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

Bret and I met in our hometown The Woodlands, Texas, but took our first vacation together to Telluride, Colorado.  We fell in love with the small town and visit often to ski and enjoy the summer.  We were engaged on the mountain in Beaver Creek so we thought it fitting to say our vows on a mountaintop as well.

We planned the wedding ourselves and used local vendors for most of the details.  We wanted a very small intimate affair and invited only 45 guests.  We were married at Gorrono Ranch, which is a historic lodge that sits under chair lift four on Telluride Mountain.

We welcomed our guests to The New Sheridan Hotel with personalized embroidered welcome bags that included everything from sunscreen to a town map with things to do highlighted.  We hosted a cocktail reception to greet everyone upon arrival Friday evening and hosted the rehearsal dinner at the hotel Saturday evening.   The wedding was on the mountain and we had hoped the rain would pass, but it did not so our ceremony was moved inside.  Each guest took the town Gondola to the mountain and then a private shuttle to the wedding site.  The bride and groom had separate cabins on the mountain to prepare for the ceremony along with the wedding party.  Champagne was served with appetizers including soup shots, bruschetta, and lettuce cups.

The wedding colors were purple, sage green, and brown, which were incorporated with flowers and fabrics throughout the ceremony.  We used instant cameras during the entire weekend to capture special moments and then used twine to hang the photos throughout the venue with clothespins.  Each guest was asked to take a snapshot and leave a special note for the bride and groom in the wedding book.  The fireplace was decorated with eucalyptus and the aisle chairs were decorated with vases and floral arrangements.  Tables were decorated with cream and green silk linens to host the cake, the guest book, and guest favors.  Blankets were given to guests along with boxed chocolate truffles.  We served surf and turf with baked macaroni and cheese.  The cake was vanilla with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting.

One special detail included was an engraved charm from Bret’s deceased mother’s charm bracelet, which was woven into the his boutonniere  to keep her close to his heart. My brother also performed a solo during the ceremony and the vows were written by Bret and me.  The invitations, programs, and menus, were printed on a home printer using paper by Envelopments.  The love bird theme was carried throughout the events of the weekend.

I wore a candlelight gown by Monique Lhullier, pearls that were a childhood gift from my aunt, and shoes by Kate Spade.  The bridesmaids wore self-selected dresses by J. Crew.  The groom and groomsmen wore chocolate tuxedos with purple and green ties.  We wanted to select colors and a theme that were indicative of the outdoor setting as well as our personalities and are happy to say it went off without a hitch!

Photography:Huy Nguyen, Love Unscripted Photography / Cinematography: Mountain Video Productions / Flowers: Kristin Undhjem / Event Planning: Holli Owen, Telluride Ski Resort / Ceremony Location: Gorrono Ranch / Reception Location: Gorrono Ranch / Invitations: Envelopments / Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaids: J.Crew / Instant Photos: Fuji Instax Mini / Guest Book: Rag & Bone Bindery

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Post tags: Casual Elegance, Color Palette Purple Green, Colorado, envelopments, f8studio, Fuji Instax Mini, Gorrono Ranch, Holli Owen, J. Crew, Kate Spade, Kristin Undhjem, Monique Lhuillier, Mountain Video Productions, Rag & bone Bindery, Telluride, Telluride Ski Resort, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

We wanted a natural/rustic atmosphere and Devils thumb is the perfect place for this.  All the decorations added to the natural beauty of the venue.  We chose all different shades of purple and green because we love those colors together.  We didn’t want to have a cookie cutter wedding so there were many different shades of these colors being worn by the wedding party and in the decor so that we could add a lot of color to the day.

We completely created our ceremony from scratch, incorporating four themes of what marriage really means to us.  These themes included Trust, Friendship, Inexplicably Intertwined and Support of Family and Friends.  These were expressed through readings that we chose.  The most special part of the ceremony was when Mike himself stood up with a close friend and played a song for the guests.  The song was chosen to represent the importance of the support we would need from our friends and family along the way.  We are who we are today because of the people closest to us who have helped shape our lives.  The song they played was “Strange Design” by Phish and really added a personal touch to the ceremony.

The entire soundtrack from the wedding was completely designed by us.  From the Friday night dinner rehearsal to the very last song the DJ played, it was the music we wanted to hear on our special day.  We uploaded the album to a shared site where friends and family could download it later and re-listen to the  music they heard all weekend long.  We also had personalized pint glasses filled with chocolate kisses for each guest.

Photography: Jenni Maroney Photographers / Venue: Devil’s Thumb Ranch / Florist: Pick Me! Floral and Events

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Post tags: Birch, Casual Elegance, Color Palette Purple Green, Colorado, Devil's Thumb Ranch, Dogs, Jenni Maroney Photographers, Lanterns, mountains, Outdoor Ceremony, Pick Me! Floral and Events, Ranch Wedding, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Click here to see the full image gallery!

I met Will one fateful evening in Philadelphia through a mutual friend who he had studied abroad with.  The stars must have been aligned that night because all the people involved and events leading up to our meeting were somehow interconnected and continue to be to this day.  After dating for nearly five years across two states, Will proposed to me when I least expected it.

Will loves history and is a public interest lawyer, and I love art and work at an art museum as an educator.  We are both nerds when it comes to art, history, and culture, so naturally we wanted to design our wedding to reflect our passions.  We chose to have our wedding at the German Society of Pennsylvania, a historic building in Philadelphia built in the late 1800′s.  The space was beautiful and had a transcendent atmosphere that we thought was unique – especially to those coming in from out of town.  In true nerd-fashion, we held our ceremony in the German Society’s library, which was filled with books from floor to ceiling.  The reception took place in the German Society’s ballroom, which had simple, historic wood-work design throughout the room.

Will and I are very proud of Philadelphia and the things we like to do.  We wanted to be resourceful and share what we love with our family and friends.   For our centerpieces, we drew inspiration from the library and stacked hand-painted and stamped books and topped each stack with flower arrangements in mason jars.  Instead of table numbers, we decided to identify each table with names and biographies of “Phamous Philadelphians.”

As wedding favors, we made and canned apple butter – a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe and tradition in Will’s family.  We used all local, organic apples to make the apple butter throughout the year.  To decorate the jars of apple butter, we cut squares of various patterned fabric with pinking shears, laid the fabric over the lid and put on the screw top over the fabric.  The nametags were crumpled and antiqued using distress ink and then tied around the jars using raffia.

Our wedding cake toppers were made by a ceramic artist named Jacqueline Jrolf who works at my art museum.  The birds are called “speros” which translates into ” I hope” in Italian.  Besides having wedding toppers by an artist I admire, I thought her birds also had a meaningful message that fit with our day.

One of our favorite moments at the wedding was our first dance.  We decided early on to take dance lessons and it really paid off!  We learned the fox trot and mastered a few surprising moves and dips, which had our guests applauding and cheering throughout the entire song.  We also really enjoyed the speeches given by my father and our wedding party because so many things were said that were meaningful to us.

Venue: German Society of Pennsylvania / Brides Dress: BB Couture / Bridesmaids dresses: J. Crew / Grooms Suit: Henry A Davidson / Florist: Market Blooms / DJ: Feme Olatunji aka DJ Femstar / Catering: Catering Concepts / Cake: Erin Grissinger at Ciao! Bakery / Photography:  Lindsay Hite & Jacqueline Schlossman for Readyluck / Cake Toppers: Jacqueline Jrolf

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Post tags: Apple Butter, BB Couture, Catering Concepts, Ciao! Bakery, Color Palette Purple Green, DJ Femstar, German Society of Pennsylvania, Henry A Davidson, J. Crew, Library, Library-Chic, Market Blooms, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Readyluck, Wedding Favors & Gifts, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

So much more fabulous-ness in the gallery!

After a year and a half of being friends, both of us fell in love. Not wanting to upset the family friendship in any way, we kept it a little secret until we knew it was serious. We dated for just under a year when Cherian proposed on July 3rd in the Signature Room on the 96th floor of the John Hancock skyscraper with a clear view of the spectacular fireworks. I was in absolute shock, but completely thrilled and of course replied with a yes!

As we are both from South Indian families, we wanted to incorporate traditional elements into an American wedding. The church ceremony incorporated two specific ceremonies. The most memorable part was that both my father’s childhood priest and the priest that married Cherian’s parents performed the Indian ceremonies. The Mathrakodi or “Presentation of the Sari” is usually rich silk and brocaded with silver and gold thread. It is a gift from the groom to the bride and is the symbolism that the husband will shelter and care for his wife.

Being in the design field, I have always loved the traditional and intricate Indian floral designs. Along with the help of my best friend and graphic designer, Carmen, we created the pookalam that would be the theme for the wedding. A symmetrical floral motif with clean lines and detail provided the perfect element to add to the simple, clean and modern approach we had for the event. I had them constructed as center pieces for the tables.

Our wedding weekend was truly unforgettable! Having family and friends from all over the world in attendance and the most beautiful 75 degrees, sunny weekend was all we could have ever hoped for – everything else was just extra! From the rehearsal evening with all the arriving guests to the farewell brunch on Sunday, it was filled of so much excitement, love, and joy!

Photography: Olivia Leigh Photographie / Event Coordination: Renny Pedersen at Bliss Weddings & Events / Floral & Lighting Design: Event Creative / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Badgley Mischka / Ceremony: Saint Vincent de Paul / Reception & Catering: The Drake / DJ: Beep Media

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Beep Media, Bliss Weddings & Events, Chicago, City Wedding, Color Palette Purple Green, Cultural Beauty, Event Creative, Illinois, Indian, Jimmy Choo, Olivia Leigh Photographie, Saint Vincent de Paul, The Drake, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog

{Click here to see all the gorgeous images in our galleries}

From Sixpence For Your Shoes…

Amanda and Kyle were married on one of the most gorgeous September days I can ever remember.  The sun shined, light fluffy clouds sailed by and the smell of salt air coming off of Wequeteqouck Cove in Stonington, Connecticut was divine. When we first met Amanda, just six months before her desired wedding date, we could see a strong sense of vision, a yearning for a wedding which would reflect both her and Kyle’s unique styles, a desire for a warm, welcoming and inviting celebration, and incorporate the importance of bringing two families together.

Upon visiting Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Amanda and Kyle’s decision was made – they loved everything about it – the mix of old and new, rustic and modern, natural and landscaped grounds and a striking reception space, once an airline hanger.  Using the landscape of the vineyard and architectural details of winery, Amanda and Kyle’s wedding began to take shape.

A color palette of green, purple and cream was chosen to compliment the vineyard.  Amanda is a horticulturalist and in fact – so is her father, so she was very involved in the overall design.  Organic, natural, airy and textured, no two arrangements were exactly the same.  Long guest tables were selected to create the feeling of a dinner party at home and lend to more table-side discussions between guests.  In addition to the floral centerpieces and moss accent pieces, the tables were accompanied by fruitwood chivari chairs with amethyst cushions, amethyst table runners, hand made by Amanda’s mother, and individual guest menus, which tied into the overall stationery suite.  Warm ambiance was provided with tabletop candlelight and amber hued up-lighting.  Complementing the main reception space, we decorated the cozy wine loft area with oversized leather ottomans, plush pillows in green and purple and rich wooden accent tables.  Guests loved the ability to escape a bit to a quieter spot, while still feeling like they were included in the overall party.  Adding the personal touches, Amanda and Kyle included family pictures, cupcakes for dessert, on an enormous stand crafted by Amanda’s father,  a s’mores bar and patio fire pit, all building on the intimate feel of their wedding reception.  And their dog Archie, who Amanda deems as “the best dog ever”, an adorable Norwich Terrier was present all day long.  He wore the rings for the ceremony, on a collar adorned in flowers and greens, recessed with the newlyweds at the conclusion of the ceremony and received love, pets and kisses from guests all night long.

In reflection, Amanda and Kyle’s wedding was everything they had set out for it to be.  A testament to their personalities, their relaxed and casual dispositions, and the importance of family and close friends in their lives.  We were honored to be such a special part of bringing it all to life, working with Amanda and Kyle, and the incredible ensemble of vendors.

* * *

From the bride Amanda…

We saw Saltwater in the dead of winter and even then, knew it was the place…it struck the perfect balance and also fit in so perfectly with the surrounding landscape. We chose so many of the details to complement the location…the purple of the girl’s dresses and many of the decor items to highlight the purple grapes (that was the jumping off point for the purple and green-the grapes and the vines), the grasses at the entrance to recall the surrounding grassy marshland, the branches up front at the ceremony area to reflect the woody vines.

We really wanted the florals to be interesting and unique…We worked with Jane, our florist to incorporate herbs, seedpods, grasses, and foliage with the floral elements… all things that reflected my love for plants. The Connecticut shoreline was the ideal place for us, easy to get to for our Long Island guests, very close to beloved Connecticut River spots from my childhood, and evocative of Kyle’s time spent in Greenport, NY, another seaside, fishing community.

* * *

Thank you SO much to Sixpence For Your Shoe for sending this delightful affair our way and to Amanda and Kyle for sharing their beautiful day with us! Congratulations you two! You can also check out even more images from this vineyard affair on Creative Image Collection’s blog.

Vendors: Event Planning, Design, and Stationery: Sixpence For Your Shoe / Photography: Creative Image Collections / Flowers: Just For You / Ceremony and Reception Location: Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Stonington, CT / Caterer: Coastal Gourmet / Lighting: Power Posse  / Ceremony Music: Wildwood Groups String Ensemble / Reception Music: Standing Ovations DJ / Dress: Modern Trousseau, via The White Dress by the Shore / Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo, via The White Dress by the Shore / Make-up: d. d. Nickel / Hair Styling: Sugar Salon / Rentals: American Furniture Rental and Party Rental

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Post tags: Coastal Gourmet Catering, Color Palette Purple Green, Creative Image Collections, DD Nickel Beauty, Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Sixpence For Your Shoes, The White Dress By The Shore, vineyard
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

photography courtesy of Melissa Jill

This beautiful space was built in 2004 specifically for weddings and other special events. The staff is well-experienced to handle anything that might pop up … and has a list of vendors that they work with often ~ we’re thrilled to recommend Villa Siena to you in our Little Black Book {SMP portfolio}!

Vanessa, a school teacher, and Josh, a police officer, had narrowed their search for a wedding venue down to two places. Vanessa said, “We went with Villa Siena because we loved the detail and authenticity of the Italian villa style. Everything down to the minutest detail is perfect, and if you find it to be otherwise, Sabrina and her staff will fix it! We also loved the privacy of being the only people in the venue, rather than in the hotel where there may have been onlookers, etc.”

Vanessa’s stunning wedding gown was designed by Heather Butler.

The decor of the day included Vanessa’s love of color ~ in this case a purple, cobalt and lime green color palette with the whimsical touch of peacock feathers. The guest tables included samples of Josh’s home brewed beer, “Barutha Brew,” tied with lime green and purple ribbons.

You can see more shots of the beautiful property on the Villa Siena website and blog …

Vanessa and Josh

After deciding they were tired of sifting through all the available bachelors and bachelorettes Arizona had to offer, they both signed up for Match.com. As Vanessa was perusing through the profiles, she was struck by the oddity of one quote, “I love the Discovery Channel!” and decided she HAD to check out this man that loves educational television. After deciding he had the best teeth she had ever seen paired with the dorkiest pictures, Vanessa sent him a virtual “wink”. They emailed each other for awhile before finally meeting for coffee one Thursday morning (that turned into a day long event).

The Proposal
Josh wanted to combine something that Vanessa loves (him) with something that she wants (horses). He arranged for the two of them to go horseback riding in the Superstition Mountains. After blindfolding Vanessa, driving around in circles to throw off her sense of direction, and making her stay in the car at all stops, Josh pulled up to the O.K. Corral in Apache Junction. Their guide, Lee, the 100lb cowboy, led them on a two hour ride into the mountains. At the top of the ridge while admiring the beauty, Josh got down on one knee and asked Vanessa to be his wife. Of course, she said “Yes!” Lee, the cowboy, cried.

The Planning
From Vanessa …  Once we decided on the package offered by Villa Siena, we were elated. This was one of the best choices we could have made! It is so much easier to have our vendor choices recommended, guaranteed and limited. Every vendor was spectacular, efficient and flexible. The vendors contributed to our beautiful experience at Villa.

Venue: Villa Siena
Coordinator: Amy Weide with Villa Siena
Photographer: Melissa Jill
Wedding Gown: Heather Butler, Arizona’s Bridal Warehouse
Hair: Joe with Le Studio Salon
Make-up: Stephanie with Kensington Make Up
Florist: Blume Events
Officiant: Frank Villegas
Invitations: Taylor Herr
Caterer: Bon Cuisine
DJ: Ray the DJ
Cake: Piece of Cake Desserts

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Post tags: Aisle Decor, Arizona, Arizona's Bridal Warehouse, Blume Events, Bon Cuisine, Bridesmaids Dresses, Color Palette Purple Green, Heather Butler, Kensington Makeup, Le Studio Salon, Melissa Jill, Peacock Feathers, Phoenix, Piece of Cake Desserts, Ray the DJ, Villa Siena, Wedding Venue
Post categories: Bouquets, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Favors & Gifts

Katie’s mom, Brenda and Traci Romano planned this sensational event and Yumiko of Hana Floral Design is responsible for the unbelievable flowers. We are so happy that so many of our Little Black Book members had a hand in this amazing wedding!

from Yumiko:  We used antique green hydrangeas, various hot pink garden roses, magenta stock, pink phlox and orchids for the centerpieces, as well as for the bridemaid’s bouquets. While the maids wore a gorgeous Amsale dress in a muted plum shade, the bride really wanted pink flowers mixed with greens.  The bouquets
definitely popped against the dresses.  Katie carried a muted ivory, blush and green bouquet, with her
Grandmother’s rosary attached to it.

This may well be our new favorite wedding … (am I allowed to say that?) …

Photography by Mary and Justin Marantz … we think you are true artists … and love your blog!

{to see the full gallery, click here!}

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bridesmaids Dresses, Color Palette Purple Green, Connecticut, Flowergirls, Hana Floral Design, Inn at Mystic, Justin Marantz Photography, Mystic, Stonington, Traci Romano Events, Vera Wang
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography