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From the Bride…Our October wedding was a labour of love and a little girl’s dream come true. To say I had long been waiting for our special day to arrive would be an understatement. I have always had an interest in weddings; my first drawings (circa 1989) were of poufy-sleeved brides and I even became a WPIC-certified wedding co-ordinator in 2008 – mostly to help me plan my own future nuptials. When Derek proposed in Banff in May 2010, I was anxious to officially put my plans into action for our Calgary wedding.

Following the ceremony, we headed to Derek’s office to make use of its stunning fixtures and features, including the wooden spiral staircase and library with floor-to-ceiling leather-bound books. One of our favourite photos was taken on the rooftop patio, with the historic Fairmont Palliser Hotel in the background. “Home” served as a theme for our wedding, built on a foundation of family and our love for each other. It was important to us that our guests felt “at home” at our intimate reception of just under 100 of our closest family and friends. To foster that feeling, we selected Calgary’s historic Ranche Restaurant, built in 1896 as the Bow Valley Ranche House, to celebrate our love and commitment. The Ranche holds special meaning to us; Derek worked in the Ranche’s kitchen a few years after it opened in 1999, it was one of the first places he took me for dinner and where he eventually asked my parents for their blessing to marry me.

Our colours were black and off-white with touches of aubergine and grey, and the feel was clean, classic, rustic elegance…with a touch of vintage. To add to our homey theme (and as a cost-saving measure!) it was important to channel my inner Martha Stewart and DIY (or purchase DIY-inspired!) to personalize our wedding. My favourite design element was undoubtedly the mantle feature in the grand salon. While scouring blogs for design inspiration, I came across images from a wedding at The Ranche the previous summer that featured a stunning glassware display. I contacted the decorators who put me in touch with the bride. She sold us the lot for a fraction of the cost (and effort)! My mom helped us clean the glassware; some elbow grease (and a little Goo Gone!) and they were good as new! Inspired Occasions did a fabulous job arranging all our reception décor.

We opted to forego certain wedding staples – at least in the traditional sense of the word. While we had a cake, it was made of wheels of cheese and decorated with roses, figs and grapes. (Derek and I aren’t big dessert fans, but we Love our wine and cheese!) Also, instead of a bouquet toss, I asked my parents to drive my all-white bouquet to my paternal grandfather’s grave. (When asked whom I would like to meet, dead or alive, I’ve always said my grandpa Jerry, who passed away when my dad was 12. I thought that would be a nice way to honour him and include him in our big day.)

My something old, borrowed and blue held extra special significance to me that day. The Monday prior to our wedding, my maternal grandmother passed away. My something old and blue (the handkerchief she had given me in the hospital the day I was born, which I carried down the aisle) and borrowed (stunning 50+ year broach that adorned my bouquet) were from her. She may not have been with us that day in body, but we felt her spirit.

The cliché held true: our wedding took countless hours to plan; yet the day flew by in the blink of a false eyelash-enhanced eye. The planning process may be over, but our happily ever after has just begun. I am so proud to be Derek’s wife and look forward to all that tomorrow brings.

Bride’s Dress: Rivini from Dina Alonzi Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bride’s Veil: Paloma Blanca / Bride’s Sweater: J.Crew / Bride’s Earrings: Nadri / Bride’s Bracelet: Swarovski / Wedding Bands: Birks / Groom’s Suit: Burberry / Groom’s Tie: Armani / Groom’s Shoes: ECCO / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale from Blush Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Sweaters: J.Crew / Groomsmen’s Suits: Groomsmen’s own / Groomsmen’s Ties: Hudson Room / Groomsmen’s Cufflinks: Banana Republic / Groomsmen’s socks: Daniel Buchler / Burlap Table Runner: Paula And Erika (Etsy vendor) / Window for seating chart: WindowsEtcetera (Etsy vendor) / Cheese “Cake”: The Ranche Restaurant / Guestbook: Created with iPhoto / Ceremony Venue: St. Mary’s Cathedral / Reception Venue: The Ranche Restaurant / Photographer: tlaw photography / Design: Inspired Occasions / Make-up: Trena Laine Makeup Artist / Bouquets, Boutonnieres and Corsages: Sarah Mayerson Design / Limousine: Cascade Limousine / DJ: Andy LePage / Invitations: Pinkpolka Wedding Design / Hair: hedkandi

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Post tags: Amsale, Armani, Birks, Blush Bridal, burberry, Cascade Limousine, Christian Louboutin, Dina Alonzi Bridal, ECCO, hedkandi, Inspired Occassions, JCrew, Nadri, Paloma Blanca, Paul and Erika, PinkPolka Wedding Design, Rivini, Sarah Mayerson Design, St. Mary's Catherdral, Swarovski, The Ranche Restaurant, tlaw photography, Trena Laine Makeup Artist, Windows Etcetera
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…Ian and I first met and fell in love over food. For over three years, our relationship grew over cooking and creating great meals together, hosting and attending dinner parties, dining out, eating in and breaking bread with family and friends.  We wanted our wedding to be an extension of our lives at home together by creating a comfortable, intimate celebration of food, laughter and love.  We added as many DIY touches as possible to ensure this was truly a reflection of us and our families.  All the different elements of the wedding tied back to a simple play on words, “EAT. PLAY. LOVE.” which became the concept and essence of the entire wedding weekend.

All of the weekend’s events took place at Ian’s parents’ house in Vermont.  We wanted our guests to feel as though they were just coming over for a party, but the gardens, pond, trees and wild lupine growing in the fields might have also had something to do with it.  It is a very special place where Ian’s grandmother’s ashes rest and now three sets of family vows have been exchanged.  We couldn’t have imagined sharing such a special day anywhere else.

We weaved personal touches throughout the entire weekend.  We hosted a pre-wedding yoga session and a welcome BBQ the night before to include all our guests in lieu of a formal rehearsal dinner.  We honored both of our families’ backgrounds with a modern, multi-cultural ceremony. Friends of the family, including our officiant surprised our guests with a fun-filled fiddle session during cocktail hour and we kept the food coming, ending the festivities with a farewell breakfast on Sunday.  A table was set up under the chuppah during the ceremony to display objects in memory of each of our grandparents who passed away.  Ian and I designed our wedding rings and had them made by a friend of the family.   For favors, we gave out bottles of home-brewed beer that Ian and his cousin crafted and bottled in our kitchen in Philadelphia.  Ian’s father constructed the chuppah, wooden dinner tables and even the Japanese style tea house that Ian and I had the pleasure of staying in during our time in Vermont.  His mother, with a team of family and friends, arranged all the flowers for the wedding and played a huge part in helping to bring my entire vision to life.  Ian tediously hung picture frames over the welcome table by wire.  Family and friends pitched in throughout the week to get signs painted, ribbons tied, flags and lights hung, seating cards and programs made and everything in place.  It was a true family affair full of togetherness, good eats and good times and it was certainly a weekend that we will never forget!

Wedding Photography: Grazier Photography / Caterer: Let’s Pretend Catering / Bar Service: Fluid Bar Service / Tent Company: Sperry Tents / Linens, Chairs, China, Glassware: Rentals Unlimited / Invitations + Beer Label Design: Smith Letterpress / Ribbon: M&J Trimming / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: D.D. Nickel / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew Wedding / Groomsmen Vests + Pants: J. Crew Wedding / DJ: Toner Sound – Brian Latocha / Lighting: Evention Productions – Rian Winther / Cocktail Hour Fiddle/Strings: George Ainley & Friends / Rings: Dana Chase / Lace Parasols: Lace-Parasols / Papel Picado: Mexican Sugar Skull / Popcorn Boxes: Good Things Wedding Favors / Glass Bottles, Paper Parasols: Luna Bazaar / Table Number Picture Frames and Glass Votives: IKEA / Flowers + Terrariums: Mother of the Groom / Wooden Guest Tables: Father of the Groom / Event Design: Bride / Frames, Vintage Bottles, Tins and Lace Doilies and Cloths: Antique

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Badgley Mischka, D.D. Nickel, Dana Chase, Evention Productions, Fluid Bar Service, George Ainley & Friends, Good Things Wedding Favors, Grazier Photography, Ikea, JCrew, Lace-Parasols, Let's Pretend Catering, Luna Bazaar, M&J Trimming, Mexican Sugar Skull, Rentals Unlimited, Romona Keveza, Smith Letterpress, Sperry Tents, Toner Sound, Vermont, Vintage
Post categories: Casual Elegance

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From Jenna Trapasso…This a beautiful, handmade wedding that took place on Lake Wylie in North Carolina. Maggie and Phillip are high school sweethearts and currently live in Washington DC but returned their home city for their sweet wedding. Maggie’s family is from Taiwan and I loved how the couple chose to incorporate so much wonderful cultural flare. Phillip’s family is from North Carolina so the reception was overflowing with an entire menu of pork BBQ and fixins’ in addition to a spread of Asian vegetarian dishes. There were many “green” elements incorporated throughout the reception and in the invitations as well. The wedding also had a bit of vintage flare…from antique chairs and old fashioned formal group photos to Maggie’s beautiful bird cage veil. The entire day was incredibly relaxed and fun and everyone attributed that to Maggie and Phillip’s long-time relationship. They are so comfortable and happy together and the pictures tell that story!

Wedding Dress: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Food: Paul’s NC BBQ + Jo Jo’s China Bistro / Flowers: Local Farmer’s Market / Venue: Private Residence / Wedding Photography: Jenna Trapasso

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Post tags: Cultural Beauty, JCrew, Jenna Trapasso, Jo Jo's China Bistro, Local Farmer's Market, North Carolina, Outdoor Wedding, Paul's NC BBQ, Rustic Wedding
Post categories: Cultural Beauty

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From the Bride…The day we got engaged, Jamaal and I decided that we would enjoy just being engaged and hold off on wedding planning for a few weeks.  Well, that lasted about two days! With Brooklyn as our backdrop, we started planning our wedding with a focus on creating an intimate evening that incorporated our personal style.  We envisioned an elegant and relaxed evening with family and friends.  We wanted to see washed-out pastel colors and touches of vintage. Our goal was to have our guests feel as though they were guests in our home.  In order to execute our vision, we enlisted the help of our family, friends, and a talented team of vendors!

We collected birdcages, a vintage typewriter, and wood tree slices from a sample sale at Kate’s Paperie.  We collected skeleton keys from vintage sales on Ebay.  We collected books from various places including from our neighbors.  Our friends helped us to collect glass jars for vases and candles. Jamaal made chalkboards of various sizes to use as signage throughout the venue.  My mother hand-dyed two hundred paper doilies, cut burlap table runners, and wrapped each individual napkin with twine. The floral designers Amanda and Ruth of Quatre Coeur incorporated all of these items to create a wedding style that was personal to us.  Each table setting had an individual design and feel to it.  We incorporated beautiful calligraphy written on luggage tags for our guests’ place cards.  Guests were able to take them home at the end of the evening.

Our wedding venue was built in 1900 and owned by the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (BSEC).  It was walking distance from our apartment and across the street from Prospect Park where we were engaged. It meant a lot to us to have our minister Rev. Dr. Flora Wilson Bridges officiate at our wedding.  She made sure that our ceremony was intimate and meaningful. I changed into my second wedding day look after our first dance.  Jamaal was really surprised!  Thanks to the talents of DJ Lance our guests danced to a mix of old school and current dance hits.  At the end of the night desserts were placed in monogrammed boxes for our guests to take home.  Our day of wedding coordinator Viva Max Kaley was an invaluable asset to us.  She was our sounding board for ideas and kept us organized throughout the wedding planning process.  On our wedding day she made sure that the event went flawlessly.

Wedding Photography: Elisabeth Millay Photography / Floral Design: QuatreCoeur / Event Planning: Viva Max Weddings / Location: Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture / Bride’s First Dress: JCrew + TJ Maxx / Bride’s Second Dress: Net-A-Porter / Catering: Bassett Caterers / Wedding Cake: Lily and Fig / Calligraphy: Goodhue Designs / DJ: DJ Lance / Bride’s Hair: Tessa Bibby / Bride’s Make-up: Ruthie Weems / Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 26 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bassett Caterers, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, DJ Lance, Elisabeth Millay Photography, Goodhue Designs, JCrew, Lily and Fig, Net-A-Porter, New York Weddings, QuatreCoeur, Ralph Lauren, Ruthie Weems, Tessa Bibby, TJ Maxx, Urban, Viva Max Weddings
Post categories: Brooklyn Weddings, Contemporary, New York Weddings

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From Edyta Szyszlo Photography…Amanda and Joel married May 28, 2011 in Springfield, MO. I was the photographer for the super sweet day! I flew in from San Francisco during the week of extremely unsteady weather (Joplin had just been hit with deadly tornadoes) so my fingers were crossed that mother nature would give us a break. Turns out she did! They had what I like to call a rustic vintage meets hints of modern wedding. Joel is an architect that was part of the designing team of their reception space. So they knew as soon as the plans were drawn for the space to be renovated that they would host their celebration at the Savoy. From that moment on, they sourced their favorite finds, handmade their goodies and threw a “different” kinda wedding for the area they live in.

From the Bride…As soon as I started looking at wedding blogs, I was instantly drawn to the more organic, rustic styles.  Joel and I also wanted a reception venue that had an outdoor space.  Since Joel did the Savoy renovation, he had been taking me there from the time they started construction, and it took us almost no time to put our deposit down.  With the space having such a vintage feel, I wanted to tie my original ideas with some vintage touches (insert thrift store/vintage shop purchases here!).  And the “vintage, rustic” theme was born.  Also, I was lucky because Joel and I have very similar taste, so any idea’s I brought to him, he loved.

My best piece of advice for other brides, be true to yourself.  If I had a dollar for every weird look I got when people asked me what color’s I was using and I said, “um…we really don’t have a color,” or every time my coordinator called our theme “country” we probably could have paid for our wedding two times over.  But, that didn’t detur us, we knew we wanted something that was outside the box (at least for our area), and completely non-traditional.  We stuck to our guns and ended up with our perfect day! Also, you don’t have to spend a ton to have your “dream” wedding.  If you give yourself enough time, and prioritize what is important to you (both) you can have your dream without breaking the bank.  Don’t skimp on the important items (for us photographer, entertainment, venue(s), and food), and get creative with the things that are lower priority (for us cake and flowers).  Another tip is to use city owned venue’s, very affordable!  Art Gallery’s are bonus because you have to do little to no decorating!

Wedding Photography: Edyta Szyszlo Photography / Ceremony Location: Creamery Arts Center / Reception Location: The Savoy / Floral Design: Artistry in Bloom / Cupcakes: Amycakes Bakery / Cake Pops: Bride + Friends of the Bride / Coordination + Rentals: Aflair Events / Bluegrass Band: Ben Miller Band / Trolley: A-1 Limousine / Bride’s Make-up: Marissa Whitley / Bride’s Hair: Hannah Short at A Valeria Boss Salon / Wedding Dress + Veil: Karl’s Bridal / Bride’s Reception Dress: Nostalgia / Bridesmaid Dresses: Nostalgia / Junior Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groomsmen Vest: Ebay / Groomsmen Tie Clips: Keys & Memories / Favors: Wheat Beer made by The Groom / Wedding Invitations + Save the Date: Wedding Paper Divas / Centerpieces + Decor: DIY

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 26 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: A Valeria Boss Salon, A-1 Limousine, Aflair Events, Amycakes Bakery, Artistry in Bloom, Ben Miller Band, Creamery Art Center, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Ebay, Edyta Szyszlo Photography, JCrew, Karl's Bridal, Keys & Memories, Marissa Whitley, Missouri, Nostalgia, Rustic Chic, Springfield, The Savoy, Vintage, Wedding Paper Divas
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From Anna Routh Photography: Emily and Wright had a beautiful Dallas wedding this Spring. After photographing the two at Wright’s family ranch earlier in the spring I had the pleasure of photographing their lovely, low-key nuptials at one of Dallas’s most beautiful churches. The enormous sanctuary echoed with the sounds of their vows repeated back in front of a very small crowd that included the couple’s families. Emily and Wright wanted to keep their ceremony small and the dinner that followed very laid back, so they chose this quaint neighborhood favorite for their families to come together and celebrate their union. Emily’s effortless style showed through in all the details – her simple J Crew dress that fit her like a glove, her JCrew-adorned flower girl (sparkly flats an all!), elegant bouquets complete with the most delicious smelling peonies and the arrangements along the dinner tables using family heirlooms for vases. There was so much love in the room as Emily & Wright tied the knot that is was hard not to be all smiles all day long.

Ceremony Location: Highland Park Methodist Church / Reception Location: City Cafe / Bride’s Dress: JCrew / Flower Girl Dress + Shoes: JCrew / Floral Design: Garden Gate Floral Design / Bride’s Hair: Kirsten Mitchell at Osgood O’Neil Salon / Bride’s Make-up: Lindsay Hartley / Wedding Cake: Romano’s Bakery / Wedding Photography: Anna Routh Photography

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Anna Routh Photography, church, City Cafe, Dallas, Garden Gate Floral Design, Highland Park Methodist Church, JCrew, Lindsay Hartley, Osgood O'neil, Romano's Bakery, Texas Wedding, Traditional Elegance
Post categories: Dallas Weddings, Texas Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From Katelyn James Photography…Here are a couple of unique items from Nikki and Alex’s wedding. All plants used for centerpieces were potted plants and were reused after the wedding, nothing went to waste!

Their cookie bar was a huge hit! Nikki and Alex gathered the best cookie recipes from family members and created “recipe booklets” for their guests to take home. The cookie bar was lined with rustic jars full of Grandma’s Brownies, Aunt’s ginger snaps, Mom’s sugar cookies, etc.  It was such a great personal touch!

A friend made handmade wood-burned signs for the cake topper and also created “Mrs. and Mr.” signs for the Bride and Groom’s seats. Nikki’s bouquet had two charms with pictures of her grandparents inside who passed away before the wedding.

Florals: Louisa Flower Shop / Wedding Dress: Bella Rosa / Venue: Private Residence / DJ: Choice Entertainment / Bridesmaid Dresses: JCrew / Wedding Invitations: Inviting Moments / Favors: Love by Bean / Wedding Photography: Katelyn James Photography

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Backyard Wedding, Bella Rosa, Choice Entertaiment, DIY Projects, Inviting Moments, JCrew, Katelyn James Photography, Louisa Flower Shop, Love by Bean, Rustic, Virginia
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired

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From the Bride…Vignesh and I met through a friend at a Fourth of July party in 2007.  The party was actually at Vignesh’s apartment, which had roof deck, and I thought he was very handsome the minute I saw him.  He didn’t ask me out until 2 weeks later and even that was just an invitation to another party.  Our first real date was at a bar in Union Square and we had an incredible conversation there that ranged from light topics to philosophy and religion.  Within 3 months, we knew we both wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.  Neither one of us was in a rush to get married so Vignesh didn’t propose until New Year’s Eve 2010.  We were on St. John in USVI and he proposed on the most beautiful, remote beach during the day.

We wanted the wedding to represent us and our two cultures so being transcendentalists of sorts, we got married outside by a beautiful lake with Indian musicians playing sitar, tabla and an Indian flute.  We created our ceremony from scratch and my father’s best friend, who we’re both close to, was our Officiant.  We incorporated the Indian tradition of the exchange of garlands (to symbolize our acceptance of each other and eternal bond) and readings that are meaningful to us (Joseph Campbell).  The ceremony flowers were a mixture of hot pink, purple, green and orange… mostly Indian colors. The reception – held in a beautiful Sperry Tent – was more American.  We had an incredible DJ, DJ Johnny Stuart, who made the night for us.  We were dancing until the very end, when a friend surprised us with fireworks he had set up by the lake.  It felt like a fairytale come true.

I can’t say there was one moment during the day that was my favorite; all of it was special.  Getting ready with my sister, cousin and bridesmaids (my four best friends) was so wonderful.  And the only word that comes to mind when I think about the ceremony and the reception is magical.  My advice to other couples would be to stay true to yourself and make sure every moment of your day should be about you, your family and friends.

Venue: Mashomack Preserve Club / Event Planning: Carrie Sartor of Lyndsey Hamilton Events / Wedding Gown: Reem Acra / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Floral Design: Linda Baldwin / Wedding Cake: Alternative Baker / DJ: DJ Johnny Stuart / Tent: Sperry Tent / Wedding Photography: Kathi Littwin Photography

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alternative Baker, Amsale, Cultural Beauty, DJ Johnny Stuart, Indian Wedding, JCrew, Linda Baldwin Flowers, Lyndsey Hamilton Events, Mashomack Preserve Club, New York Weddings, Reem Acra, Sperry Tent
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, New York Weddings