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From the bride… Our wedding was my dream combination of my past, present and future. My husband and I met in ski academy high school in Vermont but fell out of touch for over 10 years before we literally ran into each other on the streets of Manhattan, where we were both living. We fell in love with each other as friends and then he became the love of my life. Our photographers were also friends of ours from high school. My bridesmaids are the family I found when I moved to the big city from Vermont. The wedding was in Watch Hill, the town where I want my grandchildren to play on the beach in, as my cousins and I did as children.  The gorgeous church across from the Ocean House holds memories of my grandparents and now my wedding. I was left my grandmother’s engagement ring after she passed away, and my husband also was given his grandmother’s ring when she passed away.  I wore them both along with a cross given to me by my parents on a chain my husband gave me before the wedding.  It was a way to have our loved ones that could not be there close to our hearts. I feel so blessed to have this wonderful town in my life and it was the perfect place to get married.  

The theme was inspired by the colors of sea glass.  The focus was on having a wonderful weekend.  Incredible food, bright and sunny drinks and amazing company made it the best weekend of my life.  

Special thanks to Carla from Elements Flowers who was not only an amazing help with the flowers but everything else we did, and to Geoff who made sure our photo booth was a huge success! We custom-ordered our frames from Etsy after trying for a month to find cute photo booth frames and I was thrilled with the result.  The bridesmaids’ dresses were custom-made by the extremely talented and sweet Katie Ermilio. Our parents were the most amazing support team during the entire wedding process. It was amazing to have our wonderful parents, incredible friends and beautiful memories made during our sunny wedding weekend in Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

Wedding Photography: Lauren + Abby Photography / Flowers: Carla of Elements Flowers / Wedding Planning: The Bride’s Family / Ceremony: Watch Hill Chapel in Watch Hill, Rhode Island / Reception: Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island / Photobooth: Photobooth Planet (401-316-1423) / Wedding Invitations: Mr. Boddington / Save-the-Dates: Julie Holcomb / Wedding Dress: Oscar de la Renta via Bergdorf Goodman / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Earrings: A Gift from the Maid of Honor / Bracelet: Borrowed from the Groom’s Mother / Bridemaids’ Dresses: Custom by Katie Ermilio / Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Halston Heritage / Flower Girl Dress: Ralph Lauren via Saks Fifth Avenue / Photobooth Frames: Custom by 2DogsWoodWorking

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Post tags: 2DogsWoodWorking, Bergdorf Goodman, Blue, Christian Louboutin, Elements Flowers, Halston Heritage, Julie Holcomb, Katie Ermilio, Lauren + Abby Photography, Mr. Boddington, Ocean House, Oscar De La Renta, Photobooth Planet, Ralph Lauren, Rhode Island, Saks Fifth Avenue, Watch Hill, Watch Hill Chapel, White
Post categories: The Blog

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From the Bride… Sean and I met in 2006 through a mutual friend and within just a few short months, we both knew this was it. We came from similar backgrounds, shared similar life goals and values, and easily felt at home with each other. After four years of growing together, we got engaged on August 2, 2010 at the top of the John Hancock building. In what was like a made-for-tv proposal, Sean asked me to marry him looking over the Chicago skyline with a crowd of bystanders cheering in the background. Sweet words exchanged, tears shed, and many champagne toasts made, we set out on nine months of busy, exciting planning. Our vision for the wedding was two-fold: we wanted to share our love for design and details, while also celebrating the importance of family in our lives.

My dress was one of my personal favorite details of the wedding. I found it at Macy’s on State Street; it was designed by Lazaro. I knew from the start that I wanted a “wow” dress, something beautiful, both unique and modern, but still classic and traditional. It was one of the first dresses I tried on, and after only one other day of dress shopping, I knew it was the one. When I tried it on with my maid of honor and my mom, we all were brought to tears. My cousin told me it was something our Grandma would have loved (she was definitely a glamour girl), and that sealed the deal. Along with my dress on the wedding day, I wore earrings given to me by my dad as a surprise two nights before the wedding.

We chose the Museum of Contemporary Art for our reception site with ease. It was a spot we enjoyed together on one of our first dates, and it fully encompassed our mutual love of modern art. We chose charcoal grey and lemon yellow as our colors, with accents of white. The colors represented the feel we were hoping for: yellow as bright, warm, vibrant, and happy, and grey as strong, cool, clean, and modern. We also did signature cocktails for guests as an option at the bar marked with little circular signs. Mine was the Flirtini because I love anything with champagne, and Sean’s was a John Daly (an Arnold Palmer with vodka), his favorite summer “pool drink”. For favors we did a candy bar because both Sean and I love to eat candy. We offered thirteen different types of candy, all our and our parents’ favorites. Guests were sent home with their own hand picked assortment of candy in paper bags stamped with “Sweet Dreams” in grey.

Photography: Simply Jessie Photography / Invitations + Paper Elements: Courtney Callahan Paper (groom’s sister) / Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago / Church + Reception Flowers: Vale of Enna / Personal Flowers: Deborah Coffey of Lilypops (deborah_coffey@hotmail.com, groom’s sister) / Cake: Sweets Perfection / Wedding Day-Of Coordinator: Bambi Rodgers of BCR Events / Wedding Video: Poetic Productions / Photobooth: Shutter Booth / Band: Bradley Young Orchestra / Makeup: Susan Hood of Makeup by S.H.E. / Hair: Pamela Moore (pamelam74@yahoo.com) + Alyssa Kamruddin (alyssakamruddin@yahoo.com) / Brides’s Dress: Lazaro via Macy’s / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka via Nordstrom / Groom’s Tux: Hugo Boss via Saks Fifth Avenue / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale

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Post tags: Alyssa Kamruddin, Amsale, Bambi Rodgers, Bradley Young Orchestra, BRC Events, Chicago, Courtney Callahan Paper, Deborah Coffey, Hugo Boss, Illinois, Lazaro, Lilypops, Macy's Badgley Mischka, Makeup by S.H.E., Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Nordstrom, Pamela Moore, Poetic Productions, Saks Fifth Avenue, Shutter Booth, Simply Jessie Photography, Susan Hood, Sweets Perfection, Vale of Enna
Post categories: Contemporary, The Blog

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From Mademoiselle Fiona Wedding Photography…I’m excited to share with you the gorgeous wedding of Aude and Gilles, a couple from Los Angeles who got married in France this summer.

I think you will like their destination wedding which has a lot of style and personal touches.  The bride Aude designed the whole event and made a beautiful garden party.  She is very crafty so she handmade a few details herself.   I loved her ballerina wedding gown and her bridesmaids’ tutu dresses.  During the day, Aude also wore a gorgeous traditional pink sari, to honor her husband’s sri lankese heritage.  And last but not least – I’ve rarely seen such a handsome groom and such a graceful, gorgeous bride!

Wedding Photography: Mademoiselle Fiona Wedding Photography / Second Shooter: Leila Brewster Photography / Cinematography: FIRR Paris / Floral Design: Le Jardin des Fleurs / Event Planning: Blanc Blanc Prune / Ceremony + Reception Location: Chateau de Montplaisant / Invitations: Paper Source / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Catering: Pignol / DJ: Organicus / Jazz Band: Djoukil / Groom’s Suit: Zegna via Saks Fifth Avenue / Groom’s Shoes: Bexley Lyon / Bridesmaid Tutus: BCBG Maxazria / Bridesmaid Shoes: Gap

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Post tags: BCBG Maxazria, Bexley Lyon, Blanc Blanc Prune, Chateau de Montplaisant, Destination Wedding, Djoukil, FIRR Paris, France, French Countryside, Gap, Le Jardin des Fleurs, Lelia Brewster Photography, Mademoiselle Fiona Wedding Photography, Monique Lhuillier, Organicus, Paper Source, Pignol, Saks Fifth Avenue, Steve Madden, Zegna
Post categories: Destination Weddings, France Weddings

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From the Bride…My husband and I like to keep things simple so for our wedding we did not want to over-think anything.  We knew we wanted to get married in my hometown and have the reception at my parents’ house. On our big day I got ready in my childhood bedroom, we posed for pictures in the front yard, and I rode the familiar route to the church in my dad’s car.  The reception, held in the backyard, was beautiful and relaxed.

Even though we had a pig roast, the reception felt more like a garden party than a barbecue because of the beautiful tent, crisp linens, and arrangements of vibrant summer flowers.  While the caterers served wine and beer, we were sure to tuck away some spirits and sweet tea vodka lemonade in the playhouse normally reserved for grandchildren. It was a big hit! Guests could be seen sipping their cocktails while playing yard games in the garden or lounging on the hammock.  Once it got dark, the garden and brick patio were deserted in order to favor the dance floor under the twinkle-lit tent. Overall, it was a great party and a very magical night for family and friends.

Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Wedding Dress, Sash + Shoes: J.Crew / Wedding Photography: Jennifer Bullock Photography / Maid of Honor Dress: J.Crew / Bow Tie: Saks Fifth Avenue / Groom’s Suit: Macy’s / Hair + Make-up: Ochoa For Hair / Flowers: Carey’s Flowers / Caterer: The Log Cabin / DJ: Dan Cavanaugh of And the Beat Goes On / Tent: Michael’s Party Rentals / Tailor: Sweet Peas Tailoring / Transportation: Valet Park of America / String Trio: Classic Wedding Ensembles / Hair Accessories: Pearl Bridal Boutique

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Post tags: And the Beat Goes On, Backyard Wedding, Carey's Flowers, Classic Wedding Ensembles, J. Crew, Jennifer Bullock Photography, Massachusetts Weddings, Michael's Party Rentals, Ochoa For Hair, Pearl Bridal Boutique, Saks Fifth Avenue, South Hadley, Sweet Peas Tailoring, The Log Cabin, Valet Park of America, Wedding Paper Divas
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Massachusetts Weddings

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From the Bride…New York is my favorite city in the world and a place of many unforgettable memories for me…so to have it as the backdrop for my wedding was the ultimate dream come true. Having the ceremony and reception at the Boathouse in Central Park truly added a magical quality to the event, as I’ve always regarded the park as a sanctuary amid the chaos. It’s a place where I’ve spent countless hours running, relaxing and reflecting. A New York wedding just made sense for us. After all, I think it was the allure of this great city that persuaded the Englishman I now call my husband to move across the pond.

When Edward and I started planning our wedding, we knew we didn’t want to be distracted by the endless options for every detail. We agreed to only move forward with things that felt like “us”.  I like to think that the vibe of our wedding was romantic and whimsical, yet classically elegant at the same time. Less is always more in our opinion, and the natural beauty of the park combined with the exquisite wedding-day weather we were blessed with really carried the spirit of the day. When it comes to style, Ed and I are both classic and minimalist. Our flowers were all shades of cream and white, save for the touches of greenery mixed in.  Some of my very favorite flowers—peonies, hydrangea and parrot tulips—were sprinkled throughout the table arrangements. For an elegant contrast, we added tall vases of cherry blossom branches to select tables, which added a warm, rustic quality to the room.

Perhaps the most special décor element was our table numbers. Our beloved French bulldog, Hank, was unable to accompany us from San Francisco to New York for the wedding, but we couldn’t imagine our special day without him in it. To make sure Hank had his mark on our wedding day, I embarked on a month-long project photographing Hank all around town, positioned next to vintage numbers that I found in a local consignment shop.  I printed the photos in black and white, put them in silver frames and the table numbers were complete! They ended up being a great conversation piece, and guests were visiting other tables to compare Hank’s best poses.

The ceremony itself was authentic and intimate—Ed and I wrote the entire thing ourselves. As a nod to his British heritage, he and his groomsmen wore traditional British morning suits, trumped only by the fabulous array of fascinators many guests wore! The most touching moment was when my sister and maid of honor sang and played the guitar to John Hiatt’s “Have A Little Faith”, a song that poignantly communicates what’s so beautiful about having a partner in life. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Once we progressed to the reception and our nerves subsided, we were ready to party. It wasn’t hard to do, thanks to the phenomenal 12-piece band that kept nearly every guest on the dance floor until the wee hours. Their wireless instruments enabled the musicians to dance and play among our guests—everyone had a blast. After the band closed down the reception, our guests headed back to the Hudson Hotel for the wedding after party (which went strong until about 5 am). Edward and I veered off on our own and hailed a cab together – the perfect New York ending to a perfect day and night!

Wedding Photography: Adagion Lifestyle Photography / Wedding Planning: loli events / Venue: The Central Park Boathouse / Getting Ready Location: The Hudson Hotel / Wedding Dress: Saks Fifth Avenue / Hair: Dop Dop Salon / Wedding Cake: Sugar Flower Cake Shop / Flowers: Lenox Hill Florist / Wedding Videography: Love & You Video / Band: Totally Live LLC

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Adagion Lifestyle Photography, Dop Dop Salon, Lenox Hill Florist, loli events, Love & You Video, New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sugar Flower Cake Shop, The Central Park Boathouse, The Hudson Hotel, Totally Live LLC
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…Our wedding was April 30, 2011. The evening ceremony took place on the west end of Folly Beach and the outdoor tented reception was held at the Folly River Park, located along side the Folly River. There was a lot of chaos due to a local event having to use our wedding day as their rain date! Regardless of the craziness, it was absolutely perfect! We knew we wanted a casual no-fuss wedding (if there is such a thing), and decided the beach was the perfect way to go!

The decor and inspiration was the location itself. I didn’t want to take away from the natural beauty, by adding a lot of “stuff”. I tried to keep all decor as minimal as possible, including the color scheme. I didn’t want to over-do the “beach theme” as I have seen done so many times!  I ordered white cymbidium orchids, seeded eucalyptus and curly willow branches for the centerpieces. I filled the 23″ cylinder vases found here and there with white sea shells my husband and I collected on the beach.  I made table runners and cocktail table ties from burlap fabric and finished the centerpiece by adding pedestal tea light candle holders. The napkins were also a “burlap” color. My bouquet was made with white hydrangea, white cymbidium orchids, white ranunculus, and seeded eucalyptus. The bridesmaid bouquets were bundles of white hydrangea and the boutonnieres were made of a galax leaf backing, a single orchid and seeded eucalyptus. All of which were wrapped with a linen ribbon. I also used  driftwood I collected on the wish book/gift table and an occasional large piece of coral or shell.

We did a sand blending ceremony, and used an hourglass my grandfather hand-made for us. The cupcakes were made by Crystal at Sweet Memories Cakery and Designs, who I found on Craigslist. Her cupcakes were beautiful and delicious, everyone raved about them…not to mention much cheaper than any other I found! As a gift to my husband, I ordered him custom-made cufflinks of vintage maps, one being Charleston (where he is from) and the other of Bellows Falls, VT (where I am from). I ordered these from Etsy shop dlkdesigns. One of the bridesmaids also, one of my best friends is so talented and made me foot jewelry to wear on the beach. She also has an Etsy shop at Dominiquegodfrey. A friend of my mother’s made us a “Wish Book”, taking the inspiration from our invitations, and our favors were specially made koozies with the Gamecocks logo starting our last name. The bridesmaid dresses came from J.Crew and the suits were rented from Berlin’s Formal Wear. The men’s ties were designed by me and specially made from Etsy shop, TuxandTulle. The cute flower girl dresses were specially made by FattiePie on Etsy. The invitations were designed, created printed, cut and assembled by me. We received so many compliments on them as well as the wedding.

Wedding Photography: KDE Photography / Flowers: Horst Wholesale Flowers / Bouquets + Boutonnieres: DIY / Event Design + Planning: The Bride / Ceremony Location: Folly Beach / Reception Location: Folly River Park / Invitations: DIY with supplies from Cards & Pockets (paper) + Letter Seals (wax and seal) / Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden / Beaded Foot Jewelry: Dominique Godfrey / Wedding Dress: BCBG Maxazria via Saks Fifth Avenue / Cupcakes: Sweet Memories Cakery and Designs / Cufflinks: dlk designs / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew via Berlin’s Formal Wear / Ties: Tux & Tulle / Flower Girl Dresses: Fattie Pie

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Post tags: BCBG Maxazria, Beach Wedding, Berlin's Formal Wear, Cards & Pockets, Destination Wedding, dlk designs, Dominique Godfrey, Fattie Pie, Folly Beach, Folly River Park, Horst Wholesale Flowers, J. Crew, KDE Photography, Letter Seals, Saks Fifth Avenue, South Carolina, Steve Madden, Sweet Memories Cakery and Designs, Tux & Tulle
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Destination, Destination Weddings

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From Katherine O’Brien Photography…This fun & colorful wedding was all about Austin! Their tables were labeled with their favorite Austin locations like Mount Bonnell, the Greenbelt, the Broken Spoke and Deep Eddy and the place cards were simple, colorful hand written names with small pebbles to hold them in place.

Verbena Floral Design worked in succulents and nettles into the floral arrangements. The groom and groomsmen all had colorful bow ties and matched the bridesmaid’s colored dresses.

Melissa & Joe met in the Peace Corp in Panama so one of their unique gifts was a set of his & hers machetes! The gift to their guests - donations in their honor to the Peace Corps Partnership fund for helping underprivileged communities with access to clean water and sanitation! They exited to color streamers and a classic Texas Limo with Longhorns!

Wedding Photography: Katherine O’Brien Photography / Venue: Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center / Wedding Coordinator: Rosa Gibson of Austin Wedding Planners by Rosa / Florist: Verbena Floral Design / Caterer: Austin Catering / Officiant: Bill Frisbie / Band: Original Recipe Band / Wedding Dress: Amy Kuschel from Unbridaled / Suit: J.Crew / Rings: Dean Frederick / Cupcakes + Wedding Cake: Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop / Hair: Avant Salon / Make-up: Donna Bruns from Saks Fifth Avenue

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Post tags: Austin, Austin Catering, Austin Wedding Planners by Rosa, Avant Salon, Bill Frisbie, Dean Frederick, J. Crew, Katherine O'Brien Photography, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Original Recipe Band, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sugar Mama's Bakeshop, Texas Weddings, Unbridaled, Verbena Floral Design
Post categories: Austin Weddings, Texas Weddings

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From Chantel Marie Photography…Hilary and Jon tied the knot on 7.9.11  They dated on and off for about 4 years…they started dating in college at ASU.  He then moved to Hawaii to play collegiate golf and she moved back home to Vegas.  They were in and out of the relationship.  Just when Hilary thought things were all over, Jon and her worked it out. He came home for holidays in hopes to win her back, knowing he could not live without her.  An amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas with their families in NV and AZ confirmed their forever love…he proposed his next trip home.

Hil and Jon are a very old-world loving, antique appreciating couple.  They adore cooking together and Hil loves needlework and DIY projects. Hil and her mom pretty much DIYed her entire wedding. Jon’s family has horses and a ranch and Hil is a very classy, thrifty gal. They compliment each other so well in that they are completely and entirely head over heels for each other.

Their wedding was gorgeous and they loved every moment of it.  It was so authentic to them. Hil had a say in everything that was purchased, made, and how and where it set at the venue.  The wedding was just ‘them’.

Reception: The Orange Orchard / Wedding Photography: Chantel Marie Photography / Wedding Cakes: Sandy Wright Cutting / Florals: Mother of the Bride + Friends / DJ: Hilary’s Playlist / Bride’s Dress: Saks Fifth Avenue / Hair Flower + Earrings: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Express / Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan / Invitations: Lyndsay Osburn Design

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 21 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Chantel Maria Photography, Cole Haan, Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Express, J. Crew, Lyndsay Osburn Design, Mesa, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sandy Wright Cutting, The Orange Orchard
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, The Blog