You were always set on having that pink chair in your living room and a robin’s egg blue kitchen island. But then you meet the love of your life, get hitched and now share a set of keys. And even though you both love the same baseball team—your home styles? Not such a perfect pairing. Not to worry, we’ve got five tips to master the blending of your styles, so you can get back to all the sweet snuggles in your abode.
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Aside from poring through every name list known to man, the one thing I googled and tested religiously when I was preggers was baby gender predictors. Because, really, who can wait a whole 18 weeks to find out if that little bump is a boy or a girl? Plus it makes for a fun past time testing out all the old wives tales. And there are a ton. Dying to know if you’re Team Pink or Team Blue? Dive in to this roundup.
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30 of the Cutest Ever French Baby Names
The 60 Prettiest Baby Names You Haven’t Heard a Million Times
60 Twin Baby Name Pairings that Would Make Mary Kate + Ashley Jealous
The inspiration behind this coastal wedding day was perfectly summed up by the bride in two little words: ethereal beauty. With the help of Meadowsweet Events and Plenty of Petals they completely pulled it off, and Carmen Santorelli photographed the images we can’t stop staring at. Go see them all inside The Vault!
From The Bride…Planning our wedding was full of decision making, so what helped guide and inspire the process was our relationship. Our goal was to bring out the best in each other and stay true to our personalities. It was important to feel comfortable and special while fulfilling our dreams for the special day.
We took our time choosing the venue but once we walked into the Darlington House everything felt right. We were looking for a coastal venue as our hearts are connected to the ocean. The Darlington House lays a block from the beach. It is elegant and oh so romantic!
To best describe the inspiration for our wedding style, flowers and my dress I would refer to “ethereal beauty”. The idea was to have a simple yet a delicate look. I am happy to have found a dress that matched my personality which made wearing it so easy. The flowers were simple, soft and full of green details as if I had just picked them off the field (and somehow arranged them in the most amazing way, thank you Plenty of Petals).
It was also our top priority to book an outstanding photographer and a videographer. Your day can be planned to be as beautiful as ever but if it is not photographed and recorded accordingly it may not reflect the actual moments. We were fortunate to work with Carmen Santorelli and Fate Studios who did an excellent job in creating us the most beautiful memories of our special day. Overall, I found that the most important thing in your wedding are the people. Our officiate was the pastor from our family’s church, so we felt comfortable and confident. I also knew that I wanted to walk down the aisle by the sound of the harp, for that we had an amazing harpist Naomi Alter.
We had a blast at our wedding along with our guests who danced to the music played by DJ Mikey Beats. It was a memorable party for everyone. Just follow your heart (and gut feeling), enjoy your big day and it will be the most beautiful day of your lives!
Photography: Carmen Santorelli Photography | Event Planning + Design: Meadowsweet Events | Floral Design: Plenty Of Petals | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Sweet & Saucy Shop | Bride's Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo | Makeup: Lindsey Jones Makeup Artistry | Hair: Nancy Vestal Bridal Hair | Stationery + Calligraphy: The Pointed Nib | DJ: Mikey Beats | Ceremony Music: Harp San Diego | Venue: The Darlington House | Letterpress Printing: Swell Press Paper Co. | Rentals: Event Party Rentals
Central to any successful relationship is compromise, and while this Bride and Groom compromised on the perfect venue, which combined her love of nature with his appreciate for Old Hollywood Glamour, one thing they didn’t compromise on was a fabulous day. With vendors like Ryon:Lockhart Photography, Geller Events, David Medill Productions and The Hidden Garden, every detail of this day came together perfectly. See it all in The Vault!
From The Bride…Everybody says it, but the day really goes by so fast. You try your best to hold on to the precious moments, but after a blink the ceremony is done, and then you blink again and the band is already packing up. But even though it went by quick as a flash, we wouldn’t have changed a millisecond of it. Beautifully planned by Paige Blatt of Geller Events (lucky for us she was also one of my bridesmaids and best friends!), and extraordinarily captured by Ryon Lockhart Photography, our wedding was everything we wanted it to be and so much more.
Picking a venue was difficult, we weren’t sure if we would ever find that “perfect spot” to get married, but the second we stepped foot into the Garland Hotel we knew we had found “the one” (no pun intended). A hidden garden oasis in the middle of Studio City, it perfectly encapsulated my love of nature and my husband, Kyle’s, love of the old school Hollywood aesthetic. Our ceremony was in their beautiful lush garden, the cocktail hour was in an outdoor courtyard where we strung twinkle lights and brought in an acoustic trio, and the party was in the ballroom which we transformed into a vision of rustic romance.
Part of what made our wedding so unique, were all the little details we tried to incorporate, not just on our wedding day, but throughout the entire weekend. Our out of town guests were greeted at the hotel with welcome bags where we had personalized water bottles, some of our favorite goodies, and a custom made map (thanks, Geller Events!) of all of our favorite spots around Los Angeles. On the wedding day, glasses of champagne were being passed which had custom stirrers with our wedding date and initials on them. And in the ballroom, each seat had a mini Tabasco bottle, with the cutest custom sticker on it, including a bar code of our wedding date. Kyle and I love spicy food so we had to make sure to have some hot sauce accessible!
Yes, wedding planning can be stressful, and yes, sometimes it seems like it’s too daunting to manage, but when that day arrives, and everything is in motion, and you find yourself marrying your best friend in front of all of the most important people in your life, you realize that it was all worth it. Every tasting, every meeting, every fitting – worth it – even if it does only last a second.
Photography: Ryon:Lockhart Photography | Videography: David Medill Productions | Event Design: Geller Events | Floral Design: The Hidden Garden | Wedding Dress: L'ezu Beverly Hills | Cake: Delice Bakery | Stationery: Heirloom Paper | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Catering: Simon's Caterers | Makeup: Kathleen Hagan | Hair: Sabrina Johnson | Lighting: Lighten Up | DJ: Unite Entertainment | Band: West Coast Music | Venue: The Garland | Bride's Reception Shoes: Empress James
Even if you don’t want to look to look like a princess bride on your wedding day, there’s probably some small part of you that has always dreamed of your fairytale wedding. And if you’re looking for a happily ever after that rivals any Disney princess’, just consider us your wedding fairy godmothers because we have lots of ideas below for a magical day.
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Royal-Worthy Engagement Rings | Princess-Inspired Dresses | Shoes Fit for Cinderella
If you died over this gorgeous kitchen with the Santorini vibes, just wait until you get a load of the bathrooms behind this project. They have that same pop of cobalt accented with gold details and moments that make a big impact for little cost. Designers Megan Papworth and Dawn Terry of E. Interiors worked their magic and the result is a shining example of what you can do with a small budget.
The guest bathroom and powder room refreshes were added on to the project once the renovations to the kitchens were underway. Because they were an add-on, there was a very small budget to complete these two spaces. These refreshes are a great example of what can be done a space on a small budget.
The powder room posed an interesting challenge because the walls were originally faux painted. We took this opportunity to use a bold navy blue floral wallpaper to really make a statement in the small space.
We also included a shiplap wall for added texture in the space and then re-installed the original sink and facet, since the budget did not have room for replacing those. We also added a gorgeous gold and milk glass pendant.
In the guest bathroom we painted the existing cabinetry and installed gorgeous gold hardware from ATG Stores. We used a gorgeous carrara marble title for the backsplash wall that they took all the way up to the ceiling for maximum impact.
We also replaced the builders grade mirror with the Tork Brass Dripping Mirror from CB2.
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Photography: Nick Sorenson | Interior Design: Megan Papworth and Dawn Terry of E. Interiors
I have to say Amanda and Craig’s Texas wedding was planned to perfect, thanks to Vintage&Lace‘s incredible vision and talent. But one of my favorite parts of this day isn’t something that could be planned — it’s the bluebonnet flowers, which surrounded Heritage House and made for the most beautiful photos. Luckily, Loft Photography LLC was there to capture it all for us in The Vault!
From Loft Photography…Amanda and Craig are Austinites through and through, but recently made the move to California for work. It was only appropriate that they came back to tie the knot in the Texas hill country just outside the city they love, complete with a What-a-burger groom’s cake!
Their wedding day was sweet as could be with gorgeous blue tones weaved throughout, and perfectly pink florals by Petal Pushers as a lovely contrast. And it just so happened that the hills were blanketed with bluebonnets for their day – the prettiest backdrop for these two!
Photography: Loft Photography LLC | Event Planning: Vintage&Lace | Wedding Dress: Unbridaled | Cakes: Classic Cakes by Lori | Stationery: Mint Julep Paperie | Bride's Shoes: Stuart Weitzmen | Jewelry: Bead It Austin | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Unbridaled | Catering: Whim Hospitality | Hair + Makeup: Flair Austin | DJ: Greenbelt DJ | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Venue: Heritage House | Bridal Boutique: Unbridaled | Floral Design + Rentals: Petal Pushers | Hair Accessories: Unbridaled | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Veil: Etsy
If you’ve ever doubted that fairy tales exist, then we invite you to peek at this storybook session captured by Love Is My Favorite Color. Complete with castles, couture, insanely gorgeous backdrops, AND sweet kisses, thanks to The Vault we think you’ll believe in happily ever after in no time at all.
From Love Is My Favorite Color…When you’re at Mont Saint-Michel you can’t help but feel you’re in some kind of magical place.
The aura around Mont Saint-Michel shone through the clouds and the rain and created the perfect setting for Evelyn and Windy’s fairytale engagement shoot.
They came all the way from Indonesia to experience one of Europe’s most unforgettable sights and led us with them. We could not have dreamed of such a perfect place, in such a breathtaking location.
Photography: love is my favorite color | Dresses: Christine Wibowo | Location: Mont Saint Michel
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Jeanna and Za are living proof of #anniversarygoals. For not only does this darling duo have the most adorable baby boy ever, but they’re also still madly in love with one another. As proven through these sweet captures from Amanda Lenhardt Photography, we’ve got their special vow renewal ceremony + anniversary session waiting for you to ooh and awe over in The Vault!
From Amanda Lenhardt Photography…This shoot started with the idea of celebrating the everyday. A beautiful family in their home, the little moments of a mother and son and them living life together. It wasn’t about fabricating emotion but capturing what was already there. Marriage is hard work, but a beautiful reminder of grace. It’s about remembering to love deeply, to cherish the everyday moments, and remembering to celebrate each other.
It was a beautiful sunny day when I arrived at Jeanna and Za’s home. This home sits a few blocks away from the ocean and is perfectly tucked away in St. Augustine, Florida. Their home was full of personal details, a labor of love for the both of them as they continue to grow their beautiful family. They spent time getting ready, writing their vows and just enjoying time as a family. They incorporated details from their original wedding day, her wearing some of the jewelry and his shirt. As the sun began to set we made our way out to the beach to celebrate the last few years of marriage. Every year of marriage is about renewing your vows. It’s about realizing what you’ve learned on your journey so far, it’s about remembering what you promised to each other on your wedding day. It about doing life together, not letting each other grow weary. The whole day was a beautiful reminder of what it means to love deeply and put love on display.
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Photography: Amanda Lenhardt Photography | Floral Design: Marble + Pine | Dress: Aritzia | Makeup:Amanda Hopcraft | Venue: Washington Oaks State Park | Film Processing: PhotoVision Prints | Pies:Amanda Gibson
Some love stories are worth a bit of a wait, but how about 30+ years? In this case, oh yes, still totally worth it. Because when it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. And for these Harvard grads, their mutual love of their alma mater – and plain old fate – came into play and so they joined their lives together with this intimate, winter wedding. The Groom couldn’t keep his eyes off his leading lady and Carolina Rivera captured it all. Head to our Vault to see all the magic and read on for one love story not to be missed.
From Carolina Rivera Photographer… A winter wedding in the warmth of the mahogany wooden walls, accented by the sparkle of the golden chairs, set the tone for this intimate wedding at the Harvard Club in NYC. But the story is one to remember. Beth and Joe, both incredibly intelligent and talented, went to Harvard years ago, in the same graduating class, but never actually met… until years later when they both attended a Harvard grad event, and after marriages, children, and life happened in between, their destinies finally came together on this day.
Their wedding was set in the location where their Harvard histories would combine. With a beautiful speech by the Groom, Joe, prior to his Bride’s entrance, a traditional chuppah and glass breaking to commemorate Beth’s Jewish heritage, the presence of their children and their families, and a close personal friend and Harvard classmate officiating, this wedding was surely one to remember – along with a special aria and piano performance for the Bride’s ceremony entrance to set the tone. Beth and Joe danced their first dance, to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, a beautifully choreographed and performed dance, as Beth was once a professional ballet dancer who turned now to a practice of Aerial yoga (and in her 50’s I might add!). The night continued with plenty of mingling, laughter, and dancing, as Beth and Joe did not want to miss one single minute of their evening with friends and family. Beth’s friend Michael Weiskopf and his band The Complete Unknowns, a Bob Dylan cover band, performed.
The beautiful couple were even featured in the New York Times Vows column that tells their story even more!
Photography: Carolina Rivera Photographer | Floral Design: Spruce Florist | Wedding Dress: Le Spose di Gio | Cake: Momofuku Milk Bar | Bride's Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana | Jewelry: Roni Blanshay | DJ: Jane Elizabeth | Band: The Complete Unknowns | Venue: Harvard Club Of NYC | Chuppah: Chuppah Studio | Photography - Assistance: Karen Obrist Photography
You know her as the season 9 Bachelorette, but today fashion expert and new author Desiree is sharing her bridal industry insight with tips all brides need to know. We’re welcoming Des as a regular contributor on our SMP pages (look back at her own wedding right here!) and first up she’s talking everything you need to know before setting foot in the bridal salon. Believe us, this girl knows her stuff.
From Desiree… Wedding dress shopping is a magical experience, one that many new brides have dreamt about since they were a little girl. There is nothing else quite like a blushing bride walking down the aisle to her groom as her beautiful gown floats elegantly behind her. It makes me tear up every time!
With over a decade experience working with brides, I’ve seen it all. I have witnessed the tears, the frustration, the joy and the overall significance a wedding dress holds for a bride’s special day. Sorting through the ivory tulle and sequins can be overwhelming and why it’s so important to know what to expect, what to bring with you and which questions to ask prior to wedding dress shopping to make sure it’s an experience you will always remember.
Now that you know what to expect, what to bring and what questions to ask, you are well on your way to walking down the aisle to wedded bliss.
Happy shopping!
xoxo,
Desiree
Photography: Brandon Kidd Photography
Every bride is under a lot of pressure to look beautiful on her wedding day, but when you’re a celebrity bride, there’s the added pressure to avoid tabloids’ worst-dressed list. With 70s-inspired long bell sleeves, a plunging neckline and what looks like a detachable peplum overskirt, Ciara absolutely makes the best-dressed list. Fashion-forward, timeless and oh-so-glamorous, Ciara’s gown was the perfect complement to her and husband Russell Wilson’s lavish U.K. castle wedding.
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So maybe you already committed to a sleeveless wedding dress only to realize you want to take your bridal look in another direction? Don’t pull the fire alarms just yet, dear bride. Because with the simple slip of a lace bolero, topper or capelet you can get an entirely new look inspired by miss Kate Middleton herself. Just check out how one SMP bride pulled it off!
“As for my dress, I knew I wanted it to be traditional and befitting of a black-tie affair, but it also needed to embody my personality as well. I chose Vera Wang’s “Emmeline” for its ballgown silhouette and beautiful layers of tulle and organza as well as its stunning metallic gold hand-painted floral detailing on the skirt. To make the dress my own, I had the bodice altered into a sweetheart neckline and added a French and Italian lace bolero to complete the look.”
-SMP bride, Dream Paris Destination Wedding
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These two cuties? They had an office romance that would make even Jim and Pam a little jealous. Their casual flirtation led to a surprise proposal and eventually, a one of a kind wedding. A cool, relaxed, totally L.A. vibe fit their modern celebration to a T and we’re flipping through the whole gallery shot by The Great Romance Photo.
From The Groom…Our story begins at our office, where we first met each other almost 3 years ago. I first saw Sally when I interviewed for my current job, while our company was on a different floor renting office space from her. She happened to be covering the front desk, and when I walked in and said I was here for an interview, I could barely get the words out of my mouth because I was in awe of the beautiful girl in front of me: this insanely cute Asian girl with gorgeous eyes and long, dark hair. I was in heaven I was sure, but I knew this girl was out of my league and I didn’t stand a chance, so I did my interview and never thought anything else of it. The day I started a few weeks later, my company had moved to a different floor so there was no opportunity to say hello again.
‘Til one day at the office…I heard we were hiring someone from the old company upstairs to take over our office operations and admin responsibilities. It was surely fate, because it was that gorgeous girl from upstairs that walked into our office soon thereafter. After Sally was hired at our company, I took every opportunity I could to approach this beautiful girl with things I needed help for, and it turned out she was just as eager to seek me out for things she needed help with. This turned into frequent inter-office messaging/texting/talking where we both realized we were amazingly well aligned in our personal interests and passions. We both became completely infatuated with the other! Eventually I asked her out and since then, we have laughed and cried and grown from a blissful infatuation to a deep trusting love and friendship. On to the proposal….
‘Til one day at the office…I heard we were hiring someone from the old company upstairs to take over our office operations and admin responsibilities. It was surely fate, because it was that gorgeous girl from upstairs that walked into our office soon thereafter. After Sally was hired at our company, I took every opportunity I could to approach this beautiful girl with things I needed help for… and it turned out, she was just as eager to seek me out for things she needed help with. This turned into frequent inter-office messaging/texting/talking where we both realized we were amazingly well aligned in our personal interests and passions. We both became completely infatuated with the other! Eventually I asked her out and since then, we have laughed and cried and grown from a blissful infatuation to a deep trusting love and friendship. On to the proposal….
From The Bride… My birthday was slowly approaching and I had let Houston know that I did not want to do anything special. But he insisted that he would be planning something simple and to just be ready by noon on Saturday, April 25th; this is not out of the norm since he is such a sweetheart and is always planning fun things for me. So in true Houston fashion, he sent me an itinerary stating that we would be having a picnic, again not weird because we love picnics and had recently invested in an awesome picnic basket. This gave me no reason to believe that he was being sneaky in any other way. Saturday came and he picked me up right on time. We drove over to the UCLA campus and set up our picnic in the sculpture garden. Though some of the sculptures are absolutely hideous, it holds a special place in our hearts, as this was here Houston had asked me to be his girlfriend.
We laid out our blanket and started to eat some lunch. While we ate we watched other people having their own picnics and laying out in the grass. We also noticed a girl eating her lunch and practicing her violin. I joked about how fortuitous it was to have some music for our meal and, was considering tweeting about it. About 30 minutes into our meal Houston excused himself to go to the restroom. As I was sitting and waiting for him to return, I hear “HEY SALLY!” I look up to the violinist standing in front of me. I was totally weirded out. “I have a message for you” she continued, as I stared at her with a confused look on my face. And then I heard it. Our song being played by this violinist. I knew right then what was happening. I quickly turned around just in time to see Houston walking towards me. Then the waterworks! I was so shocked that I didn’t even stand up from my seated position on the picnic blanket. Houston eventually had to motion me to stand and everything after that was a blur. The most fantastic, lovely blur. I do remember him getting on one knee and asking him to marry me, but it is very blurry!
And it doesn’t stop there, he tells me there is someone waiting for me around the corner, I go and there’s his brother Maxx, bringing me presents! As I am opening my gifts, I turn around again and both our families are walking towards us! I couldn’t believe they were all there. There was lots of hugging, more crying and pictures taken. After the madness, Houston and I went over to the Hammer museum to take some time to be alone and digest what had just transpired. While we did that, the family left to go set up a movie night and dinner on the rooftop of his place. After a few hours, just as I had calmed down from what had happened, the doors opened and there on the roof were all our friends and family for a surprise engagement party! I just about lost it. I don’t think my body could have handled any more surprises but, it was magical. This is just how Houston is; he’s so thoughtful and caring. Only he would have been able to pull all that off without me finding out. On to the wedding planning…
From The Groom…As most couples who being the wedding planning process quickly discover, our experience could more or less be summed up for us with this phrase: “It costs how much for that!!?!?” From the beginning we decided we wanted a small and humble wedding, but being in Los Angeles (an epicenter for expensive wedding taste) forced us even more so to be budget conscious. Our vision for the wedding was fairly simple: find an industrial venue, use simple modern graphics, only white flowers, lots of simple greenery, and show off the venue by not over-decorating. We realized quickly that we needed to find a venue that displays our style that had everything included in it to reduce costs, but allowed a lot of flexibility at the same time. We are both designers (I am an architect and Sally went to school for fashion design), so finding the right venue was extremely important. After doing endless research and venue visits, we landed on the beautiful Arts District venue called Millwick that fit our style exactly: an old warehouse recently renovated into an amazing venue covered in greenery and gold, and equipped with unique features like massive roll-up glass doors, a beautiful courtyard and a killer bar. Millwick allowed our decorations budget to be minimal because the venue did all the work for us.
Our florist and coordinator Sarah Park Events did an amazing job helping us realize Sally’s all white and greenery idea with the beautiful bouquets and garland running the length of the long tables. Accents of gold were used for table numbers and gift card holders to pay tribute to the venue’s gold accents. I created all the graphics myself (with Sally’s approval of course!), to reflect our color scheme and design style – white backgrounds with simple green and light grey graphics. The main graphic we created was the H+S logo which we plastered everywhere we could, and even burned it into the the wood bar top surface at the venue!
For our food and drink we wanted to do something very LA that fit the venue well. To us that meant street food, craft beer, and excellent coffee. Not only was it much more fun for our guests, it tasted better, it showed off our true style, and it was a much more cost-effective route to go. We brought in several kegs of different Angel City Beer, Kogi BBQ to do the catering (mmm blackjack quesadillas), Huntington Catering Company as a service staff, Two Kids Coffee to do our espresso catering, and Jamaica’s Cakes for the wedding cake who did a phenomenal job making Sally’s dreams come true (she has a serious, serious obsession with cake).
The most important thing to us above all else was hiring a great photographer. We both love fine art wedding photography, especially images shot with high-end film cameras. In our search we found Connie and Tommy Chang of The Great Romance Photography and were instantly in love with them as a couple and photographers. They both have an incredible ability to make each image an art piece because of their backgrounds in film and art, and technical ability with their gear. The wedding was better than we even dreamed of and couldn’t have been happier with the team of vendors, the venue and the beautiful day it turned out to be!
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Photography: The Great Romance Photo | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake: Jamaica’s Cakes | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: ASOS | Catering: Kogi Truck | Groomsmen Attire: ASOS | Venue: Millwick | Event Planning + Floral Design: Sarah Park Events | Hair Accessories: Olivia
If I was stranded on a dessert island (I probably wouldn’t need bronzer!), but it’d be the one beauty bag item I’d take with me anyway. Hands down. Nothing beats a radiant glow that makes you feel like a beach goddess. I’ve rounded up 8 glowing winners tested by yours truly and a few of my besties—see them all here!
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11 Things To Do on a Summer Weekend with No Plans
We’re Stealing These 8 Blogger Looks for Our Weekend Uniform
7 Summery Selfies to Post on Instagram
This mini wardrobe? I want the whole thing for myself. I mean… can you even with these itty bitty palm print pants?! Erin and I have decided they need to make them in adult size. Aside from the fact that there is just total cuteness overload going on here, every piece is under $25! Win-win. Stock up on summer babe style right here.
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30 of the Cutest Ever French Baby Names
The 60 Prettiest Baby Names You Haven’t Heard a Million Times
60 Twin Baby Name Pairings that Would Make Mary Kate + Ashley Jealous
Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the artistry that is this inspiration – because honestly, it’s beyond. Complete with some of the most incredible hairstyles we’ve EVER seen, Honey Honey Photography has captured an ethereal gallery that you’re sure to love. See it all for yourself in The Vault!
From Honey Honey Photography…Focusing on a color palette of earth-tones and neutrals with a tease of vibrant spring florals, we wanted to evoke the spirit of a Grecian Goddess and all her elegance, femininity, and worldly beauty.
We chose the Pasadena City Hall as our location for its Mediterranean revival styled-columns and architecture. With the highly embellished vintage pieces provided by Etablir, we wanted to bring indoor luxury to an outdoor space to showcase a harmony between manmade-glamour and natural elements. Lavienne provided us with the simultaneously simple yet detailed dresses. Using an abundance of reflective objects and mirrors through out our shoot, we hoped to bring to light the simple and demure make-up, along with the intricacies of the beautifully styled hair by Grace Lin Hair & Make-Up. In keeping with our theme of small, but elaborate, details, we trusted Emma from Honey Honey Photography to capture the many components that Master Plans Events & Designs thoughtfully selected for this shoot.
We could not be any more grateful for the amazing vendors that made this shoot a fantastic way to welcome the changing of the seasons from winter to spring.
Photography: Ether & Smith | Event Planning: Master Plans Events & Design | Floral Design: Master Plans Events & Design | Hair + Makeup: Grace Lin | Venue: Pasadena City Hall | Decor: Master Plans Events & Design | Dresses: Etablir Shop | Furniture Rentals: Etablir Shop | Model: Willow Model Management
Don’t get us wrong, we love love love pretty engagement rings, but we also understand that diamonds aren’t every girl’s best friend. Big gave Carrie a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Noah gave Allie her dream home. And today, we’re giving you ideas for a perfect proposal — no ring necessary.
At the end of the day, marriage is about love, friendship and commitment. An engagement ring is great, but can you imagine getting proposed to with a good old-fashioned love letter? One that you read whenever things get tough, or just because you want an excuse to smile.
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When Carrie and Big finally got engaged, a gorgeous pair of Manolo Blahniks substituted for a diamond ring. And, why not? You’re just as fabulous as the ladies of Sex and the City, so if shoes are what speak to your soul, we see nothing wrong with a pair of “engagement shoes.”
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The most worthwhile gifts are experiences, so plane tickets for a romantic getaway would definitely earn our enthusiastic “yes!” Save the money you’d spend on a ring and put that towards creating memories you’ll cherish forever. Plus, you can always head to Cartier in Place Vendôme to pick up a love ring if the mood strikes.
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Your relationship is part of a bigger story, one that goes back through generations of love. A family heirloom — a vintage brooch, first edition book or antique furniture — could be the perfect symbol of your love and a lifetime of memories to come.
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Whose heart didn’t melt when Noah fixed up the plantation house for Allie in The Notebook. Yes, they’re fictional characters, but we’d love getting proposed to with a dream house — the perfect place to start a life together and bask in newlywed bliss.
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We’ve seen a lot of sweet pets play a part in a couple’s proposal, but there’s no reason why a precious pup couldn’t be the proposal itself. A diamond ring might be beautiful, but it’s not going to give you unconditional love and adoring kisses.
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A sweet southern wedding is pretty much my happy place… and this darling Old Town Farm affair? Giving me all the feels. From the breathtaking barn backdrop to the beyond heartwarming moments (FOB’s toast = happy tears) to the epic dance party with the two steppin’ Bride and Groom. Press play for all of the goodness from Luminance Wedding Films… then press play again.
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From Luminance Wedding Films… You just know you are going to get a laid-back couple with sweet romantic vibes, big hearts and the warmest smiles, when you hear that they will be tying the knot on a farm. Meagan and Patrick exceeded that expectation by miles. Their love for horses, two stepping the country and southern charm were apparent in every aspect from the location to the sweet details. Their day was gorgeous with blue skies overhead, a bright warm sun and a pasture full of loving hearted guests, who cried, laughed and cheered the couple on.
The location took place at Old Town Farm Wedding and created the sweet southern background that this couple loves. Two old barns grace the property with the most beautiful pasture. Patrick, the handsome groom, is a general contractor and built the pergola which provided the ultimate romantic setting in which the couple commenced their vows. While the couple snuck away for photos and their cinema session, their guests were kept busy playing lawn games such as corn hole, horse shoes and dingle berry. The warm August evening welcomed guests inside the old Red barn where they kicked up their heels and did some serious two steppin’. Patrick and Meagan, being a mighty fine two steppin’ couple themselves, tore up the dance floor with twirl after twirl. Meagan and her father are both singer/songwriters and so appropriately danced to the song that they co-wrote and sang together. It was a magical event to say the least.
Photography: LisaAnne Photography | Cinematography: Luminance Wedding Films | Floral Design: Albuquerque Florist | Cake: Q's Cakes | Makeup: Ashlin Padilla | Hair: Bridgette Mand Company | DJ: Lighthouse Entertainment | Venue: Old Town Farm
Let’s be honest, destination weddings are awesome. Think acres of sandy beaches, endless sunny skies and a crazy cool locale like The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village making every.single.moment completely unforgettable. I mean, a vacation of a lifetime meets an entire weekend of fun-filled wedding activities? It’s the perfect way to celebrate.
The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village isn’t just one of the world’s most relaxing places to vaca, it also happens to be one of the most stunning locales ever to say “I do” – whether that’s in an intimate affair with your nearest and dearest or a more elaborate celebration with 200 of your closest friends and family. That’s because The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village has over 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space just waiting to host your big soiree. I’m talking everything from your welcome dinner to your post-wedding brunch to that sweet little bridal luncheon prior to the Big Day. Not to mention the THREE outdoor pools, crazy fun marina activities (hello kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing), bike rentals for getting your fitness on and a Westin Kids Club® for the 6 to 12-year-old kiddos – they’ll NEVER stop talking about their day of exploration. And for the adults? A spa, a boutique, a private island and some of the yummiest food and cocktails you will ever taste.
To start planning that wedding of a lifetime, contact The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village today to begin speaking to one of their on-site Wedding Specialists. They’ll work with you step by step throughout the entire process to make sure your event runs smoothly… AND ensure a fun-filled weekend (or week!) for all of your friends and family. Plus, you can earn up to 100,000 bonus Starpoints®* AND special rewards, like a guestroom or suite on the night of your wedding and a sparkling toast during your reception. You’ll even earn triple Starpoints® on all group rooms used, while your guests will also earn Starpoints® on eligible nights. It honestly doesn’t get better than this.
*Client is eligible for a Starpoint® signing bonus equal to one Starpoint for every one US dollar ($1) of contracted food and beverage and room rental fees, maximum 100,000 Starpoints. Valid on weddings reserved this year and hosted by December 31, 2017.
