Thanks to my orange shoes, a beautiful love story, the support family and friends, and a whole lot of luck, we were the 2011 grand prize winners of the Crate & Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest. The contest enabled us to have our dream wedding in New Orleans, Louisiana. In mid-2011, we relocated to Beijing, China and our guest list spanned 41 states and seven countries. We wanted to give our guests a destination wedding in America that had a unique local flavor, worthy of at least a weekend visit. There is no better place to host a celebration than the French Quarter in the Big Easy, and our wedding mantra was “laissez bon temps rouler” (let the good times roll). Julie Gibson, founder of Studio Grace, designed our save the date and passport like-invitations that reflected both NOLA and our ever-traveling careers.

Romantic, old New Orleans was brought to life thanks to Yifat Oren & Associates, our wedding planner, courtesy of Crate & Barrel. Stefanie Cove, Managing Partner, was with us every step of the way to choose the best local vendors (neither Michael or I are from NOLA) that would bring the vision of Southern charm, cajun comfort, and French elegance to life. Laura Kleinhenz of Docuvitae, our photographers, captured each moment in their authentic photojournalist style. They produced images that were more than just photographs – they were art! Welliver productions shot our wedding video and stayed with us throughout the entire evening.

The day began at the Aveda Paris Parker Salon where the bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom, and me had our hair and makeup done. The stylists and artists treated us like old friends, did beautiful work, and gave us a relaxing morning. We returned to our hotel to change; the bridesmaids wore long, ivory Two Birds Convertible Dresses (purchased from Bella Bridesmaid DC), which gave them fifteen different ways to wear their dress. The thick, high-quality jersey fabric was comfortable to wear all day and photographed beautifully. I wore two dresses: for the ceremony, a Pronovias lace gown and for the dinner and at the reception a silk with tulle overlay gown by Vera Wang. I purchased the Vera Wang dress from the most lovely Bridal Boutique I had ever been to: Mimi NOLA. Gail and Mimi, two of NOLA’s finest ladies assisted me and theirs is the only VW bridal boutique in New Orleans. They gave us the most personal attention, service, and advice for hosting a spectacular local wedding. They are the place to go bridal shopping if in New Orleans, hands down. As a nod to how we met, I wore orange pumps and my bridesmaids and flower girl did too. The groomsmen changed into a Calvin Klein classic tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse and my handsome groom wore his own tuxedo by J.Crew. To give the groom distinction, we had him be the only one in a white bow tie and the rest of his men in black.

We wanted to maximize time with our guests, so we decided to take pictures before the ceremony at one of the most iconic parks in New Orleans, Jackson Square. It sits before St. Louis Cathedral, which provided a stunning backdrop for the portraits. Next, we asked our guests to meet at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, which tucked in the 140 friends and family for an intimate and cozy view of our ceremony. Pastor Stephen Aguillard gave what my Grandfather called, “the best wedding ceremony I’ve ever seen” as he preached about men’s and women’s needs in marriage. We wrote our own vows; Michael read his from a neatly folded piece of paper, me from my iPhone, which caused a few chuckles. It added to the interesting quirk of our young Pastor reading from his iPad, too. Our florals for the ceremony were by Ambiance Flowers and added to our mostly white with a few pops of orange in our bouquets. Harry Hardin’s string trio played Air on the G String for the family procession, Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley for the bridal party procession, and then my father and I entered with Mascagni’s Intermezzo. After a tearful vow exchange, we recessed to the traditional Mendelssohn’s Wedding March.

Joyfully marching out of the church as husband and wife, we were greeted by the brass instruments of the Storyville Stompers, one of the most decorated second line bands in New Orleans. Orange handkerchiefs and white feather boas were handed out to the guests and to their surprise, we began marching down the French Quarter. Michael and I briefly followed the parade in a horse and carriage, but we soon joined the crowd, not ones to miss out on any fun. Locals took pictures from their balconies and some even threw beads! We marched and danced with the brass band about eight blocks to the reception site, Galvez Restaurant, located in the French Quarter on the bank of the Mississippi river.

As the sun was setting, the second line band played for our cocktail hour outdoors in the Dutch Alley next the French Market. White lights streamed the alley, and specialty New-Orleans-inspired drinks and delicious Spanish-Cajun hors d’oeuvres were passed around. When it was time, guests were invited to walk up the votive lined stair case, up to the dining hall where five long king’s tables were set. I remember hearing my mother gasp, “Wow!” Each of the tables had no fewer than 100 candles illuminating the room; some in candelabras, some in candlesticks, and small votives. The room needed no other lighting, and the hundreds of candles were my favorite signature touch. The tables also were decorated by Ambiance Flowers vases with white flowers and baby’s breath. Each place setting contained a hand-written note to each guest, from either Michael or me, thanking them for coming.

Dinner was led by Chef Laura, of Galvez. Even though our event was black tie, we served our five courses family style to make for a more personal meal. Our guests passed around their incredible spanish, american, and french inspired dishes: ensaladas, crab cakes, grilled rack of lamb, paella valenciana, and shrimp and grits. It was cooked to perfection, thank you Chef! Our toasts broke up the courses, and our best man and maid of honor gave memorable and touching speeches. My father went last, and after his invited the guests to the dance floor, in the neighboring room.

The dance floor at Galvez is surrounded by French windows and doors that lead to a wrap around balcony. It’s one of the most romantic views in New Orleans, and our guests could watch steamboats chugging along the river as they sipped cocktails on the Crate and Barrel designed lounges outdoors. Or, inside they could get footloose with us to the incredibly talented, seven piece band, Taboo. They were a show stopper and played everything we asked, plus the favorites that even kept my Grandparents dancing way past their usual bed time.

We served two cakes: our wedding cake was by a local favorite sweet shop: Sucré, and they did a buttercream, three tiered wedding cake and our Groom’s cake (we’re in the South, after all!) was by Courtney Schmidig, a family friend and pastry chef at the French Laundry. I insisted on taste before appearance, so there was no fondant, only delicious butter cream and natural ingredients, they both were outstanding, but Courtney’s took the cake to another level!

We danced until midnight with Taboo and their incredible band arrangement and ended the night with a stellar performance that had most guests ready to continue their evening onto Bourbon street. In the morning, we relived the night over beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde and bid a final farewell to our guests. We’re still hearing stories about how amazing strolling down the French Quarter with a second line band was, and the awesome jazz ensemble during cocktail hour, and the candlelit views of the Mississippi at night. Thank you Crate & Barrel, and thank you New Orleans, you gave us all an event to remember.

Wedding Contest: Crate & Barrel / Wedding Planners: Yifat Oren & Associates / Church: St. Mark’s United Methodist / Pastor: Stephen Aguillard / Reception, Catering & Bar: Galvez Restaurant / Invitations: Studio Grace / Photographer: Docuvitae /  Videographer: Welliver Productions / Flowers: Ambiance Flower Shop / Second Line Band: Storyville Stompers / Reception Band: Taboo / Bridal Gown (Ceremony): Pronovias, from Designer Loft, New York / Bridal Gown (Reception): Mimi NOLA / Rings: Blue Nile / Tableware, Lounge, and Decor: Crate & Barrel / Rentals: Your Event Delivered / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Two Birds, from Bella Bridesmaid / Hair & Makeup: Aveda Paris Parker Salon New Orleans / Groom’s Tuxedo: J.Crew / Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Wedding Cake: Sucre / Groom’s Cake: Chef Courtney Schmidig / Farewell Breakfast: Cafe Du Monde

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Post tags: Ambiance Flower Shop, Aveda Paris Parker Salon New Orleans, Baby's Breath, Bass Brand, Bella Bridesmaid, Big Bands, Blue Nile, Cafe du Monde, Candles, Chef Courtney Schmidig, Classic, Color Palette White Orange, Crate & Barrel, Designer Loft, Docuvitae, French Quarter, Galvez Restaurant, J. Crew, Louisiana, Men's Wearhouse, Mimi NOLA, Mississippi River, New Orleans, NOLA, NOLA Weddings, Pastor Stephen Aguillard, Pronovias, Silhouettes, St. Mark's United Methodist, Storyville Stompers, Studio Grace, Sucre, Taboo, Traditional, Traditional Elegance, Two Birds, Vera Wang, Wedding Photography, Welliver Productions, Yifat Oren & Associates, Your Event Delivered
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…Because our families are so spread apart (mine in the Czech Republic and Ben’s in Oregon), Ben and I wanted a venue where everyone could meet and spend the week getting to know each other. After tons of research, I saw a few photos of Villa Catureglio online. The setting looked stunning and remote and I liked the understated, yet thoughtful, decor and landscaping. Luckily, it turned out to be even more magical in person! One of our happiest memories of the wedding process was the first day and night we spent there, getting to know the wonderful couple who run the place, Kate and Richard, and feeling giddy with the realization that we could get married in such a beautiful environment. Part of what makes Catureglio special is the quintessentially Tuscan architecture set against a wilder, mountainous setting. Walking around the property you see groves of olive trees, stone walls, mossy paths dotted with porcupine quills and an abandoned olive mill—it’s an incredible place to explore. In planning the look of the wedding, we tried to stick with the natural color palette (lots of gray, green, brown and ochre) and existing ambiance.

The downside to a rural location is that we had very little choice for our main vendors, which worried me. Luckily, we absolutely loved our florist, Sabrina, who made every effort to satisfy my vision, down to the tiniest details. For the tables, I had my heart set on using tons of herbs in mismatched zinc pots and she sourced the perfect mix of vessels and plants, AND surprised me with the prettiest baby olive trees! I brought a bunch of gray stone votive holders and a few extra zinc pots in different shapes (all from OneKingsLane) from home to round out the look. For my bouquet, we went simple with cream peonies and lily of the valley since my dress had so much embellishment on top. Our only colorful elements were wreaths made from burgundy peonies that Sabrina hung on the chapel windows.

Our “Amore” save the dates from Cynthia Warren helped set the tone for the whole event. She used layers of ochre ink to replicate the look of an old Tuscan wall, and oyster gray envelopes—colors we used throughout the event. Our invitations were based on watercolors of Catureglio’s buildings done by a friend, Christine Wraga, and letterpressed by another friend, Emily Johnson of EMprint Press. I went to Champion Stamps in New York and found vintage stamps featuring Italian greats like Francis of Assisi, Garibaldi, Fermi, and Caruso—not sure anyone noticed these but me! Grace Edmands did the beautiful calligraphy and, at the last minute, I asked her to letter zinc tags with white ink to use as place cards. (One of the nice things about a small wedding is that you can use first names only!) Ben’s sisters helped me tie the tags to brown linen napkins (bought in the U.S. from Simrin) using vintage embroidery floss. Grace also made signs that said “Sposa” (bride) and “Sposo” (groom) for our chairs and a sign for the escort table that said “Your tile will tell you your table!” Tracking down the Etruscan-style tiles we used as escort cards/favors turned out to be one of the highlights of our planning. We ordered them from Surrena Terracotta in Umbria, Italy and decided to pick them up in person to save on shipping. We were treated to a tour of the factory and saw how our tiles were made by hand, using an ancient process that includes burying them underground. Each tile is one-of-a-kind and full of natural imperfections.

Of course, one of the best decisions we made was hiring Rebecca from Docuvitae. She not only takes the type of timeless, emotionally-driven photographs we love, she also has a real understanding of Italy that comes through in the pictures, especially the black and white shots. I was very nervous before the ceremony and Rebecca helped calm me down—she even stayed calm and unflappable (and helped translate!) when we got in a car accident minutes before the rehearsal dinner!

My advice to destination brides…don’t agonize about the legalities. Up until a month before the wedding, we really wanted our wedding ceremony to be legally binding and our families wanted that as well. Ultimately, it was very expensive to do the Italian civil ceremony and get it translated, and we still weren’t sure it would be valid in the U.S. So we wrote our own symbolic ceremony and asked Ben’s uncle, John, to be our officiant. It was beautiful and personal and should have been our decision from the start. Also, don’t overbook your guests. I’d been to destination weddings where I felt like I barely got to see the location I’d traveled to, so we wanted to leave lots of free time.

Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier (“magical” skirt + “meringue” top) / Short Dress: Nanette Lepore / Groom’s Suit: John Varvatos / Tie: Theory / Bridesmaid Dresses: Cynthia Steffe / Flower Girl Dress: Halabaloo / Wedding Photography: Rebecca of Docuvitae Photography / Venue: Villa Catureglio / Save the Date: Cynthia Warren Design / Invitations: Christine Wraga + EMprint Press / Stamps: Champion Stamps / Calligraphy: Grace Edmands Calligraphy / Tiles: Surrena Terracotta

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Post tags: Catureglio, Champion Stamps, Christine Wraga, Cynthia Steffe, Cynthia Warren, Docuvitae, EMprint Press, Grace Edmands, Halabaloo, Italy Wedding, John Varvatos, Monique Lhuillier, Nanette Lapore, Surrena Terracotta, Villa Catureglio
Post categories: Destination, The Blog

From Hohn Events … Pauline wanted sofas and casual seating as opposed to traditional ceremony seating.  She wanted soft accents to line the aisle in shades of purple.  We built the color palette from her request of purple and silver tones.  When we added Julie Stevens Floral Design to the mix, we built, what I feel, is a mix of Midwest and Napa Valley style.  The city-elegance of Chicago (where Pauline and Christopher live) combined with a touch of rustic wine country.  The Carneros Inn was the perfect backdrop for such sophistication.

When the rain came into the forecast, we had to change things up for the ceremony.  We set up a clear tent near the dining room that ultimately added an incredible atmosphere to the wedding.  Guests experienced the romance of a Napa rainshower and everything smelled fresh and amazing.

The Chicago/Napa Valley style was seen in the dining room by using ivory dupionique linens with hints of purple and silver and the natural greens, candle light, and soft amber uplighting around the room.  The lounge pieces were also purple and silver and there was a strong dose of candlelight.

Photography:  Rebecca and Gennia for Docuvitae / Event Planning & Design: Jenne Hohn Events / Flowers:  Julie Stevens Design / Wedding Gown Designer: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Sash: Handmade from Impressions Bridal Boutique / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Amsale / Cake & Desserts:  Patisserie Angelica / DJ: David Carvalho / Hair & Makeup: Sherrie Long / Venue: The Carneros Inn

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Post tags: Amsale, California, Chicago, Color Palette purple Silver, David Carvalho, Docuvitae, Hohn Events, Impressions Bridal Boutique, Julie Stevens Designs, Monique Lhuillier, Napa, Napa Valley, Patisserie Angelica, Rain, Sherrie Long, The Carneros Inn, Traditional Elegance
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… We knew right away that Kelly from Lyndsey Hamilton Events was the planner for us after our initial meeting. She was very easy to talk to, knew her stuff, and from what we saw from photos of other LHE events, they had the exact same aesthetic we wanted for our wedding.  And it was the right choice: Kelly meticulously handled every single detail with a smile, never lost her cool, had some great ideas but was never pushy about anything, and is just an all-around amazing, incredibly organized and wonderful person. Any bumps along the way (there might’ve been a few at most) were met with a sense of humor and then smoothed over. We feel incredibly fortunate we were able to collaborate with Kelly and Lyndsey on our wedding day.

For our venue, the private Church Estate in Malibu was just perfect. No ocean view, but the expansive grounds were so lush and beautiful—and we could have it all to ourselves. From the boathouse and pond to the vineyards to the horse barn to the tennis court to the creek, there was so much flora and fauna filled space for us and our guests to explore. The bridal party prepped in the spacious upstairs master bedroom, with a balcony overlooking the lawn, what a perfect perch. Our dinner in the courtyard almost felt like a garden party, and the lawn where the ceremony was held overlooked the cliffs of Malibu, which is very near to our hearts because Ben lived in Malibu when we first started dating and we spent a lot of time getting to know each other there.

We chose Campanile as our caterer.  Mark Peel (the Executive Chef of Campanile) and his wife Daphne Brogdon are Ben’s good friends, so naturally we wanted to enlist the help of friends to make the day as personal as possible. Ben and I had a few wine and food tastings at their La Brea restaurant, and it was hard to narrow down the menu choices because everything was so good! People are still raving about the pork belly appetizers (moi included), potato gnocchi with truffles and afterparty snacks. Also, their wait staff was topnotch.

My cousin, Marcia, is an interior decorator in Toronto, Canada, but came out of retirement as an invitation designer to create my save the date cards and invitations. We went with heavy-duty duplex and three shades for the letterpress. I am a huge paper lover, and these far exceeded my expectations. They were so elegant, yet modern and really set the tone for the day. Marcia also sent extra paper to be used throughout the grounds. Having a close relative be so intimately involved with the invitations meant so much to me, and was another personal touch that both Ben and I were so glad to have.

The ladies of Fiore Beauty did my hair and makeup. They listened to what I wanted and amped up the drama just a bit more for the big day, and I LOVED my hair and makeup. All the bridesmaids were happy with their looks, too. And Jaime, the owner, couldn’t have been more accommodating and lovely. Afterward, she sent a CD of the music that they played while we were getting ready, to remind me of that special morning. What a wonderful and thoughtful touch. AMAZING.

Our dessert table and cake were created by Jin Patisserie.  Jin is just around the corner from where we live in Venice on the very trendy and chic Abbott Kinney Blvd. I’d been going there for years to buy birthday cakes because the flavors are very unique and the cakes are works of art, and knew I wanted them to make my cake. The flavors they came up with were truly delicious and slightly unusual. We did different flavors for each layer: chocolate with caramel and sea salt, green tea with ginger filling, raspberry with vanilla cream. All to die for! Annabelle, the baker, is a genius and a really lovely person.

Our escort cards were created by Peony & Plum.  Susan blew up a photo of Ben and I on a motorcycle road test for his magazine, Popular Mechanics. The photo was cut up into little rectangular magnets with names of guests and their table number, which they could use on their fridge afterward. And behind the magnets was another copy of the exact same image so we could take hang it in our home…bonus!

Our officiant was Pastor Robert Garber, an old family friend.  We flew Pastor Bob out from Pennsylvania to marry us. He and his church sponsored my family when they were refugees of the Vietnam War back in 1975. Though we moved away and settled in California, we stayed in touch over the years. Pastor Bob was the officiant at my two elder brothers’ weddings, so of course I wanted him there for mine. The mood he set during the ceremony was playful, fun, which was exactly what we wanted, but it was also serious when appropriate, natch. Having our old family friend marry us was one of the most special moments of our day.

We chose Laura and Rebecca from Docuvitae as our photographers. They are pretty fabulous at what they do. Unbelievable that their shots, except for the portraits, aren’t posed. They captured a lot of beautiful moments from our wedding day, and they’ve always been so passionate about what they do and it shows in the quality of their work. We’ve been thrilled with how the slideshow and all the photos have turned out.

Wedding Photography: Laura Kleinhenz of Docuvitae / Second Shooter: Rebecca of Docuvitae / Wedding Planning & Coordination: Kelly Dunphy of Lyndsey Hamilton Events / Wedding Venue: Church Estate Vineyards / Catering: Campanile / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Suit: Custom, Giorgio Armani / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Flower Girl Dresses: Us Angels / Hair & Makeup: Fiore Beauty / Wedding Invitations: Cousin of the Bride / Floral Design: Hoot & Heart / Church Estate Maps: Hoot & Heart / Tent & Flooring Rental: Zephyr Tents / Furniture Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Wedding Signs, Favors & Menu Board: Melangerie / Wedding Cake & Dessert Table: Jin Patisserie / Officiant: Pastor Robert Garber / Escort Cards: Peony & Plum

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Post tags: Black, CA, California, Campanile, Christian Louboutin, Classic Party Rentals, Docuvitae, Fiore Beauty, Fuchsia, Giorgio Armani, Hoot & Heart, Jenny Yoo, Jin Patisserie, Lyndsey Hamilton Events, Malibu, Melangerie, Outdoor Wedding, Peony & Plum, Pink, Romantic Wedding, Southern California Wedding, Tented Reception, The Church Estate Vineyards, US Angels, Vera Wang, Vineyard Wedding, Zephyr Tents
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From Jesi Haack Design… We were all so enamored with the beauty of the Sowden House’s architecture. The architecture became the apex of our design inspirations.  We really didn’t want to compete with the house itself and everything that came with it so we decided to go in the direction of Mayan Revival. We wanted to use all natural leaves and foliage to enhance the beauty of the grounds.  And we wanted to use fuchsia as our pop of color to touch on the look of the bougainvillea in the courtyard.  Then we needed to spice everything up, and that’s where the gold came in.  We copied the architecture of the home by cutting out wood in the same silhouette and creating the smilebooth backdrop to look like a mini version of the home.  This place is so insanely unique and different, and we wanted to capture the Old Hollywood/Mayan revival feel.  That’s how Ochi chose her dress and her bridesmaids dresses. Gorgeous.

From JL Designs… In keeping with the Mayan Revival idea, we chose a variety of vessels that had that South American feel but with a touch of Hollywood glam – hammered bronze vessels, gold mosaic vases and dark brown wood boxes… We also wanted to go with florals that felt indigenous to that area of the world so we chose tropical greens and foliage like monstera leaves, ti leaves and zebra leaves, accented with fuchsia ginger, feathered protea and fuzzy hanging heliconia.  And, you can’t have a Mayan wedding without gold!   We spray painted succulents for a gilded feel and added those to the arrangements for a touch of funky glam.  We also used hand painted gold votives for a softer, more romantic glow.

Ochi did not want a traditional bouquet for herself or her bridesmaids…so  that’s where we got the idea to do some super funky corsages…these were not your prom corsages of the 90′s!!

Overall I would say the words to describe the feel they wanted was “funky, glamorous, authentic, unique”…

From Rebecca of Docuvitae… Everything about this wedding, in my opinion, was absolutely perfect. This perfection primarily resulted from Ochi and Gabriel’s commitment to keeping their wedding authentic and true to who they are as individuals and as a couple.  Their commitment to and love for their families was exhibited with every glance, every hug, every kiss.  Every single detail reflected their taste, their style and their personalities.  Just like the happy couple, absolutely breathtaking.  It was such an honor to be there to document it all.

Wedding Photography: Rebecca Rotenberg for Docuvitae / Second Shooter: Ruth Kim / Wedding Design & Planning: Jesi Haack Design / Florals & Design: JL Designs / Dessert Table: Sweet & Saucy Shop / DJ: The Flashdance / Wedding Cinematography: Sharkpig / Catering: Heirloom LA / Paper Goods: Pitbulls and Posies / Ceremony Seating: Found Vintage Rentals / Valet: Jeffrey Valet / Hair & Makeup: Giulia Heiman + Kevianno Guerrero / Wedding Venue: The Sowden House

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 42 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: CA, California Weddings, Corsage, Docuvitae, Found Vintage Rentals, Giulia Heiman, Gold, Heirloom LA, Hollywood, Jeffrey Valet, Jesi Haack Design, JL Designs, Kevianno Guerrero, Los Angeles, Mayan Wedding, Old Hollywood, Old Hollywood Glamour, Pitbulls and Posies, SharkPig, Sweet and Saucy Shop, The FlashDance, The Sowden House
Post categories: California Weddings, Los Angeles Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… The design choices for our wedding celebration were inspired by our venues. For our ceremony, my husband and I chose St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, a historic building with incredible Gothic architecture and beautiful stained glass windows. Our reception was held at the Artista Restaurant, an elegant two-story edifice with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the downtown Houston skyline. While I loved the idea of an outdoor wedding, it was clearly not an option for Houston in August. To incorporate that outdoor feel, I transformed the restaurant balcony into an outdoor lounge space. Our wonderful florist, Melanie Tipton of Last Petal, brought my vision to life by accenting the lounge space and restaurant with simple, chic floral arrangements. Once our venues were selected, everything from our color scheme to our invitation style came into place.

After looking at numerous wedding invitation websites, we decided nothing in our budget really inspired us. My husband, a self-taught graphic designer, decided to take a stab at creating our wedding invitations. As a nod to our hometowns, my husband placed images of the Houston skyline and the Baton Rouge, LA Horace Wilkinson Bridge on the invitation suite. We then had the invitation suite letterpress printed. The end result was AMAZING!  My husband went on to design all of the stationary elements of the wedding–programs, menu cards, signage, etc.

In addition to getting the design elements just right, we infused our wedding with elements that would reflect our love (we decided to write our own vows in addition to citing traditional ones), family (my uncle married us) and sentimentality (I surprised my husband with a traditional New Orleans Second-line band for our exit as he always wanted one for his wedding day). And when our wedding day came, we let everything else go and decided to bask in the blessedness of the day–we laughed, cried (okay, I cried) and danced the night away. There were definitely bumps (okay, mountains) along the road in the planning process, but when we sit back and look at the wonderful images captured by Rebecca of Docuvitae (whom I found right here on SMP and cannot say enough positive things about), they bring a smile to our faces every.single.time.

Wedding Photography: Rebecca of Docuvitae / Second Shooter: Juli of Docuvitae / Wedding Ceremony: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church / Wedding Reception: Artista Restaurant / Wedding Cinematography: Aaron of 31FILMS / Flowers: Melanie Tipton of Last Petal / Wedding Invitation Design: Timothy Perry (The Groom) / Invitation Printing: Studio on Fire / Event Design & Planning: Kourtney James Perry (The Bride) / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Angel Sanchez via Maison de Mode / Hair: Albert Dominguez of Solution for Hair & Makeup / Makeup: Your Beautiful Face / Jewelry: DIY, The Bride (Created from Talbots‘ Necklaces) / Second Line Band: New Orleans Hustlers Brass Band / Vintage Rolls Royce: Jordan Limousines

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 25 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 31 Films, Artista Restaurant, Bronze, Cream, DIY Invitations, Docuvitae, Gold, Houston, Jimmy Choo, Jordan Limousines, Last Petal, Maison de Mode, New Orleans, New Orleans Hustlers Brass Band, Solution for Hair & Makeup, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, studio on fire, Talbots, Texas Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Vintage Cars, Your Beautiful Face
Post categories: Houston Weddings, Texas Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From Laura Kleinhenz, owner and founder of Docuvitae and Lead Photographer for Zoe and Robert…Even on their very first date, something clicked for Zoe Winkler and Robert Reinis and they cut to the chase: an intimate talk about how much they wanted to have a family of their own.  It wasn’t typical first date conversation, but that’s because Zoe and Robert immediately recognized each other as kindred spirits. They both grew up in large, warm, closeknit, supportive families and treasured the closeness so much that — even as young adults — they both continue to go home for family dinners every Sunday (although now they alternate). Since she was a little girl, Zoe had wanted a wedding that reflected her deep attachment to family, so when the time came to plan her own, she paid no attention to L.A.’s swanky hotels, restaurants and party spaces.  She knew immediately that she wanted to get married at her parent’s house.  The home she grew up in, the home where she dreamed about her wedding day.

And so the planning began. Zoe confesses that she handed over a lot of the wedding planning to her mother.  A force of nature with impeccable taste, Stacey was happy to oblige and, of course, wanted every detail to be PERFECT for Zoe.  Stacey is an expert in casual entertaining and loves bringing people together.  This is typically done in her living room, but alas, 275 guests would not fit into her living room alone!  Faced with this challenge, inspiration struck.  Stacey would simply transform her front and back yards into an extension of her living room and dining room.  And indeed she did.  The transition between spaces was absolutely seamless and executed to perfection. Spectacular chandeliers were strung, vintage candelabras from Stacey’s own collection lit every table, and bowls of fresh fruit and flowers placed with simply elegance.  Guests were even able to enjoy the Winkler’s favorite travel and art coffee table books during the cocktail hour and reception!

Zoe and Robert could not have been more thrilled with how the day played out.  They were beyond touched by how involved their families were.  Henry, proud father of the bride, even attended Zoe’s final dress fitting he was so excited!  Robert’s nieces performed an original song that they wrote together at the reception.  Rob’s eight year old nephew, who admittedly had a crush on Zoe, recited a list of ‘The Top 10 Reasons Why Zoe Should Marry Him’ instead of his Uncle Rob.  Zoe still talks about how it was the best and most perfect day of her life.  Robert says, “I have a really depressed bride on my hands, she’s SO sad it’s over!”

As a documentary photographer, my goal is always to make beautiful, authentic images.  Zoe and Robert’s at home wedding offered such incredible warmth and intimacy to photograph.  I love it when couples choose a place that has real meaning to them.  They were  relaxed and spontaneous in the surroundings they were so familiar with.  And the place itself – the architecture, the art and objects within quickly became an extension of Zoe and Robert and their families.  I’m so excited to share not only the beautiful photos of the couple and their wedding day designs, but also a thoughtful selection of documentary photos that capture the anticipation, joy and warmth that surrounded Zoe and Robert and tell the story of two loving families coming together to celebrate their commitment to one another.

Photography: Docuvitae / Flowers: Holly Flora / Event Design: Stacey Winkler, mother of the bride / Event Planning: Love, Luck and Angel / Ceremony Location: Winkler Residence / Shoes: Christian Louboutin

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 30 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: California Weddings, Christian Louboutin, Docuvitae, Holly Flora, Love, Luck and Angel
Post categories: California Weddings, Los Angeles Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance

photography by Rebecca of Docuvitae LLC

Can you imagine NOT capturing those moments? Can you imagine Taleene and Spencer NOT having these photographs to live and re-live this incredible day in their lives? Thank goodness there are people out there like Rebecca Rotenberg at Docuvitae who have made it their life’s work to capture the depth of emotion, the slight nuances in that special look between lovers, and the overwhelming joy when the kiss … seals the deal!

From the delightful bride, Taleene  … We decided on a traditional Armenian wedding ceremony, complete with the beautiful silver crowns that my mom picked out for us. I loved my St. Pucchi dress as it was so unique and intricate, yet still simple in it’s shape and cut. All my jewelry was vintage. I borrowed my earrings and one of my hair brooches from my mom. My veil was also borrowed from a close friend. My beautiful bridesmaids wore hydrangea dresses by Amsale. The peaceful serenity of our ceremony was followed by the wedding party entering to the song “Footlose”! Our vision for our wedding reception was a PARTY. We had Armenian dancing, which got EVERYONE on the dance floor.

After getting engaged in July 2009, we settled right away on the idea of a Palm Springs wedding. My family owns a home in Indian Wells, and we’ve enjoyed so many wonderful memories there around the pool as a couple and as a family. The desert has a wonderful sense of peace that I thought would be the perfect juxtaposition to the big bash we wanted to throw. It also allowed us to have a destination style weekend wedding without putting the burden of a plane ticket on the majority of our guests, since so many would be traveling from Southern California. We were recommended to Cathy and Dorry (Celebrations of Joy) through mutual friends, and Cathy joined us as we toured 5 venues on a 105 degree day in August– true dedication! We knew right away that Celebrations of Joy was the right match for us, bringing an organic, loving approach to the wedding planning process.

The La Quinta Resort, located in the Greater Palm Springs area, was actually the spot where Spencer and I had taken one of our first vacations together when we started dating almost 4 years earlier. So, it was only fitting that we share this gorgeous venue that we had fallen in love with years ago with all our family and friends. The La Quinta Resort staff (especially Jessica Tanner) and the ability to do our entire wedding (ceremony to send-off) outdoors at the wonderful La Casa venue were the icing on the cake.

The next most important step was the photographer. Spencer and I expressed to Cathy that we were looking for a loose, artistic approach. Cathy forwarded us along to Rebecca at Docuvitae. I knew Rebecca was perfect when I asked her if Spencer and I should see each other before the ceremony– she answered no… that the emotion that she’d be able to capture during the ceremony and immediately after would be more genuine if we didn’t. Cathy also introduced us to Luna at Arrangements Floral Design, who really helped in pulling together the “look” of the centerpieces, as well as did the beautiful gauze covering over our ceremony.

We can’t say thank you enough to the wonderful team who helped pull our wedding together. It was the best day of our lives — by far!

photography: Rebecca Rotenberg for Docuvitae LLC

planning & design: Cathy O’Connell & Dorry Wynham, Celebrations of Joy

flowers: Luna at Arrangements Design

venue: La Quinta Resort and Spa

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arrangements Design, Celebrations of Joy, Desert Wedding, Docuvitae, La Quinta Resort, Rebecca Rotenberg
Post categories: Bouquets, California Weddings, Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Palm Springs Weddings, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers