North Carolina Weddings

Elegance and ease are two of my favorite buzz words when it comes to beautiful weddings. And it’s that sense of fabulous styling without any of the fuss that inspired this country club affair from Caroline Ghetes. It’s a timeless wedding with pretty tucked around every corner (plus one crazy awesome dance party!) and you can catch even more right here.

From the Bride…After 8 years of dating this wedding was destined to happen. Obviously we are not ones to rush things so we set the date almost a year and a half after we got engaged in January 2011. I had always envisioned being married in May and being a planner by nature the time was well worth it.

The Amsale dress I chose was the perfect representation of my personal style. I gave it a bit of flair with a beautiful crystal beaded appliqué that I had sewn onto a silk ribbon and fastened into a belt. The color palette of nudes, peaches and corals were perfect for the absolutely beautiful day we were blessed with. Our florist used my favorite big bloom flowers, peonies and garden roses to create the bouquets and centerpieces and brilliant coral ranunculus for the boutonnieres. Getting ready with my bridal party at my family’s home which was so comfortable and sentimental, being surrounded by so many memories. Going the non-traditional route we chose to take pictures with the entire wedding party before the ceremony which meant Cameron and I would see each other beforehand. This allowed for more personal moments and extra reception time after the ceremony. I couldn’t have imagined it any other way. I probably stated that I wanted simple elegance a million times and that is exactly what was achieved. Nothing was over the top or seemed stuffy. It was so true of who Cameron and I are. Never ones to be too serious this wedding had to be light hearted and full of dancing. We wanted our guests to feel completely comfortable and let loose. My mom had spent months collecting different votives to make sure the room was lit with an abundance of candle light to create the ultimate romantic feeling.

Our band, The Maxx, was so amazing. They literally kept everyone dancing the entire night, including Cameron and myself. Towards the end of the evening after executing all of my signature dance moves in my wedding dress, I changed into a more dancing appropriate Thread Social number. To keep with the light heartedness of the evening a totally random selection of hats were passed out at the end of the night. The room was filled with people tearing up the dance floor in sombreros, sparkly top hats, cowboy hats, straw bamboo hats and berets, which was absolutely hilarious.

Walking out to our get-a-way car at the end of the night under a shower of lavender was the last sweet touch to an amazing night. Now almost a year later we still have people tell us that they had such a great time at our wedding, which truly makes us so happy to know that they enjoyed themselves as much as we did.

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Wedding Photography: Caroline Ghetes Photography | Reception Venue: Carmel Country Club | Floral Design: The Place for Flowers | Band: The Maxx  | Wedding Dress: Amsale via Nitsa’s | Hair + Makeup: Colour By Candace  | Shoes: Badgely Mischka | Transportation: Sunway Charters | Tuxedo +  Mens Attire: Jos. A. Bank

This is what I call a stunning wedding. Complete with homemade doughnuts. It’s the kind of soiree wedding blogger dreams are made of… a beautiful couple, so sweetly in love. A stunning design, modern and chic, yet somehow warm and classic (courtesy of the lovely Carolina Event Design). And photographs so beautiful, I could kiss The Schultzes right on their talented cheeks for sending them our way. Click here to see every last one.

From Carolina Event Design … Courtney and Rich met in 2008 in Atlanta through a family friend, Robert, of Courtney’s who attended college with Rich. At the time Rich was working in Charlotte and Courtney was in her senior year of college in Atlanta. Little did they know but Courtney’s mom and Robert’s mom were hoping they would hit it off. Going their separate ways after the party but still running into one another off and on over the next few months they each developed a secret crush for the other. Texts led to phone calls which led to their first date soon after Courtney’s graduation when Rich drove down to Atlanta just for dinner. They dated long distance for a year after and took turns driving and flying between the two cities. Finally in the summer of 2010 Courtney moved to Charlotte and have not missed the 3 and a half hour drive.

Christmas has always been Courtney’s favorite holiday and Rich wanted the first one they shared together in their new apartment a memorable one. After moving in together a week earlier the apartment was pretty empty and sparse and decided to get a Christmas tree. Debating whether or not to go cut down a tree themselves (Courtney was against this option) they decided to go across town to a cute family owned farm to purchase their tree. With the tree in tow, Rich asked where Courtney wanted to eat dinner. Tired and hungry she replied that she wanted Outback take-out and he reluctantly agreed. Once they were home with the tree and take-out Rich asked Courtney if she could return a watch to a co-worker/friend who also lives in the building. She went on the condition that he will put their dinner on plates and set the table. After chatting with her friend for a while she returned to their apartment to find the tree set up, and no dinner on the table. Aggravated, she walked to the other room to find Rich on one knee with flowers everywhere! Being completely thrown off by the entire night she was beyond shocked. She of course said yes and have enjoyed the tradition of getting their Christmas tree (and Outback take-out) every year since.

Photographer: The Schultzes / Wedding Planning & Design: Carolina Event Design / Wedding Gown: Kandace by Christo’s / Jewelry for Bride and Bridesmaids: Kathleen Murphy / Bridesmaids Dresses: Vera Wang White / Groom and Groomsmen Suits: Jean Yves / Shoes: Rolando, Christian Louboutin / Hair & Make-up: Who’s the Fairest / Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton / Ceremony & Reception Venue: Mint Museum Uptown / Florist: The Place for Flowers / String Quartet: Carolina Chamber Players / Reception Music (DJ): Split Second Sound / Invitations, Programs: The Summerhouse / Wedding Cake & Mini Desserts: Cake Lady Jill / Linen: Party Tables / Lounge Furniture: AFR / Chairs & Rentals: Classic Party Rentals Charlotte / Lighting: Carolina Event Design / Videography: David Whitlow Photography / Rings: Diamonds Direct / Guestbook Puzzle: Memory Lane Puzzles

Election Day is almost upon us and to celebrate we have an Election Themed Shoot that totally gets our vote. Pun completely intended. Photographed by Theo Milo along with the cutest Political infused details by come+together events and The Bloom Room, this a theme that will completely convert you and possibly have you planning your very own  Election Themed affair. Whether that be a great excuse for a dinner party complete with I Voted stickers or a full blown wedding day extravaganza  there is loads to borrow from this shoot. See it all right here and then hunker down for even more inspiration with a film shot by David Whitlow below.

 

From come+together events… While sitting on a plane on the way from Charlotte to Boston, I was brainstorming this inspiration shoot and how to come up with something new and original–and TIMELY! I looked around at everyone’s iPads and newspapers, and the #1 story I saw spread across the headlines was about the presidential election. Bam! A presidential election wedding-themed shoot. From “First Lady” chair signs to campaign buttons with the couple’s last names on them, we thought of every detail to incorporate the political process into a wedding. Guests could choose to sit on the “left wing” or the “right wing” of the ceremony and sign their “John Hancock” for the guest book. The menus resembled the paper that the Constitution is written upon. The seating chart hung from a hand-made yarn map of the USA, and there was even a photo booth with all sorts of props reading things such as “no recounts.” The bride and groom looked fresh but traditional, and the Duke Mansion was the perfect set up for a president and his new first lady.

Photography: Theo Milo Photography / Photo Shoot Venue: Duke Mansion in Charlotte, North Carolina / Planning + Design: come+together events / Floral Design: The Bloom Room / Cinematography: David Whitlow / Wedding Cake: Wow Factor Cakes / Stationery + Favors: Melissa of Atheneum Creative / Table Rental: Party Reflections / Linens: La Tavola / Wedding Dress: Martina Liana “367” via J. Majors / Hair + Makeup: Kymm of Who’s the Fairest / Groom’s Tuxedo: New York Bride & Groom / Models: Lauren York + Brad Worch

When it comes to a romantic wedding style, there are so many, many forms but the main stay is an air of warm and fuzzy, candlelit, nuptial goodness. The kind of wedding that makes you hug your honey a little tighter. Now enter this Charlotte beauty, full of romance of the Southern alfresco kind. It definitely has warm and fuzzy down pat as well as loads of charm with the help of pretty florals by Nectar and enough gorgeous snapshots by Alively Photography to keep you busy for a whole afternoon. You can do so right here in the full gallery as well as with the film by Samuel Gatlyn below. Happy romancing.

From the Bride… The inspiration for our wedding all started the night Taylor proposed to me. It had been a year to the date that he moved from Myrtle Beach to Charlotte to be with me, and we were out celebrating. He took me to a quaint, local bed and breakfast, and standing right in front of this arbor in the back yard, he dropped to one knee. He had hired a photographer to capture our beautiful moment, and nine months later we stood in that exact spot to become husband and wife. With that said, this old southern home had but only one obvious theme: vintage. Starting with a search for the perfect dress, I knew this was gonna be a lot of work but an amazing adventure. I saw the most fabulous Lazaro gown online, and right then, I called my mom and told her I had found “the dress.” With the hard part behind me, the rest was easy — time consuming, but I had a vision. My husband and I are both detail-oriented people, so we wanted to add as many personal touches as we could. We, with with the help of family and friends, assembled all 20 table runners from vintage doilies, rolled 150 hankies into roses for favors and folded dozens of tissue poms and rosettes for our photo booth backdrop. All the mason jars used were hand-decorated with vintage lace and ribbon, the table numbers were stained and drilled, the fabric strip cake backdrop had to be be hand-dyed and torn, and hundreds of hot glue sticks were used to hold all the signs together. Even down to the veil I wore, it was a DIY kinda wedding. I was sewing that together the morning of my big day. You get the idea. Whew! When the wedding day finally arrived, the weather couldn’t have been more pleasant. We married facing due west, and the lighting coming through the trees at sunset was like a dream. My favorite moment of our day had to be our exchange of handwritten vows. The sincerity in his voice and the look in his eyes did me in! Surrounded by our closest family and friends and our A-list team of vendors, we couldn’t have been more blessed.

If you’re a bride planning or just a girl dreaming of her big day, please remember first to slow down and enjoy every moment. Also, I would sit down with your fiancé and discuss just a few major factors of the wedding, make those a priority in your budget, and let the rest fall together in time. Lastly, do all you can yourself and recruit loved ones to help because one day you’ll look back on it all and see all the personal touches that make it mean so much more. Happy planning! :)

Wedding Photography: Alively Photography / Wedding Venue: The VanLandingham Estate in Charlotte, North Carolina / Wedding Planning + Table & Arbor Rentals: Ginger Hussey of Hey Love! Events / Floral Design: Nectar / Wedding Cinematography: Samuel Gatlyn / Catering: The VanLandingham Estate + Enso Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar / Cheesecake: Gail Buff of Cheesecake Etc. / Ceremony Music: Molly Williams / Reception Music: DJ TMAQ / Photo Booth: Michael Newton / Table Runners, Hankie Roses, Photo Booth Backdrop, Mason Jar Decor, Table Numbers + Wedding Cake Backdrop: DIY / Wedding Dress: Lazaro / Bride’s Ceremony Shoes: Valentino / Bride’s Veil: DIY / Bride’s Reception Dress: Allure Bridals / Bride’s Reception Shoes: Joan & David + Converse / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Melissa Sweet / Getting Ready Lace Robe: girlwithaseriousdream

I’ve seen my fair share of heartwarming moments here on SMP.  Every.single.day I am seriously floored by the pure, unadulterated love and devotion flowing from each and every wedding we feature. But, today’s stunning Charlotte soiree?  It has me shedding tears of joy like never before.  It’s a beyond perfect wedding with a too-cute-for-words Mr. and Mrs. and a First Look that will literally take your breath away.  All captured brilliantly by Kristin Vining Photography, you can see every ounce of pretty in the full gallery… and then stay tuned for a wonderful film from Absolute Wedding Films below!

Oh, and we’re not done yet.  We have one VERY stunning film from Absolute Wedding Films to share with you… and it’s all kinds of fabulous.  Enjoy!

From the Bride… Sean and I had been looking at rings for a while, so I figured a proposal was coming. Plus, Sean is terrible at secrets, so I knew I would figure it out before he asked. This Thanksgiving, all of my family and his mom and stepdad were coming to our condo to celebrate. My parents and his came into town on Monday. Sean planned a day at the Biltmore for all of us to go up and see the lights. I knew he was going to propose, and I even told all of my co-workers I had to leave early because Sean was taking me to the Biltmore to propose. Well, he canceled the Biltmore — called me the morning of and said we wouldn’t be able to go. I was SO mad. I may or may not have cursed him out and was mad the entire day at him. The next day was Thanksgiving, so I had to get over my pouting and cook for everyone. I made a great dinner, and all of my family brought awesome food to join in with us. We had a deep-fried turkey, and I even set up a cookie bar. It was a perfect Thanksgiving. After dinner, Sean’s mom asked if we would put up ornaments on the tree that were Sean’s when he was little. It’s kooky, but once you meet Sean’s mom, you’ll totally understand why I thought this was normal. So I started putting these up on the tree. It was our first tree, so it was a cute idea. Then Sean came out with about ten different ornaments that were all my favorite things or something to do with us. There was a pink high heel, a shopping bag, a giraffe (my favorite animal), a basketball snowman, a blender, a cruise ship (we took one together), a Harry Potter one and a few others. I was amazed at how thoughtful these all were and figured his mom had told him to get them since our tree was naked. Then, he gave me the last ornament which was a heart with the date engraved on it. I thought that was sweet, and then he said “Did you read the front?” I flipped it over, and the front said, “Will You Marry Me?” By the time I had read it, he was down on one knee and asked me to marry him. By this time, I was in hysterics, and could barely say yes, so I nodded. He made me the prettiest ring with a pink sapphire! My whole family was there to share it with us, and I couldn’t have asked for a better proposal.

The planning process was crazy — having a full-time job makes it difficult to put as much time into planning as you would like. I knew what top three things I wanted though – I wanted beautiful pictures to have forever (we actually booked Kristin before we even started looking at venues), I wanted to make sure we were somewhere that our guests would love and would show off Charlotte, and I really wanted everyone to feel like they were at OUR wedding and not a cookie cutter wedding from a magazine. We chose the Charlotte City Club for two reasons: First, the view was incredible and you could really see how beautiful Charlotte was, and second, Nathan Hoffman really wowed us with his ideas and what we could do with the City Club to personalize it. After putting together every idea in the book, I realized that nothing really made sense, so I reached out to Weddings and the City. I met with Lindsey and threw all of my ideas at her — she turned them into the most beautiful wedding design that made perfect sense. Once I had this, I was really able to plan everything. I painted tables, created fabric frames, met with Lingky to make beautiful flower arrangements — all just as the design book had said. Sean was in charge of all graphics since he is a graphic/web designer. He incorporated seersucker and pink chevrons into everything and made the prettiest invites and then coordinated the programs, table numbers and signage to match. On the day of, we had Tiffany from Weddings and the City put it all together with Nathan and they created the most flawless ceremony and reception ever. I don’t think it could’ve been a more perfect day.

Wedding Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: Charlotte City Club in Charlotte, North Carolina / Wedding Consulting + Planning: Weddings and the City / Floral Design: Flowers by Lingky / Officiant: Uncle Andy / Wedding Cinematography: Absolute Wedding Films / Song: “Secrets” by One Republic via SONGFREEDOM / Wedding Cake: The Wow Factor Cakes / Wedding Invitations + Stationery: DIY by the Groom / Music: Split Second Sound / Tents, Linens, Tables, Chairs + Rentals: Party Reflections / Charity Donation: Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love / Photo Booth: Mojo Event Management / Accommodations: Omni Charlotte Hotel / Wedding Dress: Mikaella Bridal via The Collection Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bride’s Headpiece: Forever 21 / Hair + Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Men’s Tuxedos: Jos. A. Bank / Engagement Ring: Designed by the Groom via Diamonds Direct / Wedding Rings: Diamonds Direct

Show me clean lines, pretty hues and details that dazzle like the ones that fill this pretty party – and I’ll show you one seriously happy blogger. A blogger that may or may not just pin all the pretty in this post thanks to the gorgeous images by Elizabeth Scott Photography. The sweet maids dressed in LulaKate? Pinned. The chevron-infused stationery by Inspire Design Studio? Pinned. That stunning cake by Cake Lady Jill? You guessed it. How can you blame me? It’s seriously gorg, and you can see it all right here!

From Elizabeth Scott Photography… April and Jeff had a clean, modern, uptown Charlotte wedding. They carried their coral and gray look throughout the day with clean lines and a chevron pattern on many of their details. Keeping with the city theme, we did their portraits in a parking garage to include the urban elements. Their reception at the restaurant Bentley’s on 27 kept the modern feel going, and their guests got to enjoy a beautiful view of the Charlotte skyline over dinner and dancing.

Wedding Photography: Elizabeth Scott Photography / Ceremony: St. Mary’s Chapel in Charlotte, North Carolina / Reception: Bentley’s on 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina / Event Planning: Sweet November Events / Floral Design: Party Blooms / Wedding Cake: Cake Lady Jill / Wedding Invitations: Inspire Design Studio / DJ: Split Second Sound / Favors: Petit Philippe / Wedding Dress: Mikaella Bridal via J.Major’s Bridal Boutique / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair + Makeup: Kristin Styles / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: LulaKate

It goes without saying that we are a wee bit excited about our first EVER Fashion & Beauty e-mag. It’s just page after page of prettiness we poured our hearst into and we were be-YOND excited to share it with all of you. Because, really, it’s for all of you. A present of the SMP sort, and we sure hope you love it as much as we do. And how can you not when it’s filled to the brim with inspiration a’plenty and gorgeous real weddings like this one by the super talented Kristin Vining? (The gallery of this wedding is just to die for). It’s just a little peek into all the pretty that are on the pages of the new Fashion & Beauty e-mag, so it goes without saying you’ll want to set aside some time to get lost in all the lovely! And you can do so right here.

From the Bride… We met while living in the same apartment complex in Charlotte, North Carolina, during the summer of 2007. This was the perfect place to live during that time of our lives because we were transitioning from college life into the real world. The complex was filled with young people, and there were always social events going on. At one of the many pool parties, I remember discussing with my girlfriends, “Wow, I have a serious crush on that guy.” Apparently, Brandon was thinking the same exact thing about me. There was a very strong connection from the beginning and plenty of flirting all summer long. That same fall, Brandon asked me to be his girlfriend. :) There is no doubt that we were both meant to be living at that post-college frat pad of an apartment complex during that time … maybe it was fate, or just good timing, but living there changed our lives for the better!

On November 3, 2010, Brandon and I were getting ready to head to a fancy dinner to celebrate three years of dating. As we were about to walk out the door, Brandon pulled out a surprise gift! When I opened it, I was so excited that he had purchased us a new digital SLR camera for us to take on our Maui vacation that we were leaving for in a few days. We both love photography, so this was a perfect gift. I was already over the moon at this point! So we set the camera up to test it out and used the self-timer to take a picture together before heading out to dinner. After the picture was taken … I said my standard line, “Do we look cute?” and I went to view the photos that we had just snapped of ourselves. As I scanned through the two pictures, there was an extra photo of a sign that said “Will you marry me?!” I was completely confused and caught off guard, but as I turned to look at Brandon, he was down on one knee with the ring and he popped the question! There was screaming, many tears, and much laughter, and I obviously said YES! Then, instead of going to dinner, Brandon had arranged to have prepared food and wine/champagne catered in, which was AMAZING because he knew that I would want to make phone calls to friends and family! After making our calls and eating our delicious meal, we walked over to one of our favorite spots in Charlotte, Sullivan’s, for dessert! YUM! The entire night was absolutely perfect for us! The BEST thing about the proposal, for me, was that I was completely surprised. I had no idea — not the slightest clue — that we were going to be engaged that night! Then two days later we were off to Maui for a week to celebrate our engagement. :)

Overall, our planning process went quite smoothly and was rather enjoyable (Not that there were no stressful moments! HA!) thanks to all of our FABULOUS vendors, especially our wedding planner, Kate FitzGerald with I Do Details Events. Without her, I don’t think our planning would have been quite as much fun… Brandon and I were both very involved in the planning process and made most decisions together. I would say that I was the detail person when it came to making choices such as flowers, linens, etc. And Brandon was great at contacting the vendors and keeping us organized. I truly believe that planning our wedding together brought us even closer as a couple. I think that the most unique thing about our wedding was that we felt like all of our guests meshed really well together and seemed to have a wonderful time. We had friends and family coming from all over the country that did not know each other, so we tried to plan events so that the guests could get to know each other prior to the wedding day. By the night of the wedding, it felt as though the entire room of people were great friends. Kristin Vining Photography did an amazing job capturing the joy and fun in the room that night. Besides the union of our marriage, one of the most important things to us on our wedding day was that our guests were having a good time together, and I feel as though we succeeded!

Wedding Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Ceremony: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, North Carolina / Reception: The Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina / Wedding Consulting + Planning: Kate FitzGerald of I Do Details Event Planning / Floral Design: The Place For Flowers / Wedding Cinematography: Richard Israel + Timm Young of Pie & Mash Filmworks / Catering: Something Classic / Wedding Cake: The Wow Factor Cakes / Wedding Invitations + Stationery: Nuage Mulberry Digital Art / Entertainment: Split Second Sound / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Wedding Favors: Burgers for the Trolley / Transportation: Sunway (Formerly Trolleys Inc) / Photo Booth: ShutterBooth / Accommodations: The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte / Rehearsal Dinner: Enso Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bride’s Headpiece: Tasha via Nordstrom / Hair + Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne of Be Pretty / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo via Bella Bridesmaid / Bridesmaids’ Gifts: Tory Burch Flip Flops + J.Crew Jewelry / Groom’s Tuxedo: Hugo Boss via Nordstrom / Groomsmen’s Tuxedos: New York Bride & Groom / Groomsmen’s Gifts: Monogrammed Tumi Toiletry Kits / Rings: Tacori via Diamonds Direct

Get ready for another fabulous Wedding Wednesday! We’ve got quite the pretty line up today so stick close to your computer because trust me, you don’t want to miss a thing. Seven gorgeous weddings hand picked just for you with galleries so full of inspiration it’ll make your head spin!

First up is this super chic and sophisticated black and white fete by Kristin Vining Photography. The pretty florals, fancy wing tips, and the bride’s blush silk dupioni couture gown all add up to make for one incredible visual delight. See each and every last detail here in the full gallery.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride…Brian and I share a passion for travel. Ever since we met, we have been planning trips together, near and far. California is one of our favorite destinations. Brian proposed to me on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. After a particularly grueling journey, replete with uncomfortable flight, ridiculously long rental car line and a “smurf” blue PT Cruiser, we finally arrived in San Francisco. We had some time to kill before we drove to Sausalito for lunch, so we decided to do some sightseeing. Brian insisted we go out on the bridge to take some pictures. I was a little crabby and tired, so I was less than enthusiastic about braving the cold, windy bridge. After more than a little coaxing from Brian, we walked out to the center of the Golden Gate Bridge, taking in the breathtaking views and snapping photos. When Brian proposed, I was surprised and overwhelmed. As we walked off the bridge, I could not take my eyes off of the gorgeous custom designed ring that Brian put on my finger. We left the bridge and drove to Sausalito. We had a fabulous lunch on the bay and we celebrated with a glass of champagne. I called my entire family to tell them the good news! It’s a day I will never forget!

Our wedding ceremony was so personal. We wrote our own vows and had no idea what the other wrote. They ended up being hilarious and had the guests laughing the whole time. We included song lyrics from Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are.” Also, my mother and I made and designed my gown together. I was able to drive down to North Augusta, South Carolina, every three weeks to my mom’s sewing room. We searched for fabric together, created patterns and did fittings throughout the summer before the wedding. We got the blush silk dupioni from Mood Designer Fabrics in NYC. We had so much fun, and it was such an amazing experience together. My dress was absolutely gorgeous, couture and literally made for me by the most talented and loving person I know. I loved it!

Wedding Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Wedding Venue: The Duke Mansion in Charlotte, North Carolina / Wedding Planning: Laurie Davis / Floral Design: Carey Roberts Design Co. / Ceremony Director: Jane Daniels / Wedding Cake: Mandie Miller of Got What It Cakes / Acoustic Music: Heroes At Last / DJ: Nick Bush of El Jefe Entertainment / Wedding Dress: Designed by the Bride + Made by Her Mother, Linda Knight / Bride’s Shoes: Valentino via Saks Fifth Avenue / Bride’s Jewelry: Givenchy via Nordstrom / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Love by Enzoani via NY Bride & Groom / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: Murphy Jewelry / Hair + Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Groom’s Tuxedo: Calvin Klein via NY Bride & Groom / Groom’s Styling: Lindsey Regan Thorne

The countdown is here, you fancy pants’ed LBBers, and I’m betting we’re all getting our glittery stilettos, sequined dresses, and gold dipped champagne flutes ready for Saturday night. But instead of sending you out blindly into your New Year weekend, we’ve got a little count down of our own – five of our most fabulous New Years Eve weddings from last year (and, man, you ROCKED the NYE weddings last year Chicago). This way, you can infuse your obviously-fantastic NYE soirees with a little somethin’ a la Style Me Pretty. Lot’s of kisses from us to you on midnight, and we’ll see you in 2012! xoxo

Beautifully soft, and oh-so-magically chic Charlotte NYE vows between a golfer & his gorgeous wife.

A fresh & modern take on the Ball-Drop wedding in a fabulous inspiration shoot.

Glamorous Chicago New Years nuptials featuring race car drivers, peacocks, and a cake to die for.

A masquerade ball turned New Years wedding, fabulous and straight from the Windy City.

Another fantastically done Chicago affair, taking the new year to a whole new romantic level.

This week at a pretty, pretty glance:

an Old Hollywood theme done right in Pennsylvania
a fresh California soiree filled with what have to be the best smelling florals
a New Jersey wedding that more than gracefully outlasted a hurricane
a perfectly preppy South Carolina fête we LOVE
a breathtaking soiree straight out of Pennsylvania that has left us speechless
a Michigan wedding with the most stunning dress, bride, AND video
a soiree fit for film in South Carolina
a perfect New York NYE bash, with perfect advice.

Happy Friday all you lovely Style Me Pretty readers!  You are probably getting ready to start your weekend full of gift-shopping, hot cocoa-sipping and tree-trimming but we just couldn’t end this already amazing week of wedding inspiration without sharing a North Carolina engagement shoot by Lauren Jackson Photography.  It serves up a serious dose of cuteness that makes are DIY-loving hearts go pitter-patter.  How absolutely chic are these stylish soul mates?  And the fabulousness doesn’t stop at the outfits.  Every detail is perfectly crafted and oh-so-easy to do at home!  See them all in the full gallery!  We wish you all a wonderful weekend and can’t wait to see you back here on Monday!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From the Bride… Anthropology meets Urban Outfitters. We wanted our engagement pictures to be fun and light hearted, a reflection of us.  Everything around weddings can be perceived as “stuffy” or too formal or “too black and white…” We wanted to make sure that our engagement shoot really showed our personalities by bringing in a lot of color, smiles and personal touches from our everyday lives. We have lived in so many places and our personal world/home is surrounded by memories of our travels and life experiences. It was important to us to incorporate that into our pictures. Also, we enter this marriage with a hyper-active child already, our puppy Koda.  He’s such a dominant part of our lives and it was important to us to incorporate him into the shoot, as well. 

The way I see it, your wedding is the most important day in OUR life so it should be special for everyone involved. The problem is, food is eaten, bands shut down and cake goes bad….PICTURES are what help you remember the day and what lead up to it…we wanted our pictures to help us remember who we were, who we are, and the special days leading up to our wedding.

Photography: Lauren Jackson Photography / Adorable Dog: “Koda” the Vizsla / Flower Shoes: Steve Madden / Boots: Mossimo via Target / Bride’s Skirt & Scarf: Urban Outfitters / Groom’s Attire: Urban Outfitters / Pink Dress: Bevello / Groom’s Hat: Disneyland / Bride’s Hat: Target / Ampersand, Chalkboard Thought Bubbles: DIY, The Bride / Austin Snow Globe: Gift /  Round Frame: Consignment

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

a classic Pacific Palisades soiree
a breathtaking Bali affair
a dreamy Long Beach soiree
an elegant Manhattan wedding
an uber-romantic St. Louis affair
a rustic glam Spokane soiree
a stunning Boston inspiration shoot
a day filled with eight gorgeous weddings
an uber-romantic Seattle photo shoot
a modern New York affair
a gorgeous San Diego photo shoot
a beyond beautiful Temecula soiree
fabulous Texas inspiration
a perfectly pink Ojai wedding

Some fabulous links from around the web:

Abby shares her Top 4 Most Inspiring Weddings of the Week via Glamour
fun DIY clay lollipop ornaments via Creature Comforts
lovely felt ball garland via Oh Happy Day
Abby’s list of fun ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve via Working Mother
fabulous holiday wedding ideas via Tres Sugar
Abby picks her favorite frocks via Weddington Way
the always stylish Kim Fusaro’s Top 3 Dresses of the Week: Trailing Lace Edition via Glamour

We’d like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Little Black Book members…

Trisha Dean Events
Erich McVey Photography
Events of Distinction
Sadie’s Couture Floral & Event Styling
Grand Engagements

To apply to become a member of our LBB click here.  We’d love to hear from you!

And last, but certainly not least… we have some winners to announce!

Jennifer Davis Photography selected one lucky winner to receive a free lifestyle photo shoot in New York City.  Congratulations to Emily!

The winner of the $250 M&J Bridal Salon Gift Card is Katie Zabriskie!  Congratulations, Katie!

Have a pretty, pretty weekend!  See you back here Monday morning. xoxo

After spotting that cake, the modern, contemporary, delicious looking cake from For Goodness Cakes, I needed more of this Charlotte wedding. And after checking out the traditional with a fun, clean twist affair, filled to the brim with love, style, and some of the most non-DIY looking DIY floral centerpieces, I needed more of this charming couple. And finally after spending some time on the couple’s wedding website, I totally fell in love with their seemingly effortless charm. Captured by The Beautiful Mess, the wedding is one I know none of us, even if we don’t personally know the happy couple, will soon forget. Click here for more!

After being able to travel extensively over the years, I slowly began to realize my hometown Charlotte is very unique. It still has the appeal of Southern charm, but with a lot of the perks of a bigger city, including great venues for weddings.  My husband and I knew we wanted an outdoor wedding, and after browsing online for possibilities, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden seemed like the perfect place. As soon as we saw it in person, we knew that this was the venue for us. The White Garden was large enough for all of our guests, but the fact it was enclosed gave the space a very intimate air.

Most of the inspiration came from the venue itself. Being designers, my mother and I found great joy throughout the planning process, setting out to create that perfect balance of décor- giving a subtle nod to times past, without over-doing it and forcing a theme. Images of 19th century English conservatories, vintage botanical illustrations, and apothecary label typographies constantly drove our decisions.

For the ceremony, we used mainly white hydrangeas and lilies. The whole garden was white and green- and we introduced color through the bridesmaids’ dresses, the men’s suits, and the bouquets. When it came to wedding gowns, I was originally interested in Jenny Packham’s signature sheath dresses, reminiscent of bygone eras with her intricate beading. After trying some on, I felt they were more fit for the red carpet than the aisle. My mother-in-law suggested I try on Jenny Packham’s Minerva gown, which had layer upon layer of ivory silk tulle- so light and comfortable! It was perfect for the garden, and I finally felt like a bride.

For the centerpieces we bought large apothecary glass jars and planted silk lady slipper and cymbidium orchids with moss. We chose a navy blue satin for the table linens, and placed the jars on a moss mats in the center of each table. We ordered Jaguar Pink Mokara Orchids from Thailand, and floated each stem in glass cylinders to add some color to the centerpieces. We also decided to give our guests a taste of the South with spiked Arnold Palmers for cocktail hour, and Deep Fried Peanuts for favors.

My favorite part of the planning process though, was collaborating with my husband to design our invitations and programs. We looked to old pharmacy and apothecary labels for guidance, and a friend letterpressed them with his old Vandercook Press.

It is so satisfying to look back and consider how each detail combined to perfectly reflect our desires for this special day. I only wish it could have lasted longer!

Venue: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden / Wedding Website: Designed by the bride & groom, Courtney and Kyle / Reception Flowers & Centerpieces: Jeannie Heth, mother of the bride / Ceremony Flowers & Bouquets: Place for Flowers / Decor: Creative Solutions / Photography: The Beautiful Mess / Cake: For Goodness Cakes / Hair & Make-up: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Gown and Headpiece Designer: Jenny Packham / Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Caterers: Best Impressions / Mens Suits: Banana Republic / Ties: Indochino / Officiant: Didi Wong, Church of the Good Shepherd / Wedding Coordinator: Connie Miller, friend of bride’s family / Invitations & Stationery: Designed by the bride & groom, Printed by Ryan Cook of Something Pressed / Favors: Mr. B’s Fun Foods Deep Fried Peanuts / DJ: Brian Keelan, Z Brothers DJs / String Quartet: Carolina Classic Strings

There are about a million things I love about this North Carolina wedding. The fabulous centerpieces, with the perfect mix of white flowers, the amazing chandeliers hanging in the equally outstanding tent, the beyond beautiful photographs from Cunningham Photo Artists. But there is thing I love more than anything else. The gorgeous Ulla-Maija Couture dress, which is like no other dress I have ever seen. That dress is heaven. I can’t get over it – my jaw dropped the second I laid eyes on it, and I have not stopped staring. Seriously, I’m going to stop talking so you get to see that awesome dress (and the rest of this fantastic wedding, designed by Ivy Robinson Weddings and Events). And when you’re ready, there is even more in the full gallery.

Love that stunning cake? We do too. Which is why we adore The WOW Factor Cakes.

Even though we live in California, we really wanted to have the wedding in Charlotte, my hometown. It was very important to me to say our marriage vows in the church I had attended growing up. And since Morgan and I have family and friends all over the country, we wanted to pick a relatively central location with a big airport to make travelling as easy as possible for our guests. We chose to have the reception in a tent at Carmel Country Club because we wanted to be sure to have enough room for all our guests to be comfortable and we liked the idea of creating a space all our own. We wanted the wedding to have an elegant, warm, and classic feel. Our wedding planner, Ivy Robinson, did an amazing job creating the perfect ambiance in a unique and unforgettable way.

It was important to us to create a fun and memorable evening for our guests that included touches representing our relationship and family histories. We served specialty cocktails called “Red Eye Romance” (a nod to all the overnight flights we made flying back and forth to see each other) and “Captain’s Catch”, which was our obligatory Captain Morgan rum drink (Morgan is a boat Captain). For our favors we gave guests Ghirardelli chocolates since we wanted to incorporate the Bay Area into the night.

I wore my late maternal grandmother’s wedding band on my bouquet and my paternal grandmother was kind enough to let me borrow a bracelet for my “something borrowed”. We decorated the escort card table with pictures of our parents and grandparents on their wedding days.

My favorite touch was the song we selected for the Father Daughter dance – my Dad and I danced to Moon River which was my late paternal grandfather’s favorite song. It was a very special point in the evening for my Dad’s family. The band was fabulous and everyone had a great time dancing the night away – we served sliders and fries late night to give the dancers energy! We were incredibly grateful to have such a beautiful reception to share with our guests to thank them for all the support they showed us over the course of our relationship and all the miles they travelled to help us celebrate!

The reception was beautiful. It everything we dreamed it could be. My parents and all the vendors were amazing. Our favorite memories of the day, though, were of the ceremony. Morgan is not an overly emotional guy, and I’ll never forget seeing him cry as I walked down the aisle. And the best part of all was saying our vows – it felt like we were alone in the church at that moment. And at the end of the long, very beautiful day, those moments in the church were what it was all about!

Event design: Ivy Robinson Weddings and Events / Flowers: Beth Hohensee of Studio Flora Diva / Cake: Amy Craparo of The WOW Factor Cakes / Band: Atlanta Showstoppers / Venue: Carmel Country Club / Linens: Party Tables / Rentals: Party Reflections / Photography: Cunningham Photo Artists / Lighting: Wink Lighting / Cinematography: Gretchen and Erik Smith, Something Blue Video / Invitation Designer: Mindy Sorboro, Paperwhites Press / Wedding Gown: Ulla-Maija Couture / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Jim Hjelm

Everything Kristin Vining sends our way just confirms our thoughts that Charlotte brides are all classic, sweet, and oh so talented. This wedding is further proof that there is a love-induced, rosy colored outlook infused into all North Carolina nuptials. Pink flowers, pink ‘maids, and pink cherry blossoms galore, this fête is more than fabulous. Everything about this wedding put sweet little grins on our faces, and our cheeks are sore from all the smiling that’s been going on. Ready to break out those pearly whites? Then check out Kristin’s blog for more of this stunning affair.

Click here for the full image gallery!

I designed everything. From the reception space and what to include, to the types of flowers I wanted, I chose the cake, the cherry blossom theme, the colors, the drums above the dance floor, uplighting, all of it.  It was so much fun to put forth all the effort and see it all come together on our wedding day.

I’m very detail oriented so put a lot of effort into the details. I did have a day of planner that kept things in order and helped with the flow which was great. I bounced different ideas off of her the month leading up to the wedding, which helped a lot too. I think my colors were pretty unique. I used a nectar with browns, ivories, and golds.  I hadn’t seen it before, but thought it would go well together.  Plus my now husband looks great in brown and earth tones so I knew regardless that that color of tux would look fabulous on him.

Something else that was unique was that I had guests throw mini beach balls that said “I had a ball!” at Jeff and I as we walked out of the church.  It was so much fun!  I also had a treasure chest/time capsule that asked guests to leave “well wishes for the new Mr. and Mrs.”  We vowed not to open the chest until May 7, 2012, one year later.

I also did a lot of home made things to make our wedding unique. I designed my own table numbers using frames and paper from Hobby Lobby and cut out the numbers myself.  I also made home made sign that said “Dinner, Dancin’ and Drinks” which my dad made out of wood and myself and friends painted.  Also, I used Etsy a lot.

Ceremony location: Covenant Presbyterian Church / Reception location: Byrons South End / Cake:  Cheesecake, Etc. / Flowers: Flowers from the Cellar / Gown: Paloma Blanca from Classic Bride and Formals / Shoes: Glint from Nordstrom / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Tuxedos:  New York Bride and Groom / Headpiece:   New York Bride and Groom / Veil: Classic Bride / Engagement Ring: Simon G Jewelry / Wedding Rings: Herlzberg Diamonds / Hair & Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Stationery: Red Stone Press / Entertainment: Split Second Sound / Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Videography: Ka Studios / Officiant: Mark Deihl / Caterers: Best Impressions Catering / Rentals:  Best Impressions Catering / Transportation: Trolley’s, Inc. / Day of Planner: Sarah Bradley with Blue Feather Media / Uplighting: Sterling Designs / Dance Lessons: Metropolitan Ball Room

Whether the Easter bunny will be stopping by your house or not, we just couldn’t pass up this chance to give a shout out to one of the sweetest mama bunnies on the block! With her darling twins, we know, for sure, what she’ll be up to tomorrow! Plus, another little bunny told us kvpkid’s is going to storm the children’s photography scene in a whole new fashion very soon!

But for today, we want to wish all of you a blessed and delightful Easter Weekend! And a super-congrats to Wendy and Brad who, along with Kristin Vining, created THE cutest Easter-Inspired Engagement Shoot ever …

You can see Wendy and Brad’s full E*Shoot over on Kristin’s blog!

This e*shoot was styled (wardrobe, makeup & hair) by the always-fabulous Lindsey Regan Thorne!

Ever wonder where the oh-so-talented-Kristin hangs out in her spare time? (Ha! As if she had any!)

Kristin and the amazing ladies at Weddings And The City have been hard at work designing their new office space. Can you imagine working in surroundings like this??

It’s really NO wonder that all of their weddings are over-the-top amazing! If you haven’t already read about their custom design book ~ it’s high time you did: Custom Wedding Design Books from Weddings And The City.

If I could have a wedding re-do, I would NEED it to be as glamorous as this Charlotte New Year’s Eve wedding from the oh-so-talented Kristin Vining. We love everything about this one, from the fabulous gown from Hayden Olivia Bridal, to the glamorous bride, to stunning florals from Studio Flora Diva. And, of course, those shoes. Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events hit this one out of the ball park. A seriously GLAM grand slam. Head over to Kristin’s blog if you want to swoon for just a little bit longer.

From Ivy Robinson … Lauren wanted a fresh and modern look. I took the colors of grey and white and introduced the pattern to guests with the invitations and then it was seen again on the cake, soup liner, fish n chips cone, program, menu and candy bar stickers. She wanted to put a spin on the candy bar, so we created glass legs with mirror tops to create columns of candy. This concept was also used as her altar during the ceremony. The room was converted from brown and yellows to all white and at 11:30 pm the curtain pulled back where guests entered a lounge area for dancing and the countdown to the new year. A zebra patterned ice bar with an ice luge serving red bull and vodka was a hit. The DJ spun the latest hits as the guests danced well into the new year. *Read more of the finer details in putting this whole celebration together over on Ivy’s Blog!

More, more and MORE in the gallery!

Oli and I met at Augusta State University when we were there on separate golf teams. We had been together for seven years and were on a holiday in Thailand, when Oli set up a private dinner over the pool with grilled seafood and champagne. That’s when he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Even after 7 years I was completely shocked. He’s an incredibly sweet guy and so thoughtful. I’m very, very lucky to have him.

We both have very modern tastes so we wanted the overall look to reflect that; we wanted lots of white and lots of candles. There were two details that were must haves from the beginning… Oliver wanted an ice bar and I wanted a photo booth. These were the biggest hits of the night! Our late night lounge, which was hidden from the guests by draping until 11:30pm, was quite a big hit too. All the incredible details that Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events helped with made for an incredible night.

Photography: Kristin Vining / Ceremony location: Urban Garden, Ritz Carlton Charlotte / Reception location: Ritz Carlton Charlotte / Cake: Josh Cain, Ritz Carlton Pastry Chef / Flowers: Beth Hohensee, Studio Flora Diva / Hair: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Make-up: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Invitations & Stationery: Chic Impressions / Ceremony Musicians: 5th & York / Reception Band: Heather Hayes Band / DJ: Jarrett Gray / Cinematography: Super 8 by Richard Israel / Videographer: Timm Young / Officiant: Jason Davenport / Decor Rentals: Party Reflections / Wedding Night Hotel: Ritz Carlton / Wedding Planning: Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events / Event Design & Decor: Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events / Photo booth: Carolina Photo Booths / Ice Bar: Ice Sensations Calligraphy: Elizabeth Jones Calligraphy / Wedding Dress: Hayden Olivia Bridal

Now that we are totally immersed in Valentine’s Day goodness, we’d like to share one of Kristin Vining and Weddings And The City’s sensational weddings from last year. Grace and Sean were married at The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte in August. According to Grace, Tiffany and the lovely team at WATC helped her realize her dream-come-true! “She stood by me patiently as I changed my mind dozens of times and always offered me great suggestions! When our day finally came everything flowed flawlessly and we couldn’t have asked for a better turn out. In the logistical aspect of wedding planning, Tiffany is absolutely professional and reliable but even better, we discovered a life long friend!”

More from Grace … We met when Sean was in his 3rd year with the Charlotte Bobcats and I was working at a local hole in the wall bar about 2 blocks from the arena where he played. It was the “place to be” for meeting up and having some drinks before a night on the town, so he and his friends walked in one day in November after one of his games. I was behind the bar and he sent over one of my co-workers to ask if I would be his girlfriend! Of course he was being silly and I laughed it off and said “yeah right!” I eventually gave him a chance and we became great friends and quickly escalated to having the beautiful relationship we have today.

On our second year anniversary, that also happens to be Valentines Day, we went to Miami for the weekend. Thinking that we were just celebrating our anniversary and the holiday, I was totally caught off-guard when he surprised me … 13 minutes after midnight on – officially – February 14th I walked into a rose petal and candlelit covered room with 11 beautiful flower arrangements with red roses and white lilies. On each arrangement was a card with a picture of us on the outside and on the inside a different reason why he loved me. He walked me to each arrangement and had me read each card. At the 10th vase I thought it was over but there was one more left. At the 11th arrangement, of all white roses and lilies, the card read “for all these reasons I want to know…will you marry me?” I turned around and behind me was Sean on his knee holding my ring!

When it came to planning the wedding, I must say that Tiffany at Weddings and the City made the planning process effortless! She totally rocked! I would have to say the most unique part of our wedding was where we had our ceremony. We were privileged enough to be the very first couple to get married at The Urban Garden at the Ritz Carlton. The Urban Garden was the perfect setting for a very sticky August day allowing for the natural light of the sunset yet still providing comfort and air conditioning for our guests. It is located between the Ritz and the Bank of America building and is basically an indoor garden area with windows surrounding about 75% of the room. From there we moved our party to the grand ballroom where the mood transformed from a natural outdoor type setting to a classy-chic formal setting. I decided I wanted lots of red and at our reception that’s what I got! We covered the entire ballroom with red draping and it truly made an impact and set the perfect mood for our reception.

For more of this smokin’ hot couple, take a look at their Engagement Shoot, Kristin’s blog of their Wedding, and their feature on Weddings And The City!

Photography: Kristin Vining / Wedding Planning & Design: Weddings And The City / Ceremony: The Urban Garden at The Ritz Carlton / Reception: Grand Ballroom at The Ritz Carlton / Cake: The Ritz Carlton / Flowers: A Place For Flowers / Gown: Lazaro from  J Majors / Shoes: Christian Louboutin from– Saks 5th Ave / Bridesmaid’s dresses: Alvina Valenta from J Majors / Tuxedos: Elevee / Rings designed by Sean May and Mike Ealy from Skatell’s / Hair & Make-up: tylist for portrait: Who’s the Fairest, Kymm McLean / Invitations: Three Little Birds / Music: Split Second Sound / Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, Cloth Connection and Extravaganza / Favors: Chocolate Menus by Totally Chocolate  Wedding / Photobooth by Carolina Photo Booths

With over 300 guests in attendance, Krystin and Joe were married at St. Peter’s Catholic Church this past fall in Charlotte, North Carolina. Little Black Book photographer, Richard Israel was there to capture all the special moments and glorious details …

See more of this beautiful wedding on Richard’s blog and in our SMP galleries: here and here!

Congratulations to Krystin & Joe and a huge thank-you to the always-awesome Richard Israel!

Joe & Krystin ~ October 2, 2010
Church: St. Peter’s Catholic Church
Reception: The Westin

Our Vision – The vision for our wedding was romantic elegance. We wanted our guests to feel wowed when they attended the wedding and we tried to incorporate deep warm colors while keeping with an elegant feel. Our primary color palette was: Eggplant, Pewter, and Cream. From there we incorporated other complimentary colors which included dark berry colors, dusty rose, medium purples, light pinks and natural greenery.

Our Flowers – The Church flowers were mostly white with hints of eggplant and incorporated moss elements. Each of my maids bouquets were slightly different and incorporated natural plants and flowers. The bridal bouquet was 75% white and 25% dusty rose and light pinks. My great-great-grandmother’s cameo (from 1890) was pinned to the front of my bouquet for my ‘something old’. My ‘something blue’ – was the accent color from my grandmother’s handkerchief which my mother used and embroidered my parent’s wedding date, Joe’s parent’s wedding date and our wedding date – and I carried with me down the aisle. My ‘something borrowed’ was the earrings I wore during the ceremony which belonged to my matron of honor (and best friend of 11 years).

The flowers used for the reception were 80% white (so that they would stand out from the back drop of deep purple up-lights used around the reception room) and 20% eggplant and other purples. Each table at the reception had a different center piece – everything changed from the glass containers used to house the flowers, the height of the center pieces, the type of flowers displayed, even the height of the candle displays were all different from table to table. We wanted each of our 30 tables to feel unique yet still flow with the room and vibe of our wedding. Guests had fun going from table to table looking all the different arrangements! We also wanted the room to take on a romantic feel so we used 9 votive candles at each table along with floating and standing candle displays – incorporate in each floral display.

Our cake was 5 tiers and each tier was a different flavor and filling combination. The cake flowers were designed to match the flowers from the bouquets and the custom stenciling was taken from our invitations. Also on our cake table we wanted to honor our parents (they have both been married for 38 years) so on each side of the cake was a picture from their wedding day displayed in silver frames with little signs in front that I made.

Our Invitations were designed for us. We loved scroll work and elegant designs so our designer incorporated that into our invitations. They were all done on cotton paper and were letter pressed in an eggplant color. The invitation set included: invitation, reception card, response card for the wedding, response card for the rehearsal dinner and breakfast the day following the wedding. We wanted to thank our out of town guests for traveling so far so we invited all to our rehearsal dinner and our breakfast.

Welcome Bags:
60% of our guests were out of town guests (Joe and I are both from small towns in upstate NY but have lived in Charlotte for 15 years) so we created a “Wedding Guest Survival Kit” that all guests received when they checked in (see pictures submitted for kit). Included with the kit was:
Survival pack with directions and information for the weekend, Hospital-ity’ enclosure card to let guests know the hours of the Hospitality Suite, Hydration card tied to a water bottle, Food and supplement card; tied to various treats and snacks inside the bag (to remind guests to ‘keep their strength up’ throughout the weekend), Door hanger: “Do Not Disturb – I danced all weekend at Joe and Krystin’s wedding” – guest all hung them on their doors the night of the reception, Mini first aid pouch, Welcome card. *My husband and I designed all the pieces and assembled all 110 kits.

Attire:
My dress was by Pronovias and had a 4 foot train of all lace which bustled into the most amazing bustle! It included 50 ties in order to bustle it completely and consisted of 2 French bustles. It took my wonderfully patient bridesmaids 45 minutes to complete – but they did a wonderful job! Each of my maids’ dresses were all different floor length dress by Jim Hjelm in his eggplant color. I chose 10 dresses for my 8 girls to choose from and select the dress they felt most beautiful in! The men’s tuxedos were from Men’s Warehouse and all the groomsmen were in a black vest and euro tie with eggplant boutonnière and the Joe’s tux was a white vest and euro tie with a white boutonnière.

Beauty:
To make travel easier for my wedding party I had an on-location hair and makeup team come to the Westin and set up in a suite so everyone could come and go as they please and not have to rush around from hotel to house to salon. We ordered breakfast and lunch and drank mimosas and had a great time relaxing and getting ready! My bridesmaids cleverly created a white “Mrs. Ryan” jumpsuit for me to wear while I got ready! Hair Change: Between the Church and the reception I changed my hair from up to half-up, and also had my makeup updated to a more nighttime look and I changed my earrings to chandelier earrings for a more dramatic look.

Some of the other details and special touches, I designed and created myself: Cake table signs,”Eat drink and be married signs” on all the bars; “Love is in the Air” drink stirrers; Bridal lunch and day of beauty invitation (Love is in the Air with birds on it – this was a theme I used for the brides maid lunch and our rehearsal dinner); “Please take a seat” sign – was set among all our seating cards (seating cards were designed with our invitations); “A moment on my ‘sole’ forever in my heart, walk with me down the aisle” – all my maids and the moms signed the bottom of my wedding shoes in a blue ink; I also adorned my shoe heels with blue rhinestone shoe rings; Wedding programs – Joe and I heat embossed 300 programs and cut the envelopes (also embossed) for the programs to go inside of; My veil – my mother made for me; Reserved seating signs – I made one for my parents, my husband’s parents and my grandmother – all seating was assigned, but it was just a little something special for them to ensure they had prime dance floor seats; Birdecage for cards – I adorned the cage with small white birds and embossed a “cards” sign for the front along with a ribbon, I also found a small picture frame with white birds on it and placed an E.E. Cummings poem inside the frame – “I carry your heart”

Additional Details (from Etsty): The wedding gift I gave Joe – The card read “What did one penny say to the other? Together we make ‘sense’” – I gave him penny cufflinks, one from the year I was born and one from the year he was born; Picture props – “Just Married” parasol; “Mr. & Mrs.” Wedding signs, Monogrammed clutch, Bridal Suite sign, “Please leave a memory for the Bride and Groom” sign, Hair comb

Photography: Richard Israel Photography | Cake: Cake Lady Jill, Jill DelMastro | Flowers: Flowers from the Cellar, Pam Bailey | Beauty: Jeannie Fry Artistry Group, Jeannie Fry | Videographer: Studio 74 Productions | Attire (women): New York Bride and Groom |Attire (men): Men’s Warehouse | Limo: Silverfox Limo

I think we just might have saved the best for last and in a full day of wedding gorgeousness…that says a lot! We’ve been obsessed with this insanely beautiful wedding that photographer Kristin Vining (who we heart big time) sent our way since the moment we opened the very first image. It’s kind of like a fairytale wedding taken up a notch, with CRAZY chic styling and a modern but timeless approach to design. A combination that just happens to really get the wedding giddiness going for me.  We’ve included lots of pics with this one but if you simply can’t wait for more, click right here.

click here to see the full, absolutely beautiful wedding gallery!

We got engaged in December a few days before Christmas. Neal was very romantic and pulled off a surprise romantic mid week dinner at the McNinch house (a very romantic restaurant in Charlotte) at the chef’s table no less. He told me we were going to a holiday party for his work – but no, it was a ring, roses and a romantic evening for two! We savored it together and let family and friends in on the big news the next day.

Planning the wedding was a whirlwind! One of the highlights was dress shopping at Kleinfeld’s in New York with my mom and 2 sister’s! I really enjoyed the creative process of wedding design with my wedding planner (Dina Berg Blazek), mom, and Todd Crawford (the florist) after deciding on the venue – the new Ritz in Uptown Charlotte, the perfect combination of modern classic! I wanted it very modern, organic and classic with a theme of white in the reception, but at the last minute decided on a raspberry/pink theme for the cocktail hour for a punch of color and absolutely loved it!!

Ceremony: Christ Lutheran Church / Reception Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel / Cake: Cake Lady Jill / Flowers: Crawford & Company Fine Flowers / Gown: Carolina Herrera / Shoes: Manola Blahnik / Bridesmaids’ dresses: Melissa Sweet / Invitations: Salutations / Invitation Calligraphy from Yellow House / Hairstylist for wedding: Jami Svay / Placecard Calligraphy: Bonnie Clark / Music + Entertainment: Audio to Go, Drew Parham and Noel Friedline Quartet / Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Rental providers (tents, linens, tables, chairs, etc.): Party Tables (linen), Party Reflections (dancefloor, chairs, tables), American Furniture Rental (soft furniture), Wink Lighting and Swank AV (lighting) / Specialty Gifts: Welcome Amenities for out of town guests by DBB Events / Wedding Planner: Dina Berg Blazek Events / Ice Sculpture: Ice Work, Ice Sensations / Film: Dreamlight Films /

If you have a sweet tooth, we have some seriously irresistible wedding goodness coming your way. Two words. Hula hoops. Need I say more?? The couple was engaged at an amusement park, so it’s no surprise that their nuptials were a summertime, fun-fest. Photographed by the lovely Kristin Vining and planned by the talented ladies at Weddings and the City, it’s a little bit bubble-gum, a little bit southern charm, and a whole lot of sugar coated cuteness. Filled to the brim with playful details, candy-colored flowers, and tasty treats, we’re totally smitten with this 50’s inspired North Carolina affair. You can see the rest of this adorable Charlotte wedding right here in our galleries.

You can see even more eye candy right here!

From the bride…

The most unique aspect of our wedding was the casual, yet classy, attire, the little DIY projects, and the minor, yet oh-so-important, details. Working with Kristin Vining Photography and Weddings and the City has been an experience beyond my wildest imagination. I consider myself lucky to have been able to work with such a fabulous, fun – yet professional, group of ladies!! In my opinion, when a special event such as a wedding is involved, it is important that the bride and groom feel comfortable with whoever they are working with. Joe and I are so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with KVP and WATC, and to be able to have formed good friendships along the way!

Vendor Credits: Photography: Kristin Vining Photography / Event Planning: Weddings and the City (Tiffany Ratliff, Lindsey Wallace Van Wingerden and Brittany Tollison) / Music: Split Second Sound / Bride’s Gown: Vineyard Collection, Hayden Olivia Bridal / Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal / Groom & Groomsmen: Old Navy / Venue: Van Landingham Estate / Makeup & Hair: Lindsey Regan Thorne / Cake: Cake Lady Jill / Flowers: The Place for Flowers / Clergy:  Dr. Patrick Maloy / Shoes: Ceremony, Grace, Reception, Nine West / Engagement Ring: Kay Jewelers / Invitations & Stationery: Three Little Birds Stationery / Party Rentals: Party Reflections / Gifts & Favors: Candy Bar / Transportation: CLT Express

There is something about a Southern Wedding that just exudes romance and charm and this next wedding is certainly no exception. Charlotte, North Carolina played host to the festivities while Sharon Clark of Smitten Photography knocked it out of the park with her photo capturing skills. Everything about this day is so soft and pretty and gorgeous and breathtaking…we really could go on and on but we know you want to get to the pictures already so I’ll stop typing and you start gazing. And don’t forget to do a little more gazing in the gallery where there are a bevy of fab photos from the day.

See all the beautiful images in one pretty place!

From the Bride:

We really wanted an intimate, relaxed, quaint wedding with under 100 guests. Old vintage charm was an inspiration our wedding and I wanted to use Anthropologie inspired touches throughout the wedding. Family is important to Tim and I and a few months before our wedding, his grandmother passed away unexpectedly. We wanted to incorporate our grandparents who couldn’t be there in person into our special day. I took my grandmother’s wedding dress and had it transformed into an overlay for a “Memories table” and part of it was made into the ring bearer pillow that my nephew carried down the aisle. The buttons from the sleeve of her dress adorned the front of the pillow, and they even managed to keep the Saks Fifth Avenue tag from her dress on the back of the pillow. The train of her dress was turned into the table cloth and we put framed pictures of our grandparents on their wedding day for guests to see when they entered the reception. My florist used the lace from my grandmothers dress to skirt my bouquet and I adorned it with a rosary from my other grandmother.

Some DIY projects: Instead of a guest book to sign, we had a “well wish tree”. We found prints we liked and cut them into tags and attached string to them. We left markers next to them and our guests wrote encouraging messages and hung them on the tree.

Tim and I met working at an advertising agency where he did web design and I was in PR. In order to cut costs on our invitations, Tim bartered with a friend who was a graphic designer to create our Save the Dates and Invitations

We picked a venue that had decor and personality in order to save on flowers. In the year leading up to the wedding I purchased seasonal items when they were on sale. I purchased the lanterns for the outdoor tables and twinkle lights from Lowe’s Home Improvement. I also sourced all of the hydrangeas from a local grower in Huntersville and provided them to my florist to save money.

Photography: Sharon Clark of Smitten Photography / Flowers: Cindy Davenport of La Reve La Fete / Ceremony Location: Historic St. Mary’s Chapel / Reception Location: Morehead Inn / Invitations: Jon Cain designed, printed at Crane Heritage / Shoes: Ann Taylor / Dress: Paloma Blanca