Karina and Nehal were married at the St. Regis in Monarch Beach last fall. I can’t even begin to imagine how long it must take to plan a celebration like this! As Abby would say, “Sheer gorgeousness!”

Ooohh her shoes! Here’s a story from their fabulous photographer, Ryan Phillips’ Blog …

*Brides note about the shoes – Christian Louboutin Beverly Hills – I saw a photo of these shows in Vogue over a year before the wedding. I had to have them! I was on the hunt. I went to 2 shops in New York and checked Neimans and Saks. I was coming back from a meeting one day in Beverly Hills and I saw the Christian Louboutin store on Burton Way. I decided to pop in and there they were – glowing in the window. I bought the very last pair – luckily they were my size! Apparently they made very few of this style and they sold out fast. I wanted to wear them so badly that  I wore them around the house so I wouldn’t get the bottoms scuffed – they waited a whole year to make their debut!

{We also read on Ryan’s blog that the design of her reception clothing was inspired by these shoes! Pretty great.}

What an amazing venue … what an amazing couple … kind of makes me want to break into a My Fair Lady song …

LOVE LOVE LOVE the portraits …

These guys belong on a magazine cover. All photos courtesy of Ryan Phillips Photography. Fabulous!

Thanks so much to Ryan for sharing these images. Our congratulations to Karina and Nehal.

Stephanie Lairson is a highly acclaimed wedding consultant in Orange County. Just in case you missed her March feature on the Little Black Book Blog … you might want to take a look back at Victoria & Matthew’s Wedding. Totally different. Totally great!

You can also see lots more weddings on Stephanie’s website gallery. Thanks Stephanie!

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Post tags: Christian Louboutin, Elephant, Hindu, Indian Wedding, Monarch Beach, Parasols, Ryan Phillips Photography, Sari, St. Regis, Stephanie Lairson
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Planners & Designers

The bride is half East-Indian and her dress was handmade in India. She surprised her fiance with her traditional attire and unbeknownst to her, he donned a traditional men’s gown for the affair. Gorgeous. The combination of the absolutely beautiful fashion, paired with the stark beauty of the location turned into a STUNNING affair with pictures that should be in a magazine!

More to come!

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Post tags: Cultural Beauty, Indian Wedding, Sedona Bride
Post categories: Cultural Beauty

Way back in March of 2007, we created this inspiration board for Maya, who was looking for help designing her Muslim/Indian/Pakistani inspired wedding…

And THIS is how her real wedding turned out!

All photographs by Marisa Holmes

Congratulations Maya on an absolutely beautiful day! The vibrancy of the red color palette, the elegance of your traditional attire…everything is just so gorgeous!

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Post tags: Indian Wedding, Inspiration Boards, Marisa Holmes, Muslim Wedding, Pakistani Wedding
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Inspiration Boards, Real Weddings

Thus, I was thrilled when Priya, over at Love Made Visible, sent me a heads-up that the second edition of her South Asian inspired online magazine, Nirali, is now out…and it’s a wedding issue! Definitely go check out the site, as the pictures are over-the-top, drool-worthy. And, she has some brilliant ideas for any type of wedding!

I hope you’ll spend a few minutes browsing the Nirali site…it is beautifully done and has such great resources and ideas for weddings. Have a great weekend!

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Post tags: Indian Wedding
Post categories: The Blog

Here is what I came up with…

Top Row: Wedding Attire by Sila, Ring by Page Sargisson, Lanterns by Raj; Center Row: Tents by Raj, Flowers and Shoes on Brides; Bottom Row: Cake by Hollyhock Cakes, bangles by Susan Hanover on Neiman Marcus; red dresses on Brides

Maya mentioned that she is thinking of incorporating deep red, gold and perhaps accents of chocolate brown into her wedding style, so as to convey a feeling of warmth and elegance. I loved this palette so much that I really ran with it. But, I shouldn’t put the cart before the horse (or something like that)…let’s start with the ceremony.

Both Pakistani and Muslim Indian weddings typically consist of numerous days of celebration…each with their own significance and purpose. Because this is a marriage of cultures, I am going to focus on the actual wedding day, rather than the events leading up. I love the idea of keeping the ceremony really traditional and focused around the union of two families…classic Indian music welcoming guests, perhaps glasses of rose water punch passed, ornate deep red and gold programs adorning each chivari chair. I imagine Maya and her fiance being married under a lovely white tent with deep panels of fabric catching the wind, fresh red flowers tucked into every corner and floating white candles of different heights accenting each floral arrangement. Exchanging lei’s would be a lovely touch.

As the guests move into the cocktail hour, they are welcomed with ice cold glasses of sparkling lemonade and an array of Indian & American hor’dourves. Maya mentioned that she would love to style the wedding with lots of really beautiful, lush florals and introduce her guests to the beauty and culture of India. For me, I envision her using flowers native to India…huge banana leaves with deep red orchids (or something similar), gorgeous Bamboo bowls filled with floating water lilies adorning the tables. I love the idea of having Maya or her fiance’s family give a welcome toast and invite the guests to also give words of wisdom to the couple.

As an aside, my dear friend Jill gave me these adorable silver frog place card holders by St. Hilaire…as I was looking for some interesting ideas for Maya, I found these similar, oh-so-cute gold elephant holders. Imagine using a chocolate or red colored card stock with crisp white calligraphy to mark each guest’s table. So chic! And, it’s a great way to thread the warmth of gold into the wedding palette.

Okay, moving on. I see the reception dinner tables transitioning smoothly from those at the cocktail area, still following somewhat of an opulent, warm & inviting ambiance. Antique gold or chocolate linens with gold threading, large overflowing red florals, ornate china and glassware. I love the idea of draping gorgeous printed fabric panels casually over the backs of the chairs…almost as an afterthought. And finally, lots of hanging lanterns or chandeliers (if you have a place to hang them…if not, place lanterns in large groupings around the room)

I envision the food to be a fusion inspired menu…think western comfort food with deep accents of Indian spices and flavors. Have a pianist play soft, classical Indian music while the guests are dining.

After dinner, let the party begin. Turn up the music and encourage guests to start celebrating! Throughout the reception, I would thread some traditional and also personal touches…have an artist offer Henna tattoos to your guests, place photo albums filled with childhood pictures of the bride and groom around the reception area, asking your guests to write well wishes beside the pictures, leave antique Indian jewelry boxes filled with handwritten thank you notes for the guests to take as favors. Every detail should be personal and touching, rich in a familial spirit.

I hope this helps, Maya…I feel like if you stick to tradition and elegance, you really can’t go wrong.

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Post tags: Indian Wedding
Post categories: Inspiration Boards

My friends over at Wiley Valentine recently told me about this incredibly talented wedding coordinator, who really knows how to create details…lovely little anecdotes that when brought together, create a grand impression. Here are some pics from Oh How Charming event design studio that are sure to inspire!

Lisa, at Oh How Charming, is brilliant. She has been featured in all of the best magazines…Town & Country Weddings, Grace Ormond and InStyle to name a few. She has a truly beautiful perspective and I am sure that my girls over at Wiley Valentine are right…she’s sure to be the next big thing!

What are some of your favorite details? I would love for you to share your thoughts!

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Post tags: Bahamas, Hanging Laterns, Henna, Indian Wedding, Maui, Oh How Charming, Wiley Valentine
Post categories: Wedding Planners & Designers