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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

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 31 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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

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From the Bride… Some might say this wedding was a long time coming… Andrew and I met and began dating our junior year of high school. Through two high schools, two volvos, four proms, three colleges and a selection of strange summer jobs, we were nearly inseparable for the next three and half years. <<intermission>>

Our paths crossed five years later in our adopted hometown of New York City and we quickly realized how similar we had become in our years apart. One stormy night last March, a walk around the neighborhood turned into a surprise wedding proposal followed by dinner at our favorite neighborhood spot with our parents, who Andrew had secretly arranged to drive up from Philadelphia.

We wanted our wedding to reflect our long history but also celebrate our new relationship so we decided to focus our venue search on New York City.  The Bowery Hotel is a convenient two blocks away from our apartment, which for New York City is about as close as you can get to getting married at home. It was the first place I contacted after getting engaged and we couldn’t have been happier with the results. We wanted to play up the winter side of a March wedding, so we chose deep jewel-tone accents and kept the fireplace roaring.  Since we were married on the festival of Purim, Andrew’s grandma baked her famous hamantaschen to celebrate. Other delicious desserts included Veniero’s cheesecake and Momofuku Milk Bar cookies and truffles.

Thanks to amazing family, friends and vendors, the wedding weekend was filled with countless happy memories. Our favorite moments had to be dancing the night away to our band Dexter Lake Club and most of all, our ceremony. Preparing our ceremony and writing our personal vows was the most special and personal part of the wedding celebration. When we shared our vows in advance I couldn’t get through them without bawling, luckily we held it together for the real deal!

Kelly and Rupert of 4Eyes Photography beautifully captured the vibe of the night. We look through the pictures all the time and both agree, we wouldn’t change a thing.

Wedding Photography: 4Eyes Photography / Floral Design: Victoria Ahn of Designs by Ahn / Wedding Invitations: MaeMae Paperie / Cake & Desserts: Momofuku Milk Bar + Veniero’s + Grandmother of the Groom (Homemade Hamantaschen) / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Jewelry: Elizabeth Cole Jewelry / Groom’s suit: Custom by Mr. Ned / Wedding rings: Little King Ltd. / Day of Coordination: Rachel Arteaga Events / Band: Dexter Lake Club Band / Cinematography: Tyler Ribble / Venue: The Bowery Hotel

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Post tags: 4Eyes Photography, Designs By Ahn, Dexter Lake Club Band, Elizabeth Cole Jewelry, Jenny Yoo, Little King Ltd., MaeMae Paperie, Momofuku Milk Bar, Mr. Ned, New York City, NY, Plum, Purple, Rachel Arteaga Events, Red, Succulents, The Bowery Hotel, Veniero's
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… This wedding has been a whirlwind from the beginning. With only 5 1/2 months to plan it ourselves, my mom and I really had to go to work. My vision started out when I bought my dress. I knew that I wanted something untraditional, different, and jaw dropping. Maggie Sottero not only had the perfect dress for me, but it was offered in a wonderful, nontraditional color (light gold/champagne). It was a no brainer for me. The vision of my wedding revolved around my dress. I wanted to incorporate my favorite color, plum, into it somehow and found some great shoes by Jessica Simpson that did the trick.

I wanted the majority of the wedding and reception to be homemade and vintage. We spent months going to antique shops looking for tons of vintage lace, jewelry, brooches, and ideas. We also got much of our inspiration from wedding blogs and websites. ETSY also offered many ideas, from the vintage letters, to the flower girl buckets, to the vintage hankies.

I wanted my guests to walk in and have lots of stuff to look at and do when they entered the reception. We decided to make a memory tree that also incorporated stories from guests and pictures of Chad and I growing up. This was a big hit. Making the trees was tricky, but it turned out beautifully. We also wanted some way for guests to leave us some advice. We found a 100 year old door and decorated it with random, vintage hooks that we found. We then rented lots of old keys and had guests write their advice on a gift tage and attach it to the keys and hang it on the door for us. The room was sprinkled with old bird cages, whimsical birds, pearls, and old fabrics. I did not want each table to match. I wanted it to look less “put together” and more shabby.

One of my favorite projects was the lavander bags. Mom and I found lots of old fabrics and sewed our own satchels for each guest. We ordered lots of lavender seeds and filled the bags with them. The guests used these satchels full of seeds to toss at us as we left the venue. Not only was it different, but it smelled so wonderful! We wanted our guests to feel at home while at the reception. We found some antique quilts that guests could use as they sat on the patio. We also wanted the men to be able to relax and smoke cigars if they wanted. We found several old lighters and lots of funky matchbooks for them to use.

Best advice for brides: Don’t get caught up in the details. Trust other people to help make your vision come to life. It makes it so much less stressful!

Wedding Photography: Allen Arrick Photography / Flowers: Brosang’s Flowers / Event Design & Planning: The Bride / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Stone Oak Ranch / Wedding Cake: Designs by D’Anne / Bride’s Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero / Vintage Letters, Hankies & Flower Girl Buckets: Etsy

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Allen Arrick Photography, Barn Wedding, Bird Cages, Brosang's Flowers, Champagne, Designs by D'Anne, DIY Projects, Etsy, Jessica Simpson, Maggie Sottero, Murchison, Outdoor Ceremony, Plum, Rustic Chic, Stone Oak Ranch, Texas, TX, Vintage Chic, Vintage Typewriter
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Texas Weddings

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From the Bride… I had always been in love with the idea of having a winery wedding. When we got engaged, we immediately began looking at all the Temecula wineries, luckily we soon came across Keyways Winery. Keyways is truly a hidden gem in wine country. It is a small, boutique winery that we immediately fell in love with, it was so quaint and personal! The staff became like family and their event coordinator Annette Nielsen was absolutely amazing. I never had to worry about a thing the day of!

As far as the decor and flowers we didn’t want anything to take away from the original beauty of Keyways. We embraced the winery theme any way we could! For the ceremony we collected and lined the aisle with wooden wine crates and casually draped flowers over them. For the centerpieces we used candelabra covered with eucalyptus leaves and shorter rustic holders filled with an assortment of wine? (maybe plum) colored flowers. I told our florist less is more!! To further the winery theme, we used wine bottles and corks for the reception. Each guest place card was placed in a hand cut wine cork and wine bottles were used as the table numbers. We purchased blank wine labels and printed the table numbers onto them. It was quite a process, but so worth it when it all came together!

The biggest “wedding chore” was putting together our programs. Because our wedding was in June, we knew it had the potential to get hot. Since our budget didn’t allow for programs AND fans for 180 guests we decided to make our programs a little of both. We bought heavy card stock and printed the wedding party information on one side and a fun word search on the other.  We then glued it to a wooden stick and hand tied a golf pencil to each fan for the guests to use while playing the game!

The day itself was absolutely perfect!  After a full year of planning, I felt so ready for our wedding day to be here.  I spent the morning with my mother and bridesmaids getting our hair and makeup done and writing my vows to Paul.  One thing that I found to be really sweet was how traditional Paul was the day of.  He is not a fan of having a “first look” and knew that the first time he wanted to see me had to be as I walked down the aisle.  It was so worth it when I saw his eyes fill with tears as he saw me walk towards him.

One of the best pieces of advice we received was from our wonderful photographer, Colleen Sherman of Color Me Rad. Colleen said “make sure that your day is how you want it, never let a vendor or guest talk you into something that you don’t want to do.”  I held onto that during our planning process and our day turned out just how I imagined!

Wedding Photography: Color Me Rad / Wedding Cinematography: 618studios / Floral Design: Belle Fleur Co. / Event Planning: Events by Annette / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Keyways Winery / Catering: Vineyard Gourmet Catering / Wedding Invitations: The Bride / Wedding Dress: Demetrios / Bridesmaid Dresses: WTOO by Watters /  Shoes: TOMS + David’s Bridal / Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Friar Tux Shop

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Post tags: 618studios, Belle Fleur Co., CA, California Weddings, Color Me Rad, David's Bridal, Demetrios, Events by Annette, Friar Tux Shop, Keyways Winery, Plum, Purple, Southern California Wedding, Temecula, The Bride, TOMs, Vineyard Gourmet Catering, Vineyard Wedding, Wine Crates, Winery Wedding, WTOO by Watters
Post categories: California Weddings, San Diego Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From Fresh Events Company… Situated in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, the Ritz Carlton/JW Marriot was the perfect location for Joyce and Allan’s exquisite city wedding.  Having been built earlier this year, Joyce and Allan’s wedding was the first wedding the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriot have ever hosted. Ever.  It was an honor to be a part of wedding history in the making and I can think of no better couple than Joyce and Allan to set the stage for all future lovebirds.

Joyce and Allan choose a color palette composed of deep plum and elegant white, accented by hints of spring bud green. The combination of colors really epitomized Joyce and Allan’s fresh, fun, and sophisticated personalities.  The ceremony was simple and modern. The simplistic floral pieces adorned the walkway. The front was dressed with two modern white boxes and manzanita trees adorned with light floral.  Modern white chairs complemented the space perfectly. With the downtown view in the background and an intimate group of family blessing the couple into the next chapter of their lives.

One of the very unique things about the JW Marriot reception ballroom is their patterned wall design. The silvery silhouettes of stylized trees cover the entire ballroom interior, giving the space a very whimsical atmosphere. To really bring out the wall design, tables draped with white linen were topped with white manzanita tree centerpieces from which bright crystals and white orchids delicately hung. The texture and shape of the manzanita trees echoed the wall design, giving the space a natural, and simultaneously very contemporary feel. Warm amber up lights against the walls and bright pin lights on each table really added to the elegance of the reception, and as the guests entered, “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” were whispered among the crowd as they entered this autumn wonderland.

Guests also enjoyed satisfying their sweet desires with treats from a gourmet candy station set up with all of Joyce and Allan’s favorite sweets, such as lavender and vanilla macaroons, salt water caramels, specialty marshmallows, champagne bubbles, and many other delicate treats.  A mixologist made their favorite drinks through the evening. It was a magical evening filled with live music, heartfelt toasts, dancing, and the celebration of the first day of Joyce and Allan’s new enchanted life together.

Event Planning + Design: Fresh Events Company / Wedding Photography: The Image is Found / Wedding Venue: The Ritz Carlton/JW Marriott, Los Angeles / String Quartet: de Bois Entertainment / Floral Design: Le Petit Gardenia / Band: Dennis Kaye / Hair & Makeup: Uzmee Krakovszki / Photobooth: The Image is Found / Mixologist: Brent Falcon / DJ: 11H Entertainment / Wedding Invitations: I Do Concepts / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston via Bella Bridesmaids / Wedding Dress: Lazaro via Panache of Beverly Hills / Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik via Neiman Marcus / Groom’s Attire: Prada / Groom’s Tie: Jill Sander

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Post tags: 11H Entertainment, CA, California, De Bois Entertainment, Fresh Events Company, Green, I Do Concepts, Le Petit Gardenia, Los Angeles, Modern Wedding, Plum, Purple, The Crystal Agency, The Image is Found, The Ritz Carlton
Post categories: California Weddings, Contemporary, Los Angeles Weddings

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From Jessamyn…Sherry and Jeremy were married at Boot Hill, a beautiful spot on top of rolling hills with oak trees and grape vines, at Kunde Winery. Their wedding featured plum and white as colors, and guests watched them get married under a big oak surrounded by 360 degree views. They then ate as the sunset glowed brightly and the fog rolled in over the hills, danced and did the limbo in the midst of all of those trees, and had a BLAST! A very Sonoma County location and a very sweet couple.

Another fun detail is that Sherry’s extended family is from Mauritius (although Sherry and her immediate family grew up in Hawaii), a tiny island off the coast of Madagascar. Many family members and friends flew it from there, and from all over the world. Since weddings are also kind of a family reunion for her parents’ huge extended families, we did a record number of portraits, with a record number of people in them.

From the bride…We wanted something that would be natural to the vineyard surroundings, yet still pop. The bridesmaids’ dresses were the anchor. They were also picked to somewhat mirror Sherry’s dress (strapless with a silk rose). We then visited 11 wedding venues before selecting Kunde. We fell in love with the gorgeous 360 degree view of rolling hills and vines.

We wanted our music to reflect our lifestyles, past and present. Dinner music included some Hawaiian for myself, some Pink Martini because it feels like SF urban living. My family also provided some “sega” dance music from Mauritius.

We wanted our guests to be comfortable and enjoy themselves the whole evening. The pashminas (purchased in Hong Kong on a business trip) were a hit as soon as the sun went down. We also provided flip-flops so ladies wouldn’t feel trapped in uncomfortable shoes. We filled bags with goodies that kept the kids entertained and out of trouble. We shopped online for items for the kiddie goodie bags – the animal-ish theme was because we went on safari for the honeymoon. Favors, programs, and placecards were made by us, with Alicia’s great advice to guide us.

Venue: Kunde Family Estate / Design, planning, florals: Alicia K Designs / Photography: Jessamyn Harris and Paige Green for Jessamyn Harris Photography / Videography: Thomas Hughes / Catering: Piper Johnson Catering / Tuxes: Selix / Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta / Bridesmaids Dresses: WToo (style 785) dresses in plum / Makeup: Jane Kim / Officiant: Mike Ireland / Lighting: Illusions Lighting / Cake: Sweet On Cake / Trio and DJ: Rudolfi Artists In Music

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alicia K Designs, Alvina Valenta, Illusions Lighting, Jane Kim, Jessamyn Harris, Kunde Family Estate, Outdoors, Piper Johnson Catering, Plum, Selix, Thomas Hughes, Watters, Winery, WToo
Post categories: All Real Weddings, Casual Elegance

Their wedding was sent to us by the extraordinarily creative Little Black Book team (Angie, Kristin and Sarah) at AK Event Design in Dallas. The gorgeous images are from fellow Little Black Book member Andrea Polito.

from Kristin …

Taylor and Mark didn’t want a traditional wedding full of whites and pale pinks. They wanted to have a party full of color!! Taylor, a modern bride, wanted to use bold jewel tones of navy, plum and raspberry throughout her wedding, which was held at the Dallas Museum of Art in downtown Dallas, Texas.

The wedding ceremony was held outside in the Sculpture Garden, also at the Dallas Museum of Art. During the cocktail hour, the groom’s brother serenaded guests with his incredible piano playing while they enjoyed cocktails around the reflecting pond.

The invitations were bold and beautiful on navy blue iridescent paper, while the other invitation pieces had the plum and raspberry colors incorporated. (Invitations designed by Simply Personal Designs)

The colors of this wedding really made the photos pop!

The cakes were another reflection of their personalities. The bride wanted to play with geometric shapes and designs in her wedding colors, while the groom wanted a cake that reflected where he was from, Seattle. We thought this wedding was a perfect event for the DMA because so many things were like artwork. 

The design process of this wedding was exciting and different and we enjoyed every aspect!

AK Event Design … Kristin, Angie & Sarah … y’all did a fantastic job on Taylor and Mark’s wedding!

And Andrea … wow! The photos are sensational!

Thanks to ALL of you for bringing our readers such dazzling inspiration today.

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© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: AK Event Design, Andrea Polito, Confetti, Dallas, Dallas Art Museum, Geometric, Hydrangeas, Mermaid, Monogram, Navy, Plum, Rasberry, Simply Personal Designs, Special Lighting, Texas Weddings
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers