From Charmed Events Group, LLC … Milton and Annikke have the classic “love at first sight” story that we all dream about. It all started when Milton was craving a cup of milk tea on a hot summer day and walked into one of his favorite stores and when he went to place his order, he saw Annikke and was instantly attracted. From that day on, he went back everyday to buy a cup of milk tea until Annikke finally agreed to go on a date with him, and the rest is history!

Milton and Annikke really wanted to have a romantic and modern theme based on a Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. With their personal favorite colors of Navy Blue and lavender, we brought in light pink and metallic silvers and golds to accent their favorite colors to create a dreamy color palette that would shape their day. In addition to bringing in the romance of a Midsummer’s Night Dream, they really wanted to incorporate stars into the design so we began by bringing in some stars into their printed items and soon figured that stars would be a great physical accent to the actual details of their day. Wallpaper patterns were also a huge love of Annikke’s so we also brought in an immense amount of patterns into their printed and stationary items.

Milton and Annikke were married at the First Unitarian Church in downtown San Jose. Upon entry to the church, guests were greeted by custom wreaths adorned with butterflies that hung on the large church doors. Butterflies were a huge motif that Poppy’s Petalworks used to bring out the Midsummer’s Night Dream, and the butterflies sat perfectly on the wreaths and purple pomander balls that lined the aisle. Guests were invited to pick up programs as they entered and the programs that we created for them all had a cover of different patterned papers that would later be seen in the reception.

Their reception was held at the gorgeous San Jose Rotunda at City Hall. The entire venue sits inside a glass dome and certainly gave the guests a wow factor as they entered for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Guests were ushered up the romantic stairway, lined with silver star luminary bags, that led them to the Mezzanine floor overlooking the actual reception space. For the sign in, we wanted to do something different that has never been seen before so we decided to have their sign in become an art piece that they could take home after the wedding and display. We had stars cut in their color palette and invited guests to leave their name or a small note on the stars that were then placed on a metallic silver board to create an ombre design of a beautiful wave of stars. For the escort display, we also wanted to do something dreamy and whimsical and had created a custom “curtain of stars” in which each guest name was written on stars and gave a little more interaction for guests in finding their names. Each table was distinguished by different patterns of paper so the star curtain turned out to be a big hit with the different patterned stars.

When it came time for guests to formally enter into the reception area, a seating chart was created for guests to “spot their star” for easy directions in making way to their assigned tables. Each table had a silver star luminary bag with the assigned pattern paper at the base for guests to find their table. These luminary bags also added to the magic and “dreaminess” of the venue later on in the evening when the sun went down. Custom napkin wraps were created for each guest and romantic centerpieces of pomander balls and pink roses with crystals filled the tables to add to the dreamy atmosphere that we wanted to create for guests. The big statement of entering the reception space was the gorgeous dessert bar that we had sitting against a backdrop of hanging ribbons and crystals. Jens Cakes created a fabulous ombre display of miniature cupcakes in our color palette and we put together a candy bar that consisted of all chocolates in the color palette that we wanted for guests to have as favors. Custom treat bags were created with star ties to finish off the theme.

A wonderful evening was had by all as guests literally danced underneath the stars that were projected onto the dance floor. Congratulations to Milton and Annikke for having a star-studded, romantic and dreamy wedding inspired by a Midsummer’s Night’s Dream!

Planning: Charmed Events Group, LLC / Photography: Gladys Jem / Brides Dress: Lazaro / Bridesmaids dresses: ML Monique Lhuillier / Groom’s Suit: Ralph Lauren Black Label / Brides Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Floral Design: Poppys Petalworks / Invitations & Paper Goods: Post Etiquette / Makeup & Hair: Vanity Pham / DJ: Brian Lu / Officiant: Jon Olsen / Lighting: Fantasy Sound Events / Caterer: Catered Too / Rentals: Catered Too & San Jose Rotunda / Ceremony Venue: First Unitarian Church / Ceremony Organist: Libby Codd / Reception Venue: San Jose City Hall Rotunda / Cupcakes: Jen’s Cakes / Videography: Shakewell Studios / Transportation: El Paseo Limousine

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Post tags: California, Candy Bar, Candy Buffet, Catered Too!, Charmed Events Group, Color Palette Navy Purple, Color Palette Navy Violet, contemporary, Cupcakes, DJ Brian Lu, El Paseo Limousine, Fantasy Sound Events, Gladys Jem, Jen's Cakes, Jon Olson, Lazaro, LLC, Manolo Blahnik, Midsummer Night's Dream, ML Monique Lhuillier, Modern, Poppy's Petalworks, Post Etiquette, Ralph Lauren Black Label, Roses, San Jose, San Jose City Hall Rotunda, San Jose Rotunda, Shakewell Studios, Stars, Vanity Pham, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Contemporary, Little Black Book Blog

And just because we all need a little more purple in our lives, here is the highlight film from The Wedding Theater!

Kimbery + Josh’s Villa Antonia Austin TX Wedding from The Wedding Theater

I don’t remember the first time we met as I embarrassingly introduced myself to Josh at a singles gathering through Second Baptist Church Houston.  We were on the elevator and the walls started closing in on me as I realized not only had I met the guy I just introduced myself to, we had had a full conversation about where we were from, where we had attended school, and our careers.  I was so embarrassed after that I made sure to remember Josh from then on out, never thinking that one day he might be my husband.

We began working together in sports ministry for our bible study class.  As our friendship began to develop, we started to enjoy spending more and more time together and after a year of being best friends, we decided maybe we were more than just good friends and began dating. 

On March 18th of 2011, Josh popped the question under the stars at the George Observatory.  It was the night of the super moon so there really wasn’t much to see, so he creatively placed glow in the dark stars on the headliner/ceiling of the car that spelled out “Marry Me?” I of course said yes and then the wedding planning began.

Once I saw Villa Antonia, I knew we had to get married there.  The views are breathtaking and the architecture of the place is truly unique for Texas.  As you drive up the windy rode to the venue you begin to feel as if you have happened upon the Italian countryside.  We planned the entire wedding in less than five months without a wedding coordinator. I can’t say that it was easy and entirely stress free at times, but it was completely worth it at the end of the day when I was married to the man I love.

The ceremony was on the Terrace overlooking the Austin Hill country.  The Terrace has a wooden Lattice, which was decorated with wild smilax and deep purple stock flowers.   The isle leading to the Terrace was covered in rose petals.  We had flowers on the sides of the chairs draped with deep purple and lavender ribbons.   A close family friend was the minister for our ceremony.  During the main ceremony we performed what is called the Cord of Three strands.   The cord of three strands symbolizes the joining of one man, one woman, and God into a marriage relationship. Marriage takes three; you, your soon to be spouse, and God. It was God who taught us to love. By keeping Him at the center of our marriage, His love will continue to bind us together as one throughout our marriage.  Each strand is a different color.  The gold strand represents God, the white strand represents the bride and purple strand represents the groom.  During the ceremony we had one of the bridesmaids sing the song “A Hundred More Years” by Francesca Battistelli.  Since it was outside in August our programs were fans.  They were deep purple and lavender.  We found them from a boutique on Etsy.

We had two separate areas for the reception.  The dining area was in the wine cellar room.  For the dining tables we had eggplant satin tablecloths with Chiavari chairs.  The decorations were kept  simple with clear candle votives on every table and a mixture of large and small flower arrangements.  The large flower arrangements were in tall clear vases with floating flowers throughout the vase.   The room also had candles around the outer walls.  The Bridal party and family table had reserved signs on  handmade aluminum stands with a heart on the bottom.   The aluminum stands were found on Etsy. The signs were handmade by the bride out of solid and patterned scrapbook paper and matched the signs on the candy table.   The chairs for the bride and groom had purple signs hand painted by my cousin in script that said simply Mr. and Mrs.

For the second part of the reception we moved to the chapel for cake, the wedding toast, and dancing.   The chapel tables were decorated the same as the dining tables.  Illios lighting set the mood in the Chapel with purple uplights and a custom monogramed gobo set on the center of the dance floor.  We announced our entire wedding party through the side doors and then we entered into the Chapel through the grand wooden doors at the back.  We wanted to start it off with fun music so announcements were done basketball style to Jock Jams.   We immediately went into our first dance by Brad Paisley, “Then”.  We had everyone blow bubbles during our first dance creating a truly unique atmosphere.  Then we proceeded to the father/daughter dance and the mother/son dance.  After that  the toast were given by the maid of honor, best man, and the father of the bride. 

For our “thank you gift,” we set up a candy table in the Chapel.  My sister-in-law put the whole candy table together.  We used only purple, white, and silver candy.  Many of the pieces of candy were personalized including the m&ms with our picture on them and initialized mini Hershey bars.  The candle table had handmade signs made by my sister-in-law wrapped around an assortment of clear glass vases.  The candy table included white swirly pops, purple jelly beans, white gum balls, Hershey mini bars, milk chocolate kisses, white wedding sweet tarts, laffy taffy and more.   The table was adorned with a hand painted sign painted by my cousin that said “Love is sweet, so take a treat.”

Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Venue: Villa Antonia / Floral Design: Coby Neal, The Flower Studio / Lighting: Illios Lighting / Entertainment: DJ Sean Allen of ATX DJ / Wedding Rings: Deutsch and Deutsch / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jim Hjelm Occasion / Wedding Gown: Lazaro / Cake: Simon Lee Bakery / Catering: Sterling Affairs / Cinematography: The Wedding Theater / Makeup artist: Maris Malone Calderon

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Post tags: ATX DJ, Bubbles, Candy Bar, Candy Buffet, Casual Elegance, Color Palette Purple, Deutsch and Deutsch, DJ Sean Allen, Forever Photography Studio, Illios Lighting, Jim Hjelm Occasion, Lazaro, Outdoor Ceremonies, Pearls, Simon Lee Bakery, Sterling Affairs, The Flower Shop, Villa Antonia, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

From Marry Me Productions … From our first meeting with Lauren and Dave they were clear about two things: they wanted their wedding to be an fun and celebratory reflection of themselves and that their dog, Toby, absolutely must be a part of the day!

These two share an amazing passion for traveling especially since their trip to Egypt over Christmas 2010 where Dave proposed inside one of the great pyramids at Giza. There have been wild adventures where they swam with sea lions, sea turtles and sharks in the Galapagos islands and others where they have climbed a 15,000 foot volcano in Ecuador. They have also survived the amazon jungle and conquered the four day trek through the Inca trail to Machu Piccu!

It was with this love of travel that their wedding had to reflect the energy and passion they bring to every aspect of their lives. The venue was an easy choice, as the grandeur of the National Gallery with all its light and glass provided the prefect backdrop to set off their peacock themed reception. No shy colours here, the couple choose deep purples and teals with an accent of rich golds and pops of fushia to bring their vision to life. This palette was reflected throughout the day in their linen, dresses, flowers and the crowd favourite – the candy table.

During the cocktail hour guests dined on a Filipino infused selection of Warm Shrimp and pork spring roll Vegetarian Pancit and Oysters on the half shell. This was followed by a 4 course meal that included a composed salad of roasted pear, dates, and blueberries, a seafood tasting plate, beef tenderloin and Tibetan Halibut. Before the dancing started each guest was served a “happy ending” shooter, a favourite of the couple.

The party continued into the wee hours of the night and was a true reflection of this amazing couple.

Wedding Planner: Marry Me Productions / Photography: Photolux Studio / Flowers: Bel Fiore / Ceremony Location: Museum of Nature, The Salon / Reception Location: National Gallery of Canada / Stationary: Paper Studio / Cake: The Girl with the Most Cake / Catering: Tulips and Maple / Candy Bar: The Candy Store / Lounge: Mikasa Home / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Dress: Mori Lee

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Post tags: Bel Fiore, Canada, Canadian Weddings, Candy Bar, Candy Buffet, Color Palette Purple Green, contemporary, Dogs, Manolo Blahnik, Marry Me Productions, Mikasa, Mikasa Home, Mori Lee, Museum of Nature, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Paper Studio, Peacock, Peacock Feathers, Peacocks, Photolux Studio, The Candy Story, The Girl With the Most Cake, Tulips and Maple, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Contemporary, Little Black Book Blog

Shortly before our three year anniversary, Todd and I started talking about spending our lives together. I knew he was “The One” and was certainly excited about the idea of an engagement and planning a wedding. However in all our conversations, I never imagined a proposal to be in the near future. When friends would ask me when I thought we would get engaged, I would perpetually say, “Maybe in 6-8 months,” never thinking about the date actually getting any closer. I’m not someone who is easily caught off guard, but in this case Todd was 100% committed to his proposal being a complete surprise to me. He definitely succeeded.

He used my friends to gain insight into what type of ring setting I might like, and he bought the ring and planned the whole proposal in two weeks while I was out of the country travelling for work. My co-worker teased me on our flight home that he might be waiting for me with a ring at the airport. Ironically he was at the airport, with the ring, but without any plan to propose! He carried the ring around with him everywhere for the next week, afraid that if he left it anywhere at home I might find it. The following Saturday, still jet-lagged and exhausted, I woke up early and was surprised to see that Todd was already awake and staring at me. Although I wasn’t yet fully awake or alert, I’ll never forget the first words out of Todd’s mouth or my response. Todd asked, “Will you be with me forever?” and instead of thinking it was such a sweet thing to say or realizing it was actually THE proposal, I responded in the most sassy way possible – I wagged my ring finger at him as if to say, “Where’s the ring that goes with that question??” When a beautiful diamond ring popped up hovering just over my wagging finger I was so shocked and surprised I don’t think I ever actually remembered to say, “Yes!” I just shook my head, kissed him, and jumped out of bed… the celebration couldn’t wait – the champagne was poured before 7am!

Todd and I spent our first vacation together at Todd’s family’s home on Hilton Head Island, so naturally it seemed like the perfect place to gather our closest friends and family for an intimate destination wedding. When thinking about details for the day, Style Me Pretty was one of my main sources for inspiration and ideas – I actually pieced together an inspiration board (primarily with images found on SMP!) to help us focus our overall aesthetic for the day. Todd and I wanted the vibe of the day to balance vintage, romantic and pretty with clean, nautical and preppy details with a decidedly casual feeling overall. To achieve this through color, we loved the juxtaposition of the soft pink coral accents off of the cleaner, saturated navy. We tried to weave this contrast through all of the details — bouquets of romantic coral roses, dahlias, and green mini-hydrangeas were played off of preppy grosgrain ribbon wraps, etc. We carried preppy grosgrain detail throughout ceremony and reception décor – everywhere from tying each pair of flip flop favors with a grosgrain ribbon to decorating the scoops for the candy buffet with grosgrain bows!

Our reception and ceremony locations within the Palmetto Dunes resort could not have been more perfect for achieving our desired look and feel. The reception took place in the backyard of a large rental home over looking the lagoon, but was close enough to the beach that we could have the seaside ceremony we wanted. Guests were greeted at the beach with a refreshing drink table and flip flops for everyone. Curly willow branches and candles lined the aisle and simple arrangements of curly willow and orchids marked the altar space without obstructing the beautiful view of the ocean beyond. Although the ceremony was short and sweet, we made it meaningful with a reading by my sister, the Matron of Honor, and a vocal performance by one of the bridesmaids of one of our favorite songs – Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am.” Guests were able to walk back to the house for the cocktail hour while Todd and I stayed behind to capture sunset photos.

We wanted to keep the cocktail hour and the reception décor simple and casual since it was taking place outdoors in a naturally beautiful environment, but knew that our evening reception would need some source of light. The use of café string lights and Japanese lanterns had been on our list of “must-haves” from the beginning, but I never imagined it to execute as beautifully as it looked the evening of the wedding. The best part? The lights were a total DIY project! My mother helped find the reasonably priced lights and lanterns online, and my father, brother, brother-in-law and Todd worked together to engineer and assemble the whole thing! Functionality aside, the lights gave the whole evening a wow-factor and looked incredible in the photos! The use of varying sizes and shades of coral in the lanterns gave dimension to the lighting without looking busy or becoming distracting. After dinner, guests danced the night away on the pool patio under the glow of the lights!

The one moment that stands out to me was our “first look” shots with Allison and Rich. I think everyone could tell that Todd and I were pretty nervous throughout the day as we were getting ready. Having the “first look” photo session in advance of the ceremony was perfect because it created a setting where our initial reaction to seeing each other could be intimate and emotional. I love the photos on the dock that are part of this “first look session.” I also love the drama of the sunset photos, the pure joy and happiness captured in the “first dance” photos, and the sweetness and innocence of the photos of my ring bearer – especially of him with me at the beach after the ceremony.

When it came time for booking vendors, my first priority was photography. We met with several photographers, but after meeting Allison (Allison Reisz Photography) we knew she was the one we wanted! Insane talent and ridiculously beautiful photography aside, Allison was so down to earth and easy to chat with – we knew we would be comfortable with her on the wedding day. Our photography turned out beautifully! Allison and her husband Rich captured all of the details and important moments perfectly – the photography looks so good that I can’t even believe it is Todd and I in the picture!

Wedding Gown: J.Crew / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s suit: J.Crew / Bride’s Accessories (Earrings, Bracelet, Shoes, Wrap): J.Crew / Photographer: Allison Reisz Photography / Floral Designer: Flowers by Freshcuts / Event Coordinator: Amanda Rose Weddings / Invitation, Program and Stationary Designer: Serendipity Beyond Design / Cake: Sheri’s Edible Designs / Event Location & Catering Manager: Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort / Ceremony Acoustic Guitar: Christopher Paul, Hilton Head Entertainment / DJ: Gary Davis, Destination One Entertainment / Officant: Rev. Joe Wadas

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Post tags: Allison Reisz Photography, Amanda Rose Weddings, Beach Wedding, Candy Bar, Casual Elegance, Chinese Lanterns, Christopher Paul, Color Palette Navy Coral, Destination One Entertainment, Flowers by Freshcuts, Gary Davis, Hilton Head, Hilton Head Entertainment, J. Crew, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, Rev. Joe Wadas, Serendipity Beyond Design, Sheri's Edible Designs, South Carolina, Water, Water Weddings, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

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From the Sandy Tam (The Bride)… Albert and I have THREE big LOVES in our life.  Our wedding was planned around that.

Love #1: We love cooking and we love eating great food.  Our wedding favours were recipe cards of 10 of our favorite recipes that Albert and I photographed and designed.  Our caterer offered us an Asian fusion menu (because we are Chinese and our parents wanted something Asian) alongside Japadogs (Japanese hot dogs – the best street food you can find in Vancouver).  When Albert and I first started our long distance relationship, we made caramel apple pie together every time we visited each other.  Apple pie was the only thing we wanted to cut into on our wedding day.  Our first date was at a dessert joint called True Confections, so we sourced cakes from them for our dessert table.  Albert’s boutonniere was made out of edible herbs.

Love #2: I am passionate about photography (obviously) and Albert is my second shooter at my weddings. Photography is an important element in both our lives.  We planned our wedding from a photographer’s eye even though it meant breaking some Chinese tradition. For the Chinese tea ceremony, we had it outdoors (“normally” indoors), in the evening (“normally” in the morning) and on Friday before the wedding (“normally” on the same day as the wedding).  This is because I wanted all natural, sunset lighting for the tea ceremony.  On our wedding day, everything was outdoors because again, nothing is better than natural lighting.  I wanted back-lit sunset shots during ceremony and therefore, we aligned the guest seating so that it faces the sun.  We had our ceremony at 5:00 p.m. so that the sun would be at the right height as we walk down the aisle.  Our creative session with our photographer was done at 6:00 p.m. also for best lighting.

Love #3: Dog and Friends! At least once a week, we would have friends over at our place to hang out and enjoy a nice meal together. Chilling with our friends is our way of enjoying life. We wanted our wedding to be like “hanging out with friends.”  We rented loungers and bar tables for this reason.  All of our vendors, other than the caterer, are our close friends.  My photographer is my mentor. For our dog, West, it was important that she walked down the aisle because she is part of our family. We flew her to Vancouver in a kennel.  I didn’t want to burden her with a dress on a hot summer day.  Instead, I made her a pearl necklace for simplicity.

From the bride’s perspective, the biggest lesson I learned was to keep things light.  Try not to over-think and over-analyze. Original ideas will start to come out once you stop looking for them and everything will just naturally come together in a personal and unique way.  It will surprise you!

Wedding Photography: Joee Wong / Wedding Videography: Suen of Sweet Adeline Productions / Caterer: Savoury Chef / Wedding Gown: Pronovias / Groom’s Suit: John Varvatos / Bridesmaid Dresses: eShakti / Groomsmen Attire: Calvin Klein from Moores / Tie: Penguin / Hair + Make-up: Lucy Chang / Floral Design: Colleen of Coco Fleur / Pie: Savary Island Pie Company / Desserts: True Confections / Hexagon Tent Rental: The Tent Guys / Lounge Furniture Rental: Furnishings by Corey / Plates: Verterra / Wedding Venue: The Cammidge House

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Backyard Wedding, Blue, Calvin Klein, Canada Weddings, Candy Bar, Coco Fleur, eShakti, Furnishings by Corey, Joee Wong, John Varvatos, Lucy Chang, Mason Jars, Moores, Outdoor Wedding, Penguin, Pronovias, Savary Island Pie Company, Savoury Chef, Sweet Adeline Productions, The Cammidge House, The Tent Guys, True Confections, Vancouver, Verterra, wildflowers
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Casual Elegance

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From the Bride… When Danny asked me to marry him, we were in Italy. We both love all things Italian, and so it was a natural choice to plan our wedding to be in beautiful Tuscany. What we did not know was that soon after deciding this, we would also make the decision to move to Singapore.  So, planning our Tuscan wedding with 54 guests from England while living in South East Asia was to be the way!  Enter Clara, the best wedding planner in the world. Together, we sent pictures and ideas back and forth across continents through the power of email, and had a huge amount of fun planning our wedding, which turned out to be, we think, just perfect!

We chose Vignamaggio as our venue as it is truly stunning. All our guests could stay there together, and the art history of the place added a special connection as I am an art teacher. The most important thing to us was that our family and  friends had a good time, as it would be the first time we had seen most of them in a year. We therefore wanted to spread the celebrations over 3 days, so we could relax and spend time with everyone. So, Clara helped us plan a pizza party, with amazing views of the Tuscan hills, pots of herbs and tomatoes on the tables and a big barrel of wine for the night before.

On the wedding day we had a beautiful orange theme, with paper parasols, paint brushes in jars for the table setting, lights hanging from the trees, a yummy candy bar, and an amazing live band we had found on our previous visit to Tuscany. The tables were named after Italian artists, and the cake was made from wheels of cheese. A projector screen played a message from my very pregnant sister who was 2 days over her due date! We laughed, danced, ate, drank and loved. The photo booth pictures make me giggle every time I look at them! It was a wonderful day, even more beautiful than we had imagined. The next day we had a BBQ party with a big hammock, big orange and pink lanterns hanging from the trees, and photos of my Mum and Dad on their wedding day hanging from the trees as it was their 40th wedding anniversary.

The whole thing was so much fun to plan, and Clara was inspirational and romantic and made us feel like anything was possible.  Having friends and family involved made it personal.  Our good friend Gurjinder designed the logos on all the stationery, Mum hand tied all the brushes and labels for the table settings, two of our best friends Claire and Jane did readings during the ceremony, our good friend Young was the DJ and my Godmother managed to sneak the photos of Mum and Dad out of their house after some conspiring long distance phone calls! It was relaxed, fun, beautiful and my husband and I have not yet had a day without looking together at the photographs and smiling as we remember the most fantastic and fabulous three days.

Wedding Photography: Lelia Scarfiotti Photographer / Venue & Catering: Vignamaggio / Wedding Planning & Design: Chic Weddings In Italy / Florist: Marie Lou / Music: Baraba’s Band / Hair: Mej Staff

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Post tags: Baraba's Band, Calla Lillies, Candy Bar, Chic Weddings, Destination Wedding, DIY Photo Booth, Italy, Lelia Scarfiotti Photographer, Marie Lou, Mason Jars, Mej Staff, Orange, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Parasols, Tuscany, Vignamaggio
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Destination, Destination Weddings, Italy Weddings

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Nathan and I met in November 2008 through a mutual friend and started dating a few months later.  Nathan was impressed with my craft beer knowledge and I melted at the sound of his Australian accent.  Things got serious pretty quickly, and after asking my Dad for his blessing to marry me, Nathan proposed on October 27, 2009.  We were carving a jack-o-lantern for Halloween and Nathan asked me to go find a candle and a lighter.  When I came back and opened the lid of the pumpkin I was surprised to find a beautiful ring resting on the bottom.  I turned around and Nathan was down on one knee, ready to pop the question.  We celebrated with champagne at the wine bar we went to on our first date.

Since Nathan is from Australia we decided to have the wedding in Southern California so that his relatives and friends traveling across the globe wouldn’t have to make a connecting flight once in the states to come to Houston.  I grew up in Newport Beach, but I knew I wasn’t going to find something with the rustic vibe I was looking for there, so we decided to check out the wineries in Temecula.  Nathan and I had been wine tasting in the area previously and had loved the amazing views of the vineyards from atop the hill at Falkner Winery.

I wanted our wedding to be rustic chic and a lot of fun.  I tried to play up the rustic side of things with the winery, having it all outdoors, and our chocolate brown and pale yellow colors.

I collected milk glass from antique shops in Texas and California for eight months before the wedding to use for our centerpieces.  I also collected postcards that were either wedding and love or Texas, California or Australia themed and instead of having a regular guestbook we asked the guests to fill out a postcard.  My Mom has been mailing them to us every couple of weeks since the wedding, and it is so fun to get them in the mail as a reminder of our wedding!

A couple of my favorite little special touches with the details were our cake toppers and my bouquet with LOVE spelled out in scrabble letters. I also went with non traditional music for the ceremony and used songs that fit us better.  The bridal party walked down the aisle to “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles, my Dad and I to “Better Together” by Jack Johnson, and we recessed to “Beautiful Day” by U2. One of my bridesmaids sang “Marry Me” by Train.  She had kept the song choice a secret from Nathan and me, and she even inserted our names into the song!

Photographer: JL Photographers / Floral Designer: Sheri’s Flowers / Invitation Designer: Wedding Paper Divas / Cake & Desserts: Cakes to Celebrate / Wedding Gown Designer: Christos purchased from Mia Bridal Couture / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: AriaDress / Bride’s Earrings: Blue Nile / Bride’s Head Piece: Acme Hair Dressing / Cake Topper: The Pretty Pixie, Etsy / Groom’s Attire: Jos. A Bank / Bride’s Shoes: Tory Burch / Venue: Falkner Winery

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Post tags: Acme Hair Dressing, AriaDress, Blue Nile, Cake Stands, Cakes to Celebrate, California, Candy Bar, Christos, Color Palette Yellow Brown, Corks, Etsy, Falkner Winery, Flower girls, JL Photographers, Jos A Bank, Love, Mia Bridal Couture, milk glass, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Polka Dots, Sheri's Flowers, Summer Wedding, Temecula, The Pretty Pixie, Tory Burch, Vineyard Wedding, Wedding Paper Divas, Winery
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

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From Ben Yew Photography… Astin & Ben Piper chose this venue because of the natural surrounds, rustic feel and great management. They were inspired by the theme romance and nature. The wedding reception and ceremony were held at a rustic old cider factory which was recently re-branded as “The Real River Company,” formally known as the “Old Goldfields Orchard.” Family members traveled from South Africa to attend the wedding. Ben, the Groom, composed and performed a song for the Bride during the reception. The ceremony was held in the orchard which was beautiful and most of the decorations were prepared by the venue. They will be honeymooning in Smith Beach Resorts down south. Both of them are teachers.

Wedding Photography: Ben Yew Photography / Wedding Reception & Ceremony Location: The Real River Company / Floral Design: Meg Rayner of The Real River Company / Wedding Cake: Little Gem Cakes / Rings: Nina’s Jewelry Bunbury / Wedding Dress: Ares and Graces / Bridesmaid Dresses: Studio Collections / Hair: Cody of Brooke Fiore

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Post tags: Apple Orchard, Apples, Area and Graces, Australia, Ben Yew Photography, Blue, Brooke Fiore, Bunting, Candy Bar, Donnybrook, Lanterns, Little Gem Cakes, Mason Jars, Natural Elements, Nature Themed, Nina's Jewelry Bunbury, Outdoor Ceremony, Paper Lanterns, Picnic Tables, Pink, Rustic, Studio Collections, The Real Rive Company, Western Australia, White
Post categories: Australia Weddings, Casual Elegance