Psst…brides… Are you on a mission to find dresses for your maids that will be loved by both you and your ladies but are striking out everywhere you look? Well you can give your fabulous self a high five, and run out for a mani/pedi to celebrate because your long journey will be over once you lay your eyes on what Joanna August has to offer. These gowns are luxurious, flowing works of gorgeousness that your glowing bridesmaids will be just plain giddy to wear on your big day. And afterwards. And, just for your viewing pleasure, we also have a sneak peak of the newest collection by Joanna August that will be ready, set, pretty and available for you come Spring 2012. Start the countdown now.
Just one look at these lovelies and you can see why so many brides and maids alike are thanking their lucky stars for Joanna August. They’re just darling. And if you’re absolutely set on one of these babies but don’t have 4 months to spare waiting for them to arrive, you can head on over to shopbop.com where select colors and styles are now available. Including exclusives to shopbop and new separates like wedding skirts. Easy as pie, right? Also new to Joanna August is a limited edition collection (shown above with the dark gray background) featuring their most popular dresses in colors you’ll swoon for, at, (you might want to sit down for this one) greatly reduced prices. Check out participating Bella Bridesmaid Stores for availability.
And since we all just die for sneak peeks, Joanna August has also provided us with a few chic peeks to check out from the Ceremony by Joanna August collection that is a new, lower priced (retailing between $225-$265) collection that will be hitting stores in Spring of 2012. Head on over to your local Bella Bridesmaid store or www.joannaaugust.com to snag some info on Winter Trunk Shows so you can see for yourself. As you can see from above, this flirty, feminine collection features chiffon and special edition lace available in both long and short options and looks just smashing when mixing and matching styles with your bridal party. Also included are some alternative wedding gown options for brides looking for ease and elegance for under $1000. Don’t you just love Joanna August?
Can you believe it’s time to say goodbye to yet another wonderful week of inspiration here on Style Me Pretty? Nope, me neither. It seems like it was only yesterday that this pretty party was just beginning… with day after day of lovely, the time just flies on by! We’ll be back next week with even more wedding goodness, but before we bid a fond farewell, we have one seriously adorable engagement session to wrap things up just right. Boasting a beyond breathtaking location, one darling duo, gorgeous stylings from the bride-to-be, Emily Gan, and brilliant images by m three studio, this delightful session is the perfect beginning to a sure to be fabulous Fall weekend. Click here to see even more!
From m three studio… A lovely little engagement session in a blooming apple orchard in Sister Bay, WI (Door County). Juggling, quilts, endless apple blossoms and a very sweet couple.
Emily & Nick have been together since they were 15 and have spent most of their summers since then at Emily’s family home in Door County. The area has a special place in their hearts, and so of course we had to shoot there.
Photography: m three studio / Styling: Emily Gan (Bride-to-Be)
If you missed any, here are all of our pretty posts from the week:
To apply to become a member of our LBB click here. We’d love to hear from you!
And lastly, we have some winners to announce!
The winner of a set of FIVE L’Heritage White Bridal Lace Clutches from Angee W. is Val B.!
The winner of a $50 Gift Certificate to ANGEE W., plus a custom photo lining option and free shipping is Emily!
The winner of the choice of either a Video Save the Date or Slideshow from Story Mix Media is Megan Van De Woestyne! Megan, Story Mix Media will be in touch with you shortly!
Congratulations, lovelies!
Have a pretty, pretty weekend! See you back here Monday morning. xoxo
It’s the end of another very pretty week here on the Little Black Book Blog. I’m sure you’ve got one foot out the door, off to your fall-filled weekend festivities. But before you grab your Pumpkin Spice latte and head to the nearest football game – or the quintessential fall wedding, if you’re lucky – I’ve got just one last little bit of beauty to get you through your weekend, and I’m thinking guarantee your timely return Monday morning – when we will be featuring the rest of this superb wedding from Robert & Kathleen Photographers. So grab your cozy scarf and enjoy your weekend, because I’m sure you’ll be eagerly awaiting the rest of this fête nice and early Monday. See you then! xoxo
a Philadelphia wedding trailer with the sweetest groom and a bride to match
a beautiful fusion wedding set in the mountains of Colorado
a Colorado affair filled with the most amazing DIY projects
a vintage chic California soiree in a gorgeous old barn
a perfectly classic fête set in a stunning Connecticut manor house
a sunny California vineyard affair of two foodies
an adorable bride and groom tie the knot in this Pennsylvania wedding
a Louisiana plantation soiree to. die. for.
a perfectly magical Disney wedding in Florida
a colorful & sweet California ranch affair with it’s own brew
A couple of our favorite links from around the web this week:
a super delish chocolate monogram favor (seriously) from Project Wedding
a lovely bit of wedding inspiration á la Harry Potter via Green Wedding Shoes
a gorgeous handpainted Chinoiserie door, dripping in inspiration over at Design*Sponge
Is there a more romantic destination than Italy for a wedding backdrop?!?! The answer to that is a big, fat NOPE. And might we add that the scenery of Villa Catureglio mixed with the images of Rebecca of Docuvitae Photography are seriously heart-palpitating. This plays out like an ultra-romantic film complete with two scrumptious dresses and a happily ever after. How’s that for every girl’s dream? Now if only we could set up on-site blogging for the editor of this post, all would be well. Grab a glass a vino and see it all here.
From the Bride…Because our families are so spread apart (mine in the Czech Republic and Ben’s in Oregon), Ben and I wanted a venue where everyone could meet and spend the week getting to know each other. After tons of research, I saw a few photos of Villa Catureglio online. The setting looked stunning and remote and I liked the understated, yet thoughtful, decor and landscaping. Luckily, it turned out to be even more magical in person! One of our happiest memories of the wedding process was the first day and night we spent there, getting to know the wonderful couple who run the place, Kate and Richard, and feeling giddy with the realization that we could get married in such a beautiful environment. Part of what makes Catureglio special is the quintessentially Tuscan architecture set against a wilder, mountainous setting. Walking around the property you see groves of olive trees, stone walls, mossy paths dotted with porcupine quills and an abandoned olive mill—it’s an incredible place to explore. In planning the look of the wedding, we tried to stick with the natural color palette (lots of gray, green, brown and ochre) and existing ambiance.
The downside to a rural location is that we had very little choice for our main vendors, which worried me. Luckily, we absolutely loved our florist, Sabrina, who made every effort to satisfy my vision, down to the tiniest details. For the tables, I had my heart set on using tons of herbs in mismatched zinc pots and she sourced the perfect mix of vessels and plants, AND surprised me with the prettiest baby olive trees! I brought a bunch of gray stone votive holders and a few extra zinc pots in different shapes (all from OneKingsLane) from home to round out the look. For my bouquet, we went simple with cream peonies and lily of the valley since my dress had so much embellishment on top. Our only colorful elements were wreaths made from burgundy peonies that Sabrina hung on the chapel windows.
Our “Amore” save the dates from Cynthia Warren helped set the tone for the whole event. She used layers of ochre ink to replicate the look of an old Tuscan wall, and oyster gray envelopes—colors we used throughout the event. Our invitations were based on watercolors of Catureglio’s buildings done by a friend, Christine Wraga, and letterpressed by another friend, Emily Johnson of EMprint Press. I went to Champion Stamps in New York and found vintage stamps featuring Italian greats like Francis of Assisi, Garibaldi, Fermi, and Caruso—not sure anyone noticed these but me! Grace Edmands did the beautiful calligraphy and, at the last minute, I asked her to letter zinc tags with white ink to use as place cards. (One of the nice things about a small wedding is that you can use first names only!) Ben’s sisters helped me tie the tags to brown linen napkins (bought in the U.S. from Simrin) using vintage embroidery floss. Grace also made signs that said “Sposa” (bride) and “Sposo” (groom) for our chairs and a sign for the escort table that said “Your tile will tell you your table!” Tracking down the Etruscan-style tiles we used as escort cards/favors turned out to be one of the highlights of our planning. We ordered them from Surrena Terracotta in Umbria, Italy and decided to pick them up in person to save on shipping. We were treated to a tour of the factory and saw how our tiles were made by hand, using an ancient process that includes burying them underground. Each tile is one-of-a-kind and full of natural imperfections.
Of course, one of the best decisions we made was hiring Rebecca from Docuvitae. She not only takes the type of timeless, emotionally-driven photographs we love, she also has a real understanding of Italy that comes through in the pictures, especially the black and white shots. I was very nervous before the ceremony and Rebecca helped calm me down—she even stayed calm and unflappable (and helped translate!) when we got in a car accident minutes before the rehearsal dinner!
My advice to destination brides…don’t agonize about the legalities. Up until a month before the wedding, we really wanted our wedding ceremony to be legally binding and our families wanted that as well. Ultimately, it was very expensive to do the Italian civil ceremony and get it translated, and we still weren’t sure it would be valid in the U.S. So we wrote our own symbolic ceremony and asked Ben’s uncle, John, to be our officiant. It was beautiful and personal and should have been our decision from the start. Also, don’t overbook your guests. I’d been to destination weddings where I felt like I barely got to see the location I’d traveled to, so we wanted to leave lots of free time.
Oh dear California ranch wedding, let me count the ways in which I love you. I love the flowers, with the just-picked-from-the-field feel, courtesy of The Green Vase. I love the custom drink, brewed by the groom for his bride with adoration and love. I love the stunning locale – Thacher Winery – with it’s big, beautiful barn, and the gorgeous hilly backdrop. I love the gorgeous bride and the handsome devil of a groom. I love every little detail that Touch of Style Events pulled together so perfectly, and that Mike Larson captured so brilliantly. I love that there is a gallery chock-full of more photos from this fabulous day.
I fell in love with Thacher Winery a couple of years before falling in love with Matt. I thought to myself, when visiting for some wine tasting, that I wanted to get married there if I ever found the right person. And when I met Matt, he mentioned that he knew the Thacher’s. I couldn’t believe it!
I was never one to dream of my wedding day but I found myself thinking about it and decided to pull out some pictures from magazines of things that inspired me hoping it too would help focus my energy on making it happen one day. When that “one day” eventually happened, I went back to the folder of ideas and pulled out a picture from Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. I realized that the bride in the picture had the exact same wedding dress on that I had just purchased and the wedding was in a barn! Crazy how dreams come true.
We wanted it to be an amazing celebration: good music, good food, good beer and good wine with our most favorite people! No fuss, just a great party. We were so fortunate to work with some of the best vendors you can get, most of whom were or have become great friends.
We might just go ahead and crown Saddlerock Ranch the reigning Queen of Venues. We see a TON of weddings coming out of this gorgeous spot and they never cease to amaze. Plus zebras are usually involved which makes us quite happy campers. Also included in today’s affair – gorgeous photography by Yvette Roman, a sea of stunning details by Mint Julep Social Events along with R. Jack Balthazar leading up the floral brigade, scrumptious treats almost too pretty to eat courtesy of Vanilla Bake Shop and just wait until you spy with your little eyes the ceremony set-up. YOWZA. See it all here!
Just when you thought all the pretty was coming to an end, we have a gorgeous film from Living Cinema to stretch out the party a little longer. Feast your eyes on this warm-fuzzy-inducing gem…
From the Bride…We both met in 2003 when we worked at the same advertising agency in Orange County. He was an Art Director and I was in Account Management, which coincidentally equates to the perfect wedding planning duo. He had the creative vision and I was into the details. We are both laid back, like to be comfy and love to dance. So the inspiration for our big day came easy: we wanted people to feel like guests at our home, like they were dancing in our very own beautiful outdoor living room. As we have both learned through many years in the ad industry, it takes the right team of people to bring an idea to life. And so the hunt was on for the perfect partners to do just that and the criteria was clear; a caterer that was up for the challenge of serving 14 different dishes, tapas style, from cuisines around the world, a floral and décor genius with exquisite taste that could transform an outdoor venue into a plush, cozy space, a photographer that could deliver a time capsule that would bring us back to that very day 20 years from now, a pastry chef who could transport us back to our childhood with old time classics, a videographer that not only shot weddings, but made beautiful films, and a wedding planner who had the courage to bring it all together.
I love to snack and Christian will eat anything….literally. So we thought this was a good opportunity to infuse some of our culture and introduce our guests to our heritage. We decided to serve a progressive dinner, tapas style – Italian dishes from my father’s side and Columbian and Filipino classics from Christian’s side. We were surprised at how adventurous our guests were as this was certainly not your traditional filet and chicken. At the end of the day, we are both still straight up American, so we did serve some traditional favorites during cocktail hour, fried mac and cheese, Kobe sliders and fruit skewers. And finally, we brought out a late night breakfast to honor me and my mom’s after hours pancake eating tradition.
Niki and Rene from R. Jack were my dream come true. They are truly responsible for transforming an already beautiful place into the world we had hoped to create. The Filipino lace that adorned all the farmhouse dining tables, the ceiling of Moroccan lanterns that lit the dance floor, the Persian rugs that covered the grass, the daybeds and blankets and mismatched pillows that formed the coziest of seating areas and the FLOWERS! They were everywhere and everything I wanted each arrangement different from the next, stems from all kinds of flower families.
Thank God we found someone who not only takes beautiful photos, but made the experience an amazing adventure. Because of Yvette, we discovered every nook and cranny of Saddlerock, even an up close encounter with some curious horses who insisted on a tasting of my bouquet and veil. At that moment it became clear that Christian had never been this close to a horse – he was completely freaked out.When Yvette delivered our wedding photos in a beautiful little silk box, we were overwhelmed at how clearly she was able to capture that day and all of its magic. As a bride my greatest fear was that our photos would not reflect the energy or the emotion of our wedding day. How could it be possible to package it all up – every piece of it, how we felt that day, and the dream of it all. But there it was, all of those memories and moments perfectly fit into one little box bound by a satin ribbon and I could not be more grateful for that.
Christian was the dream groom! He wanted to be a part of virtually every meeting and decision, but totally let me do my thing. He just wanted to come along for the ride – didn’t want to miss anything. But I will say, for such a neutral groom, he did inspire quite a few of my favorite details: He and his groomsman wore the traditional Filipino barong – not only to honor his father but also because he hates to tuck in his shirt.He was also dead set on wearing sneakers to satisfy his fetish, which I didn’t dare challenge him on. And the beer – we served Imperial as a nod to our Costa Rica honeymoon destination. One thing he was very particular about – his ring. It was hand carved by his artist friend (and fellow Filipino) as a wedding gift from Doyok wood from the island of Siargao where Cloud 9 is…(Cloud 9 is the best surf spot in the Philippines), and he loves it. And finally, the music – this was his personal mission…old school hip hop that we would dance the night away to. And that’s exactly what we did.
Oh my goodness, have you ever seen a more adorable bride and groom?!? I kid you not, these two Grass Valley lovebirds have me grinning from ear to ear with the cutest first look of all time, not to mention one seriously delightful wedding. Yes, this vintage charmer is literally overflowing with fabulous, including a plethora of darling DIY details, amazing bouquets by Art In Bloom, one very beautiful wedding cake and some insanely gorgeous bridesmaid gowns. Swoon. Thankfully, Acres of Hope Photography was on hand to capture each and every amazing moment… and fill our gallery with pretty. Join me there for even more!
From the Bride… I had been dreaming about my wedding since I made my entrance as a flower girl at age 5! When Patrick popped the question after 3 years of dating I was so thrilled to put the planning wheels in motion and buy out the shelves of bridal magazines! I had been swooning over the gorgeous weddings on Style Me Pretty and loved so many different styles, color palettes and general themes it became very difficult to choose one for our wedding; eventually I decided on my original favorite from age 5, which was fairytale! I wanted the day to feel romantic, elegant and whimsical with rustic and vintage touches to accent the historic cottage we said our “I Do’s” in front of. With such an exquisite theme like “Fairytale” and a more modest budget (15,000) I knew I needed to get crafty! Almost every aspect of our wedding was either completely DIY or had some sort of DIY touches to add the extra touches of love; from the wedding invitations to the water bottles handed out before the ceremony.
Many of our creative DIY projects were inspired by blogs featuring DIY weddings and other ways to personalize your wedding. One of the lengthiest of DIY projects was the table centerpieces. No two tables were alike; for months we scoured thrift stores, antique stores and even family members houses for beautiful rustic and vintage vases, books, doilies and candle holders. The majority of the flowers adorning the tables, lounge area and reception site were straight from my mother’s backyard! One DIY project I am especially proud of is the lounge area I put together. Because we were married in such a small town and had a modest budget to work with we were limited in vendor choices and did not have the option of renting furniture; although the sensible solution would be to not have a lounge area, my then fiancé and family would tell you I was obsessed with bringing the indoors outside and creating this fairytale ambiance; so we rented a U-Haul and packed up any and all vintage/antique furniture mine and my mothers houses harbored; from our old kitchen table to the gorgeous antique loveseat.
Another project I loved doing was decorating candles for each table and cocktail area. I bought Virgin Mary candles from the dollar store and covered them in pages from an old book called “Heart Throbs” I found at a local thrift store then adorned the candles with ribbons and doilies, lets just say me and the hot glue gun are best friends! These projects were very time consuming but very rewarding and worth every second; they allowed my mother and I to bond and realize our passion for weddings and crafting and added so many personal touches that helped make our day so special. Now that the wedding is over and I am left with quite the collection of wonderful rustic and vintage pieces I am planning on renting them out to brides with similar themes!
If I didn’t know any better, i would think this was one of the prettiest inspiration shoots I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Honestly this couple could be models – their outfits styled to perfection(with a handmade dress might I add), hair perfectly coifed, flowers by Fox + Rabbit all fluffy and gorgeous, but no. This is real life, real love, real married couple who wanted to capture their love on camera and Still Love was on hand to do just that. This cuties have chemistry literally jumping right off the computer screen and you can see it all right here.
From Still Love…Having been married earlier this year, we couldn’t wait to do a love-shoot with Luke and Jess after seeing them together on their wedding day and how photogenic they always are! And that hand-made dress… amazing! Working with our favorite floral artist, Fox + Rabbit, we knew it would be a great combination. Big thanks to the happy couple for looking so sensational and making our jobs so much easier!
As we wind down another week packed with incredible inspiration we thought we’d step it up a notch with this cool, modern take on the bohemian wedding theme. BLUE LOTUS put together an eclectic-meets-chic design full of unique, stylish details, bright pops of color, vintage decor and, of course, gorgeous florals. The tillandsia rope and lantern installations are two of the coolest design elements I’ve seen in awhile and would be oh-so much fun to recreate at a real wedding. Every last beautiful, boho detail was captured perfectly by Perez Photography. Click here to see them all!
From BLUE LOTUS…This shoot, created by Blue Lotus and captured by Perez Photography, is about bohemian elegance and bringing color to the usually soft and subtle style. Metal caged lanterns were hung with rope above a modern table. The table exhibited sparkling minerals and floating candles to present an exquisite yet simplistic setting. The table was accented with gold chivari chairs and a gold banquet for the bride and groom’s seat. Above another tablescape was an old rope with air plants. This table displayed floral in glass goblets and urns that sat on a burlap coffee bag which was used as a runner.
The use of these rustic elements enhanced the bohemian look and created a unique tablescape. Other small details such as the geode necklace, worn by the bride, and visual graphics, by Ink Love Paper, were used to tie the elements together. A vintage hutch was used in the shoot to display beautiful desserts by Mixing Bowl cupcakes. It was a nice alternative to the cake table and added a touch more of color. Being able to reuse and refurbish different elements and objects is important to us. The old rope used in the shoot is one we have saved knowing that one day we would design something different and unexpected with it. Reusing objects, such as the minerals, lanterns, vintage vases and rope, allows us to reduce waste. Floral is an important touch for almost every wedding and by using plants, such as succulents and cacti, that can be reused or given to guests is another great way to go green and cut down on waste.
While this wedding isn’t technically in Illinois, it IS a hop across the pond (sort of kind of) and with so many great vendors in close proximity, we thought it would be the perfect spot to showcase all the gorgeous. Plus the lovely couple is from Chicago so we’re making it count people. Photographed by K. Holly Photography, this is one of those weddings that had us at that Lazaro dress, or maybe it was those sassy purple kicks. Whatever the case, it kept us coming back for more and then stopped us dead in our tracks with a breathtaking film by Epic Motion. We saved that little ditty for the end so get comfy, peruse through image after stunning image and check out the gallery for more!
Gorgeous, right? And wait until you see it live straight from the lens of Epic Motion. Enjoy the show!
From the Bride…Christopher and I live in Chicago, but we knew we wanted to get married in Michigan. He is from Michigan and my parents have a cottage near Shelbyville. We chose Bay Pointe Inn because it is beautiful setting for a lakeside wedding. We knew that we wanted to add our own personal touches to the design, and Bay Pointe’s pavilion allowed us to create our dream wedding! But most importantly, it has a laid back atmosphere!
We believe that our inspirations for our wedding style came from a few different places. One of the first things we did after we got engaged was look for a photographer. K. Holly Photography’s portfolio represented the mood we wanted to create for our wedding. Fun, vintage, with a touch of rustic. We also knew Chicago was a major component we wanted to represent throughout our wedding. So our place cards were vintage postcards from Chicago! Our favors were also Garrett’s Popcorn – the BEST popcorn from Chicago! And our table names were streets names of Chicago. Personal touches like the wedding wish tree, the drink stirrers, and the photo booth were a fun interactive addition to our wedding day!
Our ceremony was amazing. It was pouring rain a few hours before, and Christopher and I were prepared to get married inside of the the venue’s pavilion. However, the sky cleared up and we finally saw the sun! Our first bridesmaid walked down our dog, Jersey. I had both of my parents walk me down because they both have had an huge part in my life. Christopher and I wrote our own personal vows, which was very important to us.
There are a couple memories that stand out to the both of us. I will always remember when Christopher sang and played the guitar for me in front of our wedding guests. He played Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits, which is one of our favorite songs. Incredibly romantic and incredibly touching. Christopher has said he will always remember me walking down the aisle because that was what we wanted – the sun finally came out while I was walking towards him. We are grateful for our amazing wedding day – it was perfect. But more importantly, we are extremely blessed to have found each other, and I know we will continue to have a life filled with happiness and sunshine!
I’ve been handing out a lot of virtual hugs around SMP Canada lately, but I just can’t help myself. Each and every day I fall head over heels for another fabulous Canadian wedding… and today is certainly no exception. This stunning Canmore affair by Orange Girl Photographs has literally blown my mind with its gorgeousness… and from the vibrant orange and blue color palette to the breathtaking lakeside ceremony and those amazing orange Loubs, I haven’t stopped swooning yet. All planned by Signature Weddings by Jenna, you’ll be soaking in this lovely for days. Join me in the gallery for even more!
From the Bride… Evan proposed to me just one month before he left the country for a year to complete his Master’s degree in Sweden. Many thought he was just trying to lock it down before he left me behind and headed across the world, but now I know it was an incredibly clever decision on his part because he gave me something to occupy all of this newly found spare time I had, not to mention getting out of the wedding planning duties himself!
In general, we’re both pretty casual people, so we wanted our wedding to reflect this. We really wanted to avoid the conventional, sometimes “stuffy” feel that weddings can take on, so we decided to have a summery, fun, bright, almost beach-like feel for our mountain wedding. Our ceremony was held in an open public park next to beautiful Quarry Lake. The location was an obvious choice, as it has a lot of meaning to us and it was a prime location to showcase the breathtaking backdrops that surround our beautiful mountain town. Spectators casually cruised by and watched from across (and even in) the lake, and the sounds of summer and kids playing really helped set the mood. The raw beauty of the location spoke for itself and no decorations were needed. (Thanks Mother Nature!)
In terms of the color scheme, I had chosen my bouquet first of all – orange orchids and calla lilies – which was our jumping off point for the orange theme. (Including our photographer, Orange Girl Photographs, whose inspirational photography largely contributed to my color choice!) On the groom’s side, considering blue is pretty much the only color Evan wears, it was an obvious choice for the guys’ shirts (although I do admit that it was somewhat difficult for me to relinquish control over Evan’s outfit, which was the only thing I was not allowed to choose). On my side, I wanted the girls to have dresses that suited their body type and that they would wear again, so they had free reign to choose whatever style that suited them best. It was incredible how well they all went together in the end, seeing as the first time we saw them all in the same room was the morning of the wedding!
Overall, I have to admit that at certain times I began to get lost in all of the little details and there were moments when I lost sight of what really mattered – that I was marrying the love of my life. However, once I was able to put that into perspective, the rest flowed so easily. When the big day came, I let it all go completely and everything flowed so effortlessly and perfectly (at least for us that is). We were so blessed to have help from so many friends and family, who took care of all of the little details for us. (Although Evan did have to get up at the crack of dawn to weed-whack an area of tall grass large enough for 150 people to stand in for the ceremony, but that’s what guys are for, right?!) In the end, what I really learned was that with enough love in the air, everything just falls into place, the way it is meant to be. All you need is love!!
Oh I so wish I were as cute and clever as this adorable couple and had an anniversary photo shoot at a carnival, or one at all for that matter! I totally love their forties inspired outfits and and the fun and whimsical vibe. I’m not sure who had more fun at this photo shoot…the lovebirds or Gema Blanton Photography? I don’t know about you, but I’m totally inspired to snag the hubby next summer and drag him to a carnival for our own anniversary session, even if we did miss the first one. Click here for more.
From Gema Blanton Photography…Who doesn’t love fun at the carnival with an outgoing, charming and cute couple dressed in 1940’s era style clothing! I love the bright colors at the fair, so it was perfect for their 1st year anniversary session. The session took place at the East Texas State Fair in Tyler, Texas, which will soon celebrate their 100 year anniversary. The concept came from watching old romantic love movies. Couples were sweet and love was innocent in those days. We literally stopped traffic at the carnival while we were shooting the session. Some of my favorite shots are of them being silly and forgetting that someone was there with a camera. The session was magical filled with bubble gum kisses and puppy love moments.
If anyone was feeling a case of the blues this morning they are sure to just melt away when you catch a glimpse of this cheerful, sunshine-y Scottsdale wedding by Scott Clark Photography. Who wouldn’t smile at the fun mod and 60s-inspired decor. Somehow this adorable bride and groom managed to take a tiki-meets-mid-century modern theme, cut out the kitsch and leave in the cool. The result is bright and chic and I love every inch of it! Click here to see it all!
From the Bride…The inspiration for our wedding was mid-century modern meets refined tiki at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona. We had a Jewish ketubah signing and chuppah ceremony performed outside at the hotel’s palm garden. Afterwards we hosted a sit-down dinner for our 23 guests at Trader Vic’s directly following the ceremony.
I’ve always loved the clean lines and simple, graphic shapes of mid-century modern design. When Aaron proposed with a hand-carved tiki statue that said “Sarah, Will You Marry Me?” we figured it would make a fun challenge to create a (and not too kitsch) tiki-meets-mid-century-modern wedding. Once we found the perfect location for our 25-person destination wedding, everything else flowed from there.The Hotel Valley Ho is a renovated historic hotel with its original mid-century modern buildings completely intact – perfect for the look we wanted. Better still was the adjacent Trader Vic’s restaurant. This classic tiki establishment had a lively crowd and a refined take on Hawaiian-Polynesian cuisine, not to mention the fabulous fruity cocktail concoctions!
Planning the celebration allowed us to dive into aspects of mid-century modern design like fashion, food, decor – even type fonts. Allowing the vibe of the hotel and restaurant to lead us, we created our invitations with a graphic designer and printer I found on Etsy, using a design I thought of based on Alexander Girard’s smiling suns at La Fonda del Sol. One of my girlfriends owns a cookie company and made custom treats for the welcome bags featuring similar Girard designs.Because our intimate wedding consisted of immediate family and one friend each, we were able to make unique small-batch favors for every guest (and ourselves) like handcrafted tiki mugs by a potter we found on Etsy and tiki-shaped organic hand soaps. We got into the spirit of the venue with dried palm leaf fans for the ceremony and a local ukulele player who serenaded us down the aisle.
We asked our florist to use Trader Vic’s famous tiki mugs in her design and to incorporate palm leaves as runners for the tables at the reception and to take inspiration from the cacti and desert foliage of Arizona for our chuppah. I worked with the florist to create a tight bouquet that would work with the simple shape of my dress, which was an off-the-rack Lily Pulitzer sheath that I customized with ivory ribbon at the empire waistline and my grandmother’s gold and pearl brooch. My family runs a shoe manufacturing company, so my brother (who is now the company’s president) worked with a reputable factory in China to make the design I sent him via email. As an added touch, he made the insoles blue (for my “something blue”) and the factory had my name and our wedding date printed on them!Our brilliant photographer Scott got that 60’s sun-washed look we wanted and instead of cramming all of our portrait shots into wedding day, we did a day-after photo session all around the hotel and at the incredible Desert Botanical Gardens nearby. Doing our portrait photos the next day allowed us to really relax at the reception and have fun with our guests. We alternated between taking silly pictures at the photo booth and sipping frozen pink lemonades.
It’s time to bid a fond farewell to yet another wonderful week of inspiration here on SMP Massachusetts and I can’t think of a lovelier way to send you off into the weekend than with this charming Boston affair by Katie Noble Photo. To say this wedding is fabulous is an understatement… No, it’s all caps FABULOUS and then some, complete with a crazy cool venue (A bowling alley!), vibrant florals by Whim Events and a DIY photo booth. Plus, a pizza buffet! This, my friends, is what awesome dreams are made of. Click here for even more!
From the Bride… Let’s just say a traditional wedding really just wasn’t up our alley! Puns aside, I am an event planner and have attended my fair share of beautiful weddings. Don’t get me wrong, I adore everything about them. But, my husband I wanted something different… something quirky and a party that would be a blast. We decided to have our reception at Sacco’s Bowl Haven & Flatbread Co. in Somerville, MA (a candle-pin bowling alley and a Somerville staple for the last 50 years). But let me tell you, this is not just any bowling alley. The whole place has been completely re-done, think hipster hangout meets organic farm. The Flatbread boasts locally grown ingredients and the bar (one of the old bowling lanes) provides a plethora of local microbrews and vodkas. Huge windows and skylights line the entire place, and the mix of kooky colors, DIY artwork and an old retro feel make this place really special. And yes, it is a fully functioning candle-pin bowling alley! When we first walked in, we knew we had to have our party there. (For the next 6 months, we continued to joke that our reception would probably be invaded by a 6-year old’s birthday party!)
Now, imagine me telling my parents that our wedding reception would be in a bowling alley! Luckily they trusted us… and honestly it was probably the best day of my entire life. We did give my parents the church element though. We got married at St. Peter’s Church in Cambridge MA, about 1/2 mile from our apartment. Then we trollied our 100 guests to the bowling alley via the Upper Deck trolley (a huge yellow and green double-decker). Upon arriving, the guests had signature cocktails and appetizers to the tunes of 50’s and 60’s bubble gum oldies. Our DJ set up shop on Lane 1 and the party began!
As for DIY decor, each table was lined with custom monogrammed orange and blue flower boxes filled with beautiful garden flowers, and bottles of “Pinney’s Pale Ale,” a home-brew that our wonderful friend Kevin brewed for us as our favors. My friend Jen, a local artist and designer, made the labels for the bottles. One label was hand-drawn based on a photo of bike ride on Nantucket, where we got engaged. The other was a hand-drawn love bird theme. Guests swizzled their drinks at the bar with our “Cheers” drink stirrers hand-made by another friend. And when it was time to bowl, we gave every girl a pair of checkered retro socks to slip on under their bowling shoes. My florist even made me a flower snap bracelet. Amazing.
Besides bowling and dancing on the lanes, our handmade photo booth was also a huge hit!For eats, Flatbread provided a never-ending pizza buffet & organic salad. (We hear the taco pizza was a favorite!) and a local baker, Andrea Cordis, put together an amazing display of cupcakes. My mom even brought a local favorite cookie from Jamestown, NY to the party (they’re called “pink stripe cookies” and they’re amazing). All in all, we had a blast.
Savannah has got to be the most gorgeous and romantic place on earth to get married. I mean seriously, just look at those amazing Spanish Moss trees. Each and every little nook of this pretty wedding is a tribute to this amazing southern city. We’re loving the straw fans and paper flowers that adorned all the place settings and of course, the bride’s gorgeous gown and perfectly coordinated bouquet. The colors are the perfect compliment to the gorgeous Savannah landscape. Project Duo Photography captured all the pretty details designed and planned by First City Events and as always, there’s so much more in the full gallery!
From First City Events…Lori & Julian treated their guests to Savannah’s magic, from the wedding facing the famous Moon River with lemonade under the Spanish Moss trees, to a brunch on the Savannah River Boat. At every turn, guests interacted with Savannah’s natural beauty. At Vic’s on the River, a local artist provided hundreds of straw flowers for the place settings and Kiwi Fleur provided the perfect flowers, ranging from Aussie greenery, billy bobs, kale, and wheat grasses to hydrangeas, wax flowers and spray roses. Vic’s on the River served an amazing southern elegance buffet. Leopold’s Ice Cream Cart was a perfect cooling late night treat filled with Dutch utopia, lemon custard, red raspberry, and vanilla ice creams. A first dance to “Everlasting Light” by The Black Keys seemed to quickly turn into a Pedi Cab exit. Before we knew it the couple was back in Arizona.
How many of us grew up watching Disney movies and just waiting for our Prince Charming or Cinderella to show up at our front door and whisk us away in a pumpkin turned horse drawn carriage? I’ll be the first to admit that was my dream for the majority of my life. When I found out special couples could hold their weddings at Walt Disney World, in view of that fabulous castle, I about died. So when BinaryFlips Photography sent over the quintessential Florida wedding – at Disney World – I flipped. The beautiful bride had concocted a very special night in which to marry – a night exactly how I would imagine the perfect Disney wedding to be, complete with the ultimate evening capper – a fireworks display. Every little magical detail is beyond a fairy tale, and if you don’t believe me (ask the dishes, and) click here for the full image gallery!
Once upon a time, there was a boy name Chris and a girl named Karrie. They met in New York City while Chris was on a vacation. It was love at first sight and a storybook romance. Karrie moved back to her home state of Florida to be with her real life prince after several months of long distance dating. After several years of courtship, this fun loving couple decided to get married in a magical place known as Walt Disney World – a place very close to both of their hearts and a great location for their large families and group of friends.
Their wedding was stylish and casually elegant sprinkled with some southern charm and Disney magic! Wanting to show their guests an unforgettable time at one of the top vacation destinations, the couple made sure every detail of the wedding was special. Like every good story, they hope to revisit and relive their magical day with lots of picture memories. The wedding programs, custom created by hi note, carried on the whimsical feel of the couple’s invitations. The ceremony, officiated by the charismatic Reverend Kevin Knox of A Beautiful Ceremony, gave everyone from California to Florida a breathtaking view of the Magic Kingdom’s famous Cinderella’s Castle as they promised forever to each other.
Karrie wore a hand stitched lace Pronovias dress paired with her “something blue” shoes made by PINK. The groom wore a light tan suit with a coral pink tie matching the fun & flirty Jim Hjelm bridesmaids dresses. The groomsmen sported light tan suits with complimenting blue ties with pink stripes. Since their wedding was in the spring, the couple wanted bright, fun and colorful flowers in the bouquets and décor accented with a touch of robin’s egg blue.
The cocktail hour at Epcot’s Italy Pavilion provided an amazing view of the fireworks show Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, exploding over the skies providing guests a taste of some more of that Disney magic. The guests were then whisked away next door to Epcot’s American Adventure Rotunda where everyone was invited to dance the night away with The Landshark Band under a domed ceiling lit up like the night sky. Sleek white columns enclosed the glassy marble dance floor, creating a cozy atmosphere in this grand room. All guests were seated around the perimeter of the dance floor on two levels. Karrie used hand-made photo booth photo frames that could be used as a keepsake for their photo booth photos to guide guests to their tables. The tables were adorned with a variety of loose and airy arrangements of peonies, tulips, spray roses and ranunculus paired with blue mason jars, antique gold tea lights and glass pedestals to give the reception a touch of the South. Some more Disney magic was brought in with their Madhatter styled three tiered cake with fresh flowers and whimsical decorations.
The magical night ended at one stoke past midnight after a evening of wining, dining and dancing and as the fairy tale goes… they lived happily ever after.
Welcome SMPers to the quintessential New England wedding. It’s traditional, but not stuffy, casual yet elegant, and held at every New Englander’s most favorite spot: the beach! I’m loving the classic navy and yellow color palette and how absolutely adorable are the first mate and captain signs tied to the backs of their chairs with marine lines? The bride is super stunning in her gorgeous applique gown, which, I might add was totally making a huge comeback on the runways at Bridal Market in NYC last weekend. The awesome duo of Justin & Mary were on hand to capture all the fabulous, nautical details and as always, there’s so much more in the gallery. Join me, won’t you?
From the Bride…Andy and I first met at a 4th of July concert in Connecticut after college. Since that day, we have been truly inseparable. We love doing everything together, especially keeping active and going on jogs along the beautiful Connecticut coast. We have run many miles together, stride by stride, and Andy proposed to me after we finished our first marathon together. In searching for the perfect venue, we knew we wanted our wedding to take place along Connecticut’s shoreline where we had met and fallen in love. We stumbled upon the Wee Burn Beach Club and instantly knew it would be perfect. It was right on the beach and we loved its “casual yet classy”atmosphere; the feel we envisioned for our wedding
I, like many other girls out there, became a little addicted to wedding blogs and checked Style Me Pretty at least twice a day for inspiration. I was blown away with how imaginative brides can be, coming up with the most unique ideas. Luckily for me, my mother is very creative and crafty. She took the nautical theme and ran with it. She found the beautiful fabric we used for both the table runners and seating charts. She made votive holders with rope wrapped around the bottom and even came up with the idea for the “Captain” and “First Mate” bride and groom signs, which my artistic Maid of Honor helped design the night before the wedding. I also tried to add some DIY touches with the programs and place cards. My now sister-in-law was also gracious enough to help me create the cupcake flags.
The whole day came together so magically with the help of our all-star vendors and my wonderful friend/wedding planner who was our day of coordinator. Walking through the dining room with everything set up was amazing. All of the little details we had dreamed up had come to life. Even more incredible was sharing the day with our friends and family. The entire day was beyond anything we could have imagined, and thanks to our awesome photographers, Andy and I are able to relive all the emotions of that special day.
I fall in love with many weddings but this Orlando beauty has found a place in my heart that is only reserved for the most perfect celebrations. I was hooked the second I saw the beautiful centerpieces (did you catch the mini flamingo in each one!) paired with vintage Florida knick knacks and vintage-inspired paper goods. Aren’t the orange escort cards in little wooden orange crates just the sweetest little touch? Click here to see it all!
From Blush by Brandee Gaar…Cicely and James’ gorgeous Florida heritage wedding took place at the beautiful Maison & Jardin. They chose this style not only to pay homage to their home state but to also honor Cicely’s grandparents who owned a gift shop selling all kinds of Florida themed knick-knacks. Their wedding decor incorporated sweet Florida oranges, honey and even flamingos but not in a cheesy way! It was truly a special and unique wedding for their guests.
If ever there was a wedding with drop dead gorgeous florals, this my friends, is that wedding! I seriously want to print these puppies out and hang them on my wall. They are that stunning. I also love that the bridesmaids all wore their own simple, black cocktail dresses and carried big, fluffy bouquets full of white peonies. Totally timeless. Shira Weinberger Photography was there to capture all beautiful details and trust me, once you see them, you’re definitely gonna hit up the full gallery!
From Shira Weinberger Photography…I’m happy to share Michelle & Steven’s beautiful New Jersey Estate wedding with you. This estate has been in Michelle’s family for generations, and it has become a tradition for everyone in the family to get married there. The ceremony was very intimate, outdoors- there were lots of flowers and soft colors.
Red Fly Studio completely made our afternoon with one stunning image after another from today’s Florida wedding. And now that we have reveled in all the GORGEOUS, we thought it might be fun to put together some details perfect for infusing a dash of whimsical charm to your upcoming fete. And this one is allllll about the silhouette mixed with pretty, organic elements. The combination of which is out-of-this-world stellar.
1. Paper goods are the easiest way to add the silhouette to your upcoming day. For a classic take with a slightly modern edge, try these William Arthur invites on for size. Our newest collaboration proves a perfect accompaniment to this style of fête
2. And it doesn’t have to stop at your invitations, with a custom silhouette portrait, you can slap those pretty profiles on just about anything your heart desires. From gift tags, to menus, even place-cards, the possibilities are endless
3. Love is sweet and so are these honey keepsakes for your guests. Finish them off with a customized tag and voila, instant charm. Em Weddings has a great option that won’t break the bank
4. We positively adored the Bride’s English Department frock from this fab affair. It’s the perfect combination of elegance and ease and layers upon layers of pretty tulle is never a bad thing in our book. For a similar look, the J.Crew Arabelle gown is just what the Doctor ordered.
5. Oh Tom’s, how we love thee. And now they offer a range of fun wedding styles perfect for that laid-back Bride who also wants to give back to those in need. Our favorites? These petal colored loves
6. The gorgeous wood chargers at this Florida wedding almost sent us into swoon overdrive. Granted not every venue offers such lovely plating but these Acacia dessert plates are pretty stand-ins and could even be used sparingly. Think one per table with succulents or flowers set atop
7. For that organic feel, a lovely herb sprig at each setting does wonders and smells quite nice too and mixed with potted succulent centerpieces? Organic, green, herbal heaven.
