Style Me Pretty: Wedding Blog for the Style-Obsessed Bride

Nothing Says Greek Wedding More, Then A Donkey Escorting The Bride to The Ceremony!

It is rare that we see a no-frills wedding. It is even rarer that we see a wedding with no reception, no wedding party, and no cake! Today’s wedding was simply an exchange of vows followed by a sit-down dinner with the couples closest friends and family. When Les Anagnou Photography was contacted by the couple, they were ecstatic to capture this intimate celebration at the end of their very busy wedding season. The bride was escorted to the ceremony by donkey led by her groom, which fit the Greek vibe completely. After ‘I Do’s,’ the celebration continued at Omilos where an all-white decorated dinner awaited, planned by White Events Wedding. Take a look below and see why sometimes, simple and understated can be absolutely breathtaking.

From the Bride…The wedding was very simple. No first look, no wedding party, no reception, no cake, I didn’t even have chairs or music for the ceremony. It was just vows at a villa followed by a sit-down dinner. Then we went to a local bar to celebrate. I am overwhelmed by a lot of fuss. I like simple intimate things. I think people will be surprised with how little actually went into this, but I think everyone will enjoy. It was more about a trip with friends than a party for us.

From Les Anagnou Photography…When we first read Laila and Jack’s inquiry in our inbox we were pleasantly surprised and a little intrigued to meet them and work on their wedding. Their request was as simple and as refined as their wedding celebrations.

They wanted their day to be more of a trip with their closest friends and family and less of a big party. Yet, somehow, the love they put into the details was everything. The donkey that Jack led Laila to the ceremony site, the dinner by the water all made such a huge difference for their guests. Laila was glowing in her ultra-chic white gown while her heartfelt smile finished off her look very effortlessly. Most of the couples immediate family and close friends took part in the wedding ceremony each reading a different passage or blessing that brought everyone to tears.

Minutes after becoming Mr, and Mrs, Jack and Laila headed off with lots of cheer and confetti to their wedding dinner. A restaurant by the sea where all that you could hear where the waves crashing on the shore and the vivid laughter among the guests. Documenting their love and being part of such laid back and warm ambiance was the highlight of our wedding packed summer.

You’re Going to Want to Steal This Touching and Adorable Escort Card Idea!

Take one look at the towering trees, green grass and lush gardens surrounding this gorgeous venue and you’d never guess it’s located in the heart of Brooklyn, NY. The bride’s regal cape, their creative lantern escort cards and the jaw-droppingly beautiful reception are just a few of our favorite things about this wedding day planned to perfection by Details by Gina. Get your pinning fingers ready and head to the full gallery captured by Merari Teruel Photography for s major dose of inspo.

From Merari Teruel Photography… Lindsay and Jay had a very specific vision for their wedding day: beautiful, classic and natural. They chose to host their big day at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and opted for a fresh, greenery-filled vibe to compliment the venue.

Despite having an outdoor garden wedding, Lindsay and Jay still wanted to keep the event sophisticated. Lindsay’s gorgeous Pronovias gown and cape helped them do just that! They also brought in a swing band that played classic crooner and swing music throughout cocktail hour and the reception.

Designs by Ahn helped them keep the event fresh and elegant into the reception at the Palm House by infusing clean and crisp white linens and chairs with complimentary white, ivory and green centerpieces of varying heights and shapes.

Their escort card was placed in the middle of the dance floor and each guest had a designated lantern that guided them into their table, named after a particular city that was close to Jay and Lindsay’s hearts.

With just their siblings as their wedding party, they exchanged vows in front of a gorgeous tree and then spent the night dancing the night away with their loved ones. Exactly what they had wanted all along!

Re-Read This Bride’s Wedding Advice Over and Over Again Whenever You’re Feeling Stressed

Ethereal, /əˈTHirēəl/ – “extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.” In other words, this wedding. Prepare to fall in love with this ethereal affair at Meadowood Napa Valley dripping in classic green and white blooms from Revel Floral, with planning by LVL Weddings and Events. The love between this adorable bride and groom is jumping out of every photo captured by The Edges Wedding Photography – the only thing cuter is their “how they met” story (it’s a total must read). See all the pretty at the full gallery!

From the Bride… Alex and I met many moons ago back when we were in college, which feels like a lifetime ago. As fate would have it, I was late for class as usual, and the only seat available was next to him. While passing papers along, he managed to strike up a conversation with me. We talked throughout the whole class. Needless to say, we didn’t learn much that day.

He told me to put my number in his phone and I was happy to oblige. I remember thinking to myself on the way home while gripping the handle in a crowded train car, “I met someone today.” It felt like a moment out of a movie. My advice to other couples, enjoy the process! It’s such a great opportunity to collaborate with your family, future in-laws, and friends on an event that will be so meaningful in your life. My family was happy to participate in whatever way they could, large or small, and they were happy to see their contributions incorporated into our big day. Most of our friends were married already so they gladly offered up their advice. I like to think I benefitted from all of their experiences.

Ultimately, your wedding day is about you and your future spouse so stay true to what’s important to the both of you. Another piece of advice that gave me comfort was knowing that most weddings don’t usually go according to plan but your guests will never know the difference so not to stress too much about it.

From Courtney of LVL Weddings and Events… Hong had a clear vision of what she wanted her wedding to look and feel like from the beginning. It was just a matter of finding the best vendors to execute her vision! After securing The Edges Wed and LoveSpun to capture the day, it wasn’t hard to make her ethereal wedding dreams come true. With Meadowood as the backdrop, Revel Floral created a magical ceremony space which continued into dinner. And with amazing food and wine the guests toasted and danced into the night.

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Statement Sleeves Are Officially Trending — And They’re *Perfect* For Fall Weddings

Statement sleeves are the latest thing taking over our feeds and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Fall brides will love the seasonally appropriate fashion that also looks extra flattering! Whether you’re going with a full-on billowy look (the bigger, the better!) or you’re a gal who loves a really tasteful lace motif, it’s easy to pull off the style in a way that speaks to your bridal taste. Scroll on to see our favorite renditions of it below.

Dress by Marchesa

Any bride will look positively regal in this full frock with an off-the-shoulder top. Floral appliques and a sheer overlay make for one dramatic ensemble fit for a queen on her wedding day.

Dress by Alexandra Grecco | Photography by Jessa Chifilliti

This dress meets somewhere in the middle of modern and boho. And, TBH, we’re digging the vibe (especially with the flare sleeve accent — how fun is that?!).

Dress by Cathy Telle | Photography by Anya Kernes

We’re positively rosy over this pick. The subtle color and textured floral pattern make this style look like a true work of art.

Dress by Ines Di Santo | Photography by The Great Romance

Tasteful, timeless and elegant are three words that come to mind with this dress. From a sweet garden wedding to a classic indoor ceremony, there’s no event this style *wouldn’t* wow-the-crowd at.

Dress by Maggie Sotterro

We can picture this one already gliding around a rustic-chic ceremony, turning heads with views of both the front *and* the back. Bonus: Rumor has it it’s super comfy too!

Dress by Naeem Khan | Photography by Oliver Fly

You’re probably already v. familiar with the floral applique trend. So why not introduce it to your autumn ceremony with this lovely option?

Dress via Sebastien Luke | Photography by C&C

We’re going to go ahead and say this is one of the coolest versions of statement sleeves we’ve seen. With the trendy off-the-shoulder look, lace detailing, and unique sinching, it checks all of the boxes for a #dream dress!

Photography by Alisa Ferris

This gown is a vision. [Insert all the heart-eye emojis for it!]

Dress by Galia Lahav | Photography by Mallory Dawn

Blush coloring and billowing sleeves and a prince waiting? This dress is everything you need for a fairytale wedding.

Dress by Tadashi Shoji | Photography by Grace & Ardor Co

Speaking of fairytales, here’s one more that has us floating on the clouds. And all hail that matching flower crown!

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Mallory Dawn Photography

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C & C Photography

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Oh-So-Ojai! This Wedding Gets Organic So Right, With A White Tent, Woven Lanterns, and a Wishing Tree.

Ojai—with its bohemian spirit and otherworldly beauty—has a magic all its own. And today’s wedding, set at Ojai Valley Inn and masterfully planned by Alexandra Kolendrianos, fully captures the essence of Ojai. The flowers by Mindy Rice looked so natural, they could have been foraged on the oak- and-olive filled property, and the palette perfectly captures the Spanish Revival architecture—white, green, and just a tinge of terracotta. Add a ceremony under the ancient Wishing Tree, a tented reception, and an unbelievable canopy of woven lanterns, and you have a wedding that feels earthy, organic, and oh-so-Ojai. Be sure to take in all the dreamy photos by Lacie Hansen for that extra dose of Ojai inspo!

From the photographer, Lacie Hansen… Classic white florals and soft green foliage provided the main colors for the event. Everything felt crisp and clean. Along with these sophisticated neutrals, touches of coral and terracotta were introduced later in the reception elements, giving the palette a subtle Mediterranean feeling.

Nature-driven florals by Mindy Rice captured the beauty of Ojai. With its fragrant assortment of herbs– mint, oregano, thyme, and olive– the bridal bouquet felt like it belonged in this setting, which is rich in olive trees and culinary gardens.

The ceremony took place under an ancient oak tree– lovingly called The Wishing Tree– at Ojai Valley Inn. This beautiful oak truly anchored the ceremony design, and every detail gestured to it. Guest seating wrapped around to embrace the tree, creating a feeling of intimacy and connection. The aisle was transformed into a rambling, meadow-like pathway of white flora and foliage, so natural it looks like the flowers could have grown there.

The reception took place under a beautifully constructed Zephyr Tent. A wood plank floor was brought in which elevated the guests and looked striking against the green grass. The tent was transformed into an Ojai masterpiece, with natural fibers, an assortment of candles, and beautifully undone flora.

The perimeter of the tent was draped in gently gathered fabric, which softened the space. We worked with a mixture of raw wood tables and round tables draped with linens from La Tavola, and made sure to keep each table and detail feeling ultra-organic.

Terracotta ranunculus, which ran freely through the white and green centerpieces, added the perfect touch of color. Found Rentals elevated the entire space with their curated white vintage lounge vignettes, and a white semigloss dance floor beckoned to guests all night long. Meanwhile, gold-rimmed charger plates and brushed flatware by Casa de Perrin added an elegant complement. But the ‘moment’ of the reception had to be the canopy of woven lanterns. The lantern canopy provided such ‘wow factor’ and felt classically Ojai.

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Elysium Productions

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A Perfectly Crafted Office + Playroom Combo

Not many people have space for both a dedicated office and a dedicated playroom and yet achieving the perfect balance of two difference needs can be so hard! Right!? Because how do you achieve #girlboss status when there are toys all over the place!? Well, lucky for us, the fabulous Beth Aschenbach, co-founder of Palm Beach Lately, has it down to a science and has successfully designed one of the chicest, most well organized, entirely beautiful office playroom combos we have ever seen. We dare you not to fall in love with all of the perfect details!

From Lifestyle Blogger, Beth, at Palm Beach Lately... With the baby coming soon, my husband and I decided to switch a few rooms around to best accommodate our growing family. We decided to turn the office into a playroom/office.

Our original design was for his office needs, so I enlisted the help of Korinne from Urban Simplicity to help me best utilize the cabinet space to organize the toys, books, games, etc. The original office had grey shelving and cabinets, so I first had it painted all white and switched the silver to brass hardware.

Korinne started Urban Simplicity in 2010 after working for a decade in politics and splits her time between Palm Beach and New York. She combines a passion for problem solving with a sense of humor, cheerful nature and Southern charm. She organized what was in the old playroom and helped me pare down to only what we wanted to keep. We simplified it to keep what Grace currently plays with and saved some toys for the baby and donated the rest of the old toys and stuffed animals to charity.

I had a lot of keepsakes that I wanted to organize from baby shower and baptism to school and cards we keep. She selected some adorable blush boxes in different sizes to accommodate what we planned to store. I also enlisted the help of my friends from Luxe Report Designs to style the shelves with a mix of blush pink ginger jars, shells and rattan accessories.

My desk is my new favorite place in the house! I love how Luxe Report Designs incorporated the rattan desk accessories and chair from HIVE. They used the new beehive lanterns Lindroth Design as well as our favorite rattan hurricane vases and raffia baskets with shells mixed in blush pink file folders, stationery and more. I have wanted this lamp by Celerie Kemble / Kemble Interiors at The Kemble Shop for a while and this was the perfect spot to put it!

I came across 527 Photo on Etsy and she has so many beautiful tropical prints from Miami, Hawaii and other destinations. This one jumped out at me and I knew I had to include this relaxing palm and umbrella print it in this room. Framebridge did a beautiful job framing the art and the quality and turnaround time was excellent. The girls flanked the art with assorted blush pink ginger jars from Lauren Haskell Designs and white canvas palms from Matilda’s.

The Container Store recently introduced a wide variety of kids’ storage for playrooms, closets and everything in between. Here is a list of the products we used from The Container Store:

Assorted sizes of the Linus clear drawer organizers
Multi-purpose transparent bins
Blush Pink Bigso Stockholm Letter Boxes
Blush Pink Bigso Stockholm Paper Drawers
Blush Pink Bigso Stockholm Photo Storage Box
Natural Seagrass Belly Baskets
Pink Cotton Rope Laundry Hamper
Blush & Ivory Rugby Stripe Storage Cubes
Linus Deep Drawer Bins in Clear
Gold Bin Clip Label Holders

Three Words: Pink, Luxe & Tropical! This Is Wedding Inspiration like You’ve Never Seen Before!

Well isn’t this a sight for sore eyes… we’re completely blown away by the sheer creativity behind this tropical luxe fête designed and planned by So Happi Together and captured by Sally Pinera. If you’re feeling uninspired lately, allow this to get your creative juices flowing again because there is genius here at every turn. From the hot pink velvet chairs to the most unique bouquet we have ever seen from Of The Flowers to the out-of-the-box stationery suite from Carta Plena – we are seriously overwhelmed by the details of this shoot. It’s all just too good. See for yourself at the full gallery!

From Sally Pinera… When you think of tropical, modern or luxe doesn’t really come up to mind. Designer and Event Planner So Happi Together, florist Of the Flowers, and photographer Sally Pinera came together to create just that – a relaxed serene tropical yet modern luxe affair!

Combining pinks, lilacs, and emerald greens, this inspirational shoot was set against the newly renovated boutique Sands Hotel and Spa. Ever so fashion forward, a tropical luxe bride would wear three different outfits: For her welcome party – a strapless 2 piece jumpsuit with green statement earrings with glossy pink lids created by Chiali Meng Artistry; for her wedding – a coveted gorgeous puff sleeve Alon Livne gown and mix-matched earrings in a fresh ballerina bun; and lastly a vintage Gossamer pleated yet puff sleeve pink one-of-a-kind with sleek wet hair look to party into the hot night!

So Happi Together brought many intricate details to create this full luxe story – a Cult Gaia welcome bag with refreshments and tropical goodies for guests to enjoy, lime and peach mojito welcome drinks, embellished and embossed luxe cookie treats just to name a few.

The tablescape was inspired by the colors of this shoot – sunset pink and tropical emerald greens for a refreshing look! Amber Event Production lanterns were adorned with petite pink flowers and the table was designed to be a feast for the guests eyes!

Marble chargers, gold rimmed clear plates and bone flatware by Casa De Perrin took center stage as Of the Flowers created a masterful centerpiece. Weather your in the Bahamas or Maldives or even Palm Springs celebrating your tropical luxe wedding – luxe and tropic go hand in hand!

Inbar Freiman’s Flattering Boho-Romantic Collection Will Have You Feeling As Lovely As You Look

Leading Israeli bridal designer, Inbar Freiman, knows how to make a bride look good and feel good on her Big Day. Her dresses, which are a refreshing combination of romantic and boho styles, are not only gorgeous, but they’re easy to wear. Plus, with uncompromising quality and form-flattering silhouettes, you’re bound to look like a princess wearing them too. If that all sounds like a bridal #dream to you, scroll on for the preview then head over to shop the designers latest release, the 2020 Wild Feather Collection, as soon as possible.

If you happen to be in the Denver area, Inbar Freiman’s dresses will be available for you to try on at The Little White Dress starting in November 2019, with a trunk show in January! Schedule your appointment here and try on your future dress today!

Ladies, thanks to Inbar Freiman, you can have your cake and eat it too. Each of her styles maintains couture standards, with meticulous quality, without sacrificing comfort (we’re all for it). Shop her collection of elegant and feminine boho-chic and romantic gowns and you’ll see it first-hand.

Of course, there’s always beauty in the details. And this bridal showcase has them all. Each of the dresses are hand-crafted with the select fabrics (think french lace, natural silk, and chiffon) and embellished with unique beading, fabrics, textures, and sheer accents to look extra elegant and wow-worthy from the moment you put them on.

Ready to fall in love with thee gown? Check out all the jaw-dropping dresses in Inbar Freiman’s newest 2020 Wild Feather Collection by heading over to the designer’s site, or scrolling through the gallery below. Get ready to swoon!

Southern Charm Meets Romantic Glam with This Unforgettable Fête

A little Southern charm mixed with a little romantic glam makes for a drop-dead gorgeous wedding day! We’re talking about the most stunning draping by The Social Spool and endless delightful details from elegant cocktail hour furniture to beautiful blooms by Stephanie Gibbs Events. Not a detail was left undone of this Lowndes Grove Plantation soiree and it was perfectly planned by A Charleston Bride, who brought the brides neutral color palette to life with just the right touches of mauve and gold! Take a look below and see the work of Aaron and Jillian Photography and how they captured these moments to last for a lifetime!

From A Charleston Bride…Alle and Bobby tied the knot among friends and family at the beautiful Lowndes Grove Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, which is covered in giant oak trees and Southern charm.

Their reception was glamour meets romantic, southern sophistication. During the design process, Alle wanted to focus on a neutral palette of champagne and gold with pops of mauve. We brought in the subtle color pop in BBJ patterned linens and stunning florals adorning each dining table.

The ladies behind Social Spool, who specialize in event draping and installation, elegantly draped the tent in mink fabric to soften the look of the reception space, which was absolutely stunning and completely transformed the space.

One of our favorite moments of the day was Alle’s first look with her dad, there was not a dry eye in the house! It was so special and such a heartfelt moment to witness on such a memorable day for all.

Hopefully you’re planning ahead for your honeymoon and scoping out potential options long before your actual departure date. If you’re like me, you’ll spend hours looking at travel sites just wondering which location would make for your own perfect honeymoon. To get you inspired, here are the most popular honeymoon destinations of 2019.

Bora Bora

I might be biased because it’s where I honeymooned this year, though Bora Bora consistently tops the charts of the most popular honeymoon spots. Couples love the privacy and allure of the overwater bungalows as well as the insanely blue waters. Although it’s not a location for couples that want tons and tons of activities to do, it’s perfect for couples that want to relax on the beach and do a couple of the few water or hiking-based activities offered in the area.

New Zealand

Whether couples go for the Hobbit set, hiking through beautiful mountains, or thrill seeking adventures, they’re flocking to New Zealand. It has become quite the popular honeymoon destination, especially among adventurous and outdoorsy couples. Choose whether you want to visit the North Island or the South Island unless you’ve got a few weeks to tour both.

St. Lucia

For couples that are drawn to the Caribbean, St. Lucia has been an incredibly popular honeymoon location for as long as I can remember. I swear that every wedding where I was a flower girl in my youth was for a couple honeymooning in St. Lucia. Expect to find pristine beaches and lush mountains in this tropical paradise.

Grecian Islands

Santorini is probably the first island that comes to mind when you think of Greece. It’s white and blue architecture draw tons of tourists to the island – so much so that it might actually be too crowded to enjoy your honeymoon. Instead, I recommend staying on another island, such as Corfu, and perhaps taking a day trip to Santorini so you don’t feel like you missed out.

Iceland

Not all honeymooners are seeking a tropical experience for their post-wedding vacay. Iceland inarguably has become more and more popular over the years and honeymooners are taking note. If the sound of skiing, dipping in hot springs, and seeing the Northern Lights all in one trip appeals to you, Iceland is your go-to honeymoon spot.

Thailand

Beaches and jungles are just two of the gorgeous finds in Thailand, although the urban Bangkok happens to be one of the world’s top vacation destinations. Whether you want a peaceful honeymoon surrounded by nature or a bustling one in any of Thailand’s largest cities, there’s plenty to choose from here.

Amalfi Coast

For honeymooners who love Italian culture and also the allure of sporting a bikini on their trip, the Amalfi Coast is perfect. One of the reasons this Italian paradise is such a popular honeymoon destination are the colorful villages found on the area’s steep cliffs. With picturesque backdrops like that, it’s easy to see why the Amalfi Coast has become a hit with newlyweds.

Hawaii

A classic vacation destination, Hawaii boasts insanely gorgeous beaches, lush mountain hikes, beautiful plant life, and some of the best surfing opportunities in the world. Because it offers so many activities and attractions, couples with all kinds of preferences and interests flock to Hawaii for their honeymoon. Maui and Kauai are especially popular newlywed locales, so be sure to check those out if Hawaii sounds dreamy to you.

Cavin Elizabeth is a wedding film photographer based in San Diego, California. Her wedding work has taken her all over the United States and abroad. In addition to being a photographer, Cavin is an educator and an avid blogger of wedding planning tips for brides and grooms. She authored the book A Bride’s Guide to a Picture Perfect Wedding, which teaches couples how to make wedding plans that are best for photography.

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Rebecca Yale Photography

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These Gowns Will Make Puff Sleeves Your Latest Obsession – the Bigger, the Better!

The team at WOW Wedding along with beautiful captures by Anya Kernes Photography have taken us to a world of color, Italian romance and the most amazing, statement-making puff sleeves we’ve ever seen. Grab your passport and transport yourself to destination wedding heaven in Lake Como right here at the full gallery!

From Anya Kernes Photography… Our vision was to create something deliciously colorful while keeping a minimal decor aesthetic. We wanted to take the most out of the color of the year, coral, and play with fun little pops of blue to mirror the colors of Lake Como and the beautiful venue, Villa Cipressi.

Villa Cipressi, a gorgeous historical residence, is located on the east side of the lake and is a mix of contemporary architecture and ancient gardens. Even if you are not staying here, a visit to enjoy the botanical gardens and have a drink on the terrace with an incredible view is an absolute must when visiting Lake Como. With so much history, we drew inspiration from the colors around it but kept the design modern and fresh.

We loved showcasing two gowns from Rara Avis Group that are very different stylistically, but both fit like a glove for a classic and elegant celebration. Beauty by Korn created a stunning bridal look to go along with the dresses which was a mix of old world and modern romantic.

Biba Merlo Calligraphy wowed us with the incredibly gorgeous paper goods that transformed you into another time in space, while SOli created a one of a kind velvet ring box. WOW Wedding put everything together flawlessly to make this beautiful vision come to life.

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WOW Wedding

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Now THIS Is a Palm Springs Wedding Done Oh-So Right.

Desert mountain views, romantic string lights and lots and lots of all things PINK – say hello to the most “palm springs” Palm Springs wedding ever. And it’s safe to say we’re obsessed. The bride wore a breathtaking Liz Martinez gown, her contagious smile lighting up every photo captured perfectly by Sally Pinera. Head on over to the full gallery to see all the colorful details of this day planned by So Happi Together featuring fun, desert-inspired floral arrangements by Heavenly Blooms!

From Sally Pinera… Kristyn and Ryan were married at the gorgeous Pond Estate in Palm Springs. Set against idyllic blue mountains and the lush pink desert venue, it was the perfect backdrop for their festive celebration.

Nancy and Pae from So Happi Together designed the wedding with the landscape in mind – soft peaches, pinks, and tender blues. Wearing Liz Martinez laced gown, Kristyn looked effortless as Chiali created loose waves to embrace the laid back appeal of Palm Springs.

Heavenly Blooms, with the direction of So Happi Together, brought fluffy peaches, pinks, lush greens and a desert touch to the flowers.

Tables were set with Casa De Perrin and lovely neutral linens for a pop of color with string lights for the desert night.

Cocktail hour was by the gorgeous Pond Estate pool and guests took home a personalized key chain created by Aether Workshop.

As guests enjoyed the evening dancing the night away, they also enjoyed a table filled with lovely deserts by M Cakes Sweets making the desert affair a sweet ending.

Consider This Storybook Castle in the Rolling Hills of Tuscany for Your Italian Elopement!

Planning to elope somewhere fabulous and romantic in Europe? We may have just found your dream venue! This stunning castle set in the rolling hills of Tuscany is every bride’s dream – it’s like something out of a fairytale. The talented team at NKT Events designed a styled shoot fit for a princess, perfectly complimenting the picturesque property of Castello di Celsa. Run don’t walk to the full gallery to see two gorgeous dresses, the most effortlessly beautiful stationery suite ever and reception inspiration that’s just as breathtaking as the views – all captured by Jenny Quicksall Photography!

From Jenny Quicksall Photography... It has been a dream of Jenny’s to shoot in the rolling hills of Tuscany, so when an opportunity came to shoot our real couple’s Elopement and Wedding Inspiration shoot, we knew we had to head to one of the most special chapels, the cappella della madonna di vitaleta.

Cappella della madonna di vitaleta sits at the top of a hill with a breathtaking view of the Tuscan countryside, making it stand out and becoming the focal point on this private property. With such picturesque setting, it wasn’t hard to capture the love shared between them as they wandered the property.

After the engagement session we headed to the Castello di Celsa, a family owned property for the past 400 years that is situated in the picturesque countryside of the “Montagnola Senese”. To highlight the venue itself, Nyachia from NKT Events structured the creative direction and design around this 16th century castle and dreamed up an inspiration fit for a queen with a modern & sexy flare.

When thinking of the perfect ceremony dress, Romanian designers Ersa Atelier came to mind with their cap sleeve gown with layers upon layers of tulle. With accessories from Lindsay Marie Design perfectly accenting our design, hair & make up artist Trine Juel created the perfect updo. The ceremony setup created by master florist Dario Benvenuti Florals, was strategically placed in the garden to mirror the stone wall structure that elongated the view over the Tuscan Valley spread before the castle. Explore the beautiful Tuscan countryside with Kendall & Mattia and start dreaming of your next destination event.

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Jenny Quicksall Photography

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This Couple Will Inspire You to Stay True to You Throughout the Entire Wedding Planning Process

From the bachelor and bachelorette parties to the age-old wedding traditions – this couple did their wedding, their way. And we can’t say enough how important it is to follow in their footsteps! Don’t ever be afraid to step outside of the typical wedding box and change things up – the more personalized your wedding planning process and big day is… the BETTER. Check out how their gorgeous day turned out at the full gallery captured by Weddings by Scott and Dana, all thanks to A Savvy Event for planning every thoughtful detail and Marion Moss who provided the most beautiful blooms!

From the Bride… We met as juniors in college, introduced by mutual friends at an improv comedy show. On our first date, Jason confessed to me that he would get up around 6am and go to bed around 9pm, which was unusual from a college student’s perspective. However, he happened to be on a date with maybe the only other student on campus who kept the exact same schedule. It was the first of a lifetime’s worth of discoveries about ourselves that we were meant for each other. We’ve been inseparable since. Since I was young my family has been going to Sea Ranch, CA, which is a small, peaceful community along the Northern California coast. It has always been my favorite spot in the world. In particular, there is a bluff that juts out from the walking path and offers the most spectacular sunset views. That bluff has always been my most sacred spot. When Jason and I started dating, I was nervous he would not like Sea Ranch! He loves to be busy and active, and Sea Ranch really entices you to slow down, cozy up with a good book and reflect. But just like he fell for me, he fell for Sea Ranch too. Throughout our relationship, we’ve gone to Sea Ranch and made wonderful memories there as a couple.

When Jason decided to propose, there was no place more meaningful than that bluff at sunset. He took me out to the bluff, got down on one knee as the sun set and said the most beautiful words I will cherish forever. We had been together almost 7 years so while the proposal was not particularly unexpected, we were both struck by how emotional we were. After he proposed, we held each other and laugh/cried tears of pure joy. We wanted our wedding day to feel like us! We wanted it to reflect the things that matter to us and to be a really enjoyable experience for our guests. We intentionally kept our guest list relatively small (100 people), so we could focus on spending time with the people who matter the most to us. We are both foodies, so we knew we wanted food to be a big focus of the event. We also knew we wanted our wedding to reflect the very best Northern California has to offer. I am from Sacramento originally, and we’ve lived in Northern California together since we graduated college. We love Northern California, and we wanted to wedding to be a quintessential Northern California experience. We decided to keep our wedding party small, which worked really well for us! My brother is my best friend, and I knew I needed him to be beside me that day. Jason selected two of his closest childhood friends as his groomsmen. Other than that, we wanted our friends to just enjoy the day, without having to worry about getting up early for hair/make-up or wearing a certain outfit. We also opted not to do a bouquet toss or garter toss. For us, those traditions did not hold much personal meaning.

This is slightly off topic, but we also opted to do a different kind of bachelor/bachelorette experience. My brother and I both love to hike, and we have a particular affinity for the American Southwest. For my bachelorette “party,” I decided I wanted to accomplish something memorable alongside my brother. We spent a long weekend hiking in the Grand Canyon and slot canyons in Arizona/Utah, and it was absolutely perfect for me. Jason and his groomsmen travelled to Havana, Cuba for a long weekend! They drank rum, smoked cigars and reconnected. Definitely not the typical Las Vegas experiences, but I would highly encourage other couples to define the bachelor/bachelorette experience in whatever way works for them! Do something authentically you, and don’t be afraid to mix up tradition. It was important to us to choose a venue that really captured the Northern California spirit. We looked at lots of outdoor venues, but nothing fully resonated until Bear Flag Farm. My paternal grandparents were farmers in the Central Valley, and I’ve always had a strong connection to the farmland of California. Furthermore, we love good food, especially the fresh, plentiful produce we are fortunate to have so readily accessible in Sacramento. Bear Flag Farm offered a personal connection that felt true to who we are. And, of course, Bear Flag Farm is undeniably stunning. From the perfectly manicured citrus garden to the flowing lavender fields, it is effortlessly romantic and elegant. We loved that it highlighted the natural, organic beauty of California, but it has an elevated and sophisticated feel. We also loved that we could use some of the olive oil produced on-site to create our guest favors. Bear Flag Farm is private, which we loved. We loved the idea that our guests were the only ones on the property that day, so we had the place to ourselves to enjoy.

We were able to create three distinct, separate experiences to delight our guests, from the ceremony in the lavender fields to cocktail hour in the citrus grove to a true farm-to-table dinner in the sunken garden. With so much to offer, the property really acted as a canvas we could create on. Finally, Bear Flag Farm is a distinctive experience. There are plenty of fantastic options for venues in California, from hotels to wineries, but we were interested in offering something our guests had not experienced before, and likely wouldn’t again. An organic farm in Winters with lavender fields? Yeah, that fit the bill. And our guests loved the venue! Don’t tell the owners, but a few guests could not resist the gorgeous fruits, and snagged some cherries, grapefruits and apricots from the gardens on their way out. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Tina, the owner of Bear Flag Farm is great to work with. The pride and care she takes in her property is unmatched. It is everything we ever hoped for and more. We wanted to lean into the natural beauty of the surroundings and keep our decor and design elements fairly simple. We went with a rustic elegant farm vibe, and it came together so perfectly! Kelly from A Savvy Event did an exceptional job taking our vision and turning into reality. My paternal grandfather had a Ford 47 truck that he, and his father before him, had used on their farm in central California. My dad and grandfather had the truck fixed up as a project they could share. My grandfather passed away several years ago, and we felt it was only right to have the truck at our wedding, and back on a farm, to pay tribute and remind us of him on that important day. The truck helped create the ceremony space, and it ended up being a fantastic photo opportunity for guests.

Given the heat in Winters in June, we knew we needed to provide some relief from the sun, so per Kelly’s recommendation, we opted to provide simple parasols for our guests. They turned out to be a huge hit! Not only were people grateful for them during the ceremony, but they used them throughout the reception as a photo prop. We also created custom cornhole sets for the cocktail hour, which were so popular! Jason loves to play cornhole, so we though adding the game during our cocktail hour would be a nice nod to one of his favorite games. We wanted to keep our colors within a fairly neutral palette that would align with the gorgeous greenery and natural surroundings. We opted for a navy blue, pale pink, champagne and light grey. Other than the guy’s suits, we did not overemphasize the colors, and instead used them to enhance our design elements. For our guest book, we ended up using a coffee table book that features Sea Ranch, where we got engaged. It was a great way to incorporate a personal touch on a traditional element. My maternal grandmother passed away before I was born, but my mom has a lovely collection of some of her pins. I added one of her pins, in the shape of a butterfly onto my bouquet, which was a lovely tribute to her and my mom.

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Our favorite moment of the day, by far, was a final moment under the chuppah. We had a Jewish wedding, and our rabbi had been a friend, teacher and mentor for several years. Navigating family and personal matters to get to the wedding day was not always easy, and our rabbi was a big part of that journey. At the end of the ceremony, she invited our parents to wrap us in a tallit that my father purchased for us in Israel, and she offered a private blessing while our parents stood around us. In that moment, it felt like we were the only three people in the world, and we both were tearing up. It was overwhelming in the best of ways. When you’re planning a wedding, it’s so easy to get caught up in the details and stress about every little thing. Trust me, I’ve been there. But at the end of the day, what matters is that you get to commit your life to your partner in front of everyone you care about. When we let that sink in, which happened for us under the chuppah, it’s the most remarkable feeling. Another memorable moment happened at dinner. We stood up along the top of the sunken garden and looked down at all our guests talking, laughing and eating. We had hoped that all our guests from the different parts of our lives would enjoy meeting each other, and it turned out better than we had hoped. Watching all our friends and families enjoy an elegant, rustic farm-to-table meal in a sunken garden as the sun was just starting to go down was a dream. The best advice I can offer to brides and grooms in the midst of planning a wedding is this: Remember that it is your day and it should reflect who you are! As everyone says, the day goes by so quickly. Do the best you can to stay in the moment. When your day comes, trust that you’ve done all you need to do, so let go of all the planning and logistics and just enjoy.”

How to Create a Boy + Girl Shared Bedroom!

I have three little kiddos. 2 Girls and a Boy. The two that get along like peas and carrots and that would do really well sharing a room are the boy, 8, and the girl, 5. But I couldn’t ever figure out how to design a space that aesthetically suited both of them, that could capture their individual spirits, that they would both fall in love with. Enter: Erica Bryen Design. And this amazing boy/girl BUNK room. Yep, a bunk room. Meant to house the fun of playtime, the magic of sleepovers and the essence of all three children who share it. In one foul swoop, Erica has taught me how to design a gender neutral space that stands the test of time. Photos by Jessica Bodas.

From Erica Bryen Design…We had so much fun designing this ‘bunk room’ for the three lucky children that live in this gorgeous home – one boy (4), and two girls (6&8). Finding a balance in decor that suited all of the children was important so we stuck with a bright happy theme.

Our goal for the bunk room was to create a playful space for the kids to enjoy that was completely separate from the rest of the house.

The room has bunk beds for friends to sleep over (complete with their own reading lights), a window nook/bench area that serves as a great place to cozy up and chill, and lots of storage (baskets and a dresser to hold toys, clothing, and more!), as well as a TV above the dresser for movie nights.

The cactus wallpaper by Harsey & Harsey really centers the room and makes a bold statement when you walk in – you know it is a youthful, bohemian-inspired space and still on-trend with the rest of the home.

Our goal was for this space to grow with the children into their teen years as a homework/hang-out space, and we know the ‘bunk room’ will get a lot of use the entire time they live in this home!

Get the Look: The bad news? Not everyone can have their own designer to provide design concept, execution and access to showrooms and to the trade only products. The good news? If you view the room as a launching pad, an inspiration board, a color palette guide…you can totally build a room that has the same vibe using products found around the web!

Photographer: Jessica Bodas | Interior Designer: Erica Byren Design

How to Tell Your Story and Confidently Celebrate It Through Your Wedding Elements

There are so many components that make up your wedding day and so many beautiful memories that make up your story, memories that you’d like to represent throughout your wedding in meaningful ways. The thought is so sweet, but putting the pieces all together to properly celebrate your story might seem like a daunting task. Luckily, Clary Pfeiffer Photography and Krissy Campbell are here to walk you through it, with gorgeous imagery and heavenly neutral hues sprinkled along the way. For all the dreamy inspiration – check out the full gallery!

From Krissy Campbell… Have you ever come to a place in your life where you can look back and recognize the small steps that got you to where you are? As a wedding planner and designer, I’ve looked back at my childhood and young adult years to find those little moments of inspiration that culminate to my love for curating timeless and thoughtfully inspired celebrations. I quickly recall the cozy hospitality of my childhood home and the flickering candles of the long dining room table where neighbors, friends, and family often gathered…the hustle and bustle of my grandmother’s preparation as she managed to pull together each detail of an intricate celebration week after week, fueled by the laughter and life of her guests enjoying her home. I think of the spaces we curated and created through my family’s local catering business, pulling together the many details and unique qualities of each client and their guests. As a young girl, I could hardly contain my excitement as I watched a bride walk down the aisle, each in her intricate gown, a reflection of the woman that was and the hope of a new season before her. I loved watching as people of all kinds gathered together for celebration, often finding camaraderie in the shared connection to the newlywed couple. Something flickered in me growing up in spaces that inspired warmth and thoughtfulness with delicate and refined detail in even the most simple of spaces. I had the privilege of living among people that valued making sure others felt intentionally cared for in the spaces we had the opportunity to create. These are the memories, the sparks of inspiration that continue to fuel my creativity and thought behind every celebration, every gently curated space.

The overarching style and experience of this editorial was to draw from adjectives that would describe the inspiration I found in the hospitality of my family, and especially in my mother and grandmother…adjectives like timeless, thoughtful, delicate…refined, yet refreshingly simple. These words led me to elements for the space, like the softly textured walls, natural light, neutral linen tones, and the clean yet cozy accents of the fireplace.

As I dreamt of this shoot, I couldn’t help but draw from the timeless images of my past (and now present!)…images of the brides I watched walk down the aisle, sophisticated and refined, silencing guests with her grace and the sentiment of the moment. I chose to include two different bridal models that remind us of the unique qualities of every bride (and woman’s) story and celebration. Mine is a journey of discovering what it means to display and celebrate the beauty of each client we encounter and connecting all within the beauty of space shared. The stories and spaces we work with have purpose and intention of what is and what is hoped to be.

We want to inspire women, often brides, to find their story and confidently celebrate it through their wedding elements and spaces.

The two women in this shoot show the tender, yet bold aspects of each bride, no matter skin color or hairstyle. Our stylist did a phenomenal job of enhancing their natural physical qualities while adding striking and sophisticated elements in the different shots of their hair, eye makeup, and lip color. We absolutely loved adding soft and feminine accents to each one through the hair florals, the flowing silk hair ribbon and wrapped Claire Pettibone veil around the shoulders. I intentionally chose handmade jewelry for a personal and romantic touch as well, adding to the subtle intricacies of each gown. Clary did an exceptional job of capturing the experience of each woman on film as she reflects, laughs, and embraces the depth of who she is. She flows within the space that reflects her just as much as the florals or tablescape details do.

When thinking of the table, I couldn’t stay away from the warm colors of late summer and early autumn, my favorite time of year for festive gatherings and inviting hospitality. The terra-cotta rose, and glimpses of gold in the flowing florals were a must alongside the soft glow of candlelight, the copper flatware, wax seals, wooden accents and bubbling champagne in the hands of the joyful brides. Our favorite pieces of the centerpiece arrangements were foraged, a natural reflection of the Midwest, where our shoot was held, and many of my aforementioned memories were made in my childhood hometown. The florals could not have been any more perfect, displayed on the velvet table linen and against the softly textured walls or colored fabrics.

I also chose to bring in a cooler color accent with the grey, blue and soft green hues of the intricate handmade jewelry, Bella Belle shoes and invitation suite, which also set the stage for the Old World paper details and cushioned chairs that remind me so much of long dining table gatherings and curated meals. Each place card was handwritten and hand-rolled for another personal detail alongside the table menus at each place setting. The china, glassware, and flatware were simple and clean, giving us space to accentuate the paper goods and draw the eye to the floral.

And last but not least, we incorporated the traditional element of a cake to bring the celebration together. The lace-like motif and texture were woven into the dress, floral, and table details seamlessly. The added soft ribbon and unique setting and structure of the tiers push the limits of the traditional, tiered cake as well.

All in all, I hope that this shoot not only reflected the inspiration of my own journey but inspires the modern bride and woman to celebrate her story, to take pride in her unique beauty and revel in the fleeting moments of this special season. She is one of many, yet is defined by no one else. She is brave, gentle, spirited, and lovely. She (and her marriage) stem beyond the celebration day but are worth making magic for.

The Venue: A Historic Auditorium, the Vibe: Old School Glamour, the Results: Spectacular!

As you can probably tell from the title, this wedding is truly something special – so it came as no surprise when we found out the bride is a wedding expert herself, having worked in the industry for many years at Design Cuisine! Everything from the unique auditorium venue to the bridesmaid dresses in various blush hues – each detail was thoughtfully curated by the bride and her amazing planner, Etc Coordinators. Don’t miss out on the full gallery captured by Kir Tuben to see all the old school glamour this wedding has to offer.

From Kir Tuben… From start to finish, Jesse and Haley were a dream to work with. Their engagement session launched a litany of clients wanting Cherry Blossom engagement photos so I can’t imagine all the requests for elements from this wedding day. From this couple’s amazing style to Haley’s insane organization skills cultivated from working in the wedding industry at Design Cuisine, every little detail of this day was perfection. Even the walk-through was a well run event.

Even more noteworthy than throwing an incredible event is the beautiful support system of friends and family these two created. Every single image I look at brings me so much joy in remember this day and all who made it a reality. Wedding morning began at the brand new Intercontinental at the Wharf. This bride is super stylish so it is no wonder she selected this brand new trendy spot for her morning events. Haley had adorable custom made little champagne bottles to celebrate the anticipation with her bridesmaids (including her twin sister!) The only person that rivals Haley in style is her now husband, Jesse. He couldn’t wait to show off his very own red bottom shoes all day. Haley did a back to back first look with her dad and her groom in the lobby of this chic modern hotel. After a quick summer shower, the weather cleared for photos all around the auditorium! White blooms and a draped chuppah made this Jewish ceremony one for the books. The two danced underneath their custom monogram and were toasted in this stunning elegant room before cutting the cake and eating custom cake pops to end the night on a sweet note.

Write up from Bride… Jesse and I are college sweethearts that met at the University of Maryland, College Park over five years ago (March 2014). We now live together in the Apollo apartment building on H Street in Northeast Washington, DC. Jesse is in commercial real estate and I work for Design Cuisine (who catered our wedding). Working for a caterer made it a little easier to plan the wedding, since I get to see so many spectacular DC events and weddings on a regular basis. Once I got engaged I knew exactly what I wanted and which vendors I wanted to work with. I also knew I wanted a big, old-school glamour style wedding with a champagne, ivory and gold color palette (I had my bridesmaids all wear champagne but let them pick their own floor length gowns). I knew that the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium would be the perfect Beaux Arts canvas to work with.I also made a decision very quickly about my wedding dress – I actually found it online then located it in a store, tried it on and knew it was the right one immediately. It was the only store I had to visit and I bought it on the spot. We quickly were able to select our officiant too, as Jesse’s Boca Raton family’s rabbi had married into the Mates family last December, wedding Jesse’s uncle Mitchell. The wedding planning lasted from February 2018 to June 2019, so we had a solid 16 months to make decisions, which I felt was crucial! We also had plenty of time to plan our bachelor/bachelorette parties and wedding shower. My shower was a high tea for about 50 ladies at the Watergate Hotel in DC, with Jesse and a few other male family members showing up at the end for some shower games.

Jesse held his bachelor party in LA in May 2019, visiting Dodger stadium, The Bungalow and Laugh Factory. I opted for a spa weekend and vineyard tour with my girlfriends the following weekend at the Salamander Spa in Middleburg, VA. We also planned out our rehearsal dinner, held the night before the wedding at the Palm in DC, and our brunch at the hotel the morning after (The Intercontinental at the Wharf). As a surprise from Jesse’s aunt and uncle, they arranged to have our faces painted up on the walls at the Palm in time for the Friday night dinner! Three years ago, Jesse and I operated a dessert business together out of Union Kitchen (a communal kitchen incubator space in Washington DC), and we brought back the cake push pops for one night only to use as our wedding favor. Our wedding also included a sparkling grapefruit specialty cocktail named after our apartment building “The Apollo”, a strolling sushi cart during cocktail hour (my favorite food), and a first dance to Helpless from Hamilton on Broadway (Jesse proposed after seeing the play with me in NYC). Our 235 guests also enjoyed other passed bites such as Truffle Mac & Cheese Spoons and Baby Lamb Chops before enjoying a plated salad and dual entree (Chilean Sea Bass & Tenderloin with Gruyere Potato Gratin and Asparagus). This was followed by passed desserts such as Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bon Bons, as well as a slice of our six tier wedding cake (half Swiss Chocolate with Dulce de Leche and half Mocha Tiramisu). Jesse’s Girl was the final song before everyone headed back to the Intercontinental at the Wharf for an after-party at Kith + Kin (+ 30 pizzas from Union Pie!).

Our wedding was the best day of our lives, but the proposal was a close second! Jesse – hardly able to ever keep a surprise – was able to pull off the surprise of a lifetime, arranging for about 40 family and friends to surprise me during a weekend trip to see Hamilton on Broadway in NYC. I was excited already because we were finally able to score Hamilton tickets and were planning a fun weekend getaway to NYC the weekend after my birthday in February 2018. The evening after seeing the show, Jesse took me to Catch NYC, one of my favorite sushi bars (even though Jesse doesn’t eat raw fish). Following dinner, he persuaded me to head up to the roof for a drink. Written in chocolate on the restaurant’s signature dessert was “Haley Will You Marry Me?”. Shocked and thrilled, I tried to call my parents and sister to share the good news, but no one was answering me. My dad even texted back “We’re in the middle of watching a movie, we’ll call you back later!”. It wasn’t until we walked over to Buddakan, a bar next door (“to meet up with 2 NYC friends”) that I realized all of our close friends and family were actually in NYC ready to surprise me. It was so surreal!

Style Me Pretty Launches a Fall Home Decor Line!

It’s a big day on SMP! After literally a year of design + development, we are finally ready to share the official peak at our brand new Harvest by Style Me Pretty Collection! What is Harvest, you ask? Well, you Kings of Chic, you Princesses of Fabulous, let’s settle in shall we? Harvest by Style Me Pretty is the thoughtful SMP style, the “simple is always better” motto to which we live by, the careful design and exquisite craftsmanship that our readers crave, all bundled up into the prettiest line of home decor moments you’ve ever seen! Pillows, wreaths, adorable little stuffed pumpkins and so much more, all available at Wayfair right here! Read on, my loves, read on!

How great, right?! Harvest is everything to me and I cannot WAIT to take you down memory lane to share a little bit more of the inspiration, the process, the design and ultimately the finished collection… then let you loose on Wayfair so you can snatch it all up before it’s gone!

When I started SMP Living many moons ago, I envisioned a space where people could come after their I Do’s…where they could find ideas for growing their homes through thoughtful design, where they could cook the kind of meals that made people smile, where they could learn to host a dinner party or DIY an ottoman or learn to choose the perfect shades of white paint, the easiest way to update an apartment rental or foolproof ways to mix and match patterns.

I envisioned a place to celebrate life’s simplest, most every day of moments. Without judgement or boundaries. And today, we’re so excited to share a sneak peak of our new line of Home Decor “moments” that embody exactly that… a collection that embraces and honors well-made, well-designed, easy to mix + match products that simply make life a little more beautiful!

Okay, so rewind about 12 months. Style Me Pretty cozied up with the amazing team that produced our line of Wedding Decor for Michaels (which if you haven’t seen… so good!), Garter Studios. Together with their design team, we began thinking through what a home decor line for SMP might look like. It’s a tough question because you really have to think about all of the other millions of brands out there and how ours might realistically slot in – how it might look, how it might feel, how it might perform in a way that would set it apart from the other gorgeous stuff already sitting on shelves around the country.

Together, we chatted about seasons and settings and really determined that some of the most fun decorating happens as the weather changes and we tend to get that itch to make our homes match the feeling we get when we walk outside. If you’ve spent any time in New England in the Fall, you know what I mean. And thus, our new little baby, Harvest by Style Me Pretty began to really take shape, to find its voice and to grow into a cohesive, home-transformable collection! Oh and pssst… we also have a Holiday line coming in just a few months (shhhh, don’t tell, it’s sort of a secret b/c it’s real REAL good and we want it to make a big splash, too).

Harvest celebrates Fall in New England. Because every home in the world should have Fall in New England. And if you’ve never experienced it for yourself, go ahead and do it. Book that trip, find that apple picking slice of heaven to visit. It’s the gorgeous red and orange leaves, so beautiful they take your breath away. A crisp but not too cold air when you walk outside that begs for hot apple cider and warm donuts. A roaring fire, a plaid blanket. Riding boots and really really good jeans. Fall in New England is a sensibility and whether you are still battling the temps in Texas or it’s a wee too cold in Minnesota, it’s a sensibility that everyone should embrace.

Upon completion, the entire Harvest Collection was photographed by yours truly in my own home. With my trusty 5 year old and our little puppy, Winston, as my dedicated assistants. We had a little too much fun, ate WAY too many “props” and basically transformed our home – in the middle of June – into the prettiest, coziest, Fall inspired wonderland you’ve ever seen.

The color palette for our collection was super important to me – black was our foundation color as I truly believe that black grounds every space, no matter how modern or rustic it may be. A matte black metal became our launch pad, then we took a long hard drive through texture and color… and the “sparkle” to which SMP is known. I’m talking to you Gold-y pants.

The result is a palette that feels simultaneously traditional and yet fresh. One that feels warm and cozy and basically all out begs you to cuddle up with a good book and a mug of something yummy (spiked, because duh).

We’re going to do another fun feature soon breaking down ALL of the behind the scenes goodness but for now, I don’t want to go too crazy so I’m going to dive a little deeper into the standout pieces that make me so very happy. First up, pillows! Because I’m a SUCKA for pillows. And these? BEEEYOND. With both masculine and feminine touches, leather accents, bold prints, pretty patterns, big fat tassels…you feel me right? Oh and with total craftsmanship, they are soft, sink-in-able and absolutely gorgeous. Love them all.

Next fave? Tiny pumpkin salt and pepper shakers. Because um, TINY pumpkin salt and pepper shakers!! I’m 99% sure this is my very favorite piece from the entire collection – and you can buy 2 or 3 sets of those adorable ceramic pumpkins alongside the shakers and make a whole thang of it! Buy the Salt + Pepper Shakers right here!

Speaking of adorable, Don’t get me started on the fabric pumpkins that look just as darling on a mantle as they do on a coffee table/kitchen island/front porch/insert your favorite space. My daughter used one as a pillow the other day. It didn’t look comfortable at all – but she loved it. Buy them here! Buy the Fabric Pumpkins here!

Okay, let’s talk about the genius of this tray. First, A. how cute!? Love the black and white plaid lining. But B. even better, we divided the tray into sections because for god’s sake, a girl needs sections! It’s awesome for the practicalities but it also is beautiful lined with parchment and filled with something delicious. Buy the Divided Tray right here!

One of the very most charming parts of the Harvest Collection is the typography and the sweet little sayings that we’ve embroidered onto the prettiest of textiles. We kept it very simple but wanted to elevate small ways in which you can truly convey that feeling, that sense of intimacy and that moment of gratitude to the people you love most. Buy the Napkins here and the Table Runner here!

Perhaps my favorite piece from the collection is the laser cut (see how I keep saying this? it’s like choosing your favorite child… it changes daily), gold “thankful” hoop. You can dress it up with greenery or pretty blooms, or you can just thread a chic ribbon through it and hang it on your mantle. Aside from the fact that this little hoopty hoop (well, not exactly little clocking in at 18″) is just plain pretty, it’s also a touch of glam that adds a sense of modernity and femininity to any space. And that makes me very happy. Buy the hoop here!

For me, the Magnolia Leaf accents were a must. I have been using magnolia leaves in my decor since the beginning of time (see here!) and I wanted both a wreath and a garland that were elegant, simple, well made and entirely realistic. Buy the Magnolia Garland here!

Moving on! We have a couple of super chic, super versatile candlesticks in our Harvest Collection. We paid very careful attention to the lines, to the simplicity and to the perfect heights so that they would have presence if placed on the mantle, but were also see-over-able when placed on a dining table. Buy the Matte Black Candlesticks Here and the Wooden Candlesticks Here!

So there you have it! Just a few of our many, many favorites from the new Harvest by Style Me Pretty Collection at Wayfair!

Excuse the blurry picture. This is real life kids.

Now that I’ve either thoroughly bored you to tears OR gotten you so excited you can hardly stand it, it’s time to head on over to Wayfair and see the entire line of totally affordable, totally adorable, totally everything that we are so very proud of.

See How This Couple Showed Off Their Charleston Neighborhood and Everything They Love About It!

I love a good Charleston, South Carolina wedding – the venues, the vendors and, the details are always perfectly thought out and heartfelt. For this Bride and Groom, Charleston happens to be ‘their neighborhood’ and they couldn’t wait to show it off to their family and friends! Boutique Planning had The Gibbes Museum of Art as their canvas to design and delight and did they ever! From blue floral linens from La Tavola mixed with stunning floral arrangements by Flora and a neon, calligraphy sign (a gift to the bride, from her groom) to the cutest cocktail hour set up, all photographed by Julie Livingston Photography. Go ahead and scroll and take a peek into this couples Charleston neighborhood!

From the Bride…

How We Met:
Hampton and I met in college in 2009 at the College of Charleston. We wouldn’t officially begin dating for a couple of years but I am forever grateful for the night that my friend, Emily, dragged me from my dorm to introduce me to some of “her best guy friends”. I was extremely reluctant as I had just gotten out of a long-term relationship and to be honest I was not in the mood to be social. After about an hour of making boring small talk with other new freshman girls telling their stories about how they ended up at College of Charleston, I noticed a guy wearing a Kentucky Football shirt laughing with his friends.

Still to this day, I will never know what came over me—but I immediately started walking straight towards him and his friends. To ensure my introduction was more than memorable, I accidentally knocked over 5 glasses that were sitting on the kitchen counter. As they shattered on the floor and knowing I couldn’t ruin my stride, I reacted as anyone else would and simply stepped right over the broken pieces—finally making my way to the guy in the Kentucky shirt and his friends. And because introductions are overrated, I just jumped right into criticizing this stranger’s football team (never even mentioning my name). As a true Georgia football fan, they would learn my opinions on Kentucky football (whether they wanted to or not). All three boys were silent until the boy in the Kentucky shirt (a little confused) said, “Well then, thanks for sharing your thoughts! My name is Hampton by the way…I don’t think I ever caught what your name was?” With my face bright red, I slowly reached my hand out and introduced myself then quickly walked away to return to my freshmen friends. Years later when Hampton and I were dating, Kelly (one of the first-hand witnesses to our first meeting) told me that he commented to Hampton; “no one has ever talked to you like that, I think you are going to marry that girl”.

Planning Our Dream Wedding:

Hampton and I wanted to ensure that every detail authentically represented our relationship and what we will value most in our marriage. We knew that we wanted to put a big emphasis on our friends and family getting to experience Charleston and what makes it so special to Hampton and I. Before we even started planning our wedding, we agreed that more than anything, we wanted to be carefree and relish every moment during this special time in our lives—from proposal all the way up to the big day!

My future sister-in-law and one of my best friends actually had used Boutique Planning for their weddings—so it was a no brainer on who to choose to plan our special day. In one of our first initial meetings, we designated what our biggest priorities would be to help guide our decision-making and ensure we stayed dedicated to our shared vision. For us, it was all about the band, the photographer, and the atmosphere.

From the first conversation we had with Julie, we knew that she would be the perfect person to capture our wedding day. I truly believe one of the most important decisions you’ll make when planning your wedding is the person behind the camera! Julie and her team made sure that they captured every single exceptional moment from our wedding day. She was such a joy to work with and not only did she make Hampton and I always feel comfortable and relaxed; she made it a priority to give the same attention to our families and wedding party—something that meant so much to us!

If there was one “special” request that Hampton wanted to be responsible for during wedding planning it was choosing the band—which I didn’t mind at all since he and I share a love for dancing! The Atlanta Showstoppers did not disappoint and gave me one of the best surprises when they played one of my favorite songs Bad Blood by Taylor Swift. I had added it to their list of song choices, thinking they wouldn’t notice (they even had someone rap Kendrick Lamar’s part in the song—I was elated!)

When deciding on which venues to use for our ceremony and reception we only had to look a couple of blocks away from where we live! For the ceremony, we fell in love with St. Michael’s Church (the oldest church in Charleston) and cherished the fact that my parents were also married at a St. Michael’s Church (in Richmond, Virginia) almost 30 years before we said, “I do!”

Down the street and just a short walking distance from St. Michael’s is The Gibbes Museum of Art (it was even so close that after the ceremony the majority of our guests walked down Meeting Street to the venue!) The Gibbes Museum is an idyllic location that would showcase, to our friends and family, our deep love for “our neighborhood” in downtown Charleston. This setting is rich with history and includes a magnificent glass dome Rotunda on the second floor and a stunning outdoor garden on the first floor. Our guests were welcomed with lively music by The Plantation Singers singing Oh, Happy Day, which was the perfect introduction to what was to be an incredible night. Cocktail Hour began on the second floor in the Rotunda where the music followed and our wedding team put the final touches downstairs in the garden. Our wedding planner made sure to let Hampton and I see the tent before everyone else came downstairs (and I am SO happy she did!)

Some of my favorite highlights of our wedding décor was the custom made blue neon sign of our names mirroring the calligraphy on our save the date’s, (Hampton surprised me and gave it to me as a wedding present so we could have it forever!), to the magnolia leave centerpieces, the blue and white Latavola linens and the Lucien chandeliers—the list goes on and on! The best night of our lives ended perfectly with Hampton and I walking outside the Gibbes Museum where our wedding guests were lined up to send us off with sparklers in each hand. We then were chauffeured away in one of Hampton’s trucks from his landscaping business, Frazier Land Group LLC, ready to begin an incredible, life long journey together.

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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When the Rain Stops Just in Time and You Get the Ceremony of Your Dreams

When it comes to your wedding day, rain and an outdoor ceremony tend not to mix, but for this lucky couple, the rain only lasted through the morning AND they had Rebecca Rose Events who not only planned the entire soiree but knew how badly the bride wanted that outdoor ceremony and ensured that it happened! Once the clouds parted, Rebecca and her team were able to create stunning florals from ceremony to reception which all took place at The Merrimon-Wynne House. Photographed by Ally and Bobby Photography, every moment was beautifully captured from a greenery draped staircase to the bride’s stunning attire! Take a look below and be sure to watch their heartfelt video by Muddy Trails Film Co.

From Rebecca Rose Events…Becky and Nick desired a joyful day of celebration and that’s just what they had. Their outdoor ceremony was a dream come true, even after heavy rains hit just a few hours before the start time. From the earliest stages of the planning process, Becky felt strongly about having their ceremony in the garden outside their venue. She loved the crisp white exterior of the house, with its exquisite trim and detail, set against the contrast of the green garden area.

The original plan for inclement weather was to hold the ceremony inside the carriage house and flip that space for the reception while guests enjoyed cocktail hour inside the main house. The more we pondered that idea, the more we felt it wasn’t the right call.

Thank goodness for clear top tents! It poured and drenched us the morning of the wedding, but everything under that tent was dry and gorgeous! We were able to create a beautiful flower-filled ceremony setting with abundant natural light, set against the background of the historic house structure, just like Becky had always envisioned, and it was so lovely.

One favorite detail… Becky has an extensive personal collection of antique milk glasses vases and vessels that she wanted to incorporate. We used over 100 of her vases and mixed them with delicate clear glass bud vases to give meaningful character to the dinner tables. It was such a special touch.