Time to break out the wellies ladies and gentleman because this gorgeous affair by Untamed Heart Photography will have couples crossing their fingers for rain on their wedding day! The drizzly, yet darling, day was styled so perfectly it’s almost as if the couple and the lovely Katie of Simply and Forever planned the colors scheme and all the little details with a stormy day in mind! Each and every image will have you ready to start singing in the rain, so be sure to check them all out in the full gallery.

click here for even more fabulous rainy day images!

The inspiration for our wedding really came from a personal place. Our home. Ron had asked me to marry him while on a family trip to visit relatives in the Philippines in January of 2010. After coming back home, our place was still decorated for Christmas, with a very vintage, old-fashion holiday feel. (I am one of those people who love the holidays, and will leave holiday decor up as long as possible!) The details of the wedding fell into place easily and really quickly. One of our earliest decisions was the importance of our photographer.  And I can still say it was our best decision, as michelle really helped set the tone and look Ron and I were going for.  And then all the other vendors were chosen based on sharing that same vision for our day. Ron and I really worked together to stay true to our wishes for the day ( he was completely hands on! ), using wedding blogs like SMP to get inspiration.

I can’t begin to tell you the fun we had, along with tons of help from my mom, putting together ideas and searching for the perfect antiques, as well as crafting almost every detail ourselves. From table runners and centerpieces, the ceremony backdrop and  chair covers, window seating assignment and typed menu cards.. Even the small details like our ring pillow, programs and invites, my garter and headpiece, and cake toppers.. I’d never seen my kitchen covered in so much glitter, buttons, fabric and hot glue in all my days living here! We searched for tons of milk glass, old buttons and mason jars, and vintage Christmas decor all year! All things we will now get to use in our home as reminders of our great wedding!

I have 2 favorite memories from our wedding… The first being the moment Ron read his vows to me. We wrote almost all of our ceremony because we wanted it to be special and very personal. The emotion he showed and the connection we shared at that moment was so amazing, my heart felt like it would burst with love for him. And that moment I have never felt more loved and happier… The second favorite memory was with my mom. It lasted over the 10 months of planning, until the very last night before the wedding when we sat up very late making my garter and veil. Our shopping trips, antiquing, and crafting sessions made the journey that much more enjoyable.  Without her help, along with the rest of the family, our day would not have been complete.

Photographer: Michelle Huesgen of Untamed Heart Photography / Second shooter: Paperlily Photography / Event Planner: Simply and Forever / Videographer: Gebbs Total Video / Flowers: Les Bouquets / Cake: The Cakery / Make up: Holly Speakes / Venue: Windows on Washington / Dress: Marisa via Maiden Voyage Bridal / Shoes: Steve Madden Lux / Bridesmaid dress: JCrew / Veil: made by the bride / Musical Entertainment: Ernie Halter / DJ: Gray Entertainment / Lighting and Ceremony structure: Exclusive events

Happy Monday lovelies! Our first wedding is so bright and happy, it is sure to pull you out of that early morning fog – no coffee needed. And we are pretty positive the bridesmaids’ attire is some of the most adorable we’ve seen to date. Seriously, how can you top those cute yellow cardigans? Jonathan Canlas worked his usual magic with the camera and whipped up some gorgeous imagery straight from Salt Lake City and there’s even more to fawn over in the gallery if you so choose.

see the rest of this pretty day here!

I felt so lucky on our wedding day because our families meshed so well. Between the two families, we had close to 50 grand kids! Can you believe it? There were kids everywhere, but that’s what made the event so fun. Part of what made our wedding special, is that my mom and Blake’s mom were best friends in college. They were even each others bridesmaids! Our moms were in heaven and it made the whole wedding feel so personal!

I always wanted an outdoor wedding, and lucky for us, the weather turned out to be perfect. We had delicious food, lights, an ice cream bar (I like ice cream better than cake), and a great band who played jazz and Frank Sinatra (because I think that style of music is so romantic)! Kids were dancing everywhere! As we left our reception all we could think about is how loved we felt. It was so fun to have all the people we cared most about all in the same place at the same time to celebrate with us!

Photography: Jonathan Canlas / Ceremony Venue: The Salt Lake Temple / Reception Venue: The Salt Lake Country Club / Wedding Dress and Belt: Alta Moda Bridal / Hair: Lanna Marie Waisath at Le Studio Salon / Floral Design: Carolyn May at Mayflowers / Cake: Raspberry Almond Cake from Pastry Arts Barrani / Make Up: Tilly Sine Southwick / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein from Nordstrom / Groom’s Bow Tie: Brooks Brothers / Music and Entertainment: Joe Muscolino Band / Favors: Ghiradelli Chocolates / Groomsmen Ties: Bloomingsales / Bridesmaid Outfits: J.Crew / Invitations: Bella Figura

We are going to take a little moment on this lovely Saturday to cozy up and talk about one of our favorite things in the whole wide world … shoes, shoes, and more shoes. Great topic, right? And what is a gorgeous wedding dress without an equally gorgeous pair of kicks? That is where Milk & Honey comes into play. They are the one stop shop for designing your own custom shoes for your wedding day. You pick the material, color, heel height and embellishments and poof… your dream shoes are created.

Gone are the days of searching high and low for just the right pair of shoes.  With Milk & Honey bridal, the perfect shoes are but a click away and using their signature shoe builder, brides-to-be can create shoes in every shade under the sun including the perfect rich metallics and oh so fabulous glitter. Milk & Honey also offers unique bridal designs in the ready-to-wear bridal section.  Brides can choose flats or heel heights from 1.5” up to 5”.  And our favorite part? All bridal shoes come with the option of a light blue insole so you can check that “something blue” off of your list.

Bridesmaids have also found refuge from traditional “bridesmaid shoes” with Milk & Honey. Brides can choose a material, type and color and allow all their bridesmaids to design their own shoes. It’s a simple way to have cohesion while still letting all of your friends’ personalities shine through. So if you are still on the hunt for the perfect pair of shoes to sport on your big day, definitely head over to Milk & Honey and get started building your dream pair of shoes today.

We know you all LOVE a good engagement session so we figured you wouldn’t mind that this particular shoot is a little out of season seeing as how it is just too cute to pass up. And the fashion? Phenomenal. We give it a big, fat A+ along with the yummy images by Kristin Vining. Of course, we wouldn’t expect anything less from such a rockstar photographer. So join us in wrapping up a really extra pretty week on SMP with a Fallicious love shoot that doesn’t have a drop of snow. Oh what a sight! You can see the rest of this lovely engagement in the gallery. Happy Friday!

Photography: Kristin Vining / Styling, Hair and Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne

Enjoy these pretty posts and we look forward to seeing you on Monday!

a DIY fest in Canada
colorful and ever so pretty nuptials of the Californian kind
this  modern photoshoot brings beachy to a whole new level of gorgeous
if you’re a fan of ethereal, you will fall head over heels for this wedding
Chicago puts on a gorgeous wedding at the Art Institute
a heart warming lakeside soiree in Georgia
a mid-week wedding extravaganza
cool couple and an ever so cool San Diego wedding
a Saddlerock wedding that is head to toe beautiful

Fun links from around the web:

the newest bobbles from ban.do would be perfect for a Valentine’s debut
the much anticipated wedding line from Anthropologie is on its way. catch a sneak peek here
swooning over these gorgeous invites via Beast Pieces
6 tips to bring your party (or wedding!) to the next level via Oh Happy Day

We’d also like to extend a very warm welcome to our newest Little Black Book Members…

Eventfully Planned
The Nichols
Teacup, fine baked goods and confections
Sweet Pea
THERESA Floral Design
Details Event Planning
Valencienne Bridal
Feast Your Eyes, Gourmet Catering
Meredith’s Bridal Boutique
Infinity Entertainment Co
Infinity Studios Custom Lighting Services
Unique Visions Studio
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
JPR Weddings
Phil Stefani Signature Events
Sugar Realm
La Sorella Bridal

And last but certainly not least, the winner of High Fashion Home’s giveaway is Kristin! Congrats on your gorgeous new Chandelier!

Have a fabulous weekend lovelies! xoxo

You are going to be glad you stuck around because we have a treat for you as you head off into the weekend.  Life Stage Films put together one of the most moving, striking documentations of a wedding I have ever seen.  It may be a photo shoot but there is something so organic and soft it just pulls at my heart strings and makes me want to get married all over again!

Go to the full gallery to see all the photos from this beautiful shoot!

I can’t take any of the credit for the design, but with that said, ANY film or wedding that we get to work with Salt Harbor Designs, our films always stand out. I can’t speak for Jenn at Salt Harbor, but she felt like a winter shoot would be a great resource for brides that are having stylish weddings outside of the normal wedding season. I LOVEd the eclectic feeling of the Brooklyn Arts Center. The feathers, earth-tone colors and especially the wardrobe of the bride and groom really shouted STYLE. The Arts center is over 100 years old, so the brick, candlelight and wood really created a vintage feel.

Although the use of the real baby Quails was very romantic, my favorite part of the film is the “foot washing” ceremony. A biblical reference, but it’s still one of the most SELFLESS acts you could do for somebody regardless of your religious beliefs. It is the perfect example of serving your mate and putting them before yourself. We have seen it at a few Southern weddings in NC. It truly felt like a dream sequence when the groom washed the bride’s feet.

Styling, Design, Florals, + Paper: Jennifer of Salt Harbor Designs / Photography: Millie Holloman of Millie Holloman Photography / Venue: The Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews / Videography: Life Stage Films / Bride’s Dress: Saja Wedding / Models’ Hair + Makeup: Melissa of Fringe Salon / Cake: Nicki’s Cakes / Violinist: Maura Kropke / Bride’s Jewelry: Oliver / Chairs and Linens: Party Suppliers and Rents / Wooden Table: Harborside Event Rentals / Tableware: The Fisherman’s Wife / Groom’s Attire: The Gentleman’s Corner

I am quite enamored with every itty bitty pretty in our latest Inspiration to Reality photo shoot.  Salt Harbor Designs transformed a bare, though extraordinarily beautiful, venue into a warm, rich, texture-filled love fest and Millie Holloman Photography captured every sweet moment.  I love that they were inspired by the sanctuary that marriage can, and should, be and included touching moments that the couple could share together like pouring each other a steamy cup of tea.  Make sure you dive into the full gallery to see each and every last darling detail!  And don’t you dare go anywhere because we’ll be back soon with the video by Life Stage Films.

Click here for more inspiration in the full gallery!

The Brooklyn Arts Center at Saint Andrews is a new venue that recently opened in Wilmington, only a few blocks from the Cape Fear River.  The building is a 122 year old church that was saved from demolition by a builder who has undertaken complete renovation on the space, and it is turning out beautifully.  When Millie Holloman and I decided to do the shoot, we could not wait to use the space.  It is not only full of amazing texture and material, but it is also a space filled with history—architectural, cultural, regional, and spiritual.  A space so full of story creates such a great foundation for shoots and for actual weddings, as well.

When we were choosing a board, we wanted one that spoke to the venue itself.  Naomi’s board was perfect.  Her work has so many layers and meanings, and this board was no different.  To us, it was about sanctuary—the sanctuary that marriage provides for two people—a protected refuge from the world.  But even beyond that, it seemed to speak both to the literal sanctuary that is the main ballroom of the Brooklyn Arts Center and to the architectural sanctuary that exists in this restored historic building.  We wanted to capture these ideas in the pieces of our design, so we focused on things that protect and cover, things that suggest that although the rest of the world may be cold and bitter, there is warmth in the space between two people.

Styling, Design, Florals, + Paper: Jennifer of Salt Harbor Designs / Photography: Millie Holloman of Millie Holloman Photography / Venue: The Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews / Videography: Life Stage Films / Bride’s Dress: Saja Wedding / Models’ Hair + Makeup: Melissa of Fringe Salon / Cake: Nicki’s Cakes / Violinist: Maura Kropke / Bride’s Jewelry: Oliver / Chairs and Linens: Party Suppliers and Rents / Wooden Table: Harborside Event Rentals / Tableware: The Fisherman’s Wife / Groom’s Attire: The Gentleman’s Corner

I love real weddings but I do have a little soft spot in my heart for photo shoots packed full of pretty.  No wonder the Inspiration to Reality series has always been a favorite of mine.  We are lucky enough to get some the most talented and imaginative vendors in the biz together to bring to life an inspiration board created by one of our very own super creative readers.  You may want to grab a comfy chair because we’ll be filling your afternoon with one steal-worthy idea after another from a completely out of this world team.  Can’t wait to see the shoot?  Well, you’ll have to wait a bit but we would never leave you completely empty handed.  For a taste of what’s to come, here is the oh-so pretty board from Style Circle board-making extraordinaire Naomi V. Goodman.

The best is yet to come with the sweet styling of Salt Harbor Designs and breathtaking shots from Millie Holloman Photography set in a romantic North Carolina venue.  Hurry on back to see what this brilliant team put together!

Styling, Design, Florals, + Paper: Jennifer of Salt Harbor Designs / Photography: Millie Holloman of Millie Holloman Photography / Venue: The Brooklyn Arts Center at St. Andrews / Videography: Life Stage Films / Bride’s Dress: Saja Wedding / Models’ Hair + Makeup: Melissa of Fringe Salon / Cake: Nicki’s Cakes / Violinist: Maura Kropke / Bride’s Jewelry: Oliver / Chairs and Linens: Party Suppliers and Rents / Wooden Table: Harborside Event Rentals / Tableware: The Fisherman’s Wife / Groom’s Attire: The Gentleman’s Corner

This adorable Connecticut wedding by IRIS Photography perfectly captures how beautiful this couple is both inside and out. The intimate affair was held at the couple’s home, which just happened to be where they got engaged, and was styled to perfection. The entire gallery is just as personal as it is pretty, so be sure to set aside some time to soak it all in – including their adorable video from Buzz Media Company.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

And because we just couldn’t keep this fabulous work of art from Buzz Media Company to ourselves, here is a little something to make your Friday even more lovely.

caitlin + greg from Buzz Media Company on Vimeo.

We met through mutual friends at a holiday party in DC. We started talking about AIDS in Africa as I was 4 days away from my trip to South Africa to volunteer in a hospital. It turned out he had actually written a book on the AIDS epidemic throughout Africa. He sent me his book a few days later and asked me out. I fell in love with him on the first date.  He proposed in front of the fireplace at our home in Essex. It was a cold day and he lit the fire. I sat down and said “this is my favorite place in the whole world”. He smiled and gave me something he had written… a short story called “Our Story”. He asked me to read it out loud. It was the story of our courtship and when I got to the end, the last page read “The Beginning”.  Thats when he got on one knee and asked me to marry him. We were engaged for about 10 months. We wanted to support the local community and hire as many local vendors as possible. Our planners of Bellafare found our photographer, Iris Photography, who perfectly matched our style and vision for our wedding.

There is no other place in the world that is as special to us as our home. It was where we fell in love and where Greg later proposed. Not only is it a special place, but it happens to be a really beautiful backdrop for a wedding. Our planners were able to take our personal style and apply it to our wedding day while incorporating so many unique and special elements. We wanted our wedding to reflect our love of the outdoors and the water while still being elegant.  When we were dating we used to make s’mores for dessert so we knew we wanted to incorporate this element into our wedding somehow. We had a fire pit and s’mores station that the guests had a blast with. We exchanged vows in front of the birch tree in our yard and incorporated the birch leaf motif into all of the stationary. We served South African wines during dinner and guests left with a small satchel of almonds… a South African tradition. Walking down the aisle toward Greg. I saw nothing but him. I remember the day was perfect in every way. It was sunny and warm and the way the light hit the trees was spectacular. I will always remember that moment.

Photographer: IRIS Photography / Catering: SB Catering / Ceremony music and DJ: Orchestrations Inc. /  Florist: Lewis Miller Design / Lighting: Frost Lighting / Planner: Bellafare / Stationery: Sue Coe Designs / Tent: Sperry Tents / Videographer: Buzz Media Company

Alison Events is the brains behind our first wedding of the day and this beauty is total proof that going green doesn’t mean having to sacrifice style. In fact, these Sonoma nuptials are down right rolling in it as well as a bevy of gorgeous AND sustainable flora by Atelier Joya . All the pretty images are courtesy of the uber talent Lauren Ross Photography who managed to capture so many perfect moments, we have an inkling this must have been a really fun wedding/party to attend. See more eco-friendly details and a ton of cute kiddie photo ops in the gallery.

see the FULL wedding here!

Abbey and John tied the knot this past summer at Annadel Estate Winery in Sonoma, California. They celebrated their vows with a Buddhist inspired ceremony in the property’s nineteenth century ruins, then cocktailed in the oak lined grove, and dined on the sprawling green lawn, under the shade of scattered market umbrellas.

The wedding revolved around an appropriate theme of longevity, so all of the decor was designed to incorporate everlasting floral elements, such as billy balls, manzanita, succulents and scabiosa. Sustainability was also a key feature of the wedding. The table numbers were named after potted herbs, which guests took home at the end of the night, along with the succulents that were strewn throughout. Guests were encouraged to find a way to replant or repurpose all of the floral elements.

Children were not only present, but involved throughout the wedding day and had an absolute blast. The two dapper young ring bearers walked down the aisle with fishing poles that had the rings tied onto the lures, following three lovely flower girls toting baskets full of flowers. They later joined the rest of the kids for dinner picnic style, sitting atop pillows in the grass. John took a particular interest in the design of the paper materials, while Abbey focused on the rest of the decor. Their joint love of food and wine made the catering choice a fun one. John visits Kitchenette (run by Living Room Events) in San Francisco daily for lunch, so hiring Living Room Events to cater was a no-brainer.

Planning and Design: Kelsey Sheofsky of AE Planning and Design / Photography: Lauren Ross / Venue: Annadel Estate / Flowers: Atelier Joya / Catering: Living Room Events / Paper Materials: Hello!Lucky / Lighting: Refraction / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

A venue that contains not only a gorgeous Malibu ranch but also zebras (zebras!) sounds like a sure fire way to capture our wedding hearts and oh how it does. The second we laid eyes on the photographs from Steve Steinhardt we were smitten. Smitten with the gorgeous details crafted by Beth Helmstetter, smitten with the fabulous calligraphy by Laura Hooper, smitten with the easy elegance of the whole affair. Yep, you name it and we are smitten with it. We have a feeling you are all going to fall head over heels for this lovely day as well. The gallery awaits with even more from this Malibu soiree.

see all the perfect-in-every-way details here!

and the pretty parade isn’t over quite yet. We also happen to have a lovely film shot by Aqua Vivus to share with you. So sit back and get comfy and we are going to finish off this Malibu Wedding the best way we know how…

Ryan and I knew that we wanted our wedding to be a reflection of us and to pull in a lot of personal elements. I have always wanted an outdoor wedding so that was a key factor when choosing to go with Saddlerock Ranch. Ryan let me know early that he didn’t want to wear a black tux, and with the beautiful garden-like setting of Le Chateau, we thought a grey suit would be nice. When my sister, Laura, picked out the Caspian Blue dress from J.Crew, we knew we had our color scheme! Laura designed our invitation suite with my personal tastes in mind, and I think it turned out beautifully – she even blind letterpressed dots on the invites since she felt that was very “me.” When my mom thought to line the envelopes with lace and then wrap the suite in lace with the twine it was just perfect! My mom and I spent months scouring EBay for vintage stamps that we liked, and it was really fun taking the time to select stamps for each individual or couple receiving an invitation.

It was important to us that nothing be too formal and that everyone have fun. We kept the ceremony on the shorter side and had a family style dinner so guests could enjoy some of everything – and the menu by The Food Matters was absolutely fabulous! The Dr. Pepper bottles (our favorite soda) were shipped in from Dublin, Texas (Ryan’s home state), the original bottling source, and we located the Dr. Pepper crates on EBay to create the escort card display. I found vintage horseshoes on Etsy that tied in perfectly with the venue and printed materials, my parents’ neighbor hand crafted the cake box, my dad assembled all of the wooden signs, and our lifelong family friend made the chocolates for the favors! My mom even purchased coordinating candles, hand soaps, trays and wastebaskets for the restrooms – there was no detail that was too small! My mom and I made many trips to various stores to find all of the dinner plates that were mixed and matched with a collection from our event designer, Beth Helmstetter. Everyone really came together to make the day beautiful and memorable, and we couldn’t have been happier with the result. The best part is that we have a lot of the detail items in our home now as special reminders our wedding celebration.

You can barely tell from the photos, but it was raining the day of our all outdoor wedding. When we pulled up to the venue and couldn’t see five feet in front of us because the fog was so low, I think it’s safe to say I was pretty devastated! But my hair and makeup began and I thought to myself, “No matter what you are marrying Ryan today, and that is that!” Fortunately, around 2pm the rain stopped, the skies started to clear and by the time the ceremony started, we even had a bit of sun! The ceremony went off without a hitch, dinner was absolutely delcious, and our wonderful DJ kept us all dancing into the night. Everything was perfect, and we are so fortunate to have had such an amazing team of vendors working on our wedding!

Event Design & Planning: Beth Helmstetter Events / Wedding Stationery & Calligraphy: Laura Hooper Calligraphy / Photography: Steve Steinhardt / Cinematography: Aqua Vivus / Linens: La Tavola Linen / Catering: The Food Matters / Cake: Susiecakes / Florist: Holly Flora / Rentals: Town & Country Rentals / Venue: Saddlerock Ranch, Malibu, California / Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew

We want to take a moment to fill you in on an AMAZING fundraiser organized by Marcus Bell, an extremely talented photographer from Brisbane with a big heart. As many of you may have heard, there was devastating flooding in Australia throughout late December and January and as a result, many lost their lives and many more lost their homes. In an effort to help, Marcus Bell is raising money for the flood victims through the sale of ten of his fine art images. All proceeds will go to the Queensland Government Relief Fund.

The “Artist Proof” prints are all original award winning photographic work.  Each 24 inch print is printed to the highest quality 300GSM archival cotton paper. The prints are $950 (plus postage and are unframed). Many of these prints represents a saving of between 50 to 75% off the normal edition print price. In addition, 20% of ALL Marcus Bell Photographer Resources Products sold during January and February will also be donated to the fund.

Our hearts go out to all effected by this disaster and in an effort to help, Style me Pretty is donating $1000 to the Disaster relief fund. For more information in relation to the floods and how you can help please visit the Marcus Bell Blog where you will find links to both the Fine Art Gallery and the Resources site. You can also donate directly to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Disaster Relief Fund here.

It’s official – this couple is too cool for school.  The high school sweethearts are probably also too cool to refer to things as being “too cool for school”, but that’s neither here nor there.  Their photographer, Amy of Betwix Studio, could not have been a better fit for their fabulous personalities, and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is just a drop dead perfect venue for this duo. I have serious envy for this couple’s coolness, and you can join me in admiring them in the full gallery.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From Amy of Betwixt Studio…Andrea and Paul’s wedding was held in the quaint beachside city of La Jolla, California at The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego overlooking the La Jolla Coves. The bride & groom were married on their 9 year anniversary! These high school sweethearts planned a day that blended both their loves; art and the ocean. As a graphic design artist, Andrea set the tone of the wedding from the handmade invites and vintage postcard save the dates right down to the wedding florals & diy Scrabble cake topper! Paul started the day with a morning surf session with his groomsmen and they all kept it cool throughout the ceremony in black Vans classics and various teal blue-pattern skinny ties and suspenders. Andrea’s bridesmaids choose various black J.Crew dresses and had matching black beads & chain necklaces tied with silk teal ribbon. The bride wore an Amsale gown from the Spring 2010 Collection, adorned with a custom vintage pearl belt.

The guests were transported to the ceremony in an Old Town Trolley where they arrived to Paul’s friends band, Science Fiction, playing their soothing jazz & contemporary music. The aisles were adorned with burlap runners, black wooden boxes of potted succulents and yellow billy balls and staggered vases of candles & dried black beans. Cocktail hour immediately followed the ceremony where a cigar bar enticed the men!

The reception was held inside the Museum in the Axline Court, where an amazing clerestory lantern lit up the ceiling with strips of light while bringing in the natural moonlight from the open spaces. The guests enjoyed a dessert bar filled with cupcakes in 4 flavors, “presidential pralines” (yes, the actual ones given during the Clinton Administration thanks to Sweet Cheeks Baker, Donna who was their pastry chef!),  See’s chocolates, coconut macaroons and of course for the bride’s family, a plethora of Italian cookies. Everyone danced the night away after a delicious meal and the evening ended with some fun sparklers right outside the Museum’s entrance!

Photography: Betwixt Studio / Cinematography: FortyOneTwenty / Flowers: DIY, Wholesale Flowers and Supplies / Coordination: Jennifer Robinson / Ceremony  & Reception Location: Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego / Invitations: DIY / Dress: Amsale Cecile / Bridesmaids Dresses: J Crew / Grooms Tux: Express / Decor: Concepts Event Design and Platinum Party Rentals / DJ and Band: Science Fiction / Hair: Gretchen Phillips / Makeup: Chandra Campos / Desserts: Sweet Cheeks Baking co, The Sugar’d Flour, Cafe Zucherro

We are pretty positive that Crate & Barrel is already at the top of your list for registry hot spots but if you needed one more amazing reason to set up your registry with them, it would be this: Crate & Barrel’s perfect in every way Wedding Party Events. The fun starts in February with four events scheduled and they just might be headed to a store near you.

We happen to think Crate & Barrel’s Wedding Parties are the perfect way to introduce all of you newbies to the world of wedding registries. And believe us, it is a BIG, wide world of choices out there. So why not make the registery process as easy (and fun) as possible? At each Wedding Party, you and your fiance will get the whole store to yourselves for two hours! Plus the design and registry experts are on hand to answer any and all of your questions so creating your dream registry will be easy breezy. Meet other engaged couples, celebrate with yummy food and drinks and scan to your heart’s content. Head over to Crate & Barrel to RSVP today. Food and drink, expert advice and fun, fun, fun…now that’s our kind of party.

Erin and Michael’s fall wedding in Savannah is nothing short of awesome! And we are not using that term loosely. The shoes ~ of course. Her gown ~ definitely. But pretty much everything … so sophisticated yet intimate. The absolute perfect blend. From the always delightful Allison Reisz Photography ~ enjoy!

See the whole gallery here!

11.14.10

Erin and Michael came all the way from Seattle, Washington to wed in Savannah, Georgia! They wanted an intimate wedding with their closest friends and family.  The ceremony was held outdoors in an historic Jones Street house, where high brick walls, ivy, twinkle lights and fountains lined the courtyard. Guests were seated in white wooden chairs accented with blue ribbons and peacock feathers.

The bridal party carried beautiful natural flower arrangements done by Kiwi Fleur. The floral bouquets and arrangements were decorated with large peacock feathers that matched the feathers tied around each bridesmaid dress. The groomsmen wore handmade kippah’s on their heads that were embroidered with Erin and Michael’s names. Close family and friends set up a huppa for the couple to get married under and recite devotional vows during an authentic Jewish ceremony.

After the ceremony, guests made their way into the house for a champagne toast. As the sun set, everyone made their way on foot through Savannah’s historic squares down to The Marshall House’s, 45 Bistro where they enjoyed a formal dinner.  To end the night, Erin, Michael and guests partied the night away in the Marshall House’s Law Room. Everything from the Hora to the traditional Chair Dance was done in celebration of the new married couple!  -Allison Reisz

And from the beautiful bride …
Most of the decorations at the wedding were made by family and friends and us. The bridesmaids, my mom and I, made centerpieces, ceremony arrangements, and decorated the courtyard with lights and ribbons. KIWI FLEUR did a beautiful job on our bouquets as well as all the boutonnieres and wristlets. The bridesmaid’s dresses were 40$ from J Crew. My Nicole Miller dress was a steal at 300$ off ebay. My Poisedons by Christian LouBoutin, however, were not a steal…

The ceremony was located at a rental house on Jones Street. It was a beautiful house built in the early 1900’s. Guests were seated in the courtyard as the procession made its way to the chuppa next to the fountain. The chuppa was sewn by my aunt. After the ceremony, we held a prosecco toast upstairs. From there, most of us walked about a half-mile (champagne flutes still in hand, thanks to the liberal liquor laws of Savannah) through historic squares to the reception at the 45 Bistro. Since my husband and I are both statistics nerds, the tables were denoted by statistical distributions that I designed and printed and held up with binder clips. It was a perfect day and night!

More of this gorgeous couple on Allison’s blog ~ Erin & Michael’s Wedding and The Day After!

Photography: Allison Reisz Photography, Flowers: Kiwi Fleur, Ceremony Location: Garden Courtyard Reception Location: Marshall House and 45 Bistro, Shoes: Christian Louboutin, Dress: Nicole Miller

Let’s be honest, as much as we would like our groom to be involved, more often than not he doesn’t give a hoot about the wedding design (huge props to all those grooms out there that do!).  So when I come across a wedding where each partner contributed things they loved into the decor my heart does a little happy jig.  This Wisconsin wedding by Kate Botwinski Photography is a his and hers guide to planning a wedding together.  For more from this wine-loving, plaid-loving duo check out the full gallery!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

Ross and Lindsay were married on Labor Day weekend in a park just outside of Madison, Wisconsin.  Surrounded by willow trees and a lake, they chose a flirty color pallet of brown, coral and turquoise for their wedding day.  The theme of the reception was inspired by Lindsay’s family’s favorite past-time: bonding over a bottle of wine.  Saving up enough wine bottles for Ross and Lindsay’s centerpieces turned out to be a family affair as well.  In the bride’s words, “The girls in my family are all winos so I knew I wanted to have a wine-themed wedding.  My mom and sister designed the centerpieces and my family collaborated by saving up empty wine bottles.  Since my mom already collects unique wine labels, we were inspired to use the labels as table names.”  Continuing with the wine theme, Lindsay’s mom also created the card holder.  She picked up an empty wine barrel, painted it, added grape vines, and stenciled the couple’s last name.

Although the reception was initially themed with Lindsay’s ideas in mind, Ross thought up the popular guests favors: wedding can coozies.  Together, they designed the favors which read, “To have and to hold and to keep your beer cold” on one side, and their wedding date on the other.  As much as Lindsay loves wine, Ross obsesses over plaid.  His love for plaid was the inspiration for the wedding cake design.

Wedding Photography: Kate Botwinski Photography / Flowers: Flowers by Maria / Ceremony Venue: Riverside Park / Reception Venue:  Windwood of Watertown / Event Design: Bride’s mom / Programs: designed and printed by Ross’ mom / Shoes: Unisa brand from Macy’s / Dress: Lynn Lugo from the Premiere Couture Madison trunk show / Bridesmaid Necklaces: Francesca’s Collections / Guest Favors: Can Coozies printed from Get Imprint / Cake: Aggie’s Specialty Cakes / Linens: General Rental

Backyard weddings just have a special little place in my heart. They are darling and oh so personal. This couple chose the picturesque Windmill Winery to serve as their “backyard”, and lucky for them, Angelina of Angelina Rose Photography was there to capture all the little details that make backyard weddings so fabulous (including those adorable bird house favors!).  There of course is more darling to see, so be sure to check out the full gallery.

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From Angela of Angela Rose Photography…When I first met with Sarah, she described her ideal wedding to me as romantic, rustic, and whimsy with the feeling of a backyard DIY wedding.Originally having plans to wed in Savannah, GA, Sarah realized that her budget for the wedding just wouldn’t allow for a destination wedding so she and her husband, Richard, decided it would be best to stay in Arizona and have immediate family and friends fly in to attend the ceremony and reception. Sarah and RJ could not have picked a more beautiful location than the Windmill Winery in Florence, AZ to host their ceremony and reception. Keeping with their backyard details, they chose a spot within the winery that had never been previously used to exchange vows.

A lot of the details that went into their day were items already on the farm: reused and recycled. Being on a budget and having an obsession with DIY projects, Sarah and the in-house designer at Windmill Winery, Jenny Williams, collaborated on bringing in the finishing touches. Mason jar luminaries lined the walkways and were used as part of the bird candelabra centerpieces. Small, wooden birdhouse favors personally painted by the bride were part of each table setting as well as hand-crafted burlap table runners. Hay bales with colorful, old towels surrounded the bonfire for smores instead of doing a cake cutting. With the rustic colors of the barn, old charm of the winery, hand-crafted accessories, and down-to-earth, laid back ambiance, Sarah and RJ had the perfect backyard wedding. Exactly how they had envisioned it.

Photographer: Angelina Rose Photography / Second Photographer: Larry Reeves / Event Design, Florals & Planning: Jenny Williams of Windmill Winery / Ceremony & Reception Location: Windmill Winery / Menus: Bride / Dress: DHgate.com / Music: Ramzy Saba / Caterer: AZ Inspirations Catering

So lovely. That is really the best way to wrap up this, well…lovely, affair by Sea Studio Photography. The gorgeous waterside Washington backdrop and the traditional, yet personal, vibe make for absolutely stunning images that make my heart flutter a bit. And we all know there is nothing better than a little heart fluttering, so be sure to check out the lovely full gallery of images for even more.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

The last thing I expected during a September trip to Victoria B.C. for Brandon’s birthday was for him to pop the big question! The true romantic and planner that he is couldn’t have made it any more perfect – on a bridge at sunset, on his birthday.  His proposal set the tone for our wedding the following August. We wanted an outdoor waterside venue where we could fill the space with personalized touches and where our guests could have a fantastic time. Brandon found a venue before he proposed that he thought we both might like. On our first visit to The Inn at Port Ludlow we fell in love with it.  Located about an hour outside of Seattle by ferry, the Inn sits on the water and has views of both mountain ranges. In addition, the staff was fantastic and was more than happy to help us achieve our dream wedding.

Our wedding weekend began with golf for the guys and an outdoor catered BBQ under a tent for our guests who had come from all over the globe (Alaska, Washington, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Canada, and Spain). The night was filled with lots of laughter, stories, smores, banana boats (secret family recipe), food, and drinks.The next day we were treated to clear skies – a pleasant surprise since it had rained the day before.  After a full day of getting ready and lots of photos on the golf course it was time to head back for the ceremony. I remember taking a moment before walking down the isle with my dad to look around at the reception tent and setting. It was beyond gorgeous. Every detail was perfect from the chandelier and table numbers to the lavender hydrangea centerpieces surrounded by candlelight and candy buffet. To me it screamed romantic. It was everything Brandon and I wanted.

The setting was beautiful but we decided to add special personalized touches to make it more us. Personalized water bottled and wine were placed in guest’s rooms. Wood signs from Etsy with Mr. and Mrs. on one side and thank and you on the other were used for our thank you cards and placed on our seats at our table for two. Our wonderful photographers created a guest book for us with our engagement photos and I added ‘B’ and ‘K’ mugs with flowers and silver letters from Anthropologie to the guest book table. Inspired by our photographers we added more initial mugs with flowers to our candy buffet that spelled out SWEETS. Our candy buffet had every purple candy I could find and was put together by our wedding planner. My mom also created kits for kids to keep them entertained with silly bands, slinkys and coloring supplies. I added my Boppa’s Bronze Star to my bouquet to make sure he was there with us that day and carried a handkerchief with my initials during the ceremony. My maids gifts were initial necklaces with a lavender bead from Etsy. I also added a lavender sash to my dress to match Brandon’s tie. It was very important to us to include family and friends in our ceremony and therefore we asked a close friend to marry us and my cousin to recite I Carry Your Heart With Me by E.E. Cummings. The ceremony was very memorable – we laughed, we cried and passing boats honked in celebration.

After the ceremony the string trio continued to play throughout the cocktail hour where drinks and appetizers were served. Guests were then escorted into the tent for dinner and dancing. The evening ended with an exit through sparklers and an after hours indoor dance party, featuring my husband’s famous dancing! Our wedding was far better than either of us could have imagined. We can’t thank our amazing guests and vendors enough for helping to make our special day an experience we’ll never forget.

This wedding is full of so many things..it’s full of personality, full of bright color, full of sunny Malibu skies and full of perfect moments captured by Rob Greer Photography. All of it speaks true to the bride and groom who wanted to have a day that reflected their fun-loving personalities and with the help of Events by Heather Ham, we think they pulled it off beautifully. See more of the fun in the gallery.

see the FULL wedding here!

My now-husband Chris and I met in 2005 when we both worked at Yahoo! Wary of the potential pitfalls of dating a co-worker, we took several months getting to know each other before we officially began dating. But with our mutual passions for karaoke, 1980s British New Wave music, and classic Sci-Fi and indie movies (yes, we’re both geeks) — it was difficult to resist such a match. Shortly after we got engaged in 2009 in Big Sur, we were went on CNN for a segment on romance in the workplace. We even gave some tips for people thinking about getting involved with a coworker.

I had waited such a long time to get married (I’m 36!) , and I wanted to do it in a way that was incredibly personalized and allowed Chris and me to express our creativity and passion for movies and music along with our own whimsical and offbeat sense of style. We took our inspiration from movie theater nostalgia and old Hollywood glamour. And it all came together! The very first detail we focused on was site location. Though neither of us is a California native by birth, we have both come to love and treasure the natural beauty of coastal Southern California which we now call our home. We knew we wanted to get married at a venue with a beautiful outdoor space, and we were also hoping that the venue would have a view of the ocean. Many of our relatives are from the East Coast and Midwest, and some had not visited Southern California very much or at all. We wanted our ceremony and reception to incorporate the elements of Southern California that had won our hearts and that we find so appealing in our every day life here. After visiting eight venues, we fell in love with Stone Manor in Malibu, California. This private home is set up in the hills and has a sweeping, terraced backyard with an inspiring view of the Pacific Ocean.

Photography: Rob Greer / Cinematography: Matt Odom of Rock and Roll Hearts / Ceremony Location: Stone Manor, Malibu, CA / Cupcake Tower: Vanilla Bake Shop / Vintage Brooch Bouquet: Created by the bride from her grandmother’s vintage jewelry / Flowers: Century City Flower Market / Bride’s Dress: Nicole Miller, Altered to add blue tulle and change to fishtail shape by Marie Nelson at West Coast Couture / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bride’s Feather Wrap: Lena Kanter on Etsy / Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren Black Label from Barneys New York / Rings: Gaspar Fine Jewelers / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew, Alfred Sung for Dessy, and others / Make-up and hair: Pomp Salon / Catering: Truly Yours Catering / Event Planning: Events by Heather Ham / Officiant: Dr. Kimber Lee Wilkes / DJ: Keith Divel / String Quartet: Riviera String Quartet / Personalized Parasols: Pamela’s Parasols and KMattso2 on Etsy / Bride and Groom Guitar Picks: Sierra Metal Design on Etsy / Classic Cadillac Rental: Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car

For all the brides on a budget out there, here is a wedding that is just as budget friendly as it is beautiful. Full of fun DIY projects, contributions from friends and family, and a Modern Trousseau dress the bride found at a consignment shop (someone needs to tell me just where that consignment shop is!) – this wedding just goes to show just how far a little creativity will go. Not to mention the bride’s talented friend, Rebecca of Hales Studio, gave the bride the gift of timeless images – all of which you can see in the full gallery.

click here for more adorable DIY images!

From Rebecca of Hales Studio…Angela and I went to College together so when I heard she was engaged I couldn’t resist offering to photograph her wedding. It was a great day and so lovely to be a part of such a special day in a friends life. Angela and Chris’ Baltimore wedding was filled with do it yourself ideas. Angela wasn’t going to spend a lot of money on her dress but couldn’t refuse the Modern Trousseau dress she found in a consignment shop! It needed no alterations as if it was made for her.

Every detail was done on a budget right down to her flowers. Angela had a friend do all the flowers for her wedding. All the succulents were from her Maid of Honors garden in California and the grooms parents garden! They were carefully dug up, packed and shipped to Baltimore. They were put into beautiful center pieces which Angela found all the glassware at Thrift Stores. The delicious sangria was made by her maid of honor and brought in for the reception! Even their cake was something special. The baker donates all her profits to a DC nonprofit that fights human trafficking! This wedding was so lovely and just proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a gorgeous wedding.

Dress: Modern Trousseau / Bridesmaids Dresses: J. Crew / Photography: Hales Studio / Cake: Olivia Doherty, ojdoherty@gmail.com / DJ: Karl with C & J Entertainment / Venue: Overhills Mansion, catered and owned by Whitehouse Caterers / Flowers: Designed by Christine Sohns, chrissysohns@yahoo.com purchased from Potomac Floral / Officiant: Rev. Laura Cannon / Wedding Coordinator: Kristina Lynn Wedding and Events / B&B: Wayside Inn

We often comment on the bride’s  beauty and style, and this bride is by no means an exception (hello! wellies!), but I am quite smitten with the attire of the groom.  I love his quirky Paul Smith shirt and tie and the whole ensemble perfectly compliments this colorful and unique wedding by 4Eyes Photography.  They also have a goosebump-inducing story that will warm your heart.  Go check out the full gallery for even more inspiration!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

Heather and I were originally planning to marry in Oaxaca the summer of 2011. A place that is near to my heart. However, everything changed very suddenly when my dad who had been fighting cancer for ten years, began developing complications from 5 surgeries and too many doses of chemo therapy. His body was starting fail. He was only 64.

Heather and then scrambled to change our wedding date to ASAP 2010. We both loved my father and could not… would not get married without having him there. We had no idea where to look or how we would even accomplish the task given it was already February of 2010 and our proclivity towards the unconventional. We are not traditional in anyway but we are also not untraditional. A weird mix, I know.

Blue Hill at Stone Barns is heather and my favorite restaurant, so it was natural that I would take her there for Valentine’s Day. It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway, we had an amazing meal and an amazingly romantic valentine’s day complete with a take away gift from blue hill of milk jam and mini panettone in a sweet little valentine’s box.

As we walked out to the car past the warm bar and through the open court yard, we said to each other at the almost the same time, we should have our wedding here. Our hearts leapt and flipped with excitement. Our search was over and it was setting that so naturally us.

I could not have asked for a more beautiful wedding or a more beautiful bride. It was truly imperfect and beautiful and I believe everyone there was as touched by the warming atmosphere of openness and love as we were. The only thing that would have made it better was if my dad could have been there- though, I think he might have been. A red-tailed hawk appeared in a tree above us as soon as we began sharing our vows and sat there for the entire ceremony. Blue hill was a buzz at its appearance.

Photography: 4Eyes Photography / Wedding Venue: Blue Hill at Stone Barns / Flowers: Sandra Clothier / Wedding Dress: Angel Sanchez / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Groom’s attire: Paul Smith / Make up: Kim Do / Hair: Stacy Pitt / Music: Coletcho featuring Elenora Bientini