This Perth engagement session by Angela Higgins Photographer includes some of the loveliest engagement photos I have ever been lucky enough to lay my eyes upon.  It just goes to show that all you need is an adorable couple who are so obviously head-over-heels in love and one incredible photographer to capture every lovestruck moment.  See them all in the full gallery!

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From Angela Higgins Photographer…A delightful engagement session held in Hyde Park, Perth, Western Australia. With purple Jacaranda trees in bloom, Jasmine and Robbie had a beautiful backdrop for their engagement photos.

Photography: Angela Higgins Photographer

You really never can get sick of oooging over diamonds and jewelry, can you? Well my pretties, we have a brand new addition to our Look Book that is causing our hearts to beat just a little faster this Tuesday morning. One look at Gemvara and their head-turning pieces and you’ll see why.  With gorgeous gems ranging from stackables to engagement rings, bands, earrings and just about any bauble you could ever possibly desire, this collection is just begging to be drooled over. And maybe forwarded to your honey for some hints at what would make the perfect gift.

What makes Gemvara so unique is that the beautiful designs you see on their site are just a jumping off point. They make each one-of-a-kind piece to order in your choice of gems and precious metals so that your creation is truly exactly what you’ve dreamed of. Their stackables come in just about ever gem you’d  ever find in the rainbow and are a perfect way to mark your wedding, anniversary or other special occasion with its own unique band. And if you’re still on the hunt for a something blue, you won’t believe some of the beauties that could be yours. Gemvara’s Look Book is filled to the brim with stunning bling that you’re going to go bananas over, so make sure to check it out, and while you’re at it, send it over to that special someone too. You may be end up with a pleasant little surprise one day!

I’m California dreaming today and it all started with a single glimpse of this Walnut Grove wedding shot by Chelsea Elizabeth Photography. It’s an all out love affair with open air nuptials that only California can produce so beautifully and more pretty plum florals than you could possibly dream of. Those lovelies are courtesy of A Beautiful Day. It is indeed a great day for some gorgeous wedding gazing and you my friends can do all the gazing you want in the full wedding gallery.

click here for the full wedding gallery

Neena and Myron are an amazingly sweet couple who really put a lot of time and effort into their beautiful wedding. They got married at Walnut Grove in the middle of a walnut orchard and then had an amazing reception with details such as white leather couches, a tree sign in book, beautiful floral arrangements, and even cookie ice cream sandwiches for dessert! What we love most about this wedding is how their fun personalities are reflected in their details.

Photography: Chelsea Elizabeth Photography / Flowers: A Beautiful Day / Event Planning: Michelle Spring (Walnut Grove) / Ceremony and Reception Location: Walnut Grove / DJ: Red Shoe

There is just something about pretty maids all lined up in a row wearing grey and yellow – it’s a palette that makes my heart pitter-patter. It’s even more darling when those lovely ladies are rocking yellow shoes. Swoon. Add a couple that couldn’t be cuter and a pooch that is just pinch-able and you get a full gallery of greatness by Photos by Vitella!

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From the Bride…High School + College sweethearts Andrew & Amber Nolan were married on June 18, 2011 at Amber’s childhood church in Hampshire, Illinois.  The groom proposed with Amber’s great-great grandmother’s 100+ year old wedding diamond.  For the past 6 years the couple has resided in bustling downtown Chicago working to build their careers, so when deciding a wedding location they were torn.  “We love our city, but our roots are back home in the country,” notes Amber.  The month of June was selected because that is when peonies are in season.  The bride wanted to remember her beloved Grandmother by using light pink peonies in her bouquet.  She has fond memories of picking them each June in her grandmother’s backyard.  The wedding colors were gray, yellow and white to fit the theme of an old-fashioned affair.  The boys wore formal tuxedos with a bow tie and the girls wore casual gray dresses from J.Crew.

Flowers were meant to look old–like they would at a wedding in the mid 1900’s.  A family friend loaned their yellow 1953 Ford car to use for a photo backdrop in the bride’s parents yard.  The wedding programs described why each person standing in the bridal party was a part of the bride + groom’s lives.  The back reminded guests that the reason the bride was carrying peony bouquet and the handkerchief wrapped around the bouquet was sewn by her great grandmother.  The groom’s cake was a surprise mold of the couples beloved puggle, Jack.  It was draped in the Groom’s alma mater’s colors and adorned with golf balls, tees.  The bride’s father made each wooden table number out of barn-wood from the bride’s grandfather’s barn wood.

In lieu of table favors, the bride and groom made a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois in my memory of the bride’s young cousin who passed away early in life.  Lastly, pictures of the bride and groom’s great grandparents, grandparents, parents wedding were displayed dating back to the 1800’s.  The last dance of the evening was “Back Where I Come From” by Kenny Chesney.

Wedding Photography: Photos by Vitella / Wedding Cinematography: Perspective Video / Orchestra: TKV Orchestra / Flowers: Town and Country Gardens / Day of Event Coordinator: La’Di Events / Ceremony Location: St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church / Reception Location: Boulder Ridge Country Club / Invitations + All Paper Products: I DO invitations by Michelle / Wedding Dress: Augusta Jones / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Dea / Groom’s Cake: Cake Confections / Table Runners: Nicki Bateson / Mr. + Mrs. Sign: True Connection / Table Numbers: Father of the Bride

This wedding may just have the prettiest color palette I’ve seen in quite some time. I’m loving that the bridesmaids all wore different shades of pink and think it makes for quite the lovely images by Moore Photography. Each and every detail is simple and lovely and really puts the spotlight where it should be: on the adorable bride and groom! See even more here in the full gallery.

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From Moore Photography…The party started in the early morning.  For the girls, mimosas, croissants and candy (and other delights), hair, make-up, and nail polish, all at the Freshair Boutique. It was a production. And a party for the boys; from what I can piece together from secrets slipped – breakfast (and beer) at Moxie’s, a beer run for afternoon photos, and a number of last minute errands!

We met the boys at our house for a first look in our backyard, then loaded ourselves into a 20 person limo to head to the country for beer + croquet + photos.  What a time.  After photos we had pre-ceremony drinks + wings at our venue – The Gates.  My grandma officiated our marriage, and we spent the rest of the evening celebrating with our nearest and dearest.  Oh, did we have fun!!

To us, everything was perfect.  We spent the week of the wedding with family and friends and loved every moment.  More than anything, we felt so blessed to have such an incredible community surrounding us.  We have wonderful family and friends.

Wedding Photography: Moore Photography / Flowers: Purple Peony / Hair: Freshair Boutique / Dresses: Tony Chestnut / Suits: J.Crew / Venue: The Gates on Roblin

I think Sweet Sunday Events said it perfectly when they described this vineyard beauty as super-duper sweet – because just super really wouldn’t cut it. And don’t even get me started on the vintage furniture – me oh my it took a hold of my heart and just wouldn’t let go. That is just the tip of this detail-filled fête. Kelly Cameron Photography snapped all of the sweetness so we could spend our lovely day gawking at the full gallery of images, and I highly recommend you jump on in and join me in there!

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From Sweet Sunday Events…Gorgeous, fun and super-duper sweet… Oh-my how I love this wedding! I am so in love with every single element of this wedding. It brings a big, fat smile to my face every time I see it! Faith was any designer and planner’s dream bride– with a few must have requests while letting up on the reigns so we could create the dream wedding she never saw coming. This wedding was certainly a labor of love with the groom and bride writing their own vows, a close friend officiating and our creation of surprise elements– one of kind pieces, tailor-made for Faith and Peter. I mean seriously, have you ever seen a personalized sign made from recycled dyed corks {courtesy of the Vineyard at Florence}, hanged over a well to create a wishing well of words of wisdom for the happy couple?! Lucky for us, photographer, Kelly Cameron, captured all the details we share with you today.

Venue: The Vineyard at Florence / Wedding Photography: Kelly Cameron Photography / Rentals, Floral Design, Event Styling + Coordinating: Sweet Sunday Events / Wedding Videography: Lizama Videography / DJ: Altared Weddings

Planning a destination wedding on your own can be super stressful that’s why we’re totally excited to introduce the boutique wedding planners at Varese Wedding. If you’ve ever dreamt of having a destination wedding in Italy, these are the people you want to make it happen for you! They will take care of every single detail from dealing with all that pesky, legal paperwork to selecting the perfect venue for you. But that’s not all. They will even arrange all lodging for your guests and book fantastic activities like cooking classes and wine tours. There is no detail they won’t cover!

Located in Northern Italy, near Lake Como (Hello, George Clooney!), with lakeside villas, gorgeous churches and medieval castles tucked into each corner, this is the ideal location for a breath-taking and unforgettable wedding, guaranteed. But, if you prefer to have your big day in another part of Italy, that’s no problem either! They’ve planned weddings all over the country including Venice, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi Coast, Umbria and Apulia.

Varese Wedding wants to simplify everything when it comes to your big day and they will arrange any kind of ceremony your little heart desires. So whether you want a small ceremony in town hall or a large wedding at a villa, they will make it happen. And don’t worry about the favors or flowers either because they totally have you covered! And did you know that you can get married year round in Italy? So whether you want a winter wedding in the Alps or a Summer wedding on the beach, Varese Wedding will deliver.

And now for the special deal details! For any bride to be that books a wedding with Varese Wedding, you will receive a complimentary wedding website that will enable your guests to learn all about your wedding day including lodging, history and local attractions. And if you mention SMP when you book your wedding, you will also receive a gorgeous complimentary bridal bouquet! Talk about a sweet deal. Contact Varese Wedding today and start planning your dream wedding!

I love, love, love this wedding.  I love it times one thousand and then one thousand times that.  Oh, yes.  Me plus this wedding definitely equals true love.  And can you blame me?  Each and every detail created by Daughter of Design is over the moon fabulous, the florals by Fleurs are absolute perfection, the invitations by Mr. Boddington’s Studio are beyond gorgeous and the The Bowery Hotel is the closest thing to a wedding dreamland that I have ever seen.  Add to all of that fabulousness each breathtaking image by Roey Yohai and I think we’ve got ourselves a perfect New York City soiree on our hands.  I’ll definitely be in the gallery soaking up all of the pretty and I suggest you do the same.  Join me there!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Daughter of Design… This couple loved Bowery Hotel and really used the existing decor as a spring board for their design inspiration. The dark wood bars and ceiling inspired them to use the color brown and they mimicked the metallics like those found in the lighting fixtures in their cooper/bronze urns, silver vases, and mercury votive holders. We paired the slightly industrial look of the space with the softness of ivory, blush and dusty pink seasonal blooming blossoms, peonies and garden roses.

The bride already had this cartoon drawing of the couple made and so we took that and made the Save The Date out of it! Instead of a guest book, each guest wrote on custom made prescription papers since both the bride and groom are doctors (though only Beth is a medical one). Place cards and menus, why waste paper? I like having a calligrapher write each guest’s name at the top of the menu.

Wedding Photography: Roey Yohai / Floral Design: Fleurs / Event Planning: Daughter of Design / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: The Bowery Hotel / Wedding Invitations: Mr. Boddington’s Studio / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Wedding Cake: Mark Joseph / Cookies: Momofuku Milk Bar / Hair: Jeff Chastain / Make-up: Nam Vo / Band: Hudson Project / Custom Linens: Designing Linens / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Fall is just around the corner, but this lovely Princeton engagement session has me dreaming up some grand plans for the last few weeks of summer.  And if I take my cue from the stunning couple (and I think I might), I’ll be sure to include some lazy days in the sun, a gorgeous Anthropologie dress and a bouquet of lovely wildflowers by Bow Street Flowers, because I am pretty sure it doesn’t get much better than this.  Suzanna March Photography captured all of the breathtaking images and, oh my goodness, do I adore each and every one.  Believe me, you don’t want to miss an ounce of pretty, so join me in the gallery for even more!

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From Suzanna March Photography… Ashley & Tyler were looking to embrace their own personal style. They wanted something special from their engagement photos, something that would showcase their relationship.  Something beautiful, and something simplistic. Ashley had this beautiful, Anthropologie dress, which served as the inspiration behind this styled shoot.  The dress, like the photographs, is deceptively simple, but when you get up close, beautiful & complicated.  So, we chose a location that would speak to these themes, an open field in Princeton, MA.  This location allowed Ashley & Tyler to shine through and be a blank slate to showcase their relationship.  We added in a beautiful wildflower bouquet by Bow Street Flowers, a few strands of market lights, and two wooden chairs off the side of the street that got a face lift with a few coats of “riviera blue.”

Gorgeous bride? Check. Luscious florals? Got it. Delicious cake? Definitely looking scrumptious. Amazing story with just enough difficulties that it could definitely be a best selling romantic comedy? You bet. This Delaware wedding from the ever-wonderful mk Photography, has it all. It’s the perfect piece of wedded bliss. I can’t pick out one single detail that I love the most. The dress, the venue, the centerpieces, the veil, everything. It’s all just a big giant tie. Lucky for all of us, there is a whole lot more of this gorgeous wedding in the full image gallery!

Will and I met the second semester of our freshman year at Tulane University in New Orleans. I was from Delaware and he was an Oklahoma native. We were from two very different places with two very different backgrounds. Will grew up on a farm in a small Oklahoma town and I was an East Coast girl. We dated for three months and then summer hit and we each headed back home until the fall semester. Little did we know, this would be the first of several separations. On August 29th, 2005 I flew back to New Orleans and was picked up by Will at the airport. I had two frantic missed calls on my phone, one from my father, and another from a school friend in Baton Rouge, “Get out of the city,” they said, “A hurricane’s coming.”

We evacuated New Orleans that day and didn’t return to the city until January 2006. Upon returning for what should have been second semester of our sophomore year, Will’s engineering program was cut, and he made heartbreaking decision to  transfer to the University of Tulsa.  For the second time if felt like a rug had been swept from beneath our feet. The thought of maintaining a long-distance relationship for the remainder of our college careers (three years!) was daunting to say the least.

Dozens of crazy phone bills, plane tickets, and airport good-bye’s later , we had made it! Maddie and Will graduated – check. Maddie moved to Oklahoma – check. Maddie and Will were living in the same state, thriving in a non-long-distance relationship – finally!

Two years later Will popped the quested on bended knee in Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana. For the life of me I cannot remember what Will said (and he can’t remember either). For those several seconds I didn’t hear anything, I just saw him kneeling, the ring in his hand and felt his hand grab mine. I burst into tears and we hugged for what felt like forever. I was nodding like a crazy person. Being a Sunday morning the square was bustling and a group of tourists clapped and whistled. Two girls asked us to replay the moment so they could take a picture. It was one of the most thrilling moments of my life. This was of course before the wedding day.

There were three things I absolutely would not compromise on when it came to our venue. I wanted the ceremony outside. I wanted the reception tented. And I wanted it to be place that required no decoration, a place that was naturally beautiful. I imagine that finding your wedding venue is similar to finding your wedding dress. You just know. You feel it. When I walked into Greenville Country Club, I knew it was the place. The expansive green field, the garden, the trees, the brick terrace; It was perfect!

For Will and I, New Orleans is our shared ground. Its where Will proposed, its where we fell in love, its where we started our relationship, and that city has seen the best and worst of us. If felt right that it should be a part of our wedding day. A French quarter garden became the inspiration for the scene. The fleur de lis seemed a natural symbol to use for invitations, seating cards, programs, gift bags. I wanted everything to make sense together, but I didn’t want it to be a theme wedding.

Will and I repeated the vows that my Mother spoke to my father on their wedding day, 29 years ago. They were exactly how Will and I felt and what we wanted to say to each other. My brother performed an original song at the reception for Will and I as our wedding gift. It was the most amazing gift I’ve ever received.

I vividly remember standing with my father waiting to walk down the aisle. I had my hand on his shoulder and he was holding my hand. It was in that moment that it actually hit me. I was getting married today.

Dress: Watters, Lasara / Ceremony and Reception Location: Greenville Country Club / Florals: Sweet Peas of Jennersville / Hair & Make Up: Claudia Seyler / Cake: Liz Marden / Entertainment: Toner Sound / Photography: mk Photography

There is a whole lot of pretty coming your way this lovely Tuesday morning, all courtesy of this gorgeous Kennesaw affair by Scobey Photography.  Filled to the brim with one amazing detail after another, the more time I spend drooling over all of the beautiful images, the more I fall desperately in love with each and every one.  (And trust me, I’ve spent a lot of time drooling.)  From those stunning bouquets by Aesthetic Floral & Event Artistry to that amazing Priscilla of Boston wedding gown to one of the cutest flower girls you ever did see (she’ll melt your heart), this is one fabulous Southern soiree… And I haven’t stopped swooning yet.  Join me for every last detail here!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Scobey Photography… They were friends first; for a long, long time. Their chemistry was obvious, and their friends kept asking them why they weren’t dating. The answer was always the same: they were friends first, and they didn’t want to risk ruining that. Then, one day, they looked at each other and realized that maybe it wouldn’t ruin anything. Maybe it would make everything even better than it already was. They were friends first; and that has made every difference in the world.

Wedding Photography: Scobey Photography / Floral Design: Aesthetic Floral & Event Artistry / Wedding Location: Marietta Country Club / Bride’s Shoes: Grazia / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Band: Loose Chain / Wedding Cake: Gabriel’s Desserts / Wedding Videography: Jeff Dinges

This wedding is so drop dead gorgeous that I’m having the hardest time figuring out what images from Anouschka Rokebrand Photography to share with you and what words I’ll use to describe the gorgeousness that is laid out in front of you. I could start by saying that I love the crisp and clean palette of black, white and green or that this is one of the most adorable couples I have ever seen. Or I could talk about that amazing black and white cake covered with words. Or maybe I’ll just go on and on about the amazing lighting fixtures hanging from the pretty, pretty ceiling. Like I said, I could go on and on and still not decide on my favorite part. Find yours here in the gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Anouschka Rokebrand Photography…Andreea and Nicolae are both from Romania. They met when they had both picked up their visas at the Embassy. Andreea for Germany, Nicolae for The Netherlands. They clicked and stayed in touch. This then developed into a long distance relationship with lots of travelling back and forth. Andreea decided to pack her bags in Germany and move to The Netherlands to be with Nicolae. They said “I do” in the beautiful castle Hooge Vuursche in Baarn. One of my favorite venues to shoot in, I absolutely adore it. It’s super stylish with the beautiful chandeliers everywhere. Andreea made my day when I opened the shoebox to photograph her shoes. They’re designed by Beatrix Ong and they were super gorgeous! We did the photo session in and around the castle and we were so lucky with the weather as the rain held off until the end of the afternoon. Andreea had read a lot of wedding blogs religiously, especially Style me Pretty so there were lots of pretty details and gorgeous dinner tables (including a dessert table, so cute!) for us to photograph. The bride did all the planning and styling herself.

Wedding Photography: Anouschka Rokebrand Photography / Flowers: Bun Crea / Ceremony + Reception Location: Kasteel de Hooge Vuursche / Stationery: Envelopments via MarryWise / Bride’s Shoes: Beatrix Ong / Wedding Dress: Jesus Peiro / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Rings: Cartier / Wedding Cake: Le Beau Gateau / Hair + Make-up: Hilda Jonkman of FaceDesign / DJ: Celebration Events / Planning + Styling: The Bride

We are trying to hold on to the last rays of sunshine and this glorious Ponte Vedra wedding by Agnes Lopez Photography is just what we need as a distraction from the coming fall.  My summer-lovin’ heart was stolen the moment I spotted that halo of craspedia, cool tea-length dress and heart-shaped sunglasses on this sweet, blonde bride.  Every detail is just as cheerful and chic as can be. Check them all out in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Agnes Lopez Photography…Tess and George live in New York City but decide to have their wedding at The Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra, Florida. They were married in an outdoor ceremony under the shade of trees and against a backdrop of streaming fabric in their wedding colors.

Their wedding was filled with so many cool, personal touches. After the ceremony they showed off their matching tattoos, an homage to the “Wagon Wheel” song that George was learning to play when they were dating, and as favors they gave guests local orange clover honey. In lieu of a guest book, everyone was encouraged to leave a personal note on unique postcards.

Venue, Catering + Wedding Cake: Sawgrass Marriott / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Bridal Sash: Pinktea6 / Groom + Groomsman Suit: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dress: J.Crew / Flowers: Mother of the Bride / Hair: Julie Noyce / Music: Father of the Bride / Entertainment: McGee Entertainment / Wedding Photography: Agnes Lopez Photography

My heart will always be a little bit in San Francisco. It’s where I moved after I graduated college. It’s where I fell in love. Where I had some of the most romantic moments a girl could ever wish for. And it’s where I learned that life and design shouldn’t be taken too seriously. That whimsy can sit right beside elegance and spunk can plop down in the middle of classic and timeless. Just like this next San Francisco fete, planned to perfection by Nancy Liu Chin and photographed beautifully by Orange Turtle Photography. It’s billy ball heaven with sweet, fun, completely steal worthy style. And there is so much more goodness in the gallery.

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From Orange Turtle Photography…We wanted a simple rustic wedding with a little bit of cuteness. The tables are decorated with mason jars held dahlias, starflower and yellow billyballs for a pop of color.  Instead of a guest sign-in book, the bride and groom printed one of their engagement pictures and used it to hang the guest polaroids. The bride designed and printed the reception program and the menu in linen textured papers clipped together with a wooden cloth pin. The favors are printed with a design similar to the their Save the Date and Invitation. We also have a custom-made cake topper which the bride doll’s dress looks exactly the same as the bride’s wedding gown. And the groom doll’s glasses looks like Henry’s glasses (plus with the same face freckles!)

Ceremony + Reception Location, Catering, + Wedding Cake: Fairmont Hotel San Francisco / Wedding Photography: Orange Turtle Photography / Floral Design: Nancy Liu Chin / Make-up + Hair: Wow Pretty / Wedding Videography: Ocean Blue Video / Live-Band: Megan Slankard + Jeff Campbell / Cake Toppers: MilkTea by bthanari / Stationery: The Bride and Friend / Wedding Favors: Party Beans / Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet via Priscilla at Boston Santana Row / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Groom’s Shoes: TOD’s / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dress: Custom / Engagement Ring + Wedding Bands: Tiffany and Co. / Bride’s Earrings, Necklace + Bracelet: Custom

Is it five o’clock yet? This couple served two signature drinks at their wedding – The Grumpy Husband and The Blushing Bride – and I cannot wait to pour myself a Blushing Bride come cocktail hour. With the rest of this California beach wedding, captured by Kaysha Weiner Photographer, just as stinkin’ adorable as the bar menu, I have a feeling the rest of this afternoon is going to fly by in a afternoon spent Pinning your little fingers away in the gallery, just in time to catch this evening’s Happy Hour. So definitely check out the whole chic beach affair – including the beautiful invites from Bella Figura – and five o’clock will be here before you know it! Click here to see the full image gallery.

Tommy and I knew we wanted our wedding to be at the beach. If felt like we looked at every possible venue from San Francisco to San Diego before we found the perfect site: the Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club located in Redondo Beach. We wanted our wedding to be beach chic; I used white flowers infused with pops of color to highlight the beautiful natural setting. The wedding favors were cookies from our favorite local baker, Isabella’s Cookie Company.  Since we were on a budget, I enlisted the help of a friend to create the rehearsal dinner invites and schedules for the bridal party. Paper Source became my new favorite store as I created DIY escort cards and table numbers.

Weather in the South Bay is usually pretty mild and predictable but on the day of our wedding there was a high wind advisory. We were happy that we stuck with our original plan to have the ceremony outside and to take pictures at the Manhattan Beach pier beforehand. Despite a few misplaced strands of hair, we were so happy with the pictures. All our vendors were phenomenal to work with, and were able to adapt to the last minute curve ball the wind threw us.

Planning a wedding from across the country on a budget would have been impossible without the help of Katie Tiffany from Tiffany Weddings.  I strongly recommend any bride who is planning a wedding in a different state to hire a wedding planner. They will help manage the stress of wedding planning and attend any meetings on your behalf.

Photography: Kaysha Weiner Photographer / Flowers: Rebecca’s Bloomers Floral Design and Decor / Event Planning: Tiffany Weddings / Ceremony & Reception Location: Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club / Invitations: Bella Figura / Dress: Adele Wechsler / Make-Up & Hair: Serene Bridal Beauty / Favors: Isabella’s Cookie Company

Before we delve into this nugget of gorgeous, you’ll need to throw any preconceived wedding notions right out the window. For this Washington D.C. wedding starts out with hints of traditional and some seriously drool-worthy photography by Gabe Aceves and then, somewhere in the middle it takes a fabulously chic turn towards contemporary. We are talking ghost chairs, a sleek W Hotel ballroom and other modern wonderments crafted by Uplyte Event Design. It is completely stunning and all waiting in the full gallery for you to devour!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Wow, thinking back to the beginning of the planning process still gets my heart racing. There were so many decisions to make and so little time! We got engaged over Christmas (at home in our pajamas with our daughter as the only witness!) and chose June 4th as our wedding date. After eight years together, we should have been more prepared to begin planning. But we started at the very beginning: destination or local? Big or small? In the end, it was actually an easy decision because the most important thing for us was to surround ourselves with family (which automatically meant big) and friends (which meant local). From there, it got a little harder.

We started with a venue. People kept telling me that I’d fall in love with the dress when I saw it, but my dress search was proving fruitless. In the meantime, I fell in love with the venue! From the first time we toured the W Hotel, we knew it was the perfect place for our wedding. They did a stunning job remodeling an old DC landmark hotel, making it both modern and elegant. Sitting in the heart of DC, one block from the White House and in view of the Washington Monument, it was also the ideal location. With the venue booked, I started clipping pictures from magazines, doing research on wedding websites, thinking back to other weddings we’d been to and soliciting advice from former brides. My tidy wedding folder quickly turned into a heaping pile on our apartment floor. But I had a ton of ideas! One of my favorite ideas was carnation balls. With the help of my amazingly creative friends at Uplyte, this idea became the main floral design. For the centerpieces, Uplyte created an ivory carnation cube encased by an acrylic box, with a carnation ball on top. A larger version of the carnation cubes and acrylic boxes lined the aisle during the ceremony and later became the tables in the lounge. I think the carnations were a beautiful and unexpected addition to the wedding. And they smelled delicious!

Although I had a steady stream of anxiety dreams over the six month planning period, I was surprised at how everything just fell into place. Even the weather cooperated! The unbearable heat and humidity from the previous weekend lifted and we were blessed with an insanely beautiful day! I savor every moment and detail of that day, from waking up in the morning and walking the quiet DC streets to dancing on the rooftop until 2 a.m. Some of my favorite memories are slipping into my dress, seeing my bouquet for the first time, my mom crying her way down the aisle during the ceremony, our daughter letting loose on the dance floor and our little niece with her serious dance face. But most of all, we were just happy to be surrounded by our friends and family!

Wedding Photography: Gabe Aceves / Event Design, Ceremony + Reception Florals + Lighting: Uplyte Event Design / Venue + Catering: W Hotel Washington DC / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier from Carine’s Bridal Atelier / Florist: Judi Undercoffer (bouquets + boutonnieres) / Make-up Artist: Marquia Kinard of Blend / DJ: As-One of Scratch Weddings / Groom’s Suit: Banana Republic

Well, hello you.  Aren’t you just the prettiest garden wedding I ever did see?  I just want to put you in my pocket and keep you forever and ever.  Seriously though, how completely gorgeous is this Auckland wedding?  Couldn’t you just fall over from sheer joy after seeing the beyond dreamy images by Sutherland Kovach.  Every inch of the lovely tented (and me, oh, my what a tent) beauty is just pure perfection.  You must check out all the details from this fantastic 50s-inspired fete in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…As soon as Dave saw pictures of All Souls Church in Clevedon, NZ, we had a location for our day. The area holds a lot of my family history & nearby is our family beach house where I spent many happy hours as a child. We held our reception in a marquee next to our beach house, on my great aunt and uncle’s beach front lawn. We currently live in Australia, so planning was done here & in a couple of trips I took home.  I got most decorations sent to New Zealand where possible, but we still had full suitcases on the way over. My brother & sister visited me a week before in Brisbane for our respective hen’s and buck’s parties & helped me make the tissue paper rounds & pom poms that hung in the marquee.

The theme was 1950’s inspired. There were a lot of DIY touches: tealight holders trimmed with lace, my Dad’s handmade sign, my grandmother’s shortbread, biscuits from family recipes baked by my aunt, the cake made by Dave’s cousin in Australia, flown over & iced here! I also learned some calligraphy & collected old Australian and New Zealand stamps for the invitations. The hanging pictures, brooch on my garter, preserving jars, cake knife, horseshoes, and collection of cake stands & tea cups are all collected family treasures from here and there.

I anticipated rain knowing how unpredictable the weather in Auckland can be. So when it did, it didn’t worry us. Thankfully there was a small break in the weather to get some outdoor shots on Duder’s Regional Park which used to be owned by family. I’d gotten access to drive onto the park by the council, but Dave almost talked me out of it out due to the rain. But having pictures on the track to the bay my granddad used to take me fishing is so special, so I am glad we didn’t skip it.Thanks to the rain, our photographers discovered the vintage décor inside the historic family homestead. Jasmine & Hannah worked so hard & were so fun to be around, they really made our day. I wish that we’d gotten them to stay longer to do a photo booth for guests. I found Sutherland Kovach via Style Me Pretty, when looking for New Zealand photographers with a style like that you would find on SMP. Jackpot!

We had a great day, it went too fast, but it was filled with so much love and laughter.

Wedding Photography: Sutherland Kovach / Wedding Cinematography: Michael Phillips (Brother-in-law To Be) / Flowers: Pauline Melles / Ceremony Location: All Soul’s Church / Reception Location: Duder’s Beach / Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas / Programs/Print: Rifle Paper / Bride’s Shoes: Diana Ferrari / Wedding Dress: Henry Roth / Bride’s Jewelry: Dana Daisy’s / Veil: The Bride / Bride’s Cardigan: Forever New / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Shoes: Nina Shoes / Marquee: Intents Events / Wedding Day Director: RSVP Events / Wine: Turanga Creek / Make-up: Carolyn Haslett / Hair: Carlos Elias of d+m hair design / Band: Beatmobiles

Oh my goodness, do I love this bride and groom.  Not only are they totally adorable, but their wedding was beyond ah.ma.zing (and one I wish I had been invited to), complete with a vibrant color scheme, skull motif, bird cages and twinkle lights.  And if that wasn’t enough, the oh-so-stunning bride designed her own wedding gown and it is so gorgeous and so unique that it has literally left me speechless from its awesomeness.  And rocking all of those fabulous colors on your wedding day?  Yes.  Please.  Jake McBride was there to capture all of the pretty and, believe you me, you don’t want to miss one single image.  See every last detail here!

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From Jake McBride… Anna asked Jake to marry her while in Mexico. She is the first to admit she is not the traditional bride. Anna is interested in Mexican culture (the skull motif). Her ceremony centerpieces were skulls made from a collage of dried daises. Anna hung bird cages wrapped in flowers and candles for garden lights. The large jars of cocktails were on hand to get the festival on its way. The cake was modeled from a Persian love-cake. Anna, a textile designer, stripped down a sample garment and redesigned it with billowing panels if printed vintage flowers, birds and antlers and layers of silk. They wrapped fairy lights around large old trees to create a wonderland of candles and lights. Around the hedged lawn Anna placed ottomans and wooden bench seats with cushions we had made from vintage tea towels.

Wedding Photography: Jake McBride / Fabric Design: Sixhands Textile Studio / Wedding Dress: Anna Harves (The Bride) + Tania Oayda / Wedding Venue: Private Residence / Event Planning: The Bride and Groom + Family and Friends / Flowers: Monique La Fee Dupuis / Catering: Thirty Three on Hickory / Wedding Cake: Hearth Fire Bakery / Groom’s Suit: Matthew Lawrence Bespoke

There’s nothing worse than waiting months and months to get your wedding video in the mail only to realize that the videographer missed that really cool Dirty Dancing lift you had on the dance floor with your husband or that sweet moment you shared your grandmother. You get my drift. You want your video to reflect you and your guests and what you think is cool or sweet or sentimental, not what some stranger thinks. That’s why we are super excited to share with all of you the fun and affordable wedding video alternative that is Storymix Media. Now it’s super easy and fun to capture the most memorable parts of your wedding day. And let’s face it, wedding videos should be fun. You should want to watch it over and over again and with Storymix Media, you will.

Thought you couldn’t afford a videographer along with all the other expenses of your big day? Well, not anymore! Storymix Media has packages that start at only $299! That may be the least expensive part of your whole budget, but will definitely become one of your best investments. They send you the cameras, your friends and family capture all the moments and then Storymix does all the work and edits a custom video just for you. And what’s even better is that you get to keep all the raw footage, so you’ll get to see all the bloopers and behind the scenes that you missed while you were busy dazzling your guests on your big day.

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And the best part of all? Storymix Media is hosting a giveaway especially for SMP readers! Hit up Storymix’s SMP contest page, enter some basic info, and you’re automatically entered to win a FREE wedding video package, a $300 value! It’s super easy! Be sure to get your booty over there asap though, cause the contest ends this Friday, September 2nd! Good luck everyone!

It just doesn’t get more classically elegant than this Toronto affair captured by none other than the fabulous Jenn Stark. This gorgeous bride DIY’ed so many of the details to keep her elegant affair under an equally attractive budget, and I must say her hard work paid off. It just goes to show DIY done right can apply to any style soiree. You can see all the prettiness in the full gallery of images, so be sure to set aside some time to be entranced by all the elegance!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Adam and I both grew up in the west end of Toronto, and we love the city.  When we became engaged, we knew right away that we wanted to get married downtown at Hart House at the University of Toronto.  We had first fallen in love with the building’s stunning gothic architecture and old-world feel when we first visited it several years ago.  We held our ceremony in the outdoor quadrangle (which was a very happy surprise after a morning of thunderstorms!), we held a cocktail hour under the tented canopy at the back of the quadrangle, and we held our dinner reception in the Great Hall – a beautiful room with high arched ceilings, stained glass windows, and pieces of the university’s history decorating its walls.  The old-world charm almost made us forget that we were right in the middle of downtown Toronto!  The Great Hall is such an incredible space that we didn’t feel it required much additional decoration.  My stepfather John is a florist, and he put together arrangements of cream and peach roses with baby’s breath to achieve a simple elegance.

My dad is from Australia and his side of the family wasn’t able to come to Canada, so I wanted to bring a bit of Australia to our day here.  I bought an Australian folk song medley online arranged for string instruments and our classical duo played it beautifully.Later in the night, my dad spun me around the room for our father-daughter dance to a punk version of Walzting Matilda, Australia’s unofficial national anthem, which was a total blast!

Adam and I figured that our wedding was probably the only time in our life where we would be hosting a cocktail party for so many of our family and friends, so we really wanted to be able to attend our own party!  Rather than spending time taking photos during cocktails, our wonderful photographers arranged a time for Adam and I to see each other before the ceremony.  Right before I walked out the doors to see Adam for the first time on our wedding day, our photographer Jenn said to me “pretend we’re not here and just truly enjoy this moment – it might be the only time the two of you will have together alone for the rest of the day” – and she was right!  Those few minutes together were so special, and spending the rest of the evening with our family and friends couldn’t have been better.

Venue: Hart House at the University of Toronto / Wedding Photography: Jenn Stark Photographers / Floral Design: John Dziuma of Florida Flowers (Bride’s Stepfather) / Wedding Cake: Friend of the Bride / Bride’s Jewelry: Heirlooms from Grandmother of the Groom / Bridesmaid Dresses: H&M, Banana Republic + Traffic People / Stationery + Decor: The Bride with Family and Friends / Musicians: Alicia and Trent / DJ: Brian Medeiros of Hi5 DJ / Makeup: Melissa Andre Events