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When a Fur Baby in a Bow Tie Crashes His Humans’ Engagement Sesh

From Kari Rider Events…Villa B is nothing if not a gathering place. The waterfront escape near St. Michaels, Maryland, has welcomed countless guests in the 15-plus years since Rich and Sandy purchased the scenic retreat. For their daughter Dana, Villa B is an anchor, a constant source of treasured memories with the people she holds most dear. Never was the family property more special, though, than when she began sharing it with Colin Watson. A visit to Villa B was one of the first trips Dana and Colin took together as a couple, the beginning of a love story destined to come full circle.

An invigorating mix of nostalgia and possibility filled the June air when Colin and Dana said “I Do” overlooking Villa B’s scenic shoreline. An elegant, Tuscan-inspired celebration followed—a dream of soft lavenders and cool grays swirled with white-washed farm tables and natural wood accents, all beneath a sweeping sailcloth tent. “An intimate backyard wedding, only bigger,” as Dana put it. And another cherished memory to add to the Villa B file.

There is nothing, and I do mean NOTHING cuter than a fur baby in a bow tie. *Enter* Reece the Labradoodle who crashed his humans’ engagement session and loved every second of it. Elizabeth Fogarty captured the fun and we can’t get enough!

From Elizabeth Fogarty…Winston and Taylor are just the sweetest couple ever, and so is their engagement session! Winston looked handsome in his navy suit and Taylor is simply gorgeous with her side braid. They brought key details like a romantic bouquet and her very own ring box from Tiffany. Taylor is truly living every girl’s dream. Winston is head over heals for her and asked her to marry him with her dream ring. The BEST part of this session really is Reece the labradoodle. He pretty much stole the show with his adorableness. He just had to be with his humans the whole time. And let’s talk about his bow tie! This engagement session is just perfect from beginning to end.

Photography: Elizabeth Fogarty | Floral Design: Radebaugh’s Florist And Greenhouse | Ring: Tiffany & Co. | Hair + Makeup: Audrey Bethards | Location: Glenview Mansion

BONUS: More Cute Wedding Crashers

Our Favorite Furry Friends

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Our Favorite Furry Friends

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How to Mix Rustic Chic with Black Tie Elegance

The Bride’s favorite detail of her day was the florals from Amaryllis Event Design, and we can see why. In rich fall shades of aubergine, navy, larkspur blue, burgundy and hints of blush, the lush arrangements of roses, anemones and garden roses added a touch of romance to this “rustic chic” fall day. See all the pretty, thanks to Readyluck, in The Vault!

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An Inspiration Shoot Where Traditional Charm Meets Modern Style

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From The Bride…Before getting engaged, I never imagined what my dream wedding would be like. All Ian and I knew was that we wanted a fall wedding in a special venue where the autumnal beauty would be a backdrop for our big day. After many hours of searching on Style Me Pretty, Pinterest, and any other website I could think of, I knew I had to have a barn wedding with a ‘rustic chic’ theme. Once we chose our venue, a beautiful 3-level barn on exquisite grounds, all of the fine details started coming together.

When choosing my color palette and bridesmaid dresses, I knew I wanted all 12 girls to pick whatever style they felt most comfortable in and also their favorite color in my palette: aubergine, blush, midnight navy, and larkspur blue. The final color in my palette, burgundy, was used in all of the flowers (and my manicure) to tie all of the bridesmaids together to make a cohesive story.

Speaking of flowers, I could not be more obsessed with my bouquet, my bridesmaids’ bouquets and the floral decor on the chuppah! It’s hard to pick a favorite but all of the flower arrangements from our wedding are my favorite detail of the entire day. Amaryllis executed my vision PERFECTLY and I could not be happier with how all of the flowers turned out!

Another favorite detail of our wedding was the naked wedding cake Graul’s made for us – it was not only delicious but absolutely beautiful and exactly what we wanted. Our wedding day felt like an absolute dream and we are so thankful for our amazing team who executed it so flawlessly. Thanks to the amazing photography of Lindsay from READYLUCK, we get to relive the best day of our lives over and over again!

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Amsale

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2014

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Dessy

Bridesmaid 2014

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A wedding like this inspiration shoot from Cristina Calvert Signature Weddings & Celebrations and Stacy Bauer Photography could count as your something old and something new. How? Let your something old be Hammond- Harwood House, the gorgeous setting for this inspiration shoot, which dates back to colonial America. And for your something new, make jaws drop in the modern yet timeless Carol Hannah dress and Susie Saltzman Fine Jewelry ring. See all the pretty details in The Vault!

From Stacy Bauer Photography…Our design inspiration came from the secret garden-like feeling of the garden at the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis, Maryland. This venue is one of the premier colonial homes in America and dates back to 1774. The exquisite architecture found both inside and outside, provided a stunning backdrop to the intimate garden ceremony. Gorgeous cascading florals by Steelcut Flower Company were adorned to accent the doorframe that overlooked the romantic garden. A soft and romantic tablescape was set with rentals from Select Event Group and china from Crate and Barrel. Vintage silver flatware from the personal collection of the Hammond-Harwood house was used and gave nod to the history of the house. Small floral wreathes around the calligraphed place cards by Surcee Calligraphy were set and gave a feminine touch to the place setting.

The bride wore a Carol Hannah dress, veil and belt for the wedding ceremony and then later slipped into a shorter, sexier sheath for her getaway on the Vespa. Beautiful rings by Susie Saltzman were used and custom suiting and accessories by Capital Custom Clothiers outfitted the groom. The bride and groom celebrated an intimate ceremony and reception in the quaint downtown garden and then slipped away on the blue Vespa as husband and wife.

The Only Way to Celebrate an Engagement? Champagne of Course!

Time to break open a bottle of the good stuff (translation: all the champagne) because we’re toasting to this lovely pair. For Ryan and Candace planned the sweetest celebratory engagement session with Elizabeth Fogarty behind the lens and we’ve got it all waiting for you to relish in The Vault!

From Elizabeth Fogarty…Ryan and Candace are just the sweetest couple ever! Ryan wanted to re-create their proposal night by bringing the bottle of Don Perignon to their engagement session. Candace had a perfect little pink Mrs. Box for her GORGEOUS ring. I love when my brides think about the styling details for their engagement session. You do not have to go crazy on Pinterest trying to find props, but little things that mean something to you as a couple is always key. Having a couple of items (like a ring box and a blanket) helps you get more styled images. Also, let’s talk about how perfect this ring is! These two totally rocked their engagement session!

Photography: Elizabeth Fogarty | Dress: Tadashi Shoji | Makeup: Amber Kwong | Location: Maryland

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Tips to Look Your Best at Your Engagement Session

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Tadashi Shoji

Spring 2017 Mother of the Bride

Spring 2017 Bridal

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A Greek Inspired Affair Complete with an Olive Oil Bar

I’m fairly confident in saying that every wedding should now include a Dimitri Olive Oil bar. And this Greek inspired affair? Totally started the trend. With Abby Jiu and Monachetti capturing it all to share, we’ve got a day filled with cultural meaning and Laura Hooper Calligraphy, it just doesn’t get any better. See it all in The Vault!

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Before They Even Met, a Friend Predicted This Couple’s Happily Ever After

From Abby Jiu…Anna and Jim wanted to have their wedding on a romantic Greek island while indulging in local cuisine and dancing the night away with family friends. When they quickly realized that would be quite a bit to plan and ask of guests, they decided to have their wedding stateside. They would bring Greece to the US! Anna, a chemist, and Jim, an intellectual property attorney, both from the Peloponnese, wanted their heritage and love of Mediterranean cuisine to be reflected throughout their wedding, so they hired Stephanie Economides with Lauryn Prattes Styling and Events to design a wedding that had the feel of home. From the invitation suite, to the Greek Church, to the late night Loukoumades (Greek Doughnuts), no detail was missed.

The invitation suite, designed by Winifred Paper, truly set the tone for Anna and Jim’s romantic, Grecian inspired affair. Anna and Jim have many family members that do not read or speak English, so a velum overlay with Greek wording was designed to lay over top of English wording. The invitation featured rose gold letterpress with olive branch details blind embossed onto the paper. It was wrapped together with gold threading and sealed with a rose gold wax seal featuring the couples monogram. To incorporate their strong faith and heritage, a “coat of arms” was created and included Poseidon’s Trident.

The ceremony, held at St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church, was rich in culture and tradition. During the service, Anna and Jim held two lit candles, called “Lambades.” These candles, lit be the Priest, signify that Christ, the Light of the World, will light the way for the couple’s new life together. To modernize the style of these, Amaryllis adorned the lambades with olive branches, blush roses and ivory silk ribbon. When the service concluded, guests received traditional Greek favors, “Koufeta.” Seven rose gold Jordan almonds, an odd number not divisible by 2, representing the idea that the couple will never separate or break up.

Anna and Jim hosted the reception at Congressional Country Club. They wanted to guest to eat and drink just as if they were on a Greek Island! All Greeks love their ouzo, so to kick off the party, trays of a lemon-infused ouzo mint spritzers were passed around on coasters with Greek terms of endearment (written in both Greek and English). The patio at Congressional Country club has a Mediterranean vibe, so this was a perfect fit for cocktail hour. Underneath the pergola, a lounge was set up… just as if they were to be on the beach! While sipping on ouzo, guests enjoyed flavored olive oils and olives imported from the footsteps of Mt. Taygetos in Greece!

The ballroom was transformed into a romantic, Mediterranean oasis, wrapped in soft white sheer drapes. A floral installation hung above the head table and included ivory and blush roses and olive branches. Clusters of candles and candelabras sat on top of the mirror-topped head table to create the style and feel that they couple sought after.

While dancing the night away to Greek tunes played by Apollonia Band, guests enjoyed late night Greek Doughnuts, also known as “loukoumades” that were brought in from Mike Isabella Concepts. Loukoumades are a traditional Greek dessert that are soaked in honey syrup and topped with cinnamon and nuts and served hot out of the fryer.

Before Kayla left for her freshman year at William & Mary, a family friend told her, “You need to meet a baseball player named Ryan. You’re going to marry him.” One beautiful June day, she did just that in a French Country-inspired wedding she designed and coordinated herself. With flowers from Southern Blooms and thoughtful details throughout, Kayla and Ryan’s wedding was a dream. See it all from Kathy Blanchard Photography and Tweed Weddings in The Vault!

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A Classic Garden Wedding? Yes, please!

From Kathy Blanchard Photography…Kayla and Ryan are an amazingly sweet and gorgeous couple who were married on the veranda at Congressional Country Club on a gorgeous day in June. Congressional is such an amazing and grand venue, but has a Spanish touch due to the architecture of the building, with the lovely terra cotta roof and iron detailing. Kayla got ready in the guest room on the top floor over looking the back of the club. She and her bridesmaids were able to relax and have their makeup and hair done while viewing all the preparations going on below. Ryan was also getting ready at the club in another room set aside for the groomsmen. The weather was perfect as these 2 said I do with about 200 guests in attendance. They had their ceremony under an amazing archway of old doors and spectacular flowers that Pat’s Floral design had created for them. They then had gorgeous cocktail hour for their guests as the sun was setting. Kayla and Ryan took a golf cart around the grounds to get some amazing photos from the side of this incredible building to the 18th hole with a spectacular view of the club behind them. They then joined the rest of their guests for a gorgeous reception with stunning details including mercury glass vases with pink roses and soft blooms as well as silver candelabras and warm candlelight. They finished off their place settings with a wisp of lavender on each plate. The reception room of Congressional is just stunning with wood details on the ceiling and grand fireplaces at either end. They danced to the music of Millenium an incredible band. They finished off the night with wedding cake and a dessert bar including oreos – the couples favorite cookie. They had used oreos in their engagement pictures as well! So happy for a gorgeous couple so in love.

Kayla and Ryan met on the first day of freshman year at William & Mary. Ryan and (best man) Brett went knocking on Kayla’s door hoping to meet some new friends, but really were just star struck in how gorgeous Kayla’s blue eyes were. After an hour of Brett talking and Ryan not saying a word, Kayla asked for his number…Ryan’s number. Little did the guys know, but Kayla’s family friend back home told her before heading off to college, “You need to meet a baseball player named Ryan Williams; you’re going to marry him.” Kayla and Ryan became close friends over the next year and half; practicing their dirty dancing moves in the dorm hallway and having regular 3 hour conversations late at night because they didn’t want to say goodnight. They finally realized true love was staring them back in the face, so on April Fool’s Day (I know, not the best date choice, but we’ll never forget it) of 2013 Ryan proposed to Kayla. Twenty of their closest friends and about 100 strangers on a campus tour stopped to cheer them on and celebrate. 15 months later, on June 14, 2014, the couple got married and now live happily ever after in Northern Virginia.

Kayla and Ryan’s wedding was so unique, fun, beautiful, loving, timeless…just classic. The day of the wedding was gorgeous with blue skies, sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. Kayla and Ryan exchanged vows in front of about 200 family & friends. The ceremony took place out on the back veranda of Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD, under an amazing archway made out of doors and old wood topped off with gorgeous flowers from Southern Blooms. During the cocktail hour, close family posed for pictures followed by romantic pictures of just the couple on the grounds of CCC. The dinner reception took place in the main Congressional ballroom and the decorations were stunning! The band Millennium led an acoustic set during dinner, which turned into a jam packed dance floor party for the rest of the night.

Would like to give special recognition to the bride herself for designing and coordinating every detail of this wedding. Her attention to detail did not go unnoticed – all the way from the French country/rustic color scheme, to the beautiful table decorations, and even a fun coloring book for the kids table. The couple received numerous compliments from the vendors on how elegant this wedding was and they continue to hear from friends & family how this was “the best wedding ever.”

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Romona Keveza

Romona Keveza Luxe Bridal

Romona Keveza Luxe Bridal Fall 2016

Romona Keveza Bridal Fall 2017

Romona Keveza Collection Bridal Spring 2017

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ROMONA New York

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Take a breathtaking traditional setting like the Evergreen Museum And Library and add in a rich color palette of red and blues with just a touch of golden glitter and the results are insanely pretty. Think lush blooms crafted by Scentsational Florals, the beauty stylings of JKW Beauty and a bride and groom who are the definition of sweet. See it all captured by Natalie Franke in THE VAULT, lovelies.

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Al Fresco

From Natalie Franke… These two are the epitome of soulmates and their relationship, spanning over a decade, is truly one of the most genuinely inspiring pairings you can imagine!

Greer wore a gorgeous wedding gown and carried her grandmother’s earrings on her bouquet. They walked arm in arm around the museum counting down the minutes until the reverend would declare them husband and wife. Everything about this wedding was incredible! The venue is a historic Museum just north of Baltimore that overlooks exquisite gardens and hidden brick archways.

This Sapphire Ring Kicked Off One Beautiful Blue Party

There simply isn’t enough space on this one page to house all the delightful details included in this beautiful blue and white wedding (thank goodness we got our Vault to hold every pic!) Strawberry Milk Events led the team and thanks to Katie Stoops we don’t miss one preppy piece of this party – so pop open Pinterest and getting ready to pin to your heart’s content because it all really is that good.

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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A Wedding Held in the Home Built By The Bride and Her Mother

From the Bride… Being a designer who had helped many brides realize their own unique wedding visions, I approached our wedding day planning with lots of ideas for the look and feel that I wanted to create. We wanted a wedding that reflected us as a couple, traditional, yet fun, and definitely near a body of water. The Inn at Perry Cabin embodied the beauty and historical feel that we were hoping for. Andrew proposed to me with a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring and that, along with our venue choice, with its lovely water views, lead to our delft blue-inspired romantic theme.

At the time of our engagement we were stationed in Washington, DC so the proximity to the Inn, located in St. Michael’s, Maryland, was manageable during planning. That was important to us as I was deep into my MFA thesis during the process and yet I still wanted to design as many of the details as I could manage in order to personalize our special occasion. There were many hours spent in the weeks prior the big event making sure those welcome bags were perfectly put together and the escort card tassels were the correct shade of blue. I focused so much of my energy leading up to the wedding on those small details because, to me, they mattered. It seemed important that there be continuity of design throughout all of the weekend’s events. I custom designed our letterpress save the dates and wedding invitations. For our guests, these set the tone for the entire weekend. I also hand-designed all of the other welcome materials and paper goods, from escort and menu cards to welcome maps and bags of goodies. Needless to say, I was busy but the finished product was well worth the effort. I had so much fun watching everything come together and, in the end, it was just beautiful. Julie, my planner from Strawberry Milk Events, helped to harmonize our look through venue décor, tenting, linens and table arrangements. She also kept us on track the day of. Lauren and Rachel from Sweet Root Village designed those stunning floral arrangements and the greenery canopy over the dance floor. The exquisite results blew me away. Lastly, Katie Stoops Photography helped us capture all the special moments and details of the day in the most beautiful way possible.

One of my favorite memories from that day was surprising Andrew by walking down the aisle with my Dad to an electric violin version of a Dave Matthews song. Andrew loves Dave Matthews Band, and the surprise was of special significance for the two of us. Seeing the big grin on his face when he realized what song was playing as I walked towards him reminded us that this was a special moment between the two of us, even as it was being witness by all of our family and friends. Those friends and family being there meant so much to us as we have moved many times over the years due to our careers. Finding the right balance between entertaining and enjoying your guests and taking the time to appreciate the moment with your spouse is really important.

What I would say is… the day goes by so quickly and we made an effort to enjoy our “moments” together. You are throwing a really big party and you, as a couple, are the center of attention. We wanted to remember what the event was about… our love and future together. It is important to take time to remember throughout the day how, and why, we were celebrating our love.
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Enzoani

2014 Beautiful

2014 Blue

2014

2014 Love

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It’s not everyday that we get to witness a wedding that takes place at the Mother of the Bride’s home, so when we do we tend to cherish it – big time. Because the sentiment? Major. The sweet details? Aplenty. Take this culturally chic celebration planned by Anne Book Event Design. From the sweetest ceremony you’ve ever seen to the lovely lit reception, Judy Pak has got it all waiting for you in The Vault!

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Backyard Outdoor Weddings

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Romantic Waterfront Engagement Session

From Anne Book Event Design…The 75 guest wedding took place at the waterfront home of the mother of the bride on Maryland’s Shore. They are a mother- daughter architect team and the mother designed the house. The entire wedding incorporated the bride’s Indian Heritage and the Groom’s Scottish heritage while embracing the local flavors and setting of The Eastern Shore.

There was a hurricane coming up the coast all week and the couple had to make quick decisions. They went from a sailcloth tent to frame tent with sides, installed heaters and a custom wooden wall to block the forecasted 30 MPH winds all 3 days before the wedding. In the end, the weather ended up being fine and everything turned out wonderfully.

Some of my favorite details were the individual cloches place cards that covered the amuse bouche, the driftwood structure that was designed and built by the couple for their ceremony, and the cocktail hour surrounding the modern pool and the custom invitation suite, and welcome gifts. Everything for this wedding was custom down to the hand dipped concrete floral containers to match the home.

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Amsale

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2014

Amsale Bridesmaids Spring 2014

Additional Styles by Amsale

Amsale Bridal Fall 2014

Amsale Bridal Spring 2015

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Amsale Bridal Blue Label

Amsale Bridal Spring 2016

Amsale Bridal Fall 2016

Amsale Bridal Spring 2018

Amsale Bridal Fall 2018

Amsale Bridesmaids

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Melissa & Patrick pretty much had the best engagement session ever. A romantic waterfront stroll that has got style for days? Perfection. Just as Alysia & Jayson Photography and they’ll show you first hand what newly engaged bliss looks like because they’ve captured it all to share in The Vault!

From Alysia & Jayson Photography… What we thought was going to be a very cloudy and dreary day on the water in Maryland, turned out to be one of the most beautiful weather combinations for a photo session we’ve ever seen…soft cloud cover with peeks of warm sun followed by a sunset that lit up the sky! We met Melissa & Patrick at the local marina in the quaint town of Havre de Grace on the Susquehanna river for a cozy shoot near the venue where they will be married this year! These two met through mutual friends and their connection and love for one another is unmistakable. We are thrilled to be photographing their upcoming Maryland wedding!

Photography: Alysia & Jayson Photography

A Seaside Elegance Styled Wedding Shoot

Inspiration shoots are a place where dreams can come to life for talented folks like Claire Duran Weddings And Event, and I couldn’t be more thankful she made this stunning seaside shoot a reality. With a team of talents including Intrigue Design & Decor, Buttercream Bakeshop and Julie Ha Calligraphy – this gallery beautifully captured byPhotos by Sarah Beth is blue-hued coastal perfection.

From Photos by Sarah Beth…This wedding inspiration shoot is a celebration of the sea — its color, its movement, its beauty. The setup was designed as an elegant sea-side reception with hues of blues, whites, grays and subtle blush undertones. We were thinking of a couple who wants to embrace the coastal surroundings while forgoing many of the traditional beach elements.

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Ivy & Aster

Through the Forest

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Abby Capalbo

Design, Styling, Parties

Abby Capalbo Styling

Classic + Elegant Maryland Horse Farm Wedding

I am truly, madly, deeply in love with this wedding. With the help of Stephanie Bradshaw, the Bride’s vision for a wedding with “a touch of equestrian and all-white” came together in the most stunning way. The private estate, a horse racing farm nestled in the hills of Baltimore County, was transformed into an all white, tented, black-tie affair that is take-your-breath-away beautiful. Fall in love thanks to gorgeous images from Shannon Michele Photography in The Vault!

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Religious Institution Rustic Weddings

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Quirky Garden Museum Wedding Complete with Tea Length Dress

From Stephanie Bradshaw…“A touch of equestrian and all white,” were the words our bride, Molly, used to first describe her vision when planning for her big day. The venue, a horseracing farm nestled in the hills of northern Baltimore County. It was the perfect setting for Molly and William’s wedding. Our team transformed the private estate into an all white, tented, black-tie affair that truly was a magical experience for not only the bride and groom, but for their family and friends alike.

Molly did all of the calligraphy for the seating cards, bouquet tags and invitations herself. She has since opened her own business called Lovely Ink Calligraphy. Molly’s father passed away a few years ago, but his presence was still acknowledged through out the day, as he had wanted to give Molly the most beautiful wedding. Molly and William were also married at Tagart Chapel, on the McDonogh campus, where Molly went to school. Molly’s brother created the amazing monogrammed wood stack entrance way!

From The Bride…My sister-in-law used to say “There is a very nice boy whose family lives down the street- you two should meet!” We did indeed end of meeting up one day for a casual cocktail but timing wasn’t exactly right. Flash forward almost 2 years, we randomly bumped into each other at the super market & timing was perfect. William was (and still is!) quick to point out that I “ditched” him for those 2 years- to this day he does not let me forget it.

We were engaged in July of 2014 in Kiawah, South Carolina at The Sanctuary. He somehow pulled off a surprise- I knew it was coming up but had no idea it was going to happen during our getaway to Charleston/Kiawah.

I am very thankful to my family, his family, my wedding planning team & the wonderful vendors who helped make my day absolutely magical.

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Amsale

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2014

Amsale Bridesmaids Spring 2014

Additional Styles by Amsale

Amsale Bridal Fall 2014

Amsale Bridal Spring 2015

Amsale Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Amsale Bridal Blue Label

Amsale Bridal Spring 2016

Amsale Bridal Fall 2016

Amsale Bridal Spring 2018

Amsale Bridal Fall 2018

Amsale Bridesmaids

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BHLDN

Bridal 2016

Bridal 2019

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Lately we’ve seen an uptick in museum weddings and quite frankly we’re downright obsessed. Because what’s better than a building filled with ancient artifacts? How about a building filled with ancient artifacts and endless love? We’d say that just about puts it over the top and thanks to this lovely little gallery from Katie DeLorme Photography we’ve got all that and more. See it in The Vault!

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Elegant + Romantic Baltimore Engagement Session

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Museum

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Classic Weddings Vintage

From the Bride… John and I had already been together for seven years when we got engaged. That meant we were close to each other’s big families, and we shared fantastic groups of friends, so John and I knew we weren’t going to have a small wedding. There wasn’t a lot of talk about themes or colors; we let a classic, timeless sense of style inspire us and it all started coming together. We just wanted to throw a huge party with everyone we loved and look really good doing it.

We both loved the idea of getting married in Baltimore, so we looked at a lot of venues in the city. John knew right away that the Evergreen Museum and Library was perfect for us. This place had everything — a stunningly elegant Italian-style gardens for our ceremony, a classic art deco patio for our cocktail hour, and a chic carriage house setting for the reception and dance floor. Tons of green space, brick, marble, and romantic dark wood meant that we didn’t have to do a lot of decorating.

I wish I could look like Audrey Hepburn every day of my life, so naturally I had my heart set on a tea length wedding gown. I fully committed to old Hollywood glamour with vintage-detailed wedges, a short blusher veil, and crystal stud earrings. And I’ll never get over John’s look. His perfectly tailored navy suit from Suit Supply is the best thing he’s ever worn. Luckily for him (and me) he can wear it over and over again. And check out those blue laces on his shoes!

The bridesmaids all wore slate gray Alfred Sung dresses in the style they liked best paired with coral shoes. The groomsmen wore matching gray suits with different black and white ties we selected just for them from The Tie Bar.

I could not have been more clueless about choosing bouquets and centerpieces, but I trusted our florist Wicked Willow immediately. They created the most unique and gorgeous arrangements, with only very vague direction from me. The flowers were the perfect pop of late-summer color in our mostly neutral palette.

Our ceremony was very personal, and we made an effort to select the readings and songs to represent the happiness and honesty we wanted our marriage to be built on. John’s cousin married us and my brothers each read something that spoke to not only John and my relationship, but to their own personalities, too.

John made the table numbers by cutting and staining wood blocks before nailing house numbers to them. I designed our programs and the thank-you cards we placed at each seat in the reception, along with the art on our pint glass favors. A local artist created a gigantic one-of-a-kind quill art piece that hung behind our sweetheart table during the reception. And my dad did all the calligraphy, including the invitations and the place cards.

Advice:
Communicate! We learned very quickly that communicating exactly what we wanted was crucial to the entire process and eliminated a lot of stress. We involved our parents and friends in the planning process, but our whole wedding day was very much a reflection of us as a couple. That was mostly because John and I stayed on the same page, made decisions together, and kept everyone constantly in the loop. I sent a LOT of emails and made a LOT of spreadsheets. I’d also say: choose vendors who have style and talent you trust, and treat yourself to a day-of coordinator!

Songs
Processional: “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” The Beatles
Recessional: “What is Life,” George Harrison
First Dance: “Everlasting Light,” The Black Keys
Father-Daughter Dance: “She’s a Rainbow,” The Rolling Stones
Mother-Son Dance: “What a Wonderful World,” Louis Armstrong

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Wedding Dresses

Justin Alexander

Spring 2016

Spring 2018

Justin Alexander Fall/Winter

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Alfred Sung

2014

Fall 2014

Spring 2015

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Kenny and Ashley’s flower market-inspired engagement session is perfect. No, really, it’s perfect. An amazing photographer? Check. Fashionable ensembles? Check. Flowers all around? Check. And a couple so in love it will make you smile? Check. Head to The Vault to see every pretty moment captured by Elizabeth Fogarty, and get ready to pin it all—you know you want to!

From Elizabeth Fogarty…Kenny and Ashley wanted to do something special for their engagement session. This session was inspired by their love for the European fresh floral market. It just has all the elements for a very romantic and elegant engagement session. We loved the idea of using a unique and meaningful spot as the inspiration for this engagement session. A lot of the details used throughout this shoot were inspired by that floral market feel – the brown paper bouquet with freshly picked blooms, the floral market buckets with European chalkboard signs, and the brown paper calligraphy sign with the quote, “I choose you and I’ll keep choosing you forever.” Just as they chose fresh blooms together, they will keep choosing each other forever. Their session was absolutely picture perfect! Not to mention these two are total naturals in front of the camera.

Classic Garden-Inspired Solomons Island Wedding

Here at Style Me Pretty, we love a good paper suite, and this one from Amie Kesler and Cotton Press Paperie is seriously so good. And it’s just the start of this pretty day from the talents at Hitched By Heather and Alicia Jayne Florals. See every beautiful moment captured by Vicki Grafton Photography and Storymix Media in The Vault!

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Ballroom Weddings Religious Institution

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Classic + Elegant Naval Academy Summer Wedding

From The Couple…If we had to describe our wedding in one word, it would be magical! When we started planning for the big day, we wanted to make sure every piece and detail reflected us and our journey over the past 10 years of our relationship. We wanted it to feel like an extension of us, from the choice of music to our favorite foods to our signature drinks.

From The Bride…I wanted to keep the color palette timeless and neutral with touches of gold to really make the event feel as special and beautiful to our guests as it was to the both of us. One of the most important things to me during the planning process was the flowers! I wanted to keep the decorations simple and let the flowers and centerpieces speak for themselves. I had a vision of transforming our reception space into an evening garden filled with green vines, big blooms and lanterns with candles. Flowers were incorporated into everything from the Save the Dates, to the custom portfolio wedding invitation to the Out of Town bags.

My mom is originally from Hong Kong with her traditions deriving from Macau, a coastal region once ruled by Portugal. As a bridal tradition, she made hand sewn Portuguese bridal dolls for each Bridesmaid and female family member as a remembrance of the day. Traditional paper “cuttings” filled with macaroons were also prepared and offered for guests to take. One of my favorite features of the day was our cake that was hung under the stairway of our reception space. It was a beautiful touch and something unique that we had never seen before. All the details really turned out exactly how I had envisioned the day to be. I feel really lucky to have had the best team possible between our wedding planner, Hitched by Heather, our amazing florist, Alicia Jayne Florals and our incredible photographer Vicky Grafton.

From The Groom…I found myself taken aback all throughout the day; when I turned around at first look and saw my exquisitely beautiful bride, during our ceremony where the groomsmen and myself were impeccably greeted by a three-piece string band playing Europe’s “The Final Countdown”; at our remarkable ceremony surrounded by our family and friends.

We wanted the ceremony to be fun, elegant and thoughtful while showing off our individual personalities. I think we accomplished that. We started with passed signature drinks consisting of Jasmine’s champagne and my Moscow Mule in authentic Moscow Mule mugs. We may have warmed US – Russia relations that evening with how many Mule’s were consumed. The passed foods were equally thoughtful and delectable; zesty crab cakes on brioche with Old Bay sauce, peking duck tacos, and ahi tuna bites. Outside of the venue we had an oyster bar, serving up local oysters raw or steamed with various toppings and sauces. The food stations continued to show the effort and thought we put into choosing our menu; a dim sum station with banh mi sliders, spring rolls and kabobs, a carving station with marinated flank steak, a potato bar and finally a build your own salad station. If your mouth isn’t watering yet, the night closed with passed ice cream sandwiches, macaroni and cheese cupcakes and mini chicken and waffle sliders. I hardly need to say it, but Millof’s Catering did a flawless job delivering the menu we envisioned.

The rest of the evening was equally enchanting with good food and drinks, and even better friends and family to share them with. The wedding party introductions will always stay with me, even though we had a combined sixteen bridesmaids and groomsmen. Everyone let loose and was able to have fun with their individual introductions and songs. Another thing I’ll never forget is the incredible speech’s from my two best men, especially Chris Frantz. Love you Franchise! I’ll never forget dancing with my mother and watching Jasmine dancing with her father. And finally, I’ll never forget seeing my best friend walking down the aisle, towards me. The love of my life.

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Bridesmaid Dresses

Joanna August

Babes of the Nile

Ceremony

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You know we’re a sucker for a Groom in uniform and this classic Navy affair is certainly no exception. A military chic celebration that we’re falling madly in love with and thanks to Katie Parra Photography we can enjoy it for years to come. See it all unfold in The Vault!

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Religious Institution

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Artistic Baltimore Wedding Surrounded by Spring Blossoms

From the Bride… I remember so many special moments from our wedding day…waking up early and taking a walk with my parents, reading a letter from my dear (at that point) fiance, laughing with all my bridesmaids while we prepped, the butterflies in my stomach before walking down the aisle, the disbelief that we had actually pulled this off, seeing every person I care about in this world there to support Jon and I on that day, and, above all, overwhelming feelings of love and humility that all these people would gather to be there with Jon and I. What a celebration of family, of friends, of our shared history at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and of God’s faithfulness for having brought us to this point. The day was everything I had thought it would be – a showcase of our love and experiences set against the backdrop of all of the individuals who had supported us throughout our lives. A true testament of grace, faith, and joy!

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There’s a whole lot of pretty in this wedding from Lindsay Hite / READYLUCK, but let’s start with the ketubah, a work of art created by the beautiful Bride (the crazy-talented artist behind The Painted Ketubah). Then there’s the pretty pink petals everywhere, making for the most gorgeous portraits. And, trust me, there’s so much more pretty to love (like the Bride’s Rosa Clara gown from Lovely Bride) in The Vault.

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Spring Weddings

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Academic Venue Settings

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Romantic Violet & Smokey Charcoal Wedding Inspiration

From The Bride…We really wanted our wedding to be filled with dancing, laughter and creativity. We were both so floored by the beauty of the Peabody Library and grateful that we could be in Baltimore while all of the trees and flowers were in full spring bloom.

I’m a painter, and about two years ago I started my own ketubah studio, The Painted Ketubah, where I create hand painted wedding certificates and illuminated marriage contracts. Since I spend my days working with brides and grooms I felt like I had so much helpful experience to draw on as Colin and I planned our own wedding. Painting our ketubah in the weeks leading up to our wedding felt like a perfect way to meditate on the commitment that we were making to one another.

It was really so special to work with Colin to integrate our vows into a piece of artwork that will hang in our home forever. The ketubah signing ceremony was also one of the most emotional parts of our wedding day, we were surrounded by an intimate group of family and friends while my mother played us a song on her guitar that she wrote for my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary.

Some of the most meaningful parts of our wedding were in the personal details that celebrated our families’ roots and traditions. Colin built our chuppah with his dad using my grandfather’s prayer shawl. My mom, having been raised Kentucky, distilled two small batches of bourbon for us to serve at our reception. Colin’s mom and my great Aunt baked some of our favorite family recipes to give to our guests in their welcome bags and during our send-off brunch. I carried my great-grandmother’s pearl clutch and wore my grandmother’s gold bracelets while Colin wore his grandfather’s antique tie pin.

When Colin and I started our relationship we were running a startup art gallery in San Francisco that doubled as a live/work space. Some of our favorite memories together are the adventures that went into curating and assembling those art shows and community events so we wanted our wedding to be infused with a similar creative ethos. It was in that spirit that we decided to make the painted circular table runners with indigo dye and watercolor paints to add some handmade touches to each of the tables at our reception. I also painted the design for our invitations and rsvp cards while Colin geeked out on making our wedding website and working with our DJ’s, friends of his from college, to craft the perfect playlist.

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Donna Morgan

Bridesmaids

Bridal

Mother of the Bride

Donna Morgan Collection - Core Chiffon

Donna Morgan Collection - Core Lace

Donna Morgan Collection - Serenity

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I could write a poem about how much I love these Oscar de la Renta shoes (don’t worry, I won’t). And they’re just the start of the pretty in this editorial from Amelia Johnson and Claire Duran Weddings & Events. With a truly stunning Claire Pettibone wedding dress, invitations from Mabel & Maggie, calligraphy by Sarah Bohl Designs and a gorgeous garter from The Garter Girl, this photo shoot is full of the prettiest inspiration. See it all in THE VAULT!

From Claire Duran Weddings & Events…When I started thinking about this shoot, I wanted to create an effortlessly elegant wedding inspiration. The natural beauty of the grounds of future venue The Regent at Stone House provided us with the perfect background to embrace the feeling for an elegant outdoor affair. We wanted to go for a palette inspired by white and black watercolor brushes and anemones. With such inspiration in mind, we first captured our model bride in the bridal suite getting ready and dreaming of the amazing moment that was to come, while going over her vows written on the Paper Walrus vow journals. We brought several details into place: the gorgeous silk and lace robe from Love Ophelia, the classic garter from The Garter Girl, the amazingly beautiful heels by Oscar de la Renta, the gorgeous Griffith ring by Trumpet and Horn and the most delicate and dreamy gown by Claire Pettibone. The makeup from Make up by Kevan and hair styling by Lori Nansi, presented a classic and simple beauty for our bride, adorned by accessories and head piece by Lindsay Marie Design.

With our handsome groom in a fitted gray suit by Savii Formale, we envisioned the ceremony by the lake adorned by a hand painted backdrop by Christine Olmstead that would add an interesting contrast to all the untouched nature around.

Aided by the gorgeous inventory from White Glove Rentals, we sought to further showcase the interplay of neutrals in the place settings bringing a pop of color through the garden-style florals of Blossom and Vine. We continued this trend with the stunning cake by Fluffy Thoughts, the calligraphy and paperie by Sarah Bohl Designs and Mabel & Maggie, with the organza ribbon accents form Bella Me Ribbon and Haven Court’s artisan gift.

With all this setting in mind, it was unquestionable that I wanted to team up with a fine-art film photographer who would beautifully capture all of this with her endless talent, and working with Amelia Johnson was as formidable as wedding experiences get.

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Claire Pettibone

Couture Bridal

Fall 2015 Romantique

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Blogger Bride: Politics of Pretty’s Vintage + Whimsical Greek Wedding

It’s here, it’s here! The day has finally arrived as we witness our very own blogger bride, Kara of Politics of Pretty, walk down the aisle, and darlings this is one we’ve been waiting to share. The epitome of style grace, it’s a day infused with plenty of Real Doll Makeup, perfectly saturated hues of pink, and of course endless love. Thankfully Elizabeth Fogarty captured it all and we’ve got it all in THE VAULT!

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