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

You hear it all the time ~ make your wedding ‘your own’. Fill it with your own personality! You also hear that the invitations set the tone. Well … I beg to differ. What we are seeing time and time again is that if you want to get a true glimpse into the personalities of the future Mr & Mrs ~ take a look at their engagement shoot! Kristin Vining ~ photographer extraordinaire ~ is the master when it comes to discovering the “true you”!

We have 4 pretty  P E R F E C T examples for you today!

First up … Erica & Brandon. They are planning their May 2011 wedding in Boone, North Carolina ~ along with the help of Lindsey & Tiffany at Weddings & The City and, of course, Kristin. They are really, just too cute for words! Take a look at their entire beautiful autumn engagement shoot on Kristin’s blog!

styling by lindsey regan thorne

See their whole e*shoot on Kristin’s blog!

Emily & Matt just got married in September. Their full engagement shoot is here ~ Part I, Part II. Between Kristin’s clever shots and Lindsey Regan Thorne’s expert styling ~ again, the personality of these guys just oozes fun!

You can see even more of the beautiful Emily in her bridal shoot on Kristin’s blog ~ here!

Lisa and Lance decided to get in on the foto-action and borrowed a few vintage cameras!  Shot at Blowing Rock, North Carolina, their E*Shoot is beyond delightful!

styling by Lindsey Regan Thorne

See THEIR full shoot here!

And last ~ but certainly not least … a huge SMP hug to Lauren & Rocky ~ just married on November 5!

A D O R A B L E !!

Kristin Vining’s art … always blows us away!

As if getting an extra hour of sleep wasn’t enough of a treat, this rustic, wintery, all around fabulous inspiration is sure to kick any last ounce of Monday blues right out of your head. With photography by Eternal Reflections, and design and styling by Jennifer Bergman Weddings and PinkPolka Wedding Design, this shoot goes to show that even a quaint little fishing pond in the prairies of Canada can look glamorous with just the right touches. And when you add beautiful florals from La Piazza Dasee, well the result is perfectly breathtaking. Get your inspiration caps on ladies and gents and your pencils ready because this beauty is filled to the brim with steal-worthy bits and don’t forget to have a looky loo in the gallery for even more rustic wonderment.

see more from this gorgeous shoot here!

From Jennifer Bergman…

In Alberta, Canada, there is a very short window of time between the end of summer and the first snowfall. Our goal of this shoot was to capture the warmth of the Prairie landscape in autumn, and so we crossed our fingers that Mother Nature would cooperate and we set to work designing a Rustic Prairie tablescape that harmonized natural and artificial elements with vintage and modern flair. Radelle from Eternal Reflections Photography found a quaint fishing pond in the country located just outside of Edmonton – at first sight we knew it was a perfect fit! The table itself became our focal point for the shoot as we contemplated how to let the beautiful Alberta countryside really shine through. Glass was the obvious choice for a tabletop! Small stumps wedged between two identical glass tops created a unique double-paned effect. We decided to contrast the rustic, natural setting with acrylic ghost chairs from Special Event Rentals. The chairs also provided the modern touch that we wanted to ensure was present. The table base was a tad trickier to execute! With the help of an experienced woodsman (my husband!), we set off to our family tree farm to cut the perfect stumps to support our table.

We chose a neutral palette for the florals and focused on layers and texture to give the table incredible depth. Janine and James – the highly talented floral designers from La Piazza Dasee – filled the double-paned glass table with rustic floral elements, lace, vintage pearls and cameos. Their creativity truly came to life when designing the bride’s fan-inspired bouquet – it was fabulous! To add romance, we incorporated lace throughout many elements of the shoot. Lace trim was hand-sewn to the crisp, white napkins and we tied lace ribbon around the edible guest favors – scrumptious individual servings of bread pudding. Our favorite project involved spraying a lace pattern onto cylinder glass vases with white floral paint – the effect was phenomenal!

The true “Martha Stewart” that she is, Jenelle from PinkPolka Wedding Design added a homespun touch to many of the stationery elements. From sewing escort flags out of Prairie-inspired fabric to the matching invitation pocket, every detail was carefully considered. The day turned out to be sunny and warm (by Alberta standards) and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this collaboration of local talent. Enjoy!

Event Design and Styling: Jennifer Bergman Weddings and PinkPolka Wedding Design / Photography: Radelle from Eternal Reflections Photography / Floral Design: La Piazza Dasee / Stationery Design: PinkPolka Wedding Design / Chairs & Dinnerware: Special Event Rentals / Models: Jill Billingsley and Levi McIsaac / Hair and Makeup: Perugia Salon & Spa / Bride’s Gown: YBF2  / Bride’s Ring: Georgie Designs / Clutch: Bella Fiore / “Love” Hanger: The Painted House and More / Groom’s Suit: Vintage Ralph Lauren  / Custom Made Tie: Tie Obsessed / “Edmonton” Cufflinks: Arete

We are so wrapped up in our SMP FilmFest this month that we really want to keep going this weekend! If you’ve missed ANY of our LBB Blog features this week, now’s the time to grab a cup of your favorite and curl up in front of the big screen for a bit. SO many wedding styles. SO many cinema styles. SO many WORDS that deserve to be heard over and over again!

images by paul and mecheal johnson

There’s no better inspiration than this short film from Joanna and Robert at Diva Productions!

Got ‘ya smiling, didn’t we!

We are sharing brief snippets of wedding films this week. Mostly to spotlight some of the terrific filmmakers in our Little Black Book, but also to continue to encourage all of you to FIND room in your budget and FIND that special cinematographer out there who will capture all of your unforgettable moments. We really want to point out, though, that these are but glimpses into a full wedding film. Once you begin interviewing videographers, you must have a clear understanding of what kind of film you want… romantic, edgy, documentary, quirky… the list of options are boundless.

Joanna at Diva Productions writes a regular column for Gulf Coast Bride. In one of her articles she shared a lot of her own personal insights in “What you need to know … About Hiring A Wedding Filmmaker.” WISH we could reprint the whole article! A few highlights from her article (in addition to what we’ve already pointed out) ~ Any videographer can put together a great three minute highlight. Do your research. Know what kind of fully edited film each cinematographer you interview puts together. Know what kind of wedding film suits YOUR personality and style. Meet with them and be sure you mesh. Have a clear understanding of what kind of memories you want to have and be sure your videographer does too.

One other thing that Joanna discusses in the article is that with her couples, the guest interviews are ‘hands down’ the favorite part of their films. That might come as a shock to those of you who have had a microphone thrust in their faces at a wedding with the question, “Would you like to say something to the bride & groom?” (I know I cringe and hide when I see a video camera coming towards me!) But that’s where a seasoned cinematographer steps in. A filmmaker skilled in the “art of the interview.” It IS an ART. Joanna gives advice to filmmakers in another article written for POSH about this (HERE)! She has a passion for documentary-style films and works hard to make the interview process ~ a breeze! We don’t want to steal any more of Joanna’s thunder, so we’ll just urge you to read the full articles in *Gulf Coast Brides and *POSH.

From the happiest of brides ~ today’s beautiful bride, Lori …
Justin and I met in 2000 at the University of Alabama where we were both freshmen. We instantly became friends. Yes, I may have had a little crush, but tried very hard to keep that quiet! Justin is very carefree, he is always smiling, just a very happy-go-lucky – fly be the seat of his pants kind of guy, and I am the complete opposite. I am always stressed out about something, and I am overly organized and have to ‘have a plan’ about everything. We have always picked on each other, and always balanced each other out.

For 8 years, we went to ball games, the beach, the lake, parties, the mountains, concerts, – you name it, we did it together! FINALLY, we started dating on the 4th of July in 2008. He proposed to me May 9, 2009 at the University of Alabama where we met! In front of Denny Chimes to be exact. I immediately tackled him – I don’t think he ever really got the words “will you marry me” out before I just involuntarily jumped on him. I was screaming and doing cartwheels on the quad. It was the best proposal ever!!

I have ALWAYS wanted a pink beach wedding – since I was like 4 years old. There was never any question. And my sweet husband allowed me to have my dream wedding……even though he had to wear pink! I didn’t necessarily want the entire ceremony & reception on the beach….I just wanted beach wedding pictures. Even before I met Justin, I was always looking for places…..just in case ‘the big day’ ever came. A while after we started dating, I was working a wine tasting, and met a girl there who had told me she was getting married at Carillon Beach, FL. Justin & I had talked about getting married, but I didn’t have a ring on my finger just yet. I immediately went home that day and looked Carillon up on the internet and saw pictures of the Meeting House, and knew that was where I would get married one day. So picturesque, such a gorgeous place. I started investigating it a little bit more, and noticed that their calendar was full, and steadily filling up. Justin & I had discussed when our wedding should be – not hurricane season, not football season, no winter months, no months where it is too hot, etc. So that left a short window of opportunity. There was 1 weekend that was not booked in May…the weekend of May 29th, 2010. I immediately told Justin, “Look, I have got to book this place before someone else does…I know we aren’t engaged yet, but we have got to book this now!!” So we scheduled a time to tour, and Victoria so kindly penciled me in for that date, and we both fell absolutely in love with everything Carillon had to offer, as well as Victoria & Avis! We booked the venue in April and were engaged May 9th.

Justin & I are huge bama fans, and so were the majority of the guests. So we named each table at the reception after landmarks in Tuscaloosa & coaches. (table Saban, table Bryant-Denny Stadium, table Denny Chimes, etc.). And since the wedding was @ Carillon by the beach, I used starfish to tie the name cards on with pink ribbon. We also had a pink signature drink that is called “hop, skip & be naked”, but we renamed it “hop, skip, and be married.”

We asked Lori if there were any particular wedding vendors she’d like to give special thanks to. This is her response:
All of them! The cakes were like nothing I had ever seen before- Confections on the Coast did a superb job! Justin wanted the National Championship Trophy for his cake, and they actually made it look EXACTLY like the real thing! And our wedding cake was a pink sea-shell themed cake that was incredible. Couldn’t have asked for anything better! Townsend Catering did a FANTASTIC job with the DELICIOUS food, and the bartending was excellent! Everyone was so nice and friendly! And Diva-Productions was delightful to work with- Joanna was so sweet, and I barely even knew she was there! She got AMAZING footage that we can’t stop watching! Amazing job!! Paul & Mecheal Johnson did a fantastic job with the photography- breathtaking pictures, and they were so flexible and easy to work with. Fran Bullock did an outstanding job with the ceremony music, and Christina from Nouveau Flowers made my dreams come true with all the pink flowers and tablecloths every where you looked!! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw what an extraordinary job she did! Truly melted my heart. TGK did a remarkable job on our starfish invitations! Everyone I talked to said they had never seen an invitation so original and pretty. What I have always wanted!! Of course Victoria & Avis were above and beyond perfection- we never had to worry about a thing! They took care of everything! And of course Chaplain Harry Houseman who had everyone laughing and having a wonderful time during the ceremony!! We plan to take our children to him for their Christening!! Todd Sparks & Conch Republic band was AWESOME! Played every song we requested and then some!Everyone I worked with was amazing. Such a fabulous experience!!

And what does she remember the most?  Oh wow!! So many!! I can’t pin-point just one. When the Meeting House doors opened & I saw Justin there staring at me- BREATHTAKING!! Seeing how gorgeous the reception was set up – how it exceeded my wildest expectations & dreams – I will never forget that feeling. And our time on the beach for pictures- the weather was perfect and the sky was so gorgeous. Couldn’t have asked for anything better. Conch Republic playing Sweet Home Alabama & everyone dancing on the dance floor…priceless!! The whole night will always be a vivid memory of mine. I think I was the happiest bride there has ever been!

Photographer: Paul Johnson Photography, Paul & Mecheal Johnson / Videographer: (the wonderful) Diva Productions, Joanna & Robert Banks-Morgan / Wedding Gown Designer: Maggie Sottero / Grace Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Davids Bridal / Floral Designer: Nouveau Flowers, Christina Springfield / Event Designer & Planner: the AMAZING Victoria Volpone & Avis Johnson, Carillon Weddings / Invitation Designer: The Green Kangaroo (TGK Designs) / Cake & Desserts: Confections on the Coast / Venue: Carillon Beach

The holidays are quickly approaching and what better way to get into the spirit then with some ultra fabulous, divinely designed cards and announcements? Our friends at Hello!Lucky can help you out in that department. They are our go to shop for all things paper and all of you newlyweds take note, Hello!Lucky has recently added beautiful wedding Christmas cards to this year’s collection. Plus there just might be a nice little discount for Style Me Pretty Readers.

For friends who were unable to attend the event, or for guests who would treasure a memento, wedding holiday cards are the perfect season’s greeting. Hello!Lucky’s Flourish, Desert Skyline and other “Hometown Holiday” designs are fun frames for new couples’ favorite portraits. And leave it to Lab Partners to create the cutest holiday greetings from your favorite city. Greetings from New York depicts cheerful wintry sport in Central Park, against the backdrop of a snow-filled city skyline. Swoon-worthy is what we call it. And for wordsmiths, they have introduced their line of Holiday Newsletters. Weave your yearly yarns and cinch up the ties that bind to keep in touch with auld acquaintance, with the newly added Telegram and Playbill designs.

We really could go on and on and list every single adorable piece of the Hello!Lucky holiday collection but instead we will let you peruse through all of the pretty, and adorably festive cards yourself. With Hello!Lucky, it’s not just online shopping, it’s an adventure of browsing pleasure. Don’t forget to enter code SMPHOLIDAY at checkout for a lovely 15% off all holiday cards. Happy shopping!

November is finally here and along with shorter days and cozier nights, we also have a bevy of holidays just around the corner and we just.can’t.wait. There is so much to look forward to in the next few months. After all, what’s not to love about yummy food, fabulous parties, TONS of inspiration for winter weddings and lots and lots of family time? We have our mittens ready and lots and lots of wonderful holiday cheer in store for Style Me Pretty. In the mean time, enjoy a relaxing weekend whatever the temperature may be and we will see you back here on Monday!

some ga-ga-gorgeous inspiration coming next week photographed by Eternal Reflections

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

a deserving couple gets a wedding that dreams are made of in New York
clean , modern and all out gorgeous in Chicago
a yellow infused soiree in Wisconsin
an Indiana wedding full of DIY
bohemian glamour in the woods here, here and here
a full day of beautiful weddings
and because we can’t ever seem to get enough, we had ANOTHER full day of lovely weddings here

Fun links from around the web:

celebrate the holidays in style with these lovely cards via Rifle Paper Co.
make your very own vintage tin candles via design*sponge
Our very own Abby Larson talks shop
a whimsical little film via the rockstar diaries
make your own peanut butter cups (yum, yum, yum!) via smitten kitchen

And the winner is…

Michelle! Congrats lucky duck. You are the winner of the Two Paperdolls Letterpress Giveaway!

Have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to check our Events Calendar for all of the fabulous fetes happening near you. This weekend we have a date with Vermont Vows. They are hosting the 2010 Vermont Wedding Affair and it is going to be the toast of the town. You can see all of the who, what, when and where right here. xoxo

Paper Cranes Productions rounds out this week on The Little Black Book Blog! We hope that you guys are taking advantage of the short films we’ve been featuring this week from cinematographers who are changing the world of wedding memories! In this day and age, with sooooooo many options and choices … there are just too many opportunities that simply shouldn’t be missed during the days leading up to … during … and even after your wedding.

And thus ~ it is with great pride that today’s featured wedding film is actually the proposal story of Santo and Dewi of Paper Cranes Productions!

First, a bit of their story, from Dewi …

This would be one of our greatest achievements… making our own pre-wedding film. The story is based on our true relationship journey. Starting at how we met, how we normally spend time together, until one day he popped the BIG question. The main concept of this film is the re-enactment of how Santo proposed to me using a lot of point of view shots from his eyes.

As for the proposal, he had been secretly planning this project for 3 months without me knowing any of the plans. Since he loves film-making so much, he expressed the “will you marry me?” using this medium. He asked all our close friends and family across the globe to make a short message clip directed to me with the topic “Why Dewi (myself) should say YES to Jack (this is his nickname) on her birthday?

He popped the question to me on my 24th Birthday with this proposal video by showing it on a new MacBook (Yes, he also gave me this laptop as a present for my birthday). I was already so surprised when he gave me the MacBook, and then suddenly there is another surprise which I didn’t expect at all….he opened the MacBook and a log-in screen appeared. However, instead of the usual log-in screen, he had changed it to say, “Will You Marry Me?”

There were 3 different options (log in) – “Yes”, “No”, or “Call A Friend”. I was quite numb by this time.  He said, “Since you are now still confused, I would say just choose “Call A Friend.” Once I clicked that … the picture of him holding a note saying “Please Click Here” appeared on the screen. Then, an arrow led me to click the proposal video. My heart was beating sooo fast…I couldn’t hold my tears throughout watching the 20 min proposal video with all the special messages from more than 20 friends and family members across the globe.

He had also secretly prepared this little handy-cam next to the MacBook just before I watched the video!  I am so blessed to have him. I wouldn’t ask for a better proposal than this. This video meant so much to us. I’ve been watching this film over and over, but I still get goosebumps and cry when I watch it!

We’re pretty sure you will too!

Who is Paper Cranes Productions?

We are a group of artists with a passion for storytelling. Paper Cranes began its life in 2008 in Sydney – Australia, bringing together our skills and creativity to create beautiful Wedding Day Films and Pre-Wedding Films. Along the way, we have won multiple awards in both Australia and around the world, given educational presentations to industry peers, and gained plenty of new friends. With each project, our goal is simple: to tell a story in the most truthful and beautiful way, using our extensive skills in film-making.

They say that a wedding is about a love between two people. Yet, so many other elements have all played their part in delivering them to the same spot on that special day. It’s unfolding these stories and relationships that makes each project unique. To see a beautiful cake at the wedding reception is one thing – but to know it was made by the hands of three loving aunties of the bride gives it a whole new meaning. Everything, even the seemingly ordinary, becomes so enchanting and full of life – all you need to do is unfold the layers a little and reveal the real story behind it.

This is why we do what we do – to capture and unfold those hidden gems of your wedding day.

To see more of Santo and Dewi’s magnificent work, and to read more about them, please visit their website and blog!

Okay kids. New favorite wedding alert. BIG time. This drop dead gorgeous bride approached her day with SUCH charm, such sweet style and personality, you can’t help but fall in love. You can just tell that every detail was thoughtfully crafted and lovingly designed so that the wedding really told a story about the bride and the groom’s personality. And when I say that this wedding is a new favorite, it definitely has a lot to do with the killer style of the day. But even more to do with the unbelievable story that followed. Curious? Read on, my friends. It’s a pretty incredible wedding. Oh and you can click here to see a TON of additional details.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

After 30 years of going to weddings and being in 10 weddings, I had a pretty good idea of what I did not want to incorporate in my own wedding…trick was, i wasn’t exactly sure about everything I did want. I started asking myself questions and thinking back to some of the weddings I had been involved in that I really enjoyed. I envisioned different aspects of my special day and took note of what I was drawn to… colors (neutrals with aqua and teal accents), textures (burlap and lace) and charming things (birdcages and antiques). Tearing out pages of magazines and reading blogs like SMP helped me further define my wedding style. My inspiration started coming together with a quilt that I had found on etsy.com and a nicole miller bracelet from anthropologie that my parents purchased for me and gave as Christmas gifts. Both were incorporated into our wedding.

As I continued my wedding style research, DIY projects were especially appealing to me because I wanted to add a personal touch to our event. Over the 9 months that we were engaged, I collected 13 birdcages. I painted 10 of them aqua/teal and distressed them by hand. I used the white ones for the guest book table and our table and combining them with antique tins, bird figurines and blue mason jars completed the vintage whimsical look i had envisioned!

After picking out the bridesmaids dresses at anthropologie, I immediately wanted to start working on customized jewelry for each bridesmaid to give them as one of their gifts. I found an incredible jewelry designer on etsy.com and worked with her to design a unique set for each girl based on their individual taste and personality. I was thrilled with how they turned out! I packed each earring/necklace set in a blue pint size mason jar and put it in a gold box with an antique hanky, decorative kleenex and makeout mints. Since I had both a maid of honor (my sister) and a matron of honor (my best friend since 8th grade), I wanted them to stand out a little bit and I gave them a handmade tiffany blue rosette hair pin.

As for my outfit, my dress was a gorgeous rosette pattern lace that played off of the anthropologie bridesmaid dresses. I knew I wanted to add a little something to my dress, though. I picked a gold satin sash to complement my jewelry and then found a designer who specializes in custom boleros/wraps and knew that would be the perfect addition. I sent her a swatch of fabric, my sizes and a few ideas and she sent me the perfect piece.

I fell in love with the process of putting everything together… and when it came together I was in love with it all over again!

Now for my unpredictable wedding story. Nothing was left to chance. I should have been a wedding planner…this is what I kept thinking while planning my own wedding. Every detail was planned, every “i” dotted & every “t” crossed. So then, what is the “plan” when the UNTHINKABLE happens? Well, i found out…the hard way.

The day of my wedding, I got up ready to embrace the day I had put so much effort and detail into planning. I ate a little breakfast, got my coffee and went to my hair appointment. Our photographers started taking pictures and all was progressing as I had anticipated. We went from the hair appointment to the makeup appointment and all of a sudden, something just was not right. The sweet makeup artist cleaned my face and started to apply the primer when she noticed I was turning red and asked me if I felt okay. My face was tingling and starting to itch. I looked like a lobster! The gracious staff came to my aid with hydration, crackers and a cold compress. I thought i was fine. Maybe my body was just reacting to the lack of sleep and normal pre-wedding anxiety I had experienced.

Then the stomach cramps hit. Killer pain and discomfort. Let’s just say I had to take several trips to the bathroom and it took twice as long to complete my makeup. Still, I thought I would be fine. Right? A tad tardy, but I finally arrived at the wedding venue. As time the passed, my pain worsened. All I could do was lay down, attempting to preserve my pretty hair and makeup. After hours of taking A LOT of medication, I still felt horrible and it was time to make a decision. I asked to see my fiance, Sloane, who had been patiently waiting to hear a verdict.

Wearing a white anthropologie dress and a gray shrug, bellied over in a twin bed of the bride room….I saw my husband-to-be for the first time that day. As soon as I saw him, I burst into tears. All I wanted to do at that point was get married, but I was in too much pain. The thought of putting on my wedding dress was unimaginable.

Sloane was the rock of comfort I needed that day. At the moment, he was indeed my husband in every sense of the word. He helped me feel like no matter what, all that truly mattered was that we were going to be husband and wife. We decided to postpone the wedding a little longer and have the cocktail hour. Yes, that’s right. We had cocktail hour BEFORE the ceremony! Our guests were pleased, to say the least. They enjoyed drinks, h’ordourves and music in the Cedarwood barn. Meanwhile, I mustered up the energy to put on my dress and have my makeup and hair touched up.

An hour after the wedding was supposed to be, our guests were led to the outdoor cathedral setting, most of them with a drink in their hand! By the time I walked down the aisle, I could barely see in front of me, it was so dark. Looking straight ahead, tears already flowing, my dad held onto me and I made it down the aisle.

Sloane and I had a beautiful ceremony, by candlelight in a field in the dark. Not the plan, but our wedding was more honest, romantic, and heart-felt than I could have ever dreamed. We were able to laugh when saying our vows that we had written together…. “I promise to be your loyal partner. I will love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy, and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort.” I have to say, our guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves and no one cared that we had to start the wedding late. It was pure and unplanned.

I woke up the next day, still nauseated, but feeling very blessed, love and supported by my now-husband, family & dear friends. And isn’t that how EVERY bride should feel the morning after her big day?

Photgraphy: Souder Photography / Invitations: Julia’s Poppies Design / Venue: Cedarwood Mansion / Overall Design & Table Centerpieces: Jessica Sloane (the bride) / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Pink Street via Etsy / Quilt: Mom N Mia Quilts via Etsy / Maid & Matron of honor’s hair pins and bride’s garter: The Posh Bow Tie / Custom Stamp, Cuff Links and Wood Table Numbers: Little Wee Shop /  Bride’s Shrug/bolero: Holly Stalder / Thank You Cards: Customized Stationery

We are beyond thrilled to bring you this next little tidbit of wedding goodness. SMP has cozied up with Blue Nile for their aaahhh-mazing “Ring It. Sing It.” holiday contest…giving one lucky couple the perfect proposal weekend. So, if you’re nearly engaged (and we KNOW there are a lot of you out there) you could win a…wait for it…a diamond engagement ring, a trip to NYC and the chance to pull off the ultimate proposal live at NASDAQ! Throw in a consult with yours truly to help you plan the perfect proposal weekend and it’s the coolest giveaway ever! Plus you can enter the “Sing It.” competition for a chance to win a personalized love song and performance by band Green River Ordinance. Pretty fab way to pop the question if you ask us!

And as for that perfect diamond engagement ring? Well, here are some of our Blue Nile favs…

First Row: Cirque Diamond / Halo Micropave Diamond / Classic Pear Shaped Diamond
Second Row: Aria Cathedral Diamond / Three Stone Diamond / Halo Pave Diamond
Third Row: Cirque Cathedral Diamond / Floating Diamond / Marquise and Round Diamond

So here are the deets. The first part of the contest, Ring It, will culminate on Cyber Monday (Monday, Nov. 29) with a NASDAQ first — a live proposal.  Blue Nile will provide the couple with an all- expenses-paid trip to New York and the groom-to-be with a custom diamond ring for the proposal. Green River Ordinance lead singer Josh Jenkins will serenade the couple in a live, acoustic performance of the band‘s hit song, Endlessly, and get this…Katharine McPhee (yes THE Katharine McPhee) will perform It‘s Not Christmas Without You. I mean, how cool? To enter and find out more details, head to Blue Nile’s Facebook Page.

For the “Sing It.” portion of the contest, eleven winners of the weekly contest will have their own love story put to music crafted by Green River Ordinance. They will then be serenaded with their personalized song and given a recorded version to share with friends and family. Your own personal love story that incorporates elements from your own experiences. Ummm, hello coolness.

So, in the spirit of engagement fun, we thought that we would add to the celebration by offering up all of you bride and grooms-to-be, some tips for crafting the perfect proposal.

1. Make it personal. Yes, the over-the-top, no-holds bar proposals are great…but it’s the personal touches that really make it memorable. Her favorite flower, the place you first laid eyes on her, a dessert she obsesses over. Those sorts of things.

2. Remember her unique personality when crafting the perfect proposal. If she is a private person, make it personal and intimate. If she loves a great party, invite friends and family to help celebrate.

3. Choose a ring that she will love forever. You can even download the Blue Nile app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to comparison shop in real time for the very best diamonds at the very best price. Blue Nile also lets you customize each piece so that you can craft a ring that suits her own unique style. Oh and they ship priority overnight with a 30 day return policy. Kind of like the best little set-up ever.

TO ENTER: To register for BOTH the Ring It and the Sing It portions of this INSANELY awesome contest, head over to the Blue Nile Facebook Page. All Ring It entries must be received by November 15th, 2010. Sing It entries must be received by Sunday of each competition week. The winner will be chosen by a panel of judjest including Katharine McPhee, Josh Jenkins from Green Riber Ordinance, Sharon Feder Hirsch from Mashable, myself and representatives from Blue Nile.

Some of my all-time-favorite Little Black Book Blog features have been Winter Weddings. And although we have a slew of summer and fall weddings in the box, we thought we’d just remind you how totally awesome a winter wedding can be! From Kara at Pick Me ~ Floral & Event Design a preview of what was and what will always be … a stunning white winter wedding at Devil’s Thumb Ranch!

photography courtesy of Brinton Studios

from Kara of Pick Me! ~ the choreographer behind this beautiful wedding …
Of course, it is entirely too early to think about winter weddings, but I just had to share one of our favorite’s from last season with you. Maggie and Nick’s March wedding at Devils Thumb Ranch was one of the kindest and quite possibly one of the most beautiful events we have ever done. For Maggie and Nick, we selected an all white floral palette using the best of the early spring crop (the anemonies were to die for) mixed and matched with vintage mercury glassware. Each table was kept to a single color and the tablescape was created. For escort cards, we hung bookmark inspired cards from manzanita branches. For ceremony decor, we hand-wired white orchids from candelabras that we placed on either side of the huge barn doors.

As Maggie walked down the aisle to Nick, we opened the barn doors revealing the snow covered Colorado Continental Divide. College sweethearts from Oklahoma, this gorgeous couple chose Tabernash, CO for their big day and we could not have been more thrilled to put it together for them!

from the beautiful bride …
Nick and I met in college and became good friends directing a singing/ dancing/ acting show together. We were just friends for 6 years until Nick moved to Denver after he graduated. (and broke my heart!) I made plans to move to Thailand to teach in an orphanage and work with refugees for a year when he began to pursue me. However, I just wasn’t sure yet and wanted to focus on moving. I made him wait 4 months until he flew all the way around the world to visit me on my birthday! He walked off the plane and I called him my boyfriend and 2 days later we said we loved each other! We dated on Skype and he visited me again on his way to live in an orphanage in Kenya. He stayed there for 5 months and I came for 5 weeks after my year in Thailand. We both got home in August and we got engaged in September! Whew! I love being married to Nick, he is amazing!

Photography: Brinton Studios
Floral & Event Design: Pick Me Floral and Event Design
Wedding Planning: Pick Me Floral and Event Design
Ceremony Location: Devils Thumb Ranch
Reception Location: Tabernash, CO
Cake – Teacup
DJ — Elite DJ

This lucky ducky couple didn’t have just one incredible celebration to kick off their new life together but a whopping three parties!  From a casual weekend with close friends in Malibu to an intimate family-oriented wedding in the mountains of Yosemite, Kristen Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie was there to capture each and every dazzling detail.  All of which were put together by this glamorous couple and their talented friends and family. There are so many more merry moments from all the festivities in the full gallery!

Check out the full gallery for more inspiration from the mountains to Malibu!

From the stunning bride, Katy –

“Ari and I dabble in photography and it is rare we are ever on the other side of the lens.  So finding the right photog became a bit of an obsession in planning.  My love for film was what lead me to Kirsten’s amazing work, and after the slightest bit of correspondence, I knew she was the one.  Her images are beautiful, warm, unique, full of light – just like the talent, herself.

We knew from the start that we wanted a very small, budget-friendly, and fuss-free wedding.  Our families had not met in the four years we dated, due to distance, so the intimacy of the venue and weekend was the number one priority.

Ari’s family cabin is located near Yosemite in Mi Wuk Village. A tiny town in the mountains that feels like home?  Perfect.  For the Scanlans traveling in from Minnesota and Seattle, we booked a darling rental just a few miles away.  This is where the ceremony and champagne toast, attended by less than twenty, was held.  We asked a friend of the family to marry us to and he kindly obliged (he and his wife also hosted the most incredible rehearsal dinner at their ranch the night prior).

Decor was minimal, as we felt the woodsy aesthetic spoke for itself.  But flowers were a must!  The ladies arranged lavender, dusty miller, wheat, and babies breath ordered from a local nursery, in the various vases and pitchers they had collected.  Five peonies were a nice “pop” of pink to make up my bouquet.

Post-ceremony we feasted on wine and pasta at a nearby Italian restaurant.  And later headed back home for pie, coffee, and fireside conversation. It was casual and comfortable and familial and everything we had dreamed it to be.

Because I knew I wouldn’t have my girls with me on my big day, weeks before the wedding, I swapped the traditional bachelorette party for what we called a “Faux Wedding Weekend,” in Malibu.  My bridesmaids traveled from near and far – with their spouses – for a little retreat up in the hills where we cooked, danced, laughed, and celebrated for three days together at a mansion getaway.  Our photographer came up for an hour to shoot us dolled up on our formal evening.  My girlfriends arranged the flowers and later we had a sit down, candlelit, fireside dinner.  Each of our guests had written a toast to us and read them aloud, one by one.  Emotional, sweet, surreal, humbling, to say the least.

Post-honeymoon, my parents threw us a barbecue in their backyard to cheers with the Minnesotans. And, of course, we still hope to share our union with those we haven’t yet been able to in the near future!

Sure, it was an unusual way to celebrate – with three separate little parties – but it worked.   There are SO many ways to break outside of the box to get just what you want.  We didn’t follow anyone else’s rules, only our own.  And were able to refrain from breaking the bank or stressing over one large production.

A BIG thank you to all of our family and friends who have been insurmountably generous, loving, and supportive of us all of our lives.  And to all whose time, effort, energy, creativity, went into making our wedding experience such an unforgettable one.  Thank you for letting us be US.  We are filled to the brim with love.  And forever grateful.”

Photography: Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie / Flowers (Wedding): Columbia Nursery & Florist (arranged by family) / Wedding Venue: Cold Springs, CA Cabin Rental / Bachelorette Venue: Malibu Vacation Rental / Shoes:  Calvin Klein Cora / Wedding Dress: Sue Wong / Bachelorette Dress: Forever 21 / Groom’s Suit from Wedding: “Or Glory” from Japan / Wedding Dinner Restaurant: Villa d’Oro / Pies: Cover’s Apple Farm

We LOVE it that we receive almost as many engagement shoots as we do weddings! We’ve said, forever and ever, that e*shoots are such a perfect time for you guys to get to know your photographer and for him/her to get to know you. It’s also a time to work out the kinks in front of the camera. Work through the shyness and awkwardness so that on your wedding day, it’s just you and your lovey and the cameras don’t even phase you!

Now, having said that … this engagement shoot is a little bit different. Martha and Dudley were actually married in 2008. But they didn’t have engagement photos taken. We’ll let Aaron Snow, their fab LBB photographer, fill you in on the rest!

From Aaron … I shot Martha and Dudley’s wedding in November 2008. Dudley had braces until the week of the wedding, so they opted out of having engagement photos done then. After almost two years since the wedding and lots of wedding referrals from Martha in Memphis, I went back to Memphis in July 2010 and did some “engagement” photos for them!

We shot these on Shelby Farms in Memphis, TN. I went to their house a little before the shoot and gathered things throughout the house that I thought would make a great shoot. Martha had those yellow flower balls in little vases throughout her house, so I knew we should use them as well as play off of the yellow theme! They borrowed the old bicycle from their good friends and we set out for an hour of fun in the gorgeous Memphis sun! I love this couple and love the feel of this shoot.

You see? It’s never too late to have a special ~ just for the love of love ~ shoot!

Thanks to Martha & Dudley and Aaron Snow for sharing such a great day!

You can see their entire shoot in the SMP Photo Gallery.

Take a look at more of Aaron’s sensational weddings and shoots ~

October Blog Archives:

Buffy & Jeff’s Wedding Preview

Lauren & Stephen’s Wedding Day Shoot (after their backyard wedding)

September Blog Archives: Blair & David’s E*Session (Biker-Lover Beauty)

June Blog Archives: Kristin’s bridals (wait until you see it!)

Inspiration comes in all pretty shapes and sizes and today it is coming at us in the form of a whimsical garden party shot by Amy Majors Photography. She teamed up with A Day in Provence who designed all of the colorful and perfectly paired florals and Cocoa and Fig who was the mastermind behind the delectable dessert table as well as a bevy of other fabulous vendors in Minnesota. This shoot is bright, shiny, happy and the absolute PERFECT way to ring in TGIF. Be sure to head over to the gallery for even more inspiration for your next garden soiree.

you can find even more inspiration here!

From Amy Majors Photography…

The inspiration for this shoot began with a small piece of scrapbook paper which had a design in tiffany blue and orange. I loved the way these colors worked together so the search was on to find fabrics that reflected and coordinated with this color scheme. Once found, these fabrics set the tone of the event as a lively, outdoor garden party. In retrospect it is fun to consider how the whole design took shape, as one detail determined the next. Tara, the florist of A Day in Provence, did an amazing job of mixing sweet and whimsical flowers with brightly colored fruit to draw out the colors of the pattern in the floral fabric of the table runner. Each place setting was further adorned with dainty ranunculus blossoms. In order to pull in the colors of the overall scheme, Tara used tiffany blue ribbon on the bridal bouquet covered with crocheted lace. The floral print from the fabric was also repeated on the paper pieces designed by Sarah of A Milestone Paper Co. The playful invitations she designed captured the feel of the event with hand-stitched embellishments and intricate calligraphy by Rosann Konieczny. Personalized drink stirrers replaced the usual place cards for a creative twist. Sarah also carried out the vision I had of attaching baskets to the bride and groom’s chairs as a way to drop in sweet love notes for each of them.

Of course, no wedding inspiration shoot would be complete without a lavish sweets table. Laurie of Cocoa & Fig created all of the lovely (and delicious!) desserts complete with an elegant two-tiered cake, coconut garnished cupcakes, french macarons in just the right shade of orange, fabulous lemon and raspberry trifle dessert shooters, and cake pops drizzled with orange icing. Because the overall feel was more casual, it seemed that a wedding dress for our model with clean lines, enhanced by special extras would be the perfect fit. From the a.b. Ellie jeweled sash to the cropped veil and stunning jewelry by Erica Koesler to the Lila Couture dress to the Benjamin Adams shoes, all were graciously provided by Posh Bridal Couture. Amber of Smart & Chic Bride finished the model’s look with amazing hair and flawless makeup; combining playfulness and elegance.

Photography: Amy Majors Photography / Floral Design: A Day in Provence / Invitation & Paper Design: A Milestone Paper Co. / Calligraphy: Rosann Konieczny / Cake and Desserts: Cocoa and Fig / Dress and Bridal Accessories: Posh Bridal Couture / Hair & Makeup:  Amber Brenke of Smart & Chic Bride / Models: Lydia Livingston & Sean Mailen

I think we just might have saved the best for last and in a full day of wedding gorgeousness…that says a lot! We’ve been obsessed with this insanely beautiful wedding that photographer Kristin Vining (who we heart big time) sent our way since the moment we opened the very first image. It’s kind of like a fairytale wedding taken up a notch, with CRAZY chic styling and a modern but timeless approach to design. A combination that just happens to really get the wedding giddiness going for me.  We’ve included lots of pics with this one but if you simply can’t wait for more, click right here.

click here to see the full, absolutely beautiful wedding gallery!

We got engaged in December a few days before Christmas. Neal was very romantic and pulled off a surprise romantic mid week dinner at the McNinch house (a very romantic restaurant in Charlotte) at the chef’s table no less. He told me we were going to a holiday party for his work – but no, it was a ring, roses and a romantic evening for two! We savored it together and let family and friends in on the big news the next day.

Planning the wedding was a whirlwind! One of the highlights was dress shopping at Kleinfeld’s in New York with my mom and 2 sister’s! I really enjoyed the creative process of wedding design with my wedding planner (Dina Berg Blazek), mom, and Todd Crawford (the florist) after deciding on the venue – the new Ritz in Uptown Charlotte, the perfect combination of modern classic! I wanted it very modern, organic and classic with a theme of white in the reception, but at the last minute decided on a raspberry/pink theme for the cocktail hour for a punch of color and absolutely loved it!!

Ceremony: Christ Lutheran Church / Reception Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel / Cake: Cake Lady Jill / Flowers: Crawford & Company Fine Flowers / Gown: Carolina Herrera / Shoes: Manola Blahnik / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Melissa Sweet / Invitations: Salutations / Invitation Calligraphy from Yellow House / Hairstylist for wedding: Jami Svay / Placecard Calligraphy: Bonnie Clark / Music + Entertainment: Audio to Go, Drew Parham and Noel Friedline Quartet / Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Rental providers (tents, linens, tables, chairs, etc.): Party Tables (linen), Party Reflections (dancefloor, chairs, tables), American Furniture Rental (soft furniture), Wink Lighting and Swank AV (lighting) / Specialty Gifts: Welcome Amenities for out of town guests by DBB Events / Wedding Planner: Dina Berg Blazek Events / Ice Sculpture: Ice Work, Ice Sensations / Film: Dreamlight Films /

We don’t feature a ton of e-sessions on SMP because we like to focus more on the details and the style of a real wedding…BUT, I couldn’t resist sharing this one with you. The photographs, by CLY Creation, are so insanely beautiful. Romantic, ethereal, artistic. Images that you could easily hang on the walls of your home and without a doubt use as incredible inspiration for your own engagement portraits. To see even more, click right here.

click here to see the full gallery!

My fiancee and I chose downtown NYC as the backdrop for our engagement session with CLY Creation because I grew up in the city and went to high school just behind the buildings that served as our backdrop.  Being in front of the skyline, something I grew up looking at, felt very homey, believe it or not!  I also liked the idea of juxtaposing the grandness of the skyscrapers against the tenderness between the two of us.

CLY Creation has a vintage look to its photographs, which I adore, and so I paired a pearl necklace and pearls on my ears with my vintage-y polka-dot silk shantung dress.  We also brought along our save-the-date:  bookmarks that we DIY-ed with custom illustration done by the Emmy Award-winning artist Seonna Hong, my fiancee’s sister!  All in all, the result, I think, was the perfect twist on a vintage-New York photoshoot!

What a coincidence! It’s the first week of our Wedding FilmFest on The Little Black Book Blog, and lo and behold we just happen to have a wedding from this past summer that took place at a Movie Theatre! Dayna and Ryan’s vintage movie inspired wedding at The Carlisle Movie Theatre to be precise!  They were engaged for a short six months and managed to pull off a fun-filled and charming wedding at the Carlisle Movie Theatre in Pennsylvania …

Here’s a little bit of their story … Ryan and I met through a series of events at the church we both attend. After a strategically planned first date ~ in case it didn’t go well ~ we saw each other almost every single day after that! Throughout our dating relationship, Ryan was always very creative. On January 22, Ryan wrote a series of notes that took me on a trail of surprises beginning with a massage at a spa, flowers, and a stop at my favorite coffee place. The trail ended in Inner Harbor Baltimore where we went to dinner and Ryan read his final note which ended with his proposal! A ‘long’ six months later we got married at the Carlisle Theatre which was absolutely perfect from head to toe. Every detail was in place by JDK and Sarah’s Floral design,and Hales Studio was there to perfectly capture the excitement of our wedding day.

And from Rebecca at Hales Studio … I just loved Dayna and Ryan’s vintage movie themed wedding! They both love movies, so what better way to celebrate than to have their wedding in a vintage 1930’s theatre? And to make their day even more special, Dayna and Ryan had the honor of being the first wedding ever at this landmark nestled in the center of downtown Carlisle, PA. There were a lot of DIY details including custom movie posters that they hung in the lobby that were made to look like coming attractions. The table markers were Oscar statues bearing the names of classics movies the couple loves and also a handful of plays that Dayna had been in while growing up. Even the wedding “cake” was baked by Dayna’s Dad, but instead of a traditional cake he made a giant 35 pound apple pie!

What a terrific celebration! Our thanks to Hales Studio and Weddings by JDK for sharing! See the whole gallery here!

Photography: Hales Studio LLC / Flowers: Sarah’s Floral Designs / Catering & Event Design: Weddings by JDK / Venue: Carlisle Theatre, Carlisle / Cakes & Pies: Pascale Gourmet Pie & Cake Company

We have died and gone to dress heaven.  We are long time fans of ruffle-tastic dresses, but this one seriously blows it out of the ballpark.  The bride is rockin’ it and we can’t get enough.  This amazingly glamorous wedding, shot by Jeff Tisman Photography, is full of sweet little details.  We are loving the punches of green that are infused throughout the day…just gorgeous!  Are you dying to see more of that dress and all of its beauty?  Yeah, we thought so.  Hurry on over to the gallery to see more. XO, Tori & Myka

More breathtaking photos in the gallery.

One word. SO GLAMOROUS. Ok, that was two words but no matter how many words I use, there is no denying that this Philadelphia wedding is a study in elegance, glamour, sophistication…and the list goes on. TableArt was the mastermind behind the decor and florals and Sarah DiCicco worked her magic in the photography department which resulted in a spectacular display of wedding perfection for your viewing pleasure. See the rest of this jaw-dropper in the gallery.

keepin’ it classy in Philadelphia. See it all here!

The Union League is a historical French Renaissance styled building located in the heart of Philadelphia. The traditional decor is adorned with beautiful arts and artifacts that reflect Philadelphia’s impact on American history. The dark wood walls, rich leather upholstery and polished marble of the Union League’s interior was the perfect venue for a Classic and Elegant wedding reception. After the ceremony held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, joy and music filled the streets of Philadelphia as our happy coupled led a procession of a lively brass band intermixed with the bridal party, family, friends and guests. The bride loved carrying her bouquet full of texture and scents with blooms of sweet peas, tuberose, peonies, hydrangea, and stephanotis wrapped in an Alabaster ribbon.

After the cocktail reception held in Lincoln Memorial Room and the Library Lounge, the main reception was held in dramatic Lincoln Ballroom. The bride loved the color palette of white and pink with accents of soft sage green. Guest tables surrounding the perimeter of the room were decorated with tall vases with branches, hanging candles and bud vases filled with bright pink peonies. Moving towards the dance floor, compact arrangements designed in antique silver pedestal vessels were placed in the center of guest tables and the tables closest to the dance floor were designed with assorted elegant silver hexagonal vases and compotes. Each of the guest tables were pin spotted and the ceiling of this magnificent ballroom was lit with a summer sky blue. Our bride participating in the TableArt Green Heart process. Green Heart was inspired by our desire to to give flowers from events new life and our love of spreading smiles amongst friends, family and local organizations. We invite each of our clients this unique opportunity to participate in Green Heart during the early stages of the proposal process. The day after an event, TableArt will take the flowers from your event and deliver them to the friend, family member or organization of your choice. Recipients could be a family member, a charitable organization or just a friend that needs a smile.

Photograph: Sarah DiCicco / Decor and Flowers: TableArt / Linen: Table Wraps / Lighting: Eventions Production / Paper Details: Details Inc.

Katrina and Con, our next lovely couple, managed to combine their love for travel with culture, history and tradition into one unique, elegant and exquisitely polished affair.  From the South of France to the greek isles all the way down under, this wedding by Lucy Leonardi will steal the heart of any romantic with wanderlust.  J’adore all the sweet Parisian details and I want to get my hands on one of those bridesmaid dresses!  I would wear it every day!  So chic!  There are oh-so-many more details in the full gallery!

Check out the full gallery for more French inspiration from down under!

From the bride, Katrina –

“The inspiration for our wedding was a French Affair – we both love travel and have a particular fondness for the South of France – so we added a splash of French styling to the day, particularly in the flowers, stationery, cars and wine. It was also important to us to enjoy wonderful seasonal food, great French and Australian wines, music and dancing with our friends and family. I also gave a free rein to my creativity, designing and making all of the stationery and other details such as the boys feather button holes. I kept the French theme alive using beautiful European papers – right down to vintage maps of Paris that I used to make cones for the rice!

We shared a traditional Greek Orthodox Ceremony. The symbolism of the ceremony was very poignant – love, mutual respect, equality and sacrifice. As I am not of a Greek background, I felt the ceremony gave me a very strong connection to Con’s family and culture.

We also chose a venue, the Officer’s Mess at Watsons Bay (which has beautiful views right down Sydney Harbour), that held special significance. As an Officer with the Australian Army during World War 2, on returning from the Middle East and before being posted to PNG, my grandfather had been based at Watsons Bay. It was during this short posting that he proposed to my grandmother – they were married for 50 years, so Con and I thought the venue would be a the perfect location to start our married life.

It was a real thrill to see all of our guests chatting and mixing while they passed the plates around their tables to share and mingled around the cheese station. Following the amazing food, the French champagne flowed and we danced the night away to the smooth smoky jazz of Edwina Blush. She performed lots of Ella, Bille and Louis – plus her own compositions. Con’s brother, Chris, also provided us with a wonderful wedding gift – when he got up to join the band and played a beautiful jazz piece.”

Photography: Lucy Leonardi Photography / Flowers: Flowers by Teresa /  Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of the Anunciation of Our Lady Theotokos / Reception Venue: Officer’s Mess, Sydney Harbour National Park / Stationery: by the bride / Dress: Mother-of-the-Bride / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Veronika Maine / Reception music: Edwina Blush and Band / Catering: Finolas Restaurant Balmain  / Cake:  Croquembouche Patisserie / Rings: Victoria Buckley and Frank Gehry by Tiffany & Co.