From the Bride… This is the Save-the-Date video I made for my upcoming wedding in May. Some of our friends are abroad and didn’t get to really hear the story of how we met, so we wanted to create a short story to fill our guests in on our brief history. I made it with Photoshop and iMovie on a Mac.

My fiance hired a photographer, Sharon Bushman, for the surprise proposal. I saw her in the corner of my eye after I said yes and thought “She must be a tourist (we were in Central Park).  I should get her email address in case she has photos.”  And what do you know, she’s a pro and captured that beautiful photo. This was my surprise video for my fiance. He gave me a photo, and I gave him a video.

Video: Grace Sakong, The Bride / Proposal Photographer: Sharon Bushman

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Post tags: Bali, indonesia, New York City, NYC, Save the Date, Video
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride…Our wedding was an unusual yet classic homage to NYC with guests being transported from the church (Old St. Pat’s in Nolita) to the reception site (Smackmellon Studios in Dumbo) via a 2 hour NYC Big Apple tour bus, programs and illustrated pins  incorporating sayings on life and love from New Yorkers both fictional and real, a Royal Tenenbaum themed photo booth to complement photos from our wedding party’s Royal Tenenbaum themed photo shoot hosted months prior to the wedding and NYC foodie favorite Joey Capanero of Little Owl catering it. So over all, a thoroughly NYC wedding with a lot of personal touches.

I really wanted our guests to feel pampered and also to get a sense of our relationship. We are OBSESSIVE about fashion, food, design, music and film so all those elements were key influences on our wedding.  Our invite included a fabric label dress code instructing guests to wear “greige” attire as well as a letter pressed map highlighting special restaurants and shops we frequented during our courtship. We had a traditional Catholic Ceremony to honor or parents but I had a Brooklyn children’s choir called Highbridge Voices sing elementary Catholic school songs that John and I both remembered as kids.

Royal Tenenbaums was the movie my husband and I bonded over on our first date so I had our wedding party take photos dressed as characters from the film and hosted a photo shoot shot by one of the bridesmaids who is also a photographer.  I framed the photos and these were then used as part of the reception décor.  I wanted our guests to join in the fun so we had a photobooth that mimicked The Royal Tenenbaums set along with key props.  Guests really enjoyed this! The escort card lockets (one of my favorite elements) echo one of the first gifts John every gave me while the jewelry boxes featured on tables are all vintage modeled after my mom’s art deco jewelry boxes I remember as a child, the vintage postcards on which guests were instructed to leave a note are of Cuba (where my parents are from), Philly (where my husband is from and NYC (where we make our home).

Photography: Angelica Glass Photography / Event + Floral Design: Hatch Creative Studio / Wedding Planner: Soraya Jollon / Ceremony Venue: St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral / Reception Venue: Smack Mellon Gallery / Catering: Joey Capanero of the little owl / Children’s Choir: Highbridge Voices

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Post tags: Angelica Glass Photography, Brooklyn, Hatch Creative Studio, Highbridge Voices, New York City, NY, NYC, Smack Mellon Gallery, Soraya Jollon, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, The Little Owl
Post categories: Brooklyn Weddings, Contemporary, New York Weddings

Click here to see the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Blair and I love the rustic, laid-back vibe of the garden at Frankies 457(and their delicious food!) and knew it would be the perfect location for our small, intimate wedding.  The ceremony and cocktail hour took place in their charming garden draped in ivy and grapevines and the reception was held in their converted blacksmith stable. We had a blast working with everyone at Frankies- from planning the menu to wine tasting for the event.  We thought it would be great for everyone to take home a little memento of the evening, and chose to give out the Frankies Cookbook as our favors (which included the recipes of everything on the menu that evening).

Poppies and Posies did an amazing job with the visual elements- vintage props, hand-calligraphy chalkboard signs and vibrant, Liberty of London inspired fabrics.  We wanted our flowers to look wild like they were just picked out of a garden, and the men’s boutonnieres included miniature thistle florets and ornamental oregano. Our absolute favorite was the refreshment station they put together- it helped to welcome all of our guests, and with a ball jar of bourbon spiked lemonade in hand it really made our ceremony feel all the more relaxed.  We are total suckers for stripey straws and couldn’t resist personalizing them with our initials.  We also loved their take on the guestbook- fabric swatches that everyone got to write on and hang in the dining room to serve as part of the décor.

We decided to take our photos before the ceremony, and our incredible photographer Robert Sukrachand suggested the best locations around Brooklyn Heights.  The neighborhood is full of charming brick townhouses and cobblestone streets. We also headed over to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, which was full of lush greenery and gorgeous views of the river.  He truly captured all of the details and the mood of the evening perfectly! We had so much fun working with all of our vendors- the end result was a very personal, special evening full of wonderful memories.  Our wedding felt like the ultimate dinner party- sharing great food and music on a beautiful summer evening with all of our closest family and friends.

Photography: Robert Sukrachand Photography / Flowers + Design + Details: Poppies and Posies / Venue: Frankie’s 457 Spuntino / Cupcakes: Baked NYC / Invitations: Rifle Paper Co. / Bride’s Attire: Sarah Seven / Bride’s Attire Purchased at: Lovely Bridal Shop / Groom’s Attire: Billy Reid / Makeup: Sally Duvall / Hair: Vu Nguyen

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Post tags: Baked NYC, Billy Reid, Brooklyn, Frankie's 457 Spuntino, Lovely Bridal Shop, New York, New York City, NYC, Poppies and Posies, Rifle Paper Co., Robert Sukrachand Photography, Sally Duvall, Sarah Seven, Vu Nguyen
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

Click here for the FULL shoot!

From the cinematographer…Kristy & Scott are such a sweet couple.  They knew of each other back in high school but did not meet and start dating until they both moved to New York City.  When I first meet up with Kristy & Scott to discuss doing video for their October 22, 2011 wedding, I could see how much they love each other.  I wanted to keep the video simple and let their love story unfold.  I feel that the excitement in their voices is captured so well and complements their expressions.  I can not wait till October to film their wedding.

Cinematography: Love & You Video

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Post tags: Engagement Video, Love & You Video, New York, New York City, NYC
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings

Proposal! Paul+Grace from Moetic Wedding Films on Vimeo.

From Sarah of Brilliant Event Planning…Paul contacted me because he wanted to propose to Grace in a way that was epic, memorable yet intimate. No skywriting or Times Square engagement for them – it needed to be private and personal. Since I’m known in New York City for creating dream proposals, I was ready to help.

Before I could get started on the creative side of their proposal, there were some nuts and bolts that needed to be fit into the picture.  Paul definitely wanted to get engaged in New York City on a particular Sunday afternoon because some friends were visiting from out of town and he wanted to organize a surprise engagement party after the Yes.  It had to be in the afternoon because they have a strong commitment to their church on Sunday mornings and he wanted to have a chic, sexy dinner for two immediately following the proposal.

Once I had all the criteria for the date & time nailed down, I moved into the design phase.  Having spent over an hour chatting with Paul about Grace, going over photos along with her likes and dislikes and learning about their unique love story, the biggest inspiration was the Korean dramatic TV shows that Grace was absolutely head-over-heels for. Besides the fact that she is an accomplished professional, natural athlete and a world traveler, at her core she is a true romantic.  I was also able to identify that Grace was not your “daisies and fingerpaints” kind of romantic. She is a city girl, born & raised in Korea, graduate of New York University – someone whose as fashionable as she is sweet and kind. And, her favorite color was pink.  Keeping all of those qualities in mind, I developed a concept of “Surrounded by Love.”   From the moment she stepped into her proposal, I wanted Grace to feel that she had entered a world where she was completely surrounded by Paul’s love….

Stay tuned for even more from this sweet proposal in this week’s Wrap It Up Pretty New York!

Photography: Blue Daisy Weddings / Cinematography: Moetic Wedding Films / Flowers: Brilliant Event Planning / Proposal Planning & Design: Brilliant Event Planning / Location: SoHo Gallery for Digital Art / Stationery: Brilliant Event Planning / Chef: Chef Ashton Keefe / Graphic Design: Kayleigh Jankowski

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Post tags: Blue Daisy Weddings, Brilliant Event Planning, Chef Ashton Keefe, Kavleigh Jankowski, Moetic Wedding Films, New York, NYC, Proposal, SoHo Gallery for Digital Art
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings

What do you do, how long have you been doing it and what makes you awesome?
I am a baker, and I produce decorated cake for special occasions. It’s nice to be refereed to as a “cake designer” or even a “cake artist”, but I stick to the title “baker”. I’ve been providing my cakes for 15 years now. The business really became a reality when I built my kitchen in SoHo ten years ago.It’s hard to define what keeps me apart; maybe it’s the combination of obsessive details and techniques along with outrageous designs.

What sets New York weddings apart from weddings anywhere else?
The people of New York are very style-oriented, and put a lot of effort in planning for their weddings. There is so much talent available to choose from, so every New York wedding can be very unique.

What kind of weddings do you love the most and what is your favorite trend right now?
I really love them all – from an intimate gathering for 50, to a grand occasion for more than 500. As long as we have a strong concept and harmony with the couple, I would flip backwards to make them happy. As for trends, I’ve started using black as an accent on our cakes few years ago. This year it became a very strong trend. We’re also seeing a return to very tall cakes, that shamelessly tower over the bride.

What is your biggest piece of advice for people planning a wedding?
I alway suggest to be realistic about the expectations; budgets are made to be broken, of course, but only if the good will really make you happy. I always give the couple few design and pricing options, and never push them to choose one or the other.

Who are your favorite vendor friends in New York that keep your inspiration flowing?
Oh, I love the gowns I see curated by Mark Ingram’s Bridal Atelier, and also have enjoyed visiting Gabriella NY Bridal Salon for getting inspired by the newest and most creative gowns. We bring our cakes to many wonderful locations, but the New York Palace has been an continuous source of inspiration with the grandeur of the surroundings coupled with impeccable service and attention to details.

click here for the full gallery of images!

There is more deliciousness coming you way later this afternoon, so come on back for a bookmark-worthy recipe straight from the talented (and beautiful) kitchen of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes!

Photography: Belathée Photography / Cakes: Ron Ben-Israel Cakes

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Baking, Bethalee, Interview, NYC, Ron Ben Israel, Sugar Flowers, Wedding Cakes
Post categories: New York Weddings, Wedding Cakes

click here for the full gallery of images!

From Sweet Little Photographs … Andrea and Garrette are from Alberta, Canada and they flew out to New York with three of their closest friends to get married on Easter Sunday in the Ladies Pavillion in Central Park. A buch of tourists were watching the entire ceremony and taking pictures, and even clapped after the first kiss. It was a lot of fun shooting the wedding and post wedding portrait session. The bride’s bouquet was from local flower market and the flowers were imported from France because those type of flowers are not available in NYC right now. This is just a fun shoot and proved you don’t have to go all out to still have a memorable wedding.

In case you missed them, here are the pretty posts from SMP New York this week:

a lovely Long Island affair
a sweet as can be soirée in Stony Brook
a mouth-watering prep to plate photo shoot
a seriously swoon-worthy SoHo photo shoot
a DIY Catskill celebration

A few pretty things we found around the web…

a funny take on people’s feelings on New York via Cup of Jo
a fabulous grilling buying guide via Oh Joy!
so many patio cushions so little time via Mrs. Lilien

Have SUCH a fabulous Memorial Day Weekend everyone! We’ll see you back here on Monday! xoxo, A.Blaire

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Central Park, Elopement, NYC, Sweet Little Photographs
Post categories: New York Weddings

click here for the full wedding gallery!

From the Bride…Our wedding developed after we visited some traditional venues, and some not so traditional venues, in the New York City area as well as in some of our favorite family destinations. After considering a few of these locations, none of them were really us. We met in the city and it turned out that we were most comfortable planning an event close to home, so we started looking locally. That’s when we started to research the Jefferson Market Garden. It was where we met for one of our first dates and we loved that it was such a welcoming, but intimate space, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. We’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and it gave us the kind of exposure to nature that we wanted for our ceremony, but within walking distance of our home. It sinuously blended our lifestyle with our inherent love of nature.

Once we settled on the garden, we set out to find a reception venue that was consistent with the small-scale, intimate theme. We knew we didn’t want a blowout wedding, but an event where we knew each of our guests on a personal level, and would have the opportunity to interact with them. While shying away from the time consuming reception traditions, we decided to do a cocktail hour where our guests could mingle and a sit down dinner that allowed for close, easy conversations. Eliminating the cake cutting, first dance and bouquet toss, etc. we were afforded the opportunity to share our evening with the ones we love.

Photography: Megan Greenlee Photography / Ceremony: Jefferson Market Garden / Reception: Bar Blanc Restaurant / Cake: Bar Blanc Restaurant / Coordination: James Norton (Day-Of Event Coordinator) / Hair and Make-up: Bride and Sister of the Bride / Bride’s Dress: Paloma Blanca / Bride’s Shoes: J Crew / Flowers: Bloomster Floral Design / Music: Venus Ensembles (Ceremony) / Invitations: Bella Figura / Rings: Arthur Groom & Company / Groom’s Suit: Jack Victor / Groom’s Tie and Accessories: Barneys New York

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arthur Groom & Company, Bar Blanc Restaurant, Barney's New York, Bella Figura, Bloomster Floral Design, J. Crew, Jack Victor, James Norton, Jefferson Market Garden, Megan Greenlee Photography, NYC, Paloma Blanca, Venus Ensembles
Post categories: Contemporary, New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, The Blog