My husband, Nick, and I met while attending the University of Washington in Seattle. We formally met when Nick interviewed for a job with the student government. I was the student body president at the time and served on the hiring committee. He was such a professional during the interview – he took each question very seriously and I knew right away that he would be a fantastic student leader. I certainly did not look at him in any romantic capacity at that time! Nick ended up getting hired for the position and we became co-workers and great friends. We both still look back fondly at our time together in student government and treasure the moments we shared with other students, all passionate about doing good in the world.

Nick and I stayed good friends for the next few years, even after we moved to different cities. Nick eventually moved to Connecticut and I left Seattle to attend law school at Cornell. I’ll never forget arriving at the Syracuse airport, with only two suitcases (nothing short of a miracle for me, the consumate clotheshorse!), and with my only friend on the East Coast – Nick – waiting to pick me up and help me move to my new town. I was incredibly nervous, but the second I saw him I felt myself breathe a small sigh of relief, knowing that at the very least I had one friend nearby to rely on.

Over the next months, our friendship grew into much more and we eventually started dating. In fact, we dated for more than six years before deciding to get married. We went through so much change over those years but were lucky that the one thing that stayed consistent was that we grew with each other and developed an incredibly strong relationship throughout the various trials and tribulations. Let this story be a lesson to those out there looking for a life partner — a friendship can most certainly develop into the greatest love of your life! …

We loved this couple so much that when we heard that in addition to this gorgeous wedding and highlight film, courtesy of Stott Shots Photography and Videography, there was also a full Cambodian ceremony to celebrate this couples love, we just had to see it. And when we saw it, we just had to share it. So here you go!

I am Cambodian American and grew up in a very traditional Cambodian home. It was incredibly important to my family (and myself) to incorporate our culture in the wedding celebrations. Nick and I decided to have a traditional one and a half day long Cambodian wedding weekend in my hometown, Vancouver, WA, followed by a small civil ceremony in New York in support of marriage equality (we always knew we wanted to get married in a state where marriage is legal for all — we originally planned on Washington D.C. but were thrilled when our own state passed the new law) and, last but not least, a “Western” wedding in Portland, which incorporated my Cambodian heritage and Nick’s Scottish heritage, as well as other cultures, one month later. How lucky were we to have three weddings?!?

The Cambodian wedding weekend was a family and community effort. My parents, auntie, uncles, cousins, and countless friends and loved ones (including two from Cambodia) worked tirelessly to prepare the wedding festivities. They cooked amazing traditional food, pulled together the most beautiful wardrobe (I had seven costume changes!), decorated the venues, played the music at the reception — they really did it all! The Cambodian ceremonies at my parents’ home featured traditional wedding rituals, including blessings from monks, a procession of the groom, his family, and the guests through my childhood neighboorhood, a hair cutting ceremony (to signify the shedding of our old selves and the start of our new life together), string-tying ceremony (guests tied red strings around our wrists and provide a blessing; the strings tied by the parents and the elder running the ceremony remain on until they fall off), a circle of light ceremony (couples married 10+ years sat around us and passed a candle around while providing blessings). All of this was topped off by a dinner reception for 450 people, with live Cambodian classical and modern music, as well as a performance by children from the Cambodian classical dance troupe that I performed with when I was younger.

My favorite memory from the Cambodian festivities was seeing how seamlessly Nick’s non-Cambodian family blended with my very Cambodian friends and family, and feeling all of the love and energy from both sides of the family. Truly, all of our friends and family came together for a magical weekend — my uncle from Cambodia, who was separated from my dad over 30 years ago during the terrible war in Cambodia, came to the the US for the festivities (his first trip outside of Cambodia), and even Nick’s 93 year old grandfather pushed aside his wheelchair at the reception in order to dance!

As for our “Western” wedding, Nick and I spent a lot of time and effort coming up with every little detail and were blessed to find the perfect vendors, in addition to family and friends, who helped execute our vision. We actually secretly started wedding planning six months before we got engaged because we wanted the planning to be “our” thing, without input from anyone else. I highly recommend this for couples who are antsy about too much family involvement! The experience was a great way for us to bond in a new way.

We chose our ceremony venue because we wanted to get married in a church, but a church whose principles and religious views align with our own and explicitly seek to include of people from all walks of life. We found the perfect fit with the First Unitarian Church. We chose our reception venue because we immediately liked and trusted Via, our contact with the venue (super important since we live across the country from our reception venue), and also because the catering featured locally sourced products and is in my favorite Portland neighborhood, the Pearl District, which feels like a little slice of Brooklyn to us.

Our wedding ceremony was planned from start to finish by the two of us. We wanted the ceremony to feel very intimate, so each detail came from one of our heads and involved someone close to us. We opened the ceremony with a prayer by my best friend and matron of honor, in recognition of our Christian beliefs. The officiant was a dear friend and judge who I used to intern for in law school. We worked with her to develop the script for the ceremony, which included some reflections that she shared during our civil ceremony in New York. We wrote our vows together and also wrote personal sentiments to share with each other in front of our friends and family. I am a huge music afficianado, so the songs selected for the string quartet to play before, during and after the ceremony, as well as some of the DJ’s song selections at the reception, took a long time to choose. For example, I’ve wanted to walk down the aisle to a string version of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Hysteric” for years, and I spent a lot of time tracking down the sheet music online!

We also asked four of our friends to share their reflections on marriage and love. Each person brought a unique perspective: there was a modern version of the Seven Blessings (we have great affinity for the Jewish religion and culture since moving to NYC), a Navajo blessing, a reading of “Love” by Roy Croft, as well as one friend’s personal reflections. At the altar, we created a small display in recognition of our ancestors. Rather than lighting a unity candle, both sets of parents lit incense at the altar, a Cambodian Buddhist tradition. We incorporated the Cambodian string-tying ritual into our ceremony, and each set of parents tied a red string to our wrist as a blessing. We also incorporated the Scottish “pinning of the tartan” ceremony, where Nick’s mom, on behalf of his family, pinned their family tartan to me as a sign of their acceptance of my family and I into theirs. It was incredibly meaningful to have our ceremony feature each of our heritages, as well as other cultures that we respect and love. Hands down, my favorite moment of the ceremony was when Nick and I exchanged personal sentiments with each other, reflecting on why we love each other in front of our family and friends.

We wanted the cozy feeling to continue at the reception, so we worked with the venue to create four very long rows of tables to seat our 180 guests, which made the dinner feel more “family style.” We also wanted the reception to feature a mix of elements from the Pacific Northwest (where we grew up), parts of my Cambodian heritage, with touches of NYC (where we’ve lived for almost our entire relationship). To that end, the reception featured gorgeous, lush and woodsy floral installations, and locally sourced food, desserts, beer, wine and liquor to reflect the Pac NW; table runners made out of traditional Cambodian silk and homemade Cambodian desserts as a shout-out to my heritage; and miscellaneous “city” touches to reflect our current hometown — the open, gallery-like venue, naming each table after some of our favorite city locations, along with a description of why each location holds a special place in our hearts. Other favorite reception items were: the stunning floral wall, which stemmed from a picture I found during a late night on Pinterest, the collection of love related books, a wall and table of family wedding photos and photos of us (created by Nick’s mom), as well as a bevy of awesome Etsy finds, some stemming from my ideas, others purchased directly from buyers (“Keep Calm and Marry On” signage, personalized cake topper, “Mr.” and “Mrs.” chair signs, birdcage for cards, photobooth props, love and marriage themed books, etc.). Although it was a very small thing, our favorite touch at the reception was handwritten notes written to each guest, which we placed at each table, thanking them for coming and explaining why they are an important part of our lives.

As for wedding favors, we created CDs of our favorite love songs, each of which played at some point during the wedding festivities, found a design for the CD label and cover, and one of our wedding attendants went through the painstaking process of assembling almost 200 labels and covers. We also made out-of-town guest bags which were filled with local snacks and information on Portland, sourced from farmers markets, local stores, and the Chamber of Commerce by another amazing wedding attendant.

Photographer: Kacie, Kyle and Dylan of Stott Shots Photography and Videography / Videographer: Troy Costa, Stott Shots Photography and Videopgraphy / Floral Designer: Rosemary Stafford Floral Design / Day-of Coordinator: Ryan Mattson / Stationery: Jack & Jill Wedding / Dessert Table & Floral Wall: Amy Childs of One Divine Party / Wedding gown: Jenny Lee, from Divine Designs / Reception Dress: Leanne Marshall / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Jenny Woo / Linen, Chair and Lighting Rentals: West Coast Productions / Hotel: The Nines / Out-of-Town Guest Bags: Wedding Chicks / Ceremony Music: Collage Music / DJ: Maushole / Ceremony Site: First Unitarian Church / Reception Site & Catering: Urban Studio, Pearl Catering / Hair: Salon 77 / Makeup: Event Cosmetics / Photobooth: The Original Photobooth

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cambodia, Cambodian, Cambodian Wedding, Collage Music, Color Palette Purple, Cultural Beauty, Devine Designs, Etsy, Event Cosmetics, First Unitarian Church, Fusion Wedding, Handkerchief, Highlight Films, Jack & Jill Wedding, Jenny Lee, Jenny Woo, Leanne Marshall, macarons, Maushole, One Divine Party, Oregon, Pearl Catering, Pinterest, Portland, Rosemary Stafford Floral Design, Ryan Mattson, Salon 77, Stott Shots Photography & Videography, The Nines, The Original Photogbooth, Urban Studio, vintage car, Wedding Chicks, Wedding Cinematography, Wedding Photography, West Coast Productions
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… My fiancé and I got engaged on the cliffs of the Italian Rivera at sunset, and as we began describing our wedding day together, we knew that we had to follow suit to the engagement, hosting a wedding in another exotic location away from home.  Both of us are entranced by the ocean, love soft sandy beaches and wanted an intimate affair in a tropical relaxed location.  I grew up in LA where the ocean was always a huge part of my life and he has an undying love for the Caribbean and all that it encompasses.  We picked the Sand Dollar Estate in St. Thomas, USVI, known as the White House of St. Thomas for its view of the famous Magen’s Bay, but mostly for its ability to host a private small wedding with its own beach where the ceremony would take place. We also LOVE sunsets, and have very special moments throughout our relationship during sunset and watching the view from the estate over the water at sunset blew convinced us this was our spot.

Our inspirations morphed into what I was calling “Beach Chic” using more of a romantic, soft casual feel of Shabby Chic playing off the bright turquoise waters of the Caribbean and the “pop” of yellow sunshine. Special details from the day included Michigan “M” Sugar Cookies, as my Husband and friends are avid University of Michigan fans, a Russian Babushka doll next to the guest book in remembrance of my Grandmother and Russian heritage, Chinese parasol’s brought from our current city in San Francisco, Frank Family wine – a favorite of ours from Napa, custom burlap and lace runners made with love from my mother-in-law and other fun items I sourced on Etsy.  All these special items were flown down with us to the island in 6 checked bags!

The day before our wedding day was the first rainfall of the year on St. Thomas, and rare for May.  It poured, all night!  The morning of the wedding, with the storm still looming above us, brought in the tide hiding our private beach where the ceremony was scheduled.  However, we adjusted our plans, the rain held off and we were married outside on the patio overlooking the water.  Even with the beach unavailable for the ceremony, we were luckily able to snap a few shots down on the rocks (without getting an ounce of water on the dress).  Even with the threat of the rain, and the change in plans, it was an amazing day!  My husband too cute, our guests lovely as ever and everything just as we imagined, including a spectacular sunset.

Wedding Photography: Jules Bianchi Photography / Flowers: East End Flowers / Event Design: The Bride / Event Planning: Island Bliss Weddings / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: Sand Dollar Estate / Wedding Invitations: Etsy / Wedding Dress: Jenny Lee / Bridesmaid Dresses: Carol Hannah / Makeup + Hair: Sugar & Spice Artistry / Catering: Modern Saute / Wedding Cake: VI Dessert

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Carol Hannah, Destination Wedding, East End Flowers, Etsy, Island Bliss Weddings, Jenny Lee, Magen's Bay, Modern Saute, Sand Dollar Estate, St. Thomas, Sugar & Spice Artistry, VI Desserts
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings

Virgil Bunao photographed this sweet Southern affair and it is setting the bar through the roof. It has classic, gorgeous style for days without being too stuffy or overdone; more like a really beautiful backyard soiree. As Goldilocks would say…it’s jussssttttt right. Take a bite out of more of this Charleston wedding in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From the Bride… When reflecting on how I envisioned my wedding day, I thought of the white dress, the flowers, and the band.  Now, after seeing photographs of my March 5th wedding at Lowndes Grove, it was a day full of so much more.  The material “things” faded into the backdrop of a low country landscape balanced in perfect harmony with our closest friends and family.  This was a celebration of love in all its incredible and many forms.  By design, this wedding came directly from our hearts.

With all the love featured in this wedding, the greatest is that of family and friends surrounding us.  My grandfather joyously read scripture during the ceremony, our cousin-in-law performed the marriage, and a dear family friend, who watched me grow up, traveled to arrange the most beautiful and perfect floral arrangements at Lowndes Grove.  Anyone could see the outpouring of love from my “second family” in Atlanta.  Maggie and Lisette stood by my side as Junior Bridesmaids, tickled to be a part of such a memorable event, and Charlie, their brother, helped me rock out to the tunes played by the band.  From the energy on the dance floor to the sparklers during our getaway, Jeremy and I felt the presence of our family and friends.  These people gave us love and honored the love that we had committed to each other.

Love of the past extended into our wedding planning.  I incorporated heirloom touches in my attire:  my bouquet holding a handkerchief from my maternal great-grandmother, a pearl stickpin from my paternal great-grandmother, my veil from my beloved sister, and a mink stole from my paternal grandmother.  A decorative touch reminded us of our values in marriage—we showcased our two sets of parents with their very own wedding photographs—both happily married for almost 38 years.  Jeremy and I cannot wait to add our wedding pictures to a collection of which we are so proud.

Beyond the glow of lanterns and moonlight of Charleston, one could easily notice our individual love of favorite destinations.  The low country provided our “Transfer of Grace,” a book title appropriately named for its black and white images of Charleston.  I gave this book to Jeremy as a wedding gift, and now, after guests signed it with heartfelt messages, we have a gorgeous keepsake of our wedding night.  My love of everything British was evident in the retro London taxi used as our getaway car.  The beautiful English spring garden flowers bloomed all around us, and the beautiful interiors of Lowndes Grove could have come straight from an English manor house.  Jeremy pledged allegiance to his new Texas roots as he heard Robert Earl Keen and Cory Morrow in the play list.  Even closer to home, though, was his idyllic setting along the Ashley River.  A Florida boy, the pier and hum of twilight on the water sealed his idea of perfection.  All of the dreams came true.

As my mom wrote, “Your wedding was not the biggest or the grandest, but it may have been the most loving–it was truly a celebration of the two of you, and as I look at these photos over and over again, I see the love apparent everywhere!”  This, my friends, is what I call true love.

Wedding Photography: Virgil Bunao / Wedding Planner: Sara Hosch of Southern Protocol / Wedding Cake: Chef Susie Ieronemo of Fish Restaurant / Catering: Fish Restaurant / Band: Skate Rink Jukebox / Wedding Gown: Jenny Lee via Kelly’s Closet / Florist: Benny Campbell / Favors: Southern Sisters Bakery / Wedding Musicians: Charleston Virtuosi / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate / Wedding Venue: Lowndes Grove

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Benny Campbell, Charleston, Charleston Virtuosi, Fish Restaurant, Grey, Jenny Lee, Kelly's Closet, Lowndes Grove, Lula Kate, Navy Blue, Nina, Outdoor Ceremony, SC, Skate Rink Jukebox, South Carolina, Southern Protocol, Southern Sisters Bakery, Southern Wedding, Tented Reception, Virgil Bunao, White
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

click here for more from this fairy tale wedding!

I wanted a sophisticated, modern yet elegant wedding, and the first colors that came to mind were gold and white. I also love Phalaenopsis orchids, so I decided to use them as my main theme to tie various elements of the wedding together. Aside from being the main flowers used in the wedding, everything from our wedding stationery, menus, straw, water and dessert tags were linked by the simple design of a single pale gold Phalaenopsis orchid. I loved the simple yet coherent look. In addition to gold and white, I wanted to add a touch of pale blue as an accent color. During one of the brainstorm sessions with Nisie from Enchanted Florist, she suggested using the blue in Hydrangeas to complement the Phalaenopsis orchids – I instantly fell in love with the idea.

Even though we are currently working and living in Hong Kong, we chose to have our wedding in Los Angeles because we both felt that LA was “home” for us. While our family members are scattered all over US and Asia, most of our friends are living in Hong Kong, San Francisco or New York, so LA actually turned out to be a central location for everyone. We held our wedding at the Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California. We both love the ocean, so we decided to find a venue which overlooked the Pacific Ocean along the Newport Coast and Laguna Nigel area. The moment we set foot in Pelican Hill, we knew we wanted to have our wedding there! The view from the ceremony rotunda was breathtaking, and the venue itself was gorgeous. We went back subsequently for our tasting, and everything from the entrées, wedding cake, to the macaroons was to die for! It made us so happy knowing that our guests would be able to dine well at our wedding.

We had friends and family flying into LA from all around the world (only a handful actually lived in LA); we were very grateful that so many of our guests made a special effort and took time out of their busy schedules to celebrate with us. All the little details that Jeannie and I had planned turned out to be perfect – everything from the beautiful and delicious dessert bar and candy station, to the lantern lit patio and signature cocktails. Overall it was a very intimate evening at a beautiful venue, with all of our favorite people in the world dining, dancing and celebrating with us in the same room.

Photography: Jasmine Star / Cinematography: Productions / Flowers: Enchanted Florist / Event Design and Planning: Jeannie Savage of Details, Details / Ceremony and Reception Location: Pelican Hill Resort / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Dress: Jenny Lee and Vera Wang(ceremony)

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 37 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Details Details, Enchanted Florist, Jasmine Star Photography, Jenny Lee, Newport Beach, Pelican Hill Resort, Southern California, Vera Wang
Post categories: California Weddings, Los Angeles Weddings, Traditional Elegance

click here for the full wedding gallery!

We live in New York City, but our families are scattered between Georgia and North Carolina.  We selected Bald Head Island, North Carolina because our families live nearby, but the area is relatively accessible from New York by a short, direct flight into Wilmington.  And it is gorgeous.  We wanted a traditional wedding followed by a formal dinner reception – just timeless and simple.  Nothing too coordinated or gimmicky, and we never developed an overarching theme or wedding colors or anything like that.  We got married at the Bald Head village chapel, which is nestled among trees dripping with Spanish moss and surrounded by huge hydrangea bushes.  We hardly decorated the church at all, except for a few pew markers.  I wore a strapless trumpet gown detailed with lace panels, a traditional long veil with duster, and carried an all-white bouquet.  Rob, the groomsmen, and our fathers wore tuxedos.  The bridesmaids wore navy cocktail dresses.

The reception was at the Bald Head Island golf club, which has a spacious outdoor terrace facing towards the ocean. We put the bar, the band, and the dance floor all on the terrace, and the event designer decorated the space with lanterns, couches, and cocktail tables to create an intimate atmosphere.  Hydrangea flower arrangements and centerpieces referenced the Carolinas.  Escort cards and tables names injected something of New York into the event.  These appropriated subway graphics and were indexed to neighborhoods, buildings, and places in NYC that are meaningful to us, such as our engagement spot (Bayard Building) or professional connections (Wall Street, Morningside Heights).  Escort cards became metro cards and tables destinations.

Instead of going with a conventional wedding band or DJ, we hired Atlanta-based band Banks & Shane.  I grew up listening to them play southern rock covers, like Georgia on My Mind or Brown Eyed Girl, and having them there was like being transported back to my childhood.  Everyone from my hometown recognized them immediately and the music appealed to almost all ages.  Instead of making song lists or choreographing dances, I just let them do their thing: crack hilarious jokes between singing great songs.  I was a little nervous that eschewing the typical organizational role that a DJ provides, like making announcements about first dances, cake cutting, and speeches, would result in confusion and disorder.  But in the end, the unscripted, spontaneous quality of the band was one of the best aspects of the reception.  We avoided cheesy, predictable announcements and songs and just had a blast.  It was definitely one of our better decisions!  In hiring the other vendors, it was surprisingly difficult to find artists who could balance subtle, classic styling with a sense of modernity and freshness.  So we spent a lot of time researching and interviewing photographers, florists, and event designers in order to find creative people whose artistic visions resonated with ours.  DIY projects are not our strength, and so we wanted a team of people we could trust to handle the details for us.  For brides comfortable delegating, this strategy really paid off for us.  It was such a relief not to have to worry about candles, linens, menus, programs, centerpieces, photo albums, or whatever, especially in the days leading up to the wedding.

With that said, the one wedding detail that was very important for me was to bring my late mother’s spirit into the wedding.  She passed away four years ago, and I wanted to honor her memory in a way that felt uplifting and emphasized her presence, not her absence.  I have a brother and sister who were both in the wedding, so I had the florist incorporate gardenias, my mom’s favorite flower, into our bouquets and boutonnière.  Gardenias are very fragrant so we could smell them all night.  I wore her blue aquamarine ring, carried her vintage purse, and we printed a dedication to her in the program.  Probably the most special way that I honored my mother’s memory was to have lace from her wedding gown made into handkerchiefs, which I gave to my brother and sister before the ceremony (and kept one for myself).  These were useful when tears started flowing, but more meaningful is that they can be saved and hopefully passed down to our own children one day.

Photography: Joey + Jessica / Reception & Catering: Bald Head Island Club / Floral & Event Design: Salt Harbor Designs / Gown: Jenny Lee, from Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Rings: De Beers / Hair: done by friend / Makeup: Sister applied, MAC Cosmetics / Event coordinator (day of): Lindsey Cheek / Band: Banks & Shane / Cake: Crumb de la Crumb

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bald Head Island, Bald Head Island Club, Banks & Shane, Crumb de la Crumb, De Beers, Jenny Lee, Jimmy Choo, Joey + Jessica Weddings, LIndsey Cheek, MAC Cosmetics, Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier, North Carolina, Salt Harbor Designs
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

When David proposed to me on the beach at my parent’s summer cottage on Lake Michigan, we immediately started to think about where we wanted to get married. David grew up in the Village in NYC, but has been a California boy since he was 19. I grew up in a myriad of places: Chicago, Boston, Boca Raton, etc…but have been happily settled in Los Angeles for 7 years now. So it made sense to us to celebrate the place where we found each other, instead of where we grew up and Santa Barbara was at the top of the list, both of us being big wine-lovers.

We knew we wanted to plan something outside and laid back, yet with a classy feel to it. We had spent many weekends up in Santa Barbara while dating and while we knew the area quite well, when we started looking, we found it challenging to find the perfect venue. Enter – Roblar Winery. The moment we walked in the door of this fairly new Santa Ynez winery, we were instantly in love! It was absolutely what we had been looking for. Once we had picked our venue, the rest was a fun creative process that we gladly shared with Rebecca from Duet Weddings. She helped us shape our wedding into an entire weekend of events that just felt like us. We started by designing our own monogram that we used throughout the year. Not only did it go on all of our wedding stationery and thank you cards, but we also ended up putting it on the market bags we filled for the hotel rooms and on the cover of the cd we made for everyone.

Both David and I love to cook, and at home, we are dedicated to eating locally from the various LA Farmer’s Markets. This ended up being a kind of theme for our wedding, as we decided to get herbs from our friend’s Agoura Hills Farm (Maggie’s Farm) and dry them and make our own herb mix to give out as favors. This went in our welcome market bag along with the cd, vineyard maps, itinerary, welcome letter, snacks, etc….

We didn’t have a very large budget for flowers and I knew I wanted to use flowers that grew locally and that were in season. So, when I met with Juniper to discuss ideas, we talked about using white and blue hygrangeas, along with simple white and green flowers, so as not to compete with the natural beauty of the vineyard. We also discussed adding the herb theme in that area as well, so we placed pots of herbs in various places. An idea I got from looking at countless Style Me Pretty posts over the last year!

We lucked out when my husband’s sister, Susan, offered to bake our wedding cake for us as a gift. She is an accomplished baker and had made a few others in the past and we gladly accepted. It turned out AMAZING. Definitely one of the tastier wedding cakes we had ever eaten and it was so special that she was able to make it for us.

Our wedding day was unbelievable…and very peaceful. At the winery, we served a red sangria for pre-ceremony enjoyment. There was also an atrium room adjacent to the cocktails where guests could, keeping with the herb theme, fill paper cones with rose petals, sage leaves,rosemary, lavendar, etc…to throw at us at the end of the ceremony. We also had a table of vintage handkerchiefs laid out for “tears of joy” and Rebecca had brought lots of snuggly brown pashminas to display by the fireplace for later in the evening. Rebecca and her team placed hand-painted wooden signs all over the property, so as guests walked in to the wedding, they passed sentiments such as “To have and to hold” and “From this day forward” which added to the romantic rustic feel we were going for.

Chef Ryan at Roblar catered our wedding and we decided to do a huge cheese and charcuterie station for the cocktail hour (he smokes his own prosciutto!) and then a heavy pass of hors d’oeuvres and a few stations. The whole menu was dedicated to fresh local ingredients and the kind of food preparation that David and I enjoy at home. Simple, fresh and seasonal. Local rock shrimp, baby lamp chops, grilled filet mignon, risotto, etc.. And after discovering that Roblar had an outdoor pizza oven, we decided to have 3 kinds of gourmet pizzas passed as well. We kept with our rustic theme using Roblar’s wooden tables and forgoing the white linens (another great money saver!).

Instead of a guest book, Rebecca had guests write little notes to us and drop them in large vases throughout the night. At the end of the wedding, we were presented with a beautifully wrapped box of notes to open on our 1-year anniversary!

One very special picture that I will cherish forever is the one of my mom putting my veil on me. She wore that veil 42 years ago at her own wedding and time had failed to alter it in the slightest way. Jenny Lee ( who made my dress) was nice enough to alter it to fit me, and also told me that the lace in her veil was from the exact same place as the lace in my wedding dress!

All in all, it was a beautiful night at a beautiful venue with our favorite people in the world. There was a lot of laughter, music, delicious food and wine…and I married my best friend. What more could you possibly ask for? I can truly say that if I could go back and do it again, I wouldn’t change one thing. And I’m a perfectionist, so that’s pretty huge! It’s an amazing feeling….

Coordinator: Rebecca Stone, Duet Weddings / Flowers: Juniper Designs / Photography: Amy Nave at MaryJane Photography / Venue & Catering: Roblar Winery / Band – The Martini Kings / Calligraphy: Little Miss Press / Strings – Diane Siminski’s Festival Strings / Hair & Make-up – TEAM Hair & Makeup / Dress: Jenny Lee / Tux: Hugo Boss / Bridesmaid’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groomsmen’s Tux: Calvin Klein / Cake – Susan Sheinkopf

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 26 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: California Weddings, Calvin Klein, Duet Weddings, Herbs, Hugo Boss, Jenny Lee, Juniper Designs, Monogram, Priscilla of Boston, Roblar Winery, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, TEAM Hair & Maike-up, Wedding Brand
Post categories: California Weddings, Santa Barbara Weddings, Traditional Elegance

see more of this southern soiree here!

From the Bride…

When we started planning our wedding we knew that the most important thing to us was that the feel and look of the wedding reflected our own style and personalities. I didn’t want stuffy or formal or anything that looked too contrived. That’s just not us. I’m from a small farming town in rural upstate New York and Ryan is originally from Georgia, so we both have a lot of country in our souls. We wanted to keep everything laid back and relaxed while still being beautiful and charming. When I found The Point Lake & Golf Club, I knew it was the perfect place. Its setting on Lake Norman is gorgeous and has an immense amount of character. The exposed rafters, lantern lighting, stone fireplaces and barn doors all create the sort of rustic charm that we were going for.

With the venue locked down, we moved on to the details which were definitely my favorite part. We kept everything in line with the existing character of The Point. I found so many wonderful vendors on Etsy that offer the most amazing handmade products which really helped us add in more personalized details and enhance the atmosphere. Outside of Etsy, we found most of our other pieces at yard sales and antique shops, while my cousin made the burlap table runners. One of my favorite details was the hats worn by my Dad and nephew. My dad’s side of the family is Irish and it was very important to me to incorporate that into our ceremony somehow. My sister found the tweed hats at Murphy of Ireland’s online store based in County Donegal, Ireland and they were just perfect. Looking back on the day, it was beautiful and natural, just as we had envisioned and it was an absolute blast. More importantly, I got to marry my best friend that day and if that isn’t perfect, I have no idea what is!

Photography: Sharon Clark of Smitten Photography / Ceremony location: The Point Lake & Golf Club in Mooresville, NC / Dress Designer: Jenny Lee /  Bridesmaid dresses: J.Crew / Shoes: Vintage Miss Capezio Cowboy boots / Florist: Flowers of Charlotte / Catering: The Point Lake & Golf Club / Cupcakes: Sophie Cakes Bakery / Signs: The Back Porch Shoppe / Ring Bearer Pillow: Unabashed Bliss / Love birds table décor: Dearjes / L+R Magnets: April Hiler Designs / Wine corks: Gallery 360 / Guest Book & Pen: Detail In Design

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Flowers of Charlotte, J. Crew, Jenny Lee, Mooresville, North Carolina, Smitten Photography, Sophie Cakes Bakery, The Pointe Lake and Golf Club
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Casual Elegance, Real Weddings, The Blog

{click here for the FULL gorgeous spread}

When Mark and I first started looking into places to be married we envisioned being near water. After visiting a few locations in California, my brother, Alex, mentioned looking into Italy. Villa Balbianello in Lake Como was Colpo di Fulmine (love at first sight) as the Italians would say! We knew as soon as we stepped on the property that it was the place for us. The ambience was perfect – we were in love with the deep blues of the water, the intense mountains, the gorgeous villas along the shores and the incredible gardens. It truly is a magical location! Bellagio, where we stayed before the wedding day, was the ideal little town the guests to enjoy a true Italian experience – quaint cafes, stunning views, truly an amazing place for a holiday.

My favorite colors are red, pink, green and silver. Lisa Hoffman (Ceci NY) helped me to find the specific shades of those colors when we were planning out the save-the-dates and invitations. We decided to go with just the pink, green and silver and work the red in through floral arrangements. Once we had those colors chosen we maintained it through all aspects of the wedding planning. Laura Hooper, who designed all my accessories paid specific attention to the colors as well as what had already been put in place. She created the most amazing maps, which I was able to use on totes (given as gifts to my bridesmaids) and to be given as keepsakes. She also used the same color green and silver on all of our menus and place cards. In doing so, she made everything look elegant, polished and consistent

Photography: Corbin Gurkin/ Venue: Villa del Balbianello / Invitation Design: Ceci New York / Event Coordination: Helen Kershaw & Helen Lord of Love & Lord / Flowers: Vertuani Fiori, Milan / Catering: Food Couture / Wedding Gown Designer: Jenny Lee / Shoe Designer: Jimmy Choo / Tuxedo Designer: Favourbrook, London England / Bridesmaid Dress Designer: Coast / Accessories: Earrings – Fourtane Estate Jewelers, Bracelet was a wedding gift from Mark / Veil: Judd Waddell / Calligraphy Menus, Table Cards, Totes: Laura Hooper / Music: Michelle Pappadia

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 32 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ceci New York, Coast, Corbin Gurkin Photography, Favourbrook, Food Couture, Fourtane Estate Jewlers, Italy, Jenny Lee, Jimmy Choo, Judd Waddell, Lake Como, Laura Hooper, Love and Lord, Michelle Pappadia, Vertuani Fiori, Villa del Balbianello
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Destination, Destination Weddings, Real Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance