SUBMIT WEDDING
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We Like a Bride Who Wears Blush

Meet Serine, the bride who isn’t afraid of a blush wedding dress… or of riding a horse while wearing it. Thankfully, Sea Light Studios captured both the moment and the details of the bride’s gorgeous dress. Scroll on to see all the non-traditional elements – like a shaved ice truck and black grape centerpieces – of this al fresco, Oahu ranch wedding, executed to perfection by Moana Events.

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From Moana EventsBoth natives to Hawaii who wound up in Los Angeles, Serine and Troy had to move thousands of miles away from home to reconnect and fall in love. Dillingham Ranch, one of only a few working ranches in Oahu, acted as the picture perfect location for Serine and Troy’s wedding. Jewel toned colors and non-traditional elements made for a gorgeous and elegant dream wedding. Instead of the usual white ball gown, the bride wore a blush, a-line, form fitting dress. Guests were welcomed to the ceremony with a glass of pink champagne. The floral centerpieces incorporated real black grapes and vintage gold vases to enhance the rich color scheme of the wedding. Locally made jars of preserves acted both as favors and seating cards. During cocktail hour, the reception guests were treated to signature drinks with a nod to the couple’s nicknames (Hibis-Kiss The Bride, Troy Boy Tropicale, and Peachy Keen Serine Bean) and a Hawaiian shaved ice truck.

While the guests were at cocktail hour, our bride made her way over to the horses on the ranch. She managed to convince a ranch hand to let her and her new husband ride a horse – in her wedding dress! Instead of the typical plated meal, the bride and groom had a family style meal to encourage guests to talk and get to know each other. Surrounded by their loved ones, Serine and Troy danced the night away under a clear top tent and a canopy of twinkle lights on a custom dance floor, adorned with the words, “ Dance like no one is watching!”

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Photography: Sea Light Studios | Stationery: Bradley & Lily Fine Stationery | Catering: Chef Elmer Guzman's Island Cuisine | Hair and Makeup: Leslie Fair | DJ: DJ Super CW | Band: Jason Laeha | Venue: Dillingham Ranch | Cake and Favors: Cake Hi | Dessert: Tats Shaved Ice | Event Design and Coordination: Moana Belle Events | Floral Design and Decor: Passion Roots | Rentals: Accel Rentals | Rentals: Event Essentials | Tabletop Rentals: Maison De Ware

This Military Wedding Nails the “Classic” Look

If you want to see “classic” done right, this Biltmore Estate affair is just the ticket. Captured by Elizabeth Fogarty, there’s an effortlessness to every detail, blending the couple’s rustic and elegant style preferences in one seamless move. But don’t just take my word for it, head to the gallery and watch Hannah and David’s big day unfold for yourself.

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From the Bride… We met on the Pacific Partnership in May of 2013 on the USS Pearl Harbor (Dave’s amphibious ship at the time – he was the chief engineer)!

Our wedding color palette was creme, sand, champagne, and gold. The hardest thing was bringing our worlds together. An element of our big day was tying in Dave’s rustic side and my elegant and airy aesthetic.

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Photography: Elizabeth Fogarty | Videography: Esvy Photography | Event Planning: Two Sweet Sparrows | Floral Design: the bloom room | Wedding Dress: Martina Liana | Ceremony Venue: Lionscrest Manor | Ring: Monique Lhuillier | Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal | Make Up: Beauty by Jackie | Hair: Nancy Ngouy | DJ: Mitch Fortune | Wedding Venue: Biltmore Estate

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Are you Plagued with One of These Wedding Fears?

From Desiree Hartsock… Love is big. It’s a deep, bottomless feeling that keeps on expanding. It starts with just the two of you and before you know it, it’s grown to include a dog, a home, a life. Then, you add in the sweet elation of an engagement and a wedding date and you open yourself up to a whole caboodle of emotions. Yes, most of them are amazing — you feel giddy one moment and then just so deeply grateful the next. But you might also feel a little overwhelmed or stressed. And I totally understand. As my love story played out on a national stage, I felt pressure to design the perfect wedding. Today I’m sharing some insight on how I maintained my perspective and kept those wedding fears at bay.

Fear #1: You’re afraid you won’t have the most stylish wedding.

We live in a digital age of perfection, where the prettiest weddings (hello, beautiful sites like Style Me Pretty!) are viewable with just a few clicks on our computers or phones. It’s easy to feel like you and your wedding won’t measure up. But here’s a secret: I’ve worked with plenty of brides who seemed to “have it all”: a gorgeous figure, a huge wedding budget, a supportive fiancé, yet every one of them had insecurities about their wedding.

The truth is, there is no “perfect” wedding because the world isn’t perfect. That’s where grace comes in to say, “you don’t need to be perfect, dear bride.” So try to set those fears of inferiority aside. Focus on what you do have and how you can create a special event that celebrates love.

Fear 2: You’re afraid something will go majorly wrong at your wedding.

Oh, wedding stress dreams! Have you had them? Suddenly your eight hours of blissful dark are interrupted by nightmares that you’ve lost your wedding gown or you’re at the alter and can’t say your vows no matter how hard you try. Since you’ve probably never planned something as big or as personal as a wedding, it’s easy to fixate on the disaster possibilities.

Here’s the thing – it IS possible that something will go wrong, but it’s unlikely that everything will go wrong. And the good news? You’ll be surrounded by amazing professionals who are fairy godmothers when it comes to fixing wedding mishaps. In fact, they’ve probably seen and experienced most common bridal day issues firsthand and know how to fix them.

Leave the fixing to them, sip a mimosa in the bridal suite, and focus on all the beautiful things that are going right – like your exquisite bouquet or the weather being unexpectedly lovely. And, even if something goes disastrously wrong, try to embrace it. Later on, it’ll be woven into the fabric of your wedding day story and will bring laughter for years to come.

Fear #3: You’re afraid your relationship will change after the wedding.

Your relationship will change once you’re pronounced Mr. & Mrs. But it will grow deeper, sweeter, and infinitely more powerful. Sure, you may need some time to adjust to the change – especially if you are moving in for the first time or transitioning to a new home. All change takes time but know that the happily ever you always wanted is waiting on the other side. And trust that the one you said ‘yes’ to will be worthy of all your yeses, from now to the side-by-side porch rockers in 70 years.

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At the end of the day, weddings are stressful. If you have a bridezilla moment or let yourself get overwhelmed, it’s okay! Just take some deep breaths and refocus on the love and support you have in your life. Time flies by so quickly so try to enjoy this chapter of life in all its highs and lows—and let it set the framework for all the wondrous, messy, painful and painfully beautiful chapters that are yet to come. Happy wedding planning!

xoxo, Desiree

Desiree Hartsock

The Bachlerotte,Bridal Designer,Author
The Best Cocktail Hour Performance Ever

When the groom chooses to propose on April Fools’ Day because it’s his future-wife’s favorite holiday, be prepared for a wedding full of surprises! The event planning team at Duke + Van Deusen pulled together a dream team – including Cappy Hotchkiss Photography, Avaflora, and Face Time Beauty Concierge – to create this enchanting, garden-set celebration. From a custom floral crown station to a creative cocktail hour performance (two words: synchronized swimmers) and more, this whimsical wedding is sure to delight! See each fun-filled moment in the Vault.

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From Cappy Hotchkiss PhotographyLonghouse Reserve is a stunning jewel of a sculpture garden in East Hampton that only allows four events per year. These two hired the fabulous team of Duke + Van Deusen for their planning, who arranged synchronized swimmers during the cocktail hour as well as a flower crown bar (guests could choose which flowers they wanted, and Avaflora fashioned the crowns on the spot, resulting in a wedding full of gorgeous women and men of all ages and styles sporting flowers on their heads), a lemonade bar, a hotdog station, signature drinks, tons of beautiful signs, an old wagon filled with flowers as the place card holder, a dessert bar, hand painted invitations, and bridesmaids’ dresses in a pastel rainbow of colors. The ceremony was officiated by a friend of the bride and groom’s.

It is presumed that it was only a matter of time before Fred and Ali would meet, given they lived just a block away from each other in New York City. They probably even passed each other on the street, but it wasn’t until mutual friends got the idea to set them up that their lives would intersect and change forever. One of Ali’s best friends told her she had a guy to set her up with and sent along a link to his Facebook picture. With one look, Ali messaged her friend, “Make it happen.” The girls arranged for Fred and his friend to meet them out in the neighborhood one night, that way her friends could interrogate him all at once. To no one’s surprise, sparks flew instantly, everyone approved, and they both instinctively felt that this could be the start of something special.

Fred asked Ali if she wanted to come along with him on a business trip to a conference in Miami, and without hesitation Ali said, “No, thanks.” For a good month she thought she was in the clear, however Fred brought it up again, saying that his boss’s wife and his boss’s boss’s wife were going, and that it was really important that she make it if she could. This time Ali agreed. A day before the trip, Ali decided to swap her glittery nail polish for something a little more work-friendly, and upon returning from the nail salon, she noticed her dead bolt was unlocked, sending a wave a panic through her. Mind you, she was already on high alert because it was April Fools’ Day. She cautiously pushed open the door and proceeded to check the closets, behind the doors, and even under the bed, but she found nothing. Suddenly she noticed a giant bouquet of flowers sitting right in front of her on the dining room table, and she happily realized Fred had played the nicest April Fools’ Day trick on her.

She was calling her mom to tell her about it when the doorbell rang. Ali opened the door and was surprised to find Fred. She wondered why he wasn’t at work, but she thanked him for the flowers. Fred then got down on one knee, said some incredibly romantic words (that unfortunately neither of them can remember), and asked Ali to spend the rest of her life with him (and assured her the proposal wasn’t a prank). She of course said yes, but the story doesn’t end there. Overcome with emotion, Ali called her family, but instead of congratulating her, they thought it was a prank. You should know that April Fools’ Day is Ali’s favorite holiday. It was then she realized Fred had played the most ingenious April Fools’ Day prank ever. She called all of her friends that night, and not a single one believed her! Some people didn’t up until her wedding day, thinking the website, dress, and save-the-date were all part of an elaborate prank. As if things couldn’t get any better, after the proposal Fred whisked Ali away – not on a work trip to Miami, but to Mustique, where they spent the next few days laying in the sand and celebrating their engagement.

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Photography: Cappy Hotchkiss | Event Planning: Duke + Van Deusen | Floral Design: AvaFlora | Wedding Dress: Mira Zwillinger | Cake: Kathy Burton | Invitations: A Fabulous Fete | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jodi Fried | Caterer: Pete Ambrose Events | Makeup: Georgio Fernandez Beauty | Hair: Face Time Beauty Concierge | Lighting: Matt Murphy Event Lighting | Band: City of Six | Groom's Attire: Ralph Lauren | Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux | Venue: The LongHouse Reserve | Tent Rental: Sperry Tents Hamptons | Bridal Boutique: Mark Ingram Atelier | Save the Dates: Shannon Kirsten Illustration

All the Most Beautiful Wedding Dresses from Spring 2018 Bridal Week

The past two weeks have been a beautiful blur of wedding dresses — from the runways of New York Bridal Week to the catwalks of Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week. Certain trends emerged from the more than 75 collections we saw, but one thing remained consistent: all the dresses were absolutely gorgeous! Below are a few of our favorites, but don’t miss any of them — click here to see all the beautiful collections!

The Prettiest Wedding Dresses from the Spring 2018 Runways
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The Prettiest Wedding Dresses from the Spring 2018 Runways
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Willowby by Watters Fall 2017 Bridal Week


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Wtoo Fall 2017 Bridal Week


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Watters Fall 2017 Bridal Week


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A Wedding Filled with Whimsy and a Stunning Butterfly Release

Never have I ever come across a wedding quite as dazzling as this Santa Ynez affair. And it makes complete sense when you hear that the gorgeous Bride is none other than the founder of Flutter Magazine. With the help of an insanely talented group of vendors including design by Joy Proctor, florals by Amy Osaba, beauty by TEAM Hair and Makeup and stunning photographs by Jose Villa, this wedding has whimsy at every turn. And just wait until you see the butterfly release. See the full day right here!

From the Bride… Tyson and I met thirteen years ago during the Fall of our freshman year at college in Santa Barbara. I’ll never forget… I watched him step out of a friends car, and just like that, I found myself flustered in attempts to introduce myself. Looking back now, it really was love at first sight. I know it sounds silly, but I don’t think it’s something you really realize until much later reflection, recounting every moment that lead you to where you are, that you understand how truly special that first meeting was.

With a custom gown in mind, I went to LA-based designer Jannina Figueroa of Madeleine Fig to help make something ‘bohemian couture’ complete with a wishlist of fun features: high-low structure, pockets (a must!), illusion layers, and lace. Every detail was handcrafted with love by Jannina and her team. For a little ‘something borrowed,’ we took remnant lace from the dress to make heirloom robes for the wedding party.

I wanted a special gift for my sister, my maid of honor. As I have always adored Sofia Kaman’s bespoke stacking rings, I knew my sister would too. I went to Sofia with my grandmother’s wedding band and she helped me repurpose the stones into matching stacks of gold and rose gold ‘sister rings.’ It was a beautiful way to share such a special family heirloom with my sister. Of course I had to get custom monogrammed “Mrs.” Boxes for us, too!

Jenna Rainey of Monvoir created the prettiest watercolor heraldry that we used within the invitation suite and throughout the wedding. I’m pretty obsessed! The invite had custom watercolor illustrations and was blind embossed with floral. Tied up with ribbon and placed in hand-calligraphed vellum envelopes, it made for some pretty heart-fluttering and colorful snail mail.

If there was one thing our guests could not stop talking about, it was the food! Inspired by our engagement in Tuscany, it was important to me and Tyson to create a really lovely dinner party… One filled will innovative delights and overflowing with wine, champagne, and exquisite service. Our friends at The Kitchen For Exploring Foods mesmerised palates with a Mediterranean-influenced meal served à la russe. With fifty guests, surrounded by enchanting florals, candlelight, and a live jazz quartet under the stars, it was a dream come true dinner.

From the event designer, Joy Proctor… Kim entered the ceremony down stone stairs of the Villa and walked down the aisle which was lined in growing poppies and ranunculus.

Placed at every seat was an antique glass box from La Rousse Shop with two live painted lady butterflies. Susan Silverberg calligraphed hang tags that read ‘At first kiss, release and set your heart aflutter.’ Upon pronouncement, it was the perfect heart-fluttering celebration of our love.

The color palette reflected Kim’s style through and through, with warm watermelon, coral, and sunset tones paired against taupes and creams as a nod to their engagement in Tuscany. To evoke the playful yet elegant aesthetic that Kim is so known for, we used a beautiful watercolor crest designed by Monvoir, complete with florals and butterflies throughout the suite.

Making their way to the reception, guests were invited to find their seating assignments in drawers of an antique dresser which had been filled with moss and flowers.

As a nod to their Italian engagement, Kim and Tyson wanted to share an al fresco dining experience with their guests. To create an intimate environment we built a beautiful structure draped in taupe fabric over two rows of dining tables. Florals and greenery grew up the structure organically, while Tuscan style chandeliers hung down the center. Linen chairs and wooden tables added to the Tuscan feel, while artisanal breads, olive oil, fruits and flowers created for a lush, edible tabletop. Menus personalized with each guests names were placed atop ceramic plates handmade in Europe. 

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Photography: Jose Villa Photography | Event Planning & Design: Joy Proctor Design | Floral Design : Amy Osaba | Flowers : Florabundance | Flowers : Rose Story Farm | Cake: Bottega Louie | Stationery: Mon Voir | Jewelry: Sofia Kaman | Catering : Kitchen for Exploring Foods | Hair and Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup | Calligraphy: Mon Voir | Favors: Bottega Louie | Antique Lounge Furniture & Decor : Barn Relic | Brides Dress & Robes: Madeleine Fig | Candles: Creative Candles | Ceremony and Reception : Sunstone Winery & Villa | Grooms Tux: Burberry | Lanterns and Votives : Theoni Collection | Lighting, Structure and draping : Bella Vista Designs, Inc | Linens : BBJ La Tavola | Music : Elan Artists | Ribbons : Silk and Willow | Tables, Chairs & Chandeliers: Revelry Event Designers

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Elizabeth Fillmore Spring 2018 Bridal Week


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Wedding Dress: Elizabeth Fillmore

Claire Pettibone Spring 2018 Bridal Week


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Photography: Feather and Stone Photography | Floral Design: Peony & Plum | Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone | Hair + Makeup: Page Beauty | Location: Malibu Rocky Oaks

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Morilee by Madeline Gardner Barcelona Bridal Week 2017


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Photography: Courtesy Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week | Wedding Dress: Mori Lee

Pronovias Collection Barcelona Bridal Week 2017


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Photography: Ugo Cámera | Wedding Dress: Pronovias

A Wine Lover’s Romantic Napa Wedding

When you love red vino as much as this couple, you get married in wine country. Sugar Rush Events incorporated rich, red accents inspired by the bride and groom’s favorite drink into this stunning Napa Valley wedding – from the groom’s statement burgundy tux to the deep hues infused throughout the florals. Get inspired by all the delicious details, captured by Brooke Beasley Photography.

From the Bride… Our wedding was a labor of love for me. Seven months of magazines, Pinterest, and watching “Say Yes to the Dress” religiously. Our band was amazing. The food was ridiculous, and the flower and Edison bulb lighting combo set a great atmosphere. I had originally requested twinkle lights, but our in house designer recommended Edison bulbs to create the look and feel that we wanted, and they were amazing! They provided great rustic exposure with a soft light. They really added to the entire décor and brought the look all together.

We are BIG red wine fans! Everyone knows it. You come to dinner at our house, we drink wine. We come to your house, we bring wine. Keeping with the theme of how everyone knows and loves us, we provided customized stainless steel wine bottle openers to our guests. Now no one will have an excuse not to drink wine, and they will have great reminder of the time that they had celebrating our new adventure.

But I’m most proud of my dashing husband’s burgundy tux. It took a lot of convincing to get him to wear it, but he looked absolutely amazing in it. I wanted him to stand out. He had already sacrificed by agreeing to get married on the west coast, close to my family, so I wanted to make sure he felt special. He’ll never admit it, but he loves fashion just as much as I do, so I wanted to make sure that my dress wasn’t the only thing getting attention.

Though I love every detail about our wedding, I think my favorite detail was incorporating my grandmother into the celebration. My something old was her wedding set, which I inherited. My something borrowed was her handkerchief, which my aunt lent me. We used her wine glasses for the head table and my great grandmother’s rose tinted champagne glasses for the head table’s toast. We ended up with this incredible picture of my great grandmother’s wedding ring (which my sister borrowed from me to wear for the wedding), my grandmother’s wedding rings, my mom’s wedding rings, my sister’s wedding rings, and my engagement ring all together – and it’s a really unique picture that tells a great story of the women of my lineage.

I am the youngest of three. I wasn’t able to attend my brother’s wedding, and my brother wasn’t able to attend our sister’s wedding, so it was a wonderful rarity to have all of us together. Even though most people will tell you that my brother and sister were roasted by my parents during most of the wedding, there were a couple of really special moments that my siblings and I had with all of our new family members, like the little dance off between my brother and me and the salt shaker (don’t ask). Also, our officiant, Bonnie, surprised us by incorporating our family members during the ceremony. We had a family friend marry us and she kept everything under wraps until the rehearsal. She had selected, “I carry your heart with me,” by E. E. Cummings and separated the verses amongst our parents and siblings. It was unexpected, beautiful, and utterly special to be able to include them in our moment. Being across the country, I didn’t realize how important it was to share this milestone in my life with not only my husband, but those I’ve always looked up to.

From the Groom… We did a first look before the ceremony in the spa area of the Solage. The space was pretty, and I didn’t notice the lighting – or really anything! –  as I was standing there facing the wall while Heather came into the room. When I turned around and saw her, it was perfect. She was stunning, elegant, and beaming. I don’t think I knew what radiant truly was until I saw her right then. Seeing the same look of excitement and joy in her eyes when she saw me made my heart swell.

After choosing a beautiful location in Calistoga, Heather’s decorative brilliance for both the ceremony and reception spaces, and everything going as planned leading up to the big day, it rained. It rained so much that the bottom of Heather’s dress got soaked walking into the reception area. After we entered the room, and she basically mopped the floor the whole way in, she looked at me and said, “At least the floor will be clean.” And that is why I married her. No matter what, there’s always an upside, and nothing will stop a good time. We had delicious food, drank great wine, and danced all night to an awesome band with our closest friends and family.

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Photography: Brooke Beasley Photography | Coordination: Sugar Rush Events | Floral Design: PoppyStone Floral Couture | Cake: Bouchon | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Hair and Makeup: Lip Service | Lighting: 3 stage lighting | Band: The 415s | Groom's Attire: J. Hilburn | Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Venue: Solage Calistoga | Bridal Boutique: Kleinfeld Bridal | Rentals: Bright Event Rentals

East Meets West at This Tuscan Wedding

When the bride hails from Hong Kong and the groom from the United States, meeting in the middle and choosing an East meets West theme are no-brainers. Italia Celebrations blended significant symbols from both cultures to create a personalized experience for the friends and family at this weekend-long celebration. My favorite? The stationery and place settings featured the Chinese zodiac animal of each guest. See the entire Tuscan affair, photographed by Magnus Boguki and Lauren Michelle, in the Vault plus a stunning film by Sharkpig below!

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From the Bride… On a trip to Italy, my now husband and I fell in love with Tuscany – the food, the people, the amazing landscape, the history and sense of place! This trip culminated with us getting engaged in the hills at sunset. When it came to planning our wedding, we knew we had to return to Tuscany. Attis and I are independent spirits, and it was important to us that our wedding was a true reflection of that while honoring our families, cultures, and guests. I am from Hong Kong with French and Chinese parents, and Attis is Californian with European roots. With our families and friends spread across Asia, Europe, and the United States, Italy was the perfect “meet in the middle” location.

With our amazing wedding planner, Brenda, of Italia Celebrations and my sister/design stylist, Justine, we designed our wedding around an east meets west theme. It was important to me that our wedding was full of light, joy, and life and told its own story of the day. We pulled that through our color palette which evolved from light creams and greens during our ceremony to brighter colors at cocktails and eventually rich jewel tones during our reception. We also focused on the details: our stationery featured the Chinese horoscope animal of each guest mixed with rustic Italian touches. Brenda collected Chinoiserie-inspired decorative pieces that she used throughout, all of which brought our worlds together so perfectly.

I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect venue than Il Borro, a former medieval country hamlet now run as a hotel that not only housed all 160 of our wedding guests, but also hosted three full days of events in different venues across the property. The setting was so naturally beautiful, we didn’t have to do much to transform it into the perfect backdrop for every event.

Our wedding day began with a personal, non-denominational ceremony officiated by a friend in the 15th century village square at Il Borro. We somehow made it through the vows that we had written for each other (with lots of tissues) and traveled to our cocktail hour in a vintage Alfa Romeo convertible. Guests sipped on Aperol Spritz and rosé champagne and snacked on hand-carved prosciutto in a stunning Italian garden during the cocktail hour. After which, they were escorted for dinner to another outdoor terrace decorated to be the secret, magic garden of my dreams. We dined al fresco under twinkling lights as the sun set and feasted on the best of Tuscan cuisine and wine.

One of my favorite touches was that at every guests’ place setting was a miniature golden figurine of their Chinese zodiac animal. I loved how personal these touches were, and it definitely got the conversation going! Once the sun set, we cut our magnificent, three-feet-wide Italian wedding cake (the best I’ve ever had!) and then danced to our first song, performed acoustically by our very talented friends. As the song ended, the sky exploded with light and so began a 10-minute, jaw-dropping fireworks display. With the guests all dazzled and stunned, they were led to a secret dancing area and regaled by the amazing 10-piece Kitts Band who were flown over from London for the occasion. We danced late into the night (and for some of us, into the next morning), wishing the night would never end!

We feel so grateful to have been supported by such an amazing team of vendors who executed our vision so flawlessly. Under Brenda’s watchful management, the three days unfolded seamlessly, each event bringing even more beauty and wonder than the last. Her floral and makeup teams delivered above and beyond any expectation. Guests are still raving about the food and catering. Our photographers, Magnus Bogucki and Lauren Michelle, and cinematographer, Wade Koch, were each awesome people, made us feel so at ease, and were fun to have around. We are indebted to them for so beautifully capturing these memories so that we may enjoy reliving them for many, many years to come. Finally, The Kitts Band and our friend and DJ, J’Andres, kept the party going all night long. My friends have proclaimed them “the best wedding band, ever!” We wish we could do it all over again, exactly the same way!

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Photography: Lauren Michelle | Photography: Magnus Bogucki | Cinematography: Sharkpig | Event Planning and Design: Brenda Babcock Celebrations | Floral Design: Noosheen | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Stationery: Lucy Says I Do | Bride's Shoes: Chanel | Rings: Melville Fine Jewelry | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Monique Lhuillier | Catering: Guidi Lenci | Hair and Makeup: Brenda Babcock Celebrations | Lighting: Brenda Babcock Celebrations | DJ: J'Andres | Groom's Attire: Enzo Custom | Groomsmen Attire: Combatant Gentlemen | Venue: Il Borro | Day of Calligraphy: Letters by Anat | Groom's Shoes: Hugo Boss | Invitations Calligraphy: Lace & Lettering | Veil: Mark Ingram Atelier

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This Is Why We Love At Home Engagement Shoots

Meeting the second time around might have been the charm for these two but there’s absolutely no delay in sensing the love between them now. Alicia Swedenborg captured their love as bright and beautiful as can be in their Greenwich Village home and once again, we have an engagement shoot that makes us completely obsessed with at home sessions! See all the reasons why in our Vault right this way!

From Alicia SwedenborgAli and Sammi met (twice) in the fall of 2013, when they were both students at NYU Law School. Their first meeting took place at an event at the Stonewall Inn, hosted by the law school’s LGBT student group, aptly named “OUTLaw”, where, according to Ali, her very obvious romantic advances were rebuffed, and according to (apparently oblivious) Sammi, a cute girl with a cool haircut was trying to make friends with her. When the ladies rendez-vous’d a second time (at – where else? – a school dance), thanks to the help of some mutual friends, the sparks were much more obvious. Sammi proposed first, just over two years later, while bringing Ali her weekly Saturday morning coffee in bed, and Ali returned the favor a week later, popping the question at the Met, in front of a gorgeous wall of windows looking out onto Central Park.

The couple, now both lawyers, live together in Greenwich Village, and wanted an engagement shoot that captured the spirit of the neighborhood where they live and where they fell in love. With the help of photographer Alicia Swedenborg, the ladies were able to realize their vision of a cozy downtown NYC winter wonderland shoot.

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Photography: Alicia Swedenborg | Event Planning: ever swoon | Hair + Makeup: Glamsquad | Ali's Blazer: BCBG | Ali's Coat: Ted Baker | Ali's Dress: Club Monoco | Ali's Jeans: Madewell | Ali's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Ali's Top: Vince Camuto | Engagement Rings: Orr's Jewelers | Sammi's Coat: J.Crew | Sammi's Dress: Club Monoco | Sammi's Jeans: Gap | Sammi's Shoes: Sam Edelman | Sammi's Sweater: Ann Taylor

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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This Home has Perfectly Crafted Bedrooms Down to a Science

When you get a home like that of Ashley Cooper’s, you clear out two days because this beaut has way too many nooks and crannies to explore in just one post. Today we’re touring the dreamy master bedroom and two of the cutest ever kids spaces. So cute, in fact, that the little girl’s bedroom has officially made it to the top of our favorites list. Take the full tour shot by Catherine Truman. And if you missed it, dive into the first half of Ashley’s gorgeous home right here!

Master Bedroom

Bed Bath & Beyond: Curtain, Curtain Rod, Sheets, Duvet, Duvet Insert, Pillows, Euro Shams, Throw  |  Bellacor’s own brand Mill & Mason: Ceiling Light  |  Hayneedle: Rug  |  Jonathan Adler: Zebra Dish  |  Joss and Main: Bed, Night Stands, Bench  |  Kaekoo: Leather Pillows |  La Lueur: Marble Candle, Pink Onyx  |   Lamps Plus: Lamps  | Mathis Brothers: Dresser  |  Rove Concepts: Finn Mirror  |  Saatva: Mattress, Box Spring  |  Select Blinds: Wooden Blinds  | Tonic Living: Bolster Pillow + Insert  |  Ashley Cooper Design: Artwork

Master Bathroom

La Lueur: Candle |  Murchinson-Hume: Soap, Lotion, Tray Set  |  Rove Concepts: Trivet, Hex Box  |  Tonic Living: Turkish Bath & Hand Towels

Girls’ Bedroom

Bed Bath & Beyond: Curtain, Curtain Rod, Euro Shams  |  Bellacor’s own brand Mill & Mason: Ceiling Light  |  Hayneedle: Basket  |  Joss and Main: Headboards  |  Land of Nod: Sheets, Duvet, Shams, Duvet Insert, Pillows, Quilt, Pig Pillow, Knit Dolls, Cotton Candy Pillow, Flower Mirror, Bunny Bank  |  Lamps Plus: Lamps  |  Mathis Brothers: Dresser  |  RugsUSA: Rug  |  Saatva: Mattress, Box Spring  |  Select Blinds: Wooden Blinds

Boy’s Bedroom

Bed Bath & Beyond: Curtain, Curtain Rod, Striped Euro Sham, Vase   |  Bellacor’s own brand Mill & Mason: Ceiling Light  |  Joss and Main: Bed  |  Land of Nod: Sheets, Duvet, Duvet Insert, Pillow, Wanderer Pillow, Wall Bin, Wall Hook, Wall Shelves, Metal Letter  |  Lamps Plus: Wall Lamp, Lamp  |  Mathis Brothers: Dresser  |  Oxford Pennant: Wolf, Mountains, Liberty Pennants  | RugsUSA: Rug  |  Saatva: Mattress, Box Spring  |  Select Blinds: Wooden Blinds

Photography: Catherine Truman | Design and Styling: Ashley Cooper

A Spring Wedding That Brings the Outdoors In

Despite popular belief, you don’t have to have an outdoor wedding for a true garden-style affair. Just take it from Ansley and Brandon who let fresh greens and glowing lanterns line their ceremony aisle. With the use of lush florals and styled greenery, they celebrated with an indoor garden oasis and we have Anna Shackleford + Daniel Shackleford to thank documenting as the day unfolded.

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When Ansley and Brandon met through a mutual friend while she was working at Chick-fil-A they knew it was something special. Fast forward to years later, and on December 31, 2016 Ansley and Brandon gathered with their friends and family at Ansley’s parents’ house to ring in the new year. Little did she know Brandon had his own idea of “ringing” in the new year. At the strike of midnight as she leaned in for her midnight kiss. he was getting down on one knee holding a box with the most beautiful ring inside and asking her to marry him. She dropped her horn and took a step back in disbelief and excitement. She was shocked and overjoyed, to say the least. New Year’s 2011 as the clock hit 12 Brandon asked her to be his girlfriend. Five amazing years later she became his fiance.

Ansley knew that she wanted and whimsical and enchanted theme throughout her wedding day. She chose Ashton Gardens for its large windows and magical feel. It was the perfect space for their celebration. Donuts and bacon surrounded the stunning cake by Kelly Keith and they danced the night away to music provided by Nice Entertainment.


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Photography: Anna Shackleford | Videography: Daniel Shackleford | Event Coordination: Ashton Gardens | Floral Design: Brides And Blooms | Gown: Bridals By Lori | Wedding Dress: Watters from Adore Bridal | Invitations: Shine Wedding Invitations | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Caterer: Ashton Gardens | Makeup : Ruth Lam | Hair : Morgan Rush | DJ: Nice Guys DJ | Groomsmen's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Officiant: Jim Killman | Venue: Ashton Gardens | Bridesmaids Shop: Bella Bridesmaid | Cake Artist: Kelly Keith | Cocktail Napkins: Sip Hip Hooray | Design + Rentals: Crush Event Rentals | Lab: Richard Photo Lab | Stamps: Minted

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Don’t Host Your Cinco de Mayo Party without These Registry Must-Haves

Choosing that perfect china and coffee maker are definite musts when it comes to registering, but if you’ve ever thrown a fab get-together in your pretty abode, you know there are sooo many more essentials you’ll need. So in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, we’re counting down those items you absolutely can’t do without. Think Cinco de Mayo done oh-so-right with 10 of our faves that will take your celebration to the next level. Have sooo much fun, you guys.

Cinco de Mayo Registry Must-Haves
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Cinco de Mayo Registry Must-Haves
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Kohl’s
Williams Sonoma
Bloomingdale’s

We Found the Ultimate New York City Wedding

Every now and then a wedding comes across your desk that stops you dead in your tracks. I call them the weddings with the trifecta of pretty – beautiful photography, fresh design moments, and a bride and groom whose love practically leaps off the page. The incredible Heather Waraksa and ever swoon joined forces for this Manhattan affair and the result is ALL of the above. Scroll on for taxi cab place cards, cronut favors, and don’t miss the sweet words written by the groom.

From the Groom… Arielle and I got engaged at the Plaza Hotel under the guise of a very over the top staycation. Having grown up in New York, I felt like it was only appropriate for our engagement and later our wedding to touch upon iconic New York if possible. I had the hotel set up our room to include champagne and originally had asked the concierge to just throw a few flowers about the room (nothing spelled out or anything) as I continued to think that the proposal part would be a surprise for Arielle (I should have realized that how do you sell the woman you are dating that a staycation at The Plaza hotel after dating for years wouldn’t have something more to it!) We walk into the room and spelled out on the bed is “I ❤️ u” in rose petals…well if I thought there was any surprise left, I immediately got down on one knee and asked her to marry me!

When we started to look for our wedding venue, that same New York sentiment kept playing in our heads. We looked at quite a few venues that definitely had that New York vibe but once we saw the rooftop where we would hold the ceremony at TriBeCa Rooftop, we knew it was the spot for us. Now as you can imagine, the rooftop is located in TriBeCa, and it has the most amazing view of New York in both directions. To the south, there is a backdrop of One World Trade Center and to the north the Empire State Building. The idea of getting married while surrounded by the entire New York skyline at sunset was all we needed.

From there, we put everything else together with a similar theme – from our invitations, which was a custom watercolor drawing of the street we live on in Greenwich Village, to the taxi cab place card holders. We decided that as our last piece to the wedding, we had to have Dominique Ansel Cronuts (a cross between a croissant and a donut, for which people usually wait on line for hours to get!) at our wedding as we love Dominique Ansel and thought that it would be a super fun NYC gift to all of our guests who most likely would never be able to get one otherwise. Arielle was so intent on making this happen, that while at his store in the West Village she wrote him a note on the back of a receipt begging to find a way to have 250 fresh cronuts at TriBeCa Rooftop on the day of our wedding. To our amazement, the store manager came over and told us that it would be their honor and the rest was history!

Arielle wanted to add a serious fall vibe to our fall wedding and with the help of Amy Febinger of Bourgeon picked out an entire scheme to decorate the wedding. The evening started with cream and peach hued flowers that made up the chuppah at the ceremony. Beautiful hand-made copper silks tied all of the bouquets together matching the copper lanterns lining the aisle. As we got ready to hold the ceremony, the skyline was set afire by the light from the setting sun over the Hudson River to our west. Simon and Garfunkel started playing and we were ready to take our stroll down the aisle.

As most people who have been a bride or groom will tell you, the wedding goes by incredibly fast. Like lightning fast. A week or two before the wedding, we had both been told this numerous times and given advice like “make sure you don’t miss it while caught up in everything”. After hearing this enough times, we made sure in the middle of the wedding while everyone was out on the dance floor to sneak away for just two minutes and to have it all by ourselves. We snuck up the stairs to the balcony overlooking the entire venue and sat just the two of us watching. I remember soaking in the music and watching all of our friends dancing, noticing where all of our family members were scattered about the room. It was the first moment all night that we felt like we really had to ourselves to hold hands, to actually take a moment and to see everyone who was there even if it was from a distance. I am so glad I actually listened as its the clearest memory of the entire whirlwind of a night.


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Photography: Heather Waraksa | Event Planning: ever swoon | Floral Design: Bourgeon | Cake: Tribeca Rooftop | Brides Shoes: Tabitha Simmons | Rings: Heirloom | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Ralph Lauren | Makeup: Kimara Ahnert | Hair Stylist: Styles On B | Favors: Dominique Ansel | Grooms attire: Tom Ford | Groomsmen Suits: Suitsupply | Officiant: Jill A Kreitman | Venue: Tribeca Rooftop | BM Dress: Novis | Bridesmaid dress: Adrianna Papell | Decals: A Sign of Sucess | Grooms and Groomsmen Shoes: Nike | Grooms and Groomsmen Tie : Salvatore Ferragamo | Musicians: Eturnity Band | Photo Booth: The Bosco | Stationery and Paper goods: Lion in the Sun | Wedding Dress and Veil: Mira Zwillinger