I fell in love with John because of playfulness and his wit.  After I accepted his proposal, he immediately gave me a card that said, “Congratulations on your engagement.”  Then he cheerfully added, “Allow me to be the first.”

Our wedding was an opportunity to reconnect and revitalize our community.  We chose local vendors from our home in Portland, Oregon and prioritized a lovely setting, delicious food, wonderful music, and a sense of humor.  Family and friends traveled to Garden Vineyards in Hillsboro, Oregon for a garden party.  We greeted guests with family wedding photos and included a snap of our favorite newlyweds, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

Programs with apricot branches designed by Studio Olivine also welcomed guests.  John’s mom made everyone beautiful handkerchiefs, which slid into the programs’ fronts pockets.  Guests posed with silly props to snap instant photos they taped in a handmade guest book.  It is hilarious to see how the pictures evolve throughout the evening.  By the final pages, our cousins are posing with our college friends under wine-infused captions such as “new friends.”

John is a violinist and worked with Classical Revolution PDX to transcribe string music for our ceremony.  We walked down the aisle to Radiohead, the Velvet Underground, and Nina Simone.  Our dear friends Sara-Catherine Wheatley and W.C. Beck also sang tunes by Laura Veirs and Johnny Cash.  The most meaningful part of our ceremony was when we explained why we wanted to marry one another.  John once again cracked everyone up when he said, “I love how you challenge me in overt and subtle ways.  You told me you were tired of cooking most meals, then you bought me a waffle iron.”

Pam Zsorsi, owner of Ink & Peat, designed breathtaking floral arrangements.  Both our moms are avid gardeners and Pam’s creative use of seasonal flowers delighted them.  Pam compiled full centerpieces with peaches and creams punctuated by bright and pale yellows.  She incorporated Karamel Antik garden roses, Peach Avalanche roses, pale peach hypercium, unripe blackberries, peaches and dream dahlias, coxcomb, lemons, and feverfew.

Art of Catering prepared delicious dishes with fresh, local produce.  We served baguettes with salmon terrine, tomato mozzarella on focaccia, and risotto cakes at cocktail stations so everyone could spread out and enjoy the vineyard.  Our family and friends played croquet and drank estate-grown wines.  Bakery Bar made five cakes in flavors ranging from orange poppy seed to red velvet, which we supplemented with miniature lemon-basil and chocolate cinnamon macaroons from Little Bird Bistro.  Kate Greiner made the festive garland we strung as cake toppers.

Once my dad gave his heart-melting toast, W.C. Beck jumped on stage with the band and unexpectedly played Mary Jane’s Last Dance.  You probably remember this as a goodbye love song, with a music video that features Tom Petty on a date with a dead Kim Basinger in a wedding dress.  That didn’t stop anyone from getting on the dance floor, where we celebrated the rest of the night.  It was magical.

Photographers: Kim+Phil Photography / Flowers: Ink & Peat / Dress: Elizabeth Dye, English Department / Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Suits: Duchess Clothier / Ties & Shirts: Collier & Brooks Brothers / Hair: Dosha / Makeup: Blush Beauty Bar / String Trio: Classical Revolution PDX / Singers: W.C. Beck & Sara-Catherine Wheatley / Reception Band: Swingline Cubs / Cake: Bakery Bar / Mini Macaroons: Little Bird Bistro / Sign In Book: Artist Katie Ries / Photo Props: The Funny Side of Life / Cake Toppers & Sign Garland: Kate Greiner / Invitations & Programs: Studio Olivine / Venue: Garden Vineyards

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Post tags: Artist Katie Ries, Bakery Bar, Blush Beauty Bar, bouquet, Brooks Brothers, Centerpieces, Classic Revolution PDX, Collier, Color Palette Peach Cream, Croquet, Dosha, Duchess Clothier, Elizabeth Dye, English Department, Etsy, Garden Vineyards, Hanker chiefs, Hillsboro, Ink & Peat, Jenny Yoo, Kate Greiner, Kim+Phil Photography, Little Bird Bistro, Oregon, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Parasols, Sara-Catherine Wheatley, Striped Straws, Studio Olivine, Swingline Cubs, The Funny Side of Life, Umbrellas, Vineyard Weddings, W.C. Beck, Wedding Flowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Rich and I have always been an extroverted couple and with very different tastes. When we got engaged, we knew that our wedding had to show our personalities and our life style. Our parents had a little trouble trying to understand our taste for colors and decoration since they were used to the traditional white-and-silver wedding. However, they accepted our ideas and… we got down into business!

We believe that when God brings two people together, He takes care of every little detail, and that happened with our wedding.  We knew that we wanted an colorful, outdoor wedding in the morning. The flowers and the paper lamps were simple but elegant. The candy bar was our main challenge, but with our friends’ help,  we had it perfect! The cake (the cherry on top) had to reflect our personalities.  Rich is a drummer, and I have always admired his passion to play the drums, so we decided to have a fun and personal cake topper. We loved how it looked at the end!

Finally, one of the biggest decisions: pictures! They’re the memories of unique moments in life, so it was necessary to hire someone who knows how to capture what’s behind the wedding…  love, emotions, and the best feelings in that special day! Ale Sura was perfect.

Photography: Ale Sura Photo / Flowers: Plantas y Asesores / Ceremony and Reception Location: La Rivera de Belén, Alajuela, Costa Rica

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Post tags: Alajuela, Ale Sura Photo, Burgers, Candy Buffet, Casual Elegance, Chinese Lanterns, Color Palette Green Purple, Costa Rica, Cupcakes, Destination Wedding, La Rivera de Belen, Parasols, Pearls, Plantas y Asesores, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

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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 Michael Daigian Design…The flowers were bright, lush and laid back but the fashion was chic and modern. Bridesmaids wore black dresses in a style that fit their personality and the men wore classic tuxedos with bow-ties. The whole wedding design was laid back, young and rustic with impeccable taste.

The ceremony was laid back and rustic with dark wood benches for seating and a birch Chuppah accented with greenery and white orchids. Soft petals were scattered down the full length of the aisle and it just gave the ceremony a soft romantic touch.  The Chuppah was designed to accent the natural beauty of the Ranch with more flowers but not to take away from what was already there.

The reception was where the pops of colors came in. It was young, fun, laid back and beautiful. The long wood tables were inviting and intimate with the strands of lights hanging above. Loose, colorful, low arrangements lined the center of each table with all of them complimenting each other without directly matching. It was a classic California wedding…relaxed, fun and totally chic!

Wedding Photography: sasha gulish photography / Floral Design: Michael Daigian Design / Ceremony Location: Edgewood Horse Ranch / Reception Location: Rancho Nicasio

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Post tags: California Weddings, Edgewood Horse Ranch, Michael Daigian Design, Outdoor Wedding, Parasols, Ranch Wedding, Rancho Nicasio, Rustic Chic, Rustic Wedding, Sasha Gulish
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From Laurie Arons Special Events: The bride and groom are both from the South, and wanted a beautiful private wedding with classic sophistication and unique touches.  Dabney, an interior designer with an amazing sense of style, was passionate about the look and feel of the wedding. Rob cared most about having their friends and family experience his favorite Napa Valley resort, Calistoga Ranch. Together we created a wedding weekend in wine country that was truly special and memorable.

From the Bride: We come from a family of interior decorators, so naturally it was important to find a wedding planner who could understand our vision and lend us theirs in the process. Laurie Arons was the planner, without question, who far exceeded her reputation as one of the most professional and tasteful wedding planners around.

We decided to get married at Beaulieu Garden in Rutherford because it echoed my late grandmother’s estate in Virginia- a spectacular place that felt authentic and familiar and where our story began. The day of, guests arrived by way of a long tree lined driveway, adding suspense for what lay ahead. They were welcomed with refreshing pear cocktails, served in a rose garden bursting with colorful flowers at the height of perfection. Marc Andrews, Bishop of California and my former boarding school minister back in the day, officiated our ceremony in the serenely beautiful sunken garden. After our vows, guests meandered under the trees to the soft tune of a string trio towards magnificently decorated long tables set under a blooming vine trellis. Glass bud vases were filled with candles and massive peonies hung from the vines above the table.  The overall feel was both classic and cerebral, as the table began to glow as soon as the sun went down.

The  dance tent was bathed in white, with subtle hints of pink, grey and green. Every detail worked together, creating a sublime unified setting. Eventually we were whisked away in a white antique Packard and on our way to the Wine Cave at Calistoga Ranch for more dancing to a DJ. As the after-party continued  into the late night hours, we snacked on goodies like mini grilled cheeses, French fries and mini croque madames. On a last minute whim of mine, I started to worry that guests might also want something sweet at the after-party. I was blown away when Laurie arranged for pedestals of Perfect Endings cupcakes, monogrammed with our initials to match our invitations. All with one day’s notice!

Wedding Planner:  Laurie Arons Special Events / Venue:  Beaulieu Garden / Caterer:  Paula LeDuc Fine Catering / Wedding Photographer: Meg Smith Photography / Wedding Cake + Groom’s Cake:  Perfect Endings / Floral Design:  Kathleen Deery Design / Invitations + Menus:  A Day in May Design / Dress: Oscar de la Renta / Calligraphy:  Barbara Callow / Custom Escort Cards & Place Cards: PS Paper / Reception Music: Durell Coleman Band / Officiant: Bishop Marc Andrus, Episcopal Diocese of California / Transportation: Antique Tour Limousines / After-Party Music: DJ Solomon / Bride’s Hair + Make-up: Wallett Weddings (Wallett Luberich & Anya Pfeiffer)

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Post tags: A Day in May Design, Antique Tour Limousines LLC, Barbara Callow, Beaulieu Gardens, California Weddings, DJ Solomon, Durell Coleman Band, Garden Ceremony, Grooms Cakes, Kathleen Deery Design, Laurie Arons Special Events, Meg Smith Photography, Napa Valley, Outdoor Wedding, Parasols, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering, Perfect Endings, PS Paper, Tented Reception, Traditional Elegance, vintage car, Wallett Hair and Make-up
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… I’m not entirely sure how long it’s been that I wanted to get married in a barn. It likely became seeded as a child growing up amongst corn fields, cows and an old red barn, but then again I was never that little girl who dreamed about her wedding day or planned what it would one day be like. It wasn’t until I was 24, browsing through a Martha Stewart Weddings magazine where I saw a photo that sent my mind into a creative flurry.  It was a photograph of mason jars that had been turned into lanterns, all softly light and hanging at different lengths from a tree. That was the photo that inspired my entire wedding that was to commence 10 years into the future.

Kevin and I never dreamed when we met that our relationship would be anything short of temporary. He was 7 years my JR. and I was 28 with the intention of settling down and having a family by the age of 30. We just couldn’t fathom that our paths would ever meet in the middle. As it turns out, love had very different plans for us. After 3 months of avoidance we wound up talking for hours, instantly became the best of friends, fell in love, bought a house and 3 years later started a family.

Clearly we are not ones for tradition. I’ve always wanted a vintage looking sapphire engagement ring rather then a diamond and dreamed of finding a gorgeous gown in any colour but white. It was obvious that a wedding based on tradition didn’t make much sense to us. So we decided to stay true to ourselves and create an intimate and interactive wedding that our guests as well as ourselves could truly enjoy.

I immediately started searching in google for barns to rent, which wasn’t as easy as I had hoped. Disappointingly, there are not a whole lot of barns around and the only one I could find was on a golf course. We took our chances and made an appointment to view it. I can’t even express how rapidly we fell in love with this place. The grounds were stunning. Giant trees as far a the eye could see, a big old barn with a quaint and charming chapel inside and a crumbled foundation to a building with the remains of a giant fire place and chimney where the reception tent would sit. Every detail was perfect. It was the first and last place we looked. The venue was booked and the planning commenced. I got started on designing our invitations. Once that task was complete we meticulously worked on the tiny details that became our celebration of us. We had a candy bar loaded with delicious treats and personalized bottles of soda. A lounge area with throw blankets, coffee table and board games. Parasols hanging at different lengths from the tent roof and of course mason jar lanterns scattered about the tent and hanging from the trees. A scrapbook area rather then the traditional guest book And our favourite, the home made photo booth!

Sadly my grandmother lost her short battle with cancer just before being able to watch me walk down the aisle, so it was decided that at our wedding we would stop for a moment and celebrate her life. My grandmother’s name was Lucy so Kevin’s very talented family got together and performed Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds while we released the giant Ivory Balloons that decorated the chapel into the air. It was a beautiful moment that brought everyone to tears and one that I will not soon forget.

I loved every little detail of this wedding. I loved creating and hunting down the decorations. I adored the time taken with my girls to put everything together and if I had to do it all over again I would do it in a heartbeat. A DIY wedding was a lot of work but it brought us so much closer to the event and created a connection to it that we might not have had otherwise. It needs to be said, however, that I never would have gotten it accomplished with such ease if not for my wedding planner Somer. She was pure magic & honey sunshine.

My Favourite moment? Despite all the details, people, and entertainment, my favourite moment was a stolen couple of minutes on a bench behind the tent, hidden away from everyone else with my new husband while we sat, hand in hand and looked at the stars.

Wedding Photography: Crystal Clear Imagery / Event Planner: Somer Zangrand of Filled with Heart / Wedding Venue: Knollwood Golf Club / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Groom’s Suit: Calvin Klein / Hair: Sandra Goodfellow / Makeup: Elysse Melo / Bride’s Shoes: Aldo / Sweets Table: Sweet Carma / Cupcakes: Sarah’s So Sweets / Boutonniere & Fascinator: Sweetly Fallen / Hair Piece: Lola M Designs / DJ: 5150 Entertainment

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Post tags: 5150 Entertainment, Aldo, Ancaster, Barn Wedding, Blue, Brown, Calvin Klein, Canada, Crystal Clear Imagery, DIY Projects, Knollwood Golf Club, Lola M Designs, Mason Jars, Ontario, Paper Lanterns, Parasols, Pronovias, Red, Sarah's So Sweets, Somer Zangrado, Sweet Carma, Sweetly Fallen, Tented Reception
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Whimsical

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Our story began with a blind date.  Although they typically never work out… Benton and I soon discovered that we were the exception.  A mutual friend set us up and in no time we were talking about spending the rest of our lives together. Everything seemed so natural and easy from day one, and then the fun began.  He proposed on beautiful summer day out at my family ranch and the planning started immediately.

Already familiar with the event industry in Austin, I had already narrowed it down to three venues before I ever had a ring on my finger. When Benton and I toured Camp Lucy, we immediately fell in love with the chapel, which dates back to the mid 1800’s and was recently shipped to Dripping Springs from Vietnam.   A well known Austin antique dealer, Whit Hanks, was traveling through Vietnam when he learned someone was auctioning off old French Colonial Catholic Chapels, so of course he bought two, had them taken apart, shipped back to Texas and put up on his family ranch.  We loved the old wooden carved ceiling in the chapel, the large wooden doors and tall dark beams.

The other chapel was turned into an open air pavilion overlooking the Texas Hill Country with a large patio and a gorgeous manicured lawn adjacent.  Due to its size we ended up needing to have the ceremony on the Chapel steps, which ended up being perfect.  We loved the venue and wanted a spring wedding that was classic, relaxed, colorful and just plain fun. What a heavenly day it was; we had the most beautiful weather anyone could dream of.

I walked down the aisle holding my bouquet with my grandmother’s broach attached.  I have had it for quite a few years and have always known that it would inspire my wedding colors; coral, aqua, and orange.  Our florist really pulled together my vision;  incorporating my colors while using vintage cheese boxes filled with kumquats, moss, succulents and tons of bright flowers down the center of the long banquet tables.  My loving mother agreed to find all of the vintage cheese boxes and aqua mason jars and had antique dealers scouring the state of Texas for more.  It was a little tricky making sure we had enough, but thanks to Rosehip Flora everything came together perfectly.  I loved everything about the day – the parasols, the umbrella shaded tables, the lawn games, the DIY menu chalkboards, the wonderful food, and the list goes on.  Every single one of our vendors was amazing.  I can’t thank them enough!

It was a magical night, full of laughing, dancing, eating, and most importantly celebrating my new marriage with my best friend. We wouldn’t change a thing….except maybe freeze the day so that time would stand still and we could relive it again today.

Wedding Photography: The Nichols / Wedding Venue: Camp Lucy / Floral Design: Rosehip Flora / Wedding Coordination: Lizze Belle Event Planning / Catering: Word of Mouth Catering / Cakes: Michelle’s Patisserie / Band: Duck Soup / Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers / Wedding Gown & Belt: Tara Keely + Enzoani / Bride’s Earrings: Kendra Scott / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew

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Post tags: Aqua, Austin, Badgley Mischka, Bird Cages, Brooks Brothers, Camp Lucy, Chalkboards, Coral, DIY Projects, Duck Soup, Enzoani, J. Crew, Kendra Scott, lawn games, Lizze Belle Events, Mason Jars, Michelle's Patisserie, Orange, Outdoor Ceremony, Parasols, Rosehip Floral, Succulents, Tan, Tara Keely, Texas, Texas Hill Country, The Nichols, TX, Vintage Chic, Word of Mouth Catering
Post categories: Casual Elegance

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From the Bride… Joe and I met through match.com in August 2007.  Turns out, we had lived less than one block apart for almost six years.  In fact, our apartment buildings almost backed up to one another. But our paths never crossed – at least not that we were aware of – until the internet brought us together.

After we got engaged, we really had no clear idea of exactly what we wanted for our wedding – other than a fun party that wasn’t too formal – or even where we wanted to get married.  Eventually, we settled on Montauk, where we had spent the last two summers, and it couldn’t have worked out better. It became a destination wedding, of sorts, and we were able to enjoy the full weekend with our family and friends.  Best of all, Mother Nature cooperated completely, giving us a string of perfect 80 degree days in the middle of one of the hottest, most humid summers on record in the northeast.

We were fortunate to work with some fantastic vendors who were able to implement our idea of casual but elegant with very little direction from us.  In fact, they often got little more than a list of what we didn’t want.  And throughout the planning process, I was always amazed by the patience and generosity of our friends and family, who pitched in to help in so many ways.

When we got the pictures back, we were absolutely thrilled.  Karen Wise and her assistant, Joan Cuenco, did an amazing job capturing the emotions and details of the day beautifully.  In particular, I think they got at least one picture of every one of our guests, which is something I hadn’t really thought about beforehand, but now I’m so glad to have all those shots.

Wedding Photography: Karen Wise Photography / Flowers: Karen Lenahan Design / Event Planning & Design: Anderson Green Events / Wedding DJ: PopShop DJs / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: East by Northeast / Wedding Invitations: Lion in the Sun / Bride’s Dress: Christina Kara of Blue / Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Navy Beach Restaurant

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Post tags: Anderson Green Events, Casual Elegance, Christina Kara of Blue, Destination Wedding, East by Northeast, Karen Lenahan Design, Karen Wise Photography, Lion in the Sun, Montauk, New York Weddings, Ocean Wedding, Outdoor Ceremony, Parasols, PopShop DJs
Post categories: Casual Elegance