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From the photographer…Kim & Brian’s wedding was an elegant affair held at the historic Biltmore Ballrooms in Atlanta, Georgia.  Their beautiful church ceremony was followed by a trolley ride with the bridal party to the reception.  Their guests were greeted with a cocktail hour in the lobby with lounge areas, drinks and appetizers.  Before being ushered into the historic ballroom, guests passed the escort card table full of “match”-sticks with flags displaying their table numbers.  A sweet sign read, “We found our match, now you find yours!”.  The table also displayed an initial logo of “KB”, engagement photos and a display of floral arrangements and candles.  The elegant ballroom with it’s carved plasterwork ceiling doesn’t need much in the way of extra decor, but Kim & Brian kept it simple and modern.  A palette of whites including blush and ivory were the centerpiece of the reception scheme.  Beautiful white and ivory arrangements in silver vessels adorned most tables, while the head table held elegant sprays of flowers in tall, clear vases.  Candles, candles, candles were everywhere and really added to the ambiance of the room as well as the professional lighting that lit the old columns and intricately carved ceiling.  Guests were greeted at each placesetting with a favor of chocolates in a box with a wax seal displaying the logo initials of Kim & Brian.  They also received a “thank-you” note along with their menu card from the couple.  After dinner, guests partied on the dancefloor and enjoyed a late-night snack before the couple was ushered out by the Florida State fight song to their awaiting Rolls Royce getaway car.

Photography: Melissa Schollaert Photography / Event Planning: Toast Events / Caterer: Bold American / Lighting: Active Productions / Band: Daniel B. Marshall Band / Flowers: Jackson Durham / Videographer: Evolution Video / Cake: Sweet Sensations / Ceremony: Cathedral of Christ the King / Reception: Biltmore Imperial Ballroom / Rolls Royce + Guest Buses: Atlantic Limos / Bride’s Dress: Eve of Milady / Bride’s Veil: Bridals by Lori / Garter: Florrie Mitton / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Rings: Solomon Brothers Jewelry / Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale / Flower Girl Dress: US Angels / Bridesmaids’ Engraved Bracelets: Sarah Chloe / Bridesmaids’ Personalized Tote Bags: Wedding Chicks / Groom’s Tuxedo: Tommy Hilfiger / Groom’s Shirt & Shoes: Hugo Boss / Groomsmen’s Attire: Le Tux Shop / Mother’s Hankerchief: Embroidery by Linda / Favors: John Kelly Chocolates / Invitations: Bella Figura / Program & Menu: Hi Note / Mr. & Mrs. Signs: Family Attic / Thank You Umbrella: I Do Originals / Ring Bowl: Paloma’s Nest

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Post tags: Active Productions, Amsale, Atlanta, Atlantic Limos, Bella Figura, Biltmore Imperial Ballroom, Bold American, Bridals by Lori, Cathedral of Christ the King, Christian Louboutin, Daniel B. Marshall Band, Embroidery by Linda, Eve of Milady, Evolution Video, Family Attic, Florrie Mitton, Hi Note, Hugo Boss, I Do Originals, Jackson | Durham, John Kelly Chocolates, Le Tux Shop, Melissa Schollaert Photography, Paloma's Nest, Sarah Chloe, Solomon Brothers Jewelry, Sweet Sensations, Toast Events, Tommy Hilfiger, US Angels, Wedding Chicks
Post categories: Real Weddings, The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…After toying with a faraway destination to celebrate our love of travel (Sidi bou Said, Tunisia was our front-runner), we decided that a beautiful, outdoor setting closer to home better fit what we wanted to be able to share with all of our family and friends. We were torn between Colorado (where I’m from), and California (where Nick is from, where we met, and now live once again). In the end, planning and seeing things in person was easier, and Northern California had no shortage of options, so it ended up being the right choice for us. Our planner, the fabulous Melissa Panico, was super patient as we scoured places from San Francisco to Mendocino. Beaulieu Gardens felt both elegant and intimate, and had the charm of Northern California wine country with its vineyards and hills along with a romantic European feeling with the tree-lined drive and rose gardens. When we first saw it, we could envision the exact wedding we wanted – and looking at the pictures now, the images exactly match (it helps to have a fantastic photographer).

Every moment was perfect, we couldn’t have asked for a single thing more. More specifically…walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time. My grandmother’s face as I got to the end of the aisle. Our moment with my dad right before the ceremony began. Our first glass of champagne as newlyweds. All the moments when we took a deep breath to absorb how crazy lucky we felt to have all the people we love celebrating in the same place all weekend.

Our save the date and rehearsal seating chart were postcard reprints of a vintage railroad map of California – which was significant because postcards have featured prominently in our relationship, and Nick proposed on a train! We also had vintage postcards as our guest book, and loved that people picked specific cards of places we’ve shared to write on. To fit the garden setting, our table names were the national flowers of countries we’ve lived in or visited.Our ceremony musicians learned how to play “Married Life” for our recessional from the movie “Up” (a favorite).

Venue: Beaulieu Gardens / Wedding Planning: MAP Events / Catering: Paula Le Duc Fine Catering / Officiant: Canon Christine McSpadden / Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Golden Gate Strings / Floral Design: SHARLA FLOCK DESIGNS / Wedding Photography: Gia Canali Photography / Band: Pride & Joy / Wedding Cake: Branching Out Cakes, Jill / Wedding Videography: Razon Byrne Productions / Lighting: Got Light? / Hair + Make-up: Sarah Hyde / Transportation: California Wine Tours + Antique Tours, 1947 Packards / Invitation: ADM, Eve / Calligraphy: Michelle Papineau Calligraphy / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Groom’s Suit + Shoes: Hugo Boss / Ties: Armani / Flower Girls Attire: Us Angels / Ring Bearer Attire: J.Crew

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Post tags: Antique Tours, Armani, Beaulieu Garden, Branching Out Cakes, California Weddings, California Wine Tours, Canon Christine McSpadden, Emeryville, Garden Wedding, Gia Canali Photography, Golden Gate Strings, Got Light, Hugo Boss, Jenny Yoo, Melissa Panico Events, Michelle Papineau Calligraphy, Monique Lhuillier, Paula Le Duc Fine Catering, Price & Joy, Razon Byrne Productions, Sarah Hyde, Sharla Flock Designs, US Angels
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… We knew right away that Kelly from Lyndsey Hamilton Events was the planner for us after our initial meeting. She was very easy to talk to, knew her stuff, and from what we saw from photos of other LHE events, they had the exact same aesthetic we wanted for our wedding.  And it was the right choice: Kelly meticulously handled every single detail with a smile, never lost her cool, had some great ideas but was never pushy about anything, and is just an all-around amazing, incredibly organized and wonderful person. Any bumps along the way (there might’ve been a few at most) were met with a sense of humor and then smoothed over. We feel incredibly fortunate we were able to collaborate with Kelly and Lyndsey on our wedding day.

For our venue, the private Church Estate in Malibu was just perfect. No ocean view, but the expansive grounds were so lush and beautiful—and we could have it all to ourselves. From the boathouse and pond to the vineyards to the horse barn to the tennis court to the creek, there was so much flora and fauna filled space for us and our guests to explore. The bridal party prepped in the spacious upstairs master bedroom, with a balcony overlooking the lawn, what a perfect perch. Our dinner in the courtyard almost felt like a garden party, and the lawn where the ceremony was held overlooked the cliffs of Malibu, which is very near to our hearts because Ben lived in Malibu when we first started dating and we spent a lot of time getting to know each other there.

We chose Campanile as our caterer.  Mark Peel (the Executive Chef of Campanile) and his wife Daphne Brogdon are Ben’s good friends, so naturally we wanted to enlist the help of friends to make the day as personal as possible. Ben and I had a few wine and food tastings at their La Brea restaurant, and it was hard to narrow down the menu choices because everything was so good! People are still raving about the pork belly appetizers (moi included), potato gnocchi with truffles and afterparty snacks. Also, their wait staff was topnotch.

My cousin, Marcia, is an interior decorator in Toronto, Canada, but came out of retirement as an invitation designer to create my save the date cards and invitations. We went with heavy-duty duplex and three shades for the letterpress. I am a huge paper lover, and these far exceeded my expectations. They were so elegant, yet modern and really set the tone for the day. Marcia also sent extra paper to be used throughout the grounds. Having a close relative be so intimately involved with the invitations meant so much to me, and was another personal touch that both Ben and I were so glad to have.

The ladies of Fiore Beauty did my hair and makeup. They listened to what I wanted and amped up the drama just a bit more for the big day, and I LOVED my hair and makeup. All the bridesmaids were happy with their looks, too. And Jaime, the owner, couldn’t have been more accommodating and lovely. Afterward, she sent a CD of the music that they played while we were getting ready, to remind me of that special morning. What a wonderful and thoughtful touch. AMAZING.

Our dessert table and cake were created by Jin Patisserie.  Jin is just around the corner from where we live in Venice on the very trendy and chic Abbott Kinney Blvd. I’d been going there for years to buy birthday cakes because the flavors are very unique and the cakes are works of art, and knew I wanted them to make my cake. The flavors they came up with were truly delicious and slightly unusual. We did different flavors for each layer: chocolate with caramel and sea salt, green tea with ginger filling, raspberry with vanilla cream. All to die for! Annabelle, the baker, is a genius and a really lovely person.

Our escort cards were created by Peony & Plum.  Susan blew up a photo of Ben and I on a motorcycle road test for his magazine, Popular Mechanics. The photo was cut up into little rectangular magnets with names of guests and their table number, which they could use on their fridge afterward. And behind the magnets was another copy of the exact same image so we could take hang it in our home…bonus!

Our officiant was Pastor Robert Garber, an old family friend.  We flew Pastor Bob out from Pennsylvania to marry us. He and his church sponsored my family when they were refugees of the Vietnam War back in 1975. Though we moved away and settled in California, we stayed in touch over the years. Pastor Bob was the officiant at my two elder brothers’ weddings, so of course I wanted him there for mine. The mood he set during the ceremony was playful, fun, which was exactly what we wanted, but it was also serious when appropriate, natch. Having our old family friend marry us was one of the most special moments of our day.

We chose Laura and Rebecca from Docuvitae as our photographers. They are pretty fabulous at what they do. Unbelievable that their shots, except for the portraits, aren’t posed. They captured a lot of beautiful moments from our wedding day, and they’ve always been so passionate about what they do and it shows in the quality of their work. We’ve been thrilled with how the slideshow and all the photos have turned out.

Wedding Photography: Laura Kleinhenz of Docuvitae / Second Shooter: Rebecca of Docuvitae / Wedding Planning & Coordination: Kelly Dunphy of Lyndsey Hamilton Events / Wedding Venue: Church Estate Vineyards / Catering: Campanile / Wedding Gown: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Suit: Custom, Giorgio Armani / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Flower Girl Dresses: Us Angels / Hair & Makeup: Fiore Beauty / Wedding Invitations: Cousin of the Bride / Floral Design: Hoot & Heart / Church Estate Maps: Hoot & Heart / Tent & Flooring Rental: Zephyr Tents / Furniture Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Wedding Signs, Favors & Menu Board: Melangerie / Wedding Cake & Dessert Table: Jin Patisserie / Officiant: Pastor Robert Garber / Escort Cards: Peony & Plum

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Post tags: Black, CA, California, Campanile, Christian Louboutin, Classic Party Rentals, Docuvitae, Fiore Beauty, Fuchsia, Giorgio Armani, Hoot & Heart, Jenny Yoo, Jin Patisserie, Lyndsey Hamilton Events, Malibu, Melangerie, Outdoor Wedding, Peony & Plum, Pink, Romantic Wedding, Southern California Wedding, Tented Reception, The Church Estate Vineyards, US Angels, Vera Wang, Vineyard Wedding, Zephyr Tents
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride… I knew that I wanted to have a simple, classic wedding. Even though we were having a destination wedding in Maui, we still wanted a sophisticated wedding with beach elements. It was very important that we did not cross the line of making our décor feel cheesy as some destination themed elements can be sometimes. We added soft touches of beach throughout; we had apothecary jars filled with shells on the tables, shell place card holders were placed in sand filled boxes, white starfish were placed on each guests napkin, and modern lanterns were used outside on the deck for the ceremony. I think we were able to achieve a fun beachy look while keeping it modern, classy, and sophisticated.

I have not always been too fond of bright colors (my closet mainly consists of black, cream, white, and grey). I love the simplicity of all white weddings and this is where we started. In the end we decided to add pops of soft color by adding soft coral/peach colored flowers to the arrangements and bouquets. This was such a beautiful contrast to the white/cream/beige colors we selected for the attire and décor.

We decided to place white starfish on each napkin for the guests to take away with them. We also decided to opt out of a traditional wedding book. Instead we purchased vintage Hawaiian postcards that guests wrote their wishes on for Matt and me. We then asked the guests to place the finished postcards in small leather luggage trunks which would then be mailed out to us over the first year of our marriage. Matt and I plan to compile all of the postcards we receive and place in a book to make our guest book to look back on.

The highlight for me was when Matt and I read our own personal vows to each other during the ceremony. It was such a special moment to be able to share these thoughts we had worked so hard to prepare and be able to express our love to one another in front of all of our friends and family. It was such a special and touching moment.

Matt and I now share the same anniversary date as his grandparents. When they found out we were thinking of having a September wedding, they asked that we share their special day with them and we felt so honored. We were able to celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary with them on our wedding day and can only hope that our marriage will be just as strong as theirs is when we reach that same milestone.

Wedding Photography: Mike Adrian Photography / Event Coordinator: Jane Park of Belle Destination Weddings & Events / Officiant: Reverend Pia Aluli / Floral Design: Bella Bloom Floral Boutique / Wedding Cinematography: Hawaii Video Memories / Linens: Pacific Event Group / Event Rentals: Pacific Isle Rentals / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Wedding Gown: Christos / Men’s Suits: JoS. A. Bank / Bridesmaid Dresses: Banana Republic / Flower Girl Dresses: Us Angels / Venue: Merriman’s Kapalua

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Post tags: Banana Republic, Beige, Bella Bloom Floral Boutique, Belle Destination Weddings & Events, Christos, Destination Wedding, Grey, Hawaii, Hawaii Video Memories, jos a banks, Maui, Mike Adrian Photography, Minted, Outdoor Ceremony, Pacific Event Group, Pacific Isle Rentals, Peach, Reverend Pia Aluli, Soft Color Palette, US Angels, White Color Palette
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings, Hawaii Weddings

Matt and I met at work, and after a couple of years passing each other in the halls and a mutual colleague playing cupid, he finally asked me out! Nearly a year later, he proposed and the wedding planning began. I’ve never been a girl that thought about my wedding, so I basically started from scratch. I did know I wanted to get married outside in the fall and in an old Southern house, and Matt liked those ideas as well. Since we live in NYC but got married in Georgia (I’m from there), my mom scouted out a bunch of locations for us and showed us the best places one weekend when we were visiting. We instantly fell in love with Primrose Cottage and knew it was the place.

In my mind, I was trying to go for a Parisian bohemian chic feel, though I don’t know that I really achieved that. I originally wanted peonies, until I realized how expensive they are out of season! So I brought a picture of a garden/wildflower bouquet — which were also all out season — to our floral designer and she picked out flowers similar to them and they were AMAZING. The flowers were one of my favorite parts. Overall, it was a perfect day. We had no stress and were able to just enjoy all of the little moments surrounded by our family and friends. The weather was perfect, too!

Special thanks to Primrose Cottage and their in-house food and design team, Magic Moments. They did a great job and made our day extra special and stress-free. Also, a huge thanks to Laura Stone and Renee Brock from Arstar Photography. They are amazing photographers, and we love every picture they took. We couldn’t be happier with the way everything turned out.

More of Blair and Matt’s stunning fall wedding at Primrose Cottage on Artstar’s Blog!

Photography: Artstar by Laura Stone / Ceremony & reception venue: Primrose Cottage / Catering & Cake: Primrose Cottage / Dress: Lazaro from Bridals by Lori / Shoes: Nina / Headband: Rivini / Hair and makeup: Three-13 Salon / Invitations: Bella Figura / Place cards and table numbers: The White Aisle / Suits (Matt and his brother): Custom-made, Heimie’s Haberdashery, St. Paul, Minnesota / Ties: Hugo Boss / Shoes: Prada / Flower girl dresses: Us Angels / DJ: Black Tie Events

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Post tags: ARTSTAR, Bella Figura, Black Tie Events, Bridals by Lori, Georgia, Heimie's Haberdashery, Hugo Boss, Lazaro, Nina, Prada, Primrose Cottage, Rivini, Roswell, The White Aisle, Three-13 Salon, US Angels
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

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I really wanted the entire day to be a romantic, glamorous, garden affair with vintage touches. We chose to get married in Chatham, on Cape Cod. My parents bought our house in 1982, the year I was born, and moved to Chatham full time when I graduated from high school.  We spent most of our holidays growing up at the house, and have so many many wonderful memories there. There is no place I’d rather be than at my home in the town by the beautiful ocean I love.  As it was where we were engaged, and a place where we fell in love, Dave and I knew it would be the perfect setting for the wedding.

I decided to wear my mother’s dress, and to have her walk me down the aisle. We went to Priscilla of Boston – same salon my mother went to and had a seamstress named Lula (who has been at Priscilla for over thirty years, and may have even worked on my mom’s dress originally!) work on the dress.  She removed the neck area to make an open sweetheart neckline. 

I knew the flowers had to be beautiful, graceful and welcoming. I wanted the softness of blooming garden roses and peonies, all loosely put together and looking fresh and just snipped from the garden. Nestled in my bouquet of white hydrangea and pale pink roses was a tiny picture of the my father, who had passed away a few years ago. He and I had many times looked out to our lawn together and talked about how beautiful a wedding at the house someday would be. It was so important to me that he be included in the day. The necklace that I wore was a gift from my father.

I’ll never forget how wonderful I felt the morning of the wedding. It had been raining for all of June, and I rolled over in bed to see the most brilliant, hot sun shining in on me. Dave’s family was staying at our home for the weekend, and that morning they, and my family, and the bridal party all came together to hang the lanterns and ribbons in the trees, and to place the paper butterflys in the trees.  I was wandering around taking photos of it all happening, and I just remember being totally overwhelmed with happiness, that these two families were coming together into one, and that we had such a beautiful happy day ahead!

Venue: Bride’s family home / Caterer, Cake & Event Coordination: Casual Gourmet / Florist: Katie McConnell of the Wild Bunch Studio / Photography: Paul Morse & Ralph Alswang / Band: The Mac Chrupcala Orchestra / Bridal attire: Priscilla of Boston, dress circa 1973-1974, Modified and tailored for this wedding also at Priscilla of Boston / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Vineyard Collection from Priscilla of Boston / Flower Girl dress: US Angels / Ring Bearer dish: Paloma’s Nest / Tent: Undercover Tent / Tablelinens: BBJ Linens / Tableware Rentals: Rentals Unlimited / Calligrapher: Sharon Morgera

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Post tags: Cape Cod, Casual Gourmet, Priscilla of Boston, US Angels, Wild Bunch Studio
Post categories: Cape Cod Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings, Traditional Elegance

* * *

Today we have some style-for-thought for your cherished little flower girls. We have been on the search for the perfect dress to match the look of your perfectly styled wedding party. This next round-up features a mix of our usual stops for swoon worthy frocks and few couture little pieces all perfect for complimenting the modern-chic bridal party.

Row One: I was so excited to come across this cute little frock from Lilly Pulitzer -perfectly feminine and just adorable as a flower girl dress. I couldn’t resist the layers of frills in J. Crew’s little frock – so cute! For a more tailored look with a lot of charm, Chloe brings on the couture in subtle tones ideal for little flower girls.

Row Two: Mariella Ferrari’s two toned dress is a beautiful choice if you are craving a little tradition for your girl. For the more grown up flower girl, Un Deux Trois has the ideal shift that will for sure be worn again well after her debut. And the Florence Eiseman dress is all about the to-die-for fabric and subtle detailing around the bodice-perfectly timeless.

Row Three: This dress by Us Angels could also work for your Jr. Bridesmaids. The look is fresh and modern without being too trendy. I am so in love with the mod look of Us Angels gold brocade dress. What a great addition to a vintage styled bridal party. Last, but certainly not least is my personal fav of Priscilla Of Boston’s flower girl dresses. I am loving the drop waist that is showing up in several flower girl styles these days and Priscilla’s design is a perfect rendition.

More in just a bit!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Carrie Moore, Chloe, Florience Eisesman, Flower Girl Dresses, J. Crew, Lilly Pulitzer, Mariella Ferrari's, Priscilla of Boston's, Un Deux Trois, US Angels
Post categories: Bridal Party, Round-Ups, Wedding Fashion

More details from the bride…

During the ceremony, the officiant, a retired judge who is a family friend and who also happened to be my trial advocacy teacher in law school, remarked that our first encounter reminded him of the song “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific. This inspired our friend Matt, an extraordinarily talented singer, to perform the song for us later in the evening, since he coincidentally had the track for it in his car.  He was hesitant to do so at first, since it had not been planned, but when he heard the last lines of my toast, which happened to mirror the last lines of the song, he decided he could not let the opportunity pass.  It was one of our favorite moments of the evening.

My fiance’s coworker lent us a 1966 light blue Austin Healy for our wedding getaway car. During the cocktail hour we hopped in the car and drove down the long tree-lined driveway leading to the estate to share a few moments together and take photos. 

The Bridesmaids/ Flowers Girls Dresses:

The bridesmaids wore espresso silk tricotine dresses in various styles from J. Crew.  Ruggero’s, my fiance’s daughter, was the Junior Bridesmaid and wore a white Us Angels dress with a chocolate brown sash.  The five adorable flower girls wore white dresses with green sashes from Us Angels. 

The Dress:

My dress was designed by Christos and was made of silk organza.  At my request, the tailors at Saks Fifth Avenue removed the train and painstakingly moved the lace that had been on the train onto the back of the dress, so I could move around easily in it and not drag the train on the gravel.  It ended up being incredibly comfortable and perfect to dance in.  Ruggero bought his navy blue lightweight wool suit by Belvest from Wilkes Bashford, and wore a green tie and dark brown Bruno Magli shoes.

The fun didn’t stop here…the couple had Lauri help them with an INCREDIBLE photo shoot after the big day. Stay tuned!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Christos, Destination Guide, Flower girls, JCrew, Lauri Levenfeld, Napa, Saks Fifth Avenue, US Angels, Wilkes Bashford, Zoom Photography
Post categories: Wedding Photography