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From the bride… A few weeks after our engagement we attended a fundraising event for Abilis in Greenwich, CT.  Every attendee was given their lunch in a mini picnic basket which I found to be adorable.  Everyone was told they could take the baskets home with them, but when the hoards of people left, many left their baskets behind.  I hurriedly found the event planners and asked if we could take the remaining baskets to reuse as our centerpieces at our wedding… twenty some odd baskets later our wedding plans were officially underway!  As a typical bride might do I scanned the pages of wedding magazines and of COURSE Style Me Pretty for inspirations. We always knew we would have our wedding in Madison, CT, one of our favorite places.  My family on both my mothers and fathers side, have been either living in or visiting Madison since 1922.  My grandmother, great aunt, aunt, and one sister were all married in The First Congregational Church of Madison, so it only seemed natural. Down the street is The Madison Beach Club where we originally intended to hold our reception, but Tropical Storm Irene had other plans for us and we ended up with a tent wedding at The Guilford Yacht Club. 

Personalized details included:

1. A guest book made out of quilt squares that my aunt is now sewing for us.
2. Pennant flags cut out of extra yellow fabric from my parent’s attic and glued onto twine found in the basement.
3. Picnic baskets with table numbers cut out of the same pattern my mom’s bridesmaids wore and glued on by my best friends.
4. Our sweet ride from the church to the reception in a 1973 Chevy pickup named “Big Blue” borrowed from our neighbors in Madison.
5. A photo booth with an African sunset back drop painted by my best friend, African stuffed animals borrowed from a local thrift shop, and instant camera given to us by Kevin’s parents.  We went to Tanzania for our honeymoon and were too excited to wait for photo opportunities!
6. Windows found in a dumpster behind our apartment which served as our seating chart and menu’s for the night, using chalk markers to write and draw with!
7. Table runners cut by hand by my mom and myself straight from a bolt of fabric until we had blisters on our hands!
8. Our entrees were fish and chips or steak and onion rings, both with a corn/tomato salad recipe of my mom’s, while dessert was blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, a recipe from my family that we make every summer in Madison.
9. My dad and I danced our first dance to Sweet Caroline while wearing red sox attire as both Kevin and my family are big Red Sox fans.
10.  My bridesmaids (my 3 sisters and best friend) sang Amazing Grace while Kevin and I lit the unity candle during our ceremony.
11. Pillows for EVERY guest made from scratch (meaning a bolt of fabric, paint, stamps, needle and thread, and stuffing) with the help of Kevin, my family and a very dear and unbelievably selfless friend while watching Christmas movies in our apartment. For the past seven years I have worked with an orphanage in Ayacucho, Peru called La Casa Hogar Los Gorriones. I have been inspired by their work and humbled by their thankfulness. We made the pillows as a “give away” item at our wedding to let our guests know that we have donated to the orphanage in honor of their presence at our wedding.  The  moto of Los Gorriones is “Sin Amor Soy Nada”, without love I am nothing, which is what we stamped on each pillow.  I hope soon to visit the orphanage for the third time myself, but for the first time with Kevin.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Flowers: Elisabeth from BLUSH floral design / Event Design: Candice Coppola from Jubilee Events / Event Planning: Jubilee Events / Ceremony Location: First Congregational Church of Madison / Reception Location: Guilford Yacht Club / Invitations: Shindigs by Two Trick Pony / Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via The White Dress By The Shore / Groomsmen’s Pocket Squares: Belles & Beaux / Groomsmen’s Ties: Vineyard Vines / Bridesmaid Dresses: Lilly Pulitzer / Ringbearers Suspenders + Bow Ties: Divine Domestication / Flower Girl Dresses: Target / Hair + Makeup: Jennie Fresa / DJ: Eturnity Band / Lighting: Ryan Designs / Tenting and Generator: Sperry Tents / Catering: Marissa of Jordan Caterers

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Belles & Beaux, BLUSH Floral Design, Candice Coppola, Carla Ten Eyck, Connecticut, Diving Domestication, Eturnity Band, First Congregational Church of Madison, Guilford Yacht Club, Jennie Fresa, Jordan Caterers, Jubilee Events, Lilly Pulitzer, Madison, Modern Trousseau, Nautical Wedding, Ryan Designs, Shindigs by Two Trick Pony, Sperry Tents, Target, The White Dress By The Shore, Vineyard Vines
Post categories: The Blog

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Abigail Kirsch, Diana Gould, Gild Hall Hotel, Gray, Green, Jimmy Choo, Justin & Mary, Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, New York City Weddings, NY, Selia Yang, South Street Seaport, The White Dress By The Shore, Traditional Elegance
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

And because I am absolutely obsessed with all things paper – I just had to showcase the stunning stationery for this shoot crafted by Coral Pheasant Stationery + Design. Do you love? Or do you LOVE?

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Jubilee Events…We had so much fun designing this brightly colored, playful and fun styled shoot inspired by croquet! In shades of coral, bright blue and grey, we drew inspiration from the vintage croquet set I picked up at a flea market in Massachusetts. Some of my favorite details from this shoot are the groom’s seersucker J. Crew suit with a pocket square designed by Datura: A Modern Garden which is made from rose petals and lillies of the valley! I also love the stellar paper from Coral Pheasant, especially our “bow tie” paper details on the champagne glasses, accordion fold menu cards and  intricate favor boxes.

Our tablescape was draped in a gorgeous coral pea de soie linen with clean and modern ghost chairs from Rentals Unlimited. Datura: A Modern Garden created a dramatic floral centerpiece using old, vintage marble lamp bases. We played on our theme of prep and used bow ties in the paper and real ties as chair decor.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Model Styling + Fashion: The White Dress by the Shore / Flowers: Datura – A Modern Garden / Event Design + Planning: Jubilee Events / Hair + Make-up: Dana Bartone & Company / Ceremony + Reception Location: The Ocean House / Invitations: Coral Pheasant Stationery + Design / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Dress: Modern Trousseau / Rentals: Rentals Unlimited of Newport / Cake: Toria Dolce Fine Desserts / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew / Bow Tie: Southern Proper

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Carla Ten Eyck Photography, Coral Pheasant Stationary & Design, Dana Bartone & Company, Datura: A Modern Garden, Inspiration Shoot, J. Crew, Jubilee Events, Massachusetts Weddings, Modern Trousseau, Rentals Unlimited Boston, Southern Proper, The Ocean House, The White Dress By The Shore, Toria Dolce Fine Desserts
Post categories: Cape Cod Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings, Photo Shoot

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From the Bride…Andy and I first met at a 4th of July concert in Connecticut after college. Since that day, we have been truly inseparable. We love doing everything together, especially keeping active and going on jogs along the beautiful Connecticut coast. We have run many miles together, stride by stride, and Andy proposed to me after we finished our first marathon together. In searching for the perfect venue, we knew we wanted our wedding to take place along Connecticut’s shoreline where we had met and fallen in love. We stumbled upon the Wee Burn Beach Club and instantly knew it would be perfect. It was right on the beach and we loved its “casual yet classy”atmosphere; the feel we envisioned for our wedding

I, like many other girls out there, became a little addicted to wedding blogs and checked Style Me Pretty at least twice a day for inspiration. I was blown away with how imaginative brides can be, coming up with the most unique ideas. Luckily for me, my mother is very creative and crafty. She took the nautical theme and ran with it. She found the beautiful fabric we used for both the table runners and seating charts. She made votive holders with rope wrapped around the bottom and even came up with the idea for the “Captain” and “First Mate” bride and groom signs, which my artistic Maid of Honor helped design the night before the wedding. I also tried to add some DIY touches with the programs and place cards. My now sister-in-law was also gracious enough to help me create the cupcake flags.

The whole day came together so magically with the help of our all-star vendors and my wonderful friend/wedding planner who was our day of coordinator. Walking through the dining room with everything set up was amazing. All of the little details we had dreamed up had come to life. Even more incredible was sharing the day with our friends and family. The entire day was beyond anything we could have imagined, and thanks to our awesome photographers, Andy and I are able to relive all the emotions of that special day.

Wedding Photography: Justin & Mary / Venue: Wee Burn Beach Club / Wedding Dress + Accessories: The White Dress by the Shore / Wedding Planner: Five Grain Events / Hair + Make-up: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library / Flowers: Stew Leonard’s / Cupcakes: CakeSuite / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew

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Post tags: CakeSuite, Connecticut, Five Grain Events, J. Crew, Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, Justin & Mary, Kate Spade, Modern Style, Nautical Wedding Theme, Stew Leonard's, The White Dress By The Shore, Wee Burn Beach Club
Post categories: Casual Elegance

Unexpected intense summer thunderstorms didn’t stop photographer Carla and hubby Dave Ten Eyck from renewing their vows at Carla’s childhood home and their current studio and home in Hartford, CT.  The wedding was orchestrated by a team of vendors belonging to the members of the Little Black Book, including Carla Ten Eyck Photography, Studio Foto, Jubilee Events, Datura: A Modern Garden, Dana Bartone & Co, The White Dress by the Shore, and RAW Photo Design.

Details of this wedding were anchored in Carla and Dave’s strong sense of family, her mother Georgianne’s memory, her Mexican heritage and her passion of photography. Carla looked stunning in her tea length dress by Siri and head piece by The White Dress By the Shore. The bridal party, consisting of her children Jack and Georgie and studio members, wore her studio colors – pink and brown. The gowns were from The White Dress By the Shore.

Colorful star and globe shaped lanterns swayed in the breeze, lighting the wooden picnic table that was once Carla’s dinning room table growing up.  The wooden table set up was reminiscent of a dia de Los Muertos altar in Mexico, and was peppered with Carla’s mother’s china, pictures of Carla’s studio members and roses given to Carla’s mother for Mother’s Day.

Amongst family photos, various old cameras were displayed, owned by Carla and her father. Friends wrote well wishes on paper tags and hung them on a Blue Atlas Cedar wishing tree, the tree that Carla gave her husband Dave as his original wedding gift (almost 12 years ago). The words written all described words of wisdom for a strong and lasting marriage. Rodney, their cat and Mexican Food. Yes. Keys to a successful marriage for sure!

To escape the rain, the ceremony was held on the front porch, as guests held umbrellas and snapped pictures. Childhood friend, Susannah McGlamery who officiated the ceremony, reread the same words she spoke at their first wedding years before.

Bouquets by Datura, A Modern Garden, included pink peonies, queen anne’s lace (one of Carla’s mother’s favorite flower), ranunculus and garden roses.  Guests enjoyed pizza and gelato from The Pizza Truck while relaxing on furniture from Ryan Designs.  When the festivities were over, guests left with Carla’s aunt Donna’s homemade “Keep it spicy” hot pepper jelly.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography, Growing Tree Photography, DeCarlo Photo Studio, RAW Photo Design, Studio Foto / Wedding Dress: Siri at The White Dress by the Shore / Hair & Makeup: Dana Bartone & Co. / Officiant: Susannah McGlamery / Flowers: Datura: A Modern Garden / Cake: Hope from A Little Imagination Cakes / Video: Jim Altieri, Vintage Cinema / Brides Jewelry: Custom made by Aquina, The White Dress by the Shore / Maids Jewels: Perception Jewelry / Lanterns & Furniture: Ryan Designs / Brides Shoes: Bagdley Mischka / Day of Coordination: Jubilee Events

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Post tags: A Little Imagination Cakes, Bagdley Mischka, Carla Ten Eyck Photography, Chinese Lanterns, Color Palette Pink Brown, Connecticut, Cupcakes, Dana Bartone & Co., Datura: A Modern Garden, DeCarlo Photo Studio, Flower girls, Growing Tree Photography, Hartfort, jam, Jubilee Events, Lanterns, Perception Jewelry, Rain, Rainy Day Wedding, Raw Photo Design, Ring Bearers, Ryan Designs, Siri, Studio Foto, Swings, The White Dress By The Shore, Vintage Chic, Vintage Cinema, Vow Renewal, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Vintage Chic

C10: Tik Tok from Jim Altieri on Vimeo.

If you are anything like me, that was just the first time of many that you will watch that video. I love it, I love the laid back, chill atmosphere, and I love the rockstar that is Carla Ten Eyck. I’m telling you now, the rest of the wedding is just as awesome. Think amazing florals, creekside romance, the cutest little flower girl ever, and lots and lots of pink. And the best news? We’ll be back here bright and early Monday morning to share it with you. I will see you then!

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography, Growing Tree Photography, DeCarlo Photo Studio, RAW Photo Design, Studio Foto / Wedding Dress: Siri at The White Dress by the Shore / Hair & Makeup: Dana Bartone & Co. / Officiant: Susannah McGlamery / Flowers: Datura: A Modern Garden / Cake: Hope from A Little Imagination Cakes / Video: Jim Altieri, Vintage Cinema / Brides Jewelry: Custom made by Aquina, The White Dress by the Shore / Maids Jewels: Perception Jewelry / Lanterns & Furniture: Ryan Designs / Brides Shoes: Bagdley Mischka / Day of Coordination: Jubilee Events

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: A Little Imagination Cakes, Aquina, Bagdley Mischka, Carla Ten Eyck Photogrpahy, Dana Bartone & Co., Datura: A Modern Garden, DeCarlo Photo Studio, Growing Tree Photography, Jubilee Events, Ke$ha, Perception Jewelry, Raw Photo Design, Ryan Designs, Siri, Studio Foto, The White Dress By The Shore, Vintage Cinema, Wedding Cinematography, Wedding Video
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Cinematography

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Jessica Country Flowers…Their wedding featured many vintage accents.  The bride and groom used old wooden doors (with glass panes) to hand paint their guests tables/seating chart.  It was very original and decorated with wispy greens and flower blooms.  We used vintage suitcases stacked up for their envelopes.

Ryan Designs added stunning chandeliers to the interior of the barn.  Which added that extra sparkle.  We used vintage Depression glass tea cups for many loose blooms of garden roses and peonies to float in.  Her centerpieces were an eclectic mix of various vases and vintage glassware.  The reception featured some small round tables and a few long rectangle, family-style tables. Ryan Designs also graced the barn door entrance with organic muslin fabric to soften the entrance.  Most of the flowers consisted of white garden roses and white peonies with a slight pop of pale pink for color. Anna’s bouquet was a stunning mixture of white ranunculus, white peonies, white garden roses, dusty miller leaves and such.  We wrapped it with an ivory ribbon, then Anna added a Tiffany blue color ribbon her mother had embroidered over top of that.  (which was the same embroidery from her mother’s wedding dress)  That perfect added touch of personalization! The groom surprised Anna with a gift the morning of the wedding.  He had selected a Kendra Scott necklace for her to wear.  So romantic!  The groom dressed in a dark grey suit, blue tie and white sneakers.  So cute!

Their menu was incredible.  Because their ceremony was held on site at the Webb Barn (under a big maple tree), guests were treated to freshly popped Maple Kettle Corn from Lamothe’s Sugar House and refreshment of lavender lemonade and mango iced tea which was created by Emily’s Catering Group.  Appetizers were sea scallops wrapped in bacon with horseradish sugar glaze, sweet potato fries served in bamboo cones with basil salt and garlic mayonnaise, baby lamb chops and pizza with caramelized onions, blue cheese and mozzarella.  For dinner, guests were served a duo plate which featured Chipotle marinated fillet of beef on a bed of Chipotle caramelized onions alongside herb seared sea bass topped with sweet & tangy dry cranberry salsa.  Each dish was served with mouth-watering Mascarpone Risotto and seasonal vegetables.

As guests departed they were given “old-fashioned” miniature donuts dusted with sugar in individual wax paper bags.  Each bag of donuts was served with an individual chocolate milk.  The perfect ending to a perfect night!  With Emily’s Catering group (and really all the vendors involved) absolutely NO detail was overlooked.  Everywhere you turned there was a ton of detail.

Location: Webb Barn / Floral Design: Jessica Country Flowers / Caterer: Emily’s Catering / Maple Kettle Corn: Lamothe’s Sugar House / Wedding Planner: Sixpence For Your Shoe / Make-up: Sandra Downie Beauty / Wedding Dress + Styling: Modern Trousseau + The White Dress by The Shore / Bride’s Necklace: Kendra Scott / Sweets Table: Cookies Creatives by Jennifer / Calligraphy: Dancing Pen Calligraphy / Paper Suite: Stonington Design+Paperie; Intima Press; printed on Strathmore 100% cotton, Soft White 110CB Officiant: Michael O’Loughlin / Wedding Cake: Lauren Kroesser (Sister of the Groom) / Event Design: Ryan Designs / Mirrors: HB Home / Rings: Niletti Creations / Wedding Photography: Justin & Mary

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 30 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Backyard Wedding, Casual Elegance, Cookie Creative by Jennifer, Dancing Pen Calligraphy, Emily's Catering, HB Home, Jessica Country Flowers, Justin & Mary, Kendra Scott, Lamothe's Sugar House, Lauren Kroesser, Michael O'Loughlin, Modern Trousseau, Niletti Creations, Ryan Design, Sandra Downie Beauty, Sixpence For Your Shoes, Stonington Paperie, The White Dress By The Shore, Webb Barn
Post categories: Casual Elegance

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Jubilee Events… This was a great photo shoot that derived from a more personal stance than most shoots. This was such a fun, personal photoshoot that was rich with color and details– allowing us to express our fun side. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday full of life and energy—an element we wanted to portray. We coupled it with another tradition, Day of the Dead, and honed in on the spirit of this culture.

Our models, Alicia and Carlos were a great addition to our team for the day—hats off to those shoes that Alicia brought and, of course, the dress, expertly chosen by The White Dress by the shore!  Tony constructed a bouquet and arrangement that, as always, was a beautiful hit and bursting with color! Your eyes can get lost for hours looking at all of the trinkets and pieces we included—each one with a different meaning and purpose behind it.

Our good friend and photographer, Carla Ten Eyck brought in several artifacts from her family’s history, like sugar skulls, masks, colorful lanterns and flags as a nod to the Dia de los Muertos altar, or Day of the Dead, meant to celebrate and remember lost loved ones. Both Carla and Tony Palmieri from Datura – A Modern Garden, brought special notes to include their mothers, quite easily making this shoot even more meaningful to our hearts.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Model Styling & Jewelry: Beth Chapman of The White Dress by the shore / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet (Billie) via The White Dress by the shore / Flowers: Datura – A Modern Garden / Event Design: Diana Chouinard of Jubilee Events / Invitations: Coral Pheasant Stationery + Design / Beauty: Dana Bartone & Company / Bride’s Head Piece: Twigs & Honey / Mini Gourmet Donuts: Tastease, Hartford, CT / Original Artwork: Carlos Hernandez Chavez

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Blue, Carla Ten Eyck, Carlos Hernandez Chavez, Cinco de Mayo, Connecticut, Coral Pheasant Stationary & Design, Dana Bartone & Co., Datura: A Modern Garden, Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, Jubilee Events, Photo Shoot, Purple, Red, Tastease, The White Dress By The Shore, Twigs & Honey, Vibrant Colors, Yellow
Post categories: Photo Shoot