And last but certainly not least – we’ve got a special highlight film from Buzz Media Company. If you don’t already have an obnoxious grin on your face (like I do) you most definitely will after seeing this great film.

emily + justin from Buzz Media Company on Vimeo.

Justin and my love story began in the unlikeliest of places, a Spring Break bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Many of our closest friends were there with us on that fateful March night and then celebrated with us, over five years later, at our wedding. Those who were there from the very beginning will always hold a special place in our hearts and our lives, prompting us to take a Spring Break ’06 reunion picture on the dance floor at the wedding.

The one thing we knew when we embarked on planning our wedding was that we wanted a “kick off your shoes and dance” kind of party. The Connecticut shoreline has always held a special place in my heart and we wanted to find a unique venue that captured the beauty of the area. As soon as we drove up to Saltwater Farm Vineyard we were completely blown away by the metal airport hangar waiting at the end of the long gravel driveway. From the outside, Saltwater resembles an ice hockey rink and given Justin’s lifelong love of hockey, we thought this surely was a sign that this was our wedding venue. We fell even more in love with the space as we walked inside and gazed at the glowing metal wine tanks and towering wood beamed ceiling. We knew this was exactly the type of space we were looking for  - rustic, charming and utterly breathtaking.

Starting the planning process felt both exciting and overwhelming. With so many decisions to make, we enlisted the help of Sarah True from True Event and other amazing vendors to help us make our vision into a reality. My mom and I are both very artistic, crafty people and I knew I would want to take on various DIY projects as part of the wedding. With the help of friends and family we collected corks for an entire year and used frames made out of wine staves to create an escort card corkboard. I also constructed a scrapbook documenting our love story that served as our guestbook. These special touches are things we will be able to use in our everyday life that will continue to remind us of our incredible wedding day.

Working on designing our wedding paper was one of my favorite parts of planning our wedding. We worked closely with Paper Moss to create an invitation suite that would complement the rustic chic feel of the day. The creative process was incredibly fun and we watched Paper Moss create the most stunning, double letter-pressed invitation with a gorgeous hand drawn vine design. We were able to weave the design throughout the rest of the wedding paper and even the menu chalkboard.

When we woke up on the morning of July 16th, we welcomed in a perfect sunny summer day. Jennie Fresa and her team went to work as I sat around with my closest friends eating lunch and anticipating the excitement of this day. We could not have begun to imagine how the space would transform with Sarah’s magic touch. I knew I wanted a colorful wedding and chose a palette of jewel-toned purples with accents of bright blue and pink. We wanted to capture the rustic feel embodied by the winery and Sarah incorporated burlap wrapped candles into the table. Yumiko from Hana Floral Designs created the most unbelievable chuppah and bouquets that displayed the bridesmaids cobalt blue dresses. The rustic brown branches of the chuppah contrasting with the bright, colorful flowers and pure blue sky was absolutely breathtaking. This set the stage for our ceremony where we had the privilege of being married by my mother’s childhood friend.

Walking down the aisle on that July day was overwhelming. Never again would Justin and I be surrounded by all of the people who love and care about us. We chose to have a “first look” before we saw each other at the ceremony. I highly recommend this to any bride. There was so much anticipation building up to this moment and I was already feeling the emotions of the day bubbling over. Being able to see the smile on Justin’s face, and the tears in his eyes, when he turned around was priceless. We were able to stand together, look into each other’s eyes, and have a few moments to take in what we were about to do.  This also allowed Justin and I to share in the signing of our ketubah together with our families. The actual ceremony felt like a whirlwind to me and seeing each other prior did not take away the butterflies of excitement I experienced seeing Justin waiting at the end of the aisle.

Our guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio and then entered into the airport hangar for a night of eating and dancing. The room was aglow with purple up lighting and our guests sat down to a French family style meal catered by Gourmet Galley. It was really the amazing Hudson Project band that made the party unforgettable. They had the dance floor filled the entire night and took the evening to a whole new level. It was exactly what we wanted – a wedding dance party!

Our wedding day was beyond what we could have ever imagined. Not only were we surrounded by the love and affection of our friends and family but also the idyllic beauty of Saltwater Farm. We are so thankful to both Robert and Kathleen Photographers and Buzz Media for capturing the beauty of our day for us to relive forever.

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Flowers: Hana Floral Design / Planner: Sarah True of TRUE Event / Hair & Makeup: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library / Gown: Vera Wang / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Catering: Gourmet Galley / Band: The Hudson Project / Venue: Saltwater Farms Vineyard / Videographer: Buzz Media Company / Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Thread via Bella Bridesmaid / Invitation Designer and Stationery: Paper Moss / Save the Date: Posh Paperie / Desserts: Vanderbrooke / Chalkboard & Calligraphy: Meghan Chapin Calligraphy

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Post tags: Airplane Hanger, Bella Bridesmaid, Buzz Media Company, Casual Elegance, Chuppah, Color Palette Pink Blue Green, Connecticut, Corks, Flower girls, Gourmet Galley, Hana Floral Design, Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, Jewish, Manolo Blahnik, Meghan Chapin Calligraphy, Paper Moss, Posh Paperie, Robert & Kathleen Photographers, Saltwater Farms Vineyard, The Hudson Project, Thread, True Event, Vanderbrooke, Vera Wang, Vineyard Wedding, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photographers, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

From Lauren Rutten Photography … Annie & Sebastian were married on a family farm in Oldwick, New Jersey.  Annie’s mother took on much of the responsibility for planning the event, since Annie & Sebastian live on the west coast and were in the last few months of medical school (Annie) & law school (Sebastian). Many of the details of the day reflect back to how Annie and Sebastian met over 10 years ago in Tunisia. They spent every moment together and they choose a star to remind them of their summer in Tunisia.  Sebastian’s sister took the Night in Tunisia theme and created all the invitations, programs and stationery.

Uncle Henry’s farm provided a very relaxed and natural backdrop for their wedding. Annie grew up visiting the farm, so when it came to deciding where to shoot the first portraits of the couple, we stepped into a quiet trail of luscious woods, near where she used to play as a child.

Annie and Sebastian had friends arriving for the weekend from all parts of the world. Naturally, they wanted to keep their friends partying late into the evening. Dinner and dancing was capped off by a late night bon fire in the middle of the field where earlier they had been married under a beautiful white chuppah.

Photography: Lauren Rutten Photography / Gown: Amy Michelson / Hair & Makeup: RBA Salon in Millburn / Bridesmaid Dresses: Maggie London / Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Suits: Sam’s Fine Men’s Clothing / Caterer: Ross and Owen / Florist: The Rose and Radish / Officiant: Officiant Cantor Stahl / Invitations & Stationery: Groom’s sister / Cake: Ross and Owen / Musicians: Funktion 11 / Venue: Private Residence

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Post tags: Amy Michelson, Chuppah, Color Palette Red White, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, farm wedding, Flower girls, Funktion 11, Honey, Jewish, Lauren Rutten Photography, Maggie London, New Jersey, RBA Salon, Ross and Owen, Sam's Fine Men's Clothing
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Little Black Book Blog

So amazing, right? Check out the amazing Highlight Film from Couture Motion!

Jonathan | Francine from Couture Motion on Vimeo.

From Turn Loose The Art … Francine and Jon really just wanted an amazing party. They had a killer venue on the edge of the Jersey Shore with a patio available for guests, lots of great details that made their day unique, and a dance mentality. In addition to little touches like cigars for guests lounging near the fireplace and drink stirrers with messages, they also had a custom cake from The Cake Boss of Carlo’s Bakery.

Adrienne, their wedding planner extraordinaire, was on top of everything from helping to organize family to making sure the ceremony went off without a hitch. Our guests happily joined in the cocktail-style reception with tray passed mini entrees and signature drinks.

Venue: Avenue *Le Club / Wedding Planning: Adrienne Colosimo of Bespoke Affairs / Bridal Gown: Amsale for Christos / Groom’s Tux: Alabaster & Chess / Cupcakes: Carlo’s Bakery / Wedding Invitations: Hornbill Hill / Cinematography: Couture Motion / Floral Design: Flowerful Events / Entertainment: DJ Unique / Hotel: Bungalow / Photography: Turn Loose The Art

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alabaster & Chess, Amsale, Avenue *Le Club, Beach Wedding, Bespoke Affairs, Bungalow, Butterfly, Cake Boss, Candy Bar, Carlos Bakery, Casual Elegance, Christos, Color Palette Purple, contemporary, Couture Motion, Cupcakes, DJ Unique, Flowerful Events, Hornbill Hill, Jersey Shore, Jewish, Long Branch, New Jersey, Turn Loose The Art, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Contemporary, Little Black Book Blog

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

My husband and I had a long engagement; although we were immediately ready to be “husband and wife,” we weren’t sure if we wanted to be “bride and groom.” After law school, we were led to Charlee, who became not only our wedding planner, but our surrogate mother, and rallied us into the wedding spirit.

On board and with a game plan, Javier and I wanted to incorporate the Arizona landscape, and blend our Mexican and Jewish backgrounds. We decided to have the ceremony and reception at the Phoenix Art Museum, and collaborated with a local artist, Teresa Villegas, to incorporate her Loteria images throughout the wedding, including imagery in the wedding invitations, the escort cards, and table cards. We used only local succulents for the bouquet, boutonnieres, centerpieces, favors, aisle, and chuppah decoration. In lieu of a wedding party, we had the mariachi in the processional of our Jewish ceremony, who performed siman tov and hava nagila for the occasion. We decorated the reception with papel picados, served our guests Mexican street-style food, and danced the hora.

Above all, Javier and I wanted the wedding to be relaxed, have a sense of humor, and feel like we were celebrating those attending just as much as we were celebrating our marriage. We tried to make each element of the wedding a gift for our guests; we turned the escort cards into fridge magnets, collected antique milk glass vases as centerpieces which guests could keep, had succulent favors, and provided customized yarmulkes. I surprised Javier in the middle of our first dance with a performance by the Epik Dancers of Beyonce’s“Single Ladies,” just to keep him and our guests on their toes.

Simply put, our wedding was a fantastic party with a lot of love. We get it now; it really is one of the best days of your life.

Wedding Photography: Erica Velasco / Flowers: The Flower Studio / Event Planning and Design: Signature Events, LLC + The Flower Studio / Ceremony and Reception Location: The Phoenix Art Museum / Wedding Invitations: Letterpress Finnesse / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Wedding Gown: Mariee Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Bride’s Hair: Tru Salon / Bride’s Makeup: Barney’s / Mariachi: Mariachi Luz Del Sur / Cake Topper, Ketubah, and Guest Book: Etsy

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 42 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Barneys, Christian Louboutin, Cultural Weddings, Erica Velasco, Hispanic, Hugo Boss, Jewish, Letterpress Finnesse, Mariachi Luz Del Sur, Mariachis, Mariee Bridal, Mexican, Papel Picado Flags, Phoenix, Signature Events, Succulents, The Flower Studio, The Phoenix Art Museum, Tru Salon
Post categories: Cultural Beauty

Cake by our very own, Vanilla Bake Shop.

My husband proposed on January 15th, 2010. The entire holiday season leading up to the proposal, I must have thought he was going to propose at least a dozen times, and he definitely had some great opportunities. We went to Mammoth for a romantic ski weekend – no proposal; he had chosen my name for our family’s “secret santa” gift exchange – no proposal; we were alone for New Years Eve – no proposal … it goes on and on. After New Years Eve, I had completely let my guard down and stopped trying to predict when “it” was going to happen.

One week, my husband’s sister asked if I wanted to go with her to get a mani/pedi. Since we do this all the time, I thought absolutely nothing of it. After work that day, I  met my current sister-in-law at the nail salon. Little did I know, my husband was at our apartment the minute I left decorating the house with hundreds of candles and preparing to propose as soon as I got home. When I arrived, I walked into a beautiful proposal and to my husband wearing a tuxedo while I stood there dumbfounded in my favorite UCLA sweatpants complete with a good hole or two. On top of that, he presented to me a drop-dead gorgeous ring with a center stone that once belonged to his great-grandmother. I absolutely melted. It couldn’t have been more perfect!

The ceremony space drew us to the Luxe Sunset Boulevard. The olive trees in the courtyard are filled with beautiful twinkle lights and I knew our wedding ceremony would be at night. Also, as a wedding coordinator, I really want to have my wedding at a place that I hadn’t worked at before. I wanted it to be special to me on that day and this was the perfect place.

Photography: Michael and Anna Costa Photographers LTD / Cinematography: iMemory Films / Flowers: Peony & Plum / Event Design: Orange Blossom Special Events / Event Planning: Orange Blossom Special Events / Ceremony Location: The Luxe Sunset Boulevard / Reception Location: The Luxe Sunset Boulevard / Invitations: Papeterie / Dress: Cymbeline / Cake & Desserts: Vanilla Bake Shop & Sarah Schreckengaust / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Bill Levkoff / Jewelry: Swarovski / Hair & Makeup: Emily Dawn Artistry / Chuppah: Happy Chuppah

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bill Levkoff, California, Cheeseburgers, Color Palette Orange Blue, Cymbeline, iMemory Films, Jewish, Los Angeles, Michael and Anna Costa Photographers LTD, Orange Blossom Special Events, Papeterie, Peony & Plum, Pizza, Swarovski, The Luxe Sunset Boulevard, Vanilla Bake Shop
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

From James with red Bicycle Media … Natalia and Wayne are a very warm, passionate, and loving couple who made us feel very much at home. Their vision was a winter themed wedding inspired by one of their trips to their weekend getaway in upstate New York. The film intertwines and contrasts their city life and the beautiful sereneness of the mountains. It culminates at Cipriani on 42nd Street where real snow, cold and wet came down at their first dance.

Natalia and Wayne are the exactly the type of couple we love to work with. They appreciated and loved the art of our storytelling and were “all in” as far as the process.

Natalia has said the Same Day Edit makes not just her cry, but has made her husband, their loved ones, and even relative strangers tear up. I have no problem admitting that I can attest to that fact. So grab you’re tissues and enjoy this stunning Same Day Edit from red Bicycle Media.

natalia + wayne // SDE from red Bicycle Media on Vimeo

From the bride … My husband and I both grew up in New York City.  When we decided we wanted to marry in the City, we envisioned something very formal and very romantic.  We selected a venue, Cipriani 42, which we felt captured all of the romance of old New york.  Converted from an old bank, the space still has the tellar walls and giant marble columns.

We thought the most romantic time of year to be married in New York is in the winter.  We pictured a white wedding; all of our flowers were white and we brought in trees dusted with silver to ceate the feel of a snow covered forest.  We chose to call for black tie, to further the formality and romance of a winter wedding in New York.  People couldn’t understand why we wanted a winter wedding, and, at first, kept asking “What if there is a storm?”  We really wanted the city to be covered in a layer of white snow.

Of course, it hardly ever snows in New York in the middle of December, so our event designer David Beahm brought in a snow machine and timed it with our first dance. None of the guests could believe it was snowing on the dance floor!  New York City is a magical place to get married and we are so happy we chose to celebrate the beginning of our new lives together in our city!

Photography: Jerry Ghionis / Cinematography: red Bicycle Media / Floral & Event Design: David Beahm Design / Ceremony and Reception Location: Cipriani 42nd Street / Invitation Designer: Bernard Maisner / Catering: Cipriani 42nd Street / Cake: Sylvia Weinstock / Band: Starlight Orchestra / Wedding gown designer: Oscar de la Renta / Bridesmaid dress designer: Vera Wang / Bride’s Jewelry: Maurice / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Amanda Rudey Jewelry

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 20 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Amanda Rudey Jewelrey, Bernard Maisner, Black Tie, Cipriani 42nd Street, David Beahm Designs, Jerry Ghionis, Jewish, Manhattan, Maurice, New York City, Oscar De La Renta, red Bicycle Media, Snow, Snowflakes, Starlight Orchestra, Sylvia Weinstock, Traditional Elegance, Vera Wang, Wedding Cinematography, Winter Wedding
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Cinematography

From the Courtney Davidson Photography … Everything about this wedding was perfect– and not just because I walked to it from my apartment in Brooklyn, camera bag in-tow. Because Zena and Ronald were so excited to marry each other, all the other details of the day fell into place. From the beautiful waterfront ceremony at sunset, to the flowers which were nothing short of works of art, this wedding was reminder of why I love shooting weddings. Other than capturing the wonderful details, I focused half my time capturing the love Zena and Ronald have for each other, and the other half capturing the love they have for their friends and family. Having recently moved to Nashville, I look back on this wedding with fond memories of my old neighborhood and the pure joy of the day, grateful to have been a part of it.

From the beautiful bride … We met at a café and, hours later, found ourselves lost in Central Park, and not anxious to find our way out. Eager to make an impression on his accomplished date, Ronald regaled me with the concept that a German woman can obtain the same designation by marrying a doctor as by earning a doctoral degree. When he proposed, it was therefore on a prescription, inquiring if I would become “Frau Doktor Tamler”. The lifetime of refills won me over.

We needed to make sure that we had a trilingual wedding to accommodate our international guests. We also had to bridge Ron’s desire for a traditional Jewish wedding with my more “reform” sensibilities. We were very lucky that we found Rabbi Michael Dick, who speaks German, Hebrew and English and who, despite being traditional, allowed us to make the ceremony our own.

It was very important for us to make our guests feel at ease, and part of that was not having groomsmen or bridesmaids, but leaving our guests responsible only for enjoying the day. We did have an entire wedding weekend: A bachelor party on Friday night, a rehearsal dinner with 30-something family members and guests from out of town on Saturday night, and then the actual wedding on Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

Photography: Courtney Davidson / Floral Design: Denise Fasanello Floral Design / Event Design & Planning: Adrienne Colosimo, Bespoke Affairs / Ceremony Location: Giando on the Water / Reception Location: Giando on the Water / Invitations & paper products: Ajalon Printing & Design / Linen rentals: La Flor Events & Designs / Band: East Coast Band

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ajalon Printing & Design, Bespoke Affairs, Brooklyn, Courtney Davidson, Denise Fasanello Floral Design, East Coast Band, Giando on the Water, Jewish, La Flor Events & Designs, Waterfront
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Flowers

Robert and Kathleen Trenske are a husband and wife team who have the keen ability to capture all the details with big, bold clarity and all the emotions with a finesse and skill that few others have. And when you read their blog, you can just tell that they are really, fully consumed in every wedding that they shoot. On their blog, they share stories, not only of the day, but of the bride and groom … and you can just tell that thru the process, they’ve become friends!

What do we love about Avi and Julia’s wedding? All of it!

see the full gallery here

Do you want to know what moment it was that touched both Kathleen and Robert simultaneously? Head on over to their blog to hear the full story!

Congratulations ~ Julia & Avi!

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Location: The Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown, CT / Caterer: Margery Gussak Catering / Make-Up: D.D. Nickel / Bridal Gown: Watters / Shoes: Kate Spade / Flowers: Fleur de Lys Floral in New Haven, CT / Entertainment: Soulfarm

More of Robert and Kathleen’s fantastic wedding stories …

Kate & Spencer’s Wedding Story

Hillari & Danny’s Wedding Story

Jenny & Brett’s Wedding Story

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Connecticut, DD Nickel, Fleur de Lys Floral, Jewish, Kate Spade, Margery Gussak Catering, Middletown, Robert and Kathleen, Soulfarm, Wadsworth Mansion, Watters
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography