables: the head table had various old lanterns, glass pitchers, glass wine jugs, various antique plates for each person at the head table, place settings with flowy backgrounds, and wine.  The guest tables all had a lantern and candles.  Matt and I made the table numbers on our printer at home.  Matt also made the glued together collections of antique bottles (that he found at his farm) that served as vases.  Each table also had a bottle of red and white wine with labels that I had made from our engagement photos.  Our appetizer/dessert table had a collection of stacked antique tins, a watering can that doubled as a vase, mason jar vases, and food labels made by me. Instead of a traditional guestbook, I made up a fill-in-the-blanks page for guests to complete as they arrived to the reception.  My 2 cousins (who were in charge of the guestbook) took a photo of every guest (and their date, if applicable) in front of a quilt.  The quilt was made by my mom and was a wedding gift to us.  We printed those photos and put them on the spot we’d set aside on the corresponding guestbook page.

Loved every minute of it, and am loving married life!

Wedding Photography: Sugar and Soul Photography, Melissa Johnstone / Flowers: Margaret Ann Hinkley / Event Design + Planning: The Bride / Ceremony Location: St. James Lutheran Church / Reception Location: L’Auberge Clemence / Invitations: The Bride and Mother of the Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Le Chateau / Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal / Groom’s Cake: Susan Lindell / Kransekaka: The Bride

Ya gotta love a backyard wedding, especially if your backyard looks like this gorgeous, tree-filled North Shore Chicago yard. This gorgeous DIY wedding was truly a labor of love and although it was mainly homespun, it has an elegant quality that is clear to see in the amazing images from photographers Dawn E. Roscoe and Torie McMillan. We’re loving each and every detail from the handmade and hand painted ceremony chuppa to the delicious looking signature cocktails complete with herbs from their very own garden. No doubt this wedding was just as special and meaningful as it is beautiful. Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Drew and I met after college while living in New York through a mutual friend. Oddly, we had both attended college together at Northwestern, and actually lived in the same dorm for a year, but didn’t cross paths. Luckily, fate kept trying. We moved back to Chicago after two years in New York – me for law school and Drew for business school – both at our alma mater, Northwestern! After dating for four years, Drew proposed on the shore of Lake Michigan, with the gorgeous ring that his grandfather gave to his grandmother for their 50th wedding anniversary. Since then, we graduated in June, got hitched in September, and will be starting our new careers in downtown Chicago in October. Drew and I knew that we wanted to have a very personal and homey wedding.  And what better place to accomplish that than in the exquisite garden of my parents’ home on the North Shore of Chicago – the same house where I grew up and where my older sister, Christie, got married two years prior.

Our garden, our home, and our family history were really the entire inspiration for the event. We tried to exude a sense of warmth and “backyard elegance,” and pretty much everything was home-spun. We incorporated contributions from friends and family, showcased personal relationships, and added homemade details as much as possible. My mom, aunt, and cousin made all the desserts for our dessert table from scratch. Drew’s cousin hand-painted and hand-sewed our ceremony huppah, and the huppah posts were borrowed from a neighbor. I handmade the invitations, programs, and other paper cards along with help from various family members and friends. Our signature cocktails were made with fresh herbs from our garden and each came with a bamboo stir stick with a fun little flag that I made with a variety of paper that I found over the course of the year. I made the lavender-infused lemonade (a refreshment we provided before the ceremony) with lavender from our garden. My dress, veil, and shoes were my sister’s, which she wore at her wedding two years prior. (In fact, the only “something new” I had were my Spanxx!)

We collected jars and bottles for the flower vases, and I bought and tied about 200 ribbons for them. I handmade all of the chalkboards that we used for wedding signage out of chalkboard spray paint and wood panels. Our friend, Tim, played our ceremony music on his guitar. Drew’s father, brother, and family friends sang Here, There, and Everywhere by The Beatles during our ceremony – the same song that was sung at Drew’s parents’ wedding. The judge who presided over our ceremony was the judge with whom I formerly clerked during law school. We got married on the lawn, with a lush ravine as our backdrop. Cocktail hour took place throughout my dad’s beautiful garden – on the patios, decks, and little garden “nooks” on the ravine’s edge – with the doors to the house wide open to allow people to access wherever they might like to explore. The reception was under a clear-span tent we had set up on the other side of the house.

For our “First Look” Drew was standing in a beautiful and quiet part of the garden waiting for me. When I came, he turned around, and we both immediately had tears in our eyes. I cry all the time, so this was no surprise for me, but I have never seen Drew cry in the five years I’ve known him. We just stood there holding each other and sobbing and whispering how happy we were to be getting married to each other. It was such gift to share such a tender, happy, and relieving moment with the one you love amidst such a hectic day.

Venue: Private Residence / Wedding Photography: Dawn E. Roscoe / Second Photographer: Torie McMillan / Wedding Planner: A Perfect Event, Debi Lily / Floral Design: Asrai Garden / Wedding Dress: Oscar de la Renta / Bridesmaid Dresses: Simple Silhouettes / Make-up: Adriana Aude / Hair: Kim Schmidt with Beauty on Call / Band: Entourage / Jewelry: David Yurman (gift from Bride’s father and groom) / Invitations: Handmade by the Bride

Welcome back to another great week here at SMP Destination! We’ve got quite the pretty line up for you this week and it all starts with this gorgeously laid back and locally sustainable Lake Michigan wedding. The local, hand-picked dahlias are to-die-for and I’m loving the bride’s simple and beautiful bouquet. And speaking of simple, how adorable are the flower girl dresses? Bryan and Mae were on hand to capture all the pretty, DIY details. And one of the best parts of this wedding has got to be that the couple married on a Wednesday so they could spend an entire week with forty-five of their closest friends and family. Gotta love it! Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Bryan and Mae…Sarah and Mike live on the West Coast but planned their wedding in Michigan so that they could share the state’s beauty with their friends and family. Mike grew up vacationing in the mitten state every summer and after sharing it with Sarah, they decided to plan their wedding for this lovely little place. These two are some of the sweetest, most kind and most compassionate that anyone will ever meet and we were honored to photograph their day.

Sarah and Mike’s wedding was truly unique. They rented two cottages on the Lake Michigan shore and flew out with 45 of their closest friends and family to not only celebrate their love for one day, but to do so for the entire week. They planned their wedding for Wednesday so that they could enjoy time relaxing with their guests on both ends of the wedding. When we arrived on Wednesday morning to photograph their day, all of the wedding guests were helping to set up for the wedding– making bouquets, arranging place settings, and carrying tables to the beach. There was a strong familial feel to the whole day. Sarah and Mike were married on the beach with waves crashing in the background and partied on the bluff overlooking the water into the night.

Sarah and Mike were very intentional about choosing local vendors who practice sustainability within their work. Their caterer, Marie Catrib’s was a great choice for them, offering a menu of foods that were locally grown in Michigan by small farms that they partner with.

Some great DIY projects– Sarah and friends picked dahlia’s from a local farm on Tuesday and Wednesday morning some family and friends set to work arranging them in gorgeous bouquets and boutonnieres for the wedding. The bride, friends and family also made all the bunting, the ring pillow, pie topper and flower girl hair clips.

Wedding Photography: Bryan and Mae / Event Coordinator: Pearls Events / Venue: Ventura Pines Cottage / Caterer: Marie Catrib’s / Pies: Crane’s Orchard Pie Pantry / Band: Matt Sedman Music Inc. / Flowers: Picked from Hamilton Dahlia Farm, arranged by Friends + Family / Wedding Gown: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew

A Bride that dons a one shouldered ruffle dress on her wedding day is sure to be on my list of all time favorites. It takes confidence to rock that gorgeous frock and ROCK it she does. Plus, the details behind this Allan House wedding read like  a study in laid back perfection. Beautiful flowers by Verbena Floral Design? check. Loads of friends and family ready to celebrate your love and dance the night away? check. First kisses, first dances and all around fun moments as husband and wife all snapped by the fabulous Carlea J Photography? check, check and more checks. This is definitely an affair not to be missed. See it all here.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Carlea J Photography…Everything about Audrey and Nick’s wedding day was laid back and fun. I adored Audrey’s choice of gown- a one shoulder fitted top with a giant ruffled skirt, accessorized perfectly by her silver glitter heels. Audrey and Nick chose to do a first look which could not have gone more perfectly. It was super sweet seeing Nick’s face as he spun Audrey around to get a look at her.

The ceremony took place at Central Christian Church in Austin Texas, which has views of both the Texas state Capitol and The University of Texas tower, where Audrey and Nick recently graduated from. After the ceremony, guests walked across the street to The Allan House for an outdoor reception featuring delicious bites from Whole Foods and dancing (fist pumping) under the stars. The groom’s cake had the entire lyrics to “The Eyes of Texas” (The UT fight song) spelled out in icing encircling the cake. Guests were treated to a late night snack of passed chocolate chip cookies and milk on the dance floor. Audrey and Nick were showered with lavender seeds as they exited. Audrey hand made the “thank you” burlap bunting that the wedding party is holding in the group photos. Super cute!

Wedding Photography: Carlea J Photography / Flowers: Verbena Floral Design / Ceremony Location: Central Christian Church / Reception Location: Allan House / Wedding Dress: The Princess Bridal / Hair: Urban Betty Salon / Make-up: Faces By Lisa / Cake + Catering: Whole Foods

I love, love, love Fall weddings… there’s just something about the combination of my favorite season and a bundle of wedding goodness that sends my heart into a pitter-patter every.single.time.  So, it should come as no surprise that these charming Fort Valley nuptials by Jess Fouts Photography have me completely smitten… and in a big way.  How could I not be madly in love with the sweet as can be venue, natural color palette, stunning lace gown and gorgeous florals by Sandra Morgan?  Not to mention that every last detail of this charming affair was a labor of love by the bride and groom, plus friends and family.  If that doesn’t just warm your heart with happy, I don’t know what will.  Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Happy Monday, lovelies!  We’re kicking off the week here on Style Me Pretty Massachusetts with a delightful Boston affair that is absolutely guaranteed to brighten your day (and week) with lovely.  Simply brimming with fabulous nautical details, beautiful blooms by Studio One Twenty Three, darling paper goods (By the oh-so-talented bride!) and one very breathtaking location, I haven’t stopped smiling since the moment I laid my eyes on each and every brilliant image captured by Melissa Mermin Love Stories.  And the wine bottles decorated with photos of the bride and groom’s cute as can be puppies?  LOVE.  So, don’t wait another moment… Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Melissa Mermin Love Stories… Brendan proposed to Julie atop the XV Beacon hotel in Beacon Hill, so it was fitting to have their rehearsal dinner there at the new restaurant and wine cellar Mooo. Both Brendan and Julie have family ties to the Navy, and Julie had her grandfathers dog tags from WWII pined to her bouquet. The ceremony and reception were held in the historic Navy yard of Charlestown, Boston at the Commandant’s House, built in 1806. They had favors of nautical maps for the guests as favors. Their dogs Lucy and Oliver were featured on their wine bottles.

Wedding Photography: Melissa Mermin Love Stories / Caterer: Gourmet Caterers / Cupcakes: Five Bites Cupcakes / Florist: Studio One Twenty Three / Linens: Peterson Party Center / Invitations: The Bride +  Friend / Programs + Table Cards: The Bride / Lighting + Tent: Peterson Party Center / Entertainment: Sweet Tooth and the Sugar Babies / Wedding Planner: Ronda Flashen, Entertainment Concepts Inc. / Wedding Dress: Pronovias via Vows / Bridesmaid Dresses: Nordstrom / Oyster Boat: Island Creek Oysters / Pianist: Bill Duffy / Hair: Simply Blissful, Deborah Marcinowski / Make-up: Make-up Faces by Robyn / Officiant: Justice of the Peace, Rosaria Salerno / Venue: Commandant’s House

Rise and shine LBBers! We’ve got a treat this morning. A few weeks ago, we visited Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park, and I was absolutely floored at the beauty the public state park possessed. Today the amazement continues, this time captured by Robert & Kathleen Photographers, a wonderful team of fantastic artists. And the wedding in question is absolutely, positively, one hundred percent proof that I need to get my little bootay over to Connecticut and get myself invited to a wedding (which I can only hope is as fabulous as this one). The handsome couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony, and followed it with a reception bursting in the seams with style. Definitely click here to see more.

Tim and I were introduced by mutual friends in New York City where we live.  We wanted the wedding to feel like part of nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  Our venue search took us to every corner of Connecticut (where I grew up) before we discovered Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park and fell in love.  When we visited there was a terrible storm.  Even in the torrential downpour it was breathtaking.  Eolia is a magical place that had all the elements we wanted for our special day.  A gorgeous mansion with a show stopping view of the water and the most beautiful gardens you can imagine.  The grounds are lovingly and meticulously cared for.

It was important to us that the wedding reflect Tim and I as a couple.  I wanted to design the ceremony music and readings to reflect our interests, personalities and values.  The wonderful harpist Sharon Rondeau arranged “The Dog Days Are Over” for the bridesmaid’s entrance and learned “Clocks” for our recessional.  I felt that we created a ‘Midsummer’s Night Dream’ romantic atmosphere.  I always wanted mostly white and silver for the colors and once I saw the mansion I thought that purple and white flowers with lots of greenery would add to the ‘secret garden’ feel.  Our florist Ganims Garden Center and Florist was unbelievable.  I gave her photos and pictures of my dreams (from Style Me Pretty) and she managed to exceed my expectations.  I wanted the centerpieces, bouquets and archway to fit in with the lush canopies and vines of the gardens.  We used Lily of the Valley in memory of my father and gardenias in memory of Tim’s grandmother.

All of my bridesmaids have such different and wild personalities, I could not even consider putting them in the same dress.  I loved each of the Amsale dresses they chose in the violet crinkle chiffon.  I used Etsy to find the Original Pear who did a great job on our programs.  They had a drawing of an oak tree similar to the one at the mansion with our initials carved in a heart on the trunk.  Our eco-friendly Oak Tree favors came expertly packaged from the Magnolia Company.  To incorporate Tim’s love of skiing, we used wooden skis from his parents basement for our guest book.  To incorporate my love of yoga (I’m a yoga teacher) I created the escort cards with drawings of yoga poses instead of numbers to help people find their table.  Even though we wanted our guests to feel like part of nature we also wanted them to feel glamorous so I added crystal candelabras and touches of sparkle inside the mansion.  The cake was the best of both worlds.   A lotus flower sitting atop a tier designed to match the shimmering crystals and pearls of my dress.  All of the details were expertly managed by Josh Chalmers, my knight in shining armor.  Because of him, I did not have a worry in the world on the big day.

We had a first look which I would highly recommend.  Tim and I were able to have a special moment together, just the two of us before the ceremony.  Our photographers Rob and Kathleen were amazing at taking our nerves away and putting us in a calm state of mind.  Also, we were both happy not to miss a moment of the party.  Its so rare that you have everyone that you love all in one place.

My favorite memories of the day are all on the dance floor, especially our first dance.  Tim was a good sport and learned to salsa!  Our band, Brick Park, tore the house down.  No words, photos, or video could ever do this band justice.  Thank goodness for our videographer Ian Meltzer of Revery Media who captured my adorable three year old flower girl Abby dancing to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with her dad, because I missed it.

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Bridal Gown: Ines Di Santo / Bride’s Shoes:  Miu Miu / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Flowers: Ganim’s Florist / Ceremony Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park / Reception Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park / Event Planner: Josh Chalmers / Band:  Brick Park Entertainment / Hair: Angela Dubreuil from Naomi Martinez Salon / Make-up: Javier Rosa / Cake: Felicia’s Sweetface Pastry Shoppe / Caterer: Grand Gourmet / Table Cards: Yoga Poses, a nod to the bride’s profession as a yoga instructor

Good morning, SMPers and a happy Monday to you!  We’re back for yet another wonderful week of inspiration here on Style Me Pretty Florida and if this breathtaking Miami Beach soiree is any indication, what a very fabulous week it will be.  Boasting a plethora of uber-stylish details, including gorgeous florals by Avant Gardens, beautiful silver and white hues and one pair of amazing Loubs, this traditional fête is the literal definition of glamour.  Plus, that gown!  Swoon.  Worthy.  Thankfully, Meet The Burks was on hand to capture every last moment of pretty.  Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Kelli Potter and Mark Ferrell were joined in a blissful wedding ceremony witnessed by approximately 100 family and close friends, wearing white attire. The wedding took place on August 20th, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida aboard the luxury Biscayne Lady Yacht with the picturesque skyline as a back drop. The wedding was glamorous and breathtaking with all the BLINK incorporated in every detail. After the honeymoon in San Juan, Puerto Rico the couple will make their home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Wedding Photography: Meet The Burks, Heather & Walter Burk / Wedding Venue: Biscayne Lady Yacht / Floral Design: Avant  Gardens / Paper Goods: North Point Paper Affair / Accommodations: The Epic Hotel / Wedding Cake: Eddas Cake Design / Makeup: Adamo Artistry, Cabrielle Brooks / Hair: Kelli Monica Hair Co., Kelli Monica / Baby Sitting: The Baby Sitting Company / Wedding Dress: Victoria Nicole via Betsy Robinson Bridal Boutique / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Jewelry: Thomas Knoell / Bridesmaids Dresses: Karen Millen / Linens: Nuage Designs / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

If there is a way to kick off a week in the prettiest of fashions, it’s most certainly with the lovely Karen Wise. She has, yet again, wowed us with another New York knock out to make sure our Monday is ever so lovely. Before we get into it all though, I have to admit my seriously mad crush for the bride’s bouquet by Engaging Floral Designs. Rustic.elegant.perfection. Don’t you agree? It’s all equally breathtaking, and there is so much more to eat up in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Kelley and I met at his going away party in Manhattan, although I didn’t know it was his party at the time… or that he was going away!  My sister’s friend from college was studying physics at Columbia with Kelley, and my sister invited me.  Kelley and I started chatting at the party, but I thought he was uninterested because he kept chatting up everyone else as well.  I later found out that the party was his graduation party and he was saying goodbye to all of his friends.  He only had three more days in the city and then he was going on a month-long motorcycling trip to India.  He was then scheduled to move to West Point, which is about an hour north of Manhattan, to teach Physics (Kelley is a Major in the Army).  We spent the next few days together almost non-stop, and then Kelley left for India, and neither of us knew if we would see each other again.  He emailed me and we wrote back and forth, casually at first, and by the end of his trip we were writing each other almost every day and we knew we would see each other when he returned.  When Kelley got back we dated by traveling up and down the Hudson River.  I would take the train to visit him, which is why our save the date was a train ticket.  Eventually, we moved in together, and rented an apartment in Cold Spring, NY in the Hudson Valley.

When Kelley proposed, I had received a promotion at work (I worked in HR at a hedge fund in Connecticut), it was my 28th birthday, and our 2 year anniversary.  We had so much to celebrate, I didn’t think a proposal was coming even when Kelley surprised me with lunch at Per Se.  He knew I would want to have a say in the design of my engagement ring, so he gave me a simple gold ring on a necklace.  I didn’t figure out he was proposing until I read the engraving “Will you marry me” on the inside of the ring.  That ring is now my wedding band.

When we were planning the wedding, we wanted everything to be elegant but comfortable at the same time.  Where we could, we included our local favorites and sentimental details from our relationship.  The wedding and reception were at the country club attached to our favorite restaurant in the area, The Tavern at the Highlands Country Club.  The favors were burnt caramel and Hawaiian sea salt truffles from a chocolate shop in our town.  The invitations and all of the paper goods were custom made by my friend Misako, who owns the paper company, To You From Me.  Kelley and I share a love for wine, so both the invitations and the flowers included vines.

I studied photography at Cornell, so the other aspect that was really important was that we have good quality photos.  I came across our photographer, Karen Wise, through a friend.  I fell in love with her documentary style, which went with the relaxed feel of the wedding.  She also uses medium format film, which is impossible to find, and the photos made everything look that much better.  The wedding was not only gorgeous, but incredibly touching and great fun!

Wedding Photography: Karen Wise Photography / Floral Design: Engaging Floral Designs / Band: Miracle via IGMC / Venue: The Highlands Country Club / Coordinator: Adrienne Madama / Stationery: To You From Me, Misako Rothery / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Favors: Bittersweets

My darling LBBers, you’ll definitely be happy you tuned in on this lovely Autumnal Saturday. Because boy, oh boy, do we have a special wedding for you to enjoy all weekend long. Epic Motion sent over the wedding trailer from this Michigan wedding, and their work had us begging for more. Cue the amazing images, from our favorites over at Jess + Nate Studios, of this fairy tale affair, planned and designed by the fabulous Flourish Event Design. We were all head over heels. And now it’s you’re turn to fall in love. So check out the stunning wedding (and click here for the full image gallery) and then enjoy the fabulous highlights from Epic Motion!

And after that decadent warm up, we’ve got the amazing highlight film from Epic Motion. Enjoy!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/35658722 601 338]

Kendall + John Highlights from Epic Motion on Vimeo.

Nearly a decade ago, our story began.  John and I met in high school through our mutual group of friends.  Even though we were always with the same group of people during the four years of high school it took three years for John to get the courage to ask me on a date (I’m pretty sure this started his procrastination with the other milestones him and I have shared together).  It was completely worth the wait because after our first date to the annual Schultz firework extravaganza, John and I have been together ever since.  John and I have essentially watched and helped each other grow into the people we are today.  We are each other’s person and I’m thankful (even after waiting nearly a decade) that we can now begin a new chapter together.

When John and I started planning our wedding we decided we wanted to go a route that we haven’t seen before.  I am what John describes as old fashion, simple, timeless, and romantic.  We wanted to try to capture as many of those characteristics as possible.  When our wedding planner, Lindsey Nartker, of Flourish Event Design, got hold of what we wanted she immediately suggested The Colony Club in Detroit Michigan.  Once we saw it we were sold.  The antique look of the venue was perfect.  It has all our characteristics tied fabulously into one venue.  Once we determined our venue the rest just fell into place.  We decided to keep with gold, white, and blush pink colors to help keep the wedding soft and elegant.

From the beginning or our wedding day to the end everything was perfect, a fairy tale almost.  The venue was everything we had worked so hard to create.  It was amazing.  We find it difficult to pick our most vivid memory.  If we had to choose just one moment, we both would say our first look!  A time where the world stopped and it was just John and I.  We shared such a special moment right there in the middle of Detroit.  With such awesome photography and videography that one moment will be remembered forever.  By far a day that John and I will remember forever.

Photographer: Jess + Nate Studios / Cinematography: Epic Motion / Venue: The Colony Club / Floral Designer: New Creations Flower Company/ Event Planning & Design: Flourish Event Design / Invitation Designer: Paisley Quill / Cake & Desserts: Pin Wheel Bakery / Wedding Gown Designer: Christos / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Vera Wang