I have a major Etsy addiction and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone on this one. So many amazing artists in one place… it’s a must stop for any bride and groom to be. Given our love for all things Etsy, it should come as no surprise that the newest talented designer to join our Fashion Look Book is accessory superstar, Whichgoose. Ever since we saw this bride’s bohemian crown back in June, we’ve been eyeing Whichgoose’s work and we could not be happier to show off some of her beauties right here on SMP. I mean, how completely fun is this??

Check out the rest of these flirty pieces right here

We are totally enamored with Whichgoose’s eclectic, organic style. PLUS, these pretty little accessories won’t break the bank. Not always easy to do when you’re talking about gorgeous handmade goodness. And who said the styles stopped with bridal accessories!?!? Some of our fave pieces are her super playful boutonnieres.

We love Whichgoose’s one-of-a-kind aesthetic. Her boho-chic crowns and sweet little hair pins are perfection. With style like this, we can guarantee this isn’t the last you’ve seen of them on SMP.

My love for all things Tennessee has found a happy little home in this adorable wedding sent to us by Cedarwood. The pure beauty of the outdoor church, the abundance of handmade details, the loveliest shade of grey bridesmaid dresses, all come together perfectly for an event that is swoon freaking central. Photographed by Leslee Mitchell, this day is total eye candy for all of you nature lovers or DIY’ers or anyone that just loves a perfectly sweet wedding. Click here to see even more!

see more from the day here!

What do you do when you love the outdoors but want to get married in a church? You bring the church outdoors! That’s exactly what Cedarwood, an all-inclusive historic venue in Nashville, Tennessee does when they create their stunning Outdoor Cathedral. Ten foot Gothic church windows and antique carved solid Oak church pews set in a green summer meadow is a site to make anyone pause at the beauty of God’s handiwork.

Ivory and butter-cream flowers with pops of golden yellow in vintage blue mason jars juxtaposed with mercury glass and bejeweled votive holders for a country feel with designer flair. The grounds of Cedarwood are both a photographer’s dream and challenge (so many spaces for creative shots!) but the talented Leslee Mitchell was up to the task. Photos of Megan and Bret in the vintage glider, a bicycle for two, and Cedarwood barn are among our favorite wedding day portraits. Leslee even managed to catch a shot of bird houses by the property’s vintage Airstream — a decor theme complimented with Megan’s bird house ‘churches’ that adorned the program table and stone wall.

Instead of a traditional guest book, Megan had friends take Polaroid photos of arriving guests and invited them to leave comments in a wedding photo album. Framed family photos carried out the photo welcome theme, and even included a framed original of Megan’s great grand parents Germany marriage certificate – from 1904!

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Cedarwood, Nashville / Planning, flowers and decor: Cedarwood / Styling, handmades and DYI details: Megan Powell and parents, Suzie and Richard Powell / Photography: Leslee Mitchell / Video: Jeremy Mitchell / Invitations: Lucky Luxe / Cake: Patty Cakes / Catering: A Dream Come True Catering and Maggie Moos / Music: Rob Higginbotham (guitar) and Rebecca Baumach (violin) / Wedding gown: Jasmine from The White Room, Lebanon, Tennessee / Reception gown: Amsale from The Bride Room, Nashville, Tennessee / Bridesmaids dresses: The Dessy Collection from Arzelle’s, Nashville, Tennessee / Groom and Groomens’ suits: Brooks Brothers / Hair: Brooklyn of Tangerine Hair Salon and Spa / Jewelry: Earrings by Paris from The Bride Room, Bracelet by Homa from Arzelle’s and reception earrings from Anthropologie / Honeymoon destination: San Francisco

If ever there was a studio that so embodied everything we love about wedding photography, it would surely be Christian Oth Studios. Image after image is pure wedding insanity and it never fails, we fall madly, madly in love every single time. This particular gem was held at the luxurious Bowery Hotel in New York City. The AMAZING Carrie Sartor with Lyndsey Hamilton Events planned the entire wedding, while Belle Fleur did the breathtaking florals and Jake McBride for Christian Oth photographed the story. It is romantic, dramatic, and a total lesson in sheer and utter gorgeousness. We seriously could go on and on but instead, we will leave you to the beautiful photos. See the full wedding here.

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

The bride wanted a New York themed wedding, as many guests were traveling. The couple arrived at the Bowery in a classic yellow cab. The gift bags were NYC themed with Dean & Deluca snacks, Dylan’s Candy Bar treats, a donation to the Central Park Conservatory, and a DVD of Sex & the City, as the bride works for HBO. Gift bags were created by Melangerie. The meal was served family style with a selection of wines based on the couple’s personal favorites. Each wine had it’s own story relating to the couple and their travels. We had Mr Boddington create cards at each table to explain the significance of each wine.

We obviously wanted to incorporate the beauty and uniqueness of the space. We hired a sexy, vintage music trio, Bon Musique, for the cocktail hour. Because the meal was catered by the hotels’ restaurant Gemma, the bride wanted to infuse Tuscan-rustic elements into the evening. One of the ways we did so was sourcing an antique gelato cart from a prop house in Manhattan. The couple opted not to have a wedding cake, but rather passed mini-desserts and cookies in the shape of wedding cakes from Eleni’s.

The decor was complimentary of the rich, romantic space and Fall season. The color palette was a mixture of rich, deep burgundy and purples, with accents of green. Belle Fleur created the amazing florals. We chose rich wine-colored Dupioni silk linens. To complete the menu and table, we placed rosemary sprigs at each setting. We used colored water goblets to compliment the color palette. To incorporate the season, we used green suckling pears as place card holders.

Photography: Jake McBride of Christian Oth Studios / Venue and Caterer: The Bowery Hotel / Planner: Carrie Sartor with Lyndsey Hamilton Events / Florist: Belle Fleur / Bride’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Hair and Makeup: Nikki & Heidi at Damali / Band and DJ: cocktail hour – Bon Musique, reception – Soulsystem / Invitations: Mr. Boddington’s Studio

Can I please, pretty, pretty please call a wedding do over and make it look EXACTLY like this shoot? This over-the-top GORGEOUSNESS was sent to us by Joy de Vivre and it has completely captured my heart. There isn’t one little crumb that I don’t absolutely adore. The organic, soft flowers from Florette Designs are spot on. The scrumdidlyumptious cheese table…heaven. AND can we please discuss that perfect display of confectionery art (a.k.a the cake)? Sweet and Saucy Shop was the mastermind behind that lace beauty. This is a dream in the form of a French outdoor wedding and we are completely devouring it.  See even more of the pretty details captured to perfection by Michael and Anna Costa in the gallery.

see more of this gorgeous shoot here!

From Joy de Vivre:

Totally inspired by summer, Kelly Kaufman of Florette Designs and I set out to create a sweet French inspired outdoor wedding inspiration. We chose a soft palate of peach and blush and paired it with some great neutrals. To infuse that romantic old world feeling, we shot at an old estate in a grove of 150 year old olive trees.

We draped the dining table with La Tavolas amazing Tuscany linen in natural, which served as the perfect combination of rustic and elegant. Opting for a truly romantic look, we used Town & Countrys Montecito line of furniture for guest seating around the table and used a mixture of their Provencal china and Cambria glassware to complete the look. Our fabulous calligrapher, Leslee Sipress did the most incredible work on our champagne flags which quoted the famous Dom Perignon quote, “I am tasting stars.” For the seating assignments, we used these cute white paper frames and attached kraft paper to the middle, where Leslee write the guests name. Kelly used old silver urns to display the most amazing floral arrangements she created using peach garden roses, dahlias, and passion vine. We scattered antique mercury glass candle holders between the arrangements. For the bridal bouquet, Kelly made a really loose and sweet garden style bouquet wrapped in burlap and tied with a sweet ribbon. The grooms boutonniere was also wrapped in burlap.

Since the French often serve cheese for dessert, we set up a cute cheese station on an old farmhouse table, displaying french cheeses, breads and wonderful Peach Vanilla jam made by Santa Barbara Preserves. Sweet & Saucy Shop was kind enough to create the most beautiful lacework cake with a peach base and intricate ivory lace.

Styling & Design: Joy de Vivre Wedding Design & Coordination / Floral Design: Florette Designs / Photography: Michael & Anna Costa / Rentals: Town & Country Rentals / Silverware: The Tent Merchant / Calligraphy: Leslee Sipress / Cake: Sweet & Saucy Shop / Linens: La Tavola Linen / Jam: Santa Barbara Preserves

Monday morning feels like a good time to break out some super glamorous, perfectly vintage and all around gorgeous inspiration to get the work week started. Krystel Tien of Couture Events sent us this old Hollywood inspired shoot photographed by Joielala and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with you today. Think feathers, red lipstick, glitz and fur and you’re on the right track. Check out the gallery for oodles of more glam inspiration.

see more of the glitzy, glam details here!

From Couture Events:

At Couture Events we love the classic, old Hollywood glitz and glamour style so we partnered with Joielala Photography to bring you Vintage Glam Inspiration. This is one of our favorite inspiration shoots yet. We wanted it to be stunning and timeless. We’re talking feathers, sequins, pastels, and red lips! Mmm… it all came together perfectly!

Our stationery was hand made by Suzy Lee from Dear Darling. She hand calligraphered each piece – invites, menus, and escort cards. The invites were each hand tied with a pink velvet bow. Calligraphy is a very personal and timeless way of involving an old fashioned art into your special day. The incredible florist is Sally Preston from Exquisite Blooms. She created some stunning pieces incorporating drama and glamour into each bouquet and centerpiece. She used a mixture of white hydrangea, lilies, peonies, spray roses, blush roses, dark purple mini calla lilies, pink stock, and large gorgeous gardenias to create the old Hollywood vintage glam look. She accented these beautiful pieces with white ostrich feather plumes and tied the bouquet with a vintage sequin trim to complete the look. Our models are not models at all. We used a real couple for this shoot. They recently got married and were very excited about helping us out. Our bride, Kelly Murray is also head designer for Jedidiah Clothing Company. She is beyond creative and I was so honored to have her and her hubby there as our models for the day. Liz Law, a SoCal jewelry designer, created two necklaces especially for this inspiration shoot. The first is the Queen for a Day necklace with a heavy gold vintage chain and cascading threads of gold-rimmed Swarovski crystals. The second is called Lady Love. This necklace is deliciously feminine and romantic. A faceted Swarovski crystal sparkles in between two gold-brushed leaves. We used the Divine earrings from Liz to complete the look. The hair accessories were provided by Rachel Larraine. Each of her pieces are handmade and one of a kind. The chenille-dotted birdcage veil was perfectly matched for our old Hollywood glam theme and one of our brides favorite pieces. She can custom make the feathered hair accessories for everyday, engagement photos, bridesmaids, or for the big day!

Vigilucci’s in Coronado provided the perfect space for our tablescape. It is the perfect private ballroom space for rehearsal dinners and receptions. We then moved on to Babycakes. It was one of our favorite cupcake shops in San Diego for more wonderful inspiration (Ok, we did end up having a cupcake or two). Babycakes is an eclectic and unique bakery. They specialize in cupcakes but also make spectacular wedding cakes. Horton Grand Hotel provided the perfect backdrop for our getaway inspiration complete with a Rolls Royce and vintage suitcase. The bride changed into her getaway honeymoon dress made by one of our favorite Etsy designers, Sarah Seven.

Coordination: Couture Events / Photography: Joielala Photograpy / Locations: Vigilucci’s restaurant, Coronado, CA, Baby Cakes, San Diego, CA, Horton Grand Hotel, San Diego, CA / Florist: Exquisite Blooms / Jewelry: Liz Law Jewelry (excluding the large rhinestone necklace: stylists own)  / Hair Pieces: Rachel Larraine / Stationery: Dear Darling / Hair: Christine Colwell / Make up: Dana Marie of Think Pink Makeup Artistry / Linens: A Perfect Table / Wedding Gown: Brides own by San Patrick / Getaway Dress: Sarah Seven / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Creative Director and Stylist: Krystel Tien

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Today, we have the happiest wedding ever and we’re just going to jump in, feet first! It will most certainly put a smile on the faces of all you fun-lovin’ guys & girls who love a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by their loved ones! We’re going to let Tara at Weddings With Tara fill you in on the details …

Jana and Noah wanted a wedding reception that fit their personality and their lifestyle. They are a relaxed and fun couple, and they wanted their guests to feel exactly this way. They love games and the outdoors. They even met while participating in a mud volleyball tournament! Naturally, they wanted games to be part of their wedding. They named each table after some of their favorite games, and also had this particular game at the table for guests to play throughout the evening. Outside they had ‘outdoor’ games set up ~ horseshoes, bocce ball, croquet, and ladder ball. Jana especially wanted the flowers to represent a vibrant and happy occasion, and so she chose bright varieties of gerber daisies. Since they were married on a farm, they wanted a rustic touch to the decor and so we added burlap overlays over half of the navy matte satin linens. The ceremony took place outside in front of the gazebo, then guests moved inside to a delicious meal of barbecue with all of the fixings. Jana and Noah love candy, so they had a candy table set up with their favorites for guests to take home with them. It was the perfect balance of rustic, fun and romance. -Tara, Weddings With Tara

photography courtesy of Two Ring Studios

you can see Jana and Noah’s entire gallery here!

Tara has lots more details about the day right here on her blog!

What a fun, fun, fun celebration!!!  Thanks for sharing:)

Wedding Planner: Weddings with Tara
Photographer: Two Ring Studios
DJ: Blazin Sounds Entertainment
Caterer: The Colorful Palate
Location: The Farm
Rentals: Classic Event Rental
Florist: Polly’s Florist
Cake: Tiffany’s Baking Company
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: David’s Bridal
Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal

When you have a penchant for traveling the world with your honey, it seems like a no-brainer that this would make the perfect theme for your wedding. So, when Angela and David (the fabulous couple behind these nups) began planning their big day, they knew they wanted it to be vintage and they wanted to incorporate their globe trotting ways. The result is all kinds of fantastic. Between the old maps, the perfectly worn in luggage, the killer photography by Sakura and the handmade paper goods by the bride herself, we are drooling all over our keyboards. Literally. See even more of this vintage travel wedding in the gallery.

see every last pretty detail in the gallery!

From the Bride:

David and I met and fell in love at Simon Fraser University in Canada as graduate students completing our master’s degrees. He was from Portland, Oregon, but with a huge contingent of family in Canon City, Colorado, so much fun was had visiting relatives and friends in the U.S. over our two year courtship. We’ve been fortunate enough to be able travel quite a bit over the last couple of years, including Oregon, Colorado, California and Illinois, as well as farther afield to the U.K., France and Thailand. In March of 2009, David took me shopping and bought me a pretty dress, and then took me out to a delicious dinner at one of our favourite restaurants, where he popped the question. And so began our somewhat protracted wedding celebration…This Vancouver wedding was actually our second ceremony, as we had, the previous year, gone to Thailand to have a traditional Buddhist ceremony (my mother is from Thailand). We wanted to have a ceremony so that my 94-year-old grandmother could be there. We held it on May 29th, my grandmother’s birthday, and she was able to attend and actually perform some of the ceremony.

We both knew we didn’t want a huge wedding—something sweet and intimate, perhaps around 80 people. Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a somewhat obsessive planner and researcher, particularly for things involving travel, so I knew I would be taking the reins with regards to planning the wedding. It was one crazy year, as both David and I wrote and defended our MA theses leading up to the big day, but it was all worth it in the end. David and I established what was particularly important to us: food (we are food fiends), photography, location and my dress. I’m not sure if we just knew what we wanted when we saw it, or if I’d done enough eliminating via research on the internet, but most of our vendors were the first ones we saw. Our photographers, the fabulous Sakura Photography, had a beautiful and fun portfolio, and were easygoing people who we felt would be comfortable to work with. We only saw one venue for the ceremony, the Celebration Pavilion in Queen Elizabeth Park. We loved the intimate space, as well as its proximity to beautiful gardens and some pretty spectacular views of the city. Our reception space was also the first place we went to, Monk McQueen’s restaurant. The upstairs would be all to ourselves, with windows on all sides looking out onto downtown Vancouver. We liked that they were personable and helpful, and didn’t have a ton of restrictions and extra fees, and that everything could be handled in house (food, table settings, etc.). Even my dress, from the Bridal Gallery, was the first one I tried on—I did attempt to try a bunch of other dresses, but in the end, I had to go back to the first one. When you know, you know! The beauty stuff was fairly simple. My hairdresser that I’d had for over 7 years did the hair for me, my bridesmaids, my mother and my sister. I had gone to make-up school before I started university, so I did our make-up on the day. It was good to actually have a task to do the morning of—kept me busy!

Overall, we just wanted everyone to have fun and feel like there was a sense of thoughtfulness and time put into planning the event. On the day, other than a bit of rain during the ceremony, everything went wonderfully. After the ceremony, we went and caught a little ferry boat near Monk McQueens to take us to Granville Island to take our pictures. The ferry ride back made for a fun entrance, as the guests lined the restaurant deck and waved to us. In the end, we were all so happy with how everything turned out, and the friends and family who came (many from out-of-town) made all the work worthwhile.

Photography: Sakura Photography / Ceremony Location: Celebration Pavilion at Queen Elizabeth Park / Reception Location: Monk McQueens Fresh Seafood & Oyster Bar / Flowers & linens: Bridal Beginnings

We are going full on weekend warrior status in the SMP clan and we are so glad you are along for the ride. So cozy up in your Sunday best because we have a few weddings to share and each one is just as delightful as the last. I am particularly smitten with this next wedding, photographed by Lindsay MacDonald, because it is a complete ode to individuality and really making your wedding day unique. Abby, the Bride, wasn’t a traditional wedding dress kind of gal so she turned to Jill Andrews Gowns to make her wedding dreams come to fruition. And that they did! Not only is Abby’s gown unique and gorgeous but it also happens to be made of upcycled materials. Love it. You can see more of the pretty dress and of course, the beautiful celebration, in the gallery.

see the full wedding here!

From Jill Andrews Gowns:

There are few times in your life where so much importance is placed on one article of clothing. For many brides, the wedding gown is the most important thing next to selecting a groom! But what is a girl to do when her dream has never included a traditional wedding dress? After shopping for a gown in the regular bridal shops, Abby Maloney was disappointed in how she felt when she put on sample dresses. She turned to us at Jill Andrews Gowns to create a one-of-a-kind custom gown that was true to her personality. We first met Abby in February of 2010 and started working on a custom design that would be perfect for her and her wedding. After talking for about an hour, we felt like Abby was an old friend coming over for a cocktail! She told us that she really likes eclectic designs, that she is vegan and an activist who works hard to make Baltimore a better place to live. We love Abby! Having a custom gown fit her desire to buy locally and reduce her impact on the environment by using upcycled materials.

Jill didn’t take long to conceive of the perfect dress for Abby. She immediately thought of all of the beautiful fabrics left over from twenty years of making wedding gowns that she has kept for no particular reason – until now! She envisioned a flowing, ethereal dress full of interest with layers, applique, pleating and soft colors. The wedding was at Red Emma’s 2630 Space, a beautiful deconstructed church in Baltimore city that now functions as community space. We added subtle frayed seams to pay homage to the setting and topped it all off with a 100 year old velvet ribbon at the waist.

Abby and Brian were married on June 16, 2010 on a gorgeous day in Baltimore! Their photographer, Lindsay MacDonald, took amazing pictures in several locations including the Baltimore Museum of Art, Wyman Park and of course, the church. Lindsay captured just how in love these two are in every picture she took. The vegan menu was catered by Dionysus’ Kitchen and the cake by a friend of the couple. Fleur de Lis provided beautiful flowers that were simple and elegant. And, perhaps the best part for many was the traditional Irish music by The Magic Square! The pictures tell the tale the great party and a fabulous couple who are a testament to the fact that you should always keep true to yourself and each other.

Photography: Lindsay MacDonald Weddings / Second Photographer: Jacqueline Schlossman / Dress: Jill Andrews Gowns / Venue: Red Emma’s 2640 Space / Catering: Dionysus’ Kitchen / Cake by a friend of the couple, Lanie Thomas / Flowers: Fleur de Lis / Musicians: The Magic Square

For as many absolutely adorable DIY weddings and as many breathtakingly gorgeous ballroom weddings that we see around these parts…there is just something so utterly romantic about a sweet, totally traditional, completely timeless wedding like this one. The abundance of perfect white flowers, a bride that is as gorgeous as they come, little ring bearers that you just want to eat up and a style that simply makes you swoon. Photographed by Rebecca Ellison, this wedding is total eye candy. Click here to see even more!

click here to see the full wedding gallery!

Joy and Travis wanted a day that spoke about their commitment to each other and to their families. Joy’s grew up in a large family that was very connected to food and gardening, so she thought it was perfect to have an outdoor wedding with an herb theme. All the colors of the day were greens and browns complimenting their beautiful venue and amazing herbs picked for the wedding. Their table’s were named after different herbs, and Joy’s mother put together all the bouquets including mint and other herbs to make the flowers smell amazing! Handfuls of fresh herbs were placed on the napkins of each of the tables along side their favors which were small glass bottles of a unique salt and herb rub that their bridal party put together.  The wine was all provided by Travis’ winemaker father who had a vintage 1978 bottle of wine he had saved since Travis was born to be specifically opened for his wedding. Their affair was put together mainly by family members with DIY flair.

Photography:  Rebecca Ellison Photography / Flowers: Rejoice, Joy’s mom / Ceremony + Reception Location:  Jardin Del Sol – Snohomish, WA / Caterer: Pacific Northwest Catering / Dress:  La Belle Reve Boutique

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Saturday Special…filled to the brim with weekend eye candy! We’ll be back tomorrow with even more!!

Ok weekend warriors, this sweet southern wedding is sure to wake you up out of your mellow Saturday haze. So settle in with that coffee of yours, because this one sure is pretty!  Kathleen and Brendan, our South Carolina bride and groom, are treating us to a picture perfect outdoor wedding with all the charm the south is renowned for.  Splashes of color are around every corner – the florals, the butterfly details and those cupcakes…yum!  But my favorite shot from this feature by Ruth Rackley Photography remains the breathtaking beauty and symmetry of the ceremony beneath the willow trees.  Just stunning.  More take-your-breath-away photos can be found here. Enjoy your weekend! xoxo Chantale from La Belle Bride

see more fun, Southern details here!

A little bit about this charming South Carolina wedding: Kathleen is a southern girl and she grew up going to Litchfield Beach, SC for summer vacation with her family. Brendan is a third generation Ivy league grad and a born and raised northerner but once he fell in love with Kathleen he also fell in love with all things southern. So when it came to picking a location for their wedding that held special memories for Kathleen and showed off Brendan’s new found love of all things southern, Litchfield Plantation fit that bill. Della Ramsey and Blossoms Events used Kathleen’s favorite color yellow, to create a fun, relaxed outdoor southern charm wedding.

Photography: Ruth Rackley Photography / Flowers: Blossoms Events / Event Design: Della Ramsey Event Planning  /  Reception and Ceremony Location: Litchfield Plantation

This wedding seems so well suited for a Saturday. It is filled to the brim with fun details, fun attitudes, fun outfits and just seems to have a lively spirit about it. We’ll give credit where credit is due because this was a total DIY affair handcrafted by the bride and groom and all of their fab friends and family. Pretty talented bunch, wouldn’t you say? And of coarse we are completely smitten with the art that is the photographs of Carl and Cara Zoch. They rocked our socks off with this batch of lovely photos. Click here to see even more!

see more of the magic here!

From the Bride, Meghan:

Our wedding was one huge experiment! First of all, we had to plan the wedding from half-way across the country since we are currently living in Seattle, but wanted the wedding back home in Oklahoma. We also knew we wanted our wedding to be representative of us, and that meant having to do a lot of it ourselves. Finding unconventional wedding vendors in Tulsa, Oklahoma can be quit the task. So we took matters into our own hands and used family, friends, and local coffee shops and bakeries to get our food and decor. We liked the idea of a DIY wedding so we could keep the costs down, and spend the money on things that were the most important to us. We saved a lot of money by buying most of our flowers from Sam’s Club, and using a lot of family heirlooms as centerpieces. My grandmother used to own an antique shop, so her attic was our one-stop-shop for centerpieces. We spent most of the budget on my wedding dress, and our fabulous photographer. I wouldn’t have changed a single thing!

The other benefit of having a DIY wedding is seeing all of your hard work come to fruition. I came into town three days before the wedding, and we hit the ground running. We stayed up all hours of the night stringing yarn balls, laying our centerpieces, tying pieces of fabric to sticks for flags, baking, and making sure everything was in order for the Big Day. We woke up REALLY early on the day of the wedding and loaded six trucks full of wedding decorations and headed off to the mansion. My whole family and all of the wedding party worked their butts off in the 100 degree weather to make our vision a reality. I had to start getting ready before it was all put together, so the first time I saw it all done is when I stepped outside to walk down the aisle. It was magical! Not only was I about to marry my best friend, but I was also so proud to see all of our hard work pay off.

As far as the actual wedding goes, it was all kind of a blur. My favorite memories were walking down the aisle to “Somebody to Love” with the bubble machine on full blast, watching my dad throw $20’s at my mom on the dance floor, and conga-lining with my new in-laws. Oh, and the ice cream bar was pretty awesome too :). The most common feedback I got about the wedding was that it “was SO Jonathan and Meghan.” Success!

Photographers: Carl and Cara Zoch / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Suit: The Duchess / Venue: The Dresser Mansion / Florist: Lindi from The Bridal Garden / Cakes: Ann’s Bakery / DJ: Zach Downing / Beer: Coop Ale Works

Good Morning lovelies. You aren’t confused…it is indeed Saturday and we are blogging. You see, we have so many amazing weddings in our inbox and so little time to showcase them all, we figured why not bring you even more wedding inspiration this weekend. So today and tomorrow you will still be able to get your Style Me Pretty fix. The even better part? You get to pore through all of the posts in your pj’s from your oh so comfy sofa if you want. Now that is a winning combo. Up first is a sweet as pie wedding ALLL the way from Custer State Park in South Dakota. The bride and groom had a small budget but they didn’t let that stop them. They simply rolled up their sleeves and got to work and managed to create a gorgeous day without skimping on style or charm. See more of the day here.

See more of these South Dakota nuptials in the gallery!

From Amanda, the gorgeous Bride:

I had a very limited budget (under 7k) and both families live in the middle of nowhere, Wyoming. This presented quite a challenge for someone obsessed with style. I was able to find a beautiful location in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The ceremony was at Sylvan Lake, which is actually the location where part of the movie National Treasure 2 was filmed. The reception was at a lodge next to the lake. All details of the wedding were diy and my mother is responsible for pulling it all together. Being a designer, I was able to do my own invitations and paper products. My mother made the wedding cake, veil, garter, and bouquets. The reception flowers were ordered raw and assembled by the bridal party the day before. Fresh flowers were an important detail, and opting to do my own allowed a bigger quantity of arrangements. For the favors, we donated a tree in honor of each guest and included a brownie with the description of the organization. My favorite details were in-shell peanuts as appetizers, blue mason jars, and the polaroid guestbook. I also loved making the guest gift-bags and ring pillow. The photography was done by a friend, Kyle Metzger, who specializes in film and lives in Portland, OR. A few of the photos submitted were taken by my bridesmaid, Mekala, owner of Tie That Binds Weddings. So many friends and family pitched in to make the day go smoothly, I can’t thank them enough. Overall it was a beautiful wedding and the day was absolutely amazing.

Photography: Kyle Metzger (photographer in Portland, site coming soon!) and Mekala Tinnin / Flowers: 2G Roses / Cake Icing Flowers: Sugar Craft / Ceremony and Reception Location: Custer State Park Resort / Shoes: Nina /Dress: Joli

If you’re anything like the girls of Style Me Pretty, the wedding obsession just doesn’t stop because it’s the weekend. We want the pretty ALL the time..day in and day out of total steal-worthy goodness. Which is exactly why we’ve decided to go crazy this week and post our favorite weddings ALL. WEEKEND. LONG. Yep, you read that right. We’ll be hitting the keyboard hard, bringing you even more wedding yumminess on both Saturday and Sunday. And although we can’t promise it will be a regular thing…we will say, that if enough of you stop by to check in, we’ll consider making weekend specials a permanent addition to the SMP repertoire.

a sneak peek from one of next week’s goodies by Couture Events + Joielala Photograpy

Enjoy these pretty posts and we look forward to seeing you…TOMORROW!! Oh and don’t forget to check our brand spanking new Events Calendar where you can find the coolest of cool wedding events in your area!

Happiness-infused wedding with yellow galore!
NYC’s W Hotel creates a perfect backdrop for a modern white wedding
Adorable favors in this classic and classy New York wedding
Put together a wedding in four months! It’s possible…
Teary-eyed after reading about their theme of “Love Grows”
Real Wedding Wednesday! Coming to a town near you… Lucerne, Switzerland – North Stonington, Connecticut – Nokomis, Florida – Bald Head Island, North Carolina –  Mackay, Idaho – Walla Walla, Washington  and Nathrop, Colorado!
Nothing better than love and a lake!
Pure New England charm complete with pink and navy
A relaxed backyard wedding and cake fight

A few fun links from around the web…

Yummy jams to inspire jam favors … via Design Crush
Oh so pretty Autumn inspiration … via Grey Likes Weddings
Adorable shabby chic wedding…via Wedding Chicks
A ridiculously gorgeous, whimsical wedding and part ii is on the way … via Dandelion and Grey

Our story is a magical mixture of destiny and timing, so that’s how I wanted our wedding to feel. I wanted every aspect of it to be a personal reflection of our lives and our story. We were introduced by Ron’s niece and my friend; she had an intuition that we would be married even before she introduced us, and started calling me “Auntie Clea” before Ron and I had even spoken on the phone! Long story short, we met, and haven’t really been apart since then. -the bride

We had our rehearsal dinner a year to the day (practically to the hour) that we met, at the very same tiny French restaurant where we had our first date. We took over the entire restaurant and got married the next day in Banff, surrounded by the mountains where I grew up. Ron and I created the entire ceremony, choosing passages from many sources to be read during the ceremony.

I loved designing all the little details of color, fabrics, flowers, and floor plan. I wanted the feel of fairy-land, with a depth of amber light and a feeling of magic. I spent a lot of time with our wonderfully talented florist – I wanted sparkles and orchids hanging haphazardly from the wild and airy centerpieces. I had butterflies here and there, almost hidden, to signify new beginnings.

Ron bought me beautiful wedding jewelry, and I made my gifts for him. I painted a landscape of the place we were when he decided he wanted to marry me, and had him unwrap it during dinner. I also made a video montage telling our stories, and filled it with our favorite music and most meaningful moments.

And finally, I sang for him at our reception, because this was the one gift he truly wanted from me. I sang the flower duet from the opera “Lakme” with my friend and bridesmaid, then a German art song that the composer had written for his bride-to-be, and as an ending… “Over the Rainbow.” All of the songs were accompanied by Allegra, a string quartet.

We had choreographed our first dance, and I can’t believe how well it all came off. What a day and night to remember!! We still have people telling us it was the most beautiful wedding they’d even seen. We’re probably biased, but we sure think it was!

More of their story … Clea and Ron had a romantic and elegant wedding in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Their ceremony was held outdoors on the dramatic Banff Springs terrace with a reception in the Cascade Ballroom. They were married by Clea’s godparents in a ceremony that included readings by each member of their wedding party. Clea is an opera singer and as one of her gifts to Ron, she sang for him at their wedding. Ron was raised in Kansas and his mother’s name is Dorothy so it was fitting that one of the song’s that Clea sang was “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. It was one of my favourite moments of the evening. -Kirstie, Orange Girl Photographer

The ballroom was dramatic and beautifully lit. Lynn from Lynn Fletcher Weddings did an amazing job of bringing together all the details to create the lush elegant and decadent ballroom design.

And then, they were OFF to Tahiti!

Congratulations to ALL for a stunning celebration!!

Quartet: Allegra
Flowers: Nosegay
Cake: Cake Creations
Cinematography: Confetti Films
Lighting: Silvermoon Productions
Photography: Orange Girl Photography
Event Planning & Design: Lynn Fletcher Weddings
Dress from Cameo and Cufflinks, Designer: Jim Hjelm
Ceremony & Reception:  The Fairmont Banff Springs
Make-up and Hair: Lindsay Woitas (Make-up) and Eva Zacharias (Hair)

I kind of thought that there wasn’t a whole lot that could follow such a jaw droppingly gorgeous wedding shoot as today’s From Inspiration to Reality..until I spotted THIS insanely beautiful, formal engagement session. It’s so beautiful that it looks much more like an editorial feature in Vogue than an e-session of a couple who just wanted to craft something beautiful. Oh and get this…the bride actually MADE her two dresses. I mean, come on. Does it get any better? Photographed by Amanda K Photography, I just might be printing these images out to use as art in my new house! Click here to see the full gallery.

click here to see the whole shoot, including an adorable outfit not seen here!

From the stunning bride…When Amanda (our photographer) and I started discussing possible looks for our engagement shoot, we thought formal would be fun and beautiful. The one problem, I hadn’t owned a formal dress since my senior prom! So, we thought we would settle for a semi-formal look and call it good. I’m not a sewer, but I had a couple good ideas for easy to make dresses that didn’t take a lot of effort and still look beautiful. The white dress I made with just two pieces of fabric, sewn to a thick black elastic band. There are no zippers or buttons. It was also constructed by hand. I wrapped the top piece around my neck like a halter top, and pinned it to the black elastic band at the appropriate length. The skirt was easy as well. I sewed it to the bottom half of the elastic band, and wahla! A beautiful Grecian inspired gown for only $30 worth of fabric.

The black tulle was actually easier and cheaper. I first created a straight black skirt that was held up by a black fabric ribbon. I then started on one side and wrapped the material around the straight skirt. All the while pinning it in random spots to give it volume and an organic look. I kept circling the skirt and making puckers upon layers. The cost of the tulle was under $25. I wore a simple black strapless dress I already owned underneath.

It was so fun, and meaningful that I wore my own designs! I also made all of the hair accessories and bouquet the morning of the shoot. It really showed me that DIY can be easy and beautiful. I was scared that it would look “crafty” and not professional. But with the help of our very talented photographer, Amanda K, we were able to create something magical.

I always get a little giddy when I hear that one of our From Inspiration to Reality teams brought along a cinematographer to capture the day. And in this case, it’s Ioan Films which makes me even giddier. There is just something so cool about seeing all of the beauty of the day totally come to life. And while we’re on the subject, and I swear no one paid me to say this, there is NOTHING better than hiring a cinematographer to film your big day. I still break my video out, 5 years later, and make friends watch it when they come over. I know, lucky them! But seriously, it was the best wedding decision that we made as we really get to relive the day over and over again. Anyhoo, here is Ioan Films’ GORGEOUS take on the From Inspiration to Reality Shoot that Unity Weddings designed. Brace yourself.

click here to see the totally gorgeous gallery of images!

Photography: Davina+Daniel / Cinema: Ioan Films / Flowers: Alain Simon Fleurs / Venue: Loft Hotel / Stationery, Design and Styling: Unity Weddings / Cake: Jessica Berard Cakes (she’s also the model with her fiance) / Dress: Melissa Gentile Couture / Furniture: Loft Hotel’s private collection / Black Chandeliers: Showdesign / China: Celebrations / Glass Vases for Succulents and Candle holders from designer’s home, purchased at Home Sense / Shoes: Nine West

For all you winter brides, or those who dream to be, we’re kicking off the day with a gorgeous concept shoot from some super wedding professionals in Michigan that set out to prove to all of us that Michigan and winter are not synonymous with dark and dreary!

Molly at Paisley Quill, and Lindsey at Lindsey Nartker Designs teamed up with the folks at Special Events Rental, New Creations by Kate,  Posh Hair and Make-up Studio,  Jamie Honce Productions and Gina’s Bridal to set up the shoot. What resulted was the creation of a warm, winter white scene that will make you think you’ve stepped into the proverbial wonderland! Expertly photographed by West Park Photography and caught on film by Jamie Honce Productions, you’ll agree that there’s a little bit of heaven in the mighty Michigan winter!

They chose the River Birch Lodge in Hartland, Michigan as the backdrop for their affair. Three lovely models agreed to brave the freezing weather with only the slightest of hesitation!

Back inside, they warmed up by sipping on a specially prepared, signature drink ~ spiked hot chocolate, of course!

The white-on-white color palette was loaded with an abundance of tulips, callas, roses, ranunculus, and hyacinths with minimal accents of soft blue.  Frosted white water glasses, white china and taper candles added the finishing touches.

The bride’s bouquet was a combination of hyacinth blooms strung on silver wire with white ranunculus and queen anne’s lace. The bridesmaid’s bouquet was of all white tulips and her dress helped pull out the blue accent color.

‘Favors’ were ivory chenille blankets with tags that read, “Keep Warm!” The guest book, created by Paisley Quill, was a large framed sign-in board that hung near the front door.

photography courtesy of West Park Photography

After a very long, hot summer, this winter wedding concept shoot was a welcome relief and pure delight! Our thanks to the vendors who participated and shared the day with us! You can see the whole gallery {here}, see the whole stationery suite from Paisley Quill {here} and a more detailed write-up from the day on Lindsey Nartker’s blog {here}! Plus … a quick re-cap from Jamie Honce Productions (below)!

Jamie Honce Productions

Stationery: Paisley Quill
Floral Design: New Creations by Kate
Event Design: Lindsey Nartker Designs
Linen/Rental Items: Special Events Rental
Hair/Make-up: Posh Hair and Make-up Studio
Videography: Jamie Honce Productions
Photography: West Park Photography
Venue: River Birch Lodge
Attire: Gina’s Bridal

We’re feasting on the From Inspiration to Reality Shoot that Montreal based vendors, Unity Weddings and Davina+Daniel (full vendor list below), put together for all of you super glam brides out there. When you write a wedding blog for a living, your wedding obsessions tend to vary by day and right now, I’m on a total modern glam kick. Which means that this RIDICULOUSLY gorgeous shoot completely satisfies all of my wedding dreams…from the OH-so-chic black chandelier to the shoes that are going to haunt my dreams until I break down and buy a pair. So if you’re anything like me, you are definitely going to love this gem of a shoot built totally and completely to inspire your own wedding ambitions. Click here to see the full wedding gallery.

click here to see the full, totally gorgeous, wedding gallery!

From Unity Weddings…When I first saw the Emerald City inspiration board, I knew that it was absolutely perfect for me. I love all things clean, crisp black and white and art deco, so it really was a no-brainer. What really caught my attention was the photo of Keira Knightley in the infamous emerald gown from the movie “Atonement”. I literally spent days and nights watching it over and over while creating the stationery. Then my florist, Alain Simon, asked to see it, so we watched it again! The mood in that movie is so peculiar, dark and moody yet still very romantic.

The idea behind the shoot was to mix pretty severe graphics with romantic vintage softness. We shot at the newly-built Loft Hotel; its dark floors, oversize Chandeliers, and Art Deco furniture were the perfect setting for a dressy yet fun atmosphere. I am usually a huge fan of mixing and matching, so I decided to incorporate the black and white theme through mismatched plates. Emerald Green became the accent color through napkins, glasses, stationery, and jewelry. Along with my florist, we also decided to bring in some pinks in the flowers to soften up the tables. The Flowers were roses, cymbidium orchids, hypericum berries, and succulents.

In the end, I wanted to create an event with a hard-to-describe mood. Dressy yes not stuffy, modern yet with a vintage twist, colorful yet soothing to the eye. Something that would leave the viewer with a light shiver! By the way, my inspiration song was “Fever”, which is really funny since it’s the song that Ioan Films selected for the video, without even consulting me!

Here are some tips for brides wanting to re-create the look:

I think that this look is actually fairly easy to create on any kind of budget. The starting point was the black and white graphic. If attempting to DIY this, I would suggest sticking to only 1 or 2 bold colors (too many and it’ll become hallucinogenic!). If the colors all match, then you can go ahead and play with patterns as much as you like (I chose dots and lines, but it could be anything). Graphic plates are available everywhere, from expensive rental vendors  to Ikea.

If you’re going to be playing with heavy and bright patterns and colors, stick to simplicity everywhere else. You’ll want the bold visuals to really stick out without the entire design being overwhelming.

With a place setting this bold, nothing else on the table needs to be extravagant, so there’s yet another way of cutting costs! We used very small flower arrangements, just enough to give small colorful pops.

Finally, and most importantly, I say trust your instincts! A lot of people weren’t sold when I told them about my plans for this design, but it seems to have worked out after all!

Photography: Davina+Daniel / Cinema: Ioan Films / Flowers: Alain Simon Fleurs / Venue: Loft Hotel / Stationery, Design and Styling: Unity Weddings / Cake: Jessica Berard Cakes (she’s also the model with her fiance) / Dress: Melissa Gentile Couture / Furniture: Loft Hotel’s private collection / Black Chandeliers: Showdesign / China: Celebrations / Glass Vases for Succulents and Candle holders from designer’s home, purchased at Home Sense / Shoes: Nine West

It has been awhile since we have posted one of our favorite Friday features but it was well worth the wait. If you are new on the block, we’ll catch you up to speed before we dive in to all the pretty stuff. Today is the day for another From Inspiration to Reality feature where some of our favorite vendors take an inspiration board and turn it into real life, palpable ideas for you to infuse into your own weddings and events. And aside from all of the great steal-worthy inspiration tucked inside these shoots, they are always crazy beautiful as well so it’s sort of a win-win situation. Do you see now why we adore fridays? Before we get to all the goodies, we want to show you the gorgeous, glam, so yummy we could eat it inspiration board that is being brought to life:

This emerald bedazzled beauty was created by Style Circle guru, MFrezza and we are thoroughly impressed with A) her chic style and B) that glamorous color palette she created. AND this is just the tip of the iceberg. Wait oh wait until you see the photoshoot that derived from this board. An awesome team of Montreal based vendors were at work including design and styling by Unity Weddings and photography by the lovely Davina+Daniel as well as a host of other talented individuals. Sit tight and we’ll be back lickity split with the design behind this latest From Inspiration to Reality feature.

Photography: Davina+Daniel / Cinema: Ioan Films / Flowers: Alain Simon Fleurs / Venue: Loft Hotel / Stationery, Design and Styling: Unity Weddings / Cake: Jessica Berard Cakes (she’s also the model with her fiance) / Dress: Melissa Gentile Couture / Furniture: Loft Hotel’s private collection / Black Chandeliers: Showdesign / China: Celebrations / Glass Vases for Succulents and Candle holders from designer’s home, purchased at Home Sense / Shoes: Nine West

I know that we see a ton of gorgeous weddings on SMP every day. Which also means that we see a ton of gorgeous venues grace our pages. But I have to say, secretly, my favorite venue of all time is the Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu. I think it might be the zebras that get to make their way into the wedding photos which is kind of like the coolest wedding detail EVER, but it’s also the pure beauty of the space. The graceful, unfussy, totally movie star gorgeousness of the space. And this wedding, coordinated by Krista Malinin of Amber Events and photographed beautifully by Suthi Picotte, captured the essence of Saddlerock Ranch to perfection. Oh and the flowers that Holly Flora designed…swoon freaking central. Click here to see so much more!

Click here to see the full wedding gallery!

From Krista for Amber Events…Meet Melody & Michael. This sweet and painfully gorgeous couple was married on June 26th, 2010 at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu, California. M&M are adorable…in every sense of the word. To say it was a pleasure to be their wedding planner is simply an understatement. They totally rock. This is their story.

M & M were high school sweethearts. They dated for twelve years before Michael popped that big ol’ question. And although some may think of them already as an ‘old married couple,’ I see their love as young, fresh, and blossoming before our eyes. Michael is a writer in this little town called Hollywood and his humor is mad. Melody is a family psychologist, so as you can imagine, planning a wedding from start-to-finish within seven months while nurturing their successful careers was no simple feat.

Saddlerock Ranch is a rustic venue, located in the hills of Malibu. The vineyard setting, where Melody and Michael exchanged their vows, is secluded and stunning. It created a breathtaking backdrop to an emotional ceremony and fun-loving reception.

Melody was glowing her in Amy Michelson gown. After growing up in Texas, she embodied a true Southern Belle: beautiful, sweet, warm, honest… and deeply in love! During Michael’s entrance in the ceremony, escorted by his parents, a trio of string musicians played Jesu, Joy of a Man’s Desiring. As his bride walked down the aisle with her Mother and Father, Canon in D rang out through the vineyard. The tear and laughter-filled ceremony concluded with the ever-appropriate Ode to Joy.

The decor we aimed for was “French Country Vineyard.” The talented ladies at Holly Flora created a lush garden feel, pairing blush and ivory peonies, peach juliet roses, freesia, tulips, garden roses, green hydrangea, dusty miller, sweet peas, and fresh herbs with vintage blue buckets, lanterns, and tarnished silver vases. Instead of basic table numbers, Melody and Michael used their thirteen years together as inspiration for an opportunity to be creative. Each table represented a year the couple have shared together and feature a photo of them from said year, adding a personal touch throughout the table settings.

Although they had a wedding party of more than 20 people (!), the entire wedding guest count was only 83 people, keeping their closest family and friends surrounding them on their special day.

I’m all about the food so let’s chat chow: Pre-ceremony, girlfriends of the bride passed out cucumber-mint water and honeydew-melon lemonade. During cocktail hour, guests sipped on red and white sangria, while munching on Ahi Tuna Tartar, Dijon-Peppercorn Steak Skewers, Baked Brie with Dried Cherries and Macadamia Nuts, Petite Bruschetta, Apple Chicken Farinettes, Jumbo Prawns Cocktail, and a gourmet Mezze Platter. A friend of the bride is a founder of Amber Waves Farm in the Hamptons and shipped organic greens and veggies across the country for the caterer to serve with the Pear, Pecan, and Gorgonzola Salad. For the main course, guests dined on Wild King Salmon and Roasted Beef Tenderloin. The wedding cake featured three delectable flavors: Pink Velvet with Strawberry Buttercream, Chocolate with Coconut Pecan Buttercream, and (my personal favorite!) Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting.

In true Southern style, Melody and Michael changed out of their wedding attire and into their “getaway” outfits for their Grand Send Off. Guests formed an aisle for the couple and blew bubbles into the night sky before Melody and Michael hopped into a vintage 1950 Rolls Royce Bentley, heading off to their honeymoon in Italy.

Wedding Coordination: Krista Malinin for Amber Events / Venue: Saddlerock Ranch, Malibu / Catering: Contemporary Catering / Photographer: Picotte Photography / Flowers & Decor: Holly Flora / Rentals & Lighting: Town & Country Event Rentals / Band: No Vacancy Entertainment / Ceremony String Musicians: Alison Spieth Trio / Cake: A Sweet Design / Hair & Make-Up: John of Italy Salon / Paper Products: Wedding Paper Divas / Wedding Gown: Amy Michelson “Sugar” / Officiant: JP Reynolds / Videographer: Super 8mm Film (shot by friend of the couple) / On-Site Security: Sandman Security / On-Site Valet: Premiere Valet Parking / Shuttle Transportation: Corporate Coach Charters / Getaway Car: A Classic Wedding Car / Hotel Accommodations: Westlake Village Inn