This view. This bouquet, à la Kelly Lenard. That dress from Johanna Johnson, catching a ride in the wind. Every single image. All giving me the biggest heart eyes right now. As said best by Cassidy Carson (and I stand in 1000% agreement) …I love the intimacy of elopements. All that’s really needed is a time, place, and each other. Take some time to enjoy the beauty of this bit in THE VAULT.

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From Cassidy Carson…I love the intimacy of elopements. They’re perfect for the couple who want to get away from planning everything down to the smallest detail. All that’s really needed is a time, place, and each other. I was so fortunate to have an incredible couple, a stunning dress, and Kelly Lenard, the floral designer, by my side to help everything come together so effortlessly. Kelly pulled florals in colors that complemented the California landscape to create a daring bouquet.

Ultimately I wanted to show brides-to-be that if a large, expensive wedding doesn’t excite you, then an intimate elopement with just you and your fiancé is a totally viable, somewhat carefree option. It can be just as beautiful as large celebration with all of the bells and whistles.

From Kelly Lenard…For this bouquet, I wanted to come up with a lush and wild design reflective of the California coast. My inspiration came from the warm glow of the early evening light, golden hues on the cliffs of Gray Whale Cove, and the colorful vegetation that covered the surrounding hillsides. I chose a mix of caramel, coral, ivory, orange, and rose tones to compliment the landscape. Foraged pistachio and bougainvillea were among my favorite finds. Other varieties included garden roses, ranunculus, nerines, fringed tulips, and blushing bride proteas.

Photography: Cassidy Carson Photography | Floral Design: Kelly Lenard | Wedding Dress: Johanna Johnson | Venue: Pacifica CA | Bridal Boutique: Alice In Ivory

I am totally on the gender reveal bandwagon. It’s such a fun time in your pregnancy but often can’t be shared with long-distance friends and relatives. My husband and I opted for a small facetime party with our nearest and dearest but this brunch inspired affair is even better. Crafted by Lemon and Lime Event Design, it’s a celebration filled with donut cookies, bubbly and the big reveal. Boy or girl? You’ll have to scroll through the images by Meghan Boyer Photography to find out.

I was so excited to plan our baby’s gender reveal party. I’m a wedding planner so mixing in a different kind of design board was refreshing and so fun. Gender reveals are a great reason to get families together to celebrate the upcoming addition. My parents don’t live close to my husband and I so I was excited to plan this around when they would be visiting in Maryland.

Off the bat I knew I wanted to stay away from the traditional pink and blue and use more mint/seafoam and coral and peach. I started thinking of different ideas on how to do the big reveal that wasn’t popping a balloon (I see that often, but the main reason is that I am terrified of popping balloons!).

Sweet Kiera made the most adorable donut cookies which guests were able to take home. They were almost too cute to eat, but too tasty to not enjoy.

After searching on Etsy for a long time, I came across these adorable cleaned out eggs that were filled with confetti. I would love to meet the makers of these — they must have so much patience! Once I found the eggs, the baby brunch idea was born. Everyone loves brunch, and it was a fun theme to work off of.

I love coffee (and yes it’s been hard limiting myself to one cup a day!) and thought a coffee bar could be a neat activity for guests to get in their morning cup of joe before the big reveal. We got all different kinds of creams, sugars and stirrers. I worked with Lauren Mattes Designs on some fun signage, a baby is brewing to hang overhead. We also offered mimosas and Lauren helped to create a “Poppin Bottles” sign with champagne and baby bottles — guests enjoyed the humor.

I’m a big fan of thinking outside just paper for invites, so I knew Little Bit Heart out of Annapolis would help me come up with just what I was looking for. I told them I wanted something that had a 3D element.

They brainstormed and we came up with the idea of using a fork and a spoon which were perfect for the brunch theme. With some adorable washi tape and little mini utensils, the invite was just what I was looking for.

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The cracked eggs reveled pink! Of course we just want a healthy baby, but knowing it’s a little girl was so exciting. My mind already starting racing with 500 nursery ideas and the day after our gender reveal, Jack Rodgers announced they were making mini jacks sandals — it was perfect timing! We’re so excited to welcome our baby girl in late February!

Photographer : Meghan Boyer | Balloons, Baskets, Napkins, Cake Topper, Felt Confetti : Shop Sweet Lulu | Confetti Eggs: Snuggle Works On Etsy | Cookies: Sweet Kiera | Invitation : Little Bit Heart | Planning & Design: Lemon And Lime Event Design | Signage: Lauren Mattes Design

The best way to have a backyard wedding even if you don’t have a backyard? Find a venue that feels like home. That’s what this Bride and Groom found in Rengstorff House. With a lovely outdoor ceremony and al fresco reception with family-style dinner, this day, captured by Meghan Mehan Photography feels intimate, personal and completely special. Take a peek in THE VAULT to join the celebration!

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From Meghan Mehan Photography…Ashley and Kevin’s wedding took place at the Rengstorff House, a beautiful venue whose humble property gives way for a romantic backyard wedding. Their celebration was designed elegantly and intimately and incorporated a wonderfully prepared family-style meal that was shared amongst their closest family and friends. Everything about their wedding was simple and thoughtful, right down to the details. The ceremony took place in the side yard of the house, nestled amongst gorgeous trees with golden light shining through. The groom’s mother did a reading during the ceremony, and the couple’s friend sang a beautiful rendition of Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love.’ Cocktail hour took place on the front lawn, and then guests were seated at three long tables in the backyard for dinner. It was the most perfect, end of summertime affair with the couple sharing a meal with their guests outside in the late light of August, followed by dancing on the patio beneath string lights.

Photography: Meghan Mehan | Event Planning & Design: Lorelle Events | Floral Design: Sickle And Seed | Wedding Dress: Rue De Seine | Cake: Decorated By Cami | Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Fogcutter SF | Hair + Makeup: Kelly Jones Makeup | DJ: Big Fun DJs | Ceremony Music: San Francisco Conservatory Of Music | Venue: Rengstorff House | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab

When it came time to select their wedding location, this couple worked backwards. They knew they wanted photographs that would stand the test of time, and Colorado-based Lisa O’Dwyer was just the right vendor to capture. What followed was an incredible wedding day at The Broadmoor, celebrating both American and Indonesian cultures, and you can dive into each bit inside The Vault.

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From The Bride…I was overjoyed when Kai proposed on Christmas day, but the timing for planning a wedding couldn’t be any worst. I was in Missouri as a first year medical student while Kai was in graduate school in Michigan. We knew that our biggest obstacle to plan this wedding is to match our hectic schedule. Kai and I were having trouble deciding where should we have our wedding. I had the unconventional idea to compile a list of wedding photographers whose work I admired. I told Kai, “Here, look through the list and imagine which photography you want to show our kids and grandkids many years later. Wherever that photographer is based on, that will be where we are having our wedding.”

That was how we chose Lisa O’ Dwyer as our first vendor and Colorado as our location. Lisa’s work and attentiveness really didn’t disappoint. Her focus was not only in capturing beautiful photographs, but she cared about our wedding as if she was a good friend brainstorming about wedding ideas with us. Lisa was also the one who introduced us to our wedding planner, Isabelle Kline Designs, whose work was as spectacular as hers.

We chose September as our date because it fell on my school’s fall break. Kai’s mother suggested to have it on the 26th because it was supposedly a good number for us according to the Chinese tradition. However, we also realized that we won’t have any honeymoon since the next day Kai had to fly to Alaska and I had to go back to Missouri.

Our dream honeymoon had always been traveling to Europe. We chose The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs because of that European feel and the fact that they paid attention to every detail, from the decor, the food, and top notch service. We decided to do a Brunch wedding because of that picturesque backdrop of the mountain and the lake in the early morning, perfect for sipping morning coffee or a mimosa. Planning a wedding from another state would not be possible without Isabelle’s help. Her inspiration for the decor was our wedding invitation that my mother had custom made for us from Indonesia. We also wanted to incorporate our tradition and love for travel as a part of the wedding detail.

For instance, having tin can of TWG tea from Singapore as part of the Sweetheart table or having travel pouch filled with personalized fortune cookies as our wedding favors. Instead of a guests book, our guests wrote their wishes in origami paper which we made into wall art paper cranes to symbolize good luck. In Indonesian culture, wedding cake was always tall and grand (sometimes as tall as the ceiling) so that the couple looked up to their bright future as they were cutting the cake. However, our baker could not put fake layers to our cake. So, Isabelle found the tallest bar table there was, decorated it with orchids, and voila! I got my dream cake! Not only that, she also somehow found a way to create us an arch despite our budget.

When Isabelle said that wedding day would go by so fast, boy! was she right! The day before, we practiced our first dance for the first time, created a seating chart and put together welcome gifts for out of town guests with my bridesmaids. We wrote our vows at 3 am on the wedding day and never been so glad to be able to pull off an all nighter for 7 days straight (Being a student really help with the no sleeping thing). Nevertheless, our guests was truly entertained despite waking up early on the weekend. They enjoyed the mini doughnuts and the coffee before the ceremony.

They also loved the twist that we put on our wedding timeline, such as having an Indonesian dancer performed before we walked down the aisle and the string quartet that played top hits music, like One Direction. I decided to write our experience planning the wedding into a parody of Taylor Swift’s song, Blank Space because Kai loves Taylor Swift. The icing of the cake was having two of my best friends as my bridesmaid, especially one of them just had a baby the week before. We were thankful on how smooth our wedding was and we could not have done it without the help of everyone in our wedding.

Photography: Lisa O'Dwyer Photography | Cinematography: Andrew Nease Video | Wedding Dress: Ysa Makino | Invitations: Ken's Collections | Favors: Fine Souvenir | Groom's Attire: Armani | Ceremony Music: Masterful Musicians | Venue: The Broadmoor | Bridal Boutique: Dimitra's Bridal Couture | Event Planning, Floral Design + Decor: Isabelle Kline Design | Salon: Salon JoA

When it comes to inspiration for a serene winter white wedding, look no further than this gorgeous editorial photographed by the talented Jody Savage Photography. With stunning wintery flowers, soft gray candles and glass candlesticks on every inch of the table and blush tones scattered throughout, there is truly nothing more beautiful. See every pretty detail in THE VAULT!

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From Jody Savage Photography…Winter white and soft serene wedding inspiration was the vision for this shoot and it was brought to life with countless of our Midwest’s very best vendors. We wanted to impress the wedding world with french-style chairs, an elegantly distressed harvest table and greens cascading from above. We also wanted to highlight Rudy’s rentals as they have every thing for every need and dream a bride may envision for her magical day.

Photography: Jody Savage Photography | Event Planning: Jill Elaine Designs | Floral Design: Ashley Fox Designs | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes | Stationery: Jill Elaine Designs | Engagement Ring: RF Moeller | Hair + Makeup: Hayley Sachs | Venue: Rudy's Event Rentals | Bridal Boutique + Veil: l'atelier couture bridal boutique | Dishware: Anthropologie | Flatware And Glassware: Apres Party And Tent Rental | Model: Caryn Model Talent And Management | Rentals: Rudy's Event Rentals | Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic | Ring Box: The Mrs Box | Velvet In Stationery Suite: Velvet Raptor

Having met my fiance at university, this story of two Villanova grads who met at school warms my heart. The two married at Villanova’s chapel by none other than the president of the university! This beautiful blush wedding captured by Krista Jones is full of Croatian traditions like rosemary sprigs and ribbon dancing is full of love, happiness, and so much more. See more in THE VAULT!

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From The Bride…We met at Villanova as undergrads so we knew that the St. Thomas of Villanova chapel on campus was the only place we could envision saying I do! We were lucky enough that the president of the university agreed to say our wedding mass which made it extra special for us and all of our fellow alumni in attendance. We hand made and calligraphed our invitations, including the save-the-dates which featured a custom oil painting of our church created by the groom’s artist aunt as a special wedding gift. We had the reception at the Duportail House, a gorgeous revolutionary war mansion in Valley Forge, which served as the inspiration for the french countryside decor complete with arrangements of gardens roses and dahlias in silver compotes, along with romantic candelabras.

From Krista A. Jones… The bride’s family is Croatian, so we incorporated many Croatian traditions from homemade rose liquors, to Croatian folk music during dinner, and of course, the pinning of rosemary sprigs with red, white, and blue ribbons to the lapels of all 50 of our guests for good luck! We also served a Wall Street themed cocktail list as both the groom and bride were former investment bankers. The day was made extra special by the fact that it was also the groom’s parents 34th wedding anniversary!

Photography: Krista A. Jones Photography | Floral Design: Fresh Designs Florist | Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia | Cake: The Master's Baker | Ceremony Venue: Villanova University | Reception Venue: Duportail House | Jewelry: Borsheims | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Donna Morgan | Catering: Perfect Setting Catering | Hair + Makeup: Beautiful Brides Philly | DJ: Silver Sound | Table Numbers & Signs: Sweet Carolina Collective

Close your eyes and imagine marrying in the beyond beautiful South of France… and now open your eyes and see it all right here before you, because it’s all actually real. These two said “I do” at her parent’s summer home, overflowing with bright light, blooms and smiles, thanks to the talents of D’amour et de déco and some super pretty creations by Nice Plume. Sebastien Hubner captured it all – find this goodness and more in our VAULT right this way!

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From the Bride… We had been together for twelve years when we decided to get married. We were spending the weekend in Biarritz, in the South of France. At sunset, we sat on top of a cliff to enjoy the amazing view and that is the moment he picked to propose. I will forever remember this sunset as the most beautiful one I have ever seen.

We decided to get married in my parents’ summer house in the South of France, near Nice. We wanted a personal, romantic, and intimate wedding and that was the perfect location. However it was quite challenging to organize a wedding in a house that is not supposed to be a wedding venue. It was a lot of work but in the end we managed it perfectly, and we found extremely talented people to help us, such as Vanessa and Mathilde from D’amour et de Déco who really did an amazing work with all the flowers.

When starting to plan the wedding, researching a photographer was one of the first thing we did. It was extremely important to us to find the right photographer, the one that would capture all the memories of this very special day in an authentic and beautiful way. When we looked at Sebastien’s portfolio we immediately fell in love with the beauty and the softness of his pictures. Sebastien arrived at the venue a few hours before the wedding. And from that moment until the end of the wedding, Sebastien’s presence was like a gift. We will never forget his soft and soothing presence, his kindness, his smile, and his great professionalism. Thanks to his incredible discretion he really captured natural pictures of us, our family and friends. Asking Sebastien to work on our wedding was definitely one of the best decisions we made. We couldn’t be happier with the way our pictures turned out. Every picture captures the emotions of our wedding in the most beautiful way.

In terms of emotions, the highlight of the day was the ceremony in the garden. We wanted our ceremony to be personal and intimate. We spent weeks preparing it. Every detail had to be an authentic reflection of our personalities and love: from the songs we picked, to the flowers we chose, from the readings we selected to the vows we had written to each other. From the beginning of the ceremony until the end the emotion was incredibly high. I think that all our guests felt they were part of a very special moment in our lives. It is something we will remember forever.

Preparing a wedding is wonderful but it can also be extremely stressful. Keep in mind that the most important thing is that you will get to marry the love of your life, surrounded by the people that you love and that love you in return. If you are a control freak (like me) prepare as much as you want before the wedding, but on D-day just let it go and enjoy your day!

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Peruse more inspiring French weddings here!

Photography: Sebastien Hubner | Cinematography: Alex Chevalier Films | Event Design: D'amour et de Deco | Wedding Dress: Celestina Agostino | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Makeup: Sophie Killian | Calligraphy: Nice Plume | Band: Trio Jocker | Groom's Attire: De Fursac | Venue: At Home | Photography - Assistance: Jeremy Ferrero

A ballroom wedding in Boston is the gold standard in my book as is, but add in a dash of Southern style from good ole’ Austin and we have a classic celebration that’s been fabulously upgraded. Rachel Red captured the whole shindig from the “I do’s” at Beantown’s King’s Chapel to dancing the night away thanks to The Hub – see every chic second in our VAULT right this way!

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From the Bride… We currently live in Austin, Texas, but I’m from Boston and knew that’s where I’d want to celebrate our wedding. For the groom’s family, and many of our friends, this would be a destination wedding and there’s really no better city in which to spend a June weekend (and escape the Texas heat). Many of our local guests even turned the weekend into a staycation.

We were so fortunate to be married at King’s Chapel, a historic church, which predates the American Revolution. Our reception was held at the Omni Parker House, a beautiful hotel with an incredibly rich Boston history. The hotel offered everything we needed: a classic rooftop ballroom and a home base for the weekend’s festivities located right on the Freedom Trail with easy access to the city’s attractions.

We had a nighttime wedding in the city, so we went with classic tuxes for the guys. The bridesmaids wore chiffon dresses in a nude pink color. Not realizing it at the time, I chose the same color my mother’s bridesmaids wore thirty-five years earlier.

Since our ceremony and reception would be indoors, we decided to take our photos in the Public Garden. The picture of our wedding party in front of the Swan Boats is priceless to me.

The church and reception space were very traditional. To infuse a bit of nature into our formal indoor setting, we chose natural floral arrangements, with lots of greenery. I really embraced planning the little details – from our wedding stationery suite, to the place cards, to our welcome bags with vintage city maps and gummy lobsters, to our ceremony music.

Of course the most fun part of our wedding was having all of our family and friends in one place. We especially enjoyed our band, “The Hub.” Our own wedding being the twenty-fifth wedding my husband and I attended together, we’ve seen some great bands. However, our own band just blew us away. They had the dance floor packed all night, and gave us a party we’ll never forget. We were off to Hawaii the next morning with sore feet and great memories!

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Peruse more New England weddings here!

Photography: Rachel Red Photography | Floral Design: Cedar Grove Gardens | Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander | Cake: Montilio's | Invitations: Lucky Luxe Couture Correspondence | Stationery: P.S. Design Co. | Ceremony Venue: King's Chapel | Reception Venue: Omni Parker House | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Watters | Hair + Makeup: Inde Salon | Band: Wilson Stevens | Bridal Boutique: Melange Bridal

This day is peppered with moments like this and this and this that easily remind me of why I love waking up to Style Me Pretty everyday. Beaming smiles, verges of tears and pure newlywed excitement. Mint Photography captured that wedding glow in this Sonoma soiree so perfectly, as they do. It’s why we love ’em and it’s why we can’t get away from their images freshly added to THE VAULT.

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From Mint Photography…Shelby and Matt had a gorgeous fall wedding at the amazing Sonoma Golf Club. They started off their day at the Fairmont where they did a first look along with a devotional and it was one of the sweetest moments we’ve seen. From the first look to the ceremony to the late night partying and exit in a vintage fire truck…this couple was beyond sweet and fun, and we couldn’t be happier to have been a part of it. We enjoyed being able to capture these sweet memories in one of the most beautiful places we’ve photographed so far!

Photography: Mint Photography | Coordination: Laurie Noble | Floral Design: Sonoma Flowers | Makeup: Hilary Buecher | Hair: Peace N Beauty Salon | Venue: Sonoma Golf Club | Alterations: Christina Vanni | Photography Assistance: Kate Anfinson Photography

If you have yet to discover your wedding style, take a second get the inspiration wheels turning in The Vault. And if you happen to find yourself falling into the rustic, organic, woodland, or whimsical camp? Well, this wedding is most certainly for you. Thanks to Karen Hill for the gorgeous images that we’ll be pinning All. Day. Long.

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From Karen Hill Photography…Hanna and Jacob knew they would be married, it was just a matter of when. After dating for years and a romantic proposal, they set the date for May 2015. They chose a mountain inn set amidst 250 acres of preserved forest land for the beauty of the location and it’s resemblance to a very Swedish setting.

The bride is Swedish, she grew up there and the Onteora Mountain House with it’s high-ceilinged wooden pavilion, reminded her of her childhood and long summer days in Sweden. It was important to have it as a destination and on a long weekend so their guests and the Swedes making the long trip could enjoy the weekend and come to their wedding. Hanna’s vision for their wedding was an elegant yet rustic setting, beautiful and relaxed with a very loose organic feel. The flowers they chose were soft in color with bursts of bright color, with an assortment of brass candlesticks with tapered candles and a blue grass band, with a few Swedish traditions thrown in, the setting was complete.

The brides father made jelly from Lingonberries from his yard in Sweden as favors. Weeks earlier, the couple buried a bottle of Bourbon at the inn to unearth on their wedding day and share it with the bridal party. The toasts continued into the evening and included singing Swedish folk songs with childhood friends and family singing along.

What was most important to Hanna and Jacob was to share their happiness with their friends and families on their wedding day in a beautiful setting. It was a blast!

Photography: Karen Hill Photography | Event Planning: Lovely Day Styling | Event Planning: Merren Events | Floral Design: Putnam And Putnam | Wedding Dress: Lela Rose | Stationery: Shannon Kirsten Illustration | Make-up: Alexandria Gilleo | Hair: Salon 52 Hair Studio | Band: Annie And The Hedonists | Venue: Onteora Mountain House | Table Numbers: Sweet Carolina Collective

We’re only eight days into 2016, but I guarantee you this Bride’s Watters wedding gown will be making our best dressed list at the end of the year. Sexy, feminine and gorgeous, the deep-V lace dress is the crowning jewel to this beautiful garden wedding. From the fashion to the details, there’s so much pretty from Julia Elizabeth Photography waiting for you in THE VAULT!

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From Julia Elizabeth Photography… Val and Carly were a pleasure to work with from day one. Incorporating their families into all aspects of the day, it was obvious from the start how important family is to these two. The whole day was full of little details both thoughtful and beautiful. Carly gifted each of her bridesmaids with earrings which she displayed on a delicate stand. They wore matching robes and laughed all morning together as they got ready at the Crossed Keys Inn. Carly looked incredible in her long-sleeved Watters gown and she wore her grandmother’s engagement ring as part of her look. The bridesmaids wore mix-matched dresses which came together perfectly. Close by Val was with his family and groomsmen made up of brothers and friends from high school. Val wore the same watch his father wore on his wedding day and gifted his groomsmen with socks from their hometown of Summit, NJ (also my hometown)!

Once Carly and Val saw each other for the first time the day really took off (with a few tears here and there). We took beautiful portraits walking around the venue which was full of greenery and gorgeous flowers – the ideal setting for a Summer wedding. The rest of the day flew by as they were surrounded by their close family and friends as they shared their own vows. The reception set up in the tent was gorgeous with dahlias and greenery running down each farm table. The party started right after the ceremony and carried through the rest of the evening ending with a gorgeous sparker exit.

From The Bride…Val was raised in Switzerland as a native French speaker, but he moved to my hometown in New Jersey when he was 10. He was three grades older than me, so we didn’t cross paths until I was a freshman in high school (and he was a senior!). We quickly became friends but both went our separate ways for college. Our mutual hometown kept us coming back together during college breaks, but it was never the right time for either of us to pursue anything more than a friendship. Then on Thanksgiving Eve six years ago, as I was prepping to leave for a spring semester abroad in Barcelona, we had a goodbye meal in Little Italy that changed everything. This neighborhood will always hold a special place in our hearts and is why we chose it for our engagement photos. NYC is where we fell in love, shared our first home together, and where Val eventually proposed in Washington Square Park.

Val and I had always envisioned a big outdoor wedding, surrounded by our families and friends. We found the Crossed Keys Inn during an online search and knew this was where we’d get married from the minute we stepped onto the property with our moms by our sides. Romantic, vintage, ivory, blush, and gold, with a few French touches here and there – the venue went perfectly with my inspiration.

We enlisted the help of Val’s uncle to marry us (he got ordained!) and he did the ceremony in both English and French. Val and I wrote our own vows and reciting them was probably my favorite part of the day. We kept our vows a secret from each other and were so excited to find out that we both mentioned our love for Taco Bell! Val’s grandparents were unfortunately not able to make the trip from Switzerland, so we had FaceTime going so that they wouldn’t miss a beat. Incorporating our families was so important to us, and the first thing we did after finding our venue was ask our nephews to act as ring bearers (or ring bears as they understood it). The boys pulled our six-month-old niece down the aisle in a decorated wagon and introduced me to the 200 guests who shared our special day with us.

I wore a long-sleeve ivory lace Watters dress that I’m honestly still more obsessed with by the day. Before I even got engaged, there was no question that I wanted a dress with sleeves. I never thought I’d actually find a dress that made me look and feel like the bride I always dreamed of being. I’m so fortunate to have the support in my life to make that dream come true. My seven bridesmaids each picked their own dress and we didn’t actually see them all together until the night before the wedding! The girls looked so perfect in their mismatched long dresses. Val chose a shawl-collared navy J.Crew tuxedo, which was complemented by an array of navy suits worn by his groomsmen. Val wore the same watch his father wore on his wedding day while I had a ring passed down from my great-grandmother.

After the ceremony, the band had the dance floor packed the rest of the evening. They learned a number of songs for us, starting with our first dance, and also the song I surprised my dad with for our father-daughter dance (it was my parent’s first dance from their wedding over 30 years ago!). We wrapped up the night with sparklers and s’mores, and then transported our guests in party buses to the after party.

People say their wedding was the best day of their lives, and now we can’t believe how lucky we are to honestly say that about our own!

Photography: Julia Elizabeth Photography | Cinematography: Saltwater Studios | Floral Design: Event Designs by Katherine | Wedding Dress: Watters | Invitations: Sweet Invitations | Engagement Ring: Optimal Innovative Solutions | Rings: Doyle And Doyle | Hair + Makeup: Melissa Daloia Co Luxury Hair Make Up | Band: The Story Tellers Of New York City | Groom's Attire: J.Crew | Venue: Crossed Keys Estate | Bridal Boutique: The Wedding Store At Liz Clinton

You’ve got the man of your dreams, a show-stopping sparkler, and now it’s time to hit the streets to find the gown you’ve always imagined. It’s a process that we want you to be prepared for, which is why we’ve asked our very own newlywed Editors to share their insider tips on how to find THE DRESS! From booking fittings to finding the perfect silhouette, we’ve got it all just waiting for you below!

Real Brides Dress Shopping Secrets

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Real Brides Dress Shopping Secrets

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Even more dress shopping tips below!

Tips for finding the perfect dress | 10 tips when shopping for your gown | SMP101 wedding dress shopping tips | Tips for out of town dress shopping

I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen such thoughtful, detailed, love-filled reflections of family than at this Texas bash planned by Vintage&Lace Austin. From the Bride’s dances with all six of her brothers to the collection of family wedding gowns, this summer celebration at Pecan Grove at Salt Lick BBQ, captured by Kate Anfinson and The Bird & The Bear, is what weddings are all about – more in the VAULT!

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From the Bride… As an owner of a wedding planning company I know what goes into a wedding. More importantly, I know great vendors that I completely trust! These vendors absolutely made my wedding day perfect with minimal stress. We selected Pecan Grove for our wedding venue. Not only do I work there often and enjoy the layout and staff, but the ceremony space under the trees is incredibly beautiful in its simplicity. We did have to work around wedding dates I already had scheduled to work for the year and September 12, 2015 ended up being the perfect date for us! The weather in Texas in the late summer can be very unpredictable, usually meaning very hot, but the weather on that Saturday was gorgeous! We had shade cover from the mature pecan trees and the sunlight peaking through the branches for beautiful lighting.

I see so many different styles and themes for weddings since I am in the industry, which actually made designing my own wedding very difficult! I thought about what Will and I really wanted – a fun party to celebrate our love with family and friends. Taking that as the main priority, I also knew I wanted a beautiful setting that fit our style. Will and I love being outside, so I wanted to make use of the outside space for the ceremony and bring the natural greens inside the pavilion for the reception with hints of soft colors in the blooms. I passed off most of the design details for floral to my florist and great friend, Gretchen with Petals, Ink. I completely trusted her judgement and she wowed me with her finished product! We took inspiration from my dress for the linen with rented dupioni linen for the round tables and then lace runners for the farm tables. I love gold, so we did all the accents with gold – vases, table numbers, signs, candle holders. We incorporated some beehive elements to the welcome area since Will and I both enjoy honey whiskey; in addition, “honey” is our primary term of endearment for each other. I punched out the escort cards in a hexagonal shape, rented a great beehive shelf from Bee Lavish, and then decorated it with elements and photos that represent the relationship between Will and I.

The memorial table was very special to us. I lost my mom as a young girl and Will lost his dad recently. I have also lost all my grandparents. We wanted to recognize those that couldn’t physically be there with us, but were there in our hearts. My dad’s sister actually mentioned she still had her mom’s (my grandmother’s) wedding dress if I wanted to use a piece of lace to pin on my dress. That made me come up with a unique idea to display the dress, my other grandmother’s dress, and my mom’s wedding dress by the table along with the photos. These women are such an important part of who I am and having their wedding dresses at my wedding warmed my heart.

I’m also one of seven children, and the only girl. So I wanted to incorporate my brothers who mean the world to me in our wedding day. I came up with the idea to do the father/daughter dance, but after roughly 30 seconds the song switched. I then danced with each brother from oldest to youngest to different songs I selected for each of them for various reasons for roughly 30 seconds each to make up what would usually be the length of one song. It turned out to be such a fun element on the wedding day!

Our wedding was filled with love, laughter, some sentimental tears, and an amazing group of people. We definitely had the fun party we set out to have along with a very special and sentimental ceremony. I can’t thank our loved ones and vendors enough for making it a day to always remember!

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More Southwest weddings here!

Photography: Kate Anfinson Photography | Cinematography: The Bird And The Bear | Event Planning: Vintage&Lace | Floral Design: Petals, ink. | Wedding Dress: Unbridaled | Cake: Sweet Treets Bakery | Hair + Makeup: Blu For Brides | DJ: Music Monarchs | Venue: The Salt Lick BBQ | Bridal Boutique: Unbridaled | Photo Booth: Wedding Booth | Rentals: Premiere Events | Vintage Rentals: Bee Lavish Vintage Rentals

Ever since Pantone announced Rose Quartz as one of their 2016 color predictions we kind of lost our minds. Because we swear that that this color was basically chosen for all of use at SMP, for not only does this pretty pink hue speak directly to our wedding loving hearts, but it just so happens that our galleries are overflowing with bouquets in the same color scheme. Inspired by the possibilities, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite blooms for your to browse, see them all below!

2016 Pantone Inspired Bouquets

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2016 Pantone Inspired Bouquets

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More Pantone Inspiration:

2016 Pantone Color Picks | Rose Quartz Pantone Wedding Inspiration

This prayer book has been carried by the women in the bride’s family on their wedding days since the 1800’s. It’s the kind of heirloom that makes our hearts swell, and the entire day planned by Laurie Arons perfectly follows suit. Starting with a stunning paper suite by Anticipate Invitations and calligraphy by Curlicue Designs and ending with an incredible celebration thanks in part to Zephyr Tents and Paula LeDuc. The wildly talented KT Merry told the story of the day, and you can peek at all her images inside The Vault.

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From The Bride…Rhys and I met 10 years ago on a snowy night in New York City. I was a 19-year-old student at Columbia and Rhys had recently graduated from Duke and moved to New York to work as an analyst at CitiGroup. We first encountered each other at the bar of an underground, candlelit nightclub that neither of us had ever been to before nor ever went back to (it’s long since closed). We left the club together, and as we were hailing a taxi, a truck drove by blasting dirty New York street slush all over us. Rhys gave me his coat and put his arm around me, and we hurried into a taxi together to warm up. And the rest is history. We had an instant connection, and in retrospect perhaps it was fate, but at the time we could never have imagined that 8 and a half years later we’d be walking down the aisle.

Rhys proposed 7 years later in the snow on New Year’s Day in Antarctica. It was the most spectacular, breathtaking proposal on a snow-covered mountainside at the end of the earth. That night as we made our way down the coast of Antarctica, the idea of getting married in Napa was brought up and we all knew that was the place to do it. Rhys and I go to Napa every year with my family and it’s become a very special place for us, and it just felt right. The perfect place to bring together all of our loves: food, wine, travel, the outdoors.

The wedding was a total dream. Our ceremony was held under an oak tree as the sun set behind the rolling hills in the distance – the sun was in my eyes behind Rhys’ head and it created a truly surreal, cinematic image as we said the vows we wrote for each other. There are many moments from my wedding that I will remember for the rest of my life – walking down the aisle on my parents’ arms carrying a prayer book that the women of my family have carried on their wedding days since the 1800s, hearing Rhys’ vows, our first dance which was performed by our best friends, my father’s speech that had everyone cracking up, dancing to late-90s hip hop with my best friend.

One of my favorite moments was right after the ceremony, Rhys and I snuck away with KT to take some photos in the vineyard at sunset. We were buzzing with excitement and energy and just overflowing with love and were so grateful for that quiet moment alone to revel in our happiness (and take some breathtaking photos).

Our favorite thing to do together is to travel, so when it came time to plan our honeymoon, we knew we had to go all out. After much debate, we landed on a safari in Kenya followed by diving in Seychelles. While the wedding was truly the best day of my life, it was on our honeymoon that I felt married for the first time. Especially when Rhys asked the lodge manager at Mahali Mzuri if we could keep the Masai warrior rubber ducky that came in our room for our future children.

We wanted to give something back as a part of our honeymoon. We discovered that the safari lodge where we stayed in northern Kenya, supported a local school, and so we reached out to the owner of the lodge to see if there was anything we could do to help. We came up with a plan to bring an individual solar-powered light to every family in the school – about 250 lights – so that the children wouldn’t have to rely on expensive and extremely dangerous kerosene lamps to study after dark. We thought Rhys was going to speak with a small class of the older students about the importance of solar electricity, but when we arrived at the school, the whole town had turned up for a massive celebration. We were in awe, I mean truly floored, and the outpouring of gratitude and love from this community. Passing out the solar lights and meeting the children and their families was one of the absolute best moments of our honeymoon, and helped set the tone for our marriage – we can’t wait to spend a life together seeing the world and giving back to it in any way that we can.

Photography: KT Merry Photography | Event Planning: Laurie Arons Special Events | Floral Design: Kate Holt Creative | Wedding Dress: Carolina Herrera | Cake: Perfect Endings | Invitations: Anticipate Invitations | Rings: Mayfair Rocks | Catering: Paula LeDuc Fine Catering & Events | Hair + Makeup: Mimi & Taylor Salon | Calligraphy: Curlicue Designs Calligraphy | Lighting: Illusions Lighting | Groom's Attire: Armani | Venue: Z Modern Estate | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Place Cards: Paper Tangent | Tent Rentals: Zephyr Tents

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

KT Merry Photography

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Laurie Arons Special Events

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Kicking off the new year in style?  We’re all about it.  Which is why we’re diving head first into the newest designs from the always-fabulous Riley & Grey.  Think seriously stunning, totally unique and completely customizable wedding websites that are as easy to use as they are stop you in your tracks pretty.  Happy 2016?  Yes… yes, indeed.

With Riley & Grey, setting the tone for your Big Day has never been more gorgeous… or more simple. From their never-ending list of modern + fresh designs to their ah-mazing hands-on customer service, each Riley & Grey website is beyond easy to use AND set-up, so you don’t have to spend valuable wedding planning time struggling with a standard website builder to achieve the look you want. Plus, Riley & Grey offers a mobile, app-like experience that doesn’t require a download, which means easy access for all of your nearest and dearest… something they will seriously appreciate.  Oh, and did I mention that you can change your design at any time?  Sooo awesome.

Whether you’re saying “I do” on a sophisticated rooftop overlooking Manhattan or in a beautiful garden on the hilltops of Napa Valley, Riley & Grey has a design that is perfect for you and your Big Day.  From their glamorous golden foil-inspired looks to designs that scream vintage pretty.  Not to mention their drop-dead gorgeous lineup of coordinated digital and printed invitations, a little something spectacular that will keep your wedding looking sooo beautiful… all the way down to the RSVP’s.

Can’t wait to create your very own Riley & Grey masterpiece?  We don’t blame you.  Head to their website NOW to peruse their stunning designs and begin your journey towards the prettiest wedding website you will ever lay your eyes upon.

Every Bride wants to look flawless on her wedding day and Mar of TEAM Hair And Makeup is here to show us how. Because no one knows makeup quite like this powerhouse of pretty and we’ve asked her to share her top 10 tips on bridal beauty. From fresh flawless skin, to bold lasting lips, press play to find out everything you need to know about how to look your best on the big day!

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Bridal Hair & Makeup Ideas

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Bridal Hair & Makeup Ideas

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10 Makeup Tips For Your Wedding Day

ONE | Always start your makeup with a well hydrated face.

TWO | Make sure you’re finding the perfect primer for you skin type.

THREE | Choose a foundation that’s either water-based or silicon based.

FOUR | Use shadows that have good pigment in them.

FIVE | Always dust your face with a setting powder when you’re completing your wedding day look.

SIX | Wearing more makeup for your wedding day is a complete myth.

SEVEN | Try and test lip shades, there are thousands of colors out there — go out and play!

EIGHT | Add lashes!

NINE | Have your eyebrows professionally done

TEN | Less is more!

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This way for more Beauty Tips!

The Ultimate Bridal Beauty Checklist | Wedding Day Beauty with Molly Sims | How to Find Your Dream Bridal Beauty Team

Truth be told, my favorite kind of DIYs are the super easy ones that have big impact. You know the ones. Where it looks like you’ve a complete crafting genius, but deep down, you know you could do it with a glass of wine in your hand. And when you can turn an ordinary Ikea table into a entry piece that wows with just some paint and gold leaf (our favorite), you know you’ve got one seriously good, yet seriously easy, ikea hack on your hands.

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Ikea desk
Gloss black spray paint
1 pack gold leaf
Gold leaf adhesive
Small foam brush
Painter’s tape
Sealant

Spray paint the desk top and legs black in several light coats. Let dry 2 hours.

Tape a line of painter’s tape in a ring around the foot of each leg, about 7” from the edge of the bottom of the leg.

Lay the legs on the cardboard box. Paint a light coat of gold leaf adhesive around the foot of each leg. Let dry 15 minutes.

When the legs are slightly tacky to the touch, gently press on gold leaf sheets to cover the entire foot of each leg. If there are spots missed, just press on more leaf. Press gently and brush off any excess gold leaf.

Brush a thin coat of sealant over the gold feet and let dry ½ hour.

Remove the painter’s tape. Assemble the table according to Ikea instructions, leaving out the drawer.

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Prop credits: Basket: Eliza Gran Studio | Rug: West Elm

Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography | Design & Styling: SMP Living | Event Planning: West Elm | Event Planning: Amazon | Basket: Eliza Gran Studio | Decor: Ikea

There are brides who totally rock the DIY, and then there is this bride.  A seriously stunning graduate of the French Culinary Institute who not only had one epic vision for her big day (think rustic romance meets ranch glam), but took it upon herself to also bake.the.cake.  Yep… she’s as awesome as you think. And her wedding day captured by The Edges Wedding Photography and planned to perfection by Vibrant Events is, well… all sorts of amazing.  See it in THE VAULT right this way.

And a sweet film from Forward Motion that will totally make your day…

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/153997049 600 338]

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From the Bride… When my fiancé and I started planning our wedding, we’d just recently moved to San Francisco from the East Coast, where nearly all our friends and family reside. We decided that if our guests flew all the way across the country for our wedding, we wanted them to have a real wine country experience and show off everything Northern California has to offer. Sonoma was an easy choice because of its proximity to San Francisco, and its unpretentious, laid back, authentic vibe. When we first visited Beltane Ranch at the suggestion of our wedding planner Corina, we immediately fell in love with it and knew it would be our spot. Beltane just has the most gorgeous, magical light that makes everything feel super special. We loved the history of the property, and how authentic everything felt there. The old trees draped in moss, the beautiful historical yellow home, and the stunning vineyard views sealed the deal, and we put our names down for the last available wedding date on our first visit.

In planning our wedding, Corina our wedding planner guided us through the multitude of choices, and was instrumental in creating our Sonoma wedding weekend. She has a knack for knowing what you want before you can even articulate it, and balanced all our families’ opinions and needs seamlessly. She was a real bright spot in our year of wedding planning, always ready with a solution and her contagious laugh that always lightened the mood. She helped us create a wedding weekend filled with amazing local food, fun live music, fantastic California wines, and all the small, thoughtful, bespoke details we’d hoped for.

My husband and I chose to do a first look on our wedding day, which I’d definitely suggest to anyone planning their own wedding. My nerves before that moment were though the roof, but once we saw each other, nerves gave way to excitement and the rest of the day was just pure joy.

As a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, I’d always dreamed of baking my own wedding cake. I loved the personalized element it would add to our wedding, and the wonderful story I knew it would become for my husband and I. When I told people of my DIY wedding cake plans, nearly everyone told me I was crazy! A lot of research, lots of thoughtful planning, and only a few moments of self doubt where I did indeed feel crazy, led up to my homemade wedding cake that was entirely worth it. It definitely wasn’t perfect, but it was beautiful and delicious, and very meaningful.

Our wedding day was filled with dozens of special small moments, but seeing our friends and family, who’d traveled across the country, and some from half way around the world just for our wedding, really made the whole day feel extra special. The love packed into that day was almost overwhelming, and my husband and I reveled in it for weeks after. We decided to go with a family style menu for our dinner, and that was a real highlight for us and for our guests. Sage catering put together an incredible local, seasonal menu for us, and everyone raved about the gorgeous dishes. The family style meal really helped set the tone for the night, and felt very “California” to our East Coast guests. As the sun set across the vineyard and light filtered through the mossy trees, everyone just pinched themselves because it all looked so stunning.

The best advice I received as a bride came from a close family friend who’d recently gotten married. She told me to look out at our guests during the ceremony, and just soak up that rare, special moment with all our favorite people. I looked out several times throughout our ceremony, and it really helped me revel in that moment, and see the love that surrounded us.

For other couples planning a wedding, we’d definitely advise working with a planner, at least for the day of your wedding. Everything goes by in a split second, and having a professional there ensuring everything runs smoothly truly is invaluable. And make sure you love your planner, because you’ll spend more time with them than almost anyone else! We’d also suggest picking your battles. Pick five main things for your wedding that are the most important to you, and fight for those five things. Everything else is background, and stressing about each minute detail will drive you crazy, and take the fun out of this special time.

Photography: The Edges Wedding Photography | Cinematography: Forward Motion Production | Event Planning + Design: Vibrant Events | Floral Design: La Fleuriste | Wedding Dress: Liancarlo | Cake: The Bride | Stationery: DiSanto Designs | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Rings: Union Street Goldsmith | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Weddington Way | Catering: Sage Catering | Hair + Makeup: Wallett | DJ: Dave Tutton | Groom's Attire: Kenneth Cole Reaction | Officiant: Rev. Dr. Joe Indano | String Quartet: San Francisco Conservatory Of Music | Venue: Beltane Ranch | Bridal Boutique: Marina Morrison | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Photo Booth: Say Ya Photobooth

Can someone please pinch me, because I’m pretty much convinced that this gallery a la Jessica Gold Photography has got to be a dream (it’s just that good!). From the soft pairing of dreamy whites with elegant details, this inspiration is sure to be the ultimate browse. A romantic yet understated vision that is perfectly translated, we invite you to witness every darling detail in THE VAULT!

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From Jessica Gold Photography…After discovering our mutual love for the White Sparrow, it didn’t take long for us to become absolutely inspired. When we dreamed of this project, we wanted to incorporate the subtle beauty of the barn into the overall vision. We wanted to embrace the barn’s romance, and simplistic appeal. We drew inspiration from the venue’s dreamy whites and adorned the table with a subtle color palette, romantic, lush florals, and simple yet personal place settings. We love the personalized name plates created by Wondrous Whimsy, and their unique touch. Our vision was to create a scene that was romantic yet understated, focusing on beauty of the venue and it’s beautiful outdoor space as well. We chose details that played well with the location, such as the gorgeous greenery arc created by Oh Deery Floral which provided a lovely frame for our tablescape and couple. As for our bride, we love her flowing blush gown, and the color contrast it creates between our lady and the white background of the venue. Along with her hair adornment from BHLDN, her elegant beauty resembles the overall vision.

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See even more head-turning trends here!

Photography: Jessica Gold Photography | Floral Design: Oh Deery Floral | Invitations: Wondrous Whimsy | Hair + Makeup: Beauty And The Blush | Venue: The White Sparrow | Event Planning + Styling: The Daily Romantics | Rentals: Propmaker Event Rentals | Table Settings: Anthropologie