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From the Bride… When Danny asked me to marry him, we were in Italy. We both love all things Italian, and so it was a natural choice to plan our wedding to be in beautiful Tuscany. What we did not know was that soon after deciding this, we would also make the decision to move to Singapore.  So, planning our Tuscan wedding with 54 guests from England while living in South East Asia was to be the way!  Enter Clara, the best wedding planner in the world. Together, we sent pictures and ideas back and forth across continents through the power of email, and had a huge amount of fun planning our wedding, which turned out to be, we think, just perfect!

We chose Vignamaggio as our venue as it is truly stunning. All our guests could stay there together, and the art history of the place added a special connection as I am an art teacher. The most important thing to us was that our family and  friends had a good time, as it would be the first time we had seen most of them in a year. We therefore wanted to spread the celebrations over 3 days, so we could relax and spend time with everyone. So, Clara helped us plan a pizza party, with amazing views of the Tuscan hills, pots of herbs and tomatoes on the tables and a big barrel of wine for the night before.

On the wedding day we had a beautiful orange theme, with paper parasols, paint brushes in jars for the table setting, lights hanging from the trees, a yummy candy bar, and an amazing live band we had found on our previous visit to Tuscany. The tables were named after Italian artists, and the cake was made from wheels of cheese. A projector screen played a message from my very pregnant sister who was 2 days over her due date! We laughed, danced, ate, drank and loved. The photo booth pictures make me giggle every time I look at them! It was a wonderful day, even more beautiful than we had imagined. The next day we had a BBQ party with a big hammock, big orange and pink lanterns hanging from the trees, and photos of my Mum and Dad on their wedding day hanging from the trees as it was their 40th wedding anniversary.

The whole thing was so much fun to plan, and Clara was inspirational and romantic and made us feel like anything was possible.  Having friends and family involved made it personal.  Our good friend Gurjinder designed the logos on all the stationery, Mum hand tied all the brushes and labels for the table settings, two of our best friends Claire and Jane did readings during the ceremony, our good friend Young was the DJ and my Godmother managed to sneak the photos of Mum and Dad out of their house after some conspiring long distance phone calls! It was relaxed, fun, beautiful and my husband and I have not yet had a day without looking together at the photographs and smiling as we remember the most fantastic and fabulous three days.

Wedding Photography: Lelia Scarfiotti Photographer / Venue & Catering: Vignamaggio / Wedding Planning & Design: Chic Weddings In Italy / Florist: Marie Lou / Music: Baraba’s Band / Hair: Mej Staff

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Post tags: Baraba's Band, Calla Lillies, Candy Bar, Chic Weddings, Destination Wedding, DIY Photo Booth, Italy, Lelia Scarfiotti Photographer, Marie Lou, Mason Jars, Mej Staff, Orange, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Parasols, Tuscany, Vignamaggio
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Destination, Destination Weddings, Italy Weddings

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From Ben Yew Photography… Astin & Ben Piper chose this venue because of the natural surrounds, rustic feel and great management. They were inspired by the theme romance and nature. The wedding reception and ceremony were held at a rustic old cider factory which was recently re-branded as “The Real River Company,” formally known as the “Old Goldfields Orchard.” Family members traveled from South Africa to attend the wedding. Ben, the Groom, composed and performed a song for the Bride during the reception. The ceremony was held in the orchard which was beautiful and most of the decorations were prepared by the venue. They will be honeymooning in Smith Beach Resorts down south. Both of them are teachers.

Wedding Photography: Ben Yew Photography / Wedding Reception & Ceremony Location: The Real River Company / Floral Design: Meg Rayner of The Real River Company / Wedding Cake: Little Gem Cakes / Rings: Nina’s Jewelry Bunbury / Wedding Dress: Ares and Graces / Bridesmaid Dresses: Studio Collections / Hair: Cody of Brooke Fiore

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Post tags: Apple Orchard, Apples, Area and Graces, Australia, Ben Yew Photography, Blue, Brooke Fiore, Bunting, Candy Bar, Donnybrook, Lanterns, Little Gem Cakes, Mason Jars, Natural Elements, Nature Themed, Nina's Jewelry Bunbury, Outdoor Ceremony, Paper Lanterns, Picnic Tables, Pink, Rustic, Studio Collections, The Real Rive Company, Western Australia, White
Post categories: Australia Weddings, Casual Elegance

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From 13:13 Photography… Jill and Rich’s beautiful beach wedding held at the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa. They had perfect weather, a perfect timeline, complete with a “First-look” and pre-ceremony portraits.

Their ceremony site was very unique and unlike most beach-side ceremonies. It was masked under a canopy of mangroves which created soft beautiful light. Jill also accentuated the mangroves by adding paper lanterns along the path to the aisle. (Nice touch!) We were really impressed by the amount of effort, details and do-it-yourself goodness sprinkled throughout the entire day. The reception was no exception with DIY props for their Fauxto-booth, poloroid guest sign-in, candy-bar, and a whole host of other goodies!

Wedding Photography: 13:13 Photography / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa / Wedding Coordination: The Bride / Flowers: Heaven & Earth Floral / DJ: Mike Kontos / Lighting & Decor: Celebrations by Kathy / Wedding Cake: Sweet Tiers / Hair & Makeup: The Spa at Jupiter Beach Resort / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Wedding Signs: Our Hobby to Your Home / Cake Topper: Milk Tea

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Post tags: 13:13 Photography, Beach Wedding, Candy Bar, Celebrations by Kathy, David's Bridal, DIY Projects, FL, Florida, Green, Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa, Milk Tea, Our Hobby to Your Home, Outdoor Wedding, Palm Beach, Paper Lanterns, Photo Booth, Pink, Priscilla of Boston, Slice of Heaven Catering, Sweet Tiers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Florida Weddings, West Palm Beach

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From Brosnan Photographic…Ciara and Rian chose to have a second wedding celebration in the South of France shortly after their first celebration in Ireland. This time they invited more friends and family rather than just their parents for a big celebration. Ciara and Rian chose to meet before the ceremony this time for some photos around the old walled city of Carcassonne before heading to Domaine Gayda. After the outdoor ceremony in the pool house we headed into the vineyard for more photos. The vines were just starting to come up. After dinner we had a private tour and more opportunity for photos in the wine cellar, a special treat!

Wedding Photography: Brosnan Photographic / Wedding Gown: Ernest Perryman Designs / Wedding Cake: the groom / Flowers: Local Carcassonn market / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bridesmaid’s Shoes: Kurt Geiger / Decor: Starlit Nest + Avoca + IKEA + A. Rubanesque / Bride’s Make Up: Le Poudrier D’Elise / Bride’s Hair: Laurent Creation / Wedding Stationery: Swoon Creative Design / Venue: Domaine Gayda

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Post tags: A. Rubanesque, Avoca, Brosnan Photographic, Buttercream, Carcassonne, Christian Louboutin, Destination Wedding, Domaine Gayda, Ernest Perryman Designs, France, Ikea, Kurt Geiger, Laurent Creation, Le Poudrier D'Elise, Outdoor Ceremony, Paper Lanterns, Starlit Nest Gifts, Swoon Creative Design, Wedding Veil, Winery
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings, France Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance

Be a part of this magically day with this sweet film by Benoit Rousseau!

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From the Bride… For Romain and I, who have lived in so many different places, our wedding was an extremely important day since it was our only chance to gather all our dearest friends and family around us at once. That is the reason why a wedding in France was not an option. We wanted to spend some quality time with our guests since we hardly ever see them. A day or a weekend would have flown by too quickly. That’s how we decided to do a destination wedding: One complete week of great activities, discoveries, emotions and laughter.

When Romain and I moved to Miami in 2009 and fell in love with Islamorada and its beautiful sunsets, we knew that it was the perfect place to celebrate our union with our loved ones.  I promised my guests that all they had to worry about was buying their flights… and that once in Miami I would take care of everything. People flew in from Sweden, England, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, NYC… I spent a whole year planning these ten days that none of us will ever forget: from the catamaran trips, the hotel reservations, the dinner parties, sunset cocktails, BBQs, full moon dinners, fishing trips, snorkeling trips, the limo rides, photo shoots, the pool parties, etc. Romain and I both worked in the Events and Hospitality industry in Miami so we had a lot of connections which we could never thank enough. I also wanted to add a few sweet touches such as the Welcome Bags which I placed in each bedroom with personalized sunscreens, Aloe Vera, caffeine pills, headache tables, a pair of flashy Rayban sunglasses, an individually signed welcome card and a full program with each activity of the week detailed and other important touristic information and tips on Miami and Islamorada.

After visiting various venues in Islamorada, we decided to rent a gorgeous private villa which was located right next to the beautiful Ocean Dawn hotel. The hotel has eight beautiful suites which were all occupied by our guests who could come to our villa by simply walking through the beach. This was perfect as it made our wedding venue very intimate.

My friend’s help before and during the wedding meant the world to me. Everyone cried when my friend Rebecca starting singing when I was walking down the aisle. I received a ton of compliments on the bridesmaids’ dresses, which were designed and hand made by Stephanie. Claire did an amazing job at styling my hair and Jill designed my oh-so-chic menus. Finally, our friend Ben made us the best gift one married couple could ever expect: He immortalized our day with his camera. The video is really touching and shows what a talented cinematographer he is.

Thanks to a lot of blogs like Style Me Pretty, I created a moodboard and opted for a sweet, charming, casual and yet very romantic atmosphere. I used seeded paper cards that say “Share and Blossom” as escort cards so people could keep them and grow flowers once back at home… a little reminder of our vacations together.  For the centerpieces, I found an assortment of beautiful clear and blue old mason jars and small blue vases, which I decorated with lace and filled with simple flowers: yellow daisies, hydrangeas and billy balls. I placed the name cards and food descriptions in lemons on the tables and buffet. Blue and white paper lanterns were hanging from the tent and bouncing in the wind. Paper umbrellas and sandalwood fans were available for our guests to keep cool and lavender buds and bubble gels were distributed before the ceremony. The dress code was “rock that bow tie” for the gents and “hair accessory” for the ladies.  It was simple, fun, romantic and chic. Perfect for a beach wedding.

Wedding Photography: Robert Rios Photography / Cinematography: Benoit Rousseau, Friend of the Bride & Groom / Flowers: DIY, The Bride + The Flower Bazaar / Event Planning: DIY, The Bride / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Southern Diversion (Private Estate Rental) / Wedding Invitations: DIY, The Bride / Menu Design: A2 Studio / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Michael Kors / Bridesmaid Dresses: Designed by Stephanie, Friend of the Bride / Hair: Friend of the Bride / Accommodations: Ocean Dawn Suites

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Post tags: A2 Studio, Beach Wedding, Blue, DIY Projects, FL, Florida, Florida Keys, Grey, Mason Jars, Michael Kors, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Paper Umbrellas, Pronovias, Robert Rios Photography, Southern Diversion, The Flower Bazaar, Yellow
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Florida Weddings

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From the Bride… We wanted our wedding to feel like a party we would throw – not a production…and it was so great to hear that our friends did pick up on the details! From the brand of gin to the pork tacos at the end of the evening, we kept it personal. Laid-back, but classy.

My dress was a combo of two Alvina Valenta Dresses. I was going for romantic/preppy — the pleated hem was an addition. My shoes were orange ballet flats with satin bows from Sundance Catalog.  My earrings were costume jewelry I bought to wear on our first date and the bracelet my sister wore for her wedding.

A special addition to our ceremony that made it unique was the minister, who was Jacob’s teacher in Jr. High and has remained a mentor over the years.  For a DIY project, we collected family wedding photos to place on the fireplace mantle in coordinating silver frames.

The best moment of our wedding day was dancing towards the end of the night under the twinkle lights…we were having an incredible time and it was clear that our friends and family were, too. “We totally nailed this wedding,” as Jacob put it.

My biggest piece of advice for brides and grooms planning their wedding today is don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by the decision-making process. Go with your gut and move on…enjoy your engagment, don’t stress or second guess yourself!

Wedding Photography: Sweet Caroline Photo / Wedding Venue: Allan House / Event Coordination: Kerry Duggan of BZ events / Floral Design: Posey Floral and Event Design / Hair: Kristen of Lather Salon / Makeup: Christy Edlin Makeup / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Groomsmen Ties: LulaKate / Bridesmaid Dresses: LulaKate / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Bride’s Hair Piece: Lo Boheme / Bride’s Shoes: Sundance / Wedding Invitations: Rhonda Warren of Color Box Design & Letterpress / Catering: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering / Wedding Cake: Blue Note Bakery / Linens: Marquee / Lighting: Ilios Lighting

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Post tags: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering, Alvina Valenta, Austin, Blue Note Bakery, BZ Events, Christy Edlin Makeup, Color Box Design & Letterpress, Hanging Flowers, Hugo Boss, Ilios LIghting, Lather, Lo Boheme, Lula Kate, Marquee, Mason Jars, Orange, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Posey Floral and Event Design, Sundance, Sweet Caroline Photo, Texas, The Allan House, TX, Yellow
Post categories: Austin Weddings, Casual Elegance, Texas Weddings

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From the Bride… The official story is that Stan and I met through friends while he was in med school and I was in business school.  The more interesting story is that we met during one fateful, crazy night on 6th Street in Austin.  Our romance was long-distance for the first couple of years, but we both came to the quick realization that it was truly something special, and Stan proposed almost 3.5 years after that first night on the town.

We planned our wedding over the course of 12 months.  It was important to us that the day be incredibly personal, colorful and natural while drawing upon key elements of our shared Chinese backgrounds.  Most of all, we wanted everyone to have fun!  We have both always been drawn to blue hues, and red is very symbolic in the Chinese culture, so royal blue, turquoise and red became an obvious palette for us.

When we visited the Wild Onion Ranch, we immediately knew that the property, with its sprawling grounds, huge oak trees, outdoor dance floor and eclectic yard art, was perfectly suited to what we hoped would be a largely outdoor celebration.  To seal the deal, they even had longhorn cattle roaming the front pasture!

As guests arrived prior to the ceremony, they were greeted with St. Germain champagne cocktails to help set the mood and kick off the festivities.  The brief ceremony was held at sunset atop a picturesque hill under a semi-circle of giant oak trees.  We walked down the aisle to contemporary string music selections and read our own vows to each other.  Homemade ceremony programs were also provided in the form of scalloped fans, which we hoped would help cool our guests in the unseasonably warm April heat.

It was important to us that the members of our wedding party be able to reflect their own personalities.  The bridesmaids created their own style using royal blue convertible dresses and each held different bouquets of red flowers and succulents, while the groomsmen each wore a turquoise tie with a unique royal blue screen print specially chosen by the groom.

We incorporated a variety of personal touches throughout the evening.  Chinese elements included lanterns adorning both the ceremony and reception areas, illuminated water lilies in the pool and custom-made mandarin duck cake toppers (a symbol of wedded bliss and relationship longevity).  Our florist delivered on our request for bright and natural centerpieces by using different combinations of wheatgrass, wildflowers and citrus fruits.  Stan brewed two types of craft beers for the occasion and we even made our own hand-picked blueberry “sloe” gin to give out as favors!  Stan was also able to share his love of sweets with a blue-themed candy bar that was placed by the exit toward the end of the night.  Finally, to help keep the party going we had a hilarious flip book booth, glow sticks that were distributed on the dance floor during our requested techno song and post-wedding transportation on buses with dance poles!

Perhaps the most memorable part of the evening was at the very end, when guests were invited to light huge white (100% biodegradable) wish lanterns as a send-off.  Unfortunately, high winds prevented many of the lanterns from being lit, but the effect was just as picturesque and serene with the few that flew up into the night.  It was the perfect way to cap off the most amazing day of our lives.

Photography: Ku Photography / Floral Design: Bouquets of Austin / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Wild Onion Ranch / Wedding Coordination: Barbara Hearne & Kristi Treadwell of Barbara’s Brides / Wedding Cake: Blue Note Bakery / Catering: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering / Rentals: Premiere Party Central / Hair & Makeup: method.hair / Wedding Dress: Stardust Celebrations / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: Restoration Threads / Cake Topper: County Squirrels-R-Us / Flower Girl Basket: Fleur Detaillee / Flower Girl Sash & Hair Accessories: Project U / Bride’s Hair Piece: ivoryONwhite / Custom Groom & Groomsmen Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Flip Books: On The Flipside / Officiant: Michael Boles / Save the Dates: Paperless Post / Wedding Invitations: The Paper Kutt / DJ: Mr. Thrill DJ & Bands / Ceremony Music: String Music / Shuttle Bus: Bongo Bus

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Post tags: 2 Dine 4 Fine Catering, Austin, Barbara's Brides, Blue, Blue Note Bakery, Bongo Bus, Bouquets of Austin, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, Etsy, Grey, Kate Spade, Ku Photography, method.hair, Michael Boles, Mr. Thrill DJ & Bands, On The Flip Side, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Paperless Post, Premier Party Central, Red, Stardust Celebrations, String Music, Texas, The Paper Kutt, The Wild Onion Ranch, TX, Yellow
Post categories: Austin Weddings, Casual Elegance, Texas Weddings

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Our wedding could only be a travel theme! I’d grown up in five countries, my husband and I were long-distance for two years, and when I finally moved to Singapore, where I was born and he grew up, we both took jobs that sent us out of the country five days a week. In the six years before we got engaged, I worked in ten countries, and he worked in five. We’d have dates at the airport lounge and buy household toiletries in duty-free. He proposed in International Arrivals after I got off a 16-hour flight, with a five-meter red banner that read, “AMY WILL YOU MARRY ME?” Finally, we were making our guests fly to Bali with us for a destination wedding. We had to laugh at it all!

We set a lighthearted mood with a Save-the-Date that read, “After Chasing Each Other Around the World, Amy and TQ are Finally Settling Down.”  A map tracked our various travels together, with a big heart over Bali. Our invitation told our story over three accordion folds, fastened with an airplane sticker. Guests’ welcome bags held, amongst other goodies, a bottle of citronella oil to ward off tropical mosquitoes. Our welcome dinner featured a pub quiz organized around cities we’d visited. As favors, we designed a CD mix called “Around the World with TQ and Amy,” featuring our favorite world music with personalized liner notes. We had programs shaped like luggage tags and airplane confetti, punched out of map pages, at our Western ceremony. Lastly, at the reception, we had a photo booth with travel props like suitcases. Our tables were named after cities, and our menu was divided into “Take-off” (appetizers), “Cruising” (mains), and “Landing” (desserts).

Indonesia was significant to us because TQ had been a diplomat in Jakarta, and I had worked in the country for a few years. In addition to our colors – chartreuse, charcoal, and plum – we incorporated a traditional Yogyakarta batik print into our paper goods, table settings, and groomsmen’s custom shirts. Even though our ceremony was very modern, we added some Indonesian touches in the rindik music at our ceremony (well, before the Beatles came on), the family-style Indonesian-Western reception dinner, and a coffee bar with joe from all over Indonesia. We unexpectedly had to draw on a very traditional Balinese resource too: the tukang terang, a rain-stopping mystic, who worked miracles in pushing the looming rainclouds away from our ceremony site. Being ethnic Chinese, we also worked in a Chinese tea ceremony and traditional yam seng toast, punctuated by fireworks.

A vacation in Bali, we hoped, would be a great way for loved ones from different parts of our lives to befriend one another. We booked the entire resort for our wedding party, which contributed to an unhurried feel. Our guests went on organized outings together, like elephant rides and a volcano trek. By the end of the wedding, they were taking vacations together. Almost a year on, my husband and I have moved from Singapore to Boston, and are continuing our adventures!

Wedding Photography: Erin Hearts Court / Wedding Venue: Alila Ubud / Paper Products: Hello Tenfold / Printer: Intrapress / Floral Design: Gloriosa Flower House / Makeup: Eka of Bali Makeup Artists / Bridesmaid Dresses: Butter by Nadia / Wedding Dress: Anna Maier-Ulla Maija Couture (“Regine”) / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bride’s Head Piece: Jenny Packham (“Acacia II”) / Necklace: J.Crew / Earrings: Christopher Larry / Groom’s Suit: Kingsmen / Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo / Groom’s Shirt: Custom by CYC The Custom Shop

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Post tags: Acacia II, Alila Ubud, Anna Maier-Ulla Maija Couture, Ayung River Valley, Bali, Bali Makeup Artists, Butter by Nadia, charcoal, chartreuse, Chinese Tea Ceremony, Christian Louboutin, coffee bar, CYC The Custom Shop, Destination Wedding, Erin Heart's Court, Fireworks, Gloriosa Flower House, Green, Grey, Hello Tenfold, indonesia, Indonesian, Intrapress, J. Crew, Jenny Packham, Kingsmen, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Lanterns, Photo Booth, Plum, Purple, Rindik Music, Salvatore Ferragamo, Travel Theme, Yam Sent Toast, Yogyakarta Batik Print
Post categories: Destination