This next little number is proof that inspiration can come from just about anywhere. And in this bride and groom’s case, it was all about The Parker Palm Springs. And the incredible black and yellow palette with modern, whimsical detailing. Yep, this style savvy couple interpreted the gorgeousness of The Parker with their Canadian venue and the result was a jawdroppingly gorgeous, completely graphic inspired affair. Photographed to perfection by James Design Studios, you are going to LOVE this next wedding. Just make sure to click here because there is SO much more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

Truth be told, we originally planned to get married in Palm Springs at The Parker Palms springs. I was sold on The Parker the moment I found out my favorite designer, Jonathan Adler, had designed the entire hotel and Terence was an easy sell once he saw how excited I was. Plans ended up changed and we decided to hold an intimate gathering in our hometown so our closest family and friends could attend. Since we weren’t going to be getting married in Palm Springs, I decided I would use the rich architecture and interior design from the area as my wedding design inspiration. Wanting to create an event that was modern and chic I decided to use black, white and yellow as my color palette with lots of bold graphic patterns.

When we first started the planning Terence and I had very different priorities. Being a graphic designer and the owner of a wedding stationery business (Pinkpolka Wedding Design), I was quite focused on the visual aspect of the wedding, while Terence put a large emphasis on the guest list and atmosphere. Although we had a few difference of opinions throughout the process, I have to admit that the different facets of the wedding we each were responsible for created a perfect balance in the end. I made sure the venue was decked out in the most fabulous decor and stationery, while he made sure the bar was stacked and the music created a fun environment.

One thing we did agree on was the importance of attire! I had a very specific idea of the type of dress I wanted and knew I would never be able to find anything in a Bridal store. I sought out a local dress designer, Lani from R O O Y Couture, to design and construct my gown. All I knew was I wanted a black and white satin cocktail length gown that had some form of bustle in the back. Having the dress made was the most exciting part of the planning process for me. It was incredible to see your vision being constructed. I think Terence was equally excited about attire, as he was looking forward to purchasing his first 3-piece suit. It took some time to find a suit that was just right, but we got lucky at Hugo Boss and found exactly what both he and I pictured! I wanted to make sure his ensemble looked classic so we choose a white collared shirt with a solid black satin time to compliment black suit with a subtle black pin stripe.

We wanted to find a venue that was unique and unexpected for our guests. I had always pictured a loft or art gallery as the perfect setting for a wedding that would make our guest’s feel like they were heading out for a chic night-on-the-town. I also loved the idea that both these types of venues could act as a blank slate with architectural aspects such as white or brick walls, concrete, and wood. We found the perfect independent gallery called Latitude 53 which is housed in a historic creamery building, complete with all the original brick!

I think one of the biggest things that was important to Terence and I was to have a meaningful wedding that reflected us. We are both very non-traditional and wanted to have a wedding that felt more like a celebration or party without some of the traditional wedding conventions that didn’t appeal to us. We collectively decided to eliminate items such as a wedding cake, first dance, and garter & bouquet toss. We each only had one attendant, which meant a lot to have our single most important friend next to us. We also wanted to condense the day so it wasn’t such a imposition on our guests. The ceremony was held at the art gallery at 6:30 in the evening and was immediately followed by cocktails and h’dorves and then by a dinner reception. Wanting to be nontraditional, we created a custom menu with our cater and decided to eliminate courses by having a single “wow” plate, which included our appetizer, salad and entrée all on the same crisp white square plate. We also wanted our guest to know how important it was to have them join us, so we inserted a personalized note from each of us in the note card favors I designed.

The day turned out exactly how I expected, which was a pleasant surprise! There was no regrets or mistakes or complaints and the visualizations in my mind of the decor and layout matched the end result exactly! My wonderful wedding planner, Jolyn of Nuance Occasions, knew how important the decor was to me and I could tell she put extra care in the set-up. Both Terence and I were overwhelmed with our guests response to the wedding. We got compliments on the wedding day for the uniqueness in format, location and decor and emails after the day thanking us for allowing them to be part of such an intimate gathering! This was a day we will both cherish together for years to come!

Photography: James Design Studios / Wedding Planning: Nuance Occasions / Decor & Stationery: Pinkpolka Wedding Design / Brides & MOH Dress: R O O Y Couture / Grooms Attire: Hugo Boss / Decor Rentals: Elegant Touches & River City Event Rentals / Catering: D’Lish / Desert: Whimsical Cake Studio / Floral: Corals Design / Venue: Latitude 53 Contemporary Visual Culture

Even in the most beautiful of beautiful weddings, there is usually one or two things that completely catch my attention and force me to devour every inch of the affair. And in the case of this next wedding…it was ALL about the flowers. And the gorgeous, adorable, totally charming wedding cake. The bride and groom really approached their wedding 2 ways, with a Western foundation and a heavy infusion of the groom’s Chinese culture. And the result, was absolutely lovely. Click here to see lots more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

We took inspiration for our wedding from city where we met and fell in love – San Francisco, with a subtle nod to our current home, New York City. Wilson and I met while playing on a kickball team and became best friends before we started dating. Four years later he proposed a few weeks before we moved to the Big Apple, so we did all of our wedding planning from afar. I actually had a floral design business when we lived out West, and having seen and been to a lot of lovely but somewhat ‘expected’ weddings, I wanted to make sure ours felt totally personal.

We were engaged for almost 2 years, and therefore had a lot of time to think about and plan the big day. Wilson wanted the traditional sit-down wedding with all the anticipation and pomp. I wanted to elope, like, yesterday and throw a big cocktail party when we finally settled down somewhere a year or two down the road. So it was a challenge to balance both of our ideas to put together a day that was as much about each of us individually as it was about our lives together and our friends and families who are so much a part of who we are.

Our ceremony was all about where we’ve come from and the new family and traditions that we were creating together. Wilson is first generation Chinese American, so we incorporated a few cultural elements to honor his heritage – we served tea to our parents and his grandmother, and his cousin read a few Chinese proverbs that his dad had written in traditional calligraphy on red scrolls. I walked down the aisle with both of my parents to a bagpiper as homage to my Celtic roots. My brother-in-law read a passage by Kahlil Gibran that both he and my sister and my parents each read at their respective weddings, and our officiant was my youth pastor and an old family friend. We kept the décor minimal for the ceremony, and set it right in front of a bright window looking out onto a small chapel just up the hill.

The rest of the wedding was all about having a great time celebrating and not taking anything too seriously. Wilson and I are casual people with busy schedules – we eat a lot of take-out, we rarely get dressed up, and our favorite nights out are spent with close friends. It was important to me that the reception reflected these things and felt more like an intimate dinner party than a grand wedding fete. We served what I called ‘fresh California comfort food’ – appetizers included fried chicken bites with a dollop of homemade buttermilk ranch, and dinner was mac n’ cheese, mini sliders, heirloom tomato salad, and grilled salmon with fresh corn salsa. Yum!

We took color inspiration from the view outside the picture window of the venue – the vibrant blue of the bay and the warm red of the Golden Gate Bridge. (Red is also good luck for a Chinese wedding; we figured we’d take all the help we could get!). The gray accent in the palette hinted at the ever-present risk of fog in this beautiful city. The color and design of the ceremony and bridal party was a little more subdued than the reception – I wanted to keep things simple and modern and infuse some color that would hint at what was to come later in the evening. The reception design was simple and crisp, but still warm and intimate. Flowers, mostly dahlias and orchids, were dramatic in color but minimal in quantity. I scrimped on flowers so I could splurge on lighting – that large space sort of begs for it, and I felt like we were bathed in a warm sunset glow all night.

I am thrilled with the way everything came together and it was a very heartfelt representation of who we are as a couple. We had an incredible day, and I wholeheartedly agree with all those other people who warned me it would go by way too quickly. The day of a lifetime, indeed – and it was totally worth it.

Photography: Jillian Kay, Greater Bay Area / Dress: The White Gown, Brooklyn/ Catering: Left Coast Catering, San Francisco  / Lighting: Impact Lighting, San Francisco / Cake: Butter Sugar Bliss, coming soon to the Bay Area! / Invitations: Frisson, New York / Flowers: myself; and Leighsa Montrose, San Francisco / Venue: Presidio Golden Gate Club, San Francisco

I am completely convinced after viewing this wedding that there is a new species of Bride out there. One that is so very talented and filled to the brim with crafty goodness and super cute ideas, it’s sort of mind-blowing. Every inch of this New England DIY wedding is fabulous and it was all put together, one pretty piece at a time by the Bride and captured beautifully by Amanda Perkins Photography. You can see the rest of the super-crafy skills and fun-filled images in the gallery.

see the full wedding here!

From the beginning, Dave and I knew our big day had to represent the couple we’ve become over the last eight years spent together. We also knew it all had to take place on my family’s farm in Plainfield, New Hampshire. Dave and I hold this place very near to our hearts so it was only natural to invite everyone up to Riverview Farm for the wedding festivities. During the fall, the farm is open for pick-your-own apples and features a corn maze designed by a local artist, Gary Hamel. This year we were honored to have the story of the maze inspired by our wedding. As a surprise during the rehearsal dinner night, we revealed to our bridal party that they were each a scarecrow featured in the maze. It was so much fun walking through the corn and watching as each member discovered their own scarecrow. It was the perfect kick off to a truly memorable weekend and was a nice way of letting our friends and family know how much they mean to us.

I wanted the overall feel of the wedding to be sweet, simple, and infused with fun details. I spent the engagement months (ok, really I started before he even popped the question) pouring over countless wedding blogs for inspiration. I collected pictures, harassed Etsy designers, organized excel charts, and created countless DIY projects. Together with my family, we were able to pull off a budget friendly wedding by making a lot of the details ourselves and using local vendors and resources. We made the table numbers, napkin rings, favors, boutonnieres, mason jars, lanterns, chalkboards, signs, lemonade stand, photobooth, and even the dance floor! My mother and I spent months collecting bud vases and doilies for the centerpieces and my sister spent hours ironing the bar towels we bought to use as napkins. My father, Dave and I planted the rows of flowers for the ceremony aisle and my sister and father created all the planters throughout the reception area. The day before the wedding we went to a local Dahlia garden and picked all the flowers for the wedding. I had so much help from my ladies with arranging the flowers and creating the most beautiful bridal bouquet, complete with a locket from my Grammie and a broach from my Gramma. It was such a group effort to transform my crazy ideas into a reality and to see it all come together that weekend was a dream come true. SMP helped out too – I entered into tons of giveaways and won two big prizes: A car banner by A Bride’s Ride and clutches for the bridesmaids by BeeGee Bags! Keep up the great work, lovlies! (I even had a guest come up to me and tell me the wedding reminded her of Style Me Pretty. I could have died right there on the spot.)

We made sure that everyone who took part in the wedding were people we loved and considered family – from our officiant, Linda, my mother’s friend and college roommate, to one of my oldest friends, Kehvon, who read “Corelli’s Mandolin” during the ceremony, everyone made the day so special and so unique to Dave and me. We were also incredibly honored to have our favorite NYC piano player, Bugsy Moran, play parts of our wedding. He learned our first dance song for us, “Happy Song” by Otis Redding, which turned out to be one of our favorite moments from the night. My brother also surprised everyone by performing a little skit/piece on the piano, which left everyone cracking up and made for some priceless pictures. We ended the night with everyone up on the barn deck, surrounded by candlelight, singing along to Bugsy on the piano. Pure bliss, if you ask me. So what do I love most about our wedding? So many things. I love that in some of our more formal pictures you can tell Dave and I are on the verge of cracking each other up. I love that people who have never been to my farm are now planning their next visit. I love that no matter where I looked, everyone was enjoying themselves in the backyard where I spent my childhood. But most of all, I love how friends and family came together, kicked off their shoes, and danced in the grass to some good ‘ol soul. The whole day was us, only a smidge better.

Photography: Amanda Perkins Photography / Flowers: By Design Dahlias / Event Design: Bride / Ceremony and Reception Location: Riverview Farm / Dress: Pronovias (Design is “Gaula” – Bride made some design alterations to it) / Bridal Salon: Madeline’s Daughter / Hair Comb: Lo Boheme / Flowers on Bride’s gown and Maid of Honor’s dress: Untamed Petals / Boutonnieres: Bride / Tent: Sperry VT / Hair: Vivo Salon and Day Spa / Makeup: BG Makeovers / Caterers: Maple Street Catering / Rentals: Bloods Seafood and Catering / Cake: Bakers Studio / Band: Big City Wedding Band, Bugsy Moran

Another cute, cute, CUTE proposal film! From Jeffrey at FullFrame Digital Cinema: Tori & Ben’s Proposal …

“This was our second proposal to capture and we wish people would allow us to do it more, it’s such a cool moment! Ben and Tori’s engagement story begins with Tori taking a shopping trip out with some friends earlier in the day. While she was out, Ben got together his band mates and began to set up their gear and sound system in Tori’s backyard, which is a huge field. They practiced for a few hours and were ready as she rode up to where they were. As she exited the car, Ben began to play “Something” by George Harrison just as the sun began to set. When he was through, he got down on one knee and popped the question! Now we can’t wait to film their wedding!”

Ben + Tori :: The Proposal from Jeffrey Holland :: FFDC on Vimeo.

SoOoOoo SWEET!

Ben and Tori are planning their September 2011 wedding in the same place he proposed, the large field in her backyard in Mount Juliet, Tennessee!

See more of FullFrame Cinema’s terrific films work on their website!

images courtesy of Kate Byars Photography

Modern, chic, whimsical, dazzling…just a few words that came to mind when I was poring over these beautiful images from davina + daniel. This Montreal wedding is seriously the bees knees. From the design and styling by Unity Weddings to those luscious, drool inducing heaps of confectionery goodness that we call cakes, I want more…more, more, more. Luckily there is a whole lot more in the gallery. Check it out.

see more of this modern beauty here!

When we started planning our wedding we knew we wanted to create a setting that was a true reflection of our personalities and life together while making the evening a memorable event for our guests. Our first priority was to find the right venue. Through our work in the Montreal wedding industry we had seen so many weddings in different venues and we knew right away that we wouldn’t have the wedding in a traditional wedding hall, nor did we want it somewhere that we had seen a lot of other weddings. We wanted to find a place that would feel unique to us. We loved the idea of getting married in an industrial, loft style art gallery. The Parisian Laundry had everything we were looking for: old Montreal character, huge windows, exposed brick, and it definitely wasn’t a place that typically holds wedding. It was perfect! Since it is first and foremost an art gallery, they have very little availability for private events. Serendipitously we were driving by one afternoon and stopped to inquire about availability for Sept 4th, which was our first choice for wedding date. As it turns out they were between exhibits that weekend and could accommodate us. As we were discussing details with the gallery coordinator, someone else called to reserve the same date. Fortunately, just moments before we had placed our reservation. Talk about good timing! The next priority was photography, and this was an easy one for us. We knew Davina + Daniel’s work, and we knew that they had exactly the right style that we wanted for our wedding. They approach their work with a photojournalistic style, and achieve photos that not only document events, but also truly convey the emotion of the moment. Plus, they are cool people that are pretty fun to spend the day with!

Working with Elyna from Unity Weddings was another effortless decision. We had worked together many times before for other people’s weddings and we knew she would bring together all our visions and ideas. In terms of the rest of the planning, we knew that it was the details that would create the ‘wow’ experience that we were looking for. We tried to make thoughtful choices that we felt our guests would appreciate and still be a reflection of us. We had a cocktail-style dinner to encourage guest mingling in the early part of the evening, a midnight poutine bar, and a surprise performance from our friend’s band. One of the best compliments we received was when a friend told us she felt like she was at our house. Two of our favourite elements at the wedding were the wall of paper flowers and the ping-pong table. We had this crazy idea to create a huge, 6’x8’ backdrop of hand made paper flowers. This was an enormous project that required countless hours of work. There was no way we could do this alone, and thankfully our family and friends stepped in and spent many long nights hand crafting each flower. In the end, the flower wall had great visual impact at the wedding, and it was so fantastic that our loved ones could help us create such an important element. We brought in the ping-pong table so that our guests could have an alternate activity to dancing. We purchased an inexpensive used ping-pong table and painted it red to match our décor. It ended up being used all night long, not only by the non-dancers, but the children in attendance and those with more competitive spirits!?In the end we were able to create an extraordinary evening, and can’t think of a better way to start our marriage than the celebration we had with everyone who loves and supports us.

Photography: davina + daniel / Venue: Parisian Laundry / Catering: Chez L’Epicier / Cakes: Bride – Jessica Berard Cakes / Planner: Unity Weddings / Stationery: Love the Design / DJ: Jason Hattem / Dress: Melissa Gentile Couture and Amsale / Shoes: Nine West / Jewelry: Elsa Corsi / Hair Piece: Lo Boheme / Purse: Davie & Chiyo / Makeup: Kato / Hair: Pure / Groom suit: Phillipe Dubuc / Groom’s shoes: Converse, Jack Purcell / Groom’s Tie: Hugo Boss / Watch: Fossil / Cuff Links: Paul Smith / Decor and furniture: Le Coordonnateur / Flowers: Fleuriste Sens / Sweet Table: Joe’s Prop House

It doesn’t get much better than the next wedding…an adorable, handmade fairytale with some of the coolest photographs by L Hewitt Photography.  I love a good story…especially one with a happy ending…and the one that accompanies this homespun affair is super sweet.  Plus this crafty couple pulled it off for under 10K in just 5 weeks! Click here for even more DIY details!

Click here for even more DIY inspiration!

When Daniel and I first got engaged, we had no idea when our big day was going to be- we were in no particular rush, and hadn’t even thought about what kind of wedding we wanted. But those days of being engaged were some of the happiest days of our lives, and we quickly realized why: Taking that step into announcing to the world our intent toward one another drew our attention back to how much we truly loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. This realization led to something kind of silly: One day, while talking, we just said “I can’t wait to marry you”….then there was a pause, and then, “Let’s just do it tomorrow!” Well, we didn’t do it the very next day, but we pulled off the wedding in a record 5 weeks- from designing invites to walking down the aisle. This short time-frame, and the fact that I’m a student on sabbatical, also meant that we had almost no savings whatsoever, so armed with a total budget of under $10,000, we took on every D.I.Y. project conceivable- a challenge mostly exhilarating and at times, extremely overwhelming. Every hand-painted invite, every boutonniere, lantern, and place card was lovingly assembled by me and Daniel.

Once we set a deadline for ourselves, everything kind of started falling into place. After surveying a handful of venues in the area, when we finally saw Woodlawn Manor, it was simply love at first sight for us both. Nestled in rural Maryland, among rolling meadows, complete with barns, grazing horses, fireflies that lit up the night, and a magnificent manor house built in the 18th century, it was the perfect place for us to celebrate the day with our nearest and dearest. We wanted the wedding to be intimate, un-stuffy, joyful, and a reflection of who we were as a couple. My parents, whom I hadn’t seen in *two years*, flew in all the way from India so they could be a part of our big day. Months and months of missing one another culminated in a single day bursting with sentiment. It was a bittersweet moment; they were so very happy for us, and so sad that they had missed so much. In spite of a few hiccups along the way (like forgetting to walk down the aisle with the bouquets we had stayed up until 3am to make), the day was, for the most part, everything we had wanted it to be. Unfortunately, someone forgot to give me the memo that said “You pulled it off! Now relax and enjoy your day!”, and so, as it turns out, our wedding day went by in an adrenaline-rushed blur for me, and in the weeks following the wedding, I realized things had happened to me on that day that I couldn’t even remember!

Fortunately, our photographer Leah Hewitt did such a brilliant job capturing the essence of the day.  Every smile, tear and anxious glance was laid out for us to relive and to cherish forever, and I just couldn’t be more thrilled! What’s more, Leah’s husband Marc actually officiated our wedding, and we felt blessed to be able to integrate another happily married couple into our day, for good luck. My favorite part of the day? There were actually two. The first was when I arrived at the venue from the salon, and saw nearly all our friends, Daniel’s coworkers, cousins, and my little brother, helping put things together last-minute. There wasn’t an idle hand in sight. I’ve heard people say they would never “inconvenience their guests by making them help out”, but it wasn’t like that. Everyone who banded together seemed genuinely happy to be so directly instrumental in making the day a success. Our friend Anna made all the desserts (including three wedding cakes!), my maid of honor Erin hand-drew the “guest tree”, almost everyone pitched in, and that made Daniel and me feel truly loved and special. The second part was our ceremony. Walking down the aisle towards my husband-to-be, I was trying to remain composed and look pretty, but I just couldn’t hold back the enormous ear-to-ear grin I had plastered on my face. Then, when reciting our vows, I was suddenly overcome with another kind of emotion- I started bawling, and could barely keep it together. The next hour or so was just an emotional roller-coaster ride, and thinking back to it today, I chuckle and I know that I wouldn’t change a thing. The music, the people, the history and charm of the old manor house, and most of all, the smiles on everybody’s faces, made it a magical evening to remember!

Vendor Credits: Photography: Leah Hewitt of L Hewitt Photography and Natthapol Wonsaroj / Venue: Woodlawn Manor / Catering: Basikneads Catering / Music: Katie Ribik and Logan Kraft

If you’re trying to figure out how to combine all that you are … and all that he is … and surround yourself with your favorite people in the whole wide world ~ Paul & Teresa’s wedding will give you SO much inspiration! The sweet simplicity of family and tradition and a passion for each other. That’s really all it’s all about … right? The wonderful Meghan McSweeney has shared a few pics from the day. Enjoy!

from Meghan …

Paul and Teresa met while she was at a University Northern Ireland, from which Paul hails. The couple wanted to make sure the wedding incorporated each of their cultures (with him from Ireland and Teresa with her Bolivian and American roots). They used the Irish “claddagh” throughout the reception (cocktail napkins, cake topper and thank you cards) as it’s a symbol for love, friendship and loyalty.

They had salsa dancing during the rehearsal dinner and reception for Teresa’s Bolivian side. For Southern flair, the couple hosted their wedding at Tuckahoe Plantation, which is the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Their invitations incorporated dogwood (Virginia state flower) and their guests enjoyed Virginia peanuts in their welcome bags.

We asked Teresa her most memorable part of her wedding day and she said, “Our favorite part of the wedding day was when we were finally able to cut loose during the reception. With my husband being called Paul McCartney, one of the things we bonded over when we first started going out was a shared love of The Beatles. So our last dance of the night to “I’ve Just Seen a Face” was definitely a highlight and the perfect ending to the whole day.”

I also asked her to share any advice for future brides, now that she’s walked down the aisle herself and she said, “If you have your heart set on an outdoor wedding like I did, be ready for extreme weather (in my case it was the intense heat) and for bugs. I’ve never been a big fan of fondant but at the last minute we decided to add it to the cake just in case of flies and to guard the cake against melting in the heat. So when we were invaded by ants that climbed all over the cake, the caterers were able to just peel away that top layer when it came time to serve it!

Photographer: Meghan McSweeney Photography
Minister: Dean Pittman, Greenwood United Methodist Church
Event Planner: Courtney Spencer, Merriment Events
Tent Rental: Skyline Tent Company
Cake: Sweetest Thing Bakery
Flowers: Flower Girls
Ceremony/Reception: Tuckahoe Plantation
Catering: White House Catering
DJ: Cam DiNunzio
Ceremony Musicians: Classical Encounter
Hair: Salon 23
Makeup: Stephanie Parker
Transportation: TNT Limousine
Party Rentals: Party Perfect

This next wedding, from Alice Hu Photography, is pure girly goodness.   A mix of vintage glamour and rustic chic with a ton of handmade touches all set in the heart of a breathtaking Southern California winery.  The bride and groom incorporated all things they loved to create a totally personal and unique day.  What better way to spend your wedding than surrounded by your favorite things?  Click here to see even more!

Check out the full gallery for even more inspiration!

From the lovely bride, Charity…

I loved chandeliers, hanging crystals, candelabras, birdcages, pearls, peacock feathers, anything vintage, black and white, and damask…I wanted to do something that was different…something that was ethereal and romantic, yet modern and chic, with rustic elements…hence, the manzanita branch tree centerpieces with hanging crystals and vintage brooch glued on to the ribbon…So, I ended up taking my favorite colors, sugarplum and black and started there…I also tied sugarplum ribbon around each one of the black folded napkins and glued a vintage pearl button for the perfect touch!

The selection of the winery was easy once we changed venues. We both love wine and were wine members at Ponte. Every time we visited, we would sit and watch the most romantic and elegant wedding ceremonies taking place as we sipped on our wine. We couldn’t stop going back even after we had placed a deposit for another venue.  So, three months before our original wedding date, we changed our minds when a wedding was canceled at Ponte. We never looked back after that!

Venue: Ponte Winery Temecula / Photographer: Alice Hu Photography / Flowers: Fleuretica / Photobooth: Cube of the Moment / Cake: Cakes to Celebrate / DJ: Mike Villareal / Hair and Makeup: My Beauty Creator / Dress: Jim Hjelm / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bridesmaid Dresses: Mori Lee / Groom attire: Calvin Klein

Fact.  Stainless steel + stubborn rust = every kitchen lover’s nemesis.  And because we’ve all been there (oh, have we ever), we thought it only right to share with you some helpful tips from Erin Loechner that make ridding your sink of that unsightly rust super easy.  I’m talking everything from lemon juice to lighter fluid helping keep your kitchen sparkling clean…

From Erin Loechner… Despite its name, stainless steel does rust. But if your stainless steel sink is corroded, there’s no need to replace it just yet. With a bit of know-how and easy cleaning tricks, you can remove rust in a flash!

Nothing’s worse than washing plates after dinner in a rusty sink. While stainless steel doesn’t rust as easily or in the same manner as regular steel, contrary to popular belief, it is not stain-proof. Stainless-steel kitchen sinks are sometimes even more susceptible to rust when other wet objects, such as cast iron pans, utensils or flatware are left in the sink for long periods of time. The metal reacts with the water and Galvanic Corrosion occurs, leading to the discoloration you see on the sink’s surface area.

There are over 150 grades of stainless steel, and some are more prone to corrosion than others. In general, the higher the chromium content, the less likely the steel will rust. Check with your manufacturer or warranty to determine the chromium content of your stainless-steel sink, and if shopping for a replacement, be sure to opt for a high chromium count.

STAINLESS STEEL CLEANING TIPS
Luckily, you don’t need to buy a new sink to tackle rust now. Try these easy, homemade cleaning solutions to make your stainless-steel sparkle:

– Vinegar: Simply pour a generous amount of vinegar onto a soft scouring pad* for an eco-friendly alternative to harsh chemicals. The stain will lift immediately.

– Lemon juice and baking soda: Create a paste from equal parts lemon juice and baking soda, then scrub with a damp sponge. For tougher stains, leave the paste on for 15-30 minutes, then wipe clean.

– Lemon juice and cream of tartar: Mix one tablespoon of cream of tartar with a few drops of lemon juice to create a paste, then smooth it on rust spots and rub it in vigorously with a soft sponge.

– Club soda: Buff rust scuffs with a soda-dampened cloth.

– Lighter fluid: If all else fails, try pouring lighter fluid on a clean cloth and scrubbing the rust spots clean. For safety, keep in mind that lighter fluid is highly flammable and can be toxic for the environment, so use this option as a last resort — and never around an open flame (make sure all nearby stove burners are off).

In no time at all, your stainless sink will shine brighter than that cast-iron pot — just keep the two away from each other to avoid more rust in the future!

*Avoid hard metals and heavy scouring pads, as they can easily scratch the surface of your sink.

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Photography: Kelly Braman Photography

We love, love, LOVE Wednesdays here on Style Me Pretty because we get to share a whole bag full of pretty weddings that run the gamut of awesomeness. A little taste of pretty after seriously pretty wedding will be coming your way all day long and to see each wedding in full all you have to do is click right on the gallery. What’s not to love?

First up on the wedding train is a DIY masterpiece photographed by Red Fish Blue Fish. Not only does this dynamic duo have a fabulous moniker but they also happen to snap pretty fantastic images. Case in point, this Washington farm wedding where dahlias run a plenty and so do the cheeky paper goods. Don’t forget, there is so much more where this came from in the gallery so click it.

be sure to check out the gallery for more from this pretty fete!

All of the decorations at my wedding were DIY (made by me) and were completely budget friendly. Our location was at Swans Trail Farms in Snohomish, WA; the town I grew up in. It was a perfect, perfect day. The weather was gorgeous and I couldn’t have asked for a better setting. My bridesmaids and I put together the bouquets the night before the wedding, using the fresh cut dahlias I ordered from the Dahlia Barn in North Bend, WA. I bought brown satin ribbon that we wrapped the bouquets with and secured them with pearl topped pins. Some info about the clothing…my shoes were a vintage inspired style. I didn’t want the classic white so I went with a skin tone, so I’d almost look barefoot. The bridesmaid dresses were from Anthropologie at only $89 a pop and we added light blue ribbon to wrap around the girls waists.

Photography: Red Fish Blue Fish Photography / Flowers: The Dahlia Barn, North Bend, WA / Event Design: the bride (Emily Bruton) Event Planning: the bride (Emily Bruton) / Ceremony and Reception Location: Swans Trail Farms, Snohomish WA / Invitations: the bride (Emily Bruton) / Shoes: Chelsea Crew / Dress: Paloma Blanca / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie / Rings: Shane Co. Lynnwood, WA and Green Lake Jewelry Seattle, WA / Cake: That Takes the Cake, Lake Stevens, WA / Caterer: Simply Seasoned, Snohomish, WA

Oh what a treat we have for you this afternoon! We’re staying in Savannah but going back in time to a year ago, almost to the day. Clint and Lauren were married in a charming ceremony in Savannah. Rob Epple at AMC Video Productions and Michelle Reed Photography have shared some of the gorgeous images and a bring-your-hankie-to-your-desk kind of video!

Seriously … the music is from Clint Wiley (the groom), singing to his lovely bride, Lauren. Get that hankie out!

Clint and Lauren Wiley – Director’s Cut from Rob Epple on Vimeo.

Awwwwww…..SO romantic!  Lauren and Clint ~ we hope y’all had a really HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

You can see more of the beautiful bride and groom on Michelle’s blog and here in our gallery!

See more of AMC Video Productions amazing wedding films on their website!

Cinematography: Rob Epple, AMC Video Productions
Photography: Michelle Reed Photography
Wedding Planning: Kelly McWilliams, Weddings by Socialites
Band: Mr. Potato Head, Clint Willey’s None Other

I’m pretty sure that heaven looks exactly like this next wedding. Set in Portofino, Italy…it’s the epitome of beauty. The epitome of luxury, the epitome of total gorgeousness. And thank goodness Corbin Gurkin, who happens to specialize in really beautiful weddings, was on hand to photograph every last detail. This is one of those affairs that you will fall in love with every time you look at it and frankly, I’m pretty sure that the guests were counting their lucky stars to have gotten their invite! Click here to see even more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

We are both English but met whilst work in Sydney, Australia where we both still live. We were introduced through mutual friends. After nine months of being good friends, the relationship turned romantic. After two happy years together, Charlie proposed during a sunset walk on the beach in Bali.

Living in Australia we have a very outdoorsy lifestyle and really wanted to marry in the outdoors. We wanted to marry in England where we are both from, but the good old British climate isn’t really suited to such a wedding so we decided to move the celebrations to Europe- close enough for people to travel and we still got to have our outdoor sunny wedding! Having holidayed in Italy many times, we decided on Italy and as soon as we saw La Cervara we just knew! It was breathtakingly beautiful and we just fell in love with it. It was hard work planning it from Australia with the time difference and distance, but it was all so worth it in the end!

For flowers, we used white hydrangeas, ivory roses, a floral arch for ceremony, white hydrangeas for aisle chairs for ceremony, white hydrangeas and gypsophilia for table centerpieces, ivory & pale pink roses with gypsophilia for bridesmaids bouquets and ivory roses and gypsophilia for buttonholes. For cocktails, we served bellinis, rossinis and Veuve Cliquot. Our menu included Ratatouille Crepe with almond crezensa, Lamb with rosemary infused potatoes and spinach and a Trio of mini desserts (Creme brulee, tiramisu, lemon sorbet), along with a three tierd strawberry millefuille wedding cake.

The whole thing was a dream. It was wonderful that our family and friends came to Italy to share in our day with us. Living away from home it was like we were all on one big holiday together and we got to spend a few days together instead of just the one. The whole day was perfect for us, from the clifftop ceremony overlooking the water, to the dinner and then the dancing until 3am- it was a great party!

Photography: Corbin Gurkin Photography / Planning: Varese Wedding / Villa and catering: La Cervara / Music: Music Buffet / Videographer: Pier-Yves Menkhoff / Florist: Il Giardino di Susanna Morelli – Santa Margherita Ligure / Wedding arch, Ceremony setting: Varese Wedding / Officiant: Simona B. by Varese Wedding / Wedding Venue: La Cervara – Portofino, Italy / Bridal Shoe Designer: Jimmy Choo / Tuxedo Designer: Valentino / Bridesmaid Dress Designer: Vera Wang / Floor Length Veil: Steven Khalil (Australian designer) / Jewelery: Cartier Love Bangle (wedding day gift from Charlie), Diamond studs for earrings, Grandmother’s brooch on bouquet who couldn’t make the journey to Italy

This next wedding has SMP written all over it. It’s charming, it’s undeniably pretty, it’s heavy on picture perfect details and and it has personality for days. Oh and it looks like a total blast. I seriously heart this bride and groom for taking the time to infuse their day with so many sweet touches that really represented their own personalities and Amber Karson Events for bringing it all to life. Absolutely lovely. Click here to see even more!

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

From the bride…Our favorite memory of the day was our wedding parade! The first vendor we hired wasn’t the caterer or the photographer, it was Ray the Scottish bagpiper. One of the only things we knew in our initial planning phase was that we wanted to parade our guests through town, past the lantern lit historical buildings and through the friendly streets of Doylestown to the reception site at Aunt Sara’s house. This made picking a church very easy – it had to be within walking distance of our reception site, a.k.a Aunt Sara’s which was 7 blocks away! The parade was filled with fun touches that Amber Karson Events created for us. Groomsmen held up a homemade banner that read “Just Married”. Tristan and I carried large, white balloons. Walter, our spoiled English bulldog and ring bearer, was kept in tow with the help of a red, Radio Flyer wagon. And each guest happily waved their ribbon wands and fabric pennants. Cars pulled over and honked their horns wishing us good luck as we walked by. Looking back, it was like something out of a story book. The smiles on our friends and families faces were absolutely priceless. We paraded under the bluest sky and brightest sun that afternoon. When we arrived at Aunt Sara’s our paraders where served Tristan’s favorite drink, Bourbon & Ginger Ale with a slice of lime. Antique drawers I sanded and painted served as trays for the drinks, which were served up in hand blown tumblers and adorned with gray and white paper straws…the perfect refresher after the long walk through town.

For the reception ambiance, we were after a garden party not too dissimilar to the backyard pool scene in the movie Sabrina! In fact, our invites described the attire to the guests as: “Garden Formal – Whatever That Means!” Aunt Sara’s home provided just that – a corner lot in a wonderful Victorian neighborhood with a lush garden pool on one side and various configurations of lawn furniture on the other side to effortlessly create the perfect cocktail environment. Under the tent were mason jars of flowers, hand sewn table runners and clear glass wine bottles filled with candles that illuminated the faces of our guests with a warm glow. I would recommend natural lighting to anyone wanting to create an intimate space.

From the groom…My mom comes from a big Pennsylvania farm family where everyone always pitches in, so this event was no different. Gram rallied her team of “floral arrangers” and beautifully arranged wild flowers in 115 mason jars which sprawled each long dinner table. My best friend John spent two weeks making a 6×8 ft. copy of our “Save the Date”, originally illustrated by an LA artist. The invite was a custom caricature of us and our little bulldog Walter. The mural was cut into six signs which were strategically placed along the parade route. He then put the signs back together and guests were able to sign it and leave us wonderful notes and well wishes, almost like a guestbook.

Event Design and Planning: Amber Karson Events / Venue: Private Residence / Photography: Abby Jiu Photography / Invitation Suite: Hello! Lucky / Catering: Dish Catering / Linen: Gala Cloths / Runners: custom made for Amber Karson Events

The thoughtful details, the romantic color palette, and the sweet southern Savannah setting make this wedding shot by LBB member Allison of Allison Reisz Photography simply stunning. And don’t even get me started on that gorgeous piece of ruffle perfection (aka her wedding dress) from Vera Wang the bride wore so perfectly – too die for. This couple not only had a beautiful day planned to perfection with meaningful nods to their love story, but they also have timeless images that will forever remind them of each and every beautiful detail.  Be sure to check out the gallery to see even more.

A bit of their story from the beautiful bride …

Having my wedding in Savannah, GA was a dream come true for me. Because my mother grew up in Savannah, it’s like a second home to me. After Adam proposed on a park bench in Savannah, we knew it was the only place we would ever want to have our wedding. Almost immediately after we were engaged we booked the Olde Pink House for our reception, which was very fitting because the night Adam proposed we ate dinner in the ballroom at the Olde Pink House. The Olde Pink House is also a place of fond memories for me because my family spent several Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at this restaurant.I have been dining at the Olde Pink House since I was about eight years old! Their event coordinator, Bianca Raub, was amazing and always such a pleasure to be around. The colors for the wedding were inspired by the gold and platinum murals of Savannah’s landscape in the ballroom of the Olde Pink House.

The next biggest inspiration was the bee. We chose the bee to symbolize our new life together because bees show us the importance of working together harmoniously while enjoying the sweetness of life. Our invitations had gold bee seals and were calligraphed by the talented Sarah Hanna. Sarah even incorporated a flourish of a gold bee below the name on the inside envelope. Additionally, Sarah created our gorgeous table names. Each table was named for a Savannah monument which Sarah had depicted in a black ink drawing that was framed for each table. We took the bee theme full circle by giving out honey from the Savannah Bee Company as favors, putting a honey soap in the out of town gift boxes, and offering a honeycomb and cheese display during the cocktail hour to our gifts. Finally, some of the bee details were already in place because our ceremony location, the Whitefield Chapel, had two beehives in the stained glass window. The Whitefield Chapel is a beautiful chapel on the banks of the Moon River. The chapel was built in 1740 and still has its original brick flooring and wooden pews.

Of course, the dress was the one thing I obsessed about the moment I was engaged. I looked through dozens of bridal magazines for the perfect dress, but when it all came down to it I only went dress shopping twice. Once I slipped on the Diana gown by Vera Wang I knew it was the one! It felt like Vera had designed the dress just for me. It was like when you find your husband, you have to go no further! I felt beautiful, feminine, and elegant in the dress. Millie and the ladies of The Collection in Winter Park were wonderful. The day of the wedding I was primped and polished by Jules at Dollface by Jules and Tiffony at ONY Salon.

Our wonderful florist, the ladies of A to Zinnias pulled together beautiful blooms that were tones of ivory, cream, and light pink with hints of silvery green dusty miller. The bridesmaids dresses were a rich silk cappuccino color from Dessy Collection. Our sweet cake designer, Kerry O’Connor created a gorgeous cake that had cappuccino colored fondant with cream frosting that incorporated a bee and the monogram ALC for Adam and Cat Losey. The inspiration for the cake design was traditional English Wedgwood china, which I had adored when I studied abroad in Cambridge England. Amy Atlas’s work inspired me to create a candy buffet. The theme of the candy buffet was a Parisian candy shop, which was a nod to our trip to Paris that we took after finishing the bar exam.

Adam and I looked into having a photo booth for the wedding, but after much thought we decided against a modern photo booth. Instead, to go with the historical venues we decided on an “old fashioned photo booth” and hired a silhouette artist, Edward Casey, who created silhouettes for the guests throughout the night.

Adam plays the violin and we both love music, so we wanted to ensure the music would be top notch at the wedding. We worked with New Arts Ensemble. They provided us with a string trio and piano player for the ceremony. One of my favorite moments was when a friend who happens to be a classically trained singer sang “You Raise Me Up” at the ceremony during the lighting of the unity candle. We had a wonderful harpist play during the cocktail hour, and the talented Trae Gurley crooned Sinatra songs during dinner. Moon River Productions deejayed as everyone danced the night away after the cake cutting.

Finally, the organization, compassion, and positive attitude of my wedding planner, Marianne McBay of Wed Accompli, was absolutely essential to keeping me sane througout the wedding planning process. The day of the wedding, I did not worry about a single thing because I knew Marianne had taken care of it and everything went very smoothly. We had a dream day filled with love and laughter, but we are so glad that we won’t just have our memories. Adam and I are very thankful that our talented photography team from Allison Reisz Photography captured the beauty of each moment. The creativity of their work cannot be described until you see it for yourself. We cannot wait to relive the day through our video which was filmed by Savannah Wedding Films.

Photography: Allison Reisz Photography/Wedding Planner: Wed Accompli /Ceremony Venue: Whitefield Chapel /Reception Venue: The Olde Pink House / Videographer: Savannah Wedding Films /Florist: A to Zinnias / Cake: Kerry O’Connor /Silhouette Artist: Edward Casey/Classic Car: Classic Cars of Savannah/ Hair: Ony Salon/ Make-up:  Dollface by Jules /Wedding Dress:  Vera Wang/ Brides Shoes: Cole Haan

What is the recipe for a completely scrumptious wedding?  Design by Jubilee Events, flowers by BLUSH, a mouth-watering menu from Gourmet Galley and artisan chocolates from Knipschildt Chocolatier.   Top it all off with photography by Carla Ten Eyck Photography and you have your full day’s serving of loveliness.   I really should not have been allowed to check out this perfect spread on an empty stomach.  There is even more mind-blowing images from this vintage garden party with a modern touch in the full gallery!  Grab your mint gin fizz and dig right in!

Check out the full gallery for even more inspiration!

Sally and Oliver were married at the Waveny House in New Canaan, Connecticut on September 25th. Sally wore a beautiful lace Birnbaum & Bullock gown with a Maria Elena headpiece and her mother’s lace veil. Oliver and his groomsmen dawned custom grey suits with yellow ties and purple socks. The maids chose gowns in shades of grey with flower and ruffle details. They had a gorgeous evening wedding with a Jewish ceremony in the walled garden with the majestic Waveny House as a backdrop.  Guests arrived to the ceremony greeted with drinks and snacks in paper cones. Ivory pashmina’s were rolled into a rustic basket and tied with gray satin ribbon. The chuppah was planted in four garden urns with a canopy made of the families prayer shawls.

Inspired by yellow with vintage elements, we designed a garden styled affair in yellow, grey, white and black with hints of green. BLUSH created gorgeous arrangements in vintage black urns, silver mirrored vases and square concrete containers in shades of yellow. The centerpieces lined long, family styled tables with slate grey linen and white runners. Custom black and white toile napkins were folded with a menu card highlighting the evening’s meal, which included duck, short rib and mahi mahi. An oversized yellow satin bow adorned each napkin. Sally and Oliver wanted to seat their guests at each table, so we created small square place cards displayed on champagne corks with a silver headed pin. Each table had a dainty plate of chocolate artisan goodness courtesy of Knipschildt Chocolatier.

Guests danced the night away to the sounds of the Clark Eno Orchestra, sipping prosecco and highballs of mint gin fizz and pomegranate margaritas.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography / Cinematography: Vintage Cinema / Flowers: BLUSH floral design / Event Design, Planning, Rentals and Day of Paper: Jubilee Events / Venue: The Waveny House / Invitations: Pulp & Honey / Shoes: Joan David / Chocolate: Knipschildt / Dress: Birnbaum & Bullock / Beauty: Dana Bartone & Co. / Catering: Gourmet Galley / Band: Clark Eno Orchestra / Headpiece: Maria Elena / Cake: Sweet Cakes, Fairfield

If laid back elegance is your thing (it is most DEFINITELY my thing) then this lovely lakeside soiree is going to be so up your alley. The bride’s loose flowing locks, the perfectly worn in boots, the beer on a platter…it all has an effortless, North Carolina cool air about it while still remaining totally and completely stylish. Plus, Sharon Clark from Smitten Photography rocks our socks off each and every time one of her weddings graces our inbox so we knew from the start this wedding was going to be all kinds of amazing. And it is. See more from the day in the gallery.

see more of this southern soiree here!

From the Bride…

When we started planning our wedding we knew that the most important thing to us was that the feel and look of the wedding reflected our own style and personalities. I didn’t want stuffy or formal or anything that looked too contrived. That’s just not us. I’m from a small farming town in rural upstate New York and Ryan is originally from Georgia, so we both have a lot of country in our souls. We wanted to keep everything laid back and relaxed while still being beautiful and charming. When I found The Point Lake & Golf Club, I knew it was the perfect place. Its setting on Lake Norman is gorgeous and has an immense amount of character. The exposed rafters, lantern lighting, stone fireplaces and barn doors all create the sort of rustic charm that we were going for.

With the venue locked down, we moved on to the details which were definitely my favorite part. We kept everything in line with the existing character of The Point. I found so many wonderful vendors on Etsy that offer the most amazing handmade products which really helped us add in more personalized details and enhance the atmosphere. Outside of Etsy, we found most of our other pieces at yard sales and antique shops, while my cousin made the burlap table runners. One of my favorite details was the hats worn by my Dad and nephew. My dad’s side of the family is Irish and it was very important to me to incorporate that into our ceremony somehow. My sister found the tweed hats at Murphy of Ireland’s online store based in County Donegal, Ireland and they were just perfect. Looking back on the day, it was beautiful and natural, just as we had envisioned and it was an absolute blast. More importantly, I got to marry my best friend that day and if that isn’t perfect, I have no idea what is!

Photography: Sharon Clark of Smitten Photography / Ceremony location: The Point Lake & Golf Club in Mooresville, NC / Dress Designer: Jenny Lee /  Bridesmaid dresses: J.Crew / Shoes: Vintage Miss Capezio Cowboy boots / Florist: Flowers of Charlotte / Catering: The Point Lake & Golf Club / Cupcakes: Sophie Cakes Bakery / Signs: The Back Porch Shoppe / Ring Bearer Pillow: Unabashed Bliss / Love birds table décor: Dearjes / L+R Magnets: April Hiler Designs / Wine corks: Gallery 360 / Guest Book & Pen: Detail In Design

This afternoon’s film feature is from Aqua Vivus Productions. One thing you know for sure … when the bride sends us her wedding film … she’s one completely delighted bride!

see the full gallery here!

From Lauren ~
It’s funny how wedding vendors come into your life for such a short period of time and yet, have such a huge impact. That’s how I felt when I saw our video because I don’t know how I could ever thank everyone that was involved in our wedding enough without it! My wedding was magical, enchanted, and everything I could ever have dreamed of. I have so much gratitude for everything our family did to help us get ready and for the vendors who helped us put it all together! I hope that by seeing just a little bit of the day, Style Me Pretty readers will see that none of it would have been possible without all these wonderful people in our lives.

I think that by making the ceremony about community and making our guests an integral part of it, it created a closeness amongst everyone there. Instead of 150 strangers from different families, it became an intimate, connected group of people.

Lauren + Dustin from AQUA VIVUS on Vimeo.

See Lauren and Dustin’s whole wedding gallery here!

Our wedding is different and original because it was held at a private elementary school. When we first started telling people we were getting married at a private elementary school, I feel like they gave us looks of pity. I tried to explain that it didn’t look like an elementary school, but people didn’t believe me…until they saw it at the wedding. Dustin’s uncle was the principal of the school so that’s how we had an ‘in’ and knew about the location. We knew that we really wanted the wedding to be outside, but didn’t like the idea of strangers passing by and being able to peek at the wedding if we held the ceremony at a park or beach. We wanted something that was private and the school allowed us to start with a clean canvas and completely create our vision.

Our biggest challenge was the one hour flip between the ceremony and the reception. We held both in the same courtyard and I wanted the area to look completely different at the reception than at the ceremony…I wanted to shock people and I definitely think I did. We brought in lounge furniture and a lighting structure to put over the dance floor. My month of wedding planner (Thea Lauren Event Design, the most amazing person in the world) brought in her team and in one hour, it was a complete transformation.

Dustin and I are both young so we really wanted our wedding to be fun and symbolize our love and our youth. About 90 of the guests were between 20 and 35 so we knew we had to throw one heck of a party which is why we hired Michael Antonia of Flashdance. Once dinner was over, the dancing never stopped!

There were a ton of little details to our wedding that I think gave it character and made it our own. I spent the year and a half of our engagement picking up little things here and there and doing DIY projects along the way. I am a perfectionist, so I really wanted every single detail I could think of, but at first didn’t know how I would do it all without a huge budget. Since we were on a budget, I bought things throughout the year and finding deals made it possible to add all of the little things I wanted into the event design. I bought chandeliers from Ikea for $39 that hung in the trees. I bought little hanging candle vases from Anthropologie for $2 on sale that also hung in the trees. I bought all battery operated candles from The Dollar Tree (I drove to 10 different ones in San Diego to get a bunch of them) – you can’t beat 2 for $1. I bought flip flops to put by the dance floor (which every single girl, young and old, were wearing by the end of the night) for $1 on sale at Old Navy. We found pillows at TJMaxx for the lounge furniture.

We also did a lot of DIY. We made our invitations ourselves – huge posters with a silhouette from our engagement shoot. We sent them out in mail tubes with a label covering the white tube with the same image. It was so fun to design and put them together! We wanted people to know our wedding was going to be fun and I think that our invitations gave a sneak peek at the fun guests were going to have.

We had a lot of help from our family and friends: Dustin’s mom made all of the personalized water bottles; Dustin’s dad screenprinted OOT canvas totes for us; one of our good friends painted watercolor for our programs and all of our signs; Dustin’s sister painted wooden signs that pointed to the different areas of the wedding, my sister made signs for the cucumber water and bathroom baskets and made the parasol signs.

Our wedding was about family and friends coming together to support us in our decision. We wanted our wedding to feel like a close-knit community and we wanted to let people know how grateful we were to have them be a part of it. We had people fly in from everywhere (San Francisco, Illinois, New Jersey, New Zealand, Australia, etc.) and we wanted everyone to know how much we appreciated them making the trip. We knew that a lot of people made a lot of effort to be there and so we wanted the event to be something they would remember. Guests were greeted with cucumber water, champagne, and little snack bags that had a sticker with our silhouette on it. We provided parasols because we knew it would be hot and we provided flip flops for the women to change into for dancing.

We decided to do a Circle of Love ceremony…I think it’s a Hawaiian tradition, but we loved the whole concept of being connected to those around you on your wedding day. It was beautiful and let our guests know that they weren’t merely attending our wedding, but an integral part of it and by attending they were showing their love and support in our decision to become husband and wife. When our guests arrived, we had them place a rose petal in a circle on the altar and our officiant (Dustin’s Uncle) said the following words at the beginning of our ceremony:
“As our bride and groom’s family and friends entered, they placed a flower, forming a circle that now surrounds our bride and groom. This circle will form the altar, the sacred space where Lauren and Dustin will make their vows and promises to each other, as they are joined together in marriage. But these flowers not only represent this new beginning for our bride and groom, marking this spot and this moment in their lives – but also the love of each person who placed it. Each flower is an individual, beautifully unique in its own way – just as the love and support of the person who placed it. Each flower is a show of support for our bride and groom as they become husband and wife, and as they begin this new, amazing, and wonderful journey together, as partners in life. Lauren and Dustin are surrounded by these flowers, just as they are surrounded by their cherished family and friend’s love today – and everyday.”

We also had a group declaration of support right before we said our own vows. All of the guests repeated after our officiant, the vows we had chosen for a group vow. It was an amazing feeling to look out at 150 of our family and friends as they spoke a vow in unison to us.

Photography: Silva Stills & Cinema / Cinematography: Aqua Vivus / Flowers: Fancy That! Designs /Event Planning: Thea Lauren Event Design / Venue: Francis Parker Elementary School / Invitations: Bride / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Dress: Rivini / DJ: Flashdance / Makeup: Amy Marie Clarke /Hair: Ann Jenner, HairSpray Salon

We’ve been working with the team at PurePhoto on a fun new project that we’re absolutely dying to tell you about. It’s a totally comprehensive, no-holds-barred ONLINE photography workshop geared specifically to brides and grooms-to-be. The thing is, we get a TON of questions from couples who are so hoping to get that SMP style photography with their own wedding images, but are kind of lost as to where to begin. Especially if they don’t necessarily have the budget to pay for the heavy hitters. Enter, Ryan Phillips and Robert Evans...two world renowned photographers who specialize in picture perfect wedding photography and are chomping at the bit to tell you just how to approach your own wedding day photography.

So here’s the deal. Ryan and Robert will be hosting a completely comprehensive wedding photography workshop on Wednesday, November 17th with slots open at 7PM and 10PM EST and will be tackling ALL of the questions and concerns that we get on a daily basis from brides-to-be. Here are some of the topics that they will cover…

• How to look your best in all your shots!
• How to determine your wedding photography budget.
• Discuss typical packages and show you what you should be getting for your money.
• What photographers are really showing you in their portfolio and whether your photographer has the experience to shoot at the level you want.
• The importance of having a photography timeline and how to sync it with your wedding planner’s general timeline.
• The importance of seeing your photographer before the wedding.
• How to avoid the headache of wrangling family for pictures.
• Details are what get your wedding published! We’ll show you how to get the most out of your detail shots – and yes, it means planning time to shoot them.

And all of this coming from two guys who have literally worked with the most famous people in the world to photograph the most famous weddings in the world (we’re talking Tom + Katie and Brad + Jennifer, people). This is a REALLY cool opportunity to educate yourself on how wedding photography should work and how to get the most out of your photography dollars. The workshop cost is $29.

Click here to get signed up! And make sure you start jotting down your questions as there will be a live Q & A after the lesson!

PurePhoto is a community for people who love great photography. You can learn, be inspired, connect with others, buy art prints and even sell you own. Check out PurePhoto for more info.

Robert has been shooting for more than 20 years and boasts a clientele of some of the most famous entertainers in Hollywood. He has photographed the weddings of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes as well Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Other clients include Jim Carrey, Christina Aguilera, Trent Reznor and Anastacia. His work has been featured in USA Today, People Magazine, US Weekly, Hello, OK, In Touch, InStyle, Grace Ormonde, and Martha Stewart Weddings. His work has also been featured on Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, Extra, MTV, CNN and more. Robert has photographed more than 800 weddings over the course of his illustrious career.

Ryan has been a Professional Photographer for 22 years and is recognized as one of the leading portrait and wedding photographers in the industry. He is continually on the cutting edge of image making in terms of both style and technology. Ryan’s work is often featured in publications nationwide and he has a long list of celebrity clients that include the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Monique Lhuillier and The William Morris Agency. His has been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, Fortune, Sunset, Via, Angelino, Ocean Drive and Travel + Leisure as well as top wedding publications such as InStyle, Modern Bride, and Los Angeles Weddings.

Even though it definitely feels like Winter here in New England, we aren’t letting go of Fall THAT easily. We still have a handful of absolutely gorgeous Fall inspired affairs and this one, well…it’s Fall’s finest. Designed by A Savvy Event and Frenchie & Flea (remember the first Frenchie & Flea wedding that we obsessed over?), this is such a gorgeous interpretation of Sonoma. A beautiful Autumn palette, an abundance of locally grown goodies and of course…the best wine EVER. Oh, and did we mention that there is so much more gorgeousness in the galleries?? Click right here!

click here to see the full gallery!

Emarie Chervinskas of A Savvy Event teamed up with Emily Baker of Frenchie & Flea to create this intimate wedding. With a small budget and big vision, we were able to create a rustic, California wine country wedding with an Italian flair with DIY projects, vintage finds, and unique touches that reflected the bride’s vision. The color palette was pulled from the in-season harvest, including heirloom tomatoes, herbs, root vegetables, sunflowers, and the golds and greens of the vineyards.

The ceremony and wine & cheese reception was held at Scribe Winery, where we utilized an already eclectic atmosphere and furnishings and created an altar from old cherry picking ladders, and seating from assorted vintage chairs and an awesome 100-year old red couch. Sunflowers in medicine bottles, potted herbs, and rosemary branches were tied to the ladders with twine. Lauren of FleurEssence created the perfect bouquet for the bride, which added a bold pop of color against her simply elegant JCrew dress; and the groom’s rustic boutonniere was made of herbs. For the wine & cheese hour at Scribe’s tasting room and patio, we wanted the food and libations to be the star, so we dressed the table with cheese cloth table runners, potted herbs in cloches for fragrance and color, and served fresh fruit and bread, local artisan cheeses, and charcuterie on wooden cheese boards. Sonoma has a rich agriculture and Slow Food tradition, and we wanted to carry that attitude through from the ceremony at Scribe to the reception at Estate Restaurant.

For the reception dinner we celebrated the late summer/early fall harvest and used in-season, organic, and locally grown vegetables as the centerpiece. We piled them into a vintage grape crate, and surrounded them with more potted herbs. The china was collected from various discount and thrift stores, and layered to create depth and color on the table. Plates, glassware and silverware can be mixed and matched! We also handcrafted the place mats using canvas sheets from an art store (they are sold pre-cut like a pad of paper, in the perfect place mat size!) and fabric and ribbon scraps which we hot glued to the canvas. We tied the silverware in the napkin with a strip of leftover linen fabric and tucked a rosemary sprig into each place setting. Lanterns we found at a discount store were hung with robe from the trellising. We then carried the rope element down to the table top by wrapping the stem or base of varying glass vessel in it (using a glue gun!) and filled the glasses with bread sticks. Again, we wanted the food to be the focus of the table, and found that you don’t always need to use flowers to do this. Its easy to had height and color to a table with bread sticks, herbs, oil & vinegar in unique bottles, and mounds of fresh produce. We channeled European influences and added rustic touches to create a budget-friendly and beautiful table that anybody can create for any occasion! The best part is, you can take home the veggies and eat them!

The venues provided the perfect backdrops for such a sweet wedding and the photographer, Ellie Grover, captured Ariane and Nate’s special day so beautifully. We were so happy to have met and worked with such a wonderful couple, and just loved creating something so intimate and personal for them! Congratulations Ariand & Nate!

Coordination & Event Design: A Savvy Event, Frenchie & Flea / Photography: Ellie Grover Photography / Ceremony Venue: Scribe Winery, Sonoma, CA / Reception Venue: Estate Restaurant, Sonoma, CA / Flowers: FleurEssence / Linens: La Tavola / Brides Dress: JCrew

Amy Majors and Debra Ackmann were the photo geniuses behind our next wedding and to say that they captured some beautiful moments is an understatement. It is more like they knocked it out of the freaking park with each and every image. Can you tell that we mega-heart Amy Majors Photography? Well we also mega-heart this Minnesota flower farm wedding to pieces. It is perfectly shabby-chic, effortlessly adorable and the color palette is totally worthy of a swoon or two. That is what you call a recipe for wedding perfection. See more of this pretty day in the gallery.

see the full wedding right here!

From the Bride…

Shabby-chic. That, in one word is what best describes the feeling of our wedding. Back when we got engaged around Christmas, I immediately started visioning a wedding that could take place in an Anthropologie store. I’ve always been in love with the modern vintage look – a mixture of classy meets quirky. Now, we all know weddings can be extremely expensive – especially when getting caught up in all of the little details. When I say “details,” I mean everything from the invitations and place cards, to the table settings and favors. I’ll be honest in saying that it’s hard not to pay attention to these things. After all, these are some of the things that your guests will remember, and set your wedding apart from the 100 other weddings that they will attend over the years. As I started looking for inspiration, I found that weddings have become a huge industry. You can find everything you need for your big day on one stop on-line stores. Unfortunately, everything on these sites seem to be cheesy, plastic, cookie-cutter visions of someone else’s cardboard wedding. So, with realizing this, I decided to take on these “details” myself. After all, I wanted our wedding to be one to remember – and what better way to personalize something than to personally making these things yourself? We chose to go with a muted teal, and orange color theme. It ended up being a lovely combination – just look at the pictures! Once these colors were picked, everything seemed to fall into place. I went to school for graphic design, and am currently looking for any opportunity to use what I’ve learned. So, I attempted to use my creative design skills for all of the printed materials – the save-the-dates, the invitations, and the programs. We decided to get married in Stillwater, MN at Camrose Hill Flower Farm. It’s a delightful place – landscaped with old red barns, and flowers in every direction. The pavilion and tent where the reception took place was glittered with lighted branches, lanterns, and vintage chandeliers which hung from the ceiling. I really wanted to capture the feeling of the farm in the invitations. By using the chosen colors, and creating layers of vintage patterns, they turned out to be perfect. After the invites were mailed out, and the wedding day was approaching, I found other do-it-yourself projects. We painted Mason jars a light teal color – replicating the old ones you see at antique stores. We went to every thrift store imaginable to find random vases – varying in size. The centerpieces for the reception ended up consisting of one jar filled with beautiful orange and white flowers, and two mismatched skinny vases. They looked beautiful on the orange tablecloths.

it was a hot and muggy Friday. But despite the heat, we, along with our friends and family, made the day magical. The ceremony was surreal, as we were wed alongside all of the people who have played an important role in who we’ve grown to be as a couple. We wanted our wedding to be a time of true celebration, and a “thank you” to those who have encouraged us along this journey. We said our vows outdoors, surrounded by the remnants of an old dairy farm, and tall lush trees. I felt like I was standing back in time, and somehow everyone I loved was there enjoying it with me. After the ceremony, people found their place cards (which I made out of patterned paper and buttons) hanging from tiny clothespins attached to twine that was tied to two wooden stakes. They became something people could take home with them, along with their box filled with old-fashioned caramels and taffy we had sitting at each place setting. I really went to town on the patterned paper I found at a specialty paper store! It was so fun mixing and matching colors that would compliment the quirky feeling I was going for. That night, people delighted in good food and drinks, our personal favorite desserts, music, and dancing. We rented an authentic 1950’s photo booth where guests could take endless strips of pictures to remember the event. People put on silly hats, boas, and their own funny faces. We told people to use some of their poses to make a scrapbook page for what became our guest book. It was a hit, and the book continues to make us laugh to this day. Who knew our old neighbor could look so sassy! With all of this said, I can truly say that I wouldn’t have done anything different. When planning a wedding, it’s important to never lose sight of your love for each other – after all, that’s what a wedding is meant for, right? Also, never lose sight of yourselves and who you are. There’s endless opportunities to make the day your own – you just have to reach into your creative self and find out how. All of the DIY projects are worthwhile, and they’ll make your wedding unique – becoming a little glimpse of who you are and what you want your day to reflect.

Photography: Amy Majors & Debra Ackmann of Amy Majors Photography / Venue and Flowers: Camrose Hill Flower Farm / Wedding Dress and Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew / Cake and Caterer: Byerly’s / Rentals: Ultimate Events /Photo booth: Photobooth Memories