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

Winter Wedding Lovers, This One Is For You.

Admittedly, I am a summer wedding lover—but one look at this bit of cold weather beauty from Belle Gardens, Greenwood Events and Orange Photographie and I’m ready to trade sand for snow when it comes to saying I do. From the piercingly beautiful gem to the ribbon-wrapped cake, you can find me cozying up to every inch in The Vault.

From Belle Gardens… I had the privilege a few weeks ago to sit under the instruction of some very dear friends Samantha and Reid, of Orange Photographie in Bozeman, Montana. Not only did they share with me a love for film but they set me in a direction of never going back to digital. These images are as a result of a shoot they designed and put together just for me. I have longed to shoot in the beauty of my hometown Montana, and especially covering the most important day in a beloved couples lives. I have named this shoot, Loves Snow White Rose.

Through the veil of the cool mist
my eyes met yours and made a tryst
a promise that our hearts will blend
and our love shall last till the end
over the hills you disappear
and in my dreams reappear
O my delicate snow white rose
ensconced in my poems and prose
O my delicate snow white rose
emanates from my heart a cadence
that resonates with your heavenly fragrance
All the barriers I shall break
My life I shall put on stake
Until I merge with you one day
To be with you forever I pray
From my life please don’t vanish
let our love never diminish
petals of your love I shall always cherish
O my delicate snow white rose

Our models John and Ingrid are a real married couple and we shot the their portraits on the river where John proposed to Ingrid. I adore the words of the poet, John, as he parallels the snow white rose to the love of his life., Ingrid. Montana a vast state with cold winters but a beauty that cannot be denied could also be that snow white rose, a longing to be in her resident once again. Nonetheless, the poet speaks of deep love for its subject.

The first portion of our shoot we captured Ingrid preparing to meet her love John in a beautiful robe and veil from A Girl With A Serious Dream. Our lovely engagement ring was also a feature from Susie Saltzman, and stunning it is. We then captured romantic details of a stunning table in blues, rosy mauves, creams, whites, and grays. These colors only seem fitting because of the snow covered landscape. While we were shooting the snow came down in huge flakes as it so often does in Montana in the spring, only to melt away after a couple of hours. We were then off to the river where the formals were shot, where John originally proposed. The rose has come full circle and life has been burst forth from these two sharing each other’s love and life forever!

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Wedding Dresses

Sarah Janks

Glasshouse Collection

Canto Paradiso

Elan

All the Stars

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Why a One-Year Anniversary Session is Always a Good Idea

There’s no doubt that I’m a full supporter of documenting life’s milestones—especially those based around love. I wouldn’t be worthy of the wedding blogger title without that notion. And for me? That includes the 1-year anniversary. Enter this Chicago sesh from Elizabeth Nord, who captured her very own sister’s anni. Complete with city scenes and love in the street, you can find it all in The Vault.

From Elizabeth Nord… After months of planning to visit the city, Lauren and Adam decided to celebrate their first year wedding anniversary with a photo session in the heart of downtown with me, her older sister. We chose two iconic photo spots for their session: the Lasalle bridge and in front of the Chicago Board of Trade building. They dated for 2 years prior to getting married and were married on our parent’s 30-acre property in West Tennessee. It’s been a joy to watch these two as they dated and as their marriage continues to grow. They are the perfect match and I’m so happy my sister has found her forever love.

From Lauren… In the year that we’ve been married, we’ve already learned so much about growing a marriage together. The best piece of advice that I could share with other newlywed couples is to make time for one another. It’s important to continue to date your spouse as you did before you were married. If you’re able to do it, I would suggest a date night a week. If not, a special date night each month is lovely! Continue to show each other how much the other means to you by little gestures throughout the day. Husbands, text your wife to tell her how much you love her or surprise her with flowers randomly. Wives, offer to give him a back rub or tell him how proud you are of him. Those kinds of gestures make such a difference!

Photography: Elizabeth Nord Photography | Black Dress: Lord & Taylor

A Wedding at American’s First Organic Farm

When Andrew and Lina got engaged, there was no question where they’d tie the knot. The Rodale Organic Family Farm, Andrew’s family estate, was the ultimate backdrop for their summer wedding and they knew just how to dress up the details, giving their rustic celebration a modern spin. With incredible vendors like Cobblestone Catering, Jackie Schneider Beauty and Rebecca Yale Photography in the mix, every aspect of their big day was something special. More to see this way!

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Andrew and Lina met at an advertising agency in 2011 where they both worked. They both still work in the advertising industry, Andrew on the technology side, and Lina on the planning and buying side.

They were married on Andrew’s family estate, The Rodale Organic Family Farm, a truly picturesque spot that has been the venue for many of Andrew’s family members nuptials. The Rodale family were pioneers in organic farming, and the family farm was the first organic farm in America, which is not far from the Rodale Institute, which continues to be at the forefront of organic farming practices. Guests were welcomed to the farm with gift bags featuring organic snacks and beverages along with copies of Women’s and Men’s Health Magazine, publications produced by the Rodale family. In keeping with the spirit of the farm, guests were each given a succulent to take home as a wedding favor.

Mark Kintzel, whose known the groom since he was a baby, designed the day with bright summer florals to compliment the beautiful farm setting with pops of pink, red, yellow and orange, which also carried through to the bridesmaids’ dresses and the bride’s shoes. Instead of a traditional photo booth, Mark decked out the groom’s great grandfather’s VW convertible with flowers and vintage suitcases, making for a fun and personal backdrop. Guests were given a copy of their photos to keep and another strip to paste in the guestbook. The bride and groom had a custom snapchat geo tag made for their guests to use during the wedding and collected all the snaps as a digital guestbook as well.

The farm is still a working farm, but the greenhouse was decommissioned and the glass removed to prevent snow cave-ins during the winter, which made for the perfect spot for cocktail hour. Cocktail hour took place in both the greenhouse and the sculpture garden next door and guests enjoyed 3 signature cocktails and oysters while Andrew’s uncle played the accordion. Andrew and Lina share a love of travel and food- he proposed on a hilltop in Greece- and come from diverse backgrounds, which they wanted to showcase throughout. The reception took place in a sailcloth tent and the dinner was a blend of cuisines from all of their travels (Italian, Spanish, Greek, Dominican and Lebanese) and was served family style to bring everyone together for the special occasion.

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Photography

Rebecca Yale Photography

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Swedish Style Meets New England Charm for this Seaside Wedding

What do you get when you combine your future hubby’s heritage with the natural beauty of your seaside wedding venue? One unique, uber special celebration that guests won’t forget anytime soon. Infusing a Swedish style with their New England locale and flavor, these two were surrounded by everything and everyone they love – and Allegra Anderson captured it all. More in our Vault right here!

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From the Bride… My now husband Dave is Swedish and ever since the first time I went to visit his family in his coastal hometown of Särö, Sweden, I have been in awe of all the natural and effortless beauty that Sweden has to offer and of Swedes in general. They are all so beautiful. Seriously. I can’t complain though because I grew up in a small New England coastal town called Rockport, MA which also rivals in seaside charm and beauty. Naturally with us both growing up in similar settings but thousands of miles apart we knew we wanted a seaside wedding and to really show our roots, and who we are as a couple. We wanted: 1. To get married on the beach (our favorite place to be) 2. To blend the two different cultures into our wedding, and 3. To have a non-cookie cutter wedding – we really wanted to infuse the charming New England laid back vibe with the beauty and romance of Sweden, so that our friends from both sides of the Atlantic could get a taste of each other’s culture.

This is when we found the Manchester Bath and Tennis Club in Manchester, MA which has its own private beach (turns out not easy to find in New England) to say our vows on, followed by a fantastic dinner and dancing on their porch and great hall overlooking the beach and the ocean. We decided what better way to introduce the Swedes to New England charm and style than by having a classy, fun clambake complete with bibs (lobsters are a REAL treat in Sweden). To capture the romantic Swedish beauty, I wanted my girls to be in blue floral flowy dresses since blue floral is a classic china pattern in Sweden and I found the perfect dresses for the occasion on reddressboutique.com for $90 each (did not want them spending $300+ for a dress they would wear once)! In Sweden flower crowns are very common and classic in weddings (and especially during Midsummer) so I wore a floral-like crown and to have my two Maid of Honors stand out, my mom made them these wonderful flower crowns to match their dresses. It was the perfect combination of Swedish and beachy.

To go with the effortless beauty look, our florist did a wonderful job of putting together our bouquets and table flowers. They looked like they were all cut from someone’s beautiful garden that morning and thrown together but they just so happened to be arranged perfectly. Our florist Sage Studio even added some herbs to our boutique to give it texture like rosemary and mint. They were absolutely stunning. We also put two candles on each table as part of the center pieces to add to the romance and simplicity.

A few other nods we had to the Swedish culture was that Dave’s dad read a beautiful poem about love in Swedish during our ceremony so that everyone could hear Dave’s native language. Also, our groomsmen and dads wore their nationality flag socks. Dave wore one Swedish flag sock and one American sock as a symbol of combining the two families. My dad wore one Union Jack sock and one American sock as a nod to our family’s British roots (my dad was born and grew up in England). My sister also carried the rings in a silver cigar box that my grandfather was gifted from the King of Siam during his visit to England in which my grandfather at the time was the head of his security detail at the Palace.

One of the most fun things we did was we imported Aquavit (which we could not find it in the US or at least not in MA). It is Swedish schnapps that is specifically used for celebrations in Sweden. I had my first taste of this at Midsummer in Sweden a few years back and thought we had to share it with everyone. We had a couple of our Swedish groomsmen hand out the bottles and shot glasses to the guests and told everyone to wait for our signal. As tradition goes, halfway through dinner, Dave stood up and gave a short explanation of what usually happens at a Swedish party. Then all of the Swedes stood up and started signing a popular Swedish drinking song which ends with taking the shot. This happened a few more times throughout dinner, as the tradition goes. Everyone LOVED it!

Our friends then surprised us with one more Swedish tradition that was a shocker! When the groom gets up to go to the bathroom all the men get up and kiss the bride on the cheek. This was unexpected and really fun I must say.

Lastly, we just had some small Swedish and N.E. nautical touches throughout the wedding which was really fun and we felt blended two cultures we love together really well. We also had our favorite desserts: cupcakes (my favorite) and an ice cream bar complete with Swedish fish as a topping (Dave’s favorite). It was a perfect day in every way for us and we really felt the day represented who we are as a couple and our cultures. Our amazing photographer Allegra Anderson captured it beautifully and all of our vendors were wonderful to work with and went above and beyond for us- we really were on cloud nine.

Bright Blooms Prove Indoor Bashes Don’t Need to be Boring

Just because pictures need to be moved inside doesn’t mean you’re destined for boring and blah memories. Quite the opposite in fact. With a bright white backdrop, the Bride, the star of the show after all, shines with all her colorful blooms – courtesy of Laura’s Floras. Samantha Kirk captured it all and we’re giving indoor celebrations a lot more love thanks to her pics right this way!

From Samantha Kirk… This session was pretty much based around the weather. What usually happens on a wedding day? Nothing really goes right and sometimes the weather changes, and well, that’s what happened in this case. We wanted to bring the shoot indoors and show an inspirational bridal shoot for a bride who happens to have her whole day need to be reorganized from the weather.

From Laura’s Floras… When you give a florist a blank slate, what is she going to do? Go bold and colorful! The bold florals for this shoot offer a wonderful contrast to the bright, white space. The beautiful yellow tree peonies inspired the palette. The peach and coral amaryllis and roses draw on the vibrant coral centers of the peonies and add to the warm sunset palette. The earthy foliage and beautiful olive green silk ribbons from Silk and Willow bring a sophistication to the otherwise vibrant color palette. Jasmine vine trailing off of the bouquet mirror the whimsical vine installation on the wall. You would never know from looking at this session that it was gloomy and rainy outside.

We want any bride to be inspired and see that you can still get beautiful images no matter the weather but indoors on your wedding day!

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Wedding Dresses

Hayley Paige

Spring 2014

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Spring 2013

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

Spring 2016

Blush by Hayley Paige

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Fall 2016

Spring 2017

Blush by Haley Paige

Spring 2018

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Designer Secrets to a Beautifully Styled Bathroom

Your entryway styling game may be totally on point but chances are your bath is lacking in chic vignettes and beautiful accessories. This often forgotten space deserves a little style love too. With a few key components, your bathroom will be running with the best of them. Art, window treatments and accessories that pull double duty are part of the master plan. Tour a small but mighty bathroom re-do from Jessica McClendon along with pics by Mary Costa and grab her top tips for revamping your space!

The theme for this small bathroom remodel was balance! Both my client’s oldest son and guests use the bathroom, so it serves multiple purposes. We wanted its design to fit the overall design aesthetic of the rest of the home, but we wanted her son to feel comfortable and represented, too. I was tasked with finding the perfect balance between a highly functional and high-style design for this space. And with a quick, two-week turnaround, I had to be super thoughtful about my product selections, only using those that were in stock and ready to go!

When decorating powder rooms, I love to start with unique wallpaper, lighting and accessories. But with a shower in this small bathroom, I knew that moisture was going to be a real issue, meaning wallpaper was out of the question. Instead, I opted for tile in a chevron pattern to get the same “wallpaper” feel. It’s stylish, makes a statement, and is just masculine enough not to make my client’s son roll his eyes.

Next, we needed to address storage. The original design just had a pedestal sink, so I replaced it with a prefab vanity and medicine cabinet from Restoration Hardware. The vanity was a gift from the design gods as it addressed every need: in stock, fit our space, gave us storage, and was high style. I love that it has a light industrial feel with a masculine vibe, but also flows with the East Coast architecture of the home and my client’s playful style. To add a bit of color, we hung beach themed prints from Minted in whitewashed frames, and they were the perfect pop. We finished off the space with fresh flowers, a necessity for every space, and I’m happy to report that the bathroom was finished just in time for her arriving guests.

Designer Tips for Styling a Bathroom

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If there’s a window, add a window treatment. I love using tailored roman shades in the bathroom. They feel simple and clean, but add texture to an otherwise sterile and hard-surfaced environment. The shade and trim I used in this bathroom is actually made from outdoor fabric, which is ideal as it’s resistant to moisture.

Opt for functional accessories like trays, candles and canisters. Trays help to keep things visually tidy. Display one on a vanity with ample counter space, or on the back of the toilet for smaller bathrooms and powder rooms. Candles are pretty and, well…always appreciated in a bathroom! Canisters a great way to add style and personality while making bath necessities, such as cotton balls and Q-tips, easy to get to on a daily basis.

For instant texture and interest, think art. With great affordable art resources like Minted and Society6, it’s easy to bring something unique to the space without breaking the bank. Just remember not to hang anything too precious in bathrooms with a shower. The moisture will eventually take its toll.

Add something unexpected. This is universal tip to keep in mind when decorating any room, including the bathroom! It can be anything. Just get creative! In the past I’ve used a brass peace sign and a bowl of antique keys in my designs. In this bathroom, the vintage clock adds a unique element.

Start with a neutral base. 80% of the time I will choose neutral color finishes for tile and will bring color into the space through the paint, wallpaper, art and towels. I do this to add longevity to the bathroom, and because remodeling a bathroom is expensive!

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The Prettiest Bathrooms Ever

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The Prettiest Bathrooms Ever

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Photography: Mary Costa Photography | Interior Design: Jessica McClendon

Follow Whitney Bischoff’s Wedding Journey!

You first met “Whitney B” on Chris Soules’ season of The Bachelor, but Whitney’s love story didn’t end there. She went on to find her forever love post-reality TV and isn’t looking back. As the newest addition to our Blogger Bride crew, Whitney is embarking on her wedding planning journey sharing her favorite moments right here on Style Me Pretty! With Always Yours Events by her side, you can expect a whole lot of fun ahead as Whitney takes on the role of bride-to-be.

From Whitney… Hello SMP Brides! I am so excited that not only am I engaged but that I have the opportunity to share my wedding and planning with you over the next year. This is such an honor! I’ll be sharing it all: the good times and the stressful times, from beginning to end. And I’m sure I will have questions for you along the way too! Since this is the beginning, I want to introduce myself to those of you who might not know me, and re-introduce myself to those who haven’t seen me in a while!

Some of you may remember me from a little show called “The Bachelor” I appeared on a couple years ago where I got engaged on national television, only to call off the engagement a short six months later- yikes! Boy, was that a whirlwind. I am frequently asked, “Was it real” and “Are you happy you did it?” Yes, it was real to the extent any reality TV show can be and yes, I’m glad I did it, but… I’m one million times happier now that it’s over. While it might sound cliché, I did truly go on the show to find love – weird, right? It wasn’t for the fame, not for endorsements or money, not to launch my career, or to gain social media followers, but truly for L-O-V-E. Shortly after the show and my relationship ended, I went back to my normal life. Back to Chicago and to my career as a fertility nurse. And wouldn’t you know, that is where I found it. Found the thing I had been longing for…I found him, the one, my love, my Ricky.

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“Wouldn’t you know, that is where I found it.

Found the thing I had been longing for…

I found him, the one, my love, my Ricky.”

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I wish I had some fairytale way that we met, like in Whole Foods or at the gym, but I don’t frequent either. I resorted to what any other girl would do in this situation and downloaded the dating app, “Bumble.” Within the first couple weeks of signing up, I see “Ricky, 29, Chicago, Regional Sales Manager.” I immediately thought, “This could be my own Michael Scott.”

Indeed I swiped right and not too long after, I got the notification that we had matched. If you are unfamiliar with Bumble, once a “match” is formed, the woman has 24 hours to make contact with the guy until the match vanishes. Although I like the idea of having the upper hand, and I’m very rarely at a loss for words, ladies, let me tell ya, it is stressful to have this pressure on you! Who would have thought that something like this would cause me such anxiety?! Well, somehow, someway, I found the courage to reach out and soon after I realized that this guy was something special. Within days I texted my friend, “I think I met the guy I’m going to marry, although I’ve actually never met him”

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“I think I met the guy I’m going to marry,

although I’ve actually never met him.”

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About a week or so later, I got to lay eyes on my future husband for the first time, 9/24/15…I’ll never forget it! That night I experienced my last first kiss, more laughs than I had laughed in months, a few butterflies, but most importantly, I got to be myself; no façade, or image I felt I had to keep up with, truly just me- flaws and all; I’ve never felt more free. Before I knew it, days turned into weeks, weeks to months; and those months continued to build until our time together became the foundation to our very strong relationship. Not only our relationship but the relationship we had with one another’s families.

With that being said, it was not uncommon that on 7/15/16, Ricky’s sister reached out and asked if I wanted to have a girls night with she and her mom since Ricky would be traveling for business with his dad. I love girls nights- I was in! Ricky’s parents had recently relocated to downtown Chicago, so the plan was to meet there for some wine before we headed out to a nice dinner in the city. When I arrived to the condo, I opened the door to see candles everywhere! My first thought was “Wow, they really planned an interesting girls night!” HA! I never imagined this would be THE night; the night I was going to become the future Mrs. Angel. But as the door shut behind me, I heard the most comforting voice of a guy who was supposed to be in Philadelphia. To say that I was stunned is a complete understatement.

I wish I could remember every word that he said and commit it to memory, but we were both so excited that neither of us remember! What I do know is that in that moment I was the happiest I had ever been. My only wish was that my friends and family, my team, my people, could have been there to enjoy this moment with us! Well, guess what? Ricky didn’t skip a beat.

When we walked into the room to see Ricky’s parents, I turned the corner to see the best cheering section any girl could wish for. As my eyes went from one person to the next, and the next, and the next, memories began flooding my head. Each of these people played a major role in the woman that I am today. These are the people that even in the darkest times, never wavered, and that day was no different. They traveled long distances, took time away from their jobs and children to be there on one of the most pivotal days in my life—so, to each of them…THANK YOU!

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“In that moment I was the

happiest I had ever been.”

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And to my hubby-to-be, I’ve said it before, and I will say it a thousand more times, but thank you for being YOU and loving me for being ME! So this is where the next journey begins…my wedding planning journey. Again, I am so excited to share what I have in store for this celebration. I have worked diligently over the past several months to build the best team possible to execute the most unique and personal wedding possible! Please join me over the next year as I introduce you to each of them and explain how, as a team, we are putting together one amazing day!

xoxo, Whitney B (soon-to-be Whitney A)

Photography: Carly Michelle Photography | Wedding Planning: Always Yours Events | Bride: Whitney Bischoff | Makeup Artistry: Gabrielle Raguso | Sunkissed Skin: Glo Airbrush Tan

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Petit Bouquet

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Whitney Bischoff

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Stunning Hindu Temple Engagement Session in Atlanta

To put it simply, these photographs took my breath away. Photographed by Elle Golden outside of Atlanta, you are instantly transported and the couple holding your hand is as beautiful as the surroundings. Click here to see the entire gorgeous gallery.

From Elle Golden Photography… You don’t have to travel all the way to India for stunning views of traditional Hindu temples. Tucked away in an Atlanta suburb is the BAPS Mandir temple where couple Nihar + Pratibha decided to hold part of their engagement session with Elle Golden Photography. The first half of the session was dedicated to their more casual, daily attire at Atlanta’s charming Summerour Studios. The second half was held at the temple and the couple wore traditional south Asian garments, including a floral saree in beautiful pink and gold tones.

Photography: Elle Golden Photography | Ceremony Venue: Summerour Studio | Venue: BAPS Mandir

The Kind of Wedding You Look Back on and Still Love in 20 Years

This beautiful soiree embraces everything I wanted in my own big day… timeless, elegant and most importantly—one that my kids would look back on and not cringe. Planned and designed by Rebecca Chan Weddings & Events, this day transcends the trendy with it’s simple, effortless detailing. Julia Park‘s imagery will sure make for one beautiful album to flip through years from now. See more in The Vault!

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From Rebecca Chan Weddings & Events… Victoria and Stephen’s day was all about soft romantic colours and effortless style. Their garden-inspired bouquets from Flower 597 were the perfect for their outdoor ceremony, while soft blooms in their centerpieces accented the tables (put together by the bride’s aunt). Complementing the venue’s old world elegance, we included gold vintage elements at the receiving table. To add an extra personal touch to the day, each table number featured a city that the couple had visited together, and a little dog trinket sprayed in gold let guests know of the donation that was made in lieu of favours to the humane society.

A Classic Navy + Greenery-Filled Wedding

Meghan and Sean’s love story began in high-school but fast forward 10 years and you’ll see their long-awaited wedding day that was nothing short of perfect. They prioritized involving their 5-year-old daughter in the celebration, and she even hand-painted their table numbers made with love. Photographed by Ashley Caroline, this is one gallery you don’t want to miss.

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From Ashley Caroline Photography… Meghan + Sean’s day was very special. Together, they have the sweetest 5-year-old daughter, Molly. It was evident throughout the day that she is not only the light in their lives but in so many close family and friends as well. Molly painted the table “numbers” and was so excited to show everyone her adorable artwork. It was a lovely personal touch. The day was beautiful from the bride + groom table full of candles to the greenery covering the tables and the portraits at golden hour. The bride’s J. Crew dress stunned everyone. It was a lovely day with the best trolley ride and I couldn’t wait to share it with you. My favorite moment was towards the end of the night when the groom serenaded the bride. He sang a song and played on his guitar and it was the sweetest moment.

From the Bride… Sean and I met freshman year of high school in keyboarding class, and although we would both later admit to an immediate mutual crush, we didn’t start dating until the summer before our senior year of college. We had run into each other at a dive bar one random, fateful night; I was there with my sister, who had recently gone through a breakup and Sean had gotten dragged out of bed by a friend in search of love. Sean was wearing gym shorts and black mid-calf socks under sandals – I thought no one had ever looked better. I’ll never forget how happy I was to see him, a happiness I have felt seeing him thousands of times since. Sean swears that he was the first one to text after that night, and I’m certain that the opposite is true, but we both agree that the summer that followed was one of the best of our lives. After 7 years of friendship and 3 of dating, we entered into our next and greatest adventure: parenting. Molly was born on a warm, sunny day in the middle of September. She has Sean’s eyes, my smile and both of our love for laughter and music.

Our wedding day was also on a warm, sunny day in September, 5 years later. Our wish was to have a day that was just bursting at the seams with love, and I am very happy to say that that wish was granted. We got married in the church where my Father grew up, a church where we said goodbye to my Grandpa earlier this year. Being there as a family again, celebrating a birth of sorts, was a beautiful, emotional experience. We took our pictures in Bayard Cutting Arboretum, where my brother’s wedding pictures were taken, and then headed over to the reception in our trolley. The party was held at The Snapper Inn on the south shore of Long Island, in an open air gazebo overlooking the water. I will never forget the feeling of the breeze drifting in and out as we ate dinner at our candlelit table and looked around at 200 of our favorite people, wishing we could hold onto these treasured moments as they passed by relentlessly. Although there were many moments I loved, it is easy to say that the highlight of the night was listening to Sean play “This Must be the Place” by Talking Heads. He sings and plays so beautifully and it was a true moment in time, seeing him share that talent with the people we love.

While we were on our honeymoon in Italy I said to Sean that the greatest gift we could have given to our friends and family on our wedding is to have a night where they can forget about work or obligations and just simply celebrate love. The greatest gift to us was looking around at these wonderful people, people who have been there for many milestones in our lives, and seeing the pure joy they felt in being there, being present, and frankly, tearing UP the dance floor. We don’t get to experience joy that way on a daily basis and it is such a beautiful reminder of how much we need love and need each other. It was a bit difficult coming back to reality after a night like that, but to steal a line from our wedding song, “I guess we’ll just begin again.”

A Dreamy Destination Wedding that Walks on the Wild Side

In terms of destination venues, the Santa Barbara Zoo wins #1 dream spot. The scenery includes beautiful vistas and a heard of giraffes and Monty the penguin might even make an appearance at cocktail hour. It’s bananas. Now couple that with an insanely romantic wedding crafted by Merryl Brown Events + Mindy Rice, image after beautiful image by Elizabeth Messina, and a film by Hoo Films, and you have the makings of the ultimate I Do inspiration.

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Destination Outdoor Weddings

When you’re an animal lover and looking for a destination location, well the Santa Barbara Zoo is the destination to choose. What a perfect backdrop for this absolutely gorgeous wedding on the grass and a reception full of white canopies and gold, animal accents. Guests got to enjoy feeding the giraffes and saying hello to Monty, the little penguin who joined cocktail hour. Adam and Soraya fit perfectly into this setting with their love for one another surrounded by family and friends from all over. And may I just mention Soraya’s dress. Unique and stunning! The heart shape in the back, the collar… I just love. They drank some wine, broke the glass, and after the Hora, danced the night away!

Wildly Romantic Destination Greek Wedding Film

We’ve seen lots of gorgeous Greek weddings but have we have set our sights on Monemvasia in particular? We should, because it’s pretty amazing – so it’s no surprise that JP and Katie chose this beautiful spot to host their destination wedding. With Santorini Glam Wedding planning it all and Phosart Photography Cinematography filming away, we’ve got the goods right here – enjoy and let the wanderlust begin!

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Romantic

From Phosart Photography Cinematography… Monemvasia, something out of the Middle Ages, stands on the rock as a “stone boat”, as described by our famous poet, Yannis Ritsos.

The unique beauty of the small stone streets and alleys dazzles every photographer and videographer and is an exceptional opportunity for shooting.

Katie and John chose to make their destination wedding at Kisterna Hotel, a location that made their wedding video even greater. A place with a gorgeous building through the olive groves in a wild beauty that travels us to the past. The decoration and planning arranged by their wedding planner, Santorini Glam Weddings, highlighted even more the beauty and magic of this area.

Our couple, so much in love, among family and friends, made their love vows and lived every moment of their wedding with a wild party that lasted until the next morning.

The pianist, Michael Moore, was there playing covers of famous songs adding a different touch at the wedding party.

Cinematography: Phosart Photography Cinematography | Event Planning: Santorini Glam Weddings | Wedding Dress: Berta | DJ: Bredan Fallis | Wedding Venue: Kinsterna Hotel & Spa

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Wedding Dresses

Berta Bridal

F/W 2015 Collection

Spring/Summer 2016 Bridal Collection

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6 Fabulous Ways to Announce Your Engagement

Starting off the new year engaged? Now that you have that ring on your finger, it’s time to tell everyone you know the exciting news. But how. Well, today we’re counting down six of our fave ways to spread the word. From ring selfies to Save the Dates from our friends at Wedding Paper Divas, we have you totally covered. Scroll to find out how to announce your newly betrothed status in style.

WITH A SAVE THE DATE

When it comes to planning the celebration of the century, Save the Dates are a total necessity. It’s the one way to get your guests all of that much-needed info re: your Big Day in their hands (including the wedding date!), plus you get to show your smiling faces, too. Even better? It’s the perfect way to announce your engagement to all of your nearest and dearest – and when it comes to stylish + unique options, Wedding Paper Divas is the place to go. From crazy cool magnets to fun postcards to luxe foil-stamped beauties, you’ll be shouting it from the rooftops in no time at all.

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WITH A RING SELFIE

It wouldn’t be a list of awesome ways to share your big news if it didn’t include the ring selfie, a time honored tradition that is as cool as they come. Because, hey… why not show off that stunning piece of jewelry you’ve been waiting years and years for? From emerald cut gems to princess cut lovelies, your ring’s moment in the spotlight is an announcement that won’t ever grow old… It’s simply beautiful.

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WITH YOUR BESTIES

If your proposal happened to include a gathering of your closest friends and family then letting the world see all the snaps of the day is an absolute must. Whether that’s a peek at your man on his knee or a group shot of your besties (you choose!), there isn’t a more heartwarming way to tell the world you are an official fiancé.

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WITH A SWEET SIGN

Sometimes all it takes to spread the word that you’re preparing to say “I do” is a sweet prop and a kiss. So grab that gorgeous banner, lock lips with your sweetie and let all of your friends and family know that you said a very, very pretty and happy YES. (Note: Floral crowns are totally optional, but we sooo recommend.)

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WITH YOUR FUR BABY

Your fur baby? Only the most adorable little pup ever. So incorporating him into every aspect of your wedding is a serious gotta do. Start with the cutest of cute announcements (including a sweet bow tie) and follow it up with a walk down the aisle as your ring bearer. He (or she!) will steal the show.

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WITH A BOTTLE OF BUBBLY

Break out the bubbly, lovelies, and say “cheers” to your engagement. Because this crazy cool announcement? It’s a keeper. Think a bottle (or two) of your fave champagne and a little dose of calligraphy to spread the word. We obviously sooo love this.

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So there you have it. Six amazing ways to let the world know you are tying the knot. Go ahead and start sharing the big news, and when it’s time to tackle those fab invites for the world’s best party, head to Wedding Paper Divas for an entire lineup of gorgeous Save the Dates, invites and more. You’ll absolutely adore their customizable options AND their free address printing. Trust us, loves.

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Photography (Top to Bottom): 1. Wedding Paper Divas 2. Rebecca Yale Photography 3. First Mate Photography Co. 4. Julie Paisley Photography 5. Vero Suh Photography 6. Lindsey Shea Photography

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Photography

Rebecca Yale Photography

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One Bride, One Groom…FOUR Gorgeous Gowns

Hey ladies…are you considering buying a second gown, maybe one a little sexier or flirtier or easier to dance in? Well, brace yourself. Because this bride opted for the Go Big or Go Home approach, buying not one, not two, not three but FOUR amazing gowns. Each one, better than the next. And with the most stellar Little Black Book vendors behind her cause (see the list of vendors we love right below the first image) this is a wedding (and a bride) that I am going to love forever and ever. Thanks to A Savvy Event for planning such a fete and Arrowood Photography for snapping such gorg pics!

The Best LITTLE BLACK BOOK Members

From Kelly at A Savvy Event…After searching the globe, literally, for the perfect location to host their ethereal, romantic, garden wedding, Mica and Christopher found Beaulieu Gardens in St. Helena. The bride described the gardens as “by far the most breathtaking” venue they saw, and upon visiting, Mica and Christopher knew they had to be married there.

Their whirlwind romance began when Mica and Christopher were introduced by a mutual friend in Seal Beach, and it was love at first date. He eventually proposed over a private, candlelit dinner in Miami Beach.

Every detail, even down to their wedding date (6. 11. 16), has the makings of a real-life fairy tale. Mica chose rose, peach, and lavender as her colors, but elected to use them in varying shades and her vision was executed beautifully by Kathleen Deery. Flowers adorned every inch of the dinner space from the tables, to the cake, to hanging garlands above the guests’ heads.Dinner, by Paula le Duc, was as stunning as it was delicious. Mica credited the organization and seamless details of her day to her planner, Jamie, saying that she calmed the couple’s nerves before the big day, allowing them to enjoy every bit of it.

The bride said the most memorable moment of their wedding day was just before their first look. The thought of finally being reunited with Christopher was a huge relief of any pressure she had felt about that day; it was time to marry the love of her life and she couldn’t wait. Christopher’s favorite part of the day was their picturesque ceremony, where they recited vows they wrote themselves. They both stressed how important it was to take as many little moments together as possible throughout the celebrations, to breathe and take it all in as a newly married couple!

And when asked what her best advice to other brides might be? “Do whatever you want when it comes to picking your dress.” Clearly, she can not only talk the talk, but she can walk the walk: Mica wore four dresses the day she married Christopher. The first, a blush JLM couture piece by Lazaro, was for the ceremony. Her husband-to-be embodied tradition and wore a soft white Tom Ford jacket, with Hugo Boss black pants and a textured, crisp, white shirt. The second dress, by Claire Pettibone, was a perfect fit for cocktail hour in the butterfly garden. Adorned with flowers and butterflies, Mica’s second gown was truly fit for a princess. The third dress, by Berta, was for dinner and her first dance. With a classic but sexy silhouette, it made sense that Mica chose it for the more traditional portions of the evening. Last, but certainly not least, Mica’s fourth dress was made for movement. By Australian designer Grace Loves Lace, the bright white piece topped off the night.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Wedding Dresses

Claire Pettibone

Couture Bridal

Fall 2015 Romantique

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Wedding Dresses

Grace Loves Lace

The Golden Hour

Wedding Dresses 2012/2013

La Nouvelle

B L A N C

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Lessons Learned When an Event Planner Ties the Knot

Make it personal, take care of your guests and don’t forget about the logistics … three incredible lessons from one incredible bride. Who also happens to be an event planner who knows her stuff. With photographs from Keen and Kind along with gorgeous florals + styling from, All Grand Events – a Little Black Book member that we ADORE – this is our own definition of wedding perfection. Click here for more!

From the Bride… Matt and I were engaged for almost two years before we walked down the aisle. We decided on a longer engagement so that we could book the vendors we wanted and we knew we needed extra time since we were planning a mini destination wedding. It was difficult for me specifically as a bride since I have been in the industry for six years as an Event Coordinator and Event Designer. I have played a role in hundreds of weddings and certainly felt the pressure to make sure all the notes I had from weddings of family, friends, and clients were taken into consideration.

Luckily, Matt and I were on the same page of what we envisioned for our wedding. We wanted to spend as much time with our family and friends as possible. As people get older and busier, it seems to be more difficult to gather and make memories. We took that as our vision for our wedding and decided to host our wedding in Traverse City in Northern Michigan.

Matt’s family had a home in Northern Michigan that we frequented throughout our relationship and my family spent every summer in Northern Michigan and it was such special place to both of us. We wanted our family and friends to spend the weekend with us up north. We met up with friends and family the night before on a patio along Lake Michigan with a live band, it was the perfect kickoff to the festivities ahead. We did a farewell brunch on Sunday at the hotel where everyone shared stories from the wedding and said their goodbyes after a great weekend together! The weekend allowed us to spend time and catch up with family and friends on numerous occasions. Since we had the whole weekend we didn’t feel rushed or feel that our wedding flew by, which is exactly what we hoped for when we decided to host a wedding weekend rather than just a wedding day!

We wanted our wedding to be timeless and classic, so we decided on a neutral color palette. I knew I wanted all the bridesmaids to feel comfortable in their dress so I opted to have the girls choose a floor length dress in any hue of champagne and the men wore black bow tie tuxedos. It worked out beautifully and the wedding party looked stunning!

From that point we chose to keep things as neutral and classic as possible with ivory, gold, and metallics. We knew that the beauty of Northern Michigan would help bring color to our wedding from the church among the green vineyards and the reception hall overlooking a gorgeous view of Lake Michigan. Our focal point for design was the reception hall. We wanted to transform it into a space that felt inviting and warm but also sophisticated and formal. All Grand Events did a beautiful job transforming our vision. We created a warm environment with ivory pipe and drape around the entire room and extra long tables where our guests dined in candlelight. The tables were perfection with gold candelabras, fresh florals, and beautiful place settings.

Our ultimate goal was for our guests to feel welcomed and taken care of the entire evening. We included personal elements to the cocktail hour with a fresh floral backdrop for guests to take pictures in front of, wedding pictures from generations past, and a “take home a taste of Michigan” favor table that included popular items that represented Michigan including Mackinac Island Fudge, dried cherries, salt water taffy, great lakes bumper stickers, and special Michigan State University cookies as a nod to East Lansing where Matt and I met.

We were thrilled with the vendors we chose from our photographer, Sarah Dunn, from Keen and Kind who took stunning photos and captured our wedding day beautifully to our band, The Bluewater Kings, who were the highlight of the wedding for all of our guests! We danced the entire night with all of our loved ones, it was perfect!

I think my favorite moment, though, was when Matt and I stood in front of all our guests at the wedding reception and thanked everyone for being there with us. It was an overwhelming feeling to look at all the people in one room that have shaped mine and Matt’s lives and they all graciously gathered together in honor of us. Our wedding would not have been the same without them! The next best thing was dancing the entire night to our amazing band, Matt and I never left the dance floor!

As for advice, my recommendation would be to think about logistics before anything else. Logistics are the most important aspect to a wedding and they are often overlooked. Weddings are a very complicated fete that people assume will come together on that day. It is important to think of weddings you have attended as a guest and what you remember to be a positive experience and negative experience and let that guide you to creating a positive and memorable event. This will lead you to choose the best vendors based on your budget and be able to prioritize what is important to you. Begin your wedding planning with your guest list and a budget and then talk over the logistics from the beginning of the day to the end of the evening. If you are able to navigate the logistics, the mindset of a guest’s point of view, and all the special details you want as a couple; you will be able to host a flawless wedding!

All your family and friends will have the best time but they won’t be able to quite put their finger on why it was so wonderful – that’s logistics!

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Bluewater Kings Band

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Wedding Dresses

Allure

Allure Bridals Fall 2014

Allure Couture Fall 2014

Allure Romance Fall 2014

Allure Bridals Spring 2015

Allure Romance Spring 2015

Allure Couture Spring 2015

Allure Bridals Fall 2015

Allure Couture Fall 2015

Allure Romance Fall 2015

Allure Bridals Spring 2016

Allure Couture Spring 2016

Allure Romance Spring 2016

Allure Bridals Fall 2016

Allure Couture Fall 2016

Allure Romance Fall 2016

Allure Romance Spring 2017

Allure Couture Spring 2017

Allure Bridals Spring 2017

Allure Couture Fall 2017

Allure Fall 2017

Allure Romance Fall 2017

Wilderly Collection

Allure Bridals Spring 2018

Allure Romance Spring 2018

Wilderly Collection

Allure Couture Spring 2018

Wilderly Collection 2019

Allure Couture Spring 2019

Allure Bridals Spring 2019

Allure Romance Spring 2019

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Proof that you Can Have a Vineyard Wedding in Hawaii

It’s not every day that one of our very own Little Black Book members ties the knot. So when it happens, we take alll the wedding notes. Today’s fete featuring gorgeous Bride Lena, event planning genius behind Belle Destination Weddings & Events, is no exception. Did you know there were vineyards as beautiful as this in Hawaii? More right this way from Tamiz Photography in The Vault.

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Colors

Seasons

Fall Weddings

Settings

Weddings in Wineries

Styles

Romantic

From Belle Destination Weddings & Events… As a wedding planner and event designer, planning my own wedding was one of my great joys and also one of my great challenges. As a designer, I knew that my options were limitless and to be honest, this was a bit daunting to me at first. So I went back to the basics of how I build my own ideas and designs, drawing inspiration from the love story that I shared with my now-husband.

It all started in the produce aisle of our little grocery store in Paia, Maui. Maui is a small island and Paia is an even smaller town, so I already knew a little bit about Keith when we ran into each other that day. Keith is the shaper and co-owner of Quatro International, and KT Surfing.

After a relaxed conversation, Keith asked me on a date. Not just any date… a 5 hour marathon drive around the island to spend the day in Hana, Maui! No pressure or anything! Fortunately, on that date we discovered quickly that this was going to last and the connection was strong. We had so much in common. We both had an interesting upbringing living abroad – I was born on the Big Island, Hawaii but spent my formative years in Paris and the South of France. Keith was born in Madagascar, his father being French and mother American. After leaving Madagascar, his family lived in Guadeloupe, and eventually he found his way to Maui, where I had moved after college. As a result of our upbringing, we are both bilingual in French, learning to speak it as a second language growing up in two vastly different cultures. We both shared a love for wine, travel, and great food – especially oysters. Our relationship became second nature and soon it was clear we would spend our lives together.

The proposal brought us back to Hana, where Keith suggested we go to take a break from our insane schedules. On the balcony of our bungalow at Travaasa Hana Resort, looking out over the ocean, Keith surprised me with a tray of shucked oysters and laying elegantly in an empty oyster shell, was a stunning rose gold and champagne diamond ring! He had my heart and the answer was so undeniably, yes!

Since we both have lived on Maui for a long time, we knew that we wanted to have our wedding on the island. As a co-owner of a boutique destination wedding planning company, I knew it would be a breeze to organize our big day. We had all of the best vendors, tips and tricks right at my fingertips. With the help of my dear friend, business partner and co-owner of Belle, Jane Park-Gonzales; Keith and I were able to have a wedding of our dreams.

The Villa at the Calasa Olive Farm was the perfect venue for us. The Villa and surrounding property literally looks like it was plucked from the hills of Tuscany and planted on the mountain slope of Maui. Rolling hills with neat rows of olive trees and a vineyard make up the gorgeous surroundings of this beautiful venue. I gave us a nod to the European-based cultures that we grew up with on the island that we call home.

We wanted a celebration with our closest friends and family in a beautiful and elegant atmosphere that also felt comfortable and festive. Choosing our vendors was definitely a no-brainer since we here on Maui are so fortunate to be able to have some of the best talents in the industry. The vendors we work with are really our extended family and having them be a part of our experience was incredibly special. Mandy Grace designs created THE most stunning compliments to the landscape, bringing in rich berry hues to elevate the aesthetic. We served freshly shucked oysters on the half-shell, passed cigarette-girl style in custom-made trays. We set up a sommelier wine tasting and cheese bar for guests to sample some of our favorite fine wines. Sugar Beach Events curated a Tuscan family-style menu which created a great feeling of warmth as guests shared their stories, laughter, and passed platters of ravioli. Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering served delectable fresh craft cocktails behind a beautiful bar with a 9ft custom made bar menu by the talented Miss B Calligraphy. These are just to name a few, because each and every vendor that contributed to our day was priceless and phenomenal. Everything we incorporated in to the wedding day was a true reflection of who we are as a couple, which made it very personal. It really allowed us an opportunity to share elements of our lives with our guests.

All said and done, it felt so amazing to be on the other side of it all! At the events that I plan, I am typically the one running around, making sure that everything is perfect for our clients. The fact that I was able to relax and enjoy the incredible feeling of being a Bride was incredible. I was able to be fully present and focus on this life changing moment with Keith and the people that we hold most dear to us. It truly was a night I will always look back on with the fondest of memories!

A Romantic Farm Wedding Full of Bright Blooms – And SMP Was There!

This wedding has every element that make SMP hearts beat a bit faster. Gorgeous invites and paper goods (thanks to Bella Figura and Tie Thats Binds), beautiful florals (because Hana Floral Design is ah-mazing), and it all came together thanks to True Event. So is it any surprise that SMP had to attend in person and capture the behind the scenes action?! See all our footage below and don’t miss Elysium Productions’ film – aka the pros – and all of Leila Brewster’s beautiful pics in our Vault gallery as well! Win, win, win!

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SMP Goes Behind the Scenes at the Real Wedding!

Colors

Seasons

Spring Weddings

Settings

Rustic Weddings

Styles

Classic Weddings Rustic

From the Groom… Now that we live farther away from family and friends, we wanted our wedding to be a chance for us to spend time with as many of the people we love as possible. Despite being based in Los Angeles, we chose Cape Cod because most of my family lives there or close by. The distance definitely made the planning and preparation process a challenge, but we were so lucky to have our family, friends, and wedding team on the ground to help us with the details and work we couldn’t cover from LA. On the day of, we didn’t have to worry about a thing – everything went perfectly and Megan and I were able to just enjoy our time with the people we love.

From the Bride… Garrett and I met in 2009 at a dive bar in New York City on Valentine’s Day. I knew during our first conversation that he was something special, but he was in a relationship at the time and didn’t give me a second look. Despite that, I told my mom after meeting him that I wanted to date someone like Garrett, who I called “Cape Cod Boy.” Two years later, we re-met in Hoboken, New Jersey. Garrett was single and he remained the cutest, kindest, and funniest guy I had ever met. Long story short, we kissed that day and started dating – and we’ll never stop.

The first thing that made me fall in love with Garrett is his devotion to his family and friends. We wanted the wedding weekend to reflect our appreciation and gratitude for the people we love, so we focused the entire weekend on spending as much time with friends and family as possible, starting with a Thursday night barbecue and continuing to Friday night open-house cocktails hosted by my cooler-than-cool mother-in-law and a Sunday brunch so that everyone could recover from the wedding night together.

What was your favorite part of the wedding planning process?

I have a few highlights (the cake and wine tasting being the standout), but I can’t say I actually loved the planning process all that much. That’s why I hired the best team of vendors in the business. My favorite part of the process was getting to the wedding day and having no stress that weekend about my guests, my wedding party, or my vows. My husband and I were able to really focus on being with our family throughout the entire weekend because we could rely on our amazing planners, Sarah and Caitlin with True Event, and their team of hand-picked vendors.

Why did you choose the location that you did?

We wanted to get married close to one of our families and in a place that would feel casual but permit us to bring in touches of elegance. The themes of our wedding were “warm and inclusive” – we wanted every guest to feel like he or she was a part of the wedding party and to feel as though we, the bride and groom, were accessible to them. Bourne Farm was the perfect setting. Garrett’s mom lives about five minutes away in North Falmouth. The property is open to the public generally and used as a dog park and a pumpkin patch seasonally, which gave it the family-friendly vibes that we wanted. We were able to bring in a gorgeous tidewater tent and take advantage of the beautiful natural scenery while bringing in colorful personal touches.

What was your favorite design element?

This is the hardest question by far! I think I have to say that my favorite design elements were those made by our family: the beautiful bittersweet vine arch that Garrett’s cousin, Lauren made for us (and our extraordinary florist, Yumiko, glammed up with peonies and greens), and the white standing doors that Garrett’s aunt, Ruthanne, made for our ceremony site. I cried when I saw the doors from the trolley with my wedding party – they had moldings and details, and Ruthanne perfectly brought to life this vision I had described at the dinner table months earlier. She, Lauren, and Garrett’s family spent so much time and energy trying to make our day perfect and those design elements will always stand out in my mind because I know the love that they put into bringing my Pinterest-inspired visions to life.

Sarah, Caitlin, and Yumiko brought many other touches to the tent and cocktail hour that I loved, too – the beautiful garland on the head table; our gold flatware; our signature cocktail brought from our favorite restaurant in our new home city, Los Angeles, and named after the bar where we met in our old hometown, New York; and our guestbook, a coffee table book about Italy, where we honeymooned after the wedding.

I was so lucky to have Sarah to advise me on my vendors, and I ended up with a dream team supporting me on the day: True Event – Sarah and Caitlin – are not only creative geniuses and organizational wizards, they’re also just very kind individuals. I came to Sarah with two themes for our wedding – warm and inclusive – which have nothing to do with colors, linens, or music, and she understood our objectives right away and created a gorgeous party that far surpassed our wildest expectations. Hana Floral made our day so beautiful and single-handedly brought my request for bright and cheery pops of color to the blank slate of our venue. Leila Brewster is an enormously talented photographer and a friend who I would want by my side for eight hours (or more!) any day. And Julie Hill, who introduced me to Sarah (for which I am eternally grateful), made our gorgeous video that we’ll cherish forever.

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Elysium Productions

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Florals

Hana Floral Design

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Wedding Dresses

Anne Barge

Spring 2012

Fall 2012

Spring 2014

Fall 2013

Fall 2014 Couture

Fall 2014 Black Label

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Macrame + Wildflowers For the Win With This Boho Chic Wedding

Built by the Groom’s great-great-grandfather in 1850, this old farmhouse was taken over by him and his high school sweetheart, and when you have a site as amazing as this, you don’t need to look far when deciding where to say your “I do’s.” It was the perfect setting for their boho chic bash, planned and designed by Always Yours Events and captured for eternity thanks to Jenny Moloney. Get ready to get inspired in our Vault gallery right this way!

Colors

Seasons

Summer Weddings

Settings

Backyard

Styles

Bohemian

From Always Yours Events… Last Autumn I had the pleasure of meeting Laura Spetalnick and Avery Chaplin at their gorgeous private estate and restored colonial farmhouse on Love Lane in Weston, Massachusetts to chat about their upcoming wedding over a cup of tea. Laura and Avery were high school sweethearts. Avery proposed to Laura with a stunning emerald engagement ring, so perfectly fitting and sentimental since he had given Laura an emerald “promise” ring when they had first started dating years prior. When they began the planning journey, they both agreed that their home would be the perfect backdrop for this remarkable celebration. The house on Love Lane was originally built in 1850 by Avery’s great great grandfather, and Laura and Avery moved back to the home after college to restore the farmhouse together. As they shared with me their family history as we walked out out into the expansive meadow just beyond their patio, I could tell that this wedding was not only going to be a beauty, but also magical in more ways than one.

This sweet couple hosted 260 of their family and friends in their backyard under a clear top tent strewn with bistro lights and stunning foraged privet bush greenery chandeliers. The entire design of the wedding was very much inspired by the couple’s farmhouse (which we had drawn and used on all of the stationery) and Laura’s stunning, couture Inbal Dror gown. Laura’s gown was a showstopper with it’s delicate draping sleeves, an open back and plunging illusion neckline. The bride instantly fell in love with the dress at Mark Ingram Atelier during a trip to NYC, as it reminded her of a bit of 1970s glamour, which then inspired the boho chic theme of the wedding design.

The color palette for the wedding was comprised of shades of mid tone greens, whites, charcoal gray and matte gold with pops of jewel tones including navy, forest green and mustard. The bridesmaids and flower girls all wore Jenny Yoo floral gowns with delicate floral crowns made of wax flower and smilax, which complimented the design of the wedding so beautifully. Under the clear top, guests danced on a reclaimed wood dance floor and dined at handcrafted farm tables covered in custom macrame runners and curated details such Love Lane honey bottle favors filled with the honey Avery cultivated from the beehives on the property. Guests enjoyed the honey signature cocktail bar featuring his and hers cocktails made with Love Lane Honey, to lounge vignettes filled with jewel tone vintage furniture, to the photo booth wall made entirely of greenery and wax flower and complete with white balloons tethered with smilax vines.

The Chaplins were such a pleasure to plan a wedding for, and their wedding planning journey was just as incredible as the wedding day itself. Every moment of Laura and Avery’s wedding was dreamy and ethereal, and two months after we are all wishing to go back to that gorgeous day.

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Bridesmaid Dresses

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

Spring 2017 Accessories Collection

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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Win the ‘Larson’ Print from Plum Pretty Sugar’s New Collection!

When our dear friends from Plum Pretty Sugar announced plans for a special Industry Collection, we were so on board. And when they asked our own Abby Larson to be one of their four industry leaders behind the collection…let’s just say our excitement went next level. In subtle hues and soft silhouettes, the collection features four prints in five styles from top wedding experts who know a thing or two about great taste. Have a peek and find out how to win a piece in the Larson print for yourself!

Plum Pretty Sugar’s Industry Collection features a stunning wedding capsule collection from four leading experts, including Abby Larson, Founder and Editor of Style Me Pretty; Keija Minor, Editor in Chief of Brides Magazine; Renown Photographer, Jose Villa; World-Class Planner, Lisa Vorce. Designed for all occasions surrounding a wedding, the pieces work from getting ready to boudoir to honeymoon, bachelorette party, bridal shower and beyond.

WHAT: A piece from Plum Pretty Sugar’s Industry Collection in The Larson Print. (Exact style TBD)

HOW: To enter, simply follow both Plum Pretty Sugar and Styled Me Pretty on Instagram + comment on this IG post with #SMPxPPS

WHO: Three lucky winners, chosen completely at random, will be announced right here on SMP!

WHEN: Giveaway ends on January 13th at 12pm EST. For terms and conditions, click here. Good luck, lovelies! xo

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Beauty: Beauty By Melina | Editorial Hair: Kenney Duy Of Fellini Salon | Editorial Photography: Jose Villa Photography | Editorial Styling: Geraldine Magazine | Studio Photography: Marisa Holmes Photographer

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
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Petit Bouquet

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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Lingerie

Plum Pretty Sugar

Castelbel & Trumpet

Signature

Lilli Tru

PomPon

Plum Pretty Sugar for BHLDN

PPS Couture

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Now this is How You Throw a Cozy Backyard Wedding

From the moment I watched Father of the Bride (best movie ever!), my love affair with classic backyard weddings began. There is something so cozy and beautiful about a homegrown affair and Jacqueline and James threw one for the books. With the help of Slainte Event Planning & Design and Christina Zen Studio, they turned a family home into the prettiest, most elegant venue. Also, mini bottles of champagne served with straws are pure genius. See even more in the vault.