I’ve saved the best set of images from Julia and Dean’s absolutely gorgeous, rustic chic wedding for last. For those of you that are just now joining us, Julia and Dean were lucky enough to win the Four Seasons Films giveaway that we hosted on SMP a few months back. The snippet of their wedding that Paul and Holley of Four Seasons sent us was breathtaking.

And the pictures that Kristel Wyman shot, well, they speak for themselves!

This wedding is the epitome of all things Style Me Pretty. It’s approachable, it’s totally stylish, it’s real. The reception decor is so warm and inviting, so incredibly fun. Thank you so much to Four Seasons Films, to Kristel Wyman and of course, to Julia and Dean for sharing this beautiful wedding with us!

Here are a few more pictures from Julia and Dean’s gorgeous Kiana Lodge wedding…

The fabulous pictures were shot by Kristel Wyman who is such a talent, I am thrilled to introduce her work to you. Take a peak at Kristel’s site for even more wedding inspiration! More to come!

A few more lovely shots of Angela and Webster enjoying their gorgeous wedding at Verita’s Vineyard this past August…

We love this wedding. It feels almost rustic, yet completely classic and sophisticated. Angela looked lovely in her Priscilla of Boston gown. Sheila Motley from The Event Company helped put this fabulous day together. Stay tuned for photos from the stunning reception!

Earlier today we featured the AMAZING film clip that Four Seasons Films shot of wedding cinematography giveaway winners, Julia and Dean. Well, I contacted the wonderfully talented Kristen Wyman who photographed the event, to share with us the still shots of Julia and Dean’s wedding. In a word, they are stunning.

all photos by Kristel Wyman

The wedding was held at Kiana Lodge and honestly, took my breath away. It was sweet and beautiful without being over-the-top. That bouquet alone is enough to make me swoon. Just want until you see ALL of the beautiful pictures…stay tuned!

More from Holland Photo Arts of Angela and Webster’s dazzling wedding …

This color palette is so clean and crisp with just the perfect blend of whimsical, elegant color. Not to mention, the backdrop of this beautiful vineyard just adds to the overall charm. More lovely images to come.

Some of you may remember this completely over-the-top, amazing giveaway that we held a while back with Four Seasons Films. SMP readers, Julia and Dean, won a cinematography package worth over $10,000 shot by the fabulously talented Paul and Holley of Four Seasons Films.

Well, the gorgeous wedding has come and gone and we are so excited to show you a little clip from Julia and Dean’s big day!

I think that I am in love with this gorgeous couple, their lovely wedding and this little snippet caught on film…ummm, wow. It’s so romantic, so dreamy and yet so completely real. You feel like you are watching this incredible love story unfold. I know that not everyone can afford to hire a cinematographer, but if you can, it’s so worth it.

Thank you so very much to Paul and Holley at Four Seasons Films for sharing this incredible gift with Style Me Pretty! We hope to do it again sometime!

Today we have a brilliant wedding sent to us by Anne & Bill Holland. Angela and Webster were married in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Veritas Vineyards. Their wedding blended stunning hues of royal blue, deep plum, and all shades in between. Elegance exuded from every angle…

The lush floral arrangements were sculpted by Pat’s Floral, another of our very own Little Black Book members. Don’t you just love the pops of stark white peeking out from among all of those vibrant blues and purples? This is just the beginning. Stay tuned…

I have been drooling over the ridiculously gorgeous galleries featured on the website of D.C. based catering firm Design Cuisine. They are, in a word…stunning. From the absolutely beautiful table settings, to the ahhhhh inspiring food, every picture makes me want to plan my wedding all over again. If you are in need of some inspiration, this is the spot!

On Monday, we introduced Peculiar Pair’s newest Save the Date Collection…and got such a huge reaction! Today, we are officially announcing the launch of their latest baby along with a pretty incredible discount for SMP readers! Here is the first sneak peak at their new, online only (as in never been see before, not in stores, totally exclusive) Wedding Collection…

Love the pink inspired palette. It’s so feminine and timeless, and yet so completely modern. Here is another of my absolute favorites…

The one thing that Peculiar Pair does better than so many other companies is letterpress. Their quality is next to none…it’s completely flawless.

Each invitation from this new collection is destination inspired, so whether you are planning a sunny seaside bash, an extravagant evening at a vineyard or a memorable mountaintop retreat, you are sure to find an invitation that will beautifully introduce your event.

To celebrate the launch of this gorgeous collection, the girls at Peculiar Pair Press are offering a…wait for it…a 50% discount on all of their online featured invitations! That is basically unheard of, so if you are even considering one of these little works of art, now is the time to jump on it! All you have to do is reference the “SMP Offer” in your email to them and they will honor the discount. Pretty great, isn’t it?

Plus, you still have time to enter the Save the Date giveaway if you haven’t already!

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If you are interested in this fabulous offer please email info@peculiarpairpress.com . Don’t forget to put “SMP offer” in the subject line as well as what invitation you are interested in and the girls at Peculiar Pair Press will contact you!

Karen Rusten of Brown Mouse Photography is continuing on with her amazing tips from some of the very best photographers!

5. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF…OR THE BIG STUFF

via Jonathan Canlas

“So many different things go into the day that 99.9% of weddings don’t go exactly as planned. Don’t let anything get in the way of genuinely enjoying your day: don’t freak out if the cake is strawberry instead of rhubarb, or say the ceremony gets bumped back a half hour due to the fact your brother who is the best man is out getting a slurpee.”  – Jonathan Canlas

6. FORGET ABOUT A WHITE WEDDING

via Robyn Kessler

“To the Brides: Stop worrying about your dress! It’s White! It’s gonna get dirty. Nobody will notice if the trim has a little dirt and it will be worth it to tromp through a little grass for the picture!” –Robyn Kessler

7. YOU NEED A SHEEPHERDER

via Greg Neil Photography

“If you have formal group pictures taken at your wedding, assign one or two people who know everybody to help gather guests for desired shots. That way your photographer can spend time taking great pictures instead of tracking down where Uncle Larry wandered off to…” –Greg Neil

8. THIS IS NOT A COSTUME PARTY!

via Catherine Hotchkiss

“Don’t wear too much makeup or do something with your hair that is not you.   Don’t let anyone tell you that you need tons of make up for photos!  That is totally old school.  You should look like yourself only slightly enhanced.  On the same note, don’t go with no make up at all, even if you’re a super model.” –Catherine Hotchkiss

Once you’ve taken these steps, you can relax and leave the work to the photographer. Your job is to always, always have fun on your wedding day, and this will guarantee that we get the very best shot of you!

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Thank you SO very much to Karen Rusten for putting together this incredible tip sheet for us! Make sure to spend some time checking out each of the photographer’s websites…they are so insanely inspiring, it’s kind of crazy!

Okay, now for the good stuff. For those of you that are just now joining us, Karen Rusten of Brown Mouse Photography in San Francisco, is partnering up with some of the world’s best photographers to find out exactly what couples can do to ensure that they take the most amazing pictures on their wedding day. Let’s get right to it…here’s Karen!

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Photographers are a tight knit group –and what we love most is gabbing about getting hot, rockin’ images, and what makes or breaks a shoot. After having been through the ins and outs of countless wedding days, we photographers have so much to share with brides and grooms, not only to help them get amazing photographs, but also to fully enjoy their wedding celebration.

I asked eight of my favorite wedding photographers to spell out some of their best advice on getting the images you always dreamed of.  Follow this advice, and your wedding day joy will shine in every shot:

1. PUT US ON TRIAL

photograph via Jose Villa

“Take some time at the first meeting with the photographer and do an engagement session so that you can all practice working together. Treat it like a trial run, and be sure to tell your photographer what you loved and didn’t love from that session. This will help to produce the best photos possible for your most important day…your wedding”  –Jose Villa

2. KICK UP YOUR HEELS!

photo via Karen Wise

“The pictures always look better when the couple is truly having fun! The couple should be playful with each other -tickle, hug, kiss, talk… this always looks really nice in the shots instead of a face-forward grin.” -Karen Wise karenwise.com

3. TRUST ME

via Elizabeth Messina

A wedding photographer is intimately involved with most aspects of the day. It’s crucial that a couple feel at ease & trust in their photographer’s ability to capture the nuances of the day.” –Elizabeth Messina

4. SPICE IT UP!

via Tanja Lippert

“Throw out the traditions and have a celebration that is about YOU!!!! This will ensure that photos are unique, beautiful and individual.”  –Tanja Lippert

The next four tips are on their way in just a bit!

Do you know exactly what you want or are you open to ideas? That’s one of the first questions your florist will ask you.Defining YOUR style should be at the top of your ‘to-do’ list … from flowers to gown … from food to favors.What strikes your fancy?

Are you a glamour-girl, a modern-day princess? A lover of all-things-vintage or so-so-chic? If your florist truly “gets” who you are, your wedding flowers will tell the rest of the story…no matter the budget, no matter the time of year … be open to ideas and your trusty florist will lead the way.

Here are a few fabulous bouquet shots that were sent to us by our Little Black Book members. Can’t you just tell what each bride is all about??

Floral and Photography Credits (as available) — Row 1-3: Events In Bloom. Houston. Photography by D.Jones. Row 4: (left) The Wild Flower, Dallas; (right) Photography by Justin Marantz, New England. Row 5: (left)Photography by Jennifer Davis, New York; (right)  The Wild Flower. Row 6: (left) Bastian-Skoog, Minneapolis; (right) Michele DeVries, Colorado. Row 7: (left) Karen Wise, New York; (right) Aaron Delesie Photography, Mindy Rice Floral Design, and Lyndsey Hamilton Events, NY, New England, CA. Row 8: The Wild Flower. Row 9: Francoise Weeks, Portland, Photography by Rebeka Johnson. Row 10: Photography by Walters and Walters, Raleigh-Durham.

I was so excited when I received an email from Karen Rusten of Brown Mouse Photography in San Francisco about a fun project that she wanted to share with SMP readers. As a wedding photographer herself, Karen knows all too well just how important it is to find the right photographer to shoot your big day and how tricky it can be to get those magazine-worthy photos that we all crave.

Thus, she has enlisted the help of some pretty fabulous photographers (think Jose Villa, Elizabeth Messina, Tanja Lippert…) to share their secrets for getting stunning images of you and your soon-to-be on your wedding day.

Before we get to the tips though, I wanted to share a few pictures that Karen has taken. The first is a bridal shoot that she shot that I kind of fell in love with…

This next set is from a fun wedding in Napa Valley that Karen shot over the Summer…

Stay tuned to hear the photographer’s tips for looking your best and getting those spectacular images you’ve always dreamed of on your wedding day!

So, I’ve been a huge fan of Tigerlily jewelry for a while now…their gorgeous, crystal inspired pieces make me swoon. But, I recently discovered their birdcage veils and I literally jumped for joy. Okay, not really, but I really, really love them. Elegant and sophisticated…they are perfect for that bride that is a little edgy and a little style obsessed.

So today’s featured zebra inspired wedding, although completely beautiful, was probably outside many of your budgets. But, you CAN get that same look for a lot less, if you really break it down. This look is perfect for a restaurant style wedding…a venue with an outdoor patio that already has simple, modern furniture that you can dress up a bit!

The best way to really make a statement would be to add a zebra print throw rug. I found the top one at Urban Outfitters for $68. You can also bring in that great zebra print through accent pieces like pillows (found at CB2 for $29.95) and fun pictures frames, also found at Z Gallerie for $26.95.

Next, you need your shots of color…bold, bright orange found in vases like those above from Z Gallerie and great lacquer plates found at CB2 for $3.95. Place single stem leaves in the vases and pile great decorative balls on the orange plates. Finally, layer in a fun green hue to round out the palette.

With this look, there is absolutely no need to go overboard with the accent pieces. Stick with a simple, white backdrop and add pieces in that make a bold statement. The best part is that you can keep everything for your home when all is said and done!

Thanks so much to Caplan Miller Events for inspiring this Look for Less!!

I wanted to give you guys a last look at the gorgeous Caplan Miller designed event that we are featuring today. I have loved all of the details, every splash of zebra print, every pop of orange. Loved every bit of it actually!

gorgeous photographs by Kate Mefford at Juxtapose Photography

We just had to show you some more shots from one of the Cakelava weddings featured earlier today. The event took place at the Paul Mitchell Estate in Kailua. Cassandra & David Dieterle served as wedding consultants for this couple and orchestrated the entire thing … and what an amazing wedding it was! Apparently, they used a number of Style Me Pretty’s inspiration boards for ideas and color palettes. Working with a team of local wedding vendors (many LBB members!) they created this fabulous fete.  

The details in this wedding are just spectacular and even though you may not be lucky enough to have such an amazing Hawaiian location for your event, you definitely should tag these details as awesome.

Thanks to Rick & Sasha and Cassandra & David for sending us this spectacular wedding. 

Wedding Vendors include: Cakelava, Cassandra & David Dieterle, Floral Inspirations, Yvonne Floral Design, Visionari, DK Designs, Angel de Armas, Gourmet Events Hawaii (Nobu).

If you are anything like me, you are LOVING today’s featured wedding. The zebra print, the chic lounge style decor, the touch of whimsy with the human sculpture. Love it all!

gorgeous photographs by Kate Mefford at Juxtapose Photography

A few more fun details from Caplan Miller Events…

We passed beverages with flashy blinky ice cubes.  Had baskets of green, orange and zebra flip flops available by the dancefloors.  We were lucky to have a home that was perfect for lighting.  The home’s exterior is made of limestone which is very light in color – almost white, so we took full advantage of this and used the home to bounce tons of light off of.  We were constantly changing the colors and patterns all over the exterior of the front and back side of the home.

As the guests departed, we used our cabanas again for favors.  We had Whole Foods create zebra-striped chocolate dipped apples using white and milk chocolate.

More to come!

The cute girls of Caplan Miller Events have offered up a behind the scenes look at today’s featured wedding!

gorgeous photographs by Kate Mefford at Juxtapose Photography

From Caplan Miller…

Our inspiration for this party came from the cover of a Pottery Barn catalog this summer.  The espresso and ivory zebra stripe paired with citrus colors of orange and green were used as our color palate.  We found the green and white cabanas on sale from Z Gallerie.

We placed two cabanas at the entrance to the party.  Inside one we served green apple martinis and from the other, mojitos (pulling in our green color thru drinks).  The home has a beautiful fountain in the center of the back yard, so we found a “Living Fountain” out of Florida and included her as an element of surprise for our guests at the entrance to the home.  We also had an orchid roaming the grounds as an added surprise for our guests.

More to come!

How do I love thee…let me count the ways. Holly Stalder’s gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous capelets are just so beautiful, it’s hard not to fall in love with each and every one. They ruffle, they pouf, they tuck in all the right places with perfectly exquisite vintage lace fabrics and ladylike bows. LOVE!