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From Heather Benge Events… For this inspiration shoot, I decided to incorporate the colors of Halloween in an elegant way. With this dramatic holiday falling on a Friday this year and a Saturday next year, I figured combining the colors we all relate to Halloween with some simple elegance could make a big statement. In my opinion, it did! Black, Peach, White and lots of greenery really gave the shoot the elegance I was after. We decided to shoot out in a field to really show off our design and concept without it getting lost in a venue.

It was pouring rain the whole day, but for a brief moment (literally about 15 minutes) it decided to ease up and left us with the most dramatic sky. The stationery suite was designed with a bold stripe to give a modern feel. The tablescape incorporated lots of gold details with high and low floral elements. My favorite design element of the whole shoot are the Mr. and Mrs. chairs. The silhouette decals are unique and tell a story.

You immediately know when looking at the table which chairs are for the bride and groom. Fits the theme perfectly, don’t you think? This concept started out as a tiny idea earlier this year when a bride hired me to design their wedding the day after Halloween. I thought how fun it would be to use the holiday as an inspiration in an unexpected way. I couldn’t be more happy with how this shoot turned out. Hope you enjoy the photos!

When it comes to picking that perfect spot for an engagement session, just about anywhere is possible. Just take this photo sesh captured at the couple’s favorite brunch spot, Liberty Kitchen. It’s romantic and modern, and Miabella Photography documented memories these two will hold onto for years to come. See it all here!

From Miabella Photography… Our gorgeous couple opted for a morning session so we could not only take advantage of lovely morning light but also so we could hit up their favorite brunch spot before the crowd poured in. Liberty Kitchen in Houston let us come in before the opened to have full reign of their venue (and honestly, its gorgeous.. I want to live there). The bride wore a short white 60’s inspired sheath by Nha Kahn which she rented from Rent the Runway. For a pop of color, Lacey wore blue pumps by Kristin Cavalari for Chinese Laundry. The brides hair and make-up were done by Mely Cruz Artistry. These two adorably laughed and snuggled their way through this session making my job very easy!

Photography: Miabella Photography | Make-Up: Mely Cruz Artistry | Venue: Liberty Kitchen

Vintage Inspired Backyard Wedding

Ever since the day I first saw Annie Banks walk down the aisle to “Canon in D” I’ve held a very special place in my heart for backyard weddings. So to say that this sweeter than sweet homespun affair has captured my very being is sort of an understatement. The perfect combo of simple + elegant with just a dash of vintage goodness, it’s pure perfection. See it all captured by Mustard Seed Photography here.

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French Brunch Inspired Bridal Shower

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Backyard

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Classic Weddings Vintage

From the Bride… We chose my parents home, because it is a special place for our family and such a beautiful location. My mom is a master gardener and does most of the gardening herself. We both share a hobby for gardening and decorating together and it made it so special to use the gardens she has worked so hard to grow as the back drop! I wanted the wedding to be “homey.” I wanted to flowers to look as though you went into the backyard, picked a bunch of things and threw them in a vase. I wanted the cake to taste homemade. I also added in a vintage flare. We had the place cards mounted on an antique hat stand littered with hats that belonged to both of our grandmothers. I added as much milk glass as I could find! We had a vintage chandelier hanging from the tent. I chose the vintage theme not only because I love the look, but also because it pays homage to a time when weddings were much more simple. A time when weddings in the backyard were common and it was treated as not only a celebration of a couple’s love, but a celebration of the support and community their family and friends have provided throughout their lives! I wanted our wedding to serve as a thank you to our guests for their support over the years! Thus, my goal was to create an environment where all could have a great time and enjoy the scenery!

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Badgley Mischka

Spring 2014 Bridal

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Jenny Yoo

Spring 2014 Maternity

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Having just planned my little sister’s bridal shower I can safely say that pulling off a gorgeous, love filled day is not a cake walk. But loads of inspiration and a solid game plan certainly help. So bridesmaids, get your pinning fingers ready. This French-inspired shoot crafted by Jacqueline Nicole Weddings, Maxit Flower Design and Kimberly Chau dabbles in coral peonies, the yummiest looking brunch fare and some requisite mimosas. Now that’s how you do a bridal shower.

From Nicole of Jacquelyn Nicole Weddings….I have always been drawn to the elegance of French culture ever since I started ballet training at age three. While enjoying breakfast and coffee one crisp spring morning at Sweet Paris Creperie, I realized that the cafe would be a lovely location for an intimate, French-inspired bridal shower. Kimberly Chau captured this bright and airy soiree perfectly with lots of laughter and smiles. I believe in utilizing pretty spaces with simplistic designs and hints of rustic charm, so the bar cart and farm table provided by Bourbon and Bloom proved to be a beautiful contrast to the polished tufted seating and classic Tolix chairs of Sweet Paris. As a fresh reflection of the spring and summer seasons, Maria Maxit created brightly colored floral pieces infused with greenery. The vintage eclecticism as seen in Parisian couture inspired the chic hair and makeup styles by the girls at Sunkissed and Made Up. Lindsay Ann Artistry designed a custom paper suite incorporating the cafe’s signature whisk and “no passport required” tagline. Inspired by a quiet breakfast at a cafe, I enjoyed taking a brief trip to Paris during this shoot, highlighting friendship and the delicate art of French cuisine.

Black Tie Houston Wedding at Hotel Zaza

My new favorite merging of styles? Bohemian elegance. And this Houston love fete from Taylor Lord Photography is drenched in it. It’s no surprise that the result is completely spell-bounding with design by Todd Events and Belle Of The Ball behind the planning and coordination. Get lost in all the gorgeous over here!

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Spring Weddings

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Red, Blush + Gold Wedding Inspiration

From Taylor Lord Photography…This wedding was so gorgeous, and the only hiccup was by some April showers! Stephanie and Blake are one of the most in-love couples that I have ever shot. They are such beautiful people both inside and out, and their emotion and love for each other only made the night even more perfect. Stephanie wanted a feel of bohemian elegance. Todd Events did a great job capturing the bohemian floral feel while the Hotel Zaza provided a lot of romance and dark elegance. One of my favorite parts of the event (besides Stephanie’s STUNNING dress by Inbal Dror) was the table numbers on the mirror and vases of blooming cherry blossoms leading into the reception. It was such an innovative and truly stunning affair and will definitely be remembered by guests and vendors alike for years to come!

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Belle Events

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Shoots like this pretty give me goosebumps. The good kind of goosebumps like when you hear a song sung beautifully. That’s what Kayla Barker does to me with her stunning imagery. How perfectly do Bricolage Curated Florals lovely creations pair with those gorgeous dresses from Reem Acra and Bibhu Mohapatra? And y’all know I’m a paper lover right? I couldn’t have been more excited to see a design from East Six making an appearance. It’s all so romantic and you can see it right here.

From Kayla Barker Fine Art Photography…For this inspiration shoot, I wanted to mix blush colored, unique wedding dresses with lots of red and gold accents for a romantic look! These two romantic dresses from Reem Acra and Bibhu Mohapatra were perfect for the organic outdoor setting. Bricolage Curated Florals did an amazing job creating organic and romantic florals for this shoot. I especially loved how the berries in the bouquet cascaded down and how the leaves brought the gold into the bouquet. The headpiece was made out of real flowers and leaves and sprayed gold. It was so beautiful on the model, Janzen! Kristin Daniell did a beautiful job making Janzen’s hair and make-up look romantic and effortless! The poof and vintage tables from Loot Vintage Rentals tied in perfectly with the concept. I loved using the vintage gold tables as a backdrop for the amazing gold-foil invitations from East Six. I hope brides are inspired to be unique with their wedding dress choice and get more organic with their bouquets and florals!

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Reem Acra

Spring 2015

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Romantic Houston Backyard Wedding

I’ve come to realize Texas brides are in a league all their own. They have style, a little dose of Southern sass, and when they’re got vendors like Keely Thorne Events, Taylor Lord and Mason Jar Films…they’re unstoppable. Just take MaryEllen and her sweet groom Rob, for example. This duo renovated their backyard for the ultimate celebration, and the results? Everything a Texas wedding should be.

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Traditional Elegance at The Petroleum Club

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From the Paula Pritzen of Keely Thorne Events….From the first moment I met Rob & MaryEllen, I knew they were going to be a blast to work with. Both had the same theme in mind for their big day…casual, cool, rustic, chic. They wanted it to be a big celebration where friends and family could come together at their home and spend the evening chowing down on amazing food, sipping on signature drinks named after their two adorable dogs, and enjoying a fabulous singer and piano player. They wanted an evening filled with fun but casual elements that had an aire of rustic & chic sophistication about it.

Rob & MaryEllen have a gorgeous home in Houston and worked really hard updating and renovating the back yard in anticipation of their celebration. It was a dream backyard oasis and provided the perfect backdrop for MaryEllen & Rob’s big day. They wanted a lot of personal touches to accentuate the evening and even wanted their precious dogs, Gracie & Barcley to be a part of the ceremony. The organic floral palate of blush pink and soft green with touches of succulents worked so well with the theme that MaryEllen & Rob wanted to achieve.

Events in Bloom provided beautiful reclaimed wood pews that were the perfect compliment to the rustic but soft ceremony and transitioned seamlessly into lounge seating during the cocktail reception. Vintage lanterns lined the sparkling blue pool and provided flickering candlelight throughout the night. A caricaturist was a huge hit with the little ones and contributed to the playful reception that MaryEllen and Rob were looking for. One of their favorite local artists even came to the reception and interacted with guests to create a personalized art piece for their home. Live music and late night bites rounded out a perfect evening that was brimming with boundless love, laughter, and fun.

It’s hard to argue the sheer awesomeness of a traditional wedding. They rock, and we all know it. But add in some elegant Shanghai inspired elements and a sophisticated black and red color palette (complete with roses) and it gives an entirely new meaning to the term classic. It’s crazy beautiful fashion meets a whole lot of Petroleum Club pretty. See it all captured by Kimberly Chau right here.

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Romantic Art Inspired Wedding Shoot

From Kimberly Chau… I had a wonderful time photographing Judy and Binh’s wedding! It’s definitely one of my favorite weddings to capture. Judy and Binh have know each other for 13 years. They met for the first time at Judy’s coffee bar here in Houston. As Binh shared, “Her coffee kept me coming back for more.”

Judy and Binh visited Shanghai many years back together, “It was such beatiful city where the West meets the East. The 40′s era always connected well with with us.” They used the inspiration for their wedding and included the classic elegance and ambience from PETROLEUM CLUB for their reception. And of course, the view overlooking Houston from PETROLEUM CLUB was simply amazing.

It was such a lovely celebration between Judy and Binh’s closest friends and family. It was a small cozy wedding where the guests just interact, mingle and dance the night away. I loved the surprise dragon dance since Judy and Binh were both born in the year of the dragon!

I love when art inspires weddings. Art inspires fashion all the time, but rarely do we hear about a particular artist’s impact on a couple’s wedding style. But this shoot – inspired by Gustav Klimt – is proof that art can translate into weddings in a way that feels beautiful and utterly unique. Designed by Beau Tied Events with photographs by Sarah McKenzie, there is even more here in the galleries.

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Winter Weddings

From Beau Tied Events… I’ve always been a fan of Gustav Klimt’s paintings–warm, romantic, whimsical–exactly the kind of emotion I want to evoke when designing weddings for my clients. I thought of the idea to use Klimt’s paintings as inspiration for my next shoot–utilizing his love of mixing warm hues like golds, reds, and auburn with mixed textiles and patterns. When I mentioned the idea to Sarah McKenzie, she jumped at the idea, and together we got other vendors on board. Rent Some Vintage provided the perfect eclectic boho pieces for the shoot. BHLDN lent us some flawy, whimsical dresses from their new collection, which Adorne Artistry then completed the goddess transformation through their amazing hair and makeup application. Tamara Menges Designs nailed the florals– sprinkling red anemones throughout the day, while Rachel Nieman provided the perfect stationery to compliment the theme. This styled shoot was used as a learning tool for attendee’s of the Develop Retreat for Photographers.

Traditional Country Club Wedding

I may have mentioned a time or two that no one does rustic chic quite like the state of Texas, but did you also know that they have quite the handle on traditional affairs, as well? Yep, The Lone Star State is basically made for classic nuptials and when you throw in the talents of Keely Thorne Events, Events In Bloom and Nancy Aidée, it takes it to entirely new level of awesome. Bask in the pretty right here.

And a sweet film from The McKellars…

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Country Club Religious Institution

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How to Assemble a Bouquet

From Keely Thorne Events… What do a Southern couple living in New York require for an unforgettable wedding? Just your typical Texas soiree filled to the brim with details, charm, and of course Southern hospitality! Caroline knew from the beginning that she wanted a soft, romantic wedding with a few modern twists on her traditional style and that is exactly what she received! The wedding weekend started with a a bridal luncheon at the Houston staple, Brennan’s of Houston, and a surprise shopping trip for the bridal party to the Color Bar at Kendra Scott. That same evening guests enjoyed an intimate and heartfelt rehearsal dinner at Ouisie’s Table where a live chalkboard artist detailed seating assignments as guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. And the night was not finished yet….a Fiesta Welcome Party was then hosted at the bride’s Aunt and Uncle’s home that went into the wee hours of the morning and where guests enjoyed specialty cocktails and food with Mexican flair along with a mariachi serenade. Phew…and that was just the beginning!

The wedding day was a beautiful, relaxing day building up to an emotional ceremony and P.A.R.T.Y. where the band kept at least 200 people on the dance floor until the very last song! Oh…and one more event! Since the couple had so many friends and family (at least 100 hotel rooms!) that traveled near and far for the couples celebration, the parents of the groom hosted an all-out Sunday brunch for guests that included everything from biscuits and gravy to a ‘grab-and-go’ for those needing to go quickly to the airport. It was truly an unforgettable weekend for an truly unforgettable couple!

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Flowers just so happen to be a favorite of my favorite things, and a good floral DIY is much appreciated where this black-thumbed blogger is concerned, so when Tamara Menges offered up five tips to making the most beautiful bouquet, I was all over it. And then I saw the images from Christa Elyce Photography. You guys, gorgeous Tamara taught her cutie pie husband how to pull a bouquet together, and it’s adorable AND helpful!

How to Assemble a Bouquet

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How to Assemble a Bouquet

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Photography: Christa Elyce Photography | Floral Design: Tamara Menges Designs

Simple Shabby Chic Bridal Session

Bridal sessions are the best, don’t you think? A day to get all dolled up on your beautiful gown (and let’s face it, the more you get to put that beauty on, the happier you are) and play in front of the camera. As Southern Charm Photography has absolutely proven with these images, the bridal session is really the best.

From the photographer… Meet Bethany. A bride as natural and as beautiful as they come. When Bethany called me and told me she wanted bridals that were very simple and natural with a little shabby chic thrown in, I knew exactly what we needed to do! Bethany and her fiancé had to endure a long distance relationship, which is why we felt the need to include the globes with our shabby chic set up! On top of that Bethany and her family created her bouquet as well as her lovely sash for her dress! It was such a joy to photograph her in all of her happiness!

Photography: Southern Charm Photography | Wedding Dress: David's Bridal

Winter Wedding at The Crystal Ballroom

There’s nothing – and I repeat, nothing – more romantic than an elegant winter affair. Between the cold temps, cozy ambiance and candles galore, you find the most perfect setting for saying “I do.” And this Houston wedding? It’s all of the above. Nhan Photography and T-Square Production captured the romance and you get started on the swooning right over here.

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Winter Weddings

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Ballroom Weddings Religious Institution

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From the Bride… Our wedding was elegant and traditional and was meticulously designed around a champagne, chocolate, ivory and gold theme. Aaron and I wanted a timeless and conservative event that was a reflection of our Christian faith and relationship. We met, began our courtship, got engaged, and would be living as husband and wife in New York City; so it was important that we incorporated the city into our special day. We also wanted to honor my late grandfather and did so by marrying on his birthday. We customized our wedding to reflect the two of us through several DIY projects thanks to Aaron’s artistic genius.

We had a blast developing every single detail of our day and although we were planning from New York, it was not overwhelming. We visited Texas frequently for meetings and that worked very well for us as our vendors were very accommodating. The wedding guild at St. Paul’s was outstanding, and our wedding planner Angela was a dream come true, very experienced and warm, with a tremendous amount of connections. It was a pleasure working with Angela throughout the entire planning process. Our florist Bill was phenomenal, enthusiastic, and always patient during our extensive meetings. It was an honor working with Nhan Nguyen, he is the very best. I literally cried when I viewed my bridal portraits and again when I saw our wedding photos. Our invitation designer Cristy was also an angel. She worked around our tight schedule and her expertise and perfectionism helped bring all of our stationery ideas to fruition. As we planned our wedding, Style Me Pretty, Etsy, Pinterest, and Oh So Beautiful Paper were extremely inspirational.

The wedding process for us was the team project of a lifetime, and we took our time as we carefully planned and worked on our masterpiece. Aaron and I designed personalized wedding party request cards for all members of the wedding party. The bridesmaid cards were dresses, while the groomsmen cards were tuxedos with custom fabric for the ascot and various papers for the collar, vest and jacket. Together with our designer Cristy, we developed our save the dates which foreshadowed the elegance of our invitations. For our invitations we chose to incorporate an embossed monogram tag on a ribbon which doubled as a belly band. We used our custom monogram embosser to personalize our out of town gable boxes, napkins, and thank you cards. Aaron did an outstanding job of sewing the ascots for his attendants. We searched for months for the perfect fabric finally settling on handsome gold and black stripes. The ascots were another custom touch that doubled as a thoughtful gift and keepsake for the groomsmen.

Growing up in Houston, Texas, I was always enamored with St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and envisioned my wedding being there. The wooden pews, stained glass windows, arches, pipe organ, architecture, and stone were exactly what I pictured for our special day. We incorporated our color scheme into the aisle decor which consisted of bundled hydrangeas and ivory silk draping. The bridesmaids’ palomino gowns and bouquets of quicksand roses, along with the hostesses’ chocolate dresses coordinated wonderfully.

Selecting my gown was an amazing adventure especially being in New York City with its enormous selection of bridal boutiques. I spent months looking for “the one” and finally found my beautiful silk satin ballgown at the flagship Reem Acra Bridal Salon on Fifth Avenue. I was floored by the beading and Swarovski crystals and just loved the three pickup chapel train, it made the most beautiful bustle!

For the groom and groomsmen attire, Aaron wanted something different while still maintaining traditional elegance. He decided upon the cutaway coat which fit perfectly with the pin dot ascot and was appropriate given our wedding took place in the late afternoon. Our florist’s suggestion of a polar start rose petalette as opposed to a bulky rose for the boutonniere completed the look impeccably.

Getting ready was emotional as time was flying by and the culmination of over a year and a half of planning was approaching. My gift to Aaron was a beautiful carved wood plaque with our family name and wedding date. I knew that this would be a treasured heirloom for us and something that we could incorporate into upcoming milestones in our marriage. I also gave him a personalized photo book of our wedding planning journey which chronicled his involvement. I am blessed to have had a groom who was involved in every step of the planning process. All of our vendors agreed that they had never seen a groom work harder. For something old, the mother of the groom sewed a handkerchief composed of fabric from both my mother’s wedding dress and her own. This was a very special gift and another heirloom. My something new was my wedding gown and the bracelet that Aaron gifted me. For something blue, a bouquet photo charm of my late grandfather was connected by a blue ribbon, allowing me to have him in my hands as I walked down the aisle.

It was such a powerful moment when my dad pulled down my veil and the organist played “The Bridal Chorus” as we approached the doors of the church. I had a rush of joy that dried up all tears, my heartbeat normalized, and my jitters subsided as I walked down the aisle to my groom. I was able to slip back into real time and savor every second of the ceremony. The string musicians were outstanding and “Clair de Lune” was absolutely breathtaking, by far one of my favorite memories of the day. It was very special to incorporate our “True Love Waits” chastity commitment into our wedding ceremony, and we were honored to have the father of the groom as an officiant. The pronouncement was surreal and I felt the enchantment of my fairytale coming true as the organist played “The Wedding March” for our recessional.

The ballroom at the Rice is absolutely spectacular with its vaulted muraled ceilings and gorgeous brown drapes which fit perfectly into our color scheme. Our linen selection of ivory damask and imperial stripes further solidified the theme. To pay homage to the city where our relationship began, each of our dinner tables was named after one of our favorite locations in New York and included a photo and description of the significance.

We compiled photos from our courtship which played as a slideshow during our first dance. As a special treat, during the father-daughter and mother-son dances, we surprised our parents with a slideshow of childhood pictures of us with them. This was very nostalgic and was well received by our guests. As another notable touch, we had our parents dance to their wedding song during the reception, it was such a lovely moment for them. Additionally, the wedding party members danced with their walking partners during the reception, it made for a precious moment and photograph.

At the end of the night we were escorted downstairs for a rose petal send-off in our vintage Rolls-Royce. To sum up the event it was magical, romantic, and exceeded my wildest dreams! I am so grateful and I hope that our wedding serves as inspiration for other brides as they plan.

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Blush Inspiration Shoot

Truth: I’m not a girly-girl. I prefer jeans to dresses and flip flops to high heels. But show me a wedding overflowing with blush hues, and I just can’t get enough. Which is why this inspiration shoot from Pomp & Circumstance has totally made my Thursday. It’s soft blush hues, pops of black and all kinds of awesome details. See it all captured by Joseph West right here.

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Peppermint Bliss Designed Home Tour

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Museum

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From Pomp & Circumstance… I believe every young girl has a fantasy of their perfect wedding day, and I was one of those girls once. As I looked for inspiration for this particular shoot I tapped into that young girl and the fantasy she created. I remember being in love with pink, ruffles and flowers. That transitioned into Blush in Love, a shoot with that small girls fantasy becoming an adult ladies reality. Pink turned into blush, ruffles turned into gorgeous confetti linens and flowers… well that was the easy one. With these ideas in mind we gathered some of the best vendors in Houston and put together a magical shoot that combined gorgeous flowers, detailed planning, hair and make-up artistry and a photographer to pull it all together.

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I’ve read Peppermint Bliss for as long as I can remember – stalking Bailey’s incredible eye for style, design, color and all out whimsy. So when she launched her bedding collection, Biscuit, and subsequent brick and mortar shop + design studio, well, I was standing first in line as her #1 fan. And this project that is perhaps her best work to date! Captured by Kimberly Chau, head over to the full gallery.

From Bailey of Peppermint Bliss & Biscuit Home…This is my “Project Holly” that I have been working on with the fabulous owner, Natalie, and her family over the past year. They purchased the home last April, and immediately we got to work redesigning the ranch style floor plan. The bedrooms and bathrooms got topical treatments, while the main living space and kitchen were completely gutted and reworked.

Living Room: Even though this is an older house, it had a nice big open living room, that was very strangely arranged with a half wall awkwardly dividing two separate seating areas. We removed the wall, and shifted the support to glass display cabinets flanking a wide entry that opened to the breakfast room and kitchen that we also reworked. This might be my favorite room I have ever designed. It is beautifully layered, bold, but not loud, pretty and yet still comfortable.

Everything started with the tufted sectional that we designed for the family based on a sofa I have in my own home that they loved. The rug is casual grasscloth, simple white curtain panels got blue and red Samuel & Sons tassel trim. The coffee table was a delightful find on 1st dibs, gorgeous burlwood with a giant drawer where their two year old sons impressive dinosaur collection lives. We redid the previously existing built ins, backing them in this famous library wallpaper, and added the brass light fixtures. A vintage chair the family had was reupholstered in light blue chintz, and finished everything off with lacquered red side tables and some sassy pillows.

Entry: In many ways the plan for the whole house started with this incredible wallpaper in the entry hall. Natalie had lost her mom shortly before we started working together, and butterflies were a symbol that was really special to her and her relationship with her mom. We both loved the paper, and that it brought her mom into the home immediately. The color palette for the home overall was influenced by the colors in the paper- blues, greens, and pops of red were carried throughout.

Dining Room: The dining room is immediately off the entry hall, and we wanted it to be a show piece since you see it first, and they had a breakfast room for everyday dining off the kitchen. The walls are a barely there lilac, offset by the bright red chandelier and china cabinets. The colors in the traditional Cole & Sons Hummingbird fabrics on the dining chairs are echoed in the geometric pattern on the rug. Art by Jenny Anderson of My Favorite and My Best pull everything together.

Kitchen: The kitchen before was straight scurry. So dark, and closed off from the rest of the house. I would say we brightened things up a bit. Normally the showpiece would be that amazing range, but there are so many delightful moments to be enjoyed here. I love the dash of Elvis in the mirrored pantry doors, the marble is stunning, and the island was a great find from Williams Sonoma.

Houston’s Room: Natalie brought me an inspiration picture of a kids room with this wallpaper and we had to have it. I LOVE how everything came together. It is theme and cute enough to be a totally magical kids room, but all of the elements will easily transition to a more adult space later in life.

Harper’s Room: Ok, I know I said the living room is my favorite room I have ever done, but I think I lied. I think this is really my favorite. A precious little jewel box for their sweet baby girl. We started with this Paule Marrot for Brunschwig wallpaper that I have used before, but I really dig the beige background of this color way. It cuts the sweetness of everything else a bit.

It’s a tiny room, and a pretty bold paper, so we kept things simple and pink elsewhere. The loveseat pulls out into a guest bed if needed, and the vintage pink rug is a great grounding piece.

The jenny lind crib was painted the same pink as the light fixture, which all matches the sofa and pom trim. The canopy fabric is just so lovely, and I really favor the unexpected dose of cool from the vintage rocking chair.

Hall Bath: I love the changes we made in here. This is the bathroom shared by both children, and we kept the original pink tile that was in really good shape. When we started there was seriously granny floral wallpaper and band of accent tile that made the pink tile look tragically dated. We removed the wallpaper and added the bold green stripes, and had the accent tile painted over with black, and it totally updates the look. I think it is a great compromise for a bathroom shared by a boy and a girl.

Master Bedroom: This space is a calming retreat for the busy parents. The walls are just the purest shade of blue, and the canopy is so stunning in person. We backed this lace chinoiserie fabric that is UNREAL in a soft blue so that you can really appreciate the detail. The rug is a soft taupe Madeline Weinrib that ties in with their existing headboard and monogrammed shams. We had to punch things up just a bit though, and the lamps, bedding, and art add just enough oomph.

Master Bathroom: The bathroom before was a tired beige builder grade bummer. Eventually it will need to be totally redone and expanded, but for now they wanted to live with it and address the problem in a renovation down the road. I have to give the owners so much credit for not telling me I was straight up cray when I suggested we just paint the whole thing FLAMING RED. There were totally up for it, and I even shocked myself with how well it worked. You definitely don’t notice the aging beige tile anymore! We replaced the countertop with leftover marble from the kitchen slab, and switched out the mirrors and lighting with these brass stunners. The christian lacroix moment on window treatment is pretty snazzy too.

SOURCES

HALL BATH
Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Bunker Hill | Curtain Fabric: Designer Wallcoverings, The Original Martinique 90210 – Beverly Hills Fabric | Sconces: Circa Lighting (Ginger Single Arm Sconce) | Ceiling fixture: Ballard Designs, Coral 3 Light Chandelier

DINING ROOM
Wall Color: Benjamin Moore Nosegay | Light fixture: Contact Biscuit Home | Chair Fabric: Cole & Son, Hummingbirds | Rug: The Rug Company, Zap rug | Painting: Jenny Andrews

ENTRY HALL
Wallpaper: F Schumacher (Birds and Butterflies) | Rug- Vintage via ABC Home

LIVING ROOM
Sectional: Custom Biscuit Home | Sectional Fabric: Lee Jofa (Bragance II) | Floral Pillow- Ralph Lauren (Ladie’s Day Floral, Spectator) | Leopard Pillow: Scalamandre (Leopardo) | Blanket: Hermes Avalon Blanket | Coffee Table: Vintage, 1st Dibs | Side Tables: Oomph, Edgartown Side Table | Lamps: Robert Abbey Double Gourd via Biscuit Home | Wallpaper on Bookshelves: Brunschwig & Fils, Bibliotheque Multicolor | Sconces above bookshelves: Circa Lighting, Dean Picture Light | Wall Color: BM Polar Ice | Curtain Trim: Samuel & Sons (Chambord Tri-tassel fringe) | Blue Floral Chair: Vintage Recovered | Blue Floral Chair Fabric: Lee Jofa, Grenville Glazed Chintz Blue

HOUSTON’S ROOM (BOY)
Wallpaper: Brunschwig & Fils (Battle of Valmy 1792) | Light Fixture: Jonathan Adler via Biscuit Home (Jonathan Adler Sputnik) | Chest: Well Appointed House (Burl Wood Chest) | Trim: Samuel & Sons | Rug: Lulu & Georgia | Headboard: Custom via Biscuit Home | Bedding: Biscuit Home — Jamie Blue duvet, Jamie Blue Sham, Cornflower Blue Sham | Throw Blanket: Biscuit Home | Lamp: Vintage

KITCHEN
Stove: William Sonoma | Island: William Sonoma | Lights: Circa Lighting (Hicks Pendant)

MASTER BATH
Paint Color: BM Ruby Red | Lights: Circa Lighting | Mirrors: Restoration Hardware | Curtain Fabric: Osborne & Little, Designers Guild, FCL004/01

Intimate Grove Wedding

As much as I love a grand ballroom affair, there’s just something about a casual, intimate soiree that makes me weak in the knees. Maybe that’s because I have always pictured a small, yet elegant day of my very own… one exactly like this pretty little gem captured beautifully by Kimberly Chau. Overflowing with crazy gorgeous details, it’s a breathtaking rooftop ceremony meets beautiful blooms from Flowers with Pheby meets a Grove reception that is all sorts of amazing. See it here in the full gallery.

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Colorful Chateau Cocomar Wedding

From the Bride… There were so many sweet things about this wedding- little BHLDN touches everywhere, so many special details this description can’t contain it, a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, and a intimate reception at THE Grove in Houston. I wanted the wedding to be simple, intimate and easy going.

Being together for over seven years, and having lived in more than seven cities, and five states, it’s easy to say that we are the adventurous couple. But Houston is where it all started, it had a special place in our hearts, and although we currently live in Seattle we knew our wedding had to be in Houston. The Grove was the perfect venue, a true snapshot of Houston… charming, rustic and delicious.

The inspiration – all things neutral. Being a minimalist couple we did not want to use a lot of color. By limiting the amount of colors used, we wanted the focus to be on the most important details. So we picked a subdued color palette and limited the “fuss.” We chose items that were unique, like the slight pop of color in the canopy florals, or the green from the park that surrounds the entire venue to keep it interesting!

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Pronovias

ATELIER PRONOVIAS

PRONOVIAS

Dancing Lights, Cruise Collection

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BHLDN

Bridal 2016

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Plum Pretty Sugar

Castelbel & Trumpet

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Lilli Tru

PomPon

Plum Pretty Sugar for BHLDN

PPS Couture

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True story: when this pretty-fest first popped into my inbox, I was certain it was a styled shoot. Like dead certain. But turns out the creative genius behind this wedding is a doctor-turned-bride whose sense of style knows no bounds. And while she had a little help from the lovelies of Bows and Arrows + Forever Photography Studio, I sort of think wedding design is her second calling.

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Houston Wedding from Nancy Aidee Photography & Keely Thorne Events

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Estate Weddings

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From the Bride… I’ve never been the princess type, but when I met Dan, I felt like all my girlish fairytales were coming true. Dan and I met during our orientation week of medical school. A slow friendship quickly and easily progressed into a beautiful lifelong commitment. We found in each other everything we had been waiting for in a partner. After almost three years of dating, we got engaged in a special and intimate way in Laguna Beach. Just the two of us and a California sunset. We decided to get married a year from that day in Texas, where I grew up.

I couldn’t wait to start the planning process. I always make the joke that I feel like I’m part doctor/part wedding planner at heart. I knew I wanted to intertwine both modern and traditional elements and features of the Indian and American cultures to where it was seamless and not cliché or so obvious. Just natural, a true reflection of our relationship. Chateau Cocomar was a dream of a venue. I knew our guests would be blown away by its stunning beauty, and that there was no better choice.

The hardest part of the design aspect for me was choosing a color palette. There were so many beautiful options and supposedly I could only choose one! What a tough decision for a bride! I knew that if I stayed true to myself, I would never regret my design decisions. So even though we had a traditional American wedding, I brought in a more traditional Indian color palette throughout the lush floral: light pink, coral, red, dark fuchsia/pink, marigold. Since the floral was bold and so much the focus, I wanted to have the linens and dinnerware to be more neutral bringing in gold and ivory. The gold flatware really added that luxurious and unique touch. Little Miss Press helped design the letterpress and gold foil invitation suite using mint green, emerald green, fuchsia, and ivory. We tied in both modern patterns and traditional floral elements.

Dan and I decided on a late morning wedding, because we just love the beautiful light in the Chateau during the day. Though initially, we were leaning towards a brunch reception, we went with a full Indian lunch. During the cocktail hour, our guests strolled the property with a mango lassi in hand, listening to the string quartet play The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, while taking in the breathtaking architecture of our venue. After our first dance to Band of Horses “Marry Song”, lunch was served family style. It was so important to me that everyone that came to the wedding felt like one big family. Everyone sat at long rectangle tables and all the guest favorites were available, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Vindaloo, Aloo Gobhi, and some of the lesser known curries and rice. Of course, plenty of Naan for everyone!

For dessert, we had delicious macarons and cake by Sugary and Chic Cake Boutique. The bridal cake was an almond cake brushed with coconut milk with mango and coconut fillings. Mangoes and coconuts are staple fruits in South India where my family is originally from. The design incorporated both the floral style of the wedding and the invitation suite’s geometric trellis pattern. The groom’s cake, a surprise for Dan, was a thin mint chocolate cake, a twist to the usual Southern tradition. The groom’s cake was the talk of the reception. Dan is an orthopedic surgical resident, and enjoys rock climbing in his spare time. So his cake showed him rock climbing with his medical gear to help save a man at the top of the mountain that broke his leg. The details on the cake were immaculate and so amusing (not to mention, delicious!) for all our guests.

Dan and I made it a point to visit with every guest, and to this day, say how happy we are that we were able to do that. I’ve always hated when I would go to a wedding, and you felt like the bride and groom never even knew you were there. I wanted each person to know how much we appreciated their presence on that day and in our lives. One of the reasons we decided not to do a formal exit is so that we could spend as much time as possible with some of our dear friends at the reception. We weren’t in any hurry to leave them! When we were finally ready to say goodbye to our dream of a day, the guests left with alfajores , a Latin cookie, from a local Houston bakery, boxed with gold and ivory twine. Another personal touch, and nod to Dan’s two year long mission in Chile.

After our wedding night at one of the Magnificent Seven suites at Hotel Zaza, Dan and I left for our honeymoon in Iceland. It was a true trip of a lifetime and we regularly get so nostalgic for our time there. Till our next adventure, we are very much enjoying married life as newlyweds in Southern California with our super silly and cute Labrador and Golden Retrievers, Tex and Sophie.

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Wedding Dresses

Lazaro

Spring 2016

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Spring 2017

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Two ceremonies means double the fashion, double the flowers, double the love. And it’s pretty amazing. I love this couple for introducing the idea to me, and I love Keely Thorne Events for coordinating the whole beautiful day. Captured by Nancy Aidee Photography, the wedding was worthy of two parties and then some.

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Day After Session at Chateau Cocomar from Civicphotos

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From the beautiful bride… We chose our wedding to be in Houston because it is our home away from home. We are originally from Angola. Knowing that many of our guests would be traveling from different parts of the world including our own country of Angola, we wanted the party to be as if we were there. Parties in Angola are very versatile and incorporate music from several cultures. We also included many various foods from all over the world so there was something for everyone. Thus, we were sure everybody felt welcome and “at home.”

To us, the perfect wedding would be one that represented both my and Wilson’s personality and the things we like: classic yet luxurious and very romantic. For this reason, a “Marie Antoinette” theme was our inspiration. Our invitations were boxes that had a picture of a tulip in the background. It playfully also included the list of hotels and transportation services to facilitate our guests, given that it was a destination wedding. Tulips are a special flower to us and were used often in the wedding’s decor. Incorporated with many other types of flowers, there were different tulips throughout the decor including center pieces and aisle decoration.

In regards to the wedding favors, we wanted them to be durable and useful. Therefore, we gave out agendas that included descriptions of different states within the United States which could be interesting spots for vacation as well as Parker pens with our names engraved. To us, both of the elements of crystals and lace strongly represent class and luxury. I wanted diamonds to be represented everywhere not just for the luxurious feel but also as a representation of the amount of years that we aim to live happily throughout our marriage. Even the silverware used when cutting the cake had touches of diamonds and crystals. All of the tablecloths were made of special lace to represent class and tradition as seen in the aristocratic era which also represents our taste. The whole theme finally came together after the bridesmaid’s dresses were bought as they were very light and romantic looking. That’s when we decided that the venue needed to be filled with rich flowers with lots of petals and very soft in smell. The flowers definitely gave an important touch of romance which meant a lot to us.

The most special moment during the entire event was the first dance. It was simply magical. I was six months pregnant and the baby began to move strongly as we began to dance. Both myself and Wilson felt it throughout the whole dance which made us joke that the baby was dancing as well. It was a special moment for our little family. We danced to “Ela une todas as coisas” (translation: “She Unites Everything” by Jorge Vercilo. Another song which was played during our entrance to the venue which meant a lot to us as well was “Namora Comigo” by Mart’nalia.

We had both a civil and religious ceremony. I thought it would be important to change dresses to give each ceremony its own touch. It turned out to be the best idea because the civil ceremony dress was more modern and reflected that moment which was more official whereas the dress for the religious ceremony was much more traditional and romantic reflecting the spirituality of the moment. Wilson’s change of attire followed the same logic adding to the fact that he is very fashion-oriented and any excuse would be plausible to show off his fashion sense.

Day after sessions like this one from Civicphotos make me wish I grabbed my hubby the day after I say I do, and snapped up some pictures as pretty as these. With the Chateau Cocomar setting the stage and the love these two obviously share, the images are basically just as pretty as they get. See them all here.

From Civicphotos…So here is another fantastically beautiful group of frames featuring a married couple doing an session-after their wedding day. Seems like a white dress and suit & tie are usually the best ways to compliment the amazing Chateau Cocomar and Alina & Guillermo surely looked totally in the moment. I really enjoyed freezing their great posing and chemistry as we worked some of the light lovely areas of one of Houston premier venues.

New Orleans Inspired Wedding in Houston from Mustard Seed Photography

New Orleans meets Texas in this stunning Hotel ZaZa fête, and let me tell you, it was a match made in heaven. With a classic black and white palette and details that would make anyone want to get up and dance, this stylish soiree from Mustard Seed Photography is one for the books. See why here.

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