from Tammy …

When dear friends of ours offered to host a garden wedding for us in their newly redesigned gardens at their home in Norwalk, CT we were so excited. Gilles and I were married in July at the Mairie in Paris at a small ceremony. With many of our friends and family absent from our ceremony in Paris, we were so happy that our friends offered to host our US reception with close friends and family. We decided to hold our reception on my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. It was a perfect day.

Our reception was planned in four months mostly from Paris.  SMP was a great help for inspiration, resources and ideas that really helped me plan the reception …such as the color palette: french blue and white with antique red accents, casual elegance look and feel, stylish details and floral arrangements. The inspiration boards were especially helpful.  Details of the wedding were very important to me. I included small touches of French flair to honor my husband’s heritage.

Tammy’s chignon is so classic and so perfectly paired with the lace gown!

The buffet menu was incredible. Our caterer really understood our vision to combine American and European cuisine. The charcuterie table was a great success. Details included: a menu board, kir royals, french wine, french bisquits with chocolate from Paris at each place setting, matchbooks given to us by my best friend was such a lovely surprise, an appetizer of home made pate from Gilles’s grandmother, lanterns with ribbon tails with blue lights, stamped cocktail napkins with a stamp from etsy, french-english flashcards placed at the cocktail hour for conversation bought on etsy, french blue ribbons tied on napkins, handmade guest book, elegant clean floral arrangements for tables to compliment the gardens, handmade ring pillow in french blue toile.

The best part of the day was being with all of the family and friends we love. We had symbols of our loved ones everywhere all throughout the day. Chris and Joe offered their beautiful home, our friend, Michael married us in the garden, my best friend Deb assisted me with every aspect of the wedding a few days before the ceremony (hanging all lanterns to wrapping napkins) and was my coordinator the day of the wedding (I am blessed to have her in my life).

What a charming, intimate celebration!

Advice to other brides. It is possible to plan a perfect wedding day in a short amount of time. Come up with a budget and figure out what is really important to you. Ask friends for referrals for catering companies, music and rental companies. Be upfront with your vendors about timing and budget. When they know what they are working with, it makes for a more pleasant experience.

To our hosts Chris and Joe, thank you very much for hosting our wedding and for all your help and effort in making the day just perfect. We are so lucky to have friends like you in our lives.

Perfect!!  A backyard garden wedding full of charm, elegance, and wonderful food & drink. You can tell that this was a very heart-warming day…filled with family and friends, love, laughter and a touch of attitude!

On a slightly different note … congratulations to Krystal and Paul, masterminds of Studio Foto … on their own engagement!! To see more of their fabulous fotography, and read a great marriage proposal story, check out their blog and website.

krystal’s engagement ring shot

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: August Wedding, Backyard Wedding, Color Palette Blue, Connecticut, DIY Inspired, Lace Wedding Dress, Luminaries, Studio Foto, Wedding Menu
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Little Black Book Blog

Daria and Andy Bishop have been so good to us by sending lots of real Style Me Pretty “style” weddings. You’re going to be seeing lots more from them here on the LBB blog!! But, we’d be remiss if we didn’t start off with their photos from Amanda & Jeff’s wedding. Amanda and Jeff Herzberger of Orchard Cove Photography had their own gorgeous wedding this past July at Shelburne Farms, Vermont.  And when one great photographer weds, who does she ask to capture her special day? Why, another Little Black Book member, of course. Enter, Daria Bishop Photography!

Amanda and Jeff’s first look photographs …

Seeing this hug … well, I honestly can’t imagine a more magical moment …

First looks … to see each other on this momentous day, before that walk down the aisle …

Now, you know that one of the questions you too will face when planning your wedding photography is whether you do (or don’t) want to have that first look alone. Seeing each other before the wedding is a hot topic. Some couples are vehemently opposed to it while others have now started thinking, hmmmm, well, maybe…?

Before you decide, talk to your photographer and really listen to the pros and cons. Talk to other couples who have taken the high road and decided to experience this moment privately. I seriously doubt that you will find many, if any, who wish they hadn’t.

And now, more from Amanda and Jeff’s wedding …

I love the shades of blue they used … such a natural pop of color. And the Vermont countryside … wow!

Talk about a pop of color. How much better does it get than beside a red barn?

It just looks like a wonderful location, time of year … lovely people … everything a wedding should be!

Congratulations to Amanda and Jeff from all of us at Style Me Pretty!

And a huge thank-you to Daria and Andy Bishop, today’s Little Black Book featured photographers. Your passion for wedding photography is soooooo evident in your work !

Visit their website and blog to see tons of weddings with tons of special details that will truly inspire you.

Amanda wrote a tremendous post about the “first look” photography decision on her blog at Orchard Cove Photography. If you are on the fence … at all … you really need to read it!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Color Palette Blue, Daria Bishop Photography, First Look, Orchard Cove Photography, Shelburne Farms, Stone Barns, Summer Wedding, Vermont
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Inspiration Boards, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography