New York Wedding Ideas and Inspiration - Style Me Pretty

The Bowery Wedding from Susan Stripling Photography

When a location holds memories of your first date, your family’s home away from home, and is right down the street from your house (and the reason you moved to that neighborhood) why not get married there? This couple did. With help from Daughter of Design, they turned The Bowery Hotel into a wedding locale to die for, and Susan Stripling Photography worked her magic on every single perfect image!

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From the beautiful bride… Colin took me on a date to the restaurant in Bowery Hotel when we were first dating. I fell in love with the hotels warmth and character immediately. Since then the hotel and the Bowery area of New York has held a special place in our hearts and few years ago we decided to make a couple blocks away from the hotel our home. Family and friends also decided to make the hotel a part time home, staying in the hotel, eating in the restaurant and using the bar as a type of living room as much as possible. As the hotel soon became a home away from home to so many of the people that we love we figured it would be the perfect place to get married. I was so excited to have a place where so many people already felt comfortable and a place that held those special memories of Colin and my beginning, when everything was new and we were just falling in love. Also, it didn’t hurt that it’s old romantic style was exactly what we love. It truly is one of my favorite buildings in its lovely, unique beauty.

Once we settled on the venue I began googling, pinteresting and blog hunting immediately (Style Me Pretty was one of my favorites of course!) and I was lucky enough to come across our beautiful and extremely talented planner, Annie Lee of Daughter of Design. As soon as we met her she began to make all of our wedding dreams come true. She is in love with the hotel just as we are and we quickly decided to keep the wedding in the intimate, vintage quality of the hotel. Coming from a crafty family, we wanted to make as much as we could for the wedding and involve the guests in the crafting fun as well! We used craft paper over lace as our tablecloths. We had stamps made of doilies and the dinner menus and stamped them at each place setting onto the craft paper. We put pencil crayons on the tables and invited everyone to doodle and play while eating their dinner. My husband and I are completely in love with our very handsome bulldog Eddie, so, we felt it was only appropriate to make him a part of our wedding. My mom made him a red velvet suit and he was a part of our wedding party. His picture was incorporated into our invitations and being a doll maker I made bulldog doll seating cards for each of our guests. I don’t think there is anything lovelier than lace so anywhere we could have lace in the wedding we did. Our inner envelopes of our invites were made from lace paper, the bridesmaid dresses were a crocheted lace, our tablecloths were lined in lace, it was snuck in everywhere! We put as many candles as we could fit and overflowed the tables with flowers. My wonderful brother in law wrote and performed our ceremony. I can’t say how special it was for us to have someone we love so much marry us.

What was most important to us was that the wedding felt authentic to us and that our guests felt all of our love and excitement! We wanted everyone to be as comfortable and have as much fun as possible! We couldn’t have done it without the amazing Annie and all of the special, talented people she introduced us to. And of course our wonderful families. The night truly was more beautiful in every way than I could have dreamed.

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Today is going to be awesome, and that’s a guarantee. Because anytime we get to spend the day with an oh-so-talented photographer like Studio A Images, it’s a day that is beyond amazing. That’s because this lovely lady happens to know a thing or two about snapping a beautiful image, and capturing those moments you’ll treasure for always. So grab that cup of morning coffee, kick your feet up and join us for an entire swoon-fest of lovely. Oh, happy Saturday.

Studio A Images… Studio A Images is a professional wedding, event and portrait photography studio founded by me, Adena. I see myself as a storyteller with a camera. Every couple has a story, and I want to depict your unique love story. My style is heavily influenced by my degree in photojournalism and years of experience working for newspapers.

I strive to capture honest and intimate moments between people while remaining unobtrusive. I believe that the ability to tell a story through photographs requires a special passion and unique way of seeing the world. I combine my artistic eye and attention to detail in telling your story and do all I can so that the photos are forever a memento of this special occasion.

Based in Hoboken, NJ just across the river from NYC, I photograph weddings in both New Jersey and NYC.

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Welcome to the family, Studio A Images! We are so happy to have you! xo

Cedarhurst Wedding from Expressions Cinema

I dare you to watch this beautiful film from Expressions Cinema and not shed a single tear. That’s right… I dare you. Because this is the kind of film that fills your heart with sooo much happy, you can’t help but ADORE every last heartwarming, love-filled moment. It’s a fairytale story meets a darling bride and groom (so cute) meets all kinds of pretty. Don’t wait another moment and hit play to soak it all in.

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From Expressions Cinema… Angela was brought up in Guatemala. During college she decided to go to Hong Kong for a semester to study. While over there, she met Judah who was brought up in West Hempstead, NY. They became friends which eventually turned into a relationship. They were engaged after three long-distance years while scuba diving in Curacao… the ring was in a seashell!

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Photographer: Clean Plate Pictures | Cinematography: Expressions Cinema | Caterer: Genadeen Caterers | Band: Nafshenu Orchestra | Reception Hall: Genadeen Caterers

Wythe Hotel Inspiration Shoot from Landon Jacob

Landon Jacob Photography took a note from the simple elegance handbook and transformed it into inspiration for a gorgeous urban wedding. With gowns by Winifred Bean, design and styling by Jove Meyer and florals by 2H Flowers, this Brooklyn photo shoot is a blending of Fall, pretty rustic touches and the all out beauty of the Wythe Hotel. You can catch even more right here in the full gallery as well as in the film by Valerie Barnes below.

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Simple elegance, that is the focus of our beautiful Brooklyn styled shoot featuring gorgeous wedding gowns by Winifred Bean, stunning stationery by fourteen-forty, amazing hand made accessories by hushed commotion and wonderful planning and designing by Jove Meyer Events at the wonderful Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn captured through the lens of the ever so talented talented Landon Jacob Photography.

We worked together to embrace the beauties of fall without choosing the obvious pumpkin and fall foliage. Instead we added our own twist to the shoot with fresh local, seasonal fruits on the cake and included in the centerpieces and florals made by the incredible 2H flowers. The pomegranate really stood out in this shoot as our version of fall, its unique shape and beautiful colors blended well with the natural look we were aiming to achieve.

Rather than using traditional paper products for stationery we went with a more nature inspired look. The name cards were hand written on wood chunks and the menus were printed on cloth. We added rosemary sprigs for a nice accent on the eye and nose!

The delectable and eye catching sweets were made by the talented pastry chef Erin Kanagy-Loux of Reynard at Wythe Hotel. When thinking about the wedding cake we really wanted to try something unique and fruit heavy so we took a naked cake and added our own twist to it, Erin used the frosting between layers to add an amazing texture that makes the cake come to life!

Lake Placid Wedding from Tracey Buyce Photography

When a wedding is this beautiful, it’s sort of an unwritten rule that you have to stop and stare. And when that wedding happens to include a dress designed by the bride herself, it deserves an entire day of swooning. Which is exactly what we have on the agenda today, lovelies – a swoon-worthy love fest with a gorgeous bride (+ dapper groom), an amazing gown and an entire gallery of lovely captured by Tracey Buyce Photography. Join me there for more.

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From Tracey Buyce Photography… Mary and Drew met in their church and the vicar who introduced them married them. Drew proposed on a cross country road trip on top of a cliff at Big Sur. Mary, who trained formally as a fashion designer in London, runs a business in the UK called Party Pants that hosts knicker-making classes for hens (or bachelorettes) to quite literally stitch before they hitch and create their very own bespoke knickers.

The most important aspect to Mary & Drew on their wedding day was to have the wedding in a very special place where nature had been uninterrupted and where they would keep going to for the rest of their lives. The location was deep in the Adirondack wilderness – a perfect location overlooking nothing but nature and pristine Goose Pond. It took over a month to build the platforms and infrastructure to set the stage with multiple tents that would indeed be a village when completed. The view from the boardwalk style deck was picture perfect. Mary painted maps that were in all of the guests’ hotel rooms so that they could find the wedding site.

Mary trained as a fashion designer in London and so she naturally made her dress for her wedding day. It took seven months to make; five months perfecting the pattern and toiles (there were 65 pattern pieces in total) and then two months to sew! The lace alone took 3.5 months to be spun in France and once delivered to London she layered the lace over masses of cream silk crepe, fine crepe lining and a tulle underskirt. Mary said “it was amazing to be in complete control and to play with details, alter and work with the cloth in a relaxed way (starting early took the pressure off!) and finish with exactly the dress I initially drew up in my head.” Mary’s wedding dress epitomized her style with romantic tumbling lace juxtaposed with the structured duchess silk bands that wrapped tightly round her corseted top.

The bridal party was all the nieces and nephews of the bride, seven flower girls and three page boys. Mary made all of their outfits.

Mary’s countryside upbringing with shopping trips to London influenced the designs to be whimsical yet chic and refined like the rural/urban worlds. Mary designed and created the flower girl dresses similarly using super soft pale cream cotton, ballet pink silk linen sashes and then adding the all important detail in the top stitching, the covered buttons and She even made Drew’s morning coat.

The ceremony took place in a quaint chapel made of stone and glass and could not-have been more perfect. The ceremony was simple so the bones of the stone structure built in the 1930’s would not be interrupted with too much fuss. Fresh roping of variegated and Italian pittisporum wrapped the wooden porch to the west of the chapel as well as the iron rails below the high alter. The pulpit and stairs were lined with lush blooms of peony, garden roses, jasmine vine and David Austin roses. Pots of maiden hair ferns were set at the entrance as well. The hooks in the church that once held lanterns were ornamented with spheres of gypsophelia hung from vintage canvas strapping.

Their get a away car was Drew’s first car that he bought when he was 16!

The reception had tables with two distinct styles. The farm tables were topped with a hemp runner and hand made drift wood lanterns, these were scattered on the tables with twine wrapped votives and assorted small vases with lush blooms. The chargers were made of woven rattan and each place setting had a cream tea towel as a napkin tied with ribbon. The chairs at these tables were custom made for the event, dark cherry finish with a ladder back. Each seat had a custom made cushion with a lofty 1.5” insert that were tied onto the chair. The round tables were draped to the floor in bleached burlap lined cloths with an overlay of white swiss dot hemstitch linen overlays. The flowers were designed in a combination of vessels both enamelware and porcelain, layers of flowers cascaded from them in hues of white, cream, mint, and blush. Each guest had a charger of white porcelain with a taupe boarder topped with a white swiss dot hemstitch linen napkin. The chairs at these tables were also custom made but had an X back on them in the same beautiful cherry finish.

The head table was a massive yards or baltic ivy with blooms that cascaded off of the table and on to the floor. Above the tables were wreaths of birch and blue berry had assorted size round bubbles with votives in them dancing over head.

The room was opened to the elements and soft breeze of Goose pond. Barcelona lights were draped in the ceiling in a whimsical pattern to illuminate ceiling of the tent while it was washed with blush lights to enhance the effect of sunset.

Brooklyn Engagement Session from Clean Plate Pictures

These two are really, really ridiculously good looking. Like so good looking, these engagement photos from Clean Plate Pictures could be from the pages of J.Crew’s lookbook. But you know they are real… because they are so sweet and so in love and so adorable. It’s the make your day kind of engagement shoot and it’s all right here.

From the photographer… Patrice and Jonny’s engagement shoot was so fun! We started in DUMBO, Brooklyn where we hit all the great spots, including the roofless Tobacco Warehouse that has since been fenced off to the public so that construction of a new theater can begin. We then headed to the East Village where we took some street shots near where these two sweethearts live and got engaged. Can’t wait to shoot their wedding in Tarrytown next May!

New York Farm Wedding from Colette Kulig Photography

When it comes to cozy farm affairs, the Catskill Mountains is where it’s at. A little gem of New York state, it’s perfect setting for this rustic beaut made even prettier through the lens of Colette Kulig. And while I don’t think I’ll EVER get over this wedding’s understated elegance, or that cake from Desserts by Danielle, allow me to introduce you to the full gallery filled with sooo much more.

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From the Bride… From the beginning we wanted to make sure our wedding was personal & a great party for our guests. So even though Jeff and I live in NYC, it seemed only natural to have the wedding on my family’s farm in the rural Catskill Mountains. Luckilly Jeff agreed as Spring Lake Farm is just a few miles down the road from his own parents.

While the farm was still under deep snow (we got engaged around Christmas), we picked a spot overlooking both the lake & down the valley. We set immediatly to planning. My musts: Caterers that would be willing to source the meat from our farm; And Jeff’s: A DJ that would keep our friends and family on the dance floor. Thanks to my graphic design background and Jeff’s event planning skills, everything was going swimmingly (even with the tight timeline of 6 months!). But then, three weeks before the day, we realized just how much our site slanted – In order to correct a five foot slope we had to move heaven & earth (literally 100 tons of it) to make a level platform for the tent. To say it was an unexpected stress that threw off our planning timeline is an understatement. However, thanks to the help of many family members (my father worked on it for 2 weeks straight during haying season), supportive friends and AMAZING vendors, we pulled off the wedding of our dreams.

The loose color theme of ivories & gold was inspired by how the tips of grass turn a beautiful faded gold in late July (the time of our wedding). The simple centerpieces, all lovingly arranged by the ladies of the wedding party, were a mixture of large white roses with pale floral accents set in galvanized metal pails amid mercury glass tea lights.

Jeff and I were both so happy to share our special day with friends and family at this beautiful location that we worked so hard to put together. One of Jeff’s oldest childhood friends flew from Cambodia to be our Officiate. Cousins & friends (and all of our beautiful flower girls & handsome ring bearers) traveled from up and down the East Coast, California, Switzerland and Iceland to celebrate and support us on our special day. Even the amazingly beautiful wedding cake was made and gifted to us by the Best Man’s girlfriend. In the end the food was delicious, the views breath-taking, the music set the perfect spell and our memories of the wedding leave only happiness.

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Watters

Willowby Fall 2014

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C20 Mothers 2012 Part I

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Bedford Post Inn Wedding from Melani Lust Photography

I love a wedding that has an air of simplicity. One that truly allows the love of the two people saying I do to really shine through. And even though the gown is stunning, and the details are divine, it’s the couple that really sparkles. This beauty from Melani Lust is the perfect example of just such a day, and every moment sitting in this gallery proves my points that sometimes simple is oh-so-sweet.

From Melani Lust Photography…I love a small wedding, with the focus on family, closest friends, beautiful details and the most delicious award winning food. This one, tucked in a corner of Westchester County at Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn, focused on the bride and groom, without a formal wedding party. The couple discovered the Inn while on a hike, which is something they love to do together as the proposal was at the Temple of the Sun in Machu Picchu, Peru.

While the wedding was influenced by the Gatsby era, it was not a Gatsby wedding. The bride’s dreamy Fillmore gown set the stage for casual elegance. The rain ebbed and flowed allowing dragon flies and flowers to flourish, within a dreamy atmosphere, guests enjoyed the charming property and the romantic tent ceremony.

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Melani Lust Photography

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Long Island Vineyard Wedding from Lindsay Madden Photography

No matter how many times I see a minty blue I do, my heart still flutters. It’s the one hue I can’t seem to get enough of, but with weddings like this Long Island stunner from Lindsay Madden, there’s no reason I should. Decked out with fabulous paper goods from Momental Designs and neutral yet wildly stunning blooms by Sprout Home, I think we’ll all be doing some serious swooning right here.

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From Lindsay Madden Photography…. I absolutely love Long Island’s wine region. So when Allyza & Bobby asked for me to photograph their August wedding at Raphael Winery I was incredibly happy. Shooting out east is special. The North Fork is only ninety miles from New York City yet I always feel like I’m shooting a destination wedding. Allyza & Bobby’s day was was elegant and romantic yet, they still managed to incorporate the laid back feel the vineyard had to offer. With cocktails starting at 2pm and the party going to midnight, this couple knew from the very beginning that their family and friends were their priority. I am so grateful to have been able to photograph their perfect summer affair!

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Ines Di Santo

Fall/Winter 2015

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Hudson Valley Wedding at Mountain View Manor from Angela Newton Roy

We are sending you off into the weekend with a soiree so sweet, I can barely hold in my squeals. Captured by Angela Newton Roy in a way that just makes me want to kiss this screen, it’s the kind of wedding that will inspire and then some. Romantic, darling, and filled with pretty blooms by Floral Cottage – it doesn’t get any better than this lovelies. See even more here.

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From the Bride…Kaylan and Matt were married on a gorgeous summer day! They are high-school sweethearts who wanted to host a wedding weekend that brought all of the friends and family together whom had shared in their journey over the years. The Victorian-esque Ardmore Mansion at MountainView Manor was the perfect spot for a beautiful outdoor ceremony and a festive reception. Each of the bridesmaids, who wore shale green dresses from J.Crew, were gifted adorable chevron and chain link patterned coral and grey clutches, filled with tons of wedding day goodies. The groom gave each of his groomsmen carefully selected bottles of wine from Brooklyn Winery, as a nod to both their love for their home in Brooklyn, NY and of the winery. The florals by Floral Cottage, provided beautiful burst of tangerine, peach, pink and ivory for both the ceremony and reception, and Kaylan carried a gorgeous bouquet of peach, purple and pink. They were the prefect summer colors! The bride looked amazing in her Jenny Yoo dress, accented by Kate Spade shoes and BHLDN earrings. She and her sister both wore special sentimental rings, created from their late mother’s wedding ring, as a tribute to her. After the heartfelt ceremony, the party continued into the night with music by the A-List Band from Around Town Entertainment. It was such the perfect day as these two were surrounded by so many loving family and friends!

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Classic New York City Wedding from Caroline Yoon Fine Art Photography

I swear, this wedding is an absolute dream. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since the moment it hit our inboxes, and I am beyond excited that today is the day I finally get to share it with all of you. Because, lovelies, this one is a stunner. With seriously perfect images from Caroline Yoon Fine Art Photography and style that will stand the test of time, this gallery is just beyond. See it all here.

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From the Bride…Our wedding was simply an extension of our style as a couple. Some might call us “old fashioned” but we prefer to say “classic.” Neither of us grew up in NYC but it is the place where we both went to college, met and fell in love and made our first home together. We were married at our parish church, just a few avenues away from our apartment and the restaurant where we had our first date! Afterwards, we celebrated at a converted carriage house in the West Village that had been decorated in an eclectic, vintage style very similar to our apartment, albeit on a grander scale. We wanted our 80 guests to feel like they had been welcomed to our home for a dinner party as opposed to an impersonal banquet hall. We surprised everyone with a grilled cheese food truck waiting on the street after the reception. I had ordered grilled cheese on our first date so we thought it a fitting end to our wedding. At the end of the night, I held my new husband’s hand as we walked into the crowded lobby of the Waldorf. The entire room began clapping and cheering for us. It all still feels like the loveliest of dreams. By being true to ourselves, our wedding exuded a natural comfort. I have never felt more happy or loved than I did on that very special day.

NYC Engagement from Judy Pak Photography

Judy Pak is quickly becoming one of my favorite people in the world to spend the day with. Not literally, of course. I mean, she lives all the way across the country and even though I imagine we would be besties, we’ve never actually met in person. It’s just that one look at her gorgeous imagery and, I swear to you, my entire day brightens. It’s like every photo she snaps up has the power to fill your every second with pretty… and this gorgeous e-sesh? It’s doing exactly that. Click here for more.

From Judy Pak Photography… Hannah and Eric are a dream couple to photograph! They are one good lookin’ couple and so down to earth! Everything about them just feels so natural. For their session, we re-created their first (Eight hour!) date around the East and West Village. It was super cold and we even had a mini tornado hit us at the highline, but that didnt stop these two from having fun! I am counting down the days to their gorgeous vineyard wedding!

Photography: Judy Pak Studio

Alder Manor Wedding from The Melideos

There is so much to love about this Alder Manor wedding captured by The Melideos I don’t even know where to start. But maybe we should start with that stunning blush gown from Monique Lhuillier. It’s what wedding gown dreams are made of. Or maybe we should just sit for awhile to soak in the garden glam feel of the fête. Wherever you decide to spend your swooning energies, this gallery is one fabulous place to do so.

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From The Melideos…We were absolutely thrilled to head back to the east coast to one of our all-time favorite venues for Jane and Jeff’s gorgeous wedding. Alder Manor is a historic home in Yonkers, New York that had fallen into neglect for many years before being restored as an event venue. The entire property is in various stages of disrepair and it absolutely takes your breath away at every turn. Jane and Jeff had their ceremony among the fallen pillars in the sculpture garden, then headed into the opulent dining room for dinner, and ended in the grand ballroom for an all-night dance party. We had so much fun exploring the property with these two love birds, from the empty swimming pool to the restored library, all with their adorable little pup in tow. And we were dying over Jane’s gorgeous blush gown…just look at it on that stairway! Perfection. This wedding was full of sweet moments and we were so happy to share them with the bride and groom!

NYC Engagement Session from Jen and Chris Creed Photography

There are few things that beat a New York City Engagement session, and this stunning session from Jen and Chris Creed is the perfect example of why. The city just seems to come alive , providing the perfect backdrop for this newly engaged duo. It’s picture after picture of NYC engagement perfection, and it’s all waiting for you right here.

From Jen and Chris Creed…We’re so excited to share this engagement session in NYC! Abby and Patrick will be getting married in Kentucky, where they met, later this year. But they both currently live in NYC–Abby works in fashion, and Patrick is a running coach. One of our favorite things to do is document people when they are in a stage of life that is unique, which fit them perfectly! They may not be living in NYC forever, so it was wonderful to be able to capture all the things they love most about living in the city, while also celebrating their engagement! They took us all over, highlights including Central Park, the Highline, the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building, and my personal favorite, the Brooklyn Bridge. We ended the evening across the bridge in Hoboken, where they are currently living, to catch their favorite view of the skyline!

Photography: Jen & Chris Creed

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Staring at beautiful wedding imagery is something that will never, ever get old… and when it comes to taking stop-you-in-your-tracks, seriously mesmerizing photos, Weddings by Two really knows how it’s done. Maybe that’s because this husband and wife duo (and friends) are literal geniuses behind the camera, or maybe it’s because their clients are the perfect combo of oh-so-lovely and seriously stylish all in one. My guess? It’s the very best mix of all of the above. Spend your Saturday getting to know them, lovelies… and prepare to fall in love.

From Weddings by Two… Weddings by Two is the wedding photography company started by the husband-and-wife team of Ben Fraser and Laura Miller. They have expanded to include three additional photographers while maintaining the conviction that wedding photography be about exceptional imagery, period. Not about gimmicks and trends. Gimmicks and trends make them angry and smart-alecky! Normally though, they are so so nice and you will wonder if you actually hired them or if they are one of your beloved guests. Seriously. They love what they do and are grateful to be doing it!

About their photography: Their images might be playful, ironic, beautiful or absurd. In the end, they aim for classic, or better yet, iconic. They are big fans of Joel Sternfeld’s archetypal portraits, and also of big apertures and soft, natural, glow-y light. “Magic light,” even if it isn’t really magic hour. For fans of old-school photography, they will pull out their Hasselblads, Holgas, and maybe even a real Polaroid. For old time’s sake.

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Welcome to the family, Weddings by Two! We are so happy to have you! xo

Sleepy Hollow Country Club Wedding from Sara Wight Photography

Plain and simple, this Sleepy Hollow Country Club wedding from Sara Wight Photography is beyond stunning. It starts with the Brides jaw-droppingly gorgeous Vera Wang gown and then just keeps the gorgeous going until the very end. It’s a soiree that has style for miles (and miles), and it’s surely a day their guests will talk about for years (and years). See why here.

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From Sara Wight…From the moment I met Samantha and Mike, I knew their wedding was going to be spectacular! Not only are they the sweetest couple, but Samantha is very creative and knew exactly what she wanted – a wedding that no one would forget. Perched above the mystical Hudson River sits a remarkable Vanderbilt mansion, now part of the Sleepy Hollow Country Club. I can’t imagine a more magical setting for their swanky affair. You’ll swoon over her stunning Vera Wang dress and amazing Jannie Baltzer headpiece. And those Aperlai shoes! The bridesmaids wore sage Jim Hjelm dressed with custom hairpieces and necklaces.

The ceremony took place outside on the lawn overlooking the Hudson River. The bride and groom stood under a gorgeous rustic canopy created by In Full Bloom Floral Studio with a harpist providing the elegant music.

Not a detail throughout the day was left unnoticed, from custom cocktail straws with cutesy message banners, to programs with the message “All you need is love” printed on the base, to handmade limoncello favors made by the bride herself provided to the guests . Avid wine enthusiasts, wine bottles spelling L-O-V-E and others utilizing photos from their engagement shoot decorated the lobby table. Corks served as holders for the escort cards. Game baskets filled with toys were provided to all of the children in attendance.

Around Town Entertainment kept the crowd dancing in to the wee hours, while late night snacks such as popcorn, cotton candy and pretzels were served to the guests.

From the bride… Michael and I wanted to create a unique, romantically sweet celebration for our wedding, with a touch of vintage elegance. We pulled inspiration from our Italian honeymoon and tried to include personal touches of our love of travel. It was important that we added a sense of our own personalities into the details, to help create uniqueness to our special day. When we were searching for venues we knew we wanted a vintage mansion setting, which would allow us to carry out our vision. Sleepy Hollow Country Club was an absolute dream location, and once we found the old Vanderbilt mansion, everything just seemed to fall into place. Our color palate was inspired by a farmer’s market wooden crate filled with ripe peaches. The soft peaches, greens, and pinks encapsulated the overall feel we wanted for our late June wedding. As a bride I knew exactly what feeling I wanted to capture, and I can truly say that everything turned out better than I could have imagined.

The outdoor ceremony had the feeling of walking through a European garden in the early 1900s. The Around Town Band provided an amazing harpist and flutist to help add to the romantic ambiance we wanted to create. With the amazing backdrop of the Hudson River, and the gorgeous trees, it was easy to get lost in the scenery, so the flowers and ceremony space were minimalistic, romantically soft, and simply… perfect. The white birch arbor was an idea created by myself, and carried out by our amazing florist, In Full Bloom. We wanted to create a unique, lighthearted ceremony, which would show the importance of our two families being joined together by our marriage. We wrote our own vows, had a few close family members/friends perform romantic readings, and got our guests involved through pledges and our personalized sermon.

Following the ceremony our guests moved to the outdoor cocktail hour, which gave one the feeling of being in J. Gatsby’s backyard during one of his elegant afternoon soirees. Personal touches were added with personalized cocktails for the bride and groom, as well as vintage paper straws and cute personalized stirrers, courtesy of MissPrissyPaige. Our guests ate, drank, and walked around the amazing grounds with one another, which was exactly what we had hoped they’d do… A perfect start to our perfect evening.

Inside, our guests were seated at their tables with handmade cork escort cards, made by the bride and groom, to capture our love of wine, wineries, and our upcoming honeymoon in Italy. Our tables were named for different cities in Italy, and the guests had to match their corks to the wine bottle labels, also handmade. Our centerpieces were 3-4 multilevel arrangements, intertwined with candles, and vintage stands. Our handmade limoncello favors were also placed at each guest’s seat. The children’s table was equipped with table top games, disposable cameras, and silly props for taking pictures. Pictures of us over the years, our families, even loved ones we’ve lost, were placed throughout the rooms inside the mansion. We had a puzzle piece guestbook, and a card display which was created to capture our love of travel. Even the ladies’ restroom had handmade lip-glosses, which was made by the bride and a bridesmaid. Our guests were able to roam around the mansion, as if it was our own home, and take in all the personal details we had created. They enjoyed a 3 course meal, two types of out-of-this-world cupcakes, created by Lovely Cakes, and late night snack vendors supplied by Funtime Amusements. An authentic cigar roller was also stationed on an outdoor veranda to allow for guests to flow inside and outside.

Guests have been talking about our amazing day for weeks now, and that was exactly what Michael and I had hoped for; an evening where we could celebrate our love of one another, with our closest family members and friends. Our wedding was created from our vision, with our guests in mind every step of the way. Michael and I felt overwhelmed with the amount of love and support we received on our special day, and we believe our guests felt equally appreciated through the personal details we’d created with them in mind.

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Jim Hjelm

Fall 2015

Spring 2016 Collection

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Long Island Backyard Wedding from Isabelle Selby

I am thoroughly convinced that there is no better place to say “I do” than a beautiful backyard setting. And when that backyard setting is as stunning as this Long Island home, and those “I do’s” happen to feature pizza AND sushi, it just doesn’t get any better. Because this, my friends, isn’t just any backyard affair. It’s a non-stop day of lovely with two of the cutest sweethearts you will ever meet. See so much more captured by Isabelle Selby in the full gallery.

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Summer Weddings

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Outdoor Weddings

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Classic Weddings

From the Bride… I remember trying to not check the weather forecast but to no avail, friends would text me with umbrellas, raindrops, or sun emojies throughout the week, wishing us a sunny wedding day. We hoped for the best even though family reassured us rain was good fortune. We were truly fortunate that day. Miraculously, skies cleared only on the day of our wedding that weekend.

Dan and I always knew we wanted to try to keep our celebration intimate and fun. We wanted nature to play a big part in our wedding day so no better place than the private lush green yards of my parents’ home, a special place dear to my heart. The sailcloth tent from Sperry Tents created a magical ambiance allowing light in during day and glowing at night. Cedar benches for the ceremony were made by my husband, his brother, uncle, and friends.

Good food was one of the top priorities on our list. We were so overjoyed when Roberta’s Pizza and Luke’s Lobster agreed to cater our event. Roberta’s provided a full staff including a day-of-coordinator, Marissa Chen. We sincerely appreciated all the hard work the staff put in that day to make it so seamless and memorable. Dan and I loved the heart shaped pizza we got for our dinner, which they thoughtfully packed away and labeled “love pizza” and ate the following morning.

We also love Asian food, so had to include sushi from Shiro, the local restaurant I grew up with. Lassi pops served from a bicycle cart were an extra special treat we were so excited to share with everyone. Red Leaf cakes are especially sentimental since it’s become a family tradition for special events. We love how fluffy fresh and not super sweet their cakes are.

Together our vendors created a real down to earth vibe. DJ Tevis from Sugartown set the mood with rock and 90’s hip hop tunes. And there was no doubt Isabelle Selby would be able to capture the spirit of our day beautifully with her photography. Our good friends made our ceremony more personal by graciously officiating and playing string duet for my processional.

My childhood friend Dustin of Shootbooth set up a self-clicker photobooth so friends went wild taking close to 1000 photos that night. We all had a good time looking through the hilarious creative shots post-wedding.

When the Sprout flowers arrived, I was thrilled with how gorgeous they were. Doan really got the organic whimsical feel I wanted to have. The ginormous balloons from Balloon Saloon and Cedahurst Paper were a hit with the kids. We even got to bounce them around a week after the wedding. We made notebook favors from Muji and pasted cut out newsprint hearts on them to add a personal touch.

Having a home wedding is no small feat. We were so grateful for friends and family helping out to prepare for our celebration. We didn’t realize how much there was to do having it at home. Dan, the coordinator, bridesmaids, and my family did a good job at keeping all the craze away from me that morning while I got my hair done by Stacy B and makeup done by my good friend Kimberly Chin. All the love and energy we felt that day will stay in our hearts forever.

Gramercy Park Hotel Wedding from Rachel Cho Floral Design

When it comes to throwing a fabulous wedding, The Gramercy Park Hotel really knows where it’s at. From traditional soirees to modern parties and everything in between, this historical hotel is basically the world’s best place to host a wedding. Case in point? This darling day captured by Kelly Kollar, a master class in impeccable design and romantic stylings, with enough gorgeous blooms from Rachel Cho Floral Design to send your heart into overdrive. Click here for so much more.

From the Bride… Our wedding ceremony and reception were held on the rooftop terrace of the Gramercy Park Hotel, a venue that provided the perfect marriage of our vision for a romantic and elegant garden celebration with a classic New York event.

We wanted the day to feel intimate and inclusive for our guests by integrating family and friends into the details of our day. I carried my paternal grandmother’s beaded clutch inside of which I pinned my maternal grandmother’s pin and wove a strand of pearls belonging to my husband’s godmother. I wore an art-deco diamond bracelet that belonged to my great grandmother, and a pair of pearl earrings given to me by my husband. We exchanged hand-written vows under a huppah my husband built from scratch with my grandfather — a trained carpenter whose tallis served as the canopy, during a ceremony officiated by one of our dearest friends.

A brunch-themed cocktail hour included egg and cheese crostini, french toast bites, and mimosas, bellinis and Bloody Marys. In lieu of table numbers, we assigned each table a New York City landmark, illustrated and calligraphed by Paperfinger, who also designed our invitations. We set locations based on the guests seated at each table — for example, we sat at the Museum of Natural History table, the New York landmark where we got engaged, and in a winking nod to our sense of humor, we sat the groom’s high school friends, all native New Yorkers, at the Times Square table.

The lush, green rooftop lent an outdoor feeling to the event without the worry of the weather cooperating, and the bold hues and world-class modern art inside the hotel set a vibrant backdrop for our cocktail hour. We chose lush, heavily petaled flowers for our centerpieces, accentuated by creeping greens to reflect the ivy-wrapped trellises of the rooftop. Our goal in choosing these flowers, as well as the blooms for the bridal bouquet, cake and boutonniere, was to create a romantic nod to a carefully curated garden that wasn’t fully tamed. These were paired with tea lights and white linens for a clean contrast with the trees, lanterns and twinkling string lights throughout the venue.

Our goal was to have a wedding with understated elegance that felt timeless, and we are absolutely thrilled that our vision was executed flawlessly by our wonderful vendors.

Fashion Shoot from Elizabeth Dye, Hayley Sheldon + Belathee Photography

Today is one crazy exciting day here in Style Me Pretty land. Because as you might have heard, we’ve been working our tails off to bring your a little somethin’ somethin’ we call our annual Fashion & Beauty e-mag. And while we’re not sharing the goods just yet (in a few more more hours, I promise!) we thought we’d start the pre-party with a fashion shoot that left our jaws dropped – on the floor, to be exact. It’s the result of a beautiful collab among Belathee Photography, Hayley Sheldon and Elizabeth Dye, and because we already KNOW you want more, we’ve got it waiting right over here.

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From Belathee… We’ve long admired the paper artistry of a former bride of ours, Hayley Sheldon and when it came time to put together a little fashion shoot and we approached her to design a headpiece for us, Hayley was excited and on board in no time. In addition, we love the dresses and designs of Portland based Elizabeth Dye and both artists knew of each other and were excited to collaborate.So the dresses flew in from Oregon, the delicate flower headpieces came with Hayley from Florida and the “tricoastal” shoot took place in New York City. Needless to say we had a lot of fun and can’t wait to plan the next creative get together.

From Elizabeth Dye…. This shoot features my “Halo” gown from my 2014 collection. I love how beautifully Hayley’s paper pieces harmonize with the shimmery glacier grey of the tulle. This dress is available to order through select boutiques: Lovely in NYC, a&be in Denver, The English Dept. in Portland, and The White Peony in Victoria, BC.

From Hayley Sheldon… I’ve long admired the work of Belathee and when it was time to choose photographers for my wedding several years ago, I knew they were the ones that should capture my big day. Over the years we’ve kept in touch and when they approached me to collaborate on a project, I jumped at the chance. The process was organic and very collaborative. They we’re very trusting in my styling and display abilities and I was fully confident that the images that they captured would be stunning. When Elizabeth and her beautiful dresses came into the mix, it was very easy to pick a direction to head in stylistically.

I wanted the floral headpiece to border on editorial but still remain completely wearable in real life. I love working with paper for its flexibility and ability to be transformed from ordinary to extraordinary. Each petal and leaf is hand cut from fine Itailian crepe papers. I experimented with not only adding color through watercolor washes, but removing color from the paper with bleach to create subtle ombre effects. Lately I’ve been inspired by neutral color palettes with a pop of emerald and mixed metallics and It ended up being the perfect compliment to the beautiful grey green of the dress. Bits of vintage millinery and metallic crepe rounded out the materials and added a nice layer of depth and detail. Shooting in New York City was a blast, and a perfect setting for Elizabeth’s and my creations, all captured through the skilled lens of Annabel and Dorothee.

Photography: Belathée Photography | Make Up and Hair: SB Beauty | Artist: Hayley Sheldon | Dress Designer: The English Dept.

Wolffer Estate, Vineyard Wedding, Hamptons, New York from Melani Lust Photography

I profess my love for timeless elegance quite a bit on the pages on SMP, but can you really blame me when weddings like this one from Melani Lust fall perfectly in that category? I don’t think you can. After one look at this (beautiful) Bride’s Romona Keveza gown or their reception overflowing with perfectly timeless florals from Pennington Flowers, and you’ll be joining the timeless elegance fan club too. See it all here.

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Summer Weddings

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Religious Institution Weddings in Wineries

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Classic Weddings

From Melani Lust… I have for you a fresh, sunny wedding in a venue in the Hamptons, not often used for weddings: Wolffer Estate Vineyard. The bridesmaids got ready in crisp, white shirts, each with a personalized monogram. The bride wore a regal Romona Keveza dress, which took everyone’s breath away. Then, she slipped in to a fabulous reception shift. The bride and groom exchanged vows in a charming and quaint Bridgehampton church before heading to the venue in a classic antique car. This wedding is filled with candid moments and soft pink details. The light in the vineyard was particularly amazing and shifted each hour.

From the Bride… As soon as we were engaged on the beach in Sagaponack, we knew that an East End wedding was a must. My family has spent over 40 years on the east end and was excited by our choice. We were so excited to have Melani Lust as our photographer to capture the sheer beauty of what was a picture perfect day with a crystal blue sky, a purple twilight and clear spring evening.

While planning our wedding we wanted our guests to feel as if they were at a classic, elegant dinner party followed by a late night dance party. Wolffer Estate proved to be the perfect setting and backdrop for our magical day. As soon as my husband and I arrived at Wolffer Vineyard on our wedding day, we were overhwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the venue. Tabletops of peonies and hydrangeas combined with gold mercury votives and set against the sage custom runners were the delicate tabletop touch we had envisioned. We had Wolffer install chandeliers which were then hung with greenery to give an even more gentle and ethereal green touch. Our florist Jeff Pennington had gone beyond any expectations!

Upon arrival guests were greeted with a welcome cocktail of Wolffer’s famous Rose. Southsides were also served from a mix handmade by my husband and delivered to the venue early the morning of the wedding. Guests were able to stroll the vineyard while sipping a cocktail and indulging in fabulous hors’ douveres. Our band Code Bleu was one of our favorite parts about the wedding. They kept everyone rocking all night long and allowed us to have the dance party we had hoped for! The outdoor bar in the vineyard was another aspect that we loved, as we could mingle with guests among the vines and enjoy the fabulous night sky.

One of my favorite aspects of our wedding was my dress. Originally not what I had in mind at all, I traveled to a bridal salon to try on a dress my maid of honor had found over a year before! After realizing it wasn’t the dress for me and about to leave, I caught my Ramona Kevecza dress out of the corner of my eye. As soon as I put it on, I realized I had found it. I absolutely adore the fact that it was completely different from any dress I had seen in any magazine, or on any bride I had EVER seen. It completely reflected the classic elegance I was aiming for. I truly believe that the dress I chose illustrated the sheer timelessness of our whole wedding!