You can’t deny it: this wedding is seriously stunning.  It’s the epitome of ballroom elegance with some of the prettiest details you will ever see.  But beyond all of the amazingness (and it IS amazing) is a story of two middle school sweethearts who went from “going out” to tying the knot in the wedding of their dreams.  See every gorgeous moment captured by Coastline-Studios by pressing play.

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From Coastline-Studios… Tanya and Paul had one of the most stunning weddings we’ve ever seen with sequin, textured tablecloths, crystals and linens draped from the ceiling, candlelight, chandeliers, and some the most lush, white and blush flowers on every table… I have to say the girls on our team all got weak at the knees, it was just so beautiful. With help from Beautiful Day Planning, Tanya and Paul had the wedding they had been waiting over 12 years to celebrate (together since middle school, how adorable is that?).

From the Bride… Well, we have been together for a solid 12 years, and have never broken up! We are high school sweethearts and even date back to middle school.  Paulie was a grade older and had told one of our mutual friends he thought my twin sister and I were cute, and wanted to be introduced to me.  We “went out” for a few years on and off in middle school until I got into high school and then we decided to make it “official” and the rest is history.  We went to middle school, high school, away to Western together, he moved to Cincinnati for two years and we did the whole long distance thing.  As the saying goes “Distance makes the heart grow fonder!” I always new Paulie was the one… it sounds so cliche, but it’s true! I knew that some way, some how, when the time was right, we were going to make it work and go for the long hall.  12 years later, we are married!

Photography: Blaine Sessier | Film: Coastline Studios | Floral Design: Church Of Evangelical Faith | Wedding Gown: Roma Sposa | Church: The Cathedral Of The Most Blessed Sacrament | Reception Venue: Townsend Hotel | Shoes: Louis Vuitton | DJ: Rock Out Entertainment | Tux: Jos. A. Bank | Bar, DJ Booth And Stemware Rental: Special Events Rental | Dance Floor Overlay: Colonial Events | Hair & Make-Up: Hair By Erika Cortez | Wedding Day Coordinator: Beautiful Day Planning

If you’re planning a wedding from a distance — like, say, China — it helps to have Westcott Weddings and an all-star team of vendors (like Verbena Floral Design and Southern Fried Paper) on your side to take care of details and calm your nerves. As you can see in Caroline Joy’s pictures from the day, the event went off without a hitch. Make sure to check out Stringer Productions‘ video at the end for more prettiness.

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From the Bride… Yes, I am one of those women that has dreamt about her wedding ever since she was a little girl. When my husband and I met in Austin in the summer of 2012, it was like a thunderbolt. Already living and working in China, he was only in town for two days before he had to fly to New York. But that was long enough for us to have an amazing first date, followed by a whirlwind courtship with our second date in New York, our third date in Bruges, and our fourth date in Beijing. He met my family for the first time at Thanksgiving and proposed at Christmas, and I packed up my life in Austin to move to China to start our life together.

Then it was onto planning my dream wedding! I was in China (with a 14-hour time difference!), but luckily I had a wonderful, rock star wedding crew in Texas. We spent days and nights planning the wedding, and I attended site visits with my mom and crew whenever I could come back through Austin. I was meticulous and extremely detail-oriented about what I wanted, and they got me and my vision. They were my dream team.

My advice to future brides is this: Choose vendors that are calm, meticulous, and easy going, because you might change your mind – A LOT – especially if you’ve been planning your wedding since you were six (but do yellow satin princess bridesmaid dresses ever really go out of fashion?), and most importantly, choose people who will be overjoyed about your big day and also a comfort to be be around. Everyone I chose fit every one of those conditions, which calmed my nerves and allowed me to focus not on details but on our marriage and the beginning of our new life together.

People had always advised me to remember your vows, and remember your wedding, because it goes by in a flash! I focused on doing just that: Capturing and remembering every moment with my bridesmaids and house party, time spent with my family, and most importantly, the time spent with my new husband. I knew I could rely on my wedding planner and my photographers to focus on everything else and capture the memories for a lifetime, giving me the freedom to focus completely on the moment.

From the chandeliers above to the delicious stations to all the little travel ideas we had to the INCREDIBLE band to the 600 votives we had on long tables, my wedding was the best day of my life surrounded by my favorite people in the world and the man I am going to be with for the rest of my life.

From Westcott Weddings… Amanda and Drew were married on one of the coldest, windiest days Austin has seen in a long time, but you would have never known it. Our incredible vendor team pulled together the week before the wedding to enact the rain plan (hi, gorgeous draping!), and everything turned out beautifully. The tent was warm, cozy and filled with so much love and happiness!

Amanda had envisioned an elegant, fun party, so we worked with Verbena to fill long tables with hundreds of twinkling candles and big puffy white hydrangea, her favorite bloom. As a nod to Amanda + Drew’s love for travel, Word of Mouth created food stations filled with favorites from home + afar: Green chili-cheddar grits, spring rolls, empanadas, pie and Blue Bell ice cream. Southern Fried Paper designed post cards that doubled as table numbers–each one was named after a place Amanda + Drew had lived together or would visit on their honeymoon. Memphis Train Revue kept everyone dancing until the very end of the night, and then Amanda+ Drew departed for Antarctica (!) amid cheers and sparklers. Their joy was infectious!

Photography: Caroline Joy Photography | Videography: Stringer Productions | Floral Design: Verbena Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Pronuptia | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Word Of Mouth Catering | Makeup: Avery Allen Makeup | Hair: Danann Patrick | Lighting: Intelligent Lighting Design | Band: Memphis Train Revue | Ceremony Music: Terra Vista Strings | Transportation: R&R Transportation | Bride + Groom Transportation: Classic Rides Limo | Bride Getting Ready Hotel: Hotel Saint Cecilia | Ceremony + Reception Venue: One World Theatre | Event Design + Coordination: Westcott Weddings | Groom Getting Ready Hotel: Hotel San Jose | Invitations, Programs, Escort Cards + Menus: Southern Fried Paper | Late Night Food Truck: Mellizoz Tacos | Photo Booth: Silvercloud Trailer Events | Tent Draping + Rentals: Marquee Event Rentals | Vintage Frames: Loot Vintage Rentals

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Jenny Yoo

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There’s a lot of love about Paris — the Eiffel Tower, Champs–Elysées, Versailles, croissants — and now we can add this absolutely breathtaking engagement shoot to the list. Each dress, rented from Ma Bonne Amie, fulfills every being-in-love-in-Paris fantasy a girl could conjure. All this, of course, is perfectly captured by Ian Holmes. So make sure to head on over to the full gallery for more Parisian inspired romance.

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Dress Hire: Ma Bonne Amie | Photography - Assistance: Catherine O'Hara

Ladies and gents, you’ll want to spend some serious time cozying up to this beautiful backyard wedding from Jen Fariello. Because tucked in this gallery are stunning images of a day filled not only with pretty planned by Sheila Motley Events but so much love I can feel it through the screen. With lovely florals from Southern Blooms By Pat’s Floral Designs and a picture perfect cake from Sugarland Bakery, it’s safe to say this wedding is a winner.

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From the Bride…Falling in love is hard. But when it happens, it is easy.

That was certainly my experience.

By age 30, I had almost given up on the idea that I would find true love. A loving, trusting, caring, life partner who would challenge and inspire me.

Almost.

No, I didn’t marry my high school sweetheart or one of the many eligible, highly suitable suitors just because the clock was ticking, they looked good on paper, and society told me to do so.

I had all but resided to the notion that I was content and happy being a good, loving daughter, sister(hopefully an aunt one day), god mother to my best friend’s son, and doting mother to my loyal dog, Holly.

Life was good. As good as could be expected if not ever so marginally incomplete.

And then I received a mysterious email. Mysterious might be a bit dramatic.
Let’s simply call it random.

I had been alerted by a women with whom that I had become friends with that she felt compelled to pass my email address along to her son and now feared that perhaps she had over stepped her bounds and done a bad thing.

Thankfully out of embarrassment or boredom, my friend’s son had taken the time and initiative to reach out.

He explained that he was fiercely independent and that his mother had never before inserted herself or meddled in his life and as such he could not help but be intrigued.

From there we began trading slightly flirty emails about life, dogs, and other matters.

Did I mention that I lived in Palm Beach and he lived in New York?

Very quickly our email exchanges blossomed into marathon, all night telephone conversations and I knew that a rare, special someone had appeared on the horizon.

To be blunt, I suggested that he might now have yet another reason to visit Palm Beach.

He replied that he a slightly conflicted relationship with his hometown (who doesn’t) and now had really only one reason to visit Palm Beach and would I like to meet for dinner a Cafe Bolud that Saturday night. To be clear, he asked me to dinner, on a date. Not for drinks, not for coffee, not lunch, not to casually hang out or get together. He was bold and confident if not slightly humble while being refreshingly old fashioned. Let that be a lesson to all you “boys”.

Of course I accepted and from there, it was off to the races! Thank god for JetBlue and even more leg room!

We saw each other every weekend alternating between New York and Palm Beach.

Later that August he asked me to marry him in the wake of a holiday we had taken in Turkey choosing instead to get down on one knee on top of a cupola overlooking Charleston, SC.

Nicholas Sparks couldn’t have penned it better if he tried!

We would be married over a year later on my parents farm outside of Durham, NC. However, my mother had been visualizing if not planning the day since my family moved there from Chapel Hill over twenty years ago.

She would often joke that she was planting in anticipation of the big day when in reality, I was merely 12 and far more interested in horses than boys.

People often talk about their wedding as being one of the happiest and most beautiful days of their life. And thanks to my mother, and my above mentioned best friend who pulled double duty as maid of honor and wedding planner, ours truly was.

The weather was perfect, which I attribute to the bottle of Makers Mark that we buried beneath the alter.

Photography: Jen Fariello Photography | Event Planning: Sheila Motley Events | Floral Design: Southern Blooms | Cake: Sugarland | Catering: BoxCarr Farms | Make Up: Onloktion Makeup Artistry | Lighting: The AV Company | Band: The Adrian Duke Project | Ceremony Music: Arioso Strings | Tent: Skyline Tent Company | Furniture: Beehive Events

Add an adorable duo to the fairytale-esque wonderland that is the Gemini and Wekiwa Springs and this is what you get – one crazy cool engagement session that mixes waterside frolicking with one seriously stunning woodland setting.  It’s nature meets true love all captured in amazing images by Jessica Bennett Photography.  See them all right here.

From Jessica Bennett Photography… Candice and Andy’s engagement pictures were taken at the lovely, natural and rugged springs of central Florida. Gemini and Wekiwa Springs near Orlando make a perfect backdrop for this gorgeous, fun loving couple.

Photography: Jessica Bennett Photography | Wedding Venue: Gemini Springs

This, loves, is a bride and groom after my own heart.  A stunning couple that tackles DIY likes it’s no one’s business and, with the help of the amazing A Polished Plan, throws a wedding that is equal parts pretty and fun.  Think lots of gold glitter courtesy of the “glitter addict” bride, a fabulous Lace Factory setting and sweet vintage stylings.  See it all captured by The Melideos right here.

From The Bride… I love the fact that when people ask how Ben and I met we have a fun story to tell. I had gone with a friend to watch her boyfriend’s band play at BB Kings in Times Square (which is a big feat because anyone who lives in NYC will tell you that is the last place they’d want to be on a busy Friday night). While watching the band play I noticed a cute tall guy standing rather alone, so at the end of the night I threw caution to the wind and approached him. We started talking and introduced ourselves, he told me he worked as a producer for Good Morning America but moonlit as a Calvin Klein Underwear model – to which I replied that was funny because I actually worked there! He made me show him a business card as proof and wrote his number on it for me adding “$10 says you don’t call.”  I had lost my phone earlier that night and after searching the streets of the Lower East Side the following morning I gave up and went to the nearest Best Buy to get a temp phone. I really liked this guy and wanted to be able to call him! That night I got home to Brooklyn and saw that he had not only sent me a text but Facebook message and we agreed to meet up that same night. After a few hours of conversation, we realized I went to the same college as his parents in Colorado and that we had mutual friends in other states. I met his parents exactly seven days later and we’ve been inseparable ever since…

Three years later Ben proposed while we were running along the East River – complete with our dog Bailey in tow – and we began our incredible journey to create our beautiful wedding day. All we knew was that we wanted something that felt like “us,” relaxed and fun, and would be held in the fall, as close to the time we met as possible. Even though we were living in Manhattan, we wanted to find a venue outside of the city so it had the feel of a destination wedding but without all of the travel. We had originally found a great old mansion in Fairfield, CT that was a historical site with a lot of land and was right in our budget. Unfortunately, after Hurricane Sandy, there were weeks of cleanup and extensive damage to a lot of areas in the town and we had to find a new venue. Luckily, I happened upon an amazing venue in a sleepy little town further east in Connecticut, an old Lace Factory that had been converted into an event space. It was right along the river so it had a very relaxed vibe and had the interior charm of some of the loft spaces you might find in NYC.

We got right down to planning and soon realized that because of our busy work schedules and the distance, tracking down and meeting with the perfect vendors wasn’t going to be something we could do on our own. Thankfully, I discovered our amazing wedding planner, Sarah from A Polished Plan, and we literally couldn’t have accomplished anything without her! Because we were working on a budget, we weren’t able to contract Sarah for the whole process, but arranged a planning partnership so we could work together to recommend and book vendors and to reach out for “panicked help” throughout the year. She was able to suggest amazing vendors who were happy to work with our DIY approach and the final outcome was beyond words.

We wanted to have a “fall” themed wedding without doing the typical orange and red color palette so we chose muted versions of dusty teals and soft pinks with champagne, gold and a pop of coral for fun. I am a self-professed Glitter Addict, so once we settled on the colors I literally turned our apartment into a glitter factory. To save some money, both of our families started collecting different size tin cans and mason jars that we spray painted gold and glittered to use for the flowers and candles on the tables. Even our florist got in on the fun and glittered some of her own jars and containers! Our wedding was the weekend before Halloween, so I ordered 100 mini white pumpkins to use as decorations, some of which we painted gold or glittered to tie the whole theme together. One of my favorite discount finds for the wedding were the vintage LOVE marquee letters that I found at the Brimfield Fair last summer, spray painted gold and filled with string lights. We really wanted to give out favors but were afraid to overspend, so we decided to make caramel apples and use them as escort cards, as well. I went to a local farm and picked up five bushels of apples for a bargain and we had both of our families come to our apartment and turned it into a caramel apple factory! They were all so helpful with all of the finishing touches; we couldn’t have done it without them.

We wanted to have as many personal touches as possible to remind us of our loved ones. I used the lace from the bottom of my mother’s wedding dress to wrap around my bouquet and pinned it into place with a pin borrowed from my aunt that was my grandmother’s. We hung pictures of close family, childhood and college friends, and our favorites of us together along the long entry wall at the venue. For the bathrooms, I blew up embarrassing grade school photos of Ben and me to hang on the entry doors. I also found the business card that Ben gave me that night we met and framed it in lace and placed it on the guestbook table, proof that his pick up line was a real thing! Instead of the traditional guest book we opted for a Jenga set and wedding mad-libs, whenever we need a good laugh we go thru them – we truly have some of the funniest people in our lives.

For our ceremony we were married under my grandparent’s chuppah that was used for their 50th wedding anniversary. My grandmother passed when I was 12, so it was very meaningful for me to know that a little piece of her was there with us. My childhood Cantor and close family friend was our officiant, he talked us into writing our own vows which we are so grateful we decided to do! We were able to laugh and really enjoy the moment, which meant the world to us.

My greatest piece of advice to future brides is to trust your gut. For almost every vendor that we booked, we had one that fell through first because of availability or just following our gut that they weren’t the right fit for us. What we ended up with was a group of absolutely fabulous vendors that helped make our day so beautiful and carefree we were able to focus on what was important – a celebration of our love with our closest family and friends.

Photography: The Melideos | Floral Design: Stems Flower Design | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza Legends | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew | DJ: Play Something Good | Groom's Suit: Brooks Brothers | Transportation: Jolly Red Trolley | Catering & Wedding Cake: Cloud Nine Catering | Ceremony & Reception: The Lace Factory | Event Planner & Designer: A Polished Plan | Groom's Shoes: Vans | Hair & Make-Up: Simply Gorgeous By Erin | Tie & Tie Clip: J.Crew

This garden soiree from K and K Photography is romantic right down to it’s very core. The Bride’s story says it all. A long distance love affair, a handwritten poem proposal and touches of Shakespeare led to a gorgeous day filled with pure love. Get your swoon on in the gallery.

From the beautiful Bride… I am about to graduate my residency in Pediatrics at the University of Florida and move to St. Louis for a fellowship in Pediatric Allergy. My (now) husband lives in St. Louis where he is a high school science teacher. We first met eight years ago in Belize during a medical trip but did not start dating until much later. Because of our mutual love of poetry and the fact that we have been long distance all this time, writing each other poems is how we grew to be good friends and eventually start dating. Tim proposed to me with a poem that he had written (which I should have seen coming, but it was a total surprise!). Because of our passion for poetry/books/reading, we decided to incorporate this into our wedding by having our friends read some of our favorite passages from novels and poems at the ceremony. Also, chess is a significant part of Tim’s life (he has a king piece tattooed on his arm!) so we decided to also include some touches of chess here and there. We included images of the king/queen on our invitation, Tim’s boutonniere had the king chess piece while my bouquet had the queen chess piece, all the groomsmen’s boutonnieres had the knight, our favors were a chocolate king piece and a white chocolate queen piece with a tag reading “you move me”. We did a lot of DIY projects because my mom and I enjoy them so much. She cut out a book in which our rings were displayed and she made the cut out of the man and woman holding hands to represent us (him an english book, me a persian book). I made the table numbers by printing on pages of Romeo and Juliet from an old Shakespeare book. All in all, we simply wanted a romantic and poetic feel to the wedding in a way that represented our love and passions.

Photography: K and K Photography, LLC | Videography: Voila Cinematic | Florist: Dana Dineen Floral Design | Wedding Gown: The White Closet (Cindy And Sarah) | Cake: The Aspen Institute At Wye River | Ceremony Venue: The Aspen Institute At Wye River | Reception Venue: The Aspen Institute At Wye River | Make Up: Femme Akoi | DJ: DJ LV Productions | Ceremony Drapery And Chandeliers: My Event Design

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you high school sweeties tie the knot, look no further than this summertime affair set in Seattle’s Golden Gardens. Each and every decor detail was handcrafted by the bride, and Ravenna Bloom put together peony-filled bouquets that’ll leave you stunned. The gallery from Blue Rose Photography is prettiness defined and you’re just a click away.

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From Blue Rose Photography… Jackie & Matt have known each other since middle school. In high school they noticed each other after a glimpse across the high school football field. Matt being a true romantic came up the sweetest way to ask her to go steady with him. He arranged a locker scavenger hunt where the final locker held a tape recording of her favorite classical piece and him speaking over it, complete with a rose and chocolates. Two days later they went on their first date.

Matt planned his surprise proposal by taking Jackie to Victoria B.C. for her 25th birthday. He waited all day until the perfect moment standing in Buchart Gardens during the Holiday light festival. When she turned around he was on one knee. They now live in La Jolla California where they are both graduate students as well as talented wedding photographers !

Jackie walked down the aisle to Puget Sound Strings (String Quartet) Edelweiss”- Sound of Music. The wind was blowing her chiffon gown and hair and everyone was crying and smiling at the same time.

She created all of the decor and details for her rustic lavender wedding including a dream catcher table where guests could tie a feather to a gorgeous white dream catcher for the couple to keep. The sign near the dream catcher read “Help us catch our dreams”. Each table also had a mad libs card on the place setting asking guests to fill in the blanks about the couple. Jackie even tied in her rustic theme with her hair wearing a half crown of greenery and lavender. The bridesmaids wore Lavender dressed by Donna Morgan in varying shades. Jackie made all of the signage for her wedding by hand, she spent hours on the calligraphy and it turned out great ! Their wedding planner Simply By Tamara Nicole executed Jackie’s vision and did an amazing job setting up all of the details they made.

Their desert table was out of this world gorgeous. They had salted carmel cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes and a small cake adorned with Lavender and greenery made by Seattle’s own Trophy Cupcakes.

At the end of the night after dancing and singing to their favorite Journey song “Don’t Stop Believing” they were sent off with sparklers. They are now enjoying a honeymoon/road trip down the Pacific Coast highway back to California.

Photography: Blue Rose Photography | Coordination: Simply By Tamara Nicole | Floral Design: Ravenna Bloom | Wedding Dress: Mori Lee | Cake: Trophy Cupcakes | Ceremony Venue: Discovery Park | Reception Venue: Discovery Park | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Donna Morgan | Catering: Pyramid Catering | Hair & Makeup: Yessie Libby | Lighting: Greenlight Event Design | DJ: Integral DJs | Rentals: Vintage Ambiance | String Trio: Puget Sound Strings

One of my very best friends moved to the South of France for a year when we were just 19 years old. At the time, I wasn’t much of a traveller and never did make it over to visit. It is, to date, one of my biggest life regrets. Made even more so when I stumbled upon Gert Huygaerts mini guide to Provence. If you need me, I’ll either be packing my bags, or poring through the gallery over and over.

From Gert… Last year I had the chance to be part of the wonderful Feather & Stone Photography Field Trip film photography workshop in the French Provence, one of the most lovely places in Europe!

I already read and heard a lot about the Provence, but I had never been there before. The fact that I had never been there before, was for me the reason to book a few more days at the hotel, apart from the workshop, just to get to see some of the beauty of this region. And I can assure you, I did not regret this one single moment! At the end of September, temperature still being at a very nice 25-30 degrees, it was the perfect place to get some peace of mind and see some nice things “à l’aise”.

I was staying the first days of my trip in a very cosy family-hotel called La Ripaille in the small town of Fontvieille. It was a very nice, clean and cosy hotel in the typical Provence style, with one big advantage for me… it was in the centre of the Provence, so everything I would love to see was at a small distance. For example the lovely town of Saint-Rémy de Provence was at a less than 30 minutes drive. This lovely, authentic French town showed all the beauty of its ancient history, narrow streets, lovely town squares in the shade… all you need to wander around for a couple of hours!

Something completely different and ideal to clear your mind and come to rest was the area of Le Camargue, an enormous nature resort with huge lakes, lots of birds… even pink flamingos!… and wild horses… this all with almost no-one around, just because the area is so wide-spread. It was a longer drive from where I was staying, but …also because of the nice weather… this was one of the places where I took time to sit down and relax… listen to the wind, the water …and the silence… love it!

After having my batteries charged in Le Camargue, I went to see one of the bigger cities in the Provence, Avignon. It is also a very ancient city, with a lot of different faces: the historical part, the shopping area, the industrial area, etc… It has a lot to offer, but some parts of it were also a bit confronting to… poverty was very well visible here and there… nevertheless, I think you should visit Avignon when in the Provence, as it has a lot to offer.

Something that made Marseille world-famous: soap! I couldn’t believe that this was so important for this region, but every tourist shop, grocery store, supermarket, even at the airport… they sell the Savon de Marseille. As I didn’t want to see just a shop selling this magical item, I went out to see how this soap was manufactured in the old-fashionned way! Therefor I went to see the ancient “soap factory” of Rampal Latour in Salon de Provence. Really something one should do when around… you get to know a lot about the region, the products and the history of this product.

From the 4th day, I spent almost all of my time at one of the most lovely hotels in this region: Le Hameau des Baux The Feather & Stone workshop was held in this 4 star hotel and i was worth every cent! Lovely accommodation, delicious foods, a primacies to dream dream of… really a dream come true.

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After 3 days of workshop, I promised myself one thing: I will come back to Le Provence!

Photography: Gert Huygaerts Photography | Hotel: Le Hameau Des Baux | Hotel: La Ripaille | Factory: Rampal Latour

Whether it’s an excerpt by Shakespeare, or a line from The Notebook, we all have our favorite quotes about love. They’re the words we hold dear to our hearts, so why not weave them in on your wedding day? We’ve rounded up ten clever ways to share a sentiment that’s special, and I’ve got a little feeling you’ll want to pin every last one.

Love Quotes for Your Wedding

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Love Quotes for Your Wedding

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You know the saying: When life deals you lemons, use them for an adorable decorative accents. (That’s my version, at least.)  And the styling power-team of Angie Silvy Photography, and Myee Events, agree. Add in blooms from Lucia Kos against the backdrop of the Fernhill Estate, and you have yourself a whole lot of pretty. Make sure to check out the whole gallery of swoon-worthy summertime inspiration.

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Photography: Angie Silvy Photography | Event Design: Angie Silvy Photography | Event Planning: Margo Keegan | Event Planning: Margo Keegan | Floral Design: Lucia Kos | Cupcakes: Cupcake House | Reception Venue: Fernhill | Makeup: Admire Skin Laser Clinic | Hair: Church Of Evangelical Faith | Flatware And Linens: Peponi | Glassware: The Bank Bazaar | Main Table Settting: Peponi | Model: Lizzie Hanckel | Props: DeCoco Home | Styling Assistnat: Angie Silvy Photography | Wedding Gowns: The Wedding Centre

Move over Ladies of London, there’s a fab new Brit in town and she comes in the form of a stunning summer wedding captured by Caught The Light. This affair may be indoors but it’s wholeheartedly summer thanks to florals in every shade of sunshine by Hayford & Rhodes and simple details that scream chic. See even more of this light, bright beauty right here.

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From The Bride…Hywel and I met two weeks after I arrived in London, five years ago. I’d just moved over from New York (ostensibly for a year…!) and happened to move into a flat with one of his best friends from university. One day I walked into the living room, saw this gorgeous Brit sitting there, and that was basically it. I was a goner. It took us a couple of months to make it official, but ever since then we’ve been happily living out our little London love story. I work as an account director for a branding & design agency, while Hywel oversees brand partnerships for the men’s health charity, Movember. We got engaged on a Saturday morning, lying in bed:

Me: “What shall we do today?”

Hywel: “Shall we get engaged?”

I’ve never been interested in a big, traditional proposal, so for us it was just right. After crying, laughing, family phone calls and a couple of Bloody Mary’s, we went into town to buy me a wedding ring! That night, we had friends over for a big Italian feast, shared our good news, and basked in the excitement. We got engaged in November, and knew right away we wanted to try to fit in a wedding within the next seven or eight months. Then the panic set in! Thankfully, we found One Marylebone fairly quickly, and once that was booked, everything else fell into place. We were able to give my American friends & family six months’ notice in order to book flights across the pond.

Our wedding planning was definitely a partnership – I was very lucky that my groom has event planning skills and industry contacts in spades! We share a similar aesthetic and are both pretty decisive, so we were able to keep the process moving along pretty quickly. The day itself was just absolutely amazing. It felt like ‘us’, which is exactly what we wanted. I walked down the aisle to The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” on the piano – just hearing the opening bars to the music now make me start to tear up! My grandfather, who is a federal judge in New York, delivered a sort of secular sermon with an incredible presence that moved everyone. Our friend Libby, who introduced us, read “I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)” by E.E. Cummings. Hywel and I also wrote our own vows, which is much less of a thing here in the UK. It was wonderful to commit to each other in a way that was personal to us. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Another friend, Miranda Heldt, a professional singer, performed the soulful “All over again” by Sharon Jones during the register signing. And then finally, we walked back down the aisle to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder, which was such a fun, unexpected thing for our guests to hear after a heartfelt ceremony. It definitely changed the tone – it was time to party! I worked with the lovely Charlotte at Hayford & Rhodes on our flowers. For our ceremony, we chose beautiful silver birch trees for the front of the room. They added drama and a simple, natural feel to the space.

Seasoned Events worked with us to create our menu. Hywel and I love to host dinner parties, and we wanted our wedding to feel like the best one yet. We chose to have antipasti sharing platters to start, which really got people chatting and interacting with each other and the food. We served a delicious chicken breast with summer pea risotto cake and pea puree for the main, followed by truly decadent chocolate fondant. We worked with family friend and wine merchant, Simon Taylor, to choose a subtle Champagne, bright Sauvignon Blanc and yummy Pinot Noir to serve throughout the day. Our beer choice was just as personal: Camden Town Brewery is situated just down the road from our flat, and I’m a Boston girl by birth, so it only made sense to have Sam Adams for both our Yankee & British guests. We placed little cork-topped bottles of Welsh whisky at every guest’s place as name cards. Hywel’s entire family hails from the same area as that particular whisky distillery, and our relationship was definitely cemented over a shared love of neat whisky.

We hired huge light letters (H&L) to transform the space for the evening dancing. It really added fun to a space that is usually so elegant and refined. Plus they look awesome in pictures! Our phenomenal DJ had the dance floor packed from start to finish, and the whole thing just had such a fun & joyful feel to it. Some of our wonderful friends got us a guestbook & Polaroid camera to help us capture moments throughout the day. There are some pretty epic shots and very sweet notes in there.

My advice to every bride is simply to soak it all in. Everyone says it’s important to take a moment, just the two of you, to step away and just look at what’s happening all around you. Hywel and I were able to do that a few times throughout the night, and it was pretty incredible. I also made myself stay very present during the ceremony. It sounds like an obviously or silly thing, but someone once gave me that advice and I found it invaluable. Also, I found wedding morning yoga a really special and calming way to start the day! Oh, and pay as much as you can for a great photographer. It is the best investment you can make! After all, what are you left with after the fact, other than your photos?!

Photography: Caught The Light | Florist: Hayford and Rhodes | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Shoes: LK Bennett | DJ: Wedding Smashers Limited | Groom's Suit: Canali | Caterers: Seasoned Events | Ceremony & Reception: One Marylebone | Earrings: Tiffany & Co. | Groom's Cufflinks: Tiffany & Co. | Groom's Shirt: Thomas Pink | Groom's Shoes: Stemar | Hair & Make Up: Roseanna Velin | Professional Singer: Miranda Heldt | Wine Merchant: Simon Taylor

Nothing takes you to the moon and back quite like wedding cinematography, especially when it’s the talented team at Loudbyte Cinematography delivering the goods.  Picture a traditional meets romantic affair that has you completely captivated, from the very first moments with the beautiful bride to the sweet (+ funny toasts) from the awesome family and friends.  Press play and ENJOY.

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From Loudbyte Cinematography… Abby and Andy’s day began at Chicago’s Intercontinental Hotel. What a gorgeous lobby! The couple wrote each other amazing love letters that were captured in the film.

From the hotel, we travelled downtown for the first look. Andy was just blown away when he saw his bride for the first time!

They got married at the historical Chicago Cultural Center which houses the largest Tiffany dome in the world.

What a beautiful reception.

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Totally in love with this darling duo?  Here’s a little something extra special… a perfectly captured film all about these two sweeties and their love story.  Thank you, Loudbyte Cinematography.  Thank you.

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From Loudbyte Cinematography… We had the pleasure of creating a love story for Abby and Andy. They fell in love in high school and have been together every since. Their love for animals, the Chicago Cubs and each other is infectious!

A beautiful story!

Cinematography: Loudbyte | Florist: Anthony Gowder Designs | Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: Cake Chicago | Invitations: Pink {Paper + Ink} | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Hair & Makeup: Sonia Roselli | DJ: Spinnin Discs | String Quartet: Innocenti Strings | Ceremony + Reception: Chicago Cultural Center | Earrings/Bracelet/Hair Brooch/Purse: The Left Bank Bridal Finery | Groom's Cufflinks: Tiffany & Co. | Groom's Watch: Bulova | Hotel-Bridal Prep: Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile | Ice Sculpture: Johnson Studios | Jeweler: James & Sons | Photobooth: Essence Photo & Video | Treats: Garrett's Popcorn

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!

Photography: Taylor Lord Photography | Videography: Sculpting With Time Productions | Event Design: Todd Events | Floral Design: Todd Events | Wedding Dress: Inbal Dror | Cake: Susie's Cakes & Confections | Invitations: Papellerie | Ceremony: Hotel ZaZa | Reception Venue: Hotel ZaZa | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Planning And Coordination: Belle Events

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One of the very best parts about working at SMP is getting to surround myself with likeminded folks. Co-workers, vendors, the best of the best of the industry who are as obsessed with pretty as I am. Folks like Paisley & Jade, a brand new eclectic rental studio who have just opened their doors and are letting us in to take a pretty peek! With photos from Jessica Maida, there’s oh so much more right here.

From Jessica… Paisley and Jade, an exclusive eclectic and vintage rental company founded and owned by Morgan Montgomery and Perkins Morgan opened their brand new showroom in the fast growing Scott’s Addition of Richmond, Virginia this spring.

They share this new found space with Floral Designer Alexis Bishop of The Green Flamingo and Wedding Planner Kate Franzen of Lovebirds Events and together enjoy the makings and overflow of gorgeous peonies, hydrangea, Victorian love seats and the ever wedding staple of farm tables and rustic church pews.

Exposed white brick, piping and vintage tin tile ceilings give this eclectic business the proper setting with mock showroom area groupings changing weekly and per bridal consultation to best give their couples the perfect wedding day visionary.

An example of one such package they scoured for and created is the Sofia, “a soft & romantic look, perfect for a spring vineyard wedding, a shower welcoming a new baby girl, or a feminine bridal event.”

While based in Richmond, this duo often scours the east coast for unique embellishments for the stylish bride from small wares to large wares, tables to vintage tin signs, painted antlers and chair walls to everything in between.

This powerhouse of furniture and accent pieces will capture any bride’s personal style and theme at what they have dubbed themselves “Highpoint & Moore” (the intersecting streets of this new showroom space).

Paisley & Jade are collectors but also carpenters and stylists at heart. With their custom bar trough tables and church pews they are pros at their styling behind a wedding day as well. Finally complete any piece or set with sweet smelling Gardenias or whimsy ranunculus centerpiece from workspace partner Bishop and you have a studio right out of Pinterest heaven!

Photography: Jessica Maida | Event Planner: Lovebirds Events | Florals: The Green Flamingo | Catering: A Sharper Palate Catering & Events | Rentals: Paisley & Jade | Showroom: Paisley & Jade

We’re all abuzz here at SMP over the Something Old, Something New, Something Blue Nile Pinterest Contest hosted by Blue Nile! Known for their incredible selection of over 125,000 independently certified diamonds at prices 20-40% below traditional jewelry retail, Blue Nile makes shopping for high quality diamonds and fine jewelry fun and stress-free. And get ready for this, dears, they’re giving away a $1000 gift card! See below for all the details. 

Blue Nile  boasts an easy-to-use site that is overflowing with stunning pieces such as wedding bands, necklaces and earrings! Focusing on product education and custom service, Blue Nile goes above and beyond to make sure you’re fully informed + confident before making any purchase. Ready to start shopping? Be sure to enter the Pinterest contest first, because they’re giving away a $1000 gift card!

The Prize: A lucky winner will receive a $1000 gift card from Blue Nile!

To Enter: 1) Head over here, fill out the form + submit between July 29, 2014  and August 29, 2014 2) Follow Blue Nile on Pinterest. 3) Pin with inspiration from the “Something Old, Something New, Something Blue Nile” board curated with Style Me Pretty.

To Win: One winner will be selected at random and announced on September 5, 2014.

Terms & Conditions: Can all be found right here.  Good luck my dears! xoxo

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I’m going to preface this post by saying Connie and Tyler’s first dance video from 31 Films is pretty much the COOLEST. THING. EVER. As a grand finale to their chic Dallas wedding, these two and their crew of talented friends planned a choreographed surprise that’ll put a smile on your face, guaranteed. Ready to see for yourself? Things are about to get really good.

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As if that weren’t enough, 31 Films shared the AMAZING proposal moment that started it all. Grab a tissue and enjoy!

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From 31 Films… So this is a special one for me, since Tyler is a very close cousin of mine. He’s younger than I am, but our families have always been close, and I’ve watched him and his 5 siblings grow up to become some pretty amazing people. Every one of them has a heart of gold, so when Tyler texted me that he was engaged – I was so excited and didn’t hesitate to tell him that I would do it, no question.

Engagement shoots are kind of my jam lately. Maybe it’s because I’m prepping for my own in August, or just because they’re always so darn cute. Enter, Shannon (of Shannon Gail Weddings And Events!) and her sweetie, Steve. Their chic day of Chicago love shot by Cristina G Photography has my smile stretched wide as can be. Craving more of this city romance? Find it right here.

From Shannon Gail Weddings And Events… Of all of our submissions during our time in the LBB, this has to be my the one I am most emotionally tied to because…It’s mine! I worked with the absolute best photographer in the city (in my opinion), Cristina G Photography, to create my vision of a very editorial/”Sex in the City” styled engagement shoot where it was almost as if she was joining us on a typical date night in our city. I wanted to do something a little edgy, a little sexy, and different than what I had seen.

Here is Cristina’s description of the shoot, From Cristina G Photography… There is nothing more exciting than photographing a wedding planner’s wedding. At least for me! Shannon of Shannon Gail Weddings & Events is a very well known Chicago planner who I absolutely love working with and have known for quite a while. When she told me she wanted Cristina G Photography to capture her amazing holiday season wedding, I was stoked! Fast forward to our stroll around the city for the most romantic and fun engagement session you will ever see!

Quite appropriately for how buff these two love birds are, Shannon and Steve met at the gym in Chicago. For Steve it was probably love at first sight because he did not quit his pursuit when Shannon refused his first date invitation. He asked until she finally said yes to a first date in St. Louis for a Cardinal/Cubs game (Steve grew up outside of St. Louis, and Shannon in Chicago!) The Cubs won and so did Steve… he won Shannon’s heart forever. Their holiday season wedding will be a swanky cocktail soiree at The Wit’s rooftop bar, one that I CANNOT wait to photograph!

Photography: Cristina G Photography | Styling: Shannon Gail Weddings and Events | Wedding Gown: Ryan Seacrest Distinction | Shoes: Zara | Hotel: Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile | Wine Bar: Eno

As an interior designer, one of my favourite rooms in the entire world to do is the nursery. Parents are so excited about the project. And the fact that it’s only going to be in use for a handful of years means you can be a little out there when it comes to the decor! We’ve already covered modern nurseries, traditional nurseries, and now we’re diving deep into all things whimsical. Stay tuned, because it’s about to get REAL cute up in here!

20 Whimsical Nurseries

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20 Whimsical Nurseries

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As far as homecoming weddings go, this might take the cake (or pie). This couple returned home to Oregon for a stunning ceremony at the base of Mt. Hood, and with the help of planner Betheny Roberts, blooms from Lucy’s Informal Flowers and plenty of sunshine, every detail absolutely glowed. There’s a full gallery of loveliness from Hannah D Photography. And don’t miss the video from Larvick Media at the end!

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Photography: Hannah D Photography | Flowers: Lucy's Informal Flowers | Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander | Invitations: Faye And Co. | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew | Hair And Make Up: Powder Inc. | Grooms Attire: J.Crew | Ceremony And Reception: Mt Hood Bed & Breakfast | Day Of Wedding Planner: Mt Hood Bed & Breakfast | Pizza: Solstice Woodfire Cafe | Video: Larvick Media