Thank you so much to James for sending us this magical wedding! It has certainly inspired me to think outside the box and to dig deeper when looking for ways to add a personal stamp to any wedding style!

That’s all for tonight, as I am cutting out a bit early to put some finishing touches on a project that I am BEYOND excited about. Tomorrow, we are launching our newest addition to Style Me Pretty that is going to literally have you jumping for joy…well, maybe not jumping as people would definitely look at you strangely, but incredibly happy nonetheless! Until then!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: James Abel
Post categories: Real Weddings, Wedding Photography

all photos by Angelica Glass

I thought that we could do a “look for less” feature on this wedding, as I really think that the gorgeous style could be pulled off on a variety of budgets!

First off, the beakers and other containers…

-I found these adorable chemistry inspired vases at CB2 that range in price from $2.50 to $7.50. They would look adorable lined up on a table, varying in heights and sizes, with single stemmed flowers.

-Glass beakers sell for $2.50 to $12 through teacher supply stores or through science websites, depending on their size. Buy a collection of different sizes to mix things up!

-Mix in glass vases so that you don’t overkill on the chemistry theme. Jamali Garden makes amazing, affordable glass vases in lots of sizes and shapes.

For the flowers…

-Look for flowers that are delicate and/or feminine. Pretty hydrangeas (which go a long way for little $$), lavendar, lilac, anemones, peonies, garden roses, things like that. The best way to get a look that is both pretty and cohesive is to head to your local wholesaler and pull individual stems of everything you love. Have someone there write down the names of everything, then ensure that they are in season for your wedding.

-Arranging flowers yourself is HUGE in terms of saving $$. If you are up for the feat but a little creatively challenged, remember this…simple is always better. Use the same flower in the same color in each container. If you stick to this mantra, you will create gorgeous arrangements that look as professional as they come!

-Order flowers in bulk to arrive 2-3 days before your wedding. Keep them somewhat cool if possible in buckets of water. If they need light, bring them out for 15-30 minutes until the day of your wedding.

The decor…

-Pretty feathers that can be used as accents (don’t go overboard with the feathers or it will look cheesy) can be found in lots of colors and styles at Fabulous Feathers. I love the ostrich feathers because they fall so beautifully. The Feather Place also has great ostrich plumes.

-Buy bolts of black and white printed fabric to use as table covers. You can use easy hem if you don’t feel like sewing a bunch of table linens. And, if you want the look, but don’t want to go overboard, craft table runners and place on every other table. Make sure to buy from a discount fabric store to save $$!

-Hang test tube inspired vases from branches to create intrigue and whimsy. These little gems can be found at eCrater for $1.50

-Accent with little round 6″ japanese lanterns for a touch of romance. Luna Bazaar has tons of colors to choose from!

Even though the weddings we feature on SMP are sometimes outside of some budgets, that doesn’t mean you can’t adapt the look to your own unique budget. With a little searching, some hands-on crafts and a touch of style editing, you can really go a long way in making a wedding on a budget seem both sophisticated and expensive.

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Post tags: Angelica Glass, CB2, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, eCrater, Fabulous Feathers, Feathers, Glass Beaker Vases, Jamali Garden, James Abel, Luna Bazaar, Ostrich Feathers, The Feather Place, the look for less
Post categories: Centerpieces, Look for Less, Real Weddings, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Resources, Wedding Style, Whimsical

If you are in the New York area, you really HAVE to check out this event. I attended the last Jenny Yoo fashion show that James Abel styled and I was floored. Every element of the event, from the insane floral design that James did to the incredible vendors that he featured…was perfect. I cannot recommend this event more. It’s so so so inspiring and will give you tons of ideas for your own wedding! Here are the details…

Oh and did I mention that Abby Jean invitations will be featured?? Yep, it’s going to be that good! So, if you are lucky enough to be in and around the NY area, this is a must see event! Check out Jenny Yoo for more information.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: event, James Abel, Jenny Yoo
Post categories: The Blog

* * *

I believe when you get married, it’s the one and only time you’ll have that particular group of people together, so your wedding should reflect who you are as a couple.

When Elyse and Joe came to us for their wedding in an old Broadway Theater in Manhattan, we were able to take advantage of their love for the theater and the uniqueness of the event site.

photos by Andreas Rentsch, invitation photo by James Abel

We set the tone of the wedding with the invitation, which we handmade to look like a theater, complete with a red silk curtain. The tables were named for Broadway shows — as opposed to numbered — and since the theater was Art Deco, we used deep reds and classic silver containers to style the lobby where the cocktails were served. It was very old school. Inside the theater for dinner, the look played off the rich golds in the space and the dramatic crystal chandeliers. We capped off the evening with a candy bar featuring Elyse and Joe’s favorite candies. Guests made their own gift bags filled with M&Ms, Snowcaps, Juju bees and Skittles to name a few.

LOVE IT! Thank you so much to the oh-so-talented James Abel for spending the day with us and sharing these incredible weddings!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Andreas Rentsch, James Abel, New York Weddings
Post categories: Real Weddings

* * *

These days when it comes to weddings you can get as creative as you want to. It’s perfectly acceptable to make your wedding as unique as you are.

When NYC restauranteur David Massoni and his fiance Rachel Bergman came to us to plan their October wedding, we decided to do a true New York wedding with a non-traditional twist. She was from Michigan, he hailed from Maryland, but New York is their home so we wanted to showcase who they are as a couple. The planning of this wedding was a balance between utilizing New York as a backdrop for the event and pulling together the details that were most important to the client.

all photos by Whitney Old

The ceremony was held on the water with views of the Statue of Liberty in the distance. With food and wine being so important to David, we allocated more of the budget to the menu. We decided to have a Sunday morning brunch at a park venue. This allowed us to keep the feeling of the event intimate and elegant. We kept the decorations simple because the setting was spectacular — the venue had large windows overlooking the New York harbor and the park proved the perfect spot for wedding photographs.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Autumn Wedding, James Abel, Jim Hjelm, New York Weddings, Whitney Old
Post categories: Real Weddings

* * *

Flowers by James Abel Events

With all of the many decisions to be made for your wedding, don’t stress over your flowers. Instead of complex mixed arrangements or bouquets, why not keep it simple? I find there’s a sweet and elegant sophistication to using one type of flower per container and grouping them together.

I like to use flowers of varying heights, colors and texture, such as hydrangea, tulips, orchids, bells of Ireland and roses. You can create tight bundles or just keep it lose and airy. These individual groupings add interest to any table, plus, it’s a great way to utilize the vessels themselves as part of your table design.

More to come from James Abel Events in just a bit!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: James Abel
Post categories: Wedding Flowers

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! I must say, I am a little slow going today, after a weekend in Naples, Florida for one of my dear friend’s weddings. I can’t wait to show you pictures of this event because it was, in a word, STUNNING. I am going to wait until the photographer has the proofs online, but I have to tell you that everything…from the gorgeous pink and orange color palette, to the bride’s simple but gorgeous gown, was done to perfection.

Today, though…I wanted to share with you an equally stunning wedding. Designed by one of my good friends, James Abel of James Abel Events and shot by B. Loved Photography (both James Abel and B. Loved are Little Black Book Members…how great is that?), this affair seemed to be the perfect destination wedding…

James Abel, who I should tell you is ALL talent, started working with myself and Abby Jean on the gorgeous yellow and black letterpress invitation that you see in the bottom photo. He sent us his sketch and we worked it into one of our existing designs. The end result was absolutely beautiful and really helped inspire the full wedding style.

This wedding was held in Anguilla and seems to be the perfect combination of understated elegance and beach sophistication. I love the formality of the event, paired with the casual beach surrounding. And the yellow hues…amazing. I am going to see if James can stop by later today and tell us some more fun details!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: B.Loved Photography, James Abel
Post categories: Wedding Planners & Designers