Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Shannon of Shannon Leahy Events… For this event, we were inspired by a color palette of turquoise and gold. The bride had elegant taste and loved sparkle so we incorporated metallic, sparkle and sequins in subtle ways that really made the decor pop. The bride handmade all the paper flowers that were on her wedding arch with glitter paper from a kit from Paper Source. We had gold glitter in baskets, which the flower girls tossed as they walked down the aisle, and gold Grecian headbands for each of the bridesmaids. Even the bride’s bouquet had little berries spray-painted gold. Atelier Joya handmade all the gold pear place card holders on the dinner tables and the gold leaf wreath on the front door. The escort card display was set in sparkly gold beads in vintage glass trays to create a darling entry display, and this table was later turned over as a favor table with handmade soaps wrapped in glitter paper. The bride owns a bath shop in Pacific Heights, so gorgeous hand-milled French soap seemed especially appropriate for the favors. The bride also made the ring bearer pillow, which also fit with the color palette.

One of my favorite details was the custom DJ booth for the dancing portion of the evening. The bride is a wonderful painter, and we took a high resolution photograph of one of her abstract paintings and turned it into the light-up facade for the DJ booth. Often this detail is reserved for logos for corporate functions, but I thought it was really fun how it made the event feel personal (and served as a great backdrop for toasts).

An interesting piece of inspiration was how this wedding was structured. The bride invited about 50 guests — close family and her bridal party — to the ceremony and dinner portion of the evening. After dinner, everyone headed outside for a group photo while we cleaned the dinner tables and prepared for another 150 guests to join the bridal party for a rockin’ party. We had a taco station, a noodle bar, an ice cream sundae bar (with sugared mint leaves, among other things!), some great specialty cocktails, a photo booth and fabulous tunes by DJ Goyo along with layers of heavy passed hors d’oeuvres. It was such a fun way to have an intimate wedding but still have everyone join in the celebration and worked particularly well since the majority of their guests were local.

Wedding Photography: Sasha Gulish Photography / Wedding Flowers: Atelier Joya / Event Planning + Design: Shannon Leahy Events / Wedding Venue: General’s Residence in San Francisco, California / Catering: Living Room Events / Desserts: The Whole Cake / DJ: DJ Goyo / Paper Flowers: DIY by the Bride / Paper Flower Materials: Paper Source / Wedding Gown: Kali Lambson-Bloom of Dark Gardens / Headbands: Atelier Joya / Flower Girl Dresses: Custom, Wee Scotty / Soap Wedding Favors: Bath Sense, Owned by the Bride / Bridesmaid Dresses: Various Designers / Linens: La Tavola

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 23 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Atelier Joya, California, DJ Goyo, Flower girls, Fort Mason General's Residence, Gold, lily, Living Room Events, Lucite Boxes, moped, Paper Source, San Francisco, Sasha Gulish Photography, Shannon Leahy Events, Succulent, The Whole Cake, Tiffany blue, Turquoise
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

Click here for the FULL photo shoot!

So how do you take gorgeous inspiration from blog to real life wedding? Here’s some great ways to incorporate those gorgeous details from this Interior Design Inspired shoot:

Using pattern – Having an entire reception filled with patterned linens may not be an option but try incorporating a pattern you love into napkins, a table runner, backing table numbers or on name cards. A dose of gorgeous pattern goes a long way and by incorporating small bits throughout your event, you can really add that wow factor

Alternatives to Flowers – We love how today’s shoot incorporated veggies and plants into the tablescape. This is an awesome (and cost saving) alternative to bushels of flowers. Herbs, succulents, vines, artichokes – these all work for a gorgeous centerpiece. Also, instead of a vase filled with an arrangement, try floating a single peony (or other large bloom) in a water filled vase. It’s ultra romantic and again, a major cost saver.

Adding Metallics – We haven’t met a sparkle that we don’t adore or a gold piece we can live without; basically we go crazy for all things metallic and sparkly and think a little dash on the table or photo booth backdrop is pure perfection. And do you want to know our little secret? Metallic spray paint. It’s a lifesaver and does wonders on old vases, candlesticks, trays, you name it.

Adding your Style Stamp – Take cues from your home when deciding on a style or color palette for your wedding. Home is where the heart is after all and also where you keep the things you love the most.  Is your decor ultra modern or do you love a great antique? Maybe you’re really into earth tones and an organic affair speaks to your heart. Whatever your style may be, it can easily translate into elements for your Big Day

From Kaella of Kaella Lynn Events… Our inspiration for this photo shoot was interior design, notably that of Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorator and author, Mary McDonald. Glossing over the pages of her book, Interiors, we can’t help but notice how her principles of interior decorating apply to wedding design. Turning to interior design for inspiration can help a couple identify their style, and subsequently their wedding theme. And while DIY will forever have a place in our hearts, we wanted to create a classic look for the modern couple really utilizing the professional eye of an event designer, stylist, florist, etc.  An aesthetic that, for the purposes of our shoot, is synonymous with Mary McDonald’s style: bold, chic and timeless.  Who doesn’t love pattern!?

The foggy San Francisco winter weather lends itself to classic indoor weddings, but by no means should this equal a drab affair. Therefore, we chose a striking, rich color scheme of emerald, gray and gold. As one would in their home, we employed these colors through layered textures, patterns and accessories. Often forgotten is the bridal party/sweetheart table backdrop, which is oh-so-important for framing and staging in photos. We created a backdrop of Quatrefoil curtains, velvet drapes and sequin pillows, creating the cozy yet luxurious feel of a grand living/dining room. Lacquer statues, gold accents and green plants weaving through the table décor pile on the texture while chinoiserie images and graphic details walk the line between old world and modern glamour. Our venue, The Box SF, struck the same balance, and we felt compelled to include some of their antiques in our shoot. Notice the antique seed sorter and Chinese apothecary chest? To die for!

Photography: Edyta Szyszlo Photography / Event Coordination + Design: Kaella Lynn Events / Flowers: Lila B. Design / Stationery: Olive Route / Linens: La Tavola / Venue: The Box SF / Cake: The Whole Cake / Model: Samantha Livermore / Dress: Essense of Australia via Janene’s Bridal Boutique / Makeup + Hair: A La Arte Beauty / Rentals: Hartmann Studios / Table Décor: Z Gallerie

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 25 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: A La Arte Beauty, California, Edyta Szyszlo Photography, Essense of Australia, Hartmann Studios, Interior Design, Janene's Bridal Boutique, Kaella Lynn Events, La Tavola, Lila B. Design, Mary McDonald, Olive Route, Photo Shoot, Samantha Livermore, San Francisco, The Box SF, The Whole Cake, Z Gallerie
Post categories: Photo Shoot, The Blog, Wedding Style

Click here for the FULL engagement session!

And as promised, Taylor has whipped up some no fail outfits perfect for an engagement session of the glittery kind. Have a look…

1. Little Black Dress: Zara / Necklace: Juliet & Company / Black Bow Heels: Kate Spade

2. White Dress: ASOS / Black Glitter Shoes: Topshop

3. Chambray Shirt:  J.Crew / With these AH-MAZ-ING Green Pants: Alice + Olivia /  Nude Pumps: BCBG / Necklace: J.Crew

4. Glittery Dress: Parker / Heels: Boutique 9 / Earrings: Dannijo

5. Sequin Gold Top: Vince / Jeans: Paige Denim / Black Ballet Flats: Topshop

6. Nail polish: Essie

From the Bride-to-be… Joey and I met back in 2007 and became instant friends! About a year later we started to realize our connection was deeper than just friendship and we wanted to be together–we have been ever since. We fell in love on a date in San Francisco and knew that it would be the perfect place for our engagement session. We chose Ashley Batz who also works for The Glitter Guide like I do. She really captured our love and our sense of humor! We can’t wait for our wedding in August of next year at the Ainsley House garden in Campbell, CA!

Photography: Ashley Batz / Makeup: Priscilla Francine / Location: San Francisco / Bride’s Green Dress: BCBG / Bride’s Shoes: Aldo / Necklace: Forever 21 / Bride’s Black Dress: Diane von Furstenberg / Groom’s Brown Sweater: J.Crew / Jeans: 7 For All Mankind / Shoes: J.Crew / Groom’s Black Shirt: Banana Republic / Pants + Shoes: Nordstrom

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 7 For All Mankind, Aldo, Ashley Batz, Banana Republic, BCBG, Buying Guide, California, Diane von Furstenburg, Engagement, engagement session, Forever 21, J. Crew, Nordstrom, Priscila Francine, San Francisco
Post categories: engagement session

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… You’re going to love this wedding. Simple, modern, whimsical, romantic and best of all DIY. Guests were picked up in front of the beautiful San Francisco Ferry Building and given a beautiful tour of the city and Golden Gate Park where the ceremony was held. Just 60 guests were greeted with quiet acoustic guitar music and the incredibly unique windmill and gorgeous flowers of the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden. The ceremony was short and sweet and afterwards guests were driven back to the Embarcadero via the scenic route of the Golden Gate Bridge and China Town while munching on caramel corn made by the groom’s mother. The reception was held at the gorgeous all organic restaurant The Plant Cafe. Local cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery were paired with local wines during cocktail hour. For dinner guests were given the choice of truffle pizza from there wood fired pizza oven, coconut encrusted halibut and adobe chicken with quinoa and grilled peaches. Dessert was served with local Blue Bottle coffee and consisted of salted caramel truffles, coconut marshmallows and peach cannolis made by the pastry trained bride.  The couple did the traditional bouquet toss, wedding party speeches and cake cutting in a very relaxed and non traditional manner. Every detail of the wedding was handmade for example the table runners were made by the groom’s mother. Place cards, program fans and the cupcakes in jars as wedding favors were all done by the bride.  This wedding had Elliott and Jesep written all over it. Unique, classic, simple, fun, relaxed, stylish and most importantly full of love! 

Wedding Dress: Bari Jay / Brides shoes: Born / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaids’ Hair Accessories: Ruffles and Fringe / Groom’s Tie + Ring Bearer’s Bow Tie: Me and Matilda / Custom Labels for Cupcake Jars and Caramel Corn Bags: MAUpromos / Flowers: Adelia Rose Griffin (family friend) / Guest Transportation: Events West / Rentals: Your Party Rental Company / Ceremony Venue: Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, Golden Gate Park San Francisco / Reception Venue: The Plant Cafe / Event Planner for The Plant Cafe: Fred Burrell / Table Runners, Ring Bearer Pillow + Caramel Corn: Charity Myers (groom’s mother) / Banners, Place Cards, Programs, Reserved Signs, Cupcakes in Jars Wedding Favors + Wishing Tree: Jesep Myers / First Photographer: Emily Scannell of Borrowed Blue Old New / Second Photographer: Donna Connelly / Wedding Tree Guestbook Print: Fancy Prints / Hair + Makeup: Emma Klabo (family friend) / Officiant: January Handl (family friend)

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Adelia Rose Griffin, Bari Jay, Born, Borrowed Blue Old New, California, Charity Myers, Donna Connelly, Emily Scannell, Emma Klabo, Events West, Fancy Prints, Fred Burrell, Golden Gate Park, J. Crew, January Handl, Jesep Myers, MAUpromos, Me And Matilda, Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, Ruffles and Fringe, San Francisco, The Plant Cafe, Your Party Rental Company
Post categories: Casual Elegance, The Blog

Click here for the FULL photo shoot!

From Angie of Angie Silvy Photography… When putting together our fashion shoot, both Kendra, my stylist, & I wanted something fresh with a twist of Jonathan Adler. It was the perfect time of year to shoot. The flowers were blooming, and the light of early summer was on us.  We pulled furniture, plates & props from what we had in both our homes that we have collected over the years. My lovely model/friends loved the idea & took  the day off to be apart of this fun garden shoot.  What I wanted to create was a casual party in the garden that lead in to a intimate wedding.

Photography: Angie Silvy Photography / Stylist: Kendra Applebaum / Make-Up: Yvette Beebe / Clothing: Bella Bridesmaids & Kendra Applebaum / Flowers: Nancy Liu Chin / Props: Angie Silvy & Kendra Applebaum

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Angie Silvy Photography, Bella Bridesmaids, California, Kendra Applebaum, Nancy Lui Chin, Photo Shoot, San Francisco, Yvette Beebe
Post categories: California Weddings, San Francisco Weddings

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Most of all, we wanted an evening that reflected who we are. Among many other things, we are book nerds (we met in a literature class in grad school), and as we made various decisions along the way, the book thing became something of a theme– our flowers were made of book pages, our coasters had books stamped on them, our first dance was “The Book of Love” by The Magnetic Fields and our favors were books we’d hand picked for our guests.

We’re also big on eating and traveling, so we wanted our food to reflect our favorite things to eat, both at home and abroad. This resulted in a somewhat eclectic menu of small bites (many featuring our favorite ingredient: pork!), including green curry rice noodles in takeout containers, bacon and pork chop hand pies and a late-night taco truck. We also passed on traditional cake in favor of a donut tower. Finally, we wanted it to be a really fun party– the kind that we’d be excited to attend ourselves– and something a little different than other weddings we’d been to. We felt strongly about not doing a traditional entrance (we did an opening dance together instead of a bride-and-father aisle walk), not doing a seated meal (all the food was passed and there were various tables, chairs, couches and stairs to sit on) and having lots of our friends and family contribute their words to the ceremony and toasts. We wanted everyone to have a great time, and leave feeling like they knew us just a little bit better.

We wanted to get married in San Francisco, because we met here, we live here and the city is very much a part of who we are. We were looking for places that were a little off-beat, would be able to handle a big ol’ cocktail party for around a hundred and fifty people and were excited about our not-quite-traditional wedding vision (i.e., “of course you can pull up a taco truck!”). When we walked in to Ambiance Antiques, our first thought was “do they really let people have parties here?” It is a funky and stunning space, with old furniture everywhere, multiple staircases and hidden nooks and crannies all over. It felt like visiting a rich, eccentric uncle’s house, full of warmth and intrigue and undiscovered surprises. Plus, they were incredibly sweet and easy-going to work with– it was like being invited into their home, and we could actually use all of their gorgeous furniture!

Our ceremony was centered on why we were there, and in our vows we gave each other the reasons we wanted to get married. We had six friends each give a little talk on why they were there, but then our officiant surprised us by reading testimonials from many of our other guests– he had secretly contacted dozens of our other friends to gather their thoughts. It was lovely, and very touching. And then there was when the donut tower came out, the wonderful toasts by our families, my cousin coming up to me  and screaming “Holy (expletive), there’s a taco truck outside!”…and on and on. Our favors ended up being a really wonderful surprise all around. We picked out a used book for each attendee (or attending couple) and inscribed them all. Our guests were really surprised and excited about having a personal and personalized gift. What surprised us was that we’d thought that people would take their books on their way out, but almost everybody grabbed them early on and carried them around the party. People ended up striking up conversations with other folks they didn’t know by asking about their books, so many of our friends got to meet each other that way. It was really cool to watch that unfold.

Jennifer Lynch was our caterer, and her food was whimsical and damn tasty. She really got our vision, was a great help in planning and her waitstaff was thoughtful, smooth and professional. She also makes a mean tower of donuts (which we got from Dynamo Donuts, here in San Francisco). Christopher Lee was our event planner/coordinator/director of all things awesome. Without him we would have been really, really stressed. During the party, we wanted for nothing, and everything went smoothly. He was somehow everywhere at once. Totally amazing. Alison Bank of First Comes Love Photo was our photographer, and she could not have been better. She’s warm, funny and a delightful person to have with you as you’re being prettified. We had so much fun with her, and she really understood the kind of things we were trying to do. She also made us look really good– her pictures are top-notch. Lastly, a special shout-out to Monte’s Tacos and Rudy, the owner. Having carnitas tacos at the end of the reception was a pretty amazing treat, and people are still talking about it!

Venue: Ambiance Antiques / Wedding Photography: First Comes Love Photo / Doughnuts: Dynamo Donuts / Catering: Jennifer Lynch / Late-night Tacos: Monte’s Tacos (also known as Rudy’s Taco Truck) / Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller via Lilac Dress Boutique / Bride’s Shoes: Vintage Hush Puppies via Bordeaux Boutique / Suit: Gucci via Sui Generis / Paper Flowers: PoshStudiosWedding / Coordination: Christopher Lee of Leftwich Event Specialists Inc

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ambiance Antiques, Bordeaux Boutique, California Weddings, Dynamo Donuts, First Comes Love Photo, Gucci, Jennifer Lynch, Lilas Dress Boutique, Nicole Miller, PoshStudios, San Francisco, Sui Generis
Post categories: The Blog, Whimsical

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Ben and I knew we wanted a San Francisco city wedding, with an incredibly personal ceremony and a dance party reception. We envisioned photos along the streets of Nob Hill, near our first apartment together, and throughout the Financial District where we both worked for many years. The moment we saw The Merchants Exchange and the Julia Morgan Ballroom, we knew it was the right space to bring our vision to life… A classic venue where we could incorporate a modern twist, with clean and simple lines, a balance of neutrals and warm blush tones.

We were living across the country while planning the wedding, and as someone who deals with details for a living, it was a challenge for me feeling like I could not be in control every step of the way. The biggest piece of advice I can offer any bride, but particularly those who are long-distance planning and/or serving as their own planner, is to put in the time up front to thoroughly research your vendors. Read wedding blogs and reviews, ask your venue for recommendations, talk to friends who have been married in the area – and keep in close touch with them through email, phone calls and Skype. If you do all this, you can then trust that they will contribute to something truly amazing when your big day comes around. I personally found my amazing photographer and hair/makeup stylists on Style Me Pretty; my incredible florist did one of my bridesmaid’s weddings; our rocking DJ came highly recommended by our venue, but it was a video showcase we watched that sold us on him.  And THE Dress? I came across the perfect designer for me on Yelp – Her overall aesthetic is structured, simple and chic, with a little flair.

Our wedding weekend was absolutely perfect – from a good friend serving as our officiant, to my mother reciting a poem she wrote for us in Chinese, to the dance party that lasted well into the night. While my many Excel grids and lists may have laid the foundation, I really trusted that I had picked the best vendors to be our team. On our wedding day, we did not worry about one thing. We savored every moment with our friends and family, laughing, crying and dancing, and every detail was even more beautiful than I could have imagined. The best feeling is that there is not one thing I would change.

Wedding Photography: Meg Perotti / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: The Julia Morgan Ballroom in The Merchants Exchange / Floral Design: Chestnut & Vine / Wedding Dress: Vwidon / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Hair + Make-up: The Makeup Dolls / Groom + Groomsmen Suits: JoS. A Bank / Ties: Brooks Brothers / Wedding Cake: Beaux Gateaux Wedding Cakes, / Catering: Union Street Catering / Wedding Videography: On Bended Knee Films / DJ: Denon & Doyle / Programs, Place Cards + Invitations: Hello! Lucky / Save the Date + Table Numbers: Photographed by Jay Tsai Photography, Designed by The Groom / Styling + Planning: Bride and Groom

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beaux Gateaux, Brooks Brothers, California Weddings, Chestnut & Vine, Denon & Doyle, Hello! Lucky, Jay Tsai Photography, Jenny Yoo, Jimmy Choo, Jos A Bank, Meg Perotti, On Bended Knee Films, San Francisco, The Julia Morgan Ballrom, The Makeup Dolls, The Merchants Exchange, Union Street Catering, VWIDON
Post categories: California Weddings, San Francisco Weddings, Traditional Elegance

From Anything & Everything Productions…When I first talked to Michelle and Peter over the phone to discuss the wedding it was refreshing to hear that they had a clear view of what they wanted and they articulated their vision for the wedding very well. Michelle simply described the wedding in two words: timeless and classy and the backdrop was San Francisco. Easily one of the most beautiful cities in the US. I was informed ahead about Michelle’s immaculate taste and it was well known since her style is clearly represented through her boutique handcrafted jewelry company, Mija Jewelry. Peter is no slouch either as he’s the co-founder of the hip needle point belt company, Smathers and Branson. The wedding was a black tie wedding with all the guests dressed “so fresh and so clean clean” in tuxes and beautiful gowns.

Wedding Videography: Anything & Everything Productions / Cupcake: SweetieCups / Caterer: Melons Catering / Band: Bill Hopkins Rockin Orchestra / Floral Design: Passiflora Designs / Hair + Make-up: Sherrie Long / Lighting + Sound: Got Light? / Wedding Photography: Dennis Kwan Wedding Photography / Wedding Planner: MW Weddings

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Anything & Everything Productions, Bill Hopkins Rockin Orchestra, California Weddings, Dennis Kwan Wedding Photography, Got Light, Melons Catering, MW Weddings, Passiflora Designs, San Francisco, Sherrie Long, Sweetie Cups
Post categories: California Weddings, San Francisco Weddings