From Marry Me Productions … From our first meeting with Lauren and Dave they were clear about two things: they wanted their wedding to be an fun and celebratory reflection of themselves and that their dog, Toby, absolutely must be a part of the day!

These two share an amazing passion for traveling especially since their trip to Egypt over Christmas 2010 where Dave proposed inside one of the great pyramids at Giza. There have been wild adventures where they swam with sea lions, sea turtles and sharks in the Galapagos islands and others where they have climbed a 15,000 foot volcano in Ecuador. They have also survived the amazon jungle and conquered the four day trek through the Inca trail to Machu Piccu!

It was with this love of travel that their wedding had to reflect the energy and passion they bring to every aspect of their lives. The venue was an easy choice, as the grandeur of the National Gallery with all its light and glass provided the prefect backdrop to set off their peacock themed reception. No shy colours here, the couple choose deep purples and teals with an accent of rich golds and pops of fushia to bring their vision to life. This palette was reflected throughout the day in their linen, dresses, flowers and the crowd favourite – the candy table.

During the cocktail hour guests dined on a Filipino infused selection of Warm Shrimp and pork spring roll Vegetarian Pancit and Oysters on the half shell. This was followed by a 4 course meal that included a composed salad of roasted pear, dates, and blueberries, a seafood tasting plate, beef tenderloin and Tibetan Halibut. Before the dancing started each guest was served a “happy ending” shooter, a favourite of the couple.

The party continued into the wee hours of the night and was a true reflection of this amazing couple.

Wedding Planner: Marry Me Productions / Photography: Photolux Studio / Flowers: Bel Fiore / Ceremony Location: Museum of Nature, The Salon / Reception Location: National Gallery of Canada / Stationary: Paper Studio / Cake: The Girl with the Most Cake / Catering: Tulips and Maple / Candy Bar: The Candy Store / Lounge: Mikasa Home / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Dress: Mori Lee

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bel Fiore, Canada, Canadian Weddings, Candy Bar, Candy Buffet, Color Palette Purple Green, contemporary, Dogs, Manolo Blahnik, Marry Me Productions, Mikasa, Mikasa Home, Mori Lee, Museum of Nature, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Paper Studio, Peacock, Peacock Feathers, Peacocks, Photolux Studio, The Candy Story, The Girl With the Most Cake, Tulips and Maple, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Contemporary, Little Black Book Blog

Matthew proposed to me in Venice, Italy at sunrise at the point of the channel across from St. Marks Cathedral and the Doge’s Palace.

When we first got engaged and began talking about what kind of wedding we wanted and where and when to have it, we began with more traditional venues and caterers. All good choices but the event we were creating seemed to lack a lot of who we were as people. We re-grouped and began to talk about the “feeling” of the wedding. What did we want the day to feel like? What did we want our friends and family to feel? How did we want to feel? What we finally came up with turned out to be the perfect combination of both our personalities and a night of fun that we couldn’t imagine any other way.

Matthew and I wanted our guests to have a wonderful time, we wanted the evening to be memorable, but not because of the over the top décor, or how exotic the menu was, or how expensive everything seemed. We wanted our friends and family to remember the warmth of the event, the good food, relaxed atmosphere, and the personal touches that were all me and Matthew. We wanted the event to not just be a great wedding but also a memorable party. As we talked more we were also excited to share local LA and Orange County and what was great about these places.We kept that in mind when choosing a caterer and our beer, creating our website and a few other items. Overall vision was a mix of modern with a sophisticated but relaxed vibe. Colors were black and white with accents in jewel tones – mostly magentas, greens and purples.

I had literally “Stumbled Upon” The Smog Shoppe two years or so ago. Just browsing around the Internet and it popped up. I looked around the site thinking how unbelievably cool it was and wishing I had some sort of event there. I filed it in the back of my head as a totally awesome place for a party and that wast hat. Cut to two years later when Matthew and I were discussing place after place to have our wedding. There wasn’t anywhere we seemed to agree on. It was too traditional for me; it was too modern for him, too far, too expensive, too overdone, etc. After a lot of thinking, The Smog Shoppe popped back into my head. I tentatively shared the website with him not having any idea as to what he’d think. I was pleasantly surprised that he loved it. We visited the venue a few weeks later and it looked exactly like the pictures. Just being there gave us so much inspiration for the rest ofthe wedding. When we got back into the car, it was a short “I love it”, “So do I” and that was it. We were sold.

After we decided on the venue, we moved on to catering and flowers. I stared stalking wedding blogs and found La Partie Events. I loved Meg’s use of color. I loved her sense of “casual elegance”. Nothing she did was stuffy or traditional. It was like you, your friends and family gathered up your vision and went hunting for the perfect flowers and vases but it was cohesive and amazing and beautiful and so much better then you could have done on your own. We met with Meg early on in the process and talked about what we wanted and the dreaded word – budget. She was so wonderful, she talked about what she could do for us and suggested ideas that we could do on our own that would cost less then her doing it. End result – Somuch more then I expected and SO exactly what I wanted.

The Smog Shoppe had given us a list of their “preferred vendors” and HeirloomLAwas on it. I had found them on my own as well a few weeks prior and I loved not only how the food looked and choice of food but the fact that they utilizedlocal organic vendors to source their food. The whole concept of locally grown is something that really is important to us and really solidified our feelings about using them as our caterer.In addition to their practices, there food is DELICIOUS! The big thing for me was the food. I always feel like the meal is the gift you give your guests so it should be amazing and HeirloomLA does NOT disappoint. So many of our guests still talk about how much they loved the food.

Matthew and I also loved the idea of having a local craft beer at the wedding. For libations we looked to The Bruery. We took a visit to their tasting room, The Burery Provise, in Orange, CA and gave them our menu so they could assist us in choosing beers to complement our food choices. We loved what they recommended for us, and so did our guests.

Bobby Earle was our “no other options, he is the one” wedding photographer. Matthew had met him about a year or so prior to our engagement and was crazy about him. Bobby has a photography trip he takes people on (Raddest Photo Trip Ever) and Matthew and I went to Thailand and Cambodia with him last December. Bobby captured the emotion of our day perfectly. Love him. Love his wife Lindsey.

Heather from LVL Events was our day of coordinator. Matthew and I originally weren’t planning on having anyone. I thought it interesting that wedding coordinator websites would always say how integral the coordinator was. I thought that since I was a stage manager and I did events for a living that I wouldn’t need one. SO WRONG. File me along with the other people who say a wedding coordinator (even if its just day of) is the best and smartest investment you can make for your wedding. After Matthew and I decided on the flow of our day we realized that it would be sort of a mess if there wasn’t a “go to” person to coordinate set up and execution of the day. Being a stage manager, I really wanted someone with the same level of organization and attention to detail. I needed to know that everything we had planned would be put together the way we envisioned it. Heather was perfect. I loved her personality. I found it easy to talk to her and she understood what I wanted, and what I needed from her so I could have fun the day of the wedding. Day went off without a hitch,largely because of Heather. Huge thanks to Heather at LVL Events.

Photographer: Bobby Earle / Venue: The SmogShoppe / Makeup: Mandy Leppke / Hair: Andrea Neal from Capella Salon / Cake: Cake Monkey / Caterer: HeirloomLA / Coordinator: Heather of LVL Weddings & Events / DJ: Hey Mister DJ / Wedding Gown: The Dresser / Floral Design: Megan of La Partie Events / Officiant: Uncle of the Bride / Beverages: The Bruery / Party Dress: Monique Sandoval for Ouma / Bride Flower Hair Piece: Bethany Lorelle / Bridesmaids Feather Headband: De Lovely Designs / Photobooth: Photo Box LA / Runners, escort cards, paper flowers and place cards: DIY by the Bride / Table numbers: hand crafted by Father of the Bride

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Post tags: Bethany Lorelle, Bobby Earle, Cake Monkey, California, Capella Salon, Culver City, De Lovely Designs, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Etsy, HeirloomLA, Hey Mister DJ, La Partie Events, LVL Weddings & Events, Mandy Leppke, Modern, Ouma, Peacock, Peacock Feathers, Photo Box LA, Stripes, The Bruery, The Dresser, The SmogShoppe, Vibrant Color Palette, Vintage Chic, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic

We met 14 years ago when we were sophomores in high school through mutual friends.  While we went to different high schools, we were always seeing each other at the same sporting events, parties and high school dances.  After 10 years of friendship, we fell in love one magical night under the fireworks on the beach on the 4th of July.  A beautiful relationship began to blossom that night, and continued to do so.

After years of Candice hinting, Vince finally popped the question on her 29th birthday.  He set up the backyard with a small “birthday celebration”…  Just champagne, flowers, and a gift.  Little did Candice know, that the gift box with the slippers she had asked for contained a little bit more than comfy shoes.  The ring inside was just what she wanted; a vintage design with a beautiful green emerald as the centerpiece.  After the proposal, Vince was shaking, Candice was crying, and they both were laughing and a little stunned with excitement and joy.

After enjoying being engaged for a few months we finally started looking for venues.  We immediately fell in love with Rancho Las Lomas once we saw the tigers, zebras and various other wild animals, not to mention that the venue just gave us a homey feel which we loved.  The venue is so breathtaking on its own, with the beautiful architecture and décor, we didn’t even know if we needed decorations!  But in the end we decided to accentuate the lovely venue with our personal style.

Since we are huge concert goers and music enthusiasts, and have attended various music festivals for the past 6 years together, we decided to make our wedding into one big musical celebration. We wanted the venue to take on the feel of a festival.  Ticket stubs served as our save the dates and concert lineups as our invitations.  We had a disco ball over our altar and fake musical instruments on the dance floor and in the photo booth.  The tables were named after our favorite bands and musicians, and various signs were posted around the venue directing our guests to different “stages” across the grounds.

Our colors were bright and vibrant… the theme was “peacock” colors.  They really went well with the already colorful and bright venue. The men dressed in white linen suits with light green accents, and the lovely ladies in green, summery dresses.

On the day of our wedding we began in true Vandice style by the groom getting “iced” with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice.  We spent the whole morning hanging out together with our friends and lounging by the pool.  By the time we made it to the site, neither of us were nervous because we were so excited to get our party started.  When the ceremony began, our wedding party walked in singing “All You Need Is Love” by the Beatles. We had our favorite uncle get ordained and marry us.  We had a remembrance candle with hand written names at the altar with us to honor all of our loved ones who were watching from heaven. We kept the ceremony light and funny, with a “Princess Bride” reference by the good reverend, and a stern and funny confirmation by all the uncles of their approval.  Our vows consisted of reciting the theme songs of the 80’s sitcom classics “The Golden Girls” and “Family Ties” to each other.

After the “I do’s” our family and friends showered us with ribbons, cheers and even a cowbell and tambourine made it into the mix. Jeffrey and Isaac really captured the day beautifully.  Our favorite photos had to be the “let me out of this phone booth!” shot, the beautiful individual portraits of the bridesmaids and bride, and the shots of us two in the orange grove. One of the memories that stands out most from the wedding was Candice’s brother singing The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” during the father daughter dance.  Not a dry eye in the house! Also, the epic dance party that ensued after dinner will be talked about for decades to come.  What a fantastic day to start a fantastic life together.

Photographer: J. Shipley Photography / Venue: Rancho Las Lomas / Makeup: Amy Gibson / Hair: Lisa Strohsack / Cake: Erica O’Brien Cake Design / Caterer: 24 Carrots / Coordinator: Elene Shemwell / DJ: Elevated Pulse / Floral Design: Avante Gardens / Bride’s Cocktail Dress: Unique Vintage / Groom’s Attire: Frair Tux / Lighting: Elevated Pulse

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 25 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 24 Carrots, Amy Gibson, Avante Gardens, Birds, California, Color Palette Green Blue Purple, Cupcakes, Disco Ball, Elene Shemwell, Elevated Pulse, Erica O'Brien Cake Design, Fairy Wings, Flower girls, Friar Tux, Gemstone Engagement Ring, J. Shipley Photography, Lisa Strohsack, Mustaches, Orange Trees, Oranges, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Peacock, Peacock Feathers, Rancho Las Lomas, Unique Vintage, Wedding Cakes, Wedding Venues, Whimsical
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Whimsical

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From JAC Photography… Tom and Cristy were married at their local church and the reception was held at Old Ranch Country Club in Orange County, California. Cristy was inspired by a peacock feather and had a graphic designer friend incorporate it into many elements of her wedding details. It was included on the wedding invite, the vellum table lanterns, place card holders that were inserted in wine corks and in the florals. Men sported boutonnieres with feathers and the bridesmaids wore them in their hair and also their bouquets. The bird’s nest ring holder also had some feathers included.

A good friend who collected antique books took charge of the cookie dessert table. The dessert table featured French Macarons, a local baker’s cookies and White Chocolate dipped Fortune Cookies. The antiques were also featured on the numbering (lettering) of the tables, vintage typewriter seating chart and guest book. Etsy favorites were featured as the cake topper and guest sign in tree.

Wedding Photography: JAC Photography / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Norbert’s Catholic Church / Wedding Reception Location: Old Ranch Country Club / Hair: Ruth Rivas / Makeup: Joann Abad / Bakery: Rossmoor Pastries / Wedding Veil & Hair Pieces: Be Something New / Floral Design: KM Floral Design / Cake Toppers: Naked Peggies / Cake Decor: The Wedding Pantry / Guest Book Tree: Sweet Carolina Designs / Graphic Designer: Jeff Fontelera / Boutonnieres: Kevin Mei

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Be Something New, CA, California, JAC Photography, Jeff Fontellera, Joann Abad, KM Floral Design, Naked Peggies, Old Ranch Country Club, Orange County, Peacock, Pink, Purple, Roosmoor Bakery, Ruth Rivas, Southern California Wedding, St. Norbert's Catholic Church, Sweet Carolina Designs, The Wedding Pantry, Vellum Lanterns, Vintage Chic, Whimsical Details
Post categories: California Weddings, Whimsical

Mike and I met in December 2007 when I was home from graduate school for Christmas break.  He needed a date to a dinner party and my best friend from high school, Michelle, who is Mike’s cousin, suggested he take her friend – me.   She set us up for the dinner party and after our first kiss under the mistletoe, the rest is history.

I am Persian and Mike is Lebanese.  We only wanted to have one ceremony so we decided to have a Persian ceremony — Persian ceremonies are very intimate, interactive and fun.  I’ve always pictured myself having one so we just went ahead with it, but amended it to incorporate vows that were unique to Mike and I.  The Persian ceremony typically takes place at the home of the bride’s parents.  Mike and I decided to have a small ceremony with close family and very few close friends at my parent’s home.  As such, it was very intimate and special.

I wanted an urban, modern reception where the look and feel was sleek and sophisticated.  The venue we chose was Pure Space on the north end of the Pearl district, a very chic part of town.  Since the color scheme was fairly muted, however, I knew we had to bring it to life with some bright colors so I picked eggplant and burgundy with pops of teal.   We used the peacock feather as a source of our inspiration throughout the day.  From the welcome baskets to the place settings, to the cutting cake, little pieces of the Peacock theme were incorporated throughout.

We had a DJ that played both American classics and Middle Eastern music.  The highlight of the night was a show from two belly dancers who were really incredible!  We had two kids at the wedding, my new niece and nephew, and since they were the only two invited we were worried they’d get bored! As such, I put together little party buckets for them that included coloring books and crayons, candy and treats, a disposable camera, glow sticks and yo-yos.

Planner & Design: Nora Sheils, Bridal Bliss / Rentals & Design: West Coast Event Productions / Ceremony Venue: Bride’s Parents’ Home / Reption Venue: Pure Space / Photographer: Ben Powers, Powers Studios / Flowers: Buddies Flowers / Belly Dancers: Sedona / Invititations: Bridal Bliss / Hair & Makeup: Katie York / Transportation: English Classic Limousine / Cupcakes: St. Cupcake / Catering: Gourmet Productions / Favors: Stumptown Coffee Roasters / Brides Dress: 2Be Bridal / Reception Printing: Crave Design

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 2Be Bridal, Belly Dancers, Bridal Bliss, Buddies Flowers, Color Palette Teal Pink Blue, contemporary, Cultural Beauty, Cupcakes, English Classic Limousine, Gourmet Productions, Home, Oregon, Peacock, Peacock Feathers, Portland, Powers Studios, Pure Space, Rain, Sedona, St. Cupcake, Sumptown Coffee Roasters, Traditional Elegance, Truffles, West Coast Event Productions
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

I think I read the other day that peacock-inspired weddings are on the rise for this next season. If Martha Andrews has anything to say about it … it’s going to be fantastic! Take a look at these creations of hers …

Now granted, it would take a pretty exceptional bride to don a headpiece like this … but I can totally see a holiday wedding with these rich rich colors! By the way, the model in this photo shoot is Martha’s daughter, Rachel. She needed a costume and this is what her mom whipped up!  And the photographer? Martha’s daughter, Anne.  Pretty talented trio!

From one of Martha’s weddings, here’s some more amazing peacock-inspired designs …

Whether you use a touch or go all out, peacock-colors are amazing!

Thanks for sharing ~ ALL of you lovely ladies!!

Martha has a drop-dead gorgeous wedding at the Citizen Hotel on her blog right now … and she created flower purses for the bridesmaids. Amazing.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Blooms by Martha Andrews, Feathers, Peacock, Wings
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Flowers

from Laura …

Katie & Blake’s wedding was held at the Safari Texas Ranch in Sugar Land, Texas. The facility has many different venues to choose from and they chose the rustic simplicity of the lodge there. It had a great big veranda out back that they held the ceremony on and then the reception was inside the lodge afterwards. The grounds of the Safari Ranch have some livestock and exotic animals on site. There were goats and deer and I have heard there is a giraffe, although we did not see it. The most visible were the peacocks running free along the grounds. They provided much comic relief during the ceremony with their mating calls!

Katie’s invitations and wedding paper pieces were designed by her very talented sister, Courtney Albright.

I love this shot with the bridal party in the background!

Laura really captured the spirit of this vintage-styled and lively Texas party! Congratulations Katie & Blake!!

Next up … the Dominican Republic from today’s featured Little Black Book photographer, Laura Burlton and D. Jones Photography …

* * *

{ps… if you look on the map, the actual venue looks like it’s in Sugar Land, but the physical address is Richmond. Sorry about that!}

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Birdcage Veil, Converse, Courtney Albright, D. Jones Photography, Hairpiece, Houston, Peacock, Richmond, Safari Texas Ranch, Shoes, Sparklers, Sugar Land, Texas Weddings, Vintage
Post categories: Accessories, Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Vintage Chic, Wedding Photography

Love, love, love this rich board!! More to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Inspiration Boards, Jewel Tones, Peacock
Post categories: Inspiration Boards