Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Brandee and Christian have always loved to travel. As they started talking about getting engaged and where they would go on their honeymoon, Italy was a strong contender. As Brandee was looking at an online gallery of pictures of Europe, she came across a colorful market picture and she thought planning an Italian Market-themed wedding would be a fun way to get excited for an Italian honeymoon. Christian loved the idea as well. When it came to location, they knew right away what the perfect backdrop for the wedding would be: Christian’s family property in St. Charles, Idaho, where they had spent a lot of time exploring and having some down-time with each other. The sunny, golden fields, tree-lined mountains and the sounds of the creek around the field set the scene for a classy, romantic, Italian market wedding in an outdoor setting.

Food was very much a part of wedding festivities and decor. Brandee and Christian both love authentic Italian food and wanted there to be an assortment of food to thank their guests for their involvement in their lives. The market place displayed the food and drinks for the cocktail hour and was an affordable option for decor. The colorful and earthy fruits, vegetables and market flowers blended perfectly with the adjacent early autumn woods and fields that housed the Italian-themed market.  The caterer brought in a wood-fired pizza oven to cook Margherita, Italian sausage and Mediterranean artichoke pizzas and served a variety of handmade pastas, fennel meatballs, deli meats, caprese salad, plenty of bruschetta, cheeses and asparagus-wrapped prosciutto, along with Italian sodas and San Pellegrino to drink. Luckily, their pastry chef was Italian and baked an assortment of pastries, including cannolis dipped in chocolate and pistachios, almond fruit tarts with a poached pear, zeppoles with chocolate and fruit dipping sauces, not to mention the Italian cannoli wedding cake and two other delicious cakes. To compliment the pastries and cakes, selections of gelato were available, including chocolate, pistachio and lemon.

The dinner was amazing and it was fun to hear family and friends say a few words to the bride and groom, but then came the first dance. Brandee and Christian had been looking forward to dancing under the stars and lights with each other as sweethearts in a place that holds so many special memories for them. They were really in their own little world at that point. They didn’t realize their first dance was so emotional to others as well.  Brandee’s good friend told her afterwards that she couldn’t help crying at the sight of Brandee so happy with her soul mate. Thank you to the vendors and especially Ken Kienow. You captured a wedding photographer’s own wedding day perfectly.

Photography:  Ken Kienow Photography / Ceremony: LDS Temple in Logan, Utah / Reception: The Groom’s Family Home in St. Charles, Idaho / Dress: Anne Barge via Alta Moda Bridal / Bride’s Belt: Modern Trousseau / Bride’s Shoes: Grazia / Bride’s Hair Accessory: Twigs & Honey / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff via The Perfect Dress / Men’s Suits: Ralph Lauren / Bride’s Hair: Mindee Soto (Bride’s Sister) of 987 Studio Salon / Makeup: Cynthia Dean of Enizio / Getting Ready Location: Riter Mansion / Catering: Culinary Concepts / Cakes + Pastries: Grace Harvell of The Graceful Baker / Pizzas: Jack’s Wood-Fired Oven / Dining Tables & Tents: Diamond Rental / Market Chalkboards:  Sweet to My Heart / Sign-in Book: Emerson Bindery / Dance Floor, Sign-In Table, Cake Table, Crate Dining Tables, Market Stands + Event Layout:  Groom, His Brother + His Father / Raspberry Jam Favors: The Bride + The Groom’s Mother / Market Baskets + Berry Containers:  Texas Basket Company / Wedding Invitations + Blackberry Design: Laurie Robison

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Post tags: 987 Studio Salon, Alta Moda Bridal, Anne Barge, Bill Levkoff, Culinary Concepts, Cynthia Dean, Diamond Rental, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Emerson Bindery, Enizio, Etsy, Grace Harvell, Grazia, Idaho, Jack's Wood-Fired Oven, Ken Kienow Photography, Laurie Robison, Logan LDS Temple, Mindee Soto, Modern Trousseau, Pink, Ralph Lauren, Riter Mansion, St. Charles, Sweet to My Heart, Texas Basket Company, The Graceful Baker, The Perfect Dress, Twigs & Honey, White
Post categories: The Blog

Click here for the FULL wedding!

And on top of all those gorgeous photos, there’s this amazing music video-themed film from Rock & Roll Hearts for you to enjoy…

From the bride… Brandon and I met five years ago through a setup by a mutual friend. I was living in San Francisco at the time but planning to re-locate to San Diego, where Brandon was currently living. We instantly hit it off and, because to the distance, we were able to develop a wonderful friendship over the phone for the first few months of dating. Upon moving to San Diego, our relationship grew even through two moves, including one to a new state for both of us: Arizona. When planning our wedding, we knew we wanted to have our wedding at a winery, not only because wineries offer such beautiful scenery and landscape, but because we both very much enjoy wine and wine tasting trips. With Brandon’s family and friends from Southern California and mine from Northern California, the Santa Ynez Valley and Firestone Winery offered us a central spot to host our big day. Firestone Winery has the most amazing vineyard mesa with an enormous oak tree that provided the perfect backdrop for a sunset wedding. The day couldn’t have been more perfect. While the early evening breezes did sweep my veil away a few times, it made for some wonderful photos and some laughs that eased wedding nerves!

While planning the wedding from Arizona did prove to be logistically challenging at times (flying into LA with a 1.5 hour rental car drive north to Santa Barbara), I was privileged to work with best-in-class vendors, including Michael and Anna Costa Photographers, Jessica Kuipers at Bijoux Events, Juniper Presence at Juniper Flowers, Matt Odom at Rock and Roll Hearts, Pure Joy Catering and Enjoy Cupcakes, among others. Their professionalism allowed us to truly enjoy the day stress-free. I can say without question that was the best day of my life — I married my best friend in the most beautiful setting.

Wedding Photography: Michael + Anna Costa Photographers / Wedding Venue: Firestone Vineyards in Los Olivos, California / Firestone Events Contact: Rachel Korrey (R4orrey@Firestonewine.com) / Flowers: Juniper Presence of Juniper Floral Designs / Planner: Jessica Kuipers of Bijoux Events / Catering: Pure Joy Catering / Cake + Cupcakes: Enjoy Cupcakes / DJ: Morgan William of AMS Entertainment / Transportation: EOS Transportation / Lighting: LBPS Lighting / Cinematography: Matt Odom of Rock & Roll Hearts / Hair + Makeup: LunaBella Makeup Art / Officiant: Rev. Barbara Laughray / Bridal Suite: Hotel Corque Wedding Gown + Sash: Jim Hjelm via Destiny’s Bride / Bride’s Belt Brooch: 2007musarra / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jim Hjelm

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Post tags: 2007musarra, AMS Entertainment, Bijoux Events, California, Destiny's Bride, Enjoy Cupcakes, EOS Transportation, Etsy, Firestone Vineyards, Hotel Corque, Jessica Kuipers, Jim Hjelm, Juniper Floral Designs, Juniper Presence, LBPS Lighting, Los Olivos, LunaBella Makeup Art, Matt Odom, Michael + Anna Costa Photographers, Morgan William, Outdoor Wedding, Pink, Pink Wedding, Pure Joy Catering, Rev. Barbara Laughray, Rock & Roll Hearts, Santa Ynez Valley, Vineyard Wedding, Winery Wedding
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

I told Ken he would never be able to surprise me… with anything. I always figure things out! This declaration put his mind to work on a proposal that I will never forget.

As resident physicians at the Medical University of South Carolina, we do not get much time off. And on one average Friday afternoon, I was begrudgingly preparing OR 3 for an add-on emergency case – or so I thought. Ken popped into my room and I grumbled about the day. When I stopped to look at him, I noticed a worried but excited look on his face. His hands were shaking. Both are very unlike my usually calm and serious surgeon!

That’s when Ken grabbed my hands, said the sweetest words, and got down on one knee. As he pulled a blue velvet box from his scrub pocket, my eyes welled with tears. The next thing I knew, I had the most gorgeous ring on my finger. We exited the operating room to hear a hallway full of colleagues cheering and clapping for us. Surprise! There was no add-on case, and so we left the hospital to celebrate the beginning of our beautiful engagement.

Being originally from Alabama, I knew that I needed an expert to navigate the Charleston wedding scene. Katherine Miller Events was just that company. Immediately upon meeting with Katherine I knew that I had found someone super-reliable – with great taste – who I could completely count on to put together the romantic, stylish and Anthropologie-esque wedding celebration that I had in mind. Together, Katherine, Ken and I chose Bethel Methodist Church for the ceremony and the Historic Rice Mill building for our reception venue. Located waterfront on the Ashley River, we knew the spectacular sailboat and sunset views were the perfect backdrop for our Lowcountry wedding.

Having a fabulous photographer was high on my list of priorities, so Katherine introduced me to Charlotte Zacharkiw of Charlotte Elizabeth Photography almost immediately. Her personality jived with my own and her portfolio made me swoon. From our fun and intimate downtown Charleston engagement session to our colorful getaway photos in a classic Charleston Black Cab, Charlotte made every shot unique.

And while Ken and I wanted our unique personalities to show, I also wanted to incorporate one very important tradition: my grandmother’s wedding dress, worn again by my mother and aunt on their wedding days. The team at White on Daniel Island carefully applied the lace from this vintage dress onto my veil, sewing each stitch by hand. It complemented my all-lace gown perfectly! White was the first and only store that I visited as owner Jodi Moylan presented me with “the one” soon after I walked in. To complete my vintage ensemble, Ken purchased a gorgeous antique pearl and rhinestone bracelet from Out of Hand for my wedding gift.

We decided not to see each other before the ceremony, and I’m so glad we did. Instead, I had the pleasure of reading a hand-written note expressing his happiness for the day ahead. Then my bridesmaids surprised me! They coordinated a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride for our transportation to the church. It was such a great touch and special moment to ride through historic downtown Charleston with my favorite girls.

One of my favorite memories of our wedding was the moment I saw my bouquet. Whitney Randall of Branch Design Studio used soft pink and white ranunculus, dusty miller, copper beech leaves, café au lait dahlias, lisianthus, and scabiosa pods to create a masterpiece. Throughout the day, I was absolutely blown away by the beauty and complexity of the arrangements, bouquets, and especially the copper-charmed boutonnieres.

Our flowers were set on ivory, rose and gold colored linens at the Rice Mill. At my request, Katherine incorporated ivory lace in as many places as possible – including the cake table. Our red velvet and cream cheese wedding cake was designed and made by Ken’s close family friend, and needless to say it was devoured promptly after our champagne toast! Pastel-colored French macaroons were also a hit with our guests. I fell in love with The Macaroon Boutique during the engagement and couldn’t wait to set out a variety for my friends and family to try!

I must say that I was most excited to see the whimsical, hand-painted chandeliers Katherine and Whitney made and displayed on the tall oak trees outside the Rice Mill’s entrance. Our multicolored confetti send-off combined with the soft lighting of these chandeliers to create a beautiful final scene. Ken and I were in the clouds over our day, and we still can’t think of one single thing we would have changed! We wanted our guests to leave happy and full of great memories, and I think we achieved just that.

Event Design & Planning: Katherine Miller events / Photography: Charlotte Elizabeth Photographer / Flowers: Branch Design Studio / Boutonniere Tags: Etsy / Ceremony Location: Bethel Methodist Church / Reception Location: The Historic Rice Mill / Caterer: Good Food Catering / Dress: White / Veil: Family heirloom / Cake: Family friend / Macarons: Macaroon Boutique / Band: New South Players

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Post tags: Anthropologie, Bethel Methodist Church, Branch Design Studio, Charleston, Charlotte Elizabeth Photographer, Confetti, Copper, EastCoast Entertainment, Etsy, Flower Girs, Good Food Catering, Katherine Miller events, Lace Gown, Macaron Boutique, macarons, Neutral Color Palette, New South Players, Pastels, Roses, South Carolina, The Historic Rice Mill, Traditional Elegance, Vintage, Vintage Lace, Wedding Planners & Designers, White
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

Meg & Dan | A Wedding at Elkhart Lake from I Do Films

Dan and I got married on the most perfect summer day in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin – the same location where we had met six years earlier before my freshman year at Cornell.

I had always dreamed of having a tent wedding, so it was easy to settle on the beautifully-trimmed lawn at Victorian Village as the location for our reception. Using the warm, friendly, and vintage aesthetics of this family-run and family-fun resort as the foundation for our inspiration, my mom and I infused a little “Father of the Bride” and a few homemade touches to create a romantic and unforgettable Midwestern bash.

We started the day at my family’s home on Elkhart Lake, where Dan and I had a “first look,” but a very different kind. We were surrounded by my whole family while I came down the stairs and my brothers, dad, and Dan saw me for the first time. It was so special to have my whole family with us for such an important moment. The ceremony took place at Holy Name of Jesus in Sheboygan, where Dan had grown up and gone to church as a child. Our priest, who flew in from my family’s home parish in Los Angeles, stole the show with an incredibly touching homily that made reference to our “path” around Elkhart Lake. After the ceremony Dan and I took photos at a friend’s barn while our guests sipped homemade vodka lemonades and munched on Wisconsin cheese and meatballs.

Our 242 guests found their seating assignments on frames hung from vintage glass door knobs that Dan helped me power-drill onto a salvaged barn door found at my favorite antique shop, The Red Rooster in Plymouth. Dinner proceeded in a 60’ x 100’ century tent that glowed with warm rosy uplighting, ivory rice paper lanterns, and string lights. The tables were adorned with fresh roses, hydrangeas, and plenty of candles found at a local craft store by our florist Silvana Cassia of Twig Flowers. An oversize slate found at an antique shop and framed chalkboards found on HerMajestysPug’s shop on Etsy served as the menus for dinner and cocktails. To finish the look, we invested in a black-and-white checkered dance floor that exuded a snappy, jazzy feel.

A Beatles cover band called The Cavern Beat played four sets and kept the dance floor packed with guests of all ages. My mom always told me, “Meg, all you need for a great party are the two B’s: booze and a band.” She was so right!

Dessert included chocolate ganache cake from the bakery at the local Piggly Wiggly adorned with hydrangeas, an ice cream bar, and my mom’s molasses, snickerdoodle, and chocolate-chip cookies served on a three-tier cookie tower created with the help of a local carpenter.

We absolutely loved working with Anna and Jonathan Wheeler of Anna Page Photography, as well as Matt Buckman and Élan Villamor of I Do Films. Their ability to go with the flow, their attention to detail, and their cat-like reflexes certainly did not go unnoticed! Dan and I are so grateful to both of them for documenting our memories in such a beautiful and unique way!

Photography:  Anna Page Photography / Cinematography: I Do Films / Tent: Canopies Events / Band: The Cavern Beat / Event Coordination: Laura Cooper, Cooper Consulting / Floral Design: Twig Flowers / Ceremony Location: Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church / Caterer & Reception Location: Victorian Village Resort / Invitations: Bella Figura / Bride’s Dress: Amsale via Belle Vie Bridal Couture / Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang / Bride’s Heels: Vince Camuto / Bride’s Flats: Aldo / Bride’s & Bridesmaid’s Earrings: Anthropologie / Bride’s Bracelet: J.Crew / Engagement Ring and Groom’s Ring: Steve Quick Jeweler / Floral Hair Clip: Sara Gabriel / Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse / Groom’s Bowtie and Groomsmen’s Ties: Brooks Brothers / Hair & Makeup: Aspira Spa, The Osthoff Resort / Guest Transportation: Discovery Coach / Wedding Party Transportation: Stargazer Limousine / DJ: Matt’s DJ Service/ String Quartet: Jubilate String Quartet, kayesara@hotmail.com (Sarah Oftedahl ) / Guest Photo Station: Beyond the Booth Photography / Candle Holders & Flower Bases: Hobby Lobby & Pier 1 Imports / Framed Blackboard Cocktail Signs: HerMajestysPug / Ice Cream Sign: The Back Porch Shoppe / Cake: Natalie’s Pastries, natalieblattner@hotmail.com / Ice Cream: Scoops Ice Cream Parlor

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Post tags: Aldo, Amsale, Anna Page Photography, Anthropologie, Aspira Spa, Bella Figura, Beyond the Booth Photography, Black Tie, Bowties, Brooks Brothers, Canopies Events, Chinese Lanterns, Cooper Consulting, Discover Coach, Elkhart Lake, Etsy, Father of the Bride, Father of the Bride Inspired, HerMajestysPug, Hobby Lobby, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, I Do Films, Ice Cream, Invitations, J. Crew, Jubilate String Quartet, Matt's DJ Service, Men's Wearhouse, Natalie's Pastries, Neutral Color Palette, Outdoor Weddings, Pier 1 Imports, Piggly Wiggly, Rustic Chic, Sara Gabriel, Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, Sheboygen, Stargazer Limousine, Steve Quick Jeweler, Tented Reception, The Back Porch Shoppe, The Beatles, The Cavern Beat, The Osthoff Resort, Traditional Elegance, Twig Flowers, Vera Wang, Victorian Village Resort, Vince Camuto, Vintage, Wedding Cinematography, Wedding Stationery, White Color Palette, Wisconsin
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Cinematography

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Zach and I were married in Wolf, Wyoming, and were fortunate enough to have the ceremony take place on my parent’s front lawn overlooking the gorgeous Bighorn Mountains!  I didn’t have a set color scheme like most weddings I have been to. Instead, I tried to keep things classic, fun and not overly matchy. The groom and groomsmen’s bow ties were each different colored stripes, which looked wonderful with their blue blazers. I wanted the bridesmaid dresses to be simple without being plain; I accomplished this by having them wear different dresses in the same champagne color. The details were so much fun to put together!   The main pattern element that linked the wedding ceremony to the reception was black and white stripes. At the ceremony, black and white ribbon was wrapped around all the bouquets, and at the reception, black and white stripes showed up in our table cloths. To make sure that the black and white didn’t look too formal, we incorporated flowers in vibrant pops of yellow and pink roses, white Queen Ann’s Lace, bright green kermits, dark green ivy and yellow Billy Bobs. Other fun details included my grandmother’s blue brooch on the back of my dress, which made the dress very personal and added a vintage touch. The table numbers were classy as well. The image was one my brother did specially for the occasion. The place cards were paper birds and butterflies. Edible paper butterflies adorned our six different cakes as well. Having multiple cakes instead of the traditional one gave us an opportunity to do something different, and they looked so pretty on their cake stands of different heights! In a word our wedding day was quite simply, perfection. The combination of fun patterns, bright colors and the backdrop of the Bighorn Mountains in all their splendor made for an unforgettable occasion! Wedding Photography: Alissa Ferullo Photography / Ceremony: Bride’s Parents’ Home in Wolf, Wyoming / Reception + Catering: The Powder Horn Country Club in Big Horn, Wyoming / Flowers: Babe’s Flowers / Floral Arrangements, “I Do” Sign + “Just Married” Sign: DIY by The Bride + Her Mother / Bow Ties: The Tie Bar / Wedding Dress: The Gingerbread House in Savannah, Georgia (Now Closed) / Groom’s Suit: J. Crew Wedding / Bride’s Shoes: Macy’s / Bridesmaid Dresses: Nordstrom / Hair: Kitt Laidlaw of Tangles / Wedding Cake: Val Green / Chair Rentals: I Do Weddings and Party Rentals / Reception Table Cloths: Custom Made by a Local Seamstress / Ribbon: Save on Crafts / Butterfly + Bird Place Cards: Etsy / Edible Butterflies for Cake: Etsy / Table Number Image: The Bride’s Brother

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Post tags: Alissa Ferullo Photography, Babe's Flowers, Black, Colorful, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Etsy, I Do Weddings and Party Rentals, J. Crew, Kitt Laidlaw, Macy's, Nordstrom, Save On Crafts, Sheridan, Tangles, The Gingerbread House, The Powder Horn Country Club, The Tie Bar, Val Green, White, Wolf, Wyoming
Post categories: The Blog

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… We spent our first “real date” in Newport, Rhode Island, at a small, cozy bed and breakfast during winter. Newport in winter is truly a unique experience. Historic mansions, cozy restaurants, quiet streets and empty beaches create the setting for a perfect romantic getaway. It became a regular trip for us so when we got engaged, deciding on a location and a time of year to get married was easy. Selecting our venue was also easy. Belle Mer is absolutely stunning. We used white, gray and black accents to create our winter wedding theme. The bridesmaids wore soft gray dresses and the groomsmen wore classic tuxedos. To complement the tuxes, the girls wore black faux-fur shrugs purchased on Etsy. I found my vintage fur stole in my grandmother’s closet and thought it would tie in nicely with our winter backdrop. However to our amazement, we had an absolutely beautiful, fall-like day, which made our photos absolutely breathtaking. For our reception, we wanted to keep it elegant, romantic and most of all, fun! Our escort cards were attached to custom ornaments filled with personalized paper hearts. I used clear glass ornaments, card stock and a heart punch put them together. Flowers by Semia created several types of beautiful high/low arrangements using all types of white flowers illuminated by a variety of candles. In addition to the candles, we used up-lighting throughout the room to add color. The lighting changed color throughout the night to depict transition between cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Also, I added a little sparkle of my own by wearing an embellished belt for the reception, which was inspired by the gorgeous chandeliers at Belle Mer. As for dessert, we decided on cupcakes because it allows guests to select their personal favorite, and more importantly, I’m a cupcake fanatic! We wanted to be playful with the cupcakes and stick to our winter theme so we brainstormed flavor combinations and came up with fun types such as “gingerbread” and “sno-cap.” Confectionery Designs put their elegant spin on everything and created the most delicious cupcakes. If that wasn’t sweet enough, we also gave guests chocolate nonpareils as our favors because the white pearls reminded us of snow.   I have always loved DIY projects, and weddings are the optimal platform to create fun and unique items of your choice. A lot of my inspiration came from browsing through wedding and photography blogs such as SMP and Snap! I would save all of my favorite pictures to my own vision board, which inspired the design of our invitations, ceremony cards, menu cards and escort cards. Using fonts downloaded from dafont.com, products from Paper Source and the help of family and friends, we created our own unique designs for all of the printed items. I think back on how many hours went into these personalized items and how rewarding it was to see the final product – I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wedding Photography: Snap! Photography / Florist: Flowers by Semia / Wedding Venue + Catering: Belle Mer in Newport, Rhode Island / Cupcakes: Confectionery Designs / Wedding Gown: Angelina Faccenda via La Reine / Bride’s Belt: Enzoani “Fabi” / Brides Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Earrings + Fur Wrap: Antiques Owned by the Bride’s Grandmother / Bridesmaids Dresses: Bill Levkoff / Black Faux-Fur Shrugs: Alexbridal / Hair: New Leaf Salon / Makeup: Kristina Jones of Alayne White Spa / Invitations, Ceremony Programs + Holiday Ornament Place Cards: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Favors: Chocolate Delicacy / Transportation: Newport Wedding Trolley + Viking Tours / Lodging: Pearls of Newport

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Post tags: Alayne White Spa, Alexbridal, Angelina Faccenda, Badgley Mischka, Belle Mer, Bill Levkoff, Black, Chocolate Delicacy, Confectionery Designs, Enzoani, Etsy, Flowers by Semia, Gray, Kristina Jones, La Reine, New Leaf Salon, Newport, Newport Wedding Trolley, Pearls of Newport, Rhode Island, Snap! Photography, Viking Tours, White
Post categories: The Blog

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… When it came to planning I knew right away I wanted to have it at the Round Hill hotel. The hotel, a former pineapple plantation had the exact style I wanted. It was a glamorous but carefree, a place that housed icons like Babe Paley (my favorite is the Slim Aarons photograph of her in her villa!), Grace Kelly, Noel Crawford and Jackie Kennedy. It was small enough that you can see everyone and large enough that all my guests could stay there. Growing up, my family loved the 1950’s — loved Frank Sinatra and the casual elegance that surrounded that time, so when I saw the place, I fell in love. We actually stayed in villa 25 where is where JFK practiced his now-famous inaugural speech.

We tried to include as much of our family in our ceremony. I wore my grandmother’s vintage diamond chandelier earrings and was married in my other grandmother’s wedding band. Our kiddish cup was used in David’s brother’s wedding, we had two tallis’ on the table under the chuppah. One was David’s and one was my grandfather’s whose name was also David. It was to symbolize the old and the new. The ceremony was located on the other side of the Infinity Pool on a cliff overlooking the ocean. There was a candle lit passage way spanning the entire hotel that led to the reception! My mom and I had a stamp created with myself and David’s monogram that Neither Snow made. All three of us stamped each muslin bag with it, and then we restrung the bags with linen and white butchers’ twine. Instead of favors, we wanted to incorporate our dog Frankie — who is the love of our lives — so we donated money in everyone’s honor to an animal charity and wrote it on the menu! My mom hand made all the happy tears hankies – she had a stamp made on etsy that said “B+D” like david’s cufflinks and hand-stamped each of them.

The most special moment was at the rehearsal dinner when all the guests lit Khom Loy lanterns. Khom Loy lanterns are meant to bring good fortune and also represented where we would be going on our honeymoon… Thailand!

Wedding Photography: Raquel Reis / Venue + Catering: Round Hill Hotel & Villas in Montego Bay, Jamaica / Calligraphy + Monogrammed Stamp: Mara Zepeda of Neither Snow / Save the Dates: iomoi / Postcards + Postage Stamps: Designed by Bride and Her Mother on Zazzle / Vintage Stamps: Precious Owl / Flowers: Paulette of Tai Flora / Wedding Gown: J. Mendel / Butcher’s Twine: The Twinery / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dolce & Gabbana via Net-a-Porter / Shoes: Custom Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Outfit: Ralph Lauren / Groom’s Cufflinks: Jeneri Jewelry / Wedding Stationery: Anita Katz Forster Design (Owned by bride’s mother, artfulwall@aol.com)

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Post tags: Anita Forster Design, Christian Louboutin, Cream, Dolce & Gabbana, Etsy, Green, Iomoi, J. Mendel, Jamaica, Mara Zepeda, Montego Bay, Neither Snow, Net-A-Porter, Ralph Lauren, Raquel Reis, Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Tai Flora, The Twinery, White, Zazzle
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

Jon and I wanted a vintage/rustic theme that was elegant and warm. I found vintage plates, wine and champagne glasses that made the tables look so elegant and unique. Our colors were a product of the groom – navy and chartreuse – were the first colors he suggested and it sounded perfect. The colors looked so beautiful with the outdoor setting. The Bridesmaids got instructions to wear anything Navy and the Groomsmen got gifts of green check shirts and green ties that Jon picked out to pair with their favorite navy suite. It looks wonderful that everyone still was able to incorporate their own style. The good thing about planning a wedding in three months is once you make a decision – you have to love the decision move on and not think of 100 other options – it was a great experience!

We bought a lake house and lake front property up north Michigan as an investment and a place to go when we visit our families. My parents and grandparents also have lake houses there. All venues, destinations and ideas flew through my mind for a week – finally we decided that there would be no place as memorable than getting married at the lake house that we have together. We got engaged June 24th, 2011 – Once we picked the venue – we decided to not waste a second and get married this summer. So we looked at our calendars and picked a date – September 24th, 2011 – exactly three months after our engagement;.

We had our dads marry us! My dad got ordained to make the marriage official and it was the most beautiful and meaningful ceremony. It means so much when we look at the pictures and see our dads – who we both look up to and love so much reading our vows and my dad pronouncing us to our friends and family for the first time. We had our mothers be our ring bearers – they have always been there to provide advice, love and trust – it made perfect sense. Finally instead of cutting a cake – we decided to do an art project that everyone at the wedding took part in. Everyone left their mark in some sort of circle with blues and chartreuse. At the end of the night – Jon and I also put our own marks on the painting. It will hang in our lake house forever and always remind us of our wedding and everyone there.

I have so many wonderful memories from the day! I tried to always take deep breaths and enjoy the entire day. I loved seeing Jon for the first time when we were taking pictures – it was so relaxed and fun. Then the time I spent with my dad before I walked down the aisle – we practiced what we were going to say and just really made sure we were in the moment. When I started walking down the aisle – everyone told me that the clouds parted and it beamed sunlight – I could not tell because I was so overwhelmed but everyone said they had goosebumps as soon as the sun came out. I loved walking down the aisle looking at everyone – I wanted to stop and say hello and hug everyone! And finally when I was standing at the alter – I looked out into all of our family and friends and really took it all in – when else is everyone you love going to be together for a celebration? It was really intense.

Photographer: Kelly Sweet Photography / Cinematography: Jason Walen of Bigfoot Films / Floral Designer: M&M Special Events & Design / Event Planning & Design: M&M Special Events & Design / Cake & Desserts: Desserts by Tina / Wedding Gown Designer: Modern Trousseau / Bridal Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridal bouquet: Noaki Jewlery and Bouquets / Vintage Handkerchief & Saint Vintage earrings: Maxwells / Band: Ani

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Post tags: Ani, Badgley Mischka, Bigfoot Films, Broach Bouquet, Casual Elegance, Color Palette Green Navy, Desserts by Tina, DIY Projects, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Etsy, Flower girls, Gladwin, Kelly Sweet Photography, Lakes, lakeside, M&M Special Events & Design, Maxwells, Michigan, Mismatched Bridesmaids, Modern Trousseau, Noaki Jewelry, Noaki Jewelry and Bouquets, Outdoor Ceremonies, Outdoor Weddings, Ring Bearers, Summer Weddings, Tina Marie Desserts, Water, Waterside, Wedding Photography, Weddings at Home, White Flowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog