all photographs courtesy of Boyfriend/Girlfriend Photography

We’ll let Clementine tell their story …

We were married on July 26th 2009, in the heart of Toronto. Although we had really turbulent weather the whole day, our day was still PERFECT! The sun came out every time I would have to step outside, it was truly magical!

My husband and I are from different cultures and so we decided that the wedding should incorporate and blend the eastern and western traditions. We are both modern and traditional at the same time. So we had our ceremony at a gorgeous church housed with an ever impressive pipe organ. I wore a Jim Hjelm ivory silk satin trumpet gown with alencon lace detail. For the reception, we opted for a hipper downtown hotel reception where we had our Chinese tea ceremony, followed by a western cocktail, a Chinese dinner banquet and a dessert buffet to die for. In the evening, I changed into a gorgeous lace Chinese wedding cheongsam and Jon changed up his white orchid boutonniere to a red rose to match me!

I’m all about simple elegance so I chose ivory and silver as the base colour but injected bright fuchsia and green colors as accents, since it’s a summer wedding after all! I chose to use hydrangeas and orchids as my main flowers.

I’m an architect, so naturally I LOVE DIY projects. I made pretty much all my wedding stationery. Ceremony programs, menus, table numbers, escort cards, the escort card board, and even wish cards to go with the photo guest book. The polaroids for the photo guest book was especially successful!

Our congratulations to Clementine and Jonathon!

Our thanks to Jess and Vanessa at Boyfriend/Girlfriend photography for these stunning photos.

And ~ a special thumbs up to Little Black Book member ~ I Do! Wedding Cakes …

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Boyfriend/Girlfriend, Canada, Desert Buffet, I Do Wedding Cakes, Jim Hjelm, Toronto, Traditions
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Cakes

Carla Ten Eyck is just that … amazing …

When you hire a photographer for your wedding, you’re not just hiring a picture-taker. You’re gaining a friend. You’re hiring someone who will be by your side on one of THE most important days of your life. That person will bring out the sheer beauty, the raw emotion … the awe in you. That’s what you get with Carla Ten Eyck.

Carla Ten Eyck captured Samar and Shane’s exquisite multi-cultural wedding that spanned three glorious days.  There is no way that we can do this incredible celebration justice. We simply want to show you, brag to you, how great Carla and her incredible team are.

Samar and Shane’s wedding weekend …

The wedding took place in Hudson, NY. It was a three day Pakistani and Irish wedding celebration. Friday night the family held a Mehndi ceremony in the beautiful barn at Oak Hill Estate in the Hudson River Valley. These celebrations are traditionally women only, but Shane and Samar invited the men to participate as well. During the ceremony they sat together in a swing while guests came up to offer them blessings. After the blessings there were traditional dances upstairs in the barn. Saturday was the formal wedding ceremony. Samar’s father officiated the ceremony, and the bridesmaids carried wooden bowls full of rose petals instead of bouquets. Floral decor was by Little Black Book member, Linda Baldwin Flowers.

Shane and Samar’s incredible celebration proves without a doubt that if you are lucky enough to have Carla and her team ~ Mike Romano, Katie Slater and Graham Scobey ~ you will have memories … and a friend who will last a lifetime!

Congratulations Samar & Shane on an absolutely phenomenal wedding! And Carla, well as we’ve said before … sheer beauty!!

For the rest of Samar & Shane’s story, take a trip to Carla Ten Eyck’s blog site. It … she … is totally awesome.

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Barn, Carla Ten Eyck, Charmed Places, Graham Scobey, Hindu, Hudson River Valley, Hudson Valley, Katie Slater, Lily Of The Valley, Linda Baldwin Flowers, Mehndi, Mike Romano, New York Weddings, Pakistani, Rose Petals, Traditions
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography

The beautiful Eleana and Avi live in Washington DC but were married at the Allan Houser Compound in New Mexico last June. By the end of the day, you’ll not only feel like you know them personally … you’ll even feel like you were at their wedding! And, if you are unfamiliar with the Jewish ceremony, you will have learned just a bit …

The Groom’s Table – The “choson’s tisch” takes place just prior to the ceremony. Avi was surrounded at a table by his male relatives and friends. He attempts to give a commentary on that week’s Torah  portion, but his guests keep interrupting him with singing and toasts. The tisch is invariably humorous and fun, in an attempt to relax the nervous groom before the wedding.

When Eleana decides she is ready, she sends an emissary to the Groom’s Table to summon him.

The Ketubah – Eleana and Avi have been reunited for the signing of their marriage contract, the Ketubah. The Ketubah is a contract ordained by Jewish rabbinical law around 200 CE which lays out the rights of the wife and obligations of the husband. Eleana and Avi used the same Aramaic text that generations of Jewish couples have signed before to honor the continuity of their people. The Ketubah is an artistically beautiful and meaningful part of the Jewish wedding ceremony. It is an illustrated work of art that is generally hung in the home and will serve as a daily reminder of the vows they have made to each other. Although the Ketubah has its roots in the Jewish wedding tradition, its beauty has recently become embraced by couples from all different religions and cultures.

Veiling of the Bride, Badeken - Having verified that Eleana is the bride, Avi lowers the veil on her face himself just before proceeding to the ceremony- thus avoiding the fate of Jacob, who was tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. As Avi lowers the veil over Eleana’s face, he is also avowing that just as his bride’s face is enveloped by the veil, so will love envelope the couple. In many conservative weddings, this is a private ceremony performed where the ketubah is signed.

We would love to share more of these stunning images from Twin Lens of Avi & Eleana’s wedding, so please join us back here in a bit!

Oh … and if anything we’ve said is incorrect, or should be explained in a different way, please do let us know!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jewish, New Mexico, Santa Fe, Traditions, Twin Lens, Veil
Post categories: Cultural Beauty, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

Andrei, who is a native of Romania, incorporated his heritage into the cermony by having both the bride and groom’s parents wrap their hands together in lace and help them drink from the same cup. What a beautiful way to bring another set of traditions into their ceremony!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Florals, Kristina and Andrei, Q Weddings, Traditions
Post categories: Bouquets, Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Details, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography