It is official…we are absolutely beside ourselves with a mega wedding crush.  Between the pale blue details that are so delicate and pretty, the clean, modern succulent centerpieces,  and the breathtaking backdrop of the Garfield Park Conservatory…this Chicago Wedding knows the way to our blogger hearts. And paired with the photography by Melissa Hayes? Complete and total perfection. See lots more of this gorgeous day in the gallery.

click here to see more of this beautiful wedding!

From the Bride, Della…

Bob and I love our home in New York where we met, but out of respect and love for our families, we chose to return to Chicago to be married. We’re both art directors and when we started planning our wedding, I knew that our collective creativity and my years of planning and designing my friends’ weddings would help me bring together every detail of our own. Bob wanted to get married at the Garfield Park Conservatory partly because of its intrinsic beauty and strength as an essential community center but also because his father’s family lived in the area back in the 40s and 50s. My mother was married in India in the 60s and it was her 41-year-old wedding sari that I wore on my wedding day which was the inspiration for our wedding aesthetic. Woven pale blue silk (the polka dots were fashioned with actual silver thread,) inspired the subtle circle patterns see sparingly throughout the design. With this and a focus on simplicity, the invite was executed utilizing a blind debossed pattern with light gray ink for the typography.

The Conservatory is filled with such amazing flowers and plants that I chose to keep the centerpieces flower-free – highlighting my favorite succulents as accents. For table numbers, cylinder vases were partially filled with white sand while pillar candles were grounded in their center. I used tall white candles from the dollar store, and wrapped them with Chinese rice paper sourced back in New York whose varying white patterns added a hint of warmth. Guests were encouraged to take home the different milk glasses on the tables – items my sister hunted at local thrift stores over the last 6 months. Instead of a guest book, our family and friends were encouraged to write us individual messages and seal them in envelopes — a time capsule so that we will open and enjoy on our one year anniversary. The food was amazing. We wanted to represent Chicago as well as New York City, choosing cheesecake and Black and White Cookies in lieu of traditional wedding cake. This was as big a hit as it was delicious. Special thanks to Tom Kokinakos and his staff at Phil Stefani Signature events.

We wanted the details of our wedding to carry meaning and involve those closest to us. Bob wrote the beautiful ceremony. My brother’s old friend at Florist on Forest arranged my bouquet, corsages and boutonnieres. My makeup was done by the talented Kathleen Gardiner – the youngest sister of my high school friend. Her close friend Nick Stenson did my hair. My much loved twin nephews, Luke and Max, wore a youth version of the same shoes Bob wears. My adorable niece, Maya, carried a flower ball I purchased from Elmo and Ike on Etsy. Our officiant, The Honorable Maureen Connors Barton, is one of Bob’s mother’s childhood friends. (Their group of close girlfriends have a standing dinner at Chicago’s South Side Ignotz’s Restaurant, and here we chose to have our rehearsal dinner.) And finally, I cannot begin to say enough about Melissa Hayes Photography. She, with her husband Casey, spent the whole day with my family and I. She is simply amazing and was able to capture everything and in a way that I could never have imagined. My family adored her. She was so personable and sincere — a very important quality when inviting someone to share such a special day. And the pictures are a great representation of who we are as people as well as our family and friends – warm and inviting.

Documentary Wedding Photography: Melissa Hayes / Venue: Garfield Park Conservatory / Music: Just Press Play Productions / Catering: Stefani Catering / Hair: Nick Stenson / Makeup: Freelance Artist Kathleen Gardiner  / Bridal Dress: Vintage Indian wedding dress that was also worn by her mother for her own wedding / Hair Flower: Silver Pencils / Invitations Designed by the bride

Every once in awhile, we ~ the editors at Style Me Pretty ~ get up on our grandstand to applaud the fantastic cinematographers in our Little Black Book. And this month ~ the MONTH of November ~ that’s just what we’re going to do!! Each day at 3:00p (CST), we’re going to publish a short film ~ a trailer, a highlight, a same-day-edit. We implore you to take 5 minutes out of your hectic schedules to sit back and relax and experience the feelings of love and friendship and excitement of your fellow-brides’ glorious wedding days!

Some will make you laugh. Some will make you cry. But we guarantee, they will all warm your heart and make you oh-so-excited thinking of your own wedding! Please-please-please let this fabulous group of artisans know how much you appreciate their talents! (i.e., appreciate = comments!)

We are so excited to begin our November Wedding FilmFest with this spectacular Russian wedding from Life Stage Films!

From Life Stage Films … Elana and Eric found us on Google! They fell in love with our films and asked us to fly to Chicago for their wedding. Theirs was the first Russian wedding we had filmed and now, we have firmly established that they are the masters of partying! Everything was PERFECT for their wedding … the city, the weather, the ceremony AND the celebration! Oh, and you should know ~ Eric designed Elana’s rings and the tuxedos! All-in-all their wedding was extravagant and amazing and one to be enjoyed for a very, very long time to come. Enjoy!

Venue/Catering : Elysian Hotel / Entertainment: Marat – MC Extraordinaire / Photos: Alex Goykhman / Florist & Decor: Erin McDonald from Heffernan Morgan Designs / Custom tuxedos and accessories: Eric Kipp Custom Clothiers / Dance instruction: Jessica Owen, Arthur Murray Chicago

• When Eric and I saw each other all dolled up for the first time during our big reveal and when we arrived at the Elysian (our wedding venue) in a horse-drawn carriage. Matt and Melissa did such an amazing job capturing these moments!
• Matt’s amazing same-day edit, which we watched through a crack in the door, since we were hiding in the hallway before our official introduction as husband and wife.
• Our first dance, for which I changed into a custom-made Latin ballroom costume. Eric and I worked so hard to learn an amazing, choreographed routine for our first dance and we didn’t want our hard work getting lost under my wedding dress! When the music started, Eric came out on the dance floor alone and I made my entrance a few moments later. Our guests were completely shocked by my costume change and the intricate routine–everyone said we belonged on Dancing With the Stars! Our friends, family members and co-workers are still talking about our first dance!
• We really wanted our family members involved in the wedding as much as possible. The Elysian was so kind as to bring in a baby grand piano so that my mother, who is a concert-level pianist, could play for our guests. To make the moment even more special, our photographer put up a slide show of photos from the wedding day on the flat screen TVs we installed in the space. Everyone was so surprised to see photos that were taken just moments before and truly enjoyed the live piano accompaniment.
• A few months before our wedding, my Russian-speaking grandma took over the Elysian kitchen and taught the 5-star chefs there how to make her signature fish dish. Grandma is still talking about the experience, saying it was one of the best days of her life!
• The food was a big highlight for us and we spent many hours working with the chefs to create a custom menu. We served our guests 12 unique, Russian-inspired courses, plus wedding cake and dessert table. We also flew in 10 lbs of caviar to top off dinner.

We also learned so much during our wedding! A little advice to couples planning their wedding ~

• Lighting adds so much to even the most beautiful space. We used a combination of uplights and intelligent lights during our ceremony and rehearsal, which allowed us to change the color scheme throughout the evening. With the colors changing constantly, the venue felt new and fresh throughout the evening.
• We had a jam-packed schedule during the reception, including giving grandparents and the entire bridal party time to make a toast. This kept guests interested throughout the evening.
• I highly recommend hiring a same-day coordinator. I didn’t do this and really wish I did!
• Spend extra on a great videographer and photographer. The day goes by so quickly–make sure you capture every special moment with a great team!
• Call every vendor a few days before to confirm when they will arrive. The one vendor I didn’t call was nearly 2 hours late, which drastically cut into our photo time.
• Make sure to remind guests to turn off their cell phones before the ceremony. Also, consider asking for no flash photography.

We have a glorious Cooperstown, NY wedding from Justin and Mary to start off your week! The details, of which there are plenty, aren’t the only remarkable thing about this gorgeous celebration.  Caitlin and Mike won the giveaway from Jessica’s Country Flowers that we announced earlier this year!  They are certainly a deserving couple and we are so happy that they were able to get the wedding of their dreams.  As an extra treat, Jessica filled us in on how to get all the delicious goodies below.  Pick out your favorite from the full gallery!

Loads more details in the full gallery!

From Jessica  of Jessica’s Country Flowers…Caitlin and Mike applied for our deserving couple contest back in 2009.  They were going through some family issues and struggling financially.  Mike was leaving his job to go back to school full time and they were living off of one income.  They are such a loving couple, devoted to their family and to each other.  We couldn’t of selected a more grateful and truly deserving couple.

The setting: The Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown, New York.  They were married in the chapel on the grounds, Cornwallville Church.  Then the reception following in the barn at the museum.  The Farmer’s Museum is a spectacular venue that has deep roots in New York State’s rural history.  The museum is set on 120 acres of pristine farm land which has been a working farm since the 1790’s.  The Farmer’s Museum is a private, non-profit educational organization.

Caitlin had a really great inspiration board she had created for us.  I used old aluminum sap buckets from my parent’s sugar house to showcase some antique purple hydrangea I picked out of my gardens at 4:30 am the morning of the wedding.  For her centerpieces we created three different looks.  One was in wooden crates, lined with sheet moss and overflowing with seasonal flowers.  The other were chocolate footed metal urns filled with antique hydrangea, garden spray roses and locally grown flowers.  For a simple look, we gathered bright pink and purple salvia, fresh mint, fresh sage leaves and garden roses in various sized mason jars.  Then, clustered them together on the tables.  The smell of fresh herbs is intense and wonderful for a summery wedding.

We created a “family tree” with manzanita branches in tall cylinder vases and purple mokara orchids.  The bride created her own DIY escort cards of flower seeds in envelopes.  We strung natural twine from the two trees and then hung each escort card with a wooden clothes pin.  Natural twine can be found at your local Home Depot or hardware store.  We dressed the escort card table with chocolate color burlap.

Since many guests were traveling, we created cute out of town guest bags.  We filled natural burlap bags with tissue paper, then added raspberry rhubarb jam from Lamothe’s Sugar House, bottled water, Crunch and munch, raisinettes and lavender oatmeal soap from Goat Boy soaps.  I picked up prepackaged “thank you” notes at Walmart and attached them to the handle of each bag with a wooden clothes pin.

Along with Jennifer from Cookie Creatives, we created a really awesome candy station.  She hand made caramel/chocolate popcorn, sea salt caramels, homemade marshmallows, chocolate dipped pretzel rods and three different kinds of chocolate bars.  We added maple lollipops and maple salt water taffy from the sugar house to the display.  I also made my parents famous Maple farmhouse chocolate chip cookies and placed them in jars for guests to help themselves to.   Jennifer also hand decorated sugar cookies with the couples monogram on and flowers.  We displayed those in vintage wooden trays amongst all the candy jars.

For a little candlelight romance, the staff at the Farmer’s Museum helped us hang green oxidized metal lanterns with real candles.  We used thin copper wire to hang them from little eye hooks that were already in the wood beams.  Since the ceilings were so tall, it helped to break up the space and add some drama.”

Vendor Credits: Photography: Justin & Mary / Event Design, Planning and Flowers: Jessica’s Country Flowers / Venue: The Farmers’ Museum /  Invitation Design: Darryl Norsen / Letterpress: Michael Dacey at Repeat Press / Bride’s Dress: Modern Trousseau from White Dress by the Shore / Band: The Lustre Kings / Bridesmaids Necklaces:  JustMade Jewelry / Bridesmaids Dresses: Davids Bridal / Head Piece: Lo Boheme / Ring Bowl: Paloma’s Nest / Candy Station: Jennifer of Cookie Creatives / Cake: Duran of ABC Cakes

Good Morning SMP’ers. We have a ton of real weddings coming your way a bit later but first, we thought we would start your Monday off with a little taste of something pretty because who doesn’t love a fabulous collection of wedding gowns? This is especially for all of you brides to be who are still on the hunt for “THE ONE.” These beauties are sure to make your heart pitter patter with delight. So take a gander at some of the totally romantic, utterly gorgeous dresses we’ve recently added to the SMP Fashion Look Book courtesy of designer Michelle Rahn…

see the full collection of pretty frocks and gorgeous belts in the Look Book!

With everything from short and chic to full on glamour, Michelle Rahn has a gown for every taste and fancy and the pretty doesn’t stop there. She also happens to have a ga-ga-gorgeous collection of belts to adorn her fabulous frocks. Now if there is one thing we love around here, it is a little glitz and glam to spice things up. Be sure to head over to the newest addition of our Fashion Look Book and start browsing through this awesome collection. The best part? You can do it all from the comfort of your computer. So hop to it. We have a feeling you are moments away from meeting the dress of your dreams.

This month has been a whirlwind to say the least.  We batted our eyelashes and poof, October is over. I guess time flies when you are having oodles and oodles of fun but the festivities aren’t over just yet. We have a little celebrating to do in the form of wearing fabulous costumes and eating our weight’s worth in candy. Sounds fab, right? And some of you brave souls may be getting hitched this weekend! So whether you are celebrating in a rockin costume or a gorgeous wedding gown, we hope you have a glorious good time. Before we leave you for the weekend, we wanted to share one last tidbit of Halloween Inspiration shot by Camilla Binks that is full out glamour…

and the rest of the shoot is absolutely TO DIE FOR. Check out the gallery for more Halloween inspiration.

Photography: Camilla Binks / Fabulous Top Hat: Dear Lizzie / Invitations and Printing: Polka Dots and Daisies / Design: Branches / Cake: Cake Dame / Gowns: Avenia Bridal / Hair and Makeup: Becky Thorpe

We also wanted to let you know that we’ve recently launched our Eco Green Guide to showcase our favorite Little Black Book members who are making an effort to offer reduced offset or carbon neutral services, create green products, use organic, sustainable or green materials, repurpose, recycle, compost, donate percentages of profits to eco charities…you get the drift. So if you’re in the market for an eco-conscious wedding vendor, make sure to carve out a few minutes to check out this very special guide. Oh and we’re adding new vendors every day!

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

a perfect wedding and one jaw-dropping dress in Georgetown
sweet as can be nuptials in North Carolina
a bright and colorful celebration in Sedona
feeling inspired after this pretty Inspiration to Reality shoot
these Rhode Island nuptials were the toast of the blog world and the film is equally as gorgeous
a day full of one lovely wedding after another
South Carolina beauty chock full of fab modern details
a rustic fairytale of a wedding in Pennsylvania
milk and cookies are good for the soul and so is this inspiration shoot
a circus inspired wedding for the girly girl at heart
and last but certainly not least…swoon-worthy and filled to the tippy top with loads of Etsy vendors

Fun links from around the web:

it’s not too late to make the prettiest carved pumpkin on the block with this DIY tutorial …via design*sponge
Pelligrino + Missoni are a match made in heaven…via Black Eiffel
golden pumpkins are oh so chic…via dress design decor
oh how we love succulents and now you can make your very own succulent wreath…via Oh Lovely Day
prepare for the chilly weather with some cheeky gear …via Kate Spade

And the winner of the Sarah Drake Inspiration to Invitation challenge is… Chiara!

Our favey fave Sarah Drake had this to say…

There were so many amazing boards- Style Me Pretty readers are the best! They made it very hard for us to choose a winner. But in the end, we ended up choosing the board that most inspired us. We could absolutely imagine this couple’s style, and what they wanted their wedding to look and feel like. It has texture, pattern, and many elements to draw from- making it a feast of inspiration. Thanks to everyone who submitted – we could have picked ten winners!

Have a fun, candy filled weekend! xoxo

This is hands down the best interpretation of a Halloween wedding I have ever seen. Gorgeous Fall hues, elements of bohemian textures and metals, potted succulents and tiny touches of spook in all the right places. It’s subtle but spectacular and a wedding that has totally and completely changed my mind about Halloween. Just goes to show that even the most goolish themes can be absolutely, positively drop dead gorgeous. With images by Amy & Stuart Photography, we are madly in love. Click here to see even more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery

Anthony and I met at his sister (and my friend) Abra’s wedding in Chicago. Anthony proposed to me during a hike with our dog Nico at Tangerine Falls in Montecito, CA. We spent an enchanted engagement weekend in the Santa Barbara area and ultimately decided to hold our wedding there eight months later.

We held our ceremony in the outdoor courtyard of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Because our reception fell on Halloween night, we wanted to hold a fun but tasteful party, so we decided to host it at the Biltmore Hotel and to transport our guests via antique-style trolleys. We were inspired by an abandoned mansion look, and offered a handmade-candy treat table, a tarot card reader, holiday crafts and activities in the childcare room, an energetic dance floor, and finally staged a send-off to the beach through the salute of our guests’ sparklers.

We wanted an unfussy, elegant but natural wedding and worked with our florist/designer Holly Flora and wedding coordinator Beth Helmstetter to use muted hues with occasional pops of color. We played with bringing the indoors out and the outdoors in, included antique, Halloween-appropriate details, and made environmentally friendly choices wherever possible. Holly scattered fresh rosemary along the ceremony aisle, the scent of which added to the sense of wonder. We emphasized potted plants and low-water succulents and, after the event, donated the truckload of plants to the Master Gardener youth gardening program in LA. For my bridal entrance with my father, he and I drove up in a borrowed vintage car-—a 1960’s Karmann Ghia—as it was the sportscar my father had given up when my brother David and I came along.

Our architect/artist friend Josh Birdsall hand-painted a series of interchangeable wooden signs that we used to announce events and wrangle guests (e.g. “Trolley Departing”, “First Dance”). Meanwhile our illustrator friend Brian Jones provided Halloween-inspired hand-drawn icons for our dinner tables (in lieu of table numbers). My father, writer and professor Elio Zappulla, composed a heartfelt poem for Anthony and me which he read aloud as part of his wedding toast. My mother Lynette Zappulla designed and hand made my bridal sash as well as her own satin stole. Jeremy Williams, Anthony’s brother-in-law, prepared a slideshow of our childhoods. And our farewell brunch featured live bluegrass musical accompaniment from my childhood friend Chris and his Santa Barbara-based group the Chris Cairns Band.

Our invitations were printed on renewable, cotton-based stationery. I built a custom, highly detailed wedding website to cut down on paper correspondence, and we provided welcome bags in reusable shopping totes. Our wedding favors were hand-painted mismatched Mexican tiles that we hand-stamped with our names and the wedding date and to which we affixed felt bottoms to make them usable as coasters. Our save-the-dates were also reusable: we designed post-it notepads with our names and the wedding details printed on every page.

In addition to the wedding we co-hosted with my parents, Anthony’s mother Abra and stepfather Jim welcomed guests to the weekend with a raucous costume party on Friday night with a Día de los Muertos feel at the El Paseo restaurant in Santa Barbara. Anthony organized a go karting expedition and tennis games for friends and groomsmen. On Sunday, we capped off the wedding weekend with a seaside bluegrass brunch hosted by Anthony’s father and stepmother Jon and Pamela.

Photography: Amy & Stuart Photography / Flowers: Holly Flora / Event Planning: Beth Helmstetter Events / Ceremony Location: Santa Barbara Historical Museum / Reception Location: The Biltmore Santa Barbara Four Seasons Hotel / Invitations: Oblation Papers / Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Officiant: Aaron McEmrys, Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara / Ceremony Musicians: Classics IV String Quartet / Cocktail Musicians: Triorganico / Reception Musicians: Entourage, DeBois Entertainment / Brunch Musicians: The Chris Cairns Band, Friend of the Bride /  Wooden Signage: Joshua Birdsall, Friend of Bride & Groom / Table Icon Illustrations: Brian Jones, Friend of Bride & Groom / Calligrapher: Laura Hooper / Bride’s Gown: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Sash: Lynette Zappulla, Mother of the Bride / Bridesmaids’ Hats: Louise Green Millinery / Trolleys: The Santa Barbara Trolley / Videography: Edmund Griffin and Jake Elsas, Friends of Bride & Groom / Childcare: The Little Guest / Nonprofit Gift Registry: The I Do Foundation, benefitting Camp of Dreams of Chicago, IL / Film Work: Richard Photo

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Photography

Amy and Stuart Photography

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This next little number is the epitome of lovely. It’s Fall inspired goodness at its best, with subtle hints of Halloween fun tucked into every corner. Like the adorable pumpkins that the bride and her family literally grew in their own garden. Umm, hello Martha. But what I love most about this affair is that every little detail, some of which you wouldn’t think to pair, seem to come together so effortlessly…a gorgeous embellished Maggie Sottero gown with a worn pair of cowboy boots, jade hued bridesmaids dresses with harvest inspired touches. This Fall wedding is total perfection and we’re so happy that Tonhya Kae was on hand to snap every beautiful picture. Click here to see even more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

We chose October for our wedding because we love fall and all the colors and smells that it brings. I wanted it to be rustic and warm and you can do so much with all the natural elements that fall brings!

We did a lot of DIY. I made the jam with one of my girlfriends and her mom. We got together and whipped out 178 jars of jam in 3 and a half hours! I did the labels on the jars as well. I had a custom stamp made from impressrubberstamp.com and cut out the circles with a 2″ whole cutter from Michaels and just used hemp string to tie them on. I just stamped it onto cardstock and cut them out then used a tiny hole punch to put the string through. I also made the “CAKE” sign. I used the same font from the programs and just blew it up to fill a page with each letter and my mom sat at my dining room table and cut them all out! Then we just bought one of those “Autumn” cardstock books from Michaels and pasted the letters onto the cute paper.

We grew all the pumpkins that were used throughout the wedding from our own garden:) Shan is quite the gardener! My dad got all the apples from a grower he knows in the area. We cut the centerpiece logs and log cake stands from a fallen tree on probably the hottest day in July. Shan was strapped with his dad’s little tiny chain saw and we cut out 32 log plaques, trying to keep them about 2 inches thick. It was so hot outside and the little chainsaw did so much work that it was literally smoking profusely by the time we were done! Then I had him cut some smaller branches to make the cake stands. Shan leveled off the top as well as he could then just put a screw through the top to secure everything.

Our ring holder for the ceremony was actually a Bible that belonged to Shans great-great-grandfather who was born in 1863. He used it to teach sunday school. But the most special element…right before my dad and I walked down the aisle my dad pulled out a bracelet from his pocket that he bought for me and told me how much he loved me and put the bracelet on my wrist. It’s something I’ll have forever, it touched my heart!

Photography: Tonhya Kae Photography / Flowers: Bugs Garden Girl in Prosser, WA and put together by bridesmaids / Ceremony + Reception Location: American Homestead in Naches, WA / Invitations: Hand-made by bride and individually sewn by Shari Michels / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Dress: Maggie Sottero / Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse / Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal / Cakes: Homemade by Bride’s cousin, Vanessa Norner / Wedding Favors: Homemade jam made by the bride

Love, love, love it when the bride is a blogger! And to be so crazy-fun and creative … even better!

photography by the equally fabulous Heather Fowler!

from Claudia …
Our family is sort of like The Brady Bunch, circa 2010. Scott has 3 kids and I have 2 and we are a modern blended family, complete with all the joys and challenges! We are happy to report that embarking on this wonderful journey has allowed us ALL to grow and blossom as a family and individually and we know the best is yet to come! We wanted an intimate wedding with only our family and close friends. We chose the beautiful & romantic Spring Mill Cafe as our venue because when we walked in to the candlelit byob owned by renowned French Chef Michele Haines and her son, Ezra, one winter evening to have dinner, I immediately I knew from the expression on Scott’s face that we had found our place…

I quickly got to work on creating the vintage vibe for our special day and as an interior decorating consultant no detail “stone” would be left unturned. I designed a lot of the decor myself with the help of my seamstress of 15 years, Elaine, who is just amazing! She sewed all the linens, cushions and pillows. I even pulled out my sewing machine and made a pennant to string on the farmhouse porch, using my luxurious Bella Notte Linens swatches…I fell in love with Abby’s inspiration boards and Style Me Pretty became my go-to source for EVERYTHING, I couldn’t get enough of all details galore featured on her gorgeous space. Her vendor guide led me to my amazing photographer, Heather Fowler and my creative floral designer, Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms, both top-notch talent in their fields. Heather then led me to the stylist (and magician) Claudia Seyler, for hair and make-up. I also bought tons from Etsy, my favorite place to shop now, you will undoubtedly unearth treasure each time you sign on, no lie!

One of the most enjoyable parts of our day was our photo shoot with Heather Fowler and her 2nd shooter Misty Dawn (yes, her real name). They are amazingly talented and creative and the photos simply blew us away…Scott and I had lots of fun shopping for all the props that we used on the shoot site at the Cynwyd train station, right near our house in the charming town of Bala Cynwyd, PA, part of Philadelphia’s historic Main Line.

I love the hunt and shopping for all the details was delightful: vintage containers for the florals, textiles, ribbons, beautiful papers, corkboards, antique furniture, props, etc. and on that special sunny 10th day in September 2010, with the help of many people, it all came together in an unforgettable celebration of love, happiness and beauty…thank you everyone for our perfect day…Scott and I will forever be grateful and our beautiful memories will never be forgotten. xocc

See the whole wedding here and Heather’s blog feature here!

Claudia Clobes is a Philadelphia decorating consultant and editor of the lifestyle blog, STONEHOUSE LOVE.

Our congratulations to Claudia, Scott and their family on a delightful wedding!

And, as always, our thanks to Heather Fowler Photography for sharing!!

Photography: Heather Fowler Photography
Floral Design: Beautiful Blooms
Hair & Makeup: Claudia Seyler

Etsy Shops
Flower Girl’s headband: Be Something New
Favors & tags: pinkcherrymama
Vintage Heart Confetti: ddeforest, ScrapShoppe
Pompoms: PomLove
Table numbers: The Back Porch Shoppe
Hand-written invitation suite: baumbirdy
Caketoppers: pammaro
Save-the-dates: SunshineandRavioli
Ribbons & twine, clothespins, guestbook: 5dollarfrenchmarket

Okay, I promised some Halloween goodness and I am here to deliver. This wedding, photographed to perfection by Geneve Hoffman, isn’t so much ghosts and goblins as it is a total celebration of Fall’s gorgeousness with subtle but adorable hints of Halloween thrown in for good measure. I am dying over the insane color palette and the bride’s ridiculously gorgeous style…particularly that Watters gown that she has transformed into a total masterpiece. Just goes to show, a Halloween wedding minus the cheese factor is simply spooktacular! Click here to see even more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

Thorpewood, perched high a top the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland, is a sought after wedding/events retreat. Corey and Bruce are both actors in Hollywood, but have family ties near Frederick Maryland, so the dramatic Halloween date and the equally dramatic setting that Thorpewood provided was a perfect match.

The grooms family are both Scottish and donned their respective traditional tartan patterns. The bride wore glamorous 1940’s inspired gown and details. The luxurious bronze palette was woven through every detail of the day…from bridesmaids dresses, to programs, to table linens.

The ceremony took place in the forest “cathedral” in between rain showers. The sky opened up as they recessed to the main lodge and all photos had to be taken under the huge stone arch of Thorpewood. I actually love a rainy, atmospheric wedding day because it allows me to concentrate on mood, emotion, and details. And of course the romantic, foggy lighting actually did feel like something out of a Hollywood movie.

The reception was beautiful. Bride and groom practiced an amazing first dance for weeks…and wowed the audience with a hilarious medley of tribute dances (Thriller to name one). I photographed the bride’s brothers wedding two years ago, and I it is the greatest compliment to be asked once again to capture this special day for both families.

Reception + Ceremony: Thorpewood, Thurmont, MD / Floral: A Country Florist / Catering: Canapes / Cake #1: Eagles cake made by my cousin Kim David of Uniontown, PA / Cake #2: made by Canapes, in-house catering at Thorpewood / DJ: Shew-sical Entertainment Services, Frederick, MD / Dress: Watters via Lilli’s Bridal, Tarzana, CA / Bridesmaids: David’s Bridal / Kilts, Groomsman: Atlanta Kilts / Kilts, Groom and Bestman: Highland Heritage of Elkton, MD / Bruce’s Sporan (purse-like thing around his waist): family heirloom / Officiant: Pastor Katrina Holland, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church / Bagpiper: Tim Carey / Invites: Gartner Studios Invitation Kit from Michael’s / Favors: Caramel Apples by Daffy Apple / Jewelry: All purchased at antique stores around Frederick County, MD / Shoes: Brand: Dilba, via DSW / Veil: Something Bold / Photographer: Geneve Hoffman

I have to admit something…I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween. I know, I know. That’s awful. Halloween is fun! You get to play dress up for a day, eat loads of candy and hit up one crazy party after another. My girlfriends have always loved the holiday, planning for weeks what they were going to be, what they were going to wear. But not me. Something just creeps me out about it and even as a kid, I was always a little skeptical. Well, long gone are those days. I have been officially proven wrong that Halloween can be as beautiful and as inspired as a girl could ever want. And a Halloween wedding…well, let’s just say we’ve got two that will spook the socks right off of you in the best possible way. But before we begin, I had to share these Halloween inspired florals that the Donna O’Brien and her incredibly talented team at Beautiful Blooms crafted. You can see more in the gallery right here.

photography by Art of Love /cookies by Whipped Bakeshop –   click here to see all of the gorgeousness!

So hold on to your hats, kids. We’re doing Halloween SMP style…with the most gorgeous details you can imagine and weddings that are as whimsical as they are chic. Back in a flash!

Our second wedding invitation feature from the lovelies at Wiley Valentine is one of their most luxurious letterpress designs. Just look at these images. Paper like this ~ as Abby would say … swoon!

from Rachelle at Wiley Valentine …
This is the couple!! How fun that you did a post on their engagement shoot. They are adorable. The couple are organic farmers, so they wanted this to play into the design without being overly obvious. They were really drawn to neutral tones (a trend we are seeing a lot of lately) as well as vintage elements. We had so much fun infusing farming into a sophisticated letterpress invitation. If you look closely you can see the carrots, wheel barrel, watering cans among others! Such a fun job. These invitations were hand letterpress printed on 100% cotton paper, and the invitation was on an extra heavy stock so we could print it on both sides. There was also a colored envelope liner We worked with our retailer in Nashville, TN Social Graces on this job.

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To see where these beginning pieces of the wedding puzzle led, we have a short Cinematic Trailer from Little Black Book member Three Ring Media Weddings.

from Three Ring Media:
We had the pleasure of shooting Lauren & Paschal’s wedding at her organic farm just outside of Nashville TN. They met through one of Paschal’s long time friends, who was laying gravel on the road outside of Lauren’s farm. This friend knew that the two had a lot in common, the least of which included organic farming. He called Lauren up a week later to ask if he could bring Paschal by to meet her, and see the farm. Lauren accepted, and her conversation began to plant the seeds of a life long commitment between her and Paschal. These two farmers agree that patience is one of the key values they admire in one another. But patience wasn’t necessary during their early courtship. In less than three weeks, the two had decided that they had each found their lifetime companion. Watch their story and learn how a chance meeting at the end of a gravel road can lead to a love that is organically grown.

Paschal & Lauren’s Cinematic Trailer from Jeremy Doublestein on Vimeo.

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Our congratulations to Lauren and Paschal and many thanks to Wiley Valentine and Three Ring Media for sharing this charming wedding with us!

Put on your tiaras ladies. This next little number is made especially for the girliest of girls, the sweetest of sweets…the ones who aren’t afraid to let their hair down and have a little fun with their big day. Designed by the ridiculously talented girls at Sweet Life Designs, this is the kind of wedding that only the coolest girl in school could pull off…especially with such style and charm. And thank goodness for Creative Push who was on hand to snap all of the perfect pics. Click here to see even more!

click here to see all of the sweet inspired goodness!

Carli and Spence were married in a private ceremony in Hawaii. They chose to come back to Nashville and celebrate with a very detailed carnival and pink monogram heart-themed affair that featured lots of individual touches dreamed up by the bride and Sweet Life Designs. The invitation features an RSVP reply card with a tear-off “ticket” to save, while returning the RSVP with a fun madlib reply.

The venue, Country Music Hall of Fame, really set the tone for a true Nashville-style experience! Guests were first ushered upstairs for a “viewing party” to watch on a big screen the film from Carli and Spence’s beach-side ceremony in Hawaii. They were also given a reception program that featured the full menu, a cake drawing with highlights for each layer/flavor, as well as pointing out the various events that were around the reception. During the cocktail hour, guests munched on popcorn from the gourmet popcorn bar, BBQ sliders (with little flags), fried green tomatoes, sweet potato fries with garlic aioli dipping sauce while sipping the signature drinks: Cotton Candy Martini and Margarita on the Rocks (a bride and groom favorite).

Into the reception, guests were given pink with yellow paper pom accented “Goodie Bags” to put all of the treats and goodies that lay ahead of them for the night. The escort card table featured heart shaped pink lollipops with guest name tags, and the lollipops lay in white trays filled with cotton candy and lemonade jelly beans. The guest tables featured yellow and white striped linen with sherbet colored fabric wrapped vases filled with dahlias, roses, mums, carnations and hydrangea. The table numbers were button mums placed in a heart shape. At each place setting was an individually wrapped pie with heart shaped fondant cut-out, wrapped in a box and ribbon with a tag indicating the guest’s seat.

Around the room featured various booths, from a temporary tattoo booth featuring the couple’s heart shaped monogram, a caricature artist, a balloon artist, photo booth, and ping pong toss game. The focal point was the dramatic dessert table featuring a stunning cake with individually cut out tiny flowers and was made of the bride’s favorite cake flavor: funfetti! To the right of the cake sat a sweet paper bride and groom figuirine. Surrounding the table were various chocolates and candies. The bride, who is a talented baker, supplied her very own mallows in peach, banana and strawberry flavors that were a hit with guests.

Along the back wall of the dessert table was a hanging heart shaped flower arrangement as well as paper heart garland. A sweet “L-O-V-E” banner was draped across the front of the table declaring the true theme of the evening! The grooms cake was a toast to the groom’s financial profession and featured a very detailed “bull and bear market” theme. Around the room were various canvas prints from the couple’s engagement shoot that was on Nashville’s famous Broadway street and photos from their wedding ceremony. Their yorkie “Kashi” was featured in photos and the engagement shoot and graced the custom stamps on the invitations as well as one of the buttons that guests were given to wear.

Photography: Creative Push / Event Design, Dessert Table Design, Invitations & Paper Goods: Sweet Life Designs / Flowers: Brocade Design Arts / Event Planning: A Delightful Day Event Planning / Reception Location: Country Music Hall of Fame / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Reception Dress: Betsey Johnson / Cake, Pies and Dessert Table Treats: The Bake Shoppe / Cinematography: 2Duce2 Videography / Linen: LaTavola / Draping: Blue Nova Designs / DJ: Cosmo Creations / Paper Heart Garland: Paper Acorn / LOVE Banner: Sweet Pea Seashells / Paper Bride and Groom (to the right of cake): Concarta

We are going to switch gears a bit and share the cutest of photo shoots with you because who doesn’t love a great shoot? They’re always extremely easy on the eyes and filled to the brim with tons of ideas that you can infuse into your own day. Plus, this one is as sweet as it is pretty and there are cookies involved! Inspired by the idea of milk and cookies, the ladies behind Love and Lavender set out to create a farm fresh, rustic spread incorporating tons of tasty treats and we are loving the outcome. Be sure to head over to the gallery for even more of this lovely shoot captured to sweet perfection by Jonda Spurbeck.

see the rest of this oh so sweet shoot here!

From Love and Lavender…

We put almost all of the details together ourselves. The guest sign-in area consisted of a “recipe for love” sign that detailed Ellen and Josh’s love story. Then, we had guests fill out recipe cards with their own recipes for love and put them in the recipe box. We made favors by filling milk bottles with ingredients for cookies and included the recipe on the labels. The ladies of Jonda Spurbeck Photographers were indispensable in finding the location (an unharvested alfalfa field), baking some of the cookies, and contributing props. Their photography captured our vision perfectly. The table was decorated with various items that went along with milk or baking, including a vintage food scale, an old milk carrier, and lots of vintage milk bottles filled with flowers. We also used a cookie jar from Anthropologie with a wood sign we made that spelled out “Udder-ly in Love”. We made the menu cards by nailing printed menus onto cedar shingles. We made the napkins and used twine and heart cookie cutters as the napkin rings. The runner played off of the ruffles in Ellen’s dress and was made by sewing strips of fabric together and gathering them. Hay bales served as seating.

The cookie stand was made by laying a windowpane across more hay bales. We used a mixture of apple baskets, plates, and cake stands to display a variety of cookies that we baked as well as the cake (also made by us). In addition, we created the cake topper with two hard boiled eggs, part of an egg carton, and some paint! We hung baking supplies from the “cookies” sign that hung over the stand. The milk stand was made out of wood and built by our husbands. We simply added drink dispensers with three different flavors of milk: chocolate, strawberry, and regular! Ellen wore a Jim Hjelm dress from La Belle Elaine’s in Seattle. She wore a hair flower from Feathers and Frills and a pair of rugged boots from Ruche. Josh’s attire was a mix of items he already owned and pieces we picked up at thrift stores.

Photography: Jonda Spurbeck / Bride’s dress: Jim Hjelm from La Belle Elaine’s in Seattle / Boots: Ruche / Hairpiece: Feathers and Frills / Styling and Design: Love and Lavender

The invitation ~ ahhhhh… the invitation. Where it all begins. Where your friends and family first see the love story your wedding day will unfold! From the incredible designers at Wiley Valentine … Jacqui and Amir’s gorgeous wedding invitations ~

Their inspiration?
We met with this couple at our studio. The bride brought me a swatch of fabric that had blues, tones of purples and subtle aqua tones. She really wanted the invitations to reflect this fabric. We had so much fun working on the photo save the date, and then the invitations which featured a midnight colored folder and grosgrain ribbon detail. These invitations were flat printed on 100% cotton paper. – Rachelle @Wiley Valentine

We did see a sneak peek of the gorgeous bride over on La Partie’s blog {here}! Can’t wait to see the whole wedding from Erin Hearts Court !

We’d like to congratulate Emily and Rachelle for being a part of the US Weekly Wedding Giveaway from the “wedding vendors of the stars”! Wiley Valentine created the stunning invitations ~ take a look at the finished product on their blog {here}!

A few more of our favorites from Wiley Valentine

Their LUXE Collection of wedding invitations
LUXE I and LUXE II ~ flat printing on their signature letterpress papers

Their brand new digital line of stationery (including wedding invitations)

From their seasonal card collection ~ Be Merry

Pretty much ALL of their Letterpress Notes Sets

And just about any kind of party invitations ~ wedding related or not!

Wiley Valentine understands that we share one planet. They have embarked on a journey to become a 100% sustainable paper company. All paper that Wiley Valentine prints is either 100% recycled PSC or 100% cotton, a natural, renewable resource (no trees).  Of paramount importance is their commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and to produce their paper delights at the highest creative level. As they state on their website, they do this not just for themselves alone, but for their families and for the generations to follow. “It’s never too little!! It’s never too late!!” – from the Wiley Valentine website

I am completely smitten with this next wedding from For You Love Me.  There were so many little surprises from the pattern of the table runners to the silhouettes on the frisbees (all handmade, of course).  But what really pulls at my heartstrings is the ceremony.  There is just something about a Quaker ceremony that is so intimate and heartwarming.  Nick and Sasha’s love for the people that brought them together was evident in every last detail that they created.  Click here to see even more from this lovefest.

More from this rustic fairytale in the full gallery!

From the bride, Sasha –

“…we did almost everything ourselves — and in only 3 months at that.  The whole event was very intimate and casual — no bridal party, no officiant.  The ceremony was a full hour, and most of our friends and family participated on the fly.  My now husband and I really thought of the whole affair as a chance for us to throw a party for all the people who had brought us together, so most of our planning was guided by that ideal.”

From Carissa of For You Love Me –

“The ceremony was a very meaningful Quaker-inspired ceremony within a circle of trees with 75 close friends and family. From there everyone migrated to a lovely hour of cocktails/appetizers with the soundtrack of three friends playing bluegrass tunes. Then was a beautiful reception in a little tent that seemed straight out of a fairytale with its waving flags and lantern lit ceiling. Flowers from a nearby farm filled the room with color. Each guest received a Field Notes pocket notebook with their names imprinted as well as a frisbee with the couples cameo (Nick and Sasha met playing frisbee at school). Instead of cake, they had the groom’s mom’s homemade pies and ice cream and sorbet. They danced the evening away to brilliant tunes. They and their closest friends all stayed the nite at the farm.”

Photography: Carissa Gallo of For You Love Me / Tent: Sperry Tents / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. / Bride’s Dress: J. Crew / Groom’s Suit: J. Crew / Groom’s tie: Etsy / Caterer: Catering By Design / Paper goods + stationery, flowers, pies, challah, officiant, ceremony, beer, live music — all 100% homemade!

I’ve heard talk that in the South, they really know how to throw one fine soiree. Well let me tell you, after glancing at this wedding for a mere moment, I knew that statement must be true. With the help of some truly gorgeous styling by Calder Clark Designs and perfect picture taking by Tina Rowden, this Charleston Bride and Groom had an elegant, classic wedding infused with so many great modern touches. (Hello lucite versailles chair of my dreams) See the full day and every last bit of Southern charm in the gallery.

see more from this southern soiree here!

From Calder Clark Designs…

Mary Margaret and Ryan Neff were married on a soft summer Saturday in June at the DeBordieu Club in Georgetown, SC, where Mary Margaret spent summers growing up. Both hailing from their adopted hometown of the Big Apple meant that they were inspired by the sleek, translucent, contemporary feel of high profile hotels but wanted their aesthetic to mesh with the Lowcountry, too. Mary Margaret tapped Calder Clark of Calder Clark Designs to implement her big day dreams. The couple were married at the gorgeous historic Prince George Winyah Episcopal, just moments from their pretty tented affair. Mary Margaret and her girls carried bouquets of athuriums, longiflorum, steelgrass, bamboo, ornithogalum, cattelya orchids and sweet gumballs, all flowers that would appear as well during dinner. During cocktails, Tina Rowden (photographer) strolled with the couple throughout rice marsh-lined pathways capturing the sunset,while guests dined on mini lobster rolls, mini blts, mac-n-cheese bites, and endive with Boursin.

Guests approached a lucite table flooded with engraved lucite escort cards clipped into sleek chrome stands. For dinner, Calder Clark and Mary Margaret designed a family-style menu of iceberg wedge and chilled heirloom tomato bisque, Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits with Chorizo Gravy, Veal Piccatta atop Fried Spinach, and Cavatelli with Roasted Spring Vegetables and Truffle Oil. The entrees were placed onto custom Lucite boxes filled with anthurium, so the “centerpieces” doubled as plateaus for the dinner. In lieu of wedding cake, the couple asked Calder Clark to design a dessert bar fit for royalty. Pulling Mary Margaret’s favorites from several different bakeries, Clark selected a vast array of all-white desserts to create a monochromatic dessert bar on a vintage baroque white lacquered mirror. The party lasted into the night and was topped off with a clubby after-party inside the main house, where guests feasted on late night passes of tiny truffled grilled cheeses, handcut french fries, and milkshake shooters.

Planner: Calder Clark of Calder Clark Designs / Photographer: Tina Rowden / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate / Ceremony: Prince George Winyah Episcopal / Reception + Caterer: DeBordieu Club / Linens + Clear Versailles Chairs: DC Rental / Tenting: Skyline / Rentals: Snyder / Lighting: technical event company / Florist: Blossoms Events / Band: Infinity Show Band through Sam Hill Entertainment /  Dessert bar: designed by Blue Moon, baked by Sugar, + Baked

It’s been a completely awe inspiring day of wedding goodness on SMP. One beauty after another, each with their own style stamp, their own personalities and charms. Well, we’re ending the day with one of the loveliest. Brought to you by photographer Anne McGowan, this little wedding is quite possibly the sweetest day we’ve seen in a long time. And simply put, it begins and ends with the bride’s GORGEOUS dress. Click here to see even more.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

From Anne McGowan…This was one amazing day. I first met Ann Yates mother and father last winter and felt instantly at ease. With their family enjoyment comes first- and they really want everyone to have a good time no matter what you’re doing We decided a first look would be best so that Ann Yates and Jon could go on and enjoy the entire reception with their family and friends.

All weddings are surrounded by tons hoopla, emotion and a teensy bit of stress- but I have never seen anyone relax like Ann Yates did when she saw Jon for the first time that day. Jon was adorable- he wanted Ann Yates to tie his bow tie properly. Sweet love.

They were married on Bald Head in June at the Village Chapel. Ann Yates wore a custom Heidi Elnora gown with a collar- Ann Yates’ signature look. And Jon, the bow tie. It was a warm day to say the least (100 degrees!) but it didn’t hinder their joy one bit- another thing that I loved about working with them. Nothing but happiness. Kim Fisher provided the floral design (as well as the cute ampersand prop). Courtney Arnold of Stellar Events helped the day unfold beautifully. Everyone danced the night away at the Bald Head Island Club while Lindsey Cheek made sure that the evening ran smoothly.

Photography: Anne McGowan / Flowers & Event Design: Kim Fisher / Event Planning: Courtney Arnold of Stellar Events / Ceremony Location: Village Chapel Bald Head Island / Reception Location: Bald Head Island Club / Dress: Heidi Elnora / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate

Next in the lineup of wedding goodies is the sweetest of sweet backyard affairs photographed by Nicole Hill Gerulat. The bride and groom are the epitome of perfect and managed to create a day that truly reflected their love. And the icing on the proverbial cake? They served none other than authentic Mexican tacos at their garden reception. For a California girl and a lover of all things Mexican food (who now lives in Boston with no good tacos in sight), this happens to be my absolute dream wedding feast. Kudos to the cute couple. Check out more from this fabulous day in the gallery.

see the full wedding here!

From the Bride…

From the cakes down to the authentic Mexican Tacos, our wedding represented everything we love. Instead of having a stuffy reception we wanted to have an outdoor garden party with our closest friends and family and keep the feeling light-hearted and simple. My mom’s gorgeous yard was the perfect venue. I absolutely love how everything turned out. Even the napkins made me happy! The bright colors and fresh flowers gave a very fresh and organic feel that we loved. We tried to carry the garden theme throughout the reception with vintage watering cans, various wildflower arrangements, flower seed packet favors, pictures hung on garden trellises, etc. We even supplied Jones soda to help personalize the event and add a fun flare. All in all it was an amazing day and we cannot believe it has already been a year!

Photography: Nicole Hill Gerulat / Flowers: Sydne Miles (Walnut Creek, California) / Ceremony Location: Oakland LDS Temple / Reception Location: Family Residence, Walnut Creek, California / Invitations: Designed by the Bride / Shoes: Nine West / Dress: Justina McCaffrey Couture from Alta Moda Bridal in Salt Lake City, UT) / Bridesmaid dresses: Banana Republic / Favors: Wildflower seed packets from American Meadows online / Wedding Cake: Karen Corcoran  / Other cakes: A Sweet Affair, Walnut Creek, California / Caterer: Taqueria Los Gallos Concord, California

I loved this wedding the moment I saw it. But when I really got in there and got my hands dirty formatting it for this very feature…I fell madly in love. The elegance, the pure joy, the simple and yet totally luxe style. I’m obsessed. Beyond obsessed. And I’ve decided that I really, really, really want my whole life to look just like this wedding. From the bride’s restrained but stunning style to the all white totally opulent style and the sweet, simple moments caught so beautifully by photographer KT Merry. It’s simply beyond. Click here to see so much more.

click here to see the full spread of gorgeousness!

Ariel and Andrea wanted a carefree and genuine, yet chic affair for their family and friends.  The Miami residents were looking for casual comfort and achieved this by creating lounging nooks both inside and outside of the Pierre’s oceanfront venue. Crisp white lounge furniture groupings were accentuated by their accent colors of navy blue and yellow for that “nautical chic” look. The dining room at Pierre’s was transformed with elegant and clean designs featuring white french tulips along with breakaway vases cascading across the table showcasing white hydrangeas, polo white roses and white irises.  The final touch of class came from an extravagant amount of multi-level candles which created the perfect romantic feel. The couple shared their first dance in the sand surrounded by guests holding sparklers.

Photography: KT Merry / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier / Event Planning: Divine Design by Guerdy / Floral + Decor: Ocean Flowers / Venue: Pierre’s, Islamorada / Make-up + Hair: Sobe Studios, Amy Palma / Officiant: Joaquin Perea / Cake: Ana Paz / Linens: Panache Party Rental

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KT Merry Photography

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When I was venue hunting for my own wedding, the Crane Estate at Castle Hill in Ipswich, Massachusetts just happened to be at the top of my list. It’s this massively gorgeous estate just outside of Boston and if nothing else, promises a total fairytale wedding. Well, I love, love, love what this particular couple did with their estate style wedding…infusing the formality with spunk, charm and fabulous color. Photographed beautifully by Heather Parker, this is one of those weddings where I would have killed to be a guest! Click here to see SO many more details including the most darling table numbers you’ve ever seen in your life.

click here to see all of the fab details!

Andrew and I currently live in Chicago, IL. I grew up outside Boston and Andrew grew up in the Chicago area. We met when we were both in college at Vanderbilt and continued on to live in Charlottesville, Virginia for 3 years while Andrew was in law school. We loved living in the south, but moved up to Chicago to be closer to family. Planning the wedding from half way across the country was difficult but we pulled it off!

I had dreamed about getting married at Castle Hill from when I was a little girl. When Andrew and I first got engaged we were living in Virginia and later in Chicago. I had sent my mom out to check out venues and luckily she loved Castle Hill as much as I did. I have always been drawn to bright summery colors, but Castle Hill is a pretty traditional venue, so we always had to keep in mind melding my bright colors with the look of the venue. We used bright pinks and greens coupled with navy blue to achieve a summery look. Our décor had a subtle nautical theme, with shells and coral prints on our paper and fabrics.

When I first started envisioning what our wedding would look like I knew I wanted to add lots of personal touches and I wanted to make a lot of things myself. Andrew and I tackled many DIY projects together and our families also pitched in to help. I wanted all of our décor to meld with Castle Hill for an “elegant casual seaside” look. I pulled inspiration from a variety of sources and pulled it all together by using coordinated paper products from Anna Griffin and the matching fabrics, also by Anna Griffin.

The biggest project we took on was the escort card pinwheels. We made each pinwheel by hand and they were a huge hit at the wedding. The pinwheels also made an appearance on the cake, those pinwheels were also made out of paper, just mini sized! Our other projects included-paper pomanders to decorate the aisles, pennant banner to decorate the bar and the lawn, drink stirrers, table numbers, menus, programs (which I hand printed with a gocco). We baked over 1000 cookies for a cookie buffet. Our mothers really came through for us and did a lot of sewing, making all of the table overlays, and the chuppah top.

A few days before the wedding as my mom and I were baking our final batches of cookies for favors, my Mom asked how many hours I thought I spent on making everything for the wedding, I couldn’t even take a guess. “Was it worth it?” she asked me. I replied that I would have to let her know after the wedding was over. Looking back I think all the work and details we put into the wedding made the whole evening the special event that it was. Everything that we and our families made was made with love and creativity.

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Crane Estate at Castle Hill, Ispwich, MA / Caterer: Swartz Catering / Officiant: Rabbi Judy Epstein and Father Bill Nesbit / Wedding Photographer: Heather Parker Photography / Wedding Band + Entertainment: The Return / Ceremony Music: Siman Entertainment / Wedding Florist: Bella Floral Design / Wedding Gown: Watters and Watters San Miguel / Bridal Boutique: Aisle Style, Elmhurst, IL / Custom wedding gown hanger: LilaFrances / Brides + Bridesmaid Shoes: Jack Rogers / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Suits: JoS. A. Bank / Ties: Tux and Tulle (Etsy) / Invitations: Blush Design Studio / Day of Coordinator: Jennifer Potter, Dot your I’s / Table squares + overlays: Groom’s mother / Chuppah: BZ Sustainable Style, the Bride’s mother’s company / Brides Clutch: BZ Sustainable Style, the Bride’s mother’s company