Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… The day could not have been more perfect. I pictured myself over-the-top emotional and full of tears, but instead I was beaming with excitement and joy every second. From getting ready with all my best friends and family to ending the night dancing away I was constantly happy! I currently am a wedding coordinator for Honey Bee Weddings, so knowing what goes into making a day run smoothly, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to relax. However, I was surprisingly calm and loved watching all the details fall into place. I also had the best team of vendors including Honey Bee Weddings, who coordinated my wedding. A few highlights of the morning were having a wonderful glam team making me feel like a celebrity, my BEAUTIFUL bouquet and putting on the dress (later I added a gorgeous hand-made sash!). Then, seeing Kyle for the first time was so surreal yet calming. We had been waiting for this moment for a long time (dated for 11 years) and having the moment come true was magical. We kept looking at each other saying, “Can you believe it’s here?”

Kyle and I knew from the beginning we wanted our wedding to feature our love of food and wine, yet not be stuffy and make our guests feel like they were at party. We hit the jackpot with Spiaggia because its food is exquisite and the décor went perfectly with my black, silver and white theme. It was also my goal to add as many personal details as possible. I don’t think of myself as crafty, but after hours of online research, I realized how much I could create by turning my wedding into semi-DIY. My favorite projects would have to be the programs, wine bottle “guest book,” tissue pouches and  homemade cake-pops for our favors.          

Overall, I felt like the wedding truly represented Kyle and I as a couple and celebrated our love for each other.  And to make it even better, our guests seemed to have a blast! It was the perfect day!

Wedding Photography: Steve Koo Photography / Flowers: Tina and Dollie / Event Design + Planning: Honey Bee Weddings / Wedding Venue: Spiaggia / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Enzo Angiolini via Nordstrom / Bride’s Bracelet: Macy’s / Hair: Livia Caporale / Makeup: Sonia Roselli / Wedding Cake: Sarah’s Candies and Pastries / DJ: DJ Erik

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Post tags: Black, Chicago, DJ Erik, Enzo Angiolini, Honey Bee Weddings, Illinois, Livia Caporale, Macy's, Nordstrom, Pronovias, Sarah's Candies and Pastries, silver, Sonia Roselli, Spiaggia, Steve Koo Photography, Tina and Dollie, White
Post categories: Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… It was really important for mine and Scott’s families that this wedding accurately portrayed our personalities, but also be as much fun as possible for our guests. We tried to plan everything so that guests would never be waiting, bored or hungry. We knew photography would delay us arriving to the reception, but decided that dinner would be served at 6:15 p.m., whether or not we had arrived. It was also really important that all the toasts, welcome speeches and first dance, father/daughter and mother/son dances happened while guests were seated and eating dinner. We wanted dancing to be the main focus of our reception because as guests, that is always our favorite part of a wedding.

We made a lot of DIY projects, including homemade apricot preserves in 4-ounce quilted jars (made from my family’s much loved apricot tree we planted 10 years ago) and 16-ounce mason jars tied up up twine and a hand-stamped price tag (for drinking and keeping). All of the flowers for decoration, bouquets and boutonnieres were put together by me and my mother. We also incorporated old lace thrifted from all over southern California as much as possible. My favorite way was stretched and cut to fit in different sizes and shapes on embroidery rings (hung behind us as the backdrop for the ceremony, and on all the windows at the reception). I also thrifted all across Southern California in search of old floral silk robes for us girls to get ready in.

I had always dreamed of getting married in the fall, with autumn colors and turning leaves everywhere. The location for the ceremony couldn’t have been more perfect, with huge cedars and redwoods, surrounded by turning sycamores and blooming lavender everywhere. Our DJ was so wonderful, he played everything we asked him to, and he really tried to get a grasp for the feel we wanted our music to give. I walked up the aisle to Sigur Rós’ “Hoppipolla.” My favorite part of the entire day was saying our vows. We had decided together that traditional vows are good vows. And something our officient pointed out was that almost all of the married couples at our wedding would have used those same vows in the past. By us choosing to repeat those, our guests were witnessing a new marriage that also reminded them of the day they said those same vows. Our wedding could also become a sort of renewal of vows for our married guests. I will never forget the way Scott could hardly whisper his vows and the tears we both had streaming down our cheeks. All of our friends and family are the reason we were able to have such a wonderful day. From helping with DIY projects to being chauffeurs, the people who love us are the people that made our day so wonderful.

Wedding Photography: Emily Blake Photography / Wedding Ceremony: Cedar Grove Park Ampitheatre in Tustin, California / Wedding Reception + Catering: Beach Pit BBQ in (Old Town) Tustin, California / Flowers, Apricot Jam Favors, Mason Jar Glasses + Decor: DIY / Wedding Coordinator: Casey Glass / Wedding Gown: Pronovias / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Hair + Airbrush Makeup: Casey Glass / DJs: Bobby Wooldridge and Matt Heim (bobbywooldridge@gmail.com) / Custom Matchboxes: The Knot

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Post tags: Beach Pit BBQ, Bobby Wooldrige, California, Casey Glass, Cedar Park Grove Amphitheater, Emily Blake Photography, Gray, J. Crew, Matt Heim, Orange, Pronovias, The Knot, Tustin
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired

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From the bride… It was very important that both of our cultures were recognized in our wedding.  I have Scottish heritage, which led me to live in Scotland in the first place, and it was important that Scotland was represented. The kilts were the most important piece of the puzzle — my father even wanted to wear one! Barrie’s family does not have its own tartan, so we picked one that suited the setting and the bridesmaids dresses. From day one, I was inspired by Breakfast at Tiffany’s and 1950’s New York glamor. I wanted to keep the colors to black and white with shades of green to mimic the kilts and the beautiful garden. It was important to me that the bridesmaids dresses were flattering for all five girls. They are all different shapes and sizes with different coloring, and one of my girls was six months pregnant, so it was important for them to all feel beautiful and confident. 

The flowers were also a way for us to merge our cultures. The boutonnieres were a beautiful and traditional Scottish mix of heather and official flower of Scotland, the thistle. They were tied lovingly with a ribbon my mom sourced locally. The centerpieces, bridesmaids’ flowers and flower girls’ bouquets were crafted to look like they were organically gathered from a New England field, incorporating babies breath and white hydrangea. My bouquet was designed with inspiration from The Duchess of Cambridge’s bouquet for her wedding to Prince William, but with seasonal flowers for July. I could not have planned the wedding without Elizabeth and Adrienne from Gracie Lou Events. They were able to help me with design details that would be unique and special and say something about us as a couple. For example, instead of table numbers we used cities that held special significance to our relationship.

Many of our marriage traditions are similar in America as they are in Scotland, but one exception that we were not willing to budge on was wedding cake. In Scotland, wedding cake is a dense fruit cake that is a long running tradition and joke all in one because very few people actually enjoy it. I wanted to have a super delicious wedding cake so we opted for chocolate cake with chocolate raspberry mouse instead of inedible fruit cake. We were definitely not disappointed! We wanted as many personal touches as possible and for the wedding to really have our personalities show through instead of a typical package wedding that we have all attended. Barrie wanted it to be a party and for everyone to drink and have a good time, and I wanted to make sure that there were sentimental details that would create memories to last a lifetime in addition to everyone enjoying the party. The first decision we made was that we wanted our siblings to marry us.  It was important to us that the person or people who married us had known us for a long time and knew us as a couple, so who better than our siblings? Our cake topper was also a very personal touch, but we did not know about it until our beautiful cake was revealed. My mom won the opportunity to have a handmade cake topper in our likenesses.  It was such a special touch! Aimee lovingly crafted cake toppers to look exactly like us on the big day. My mom secretly collected pictures of my dress, my veil and hair and Barrie’s kilt to make a miniature replica of us — so special!

Wedding Photography: Heather Parker Photography / Wedding Planning: Gracie Lou Events / Flowers: Faxon Green / Venue + Catering: Le Méridien Cambridge-MIT / Wedding Gown: Pronovias / Veil: Handmade by a friend in Scotland with french lace / Bride’s Necklace + Diamond Bracelet: Borrowed from her mother / Cake: Party Favors Brookline / Cake Topper: Aimee Empey / DJ: Beat Train Productions / Wine Cork Escort Card Display: DIY / Ceremony Musician: Yacov Aviv (Boston_cello@yahoo.com) / Wedding Favors: Cookie Creatives / Hair: Tasha Manes / Makeup: Jean Carney, friend of the bride / Kilts: Kilt Rental USA / Wedding Stationery: Bride’s Father / Bridesmaids’ Dresses + Shoes: Their Own / Bridesmaids’ Headbands: new look / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Katie Long, Bride’s Cousin / Flower Girls’ Dresses: Handmade in Romania, a Gift from a Bridesmaid / Flower Girls’ Shoes: Teddy Bearskins / Bride’s Shoes: ollie Snake Embossed Flat / Dress Hanger: DIY, Bride’s Mother / Ceremony Officiants: Liz Finlayson, Bride’s Sister, and Kenneth Hill, Groom’s Brother

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Post tags: Aimee Empey, Beat Train Production, Black, Cookie Creatives, Faxon Green, Gracie Lou Events, Heather Parker Photography, Jean Carney, Katie Long, Kenneth Hill, Kilt Rental USA, Kilts, Le Meridien Cambridge-MIT, Liz Finnlayson, new look, ollie, Party Favors Brookline, Pronovias, Scottish, Tasha Manes, Teddy Bearskins, White, Yacov Aviv
Post categories: Boston Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings, Traditional Elegance

Thanks to my orange shoes, a beautiful love story, the support family and friends, and a whole lot of luck, we were the 2011 grand prize winners of the Crate & Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest. The contest enabled us to have our dream wedding in New Orleans, Louisiana. In mid-2011, we relocated to Beijing, China and our guest list spanned 41 states and seven countries. We wanted to give our guests a destination wedding in America that had a unique local flavor, worthy of at least a weekend visit. There is no better place to host a celebration than the French Quarter in the Big Easy, and our wedding mantra was “laissez bon temps rouler” (let the good times roll). Julie Gibson, founder of Studio Grace, designed our save the date and passport like-invitations that reflected both NOLA and our ever-traveling careers.

Romantic, old New Orleans was brought to life thanks to Yifat Oren & Associates, our wedding planner, courtesy of Crate & Barrel. Stefanie Cove, Managing Partner, was with us every step of the way to choose the best local vendors (neither Michael or I are from NOLA) that would bring the vision of Southern charm, cajun comfort, and French elegance to life. Laura Kleinhenz of Docuvitae, our photographers, captured each moment in their authentic photojournalist style. They produced images that were more than just photographs – they were art! Welliver productions shot our wedding video and stayed with us throughout the entire evening.

The day began at the Aveda Paris Parker Salon where the bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom, and me had our hair and makeup done. The stylists and artists treated us like old friends, did beautiful work, and gave us a relaxing morning. We returned to our hotel to change; the bridesmaids wore long, ivory Two Birds Convertible Dresses (purchased from Bella Bridesmaid DC), which gave them fifteen different ways to wear their dress. The thick, high-quality jersey fabric was comfortable to wear all day and photographed beautifully. I wore two dresses: for the ceremony, a Pronovias lace gown and for the dinner and at the reception a silk with tulle overlay gown by Vera Wang. I purchased the Vera Wang dress from the most lovely Bridal Boutique I had ever been to: Mimi NOLA. Gail and Mimi, two of NOLA’s finest ladies assisted me and theirs is the only VW bridal boutique in New Orleans. They gave us the most personal attention, service, and advice for hosting a spectacular local wedding. They are the place to go bridal shopping if in New Orleans, hands down. As a nod to how we met, I wore orange pumps and my bridesmaids and flower girl did too. The groomsmen changed into a Calvin Klein classic tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse and my handsome groom wore his own tuxedo by J.Crew. To give the groom distinction, we had him be the only one in a white bow tie and the rest of his men in black.

We wanted to maximize time with our guests, so we decided to take pictures before the ceremony at one of the most iconic parks in New Orleans, Jackson Square. It sits before St. Louis Cathedral, which provided a stunning backdrop for the portraits. Next, we asked our guests to meet at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, which tucked in the 140 friends and family for an intimate and cozy view of our ceremony. Pastor Stephen Aguillard gave what my Grandfather called, “the best wedding ceremony I’ve ever seen” as he preached about men’s and women’s needs in marriage. We wrote our own vows; Michael read his from a neatly folded piece of paper, me from my iPhone, which caused a few chuckles. It added to the interesting quirk of our young Pastor reading from his iPad, too. Our florals for the ceremony were by Ambiance Flowers and added to our mostly white with a few pops of orange in our bouquets. Harry Hardin’s string trio played Air on the G String for the family procession, Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley for the bridal party procession, and then my father and I entered with Mascagni’s Intermezzo. After a tearful vow exchange, we recessed to the traditional Mendelssohn’s Wedding March.

Joyfully marching out of the church as husband and wife, we were greeted by the brass instruments of the Storyville Stompers, one of the most decorated second line bands in New Orleans. Orange handkerchiefs and white feather boas were handed out to the guests and to their surprise, we began marching down the French Quarter. Michael and I briefly followed the parade in a horse and carriage, but we soon joined the crowd, not ones to miss out on any fun. Locals took pictures from their balconies and some even threw beads! We marched and danced with the brass band about eight blocks to the reception site, Galvez Restaurant, located in the French Quarter on the bank of the Mississippi river.

As the sun was setting, the second line band played for our cocktail hour outdoors in the Dutch Alley next the French Market. White lights streamed the alley, and specialty New-Orleans-inspired drinks and delicious Spanish-Cajun hors d’oeuvres were passed around. When it was time, guests were invited to walk up the votive lined stair case, up to the dining hall where five long king’s tables were set. I remember hearing my mother gasp, “Wow!” Each of the tables had no fewer than 100 candles illuminating the room; some in candelabras, some in candlesticks, and small votives. The room needed no other lighting, and the hundreds of candles were my favorite signature touch. The tables also were decorated by Ambiance Flowers vases with white flowers and baby’s breath. Each place setting contained a hand-written note to each guest, from either Michael or me, thanking them for coming.

Dinner was led by Chef Laura, of Galvez. Even though our event was black tie, we served our five courses family style to make for a more personal meal. Our guests passed around their incredible spanish, american, and french inspired dishes: ensaladas, crab cakes, grilled rack of lamb, paella valenciana, and shrimp and grits. It was cooked to perfection, thank you Chef! Our toasts broke up the courses, and our best man and maid of honor gave memorable and touching speeches. My father went last, and after his invited the guests to the dance floor, in the neighboring room.

The dance floor at Galvez is surrounded by French windows and doors that lead to a wrap around balcony. It’s one of the most romantic views in New Orleans, and our guests could watch steamboats chugging along the river as they sipped cocktails on the Crate and Barrel designed lounges outdoors. Or, inside they could get footloose with us to the incredibly talented, seven piece band, Taboo. They were a show stopper and played everything we asked, plus the favorites that even kept my Grandparents dancing way past their usual bed time.

We served two cakes: our wedding cake was by a local favorite sweet shop: Sucré, and they did a buttercream, three tiered wedding cake and our Groom’s cake (we’re in the South, after all!) was by Courtney Schmidig, a family friend and pastry chef at the French Laundry. I insisted on taste before appearance, so there was no fondant, only delicious butter cream and natural ingredients, they both were outstanding, but Courtney’s took the cake to another level!

We danced until midnight with Taboo and their incredible band arrangement and ended the night with a stellar performance that had most guests ready to continue their evening onto Bourbon street. In the morning, we relived the night over beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde and bid a final farewell to our guests. We’re still hearing stories about how amazing strolling down the French Quarter with a second line band was, and the awesome jazz ensemble during cocktail hour, and the candlelit views of the Mississippi at night. Thank you Crate & Barrel, and thank you New Orleans, you gave us all an event to remember.

Wedding Contest: Crate & Barrel / Wedding Planners: Yifat Oren & Associates / Church: St. Mark’s United Methodist / Pastor: Stephen Aguillard / Reception, Catering & Bar: Galvez Restaurant / Invitations: Studio Grace / Photographer: Docuvitae /  Videographer: Welliver Productions / Flowers: Ambiance Flower Shop / Second Line Band: Storyville Stompers / Reception Band: Taboo / Bridal Gown (Ceremony): Pronovias, from Designer Loft, New York / Bridal Gown (Reception): Mimi NOLA / Rings: Blue Nile / Tableware, Lounge, and Decor: Crate & Barrel / Rentals: Your Event Delivered / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Two Birds, from Bella Bridesmaid / Hair & Makeup: Aveda Paris Parker Salon New Orleans / Groom’s Tuxedo: J.Crew / Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Wedding Cake: Sucre / Groom’s Cake: Chef Courtney Schmidig / Farewell Breakfast: Cafe Du Monde

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Post tags: Ambiance Flower Shop, Aveda Paris Parker Salon New Orleans, Baby's Breath, Bass Brand, Bella Bridesmaid, Big Bands, Blue Nile, Cafe du Monde, Candles, Chef Courtney Schmidig, Classic, Color Palette White Orange, Crate & Barrel, Designer Loft, Docuvitae, French Quarter, Galvez Restaurant, J. Crew, Louisiana, Men's Wearhouse, Mimi NOLA, Mississippi River, New Orleans, NOLA, NOLA Weddings, Pastor Stephen Aguillard, Pronovias, Silhouettes, St. Mark's United Methodist, Storyville Stompers, Studio Grace, Sucre, Taboo, Traditional, Traditional Elegance, Two Birds, Vera Wang, Wedding Photography, Welliver Productions, Yifat Oren & Associates, Your Event Delivered
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… I wasn’t the girl who grew up dreaming about her wedding day, so once I started planning all I knew is that I wanted our day to be unique to Todd and I as a couple. Not too formal, a bit unexpected and a whole lot of fun. What we landed up with was a wedding I called “modern-vintage with a carnival twist.” Imagine telling that to people. “Well it’s a subtle carnival twist, of course.”

I come from a very creative, talented family and almost everything you see in these pictures was a labor of love. My sister designed our invitations and all of the paper elements, including our cute little bride and groom characters.  My mom made the flower belt on my dress, our candle centerpieces and the hand-painted card box. I asked my dad to make our cake topper, and he surprised us with an entire set of hand-made toppers that resemble our entire wedding party!

Salvage One in Chicago is an amazing venue all on its own, so we just included our own personal touches wherever we could. Star Wars cuff links for the guys, a string duo playing Queen and the Beatles, a cake buffet that included the most delicious french toast-flavored cake ever, a hot pink photobooth and vows we wrote ourselves. By making it so personal, the ceremony and our “first look” beforehand became my favorite part of the entire day–though coming in as a close second was the end-of-the-night dance party I wish never had to end!

Wedding Photography: Angela Renee Photography / Videographer: JR Bangit, Friend of the Bride / Getting Ready Photos: The Wit / Wedding Venue: Salvage One / Wedding Coordinator: Amy Stockbridge of Salvage One / Officiant: Rev. Tom Perrucci / Print Design: Lauren Okura, Graphic Designer and Sister of the Bride / Floral Design: Gratitude-Heart-Garden / DJ: Ralph Darden, a.k.a. Major Taylor of Style Matters / Makeup: Krystyn Johnson from Bridal Beauty Chicago / Hair: Samara Toby from Bridal Beauty Chicago / Caterer: Maison Cuisine / Cakes: Sweet Mandy B’s / Dress: Pronovias via Dimitras / Belt: DIY by Mother of the Bride / Earrings: Nadri via Nordstrom / Hair Comb: ChantalEveleen / Cufflinks: Crimsonking / Shoes: Top Shop / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Striped Orange and Gray Straws: HeyYoYo / Flower Hairpins in Bridesmaids’ Hair: ProjectU

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Post tags: Amy Stockbridge, Angela Renee Photography, Bridal Beauty Chicago, Carnival Wedding, Chicago, Dimitras, Gratitude-Heart-Garden, Illinois, J. Crew, JR Bangit, Krystyn Johnson, Lauren Okura, Maison Cuisine, Major Taylor, Nadri, Nordstrom, Pronovias, Ralph Darden, Rev. Tom Perrucci, Salvage One, Samara Toby, Style Matters, Sweet Mandy B's, The Wit, Top Shop
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Chicago Weddings, Illinois Weddings

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From the Bride… The theme of our wedding day became “True Love is a Big Deal”. I can’t take credit for the creation of it, instead I found it and saw ourselves in its truth. It was from then on that I decided, the only thing we needed was love. Unfortunately, love doesn’t host and cater for 150 people.  After searching through the usual choices of golf courses, country clubs, and halls, and being unimpressed, Chris and I knew that a more none traditional setting would make our day truly ours. We found a secret little gem, River Birch Lodge, about an hour away from us. After scouting out the property, I fell in love. From the large antler chandelier, the grandiose fireplaces, and rustic decor there was a warmth that seemed like home. The private estate would be ours for the entire weekend, making it the perfect backdrop to spend time with our family and friends.

On the day of the wedding, the weather took on a windy chill, that forced us inside. Instead, the ceremony was held in the lodge, in front of a large fireplace and under a very large moose. Everybody got really, really cozy while we said our vows. Rev. Bell pronounced us husband and wife, and Chris was told to “salute your bride”. This was followed by a brief pause, an awkward look and then Chris responded “Can I just kiss her instead?”

The weekend was an absolute dream and could not have been done without our amazing vendors, family and friends. Originally, I wasn’t going to hire a day-of coordinator in hopes of making room in the budget. That would have been the biggest mistake! Finding Jen House from A Moment In Time was like finding a new friend (one of the real genuine, honest ones!) Whether it was putting out all the fires on the wedding day, helping with some different family dynamics, or setting up all of our thought out plans, she was there every step of the way (well, more like 3 steps ahead). On top of that, she handcrafted the most amazing floral combinations which guest are still raving about. Not hiring a coordinator would have been a mistake, but NOT hiring Jen House would have been the BIGGEST mistake. We also must mention the talented Toole Art Photography. Crystal and Mike are some of the sweetest people whose work speaks for itself. We love re-living our magical day over and over through their beautiful pictures, while always reminding ourselves, “True love is a BIG deal”.

Wedding Photography: Toole Art Photography / Venue: River Birch Lodge (810-599-6587) / Coordination + Floral Design: Jen House of A Moment In Time / Catering: Crystal Gardens / Linens: Affordable Elegance Chair Covers + Linens / Wedding Cake: Aunt of the Bride, Karen’s Cookies and Cakes / Cookie Bar: Milford Baking Company / Cookie Bar Sign: Blue Pearls / Wedding Dress: Pronovias  via Birmingham Bridal Couture / Veil: Mother of the Groom / Jewelry: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden + Kate Spade / Jacket: Kohl’s / Hair + Makeup: Posh Studio / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: President Tuxedo / Ceremony Music: Rondo String Quartet / Entertainment: Dante of Music Box Productions / Celebrant: Rev. Bill Bell / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jessica Simpson via Macy’s / Guestbook Tree: Bleu de Toi / Bride and Groom Stamp: lilimandrill / Invitations: Senor & Senora / Wedding Signs, Paper Goods, Flags: DIY / True Love is a Big Deal: DIY by Bride’s Uncle

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Post tags: A Moment in Time, Affordable Elegance Chair Covers + Linens, Birmingham Bridal Couture, Blue Pearls, Crystal Gardens, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Hartland, J. Crew, Jen House, Jessica Simpson, Karen's Cookies and Cakes, Kate Spade, Kohl's, lilimandrill, Macy's Bleu de Toi, Michigan, Milford Baking Company, Music Box Productions, Posh Studio, President Tuxedo, Pronovias, Rev. Bill Bell, River Birch Lodge, Rondo String Quartet, Senor & Senora, Steve Madden, Toole Art Photography
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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Be sure to take a minute or two and watch this gorgeous wedding come to life with the talent of 10th Letter Media.

From the bride… The beaux arts 1900 architecture of the Moana Surfrider, also known as the First Lady of Waikiki, has always been our favorite venue in Hawaii. With a beautiful green lawn right next to the ocean, and a gorgeous ocean front BeachHouse restaurant on the property, we decided that it would be the perfect location for our wedding. Eric was born in Honolulu and I have fond memories of regularly traveling to the rainbow state with my family as a child. Even though we now live in Brooklyn, New York, we thought it would be the perfect meeting place for our family and friends from all over the world.

Style Me Pretty really helped me throughout the entire process as I looked for design inspiration, and liaised virtually with our local planners, florists and the hotel staff. I decided to use a simple white, ivory and light peach color scheme for the entire outdoor ceremony, and then add all different colors into the floral palette for our indoor reception. We hired a wonderful philadelphia-based calligrapher  to write all our table/name cards, and ordered delicious handmade cookies from a local Brooklyn-based vendor. My sister also designed an eco-friendly tote bag for our guests to bring home at the end of the night.  And because our reception was held at the hotel restaurant, our guests could see the kitchen through an open glass window and everything came out hot on the plate. Our beautiful hula dancers swayed to the music of Elvis Presley’s Hawaiian Wedding Song while the sky was changing colors outside, and the whole entire event was the result of true team effort. It was a magical, unforgettable night.

Event Planning: Finishing Touch / Flowers: Yvonne Design / Photography: Steven Lam Photography / Cinematography: 10th Letter Media / Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Moana Surfrider / Invitations: Mr. Boddington / Dress: Pronovias / Bridesmaid Dress: Amsale / Calligraphy: Neither Snow / Favors: Whimsy & Spice

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Post tags: 10th Letter Media, Amsale, Finishing Touch, Hawaii, honolulu, Mr. Boddington, Neither Snow, Pronovias, Steven Lam Photography, The Moana Surfrider, Whimsey & Spice, Yvonne Design
Post categories: Destination Weddings, Hawaii Weddings

Now hows about we finish this party off with an ever so cool film of the day captured by Land Shark. Sound good?

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Travis and I have been together for over a decade and share a million interests; we also love a good theme party.  We did a lot of waiting around for inspiration to strike but, with so many conflicting ideas,the hardest part was finding a way to focus on something useable and romantic.  Since meeting at an academic summer camp in high school, what has always united us is our shared curiosity and love of learning. Our fantastic planner, Kelly Simants, recognized this and suggested our perfect theme — science!  We immediately set about collecting mid-century science items from Etsy, eBay, vintage shops, bookstores, and our families.  Rather than numbers, each table featured a different science, with guests using 35mm slides and a couple old slide projectors to find their seats.  We also used balloons to transform the space into something a bit colorful and whimsical and unexpected.

We also incorporated other things we love in small ways.  All of our ceremony music was from RPGs that we’ve played together. Our guestbook was a blank world map I created for guests to mark their hometown, favorite city, or where they’re dying to go, and to fuel our own travels. The boutonnieres were cut from an 1806 map of London and secured with clock faces–a little nod to Doctor Who. Our save the date was a short film; our invitations secretly held the story of our relationship; the giant lighted letters were a weekend project with our close friends.  Wherever we could inject a little “us”, we did.

Ask your friends for help with style and execution.  Assemble your dream team of vendors by surrounding yourself with talented people you like and trust–and have as much fun together as you possibly can. We decided we simply HAD to have a wedding because it was the one time we could gather our friends and family in one place, and we firmly believe that the people in our lives are fantastic and should be in each others’ lives.  The most rewarding part of the weekend was watching all the new friendships roll in.

Wedding Photography: Sarah Rhoads Photographers / Wedding Cinematography: Land Shark / Flowers: Talented friends and the groom’s sister / Event Design: The bride and groom / Event Planning: Kelly Simants of Sweet Pea Events / Event Styling: Event Styling by Shawna Marie / Ceremony Location: eM the Venue / Reception Location: eM the Venue / Catering: eM the Venue / Cake: Fancy Cakes by Lauren / Invitations: Vynsie Law (with ferris wheels by the bride’s mother) / Other Paper Goods: The groom’s sister + the bride & groom / Guestbook Map: The bride / Shoes: Hey Lady / Dress: Pronovias / Bridesmaid Dresses: Traffic People / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: Thick as Thieves / Groomsmen Boutonnieres: Talented friends / Officiant’s Suit: Magnoli Clothiers / Hair: Jorge Abrego Jr. / Makeup: Emily Ward / Hairpiece: Twigs & Honey / Jewelry: Petra Domling / Music: DJ ModChap / Rentals: Period Charm Rentals / Balloons: Balloon City USA / Fair Day Dress: Dear Creatures / Fair Day Shoes: Chocolate Schubar / Fair Day Jewelry: We Dream in Colour

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Post tags: Balloon City USA, Chocolate Schubar, Dallas, Dear Creatures, DJ ModChap, eM the Venue, Emily Ward, Fancy Cakes by Lauren, Hey Lady, Jorge Abgrego Jr., Kelly Simants, Land Shark, Megnoli Clothiers, Period Charm Rentals, Petra Domling, Pronovias, Sarah Rhoads Photographers, Sweet Pea Events, Texas, Thick as Thieves, Traffic People, Twigs & Honey, Vynsie Law, We Dream in Colour
Post categories: The Blog, Whimsical