Style Me Pretty: Wedding Blog for the Style-Obsessed Bride

A Wanderlust Filled Nursery for the Smallest Jetsetter in Your Life

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From Nicole Berrett Photography… The bride Jessica is one of my dear friends. She herself is a very talented photographer, and it was such an honor to be there to document her special day!! She hired a wonderful team of vendors, and then put so much trust in each vendor to use their own creative voice, and it just came together like a dream!!

From the Bride… JJ and I met in college, and he asked me on a date our sophomore year! I wasn’t too smitten after the first date though, and I still feel horrible to this day! I don’t know what was wrong with me, I know now that was the man of my dreams! He was so patient to wait for me, and when we started dating a year later, we fell in love very quickly. After college we spent three years as a long distance couple, so getting married meant the world to us. We were so excited to finally start our lives together, and love getting to walk through life with each other.

Picking a favorite moment from the entire day is impossible. There are too many moments from the entire weekend that mean too much to me. If I was forced to pick one, exchanging gifts with each other was so special. That was one moment that wasn’t photographed, and we’ll always have just for us. The words and gifts we shared with each other were so meaningful, and I can’t imagine that moment being any sweeter. But there are so many favorite moments in general. The first look was incredible, and I will never forget that. I also loved saying our vows, walking down the aisle, just being pronounced husband and wife, eating dinner just the two of us, and getting up on stage and singing like an idiot at the reception!

My biggest advice to all brides is to do your wedding for yourself, not for others. With resources like Pinterest and social media, it’s easy to want things for your wedding that feel pretty, but may not represent yourselves. Don’t forget that your wedding is a celebration of your relationship and future, don’t get too caught up in the “looks” of your wedding. Trust me, I completely understand wanting a beautiful wedding, and I am so blessed to have had vendors that delivered my dream. But the dresses and flowers and colors don’t mean anything if your heart doesn’t remember what really matters. Some days you just need to put down the magazine or close your laptop, and tell your fiancé how much you love him.

Travel runs a plentith in this adorable space designed by Wouldn’t It Be Lovely and it all starts with that wallpaper from Rifle Paper Co. (the cutest!) The cityscapes from far off locales mixed with planes, maps and animals galore really sets the scene for an adventurous space perfect for little Charlie. (also the cutest!) Get the full tour captured by Aubrey Greene Photography right here in the VAULT.

When Caitlin Spaulding, the designer and owner of wedding stationary company Wouldn’t it be Lovely, found out she was pregnant, for her, designing the nursery was one of the most exciting parts of preparing for baby!

She and her husband decided not to find out the gender and since Caitln was never one for stereotypically gender centric designs, they knew it wouldn’t be a problem! Because Chris and Caitlin have traveled the world together, they knew they wanted that to be the inspiration and when Caitlin found the City Toile wallpaper from Rifle Paper Co. She knew they had their focal point!

Caitlin brought in toys and books from her and her husband and their parents childhoods mixed in with fun modern kiddy touches, they wanted everything to have a personal feel and a reason behind it.

With an ostrich painted by a close friend from RISD as well as a hanging macadamia nut sculpture Caitlin had made while in college, each piece brought a little more love into the nursery.

They knew that whether they had a boy or a girl, it would work perfectly for either gender with a white, black and neutral color palette. When baby boy Charlie was born, it became their happy place to all play and hang out together!

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A Fun DIY for Baby’s Nursery!

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Photography: Aubrey Greene Photography | Design: Wouldn't It Be Lovely | Crib: Stokke Sleepi Crib | wallpaper: Rifle Paper Co.

Classic Country Club Summer Wedding – Complete with the Cutest Cake Ever!

Classic and country clubs go together like peanut butter and jelly and I must say, I like the duo just as much as that childhood sandwich staple. And here we have one for the books – captured by Magnolia Adam’s Photography and Hunter Meek, it has all the essentials: beautiful Bride (complete with stunning veil), handsome Groom and love galore. See it all in our Vault this way!

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A Classic Gilded Tented City Wedding

From Magnolia Adam’s Photography… I was completely amazed by Lauren when I met her. She was a girl who knew what she wanted and planned her entire dream wedding from top to bottom. So stunning knowing that she was the sole planner and coordinator.

Another detail I loved was the bride’s veil. It was made from portions of her mother and grandmother’s wedding dresses, created just for her. I thought it was a stunning detail.

From the Bride… One word I use to describe myself is meticulous. I love details, organization and seeing a finished project so when it came to my own wedding, I knew I was hiring myself to be the planner. I have never planned a wedding nor have I been a part of the process but I have been in many weddings and was able to pick out what I liked and did not like from color schemes, logistics of the day, flowers, etc. to help guide my planning process.

I had my big binder in hand with everything color coordinated (yes, I am that girl) and my husband and I sat down and talked about what we wanted to have most at our wedding and what were the most important aspects and everything sort of came together from there. Not to say this wedding planning was a piece of cake by any means but starting with my big ideas first then go to the details really helped. I did my research and interviewed my vendors and went with the ones who I clicked with the most and those that understood my vision; nothing will make your wedding worse than fighting with your vendors. I googled and Pinterest-ed a lot and was able to show vendors what I liked and did not like and was very straight forward on what I was wanting.

A big part of planning is the budget, so nothing quite felt like reality when I was told “I was dreaming” and given a price tag by my florist on a piece that didn’t look like much but in fact took hours to make and install or hearing my dream chairs had the price tag to pay my mortgage. I had to ask myself: Is this worth it? Will people remember it? Most of the time is was generally a ‘no’ so I scratched the idea and moved on.

Throughout my planning, I talked to some of my friends about their weddings and asked three questions: What do you regret not having at your wedding? What was your favorite part? What did you feel like was a waste of money? Those questions really helped guide my planning on what was necessary and what was not. Everyone told me, you need to enjoy this process and I tried really hard to do that and let go of those small things that didn’t matter and focus on what did: marriage.

At the end of the day, all that mattered to me was that I was married to my husband and I was surrounded by those who truly mattered to me. With planning it on my own, there is no buffer between the mother of the bride and the bride so with emotions and stress high there are bound to be issues. I thought about what was most important to me and what my mother found most important and for those items that I didn’t have a huge care on, I let my mother take control which made her happy (and preoccupied) and the endless prayers for serenity didn’t hurt either. I had all my girlfriends sleep at my house the night before the wedding so waking up to them jumping on my bed telling me it was my wedding day was all too surreal for me.

I kept reminding myself that the only thing that mattered today was Ross and I’s commitment to each other, everything else was just ‘stuff’ but I have to admit seeing all of my hard work and months of planning finally come together was pretty emotional for me. I had a very calm nervous energy throughout the day that was waiting for a good cry to come out so when I finally got to see Ross on our first look, all of that nervous energy was gone and a good cry was released. It was one of the most incredible and special moments of my life that I will cherish forever. Another stand out moment of the day was my dad walking me down the aisle, he has always been my support and my rock so for him to be my side to hand me off to my future husband who he more than approves of was pretty wonderful.

And lastly, having our close friends and family there to help Ross and I celebrate was indescribable. It was so great to catch up with old friends and to party late into the night to those close to our hearts. The night was filled with a lot love and a lot of dancing and that is exactly how Ross and I wanted our wedding to be. Every detail of the night was truly beautiful.

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Sequins, cityscapes and one stunner of a gown? Now THAT’S how you pull off a Midwestern wedding, and thanks to the talented Britta Hundertmark we’ve got it all to share. From the sweet outdoor ceremony to the stunning portraits, it’s all waiting for you in The Vault!

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Outdoor Weddings Weddings in Historical Venues

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Al Fresco

From the Bride…Coincidentally, March 26, 2011 (we got hitched March 26, 2016!), I interviewed for my current company and met Mike during the interview process. While Mike immediately told his company to hire “that cute girl”, I immediately went home and started Googling him. After Mike’s position changed within the company and a few months of casually seeing each other around, we made things “official”.

Friday, June 12, 2015 was a night of “firsts” for us, including memories of where we first met, our first date and our first kiss. The night started when Mike took me to our typical Friday night dinner, but one thing was different; that’s for sure! He took me to where we went on our first date, McCormick and Schmicks; we even sat at the same table as our first date.

The next stop was where we initially met! Together, we took the elevator up to the rooftop 40 floors above beautiful Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. When we got to the top, Mike had my favorite song playing so he proceeded to slow dance with me (yes, slow dance!). As he gabbed on and on about how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, I was in complete shock and still to this day don’t remember anything Mike said. He got down on one knee and popped the question! Mike still doesn’t think I even said Yes.

Mike had one more surprise in mind, as he wanted to take me to have a few drinks at the location of our first kiss, the infamously drunken Houndstooth Saloon. I had no idea that many of my friends and family were awaiting our presence in the back room of Houndstooth until I walked in to see them all there! Mike had cleverly put the whole thing together so that even my parents could make the trip up to surprise me!

From Britta Hundertmark…Megan and Mike are as adorable as they sound, from Megan’s testimony above. The morning of the wedding Megan was as calm as could be, until that moment (I think most brides have this), when the dress and veil goes on, and suddenly it is so very real. As she prepared to go down to the hotel lobby to greet Mike for their first look, the nerves had set in – but the moment the two of them locked eyes the only emotion that could be seen was pure joy.

We hopped on a bus with their bridal party (a large one, with 11 on each side!), we headed towards the Wrigley building for some city photos. Little did we know, leading up to the day, that we would be blessed with a GORGEOUS afternoon with the most lovely light (this city does cooperate, weather wise, sometimes!).

After the Wrigley building we headed over to the ever popular Kinzie Street Bridge – I loved that we were able to mix the classic architecture, with something a little grungier – and I just loved the look of those sequin bridesmaid gowns with that rustic underpass background!

Then off to Galleria Marchetti, where Megan and Mike were married in the gorgeous garden area that backs up to the tent where the reception was to be held.

Megan mixed the light pastel florals with some wonderful pieces from Etsy – and a sweets table that would make anyone’s mouth water!!!

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Badgley Mischka

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Vera Wang

Spring 2015

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Justin Alexander

Spring 2016

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The Details in this Kensington Palace Affair are BEYOND Amazing

To know me is to know that I go gaga for any British wedding, and this sweet Kensington Palace affair? Well, it certainly takes the cake. Think seriously sophisticated meets all sorts of romantic with some of the most meaningful details you will ever lay your eyes upon. Oh, and those place cards? Brilliant… just brilliant. See so much more captured by the amazing Marianne Taylor in THE VAULT.

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A Farm Style Wedding (Held Entirely Indoors!)

From Marianne Taylor Photography… It seemed like I had been waiting for Victoria and Charles’ wedding day for ages, and yet it felt like it was only yesterday when we got together for their engagement session in Somerset. Taking on such a limited number of weddings means I’m looking forward to each one with even more enthusiasm, and I couldn’t have been more excited when Victoria and Charles’ big day finally rolled around!

It was such a pleasure to be a part of this joyful and beautiful day, and also to get to work with the amazing Gorgeous Film again. Below, Victoria tells more about planning the day.

From the Bride… Two of our friends set us up on a night out soon after Charles had come back from Afghanistan and I had moved back from living in New York. Charlie proposed in Pont Lobos Nature reserve driving down from San Francisco to LA in front of a raft of sea otters! We were engaged for just over a year. So nice to plan things carefully and enjoy every different stage.

St Mary Abbott is our local church in London and a church my family has been going to for over 25 years. Incidentally, Charlie’s Grandmother was Christened there. It was a two minute walk from my parents’, so we could get ready at my childhood home before walking over. The Orangery is in Kensington Gardens and just a short walk from the Church. Kensington Gardens means a lot to us as we walk our dog Albert there every day and Charlie spent a lot of time on his horse Copenhagen, in the area, while he was in the Household Cavalry, Blues and Royals. The Orangery was so perfect for us, we love the country and it felt like a secret garden right in the centre of London.

My mother and I had a lot of fun looking for my dress. A lot of laughs. We fell in love with the Monique Lhuillier dress in Browns Brides and did not look any further! We asked them to add the off the shoulder sleeves for the service that could be removed later. I love the mermaid quality and intricate embellishment layered with different colours. I felt like a million dollars and never wanted to take it off.

Charlie had a clear image for his morning suit. A combination of Prince Charles and Timothy Dalton’s in ‘License to Kill’. He was very happy with the light grey he choice which looked traditional but different.

We went to Versailles the year before and loved all the avenues of trees. We wanted to try to get this feeling with the two long tables with small green trees going down the middle. The bouquet was inspired by an old 18th Century Dutch still life oil painting with wild tendrils coming out and a mixture of colours. Our amazing florist was such fun to work with listened to our ideas and made them even better. Charlie’s button hole was a piano rose – it smelt amazing. We want to grow our own bush to remind us of it. I think the bouquets nod to the past and our love of art was a really nice touch.

My Father, Christopher Garwood, walked me down the aisle. A truly emotional a special moment for us. I felt very proud to be on his arm and gave him one last kiss on the cheek before walking down the aisle and saw all our loved ones faces. It was so nice to walk over to the church with him and have a few quite moments.

The ceremony was a very traditional one in St Mary Abbots – which is a beautiful neo – Gothic Church. Charlie picked the hymns. They are popular with the army as they are emotive and you can belt them out at the top of your voice! I picked the readings. I trained as an actress so loved finding my favourite Shakespeare (a personal passion) and Steinbeck letter to his son about love. Our favourite moments of the service was singing and looking over to see each other grinning. The other was walking down the aisle as man and wife and being over whelmed at everyone being there to support us and witness such a special thing. After the service we nipped round the side to have a quiet moment with each other while the guests poured out. A very private and nice moment for us both.

We were desperate for Marianne to do our photography. We keep a lot of photos and treasure our photo albums and prints around our home. So we looked really carefully for someone we loved. Marianne’s understanding of light and capturing the special moments was exactly what we wanted. She was so easy to work with. We also had our engagement photos with her the Autumn before. She likes to capture you at your most happy and natural and she and her assistant were a pleasure to have on such special day.

Charlie organized his old regiment, the House Hold Cavalry’s carriage to pick us up from the Church and take us to the venue. The horses were so smart and lovely to have a few minutes together before the party. We had a wonderful Photo Booth with a bespoke Reynolds oil painting back drop. This was one of the first ideas we had. We love art and wanted to include something to show this. The Photo Booth Guys were amazing and the camera was so flattering. We love our guest book with the photos and the guests had such a good time and something to take home. Victoria also illustrated all the guest table badges to look like ‘Royal Ascot Enclosure’ badges and each person got a small cut out caricature of themselves instead of a name place. It was a really fun talking point and the guests took them home. We got sent lots of photos the next day of them at people homes. We are so glad they went down so well as it was something Victoria loved doing. We had a DJ in the evening getting everyone on the dance floor while garden and dirty martinis were being served outside as it got dark.

We would pass on something people told us: Walk slowly down the aisle together after the service – enjoy everyone smiling at you and being there for you. Also to take a few minutes together every now and again. Enjoy – it was the best day of our lives!!

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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There’s no denying the popularity of outdoor ceremonies, but this wedding will have you reconsidering everything. They chose to share their vows indoors at a venue complete with exposed wood beams, a cozy stone fireplace and candles galore. Peek at Ashley Cox Photography’s captures and you’ll see how they brought a sense of Southern charm throughout the details of their day.

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Airy Light Flled Island Engagement

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From Ashley Cox Photography…Super sweet Southerners, Rachel and Coy, selected Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, Virginia for their holiday weekend wedding on July 2, 2016. Though he is from Mississippi and she is from Georgia, the couple spent a considerable part of their courtship in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Early Mountain is a gorgeous spot for a wedding any time of year, and in any weather condition, with their vast indoor spaces featuring architectural details such as large stone fireplaces, wood beams and high ceilings—it’s easy to see why the couple was drawn to it. Together with their families, Rachel and Coy welcomed close to 150 guests for their evening ceremony and reception. The hall where guests entered was decorated with DIY details such as personalized wooden signs penned in the bride’s own gorgeous handwriting, antique wooden boxes used for cards and favors, and a wooden slab cut and stained by the groom used as the seating chart. Once guests entered in the indoor ceremony space, they walked up a center aisle flanked by two large floral arrangements by Bloom Charlottesville set atop wine barrels. The room was dimly lit by votive candles and Early Mountain’s own lanterns.

Following the meaningful ceremony officiated by Pastor Michael Hall, guests enjoyed cocktail hour in Early Mountain’s tasting room while the ceremony space was completely flipped into the reception space by wedding planner Becca Bee Events and the catering team of The Local. When guests re-entered the room, they found their seats at round tables facing four large farm tables adorned with long and low greenery, which formed the head table. Each place setting had a folded napkin and sprig of greenery.

After a buffet dinner, the bride and groom and their families enjoyed special dances (including one with the bride and her mom!) led by the live music of Another Level and cake created by Elizabeth Ann Pastry. At the end of a beautiful evening all captured by Ashley Cox Photography, the couple and their guests departed via shuttle buses staffed by Ambassador Limousine. It was a beautiful, meaningful wedding for a beautiful couple, bursting with inspiration!

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Martina Liana

Fall 2014

Spring 2017

Fall 2017

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Engagement sessions filled with that good ol’ golden light? They’re kind of everything. Take this pretty little picture captured by the massively talented Anna Shackleford as proof. Complete with a champagne fueled picnic and romantic walk, we’ve got it all waiting for you in The Vault!

From Anna Shackleford…Ryan grew up on St. Simons Island and Kaitlin grew up in Atlanta. She vacationed with her family on the Island throughout her childhood and it always held a special place in her heart. The island is full of stunning Oak trees dripping with spanish moss, light that will make your heart flutter and so much southern hospitality.

They both spent years in Atlanta, but it took a trip back to St. Simons for their paths to cross at a local restaurant. They hit it off and have since spent their time traveling the world together and living in Atlanta together. Kaitlin was inspired by the Italian coast for her second look at their engagement session. They brought along a bottle of Champagne that was gifted to them by a close family friend following their engagement.

Not One, But Two Pairs of Stylish Shoes for this Sparkly Southern Wedding

Why have one when you can have two pairs of wedding shoes to treasure forever? This beautiful Bride had her blush Badgley Mischka’s for formal pics and when it came time to dance the night away, slipped on sparkly sneakers. Designed, coordinated, catering and hosted by Sainte Terre, we have sweet touches from top to bottom for this Southern celebration – including a light saber ceremony exit. Olivia Lott captured that moment and more – see it all in our Vault this way!

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Rustic Weddings

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A Gray-on-Gray Wedding With a Modern Twist

From the Bride… Our wedding day was an absolute dream! From getting to Sainte Terre early in the morning until we were showered with confetti and out the door as husband and wife, everything was effortless! Sainte Terre was amazing. We booked the venue before it was even built, and this established a trust and bond between all of us! After countless meetings and several panic attacks, they were always the most supportive team! Every last detail that we had planned was right in front of me, and it was absolutely beautiful! The big day started off without hesitation. Makeup and hair arrived before the entire wedding party, Hillary was decorating and working her magic, and Holly was preparing the most delicious brunch for us! We spent the day soaking in all that was about to happen, laughing, and crying tears of joy together! All of the details of the day were absolutely perfect and everything I had envisioned!

This romantic wedding filled with blushes, creams, whites, and golds I had planned was here! Every last table, decoration and flower arrangement was placed to perfection. I had worked so hard on so many small details – like hand-folding each of the programs we used for the ceremony. They were a Love Me/Love Me Not origami fold like we used to make in elementary school about who we would marry. This particular program had fun details about myself and Paxton, and about the wedding party. I also wrote the script for all of my signage!

My Star Wars loving fiancé (now husband) even had a few surprises that day! The personalized Star Wars sugar cookies were not only amazing to look at, but tasted even better! He also had no idea (until it happened) that our recessional song was the Star Wars theme song or the our friends and family would be wielding light sabers as we walked down the aisle together as husband and wife to our reception! He was in shock to say the least!!

Our reception was so much fun and made for a night that we could never forget with our closest friends and family! Our guests could not stop talking about how amazing the food, desserts, and overall atmosphere of the evening was. We danced the night away to some of our favorite 90s boy bands (thank goodness for my Kate Spade glittered Keds) and ended the night being showered with confetti and escorted to our beautiful black vintage getaway car! We can’t thank all of our wedding vendors enough for helping us transform all of our ideas into reality and giving us the most magical wedding day we could imagine!

From Sainte Terre’s Event Designer/Coordinator, Hillary Moss… At Sainte Terre, I try to create a one-of-a-kind, personal experience for each and every one of my brides. We are not your typical wedding venue – my sister and her husband, as well as myself and my husband are involved in every detail of planning and ‘the big day.’ My sister is a chef and handles the custom menu from start to finish, and my husband is her sous chef. My brother-in-law Derek handles all of the front of the house and our beverage program. I handle all of the design and coordination. Together, we provide a truly custom experience… From one family to another.

We were especially close to Devon and Paxton, as they were one of the couples who booked their wedding with us while we were still in the beginning phases of construction. We only had a dirt pad and concept drawings! Aside from obvious answers like nature and keeping current on trends, I draw inspiration from getting to know my brides, grooms, and their families. More than just their likes or dislikes, but their overall style; this allows my brain to create and know it is the right design for them.

For this beautiful spring wedding, we really wanted to create a classic, romantic elegance with some unexpected fun thrown into the mix, which showcased Devon and Paxton’s personalities perfectly! Devon had a vision of greenery, neutral tones, and lots of blush! She wanted an elegant, formal ceremony/reception but nothing stuffy, which is where the light saber recessional came into play. Paxton is a true Star Wars fanatic, so as a surprise, Devon planned a secret chapel exit complete with multi colored light sabers and the Star Wars theme music. Paxton’s reaction was priceless and the guests really loved it!

As you entered the reception, the yards and yards of blush chiffon draping were incredibly eye catching, yet soft. The mix of loose floral arrangements, wooden farmhouse tables, and pops of gold in the spacious barn setting made for a very romantic evening. The dessert bar was another very personal and fun element that was shared with their guests that evening. Along with a gorgeous cake, the styled dessert bar was filled with a mix of many fancy morsels including some homemade treats from the bride’s family and some incredible Star Wars themed cookies! All in all, the day was filled with family, friends, and tons of personal touches that made this day comfortable yet luxurious and almost as special as this sweet, beautiful couple!

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Martina Liana

Fall 2014

Spring 2017

Fall 2017

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One look at my home design and you’ll see gray-on-gray is pretty much my love language. Luckily this couple took the same approach with their modern warehouse wedding and let a palette of neutrals speak for itself. Dear friend and bridesmaid, Kelsey of DiDomenico Design was the creative force behind the bride’s gown, and Kim Stockwell photographed the day all inside The Vault.

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Industrial Religious Institution

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Modern

KK & Josh had a modern city wedding with a fine art twist. KK is drawn to fine art inspired imagery & wanted to make sure her portraits reflected that. She also wanted a true urban setting for her ceremony & reception. We worked together to balance her contrasting visions to create an experience that was fitting for the modern day couple. We chose a private residence on the historic streets of Richmond as the setting for their portraits. It was the perfect European inspired location to fit her fine art portrait dreams.

Her dress was made by dress designer Kelsey Dominick of DiDomenico Designs. Kelsey is also a great friend and bridesmaid and even made last minute alterations to the dress moments before the bride walked down the aisle. The groom Josh a hopeless romantic wrote the song that KK walked down the aisle to, they also shared their first dance to this song. The reception was all about the city they love so much. True to the rising Richmond trend, Food trucks provided the catering for their reception. It gave guests a true Richmond city dining experience. The reception was held in a historic 1940’s warehouse that was once home to East Coast Freight lines.

Jetset to Martha’s Vineyard with Gray Malin

Do you follow Gray Malin on Instagram? We’re constantly enamored with his jetsetting ways. His recent trip to Martha’s Vineyard proved to be both gorgeous work (see the new collection here!) and and some really fun play. He’s dishing up on all the hidden gems on Martha’s Vineyard. Check out the must eat, sleep and do’s plus get cozy with his signature snaps of the beaches on MV and Nantucket.

Last month, I had the chance to join my cousin on a family trip to Martha’s Vineyard. My grandparents owned a house in Edgartown and my Dad and his four brothers have endless stories growing up going to “The Vineyard.” One of my Uncles’ even lives there year round to this day! Overall I was really blown away by this beautiful slice of Americana. Together we did a lot of exploring of this uber cute island and it was a treat to experience it from the eyes of my family who have been coming for so many years.

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Miacomet Beach, Nantucket

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Jetties Beach, Nantucket

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Estimated at 100 square miles of land and divided into 6 towns: Tisbury, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah – My cousin, Abby and I covered lots of ground! I spent the better part of the four days interviewing my family for tips so below is a collective guide of my travel tips for anyone looking to plan a vacation to this timeless island.

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Aquinnah Umbrellas, Martha’s Vineyard

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The Couple, Martha’s Vineyard

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WHERE TO STAY:

The Harbor View Hotel

This beautiful hotel looks over the light house and has a wrap around porch that is perfect for sipping Bloody Mary’s on rainy days.

The Charlotte Inn

In the words of my cousin, Abby, this hotel is “ridiculously cute!”

The Beach Plum

Set on a hill overlooking the Menemsha harbor, this quaint 19th-century inn is a 7-minute walk from the Menemsha village

Rent a House

Lastly, for a larger group, the best way to go is to rent a house, through usual suspects like AirBnB or VRBO, and then there is also HomeAway. This obviously isn’t too much of an insider tip but wanted to include nonetheless as this is what we did, and it was so ideal being all together under one roof.

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Sunfish Sailboat, Martha’s Vineyard

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Surfside Beach, Nantucket

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THINGS TO DO & PLACES TO GO:

Edgartown

This is the part of Martha’s Vineyard that I stayed in. It was very easy to bike around and check out all the the shopping and restaurants in the area. Known for their light house, the most iconic beach to visit is Light House Beach, which is also great place to go crabbing!

Oak Bluffs

*In 1866 Robert Morris Copeland was hired by a group of New England developers to design a planned residential community in Martha’s Vineyard. The unique “Carpenter’s Gothic” architectural style of the cottages was often accented by the owner’s use of bright, multi-hue paint schemes, and gave the summer cottages a quaint, almost storybook look. Dubbed “gingerbread cottages,” they became a tourist attraction in their own right in the late nineteenth century. And tourists, like myself, still enjoy them today! They are just SO Instagram’able.

Menemsha

Tucked at the western end of Martha’s Vineyard, Menemsha is an old fishing town located in the town of Chilmark, which is famous for Alley’s General Store and for being where President Obama likes to stay while visiting the Vineyard in Chillmark.

Aqinnah Beach

Famous for the red cliffs and beach, this a MUST see in MV. South Beach Bridge, dubbed The Jaws Bridge at State Beach is perfect for the movie lover in all of us, especially those who love scary movies! Take in some movie magic history and visit the beach where the move JAWS was filmed.

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Ocean Rain, Nantucket

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Black Lab, Martha’s Vineyard

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WHERE TO EAT:

The Bite

This legendary clam shack has tremendous fried oysters and clams

Nancy’s Restaurant

(Also known for being Sasha Obama’s summer job) has been serving up tasty seafood since the 1960s.

Offshore Ale Company

This is obviously a heated debate but I have to say I really enjoyed my Lobster Roll here and it went down quite nicely with a cold brew.

Scoop Shack

Literally, the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Cool Mint Oreo was 70% Oreo cookies crunchy and 30% mint chocolate chip ice cream. Homemade daily!

The Atlantic Restaurant

During the day they serve bacon at the bar instead of nuts or other bar snacks. People love it! Then, at night it becomes a big bar scene, it’s definitely a happening spot to go anytime of day.

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Aquinnah Kayaker, Martha’s Vineyard

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Jetties Beach II, Nantucket

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Shop the new Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket collection Here!

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Wanderlusters of Instagram

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Wanderlusters of Instagram

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Photography: Gray Malin

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Petit Bouquet

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The Ultimate Fall Bucket List

Sure, summer has my heart and will forever be my favorite season, but there’s really no better way to dive into the cold weather again than with a festive fall season. One filled with apple picking, cider spiking and cozying up to the fire on a regular basis. How could you not get excited about a season sprinkled with those activities? Click below for our full fall bucket list!

The Ultimate Fall Bucket List

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The Ultimate Fall Bucket List

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Easy Ways to Cozy Up Your Home For Fall

Stripes, Sea, and Nautical Wedding Perfection

Never have I ever come across a nautical wedding I love quite this much. It’s a celebration set at Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay with seaside charm in every capture by Krista A. Jones. Perfectly mismatached bridesmaid dresses set the color scene and the bride and her dad made a memorable entrance pulling up in a vintage VW bus. Bravo to Kari Rider Events for designing a day with equal parts style and heart.

Colors

Seasons

Oh So Inspired Retreat Giveaway 2016

Settings

Lakeside

Styles

Nautical

From the Bride… Matt and I met over a sticky shuffleboard table at a dive bar during a blizzard in NYC. I thought he was tall and handsome, and while I initially thought he was interested in me, too, I quickly realized he was far more concerned with the people sitting behind me—a table full of New York Rangers (his favorite team). Fortunately for me, Matt’s man crushes left shortly after, and the rest is history. We both love being outside near the water whenever possible, so we knew we wanted to escape New York City and have a seaside wedding. I grew up in Maryland, and the idea of throwing a big ole party by the Chesapeake Bay with all of our family and friends became a no-brainer. We love the tiny town of St. Michaels for its history, charm and great little harbor—and the fact that our guests would be able to walk to all of the weekend events. We settled pretty quickly on Navy Point at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum as our venue, where we had incredible views of the harbor and were surrounded by water on three sides.

Aside from getting to marry my best pal, my favorite part of the wedding was having my dad give me away in a vintage VW bus. Growing up, my family drove many different VW buses over the years, and the look on our guests faces when we pulled up was priceless. I’m pretty traditional and we were lucky enough to by married by the same priest who performed my sister and brother-in-law’s wedding ceremony nine years ago. My nephews and niece nailed it as our ring bearers and flower girl, which we loved. When it came to the look of the day, I knew I wanted to feed my addiction to all things blue and white. Working with the team at Kari Rider Events, we created a timeless blue and white garden party overlooking the water. Using my collection of blue and white ginger jars as our centerpieces, we kept the flowers simple with lots of white blooms and greenery from Monteray Farms. My mom, sister, and I had fun creating the lollipop escort cards, which was a play on my new last name, Lalli. My uber creative bridesmaid Kate made the boxwood table numbers and her equally talented sister Arney Walker did all of the calligraphy for our paper goods. And, of course, we had to create a signature drink and call it the Nancy Whiskey, the name of the bar where we met.

Matt and I were both college athletes and being more of a tomboy, I never pictured myself wearing a big white gown. The minute I tried on my two-piece Lihi Hod, I knew I’d found “the dress”—simple, elegant and comfortable (a priority for me!). To top it off, I wore my sister’s cathedral-length veil, which was the perfect complement.

From our first dance to the final song (“Shout,” of course), the reception was a blast. Despite the 90-degree heat and humidity, everyone danced the night away and our incredible band Doctor’s Orders made it quite the party. The feeling of having all of our favorite people in one place for the happiest celebration of our lives is one we will never forget!

While the end of wedding season means that we, as guests, get to slip off those dancing shoes for the time being, for all you industry peeps out there, it’s finally a chance for you to relax and reflect. And what better way – and place – to do so than at the upcoming Oh So Inspired retreat in Sonoma, California. And guess what? They’re giving away $1000 discounts to four lucky ducks who create a Pinterest board for this year’s theme Roadmap to Success. Some of these beautiful boards will even be brought to life during the retreat. Read on for all the details and how to enter below!

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Dream about being a wedding professional but lost with where to start? Are you already an industry pro but eager to meet some of our most successful vendors and grow your creative business? Any current or future wedding professional would be benefit from this amazing experience!

Four entries will win $1000 towards registration to attend the Oh So Inspired retreat in Sonoma, California from November 6-9, 2016 (valued at $2950*)!

Oh So Inspired will also choose a selection of submitted Pinterest boards to bring it to life during the retreat’s Design Challenge sponsored by Standard Party Rentals!

CONTEST RULES

1. Create a Pinterest board by end of day, Monday, September 19, 2016 – you can create as many as you wish!

2. Name your board and include “Oh So Inspired 2016”, a description (example, “Romance in Provence – Oh So Inspired 2016”) and the following hashtags: #stylemepretty #ohsoinspired16 #osi16 #standardpartyrentals

3. Pin away! Create Pinterest boards inspired by a city or country to go with this year’s theme “Roadmap to Success.” Let your creative juices fly! All boards should include at least 20 images.

4. Once you are done creating your dream board(s), comment a link to it on this blog post below.

5. Winner will be selected by Friday, September 23, 2016 and winners will be announced on Monday, September 26, 2016 on this post and contacted via email or phone call.

6. Prizes are only valid for Oh So Inspired 2016 in Sonoma and cannot be used for future retreats. Should a winner forego or relinquish their prize, there will not be an alternate winning board.

7. *No lodging or transportation is provided.

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About the retreat… Sometimes in business you need motivation and inspiration to create a roadmap to your own success. Over two years ago, three wedding professionals had this idea to create a retreat that was intended for wedding and event professionals who needed to bounce back after each busy wedding and event season and well as those who were starting out in the wedding industry. They wanted to create a place for both small business owner and other industry leaders who needed the motivation, insights and a creative outlet to get their brand, their work balance to a place that they dreamed of.

Founders Nancy Liu Chin of Nancy Liu Chin Designs, Mary Phan of Very Mary Inspired & The Sketchbook Series, and Kelly McLeskey-Dolata of A Savvy Event are the heart and soul of Oh So Inspired. Each of these women found a passion in educating and inspiring other professionals. With the success of their first two Oh So Inspired retreats in Sonoma, this year their theme is “Roadmap to Success.” Yes, it’s important to be motivated and it’s important to have a creative outlet but this year, the line up of teachers and speakers will address how to find one’s true goals, how to become more efficient, how to balance work and one’s personal lives, how to have longevity in this business, and much more. There will be hands on workshops within the retreat to teach people how to style their work in a way that connects with their intended readers, how to create beautiful floral arrangements. There will be small group discussions plus opportunities to rub elbows with many of the top professionals in the country.

Meeting and building alliances and relationships with other successful brand owners, editors, or brand managers is yet another bonus of Oh So Inspired. If you have been weaving in and out, lost in confusion, or simple stuck on a path that you really want to get off of, we hope you will join the many others who are planning on navigating, rerouting, or starting their Roadmap to Success at Oh So Inspired.

Wedding Details That Your Guests Will Notice

“It’s all in the details”, that’s what they say – right? I just so happen to believe this statement is true, especially when it comes to hosting a wedding, parties or showers. Reason being? It’s always the super meaningful yet small details that guests seem to remember long after you’ve celebrated your one year anniversary. So, with that I’ve spent quite a bit of time putting little touches into our wedding day!

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LINENS

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Linens are something every wedding usually has (unless you’ve been graced with those beautiful farm tables, not requiring a linen!) You can go the simple route and get plain white or ivory linens, which a lot of venues include in your venue cost. Since our venue doesn’t include linens, we decided to get something a little more memorable. Champagne colored linens + navy napkins for a little contrast is what we decided on for our dining table set up. For the reception, we have a few small, round tables by the barn where the dancing is located (extra seating for grandparents or for those who would rather watch than dance!) I decided to use specialty linens for these tables to help dress that area up. We’re using beautiful Mrs. Freund & Co. linens in pink for those.

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WELCOME TABLE

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The other areas we’re getting pretty linens for are our welcome table, where guests will be greeted with lemonade and iced tea, and our guest book table at the reception. Both of these will be the beautiful sequin table cloth in a champagne hue, to tie in with the rest of our color palette. You can see samples of the palette in the photos!

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CALLIGRAPHY

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Another little details I’m excited about is our calligraphy by Graceline. Jenny is creating signage for the day, place cards, and even writing out our vows to be framed for guests to read at the reception. Special touches like these make me swoon. She also did our names in calligraphy for our invitation and save the date, plus our watercolor floral envelope liner. Since those are the colors in our wedding, the liners will hopefully set the tone for the wedding day! The watercolor pattern will be seen around the wedding, so everything will tie in nicely.

Interactive Guest Book

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Interactive Guest Book

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THE GUESTBOOK

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One of the most fun aspects of our wedding will be our guest book. We have a polaroid camera where guests will be asked to take a picture with the group they came with, print it out, tape in our guest book, and sign right next to it. I can’t wait to have this to look at for years to come!

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FAVORS

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When it came to wedding favors, I was torn. I think favors can be easily forgotten, so we almost didn’t do one, but then we came up with something that was meaningful to our story. My fiancé and I met in an apple orchard, then got engaged in the same orchard, so we decided on Apple Raspberry Jam jars. I made a custom label and will tie silk ribbon on each jar. The jam jars will sit on the guest’s plates with a sprig of Rosemary from my grandmother’s garden. I love that we’re incorporating those sprigs from her garden into the wedding! Finally, we’re excited to have not only cake at our wedding, but also an ice cream bar. My favorite dessert is ice cream, so offering this sweet treat (especially on what promises to be a hot day!) will be really fun for us and guests. It’s one of our caterer’s specialties. What details did you incorporate into your wedding day?

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Follow Michaela Down the Aisle!

Engagement Session | Defining Your Inspiration | Gift Box | Picking Your Vendors

Photography: Ashley Slater | Calligraphy: Graceline Art | Wedding Venue: Holman Ranch | Jam Favors: Kitchen Kettle Village | Linens: Mrs. Freund & Co.

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Learn how to make your own jam favors here!

Michaela Warner

Blogger Bride

Michaela Noelle Designs

5 Bedroom Paint Colors for a Super Soothing Retreat

When it comes to the painting priority list, I’m a firm believer that the bedroom should be on the top of the list. Creating a soothing space to start and end the day is SO key. But choosing that perfectly calming hue? Isn’t always an easy task. So we teamed up with Home Depot and Behr to give you five tranquil options that’ll immediately turn your bedroom into a peaceful retreat. Read on for our hue selections and get the look with matching picks from Behr!

Gentle Gray

Naturally a stability evoking hue, gray is a great pick for any bedroom and a perfect choice if you want to incorporate a bit of color in your decor. Get the look with Behr Silver Dust.

Moody + Cozy Navy

Create a calming and tranquil escape with a beautifully rich navy, a lovely pairing for lighter furniture, too. Get the look with Behr Velvet Rope.

Simple White

Awaken your soul every day with a fresh, pure and clean white that immediately opens up a room and paves the way for tons of natural light. Get the look with Behr Ultra Pure White.

Serene Seafoam

Channel a calming and tropical seaside vibe with dulled shades of celeste, cyan and seafoam blues. Get the look with Behr Tide Pools.

Calming Cloudy Blue

Magical things happen when the peaceful hues of gray and blue marry, for a soothing space that you’ll never want to leave. Get the look with Behr Billowing Clouds.

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For more paint ideas + home inspiration check out…

20 Colorful Front Door Hues
White Walls that Pop
5 of the Sweetest Nursery Paint Colors that aren’t Pink or Blue

This Colorful Southern Soiree Will Make Your Entire Month

Oh where, oh where to begin with this sweet soiree? It’s colorful, vibrant and filled with sooo many amazing details (hello, gorgeous blooms from Siloh Floral, yummy cake from Hurley House and breathtaking images from Ben Q. Photography), your entire month will.be.made. Press play on the sweet film from Splendor Films and then head to THE VAULT to swooooon the day away.

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Religious Institution Rustic Weddings

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Talk About First Look Goals…

From Ben Q. Photography… Bailey and Kyle had a charming Southern wedding in Weatherford, Texas. Their florist, Siloh Floral, from Denver brought in the most amazing bright fun flowers and beautiful loose greenery decor. Their wedding day was perfectly sunny and we had so much fun with their portraits. Truly a sweet bride and groom!

From Siloh Floral… One of the things that I love most about flowers is not only their insane beauty, but also their ability to express emotion, meaning, and personality. Bailey and Kyle wanted their wedding day to be a fun, light-hearted celebration for friends and family. I’ve never seen a couple more giddy to get married in my life. This is just the sentiment that I wanted to represent through their wedding flowers. Using vibrant and cheery citrus toned blooms was the perfect way to display their bubbly personalities and the joy and excitement surrounding their special day.

It’s official – the cutest “first look” award goes to this bride and groom. They planned the ultimate rooftop reveal captured by Emilia Jane followed by an “I do” at the Chicago History Museum designed with classic elegance from start to finish. Peruse to your heat’s content with more inside The Vault.

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Museum

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