Pennsylvania Weddings

Intimate Tent Wedding at Welkinweir Estate

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Whimsical

From Alison Conklin Photography… Shannon and Adam wear their hearts on their sleeves and Shannon’s smile lights up an entire room. Their day was filled with such love. They had such a perfect fall day – it was warm and had the most beautiful light. The wedding and reception was at one of my favorite venues and the details were perfect. The warm glow from the candles on the tables was such an inviting place for their guests and the whimsical Little Baby Ice Cream at the end of the night was such a hit.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Jenny Yoo

Spring 2014 Maternity

2016 Bridesmaid Collection

2016 Bridal Collection

Spring 2017 Flower Girl Collection

Spring 2017 Bridal Collection

Spring 2017 "Jenny by Jenny Yoo" Collection

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Fall 2016 Separates Collection

Spring 2017 Lingerie Collection

Spring 2017 Separates Collection

Spring 2017 Bridesmaids Collection

Spring 2018 Bridal Collection

Spring 2018 "Jenny by Jenny Yoo" Collection

Spring 2018 Flower Girl Collection

Spring 2018 Bridesmaid Collection

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Beyond the delicate white Cottage Flowers and unique book-themed details lies one gorgeous affair filled with lots and lots of love. Sharing handwritten vows and hot cider, guests filled wine bottle capsules in lieu of a guestbook whilst surrounded by an oasis of natural beauty. Rachel Pearlman shared a gallery filled with memorable moments and you can see them all unfold, here!

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Philadelphia Museum of Art Engagement Session

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Estate Weddings

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Rustic

From Rachel Pearlman Photography… Katonah and Brian’s October nuptials at Welkinweir estate were nothing short of perfection. Beyond the delicate white blooms, greenery and unique book-themed and natural details, this couple is anything but typical. They met while out one night on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, and Katonah fell instantly for Brian’s sense of humor and sweetness. Katonah and Brian love books, reading, nature and music…and so their wedding featured many of those elements. Welkinweir is an oasis of natural beauty, and Katonah chose a simple lace gown with exquisite detail, which went perfectly with a french braid – no veil necessary! There were so many details of this wedding that I fell in love with instantly – but the couples’ handwritten vows topped the list. Brian brought the entire guest list to tears of laughter in his ode to Katonah, which was hilariously witty and sweet. They were married by two members of the bride’s family, and announced as husband-and-wife by a good friend. Guests enjoyed cocktails overlooking a large lake, and were seated underneath a classic white tent when it was time for dinner. As toasts were given, the setting Fall sun created a romantic ambiance. Katonah and Brian had a bourbon bar at the end of the night, and their signature drink was hot apple cider. Personal touches included hand-carved wooden signage placed throughout the space (made by the Bride), wine bottle capsules in lieu of a traditional guest book, and hand written bookmarks that served as escort cards.

From the beautiful Bride… From the moment we got engaged, we had a very clear vision of what we wanted our wedding to feel like: we wanted it to just be us. So we tried to incorporate all of our favorite things—the parts of each other that we’d fallen in love with—into the design and the ceremony: nature (the most important piece for me), books (the most important for Brian), and great music.

When we found the Welkinweir Estate, I couldn’t believe we’d found a venue so perfect for what we were looking for. The estate house and surrounding nature preserve offered amazing views and a rustic ceremony site, so we stuck with an organic color palette to complement its natural beauty.

Our wedding had just under 100 guests, and we wanted it to feel like a big family party. I added a lot of personal touches so that all of our family and friends would feel the love and care that went into planning the day. Our “place cards” were handwritten bookmarks, and I made the wood-burned signs we used to decorate the venue. I made the favors—little jars of honey (an inside joke with my dad, brother, and sister)—and my grandmother and cousin officiated the ceremony, which we wrote ourselves in lieu of a traditional script.

The best part of everything, though, was having everyone we love together to share the experience. It was truly the happiest, most amazing day of our lives, and a big part of that was how well our amazing vendors brought everything together—from the flowers, to the table settings, to the food and beyond. We could not have had a more perfect day.

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Wedding Dresses

Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Wedding Dresses

Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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BHLDN

Bridal 2016

Bridal 2019

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You won’t be able to stop smiling after reading the adorable story of how these two lovebirds met! What started as a chance encounter bloomed into romance with a proposal on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum Of Art. The super talented KT Merry captured all the special moments of this engagement session around the city — and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate National Proposal Day than taking a whirl right here in the gallery.

From The Groom-to-be… Paula and I have a very unique story of how we met. I was being set up on a blind date by one of my good friends, Theresa. I met the girl in a group setting… it didn’t work out. So I thought I was going to spend the rest of the night just hanging out and having a few drinks with friends — then, in walks Paula with a couple of her friends. She looked absolutely stunning! She was there for maybe five minutes just to say hi to someone and walked right back out. I thought to myself, I would have loved to have been set up with her!!! But she was in and out in that five minutes so I thought I lost my chance forever. After that, I met up with some more friends and we proceeded to bar hop. At our third stop, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her standing there at the bar with her friends. I grabbed Theresa and said, “There’s that girl again! Since your first attempt at setting me up failed you have to introduce me to her!” Theresa went over to Paula and introduced herself, chatted with her for a little bit, and called me over. “Paula, this is Mike. Mike, this is Paula. Goodbye!” said Theresa and she walked away leaving the two of us alone. Needless to say, we hit it off and ever since that moment I’ve been hooked! We had our first official date a week later at Paula’s restaurant of choice, a burger and beer place… my type of place. We had a great night getting to know each other and the rest is history.

From The Bride-to-be… At the time, I was a volunteer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art… one of my absolute favorite places to be. Michael was going to meet me at the museum at the end of the day so we could have dinner together in the city, which is something we often do. As I was finishing up for the day, Michael and his brother Sean called me and told me to meet them at the front of the museum by the main stairs, the famous museum stairs that were featured in the Rocky movie, because apparently Sean wanted to run up and down them just like Rocky had done. At first I refused but after some persuasion I reluctantly agreed to meet them there. As I walked around to the bottom of the stairs, I looked up to search for them and saw Michael standing way up in the middle of the stairway, a smile on his handsome face, all dressed up in a suit, holding a bouquet of red roses. I yelled, “What’s happening?!” He crooked his finger as if to say “come here.” I slowly made my way up the stairs all the while trying to process what was happening. As I approached Michael, he got down on one knee and took my hand. I will never forget his sweet words to me. He pulled out a beautiful custom-made ring… he had met with our jeweler to design it himself! At this point, a crowd of people had gathered and were watching the entire thing. To this day I still don’t know if I ever even said yes but I just threw my arms around him and held on. The crowd cheered. One lady cried! Some of the bystanders ran to congratulate and take photos with us. Sean had been filming us the entire time. As we made our way down the stairs to leave the museum, people from all around were shouting their well wishes and some were giving Michael a thumbs up, waving, and grinning at us from their cars. Michael then took me out to a romantic dinner at one of our favorite restaurants where I was able to catch my breath and absorb all that had just happened. Afterwards, we went to the bar where he first caught sight of me to celebrate with some of our friends. It was the. best. day. ever. Isn’t he dreamy?

We took our engagement photos on the one year anniversary of our engagement. We walked around in the city of Philadelphia where we met and fell in love and ended the photo shoot right back where he proposed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Our little Pomeranian, Baby, joined us for the day. As you can see, she isn’t the most cooperative little thing (haha!) but she sure is cute and we love her dearly.

KT and Chad of KT Merry Photography were such a pleasure to work with. Michael and I felt like we were on a double date with friends rather than a professional photo shoot, which made for a relaxed and happy atmosphere. I discovered KT Merry during a Style Me Pretty binge and I knew instantly I needed to have her as my photographer. I just love the ethereal quality of KT’s work; she perfectly captures what daydreams are made of. I cannot wait for her to shoot our wedding this coming May. Most of all, I cannot wait to marry my best friend… I love you Michael Mullane!

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KT Merry Photography

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3 Tips for a Better Cake Tasting

Over and over again I hear engaged couples rave about the joys of cake tasting and it is, without a doubt, what I’m most looking forward to. Bottle Pop Party Company not only created a chic celebration for one couple’s tasting, but they’re also sharing their tips to make the most for your own delicious date. Peach Plum Pear Photo snapped every flavor and these pics are destined put you in a satisfying sugar coma.

MORE MOUTHS = MORE OPINIONS
While you might think this is a good time to include your future in-laws, remember that their tastes might try to sway yours! To keep stress low, keep this appointment between you and your guy.

MIND YOUR SCHEDULE
Often times couples visit a bakery right after their dinner tasting and are stuffed. A lot of bakeries offer a good size piece of cake in several different flavors so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got room to sample all of your favorites (and maybe even something different)! Schedule some room to digest before dessert!

DO YOUR RESEARCH
Check out the bakeries ahead of time to get an idea for their decorating style and flair. School yourself on the differences between buttercream and fondant. There’s nothing worse than being disappointed when you find out the bakery specializes in a totally different cake other than the cake of your dreams.

From Bottle Pop Party Company… It’s one of the most recognized symbols of the wedding celebration. From traditional tiers of vanilla buttercream with Swiss dots to sleek layers of decadent chocolate ganache, the possibilities truly are endless. When we pictured an engaged couple sitting down to choose the most important confectionary creation of their lives, we thought we’d dream up the most luxurious, most indulgent cake tasting of all time. We imagined…

Emerging cake artist, Nutmeg Cake Design has invited her soon-to-be-wed clients to her studio for “The Ultimate Cake Tasting.” When the two arrive, dressed for the occasion in festive sparkles and velvet, they are greeted with tall glasses of bubbly. A beautifully set table awaits them with fresh blooms from Fresh Designs Flora & Events, styled in their wedding color palette by Bottle Pop Party Company. All of the little details tie right into the design and feel of the wedding that they are planning. Peach Plum Pear Photography is on-hand to capture the whole experience.

The couple is presented with cake after cake, in colors and patterns tailored just for them. Sugar flowers and hand-painted details are just some of the options that Nutmeg Cake Designs offer for her client’s cake. The couple picks and chooses their favorite designs for their cake and moves on to the best part, the tasting! After some playful icing swipes, the betrothed choose from a menu of tantalizing cake flavors like Neapolitan, Carrot Spice and Chocolate and fillings and icings like Lemon Peel, Chocolate Meringue and Truffle Cream. With a little guidance from Nutmeg Cake Design, the pair creates a custom combination of flavors for their big day. Finally, another champagne toast to celebrate the most delicious check on the wedding to-do list!

Julie Vino Trunk Show at Soliloquy Bridal Couture

Here at SMP, we shout fabulous news from the rooftops. And when one of our fave salons happens to be hosting a Julie Vino Trunk Show, we consider that just such an event. I’m talking a two-day extravaganza of rich fabrics and stunning details, all hosted by the always amazing Soliloquy Bridal Couture on March 20th – 22nd. Mark your calendars, lovelies – this is a can’t miss event.

Based in Tel Aviv and known for gowns that WOW with their handmade fabrics and Parisian laces, the Julie Vino Provence Collection 2015 is guaranteed to make a statement on your Big Day. Imagine floating down the aisle in one of her fashion-forward, yet classically romantic styles… it just feels right. Even better? Julie Vino is bringing along some of her most requested styles from the Orchid and Ceasaria Collections, which means that perfect dress you’ve been dreaming of is just an appointment away.

So what are you waiting for, loves? Contact Soliloquy Bridal Couture TODAY (949.723.0121 – 754 Elden St #103, Herndon, VA 20170) to reserve your dressing room for the Julie Vino Trunk Show happening March 20th – 22nd! Brides from all over the world will be traveling to see these stunning gowns, so don’t miss out. And don’t forget, you’ll receive 10% off during the event! Sooo awesome.

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Beautiful Pennsylvania Wedding at Michener Art Museum

Every wedding has that gorgeous moment that really defines it. Well, this wedding has like a hundred of those gorgeous moments. From that ridiculously inspiring backdrop, to the perfect florals from Petals Lane and every detail in between planned by Laurel & Elm, this Michener Art Museum soiree captured by Tina Jay Photography couldn’t be more perfect if it tried. See more here.

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Museum

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Brideside + A Discount + A Giveaway!

From Tina Jay Photography…Lora & Eric’s wedding at an art museum in Philadelphia was absolutely amazing. Lora put in so much time and effort into the details, and all of her hard work absolutely paid off. Lora works for Two Paperdolls (the most amazing invitation company in Philly!), so I immediately knew her wedding was going to be gorgeous and detail-filled:) Her invitation suite was obviously amazing, I absolutely loved it! Lora has also worked as the assistant to a wedding planner in the past, so she had a ton of great ideas for her wedding. She chose gold, green, and some pastel accents as her color palette. A few of the little details I loved: the cute vow books she got from Etsy, the succulents in hand-painted pots as favors/escort cards, the DIY pipe set up with “floating” engagement photos, and the awesome ceremony backdrop. Lora made this backdrop herself, you have to see it! She hung fabric from poles she painted gold, and then had “you are the best thing” (their first dance song) lasercut in gold, and strung it with invisible wire it in front of the fabric. Amazing! All of the reception decor was so beautiful as well, the James A. Michener Art Museum is such a cool and unique space for a wedding! And they ended the evening with a sparkler exit, always such a fun thing!

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Watters

Willowby Fall 2014

Watters Maids Fall 2014

Wtoo Maids Fall 2014

C20 Mothers 2012 Part I

C20 Mothers 2012 Part II

C20 Mothers Spring 2013

C20 Mothers Fall 2012

Seahorse Spring 2013

Watters Brides Fall 2014

Watters Brides Spring 2013

Watters Brides Spring 2015

Wtoo Brides Spring 2015

Willowby Spring 2015

Watters Maids Spring 2015

Wtoo Maids Spring 2015

Encore Spring 2015

Watters Brides Spring 2016

Willowby Spring 2016

Wtoo Brides Fall 2015

Willowby Fall 2015

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Fact: we love Brideside. And by “love,” I mean we are completely obsessed with the fabulous online boutique that makes choosing bridesmaid gowns the easiest part of planning your wedding. Imagine a wide selection of amazing designers, a personal stylist and an easy-peasy ordering process that will make you (and your besties) soooo happy. Beautiful bridesmaid gowns without all the drama? Yes, please.

With Brideside, it simply could.not.be easier to find those perfect gowns for your bridal party, and all from the comfort of your very own home. Think one gorgeous collection after another in every color, fabric, style and shape you want. Simply sign up online to get the pretty party started. Here’s how it works:

Meet Your Stylist – Browsing gorgeous bridesmaid frocks online just got amazing with the help of one of Brideside’s FREE personal stylists. Think of them as your very own wedding-style expert who will walk with you step by step throughout the entire process, from helping you create a “closet” of unique + oh-so-chic styles to keeping track of all of the specifics. And Brideside is even introducing Jenny Yoo gowns in March, which means even more amazing styles to choose from.

Invite Your Besties to Your Brideside Closet – Now that you and your stylist are filling your Closet with some of the prettiest frocks imaginable, invite your bridal party to view your choices for those much-needed second opinions. And when you add or share a favorite, your stylist can see all of the happenings, so she is totally in the loop.

Throw A Fabulous Fitting Party – Once you have narrowed down all of the wedding loveliness to three must-have styles, Brideside will send them to you or your bridesmaids in a Brideside Box! That means an at-home fitting party with shoes, jewelry and a little (or a lot!) of champagne. Soooo fun.

Order “The One” – Now that you’ve chosen the perfect gown, you can work directly with your stylist to be sure everyone is fitted properly and that dress of your dreams is ordered for each and every one of your ‘maids. Oh, and it’s shipped directly to you. It’s seriously awesome, and seriously stress-free. Seriously.

Can’t wait to get started with Brideside? Visit their website now or, if you live in Chicago, make an appointment with a stylist here.

Brideside is giving our readers an EXCLUSIVE 15% off when you use code “SMP15” until March 31, 2015! Even better? When you sign up here by March 6th, Brideside will pick one winner to receive a $450 credit towards her bridesmaid dresses! The winner, chosen at random, will be announced right here on SMP on Friday, April 3, 2015. For terms and conditions, click here. Brideside offer cannot be combined with any past or future offers. Offer not valid on Joanna August or Donna Morgan collections. Good luck, lovelies! xo

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Bride & Bridesmaids Image: Aneris Photography

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Vintage Lancaster Gallery Wedding

Incorporating her love of art and his love of Superman comic books, this vintage inspired affair is the perfect blending of backgrounds. From the Bride’s DIY’d Brooch bouquet, to handmade comic book boutonnieres, to the reclaimed barn wood cupcake stand, every detail played a hand in their love. Shot in a photojournalistic style, Tennison Photography was behind the lens snapping up every detail here!

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Modern + Chic Philadelphia Wedding

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Museum

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Vintage

From Tennison Photography… The couple, Courtney and Ryan Krumm were married at the Mulberry Art Studios September 27, 2014 in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We loved the unique blending of vintage and artistic tastes with the groom’s interest in classic comics. The community in Lancaster city provided artistic and classic motifs with venues from getting ready and hotel accommodations at the Lancaster Arts Hotel and ceremony+reception at the Mulberry Art Studios. The fun part of their day was the bridal party stroll in and through downtown Lancaster.

From the beautiful Bride… We met after college and grad school, respectively, by chance at a time when we were both making the tricky transition from the protective bubble of school life to the real adult world. We quickly discovered a bond among our distinct (and decidedly opposite) personalities. After several years of establishing ourselves in our respective fields, moving to New York City, the timing was finally right to plan the wedding we both envisioned. Once planning began, it became clear that we would have to think outside of the box in order for our differing aesthetics and interests to be equally represented. Though I initially feared the day turning into a “Superman” wedding, it was important to me for the day to represent both of us, which we accomplished through subtle and classic touches. Ryan’s intense attention to detail helped to reign me in and make choices from the seemingly endless options. We settled on a vintage inspired theme, incorporating my love of art with Ryan’s love of comic books, all tied together using gilded frames to keep the vintage feel, while elements of wood permeated throughout to balance things out with a nod to the rustic beauty of the farm-centric area.

I was blessed with a crafty family who were instrumental in helping me gather frames, brooches, and other items, not to mention putting everything together, which was a nice way to connect throughout the planning process. My sister was the main crafter, taking elements from several sets of instructions for projects to make something wholly unique. The brooch bouquet was the biggest challenge as gathering them can be very time consuming and expensive! I countered this through my savvy mother-in-law’s access to local flea markets for vintage pieces and supplemented with cheaper plastic versions, that we “antiqued” with black shoe polish. We incorporated the comic book theme visually through my sister’s handmade paper boutonnieres and cake topper, which also included brooches to tie things together. We also added it into the table assignments, where each table had a different superhero wedding comic cover. Ryan’s personal interest in graphic design helped us tremendously in saving on costs through developing our own signage (table assignments, menus, information/instructions for guests, etc.), which were all encased in eclectic frames that added to the vintage feel and now can be reused for our wedding photos. The last element of wood was found in the centerpieces and custom cupcake stand made by my father using reclaimed barn wood.

Our reliance on DIY elements was not only a way of bringing together our interests, but also a way to cut costs without sacrificing on details and classic style. Early on, we decided that photojournalistic style photography, inventive food, and a DJ who shared our musical tastes (as well as helping us end the night with karaoke!) were the elements to splurge on while saving in other areas through use of handmade projects and finding ways to trim excess expenses. I saved quite a bit on flowers through the use of the paper and brooch projects and centerpieces using bottles with less room for blooms rather than large vases that still created interest. Choosing a venue that came stocked with decorations and visual appeal (art we could customize, light fixtures and canopies) allowed us to get away with foregoing added lighting, flowers, and decor. Besides creating and printing much of our own signage, we also saved on postage weight and paper through using post cards for the RSVPs and front and back printing on the invites. Also going with a vintage style retailer for non-traditional bridesmaid dresses allowed me to keep the vintage theme and add texture when compared to my more simple gown, while also giving my girls freedom of choice on dresses they really did like and were affordable.

Lastly, it was important for me to carry over all of the themes in the visual details to the ceremony, where my love of classical music and Ryan’s movie buff nature came together better than expected. Luckily, even the Superman theme sounds classic and timeless when performed by a string trio! Overall, we were so thrilled with how everything came together and the reactions from our guests, not to mention the stunning photos, showed us that our opposite likes could come combine in a beautiful way.

My recent craving? A modern beauty. A fete packed with a touch of sparkle, a pop of color and a hint of ballroom elegance. Lauren Gabrielle delivered exactly that with this Princeton to Philadelphia wedding that now happily lives in our galleries. And beyond those gorgeous details (hello, cake perfection!), live pretty portraits captured by Lauren that’ll sweep you right off your feet.

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Ballroom Weddings Religious Institution

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Philadelphia Blush Pink Ballroom Wedding

From Lauren Gabrielle Photography…Kellie and Jeff met in the lively New Jersey Shore town of Belmar, NJ. Jeff was renting a beach house for the summer, and Kellie was invited down by a mutual friend for a July 4th celebration. After they were introduced, they realized that they must have met many years ago because they grew up in the same hometown where Kellie’s father was Jeff’s soccer coach. After they met, Kellie was a frequent visitor to the beach house the remainder of the summer…and the rest is history!

When we began our venue search, we were hoping to find a unique venue with an open layout and beautiful views. When we first visited the Down Town Club, it was under a complete renovation. Even through all of the dust and noisy power tools, we immediately fell in love with the space. The unique Colonial feel, the breathtaking views of historic downtown Philadelphia, and Cescaphe’s impeccable reputation sold us on this amazing location. Although we were not able to see the final product until a few months later, we already knew that there was nowhere else that we could imagine celebrating the most important day of our lives with our closest friends and family.

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Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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Dessy

Bridesmaid 2014

Women's Tuxedo

Tuxedo

Fall 2014

Spring 2015

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Pronovias

ATELIER PRONOVIAS

PRONOVIAS

Dancing Lights, Cruise Collection

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Blush pink is one of those wedding colors that just never gets old, so when this couple chose it as the main hue behind their Philly ballroom affair it only made sense. They brought on the talents of Proud To Plan, Petah Bashano and Chick Designs to bring their timeless wedding vision to life, and Hudson Nichols delivered big time behind the camera. See it all right over here.

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Ballroom Weddings Religious Institution

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Ivy & Aster at Lovely Bride

From The Bride…Brendan and I wanted our wedding day to be a celebration of our love, as well as all of the amazing people in our lives that brought us together. We are so blessed to have two very big and close knit families, as well as many mutual friends since we went to Penn State together. It is definitely a good time crew, and we knew that our reception would be a huge party… so naturally we started with the band! We fell in love with the ballroom at the Philadelphia Cricket Club because of its big beautiful windows that line the back of the room, and the dance floor with ample space to dance the night away.

As for the florals and all of the little details, Brendan did what any good Fiance would and nodded his head yes as I worked closely with my mom, my wedding planner and our florist to craft the perfect Shabby Chic, vintage-inspired look for the reception. We were blown away by the final product and we had SUCH a blast! Though as much fun as the reception was, both of us say our favorite part was seeing each other for the first time as my dad walked me down the aisle- we could not wipe the smiles off our faces. I wish I could relive that day a million times over!!

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Donna Morgan

Bridesmaids

Bridal

Mother of the Bride

Donna Morgan Collection - Core Chiffon

Donna Morgan Collection - Core Lace

Donna Morgan Collection - Serenity

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So we all know that Lovely Bride is awesome in every sense of the word; that goes without saying. But pair that awesomeness with the romance and whimsy of the new Ivy & Aster line and the results are four days devoted to all things pretty with an Ivy & Aster showcase at both Lovely New York and Lovely Philly. It’s gorgeous gowns meets top-notch service and it all equals a can’t miss event you have to see to believe.

Known for their love of chiffon flowers, beautiful ruffles and velvety swiss dots, every last gown in the new Ivy & Aster lineup is one part sweet and one part sassy, a total twist on traditional wedding attire that we can never get enough of. Think modern, refined silhouettes, delicate lace, luxurious silk fabrics and sweeter than sweet designs that will wow you with their crazy gorgeousness. Just the way you want to look, and feel, on your wedding day.

The Ivy & Aster showcase event is happening this spring at both Lovely New York (March 20th-22nd) and Lovely Philly (April 10th-12th), so start making your plans now to find the dress of your dreams in their new (+ amazing) lineup. And, bonus! If you happen to be making the trip to sunny California, you can check out all of the pretty at Lovely Los Angeles on March 6th-8th. Click here to book your appointments today.

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Intimate Alfreso Brunch Wedding

Homemade and heartfelt, this intimate brunch ceremony is without a doubt a dreamy. Overflowing with Splints & Daisies blooms, the sound of birds serenaded guests while they dinned family style filling vintage crockery with secret family recipes. While the newlyweds toasted over champagne and a stunning Bredenbeck’s Bakery sugar confection, With Love And Embers captured every detail here!

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Estate Weddings

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InStyle Editor’s Philadelphia Wedding

From With Love And Embers… Jenn & Jim’s weddings was hosted on the beautiful and lush ground of the Pearl S. Buck International Estate. Their day was nothing short of magical with the sounds of the birds serenading them and their guests for their intimate ceremony and brunch. They filled their reception with personal touches including family recipes, and Jenn’s own personal jam.

They hosted their reception as an intimate brunch for a few friends and family which made their wedding reception feel less like a reception and more like a family reunion. They enjoyed with their guests a family style served brunch, champagne and an assortment of desserts all over amazing conversation and plenty of laughter. Jenn is very much into flowers and her parents had grown peonies when she was younger, so it was a big part of their wedding day to have some of the most beautiful and creative flowers to welcome them and their guests with. The love they shared between the two of them and their guests that day was so heart warming and such an honor to be a part of and capture.

Modern Striped Nursery

I have my own little Hudson but I promise my love for this room has nothing to do with the amazing name of this adorable little boy. It’s a universal wow moment; a modern striped nursery with flashes of chrome and a heard of fuzzy stuffed animals. A place where Hudson and his talented mama can play and read to their hearts content. See the full tour captured by Renée Hollingshead here!

Mom and nursery designer, Christina Boschetti of Widell Designs, styled a rockstar modern nursery for her baby boy Hudson Sawyer. She incorporated a mix of modern items with a hint of vintage, creating the perfect nursery for the cutest little rockstar. The castle side table that you will see featured is a vintage toy shop display that was handed down to her son by her brother-in-law. They purchased it from the toy shop 25+ years ago and it is a statement piece displaying adorable toy animals. We love all the little details and especially that striped wall! Here is what she had to say about it:

My inspiration started with the diagonal striped wall. I wanted to put a twist on the classic stripe by making it bold using black and super wide stripes. Most people are scared to use black in the nursery whereas I was excited to see where it would take me! I figured whatever color I brought into the room later on would POP! My favorite part decorating the nursery was picking out all the counterparts piece by piece; either running to Homegoods once the new shipment came in to waiting patiently for that eBay sale to close! Everything just came together exactly how I envisioned it.

InStyle is one of our favorite glossies here in SMP land, and when we got wind that their Senior Editor, Sharon Clott Kanter tied the knot, there was NO question it’d be fabulous. Held at Philly’s Down Town Club it’s all the elegance you’d expect of a ballroom wedding with modern, flirty touches woven in from start to finish. Cly By Chung snapped the photos, Atlantica Pictures crafted the film and there’s so many stylish moments to see right here.

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From the Bride… Jared and I met when we both worked at New York magazine. He was an app developer, I was in the fashion department—we were from different sides of the office, but we met in the break room often. Soon we started dating, which led to awkward work run-ins, which led to an awkward break-up (outside our work building no less!). A few years later in spring 2012, after we had both left the company, we met up for drinks at the insistence of a mutual friend. We’ve been together ever since. Cheers to second chances.

These days, I’m the Senior Editor at InStyle magazine, where I cover events and parties for a living, among other things. The idea of planning my own event was incredibly daunting. Thankfully, through work, I had a lot of friends to offer advice through the process!

We chose to have the wedding in Old City, Philadelphia, as I grew up nearby in Havertown, Pennsylvania. The Down Town Club venue we picked was located on the eleventh floor of a Georgian Revival-style building originally built in 1921. It overlooked the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. After endlessly browsing StyleMePretty.com for décor ideas, I decided on the inspiration of pink roses and pink champagne—elegant and classy, yet totally fun and summery. The talented team at Minted helped me customize a suite of invites, programs, and stickers for favor bags, and I used the same floral Minted design to inspire the ombre white-to-pink cake created by the caterers at the venue. Then Brittany at Petals Lane dripped the black-and-white ballroom in hundreds of white, pink, and peach roses. It was absolutely stunning.

Picking out our looks for the day was one of my favorite wedding planning activities—no surprise given my day-to-day covering the fashion world. I chose an A-line gown by Pronovias, which featured a fully beaded corset. I’m only 5-feet-tall, so it took four fittings to the sizing it just right (petite sizing is different!). For the shoes, I turned to the fabulous squad at Jimmy Choo, who customized a pair of their signature Lance heels so the bottoms read “S♥J.” The finishing touch: Borrowed jewelry from Forevermark, one of my favorite diamond brands because they use all conflict-free stones. They lent me 5.2-carat diamond studs and a 7-carat tennis bracelet. Talk about a Cinderella moment! Not to be outdone, Jared was the perfect Prince Charming—he adorably wanted a James Bond-inspired look, so we scooped up a shawl collar tux from Hugo Boss and patent leather shoes from Salvatore Ferragamo. For the bowtie, we got Turnbull & Asser, the brand James Bond wore himself (in Daniel Craig era). He was thrilled.

Of course, all of the prep was worth it! Cly by Chung shot the most beautiful photographs, while Atlantica Pictures filmed all of the action. These two teams are incredibly smart, professional and talented. I am so happy I left our memories in their hands. I recommend them to everyone I know.

The reception was full of nonstop dancing thanks to the 10-piece band Rio. One of the biggest highlights of the night was when I invited my 93-year-old grandfather Poppy Hy to join me for a dance. I had coordinated with the band and my six bridesmaids that when the 1940s hit “In the Mood” came on, we would all dance with him. As the song played, each of my six bridesmaids asked to cut in, and my grandfather was so surprised and overwhelmed with joy every time a new girl tapped him on the shoulder. By the end of the song, we all joined together and danced around him in a circle while the entire room watched. It was quite the moment!

Gratitude doesn’t even begin to capture how we felt that day. It was truly like living in a fairytale. I’ll never forget how Jared squeezed my hand after we said our “I dos”—I knew our forever started right then.

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Pronovias

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Rustic Bohemian Wedding

I can’t help but grin when I see the way these two look at each other. Between the garland covered tables, heart shaped piñata, and the gorgeous floral chandeliers (styled by the Bride herself), lies a heartwarming celebration that’s left me beaming. Kay English was behind the lens and told their story beautifully, and you can bet the gallery is the best place to watch it unfold!

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Rustic

From the beautiful Bride… Mike and I met five years ago in Speculator, NY in emergency services. Mike, a paramedic, was my assigned instructor. We ended up being on the same overnight crew together and quickly bonded through sarcasm, wit, and a passion to help others in need. We were close friends for four years before dating just 5 months before the big proposal. I had originally wanted a September wedding but with a sister getting married in October, we settled on August, almost one year from the day we started dating.

I love nature and knew not only my ceremony, but also the reception, just HAD to be outdoors. No tent, no pavilion, no patio. Everything was to be located outside under the shade of trees. I knew this was a huge risk (rain plan? There was no rain plan! It was all or nothing!) but was wiling to take it. As soon as I saw Oakbourne Mansion, I knew it was the perfect location for our needs. The grounds were beautiful and the mansion was available, just in case the weather refused to cooperate.

I’m a self-proclaimed perfectionist and DIY-extraordinaire so naturally, I designed not only my own decor and flowers, but also my paper goods and wedding cakes. Initially, hiring confetti & co to help me out the day of was hard because I was so determined to accomplish everything on my own but the peace of mind they brought was so worth it!

Our wedding was the afternoon of August 9th. We wanted something low-key that bucked many wedding traditions. We had no DJ and instead, relied on some outdoor speakers, an iPhone, and several Spotify playlists. There was no dancing but there were lawn games! No bouquet toss or garter throw occurred, but we had one rocking piñata! Our caterer set up under huge tents and served sizzling Jack Daniel’s steak, scallops, and pork roast directly from a grill. It was perfect and laid back and everything we had hoped it would be. Oh and, the weather was a beautiful 83 degrees with light wind and zero humidity. We were so blessed.

My favorite part of the day was seeing my vision come together. I had a picture in my head all along but not having the ability to do a test run (told you I was a perfectionist) before the big day really stressed me out. Thankfully, confetti & co knew exactly the direction I wanted to go so while I relaxed and got ready the morning of, they arrived bright and early and set everything up. I loved how relaxed and unhurried the entire day went and I really couldn’t have done it without my amazing vendors.

I never picked a specific color scheme as I’m a neutrals girl. Take a look in my closet and you’ll find grey, white, cream, and black. Anything colorful is way outside my comfort zone so I stuck to subdued, natural hues. For my flowers, I hit up every Michael’s 50% off sale I could and purchased loads of rustic, woodsy flora. I wanted my bouquet, and my bridesmaids’ bouquets, to look like we had gone out for a nature walk that morning and picked flowers along the way. I made the ceremony garland from plastic table clothes purchased from Party City. Between the garland, piñata, and flower chandeliers, I was busy all winter and loved every second of it.

For our table centerpieces, I relied on my own collection of antiques and knick-knacks. Since tablecloths are a personal pet peeve, I splurged on beautiful farmhouse tables and purchased a gold-striped paper table runner from One Kings Lane. A quick trip to the local wholesale florist for greenery the day before and we were all set. I spent several months scouring local thrift stores to hunt down 88 pressed glass goblets for our toast. They were all so unique and beautiful and I loved how seamlessly they melded in with the rest of the decor.

The planning process passed all too quickly which was probably a good thing- something needed to rein me in! For me, the best part wasn’t just “the day,” but the culmination of days leading up to it. Creating everything by hand and meeting with the vendors who helped make the day perfect, really made the actual wedding day all the more special. It was a true labor of love by so many different parties and you feel the enormity of that love during your wedding. Mike and I will forever be grateful to everyone who helped and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so the timing couldn’t be better for the Mervis Diamond Importers Roses and Rings Event from February 7-8, 2015. Not only will there be a large selection of designer rings to try on + experiment with different looks, but there’s discounts and special pricing as well! Something sparkly is calling my name…

Be sure to make some time to check out the Mervis Diamond Importers Roses and Rings Event — your fingers will thank you! Happy shopping, lovelies! xo

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Romantic Military Wedding at Villanova University

Dress blues have a way of making me weak in the knees. Military weddings in general do, seeing as my own sweetie has dedicated 10 years of his life serving our country, and I’ve been proud to stand beside him 9 of those years. So when Rachel Pearlman and La Petite Fleur sent this beautiful day our way, complete with a handsome Marine Groom and his glowing Bride, my heart felt as if it doubled in size.

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Romantic Pennsylvania Wedding at Fairmount Park Horticulture Center

From Rachel Pearlman Photography…Following a Christmas proposal at Longwood Gardens, Colleen and Nick knew from the start that their wedding would be held at Villanova University’s Chapel – the site where they met – and immediate began to plan for what was one of the sweetest and most romantic weddings I have had the pleasure of photographing. Colleen wanted her wedding day to represent the couples’ love for one another : sweet, simple, and effortlessly romantic. Nick is a Marine, and the couple is stationed in North Carolina, so everything was planned from afar. As a military man, Nick had to travel around the U.S. during their engagement, but that only made their love grow stronger. Skype, frequent airway miles and the pure excitement of being with each other made the time pass quickly. From an emotional father-daughter reveal, to a tear jerking letter reading session prior to the ceremony and lastly, a classic Military Sword exit following the ceremony, their wedding was filled with memorable moments. The bridesmaids wore classic navy, which looked perfect against Marine dress blues and gorgeous Summer blooms designed by La Petite Fleur. Centerpieces were rustic, and contained twigs, bark and wildflowers. The reception venue, Normandy Farms, provided twinkle lights and barn doors that created an intimate ambiance.

From the beautiful Bride…It wasn’t love at first site, nor do either of us remember the first time we met. It was sometime during our freshman year at Villanova University, and over the next few years we shared some of the same friends and always greeted each other in passing. In November of senior year, Nick needed a date for the Navy Ball and because we saw each other more frequently that year, he decided to ask me. We had a wonderful time that night, and Nick asked to take me out to dinner that weekend. I remember getting ready and when I heard the doorbell ring I became so nervous that I asked my two roommates to go to the door and let me know what they think. He showed up with a bouquet of flowers and instantly won their approval.

Nick and I were inseparable as we finished that year at Villanova. After graduation Nick began training with the Marine Corps in Virginia, and I began law school in North Carolina. We filled the time by watching movies over skype, and every weekend that he could Nick would drive four hours down to see me and then four hours back home. I remember one time I was excited about watching a Christmas special on Skype with him, and when the time came he knocked on my door. He drove four hours down to watch the two hour special with me, and then drove four hours home. I remember being so happy and telling him through tears I couldn’t believe he did that for me. He simply responded that he missed me and just wanted to see me smile.

On December 20th, 2011 Nick took me to see the Christmas display at Longwood Gardens which was absolutely breathtaking. At the end of the night, we sat on a bench and marveled at the outdoor lights. It was then that Nick got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I couldn’t be more ecstatic, or more sure as I said yes. Afterwards, he took me to the little Italian restaurant where we had our first date, and I was so happy to see all of our family was there to celebrate with us.

Over the next two years while I finished school in NC, Nick spend time stationed in Florida and Texas. Luckily I was able to find summer internships in these places so that we could spend the summers together. When we were apart, we continued to have date nights where we would watch the same movie and laugh over it on Skype, or make the same recipes and have “dinner together.” It made our time apart pass by, and we had this level of commitment that made me sure we would make it through anything.

We planned all of our Pennsylvania wedding from afar. We knew we wanted to have the wedding at the Villanova University chapel. We picked our May 31st, 2014 date and everything fell into place from there.

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Dancing Lights, Cruise Collection

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This wedding is gorgeous. Plain and simple. The florals from Love ‘n Fresh nearly knocked my socks off, and the images from Emily Wren are so beautiful I could cry. It’s romantic and elegant, yet comfy and intimate – leaving us with a wedding that is layered in love and so much pretty I can barely contain my excitement. See more of this beautiful day here.

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Heartwarming Pennsylvania Wedding

From The Bride…Brendan and I met at a bar almost six years ago in New York City, where we currently live. I was basically a sucker once I heard that Irish accent. We got engaged in Kerry, Ireland, where Brendan is from, and began to plan our wedding in Philadelphia, where I grew up. From the beginning we fell in love with the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center and didn’t even look at any other venues. The greenhouse and reception room are lush and the space looks magical after sundown with all the fairy lights and candles.

I had tried on many dresses and initially thought I wanted something lace and fit and flare- very different from what I decided on in the end. When I put on the Watters dress it just felt so fresh and comfortable and perfect for the venue with its floral pattern. And it had pockets! The dream. I got ready at my childhood home in the suburbs and Brendan and his groomsmen prepped at the Sofitel Hotel in downtown Philadelphia.

Our amazing flowers were designed by Jennie Love at Love ‘n Fresh flowers. I love that she grows all her own local flowers on her farm and creates such unique and breathtaking pieces. I still dream about my bouquet with all its beautiful texture and wonderful scent.

We also loved working with Emily Wren who shot the most gorgeous photos and was so fun and fit in seamlessly with our friends and family. The forecast had been calling for rain all week and then the day turned out perfectly sunny and warm.

We were so lucky to have friends and family coming from all over the world to be with us. It was the best day filled with delicious food, great music and lots and lots of love!

Today’s lesson? Combining classic details with family tradition lays the perfect groundwork for a day that is as beautiful as it is heartwarming. Add in soft, pastel hues, a killer pair of Badgley Mischka pumps and a Hayley Paige stunner that screams amazing and, well… happy Friday. See it all captured beautifully by Alison Conklin Photography right here.

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Backyard Religious Institution

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