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

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Peony-Filled Beverly Hills Wedding

From Elegant Aura Events…Cecilia & Patrick came to us with a wedding date and nothing else. They wanted an intimate wedding, near the beach, in a light modern space. With just over three months to plan everything, and them traveling to China for a month, we successfully managed to make it happen.

Their pink and white wedding took place at the classic Wychmere Beach Club on Cape Cod. Cecilia and Patrick exchanged vows on the beach in front of thirty-two of their closest friends and family. They incorporated a sand ceremony, a rose ceremony, and a lock and key ceremony into their celebration.

The cocktail hour took place on the balcony of the Ocean Room with a string trio playing classical music in the background. Summer New England style hors d’oeuvres were passed, like scallops, shrimp and crab salad.

For dinner, guests were invited into the Ocean Room where they were treated to a four-course meal that continued the New England style of food. The bride and groom changed for their first dance and dinner, wearing more classic, modern attire.

After dinner the bride changed into a Chinese Qipao dress, and tossed a bouquet to all the single ladies. Dancing continued well into the night, and then everyone ends up on the beach for a sparkly send off.

Some people radiate a positive vibe, and this bride does just that. With her stunning smile and the talents of GRO Designs, we have here an absolutely beautiful wedding, and Shaun Menary captured it all. She and her groom made promises to her two children, and even presented them with rings during the ceremony, making this truly a family affair, and you can thank me later for this hefty dose of happiness.

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Elegant Pink + Gold Malta Wedding

From The Bride… Blane and I were perfectly happy being fabulously 40 and single! We met on a blind date, set up by my best friend and his sister-in-law who are next door neighbors. For 15 years, Blane and I had been crossing paths. We were at the same parties, concerts, crawfish boils, even ran in the same marathons – but had never met! When we did finally meet, neither were interested in anything serious. I had been married and have two children, he was 44 and was the forever bachelor. Well, 11 months later, he was on one knee overlooking the bay in gorgeous Sausalito, CA.

Since our first trip as a couple was in CA, we got engaged in CA, why not have the wedding there too? Our friends graciously offered their estate for our 120 guest destination wedding. Once the location we set and the date, we immediately hired Gro Design to create an elegant Beverly Hills event, not a traditional wedding. Planning a wedding in your 40’s is much different than I remembered from my 20’s. We were both very focused on the guest experience and touches all throughout the weekend that showed our guests how grateful we are to have them in our lives.

The wedding party was comprised of a Man of Honor for me, along with my daughter as my two “bride’s maids.” He had 13 groomsmen, one of which was our 13 year old son! We wanted a personal ceremony that was full of poems, excerpts from old love letters, and personal stories, so our friend and author, Anand Giridharadas, performed the ceremony. For the wedding attire, again, traditional was not our focus. The men wore custom made grey suits by J. Hilburn. I wore a dress from Stanely Korshak.

We had all the guests stay at The W Westwood and held several welcoming events there from a cabana day to welcome cocktails and brunch. We really wanted to splurge in a few areas – the music, the flowers and the cake. I did not want one large traditional cake, so we selected five cakes all with amazing, unique flavors. The baker, Vanilla Bake Shop, a Santa Monica favorite, provided the cakes and the groom’s cakes that consisted of chocolate cookies and monogrammed M and M’s. The flowers we abundant and stunning! The head table was donned with an enormous cascade that flowed onto the dance floor. Our monogram was hanging above the band, all in peonies. We had the grand player piano playing while guests arrived, we has acoustical guitar and flute for the prelude and ceremony, a Latin jazz 4-piece play for the cocktail party, and a 10-piece band during the reception. For the after party, a top LA DJ played into the night.

Probably the best part of the entire night for us was the actual ceremony and making the promise to each other and our children. We had not told Ethan and Annabelle, but before we said our promise and our own vows, we made a promise and vows to the kids and presented them with rings. At that moment in time, it was as though there were only the four of us present. We had waited for a love neither could have imagined. We were in love with our individual lives, with our own selves individually, which made our joined love a strong and respectful relationship.

When this Irish bride and English groom settled on the island of Malta for their destination wedding, a week-long string of celebration led up to the Big Day. Blending both their cultures with a mix of Maltese tradition, they created a completely bespoke affair planned by Jayne Pollidano, and captured through the lens of Paula O’Hara. Settle in for more photo goodness right this way.

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DIY Heart & Arrow Barrettes

From Paula O’Hara… Leigh is originally from Ireland and Steven is from England so they chose Malta as the perfect destination to bring both their families together to celebrate their gorgeous wedding. The architecture, the food, the landscape, the culture, the Mediterranean climate were everything that Steven and Leigh dreamed of. Even better, they managed to celebrate their wedding for a whole week in Malta with their families over a series of evening parties and barbecues, blending a mix of both Irish, Indian and Maltese traditions in elegant style! Leigh prepared for her wedding in the beautiful Xara Palace in the medieval town of Mdina, then travelled to the very decadent Palazzo Parisio for the ceremony and evening celebrations.

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Jenny Packham

Bridal 2016 Catwalk

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Break out the sequins and dust off that glue gun ladies and gents because this DIY is too good to pass up. It’s a sweet little something for your locks that we like to call the Heart & Arrow barrette. Or, for a fun twist, ditch the barrette and opt for a pin for a bit of Valentine’s flare. No matter how you rock it, this one is a cutie.

Materials Barrettes
White foam sheet
Matte gold sequin trim
Pink or red sequin trim
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks
Scissors
Heart & arrow template

Print out the heart & arrow template and cut out the shape. Trace it onto the foam sheet and cut out.

Cover the arrow parts of the foam in gold sequins. Begin on the outside of the arrow tip shape and hot glue the strand of sequins around the edge. When you reach the beginning, move the strand to fill in the center of the arrow tip piece. When the arrow tip is covered, glue in place and trim the excess sequins. Repeat with the feather side of the arrow.

Cover the heart part of the foam in pink or red sequins. Beginning on the outside of the heart shape, hot glue on a strand of sequins around the edge. When you reach the beginning, move the strand slightly more towards the center of the heart and just keep going around until you reach the center. Trim the excess sequins and glue in place.

Hot glue the barrette to the backside of the sequin heart & arrow and let cool, then it’s ready to pop in your hair!

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Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography | Design & Styling: SMP Living

Inspired By: Johnny Depp’s Beachfront Nuptials

When we got word Johnny Depp and Amber Heard tied the knot on the white sandy beaches of the Bahamas, we couldn’t help but dream of what it must have looked like. Ocean waves, toes in the sand and plenty of gorgeous details were surely in the mix, and inspired by all the loveliness we rounded up some of our favorite beach wedding moments from SMP. Click below and prepare to swoon.

Favorite Beach Wedding Moments

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Favorite Beach Wedding Moments

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Romantic Summer Beach Session

Summer may be in the distance, but Marion Heurteboust has provided the perfect evening escape complete with sandy toes and sweet kisses. An iridescent walk along the beach, this stunning stroll was complete with an On My Hand Props, Styling & Flora bouquet and a furry friend. Every image in the gallery is gorgeous, and don’t miss the adorable Super 8 from BubbleRock!

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From Marion Heurteboust… Summer days in Tauranga, New Zealand are so gorgeous! We were inspired by the coast, the sand, the wind… The shoot was meant to be simple, effortless and beautiful.

To keep it all film, Steph & Robin from Bubblerock came along and shot a video of the shoot on Super 8! Such a treat!!!

Shaye from On My Hand Props, Styling & Flora did the beautiful flowers, the dress is from Rue de Seine and let’s not forget Claire and Alex whom were very patient and adorable!

Photography: Marion Heurteboust | Floral Design: On My Hand | Wedding Dress: Rue De Seine | Couple: Claire & Alex (dog: Opie)

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here

Wedding Dresses

Rue De Seine

Young Love

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Winter Wedding First Look Shoot

The joy on this couple’s faces is absolutely infectious, I’m getting giddy just typing this. This first look photo shoot, captured by Madeleine Bonin, who also happens to be this dapper groom’s sister, is pure excitement, and combined with the beauty of the winter wonderland all around them, I’m dancing in my seat. See all of the adorable, joyful, love-filled moments right here!

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Winter Weddings

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Chinese Tea Ceremony in the Cotswolds

From Madeleine Bonin… Ethan is my (awesome and very hip) big brother. This December he married a princess. The wedding venue was in Evergreen, CO and the morning of the wedding, it snowed. It was the first snow in a few weeks.

I was Maid of Honor in the wedding. Though Hannah Joy wanted me to shoot the wedding, it (obviously) couldn’t work because I was in it. I had been the photographer for the proposal (Ethan flew me from TX to CO as a surprise) and had done quite a few sweet sessions with them as a couple in their 4+ years of dating. So it only made sense for me to be taking some photos at the wedding… Hannah Joy begged me to take their First Look images (and yes, I took them in my bridesmaid dress!)

Hannah Joy paired a beautiful White House Black Market coat with her White by Vera Wang wedding dress. Ethan was a hodgepodge with his Guess jeans and J.Crew jacket. Somehow those two made that combination for bride & groom stunning. They were real to life with their styles and their wedding day absolutely beamed with that.

Photography: Madeleine Bonin | Wedding Gown: David's Bridal | Groom's Jacket: J.Crew | Groom's Pants: Guess

Raised in Singapore, having moved to Australia and settling on the UK as home, this beautiful duo has a love that stretches the globe. So when it came to their wedding, tying together their background was oh-so-important, and Jessie Thomson made that happen. This gallery from Leah Kua is all the proof why the Cotswolds and a Chinese tea ceremony are a perfect pairing.

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Elegant Summer Sonoma Wedding

From Jessie Thomson Wedding Planning…A traditional Chinese tea ceremony set in the heart of The Cotswolds in England, with close friends and family the day before the full wedding celebration, followed by an afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches and scones – set in the gardens of a boutique Cotswold stone hotel.

I was honoured to be invited to this pre-wedding celebration as a guest with my daughter, and to witness such a beautiful and time honoured tradition in the British countryside on a hot Summer’s day.

It was the perfect way to start a weekend of celebrations!

From the beautiful Bride…Ryan and I are of Chinese descent and raised in Singapore. 15 years ago, we both moved to Australia first and then the UK. When we decided to get married in the UK, we planned our wedding around two visions: one of a rustic chic barn theme on the actual day, and a cultural heritage theme on the day before. We wanted the latter to be an intimate affair purely for our families, wedding party and wedding planner. The beautiful and romantic grounds of the Rectory Hotel in the Cotswolds was the perfect spot to host the ceremony.

Steeped in tradition, the tea ceremony is the most sacred ritual of Chinese nuptials. It serves as the bride’s symbolic introduction to the groom’s family. Choosing to incorporate this tradition was our way to honour the Chinese values that we were raised with and close to our hearts, despite having been living overseas for so long. Equally, we felt this was an important feature to include, given the next day’s wedding events would take on a more modern and relaxed western approach.

Since the exact presentation can vary from family to family and different Oriental cultural groups, we kept ours simple and elegant with the showcase of the tea set being the focal item in the ceremony set-up. A complete tea set represents harmony and togetherness. Traditionally, the tea set itself is part of the bride’s dowry and becomes a keepsake that she’ll use again for her own daughter’s ceremony someday.

Sweet tea is believed to bring happiness to the couple and to foster good relations between the bride and her new in-laws. According to legend, placing lotus seeds and two red dates in the teapot brings children into the marriage early on and every year thereafter. I was very blessed to have my mother choose the porcelain tea set, bringing it from across the globe and preparing the sweet tea on the day. It was an involvement and role that meant a huge deal to her, as a Mother. And to me too.

During the ceremony, Ryan and I served the tea to both our families who would take turns, proceeding from the most senior members of Ryan (the groom)’s family and then my (the bride) family. Drinking the tea was a sign of acceptance of the marriage and therefore quite emotional especially for the more senior family members. In return, we the newlyweds, received red envelopes filled with money or jewellery as a gesture of their blessings.

Red is a symbolic colour for all joyous occasions in the Oriental culture, so it naturally became the choice of colour for my custom made “cheongsam” or traditional gown from Singapore that I wore for the event. It also turned out to be a fitting one when I realised there were pops of red colour dotted about, from the Oriental wedding wall decal, to the red packets and even the red roses in the garden!

I loved every detail of my dress from the French corded lace to the slit on the side which allowed me to show off one of my legs. Since it was a very striking dress, I kept my accessories to a minimum, choosing to don on a pearl necklace and earrings. To complete the whole look, I chose an updo style, which I was initially rather nervous about, as I have never been one to wear my hair up most of the time. But having a brilliant hair stylist meant I had nothing to worry about at all. I was at ease the whole time and was reluctant to take it down when the day was over!

As a contrast, Ryan chose to go for a western style semi-formal look which surprisingly, complemented my traditional look well. His outfit took on a pastel palette comprising a shirt with delicate prints, a waistcoat and a pair of tan leather brogues.

The day would not be complete without a little East meets West. We were in the UK after all! After the ceremony, our guests were treated to a proper English afternoon tea experience complete with scones, cakes and pastries. It gave us a good opportunity to mingle with everyone in a relaxed and fun manner, just like an afternoon outdoor garden party in the summer! Looking back, that day proved to be so precious in that we got to spend more time with everyone, many of whom have travelled from afar for us, celebrating a familiar tradition with a twist.

Photography: Leah Kua | Wedding Planner: Jessie Thomson Weddings & Events | Ceremony Venue: The Rectory | Groom's Attire: Ted Baker | Bridal Hair & Makeup: Heidi Vince

Sonoma is home to some of my favorite weddings to ever grace our pages, so when Brumley and Wells sent along this summertime beauty I wasn’t too surprised. Steeped in gorgeous hues (hello, mint + blush with pops of berry red) and Tesoro Flowers pretties, it’s everything an outdoor wedding should be thanks to the beautiful work of Dandelion Events. Party on in the gallery right here.

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Garden Weddings

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Invitations by Dawn + A Discount!

From The Bride… Brandon and I met at our grad school orientation in San Francisco. After a handsome stranger approached me and introduced himself, I nervously bumbled my way through a conversation with him. Luckily, Brandon was swept away by my awkward charm, and I was happy to discover that he was as kind and hilarious as he was good looking. We quickly and easily became friends, and then more than that. We were both pursuing Masters degrees in Sport Management and, as avid sports fans, many of our relationship milestones occurred on the hallowed grounds of Bay Area sports venues: our first time hanging out outside of class; our first date; the night we became official. And then, after celebrating our first dating anniversary at the ballpark, Brandon proposed to me as post-game fireworks exploded in the background.

We knew our wedding day would be important to us because we would have the chance to proclaim our love to each other in front of those who matter most to us – and we wanted to take full advantage of the fact that everyone we love would be together for an evening. We set out to plan a wedding that was classic, romantic, fun, and unique all at once. When we found Cornerstone, we fell in love with the venue – the vineyard lawn, the beautiful dinner tent, and, most of all, the gorgeous garden barn. Not many couples had used the barn as a ceremony site, but we couldn’t resist using it as a chapel and, after dinner, repurposing it into a reception area. When I walked down the aisle, all my eyes could see was my sweet future husband waiting for me at the end, so it has been wonderful to look back on the photographs and see the barn in its ceremonial glory. The rose petals lining the aisle, the beautiful wildflower-style bouquets and arrangements, the antique white tables and chairs against the brown wood of the barn, just how stunning my bridesmaids looked. The images take my breath away. Brandon and I have to brag that dinner was bomb, and our friends and family definitely held down the dance floor! Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself – and when we pulled away from the venue as the reception wrapped up, we looked at each other and said “Did that really just happen?”

We were hoping to make our celebration memorable for everyone involved – and in the end, the day was all that Brandon and I dreamed it would be. No worries, no stress – just truly the best day ever with the best people.

As professional wedding bloggers, pretty paper is always on our radar and we can’t quite get enough of Invitations by Dawn. For 35 years, this luxe stationery company has offered beautiful designs printed on gorgeous papers. And with decades of printing knowledge and a passion for high-quality design, they’re a one-stop-shop for all things wedding stationery.

From ultra-affordable invitations to top-of-the-line letterpress suites, Invitations by Dawn has you covered. Offering their customers an incredible level of expertise as well as an incredible range of styles and designs, these paper mavens are focused on creating stationery that’s an expression of their clients’ personalty and style. Inspired by fashion and culture as well as the wants and needs of the couples they work with, they prides themselves on quality invitations at a price that fits nearly every budget. Yes, please!

Whether you’re looking for something bohemian, vintage or themed (think stars or trees!) Invitations by Dawn can create something incredible for you and your sweetie. And get this — just for our SMP readers, they’re offering 20% off your entire purchase with code STYLEME20! Offer includes premium collections (letterpress and foil-stamped invitations) but does exclude Disney invitations. Valid through 3/26/2015.

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Sweet Marie Designs

When two artists talk shop, it’s a chance to go behind the scenes and really understand the creative process which is why we madly adore Jen Wojcik’s Artist at Work series. Today she is chatting with Sweet Marie Designs, a lady who knows her way around gorgeous florals. See who and what inspires her and what goes into making all those wildly beautiful blooms.

JW: What do you do?

Sweet Marie Designs: We are a floral design and event styling company focused on creating unique and one of a kind arrangements that encapsulate the essence and heart of our clients. Our designs are soft and romantic while still whimsical, as if it’s been put together from foraged foliage and blooms from the garden.

JW: What inspires you? Or who?

Sweet Marie Designs: Nature is the one thing that puts me back into my place. If I am having a crazy hectic week, month, day, whatever … and I retreat into nature I am refreshed and see things properly. As far as a person goes, Carissa from JL Designs and Heather from Amorology are two people in the industry that I am constantly looking at for creative inspiration. Those women have great design minds and are constantly impressing me! The greatest part too is they are both really humble amazing and caring individuals.

JW: Where are you located?

Sweet Marie Designs: We are located in Orange County but love traveling to design for events as well. Most of our clients are based out of Orange County or LA but we frequently have events spanning from San Diego all the way up to Santa Barbara.

JW: What are some of your favorite tools that you use?

Sweet Marie Designs: My teal pair of ARS HP-130DX 7-Inch shears. Even though the other colors are the same I always go for those ones. I love the lock feature they have on them. I’m constantly cutting my fingers so an easy lock feature is helpful. Also they cut like a beast!

JW: What is favorite type of Italian food?

Sweet Marie Designs: Oh man. Well pizza is a given but manicotti has been a favorite for a long time.

JW: What is your favorite way to unwind?

Sweet Marie Designs: Yoga at Corepower, walks on the beach, or sipping a really good Carmel cappuccino at a cute little café. Right now I really love Café Zinc in Laguna Beach by my house.

If I’m being lazy, then TV.

JW: Where is your favorite place to travel to and why?

Sweet Marie Designs: Big Sur. It’s the one place close that has both the mountains and the ocean!! What more could you want. Also Big Sur has always held a special place in my heart as many major road trips have centered around this location.

JW: Sweet or Salty?

Sweet Marie Designs: Both simultaneously, but if I have to pick one sweets for sure – I have a problem

JW: Mountains or beach?

Sweet Marie Designs: Can’t a girl have both? Remember Big Sur is my favorite place!!

JW: What is your favorite photo in your possession?

Sweet Marie Designs: Hum… I feel like I have two that I constantly go back to. There is the photo of my husband and I in a barrel room on our wedding day in black and white that I really love and also a photograph of a model holding a huge arrangement I made out of the back of my car in front of her face. Both mean a lot to me because they represent a moment where I let go of a lot of struggle and just lived in the moment.

JW: Can you go into your process a little? How do you like to work with a client?

Sweet Marie Designs: After receiving an inquiry from a client and reviewing their needs (to make sure the design request aligns with our brand), we sit down with our clients and get to know them a little bit better. Each design is unique to the person requesting it and we want to make every effort to understand each vision. After the consultation process we provide a proposal and go from there. As their event date approaches, whether it is a party, wedding, corporate meeting, or in house installation, we check in with the client to see if any last minute changes need to occur. Depending upon the event type this happens about a month away from the date of the event as final payments and floral orders are due three weeks prior. We send in our stem counts and floral orders to our vendors at three weeks to make sure the growers have time to fill the order and communicate to us, via our vendors, if there are any foreseeable crop issues.

Two to three days prior to the event (dependent on bloom type, event size, and design intensity) we go to the market(s) to pick up our ordered product. We inspect all the blooms to ensure quality, check to make sure each stem ordered is there, and then prep the blooms. Each stem is cleaned of undesired leaves and/or thorns, given a fresh cut, and placed in fresh water to hydrate (flowers are shipped to the market out of water and kept at the proper temperature to stay alive). Once all the blooms and vessels are prepped and cleaned we start to design the base of greenery for our arrangements. These two processes together take a full day to two days. Once we have our base set, we start the fun stuff!! We add in blooms and play with the shape and design of the arrangements. We start first with any focal floral (these tend to be your larger blooms), work our way to difficult stemmed items, add in the base blooms such as garden roses, ranunculus, and lisianthus (just to name some of out favorites), and then add the finishing touches with our most whimsical and wild blooms to create that effortlessly natural feel.

When designing for a wedding, personals are left to the last design day. They are made first thing in the morning as we are then well rested and ready to start a fresh day. The whole day is dedicated to personals and they are kept fresh in a floral cooler.

The day of the event we greet our clients and show them their pieces. The best moments are when clients stop in their tracks and give us a hug out of excitement or when brides tear up as we hand them their bouquets. From start to finish the process of one event is anywhere from 35 – 75 hours.

Photography: Jen Wojcik Photography | Floral Design: Olive Willow Designs

At Home Engagement Session

Of all of the magical places to shoot an engagement session (and there are many), at home is always my favorite. And this adorable shoot? It’s ranking high atop the list with two seriously cute sweethearts celebrating their upcoming nuptials with a whole lot of love and a whole lot of baking. See every heartwarming (+ yummy) moment captured by Erika Delgado in the full gallery.

From Erika Delgado… Lara and Brandon’s session was so fun to capture mostly because it was such an authentic session filled with love, tradition and sweetness! They wanted to have photos that reflected the type of couple that they are. They love staying home and cooking together, they also have strong family ties and traditions that are important to them. They decided they would have fun and bake one of Lara’s family heirloom pound cakes and the best part is that at the end of the session we all got to have some freshly baked pound cake – including me! I love the simplicity of this at home lifestyle session so much. You can just feel the love and smell the aroma of the sweetness in the air!

Photography: Erika Delgado Photography | Cooking Aprons: Anthropologie | Headband Tie: Anthropologie | Private Residence: Erika Delgado Photography | Wedding Kitchen Towel: Anthropologie

Rustic Winter Bridal Inspiration

This, my friends, is how you convince the world that winter is absolutely stunning. From the snowcapped mountain views to the gorgeous florals and cozy fur shawl, this bridal shoot by Candice Benjamin has made a new winter aficionado out of me, and you can be sure I’ll be bookmarking this gallery to have at my disposal whenever I become grumpy with the grey skies outside.

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Winter Weddings

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Outdoor Weddings

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Soft + Romantic Colony House Boudoir Session

From Candice Benjamin Photography… We were inspired by the clean, snow-covered Rocky Mountains for this lovely bridal session. We wanted to inspire brides to think outside of spring + summer bridal sessions and to see how a little snow can make anything magical! Plus, we know that everyone has that perfect wrap hanging in their closet!

The styling was done by Candice Benjamin Photography and Lace + Lilies. Candace of Dotted with Hearts created the fabulous bridal makeup look. Lace + Lilies created a beautiful flower crown and bouquet that could easily be also used as a table arrangement, as well as a simple floral garland for a repurposed vintage chair.

I love weddings inside and out, every moment, detail, smile and scene. But the images that always seem to turn on the swoon-factor the most? Those would be the getting ready moments—when the air is full of anticipation. Those moments result in the prettiest of portraits, like these from Krista Mason. A Bride fancied up by Kacee Geoffroy, with her foraged bouquet crafted by Krista Jon, leaving a whole gallery of gorgeous to peruse.

From Krista Mason Photography…This is a beautiful lace robe that is perfect for the bride that is getting ready for her wedding day. She has her hair and makeup completely done and is ready to put on her gown! The inspiration for this look was for the bride to be to feel beautiful and excited for the day to come! Robe from Styled By TC.

Neutral Colored Texas Hill Country Wedding

Color fanatics, this wedding is out to prove that all-neutral color palettes can be anything but boring. Layered in taupes, ivories and grays, it’s what happens when a couple sets out to plan a timeless Sunday wedding with a healthy dose of Southern elegance and grace. Loft Photography captured the day in all its gorgeous splendor, and the film by Wes Raitt is like icing on the cake.

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Fall Weddings

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Villa

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Winter Wonderland Engagement Session

From Loft Photographie LLC…Rachael and Bryce had the most romantic Sunday wedding at Stonehouse Villa, a gorgeous venue nestled in the Texas hill country. We adore so many things about this wedding – the bride’s gown, her heirloom veil, the neutral florals (curated by the bride & her bridesmaids), and the intimate tented reception – to name a few! We love how they kept their day simple, yet timeless, capitalizing on the natural beauty of their surroundings.

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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The Tie Bar

Spring 2015

Spring/Summer 2015

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DIY Valentine Wand

If you have a little mini you are planning on showering with Valentine’s gifts this Saturday, these wands will most definitely do the trick. A golden sequin heart and a trail of fringe for the little lady in your life. We can’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate love day; except maybe crafting an adult version? We won’t judge!

Materials Wooden dowels
Foam heart stickers
Sequin trim
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks
Scissors
Fringing scissors
Tissue paper
Gold foil tissue
Gold twist ties

Cover two foam hearts in sequins. Beginning on the outside of the heart shape, hot glue on a strand of sequins around the edge. When you reach the beginning, move the strand slightly more towards the center of the heart and just keep going around until you reach the center. Trim the excess sequins and glue in place.

Cut tissue paper and foil tissue into 3”x7” pieces. Fringe both ends of the rectangles, leaving about two inches in between unfringed.

Roll one sheet of fringed paper into a thin cigar shape. Twist the center section into a tight, twisted rope. Fold in half, then twist the two ropes together in the opposite direction of how they were twisted the first time. Having trouble visualizing? Check out the instructions here.

Tie three twist ties together to form a long chain. Tie on 7-8 tassels, twisting after each tassel to keep it in place. Hot glue the top of the tassel chain to the top of the wooden dowel.

Peel the adhesive off the backside of the hearts and stick together around the wooden dowel. Repeat steps 1-5 to make as many wands as you like, then hand out to all the little Valentines in your life!

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Photography: Ruth Eileen Photography | Design & Styling: SMP Living

This stunning engagement session? Well, it’s got me willing to brave freezing temps for a similar outcome. Surrounded by snowflakes, these scarf wearing sweethearts share cocoa and kisses, the result? Pure winter perfection. Jeremiah And Rachel Photography were behind the lens and snapped up every winter wonderland worthy moment here.

From Jeremiah And Rachel Photography… Aly and Nick are two beautiful souls, engaged, and embracing the snow Montana brings our way. We planned for their engagement session to set the tone for their upcoming Winter Wedding, and I think we got just that! It was practically a blizzard the entire time, but we didn’t mind as long as we got to warm up periodically! The snow was enchanting and we felt like we were in a giant snow globe as Aly and Nick snuggled a little closer together to stay warm. Both of them with their dark hair and porcelain skin looked like a fairy tale. I was half expecting Mr. Tumnus from Narnia to walk around the corner with his umbrella and parcels.

Photography: Jeremiah and Rachel Photography | Venue: Apgar Village Lodge

Snowy Colorado Engagement Session

I find snow to be super romantic and cozy. Ok, so maybe that’s how I trick myself into surviving the endless winter we’re having in New England, but I think Katie Parra would agree with me. Her pics of this adorable couple’s engagement shoot are sure to inspire some outdoor affection, and while I still may prefer to stay bundled up on my couch, these pics are guaranteed to warm me right up.

From Katie Parra Photography… Two days before Christmas I had the pleasure of photographing Jon and Susan in my hometown of Littleton, CO. Jon is a childhood friend of mine and when he asked if I would photograph his wedding I couldn’t have been more excited! Jon and Susan met while attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Susan now works for the State Department and Jon has just started medical school….needless to say they are crazy busy. So I was excited when Jon mentioned he was going to be bringing Susan to our hometown for Christmas. I hopped on a plane and flew to Denver and was given the most beautiful snowy day as our backdrop for their engagement session. I have a friend who lives on the most magical piece of property up Deer Creek Canyon and was so thankful she allowed us to shoot up there. Jerry Lee her German Shepherd decided to join in on our fun, as well as a few looky-loo deer! Jon and Susan are such a great match…let’s just say I didn’t have to coach them on when to kiss and when to smile…they did lots of that all on their own. I can’t wait for their wedding next July at the Naval Academy!

Photography: Katie Parra Photography

Romantic Toronto Hunt Club Wedding

Weddings never fail to make me gush (obviously), but every so often I come across a day so special I can feel the love through the computer screen. This wedding from Meghan Andrews Photography is just such a fête. Romantic and timeless, yet personal and sweet – this gallery if gush-worthy to say the least.

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Elegant Maryland Wedding at Historic Oakland

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Ballroom Weddings

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Vintage

From The Bride…Our story began when a mutual friend introduced me to “the perfect guy” for me and boy was she right! Just over 3 years into our relationship Adam proposed to me at the top of a mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, after 5 amazing days of hiking through the Andes. Our friend has since retired with a perfect match making record!

It took us a little while to decide what wedding style would suit us best. With so many beautiful examples and inspirations out there, it was easy to get confused. Luckily, after scouting out many types of venues, we discovered The Toronto Hunt which immediately felt like the perfect place for us. We fell in love with the building’s classical elegance and absolutely breathtaking views of Lake Ontario; specifically the outdoor ceremony location, which is situated right on the Scarborough bluffs. The location was a perfect complement to our underlying theme “It’s a Shore thing”, which is a nod to Adam’s last name. From the moment we first walked through the archway, to the wrought iron altar with the lake behind us and the sun peeking through the trees, we knew this was where we had to get married. Not only was the venue beautiful but the food and service were amazing! The general manager wowed the crowd with his sabering technique and added a unique touch that got everyone in the mood to celebrate!

I really enjoyed putting together the special touches for our day, from sewing table runners, crafting up a storm for our birdcage inspired card box and other décor items, ordering custom made invitations with lace accents, to slowly collecting vintage side plates from family and antique shops to be used as table numbers. We had vintage chalkboards painted in pale orchid and ivory on which my mom handcrafted beautiful chalk-art messages like “Happily Ever After Begins Here”. I also wanted guests to understand the importance of certain details to us, so I included hand written notes and chalkboard messages throughout the venue asking them to blow bubbles as we walked down the aisle, enjoy our favourite cocktail (a spicy Caesar), or to put on a party hat and let loose (a Grant family tradition). Of course I also couldn’t resist hanging a handmade “Match Maker” sign on our friend’s chair!

Although we had many light-hearted elements peppered throughout the day, the most fun had to be the midnight buffet which was themed as “Shore’s Poutinerie”, a cheeky parody of my husband’s all-time favourite Poutinerie in Toronto. Our paper boxes were lined with red-checkered wax paper and featured his face on a custom logo. We also hired a Slo Mo video booth to entertain our guests and act as a hilarious keepsake!

We made sure to include many other special touches like the vows we wrote for one another and my “something blue” which was a butterfly brooch my grandma had given me when I was young, nestled into the stem of my bouquet which was also wrapped in lace from my mother’s wedding gown. We had personal notes to our parents embroidered on handkerchiefs for their happy tears, our parents’ wedding photos displayed by our guestbook, and had a lovely toast dedicated to Adam’s father who passed only a few short months before the wedding.

For a girl who never fantasized about her wedding day as a child, I certainly lucked out because our wedding day was an absolute fairy tale from start to finish. Adam and his groomsmen started off their day with brunch at a local hotspot and toasted their way through getting dressed. While the girls and I leisurely got ready upstairs in our silk robes, taking funny selfies along the way. I remember seeing Adam from the window and saying “I’m so ready to marry that guy!” I walked down the aisle with my father to “Here comes the sun” played by a solo guitarist as butterflies circled us all. My bridesmaids wore soft orchid, floor-length dresses and the men wore charcoal grey Vera Wang tuxes with polkadot pocket squares. We had stunning bouquets of soft white hydrangeas, garden and kiera roses, ranunculus and baby’s breath. The altar was swathed in a sheer and flowing white fabric; and the aisle was lined with small white hydrangea arrangements. The ceremony was personal and private; we had time to look around at all of our wonderful guests who surrounded us, as our friends read passages we selected. Adam and I walked back down the aisle together to “We’re here for a good time” by Trooper (played again on the guitar) as our family and friends blew bubbles and cheered.

Timeless, elegant and all around perfect, this absolutely stunning wedding at Historic Oakland captured by Elizabeth Fogarty has my heart today. This gorgeous couple will be able to look back on their wedding decades from now with the same adoration they do today, and to me, there is nothing better than that. See the entire day here.

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Estate Weddings

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