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From Lynzie Kent, Bride and Owner of Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events… While many brides say that their wedding day was perfect, I will admit that mine was not. I had dreamed for over a year of a beautifully sunny day and got the exact opposite. There was a torrential downpour the entire night before the wedding, complete with thunder and forked lighting, and it continued until about 12 p.m. the next day. When my mom and I arrived at the reception venue at about 7 a.m. on the day of the wedding, we found that our tent had almost completely collapsed from the weight of the rain on the roof and that so many of the details inside that we’d set up on the previous day were ruined. The people who set up the tent hadn’t done a very good job, and it was falling apart. I was bawling and my mom, who was trying to stay positive, broke down too. But thankfully, I have incredible people in my life who saved the day — literally. My dad and uncle showed up with a ladder for putting the tent back together, my friend and coordinator for the day, Lisa, dried paper bags, rearranged the broken cake stands and cleaned the flooded dance floor. And my mom, bless her, remade about a million props for the photo booth.

By the time the ceremony started at 2 p.m., the rain had stopped. It was still very cloudy and sprinkling here and there, but my photographer Beth assured me that clouds made for the best pictures. I wore my mother’s veil, a Victorian-inspired hat, and walked down the aisle to Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away.” I was so nervous, but the minute I saw Andrew, my face lit up. From there, things actually began falling into place and it was the most amazing day I could ever wish for. Andrew and I chose traditional vows and I remember talking over the officiant because I was so eager to get them out of my mouth — everyone laughed at me.

The reception was so incredibly fun, and when I walked into the tent I knew that our hard work all year had paid off. The speeches were particularity hilarious and there was so much love in the room that I felt like I was buzzing. We even ended up having a rainbow! Our goal was to create a vintage rustic elegance that incorporated our Canadian and Australian backgrounds. Andrew is an Aussie and over 30 people joined us from overseas. We named all the tables after Canadian or Australian animals and had a photo booth where you could dress up as a typical Aussie or Canuck, which was a blast. My sister Kendall, a graphic designer who designed everything from the jam labels to the buttons, even put a beaver bride and a koala groom on our invites. The food was delicious and prepared right in front of our guests, and we served local micro-brewed beer and made our own wine. And to top it off, my sisters sang to us, which left the room (and me) in tears. Lastly, the most important thing to us was the music. I am a musician by trade and Andrew is a huge music fan. When we got engaged, the first thing we did was book the Neil Murray Band. We loved every song they played and the dance floor was packed from the word go. At the end of the night, the played an extra 30 minute set. Their last song, “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis, resulted in the entire dance floor surrounding Andrew and me, hugging and singing to us. I was crying; it was so moving. For the late night partiers, we held a bonfire back at my cottage where we all reminisced and sang campfire songs. A perfect Canadian ending to such a beautiful day.

Wedding Photography: Elizabeth Kaye / Wedding Styling, Décor + Coordination: Lynzie Kent (Bride) and Lisa Cascun (Bride’s Friend) of Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events / Flowers: Roots Floral and Event Design / Ceremony: Bride’s Family Cottage / Reception: Stephen Leacock Museum in Orillia, Ontario, Canada / Invitations, Labels, Programs + Buttons: Beet & Path Designs (Owned by Bride’s Sister) / Wedding Dress: Barbra Allin via Becker’s Bridals  / Shoes: ZU / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Coralie Beatrix by Sophie Pearl / Bridesmaids’ Purses: FA2U / Men’s Suits: Andrew’s Formals / Men’s Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Hair: Sheila Loder of Fresh Salon and Spa by Holly + Madeleine Griffin of Body Bar Hair Salon / Makeup: Sarah Smith (sarah-smith@live.ca) / Caterer: Era 67 / Videographer: Michael Engel (michaelengeldesigns@gmail.com) / Ceremony Music: Richard Grossman via Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events / Band: The Neil Murray Band / Koala + Beaver Cake Topper: Garden4Arts / Jam Favours: Bride’s Grandmother / Cake + Cupcakes: Mariposa Market / Tissue Paper Pom Poms, Cake Stands, Table Numbers, Table Runners, Place Cards, Seating Chart, Bunting + Wine: DIY

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Post tags: Andrews' Formals, Barbra Allin, Beet & Path Designs, Body Bar Hair Salon, Canada, Coralie Beatrix by Sophie Pearl, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Electric Blonde Entertainment and Events, Elizabeth Kaye, Era 67, FA2U, Fresh Salon and Spa by Holly, garden4arts, Lisa Cascun, Lynzie Kent, Madeleine Griffin, Mariposa Market, Michael Engel, Navy Blue, Ontario, Orillia, Peach, Pink, Richard Grossman, Roots Floral and Event Design, Sheila Loder, Stephen Leacock Museum, The Neil Murray Band, Yellow, Zu
Post categories: The Blog

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From the Bride…My DIY projects for the wedding were the invites and thank you cards, the table escort cards, the frames with the table names, and the biggest job was the magnets. I made those from beads and random jewelry pieces. They were made in honor of my mother-in-law, who loves to collect magnets whenever she travels. I thought they would be a nice gift for our guests to remember the Costa Rica wedding they attended. I wanted them to look a bit like brooches, and I thought they would be pretty on the table settings. I am OBSESSED with terrariums right now, so one of my favorite details of the wedding were the glass jars with the orchids in them. Tropical Occasions really made that happen for me! Aimee’s vision for the wedding was perfect for Mario and I…her inspiration was Cartagena. Very romantic, and true to us because the first time Mario took me to Colombia, we stayed in Cartagena. She suggested the Senor and Senora chair decorations, which I ordered from Etsy. I also mentioned that I love baby’s breath (which I was a little embarrassed to admit, because it always makes me think of cheesy 80′s wedding), but she made the flowers so fresh and modern.

Mario and I moved to Albuquerque at the same time, back in 2006. His job brought him here, and my pediatric residency did the same. We met about a year later through friends. They arranged for us to be dance partners in a salsa class. We’ve been together ever since. Although I always have to mention that we still can’t salsa dance. I knew pretty early on in our relationship that Mario would be a great husband. He took care of me during my pediatric residency in a way that no one ever has. I knew he loved me when he fixed my broken car window (after someone had broken it early one morning to take the CD player), drove it to the hospital so that I would have it to drive home after my shift, and then walked home. He always made sure I was OK. And the fact that he is hilarious and a beautiful singer is just icing on the cake.

I knew the engagement was coming up, because Mario is a planner and he asked me what type of ring I would like. That being said, he still wanted to surprise me, which he certainly did. I came home from work one Saturday, put on some grubby clothes and we watched TV until I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, he told me that he put together a slideshow on his new iPad. This is classic Mario…he is a computer nerd to the max. I didn’t suspect anything because he had just gotten the iPad and was trying out all the new features. He named the presentation “Oh, the places we will go”, and put together all of the places we’ve talked about visiting in the future. At the end of the slideshow, it was a picture of Albuquerque. He then started to talk about how it’s not just where we’ll go, but when we will start our adventure. He then had an “X” on the screen and he said something like “X marks the spot”, and when he touched the screen, the “X” traveled to the edge of the screen, where he pulled out the ring that he had been holding the whole time. He then got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.

That is one reason we chose Costa Rica…Mario came up with the idea and really felt that it would be symbolic of our commitment to travel. Also we really wanted an intimate, personal ceremony. There was family pressure to get married in Colombia and there was pressure to get married in the states. We had never been to C.R., but we had only heard great things and felt we couldn’t go wrong. (Boy, were we right!) We chose May 24th as our date because my grandparents (both deceased) got married on that date. They were married for 60+ years and had a huge family. We both wanted to honor our grandparents and family that day, so I carried my other grandmother’s rosary with the bouquet and Mario had his great grandmothers rosary (his GGM passed in January). We had “Tita”, his grandmother say one of the readings during the ceremony (on an iPad; Mario was very proud). Our friend, Teresa Vigil, married us. It was her first wedding and she was able to do it in Spanish and English. Perfect for our guests.

The song that Mario sang was a surprise to me. He sang the song from Juno…it’s a Barry Louis Polisar song…”All I want is You”. That was my favorite moment because I LOVE it when he sings and plays the guitar. The harmonica was new…I had never seen him play before! It was such a beautiful day, from start to finish. I hope I never forget that feeling when I saw the church with the open doors, and the flowers hanging down from the ceiling, and I could feel our family’s and friend’s love and positive energy. It was overwhelming (thus the crying that took place, glad I was able to pull it together for a little bit). Such a sweet moment. I ADORE the pictures Katie took because even though I could feel everyone’s presence, the only face I saw the whole time I was in the chapel was Mario.

Wedding Photography: Katherine Stinnett of Comfort Studio / Event Design + Planning: Tropical Occasions / Floral Design: Stylos y Flores / Location: JW Marriott Guanacaste / Lighting: Cabo Luna Event Rentals / DJ: Costa Rica Wedding DJ / Ceremony Music: Josh Hoke / Rentals: Costa Mesa / Stylist: Fernando Hidalgo Fallas / Carriage: Hacienda Pinilla / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Veil: Bridal Ambiance / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Chair Decorations: My Primitive Boutique

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Post tags: Anthropologie, BHLDN, Bridal Ambiance, Cabo Luna Event Rentals, Comfort Studio, Costa Mesa, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Wedding DJ, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Destination Wedding, Fernando Hidalgo Fallas, Hacienda Pinilla, J. Crew, Josh Hoke, JW Marriott Guanacaste, Kate Spade, My Primitive Boutique, Stylos y Flores, Tropical Occasions
Post categories: Costa Rica Weddings, Destination, Destination Weddings

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From the Bride…Nick and I met the old fashioned way: we were set up by my grandparents! When we got engaged in September of 2010, I had just moved with my immediate family from my childhood home of Louisville, Kentucky, to Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania, because of my daddy’s recent cancer diagnosis. The only decision we didn’t make was that we would get married in Louisville! There was no decision to be made, it will always be my home and I’m so glad we started our life together there.

Part of the reason we got married in Louisville was St. Michael’s (the church we got married in).  My daddy was the priest at St. Michael’s for 30 years when he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and the orthodox christian faith is something that Nick and I both share (my grandfather is the former priest and my uncle is the current priest at the orthodox church Nick grew up attending in New Jersey!). We were lucky to have 15 priests and one bishop serve at our wedding.

Nick and I, unlike most of the couples on SMP, had no idea what we wanted our wedding to be like when we got engaged. So, we each picked something we loved: books (me) and travel (him). We ended up with a quite unintentionally vintage, “pride and prejudice” wedding.  All of the cookies on our “sort of viennese” table were made by friends and my wonderful aunts. Our favors were half traditional Greek bombonieres (5 jordan almonds signifying health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life) and half bar soap made at an orthodox men’s monastery in West Virginia (they make the soap themselves!).  We used vintage postcards as our guest book and a vintage suitcase as a collecting place for them.  Our wedding crowns (another greek orthodox tradition) were made by ann clough of orthodoxweddingcrowns.com–the crowns have special significance as they are kept by the bride and groom until death, then the ribbon connecting them is cut and the crown is buried with the deceased.  Our cultural contributions continued with Greek, Arabic and Russian dances at our reception, starting with the traditional greek wedding dance oraia poy ‘nai i nifi mas!

Wedding Dress: Custom by Alana Sheldahl / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman / Bridesmaid + Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew / Flower Girl Headbands: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Bracelets: Stella & Dot / Groom + Groomsmen Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Floral, Event Design + Planning:Amanda Jacobs and Jaclyn Thomas Designs / Wedding Photography: Whitney Rae Photography / Cupcakes: Chelsea Stevens / Catering: Jonny V’s Catering / Chair Rental: Fifty Chairs / Hair: Ashley Wise via Bennie and Friends Salon / Make-up: Amanda Baker via Bennie and Friends Salon / Ceremony + Reception Location: St. Michael The Archangel Orthodox Church / Favors (soap): Holy Cross Hermitage / Wedding Crowns: Ann Clough of Orthodox Wedding Crowns / Music: Advanced Entertainment Solutions

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Post tags: Advanced Entertainment Solutions, Alana Sheldahl, Ballroom, Bennie and Friends Salon, Chelsea Stevens, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Fifty Chairs, Holy Cross Hermitage, J. Crew, Jaclyn Thomas Designs, Jonny V's Catering, Kentucky, Louisville, Orthodox Wedding Crowns, Sam Edelman, St. Michael The Archangel Orthodox Church, Stella Dot, Whitney Rae Photography
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… The official story is that Stan and I met through friends while he was in med school and I was in business school.  The more interesting story is that we met during one fateful, crazy night on 6th Street in Austin.  Our romance was long-distance for the first couple of years, but we both came to the quick realization that it was truly something special, and Stan proposed almost 3.5 years after that first night on the town.

We planned our wedding over the course of 12 months.  It was important to us that the day be incredibly personal, colorful and natural while drawing upon key elements of our shared Chinese backgrounds.  Most of all, we wanted everyone to have fun!  We have both always been drawn to blue hues, and red is very symbolic in the Chinese culture, so royal blue, turquoise and red became an obvious palette for us.

When we visited the Wild Onion Ranch, we immediately knew that the property, with its sprawling grounds, huge oak trees, outdoor dance floor and eclectic yard art, was perfectly suited to what we hoped would be a largely outdoor celebration.  To seal the deal, they even had longhorn cattle roaming the front pasture!

As guests arrived prior to the ceremony, they were greeted with St. Germain champagne cocktails to help set the mood and kick off the festivities.  The brief ceremony was held at sunset atop a picturesque hill under a semi-circle of giant oak trees.  We walked down the aisle to contemporary string music selections and read our own vows to each other.  Homemade ceremony programs were also provided in the form of scalloped fans, which we hoped would help cool our guests in the unseasonably warm April heat.

It was important to us that the members of our wedding party be able to reflect their own personalities.  The bridesmaids created their own style using royal blue convertible dresses and each held different bouquets of red flowers and succulents, while the groomsmen each wore a turquoise tie with a unique royal blue screen print specially chosen by the groom.

We incorporated a variety of personal touches throughout the evening.  Chinese elements included lanterns adorning both the ceremony and reception areas, illuminated water lilies in the pool and custom-made mandarin duck cake toppers (a symbol of wedded bliss and relationship longevity).  Our florist delivered on our request for bright and natural centerpieces by using different combinations of wheatgrass, wildflowers and citrus fruits.  Stan brewed two types of craft beers for the occasion and we even made our own hand-picked blueberry “sloe” gin to give out as favors!  Stan was also able to share his love of sweets with a blue-themed candy bar that was placed by the exit toward the end of the night.  Finally, to help keep the party going we had a hilarious flip book booth, glow sticks that were distributed on the dance floor during our requested techno song and post-wedding transportation on buses with dance poles!

Perhaps the most memorable part of the evening was at the very end, when guests were invited to light huge white (100% biodegradable) wish lanterns as a send-off.  Unfortunately, high winds prevented many of the lanterns from being lit, but the effect was just as picturesque and serene with the few that flew up into the night.  It was the perfect way to cap off the most amazing day of our lives.

Photography: Ku Photography / Floral Design: Bouquets of Austin / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Wild Onion Ranch / Wedding Coordination: Barbara Hearne & Kristi Treadwell of Barbara’s Brides / Wedding Cake: Blue Note Bakery / Catering: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Hair & Makeup: method.hair / Wedding Dress: Stardust Celebrations / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: Restoration Threads / Cake Topper: County Squirrels-R-Us / Flower Girl Basket: Fleur Detaillee / Flower Girl Sash & Hair Accessories: Project U / Bride’s Hair Piece: ivoryONwhite / Custom Groom & Groomsmen Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Flip Books: On The Flipside / Officiant: Michael Boles / Save the Dates: Paperless Post / Wedding Invitations: The Paper Kutt / DJ: Mr. Thrill DJ & Bands / Ceremony Music: String Music / Shuttle Bus: Bongo Bus

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Post tags: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering, Austin, Barbara's Brides, Blue, Blue Note Bakery, Bongo Bus, Bouquets of Austin, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Etsy, Grey, Kate Spade, Ku Photography, method.hair, Michael Boles, Mr. Thrill DJ & Bands, On The Flip Side, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Paperless Post, Premier Party Central, Red, Stardust Celebrations, String Music, Texas, The Paper Kutt, The Wild Onion Ranch, TX, Yellow
Post categories: Austin Weddings, Casual Elegance, Texas Weddings

{click here for the FULL uber cool wedding gallery}

Traci and Chris had the *coolest* DIY wedding at a loft space in downtown Los Angeles. The entire event was flower-free, as Traci was committed from the beginning to not spend a fortune on florals. She had a very Anthropologie wedding vision, in a yellow, black and white color scheme.

The ceremony entrance was such a fun reflection of who they are. The guys walked in to Final Countdown, and the groom walked in through the draping right when the song reaches its ultimate peak. The entire crowd roared with laughter!! Then the girls walked in to Dancing with Myself by Nouvelle Vague. Not a traditional song by any means, but so perfect for this very *indie* type wedding. Then cute tiny Traci walked in to I Melt With You by Nouvelle Vague…again, non-traditional, but oh so perfect! They met up at the ceremony altar and their friend officiated the entire ceremony from his Iphone.

For her bridal party personals, Traci decided to use Etsy to get the most adorable bouquets and bouts, made entirely out of buttons! For the centerpieces, she handcrafted each of the 16 centerpieces from vintage pieces and sewed her own table runners. The centerpieces ranged from antique bird cages, to a stack of vintage books covered in fabric, to shabby chic candelabras. No two centerpieces were alike, but they all played well into the theme and color scheme. She also created her own table numbers to go along with the feel of the tables, as well as her own menus and placecards. The placecards were the most adorable little die-cut pieces in the shape of the entrees, a fish, a lamb, and a tomato!

She outfitted her bridal party in prints, from the bridesmaids’ gorgeous floral black and white dresses, to the guy’s striped black and white shirts, and their amazing ties (including the groom’s)!!  She bought her amazingly stylish wedding accessories, (i.e. her black lace necklace and her feather headpiece) on Etsy.

Traci and Chris are just two of the most amazing people you will ever meet, and their wedding was a perfect reflection of who they are as a couple. Super fun, super relaxed, and super cool!!

Paola Spagnoletti of Just Chic Events

Photography: White Haute / Second Shooter: Ohana Photographers / Event Coordination: Just Chic Events / Venue: Tricot Showroom, Los Angeles, California / Cake: Laurie Mura of I Believe it’s Cake / DJ: Michael Antonia of The Flashdance / Draping and Lighting: Flowers on Mars / Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Necklace: Etsy seller Tree and Kimball / Feather Headpiece: Batcakes Couture / Bouquets: Letters 4 Lilly / Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Bridesmaids: Maggy London via Nordstroms

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 39 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Batcakes Couture, California Weddings, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Flowers on Mars, Jenny Yoo, Just Chic Events, Letters 4 Lilly, Loft, Los Angeles, Maggy London, Michael Antonia, Nordstroms, Ohana Photographers, Stuart Weitzman, The FlashDance, Tree and Kimball, Tricot Showroom, White Haute Photography
Post categories: Contemporary, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Real Weddings, Vintage Chic

* * *

Now THIS is what I call a tablescape!  I really do have an appreciation for a well decorated table and this delightful setting from Sylvia and Dave’s Santa Barbara wedding is sure hitting the spot right now.  It’s just the perfect combination of rustic charm meets clean elegance.  I dig it.

I just had to include the last photo from this post.  Nothing makes me smile more than seeing a bride get down.  And Sylvia, girl, you are getting down in this photo.  We all salute you!  I have been known to cut a rug or two (albeit somewhat uncoordinated) and it really is one of my favorite aspects of  the wedding reception.  I like a bride that can boogie.

Sylvia continues about her day:

Friends and family were involved with all elements of the ceremony and reception as well.  Dave’s aunt, Reverend Bonnie Rose, was our officiant and a friend played guitar at the ceremony.  A big moment at the ceremony was when Dave and I turned to face the entire group gathered and sang a favorite hymn of mine, “I am so blessed,” together.  It was incredibly moving to look at all these people gathered to support us and sing about how blessed and grateful we were in that moment.
For the reception, we asked five different musically-inclined friends to DJ throughout the night and one to be our emcee.  We kicked off the reception with a choreographed hip-hop dance we did with our wedding party (including our flower girl).  It was probably the biggest hit of the night and one of the most fun moments of my life.

Instead of hiring a baker to make us a wedding cake, which neither of us is a big fan of, we asked friends to make pies and cookies for a dessert table. Dave’s friend Janice made us a symbolic wedding cake so we would have something to cut.  Our planner, Joy Proctor, put the table together beautifully.

Dave and I paid for the entire wedding ourselves and so asking friends and family to help out started out as a necessity.  However, looking back, I don’t think we would have done it any differently.  One of my favorite parts of our wedding day was looking around and knowing that every part of it had been created by someone we love.

Enjoy your day friends!

xoxo Chantale from La Belle Bride

The Vendors:

Wedding Coordinator and décor : Joy de Vivre Wedding & Event Coordination / Venue: Larner Vineyard / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller / Shoes: Nine West / Wedding Hair and Makeup: TEAM Hair & Makeup /Bridesmaid Dress:  J. Crew, Shawls from Nimli / Menswear: Ties from Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Caterer: SBB Gourmet Catering / Invitations: Hello Lucky / Bridal Earrings: Veronica Ladjili / Photography: Mary Jane Photography

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 26 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: California Weddings, Chantale Montgomery, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, DIY Wedding, Hello! Lucky, J. Crew, Joy de Vivre Wedding Coordination, La Belle Bride, Larner Vineyard, Mary Jane Photography, Nicole Miller, Nimli, Nine West, Santa Barbara, SBB Gourmet Catering, TEAM Hair & Makeup, Veronica Ladjili
Post categories: California Weddings, Santa Barbara Weddings, The Blog

There’s just something completely charming about all the DIY elements of this wedding.  I think that’s why some of us really love DIY weddings, isn’t it?  We’re addicted to the personalized touches and creativity.  It reads through as endearing, quaint and familiar.  Which in this case, is brought to life by the magnificent camera stylings of Mary Jane Photography.  These pictures are like my mom’s apple pie – warm and inviting (and you can ask her, I just can’t stop eating the stuff).

Sylvia gives us the 411 on her day:

Throughout the planning process, Dave and I felt it was very important that all elements of our wedding really reflect us as a couple.  We wanted a beautiful setting, a weekend where everyone could spend some real time together, moving music, delicious food, and lots of dancing.  We were keen on doing as much DIY as we could.  Not only to save money, but because we enjoy being hands-on.  We sought out vendors that really clicked with us and our philosophy and were blessed to find people like Mary Jane, Joy Proctor, Sidney at SBBBQ, and, Christina and Michael Larner.  They were all instrumental to the success of our day and were a pleasure to work with. We also wanted our wedding to be about community, so we involved friends and family with the planning as much as possible.  We had two crafting parties at our house in the weeks leading up to the wedding, where we had a team of friends help us construct the wooden directional signs, the chalkboards, the framed seating chart, the bags of lavender, and much more. My mom made the runners for the tables with fabric I found in downtown LA and Michigan.  She and my dad made the gooseberry and blueberry jam favors as well and drove them in from Michigan.  Dave’s mom was in charge of the bar and bought all of the liquor, in addition to throwing us an amazing fiesta rehearsal dinner.

The day before the wedding we had an army of people to help set up the barn at Larner Vineyard for the wedding and reception.  In just a few hours, the place was transformed.  As I looked around, watching all these people we love, from so many parts of our lives, working together to do something beautiful for us, I was overcome with joy.

More to come from this amazing DIY wedding!

xoxo Chantale from the oh-so-cute wedding blog La Belle Bride

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Post tags: California Weddings, Chantale Montgomery, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Hello! Lucky, J. Crew, Joy de Vivre Wedding Coordination, La Belle Bride, Larner Vineyard, Mary Jane Photography, Nicole Miller, Santa Barbara, SBB Gourmet Catering, TEAM Hair & Makeup, Veronica Ladjili
Post categories: The Blog

From Ken Luallen…Our groom’s personality shone through the day just as brightly – he wore a deep navy Ralph Lauren suit, its deceptively conservative style hiding mischievous purple and fuchsia argyle socks.  His groomsmen’s purple J.Crew socks stood out more easily, lounging as they were in fresh pairs of cool grey Converse chucks.  Even their audacious purple ties were custom made, silk screened by Cyberoptix Tie Lab. Youn blended modern style with feminine elegance perfectly, starting the day with a gorgeous Bellissima Couture gown.

To make a grand reception entrance she changed into a classy cream J. Crew dress bearing a billowing floral pin designed by another indie favorite, Easter Yu of Muscari.  The bridesmaids delicately-layered floral hairpieces were created by Oregon’s Myra Callan of Twigs and Honey, as were the groomsmen’s boutonnières.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bellissima Couture, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Durham, J. Crew, Ken Luallen, Muscari, North Carolina, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, twigs and honey
Post categories: Casual Elegance