Nevada Weddings

This week we’ve been from Florida to Michigan to France and back again, and we have just one last stop before we bid you adieu for the weekend. We’re spending the last few moments of our work week with a ridiculously adorable couple in Mt. Charleston, courtesy of the lovely Chelsea Nicole Photography. Hopefully you’re weekends look a little something like this snowy engagement sesh – then make sure to meet us right back here Monday! xoxo

Photography by Chelsea Nicole Photography.

The week of wonderful weddings all ready for your viewing pleasure:

a Florida beach wedding captured in a super cute highlight film
a soiree with the most perfect mix of rustic and vintage in Tennessee
a Michigan affair that makes us all a little green with envy
an über romantic French fête in a castle to start our vaca to France
a stylish Parisian soiree to finish our French holiday
a contemporary & chic California beach wedding
a beautiful bit of Oregon vineyard nuptials
a quirky affair with fab florals in Portland
a winter wonderland of wedded inspiration in Michigan
a beyond glam Chicago soiree to die for

Rain drops on roses, whiskers on kittens, and:

a DIY Pinwheel printable, perfect for the whimsy-est of affairs via Oh Happy Day
a bunch of sea glass (my new obsession for a winter wedding palette) inspiration via Camille Styles
a DIY tutorial for glitter stamped pears (!!!) via Project Wedding

Well, I don’t think this Lake Tahoe wedding by Matt Edge Wedding Photography can get any prettier. Actually I know it can’t. Is it just me, or is Lake Tahoe the land of lovely where gorgeous is the norm? Because this elegance meets the outdoors wedding is knocking my socks off this morning with all of its gorgeousness! It’s sure to do the same to you, and don’t forget you can get lost a bit more in the land of lovely by stopping by the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Joe and I both grew up in Danville, CA and went to rival high schools, but it took Spring Break in Maui for us to meet. I was 16 and a sophomore in high school, and Joe was 18 and a senior in high school. Both of our families were traveling with family friends – who happened to know each other. So all of the kids got together one night and hung out. Joe asked for my number and called me when we got back home. Our first phone conversation lasted 4 hours, and the rest was history! 10 years later, we decided to tie the knot!

Joe and I decided on Tahoe for our wedding location because it’s place we love to go together and spend as much time as possible. Since it would be too difficult to have all of our family join us in Hawaii (Amanda’s dream), Tahoe was the easy compromise to get a destination wedding that was still close enough to home – not to mention it’s a beautiful place to begin with. The Hyatt in Incline was the perfect venue because of their lakefront location and accommodations.

We wanted to keep our decor simple since Tahoe is already a gorgeous backdrop. We went with a wood and crystal theme, and kept all our color palate as different shades of white. The wood balanced out the “bling” of the crystal to give it a natural yet glamorous feel. As you can see from my shoes and head piece – I really like “bling,” but wanted to be sure it was done tastefully.

We worked really hard to make our wedding as personal as possible, which in many aspects just meant making it fun and classy, but with a twist. We scripted our entire ceremony with our officiant, and family friend, which was one of the most rewarding aspects of our wedding. It was short and sweet, but very meaningful and very “us.” We wanted to attend cocktail hour with our guests so immediately after our ceremony we met our guests at the bar and were serenaded by a steel drum band – which was something Joe wanted from the very beginning.

The meal was also a very big part of our wedding. We were able to customize our menu to be a delicious 3 course, Mexican-inspired meal: tortilla soup, salad, and tostadas. We both don’t eat a lot of cake, so we decided to go with our favorite dessert, chocolate malts. And if that wasn’t enough, a frozen yogurt machine and topping bar opened up a bit later on in the evening. The one thing I always said growing up was that I would have a frozen yogurt machine at my wedding – and my wish came true! For those who made it to the end of the evening and worked up an appetite (again), we provided late-night food of hot pretzels and dipping sauces in to-go boxes.

Lastly, and perhaps one of the most personal touches of our wedding was our favors. Joe is a hot sauce connoisseur, so he wanted to create his own and bottle it for each of our guests. He called it: “Joe and Amanda’s burning fire of love,” which definitely brings out sense of humor. To balance out the spicy with a little sweet, we also included “Ball” jars (Amanda’s maiden name was Ball) of raspberry freezer jam, which is a family recipe passed down from Joe’s grandma. We are still getting requests for refills of both.

It was a magical day and all of our vendors made it happen. Now if only we could just relive it!

Venue: Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe / Wedding Planner: Julie Briggs Dunn of JBD Events / Floral Design:  panacea event floral design / DJ + Lighting: Exquisite Entertainment / Rentals: Celedon Events / Wedding Photography: Matt Edge Wedding Photography / Wedding Videography: Rose Street Studios / Hair + Make-up: Jane Kim, The Glamourist / Frozen Yogurt: Raff’s Tropical Frozen Beverages / Steel Drum Band: Bay Music and Entertainment / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Head Piece: Priscilla of Boston / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaids Dresses: Ann Taylor

It’s official, Lake Tahoe produces some of the prettiest of pretty weddings for us to enjoy, and this earth-friendly fête by Heidi Huber Photography is yet another beauty to add to that long list of lovelies. I just adore this handsome couple’s take on a sustainable wedding (love that trend, btw), and you can see all the reasons why in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Adam and I envisioned our wedding to be modern and natural (sustainable). Adam and I are both in the industry of Landscape Architecture, and the whole idea of sustainability was something that truly mattered to us. Aesthetically we’ve always been attracted to modern designs that have a sense of comfort. Simple and elegance was our goal. Not over designing. We envisioned our day to have yellow and peuter as our main colors. We used the two colors all throughout our wedding invitation, cupcakes, programs, and stationery. We didn’t want to overdo the yellow, so we mixed in some shades of green or grey greens with the use of our plant materials. Adam and I love succulents, and we thought it was the perfect material and color palette to go with our color theme.

In going along with the theme of sustainability, we made sure that our succulent centerpieces were a “living” centerpiece, that our guest could bring home. We designed the planter boxes and the cake stand and had Adam’s best man build all the custom pieces. To reduce the amount of paper used, our “Save the Dates” we’re all sent out electronically and viewed on our website.  We continued this theme of reducing paper by designing our invitations that fold into it’s own envelope.  We didn’t use envelopes for  the reply cards and thank you cards because we designed them as postcards.  We selected four different wedding favors that we felt would not be wasteful (re-useable bags, a blend of our favorite tea, our favorite bath bombs, and two different types of “grow-your-own” herbs).  We designed our own website, wedding programs, table callouts, cake/cupcake layout as well as the guest place cards.

We chose Lake Tahoe because we wanted a destination wedding that was near the water and would provide our guests with lots of activities throughout the weekend.  Edgewood provided the perfect location for us because the ceremony and reception room look out towards the beautiful lake.  Also, the contemporary architecture of the building was perfect for our theme because of the natural wood beams and modern floor to ceiling windows.Since we were doing a destination wedding we chose our wedding vendors by reading reviews online and then calling each one of them to get a feel for how it would be to work with them.  Once we spoke to them and felt they had a good understanding for what we wanted and made us feel comfortable we decided to hire them.  We felt that the wedding photography was the most important part of our wedding.  So when it came to that decision we searched for someone who would capture candid moments throughout our big day. We found Heidi Huber while searching online and instantly fell in love with her photography and knew she would be perfect for us.

We went shopping for our wedding bands on a whim and picked them out in about an hour and couldn’t be happier with them.  Adam’s is a modern white gold band, while Camille’s diamond band has a timeless style that compliments her vintage engagement ring. The wedding gown and bridesmaid’s dresses where all custom designed by Camille’s maid of honor, Hallie Vy.  Camille showed Hallie a few aspects of gowns that she liked; simple, modern, textural and elegant.  Hallie took those concepts and designed the gown that was perfect for her. For the bridesmaids gowns, we went to downtown LA garment district and found the perfect material and design. Camille wanted the gowns not to look too “bridal”, a simple design that would allow the girls to use their dresses again.

We chose a charcoal grey suit for him and his groomsmen that compliment the color theme.  The slim cut jackets and flat legged pants helped keep the guys a part of the modern theme. We decided that the groomsmen wouldn’t wear a tie, and just had a yellow handkerchief in their pockets to keep the look less formal and make Adam’s outfit a little bit more formal and unique from his party, since he was the only one who wore a tie (pale yellow and grey in color).

Venue, Catering + Coordination: Edgewood Tahoe / Wedding Photography: Heidi Huber Photography / DJ: Ryan Palmer of Lake Tahoe DJ / Wedding Cake: Katie Cakes / Floral Design: Thran’s Flowers / Wedding Dress: Hallie Vy Design / Bridesmaid Dresses: Hallie Vy Design / Hair + Makeup: Marianna Lucido / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: 3-Day Suit Broker / Groom’s Shoes: Steve Madden / Invitations: The Bride + Groom / Wedding Rings: Robbin’s Brothers / Engagement Ring: McClave Jewelers

Lake Tahoe ranks high on my list of the world’s most beautiful places, so it should come as no surprise that I am 100% head over heels for every last amazing detail of this charming lakeside affair.  Boasting a lovely gray, blue and pink color palette, majestic mountain views and a bride rockin’ a stunning gown (plus a cute as can be cardigan), this rustic chic meets elegant soiree is all sorts of gorgeous… And all sorts of awesome.  And when you add to the mix each and every breathtaking image captured by Aravaggio Photography, well, it just doesn’t get much better than this.  So, join me in the gallery for every last ounce of pretty and then stay tuned for even more fabulous from Rose Street Studio below!

Click here to see the entire wedding gallery!

And, of course, we couldn’t wrap up the day without leaving you with even more gorgeous from Rose Street Studio!  Enjoy!

From the Bride… I have a “life list” of all of the things I want to do in my lifetime, and Myles takes great pride in helping me cross things off. During a trip to Las Vegas, he told me he had a surprise for me. We were picked up by a driver and taken to a small airport where there was a helicopter waiting. The helicopter took us over the Grand Canyon and we landed on an inside ledge on an Indian reservation for lunch. I was so excited to have crossed 2 things off of my life list (Grand Canyon and helicopter ride) that I had no idea what was coming next!! We were sitting on the side of a cliff and he asked me to marry him. I still cannot remember any of the words he said, because everything got very cloudy, but I did manage to say yes!

Myles’ favorite baseball player is Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame player that played for the Cubs when he was little. He used to watch him play with his Dad, who passed away 2 years ago from complications of lung cancer. I knew how special he was to the two of them, and I needed a way to honor and remember the man who is responsible for making Myles the man and father he is today. I started calling, emailing, and sending letters a year before the wedding in an attempt to get in touch with Ryne. I found out he had just been hired as the manager of a minor league team in Philadelphia. I sent him a letter and a wedding invitation to the new ballpark (just in case!).  To my surprise, I came home one day to find a large box from Ryne himself, with an autographed gift to give my sweet groom on our wedding day. It meant and means the world to him, and I hope it made his Dad smile, too.  My wedding day gift was a beautiful charm bracelet. He told me that for each anniversary he will buy a charm to represent something special we did or experienced that year.

Since we were planning from out of town, we actually scouted our “First Look” location while on a ski trip in February. The ground was covered in snow, but the trees were tall and beautiful and everything we wanted. When we arrived for pictures, we were amused to find out we had actually picked a popular frisbee golf course!! We were dodging frisbees through the bridesmaid and groomsmen photos. Luckily, my cousin Jessica has quick reflexes, because she dodged a close one that could have left her with a large bruise across her forehead just minutes before the ceremony!

The sash I wore was made by my mother. She used flowers from a bridal hair comb and stitched them to the sash. The hair piece is actually an upside down blusher. I loved the look of it originally, but after wearing it for my hair trial.. I decided to flip it because it bothered me being in my face for such a long period of time.

I made the aisle chair decor by folding strips of scrapbook paper like a fan and gluing it together with hot glue! Myles hand stamped/varnished/bowed all of the bridesmaid hangars! I made the boutonnieres from some faux succulents and blueberries from the local craft store. I made the Happily Ever After sign using the lid to an old planter from our backyard. I traced the letters onto it with stencils, and then used a woodburning pen to fill it in. It was my first time to use the pen, and it was really easy! We had handkerchiefs hand embroidered for my mother, Myles’ mother, and my Grandmother.

Wedding Photography: Aravaggio Photography / Cinematography: Rose Street Studio / Event Planning & Design: The Bride / Flowers: Tina Hoy-Barnwell of Lavish Floral / Wedding Ceremony Location: Round Hill Pines Beach / Wedding Reception Location: Tahoe Bleu Wave / Casino Location: Harvey’s Lake Tahoe / Catering and Cakes: The Cork and More / Wedding Invitations and Water Bottle Labels: Two Yellow Shoes / Wedding Dress: White Collection by Vera Wang via David’s Bridal / Harp Music: Anne Roos / Exit Confetti: Rice Butterflies / Makeup: Natalie Cusson / Hair: Sessions Salon / Hair Piece: David’s Bridal / Lightening Bolt Patches: Stitches Aplenty / Cake Flower: DK Designs Hawaii / Bridesmaid Necklaces: Charming Charlie / Ring Bearer Bowl: Paloma’s Nest / Guest Book Tree: Bleudetoi / Handkerchiefs: Sherri Angel Creations

If Napa and Tahoe had a wedding baby, this, my dears would be it. It’s one part rustic one part romantic and all sorts of fabulousness. The bride’s dress and veil are simply beyond beautiful and I’m loving how all her gold accents are repeated in the sophisticated tablescapes complete with gold rimmed wine glasses and plates. Oh, and that tent! If that’s not the prettiest, most breeziest and beautiful tent ever, then I don’t know what is. I just want to sit under it all day and watch it blow in the breeze as I sip champagne from a fabulous gold rimmed glass. And I bet that’s just what these lucky guests did. Designed and planned perfectly by Merrily Wed and captured to perfection by Kate Webber Photography, this wedding is just to die for. Click here for more and for even more gorgeous California weddings, check out our SMP California blog here!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Merrily Wed…Mutual friends tried to set Alison and Jeremy up but Alison wouldn’t have anything to do with it for two years. Then they actually started talking and a bi-coastal relationship began. Fast forward to living as a couple in San Francisco when Jeremy proposed to Alison on a San Francisco rooftop surrounded by 10,000 lights – literally, and the lighted Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop. They didn’t have a dream of how to finish their fairytale love story… Little did they know it would end up on a magnificent sprawling lawn on the shores of Lake Tahoe with the help of Merrily Wed.

The ceremony was held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church (seen in the Godfather II) and the reception site was kept a well hidden secret from their 165 guests. Upon arriving at the palatial, luminous lakefront estate, guests were treated to a champagne cocktail and twinkling music by a string quartet. Wine barrels doubled as cocktail tables and this look was carried over to the majestic main bar overflowing with soft, white flowers.

Alison wanted a vintage, romantic look but with a twist of sophistication. The color palette was neutral with ivories, creams and natural tones but with a fresh punch of color from the flowers. To add a bit of glamour to her wedding day, we wove touches of gold throughout: from Alison’s couture French Chantilly lace dress with gold metallic accents, to her intricately detailed place setting to the gold-rimmed glassware to the gold lace on the hanging mason jar lanterns. Her place card table was an old farm table with layers of antique lace wrapped around it. The place cards were woven into the lace. Two giant floral arrangements on wine barrels framed the entrance into her dreamy summer night tent – a clear top canopy with sheer ivory swagging which allowed the just right amount of light, towering trees and twinkling stars to peek through. The antique rustic chandeliers created a dramatic focal point at each end of the tent and a natural spot to gather the draped swagging.

Napa French-slotted wooden chairs complimented the natural style of the eggshell Tuscany linen on the dining tables. Alison used colorful gold-rimmed china reminiscent of her Grandma’s on top of a rustic embossed charger. The details were in the rich patterns of each. Gold-rimmed glassware picked up the gold in the ornate floral band of the Diana china. Tables were named after locations that had sentimental meaning to Alison & Jeremy as well as the guests matched at each. These were attached to twigs and incorporated in the loosely arranged centerpieces. The wedding cake cannot go unmentioned – it was a very special family recipe by Aunt Allie. Served in her memory, Aunt Allie is Alison’s namesake and July 31st is not only their wedding date but Aunt Allie’s birthday. Pride & Joy, a 10 piece band, kicked off the dancing under the summer night’s dream of a reception tent. Their energy and costume changes kept the guests dancing.

Event Design + Planning: Merrily Wed / Wedding Photography: Kate Webber Photography / Caterer: As You Wish / Flowers: Stems by Diana / String Music: The String Beings / Band: Pride & Joy / Ceremony Venue: Corpus Christi Catholic Church / Reception Venue: Private West Shore Lakefront Estate / Invitation Designer: Hello!Lucky / Wedding Dress: Atelier des Modistes / Wedding Videography: Stanislav Basovich / Cake Designer: Sugar Pine Cakery / Equipment Rentals: Celebrations Party Rentals + Classic Party Rentals / Linen Rental: La Tavola Linen / Make-up Artist: Yvette Beebe / Hair Stylist: Jarr Von Samuel

Hat’s off to all of you brides and grooms who can plan a wedding in three months or less, and make it killer fab. It always amazes me to see the detail you are able to put into something that came together so quickly. This Nevada wedding did not take place in Las Vegas, wedding capital of the world and the brides hometown, but instead just outside at Mount Charleston. And the bride and groom pulled it together in two and a half months. Yep. Ten weeks. They are crazy good. The bride is a photojournalist herself, so it was no question that she had to have some amazing talent on hand to capture the day they had worked so hard to plan – and with Twin Lens, that is just what she got. Seriously, I could go on about this wedding all day, but that wouldn’t be fair to you. So check it out, then meet me in the gallery where I’m bound to still be gushing about this gorgeous affair.

When I moved to Las Vegas five years ago, after a decade in Oregon and Montana, I joked with my friends, “Just never let me get married in Las Vegas!” As a mostly outdoor girl but a photojournalist first, I moved to the wilds of Las Vegas for a great job. To keep my wits about me I would head to the mountains or desert on my days off, and sometimes before work on Sundays. That’s where I met Kirk, on a ski lift on a Sunday morning at the small ski area on Mt. Charleston, just outside Las Vegas. The romance and outdoor adventures together grew from there.

Engaged around our two-year anniversary in December of 2010, we had talked loosely about a warm water, tropical destination wedding. After weighing out the options, cost and travel time would limit who would be able to attend and we decided having all of our friends and family present was most important. That’s when Mt. Charleston dawned on us. It’s outside of the city, technically not IN Vegas proper, and it has special significance of where we met and spent many a great days snowboarding and getting to know one another.

I had never really thought about what I’d want for my wedding. I knew I wanted to create a day that would be aesthetically beautiful, relaxed and abundant in thoughtful, personal details, but I had no idea of the limitless creative discovery I was in for.

Photography was my first priority once we reserved the venue and date. I have known Kitty & Craig Fritz, of Twin Lens Images, through our common professional circles since before I moved to Las Vegas. As soon as they crossed my mind I knew they would be our dream pick. Luckily they were available for our short notice March wedding. Kitty and Craig and I didn’t have to talk about too much. I knew their work well and had 100% confidence that they would make magic in images of our day.

It’s hard to believe all the work by so many that made the weekend come to life. It was a perfect day, kissed with sunshine and the warmest day in the month and blessed by our friends and family. The best part was the memories made and shared, and to boot, now we’re married!

Wedding Design & Planning: Yelena Johnson, The Stylish Soiree / Flowers: Enchanted Florist / Photography: Twin Lens / Videography: Lovespun / Ceremony Music: Phat Strad / Venue: The Resort on Mt. Charleston / Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero / Bride’s Bag: BeeGee Bags / Groom’s Suit:  Stitched / Guestbook: Rag & Bone / DJ: Smiles Davis / Deserts: Red Velvet Café / Print design: Coco Paperie / Paper Printing: Mama’s Sauce / Ring Pillow: Llubav Choy Duerr / Photo booth: Shutterbooth / Cake Topper: Celeste Welch / Dessert Flags: Victorian Station / Photobooth Signs: Em&N Designs

As far as we’re concerned, Lake Tahoe has so many fabulous weddings we have a hard time keeping up! Luckily, we have the best of the best sending us the amazing Tahoe affairs. Like this Thunderbird Lodge wedding. For you water-loving brides, we’ve got the piercing blue lake. For you mountain-loving brides, seriously, check out that view. And to top it all off, the wedding itself, seen through the lens of Catherine Hall Studio, is stunning enough to measure up to the scenery – and maybe even surpass it! There was not one detail forgotten, and we capital LOVE them all. You’ll need to spend more time with this wedding – we couldn’t do it justice here – so click here for Catherine’s blog!

There’s more in the gallery!

We wanted to have the wedding in Lake Tahoe because it’s such a beautiful spot.  I usually spend a few weeks of the summer there, and Dan and I have spent time there together too.  Thunderbird Lodge was the ideal location because it is right on the water and perfect for the small intimate wedding that we were going for.  We just wanted a mellow wedding in a beautiful spot with a small group of friends and family, and that was just what we got.  The weather couldn’t have been more gorgeous and everything went exactly as we had hoped for the day of our wedding, if not better!  I just wish the day didn’t fly by so quickly, but we tried to enjoy and remember each moment.

In terms of our wedding cake, a friend of ours who is a baker, made a tier of cupcakes with little chocolate pine cones on each, incorporating the surrounding pine cone trees into the decorations.  I kept the jewelry simple, since the Monique Lhullier dress did not need much else to accompany it. I wore my engagement ring and new wedding band and my grandmother’s earrings.

Photography: Catherine Hall Studios / Second Photographer: Melissa Slater / Coordinator: Summit Soiree / Ceremony Venue: Thunderbird Lodge / Reception Venue: Thunderbird Lodge / Dress Designer: Monique Lhuillier / Florist: Thran’s Flowers / Caterer: Moody’s Bistro & Lounge / Makeup: Jennifer Ergut / Hair: Laura Seegmiller

When I first spotted this wedding, I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It is singing a pretty, organic outdoor song and is so not what I was expecting when I saw the Las Vegas title. Meredith Carlson Photography did an amazing job of capturing the family style festivities all hand-crafted by the bride and family alike. Gorgeous, right? See more of the day here!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Meredith Carlson Photography…Jana and Collin were married in the LDS Las Vegas Temple, and held their reception at Gilcrease Orchards, Las Vegas. Their wedding was a very DIY affair, as the bride comes from a very artistically talented family (Jana and Collin are graphic designers as well). Jana’s dress (styled after a JCrew dress), as well as her flower girl’s dress was made by a family friend. The fingerprint tree at their guest table was made by Jana, and the typewriter was Jana’s grandfather’s. Jana’s dad made the wood cake stand, as well as the wooden candle holders, Jana’s mother made the jam and apple butter that was handed out as guest favors, Jana’s sister designed their wedding invitations and thank you tags. Friends and family helped arrange the flowers on the banquet-style table. They used some burlap fabric bought at JoAnn’s for the table runner.

Wedding Photography: Meredith Carlson Photography / Wedding Gown: Family Friend / Catering: Gaya Guymon / Wedding Cake: Lezlee Goronsen / Flowers, Favors, Decor, Cake Stand: DIY / Wedding Invitations: Linsey Laidlaw-Morris / Gazebo: Target / Rentals: RSVP Rentals / Table Runners: Joann’s / Reception Location: Gilcrease Orchards

Okay ladies and gents, this wedding is so super duper fabulous and first class that I have to refer to you all like that. Picture delicious champagne, glittery chandeliers, ruffly Vera Wang, romantic mercury glass, sparkly Jimmy Choo’s, and adorable men in bow ties. I know, I know. It’s out of control amazing! My heart is legit jumping for joy for this stunning southern féte. Luckily for us Kristin Vining was there to capture all the elegant details and they’re all here in the gallery for us to swoon over!

Click here to see entire image gallery!

Mallory’s Side of the Story: William warned me that he was going to have a busy weekend full of work so I was not expecting to see a lot of him. We did our normal Saturday morning cycling class at the YMCA. We got our normal Brugger’s coffee and went to my place to relax for an hour before William went to the office. After finishing our coffee, I asked William if he was ready for me to take him back to his condo. William said he would not be going into the office that day and instead we would be going to Charleston for the remainder of the weekend. He told me to pack my suitcase and be ready in an hour. I looked at him in total disbelief. After a few minutes of shock, William finally convinced me that we were actually going out of town. I packed, got ready as quickly as possible and we excitedly got on the road. William kept everything a surprise and would not tell me where we were staying or what we were doing. I sat the whole three hours in suspense. We finally got to Charleston and arrived at the Planters Inn. It is the most adorable and charming hotel in the middle of historic Charleston. I walked around marveling at the art and architecture. I stopped in front of a lit fireplace, candles and roses. When I turned around, William was down on one knee with my ring in hand. He muttered a speech, but all I heard him say was, “I love you. Will you marry me?” Of course, I said yes (I knew I wanted to marry William after our first date). We spent the next hour calling our family and friends. William then took me to Blossom Restaurant. We sat at the same table where he told me he loved me for the first time. A gentleman even sent us a bottle of champagne from across the room to congratulate us. He said he got engaged in Charleston several years ago and was now expecting his first child. What an amazing night!

William’s Side of the Story: I first told Mallory I loved her on the first of our many trips to Charleston, South Carolina, so I had no doubt that Charleston was the perfect place to propose to her one day. During the first few weeks of January 2010, I was very busy at work and not able to spend much time with Mallory. But I was also secretly arranging the purchase of a ring and a trip to Charleston. Once the ring finally arrived, I wanted to give it Mallory as quickly as possible. I told her that I was going to have to spend another weekend in the office, but on Saturday morning (January 16th), I surprised her and told her to pack her bags for Charleston. Initially, she reacted with total disbelief. But news quickly sank in and she was ecstatic.On the drive to Charleston, I never told her about my plans for the trip. Though she obviously knew what was ultimately going to happen, she let the plans unfold and everything went off without a hitch. As soon as we got to town, I took her straight to the fireplace at the Planters Inn, got on one knee and proposed to her on the spot. I had gone over my words to her in my head dozens of times, but I have no idea what I ended up saying. Fortunately, she said yes. We then enjoyed a bottle of champagne, called our families and had dinner at the same table at Blossom restaurant where I first told her I loved her almost two years earlier. It was the perfect day.

From the moment Will and I walked into the Duke Mansion, we knew it was perfect venue for our wedding. Tucked quietly within the gorgeous Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte, it is less than five miles from where I lived.  I had never heard of it. With the surrounding neighbors’ blessing, the Duke Mansion had just started holding weddings. Lucky us! Besides the elegant wedding ballroom, our guests were able to roam throughout the estate with its black and white floors, beautiful courtyard, porches, glass walled solarium and lush gardens.  We reserved the Duke Mansion’s twenty elegant guest rooms for family members and the bridal party. Many of the rooms have walkout screened porches which were a huge hit especially with the dry warm spring weather.  My mom specially ordered pizzelles, a delicious Italian cookie my grandfather and I baked together over the years, and we placed a box of them wrapped in tulle in each room as welcome gifts. The Duke Mansion was my wedding venue dream come true. Words I used to describe the vision I had for William and my wedding included classic, couture, fun and most of all “intimate.” We wanted a small wedding of 100 guests so we would be able to converse with everyone and make them feel special.  Décor was also extremely important to me. After looking at numerous wedding magazines and blogs, I learned: I love glamour and glitz, I love draping, I love the colors of black, blush and ivory, I love big tree-like flower arrangements and I love ribbons and bows! We decided to drape the dining room at the Duke Mansion with ivory taffeta drapes and tie back the entrances with big black bows.  We lined the dance floor with eight foot banquet tables covered with custom ribbon taffeta linens.  The Bloom Room created huge arrangements of blush and pink flowers and positioned them along the tables.  We placed large crystal candelabras in the middle of the arrangements.  The room was up-lit with amber lighting to give a candle glow.  The stunning laced edged cake with silver brooches and bows was placed in the middle of the white dance floor. The end result was more than I could have ever dreamed of. It literally took my breath away.With all said above, the best moment of the whole wedding day was William and my first look.  The expression on his face the first time he set his eyes on me in my wedding dress will forever be etched in my mind.  I have never felt so beautiful or loved.  The day was more than perfect. Later, William and I danced our first dance in the grand foyer under a massive crystal chandelier with family and friends closely surrounding us. What made this wedding so unique can be decided in the comments our guests made.  They had never being to a wedding where they were constantly entertained with every tiny detail being important. Waiters holding glasses of champagne welcomed guests.  Crystal hung tiered escort cards complemented the rhinestone embellished name cards and menus. The band even surprised our guests wearing decorative costumes at the end of the night. We hired an artist who uniquely cut everyone’s silhouette out of black paper.  One silhouette was secured in a book where guests signed their names and another was given as a memento of the special occasion.  A late evening chef’s finale dessert which consisted of Southern Comfort Peach Foster and ice cream was served. The night ended with guests holding sparklers gracing the elegant steps of the mansion as William and I rode off to the Ritz in a Bentley. Our wedding was the result of months of creative thought and careful planning.  All the details blended together to create an unforgettable wedding celebration.

Ceremony location:  Covenant Presbyterian Church / Reception: Duke Mansion / Cake: Cake Lady Jill / Flowers:  The Bloom Room /  Gown: Vera Wang / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Jim Hjelm / Tuxedo: Trussini / Engagement ring: Mavilo / Hairstylist: Kymm Mclean, Who’s the Fairest / Make-up: Kymm Mclean, Who’s the Fairest / Invitations and Stationery: Smock / Music: Hot Sauce / Photography: Kristin ViningPhotography / Videography: Richard Israel, Timm Young / Clergy: Robert W. Henderson / Caterers: Duke Mansion / Rehearsal dinner: Bentley’s on 27 / Lighting: Eye Dialogue / Linens: Custom / Candelabras: Regal Candelabra / Rentals: Party Reflections / Drapes: Party Tables / Wedding night hotel: Ritz Carlton / Bridesmaid luncheon location: Duke Mansion / Bachelor Party: Las Vegas / Bachelorette Party: Napa Valley / Specialty gifts and favors: Silhouette Portraits by Edward / Transportation provider: Trolley’s Inc., / Wedding consultant: Tiffany Ratliff, Weddings and the City / Earrings: Dannijo / Broach: Enchanted Atelier

It is not too often that we reserve an entire day for one wedding but with a Jose Villa number like this, we’re almost tempted to reserve a whole week. Instead, we are kicking back and letting the gorgeous images do all the work while visions of the perfect wedding re-dos dance in our heads. And these nuptials of photography talent KT Merry are all out romance. Ohhhh, the romance. We are literally eating it up one beautiful detail at a time. And for all of you brides to be who are dying to borrow the gorgeous details from this affair, we haven’t left you hanging. We have a buying guide coming up next filled with tons of steal-worthy bits. And don’t forget, even more can be found right here! Click here to see Part I.

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Our ceremony location was all about natural beauty with huge pines overlooking Lake Tahoe.  We had a large military presence at our wedding with my dad being a decorated Naval Captain. He wore his traditional dress whites (sword and all) to escort me down the aisle. Our ceremony site, was decorated by a symbolic circle of white rose petals with the guest chairs in two semicircles surrounding. The ceremony was given by a close friend of my fathers known as ‘Badger’ who is revered as the best fighter pilot living today. He closed our ceremony with ‘by the power vested in me as fighter pilot…’. I also attached my Dad’s bronze star he was awarded from his service in Iraq to the base of my bouquet.

From the ceremony, our guests were shuttled down the mountain to the valley where I grew up.  In the foothills lies a 500 acre ranch owned my one of my dearest friends and bridesmaid. The ranch has a small farm house with a fenced yard where we served cocktails before the reception. Later, guests were seated at long wooden king’s tables for an outdoor reception in front of a 100+ year old barn decorated with chandeliers and a moss set of letters making our initials.

Family and friends played a huge role in the decor of the wedding.  My bridesmaid Nicole created the runners for all the tables, my Aunt Terry created the signs that pointed to horseshoes, dancing and cocktails, my cousin Sara found antique chandeliers, and old doors that created tables over wine barrels.  I also asked several members of our families prior to the wedding to locate vintage plates in their area and they served at the plates for our table settings, each unique and decorated with a fresh gardenia.  I personally found all the mercury glass that we used and my mother hand crafted framed chalk boards that we used for the menu and signature drinks signs.  She and a friend also created a pair of wooden swings that were decorated with flowers and were hung in the cocktail location.

For more details and my favorite images, visit my blog!

Wedding Photography: Jose Villa / Wedding Ceremony Venue: Regan Beach, South Lake Tahoe / Wedding Reception Venue: Willow Stay Ranch, Private Residence /  Wedding Dress: Vera Wang via Ever After / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Jewelry: Maria Elena via Ever After / Bridal Kimono: Custom by Plum Pretty Sugar / Garter: Custom by Florrie Mitton Couture / Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang via Boca Raton Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna / Catering: Bella Vita Catering / Wedding Cake: The Cork & More / Cupcakes: Russell’s Mercantile / Wine: Ironstone Vineyards / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals Sacramento + The Entertainer + Genoa Tree Farm / Flowers: Art in Bloom / Wedding Ceremony Music: Avalanche Music / Wedding Reception Music: Jeff Campbell Music / Linens: Custom by Sewin’ Oats / Wedding Invitations: Kari Dyas / Invitation Calligraphy: Hilary Williams / Seating Chart Calligraphy: Sally Jose (brownhorse.1@netzero.net) / Hair: Acqua Hair Design / Welcome Bags: Proforma Albrecht & Co. / Parasols: Luna Bazaar / Welcome Cruise: The Tahoe Queen via Zephyr Cove Resort & Lake Tahoe Cruises / Film Work: Richard Photo

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KT Merry Photography

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Most of you are fully aware of my not so secret obsession with Jose Villa’s photographs. They instantly send me into a tailspin of giddiness and all out squealing. Of course that is a totally normal day at SMP but believe me, Jose gets extra squeals because his imagery is always perfect. Perfectly romantic, perfectly dreamy, perfectly gorgeous. So much so, that we are devoting an entire day to one undeniably stunning wedding.  And the only thing better than a Jose wedding is a Jose wedding that captures the marrying of another fabulous photographer. That’s right, we’re flipping the camera around on another SMP favorite, KT Merry who’s work we positively adore around these parts (remember this gem?). So get nice and cozy because we have a whole day of devouring to conquer with this beauty. And if you positively can’t wait for Part II, we’ll let you cheat just a wee bit . See the full wedding here. And click here to see Part II, and here to see our Buying Guide.

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After getting engaged in Thailand, Chad and I took our time planning our wedding and making it everything we hoped.  We wanted an outdoor event in a unique location with lots of personal touches. As a photographer, the visual aspect of every detail was the most important thing for me.  Every decision was based on how it would photograph, the light and ambience.  We were lucky enough to have one of my best friends and bridesmaid, Ashlee, offer her ranch as the location for our reception. It was exactly what we were looking for, and set the perfect mood for the event.  Being a wedding photographer, finding the perfect photographer to capture our day was extremely important.  Jose Villa couldn’t have been a better fir for the type of wedding we wanted to have and how we wanted to remember it.

Since most of our guest traveled long distances for our wedding, we wanted to make sure it was a wedding weekend, rather than a single day.  The events kicked off with a bridal shower at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe where the ladies gathered for wine, appetizers and gifts.  I had previously taken my mother’s wedding gown and had it altered to a cocktail dress that I wore for the occasion.  The next day, guests headed down the mountain for a golf scramble on the golf course where my father lived.  Later that night, guests dressed up and boarded the Tahoe Queen for a welcome cruise hosted by Chad’s parents. They enjoyed the scenic cruise on Lake Tahoe to Emerald Bay while enjoying dinner, toasts and live music.

Sit tight. There’s so much more to come!

Wedding Photography: Jose Villa / Wedding Ceremony Venue: Regan Beach, South Lake Tahoe / Wedding Reception Venue: Willow Stay Ranch, Private Residence /  Wedding Dress: Vera Wang via Ever After / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Jewelry: Maria Elena via Ever After / Bridal Kimono: Custom by Plum Pretty Sugar / Garter: Custom by Florrie Mitton Couture / Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang via Boca Raton Bridal / Groom’s Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna / Catering: Bella Vita Catering / Wedding Cake: The Cork & More / Cupcakes: Russell’s Mercantile / Wine: Ironstone Vineyards / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals Sacramento + The Entertainer + Genoa Tree Farm / Flowers: Art in Bloom / Wedding Ceremony Music: Avalanche Music / Wedding Reception Music: Jeff Campbell Music / Linens: Custom by Sewin’ Oats / Wedding Invitations: Kari Dyas / Invitation Calligraphy: Hilary Williams / Seating Chart Calligraphy: Sally Jose (brownhorse.1@netzero.net) / Hair: Acqua Hair Design / Welcome Bags: Proforma Albrecht & Co. / Parasols: Luna Bazaar / Welcome Cruise: The Tahoe Queen via Zephyr Cove Resort & Lake Tahoe Cruises

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KT Merry Photography

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Oh how I wish I could dive head first into this adorable and delicious photo shoot by Scheme Events and A Milestone Paper Co. I’m not quite sure what I would reach for first. The bottle of red wine or the scoops upon scoops of ice cream at the float and milkshake stand? I guess it would depend on the time of day. But really, how stinkin’ cute is that? I’m feeling lots and lots of inspiration coming on…and there’s so much more in the gallery! And if that’s not enough for some of you, there’s even more inspiration here. Happy planning!

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Our story began with a soldier overseas at war. He and his fiancé have been writing love letters back and forth, until one day she received a military release order asking her to “save the date” for his return. She and her two bridesmaids anxiously awaited his arrival at the airport. The soldier and his bride enjoyed an intimate ceremony on the tarmac while reading old love letters to each other. An all American reception followed in an airplane hangar.

We used a modern take on the traditional red, white and blue by using navy, ivory and scarlet. We created a tablescape for four including navy linen and mahogany cafe chairs.  The table featured antique washed wooden chargers, red dinner plates and American flag salad plates topped with a trio of silverware tied with blue and brown twine.  Deep red votives provided romantic candlelight against a row of fresh floral.

The bride wore a short lace dress with a scalloped bottom from Amsale’s Little White Dress Collection and accessorized with strappy gold Jimmy Choo’s. The bridesmaids wore strapless knee length dresses from Jenny Yoo and Dessy Collections, accented with vintage brooches.  The groom provided his own Air Force Dress Blues.

All American desserts were served: milkshakes and Coke floats.  Strawberry, vanilla and chocolate ice cream was set out with fresh berries and milk for handmade shakes along with a selection of toppings included chopped nuts, sprinkles and mini chocolate chips.

I wanted the stationery to reflect the aviation, all-American and romantic themes of this event.  For the save the date, I created a discharge notice reworded as a save the date.  The invitation was mailed in a tin box reflecting the aviation theme.  An airmail inspired label adorned the outside, while inside the tin was lined with a vintage map design.  The invitation has a romantic, vintage flair and is wrapped in a gros grain ribbon hand embroidered with the couple’s initials and a heart alluding to skywriting.  We continued the theme with sweet menus again embellished with a ribbon banner with an embroidered heart.  Itty-bitty banners, some of which we attached to miniature silver airplanes, label each of the dessert items, and a large banner draws guests to the dessert table.  Finally, guests signed a passport inspired guest book.

The bridal bouquet was composed of a lush combination of ruffly magenta peonies, white sweet pea, eye catching anemones, some sweet smelling cheerfulness,  touches of dark red ranunculus, filled with different types of greens to bring texture and than accented with a little bit of muscari to highlight with a pop of blue in the design. We wrapped the bouquet with a navy vintage lace and embellished it with a medallion. For the bridesmaids bouquets we played off of the bridal bouquet to make it a cohesive look but mostly used ivory floral and subtle touches of red floral and wrapped them with dark red lace. The centerpiece was designed with a symphony of different bud vases and jars filled with small blooms to create one large piece. Blooming almond branches helped bring a little bit of height to the design while also working as a highlight floral at the base. The light blue of the muscari popped off of the navy linen while the dark almost metallic look helped tie everything together.

Concept, Coordination & Design: Scheme Events / Floral Design: Layers of Lovely / Rentals: RSVP Party Rentals / Attire: Bella Bridesmaid / Wedding Gown: Amsale / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo + Dessy / Hair & Makeup: Your Beauty Call / Venue: Sky Combat Ace / Stationery: A Milestone Paper Co. / Photography: Laura Ivanova Photography

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Hello Wednesday and hello seven (yes, seven!) SMP weddings to inspire. For those of you new to SMP, here’s a little refresher – we use Wednesday to pretty up the mid week by showing snip-its of several gorgeous soirees. But have no fear, simply click on the full gallery of images to get the entire fete in full. Now that’s a day I am ready to start!

And start we will – with this beautiful blending of cultural traditions by Merrily Wed. This lovely lakeside affair is filled to the brim with beautiful traditions, and its sophisticated, yet rustic style is definitely a good way to kick off this day of pretty. And there is so much more pretty to be had in the full gallery.

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From Merrily Wed… Natasha and Ali said their “I Do’s” amidst a beautiful garden lakefront estate on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe.  Their 80 guests witnessed a stunning Persian ceremony, known as the Aghd, of which the details were new to some and quite familiar to others.

During the Aghd, Natasha and Alia were seated before a spread of traditional items, called the Sofreh. A Sofreh specialist from Los Angeles was brought in to make this moment truly authentic.  On the Sofreh facing them was a mirror, illuminated by candles on either side.  Many other items were also placed on the Sofreh and each had its own symbolism with regard to prosperity that it may bring.  The married women in the family held above the couple a canopy of fine fabric and ground two cones of sugar over Natasha and Ali’s heads, to hope for a sweet life.  Tasting honey with their fingers was another ritual within the Aghd.

When it came time to say “I Do,” the Persian tradition is more elaborate than Western tradition and entices the bride to agree to marry the groom.  When the officiant asks for the bride’s hand on behalf of the groom, the bride does not speak at first; instead she remains silent, which represents the pursuit of the bride by the groom.  The third time that she is asked the bride speaks up and gives the affirmative response of “baleh!” (yes).  The officiant then directs the question to the groom, who answers yes without hesitation.  This was exciting to watch Natasha and Ali enact this.

By using natural, neutral tones and organic elements along with hints of copper and gold, Natasha’s wedding style was a sophisticated edge to the rustic side of Tahoe.  Her bridal bouquet of lisianthus, peonies and garden roses was accented with grasses, gold skeleton leaves and bleached peacock feathers while a cocoa copper chiffon ribbon tied the luscious arrangement together.  The gold skeleton leaves also graced the aisle sides and the lily floral stringers comprising the birch altar behind the sofreh.  Bleached peacock feathers were used throughout the reception from embellishing the wooden wedding sign to bar arrangements to an element in the unique tablescapes.

For Natasha and Ali’s cocktail style reception, we varied the table sizes to give an on-going party feel and draped luxurious Moire toffee linen over all.  Wooden trivets on each table anchored the detailed centerpieces – each a slight variant combo of lisianthus stems in a bud vase, hurricanes, gold sand, mini pine cones, feather flower clips and pine cone candles.  They served a variety of food and dedicated one station to authentic Persian food made lovingly by Ali’s family.

Natasha and Ali’s wedding day was pure magic and a marriage between a man and a woman as well as a blending of two cultures.

Wedding Design and Planning: Merrily Wed / Wedding Photography: Dave Getzschman of Ben Chrisman Photographers / Wedding Flowers: Bellissima Floral Creations / Wedding Venue: Private Lakefront Estate / Catering: As You Wish Catering / Wedding Cake: Josef’s Vienna Bakery / Music: We Ain’t Saints / Linens: La Tavola Linen / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza / Sofreh: Elegant Sofreh Design / Hair: Laura Seegmiller / Wedding Invitations: Paper Monkey Press

What do you get when you combine the keen eye of an interior designer, the stunning backdrop of a Nevada mountainside and genius photographer Chelsea Nicole behind the camera?  One of the chicest, desert soirees we’ve ever seen ’round these parts.  I absolutely adore the comfy yet stylish bridesmaids ensembles.  And don’t even get me started on the phenomenal floral design from Layers of Lovely!  That succulent bouquet is just out of this world!  I’d never guess from these tranquil images of lovliness that this wedding took place just 30 minutes from the Vegas strip.  Check out the full gallery to see even more from this rustic desert fête!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

Ian and I are high school sweethearts and were excited to tie the knot in December after dating for almost 8 years! We’ve known we wanted to get married for a while but decided to pursue our goals first. For me that meant going to school in San Diego and getting my degree and for Ian it was becoming a firefighter paramedic. We spent 4 years driving to and from San Diego and Las Vegas every other weekend to spend time together. It wasn’t much fun at the time, but it definitely made us a stronger couple. We got engaged in front of our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve 2009 and instantly started making plans for our wedding!

We wanted to be budget conscious but still have a beautiful affair, so we opted to have our wedding at Cascada, a gorgeous country club tucked away in Boulder City just a bit outside of Las Vegas. We had originally wanted to get married in October but December meant non-peak golf season and non-peak golf season means much lower prices, so we bumped our date to December to be able to put the money saved towards others areas. Ian and I both really wanted our day to be laid back and not too traditional – especially not your traditional “Vegas” wedding. I’m an interior designer so I used some of my design and crafting skills to save us money by doing the planning myself, along with several DIY projects and the help of lots of wedding blogs. The control freak in me was happy to be able to craft many of our wedding details myself and with the help friends but I was also very grateful to find great vendors, like Chelsea Nicole Photography and Catherine with Layers of Lovely Floral, that were young, fresh, and knew exactly what I wanted.

A few DIY projects we took on to save money were the save-the-dates, invitation suite, programs, crossword puzzles, ceremony twine pomanders, blanket tags, the boys’ neck ties, refinishing an old trunk, escort card display, table numbers, menu, table runners, centerpiece vases, ornament favors, wood planks for centerpieces, tree guest book, my garter, doily sign, and most importantly the cupcakes-in-a-jar. A lot of our design inspiration was drawn from our love of nature, especially succulents. Our entire color pallet was taken from a photo I took on my phone of a bowl of succulents at Home Depot. I decided I wanted our wedding to be flowerless and Catherine executed that beautifully. We decided to use several types of weeds, fillers, wheat, pine flowers, balsa flowers and succulents to bring the vision to life. I found the antique bottles for the centerpieces at the Pasadena flea market. We also used mason jars which I borrowed from my MIL who has a MASS collection, 99 cent store cylinder vases, 99 cent store tea light candle holders and wood planks cut from our old trailer. We used all different types of shabby chic picture frames for our table numbers that I found at TJ Maxx, HomeGoods or Marshalls. We decided to make the ceremony very simple because the backdrop of the Vegas desert was so beautiful. I found a great little white table for $40 at the flea market that we put an old planter on, which housed our programs. We also found a great trunk at an antique store that held the fleece blankets. It was about 55 degrees and breezy during our ceremony so they were definitely necessary and very appreciated by our guests! We decided to buy a lot of things we could use in our house after the wedding, as well as using things we already owned. We literally took the picture frames off our wall the morning of the wedding and displayed them on the fireplace at the venue. Little things like that made such a huge difference when it came to the budget. We decided there were much more important things to spend money on! In the end, our wedding turned out more beautiful than I could have imagined but the best part of the day were the moments we shared with family and friends. Like, chasing around my nephew in my dress before the ceremony, the boys showing up in fake mustaches, my brother-in-law playing the guitar as we walked down the aisle, my choreographed dance to “My Girl” with my dad, our first dance, Ian shoving cake up my nose, and an impromptu rap performance by my brother-in-law and cousin. Those are the things that made our day absolutely perfect!

Wedding Photography: Chelsea Nicole Photography / Flowers: Layers of Lovely / Venue: Cascata Country Club / Wedding Dress: Tara Keely by Lazarro / Shoes: Seychelles / Hair Flowers: Forever 21 / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie / Bridesmaid Sweaters: NY & Co / Hair: Katie Stocks

Are you ready for this one? We realize it’s Monday and towards the end of the day, but we promise this chic celebration will be more than enough to help inspire the rest of your afternoon. There is something about a modern wedding that always captures my attention – with the clean lines and attention to detail, I find myself in awe of their complex simplicity. This wedding, which was inspired by an amazing pair of Christian Louboutins and captured by the talented Chelsea Nicole Photography, is a perfect example of why modern weddings are just so stunning. Believe me, you’ll want to soak up every bit of this chicness so be sure to check out even more in the gallery.

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For months after our engagement my fiancé, Eddie, and I had procrastinated on planning the wedding. All that we were certain of was that we wanted a wedding in Las Vegas. We thought it would be nice for friends and family visiting from all over the world to enjoy a mini-vacation of their own. Who doesn’t like Vegas?! Aside from selecting a destination, planning a wedding seemed like a daunting process and we had no idea were to begin. I finally found inspiration in the most gorgeous pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. I pulled the gold and burnt orange colors from the shoes and began to design our wedding around them. My bridesmaids wore lustrous light gold dresses paired with custom freshwater pearl necklaces I designed for them. The necklaces included gold, champagne and copper colored pearls. For our wedding favors, I sewed luggage tags following a sewing pattern by StudioCherie that I bought on Etsy.com. I had never operated a sewing machine in my life, but I thought it would be fun to try. I felt it was the best way for me to create a meaningful wedding favor that reflected our passion for travelling and encompassed our personal style…unique and creative, yet practical. I chose a vibrant fabric with hues of orange and tied it off with a gold ribbon.

Suddenly, a mere 3 months before the wedding, Eddie and I were notified that the restaurant we had booked 8 months prior would be closing for renovations. Unbelievable! I desperately contacted my photographer, Chelsea Nicole, and asked for venue recommendations confident that with her great eye, she would know of the perfect place. And boy, did she pull through! Vintner Grill had amazing food, the restaurant’s modern and chic décor suited us perfectly, and the restaurant’s green and white motif complemented my wedding color palette completely. We even decided to add touches of green to our wedding invitations and programs (which we created and printed at home) and asked our florist, Naakiti Floral, to include the vibrant green in our arrangements. Just as I had found inspiration in my wedding shoes, Vintner Grill happened to be my second muse. The restaurant had an amazing outdoor patio which we were determined to make use of. So, during the reception, we had 3 stations set up outside for our guests to enjoy. An ice cream sundae bar, cigar roller, and wine tasting bar. The Ice Cream Sundae Bar featured 3 ice cream flavors and a huge selection of our favorite ice cream toppings which were displayed in charming ice cream sundae glasses. Eddie hired a master cigar maker from Don Yeyo Cigars in Las Vegas to roll cigars for our guests and I made custom match boxes with our names, wedding date, and monogram to accompany the station. Wine tastings were conducted by the restaurant’s sommelier and a wine decanter shaped vase filled with corks decorated the tasting table.

My favorite part of the planning process was working on the little details. And by hosting craft parties a few weeks before the wedding, I was able to add a lot of DIY touches to the ceremony and reception. Handmade cones with hydrangea arrangements adorned the pews of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, amusing custom crossword puzzles and Mad Libs sheets entertained guests, and escort cards made from Ferrero Rocher chocolates led guests to their table which was with hand painted table numbers. I made the table numbers using wooden numbers which I purchased on clearance from JoAnn’s Fabrics, painted a burnt orange color, and mounted on wooden blocks that I had painted white. It was a simple and fun craft project. Another detail I adored was the personalized “Mrs. Liang” hanger for my wedding dress which was made by the Etsy.com seller, lilafrances and is a wonderful keepsake gift given to my by one of my bridesmaids. The day was just bursting with delightful details!

The loss of our original venue proved to be a blessing in disguise. We were fortunate enough to have an amazing restaurant, a strong group of vendors, and loving friends and family to help us plan our wedding. It was everything we hoped our wedding would be…a bit alternative, modern, creative, and absolutely unforgettable!

Photography: Chelsea Nicole Photography / Hair and Makeup: Megan at Makeup in the 702 / Flowers: Naakiti Floral / Ceremony Location: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton / Reception Location: Vintner’s Grill / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Custom hanger: Lila Frances

Amy Kuschel and Coren Moore gowns, vibrant splashes of purple, pink and tangerine orange ~ a segway to the festive Lake Tahoe wedding of Ginger and Brannan from Merrily Wed and Ben Chrisman Photography!

Hear all about it on Merrily’s blog!

Click here to see all the stunning images from Ben Chrisman Photography!

Photography – Ben Chrisman Photography / Wedding Design & Planning – Merrily Wed / Florals – Bellissima Floral / Wedding Gown – Amy Kuschel / Bridesmaids Dresses – Coren Moore / Catering – Moody’s Catering /  Wedding Cake & Cupcakes – Sugar Pine Cakery / Venue – Private North Shore Estate / Rentals – Celebrations Party Rentals / Linen – La Tavola Linen

Jessica and Gavin met in England.  Little did they know that their romance would end up with a glorious Fall wedding on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe at Jessica’s family’s lakefront home. Little Black Book wedding designer and planner, Merrily Charles Rocco and her fabulous team at Merrily Wed helped them choreograph a beautiful celebration filled with stunning colors and picture perfect details!

Lights and candles were everywhere creating an incredible intimate and romantic home wedding … from candle hurricanes on the gorgeous green and burgundy cocktail table linen ~ to the glass and rustic lanterns hung on shepherd hooks through-out the property ~ to the Italian string lights suspended high over the dance floor ~ to the hanging glass votives with crystals in the trees (which themselves were wrapped with more string lights)! Floating candles with submerged purple orchids were in the glass lanterns while pale green pillar candles surrounded by moss were in the rustic lanterns. Giant floral letters made of green santini mums hung on the home’s back doors.

Lavender was introduced at each guest’s place setting neatly tucked in their napkin with the dinner menu.

The front yard was transformed for an elegant plated dinner for 120 guests in 3 connected white tents.

A touch of English flavor was present in the popular British drink called Pimms which the couple served as their signature drink along with champagne garnished with purple lavender. The bride’s mother even put out an American and a British flag at the front of the driveway to symbolize the pending union.  With guests from both sides of the ‘pond’, we were challenged with making space in the multi-leveled backyard and front yard for the festivities. The ceremony was held on the rock beach as close to the water as possible, on top of a platform.

A musical string quartet entertained guests before, during and after the ceremony into the cocktail hour. A hip DJ spun tunes which had the dance floor packed. Guests were treated to a fun photo booth with double prints – one print went home with the guest and the other print landed in the guest book beneath the guests’ well wishes.

All in all – gorgeous wedding, gorgeous (and fun) details and gorgeous couple!

Submitted by Merrily Wed ~ Wedding Designer/Coordinator, Lake Tahoe

Photographer: Jennifer Baciocco Photography, Caterer: As U Wish Catering, Florals: Diana’s Floral Design, Wedding Dress: Jin Wang, String Quartet: The String Beings, DJ: We Ain’t Saints, Wedding Cake: The Tahoe House, Linen: La Tavola Linen, Rentals: Camelot Party Rentals, Videographer: Video Quest Productions, Photo Booth: Red Cheese Photobooths

Chelsea Nicole ~ of recent SMP Inspiration to Reality fame ~ is sharing one of her fantastic weddings that took place at Las Vegas’ The Springs Preserve. A GORGEOUS place to say “I DO!”

See the entire gallery here!

from the newlyweds, Whitney & John …

Since our wedding would be a destination wedding for at least half the guests no matter where we had it, we decided to pick a neutral destination that we knew everyone would enjoy – Las Vegas! In our search for the perfect venue, we wanted to stay close to the Strip yet feel a million miles away from Las Vegas. The Springs Preserve was perfect. The grounds are amazing, and there are so many options for the location of the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception—all designed with an eye toward sustainability and preservation. And the catering ~ by Wolfgang Puck ~ surpassed all expectations!

We chose to have the ceremony outside in their garden arboretum, which was so lovely that the only flowers we added were hanging white pomanders.

The bouquet was filled with irises, garden roses, lisianthus, dahlia, bavardia, spray roses and freesia variety of herbs as accent. We incorporated fern buds and sprigs of herbs to the bouquets and the boutonnieres, which added great texture as well as a wonderful scent.

It was important to us that our parents be involved in the wedding ceremony, but we wanted to find a unique way to accomplish this. After we said our vows, we had our parents come up one at a time to participate in a little ceremony. They each poured one of the ingredients for our signature cocktail into two champagne glasses, and we had a nice private moment with each of them. My husband and I then toasted to our marriage with the signature cocktails our parents had created, and our minister invited our guests to go out to the cocktail hour, take one of our signature cocktails (which were champagne-based) and do the same.

For the flowers and décor, we wanted to keep a very natural and colorful spirit to harmonize with and elaborate on the beauty of the Springs Preserve. We used purples and greens for our theme colors, and our florist created two different types of centerpieces: manzanita trees decorated with pomanders and hanging candles, and mossy terrarium-inspired displays in low, short bowls. In keeping with the garden atmosphere, we used small iron birds to hold the table markers, and old-fashioned bird cages to hold the programs. We also used a bird cage to hold flip-flops we gave away to guests to encourage everyone to get up and dance!

The catering ~ by Wolfgang Puck ~ surpasses all expectations!

We were very excited about our honeymoon, which included a week in Uganda visiting the mountain gorillas as well as a week in the Maldives. To include our guests in our excitement, we used the names of the different places we would visit as our table names. It took a while, but by the end of the evening most of the guests had figured out our theme.

I was well-prepared with my something borrowed (the purse my sister used at her wedding), something old (my mom had my grandmother’s old jewelry remade into a bracelet and decorations for my bouquet), and something new (the dress, of course!) For my something blue, I asked my cobbler to paint the bottom of my wedding shoes blue. They were my little secret most of the night, but they peeked out a few times while we were on the dance floor!

I loved all of the different laces decorating my wedding gown, and so I asked our bakery to incorporate these different laces into the decoration of our wedding cake. Each tier of the cake featured a different lace design hand-done in buttercream icing.

See more of Whitney & John’s wedding here!

LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to share Chelsea’s fantastic shots side by side with the story of the day! Congratulations and thank you to all!!

Photography: Chelsea Nicole Photography (www.chelseanicole.com)
Invitation and programs: Bella Figura (bellafigura.com)
Coordination: Stephanie Smith
Floral and Design: Jason Kenneth Designs
Hair and Makeup: Makeup in the 702
Cake: Leopold’s
Ceremony and Reception Location: Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, NV
Dress: Vera Wang
Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

So, was I right or was I right? Total gorgeousness on SMP today, thanks to the amazing team of vendors that put together our From Inspiration to Reality shoot. Well, we just happened to have saved the best for last. The incredible behind the scenes video that Jayse of Chelsea Nicole crafted. And I know I say this a lot, so it’s kind of like the girl who cried wolf, but take it from my colleague Elaine who freaked out when she saw this. It’s simply awesome. Oh and if you are in need of more inspiration, we’ve loaded tons more images into the galleries.

Video
For the video I wanted to take you through the different moods that we experienced during the day: Starting with all the excitement and preparation of getting ready – culminating in the magic of seeing it all come together for the first time – and then ramping up to a new high with the excitement and energy of the bridal shoot with Chelsea Nicole. I used Color (an application just for grading video) to simulate the Technicolor two-strip process that Chelsea came up with for her stills. I combined everything together with a custom mix of vintage and high-energy music to complete the story. –Jayse

And more pictures and details from Tracey of Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge, Chelsea Nicole, Tifany of Gourmet Invitations, Shannon of Emplume, Naakiti Floral Design, and a collection of really great vendors (full list below)…

Photography
I loved “The Aviator”, so when Tracey mentioned it as a way to give our own Vegas twist to the board I got even more excited. I knew the predominant colors in that film matched the board’s colors perfectly and this was because the filmmakers copied the vintage techniques they used in the 20’s and 30’s when color was first introduced to film. It was a Technicolor two-strip process: the film could only reproduce red and green. Eventually they figured out that dying the film yellow would give them a third color and produce amazingly beautiful, if slightly unreal, skin tones. So, rather than do the usual ‘desaturated and sepia toned’ vintage look, I wanted to do my own modern-twist on the technique: Instead of ‘old’ looking images, I wanted to do Vintage as if it were brand-new and shiny. I ended up using various curves in Photoshop to accent the red and green channels and mixed yellow overlays to create a digital reinterpretation of the Technicolor two-strip process. The result is a mix of rich, sparkling golden tones with a vintage-vibrant feel to the images. —Chelsea Nicole

Details
The Aviator” movie gave us more ideas! We found models of old bi-planes (I love the gleaming silver one Tifany brought us). The keys and maps from the board inspired our monogrammed; crackle textured door designed by Randi of Naakiti Floral Design. Monogrammed oval tags created by Tifany were tied to vintage skeleton keys with peacock blue ribbon and hung on the door. This is a super-chic idea for an escort-card board (seating chart) or a favor display to say “You were the Key to a Great Wedding”! It also makes a fun backdrop for pictures! –Tracey of Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge

Signature Cocktail
“The Plume” cocktail was inspired, of course, by the peacock décor elements from the board and what was being used for shoot. The drink’s exotic taste and gorgeous iridescent blue hue was created by blending Vodka, Lichee Juice, Blue Curacao and Asian inspired “Ty.ku” liquor. I thought the whole style of this wedding was so glamorous so I ‘Dressed the Drink’ with edible gold-flake accented with gold embedded chocolate leaves. –Cindy McClure, owner of Dress the Drink

Fashion
Desert Glamour was defined by this Vera Wang sheath. This dress encompassed all of the glamour, sophistication and timeless elegance that dictated an era where sexy and couture styles dominated the fashion industry.  A v-neck siren sheath with a draped bodice, bias cut skirt and cowl at the back in a deliciously creamy ivory crepe back silk-satin fabric captured glamour at its best!” As our handsome groom “William”, our model Jesus Ochoa wears an elegant chocolate brown tuxedo, ivory vest, shirt and tie with matching boutonniere accented with peacock feathers from Emplume.–Dawn Heaney, Couture Bride Salon

Wedding Beauty
For the makeup, I wanted to give our bride that classic bridal allure, with a little modern twist. I incorporated the beautiful neutral tones of the desert landscape and gave her skin a flawless glow. I introduced the exquisite peacock colors that were being used in the details of the wedding, without matching her eye shadow directly to the color scheme. Instead, I used soft teal eyeliner underneath her eyes and blended it out to hint at the vibrant wedding colors, without over powering the makeup or our bride’s delicate facial features.” Allyson Stagg, Las Vegas Style Sirens

For our bride’s hair, I wanted to create a modern silhouette with a vintage feel. I used several different sized barrels to give our bride’s hair the texture and volume I wanted. I decided on a style that accented the back of her gorgeous Vera Wang gown, so I created a side swept design. I did not want to use a traditional veil so instead I opted to create custom hair pieces made especially for this bride. The teal birdcage veil and peacock feather hairpiece featuring natural stones are a perfect way to accent the simple yet elegant gown and hair style.”  Monet McRay for Las Vegas Style Sirens & MUMO Hair Pieces by Monet

Jewelry
With the v-neckline of the sheath gown, I chose a delicate crystal encrusted “Glint Necklace” and complementary stud earrings. The glamorous, vintage-sparkle touch to the bride’s look was added with one of my favorite pieces, the Czech crystal “Heirloom Deco Bracelet” inspired by a style that any 30’s or 40’s starlet on the arm of Mr. Hughes might have worn. –Carrie Hogan Stylist for Stella & Dot Jewelry

Coordination by Tracey of Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge / Invitations by Tifany of Gourmet Invitations / Bouquet by Shannon of Emplume Modern Couture Bouquets / Flowers and Design by Naakiti Floral Design / Photography by the FAB Chelsea Nicole / Film by Jayse, also of Chelsea Nicole / Venue: Springs Preserve / Chaivari Chairs + Table/Bench & Credenza by Sit on This Chair / Linen Rentals by Wildflower Linens / China Rentals by Unique Tabletop Rentals / Cake by Gimme Some Sugar Custom Cakes / Signature Drink by Dress the Drink / Fashion & Bridal by Couture Bride Salon / Shoes by Manolo Blahnik / Gown by VeraWang / Hair & Makeup by Allyson Stagg & Lauren Gardiner (makeup) Monet McRay (hair) – Las Vegas Style Sirens / Hair Accessories (peacock birdcage veil) by MUMO Custom Hair Accessories / Jewelry (necklace & deco bracelet): Carrie Hogan Stylist for Stella & Dot Jewelry / Decor / accessories: ZGallerie / Models: Jesus Ochoa, Gabbi – RED Models Agency

I am the girliest of girls and when it comes to weddings, I’m all about the pink, the pretty, the totally frilly. But every now and then, I see something from the other end of the spectrum that completely changes the way I see weddings and the many, MANY loves that I have. Inspired by Chiara’s inspiration board, This From Inspiration to Reality design did just that. Built by Tracey of Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge, Chelsea Nicole, Tifany of Gourmet Invitations, Shannon of Emplume, Naakiti Floral Design, and a collection of fabulous vendors (full list below) it’s a gorgeous look at boy meets girl, at fashion meets substance. We have a big spread coming up throughout the day but if you want to cheat and see all of the pictures, go ahead and hit up the galleries right here.

{to see all images before we blog about them, click right here}

Venue
The Springs Preserve is a 180-acre cultural institution located just fifteen minutes NW of the Las Vegas Strip. It was designed to commemorate Las Vegas’ dynamic history and to provide a vision for a sustainable future. It is an ideal venue for “green, sustainable” weddings with many beautiful locations and trails that take you miles away in ambience and adventure from the bright lights of the strip. Wolfgang Puck Catering is the sole catering company where every food and beverage, dish, fork and element they consider is organic and sustainable and 100% delicious as you would expect.

Invitations
Using the movie “The Aviator” as the underlying theme, I started with an airplane motif invitation. I found the amazing table number stand at Hobby Lobby and that piece became a huge part of the look for all of the paper pieces. As the oval shaped fames are so “vintage” in style, I decided to make everything oval. Oval menus, oval favor tags, an oval seating chart sign and oval RSVP card. I added some modern design elements to the invitation with the couple’s name, Mary and William, in an all-lowercase script contrasted by subtext in an all-capitalized classic-serif font in a justified layout. The invitation was covered in brown faux-fur and then layered with peacock colored cardstock and ribbon. I included a large fold out map to the suite to keep with the theme of travelingr. In the steamer trunk, the guest also finds an adorable gold vintage compass with matching peacock needle “to find their way”. For the seating chart, I really wanted to do something different for this shoot and found a large collage frame. I love the idea of displaying the seating arrangements in a unique set of frames and this could be accomplished by buying all coordinating but different frames for your own wedding. Displaying them in this format also makes them easier to print and makes a great DIY project. –Tifany of Gourmet Invitations

Bouquet
The Inspiration Board has beautiful warm fur elements and worn smooth leather details with ‘just right’ sparkle and, of course, the bold sexy color in the peacock-eye feather and bridesmaid dress which we love. We arranged a simple composition of our gorgeous signature feather flowers with crystal rhinestone centers. Faux-leathery leaves are glam’ed up with shimmering bronze and copper-glitter trims the perimeter of the bouquet. We then finished in a satin ribbon handle, peacock sword feathers and crystal sprays, each in the fabulous bold teal color. Finally to fully honor the “Aviator” / Vegas Desert theme, the bouquet handle is embellished with a crisscross detail of leather lacing.” —Shannon & Carrie, Emplume Modern Couture Bouquets

Event Design
With the inspiration board, the botanical setting and much of the natural, muted colors and scenery at Springs Preserve, we had our design in mind. ‘Mary and William’s’ wedding would be intimate, elegant, a bit bold and sexy with a warm, romantic golden glow that would evoke vintage 40’s glamour but feel completely at home amongst this setting. We certainly wanted to incorporate many textures, natural woods and treats for the eye as possible for the reception. Our beautiful dark wood dining table, bench seating and credenza, provided by Randi Garrett of Naakiti Floral Design and Sit on this Chair, provided our ideal canvas to create an inviting dinner setting for our bride and groom and their guests.

Our table was set with elegant “Vintage Gold” china, accented with “Operetta Gold” rimmed stemware and “Antique Gold Swirl” flatware for a classic, vintage look. A soft golden, neatly folded napkin was placed to highlight Gourmet Invitation’s fabulous table number stand and elegant peacock blue, oval menus. Of course the table got a crowning touch of sexy Las Vegas pizzazz thanks to magnificent crystal peacocks perched atop a champagne glass. –Tracey of Your Las Vegas Weddings Concierge

Floral Decor
My inspiration for the floral and décor design was, of course, the peacock hue and feathers as well as the natural setting of our venue.I brought the outside in and used White Hydrangea, Root Beer Cymbidium Orchids, Magnolia Tips, Succulents, Manzanita tree and Sahara roses. Guests can dine in the soft glow of amber glass votives and varying height pillar candles in cream, burnt orange and moss tones. –Randi Garret of Naakiti Floral Design

Wedding Cakes
Our inspiration for the cake design was primarily drawn from the Peacock Feathers in the style board, not only in the colors, but the “feather-esque” detailing as well. The three coordinating designs we chose highlight different techniques, and show the versatility that is available with a single wedding theme and set of colors. We also chose to go with the haute trend of miniature tiered cakes rather than one large cake centerpiece. It allows the opportunity to showcase more than one style and design. –Kristen of Gimme Some Sugar Custom Cakes

So much more to come from the Fashion to the Photography!

Coordination by Tracey of Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge / Invitations by Tifany of Gourmet Invitations / Bouquet by Shannon of Emplume Modern Couture Bouquets / Flowers and Design by Naakiti Floral Design / Photography by the FAB Chelsea Nicole / Film by Jayse, also of Chelsea Nicole / Venue: Springs Preserve / Chaivari Chairs + Table/Bench & Credenza by Sit on This Chair / Linen Rentals by Wildflower Linens / China Rentals by Unique Tabletop Rentals / Cake by Gimme Some Sugar Custom Cakes / Signature Drink by Dress the Drink / Fashion & Bridal by Couture Bride Salon / Shoes by Manolo Blahnik / Gown by VeraWang / Hair & Makeup by Allyson Stagg & Lauren Gardiner (makeup) Monet McRay (hair) – Las Vegas Style Sirens / Hair Accessories (peacock birdcage veil) by MUMO Custom Hair Accessories / Jewelry (necklace & deco bracelet): Carrie Hogan Stylist for Stella & Dot Jewelry / Decor accessories: ZGallerie / Models: Jesus Ochoa, Gabbi – RED Models Agency