I would get married all over again just so I could wear this gown, and honestly could you blame me?! From the venue to the florals, every detail dreamed up by Claire Duran Weddings and Events is enough to make any girl want to start the wedding planning processes all over again. Overflowing with beautiful scenery and unreal glamour, Taken by Sarah Photography captured it all to share in The Vault!

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From Claire Duran Weddings and Events… This inspiration shoot for Composed Workshop’s debut was in a beautiful historic venue in the the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, the first city in the New World and the point of entrance for the rest of the colonization process of the Americas. Full of beautiful architecture that dates back as far as the first decade of the 16th century, Quinta Dominica was the perfect backdrop for this editorial piece. Also built at the beginning of the 1500s, this venue first served as a monastery/convent house for priests and later as classrooms of the first University in the New World. With so much history, and with a space and garden full of colonial romanticism and interesting flora, Quinta Dominica provided the perfect background to showcase current inspiration, yet while allowing us all to step back in time. This shoot was part of the first Composed Workshop and our goal was to capture the beauty already embedded in the environment while adding the right elements that would just compliment the vision without taking the main attention from the colonial landmarks. Composed Workshop is an educational gathering for industry creatives, mostly focused in Latin America and with practical teachings in floral, styling and photography, and we are excited for a future full of locations such as these to inspire wedding creatives to look at their surroundings with fresh eyes.

From Taken by Sarah Photography… As a photographer, I was delighted to see that every street had something colorful and beautiful around every corner. I wanted to show the old beauty of the city, the vibrant spirit of the people of Dominican Republic, and a new perspective to Santo Domingo brides on the outdoor beauty that surrounds this place. Our real couple could not have been more lovely and in love, something that makes any editorial shoot really shine. My approach for styled wedding shoots is to show not only creativity, but also something that can be easily used for real wedding inspiration and always a real couple that can inspire others in a tangible way. The DR has a lot of destination weddings in Punta Cana, but I think that couples should consider this other side of the DR that has so much irresistible charm that planning a gorgeous and unique affair will be a piece of cake.

Photography: Taken By Sarah Photography | Coordination: Torcello Events | Styling: Claire Duran Weddings And Events | Floral Design: Posh Peony | Dress: Elaya Vaughn Bridal | Cake: Pasteleria Rosario | Invitations : Little Cat Creative | Hair + Makeup: Jochy Campusano | Wedding Venue: Quinta Dominica | Envelope Calligraphy: In Loft Calligraphy | Film Lab: Pro Photo Connection | Hairpiece: Lindsay Marie Design | Rentals: Divano RD | Silk Ribbon: Honey Silks And Company | Workshop: Composed Workshop

This gorgeous Bride and her pretty ‘maids might take the award for best dressed bridal party ever. Not only did Georgia’s girls embrace the mismatched and pattern trends, but some of them also rocked some fabulous rompers. And tropical blooms from KITANIM, a floral design and event company, brought the whole look together perfectly. See it all from EvanR Photography in The Vault!

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From Kitanim…February 27 was a perfect Miami winter day for bride and groom, Georgia and Tom. Casual and chic tropical was the design direction we were given as the floral design team and we ran with that motif utilizing tropical protea and fuchsia dendrobiums for a pop of wow color. The bride’s mom, Mary, is a special lady, saving and hand packing and color coding approximately 500 vases that were collected from Georgia’s childhood home. If you look closely on the rustic tablescapes, you will see trinket remnants from Georgie’s glittered Halloween costumes over the years. The bride wore a gorgeous delicate yet powerfully hued hair halo. Fairchild Tropical Gardens allowed the retro Food Truck to make its appearance as dinner fare for the guests who dined under romantic bistro lights and headed indoors to the reception area for dancing and more fun. Bridesmaids wore shades of green textured dresses and rompers as they walked down the aisle. With a multitude of vendors, the planner really orchestrated the group especially in her curation of antique furniture for the reception lounge.

Photography: Evan Rich, EvanR Photography | Event Planning: Desiree Dawn Events | Floral Design: KITANIM, a floral design and event company | Catering: Curbside Gourmet | Catering: Rent A Bartender | Hair + Makeup: Jennifer Cruz | Lighting: Epic Lighting | Venue: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden | Antique Rentals: Paula Roemer Inc. Antiques and Consignment Shop | Linen Rentals: Chateau Alice Designs | Rentals: Simple Rustic Event Rentals | Rentals: Atlas Party Rental

Have a hot date or Anniversary celebration coming up? Instead of the usual fancy restaurant dinner for two; go the less conventional route. It’s A Sparkly Life and Lisa Renault Photographie are showcasing just how cozy and romantic cooking dinner at home can be. Plus, they’ve got recipes to back it up. Get the details for a delicious citrus salad and Spring Risotto with Grilled Shrimp below.

From It’s a Sparkly Life… For all the weddings that occur during the oncoming wedding season, there are just as many anniversaries. Why let the newlyweds have all the fun?! Instead of a usual dinner for two at a fancy new restaurant in town, we love the idea of a home cooked meal, made together of course.

The key is to have a fun time together, this means no complicated dish or 4 hours of prep work! Think simple, elegant and fresh.

A light citrus salad, some cheese to snack on, and a delicious risotto topped with grilled shrimp is the perfect menu for just that.

Nothing is too time intensive thus allowing for plenty of stolen kisses and sips of wine in between.
A light hearted evening at home, filled with crisp flavors and of course some sweets!

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Citrus Salad

What you’ll need:

1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 clementine
1/2 bulp fennel including leafy fronds
1 tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

One person peels and cuts the fruit vertically, while the other chops up the fennel into small slices. Make sure to keep the green leafy fronds at the end! They make a beautiful garnish. Place fennel slices in a small bowl.

Combine olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Add to fennel. Mix well.

Plate fennel on plates, topping with a variety of citrus slices. Gently scatter fronds and seeds.

…….

Spring Risotto with Grilled Shrimp

What you’ll need:

1 cup arborio rice
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas
8 stalks asparagus, trimmed and steamed
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsbp butter
salt and pepper to taste

Warm up broth in a medium sized pot until just simmering.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter.

Immediately add arborio rice and stir until coated with butter.

Pour white wine and stir until evaporated.

Lower heat to medium.

Pouring 1 cup broth at a time, cook arborio rice slowly, stirring every so often. Every time broth seems to finish, pour an additional cup. This process should take about 20-30 minutes depending on heat. Season with salt and pepper as you go along.

When rice begins to look near done, add peas. Stir to combine.

Remove from heat and add parmesan.

Top with freshly steamed asparagus, either intact or cut up in small pieces

Once plated, add your shrimp

For Grilled Shrimp:

Marinate shrimp in 1 tbsp of olive oil, and any spice variety you desire! For this meal, we used a cajun spice!

Keep refrigerated for 30 minutes or until ready to grill.

Lightly oil grill pan and cook shrimp 2-3 minutes per side.

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Homemade Cakes that Will Make You Look Like a Pro

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Homemade Cakes that Will Make You Look Like a Pro

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Photography: Lisa Renault Photographie | Event Styling: Lisa Renault Photographie | Event Styling: It's A Sparkly Life | Floral Design: Floralia | Makeup: Ally Zwonok | Food styling, Props & Recipes: It's A Sparkly Life | Paper Goods: Lisa Renault Photographie

What’s better than an ultra chic up-do that you did all on your own? Uhm, nothing. Take this braided beauty from Keri Bette that’s everything but boring. It’s one part heavenly halo of hair, one part part chignon, and all parts totally to-die-for, and we’ve got the breakdown on how you can get this look styled by The Well Styled Life and captured by Justine Milton below.

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Start with freshly brushed, clean hair. Using a curling iron or blowdryer to create a soft bend in the hair will allow the hair to move with more ease into the style.

Section the hair across the head from ear to ear. Back comb hair from the crown of the head to the middle of the back of head. Using the same backcombing brush, smooth the the backcombed section so it lays smooth on the surface. Pinch the ends of the backcombed section together and secure by crossing two bobby pins.

Moving to the front of the head, create a side part from mid eyebrow to crown. The side with the majority of hair, pick up a triangular section of hair right along the part at the hairline. Start your french braid.

Your french braid will consist of three sections of hair. Cross the outside section over the center section, then cross the outside section on the other side over your new middle section. Repeat these steps again, adding a small section of hair on the outside of the braid to each outside section. Continue this down the side of the head. When you reach the bottom of the ear, continue your braid, only picking up hair to add to the top outside section. Secure braid with clear elastic and start to pull apart the braid, moving from top to bottom to create texture.

Once you are satisfied with the amount of texture you have created in the braid, pin the braid to the head. Do this by keeping the rigid edge of the bobby pin facing down, place the opening of the bobby pin against the head and turn downwards against head to secure. Do this on either side of the braid with 3- 4 pins. NOTE: do not open the pin. This will pick up too much hair and cause the bobby pin to push itself out. The small opening on the pin allows the proper amount of hair to be picked up for a secure hold.

Keep a 1″ section along the nape hair line. With the rest of the hair below the braid, backcomb from root to end. Smooth the under side of this section so the surface is smooth. Pinch together end of the section of hair and roll hair up to the head. Secure by inserting bobby pins into either side of the roll.

Take the remaining 1″ of hair and smooth over the roll.

Using the bobby pin technique of placing the opening against the head and scooping downwards, do this along the entire top of the roll, securing the 1″ of hair over the roll. Use as many pins as needed, approximatley 8-10 pins.

Use that same bobby pin technique to close the sides of the roll to the head and VOILA!

Photography: Justine Milton Photography | Styling + Design: The Well Styled Life | Hair + Makeup: Keri Bette

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Justine Milton Photography

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We’ve all been there… it’s 9pm and you want to make brownies, randomly—but you have no eggs, and the grocery store is closed. Or is that just me? I have a feeling I’m not the only one. The key is to always be prepared with substitutes that can last in your pantry or that you might have lying around. Make sure to keep one of these ingredients (that work in most recipes) handy just in case!

Egg Substitutes

Flax Seeds

1 tbsp. flax seeds mixed with 3 tbsp. of water for one egg

Applesauce

1/4 cup for one egg

Coconut Oil

1 tbsp. for one egg

Banana

1/4 cup banana for one egg

Yogurt

1/4 cup plain yogurt for one egg

*If using eggs as leavening agents, add 1/2 tsp baking powder as well

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15 Mouthwatering Desserts

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15 Mouthwatering Desserts

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Find all of our recipes right this way!

I tend to associate red roses with cheesy Valentine’s Day bouquets and The Bachelor, but this pretty Australian day is making me rethink the flower, thanks to gorgeous florals from Blooms Of Eden. And thanks to lovely photos from Amelia Claire Fine Art Photography, you may just rethink red roses, too! Head to The Vault to see why.

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From Amelia Claire Photography…After dating four years, Dave and Lydia decided to tie the knot. It was a stunning affair with the most wonderful florals designed by Blooms of Eden adding colour everywhere we looked. The beautiful sign and invitations were designed by the lovely bride herself adding such a wonderful touch and tying those exquisite colours into the theme. Lydia looked a dream in her elegant Samantha Wayne lace gown and veil.

Twelve of Dave and Lydia’s closest friends made up a wonderful and hilarious bridal party, there is no better way to spend the day- surrounded by your closest friends and family. The ceremony was held at St. Edmunds Anglican Church, a beautiful rustic old church with incredible stained glass windows and high ceilings but the real party was held at Darlington Estate where we danced the night away under the stars in the Perth hills. Darlington Estate is not a venue easily forgotten, with fairy lights draped from the ceiling and vineyards surrounding the reception room. What a stunning day to celebrate two wonderful people.

Photography: Amelia Claire Fine Art Photography | Cinematography: Films by Dylan | Floral Design: Blooms Of Eden | Wedding Dress: Samantha Wynne | Cake: Aimee's Cakes | Ceremony Venue: St. Edmunds Anglican Church | Reception Venue: Darlington Wine Estate | Bride's Shoes: Georgie's Bridal Shoes | Rings: Rosendorffs | Makeup: Megan Crosby Makeup Artist | Hair: Elegant Edge Hair | Groom's Attire: Politix | Bride's Earrings: Angus & Coote | Groom's Shoes: Zu

You know how we feel about handwritten vows, and this generously gilded celebration? It’s kind of everything (and then some). With the incredibly talented Sylvie Gil Photography documenting every bit of magic Kate Siegel Fine Events dreamed up (like those majorly elegant Bella Figura invites!), we promise you’re in for a world of pretty. Fall madly in love with every classic detail via The Vault!

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From The Groom…We did a lot to personalize our wedding, starting with the ceremony. We did our own vows, and my stepfather officiated the wedding. And we had it just a few blocks away from our house in the courtyard of the Fairmont Hotel. During the ceremony, we could hear the cable car bells ringing. I grew up in the city so that sound makes me feel at home.

We chose the Fairmont hotel because we’re San Franciscans, and the Fairmont is a classic piece of San Francisco history. The original building actually burned during the 1906 Earthquake. The view from the reception was unbelievable, and it overlooked the neighborhood I grew up in. We wanted to get married in a place that felt like home, and we couldn’t beat the Fairmont.

We did a lot of other things to personalize the wedding as well. My wife calls me “B,” so a lot of the design elements, such as napkins, invitations, and menus, had a golden bumblebee design on them. It was very pretty. Even the cake had little frosted bees on it.

Writing our own vows was the best decision we made. Meg’s were especially good. A lot of couples from the audience came up to us and said it was one of the most beautiful ceremonies they’d ever been to. They said our vows reminded them of how special marriage is. I think if there is one element of a wedding that ought to be personalized, it’s the vows. The ceremony is the union of two people, and I think having a personal ceremony strengthened that.

Photography: Sylvie Gil Photography | Event Planning: Kate Siegel Fine Events | Floral Design: Cherries Flowers | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Wedding Dress: Casablanca | Cake: Inticing Creations | Invitations: Bella Figura | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Dessy Collection By Vivian Diamond | Catering: Fairmont San Francisco | Makeup: Chloe Ray | Hair: David Yepremian | Calligraphy: Barbara Callow Calligraphy | Lighting: Impact Lighting & Production | DJ: Boutique DJs | Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Ceremony Music: An Elegant Touch Of Strings | Venue: Fairmont San Francisco | Bride's Ring: David Clay Jewelers | Flower Girl Dresses: Little Dreamers Tutus | Groom's Attire + Shoes: Jos. A. Bank | Groom's Ring: Tiffany & Co. | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Place Card Holders: Theoni Collection | Rentals: Designer 8 | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Rentals: Barker Decor Service | Rentals: Standard Party Rentals | Ring Bearer Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Signage: Paper Tangent

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

Kate Siegel Fine Events

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If you can’t get married in Europe, the next best thing is incorporating European-inspired elements to wherever you are having your big day. Drawing on the hand-painted frescos at The Neighborhood Church, Brie Walter brought Italy to Southern California with a lemon motif incorporated in the florals, invitations and the cake. Fall in love with it all in The Vault thanks to gorgeous photos from Sara Weir!

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Photography: Sara Weir Photography | Floral Design: Brie Walter | Wedding Dress: Elizabeth Dye | Cakes: The Good Cookies | Invitations: Emily Rose Ink | Hair + Makeup: Nicol Artistry | Groom: Bailey Acee | Venue: The Neighborhood Church | Bride: Brittany Amber | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Ribbon: Silk and Willow

You could say we’re pretty giddy about the cool new updates around here; from our revamped Vendor Guide to our sparkly new Portfolios, creating your own personal wedding team has never been easier or more inspiring. But all talk and no play is no fun, so we’re diving into some of our favorite folks’ own Portfolios and sharing all the goodies with you every week, starting with the always lovely Greg Finck. One look at his page and you’ll be card carrying fan club members for life – see more below!

Starting with the gorgeous Cover Images that draw you right in, all the way through the Icons and Description (so we can quickly get the 411 on the vendor) and ending with the Collections of all their work, our new Portfolios inform and inspire. And Greg’s? We’re transported to the lavender fields in the South of France, the historical romance of Puerto Rico and more… all on one page.

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE GREG FINCK WEDDINGS:

Old World Puerto Rico Wedding | One Uber Fashion Forward Bride | Glam French Riviera Wedding

My poor husband. He has a sliver of our closet, literally. I’ve “commandeered it” as he would say. Do I feel bad? No. Because a girl’s gotta have a home for all of her pretty pieces, right? That still means we need to find room for all of the extras—shoes, hats, accessories, seasonal sweaters, you name it. If you’re in the same boat, have a peek at these genius solutions!

7 Genius Storage Solutions When You're Low on Closet Space

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7 Genius Storage Solutions When You're Low on Closet Space

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You might also love…

The Closet Trend That’ll Make You Feel Oh So Fancy
10 Unique Ways to Add Paint to Your Home
20 Genius Ways to Decorate Your Hallway

Coconut oil is basically my fix for everything. It’s a must in the bathroom for endless natural beauty needs, a rockstar in the kitchen and comes in clutch for sooo many other moments. Do you use coconut oil? If so, what are your favorite uses for it? Let us know in the comments!

15 Ways To Use Coconut Oil

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15 Ways To Use Coconut Oil

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You might also love…

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

Know how we told you this engagement session was cooler than cool AND red hot? Well, we weren’t pulling your leg on that one, because this darling duo with Courtney Leigh Photography behind the lens pulled off an e-sesh like no other. It’s downtown cool coupled with uptown glam and it has completely won our hearts over, and we have a feeling this gallery sitting in The Vault will do the same for you.

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From Courtney Leigh Photography…Kristen and Eric are such a joyful couple and they’ve got serious style too! They are planning a gorgeous downtown Houston wedding at Hotel ZaZa in March of 2017, so they wanted to incorporate that same city chic vibe into their engagement session! They chose the urban streets of downtown Houston and Rice University campus as their locations for the session and it fit seamlessly with their classy taste! Kristen has a stunning beauty about her and the pop of red on her is just beautiful captured on film! These two have such an infectious joy about them and they were so much fun to photograph!

Photography: Courtney Leigh Photography | Film Processing: PhotoVision Prints | Location: Rice University

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Tips to Look Your Best at Your Engagement Session

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Courtney Leigh Photography

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Growing up, I hated my name. Gabrielle. I got called Gabby, Gabriella, Gabriel and countless other variations, all of which I learned to answer to. Now that I’m an adult, I love having a name that stands out. Give your new bundle of joy the same gift with these unique, gorgeous names that everyone (including your future child) will love!

Pretty + Unique Baby Names

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Pretty + Unique Baby Names

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More Baby Names You’ll Love

Celebrity Baby Names | Names for Twins | “Boyish” Girl Names | French Names

Hieu Pham Photography first introduced us to this gorgeous Bride and Groom with their cherry blossom engagement session last fall, and now having seen their beautiful day, we can confidently say it was well worth the wait. With classic touches in white, ivory and gold, Geomyra Lewis Weddings & Events created the most perfect winter wonderland wedding. See it all in The Vault!

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From Hieu Pham Photography…A wonderful winter (February) wedding that was celebrated at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This beautiful couple gushed pure joy in this blessed occasion.

From The Bride…The wedding was on February 27, 2016, which was a risk with the unpredictable weather. Alex and I were willing to take that chance for a winter formal affair, and luckily the day turned out to be sunny and 48 degrees! We got married at Holy Rosary Church in Washington, D.C. and the reception was at The National Museum of Women in the Arts. The color scheme was gold/neutral tones with sequin bridesmaid dresses, which complimented the décor of the museum. Although formal, we really wanted a fun event and the band did not disappoint! Spectrum kept the guests on their feet all night, and it was truly an evening to remember!

Photography: Hieu Pham Photography | Cinematography: Bowen Films | Coordination: Geomyra Lewis Weddings & Events | Floral Design: Love Blooms | Wedding Dress: Love Couture Bridal | Ceremony Venue: Holy Rosary Church | Reception Venue: National Museum Of Women In The Arts | Catering: Spilled Milk Catering | Makeup: Tymia Yvette Makeup Artistry | Lighting: SMERF Events | Band: Washington Talent Agency

Six weeks before their original wedding date, Cabo San Lucas was left devastated by Hurricane Odile, forcing this beautiful bride and groom to postpone their destination wedding. After further discussions with their vendors, including Amy Abbott Events, they decided to postpone even further. Thankfully, the third time was the charm and the day turned out beautifully with help from vendors like Del Cabo Event Design and Suzanne Morel Face and Body Care. See it all, courtesy of Cali Frankovic and Sam Perches, in The Vault!

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From The Bride…Nick and I love to travel. Once engaged, we knew we wanted a destination wedding. We also wanted the celebration to be a week-long event with all of our family and friends. My career is in the hospitality/wedding industry, so a destination wedding was a must for me. I dreamed of leaving all of the wedding week events to the experts.

Choosing Cabo San Lucas was an easy decision for us. Nick and I were in a long distance relationship throughout our three years of dating and being engaged. In reality, our relationship grew out of a suitcase and countless plane tickets. Traveling just about anywhere for our wedding was not a problem for us. Cabo was an extremely well located place for both our northern and southern guests. The minute we arrived in Cabo for our first wedding site visit, we instantly feel in love with everything Baja. From the great people, to the fun culture, to the amazing food, we knew this was the perfect place.

Then, September 14th, 2014 happened. The beautiful town of Cabo San Lucas was hit by the devastating category 4 Hurricane Odile. At the time, our wedding was scheduled for November 1st, 2014, just 6 weeks later. Odile was a catastrophic blow for all the people in the Baja, as they went without electricity for weeks and many of their homes were destroyed. However, through it all, it was amazing to see the resilience of the people in the Baja. They immediately banded together and brought Cabo back to life in a matter of weeks. We had our hearts set on our dream wedding in Cabo, especially at the magical Esperanza Resort. Due to the damage from the hurricane and all of the uncertainties in Cabo going forward, we initially decided to postpone the wedding until January 2015. After further discussions with everyone in Cabo and at Esperanza, we made the decision to postpone even further, to March, 21st, 2015, as the resort was completely destroyed by the hurricane. Third time is a charm, right?!

Through it all, the wait was worth it! We kicked it all off the wedding week with a welcome dinner at The Office on Medano Beach. Guests enjoyed wonderful food, great live music, and the lively and fun beach atmosphere. The following day we took all of our guests on a private sunset cruise on the Tropicat, which was a huge hit. The sunset cruise included fun food, great music, breathtaking sunsets, and even a whale jumping show from the local talent. After the cruise, we continued the night with a pub crawl to all of the famous downtown Cabo hot spots.

The next day we hosted a beach party at the beautiful Esperanza Beach. With the help of the amazing staff, we created the perfect venue for fun in the sun, including lounge chairs, delicious food, and some signature margaritas. We followed the beach party up with the rehearsal dinner at Hacienda Cocina y Cantina. We had a live band, memorable speeches from our wedding party, and some more excellent Mexican food.

Esperanza is a secluded and magical place. Our wedding ceremony was located on the Esperanza Beach, with the backdrop of the crashing waves and the view of the famous arch. Seeing Nick for the first time that day, while I walked down the aisle, his uncle played the violin to tune of the traditional Wedding March, I was overwhelmed with love. My father, also a musician in his spare time, surprised me and wrote a song for my wedding day. As he played his song, “No Ordinary Girl,” there was not a dry eye in crowd. Nick and I kept the emotions going, as we wrote our own vows and pronounced our love to one another.

Following the ceremony, a Mariachi band played while our guests enjoyed the cocktail hour on the terraces of the Punta Ballena Beach Club. Then our guests enjoyed a three course dinner. The food portion of the reception was important to Nick and me, as we love great food and wanted to share that love with our guests. The meal started with tuna ceviche, followed by a deconstructed beet salad, and the main course options of lamb, tamales, or sea bass.

After dinner, The Kilometro Band fired things up and the fiesta began. We surprised our guests with a live donkey for the photo booth, as well as a cigar roller…both of which were a huge hit! We danced for hours, and then transitioned the party to the beach. We created the perfect late night venue with chairs and bean bags on the sand, fun food and snacks, and a bonfire. My father played music on his guitar, while our guests sang along late into the night. It was the best night of our lives!

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Photography: Cali Frankovic | Cinematography: Sam Perches | Event Planning: Amy Abbott Events | Floral Design: Pina Hernandez Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Anne Barge Collection | Invitations: Whitney Bird Designs | Ceremony Venue: Esperanza | Reception Venue: Esperanza | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Lulu’s | Catering: Esperanza | Hair + Makeup: Suzanne Morel Face and Body Care | Band: Kilometro | Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein | Mariachi Band: Gilberto Mariachi | Rentals: Del Cabo Event Design

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

Amy Abbott Events

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Summer has always been synonymous with devouring a pile of great books. From long road trips, to plane rides, vacations and lounging beachside, there’s plenty of time to get lost in some great reads. We’ve rounded up 14 books on our radar that are perfect for reading on all your Summer adventures. Even if that adventure includes a staycation in the comfort of your own home. These juicy books work for those too. Grab the best reading list Summer has to offer below….

Summer's Best Beach Reads

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Summer's Best Beach Reads

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More books to add to your collection

The It List of Business and Blogging Books | On our Nightstands | Fashionable Coffee Table Books

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Michael and Carina said it best: because we love beautiful florals (thank you Floral and Bloom), dresses (oh Claire!) and calligraphy (Poppy and Scooter has that covered), this bridal inspiration shoot brightens any day! Add in this ethereal lady – and Amie Decker Beauty’s talents – and I’m planning on printing these pics for myself. Only problem: where to start? I’ll be in our Vault as I try to decide…

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From Michael and Carina Photography… Because we always love beautiful florals, dresses and calligraphy… this soft bridal inspiration brightens any day!

More bridal session inspiration this way!

Photography: Michael And Carina Photography | Floral Design: Floral & Bloom Designs | Wedding Dress: Claire Pettibone | Invitations: Poppy And Scooter | Hair + Makeup: Amie Decker Beauty | Venue: Goodstone Inn | Bridal Boutique + Hair Accessories: Garnish Boutique | Event Planning + Styling: Lauren Niles Events | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab

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

Makeup Artists

Amie Decker Beauty

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We’re pretty much convinced that Maggie and Brian are the real-life version of Allie and Noah, because their engagement session? Pure cinematic magic. With the talented Sally Pinera behind the lens capturing their Central Park rowboat ride and sweeter than sweet stroll (across the Brooklyn Bridge no less), we’ve got every bit of beauty waiting for you to fall in love with via The Vault!

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From Sally Pinera… Light hearted and sweet, Maggie and Brian’s NYC engagement session took place amidst the hustle and bustle of New York. Sunrise at the Brooklyn Bridge and nestled in Central Park during the sunny summer afternoon. This adorable couple took a ride on the row boat at the Central Park Boat House as they shared their love. Maggie kept her makeup and hair simple, elegant and whimsical. Her pink two piece dress was custom made just for her! We cannot wait for this couple to come to the west coast this fall for a beautiful destination wedding at Greystone Mansion!

Photography: Sally Pinera | Bridal Accessory: Maggie Wu Studio

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Tips to Look Your Best at Your Engagement Session

Calling all Sex and the City Die Hards. This studio apartment is sooo Carrie Bradshaw, minus the sweaters in the oven. Instead, there’s heels on the desk and wellies lining the window and you know what? It looks impossibly chic. Because what this little apartment lacks in square footage, it so makes up for in style thanks to Covering The Bases who calls this pied a terre home. Pore through the rest of her pretty abode shot by Alexandra Wolf right here.

I moved to New York City straight out of college at the University of Kentucky to start my new job at Major League Baseball in their social media department in 2013. The process of finding a place that I loved was difficult but we eventually found this brand new building in Chelsea that I loved — it was near to work, had a great rooftop and view of the city, right near a subway and was in a quieter part of Chelsea on the West side. I looked at 4 layouts for studios in the building and ended up deciding on the alcove layout (which was the smallest of the 4) but the layout just seemed to work for me.

I loved the idea of a studio having a dedicated area for the bed because it really left room for the rest of my things in the apartment. Coming from a huge one bedroom apartment in Lexington that was over 1,000 sq ft to a small studio that was under 400 sq ft (374 to be exact) was of course challenging but turned out to be really fun at times.

The idea for the apartment was to make a small space crammed with my things feel big. To do that, I needed to create storage all over the apartment, I needed to build up and I needed to take advantage of every wall I could. I made storage in bookshelves, in built ins, under the bed, all over the kitchen, under the tv… anywhere I could. And it worked!

Over the past three years there have been a ton of trial and error of course with the furniture, the layout and all my stuff. If living in New York has taught me anything, it’s how to declutter your life.

My layout is simple and in clearly defined spaces. Even though I only really have one room in my apartment, I still refer to the kitchen, living and bed room areas separately. With the help of the bed, the couch and the kitchen island, I’ve been able to have set areas of the apartment instead of it being one big place. And in a way, I think it helps make things look more spacious!

Overall I would say my apartment is preppy, classic and filled with anything blue and white. I spend my days at work in Chelsea Market for MLB.com so when I come home I want to be welcomed to a feminine and crisp space.

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8 Genius Solutions for Small Space Design Dilemmas

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8 Genius Solutions for Small Space Design Dilemmas

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Photography: Alexandra Wolf | Designer: Covering The Bases

It’s time that we introduce you to the newest love of your life: this engagement session. Capturing every patriotic moment, Meiwen Wang was behind the lens turning dreams into a reality. Because Liz & Travis? They’re pretty much the dreamiest duo we’ve ever laid eyes on and their engagement session is no exception. See it all for yourself in The Vault!

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From Meiwen Wang…Liz & Travis are just SO sweet. The San Juan Capistrano Mission was a perfect backdrop and they seriously showed up looking like models. Liz was in a bold red Anthropologie maxi dress, and Travis had a dark blue suit from Zara. After that we drove just 15 min to these BEAUTIFUL rolling hills that looked the the background on an old windows desktop. We climbed up the side of the biggest hill and ran around on the top just as the sun was going down. My favorite thing about them is how easily they made each other laugh. They are SO easy in front of the camera!

Photography: Meiwen Wang | Dress: Billy Ella | Hair + Makeup: Luna Bella Beauty | Suit: Zara | Location: Mission San Juan Capistrano | Location: Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park

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Tips to Look Your Best at Your Engagement Session