After being able to travel extensively over the years, I slowly began to realize my hometown Charlotte is very unique. It still has the appeal of Southern charm, but with a lot of the perks of a bigger city, including great venues for weddings.  My husband and I knew we wanted an outdoor wedding, and after browsing online for possibilities, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden seemed like the perfect place. As soon as we saw it in person, we knew that this was the venue for us. The White Garden was large enough for all of our guests, but the fact it was enclosed gave the space a very intimate air.

Most of the inspiration came from the venue itself. Being designers, my mother and I found great joy throughout the planning process, setting out to create that perfect balance of décor- giving a subtle nod to times past, without over-doing it and forcing a theme. Images of 19th century English conservatories, vintage botanical illustrations, and apothecary label typographies constantly drove our decisions.

For the ceremony, we used mainly white hydrangeas and lilies. The whole garden was white and green- and we introduced color through the bridesmaids’ dresses, the men’s suits, and the bouquets. When it came to wedding gowns, I was originally interested in Jenny Packham’s signature sheath dresses, reminiscent of bygone eras with her intricate beading. After trying some on, I felt they were more fit for the red carpet than the aisle. My mother-in-law suggested I try on Jenny Packham’s Minerva gown, which had layer upon layer of ivory silk tulle- so light and comfortable! It was perfect for the garden, and I finally felt like a bride.

For the centerpieces we bought large apothecary glass jars and planted silk lady slipper and cymbidium orchids with moss. We chose a navy blue satin for the table linens, and placed the jars on a moss mats in the center of each table. We ordered Jaguar Pink Mokara Orchids from Thailand, and floated each stem in glass cylinders to add some color to the centerpieces. We also decided to give our guests a taste of the South with spiked Arnold Palmers for cocktail hour, and Deep Fried Peanuts for favors.

My favorite part of the planning process though, was collaborating with my husband to design our invitations and programs. We looked to old pharmacy and apothecary labels for guidance, and a friend letterpressed them with his old Vandercook Press.

It is so satisfying to look back and consider how each detail combined to perfectly reflect our desires for this special day. I only wish it could have lasted longer!

Venue: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden / Wedding Website: Designed by the bride & groom, Courtney and Kyle / Reception Flowers & Centerpieces: Jeannie Heth, mother of the bride / Ceremony Flowers & Bouquets: Place for Flowers / Decor: Creative Solutions / Photography: The Beautiful Mess / Cake: For Goodness Cakes / Hair & Make-up: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Gown and Headpiece Designer: Jenny Packham / Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Caterers: Best Impressions / Mens Suits: Banana Republic / Ties: Indochino / Officiant: Didi Wong, Church of the Good Shepherd / Wedding Coordinator: Connie Miller, friend of bride’s family / Invitations & Stationery: Designed by the bride & groom, Printed by Ryan Cook of Something Pressed / Favors: Mr. B’s Fun Foods Deep Fried Peanuts / DJ: Brian Keelan, Z Brothers DJs / String Quartet: Carolina Classic Strings

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Post tags: Banana Republic, Best Impressions, Carolina Classic Strings, Charlotte, Church of the Good Shepherd, Clean, Color Palette Green White Blue, Connie Miller, contemporary, Creative Solutions, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Didi Wong, DIY Centerpieces, DIY Flowers, DIY Invitations, DIY Stationery, For Goodness Cakes, Indochino, Jenny Packham, Jessica Simpson, Lindsey Regan Thorne, Modern, Mr. B's Fun Foods Deep Fried Peanuts, North Carolina, Outdoor Ceremony, Place For Flowers, Something Pressed, The Beautiful Mess, Traditional Elegance, Z Brothers DJs
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

That fabulous cake (& all the catering!) courtesy of The Casual Gourmet.

Matt and I share a love of sports and, quite appropriately, met when we signed up for the same local softball team.  Matt had a few friends on the team and at our first practice he jokingly asked as they walked to the field “Ready to meet our future wives?”  Those same friends served as groomsmen and toasted us on our wedding day two years later.

Since all of my family and college friends live nearly 1000 miles away (some of Matt’s friends even farther!) and we knew that they would be making the trip somewhat of a vacation, we decided on a semi-destination wedding on the Cape about an hour and a half from where we live in Boston.  After coming across the Cape Cod Museum of Art, I immediately contacted the events coordinator to arrange a visit and we never looked anywhere else.  From the picturesque New England-style building and large front lawn (perfect for an outdoor ceremony) to the wonderful art throughout the galleries and charming sculpture garden (ideal for early evening cocktails), we loved every bit of it.

Throughout the wedding planning process, our main focus was reflecting ourselves in the details – and having as much fun as possible with our guests!   Our style concept was Cape preppiness (chic navy dresses, charcoal gray suits, and cool plaid ties) with a Southern twist to reflect my upbringing (lots of pearls and mason jars).   I initially wanted to serve mint juleps as a nod to the Kentucky Derby held in my hometown of Louisville, but since they are an acquired taste we decided on delicious Firefly iced tea vodka cocktails instead.   We included the mint julep idea in other ways by using sprigs of mint for the groomsmen and fathers’ boutonnieres and having bourbon as one of the bar selections.  My mother and sister made pralines from scratch and I serendipitously found mint julep flavored taffy so both treats were tied with twine and given to our guests as favors.

We also incorporated a subtle baseball theme since many of our early dates involved attending or watching Red Sox games and our engagement photos were shot at Fenway Park. We used the beautiful theme song from Field of Dreams (aptly titled “The Place Where Dreams Come True”) as our prelude and “Dirty Water”, the song played after every Red Sox home win, was the perfect recessional to kick off the festivities.  And being an ice cream lover, one of my favorite details was serving Hoodsie cups as a late night snack; naturally, it’s the local brand served at Sox games!

We were extremely fortunate to work with some fantastic vendors who helped bring together our vision.  The Casual Gourmet is widely regarded as the best on the Cape and helped us create a fantastic menu with the best wedding food we’ve ever had.  Our florist, Designer’s Touch in Brewster, was an easy choice since the event coordinator at the museum is one of the co-owners and such a doll!  I opted to do my own centerpieces, but the bouquets, boutonnieres, and wheat grass place card display they created were absolutely perfect.  The choice of band was very important to Matt since he is very into music and neither of us is very fond of standard wedding reception entertainment.  He has school connections with two members of Call 2 Consciousness, a rock band based in Stanford, CT, and booked them to play a mix of their original music and cover songs.  They were phenomenal!  Finally, a big priority was photography since our pictures are what will continue to remind us of all the joy we experienced that day, and clearly our choice of Meghann Gregory couldn’t have been better.

Bride’s Gown & Necklace: J.Crew / Bridesmaid dresses:  J.Crew / Handmade ties:  Etsy, shop baconneckwear / Catering & Cake: The Casual Gourmet / Band:  Call II Consciousness / Photographer:  Meghann Gregory Photography / Flowers:  Designer’s Touch & DIY / Venue:  Cape Cod Museum of Art / Invitations:  Wedding Paper Divas / Shoes:  Caparros, purchased from Piperlime / Programs:  Etsy, shop Interprintations / Custom Cake Banner:  Etsy, shop ReadyGo / Cocktail Stirrers: Etsy, shop misspicklespress / Bridal Clutch:  Etsy, shop ao3designs

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Post tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Call II Consciousness, Caparros, Cape Cod, Cape Cod Museum of Art, Casual Elegance, Color Palette White Blue, Designer's Touch, DIY Centerpieces, DIY Flowers, Etsy, J. Crew, Massachusetts, Meghann Gregory Photography, Nautical, Pearls, Piperlime, Summer Wedding, The Casual Gourmet, Wedding Paper Divas, Wedding Stationery
Post categories: Cape Cod Weddings, Casual Elegance, Massachusetts Weddings

Click here to see the full image gallery!

From Vitalic Photo …Alison is a designer and had a hand in all of the planning herself.  She hand crafted the centerpieces – newspaper mache heads, each coordinating with a Jane Austen character (in honor of Ann, who is an English teacher), the bird nest and birdhouse boutonnieres, and she even created a custom font for all of their print pieces.  The napkins were different fabrics with yellow and grey, and scones awaited the guests on their plates to hold them over until their unique brunch was served.  Dishes such as fried chicken & waffles, shrimp & grits, tofu scramble, and lamb sliders were the main courses.

Wedding Photographers: Vitalic Photo / Day of Coordinator:  Helen of Elegant Weddings of Orlando / Florist: Danielle from Dream Designs Florist and Wedding Boutique / Catering and Venue: Bella Collina / Ceremony and Cocktail Reception Guitarist: Dr. Jimmy Moore / Alison’s Dress: Lazaro via Kleinfeld Bridal / Ann’s Suit: Calvin Klein Suit and Ralph Lauren Shirt / Ann’s Seersucker Shoes: Steve Madden / Alison’s Jewelry: Grandmother’s vintage bracelets and Mother’s pearl earrings / Hair: Jaime Field / Makeup: Shannon of Faces by Shannon / Wedding Stationery: andBear / Centerpieces: DIY / Wedding Cake: Party Flavors / Celebrant: Sean Keohane / Yellow Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Sung through Pearl’s Place / Blue and Yellow Bridesmaid Dress: Anthropologie / Boutonnieres: DIY

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alfred Sung, andBear, Anthropologie, Bella Collina, Birdcage Veils, Calvin Klein, Chalkboards, Color Palette Yellow, Croquet, DIY Centerpieces, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Dr. Jimmy Moore, Dream Designs Florist and Wedding Boutique, Elegant Weddings of Orlando, Faces by Shannon, Florida, Jaime Field, Kleinfeld Bridal, Lazaro, Monteverde, Outdoor Wedding, Party Flavors, Pearl's Place, Ralph Lauren, Rustic, Sean Keohane, Steve Madden, Summer Wedding, Vitalic Photo
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, The Blog

And the romance is brought to life with this incredible video from Modern 8 Films.  How sweet are these vows?

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Modern 8 Films… A classic 1960′s “Mad Men” inspired wedding at San Francisco’s historic City Hall Building on March 4, 2011.  Jason and Yvonne wanted a wedding that focused on the simplicity of exchanging vows and bringing family together at City Hall followed by a late lunch. The bride wore a knee length wedding dress, teal shoes, lace gloves, and a bird cage veil.  Bridesmaids chose individual vintage dresses in similar shade and era. Reception held at the swanky Starbelly Restaurant on Market St.  Centerpieces were hand made signs displayed in and around mini succulent gardens.

From the Bride… Our wedding was the wedding that almost wasn’t. Jason and I were both quickly defeated by the reality of the costs of wedding locations and were beginning to be discouraged about even having a wedding at all. We were about to call it quits (and elope) when we found San Francisco City Hall. It was love at first sight and, on our first visit, we booked the date and started planning.

I had no idea how difficult it would be to plan a party for 100 people, but after only four months of planning we were able to pull it off without a hitch. I quickly decided on what mattered and what didn’t, in order to save on costs. Some major savings came from my dress and some DIY decor. The biggest savings was probably from choosing locations that were so beautiful on their own, that we didn’t need to do much to spruce them up. The ceremony had virtually NO decor. We simply rented some chairs and printed the programs and let the bridal party and the orchestra make the bulk of the ambiance. The reception was held at a local restaurant, Starbelly, which we originally just picked for their delicious menu, but it didn’t hurt that the restaurant is beautiful and already had a sort of unique feel.

I knew a big place I could save was on flowers, so I only ordered bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages. For the centerpieces I ordered some plain planters and sourced some succulents at my local farmers market. My dad and I planted them together, which was a fun project that he could participate in. I also made a pomander for the flower girl out of yellow satin fabric that I sewed into little rosettes and pinned into a styrofoam ball. The ceremony venue does not allow petals and our flower girl was only two years old, so a pomander was the perfect solution.  A HUGE help to the reception decor was to enlist some graphic design help. An old friend of mine, Andy Tran, is a graphic design student and I called him up to see if he’d be interested in a few wedding projects. He designed our wedding logo, program, table numbers and signs for the guest book and cards. I turned the logo into stickers to make cupcake flags.  I hired a friend of mine to do the wedding planning. It was great to have someone I knew in the role. I had worked with her as a buyer for years and knew that she wouldn’t let a single thing go wrong. Having so much confidence in her was huge, because when it came time for the big day, I wasn’t worrying for a second. I knew everything that needed to happen would happen.

Our wedding was a blast. We did it our way. We had a lovely and honest ceremony (we had a friend as the officiant) and a lively and natural reception. Everyone commented what a great time they had and how great the food was. By 6pm everyone was on their way and had the whole weekend to themselves!

Wedding Photography: Angi Welsch / Cinematography: Modern 8 Films / Flowers: Church Street Flowers / Event Planning: Emily Adachi, Friend of the Bride / Wedding Ceremony Location: San Francisco City Hall / Wedding Reception Location: Starbelly Restaurant / Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Wedding Dress: Dolly Couture / Graphic Design: Andy Tran, Friend of the Bride / Wedding Cake: Pinkie’s Bakery

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Post tags: Angi Welsch, Betsey Johnson, CA, California, Church Street Flowers, DIY Centerpieces, DIY Details, Dolly Couture, Green, Modern 8 Films, Northern California Wedding, Pinkie's Bakery, San Francisco, San Francisco City Hall, Starbelly Restaurant, Teal, Yellow
Post categories: California Weddings, San Francisco Weddings, Vintage Chic, Whimsical

And, a huge thank you to Stephanie Kleinman for shooting such spectacular images!

Materials
1 Orange Anthropologie Bird Cage $49.00 on sale
3 White Round IKEA Florera Candles $4.99 each
2 Yards IKEA Gisela Fabric $7.99 / yard
Yellow Acacia Flower $12.50 per bunch
White China Mums $18.75 per bunch
Yellow China Mums $18.75 per bunch

Instructions
Place candles in bird cage.  Arrange white and yellow china mums and yellow acacia flowers around the candles as shown in photo, creating a nest of sorts. Add one white mum to the top, either simply tucking into wires or by using an adhesive.

* * *

We have been featuring more DIY projects on SMP lately. More ways for you to get in there and take control of your wedding style…and hopefully save a few bucks in the process. I do want to make one quick suggestion though for all of you brides out there who are struggling to put your style stamp on your wedding while sticking to some form of a budget.

Sometimes hiring a planner can be the best money saving tip you could possibly do. A really good wedding planner will help you understand where you can splurge, where you can save…they can help you refine your vision so you don’t waste money on unnecessary details. They can keep you on track so that you can have the wedding of your dreams without stressing about your missing dollars. Many times, they even have relationships with area vendors and can get you better pricing than if you were going at it alone.

Point is, if you are a DIY girl…do it, and do it stylishly. But if you are working on a budget and aren’t so into DIY, think about hiring a planner to help you see your vision to reality. A good planner is a great investment.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: DIY Centerpieces, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Flowers, La Partie Events
Post categories: Centerpieces, DIY Flowers, DIY Projects, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Invitations & Stationery, Wedding Planners & Designers

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Loving the modern candlesticks paired with the elegant yellow lilies. So ridiculously chic.

Materials
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, short $7.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, short round $3.99
1 Set IKEA White Blomster Candle Holders $19.99
3 IKEA White Jubla Taper Candles $4.99 / 4 pack
2 Yards IKEA Katarina Fabric $7.99 / yard
Yellow Water Lily Flowers $43.75 per bunch

Notes from Meg…

Place 2-3 yellow water lilies in vases using varying heights for each bloom.  Fill vases all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table on each side of the candles as shown in photo. The look should be balanced, but not too balanced.

* * *

Meg’s next centerpiece is SO chic. It’s simple, it’s modern and it would look great in a budget friendly affair, or with the high rollers in a lavish loft style wedding. Love the versatility of the design.

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Materials
3 CB2 Long Neck Vases
2 Yards IKEA Katarina Fabric $7.99 / yard
Yellow Eremurus Flower $25.00 per bunch

Instructions and Notes
Place yellow eremurus in vases minimalistically, 2-3 stems in each depending on how full the blooms are.  Fill vases all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table on as shown in photo.

So much more on the way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Centerpieces, DIY Centerpieces, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florals, Flowers, La Partie Events, Meg
Post categories: Centerpieces, DIY Flowers, DIY Projects, Wedding Decor, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Planners & Designers

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Materials
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, medium round $9.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, tall $9.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, short $7.99
2 Yards IKEA Katarina Fabric $7.99 / yard
2 White Round IKEA Florera Candles $4.99 Each
Pink Anemone Flowers $18.75 per bunch
Yellow Acacia Flower $12.50 per bunch
Yellow Water Lily Flowers $43.75 per bunch

Instructions
Place pink anemones, yellow acacia, yellow water lilies in vases using the above photo for inspiration.  Fill vases all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table as shown in photo.

* * *

The beauty in the arrangements that Meg designed is that they stand alone gorgeously, and yet each of the centerpieces would look lovely mixed and matched among different tables. We have so much more one the way!

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Materials
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, tall $9.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, short $7.99
2 White IKEA Kapa Pots $4.99 each
2 Yards IKEA Katarina Fabric $7.99 / yard
3 White Round IKEA Florera Candles $4.99 each
Yellow Acacia Flower $12.50 per bunch
Yellow Water Lily Flowers $43.75 per bunch
White China Mums $18.75 per bunch

Instructions
Place yellow acacia, yellow water lilies and white china mums in vases. Since these flowers look great no matter how they are placed, use as many or as few as you’d like until you achieve the look that you love.  Fill vases all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table as shown in photo.

* * *

Or pair down the look a bit and go for something simple and chic!

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Materials
1 White IKEA Stockholm Vase $34.99
2 Yards IKEA Katarina Fabric $7.99 / yard
Yellow Acacia Flower $12.50 per bunch
White Hydrangea Flower $25.00 per bunch

A Few Notes…
Place white hydrangeas and yellow acacia flower in vase, grouping the hydrangeas together and filling in with the acacia.  Fill vase all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table as shown in photo.

So much more to come from the FABULOUS Meg!!

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Post tags: Centerpieces, DIY Centerpieces, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Flowers, La Partie Events, Meg
Post categories: Centerpieces, DIY Flowers, DIY Projects, Wedding Decor, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Planners & Designers

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Materials
1 White IKEA Stockholm Vase $34.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, medium round $9.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, small round $3.99
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, medium $9.99
5 Clear Glass IKEA Glimma Tea Light Holders $1.99/6 pack
5 White IKEA Glimma Tea Lights $5.99 / 24 pack
3 White IKEA Mjallby Candles $2.99 each
2 Yards Striped IKEA Elisabet Fabric $8.99 / yard
Pink Lepto Flower $11.25 per bunch
Pink Cherry Blossom $22.50 per bunch
Pink Anemone Flowers $18.75 per bunch
Pink Cactus Flowers $12.50 per bunch

Notes from Meg…

Place pink lepto, pink cherry blossom, pink anemone and pink cactus flower to fit in each vase.  Fill vases all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table as shown in photo.

Here is another, slightly more modest variation of the same idea, using different linens and adorning with different accessories…

all photographs by Stephanie Kleinman of SDK Photo

Materials
1 White IKEA Blomster Vase, medium round $9.99
2 Yards IKEA Katarina Fabric $7.99 / yard
2 White Round IKEA Florera Candles $4.99 Each
Pink Anemone Flowers $18.75 per bunch

Notes from Meg…

Place pink anemone in vase.  Fill vase all the way to the top so all the stems receive water.  Arrange on table as shown in photo.

So much more inspiration from Meg at La Partie Events on the way! Even if you aren’t into DIY centerpieces, the eye candy is enough to make you jump for joy.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Centerpieces, DIY Centerpieces, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, La Partie Events, Meg
Post categories: Centerpieces, DIY Flowers, DIY Projects, Wedding Decor, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Planners & Designers