Connecticut Weddings

If there’s anyone who’s able to find the silver lining amongst chaos it’s our dear friend Beth Chapman. When an old oak tree all but destroyed their former bedroom during Hurricane Sandy a few years ago, Beth took the opportunity to create her dream bedroom (one she had been planning in her mind for years). Infused with shabby chic elements of the loveliest kind, you can see her vision come to life right here.

And if you know us at all by now, you know that we can’t resist a good ol’ shopping guide. Here are a few shabby chic inspired pieces to to help bring a slice of cozy, uber-feminine comfort into YOUR home!

From Beth Chapman, stylist and owner of The White Dress by the Shore… My husband Mark and I have wanted to redesign our bedroom ever since we moved into our house 10 years ago! Unfortunately, it always fell to the back burner and other house projects took precedent. Last October we were forced into a bedroom redesign by a pesky lady named Sandy! During Super Storm Sandy, an 80 foot oak tree fell on our house and landed on one of our bedroom dormers. Thank goodness the dormer was there, as the tree would have fallen straight through to the first floor! The dormer collapsed into the room bringing part of the ceiling with it and collapsing the built-in book case that was below it. We were unable to live in the bedrooms for 6 months until the structural work could be done to repair the roof, the dormer and the ceiling in the bedroom. During that time, I worked with Hartley and Hill to put into place a design that my friend Sara Hartley had created for me years prior.

From Hartley and Hill… After getting to know Beth, we thought it was important to design a space that truly represented her both style and functional necessities in her master bedroom for her and her husband. Knowing that she’s a bridal boutique owner and stylist, we knew right away that she loves texture! From ruffled linen to chenille, we thought that fabrics friendly to cuddling with up with the rest of the family (and pets!) were a must. Keeping the room in the original green hue, as selected by Beth and Mark, we wanted to incorporate soft blues, taupes and creams, with the occasional pink accent. As business owners, having a small working area in their room was essential. We had this beautiful antique secretary refinished in a grey puddy tone with new antique brass hardware to allow them to close their work space at the end of the day.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck | Design: Hartley and Hill Design | Chaise: Belle Escape | Chandelier: Belle Escape | Chandelier: Eloquence | Dining Chairs: Belle Escape | Distressed Mirror: Nordstrom | Duvet: Anthropologie | Floral Stool: Alexander and Pearl | Floral Towels: House of Fraser | Headboard: Home Decorators | Kensington Clock: Pure Home | Side Table: Belle Escape | Side Tables and Dresser: Lillian August | Sideboard: Kathy Kuo Home | Throw: Terrain at Styers | Throw Pillow: House of Fraser | Tuffted Footstool: House of Fraser | Wooden Trays: Amara

Never being one to turn down a good party, I’m secretly sad to have missed this one. Dripping in pink, sparkle and all things delightful, True Event & Leila Brewster outdid themselves this time. An evening filled to the brim with girly delights is always good for ones soul. And if you, too, are experiencing a case of FOMO, you should join me in the gallery (we can at least pretend we were there).

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From Jennie… I have always been a huge fan of the professional blowout. When I lived in NYC, long before trendy dry bars even existed, I used to go for a weekly wash and blow at a small salon in midtown. To me, it’s the ultimate treat and saves so much time getting ready in the morning. I am so thrilled to finally offer this in-demand service to our clients!

When the time came to announce the launch of our new Blowdry and Styling Room here at Jennie Fresa, I knew we needed to throw a fun celebration! Sara True of True Event knows how to throw a fabulous party, so I didn’t need to think twice when she offered to plan a summer soiree introducing our newest service. With a slew of generous industry sponsors on board, I knew it would be a night to remember! And, that it was!

From True Event… We are a fan of a lot of sparkle and shine and anything girly! When Jennie asked us to help design the opening of her Blow Dry Bar we were pretty excited! What better way to spend any evening with gals getting all glammed up!
For the design of this event we wanted to go off of pinks, golds, black and white. We brought in some of the best vendors to help with this event. Ryan Design hung amazing black chandeliers with white and light pink draping to add the softness to the framed tent. Hana Floral Design brought in the fun hot pinks, purples, greens for the flowers for the evening. Gourmet Galley Catering had a yummy and fun watermelon bar that was a perfect and refreshing for the night. Sassafras rentals brought in one of our favorite vintage lounge areas adding the perfect touch of vintage. As guest enjoyed some bubbly they listed to Jarrell Entertainment from Elan Artists. A big hug & kiss to Leila Brewster Photography and Caddywhompus for capture the evening fun!

 

Photographer: leila brewster | Catering: Gourmet Galley Catering | Lighting: Ryan Designs | tent: Liberty Rentals | Event Design & Coordination: TRUE Event | Floral: Hana Floral Design | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Makeup & blow Dry bar: Jennie Fresa Brow & Beauty Bar | Music: Jarrell Entertainment | Music: Elan Artists | Paper: Tie That Binds | Vintage Rentals: Sassafras Vintage Rentals | rentals: Rentals Unlimited | video: Caddywhompus Productions

Through the years, the vendors that grace the pages of SMP have become dear friends of mine. It’s one of the truly special things about what I do. And the team of talents behind this wedding at Chamard Vineyards? They are simply the sweetest, and seriously talented to boot. So it’s no surprise to me that with TRUE Event behind the design, Lindsay of Jennie Fresa in charge of all the beauty, a gown from The White Dress by the Shore, catering from Gourmet Galley and Anna Sawin capturing all the pretty, that this wedding is just Connecticut perfection. Top it all off with one adorable, could-not-be-more-in-love Bride and Groom…and ladies and gents, we have a winner. See it all here.

From the Bride… When Paul & I got engaged we were both on the same page. The most important thing for us and our guests was that the wedding reflected who we were: sophisticated, but not too stuffy, romantic, but not overdone, down home yet classic. And the most important thing… that everyone had a blast.

As we started to plan we noticed a theme coming together. A celebration of Connecticut! When I first moved to Connecticut I thought it was only temporary, a stop on the way to wherever else I was going, but it grows on you. No place has quite the combination of city & country, the ocean & the woods, the well-to-do & the down-to-earth. It is a place that has all four seasons, amazing restaurants, lots of places to visit & things to do. Best of all – it is the place where Paul & I met each other and have so many great memories. Since many of the guests were from out of town, it was important for us to showcase the best of what Connecticut had to offer.

My dress was made by Modern Trousseau. A designer who sells dresses in over 30 countries, but makes their dresses in Woodbridge, CT. I was able to go there and meet the woman who handmade my dress. Gourmet Galley, our caterers, were local to CT too and we had a farm-to-table menu that mostly included food from all over the state. The venue, Chamard Vineyards, in Clinton, not only offered the ambiance we were looking for, but also celebrates CT by growing grapes and making wine there. Our photographer, florist, make-up & hair, wedding coordinator, string trio, Justice of the Peace, cake & pastry makers were all based in our great state. We welcomed out of town guests with gift bags that celebrated the state where we began our love story. They included Pez, Deep River potato chips, Poland Spring water & Trim accessories all items made by companies in CT.

We wanted it to feel romantic yet laid back and comfortable. Much of what we decided on reflected this. From the outdoor rustic chic farm tables, to the dreamy floral arrangements of peonies, hydrangea & dahlia, to my Chantilly lace dress and fingertip lace edged veil.

Fun was high on our priority list. It was important that the Justice of the Peace reflected our style as well as kept the audience engaged. We worked with Victoria Burdick who met with us a few times for dinner & then created a ceremony that we didn’t review. We heard it for the first time when our guests did.

We wanted to keep the wedding moving along so that no one got bored & so that everyone felt that there was something to do. Fun for us meant that no one would be sitting at their tables when the music came on. We hired The Nerds. We planned the date for our wedding around their availability because we have been following them for about 10 years and knew that they would make it a real party. We also had s’mores & cotton candy to close out the night to add that extra bit of whimsy.

We knew that we did our job because we have been to a few weddings since and all the people could talk about was how great our wedding was and how they have been telling all their friends that it was the most fun they’ve had!

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Wedding Photography: Anna Sawin + Nicki Griffith for Anna Sawin Photography | Wedding Venue: Chamard Vineyards | Officiant: Victoria Burdick | Event Coordination: TRUE Event | Floral Design: Flourescent, Milford, Connecticut | Catering: Gourmet Galley | Cakes: Gourmet Galley + J Cakes | Lighting + Tent Rental: Sperry Tents | Music: O’Brien Strings + The Nerds | Hair + Makeup: Lindsay of Jennie Fresa Makeup & Skincare Boutiquerie + Timothy Pamment Salon | Transportation: STA Transportation + Post Road Limo | Accommodations: Saybrook Point Inn + Comfort Inn, Old Saybrook | Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via The White Dress by the Shore | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Coren Moore via The White Dress by the Shore | Save the Dates: Pear Tree Greetings | Calligraphy (Escort Cards, Table Numbers, Chalkboard Menu): Kristen Henderson Calligraphy

We see a lot of incredible weddings around here at Style Me Pretty. Every single morning we wake up to the prettiest weddings on the planet, and some weddings strike a personal chord with each one of us. I tell you this because I am putting this wedding on my personal top ten list. Maybe it is the way Suzanna March photographed every inch of this day beautifully. Or perhaps it is the fact that True Event and Hana Floral Design have me weak in the knees over the wood grain farm tables combined with my most favorite blooms that mimic colorful silk chiffon. But I am head-over-heels in love and I don’t care who knows it! Oh, and if you need me, I will be over in the gallery pinning every last photo to my inspiration board.

From the Bride… When Nate and I got engaged in the winter of 2011 there was no doubt we’d get married in Connecticut in the fall—we met as freshmen at Connecticut College, became fast friends, and were dating by the fall of 2003. There was also no doubt that my grandfather, a Professor Emeritus of Theology, would marry us. Other than these three important pieces, what mattered to us most was that we take advantage of the opportunity to have all of our loved ones in one place at one time and have an amazing party. Thankfully, we had some incredible people help us figure out the details!

Chamard Vineyards was the perfect backdrop for the big day. It was romantic and picturesque, without being stuffy and over-the-top…not to mention the delicious wine that came with it! As it happens, when we booked Chamard we were matched with the fabulous Sarah True of True Events. She was the key to piecing together a list of unbelievably fantastic vendors that each hit the ball out of the park. True to our style, music and food were at the top of our priority list. Eric Visa played music that had everyone, young and old, on the dance floor the entire night and I’m still salivating over the autumn flavors served by La Cuisine. Most of all, though, we are so thankful that each and every moment of our day was beautifully captured by Suzanna of Suzanna March Photography.

As odd as it sounds, I drew my inspiration for the tent décor from my late French-Canadian Grandmother’s house. As a kid, I used to think that my Grandmama’s house was a museum because it was filled with ornate—and mostly gold colored—antiques. I blended my fond memories of gold with my love for the rustic cabin look. The gorgeous farm tables, deep green linens, gold accented dinnerware, and candelabras balanced both visions perfectly! Yumiko from Hana Floral Design and Boutique tied everything together with lush bouquets of white, ivory, and blush flowers.

As thrilled as we were with the décor, the flowers, the food, and the dancing, what was most gratifying about our wedding day was the opportunity to stand in front of our friends and family and express our love and commitment to each other. Their love for us, and our love for each other, made this day the best of our lives!

Wedding Photography: Suzanna March Photography / Wedding Venue: Chamard Vineyard in Clinton, Connecticut / Wedding Planning + Design: True Event / Floral Design: Hana Floral Design / Wedding Catering: La Cuisine / Wedding Invitations: Ella’s Papers / Music: Eric Visa / Tent: Sperry Tents / Rentals: Rentals Unlimited / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Hair: Timothy Pamment Salon Madison / Makeup: Jennie Fresa

Project Runway Fans Unite. This is your kind of day on SMP because we just happen to have one of my all time favorite Runway stars right here, right now. It’s Nora Caliguri. The absurdly chic, absolutely gorgeous, wish she won the whole she-bang but know she’s a raging success regardless Nora Caliguri. And her wedding is nothing short of pure loveliness. Planned by the lovely Sarah True with images by Creative Image Collections, this is me…totally starstruck. Just make sure to click through the whole gallery right here.

Nora + Todd | The Highlight Film from Vantage Point Films on Vimeo.

From the Bride… Todd and I met through a mutual friend at a summer party in August 2007. I knew instantly that I had met my future husband. Throughout the next four years, we traveled all over the world together, became the person we know best to each other and have fallen so much in love. In the summer of 2010, we took our biggest trip yet. We ventured to South Africa to get a taste of the wine country, experience a safari, go to the World Cup Finals and end up in Egypt to fulfill my lifelong dream of seeing the pyramids. What topped this trip off was the evening of July 4th, when he unexpectedly proposed to me in the backyard vineyard of the bed and breakfast we stayed at in Franschoek. From that point on, we both had wedding fever and couldn’t be happier about it. We knew that we wanted to have the most beautiful ceremony and the most epic party at the same setting as our engagement night. However, we had to find the perfect place to do this back home on the other side of the world. To bring home and share that night with our guests, we researched into countless vineyards on the east coast. When we entered Chamard Vineyards in Clinton, Connecticut, for the first time, we knew we had found our place. Set back behind a long driveway and rows of gorgeous vines, it reminded us of the beauty of our trip to Africa and excited us for our upcoming trip to Sonoma Valley in California. The building, the tasting room, barrel room, porches, barn, were all put to use for our wedding and were accompanied by the most gorgeous Sperry Tent. Sarah True of True Event was our event planner and helped us create the most memorable and remarkable wedding ever! Together we created a world for our guests to enter for one night.

As a clothing designer, I had a lot of people banking on me designing my own gown. Before I undertook that, I decided to go shopping first to see if there was one out there that I would love and be me to a tee. I wanted texture and something interesting to the eye that would still evoke a wedding dress. To my surprise, I found my dress at Kleinfeld in New York — from a designer in Turkey, Songul Sarpbas. I absolutely could not wait for Todd to see me in this dress! After skipping the dress-making idea, I focused on the décor and details of our amazing wedding. For my bridesmaids, I wanted to keep the element of texture going. To make it look like a collection, all of their dresses were in shades of gray. They were handpicked throughout the year from several brands to find the best dress to fit all eight girls’ bodies and personalities. The boys wore J.Crew, and it all tied together so well. All of our details embodied us as a couple, our friends and family and the places we have been. For our invitations, my best friend and graphic designer Leah Nista collaborated with us to create a papel picado, Mexican-themed invite. Papel picado is one of my favorite things I brought home from a trip to Mexico City. Todd and I are both surfers, so a surfy Mexican blanket fabric backer accompanied the gorgeous invites inside their teal envelopes. Everyone who got them in the mail said that it definitely looked like it was going to be a party and a half. Our California postcard RSVP card was for where we were headed on our honeymoon.

As our guests arrived to the vineyard on that beautiful day, they were greeted with a spiked lemonade/iced tea favorite of ours. Vintage windows our neighbor had left out for garbage were used in place of paper programs. They signify the vintage window in my house that I display foreign currency on from all of our trips. Biodegradable confetti was handed out in little paper bags with a “how to “ photo of Todd and I throwing confetti. Our ceremony seats were set up in an auditorium style, for better viewpoints for all of our guests. Inspired by the safari we took last summer at a tented camp with no electricity, we collected lanterns throughout the year and clustered them on the tables, glowing all night long with white candles. I made all of the tablecloths  and runners throughout the year from a fabric in New York. Had to get some sewing in there somehow! Silver tassels inspired by the necklace I was wearing the day of our engagement that I made were on the back of my chair. We had sparklers and Japanese floating lanterns during the party — they were a big hit with our guests.

Wedding Photography: Creative Image Collections / Wedding Venue: Chamard Vineyards in Clinton, Connecticut / Event Design + Coordination: Sarah True of TRUE Event / Floral Design: Tony Palmieri of Datura — A Modern Garden / Wedding Cinematography: Thomas Morlock of Vantage Point Films / Catering: Betsey Plunkett of La Cuisine / Wedding Cake: J.Cakes / Wedding Paper Goods: Leah Nista / Entertainment: DJ Select / Rentals: Durants Tents + Rentals Unlimited / Transportation: American Executive Limousine / Wedding Dress: Songul Sarpbas via Kleinfeld Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Various / Beauty: Jennie Fresa — Makeup and Skincare Boutiquerie