Style Me Pretty: Wedding Blog for the Style-Obsessed Bride

Vibrant, Spanish-Inspired Wedding Inspiration

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Garden Weddings

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Whimsical

From Amanda… I was so honored to be a part of Kate and Jeff’s colorful summer wedding at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens in Chapel Hill. Kate and Jeff were blessed with a gorgeous summer day. It started off with the girls having mani-pedis at Mina’s Studio. Then, everyone gathered at the gardens for an afternoon of photos followed by a sweet and intimate ceremony. During the cocktail hour guests were entertained with bluegrass music from The Happy Valley Pals and enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres from The Catering Company of Chapel Hill. There were so many fun details incorporated throughout the evening! There were bicycles (they met at a bike shop), pinwheel escort cards, a DIY photo booth, and ribbon wands for a fun and colorful send off.

From Rebecca Ames Photography… Kate and Jeff’s wedding was spectacular and just screamed out whimsical summer. It almost reminded me of a Bohemian Summer Fair with the pinwheels and the colorful photo booth. I loved how they incorporated bicycles into the programs, invitations and thank you gifts. They also made sure to make the wedding eco-friendly by using recycled papers and natural products. ! They even had a ring warming ceremony that was very heart warming. I also really loved how they had a farm table at the reception. What a nice touch Finally, they had a grand exit with homemade colorful ribbon streamers.

Elisabeth Carol Photography is producing some serious pretty today by way of this stunning, spanish-inspired shoot from the Taylor Lord & ,Jess Barfield workshop, and it’s so good I want to kiss her for it. Styled to perfection by Lindsey Zamora, this gallery is beyond beyond. See it all here.

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Outdoor Weddings

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Maine Winter on the Farm Inspiration Shoot

From Elizabeth Carol Photography…This shoot is everything you could want in a spanish inspired wedding! From the vibrant colors to the eclectic spanish details. The shoot took place at the Jess Barfield & Taylor Lord Workshop in Dallas, TX. Lindsey Zamora came up with the concept and style. She made everything come together beautifully to reflect the beautiful spanish culture!

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Reem Acra

Spring 2015

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I’m not quick to admit it, but I sort of love winter. Even the snowiest ones (actually the snowier the better in my book). And let me tell you, if this winter looks anything like this gorgeous shoot from Carrie Pellerin, Flour! and Daisies & Pearls – I would never want it to end. See why here.

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Winter Weddings

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Rustic Weddings

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Russian Wedding meets Southern Charm

Description from Sarah Goodwin of Daisies & Pearls…A wedding is the perfect way to add sparkle to the long grey days of a Maine winter. A sprawling farmhouse with its rustic barn in the mountains of New England is the backdrop for this elegant winter wedding styled shoot.

The color palette of blush, champagne and soft green complements, while polished silver elements harmoniously contrast the primitive white washed exposed post interior of the barn. An invitation suite adds shimmer reminiscent of the blanket of glistening white just outside the sliding barn doors.

The bride in layers of blush tulle and her groom in grey wool say “I Do” at an altar lined with silver lanterns. She holds a bouquet of amaryllis, anemone, tulip, hydrangea, dusty miller and berries.

A beautiful farm table of shining merriment awaits the couple inside under the barn’s wrought iron and crystal chandelier. The table is decorated with a Chevron sequin table runner topped with a birch log trough filled with lovely blooms. Mercury glass votives create candlelight ambience. Silver dinnerware and flatware add even more sparkle. The table is flanked by crystal Chiavari chairs draped with garland of greens. A woodsy antler displays the table number. The stair leading to the barn’s loft is cascaded with mercury glass and candlelight.

A pink champagne tower of delight is enjoyed in the farmhouse’s conservatory before savoring a cake of silvery quilting and blushing ruffles. Afterwards the couple sneaks away for some fun in the winter wonderland with their pup.

Mix a touch of Russian tradition with the charm of the south, and apparently you get what every girl’s dreams are made of. This GORGEOUS 10-guest affair brought to us by Gigi Noelle Events is overflowing with soft tones, romantic ambiance, and beautiful blooms. Looking to get lost in a fairytale? Thanks to Pasha Belman Photography, you can do just that right here.

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Charming DIY Holman Ranch Wedding

From Gigi Noelle Events…I first met with this sweet couple when they came to visit Litchfield Plantation, which is in Pawley’s Island, SC, when they were looking for a wedding venue. I instantly knew I would love working with them when Robertas informed me that his bride to be spoke little English, but that he would be able to share her vision of her dream wedding.

Only 10 guests were to be in attendance and all were from other countries. During our first meeting with the couple we chatted about which vendors would be a perfect fit! We are very fortunate to have a Russian photographer in Myrtle Beach and we knew Pasha Belman and his wife would not only be able to communicate and understand their vision but could create beautiful and amazing pictures. Our second thought was to find a Russian priest to conduct the ceremony. Unfortunately, this was not to be, although we did find a minister, who with a few short lessons online, was able to speak a part of the ceremony in their native language. This was a special surprise for their parents, who spoke very little English but were able to understand when their children said “I do”!

It was very important for Polinas to have her bridal bouquet match a silk bouquet her Mother had made. Little did we know that when we created a bouquet filled with fragrant peonies and beautiful roses that it would perfectly match the Ukrainian headpiece her mother brought along with her custom design wedding gown from Russia.

Designing for the couple was easy. They loved The Plantation because of the 240 year history, the dreamy landscape and the quietness of the rice fields. Polinas asked for something romantic, soft, vintage and very pretty. We knew instantly that we would need to include lots of beautiful flowers, a gorgeous tablescape and lots of candles. With such a breathtaking venue, we knew that we could only enhance it.

A tent frame was erected and then draped with sheer white fabric. Polinas love of candlelight and café lighting added to the ambiance. A round table with 10 chevre chairs was placed under a crystal chandelier. We added beautiful flowers in soft shades of pink and cream, pink and gold candleholders, birdcages and designer china and crystal. Menu cards were tucked into the linen napkins. On the front side the menu was listed in English and on the back side in Russian.

A dessert table was designed with both a traditional wedding cake and a traditional Ukrainian cake specially ordered for the occasion. Although the table featured a silver tea service, the couple provided a silver Russian samovar (tea urn). The family also provided a variety of Russian candies and cookies featuring Oreshki, a cookie baked in a walnut mold, filled with Dulce de leche and traditional wedding spice cookies. Many shouts of “Gorko, Gorko” were heard throughout the night signaling that the bride and groom must kiss!

The couple ended the night by dancing to “Unforgettable”, by Nat King Cole under a crystal chandelier hung in a 300 year old oak tree overlooking the rice marsh. Robertas translated for Polinas the feelings she was unable to verbalize in English. She said that the night had been magical and dreamlike with everything she imagined making the memories of the night “Unforgettable”!

I have a sort of venue-crush (read: obsession) with Holman Ranch. It has set the scene for romance time after time. Today’s charmer from Jasmine Lee Photography done up DIY style is earthy, cozy and oh-so-lovely and it blends right in with the laid-back vibe, those gorgeously distressed stone walls and ah-mazing views. Head to the full gallery for more!

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London Calling 1st Birthday Party

From the beautiful Bride… Our wedding was almost entirely handmade, we had our families help out with creating many of the creative touches for the wedding. We wanted our wedding to reflect our personalities and create a truly memorable day for our guests. We began with a beautiful outdoor location for the ceremony at the Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley, CA and had our reception in the Ocean Avenue Room at the IL Fornaio Restaurant. Our venues set the mood for the wedding and we simply filled it with beautiful handmade accents.

My wedding dress was my own design and was handmade by a family friend. I also carved out the anchor stamp for the favor bags that were made by my mom with help from other family members. My favorite project for the wedding was creating the flower bouquets and the centerpieces, my dad made the flower boxes and then the rest of the family helped out making the flower arrangements. Aside from that, my brother made the cake signs and the chair signs, I painted the seating sign, and my parents helped collect decorative items to display at our reception.

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Wedding Dresses

BHLDN

Bridal 2016

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A birthday party truly fit for a tiny king (or queen!) White Door Events‘ London inspired 1st birthday party is the bees knees and then some. For the most dapper of tots, there is not a single element left unthought of. From that overflowing dessert table to the sweetest cake in all the land, we simply can’t get enough. With photos from Nisha Ravji, there is of course more, and I’m certain you want to be a part of it!

From White Door Events… A child’s first birthday party is always a milestone any parent wants to celebrate. It’s the first opportunity we have to commemorate our child’s birthday but for these clients, it was opportunity for them to say to all their friends and family ‘hey, I survived the first year!’. This made me chuckle but I completely got it! My client’s had long been ‘nomads’, travelling to wherever work would take them but at last they had come home to roost. London had called! And so it seemed rather fitting to produce a, you guessed it, London themed party. We are just slightly partial to letting our creativity run wild and this party was the perfect elixir for this.

We decided upon using some of London’s most iconic symbols to form the basis of our party design including London Guards, the classic Double Decker Bus, the red Telephone Box and, of course, the royal crown! The party styling centred, of course, around one of our iconic sweet tables which we designed in collaboration with Villa Dolce. Months were spent sourcing and making the right props and decorative items to adorn this party focal point. We had a custom made backdrop to help transform the venue and create texture to our sweet table. This was finished with a gold crown and two red telephone boxes to add a further dimension to the design. The sweet table itself had an array of delicious sweet treats including milk chocolate truffle, some gorgeous mini crown cupcakes and some sweetie jars that we decorated ourselves with ribbon and crowns. We also sourced some wonderful London guard sweetie tubes to complement the look. Our favourite treat was the custom made vintage frame choc pops complete with an edible London guard ‘painting’. We created some gorgeous drum containers to hold these and fit in with the overall styling. These were, we might add, carefully designed to compliment the bottom tier of the cake too (in case you hadn’t spotted it!) London guards stood proudly guarding the cake and were also the icon of choice to adorn the tags for the beautiful favour boxes we laid out for guests to fill with treats.

As a special treat, guests were also invited to ‘March On’ and help themselves to a themed pair of flip flip favours which were provided in a range of sizes for the kids of various ages that attended. One of our favourite design features were the bespoke place mats we made using a London print fabric which was imported (yes, you heard right) from the States. It really created a statement along the kid’s dining table and helped carry the theme through. Miniature London icons stood proudly in amongst the place mats to tie everything together… and also proved hany educational tools for the kids too whilst munching on their very English sandwiches and crisps! Lastly we used a combination of ‘double bubble’ balloons and giant balloons to add the festive touch – all of course in the Union Jack colours.

As far as first birthday parties go, this was one of our favourites ever and it had all the more meaning because the London theme was very personal to the parents and birthday boy. What a way to celebrate getting through the first year of parenthood too!

Jacquelyn Clark

Organic Style Netherlands Wedding

This wedding is a reminder that sometimes when plan A fall through, plan B is even better. It’s exactly what happened when Holly and Dirk’s library venue cancelled eight weeks before their day and happened upon a restored warehouse instead. It played backdrop to their organic indoor garden-style wedding, and the results from Anouschka Rokebrand and Ray Pluym are nothing short of stunning. See it all here.

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Byron Bay Cliff Top Wedding

From The Bride…Our dream wedding venue (an old library) fell through 8 weeks before our wedding day. Gutted and overwhelmed, we began the search for a new venue right away and we eventually chose an industrial building featuring exposed pipes, raw concrete and natural light. What I loved most about our venue was that the walls were painted partially in olive green, which I particularly liked and felt softened the rawness of the interior. The building was split level, so we used the ground level for the reception and dinner, and the upstairs area to get ready in. I had the entire space emptied out, and got to work creating a comfortable space in which my mum, bridesmaids, my little girl and I could get ready and share a few precious moments together on the morning of the wedding.

I selected a collection of stunning vintage pieces from FabriekNL, a Dutch company that specializes in the sourcing, restoration and sale of vintage and design classics. I chose a dainty little striped sofa in pistachio green, surrounded by cognac leather armchairs and sweet vintage chairs, with touches of brass coming through in the dressing and coffee tables. I added a few pieces from home, including the rug which was a wedding gift from my mother, and two marble topped coffee tables. I stuck to colour scheme of blush, olive, cream, pistachio and fig and the results were just what I had imagined.

From the get go we wanted to create a low key, relaxed setting reminiscent of a garden party. In The Netherlands, an outdoor celebration is highly impractical due to the weather so an indoor garden party it was going to be! At long tables dotted with candlelight and lined with jasmine, we would dine with all of our closest friends and family Italian family style, where wholesome, locally sourced produce, made into simple but delicious dishes were served in a relaxed, low-key manner. I purchased about 40 vintage and earthenware bowls from second hand stores around town for the dishes to be served in, and our fabulous caterers served clusters of amazing dishes along the tables. Because there would be a lot going on on the tables food wise, I wanted to keep the rest very simple and pared down.

For the tables, I created centerpieces from clusters of fine brass candlesticks which I sourced at Amsterdam based Hélène Millot Furnishings along with the most beautiful mismatched collection of silver and bone cutlery. I wanted to keep the rest organic and simple, but with the same femininity that flowed through the rest of the scheme. I paired simple white plates with biodegradable plates by VerTerra made from fallen palm leaves to give the tables an organic quality. On top of each wine glass was a little wooden skewer with blueberries and blackberries on it, and on each place setting there was a little home made rhubarb and orange preserve infused with cinnamon and fresh ginger. My bridesmaids all helped to craft the little fabric jam toppers of different colours and fabrics. Over the tables we strung up cafe lights, which gave the industrial space a touch of romance, which was a highlight.

Because I wanted an organic feel to the tables, I decided to make my own cotton voile table runners. But because our venue had been cancelled 8 weeks before the big day, and we had no idea where the wedding would be taking place, how many tables we would be needing, or what kind of layout we would be employing, I decided to buy an entire roll of fabric at the markets that was 19 meters in length and 3 meters in width and make 4 extremely long table runners to ensure we would have enough. I enlisted the help of two girlfriends and given the amount of wine that consumed on the evening we made them, they came out surprisingly straight! And then I thought I would test how much my bridesmaids love me by deciding to make 80 linen napkins from scratch two days before the wedding. And while they all shook their heads at me and called me crazy (and I’m sure the word Bridezilla popped up a few times, too), one amazing maid jumped to the rescue and together we pressed and sewed until all 80 were finished and it was five o’clock in the morning.

To help put it all together on the day, I enlisted the help of my friend Ciara O’Halloran from the blog Style Serendipity, an amazing stylist, to help put the tables together the day before the wedding and to take care of the finishing touches on the morning of the wedding while I was getting ready.

Our bouquets were a combination of olive, eucalyptus, pink jasmine, cow parsley that was gathered from the local forest by two of my bridesmaids the day before the wedding, the most dainty white forget-me-not’s and giant coral hued peonies. I wanted something loose with a slightly wild look to them, but still soft and feminine. The olive green tones of the bouquets worked particularly well with the colour of the walls of our industrial venue. Because I had quite a specific look in mind for the bouquets, I sourced the flowers myself and ended up gathering them from thee different florists locally as well as the local markets. Knowing I would be too busy the night before and the morning of the wedding, I enlisted the help of a friend to put the arrangements together, which she did beautifully.

It is very traditional for couples to marry at their local town hall in The Netherlands. While I dreamed of a garden ceremony, I couldn’t shake the moment I first laid eyes on the city hall in Delft when I first visited Dirk here in 2008. Dating back to 1620, it is a vast and elegant structure made from limestone and featuring quaint little shutters on all of the windows and stunning Renaissance detailing all over. It is quite breathtaking in fact, and I knew it would be an experience for both myself but also for the guests traveling from abroad to have our ceremony there. And that it was. We asked our mothers to present a few words during the ceremony, which they did beautifully and reduced us both to chin-wobbling, breath jerking tears.

From the start we knew we wanted to invest in a fabulous wedding photographer, and having worked with Anoushcka Rokebrand several times on editorial shoots, I knew in my heart she was the one for the job. She has produced the most stunning images for us, which we will forever treasure, along with our wedding video by Ray Pluym Cinematography.

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Sibo Designs

Spring/Summer 2014

Unveiled Spring/Summer 2013

2012

Spring / Summer 2015

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Swapping vows on a gorgeous cliff top with your loved ones circled close is probably as good as it gets. And lucky for us, SMPers, we’re getting an up-close peek at just that thanks to Ming Nomchong. She documented what might be the most perfect ceremony we’ve ever come across, and in case you want more it’s all waiting right here.

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Rustic Italian Wine Country Wedding at Tra Vigne

From The Bride…Being Byron Bay locals, we truly know the beauty of our surroundings as well as the talented people that fills it’s boarders. We hand choose everyone local and avoided everything wedding. The locations were a huge factor and very risky. We actually had to sneak 75 guest along a 15 minute track, knowing that we could be turned around at any moment because our site was totally illegal…. we didn’t get turned around :) The ceremony was held on a cliff edge at Broken Head, the same location where Toby proposed.

While we were signing our paper work, we asked all of our guest to form a huge circle. The celebrant introduced us as Mr. & Mrs. Webber as we entered the middle of the circle. We then threw our hands up and yelled… GROUP HUG! The song.. “We are family” started playing and we just had a huge dancing hug on the cliff. MAGIC!

For the reception, we used incredible, jaw-dropping Tipi’s from Byron Bay Tipis as our reception venue rather then hiring a tradition marquee. The tipis overlooked a spectacular cliff wall which turned into the backdrop of an incredible light show, which carried our guest through ever changing visual affects as well as featuring a slide show of black and white photos of Toby and I throughout our lives. The cliff walls where surrounded by water, filled with lily pads and purple lotus flowers. It truly took your breath away.

We filled the tipi’s with a romantic lighting, classic soft French furniture and clashed it with an enchanted rustic lushness of nature. We didn’t follow any rules and took huge risk along the way. Staying true to ourselves in everything we did.

We did not want to do the traditional favors. We wanted to give our guest an experience as well as showing them the reasons why we call Byron Bay home. We surprised everyone with a fire show which we became apart of at the end and included our own heart on fire!

Rather then your traditional videographer, we hired a helicam, which really captured the moment in all it’s magnificent beauty from high above.

Food was also a huge factor of the night. I wanted it to be interactive, local and amazingly delicious. We chose our favorite vendors from our local farmers market. We started the reception off with huge rustic cheese boards from Bangalow Cheese Co. Followed by the sushi bar from Doma Sushi Café. Truly the best sushi in Australia and I had to have them! Then came delicious wood fire pizza from Crabbes Creek. They also provided local fresh salads and organic BBQ beef filets with mushroom sauce.

Our honeymoon was overlooking our reception site and just 1 minutes away from our home. Why would we want to go any where else.

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Katie May

Bridal

La Vie en Rose

Katie May

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When it comes right down to it, vineyard soirees just have a captivating-air to them that welcome style to style. They can be elegant, yet rustic, classic and filled with romance all at the same time. That pretty much sums up this darling day from Janae Shields. A rustic-Italian theme tied together by beautiful signage, the Bride’s lace Jim Hjelm number, a sweetly-designed cake from Sweet On Cake and so much more. See it here.

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Weddings in Wineries

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Classic-Glam West Hollywood Wedding

From Janae Shields Photography… In June of 2012, Katherine traveled to Boston to work in person with their shared accounts. John met Katherine at her first stop, and they spent the following week visiting with partner companies and getting to know one another. While away from their partner’s offices, they spent their time doing “touristy” things and walking through what seemed to be the entire city. Although Katherine’s visit to the East Coast was short lived, John knew as soon as he dropped her off at the airport that their story had just begun. Not long after, John relocated back to California. Upon his return, Katherine and John spent nearly every moment together. It wasn’t long before the two decided to spend their lives together.

Through their many adventures, Katherine and John discovered a shared appreciation for delicious food and formed a special attachment to St. Helena, California and Tra Vigne. When John and Katherine agreed that food was going to play a major part in their special day, Tra Vigne became the obvious choice!. The outdoor space is magical with the lighting and the food is flawless. The space also fit the desire to incorporate their shared Italian heritage and their theme of Rustic Italian.

The reception details were inspired not only by the wine country location, but also the couple’s Italian theme. The graphic design of the invitations and menus highlighted an olive branch motif with a refreshing Tuscan color palette, while the florist incorporated miniature olive trees and olive branches in the floral arrangements and bouquets to create a rustic texture. Various imported “confetti” or candy almonds filled apothecary jars for guests to create their own bomboniere decorated the welcome table. Signature drinks of Aperol Spritz or a Drop di Cello filled the canopied patio with a bright orange and yellow. In addition to a traditional guest book, the couple had guests sign a wine barrel top that had been converted to a lazy susan, so the well wishes and sweet sentiments could be displayed in their home. Katherine and John also commissioned handcrafted and painted wooden signs to advertise the signature drinks, table numbers, and table assignments to further emphasize their rustic theme. The Mother of the Bride made jars filled with either fig or tomato jam as favors, labeled with love inspired phrases for their guests to enjoy.”

In addition to her bridal jewelry, Katherine wore her late great-grandmother’s wedding ring as a symbol to recognize a shared wedding date. She also wore family heirloom art deco platinum and emerald watch and bracelet.

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Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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If you’ve read SMP for any length of time, you know that I have a love affair with Jose Villa. Aside from being a good person and an even better friend, he is so incredibly thoughtful, so incredibly careful with his work that you can’t help but walk away entirely inspired to make your life just as beautiful. And this wedding made even more lovely by a team of vendors – Laura Hooper Calligraphy, Flower Allie, The Butter End Cakery & more – is nothing if not completely and entirely intoxicating. And there are TONS more Jose photos in the gallery!

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Girl’s Night Out: Cocktail Class

From José Villa Photography…Mark and Becky took great care in making sure their wedding was personal and thoughtful, with plenty of charm and elegance. Mark, a Sales Director for a private jet company, wanted a high-rise city backdrop and Becky, an Executive Manager & Event Designer for a Public Relations firm, wanted a classic and romantic ballroom setting. The London West Hollywood was their perfect compromise.

The wedding weekend kicked off with a formal Vietnamese tea ceremony and rehearsal dinner for 100 guests at Il Cielo, Beverly Hills to honor the bride’s heritage. Inspired by Grace Kelly’s wedding gown, Becky wore a custom Vietnamese Ao Dai and headdress made of French lace and hand-beaded Swarovski crystals and pearls. In keeping with the Vietnamese tradition, guests presented the couple with red envelopes and shared well-wishes and prudent advice for their marriage.

The London West Hollywood’s rooftop provided a spectacular backdrop of Los Angeles for Mark and Becky’s wedding ceremony the following day. Drawing inspiration from a pergola in an English rose garden she visited in Hertfordshire, Becky enlisted the help of Allison Becker & Nicholas St. Clair of Flower Allie to construct a custom wrought iron gazebo to hold a 300 pound vintage champagne chandelier she had sourced. To bring the English garden charm to Hollywood, cascading white blooms and hundreds of white rose petals covered the ceremony site. A string quartet played Pachelbel’s Canon in D as the bride, wearing a custom Lazaro gown, walked down the candle-lined aisle on her father’s arm. The groom wore a classic Dior Homme black tuxedo and the couple exchanged rings from Harry Winston.

The English sentiment was carried throughout the details of the wedding from the custom crest & letterpressed calligraphy, created by Laura Hooper, to the five-course Gordon Ramsey catered dinner. Escort & seating cards were hand embossed with a gold leaf motif to match the bride’s headpiece – a DIY labor of love from the bride and her mother in-law. Lush arrangements of ranunculus, garden roses, peonies, sweet pea, jasmine and hydrangeas brought the romantic garden feel to dinner. A six tier confection, created by The Butter End, piped in buttercream with delicate lace applique sat on a bed of fresh flowers. Assortments of vintage gold candlesticks, frames and trays accented the reception space to add to the antique mood of the elegant ballroom. A gourmet burger bar provided a much needed midnight snack as the newlyweds and their 180 guests danced the night away to the tunes of West Coast Music’s JB Project and DJ Z.

For those times when you and your girlfriends are stumped for a clever something to do on a Friday night, allow us to introduce you to our new favorite thing. Take a cue from Cocktail Academy and Amber Events; grab your closest lady friends, a handsome bartender, and learn to whip up some delicious new concoctions. It doesn’t get much better than that! Unless Sorella-Muse is there to capture it all, of course!

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From Amber Events… When Cocktail Academy sets out to throw a cocktail party, they look for inspiration. In this case it was summer. Cocktail Academy and the lovely ladies at Amber Events held a celebratory summer event to learn how to make fresh, easy-to-make cocktails at home. What better vendor than Cocktail Academy to show the girls how it’s done! Not only were these drinks beautiful to look at, but so much fun to sip as we reminisced about the epic wedding stories of the past year.

Matt Landes, Founder of Cocktail Academy, looked to the classic families of cocktails and identified most with the Ricky, an effervescent variation of a Gimlet.

A Gimlet recipe calls for 2oz of your choice of spirit, 1oz of lime juice, and 3/4 oz of sugar syrup*(endless options). In order to turn a Gimlet into Rickey you serve it in a tall glass over ice and top with soda. Now that we determined the cocktail, it was time to make a unique variation by modifying their simple syrup. It was then decided to go with a Rosemary, Pineapple, and Blueberry syrup.

From Cocktail Academy… Cocktail Academy provides full service bar catering for any size budget or event. In addition we run a private event space called Apartment A in Downtown LA’s Arts District.

We believe in creating artistic, personalized cocktail experiences through a warm and passionate approach to hospitality. We capture the excitement and creative energy of a client and produce a program that is value driven and visually inspiring, where flavor and service are of upmost importance. When you hire Cocktail Academy, you are not simply hiring bartenders, you are receiving the entire cocktail bar experience, with expertise, education and ambience. We bring the cocktail culture with us wherever we go.

Jacquelyn Clark

New Vera Wang on Weddings Stationery Collection + A Giveaway!

As a wedding blogger, I’m accustomed to seeing huge amounts of pretty on a daily basis. But when something this gorgeous crosses my inbox? Well, I simply can’t wait to share. Dears, let me get you all acquainted with the new Vera Wang On Weddings Two Collection, the second volume in Vera’s venture into paper. Carefully curated + designed for the fashion-forward bride, these designs are beyond stunning.

Inspired by her bridal + ready-to-wear lines, each and every design reflects the modern aesthetic that has made Vera Wang a worldwide fashion icon. Filled with unexpected details, such as oversized cards + hand-drawn monograms and motifs as well as fresh new ink colors, linings, ribbons and papers, couples are able to make bold statements for their individual wedding day style! And it doesn’t simply stop at wedding invitations, Vera Wang On Weddings Two Collection has made it easier than ever to coordinate your entire wedding trousseau — from save the dates to menus + wedding weekend maps to thank you notes.

The modern + unique designs in this collection are endless, and without a doubt, couples will be able to find the perfect suite to reflect their personal style. Be sure to head over here to see the entire collection! Ready for even more excitement, SMPers? Vera Wang is giving one lucky reader five boxes of Vera Wang stationery (retail value $120)!

The Prize: A lucky reader will win five boxes of boxed stationery from Vera Wang!

To Enter: Head over to the Vera Wang On Weddings Two Collection, and browse the beautiful designs. Then come back here and comment on this post with your favorite!

To Win: One winner will be selected at random and announced on the WIUP on SMP’s main page on Friday, September 12, 2014

Terms & Conditions: Can all be found right here. Good luck my dears! xoxo

Classy Sun West Studios NYC Wedding

This soiree from Betsi Ewing? It’s a New York City classic through and through. Clean lines, white backdrops, crisp ivory florals and killer style (hello gorg Carolina Herrera dress!)… and did I mention it’s sprinkled with the cutest of kiddos? It’s a sweet sophistication that will keep you coming back for more.

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Industrial

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Elegant Playa Del Carmen Wedding

From Betsi Ewing Studio… While in New York for business Madrid native Daniel was introduced to Gitty through a mutual friend. Neither knew they were being set up when they arrived at the now defunct Hotel Griffou in the West Village. Their dating savvy friend had thought it best they meet before having the opportunity to Google each other, and not because either was sitting on extensive criminal indictments but because she thought the “old fashioned way” stopped both from arriving with pre-conceived notions. Two weeks after they first met, Daniel returned to New York and took Gitty on four dates in a row. And while Gitty thought the relationship was most likely not going anywhere due to the fact that their homes sat on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, she still accepted his invitation to join him in Madrid for a week. And from there began a back and forth between Madrid and NYC which still continues today. They decided to get married in New York because it was where they met but also because it was halfway between Gitty’s family in Los Angeles and Daniel’s family in Spain. They married in an open plan loft in Chelsea surrounded by 140 of their closet friends and family. Their friend Jeff, who performed the ceremony, described it as the joining together of Gitty’s 120 friends with Daniel’s 20. It was a wonderful night of which they remember very little outside of the ceremony and the tug of war over the air conditioning. The Spanish contingency felt strongly that any air conditioning was too much while the Americans explained that sweating was not an attractive look. In the end, a compromise over the thermostat was reached. No doubt the first of many to come.

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Carolina Herrera

Spring 2015

Spring 2016

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Our dear editor Erin is off enjoying the beauties of Mexico, and as if I didn’t have enough reason to be jealous this little stunner has officially upped the ante. It’s everything you’d dream of in a destination wedding, and with Canteiro and 74 Events behind the scenes, it’s no wonder the day went off without a hitch. Prepare yourself for knot tying paradise, and have a look in the gallery from Emily Blake.

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Destination Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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From The Bride…Our “Weekend del Amor” was incredible! We chose Mexico because of it’s jungles and beaches, food and people, and Maroma because of it’s beauty and soul. 44 of our closest friends and family stayed the weekend to relax on the beach and celebrate our love. Friday night we hosted a welcome fiesta for all of our guests, but beforehand the hotel had a surprise: releasing baby sea turtles back in to the wild. This was an incredible and moving experience. Saturday was the wedding at sunset- we had a Mayan ceremony-mariachi band at cocktail hour and dancing and dining under the stars. At a certain point it began to rain so we all went indoors to continue the dance party.

Pink & White Living Room + Get The Look!

What’s pink and white and lovely all over? Melissa Johnson’s brand spankin’ new living room is what! And we couldn’t wait to get our hands on it. With a cozy rug underfoot and a pink gallery wall up above, this is one girly haven that’s leaving us wanting more. To see it all in it’s beautiful glory, make sure you head on over to her site, Best Friends for Frosting! And read on to learn how to re-create this space yourself.

And we obviously had to break down this look so we could all re-create it ourselves…

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Photography: Jillian Goulding | Design: Melissa Johnson of Best Friends For Frosting

Jacquelyn Clark

Modern Los Angeles Musuem Wedding

I think that even more than the photographs – from OneLove Photography, which are absurdly delicious – I fell in love with this wedding because of what the bride wrote. “Our ceremony was very heartfelt, you could feel the happiness, tears, the smiles all over the church.” EXACTLY what a wedding should feel like…and beautiful to boot. There is so much more right here.

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Fall Weddings

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Museum Religious Institution

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French Inspired Garden Tea Party Wedding at Laurel Hall

From The Bride…Our wedding was everything we wanted it to be. and we have to Thank Chabeli and Laurel from P.S. plans and Phil and Krista from OneLove Photography for making sure our day was amazing. We also have to thank all our friends and family from all their help we had our fair share of DIY.

I have to start by sharing the details of my dress. It was handmade by my aunt. I’m the only girl in the family and ever since I was born she was ready for this day. She worked for 4 months on my dress along with helping make my mom’s dress and my mother-in law’s, she made us all look amazing. I couldn’t have asked for anything else. I felt so honored to walk down the isle. She made every detail with care, she also made my veil, my purse and my garters. She was so proud and happy, everyone still compliments us both on the dress.

Our ceremony was held at St. Vincent church in Los Angeles. One of the prettiest church in town. The ceremony was held in Spanish and English, we wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to share the special moment with us.

The ceremony was very special, one of the most heartfelt moments for those close to me and Eli was to be able to see my parents hand off their only daughter to my husband. Our ceremony was very heartfelt, you could feel the happiness, tears, the smiles all over the church. One meaningful moment aside from vows of course was the priest never removed our lazo. As he declared us husband and wife, we noticed we still had it on, he looked at us and said ” you are now one, so you can walk as one” and so we walked as one.

Our reception was held the roof top of the Petersen Museum. It had an amazing view and set the mood for our wedding. Eli and I are designed oriented we really liked the contemporary look. We wanted something simple but elegant. We had long tables so it felt like we were all gathered as a big family. We had a lounge area inside the “glass box” for people to enjoy some music and dance the night away. We did a dessert bar to commemorate our first date and our passion for sweets.

We have to thank all those friends that help us as well. To all our vendors it was wonderful to work with them and all our guests were happy. We couldn’t have had a more perfect day!

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Bridesmaid Dresses

Dessy

Bridesmaid 2014

Women's Tuxedo

Tuxedo

Fall 2014

Spring 2015

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It’s never lost on me how incredibly lucky I am to be able to share love stories like this one day in and day out. It’s a wonderful honor to showcase such an important day on our site, and when Autumn Keller is showering the soiree with gorgeous florals and Eric Houghtalen was behind the design helm I feel like we hit the wedding jackpot. And when Conforti Photography is behind the lens to capture it all, I know we have. See why here.

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Outdoor Weddings

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Love on the Lake Engagement Session

From Eric Houghtalen… I first encountered the newly engaged couple during our first meeting in March 2014. This was the first opportunity to discuss all the details, hopes and dreams for their special day. They brought with them a huge perfectly organized binder already full of ideas and inspirational photos. Witnessing Amanda and Leslie interact was like watching a fairytale storybook romance unfurl before my eyes. The room filled with the true love they had for one another. Ideas were discussed and the shear volume of excitement took over the quietness of my office. I’ll never forget how amazingly the three of us instantly clicked. The moment the meeting ended and they left my office, I said to my manager- without doubt or hesitation, ” Whatever it takes, I AM going to do this wedding and do it right!”

I was aware the girls were comparison shopping for everything including catering and my role as event planner. I wasn’t going to allow anyone to take this opportunity away from me. So after a couple months of numerous phone calls, number crunching and proposals, I got an email and phone call confirming they had selected me as their planner. I was so honored and overjoyed by their decision I could barely contain my emotions.

Once the initial contract formalities were complete, the real fun began. Of course the process had many challenges. First, Amanda was accepted to law school and moved from Indiana to Austin, TX. Thus our face to face meetings soon became hour long phone conversations and very long email threads. Second, Due to all the specify details, Scheduling trips home become very delicate and time sensitive. The girls had to fly or drive back to Indiana for the menu tastings, linen selections, decor shopping, floral and decor consultations, design work, dress fittings etc. The planning process definitely had it’s wealth of stress and plethora of freak out moments. I am glad we were all able to keep each other sane and no one got hurt along the way.

Lastly, as with any wedding the dreaded budget kept becoming a thorn in our sides. The biggest concern was how to achieve their goal without compromising the overall vision. Through my close relationship with vendors and their bargain shopping skills the wedding started to finally seemed logistical and on budget . After hundreds of hours and over 18 months of designing/planning the wedding weekend finally arrived.

Installation and Setup at Laurel Hall took two full days. I know everyone involved was taken back and overwhelmed by the shear beauty of the transformation of the venue. Specifically, the beautiful florals provided by Autumn brought some to tears and personally gave me goosebumps. The weather forecast was a slight concern but alas, all we had was high humidity, 88 degrees and a perfectly sunny sky. The romantic ceremony was set in the garden. The cocktail hour in the solarium was filled with the sounds of joy as the talented string duo continued playing custom arranged music. Guests gathered in the grand foyer for the announcing of the bridal party. As guests applauded and cheered, Amanda and Leslie made their entrance down the elaborate grand staircase. Guests were ushered into dinner and engulfed by the feminine and regal decor. Shades of pink linens and lighting including dusty rose, ballet slipper and blush instantly gave the room a romantic elegance. The table settings included vintage china, gold flatware and napkins rolled into a rose. Guests dined on the fine cuisine from Hoaglin Catering. Dinner was followed by the cake cutting, dessert boutique, many heartfelt toasts, dancing and a late night food station. Upon conclusion, the brides were treated to one last surprise – a pink sparkler send off and a 1938 Cadillac to wisp them away into the night.

From Autumn Keller…The girls came to me initially with a distinct vision; French Rococo Tea Party. The feminine feel that they wanted included dainty, gilded flourishes, touches of lace, floral china, shades of soft pinks and gentle blushes with hints of gold. The floral arrangements that we dreamed up we wanted to have a refined garden look; gentle, graceful and lush, almost reminiscent of a Watteau painting.

From The Brides…For a month, a mutual friend of ours had been adamant that we meet because “we’d be perfect for each other.” He couldn’t have been more right. We had an irresistible connection that made us hate to be away from one another. From the moment we started dating, we were inseparable and haven’t spent a night apart in 3 years.

I (Amanda) knew within the first week of meeting Leslie that she was who I wanted to spend forever with. The first time Leslie ever said out loud that she was going to marry me was at the grocery store about a month after we met: when we discovered that we both like to put hot dogs in our Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Leslie proposed in February of 2012 and we set our wedding date for the summer of 2014. We both wanted everything to be perfect, so we wanted LOTS of time to plan.

We’re both very girly and over-the-top, and we wanted our wedding to be the essence of femininity. Most brides have to be mindful of how girly their wedding gets; almost no one gets to have a wedding that is all pink, lace, and flowers! We really wanted people to come to our wedding and say “This is so them!”

It could be the similarity to the boat scene in the Notebook or the fact that these two are beyond in love but there is something about being in a row boat with your main squeeze that has romance written all over it. Just ask Nicholas Sparks and Nadia Hung. For even more of this sweet lake shoot, click here.

From Nadia Hung Photography… Amy & John wanted their love for the nature to be portrayed in their photographs. I am very lucky to be a photographer in Vancouver where there are endless possibilities to beautiful scenery & light for the best portrait sessions! I took them to Deer Lake for a hammock fun, something they’ve never done before but LOVED every second in it. The summer light was so beautiful shining through the trees casting this beautiful aura on the hammock. They will be getting married this September in Vancouver.

Photography: Nadia Hung Photography | Styling & Direction: Nadia Hung Photography

Glamorous Destination Wedding in Barbados

We are all self-proclaimed glam lovers around these parts. The higher the heels and the more sparkly the sparkles, the louder the squeals heard round the office. Now take that love of glam and infuse it into a homegrown wedding in Barbados and you have what can only be described as pure destination perfection captured by Jonathan Volk plus a film by Jon Macapodi below.

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Romantic, DIY Virginia Wedding at Stevenson Ridge

From the Bride… My husband and I got married at my family’s home in Barbados, where I am originally from. Our ceremony was on the cliff overlooking the ocean, and the reception was held in the driveway in front of the house. Being that Barbados is an island, it’s quite difficult to have everything you want because of shipping etc. Luckily we had lots of help and all of my bridesmaids pitched in by packing candy, tablecloths, and all sorts of accessories! My mum is so talented and she is the one who honestly did everything. She drew what she wanted for the arch we got married under, she chose all the vases for the flowers, the lights, the chandeliers and all of the wedding details. She was absolutely my wedding coordinator! My husband is a musician and is endorsed by DW drums, and our great friend makes the most spectacular wedding cakes and surprised Garrett with one of his actual drum kits. An exact replica!! The ring I wore on my middle finger was the very first diamond ring my grandfather gave my grandmother…and she gave it to me that day! It was the most amazing night under a huge full moon and I just wanted to share the pictures!!

This is the kind of wedding people will look at today, and one hundred years from today, and still be totally, utterly in love with every image captured by Amy Nicole Photography. It has that timeless feel that always makes us swoon beautifully combined with so many heartfelt details we lost count – so I think it goes without saying, we adore this gallery.

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