I know everyone and their brother is crushing hard on spring right about now, but this wedding will blow it all out of the water. Because when you say “I do” literally covered by pink blossoms, it’s pretty much a fairytale come true. Spring brides, take note from this New York couple and don’t be afraid to embrace the season on your Big Day. More from Stoffer Photography and Kiss the Bride Films below!

Click to see their Botanical Garden Reception!

A Brooklyn Botanic Garden Reception

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A Brooklyn Botanic Garden Reception

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From the Bride… You could say that we are a very New York couple: I’m a fashion designer, and Elon is a stand-up comedian. When we began searching for a wedding venue, our first stop was the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. We loved the idea of having our wedding in a garden within the confines of the city that we both love so much. When we arrived, we were told that a hold on the weekend after the Cherry Blossom festival had just been released, and that if we wanted it we should book that day. We both looked at each other, and knew it was meant to be. We put our deposit down later that evening.

Our amazing friend Renee created our wedding website , save the dates, invitations, and programs. We wanted the save the date to really set the mood for what was to come. There was a transparency sheet layer overtop a photograph that the bride took of the cherry blossoms the year before. For the invitations we went with a clean and streamlined tonal white letterpress.

Leading up to the day, the Blossoms caused a lot of suspense. We visited the Cherry Blossom Festival 6 days before our ceremony, and there were only branches to be seen! When we came back for our walk-through on Wednesday the buds had just begun to pop. The day of the wedding was a dream come true, as they all had opened up and were in peak bloom! We could not have imagined a more perfect setting. The day was cool, but sunny, which created the most beautiful lighting for our photographers & videographers (Stoffer Photography & Kiss the Bride Films). John & Maura Stoffer, who are friends of our friends, are the most special photography husband and wife team. We were so in awe of their work, and the connection we felt with them, that we flew them in from Chicago for the big day! Nadia & Andy from Kiss the Bride Films also created a dream video and were absolutely incredible to work with.

Our flowers were done by The Arrangement. We were blown away by everything that they created, especially the Chuppah that was draped in the most gorgeous flowers we could have ever dreamed of. They added the perfect amount of blooms to complement the Cherry Blossoms.

The day of the wedding, the bridesmaids got ready at Salon Orchard, a perfect location to get ready in the city. With 8 bridesmaids, mothers, the photographer & videographer it was difficult to find a space to fit everyone. Chie and her team were amazing and really went above and beyond by closing the salon all morning for us to have a private space to celebrate and get ready.

Our reception was held in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s beautiful, historic Art Deco Palm House. This glass greenhouse was the original reason that we were attracted to the venue. The lights and candles reflect off the glass dome creating the most romantic and intimate space to celebrate and dance the night away with friends and family. We couldn’t have been happier with the outcome of the celebration, the most magical & beautiful day of our lives!

Photography: Stoffer Photography | Videography: Kiss The Bride Films | Florist: The Arrangement NYC | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Bridesmaids Dresses: Reformation | Tuxedo: My.Suit | Bride's Makeup: Face Maid: Jennifer Fleming | Bridesmaid's Makeup: Akiyo Koyama | Ceremony & Cocktail Musicians: Heat Music Duo | Ceremony & Reception: Brooklyn Botanic Garden | DJ Taiga: Remixologists | Groom: Comedian: Elon Altman | Hair (Bride & Bridesmaids): Salon Orchard | Instagram hashtag: The Salon at Warren | Photobooth: Majestic Photobooth | Veil: Samantha Sleeper | Wedding Stationery & Website: The Mudd Shop

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Petit Bouquet

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Simple. Earthy. Romantic. These were the three words this bride used as design inspiration for summertime wedding at Villa San Juan Capistrano. Inspired by a recent trip to Tuscany, the couple wanted to bring that same old world Italian charm to California and we say, mission accomplished. Jen Huang photographed the beauty, and the rest of our day is officially booked scrolling through The Vault.

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Photography: Jen Huang | Coordination: Michelle Tkach | Floral Design: Olive Willow Designs | Wedding Dress: Reem Acra | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering:Iva Lee’s Catering | Hair + Makeup: Chiali Meng | DJ: Keith Divel | Band: HiRie | Venue: Villa San Juan Capistrano | Cake + Desserts: Sweet And Saucy Shop | Linen Rentals: La Tavola Linen | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Photography

Jen Huang Photography

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Whether you’re hitting the town for date night or rocking a daytime brunch with friends, this très romantique braided bun is the no-fail hair that’ll get you there! Follow along beauty pro Les Ciseaux de Marie‘s simple steps straight from the lens of Ingrid Lepan.

PREP HAIR: Curl sections of hair with a curling iron to add texture to hair. 

SEPARATE HAIR: Section off hair and split from ear to ear.

CREATE VOLUME: Using your brush, tease volume into the back of the hair by backcombing, (brushing repeatedly towards the scalp.) Once teased, flatten hair to a reasonable height and secure with a hair band.

CREATE FRENCH BRAID: On the same side as your part, create a french braid along the side of your scalp and secure it with bobby pins underneath the teased section of hair on the back of your head. Next, secure loose strands from the opposite side with bobby pins underneath the same section.

SEPARATE REMAINING HAIR INTO BRAIDS: Section the remaining half-down hair into three loose braids.

TIE EACH BRAID UP + SECURE: One by one, tie each braid up, wrapping them around each other to create a blended twisted bun. 

SECURE FLYAWAYS, ET VOILÀ! Secure flyaways with bobby pins and smooth to complete the look.

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Photography: Ingrid Lepan | Event Planning: Wanderlust Wedding | Beauty: Les Ciseaux De Marie

Pssst! The Secret Behind The Classic Red Lip

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Event Planning

Wanderlust Wedding

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You know what we love?  Destination weddings.  A toes-in-the-sand, laying by the pool type of vaca that also happens to include the vows that will change your life.  And when it comes to celebrating in paradise, Secrets Resorts & Spas have everything you’ll ever need to say “I do” in true destination style. Think stunning seaside ceremonies, fab amenities and insanely gorgeous locales. Just take a look.

Dreaming of a weekend (or week) of serious luxury?  Then Secrets Resorts & Spas is IT.  From their crazy cool wedding packages to their talented on-site coordinators to their adults-only resorts completely dedicated to pampering you and your guests.  Think amazing restaurants, sophisticated spas and pools that are made for relaxing deckside with a margarita in hand.  Oh, and the gourmet dining, top-shelf spirits, live entertainment, around the clock activities and 24-hour room + concierge service?  It’s all included with Secrets Resorts & Spas’ Unlimited-Luxury® and, well… that’s insanely awesome.

Contact the talented staff at Secrets Resorts & Spas TODAY to begin your journey towards the wedding of a lifetime.  And then soak in even more of these pretty weddings here, here, here and here.  Trust us, you’ll be so very, very happy you did.

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Photography (Top to Bottom): Jonathan Cossu + Melissa Mercado + Tracey Jazmin + Melissa Mercado

We’re big fans of Shannon Leahy (read: she’s awesome), so when she told us she was launching a fab WED School to teach each and every one of you how to plan + design your Big Day like a pro, well… happy dancing ensued.  Think a self-study training platform that will walk you through the creative process + develop your unique sense of style to design a day that is totally chic and totally you. YES.

We all love Shannon Leahy and her stunning, stop-you-in-your-tracks weddings, so signing up for her WED School (aka, Wedding & Event Design School) to learn everything there is to know about creating a breathtaking event is sort of a no-brainer.  I’m talking tips and tricks the pros use, plus step by step tools that will give you that cohesive + professional + beyond breathtaking day you’ve always dreamed of… one that will leave all of your guests talking with each and every gorgeous detail.  It’s awesome.

So what are you waiting for, loves?  Head to WED School today to sign up for your very first course, Event Design 101.  You’ll learn the skills you need to throw the greatest wedding ever, plus master all sorts of celebrations, from gorgeous dinner parties to intimate anniversary parties to baby showers and more. In other words?  You’ll be planning like a pro in no time at all.  Contact them NOW to get your party on.

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What: WED School is giving a free event design course to one lucky winner! (Value $399)

How: Simply leave a comment below telling us which aspect of your wedding planning experience your most excited about!

Who: One lucky reader, chosen completely at random, will be announced right here on SMP on Friday, April 22, 2016.  For terms and conditions, click here.  Good luck, lovelies! xo

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Photography (Top to Bottom): Josh Gruetzmacher (Image 1, 2, 5) + Silvana Di Franco (Image 3) + Sasha Gulish (Image 4)

When the father of the groom is worth an estimated $6.2 billion (Russian oil baron Mikhail Gutseriev), it should come as no surprise that his son’s, Said Gutseriev, Moscow wedding to 20-year-old Russian heiress Khadija Uzhakhovs’s was a little over-the-top. But the show stopper wasn’t the elaborate floor-to-ceiling rose installation, the nine-tier cake or star-studded performances by Sting, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. No, it was the Bride’s fairytale beaded wedding dress from Elie Saab, rumored to have cost more than $1 million.  Get a look at the dress and more of the over-the-top details below!

A photo posted by @_wedding_world on Mar 27, 2016 at 2:51pm PDT

A photo posted by ♡*Аdmin-Эlьmеsоvа Б*♡ (@educated__girls_888) on Mar 29, 2016 at 11:41am PDT

A photo posted by @thealbuum on Mar 30, 2016 at 5:18am PDT

A photo posted by Организация Праздников (@safitevent) on Mar 29, 2016 at 2:24am PDT

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More Princess-Worthy Ballgowns

Ballgowns Fit for a Princess Bride

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Ballgowns Fit for a Princess Bride

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Petit Bouquet

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Have you ever bought a shelf (or made one) and then didn’t know what to put on it? Or when you tried to group your treasures on it, it just didn’t work like you envisioned? It’s called #shelfieproblems my friends and it’s a real thing. I’ve experienced it. But let me assure you, a pretty shelfie is just steps away!

10 Ways To Avoid a Shelfie Disaster

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10 Ways To Avoid a Shelfie Disaster

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Tuck a few of these pretties on your shelves to make them glow—get the DIY below!

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More Inspiration for Your Abode!

Tour a Home That Checks All Our Favorite Design Trend Boxes
10 Quick Ways To Take Your Guest Room From Ho-Hum to Hotel-Worthy
20 Pin-Worthy Color Stories To Steal for Your Home

I always get a little giddy when someone in the wedding industry ties the knot – because let’s be honest – you know their Big Day will be amazing. So when Catherine of The Charm Studio shared her beautiful photos by The McCartneys, I gushed over the details longer than a care to admit. Catherine worked her paper design magic to create hand-drawn stationery with custom lettering by Bien Fait Calligraphy and the result is one of the prettiest invitation suites to EVER grace our pages. Go see lots more waiting in The Vault!

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From The McCartneys Photography… Catherine & Andrew were married in August at the church she grew up in and Andrew’s cousin, Father Steve, was their officiant. The ceremony was held at the absolutely beautiful church in Glenview, IL, with the reception just a few minutes down the road at the Glen View Club, which happens to be where Catherine’s parents had their wedding celebration as well!

Paper goods are always the first impression a guest will have of your wedding, and Catherine made sure to have an incredible impact. As the owner, designer and illustrator of The Charm Studio, Catherine’s guest knew her invitations would be especially beautiful…and boy, were they all right! Catherine created a hand drawn Fitzpatrick/Sullivan family crest which combined elements from each of their own family crests, and carried out this theme with hand drawn blooms throughout all of her paper goods: charger menus, escort board, ceremony programs, welcome bags, save the dates & of course the invitations, which included custom calligraphy by Bien Fait Calligraphy. Catherine also designed her own custom-made wedding dress, which was inspired by her mother’s, wore a veil and headpiece designed by her friend, and a bracelet which was made by her grandmother for her mom when she was married!

Elegance upon elegance with hydrangea blue everywhere. Fleur hung lush greens from the chandeliers and dressed each table with beautiful white blooms atop La Tavola Linens. After heartfelt toasts, all of Catherine & Andrew’s wedding guests crowded the dance floor with the High Society Band!

A little bit more about the couple…

Catherine & Andrew were introduced by a friend and they started dating in the summer of 2013. One year later they had dinner plans and Andrew forgot his wallet, so he ran back to get it before they continued on with dinner at a french restaurant. When they got home afterwards Andrew’s place was decorated with roses, petals and candles, serving as the most romantic setting to propose to Catherine with a stunning ring they hand selected together! 

In planning for their wedding, Catherine & Andrew left not one detail overlooked! Catherine has a studio in downtown Chicago where she designs lovely wedding invitations & paper goods at The Charm Studio. We can only imagine how many times she was asked what her own wedding invitation might look like leading up to her & Andrew’s wedding day! Needless to say, we were absolutely blown away. By hand, Catherine drew a crest combining elements from each of their family crests, which was used throughout their wedding on the invitation (with gorgeous custom calligraphy by Bien Fiet Calligraphy) as well as their escort board, menu chargers, table numbers and more!

After a beautiful ceremony at the church Catherine grew up with, we arrived to Glen View Club where her parents are members and were absolutely in love with its exquisite architecture and landscaping. With a beautiful palette of white, light green and hydrangea blue, Catherine & Andrew’s wedding celebration was timeless and elegant! Their wedding day was blessed with endless sunshine and we couldn’t get enough of the Club’s giant oak trees, which made for a perfect portrait spot with this most classic bride & groom! 

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio before entering one of the most grand settings where greens hung from giant chandeliers, Catherine’s hand-drawn crest marked each table, and Fleur brightened up the light-filled room with white & green centerpieces. Catherine & Andrew were seated at a long table with their bridal party, all of whom dined on the most darling hydrangea blue plates. After sneaking Catherine & Andrew out for photos during a perfect sunset, they cut their cake and were welcomed to the dance floor by High Society Band. We couldn’t help but smile when guests immediately flooded the dance floor!

Photography: The McCartneys Photography | Coordination: Party Service Chicago | Floral Design: Fleur Inc | Invitations: The Charm Studio | Ceremony Venue: Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Reception Venue: Glen View Club | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Makeup: Jonathan Breitung Salon | Calligraphy: Bien Fait Calligraphy | Band: High Society Orchestra | Bow Ties: J.Crew | Groom's Attire: Emanuel's Tuxedo Rental | Ceremony Harpist: Mary O'Brien | Film Processing: Fast Foto & Digital | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Plate Rentals : Vintage Place Settings

Four words: ombré petal lined aisle. If that doesn’t get you clicking into this gallery then I don’t know what will. Maybe the fact that Bliss Events coordinated this special day? Or how about that Petula Pea Photography was on hand to capture it all. That’s right, it’s a day perfect for sharing and we’ve got it all waiting for you to see in The Vault!

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Full of charm and romance, La Jolla, California was the ideal destination for Kyle and Emily’s September 25th 2015 wedding at La Valencia Hotel. The property boasts amazing unparalleled views of the Pacific Ocean as well as a boutique warm feel for an intimate occasion. Traveling from New York with 70 guests and booking the property “site unseen”, Kyle and Emily celebrated their marriage overlooking La Jolla Cove surrounded by the ones they love. Guests arrived to the hotel and were greeted with a welcome bag full of San Diego must-haves including beautiful intricately designed mosaic tiles with their names and date on them.

Contrary to the normally cool and crisp ocean air day in La Jolla, their wedding day had a heat wave that graced San Diego that weekend, but Kyle and Emily stayed cool and enjoyed every moment. Their romantic first look on the verandah terrace overlooking their wedding ceremony site was magical and Petula Pea Photography captured the emotion of that moment perfectly.

The inspiration behind their day was organic winery-inspired colorful elegance. The ceremony was adorned with vibrant ombre colors in an aisle rose petal scroll… from burgundy to fuchsia, and orange to mustard, then finally gold encircling the couple. Intricate floral vases of all sizes and shapes intermixed with antique lanterns provided the background to their nuptials. Parasols were used to shade the guests from the intense sun and the vibe from live music filled the salty sea air.

Following the ceremony, guests savored the views of La Jolla Cove on the verandah while enjoying live music and La Valencia cuisine such as watermelon cups with goat cheese and big eye tuna tartare with a won ton chip. Tandoori Lollipop lamb chops were tray passed along with kobe beef sliders with truffle aioli with caramelized onions.

Birchwood logs filled the reception tables intermixed with colored florals and antique votive candles in copper, gold, orange and pink to create a natural, eclectic look. The three-tiered naked cake by Sweet Lydia’s was almond mascarpone cake with passion fruit, adorned with fresh berries and florals.

Photography: Petula Pea Photography | Coordinator: Bliss Events | Floral Design: Organic Elements | Wedding Dress: Adrienne's | Cake: Sweet Lydia's | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Dessy Collection By Vivian Diamond | Makeup Artist: Couture Makeup | Hair Stylist: Audra Rene Studio | Venue: La Valencia Hotel | Bride's Belt: Helena Noelle | Groom's Tuxedo: Trunk Club | Linens: APR Fine Linens | Musician/DJ: Still Listening Productions

I’m a lover of the Disney classics, but when it comes to real life fairytales, this stunning German affair takes the cake.  Think gorgeous nuptials in an 800-year-old church (the same one the mother + grandmother of the bride tied the knot in), classically stunning details and a romantic castle reception with a plethora of crazy cool (+ oh-so-fun) traditions filling the evening.  Want to see it all captured beautifully by Luminance Wedding Films?  Press play.

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From Luminance Wedding Films…I magine having the opportunity to get married in the same church that your grandmother and mother had been married in. Then imagine that this church was built in the 15th century making it over 800 years old. Next, imagine placing this church in the charming town of Schwabach, Germany. A destination wedding indeed! Not only is this gorgeous, gothic styled church soon to be a place you would wed, but low and behold just 20 minutes down the road is an amazing Castle with which you would hold your reception. Ummm….yes please!

The bride, who now lives in America had the privilege of holding her fairytale wedding in her hometown in Schwabach, Germany. The wedding ceremony took place at the Stadtkirche St. Johannes und St. Martin which is located in the heart of the charming Schwabach Plaza. It had recently gone under a massive renovation, but the church kept a portion of the original flooring with bronze medallions that can be seen in the film. Our bride was enchanting as she walked down the aisle in her delicately stitched, handmade, lace dress.

The reception took place at the gorgeous Burg Castle, located in Abenburg, a quaint little town minutes away from Schwabach. Not only has this castle been converted into a hotel (and I highly recommend staying there) but it’s placed right in the center of the other homes. Imagine a castle being one of your neighbors and the view from your backyard. From an enchanting Wishing Balloon Release to a mouth dropping, AMAZING Fire Dance show (I get lost in this footage every time, it was so incredible) this wedding was packed full of German traditions.

Here are just a few that were highlighted in Jessica and Bryan’s film. Breaking plates you thought were just a Greek tradition…well, at least I thought…but no, this tradition is celebrated a few nights before the wedding at the Polterabend. This is an informal gathering between friends and family where dishes are smashed to bits. The breaking of China symbolizes that while some dishes may break, the marriage never will. Once the smashing is over, the couple work together to clear away the shards, which represents how well they will work together as a team during their marriage. The next tradition was the release of the wishing balloons. Guests write a wedding wish on a pre-addressed and stamped postcard and tie it to the ends of helium balloons. All at once the balloons are released. The postcards have a note that says, “If found, please toss me in a mailbox”. The newlyweds will enjoy receiving lovely wishes in the mail from their guests over the next weeks. Another tradition showcased was the kidnapping of the bride. This entailed the bridesmaids kidnapping our bride, Jessica, during the reception and bringing her to a local pub. The groom then has to go and find his new wife and when he does, he has to pay the bar tab of the kidnappers to procure her freedom. The kidnapping of the bride symbolizes the separation of the young woman from her parents and the subsequent transition to a new community. So what does one bride do while she waits for her love to find her? She drinks and receives many kisses from the locals who have to pay for a kiss.

The night ended with a jaw dropping fire show where our fire master brought the couple down to join him for a spectacular finale. Needless to say, this fairytale wedding was beyond magical.

Photography: Katja Schünemann | Cinematography: Luminance Wedding Films | Floral Design: Blumen Dollinger | Cake: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Ceremony Venue: Stadtkirche St. Johannes Und St. Martin | Reception Venue: Burg Abendberg Castle | Hair + Makeup: Friseur Niveau - Hairstyling Mit Klasse | Fire Artist: Markus Just

Here’s to gorgeous weddings.  Gorgeous weddings boasting elegant details, stunning seaside nuptials and vows that melt your heart.  Weddings just like this one captured beautifully by Focused Bliss Productions – a breathtaking Belle Mer soiree with two sweeties who are sooo in love, it makes your soul happy.  Click play to soak in every moment (including two of the cutest flower pups ever), then stay tuned for some brilliant images from Snap! Photography below.

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From Focused Bliss Productions… At Kevin and Lauren’s wedding, everyone was treated like family. This was not only because they are the warmest, sweetest, and most generous couple; but also, we had been with them twice before when we filmed both of Kevin’s sisters’ weddings.

In a similar fashion as his sister, the wedding was held at the stunning Belle Mer Island Club in Newport Rhode Island. Kevin prepped with his groomsmen at a hotel downtown. Meanwhile, Lauren got ready herself with her bridesmaids in the expansive bridal suite which offered dramatic views of the surrounding bay. While many were out enjoying the day sailing, she was spinning around the room – quite literally – with excitement after putting on her beautiful dress which moments before was set hanging on the chandelier.

Every passing minute was more breathtaking than the last. With a flower petal covered wedding aisle to the most exquisite floral and candle arrangement for the reception hall, not a detail was missed. But more stunning than their surroundings was their glowing romance (with a perfect touch of silliness) that they couldn’t contain and exuded every time that they looked at each other. From their graceful dance under the gazebo to their personal vows to the epic dance party to follow, it is impossible to pin-point a favorite moment. We’ll just keep clicking “replay”!

Photography: Snap! Weddings | Cinematography: Focused Bliss Productions | Floral Design: Greenlion | Cake: Scrumptions | DJ: ECF Entertainment - DJ Boogz | Band: Boston Common Band | String Quartet: Divina Strings | Venue: Belle Mer: A Longwood Venue | Food Truck: Fancheezical | Lighting + Photo Booth: Luke Renchan Entertainment | Rentals: Rentals Unlimited

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Bands

Boston Common Band

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No matter what you plan to spend on your big day, this Florida wedding is a must-see. Sticking to their $18,000 budget, Alex and Joey planned the most beautiful fall wedding full of jaw-dropping florals, a beautiful outdoor ceremony and a whole lot of love from all the friends and family who worked together to execute their dream day. See all the pretty from Alisa Ferris in The Vault!

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From Alisa Ferris…Joey and Alex met in the most romantic way possible – on Match.com! Joey will tell you that after channeling his dating frustrations at the site, he prayed one night that if his wife wasn’t on the next page, he would cancel his account. And there she was – on page 19 of the search results. To commemorate this, they named their signature wedding cocktail the Page 19! 

Joey proposed to Alex on New Year’s Eve 2015, where family and friends gathered for a big party at Alex’s childhood home. At the strike of midnight, while watching the ball drop, everyone went silent (they had all been told in advance), and Joey got down on one knee. After she said “yes,” he played a video he had prepared in advance with friends and family saying what they love about Alex and why they believe the couple should get married.

Alex + Joey had a budget-friendly wedding. To be perfectly clear, they threw the most stunning bash for just under $18,000. In order to accomplish this, they simply were honest with their vendors about their budget. Where possible, they asked family and friends to help out. The groom’s sister made the cake, a friend built their wedding arch, and a family friend (and well-known makeup artist), did Alex’s makeup. The groom, a graphic designer by day, designed the couple’s stationary set, signage and wedding website — the latter of which allowed guests to request a song before the big day! For their ceremony, Joey designed a special sign to hang over their heads at the altar, and even made a ”Here Comes the Bride” sign for his 3 nieces to carry. After that Herculean effort, Joey just might win “Groom of the Year”!

Their colors were Marsala Red, Cream, Black, and Gold. Touches of green were added in the greenery of their florals. The bridesmaids were allowed to pick their own dresses – they simply had to stick to a blush/nude color palette, dress length and fabric type.

Their ceremony was held outdoors, and seeing that Florida brings warm fall weddings, guests were greeted with fruit-infused water. Alex’s mom walked her down the aisle, and just before she did, Alex gave her an embroidered handkerchief. Members of the wedding party participated by singing all ceremonial music. True to form, Joey cried like a baby, but recovered quickly enough to high-5 friends as he walked down the aisle during the recessional (photo included)!

For their cocktail hour, the couple set out lawn games while guests gathered under the trees to taste the famous signature cocktail, the Page 19.

Their guest table featured a vintage typewriter Joey gave to Alex for their first Christmas together. To pass the time while being seated, the couple passed out an Ad Lib for guests to dole out marital advice.

To save money on their reception decorations, Alex and Joey’s wedding planner shopped at vintage thrift stores to buy gorgeous glass and gold lanterns, which served as their centerpieces. For their first dance song, they chose Celine Dion’s “A New Day Has Come”. What started out as a corny inside joke (the groom would sing the song to the bride when they were dating to make her laugh), actually stuck and gave their first dance extra special meaning. As a wedding gift, their photographer had the lyrics penned in calligraphy to stage details.

Photography: Alisa Ferris | Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero | Cake: Andrea Ward | Stationery: Joey Nay | Makeup: Carolyn Jones Makeup | Hair: Melanie Torres | Venue: Old Davie School House | Bridal Boutique: Happy Bride | Calligraphy - Song Lyrics: Weeds & Whimsy | Cape: Maggie Sottero | Event Planning + Floral Design: The ALTARnative | Signage: Sparrow + Grain

It’s time friends. The bathing suits are out on the department store shelves and the temps are slowly rising. It’s the time of year that we all want to tighten it up a bit. That’s where the gorgeous girls over at Tone It Up come in. Call them your own personal booty-boot camp trainers if you will, because this 20 step workout is the perfect post-work workout for the summer season (and all the bikinis) to come!

The Post-Work Workout That'll Get You Bathing Suit Ready

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The Post-Work Workout That'll Get You Bathing Suit Ready

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Want to take it a step further?

Rather go to a fun fitness class? Here are 10 you can try!
10 Reasons You Shouldn’t Skip a Workout
The Secret to Toned Arms

Remember those dream catchers we all loved? Sorry to break it to ya, but these ones ares so. much. cooler. Five giant dream catchers decked out Lake Eden for this fall celebration planned by Weddings with Tara, setting the scene for a rustic wedding to remember. But while I’m totally crushing on the catchers, what I really love is how this cute couple captured their personality and made their wedding so them. Graham Terhune snapped everything and our Vault is all the better for it – more this way!

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From the Bride and Groom… Our wedding was truly meant to be an expression of our lives together. It was important for us to to have our wedding outdoors and in the mountains, so Lake Eden (just outside of Asheville, NC) was the perfect setting. I grew up in Asheville, and Greg and I met in North Carolina so that meant a lot to us. We now live in Bozeman, Montana and also wanted to bring touches of the West to our wedding decor. We used a moose antler as our guest book and mixed deer antlers in with the gorgeous flowers on the tables. We didn’t want huge flower arrangements so instead had many smaller arrangements in interesting vases with lots of greenery. I also custom designed a Southwestern style fabric that my mom and step-mom made into beautiful table runners that tied into our earthy, natural color palette. One of my absolute favorite things about our wedding were the giant dream catchers. My family and I worked together to make five HUGE dream catchers that were really became the focal point of the decor. An amazing dressmaker in downtown Asheville custom made my absolutely gorgeous wedding gown. The process of designing it was so fun and it perfectly tied in with the overall style of our wedding. When I saw everything come together, it far surpassed my expectations. Although we all got a little soggy in the rain, everyone had a great time celebrating together and I am happy to say our wedding far exceeded our expectations thanks to our amazing vendors and crafty family!

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Peruse more North Carolina beauties here!

Photography: Anagram Photo | Event Planning: Weddings with Tara | Floral Design: the bloom room | Wedding Dress: Ship To Shore | Cake: Ruth And Ranshaw | Catering: Black Eyed Susan Catering | Band: Coconut Groove Band | Venue: Lake Eden

Nail spring style with some seriously pretty digits! From petal-inspired pastels to shimmery neutrals, we’ve rounded up our (manicured) hands-down favorite trends that’ll last you all season long. So go ahead and get pedi-ready, because it’s safe to say that once these colors are on, those winter boots are staying off!

The Hottest Nail Trends for Spring 2016

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The Hottest Nail Trends for Spring 2016

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Springify Your Beauty Routine With The Ultimate Red Lip

Because I truly believe barn doors and gray kitchens and patterned tile are things of beauty; especially when they’re all sitting pretty in the same home and because I already have a dozen or so pins stockpiled from this tour; I present to you House Of Jade Interiors most recent project that just might stop your heart. Scratch that; it’s guaranteed  to stop the old ticker or at least make you believe in the power of a great vintage rug. Click here for the full tour!

Our client for this project has a great eye for design and really had a vision for her home. She wanted it to feel simple and not over-decorated. We tried to be really thoughtful about each piece we brought into the home. 

We kept the entry simple but made a statement with the bold mirror and colorful rug.

OFFICE

The “office” is right off the entry. It is mostly a homework and craft are for all the kids. You’ll notice a couple of stools that can be pulled up to the desk/table for the times when multiple kids are in here at once. We made sure there is plenty of baskets and storage for craft supplies.

LIVING ROOM

Our goal in the living room was to keep things functional for a family with kids while still keeping it modern and pretty. We went back and forth with adding color in the space but in the end decided to stick with blacks, blues and grays. The fireplace is the real show-stopper in the space. We custom designed the fireplace wall. Our client wanted some stone and some shiplap so we came up with this look that worked well with her high ceilings.

We love that our client was on board with the graphic art. It adds so much to the room! One of the challenges we had in here is that our client didn’t want a rug. We usually use rugs to ground a room and add a lot of color, pattern or texture. We decided to bring in color with the solid blue ottoman and texture with the woven x benches.

KITCHEN

The Kitchen was one of our favorite spaces to design. We love the grays playing off the white walls. Our client had a dark gray island in mind so we made that happen as well as dark pendants to bring it all together.

DINING ROOM

She also loves leather accents so we brought in leather dining chairs that pair nicely with the wood table. The woven head chairs add another great layer of texture!

MUDROOM

We kept the mudroom and laundry white and light gray with a graphic pop in the tile.

MASTER BEDROOM

For the master bedroom our client wanted to keep the look simple and fresh. She has a huge closet so storage wasn’t a huge issue allowing us to make room for a cozy reading corner. We love the fun pops of color with the neutral walls and bedding.

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Overall the home has industrial elements but lots of woods and texture to still make it feel homey!

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Find even more Gray Kitchens this way…

50 Magazine-Worthy Gray Kitchens We're Crushing On

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50 Magazine-Worthy Gray Kitchens We're Crushing On

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Photography: Becky Kimball | Videography: Alexis Harper | Design: House Of Jade Interiors

When Callie and Vince first began planning their wedding day, they made a must-have list (if you haven’t done this yet, do it!) as a jumping off point. Number one? A mountain setting. Number two? A venue that would fit their every pre/post wedding need. The results? Wedding day perfection. With Lane Dittoe on hand capturing every second, Love This Day Events coordinated the magic and honestly it just doesn’t get any better. Watch the moving Velare film below and see it all in The Vault!

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/146178978 600 338]

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From The Bride…When Vince and I first started brainstorming on where we wanted to get married, we had a few top priorities.  First of all, we knew we wanted to get married in the mountains.  I grew up in Colorado, and we spend a lot of time there still despite living in San Francisco.   Secondly, we wanted a venue that would allow for all our wedding events to be onsite as well as accommodations.  Many of our guests were going to be traveling, so we wanted to create a fun and stress-free weekend that would allow our guests to fully enjoy the great outdoors of Colorado without having to worry about transportation between events.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch was a perfect match.  Situated in the middle of 6,000 acres with sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains, it both a stunning backdrop and also provided an abundance of activities!  We knew it was the venue for us the second we stepped foot on the property.  Vince and I both love spending time outdoors with our dog, so Devil’s Thumb Ranch seemed to reflect us as a couple.  When looking at past weddings held at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, I kept on bookmarking the ones that were designed and planned by Kara Delay of Love this Day Events.  We reached out to her and immediately knew she would be the one to help us create the perfect wedding weekend.  Our mutual love for chocolate labs was only the beginning of us becoming fast friends.  Since we had already seen (and fell in love with) so many of the weddings Kara had planned, we knew we could completely trust her to help us create something that aligned with what we had envisioned for our wedding.  I was in full-time grad school and working, so I didn’t have a ton of time to dedicate to planning.  And while we had some requests and ideas, we put our complete trust in Kara to make suggestions and decisions, including helping us hire our other vendors.  She enlisted the amazing Gretchen from Yonder Floral and Décor House to help pull our vision together.  The two of them designed and executed such a beautiful wedding, and we could not have been happier with the results.  Everything down to Charlie’s floral collar was perfect.

Vince and I agreed that the setting of our venue was so beautiful itself that we didn’t want to do anything over the top in terms of our flowers or décor.  We decided to incorporate whites, blushes, and sage into our flowers and tablescapes, with lots of greenery!  The interior of the barn where the reception was held has beautiful exposed beams and a gorgeous fireplace.  We didn’t want to take away from the rustic beauty of the space, so we filled the tables with low-set flowers and lots of candles.  Kara strung some drapery from the beams and added a couple of chandeliers to pull the whole look together.  It was pretty amazing walking in for the first time and seeing our vision become reality.

We felt so lucky to work with the vendors that we did for our wedding.  While some knew each other and some did not, they all worked so well together throughout the planning process and on our wedding day.  For our photographer, we were recommended Lane Dittoe, who was based both in Boulder and Los Angeles.  Logistically it worked perfectly, as we were able to do our engagement photos in San Francisco, and then he did our wedding in Colorado, without having to do too much traveling.  He has such a calm demeanor that put Vince and me at ease in front of the camera.  And as you can see in the photographs, he is extremely talented.

Micah and Will from Velare did an unbelievable job on our wedding film.  The highlight film turned out to be beyond our expectations, and we could not be happier.  They were such a treat to work with, also making us feel comfortable in front of the camera.  Simply put, they are some really cool dudes with wild talent, and we feel so lucky that we were able to have them shoot our special day.  We are anxiously awaiting our feature film!

On the days surrounding the wedding, our guests enjoyed mountain biking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and more! Being somewhat of a destination wedding, it was the perfect place to organize a weekend of events for our guests to show our appreciation for their travels.  Friday kicked off with a game day on the front lawn of the ranch followed by a casual BBQ rehearsal dinner for all guests.  While the girls were getting ready on Saturday, the boys hiked around the property playing a round of Frisbee golf, with our girl Charlie happily running around beside them.  Having our dog there for the weekend and a part of our wedding was especially important to us.  She served as a floral girl of sorts, and my heart still melts every time I see an image or video of Vince walking down the aisle with her.

The whole weekend went off without a hitch (at least as far we know!), and we had an absolute blast.  While we were able to share this special time in our lives with all our most loved family and friends, we also felt like we were able to cherish each moment together as a couple and acknowledge the true meaning of the weekend.  We took a few deliberate moments to step away to take it all in and just have some private time together.  We were both pretty emotional leading up to the ceremony and throughout the ceremony, but we were able to let loose during the reception and dance the night away as a newly married couple.

Photography: lane Dittoe fine art wedding photographs | Cinematography: Velare | Coordination: Love This Day Events | Floral Design: Yonder Floral And Decor House | Wedding Dress: Ines Di Santo | Bride's Shoes: Valentino | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Joanna August | Hair + Makeup: Christina Trostel | Band: Tunisia | Groom's Attire: Isaia | Venue: Devil's Thumb Ranch | Film Processing: Goodman Film Lab | Groom's Shoes: Gallo Bianco

Wonderfully classic with the perfect nod to all things nautical, this Coveleigh Club wedding captured by Melani Lust Photography is seaside wedding perfection. It’s the perfect example of why timeless weddings will always win, and you can see all the reasons why right here in the gallery. See even more in the VAULT.

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From Melani Lust Photography…Liz and Chris wanted a classic wedding with a chic and classic nautical feel, a simple color palette of green and white, with navy and gold accents, without being over the top. Keeping everything simple and elegant drove their entire planning process, so that decades from now, their wedding would still look timeless.

In case of sea breezes, they had a wicker basket painted by the Bride’s mom, which she filled with gold, white and navy shawls to give out to guests for their outdoor ceremony. They also had Koozies that had a nautical wheel on them with Chris and Liz and the date of their wedding. Chris’s tie was custom made by Vineyard Vines and it had bull riders on them…Chris rode bulls out in Wyoming for 2.5yrs while he was in College. He also turned his regular tie into the bow tie, to make himself stand out from the groomsmen.

From The Bride…My favorite moment by far was the first look…seeing Chris’s face was so exciting and something that I will remember forever. While planning the wedding I went back and forth about doing a first look, but in the end, I am so happy that we did!

All the vendors we used for the wedding contributed to making our day as perfect as possible. Melani Lust knew our style and found such creative ways to use the grounds at Coveleigh Club to capture the most amazing pictures. I still go through the pictures today and I’m amazed at how they came out. Frank, from House of flowers, created beautiful centerpieces and bouquets and listened to everything I had to say (and I had to say a lot when it came to the flowers!). The Anne Barge wedding dress I chose was certainly different than the dress I originally pictured myself wearing, but as soon as I stepped out of the dressing room we all knew that was the one. Looking back on the day, I couldn’t imagine wearing anything else and the amount of wonderful comments I got from people about the dress only confirmed my decision! Finding the perfect cake was actually harder than I thought it was going to be. I knew I wanted a funfetti cake from the start and I had a hard time finding a bakery that would make it the way I wanted. In the end we had this beautiful cake that was so elegant from the outside and fun in the middle! Our band, Live Wire Entertainment made the night a blast! I have never been to a wedding where people danced so much, and I’m glad it was mine! The singers were amazing and the choice of songs couldn’t have been any better to get the mood going all night long. Linda Gallo, the makeup artist, was also amazing. Lastly, Coveleigh Club did an amazing job with everything…I couldn’t have picked a better venue, it was absolutely beautiful inside and out, the food was delicious, and the Managers Ted and George were so easy to work with and made sure everything went smoothly. I couldn’t have done it without them!!

My advice for future brides is “Don’t worry about what other people are going to think….this is your day, make it perfect for you!”

Photography: Melani Lust Photography | Floral Design: House Of Flowers | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge | Cake: Cornerstone Caterers | Invitations: Inklinations | Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid | Makeup: Linda Gallo | Band: Live Wire | Groom's Attire: Mens USA | Venue: Coveleigh Club | Tie: Vineyard Vines

Wedding season runs from mid-April through the end of the summer. But it’s time to redefine wedding season to any season, because if all the beautiful fall, winter, spring and summer weddings here on SMP are any indication, it’s possible to have a gorgeous celebration any time of the year. Whether you’re planning a winter wonderland wedding or a bright and whimsical summer affair, these are the seasonal details that are sure to wow!

Seasonal Wedding Ideas

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Seasonal Wedding Ideas

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Plus, why hiring a planner is totally worth it!

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More Inspiration for Your Big Day

Wedding Planning Timeline | Film vs. Digital Photography | Discover Your Wedding Style

Mark your calendars, SMPers.  Victoria Park is hosting their Annual Open Night on Tuesday, April 12th and, well… it’s going to be awesome.  Think complimentary canapés, yummy beverage samples and FIVE stunning spaces all individually styled to represent a different theme and look.  It’s a fun-filled night of inspiration and, trust us, you’re going to love every gorgeous moment.

Whether you’re a romantic bride with a love of all things traditional, a modern lady looking for a contemporary flare or something entirely different all together, the Victoria Park Annual Open Night has something for YOU.  From their wedding spaces styled in everything from classic to vintage chic designs to their tasty snacks from Executive Chef Jason Peppler to their team of industry experts who will be on hand to offer up their advice and talk all things inspiration.  Plus, there’s even amazing door prizes and a fireworks display to finish off the evening. Amazing.

Ready to begin your journey to a breathtaking Victoria Park soiree?  Make plans NOW to attend their Annual Open Night on Tuesday April 12, 2016 from 6pm – 8pm.  Get your FREE tickets HERE, loves and call Victoria Park’s talented team at 07 3252 0666 with any questions. You definitely don’t want to miss a minute.

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