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

Romantic Garden Industrial Wedding Inspiration at Ellie’s Garden

The most beautiful blending of styles often comes from marrying a personality-filled venue with just the right details—like today’s editorial from Natalie Broach Photography. The backdrop, Ellie’s Garden, sets the stage for garden industrial romance to flourish, with blooms from Lina Bosque and beauty by Jessica Rowe. Soak up the peachy, coral and burgundy palette in the full gallery!

From Natalie Broach… As a wedding photographer, I get the amazing opportunity to work with real couples by photographing them on one of the biggest days of their lives! My light and airy style is also combined with capturing real emotion by getting my couples to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Though weddings keep me very busy, I always love pushing myself and tapping into my creative side through other types of photoshoots. After doing a fun styled shoot last year with some creative vendor friends of mine Jessica Rowe Hair and Makeup Styling and Verdure Florals, I knew It was time we all came together again to share ideas for something that would be unique and beautiful. We all can agree we love a good black tux and white lace wedding gown, but we knew in order to truly create something that would stand out, we were going to have to go beyond what we are all used to seeing.

It all started with finding a beautiful couple and we did just that! Though they may not have been a real couple, Nina and Devante sure fooled us with their beautiful chemistry in front of my lens! I was able to give them direction just as if they were a real couple and I love how they responded to it. Having the groom whisper something sweet or funny into his bride’s ear to get that little burst of laughter is the perfect way to capture instant joy. Asking the bride to slowly lift her eyes to his or to have her softly touch his arm as he sweetly tucks her hair behind her ear, are all little ways of getting these incredible and authentic looking images.

Picking an amazing location was next on our list. As soon as we saw Ellie’s Garden we completely fell in love and were so excited they were on board with our photoshoot. Located in the heart of Jacksonville, in Historic San Jose, Ellie’s Garden and Warehouse offers a space unlike any other. The strength of industry meets the romantic backdrop of nature. The perfect balance of yin and yang, and the ever changing garden and grounds offer a look that suits any season and event. The garden and exterior grounds are 16,000 sq. ft., while the warehouse is 4,300 sq. ft.. This provides so many different layouts that every affair is special and unique unto itself. The location instantly gave us major secret garden vibes with a touch of glamour. With large antique metal gates to set the mood when entering the garden to the colorful landscape featuring Florida native plants, this venue was absolutely perfect.

When it came to florals, Lina from Verdure Florals wanted the flowers to have a romantic and whimsical feel for the shoot. She used beautiful garden roses, ranunculus, carnations, sweet pea, lisianthus, and some grasses to add texture. Her favorite part about this beautiful bouquet was that all of the greenery you see is from her own backyard. This gave it that romantic, secret garden, hand tied bouquet look that is just stunning.

Selecting the perfect dress and suit can be very challenging when you have so many amazing options to choose from. My favorite local bridal boutique, Love a Bridal Boutique, were so kind to lend us a dress. We originally had a different dress selected but the week of our styled shoot, the ladies at Love Bridal received a new dress and when they sent me an image I knew that was the dress for our shoot! The other dress we had originally selected was beautiful as well but this one by Jack Sullivan completely knocked the other dress out of the picture.The Carrie gown by Jack Sullivan Bridal features a lace bodice, complete with a strapless sweet heart neckline. The skirt is a soft a-line that highlights three tiers of Chantilly lace trimmed layers. We paired this with a pair of gorgeous earrings by a.b.ellie that Love Bridal Boutique offer. The Coryn earrings feature organza tuffs with rhinestone accents and gold hoop detailing. They absolutely completed the look and added a more glamorous feel.

When it came to picking the Groom’s suit we knew that it needed to compliment the colors of the florals as well as our location. As soon as we began the process of looking at different colors, we quickly landed on this skinny fit burgundy suit by New Look, purchased at Asos. We paired it with a New Look White dress shirt, Cole Hann brown shoes and decided to leave out the tie for a more modern approach.

For the hair and makeup, Jessica, from Jessica Rowe Hair and Makeup Styling, wanted to create a very natural and soft glam look. She did a golden and bronze light smoky eye using different shades of browns that paired beautifully with a soft pink lip shade. She kept the natural texture of the model’s hair for extra volume and added loose curls for a low up do. She pulled pieces to frame her face to go along with the natural and whimsical look for the shoot.

For the stationary, Ashley, from P+Co Design Studio, wanted there to be a balance of boldness and delicacy, romance and modernization. The negative space causes the eye to stop and focus on the content. It creates a boldness but the layout, thinness of the letterforms, illustrations, and color palette point back to the delicate look of the shoot. Ryan from M.C. Pressure, absoulutely nailed it with the color and paper selections. The paper is thick and textured and perfectly blends a modern look with a handmade feel. The color palette of the stationery is romantic but still modern.

Traditional Persian Wedding at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, California

Oh, Roza and Justin—you are couple goals and your fete is wedding goals! For those reading today, let me preface by saying this wedding will knock. your. socks. off. It’s a blend of modern romance with tradition in the form of the Bride & Groom’s Iranian heritage—thanks to Charmed Events Group and Fancy Little Details. There are 200 stunning images sitting in the full gallery thanks to Taralynn Lawton, with a handful of our favorites below—make sure to experience the whole day right this way.

From the bride… We met shortly before New Year 2014, and spent the next 3.5 years as any young, smitten Bay Area couple would…enjoying all that San Francisco has to offer. In July 2017, Justin surprised Roza with what she believed was going to be a weekend escape to Carmel. Little did she know that the weekend escape was soon going to become one of the most memorable experiences of her life. As they were walking to what Roza believed would be a wine tasting, Justin dropped down to one knee and proposed to Roza in a picturesque vineyard at Carmel Valley Ranch. Roza was thrilled to say yes!

We took a couple of months to soak in the joy of our engagement, but soon after began planning our dream wedding. We knew we wanted a wedding that would incorporate our love for family, the outdoors, festivity, and our shared Iranian American culture. We chose Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, a classic Italian villa at the foot of the Santa Cruz mountains, as the perfect venue to host our big day. A few months of immersing ourselves in color palettes, flowers, food tasting, and our favorite – cake tasting with Pretty Please Bakeshop – our vision slowly began to come to life.

Roza envisioned a modern, romantic and lush aesthetic. Justin wanted a flow that would bring their friends and family from different parts of their lives together seemlessly. We both wanted a DJ that would keep everyone dancing all night, which DJ Mind Motion absolutely did! We also both wanted to honor our Iranian heritage with a traditional “sofreh” ceremony, put together by Fancy Little Details, and a reading of Iranian poetry by our officiant Nilou Weddings.

Through the help of an amazing wedding vendor team, headed up Frances of Charmed Events and captured by Taralynn Lawton Photography, the details fell into place and resulted in a day that left us both overwhelmed with pure joy! We felt indescribably blessed to experience our big day amongst the people we love the most, and carry the gratitude with us each day.

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Wedding Dresses

Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Romantic Summer Wedding at Island Art and Taste in Greece

For a couple who became inseparable after their first date, a destination wedding in Greece was the location of choice. From an intimate first look to handwritten vows, captured by Les Anagnou Photographers, James Escobar and Alain Mbouche, you can feel the love radiating from these two. Think Happy Events planned the perfect day filled with an array of green and white floral arrangements by Studio 7 and just the right amount of gold details. Take a peek below as these two take their place beside one another and watch their heartwarming and fun video by Vasilis Kantarakis Films.

From the Bride…Jason and I were introduced on a hike through a mutual friend. It was a friendly meeting, but nothing more. The following weekend we reconnected at an event where feelings more than friendship began to develop.

I went on a trip to Europe for three weeks, and Jason asked me on a date promptly upon my return. We were inseparable after that. Then, on a seemingly normal Thursday in May, Jason and I were having dinner at a French restaurant in San Francisco before a show.

Jason seemed on edge, but I thought he was excited for the show. Not five minutes into dinner, he says, “I’m sure you can tell that I’m quite nervous. It’s because I want to ask you to be my wife.” He set the ring box down on the table, and I was speechless (which is a rare occurrence). Instead of immediately saying yes, the first words out of my mouth were, “Can I put it on?!”

After some happy tears and laughter, along with actually saying YES!, we headed downstairs to leave. On our way out, our families surprised us. Jason had been planning this for months! More happy tears ensued and we celebrated the evening with our loved ones. It was perfect. Fast forward a few months, and we had the most magical wedding day in Greece.

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Minimalist Brides Will *Swoon* Over These Simple and Chic Maggie Sottero Dresses

Not all minimalist bridal styles are created equal. And design house, Maggie Sottero Designs gets that, which is why she created simple, yet stunning bridal gowns that cover all of the bases to appeal to the “less is more” girl. In her collections, you’ll see hints of elegant lace in unique places, subtle crystal embellishments, stunning silhouettes, and distinct fabrics that “spark joy” in all the right ways. So if you’re a bride that lives for uncomplicated picks, keep scrolling through to browse these simple wedding dresses from Maggie Sottero Designs that will capture your heart quicker than you can say “Marie Kondo”.

Photography by Jack Gilchrist

BIANCA MARIE

Ladies who have an eye for a classic silhouette will be all over this beautiful ballgown, Bianca Marie. The simple stunner is made from Shavon organza and features elegant details like a strapless scoop neckline and flowing train for a romantic look that shines on its own.

JAMILIA

Found: The definition of a simple and chic bridal gown. From the sweetheart neckline to the illusion hemline we’re at a loss for words over this flattering Rebecca Ingram style. Très chic

BIANCA

For those who love the ‘Bianca Marie’, but are hoping for something with a bit more, we found your perfect solution — its sister dress, the ‘Bianca’. You’ll still get the same sophisticated Shavon organza makeup, but with pearls and handmade rosettes on the front. And just when you think it can’t get any better, you’ll turn around and see that gorgeous train — wow!

VERITY

This dress has pockets — are you sold yet?! Despite being ecstatic over this minor detail, we need to give credit to other stunning parts of this selection, like that sparkly Swarovski crystal belt, for instance. It’s gorgeous!

EVANGELINA

Bring attention to your best asset — your back! We’re beyond obsessed with the rear-facing side of this otherwise understated selection. The glittering Swarovski crystals all come together in a string of beading that plunges down the back for an effect that promises to turn heads.

ADA

If you adore sweet accents on your gown, consider this one. It comes with subtle enhancements like lace motifs, illusion straps, and a jewel neckline to make a straightforward silhouette feel like something extraordinary.

TYRA

Cue the Canon in D! This elegant Sottero & Midgley gown is ready to make its debut down the aisle. With modern elements, like crystal-lined side cutouts and a panel train, it warrants a wear by any fashionista or statement-maker.

ARLEIGH ROSE

Considering a dress with sleeves? Allow us to introduce to you another gem that may have you rethinking that. This crepe sheath has a jewel embossed back with tasteful cutouts to deliver the drama you want, but with retro cap sleeves to give you the coverage you crave. It’s the best of the best!

MAREN

There’s just something about a chiffon skirt that’s lovely, but ordinary. Pair it with a bodice that’s covered in crystals and beading and now you’re talking! Hello, minimalist meets all-out glam.

VERONICA

If you’ve got a taste for traditional trains, this lacey ensemble is a terrific pick. It all starts with that dramatic deep V that flows down into a silky lace-accented trail that, combined, makes for one wow-worthy gown.

Sarah Koller is a writer based in San Francisco, California. In addition to writing about other brides’ special days, Sarah is currently planning her own wedding for Spring of 2019. While she’s not browsing florals or chic wedding things, you’ll find her looking for a new brunch place, perfecting her Instagram story, or doing anything outside on a sunny day in Cali.

A House With A View

Warning: you might want to pack your bags immediately and move to Southern California after seeing this home tour. The expansive space incorporates inspiration from its coastal surroundings while ensuring a perfect view everywhere you look! The designers from Design Works focused on a timeless, beachy vibe for the home – think lots of different shades of blue, whites, neutrals. Every where you look, the space is styled and decorated to perfection. See for yourself!

ENTRYWAY

The room that really stands out in this home is the foyer. It had such a large presence, especially with the addition of the center table and stools. The Ralph Lauren chandelier was the perfect addition and made the entrance feel very stately which is something you don’t see – or get the opportunity to design – in every home.

THE LIVING ROOM

One challenge we had was that the great room was very large and quite a distance from the kitchen. Our goal was to make it feel cozy and inviting without feeling crowded with too many pieces of furniture. Our solution was to use larger scale pieces and a very big cocktail table to tighten up the space and make it one beautiful, open room.

THE KITCHEN

The kitchen has a large, open feel to it. We kept the colors very neutral with the exception of the blue chair which tie in the coastal color palette.

THE MASTER SUITE

We spent of lot of time designing the master suite. The couple had different opinions when it came to bedroom decor so we had to strike the right balance of blush and neutral tones while keeping the feeling of the room super warm and cozy. We also added a unique lighting fixture to spice the room up a bit.

THE BACKYARD

You’d never want to leave this backyard, and living in SoCal – they will be able to enjoy it almost year-round. It was so much fun designing the outdoor space. There was a lot of room for different vignettes – including the lounge area by the fire place – and around the incredible infinity pool – but our favorite setting is the bar area. It has this huge island with plenty of bar stools, a TV – we think it’s the best bar in town.

Photography: Ryan Garvin | Interior Design: Design Works

Charming Provence Wedding Inspiration at Domaine Les Martins

I’m quite certain that today’s wedding editorial will be sprinkled across hundreds (if not thousands) of Pinterest boards in wedding land. It’s Provence charm at it’s finest, all thanks to Janna Brown Design Co.. Set at Domaine Les Martins, the simply beautiful touches like white roses and romance-driven calligraphy compliment the old-world vibe like no other. I urge you to visit the full gallery from Katie Grant Photography—it’s loaded with even more goodness!

From Janna Brown Design Co.… When asked to design a 1:1 workshop near Gordes, I stumbled upon Domaine Les Martins, and knew it was the perfect fit. I was seeking a venue filled with warmth, character, oozing French charm, and Domaine les Martins was just that. Owners Regis and David have created a slice heaven with this bed and breakfast, with each corner of the property reminicent of a page out of Vogue Living.

As we were in Provence, I wanted to indulge in the idea of baguettes, cheese and wine, and I based our tablescape on these elements. Editorial sessions allow a bit more flexibility with design, and I wanted to create an unconventional table setting. We spent the morning in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, sourcing cheese and bread from all of the local shoppes. We foraged wild clematis vine from the roadside, and found a charming florist who provided us with beautiful white roses.

While browsing the garden area, we stumbled upon curious snails, who could not have been more fitting for our paper details. We focused on the details of the paper goods and tablescape, and kept the bridal look quite simple with dewy makeup and a delicate gown by Cathy Telle. Our stunning friends, Zhenya and Julius, complimented the venue in neutral colors, with Julius in a casual trouser and linen jacket. Zhenya’s bouquet was oversized and untamed, brimming with wild clematis.

Lebanese Wedding In Athens, Greece at Kefalari Suites

When this Bride approached her planner, Sand+Lace Events, she sought a wedding with an “Alice in Wonderland” vibe and without feeling too themed, that’s exactly how this gorgeous Greece fete reads. From the ‘maids in their floral crowns to the wildly beautiful tablescapes set below ivy-wrapped trees, Sotiris Tsakanikas had plenty of pretty to document. See it all, right this way in the full gallery!

From Sand+Lace Events… Mohammed and Lara are the sweetest couple living in Dubai, with Lebanese, Syrian and Irish roots which all came together in their beautiful enchanted garden wedding at a vineyard just outside of Athens on a beautiful warm day in May.

Lara contacted us with the wish to have a completely styled wedding, she saw the venue as a blank canvas and wanted to create an intimate wedding with an “Alice in Wonderland” kind of vibe to it. We choose a rich color palette with lots of greenery, a lot of lush flowers, long wooden tables, string lights, chandeliers and even a few rabbits.. We put a lot of thought into the small details, for example by using little dear heads as table number holders and napkins recreated from the famous “Flower Still Life” by Dutch painter Jan Davidsz. de Heem.

For the ceremony, we went for a stunning floral garland beautifully decorated around a fig tree by the team of Studio7 Florescense which certainly wowed everyone! After the ceremony, the guests moved on to the cocktail area guided by talented Louis Vlahakis performing acoustically on his guitar and singing “Stand by Me” from music legend Ben E. King. While guests were all singing their way into the cocktail hour it didn’t take long before they awaited another bombastic surprise. The bride and groom secretly prepared a grand Lebanese Zaffe entrance with loud music accompanied by percussionists to honor their roots. This definitely set the tone for the rest of the evening!

As the evening moved along and the night started to fall guest took place at the enchanting dinner area. The dining tables were covered by the leaves of tall trees, string lights and chandeliers. This all lighted up the setting as Mohammed, Lara and their guests dined underneath the stars.

A Spring Garden Editorial Filled with Femininity and Blush Fleurs

If you’re looking for Spring wedding inspiration that encompasses the delicate romance of the Spring season – look no further! This stunning style shoot from Aravella Event Design couldn’t be more perfect. From the bride’s hand beaded gown to the soft palette of blush tones with subtle hints of yellow to the feminine fleurs by Riverdale Farm Albany & Abbey Lou Flowers… everything about these designs will take your breath away. Prepare to fill your Pinterest boards with these gorgeous pictures from Jemma Keech.

From Aravella Event Design…I wanted to create a feminine and romantic Spring wedding inspiration filled with soft textures, organic blooms and intricate details. I was inspired by Riverdale Farm’s beautiful large country garden, which during Spring the cutting beds are filled with wildflowers and garden flowers in an array of blush tones and delicate textures.

Helen from Riverdale Farm worked alongside her daughter Abbey of Abbey Lou Flowers to create the textural bouquet and arrangements, which evoke the feeling of rambling country gardens. To compliment the floral arrangements the table was set with a luxe velvet tablecloth and a mix of vintage stemware, gold flatware and hand torn calligraphed menus.

The simplicity of the deckled edge cake by The Cake and I, compliments the soft textural floral design and looks almost too pretty to eat. The bride’s stunning Zanzis Couture gown features a modern design with intricate hand beaded embellishments and a long flowy veil to complete the look.

Captured beautifully on film by Jemma Keech, this editorial is filled with femininity and was designed to inspire couples seeking an intimate garden wedding.

A Modern Southern Wedding with a Panama Twist at William Clinton Presidential Center

Since the groom is from the mountains of Panama and the bride is from The South, this couple wanted to incorporate details that represented both of their unique cultural backgrounds to their overall wedding décor. To do so, they enlisted the help of Anne-Claire Allen Planning & Design to bring their vision to life. Prepare for the most beautiful bright pink bouquets by Silks A Bloom, darling baby blue bridesmaid dresses, some traditional southern fare and a modern reception space that will take your breath away. It all came together seamlessly and truly represented the best of both worlds. Check out all the details from this southern wedding with a twist captured perfectly by Kati Mallory Photo & Design!

From the bride, Mary Daniel… John and I met during a law school function (to be specific – a 90s theme party), and from our first date on, I knew I wanted to marry him. Although we are both attorneys, and seemingly quite similar (we joke that we began finishing each other’s sentences on our first date and haven’t ever stopped), I view him as my perfect complement. I wanted our wedding to reflect our similarities and our differences. The overarching theme became just that – To place a focus on the details that composed us as a couple. Although John grew up in Texas, he is from the mountains of Panama, and I am from Little Rock, Arkansas. From day one of planning it became about combining those cultures in the form of one large party. Our wonderful wedding planner, Anne-Claire Allen Owens of Anne-Claire Allen Planning & Design, embraced this full swing. She helped guide us toward an overall theme of “Southern with Twist.” We incorporated bright pink florals as a nod to Panama’s more tropical feel to complement the more traditional wedding ceremony venue. We greeted guests to the reception with traditional Panamanian sangria, topped with fresh fruit, and they feasted on some Arkansas staples afterward. As a child I’d always dreamed of a hometown wedding with all of my family surrounding me. Unfortunately, several important members of my family, including both of my grandmothers, passed away prior to our marriage, so my style vision for our wedding day began about honoring the role my grandmothers played in my life. My maternal grandmother loved almost nothing more than blue and white chinoiserie pieces, and my paternal grandmother cherished gardenias and all things gardenia scented.

Anne-Claire worked with us to incorporate those details throughout our wedding, from the gardenia-scented Lux Fragrances candles in the gift baskets to the chinoiserie-printed fans on the balcony at our reception venue. Our invitations were lined with a custom created gardenia print, and our crest was adorned with gardenias. We even used my family’s collection of chinoiserie vases for most of the florals! At that point in the planning process, the vision truly began to stand out for a blue and white wedding with pops of pink. While I was focused on incorporating chinoiserie throughout our wedding, I did not want to create an overly traditional décor because John is drawn to a more clean, simplistic design style. That’s where our venue comes into play. We took trolleys from the very traditional church where our ceremony took place to the Clinton Presidential Library, which is one of the most modern pieces of architecture in Little Rock. I think the transition from a stone and wood paneled church interior to the glass and limestone ballroom at the Clinton Center truly signaled the switch to party mode! John and I are total foodies that could not settle on one menu, so instead of having a seated dinner, we had an oversized buffet. There was passed hors-d’oeuvre’s, a raw bar with East-Coast oysters and tuna tartare (a nod to our love for traveling – Cape Cod has been our favorite vacation spot so far), pork tenderloin with horseradish sauce, fried chicken (in honor of our first date – John says he knew I was a keeper when I ordered fried chicken and greens on our first date), macaroni and cheese, an entire bread assortment (another nod to Panamanian custom), and more sides than you could ever count!

John and I are huge Tex-Mex fans, so after a while we had sliders and quesadillas brought out to the dance floor, just to make sure everyone stayed full – Ha! We were fortunate enough to get married over a holiday weekend, so many of our friends and family were able to travel in and attend. We joke that our guests filled most of Little Rock’s downtown hotels, because we had guests fly in from Panama, China, Peru, France, and all over the United States. It was absolutely the most humbling feeling, and I knew I wanted to make sure we treated them to a weekend they’d always remember. Guests were greeted at their hotels with “Welcome to Little Rock” baskets composed of [mostly] Arkansas-made products: J&M cheese straws, a Lux Fragrances scented candle wrapped in a pink box and topped with a blue hydrangea in honor of our wedding colors, a marshmallow crispy cake from The Crispery (which is based in Virginia, where John and I met, but has its bakery in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where I was born and where most of my family lives), and finally, a miniature pecan pie made in Texas by the Gilbert Pecan Company because John and I were moving to Houston, Texas after our honeymoon. I have too many “favorites” to name, but I think the aspect I most enjoyed planning was creating the perfect nod to John’s [other] two loves: flying and our dog, Winston. John did not want a traditional groom’s cake, so instead, I surprised him with a milk and cookie bar, his favorite late-night snack.

We had a custom drawing of Winston that could be made into stickers, and the wonderful chefs at the Clinton Center created airplane-shaped cookies for the station. We labeled the station “Winston’s Wag Bags” and instructed guests to fill a to-go bag with cookies, sealed shut with a sticker of Winston! Another favorite was working with Shuler Studio to create our monogram. We first incorporated it in our save-the-date and then sealed our invitations with wax seals stamped with our monogram. At the reception, Deborah Allen painted a beautiful centerpiece for the back wall of the ballroom with our monogram and the dance floor was adorned with it. Smaller details incorporated it as well; we had custom pillows monogrammed and placed in the lounge areas, stir-sticks and koozies at the bars monogrammed in navy and white to pick up the navy lounge furniture, the guest book ring bearer pillow were properly embroidered, and even the favors by The Crispery were iced with our monogram! Although I loved every minute of our wedding, there are five moments (in consecutive order) that are my most cherished. (1) Opening my wedding present from John to learn we’d gotten each other the exact same gift – an oil painting by beloved Kristen Hess Art. I cried from laughing so hard when I realized! Luckily, she was smart and advised him to give me a certificate for a painting from our wedding day. (2) A balloon release at the church with our family in honor of our deceased family members and friends. When I was young, my brother passed away, and my grandmother helped me understand the concept of death by sending balloons up to Heaven for my brother. It was incredibly important to me that we incorporate a prayer and balloon release prior to our service. (3) Communion. John and I are both religious, and while we wanted the reception to consist of nothing but the world’s most fun party, we wanted to make sure our ceremony honored the commitment we were making. (4) Private dinner after the ceremony with just John and me. Y’all. You need a moment to relish in the fact that you just got married!! Eating in a private dining room ensured that we got that (and that we got to taste all the magnificent food)! (5) Private last dance to end the night. Again – You really need several moments to process the rush of it all and try to commit all those feelings to memory. Our last dance was the most incredible way to wrap up our wedding and head into marriage together!

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Kati Mallory Fine Art Photography

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Colorful Garden Wedding at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

If al fresco garden party with a side of boho glam sounds right up your alley, then this one is for you babes! Dreamy, right?! With LVL Weddings & Events at the planning helm, every corner is tucked with carefully curated details—and loads of blooms by Carla Kayes. Join in this wedding journey below with captures from Mirelle Carmichael and a film by Amari Productions.

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From LVL Weddings & Events… Kaitlin wanted to create an al fresco upscale garden party. To define the space and add some intimacy we decided to introduce pergolas that were hung with gorgeous chandeliers and lots of loose greenery. We created a structure over the dance floor that also added in some whimsical touches with string lights and more greenery.

Kaitlin and Pete met when they were kids so having a surprise memory wall put together by the Mother of the Bride & Groom was the perfect personal touch. The wall had love letters from the Bride & Groom to each other before they were teens.

Kaitlin mentioned that she loves champagne so we decided to incorporate that into their custom seating wall that said Come Sip with Us! The parents of the couple are great friends so we decided to create a special table just for them which was a little spin on a sweetheart table for them.

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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Adrianna Papell

Spring 2015

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5 Ways To Use Pantone’s Color of the Year ‘Living Coral’ in Your Modern Wedding

As much of a neutral lover as I am, my color kryptonite is coral. So, you can imagine my elation when Pantone announced Living Coral as their color of the year. I knew we’d be in for a dose of vibrancy in weddings and today’s slice of inspo from Lauren Field Design and Kristin La Voie Photography nails it. Read on below for five innovative ideas on how to infuse this vibrant, happy hue into a modern wedding with a wow-worthy palette.

1. Wear it!

Make a statement by starting with the decision to wear a colored gown. This unique Elizabeth Dye wildfire gown was the perfect way to incorporate such a bold statement piece. Be sure to select simple accessories to allow the gown to take the full spotlight.

2. Choose a neutral colored venue

Select a venue that will allow the color to shine without being too busy. The Prospect House gave us such an opportunity with it’s simple yet elegant spaces that have a grand light filled quality to them. By creating focus around the features we admired most, we were able to seamlessly blend our colorful vision for this modern fete.

3. Pair with analogous (adjacent) colors on the color wheel

Infusing the palette with colors that have a similar underlying tone with varied hues (like magenta, rose quartz, etc) help to draw attention in a visually pleasing and exciting way. There is nothing boring about this color combo!

4. Set a baseline of decor with dark, light, and translucent elements

Combining architectural elements of various luster and matte finishes, the color can feel bold yet well curated. We incorporated high gloss tableware with a smooth matte velvet; translucent ghost chairs atop a matte concrete floor to create visual interest.

5. Choose florals that include preserved elements with minimal greenery

Balanced textures and unique pairings (like the dyed fan palms, bleached Italian ruscus, and bright anthuriums) help a composition remain innovative and unique, while totally logical. Hints of unexpectedness help bring your overall concept up a few notches!

From Lauren Field Design… Inspired by the intersection of modern architecture/abstract art and the evocative use of shapes, forms, and color (or lack thereof) inherent in both mediums, we wanted to reflect the simplicity and visual order of layering texture in a refined yet dramatic fashion.

At The Prospect House, the captivating display of simple materials, lofty exposed structure, and abundant natural light provide a stunning backdrop reminiscent of an art gallery. These experiential characteristics of proportion, scale, and light/reflection became driving factors for all aspects of the design.

We selected a palette of tone-on-tone hues of jet black and charcoal infused with varying shades of living coral. The high contrast decor was paired with architectural accents of concrete, mixed metals, and translucent elements as a nod to the thoughtful architecture of the venue. The ceremony installation was meant to channel the poetic brushstrokes of an abstract expressionist painting. For the table, we chose a charcoal velvet tablecloth layered with luster glassware, matte black flatware, and colorful asymmetrical arrangements influenced by the art of Ikebana flower arranging. The cake was a dark silhouette of impressive texture atop lucite on a dramatically high table with an avant-garde vibe.

The bride and groom were both dressed in elegant silhouettes with a bit of modern flair; the groom in a velvet jacket, the bride in a runaway train of tiered tulle. The bridal look was feminine yet edgy with a classic chignon to showcase the statement of the gown.

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Remi and Gold

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Classic White & Gold Wedding Inspiration at Taipei Marriott Hotel

If you’ve ever doubted a clean and neutral palette, or fear that it may be too lackluster for your own Big Day—I urge you to spend some time with this inspiration shoot captured by Allen Fu of Milk and Honey Studio. With a timeless marriage of white and gold, details like the florals by TWIG Studio, charming calligraphy by Tinge & Flourish and a textured cake by Wooden Lace Cakery elevate this neutral palette for a collection of images that are proof white can pack a punch.

From Allen Fu… The inspiration for this styled shoot was drawn from the colors, white and gold. Such combination spoke timeless and elegance to me, which was the foundation of everything from calligraphy, floral design and the venue we chose.

When I thought about elegance, the Garden Villa in Taipei Marriott Hotel was the first place I thought of, with its classic arch design it really sets a beautiful foundation for our shoot. You will also see the influence of white and gold throughout the shoot, from the gold foil in the design of the menu and calligraphy, to the color choices of our floral design.

We are very proud and happy with the result of our hard work to create what we feel is a timeless and classic shoot with the inspiration of white and gold, and we hope you would enjoy it as much as we did in creating it.

Classic & Whimsical Santa Lucia Preserve Wedding in Carmel-by-the-Sea

At this point, I’ve got a pretty good knack for spotting our most-loved vendors in wedding features. In today’s classic-meets-whimsical-with-a-side-of-rustic-vintage California celebration planned by Alison Events, I spotted several of those crazy talented peeps before even peering at the credit list. Found Rentals was easy to identify with all those gorgeous rentals, Casa de Perrin and La Tavola graced the tabletops with their goods, while Zephyr Tents housed created a classic atmosphere and Ariella Chezar splashed the day in colorful blooms. It all came together for the most charming day of love held at Santa Lucia Preserve—see it all below, captured by Tec Petaja and Max Cutrone.

From Jesse Tombs of Alison Events… Lauren & Galen’s wedding day was all about color, texture and personality. One word Laura used when describing what she likes was eclectic. While I wanted the look to feel collected over time and worldly, I also wanted it to feel authentic to the place, and cohesive. We made the look constant with the use of color. I like starting the day our with a more mild, muted version of the color story.

For the ceremony we wanted to keep the look very natural, but eclectic with the mismatched benches, church pews and chairs we used for seating. We worked with Ariella Chezar to create a living garden that flowered out of the ground down the aisle towards the alter at the based of redwood trees said to be hundreds of years old. Dart Collective from LA used a 25 piece band to perform a song from a Philip Glass opera with a choir of singers. As the song had a spoken word portion, Laura’s uncle learned the piece and recited the part perfectly for the ceremony as Laura was walked down the aisle by her father.

For the cocktail hour, I design a beautiful custom Turkish Rug wrapped bar that Jeni and Jewel from Found Vintage Rentals created for me. It turned out so perfect, and I just loved how it incorporated our colors, and also added texture and depth to the design. It was inspired by a bar I saw at the Nomad hotel in LA. I love finding inspiration for wedding design in unexpected places. We also worked with Found to create many lounge vignettes throughout the cocktail hour lawn to provide beautiful place for guests to lounge and take in the stunning views of the Preserve.

The Preserve catering team set up an amazing Gin and Tonic bar, where guests could select from a wonderful array of Gins and Tonics along with different garnishes. This was inspired by a cocktail bar in London that Laura and Galen love. We wanted to try something really sculptural and different for the escort card display. Laura and Galen love art and museums, so we wanted the escort card display to feel like an interactive art installation where guests could interact with the flowing silk fabric panels. We worked with Yonder design to bring the instal to life. Ariella worked with the Green Vase in New York to make the custom paper flowers that adorned the installation.

The escort card set up was also a peek at what was to come in terms of color and materials for the dinner tent. In the dinner tent, I wanted to keep it super fresh and bright. Laura loved the colors orange, red and yellow. We thought the ice blue linens from la Tavola almost acted as a neutral here. The beautiful chairs from Theoni collection kept the look fresh and casual, but also really sleek and modern. I was obsessed with the dinner plates. Casa de Perrin actually purchased these especially for our event. I found them online and asked Diana if they could source them for us. When I first showed them to Laura, she told me they were the plates she wanted to register for and that she was obsessed with them too. We were totally on the same wave length when it came to design, which is also so fun. I just love collaborating with clients that I click with from an design point of view.

The big reveal was after dinner, moving into the barn. The neon lights (each one had a special meaning the the clients and their closest family members and friends) were inspired by an art instal Laura and Galen saw at a museum. I loved the idea and thought, why not do 30 neon signs above the stage in the barn? After the wedding, we shipped all the neon signs to the guests that they correlated to; so when guests got home, they were surprised to find a neon sign all boxed up on their front steps. I just loved collaborating with Laura and Galen and can not wait to work with them and their families again. A true honor and privilege to work also work with such professional, creative and talented vendors to help us bring our vision to life.

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The Welcome Party

Thursday’s welcome party was a chance to really welcome guests to the beauty that is Pebble Beach and the Carmel coast. We chose to host the event on the dock at the Pebble Beach and Tennis Club. We took over the whole dock, and transformed it into a seaside cocktail reception with a wonderful creative team.

While I wanted the look to feel nautical and sophisticated, I also didn’t want to take ourselves too seriously. We came up with the mantra “Nautical by Nature.” We wanted the elements that we brought in, furnishings, decor, accessories, and floral to feel as if it had always existed there. I partnered with Kathleen Deery Design on the overall decor and design, her Urban Parlor company provided the beautiful rattan and cane furniture. Kathleen and her team also created the beautiful sea grass inspired floral designs. We also worked with Jewel from Found Vintage Rentals for additional furniture and decor items. Found provided the boards, seaside props and lifeguard chairs for the event; these items really made the look feel layered and give a lot of depth to the design.

We worked with Dart Collective from LA for the entertainment. They provided this incredible band that was inspired by the Yacht Rock. We wanted the music to feel fun and be filled with personality. Yonder Design partnered with us on signage and paper products. I came up with idea to print a menu on a sail. Yonder translated this into a model sailboat that was white washed to hold the printed sail as a bar menu. We also had custom lifesavers made their the couples names on them to adorn food stations. Cocktail napkins and stir sticks featured navy nautical icons created by the Yonder team. As the sunset, lights we placed under the dock lit up the water below.

The Rehearsal Dinner

Friday night, Laura and Galen wanted the event to feel a bit more elevated, while still allowing the wedding to really shine as the focal point of the weekend. I was truly inspired by the venue for the design, The Monterey Peninsula Country Club. The Club, originally built on 1926 is a traditional Spanish Colonial. The color for the event was inspired by the terra cotta tile roof of the club, it’s brick patios and stucco exteriors.

The pops of lemony yellow were a request of the bride and Kathleen Derry and I were happy to oblige. I love yellow and was so excited to incorporate it into this somewhat masculine color palette. I think the yellow added just the right touch of femininity.

We worked with Yonder Design on the paper elements which again were inspired by the tones of the building and the Spanish Colonial style of the club. We worked with Casa De Perrin to find the perfect tabletop to accent the dinning area. Theoni collection special ordered these amazing white leather and wooden Sayulita chairs for our event which added a specialty, custom look to the decor.

Found Vintage brought in beautiful lounge seating, which was accented by furnishings from Urban Parlor. Together the furnishings looked as thought they always belonged in the club. All the pieces we selected looked as if they were just part of the club’s decor on a daily basis, which was my intention. The event rooms at the club are usually not furnished, so this was an exciting project to dream up.

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The Wedding Detailor

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The Perfect Mix of Modern and Romantic with Shades of Blue at The Estate on Second

When two people come together to create a wedding day that is not only a celebration of their love but also a representation of both their unique personalities – magic happens! In today’s gorgeous wedding day, captured by Anya Kernes Photography, the bride and groom decided to incorporate her love of romantic details with his modern style. With a little help from Providence and Planning Events, their individual styles merged seamlessly into the perfect mix, accompanied by a heavenly color palette of soft blue hues. See all the must-see moments from their day below!

From Rebekah, Owner of Providence and Planning Events… When we had our first meeting, the couple shared their desire to design the wedding that balanced Jason’s modern style with Bonnie’s romantic tastes. They were consistent to lean towards the effortless and inviting, nothing too formal or overly designed, which was important in every decision we made in the wedding planning process from the invitations to the tablescape design.

The wedding took place at the Estate on Second, where the worn brick and chandeliers gave off a sophisticated, timeless feel. The color palette for the wedding was various shades of blue with variations in silver blue, dove gray/blue, serenity blue and a darker shade of blue.

Hints of minimalism in the décor throughout the day drew out the modern feel while the soft textures of tulle and fabric brought out the soft and romantic feel. The floral design consisted of various creamy and white florals combined with a mix of textural greens.

Echo Floral created a lush, floral arch against the Palladian windows that served as the perfect backdrop for Bonnie and Jason to say their “I do’s”. To create a warm and romantic atmosphere, we added over 300 pillar candles throughout the reception tables placed with soft table runners to add texture to the tables.

Bonnie loves exploring creativity and crafting items, so she worked with a designer to create custom designed pins to embellish the place cards and double as favor for the guests. As a sweet treat for their guests, the couple served their favorite ice cream from Kansha Creamery at the end of the night.

What to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Date

When it comes to setting a wedding date, there can be a lot of pressure for the couple to make a decision. Some brides and grooms already have a date set in their minds from the moment they get engaged. Others have no idea what month they want, let alone a date. If you’re in that boat, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered! To aid you in the first crucial step in wedding planning, here’s what to consider when choosing your wedding date.

1. Familial Considerations

Although not the most fun topic, family illnesses, aging grandparents, or even the more positive topic of the pregnancy of a close family member can greatly impact when you set your date. If there are key guests you must have at your wedding who perhaps will fare better sooner than later, be sure to work around their health or schedules so they can be in attendance. Additionally, if you know that key guests might be in the prime in the first half of the day, consider a brunch wedding so they can fully enjoy your celebration!

2. Your Ideal Weather

Is the winter better than the spring? Is June really the best wedding month? Do you dream of being surrounded by snow in the mountains? Or do you prefer a mild breeze and sunshine in the French countryside? Callista Osborn of Callista and Company says, “Consider the landscape and weather at your ideal wedding venue. Are there blooming trees that peak in the spring, colorful autumn foliage, or dreamy dustings of winter snow? Don’t let weather be a deterrent, but rather research average weather patterns, and plan accordingly from the start to keep your guests comfortable in the sun, rain, or snow.”

3. Tourism in Popular Destinations

If you’re planning a wedding in a city that often has tourists, be mindful of dates and months that are busier than normal. Going during busy seasons could make travel more difficult. Additionally, it would make it a lot harder to get gorgeous portraits with minimal to no people in the backgrounds. Jennifer Fox, a wedding planner in Paris, advises, “When choosing a wedding date in Paris, it’s key to take into account the time of year, especially during the busy summer tourist season. To enjoy the city’s most iconic landmarks at their most intimate (and with the best lighting), it’s best to plan for a sunrise portrait session a day or two before your actual wedding. This way you are sure to capture the city at its most beautiful, while allowing yourself more time to sip champagne with your guests on your wedding day!”

By choosing a wedding date that gives you flexibility to go early and explore the city with your photographer, you can truly take advantage of the city’s beauty. It’s great advice to add on a portrait session during a time when most people aren’t even awake! That would solve the busy background issue and then your wedding will a piece of cake too since tourists wouldn’t be at your venue!

4. Choosing a Meaningful Date

If you’re open to any season and time of year, choosing a meaningful wedding date that’s based off of special past events can be a beautiful nod to your history. You could choose the date on which you first met, had your first kiss, or your anniversary. Or perhaps you two are big fans of a particular holiday and want to incorporate that date and its festivities into your celebration. You truly can’t go wrong with choosing a date that has significance to your relationship!

5. Prioritizing Your Dream Vendors

Nothing’s worse than having your date set in stone only to realize your favorite vendor is already booked. If you’re that bride or groom who’s had their heart set on a specific venue or photographer and can’t have your wedding without them, let their availability dictate your date. Inquire and tell them how much you would love them to be a part of your day and that you’re willing to choose whatever date they’re available within a specific month or season. That way, you get your dream team of vendors and don’t have to brainstorm your own date options!

6. Be Flexible

Sometimes being flexible with your date can be a huge blessing. For my own wedding, we originally wanted April 6^th (a Saturday). Our dream venue had lower food and beverage minimums for Sundays. As much as we had out hearts set on Saturday, the financial logistics and the fact that we would be able to make better use of our full budget by choosing Sunday were absolutely worth it!

You might also want to be flexible in case you realize your date overlaps a time frame in which traveling would be difficult or costly for you and your guests. Michael Masi of Masi Events adds, “Just last week we were venue scouting in Palm Beach with one of our new full service clients. They were initially interested in October dates. Being as they are from the Northeast and not South Florida, I advised them about the potential for hurricanes that time of year. So obviously weather is an important consideration when choosing your venue and location.

Beyond that though, it is important to be aware of other activities that may be annual or special occurrences in the destination of your choice. For this same client, they made the decision on the wedding venue of their dreams, luckily the venue was available for February not October. Hurricane issue averted! The dates available were February 1st and February 22nd of 2020. They were ready to move forward with the 1st, when I advised them that the Super Bowl would be in Miami that weekend, nearly two hours away from their venue, but still in the area. Before confirming the date, we check hotels, airfare and other travel expenses guests would be subject to in order to attend the wedding and decided that an over $500 difference in airfare tickets would be worth the move to the later date.” Way to go Michael for helping his couple avoid potential wedding disasters!

I couldn’t end this post without highly recommending that you hire a planner to help you make the right decision about your wedding date. Planners, working from experience, can foresee issues like traffic, weather, costs, and more when it comes to choosing your wedding date. Although you should wait until you have a date set in stone to contact other vendors, planners are a great exception to this rule. They’ll be a great asset to have before you even choose your date and venue!

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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Event Planning

Masi Events

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Jennifer Fox Weddings

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An Elegant Wedding Amidst The Rice Fields at Villa Kelusa in Bali

Considering that Bali is one of the top wedding destinations in the world, it’s safe to say we’ve seen A LOT of weddings in this tropical locale – but none quite like this beauty! Tamara and Lucky truly embraced the natural elements of Balinese culture. They incorporated everything from elegant bamboo and woven details to bird cages and jungle palms to their wedding decor – elements you can find walking through the villages of Bali. The bride wore an utterly romantic Oscar De La Renta gown as the couple exchanged vows under a tropical arbor created by Bloomz Fine Flowers. It was the dreamiest day all thanks to Hair Indah Wedding Planning & Design. Step inside this enchanting Bali affair below, all captured beautifully by Imaj Gallery…

How did you first meet?

From the Bride…We met at a medical mission in southern Philippines. We were both doctor volunteers at an area devastated by one of the strongest typhoons to make landfall in history called Super- Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda. We joined in the initial relief efforts headed by common colleagues and first met there.

What was the vision for your wedding day?

What was most essential to us in considering our overall vision was to share our special place with our loved ones and honor love as well. We love Bali, particularly Ubud, as it was the location of our first holiday together and many thereafter. We envisioned the typical Ubud background of jungle and rice fields and thought white would stand out well against the lush green background. We decided to keep everything white from the flowers to the dress code. We wanted it to be tropical, natural, and very Balinese thus romantic. The naturally elegant bamboo and woven elements, jungle palms and fragrant white flowers, even bird cages, were what we always loved about Bali. So the decor reflected what one could typically find in the villages and along the country roads of Bali. We had 80 guests consisting of close friends and family which made our wedding feel cozy and intimate.

Describe the wedding, what made it unique and special?

The Ubud villa we chose had the perfect background of rice fields on a jungle ravine and the property layout allowed a natural progression from the entrance to ceremony onto the cocktails then the dinner tent along an elongated ridge. This created a Wow Factor & a surprise at each location along the way. Our guests came from all over the world to share this with us. The decor was particular to the region as we are from the Philippines and being from Southeast Asia we love decor made of bamboo, coconuts, woven baskets, rugs, and pottery. Balinese Penjors which are traditional bamboo poles festooned with rice & flowers welcomed our guests at the villa gates. We had some very personal elements such as amazing chandeliers adorned with fresh strands of jasmine blossoms & the hand crafted chandelier made in Bali which hung on the tree next our arch. We took the hand crafted Balinese chandelier home and now have it with us to remind us of that day! Both of my dresses, chosen & gifted by my Mom, were from Oscar de la Renta’s atelier in London where she works. Did I mention the hand built and crafted wood tent made especially for the site?! The wedding planner, the decorator and the caterer & the photographer were all really amazing! They really made the day what it was!!

Fill us in on the flowers used for floral arrangements!

Our floral arrangements were kept “wild but still pretty” and smelled amazing, using a lot of fragrant flowers typical of Bali including tuberoses, frangipani, white lotus flowers and jasmine. In addition there were lots of tropical leaves, fresh rice grass & coconuts throughout the venue.

Talk to us about your bridal style:

I was lucky enough to be styled by my mother who works in fashion. I wore an Oscar de la Renta gown and changed into a shorter lace dress later in the evening also by Oscar dela Renta. We chose both dresses instantly, with one fitting without needing to try anything else because we felt both were so perfect especially for Bali. My dangling white floral earrings were also by Oscar de la Renta. I wore a very thin custom By Chari bracelet in rose gold that had the letters L and T. My shoes were rose gold with embroidered flowers by Kate Spade. My bridal bag was also in a shade of rose gold by Cult Gaia. Our wedding bands were from Tiffany, mine was thin rose gold and the groom’s was black titanium and rose gold mix.

What about the handsome groom?

The groom’s bespoke three piece beige suit was custom made by Suit It Up Manila using a really light Dormieul linen blend fabric from London perfect for the Bali weather. His brown brogues were by Colehaan.

Eclectic & Earthy Livermore Wedding at Wente Vineyards

The best part of fusing any wedding, but especially a multicultural one? Embracing your respective backgrounds while celebrating with your nearest and dearest. Recruiting the help of Amy Nichols Special Events, Radha and Piper crafted a day—honoring Radha’s Gujarati Hindu heritage—that was not only meaningful and harmonious but represented the modern, same-sex couple’s eclectic taste as well. Allan Zepeda captured it all, right this way.

From Amy Nichols Special Events… Radha and Piper met online and in the span of one week they had three 10-hour dates! A few years and many more conversations later, Radha proposed in a private, warm, and emotional engagement. Once they were engaged, Radha and Piper tapped Amy Nichols of Amy Nichols Special Events to coordinate their large and complex wedding day. After interviewing several planners, they chose Amy because they felt comfortable with her style of communication, her experience and because they just had a gut feel that she was going to be able to work with them to help create the experience they were looking for.

When it came time to start the planning, one large consideration was that Radha was one of the first openly gay member of her community, and her wedding to Piper truly opened hearts and minds. The wedding weekend included three days of ceremonies and celebrations, culminating in the wedding ceremony and reception at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California, east of San Francisco.

The wedding ceremony at Wente Vineyards included a baraat and a traditional mandap in a large tent erected for the ceremony to protect guests from the summer heat. The tent was decorated with woodland-inspired florals designed by Alicia K Designs, and included pops of color.

They wanted to make sure the entire event successfully captured a blend of both of their cultures and wasn’t fully overtaken by the Indian foundation of the wedding itself. Piper’s best friend officiated an additional western component of the ceremony, which was predominantly a traditional Indian Gujarati ceremony officiated by a Hindu pandit. They also had fun personal touches like steampunk-inspired escort cards, mini terrarium favors, and vintage scrolls as a guest book, which were all things that were meaningful to Radha and Piper.

When designing the overall wedding day, Amy Nichols Special Special Events tailored the wedding design to the couple’s eclectic, organic and earthy style. Working closely with Alicia K Designs, Amy and Alicia and kept their woodland-inspired tastes in mind with pops of color giving a nod to Radha’s Indian culture. Bright and eclectic florals of Mokara orchids, dahlias, scabiosa pods, pincushion protea, and greens were incorporated. Greenery was added to the tent supports to keep the natural feeling going, and provided the perfect backdrop as guests danced into the night. One of the best surprises of the night was Piper’s family surprising Radha’s family with a choreographed Bollywood dance routine — which had everyone crying with laughter.

How to Decide Which Photography Style Is Right for You

Luckily for me, I knew what kind of photography style I wanted for my own wedding. What I didn’t know was how in the world I was going to find the perfect photographer! It’s even harder when you have no idea what kind of imagery you’re drawn to. If that sounds like you and you’re already feeling overwhelmed, keep reading to learn how to decide which photography style is right for you!

Browse Instagram and Websites

Tanya of Tenth and Grace says, “The easiest way to determine the right photography style for your wedding is to expose yourself to a wide range of photographers and see what types of images resonate with you the most. Do you swoon over light and airy film images or do you gravitate toward dark and moody photos? Do you love romantic posed portraits or prefer a more candid photojournalistic approach? Instagram is a great place to discover a wide range of styles, or you can search recent weddings at your venue to see how different types of photographers have captured a wedding day there. Try to envision yourself and your wedding in a photographer’s work. And no matter which photography style you decide on, make sure you see full galleries from your photography prospects so you know how they capture a complete wedding day!”

Envision Yourself in Their Work

“The most important thing when deciding on what photographer you want to work with is connecting with their work. You may like multiple photographers from different styles, which is absolutely okay. At the end of the day, you need to pick whose work you see yourself in. If you can picture yourself and your fiancé in the images of the photographer, they’re going to be a good fit for you. Don’t try and change your photographers style though, we can only see the world through our own eyes so if you love a light and airy photographer’s ability to capture emotion, but want your wedding photos to be darker and moodier, find a darker and moodier photographer who also captures emotion like that. Asking someone to be something their not never ends well.” remarks Rebecca of Rebecca Yale Photography.

Find a Connection

I always tell couples to forget about simply comparing photographers on paper. You should base your decision on so much more than a photographer’s prices and offerings. Your selection should be much more based on the photographer’s artistry and personality. Katie Grant adds to this idea by saying, “I’m a firm believer in, “when you see it, you’ll know it”. If a photographer’s imagery speaks to you and moves you to the core, if you keep going back to their page and scrolling through their galleries or Instagram, if you keep comparing back to them…then you know. I don’t think it’s always down to ‘style’, per se…there is so much more to emotionally connect with and I think that is more important. Connect with them and their vision and you’ll naturally find your style.”

Be Confident in Your Decision

Couples should be 100% sure about their decision to book their photographer. You don’t want to take too long to book and risk another couple snatching up the date, but you don’t want to be too hasty unless you’re absolutely certain it’s the photographer you love. There’s nothing worse than buyer’s remorse, especially when nearly all photographer retainers are non-refundable. Ask any important questions and review full galleries before booking to make sure this is your perfect match!

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.

These Vendors are members of our Little Black Book.
For membership information, click here

Rebecca Yale Photography

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A Refined Tropical Wedding at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina

An elegant, green and white tropical wedding in paradise?! Umm, yes please! We couldn’t be more in love with these stunning Hawaiian nuptials. From the palm leaf covered arbor dripping in hundreds of flowers by TOAST Santa Barbara to the al fresco reception under a canopy of string lights – the entire wedding day was designed to perfection thanks to Callista & Company! Check out every beautiful detail at the full gallery of images captured by O’Malley Photographers.

From Callista & Company… Chika and Ramon honored their individual heritages with a trilingual wedding celebration at the Four Seasons Oahu. It was of great importance to the bride and groom that their guests felt comfortable and informed throughout the wedding festivities, so they used Appy Couple to relay all the details in Japanese, Spanish, and English.

The wedding ceremony was officiated in English, with translations in Japanese and Spanish. Guests utilized a trilingual linen seating chart hanging in front of the sunset. Toasts were given in all three languages, and guests were gifted favor boxes sealed with stickers reading Thank You in English, Japanese, and Spanish. The refined, tropical floral design by TOAST gave the tablescape an amazing sense of place coupled with contemporary elegance. Thousands of flowers were strung and hung from the ceremony arch and along the chairs.

A canopy of lights shone overhead while guests danced the night away to a Hawaiian band, lead by Jeremy Hirokawa. A surprise hula performance ended the evening, then guests were led to an afterparty at the Bar at Hokulea, complete with a beautiful koa wood bar. A special thank you to the O’Malley Photographers for capturing everything so perfectly.

A Modern Green and White Wedding at Cornerstone Sonoma with a Romantic Touch

Today’s gorgeous green and white wedding set in one of our favorite destinations, California’s Wine Country, is in a league of its own. From the elegant yet modern ceremony teeming with crisp white blooms to the tented reception complete with a jaw-dropping greenery chandelier – it’s seriously impossible for us to choose our favorite part!! What we can say is Amy Burke Designs absolutely NAILED the floral design for this breathtaking event. Jen Huang Photo captured every detail of the day flawlessly (per usual) while the festivities went off without a hitch thanks to Charmed Events Group, LLC. See all the can’t-miss moments below…

From Jen Huang Photo… On a beautiful Fall afternoon, Allison and Ray were married amongst their closest family and friends for an intimate wedding in Sonoma. It was very important to the couple that their wedding be a reflection of their personal style: modern, minimal and glamorous with lots and lots of romance!

With a color palette of nearly an all white wedding accented with foliage and greenery, we set out to create a wedding that would impress! For the ceremony, we wanted to create a space that would WOW guests on first impression and set the right tone for the rest of the evening. As guests entered the gardens, their eyes were immediately drawn to the lush aisle that led to a ceremony arch that was filled with greenery and flowers. It transformed guests into a wine country inspired winter wonderland.

Allison and Ray share a passion for mountaineering and have traveled all across the world to do just that. As a nod to their shared passion, guests were arranged in tables that were named after their favorite climbing expeditions and Blushtype did an amazing job of drawing out silhouettes of each mountain! Guests had a great time finding their seats to something that they knew was so dear to the couple.

For the reception, we created a grand, tented space with a walkway lined with flowers. Clear Acrylic Boxes with foliage within indicated each guest’s seat and each guest received a personalized note from the couple that was wrapped up with a pretty bow along with their menu.

One of the true design stunners of this space was the greenery chandelier that hung from the middle of the tent and the centerpieces of greenery that seemed to hang mid air, elevating the space to perfection according to the couple’s style. Guests danced the night away in the bar while enjoying cake, dessert and good vibes.