I’m not going to lie, one of the very first things that drew me whole heartedly to this Boca Raton wedding is the sun, the beach, the bright shiny happy couple. O.K. that is clearly more than one thing but as Boston is getting hit with snow and cold, chilly weather, this little pocket of sunshine is just what the doctor ordered and the pretty pictures from Captured Photography by Jenny? Beyond. See the rest of this Florida soiree in the gallery.

see the FULL wedding here!

We live in D.C., which is a beautiful place to get married, but we wanted a beach spot to where we could have a setting that would be beautiful but also relaxing for our guests as well as us. My aunt and uncle live in Boca and I grew up visiting them there. When we took a trip there in February we absolutely loved the location for the outdoor ceremony and the feel of the whole resort. We wanted our wedding to mix the fun vibe of the beach and have some more elegant attributes as well. It ended up being a “beach elegant” wedding and we loved it. As we planned the wedding we tried to set the tone throughout all the elements – we had a beach ball save the date and waves on our invitation. We also put frisbees in the welcome bags. We started the day with the groom and his wedding party playing golf. The bride and about 25+ guests went to the beach. It was a great and fun way to start a wonderful celebration. After the beach the girls got ready on the beach side of the resort and the boys got ready on the resort side. The boys took the resort boat over the intracoastal waterway which made for great pictures.

The wedding took place outside on a palm tree lined courtyard with a pool and beach as the backdrop. As we listened to the reading and said our vows you could hear the ocean waves on the beach. It was glorious. Because I grew up in a family where my dad worked for Coca-Cola (for 30 years!), I thought it would be nice to have a Coca-Cola station with old-fashioned glass bottles. They were a hit! We put them by the photo booth so people could have a “Coke and a smile”. To help get people on the dance floor we included the opportunity to request a song on our RSVP card. We got some great requests and dancing occurred before, during and after dinner. Our guests really enjoyed themselves, which really added made us so happy (on top of the fact that we got married). We had a wonderful wedding and are so glad we were blessed by having so many friends and family members travel to Florida and celebrate with us.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Boca Beach Club / Photographer: Captured Photography by Jenny / Florist: Boca By Design / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Suits: R. Coffee Ltd. in Lynchburg, VA / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Wedding Coordinator: Erin Lynn Events / Photobooth: Photobooth Social / Band: Soul Survivors

If you needed a few more DIY projects to add to your to-do list than you have come to the right place!  This craftilicious bride and her family created some magical elements for her lovable, rustic wedding from the two hundred jars of raspberry jam favors to the darling clay lovebirds around the reception.  Fuchsia and orange add a little zing to this simple and sweet affair captured by Ifong Chen Photography.  Check out the full gallery for even more inspiration!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

Planning our wedding was the most memorable and exciting time together. As a true case of opposites attract (me: type A, Andrew: type B), we knew we would both bring a different element to the mix. While I was all over the details, Andrew helped me keep the big picture in mind and together we created a day that will forever be in our hearts.  We wanted a wedding that was rustic, simple and chic. We chose a raspberry, coral orange and khaki palette with lovebird accents to create this feeling.  We played up the rustic theme with twine, lanterns, mason jars and burlap. The lovebirds were used in the stationery, cake toppers, a bird cage for cards and my aunt made clay lovebirds to place around the reception.

Many of my friends advised me not to do favors because they are often left behind, but when I saw the idea for homemade jam on Style Me Pretty I just had to do it. My mother-in-law and I spent a day up at the family river cabin making over 200 jars of raspberry jam. Andrew’s grandfather was there when we were making it and suggested we change the message on the jars to “Thank you for jam’n with us”. We immediately had the message changed and he was very touched when he saw that we used his idea at the wedding. Overall, the jam couldn’t have been a bigger hit and we only had about 15 left over!

My mother-in-law, sister and friends also helped me with many other DIY projects such as our table runners, ring pillow, a quilt that guests would leave messages on and earrings for the bridesmaids. I truly enjoyed spending time with them on these projects and loved all the personal touches that came about.  My favorite part of the day had to be the ceremony. Every moment from walking down the aisle with my dad to the kiss was magical and full of emotion. We chose to say traditional vows as well as writing our own and we are so happy with that decision. By sharing our vows out loud, everyone was able to hear exactly how we felt on that special day.

Wedding Photography: Ifong Chen Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: Beacon Hill Events / Hair: Brock Matthews / Dress: Mori Lee / Flowers: Amy Page for Bloom Floral Design / Make-up: The Make-Up Studio / Music: DJ Ramsin Music / Cake: Just American Desserts / Pies: White Box Pies

The next wedding is a little ray of sunshine during these cold, winter months.  I adore the birds and twigs throughout the decor representing the two family trees joining together.  Scrumptious pops of lemony yellow hues and sweet little touches, like the embroidered tablecloths, warm up this remarkable, rustic Vermont barn.  There is more from Orchard Cove Photography in the full gallery!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

James and I grew-up in rural areas- Pennsylvania and New Hampshire respectively- so we really wanted to have that remote getaway feeling at our wedding. Initially we looked into vineyards, but ultimately fell in love with the idea of getting married on a farm in Vermont. The appeal of The Round Barn Farm for us was the feeling that it was our family farm and we could have most of our family stay with us throughout the wedding weekend. Also, the farm is not only beautiful, but produces and serves only local, sustainable, organic foods- yum.

Because our wedding weekend was focused on family I wanted our decor to be symbolic of that so we chose to go with a theme of birds and trees. Trees and twigs represented our family tree and our love of nature and the birds when in a set of two were symbolic of James and I joining two families together. Also, we went with a modern color scheme of grey and yellow, which against the country farm setting was a nice contrast that represents our personality. We wanted to keep things focused on nature and simplicity, after all we were getting married on a Vermont farm, but at the same time have an air of sophistication. I was able to throw in some vintage touches as well, which I love- my birdcage veil, an actual vintage birdcage, the bridesmaid’s dresses in an A-line silhouette, and two old metal milking jugs (we got married on an old dairy farm) filled with sticks and flowers that flanked us at the ceremony.  James and I really did our own thing. We have many families and many who love us so we did want to honor them in small touches. Our one living grandparent, my Meme, walked down the aisle first, I carried my other grandmother’s handkerchief, and we played some Irish and French songs in celebration of our heritage.

I loved the intimate moments that we experienced in the first look, just after the ceremony, and even during our first dance- just looking at the man I love and know that today was our day, it was lovely and surreal. We really enjoyed hearing the loving thoughts and memories in toasts from our family and friends. And throughout the day it was wonderful just seeing everyone have a really good time- it meant we succeeded in planning a fun and memorable wedding for our guests.  My most vivid memory of the day is the exchange of our vows. We wrote them together and it really reflected us. James chose to read them from note paper (he knew it would be difficult to remember up there), but I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I lost my memory of the vows and could barely choke out the words. I had no idea that I would get so emotional, but I’m very happy I just let it happen, it felt natural and happy. I loved our ceremony.

Wedding Photography: Orchard Cove Photography / Wedding Venue: Round Barn Farm / Florist: The Blue Toad Flower Shop / Band:  The Goodtime Stringband/ Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Anthropologie / Hair: Leave it to Laurie / Cupcakes: My Little Cupcake / Favors: Jed’s Maple Products

OK, there are some weddings where I just instantly want to be friends with the bride, and this is definitely one of them. Actually, I kind of wish I was her maid of honor because she just seemed so relaxed during the planning process – I mean, she picked out her stunning dress during a thirty minute lunch break! That is remarkable! She also just happens to be one of the design mavens at Branch Out Floral & Event Design, and can you even believe she managed to create her own magnificent floral design the week of her very own wedding?! She is like a wedding super hero in my book, and you’ll want to see all the beautiful images of her and her darling husband by Kim Lind Photography in the gallery.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

Although my husband and I live in San Francisco, California we held our wedding in the Oakland hills.  Our event was held at the Sequoia Lodge; a rustic woodsy venue owned and operated by Oakland’s Department of Parks and Recreation.  As soon as I completed a walk through of the venue I knew it would be the perfect spot. Not only was it both intimate and casual but I’m working on my second teaching credential in Special Education and the Sequoia Lodge moonlights as a nursery school during the week!

The ceremony was meaningful, short and sweet.  As we didn’t have any specific familial or religious traditions to which we needed to adhere, we borrowed liberally from other cultural and religious wedding customs.  The ceremony was about celebrating the new family that we were creating while acknowledging the two families that we come from.  With that in mind, I walked down the aisle to Horace Silver’s “Song for my Father”, a jazz tune that my late father enjoyed.  Our wedding party consisted of our siblings – with John’s twin brother and two sisters standing on the “groom’s side” and my own two sisters standing on the “bride’s side”.   We incorporated a Hawaiian lei exchange with each other’s families.  I accepted a lei from his mother and John accepted a lei from my mother as a representation of the families welcoming a new member into their lives, homes, and hearts.  In Catholic weddings a lasso is often placed around the couple so we created our own lasso by tying the two leis together and then recited our vows bound to one another. The multiple bangles I wore that day pulled from an Indian tradition that ensures good luck on your wedding day – one was actually a gift from my father to my mother.  Following with African American tradition we jumped a broom that my husband crafted for the day. The ceremony was performed by a friend and was completley non-denominational but exceptionally meaningful for us, our family, and friends.

The look and the feel I attempted to create for the day was simple, natural, and relaxed.  Everything from the dress, that I found and bought off the rack on a thirty minute lunch break, to the cake, the meal, and the rings tried to follow that aesthetic.  I work in the wedding industry as a florist and have the luxury of seeing so many amazing big budget weddings.  While they are beautiful they were definitely not a reality with our budget so we worked with what we had to create a party that we thought our friends and family would enjoy.

My favorite element of the wedding was easily the floral designs.  I did them myself the week of the wedding with help from my good friend (and boss) Leighsa Montrose of Branch Out Floral and Event Design!  The color palette was shades of green in a nod to my late father whose favorite color was green (it just happens to be mine and John’s too!), orange and plum.  Two friends let me pillage their yards for the beautiful succulents used in the wedding – and many are now happily repurposed in some of our guests gardens. My advice to other brides is to breathe, smile, and look at the big picture.  No one will remember a dent in the side of your cake or a stain on the bottom of you dress.  They WILL remember the joy and spirit of the day and the love you shared with them and each other.

Dress: Carmen Marc Valvo / Photography: Kim Lind Photography / Venue: Sequoia Lodge, Oakland / Flowers: Asija Chappel Wuorenmaa (bride) and Leighsa Montrose of Branch Out Floral &  Event Design / Cake: Dianda’s Bakery (flowers by Branch Out) / Catering: Asqew Grill, San Francisco / Fixtures: Hartmann Rentals, Richmond / Linens: AGS, South San Francisco

Traditional, elegant, romantic – you really can’t go wrong when those are the words that describe your wedding, and they fit this fete to a tee. With gorgeous nods to the bride’s Chinese heritage such as a tea bar for their guests and menus printed in both Chinese and English, the affair was just as personal as it was pretty – and believe you me, Moira Events made sure it was pretty! For all the perfectly pretty images from Vallentyne Photography be sure to visit the gallery.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From the lovely Jessica, of Moira Events…Heather and Chris were a great couple to work with!  We had very similar taste, which made planning from afar easier for Heather.  Heather first came to us close to the beginning of their planning process and knew what she wanted – traditional, San Diego, intimate, romantic, to die for food, and even more amazing wine (Chris, the groom, is a sommelier and is very into his wines!).  She knew wanted some help day of, but didn’t know if she wanted more. Fast forward a couple months.  I get an email from Heather along the lines of, “ummmm, yeah, I lied.  I need more help!”  She wanted someone to come in and organize all the design aspects of things, someone who knew the venue, her style, them as a couple, and really help them tie all the lose ends together and make a cohesive event with some special details.  Insert Moira Events here. I’ll be honest here.  This wedding was one of the easiest for me.  Not that their 5 course meal was easy.  Or their different wine pairings with every course.  Not that their letterpress was easy.  It was easy for me because if I were to redo my own wedding, this is how I would want it to look.  They had chosen the same venue my hubby and I got married at two and a half years ago, so it was a natural fit for me.

Heather knew she wanted letterpress invitations.  Period.  We worked with them on their amazing letterpress design and then brought on Tim from Quality Letterpress to achieve these gorgeous velum wrapped invitations with their stunning custom envelope liners and calligraphy envelopes.  To match, we also did four layer ceremony programs, place cards, custom petal cones, table numbers, and menus on 220lb paper (amazing!) in both English and Chinese. One of my favorite details from their wedding was their coffee and tea bar.  We visited Teavana and purchased loose leaf tea in traditional Chinese tradition in colors and flavors to compliment their wedding.  We then hand wrapped them in cheese cloth and tied in pink thread and built a tea bar for their guests to enjoy.

Other details include their gorgeous centerpieces in lovely silver urns surrounded with tons of candles and little mercury glass vases and votives.  Rather than opting for traditional wedding cake, we ordered cake from Extraordinary Desserts.  They were displayed on a bookshelf and surrounded by crystal candles sticks topped with glittered candles.  The entire cake area was surrounded by a multitude of hanging glass lanterns with candles that lit up beautifully as the evening got darker.   Their evening was traditional, intimate, elegant and romantic.  Everything I love in a wedding!

Event design & coordination: Moira Events & Design / Invitations & Paper products: Moira Events & Design / Letterpress: Quality Letterpress / Calligraphy: Jessica from Moira Events / Catering: Coast Catering / Venue: Darlington House / Flowers: Modern Bouquet / Cake: Extraordinary Desserts / Photography: Heather Moreau and David Manning for Vallentyne Photography

This next little wedding is cool as a cucumber. Which is a saying that I totally don’t get by the way. But it’s the first thing I thought when I laid eyes on this adorable affair photographed by Hawes Photography. It’s this really laid back, really pretty, really unfussy wedding that you just KNOW was a total blast. And the imagery? Ummm….beyond. Click here to see even more goodness.

And the video, crafted by Bucking Horse 8.16…pure gorgeousness.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

Alison and Phill embody the vintage, cool, retro-ness that is all the rage with weddings. Their style really came out in Alison’s slim dress and Phil’s rock star suit (he is in a band so it’s fitting). The drool worthy details seemed effortless and included local, seasonal wild flowers for the bouquet and centerpieces, rounds of wood topped with cakes and pies that ringed the wedding cake and a vintage car complete with tin can tails that whisked the couple away from the reception.

Photography: Hawes Photography / Reception Location: Missouri Botanical Gardens / Florist: Wildflowers / Caterer: Catering St. Louis / Cake: Sugaree Baking / Video Bucking Horse 8.16 / Dress: Nicole Miller

It is about that time… time to grab a huge cup of steaming hot coffee and time to delve into a day full of weddings. Great combo, right? We are going to bring you a little preview of seven gorgeous features and you can devour each wedding in its entirety simply by clicking on the gallery.

Lets get started with an adorable couple and their hand-crafted wedding that was built around their love of books. Now that is a theme that we can get behind. With photography by The Studio B and perfect planning and florals by Lovelee Affairs, checking out the FULL gallery is an absolute must.

you can find more of this literature themed wedding in the gallery!

Paulyna and Noel are the kind of people whose love for each other is so gentle and tender it just melts you. Animal lovers with unique taste, their wedding was a reflection of their favorite things: each other, books, and their pet cats. When exchanging gifts before the wedding Noel gave Paulyna a comic book that he’d drawn which featured each of their cats and their funny antics. Paulyna gave Noel a pocket watch he’d been eyeing at their favorite antique store for ages. Their wedding budget led Paulyna to get creative while planning and seek out some alternative sources to get exactly what she wanted. For example, her beautiful dress was a Craiglist find which fit her perfectly from the moment it arrived. No alterations necessary! The bride’s cheerful purple shoes were also found on Craigslist and added a fun pop of color underneath her dress. All of her accessories were handmade either by her or her mother, from her jewelry to her hairpiece, proving that they are quite the talented pair! The wedding was based around the theme of vintage literature, and all of the details were lovingly handcrafted by Paulyna. Her planner did a wonderful job executing the bride’s vision and the highlight of the decor was the baby’s breath centerpieces resting on antique books.

Paulyna and Noel cast tradition aside and walked down the aisle together at the start of their ceremony. Before their hand written vows, friends shared romantic readings from classic novels describing the power of love. The bride and groom had a special part of the ceremony where they each poured soil from into a potted plant to symbolize their unity and the future growth of their marriage. Following the ceremony everyone made their way to the reception room where they were treated to cozy family style dining featuring delicious Italian food. Escort cards were hung from twine by clothespins and doubled as name tags to make socializing a breeze. The groom designed the table numbers which featured cartoon versions of their cats as characters in classic books. Upon reaching their tables, friends and family were delighted to find their names spelled out in Scrabble letters directing them to their seat. There was also a “love letters” station for guests to write their well wishes to Paulyna and Noel on an old typewriter.

Photography: The Studio B Photography / Planner: Lovelee Affairs / Flowers: Lovelee Affairs / Ceremony and Reception Venue and Catering: Maggiano’s of Buckhead / Officiant: Reverend Deanna Lancaster / Cupcakes: Atlanta Cupcake Factory / Ring Bearer Bowl: Paloma’s Nest / Dress: Casablanca style 1816 / Shoes: Craigslist / Cake Topper: Antique bottle openers painted and modified by bride / Jewelry: Made by bride’s mother / Hairpiece: Made by the bride

What afternoon would be complete without a total fairy tale shot by the fabulous Corbin Gurkin? These Antigua nuptials are the definition of dream wedding where 17th century ruins played backdrop and the coolest Guatemalan traditions were lovingly woven into this destination affair. Talk about one heck of a gorgeous city. See all the dreamy details in the gallery.

see the rest of this destination beauty here!

James and I love to travel. He proposed to me in Eze, a little medieval village on the French Rivera. So we knew we wanted a destination wedding. We were also working with a limited budget and although we wanted a small intimate group, we still wanted the location to be close enough that flight times or costs would not inhibit our guests. We also wanted it to be a place that would be a real change, an adventure to a place our friends and family might not otherwise venture. Our search first began with Mexico but the places were either too expensive or americanized. Then it was Nicaragua. However, the logistics proved a little too daunting and the options were very limited. Finally, while randomly surfing the Internet I stumbled upon the UNSECO World Heritage Site of Antigua Guatemala. The exquisite Spanish colonial architecture of this little town nestled in a beautiful valley beneath three volcanoes took my breath away. The next thing you know we had booked our trip for, of all times, Semana Santa (Easter/holy week).

James and I spent the week enjoying the festival and the city. The colorful alfombras that each house lovingly creates for the procession are something to be seen at least once in your life (we had one created at the entrance of our reception). In a few short days we met many friends who have been close to us ever since. One very special friend, Anne Thornton, threw our rehearsal dinner for us at her wonderful home in Antigua. We spent the summer before our wedding there planning, studying Spanish, and making even more friends. It has become our second home. We can not wait to go back for our first anniversary.

Photography: Corbin Gurkin Photography / Venue: Casa Blancas and San Jose El Viejo / Wedding Planner: Catherine Doctor / Florals: Edgar Chay / Caterer: Hotel Grand Tikal Futura / Welcome Package: D.I.Y by the bride

I dare you to not get a goofy grin as you look through the next wedding from Smitten Photography!  This is not your typical barn wedding, folks.  A killer color combo, awesome modern centerpieces, a surprise flashmob (check out the hilarious video) and stylish party-goers turn the rustic, DIY wedding on its head!  All planned by the beaming bride and groom in 10 little weeks!  Amazing!  See more in the full gallery!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

Mark and I met and were married within one year! We met through friends and then went to a Charlotte Checkers hockey game for our first date together. He made me laugh and I made him nervous. Even though it took him twelve days to call me for a second date, it was worth it. After just a few months, we were in love. For both of us, that was our first time using those words so we knew we were headed toward marriage! A short while longer, we began talking about the idea of marriage and we soon were engaged.

From day one of being engaged, we wanted to focus on building a strong marriage, not just planning a beautiful wedding. Our engagement was only 10 weeks long but we managed to pull off a DIY wedding that was perfect for us! From gathering branches for centerpieces out of the backyard to cutting tree stumps for a cake stand, the wedding was a perfect blend of vintage, organic charm. My florist made a great suggestion for some of our centerpieces as well – we filled Ikea lanterns with real artichokes, cut out the center and placed a candle inside.

Our wedding reception even made it’s way onto youtube – 3 of my best friends planned a flashmob without Mark or I knowing. This was a dream come true for me, I have dreamed about something like this ever since I was a little girl, I love to dance even if I am the only one on the dance floor. What made it even better was my friend who fell at the beginning of the dance, hilarious!

Wedding Photography: Smitten Photography / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal – Mikado Gown / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden & Liz Claiborne / Wedding Venue: Beaver Dam Park / Flowers: Harris Teeter / Caterer: Armin’s Catering / Cake: Mystical Cakes

It’s hard for me to resist a wedding this lovely. It’s a little different than your standard SMP fare, but I think that’s why I love it so very much. The flowers, the color palette, the great fashions…all inspired by trips to Paris, Nantes, Geneva, Amsterdam and Belgium. The bride and groom approached their wedding with the mantra of keeping it personal and in each and every detail…it shows. Photographed by Lisa Rigby, this little wedding will definitely put a smile on your face. Click here to see even more.

click here to see the full wedding!

When we first got engaged, we really didn’t know what we wanted for our wedding. We had a very organic planning process, with many of our ideas changing along the way from various adventures we had together. Howie and I decided that photos were our top priority, but we couldn’t find a photographer that we both really loved. I had found a photo of a beautiful Orthodox wedding, and I had it saved on my desktop so that I could compare it to photographers aiming for that same emotion and style. After a couple months of not finding anything we both really loved, I discovered that the photo I was using to compare others to was take by Lisa Rigby, who lived right here in Boston. We actually chose our wedding date based on her availability.

We spent several months trying to find a venue with an indoor area that had personality, and with grounds for an outdoor ceremony so that we could enjoy the crisp autumn air and the gorgeous colors of October in New England. The Commander’s Mansion was perfect for us. Each room in the Mansion has its own character, with nooks for us to place photos and flowers, and many places for guests to sit and talk as they explore the house.

Our wedding had many influences from Belgium. Last February, we toured Europe by train, stopping in Paris, Nantes, Geneva, Amsterdam… and, our favorite stop of the trip, Brugges in Belgium. We were already ardent fans of Belgian beer, so Brugges was absolute heaven for us. We strolled through the medieval walled city, stopping every so often for an astounding lambic or a real Leige waffle. Those waffles were a revelation to us, such a huge difference from what is typically served here in the States. We visited the “Tea Salons”, where tea was always served with a little chocolate on the saucer. Many months after our trip, we hit upon the idea to serve elevenses (an English term for an afternoon snack accompanied by tea) before our ceremony. We hired Waffle Cabin, based in Vermont, run by a Belgian couple from Brussels to make true Liege waffles from scratch at our wedding- exactly like those in Belgium. We also served two different types of Belgian Lambic beers at the reception.

Our invitations and Ketubah were designed by our close friend, Carrie Siegel of Two Trick Pony. We thought her Dutch inspired designs worked well with our wedding. For escort cards, I ordered post-cards from John Derian, and they also doubled as our guestbook. We wrote our address on one side so our guests could mail it back to us with a note later. The flowers choices were inspired by my favorite Flemish still life painter, Jan Davidsz de Heem.

My grandmother flew out to Boston, her first flight ever to come to our wedding. As a wedding gift, she gave me her blue sapphire bracelet to wear for my “something blue & borrowed”. My Aunt Marcy made my garter with lace and a button from my grandmother’s wedding dress for my something old. We spent a long time writing out our own ceremony. We took excerpts from a Greek children’s novel, “From I’ville to You’ville.” Our close friend Vic was our officiant. Another friend, Jim, was our DJ and played a lot of wonderful 30s & 40s vintage jazz during the reception. The lace for the bouquet was bought during a trip we took together to Albany one weekend.

Photography: Lisa Rigby / Makeup: Dani Wagener / Gown: Justin Alexander / Bridesmaid dresses: Alfred Sung / Groom’s Suit: Valentino / Groom’s Shoes: Florsheim / Bride’s Shoes: Luichiny / Invitations: Two Trick Pony / Rentals: Fancy That Unique Party Rentals / Food: Sofra Bakery / Caterer: Butlers & Bars / Flowers: Bow Street Flowers / Venue: Commander’s Mansion / Escort Cards: John Derian Co. / DJ: Jim Siegel / Tea: Harney & Sons

A wedding like this next number photographed by Nathanael Keck is classic done so, so right. The crisp, black tuxedos, the swoontastic dress tied up in a pretty black bow, dining alfresco – every single detail of this San Francisco soiree is infused with perfect elegance. And when we say perfect, we mean perfect. See the rest of the details all designed and planned gorgeously by Atelier Joya and MAP Events in the gallery.

see more of this pretty wedding in the gallery!

After dating for 10 years and living in 3 major US cities together (Boston, NYC and San Francisco), Matt proposed on February 22, 2009 at my favorite hotel in New Zealand, Kauri Cliffs, located on the North Island near the Bay of Islands. My mother is from New Zealand (now living in Maryland where I grew up) and every year, we tried to plan a trip but life got in the way…finally, we were off in Feb ’09 to meet the extended family and much to my surprise, get engaged. Thoughts of the ultimate wedding began just a few days after the incredible proposal and little did we know, we would be embarking on 6 months of planning every type of wedding possible. We thought about getting married in Point Reyes, CA (just a short drive from our home in San Francisco), Palm Springs or Mexico for a destination soiree and Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD, for a formal east coast wedding, where I’m from. After researching multiple venues and planning very different events in my head, we had landed on Napa. As you can see from the photos, we didn’t quite make it there. While the Napa venue was incredible and we had come as far as having the contract ready to be signed, something didn’t feel right. Matt, a San Francisco native, and me, an east coast transplant who has fallen in love with San Francisco, realized that the city was our home and the home to tremendous friends and family. In an effort to make the event as fun and convenient for everyone as possible, we decided to get married at the church in our neighborhood and have the reception at our favorite restaurant, Foreign Cinema. While there were multiple iterations of weddings planned in my head, a San Francisco wedding was what felt right and just came together seamlessly.

Foreign Cinema located in San Francisco’s Mission district, is our absolute favorite restaurant. When the waitstaff know you by name, you know it’s home…therefore we decided to host our closest friends and family at a place we think of us as home. Planning the wedding along with my amazing event and floral designers, Priska and Lisa from Atelier Joya, was one of the most incredible yet stressful experiences of my life. To have all of the thought, inspiration and excitement built up for months happen over just a few hours was intimidating yet ended up being the most exciting project I had ever embarked on. On the day of the wedding, I was surrounded by my closest girlfriends with croissants, laughter and an excitement that I cannot even describe. The day of kicked off with pictures at a park in our neighborhood, Lafayette Park, with the wedding party and that’s when the relaxation and enjoyment of the moment set in. This was the only time I would be surrounded by everyone I love and at this moment, realized I was marrying by best friend and everyone we knew and loved was joining us for an incredible party! It was time to relax and enjoy every second of the evening…. The ceremony was beautiful and we had 2 readings that we cherished: Litany by Billy Collins and a verse from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres.

Photography: Nathanael Keck / Flowers: Atelier Joya / Event Design: Atelier Joya / Event Planning: Jennifer Janzen of MAP Events / Ceremony Location: Episcopal Church of St. Mary the Virgin / Reception Location: Foreign Cinema Restaurant / Invitations: Mika78 / Shoes: Miu Miu / Spoons: Hammerman / Photobooth: Glass Coat Photography / Mustaches and Props: Paper and Parcel / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bridal Jewelry: J.Crew

It’s a virtual winter wonderland in Boston today and unbelievably beautiful! Being a Texas girl, I can honestly say ~ I LOVE it.  I seriously can’t wait to get out and take a few pics of my granddaughter to send back to my Houston family! With all of the excitement from this past week (Abby & Tait’s new son, plus Christmas, now a snowstorm … well, it’s really been a bit chaotic around here.

But not so much that we would stop moving onward and upward with more beautiful memories of recent weddings from our greatest Little Black Book members! Jeff and Julia Woods and Cosmopolitan Events are sharing Julie and Danny’s St. Louis celebration and it’s just filled with one stunning shot after another …

We have oh-so-many more images from this perfect day in the gallery, but for the best look, check out Danny & Julie’s Love Inspired Showcase!

Photographers: Jeff and Julia Woods / Dress, Sash, Veil: Maiden Voyage Bridal / Shoes: Tahari / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: David’s Bridal / Bridesmaid’s necklaces: Charming Charlie / Groomsmen pocketsquares and Usher’s ties: The Tie Bar / Invitations: Checkerboard, Vellum – St. Louis / Programs, Menu cards: Heidi Heth, Heth Design / Church: Manchester United Methodist / Reception Venue: Datra Herzog, The Studio Inn – St. Albans / Lighting: Mike Schwandt / Cake: Sugaree Baking Company / Wedding Coordinator: Josie Littlepage, Cosmopolitan Events / Florist, Cake stand: Mary Tuttle, Mary Tuttle’s Floral and Gifts / Custom “Just Married” sign: Elizabeth McKinney / Band: Spectrum Band / Table numbers: Ron Winter, Corkscrew Ridge / Lighting & drapery: Parties and Props Ltd. / Linens: Sitting Pretty/Party Arts / Photo booth: Gateway Photobooth / Korean fan dancer: Joy Dancing / Studio Inn Shuttles: Huntleigh Transportation Service

I would not have minded being a guest at this Florida wedding.  Nope, not one little bit.  The adorable welcome bags of party mix and champagne first caught my eye but it was the visually stunning, intimate, seaside affair that really won me over.  Every last detail is full of pure delight and no wonder as the bride is a wedding planner herself!  The dreamy images from Claire Ryser of Visionaire Studios only enhance the sweet charm of this wedding.  There are more enchanting details in the full gallery!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

As a wedding designer, I had a endless visions for our wedding, but one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted it to be intimate and stress-free.  We chose Seaside, Fl. because it had been our first vacation together.  We love the charming, quaint and magical feeling the town has and we wanted to share it with all of our family and friends.  All of our guests rented cottages in the town and our family and bridal party stayed with us at The Inn by The Sea.

Seaside is a coastal town, but I didn’t picture myself as a “toes in the sand” type of bride, so we selected a classic looking southern home that had been transformed into The Inn by The Sea.  The Inn by The Sea was designed by Vera Bradley and is filled with all of my favorite blue checks, ginghams, stripes & plaids.  It was such a great inspirational point for the rest of the wedding.

We wanted a very intimate ceremony and decided that the front yard would be the perfect spot by using the front porch and balcony as the gallery from which our guests could witness the wedding.  After the ceremony, guests were greeted in the backyard by passed champagne to start the cocktail hour while an acoustic guitarist played oru favorite songs.  We hosted a sit down dinner at two long tables under bistro lights.  The tables were set with bunches white peonies, hydrangeas, freesia, parrot tulips and blueberries.

Wedding Photography : Claire Ryser, Visionaire Studios / Wedding Venue : The Inn By The Sea / Flowers : Nouveau Flowers / Cake : Confections on The Coast / Dress : Coren Moore, Katherine / Bridesmaids : J.Crew / Design, planning and paper goods: Everyday Occasions with Jenny Steffens Hobick

Good Morning. We hope you all had an extra lovely, totally delightful holiday weekend. We are going to kick off the last week of 2010 with a real doozy. You’ve heard of a green thumb, right? Well this pretty bride has what we like to call a crafty thumb. She possesses the DIY prowess that Etsy dreams are made of and this gorgeous wedding photographed by Kim Le is the result.  Totally cute, completely whimsical and lovingly hand-made, this wedding is worth a morning visit to the gallery for sure.

see the rest of this colorful celebration here!

It was our dream to have a small, quaint, and personal wedding with our closest family and friends. Since we wanted to make sure everyone could make it, we decided to choose a location in the Los Angeles Area. We chose the very first location we looked at which was at the James Irvine Japanese Garden. It had the most beautiful and serene garden with the sound of water trickling from a pond that was just so lovely. I knew I had wanted an outdoor wedding and this was the perfect setting nestled in the heart of downtown! The reception area overlooked the garden and was a blank canvas which was also a plus since I wanted to be able to design the room to my heart’s content.

I knew from the beginning I wanted a wedding that was whimsical with a vintage feel. My favorite store in the whole wide world is Anthropologie! I love the atmosphere there! It’s such a happy place and a lot of their decor is crafty and handmade! I knew right off the bat, that I wanted that type of feel for our wedding. It was my hope that our family and friends would enjoy our happy day of whimsical love and marriage! I’ve always enjoyed crafting and knew that the wedding had to be mostly handmade. I woudn’t have it any other way! It was my way of showing how much I loved everyone. Wasn’t quite sure how to craft everything in the beginning. I had gone to a random garage sale and to my surprise, found a huge bag of vintage lace and feathers! Crafty ideas started forming in my mind and used them to make the table numbers and boutonnieres. I had also found a huge stock of vintage flower stamens at a flea market and I was in heaven! I felt so blessed to be able to find such wonderful crafting supplies to craft the vintage whimsical theme. At first, I was going to have real flowers, but after finding these vintage stamens, I knew I wanted to make all of the flowers out of paper including my bouquet! I had also found a vase at an antique store that was decoupaged with fabric. This gave me the idea to decoupage plastic drinking bottles with fabric to use as vases for the paper flowers. Crafting the wedding was so much fun and everything came together so smoothly. It was amazing! I believe my grandmother who keeps an eye on me from heaven, helped me in the entire process! Thank you grandma! The ceremony was just as whimsical. Our wonderful guitarist, Amy Hite, played “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles right after we kissed! It was so romantic! Our guests had waved flags that I had made which really showed their love to us!

Photography: Kim Le / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Japanese American Cultural & Community Center / DJ + MC: John Gilpin / Cupcakes: Baby Cakes Shop / Cake: Susie Cakes / Lighting: De-lighted / Guitarist: Amy Hite / Silhouette Artist: Cut Arts / Hair & Makeup: Elena Vera / Table Decor, Props, Bouquet + Boutonnieres: The bride’s Etsy Store – Whimsyful Pretties

What better way to say goodbye for the week than with the most delicious Winter inspired shoot a girl could ever want. Crafted and designed by the fabulous Cynthia Martyn, with details by some of our favorite Little Black Book Members including a gorgeous video by Mimmo + Naz, this little number is just the ticket to get you into the holiday spirit. We hope that everyone has a fabulous weekend. We’ll be back on Monday with even more goodness! No rest for the wedding obsessed! Click here to see even more details.

And an aaaaah-mazingly gorgeous film by two of our favs, Mimmo + Naz…

click here to see the full gallery of awesome details!

We were chatting about how the holidays are the busiest time of year for couples getting engaged, and how many engagement parties are hosted during the Winter months. So, we thought we would put together some ideas and inspiration for all the lovely couples getting engaged at this time of year!

We used cool blue, red and white as our colour palette, and tried to keep the decor simple, modern and unfussy. We did the photo shoot at the beautiful Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. The space is filled with light, and we were blessed with our first major snowfall the night before the shoot, which was perfect as it made the branches outside our windows so festive.

For the table decor – we actually didn’t use any fresh cut flowers at all – the two trees are “Myrtle” trees and we accented with pots of succulents. They are simple, fresh, and the best part is that they continue to grow long after the party is over.

Laura K Design designed fun & colourful stationery items including hand-stamped cocktail napkins, invitations, menu cards, table signage and an amazing “Wish Wreath” completely made out of paper that allowed guests to fill out their own wish stickers and place their wishes on the wreath. Such a unique touch!

We didn’t want to do a traditional cake since this was not a wedding shoot, so we approached Bobbette & Belle and Kakayo Chocolate Company to create Wintery meringue and chocolate towers that had “Love, Sweet, Love” tags placed in their peaks.

The towers were completed by our take on a Smores station that invited guests to “Please Have S’more”. They could roast their own marshmallows right there at the table. We also created a “Hot Toddy Bar” where guests could spike their hot beverages with the liqueur of their choice, which were presented in antique glass decanters on a festive tray. We added festive blue and red rock sugar stir sticks for a shot of colour.

The favours were custom carved soaps that we had engraved with “Lucky In Love” – something fragrant and useful for guests to take home. The featured dress is the “Ruby” by Coren Moore, one of our fave designers. The shoes were by Hey Lady – love the bows! FacesByCarla created festive hair and makeup, and made our “bride to be” absolutely glow!

Laura Jane Photography and mimmo+naz did an amazing job with photography and Super 8 film respectively.

Concept Design, Styling and Table Decor: Cynthia Martyn Events / Photography: Laura Jane Photography / Cinematography: mimmo+naz / Location: The Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto / Stationery & Printed Elements: Laura K Design / Meringue Towers: Bobbette & Belle / Truffle Tower: Kakayo Chocolate Company / Hair & Makeup: FacesByCarla / Shoes: Hey Lady / Dress: the “Ruby” by Coren Moore / Bride’s Wrap: Modern Romance / Favors: Custom Soap by Carved Solutions / Balloons: BalloonTrix / Rentals: Exclusive Affair / Linen: Around The Table

Merry Merry Christmas Eve!!! If you read yesterday’s post, or follow us on twitter, you’ll know that this is a particularly awesome Christmas for all of us at Style Me Pretty! Abby and Tait gave their precious daughter, Audrey, a new baby brother yesterday! I highly doubt that it is possible to be more perfect than big sis Audrey, but William is certainly going to give her a run for the money! A wee bit early ~ caught us a little off-guard, but positively the most perfect Christmas present a grandmother (that being me) … could pray for!

So no matter what you celebrate during this season of joy, please know that we feel very blessed to have you all in our court … especially during this very special season. All things considered, we can’t think of a better time to share this latest (and possibly greatest) holiday-inspired shoot by Marie Labbancz, styled by the ever-fabulous Donna O’Brien at Beautiful Blooms …

CAN’T IMAGINE a more spectacular holiday wedding than this would be! Our thanks to Marie and Donna for sending the loveliness our way!! You can feast on many more shots from the day right here in the photo gallery.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to wish EVERYONE a blessed holiday. And you KNOW we just can’t wait to hear from any of you lucky ladies who will be sporting a brand new sparkler on your finger!! Be sure and tell us ALL about it!

Photography: Marie Labbancz / Floral and Event Design: Beautiful Blooms / Venue Location: Ashford Estate, Allentown, NJ http://www.weddingsofdistinctionnj.com/country-estate/destination-weddings.php Hair & Makeup: Claudia Seyler www.caludiaseyler.com Dress: Lazaro Bridals by Danielle Philadelphia PA.

From Donna O’Brien at Beautiful Blooms ... The holiday ceremony inspiration took place at the beautiful Ashford Estate in New Jersey. We used a rich color palette of purple, magenta, orange, copper and gold to warm the rustic white space of the barn and designed a unique ceremony display by using a gold custom made table as the main focal point, accenting it with multiple decor statements.

The back of the table has two tall arrangements placed on tall copper mercury vases that framed the decor on the table. The arrangements were a blend of Baroness garden roses, Dark Milva roses, Orange unique roses, Vanda orchids, Rococo Tulips, purple stock, purple lisanthus, cedar, privet berry all accented with hanging ornaments. The table showcased a variety of vintage items such as the gold lantern, bottle brush trees, old spools and even a beautiful ring box. (The ring is Donna’s – created by Ascot Diamonds in VA

The mantle was decorated with a beautiful mixed arrangement with ornament accents and cut crystal candle holders with hot pink pillar candles. The inside of the fireplace was filled with beautiful green and gold mercury votive cups. Beautiful ornaments in gold, magenta and purple were hung from a garland in the old barn and also from the upper level of the barn. A tin ferris wheel was a fun back drop to the colored bottled drinks. Wonderful gingerbread cookies by Whipped Bakeshop were created with orange, purple and magenta icing. YUMMY!

Please check out the new Beautiful Blooms Boutique open and ready for business located at Liberties Walk, 1021 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia.

I often find myself with my nose pressed against the glass of the Kate Spade window displays in the mall.  They are like a mini glittery, perfectly packaged party.  The darling duo of Styled Creative brought that to life and put together the most delicious, sparkling Kate Spade-inspired shoot I have ever seen!  Naturally I had my nose pressed up against the screen, drooling over my keyboard, as I went through all the yummy images from Alison Conklin.  It might be too late to decorate for your holiday party this weekend but how rad would it be to ring in the new year with shimmering swans, polka dotted sweets and a tutu-ed pup!  There are more glistening goodies in the full gallery!

Click here to see more in the full gallery!

We are GAGA for glitter and everything that sparkles!!!  This was definitely our motto when creating all of the details for the holiday inspired shoot.  We always try to find objects that would not typically be glamorous and find a way to showcase them in a way that others to see them shine. We had so much fun finding animal figurines at the Dollar Store and adding a little silver paint, glue, and glitter and voila a fun centerpiece!  The bike was another great find.  This vintage bike was in the trash outside of our studio and once the shoot planning was underway we knew this item was ready for a sparkle makeover.  We kept things simple by using kraft boxes on the table and incorporating beautiful wrapping paper with colorful tinsel and candles.  We wanted to show how to create something fun and whimsical without spending a fortune.  The drawings really brought the concept to life.  We asked our great friend, talented illustrator and model, Dallas Shaw, to sketch the tree and mantel which we thought would be a fun way to introduce the items without being so literal.  Thank you to all of the amazing folks involved with this shoot..the glitter has slowly shed from the figurines and bike and is now floating around our office but hopefully some of that glitter inspiration rubbed off on you along the way!

Working with such an amazing group of people for this shoot was incredible.  Beka & Kimberly had done such an outstanding job on all the little details and crafting and Trust is such a perfect venue.  Between the glittered bike and all of the cute glittered animals to the amazing drawings that Dallas drew everything just simply came together perfectly.  Spending the afternoon with all of the talented ladies for the shoot was a blast – I think we laughed and ooggled the amazing cupcakes more than anything.

Weddings on their own accord are reason enough to celebrate but add to that a festive holiday that brings a good dash of cheer and well…you have yourself one rockin’ holiday wedding. This awesome group of Portland vendors, headed up by Sara Gray who captured all of the lovely images and design and styling by Novia Events, proves that Christmas + Nuptials = a match made in Style Me Pretty Heaven. It’s a little bit vintage, a little bit Christmas and lots and lots of pretty. See it all here.

see more of the wintery vintage details here!

This was a collaboration between Portland, Oregon wedding vendors to create something with the magic of the holidays and a vintage twist. What came together is a great example of the creativity wedding vendors can create by working together and thinking outside the box.

Photography: Sara Gray / Venue: Hotel DeLuxe / Suit, Tie, Shirt & Cufflinks: Duchess / Gloves, Shoes, Earrings, Dresses: Charlotte’s Weddings / Flowers: Green in Bloom / Candy & Dessert Table: The Candy Buffet / Theme & Styling: Novia Events / Video: Bink Studios / Hair Pieces: Serephine / Hair & Make Up: Madeline Roosevelt of Madi Cosmetics / Hat: John Helmer Haberdasher Inc. / Cake: Jacivas / Invitations, Menu and Tables Cards: Invite Me / Rentals: The Party Place / English Classic Specialty Limousine Service: English Classic Limousine

With Christmas Eve JUST around the corner, most of you are getting ready for family festivities and lots and lots of celebratory feasting. Oh the feasting. Well we have the loveliest inspiration to whip your Christmas morning spreads into tip top shape. Photographed by Carly Taylor, with design and styling by the always lovely Victoria Hudgins of City Cradle Design, this is the perfect way to get us in the holiday mood. See the rest of this cute display here.

get your inspiration on in the gallery!

One of our family’s treasured traditions is to wake up to cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. It would also be a lovely way to celebrate a holiday wedding, shower or even day after brunch! I styled this little inspiration to bring to light the easy ways you can DIY a metallic, modern holiday brunch table.

I covered the serving table with a beautiful wrapping paper instead of using tablecloths (which doesn’t need to be ironed:) and let ribbons hang off the sides to add to the festivity. This would be an easy idea to use throughout the year, especially if you can get good deals on nice metallic paper after the holiday is over.

The table hosts our morning sweets including cinnamon rolls with Merry Christmas Morning flags (I created this and would be happy to offer it as a download), granola in button topped baggies, small stacked doughnuts and homemade macaroons. I made a quick and fun fake version of this beloved french sweet using vanilla wafers and marshmallow fluff, topped with gold baking dust they were amazing to taste and lovely to stack on little plates. I hand stamped into a red pear and using a bit more of the baking dust set a lovely word scene for our table. The plates even joined in the celebration being rolled in eatable glitter- another easy way to get the shimmer of metallic on a minimal budget.

As a design touch to our table I spray painted different woodland deer to set around the space and glittered a few wreaths to liven up the wall above. It was a fun set up that I will use for my own inspiration for years to come…

Photography: Carly Taylor / Design and styling: Victoria Hudgins of City Cradle Design

So many of you are busily juggling work and weddings and holidays ~ and yet still squeezing in your daily dose of SMP! And for those of you doing this ~ we totally love you!! We wish you the merriest of holidays and the ultimate joy of planning this ~ your very very very happiest of days!

But before we bring this week to a close, we have two very special features. First ~ a true testament to Style Me Pretty. A Boston wedding with many of the same vendors Abby and Tait had at their own wedding … way back when …

Alyssa and Chris were married at Boston’s historic Old South Church. With a church like this, ALL you need is the bride, the groom, and their nearest and dearest!

The sweet, sweet, sweet Lynne Avallone was there with her magic brushes to put the glam on … and our absolutely FAVORITE stylist in the whole wide world ~ the lovely Kristine Collins ~ was there to do the ‘do! Love, love, love these ladies!!

See the whole gallery here!

photography courtesy of Hitched Studios

Alyssa’s advice to SMP brides?
Have a second dress to wear for the reception even if you are not planning to change into it. After a red wine spill, I changed into an Alice and Olivia mini-dress from Crush Boutique in Boston and danced the night away!

More of the details …
Just days after Chris proposed during an apple picking trip at Shelburne Farms, I was on the phone with the Omni Parker House inquiring about their availability for weddings the next fall! As soon as we set the date and the venue, I turned to Style me Pretty for inspiration and vendor recommendations. We found our fantastic florist (Sarah of Spruce Floral) and make up artist (the fabulous Lynne Avallone) through SMP – and ironically had our ceremony and reception at the same location that Abby did a few years earlier!
Our classic Boston wedding was held at the Old South Church in Copley Square on a beautiful Fall day in October and local Boston photographers Hitched Studios captured amazing pictures of the entire day.

The raspberry theme of our wedding was inspired by a Vineyard Vines bow tie and cummerbund set that Chris and the groomsmen wore. The same raspberry was reflected in Crane invitations by local Boston retailer Rugg Road, the gorgeous bouquets that Spruce Floral created for the bride and bridesmaids as well as the ribbon on the programs that I created myself.

Our preppy style was reflected through place cards and menu card with our initials as well as a monogrammed cake by Icing on the Cake. We added their own personal touches throughout the wedding such as cake toppers featuring a golfing groom and an absent bride who was “still shopping”.

My love for all things stylish and pretty came through via my Manolo Blahnik wedding shoes that were signed by Mr. Blahnik himself and a Monique Lhuillier gown!

Photographers – Hitched Studios / Ceremony – Old South Church / Reception – Omni Parker House / Wedding Dress – Monique Lhuillier – from Madeline’s Daughter in Portsmouth, NH / Flowers – Spruce Floral / Make Up – Lynne Avallone / Hair – Kristine Collins in Boston / Bridesmaids jewlery – Haley Lamson / Invitations – Rugg Road Paper / Place Cards & Menu – Magic Wand Weddings /  Groomsmen Bow Ties and Cummerbunds – Vineyard Vines / Bride’s Jewlery – Henri Bendel in New York / Shoes – Manolo Blahnik – from Neiman Marcus/ Cake – Icing on the Cake – Newton, MA