Connecticut Weddings

Modern weddings with a touch of traditional style melt my heart every single time. As do adorable little ring bearers, precious puppies, and couples who are so in love, it’s beautifully obvious. And this Connecticut wedding has all of the above. On top of that, the affair was planned & designed by Jubilee Events, flora’d by Datura: A Modern Garden, and captured by Carla Ten Eyck. A couldn’t-get-any-better trifecta if you ask me. Click here for the rest!

From Carla Ten Eyck … Charmaine and Emanuel were married on a gorgeous September day. Their ceremony was held outside in the garden at the Waveny House. There was alot of energy throughout the whole day, and lots of smiles. The first dance was during sunset on the terrace at the Waveny and was just beautiful!

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Flowers: Datura: A Modern Garden / Event Planning & Design: Jubilee Events / Venue: Waveny House / Catering: Emily’s Catering / DJ: Rob Alberti / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. / Cake: Sweet Lisa’s / Musicians: Millennium of Music / Officiant: Mary Coburn

Oh Australia, how I love your weddings! Your couples are stunning, their taste impeccable, and the details-to die for! I’m seriously loving all the pretty little details like the amazing burlap cushions adorned with doilies for the ceremony, the super sweet Emily Browning quote backdrop, the gold glitter hearts on the brides shoes…I could literally go on and on but I think I should just let the amazing images by Samm Blake do the talking. And when you’re ready, click here for more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Our theme started out being “French Vintage,” although in reality, our wedding really ended up being an amalgamation of a lot of beautiful things we love. We kept everything quite neutral, adding splashes of colour through the garlands, flowers and china. I enjoyed the process of planning our wedding so much that I am now doing something I have thought about for many years and starting up my own event planning business to service Western Australia brides. “flights of fancy by kristy” will be a boutique event planning business with a focus on intimate, personal and unique weddings and private events in Western Australia. We will provide a range of services, from assistance with theme and budget to vendor recommendations and liaison, to day-of coordination and everything in between, tailoring packages to suit clients’ needs and budgets.  There are so many amazing vendors in WA, and I can’t wait to share my knowledge of those vendors with others!  I really enjoyed making our wedding unique and a true reflection of both of our personalities and tastes and I hope that through my business I can encourage and assist other couples to do the same.

I had a really hard time deciding whether or not to wear my glasses. I wear glasses all the time and don’t cope very well with contact lenses, but I did consider wearing them just for the ceremony and photos. I have always hated wearing glasses and just felt that a bride shouldn’t wear glasses! Daniel wanted me to wear them – he said that they were part of me and that it would freak him out if I came down the aisle without them! I spent a lot of time googling images of brides wearing glasses and reading discussion forums on the topic, which only confused me more! In the end, I am glad that I chose to wear them. I was comfortable and looked like me! I did buy some new ones for the occasion from Karen Millen.

The morning of the wedding was beautiful but about an hour before the ceremony was due to start it started pouring with rain. Our ceremony was all set up out in the open and had to be moved at the last minute so wasn’t exactly how it was meant to be, but it was still beautiful. After the ceremony, our guests enjoyed pre-dinner drinks and canapés while the bridal party went for photos. The plan was for us to all go down to the river and have a picnic under this beautiful big tree that I had spotted in some of Samm’s previous photo shoots. Unfortunately the wet weather prevented that from happening so instead we set up our picnic under the front verandah of the hotel! Those things aside, we had an incredible day and I think what was even more special was the week leading up to the wedding when I had my hens weekend away, Daniel had his bucks day, and we had family and friends visiting from interstate and overseas.  It was undoubtedly the best week of our lives, matched only by the week after that when we spent our honeymoon at a beautiful resort in the Maldives!

Wedding Photography: Samm Blake / Photobooth: Push the Button Photobooths / Celebrant: Danicia Dutry / Flowers + Dessert Buffet Styling: Fox & Rabbit / Cakes: Sherbet Bake Shop / Furniture, Typewriter, Photobooth Props, Vintage China + Venue Set-Up: her handpicked harvest / Votives, Menu Holders, Tealight Candle Holders, Keys + Garlands: BHLDN / Hessian/Burlap Bunting: Her Beautiful Life / Heart Garland: Little Retreats / China Teacups, Saucers + Cake Plates: Antiquitea / Menus, Drink Lists, Table Numbers, Various Signs + Place Cards: DIY by the Bride / Place Card Template: Eat Drink Chic / Wedding Invitations: Shayna Norwood of Steel Petal Press / Wedding Dress: Samantha Wynne / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Earrings: Vintage / Pearl Necklace: Borrowed from the Bride’s Aunt / Bride’s Hair + Makeup: Museo Salon & Spa / Bride’s + Bridesmaids’ Hairpieces: Tessa Kim / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alannah Hill, Wheels & Dollbaby, Review + Nicolangela / Clutches: Custom by J. Carter Handmade / Groom’s + Groomsmen’s Suits: Politix / Groom’s Shirt: Jack London / Pocket Squares: Myer / Flower Girl Dress + Cardigan: Bardot Junior / Flower Girl Shoes: Angel and Ivory / Ring Bearer Attire: Industrie Kids / Engagement Ring: Tiffany & Co. / Wedding Bands: Ecali / Ring Dish: Paloma’s Nest / Ceremony + Cocktail Music: Trevor Jalla / Dinner Music: The Elle Deslandes Trio /  Vow Books: Lorgie & Me /  Ceremony Backdrop: Designs Kara Melwood

When a Bride says the source of her wedding inspiration came from J.Crew and Kate Spade, I immediately fall in love her and consider her my bestie. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I fell head over heels in love with all the perfectly preppy pictures captured by the talented Kristin Spencer Photography in this colorful Connecticut celebration at the gorgeous Jonathan Edwards Winery. From the fabulous pops of color to the gorgeous New England backdrop, it’s hard not to love the wedding of this adorable duo! Click here for even more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… The whole feel of the wedding was based around my love for the styles and colors of Kate Spade and J.Crew. Two of my favorite stores — the day was a combo of both. We wanted the feeling of the wedding to be preppy but not nautical since we weren’t having it directly on the water. So, we went with preppy colors and patterns but nothing that was blatantly nautical. We had lots of red, white and blue mixed in with bright poppy pinks and lots of pretty soft turquoise. We brought in the burlap on the tables and twine on the invites (that’s the J.Crew part for me) and then we also, as contrast, had gold glitter sparkly table numbers with hot pink and red flowers on the tables (a little Kate Spade action). Lots of stripes– the ribbon on my bouquet, the guys ties, the invites…

For our cocktail hour, we had a special signature drink — pineapple orange margaritas — that we had them serve in mason jars and we also gave them some red and white paper straws to put in each glass. SO CUTE! Cocktails were on the two outside patios and inside the tasting room at the vineyard.

We wanted to have a lot of little touches to make our event really unique and I think we succeeded. By adding things like striped paper straws in signature drinks, making little pennant flags to stick in the cupcakes, a burlap banner that said Love Is Sweet to hang across the front of the dessert table, writing a note to our guests and printing it out on cards to put at each place, etc., we were able to personalize the event. We did a lot of DIY projects- made the cupcake flags, made the table numbers (not an easy task!), made the escort cards… it all added up and people really took notice that we had left our signature on the event! The swing band was OUTSTANDING and every single guest agreed. Literally everyone was on the dance floor from start to finish. Even the band kept saying this was the best wedding they have ever played! It was great. I loved our venue. I think that doing a tented wedding- if you can pull it off- is a great canvas to really get creative and transform the space. A ball room is a ball room– but a tent you can really play with and make it feel like another world! The lighting in our tent was awesome! It really felt like you were in a totally different place!

Photography: Kristin Spencer Photography / Swing Band: Bellevue Cadillac / Catering: A Thyme to Cook / Flowers: Verdant / Venue: Jonathan Edwards Winery / Wedding Gown: Paloma Blanca / Shoes + Earrings: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Invitations: Ellie Snowe of Hello Tenfold

We might be in the thick of winter, but this Connecticut shoreline soiree by Carla Ten Eyck has me day dreaming of those long summer days and warm summer nights. This absolutely darling couple enjoyed the prettiest of summer nights for their big day thanks to a lineup of rockstar vendors including Jubilee Events, BLUSH floral design, Ryan Designs, The White Dress By The Shore, Jennie Fresa and Sperry Tents – just to name a few. When you have a team like that behind you, you just know it’s going to be great – and the gallery full of images proves that is was a perfect New England affair!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… A few weeks after our engagement we attended a fundraising event for Abilis in Greenwich, CT.  Every attendee was given their lunch in a mini picnic basket which I found to be adorable.  Everyone was told they could take the baskets home with them, but when the hoards of people left, many left their baskets behind.  I hurriedly found the event planners and asked if we could take the remaining baskets to reuse as our centerpieces at our wedding… twenty some odd baskets later our wedding plans were officially underway!  As a typical bride might do I scanned the pages of wedding magazines and of COURSE Style Me Pretty for inspirations. We always knew we would have our wedding in Madison, CT, one of our favorite places.  My family on both my mothers and fathers side, have been either living in or visiting Madison since 1922.  My grandmother, great aunt, aunt, and one sister were all married in The First Congregational Church of Madison, so it only seemed natural. Down the street is The Madison Beach Club where we originally intended to hold our reception, but Tropical Storm Irene had other plans for us and we ended up with a tent wedding at The Guilford Yacht Club. 

Personalized details included:

1. A guest book made out of quilt squares that my aunt is now sewing for us.
2. Pennant flags cut out of extra yellow fabric from my parent’s attic and glued onto twine found in the basement.
3. Picnic baskets with table numbers cut out of the same pattern my mom’s bridesmaids wore and glued on by my best friends.
4. Our sweet ride from the church to the reception in a 1973 Chevy pickup named “Big Blue” borrowed from our neighbors in Madison.
5. A photo booth with an African sunset back drop painted by my best friend, African stuffed animals borrowed from a local thrift shop, and instant camera given to us by Kevin’s parents.  We went to Tanzania for our honeymoon and were too excited to wait for photo opportunities!
6. Windows found in a dumpster behind our apartment which served as our seating chart and menu’s for the night, using chalk markers to write and draw with!
7. Table runners cut by hand by my mom and myself straight from a bolt of fabric until we had blisters on our hands!
8. Our entrees were fish and chips or steak and onion rings, both with a corn/tomato salad recipe of my mom’s, while dessert was blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, a recipe from my family that we make every summer in Madison.
9. My dad and I danced our first dance to Sweet Caroline while wearing red sox attire as both Kevin and my family are big Red Sox fans.
10.  My bridesmaids (my 3 sisters and best friend) sang Amazing Grace while Kevin and I lit the unity candle during our ceremony.
11. Pillows for EVERY guest made from scratch (meaning a bolt of fabric, paint, stamps, needle and thread, and stuffing) with the help of Kevin, my family and a very dear and unbelievably selfless friend while watching Christmas movies in our apartment. For the past seven years I have worked with an orphanage in Ayacucho, Peru called La Casa Hogar Los Gorriones. I have been inspired by their work and humbled by their thankfulness. We made the pillows as a “give away” item at our wedding to let our guests know that we have donated to the orphanage in honor of their presence at our wedding.  The  moto of Los Gorriones is “Sin Amor Soy Nada”, without love I am nothing, which is what we stamped on each pillow.  I hope soon to visit the orphanage for the third time myself, but for the first time with Kevin.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Flowers: Elisabeth from BLUSH floral design / Event Design: Candice Coppola from Jubilee Events / Event Planning: Jubilee Events / Ceremony Location: First Congregational Church of Madison / Reception Location: Guilford Yacht Club / Invitations: Shindigs by Two Trick Pony / Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via The White Dress By The Shore / Groomsmen’s Pocket Squares: Belles & Beaux / Groomsmen’s Ties: Vineyard Vines / Bridesmaid Dresses: Lilly Pulitzer / Ringbearers Suspenders + Bow Ties: Divine Domestication / Flower Girl Dresses: Target / Hair + Makeup: Jennie Fresa / DJ: Eturnity Band / Lighting: Ryan Designs / Tenting and Generator: Sperry Tents / Catering: Marissa of Jordan Caterers

I dare any of you to spend ten minutes with this wedding and not want to crawl right into the overcast, but so happy and bright, Connecticut wedding. It’s impossible. The wedding is so beautiful, and Raw Photo Design did a phenomenal job capturing the ambiance, that I have had the urge to jump into my computer screen and celebrate with these two beautiful people since I first opened it. But since that isn’t possible, you will find me, all day, hanging out in the full image gallery. Care to join?

Lots of people say that they are shocked when their boyfriend proposes.  I was really shocked though!  Sam and I had never talked about getting married, nor did I have any idea of what type of wedding I would want some day… On October 9, 2009, Sam surprised me on a quiet night at home with a beautiful new jacket – and a gorgeous ring inside.  From there the whirlwind began!

When we started looking at venues, I knew I wanted a different type of location (no reception hall or ballroom for us).  After looking at 13 venues, a caterer told us about Saltwater Farm Vineyard.  It was late at night on a Friday night, we didn’t have an appointment and there was still no permanent lighting installed inside.  The amazing owners came and met us with flashlights and we were instantly in love.  The other thing that made us book it was seeing the Inn at Stonington.  We were lucky enough to stay there for our whole wedding weekend with our immediate family and bridal party.  The management staff there is amazing and really made our wedding weekend extra magical for us.

Our photographer was easy – we knew we wanted Raw Photo Design and booked them a year and a half in advance.  My father was relentless that we must get a band, so we found the amazing ETA Music through a friend and were thrilled they had the date open!  Everything else really fell into place.  Sam and I are both very simple but love a vintage, rustic style so that was what we tried to stick with.  From lantern centerpieces, to acoustic classic rock cocktail music, to a warm fireplace, pretty much everything turned out how we wanted. The best part of our wedding was that we had an absolute blast!!  It will always be a day to remember for us!

Photography: Raw Photo Design / Flowers: It’s So Ranunculus / Caterer: Gourmet Galley / Ceremony and Reception Location: Saltwater Farm Vineyard / Band: ETA Music / Hotel: Inn at Stonington / Shoes: Bridal by Butter / Dress:  Siri / Bridesmaid Dresses: Lela Rose

My giddy meter is registering some off the charts statistics this morning thanks to Beyond the Lens Photography and this seriously fun seaside soirée. With the most adorable little kiddos in attendance and a couple that you can tell is just head over heels for each other, it’s hard not to adore every bit of this party. All the personal details were covered by this hands-on couple – making for a gallery of images you’ll want to spend some serious time gushing over!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Brendan and I have known each other for almost ten years. We were introduced by our best friends from our separate high schools, who are now married. After dating on and off for a while, dating other people, living in different cities.. him in Charlotte, me in New York, we were finally in the right place at the right time. The friends who introduced us threw a barbeque right before the birth of their daughter and we were both in town. We had our first “official” date the next week, where Brendan wooed me with his homemade Chicken Marsala & Arrested Development on DVD. That night, I even brought Brendan, a member of Red Sox Nation, a bottle of “Big Papi” Celebrity Wine. As a die hard Yankee fan, I knew that this was a gesture not to be taken lightly. We were long distance for two years when we took a trip down to Brendan’s family’s beach house in Southport, North Carolina and he surprised me by proposing on a dock in Wilmington. (Yes, it was very Dawson’s Creek).

When we started planning our wedding last August, we knew we wanted it to reflect who we are together and who we are as individuals. We wanted to have a day that was “shabby chic” with a carefree, fun vibe. The venue for us was the most important thing and when Lighthouse Point Park came up on my google search for “Unique Connecticut Beach Wedding”, I immediately fell in love. With a beach for the ceremony, a covered historic building with a (working!) carousel for the reception and an outdoor area for cocktails, I couldn’t have dreamt up a more perfect location. Starting with the invitations and save the dates, we worked with Shadowboxer Ink and Wicked Bride to create the perfect prelude in stationery form.

Brendan, who studied art in college, created all of the signage using one of the fonts from the invitations- from sawing the wood to painting the letters- and the wedding canopy, which was so enormous, I burst out laughing in surprise the first time I saw it. Attempting to do our part for the enviornment and contribute to the style of the venue, I drew everything on chalkboards- the ceremony program, the menu and the table numbers. Each bridesmaid had a different flower that composed their bouquet and all three were in mine, along with the white roses to match Brendan’s boutoniere. I also tied my late grandmother’s wedding ring and family birthstone ring to my bouquet. The flower arrangements were casual and displayed in mason jars of different sizes and wine bottles that we had collected since our engagement. Even the champagne that we drank the night of our engagement was made into a floral arrangement on our table. Our cake topper was a symbol of our “mixed marriage”, as my father refers to it- and a perfect example of how we respect our differences.. just not in October.

Brendan loves to cook, and we both love to eat, so food was very important to us as well. We selected all of the food with the amazing Gina at A Thyme to Cook and could not have been more in heaven. Soft pretzels displayed on hot rocks? Really? We also wanted to give our guests something that they could cherish forever, so we created an e-mail account for our guests to send recipes to and we created a cookbook out of all of the recipes we received, along with some of our families’ favorites. Even our caterer chipped in and added the soup recipe from the first course!

As much fun as planning the reception was, we knew that the most important thing was the ceremony and we added lots of special touches to personalize it. I walked down the aisle to “I Will” by the Beatles- the same song that my mom and dad danced to on their wedding day. Our two ridiculously adorable flower girls were daughters of two couples who are very good friends- one of them being the couple who introduced us. We always say that she is “our age” since we reconnected a few weeks before she was born. We wrote our own vows to each other and had a “sand ceremony” to symbolize the joining of our individual lives.

I’ve never been the kind of girl who has dreamt about my wedding since I was young, but I did start dreaming about it the day I met Brendan. Our day could not have been more special- we were surrounded by wonderful friends, family, food and wine and an enormous amount of love.

Wedding Photography: Beyond the Lens Photography / Floral Design: A Victorian Garden / Event Design + Decor: The Bride / Ceremony + Reception Location: Lighthouse Point Park & Carousel House / Invitations + Dessert Signs: Wicked Bride Stationery / Save the Date Postcards: Shadowboxer Ink / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Make-up: Makeup by Marisa / Hair: JoBella Downtown Salon & Spa / Catering: A Thyme to Cook, Inc / DJ: DJ Alias of Scratch Weddings / Guitarist: Scott Samuels / Wedding Cake + Cupcakes: Sugarbelle / Cake Topper: CreativeButterflyXOX / Hotel/Getting Ready: The Study at Yale / Bridesmaid Jewelry: Kendra Scott / Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy / Groomsmen Suits + Ties: JoS. A. Bank + Michael Kors / Signs: The Groom / Cookbook Favors: Morris Press Cookbooks / Guest Transportation: Premier Limousine

Before I even read her story, I was so taken by this lovely bride’s smile. She was stunningly beautiful, and we could feel the love radiating off of her through Maggie Conley Photography‘s account of the day. And then I read she was one of the Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, and I knew she was genuinely a sweetheart. The whole Jennie Fresa team is. When my attention finally was brought to the phenomenal wedding, designed by Ryan Design, I was in awe. It was a gorgeous Connecticut beach affair with the most amazing florals courtesy of Hana Floral Design. I knew I couldn’t do this wedding justice, as hard as I tried, so I made sure to fill up a gallery for your viewing pleasure. That way you can get the whole effect and fall in love like we all did.

Paul and I were college sweethearts — we met at the University of Connecticut, and we both felt (although didn’t admit it to each other until years later) that it was love at first site. Fast-forward six and a half years, Paul proposed during a Christmastime trip to Newport, Rhode Island. We were about to head out to our favorite restaurant for dinner when Paul dropped to one knee, and asked me to marry him. I think you can guess what my response was!

We had always wanted a summer beach wedding. We wanted to say our vows to each other surrounded by our closest friends and family with waves crashing behind us and our toes buried in the sand. So, we decided on my hometown– a sleepy seaside town on the Connecticut shoreline.

As a makeup artist in the bridal industry, I am constantly inspired by beautiful weddings, and so I relied on the help of my magical team of wedding professionals to help me create my day. Kelly Sharkey and Emily Denny, my teammates from Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, provided hair and makeup for my bridesmaids.  The girls all raved about their makeup for days, and it was so special for me to have my team with me on my wedding.  I chose to do my own hair and makeup, to have a few moments to myself to reflect on the day.

As far as flowers went, I gave my florist, Yumiko, from Hana Floral Designs, full creative license, and essentially told her to “surprise me.” My Mom and I collected vintage vases, milk bottles, and pitchers from flea markets and antique stores for the table arrangements, which Yumiko and her team filled with succulents, gloriosa lillies, ranunculus, parrot tulips, and various other blooms in bright reds and oranges.  My bridal bouquet was stunning, and wrapped with vintage fabric, called ‘barkcloth’ which my Mom and I also found in our flea market adventures.

My photographer, Maggie, of Maggie Conley Photography, caught candid moments that I treasure. Every picture reflects personality and character, and working with her was a dream. Maggie is easy-going, understanding, and full of love. Her quiet presence allowed for personal moments to be captured without being interrupted, and at the same time, she managed to wrangle a wedding party of fifteen all together for photos after the ceremony! Quite a feat!

Our ceremony was personal and heartfelt– my Dad walked me down the aisle to “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, a song we have sung together over the years, and our officiant was one of his golf buddies. Paul’s mom, through ‘happy tears’, performed our ‘Blessing of the Rings’ ceremony.  One many favorite memories from the day was pausing, just at the start of the aisle with my Dad.  The music had started as our cue, but we stood still for a few beats just to take it all in.  It was a special moment for me and my Dad.

After the ceremony, guests only had to walk a few feet over the sand to our tented reception, which was a lightfilled, magical space created by Erik and Christen from Ryan Designs. Grapevine globes lit up with twinkle lights were suspended from the ceiling, candles flickered on every tabletop, a lounge area next to the dance floor provided respite for guests who still wanted ‘in’ on the action, and a deck with cocktail tables and tiki lanterns provided a quiet escape next to the water for my husband and I to steal a few kisses away from the crowd.  It was perfect.

Our DJ, Rich Gumpert from Powerstation Events, kept the dance floor packed! During dinner, we had an eclectic mix ranging from reggae, to bluesy standards, and in between courses, people couldn’t be kept from the dance floor! I still have guests telling me that certain songs they hear on the radio remind them of my wedding! Rich lent a microphone to a friend of ours who serenaded Paul and I after dinner, and then again at the end of the night when my college a cappella friends and I sang to close out the evening.  Not only did he keep the party going, (really! we couldn’t get people to leave!) he was amazing to work with.  From the moment we first met with him, not only did it feel like he was like a great friend, he was reliable, accommodating, and knows his music inside and out!

Dinner was much anticipated, provided by Francois Kwaku-Dongo and his team. I think I may be the only bride I know who had specifically set aside time to enjoy my entire plate of dinner!  After our initial tasting, Paul and I were raving to friends about dinner months before the wedding.  We loved everything he had prepared, and aside from a couple favorites that we chose, we also told Francois to “surprise us”, and we couldn’t have been happier.

Our beautiful cake, a divine vanilla mousseline, served with raspberry sorbet, was made by Wendy Laurent.  Yum!  Guests who still had extra room for their sweet tooth, were treated to 46 different choices from an old fashioned ice cream truck, driven by “Papa Joe”, the ice cream man my childhood friends and I all grew up with. Paul and I managed to sneak to the front of the line for toasted almond and strawberry shortcake bars! From the flowers, ambiance, music and food, to being surrounded by all the people who mean most to us, Paul and I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable, and fun evening to celebrate our new life together.

Bride’s Dress: Blue by Enzoani / Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff / Groom’s and Groomsmen Attire: Jos A. Bank / Hair and Makeup: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library / Event Design: Ryan Designs / Flowers: Hana Floral Design / Photography: Maggie Conley Photography / Cuisine: Francois Kwaku-Dongo / Cake: Wendy Laurent / Ice Cream Truck: “Papa Joe”

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Cool venue alert! This just may be the coolest little rustic vineyard slash antique airplane hangar wedding you ever did see. This couple really knew how to infuse their big day with all types of personality and detail including a world map of the places they traveled, postcards and mailboxes for a guest book (a little homage to their fav Disney movie, UP!) and hors d’oeuvres of their most favorite tasty snacks. Captured Photography by Jenny shot all the details to perfection and there’s so much more waiting for you in the full gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…When John and I started planning our wedding, we first considered what we wanted the day to be like.  We decided we wanted to be surrounded by family and friends, we wanted it to exhibit our personalities, and we wanted it to be fun!

I grew up in southeastern Connecticut and had always thought I would get married in the church where I was baptized and confirmed.  Although we met in Washington D.C., John is also from Connecticut, so it worked out nicely when we decided to have the wedding at the Ledyard Congregational Church.  John and I bonded over Connecticut, sharing a new bottle of wine, and our mutual desire to travel and see the world.  Thus, once we found Saltwater Farm Vineyard – a rustic airplane hangar set on a sprawling vineyard with a view of the Long Island Sound – we knew we had found the perfect place for our reception!

We had a lot of fun with planes, postcards, and wine corks, to fill our rustic vineyard reception with a travel theme.  It started with our wedding invitations that had a boarding pass-style response card.  With the invitations, we created what ended up being the symbol of our reception – a pale yellow bi-plane with a trail of navy blue smoke in the shape of a heart.  It was one of my favorite little details as it tied so many things together.  We maintained the travel theme by having “gate numbers” instead of table numbers, postcards instead of a traditional guest book, a world map of the places we’ve traveled, and little wooden bi-planes and iconic structures such as the Temple of Heaven in China scattered about.  All of this was done with the help of friends and family who collected postcards, made the map, assembled the wooden puzzles, and cut corks for the place cards.

John and I included details of our personalities and interests everywhere we could think of.  Our first trip together was to Walt Disney World and so our cake had a hidden Mickey.  Our favorite movie is “UP!” so we included mailboxes to put the postcards in.  Our hot hors d’oeuvres were some of our favorite foods – sweet potato fries and cheese filled pretzels.  We provided a brief description of the meaning behind each table destination for our guests.  We knew our little cousins and nieces loved s’mores, and so we had a s’mores pit outside.  And at the end of the night, we stood by the door to thank each of our guests and wish them a great evening.  Even with all of this, my favorite part of the evening was when John and I had our first dance to Jason Mraz and Colbie Collait’s “Lucky” and everything seemed to pause.  I looked around the room, at some of the faces of our family and friends and there was so much love and happiness.  It is a moment I will never forget.

Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals Exclusive / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bride, Bridesmaids + Flower Girl Jewelry: April’s Adornments / Wedding Ceremony: Ledyard Congregational Church / Reception Venue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard / Transportation: Viking Tours of Newport / Caterer: Gourmet Galley Catering / Florist: It’s So Ranunculus / Band: HotHouse Band / Wedding Cake: Felicia’s Sweetface Pastry Shoppe / Wedding Photography+ Videography: Captured Photography by Jenny

Rise and shine LBBers! We’ve got a treat this morning. A few weeks ago, we visited Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park, and I was absolutely floored at the beauty the public state park possessed. Today the amazement continues, this time captured by Robert & Kathleen Photographers, a wonderful team of fantastic artists. And the wedding in question is absolutely, positively, one hundred percent proof that I need to get my little bootay over to Connecticut and get myself invited to a wedding (which I can only hope is as fabulous as this one). The handsome couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony, and followed it with a reception bursting in the seams with style. Definitely click here to see more.

Tim and I were introduced by mutual friends in New York City where we live.  We wanted the wedding to feel like part of nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  Our venue search took us to every corner of Connecticut (where I grew up) before we discovered Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park and fell in love.  When we visited there was a terrible storm.  Even in the torrential downpour it was breathtaking.  Eolia is a magical place that had all the elements we wanted for our special day.  A gorgeous mansion with a show stopping view of the water and the most beautiful gardens you can imagine.  The grounds are lovingly and meticulously cared for.

It was important to us that the wedding reflect Tim and I as a couple.  I wanted to design the ceremony music and readings to reflect our interests, personalities and values.  The wonderful harpist Sharon Rondeau arranged “The Dog Days Are Over” for the bridesmaid’s entrance and learned “Clocks” for our recessional.  I felt that we created a ‘Midsummer’s Night Dream’ romantic atmosphere.  I always wanted mostly white and silver for the colors and once I saw the mansion I thought that purple and white flowers with lots of greenery would add to the ‘secret garden’ feel.  Our florist Ganims Garden Center and Florist was unbelievable.  I gave her photos and pictures of my dreams (from Style Me Pretty) and she managed to exceed my expectations.  I wanted the centerpieces, bouquets and archway to fit in with the lush canopies and vines of the gardens.  We used Lily of the Valley in memory of my father and gardenias in memory of Tim’s grandmother.

All of my bridesmaids have such different and wild personalities, I could not even consider putting them in the same dress.  I loved each of the Amsale dresses they chose in the violet crinkle chiffon.  I used Etsy to find the Original Pear who did a great job on our programs.  They had a drawing of an oak tree similar to the one at the mansion with our initials carved in a heart on the trunk.  Our eco-friendly Oak Tree favors came expertly packaged from the Magnolia Company.  To incorporate Tim’s love of skiing, we used wooden skis from his parents basement for our guest book.  To incorporate my love of yoga (I’m a yoga teacher) I created the escort cards with drawings of yoga poses instead of numbers to help people find their table.  Even though we wanted our guests to feel like part of nature we also wanted them to feel glamorous so I added crystal candelabras and touches of sparkle inside the mansion.  The cake was the best of both worlds.   A lotus flower sitting atop a tier designed to match the shimmering crystals and pearls of my dress.  All of the details were expertly managed by Josh Chalmers, my knight in shining armor.  Because of him, I did not have a worry in the world on the big day.

We had a first look which I would highly recommend.  Tim and I were able to have a special moment together, just the two of us before the ceremony.  Our photographers Rob and Kathleen were amazing at taking our nerves away and putting us in a calm state of mind.  Also, we were both happy not to miss a moment of the party.  Its so rare that you have everyone that you love all in one place.

My favorite memories of the day are all on the dance floor, especially our first dance.  Tim was a good sport and learned to salsa!  Our band, Brick Park, tore the house down.  No words, photos, or video could ever do this band justice.  Thank goodness for our videographer Ian Meltzer of Revery Media who captured my adorable three year old flower girl Abby dancing to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with her dad, because I missed it.

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Bridal Gown: Ines Di Santo / Bride’s Shoes:  Miu Miu / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Flowers: Ganim’s Florist / Ceremony Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park / Reception Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park / Event Planner: Josh Chalmers / Band:  Brick Park Entertainment / Hair: Angela Dubreuil from Naomi Martinez Salon / Make-up: Javier Rosa / Cake: Felicia’s Sweetface Pastry Shoppe / Caterer: Grand Gourmet / Table Cards: Yoga Poses, a nod to the bride’s profession as a yoga instructor

It’s the end of another very pretty week here on the Little Black Book Blog. I’m sure you’ve got one foot out the door, off to your fall-filled weekend festivities. But before you grab your Pumpkin Spice latte and head to the nearest football game – or the quintessential fall wedding, if you’re lucky – I’ve got just one last little bit of beauty to get you through your weekend, and I’m thinking guarantee your timely return Monday morning – when we will be featuring the rest of this superb wedding from Robert & Kathleen Photographers. So grab your cozy scarf and enjoy your weekend, because I’m sure you’ll be eagerly awaiting the rest of this fête nice and early Monday. See you then! xoxo

Photography by Robert & Kathleen Photographers.

The week of pretty at a glance:

a Philadelphia wedding trailer with the sweetest groom and a bride to match
a beautiful fusion wedding set in the mountains of Colorado
a Colorado affair filled with the most amazing DIY projects
a vintage chic California soiree in a gorgeous old barn
a perfectly classic fête set in a stunning Connecticut manor house
a sunny California vineyard affair of two foodies
an adorable bride and groom tie the knot in this Pennsylvania wedding
a Louisiana plantation soiree to. die. for.
a perfectly magical Disney wedding in Florida
a colorful & sweet California ranch affair with it’s own brew

A couple of our favorite links from around the web this week:

a super delish chocolate monogram favor (seriously) from Project Wedding
a lovely bit of wedding inspiration á la Harry Potter via Green Wedding Shoes
a gorgeous handpainted Chinoiserie door, dripping in inspiration over at Design*Sponge

Welcome SMPers to the quintessential New England wedding. It’s traditional, but not stuffy, casual yet elegant, and held at every New Englander’s most favorite spot: the beach! I’m loving the classic navy and yellow color palette and how absolutely adorable are the first mate and captain signs tied to the backs of their chairs with marine lines? The bride is super stunning in her gorgeous applique gown, which, I might add was totally making a huge comeback on the runways at Bridal Market in NYC last weekend. The awesome duo of Justin & Mary were on hand to capture all the fabulous, nautical details and as always, there’s so much more in the gallery. Join me, won’t you?

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Andy and I first met at a 4th of July concert in Connecticut after college. Since that day, we have been truly inseparable. We love doing everything together, especially keeping active and going on jogs along the beautiful Connecticut coast. We have run many miles together, stride by stride, and Andy proposed to me after we finished our first marathon together. In searching for the perfect venue, we knew we wanted our wedding to take place along Connecticut’s shoreline where we had met and fallen in love. We stumbled upon the Wee Burn Beach Club and instantly knew it would be perfect. It was right on the beach and we loved its “casual yet classy”atmosphere; the feel we envisioned for our wedding

I, like many other girls out there, became a little addicted to wedding blogs and checked Style Me Pretty at least twice a day for inspiration. I was blown away with how imaginative brides can be, coming up with the most unique ideas. Luckily for me, my mother is very creative and crafty. She took the nautical theme and ran with it. She found the beautiful fabric we used for both the table runners and seating charts. She made votive holders with rope wrapped around the bottom and even came up with the idea for the “Captain” and “First Mate” bride and groom signs, which my artistic Maid of Honor helped design the night before the wedding. I also tried to add some DIY touches with the programs and place cards. My now sister-in-law was also gracious enough to help me create the cupcake flags.

The whole day came together so magically with the help of our all-star vendors and my wonderful friend/wedding planner who was our day of coordinator. Walking through the dining room with everything set up was amazing. All of the little details we had dreamed up had come to life. Even more incredible was sharing the day with our friends and family. The entire day was beyond anything we could have imagined, and thanks to our awesome photographers, Andy and I are able to relive all the emotions of that special day.

Wedding Photography: Justin & Mary / Venue: Wee Burn Beach Club / Wedding Dress + Accessories: The White Dress by the Shore / Wedding Planner: Five Grain Events / Hair + Make-up: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library / Flowers: Stew Leonard’s / Cupcakes: CakeSuite / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew

It’s not very often that we come across a wedding sans flowers. Flora and Weddings are like peanut-butter and jelly. That is until we spotted this perfect day captured by Lisa Boggs Photography. It’s a beautiful mix of herbs and backyard festivities without a single petal in sight but the pretty factor is soaring right through the roof. This wedding definitely gets the SMP seal of approval for thinking outside of the wedding box. See more right here in the full gallery.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… After my fiance and I got engaged, we started planning a large-scale rustic fall wedding in the Washington, DC area.  After about 9 months into the planning, we decided that we were way over our budget due to some unexpected financial issues that came up.  We drastically scaled back the wedding’s size and moved the date up from the Fall to the Spring of 2011.  Lucky for us, my fiance’s mother lives in Westport, CT, just one block from the Long Island Sound.  She has a beautiful and quaint back yard right on the canal, which also looks out towards the Sound.  She graciously agreed to host the wedding (for free!) at her home and our planning began in earnest.

Now that we were on a tight budget, we had to reassess the themes and cost of our wedding.  One of the things we had always planned to do, which certainly made the wedding more cost effective, was to have an entire wedding with absolutely no flowers!  Because we were in a beautiful back yard with lots of natural greenery, it made it really easy to do.  We chose very neutral colors — ivory and natural browns and beiges with pops of green.  Instead of floral arrangements at the dining tables, we had small potted herbs.  Instead of real flowers, we had the dining tables sprinkled with very small birch wood sculpted roses painted in multiple colors.  The overall effect of the muted design contrasted nicely with the lush greenery of the back yard.

Thanks to vendors on Etsy, we were able to purchase many lovely details to enhance our overall design scheme such as: mason jars with chalk board fronts, quaint table numbers, wood heart escort cards, wedding signs and arrows, personalized jars of honey for favors, and silk clutches for me and my bridesmaids to carry in lieu of bouquets.  My good friend and designer, Melanie Karlins, was responsible for helping me to articulate my vision and creating our beautifully rustic invitations, programs, and menus. AMG Catering provided the catering services for our wedding.  To start out, they served guests upon their arrival fresh squeezed lemonade and fresh brewed iced tea.  After the ceremony, the staff served up a deliciously long and gluten-free cocktail hour with beautiful plates of anti-pasta, delicious hors d’ oeuvres such as mini lamb burgers served with yogurt sauce on cucumber slices and and pulled barbecue pork served on sweet potato crisps.  The cocktail hour was was followed by a simple and delicious family style meal of grilled flank steak, rosemary chicken, grilled asparagus, and a beautiful mixed green salad with goat cheese, beats, and candied pecans.  In lieu of a wedding cake we had an over-the-top dessert buffet with multiple cakes, cupcakes, pastries, bars, and pies, about 1/3 of which were gluten-free!

Photographer: Lisa Boggs Photography / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Hair & Makeup: Faces Beautiful / Desserts: Baked & Wired, Cherry Blossom Cakes, Angela Mia, Mariposa, AMG Catering / Catering: AMG Catering / Wedding Coordinator: AMG Catering / Paper Goods & Design: Melanie Karlins / Rentals: Abbey Tent & Party Rentals / Transportation: Teddy’s Limo / AV Equipment: A/V Davey

A sure fire combo for a lovely fete: one scrumptious Vera Wang, loads of garden-esque blooms by Hana Floral Design and a classic venue like Eolia Mansion. When these things come together for a day of Marrying, it’s like the perfect storm of wedding gorgeousness. And the only thing that could possibly make this day better is having every memorable second captured by Maggie Conley Photography. See the whole pretty affair right here!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride…Ted and I met our senior year at Connecticut College when our housing lottery placed me in a dorm, on a floor with many of the senior boys.  I was away from all my close girlfriends and decided to make the best of my situation and befriend the raucous boys on my floor.  As fate would have it, Ted and I instantly hit it off.  We began dating soon after and upon graduating, moved to New York City together.  Ted proposed last summer on a midnight stroll in Paris.  It was magical.

From the moment we began setting out planning our wedding, the only certain thing we knew was that our venue had to be Eolia.  It was so “us.”  Throughout college, we always went to the beach there during the spring months with our friends and had always admired the gardens and the mansion.  Once we locked in the date for our wedding (one week after Ted took the Bar Exam!!), the rest seamlessly fell in to place.  I set my heart on having a whimsical “Secret Garden” wedding.  I wanted flowers everywhere! My mother-in-law began collecting hobnail vases for the centerpieces as well as vintage flower frogs to be used to hold the table numbers (which were scanned copies of vintage flower prints).  Yumiko executed my vision perfectly.  I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect than what she and her “pink ladies” created.  Originally, when we first met, I had wanted sunset colors and lots of pink, but halfway through the planning I became worried it was becoming “too pink” (if there can be such a thing!). I stumbled upon my lavender Ferragamo shoes during a shopping spree at Bloomingdales and immediately decided to include lots of lavender and purple accents into the flower arrangements.  I chose the white bridesmaid dresses after seeing another Style Me Pretty bride use them at her wedding.  I fell in love with how clean and crisp the look was.  Many people questioned me with this pick but then once Pippa Middleton wore a white dress to her sister’s wedding it all became okay with everyone!

Our wedding was so personal and so full of love.  We wanted it to be our families and close friends who have been with us from the beginning. My cousin is an Episcopalian priest and he officiated the ceremony.  Both Ted and I couldn’t stop smiling.  From our first look in the garden, to playing lawn games with our guests, to being introduced as husband and wife, to singing and dancing the night away- it couldn’t have been more spectacular.  We couldn’t have done it without our beyond fabulous vendors who worked tirelessly on making our wedding possible.  We found many of our vendors through Style Me Pretty and they were the epitome of professionalism and style, a huge thank you to all of them.

Location: Eolia Mansion / Photography: Maggie Conley Photography / Flowers: Hana Floral Design / Caterer: A Thyme to Cook / DJ: Power Posse Productions (860-572-7322) / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Thread / Flower Girl Dresses: Jacadi / Bride’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo / Hair and Makeup: Red Door Spa

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

Hana Floral Design

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Who would have thought a fantastic RED barn, bright turquoise dresses, sunflowers, peacock feathers, and chalkboards could all fit inside one super chic, fabulously designed wedding? I had my doubts, until I first laid eyes on this Connecticut wedding. I was sold from the first shot from Scobey Photography. It’s rustic chic-ness at it’s best. It’s very best. It’s like Rustic Chic put on his tuxedo and bow tie, combed his hair, and brushed his teeth. Does that make sense? Click here for the gallery and you’ll totally see what I mean.

Being a bride is a nerve wracking thing. Running up to the big day you spend so many months and weeks planning all the meticulous little details that when you finally get there it can take even the most prepared bride by surprise.

The biggest piece of advice I’d give to someone planning their nuptials is decide the one thing (apart from getting married of course!) that you want for the big day – set yourself one goal and stick to it. Mine was to enjoy the precious time I had with family, friends and loved ones and to laugh as much with then as I possibly could. Despite the madness, preparations and final arrangements I did just that, taking time to jump in the pool and have a beer an hour before the rehearsal dinner and then even put on some of the fancy dress items I’d bought for our photo booth and dance around the room to an ad hoc poorly made up wedding rap the morning before the ceremony.

My loved ones thought it was the most refreshing thing ever to be part of a such a fun, laughter filled day. Even our ceremony, which was personal, romantic and heartfelt caused some chuckles when James cut a flower for the rose ceremony in the wrong place causing it to fall apart in his hand. We’re a fun loving couple and more than anything I wanted that to come across during our big day.

Photography: Scobey Photography / Ceremony & Reception Location: Tyrone Farm / Event Coordinator: Ian MacLaren / Bride’s Hair: Prescilla Moston / Wedding Dress: Ian Stuart / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Groom’s Suit: Formals By Antonio / Cake: Cakes by Sue / Band: Studio C / Floral Design: Glimpse of Gaia / Transportation: Rukstela Charters

What do you get when you throw a handful or two of some of our favorite LBB vendors into a Connecticut vineyard for a wedding? I’ll give you a hint – it’s stinkin’ spectacular. This gorgeous wedding was planned by TRUE Event, flora’d by Hana Floral Design, beautified by Jennie Fresa Beauty Library, fed by Gourmet Galley, dressed by Bella Bridesmaid, and captured brilliantly by Robert & Kathleen Photographers. And those invited from Paper Moss – are you serious? I’m not kidding when I say spectacular. The whole affair is personal, beautiful, and chic – this bride knew what she was doing when she chose her big day team. Click here for the rest of this fantastic vineyard affair!

And last but certainly not least – we’ve got a special highlight film from Buzz Media Company. If you don’t already have an obnoxious grin on your face (like I do) you most definitely will after seeing this great film.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/29394606 601 338]

emily + justin from Buzz Media Company on Vimeo.

Justin and my love story began in the unlikeliest of places, a Spring Break bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Many of our closest friends were there with us on that fateful March night and then celebrated with us, over five years later, at our wedding. Those who were there from the very beginning will always hold a special place in our hearts and our lives, prompting us to take a Spring Break ’06 reunion picture on the dance floor at the wedding.

The one thing we knew when we embarked on planning our wedding was that we wanted a “kick off your shoes and dance” kind of party. The Connecticut shoreline has always held a special place in my heart and we wanted to find a unique venue that captured the beauty of the area. As soon as we drove up to Saltwater Farm Vineyard we were completely blown away by the metal airport hangar waiting at the end of the long gravel driveway. From the outside, Saltwater resembles an ice hockey rink and given Justin’s lifelong love of hockey, we thought this surely was a sign that this was our wedding venue. We fell even more in love with the space as we walked inside and gazed at the glowing metal wine tanks and towering wood beamed ceiling. We knew this was exactly the type of space we were looking for  – rustic, charming and utterly breathtaking.

Starting the planning process felt both exciting and overwhelming. With so many decisions to make, we enlisted the help of Sarah True from True Event and other amazing vendors to help us make our vision into a reality. My mom and I are both very artistic, crafty people and I knew I would want to take on various DIY projects as part of the wedding. With the help of friends and family we collected corks for an entire year and used frames made out of wine staves to create an escort card corkboard. I also constructed a scrapbook documenting our love story that served as our guestbook. These special touches are things we will be able to use in our everyday life that will continue to remind us of our incredible wedding day.

Working on designing our wedding paper was one of my favorite parts of planning our wedding. We worked closely with Paper Moss to create an invitation suite that would complement the rustic chic feel of the day. The creative process was incredibly fun and we watched Paper Moss create the most stunning, double letter-pressed invitation with a gorgeous hand drawn vine design. We were able to weave the design throughout the rest of the wedding paper and even the menu chalkboard.

When we woke up on the morning of July 16th, we welcomed in a perfect sunny summer day. Jennie Fresa and her team went to work as I sat around with my closest friends eating lunch and anticipating the excitement of this day. We could not have begun to imagine how the space would transform with Sarah’s magic touch. I knew I wanted a colorful wedding and chose a palette of jewel-toned purples with accents of bright blue and pink. We wanted to capture the rustic feel embodied by the winery and Sarah incorporated burlap wrapped candles into the table. Yumiko from Hana Floral Designs created the most unbelievable chuppah and bouquets that displayed the bridesmaids cobalt blue dresses. The rustic brown branches of the chuppah contrasting with the bright, colorful flowers and pure blue sky was absolutely breathtaking. This set the stage for our ceremony where we had the privilege of being married by my mother’s childhood friend.

Walking down the aisle on that July day was overwhelming. Never again would Justin and I be surrounded by all of the people who love and care about us. We chose to have a “first look” before we saw each other at the ceremony. I highly recommend this to any bride. There was so much anticipation building up to this moment and I was already feeling the emotions of the day bubbling over. Being able to see the smile on Justin’s face, and the tears in his eyes, when he turned around was priceless. We were able to stand together, look into each other’s eyes, and have a few moments to take in what we were about to do.  This also allowed Justin and I to share in the signing of our ketubah together with our families. The actual ceremony felt like a whirlwind to me and seeing each other prior did not take away the butterflies of excitement I experienced seeing Justin waiting at the end of the aisle.

Our guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio and then entered into the airport hangar for a night of eating and dancing. The room was aglow with purple up lighting and our guests sat down to a French family style meal catered by Gourmet Galley. It was really the amazing Hudson Project band that made the party unforgettable. They had the dance floor filled the entire night and took the evening to a whole new level. It was exactly what we wanted – a wedding dance party!

Our wedding day was beyond what we could have ever imagined. Not only were we surrounded by the love and affection of our friends and family but also the idyllic beauty of Saltwater Farm. We are so thankful to both Robert and Kathleen Photographers and Buzz Media for capturing the beauty of our day for us to relive forever.

Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Flowers: Hana Floral Design / Planner: Sarah True of TRUE Event / Hair & Makeup: Jennie Fresa Beauty Library / Gown: Vera Wang / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Catering: Gourmet Galley / Band: The Hudson Project / Venue: Saltwater Farms Vineyard / Videographer: Buzz Media Company / Bridesmaids Dress Designer: Thread via Bella Bridesmaid / Invitation Designer and Stationery: Paper Moss / Save the Date: Posh Paperie / Desserts: Vanderbrooke / Chalkboard & Calligraphy: Meghan Chapin Calligraphy

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

Hana Floral Design

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Having about the blackest thumb one can have, I am always so very, very impressed with floral design. I swear it’s magic – what these designers can do. This Connecticut wedding from Datura –  A Modern Garden, brings me to another level of floral-awe with it’s completely different, completely cool designs. And I suppose Datura HAD to bring it to the table, because the rest of this love fest? Well, let’s just say it’s amazing, and that’s an understatement. The glamour, the style, the ambiance, the ring bearer – every single little detail captured by JAGstudios has got me giddy with the cool-ness factor. Can one be giddy over cool? I guess I should play it off an say, I’m down with the cool-ness factor. But I just can’t help it. I love this wedding. Click here for the full image gallery.

We selected the beautiful and breathtaking Winvian property in Morris, CT to be the site of our wedding on June 11, 2011.

The style of our wedding was whimsical, romantic, and with a touch of elegance. We couldn’t have asked for a more talented team of vendors to help craft our perfect wedding.

Our florist did an amazing job of using flowers that were in season and local to the surroundings. The centerpieces were all unique works of art that mirrored our color palette and became a great conversation piece for our guests

Our wedding cake was the best cake we ever ate.  It was a chocolate cake with hazelnut and raspberry filling with handcrafted edible orchids running down the side of the cake.

The chef at the Winvian made a fabulous selection of using organic and seasonal ingredients form their garden to create wonderful food for our guests.

The color palette for the wedding was to use earth tones colors with bursts of yellow, blue and purple to compliment the rustic charm of the Gordon Brown House. We added pin spot lighting to the tables, up lighting to the barn house to attain a romantic mood.

We had so many wonderful moments from of our wedding. One moment was hearing the raindrops against the roof of the tent during the exchange our vows. The sound was so peaceful and calming to us. Another favorite moment was our first dance to Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion’s “The Prayer.”

Our wedding day was filled with love, unity and spirituality. Above all, we could not have got married without the support and love from both our family and friends. For that we are truly thankful and blessed.

Floral Design: Datura – A Modern Garden / Photography: JAGstudios / Venue: Winvian / Wedding Cake: City Cakes / Invitation Design: An Invitation Studio / Band: Franklin Wayne Music / Lighting & Sound: Rob Alberti / Table Setting: Party Rental Ltd. / Transportation: Gateway Limos / Party Favors: Sara Beth Kitchen / Tuxedos: J. Lindeberg / Tuxedo Shirts: Valentino & Hugo Boss / Bow Tie: Paul Smith & DunCan Quinn / Shoes: Calvin Klein / Make Up: Diego Salazar / Hair: Kanna Masatani / Wedding Ring: David Yurman & Family Heirloom / Cufflinks: Swarovski

This morning I am going to ask you to sit back, settle in, and enjoy traditional elegance at its finest via all the fabulous photos from Tony Spinelli Photography. This level of prettiness needs your full attention! With florals by the amazingly talented Hana Floral Design and the gorgeous reception venue that is Eolia Mansion at Harkness Park – it just doesn’t get prettier than this, and there is even more to see in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Our vision was “simple elegance.”  We wanted to achieve a balance of traditional and modern, classic and unique – a wedding that would be memorable and timeless.  For our ceremony we chose a beautiful, white steeple congregational church in Connecticut:  the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. This classic New England church was incorporated in 1665 and is as rich in beauty as it is in tradition.  Our reception venue, Eolia Mansion, was the summer home of the Harkness family beginning in 1907 and is now part of Harkness State Park.  The Gatsby-like setting on Long Island Sound includes ocean views, sprawling lawns, hidden gardens and admiring fountains.  Guests enjoyed cocktails and dancing under the tented terrace and dinner in candlelit rooms throughout the estate.

While the beautiful location set the tone of the wedding, the details added the charm and character.  Every decision was made with the “simple elegance” vision in mind.  Classic hydrangeas in soft colors of pale pink, green and white were used for the centerpieces and to decorate the Mansion’s mantles alongside floating candles.  A clean and elegant bouquet of white hydrangeas, garden and spray roses and ranunculus flowers created a tailored and classic bridal bouquet.  Guests were welcomed to the reception with handcrafted pink paisley place cards tied with sage ribbon and the traditional guest book was replaced by small note cards on which guests could leave marriage well-wishes.  These items, along with calligraphy bride and groom chair signs, were designed and created by artists and craftsmen discovered on Etsy. Pale pink cards were tucked into the napkins of each place setting which listed the charitable donations made to non-profit organizations in honor of our guests.

The wedding celebration was truly everything we hoped it would be and the planning was a labor of love – worth every appointment, every blog search and all the time spent researching and working with talented vendors.  As a young girl I often dreamed of a truly special wedding day.  I am touched today to say that our wedding was worthy of that young girl’s wish and a day that we are more than proud to remember as the first of our marriage.

Wedding Photography: Tony Spinelli Photography / Floral Design: Hana Floral Design / Event Design: Cloud Nine Catering / Ceremony Location: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme / Reception Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Park / Wedding Dress: Mariella Creations

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

Hana Floral Design

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These two hottie smarties had a beyond gorgeous, elegantly urban wedding in the heart of New Haven that deserves an A++!  The look is traditionally romantic and it works oh-so perfectly in the chic, European-inspired restaurant.  And, speaking of romantic, these Yale graduates took a stroll down memory lane to tour their alma mater and where they first met!  IRIS Photography gets high marks for bringing each sweet moment and each classic detail to life with their exquisite photographs!  See them all in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From IRIS Photography…Stylish, relaxed European restaurant wedding in gentrified urban setting in New Haven CT.  The restaurant–Union League Cafe is on the site of the home of Roger Sherman, Revolutionary war patriot who entertained George Washington at his house.  The bride and groom were undergrads at Yale in New Haven so it was a homecoming for them…and bride also grew up in New Haven. Union League Cafe is owned by a French chef–great food & presentation, and they have a window-lit room above the restaurant for intimate weddings. We toured Yale’s campus and their college’s quad for photos. The bride and groom are a great couple at grad school in Boston now (he’s at Harvard Law, she’s at MIT for MBA). Their band–The Sidewinders–was a different choice–session musicians without singer playing instrumental music like Stevie Wonder…excellent. It had a homecoming feel with Yale and clubby, intimate restaurant was nice departure from bigger wedding venues.

Venue: Union League Cafe / Wedding Photography: IRIS Photography / Music: The Sidewinders / Flowers: Floral Affair

There is something so peaceful and beautiful about this Connecticut country wedding, and I am eating it right up. It’s the perfect piece of calm beauty to spend all Friday afternoon soaking up, recharging before the weekend. I absolutely love the intimate love that shines through every one of IRIS Photography‘s fantastic photos. This is just one of those weddings that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside from all the love, commitment, and romance. And those adorable bow ties aren’t too bad to look at either! Click here for the full image gallery.

Photography:  IRIS Photography / Venue:  Apricots, Farmington CT / Bowties:  Forage / Florals: Lane and Lenge / Pies: Dee’s One Smart Cookie / Bride’s Dress: Nicole Miller / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Shoes: Pelle Moda and Kate Spade / Hair: Defining Styles / Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Entertainment: The Hartt School / DJ: Connecticut DJ

I’d like to compare this Connecticut wedding to a very fine wine. At first look, it’s delicious. Gorgeous. Full of beautiful detail. But the more time you spend with it, the more you see, the more you take in, and the more you appreciate. You start to notice the fantastic detail on the lovely brides gown. You start seeing the brilliance behind the escort card display. You notice the unique ridges on the apple green chargers. And you really start to appreciate all the work the couple, with the help of the best – Sixpence For Your Shoe – put into their big day. So click here for the gallery, so you can see even more.

We wanted a celebration, a chance for all of our family and friends who might never all be together again, to join with us in a weekend full of activities and parties that represented us as a couple. We felt strongly that we wanted to be able to spend time with every guest and actually enjoy those who had come from so far away to be with us so we did a weekend wedding. Golfing, a yoga class, family dinners, a huge “Boots and Boat shoes” theme BBQ/Clambake rehearsal dinner, the wedding and a good bye brunch; three days full of smiles, laughs and so many memories.

Jack and his parents have lived in the Avon area for years and knowing that it was central location for both of our families we started our search there. We must have looked at at least ten different places before we finally gave in and let Jack’s parents take us to the Avon Old Farms School, practically in Jack’s backyard. Instant connection! The school is elegant and charming, intimate and grand, rustic and refined; perfect in every way. A very “Harry Potter like” atmosphere without all the doom and gloom.

Because the hall and chapel were both very stark and simple in their decor, Sixpence and I decided that the only way to go was equally as simple but as light, airy and refined as possible……loads of white an accent of spring green. Jack’s mother kicked the color scheme off during a trip to India where she had sixteen bright green silk table runners made during a day trip to a fabric bazaar there. The flowers, chairs, chargers, napkin rings, candles and other accessories all fell into place after that. Lots of Etsy shopping and crafting by my bridesmaid’s was done to bring to life the fun details that I made sure were everywhere.

We wanted every guest to walk away from the weekend saying that they had the best time so I made sure that there were things to do and see at every turn; custom placemats, scrap tubs, drink stirrers, pillows, bibs and wet wipes at the rehearsal dinner, lawn games, vintage mason jar lanterns, custom napkin rings, a photo booth guest book, Old fashion ice cream sandwiches, popcorn and a candy bar for late night snacking during the reception.

Jack is a huge music person so he spent hours creating a play list that when executed by Rob, had everyone, old and young, on the dance floor until well after midnight. Our stationery was such a defining part of the wedding, Nicola Darrach at Lettuce Paper, patiently worked through draft after draft with us and came up with our “logo” that repeated itself throughout the weekend from the custom welcome bags to the menu tags. My uncle played music that he had written for me for the procession and recession at the ceremony, another one of my uncle’s and his family sang Jack and I a blessing, the place tags; mini chalk boards, were handmade by one of my best friend’s parents, just a few examples of the love and generosity that went into making our weekend even more special.

My dress was made for me by Modern Trousseau, I absolutely LOVED working with them, they made the whole process easy and fun. I truly think I could have worn the dress for the next week and been happy. My bridesmaid’s dresses were a fortuitous find at a boutique called Big Drop in New York. My maid of honor, Amy and I walked into the Soho boutique one night after work and bought every one they had on the spot. My shoes were Manolo Blahnik and were purchased for me by one of my best friends who was not able to come to the wedding, he wanted me to have something of him with me when I got married. Jack’s gift to his groomsmen were their Beau Ties LTD. ties and their custom Chuck Taylor’s. He had nicknames for each of them embroidered up the back. Their suits were from J.Crew and their shirts were from Charles Tyrwhitt.

Venue:  Avon Old Farms School / Planning and Design:  Sixpence For Your Shoe / Dress:  Custom Design via Modern Trousseau / Suits:  J. Crew / Ties and Pocket Squares:  Beau Ties / Brides Shoes:  Manolo Blahnik / Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. & Taylor Rental of Manchester / Linens: Linen Hero / Table Runners: Custom Made in India / Florist: Just For You Floral Design Studio / Invitations and Stationery: Lettuce Paper / Napkin Rings: EAB Designs / Lighting & Photo Booth: ShinDig / Ceremony Music: Bride’s Uncle / Reception DJ: Rob Waldron, Standing Ovations / Transportation: Premier Limo / Rings: Lux Bond and Greene / Hair: Salon Naomi / Make-up: DD. Nickel / Cake: Cakes by Donna / Cinematography: Steven Fowler Films / Photography: Benoit Photography, Dolce Photography, Brian Khang Photography / Shoes: Manolo Blahnik