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From Gina Cella Photography… The wedding couldn’t have been more perfect. It was like a fairytale. Set in a walnut grove in the hills of Southern California. The sunlight made for a perfect ceremony, and the sunset created an enchanted glow for a beautiful reception. The location was about 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles at Tierra Rejada Ranch, a Walnut Grove in Moorpark, CA.

The ceremony was quaint with cute white chairs in rows in the grass overlooking rows of walnut trees.
Every moment was perfect, the bright light in the early day was wonderful, and the harvest light in the evening slowly went down making the dance floor illuminate with help from the cafe lights strung over the reception area.

Its fun to see such a casual setting so dressed up. Ashley had help from her friend Alex Michael May who is breaking out in weddings and events. She did an amazing job with the yellow and gray color scheme. Everything from the rustic lemonade bar, to the adorable sweets table, was all her.

The bride was the most calm and cheerful bride I’ve ever worked with. Her dress was a sweetheart neckline, empire waist, and flowing. She wore a flower in her hair made by her friend Alex Michael May. The groom, who came from a very large family (some traveled from Mexico for the wedding day) was an extremely attentive and warm person. They met each other at their work years ago, and have been inseparable ever since. I got to know them quite well after shooting their engagement photos. They seemed truly relaxed and at peace at their wedding. Such a fab couple.

The light was perfect (although…coming from Chicago, every day here in California seems to be picture perfect for a wedding), everyone was having the time of their lives dancing and going gaga over the treats, the lemonade bar, and the corner photo booth with costumes to pick from. Their wedding day seemed like fairytale, and at times I forgot I was even working. Even I was smiling ear to ear. It was impossible not to!

Wedding Photography: Gina Cella Photography / Photography Assistant: Maia Harms / Event Styling + Decor: Alex Michael May of We See Rainbows / Wedding Venue: Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch / Flowers: Sonia’s Flowers / Catering: Command Performance / Cakes + Cupcakes: The Cupcakery / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Shoes: Nina / Jewelry: “Something Borrowed” from Bridesmaids / Groom + Groomsmen Shoes: Vans

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Post tags: California Weddings, Command Performance Catering, Gina Cella Photography, Lemons, Maggie Sottero, Maia Harms, Nina, Outdoor Wedding, Sonia's Flowers, The Cupcakery, Vans, Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch, We See Rainbows, Yellow
Post categories: California Weddings, Casual Elegance

And speaking of gorgeous beach weddings that had us at hello, this New Zealand beauty did just that. We have nothing short of heart pitter-pattering, insta-love for this yellow-infused stunner. Jel Photography manned the camera helm and produced one fabulous image after another. Lucky you, they are all camping out in the full gallery and just waiting for your click!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Our Waiheke island wedding was a magical day in a stunning place despite the rain! The ceremony was held on my grandfather’s lawn overlooking Onetangi Beach with 100 friends and family watching on. This was followed by a reception at Mudbrick Vineyard where we made an entrance on a bike and danced in to the morning. Everything was perfect and just as we had imagined. Our favourite part of the day was being able to spend it with all our family and friends – many of who had travelled from overseas. This was the first time ever that my entire family had been together in one place – this was very special.

We wanted to have a fairly relaxed wedding overlooking the sea as both of us love to spend time in the stunning NZ outdoors. Lemon was the colour theme which was used throughout the wedding from the bridesmaids dresses to the handmade lemon candles as favours. We also used fresh lemons to brighten up the wedding ceremony and my mother-in-law made us our delicious lemon wedding cake.

We tried to do as many personal touches and involve our family in as many ways as possible as we felt this was a huge part of what our wedding was about. Aaron had my younger brother as a groomsman and my Grandad signed our register. On my flowers I had a vintage dragonfly brooch which my late grandfather had given to my mum as my “something old”. We used wine barrells to decorate the wedding ceremony reception which were from Casita Miro vineyard where Aaron had recently carried out a renovation for work and made our entrance to our wedding reception on an old push bike as Aaron is a keen rider and this tied in with the images on our invitations and stationary.

Wedding Photography: Jel Photography / Ceremony Location: Private Residence / Wedding Invitations: Bride + Sister of the Groom / Bride’s Shoes: Wittner / Wedding Dress: The White One from Jane Yeh / Jewelry: Shell Shock / Groom’s Suit: Working Style / Hair + Make-up: Nikki Paton from Stephen Marr / Reception Location: Mudbrick Vineyard

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Post tags: Auckland, Jane Yeh, Jel Photography, Lemons, Modern, Mudbrick Vineyard, New Zealand Wedding, Shell Shock, Stephen Marr, Wittner, Working Style
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Real Weddings, The Blog

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From Leigh, at SugarLove Weddings: After being close friends throughout school it took Karen and Paul over 2 years after graduation to declare their love to the world. Paul proposed on Boxing Day on a whard overlooking a bay in Sydney with his late Grandmother’s engagement ring.

The couple were married at The Tea Room, Gunners Barracks in Sydney in December 2010. The wedding had a bright yellow colour theme with the ceremony courtyard decorated with rustic flowers hanging in recycled jars and hand-made vintage fabric bunting floated overhead. A dear friend of the couple sang a love song as the bride walked down the aisle with her father. As a surprise for the guests Karen & Paul arranged for their father to officiate the ceremony.  The bride’s bouquet was filled with peonies, billy buttons, daisies, freesias and Queen Anne’s Lace. The evening reception had an intimate dinner party vibe with the tables set up banquet style. The couple used small round blackboards with lemons for place settings and locally sourced hessian as table runners.

Overall it was an evening filled with laugher and heartfelt times with family & friends, great food & wine and lots of great Jazz tunes.

Wedding Photography: SugarLove Weddings / Floral Design: Jodie McGregor Flowers / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: The Tea Room, Gunners Barracks / Ceremony Music: Friend of the Bride & Groom / Wedding Dress: Custom by Jenet Zaiter Couture / Bride’s Shoes: PeepToe / Bridesmaid Skirts: Cue / Bridesmaid Tops: Custom by Jenet Zaiter Couture / Groom’s Suit: Conte Tailoring / Wedding Stationery: DIY, The Bride / Wedding Cinematography: White Designs

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Post tags: Australia, Balloons, Black, Bunting, Conte Tailoring, Cue, Gunners Barracks, Jenet Zaiter Couture, Jodie McGregor Flowers, Lemons, SugarLove Weddings, Sydney, The Tea Room, Vintage Chic, White, White Designs, Yellow
Post categories: Australia Weddings, Whimsical

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From the Bride… Alex and I met at Homecoming at our alma mater.  I was a senior in college and he was an alumnus (we did not overlap at school). We hit it off over a conversation about his upcoming trip to Argentina and his desire to learn to tango in preparation. I had studied abroad in Buenos Aires but didn’t have the heart to tell him that he did not need to know tango. Our first date was a tango lesson!

Our second date was when everything just clicked. We lived in Philadelphia at the time. We went to Tinto for a phenomenal tapas dinner. It was pouring so we sprinted to a bar down the block.  The bar ended up having a photo booth. We jumped in to take photos and our first kiss was on the third photo! I still have it in my wallet. (Ever since, we have made a point of using the photo booth whenever we come across one in our travels.)

Our wedding look was inspired by Alex’s family plaid.  We have strong connections to our families and it was important to us to weave pieces of both families into this event that joins them together.  From Alex’s family, we chose the plaid color scheme, had our ceremony officiated by a close family friend, and held the wedding in Alex’s home town at the club where he once caddied. From my family, I wore my cousin’s (MOH) veil, wrapped my bouquet in my great-grandmother’s handkerchief that my mom used in her wedding, wore my grandmother’s ring on my left hand and put a silver pence from my father’s family in each of our shoes.  From each other, Alex wore monogrammed cufflinks and I wore blue shoes from Argentina, which were both the first gifts we gave each other. Combining these elements made our wedding a deeply personal event that celebrated the joining of our families and their traditions.

The wedding flowers were really important to me since my grandmother, who passed away when I was young, was an avid gardener and flower arranger. My last memory of my grandmother is her teaching me how to put together an intricate arrangement of flowers from her garden. With that in mind, I worked with Kim Foren of Geranium Lake to create fresh, luscious, playful bouquets and arrangements highlighted by bright blues, greens and yellows. I am a fan of succulents, which Kim incorporated throughout. The bridesmaids’ and my bouquets were primarily yellow with green accents. The yellow calla lily that appeared in my bouquet was also on Alex’s boutonniere. The ceremony took place under a giant oak tree (which we incorporated into the groomsmen’s ties), and the aisle and altar area were accented with bright blue hyacinths and lemons.

We wanted a simple wedding cake that was still fun and tied into the rest of our wedding. Our one-tier yellow cake (Alex is picky – no chocolate cake for him!) with white frosting, yellow polka dots and blue ribbon around the base was balanced on top of a clear vase and topped with flowers and lemons.

Although Hurricane Earl missed us, our outdoor ceremony experienced high winds that swept my cathedral length veil straight up in the air where it hung for a second and then off my head.  It floated towards the Hudson River; the crowd gasped; my cousin/MOH snatched it one handed before it flew over the wall.  She had a strong incentive since, after all, it is her veil.  We have re-watched it on video since and it is quite a sequence.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was the silver pence, because it was a complete surprise to us!  The day before, my mom gave us each a six pence piece that my father’s family had used at all of their weddings.  We were thrilled to incorporate something with such a long family tradition.  Alex was distraught the day after our wedding when he thought he had lost it.  As luck would have it, on the last day of our honeymoon, it fell out of Alex’s sock!

Floral Design: Kim Foren of Geranium Lake Flowers / Wedding Photography: Elena Gorelik Photography / Wedding Venue: Sleepy Hollow Country Club / Catering: Sleepy Hollow Country Club / Engagement Ring: Tiffany & Co. / Wedding Bands: Zell’s / Wedding Dress: Christos (Marisel) via Belle Vie Bridal Couture / Veil: Borrowed from Maid of Honor, Cousin of the Bride / Bride’s Ceremony Shoes: Purchased in Argentina, Gift from The Groom / Bride’s Reception Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Groom’s Attire: Rock’s Custom Tailor / Groom’s Shoes: Johnston & Murphy / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Groom, Groomsmen, Officiant & Family Ties: Vineyard Vines / Rehearsal Dinner: Vintage Bar & Restaurant / Wedding Cake: Tarrytown Bakery / Accomodations: The Ritz-Carlton / Music: Rhythm Nights of Hank Lane Music / Makeup: The Ritz-Carlton Spa / Officiant: Friend of the Family / Transportation: The Ritz-Carlton / Wedding Invitations: The Bride / Groom’s Cufflinks: Tiffany & Co. / Groom’s Watch: TAG Heuer / Dance Lessons: Arthur Murray Studios / Honeymoon Planning: Sharon Elsen of Cardoza-Bungey Travel

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Post tags: Arthur Murray Studios, Badgley Mischka, Belle Vie Bridal Couture, Cardoza-Bungey Travel, Christos, Elena Gorelik Photography, Geranium Lake Flowers, Green, Hank Lane Music, Hudson Valley, J. Crew, Johnston & Murphy, Lemons, Navy Blue, New York Weddings, NY, Outdoor Ceremony, Plaid, Rhythm Nights, Rock's Custom Tailor, Sleepy Hollow Country club, Tag Heuer, Tarrytown Bakery, The Ritz Carlton, Tiffany & Co., Vineyard Vines, Vintage Bar & Restaurant, Yellow
Post categories: Hudson Valley Weddings, New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

Visit the gallery for lots more!

From Theresa of Altura Studio … Laurel and Kevin’s wedding day had a full-on, overhead, hot sun. What I loved about their color palette was how the crisp lemony tones seemed like a cool sorbet to break up the heat. Zenith Vineyard is a gorgeous winery that was constructed with weddings in mind. The main chateau-esque building looks out over lush green vineyards surrounded by the rolling Amity Hills. Their choices about their wedding style seems to hit just the right note between rustic and refined. A balance between farm and fancy. The couple, as well as their families and friends, were able to relax and enjoy their festive summer evening.

From the bride … Seeing each other for the first time was one of the most exhilarating moments of the day  and we wanted that special time captured. Altura Studio was perfect in this moment and in the rest of the day. They were wonderful, and we’re so happy with the outcome. Another very special touch to our day was including our 2 dogs, Goldie and Shiloh. They walked down the aisle and were a part of our wedding party. They are so important to us and it wouldn’t have been the same without them!

Photographer: Altura Studio / Videographer: Hybrid Moon / Wedding Gown: Rivini / Bridesmaids Dresses: Watters / Floral Designer: Kathy Kelly / Wedding Planner: Claudine Slater / Invitation: Lallie from Uptowne Papers / Calligrapher: Karen Soderling of Printing Partners

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Post tags: Altura Studio, Hybrid Moon, Kathy Kelly, Lemons, Oregon, Rivini, Uptowne Papers, vineyard, Watters
Post categories: Bridal Party, Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

Click here to see the rest of this pretty Pennsylvania Wedding in the gallery

Christina and Mike’s wedding at Cairnwood Estate this August was a sweet day! The weather at this iconic venue was amazing, and the decor by La Petite Fleur, in a word, was refreshing. The couple’s fun personalities were displayed in all aspects of the day–from their citrus arrangements, to their transportation ( a ‘decked-out’ Eagles Fan bus, driven by an NFL Fan’s Hall of Fame member). Even their entertainment was festive–the bride and groom asked friend, and well-known american guitarist, Tommy Conwell, of Tommy Conwell and The Young Rumblers fame, to rev up their cocktail hour.

Flowers, Decor and Accessories: La Petite Fleur / Venue: Cairnwood Estate / Caterer: Robert Fair Caterers / Entertainment: Tommy Conwell / Photography by Lori Gail Photography

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Post tags: Cairnwood Estate, Cirus, Color Palette Yellow, La Petite Fleur, Lemons, Lori Gail Photography, Robert Fair Caterers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Real Weddings

From Dia…

The couple, Bree and Nick, eloped in London’s Covenant Garden a little while back. But both missed the idea of celebrating their new marriage with their family and friends. Regretting not having a celebration, they decided to throw a wedding party for all to attend. The Groom’s parents and close relatives came from Europe to attend a ceremony and reception that they planned at unique historical villa near their home. Most of the details were completed by the couple’s family, including the adorable Cookie Bar with homemade family favorites. As well as the handmade Limoncello favors and Love Matches.

The florist behind the absolutely perfect centerpieces and detailing was Anne Mendenhall. Her work is this perfect combination of fresh from the garden and yet tailored at the same time. I love the use of lemons throughout, such a fun and yet inexpensive way to bring a bit of whimsy to the day. Super, super cute.

Actually everything about this wedding was darling. The cookie bar, filled with family recipes and treats that the bride has always enjoyed, the limoncello favors, the lemons as seating cards, the perfect flowers, the glowing bride…everything is completely gorgeous! Oh and the color palette of pinks, yellows and greens…PERFECTION.

Thank you so very much to Dia Rao for sending us today’s affair. Dia was a guest at the Lisa Vorce planned affair that we all fell in love with a while back and has been smitten with SMP ever since. We feel the same way about her.

More coming up!

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Post tags: Covenant Garden, dia rao photography, Elope, Lemons, limoncello, London
Post categories: Casual Elegance

Lacy and Gene were married in Orange, Connecticut with a reception at the Race Brook Country Club.

From flowers and flowergirls … maids to men … Carla & Mike captured Lacy and Gene’s wedding in such a nostalgic and romantic manner! Simply perfect…

All of these images ~ plus many more from Lacy & Gene’s wedding are over on Carla’s website.  Her site is filled with amazing photography and equally terrific weddings …

Congratulations, Lacy & Gene!!! And THANK-YOU CARLA for always providing us with such prettiness!!!

And for all you Style Circle geniouses, we’ll have these photos up in the galleries a little later this afternoon.

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Post tags: Carla Ten Eyck, Color Palette Yellow, Connecticut, Flower girls, Lemons, Orange, Parasol, Race Brook Country Club
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography