I’ve never met a styled shoot I didn’t want to swoon, but this Kentucky Derby bridal shower takes that love to a whole new level. And what’s even better than playful pastels, pretty pink florals and those wide brimmed hats are the vendors who pulled it all together. I’m talking creatives like Lauren Wells, Pollen Floral Design and Cambria Grace who brought this detail-driven inspiration shoot to life. Spend your morning in the full gallery of gal pal goodness and you’ll see why this, my dears, is one for the books.

 

From Lauren Wells Events: We loved the idea of a Kentucky Derby themed bridal shower for so many reasons… it would allow us to play with all the beautiful pastel colors that are perfect for spring, it would let us use real, live horses as models, and Krissy from Pollen would get to go nuts with floral hats and garlands!

For the colors, we incorporated peach, mint, yellow, pale pink and lavender, with accents of silver (julep cups) and gold (DIY elements). With the Derby being in Kentucky and all, we knew velvet. Vintage and lace would really capture that Southern vibe. We used mismatched vintage seating and china, and loads of milk glass for the vessels. We also found the most perfect venue for the shoot, aptly titled “Inn on the Horse Farm.”

The mint julep bar was a fun and classic element, with the praline and bourbon-infused naked cake and bourbon-bacon-coffee-caramel popcorn adding a fun twist to some traditional sweets. To go with the Derby’s “running of the roses,” we used rose lemonades as the non-alcoholic drinks. Being a huge fan of puns, we worked with Alaina at Cheer Up Press to design the beautiful paper goods, such as the “sure bet” invitation and the “mint to be” cocktail sign. We also had fun with a few DIY projects, such as the lace doily lanterns strung from the tree, the gold horse place cards, the wood horseshoe sign, and of course some drink stirrers – what is a party without some cute drink stirrers? The shoot was an absolute blast, and perfect inspiration for a wedding, a shower, or any spring-time party!

Wedding Photography: Cambria Grace Photography | Planning + Design: Lauren Wells Events | Floral Design: Pollen Floral Design | Venue: Inn on the Horse Farm | Rentals: New England Country Rentals | Hair + Makeup: Kacie Corbelle Makeup Artistry | Paper: Cheer Up Press | Cake: Jenny’s Wedding Cakes | Popcorn: Liddabit Sweets | Mint Juleps: Flask and Funnel | Tassel Garland: The Flair Exchange | Necklaces: Bobbles and Lace | Mint Dress: Mint Julep | Peach Dress: Bobbles and Lace

New England Country Rentals is a member of our Little Black Book, Love what you see? Take a look at their portfolios.

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There is something incredibly magical about a wedding in the middle of New York City that is blanketed by a forrest of trees. It has that whole secret garden effect which is about as lush and romantic as you can get. So starting with a dream wedding venue and then layering in amazing vendors like The Designer’s Co-op who added to all the greenery with the prettiest shades of blue florals + The Boutique Group and their mad planning skills leaves a day filled to the brim with pretty details and gorgeous images.  They are images by Rebecca Hansen Weddings that will stop you dead in your tracks. I promise. See them all in the full gallery.

 

From Rebecca Hansen Weddings…What a gorgeous wedding! Elaine and Josh were married in Fort Tryon Park in September. Elaine and her mother made all of the blue paper flowers which they mixed in with the incredible real florals done by The Designer’s Co-op. The weather was gorgeous all day, until the second the couple said “I do,” when a huge thunderstorm broke out. Everyone had to rush through the park to get to safe cover in the restaurant.

From the Bride…I’ve always thought it was amazing that we found each other, since our parents were born on opposite sides of the globe. And now, most of our family and friends are scattered around the country and the world beyond, so it was incredible just to bring everyone together to celebrate with us. We actually started off with a rainy morning, but it opened up to a stretch of sunshine just an hour before the ceremony. So we were able to fulfill my dream of getting married outside under a canopy of trees. The guests could see the Hudson river behind us. It was so naturally beautiful we didn’t need any decorations at all.

I loved my ceremony musicians – a guitar and cello duo. They created the perfect atmosphere to go with our eccentric but traditional style. My bridesmaids walked down to Somewhere Over the Rainbow. My father and I walked down to Oh What a Wonderful World, which was one of his favorite songs when I was growing up. We kept our ceremony short and sweet and thank goodness we did. Towards the end, every time the Reverend mentioned “God,” people could hear thunder rolling in the distance. We were oblivious until it was all over. I have such a clear picture of seeing my last guest walk into the restaurant, because the sky opened up and started to pour the minute she went inside.  There were even tornadoes! While everyone was inside enjoying the New Leaf’s amazing hors d’oeuvres, twin tornadoes were touching down in the city. So we didn’t get the chance to take all the photos we would have wanted, but I was happy to have been able to spend time with people during our cocktail hour.

My mother and I (but mostly my mother) had spent months and months making flowers by hand. I had very specific colors in mind so I hand-dyed reams of crepe paper and sent them to her. Some of the roses she ended up making were so realistic that I would smellucinate the scent of flowers whenever I walked by. Bridget Vizoso (our florist) took the flowers and wove them into the most amazing tablescapes I’ve ever seen. Eventually the rain lifted and we opened up the tents. Everything from there on was amazing. The speeches, the music, the food, the photobooth. My only real complaint was that it ended too soon, but I’ll never forget how magical the day was, tornadoes and all.

Photography: Rebecca Hansen Weddings | Floral Design: The Designer’s Co-op | Event Planning: The Boutique Group | Ceremony Location: Fort Tryon Park | Reception Location: New Leaf Restaurant in Fort Tryon Park | Invitations: Paperfinger |  Ceremony Musician: Penguin Music | Photo Booth: Photo Illusion LLC | Dress: Amsale | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew, Ann Taylor, BHLDN

So Cal weddings are one-of-a-kind. With the sand and the sun and those ever-so-stylish brides, they’re the affairs that take me to a place of blogging bliss. But behind the pretty are teams of top notch vendors making it look all so easy. Take these Newport Beach nuptials, for example. With creative talents like Nicole Davis Design and Twig and Twine on board, the end result it a wedding that makes me want to say “I do” all over again. The photos from Ashlee Raubach have simply left me speechless, and the film from Ryan Southwell Films? An absolute hit.

 

From Ashlee Raubach…Just a few miles from the beach and situated in a rustic environment of tree’s and wood burning scents, the artistically hand made touches of details from the decor, to the flowers, cakes and wardrobes makes this wedding truly unique and inspirational. Nicole Davis designed this event along with her mother. She wanted this wedding to be reflective of the bride and groom, bringing together the Bride’s North Carolina southern charm and the Groom’s California cool.  They envisioned an outdoor wedding reception setting the tone for this fun loving, head over heels in love couple to celebrate.  The design was elegant and chic with rustic touches of reclaimed barn wood runners, mercury votives, white tufted furnishings, antique wooden tables, and amazing loosely styled florals that tied it all together.  They did not want it to feel fussy or too formal, but reflect the couples style – effortless, comfortable, stylish, beautiful.  The night was memorable with toasts from both fathers and the couple, and ended with dancing the night away under the dark sky lit by italian strung lights and chandeliers hanging from the trees.

Wedding Photography: Ashlee Raubach | Wedding Cinematography: Ryan Southwell Films | Wedding Design + Planning: Nicole Davis Design | Floral Design: Twig and Twine | Ceremony Location: Newport Beach LDS Temple | Reception Location: Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club | Invitations: Kidlark Designs | Bridesmaids Attire: J.Crew | Groomsmen Attire: Mens Warehouse | Groom Suit: Custom made by Nordstrom | Brides Attire: Custom made | Furniture Rentals: Found Vintage + Fusion Rentals | Lighting: De-Lighted + BTB Event Productions | Cakes: It’s All About The Cake (main cake) + Scootabaker

Found Vintage Rentals is a member of our Little Black Book, Love what you see? Take a look at their portfolios.

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