You know what I love the most about this next wedding…the PURE joy that seems to be jumping off the page. Okay so that’s not the only thing that I love. I am borderline obsessed with the silhouette stamped corn toss came, the adorable bridesmaids, the sweet downhome details and total spunk behind each and every image. It’s just one of those weddings that will make you smile and that will definitely leave you wishing you could copy every last detail. Click here to see LOTS more.

click here to see all of the wedding details!

Cedric and I had been dating for a little over 3 years. He is a business man that works in DC. I own a “handmade only” boutique in Winchester, VA. I make jewelry, hair pieces and lots of other goodies so of course, I had to make as much as I could for my own wedding.

Cedric and I got married on our 5 1/2 acre farm in the historic district of Opequon. I made everything from all of the bridesmaids jewelry and hair pieces to all of the boutonniere that the men wore. One of my bridesmaids made my cake and another bridesmaid did my make-up. I made signs for the wedding as well as tons and TONS of pom poms for the tent that were all made from old dress patterns. The tent was surrounded with prayer flags made from antique hankies. I made all of the invitations and save the dates myself. I bought a pair of white, leather shoes and added added antique shoe buckles to them. My veil was made from an old brooch and antique comb. All of the men in the wedding carried antique pocketwatches. (groomsmen gift)

Photographer: Shyla Dalirifar / Dress: Rhyme Couture / Caterer: Fresh Flours, Organic & Local Catering (Carrie England) / Hair: Jess Brunot (The Hair Company) / Make: up by Brittany Leslie / Bridesmaids Dresses: Anthropologie / Bridesmaids Jewelry: thepurplefern.etsy.com / Bride Veil: thepurplefern.etsy.com / Cake: Sarah Edwards

I’m horribly under-dressed to even be blogging about this wedding photographed by David Crane. It’s just THAT stylish and chic. I really should be typing this in some hot little number with louboutins on.  Elizabeth and Matt’s Santa Barbara wedding is a hybrid of sweet oceanview wedding meets swanky supper club all styled to perfection by Blue Magnolia and Kelly Oshiro Design.  Incredible lavender florals and bridesmaid dresses aside, the overall mood and ambiance of this wedding is simply unique and high class. As always, there’s tons more goodness from this Santa Barbara wedding in our galleries. xoxo Chantale from La Belle Bride

see all the stylish details right here!

A few juicy details from this lovely beach wedding…

Elizabeth & Matt are from Chicago and came to Santa Barbara to host their dream beachside wedding. For the ceremony they wanted a slightly french, wine-country theme. Kirsten of Blue Magnolia (the florist) sourced gorgeous wine barrels to flank the couple while they said their vows.

During the ceremony they incorporated the Spanish coin exchange because the bride had lived in Spain as an exchange student with a host family. That family gave her the coins to include on her wedding day. The tradition is that the groom gives the brides the coins one by one while vowing his lifelong support to her. For the reception, they wanted a mix of modern white furniture mixed with dark wood furniture to make their reception modern and contemporary, but not cold and sterile. For the bar we used Town & Country’s fun light-up bar mixed with their dark wood amalfi furniture (I love the amalfi cabana!). Lounge music was played during cocktail hour by the Martini Kings to set the mood for the reception.

For dinner, they wanted a ” supper club” kind of feel. To achieve this we created corner banquets out of metro lounge furniture. Being foodies, the couple had Duo Events create a fabulous four course meal that started with an amuse course and ending with a trifecta of pork for the main entree. For lighting, we did a star-burst centered over the huge white dance floor. It created a ceiling overhead and made the event feel very intimate. We also brought in stairs so guests had easy access to the beach below. The beach was also washed in light, so guests could enjoy a beach-side stroll after dinner and later the smores station opened for everyone to enjoy. In lieu of cake, Enjoy Cupcakes brought their trailer and served their delicious cupcakes on a mix of white and silver cake stands.

Photography: David Crane Photography / Flowers: Blue Magnolia Floral & Event Design / Event Design: Blue Magnolia, the bride, Elizabeth Johnston & Kelly Oshiro Design / Event Planning: Kelly Oshiro Design / Ceremony + Reception Location: Rancho Dos Pueblos, the bluffs/the beach / Shoes: Louboutin / Catering: Duo Events / Cupcakes: Enjoy Cupcakes / Lighting: Bella Vista Designs / Rentals: Town & Country Event Rentals / Hair & makeup: TEAM

It’s RARE we get to start a post with a fabulous photo like this!

And it’s been WAY too long since we’ve done a post about a destination ~ Hawaii wedding!! Sent to us by the awesome Rick & Sasha Reichart at cakelava, this wedding is literally to-die-for!!

If the cake wasn’t enough to send you packing ~ the floral design, by Yvonne Design~ should be!

photography courtesy of Frank Amodo Photography

HUGE SIGH!!!

Hear all about how Rick came up with this super-cute cake design for Laura & David’s wedding on cakelava’s blog.

And whether Hawaii is your destination or not … you definitely should check out some of cakelava’s other gorgeous cake designs in their gallery!

Photographer: Frank Amodo Photography
Wedding Cake: cakelava
Floral Design: Yvonne Design
Wedding Coordinator: Finishing Touch
Caterer: Poke Stop
Hair & Make-up: Leslie Fair
Music: H20 Band, Jon Basebase,
Manoa String Quartet
Rentals: Pacific Party Rentals
Location: Lanikuhonua

We’ve had a long term love affair with Jessamyn Harris on SMP…with some of our most favorite weddings coming from behind her lens. Well, when the Jessamyn’s crazy skills get paired with a bride’s super stylish approach, we always get super excited to share it with you. And this one had us the moment we saw the insanely beautiful plum color palette and the glow behind each and every image. Click here to see the full she-bang!

click here to see the whole gallery!

From Jessamyn…Sherry and Jeremy were married at Boot Hill, a beautiful spot on top of rolling hills with oak trees and grape vines, at Kunde Winery. Their wedding featured plum and white as colors, and guests watched them get married under a big oak surrounded by 360 degree views. They then ate as the sunset glowed brightly and the fog rolled in over the hills, danced and did the limbo in the midst of all of those trees, and had a BLAST! A very Sonoma County location and a very sweet couple.

Another fun detail is that Sherry’s extended family is from Mauritius (although Sherry and her immediate family grew up in Hawaii), a tiny island off the coast of Madagascar. Many family members and friends flew it from there, and from all over the world. Since weddings are also kind of a family reunion for her parents’ huge extended families, we did a record number of portraits, with a record number of people in them.

From the bride…We wanted something that would be natural to the vineyard surroundings, yet still pop. The bridesmaids’ dresses were the anchor. They were also picked to somewhat mirror Sherry’s dress (strapless with a silk rose). We then visited 11 wedding venues before selecting Kunde. We fell in love with the gorgeous 360 degree view of rolling hills and vines.

We wanted our music to reflect our lifestyles, past and present. Dinner music included some Hawaiian for myself, some Pink Martini because it feels like SF urban living. My family also provided some “sega” dance music from Mauritius.

We wanted our guests to be comfortable and enjoy themselves the whole evening. The pashminas (purchased in Hong Kong on a business trip) were a hit as soon as the sun went down. We also provided flip-flops so ladies wouldn’t feel trapped in uncomfortable shoes. We filled bags with goodies that kept the kids entertained and out of trouble. We shopped online for items for the kiddie goodie bags – the animal-ish theme was because we went on safari for the honeymoon. Favors, programs, and placecards were made by us, with Alicia’s great advice to guide us.

Venue: Kunde Family Estate / Design, planning, florals: Alicia K Designs / Photography: Jessamyn Harris and Paige Green for Jessamyn Harris Photography / Videography: Thomas Hughes / Catering: Piper Johnson Catering / Tuxes: Selix / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Bridesmaids Dresses: WToo (style 785) dresses in plum / Makeup: Jane Kim / Officiant: Mike Ireland / Lighting: Illusions Lighting / Cake: Sweet On Cake / Trio and DJ: Rudolfi Artists In Music

With such an overcast gray day in Boston, this burst of color is exactly what the doctor ordered. Beautiful Blooms crafted the most gorgeous florals for these New Jersey nuptials and Julia Newman was on hand to capture every last pretty detail down to that scrumdidlyumptious butterfly cake. You can find even more fun, whimsical details in the gallery.

see the full wedding here!

From the Bride…

We met through a mutual friend after I graduated from college and he proposed (with a beagle puppy!) 2 years later in August 2009. A few weeks after the engagement, I began graduate school and my mom, Dale Lippart began wedding planning/directing me on what to do and when. With lots of family traveling from upstate New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, The Conservatory in Morristown, NJ was an ideal location. I am Jewish and although Erik is not, we decided to have a nontraditional Jewish ceremony at The Conservatory. We stood under a chupah and Erik broke a glass after we are pronounced husband and wife, and we were married by my step-dad, who happens to be a judge in Pennsylvania.

We both have large families so almost 100 out of our (approximate) 138 guests were relatives. Planning went smoothly, thanks to my mom. Everything seemed to fall into place exactly as I could have dreamed. My dress couldn’t be more “me” and I had complete confidence in every vendor we chose. I am a big believer in hiring a person because they are good at what they do, not so I can micromanage. I found them all through referrals and had complete confidence in their talent – not a single one let me down that day.

My bridesmaids were my sister, my cousin, and my 2 best friends since kindergarten. I couldn’t ask for better women in my life. Erik’s groomsmen are his brother, my brother, and his 3 best friends from college, one of which was the guy that introduced us. They are all amazing people and incredibly helpful and supportive. Invitations were little funkier than the traditional invitation and really represent Erik and me as well as an invitation can. We had them custom made – purple paisley border on cream, lined in bright yellow; cream envelopes lined in bright green, pink, yellow, and purple stripes. Erik and I are classy and classic, with a twist of trendy. I love pushing the envelope and my goal was to throw an amazing, “funkified-garden party.” The room was bursting with color! The ceremony was suppose to begin at 11:30 a.m. but we didn’t get going until about 11:45…and it technically ended at 5 p.m. – at which point, we had shuttles running every half hour from the hotel into Morristown. It was a fabulous celebratory day filled with everyone we love. The icing on the cake? Everything went off without a hitch!!

Photographer: Julia Newman / Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Conservatory at The Madison Hotel / Bride’s Jewelry: Adorn / Caterer: Rod’s Steakhouse / Florist: Beautiful Blooms / Stationery: Kramer Driver / Dress Designer: Jim Hjelm / Bridesmaids Dresses: Adrianna Papell from Nordstrom / Groom and Groomsman Suits: Joseph A. Bank / DJ: Matt Bowyer from Synergetic Sounds / Make-Up Artist: April Landrum-Johns / Hair Stylist: Meg Henderson of Caru Salon / Wedding Planner and Cake Designer: Dale Lippart (mom) / Officiant: Jack Lippart

We hope you are enjoying this jam-packed day of wedding goodness. Around here, we majorly adore so many different types of weddings that it takes a day full of them to really quench our thirst. Up next is a positively adorable, smile inducing wedding photographed by AGAiMAGES. There is nothing like the coast of California to get the party started and paired with a fun-filled DIY fete, well it’s a match made in wedding heaven if you ask us. Besides, who can resist a little one in a floral crown? Not I. See every last stinkin cute detail in the gallery.

head over to the gallery for more from the Golden State!

From the Bride…

When Jesse and I got engaged, we knew we wanted our wedding to be a reflection of our personalities and what is most important to us. I grew up on Mendocino, a tiny town nestled on the dramatic Northern California coastline. My parents still live in the house that my father built and that I was born in, so my family has very deep roots there. Throughout our relationship, Jesse and I spent a lot of time visiting Mendocino, including some important milestones in our lives, like when he proposed one stormy December day on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. Given how meaningful Mendocino is to us, it only made sense for our wedding to be there. From the venues to the ceremony to the food and the music, everything was completely homespun and a true community event. We had our ceremony at gardens that were owned by my parents for years and where they were married. A bridge in the gardens was made as a gift for my father by one of his dearest friends who has since passed away. The bridge was featured on all of our invites and designs and was also an integral part of our ceremony. I designed our invitations and Jesse and I personally printed them on a family friend’s 120 year-old letterpress machine. The Rabbi who married us is one of Jesse’s oldest and dearest friends. They went to summer camp together and lived in Israel together for a year after high school. Our ceremony was hand crafted with the help of our rabbi to reflect the Jewish traditions, but also reflect our personalities and incorporate many of our closest family and friends.

The reception was at the Caspar Community Center, the historic schoolhouse in a tiny town just north of Mendocino and just half a mile from our ceremony venue. For the cocktail hour we had appetizers, cocktails and lawn games outside. We had a wood fire pizza oven on display, cranking out three different flatbreads we designed to represent the three places that we have special connections to – Italy, Israel and California. The décor was vintage wine country, with burlap, vintage mason jars, and chalkboards throughout. The dining room was set with three long farm tables, adorned with mismatched vintage china, blue vintage mason jar centerpieces, and wine bottle table numbers. The food was served family style and we opted for a variety of local pies with local ice cream instead of the traditional wedding cake. Jesse is a chef, so he personally designed the menu. We made an effort for everything to be locally and sustainably sourced, getting all of our food products from local and organic sources. The wine was made by us, our family and our friends; and the beer was from a local brewery. I even opted for a one-of-a-kind dress, hand made locally by a designer who I met.

We danced the night away with three different types of music, first a traditional set of klezmer music including the hora (chair dance), then a set of bluegrass music and finally a DJ to play everyone’s favorites late into the night. It was a magical day and it meant so much more to us because so many of our friends and family contributed to it in some way. We feel truly blessed to have such incredible and talented friends and family!”

Photography: AGAiMAGES /  Ceremony Location: Caspar Gardens / Reception: Caspar Community Center (vintage school house) / Flowers: DIY / Dress: Cicada Bridal / Rentals: Matt Rowland Events

Matt and Jessica planned their destination wedding at the delightful Casa Ybel Resort on Sanibel Island. With SO many gorgeous shots from their photographer, Jennifer Angeloro, we just didn’t know how to stop! A super-charming seashell inspired affair ~ see the full gallery for all the goodness!

see the full gallery here

from the lovely bride …

Matt and I met in 2004 at a show for a local bluegrass band here in Lexington, KY. We are both big live music fans and LOVE the jam band- Widespread Panic. We have continued to travel with friends all over the country and abroad to see their shows as well as other live music. The song that was sung at our wedding by my best friend was a Widespread Panic song called “Longer Look”. The lyrics also appeared on the first page of the wedding program.

We had our beautiful son- Andrew in 2007 and then decided to tie the knot this year. Matt worked with a jeweler in New York to design my ring and proposed to me at home in front of our son, it was so sweet! We decided to get married in Sanibel/ Captiva because I spent many vacations there as a child with my late grandparents and now we vacation there with Andrew and Matt’s family.

Our small and intimate ceremony was held during sunset at a small beachside cottage in Captiva with about 20 of our closest friends and family in attendance; a small reception followed in Sanibel at the historic Casa Ybel Resort. The look of the wedding took it’s inspiration from antique shell prints. It all began with the invitations and the seashell theme seemed to evolve. The muted, natural tones of the islands’ famous shells were the color story for the entire wedding.

All of my wedding stationery including the invitation suite, programs and menu cards were custom designed by Donia Simmons of The Blu Sash. The invitation suite included a save-the-date, a letterpress invitation printed on 100% cotton ecru card stock and mounted on bronze metallic card stock. Then there are the unexpected little details like the event card, coordinating vellum map and the shell printed envelope liner.

My dress was designed by Allure Bridal, my bouquet and flowers were done by Floral Artistry of Sanibel and my cake was made by Mason’s Bakery in Ft. Myers.

Weddings are celebrations of love and life and should be filled with lots of laughter.  This wedding from The Parsons definitely has a sense of humor and a whole lot of heart.  I was giggling one minute and then oohing and aahing the next.  The sweet ceremony was held at the same church where the bride’s grandparents were wed almost 70 years before.  How cute are they in the photo booth? As graphic designers, the bride and groom created all the cheeky and fun designs from the photo booth sign to the hilarious cheeseburger stickers.  There are even more clever details and heartwarming moments packed into the gallery.

Check out the full gallery for even more inspiration!

From the bride, Meghan –

“From day 1, we knew we wanted to focus the wedding around family and try to make it feel as personal as possible even with a guest list of around 250. So, when we traveled from Chicago to visit the small, German winery town of Hermann, Missouri to look at venues, the decision was simple. My grandparents were married 69 years ago in the small neighboring town of Rhineland, Missouri in a small church just up the street from the farmhouse where my Granny grew up. We decided to be married in that same church, and pack it to the brim with our families and friends. The feeling of being there, surrounded by our families and several generations of my heritage in that town was amazing and we were so blessed to have both of my 92-year-old grandparents in attendance. The image of the hands on the church pew is of my Granny’s hands, and one of my favorite images of the day.

Our photographers, The Parsons (Jeremy and Ashley) were spectacular. Their warm, gracious personalities made them feel more like family than hired vendors and they truly brought meaning to our day and captured it in a way we couldn’t have imagined. The photos with the tree in the background were taken on a small country road leading up to the farmhouse where my Granny was born and grew up. That tree is her “favorite” and it meant so much to capture it as part of our day. We also had a photobooth in the front room, which was a hit! Some of our favorite images of the day came out of the photobooth and make us laugh so much! They take a photo at each wedding they shoot of the bride and groom holding a poster that says “Don’t give up,” as a reminder of what that day and marriage is really about. It is a reminder that even though the wedding day is all wine and roses, marriage isn’t always that way and we should remember how happy and blissful the wedding day was and where it all started when things get hard. The image of my grandparents holding the sign is pretty amazing, as they celebrate 69 years of marriage and 8 children, 23 grand children and 10 great grand children.”

Photographers: The Parsons / Caterer (and cupcakes): The Finishing Touch by Ginger / Florist: Windy Hill Cut Flower Farm, Mary Fritz / Day of Coordinators: Lucky You Productions, St. Louis / Reception Venue: Hermannhof Festhalle / Church: Church of the Risen Savior / Band: the Lenny Klinger Galaxy Band / Photobooth speech bubble chalkboard: Etsy seller PlayingGrownUp / Shoes: Mod Cloth / Dress: San Patrick, Praga style (straps removed) / Veil + flower: Sara Gabriel / String Quartet: Weinwood Strings / Cheeseburgers: Sharp’s Corner / Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew

Good morning!   We have double the inspiration lined up for you today!  There is a little something for everyone from homespun to tropical to out of this world!  We’ll give you a taste of each but ALL the loveliness can be found in the full galleries so make sure you click through!

Let’s start off the day with a wedding that is just straight up, pure pretty.  Everything fits together so effortlessly without sacrificing a thing in the chic department.  The flowers are perfectly wild and the pale shades of the bridesmaids’ dresses are just divine against the pastoral backdrop.  Annie Heyward and Brocade Designs totally mastered the romantic, rustic vibe.  The gallery is just bursting with even more alpacas, boys in suspenders and idyllic eye candy!

Wait!  There is even more rustic romance in the full gallery!

From the bride –

“Eric and I knew we wanted our wedding to be truly reflective of who we are in every single aspect.  My first move in the wedding planning was to ask my dear friend and incredibly talented friend, Annie Heyward, to be our wedding planner.  Best decision ever.  The first priority after that was finding the perfect venue.  Eric and I love being outdoors so we knew we would have to get married outside.  Honestly, I didn’t know if we could find the right place.  But, thankfully, through a good friend, we connected with the owners of the private Wolf Den Farm in Brentwood, TN.  Once I checked it out, I knew it was absolutely perfect (I mean, it had alpacas – how could it not be perfect)!  Planning proceeded from there.  Part of making the day special was incorporating all our dear friends and family throughout.  My roommate/good friend/talented graphic designer designed all the wedding stationery.  Eric and some of his friends built the arbor for the ceremony.  Two of my dearest friends played all the ceremony music.  My friend and co-worker performed the ceremony.  Friends put together an awesome band for the ceremony.  Eric’s parents operate a candy store in his hometown and they provided the tasty chocolate favors.  It was wonderful having so many important part of the celebration and also surrounding us as we were married.  After the ceremony, we sat down to a wonderful family style dinner and later danced the night away.  I must say as well, having such incredible vendors made the day.  They understood the vision and did an amazing job bringing it to fruition.  It was family and friend filled, casual and laid back, just like we wanted.  All in all, it was a dream wedding.”

Photography:  Skip Hopkins / Flowers: Brocade Design Arts / Event Design: Annie Heyward from A Chic Critique and Brocade Design Arts / Event Planning and bride’s makeup: Annie Heyward from A Chic Critique / Venue: Wolf Den Farms / Stationery: Natalie Nelson / Bridal dress:  Jenny Yoo / Rentals and lighting: Grand Central Party Rental, Inc. / Bride’s hair: Heather Marvin / Candy favors:  Kemnitz Candies / Reception music:  Brett Taylor / Caterer: Down South Delights / Beer for the reception: Yazoo Brewery

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

Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Wedding planning can be stressful enough without the added anxiety of a tornado storm coming through your reception site just two days before the wedding!  The perseverance shown by Heather and Seth along with their community is so admirable.  After working together to clean up the site they even cut the fallen trees and used the pieces as decor!  Their hard work definitely paid off and the result is a precious at-home wedding, photographed by Caroline Ghetes, with superb attention to detail and dedication to family.  Don’t forget – there are even more handmade, dreamy details in the full gallery!

See more down home goodness in the full gallery!

From the bride, Heather –

“Seth and I have began our adventures together almost 5 years ago. From the beginning, I always knew he was “the one”. I feel so blessed to have him in my life and to spend the rest of my life with my very best friend. About two years into our relationship Seth joined the Marine Corps. Trying to plan a wedding around the military is quite difficult and felt like even setting a date was impossible. The weekend before the wedding, the military told Seth he wasn’t going to be able to come home for the wedding. But, our faithful God allowed a way for him to come home two days prior. As if that wasn’t enough stress, two days before the wedding, a windy tornado storm came through the wedding site and knocked down trees everywhere. We are blessed to have a community that is so loving and knows how to use chainsaws!  On our wedding day, the skies were blue, weather was beautiful, and everything was more than perfect.

When Seth and I began our wedding planning journey, our main goal was to keep the theme very relaxing and to be ourselves. With both of us being brought up on farms, we knew we should incorporate our roots into our venue and decorations. And that is exactly what we did. We chose to celebrate our special day on the family owned Payne Dairy Farm where Seth was raised. We looked into other venues but nothing gave us the feeling of “home” like actually being home.

The ceremony was held under a few trees in the middle of the field where we hung mason jars with candles from their limbs. Wooden chairs were set up to acheive the country/rustic feel and ivory rose petals filled the entire aisle. The reception took place in a hay barn not far from the wedding site. A chandelier hung with lights cascading to each corner of the barn. Hay bales were set up for additional seating around the barn with rustic lanterns for lighting/decor. For centerpieces we used white table cloths and ran burlap table runners over them. We then placed cut pieces of tree trunk (from the tornado storm that occurred two days before wedding) on top where then we topped off the table with potted mums with our initials engraved on the pots. Mason jars wrapped in burlap with stems of carnations and candles surrounded the centerpiece. Good ol’ homestyle BBQ and southern sweet tea were served to our guest as well as homemade desserts from the special ladies in our lives. Three Forks Cakes did an amazing job with our double chocolate wedding cake.

We see a lot of weddings around here and each one is gorgeous in its own right but the weddings that we positively adore and can’t quite seem to get enough of are the home-spun affairs. The weddings that are built from the ground up by friends and loved ones. This Maryland wedding is one of those beauties and it is about as sweet as they come. From the homemade cakes to the head over heels in love couple, we just can’t seem to shake our wedding crush. And the photography? Beyond. Adam Barnes was on hand to capture all the love and he did so to complete and total perfection. Wedding Art is what we like to call it. There’s even more gorgeous to pore through in the gallery so be sure to have a looky-loo.

see every last beautiful detail here!

Adam Barnes not only captured the gorgeous images, but he switched up his cameras and caught even more of this beautiful day…

From the Bride…

Our wedding took place at Running Fox Farm in Chestertown, Maryland. We fell in love with the venue, especially knowing that we would be doing everything ourselves, it gave us a great place to start! We loved the open fields, the rustic feel of the barn, and the elegance of the manor. It was really important to us that our guests felt involved and close to us. Matt is from California, and I am from Maryland, so we had guests traveling from all over the country. The whole property has such a romantic and intimate feel to it, which is exactly what we wanted for our wedding day.

I had such an exciting and unique opportunity in that I was able to design and help create my wedding dress! This was such a fun experience. I love lace and tulle, and the seamstress, Suzanne, did an amazing job of bringing my vision for the dress to life. It was my absolute dream dress, and it held so much sentimental value knowing that I helped create it. One thing that made our wedding incredibly special was all of our friends and family that were so willing to share their gifts and talents with us. Matt’s dad is a pastor, and he officiated our wedding. My sister-in-law’s mother, Janae, is incredibly talented and worked with me tirelessly on the design of the wedding. My friend and bridesmaid, Lauren, made our wedding cake. A family friend is an electrician, and he strung all the chandeliers and lights from the trees. The list goes on of the amazing people that shared their gifts with us. At one point during our reception, Matt and I just stopped and looked around, so incredibly humbled and thankful for the people that helped make our day so amazing. The details and planning were fun, but looking back, I remember how easy it was to get caught up in them. In the end it didn’t matter because on that day, they were exactly that: details. The details and design of our wedding wouldn’t even be in existence had I not found an amazing man who asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. On the day, our vows, our family, and friends there supporting us, surpassed everything else.

Photography: Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography / Ceremony: Running Fox, Chestertown, MD / wedding cake was made by a friend (and bridesmaid) Lauren Petri / All the cakes were made by a family friend, Maureen Czebotar / Tarts: Whole Foods in Annapolis / Flowers: Dawn at Severna Park Florist / Event design: Bride and Janae May (family friend) / Invitations: Bride and Wade Smith (friend) / Shoes: Ann Taylor / Dress: Designed by Bride, made by Suzanne Reams

Calling all fashionistas… this little post is going to be so up your alley. Gilt Groupe is our favorite go to store for luxury labels and the yummiest fashion accessories and finds at fabulously discounted prices. We are talking up to 70% off designer clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry. The list goes on and on. They are the toast of the town when it comes to online shopping and we are so excited for their newest venture, The Wedding Shop. This is a curated collection of designer brands for your upcoming nuptials and the best part? The discounts! Heaven is what we like to call it.

You can find designers like Vera Wang, Morgane Le Fay, Alberta Ferretti and so much more. Plus, Gilt offers fab advice from the experts like dress designers, Two Birds and Wedding Planner David Reinhard. Join Gilt today to start shopping The Wedding Shop and run, don’t walk because The Wedding Shop closes October 24th at 11:59pm ET.

Psst…a little birdy told us that Gilt Groupe is also running a fabulous contest right now where you can enter to become the next Gilt Bride! Simply head over to their facebook page for all of the details on how to enter to win a dream Honeymoon worth $5000.

So lets recap…gorgeous designer clothes, awesome savings on your favorite Wedding labels, expert advice at your fingertips, and the chance to win a dream Honeymoon. Um, we are pretty sure this is a no brainer. Be sure to stop by Gilt Groupe’s Wedding Shop today to start saving.

You can get started on the whole glorious Gilt adventure right here.

Subject to Gilt terms and conditions.

On the Little Black Book Blog we usually share weddings that our LBB members have sent to us from this year. However, today’s wedding ~ Kara and Brandon’s ~ sent to us by Lindsey at Isari Flowers, took place in Spring ’08. It’s just so darned sweet, we had to let you see it!

We have a terrific write-up from the beautiful bride, but first ~ The FIRST LOOK session {as I said yesterday, I’m all about First Look Sequences} …

Kara & Brandon’s Wedding Story

Brandon and I love reliving the details of our wedding. It was a day we didn’t want to end and never want to forget. That’s why we keep talking about it—so it will always be there, fresh, beautiful, romantic and perfect in our memory.

We’ll never forget the big parts of our wedding—the gorgeous spring day in Brandon’s parents’ backyard (which is less of a “backyard” than a park with rolling green grass, big oak trees and a small lake); saying our personalized vows; being with our closest family and friends; or the peaceful, happy feeling that came that morning and stayed the entire day. So it’s the little things we rehash over and over–like how great it was to have a 1900s Steinway grand piano outside on the patio and how brilliant it was of Brandon’s dad to surprise us with personalized hanging banners from the light pole in the driveway.

Brandon’s favorite thing to talk about is the desserts, which is actually a long conversation because there were treats everywhere at our wedding. When guests arrived they were greeted by a lemonade stand that served lemonade from a cheery vintage jug, Brandon’s mom’s perfect chocolate chip cookies, and juicy long-stemmed strawberries that we found at the farmer’s market the morning of the wedding (and that I dared to eat in my wedding dress while waiting in a bedroom to walk down the aisle…I can’t believe I did that!) Immediately after the ceremony guests were served artisan pizzas along with the crowd-favorite–Italian sodas in any flavor. For dessert we served cupcakes–chocolate, carrot and coconut handmade by my sisters and friend–and berry tarts and chocolate covered strawberries made by Brandon’s mom.

My favorite details were visual: the hand-painted signs and table numbers, the programs that were stacked in a pretty yellow birdcage, the guipure lace patterns on my dress, the striped aprons our catering crew wore, and my exquisite and enormous bouquet of flowers that was far too special to be subjected to a bouquet toss.

Our wedding was hand-made and family-operated in every way. I created the invitations, painted signs and designed the program. My aunt sewed 100 napkins and my grandmas ironed and folded them. Brandon’s family planted flowers, hung twinkle lights and graciously welcomed family, friends and vendors as we invaded their home for days leading up to the wedding. My sister Bri drove flowers 500 miles from San Diego to Chico, since I insisted that no one in Northern California could make flowers look as beautiful as Isari Flower Studios does. She had to bundle up in a parka, scarf and hat for the 10 hour drive to tolerate the extreme air conditioning that was required to keep the delicate peonies and ranunculus alive. My best friends joined forces to arrange the specially-delivered flowers and set the tables the day of the wedding. Brandon’s uncle conducted our ceremony, a fitting gesture since he was responsible for introducing Brandon and me five years earlier!

Throughout the process of planning and preparing and celebrating the best thing happened. Our families, who were always friends, became closer than ever. Our dads challenged our sisters to a canoe race in the lake. Our moms shared recipes while creating a family cookbook for a wedding gift. Our brothers decided to become roommates and our grandmas (both women of few words, both in their 90s) became fast friends. Brandon and I loved watching it all transpire, delighted by the fact that our happiness and love were spreading and becoming bigger and better than we ever could have imagined.

Photography: Amber of Artistic Imagery
Flowers: Isari Flower Studio
Event Design: Family and friends
Ceremony & Reception: Groom’s family home
Invitations: Bride

Morning SMP-ers! We’re starting off the day with a couple that was definitely not afraid to get their hands dirty…literally!  Throughout their engagement, they grew and cared for the centerpiece and bouquet succulents and handcrafted all the little details for their homegrown wedding in Oregon.  Their wedding is also a fantastic example of creating a celebration that truly reflects the couple and their tastes.  Don’t like cake?  No problem!  Serve ice cream instead!  Even a little rain couldn’t darken the infectious smiles of these two lovebirds!  There is even more heart-stirring lovliness from We Heart Photography in the full gallery!

Don’t miss out! Go to the full gallery!

From We Heart Photography –

“Starting from the details, Drew did everything, and I mean EVERYTHING on her own. We were amazed that they were able to stick to a very small budget and turn out one of the most personal, chic weddings we have been to! First of all, Drew decided she wanted succulents to be a part of her floral arrangements for the day. So, she grew succulents for the past few months in preparation for her big day. The day before the wedding, she and her bridesmaids went on a walk through a field near her Bend home and picked the rest of the flowers used in the bouquets. This is incredible when you look at how perfect they are!! She put together the bouquets on her own, wrapped them in inexpensive twine, and picked a personalized button for each bridesmaid. She also made mini bouquets for the flower girls, the boutonnieres, and her arrangements.

All three of their rings were true vintage. Jay got her engagement ring from an antique store and it is from the 1920’s. It is breathtaking. For their wedding rings, they both are wearing their grandparents’ rings. So sweet! When Jay decided to wear his Grandfathers’ ring, he noticed an engraving on the inside. It said “Ann D. Jones”… Drew’s real name is Anne Drew and her new last name is Jones.

Neither Jay, nor Drew like cake very much. So, they decided to scoop ice cream instead! They had 5 different types of ice cream and cute little waffle cones. It was so fun to see something different and not to mention it tasted amazing.

Even though it rained on their wedding day and that changed a few plans, Drew + Jay’s day was truly magical. I now can honestly tell my brides that they CAN plan an amazing wedding on budget!”

Photography: We Heart Photography / Coordinator: Heather Munson for Tetherow Golf Club / Venue, Linens, Catering: Tetherow Golf Club /Florist: The Sweet Bride / Entertainment: Dave Jones (the Groom’s dad) and his band / Hair: Ahna McDonald (the Bride’s sister) / Makeup: Katie Canute / Gown: Demetrios with J. Crew flowers added as a strap / Men’s Formalwear: J. Crew

It’s all fine and dandy when we can show off a wedding as gorgeous as today’s featured affair by Jose Villa. Insanely beautiful dress, check. Dreamy groom, check. Perfect flowers, beautiful decor and sweet details, check, check, check. But the real question is how you guys can translate that beautiful wedding into ideas reflected in your own big day. That’s where the Buying Guide comes in. We’ve scouted the products from the wedding at hand and are giving you smart ways to integrate them into your own wedding day style. It’s the perfect accoutrement to a wedding that seems almost too good to be true. And if you need a wedding refresher, click right here.

1. The bridal gown that Jennifer rocked was made by Carolina Herrera, from her 2008 collection. The style number is 358143 and the style name is Agathe and we’re pretty sure it was MADE for this wedding. Romantic but sexy, elegant but decidedly modern. Love, love, love. Thanks Brides.com for that info.

2. We found a similar black tux on J. Crew and have to admit, the price tag makes it look even more handsome. Especially since it’s made in Italian Wool. Rentals are also a great option, though the key to remember is that the groom kept things classic and simple so that his attire screams effortless luxury.

3. The original earrings were by Siman Tu but we found these look-a-likes at Nordstrom, made by Nadri. With your hair up in a loose bun, these earrings are that touch of vintage elegance that really brings the look to a new level.

4. And speaking of hair, we love, love, love the headpiece that Jennifer Wore, designed by Siman Tu though we are also loving this one that ban.do designed. Tucked neatly into a bun, it’s the absolute perfect accessory for this look.

5. For our pup, we found this adorable bow tie via etsy’s Silly Collar. Love, love, love…especially on a pup as cute as the one in today’s wedding!

6. In terms of decor, we started with the throw pillows that the bride added to the ceremony seating. The church pews, which we know you guys are loving, were rentals unfortunately, though you can find pews on ebay (I’ve actually owned one before) if you are desperate for them. Regardless, you can add so much warmth to your ceremony seating by bringing in white throw pillows in various textures and shades like these from IKEA and these from West Elm.

7.  In terms of decor, we didn’t have to look any further than Luna Bazaar for vintage inspired tea lights, mercury glass vases and beautifully worn candlesticks.  When you are purchasing items like this, choose three to four varieties and stick with those. You want to get the eclectic look while still having cohesion and by limiting yourself a bit, you’ll definitely achieve this look.

8. If you aren’t working with a florist, you can find wholesale stems from places like Fifty Flowers. Peonies, Green Hydrangeas, Asters and Garden Roses all give this same, really romantic effect. Just remember that flowers are most affordable when purchased in season, so be flexible on the types of stems you go for – focusing instead on the overall look they achieve.

9. We loooove that the bride added the unexpected black lace touch. Wrapped around simple white napkins, they’ve taken the table setting to a new level. We found this look-a-like at Mood Fabrics.

10. The hanging lanterns are unique to San Ysidro Ranch but we found these beauties at World Market. Hung in an entry way or tucked into a corner, they are a beautiful and rather inexpensive way to add romance to your style.

11. Last but not least, we found these adorable silk bags at The Drawstring Shop, that would be perfect for the flower girl. Tie with black lace and fill with petals and you have the sweetest detail on the planet.

This afternoon’s featured wedding was sent to us by the lovely wedding planning experts at Pineapple Productions … Enjoy!

Downtown Washington, D.C.’s historic Meridian House served as the venue for Shaina and Nate’s September wedding. Shaina and Nate had fallen in love with this hidden architectural gem designed by John Russell Pope, the renowned architect also responsible for the Jefferson Memorial, National Archives and National Gallery of Art.

Being city-dwellers themselves, Shaina and Nate loved the idea of bringing their family and friends together in an urban setting, albeit one with beautiful historic gardens and greenspace. Shaina had selected a beautiful color palette of green and white with pops of rich raspberry. Nate’s parents are horticulturalists and were very involved in the floral design. They provided all of the plant material as well as many of the flowers. Marcy and Thom Green of Dragonfly provided the design work as well as some of the florals.

photography courtesy of Geoff Chesman with Michael Bennett Kress and Associates

The overall design concept was a modern take on European garden design, utilizing an eclectic mix of potted herbs, plants and orchids. All potted items were re-purposed and eventually planted, and each guest received an herb pot as a special favor at the end of night. Utilizing and sharing items to be planted was Shaina and Nate’s way of approaching wedding design in an environmentally responsible way. Dragonfly custom-designed a wrought iron chuppah, which was placed on a stone terrace next to a grove of linden trees. The chuppah featured a gorgeous mix of white and cream garden roses, hydrangea and dahlias in a cream, green and raspberry color palette. The posts of the chuppah and ceremony aisle were accented with garden planters, utilizing jasmine, ferns, begonias and impatiens in greens and whites. Hanging votives hung throughout the linden trees, and garden lanterns were staked throughout the existing Meridian House flower beds.

Shaina and Nate met in Spain during a college study abroad program in Salamanca. Occasions Caterers provided a Spanish inspired wedding menu, which included glass pitchers of white Riesling sangria as well as an array of Spanish tapas. All cocktail tables were simply adorned with potted herbs in an eclectic mix of rustic containers. Spanish guitarists provided the perfect musical backdrop in the garden. Dinner tables were covered with gorgeous garden green silk linens and set with simple creamware ceramics. High floral arrangements were masses of creamy callas in glass trumpet vases, surrounded at the base with potted glass cubes of flowers in raspberry, white, cream and green tones. Low arrangements were a mix of containers in glass, zinc and stone and included a variety of blooms and plants in the same color palette.

Shaina and Nate’s wedding was so distinctive in no small part due to Nate’s parents’ contribution and Dragonfly’s ability to partner with them on the project. The wedding design was incredibly personal not only in the sense it represented both the bride and groom’s style and consciousness of the environment, but also in the fact the groom’s parents were so actively involved in growing the floral and plant material.

Event Planning: Allison Jackson, Pineapple Productions/ Floral Design: Dragonfly/ Caterer: Occasions Caterers/ Photographer: Geoff Chesman, MBK Photo Studio/ Band: Nation through Elan Artists/ Ceremony Musicians: Spanish guitarist and violinist through MSE Productions/ Wedding Cake: Patisserie Poupon/ Transportation: International Limousine/ Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet through Carine’s Bridal Atelier/ Bridesmaids Dresses: Priscilla of Boston (Vineyard Collection)

It’s rare that we reserve an entire day for a single wedding on SMP. But frankly, that’s exactly what Jose Villa’s work inspires us to do. We really couldn’t imagine layering a wedding on top of this little slice of heaven, so instead we’ve just decided to kick back, put our feet up and let Jose photographs and Mindy Rice’s styling, entertain us for hours on end. Oh and we’ve put together a pretty fantastic buying guide for all of you brides out there that are dying to borrow ideas from this affair, coming up next. And don’t forget, even more details can be found right here!

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

I call Mindy Rice my sorcerer because she really is. From our first meeting, she swirled her unique and enchanting ideas to create the ambiance of the evening. She took all of my musings and turned them into a reality – with succulents, an eclectic mix of dainty flowers, mirrors, vintage pieces and a strand of the unexpected with black lace accents. Together, we chose church pews to lend a Sunday School feel and built lovely and fun-filled spaces for the children. The touches were themed around magic as we had a magician entertain the children as the adults were eating dinner. We placed top hats and magician gloves along with treats and surprises around the table. The children were enthralled and the specialness contributed another level of sweetness to the evening. Both Kirk and I are extremely involved with our nieces and nephews and it was important to us that their joyfulness be evident each moment. In fact, we also invited Kirk’s sister’s English Bulldog as he is a part of the family and the children adore him.

Mindy and I also worked together to build moments around our 1957 Corvette. Kirk and I had been dating only a year when it was purchased and it signifies the beginning of us and “our” first big purchase together. It represents our love of things classic and home-grown. We continued on that theme with traditional and personal touches, like homemade jam, an instrumental swing band, and Kirk’s brother as the officant of our ceremony. We wanted someone that knew us implicitly and could represent our goals and dreams as a couple in the details of the ceremony.

And now that the day is done and we have memories and the beautiful pictures that world-renowned Jose Villa took, I look back and know that the moments were a perfect representation of the beginning of our forever. It was so us.

Venue: San Ysidro Ranch / Florist: Mindy Rice / Photographer: Jose Villa / Cake & pastries: Christine Dahl / Lighting: Brandon Peterson / Ceremony Music: String Quartet – Dubois Entertainment / Reception Music: Mora’s Modern Swing / Jewelry + Headpiece: Siman Tu / Bridesmaids Dresses: Tibi / Flower girl dresses: J.Crew / Invitations: Dauphine Press from Urbanic Paper Boutique / Calligraphy: Laura Hooper / Film Work: Richard Photo

Since I’ve been contributing to The Little Black Book Blog, I’ve definitely developed some of my own personal ‘favorites’ when it comes to wedding images. Images that I used to think were ‘pretty’, are now my new faves! For example … the getting-ready shots …

And then, I’d have to say that First Look photo sequences are also at the top of my list of favorites!

I  mean, how cute are these two!? We have so many more in the gallery!

When you arrange to do your portraits and wedding party pics before-hand ~ this is what is possible!

Melissa and David were married in September at the Juniper Hotel & Bistro in the Banff National Forest. It’s no wonder these shots by Kirstie at Orange Girl Photographs are SO spectacular! But this darling couple and their love for each other surely had a LOT to do with the joy in these images.

See and hear more about Melissa and David’s glorious wedding celebration on Orange Girl’s blog {here} !

From the bride ~
David and I spent last Christmas at his parents’ house in the Yukon Territory. On Christmas Eve, David told me he wanted to go for a hike by Lewes Lake, which has breathtaking mountain views. While enjoying the beautiful scenery from the top of a ridge, he proposed to me! Our love for nature and the mountains made Banff, Alberta a natural choice for our wedding location. We instantly fell in love with the stunning, panoramic mountain view and warm, modern feel that the Juniper Hotel offered. We decided that it would be the ideal location to hold our wedding ceremony and reception.

It has been a particularly wet year in Alberta, so I was not surprised when I woke up to rain on our wedding day! Despite the gloomy weather, it was an incredible day and the rain added to the memorable experience. David and I decided to be unconventional and had made plans to see each other before the ceremony. We arranged to meet on Mount Norquay. It was raining fairly hard when David and I saw each other for the first time. Luckily I came prepared with rain boots and an umbrella in our wedding colour. It was so wonderful to have an intimate moment just to ourselves.

I also prepared enough umbrellas for our wedding party; it made our outdoor photo session unique, comfortable and lots of fun! Fortunately, the sun finally came out and cooperated long enough for Kirstie, our photographer, to capture some spectacular photos. But shortly afterwards, it started raining again and we were not able to have an outdoor ceremony as planned. The hotel staff told us they would need at least 25 minutes to move everything inside. To our surprise, our guests started picking up, moving and drying chairs and everything was set up in record time! It was amazing how everyone pulled together for us; it was one of the best moments of the day. Although most brides and grooms would prefer a dry day, we wouldn’t change a thing. The rain ended up being one of our favourite details of the wedding!

From Orange Girl Photography ~
They say rain makes a marriage blossom and therefore it is considered good luck on your wedding day. However, if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony in the mountains I can see why it would be disappointing. I’ve always said that it is the bride and groom that set the tone for the day and Melissa and David are a perfect example of that. Despite the rain they were smiling and excited throughout the day. They enjoyed every moment of their wedding day. As Melissa and I drove up Norquay mountain in the vintage Bentley on the way to meet David for the bride reveal, it was raining as hard as I’ve ever seen. Melissa wasn’t phased at all. She was so excited to see David for the first time on their wedding day. David stood in the trees with an umbrella as Melissa made her way through the trees and heavy rain in her rainboots holding her purple umbrella. It was a sweet moment and a great way to start the day.

Stylish, organized, thoughtful and sweet are a few qualities that make up a dream bride for me…Melissa possessed all of those qualities and more. She and David had chosen the theme “Fall in Love” for their September wedding. After dinner guests were invited out onto the patio to enjoy s’mores and take in the night sky while the venue cleared tables to make way for dancing.

Melissa and David’s day will always be memorable to me because of their excitement and smiles throughout their day. They are a couple who focused on what was most important to them, becoming husband and wife surrounded by those closest to them.

Photography: Kirstie Tweed, Orange Girl Photographs /Flowers: Elements Floral / Event Design & Planning: The bride! / Ceremony & Reception: The Juniper in Banff Canada / Cupcakes: Cozy Cave Bake Shoppe / Vintage 1952 Silver Bentley: Highland Executive Chauffeur / “Fall in Love” banner by Etsy seller GiggleRoom / Make-up and Hair – Bride: Raja LeClerc; Bridesmaids: Raja LeClerc (Make-up) & Meaghan Cameron (Hair)

Jose, Jose…let me count the ways. I love you as the sun loves the bright blue days. Really, I mean it. I have a total obsession for all things Jose Villa and I make no secret of it here on SMP. So whenever he sends me one of his straight-out-of-a-fairytale weddings, the giddiness starts and the butterflies take off within about 2 seconds of seeing his email. Which is exactly what happens when I laid eyes on this perfect Jose affair. So much so that we’ve decided to spend the day devouring every inch of it’s undeniable gorgeousness. If you can’t wait for part II, we’ll even let you cheat just this once. Click here to see the full wedding gallery.

click here if you can’t wait to see more!

My now-husband and I were childhood sweethearts and experienced our first kiss with each other. We hoped to plan a wedding that spoke to the deep joy we felt for reuniting and we wanted our wedding to be a celebration of our love – both for each other and for the family and friends that make our lives special every day. It was our intention to create an intimate and romantic setting – the affection of a backyard wedding combined with the elegance of a black tie event. San Ysidro Ranch was the perfect backdrop as it is inherently infused with such charm. Every inch of the property provided the feeling of a sophisticated garden party. And with Mindy Rice as the floral consultant, the result was simply magical.

Our style is classic with accents of Old Hollywood. I wanted every piece and every choice to reflect that, so I chose a Carolina Herrera dress and a Siman Tu headpiece as the focus points of my look. I worked with my hair stylist and makeup artist to conjure a modern Grace Kelly. It was important to me that I still look like myself so I was careful to not take any of the details too far.

SO much more to come!

Venue: San Ysidro Ranch / Florist: Mindy Rice / Photographer: Jose Villa / Cake & pastries: Christine Dahl / Lighting: Brandon Peterson / Ceremony Music: String Quartet – Dubois Entertainment / Reception Music: Mora’s Modern Swing / Jewelry + Headpiece: Siman Tu / Bridesmaids Dresses: Tibi / Flower girl dresses: J.Crew / Invitations: Dauphine Press from Urbanic Paper Boutique / Calligraphy: Laura Hooper

When we think of the absolute go to spot for all things kitchen and home, Crate & Barrel is at the top of the list. There is seriously not one little ounce of this store that we aren’t completely smitten with. From the most swoon-worthy cake stands to the prettiest pillows to adorn your sofas and all the housewares in between, Crate & Barrel is like a little slice of heaven. So of course, they are the first place to turn when it comes time to fill your registry with the most perfect bobble and trinkets for your new home. This is where the Wedding Party Events come into play.

Have you heard? Crate & Barrel is throwing a party just for you and your fiance. Imagine having the whole store to yourselves for hours. You can get advice from design and registry experts, plan your perfect home together, meet other brides and grooms and make merry with fabulous food and drinks. Now that is our kind of party but the clock is ticking.

Believe us when we say this is not something to be missed. Head over to Crate & Barrel to RSVP today. Time is running out on these fabulous soirees with only one national event left this year and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on all of the festivities. Food, drink, fun and expert advice…you can’t go wrong. The last party is October 24 so be sure to check Crate & Barrel for a Wedding Party near you!