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From the Bride…Let’s start by saying I am not the kind of girl who ever visualized what her wedding would look like.  In going to look at venues I was just so frustrated because the first questions were always ” what is your theme,” “what color scheme are you going with,” “what do you visualize your wedding looking like”….and I never had the answer.  It became crunch time and I decided to self-express.  My wedding was totally me.  I like to think I am ‘glamorous and earthy’ as my photographer once stated.  My favorite fragrance is lavender and I have loved the color purple since I was 2.  As you can see, most of my favorite things (including my husband) were incorporated into this ‘event’ and I think the end result was truly magical and romantic; with the exception of course, of the hurricane force winds we all had to withstand during the process. 

Photography: Audrey Snow Photography / Flowers: Beneva Florists / Ceremony and Reception Location: The Beach at Longboat Key Club / Invitations: Hummingbird Invitations / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Dress: Lazaro

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Post tags: Audrey Snow Photography, Badgley Mischka, Beneva Flowers, Hummingbird Invitations, Lazaro, The Beach at Longboat Key Club
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Destination Weddings, Florida Weddings

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From the bride… Woody and I first met about 10 years ago. I had been visiting friends in Chicago and met Woody in person for the first time during that trip. (We had known each for few years beforehand through mutual friends.) While in college, I was heading to England for my study abroad year, and then 9/11 happened. Everything in the US (and in the world) came to a halt, including my trip to England. My flight was delayed for about a week. During that week, Woody asked me out, and what ensued was a 10-year long-distance relationship.

Woody flew up to San Francisco from Los Angeles on a rainy Friday December evening to surprise me with the help of my sister and good friend. I was running late for my sister’s birthday dinner (as usual), and Woody called a couple of times, insisting to remain on the line with me while I was getting ready. He asked me to go outside to the mail room to pick up a birthday package for my sister and on my way there, I saw someone standing outside in the rain with their back towards me. Confused as to why a person would be standing in this type of downpour, I walked over to them and to my surprise, it was Woody, soaking wet after standing in the rain for about 30 minutes. From there, he walked me up and then down the steps, both of us stumbling because of our nerves, and asked me to marry him.

During the few moments before our grand entrance, we had the chance to look down at the reception from above while the guests cheered on the wedding party’s entrance. We were on the opposite side and hidden from our guests’ view and stood on a balcony one floor up. This moment was the one time we had during the night to take everything in in a very touching and quiet setting. We will never forget the feeling it gave us.

Wedding Photography: Adrienne Gunde Photography / Wedding Venue: Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California / Event Planning: Fresh Events Company / Flowers: Ixora Floral Studio / Rentals: Luna Party Rentals / DJ: DJZ Entertainment / Wedding Dress: Matthew Christopher via Haute Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Jewelry: Borrowed from Her Mother / Groom’s Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna / Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

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Post tags: Adrienne Gunde Photography, Badgley Mischka, California, DJZ Entertainment, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fresh Events Company, Gray, Haute Bride, Ixora Floral Studio, Lavender, Los Angeles, Luna Party Rentals, Matthew Christopher, Pink, Salvatore Ferragamo, Skirball Cultural Center
Post categories: California Weddings, Los Angeles Weddings

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From the bride… Our vision for the wedding was intimacy. It was most important to us to have a wedding about our marriage and not being overly flashy or over-the-top spending. We wanted everything to be quaint, sweet and the focused solely on our marriage in front of God and witnessed by family and closest friends. The officiant was the groom’s cousin, who is a pastor, and we chose the venue, L’Auberge de Sedona, because of its beautiful location by the creek. It was an absolute bonus that it snowed. We honestly thought that because of the long summer it would be sunny that weekend in December, but snow was a thousand times better!

My favorite part was how perfectly calming and intimate our ceremony was. It was amazing for us to feel so loved as we were placed in a beautiful snowy setting by a creek, surrounded by our guests. Benjamin said the first look was something he would never forget when he turned around and saw me. I won’t forget that when I saw him from the hotel room when he was shooting with Ryan first, it finally hit me — I’m getting married! I will never forget getting my makeup done and watching the snow fall all morning. What an incredible blessing to witness as I was getting ready. I also think the fact that our wedding was less about the wedding production but more about our marriage, so many of our guests told us after they had never been to a wedding like it!

What I enjoyed most about the planning was my venue team. Being a wedding photographer myself, it was a dream to work with my favorite people in the business, from my event designer, cookie designer, makeup artist, venue and, most importantly, the photographer that I had to have! I felt like I had the dream team and I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m so thankful that everyone was able to come together and work their amazing talents.I also loved that our ceremony was short, simple and sweet. I kept telling Benjamin I wanted to get married all over again. It was so much fun.

Wedding Photography: Ryan Ray Photography / Wedding Venue + Cake: L’Auberge de Sedona in Sedona, Arizona / Event Designer: la Ricki / Flowers: Bliss Extraordinary Floral / Hair + Makeup: Lizzy Marsh / Wedding Dress: Tadashi Shoji / Cream Belt: J.Crew / Black Belt: BHLDN / Earrings + Bracelets: Nadri / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Jewelry: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Zegna / Tie: Calibrate / Shirt: Thomas Pink

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Post tags: Arizona, Badgley Mischka, BHLDN, Black, Bliss Extraordinary Floral, Calibrate, J. Crew, L'Auberge de Sedona, la Ricki, Lizzy Marsh, Nadri, Ryan Ray Photography, Sedona, Tadashi Shoji, Thomas Pink, White, Zegna
Post categories: The Blog

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Alice and Ben met on Martha’s Vineyard in August 2001, on the eve of Ben’s 21st birthday, at a concert performed by Alice’s college singing group. Both were undergraduates at Yale (he a senior, she a sophomore), and they began dating the following school year. Martha’s Vineyard carries additional meaning for both of them, as their families have spent time on the island over the years. Alice’s mother’s home is perched on a hill in Chilmark with splendid English gardens throughout, as well a 180-degree view of the lush New England greenery below and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. When Ben proposed almost nine years later, there was no question where the wedding would be held.

With the indispensable help of wedding coordinator Julie Hatt, the couple set about organizing a ceremony and reception that combined simple elegance with the natural beauty and intimacy of the property. The bride chose a color palette of vivid purples, magentas, and blues, which went beautifully with the lush greenery and bright colors of the gardens. Stone walls are ubiquitous in Chilmark, and the stone wall that runs parallel to the ocean in the backyard of the house became a motif of the exquisitely designed and elegantly produced paper goods by Bryn Chernoff of Paperfinger. Alice and Ben recognized the risk they took in planning a summer wedding on an island in the Northeast, but as it turned out, the weather was absolutely perfect the entire weekend. The incredible team of photographers, led by Shawn Connell of Christian Oth Studio and supported by second photographer Glen Allsop, captured every detail and moment of the day to perfection.

As guests arrived for the ceremony, they were greeted with lemonade in mason jars and were provided shade under parasols that had been used previously at the weddings of two of Alice’s close friends. The simple ceremony celebrated the warmth and familiarity of the occasion. After the ceremony, guests milled about the grounds for an extended cocktail period before heading to the dinner tent where they were served a delicious meal of summer gazpacho (Alice’s mom’s recipe), local striped bass with island vegetables and corn pudding, and individual servings of mixed berry shortcake. The escort card table displayed wedding photographs of the couple’s parents and grandparents. Instead of a guest book, guests were invited to write personal message on simple cards, which the couple plans to incorporate into a scrapbook. As the sun went down, many guests sat perched along the stone wall chatting and enjoying the striking Vineyard sunset over the Atlantic. Ben and Alice departed through a path lined by sparklers waved by all of their friends and family who were given little boxes of chocolate for the journey home. 

Wedding Photography: Shawn Connell of Christian Oth Studio / Second Photographer: Glen Allsop / Wedding Venue: Home of Bride’s Mother in Chilmark, Massachusetts / Wedding Coordination: Julie Hatt / Wedding Flowers: Lynda Dandeneau / Wedding Officiant: Cantor Theodore Aronson / Wedding Calligraphy, Save-the-Dates, Menus, “Guest Book” Cards, Escort Cards + Programs: Bryn Chernoff of Paperfinger / Wedding Invitations: Dempsey & Carroll / Catering: V. Jaime Hamlin & Sons / Desserts: Val Cakes (508-274-0396) / Entertainment: The Sultans of Swing / Tents: Big Sky Tent & Party Rentals / Event Rentals: Big Sky Tent & Party Rentals + Be Our Guest / Wedding Dress: Carolina Herrera / Wedding Dress Steaming: Elinor Corfield / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Jewelry: Jamie Wolf / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: Maysoon Faraj / Bridesmaids’ Hair + Makeup: Mary and Gretchen of Boucle / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Men’s Suits: J.Crew / Men’s Ties: Paul Stuart / Transportation: Stagecoach Taxi / Wedding Favors: Chilmark Chocolates (508-645-3013)

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Post tags: Backyard Wedding, Badgley Mischka, Be Our Guest, Big Sky Tent & Party Rentals, Blue, Boucle, Bryn Chernoff, Cantor Theodore Aronson, Carolina Herrera, Chilmark, Chilmark Chocolates, Christian Oth Studio, Dempsey & Carroll, Elinor Corfield, Glen Allsop, J. Crew, Jamie Wolf, Jenny Yoo, Julie Hatt, Lynda Dandeneau, Magenta, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, Maysoon Faraj, Paperfinger, Paul Stuart, Purple, Shawn Connell, Stagecoach Taxi, The Sultans of Swing, V. Jaime Hamlin & Sons, Val Cakes
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From Edurdo of Eduardo Reyes… April and Glenn are from Georgia and over the holidays they traveled to Puerto Vallarta to get married at the beautiful Playa Fiesta Hotel. This adorable couple’s wedding was small and intimate.

Glenn and April’s brother, Adam, were college roommates and best friends during their freshman year of college. April was visiting her brother during her junior year of college and instantly fell in love with Glenn! Glenn asked April’s brother if he could talk to his sister and Adam said yes, but later said that Glenn could only “talk” to his sister and not “date” her! They are still best friends, and Adam was Glenn’s best man.

April and Glenn’s flowers, created by FlorArt Vallarta, consisted primarily of succulents mixed with white, peach, and pink ranunculus. The green of the succulents accented the bridal bouquet, the groom’s boutonniere, the cake topper, the centerpieces, and even the favors! In addition to the fact that succulents make April think of Mexico in general, she was inspired to include succulents in her wedding design when she saw them featured on a style blog.

Wedding Photography: Michelle Turner / Wedding Cinematography: Eduardo Reyes / Flowers: FlorArt Vallarta / Wedding Venue + Event Planning: Playa Fiesta / Wedding Invitations: Stephens Exclusives / Wedding Dress: David Fielden via Kelly’s Closet / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Brooch Bouquet: Handmade by the Maid of Honor / Hangover Remedy Gift Bag: Stephens Exclusives

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, David Fielden, Eduardo Reyes, FlorArt Vallarta, Kelly's Closet, Mexico, Michelle Turner, Playa Fiesta, Puerto Vallarta, Stephens Exclusives, Turquoise
Post categories: Destination Weddings, Mexico Weddings

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From Jen of Jen Lauren Grant Photography… Tanya and Todd got married at the historic Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills.  The mansion itself is fascinating, with a history that includes a mysterious murder-suicide involving its original owner and a second life as one of Hollywood’s favorite film locations. Tanya got ready nearby at The London West Hollywood while Todd got ready at home. We then headed over to Greystone for their “first look.” Because we did a first look, we were able to spend lots of time shooting all over the grounds without feeling rushed or stressed. The cocktail hour and reception were both held on the rooftop of The London West Hollywood, which boasts food created by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. 

Wedding Photography: Jen Lauren Grant Photography / Wedding Planning: Heidi Jacobsen Event Planning / Wedding Ceremony: Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California / Wedding Reception: Rooftop of The London West Hollywood in West Hollywood, California / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Beverly Hills, California, Gray, Greystone Mansion, Heidi Jacobsen Event Planning, Jen Lauren Grant Photography, Monique Lhuillier, Pink, The London West Hollywood, West Hollywood
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

Eliza and Anthony started dating in April, 2008 following an introduction by Eliza’s brother-in-law, Chip, who attended Princeton University and played lacrosse with Anthony. It seemed like just an introduction, but it was so much more. Eliza had just moved from Philadelphia to New York City in pursuit of her career as a nurse, but little did she know she would also find her future husband. Three years later, Anthony proposed under the Tree in Rockefeller Center following The Christmas Spectacular.

It was never a question where Eliza and Anthony wanted to have their wedding. Eliza’s Family has been going to Nantucket for over 40 years and Eliza has been there every year since her birth. To her, it is a family place, full of memories and tradition. When she was younger, she would put on rope bracelet the day she arrived on island and keep it on until it the end of summer. The bracelet always ended up worn with memories of her summer. She wanted to share these memories and create new ones with her family and friends, with her and Anthony’s special day as a centerpiece.

Fall has always been Eliza and Anthony’s favorite time on Nantucket; the colors of the island are still vivid from the summer sun and the ocean is still warm. Since they started dating they have visited the Island mid or late September, avoiding the summer crowds, having the beaches virtually to themselves, and lighting a fire when the sun went down. They were sure October was the perfect time for a wedding, and it turned out they were right. It was 65 degrees and sunny on their special day. It was simply magical.

It was important to Eliza and Anthony that their wedding not only represent them as a couple, but also the beauty and tradition of the island. From the moments guests arrived, they were greeted with bags filled with traditions of the Island; good luck pennies to throw off the departing ferry towards Brant Point and a small box of chocolate covered cranberries, a tribute to Nantucket’s October Cranberry Festival. And what better venue than the Great Harbor Yacht Club! A homage to the nautical traditions of the Island.

The bridesmaids looked beautiful, with their scallop shell necklaces, starfish earrings, and traditional Nantucket rope bracelets from Eliza’s Childhood. The colors of the bridesmaids dresses was pewter, a tribute to Nantucket, or the “The Gray Lady”, as it is known to those who visit her often. The maid of honor’s dress was dark red, representative of the cranberries that are a fall staple of the Island.

Guests were greeted with a ‘Sea Breeze’ upon arrival to the reception, a tribute to Eliza’s Granny Titi. It was her favorite drink.

Local artist, Jeanne van Etten, also known as the “Nantucket Mermaid,” created mermaid and pirate themed escort cards for each guest. The cards were of course used to direct guests to their table, but were also designed as postcards with personalized E & A postage attached. A detail thought of by the bride to enable each guest to write the newlyweds their best wishes and place them in the mail. Returning from their honeymoon, the couple was greeted with some spirited memories from a memorable night.

Floral Design: Soiree Floral / Venue: Great Harbor Yacht Club / Church: First Congregational Church / Photography: Cary Hazlegrove Photography / Day of Planner: Jimmy Jaskic / Bridal Car: Hyland Drivers / Caterer: Simply with Style / Paper Goods: Jeanne van Etten / Photobooth: Nantucket Photobooth / Dress: Matthew Christopher / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair: RJ Miller / Makeup: Elizabeth Wiggins, Beauty by the Sea / Tuxedos: Brooks Bothers, Golden Fleece Morning Coat / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Band: Sultans of Swing

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Beauty by the Sea, Bouquets, boutonnieres, Brooks Brothers, Cary Hazlegrove Photography, Casual Elegance, Centerpieces, Color Palette Grey, Cranberries, Cranberry, Fall Weddings, First Congregational Church, Flower girls, Great Harbor Yacht Club, Hyland Drivers, Jeanne can Etten, Jimmy Jaskic, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Weddings, Matthew Christopher, Nantucket, Nantucket Mermaid, Nantucket Photobooth, Priscilla of Boston, RJ Miller, Simply with Style, Soiree Floral, Sultans of Swing, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

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From the bride… We spent our first “real date” in Newport, Rhode Island, at a small, cozy bed and breakfast during winter. Newport in winter is truly a unique experience. Historic mansions, cozy restaurants, quiet streets and empty beaches create the setting for a perfect romantic getaway. It became a regular trip for us so when we got engaged, deciding on a location and a time of year to get married was easy. Selecting our venue was also easy. Belle Mer is absolutely stunning. We used white, gray and black accents to create our winter wedding theme. The bridesmaids wore soft gray dresses and the groomsmen wore classic tuxedos. To complement the tuxes, the girls wore black faux-fur shrugs purchased on Etsy. I found my vintage fur stole in my grandmother’s closet and thought it would tie in nicely with our winter backdrop. However to our amazement, we had an absolutely beautiful, fall-like day, which made our photos absolutely breathtaking. For our reception, we wanted to keep it elegant, romantic and most of all, fun! Our escort cards were attached to custom ornaments filled with personalized paper hearts. I used clear glass ornaments, card stock and a heart punch put them together. Flowers by Semia created several types of beautiful high/low arrangements using all types of white flowers illuminated by a variety of candles. In addition to the candles, we used up-lighting throughout the room to add color. The lighting changed color throughout the night to depict transition between cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Also, I added a little sparkle of my own by wearing an embellished belt for the reception, which was inspired by the gorgeous chandeliers at Belle Mer. As for dessert, we decided on cupcakes because it allows guests to select their personal favorite, and more importantly, I’m a cupcake fanatic! We wanted to be playful with the cupcakes and stick to our winter theme so we brainstormed flavor combinations and came up with fun types such as “gingerbread” and “sno-cap.” Confectionery Designs put their elegant spin on everything and created the most delicious cupcakes. If that wasn’t sweet enough, we also gave guests chocolate nonpareils as our favors because the white pearls reminded us of snow.   I have always loved DIY projects, and weddings are the optimal platform to create fun and unique items of your choice. A lot of my inspiration came from browsing through wedding and photography blogs such as SMP and Snap! I would save all of my favorite pictures to my own vision board, which inspired the design of our invitations, ceremony cards, menu cards and escort cards. Using fonts downloaded from dafont.com, products from Paper Source and the help of family and friends, we created our own unique designs for all of the printed items. I think back on how many hours went into these personalized items and how rewarding it was to see the final product – I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wedding Photography: Snap! Photography / Florist: Flowers by Semia / Wedding Venue + Catering: Belle Mer in Newport, Rhode Island / Cupcakes: Confectionery Designs / Wedding Gown: Angelina Faccenda via La Reine / Bride’s Belt: Enzoani “Fabi” / Brides Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Earrings + Fur Wrap: Antiques Owned by the Bride’s Grandmother / Bridesmaids Dresses: Bill Levkoff / Black Faux-Fur Shrugs: Alexbridal / Hair: New Leaf Salon / Makeup: Kristina Jones of Alayne White Spa / Invitations, Ceremony Programs + Holiday Ornament Place Cards: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Favors: Chocolate Delicacy / Transportation: Newport Wedding Trolley + Viking Tours / Lodging: Pearls of Newport

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Post tags: Alayne White Spa, Alexbridal, Angelina Faccenda, Badgley Mischka, Belle Mer, Bill Levkoff, Black, Chocolate Delicacy, Confectionery Designs, Enzoani, Etsy, Flowers by Semia, Gray, Kristina Jones, La Reine, New Leaf Salon, Newport, Newport Wedding Trolley, Pearls of Newport, Rhode Island, Snap! Photography, Viking Tours, White
Post categories: The Blog