From Karli and Nick…

We let the location set the stage for all of the many details of the day. We chose a caterer, Living Room Events, that understands the importance of using local and seasonal produce. We felt it would be so special for our guests to experience local, fresh produce, especially if it came straight from the farm. We really liked the idea of finding and using little things that made the day completely unique to us. We found so many beautiful, handmade items on Etsy, from the sweet cotton lovebirds on top of our cake, to the bridesmaids’ beautiful citrine and gold bracelets. One of our favorite finds was the distressed white wooden “S” for “Spence.” When we bought it we had no idea what we would do with it, but we just loved it!

Credits: Wedding design and coordination by Tina Reikes of Bear Flag Farm, Photography by Zoom Photography, Flowers by Lush Floral, Wedding and bridesmaid dresses by Amsale, Bride’s hairpiece by Muscari Design, Groom’s suit, J. Crew, Invitations by Dauphine Press, Table Numbers from Funki Folk Art, Catering by Living Room Events, Rentals from Classic Party Rentals, Tent from Zephyr Tents, and Linens from La Tavola.

***

Finally, in response to Abby’s unbelievably sweet comment in the first post of this wedding… I have to say THANK YOU!!! I can’t say enough about the brilliant, hard-working team here at SMP. It’s an incredible crew and I really feel very proud (and insanely lucky) to consider myself a part of it. So, I hope to be back often… because, as you can imagine, I’ve fallen head over heals for my job.

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Post tags: California, Eco Friendly, Fall, Fall Wedding
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Real Weddings

From the bride, Megan…

The goal was to have an aesthetic to compliment such a beautiful garden setting; therefore, starting with our eco-friendly invitations, from Bella Figura, the oaktree was the icon of our event. When using paper, we tried to make it double duty or cut back when possible; for example, our escort cards also doubled as our favor and we used a reply postcard which cuts back on an extra envelope. Although small, these little details can add up.

In order to keep things eco-friendly, we had a lot of help collecting vintage mason jars and medicine bottled for our centerpieces. All the baskets used to hold our flip-flops, fans, parasols and even our programs were provided by family and friends so they could feel included in the event but also cut back on purchasing new items. We used recycled fork table card holders and found a great vintage glass terrarium to hold our cards. It was fun collecting meaningful details that were also a reflection of our purpose!

We hoped to create an event that was organically elegant, a reflection of our personal style as much as our respect for the environment and fun for our guests. Our intimate setting definitely helped create an environment that was meaningful and special; we will always remember walking into the field full of friends and family we missed while being abroad and having the sun come pouring from behind the clouds!

I love how well matched this whole wedding seemed to be… all the elements Megan & Matt chose complimented their personalities and style perfectly. From their gorgeous venue, The Morton Arboretum to their fun eco-friendly details, they created an event that was as organic as it was beautiful. Thank you Olivia Leigh for sharing your gorgeous photographs with us. Also congrats to Megan & Matt!

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Post tags: Bella Figura, Chicago, Eco Friendly, Olivia Leigh, The Morton Arboretum
Post categories: Casual Elegance

McKenzie and Todd wanted a small intimate wedding and they had a budget of $20,000. {We’re not saying they had a low budget wedding. We’re saying they had a budget of $20,000.) They approached First Coast Weddings and Events to help them orchestrate their plans and made it clear that they didn’t want to exceed this figure.  Additionally, they are a very environmentally conscious couple and wanted their wedding to be as eco-friendly as possible.

Now … the point of the story is that sometimes it’s very difficult to stay within your set wedding budget … no matter what that number is (!) … and most couples planning their wedding can attest to that!  There are so many extras that become so tempting, but it CAN be done.

McKenzie and Todd were married in March 2008 at the Oldest House in America! Seriously … according to the St. Augustine Historical Society …

“The González-Alvarez House has been occupied since the 1600s with the present house dating to the early 1700s.”

from Danielle …

McKenzie and Todd met while attending Saint Johns College, a unique college that bases its curriculum on the works of the most influential minds throughout history. Here, they cultivated their love for history, anthropology, and one another. Their leisure time was spent biking and playing trivia. With college behind them and opportunities and new careers awaiting in Seattle, they wanted to plan this one last hoorah – full of their closest friends and family to bid them farewell.

When I first met with McKenzie and Todd, they were at the very beginning stages of their planning and had several guidelines set in stone.

1. The wedding would cost no more than $20,000. (note: this is where the staying within your set budget comes in!)

2. They wanted the wedding to be reflective of their personalities

3. The wedding needed to be intimate- 50 guests to be exact

4. They wanted it to be as low-key and green as possible, with respect to environmental and socially aware planning.

We chose the location of the ceremony for its strong history which was quite important to the couple. They wanted a space that felt warm and rich while still being able to not overwhelm their intimate ceremony. In keeping with their eco-consciousness, the guests and couple walked the three blocks to the ceremony at The Oldest House. They chose to have no attendants, rather they selected only their immediate family and closest friends to witness their vows. They each walked in solo as a string trio played the works of Bach and Mozart. In all my years of planning, I have never felt so engaged- just the two of them opening up their hearts to one another.

They wrote their own ceremony, with borrowed traditions from several cultures throughout time. Their very talented friends offered up their services to assist with the bread and honey ceremony, with one having a 250 year old starter for sourdough and another who owns a bee farm! We kept the decor simple, with a chuppah wrapped in a garland adorned with fresh locally-grown citrus fruits and a bouquet of hydrangeas. Adorning the entrance to the Oldest House were two topiaries adorned with mini citrus fruits.

Who says that no bridal party means no bridal party fashion? I loved that McKenzie’s mother and sisters all chose to wear dresses from a bridesmaid’s line. They were sophisticated selections that reflected each personality but definitely distinguished them as guests of honor!

In order to maximize the budget, we chose to hold the reception at the gorgeous Casa Monica Hotel’s Sultan’s Pool Deck. The space was discounted because it was a chilly off-season, but included space heaters. What I love most about this space is the stationary cabanas and amazing styling! It means that there is no worrying about tent, table, and lighting rentals. They also have an iPod dock that goes into their PA system, which we used for cocktail hour and background dinner music. Because the space is already highly-styled, there was little need to add more than a few hydrangeas and citrus fruits.

Guests were treated to a polaroid guest book and an extension of the bread and honey ceremony. Their friends made the cutest orange blossom honey escort cards. I thought that the most clever part about them was that the shade of green on the leaves denoted the guest’s dinner selection (fish/meat) which was a subtle way to help Casa Monica’s staff.

McKenzie and Todd announced early on that they were not the tiny dancers… not even close. Thus, they opted to skip dancing all together. Instead, they allocated those funds to a great menu and wine list. And, they employed the help of a friend that they had made over the last few years of trivia night. That’s right, they had a full-on trivia challenge! Designed to match their Dauphine letterpress invitations, these trivia menus were by far the most chic that I had ever seen! I loved that the guests were able to interact and have wonderful food and conversation.

At the end of the evening, we cut the cake. And oh what a cake it was! McKenzie and Todd worked with Sweet Weddings to create a lovely cake which had their college crest on top. Afterward, there was the crowning of the Trivia winners, a sparkler exit (followed by an impromptu dance off by their guests) and the couple was off to their honeymoon (biking all the way up the East Coast!)

In the end, we were able to stay within their budget by determining what was most important to the couple … the food, photography, and ambiance. And then, we found cost-conscious alternatives for the rest … the flowers and entertainment. Last, but certainly not least … they accepted help from their friends. We were able to achieve an intimate affair that was environmentally and socially aware, and completely reflective of the couple’s personality.

It would not have been possible without this amazing team: Coordinated by Danielle Bamba of First Coast Weddings and Events, Flowers by Riverside Event Design, Ceremony Venue – The Oldest House, Reception Venue and Catering – The Casa Monica Hotel, Photography by Leah Powell Photography, Cake – Sweet Weddings, Ceremony Music by Wehners Weddings Entertainment, Details by The Couple’s Talented Friends!

Thanks so much to Danielle for helping McKenzie and Todd achieve their dream wedding! Our congratulations to McKenzie and Todd!!

ps … the original post has been updated in response to our readers comments!

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Post tags: Budget Conscious, Casa Monica Hotel, Eco Friendly, First Coast Weddings & Events, Florida, Honey, Leah Powell Photography, Oranges, Riverside Event, St. Augustine, Sweet Weddings, The Oldest House, Wedding Favors, Wedding Trivia, Wehners Weddings Entertainment
Post categories: Budget Beautiful, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Planners & Designers

Top/left: “Green was the chosen palette for this East-meets-West wedding. The bride’s family is originally from Japan, and the groom traces his heritage to Ireland. Spider mums and yoko ono mums were paired with stripy flax leaves, set in a silver lacquered box to function as a ring pillow.”

Top/right: “Mums and stephanotis ~ Adorned with white and green blossoms, a coastal white chapel with view to the Pacific was the ceremony location for this wedding.”

Above: Row 2/left ~ Inspired by the outdoor garden ceremony in early autumn, this ring pillow highlights a mélange of textural materials and celebrates the gradual change in colors of foliage.

Above: Row 2/right ~ Lady slipper orchid.  The bride comes from a family of orchid lovers; her affinity had burgeoned at an early age because her father is an orchid hobbyist and grower. The use of a singular blossom in the ring pillow epitomizes the simple grace embodied in an orchid.

Below/left ~ Kiwi vine. This ring pillow was inspired by the natural setting of the ceremony location, a sunken amphitheater facing a majestic redwood grove. Foliage and twig are emphasized in the design.

Below/right ~ This ring pillow was designed for a 20’s inspired wedding that took place at a beloved historic building designed by Julia Morgan, best known for her design of the Hearst Castle. Peacock feathers were one of the key design elements and used throughout the wedding.

A little bit more from Karen at Grandiflora …

Botanical ring pillows are designed for the ring bearer to carry down the aisle with the rings attached, and serve as a unique detail element of the wedding ceremony. The idea of making a ring pillow out of flowers is not new ~ the green yoko ono mum ring pillow and the moss ring pillow are both well-published designs. We have embraced the concept by customizing each botanical ring pillow we make. The design of the ring pillow follows a process of blending the botanical elements left over from the wedding floral designs instead of ordering extra materials for its creation. The rest is a truly organic design process, inspired by the mood and feel of the location and the textures and palette of the flowers. I am a “less is more” girl, and most of our brides share the same sentiment, so the designs are clean and minimal yet dramatic.

Our design team loves making these because the creative process is spontaneous and impressionistic. An added bonus is that we are giving new life to botanical materials that would otherwise head to the green recycle bin. All of our ring pillows are the result of impromptu composition. We are fortunate that our brides have a true sense of adventure, and wanted us to have fun with the design and surprise them.

Just one more super to make your wedding details truly unique!

Thanks so much, Karen, for sharing! You can see more of Grandifloral’s beautiful and innovate ideas on their website.

* * *

OH … and we just announced the winners from last Friday’s giveaway from The Wedding Main St.! You can check it out {here}! Thanks to all who entered!!

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Post tags: Eco Friendly, Flax Leaves, Floral Ring Pillows, Green, Kiwi Vine, Orchid, Peacock Feathers, Ring Pillows, Stephanotis, yoko ono mums
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Details, Wedding Flowers

Here is a little snippet from the fabulous Meghan at WedVert…

In honor of World Environment Day, and our third year supporting the WED (WED with the World in Mind) w/ the UN, we’re announcing that June is Green Wedding Month. We’ve partnered with Style Me Pretty to help brides Style Me Green!

We are GIFTING one lucky bride with a gown from our new line VERT. These gowns are designed by Jessica Iverson ~ each is made lovingly with all-natural, vegan friendly fabrics. The WED mission this year is all about giving back … by planting trees and bringing a little true and honest green to our world. We are determined to prove that weddings can not only be beautiful, but can also be an incredible opportunity to share the green love!

. . .

To win the dress – valued at up to $2000 – we want to hear how you are planning on incorporating trees and reforestation into your wedding. Whether you email us pictures of you and your fiance planting trees to win the gown or you share stories right here in our comments section of gifting seeds as favors, we want to hear all about it!

The contest will run for two weeks … SO EXCITING!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 40 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dress, Eco Chic, Eco Friendly, Go Green Month, Green, Jessica Iverson, Style Me Green, VERT, Wedding Gown Giveaway, WedVert
Post categories: Contests, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

Justine & Robert really wanted an outdoor wedding, but opted to move inside for the reception since it’s a little chilly in northern California in October.  The floral designer, Valley Flora, did a tremendous job “bringing the outdoors in!”

These are just a few of the many individual floral arrangements from the reception …

from Gia’s Blog: Pursuing the Picture Perfect Wedding …

Justine and Robert chose wonderful centerpieces that incorporated dahlias, orchids, pitcher plants, fresh in-season fruit, leaves, succulents, etc., in unique still-life style arrangements. I know I’m going a little overboard on the detail shots here … but I want to show the kind of variety I love, and how many natural elements were in their florals. Valley Flora from Napa did a wonderful job. These details were definitely “green” without being pretentious or showy.

Potted herbs adorned the outdoor cocktail tables and buffet created by Back to Earth Catering, which specializes in organic (and especially yummy) dishes from locally grown food.

And when you put it ALL together … voila! This is what you get!

Cake by Margaret’s French Bakery.

Lots more beautiful photos from Gia Canali Photography coming up in a bit …

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Post tags: Back To Earth Catering, Cake, California, Centerpieces, Dancing, Eco Friendly, Gia Canali Photography, Green Wedding, Herbs, Los Gatos, Melissa Sweet, Nestldown, Valley Flora
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Wedding Style

* * *

From Lauren and Allison…

Admit it: Before you made a single decision about your wedding, before you picked a date, or settled on a venue (maybe before you even met the guy!) you’d thought about The Dress.

And so when the big day approaches, even the most environmentally savvy bride may balk at compromising her vision of the perfect gown for a more eco-chic version. With visions of hemp dresses better suited for Woodstock than a wedding reception, who could blame you? Luckily, environmentally conscious bridal fashion has come a long way in recent years. The designers featured below have all gone green, and the results are nothing short of gorgeous!

Morgan Boszilkov uses sustainable fabrics and environmentally responsible business practices, and gives five percent of the proceeds from her Natural Bridal Collection to environmental causes. Her gowns are handcrafted in the USA and are absolutely stunning. Don’t believe us? See for yourself:

These dresses are just too pretty to only wear for one day! So in a stylish twist, some of Morgan’s gowns are convertible, with detachable bottom skirts that allow brides a completely different look for their receptions, as well as the very real (and green!) possibility of wearing their wedding dresses again.

More to come!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Eco Friendly, Engaging Affairs, Morgan Boszilkov
Post categories: Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion

I have talked about planning an eco-friendly wedding in the past, but feel like it’s important to keep discussing new and chic ways to make green choices during a time in your life when it’s just so easy. Suzie has been sweet enough to share with us Twig and Fig’s own green ideas when it comes to invitation design and is giving us some tips on purchasing eco-chic paper goods.

From Suzie at Twig and Fig….

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Eco Friendly, Letter Press, Twig & Fig
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery