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5 Free Apps to Help You Survive Pregnancy

Pregnancy is no joke. From the physical and emotion changes to the planning to the zillion questions parents-to-be have, it’s a joyous, sometimes crazy, heck of a rollercoaster ride. I’m really not sure how our folks did it without the web, but I sure am thankful that we have it at our fingertips today. Here are five free pregnancy apps to see you through your nine month journey with success!

5 Free Apps to Help You Survive Pregnancy
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5 Free Apps to Help You Survive Pregnancy
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Charleston Rehearsal Dinner With Loads of Southern Charm!

We count any day Ryan Ray’s photos grace our pages as a REALLY good day. This time around, he’s taking us on a two-part adventure to Charleston, South Carolina for a wedding weekend that’s anchored in classic Southern elegance. Beginning with the rehearsal dinner designed by A Charleston Bride and described as “an ode to the groom’s Kentucky upbringing” you can dive right into the fun and stay tuned for the I Do up next!

From A Charleston BrideTaylor and Rhett met in the ordinary circumstances of life working together, but years later when they decided to date, it transformed into something amazing. Upon meeting them both, you are immediately comfortable. It’s almost instantaneous. They both have a way of making you feel familiar and important with just a smile and a kind word. There is a bright light that radiates between the two of them and makes you believe in happy endings. You can feel all the gratitude and love they have for each other and it has a wonderful effect on everyone and everything around them.

The wedding weekend took place the last weekend in June in Charleston SC. The couple chose this location because they have a second home and business in the holy city and they frequently travel to visit for downtime. The rehearsal dinner took place at The Governor Thomas Bennett House, the wedding at Lowndes Grove Plantation, and the post-wedding brunch at The Mills House Hotel. Each venue represented unique aspects of Charleston charm and the couples love of the low country.

In meeting to discuss design, it’s always important to understand and get to know the couple well. How they design, how they dress, general taste, and just their overall demeanor. A well-designed wedding or event should evoke emotions from the guest that remind them of the couple. There is no greater compliment to a planner than to hear “this wedding is so them” and is the driving force of how I approach the design and ambiance. A wedding can be timeless, soft, and beautiful without being safe.

The rehearsal dinner had a masculine design and was an ode to the groom’s Kentucky upbringing. We created an earth-toned atmosphere of blues, greys, greens, mahogany wood, and subtle touches of gold and ivory throughout. Each place setting had a textured grey napkin, gilded stem cotton pod, fresh rosemary sprig, and horseshoe keepsake to accompany the playful bordered menu card design. Greenery runners of magnolia, eucalyptus, and rosemary ran down farm tables and loose green and white floral adorned the round tables mixed with textured natural linens.

A bluegrass band played southern melodies as guest entered the courtyard garden and were greeted with whiskey lemonade cocktails and passed buttermilk fried oysters, pimento cheese, and skewered shrimp and grits. The seating assignments were located on recycled wood pallets covered in greenery and chick wire and directed their table. The pallet was reused later in the night as a focal for speeches and a matching design backdrop with hanging vintage bulbs was placed behind the band. We used gingham fabric for pillows and utilized existing benches and rocking chairs for lounge seating.

The simplistic, yet stunning sail cloth tent for the seated dinner truly radiated in the night sky as their family and friends shared stories of the couple. The night was classic, relaxed, and naturally graceful.

A blue grass band played southern melodies as guest entered the courtyard garden and were greeted with whiskey lemonade cocktails and passed buttermilk fried oysters, pimento cheese, and skewered shrimp and grits. The seating assignments were located on recycled wood pallets covered in greenery and chick wire and directed their table. The pallet was reused later in the night as a focal for speeches and a matching design backdrop with hanging vintage bulbs was placed behind the band. We used gingham fabric for pillows and utilized existing benches and rocking chairs for lounge seating. The simplistic, yet stunning sail cloth tent for the seated dinner truly radiated in the night sky as their family and friends shared stories of the couple. The night was classic, relaxed, and naturally graceful.

Photography: Ryan Ray Photography | Cinematography: East West | Event Planning + Design: A Charleston Bride | Floral Design: A Charleston Bride | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge | Invitations: Studio R | Hair + Makeup: Ash & Co. | Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones | Band: Simply Irresistible | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Ceremony Music: Bob William Duo | Transportation: Absolutely Charleston | Venue: Lowndes Grove Plantation | Boat Exit: Classic Boat Charleston | Bridal Assistant: Cacky's Bridal Aid | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Painted Crest Banner: Anne Melvin | Rehearsal Dinner: The Governor Thomas Bennett House | Rentals: Snyder | Rentals: Ooh! EventHaus | Rentals: Nuage Designs | Rentals: Polished | Ring Bearer's Attire: Florence Eiseman | Wedding Crest Design: Arabella June Design Studio | Welcome Bags: A Signature Welcome

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here
The Style Editrix’s Sweet Backyard Picnic Baby Shower

When a style blogger, like Ashley of The Style Editrix, has a baby shower, you know it’s going to be nothing short of fabulous. And with a flower crown bar, DIY banners to hang in the baby’s nursery, and one very adorable dog, it’s safe to say Ashley’s backyard shower surpasses even our highest expectations. See it all from Valorie Darling in The Vault!

From The Style Editrix… As soon as I found out I was pregnant I got on Pinterest and created a baby shower board because I was so excited to have a shower!  I didn’t have a bridal shower, but knew I really wanted to celebrate this little bundle of joy with my friends and family both in LA and Louisville.  I had my Los Angeles baby shower two weeks ago and it was so magical – beyond what I ever hoped for thanks to my sister, friends and Poppy Richards Events (email me if you want to contact them and I can connect you).  Every little detail was thought of and executed to a T.  Even with the 100 degree weather, I was able to celebrate with my closest friends in our new backyard.  The highlights for me were definitely the flower crown bar, where all of my guests designed their own crowns, and the DIY baby banner station, which my husband and I plan to hang in the nursery.  Special thanks to my photographer Valorie Darling for the gorgeous photos, Essie for the polishes as favors for my guests and for my super cute manicure, Pressed Juicery for the healthy green juices, Watermelon Water for the refreshing treat, Stick With Me Sweets for artisan chocolates, Go Priv for my beautiful crown braid, and last but not least, The Crown Collective, for the beautiful flower crowns.  

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Photography: Valorie Darling | Event Planning: Poppy Richards | Dress: BCBG Generation | Cake: Susie Cakes | Catering: Simple Things | Hair: Go Priv | Banners: Etsy | Bar Cart: Amazon | Cake Banner: Etsy | Cake Mini Animals: Pottery Barn | Cake Mini Animals: Really Great Toys | Chocolates: Stick With Me Sweets| Flower Arrangements: DIY from DTLA Flower Mart | Flower Crowns: The Crown Collective | Gold Baby Balloons: Etsy | Juices: Pressed Juicery | Umbrellas + Tables: Pico Party Rents

How To Throw the Perfect Summer Brunch for Your Girls

Summer is my favorite for sooo many reasons. The happy hues all around, beach days and seasonal scents that induce a smile. But quite possibly one of the best things these warm days bring? The endless party possibilities, like this sun-kissed brunch from Dyan Kethley PhotographySilver Lining Events + Co.Kara Stout and Blue and Tan Events that is absolutely exploding with color. Think bridal or baby showers, Sunday fundays and birthday celebrations—every pin-worthy bit is waiting in The Vault!

From Dyan Kethley Photography… Last summer some local wedding friendors and I got together and created a bridesmaid brunch with a unique, healthy spin to honor one of our fashion-blogger friends, Katey McFarlan of Chronicles of Frivolity, who recently married her prince charming. So often we’ve found ourselves attending wedding party festivities with extremely yummy foods and drinks, however all of the celebrating can quickly become dangerous for the waistline (and fitting into that bridesmaid dress). At this party, we wanted to create a fun and fresh summer atmosphere with the same style of delicious foods one might find at a brunch, just with an easy to do, organic and health-conscious approach. The shoot was filled with beautiful summer colors, delicious foods and drinks, and of course some southern charm! 

We chose a very bright, summery color palette in designing the invitation suite, florals, and details while keeping a neutral palette for the furniture and rentals. In keeping with the fresh and clean approach, we incorporated citrus fruits such as limes, lemons, oranges, and kumquats into centerpieces and place settings. The floral chandelier was a true highlight and made the table for our bride and her guests all the more stunning and inviting!

A fabulous group of women, fun and festive details that we all love so much, and our amazing brunch spread made for the perfect way to shower one of our favorite brides!

Our scrumptious menu included treats specially created by Bridal Nutritionist and Wellness Coach, Kara Stout. Get the recipes below!

Summer Brunch Menu

Raspberry Lemon Mini Donuts with Raspberry Coconut Glaze

Mini Quiche made with Farm Fresh Eggs and Seasonal Vegetables

Gluten-Free Pancake Cake with a Key Lime, Orange, and Maple Syrup Frosting

Fresh Citrus, Berry and Mint Salad

Stay tuned for a DIY Mimosa Bar this Sunday, including recipes for a Green Mimosa, Spicy Pineapple Mimosa, and Strawberry Sage Mimosa!

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Photography: Dyan Kethley Photography | Event Planning: Silver Lining Events + Co. | Event Design: Silver Lining Events + Co. | Food and Nutrition: Kara Stout | Floral Design: Blue and Tan Events | Paper Products: Pink Champagne Paper | Calligraphy: Pink Champagne Paper | Furniture and Decor Rentals: Propmaker Event Rentals | Make-up: Rayven Walker | Hair: Wedfully Yours | Plate and Tea Cup Rentals: Pretty Little Plates | Jewelry and Accessories: Accessory Jane | Film Developing and Scanning: Photovision | Location: The Farm by Propmaker in Anna, TX

The Most Beautiful Wedding Gown Ever!

I’m just going to come out and say it – this gown is the most beautiful wedding dress in the whole wide world. And the beauty of this day? Well it doesn’t stop there. For this intimate destination wedding is filled with beautiful blush hues, plenty of sweet family elements, Charity Maurer Photography behind the lens capturing it all to share. Witness the wonder in The Vault!

From Charity Maurer PhotographyThinking about having their wedding in their hometown of Alberta was sending shivers up the spine of bride, Paige, and groom, Justin. With that in mind they began their search for the perfect (and warm!) destination for their marriage. A few short weeks later the couple settled on the charming and luxe city of Paradise Valley, AZ. The bride’s elegant tastes are evident in all of her choices. From the soft blush-colored silk bridesmaid dresses to her own a-line dress with beading like you’ve never laid eyes on before, Paige makes it clear that she has an eye for detail. Justin, being the dapper dude he is was striking in a stylish black suit – both an homage to formality of times passed and a tribute to current menswear styles. Surrounded by both of their close families, this day was truly a pleasure to behold. Families laughed and danced together while the bride and groom enjoyed all of their planning and efforts coming together for their special day. Paige even decided to have a special “first look” moment with just her father – what a sweet moment to behold, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The couple exchanged vows bathed in the light from the stained glass windows of Blessed Sacrament Church. Their choice of the intimate El Chorro Lodge for their reception tied together the perfect look for their day. It was as if the universe knew that nothing could spoil this day, so it set out its very best on display: gorgeous weather, an incredible sunset, and a cool evening breeze. Under a blanket of stars the happy couple and all their guests danced, laughed, and celebrated the night away.

Photography: Charity Maurer Photography | Coordination: Imoni Events | Floral Design: Sarah's Garden | Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige | Cake: Cakes By Whisk | Stationery: Elli | Ceremony Venue: Blessed Sacrament Church | Reception Venue: El Chorro | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Vera Wang | Makeup: Allison Pynn | DJ: MT Sounds | Photobooth Bus: The Foto Booth Bus | Rentals: Tremaine Ranch

A Modern, Elegant Wedding with Breathtaking Toronto Skyline Views

From this stylish couple’s intimate, traditional Chinese tea ceremony to tying the knot on a rooftop against a dramatic Toronto skyline, Rhythm Photography captures every perfect moment and every sweet detail. You’ll want to pour through this wedding right here in The Vault and if you’re like me, pin away dreamily at the bride’s stunning gown and showstopping pair of Louboutins.

Colors
Settings
Urban Space
Styles
Modern

From The Bride…The day started bright and early when the makeup artists arrived to do hair and makeup for all my bridesmaids. Herman then came to pick me up and we did a Chinese Tea ceremony at both of our family’s house. We then went to Evergreen Brickworks and the ROM to take photos with the bridal party. The day went by in a flash and soon it was time to walk down the aisle!

After the ceremony, there were cocktails on the rooftop terrace on the reverse pyramidal stairs, which had a very unique architectural design. There were 6 cruiser tables wrapped elegantly in white linen placed along the steps and each had a centerpiece: a pearl topiary ball which were handmade by us, the bridesmaids and sister-in -law. There were 3 sets of couches and tables along the stairs. Each table had a small cube floral arrangement.

I wanted our wedding to be modern yet personalized with a touch of the DIY decorations that we made. The cake was designed to match the sophisticated and unique pattern on the ceiling of Malaparte. It was accompanied by a personalized dessert table. Lots of time and effort was spent planning this table. Each dessert was discussed in detail and designed with the baker at DT Bistro from colour to texture to taste. Glass bells, mini Phantom chairs and cake domes were purchased from Creative Bag and Ikea. Vases were purchased from BHLDN and flowers provided by the florist.

Each guest received a miniature white tin mailbox which had a small parcel and thank you card. The small parcels (Lindt chocolate) were all individually wrapped with a perfectly tied bow. The thank you card mimics a traditional letter with red and blue striped edges and it was designed and made by us.

We had such a great time at our wedding and was so glad that everyone could come and celebrate this day with us!

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Photography: Rhythm Photography | Cinematography: SDE Weddings | Floral Design: ML Enterprises Inc | Wedding Dresses: Felichia Bridal | Cake: DT Bistro | Stationery: Empress Paper Crafts | Bride’s Shoes: Michael Kors 1248 | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Club Monaco | Hair + Makeup: Satine Makeup & Hair Styling Studio | DJ: Cube Logic | Bow Tie: Italo Ferretti | Officiant: Enduring Promises | Venue:Malaparte | Balloons: Sugargirlee & Co | Photo Booth: Still Frame Storys | Photoshoot Location 1:Evergreen Brickworks | Photoshoot Location 2: Royal Ontario Museum | Qi Pao: Forever Love Wedding Design

A classic southern affair with a side of prep? Sign us up!

What do you get when you combine a beautiful, Kate Spade employee bride with a handsome groom with a love of all things classically southern? My new favorite wedding.  Think stunning florals by Blossoms Events, the gorgeous stylings of Calder Clark Designs and a magical Forest Creek Golf Club setting.  See every preppy meets traditional moment captured by Nancy Ray in THE VAULT, then press play on the sweet film from Heart Stone Films below.

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From Nancy Ray Photography… This lovely wedding took place in Pinehurst, NC. The bride, Brynne, worked at Kate Spade corporate at the time of the wedding, and the groom worked as an investment banker at Credit Suisse. The couple met at Stanley’s Bar in Chicago, where they got to know each other over beers and danced the night away!

Both the bride and groom are classicists, but as you may guess with her work experience at Kate Spade, Brynne had a slightly preppy side as well. They wanted their wedding to be traditional but fresh, and to mesh with the surrounding greenery and scenery of Pinehurst. One of the bride’s favorite design elements that Calder created was a custom bar featuring latticework and trailing clematis.

Photography: Nancy Ray Photography | Cinematography: Heart Stone Films | Event Design: Calder Clark Designs | Floral Design: Blossoms Events | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Ceremony Venue: The Village Chapel | Reception Venue: Forest Creek Golf Club | Hair + Makeup: The La La Girl | Band: The Adrian Duke Project | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here
Destination Wedding in Prague? Yes Please!

Ahh, Prague. One of the most beautiful cities in the ENTIRE world and the ultimate backdrop for a destination wedding. No surprise, Exclusive Weddings In Prague and Stepan Vrzala Photography were behind this incredible day and The Vault album is like a wedding + travel gallery all rolled into one.

From the Bride…I met the man of my dreams in sunny California, and it was love at first sight. Then, in February of 2015, Nicholas proposed. We were spending a day together in beautiful Carmel, along the coast on the famous 17-mile drive. During one of the stops while sitting in front of the vast Pacific Ocean, he took my hand and said he will love me forever. He pulled a ring from his pocket and asked me to marry him. I will never forget the moment he made me the happiest girl in the world.

Nicholas was born and raised in California, but his parents grew up in the Czech Republic and Austria. My family lives in Russia, where I was born and raised, and I moved to California when I was 21. Because of our family ties overseas, we wanted to hold a destination wedding in Europe so our loved ones could all attend. We wanted the location to be meaningful, and after much consideration we decided on Prague. This romantic city full of history and beautiful architecture felt like the perfect fit- a blend of Eastern and Western European cultures, as well as the birthplace of Nicholas’ father. Excited about our decision, we immediately went to work planning our destination wedding in the “Golden City”.

Our preparations began with a search for a local wedding planning agency. We came across Exclusive Weddings in Prague, owned by Andrea Hanusova, and immediately she made a great impression on us. What followed was close to a year of hard work and diligence, to plan the perfect wedding. Andrea patiently helped us through the whole process, and we enjoyed every minute of working with her. She was so personable and talented, making us feel comfortable even in stressful times. She understood our ideas and wishes easily, and helped make our dream wedding come true.

Our fairy-tale wedding in May of 2016 could not have been more perfect. We stayed in the historic Pachtuv Palace, which was established in 1628 and was a favorite lodging of Mozart and other luminaries. The hotel was ideally situated in the heart of Prague, and our room had a wonderful view of The Vltava River and Charles Bridge. We started the weekend with a welcome dinner at a Czech restaurant the night before our wedding, where our guests had a chance to meet each other and break the ice. The following morning was a blur of excitement as I got ready for our big day, and before I knew it I was standing in front of the beautiful Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul. This antique church built in a neo-gothic style stands majestically atop a hill in the Vysehrad fortress and overlooks the Vltava River. The interior is embellished with gold statues and delicate paintings, but I hardly noticed these details as my Daddy walked me down the aisle, my heart beating. Nicholas and I exchanged our vows in front of God and our family and friends, a moment we will cherish forever.

The reception that followed was held at Villa Richter, a restaurant in St. Wenceslas’ Vineyard, the oldest vineyard in Bohemia. Nicholas and I first toured Prague in a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud and visited several picturesque spots for our photo shoot. Meanwhile, our guests arrived at the restaurant and were greeted with signature cocktails and canapés, which included smoked duck breast, prosciutto and figs, and marinated salmon. After enjoying the breathtaking view of Prague’s Old City from the terrace, we took our seats at the beautifully-decorated wedding table. The theme of the reception was one of romantic elegance, with hydrangeas, peonies, roses, carnations, eustomas, sweet peas, astilbes, and astrantias in cream, off-white, and shades of pink. These were surrounded by stunning candles, glass ornaments, and mercury vases. In true Russian tradition, the table was covered with platters of meats, fish and caviar, cheeses, and other delicacies. Grilled tiger prawns with chili ginger sauce were served as the first course, followed by lobster cream soup, and the most delicious main courses including deer tenderloin, grilled veal ribeye steak, and rolled corn chicken. We went back out to the terrace to cut the cake, which was a combination of our two favorite flavors: mud cake with raspberry and dulce de leche.

We had a very fun and lively reception, full of Czech, Russian, American, and Austrian traditions, followed by an emotional first dance to Ed Sheeran’s “Speaking Out Loud”. On the last day we met up with our guests for a boat cruise with live music and buffet-style lunch. As we were enjoying the sunny spring weather and reliving memories of the previous night, we got a chance to see Prague from the river, including the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul. We said our goodbyes with a heavy heart, but we were grateful that our loved ones could get together and share our special day in the romantic, beautiful city of Prague. It was truly a dream wedding and the happiest moment of our lives.

Photography: Stepan Vrzala Photography | Event Planning: Exclusive Weddings In Prague | Floral Design: Inspirito | Wedding Dress: Olvi's | Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas | Ceremony Venue: Vysehrad Church | Reception Venue: Villa Richter | Rings: Shane Co. | Hair + Makeup: Lucie Pruzkova | DJ: DJ Jirka Brezina | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Transportation: Sebatour | Hotel: Pachtuv Palace | Cake + Desserts: Punkrock Cakes | Getaway Car: Oldtimer Sebek

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here
12 Dinner Ideas for When It’s Too Hot To Cook

We are in the thick of August folks, and that means HOT evenings are upon us. You know, the kind when the first thing you want to do after work is sip on an ice cold brew or super chilled glass of vino. Oh, and the idea of turning on the oven or using the stovetop? Sounds like hell. So grab that cocktail and take comfort in a nice cool meal that’s sure to satisfy. See the full roundup here!

12 Dinner Ideas For When It's Too Hot To Cook
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12 Dinner Ideas For When It's Too Hot To Cook
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Top off dinner with to-die-for DIY ice cream sandwiches…

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See our full recipe archives here!

Urban Graffiti Engagement Session

When it comes to incredibly cool engagement sessions, Jordan and Matt take the cake. Because honestly, what’s cooler than taking your lost-in-love picture in front of some crazy cool murals? Uhm, nothing that’s what. See it all captured by Allen Tsai Photography in The Vault!

From Allen Tsai PhotographyWe really wanted to capture a mix of modern, whimsical, and romantic engagement photos for Jordan and Matt. Miami was the perfect city to photograph them offering a diverse range of environments. The Wynwood walls served as a perfect modern backdrop with it’s vibrant colors and modern art, and was the perfect complement to their wedding venue the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas which is known for its amazing art exhibits. We then headed to South Beach to not only capture their fun and whimsical side, but also to create relaxing images with an intimate feel. We were able to end this wonderful trip with some romantic seaside sunrise images, and can’t wait for their fall wedding with the talented Keestone Events!

Photography: Allen Tsai Photography | Film Processing: Goodman Film Lab | Location: South Beach | Location: Wynwood Walls

700 Guests + 2 Gorgeous Gowns Leave Us Speechless

I see a lot of weddings, there’s no denying it. But this one right here will be fresh in my mind for months to come; it’s simply too stunning for words, let alone to forget. When 700 guests gather at the gorgeous Castleton Farms, magic is bound to happen, and that’s exactly how I’d describe these pics from Finch Photo. Peerless Films captured the live action and I thank both artists for documenting it all for our Vault – my month has been made. So without further ado, let’s see it all here!

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From Finch Photo… From day one, we knew Heena and Ronak’s wedding day was going to be something incredibly special – we just never knew they would become so near and dear to our hearts (so much so that Ben, photographer, and Darla, wedding planner spent two weeks in India helping plan the wedding). Heena wanted a traditional Indian wedding and the multi-day celebrations that come with it, but being born and raised in the United States, she wanted to incorporate a few American wedding trends as well (first look, cocktail hour, late night snack and sparkler send-off). Knowing that most weddings in India take place outside, she stumbled upon Castleton Farms as the perfect outdoor wedding venue (it also didn’t hurt that the venue could accommodate their 700 guests, almost half of which traveled all the way from India). Also, instead of the vibrant colors most often associated with Indian weddings, Heena chose a more neutral color palette – blush and cream. Together, Heena and Castleton’s on-site event planner, Darla Walker, were able to dream big and bring her every wedding wish to life. From the stunning floral arrangements by Samuel Franklin to the draping and décor provided by All Occasions Party Rentals, no detail was forgotten. Each vendor was able to see Heena’s vision and execute it better than we could have ever imagined.

And let’s talk about the energy of their wedding day! Their 700 guests were entertained from sun up to sun down – starting with a traditional Indian breakfast and ending with a custom fireworks show. Even though we all suffered an early morning wake up call, things definitely livened up during the barat. Guests danced from the front gate of Castleton to the Manor, where Ronak (seated on a white horse decked out in Indian garb) greeted Heena’s family. From there, the curious guests roamed the 108-acre property during the ceremony, enjoyed an Indian lunch, and went back to their hotel rooms to freshen up. Once everyone was able to catch a quick cat nap, they joined us back at Castleton Farms for a cocktail hour in the Vineyard, a traditional Indian dinner (did we mention there were table assignments for everyone?!), dancing, late night pizza, a father-daughter dance that made us even tear up, a choreographed dance from the bridal party, fireworks, and so much more. Not only was it the most memorable day of Heena and Ronak’s lives, but it definitely goes down as of the most memorable experiences of our lives.

Photography: Finch Photo | Cinematography: Peerless Films | Event Planning: Castleton Farms | Floral Design: Samuel Franklin | Cake: Cakery Bakery | Catering: All Occasion Catering | Hair + Makeup: Bangs And Blush | DJ: DJ Jaz And GTB Productions | Venue: Castleton Farms | Barat Horse: Sugar Creek Carriages | Decor: Purnima Patel | Fireworks: Pyro Shows, Inc. | Guest Chef: Pankaj Jariwala | Rentals: All Occasions Party Rentals

An English Garden Wedding Kate Middleton Would Love

A wedding so alarmingly beautiful that it would make The Duchess of Cambridge dream about a do-over? You bet, and it’s all thanks to the talented vendor team on hand (we’re looking at you Katie Julia, Wedding Film Studio, Jessie Thomson Weddings & Events, and Kylee Yee). From the traditional church ceremony to the rose gold details, we’ve got it all waiting for you to fall in love with in The Vault

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From Jessie Thomson Weddings & EventsThis beautiful church ceremony and marquee garden wedding is absolutely perfect for the modern luxury bride – set in the grounds of their private home in England, we mixed crisp white organic florals with soft grey silk linen, subtle blush details and contemporary furnishings to create a traditional yet elegant and timeless celebration. Not only did this two day affair visually look amazing, it was also an incredible experience for their guests; from Jo Malone scent throughout, a special powder room for the ladies complete with beautiful dressing tables, an oyster shucker at the outdoor drinks reception as a gift to the father of the bride, live drums and sax accompanying the late night DJ, and a bloody mary bar at the post-wedding brunch. Each element was considered to please all of the senses, and truly reflected the effortless personal style of the gorgeous bride and delightful groom.

From the bride…. Growing up, and when I allowed myself to dream about it, I always thought I knew exactly how I wanted my wedding to be – a traditional English wedding in a church with a marquee reception. For me, that was the dream. Yet, after I had said “yes” I had to explore every option – getting married with just close family and friends around us on a sandy beach in Barbados, a country house hotel in the Cotswolds…we even looked at licensing our own garden! There are so many options and there is so much pressure to make this the very best day of your lives (after your children’s birthdays of course!) that you can get totally caught up in a wedding frenzy. That was me. The girl that had had a box of magazine clippings full of ideas for saying I do in her bedside drawer since the beginning of time, didn’t know what to do! During our engagement we moved in to our “forever home” and it was only when visiting the house one day we realised it was the perfect place for our wedding day. There is a beautiful church in our village which is walking distance from the house and imagining it there was just like thinking of the wedding I had always dreamed of growing up.

Once the decision was made to get married at home I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how I wanted it to look. My husband let me take the lead with all the styling and detail, his big thing was the food and wine so I left him to work with our chosen catering company “Horseradish” and I have to say, they did a great job!

I am naturally a very organized person (I have to be, its my job!) but I knew from the start that I wanted to have the help of a wedding planner for the lead up to the big day and the day itself. This was definitely one of the best decisions I made. I had insta-stalked a few people after our engagement but I knew that Jessie was the right one for us. Her style was flawless and I knew we would be on the same page from the start. Jessie took all the stress out of the day itself and was always there to bounce my ideas off and bring me back down to earth when they got out of control (importing the perfect chairs from china?!) My second priority was the stationery, you only get to make one first impression and I wanted it to set the tone of the day. Thanks again goes to Instagram for introducing me to the beyond talented Gemma Milly, just check out her page and you’ll see what I mean! She managed to bring together every element of my wildest stationary dreams and make them reality – printing rose gold foil on wood veneer, our own monogrammed wax stamp and beautiful water colour illustrations. It was well worth the disagreement I had with my husband over how much budget I had portioned to it!!

I was really lucky in that I had the same feeling about Katie our photographer too and felt like I had hit the jackpot when I realised they had worked together before and I saw what they had created. To me, these were the most important parts of the day – the styling and the photographs and after I had these two booked I had peace of mind. It was then that I could concentrate on my dress! I went down to London to Browns Bride and Vera Wang (so much fun!) but as beautiful as they all were I didn’t want to walk down the isle in something that was “Off the Peg”. It also didn’t sit well with me to pay so much money for something that isn’t unique. A good friend of mine had had her dress made for her wedding and she passed on the details to me. As soon as I met Claire I knew it was the route that I wanted to go down. It was great to be able to make tweaks and changed all the way through (which I certainly did – sorry Claire!!) and feel like I had played a part in designing the dress. Claire also made my sisters bridesmaid dress which again made the process so much easier as I wanted my bridesmaids and flower girls to be in white and who knew there were so many different shades!! With Claire making the two dresses it was easy to get the perfect match.

The flower girl choices were easy for me. I fell in love with Nelly Stella “Alice” dress as soon as I saw it. With its layers and layers of soft white tulle it was the perfect dress for my little angels!

I’d say I spent most of my time leading up to the wedding on the little details. I sat on my iPad night after night researching and looking for ideas. I kept a Pinterest board and followed lots of lovely wedding related blogs. I think it’s so important to do this so you can be sure that you include everything you want to on the day and put your personal touch on it.

I firmly believe that the week leading up to the wedding day is almost as wonderful as the day itself. You float around in a world of excitement and anticipation, watching everything fall in to place and seeing all your hard work come together. The moment the marquee guys arrived I was transported in to my own little bubble, it was such a happy time. My advice to my friends and future brides to be is to really enjoy this week, it’s too late for panic so let it be and take as much time off work as possible!

We had planned to have a dinner after our rehearsal the night before the wedding and that really was the start of the celebrations. All our family and wedding party came together and it was so special to have that time with them before the craziness of the day itself.

Although I had had my bridezilla moments in the final weeks before, I felt totally calm on the morning of our wedding. I woke up early to the most beautiful clear skies and made breakfast for my flower girls and bridesmaids. I then took time to be with our daughter because I knew it would be difficult later in the day. She was only 20 months at the time and was a little confused by what was going on!

It was beyond exciting seeing all the suppliers arriving and setting up and during my hair and make up I couldn’t help but keep popping outside to check on progress! The morning flew by and before I knew it the rest of the bridal party had arrived and I was putting my dress on. It was at this point that the nerves kicked in as I realised due to minor hiccups and changing of plans I was running a fashionable 15 minutes late! Bride tip – be ready half an hour before you think you should be…and then add on another 15 minutes! There is never enough time!

Although only half a miles journey, traveling to the church with my Dad was one of the most special moments of the day. He was cool and calm and I felt so lucky to have him there by my side. As we walked down the tree lined path to the church he took my arm, told me I looked beautiful and we followed the flower girls, my daughter and my sister down the isle. The picture of smiling faces of our friends and family all under one roof was so special. I was so happy I couldn’t stop grinning! When I reached the end and saw my husband I was overwhelmed with emotion. The first hymn began and I couldn’t hold in my happy tears! Thankfully the forward thinking best man handed me a handkerchief as I tried to pull myself together!

Photography: Katie Julia | Cinematography: Wedding Film Studio | Event Planning + Design: Jessie Thomson Weddings & Events | Floral Design: Westwood Design | Cake: Cressida Bell | Stationery: Gemma Milly | Catering: Horseradish Hospitality | Makeup: Naomi Joy | Hair: Soul Hair | Venue: At Home | Adult Bridesmaid: Claire Mischevani Couture | Adult Bridesmaid Hair Clip: John Richard | Bride Dress: Claire Mischevani Couture | Bride Headband: jennifer behr | Bride Jewelry: Boodles | Bride Shoes: Dune | Bridesmaid Bracelets: Astley Clarke | Flowergirl Dresses: Nellystella | Lighting + Audio: Lightech | Photography - Assistance: Kylee Yee | Reception Music + DJ: ALR Music | Stationery (Table Plan): Imogen Owen | Tent Rentals: Tent And Garden

The Prettiest Ever 5-Minute Breakfast Bowl You’ll Want to Gobble Up

In all my years on this planet, I have never tried dragonfruit. Terrible, I know! It’s so dang pretty, and as the ladies of Beijos Events are showcasing, makes for a knockout brunch addition. Your guests will ohhh and ahhh and it can be our little secret that it only takes a hot second to whip up. So go ahead and impress the masses with this gorgeous Dragonfruit Breakfast Bowl.

I discovered dragon fruit not to long ago, and I’m totally obsessed with it. If you haven’t seen a dragonfruit, you are missing out! It’s is probably one of the coolest looking fruits around. Its part of the cactus family, which explains why I love it so much. Us Beijos ladies and our love for anything cactus.

It is hot pink on the outside, and a cool white and black speckled flesh on the inside. With our summer mornings being warm ones, this has been on the menu in our house a lot lately. Its fast, easy, healthy, and the kids love it! Don’t forget its just pretty to look at. Hint: This is a perfect brunch item. Your guests will love it! Shhh… don’t tell them how easy it is.

QUICK TIPS

When picking out a dragonfruit, look for one with bright and even colored skin. Blotchy spots are a no no. It should be soft, but not mushy.

Make sure your fruit is COLD. Fruit taste so much more refreshing when its cold. If you are serving these bowls at a later time, simply assemble and then take out right before serving.

Dragonfruit Breakfast Bowl
prep time
5 Minute/s
cook time
total time
5 Minute/s
Serves 1Ingredients
  • 1 Dragonfruit
  • 1/2 cup of assorted fruit (I like to use berries, pineapple, and mango) I used berries this time around cause that is what was in my fridge at the time.
  • Melon scooper
Instructions
  1. Slice your dragonfruit in half.
  2. Using your melon scooper, scoop out most of the dragonfruit.
  3. Add in your fruit of choice and the balls of dragonfruit.
  4. Lastly, add spoon and demolish!

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More Brunch Goodies this way…

How To Throw the Perfect Summer Brunch for Your Girls
Party Tips for the Best Ever Summer Entertaining
15 Essentials for a Perfectly Stocked Bar Cart

Photography: Yasmin Sarai Photography | Design and Styling: Beijos Events

Rio Olympian Kasey Perry-Glass’ Rustic Wedding

Who says you have to be in Rio to bring home the gold? Thankfully for those of us who are watching from the sidelines this year, we invite you to witness one very special celebration. That being? The wedding of Current USA Olympian Kasey Perry-Glass (who just so happens to be competing today!) promising her forever in one sweet ranch ceremony. Complete with the talented Weddings By Scott And Dana behind the lens and Plush Weddings on hand orchestrating every stunning second, we’ve got it all waiting for you in The Vault!

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From Michaela at Plush WeddingsWhen you think of Kasey and Dana Glass…you can’t help but think about a love story with a fairy tale ending. Both share a love of horses, and it was this love that ultimately brought them together for a chance meeting in Colorado in 2008. Kasey and her family had flown out to Colorado from California to be part of the world famous Great American Horse Drive. People travel from all over the world to join in this 60 mile horse drive in which the participants move over 700 horses across the beautiful countryside while also on horseback. Dana was the ranch hand (or ‘hot hospitality cowboy’ as Kasey put it) that worked for the ranch. The interaction between the two was short-lived and when the ride was over Kasey and Dana went their separate ways…

But life has a pretty amazing way of bringing two people together when it’s simply meant to be. Kasey returned home, and over the next couple years, was splitting her time between California & Washington to continue her qualifying and training for the 2016 USA Olympic Dressage Team. Dana continued working at the ranch in Colorado, eventually moving to South Dakota. Their paths crossed again (thanks to Kasey’s sister who had stayed in touch with Dana!) and this time it was on the West Coast, in Spokane, Washington. From there, the spark was fueled and the rest is history….

Their first date was perfectly sweet. Upon Dana’s arrival to Washington the two went out to breakfast. According to Kasey, from that point on, they never left each other’s side. ‘It was love at first (well, second) sight,’ says Dana. Kasey loved how easily they re-connected. She knew it would take an extra special person who understood her commitment to the Dressage sport and the intense training that comes with qualifying for the Olympic team….and Dana was just that guy! In Kasey’s words, ‘He’s the perfect man. I trust him fully and completely. He’s passionate for us, he’s patient, he loves horses and he’s always up to do anything!’

They fell head over heels for one another and with their intense schedules and traveling, they soaked up every single moment they had together and their relationship steadily grew. With the many phone calls, texts and skyping, they were all in! It wasn’t a surprise, when a year and a half later, the proposal came…and was met with a resounding, “Yes!” Between traveling and training, both knew they wouldn’t be able to plan a wedding on their own. So, they hired a wedding planner to take care of all the planning and details while they were away. From there, an all-star team of vendors were hand-picked and came together to bring Kasey & Dana’s dream wedding to life! On October 23, 2015 at Kasey’s parents ranch in Orangevale, California they said their ‘I Do’s’ in front of their closest family and friends.

With a ‘Country-Chic’ design inspiration, and a color palette of blush & champagne, with a touch of grey, and a splash of glitter, their personal style was reflected in every detail. From their personal collection of steer skulls hung throughout the celebration, to the delicate feathers that graced the florals, to the hanging crystals, and the eclectic lounge furniture, it was the perfect blend of rustic cowboy meets girlish elegance.

The ceremony took place down in the family’s pasture under Kasey’s dad’s tree house (AKA his ‘Man Fort’). Surrounded by matured trees and a nearby creek, you couldn’t help but feel surrounded with peace, love and serenity. As guests arrived, they were greeted with champagne and live instrumental music filled the air as they found their seats among the trees. Setting the perfect stage for an unforgettable grand entrance, the aisle began on one side of the creek, crossing over a bridge, passing under the tree house, and eventually wound its way up to the altar on the other side. The aisle was lined with feathery pampas grass arrangements, and at the mid-way point, crystals hung from the tree house above, creating an enchanted experience for everyone attending. ‘I just remember keeping my head down until she was at the front of the aisle, I didn’t want to see her before that moment. Once I could see her walking towards me, that was the best moment of my life,’ recalls Dana. Married under a steer skull embellished with asymmetric florals and greenery, it was the perfect beginning to a perfect evening.

After the ceremony, guests made their way up the guided path to the cocktail reception. Between the setting sun, the candles and the market lights strung above, a romantic amber glow illuminated throughout the entire space. An eclectic variety of lounge areas graced the perimeter of the circular reception area, each having its own unique style to it (the favorite was the hanging table!). A circular bar, placed in the middle of the reception was the hub of excitement for guests. Moscow Mules, served in copper mugs, was the signature drink for the evening, paired with yummy comfort finger foods; everyone was in their happy place and the tone was set for the evening’s celebration.
The family’s tack shed was converted into a polaroid photo-booth, complete with cowboy/cowgirl dress up accessories and a custom hand painted back drop filled with some of Kasey & Dana’s favorite words, quotes and lyrics. Next to the photo-booth was a video guest book; where guests could record live messages and recall special memories for the bride and groom to playback and remember for a lifetime.

After cocktails and mingling, it was time to shift into dinner and dancing! The reception area was held in the family’s riding arena. So many special memories have happened in this arena, which created an energy in the room that was palpable. The covered riding arena was transformed into an outdoor ballroom. With it being such a large space, it was important to create intimate spaces within it for their family and friends. This was achieved beautifully with the use of different dimensions, heights and textures in combination with creative area design. Pillar candles, in varying heights, lined the entrance to the arena, giving the front and center head table a romantic glow. The custom dance floor, was lined with a grass border around its perimeter offering the guests feet some reprieve from the surrounding sand. A hand painted monogram filled the center of the dance floor, and was in the spot light from an antler chandelier that hung above. The custom pallet stage held not only the live country band, but 7’ marquis ‘L-O-V-E’ letters that lit up the entire stage. Wagon wheel chandeliers graced the ceiling of the arena, placed in between delicate lace panels that hung with a gentle swag across the ceiling beams. It was stunning!
The dining tables were a blend of round and rectangular farm tables. Each table was placed on a custom built platform to keep their guests comfortable and out of the sand, complimenting the intimate feel of the evening. A variety of table covers alternating from a blush sequin, to a creamy champagne lace, to a rustic grey linen runner; tapered candles and antique glass votives were the perfect accent to softly light up each table. ‘The flowers were my favorite and were absolutely perfect!’ Kasey said as she reflects on the day. The centerpiece design alternated between the round and rectangular tables. Some had 4’ tall pieces filled with pampas grass, feathers and greenery; while others were embellished with 10’ long baby’s breath floral runners. Strands of orchids hung from each wagon wheel chandelier, whimsically dangling above the tables, while lush greenery wound its way up to the chandelier to the ceiling.

The donut dessert bar had everyone waiting in anticipation to fill up their goodie bags before they left! Layers upon layers of every donut imaginable….Fruity Pebbles, Reese’s Pieces, maple, chocolate, Oreo, Captain Crunch, bacon, glaze, sugar….the guests truly did go-nuts for dough-nuts! At the end of the evening, everyone participated in a lantern send off. The guests paired up and each made a wish for Kasey and Dana. Together all of the wishes and lanterns were released into the starry night sky. It. Was. Magical.

The fairytale isn’t over just yet….life went on ‘as normal’ after the wedding. Kasey and Dana’s home-base is now in Florida with their super cute, energetic dog, Bean. Kasey continued her dressage training and with hard work and dedication, she has earned her place on the USA Olympic Dressage Team in RIO 2016 and is currently there competing! Dana is working with a farrier in Florida, breaking horses in and loving every minute of it. He will be joining Kasey in Rio to see her compete! They truly are already living a happily ever after.

Photography: Scott & Dana Photographers | Videography: Phillip Alan Films | Event Planning: Michaela Rodgers - Plush Weddings | Floral Design: Scarlett & Grace | Wedding Dress: Bacio Bacio Bridal Salon | Stationery: Honey Paperie | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Catering: Jackson Catering | DJ: Extreme Productions Entertainment, LLC | Band: The Cripple Creek Band | Donuts: Baker's Donuts | Handyman + Stage Builder: J&R Construction | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Private Estate : Perry Ranch | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Rentals: Roots Reclaimed | Rentals: Archive Rentals | Signage + Lettering: ArtsyQuotes

The 100 Most Romantic Love + Marriage Quotes of All Time

Is there anything more romantic than a love letter? Whether it’s your wedding day, anniversary, or just because, there’s nothing like receiving a heartfelt, handwritten note to make your heart flutter. So if you want to profess your love, but don’t know where to start, don’t worry. We’ve found the 100 most romantic quotes on love and marriage to inspire your inner poet and unleash your inner Cupid.

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“Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate then when I fall asleep your eyes close.” – Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss

“Unless you love someone, nothing else makes sense.” – E.E. Cummings

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu

“What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life–to strength each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?” – George Eliot

“You are my heart, my life, my one and only thought.” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company

“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” – David Viscott

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” – “When Harry Met Sally”

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“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven

“Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it be rather a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” – Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

“When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.” – Arrigo Boito

“Who, being loved, is poor?” – Oscar Wilde

“A great marriage is not when the ‘perfect couple’ comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” – Dave Meurer

“There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.” – Martin Luther

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.” – Henry David Thoreau

“Love at first sight is easy to understand; it’s when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle.” – Sam Levenson

“A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” – Andre Marois

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” – Sophocles

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“This is what we call love. When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there’s no need at all to understand what’s happening, because everything happens within you.” – Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.” – Judy Garland

“When you trip over love, it is easy to get up. But when you fall in love, it is impossible to stand again.” – Albert Einstein

“When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance.” – John Lennon

“Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love.” – William Shakespeare

“The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It’s a choice you make – not just on your wedding day, but over and over again – and that choice is reflected in the way you treat your husband or wife.” – Barbara de Angelis

“In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.” – Rumi

“For you see, each day I love you more 
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.” – Rosemonde Gerard

“To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow–this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

“Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale.” – Unknown

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“Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life.” – Leo Buscaglia

“I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me.”– Roy Croft

“To find someone who will love you for no reason, and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness.” – Robert Brault

“A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.” – Unknown

“In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.” – Maya Angelou

“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”– Franklin P. Jones

“In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing.”– Mignon McLaughlin

“It is love that makes impossible possible.” – Indian Proverb

“Walking with your hands in mine and mine in yours, that’s exactly where I want to be always.”– Fawn Weaver

“In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities.”– Janos Arnay

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“The highest happiness on earth is the happiness of marriage.” – William Lyon Phelps

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.” – Corinthians 13:7

“He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking.” – Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

“If I were to live a thousand years, I would belong to you for all of them. If we were to live a thousand lives, I would want to make you mine in each one.” – Michelle Hodkin, The Evolution of Mara Dyer

“Do I love you? My god, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches.” — William Goldman, The Princess Bride

“We loved with a love that was more than love.” – Edgar Allan Poe, “Annabel Lee”

“I have for the first time found what I can truly love – I have found you. You are my sympathy – my better self – my good angel – I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you–and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.” – Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

“Is love this misguided need to have you beside me most of the time? Is love this safety I feel in our silences? Is it this belonging, this completeness?” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun

“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn

“He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

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“You and I, it’s as though we have been taught to kiss in heaven and sent down to earth together, to see if we know what we were taught.” – Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.” – William Shakespeare, Sonnet 43

“He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” – Emily Brontë

“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.”– Jane Austen, Persuasion

“To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.”– Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

“Soul meets soul on lovers’ lips.”– Percy Bysshe Shelley, Prometheus Unbound

“I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.”– Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“By my soul, I can neither eat, drink, nor sleep; nor, what’s still worse, love any woman in the world but her.”– Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady

“I have found the one whom my soul loves.” – Song of Solomon 3:4

“Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.” – Plato

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“There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.” — Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever

“He was my North, my South, my East and West, My working week and my Sunday rest.” — W.H. Auden, Stop All the Clocks

“Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

“I finally understood what true love meant…love meant that you care for another person’s happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.”  — Nicholas Sparks, Dear John

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

“Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own: in pain and sickness it would still be dear.” — Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

“The winds were warm about us, the whole earth seemed the wealthier for our love.” — Harriet Prescott Spofford, The Amber Gods

“She was more than human to me. She was a Fairy, a Sylph, I don’t know what she was – anything that no one ever saw, and everything that everybody ever wanted. I was swallowed up in an abyss of love in an instant. There was no pausing on the brink; no looking down, or looking back; I was gone, headlong, before I had sense to say a word to her.” — Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

“I’ve never had a moment’s doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life.” — Ian McEwan, Atonement

“One day you will kiss a man you can’t breathe without and find that breath is of little consequence.” — Karen Marie Moning, Bloodfever

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“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” — Paulo Coehlo

“You don’t love someone for their looks, or their clothes or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.” — Oscar Wilde

“It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.” — Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

“I love your feet because they have wandered over the earth and through the wind and water until they brought you to me.” — Pablo Neruda, Your Feet

“yours is the light by which my spirit’s born:
yours is the darkness of my soul’s return
—you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars” — E.E. Cummings, #38

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” —Aristotle

“Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend is his wife.” — Franz Schubert

“Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.” — Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, only with what you are expecting to give—which is everything.” — Katharine Hepburn

“Two hearts can enlighten the whole world.” — Sir Kristian Goldmund Aumann

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“Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service.” —William Shakespeare, The Tempest

“Two hearts in love need no words.” —Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

“Life is the flower for which love is the honey.” — Victor Hugo

“True love stories never have endings.” — Richard Bach

“To live without loving is to not really live.” — Molière

“Insomuch as love grows in you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.” —  St. Augustine

“That love is all there is is all we know of love.” — Emily Dickinson

“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.” —George Sand

“It has made me better loving you … it has made me wiser, and easier, and brighter. I used to want a great many things before, and to be angry that I did not have them. Theoretically, I was satisfied. I flattered myself that I had limited my wants. But I was subject to irritation; I used to have morbid sterile hateful fits of hunger, of desire. Now I really am satisfied, because I can’t think of anything better.” — Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

“You are the finest, loveliest, tenderest and most beautiful person I have ever known, and even that is an understatement.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

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“I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)I am never without it (anywhere
I go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)
I fear no fate (for you are my fate,my sweet)I want no world (for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you ” — E.E. Cummings

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” — Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land

“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

“You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect—you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break—her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.”  — Bob Marley

“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it, but you can feel it.” — Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember

“You don’t love someone because they’re perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.” — Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper

“The older you get the more you realize that it isn’t about the material things, or pride or ego. It’s about our hearts and who they beat for.” — J. Sterling

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin

“After a while, you just want to be with the one who makes you laugh.” — Sex and The City

“Now at last they were at the beginning Chapter One of the Great Story no one on earth has ever read, which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.” — C.S. Lewis

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More Love Lessons For You + Your Beau

Stay in Love While Wedding Planning | Tips for Writing Your Own Vows | Beat the Post-Wedding Blues

30 of the Cutest Surfer Baby Names We’ve Ever Heard

The one adjective that comes to mind when I think of surfers is ‘cool’. And we all want our baby’s names to be ‘cool’, right? Maybe you’re leaning on the more classic side or just looking for something that’s pretty and unique, but either way, you have to admit these surfer-inspired names are pretty adorbs and would be perfect for any beach-loving babe!

30 of the Cutest Surfer Baby Names We've Ever Heard
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30 of the Cutest Surfer Baby Names We've Ever Heard
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Try these DIY Paper Flowers for a Baby Shower!

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Find hundreds of baby names in our archives here!

We Found the Garden Wedding of Every Girl’s Dreams

There’s nothing sweeter than vendors pooling their talents to create inspiration eye candy for SMP brides-to-be. And when that inspiration just so happens to be set at Rancho Las Lomas? You better count us in. Jon CUSeniman CalligraphyPretty Vintage Rentals, and so many crafted a shoot all about that soft, understated, and completely effortless romance every girl wants on her wedding day and we’re 100% uhb-sessed.

From Jon CuInspired by the hand-painted tiles and many charming bungalows nested around this spectacular private resort and zoological garden at Rancho Las Lomas. We wanted to create a scene with romantic and soft textures and incorporate the unique elements the venue has to offer. A delicate design with hues of coral, cream and white set the stage for this romantic, yet delicately editorial shoot. Our vision was to embrace a sophisticated and elegant design with an understated and effortless look.

We decided to set the table beneath the famous open-air theater that nestled under ancient oak and sycamore trees which created a room surrounded by the unique elements of the venue such as the orange clay roof and ground tile, white stucco and the blue and white hand painted tiles, murals from Portugal. The soft nectar palette was a lovely backdrop for the loose flowing flowers and vintage-inspired china which paired perfectly with the vintage silverware and accompanied well with the rest of the settings.

Jon Cu Photography was able to capture the effortless beauty of our bride styled in Carol-Hannah gown. The simple messy updo and romantic soft peach makeup with a hint of gold created by Chiali Meng Artistry matched perfectly with the gold foiled dress. Romantic rich florals designed by Plenty of Petals balanced by natural place settings adorned with hand-loomed silk ribbons and calligraphy place card designed by Seniman Calligraphy graced the tables scape and made a thoughtful yet dramatic contrast.

As we designed this style shoot, one of our goals was to include unique venue elements into the shoot. For example, the color of orange is all around the venue from the roof to the floor. In the style shoot, we decided to use orange as our main color of inspiration and incorporated different shades of orange such as the light coral linen, silk table cover, velvet armchair and the darker cymbidium orange orchid that we used in the bouquet and floral arrangements. Another uniqueness of Rancho Las Lomas is the venue itself is a zoological garden with more than 10 kinds of wildlife live on the property. To portray this uniqueness, we decided to include macaw hand-drawings in our invitation suite.

From the textured white fondant cake, the handmade venue inspired wedding invitation suite, to the gorgeous gold foiled open weave linen Carol-Hannah gown and hand-loomed silk ribbons, those unique textures defined the tone of the shoot. By bringing interior luxuries outdoor, such as the velvet armchair and pressed champagne coupes, we created a scene of vintage elegance paired with the relaxed resort lifestyle.

Photography: Jon Cu | Event Design: Yvonne Xue | Floral Design: Plenty Of Petals | Wedding Dress: Carol Hannah | Cake: Sweet & Saucy Shop | Jewelry: Trumpet & Horn | Hair + Makeup: Chiali Meng | Calligraphy: Seniman Calligraphy | Venue: Rancho Las Lomas | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Tabletop + Armchair Rentals: Pretty Vintage Rentals

12 Things To Add To Your End of Summer Bucket List

As a born and raised New Englander, I always aim to enjoy the strengths and beauty each season brings with it. But that doesn’t keep my summer-loving heart from crying a little inside as these warmer days slip away. Not ready to say goodbye yet either? As the weeks of August pass by, make sure to get in some of these simple, yet soon-to-be-missed summer time to do’s!

End of Summer Bucket List
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End of Summer Bucket List
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Pippa’s Tying the Knot and We Have Her Perfect Registry Picks!

It’s happening, loves. Pippa is tying the knot and if there’s one thing we know about this royal in-law + style maven, it’s that classic glamour is totally her thing.  So today we’re teaming up with The Registry at Bloomingdale’s for a little game of “What Will Pippa Register For” because, well… sooo much fun. Take a look at our beautiful picks for our fave sis below.

Pippa Middleton Registry Picks
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Pippa Middleton Registry Picks
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Our finds for Pippa are out-of-this-world gorgeous, but the best part? You can register for your very own Pippa-esque essentials by stopping by the The Registry at Bloomingdale’s in-store or online.  From stunning bed and bath necessities to decor must-haves to kitchen gadgets that will make your hearts sing, The Registry at Bloomingdale’s has EVERYTHING for your brand new abode, right down to that must-have blender for those Sunday morning smoothies.  Not to mention that The Registry at Bloomingdale’s also offers exclusive savings (20% off in store!) on dresses, intimates, fine jewelry AND men’s suiting + formalwear right through your wedding date, which means looking absolutely fabulous for that engagement party is totally covered… you and your groom will never look so awesome.

Contact your Personal Registry Consultant at The Registry at Bloomingdale’s TODAY for their expert advice AND to find out even more about their fab completion offer (10 – 20% off!), bridal event invites and amazing honeymoon packages. There’s even time saving essentials, like a Registry Checklist, Thank You Manager and mobile Big Brown App.  Head there NOW to fill your home with those traditional with a twist items Pippa would totally love.  They’ll take care of you… we promise.

An Intimate Woodland Wedding in Yosemite

When you love the great outdoors as much as this adventurous couple, a wedding set amongst the gorgeous redwoods of one of our most beloved national parks seems like the perfect choice. Anne-Claire Brun captures both the intimacy of the occasion and its stunning, grandiose backdrop to perfection. You’ll fall in love with the natural beauty of this wedding here in The Vault!

From Anne-Claire BrunI have dreamt about shooting a Yosemite Wedding. I went there for the first time about a year and a half ago and it’s needless to say that I fell in love with the beauty of that part of the world. I knew I’d like it from the photos of Ansel Adams. But I didn’t expect the light to be that extraordinary. Maybe I’d simply forgotten the majesty of mountains because I haven’t gone to the French Alps (where I’m from) in years, but waking up in the morning before sunrise isn’t something I do for just anything, It was freezing and dark. And then the light slowly glided over the tree tops, breathing colors into the valley. In Yosemite, the light is magic.

When Jessica and Brandon wrote me that they planned on having their engagement photos in Big Sur and their wedding in Yosemite, I was a little in love with them. In Big Sur, he proposed to her. In Yosemite, he used to go camping while growing up.

I love when weddings locations have meaning!

So here’s the wedding of Jessica and Brandon. And if after that you don’t have a plane ticket/road trip to Yosemite National Park, I don’t know what you need.

From The Bride…Brandon and I met online! On the website OkCupid. We are both serious nerds, so it only makes sense that the internet would bring us together.

Brandon proposed on the third anniversary of our first date, on the gorgeous Pfeiffer State Beach in Big Sur. It is one of our “places” that we return to time and time again. He took me there after a killer dinner at Big Sur Bakery. It was totally deserted and we were just admiring the stars and the waves and all of a sudden I turn around and he is on one knee! He asked me to marry him, I said “Of course!” and then he got out his flashlight so I could actually see the ring (it was pretty dark!). The ring was perfect; it’s a sapphire, exactly what I wanted–but I would have said yes to a Ring Pop.

We were totally unprepared for the planning process. It wasn’t something either of us had looked into previously, and it is this amazing and overwhelming world. We quickly narrowed down what we cared about (food, photography, a fun time) and didn’t (the usual traditions, long ceremony, dances). We DIYed a lot of stuff, for better or worse! We got a lot of compliments on our playlist, so that one at least was a success.

Our style was really just “things we both like.” It ended up being pretty nature-inspired, which makes sense. We are both into backpacking and hiking, and that’s definitely something we bonded over.

Jessica’s favorite moment of the day – This is so hard! Possibly our actual ceremony, which we both wrote. It was a very honest and moving moment. Even though it was freezing cold (I’m sorry to our guests and vendors!). Totally worth it. Or maybe just seeing all of our people together. It was a really great day.

Brandon’s favorite moment of the day – It’s hard to say. It was just a good day. Probably when Jess and I went off together after the ceremony for a few minutes. It was nice to just go be married together!

Our advice for future brides and grooms: don’t stress too much. Stuff will go wrong but you will not care.

If you are not attached to a particular date, the off-season offers incredible savings.

You can’t please everyone! Your only job is to make sure your guests are fed/hydrated. And that can mean cake and punch.

Consider prioritizing photography, as that is your one physical memento, and it can really catch the tone of the day and capture special moments you may have missed or forgotten. We splurged on our photos and it was so, so worth it.

Enjoy it, being married is amazing!

Photography: Anne-Claire Brun Photography | Floral Design: Bohemian Bouquets | Wedding Dress: Cleo and Clementine | Cake: Majestic Yosemite Hotel | Invitations: The Nesting Project | Jewelry: Swoon Jewelry Studios | Hair + Makeup: Flawless Hair And Makeup | Favors: For Your Party | Groom's Attire: The Black Tux | Officiant: Friend of the couple | Venue: Majestic Yosemite Hotel | Bride’s Shoes: Walkin on Air | Save the Dates: Nifty Printables