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From the Bride…Funny enough, we had never been to Sayulita before we decided to have our wedding there.  But as we stood on the top of a beachside cliff with your best friends and families and the tropical ocean below, we realized that we could not have found a more perfect place in which to get married.  Plenty of details await the attention of the bride and groom ( and their mothers) planning a destination wedding from afar – from scouting out musicians on YouTube to finding the right combination of local and imported wedding flowers for the bouquets.  Fortunately, with the help of our fantastic wedding coordinator, everything came together perfectly on top of that cliff.

Our vision was beach chic, balancing modern elegance with organic elements from the beach.  A pop of vibrant color in the centerpieces brought the warmth of Mexico into this otherwise restful scene.  We chose coral as our primary color and used sand, green, and white to create a more natural feel.  Our table settings were in keeping with our theme of clean lines rectangular tables, square plates and simple flower arrangements (two types of brightly colored flowers submerged in water).  We used sand-colored table runners against white table cloths, and gauzy  white panels to create a breezy style that would fit in with the stunning background.  Candles and luminaries were employed to create a more intimate feel.

For DIY projects, we created welcome bags from Mexican market bags (that could double as beach bags) and filled them with treats from Mexico and beach necessities.  A cute map of the town, with our event venues highlighted, was creatively displayed.  But we have our guests to thank for our best DIY project, our guestbook, which showed off their festive spirits on Polaroids.

Wedding Coordinator: Mar Weddings / Wedding Photographer: Joann Arruda Photography / Wedding Dress: Lazar0 / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mishka / Bridesmaid Dresses: Sophia Tolli / Groom’s Attire: Haspel / Wedding Venue: Villa del Oso / Wedding Veil:  Sister of the Bride / Caterer: Naef Cuisine / Wedding Invitations: Smock / Bridal Hair: El Corte / Floral Design: Iris Design

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, El Corta, Iris Design, Joann Arruda Photography, Lazaro, Mar Weddings, Mexico, Mexico Destination Wedding, Naef Cuisine, Sayulita, Sayulita Weddings, Smock, Sophia Tolli, Villa Del Oso
Post categories: Destination, Traditional Elegance

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Mallory’s Side of the Story: William warned me that he was going to have a busy weekend full of work so I was not expecting to see a lot of him. We did our normal Saturday morning cycling class at the YMCA. We got our normal Brugger’s coffee and went to my place to relax for an hour before William went to the office. After finishing our coffee, I asked William if he was ready for me to take him back to his condo. William said he would not be going into the office that day and instead we would be going to Charleston for the remainder of the weekend. He told me to pack my suitcase and be ready in an hour. I looked at him in total disbelief. After a few minutes of shock, William finally convinced me that we were actually going out of town. I packed, got ready as quickly as possible and we excitedly got on the road. William kept everything a surprise and would not tell me where we were staying or what we were doing. I sat the whole three hours in suspense. We finally got to Charleston and arrived at the Planters Inn. It is the most adorable and charming hotel in the middle of historic Charleston. I walked around marveling at the art and architecture. I stopped in front of a lit fireplace, candles and roses. When I turned around, William was down on one knee with my ring in hand. He muttered a speech, but all I heard him say was, “I love you. Will you marry me?” Of course, I said yes (I knew I wanted to marry William after our first date). We spent the next hour calling our family and friends. William then took me to Blossom Restaurant. We sat at the same table where he told me he loved me for the first time. A gentleman even sent us a bottle of champagne from across the room to congratulate us. He said he got engaged in Charleston several years ago and was now expecting his first child. What an amazing night!

William’s Side of the Story: I first told Mallory I loved her on the first of our many trips to Charleston, South Carolina, so I had no doubt that Charleston was the perfect place to propose to her one day. During the first few weeks of January 2010, I was very busy at work and not able to spend much time with Mallory. But I was also secretly arranging the purchase of a ring and a trip to Charleston. Once the ring finally arrived, I wanted to give it Mallory as quickly as possible. I told her that I was going to have to spend another weekend in the office, but on Saturday morning (January 16th), I surprised her and told her to pack her bags for Charleston. Initially, she reacted with total disbelief. But news quickly sank in and she was ecstatic.On the drive to Charleston, I never told her about my plans for the trip. Though she obviously knew what was ultimately going to happen, she let the plans unfold and everything went off without a hitch. As soon as we got to town, I took her straight to the fireplace at the Planters Inn, got on one knee and proposed to her on the spot. I had gone over my words to her in my head dozens of times, but I have no idea what I ended up saying. Fortunately, she said yes. We then enjoyed a bottle of champagne, called our families and had dinner at the same table at Blossom restaurant where I first told her I loved her almost two years earlier. It was the perfect day.

From the moment Will and I walked into the Duke Mansion, we knew it was perfect venue for our wedding. Tucked quietly within the gorgeous Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte, it is less than five miles from where I lived.  I had never heard of it. With the surrounding neighbors’ blessing, the Duke Mansion had just started holding weddings. Lucky us! Besides the elegant wedding ballroom, our guests were able to roam throughout the estate with its black and white floors, beautiful courtyard, porches, glass walled solarium and lush gardens.  We reserved the Duke Mansion’s twenty elegant guest rooms for family members and the bridal party. Many of the rooms have walkout screened porches which were a huge hit especially with the dry warm spring weather.  My mom specially ordered pizzelles, a delicious Italian cookie my grandfather and I baked together over the years, and we placed a box of them wrapped in tulle in each room as welcome gifts. The Duke Mansion was my wedding venue dream come true. Words I used to describe the vision I had for William and my wedding included classic, couture, fun and most of all “intimate.” We wanted a small wedding of 100 guests so we would be able to converse with everyone and make them feel special.  Décor was also extremely important to me. After looking at numerous wedding magazines and blogs, I learned: I love glamour and glitz, I love draping, I love the colors of black, blush and ivory, I love big tree-like flower arrangements and I love ribbons and bows! We decided to drape the dining room at the Duke Mansion with ivory taffeta drapes and tie back the entrances with big black bows.  We lined the dance floor with eight foot banquet tables covered with custom ribbon taffeta linens.  The Bloom Room created huge arrangements of blush and pink flowers and positioned them along the tables.  We placed large crystal candelabras in the middle of the arrangements.  The room was up-lit with amber lighting to give a candle glow.  The stunning laced edged cake with silver brooches and bows was placed in the middle of the white dance floor. The end result was more than I could have ever dreamed of. It literally took my breath away.With all said above, the best moment of the whole wedding day was William and my first look.  The expression on his face the first time he set his eyes on me in my wedding dress will forever be etched in my mind.  I have never felt so beautiful or loved.  The day was more than perfect. Later, William and I danced our first dance in the grand foyer under a massive crystal chandelier with family and friends closely surrounding us. What made this wedding so unique can be decided in the comments our guests made.  They had never being to a wedding where they were constantly entertained with every tiny detail being important. Waiters holding glasses of champagne welcomed guests.  Crystal hung tiered escort cards complemented the rhinestone embellished name cards and menus. The band even surprised our guests wearing decorative costumes at the end of the night. We hired an artist who uniquely cut everyone’s silhouette out of black paper.  One silhouette was secured in a book where guests signed their names and another was given as a memento of the special occasion.  A late evening chef’s finale dessert which consisted of Southern Comfort Peach Foster and ice cream was served. The night ended with guests holding sparklers gracing the elegant steps of the mansion as William and I rode off to the Ritz in a Bentley. Our wedding was the result of months of creative thought and careful planning.  All the details blended together to create an unforgettable wedding celebration.

Ceremony location:  Covenant Presbyterian Church / Reception: Duke Mansion / Cake: Cake Lady Jill / Flowers:  The Bloom Room /  Gown: Vera Wang / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Jim Hjelm / Tuxedo: Trussini / Engagement ring: Mavilo / Hairstylist: Kymm Mclean, Who’s the Fairest / Make-up: Kymm Mclean, Who’s the Fairest / Invitations and Stationery: Smock / Music: Hot Sauce / Photography: Kristin ViningPhotography / Videography: Richard Israel, Timm Young / Clergy: Robert W. Henderson / Caterers: Duke Mansion / Rehearsal dinner: Bentley’s on 27 / Lighting: Eye Dialogue / Linens: Custom / Candelabras: Regal Candelabra / Rentals: Party Reflections / Drapes: Party Tables / Wedding night hotel: Ritz Carlton / Bridesmaid luncheon location: Duke Mansion / Bachelor Party: Las Vegas / Bachelorette Party: Napa Valley / Specialty gifts and favors: Silhouette Portraits by Edward / Transportation provider: Trolley’s Inc., / Wedding consultant: Tiffany Ratliff, Weddings and the City / Earrings: Dannijo / Broach: Enchanted Atelier

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Post tags: Bentley's on 27, Cake Lady Jill, Charlotte Wedding, Dannijo, Duke Mansion, Duke University, Enchanted Atelier, Eye Dialogue, Hot Sauce, Jim Hjelm, Jimmy Choo, Kristin Vining Photography, Las Vegas, Mavilo, Napa Valley, Party Reflections, Party Tables, Regal Candelabra, Silhouette Portraits by Edward, Smock, The Bloom Room, The Ritz Carlton, Traditional Elegance, Trolley's Inc, Trussini, Vera Wang, Weddings And The City, Who's The Fairest
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From Olivia Leigh Photographie… The bride and groom, Kristen and Scott, were married on a very rainy day in September. Kristen looked phenomenal (!) in a couture Oscar de la Renta ensemble, complete with a removable peplum skirt and horsehair flower, along with a necklace that converted into a belt later in the evening. The ceremony was held at a historic neighborhood church, Saint Michael’s, that was just breathtaking inside. A family friend presided over the ceremony, making for a still-intimate ceremony despite the grandeur of the environment!  After the ceremony, we went on a bit of a photo adventure to several locations throughout the city, and the wedding party and immediate families also stopped for lunch at a restaurant/bar in Kristen and Scott’s neighborhood, PJ Clarke’s. This spoke to how relaxed the entire day was — it was pretty amazing to see Kristen in Oscar de la Renta and her maids in Vera Wang, eating at a bar in the afternoon! It ended up being a really special part of the day that allowed everyone to slow down and have some fun.

Following photos, we made our way to my always-favourite Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago. With the rain finally cleaning, guests sipped cocktails on the stunning terrace with views looking over all of downtown Chicago. Dinner and dancing followed in the museum’s restaurant, Terzo Piano, where Hello Darling did an amazing job on modern floral decor. Orchids, globes of flowers, succulents, and manzanitas echoed the modern architecture and clean lines.  Kristen and Scott had a lovely set of personalized paper goods that reflected the modern and artistic flair of their event. The reception featured intimate toasts and such a warm, family feeling. Having known each other for over a decade and with both of their families hailing from New Jersey, it truly felt like all of their guests knew one another, and the whole day was filled with such warmth and familiarity. It was such a joy!

Wedding Photography: Olivia Leigh Photographie / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Michael’s in Old Town / Wedding Reception Location: Terzo Piano of the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago / Wedding Dress, Accessories & Shoes: Oscar de la Renta via Ultimate Bride / Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang / Wedding Invitations & Paper Goods: Smock + Spark via Magnificent Milestones / Floral Design: Hello Darling / DJ: Style Matters / Day of Coordinator & Calligraphy: Marilyn of Honey Bee Weddings / Hair & Makeup: Sonia Roselli

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Post tags: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Green, Hello Darling, Honey Bee Weddings, IL, Illinois, Magnificent Milestones, Modern Wedding, Olivia Leigh Photographie, Orange, Oscar De La Renta, Red, Smock, Sonia Roselli, Spark, St. Michael's in Old Town, Style Matters, Terzo Piano, Ultimate Bride, Vera Wang, Yellow
Post categories: Contemporary

The Resort at Pelican Hill was an idyllic setting for this couple’s sophisticated summer nuptials. Amy and Michael recruited the uber talented ladies at Details Details and White Lilac Inc, to transform their vision of an elegant beach wedding into a modern, romantic event. Mission accomplished. This wedding just sings gracefulness and warmth.

From Details Details…

The ceremony was so peaceful and serene with the view overlooking the ocean…the soft fabric draping the ceremony structure, billowing in the wind added to the romance.

Sunny at White Lilac Inc. is the genius responsible for creating the spectacular arrangements and decor. For the reception she designed oversized centerpieces with roses, phaleonopsis orchids, accents of pearlized glass shells, to give the room a dramatic, luxurious feel. She also used white lanterns and candles to create an elegant, sultry mood.

From Details Details…

The cake was artfully crafted by the pastry team at Pelican Hill- a 6 tier cake, chocolate with white/chocolate mousse & marble cake with cappuccino mousse. The lighting had warm, soft -ambers to create a soft glow. Invites, Escort Tables, Menus all tied into the overall look…letterpressed with the couple’s logo. Each menu was tucked into a taupe napkins with ribbon embellishment and orchid accent.

Vendors: Wedding Coordination by Michelle Weita Details Details, Floral and Event Design by White Lilac Inc., Photography by Joel from Studio EMP, and Invitations by Smock Papers from Francis Orr Stationers.

Thank you to Details Details and White Lilac Inc. for sharing this wedding with us. All together breathtaking.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: California Weddings, Details Details, Elegant, Pelican Inn, Smock, Studio EMP, White Lilac
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

Here is a little bit of detail about the new line from the team at Smock…

Everything in the new album is offered as mix and match letterpress and offset printing with five choices of bamboo paper colors and the option to go with 1 or 2-ply paper. All of these options allow brides to create truly unique and personal stationery that is beautiful and special to them, but can also be customized to fit a wide range of budgets. All of the patterns, ink colors, motifs, monograms and fonts are fully customizable and interchangeable and can also be mixed and matched with the designs from our existing wedding album. We are so excited to see what our awesome clients create!

How much do you love this? It’s absolutely gorgeous. And in my book, a set of really chic, personalized stationery is a MUST for every new bride and groom! Please look at how adorable these envelopes are…

Check out the full line of offerings right here! And to Smock, thank you so very much for inspiring us time and time again!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Letterpress, Personalized Stationery, Smock, Stationery
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery

I know that a lot of you who left comments had fallen in love with a particular design…and yet, it didn’t quite fit in with your color palette. Well, just an FYI that Smock will happily modify the design so that it is uniquely you, perfect for your own color palette, your own style. You can choose from an incredible range of ink colors, patterns, and fonts that can all be mixed and matched to create truly unique and personal wedding invitations. Here are a few examples of the Vettore invitation shown in different colorways…

The options are completely and totally endless. Ok, now on to the big winner! Without further ado…the lucky, lucky girl to win the Smock letterpressed thank you cards is…Amelia!!

I love the calligraphy style of the Dorset invitation! As someone else stated, if only I have found them before I am shopping around for thank you notes now and would die if I won these! They are absolutely magical

Congratulations to Amelia…I know that these thank you notes will definitely come in handy!

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Post tags: Smock, Winner
Post categories: Contests

The team at Smock is gifting one of you TEN boxes of their unbelievably lovely letterpress thank you notes. The notes are bundled in packages of 6 and come complete with hand-lined bamboo envelopes. You can either have all of one design or you can mix and match!

To enter, just let us know which wedding invitation you love the most…of the three newly launched designs. We’ll announce the winner on Monday afternoon!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 341 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Giveaway, Letterpress, Smock, Thank You Notes
Post categories: Contests, Wedding Invitations & Stationery

And, lucky for us, they just launched three new wedding invitation lines that they are debuting right here on SMP! The first, Dorset, showcases one of their new calligraphy fonts, Smock Spencerian, and uses 1-color letterpress with offset patterning (the stripes).  Swoon.

This next one is called Sabion and it just happens to be my fav. As Cynthia, Smock’s invitation guru told me, Sabion is very lady-like and feminine, but ultimately very classic. The creamy pink background is offset with black letterpress featuring gorgeous gold edge painting and a lined envelope.

And last, but certainly not least…Cindrel. This one features the second of Smock’s two calligraphy fonts, Smock Clermont, which is based on the calligraphy of their calligrapher, Debi Zeinert of Blooming Quill. The calligaphy fonts allow them to offer gorgeous calligraphy without any additional calligraphy fee. It’s also shown in 1-color letterpress, which helps to keep it more budget-friendly. Cindrel was actually inspired by a wrought iron fence that their FABULOUS designer, Amy Graham Stigler, stumbled upon one day. LOVE.

Pretty gorgeous right? Well, the loveliness doesn’t stop there. Smock also carries Thank You Notes, Party Invitations, Gift Wrap and so, so, so much more. Stay tuned to hear the fabulous giveaway we are doing with them in just a bit!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 144 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Letterpress, letterpress wedding invitations, Smock
Post categories: Wedding Invitations & Stationery