No matter the age, a great sleepover with your best girlfriends never goes out of style. And with a few key ingredients, it’s sure to be one killer slumber party. We’re talking all things girly get together with two ladies who know their way around a great party. Read up as Tallulah and Bellamy Novogratz of The Novogratz design dynasty give us a quick list of slumber party musts.

We love inviting our friends over for slumber parties. Sometimes there a big hit and sometimes they’re low-key. Whatever the vibe, there are always a few things you can do to make sure your friends have a good time.

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Essentials for a great slumber party

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1. Food

Whether you’re following a new recipe with a few of your best friends or baking brownies for all your pals, food is the easiest way to make your friends feel at home.

2. Music

Don’t just stick to your Spotify playlist; chances are a few of your friends sing or play an instrument. Turn your sleepover into a jam session.

3. Games

Any interactive game that gets people chatting makes a sleepover fun. Charades never fails to make everybody laugh.

4. 80’s Movies

If you don’t have Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles in your DVD collection, do yourself and your friends a favor and order them today. These movies never get old.

5. Spa Night

Instead of spending the money going to a salon, tell your friends to bring their favorite nail polish and makeup and pamper yourselves in the comfort of your house.

At the end of the day, you want your friends to feel at home. Have a few extras of the important things like toothbrushes, warm blankets and plush pillows. Give off the vibe you want your slumber party to have: inclusive and laid-back. The most important thing is to make your friends feel welcomed so that they’ll want to come back to watch more epic 80’s movies.

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Photography: Ally Twitchell | Design and Styling: The Shift Creative | Story: The Novogratzes

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Petit Bouquet

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Ashley may be an all-star producer on our favorite celebrity TV show The Voice, but today she and her husband Anthony are the only two in our spotlight. For their wedding day is one we’re endlessly in love with. A sweet ceremony complete with rustic details, it’s classic California meets vineyard merriment and we’re feeling every single second of it captured by Ken Kienow Wedding Photography in The Vault!

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From Ken Kienow Wedding Photography… Finding a wedding location for a die-hard New Yorker and a born and bred Cali girl can be a challenge. These two started in New York and moved west until they found a magical corner of the world in Paso Robles called “HammerSky Vineyard”

From the Bride… I was never the girl that dreamt about her wedding day from the age of 9 and had all the details in mind ahead of time. However once I met Anthony, all of that shifted.

Anthony and I met and got engaged 7 years later and he surprised me with a trip to Italy to celebrate the engagement. When it came to planning our wedding I wanted to transport our guests to that same romantic, rustic and blissful feel of Italy.

Looking for our wedding location was a bit of a challenge. Anthony and I are both Television producers so we had the blessing and curse of knowing exactly what we were looking for, and after scouting too many locations to count, both on the East and West Coast, we pulled up to HammerSky Vineyard in Paso Robles and both immediately knew that this place was special.

We did not have a particular “theme” for our wedding, however my husband is a East Coaster whose favorite city abroad is Spain, I am a West Coast girl whose happy place is anywhere in Italy, so we wanted to bring out the taste and feel of all four places on our special day.

Our goal was for our meal was to feel informal, and reminiscent of a “big Sunday family dinner” so we chose to do buffet style and had everyone seated at long farm tables. Tracy from Field to Table exceeded our every expectation and our friends and family are still talking and drooling over “that paella” he made.

The barn, where we held the reception was transformed into a romantic and delicate space. Our incredible florist Laurel White from Adornments Flowers & Finery, created a “living chandelier”, and placed 50 biscotti candles lining the inside of the barn, to create a memory via scent. Our dessert was also placed in this area, a naked vanilla bean and chocolate cake with blackberry jam and buttercream; created by Annie Farrell of Just Baked Slo, it was as beautiful as it was delicious and was placed on a slice of wood sent from Kauai, HI where my brother lives. A thirty-foot cloth with an OM Symbol silkscreened onto it, a labor of love that a friend of mine so graciously sewed by hand, represented my brother who could not be present, hung from the tree where our vows took place.

The “man bar” was a work in progress for about six moths prior to our wedding. My husband doesn’t do anything halfway, so he saved special liquor that was collected from his travels as well as cigars gathered from around the world in order to share with our guests. He was proud to share his collection, and the goods went quickly!

We are so grateful for all of the vendors that came together to make our day so incredible. The owner of The Vineyard, Kim Hauck is an angel and unparalleled with her support for us. Our photographer Ken, from Ken Kienow Photography captured moments that can never be reproduced and when looking at our photos you feel every ounce of emotion, elation and sweetness of that day. Our videographers, Jeremy and Ashley Mitchell, captured the entire day with grace and ease virtually undetected.

Looking back on planning our wedding, it was more overwhelming than I could have ever anticipated because of all the emotion involved; it is more than planning a nice big party for your closest family and friends, you are putting together a “moment” for all the people you love to cherish forever. My advice to any bride planning her wedding is to make sure you put as much of yourselves; your interests and mementoes of your journey to each other into your day… guests may not understand or even see each of these small details but it will make things that much richer and more meaningful. Also, let go and breathe… something may (and will) not go according to plan, but the essence of why you are there will never change.

Anthony and I were able to start our journey together in the most magical and special way imaginable…. I am grateful that our “always & forever” began at HammerSky. Looking back on this moment in time, the pure adrenaline, the happy tears and inevitable “hiccups”….. I would not change a single thing.

Photography: Ken Kienow Wedding Photography | Cinematography: We Are The Mitchells | Coordination: Danae Grace Events | Floral Design: ADORNMENTS flowers + finery | Wedding Dress: Enzoani | Cake: Just Baked SLO | Ceremony: HammerSky Vineyards | Reception: HammerSky Vineyards | Bride's Shoes: Rene Caovilla | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Monique Lhuillier | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Catering: Field To Table Events | Hair and Makeup: Rhyan Townsend | Men's Ties: Chanel | Men's Attire: Loren Spratt | Bride's Exit Dress: For Love And Lemons | Bride's Veil: Carolina Herrera | Groom's Shoes: Mezlan | Vendor: Heidi Gutman/NBC

I love a good balloon moment. It truly never gets old. I mean, this love affair with the balloon and moi has been going strong for 30+ years so you can imagine my excitement over spotting some fab new updates to this party classic. From confetti, to watercolor, gold paint and calligraphy, check out these 20 crazy cool ideas for jazzing up regular old balloons.

Party Ready Balloon Upgrades

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Party Ready Balloon Upgrades

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For more party inspiration, check out…

Best Ever Party DIYs | Make Your Own Confetti Poppers | Fringed Letter Backdrop</p

It’s finally warming up here on the East Coast, but seeing sunny photos, like these beauties from Koman Photography, make me question why I ever left California. Thankfully, this New York-based couple’s romantic engagement session in beautiful Palos Verdes is taking me home and filling me with those happy California vibes. Get your daily dose of Vitamin D—and pretty—in The Vault!

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From the Bride-to-Be…Chan and I met in an elevator our first week of college at New York University. Oddly enough, I have no recollection of this first encounter, nor do I remember our second encounter at a Thanksgiving potluck a year later. Two whole years after the elevator incident, I confidently introduced myself to Chan at a church barbecue, at which point he informed me that we had met twice before. Though terribly embarrassed, I laughed it off and we bonded over a mutual interest in cooking. Over the next couple of years, Chan and I grew to know each other first as friends and then more intimately when we started dating in 2014. He was passionate and driven, yet gentle and incredibly kind, so naturally I wanted him to be mine forever. Lucky for me, things worked out in my favor!

Chan and I both get a bit claustrophobic living in New York City now, so for our engagement session we wanted to be near the open ocean in Southern California, where I grew up. We had a location in mind, but John and Marlene of Koman Photography had an even better suggestion and we’re so glad we listened to them. The day of our photoshoot, I visited the talented Marie Tran of Luna Bella Beauty to have my hair and makeup done before heading over to Flat Rock Point in Palos Verdes, CA. We were both nervous to be photographed but John and Marlene made us feel completely comfortable and we ended up having a blast! We are so happy with our photos and we are more excited than ever for our wedding day!

Photography: Koman Photography | Hair + Makeup: Luna Bella Beauty | Venue: Palos Verdes | Blanket: Michaels | Her Attire: Abercrombie | Her Attire: Nordstrom | Her Beach Attire: Free People | His Attire: Hugo Boss

Julie and Tom’s elegant ballroom wedding is filled with enough pretty that it’ll surely fill your Pinterest boards, but more than that? It’s a sweet celebration of boy meets girl that’s both organically chic and elegantly urban at the same time. With the talented averyhouse behind the lens this is one gallery that is sure to turn ballroom weddings up a notch, and we’ve got it all waiting in The Vault!

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From averyhouse… Still running off the good vibes from Julie + Tom’s Nature Boardwalk Engagement Session we couldn’t believe it was already time for their wedding at the W City Center! A country girl at heart, we were thrilled to hear to hear that Julie was planning a romantic & elegant wedding that was the perfect mix of city chic all the while maintaining an organic spirit. Both Julie and her husband to be got ready at the W’s City Center and with it’s centralized location we were able to easily make our way over to the Art Institute’s South Garden for their first look. With it’s stunningly beautiful locust trees in full bloom we took advantage of the gorgeous weather for portraits of their blush and burgundy clad wedding party. Guests of the ceremony were literally taken aback by the stunning beauty of the gold chandeliers and flickering candlelight that lined Julie + tom’s aisle. And as Julie took her first steps towards becoming a wife you can see the excitement beaming from her huge smile. The enchanted garden theme carried through from the luxurious escort card table topped with moss, oak, and ivy to their extravagant reception. Looking for a fun way to tie in unique details to your wedding day? These adorable gold horses that held guests escort cards were a cute nod to Julie’s horseback riding days. After Tom’s emotional speech to his new wife everyone hit the dance floor HARD and the party continued until well into the evening. We think this wedding is pure magic!

Photography: averyhouse | Cinematography: Leap Weddings | Event Planning: Shannon Gail Weddings and Events | Event Planning: Merren Events | Floral + Event Design: Kehoe Designs | Stationary: Little Arrow | Catering: W Chicago City Center | Makeup Artist: Epoch Salon | Hair Stylist: Epoch Salon | Band: Chris Sarlas Orchestra | Transportation: Via Limo | Venue: W Chicago City Center | Linens: BBJ La Tavola

Want runway ready cheekbones without all the backstage fuss? How about elegantly defined wedding day makeup in just a few minutes flat? Enter Mar of TEAM Hair and Makeup because today she’ll be showing us how to get a perfectly contoured cheek in no time at all. Press play to learn more!

Bridal Hair & Makeup Ideas

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Bridal Hair & Makeup Ideas

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See even more head-turning looks below!

Celebrity Hair + Makeup Looks to Steal for Your Wedding | Hair Adornments | Modern Wedding Hair | 100 Drop-Dead-Gorgeous Hairstyles | Best Hairstyles of 2015

Traditional and classic with gorgeous blush hues, this elegant wedding captured by Matoli Keely Photography has SMP written all over it. We’ve fallen head over heels for every image sitting pretty in this gallery, and you can join us in the swoon-fest right here in the VAULT.

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From The Bride…A simple summer wedding in Haymarket, VA with elegant blush pink bridesmaid dresses and bouquets. We had a beautiful candle lit church and I wanted nothing more than a true genuine gathering of all the people we love and that’s exactly what we got.

The breathtaking view of Haymarket allowed us to take pictures outside. The food at Piedmont Country Club was more than Amazing. Our Officiant touched so many souls during our ceremony.

On that hot summery Sunday morning, I vowed to be married to Ramy. Everything went more than perfect. His mom sang us a beautiful song, and my parents read from the good book.

We danced until sunset and then we took off to Antigua aka Heaven on earth.

Photography: Matoli Keely Photography | Cinematography: Simon Cook Films | Floral Design: Violet Gardens Floral Designs | Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca | Cake: Wanda Cakes | Ceremony Venue: Shepherd Of The Hills | Reception Venue: Piedmont Club | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Officiant: Mitchel Lee

I’m convinced the word breathtaking was invented to describe Greece—the bright blue water, the crisp white buildings and the stunning panoramas will quite literally take your breath away. And this wedding is no different.  With flowers foraged from neighboring fields and DIY décor from the Bride’s best friend, every detail of this day will make your heart skip a beat. See it all from Genevieve Fundaro Photography in The Vault!

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From Genevieve Fundaro Photography…There is so much I could say about this wedding, I could write a long story about how beautiful it was, how amazing Greece is and how the experience of shooting an international wedding was something that changed me right down to my soul. I found my breath again in Greece, I found my creative heart beat and I found many new wonderful friends. I loved it, and I am so blessed to have been apart of Stacey and Mike’s adventure and call them friends

This casual, barefoot kinda come-home feeling wedding is filled with sentimental charm and exudes DIY at its best. All the decor was done DIY by the bride’s best friend in South Africa, the flowers were foraged from the fields around the reception venue, and make up and hair was done by family and friends.

Stacey and Mike have big hearts, that draw you in, and they are centered around relationships with family and friends. This inspired their wedding to be in Stacey’s home land of Greece, and of course that meant on a gorgeous greek island. Days up to the wedding were spent exploring the little towns of Paros Island, relaxing at the pool and learning greek dancing lessons on the roof of a hotel.

Photography: Genevieve Fundaro Photography | Cinematography: Christian Wolf | Venue: Siparos | Getting Ready Venue: Paliomylos

Based on the fact that these two met as children is enough to tell you that their wedding is filled with serendipitous romance. The type of sweet details that’ll make even the most cynical believe in love and thanks to the endearing captures from Jonathan Young we’ve got a gallery in The Vault to prove it. Read on for their love story and don’t miss out on the cinematography magic from Valerie Barnes below!

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From the Bride… I met Patrick as a young child and although we don’t remember meeting, our parents remember him chasing me around and saying he would marry me one day. Patrick’s parents moved away and all that was left were a few photos of our childhood friendship. It wasn’t until twenty-something years later that we would serendipitously meet again on Christmas! We bonded over our love for skiing, and Patrick would bring me to his family vacation home near Stratton Mountain in Vermont.

After spending many long weekends in the area, we wanted our friends and family to experience our love for Vermont. On our very first day of venue searching, we immediately and completely fell in love with Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln’s summer estate. The rest fell into place and it was only fitting that we held our ceremony at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Manchester, as we had met as little kids at our local St. Paul’s in New York.

We both wanted the process to be fun and as relaxed as possible, so we made sure we had ample time for planning. Not too long thereafter, we received the terrifying news that Patrick was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma. That year was the scariest time of our lives and the last thing on my mind was planning a wedding, but Patrick insisted on not pushing back our wedding date. He proved time and time again to be my emotional rock and it made me love him more fiercely. We are incredibly blessed to announce that he is cancer-free and in remission!

Throughout the entire planning process, we focused on one goal: to share a memorable celebration with the people who mean the world to us, and who fill our lives with their love, support, and happiness. We wanted the mood of our wedding to be romantic and playful, with handmade touches we put together with our family and friends: golden animal drink stirrers and magnets to hold the escort cards, floral bases for our centerpieces, and watercolor menus and table names. Jonathan Young and Elisabeth Millay perfectly captured this feeling through their stunning photography. And we loved how Valerie Barnes swept us off our feet with her artistic, creative filmmaking. Our day would not have been the same without them and all of our amazing vendors.

They say weddings never go exactly as planned, and with so many little details ours was no exception. But it was without a doubt the best day of our lives. The wedding was everything we envisioned – intimate, beautiful, a celebration of our everlasting bond, and the best dance party we could hope for!

Photography: Millay & Young Photography | Cinematography: Valerie Barnes Film | Floral Design: The Lily of the Valley | Wedding Dresses: Casablanca and Modeca | Invitations: Designs By Robin | Ceremony Venue: St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church | Reception: Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home | Bride's Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Etsy | Catering: Pangaea | Makeup: Flawless Cosmetic Design | Hair: Patty Bassett | Groom's Attire: Theory | Groomsmen's Attire: The Black Tux | DJ + Photo Booth: SuperSounds | Flower Girl's Dress: Pink Princess | Groom's Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo | Groom's Watch: Frederique Constant | Ice Cream Stand: Ben & Jerry

This is one of those beyond beautiful weddings. The sort of wedding that starts and ends with gorgeous details and is filled to the brim with moments that will make you smile.  But beyond the lush blooms, breathtaking backdrop and stunning gown is the inspiring story of love, loss, hope and happiness… and family coming together to celebrate what marriage is really all about.  See it all captured brilliantly by Julia Wade in THE VAULT.

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From Julia Wade… I will never forget this day. It truly was the highlight of my 2015, so I’m really grateful to see it on the pages of SMP. My sweet bride Catherine had lost her mother Summer 2014 to cancer, and had a quiet wedding weeks before she passed. Their original wedding date of 5/2/15 affectionately became their “renup”. The bond between Catherine and Brooks was tangible and Bald Head Island shined for them. I will always cherish the photographs we made at the shoals at sunset.. something incredible happened with the light and the birds and between to the two of them. It was a gift to photograph..I am so grateful for clients that will let me in and truly tell their story. Enjoy.

Photography: Julia Wade Photography | Floral Design: Kim Fisher Designs | Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Shoals Club | Hair + Makeup: Pure Hair | DJ: Active DJ Entertainment | Venue: Shoals Club | Photography - Assistance: JJ Horton Photography

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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I connected with this Bride immediately. You see, her and I are kindred spirits, having both fallen in love with a certain F. Scott Fitzgerald years ago. So it’s no surprise that she drew on the Great Gatsby’s style for her spring wedding, full of gorgeous bouquets courtesy of Fionna Floral and infused with the perfect vintage chic touches, from her Juliette veil to the classic champagne tower – and Aga Jones captured it all. See more in our Vault this way!

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From the Bride… Roberto and I met thirteen years ago at Washington High School. Since then we have grown up together and our relationship has grown up too; we have gone from carefree high school sweethearts to husband and wife over the course of the past decade. Around the same time I was falling in love with Roberto, I was also falling in love with my favorite book The Great Gatsby. Since then I’d always dreamt of hosting an event worthy of the timeless glamour that this book exudes and I knew our wedding would be the perfect setting.

We chose the beautiful Vizcaya as our location because it offered a romantic and elegant atmosphere that fit our style completely. I began incorporating details that reinforced the vintage theme long before the actual wedding day: mix and match art deco invitations, embossed escort cards, and a wax seal with our custom monogram. The hints of gold and pink added a touch of romance to the classic black and white color palette.

I have long admired the caliber of photography that is featured on Style Me Pretty, and so when it came time to book a photographer I searched Style Me Pretty’s blog features in California and came across Aga Jones. Her photos are amazing and we were so happy to work with her for our engagement and wedding photography!

My bridesmaids looked beautiful in long beaded Adrianna Papell dresses and I wore an Essence of Australia gown that I saw online and tracked down to a local bridal boutique because I knew it would be perfect! To add a personal touch, I added a back necklace made from the most beautiful crystals and a Juliette veil which was a common style worn by brides in the nineteen twenties. My “something blue” was a vintage ring from the era with an aquamarine gemstone center.

The Vizcaya’s garden backdrop for our ceremony spoke for itself so I opted to add only a bit of ivory tulle around the gazebo to add a touch of romance. The bridal party walked in to a string quartet version of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”, a song by Roberto’s favorite band. We were lucky enough to have my brother-in-law officiate our wedding; bringing an extra special personal touch of love, and laughter from our guests when he added his own contribution to the end of our vows!

The best part of the day was sneaking outside after dinner, just the two of us. That quiet moment alone together looking in on all of our family and friends in one room together to celebrate the two of us is something I will never forget!

The day was a whirlwind and the reception went by so quickly! In true Gatsby fashion we poured a champagne tower and served Sidecars and French 75’s as our signature libations of the night. We loved laughing and dancing all night with our friends and family. When they weren’t on the dance floor, our guests were enjoying the delicious dessert bar with our favorite treats from Sweet Cakes by Rebecca. We finished off the night with a grand exit while our guests lit the way with sparklers.

We wanted our wedding day to be filled with love and laughter; the day to be romantic and classic, full of our favorite people and all of our favorite things. In the end, that is exactly what it was and every detail was captured perfectly by our amazing photographer, Aga.

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More Gatsby inspiration this way!

Photography: Aga Jones Photography | Floral Design: Fionna Floral | Wedding Dress: Janene's Bridal | Cake: Sweet Cakes By Rebecca | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Venue: Vizcaya | Bridal Boutique: Janene's Bridal

As much as I love a good nude heel, there’s something so much sexier about a pair of black beauties that take any date night (or girls night!) to the next level. From dressing up a simple jeans and tee look to a hot-damn-she-looks-fine kind of dress, any of these picks earn my vote for a night on the town.

10 Irresistible Black Heels for Date Night

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10 Irresistible Black Heels for Date Night

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Photography: Sally Pinera | Shoes Shown: Gianvito Rossi

Turning one is kind of a big deal, and this little lady knew exactly how to celebrate. Don’t you wish we could all do this on our birthdays? But seriously, her sweet soiree is filled to the brim with so much goodness thanks to Anastasia Haqq, Lilia Flower Boutique, Farina Bakeshop and team. See more from Meg Cooper Photography this way in The Vault!

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To capture Ava’s curious and adventurous spirit we wanted to throw her a 1st birthday that was filled with creation, play and discovery. We decided to throw a fun gold and pastel themed DIY soiree. Guests were invited to an afternoon of bubbly, light-bites, cake and plenty of fun DIY projects. The party took place at Labmpls, a creative workshop space in downtown Minneapolis. The white lofted space with large windows overlooking Loring Park provided the perfect backdrop for an afternoon of play and creativity. Guests noshed on brunch bites of yogurt parfaits, mini quiches, scones, caramel rolls, and macaroons. There was a make your own mimosa- “bubbly bar” with plenty of mixers and non-alcoholic options for the little ones. A fun play area with a tepee, plenty of plush animals and toys was the perfect spot for children to play. Guests made silly faces and used playful props in the pastel themed photo booth. Each table had a DIY art supply station complete with pretty pastel art supplies. Adults and children spent the afternoon painting and creating birdhouses, succulent planters and original pieces of art. We wrapped up the special day with a pretty pastel and gold cake…complete with a mini smash cake for little Ms. Ava.

Photography: Meg Cooper Photography | Floral Design: Lilia Flower Boutique | Invitations: Minted | Catering: Farina Bakeshop | Paper Flowers: Paper Source | Photobooth: Time Into Pixels Photo Booth | Tissue Garland And Photo Banner: Anastasia Haqq

It’s official, this Bride-to-be (who also happens to be the real life Collins from The Blind Side!!) had the best bachelorette party ever. Because honestly, what’s better than a cozy getaway with your favorite girlfriends? That’s right, nothing. Unless said getaway included a mountain escape, flannel theme, and of course endless bubbly. Sorella Muse captured it all so pin the pretty and see it in The Vault!

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From Sorella Muse… When Collins got in touch with me about the idea of documenting a bachelorette party, my first thought was of bandage dresses and clubbing and one too many drinks. So when she explained that what she had in mind was actually a relaxing mountain getaway in the snow-capped mountains of Deer Valley, Utah, complete with matching plaid pajamas, snow tubing, games, mimosas, brunch, and curling up beside the fireplace with hot chocolate, I was immediately in! I loved that she chose spending quality time with her bridesmaids by planning an alternative weekend to the typical bachelorette. And as I quickly learned, whenever and wherever you get a group of sorority girls from Ole Miss together, it’s always a party!

From the Bride-to-Be… When thinking about places to have your bachelorette weekend, it is assumed it will be in a party city like Vegas, or on a beach somewhere like Miami. Since we all had already attended quite a few beach bachelorettes I wanted to do something different…and since I also wanted to include a bit of relaxation we decided on a snowy mountain getaway. My fiance’s family vacation home in Deer Valley, Utah seemed like the perfect place. We are all Southern girls, so the change of scenery to the beautiful snow-capped mountains right outside of Park City was a welcomed idea.

Setting the weekend itinerary was easy as we all had one goal, to spend quality time with each other. Most of my 18 bridesmaids live in different states across the country; Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, North Carolina, New York, and California. We know our time together is precious, and really wanted to take advantage of this long weekend to simply enjoy being together. I wanted a theme that was fun, would set the tone, and would make people think of the mountains. We started with the buffalo plaid pattern. We then wanted to bring in the snow aspect so we used this vintage snowy mountain paper, and brought that into the theme. I love all things sparkly so we threw in gold glitter details to be the final touch.

I wanted to keep the gift bags in line with our snowy weekend, so I included all the mountain getaway essentials. I found buffalo plaid bags at Abercrombie and Fitch, and loaded them up with fun goodies. You have to have slippers around the house because its so cold outside, so I found fuzzy slippers at Five Below, as well as the EOS eggs lip balm, and the tech touch gloves. I found the lotion and the buffalo plaid pajamas at Target. The black coffee mugs were from the Dollar Store, but my bridesmaid Kimber added a special touch by adding everyone’s monogram in gold. The buffalo plaid gloves were from Urban Outfitters and my maid of honor Catherine Ann provided the t-shirts.

Most of the girls arrived late Wednesday night, so we decided to keep Thursday low key. We had a delicious brunch at Zoom (Robert Redford’s restaurant on Main Street in Park City) walked around, shopped, and went back to the house to enjoy some wine and the beautiful views. We regrouped at dinner and went all the way up the mountain to Burgers and Bourbon at the Montage. I really encourage eating bad and drinking too much on your bachelorette. We were the last ones at the restaurant and finished off the dinner with bourbon filled milkshakes and lots of laughs!

Going with the relaxing stress free weekend theme my mom surprised us and booked a chef for breakfast Friday and Saturday morning. If you can swing this I would heavily recommend it. It was such treat to be able to wake up to the smell of bacon, and walk out to a fully prepared meal that we could all sit down and enjoy together. Friday afternoon we put our ski gear on (which was a reality tv episode in itself with all the parts and pieces) and headed out to snow tube. By far the best decision of the weekend! We played in the snow, flew down the mountain on tubes, and obviously acted like we were five years old for two hours. Being able to get out in the snow (and yes it was actually snowing the day we went) laugh at each other and tube was just the amount of silly we needed.

For dinner we went in to Park City and ate at River Horse on Main Street. The food was fabulous and the entertainment was just as good. There was an awesome acoustic guitar player who we loved so much we booked him to fly in for our post wedding dinner entertainment this coming April! After dinner we went to Downstairs Club and danced the night away. After our big night we needed a relaxing Saturday so we had masseuses come to the house and everyone laid around in their PJ’s and got massages. We ended the weekend with a fun dinner in town at Fletchers then headed over to Rocken Rileys for post dinner drinks. One of my favorite memories of the weekend was definitely the dance battle that ensued here between one of my bridesmaids and another vacationer. It was all in good fun but lets get serious…. obviously my bridesmaid won! Sunday we woke up, all said our good byes, and swore we would all be back the same time next year for a reunion weekend. It was a magical time and I am so thankful to have such special friends to share this fun season of life with!!

Photography: imdb | Photography: Sorella Muse | Event Planning: Merren Events | Venue: Private Residence: Deer Valley, Utah | Coordination + Styling: Anne Claire Allen Planning & Design | Custom Desserts: Whimsy Cookie Company | Paper Goods + T-shirts​: Hi Y'all

Close your eyes and imagine standing on a wooded path on a warm fall day with a canopy of golden leaves overhead. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, for this Bride and Groom, it was their wedding day reality, complete with a musical performance by the Groom’s vocalist sister and hand-crafted tablescapes made with love by the Bride and her family. See it all from Eddie Winter with READYLUCK in The Vault!

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From The Bride…I didn’t have a clear vision for my wedding until I walked this amazing wooded path between the Fontainebleau Inn and the Lawrence Chapel on a warm fall day. The setting was perfect—it was romantic, casual, and fun.

We have amazing family that were able to help us with some of our favorite details. Nate’s sister is an amazing musician and performed the vocals during our ceremony. My mom is a talented seamstress and made the most perfect flower girl ensemble that converted from a fancy ceremony dress to a reception outfit.

One of my favorite moments was after the ceremony as we walked on the wooded path to our reception at the inn. We turned a corner and Nate’s parents surprised us with the guitarist serenading us as we walked past – it was a special moment just for the two us. My favorite crafted detail was the table décor that my mom, sisters, and I planned and put together. Each table had a mix of succulents and air plants in mismatch glassware that we collected from estate sales and flea markets. It made each table look unique and was a perfect favor for our guests to take home.

Photography: Readyluck | Floral Design: Michaleen's | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal | Cake: Dolce Delight | Invitations: Minted | Ceremony Venue: Lawrence Chapel | Reception Venue: The Fontainebleau Inn | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Rings: Doyle And Doyle | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Catering: Word Of Mouth Catering | Hair + Makeup: Fresh Hair | Groom's Attire: Alton Lane | Ceremony Music: David Coester | String Quartet: Felice String Quartet | Bride's Necklace: Debra Moreland | Cake Toppers: Goose Grease | DJ + Lighting: Jimmie Malone | Photo Booth: AJ Cass | Second Wedding Dress: BHLDN

I could quite literally spend hours on the SMP Wedding Dress Pinterest board or perusing gorgeous gowns in The Vault—after nine years of real weddings, there are lots of beauties ready to inspire, including these stunners from our March Madness Sweet 16. Get pinning (you know you want to) and cast your vote to ensure your favorite real weddings make it to the Elite 8 on Sunday!

CLICK TO CAST YOUR VOTE!

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Classic Weddings: 1. At Home Wedding in the Blue Ridge Mountains | 2. Destination Wedding in Paris | 3. Intimate Castle Wedding in Northern Ireland | 4. Romantic Hillside Wedding in San Clemente

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Rustic Weddings: 1. Riverside Farm Vermont Wedding | 2. Romantic Country Montana Wedding | 3. Rustic Outdoor Georgia Wedding | 4. DIY Wedding in the Ontario Woods

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Modern Weddings: 1. Modern Austin Garden Party Wedding | 2. Botanical-Inspired Chicago Wedding | 3. Napa Wedding with a Pop of Color | 4. Modern Brooklyn Wedding at 501 Union

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Wildcard Weddings: 1. Glam Oregon Forest Wedding | 2. French Vintage Countryside Wedding | 3. Dreamy Summer Ranch Wedding | 4. Whimsical Pink + Peach Colorado Wedding

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OFFICIAL RULES

Voters must follow Style Me Pretty on Facebook to cast a winning vote. The first round of voting, ending on March 6, voters will select the four weddings from each style category that they’d like move on in the bracket. These four weddings from each style category with the most votes will advance in the March Madness bracket. Voters will then pick two weddings from each style category, until March 13, and then voters will pick one winner from each style category until March 20. Finally, voters will vote for the ultimate wedding from the final four until March 27. The final wedding will be revealed on March 31. Followers are allowed one vote per IP address. Facebook voters determine the ultimate wedding winner, votes will only qualify if submitted daily through Facebook polls on the Style Me Pretty page. The wedding winner will be announced on March 31st.

CLICK TO CAST YOUR VOTE!

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Planning your Big Day? The most important investment you should check off your list – hire an amazing photographer. Because after you’ve said your vows and cut the cake, the only tangible product you’re left with (other than your new husband or wife of course) are the images captured. Which is why I’ve asked my very own wedding photographers, the O’Malley Photographers to give us a little more insight on the real difference between film photography and digital photography, as well as what questions to ask when it comes to determining which suits your celebration best! Bookmark and read it all.

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Which medium do you use?

Film! We absolutely love the process, look and medium. At our weddings we shoot a mixture of medium format and 35mm film throughout the day. After the sun has set, we still shoot film but start mixing in our digital cameras as well.

Why Do You Shoot Film?

Because we believe in timeless, beautiful and fun images. Each artist needs to decide what they are trying say and then pick tools that help them say it. Trends come and go, but we are trying to make family heirlooms that last for generations and are planning to make film images for decades to come. Film has a natural elegance and intangible beauty that speaks to us and our clients often comment on the ‘romantic quality’, ‘beautiful colors’ and ‘natural skin tones’. In short, we think film is a higher-quality product and requires a commitment to the craft that is consistent with the images we
want to make and the life we want to live.

Your Common Film Questions Answered!

What is the final product?

Prospective clients often ask something like, “We love the film look, but what are we actually going to receive after the wedding is over? Are you going to ship me a box of negatives?”. Each film photographer does it differently, but after our film is developed we have it digitally scanned by our photo lab. This allows us to provide digital negatives to our clients (via disk or USB), upload them to a proofing gallery and edit images as needed. All of our clients receive a box of physical prints from the wedding, digitized photos and access to their physical negatives (if they wish).

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What’s the cost difference?

There’s no getting around it, film is expensive and costs are rising every year, but we believe film photography is worth the investment. Candidly, years back we tried to replicate a film look through digital technology and in our humble opinion, the colors, tonality and emotional depth of film cannot be reproduced with digital technology. Our clients tend to be people who appreciate the highest possible quality without compromise.

Why does film photography sometimes look grainy?

In low light situations photographers often raise their ISO to capture more light, which results in more grain on both film and digital cameras. Digital cameras tend to handle low light situations with more ease and while we love the look of grainy black and white film images, we know not everyone does. This why we mix in digital cameras in extremely low light situations or after the sun has set. It’s all about choosing the best tool for the moment.

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What’s the difference in turn-around time?

Each photographer and film lab are different but it takes about approximately two weeks for our lab to process and digitally scan our weddings. Our couples can expect their wedding photos 3-5 weeks after the event which is actually faster than or on par with our friends who shoot digitally.

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What are time factors you have to keep in mind when shooting film?

A well-constructed timeline is a photographer’s best friend whether they are shooting film or digital. To get those dreamy, soft film images the few hours before sunset are magic. Film also helps us to photograph efficiently and after photographing hundreds of weddings, we’ve learned how to capture the beautiful photos our couples love without overshooting. Our own wedding was just a couple years ago and we remember how anxious we were to see friends, family and get to our party. It’s important that a photographer understands that wedding days are celebrations and not photo-shoots.

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What if my venue is indoors with low light? Should I choose a film or digital photographer?

Don’t be afraid to ask photographers for sample galleries from past weddings in venues similar to yours. Whether film or digital, if you like what you see in a photographer’s low light images, I wouldn’t hesitate to book them.

What should you look for when meeting with different photographers who shoot in different mediums (in the photos themselves)?

Consistency, consistency, consistency. Whether film or digital, if you’re looking through a photographer’s portfolio and there is not overall consistency in location selection, editing, and style you simply don’t know what you’re going to receive back from the photographer. As a recent bride, that’s a scary thought!

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Click to see which questions you should ask before hiring a photographer!

3 Important Questions to Ask Your Film Photographer

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3 Important Questions to Ask Your Film Photographer

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Photo tips courtesy of O’Malley Photographers

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This sweet couple is no stranger to the pages of SMP. We first fell in love with their super creative video save-the-date (I dare you not to tear up!) and then shared their darling engagement session set in Joshua Tree National Park. But today, we’re coming full circle with both their wedding images and film that has set the bar for modern-style celebrations. Big thanks to Meiwen Wang and Daniel Lee for capturing the lovefest that’s officially stolen our hearts.

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From The Bride…Immediately after our engagement we began grinding away – we planned our budget on spreadsheets, visited various vendors, and searched for the perfect venue. Needless to say, our first venue visit ended up as our venue for the actual wedding. Our venue choice set the tone for our wedding day- chill vibes and fun times without losing sight of the purpose of our wedding. Everything exceeded our expectations, and we have our vendors, family, and friends to thank for that.

As our ceremony and reception both took place at BRICK, it meant that we had to do a flip in between. We are so thankful for everyone who was so willing to help. A tip to wedding couples: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! When people ask “Do you need any help with anything?”, they are genuinely eager to assist in any way that they can.

Although I was skeptic on how everything would come together, the details worked themselves out. From the beautiful flowers by Pick Tulip to our food catered by Phil’s BBQ, and our rentals from Folklore Vintage Rentals and Madmade Designs…we would not change anything about our wedding. We are truly grateful for Meiwen Wang and Daniel Lee for capturing our day so beautifully.

Our favorite moments from the day did only include the ones filled with emotions, but just celebrating with our closest people in the world. The best way for a bride and groom to share love with everyone at a wedding (albiet probably impossible for a big wedding) is to just groove out with everyone on the dance floor. You probably won’t say hi, give a hug, or share a few words with everyone at your wedding. But dancing with many people at once gives all your closest friends and families a shot to share a moment with you on your momentous day.

From Meiwen Wang…If I describe Allen & Eugenia in one word it would be LOVED. They are adored, cherished, and dearly loved by everyone around them, and their wedding day was oozing with the joy that they bring to their friends & family. My heart was so full! Everything about their wedding was perfect– the bridesmaids beautiful dark & blush dresses, the insane florals, the Phil’s BBQ buffet (read: the best ribs in the world)– but the thing I loved the most about their wedding was that it was so authentic– beyond all the pretty details & planning they are a couple who understands deeply the meaning of MARRIAGE. That this was just the beginning of their future, of learning to love selflessly and sacrificially and to enjoy each others lives together. It felt so stress-free, so effortlessly beautiful, and so FUN.

Photography: Meiwen Wang | Cinematography: Daniel Lee | Coordination: Holly Kalkin Weddings | Floral Design: Picktulip | Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero | Cake: Panoply Cafe | Catering: Phil's BBQ | Makeup: E2 Beauty | Hair: Ellie Botts | DJ: Daniel Botticelli | Groom's Attire: Combatant Gentlemen | Venue: Brick SD | Brass Vessel Rentals: Madmade Designs | First Look: Balboa Park | Getting Ready Venue: Air BnB | Photo Booth: Pixster Photo Booths | Rentals: Folklore Vintage Rentals | Rentals: Allie's Party Rentals | Veil: Handmade By Sara Kim

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This beach bungalow makes me want to jump right through my screen. I’d walk barefoot around, feeling the breeze through open windows and soaking in every colorful, happy inch. Designed by Haley Weidenbaum and debuted on Homepolish, take a walk through with us and see the proof that family-friendly can (and clearly does) translate to pretty.

From Homepolish… With a young daughter and a baby on the way, this family’s second priority (after having a beautiful home design) was kid-friendly furniture and fabrics. With their designer Haley Weidenbaum, this cute bungalow was given a stunning, pragmatic makeover. Without catering to the typical family-oriented soft corners and dark stain-camouflaging fabrics, Haley created a bright, light and charming home that showcases her client Leslie’s great taste.

A cozy but comfortable dining room is hard to pull off! Drawing the eye upward with the simple chandelier is a one-step trick and expanding the space with this Gray Malin beach photo (and check out his new collection by the way. It’s amazing.) is transportive, no?

These West Elm bookshelves were an amazing find. They fit perfectly, look great and took care of the client’s unbalanced book-to-storage ratio!

Just because you have kids doesn’t mean a white sofa is a dream you’ll have to tuck away for 18 years. Durable, stain-resistant fabrics are your best friend.

Just because you don’t have a pool doesn’t mean you can’t have pool chairs! Keep the garden hose close by and even the cute towel has a practical use. Sometimes faking it is just as good.

These St. Frank pieces on the wall work perfectly with the master bedroom’s color scheme.

About the master bedroom, Haley says, “To contrast the bright playfulness of the entire house the client Leslie wanted their bedroom to be an oasis. I loved the peacefulness of the space. Very important for parents of two young kids!”

Figuring out the kid’s room layout was challenging but by trying several iterations and considering the accessories and compromising furniture (under-bed storage!), Haley was able to create a comfortable, cozy and beautiful space for the little girls to grow into.

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Photography: Tessa Neustadt | Photography: Gray Malin | Interior Design: Homepolish

You know what’s sweet? Vow renewals. Even sweeter? A vow renewal inspiration that’s filled with pops of color and one sweet lil’ addition. And thanks to the ever-so-talented Tina Jay Photography we’ve got just that to share with you today. A contemporary celebration that’s sure to inspire, we invite you to scroll and pin the pretty that awaits you in The Vault!

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From Tina Jay Photography… The inspiration for our Bright + Modern Vow Renewal Styled Shoot started when we decided to get together and photograph something fun and happy in these long winter months. The gorgeous, bright details of this styled shoot came together at the perfect time – our shoot took place on the day of the Jonas Blizzard! We managed to get everything put together and photographed, RIGHT as the first flurries started to fall.

We chose a new venue in Central PA for this styled shoot – The Bond, in York, Pennsylvania. The Bond has such a cool vibe, with an industrial feel. I absolutely love the juxtaposition of the bright, geometric details against the industrial look and feel of the venue. We used a square leather table with accompanying acrylic chairs for our table setup, which looked amazing not only with the details, but against the white-washed brick in the venue. And the details – they make me oh so happy! These bright + happy flowers were the perfect pick-me-up for a cold winter day. I absolutely loved the bright florals along with the geometric designs of the paper goods and cake.

The flowy pink tulle skirt that our bride wore was total perfection for this vow renewal. Pair that with a cute-as-can-be white tulle dress for the couple’s daughter, and it was sweetness overload!

Photography: Tina Jay Photography | Event Design: Laurel & Elm | Event Planning: Merren Events | Floral Design: Fosters Flowers | Cake: The Couture Cakery | Stationery: Laurel & Elm | Reception Venue: The Bond | Makeup: Veronique's Creative Artistry | Hair: Leeann Foust Of Mood Swings Salon | Bride's Shirt: Forever 21 | Flower Girl Dress: Light In The Box | Headpiece: Kristin Perry Accessories | Table + Chair Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. | Tulle Skirt: Welcome To Royalty