New York Weddings

There is just something about the combination of navy blue and green that gets me hook, line and sinker, every single time. And these lovely Scarborough nuptials by the amazing loli events, in all of their navy blue and green glory, are no exception.  Talk about swoon-worthy.  But it’s not just the perfect color palette that has me completely smitten.  I am seriously loving every last detail of this gorgeous soiree, right down to those cute-as-can-be cake toppers.  Lucky for us, JP Wedding Photography was there to capture all of the pretty and then some.  So, join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

In the mood for even more charm?? We have the film by Love & You Video right here for your viewing pleasure…

stacey & paul – june 3, 2011 – sleepy hollow county club, ny from Love & You Video on Vimeo.

From the Bride…The months leading up to our wedding in early June felt like a morass of choices, big and small. Colors, textures, flavors, sizes, styles – and it was hard to imagine how they would all hang together in the end. It felt like my husband Paul and I shot from the hip more than we’re used to, choosing a little of what I like, a little of what he likes, and most importantly, lots of what we both like. The result was a pitch-perfect day, more beautiful, seamless, and “us” than we ever dreamed.

I wanted a “toes in the grass,” outdoor feel to the wedding while my husband wanted something more formal, but we both wanted the party to be elegant and fun. Finding the right place was the toughest part of the process, but our choice of Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, NY had the right mix – an ornate ballroom and dining rooms overlooking a portico and lawn with an extraordinary view of the Hudson River. There was even a quaint church at the bottom of the hill.

Instead of renting limos for the short drive from the church to the reception, we rented a red convertible, which was much more fun and better for pictures! Our “Just Married” sign on the back was handmade on Etsy – my go-to resource for the last year – which is also where we bought our cake toppers (including an adorable figurine of our cat Reese!), my wedding dress sash, and custom cuff-links.  We also bought a leaf stamp and bright green ink that we used to personalize many of the smaller items like the table cards and favor tags. The favors themselves, chocolate-covered coffee beans, were a perfect blend of my husband and me because he is a coffee fanatic and I feel the same about chocolate!

In the end, the weather was perfect, there was a mix of casual and formal (with cocktails on the lawn and dinner in the mansion), and a mix of formality and fun (with Renaissance poetry at the ceremony and Katy Perry at the reception). We made a last-minute decision to hire a videographer, which I would definitely recommend; the day FLIES by and I want to remember it all. In fact, the only thing I regret is that the day wasn’t longer, because it’s a beautiful time to celebrate life with your family and friends.

Wedding Photography: JP Wedding Photography / Event Planning & Design: loli events / Cinematography: Love & You Video / Floral Design: Rubrums Florist / Wedding Ceremony Location: St. Mary’s Church of Scarborough / Wedding Reception Location: Sleepy Hollow Country Club / Bride’s Shoes: Nina Shoes / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Just Married Sign, Cake Topper, Sash & Cuff Links: Etsy

Love – what a trip. Such a simple little phrase with so much meaning for this lovely couple and their Southampton soirée by The Melideos. The couple used that sweet little line of text to drive the inspiration for their seaside chic celebration and to help tell their love story. And what story it is! This, my friends, is a wedding I could literally live in, and today I am going to do just that in the full gallery of images.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…The inspiration for my wedding came from a phrase that I jotted down on paper during a brainstorming session and it stuck — “Love.  What a Trip.”  It summed up the adventurous travels that led us to each other, and the crazy circumstances under which we met.  And so our European Seaside/Travel-Themed Wedding took shape.  With the theme set, it was 100x easier to let the creativity flow and then the D.I.Y. list started to grow … and grow.  I began with the wedding trailer — one of my favorite D.I.Y. experiences.  I really wanted to tell the story of our fateful meeting, so I collected all the Flip videos I had shot of the two of us over the past year and edited it together in iMovie.  Then came invitations — I used the air mail postcard theme from Minted.com and customized the colors and copy to make it unique.  Next the decor — we hand-painted all of the signage for the event on driftwood and old boards that the winter storms had blown onto our family beach.  Painting a menu board rather then printing menus saved a ton of money and gave guests that “Mom & Pop Restaurant” feel.  We also rummaged through my family homes to find heirlooms including the lace tablecloths, vintage wood table, baskets, vases, candelabras and one spectacular cameo that was pinned onto my bouquet.  And for the music there was only one choice for us — the music of the Gypsy Kings!  For cocktails and after dinner I D.I.Y’d an IPOD playlist of our favorite house and lounge tracks.  For our wedding favors I convinced my family to spend countless winter months combing the beach for heart-shaped rocks, 100 of which we turned into precious little magnets for each guess (a $40 project including magnets and glue).

Bringing in my husband’s Serbian culture and my love for the European lifestyle was also a big priority.  I was adamant about having long Tuscan-style seating instead of classic round tables.  Instead of using table numbers we used the Cyrillic lettering in the Serbian Alphabet to call out each table, decorated the gift table with Serbian books from my husband’s collection and made sure the playlist for cocktail hour included some of our favorite Serbian and Balkan music (especially Zvonko Bogdan).  We also infused Serbian dishes into our Mediterranean menu which included Paella, Porchetta, Serbian Cevapi, Gibanica and Rakija for an after dinner drink.  Driving off in a Vespa or vintage Fiat 500 was also big on my list.  While renting a Fiat 500 was completely out of my budget, borrowing my friend’s Vespa was just right — and it even matched our colors palate!  We closed out the night with a bonfire dance party, sparklers and some serious bongo playing!

And in the end it all paid off.  We were both overcome — by emotion, beauty, love, friendship, and nature.  We were completely overcome that the D.I.Y. vision that had kept us up at night was playing out right before our eyes.  Many times throughout the evening, as the sun was setting, sparklers were twinkling, the swan was swimming by, my new European family was finally on U.S. soil, the breeze was blowing across our alfresco tables, gypsies were strumming, I cried tears of absolute joy and accomplishment.  For anyone who thinks weddings aren’t for them — I was the same.  But when you put all of your creativity into a day and truly make it your own there’s no feeling like it.  I can’t wait to do it all over again in Serbia!

Wedding Photography: The Melideos / Wedding Cinematography: Vintage Cinema / Florals: Flowers by Rori / Ceremony + Reception Location: Grandparent’s Home & Beach / Ceremony & Reception Music: Los Hermanos Cintron / Wedding Invitations: Minted / Bride’s Shoes: Luiza Barcelos / Wedding Dress: San Patrick / Veil: Sara Gabriel via Gabriella / Alterations: Sew Elegant /  Bride’s Hair:  Rebekah Corley of The Bridal Team / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss / Bride’s Make-up: LJ Makeup Artistry /  Catering: Fresh Flavors Catering

There is just something about the way Fiore Films captures the Big Apple that gives me chills and screams New York. They just get to the very core of the city and the chic, chic, chic weddings they capture. So as you are counting down to the weekend, we thought we would share a little teaser they put together for us of a seriously stunning wedding they had the pleasure of documenting that looks so glamourous I can barely WAIT to see the rest – but wait we must. At least we can keep hitting repeat – right? Until we meet again, have a fabulous weekend lovelies!

Cinematography: Fiore Films / Venue: Mandarin Oriental New York / Event Design & Planning: State Of The Art NYC / Photographer: Denis Reggie / Flowers: Ovando / Dress: Ines DiSanto / Band: Hank Lane

In case you missed them, here are the pretty posts from SMP New York this week:

two show-stopping dresses one stylish Brooklyn bride
a rainy day rooftop wedding
getting to know Mr. Boddington’s Studio
city chic in Tribeca

A few pretty things we found around the web…

a steal-worthy wedding idea via Glamour & Grace
oh me, smores in a jar. Enough said. via Emmaline Bride
a gorgeous peach palette round up via The Perfect Palette

Have a simply fabulous weekend everyone! We’ll see you back here on Monday! xoxo, A.Blaire

Lush, bountiful florals might be my favorite thing on the planet. Ok, ok – I know that might sound a bit dramatic, but just take a little gander at the awe-inspiring arrangements by Linda Baldwin Flowers in this Hudson Valley wedding, and you will most certainly understand the passion behind that last statement.  It’s garden party gone glam, and your Friday will be better for it. And thanks to all the lovely images by Tory Williams Photography – there is even more garden glam (perhaps a new trend?) for you to gawk at in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…My inspiration was rustic elegance.  I wanted it to be colorful, so we never really picked a “color” per se, I just wanted it to be green, lush and full of brightness. The format was progressive cocktails, so the party was more free form, allowing people to dance, enjoy the setting outside, or eat whenever they wanted, and the dining stations were inspired by our favorite meals and restaurants.

Wedding Photography: Tory Williams Photography / Floral + Event Design: Linda Baldwin Flowers / Event Planning + Catering: Main Course Catering / Ceremony + Reception Location: Buttermilk Falls Inn / Invitations + Menu Cards: Lynnvitations / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza via Kleinfeld Bridal / Men’s Suit + Tie: Hickey Freeman / Band: Dexter Lake Club Band

If you like city chic (and who doesn’t, really) – you are in for quite the treat this Friday morning! Bespoke Affairs really knows how to make this modern-lovin’ gal’s heart start a movin’ with their crisp, clean touches and elegant black tie ambiance. There is elegance around every corner in this affair and thankfully E. Leigh Photography was behind the lends to capture it all. See for yourself  in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Bespoke Affairs…Heidi and John are the type of couple wedding planners dream about. Completely in love and solely focused on the sheer fact that they are getting married and about to begin the rest of their lives together. When I first met with the couple they told me their main goal was for their wedding to be a reflection of the two of them and that they wanted to enjoy the entire experience and not get to caught up with all of the little details…AND (how can I forget)…that they didn’t want ANY flowers. I thought, hum, how do I make this wedding wedding spectacular without gorgeous flowers? After we decided on the space, Tribeca Rooftop, the design concept developed easily. We decided to make the entire space twinkle with candles everywhere. Flowerful Events really made the design concept come to life and the end result was a very warm and intimate space. I also wanted to create a space that had some “wow” factor, but obtainable and all while staying within the confines of their budget. Since renting linens and other table top items wasn’t at the top of the clients list, I suggested renting a chic black water goblet in order to give the table a custom feel…which ended up becoming the couples favorite aspect of the design!

Since the couple didn’t want any flowers, except for the personal flowers, I decided to suggest that every bridesmaid carry a single flower type bouquet. This was a good idea so that we could get a lot of texture and variety. Rounding out the design were their amazing paper products that completely stole the show. The bride’s sister is an incredible graphic designer and really personalized each and every piece of paper possible on this event. Letterpress and foil= love!

Wedding Photography: E. Leigh Photography / Wedding Planning + Design: Adrienne Colosimo, Bespoke Affairs / Flowers: Flowerful Events / Paper Products: Bride’s Sister / Goblets: Classic Party Rentals / Vintage Taxi Rental: Film Cars / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Band: NYC Swing / Venue: Tribeca Rooftop / Calligraphy: Calligraphy by Michele

We’ve got a whole bunch of glamour coming your way from this wedding, ladies and gents. I hope you’re ready for all the fabulousness. A winter wedding, in Manhattan, captured by 4Eyes Photography. That has got to be the best sentence ever. 4Eyes always, always has amazing work to share with us, but when they team up with a bride and groom so FAB, the result is catch-your-breath phenomenal. All the snow, the city sights, the cool colors, and the warm ambiance make for such a special night. I’ve spent days pouring over these photos, and now it’s your turn. Visit 4Eyes’ blog for more.

Click here fore the gallery!

We met on a rooftop bar in New York City.  I, frustrated by Manhattan dating and looking for something different, decided to expand my social circle by participating in a Hampton’s summer share house.  After much researching and numerous emails on Facebook and Craigslist, I was out and about attending share house meet and greets.  Eric, while not interested in participating in a share house, was meeting a few friends who were attending the same meet and greet.  Exactly one year later, at that same rooftop bar, Eric asked me to marry him.

We knew we wanted a Manhattan winter wedding but finding a space big enough to accommodate both a ceremony and reception was a challenge. Plus, we had a limited budget, especially for New York standards.  We were hoping for something large, modern, airy and clean-feeling.  When we saw the space, the view of the harbor and the potential for amazing sunsets at Battery Garden Restaurants, we were hooked.  Plus, the fireplace and the simple, modern décor helped sealed the deal.

I wanted to embrace the winter season and create an elegant, glistening modern winter wonderland of white and silver.  I love a mix of modern and organic and knew that branches would be key to the décor and used throughout the affair. Specifically, I requested white seasonal flowers such as ranunculus (my favorite) and anemones and loved the idea of using sparkling branches and birch to represent winter.  Jes Gordon, our amazing friend and event designer, used a mix of mirrors on the tables and lanterns around the space to help the evening glisten and exceeded all of our expectations.

Eric and I are both very close to our families and we are lucky that our parents have become best of friends.  So, to help represent the importance of family at our ceremony, I collected handkerchiefs from our late grandparents and great-grandparents.  My mother ordered lace online and hand-sewed the handkerchiefs together to create an incredibly special and beautiful one-of-a-kind Chuppah.  Paired with the sparkling branches and bunches of white flowers on the posts, the Chuppah glowed during the sunset ceremony. As we were being married, we could look-up and see light coming through handkerchiefs that once belonged to our loved ones.  We hope that future generations will also be married under this Chuppah and, come October, we are considering framing pieces of it and hanging it in our baby’s nursery.

It was bitter cold, but crisp and bright, on our January wedding day.  Since the ceremony was planned for sunset, we knew we had some daylight to play with before things got underway.  It was freezing but we braved the elements, wearing a fur stole I borrowed from my Great Aunt.  Kellie and Rupert of 4Eyes Photography had us walk by the water, the piers and in the many inches of snow.  We love the light and crispness of those pictures.   The elegance of the season and the raw beauty of winter are so apparent. The pictures are so amazing, they don’t even look real.

Eric and I love candy.  Having been inspired by weddings on Style Me Pretty, I decided to create my own candy bar and customized stamped candy bags.  I bought our favorite candies and a variety of glass-like jars from places like Ikea, Homegoods and various thrift stores.  A good friend (who also created our invitations) typeset “Life is Sweet B&E” for us and I had that made into a custom stamp.  Having ordered brown paper coffee bags online, I personally stamped each bag for the guests to bring home their candy treats.

Photographer: 4Eyes Photography / Floral Designer: jesGORDON / Event Designer & Planner: jesGORDON / Invitation Designer: Jennifer Oprysko / Cupcakes: Sugar Sweet Sunshine / Wedding Gown: La Sposa / Antique Hairpin: Etsy / Venue: Battery Garden Restaurant

I think it needs to be known that I have a full-on crush for all things Boddington. Mr. Boddington’s Studio, that is. The quirky, fabulous, one of a kind shop – nestled in this little place called New York City – cranks out some of the coolest paper I ever did see. And for a person like myself, whose heart flutters at the site of stylish stationery, Mr. Boddington’s Studio might as well be heaven on earth. When looking at weddings, some people want to see the gown the bride chooses immediately (and I do not blame them one little bit), but I go straight for the paper every time. Beeline. Never fails. So getting the chance to cozy up to one of my favs in the biz was basically like meeting my Brad Pitt (hear that Mr. Boddingon? I think you are pretty cute).

What do you do, how long have you been doing it and what makes you awesome?
I am convinced that we have the most plum piece of wedding planning… stationery! This absolutely must be so because all the darling brides and grooms are giddy with visions, and chatting about them at the invitation stage. Mr. Boddington’s Studio has been in love with brides for over five years now and still gets tickled when a new bride walks into the door. No two are identical.

Now thank you for using the word “awesome”… it is almost vintage, coming straight from the 80s. What makes our studio awesome is the team of artists who work there (production, designers and biscuit buyers). We think that to be creative, first one must find himself in a creative environment. Our studio is a bit like Santa’s workshop… or maybe Snow White and the seven Hipsters. There are gobs of collaboration, music and chatter that keep the space spinning. From this happiness comes brilliant creative!

What kind of weddings do you love the most and what is your favorite trend right now?
Mr. Boddington adores happy brides who cherish a creative experience as much as the end product. Since everything we do is hand tailored, our process is slower than molasses. We hope that our clients revel in each decision… and really step back into the old world when artisan work didn’t happen in forty eight hours. As for trends, hand calligraphy reigns! So does the color charcoal but we imagine that will be gone by the time this blog is posted. I predict a return to deep forest green. Can you imagine?

What is your biggest piece of advice for people planning a wedding?
Keep three bottles of Presecco in your icebox. When you start bickering with your beau about what shade of navy to dress your maids in (and by the way… why doesn’t he care?!), open up the bubbly and take a moment. We suggest three bottles because inevitably there will be three spats. Weddings are over in a flash so the planning is as important as the event itself.

Who are your favorite vendor friends in New York that keep your inspiration flowing?
When I have a grilled gruyere cheese from the Brooklyn Larder, I like to take twenty minutes and get lost in The Selby (online). Ideas pop up faster than I can write. And if I am feeling ambitious, I will walk on the Highline and connect with this stunning city. I wonder if NYC could get married, who he would marry? Maybe Berlin… or is she too saucy for him?

See what I mean? They.are.awesome over there in the studio. Three bottles of processo and NYC marrying Berlin? Both genius. And because I couldn’t resist another chance to pull some wisdom (and keep my crush working full force style), I had to get them to share their top five tips for brides, Boddington style…

Top Five Wedding Stationery Tips from Mr. Boddington

1. Go classic – you won’t regret it later

2. Send out a formal reply set. It will be one of the last times in your life you will receive such a marvelous rush of mail.

Oh me oh my – so I suppose this glam fest is an example of what happens when the likes of Monique Lhuillier and Jimmy Choo come together for one pretty affair, and are then sprinkled with sparkly chandeliers…and a puppy. SWOON FEST. All caps. This heavenly Hoboken fest by R Wagner Photography is what dreams are made of, and there is even more in the full gallery (thank goodness)!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From R Wagner Photography…Meghan and Todd’s W Hotel Hoboken wedding on the banks of the Hudson River with Mid-Town and downtown Manhattan views was both classic and modern.  While dressing in Monique Lhuillier the couples Yorkshire Terrier, Liv, looked on.   Black and white accents ran through and Meghan carried an orchid bouquet.  They added a touch to their progressive Jewish ceremony by hanging a glass chandelier inside the chuppah.

Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Veil: Paris Inc. / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss + Kleinfeld Bridal / Floral Design: Gardens Bloom / Location: W Hoboken / Save the Dates: Ceci New York / Wedding Invitations: Spark by Kate’s Paperie / Menus: Checkerboard by Papyrus / Wedding Cake: Carlo’s Bakery (The Cake Boss) / Bracelet: Vintage / Bride’s Make-up + Hair: Magda Designs / Wedding Photography: R Wagner Photography

There are not enough words in the English language to describe my adoration for a rainy day wedding.  It’s romance times romance and then some.  And this Tribeca wedding by Heather Waraksa is no exception.  The dimly-lit reception, the candles, the too-cute-for-words umbrella…  Yes, this wedding is all about the amour.  And, oh, how I love every last stunning image.  Add to that the cutest cake topper ever and I think we’ve got ourselves a perfect New York soiree.  Prepare to swoon and join me in the gallery for even more gorgeousness!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

Oh, it gets better.  Check out this lovely video by Timeless Films New York!

From the Bride… Jeff and I met a few days before Christmas in 2006 at Heathrow airport in London. Completely randomly, about 3 times and by sheer coincidence. Fate? Luck? Destiny? (We don’t like to give it a name.) It was the fog – actually. Heavy, thick, blinding fog that caused disruptions (which contributed to us bumping into each other outside the terminal for the first time), delays (which gave us the time to chat at the bar whilst waiting) and cancellations (which meant that we could go on a date the next day because our respective flights were cancelled). They say “you know when you know” and so when Jeff proposed at Heathrow (where we first met) on April 1st, 2010, I knew: this is our fairy tale. Jeff is from New Jersey, I am from Germany, both of us live together in London, and we decided to get married in New York. It makes total sense. Right? Up to the moment when you realise you have to organise the whole thing from London. Neither of us wanted a wedding planner (we like taking lead), so the challenge to put on the best party in Manhattan was on!

Finding true love at Terminal 2 is one thing, finding someone that loved organizing the wedding, and was in total control of the whole event planning is just like… well, winning the jackpot. Jeff, who referred to himself as Groomzilla, armed with spreadsheets, timelines and budgets, was going to run the planning “like a deal”. A timeline was drawn up and conference calls with all suppliers were set. Yes, without his impeccable, mind-blowing attention to detail and huge passion for the big day, our day wouldn’t have been as perfect as it was.

I was responsible for the design and style of the event. The venue was first on my list: I wanted New York skyline views. I saw pictures online of the Tribeca Rooftop and  fell in love with this super cool, stylish venue. Its huge roof terrace, high ceilings and wonderful skylight gives this venue the jaw dropping ‘wow effect’ I was looking for. In addition to that the Tribeca Rooftop’s own caterers earned us an avalanche of compliments on the quality, presentation and amount!  They also made the cake, which mimicked the vintage lace pattern of my dress.  Simply gorgeous. I wanted flowers that played with the harmony of the venue’s look and feel. My brief was to create height and drama without the traditional grand flower arrangement. I wanted playfulness and creativity. I designed the invitations and the logo, which aimed to reflect love at the airport. The invitations came as two die-cut J and A letters. Recipients had to put these letters together in order to read the invitation, forming a mini paper sculpture. In fact personal touches were key to us, and so the order of services were all personalised and wax sealed with our logo stamp. Inside, we both wrote a message to each of our guests. It was a big task but made such a huge impact and showed our guests how much we appreciated them coming to celebrate with us. We felt that our friend David, who was there when Jeff and I first met, needed a significant task at the wedding. So we asked him to marry us. After registering as officiant and receiving is certificate from the state of NYC, he did.

Wedding Photography: Heather Waraksa / Wedding Cinematography: Timeless Films New York / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Tribeca Rooftop / Wedding Invitations: The Bride / Bride’s Shoes: Pierre Hardy / Wedding Dress: Alba Eloisa / Bride’s Hair + Make-up: Prive / Floral Design: Rekemeier’s Flower Shop

To say we love the local blogs would be the understatement of the year! We love, love, love them – so much so we just may be adding a few more in the oh so near future (stay tuned!). While you are pondering which pretty state might be next to grace the pages of SMP, we thought we would give a little love to the blogs that started it all. The pioneers one might say. New York, California, Florida, Destination, and Texas – oh my! They have been filling our lives with so much lovely local inspiration I just don’t know what we did without them! Let’s take a little looksee at what they are up to today – starting with this STUNNER of a wedding and wedding dress on the New York blog captured by Elisabeth Millay Photography. I haven’t stopped oohing and ahhing since the moment I laid my eyes on this stylish bride.

And now let’s take a little trip on over to the California Blog for this stylishly steampunk-inspired wedding shot by Brandon Kidd Photography and Modern 8 Films. How uniquely fun is this invite the bride and groom designed?! Very, very fun is the correct answer.

And now onto the Florida Blog – the land of sunshine and oranges and apparently completely adorable weddings! Case and point – this gorgeous Gainesville wedding by Julie Cate Photography.

The pretty doesn’t stop there – oh no – we are moving onto the land of pretty otherwise known as the Destination Blog. Every single day is like a vacation and I often find myself daydreaming of beautiful travel destinations thanks to this little ol’ local blog. Need an example? How about today’s Puerto Vallarta wedding by Tara Swain Photography. Just gorg.

Last, but certainly not least, let’s talk about Texas. Oh how we love the weddings from that ginormous state. It just never fails that they are fabulous and stylish and traditionally elegant all at the same time. And today’s wedding by Diana M. Lott Photography is the perfect example of southern style at it’s very finest. Love, love, love.

And there you have it – the Pioneers of pretty aka our local blogs! Stay tuned to see where we are launching next and feel free to leave your vote on where you want to see  SMP next in the comments below!

It’s official, this absolutely glowing bride is the proud owner of two stunning dresses that moved immediately to my favorite dresses of all time list. And you might need to sit down for this next little piece of information – her a-ma-zing, show stopping, stylish wedding gown is a combination of an awesome JCrew floor length skirt and a grey blouse from TJ Maxx. I’ll give you a moment to take that in, because when I first read that I just about died. The entire affair is just as jaw-droppingly beautiful – from the fabulous florals of QuatreCoeur to the cutie patootie flower girls, it’s a flawless fête if you ask me. Need to see more of the prettiness from Elisabeth Millay Photography (believe me you do)? Be sure to take a little stroll through the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…The day we got engaged, Jamaal and I decided that we would enjoy just being engaged and hold off on wedding planning for a few weeks.  Well, that lasted about two days! With Brooklyn as our backdrop, we started planning our wedding with a focus on creating an intimate evening that incorporated our personal style.  We envisioned an elegant and relaxed evening with family and friends.  We wanted to see washed-out pastel colors and touches of vintage. Our goal was to have our guests feel as though they were guests in our home.  In order to execute our vision, we enlisted the help of our family, friends, and a talented team of vendors!

We collected birdcages, a vintage typewriter, and wood tree slices from a sample sale at Kate’s Paperie.  We collected skeleton keys from vintage sales on Ebay.  We collected books from various places including from our neighbors.  Our friends helped us to collect glass jars for vases and candles. Jamaal made chalkboards of various sizes to use as signage throughout the venue.  My mother hand-dyed two hundred paper doilies, cut burlap table runners, and wrapped each individual napkin with twine. The floral designers Amanda and Ruth of Quatre Coeur incorporated all of these items to create a wedding style that was personal to us.  Each table setting had an individual design and feel to it.  We incorporated beautiful calligraphy written on luggage tags for our guests’ place cards.  Guests were able to take them home at the end of the evening.

Our wedding venue was built in 1900 and owned by the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (BSEC).  It was walking distance from our apartment and across the street from Prospect Park where we were engaged. It meant a lot to us to have our minister Rev. Dr. Flora Wilson Bridges officiate at our wedding.  She made sure that our ceremony was intimate and meaningful. I changed into my second wedding day look after our first dance.  Jamaal was really surprised!  Thanks to the talents of DJ Lance our guests danced to a mix of old school and current dance hits.  At the end of the night desserts were placed in monogrammed boxes for our guests to take home.  Our day of wedding coordinator Viva Max Kaley was an invaluable asset to us.  She was our sounding board for ideas and kept us organized throughout the wedding planning process.  On our wedding day she made sure that the event went flawlessly.

Wedding Photography: Elisabeth Millay Photography / Floral Design: QuatreCoeur / Event Planning: Viva Max Weddings / Location: Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture / Bride’s First Dress: JCrew + TJ Maxx / Bride’s Second Dress: Net-A-Porter / Catering: Bassett Caterers / Wedding Cake: Lily and Fig / Calligraphy: Goodhue Designs / DJ: DJ Lance / Bride’s Hair: Tessa Bibby / Bride’s Make-up: Ruthie Weems / Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren

We have really been enjoying our New York summer so far and the slew of pretty weddings that we get to feature each and every week!  New York really knows how to set the bar in the chic celebration category.  Just to give you a little taste of what’s in store for next week’s Style Me Pretty New York blog here is a sneak peek of an incredible, romantic, urban beauty set in Brooklyn.  Have a fantastic weekend and we’ll see you right back here on Monday morning! xoxo.

Photography: Elizabeth Millay

If you missed any, here are all of our pretty posts from the week:

an urban, 4th of July rooftop wedding
an uber-chic wedding at the new Trup Soho Hotel
one of Ceci New York‘s own gets married
a colorful, cultural celebration
a glamor-filled day after shoot

Some fabulous links from around the web:

a peek inside the home of one of our favorite designers and brides
a dreamy color palette from sugar & fluff
and the cutest engagement session award goes to…

Have a wonderful weekend and we’ll see you back here on Monday! xoxo.

Before I even start the gush-fest, I must preface this post with the fact that these two lookers are in fact – real.live.people. I know, I know they look too pretty to be true and perhaps as though they stepped off the pages of some super stylish magazine, but folks this is just how they go about day to day – pretty as can be. Their love affair started in a DJ booth (a must read story below) and lead to a day after session by Forever Photography Studio, that just cannot be missed. Folks, I just don’t think it gets any cuter than these two! Click here for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…There was a small town girl and a city boy, but this journey didn’t have a midnight train and the city wasn’t Detroit.   It was the city of Manhattan and a hundred plane rides later that lead me married to the most amazing man I have ever been blessed enough to know.

I was on a media tour for work that took me to very talented talk radio for guys on SiriusXM, the Covino and Rich Show.  The interview was fun, flirty, and some question asked that left me praying my father didn’t happen upon that channel at that moment in time.  After the interview was over, a cupid named Allie, also known as my marketing director and dear friend, invited a certain show host, Rich Davis, to dinner with us later that evening.  I won’t lie, the thought of continuing the flirtatious banter and getting to see more of his smile that night gave me butterflies.   But when dinnertime came, there was no Rich Davis to be seen.  Now I’m not one to be forward, unless it is for something that I want.  And at that moment this southern girl wanted to know more about this city boy who gives false acceptances to a dinner invite.  Turning to Cupid, I asked her to relay a message to him.  And within minutes I received a text from the missing radio host.  The rest of the night we were glued to our phones exchanging texts. It didn’t stop until 5 a.m. when he had to leave for his morning radio show, the Morning Mashup, and I had to leave for my next media stop.  Later that same day, he showed up to my last appearance before I left for the airport.  Those final five minutes were the most hilariously awkward moments that left me loving his inability to be this smooth talking playboy, and his sheer cheese ball way had me hooked.

Photography: Forever Photography Studio / Bouquet: Hair Bows Wonderworld

The blending of two cultures in a wedding is a beautiful thing, there is no question about that. It becomes that much more stunning when all the details are carefully planned by Carrie Sartor of Lyndsey Hamilton Events, and we can catch a glimpse of it all through the lens of Kathi Littwin Photography. I am looovvvinnnggg all the vibrant colors brought in with beautiful floral design by Linda Baldwin as a nod to the traditionally Indian ceremonies. The pretty little details and touches made for a very modern, cultural beauty of an affair, and thankfully there is even more in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…Vignesh and I met through a friend at a Fourth of July party in 2007.  The party was actually at Vignesh’s apartment, which had roof deck, and I thought he was very handsome the minute I saw him.  He didn’t ask me out until 2 weeks later and even that was just an invitation to another party.  Our first real date was at a bar in Union Square and we had an incredible conversation there that ranged from light topics to philosophy and religion.  Within 3 months, we knew we both wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.  Neither one of us was in a rush to get married so Vignesh didn’t propose until New Year’s Eve 2010.  We were on St. John in USVI and he proposed on the most beautiful, remote beach during the day.

We wanted the wedding to represent us and our two cultures so being transcendentalists of sorts, we got married outside by a beautiful lake with Indian musicians playing sitar, tabla and an Indian flute.  We created our ceremony from scratch and my father’s best friend, who we’re both close to, was our Officiant.  We incorporated the Indian tradition of the exchange of garlands (to symbolize our acceptance of each other and eternal bond) and readings that are meaningful to us (Joseph Campbell).  The ceremony flowers were a mixture of hot pink, purple, green and orange… mostly Indian colors. The reception – held in a beautiful Sperry Tent – was more American.  We had an incredible DJ, DJ Johnny Stuart, who made the night for us.  We were dancing until the very end, when a friend surprised us with fireworks he had set up by the lake.  It felt like a fairytale come true.

I can’t say there was one moment during the day that was my favorite; all of it was special.  Getting ready with my sister, cousin and bridesmaids (my four best friends) was so wonderful.  And the only word that comes to mind when I think about the ceremony and the reception is magical.  My advice to other couples would be to stay true to yourself and make sure every moment of your day should be about you, your family and friends.

Venue: Mashomack Preserve Club / Event Planning: Carrie Sartor of Lyndsey Hamilton Events / Wedding Gown: Reem Acra / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Floral Design: Linda Baldwin / Wedding Cake: Alternative Baker / DJ: DJ Johnny Stuart / Tent: Sperry Tent / Wedding Photography: Kathi Littwin Photography

Ceci New York who wrote the book on drop dead gorgeous invitations just sent us this city dwelling number held at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. The lovely Bride also happens to be part of Team Ceci and her wedding has the phenomenal paper goods to prove it. It’s classic New York with a side of Hudson River views and the Jimmy Choos, they are a bling blingin. Itching for more of this marvelous fête captured by Duet Wedding? Scratch it here.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Ceci New York…I couldn’t be more proud to feature Candace’s wedding. Not only is she an integral part of the company, but my creative team and I had a blast designing her invitations. We wanted them to be a reflection of her love of bling, flourishes, and flowers – but pulled together in an elegant way. So we went above and beyond by featuring some of our favorite details, including letterpress printing, decorative bellybands, and die-cut envelopes that we lined in a gorgeous floral pattern.

When you work in the wedding business and live in New York like Candace does, you have the distinct advantage of being able to make your event the best it can be. Candace and Chris held their dazzling party at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, with its fantastic views of the Hudson River. But probably my favorite detail was the photo booth that guests used to document the night. I love that the photo booth company was able to incorporate the brand I made for the couple on the photo strips. Best of all, guests were instructed to keep half of the pictures and put the rest in the couples’ guest book with a message. Such a fun keepsake for everyone!

Wedding Invitation Design: Ceci New York / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Hair: DM Celebrity Hair / Bride’s Make-up: Sally Duvall / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Jewelry: Adriana Orsini at Saks / Venue: The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers / Music: Pete Saunders Band / Wedding Photographer: Duet Wedding / Florist: Bardin Palomo / Photobooth: NYC Photobooth

Okay you have to trust me when I tell you that there is some serious gorgeousness happening over on our local blogs and this New York wedding is certainly no exception to the pretty rule! First off, the bride is drop dead and rocking one fab Monique Lhuillier gown, the accent colors are amazing and remind me of sangria, it was captured by the obviously talented Karen Wise, and it’s located in the best city in the world. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t get any better than that! Click here to see the full post!

Don’t fret, my pretties, if you don’t see your hometown in our local lineup yet! We’re working hard to cover each corner of the country, so stay tuned and keep your eyes peeled, because SMP is coming to a state near you really, really soon!

Oh New York, how do you always manage to have the chicest weddings on the planet? And this exceptionally pretty number photographed by phenom Karen Wise is also boasting a ridiculously lovely Monique Lhuillier gown. That is a total win win in our opinion. So grab a big cup of coffee and settle in for a wedding celebration of the city dwelling kind followed by loads of gorgeous images in the gallery. That is a sure-fire combo to ease your watermelon hangovers  and get you all set for the work week.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the bride... So I know that a lot of little girls dream about their wedding, some of my nearest and dearest friends included…that was definitely never me!  What can I say, I’ve never been the romantic.  So when Nick proposed (who definitely IS the romantic), I was super excited but as the questions from friends and relatives came pouring in- when is the wedding, where is the wedding,  did you pick your dress yet… There were so many decisions to be made and I began to regret not being that girl with the scrap book full of wedding dreams (a la Monica from Friends).   My first suggestion was just us two in City Hall. But, not surprisingly, Nick, who is so different from me in many ways- yet very much the same where it counts- insisted that he wanted to share this moment  with everyone who was important in our lives, especially those who helped shape the people we had become and who had shared so many other wonderful moments with us as couple.  There turned out to be a lot more people than we thought who fit that bill.  So I threw caution to the wind and decided we would have the  wedding (I thought) I never wanted.

There was of course, one condition, Nick had to be involved and helpful- I wasn’t going to let him check out.  And lucky for me he never did (he’ll probably kill me for writing all that as he likes to think of himself as very much the man’s man…).  We didn’t have a planner and our parents largely stayed out of the process, so we had a lot on our plate.  We also had t bring our two different styles together. Nick likes things very modern, I like things with a more romantic vintage- but not traditional- feel.  I think our wedding was a very good combination of the two. Absolutely, the most important part of the whole process was finding the right vendors.  We found the most amazing people to work with and I was lucky enough to feel comfortable leaving it all in their hands on the wedding day- because at the end of the day that’s all you can do (if you don’t want to drive yourself INSANE…)  We really found the most incredible group of people, especially Jessy, our floral designer, who was so inspiring in our first meeting and who became our pseudo-wedding planner throughout the process.  After all the hard work and planning, it was beautiful but most importantly it was a blast.

At the end, I have to say it was SO worth it.  Poor Nick on the other hand… I think he’s just relieved he doesn’t have to answer another question about chargers or draping…

Wedding Photographer: Karen Wise Photography / Floral Design: Fleurs / Wedding Videography: Hart Pictures / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Band: Play by Play at Faze 4 Orchestras / Ceremony Musicians: Steven Cohen at Penguin Music / Make-up: Sally Duvall Makeup / Hair: Once Upon a Bride / Wedding Dress, Belt, + Veil: Monique Lhuillier / Wedding Cake: Made in Heaven Cakes / Calligraphy: Esta Cohen Calligraphy / Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren / Venue: Trump Soho Hotel

Some of my most memorable 4th of July holidays were spent in New York City and I can tell you that one of the best places to be in the city is on a rooftop.  It is an all-access pass to some of the best firework displays ever.  This bride, groom and their lucky guests got to experience the exciting and festive show first hand at their incredible Independence Day wedding from Dave Robbins Photography and Always a Bridesmaid.  I love that they didn’t go the traditional route with a red, white and blue theme but chose to incorporate the beach-vibe of the Hamptons into their urban, loft celebration.  Check out the full gallery to see even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Always a Bridesmaid…Elisabeth and Matt had been together for over a decade when they came to us to design and plan their wedding.  Working mainly with Mayra, she focused on their goal of bringing the Hampton’s summer beach vibe to the city for their 4th of July celebration.  Growing up and living in the city, they wanted to have their reception in a place that reflected their background and Skylight West, a raw loft space on the West Side not only had the urban vibe they wanted, but it also gave their guests front row seats to the amazing Fourth of July fireworks on the river.

Elisabeth is the owner of Ms. Elisabeth’s catering, so food was a priority to the couple. Because the space was multi-level, we decided to have the reception as a cocktail party with stations, passed small plates and hors d’oeuvers.  Marcy Brownstein Catering did an amazing job and food flowed through the night.   Guests were seated at a mix of high tables, cocktail tables and lounge seating as they mixed and mingled.

The groom, Matt, is a music producer, working with acts like the MeterMaids.  So, music was a big part of the celebration. For their rooftop ceremony, we had a platform built below a billboard to serve as a stage for their friends that played for their entrance and recessional.  During cocktail hour, a Cuban band took the stage before guests went downstairs, where stations awaited and DJ Rob Swift played for the crowd.  When it was time for fireworks and cake cutting, guests were invited back to the roof, where the Cuban band once again took the stage and later on the couple were serenaded by friends, jammed with their jam band and kept the party rocking into the early morning.

Wedding Photography: Dave Robbins Photography / Catering: Marcey Brownstein Catering & Events / Venue: Skylight West / Floral Design: Verde Flowers / Lighting: Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging Design / Band: Yucaseca / DJ: DJ Rob Swift / Wedding Cake: Cheryl Kleinman / Wedding Invitations: Friend of the Bride / Calligraphy: Laura Hooper Calligraphy / Event Design and Planning: Always a Bridesmaid

For those of you in the States, we are on countdown mode. T minus one hour until the holiday weekend begins. I don’t know about you, but I can.not.wait for all the festivities. While we wait for the clock to strike five, why don’t we get to business and announce the lovely winner of this week’s Inspire Me Pretty inspiration board contest? I think that is a swell idea. So, virtual drum roll please…..the winner is…wait for it…wait for it…Erin of Sparkle & Hay! She took her love for all things rustic and makes for one heck of a Hudson Valley affair! Thanks to everyone for submitting a board, and keep them coming – just tag them Inspire Me Pretty NY and they’ll be in the running for next time – have a fabulous weekend!

In case you missed them, here are the pretty posts from SMP New York this week:

10 Timing Tips you will most certainly want to bookmark
a wedding full of pretty pops of red and polka dots
Inspire Me Pretty please
an aviation-themed bridal party shoot
a sweet and beachy engagement session

A few pretty things we found around the web…

darling and downloadable ice cream tags via Eat Drink Chic
Fourth of July printables via Hank + Hunt
the perfect Fourth of July outfit via Atlantic-Pacific

Happy Fourth of July and happy weekend! xoxo, A.Blaire

For all you New Yorkers out there itching for the clock to strike five so you can hit the road to a beachy destination for the holiday weekend, this engagement session shot by The Jason Groupp and styled by Merci New York is just what the inspiration doctor ordered! Aren’t we all longing to get our toes on the sand ASAP? This city-dwelling couple was craving the sandy shores for their carefree engagement session so the they took a hop, skip and jump over Long Island Sound to Westport, CT for a beach-themed engagement session that turned out uber-adorable if you ask me (I would like each of her dresses pretty please). But I suppose that is to be expected with these fab vendors, and there is even more to help pass the time until the holiday weekend in the full gallery of images!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Merci New York…I think a lot of New York City brides yearn to have a beach-themed engagement session popularized by West Coast style, but given our natural urban landscape, it’s definitely a very tough act to pull off.  My styling clients, Tiffany and Rich, (who were referred to me through their planner, Lindsay Landman Events), were certainly a case in point!  Tiff continuously showed us beautiful, soft beach scenes (all from SMP!) for e-shoot inspiration, and of course, we didn’t want to say no!  So we hunted down some beautiful beach towns just shy of an hour’s drive from the city and came up with gorgeous, yet preppy Westport, CT for her beach shoot.  After a quick drive up the scenic Merritt Parkway, the couple and crew were posing and propping to perfection!

From The Jason Groupp…I love shooting engagement sessions for my clients, as a matter of fact so much so I created my signature I Heart New York sessions.  What’s an IHNY session you ask?  An IHNY session is an engagement shoot with a serious upgrade designed to celebrate you, and your love in the greatest city in the world.  (I’m not biased) So when Tiffany and Rich approached me and said they  wanted a beautiful sunset on the beach I wondered how I could incorporate my signature to this out of the norm (for me at least) shoot. Fortunately, Tiffany is working with the talented planner Lindsay Landman, and she suggested bringing in the talents of Jacqueline Weppner of Merci New York to help bring this vision to life.  I’ve wanted to work with her FOREVER, so I was thrilled.

Stylist: Merci New York / Photographer: The Jason Groupp / Planner: Lindsay Landman Events / Yellow Dress + White Gown: BCBG / Red Printed Dress: DVF / Black Shoes: Prada / Hair Accessories: Untamed Petals