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Be sure to check out this film by Enns Visuals to get an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes of a wedding!

From Mimosa Flower Studio…When I first met with the bride, she said that she didn’t want her wedding to feel like a wedding. She said she loved the store Anthropologie and, in this case, I decided to get involved a little bit more with the staging aspect and the fabrics, pillows and the antiques. So we kind of made that a base to build off of.

I’ve got this old yellow couch that was sort of one of the main things that started the whole ball rolling, that’s where the idea for all the antiques started to come into play. We used a lot of custom pillows and hand-sewn birds in the trees. We also designed a flag garland that uses the same fabric as the napkins. I had a local potter create some of the vessels for the flowers.  And, of course, canning jars are were everywhere with flowers and candles in them.

The flowers were mainly all yellow, we used garden roses, local dahlias, a lot of herbs from the garden, lavender, lavender foliage, camomile and yarrow, a lot of very local things that were coming up out of the ground at that time of the year.

We were really excited about designing this wedding because it’s really different than what you’d normally see or expect at a wedding. It was the ‘un-wedding’! The bride and groom were very focused on just creating a comfortable atmosphere for their guests and I’m all about that!

From the Bride…As a child I never dreamed of my wedding or planned a big wedding. I always figured that I would elope. Once a summer 2011 wedding was being considered I knew that it had to be small and had to be unique. Luckily for me, I was marrying a man who went along for the ride and was happy to support my unusual (aka ‘non-bridal’) vision. We immediately settled on Niagara’s wine region as our wedding destination. After visiting several locations I knew that Inn on the Twenty and Cave Spring Vineyards would meet all of my criteria: outdoor ceremony (with a Plan B for rain – and rain it did!), idyllic location and great food.

It was after meeting with Jennifer Eliotson from Mimosa Flower Studio when my ‘non-weddingy’ wedding started to take shape! Jennifer took my Anthropologie and vintage inspired ideas and ran with them. Once she was on board, everything else fell into place including connecting us with the insanely talented photographer Nataschia Wielink.

I am a huge foodie and wanted our reception to feel more like a dinner party and not a typical wedding. We opted for a harvest table and a food focus without all the usual wedding fuss (DJ, band, cake cutting, etc). After conference calls, countless emails, and a fabulous tasting we decided to go with a 5 course tasting menu highlighting some of our favorite foods: pork belly, gnocchi and short ribs.

The design by Mimosa Flower Studio was what made this wedding a reality, supported by a few too many hours on Etsy and a few DIY projects along the way.

Flowers + Event Design: Mimosa Flower Studio / Wedding Photography: Nataschia Wielink Photography / Ceremony Location: Cave Spring Cellars Vineyard Retreat / Day of Coordinator: Jaime Kourieh-Cottrill, Blueprint Events Inc. / Reception Location: Inn on the Twenty / Hair + Make-up: Bridal Beauty-Mobile Artistry Group / ‘Stack of Books’ Wedding Cake: Vineyard Sweets / Custom Pillows, Napkins + Table Runner: Sew Amused / Bride’s Shoes: Badgely Mischka / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew + Nordstrom / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Invitations: Etsy / Save-the-Date: Minted / Moustaches: Etsy / Ketubah: Etsy / Cookies: Sweetie Pies Cookies / String Quartet: Diana Sachs Music / Wedding Cinematography: Enns Visuals

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Post tags: Badgley Mischka, Bridal Beauty-Mobile Artistry Group, Canada Weddings, Cave Spring Vineyard, Diana Sachs Music, Enns Visuals, Etsy, Hugo Boss, Inn on the Twenty, J. Crew, Mimosa Flower Studio, Minted, Nataschia Wielink Photography, Nordstrom, Sew Amused, Sweetie Pies Cookies, Vineyard Style, Vineyard Sweets
Post categories: Canada Weddings, Casual Elegance

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From the Happy Couple…Whitney was bored at work on Valentine’s Day, 2005 and decided to enroll in an online dating site. That night, Alex came home from a dinner out with friends, saw Whitney’s profile and decided it was worth the dollar it would cost to email her — which means Whitney was on the dating site less than 24 hours before finding her match. After exchanging emails and talking on the phone, Whitney and Alex officially met for coffee on February 28, 2005 at a coffee shop near both of their houses. Alex proposed in front of this coffee shop about five years later on New Year’s Eve, 2009-10. They took their first post-engagement photo in the Rite-Aid up the street because it was the only thing open and, because Alex is a clean freak and a germaphobe, they do spend a lot of time in that drug store. Alex likes to make a silly face, known as “The Face” in our family (and captured on more than one occasion on our wedding day). He proposed by stopping in front of the coffee shop and pulling a box of mints from his pocket. “Do you want a mint?,” he asked Whitney. She said “sure.” Then he pulled out a ring box and said “Do you want to get married?.” Then he made “The Face”.

The first vacation Whitney & Alex took together was to the Santa Barbara area. This is also the first place he said “I love you.” They are also big foodies, so we wanted to have our wedding in a region known for its local flavors and seasonal ingredients. Alex and Whitney also like puns and the sort of idyllic notion of a rustic Americana. So we riffed on the idea of A&W Root Beer to play off our initials. Our wedding invitations incorporated that logo and theme and we placed A&W signs and bottles around the space. We even served root beer floats instead of a cake. But we knew some people would still want cake, so we had the cake designer also make mini treats to go with the Americana vibe, such as small Rice Krispie treats and ring dings.

We also used the A&W theme for our escort cards and we used twine to tie the escortcards around bottle necks of different sodas to note their menu choices. Those who ordered meat got an A&W Root Beer. Those who ordered fish got an orange soda (our fish dish was an orange-glazed black cod). The vegetarians got cream soda.

Alex and Whitney are both writers by profession, so we found a working vintage typewriter on eBay and let guests type their messages instead of using a traditional guestbook. Alex is a bit of a clean freak, so our wedding coordinator thought it would be cute to include handy wipes as part of the table settings. She even found wipes with labels that matched our color scheme! Whitney loves Jelly Bellies. In fact, gifting her with the beloved candy resulted in Alex receiving his first kiss from Whitney. Naturally we had to have jars of Jelly Bellies as party favors. We got colors to match our wedding colors — plus, of course, A&W Root Beer and cream soda flavors.

We also included classic rock ‘n roll songs in the evening. Whitney’s mother taught her to love The Beatles at a young age, so her parents escorted her down the aisle to George Harrison’s “Something.” We hired a rockabilly band to play our reception, pomodores and all, and our first dance was to Dave Clark Five’s “Because.” The band leader also sang the Beach Boys’ version of “I Can Hear Music” during the ceremony’s processional.

Whitney and Alex were both close to our grandparents and older relatives. But, as is often the case, most of our grandparents had passed on before our wedding. Whitney incorporated her “something old” by binding a ring from her grandfather and a necklace charm from her grandmother around her bouquet.

Coordinator: Mary Sushinski of Occasions / Venue: Firestone Vineyard / Wedding Photography: Miki & Sonja Photography / Catering: Duo Catering / Ceremony Music: Festival Strings / Music: Memphis Music Entertainment / Rabbi: Rabbi Eugene Levy / Wedding Cake: Decadence / Hair + Makeup: Malory of TEAM Hair & Makeup / Floral Décor: Jackie Combs Floral Design / Lighting: Ambience Event Design / Linens: Elegant Designs / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Invitations: 8 Illustrations / Transportation: EOS Transportation / Shuttles: Road Runner / Tuxedo: Rik Ducar / Sitters: Westside Sitters / Wedding Concierge and Event Resources: The Bridal Bar

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Post tags: 8 Illustrations, Ambience Event, Classic Party Rentals, Decadence, Duo Catering, Elegant Designs, EOS Transportation, Fall Wedding, Festival Strings, Firestone Vineyard, Jackie Combs Floral Design, Memphis Music Entertainment, Miki & Sonja Photography, Occasions, Rabbi Eugene Levy, Rik Ducar, Road Runner Shuttle, TEAM Hair & Makeup, Vineyard Style, Westside Sitters
Post categories: The Blog, Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…Ali and I met in the Fall of 1999. We had mutual acquaintances and were both in separate relationships. Every once in a while we would run into each other but strangely had never felt anything for one another. Until one day, I had a barbecue at my house in July of 2001 and we both happened to be single. I hustled him at a game of 9 ball, and he demanded a rematch, we set our first “date” to go out and play pool. After that day, we were inseparable. We started as friends and that’s the glue that will always hold us together. I finally managed to convince him to get on an airplane for his first time to take a trip with me to New York. It was on that trip that he proposed on New Years Eve 2007 at the “Top of the Rock” Observation deck overlooking Central Park…6.5 years later! Almost 9.5 years later we were married! It all happened so fast!

The most amazing thing about our wedding has to be all of our wedding guests there with us for the entire week for all of the festivities. The day of the wedding was so relaxed. We all just hung out, ate pasta, and got ready. And the first look was amazing. It was so nice seeing each other for the first time. That moment just brought everything back into perspective. The acoustic guitarist was playing Elvis Presley’s “I can’t help falling in love with you” and we had the whole wedding walk down the aisle with us to the ceremony. It just felt like they had to be a part of this with us, like we were all in this together. My mother not only put together the most beautiful sofreh aghd (ceremony table) I have ever seen, but she also performed the ceremony for us and it just made it that much more special. Anyone who knows her knows just how amazing she is. She started the ceremony by reading an excerpt out of Khalil Gibrans ‘What of Marriage?’. We exchanged vows that had honorable mentions of my spaghetti (Ali’s favorite) and Sports Center (also Ali’s favorite!). I heard there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, and I couldn’t tell you because I was probably too busy crying myself! Once the ceremony was over, the eating, dancing and partying began! We had the most amazing time! Everyone from our parents to my grandmother were jumping up and down, fist-pumping the night away! Donning the infamous neon glasses, we had Michael Jackson imitations, to the “robot” and EVERY member of our wedding party dancing until dawn, the night was the most memorable I’ve ever had!

I love all things intimate, vintage and happy. Yellow is my absolute favorite color because it’s just such a happy color. It’s the only mood I can really see anyone feeling from yellow. My whole inspiration behind the wedding was that I wanted it to look as organic and relaxed as possible while still looking like a wedding. And our most important thing was to have everyone feel like they were a part of our wedding and not just in attendance. I wanted all of the vases, flowers, and even the ceremony table to feel like each piece was different and thrown together. And I wanted people to feel the effort and love that went into making this wedding as special as it was, even though I may be a little biased.

Venue: Villa Vistarenni / Wedding Photography: Erwin Darmali + Ray Soemarsono of Apertura / Decor: DIY

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Post tags: Apertura, Destination Wedding, Italy, Villa Vistarenni, Vineyard Style
Post categories: Destination Weddings, Italy Weddings

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From the Bride…When John and I started planning our wedding, we first considered what we wanted the day to be like.  We decided we wanted to be surrounded by family and friends, we wanted it to exhibit our personalities, and we wanted it to be fun!

I grew up in southeastern Connecticut and had always thought I would get married in the church where I was baptized and confirmed.  Although we met in Washington D.C., John is also from Connecticut, so it worked out nicely when we decided to have the wedding at the Ledyard Congregational Church.  John and I bonded over Connecticut, sharing a new bottle of wine, and our mutual desire to travel and see the world.  Thus, once we found Saltwater Farm Vineyard – a rustic airplane hangar set on a sprawling vineyard with a view of the Long Island Sound – we knew we had found the perfect place for our reception!

We had a lot of fun with planes, postcards, and wine corks, to fill our rustic vineyard reception with a travel theme.  It started with our wedding invitations that had a boarding pass-style response card.  With the invitations, we created what ended up being the symbol of our reception – a pale yellow bi-plane with a trail of navy blue smoke in the shape of a heart.  It was one of my favorite little details as it tied so many things together.  We maintained the travel theme by having “gate numbers” instead of table numbers, postcards instead of a traditional guest book, a world map of the places we’ve traveled, and little wooden bi-planes and iconic structures such as the Temple of Heaven in China scattered about.  All of this was done with the help of friends and family who collected postcards, made the map, assembled the wooden puzzles, and cut corks for the place cards.

John and I included details of our personalities and interests everywhere we could think of.  Our first trip together was to Walt Disney World and so our cake had a hidden Mickey.  Our favorite movie is “UP!” so we included mailboxes to put the postcards in.  Our hot hors d’oeuvres were some of our favorite foods – sweet potato fries and cheese filled pretzels.  We provided a brief description of the meaning behind each table destination for our guests.  We knew our little cousins and nieces loved s’mores, and so we had a s’mores pit outside.  And at the end of the night, we stood by the door to thank each of our guests and wish them a great evening.  Even with all of this, my favorite part of the evening was when John and I had our first dance to Jason Mraz and Colbie Collait’s “Lucky” and everything seemed to pause.  I looked around the room, at some of the faces of our family and friends and there was so much love and happiness.  It is a moment I will never forget.

Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals Exclusive / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bride, Bridesmaids + Flower Girl Jewelry: April’s Adornments / Wedding Ceremony: Ledyard Congregational Church / Reception Venue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard / Transportation: Viking Tours of Newport / Caterer: Gourmet Galley Catering / Florist: It’s So Ranunculus / Band: HotHouse Band / Wedding Cake: Felicia’s Sweetface Pastry Shoppe / Wedding Photography+ Videography: Captured Photography by Jenny

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Post tags: Allure Bridals Exclusive, April's Adornments, Captured Photography by Jenny, Connecticut, Felicia's Sweetface Pastry Shoppe, Gourmet Galley, HotHouse Band, It's So Ranunculus, J. Crew, Ledyard Congregational Church, Rustic Chic, Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Viking Tours of Newport, Vineyard Style
Post categories: Casual Elegance

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From Michael + Anna Costa Photographers Ltd.…Katie & Ethan’s Malibu wedding was a breathtaking day at Saddlerock Ranch. This exclusive venue boasts a dream-like environment set in one of the most sought after destinations in the world. Look east and view hand carved mountains with a working vineyard spiraling to the top.  Look north to see zebra, camels, white stallions and more frolicking in the sunset.  And look west for a view of the Pacific Ocean, complete with a built-in yellow border, framing the moment like a Salvador Dali painting.  Situated under lit oak trees amidst the rolling hills, dinner and dancing was something out of a fairy tale.

Complementing the setting, Michelle Buckley of Mint Julep Social Events created a beautiful, natural design with purple and green accents to play off of the natural setting.  Succulents highlighted by white roses adorned bouquets and tables alike, and Urban Palate’s stunning creations on silver and bronze platters, along with an espresso station, topped off the magical evening.

Wedding Photography:  Michael + Anna Costa Photographers Ltd. / Event Planning + Design: Mint Julep Inc. / Lighting: Invisible Touch / Band: West Coast Music / Catering: Urban Palate / Furniture: Classic Party Rentals / Linens: Fusion Linens / Floral Design: Fiore / Wedding Cake: Nancy Kay’s Confections / Hair: Kelly Moriarty / Make-up: Caren Elle / Accommodations: Four Seasons Westlake / Venue: Saddlerock Ranch

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Post tags: California Weddings, Caren Elle, Classic Party Rentals, Fiore, Four Seasons Westlake, Fusion Linens, Invisible Touch, Kelly Moriarty, Malibu, Michael + Anna Costa Photography, Mint Julep Inc., Nancy Kay's Confections, Saddlerock Ranch, Traditional Elegance, Urban Palate, Vineyard Style, West Coast Music
Post categories: Traditional Elegance

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From the Bride…We chose Mudbrick as our venue purely because it is such a stunning setting. We love Waiheke and we wanted our special day to be an experience outside the norm for our families. Mudbrick has that magical, rustic, slightly Italian quality we were looking for. Everything about it is gorgeous and they really know what they are doing! Logistically it was great to be able to have it all at the one place. Because it was a small wedding we used the Potager room for dinner and we particularly loved the intimate feel. Our guests also commented on this. Our wedding was slightly unusual in that my father married us and my brother was my ‘bridesman’ (no bridesmaids). This worked out perfectly and I think it’s important not to feel that you have to try and fit into normal conventions. Make it your own!

My dress was by Elizabeth at A la Robe, Newmarket. The inspiration was vintage, but timeless – not of any particular era, and really personal to me. Elizabeth was amazing and made the process a pleasure from start to finish. She hand dyed everything and it felt like a real collaboration.

Our photography was done by Lauretta from Shine Studio’s. Lauretta and her assistant played a big part in our day, capturing the memories we will cherish forever! They truly captured the essence of us, the place, the atmosphere, with humour and consideration. This is exactly what you want in a photographer, I couldn’t have asked for more and they were worth every penny! It’s so vital to feel comfortable with your photographer as it always shows in the shots, in our case positively.

Venue: Mudbrick Vineyard / Wedding Photography: Shine Studios / Wedding Dress: A la Robe / Floral Design: Poppy Jones / Bride’s Hair: Katie from Servilles Ponsonby / Bride’s Make-up: Rochelle Strathdee

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Post tags: A la Robe, Destination Wedding, intimate wedding, Mudbrick Vineyard, New Zealand Wedding, Poppy Jones, Rochelle Strathdee, Servilles Ponsonby, Shine Studios, Vineyard Style
Post categories: Destination, Destination Weddings, New Zealand Weddings

It’s hard not to love this wedding…the perfect flowers, the sweet charm of every detail, the shoes. We have more pictures coming so stay tuned!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Melissa Sweet, Vineyard Style
Post categories: Real Weddings

Ashley and Phil were married this past September in Washington DC. And their ridiculously gorgeous wedding will definitely make you smile…

photos by the Love Life Images…a studio that we love here at SMP!

From the bride…

Our wedding was special for many reasons.  One main reason is because we chose to have it in Washington DC, which is our favorite city and where we met and got engaged.  We live in Denver, Phils family lives in Alaska and my family lives in Florida so we knew from the beginning that it would be a destination wedding.  And we ended up choosing Washington DC because it means so much to both of us.  Throughout the wedding we tried to incorporate a vintage dc feel to things. We had our reception at the National Woman’s Museum in the Arts and it was such a hit! We even had a photo booth, in which our wedding photographer set up.  Those details and many more…made our day so special.

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Post tags: Guess, Love Life Images, Melissa Sweet, Vineyard Style, Washington DC
Post categories: Real Weddings