We have tons of gorgeousness coming up in just a bit from this lovely, lovely day!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: J. Crew, Orchard Cove Photography, Summer Wedding, Vermont
Post categories: Casual Elegance

photographs by Kawartha Photography

Planned by the fabulous, Crystal Adair-Benning of Distinct Occassions, this wedding was ALL charm. I have lots more coming up, including details that are going to bring a huge smile to your face.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 20 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Brunch Wedding, Canada, Distinct Occassions, Kawartha Photography, McLean House, Priscilla of Boston, Summer Wedding, Sunnybrook Estates, Toronto, Vineyard Collection
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Do-It-Yourself Inspired

Abby’s bridal party included her sisters, Tait’s sisters, her best friend from home, and many of her friends from Vanderbilt. As we waited in the church library before the ceremony, they all broke into a lively rendition of “Going to the chapel … !” Apparently it’s a Vanderbilt-friend’s rite of passage to sing this right before the walk down the aisle.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby Larson, Boston, Bridesmaids Dresses, Color Palette Pink Brown, Massachusetts, Summer Wedding, Vera Wang, wedding dress
Post categories: Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance

Abby and Tait both attended Vanderbilt University, he a few years ahead of her. She knew ‘of’ him and he of her, but they didn’t really know each other personally until a few years later. They both ended up in San Francisco and officially ‘met’ through mutual Vanderbilt friends. It was one of those romantic ‘their eyes locked from across the room’ kind of thing … and the rest is history!

Two years later, we were planning their Boston wedding long distance between California, Texas and Massachusetts. That is when her passion for all-things-wedding began. She’s always loved pretty things, but pretty weddings became her passion. All of her wedding vendors were chosen via the web. If they didn’t have a great website, she kept looking and researching. In 2005, choosing wedding professionals via the internet was a little more difficult than today. But that’s what we did. If their website didn’t pass the test, we moved along. We still interviewed and got references and looked at previous work, but because it was a ‘destination wedding’ for us … most work was done via phone calls and emails. When all things were said and done, Abby and Tait did have their dream-come-true wedding, and Abby made the bold decision to transition from creating wedding invitations to writing a wedding blog. And that, in a nutshell, was the inception of Style Me Pretty!

Before we go any further, I thought I’d share a few of Abby’s passions… bunches of tulips, all-white eclectic decor, a great pair of blue jeans, a great white t-shirt, three four inch heels (my mistake, Abby), gummi candy, a good old-fashioned Texas thunderstorm, being on time, black & white photography … and of course, now Audrey & Tait.

And Tait? He’s practical yet generous. Quiet but opinionated. His passion? Hmmmm… a good cup of hot tea, the Patriots & Celtics, chocolate, computer-talk, and of course, his girls — Abby, Audrey and Chloe (their dog).

I’ll be posting lots more photos from Abby’s wedding throughout the day … (sorry Daria, I owe you one!).
I’ll ask her to check on any questions you might have on Monday.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 19 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abby, Boston, Summer Wedding, Vanderbilt, Vera Wang, Wedding Dresses
Post categories: Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance

tara pollio floral-event design specializes in signature destination weddings and events.  She says, “Every design starts with a clean slate and is built around each client. If you can dream it, we can implement it. From your custom linens, event rentals and lighting professionals, we work only with the best. All of our flowers are brought in from around the globe, using specialty growers when possible. Our product is cut specifically for us and shipped overnight to ensure quality and freshness”

Devon and David’s August wedding was held at the Hildene Estate in Manchester, Vermont. The colors they chose effuse such a fun, warm, sophisticated sophisticated tone to the affair. Photography provided by Tara Pollio and Barrie Fisher.

I’m not sure what the best color palette “generator” programs are out there … but I do know that they exist. If anyone would like to leave a comment telling us what you’ve used that others might benefit from, please do!

Thank you, Tara for sending us Devon and David’s wedding. We LOVE the chic white couches paired with the perfect touches of natural Vermont charm!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 35 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Barrie Fisher, Color Palette Orange Green Pewter, Floral Event Designs, Hildene Estate, Manchester, Summer Wedding, Tara Pollio, Vermont, Wedding Colors
Post categories: Color Palettes, Little Black Book Blog

Daria and Andy Bishop have been so good to us by sending lots of real Style Me Pretty “style” weddings. You’re going to be seeing lots more from them here on the LBB blog!! But, we’d be remiss if we didn’t start off with their photos from Amanda & Jeff’s wedding. Amanda and Jeff Herzberger of Orchard Cove Photography had their own gorgeous wedding this past July at Shelburne Farms, Vermont.  And when one great photographer weds, who does she ask to capture her special day? Why, another Little Black Book member, of course. Enter, Daria Bishop Photography!

Amanda and Jeff’s first look photographs …

Seeing this hug … well, I honestly can’t imagine a more magical moment …

First looks … to see each other on this momentous day, before that walk down the aisle …

Now, you know that one of the questions you too will face when planning your wedding photography is whether you do (or don’t) want to have that first look alone. Seeing each other before the wedding is a hot topic. Some couples are vehemently opposed to it while others have now started thinking, hmmmm, well, maybe…?

Before you decide, talk to your photographer and really listen to the pros and cons. Talk to other couples who have taken the high road and decided to experience this moment privately. I seriously doubt that you will find many, if any, who wish they hadn’t.

And now, more from Amanda and Jeff’s wedding …

I love the shades of blue they used … such a natural pop of color. And the Vermont countryside … wow!

Talk about a pop of color. How much better does it get than beside a red barn?

It just looks like a wonderful location, time of year … lovely people … everything a wedding should be!

Congratulations to Amanda and Jeff from all of us at Style Me Pretty!

And a huge thank-you to Daria and Andy Bishop, today’s Little Black Book featured photographers. Your passion for wedding photography is soooooo evident in your work !

Visit their website and blog to see tons of weddings with tons of special details that will truly inspire you.

Amanda wrote a tremendous post about the “first look” photography decision on her blog at Orchard Cove Photography. If you are on the fence … at all … you really need to read it!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Color Palette Blue, Daria Bishop Photography, First Look, Orchard Cove Photography, Shelburne Farms, Stone Barns, Summer Wedding, Vermont
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Inspiration Boards, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

Cherries are the epitome of summertime. For a cute favor, you can buy a bunch of cherries at your local farmer’s market then fill little bakery bags with the fruit and a cute, clear monogrammed label on the front. Make the gift even more adorable by scalloping the top edge of the bag. OR, you could enlist friends or a local patisserie to bake mini cherry pies, packaging them in a white bakery box with a label, then tied together with bakery twine. I love these ideas!!

How gorgeous are these apricots…they are such a pretty color and completely perfect for summer decor. Using a barrel of apricots for centerpieces at an outdoor wedding is the perfect way to bring in a warm, charming ambiance (while saving money to boot!). I love the seating cards too…Martha’s tip is to write names on a strip of thin art paper and use a pencil to curl ends in opposite directions. You can then hang the paper from bamboo toothpicks inserted through the apricot to look like stems. How perfect!

Okay, I have been obsessed with paper luminaries for some time. To me, they so incredibly beautiful…kind of magical and utterly romantic. Not to mention, they are inexpensive and easy to make. Here are some of Martha’s tips on making these lanterns yourself..

You will need strings of full size Christmas lights with clear bulbs (remove every other bulb), light-colored paper bags about 7 inches wide (for each lantern, you’ll need two the same size), a utility knife, a ruler, 2-inch round self-stick labels and 2-inch-wide single-face satin ribbon (one 48 inch length of each lantern)

1. Trim the tops of each bag to make straight edges. For the top of each lantern, stick a label on the inside bottom center of one bag to reinforce. Reaching inside the bag with a utility knife, cut two 1 1/2″ slits, making an X on the label.

2. To attach bags to lights, first remove a bulb and slide the socket through the X, and then screw the bulb back in.

3. For the lantern bottom, slide a second bag up over the first one.

4. Lay the center of the ribbon on top of the wire at the socket; wrap ribbon snugly down sides of bags. Knot at bottom and let ends hang.

Voila! Okay, well maybe they aren’t EASY…but certainly doable!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2007. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Lanterns, Martha Stewart, Summer Wedding
Post categories: Wedding Details