Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Wtoo Wedding Dresses Spring 2017View Slideshow
Photography: Courtesy Wtoo | Wedding Dress: Wtoo
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Willowby by Watters Wedding Dresses Spring 2017View Slideshow
Photography: Courtesy Willowby by Watters | Wedding Dress: Willowby by Watters
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Watters Wedding Dresses Spring 2017View Slideshow
Photography: Courtesy Watters | Wedding Dress: Watters
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Lazaro Wedding Dresses Spring 2017View Slideshow
Photography: JLM Couture, Inc | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Ines di Santo Wedding Dresses Spring 2017View Slideshow
Photography: Ines Di Santo | Wedding Dress: Ines Di Santo
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Elizabeth Fillmore Wedding Dresses Spring 2017View Slideshow
Photography: Elizabeth Fillmore | Wedding Dress: Elizabeth Fillmore
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Kenneth Pool Spring 2017 Wedding DressesView Slideshow
Photography: KENNETH POOL | Wedding Dress: KENNETH POOL
Our take on the beautiful new dresses is coming soon. In the meantime, see them for yourself below!
Hayley Paige Spring 2017 Wedding DressesView Slideshow
Photography: JLM Couture, Inc | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc
Brides, it’s time to break out the happy dance. Kayla Barker teamed up with some of the very best and is unveiling her latest workshop photos right here, right now. Set at a dreamy French chateau, Stefanie Miles Events and Bows and Arrows led a team of awesome vendors making wedding magic, and that means images for us to drool over all afternoon long. Join the party in The Vault, and peek behind-the-scenes with BubbleRock Studios’ film below.
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From Kayla Barker Fine Art Photography, Stefanie Miles Events and Bows and Arrows…Last summer in the quaint town of Saint Julien l’Ars just a few hours from Paris, a group of photography attendees from all over the world gathered at the one thousand year old Chateau Saint Julien for the Kayla Barker Workshop. From welcome to departure, every detail was attended to by film photographer, Kayla Barker and workshop and event designer, Stefanie Miles and their team. The schedule consisted of discussions of film photography, business, branding and more with Kayla Barker and guest speakers Stefanie Miles, Sara Russell of the wedding blog Wedding Sparrow and floral designer Alicia Rico of Bows + Arrows.
The attendees of the workshop were greeted with champagne and a welcome cocktails with delicious French food catered by Nomadis Catering styled by Stefanie on an antique wooden table. Simplicity and balance were well-considered in the styling of this vignette, and accented with local foraged greenery.
The highlight of the workshop was the hands-on photography time that each attendee experienced. Wedding editorial photo shots, a bridal boudoir and gorgeous vignettes were planned, designed and styled by Stefanie Miles with florals by Bows + Arrows. Models and real life couple, Brytny and Kiley, were part of the process expressing real love and emotions which gave the photoshoots authenticity. The day after the workshop, Kiley proposed to Brytny which made the experience even more memorable for the two of them (and the attendees were all so excited to hear about afterwards!)
The photo shoots emulated a couple’s full wedding weekend at the fifty acre estate. Stefanie started with a beautifully styled table with gray striped linens and elegant cross-back chairs framed beautifully by the arches in the garden. Place settings of clean and modern china and vessels paired with antique silver flatware continued the neutral setting, perfect for the bold and rich berry tones of the florals to complete the rehearsal dinner table. Brytny wore a two piece gown from Tatyana Merenyuk and we couldn’t resist giving her lush floral bouquet full of unique blooms and trailing greenery as well.
A getting ready bridal boudoir was staged in one of the light and airy rooms of the chateau with perfect hair and make-up for all of the shoots by Patricia of My Beauty Corner. Girl With a Serious Dream supplied a beautiful, long lace robe and complementing veil. Jewelry and details were styled by Stefanie along with beautiful custom calligraphy pieces from Written Word Calligraphy. The elegant and romantic invitations incorporated the crest found at the entrance to the Chateau, as a subtle nod to the historic charm of the property.
Bows + Arrows filled the grand staircase of the chateau with greenery, and Stefanie collaborated with them to conceptualize and design the floral chandelier installation which created the perfect setting for the bridal portraits. Brytny wore a stunning gown by the immensely talented Claire Pettibone, courtesy of The Dress Theory. The photography attendees practiced photographing movement and emotion on film while videographers Bubblerock captured the flowing dress and beautiful story of the week on Super 8 film.
For the main wedding photo shoot, Stefanie created a stunning layered tabletop, effortlessly mixing shades of gray undertoned-ivories with golds, a textured table throw tossed over the french table linen and accented with just the right amounts of blush in the floral for an extra dose of feminine charm. The calligraphed menu was presented on a ceramic gold-rimmed handmade tray, and the velvet ribbon created a stunning presentation for the scrolled place cards for the napkin treatment. The gold flatware courtesy of Posh Couture Rentals was a standout piece on the tabletop, adding just the right amount of elevated luxury to the setting. The wedding dress was custom made for the workshop by Tatyana Merenyuk with organic florals and French romance in mind with the lace overlay corset top and flowing chiffon skirt complemented by a Girl With a Serious Dream veil. Brytny and Kiley’s true love was clearly apparent while being photographed by the attendees around the gorgeous grounds and tree tunnel of the chateau.
Bows + Arrows’ Alicia and Adam Rico not only foraged from the land surrounding them but Stefanie and Alicia were in creative heaven as they scoured the Parisian flower market for the most gorgeous blooms and textures to bring the vision to life. They found many seasonal summer blooms to fill their on site studio – lotus, peony, scabiosa, dahlia, lisianthus, poppies, cosmos, and locally grown garden roses were all in abundance. They used these for the bridal bouquet paired with ribbon from Silk & Willow. A wedding ceremony arch was created in the garden with asymmetrical blooms and free-flowing wild vines and greenery to create an idyllic setting for the ever-important marriage vows.
The final look for the wedding weekend consisted of a casual brunch. Effortlessly happy florals took center stage on the antique wood tables, accented with pops of olive wood tea lights, Salt Shop Handmades handmade pinch bowls and the linen tea towels used as napkins, and an overall neutral tabletop to let the natural beauty of the surroundings and fresh floral shine. Brytny wore another gown by Tatyana Merenyuk showing off the back with an elegant up-do and Kiley couldn’t have looked more dapper in his navy tux. They wandered the steps of the ancient church while flower girls, Dotty and Pia scattered petals in the garden in preparation for their farewell kiss.
The final dinner was set just past garden and framed by the beautiful chateau. This setting was a special surprise for the attendees, full of celebration for them – their hard work, talent, and commitment to bettering their craft and their businesses. Jars of caramel found in Paris by Stefanie were tied with leather engraved tags created by Paper Birch Designs featuring Written Word Calligraphy’s beautiful handwritten names. The entire creative team couldn’t have been more proud of the students willingness to learn, create, and expand their perspectives and abilities and the dinner was a meaningful and sweet time to encourage each other and connect as industry peers and friends.
Throughout the full week, birds sung, the church bells rung every hour and crisp air moved through the open windows of the chateau. Beauty, joy, learning and creative collaboration filled our days for a magical and memorable week at Chateau Saint Julien.
Photography: Kayla Barker Fine Art Photography | Cinematography: Bubblerock | Floral Design: Bows and Arrows | Shoes: Freya Rose | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Jewelry: Nordstrom | Catering: Nomadis Catering | Hair + Makeup: MyBeautyCorner | Groom's Attire: The Black Tux | Venue: Chateau St Julien | Bridal Boutique (Indoor): The Dress Theory | Calligraphy + Stationery: Written Word Calligraphy | Chair Rentals: Options | Custom Leather Journals: Jenni Bick Bookbinding | Digital Editing Sponsorship: Mastin Labs Portra Preset Pack | Event Design, Styling, Linen Rentals + Details: Stefanie Miles Events | Film Lab Sponsorship + Processing: Richard Photo Lab | Film Sponsorship: Kodak Alaris | Gold Flatware: Posh Couture Rentals | Guest Speaker: Wedding Sparrow | Leather Tags + Wooden Names: Paper Birch Designs | Letterpress: The Press Co | Napkins, Apron + Pinch Bowls: Salt Shop Handmades | Ribbon + Runner: Silk and Willow | Robe + Veils: Girl With A Serious Dream | Wedding Dress (Indoor): Claire Pettibone | Wedding Dresses (Outdoor): Tatyana Merenyuk | Workshop Host: Kayla Barker Fine Art Photography
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These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Your besties are awesome… which is why they’re standing beside you on your Big Day. So finding the right dress to complement each of their unique personalities? Sooo important. Enter ModCloth, a sweet boutique that knows everything about making your bridal party happy with high-quality fabrics, elegant details and silhouettes that will WOW. Mix and match perfection? We are SO on board.
Let’s be honest – finding the perfect bridesmaid gowns can be a tad bit stressful, but with ModCloth, narrowing down the right look (or looks!) is the easiest part of planning your wedding. That’s because ModCloth’s never-ending lineup of carefully curated frocks is available in a full range of sizes and styles that will work for EVERY bridesmaid in your bridal party. Even better? ModCloth’s selection of short and sassy + long and elegant options make it seriously simple to select dresses that are unique to each of your girls… all while forming a totally cute + totally cohesive look. It’s mixing and matching ’til your heart’s content, ecstatic bridesmaids included.
Ready to begin your journey towards the world’s cutest bridal party? Grab your ladies and head to ModCloth today to start shopping – and don’t forget to check out their array of shoes, accessories and intimates. We CAN’T WAIT to see the results, lovelies.
You try to be eco-friendly in your every-day life, so why should your wedding day be any different? In honor of Earth Day, we spoke to Melissa Sweet, the designer behind Melissa Sweet Bridal for David’s Bridal and Sacred Bride, for easy and pretty tips to go green on your wedding day. After spending several years in Costa Rica running Vida Autentica, an organic farming foundation, who better to share her eco-friendly wedding tips? Get them all below!
Eco-Friendly Wedding TipsView Slideshow
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P.S. How to DIY a Beautiful Bouquet
Today, you are in for one very pretty treat courtesy of Alex Warschauer. A scenic Malibu setting. A gorgeous Bride with a beautiful white dress that will give you some major wardrobe envy. And a handsome Groom looking dapper in his Marine uniform. It all adds up to one seriously breathtaking engagement session that will cure any Monday blues. See all the pretty in The Vault!
From Alex Warschauer…This past weekend I had the pleasure of working with Michelle + Will on the warm, sunlit cliffs of Malibu for an engagement session. Even though our shoot was during the evening in February you would have sworn it was mid summer. Their first outfit was formal- Michelle rocked a white gown with a plunging neckline and Will donned his formal military blues. While we photographed and walked around, we found cool spots tucked away in the Cliffside and I was told about how Michelle + Will first met.
Their second outfits we more casual and went with the location perfectly. Will was over the moon that he could finally wear his casual clothes; apparently those dress blues are more fashion than function. We headed up to the top of the hill where we were shooting and discovered the most epic bluff overlooking Malibu beach and the Pacific. While the sun dipped behind the ocean we spent the last few minutes of daylight capturing love, laughs, and some epic views. Michelle + Will were and absolute delight to work with and I can’t wait for their wedding in Palos Verdes, CA later this year!
Photography: Alex Warschauer Photography | Venue: Malibu Beach | Photography - Assistance: Lindsey Lawhon
For her: it’s all about modern lighting and pretty pattern. For him: sturdy pieces like leather chairs and a rustic wood buffet. Now mash those all together into one beautiful Capitol Hill home and you have this pretty gem designed by Kiera & Jessica of Residents Understood. It blends two different styles in an insanely gorgeous way and all with a playful, life is too short to not have a fab wallpapered entry kind of vibe. See the full tour captured by Bonnie Sen right here.
Our clients asked us to design the first floor of their row house in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC. The young couple had different tastes when it came to homes as well as home furnishings.
The house itself appealed to his more traditional side so she wanted the furnishings and fixtures to add a modern to touch the spaces. Additionally the couple loved to entertain so they wanted the rooms to feel polished but still practical for their growing family.
We opted for a rich navy blue base color palette as he gravitated towards more masculine tones. But when paired with bright whites and soft pastels the house was able to maintain an airy modern feel overall.
Throughout the spaces a sense of both of their styles we kept in mind and particular pieces chosen for each of them; the rustic wood buffet and leather chairs for him – the modern glass chandelier and playful wallpaper for her.
Photography: Bonnie Sen | Design and Styling: Kiera Kushlan
Some may say that ice fishing isn’t romantic, but those people would be, well… wrong. Because if this darling duo is proving anything, it’s that bundling up and braving the elements can be a seriously sweet date night… as long as you have fabulous vendors like Lumiere Luxe and Rhythm Photography on board. Dive into THE VAULT for even more of this hot cocoa extravaganza, cute pup and all.
From Lumiere Luxe… I have known Michelle since high school and when she asked me to be her Maid of Honour, I teared with happiness. Kelvin and Michelle are perfect for each other. They are down to earth, fun, warm and sweet, and their choice for engagement shoot was no exception.
Ice fishing is Kelvin’s favourite hobby, which has rubbed off onto Michelle over their dating years. After some ice fishing, we created a cozy lounge that was filled with dusty pink and grey pillows, throws and hot chocolate. We also roasted marshmallows and shared the occasion with Michelle’s lovely dog, Hugo.
The celebration was marked with the world-class, award-winning VQA red and white ice wine from Willow Springs Winery, which is no doubt one of the best ice wine in Ontario. Ice Culture also designed letter blocks with the couple’s initials. They even created small glasses for them to keep the ice wine cold.
Hand lettered art was the perfect touch of elegant. Love Lettering created a beautiful signage to remind everyone that there will be two less fish in the sea.
To conclude, the photographer took the couple to enjoy winter activities, such as snowshoeing and sledding.
Photography: Rhythm Photography | Event Planning: Lumiere Luxe | Hair + Makeup: Lorraine Makeup Artistry | Venue: Cook's Bay Ontario | Ice Sculptures: Ice Culture | Ice Wine: Willow Springs Winery | Signage: Love Lettering
Last fall I was faced with blood sugar issues that forced me to change the way I look at nutrition. Up to that point, eating was indulging in muffins like these for breakfast far too often! But I came to realize that mindful eating really is delicious eating, too. Infusing super foods is such an easy way to start the transition—are you getting these nutritious items into your weekly meal plan?
Avocado
High in potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E and a source of healthy fat, avocados are the ultimate super food and we love them for their versatility. They’re also wonderful for pregnant women (high folate levels), aiding in growing development for babies and stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Meal Plan Ideas: Mix them up in morning smoothies, serve alongside an omelette, add to your sandwiches, eat plain and of course, guacamole!
Salmon
I used to eat salmon once in a blue moon while dining out. Not because I didn’t love it, but because I was intimidated to cook it and make it taste just as good as all the chefs did. Now? My husband and I have it at least once a week for dinner and incorporate it into lunches too! It gives us a healthy dose of Omega-3’s for lowering heart disease, blood pressure and inflammation. Did you know salmon can also improve brain function as well? A superfood worthy of the name.
Meal Plan Ideas: Smoked salmon salads for lunch, salmon burgers, baked salmon served with greens and sweet potatoes, marinated and grilled salmon, slow-roasted salmon and more! Also, make sure to buy wild-caught.
Chia Seeds
These little guys are packed with so much goodness: calcium, fiber and Omega-3’s. So if you just can’t do the above mentioned salmon, these are a great alternative.
Meal Plan Ideas: Add these babies to anything you can think of! Smoothie bowls, almond butter, energy balls, salads, quinoa, etc. You get the idea!
Leafy Greens
This one is sort of a no-brainer, but really—do you incorporate enough into your weekly meals? I know I aim to but can always do better. Think swiss chard, kale, spinach, mustard greens… they deliver a dose of vitamins A, C, K as well as calcium, folate and potassium.
Meal Plan Ideas: Again, smoothies! They’re such a good vehicle for the nutrients we need. Also, frittatas, salads, sautéed sides with salmon, add them to your sandwiches for lunch, pasta dishes, chickpea salad, soups, etc.
Walnuts (+ Chocolate!)
These are my go-to mid-day snack! Walnuts are packed with omega-3’s, alpha-linolenic acid, melatonin, copper, manganese and Vitamin E. And chocolate can help to reduce your bad cholesterol as well as give a healthy dose of antioxidants. A winning combo if you ask me.
Meal Plan Ideas: Simply mix walnuts and chocolate together for a easy afternoon snack, add walnuts to smoothies, salads, crushed as a topping for fish or meats, add to healthy baked goods and so much more.
Legumes
The two main ones we eat are chickpeas and black beans. As someone who struggles with blood sugar issues, it’s so important for me to incorporate complex carbs into my daily meals to sustain myself throughout the day. Beans provide that sustenance as well as calcium, folate, potassium and Vitamin B.
Meal Plan Ideas: Add black beans to quesadillas, make a fresh chickpea salad mixed with greens and tomatoes, make your own hummus with chickpeas and a small food processor, add to chilis, serve as sides, add to omelettes.
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Now that you’ve made your healthy choices for the week, choose a couple of cheats! Might we suggest a glass of red wine sangria? Aren’t there health benefits of red wine?!
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23 Recipes to Make in Under 23 MinutesView Slideshow
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More Mindful Eating Inspiration this way!
The Weekly Meal Planning Guide that Will Change Your Life
20 Infused Water ‘Recipes’
The Perfect Pink Smoothie To Kick Some Monday Booty
I live for spring and summer. The more sunshine, fresh air and warm breezes I get, the happier I am and that means a beautiful outdoor space is a must on my home list. From seating to lighting to greenery and everything in between, these 15 essentials will help you pull off a stunner space.
15 Ingredients for a Lounge-Worthy Dream PatioView Slideshow
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Watch Abby’s Tips for Unfussy Outdoor Entertaining!
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More Al Fresco Goodness this way…
A Party that Gives Major Alfresco Dining Goals
Must-Know Summer Entertaining Tips
24 Outdoor Entertaining Essentials to Step Up Your Next Soiree
Anyone that knows me, KNOWS how I feel about Hello Kitty. Translation: I LOVE HELLO KITTY. So clearly, this wedding is my new absolute favorite, kawaii to the core. With Natasha Hurley Photography behind the lens capturing every culturally significant detail paired with elegant whimsy to the max, we’ve got it all waiting for you to favorite via The Vault!
From Natasha Hurley Photography… I am thrilled to share this beautiful and heartfelt wedding set in The Queen’s House in Greenwich, London. The day maintained Chinese traditions whilst also incorporating an elegant, classical English wedding feel. The couple opted for a Tea Ceremony in the morning (prior to which there were ‘games’ which had been dreamed up by the bridesmaids and which the groom and his groomsmen had to pass before being allowed to see the bride). After the Tea Ceremony the bride and groom tied the knot in the opulent Queen’s House with its black and white tiled floor and classical columns. The couple included summer English garden games for guests during the drinks reception and a gumball machine with lucky dip toys which also doubled up as favors. The bride decorated the gardens of the Queen’s House with giant tea-cups and saucers as seating. The bride wore a beautiful full length gown and cathedral veil for the ceremony changing into traditional Chinese dress for the Tea ceremonies and toasts in the evening.
From The Bride…We envisaged a very classic, traditional and elegant wedding with subtle hints expressing our playful personalities set our home of London.
One of the reasons we chose The Queens House as our venue was because we fell for the beautiful architecture from the black and white marble flooring to columns outside to the history of the building it definitely was a classical setting. We are really lucky to have such a beautiful, charming venue local to us, it was the perfect location in Greenwich Park with a view of the River Thames. In terms of color I particularly love the blush pinks and wanted to keep it quite neutral but also adding touches of gold and black to give it a slight hint of a luxury feel and sophistication.
Origami Heart Wishes – My brother is very creative, I gave him a sample of an origami heart I really liked and wanted to incorporate into the wedding as as wish for our guests to write on so we could keep forever. After a few days he changed the design to suit what we wanted, made a batch and taught all my aunties, uncles and cousin’s how to make them. It was a fun session with all my family and 6 hours later 250 gold and pink origami hearts were made, thank you to all my family!
I have a big love for flowers and have always had an idea of what I wanted my bouquet to look like – blush color tones with my favorite flowers and natural looking. My wedding planner (Mark Tilley from Palette) and I had our initial meet and he understood exactly what my thoughts were, we looked through my pinterest boards and it was confirmed that my bouquet would consist of blush peonies, blush and sand colored roses and white turning green hydrangeas that I would use as my substitute for foliage. The first time I saw my bouquet, it was a feeling of love for the most perfect union of flowers and admiration for Mark. The bouquet was much bigger than I anticipated but I secretly loved that it was.
The 1st time I ever tried on a wedding gown, it was the Alcanar by Pronovias. Lace, simple, strapless with a small sweetheart neckline, princess cut that was light, fluffy and had a big train. It was everything I wanted & when I put it on it made my maid of honor Leekim cry. I spent another 6 months trying on lots of other dresses in all designs, shapes and materials which were all stunning but nothing compared to that vey 1st dress. So it was decided with a matching veil and pearl covered peep toe Gina’s, a pair of simple rose gold diamond drop earrings I would walk down the aisle in the Alcanar gown.
We wanted something different, something unique and we spent a long time brainstorming lots of ideas. We wanted something for our guests to associate with us, with the wedding, with happily ever after as after all that is what a wedding is all about. We hired a giant gumball machine and put this outside the orangery in the garden where the string quartet was playing classic Disney songs with everyone singing the words off by heart. We had made personalized tokens for each guest with their name on and put it on their seats. After the ceremony they could then use the token to redeem a giant gumball. Once you received one and popped it open, out came a Disney Tsum Tsum with a little personalized thank you card from us. Along with the Disney music in the background and with the Disney Tsum Tsum it was a little bit of magical surprise and happily ever after for everyone.
I was initially unsure with how I wanted the cake to look as there are sooo many amazing cakes out there especially after visiting all the wedding exhibitions and seeing all the displays, the cakes were simply out of this world. I did lots of research and of course put together a pinterest board with designs, colors, and details I liked about each cake. I met with Maria-Antonia from Villa Dolce who advised me from her experience what would work best. I then took what I liked out of each cake on my pinterest and sketched them onto a bit of paper, it was an all white 5 layer cake. Our logo on the middle layer with beading, lace detailing, and ribbon on all other layers. On the day the cake was decorated with flowers matching my bouquet and cutting into the cake revealed a yummy bright red velvet flavored sponge.
Photography: Natasha Hurley | Cinematography: I Wedding Visuals | Wedding Dress: Pronovias | Cake: Villa Dolce | Bride's Shoes: Gina | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bespoke (made In Hong Kong) | Catering: Palette Events | Hair + Makeup: Julie Cooper | Groom's Attire: Dress 2 Kill | Groomsmen Attire: Burberry | Venue: The Queen's House, Greenwich | Event Planning + Floral Design: Palette Events | Tea Ceremony Venue: Ardoe House Hotel
These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here
For membership information, click here
I love a good invitation picture, and today, thanks to Theo Milo Photography and Twenty One Films, I’m getting one (and so many other gorgeous photos in The Vault). From the pretty illustrated invitations to all the handpicked details, this North Carolina wedding is full of magic—and Southern hospitality to welcome guests from all over the country!
From The Bride…Raised just outside of Raleigh, I always knew I wanted to get married in my hometown church, just an earshot from the house I grew-up in. Something I did not know was that I would be calling New Jersey home when my Dale proposed. Luckily for me, my New Jersey native was happy to tie the knot in the land of the pine, and the planning began!
Being that many of our quests would be seeing North Carolina for the first time, it was important to us to make them feel at home. From gift bags filled with Texas Pete and Burts Bees to chicken and waffles hors d’oeuvres, we worked hard to incorporate some of the best things North Carolina has to offer.
In addition to honoring NC, we still wanted the weekend to feel like us and showcase all of the things we love so deeply: food, music, the outdoors, our family history and most of all, each other. Looking back at our wedding day, we did just that. We hand-picked each item on the menu and each song on the playlist. A piece of my late grandfather’s favorite blue tie was sewn into my wedding dress and the lace from my mother’s veil was wrapped around my bouquet. Dale spent the moments ahead of the ceremony testing out the guitar I gifted him and the moments after enjoying a cigar from our cigar bar.
Having spent most of the night on the dance floor, or lost in our own little world, we were thankful we had an amazing photography and videography team to capture all those little elements and moments that were so special to us.
Our wedding day would not have been possible without our hard-working vendors and love and support from friends and family.
To reflect our love for the outdoors Dale and I chose an outdoor venue for our November reception. We selected deep greens mixed with soft peach and hints of gold as our colors throughout the weekend. These shades could be seen in our lush flowers, hand-written place cards, menus and linens. Our classic rock band kept the dance floor packed and when folks needed a break they slipped over to our cigar bar (complete with personalized gold foil matches). The evening ended with a desert bar, including make your own s’mores, pies on a stick, whoopee pies and other goodies all displayed on a table handmade by my father. I wore a strapless Jim Hjelm dress with a custom crystal belt for a little bling, which was also reflected in my shoes and jewelry. Dale, was in a Calvin Klein tuxedo. I wore a blue topaz bracelet from Dale and my great grandmother’s wedding band — a something “old” and “blue.”
Dale and I ended our magical day with a sparkler exit before taking off for our honeymoon in Hawaii.
Photography: Theo Milo Photography | Cinematography: Twenty One Films | Event Planning: Nicole Goodrich | Floral Design: Simply Elegant Floral Design | Cake: Main Street Grille | Ceremony Venue: St Catherine's Cathedral | Reception Venue: The Sutherland, Estate & Gardens | Catering: Unforgettable Food Affairs | Makeup: Perfection By Patricia | Hair: Beauty Bar Boutique | Band: Adrian Duke | Transportation: Blue Diamond | Rentals: CE Rentals
When your parent’s home is as beautiful as this, there doesn’t need to be much thought given to where to say “I do.” It’s simply perfect thanks to Julia Lake, and Hannah Suh captured it in its entirety during this romantic, sweet spring wedding that just makes me so, so happy. From the floral applique dress to the stationery and paper goods courtesy of Roseville Designs, I love every beautiful bit – hop on over to the Vault to see every detail and fall in love right along with me!
From Hannah Su… This wedding was, from beginning to end, a deeply personal one with lots of family connections and meaning. So I’ll let the bride tell it in her own words!
From the Bride… When we started the planning process, we wanted the whole day to be fun, organic, romantic and carefree. While it was important to find elements that made the day about us, we constantly thought about our guests and what they may enjoy the most or what it might take to make it a great night for everyone.
“Family” was the central theme for us and was what I seemed to tie back to every decision we made. We always knew that we wanted to have both the ceremony and reception at my parent’s home because home is where families make the best memories. For the ceremony, it was important for us to have a space that was unique and intimate because we would be sharing our most intimate and special vows with our closest family and friends. It was also important to have a location that held deep family ties. Fifteen years ago, I helped my late grandmother, Lila Jaeger, plant the olive trees that grow the olives for our family’s Jaeger Family olive oil (which we also shared with our guests at our reception). Removing a few trees from the center of one of the olive groves on the property enabled us to form new memories within that sacred place, and created the perfect intimate environment we were dreaming of.
When I was born, my Dad saved wine from our family wineries, Rutherford Hill and Freemark Abbey, for my wedding day (we were lucky that he had also saved wine from the following year when Harrison was born). Everyone was able to share this special wine with us over our Elaine Bell family-style dinner.
It was important for us to keep the spaces we were spending time in as organic as possible and keep nature as the centerpiece. We held the reception under bistro lights strung among the walnut trees and our wedding colors were picked to blend in with the garden. Most of the flowers we used were already growing in the gardens around us which made the reception seem like an extension of the surrounding property.
The flowers were my favorite part of the wedding and made the night all the more magical for me. We wanted the olive branches to be the predominant piece in all arrangements to tie in the ceremony, reception and familial theme. Soft light was also important and was accomplished with bistro lighting and hundreds of small votives scattered throughout the garden.
I wanted the style and design of the wedding to be organic and romantic. With the help of Julia Lake, that vision came to life. After working with her to pin down what I was looking for, she referred me to Happy Menocal to help design and create a beautiful wedding monogram/crest to tie in the invitation suite to the ceremony and reception surroundings.
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Find more romantic, organic style weddings here!
Photography: Hannah Suh Photography | Event Design: Julia Lake Parties! | Event Planning: Yong Suk Events | Floral Design: Julia Lake Parties! | Catering: Elaine Bell Catering | Hair + Makeup: Minted Styling | Hair + Makeup: Amanda Peck Phelps | Calligraphy: Haute Calligraphy | Band: Notorious | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Monogram Design: Happy Menocal | Paper Goods: Roseville Designs | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
