Massachusetts Weddings

This wedding is head over heels adorable with so many special touches, it’s hard to know where to even begin! As a designer, the bride knew that fabrics and florals would play a huge role in the overall look and feel of her day so she decided to make her nieces their flower girl dresses, which by the way, are super cute! She also made luggage tags for all the guests (such a great idea) that did double duty as their seating cards. Soiree Floral made sure the groom’s Australian heritage was honored by infusing native flowers like Kangaroo Paw and Waratah. Claudia Kronenberg Photography snapped up all the gorgeous images and there’s more waiting for you in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We got married in Nantucket Massachusetts. The photos are from Claudia Kronenberg Photography based in Nantucket, MA. I don’t know how we are going to choose which ones to buy because there are so many fantastic ones. Libby, our photographer, was wonderful and so patient with my immediate family of 25 plus my new husband’s family.

I purchased my dress from J.Crew. I wanted something simple with clean lines. However, I did want to add my own touches. Many friends and strangers asked if I was making my own since I am a designer. No way. After seeing how much work went into altering the dress down 2 sizes I never would take on such a task. Esin of Sew Elegant, a Vera Wang alum recommended by J.Crew, altered my dress. J.Crew was out of a size 2 and only a size 6 available. She brought it down to size 2 and at my last fitting I dropped a pound or 2 and she had to take it in more. She is amazing, sweet and a very talented seamstress! But I did have a sash created and added buttons I found at M and J Trimming on 6th and 37th in NYC. Robins egg blue was the main theme color. I thought I would never find robins egg blue shoes. I was going to start checking vintage shops in NYC. My husband decided to check J. Crew for suits for the wedding. So one day we walked into one and bam! Robins egg blue shoes right there. I couldn’t believe it! I decided to make a fascinator for my hair instead of a traditional veil. I took a class at 3rdward in Brooklyn with Cha Cha, the millinery instructor.

Considering the wedding was in Nantucket in October chances of it being a bit cool were highly likely. To keep me warm I bought a pashmina and on the reverse side of it I sewed fabric leftover from the fabric I purchased for my sash, the robins egg blue stripe.

As a designer I had no interest in making my own dress but I did design the flower girl dresses. My 2 nieces, Aster and Charlotte, are 5 and 6 and this was their first wedding so they were very excited. I wanted them to wear dresses they can wear again. The bridesmaids wore blue dresses from J. Crew so I started with the color. I looked around at stores and didn’t find what I wanted then I looked on Etsy. I found some dress styles I liked but not in fabrics or colors I wanted. I contacted a woman on Etsy and commissioned her to make the flower girl dresses. Angela from Maple Tree 2000 was wonderful to work with, very accommodating, professional and a very good seamstress.The girls as you can see in the photo looked absolutely adorable! Their flower girl baskets just completed their outfit. Our floral designer Dawn Kelly, owner and creative director of Soiree Floral, knows her stuff!

The tables. Soiree Floral on Nantucket was a click as soon as we met with Dawn the owner and designer. We brought lots of pics and we liked her aesthetic. At our first meeting I spotted a bird cage. I just had to have it! And of course the faux bird that lived there, Mr. Peacock. This worked well since I did want some peacock feathers in my bouquet. Being Australian, Andy wanted some native Australian flowers in the vases. Dawn found some Kangaroo Paw, Waratah and other beautiful Australian flowers. Fortunately my husband has good taste and a good eye. For table names I created cards with names of different parts of the island. I found a picture of a vintage map of Nantucket and tweeked the color a bit. Then I printed it at home on an Epson Workforce 1100 printed on a cream colored card stock. Dawn provided the stands for these.

For guest seat assignments and as wedding favors I made luggage tags using the Amy Butler fabrics we didn’t use for the tables. We purchased alot before we decided on which ones to use. This worked out perfectly because all of the colors complemented each other. The luggage tags were a challenge to make. Once again thanks to my friend Kayte who stayed up till 3 am one night helping me cut and iron. I didn’t have the time to grommet them myself so I took them to Steinlauf and Stoller. Then used a twisted rope for the ties. For presentation, I thought that tying the luggage tags to apples would look cute but the tags were too big (6″ long). Instead Dawn suggested lining them up in silver trays filled with dry red kidney beans. Easy to find your name and looks very stream lined, I like how it turned out.

Lastly the cake. We had cupcakes made by Natasha Misanko who works at American Seasons. She made one little cake for us and cupcakes for everyone else. She creates dreamy mixes like peanut butter fluff in a chocolate cake and has a wide variety to choose from. On the filled cupcakes Natasha was able to make white chocolate whale tails for the tops. For cake toppers we decided to use woodies. These were the cutest things and weren’t stereotypical toppers. The artist I found on etsy, The Little Gift Box, was great to work with. I sent her a few pictures of us and the attire we would be wearing. She sent us a photo of the completed dolls and once we approved she sealed them and sent them off to us.

All in all we were very happy with all of our vendors and the wedding day!

Wedding Dress: J.Crew (plus details from the bride) / Alterations: Esin of Sew Elegant / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Ties: Vineyard Vines / Florals + Design: Soiree Floral / Reception Venue: White Elephant / Ceremony Venue: St. Mary’s / Day-of Coordination: Unique Nantucket / Cake + Cupcakes: Natasha Misanko of American Seasons / Cake Toppers: The Little Gift Box / Wedding Photography: Libby Green for Claudia Kronenberg Photography

Prepare yourselves, SMPers… these Westport nuptials by Forevercandid Photography are about to turn your Wednesday into a literal swoon-fest of wedding goodness… and you won’t know what to do with yourselves once you lay your eyes on the sweet vintage touches, darling DIY details and fabulous rustic setting.  Trust me, there is just no better way to liven up your weekday than with this fabulous farm fête.  Plus, with every moment planned to absolute perfection by Veronica Alexandra of Blue Ivy, there is an entire gallery of gorgeous details still to be seen.  Join me there for more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Cristian and I are, what you might call, an unlikely couple. He was born in Colombia; I was born in Taiwan. Our paths crossed one fateful summer in a city far away from home, after some time getting to know each other long distance across US and international time zones, we both ended up working in Boston, MA. The rest is history as they say. When we embarked on the journey of wedding planning, we had a vision but not a clue on how to execute it. It was entirely a learning process that turned into many creative collaborations, DIY projects and the most fun I had in a long time! We dreamt of a rustic New England barn wedding but didn’t initially follow our instincts. With less than a year to plan, we rushed into our first venue – an exquisite ocean front historical mansion in Rhode Island – only to come to terms that it just wasn’t us. We gave up our deposit, started over, and found the venue of our dreams by by word of mouth with six months to go. Tip #1 – follow your instincts.

Our theme was rustic, vintage, shabby chic. Bittersweet Farms was the perfect venue. Bittersweet, a former barn in Westport, nestled in the woods with a garden gazebo, preserved all of the natural charm of a farm as backdrop to its formal dining amenities. The staff was incredibly flexible in letting us customize our experience – from food and drink menu selections to ceremony & reception set up. They even allowed us to use hay-bales for seating during our ceremony.

We wanted to feel at “home” on our Big Day, so we decided to turn the restaurant into a cozy living room / backyard. Vintage books from the public library (yay for unlimited check out!) and hand picked tea pots, mason jars, mugs, bottles from the thrift shop were spread across burluxe covered tables and various corners of the room. Our florist did a fabulous job selecting romantic muted colors including ivory, nude, and champagne with pops of coral & yellow flowers to fill the hundred plus vessels. She created a unique arrangement for every table that complimented our overall theme – all within our budget!

Tip #2 – Have fun. Cristian and I wanted to ensure that our family and guests enjoyed themselves on our special day. We were both “Gleeks” in high school before there was Glee, so we surprised our guests with a flash mob performance featuring 10 a capella singers dressed as waiters. Many seriously thought they were singing waiters! In crafting a fun filled experience for our guests, we had a ton of fun ourselves in the process including the creating a custom wedding website, interactive wedding invitations, a DIY cupcake tower, a hand drawn finger print “guestbook”, crossword puzzle in our DIY wedding program, a Jib Jab video in our wedding slide show (which our photographer, Amber, helped put together), and designing a marriage advice game that got everyone participating!

I still can’t believe we planned a wedding in six months! It would have been unimaginable without the help of friends, amazing vendors (some of whom are friends like our web designer & musicians and most of the others were found by word of mouth,) my mother-in-law who helped tailor and customize my dress, and our ingenious wedding planner, Veronica. I didn’t believe in hiring help, but I’m very glad we did. We had a million ideas in mind, but time was not by our side. This did not faze Veronica, who after 6 months of refining ‘plan A’ was faced with inclement weather on the day of our wedding (ceremony was supposed to take place outdoors) and had to reinvent our ceremony in a much smaller space. Her execution on the day-of was priceless.

Wedding Photography: Forevercandid Photography / Wedding Planner: Veronica Alexandra of Blue Ivy / Wedding Venue: Bittersweet Farm / Ceremony Musicians: Jenna Ordway, Justin Lee, Jaime Vergara + Kione Ebalaroza / Cocktail Hour Musicians: Receita de Samba / Wedding Videography: Well Spun Weddings / Cupcakes: Konditor Meister / Floral Design: A Victorian Garden / Hair + Make-up: Styling by Lisette / A Cappella Singers: The Harvard Opportunes / Shuttle Service: Groundforce One / Candy Apple Favors: Frenchy’s Popcorn / Formal Invitations: Blue Ivy Designer, Ricardo Morales-Hendry / Printer: Ink Kiosk / Guestbook: Blue Ivy Designer, Ricardo Morales-Hendry / Bridal Gown: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Groom’s Suit: JoS. A. Bank / Wedding Website Design: Variabilis / Custom Bridal Bolero: Rosie’s Bridal (Miami, Florida)

My What I love About This Wedding list for this breathtaking Cape Cod soiree at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club by Eric Laurits would be a mile long. Maybe two miles. I wouldn’t even know where to begin – the bride’s Oscar de la Renta gown? The Mother of the Bride’s gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown? The charming Cape Cod scenery mixed with black tie elegance? It’s impossible to decide what I love most, so I think I’ll just spend the day drooling over all the lovely in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Eric Laurtis took the most beautiful pictures of our wedding July 24th, 2011 at the Wequassett Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts.  

Buzzie and I met six years ago, and fell in love during our first summer spent together in Cape Cod.  Our families both have homes in Cape Cod, so when we got engaged it was a no-brainer that we would want to be getting married in the Cape.  My wedding was planned by me in New York city, with the help of my family with all the details. The Wequassett Inn was the most beautiful colorful, and perfect backdrop for our wedding, so I wanted to keep the flowers and the rest of the wedding all shades of white.  

My Aunt, Diane Valle had owned a flower store in Boston growing up, and though she retired from that she so generously offered to do my wedding flowers.  We spent countless hours looking at magazines for inspiration, and also wanted to celebrate the natural beauty and flowers that are at the Cape.  

I am a buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue, so I was obsessed with finding the perfect dress and bridesmaid dresses. My dress was Oscar de la Renta, I tried on the runway sample, 1 week after the spring 2011 collections walked, and ordered that dress immediately.  I scoured the marketplace for the perfect bridesmaid dresses, and finally picked those amazing Notte by Marchesa bridesmaid dresses off the rack. I then searched for the perfect mother of the bride dress for my mother and found the most amazing green Monique Lhuillier dress. 

My grandmother painted small paintings of flowers to give away as wedding gifts as people left.   My wedding couldn’t have come out more perfectly, and we had the most amazingly beautiful evening of celebrating love and family!

Wedding Photography: :e: – Eric Laurits / Floral Design: Diane Valle / Ceremony + Reception Location: Wequassett Resort and Golf Club / Invitations: Ceci New York / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Oscar de la Renta / Bridesmaid Dresses: Notte by Marchesa / Mother of the Bride: Monique Lhuillier / Wedding Cake: Konditor Meister /Makeup: Dani Wagener

Picturesque Newport, Rhode Island, a long and lace-lined veil, a beautiful gown just begging to be twirled in, a perfect pink color palette, pretty blooms from Sayles Livingston Flowers – these are a few of the things I am currently swooning over. And when I swoon, I swoon hard so Snap Photography is making my day today with this elegant party. It’s the definition of classic elegance, and there is more pretty to swoon over in the full gallery of images!

And because we just cant get enough of this lovely wedding, we just had to share the GORGEOUS film from the fête by David Bettencourt…

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/32050608 601 338]

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Nick and I both attended the same high school in Ridgefield, CT but we weren’t friends at the time. It was not until college that we would meet again through mutual friends and quickly become best friends and then in 2006 we began dating long distance (Nick in Pennsylvania and Maria in Florida) while in our senior year of college. We spent almost four years doing long distance until Nick proposed under the Brooklyn Bridge at The River Café and soon after moved in together in Jersey City finally putting an end to the long distance.

When I started planning the wedding I knew I didn’t want any kind of theme. I knew I wanted to focus mainly on the color pink and stick to a traditional and classic wedding. My mom and I did most of the planning together, ripping pages from wedding magazines, and of course often visiting etsy.com and of course stylemepretty.com for inspiration.  When looking for my wedding dress I knew I wanted a timeless look which I could look back twenty years from now and wouldn’t be out of style. The Lazaro ballgown was perfect because it was simple and elegant and the jeweled belt added sparkle without being too much. My veil which completed the look was made by Provnovias in Barcelona. My veil was one of my favorite parts of the wedding, it really made me feel like a bride!

Newport, RI is one of those most beautiful cities in the United States. It is surrounded by water and the cliff walk and mansions emit the classic New England charm. Nick and I both had many friends and relatives coming from all over the country and overseas so we wanted our guests to not only enjoy our wedding day but also enjoy our wedding location as they would probably be spending a few days in the area. We were married at Trinity Church, one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Newport. When we visited Belle Mer I knew immediately it was “the one”. Three words describe Belle Mer: location, location, location! The views are breathtaking and it has a very modern and sophisticated feeling. The Island House at Belle Mer is surrounded by a sprawling lawn where our guests enjoyed cocktail hour looking over the Narragansett Bay. Belle Mer also provided croquet and bocchi ball. The lawn games were a great way for guests to relax and have fun. One of the best parts of the wedding reception was definitely the photolounge by Snap Photography. Our guests were taking photos all night long and they were able to take them home as a favor.  The photolounge pictures are also a great way for Nick and I to laugh and see how much fun our friends and family had on our wedding day.

Our wedding day was a dream and one we will never forget. We had beautiful weather, a beautiful location and celebrated with our loved ones. Who could ask for anything more?

Wedding Dress: Lazaro / Veil: Pronovias / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair + Make-up: Sandra Downie / Maid of Honor Dress: Jenny Yoo / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Ceremony Location: Trinity Church / Reception Location: Belle Mer / Wedding Photography + Photolounge: Snap Photography / Floral Design: Sayles Livingston Flowers / Cocktail Linens: Rentals Unlimited / Macaron Favors: Confectionary Designs / Wedding Cake: Scrumptions / Wedding Videography: David Bettencourt / Lighting: High Output / DJ: DJ Derek Holtie / Transportation: Viking Tours / Limousine: A1 Limo

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Don’t you just love Mondays?!?  Two days away from all of the pretty, pretty inspiration and I simply can.not.wait to jump right in to all of this lovely first thing in the AM.  And today’s darling affair by Briana Moore Photography was definitely worth the wait… with a breathtaking Martha’s Vineyard setting, a fabulous tented reception and one uber-stunning bride and groom, this elegant backyard soiree has completely taken my breath away.  Trust me, you don’t want to miss a moment… Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Briana Moore Photography… This was a gorgeous destination wedding on Martha’s Vineyard! Brendan’s family has spent a lot of time on the Vineyard, though he and Laurie currently live in Louisiana. They had guests from all over the country. I loved the bridesmaid dresses, all different styles in pewter, and every lady had some pop of orange on.

There was a lot that was special about this wedding. Laurie’s family is quite musical. Her father & sister sang during the ceremony, and Laurie surprised her new husband during the reception by joining the wedding band and singing Mercy (by Duffy) to Brendan in front of all of their friends & family. The band was AMAZING, I’m a total convert to wedding bands if they could all be this good.

The bride wore a family heirloom bracelet for jewelry, and a tiara (just as her mother did when she got married). This group danced more than any I have ever seen! By the end of the night, my face hurt from smiling. This wedding was so special.

Wedding Photography: Briana Moore Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Lynn of EugeneWorks / Floral Design: Morrice Florist / Catering & Event Coordination: Tea Lane Caterers Inc. / Music: Mike Benjamin Band / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Location: West Chop Club / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza

It’s time to rise and shine SMP Massachusetts because we have a very special new advertiser to introduce to you today!  Gracie Lou Events is one of my favorite New England planners and someone I wish, wish, wish I had hired for my own wedding day.  We are so lucky to have them as one of our amazing advertisers. Make sure you spend some time at their website and give them some SMP love!  They also has a fantastic giveaway below that you will definitely want to check out!

From Gracie Lou Events… Gracie Lou Events is a boutique event planning and design firm based on Boston’s South Shore.

Our ability to plan, design and style events that truly encompass the personalities of our clients has catapulted us to the forefront of the wedding industry in New England, winning such prestigious awards as The Knot’s Best of Weddings, WeddingWire’s Bride’s Choice Awards and being named the Best Wedding Planner in Boston for 2011 by the Boston A List.

We’d be happy to include free bridal styling with any full service package booked prior to 12/31/11.

We know that you will love our newest advertiser as much as we do and, remember, make sure to stop by their site and show them some SMP support! Welcome aboard!  We’re happy to have you join our Style Me Pretty family!

Get ready to feast your eyes on one super gorgeous beach side wedding by Kate Preftakes Photography. There are so many pretty details packed into this day but my faves have got to be the bridesmaids bouquets-beyond gorg full of fluffy peonies and pretty green hydrangeas, the bride’s custom dress, to-die-for, and the setting…it really doesn’t get any better! All these pretty details add up to one elegant and unforgettable day full of eye candy galore. Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…I chose the Wequassett because my parents were married there 37 years ago, and we absolutely fell in love with the setting when we visited last fall.  Although the setting was very traditional Cape Cod, I wanted to stay away from the typical hydrangeas and sand dollars. I really wanted an overall theme of romance so I chose a soft pallet for my flowers which included white and light pink peonies and lily of the valley.

I originally thought I wanted to have my bridesmaids wear blue dresses, but then I saw the eggplant dresses on a wedding website and fell in love with the color. My bridesmaids looked gorgeous in them, and I and tied their look together with cream and light pink pearl and grosgrain ribbon necklaces that I purchased from Etsy.com.  As for my look, I wanted to look more “Vogue” than “bridal” so I worked with a dressmaker (Ana Hernandez) and she added a long train to the back of the dress which made for a very dramatic look. The inspiration for the back necklace came from a Chanel advertisement featuring Nicole Kidman in a backless gown. My maid of honor actually sewed the necklace into place on my wedding day- best maid of honor ever!

My favorite moment of the day was seeing Robb as I walked down the aisle. I had pictured that moment my entire life, but I never imagined the joy and emotion I actually felt when I saw him standing there with a huge smile and watery eyes.

Wedding Photography: Kate Preftakes Photography / Venue: Wequassett Inn and Resort / Wedding Cake: Konditor Meister / Catering: Wequassett Inn and Resort / Wedding Coordination: Kalson Pang of Wequassett Inn and Resort / Floral Design: Flowers by Fancy / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier / Alterations: Ana Hernandez Bridal Salon

Good morning, SMPers and a very happy November 30th to you!  We thought we’d say goodbye to this oh-so-fabulous month with one uber-gorgeous Duxbury Beach engagement shoot and some beyond brilliant images by Kelly Dillon Photography.  Sounds like a plan, no?  And just wait until you take in all of this lovely… the gorgeous couple, the seaside setting, that dress… it’s almost too perfect for words.  So, take a break from your morning and join our end of the month party.  You’ll be so happy you did.  Click here for more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Jonathan and I met back in college at George Mason University in Virginia.  We dated for 4 years before he proposed at a gorgeous Virginia Winery in September.  Growing up in Massachusetts and spending my summers on Duxbury Beach on the South Shore, I wanted to revisit one of my favorite spots for our engagement photo shoot.  Luckily for us, we had the perfect fall beach day, allowing for us to play dress up!  I wanted to capture the romance with a classic and whimsical wardrobe.  The long, flowy dress and tailored suit on the beach truly made the photo shoot and working with Kelly Dillon was amazing!  She knew exactly how to capture the scenes I was hoping for and she made us feel so comfortable while doing it!

Jonathan and I will be married in a very formal ceremony in downtown Boston in the fall of 2012, so it was important for us to maintain the formal theme throughout our engagement shoot.  We’ll have these beautiful photos for a lifetime and we couldn’t be more grateful to Kelly for her style and unbelievable talent.

Photography: Kelly Dillon Photography

It’s only appropriate that when a love story starts as sweetly as the one shared by these two lovebirds that the wedding day should be just as romantic.  The gorgeous Martha’s Vineyard nuptials captured by Dreamlove Photography are the perfect blend of timeless elegance, rustic beauty and a little bit of good ol’ New England flair.  The views are breathtaking, the florals stunning and each and every little detail absolutely lovely. Click here to see them all!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…The way David and I met was really one for the books and in every way he made it feel like a real life fairytale. While I was studying fashion in Florence, Italy, David was in town from Paris representing his family’s menswear company.  I was on my way out one night with some friends from school to celebrate the last weekend before we parted ways for summer break. While crossing a piazza, my friend ran into a man she met at a business appointment earlier that day and while they chatted, I found myself in front of a stunning Frenchman.  From the second we locked eyes, I knew this was going to be something special.  He had the kindest eyes I had ever seen. That night would change my life forever.  David called work and changed his flight to stay a few more days in Florence. For the next year we traveled back and forth, meeting in cities people only dream of visiting over a span of a lifetime.  We spent time in my home town of Miami, New York City, Martha’s Vineyard, Saint Tropez, and finally in Paris where we ended up living for one year. Now we are settled in Miami, surrounded by the most amazing family and friends.  I could not think of a better place to be newlyweds.

When David proposed there was no doubt about where we were going to be married. Being from two very different places we knew Martha’s Vineyard would be the one place everyone would happily jump on a plane, bus, car, or ferry to visit.  The Vineyard has been a place my family has called home for the summer for many generations. My newly retired mother was the perfect person to help me with the planning, and the first thing we booked was the venue, the Vineyard Haven Yacht club.  My great-grandfather was one of the founding members and the childhood memories I have of jumping off that dock don’t get any better.  For most of our friends and family this would be their very first time visiting the island and we wanted to make sure we represented ourselves and the island while setting the tone for the wedding.

The Yacht club does an amazing job of creating a casual elegant feel, and when I came across Dreamlove Photography I knew there was no one better who could capture this day.  When guests arrived on Island David made the design for our custom wedding bags and my parents and I filled them with island favorites. David also made the “Wedding” and “Welcome” signs to greet the guest when they arrived at the yacht club.  Working in fashion I think it comes with the territory to be neurotically obsessed with detail.  When planning our dream wedding I wanted to make sure to delight all the senses.  With the ocean breeze at our backs, the McGees playing a string quartet, there was no other way I wanted my dad to walk me down the aisle. My uncle Jeff performed our ceremony which my mother and I wrote referencing a book of weddings from all religions. After our I do’s, the Phil Darosa Band played an acoustic version of “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles.

I wanted our dinner at the reception to feel like everyone was sitting down for a family meal.  With the guest list under 100, every person in the room had influenced our lives in a positive way.  We had a vintage window seating chart set out to let guests know where they would be sitting for dinner.  We bought white washed wood table numbers and had french lavender seating card with the guests names attached thanking them for coming to our wedding.  April from Everything Little Miss made all of our invites, maps, and the most perfect custom lobster bibs. Jan from the Kitchen Porch provided the guests with a New England Lobster bake dinner.  From the Menemsha lobster to the herbs on the chicken every ingredient came from the island. We used long farm tables with hand stitched burlap my godmother made.  We purchased all of the lanterns, candles, and vases.  The day would not have been the same without the wild organic flowers Island Ambiance filled throughout the venue.  From the second I met Marline I knew she understood exactly what I wanted. There was really only two things I did not want for my wedding, matching bridesmaid dresses and a fondant cake.  Cakes by Val made the most amazing cake I have ever tasted. While bistro lights lined the ceilings and dance floor the Phil Darosa band made sure guests from all ages were having the time of there life.

This was truly the most magical day of my life.  With this team of vendors there was not one detail left untouched. This was the perfect beginning to the next chapter of my real life fairytale with David!

Wedding Photography: Dreamlove Photography / Venue: Vineyard Haven Yacht Club / Band: The Phil Darosa Band / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Lilly Pulitzer / Groom’s Suit: Arny’s Paris (David’s Family Company) / Wedding Jewelry: TEJANI / Hair + Make-up: Sea Spa / Catering: Kitchen Porch / Wedding Cakes: Cakes by Val / Floral Design: Island Ambiance / Vintage Window Seating Chart: Beyond White / Rustic Table Number: ShabbyWeddingChic / Lavender Sprig Seating Cards: Life Is So Beautiful / Lobster Bibs: Everything Little Miss

Good morning, SMPers and a Happy Thanksgiving to you!  We have one very stunning Medfield affair to jump start your holiday in style this lovely morning… and it’s sure to put a smile on your face with every delightful detail, including a seriously gorgeous color palette of orange and blue, a yummy s’mores station and a ceremony space filled with some uber-fabulous balloons.  Awesome.  And with the gorgeous stylings of Invited Special Events and beyond brilliant images captured by The Wiebners, this darling affair is the sweetest of ways to spend your day.  Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Invited Special Events… The couple, Anne and Taylor, are based in DC, but they decided on getting married at Anne’s parent’s home in Medfield, MA. It was the PERFECT location for them, and it allowed us to incorporate all the casual “home-style” details that the couple really wanted. The bride’s favorite color is orange, so we made sure it was everywhere! The bright pops orange were complemented beautifully with blue throughout all the details of the day. The couple also knew they wanted to incorporate the neighborhood in some of their photographs, so they decided to have their first look at a family friend’s barn. From there they went to the local ice cream shop, Bubbling Brook, to take bridal party photos and enjoy a couple ice cream cones!

There were so many personal and DIY projects that were taken on for the ceremony and reception: from the chalkboard seating chart (a labor of love completed by Anne!) to the custom reclaimed barnboard table runners (thanks to her Dad!) to the program and menu design (another labor of love by the bride) to the three-foot orange balloons we had throughout the ceremony. Every person had a hand in making the day what it was, and her parent’s were so gracious when their home became wedding central!

Not a fan of wedding cake, Anne and Taylor decided against it. We opted instead for a pound cake and ice cream bar for all the guests to enjoy! With three flavors of pound cake, four flavors of ice cream and dozens of topping options, the guests were more than happy! We actually even ended up using Anne’s own pound cake recipe which also served as their wedding cake, with a custom bike cake topper of course. One of the best parts of the evening was the fire pit “after party!” We brought in hay bales for seating and covered them with orange jute for all the guests to cozy around the fire pit so they could enjoy the little s’mores station we’d set up for them, and enjoy it they did!

The photographers, The Wiebners, did an unbelievable job of capturing all the custom details of the day, including all of the priceless moments that were shared. Any wedding that ends up with the bride, groom and entire bridal party enjoying beers in the hot tub at 2am in the morning is a fabulous wedding in my book!

Wedding Photography: Joel & Rita Wiebner of The Wiebners / Event Design + Planning: Invited Special Events / Floral Design: Judy’s Village Flowers / Caterer: Baker’s Best / Ice Cream: Bubbling Brook / Rentals: Peterson Party Center / DJ: Beat Train Productions / Ceremony + Reception Location: Private Residence / Invitations: The Bride (design) + Gus & Ruby Letterpress (printing)

I am in LOVE with the idea of an anniversary shoot. In love. And when that anniversary shoot was a surprise from the sweetheart of a groom, well I turn into mush. This handsome couple now has priceless and timeless images to cherish thanks to Katelyn James Photography, and we have a full gallery of goodness to get all mushy over! I do believe that’s a win all around!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Katelyn James Photography…David and Debbie were married 5 YEARS ago in New England and were not happy with their wedding images. So 5 years later, David emails me and asks if I would shoot a surprise anniversary shoot for the two of them. We spent an evening on the property of Misslewood, a gorgeous venue outside of Boston, and we relived their wedding day. It was beautiful and even thought this isn’t technically a REAL wedding, this style of is becoming more and more popular as couples are desiring more genuine, passion-filled images that modern photographers are producing.

Photography: Katelyn James Photography

Remember this gorgeous wedding that we featured on the main page a few weeks back? Well, we’ve got the insanely gorgeous film by Vintage Cinema by Jim Altieri to complete the swoon-worthy deal. This wedding was a true study in all things New England and featured an adorable old chapel, a lakeside reception and a romantic horse and carriage ride for the bride and groom. And you can see it all right here!

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From Vintage Cinema by Jim Altieri…Yvonne and Kevin really love travel and their wedding was no exception.  Their destination wedding in Manchester, VT celebrated everything New England.  The old chapel, a horse drawn carriage and a fantastic lake side reception were just some of the amazing details from this day.  We dodged a few rain drops here and there in true New England fashion but I think it made for a gorgeous backdrop for a fantastic couple!

Wedding Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Wedding Cinematography: Vintage Cinema by Jim Altieri / Flowers: Blomma Flicka / Officiant: Wayne Bell / Event Planning: Carrie Lane of Storied Events / Wedding Ceremony Location: The First Congregational Church / Wedding Reception Location: Equinox Resort, Pond Pavilion / DJ: Supersounds / Wedding Cake: Irene’s Cakes by Design / Wedding Dress: San Patrick / Hair Stylist: The Green Door Day Spa / Makeup: Christian Burran / Wedding Invitations & Paper Products: Lilah Paper / Linens: The Linen Shop by Occasions Catering / Calligraphy: Pretty Pen Jen

We’ve got the prettiest, pink garden fete to brighten up your Monday morning with some incredibly sweet DIY details tucked into each and every flower filled corner. The gardens at this venue are so beyond gorgeous that I wish I’d known about this place back when I was planning my own wedding. Jen Ing Photography captured all the pretty details to absolute perfection and thank goodness the swooning doesn’t have to end here because there’s way more where this came from in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We wanted the wedding to be elegant yet whimsical, with personal touches throughout. The gardens at Elm Bank were the perfect setting to unleash our creative spirit.

We drew inspiration from the gardens in designing our DIY details.  The ginkgo branch motif on our stationery and favor boxes came from a tree in the herb garden. We loved the playful, oversized birds’ nests in the children’s garden and sculpted a pair of warblers as a cake topper.  We encountered a lovely surprise just before the ceremony, when two little warblers touched down on the railing near us!  To lead our guests to the ceremony garden, we made a series of wooden signs with the phrases “getting closer”, “almost there”, and “at last”…the title of our first dance song.

Our perspective was that a wedding should be a celebration of family.  The bride’s engagement ring, designed with heirloom diamonds from both sides of the groom’s family and encircled with a filigree of Chinese knots, was a perfect symbol of our union.  We kept our families in mind as we considered the personal meaning behind each moment of our day. Keeping the ceremony intimate, we had a groomsman play the guitar, while the bride’s older brother led us through our vows.   The bridesmaids were sisters of the bride and groom, and the groomsmen were a cousin and close friends from childhood.

We both enjoy gardens with a childlike sense of wonder, and we wanted the reception to to reflect that nostalgia.  Two living room arrangements in the dance tent became lively spaces for playing coffee table games. Guests both young and old enjoyed familiar treats, from colorful boxes of gummy bears to dessert trays of ice cream sandwiches and chocolate-covered cheesecake pops.

Wedding Photography: Jen Ing Photography / Floral Design: Wedding Flowers by Annette / Day-of-Coordination: Elegant Aura Events / Lighting Design: DesignLight / Hair + Make-up: Styling by Lisette / Ceremony + Reception Location: Massachusetts Horticultural Society / Catering + Wedding Cake: Cuisine Chez Vous / Ceremony Music: Bert Mingea (groomsman) / Reception Music: DJ Brian Delac, Murray Hill Talent / Bride + Bridesmaids Attire: Watters & Watters via Occasions Bridal Boutique / Bride’s Veil: Sabella Couture / Bride’s Engagement Ring + Wedding Band: Bostonian Jewelers / Groom’s Attire: J.Crew / (DIY SOURCES) Invitation, favor box inserts, menus, place cards, and printed signage: Epson Papers & Inks / Hang tags for programs, invitation enclosures, envelopes + ribbon: Paper Source / Clear plastic favor boxes: Oriental Trading Company / Gummy bears: Albanese Confectionery, Inc. / Cake topper: Sculpey polymer clay / Plywood sign boards and posts: Home Depot

Oh Massachusetts do we have some lovelies to introduce to you this morning! Just another reason Saturdays are so fabulous, don’t you think? To start, any New Englander knows the wonder that is the magical seaside town of Newport, and anyone who knows Newport knows there isn’t a place quite as special as Castle Hill. Am I right? Then get ready to be blown away by some beautiful bouquets by Dogwood Floral Design – I could stare at them all day, and I very well just might. And then we have the take-your-breath-away-it’s-so-gorgeous bridal bouquet that is Everthine. If you can walk in there and not swoon, well I just don’t know if we can be friends. Long story short, we have some of the best of the best to introduce you to this morning, so I highly recommend sticking around for awhile!

From Castle Hill…Vast ocean views of a golden horizon with naturally elegant surroundings, stunning in their simplicity; a one-of-a-kind historic estate aged with the warmth of old-world charm; privacy of a forty-acre peninsula, a white sand beach and wooded walking trails; world-class accommodations, individual and unique; eye-catching, award-winning cuisine and our service team, welcoming and ready to host with grace. This is the legacy of Castle Hill- an inspiring array of unique possibilities guided by the seasonal beauty of the New England year. Classic summertime lawn parties and glowing galas beneath the open sky; gourmet lobster bakes on the beach in the cooling autumn eve; fireplaces warm while snow glistens and intimate promises are made…this is your day at Castle Hill. A member of the prestigious Relais &Chateaux, Castle Hill remains one of Newport’s most iconic landmarks- the epitome of the luxurious 19^th century New England seacoast life.

From Dogwood Floral Design…We are are boutique floral design studio focusing on weddings & special events in Boston and throughout Southern New England. Genuine passion and creative flair combine to create designs that are unique and sophisticated. We take pride in our relationships we forge with our clients and bringing their visions to life is our goal and greatest satisfaction. Tell us about your favorite flower to win a chance a FREE bridal bouquet (valued up to $150)! What is your favorite flower you’d like to include in your bridal bouquet? Leave a comment below with your favorite flower and your wedding location and date and Dogwood Floral Design will select a winner by December 9th.

Photography: Michelle Gardella

About Everthine…Everthine was created with the unique and modern bride in mind. Upon entering, you will feel a vintage nostalgia that will make your heart flutter. Our designers portray vintage details, soft elegance, and bohemian spirit. From Jenny Packham to Sarah Seven, we carry high-end designers large and small. At Everthine, our dresses are hand selected with the unique bride in mind. We choose our gowns so that each bride feels special, different, and one-of-a-kind. From unique headpieces to vintage jewelry, we pride ourselves on offering brides a chance to personalize their wedding style from head to toe with the one-on-one attention every bride deserves. We are centrally located on the Connecticut Shoreline in Madison, CT.

We hope you love our newest advertisers as much as we do and make sure to stop by their sites and show them some SMP support! Welcome aboard everyone, we’re happy to have you join our Style Me Pretty Massachusetts family! xoxo

Apple picking season may be over here in New England, but we just can’t seem to get enough of this vintage, cheery and bright photo shoot by Jennifer Bullock Photography. And what a fun way to spend the afternoon with the love of your life, skipping through rows upon rows of apple trees, treating yourself to some apple cider and yummy cupcakes, and capturing all the memories forever. And if you’re like me (and this adorable real life couple) and are already married, don’t let that stop you from enjoying a professional photo shoot. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Click here for even more.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Jennifer Bullock Photography…For a while, I had this idea to photograph a couple in love, using an apple theme with a touch a vintage and I knew that it just had to take place in a pretty apple orchard.  Since I was already finished photographing engagements and weddings this year, I decided to search for a couple in love so that I could still have the chance to create and photograph this type of session. It didn’t matter if they were dating, engaged or already married – as long as they were a happy and fun couple.  And that is when I met the perfect couple I was searching for…Michelle and Dan! They’re already married and are certainly in love, so I felt that it was appropriate to call this photo session a “photo-love-shoot”.

This was a styled photo-love-shoot.  And since this was my first styled photo shoot ever, I wanted to create this session with a DIY and budget mind. I didn’t want to go “over the top” with this apple theme, but I wanted to incorporate just enough items and ideas to make this photo-love-shoot extra special. All it took was picking up some items from local chain stores and putting my hot glue gun to work, and voila. My first sweet and simple styled photo shoot is made! I frequently communicated with Michelle about the type of wardrobe I envisioned for her and Dan and she was so great about going out and finding the items she needed to wear.  She then topped it off with getting her hair and make-up done just right.  I believe a big part of what made this photo-love-shoot into exactly what I envisioned were the results of the vintage look that they so perfectly put together.

I think whether people are engaged to be married, already married or simply dating – there is always a good time to capture the love between a happy couple, and to step it up a little by planning their session with a fun theme and detail.  Michelle and Dan were very fun and great to work with and I’d gladly do a styled photo shoot with this theme again for any of my future engaged couples!

Location: Atkins Farms Country Market / Her Dresses + Jewelry: Forever 21 / Hair & Make-up: Total Image Salon / His Attire: H&M / White Table, Vases, Flower Filled Bottle, Plates, Tiered Cupcake Holder, Pie Stand, Quilts, Baskets, Candle Lanterns, Mason Jars + Spigot Jar: Christmas Tree Shops / The “Happy Harvest” Apple Sign, Rattan + Ribbon Details: Michael’s / Napkins: Joann Fabrics / Candied Apples + Pie: Big Y / Apples + Cider: Atkins Farms Country Market / Mums: Randall’s Farm / Cupcakes + Heart Chalkboard: Jennifer Bullock Photography / Photography: Jennifer Bullock Photography

Some people have a wedding day and some people have a full blown weekend extravaganza devoted solely to celebrating their love. I happen to be an uber fan of the latter. It just sounds so amazing, right? Being surrounded by friends and family for three days of welcome parties, brunches and all out merriment. Jillian Mitchell photographed this Wellesley weekend complete with stunning Ghanian touches and it’s beautiful in every sense of the word but the images filled with smiles are the ones we love the most and there’s a whole lot of those. See them all here.

And, of course, some snippets from the rest of the weekend festivities full of gorgeous dresses and lots and lots of love…

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Jillian Mitchell…I met Connery and Pash at a wedding I shot in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. I’m originally from Massachusetts so when they asked me to be a part of their wedding in Wellesley, MA I jumped at the chance. Besides being amazingly fun and genuine people, Connery and Pash have awesome friends and family which made the three day festivities a blast.

The welcome party was held at the TZE house at Wellesley College and we got to shoot most of the wedding photos around the campus as well. The ceremony and reception were held at Wellesley Congregational Church where Pash’s father is a minister. There is nothing more intimate than having your father preside over the ceremony.

Pash’s family is originally from Ghana so throughout the weekend there were amazing Ghanian touches throughout the wedding. Whether it was the pieces of fabric that the couple gave away as gifts or the beautiful dresses of women at the Sunday brunch the day after the wedding. They even made Connery and her family their own Ghanian outfits for the occasion. They are incredibly intricate and so colorful. The brunch was also full of the most unbelievably delicious Ghanian food. Amazing!

Wedding Photography: Jillian Mitchell / Floral Design: Petal Pushers Floral Studio / Event Design + Planning: DIY / Ceremony + Reception Location: Wellesley Congregational Church / Bride’s Shoes: Cole Haan / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals / Groom’s Suit: Custom Prada / Groom’s Shoes: To Boot NY

I could waste a good chunk of the day gazing over every pretty image from this Nantucket wedding by Zofia Photography.  The romantic seaside affair has worked its way into my heart and has settled in for the long haul.  There is just so much to love from the beaming bride and groom to her sensational Oscar De La Renta gown to the oh-so pretty arrangements by Soiree Floral. There is so much to love so head on over to the full gallery to soak it all in!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the bride… My and James’ love story began on Robert Moses Beach on Long Island, NY while I was home from college one summer afternoon. Our love flourished in a small seaside town in Rhode Island. James spent countless weekends traveling between New York and Rhode Island visiting me at college. We have a deep love for travel, upon completion of college we moved to Southern California where we resided for 2 years. Upon our return from San Diego, I enrolled as a global volunteer in Bahia, Brazil and worked in an orphanage for several months. That didn’t stop James, who came and spent a month with me working with all the adorable children.

On a sunny July morning when we were on their way to visit our favorite island in New England, Nantucket, James stopped off 95 to get coffee. To my disbelief there was a giant billboard with the words: Gabrielle will you marry me? Once we reached Nantucket they were greeted by my family who flew up just to celebrate the occasion. We fell in love with Nantucket and New England during our college days, it is the most beautiful island we have ever visited, full of quaint homes, hidden gardens, beautiful beaches and adorable shops. I always said it reminded me of a story book.

Following Style Me Pretty religiously throughout the planning process I was inspired by so many gorgeous weddings and took details that I liked and then put our own spin and style on them. I learned what I wanted our photographs to look like and knew I wanted both photos and film to capture our vision. I worked closely with Dawn Kelly to create a vintage, romantic feel. The amazing, Bettina Landt of The White Elephant, was responsible for making my entire day so special – she handled every detail and made my dream wedding come true!

Wedding Photography: Zofia Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Surfside Productions / Floral Design + Event Rentals: Dawn Kelly of Soiree Floral / Venue: The White Elephant / General Manager: Bettina Landt / Band: Perry Rossi Orchestra / Invitations: Lettuce Paper / Escort Cards: Village Invites / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Wedding Dress: Oscar De La Renta via Mark Ingram Atelier / Veil: Vera Wang / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Headpiece: Elizabeth Perry Collections / Ring Pillow: Etsy / Hair + Make-up: Darya Salon / Bow Tie: Hermes / Wedding Band: Cartier / Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew / Ring Bearer Attire: Ralph Lauren / Candy: Dylan’s Candy Bar / Initials: BHLDN

Everyday we open up the submissions like it’s a pretty package – anxious to see what’s inside. It never disappoints, but sometimes it produces so much pretty we can’t contain our squeals. This Berkshires beauty by Shawn Connell and Rob Northway of Christian Oth Studio definitely produced those squeals. Because it is gorgeous, it is timeless and the Groom even sent in a description! I melt every time when that happens. From the hundreds of origami birds the couple folded together to waltzing to the song the Groom created especially for their proposal – this couple really enjoyed the planning process, and boy did it show. You can see all the lovely in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Kenji and I really enjoyed the wedding planning process.  We worked together on everything and we both greatly appreciated everyone who helped us – our wonderful and loving family and friends and our very talented and extremely knowledgeable vendors.  We wanted to incorporate aspects of our different heritages into the wedding: Norwegian, Japanese, Irish, and Italian.  As well as personal touches, such as the motif we designed – two letter K’s, one reversed, together forming a butterfly.  Our florist, Crocus Hale, was just wonderful, and worked closely with us to transform our ideas into an elegant and timeless wedding design that represented us as a couple while enhancing the architecture and decor of the Wheatleigh.  Kenji and I spent numerous hours at Paper Trail, a chic little shop in the village of Rhinebeck, NY.  Serine and her staff helped us choose our invitations, the various paper goods and ribbons we used, and welcome gift bags.  With all of the detail in our wedding we decided to have two photographers.  We were very happy with this decision as it relaxed the photography schedule for the “getting ready” pictures and pre-ceremony portraits, provided different perspectives during the ceremony and other key moments, and provided enough coverage for lots of fun, candid shots of the guests, and special attention to all of the details.  Shawn Connell and Rob Northway from Christian Oth Studios were an absolute delight to work with, and we are in love with all of the precious memories they expertly captured.

The weather was just perfect to hold our ceremony outside on the terrace.  My dad walked me down the aisle while the string quartet played Pachelbel’s Canon in D.  Kenji was looking so handsome and the moment took my breath away.  Our guests looked just exquisite in black tie dress, the mountain view backdrop added to the drama, and the ceremony flowers of hydrangea and orchids complemented the scene perfectly.  Kenji and I wrote our own ceremony, so personal and meaningful to us, and had our very dear friend, Keith, officiate.  We included a handfasting ceremony to honor my Irish heritage, as well as a traditional Japanese saké ceremony, using a saké set given to Kenji by his family in Japan.  My godmother read “An Irish Blessing”, and another spiritual reading was done by Kenji’s godfather.  Our close friend, Alex Neyman, captured the priceless moments with his artist’s pencil.  We said our vows, exchanged rings, and with the power of the State of Massachusetts bestowed upon Keith for that day… We Were Married!

The Wheatleigh dining room was decorated beautifully.  Tables were draped with white floor-length linens and topped with taupe, silk dupioni overlays.  The floral centerpieces consisted of hydrangea, garden roses, dahlias, orchids, and hanging amaranthus in muted autumn colors.  Votive candles, some in mercury glass, illuminated the tables as the sun set behind the mountains.  We designed the menus with our butterfly motif to also serve as place cards by folding a calligraphed band around the menu.  We had fun with the menu for Kenji’s two year old nephew by replacing the text with cute pictures.  The string ensemble played beautifully, and emotional and entertaining speeches were given as we enjoyed a delicious five course meal with special wine pairings.  It was an amazing culinary experience created by Chef Jeffery Thompson and the Wheatleigh staff.

After dinner, everyone returned to the candle-lit Great Hall where we cut our wedding cake.  A scrumptious three-tiered cake decorated with Swiss dots and handmade sugar orchids – two tiers of almond chiffon cake layered with marscapone cream and raspberry preserves, and one tier of chocolate chiffon layered with chocolate mousse and raspberry preserves.  We shared our first bite of cake and it was now time for our first dance, a waltz to the song Kenji created for his wedding proposal.  Kenji’s voice teacher, Machan Taylor, had altered the timing to a waltz meter, and also sang the vocals. Kenji played the violin part, and Kathie, my matron of honor, played the flute part that gave the music an ethereal quality.  It was all professionally arranged and mixed by Pete Levin. It was so beautiful and something we will treasure forever.  In the months prior to the wedding, our dance teacher, Linda Rowland, taught us the waltz and worked with us to choreograph our first dance.  With our dance shoes on, the music started and I was so nervous.  Kenji was calm and confident as we floated across the dance floor underneath our origami cranes.  I tear up just thinking about it!

From the Groom…Kelly is beyond a dream come true, and our wedding was a metaphor for this.  Every detail, finely sculpted, was a result of Kelly’s wonderful touch, and her ability to work well with everyone, including me.  I cannot even say that the process was difficult – long, yes, effortful, yes.  But joyous, always.  Even folding 1000 paper cranes over the course of months was a task that we took up together, with each other in our hearts and the results in our hands.  Our wedding celebration was the culmination of months of planning and perseverance, and the fact that it reflected such joy in its loving details is a testament to the bond we were making, and continue to make strong.  For our guests, I hope we were able to transport them to another time, another place, one where things were beautiful and wonderful, one that provided a state of true enjoyment, if not blissfulness.  But I hope they then had the further realization that in fact this was not some alternate life, but actual reality, brought about by Kelly’s fantastic creativity and organizational abilities, crystallizing in the here and now.  I remember when I first saw Kelly on our day, preparing to walk down the aisle to join me.  She was radiant, and I myself had the realization that this was in fact happening!  Right there and then!  And to me!  This was the wonderful reality we had brought about, composed like a song, reviewed many times on how it might be, but the full emotional impact only being known on opening night.  The music, the flowers, the candles, the food, the cake, thousands of tiny and meticulously chosen elements, all worked harmoniously together to create our event in a beautiful venue.  And when the party was over, what remained were wonderful memories, for us and for our guests.  The farewell brunch had many smiles – it was as if we were all checking back in to make sure that it was not all a fleeting dream.  For me, it was all a dream come true, that remains to this day – every day I look at Kelly and remember the day I married her, and have the same realization that this beautiful life we share is continually made real by us, and made stronger and more joyful with each day that passes.  I am honored to add my strength to her grace, my tenacity to her creativity, my love to her light.  She is my butterfly, her flight is one of beauty and will.  And my life now, just as this paragraph, begins and ends with Kelly.

Venue: Wheatleigh / Wedding Photography: Shawn Connell + Rob Northway of Christian Oth Studio / Floral Design: Crocus Hale / String Ensemble: Art Strings / Band: The Stingers Band / Voice Teacher + Music Composer: Machan Taylor / Musical Arrangement: Pete Levin / Dance Teacher: Linda Rowland / Artist: Alex Neyman / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier via Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier / Bridesmaid Dress: Badgley Mischka / Undergarments: Bra Tenders / Groom’s Tuxedo: Armani / Pearl Earrings: Mikimoto / Engagement Ring: Custom / Wedding Band: Tiffany & Co. / Bride’s Shoes: Grace with Soul Mates / Bride + Groom’s Dance Shoes: World Tone Dance / Parasol: Lace Parasols / Hair: Glenda Connors / Make-up: Sarah of SEVEN salon.spa / Invitations: Elum via Paper Trail / Paper Goods: Paper Trail / Calligraphy: Rita / Custom Wine Corks: Jelinek Cork Group / Wedding Favors: L.A. Burdick Chocolate / Wedding Dress Preservation: J Scheer & Co.

True story.  One summer in college, I worked at a national alpaca registry.  I ADORED my job, because I spent my days scanning pictures of the world’s cutest animal into the registry system… and, of course, fell head over heels in love with each and every one.  So, when I first laid my eyes on this beauty of a wedding by Melissa Robotti Photography, I let out a little shout (okay, a big shout) of glee… because this fabulous soiree is not only brimming with the sweetest of details, but also happens to be held at an oh-so-charming alpaca farm.  Be. Still. My. Heart.  And with fabulous florals by Atkins Farm, a vibrant color palette, homemade wine and one very stunning bride and groom, I will never get enough of this rustic goodness.  Join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… From the moment I started dating Bobby, I was absolutely in love with his mother’s alpaca farm in Whately, MA. It was not only the “family gathering spot” and the place where I first met his huge, wonderful Italian family, but it was a place that truly inspired me. One of my first memories on the farm was when we witnessed a birth. “Stella,” a beautiful white alpaca, gave birth in the early morning to a beautiful caramel-colored alpaca, to be named “Purdy.”  Although birthing an alpaca is usually something that does not require human intervention, it was a complicated birth which required my mother-in-law (Lisa) to intervene and help Stella birth her new baby. After a struggle, caused by Purdy’s body being in the wrong position in the birth canal, Lisa (mid-wife by day/alpaca farmer by morning and night), helped bring Purdy into the world. There were a few sleepless nights that followed, bottle-feeding Purdy and keeping her warm with blankets, but after all that nurturing, it was a beautiful sight to see her running through the pastures only a couple of days later! I found the experience that day to be especially moving. The hard work and dedication required to run your own farm and the unconditional love and care given to these animals was truly inspirational. There was no question in my mind that this beautiful place would be the place that Bobby and I would share with our family and friends, to symbolize the start of our life together.

In keeping with the spirit of the farm as well as my personal taste, I wanted the event to exude “rustic, casual elegance.”  I wanted to capture the inspiration from both the farm and Lisa’s vintage post and beam farm house. The family effort and manual labor required to prepare the farm for a wedding of 200 people was also in keeping with the spirit of the farm… it was A LOT of work. Scrubbing barn floors, washing windows, cleaning up alpaca poop (yes, you read that correctly) and mowing the lawn over and over again is what consumed our lives the weeks leading up to the wedding (Thank you to the family and friends that helped!). But, I would do it all again in a heartbeat… it was worth every second.

The foundation of the event was comprised of a large 40×120 tent connected by a large 4-sided bar to a rustic barn (Home to 25 alpacas only a week prior!). The tent covered an arrangement of square and rectangle dinner tables, covered with teal tablecloths, lime napkins and a burlap runner. Mason jars with single lime hydrangea and orange dahlias floated down the center of each table, complimented by hand written name tag napkin rings, crafty station-style menus and homemade wine with our custom-designed alpaca label as the table number.

Connecting the reception tent to the barn was our large square bar (which might have been my favorite detail). I knew that I didn’t want the traditional roll-in bars that are normally used at outdoor events and get crowded within 10 minutes. I wanted the bar to be a focal point of the event and more of a social area; a place for people to mingle. Using long high-top tables, a large square bar was configured, covered in lime green linens and bar stools at each end. Against the barn was an extension of the bar… the Sangria table. This table featured a Sangria Jug, filled with homemade sangria and mason jars with striped straws for guests to serve and enjoy. As guests entered the barn they encountered cocktail tables and twinkle lights and straw bale seating areas with homemade throw pillows, designed and sewn by my talented sister, Erin. On the north side of the barn we had a cigar lounge, with 10 lime green Adirondack chairs facing beautiful Mount Sugarloaf.

Although the event had an overall “rustic feel,” I wanted to compliment the tans/browns with some bright summery colors. My color-scheme was teal/lime/orange. My bridesmaids wore comfy cotton Calvin Klein dresses in teal and carried the most beautiful bouquets I’ve ever seen, made up of green hydrangea, peach roses, orange circus roses and hypercimumberries. The groomsmen wore khaki linen Perry Ellis suits, lime green ties and had orange circus rose boutonnieres. Everyone looked absolutely gorgeous and the colors and outfits truly complemented each other! All in all, the event was spectacular and surpassed my expectations. As my husband said from the start, “I don’t care where we get married, I just want to invite everyone I love and for it to be memorable.”  Well, mission accomplished for sure.

Wedding Photography: Melissa Robotti Photography / Flowers: Atkins Farm / Wedding Ceremony Location: Grace Church / Wedding Reception Location: Family Farm / Hair + Make-up: Vici Hair Studio & Beauty Bar / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Wedding Dress: Customized by La Reine Bridal / Bridesmaid Dress: Calvin Klein / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Perry Ellis / Wedding Cake + Pies: Atkins Farm / Caterer: Smithsonian Catering / Paper Products (Menus, Labels, Programs, etc.): Homemade / DJ: Jerry Gemme

When the bride is a freelance stylist and former craft editor for Martha Stewart Living then you know her wedding is going to go above and beyond in the style department.  This Cape Cod beauty by Ned Jackson Photography is such a sweet, whimsical, nautical dream.  I feel like I’m seeing the nuptials of Ariel and Prince Eric in a romantic underwater celebration and that makes my inner Little Mermaid fanatic totally giddy.  Click here to see it all!

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From the Bride…Planning a wedding from across the country was no easy task, but thanks to the internet and an initial scouting trip I was able to find a great location and put together a wonderful team.  As a stylist, I am always creating crafty moments for my clients, so it was hard for me not to want to do the same for my own wedding.  With so little time, I had to curb my desire to create everything myself and enlist the help of family and some crafty vendors.  I looked to Etsy for some of the handcrafted details, hired a florist, determined what could be delegated to (my amazing) family and friends, and then chose a few projects to create myself.

I started off designing our save the date and invitations – a great way to begin the creative process of choosing a color palette and overall look and feel.   I wanted our wedding to feel elegant and to be an authentic expression of us as a couple.  As I perused countless magazines and blogs for ideas, I kept seeing seaside weddings that felt very “preppy-nautical,” but this just didn’t feel like the right fit for us.  I wanted to give the seaside theme a different twist, so I chose a soft romantic color palette based on my shell collection and a few old sea glass bottles I found at the flea market – shades of aqua and shell pink – and then punctuated it with navy accents.

The seahorse theme was inspired by a trip we’d taken to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  I fell in love with their graceful elegance and the way they seem to dance effortlessly together – a sweet metaphor that we wove throughout our ceremony and reception.  A pair of white chocolate sea horses graced the top of our cake, we had custom seahorse wine stoppers made out of pewter for our favors, and for the sand ritual in our ceremony we poured sand from a large nautilus shell into a glass vessel etched with the sea horse artwork I created for our invitations. My vision for a romantic seaside wedding really started to come together when I decided to look to the beautiful intricacy of 19th century Sailors’ Valentines  for inspiration. These mosaic-like masterpieces composed entirely of small sea shells were originally brought home from a sailor’s voyage as a souvenir for a loved one.  Many contain examples of tiny shell flowers and intricate symmetrical patterns which inspired many elements of our wedding, including the design for our cake – a delicious mango cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, covered in tiny pastel sugar shells.

For my bouquet, I created some shell flowers by adhering small pink petal-shaped shells to pearl bead centers and then mounted each one to a separate wire to make it easy for our florist, Katie McConnell, to incorporate them into the feather- fringed fresh floral bouquet.  For my tiara, I glued small shells in symmetrical patterns to a metal head band wrapped with satin ribbon, and for my bridesmaids I created small pink shell flowers attached to hair pins.  My flower girl looked like a little sea shell princess, wearing a crinkled shell pink and gold satin dress, and a mini tiara and fashioned out of shells and small fabric flowers.  My ring bearer carried our rings tied onto a little satin pillow that I glued inside the opening of a large nautilus shell.

It was truly a memorable day!  Although we had to hold our ceremony inside because of wind and rain, Katie’s flower arrangements were so gorgeous that we almost didn’t notice.  Our chuppah was constructed of white branches draped with orchids, carnations, and crystals, and encrusted with shells, and sweet white carnation kissing balls lined the aisles. White manzanita branches dripping with orchids, crystals and hanging glass votives, set in mercury glass vases graced the center of our reception tables. Some of our family and friends weren’t able to be with us that day, so we chose to honor their “presence in spirit” by placing  pink and white feather butterflies throughout all the bouquets, flower arrangements, and boutonnieres.  They perched on the branches and the kissing balls, and floated from the orchid-draped chandelier above us on the dance floor as we did the fox-trot to Dancing Cheek to Cheek played by the amazing White Heat Swing Orchestra!

As I look back on it all I can’t say enough great things about our photographer, Ned Jackson.  He captured every moment, and all of the details with tireless enthusiasm and patience.  We couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out!

Wedding Photography: Ned Jackson Photography / Floral Design: Katie McConnell of Wild Bunch Studio / Event Design + Planning: Kelli Ronci / Ceremony + Reception Location: Wychmere Beach Club / Invitations: Kelli Ronci / Menus + Programs: Lilia Kay / Calligraphy: Barbara Callow Calligraphy / Shell Flowers + Tiaras: Kelli Ronci / Feather Butterflies: Floraltrims / Silver + Gold Shell Holders/Escort Cards: Gallery 360 / Starfish Place Cards: Timeless Paper / Sailors Valentine Cake: Michael’s Creative Baking / Etched Sand Ceremony Vessel: The Cutting Etch / Sea Horse Wine-Stopper Favors: Faro Products / Linens: BBJ Linens / Bride’s Gown: Romona Keveza / Bridesmaid + Flower Girl Dresses: J.Crew + Crewcuts / Swing Band: White Heat Swing Orchestra / Hair + Makeup: Lisa George