And the photographer behind the day, the completely loved Corbin Gurkin (seriously loved), took a minimalist approach that allowed each and every element to completely shine. I am head over heels for this one.

From Corbin…

This wedding took place at the Bell Mer in Newport, Rhode Island. The bride, Wendy, had an amazing sense of style and I really loved the unusual palette she used – orange, white, and silvery gray. Having a very specific “look” in mind that only a perfectionist like herself could execute, Wendy designed everything herself and even opted for making some paper flowers as an alternative to fresh cut ones.  She even hand cut her own confetti circles to match the décor!

Here are a few details…

The bride wore a stunning Vera Wang gown and perfect, blue Valentino shoes. Wendy actually designed the invitations herself, all centered around a Hawaiian quilt motif, then had Studio on Fire print them. The ring pillow was also designed by the bride using a paper flower that was inspired by a backdrop she spotted at a recent fashion show. All of the flowers were…get this…done by the bride and her friends. Talk about DIY Luxe!

OK. If you thought that this set was as dreamy as I did…you are going to go NUTS when you see the next set of images. They are seriously as perfect as you can possibly get.

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Post tags: Bell Mer, Corbin Gurkin, Newport, Orange, Rhode Island, studio on fire, Valentino, Vera Wang
Post categories: Casual Elegance

Sometimes, we get to share our Little Black Book members’ own weddings, but today … LBB photographer Andrea Polito is one of the lovely maids in the wedding! Her friends Alexis and Andy were married on one of those golden October days (2008) in a gorgeous fall wedding in Dallas!

Here’s what Alexis had to tell us about her wedding…

Our floral designers from Fete des Fleurs in Dallas created the most romantic arch for the ceremony with leaves and flowers in rust, cream, and green. Our wedding was in October and we wanted something with a great fall feel, even though Dallas is still pretty green in October. The venue, Marie Gabrielle, created the perfect backdrop with its beautiful trees and gardens, and the flowers (orchids, moss, ranunculus) and small accents (Jan Barboglio iron candelabras, centerpieces, and chargers; candles everywhere, including hanging from the trees; white lights; matchbooks from For Your Party; caramel apple favors from Tart Bakery with hand-calligraphy on letterpress cards by Bella Figura; the flowy green bridesmaids dresses by Vera Wang; the sparkler send-off; our vintage Cadillac getaway car) just tied everything together.

My amazing photographer, Andrea Polito, is a close friend and did double duty at the wedding by also serving as one of my bridesmaids! She was also pregnant and in heels, but was determined to capture all of the details…which she did! She was amazing to watch and during the ceremony had two staff photographers shooting while she stood by my side! It was really great to work with a friend who also happens to be one of the best in the business! She took time to shoot all the little things that often get overlooked, and those details have been the most fun looking back on.

I wore a gown by Lela Rose, a Texan-born designer who I love. She uses unconventional fabrics in her wedding dresses, and I loved the embroidered lace detail all over the dress. I wanted something with a vintage feel that was also comfortable and timeless, and it was perfect.  I also wore a vintage diamond watch that belonged to my great grandmother and carried my grandma’s handkerchief. I found my clutch on Etsy and pinned a brooch on it that matched the ones in my hair. Even though you really couldn’t see my shoes under my dress, I felt so great peeking down at them and seeing those feathers…They are still on display in my closet!

When asked what the most important thing about their wedding was?

Probably the ceremony and vows…We wanted a very personal ceremony, so we pulled from lots of different vows, poems, and traditions to create a custom ceremony that felt like us. We come from different faith backgrounds, so we blended passages that spoke to both of us. My cousin is a judge in Dallas and one of the only people I know who actually towers over my husband, so he officiated. We recognized our grandparents who were no longer with us and had a moment of silence in honor of them. I was very close with my grandmother, in particular, and carried an embroidered handkerchief that belonged to her with her initials. My husband’s brother and best man read a unique version of “these are the hands” during the ceremony, and it was really special to have members from both sides of our family participate in the wedding.

AK Event Design was there for day-of coordination …

Andy and I both love music and knew from the beginning that we wanted a band…He said he knew it was meant to be when I professed my love for Tom Waits the first night we met. We’re both big fans of 70s and 80s rock (Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin), and I’ve always loved Bowie, The Cars, Talking Heads, etc. We listened to a ton of wedding bands online and then came across Skyrocket, a band out of Austin. They were voted Best Cover Band in Austin by the The Austin Chronicle, and we knew we’d found our band! Their setlist had everything from Hot Legs and Rock the Casbah to Brown Sugar and Whole Lotta Love…We were sold! All of the musicians in the band are also recording artists in their own right, including Trish Murphy who fronts the group, so we knew we were getting the best of both worlds…Really talented and really fun! It was a great pick, because everyone from our generation to the older generation was on the dance floor getting down! My husband even did an “unplugged” guitar solo with the band during American Girl that was the highlight of my night!

Ahhhhhh … such a pretty day! Happy Anniversary Alexis & Andy!

And thank you to Andrea Polito for sending us these beautiful images from the celebration!

Andrea has another terrific wedding that she JUST posted on her blog that also took place at Marie Gabrielle ~ Jennifer & Matthew’s wedding celebration!!

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Post tags: AK Event Design, Andrea Polito, Bella Figura, Dallas, Fete des Fleurs, For Your Party, Marie Gabrielle, Tart Bakery, Texas, Vera Wang
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

* * *

From Lisa Hoffman of Ceci New York…

I believe all weddings are special. And each one offers a different take on personal individual style which I love to experience everyday with all my different clients. Personalization is a big trend in weddings and this wedding that I am about to share with you is extra special because it’s my younger sister’s wedding!

Christie and Danny just got married over labor day weekend at the historic El Cortez Hotel in San Diego and it truly was a wedding full of inspiring personal style. Their theme was Old Hollywood, which is a trend that is still going strong. With its classic and timeless appeal, how could you not love it? But what I love is that Christie put her own touch on this theme and made it her own.

Christie’s dress is Vera Wang, jewelry from Carolee Jewelry. She infused champagne golds and antique coppers into her bridal bouquets. The hydrangeas were actually spray painted! I loved the unexpected color palette for flowers. So different. Flowers were done by Jennifer at Nantucket Florals.

Each of us bridesmaids had a different vintage hairstyle and our own individual feather jewelry hair pieces. The bridesmaid dresses were hand made by my mom but inspired originally by Priscilla Of Boston.

All the photography is courtesy of the fantastic fine art wedding photographer, Justin Lee. He believes in bringing style and grace to his photography and his goal is to create beautiful, vibrant, timeless, fine art images while being gracefully interactive. An as a bride on your wedding day, the nerves are running high, so you want to find a photographer that makes you feel incredibly comfortable and sexy while capturing the most outstanding images for you. As you can see, Justin will not let you down.

Coming up next, the AMAZING invitations and paper accouterments that Lisa crafted just for her sister’s big day. They are GORGEOUS to put it mildly.

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Post tags: Ceci New York, Hollywood, Hollywood Glam, Lisa Hoffman, Vera Wang
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

From Liz Banfield…

On the day of the wedding all the wedding guests were invited to a luncheon at the Meeting Street Inn.  For the evening black-tie ceremony the bride began getting ready mid-afternoon.  She arrived in her Vera Wang gown at the church, the historic First Scots in downtown Charleston, for pictures with her bridesmaids at 5:15 p.m.  After the bride was sequestered, the groom did the same with his groomsmen.  The ceremony was a traditional Presbyterian service which was concluded with the bride and groom recessing to “Tocacata” from Symphony V by Charles-Marie Windor.

So much more to come!

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Post tags: Charleston, Liz Banfield, Southern, Tara Guerard, Vera Wang
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

We looked back at Tiffany’s blog at some of the other weddings she’s shot at Auberge du Soleil ~ what an awesome wedding venue! And for Ashleigh & Michael’s wedding, a fantastic contrast for their wedding party photo shoot!

From beginning to end … Ashleigh & Michael’s wedding was utterly amazing!

The bride is a wedding coordinator and you can easily see from her own wedding that she must be fantastic at her job!

She enlisted the help of Pacific Events, Las Vegas for design and floral decor. The flowers, alone, are breathtaking! Place all of this in the middle of Napa Valley at Auberge du Soleil and you’re nearly in heaven!

LOOK at the seating chart (above)! Oh my goodness …

Ashleigh’s gown is from Vera Wang. Again, simply stunning. Her hairpiece was custom designed by Couture Bride in Las Vegas.

Beautiful wedding paper pieces by Checkerboard ~ Folios of Maria Thomas.

Such an exquisite presentation … and you have to love this crystal chandelier!

Wedding cake by Laurie Lucov. Gorgeous~

We’ll be updating the post a little later today with answers to many of your questions!

Update: So … only a couple of answers to your questions so far! Brides Shoes: Chinese Laundry (the platforms) and Diane Lynn (the sparkling ones); Bridesmaid dresses: Priscilla of Boston, Vineyard Collection (in slate)

Bracelet, Seating Chart, Flower Girl Dresses, Men’s Suits: Don’t know yet. Will keep you posted!

* * *

Congratulations on a sensational wedding, Ashleigh and Michael! And a HUGE thanks to Tiffany for sharing these absolutely beautiful images from the day!!

* * *

Tiffany and Erica are the photographers and owners of Adeline & Grace Photography. Tiffany is based in California, while Erica works throughout Southern New England.

For more of their fabulous work and more amazing weddings from their website and blog, take a peek at these …

Another terrific wedding at Auberge du Soleil ~ Juliana & Daniel

Jennifer & Keith’s super-cute engagement shoot

Megan & Jason’s Cline Cellars Wedding ~ previously featured on Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book Blog!

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Post tags: Adeline & Grace Weddings, Auberge du Soleil, California, Checkerboard, Chinese Laundry, Couture Bride, Hairpiece, Laurie Lucov Wedding Cakes, Napa, Pacific Events, Priscilla of Boston, Vera Wang
Post categories: Accessories, Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Vintage Chic, Wedding Photography

photographs courtesy of Karlisch Photography

We asked Amy to tell us what she loved the most about her wedding  …

I loved how our monogram was positioned on the back of our Phillipe Stark ghost chairs at the reception (see image below). I also loved how the T and M were hung on the big wooden church doors- cleverly created out of hot pink peonies. The M was later taken off the door and attached to the back of the Rolls Royce that we were riding in!

The escort cards were hung from a stunning silver tree that glistened with dangling crystals. Later shelves were positioned around the tree that contained rows of gift boxes with porcelain red bird limoge boxes sitting on top. Being from St. Louis and a fan of the Cardinals I had to somehow bring my hometown flair into my reception. I really wanted each guest to leave with something tangible that they could smile at and remember the evening.

The whole weekend was themed- “I DO in Dallas!” – Mary Wright Shaw even had stickers on the buses that we rented that had the logo on them. People were spotting them all over town. It was hysterical! My mom and Mary surprised me with the decal on the wall in the suite I got ready in.

I pinned my best friend and maid of honor, Erin’s grandmother’s brooch into my flower arrangement as my something borrowed. My something old was a beautiful handkerchief that was my Grandmothers. The neat thing was that Erin was married 3 months after me and she borrowed my grandmother’s handkerchief.

We had a cigar bar outside on the patio with hand rolled cigars that was a huge hit. My Dad is a real cigar lover. I just had to do it for him! He finally had one after Patrick I drove off to end his night!

Their magnificent celebration was at the Dallas Ritz-Carlton.

From Mary … The look for the reception portrayed contemporary elegance that highlighted the couple’s colorful and warm personalities. The room was adorned with crystal and mirror accents that reflected a feel of old Hollywood glamour. Flowers included grape hydrangeas, David Austin Roses, pink French tulips and over 3,000 Sandra Bernhart Peonies.

photographs courtesy of Karlisch Photography

Amy’s beautiful gown is from the Vera Wang Luxe Collection at Saks Fifth Avenue, Hair & Makeup – L.B. Rosser, Groom’s Attire – Culwell & Son, Bridesmaid’s Dresses – Vera Wang at StarDust Celebrations, Floral Design – Todd Event Design, Cake – Fancy Cakes by Lauren.

* * *

Congratulations, Amy & Patrick! Your wedding was a truly magnificent event!!

And a huge thank you to Mary at Diamond Affairs … spectacular!

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Post tags: Christ The King Church, Christian Louboutin, Dallas, Diamond Affairs, Fancy Cakes by Lauren, Karlisch Photography, Peonies, Star Dust Celebrations, Texas, Todd Event Design, Vera Wang
Post categories: Bouquets, Bridal Party, Centerpieces, Contemporary, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Decor, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Style

from the beautiful bride …

The weather in Aspen was perfect the entire week of our wedding, including the morning of … then the clouds started rolling in and an hour before we had rain, hail, and thunder. Our guests were to ride the gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain and when it was time for me and the bridal party to go up, it was closed, so we traveled to the top in a suburban. When we reached the top though, it was spectacular and the clouds were clearing–luckily our guests could ride the gondola! There were a few sprinkles at the start, so our guests were provided with white umbrellas which turned out to be the perfect touch! As the ceremony began, the sun burst out of the clouds and we even had a rainbow! We couldn’t have dreamed that up!

The altar at the site of the ceremony was gorgeous — it was made of birch and had flowers spilling out and up to the cross that was made of birch as well. It was a stunning focal point for the ceremony!

floral decor by The Aspen Branch

more from Sally …

Having the wedding atop Aspen Mountain, we didn’t want to go overboard and compete with the spectacular scenery. Our idea was to bring the outdoors in, so we had clouds of baby’s breath hanging from the ceiling, birdcages serving as light fixtures, and lots of fun details using birch and branches and the fire going in the big fireplace.

Their brilliant photographer, Todd Pellowe was there to capture every stunning moment … as well as a few other special memories!

Sally’s favorite part of the reception?  The clouds of baby’s breath!

Ted and Sally’s glorious wedding and reception took place at Aspen Mountain Club & Sundeck.

Sally’s advice when planning a destination wedding?  “Make it as much of a reflection of you and your fiancee as possible, but don’t sweat the small stuff! People are going to remember the feeling they had being a part of your celebration more than the details of the wedding itself.”

Ahhh … so pretty!!!  Congratulations to Sally and Ted on a totally beautiful wedding!

Lots more gorgeous photographs from Sally and Ted’s Aspen mountain-top wedding over on Todd’s blog, so do go take a peek.

* * *

Todd Pellowe Weddings is based in Louisville, Kentucky … he’s just posted another amazing wedding on his blog (Mallori and Tory’s Kentucky farm wedding). You will LOVE it!  There are two of the cutest flower girls you’ve ever seen!  Here’s a quick peek at Mallori’s wedding colors  …

Thanks Todd! We can’t wait to bring more of your weddings to Style Me Pretty readers on the Little Black Book Blog!

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Post tags: Aspen, Aspen Mountain Club, Baby's Breath, Colorado, Gondola, Louisville, Rain, Sundeck, The Little Nell, Todd Pellowe, Vera Wang
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography

from their wedding designer and wedding planner, Kathy of A Divine Occasion …

Over a year ago I had the wonderful opportunity to talk with Lisa in preparation for her June wedding celebration. Lisa and Lance came to me with a very clear and defined vision. Both coming from an artistic background they stood by their vision from beginning to end. We wanted to create a design team together to pull off their vision of French Couture & Moulin Rouge-style in an English Garden atmosphere.

The Hotel Bel-Air was a tranquil and perfect setting to begin the journey.

I introduced the bride and groom to Linnae from Asiel Design. I felt she would be the best visionary to Lisa and Lance’s design. Her ability to really listen to what the client wants and creativity helped give life to the project.

My best experiences with Lisa came during her decision making…every decision she made too in the consideration of others which I so rarely see. It was so refreshing to see her caring touch and style. The photographs captured every wonderful moment! Thankfully Lisa and Lance brought me together with Laura at Docuvitae for the first time. Her artful eye was the perfect match to this story and I look forward to many more memories together! I am so thankful for the experience and value my life long friendship with Lisa and Lance!!!

And from lovely Lisa … the black calla lily and a yellow orchid with red spots were the points of creative departure …

The feather was another source of inspiration, but as it’s been overused in weddings it was incorporated sparingly, both in our invitation design and in my cocktail hour feather boa … just a hint of romance and fun flirtation!

and also from Lisa …

The ceremony and cocktail hour trio, The Wine and Roses Band, played a combination of gypsy jazz and Klezmer music, paying homage to our Jewish heritage while also creating an air of celebration. Champagne, enjoyed ‘en plein air’ after the ceremony, was the drink of the night. The party then moved indoors for an evening of dinner and dancing accompanied by jazz standards and music from the sixties, expertly produced by the Chuck Wansley Band. Chocolate-dipped strawberry “tuxedos,” among other mignardises, satiated the sweet tooth of our guests before the cake by Cake Divas was cut at the end of the night.

Like brilliant photography should, the images speak for themselves. The unparalleled work of Laura and Rebecca at the wonderful Docuvitae captures the magic of what was nothing short of a splendid evening.

We couldn’t agree more! Thank-you to all for sharing this extraordinary occasion with us!!

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Post tags: A Divine Occasion, Asiel Design, Boa, Cake Divas, Docuvitae, Garden, Hair Accessories, Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, The Wine And Roses Band, Vera Wang
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Vintage Chic, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Photography

Oh my gosh! How precious are these?

So when you have killer invitations … killer shoes … a killer dress … hmmmm …you’ve got one fabulous wedding …

Chenin at Boutwell Studio shared Lindsey and Chris’ wedding with us, not just because she knew you’d love it … but also because Lindsey is a faithful SMP bride and she found Boutwell Studio in our Little Black Book.

If the invitations weren’t pretty enough, what about the vintage mailbox?

Enough oohing and ahhhing from me.

their story, from the beautiful bride, Lindsey …

Five years after meeting at a Halloween party, Chris asked me to marry him. He proposed in the snow at Lake Tahoe. As soon as I got home, I started planning the wedding. I knew I really wanted to have fireworks, but also wanted to get married in San Francisco, which was a little bit of a problem, until I noticed that the 4th of July, 2009 fell on a Saturday. Problem solved. Once I figured that out, everything else fell into place. We chose the Fairmont atop Nob Hill because it has a large reception area at the tip top of the hotel that has panoramic views and we would be able to see all the fireworks. It’s a beautiful and historic hotel. It lent itself to the overall look and feel of the wedding, which was “vintage charm”.

The wedding was beautiful. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and the fog didn’t even roll in (a rare thing in SF!). The entire day from start to finish could not have gone better.

I really had the best vendors in the world. The “A Team” I would call them. I actually found our photographer, Chenin, in the Little Black Book of vendors on SMP. Prior to the big day, we had a little bump in the road and had to switch photographers from our first one we hired. It all worked out and I could not be happier with our photos. Chenin was amazing to work with. She is so easy going and made it fun, and our pictures are killer. Our planner, Alice, helped to make the whole process-from start to finish-the best experience. I don’t know what I would have done without her. She made sure everything was perfect, and it was. Nancy did a wonderful job on the flowers, they were stunning. She went above and beyond to make my floral dreams come true, including surprising me with a second bouquet option of Peonies, which were out of season, but she tracked some down for me.

My favorite little items from the Big Day were:

Sign in Mail Box: I bought a vintage mail box (from a lady off ebay) and used vintage looking SF postcards for the sign in book. I had our guests “send” us their best wishes and memories.

Table Numbers: I saw some table numbers from a wedding (on SMP of course!) where they had scalloped cut table numbers and thought they were the cutest thing. I searched high and low for scalloped cards or a large enough punch cutter to do the job, but couldn’t find one. So I ended up buying a heavy duty die cutter and die cut each one. I know it may seem a bit silly for just some little scalloped table numbers, but I just fell in love with the idea. In the end I’m sure not many people really noticed them, but I just thought they looked so charming.

Invites and paper items: The vintage handkerchief invitations were a big hit (from Bird and Banner). Each guest received a different and unique vintage handkerchief. The other paper items (programs, menus, and candy bags) were designed by a friend of mine, who works in graphic design, and me. I loved the stripes.

Photo Booth with vintage props: are you sensing a theme here? but it was really cute. I bought a bunch of these vintage hats off ebay and a few little moustaches on sticks from etsy and everyone got really into it. The photos turned out really cute.

I thought I would be nervous or anxious, or even sad that it was going to be over, but I had a calm sense the whole day. I was just really really happy. It was a perfect day.

Wow! She’s right … just plain perfect!

Our special thanks to Alice at Grisez & Co. Event Design for helping us with all the details of the day.

The absolutely-unbelievably-drop-dead-gorgeous floral designs were by Little Black Book member, Nancy Liu Chin. Seriously, the flowers were amazing!!

And Chenin ~ your photos captured Lindsey & Chris’ wedding with a true sense of grace, charm and artistry. (ps… LOVE your website. super-cool graphics!)

Boutwell Studio has a GREAT BLOG … full of fantastic wedding eye candy!

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Post tags: Bird and Banner, Boutwell Studio, Fairmont Hotel, Grisez & Co. Event Design, Kate Spade, Nancy Liu Chin, Nob Hill, Photo Booth, San Francisco, Vera Wang
Post categories: Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Vintage Chic, Wedding Decor, Wedding Flowers, Wedding Invitations & Stationery, Wedding Photography

Not too long ago, Amanda at Orchard Cove Photography sent us two of her June weddings and Abby has already featured one of them {here}. So today, we wanted to show you Liz and Dan’s wedding. Not in Connecticut … but in Groton, Massachusetts …

Liz and Dan were married at the The Barn At Gibbit Hill ~ in June ~ and from the looks on the faces of their family and friends, they had a blast!

The beautiful flowers were designed by Tangerine Creations.

And the dresses? Who do you think? All of them by Vera, of course!

For a change, we even have the guys info ~ groom’s suit by Zegna, groomsmen’s pants by J.Crew; tie by Nautica.

Don’t you just love a big red barn wedding?

Catering by The Barn At Gibbet Hill. Entertainment by The Chicken Slacks.

Oh … such a pretty wedding! Congratulations Liz & Dan!!

For more of Orchard Cove’s fantastic photography that we’ve featured, here are just a few:

Vermont Wedding

Long Island Wedding

Cape Cod Wedding

And of course Amanda’s own blog is chock-full of more great weddings! As always, thank SO much to Amanda for sharing:)

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Post tags: Apples, Barn, Groton, J. Crew, Massachusetts, Nautica, Orchard Cove Photography, Tangerine Creations, The Barn At Gibbet Hill, The Chicken Slacks, Vera Wang, Zegna
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography

gown by Vera Wang, photo of boutonniere, chandelier and roses by Raya Photography, invitation by Bella Figura

{Quick little side note…if you love the photos above, you are in for a treat! We are featuring this wedding tomorrow}

So here’s the deal. Choose 1 dress from SMP’s Look Book and build an inspiration board around it. It’s that simple. With 9 different designers to choose from, all of whom are completely awesome, this shouldn’t be too hard. The only challenge might be in choosing just one!

Inspiration boards should be submitted to me, abby{at}stylemepretty.com no later than next Friday, July 31st. Boards should be jpegs, ideally at 600 pixels across (we won’t be able to feature anything smaller than that). Proper photo credits, with links, must be included or your board won’t be eligible. That’s it, that’s all she wrote!

Oh WAIT…the prize. The winner will get a $250 shop card to who else but…Crate and Barrel! Can’t beat that!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bella Figura, Crate and Barrel, Fashion, Inspiration Board, Inspiration Board Contest, Raya Photography, Vera Wang
Post categories: Contests, Inspiration Boards

Introducing…Style Me Pretty’s brand spanking new fashion Look Book!

Top Row: Vera Wang, Amsale, Kenneth Pool / Middle Row: Caroline DeVillo, Modern Trousseau and Watters / Bottom Row: Monique Lhuillier, Lela Rose and Christos

We’ve cozied up with some of our very favorite designers to bring you gowns that will make you SWOON. With information on where to buy the gown, pricing (on many) and even a peek at collections that have just hit the runways, this is a completely beautiful way for you to do a little window shopping. We’ve even crafted this nifty little zoom tool where you can see the detailing on the gown in all it’s glory.

We are still working out a few details here and there (Safari isn’t working so well) so you can only expect it to get better from here…but for now, happy hunting!

Oh and I have to say a HUGE thank you to Tait, Jess and Ben for getting this baby up and running. It’s just fabulous, darlings!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Amsale, Caroline DeVillo, Christos, Designer Wedding Gowns, Kenneth Pool, Lela Rose, Look Book, Modern Trousseau, Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Watters
Post categories: The Blog, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Fashion, Wedding Style

One of our newest Little Black Book photographers, Wayne Yuan sent us Susan and Erich’s beautiful spring wedding.  Enjoy!

From Wayne …

Susan and Erich’s wedding was not too big, not too small, and absolutely fabulous! With 80 of their closest family and friends, they celebrated their wedding during Memorial Day Weekend in the beautiful Napa Valley. Guests all stayed in various villas and quaint bed and breakfasts around the area, welcomed by friendly hosts and bottles of wine. The Bride and Groom rented a huge villa at the top of a mountain overlooking all of Napa Valley. The views were breathtaking—we were 1500 feet above ground and we could see miles and miles across the vineyards. Most of the wedding party and close friends stayed there with them.

The wedding day began at 5am for the ladies. They got ready at the Bride’s family villa (that had its own tiny vineyard in front!) with makeup artist Aimee Lam. Susan’s dress was a gorgeous ivory Vera Wang gown, feminine puff sleeves and layers of tulle gathered at the bottom for a tulip feel. Her birdcage veil and pearl drop earrings added a stylish touch to the ensemble. Her hair was left down in light waves, but pinned back slightly.

The day before the wedding, guests were invited to a wine tasting reception at the Villagio Inn & Spa where they enjoyed whites, reds, and a good reunion with old friends. One of Susan’s close friends even made decadent sugar cookies for the occasion, flown in all the way from London! The rehearsal dinner followed at the Uva Trattoria where we were serenaded by a live jazz band and listened to heartfelt words from the father of the groom.

The ceremony was held at one of the most popular locations for weddings in Napa Valley—simply because the ceremony site is on an outdoor patio overlooking all of Napa, one of the most beautiful views in the area Auberge du Soleil . Lush baby-pink peonies and blue ribbons graced the aisles leading to the patio where the bride and groom would recite their vows. Susan and Erich first saw one another during a “first-look” session before the ceremony. His first remark was “That dress is so you!”

As Susan and the bridesmaids headed back inside to freshen up for the ceremony, a flute and classical guitar welcomed the wedding guests, and then the wedding party as they came down the aisle. One of the favorite moments was the ring bearer, in his adorable tuxedo shorts, running towards his father for his sweet reward (a lollipop was awarded if he walked down the aisle properly). With “ooh”s and “ahh”s, Susan met her groom at the patio edge, and with tears and laughter, they became mister and misses.

The fabulous Nancy Liu Chin designed the stunning floral decor. And don’t you just LOVE the way the soft folds of the cake by Patisserie Angelica mimic the design of the Susan’s gown (and bouquet)!

I really can’t tell you how much I LOVE her dress!!

A BEAUTIFUL parting shot …

Congratulations to Susan and Erich … and a huge thank-you to Wayne for sending their wedding our way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 32 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Aimee Lam, Auberge du Soleil, Birdcage Veil, California, Nancy Liu Chin, Napa, Patisserie Angelica, Rutherford, Uva Trattoria, Vera Wang, Villagio Inn & Spa, Wayne Yuan
Post categories: Bouquets, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

And here is the wedding in all its glory!

* * *

I think that it’s pretty clear…if you read SMP, you know that we go completely crazy over anything that Jose gets his hands on. Which is why, when one of our readers emailed us their recent wedding that Jose shot, we just about lost it. This wedding is so Jose, his style stamp gracing every image. It’s pure and utter gorgeousness.

The absolutely adorable bride and groom behind these delicious photographs were high school sweethearts. They met when she was 13 and he was 15. Swoon. The pair decided to have an intimate wedding of only 18 guests in Los Olivos, CA. And with so few guests, they were really able to design an AMAZING affair, working with only the best of the best in wedding vendors…

The bride is wearing a STUNNING Vera Wang gown. Hair and Make-Up was done by Mishel Wedding Party. The absolutely gorgeous flowers were done by Camille Panzarello of Modern Day Design, the calligraphy by Laura Hooper, and the invitations and letterpress by Sugarcube Press.

We have so much more from this beautiful wedding on the way!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jose Villa, Laura Hooper, Modern Day Design, Vera Wang
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

Kristina and Mark’s wedding style was ‘modern ~ organic’ …

We LOVE the twist of the maids in white and the bride in her Vera …

The bouquets are simply awesome!

We love the simple elegance that the chosen blooms convey.

So soft, so pretty!

Our thanks to Christie Pham Photography for these great images of the day … Congratulations to Kristina and Mark!

And to Flowergirls … Mahalo â nui!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 29 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Christie Pham Photography, Flowergirls Floral Design, Hawaii, Hawaii State Art Museum, Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Oahu, Vera Wang
Post categories: Bouquets, Centerpieces, Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Flowers