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

David and I had been dating long distance for about a year and a half. We had talked about getting married, but wanted to be sure he would be able to move closer to me before we took the plunge. After searching and waiting, he finally got a promotion within his company that would allow him to move. Shortly after, we went on a weekend trip to the mountains with another couple we are friends with. We spent most of the weekend enjoying the peace and quiet at their cabin.

On Saturday afternoon David (a part time photographer) mentioned that he wanted to take some pictures of the sunset since it had turned out to be a beautiful day. So we bundled up and took off to the top of the mountain. When we arrived to the top, he started taking various pictures and kept walking toward this particular tree that he has always been fascinated with. When we got close enough, he told me to turn around. When I did there was the ring box hanging from one of the branches. I turned back around to find him down on one knee holding the ring! We toasted to our future with the champagne and strawberries he had waiting, then our friends, Madison and Ashley, came up to join us and take some pictures. After calling our family and friends we capped off the night with an amazing dinner that they had cooked. It was perfect!

David and I both have so many friends and family from all over the country, so in the beginning we contemplated having a destination wedding. After a while, it became evident that we did not have enough time to plan like we would want. My parents have a beautiful property and graciously offered to have it there. Ultimately, knowing it was FREE and that I wouldn’t have to travel the week before the wedding helped to make the decision. Plus, I knew it would be special to have it in the small town where I grew up.

Since the engagement, my mom and I had spent quite a lot of time on Style Me Pretty. There were so many great ideas out there, and I just couldn’t decide. Once we decided we were having the wedding at my parents’ home, I knew everything needed to fit into the outdoor/garden/Southern look of the property, but I didn’t want it to look like I had a specific “theme”. This actually seemed to help becuase it gave me so many more options than being limited to one look or set of ideas. I eventually decided that I wanted to use mason jars for the centerpieces. I thought they were the perfect way to add a Southern touch. Luckily, we were able to get enough of the blue mason jars to add some extra color. I knew this would be perfect with the salmon colored bridesmaid dresses I had picked. After that, I just started picking the things I liked and figured out how to make them work, and everything came together perfectly.

I didn’t want our wedding to be just another wedding that people went to. I wanted our guests to really enjoy themselves and share in our happiness, so we tried to add as many personal touches as possible. We did several signs around the ceremony and reception. The main one in the middle of the reception area started out just as a sign to point the way to different areas of the party (dance floor, restrooms, etc). Then we thought it would be cute to make it more personal. David and I love to travel together so there were signs highlighting several of the places we had been or were going to…..Savannah, GA, Cape Cod, and Greece (our honeymoon destination). We also had a station where guests could leave us a note to read on various anniversaries in the future. Just about everything had some sort of personal touch or meaning. I also wanted everything to be unique. I made DIY programs that were completely “out of the box” and non-traditional. We also had a local gospel choir to sing before the ceremony started.

We actually had my dad join the minister and perform parts of the ceremony. It was so special to have him marry us. After he pronounced us man and wife, the gospel choir sang “Oh Happy Day” as we walked back down the aisle.

The mother of one of my bridesmaids volunteered to do a photo booth as a surprise for the two of us. She even made the backdrop and found all the props. This turned out to be a huge hit, and now we have so many great photos of all our guests.

As much as I didn’t want to, I let some of the wedding day stress get to me. So one of the best moments was when David and I had our “first look” before the ceremony. When I saw the look on his face I immediately felt at ease.

Photography: Chris & Adrienne Scott, Photographers / Flowers: Jonathan Kendrick / Ceremony and Reception Location: Bride’s parent’s house / Invitations: Robin E Designs / Shoes: Target / Dress: Martina Liana from Low’s Bridal / Hair: Scott Little from Haute Heads / Makeup: Anna Sellers / Rings & Pearl Earrings: Mednikow Jewelers / Suits: Jos A. Banks / Ceremony Music: United Voices of Anointance Choir / Reception Music: Magi / Cake: Dinah Fewell of Take the Cake / Cupcakes: HaliHannigan’s Cupcakery / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale from Bella Bridesmaid

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Post tags: Amsale Bella Bridesmaid, Anna Sellers, Bells, Burlap, Chinese Lanterns, Chris & Adrienne Scott, Color Palette Coral Blue, Cupcakes, Dina Fewell, HaliHannigan's Cupcakery, Haute Heads, Jonathan Kendrick, Jos A Bank, Low's Bridal, Magi, Martina Liana, Mason Jars, Mednikow Jewelers, Outdoor Ceremonies, Outdoor Weddings, Photographers, Robin E Designs, Rustic Chic, Scott Little, Southern Weddings, Take The Cake, Target, Tennessee, Tented Receptions, United Voices of Anointance Choir, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

Three adjectives that describe the day: rustic, romantic, music

The table settings were gorgeous! We loved the burlap and bling theme, it was the perfect mix of rustic country and romantic glamour. The table signs represented concert posters from the many shows Bill and I have seen together and fit in with our theme really well. The candlelit tables at sunset were really amazing and guests constantly remarked about how beautiful everything was.

The first reveal when we saw each other was incredible. I cried as I approached Bill in the front lawn but he did not get emotional until we moved to the Cedarwood porch. It was very touching and reminded me of how we support each other in our relationship. A close second was when we started rapping to the band’s performance of “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Chris Weaver (band’s lead singer) said we were the best rapping bride and groom he’s ever heard!

Our best advice to brides and grooms to be would be to try to accomplish something every week so tasks do not pile up at the end. Be organized because there are so many moving parts you don’t want to forget anything. Don’t hesitate to take ideas from the favorite weddings you’ve attended – your friends will be honored that you incorporated part of their wedding into your own!

Photography: Ace Photography / Venue: Historic Cedarwood / Planner, Floral Design, Decor & Event Styling: Cedarwood Weddings / Invitations & Paper Goods: Designs in Paper / Bride’s dress: Maggie Sottero from The White Room / Bride’s Boots: Old Gringo Erin / Hair: Chrissi Krause and Missy May / Tuxedos: Arzelle’s / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy from Bella Bridesmaid / Wedding party gifts (hand painted stemware): Fizzy Artist / Favors: Brownie Tins from RAE’s Gourmet / Wedding Music Trio: Wedding Musicians Company / Caterer: Copper Kettle / Cake: Patty Cakes / Reception Band: Chris Weaver Band / Photo booth: Ace Photo Booths / Trolly: FADDS Party Bus / Host Hotel: Opryland Resort / Rehearsal Dinner: Mad Platter

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Post tags: Ace Photo Booths, Ace Photography, Arzelle's, Bella Bridesmaid, Burlap, Candles, Cedarwood Weddings, Chalkboards, Chris Weaver Band, Chrissi Krause, Church Pews, Color Palette Purple, Copper Kettle, Cowboy Boots, Cupcakes, Designs in Paper, Dessy, Etsy, FADDS Party Bus, Fizzy Artist, Glamourous, Historic Cedarwood, Maggie Sottero, Missy May, Nashville, Old Gringo Erin, Opryland Resort, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Patty Cakes, Pearls, RAE's Gourmet, Rustic, Rustic Chic, shabby chic, Tennessee, The White Room, Vintage Chic, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Musicians Company, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic

I knew that Ben was going to propose soon. It was no secret that we were perfect for each other and that we wanted to get married. I did not expect him to propose on the day he did, nor did I expect him to propose the way he did: at our home, one ordinary Friday night in December. But it was just our style. Just the two of us, nothing fancy, at the place where we love to spend most of our free time. It was perfect, and so was the ring – a beautiful vintage-style oval diamond ring. I immediately knew that the style of our wedding had to be vintage, with a modern twist.

At first we were thinking about getting married in the San Francisco area, because that’s where Ben grew up and where his parents still live, and there are a lot of really great venues that would go perfectly with our style. But we quickly realized that planning a wedding would be difficult enough in itself and decided to spare ourselves the headache of having a few hundred miles between us and the venue. So we set our sights on our hometown, Los Angeles. We wanted to get married close to the beach, and we didn’t want to get married in a sterile ballroom. When we walked into the Marina Vista room at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, we were blown away, and knew it had to be the place. It was right on the marina, with huge windows, vintage wallpaper, and the stunning chandeliers clinched it. It fit our theme perfectly.

After picking the venue, we set out looking for a wedding coordinator. That is not an easy task when you live in Los Angeles, because there are so many options! We didn’t know where to begin, or who to trust. Brooke, from Orange Blossom Special Events was recommended to us by Ben’s aunt who was a friend of Brooke’s family. So we met with her, and right away knew that she would be perfect for us. She was outgoing and friendly and it felt like we were chit-chatting with an old friend. Plus she was super organized, really on top of everything, and had tons of great ideas.

A photo of a bridal bouquet that my maid of honor sent me became my inspiration for the color scheme and the flowers. It was a mix of cream-colored dahlias, light pink and lavender garden roses, and other romantic pastel-colored flowers. I fell in love with it. I gave the photo to my florist, Megan from Honey and Poppies, and talked to her about my idea of a modern-vintage, romantic wedding, and told her how much I loved birds. She was carrying a handbag that day with an appliqué of a bird on it! So I knew we would see eye to eye on the floral design. The bouquets and centerpieces that she designed left me breathless. There wasn’t a single detail that she over-looked; from the little white milk vases to the lace around the candle votives, it all tied my theme together so wonderfully.

I am an actuary by trade (an actuary is basically another name for math nerd), which needless to say doesn’t allow me to be very creative. But I’ve always loved arts and crafts, so I used wedding planning as my creative outlet. I decided to design and make everything myself because I had such a clear vision that nothing I found online or in stores was perfect enough, and also because I finally had my chance to do meaningful arts and crafts projects. I don’t have a graphic design program on my computer, so rubber stamps became my best friend. I ordered a personalized one to stamp the tops of our favor jars and the return addresses on our invitation envelopes, I used alphabet stamps to stamp each guest’s name, letter by letter, onto their place cards, and I used other decorative stamps for the invitations! I knew Ben was perfect for me when he helped me stamp place cards instead of playing golf on Sunday! My absolute favorite home-made piece at our reception was the vintage cabinets that my dad built to hold the place cards. I was inspired by a vintage medicine cabinet on ebay, but it was too expensive. Luckily for me, my dad happens to be a cabinet maker, so I sent him the photo and he recreated two of them for us. They came out better than I could have imagined. I think I got more compliments on the cabinets than I did on my dress!

Since I’m not a big dessert person, I didn’t want a big, fancy cake. I did want a little one that we could cut, but I also wanted cupcakes and French macarons so that our guests could have different options. I really love vintage cake trays, so I rented trays in different colors, sizes, and designs from Bountiful Homes in Venice Beach. Amy, from Vanilla Bake Shop, created a gorgeous cake for us, complete with a lace-like border and two little birds staring lovingly at each other (my mother-in-law actually found the birds at a wild bird seed store for us). She also created an incredible display of cupcakes and macaroons in various pastel colors. It all came together so well, and ended up being one of my favorite things at the wedding.

Overall, our wedding day was surreal. I had a very vivid vision of what I wanted, and, everyone came together to help me create it, down to very last detail. I was extremely lucky that I had the most wonderful people helping me, and that I have such an understanding husband, family, and friends who went along with all of my ideas and helped create my vision of a vintage wedding. To my surprise, the most memorable moment of the day for me was one that was unplanned. When the night came to an end, most of our guests were still there on the dance floor with us. There was an overwhelming feeling of love in the air, and we all had one big group hug. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Photography: Greg Slick Photography / Flowers: Honey & Poppies / Event Planning: Orange Blossom Special Events / Ceremony Location: Ritz Carlton, Marina del Rey / Reception Location: Ritz Carlton, Marina del Rey / Hair & Make-Up: Veronica Lane / Entertainment: Woody Diaz / Cake & Dessert Bar: Vanilla Bake Shop

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Post tags: Birds, California, Color Palette Purple, Cupcakes, Dessert Bar, DIY Projects, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Honey & Poppies, Los Angeles, macarons, Marina del Rey, Once Studio, Orange Blossom Special Events, Pastel Color Palette, Ritz Carlton, Vanilla Bake Shop, Veronica Lane, Vintage Chic, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Planners & Designers, Woody Diaz
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic

We had a few visions for our wedding: a venue on the water, modern cocktail style reception, and a boat departure. We were lucky to have over a year to plan the wedding; it was so much fun to be creative and put our own personal spin on everything.

The biggest decision for us was location. Being born and raised in Charleston, I really wanted to showcase its beauty and my favorite aspect, the water. We decided on The Island House, a relatively new but up and coming reception venue on John’s Island. It is a beautiful property on the Stono River with a beautiful low country view. This venue is truly a best kept secret in Charleston. Once the location was booked, everything else started falling into place. We chose our vendors based on personal experiences from family and friends. They were all so wonderful to work with and did such an amazing job bringing our visions to reality.

At first the wedding seemed so far away, but once we got to six months out, time just flew by. I could never have imagined a more perfect day. We decided to have the bridesmaids get ready at my parents’ house and do all of our pictures there before the ceremony. All of the pictures are filled with scenery from a place that is so special to us. We even got a few shots with my favorite pup, JJ, a white lab! One of our favorite memories is our “first look”. There were so many exciting, anxious, and happy emotions, but once we finally looked into each other eyes we were calm and ready to take on the day. It was so awesome to be surrounded by all of our friends and family, it just would not have be the same without them. We have so many fabulous memories from that day, it was better than anything we ever imagined.

Ceremony Venue: The Citadel Summerall Chapel / Reception Venue: The Island House / Caterer: Cru Catering / Cake: D’lish Discriminating Desserts / Bar: Cru Catering / Florist & Rentals: Out of Hand Events / Music: Two 3 Ways & DJ Mahanes, Other Brother Entertainment / Photography: Virgil Bunao Fine Arts Photography / Transportation: Absolutely Charleston / Hair & Makeup: Ash & Co. / Wedding Dress: Martina Liana, Bella Vista / Bride’s Short Wedding Dress: BCBG / Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Invitations (Save the Dates): MagnetStreet / Sparklers: Sparkle / Bar Tents & Lights: Atlantic Tents / Misters: All Mist/ Film Work: Richard Photo

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Absolutely Charleston, All Mist, Ash & Co., Atlantic Tents, Badgley Mischka, BCBG, Bella Vista, Bouquets, Centerpieces, Charleston, Color Palette Purple, Cru Catering, Cupcakes, D'lish Discriminating Desserts, DJ Mahanes, Dogs, Flower girls, Johns Island, MagnetStreet, Martina Liana, Men's Wearhouse, Other Brother Entertainment, Out Of Hand Events, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, South Carolina, Sparklers, Tented Reception, The Citadel Summerall Chapel, The Island House, Traditional Elegance, Two 3 Ways, Virgil Bunao Fine Arts Photography, Water, Water Weddings, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

Kanit and I met blues dancing in Fort Collins, CO.  It’s a passion that we share, so it made perfect sense that Kanit would devise a secret plan to propose while dancing. Our group of friends got together every Tuesday night to dance.  I thought the dance that night was nothing out of the ordinary, except that it was in a different location than normal and only our close friends were present. What I didn’t realize was that Kanit was in town.  He had lead me to believe that he was at his new base in Texas, when in fact he was secretly staying at my friend’s house. Even when I saw the floor lined with candles and flowers, it still didn’t register anything special. During one of the songs, I noticed that the girls were drifting out of the dance one by one, leaving me as the object of a large, involved, steal-dance with all the guys.  Imagine my surprise when Kanit suddenly stole me and everyone faded to the sides of the floor!  I immediately knew exactly why he was there and I refused to let him get on his knee.  After a good-natured struggle, he finally succeeded, whispered a heartfelt proposal, and I accepted.

We immediately started planning the wedding.  We knew that we didn’t want to have our wedding at some hotel or other popular venue; it just didn’t fit our personalities.  After an exhaustive web search, I found, quite by accident, Della Terra. Since it was only a half hour into the mountains from my parents’ house, we decided to check it out.  As soon as we walked up we knew it was the place.  The staff was so nice to us, the building gorgeous, the location perfect.  After we picked the venue, we began looking at wedding planners.  I had been a little unsure about hiring a wedding planner, but trying to plan a Colorado wedding while living in Texas was something that I didn’t want to tackle on my own.  I began emailing with Debbie at Save the Date Events, and after a long phone conversation, we decided to hire her!  Probably the best decision made during our planning process.  Through her, we met our photographer, caterer, and dj.  Through our wonderful photographer, I met our florist.  Debbie kept me sane and organized.  I highly recommend having a wedding planner!

Since Kanit is Thai and I was born and raised in the foothills of Colorado, we decided to turn that into a theme.  To compliment the beautiful venue, we went with a chocolate brown, light sage-y green, and purple (my favorite color).  With lots of help from Debbie and Cori at Cori Cook Floral, we were able to create a cohesive feel to the Thailand-meets-Colorado theme. For favors, we gave little Thai elephants because they represent good luck in the Thai culture nestled in with some Rocky Mountain Taffy, purchased at a shop in Estes Park.  The buffet-style dinner had local Colorado-style food, a mashed potato bar, and a Pad Thai station.

One of the things I remember most vividly is the weather.  The night before it was cold and very foggy.  Guests told us that they had driven through freezing rain and fog on their way up the mountain.  We were truly blessed.  On our wedding day, the sky was nearly clear, the air a cool mid-70s, and just the barest breeze.  I remember all the smiles of our guests and the energy of the reception.  Kanit tells me he remembers watching me walk down the aisle.  Becky at Becky Young Photography was amazing at catching all the moments during the day and we really have been unable to pick a favorite photo.

Overall, our wedding was everything we had dreamed of.  It was as close to perfect as possible.  And thanks to Debbie and the fabulous staff at Della Terra, the wedding went off without a hitch, and I didn’t even KNOW about any problems, so I was able to concentrate on enjoying myself, my new husband, and celebrating with our friends and family.

Photography: Becky Young Photography / Venue: Della Terra Mountain Chateau / Event Coordination: Save the Date Events / Catering: Footers / Floral Design: Cori Cook Floral Design / Cake: Intricate Icings / DJ: Great Time DJs / Hair: Bella Capelli / Invitations: Cloud 9 Weddings and Papers / Wedding Dress Designer: Robin Jillian Bridal

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Becky Young Photography, Bella Capelli, Bouquets, Centerpieces, Cloud 9 Weddings and Papers, Color Palette Purple, Colorado, Cori Cook Floral Design, Cupcakes, Della Terra Mountain Chateau, Estes Park, Footers, Footers Catering, Great Time DJs, Intricate Icings, Mountain wedding, Robin Jillian Bridal, Save the Date Events, Thailand, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Flowers

Rich and I have always been an extroverted couple and with very different tastes. When we got engaged, we knew that our wedding had to show our personalities and our life style. Our parents had a little trouble trying to understand our taste for colors and decoration since they were used to the traditional white-and-silver wedding. However, they accepted our ideas and… we got down into business!

We believe that when God brings two people together, He takes care of every little detail, and that happened with our wedding.  We knew that we wanted an colorful, outdoor wedding in the morning. The flowers and the paper lamps were simple but elegant. The candy bar was our main challenge, but with our friends’ help,  we had it perfect! The cake (the cherry on top) had to reflect our personalities.  Rich is a drummer, and I have always admired his passion to play the drums, so we decided to have a fun and personal cake topper. We loved how it looked at the end!

Finally, one of the biggest decisions: pictures! They’re the memories of unique moments in life, so it was necessary to hire someone who knows how to capture what’s behind the wedding…  love, emotions, and the best feelings in that special day! Ale Sura was perfect.

Photography: Ale Sura Photo / Flowers: Plantas y Asesores / Ceremony and Reception Location: La Rivera de Belén, Alajuela, Costa Rica

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alajuela, Ale Sura Photo, Burgers, Candy Buffet, Casual Elegance, Chinese Lanterns, Color Palette Green Purple, Costa Rica, Cupcakes, Destination Wedding, La Rivera de Belen, Parasols, Pearls, Plantas y Asesores, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Now, I’m not totally done with this wedding, and I’m betting you’re not - so click here for the highlight film from Redmond Digital Media.

Besides being in love with our venue, we were completely inspired by it. Think colorful flowers sprouting from funky green plants, faded brick courtyards and little pathways, and even a giant redwood. Aside from nature, the inspiration was about family. We’re an artsy bunch and Bowen and I wanted everyone to create together. Our friends cooked for us, my mom crafted little trees from branches for perched birds and blossoms, and for eight months we all had the best time hunting down various patterns of second-hand china for the reception tables. Etsy artists also worked with me to create bird garland, ruffled burlaptable runners and place cards with seeds in the paper for guests to grow wildflowers at home. The goal was to give the day aromantic/whimsical feel.

My favorite moment was reading our vows. We wanted to write personal notes to each other to read aloud, and we don’t regret it for one second. Sure, it’s pretty daunting being all speechy in front of a crowd. But It was a wonderful feeling being so open for our friends and loved ones to hear. And Bowen and I were both really touched from what we had to say to one another.

Bowen and I are one of those couples who are opposites individually, but together we blend into something awesome. There was definitely “the spark” when we first met six years ago – a sort of back-and-forth clash of witty teasing, sly smiles and flirty ways that’s just so attractive. We still have that, which I love. We also play a mean game of Scrabble, adore our dog, Penny, with all our hearts and most of all, make each other laugh. And who doesn’t love a great belly laugh?

Florist: April Flowers / Cupcakes: Clementine Cupcake Co. / Photography: Sarah Kathleen / Videographer: Redmond Digital Media / Venue: Dallidet Adobe & Gardens in San Luis Obispo / Hair & Makeup: The Queens Bees

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: April Flowers, Bird's Nests, Birds, California, Clementine Cupcake Co, Color Palette Pink, Cupcakes, Dallidet Adobe & Gardens, Lemonade, Redmond Digital Media, San Luis Obispo, Sarah Kathleen, The Queens Bees, Vibrant Color Palette, Vintage Chic, Wedding Flowers, Whimsical
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Whimsical