Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Jon and I were married in NYC in late September. We had spent the past four years together here, so this is our home and the place we love. It is truly a part of our relationship. We were married at a great restaurant on the East River, Water’s Edge, which is situated on a barge overlooking the NYC skyline and 59th Street bridge. We kept the color palette clean and simple; all we wanted was to bring the twinkling city lights and water into the room to celebrate our happiness and our future in our favorite city. We have such wonderful family and friends who helped us to celebrate an amazing day.  I loved our photos, which captured the happiness, fun, laughter and emotion of the day.

Wedding Photography: Lev Kuperman Photography / Wedding Venue: Water’s Edge Restaurant / Flowers: Designs by Rose / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alvina Valenta + J.Crew / Outdoor Photo Location: Gantry State Plaza Park / Hotel: On the Ave

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Post tags: Alvina Valenta, Designs by Rose, Gantry State Park, Gray, J. Crew, Lev Kuperman Photography, New York, New York City, On the Ave, Pink, Romona Keveza, Water's Edge Restaurant, White
Post categories: Contemporary, New York City Weddings, New York Weddings

More of this fantastic wedding, this time as FullFrame Digital Cinema saw it…

We wanted the wedding to match our style – sweet, charming vintage chic with natural colors, rustic luxe elements and fun DIY details. Our wedding was intentionally jammed packed full of details, which makes it difficult to pick a favorite. One of my favorite details were the bridesmaid’s dresses! My family and I went around several local downtown Nashville shops and boutiques and we found each dress specifically for each girl. Initially, I was nervous because I really had to evaluate my sense of style! What if it ended up being terrible? What if they hated them? We went with our gut feeling and stuck to it. I absolutely loved each girl walking down the aisle in something that made her feel beautiful and unique. Each bridesmaid has been an instrumental part of who I have become and I wanted that to be represented. Not to mention, I wanted them to wear these dresses again!

Looking back on our entire engagement there are three things that I wish I could have done better and more consistently. The first and most important, for us, is to keep our focus off of ourselves and on the Lord. It is by his grace that Taylor and I have become who we are and this marriage is now to honor and glorify him. It is so easy to get wrapped up in and obsess over what you want for your day. In reality, marriage is designed for one purpose and that is to bring us closer to God and to make us more like him. Looking back, I wish that I wouldn’t have been so concerned with my desires and my vision but more concerned with His desires and His vision.

My second piece of advice is what people tell you from the beginning of your engagement. Enjoy every day, every idea, every frustration and every moment. This season will pass you by and you will be left wondering how you handled it and what you filled your time and heart with. Be thankful, be joyful and be present in every moment and decision that you make.

Finally, I would encourage someone planning a wedding to plan more for their marriage than they do their wedding. Yes, work hard to plan a beautiful wedding. This is one thing that women dream of for years, so yes, put time, effort and heart into it. Although your wedding is a big deal, keep in mind that your marriage is more so. Your wedding will be perfect, lovely and forgotten. Your marriage is what will endure the hardships of life, not your wedding. Work even harder at preparing your heart and mind to become a good spouse.

Photographer: Kristyn Hogan / Videographer: Full Frame Digital Cinema / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Planning, Floral and Styling: Cedarwood Weddings / Invitations: Designs in Paper / Table numbers, seating chart and banners: DIY by bride and family / Wedding cake: Patty Cakes / Catering: A Dream Come True Catering / Ceremony Music: Rob Higginbotham and Rebecca Baumbach / Cocktail Hour Music: Mark Barnett Blue Grass Band / Reception Music: Craig Duncan Band / Dress: Alvina Valenta via Arzelles / Hair: Miracles Hair Salon / Stylist: Leslye and Dona

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Post tags: A Dream Come True Catering, Alvina Valenta, Arches, Arzelle's, Babies, Blue Grass, Bouquets, Cedarwood, Cedarwood Weddings, Craig Duncan Band, Designs in Paper, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Flower girls, Full Frame Digital Cinema, Historic Cedarwood, Kristyn Hogan, Mark Bernett Blue Grass Band, Miracles Hair Salon, Mismatched Bridesmaids, Neutral Color Palette, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Patty Cakes, Rebecca Baumbach, Rob Higginbotham, Sparklers, Tennessee, Wedding Cinematography, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic, Wedding Cinematography

From the Bride… To say that my wedding was a dream come true is an understatement. From start to finish, it was a reflection of us, our values, our style, and our love. And it turned out better than I could have imagined.

Greg and I wanted a unique, glamorous, modern, romantic wedding that celebrated love and family. After months of looking at venues in New York (where we live), we still hadn’t found the right location. At the urging of my mom, we decided to look at venues in Boston (where I’m from), so we would be sure that my side of the family could attend. Cue the Liberty Hotel. The juxtaposition of old and new, the sexy atmosphere, the amazing food, and phenomenal architecture sealed the deal. It was perfect.

At the end of the day, we wanted our wedding to reflect us and our family. Greg’s beautiful daughter Liv served as my junior bridesmaid, a role she took on with much enthusiasm and pride. My absolute favorite part of the day was during our ceremony when Greg and I presented her with a necklace with three interlocking circles – a complete surprise to her and all of our guests – that signifies our unending bond as a family. Another of my favorite moments was taking pictures with my 91-year-old grandparents. Just seeing their excitement and knowing the effort it took for them to be there made my heart practically explode. Ultimately, family was at the core of what made our wedding incredible.

I also can’t help but mention our dream team of vendors. Taylor Creative provided most of our furniture, which laid the gleaming foundation for the whole event. Sara Faella brought major glam to my wedding party – my VIP women and I all felt totally fabulous. Go Against the Grain provided our custom invitation design – it helped to set the tone in a unique way. After a negative experience with a Connecticut-based florist, we had to switch gears with only a few months to spare. Winston Flowers saved the day and worked with us to create a truly spectacular vision for the wedding. And of course, Allegro Photography was beyond wonderful from day one.

My advice for brides-to-be is to always go back to what your wedding is really about: marrying the person you love most in the world. Wedding planning may be a roller coaster, but remember to stay positive and keep focused on you as a couple, your families, and the love you share. Liv’s advice, in case you were wondering, is to have great music, lots of dancing, and tons of fun!

Wedding Photography: Allegro Photography / Wedding Venue: The Liberty Hotel / Hair + Make-up: Sara Faella + Sara’s Glam Squad / Bride’s Gown: Lazaro via Kleinfeld / Bride’s + Bridesmaids’ Earrings: TEJANI / Custom Gown Hanger: Suspended Moments by Dawn Hill Creations / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alvina Valenta via Here Comes the Bridesmaid / Junior Bridesmaid Dress: Bari Jay via Bridal Reflections / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Floral Design: Winston Flowers / Furniture Rentals: Taylor Creative / Dance Floor + Linen Rentals: Rentals Unlimited / Lighting Design: Swank AV / Cake & Cupcakes: I Dream of Jeanne Cakes / Custom Cake Topper: Crystal Celebration / Ceremony Music: La Bella Musica / DJ: Seth Isaacs of Beat Train Productions / Officiant: Gary D. Fine / Invitation Design: Go Against the Grain / Invitation Printing: Lion in the Sun

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Post tags: Allegro Photography, Alvina Valenta, Bari Jay, Beat Train Productions, Boston, Bridal Reflections, Crystal Celebration, Gary D. Fine, Go Against the Grain, Here Comes the Bridesmaid, I Dream of Jeanne Cakes, Kleinfeld, La Bella Musica, Lazaro, Lion in the Sun, Massachusetts Weddings, Men's Wearhouse, Rentals Unlimited, Sara Faella, Sara' Glam Squad, Suspended Moments, Swank AV, Taylor Creative, Tejani, The Liberty Hotel, Winston Flowers
Post categories: Boston Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings, Traditional Elegance

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

As promised, we are sending you off into the weekend with one very fabulous film by Floataway Studios!  Enjoy!

From the Bride… After a whirlwind year together, Greg proposed and we began planning the most significant day of our lives thus far. With family spread out all over the globe, we quickly decided that a destination wedding was the best fit for us, and luckily came across the absolutely gorgeous Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa, in Los Cabos, Mexico. Dreams Los Cabos provided the perfect backdrop for our day: sweeping views of the Sea of Cortez from the garden ceremony location, an intimate pool reception, lots of palm trees and all the sunshine we could ask for!

One of the most important elements of our day was how it would be chronicled, and Greg & I felt quite blessed to come across Mary & Scott of Floataway Studios. They are both absolutely gifted in their respective fields (photography and videography), and made us feel absolutely comfortable in front of the lens. It is an amazing moment to look back at your photos and watch the most important moments of your day unfold. (The expression on Greg’s face as I walked down the aisle as captured by Mary, is something that I will absolutely cherish forever!)

When setting out the vision of what I wanted the day to look like, I tried to keep it as simple as possible: sunny yellow contrasted with sea glass, organic burlap fabrics, wood-grained paper details and reclaimed barn wood. One of my favorite decor elements of the wedding were the vintage glass beer bottles we used for flowers at the reception – I spent months hunting down those just-perfect blue-green colors until I had the perfect collection! We wanted a warm, rustic feel contrasted with the bright, airy-ness of the resort setting, and all of the small details came together beautifully. Another detail we felt necessary to incorporate was our shared love for Rob Ryan, the paper-cut artist. Greg surprised me earlier in the year with a Rob Ryan brooch that said “Our Adventure is About to Begin.” I wore it clipped to my bouquet. Our wedding programs featured a beautiful excerpt from Rob Ryan’s book “This Is For You” in tribute of Greg’s mother, who passed away in 2009, shortly before we met.  (I wear her wedding ring on my right hand.)

One element that was very important for me to incorporate was my Greek heritage. Going against the grain and not having a “big fat Greek wedding” was a first in our family, but I was determined to bring a little bit of Greek to Los Cabos! A fun tradition that occurs at Greek weddings is the “breaking of the bread.” This custom entails that the bride and groom fight over a large loaf of bread (Which was lovingly baked by my best friend and brought over from Toronto!), to win the larger piece. The person who succeeds in obtaining the larger half will ultimately “wear the pants” in the relationship and be the dominant decision maker. Coming from a long line of very strong-willed women, I was absolutely sure I would win! The photos tell the hilarious story – needless to say, I am a very poor loser!

After an evening filled with dancing, cocktails, and a lot of humidity, we surprised our guests by leading them down to the beach, and asking them to send a wish into the sky for us by lighting a floating lantern. Our guests were so surprised, and we had so much fun with our toes in the sand, watching the lanterns drift off into the night sky!

Wedding Photography + Videography: Floataway Studios / Wedding Location: Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Bracelet + Necklace (Day-After Session): Stella & Dot / Bride’s Veil: Paloma Blanca / Floral Design: Florenta Flower Design / Brooch Clipped to Bride’s Bouquet: Rob Ryan / Cake Topper: Lollipop Workshop / Hand-stitched Guest Book: Brooklyn Bookbinder / Just Married Burlap Banner: Victoria Station / Garter: Rosebud Lips / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: After Six / Wedding Program, Signage, Table Numbers, Seating Cards, Tags + Burlap Table Runners: The Bride / Bride’s Wedding Ring + Engagement Ring: Tacori / Bride’s Hair + Make-up: Neysa Berman of Blanc Salon

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Post tags: After Six, Alvina Valenta, Badgley Mischka, Brooklyn Bookbinder, Destination Wedding, Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa, Floataway Studios, Florenta Flower Design, J. Crew, Lollipop Workshop, Los Cabos, Neysa Berman, Paloma Blanca, Rob Ryan, Rosebud Lips, Stella Dot, Tacori, Victoria Station
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings, Mexico Weddings

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…I’m so thrilled to share with you our wedding day, which was May 20, 2011. The vision for our wedding was a classic yet elegant, old Hollywood-glam look. The Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs, New York became the perfect backdrop for the event we have always dreamed about. The stained glass ceilings and beautiful architecture of the building was just the start of a spectacular day.

Because the wedding was in May, I wanted it to look very spring-like. The beautiful and lush peonies in my bouquet and the girls bouquets, really popped off perfectly from my wedding dress and the bridesmaids mermaid gowns. The beaded lamps on the tables the ballroom really added that Hollywood glam and sparkle, along with the elegant champagne color table linens and light gray napkins.  Touches of light pink and gray were throughout the venue whether it be in design pieces like menus or name tags or in the outrageous flowers in the ballroom.

Our candy bar was a huge hit. Guests raved over this and it gave them a nice treat for the car ride home. This was one of my favorite parts of the wedding, as being a graphic designer I created all of the tags myself. Another fun feature was our photo booth. The backdrop was just awesome and we had so much fun with our guests in it. Everyone really enjoyed themselves and we now have hundreds of hilarious images!

All in all, the day couldn’t have been more perfect in our eyes. Everything went smoothly, and every little detail that we had been planning for months was in it’s place. We couldn’t be happier with the way our wedding day went. We hope you enjoy the beautiful images!!

Wedding Photography: Joe Elario Photography / Photobooth Backdrop: Drop It Modern / Wedding Cinematography: Al Woodard Films / Flowers: Fleurtacious Designs / Event Planning: Christine Wheat Special Events / Ceremony Location: The Church of Saint Peter / Reception Location: The Canfield Casino / Invitations + Design: JennyCDesign / Caterer: 2Shea Catering / Wedding Cake: Villa Italia / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander via Lily Saratoga Bridal Shop / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alvina Valenta via Lily Saratoga Bridal Shop

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2Shea Catering, Al Woodward Films, Alvina Valenta, Christine Wheat Special Events, Drop It Modern, Fleurtacious Designs, JennyCDesign, Joe Elario Photography, Justin Alexander, Lily Saratoga Bridal Shop, New York Weddings, Old Hollywood Glamour, Saratoga Springs, Stuart Weitzman, The Canfield Casino, The Church of Saint Peter, Villa Italia
Post categories: New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

Up first is a charming Sun Valley, Idaho affair that has me feeling all sorts of giddy this lovely morning.  Oh yes, I am loving the sparkly heels, the gorgeous blue, orange and pink hues, that gown and those adorable flower girls dressed in the cutest little ballet flats I ever did see.  All planned to perfection by Absolute Weddings and captured by the oh-so-amazing Hillary Maybery Photography and second shooter Kristin Cheatwood, this is one seriously swoon-worthy affair.  Plus, the gallery is literally overflowing with delightful details just waiting to be adored.  Join me there for even more and then stay tuned for a fabulous film from Max Monahan Productions below!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

The fabulous doesn’t stop there.  You don’t want to miss this ah.ma.zing film from Max Monahan Productions.  (Psst… Prepare yourselves for some happy tears!)  Enjoy!

From the Bride… Alex and I knew that we could have been happy with a number of different types of weddings- from a traditional church wedding similar to those that were familiar to our families, a casual beach wedding in Malibu where we both attended college, or a rustic vineyard wedding to reflect our love of all things Italian, the country where we met and where Alex proposed three years later.

What our wedding eventually became was a collection of all of our favorite things, and it couldn’t have been more perfect for us. We chose beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho, as our location, a place that has always been special to my family that we wanted to share with all of our guests. We wanted the details to reflect our personalities and the things that we loved. After scouring over Style Me Pretty, friends’ weddings, magazines, and other blogs, we found our favorites of everything and put our own spin on them. We used our favorite colors, our favorite foods, and our favorite songs. We played lawn games at cocktail hour and had a photo booth running all night. Our wedding party was introduced with a choreographed dance that kicked off the party, and a good friend sang “That’s Amore” during dinner while Alex and I toasted each table with wine. By the time the DJ could invite everyone to the dance floor, it was already full and never lost its momentum.

We wanted the members of our wedding party to know that their roles were each unique and personal as well. The bridesmaids chose their own dresses from three shades of blue at Priscilla of Boston, and the groomsmen each wore unique cufflinks- Superman, cowboy hats, cassette tapes, wine openers, and more. Alex and I found the cufflinks and the bridesmaids’ jewelry on Etsy and surprised them with it on the day of the wedding.

Because we planned most of our Idaho wedding from Los Angeles where we live, the most important thing that we did was hire the right vendors to help us. We started with Hillary Maybery, who we knew would capture our day perfectly, then secured our favorite wedding planner, florist, and DJ. We could not have planned our long distance wedding without them or without the help of our fabulous families and friends who were there from the time Alex proposed to the time we closed down the party with a magical sparkler exit. The day turned out to be exactly what we wanted and a perfect reflection of the two of us.

Wedding Photography: Hillary Maybery Photography / Second Photographer: Kristin Cheatwood / Wedding Planner: Amanda Seaward of Absolute Weddings / Wedding Reception: Trail Creek Cabin / Wedding Videography: Max Monahan Productions / Make-up + Hair: Jamilynn from Vertu / Flowers: Tara Bella Flowers / Suits: Marc Echo / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Photo Booth: Funny Face Photobooth / DJ: Lenny Joseph / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Absolute Weddings, Alvina Valenta, Blue, Funny Face Photobooth, Hillary Maybery Photography, Idaho, Kristin Cheatwood, Lenny Joseph, Marc Echo, Max Monahan, Mountain wedding, Outdoor Wedding, Priscilla of Boston, Red, Sun Valley Wedding, Tara Bella Flowers, Tented Reception, Trail Creek Cabin, Vertu, Yellow
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

Alvina Valenta, Spring 2012, Photo credit: Fairchild Archive

And be sure to check out Glamour’s past dress editions like the Top 3 Fluffy, Feathery Dresses the Top 3 Allover Lace Dresses.

If you missed any, here are all of our pretty posts from the week:

a classic and modern Sonoma fete
a gorgeous DIY Utah wedding
an elegantly chic San Juan stunner
a modern Miami wedding
a fabulous Toronto affair
a beautiful blush ballroom fete in Atlanta
a romantic Connecticut affair
a beyond beautiful Orange County flower filled fete
a detail driven Kansas City Stunner
a day full of eight, gorgeous weddings
a beyond beautiful Santa Cruz inspiration shoot
a rustic, laid back Brooklyn affair
a stunning Livermore fete
an amazing Italian wedding

Some fabulous links from around the web:

A fun DIY to prettify your pumpkins via Oh Lovely Day
A collection of pretty hand painted walls via DesignSponge
A super yummy and cute DIY favor via One Lovely Day

We’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Little Black Book members…

Heather Barranco DREAMCAKES
Oh So Lovely Events
Pretty as a Picture
Forever Photography Studio
Elegant Cheese Cakes
LunaBella Make-up and Hair
Wedding Tresses, Inc
MintySlippers
dejarnette new orleans
Fulton’s on the River
Golden Gate Music

To apply to become a member of our LBB click here. We’d love to hear from you!

And lastly, we have a lucky winner from our NY blog to announce!

Congrats Mara! From A Printable Press: It was hard to choose just one, but Mara’s entry won my heart over. She talked not only about amazing love but also about commitment (that not as pretty thing) reminding me that marriage is not just about that swooping feeling of love. The combination of love and commitment is why we readers are here. Thank you, Mara, for reminding me of something so important.

Have a pretty, pretty weekend! See you back here Monday morning. xoxo

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Post tags: Alvina Valenta, Glamour, Wrap it up Pretty
Post categories: The Blog

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Raquel Sergio Photography…Every detail of their day was knit together carefully, matching their vintage style perfectly.We loved every single part of the day spent with Jennifer and Cory. One of the most memorable parts of the day for us, was their grand entrance as Mr. and Mrs. they walking in dancing to Mrs. Robinson (Mr and Mrs Robinson are their newly wed name) every time I hear that song I remember how happy Jennifer and Cory were dancing to their entrance and their guests greeting them.) Jennifer and Cory are the perfect definition to Love, and I was so happy to be capturing such strong emotions on such a beautiful day.

Wedding Photography: Raquel Sergio Photography / Ceremony + Reception Venue: Ybor City Museum Garden / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alvina Valenta via Olga’s Bridal Boutique / Groom + Groomsmen Apparel: Banana Republic, Madras, Urban Outfitters + J.Crew / Wedding Rings: Liz Karas / Decoration: The Bride and Mother of the Bride / Wedding Cake + Cupcakes: Olympia Bakery

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alvina Valenta, Banana Republic, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florida, J. Crew, Liz Karas, Madras, Olga's Bridal Boutique, Olympia Bakery, Raquel Sergio Photography, Tampa Wedding, Urban Outfitters, Ybor City Museum Garden
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Tampa Bay, Vintage Chic, Whimsical