Around these parts, nothing says “Happy Friday” like a Living spotlight. Don’t get us wrong, we love, LOVE the wedding world, but the happenings over on our home-driven sister site get us all sorts of giddy. And this week hits home in more ways than one. From Abby’s daughter’s darling birthday to my little ol’ abode, we’re giving you an up close and personal look at life behind the blog.

I ask you, could anything be cuter than this American Doll-themed birthday bash? I think not. Planned to perfection by our very own Abby, little Audrey rang in her fifth birthday in pretty pink style. (Pssssst! Get all the party DIYs here, here, here AND here.

This week was a little extra special for me. Because you see this Boston apartment tour? Well, that’s my humble little home. And thanks to the girls at Living, we were able to give my pad the pretty little facelift it oh so deserved.

Truth be told, I might have saved the best for last. Because really, there’s no better way to start that weekend than one killer cocktail. And thanks to this elderflower recipe from Monica Wang, we’re gosh darn certain this weekend will be a good one!

Let’s face it: the week after a holiday weekend is always a little crazy.  The kind of crazy that comes from trying to frantically pack five days worth of work and activities into into ninety-six awesome hours, rather than one hundred and twenty.  It can be madness.  But when a sweet dose of inspiration like this adorable 1930’s tea party shoot from Catie Coyle comes your way, you can’t help but stop and soak it all in.  Because with lush florals from Sweetness & Light Floral Design and the fab stylings of Events by Satra, this is the kind of shoot that begs you to sit back and relish all of the pretty.  Take a breather right here.

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From Catie Coyle Photography… I worked with a small group of female business owners who put their heart and soul into making this styled shoot a success! We wanted to go with a 1930’s theme and Alana’s Cafe in Redwood City was the perfect venue. It holds a special place in my heart because it is actually where I got married in October 2010! It’s an old Victorian home from the 1800’s that has been converted into a restaurant and is surrounded by beautiful Victorian gardens. The tea sets, vases and napkins used in the shoot came from Satra’s mother, my grandmother and various thrift stores in the San Francisco Bay Area. The French settee, as well as the table and chairs, were kindly donated by Mignonne Decor in Berkeley.

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Photography: Catie Coyle Photography | Floral Design: Wendi Goad, Sweetness & Light Floral Design | Event Planning: Satra Zarghami, Events by Satra | Reception Location: Alana’s Cafe | Invitations: Valerie Scagliola, Le Petit Papetier | Desserts: Alison Okabayashi, Pretty Please Bakeshop | Hair + Make-Up: Cari Olocco, ASK Artistic Destination Inc | Furniture Rental: Mignonne Decor | Shoes: Steve Madden | Dress: Jill Stuart | Head piece: Nina | Groom’s Suspenders: H&M | Bow Tie: Macy’s

I’ll tell you one thing, this lovely Bride knows how to accessorize. She is simply dripping in style, and that eye for all things pretty trickled beautifully into every aspect of her big day. But it’s the smile she wears when she is with her dashing Groom that is her greatest accessory of all, and every smile-worthy moment captured by SugarLove Weddings is tucked away right here.

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From SugarLove Weddings…Rachel and Nicholas were married at a cliff top beachside ceremony in Cronulla and held their reception at nearby the Summer Salt Restaurant. Rachel wore a stunning grecian style Carla Zampatti gown & her bridesmaid was dressed by French Connection. The grooms suit was by Victor & Co. In the sweetest of stories Rachel & Nick described their first meeting 3 years earlier as love at first sight. Nick proposed beside a waterfall during a rainforest walk in Port Douglas.

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Photography: SugarLove Weddings | Cinematography: White Designs | Jewelery: David Brown Jewelery | Cake: Yummy Cupcakes & Cakes | Mens Suits: Victor & Co | Bomboniere: Kelly Beans | Bridesmaids: French Connection | Wedding Dress: Carla Zampatti

I’m one of those sappy romantics that believes in fate, true love and all things meant-to-be.  One of those ladies who can’t seem to ever get enough of a romantic story (here’s to you, Jane Austen) or a fabulous, love-filled wedding.  And when I meet two cuties as sweet as this adorable duo captured by Ashley Biess Photography, my day jumps from amazing to outrageously happy.  Because these are the type of sweethearts that have a story that is beyond movie-worthy (hint: they met in pre-school) and a wedding that is chock-full of pretty.  See it all in the full gallery.

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From Ashley Biess Photography… About 20 years ago, Emily, JT and the rest of their pre-school class gathered around the playground for a class photo. Everyone smiled for the camera and then resumed back to their games and play time. It was Emily and JT’s first photo together; and while they didn’t know it at the time, it would certainly not be their last. These two little pre-schoolers would meet again later in life, and someday become best friends and husband and wife.

Emily and JT’s wedding, in one word, was perfect. It was the most beautiful Spring day at the Morton Arboretum, where guests gathered in the Hedge Garden to watch the couple’s knot tying ceremony. The vibrant yellow flowers and handcrafted decor made the sunny day shine even brighter. JT’s heartfelt vows to his bride had everyone in tears. Guests applauded and cheered as JT and Emily shared their first married kiss.

At their reception, beauty was everywhere to be found! Everything from the flowers to the handmade decorations to the room itself at the Morton Arboretum were perfect for their summery wedding. The room looked effortlessly gorgeous and fit perfectly with their personalities, style, and story. Emily’s pinwheels were found as both decor and escort cards, leading guests to their tables. Friends and family wrote well wishes to the couple on Jenga pieces, so that Emily and JT can reread the happy notes every time they play. My favorite detail was JT’s home brewed beer and root beer, appropriately titled Something Brewed, that he made special for all of their guests. It was a big hit!

From the Bride… One of my favorite memories of the day was hearing my husband’s vows to me and all the emotion that he had behind them. His words were filled with love and affection. For him to confess his love in the most raw form, in front of our family and friends, was absolutely amazing. Another moment that I won’t forget is sitting with my husband at our table watching all of our guests dancing and enjoying themselves on the dance floor. It whas at that point that I realized how after 18 months of planning for our wedding, it turned out to be even better than I had envisioned.

Photography: Artistrie Co. | Cinematography: Blink of an Eye Productions | Coordinator: Ryan Alexander Events | Floral Design: Forget Me Knodt | Wedding Dress: Blue by Enzoani | Cake: The Cakery | Calligraphy: Calligraphy by Cristine | DJ: Sounds Abound | Venue: Morton Arboretum | Accommodations: Lisle Hyatt | Bridal Boutique: Dimitra's Bridal Couture | Bride's Robe: Victoria's Secret | Bridesmaids' Robes: Just Cottons | Paper + Invitations: Anna Malie Design | Photobooth: Concept One | Strings: Innocenti Strings

When I first came across this beauty from Mat Simpson Photography Co. I was head over heels for all the pretty touches. The soft pink palette, the vintage details and the sweet romantic feel – it was love at first sight. But then I read this couple’s love story, and I fell in love with this wedding all over again. It’s sweetness in every sense of the word, and it’s all sitting pretty right here.

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From the Bride…Byron and I sort of grew up together. We are both from small towns in southern Manitoba. I grew up on a farm just outside of Morden, MB and Byron grew up in the town of Winkler, MB. Winkler and Morden are 10km apart so needless to say we were from two little hometowns where everybody knew everybody. Growing up I went to Winkler for grade school and so did Byron but attended different elementary schools. Byron and I really got to know each other when we started attending junior youth in grade 7. We went on various “youth trips” as we would call it, to camps and cabins out in the beautiful backcountries of Manitoba. We would always end up hanging out on these trips with our two groups of friends and getting to know each other better. When high school came around Byron and I attended the same school, Garden Valley Collegiate. We were both in band class and various other science, math, computer and gym classes together. Our friendship grew stronger and stronger as our two groups of friends became closer and closer. Byron and I were both very athletic and participated in many of our schools varsity sports teams. I was the volleyball player and Byron was the hockey player. We had a lot in common and our friendship grew stronger over the high school years. It all really started in our grade 11 math class with Mr. Dyck AKA Master D as we called him. Almost every week I would go to Byron’s house after school and we would work on our math homework. This math scene got sweeter and sweeter and Byron and I soon began dating.  As grade 12 came around Byron left Winkler to pursue his dream of playing hockey. He moved to Everett Washington and played for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL. I wasn’t sure of the whole long distance thing so our dating relationship was on hold for the first half of our grade 12 year.  There was always something missing for me though. I missed Byron and realized I didn’t want our relationship to end just because of long distance. So when Byron’s team came to play in Brandon, MB I went to watch him. I saw him after his game and realized that I wanted to have that relationship back. We started texting, calling and skyping more and more after this and by Christmas time in 2008 we were “dating” again.

We did long distance for 5 years after that. Byron got drafted to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2009 the year we graduated high school and I was so proud of him. I moved to Calgary Alberta to attend University in the fall of 2009 and Byron went back to play hockey in Everett, WA. It was hard at first but we developed more love and trust for each other as time went on. Every time we would see each other it felt as though we were never apart, it was comfortable and just felt right. Time went on and Byron got traded to the Red Deer Rebels so I got to see him more often as it was much closer to Calgary. Eventually Byron signed a contract with the Blackhawks and began his professional hockey career in 2011, he was pursuing his dream and I wanted to be there for him. I was pursuing my bachelor of nursing degree and had one year left. In the fall of 2012 before Byron left for Illinois he proposed to me while we were out on a hike at little elbow falls. We were both so happy and in love that it just felt like the right time. If we could do long distance for 5 years and have this much love for each other then why not get married?? I graduated University in the spring of 2013 with my nursing degree. Byron and I got married on June 28th, 2013 and bought a house at this time too.  We couldn’t be happier. We have so much love for each other; we support each other and are each other’s best friends. I will never forget our wedding day and all the love and support we had from all of our family and friends. We are so grateful and blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.

All of our flowers we ordered bulk with an assortment of roses, carnations, gypsophilas, and daisies (mini and normal). Our table runners, which were also burlap, were hand cut by us from a 12 m. bolt of burlap. All of the jars that were decorated were made out of burlap, lace, and ribbon! We hot glued everything onto the jars. This took a lot of time! Our alter was made from two old wooden ladders and pieces of sticks that were tied with burlap string. Buckets were placed on the ladder. Our log centre pieces and cupcake stand were hand cut from dead trees from my bridesmaid’s yard in Manitoba. Our little “mr mrs” and “b ❤ t” signs that were on our head table and signing table were all hand cut by us from burlap and glued onto cardboard and tied together with string. Our fireplace we borrowed as a prop from Ctv news. We know a camera man that works for them. All of the old lace on the tables was from my great grandmas old table cloths that were collected over the years. The wooden signs that were at the candy bar that said “love is sweet” were made by a friend back home out of a piece of plywood and old barn siding. The card box was an old briefcase that I stored my barbies in when I was a child. The wooden signs that were outside that said “Froese wedding” were hand made by a family friend who cut and burned letters into them. The bridesmaid dress was actually hand sewn from scratch by a family friend named Clauda.

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Photography: Mat Simpson Photography Co. | Ceremony + Reception Location: Valley Ridge Golf Course | Invitations: BL Designz | Cupcakes: Carly Montpetite | Hair: Erin Suderman | Wedding Dress: Ethos | Shoes: Spring

Getting lost in the loveliest of destination weddings sounds like one fabulous way to spend this Friday, don’t you think? Well, I plan to do just that – and this stunning Dominican Republic wedding as seen through the lens of Caroline + Ben Photography will be the perfect way to do so. It’s stunning to say the least, and it’s all waiting for you right here.

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Q. What is your favorite photograph from the wedding and why?
A. I loved seeing the pictures of Johnse getting ready. I really missed him the morning of the wedding and it was fun for me to get to see how he spent his day. Johnse loves the “scene setter” picture of us on the beach with the canopy of trees and the ocean in the background. I made glittery signs for the back of the chairs using nicknames.

Q. What inspired your theme or concept? What was your theme or concept?
A. I don’t think we had one theme or concept. I just tried to pull together all the things we love and use patterns and prints that we keep in our home year round- stripes, toile, ginger jars, monograms, etc. I wanted the table to feel coastal but not in an immediately obvious way.

Q. Were there any special additions to your ceremony that made it unique?
A. Both of our wedding bands were made out of gold taken from our respective parents’ wedding bands. We also had a chair with sunflowers for my late father.

Q. What was the best moment of your wedding day?
A. There isn’t one moment that really stands out as the best. The whole week was amazing! We were so blessed to be able to spend an entire week with our immediate families. It really gave everyone the chance to get to know each other better and bond over activities like cliff jumping and zip lining. Johnse loved when my veil got caught on my dad’s chair when we were walking back down the aisle. It was like he was trying to say Hi!

Q. What is your biggest piece of advice for brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
A. Try to stay connected with each other and not get lost in the details. We started journals to record all the little things we love and appreciate about each other. It’s not all about the wedding day, it’s about the life you want to build with your bestie.

Q. Did you decide to see each other before the ceremony? If so, why and please explain a little bit about your experience.
A. No. We did write each other letters which was a wonderful way to feel connected.

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Photography: Caroline + Ben Photography | Cermony + Reception Venue + Catering, Cake + Linens: Flore de Cabrera | Event Coordinator: Ruthie Moller for Villa Flor De Cabrera | Floral Design: Barbara Estivez | Cinematography: Adam Grumbo Films | Invitations + Save The Dates: Amy Heitman | Favors: CDs made by bride and groom + welcome bags | Officiant: Marta Cabrera |Wedding Dress: Azalea by Jenny Packham | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Jewelry: Mother of the Bride | Hair: Megan Grady, Jose Luis Salon | Makeup: Ruthie Moller | Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers | Groomsmen: Various

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This is a real wedding.  I just wanted to get that out there from the get-go before you start thinking that this is, in fact, a gloriously executed photo shoot from a dream team of Texas vendors (I’m looking at you, Verbena Floral Design).  Because even though this gem of a day may seem just a tad bit unreal (it is perfect, after all), it’s 100%, without a doubt an authentic set of nuptials captured amazingly by Matthew Johnson Studios.  Dive into all of the pretty right here.

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From Matthew Johnson… Claire & Ryan’s April wedding in the Texas Hill Country was the perfect, and very hard to achieve, mix of classic elegance and a serious party. Planned and coordinated by Kristen White of Frills Consulting, the wedding took place outside of Austin at Camp Lucy. The outdoor lawn ceremony was the perfect setting for Claire to make the long walk down the aisle with her father in her gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress.

The beauty of Camp Lucy’s property looking out over the Hill Country was the draw for the couple to have their destination wedding over five hours away from their home in Midland, Texas. After the classically beautiful ceremony, the reception turned into an amazing party complete with sunglasses and decor that sported the couple’s likeness and an 80’s cover band.

Photography: Matthew Johnson Studios | Floral Design: Verbena Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Oscar De La Renta | Cake: Classic Cakes by Lori | Shoes: Kate Spade | Jewelry: Sam L. Majors Jewelers | Catering: Verde's Mexican Parilla | Wedding Venue: Camp Lucy | Invitations and Programs: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Monogram Design: Pearly Gates Design | Music: The Spazmatics | Planning + Coordination: Frills Consulting

You know what makes me happy?  This sweet duo.  This sweet duo with their contagious smiles, love-filled faces and downright adorability.  They rock… and so does their drop-dead gorgeous wedding, a laid-back meets elegant affair literally brimming with pretty.  I’m talking beautiful blooms from Bella Floral Design, a stunning Codman Estate setting and moment after moment of pure amazing captured by Shane Godfrey Photography.  See them all in the full gallery.

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From Shane Godfrey… One of my most laid-back couples over the years has to have been Heidi & Jimmy. I shot their engagement session a few months before their wedding at their home, close to the Codman Estate in Lincoln, MA. Their first date was in Jimmy’s backyard, where Heidi came over to garden with him and they got ready the morning of their wedding day. They had a small bridal party of three each, all close friends or siblings that were there with them and drove over to the Codman Estate early to get all the photos done. They were extremely in love, always goofing around with each other and were not shy to kiss in front of the camera. We sneaked into the farm next door to get some shots shooting around the cows and actual farm part of the estate. The ceremony was in the back of the Codman Estate mansion where there is one of the most beautiful settings for a ceremony in New England. Heidi came down the aisle on one side, and they came back 20 minutes later on the opposite side, hand in hand, married. We took a few more photos with the family and then headed back to the other side of the property for dinner and dancing.

Photographer: Shane Godfrey Photography | Florist: Bella Floral Design | Caterer: Tastings Caterers | Officiant: Kezia Bacon-Bernstein | Wedding Location: Codman Estate

Oh what I would have given to be on site at this seriously gorgeous shoot. It’s a flower-lovers piece of heaven thanks to all the beautiful blooms provided by the talented Colonial House, and pining over every petal in this gallery one fabulous way to spend your day. The pretty was snapped up by J Leigh Captures, allowing us to enjoy every last second right here in the full gallery.

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From Christy Hulsey… A slow southern Saturday full of frolic, flowers & whimsy-fun? Yes. Yes! Though I struggle for words to fully express the afternoon, FABULOUS does the job pretty well. Striking. Breathe-taking. Simply sapping in southern charm. Dripping, in fact.

Armed with a make-up bag, a bucket of posies, cutting shears to trim greenery and pretty blooms along the way, our camera, mugs of sweet tea and a dream we set out into the woods to make the best of the day. A canopy of pine needles crowned the day. It was sapping full of floral crowns, pine bark and lush smiles.

We crowned ourselves with magnolia, jasmine, butterfly bush, camelias and peonies. We adorned rich flower rings, carried buckets of foraged materials, made bouquets, and took pictures.

Photography: J Leigh Captures | Floral Design: Colonial House of Flowers, Est. 1968 | Hair & Make-up Artistry: Melissa Bunn | Model: Hannah Watkins | Model: Harley Strickland

If SMP were here for one reason and one reason only, that is to inspire. To inspire our readers, you, to build a wedding centered around your love story, and just as beautiful. PenWeddings is a favorite because of that one reason. They always have the most inspiring stories. I especially love how these two decided to exchange traditional vows… but exchange their own, personal vows at their first look. It’s perfect.

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From the cinematographer… Angie and Jake made me cry three times during their wedding day. And I promise you it’s not just because Jake is my nephew. First, at their first look. They chose to do traditional vows during their ceremony, but read personal vows to one another when they saw each other for the first time. Cry baby time #2: Jake’s reaction to Angie coming down the aisle. And then the waterworks hit most people in the room when Jake and Angie presented a rose to Jake’s mother, step-mom, and Angie’s mother who is battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease. But don’t let the tears fool you, their wedding day was filled with love, laughter and smiles.

Photography: J. Design Studios | Cinematography: PenWeddings | Coordination: Weddings by Big Cedar | Cake: Sugar Leaf Bakery and Cafe | Makeup Artist: Melissa Britt | Hair Stylist: W3 Salon | DJ: BSharp Entertainment | Favors: Ozark Mountain Popcorn | Bridal boutique: Gracie's Bridal | Bride's Gown: Casablanca | Florals & Decor: Artistry In Bloom | Venue & Catering: Integrity Hills

Tunisian tea is a new-to-me beverage, but it’s one I think I could happily get on board with. There’s something about the tradition behind a simple tea ceremony that will forever remain sacred to me. And the resulting warm cup of deliciousness is just an added bonus. Beautifully captured by Nancy Neil, I’m confident that this simple beverage is a keeper.

Jacquelyn ClarkTunisian TeaA sweet beverage that will warm you from the inside out

prep time 2 Minute/s

cook time 5 Minute/s

total time 7 Minute/s

Serves 5Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 3 tbsp. honey, sugar or agave nectar
• 1/3 cups loose leaf green tea
• fresh mint
• toasted pine nuts

Instructions

1. In a sauce pan bring the water to a boil, once it starts to boil add the honey.
2. In a hand held strainer rinse the loose leaf green tea under hot water. Add the rinsed green tea to the sweetened water and lower the heat.
3. Let simmer for five minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse a bundle of fresh mint and place it in a tea pot with a spout.
5. Strain in your hot green tea mixture into the teapot with the mint, and pour your tea into small tea cups, gently raising the teapot as you pour to aerate the tea.
6. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a few toasted pine nuts.

Photography: Nancy Neil | Recipe: Ayda Robano

This Bryant Park wedding is the cutest thing ever. End of story. It’s the kind of day us girly girls dream of with those classic New York moments that sort of make me wish I called the Big Apple home. Add in pink peonies a’pleny from Michelle Edgemont and pretty capturing by Divine Light Photography, and my Friday morning has officially been made!

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From Divine Light Photography...Nina and Jordan were married at the Bryant Park Grill overlooking beautiful Bryant Park in New York City. The two had originally scheduled their event to be held at the South Street Sea Port but because of damage from super storm sandy, the seaport canceled many weddings through 2013. A little rain on their wedding day and a change of venue didnt get this lovely bride down. The park was quiet and gorgeous with all the trees soaking up the light summer shower. Florist Michelle Edgemont shinned with er work being the focal point of every detail.

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Photography: Divine Light Photography | Ceremony + Reception Venue: Bryant Park Grill | Floral Design: Michelle Edgemont

There’s a special place in my heart reserved for Brooklyn weddings.  A special place where sweet whimsical details join forces with fabulous settings and bride and grooms who will literally take your breath away.  This Prospect Park Boathouse affair is one of those weddings.  A drop-dead gorgeous soiree boasting colorful blooms, mismatched maids and an entire world of lovely.  See it all captured by Nadya Furnari Photography in the full gallery.

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From Nadya… Lily and Luke were married at the beautiful Prospect Park Boathouse in Brooklyn, New York. They had lovely succulent details and the bride and groom kept their looks simple and ever-so-classic! They were such a fun couple and even though we had a cold, wet wedding day, we made the most of it and Lily and Luke were great and came prepared!

Photography: Nadya Furnari Photography | Wedding Venue: Prospect Park Boathouse

Equal parts lovely and fresh, this pretty little party at the Winterbourne beautifully captured by Julie Paisley warms my heart right up. Maybe it’s the happy color palette, or perhaps it’s the sweet southern style – but I’m pretty sure it’s the love between the new Mr. & Mrs. that is giving me the warm and fuzzies, and you can see why right here.

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Photography: Julie Paisley Photography | Floral Design: Parkers Events | Cake: Kakes by Katie | Men's Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Bridal Boutique: Park Avenue Bridal | Wedding Location: Winterbourne

This next Audrey inspired project is amaze. Like holy cow, can I really do that!? amaze. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can. Oh you definitely can. And while you might want to throw your exacto cutter out the window when you’re done, with a little patience you too can create such total adorableness. We’re even providing the sign templates below!

White foamcore
Exacto knife
Spray adhesive
Little eats/little treats template
8.5×11” paper
Wooden skewers

Download & print out the template. Or create your own sign using your favorite calligraphy font!

Spray the front of the foamcore with a light coat of spray adhesive. Gently press the template onto the foamcore and smooth out any air bubbles.

Place the foamcore on some scrap cardboard or other cutting surface, and cut out all the letters. This will take some time so you may want to pop in a favorite movie while you work! Try to work from the outside in, taking care to protect the thinner pieces from bends or tears. You can repair any accidents with a dab of hot glue.

Insert the pointed end of the skewers in the center of the foamcore, about 2” deep, until the foamcore can stand on its own. Tape the skewers to the back of a table so the signs stand upright.

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PS – The Full Party | Audrey’s 1st Birthday | Audrey’s 3rd Birthday | Audrey’s 4th Birthday

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Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography

In the world of DIY weddings, this number is a shining star. The kind of DIY that looks as if it was painstakingly executed by experts but alas all those beautiful white blooms and city rustic tablescapes come at the hands of the Bride herself. And to say she is crazy talented is a complete understatement. More like, this Bride was born to DIY. Have a look at all the beauty this full wedding has to offer with even more imagery captured by Perpixel Photography right here in the gallery.

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From Perpixel Photography…I just wanted to share this amazing wedding with you. It’s one thing to have your wedding at a cool spot, full of character, like the Carondelet House in Los Angeles. Amazing vintage brick walls, with fabulous details everywhere you go! Also, the farm, banquet tables have so much character in them. However, couple that with a skillful bride and groom who completely invested their time and energy in DIY projects, you get “details” heaven! Nina and John completely personalized, the already beautiful venue, to a wedding that’s both unique and meaningful.

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Photography: Perpixel Photography | Floral Design: DIY | Event Design: Nina, the Bride | Ceremony + Reception Location: Carondelet House | Invitations: David Cho

One of my favorite projects from our Style Me Pretty Weddings book are the paper heart chair garlands. Because, while a bit time consuming, they are so easy and pretty and really make a space feel magical. So when our DIY extraordinaire, Jess, mentioned doing some sort of backdrop for Audrey’s miniature food display, I immediately thought of those very garlands. This time though we used a circle punch in pretty pastels and the result was so ridiculously dreamy.

White thread (2 spools)
Sewing machine
1” circle punch
2” circle punch
Cardstock in various colors
Scissors

Punch out circles from a variety of cardstock colors. Make sure to get both sizes from each color. Aim for a handful of each color before you begin sewing, although you may decide you need to make more.

Sew down the center of each paper circle, one after another, to form a chain. You can pause between circles to pull some extra thread out so there is some space between the circles- this will help make them look like they are floating. Alternate colors and sizes as you go. Stop once you have reached the desired length (we made ours about 9’ long). You can leave extra thread on the beginning & end to fix to the walls. Repeat until you have 15-20 strands.

Hang the strands with tacks or strong tape. Try to alternate the angles of each arc so they aren’t all parallel to each other. We also created depth in our display by hanging some strands in front of others.

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PS – The Full Party | Audrey’s 1st Birthday | Audrey’s 3rd Birthday | Audrey’s 4th Birthday

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Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography

This is quite possibly the simplest, most bang for your buck project we’ve ever done here on SMP. And the girls at Audrey’s party LOVED them. A bamboo skewer, some hula skirts and a bit of green painters tape and voila. A magic wand that actually makes little girls feel like they are fairy princesses. A few of the girls actually begged me to take them home. Little did they know I stuffed a few extra in their back pockets just to get rid of them!

Wooden skewers
Colorful masking tape
Scissors
Hula skirts (we got ours at Iparty)

Lay out a 10” length of masking tape on the table, sticky side up.

Grab a handful of hula skirt, and trim about 6-7” long chunk from the skirt.

Arrange the hula pieces on the tape to form a single layer, leaving about ½ the masking tape open to stick to the skewer.

Wind the tape around the pointed end of the skewer until all the tape is secured. Repeat to make as many wands as you like!

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PS – The Full Party | Audrey’s 1st Birthday | Audrey’s 3rd Birthday | Audrey’s 4th Birthday

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Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography

Of the Jonathan Adler fans in the world, we consider ourselves pretty serious megafans here at SMP. Needless to say, when a wedding comes along inspired by Mr. Adler, we all sit in awe as we take in every image from Trevor Dayley Photography. The bride and Butterfly Petals did a phenomenal job creating a wedding that was perfectly fit for the couple – yet admired by Adler fans everywhere.

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From the beautiful bride… Geary and I are both Arizona natives (a rare thing here!), so from the beginning we knew we wanted our wedding to showcase all the beauty our home state has to offer. The amazing Superstition Mountains of Gold Canyon was the perfect backdrop for our modern desert wedding. We loved that it was enough out of the city that even our local guests felt like they experienced a little getaway. We also lucked out with a beautiful year for wildflowers, which added a natural pop of color to the setting. Geary and I met in design school and are big architecture nerds, so we knew we wanted to blend our love of the desert landscape with our love of mid-century modern design. We were engaged in Palm Springs and that 60’s style architecture set the tone for a lot of our design decisions from the invitations to the vases.

With that framework in mind, we set out to weave in lots of personal details to make our wedding uniquely ours. My family collects handcrafted bronze bells by local architect and artist Palo Soleri, which over the years has led to Gearys family growing their bell collection as well. For our ceremony, we borrowed all our families’ bells and hung them in the paloverdi trees framing our ceremony lawn. The sound of those bells always makes me feel like I am home and to hear them softly ringing as we said our vows is an experience I’ll always cherish. We hung smaller Soleri bells down the aisle from shepherd hooks that Geary sprayed painted gold. We gave them to our parents and grandparents afterwards to thank them for all of their love and support. We also chose to honor our shared Irish heritage with a Handfasting Ceremony to literally “tie the knot”. I used washi tape to secure my late grandfather’s lucky penny into my strappy shoe for my “something borrowed” and wrapped the heirloom handkerchief Geary’s grandmother gave me for our engagement around my bouquet for my “something old”. We incorporated a lot of music by The Beatles to highlight our specials special moments throughout the day, because they were the songs of the soundtrack of our early years dating. We engraved “I Will” inside our rings as a nod to our first dance song and our take on the conventional “I Do”. I really love that we were able to create our own version of a “traditional wedding”.

The rest of our decor was a labor of love with our family and friends. My mom spent the entire year scouring discount shops for the perfect “Jonathon Adler-esque” vases and Geary’s mom sewed all our peach table runners. Over the past few years Geary and I have collected salvaged architectural letters in “K & G” so it was natural that we would include our monogram in our wedding. My mom and my bridesmaids stayed up well into the night the weekend before the wedding making hundreds of tissue paper tassels for garlands that I’d seen on Pinterest and just couldn’t live without. Our hotel guests welcome bags included an orange from a tree in my parent’s backyard, pistachios grown near Geary’s hometown in eastern Arizona, some of our favorite local chocolates, customized water bottles, and a “Greetings from Arizona” postcard listing the weekend’s festivities. We used a variety of Arizona postcards and mailbox for our guest book to add just a touch of Southwestern kitsch to the day. In lieu of favors, we surprised our guest with churros as a late night snack before our big sparkler exit.

Amanda Johnson with Butterfly Petals was a huge part of creating the simple, modern desert look we envisioned. She understood our vision immediately and added her unique point of view with amazing ideas involving loose succulents and air plants and interesting flowers to mix texture with soft volume. (She also, thankfully, talked me through a last minute panic of thinking I needed to add more flowers to everything) Im still in awe of the wild tendrils of blooming succulents she included in my bridesmaids bouquets. Drea Stickler of Desert House Productions was amazing and created the perfect mix of music from Motown to salsa and crooners to classic rock for our reception. One of my favorite parts of the night was our huge dance party. Everyone from Geary’s teenage cousin to our grandparents commented on how much they loved the music and it was wonderful to see everyone dancing together. Selecting vendors that you connect with and trust their style is so important and allows your entire vision to come alive. Our video from Caleb Alvarado and our photos from Trevor Dayley are more beautiful than we could have ever dreamed and will ensure that we never forget all the little details that made our day. Plus, they were just so fun to spend the whole day with, which makes such a huge difference. Geary and I couldnt have asked for a more amazing way to celebrate our next big adventure together filled with family and friends and a whole lot of love and laughter.

Photographer: Trevor Dayley Photography | Videographer: Caleb Alvarado Photography | Flowers: Butterfly Petals | Cake: Honeymoon Sweets | Brides Shoes: BHLDN | Bridesmaids' Shoes: Designer Shoe Warehouse | Officiant: Rev. Nick Martrain of Rev. Giovanni Ministries | Brides Dress: Atlier Diagonal "Oslo" | Brides Veil: Erica Koesler | Bridesmaids Dress: J.Crew | DJ / Music / Lighting: Desert House Productions | Dress Shop: Schaffers Bridal | Rehearsal Dinner Invites: Minted | Venue + Catering: Gold Canyon Golf Resort, Gold Canyon, AZ | Wedding Invites and Menus/Programs: delphine

After publishing more than 10,000 weddings to date, it’s safe to say that if there is one thing that we know all about…it’s choosing the exact right color palette. And while we love to be surprised with new variations and styles, these are our current picks for must-have Wedding Color Palettes.

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1. A NEUTRAL PALETTE
natural and unfussy – It’s a palette that fits into just about any style
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa Wedding

Oregon Forest Wedding

Pennsylvania Country Club Wedding

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2. LAYERS OF GREEN
we can’t get enough green and layered in several like-minded hues, it’s even more beautiful
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Brooklyn Rooftop Wedding

Baltimore Museum Wedding

Parker Palm Springs Wedding

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3. COOL MINT AND GRAY
crisp, clean and totally perfect for a modern affair

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See weddings in this color palette! 

Seaside Florida Wedding

Missouri Backyard Wedding

Ontario Farm Wedding

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4. SHADES OF PINK
always an SMP favorite, these pretty pinks are getting a bohemian makeover
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See weddings in this color palette! 

San Diego Rooftop Wedding

Maryland Estate Wedding

Winnipeg Outdoor Wedding

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5. ALMOST NEUTRAL PASTELS
pastels are the new black and they rock our girly loving socks off
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Whimsical Colorado Wedding

Miami Villa Wedding

Sonoma Vineyard Wedding

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6. CLASSIC BLACK & WHITES
you can never, ever go wrong with the ultimate in classic color palettes
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Elegant San Francisco Wedding

New York City Elopement

Modern California Wedding

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7. FUCHIA & GOLD
bright, bold and insanely lovely. this combo is a color lover’s dream
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Pink and Gold Inspiration Shoot

Modern Palm Springs Wedding

Colorful Chateau Wedding

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8. BLUE, BLUE AND MORE BLUE
a monochromatic look for the no-fuss bride
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Minnesota Outdoor Wedding

Austin Al Fresco Wedding

Cape Cod Whimsical Wedding

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9. NAVY AND WHITE
just as gorgeous as its b&w cousin but with a slightly more unbuttoned feel. think summer sophistication
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Brooklyn Waterside Wedding

Berkshires Farm Wedding

California Ranch Wedding

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10. CITRUS PINKS AND ORANGES
take a cue from the season’s hottest trend and let citrusy pretties inspire your palette
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See weddings in this color palette! 

Ojai Whimsical Wedding

Mexico Destination Wedding

Palm Springs Home Wedding

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It just goes to show that beauty and color inspiration comes in so, so many forms. The hard part is narrowing that palette down. Have you picked your wedding colors yet? Are you going bold or classic? Feminine or striking? All of the above? We’re dying to hear!

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Photography Credits… 1. Jose Villa | 2. Judy Pak | 3. Heather Roth Fine Art Photography | 4. Odalys Mendez Photography | 5. Anabella Charles Photography | 6. Lisa Lefkowitz | 7. Birds of a Feather | 8. Mr. Boddington’s Studio | 9. Jen Huang | 10. Ryan Ray

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Photography

Jose Villa Photography

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Photography

Jen Huang Photography

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