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

Spectacular Bali Wedding at the Stunning Soori Bali Resort

One of the things that makes my job so fun is the vast range of weddings that we get to be a part of – from a rustic barn in Maine to the shores of Bali, no two weddings are alike. And if you take the time to dig in a little, I’ve never seen a single wedding story that directly mimics another. The people, the emotions, the moments are all different, all entirely unique. This wedding – photographed to dreamy perfection by Erich McVey and designed flawlessly by Flying Bride – embraces the beaches of Bali and forces you out from behind your computer and into the infinite beauty of an oceanside affair.

From Flying Bride… The Bride and Groom’s direction for the wedding was clear: they wanted a wedding that would blend beautifully with the surrounding of Soori Bali, their stunning venue. With that in mind, I designed their wedding to be inspired by the breathtaking beach of Soori Bali. The color of the blue ocean, its white foam and various shades of sand from neutral to dark grey which represents the “black sand” at Soori, became the main color palette of the wedding.

Another unique element of her wedding was her hand bouquet, made out of tuberoses carefully sewn one by one in order to create a bouquet full of tuberoses. This particular flower was Vivi’s dad’s favourite. Sadly, he has passed away and couldn’t walk with Vivi down the aisle. That was why Vivi wanted to have the tuberoses bouquet so it would be like having her father walking her down the aisle.

To follow on with the nautical theme, which color has inspired the wedding, we used natural nautical elements such as luminous oyster and capiz shells to be combined with rows of dramatic candles to decorate various long, dark wooden tables. While most brides dream of having luscious flowers on their wedding day, Vivi, who is unlike most girls, prefer to have her wedding the opposite way. Both Yoga and she are not fond of flowers. The challenge was to find an element to replace flowers on their wedding. However, Vivi once told us that she used to have a terrarium with beautiful succulents inside. This made Yoga laughed so hard as he said the succulent which could stay alive even without water, died in her hands. They both laughed. The funny story became a memorable moment for them. So I decided to replace the use of flowers on the table arrangement with various exotic succulents. Drapery and rows of terrarium lamps added so much elegance overhead.

Last but not least, the 9 tier wedding cake was a symbol to represent the couple’s 9 years relationship. The breathtaking cake was made with amazing nautical textured element made by the most skilled cake artisan in Indonesia. It was truly icing to the very wonderful and memorable wedding.

Heartwarming Houston Wedding at the Hobby Center

Allison and Kyle are an incredibly gorgeous couple both inside and out. They’re an inspiration of love and instantaneously spread joy to all those around them with their kind personalities and infectious beautiful smiles. Best wishes to these newlyweds – may the warmth of your everlasting love surround you both forever. ~ Bear Hands Media

I am so glad you are here. It helps me realize how beautiful my world is. – Goethe

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You know how we feel about wedding films, right? Don’t let another day go by without booking your wedding videographer asap.

See more highlight films, short wedding films, trailers, save-the-dates, etc on Bear Hands Media’s website!

From Texas to New York: Another SWIPE RIGHT Success Story

Jacob and I met on none other than TINDER when the app was in its infancy. We knew from the moment we ‘swiped right’ that something special was in the air and have been inseparable ever since we locked eyes! Jacob proposed to me at our home in Dallas in the most perfect, intimate, profession of love surrounded by our fur babies (and lots of wagging tails) – as I like to joke, who would have thought that TINDER could have sparked such a wildfire!! ~from the Bride

Photography: W Studios New York

Bedell Cellars Winery is such a fantastic location complete with vineyard, orchard and even cypress-like trees that make you feel like you have been transported to a piece of Italian country side. Alexandra and Jacob did an absolutely phenomenal job planning their destination wedding from Dallas, Texas. ~W Studios New York

Watch the day unfold in this film from AJ Ingoglia Films… and see even more from that first sip of champagne with the girls to the flaming goodnight kiss on W Studios NY Blog {right here!}[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/254577005 600 338]

From the Bride… Growing up on the North Shore of Long Island, having my immediate family still residing there and having guests traveling from Texas, Missouri and Florida to celebrate with us made New York an obvious destination for our intimate wedding. Planning such a momentous occasion from cross-country can certainly be challenging, but thankfully I had my wonderful mother, step father and sister ready to venue visit and taste test for us at a moments notice!

Bedell Cellars was one of the first places that met all of our search criteria and I knew right away from the feelings their website instilled upon me that this was “the one.” Upon first visit this was confirmed. We were all totally in love with everything about the beautiful vineyard- from the huge oak tree under which we would profess our vows, to the vines of gorgeous grapes that made the most memorable backdrop- everything about it was just picturesque and I could envision our big day exactly as I wanted it. The vineyard perfectly fit with the modern, boho-chic vibe I knew we were going for.

The day-of was so much more magical than I ever had imagined it would be, with each detail flowing together so perfectly. Our guests were taken on a whimsical journey as they walked underneath the ivy covered arbor, through the flower garden and into the apple orchard, where the ceremony would take place under a towering Oak (wrapped in a huge blanket of flowers.) Afterwards they were escorted to a breezy cocktail hour on the vines where the eye catching floral chalkboard bar, unbelievable hors d’oeuvres and a few games of bean bag toss made all of our guest feel right at home. Finally, into the veranda for dinner and dancing where tons of twinkling lights, long farm tables, flowers stretching as far as the eye could see and subtle shining gold details made my heart flutter.

My favorite flower, the tropical Protea, and soft pink locally grown Dahlias were the star of our floral arrangements– put together by the masterful Sag Harbor Florists. Guests danced the night away under the stars and dined on a delectable passed dinner of filet mignon and sushi tuna (which I have been dreaming about for months) until we were all about to pop! All of the food was curated by the absolutely wonderful Lexi and Louisa of Hamptons Aristocrat.

Then to top it all off Sag Harbor Baking Company tied it together with the most classy raspberry and lemon “naked cake” that I could have imagined! After tons of dancing, the Hora, limbo (which resulted in a few pairs of ripped pants) and lots of tear filled speeches, all of the guests were escorted out to the food truck in the parking lot and given gooey grilled cheese sandwiches and sparklers while they waited for Jacob and me to make an extra memorable exit!

Being a jewelry designer and the owner of Moon Haus Designs, I thought there would be no more special way to honor each of my bridesmaids than to hand make them each a one of a kind Moonstone ring! We are also big advocates of responsible beekeeping and decided to gift each of our guests with a small bottle of local Long Island honey (provided by Bedell Cellars) to take home – save the bees!

Our entire day was documented in the most magnificent way by the photographers at W Studios, Stephen and his wife Yuliya were a dream to work with and our final pictures are just more than we could’ve ever imagined. We also had a fabulous video created by AJ Ingoglia Films to relive each moment again and again! The whole day was one we will look back on for the rest of our lives and cherish, thank you to our wonderful parents and vendors who made this all possible!

Sayulita Destination Wedding Magic at Villa Amor

The beautifully talented Shuantelle of Sposto Photography has taken over Style Me Pretty today with not one but two absolutely stunning weddings and a full spread over on Instagram. And for her first masterpiece, we’re sailing the seas to Sayulita, Mexico and basking in the lovely of this laid-back but classically gorgeous fete. With tropically inspired florals by Lavenders Flowers and the prettiest of lace gowns, this couple had all of the traditional Mexican elements to deal with…a stunning beach, elusive weather, love, romance and a party atmosphere enveloping every last detail.

From Sposto Photography… Chariese and Kevin are a photographer’s dream couple. Their chemistry is unmatched and their kindness and generosity is more than I could have ever dreamed of. It’s couples like them that make me love my job and appreciate what I do.

Destination wedding photography has always been a dream of mine. I’ve been lucky to travel internationally and document love stories for the last several years. I can’t get enough! When Chariese was interested in our services for her wedding, I was beyond honored and SO excited to travel to the iconic beach town of Sayulita to capture all the Mexican magic.

I think my favorite thing about shooting destination weddings is the opportunity to spend the weekend along side everyone involved with the wedding. It’s like a 4 day non-stop party! By then end, we definitely feel like family.

The day was perfect. There was definitely weather to work around but to our surprise, during all the photo times of the day (including the ceremony), the rain and stormy sky opened up for us and we were able to enjoy a beautifully picturesque day! We had so much fun carting around the town after the ceremony hitting up all the iconic locations in town for photos. The day was so perfect.

Once dinner was served and toast were made, the dancing began. Late into the night as everyone was dancing under the stars, the clouds rolled in and the party continued in the warm tropical rain. It was so memorable and it couldn’t be a more beautiful trip!

From Lavenders Flowers… When Chariese asked me to do the flowers for her wedding I was thrilled. I have known her since the 6th grade, so being a part of making her day special was an honor. The plans of a destination wedding began to formulate, and my wheels started to turn. Knowing that the environment was a key reason they chose to get married in Mexico, I wanted to designs to reflect the local flora and fauna.

As the day got closer I began to pep for multiple out comes. It’s important to give yourself back up plans when you are producing an event in an environment you can’t predict at all. When the day came, I packed my bags full of the tools I needed to design and forage (including 35 lbs of metal Flower Frogs, my bags were SO heavy lol), dried floral (just incase I wasn’t able to get any quality fresh ones), candle votives, and even a few large focal flowers (that ended up front and center in her bridal bouquet).

Once I arrived In Mexico, I took a trip to a local mega super market and picked up buckets, cups to use for vases, and the supplies I needed to keep my air bnb clean. I found a local plant nursery and grabbed a mix of potted plants with hand thrown ceramic pots for decor at the ceremony. I spent the next few days foraging for local foliage that I was able to use in all the arrangements. I put together floral centerpieces for the table tops, personal flowers for her bridal party, and was able to use the dried decor I brought to accent the ceremony site. All in all Chariese and Kevin’s wedding was amazing, it required some extra planning and exploring, but I loved every second of the experience.

Photography: Sposto Photography | Floral Design: Lavenders Flowers | Ceremony Venue: Villa Amor | Textiles: Tono Co

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10 Things Camille Styles Can’t Live Without

It’s weird that I have a crush on Camille Styles. I know that. I’m a grown woman with three children and girl crushes should be a thing of the past. But I just love her. She’s obviously beautiful and talented and all that. But she also happens to live my dream life in the most gorgeous home ever in Austin, Texas and seems to always have just the right outfit, just the right accessory, just the right something to make everything seem even more lovely. And today, she’s letting us in on all of her most trusted finds…

SHOP CAMILLE’S FAVORITES

Spanish Inspired Wedding Hosted at So Cal’s Rancho Valencia

After getting cozy in Sposto Photograpahy’s first wedding today (PS. they are taking over SMP so make sure to check out Insta for even more pretty), we’re moving things Stateside with this SoCal celebration photographed to artful perfection. It’s warm and intimate and real and filled with details that are equal parts editorial and entirely meaningful. Crafted by the always inspiring HauteFetes – with an A-list of vendors listed out below – you are going to fall hard for the prettiness behind every, last, moment.

A Jewel Box Affair Packs Big Punch in this Romantic Spanish-Inspired Fall Wedding

As told by wedding planner and designer, HauteFêtes…. Set in the beautiful grounds of Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, this intimate Southern California wedding is a testament to the beauty of Fall and all its glorious colors. It’s also proof that the smallest of weddings can often pack the mightiest of punches.

Jenna and Kory’s dream wedding was a small, thoughtful affair, focused on family, friends and good food! The styling and details were especially important to the couple since they really wanted an authentic guest experience, as well as the Spanish charm of the venue, with its adobe walls, azulejos tiles, orange trees and dusty olive groves, to influence the design.

The property’s Rose Garden provided a perfect backdrop for an exquisite outdoor ceremony which equally could have been set in Spain or Italy. A beautiful garden arch flanked by wrought iron candelabras and embellished by Plenty of Petals with swags of fall foliage, dusty pink-colored garden roses, caramel dahlias and bright orange marigolds set the color story. Vintage church pews and an antique brass unity candle added to the Spanish character, with clusters of pillar candles and florals lining the entrance to the aisle.

After their I Do’s which were further enhanced by the hauntingly beautiful melodies of flamenco guitarist, Anthony Garcia, the couple joined their friends and family for cocktail hour on the Sunrise Terrace under twinkling market lights. There, baskets laden with pomegranates and kumquats, wooden lanterns, vintage Spanish olive oil jars and pots of herbs created an aromatic and romantic backdrop for guests to enjoy the couple’s bourbon-based signature cocktail, “Shire Circle” (a nod to the street they first met) which was beautifully hand calligraphed on vintage terracotta tile. In lieu of a traditional guest book, guests signed the couple’s scroll, calligraphed with their wedding vows and illustrated with kumquats, a keepsake for them to hang after on their wall at home. There wasn’t a dry eye on the terrace as father and daughter danced, before guests made their way inside for an evening of dinner, dessert and conversation.

Inside the Sunrise room, the wooden trestle tables were set with crocheted lace runners, white hemstitch napkins tied with blue chiffon ribbon, and heirloom china, flatware and cut crystal. To bring more of the beautiful outdoors in, we draped vines among the chandeliers hanging above the dinner tables which were set in front of a beautiful blue Italian plaster-finished fireplace. The tables were filled with lush floral centerpieces, terracotta and brass bowls of pomegranates and kumquats and lots of candle light, creating an intimate, elegant feel. After dinner, guests enjoyed cake by Edelweiss bakery and took home Glassybaby candle favors tied in matching blue ribbon to the napkins with the couple’s black lab, Mikey, stamped on each name card. Not one detail was missed throughout the entire intimate affair, artfully captured by Sposto Photography with a cast of vendors that read like a dream team, making it truly a dream gem of a wedding.

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Paris Enchantment For This Stylish Bride and Groom

Mia and Sean’s destination wedding took place in an elegant and airy loft space located facing the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris! It was a dream come true fo Mia and Sean who loved weekending in Paris. The day of the wedding included visiting the original Ladurée, Mia’s favorite sweets bakery, as well as Coco Chanel’s original atelier. A stroll through les jardins and plaza du Palais Royal led to more emotional hugs and tears, before arriving at their venue. Le Pavilion Etoile. An intimate group of family and friends welcomed Mia and Sean with cheers and clinking cocktails! ~Karen Wise Photography

More from Karen Wise Photography… Having both grown up in the Midwest, living and working in the same areas of Chicago and New York City, their paths had crossed many times over the years. But it wasn’t until a mutual friend introduced them that they finally happened to meet—at Sean’s Lower East Side apartment. That day, Mia brought him a get-well-soon care package to get him over that season’s flu. The two became close friends.

Their friendship blossomed into love when Mia flew across the Atlantic and visited Sean in London, while he was there for work. Months later, Sean would fly the opposite direction from New York City to visit Mia at her new home in Laguna Beach, CA. He extended his few-day stay into a week of laughter and sunshine, where true love began its years-long journey to the big day.

They dated only a short time, being engaged to be married in the late summer of 2016, visiting the Court House in New York City in January 2017 to finalize their official paperwork in preparation for an October 2017 ceremony and celebration in the City of Lights. When asked why the couple chose France for the celebration, they continue to joyfully quote Hemingway. For “Paris is a moveable feast.”

Adventure, travel, and their shared love of learning and literature became the theme of their Paris fête. Their vision was written in stone from the moment planning began, with Dreams in Paris helping to coordinate the day-of details. (Note: Dreams in Paris, Day of Wedding Coordinator)

Mia also knew, from the beginning, that Karen Wise was the perfect photographer for the journey. Having worked together in New York City, Mia’s appreciation for Karen’s attentive and artistic shooting style was unmatched.

A most charming experience awaited guests throughout the evening. Opting for a journey, rather than a traditional meal, a twenty-eight course tasting menu was passed; the loft’s french doors remained opened for guests to admire the setting sun over the Arc de Triomphe; champagne poured and poured.

Today, the couple’s journey keeps them traveling across multiple time zones with their mini Aussie, Booker Dean. While it’s hard to predict where they’ll put the next pin on the map, the one certainty is that their love will carry them across a lifetime of adventures.

*See more of Mia & Sean’s stroll through the streets of Paris in the full gallery!

Le Belvedere Wedding in Quebec with Donuts, Perfect Flowers and Sweet Details

We talk a lot about details on Style Me Pretty. But it’s never just about the details. It’s about the story. The love. The power of the imagery, the depth of the moments. It’s about marrying this whole journey of planning a wedding with the elements that make your relationship so unique and special. This wedding, photographed beautifully by Amy Pinder, is the perfect example of how one couple built a celebration that was a true reflection of their story – from their love of fitness to the vegan donuts that they obsess over – this wedding is what personalization really means.

Some words from the bride, Lara…We went to school together all the way from elementary to high school, but since we were in different years our paths never actually crossed. One summer night we met through mutual friends at a bar. With some liquid courage, I decided to start a conversation with him and the rest is history. Every day we try to make each other smile. It’s just the small things like waking up and having coffee together in bed to leaving little love notes around the house for each other.

From Photographer, Amy Pinder…Lara and Dom were married at one of the loveliest outdoor venues near Ottawa: Le Belvedere in Wakefield, Quebec!!

… From to the sprinkle, chocolate and vegan donuts on National Donut Day.
… To her grandfather’s vintage stamp collection, reflecting every background of her heritage.
… To her new last name stitched on her Nike sneakers.
… To her aqua blue ring as her ‘something old, borrowed and blue’
… To the seating chart that tied in the metal accents of the room.
… To her teal bicycle, covered in flowers.
… To the grey candles that lit the reception.
… To the signage that requested an ‘unplugged ceremony’.
… And the choreographed first dance with her daddy.

EVERY single piece of Lara and Dom’s luxury wedding at Le Belvedere was curated with coordinating & thoughtful detail.

Dom proposed to Lara on their four year anniversary on a picnic blanket in the Arboretum. After “she finally stopped happy crying” (Lara’s words!!!) they hopped on their bikes and celebrated the rest of the day with food from their favourite Ottawa restaurants. Touring the city on their bicycles (and through running) is a huge part of Lara and Dom’s life. I recently found out that both Lara and Dom qualified for the Boston Marathon (and only something like 10% of marathon runners can even qualify for this race!!) which is beyond impressive!! As you read through this post, keep an eye out for how they introduced their love of athletics into their wedding day: through their teal bicycle covered in flowers and Lara’s white custom Nike ID Sneakers!! Yes, they stitched her name on her shoes and it’s one of the most unique wedding details EVER!!

Michigan’s Finest Red, White + Blue Day Ever!

Lexie and Ian’s “Best Day Ever!” was the perfect July send off! These two planned their entire wedding in two short weeks from Hawaii. Even when the threat of rain dashed their plans for an outdoor ceremony, they didn’t let it ruin their day. With a 14 ft. tall American flag welcoming guests into the reception, this military wedding was full of red, white and blue details. The loose greens and white blooms in the bouquets and centerpieces completed the simple yet elegant look for Lexie’s dream wedding! ~ All Grand Events

Lots more images from Allie & Co. Photography and more of Lexie and Ian’s story over on All Grand Events’ Blog right here!

Hope everyone has a lovely and safe Fourth of July!!

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Wedding Dresses

Justin Alexander

Spring 2016

Spring 2018

Justin Alexander Fall/Winter

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This Stylish Blue Striped Boy’s Bedroom is Kid Goals

My little guy is only 15 months and although I do not want to rush time in any way, I’m already saving ideas for all stages of his room as he grows into a sweet young man. This fun bedroom Stephanie Kraus designed for her 8-year-old son, Chris, is now on that list. I was so honored to design along Steph for the One Room Challenge and this bold blue and striped space was one of my very favorite reveals. Feeling all the patriotic vibes today in this cutie room captured by Kyle Born. Check out these other homes that prove patriotic is pretty all year round. Happy 4th friends!

From Stephanie Kraus… I’ll be honest it was quite a challenge to design a room for an 8-year old boy while everyone was watching, for the One Room Challenge! Boys this age are past the cute and adorable toddler stage, and too young for a cool hip teen room! Not to mention Christopher has the smallest room in the house, with an awkwardly placed window and door opening that made it hard to place furniture and still leave him room to breathe. In addition he had no interest in redesigning his room. Ha! His only request was that it should be blue. I took a little poetic license and included all of his favorite things in his room … dogs, sports and gaming!

My goal was to make Chris’s room functional, colorful and fun. I also wanted to make sure his room felt authentic to him and not overly decorated, so we used most of his things to style and decorate the space with, which meant rummaging through our basement and garage! Much easier (and less expensive) than most photo shoots.

The jumping off point for the room was this fabulous wallpaper from Milton and King. It was blue, bold and boyish. We applied the wallpaper to only one wall to keep the space from feeling too dark. Chris only has one small window in his room that faces east so it only gets sun in the morning, and I didn’t want him to come home after school to a room that feels gloomy and cave-like. I wanted it to be bright and fresh – just like him!

After I made the wall covering selection, I decided on this fabric from Stroheim for the headboard and bed skirt. It comes off the bolt as a vertical pattern, but I had my workroom run it horizontally to provide contrast to the vertical stripes on the wallpaper.

The headboard fabric not only looks great in the space but it’s a crypton fabric so it’s pretty much indestructible. And if you know Chris you’ll know this is vital. I also loved the various blues found in the fabric and thought they paired perfectly with the wallpaper.

Chris’ room is super small so storage is at a premium, which is why I chose to do a custom bed skirt vs. a full custom bed with side rails and a foot board. With a bed skirt we have additional hidden storage under the bed where we put out of season clothing, pinnies (so we don’t loose them) and his growing collection of sweatshirts!

A custom bed skirt is a fantastic solution for a finished looking bed. A tailored bed skirt like this one doesn’t shift, move or drag along the ground like most bed skirts found in retail stores. Once you go custom you can never go back. It’s like a perfectly fitted little black dress!

The lamp I selected from Lamps Plus had the variation in the blues that I love. We also purchased a new nightstand and dresser in a grey-washed finish with bronze pulls. The nightstand has a charging station built right in …SOLD! I mean really …what 8-year old boy would not be impressed with that?

The washed linen bedding is from Pom-Pom at Home and it’s gorgeous. It neutralizes all of the blue and white happening in this part of the room and it infuses the area with a different texture. I added a little dog pillow that I found at High Point because Chris is a huge fan of dogs. The new mattress, box spring and bed frame came from Overstock and are super comfortable!

The backgammon game on the shelf of the night stand is my husband’s from when he was a little boy and my kids still play with it. The books on the night stand were found in our basement hoping it may encourage Chris to read a little more at night and play a little less Fortnite. I’ll let you know how that works out.

Okay I’m being brutally honest here when I say this Haiku fan is my favorite part of the room because it’s Chris’ fave. It’s super sleek and is operated by remote control so he can control the speed of the fan at night. When specifying interior fans I rarely specify ones that contrast the ceiling color, but in this case I deliberately chose black because I wanted it to be a part of the design. The black also ties into his dresser hardware. This fan has sharp design features and brings some interest to an otherwise boring ceiling!

And how about that monkey print called disco nap from Gray Malin. Chris LOVES it! I was going to put the print above his bed (in a smaller size) but I wanted to spread the cool design elements around the space. I knew the large area next to the bed would be blank and thought it was a perfect spot for my monkey. Chris can lay in bed staring at him every night. What a great way to end your day, right?

Photography: Kyle Born Photography | Blogging Event: One Room Challenge | Interior Design: Stephanie Kraus

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The Sweetest Summer Picnic Engagement with a Patriotic Vibe

The Fourth has always been a special time for my husband and I. Twelve summers ago, he took me on his parents boat for the first time to watch the fireworks from the ocean. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was such a memorable time for the both of us, that we chose to get married on July 2nd, three years ago. And although this stunning e-sesh from Jen Huang has nothing to do with the 4th (it was actually inspired by the couple’s European engagement!), I’m loving the coincidental patriotic vibe. And I will 100% be planning a future anniversary sesh with my own hubs, completely inspired by this sweet gallery.

From Jen Huang… Katie and Mike were engaged in Europe and so it was fitting to design their engagement shoot to reflect their love! I brought along one of my cutest new additions – a gray bike with baskets from Ikea (awesome find!) and a collection of my favorite hand made baskets from France. Katie and Mike supplied the yummy bubbly, flowers and bread. We shot at a beloved neighborhood park in Los Angeles called Arlington Garden. Katie wore a colorful sundress to match the casual, yet romantic mood.

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Alabama Wedding With Epic Romance

Evan called me in a slight panic. He had carefully curated every detail for his proposal to Emily aside from securing a photographer. I agreed to capture the engagement purely based on his enthusiasm and eager insistence over the phone. There was no doubt from that first conversation with Evan that he was smitten with sweet Emily. Still, seeing that love take shape during the proposal and wedding day was nothing short of epic. I practically begged these two to let me capture the wedding after that session. Fortunately, Evan and Emily were equally enthusiastic to take us on as well ;) ~ Alisha Crossley Photography

Head on over to Alisha Crossley Photography’s Blog for more fun details and favorite moments from Evan and Emily’s big day as well as the day he proposed!

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Wedding Dresses

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2015

Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids Fall 2015

Spring 2016

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This Mount Airy Mansion Vow Renewal was a Second Chance for this Couple

Monique and Tony are warming my soul today. Not only was their vow renewal a second chance to say I do, it was a long awaited opportunity to capture their love again after being disappointed with their original wedding photos. They did just that. Their love is deep and full and you can feel that pouring from the imagery by Renee Hollingshead. With a bit of help from Lovely Bride DC, Loblolly Organic Farm and the whole vendor team, it was a stunning second chance to boot.

From the Bride, Monique… September 18th, 2015, mid-afternoon we walked down the aisle with a small gathering of family and friends. The service was absolutely beautiful. A poetry reading, a wonderful song, and a comedian as our officiant. Unfortunately, when it came to the lights and camera action, our wedding day shifted. I, the Bride, was two hours late. We lost out on a lot of venue time, and as a result many things were rushed, including our video and photographs. It was an amazing place to capture our wedding day, but when we received our photographs back we were very hurt and disappointed. I contacted the photographer and told him that out of over 500 photos taken, there were only 5 to 7 pictures we liked. Fast-Forward almost two years later and we happened to meet Benny & Courtney of Loblolly Farm at the farmers market. She heard our story and created a private vow renewal on our second anniversary. We’ve had countless conversations about planning a re-do for our wedding pictures!

From Courtney of Loblolly Organic Farm – After meeting Monique & Tony at one of our farmers’ markets and hearing their story, I knew we needed to create something special! Our inspiration came from the abundance of color surrounding their late summer anniversary but in the muted tones we see as each season comes to a close. Monique and Tony have an infectious chemistry and warm personalities, so we wanted to effortlessly blend color and romance just as they do in their marriage! Mount Airy Mansion was the perfect place to renew their vows. Nestled in a state park in Southern Maryland just 20 minutes south of Washington, DC you would never know you were near the city! A long and winding private drive leads up to a sprawling estate and nursery befitting of an intimate celebration.

The invitation suite by With Wild & Grace was the epitome of old world romance and vintage rentals provided by Something Vintage infused the color palette with perfect details for a southern countryside affair. Beauty by Keena Queen tied the look together with timeless beauty in neutral tones to Lindsay Marie Design’s bold gems & the Theia Layla gown Monique wore provided by Lovely Bride DC. On a warm, summer evening Renee Hollingshead Photography documented Monique and Tony as they privately read their vows surrounded by the deep love they share for each other, the light breeze in the treetops and a commitment that transcends the years.

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10 Homes that Prove Patriotic is Pretty All Year Round

If I had to permanently dress my home up for just one holiday year round, it’d hands down be The Fourth. Classic blues, stripes, pops of elegant red… and of course, loads of white. Sign me up. After curating this little roundup, I’m already brainstorming ways to do just that. One look at these subtle patriotic home moments and you might want to hop on board too. Keep scrolling to shop some fave red, white and blue home decor to get the look!

Design: Studio McGee

Design: 2540 Love | Photography: Alyssa Rosenheck

Design: Studio McGee

Design: Lindye Galloway | Photography: Chad Mellon

Design: Emily Henderson | Photography: Melissa Oholendt

Design: Pencil & Paper Co. | Photography: Leslee Mitchell

Design: 2540 Love | Photography: Alyssa Rosenheck

Photography & Design: Elizabeth Van Lierde

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NYC Destination Elopement for Two UK Foodies

Katy and Phil flew all the way from the UK to get married in NYC! They wanted the urban New York City as their backdrop and just have an small intimate yet exciting destination wedding. Their families also came to support their marriage. Katy is a florist from the UK so her florals and photography were an important part of the day. Along with getting that NYC grittiness with murals and graffiti, we also were able to luck out with a 2 -day pop up ice cream shop from MILK LA that was happening in Soho, and this UK couple got to enjoy ice cream from the opposite coast! ~ Cynthia Chung Photography

Love these or what!?! See so many more in a stop-action fun for all feature on Cynthia Chung’s Blog!

From the Bride… I love the style of Valentino and the quality is amazing! When we decided on New York I wanted a city style wedding dress. It was elegant and the lace detail was the perfect classic touch. I didn’t want a typical wedding shoe, I wanted it to be a stylish feature to compliment the dress. I chose the Rockstud patent leather heels in the colour Poudre from Valentino.

My husband, Phil, regularly shops at Ted Baker in the UK and it fits him perfectly. The waistcoat has a contrasting back panel which was a lovely feature to the mid blue suit. And his shoes are also from Ted Baker, we liked how the modern brogue shoe which complimented the style of the suit and location of NYC.

We wanted a relaxed, simple wedding without the planning overshadowing the whole event. We love New York, around every corner there is something cool so it felt the right place to invite our families to spend the week. We had our small reception at PJ Clarke’s since we are keen foodies. I do my research by trying some of the best culinary delights wherever we go. We looked into some lovely private function rooms but it didn’t feel as personal. We first visited PJ Clarke’s in Washington D. C and we were told the meat was sourced from the same place as the White House and it turned out it was the best steak we had ever eaten! Therefore, for sentimental reasons and the amazing location of the Lincoln centre at night we felt Pj Clarke’s Lincoln centre was a perfect choice for our guests for a New York City feel.

Flowers are very personal to me because I’m a florist in the UK and design for retail. I looked into wholesalers but decided to enjoy our week in NYC to the max. Elan flowers had the perfect style I was looking for so we completely trusted them. I carefully chose the range of flowers I wanted including peonies, stocks, jasmine and ranunculus, olive branches and eucalyptus. I wanted to use two ribbons with neutral colouring that I had bought myself; a velvet sage green ribbon and a crochet cotton ivory ribbon for the flowers and buttonholes.

We chose our photographer because we wanted photos which were arty and captured the style of New York including graffiti murals. They were absolutely perfect and exactly how we wanted to remember our day! Unfortunately my grandma wasn’t here to share memories of our special day, therefore my mum gave me her ring to carry with me on the day. We didn’t invite our closest friends so we celebrated with them when we returned to the UK and gave them a little wedding favour of a USB with a selection of our favourite wedding photos.

A Pretty in Pink Big Girl Bedroom

My daughter got her big girl room when she turned three. We moved the crib, I brought it a cute rug and I added some fun artwork that that was a little less baby and of course, she got a fancy new bed. And for a full year, for everyone that walked through our front door, she asked if she could show them her new room. A big girl room is a big deal. And when your mom is an interior designer? It’s an even bigger deal. Just as Meg over at Stage + Style + Stras who redid her own daughter’s AHHHH-dorable space and the result is a bedroom I might want for my own.

Celebrating the second birthday of our little girl Savannah James meant we not only had a toddler on our hands, but also that we needed to update her room! Especially since we are due with our second daughter soon, Savannah needed her own special space that she could continue to grow into as a big girl.

After spending a lot of time designing nurseries and playrooms for clients this past year, I already had a vision of what I wanted her room to look like and knew this might be my favorite decorating project yet! One of the first elements I incorporated in the room was a wallpaper accent wall; Serena & Lily’s Feather wallpaper lent the right amount of pattern without being too overwhelming. We painted the remaining walls a custom white to match and then the next order of business was finding a complimentary rug for the space.

I had been dying to use a vintage rug in a project and scoured over Etsy to source one that had just the right amount of muted pastels to work within the room’s overall color palette. Another piece I had coveted over the years and chose to utilize was a Jenny Lind inspired bed; the spool-turned style adds a nice amount of whimsy for a kid’s room. We added two beds in the space, with the intention that Savannah’s soon to arrive baby sister could eventually share the room with her.

I kept the bedding simple with white sheets and a blush quilt, and focused more on finding coordinating accent pillows. I have always been a fan of Caitlin Wilson’s collection of textiles, and her buffalo check pillow paired perfectly with a tasseled lumbar from another one of my favorite pillow shops, Laurel + Blush.

Next up was figuring out how to include more storage in the tiny room, and find a nightstand that could pull double duty as a dresser. I had trouble sourcing a nightstand with the dimensions we needed and the look I was going for, so I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to try out the Ikea Rast hack I’ve seen others use in the past! To jazz up the Ikea dresser, we added a shaker style trim detail outlining the piece, and we installed brass and glass pulls from Restoration Hardware to give a touch of glam.

Even though I love all the items we incorporated in the room, the finishing touches of art and hardware really make the space. Above the beds we added brass sconces to act as individual reading lights with framed pages from “Make Way for Ducklings” below, (one of our daughter’s favorite books). On the opposite wall, we hung a beautiful print by Lulie Wallace, an incredible artist I’ve admired for some time. Below the artwork, we installed the sweetest little brass rattan hooks that give Savannah a spot to hang her clothes and accessories up.

Overall, the best part of the process was including our daughter every step of the way; from helping her dad spackle walls and drill holes, to holding up fabric swatches and picking out new dolls for the beds. Savannah now proudly shows off her “big girl room” whenever we have company over!

Monarch Beach Resort Wedding With Natural Glam

Do you guys ever wonder how we choose the weddings that we share on SMP? What sets one wedding apart from another? Why do we send ‘yes’ to publish some and not to others that are equally as beautiful!?! Most of the time, it’s a gut feeling. Other times, it’s something we’ve heard on the highlight film or something we’ve seen in the decor. I can tell you straight up on this wedding, there are two things that made us fall in love. The beautiful imagery from This Modern Romance that shows the sheer love between these two and the film from The Hubs Films – where the vows to love, unconditionally, during the good times and the not so great times, and to love each other when it was easy, but also when it was hard. Oh and the gorgeous design from RMBO Collective didn’t hurt either.

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From RMBO Collective… June and Mike lead hectic lives in New York City and so, for their wedding, they envisioned a west coast oceanside location that would feel like a true destination getaway. Monarch Beach Resort provided the most ideal respite for the couple and their guests to spend a relaxing and celebratory weekend.

This low-key destination wedding captured Mike’s adventurous spirit for travel and June’s love of relaxing. The event vision was all about calming, serene ocean tones and sophisticated coastal vibes. From the flowing Tono & Co. Fabric at the ceremony arch that caught the ocean breeze to the al fresco cocktail hour with the most stunning sunset to the outdoor dinner warmed by a cozy fireplace, the evening captured the best of SoCal coastal living.

The couple wanted to feel connected to nature at every part of the day and the outdoor ceremony featured abundant floral details along the aisle and ceremony arch from Lavenders Flowers. Cocktail hour featured cozy lounge vignettes overlooking the ocean and the resort. The dinner reception brought the ocean to the dinner tables with flowing fabrics from La Tavola Linen, a mix of modern and vintage place settings from Borrowed Blu, opulent chandeliers from Signature Party Rentals and more gorgeous floral details from Lavenders Flowers. The ocean tones carried through to the collection of tonal bridesmaids’ dresses and even to June’s blue velvet heels!

When designing the escort card board, we wanted a pop of gold to strike a contrast with the cool watercolor backdrop and neutral Aerialist Press-designed escort cards. We found the perfect themed pins from Lark & Ives—the Statue of Liberty, a cocktail glass, a map, etc.—which captured the couple’s home in New York City, their shared love of travel and a representation of one of their first dates at a Japanese whiskey bar. It was a subtle, but fun way of infusing a bit of the couple’s personality, interests and history into the day.

Another special custom feature was the adorable cake topper designed in the couple’s likeness which was created by June’s maid of honor, Clara. Guests devoured the dessert table with its assortment of cake and delectable treats from SweetLeeMade and they danced the night away to the sounds of Redshoe DJs. At the end of the evening, guests took home a bag of Milk Bar cake truffles, the couple’s favorite treat, flown in from New York. It was a beautiful evening of celebration for everyone captured thoughtfully by This Modern Romance and The Hubs Films.

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
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Sarah Seven

Signature Bridal

Gold Label

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Naples Wedding Extravaganza of Instagram Fashion Star

From Marco Caputo Films… The wedding of Feiping Chang, an Instagram fashion star and founder of the lifestyle website xoxoFei.com, and financier Lincoln Li spanned over three incredible days in June of 2017. After scouting wedding locations, they fell in love with Villa Lysis. The local government had never allowed a wedding to be held there, so the couple felt honored to be the first. The ceremony took place in the gardens of the villa, facing the sea and overlooking a breathtaking view of Capri.

This short wedding film from Marco Caputo captures the spectacular festivities in all their glory!

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Having spent summers vacationing in Capri, there was no doubt about where Feiping and Lincoln wanted to have their wedding when they started planning the extravaganza with Diana Sorensen of Sugokuii Events. Guests sat on cushion-lined stairs that led from the doorway of the villa to the garden. The bride walked down the aisle with her father to Pachelbel’s Canon in D.

From the Bride… The architecture and the mountaintop location are incredible. It has a romantic, almost mystical history, and holds a lot of sentimental value to the people of Capri. We wanted the natural beauty of the location to be the focus, so we wrapped the tree trunks in white peonies and covered the entire floor in wildflower heads.

For my ceremony dress, I wanted a dramatic tulle creation that felt like a fantasy brought to life. Giamba really went above and beyond and created a spectacular masterpiece. I felt like I was wrapped in a cloud pulled right from the sky.

Cinematography: Marco Caputo Films | Event Design: Sugokuii Weddings Capri | Wedding Dress: Giambattista Valli | Jewelery: Nirav Modi | Villa: Lysis

Florence, Italy – Your Wedding Guests Will Love You Forever

From Vanessa, the Bride… Our wedding was in a town in Florence called Barberino Val D’elsa, the perfect setting for our intimate Tuscan wedding. We married on September 5th 2017, and celebrated our reception at Borgo Petrognano. What made our wedding special was not only the setting and the love we received from our friends and family; but also that our vision was brought to life. From the catering, music, flowers and lighting; everything was perfect and exactly how we pictured it when we began our planning 2 years prior. Our thanks to our wedding planner, Germana at Super Tuscan Wedding Planners for all their help!

More from the couple… We wanted a small romantic wedding with amazing food, wine, scenery and we got exactly that! As it was a September wedding we chose to be more on the neutral side of colorways using a lot of blush pinks, ivory and also complementing it with navy, marsala for a hint of bold color. My engagement ring is on a rose gold band, so we wanted small hints of rose gold throughout the decor as well. We wanted the style to express minimalist meets romantic.

Our photographer, Ann-Kathrin Koch, was a dream! She was the very first photographer we contacted (of the many we reached out to) and I knew she would be the one we hire after reading her views on wedding photography. On her website she mentions “You are planning a destination wedding…… You are out in the countryside with the sun setting over the green rolling hills and all you can think of is how amazing it would be to have all your friends there with you to celebrate.” This was something we remained true to during the entire wedding process and it was greatly appreciated that our photographer understood how important enjoying our wedding with our loved ones is. Her photos were flawless, we wouldn’t have chosen anyone else!

Inspiration behind the day: We searched for other Tuscan weddings or al fresco weddings to come up with our inspiration. We found that a lot of weddings made special use of lighting so we wanted to make sure our dinner setting was picturesque.

Floral Design: Our floral designer, Flowers Living, was recommended to us. She was able to guide us on the types of flowers to use. Marta completely understood our vision!

The Venue: We wanted a place where most of our family and friends would be able to stay that had a pool and breath-taking views of the town. We had a guest list of 50.

My Wedding Dress: I aimed to find a dress that fit in with the location of the wedding. Something romantic, with delicate detailing and that wasn’t overwhelming in size. Accessories were chosen on what complimented the dress.

The Wedding Party Fashion: Our bridesmaids wore a blush pink due to the color scheme, the dresses aimed to be more airy and lightweight. Since Florence is still warm in early September, it was important that the dresses weren’t too heavy.

DIY projects for the day: The welcome bags given to each guest who stayed at Borgo Petrognano included essential toiletries, slippers, mints and even water bottles!

Favorite memories of the day: Two memories that stand out are leaving the chapel as newlyweds and driving through the town and soaking in the hills, all of the grape vines along the route and feeling the tuscan breeze. The other memory is our first look of the set-up for dinner as a moment we will never forget, it completely blew us away!

Music choices: During dinner we played slower r&b songs from the 90’s and early 2000’s (artists like Monica, Alicia Keys, Maxwell) as well as some trendy hits from 2017 (artists like Ed Sherran, SZA, and Rihanna). We also played some Spanish ballads from artists like Chayanne and Luis Miguel. After dinner it was more upbeat salsa, and reggaeton as well as some party music from 2017.

Videographer: The team at EmotionalMovie were a joy to work with. The team was very professional throughout the entire day of the wedding but also made us feel very relaxed and even entertained us! Daniele was very accommodating and helped us customize a package that worked within our budget and must have features.

Advice for brides planning now: Be patient, organized and understand you can’t control the uncontrollable. If I learned anything during this wedding planning is to enjoy the process but also start planning with more than enough time that you are not consumed by it. It is important to remember what your main goal is: to marry the love of your life. All of the decor, lighting, music, food and stationery come second to this point. Try not to stress about the small stuff (easier said than done) and remember once the day comes it ends in a blink of an eye so take moments during the wedding to soak it all in!

These Featured Designers are members of our Look Book.
For membership information, click here

Wedding Dresses

Christos

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

Fall 2015

Spring 2016

Fall 2016

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Fairmont Grand Del Mar will Have You in a Mediterranean State of Mind

I’m convinced California has the best wedding venues in the world (sorry fellow east coasters, we’ve got some beauties too!). Not only because they’re purely stunning, like Fairmont Grand Del Mar… but because they emulate some of the most breathtaking destinations around the world—like this old-world Mediterranean vibe happening in today’s inspiration from Cavin Elizabeth, Green Apple Event Co., Blue Ladder Botany and the entire vendor team. The perfect shade of pink and one gorgeous Marchesa floral dress later and I’m going to be coming back to this gallery all. day. long.

From Cavin Elizabeth Photography… Lately, I’ve been so inspired by European architecture and couture details. When putting together my spring editorial, I knew that I wanted to feature these, so I chose the Fairmont Grand Del Mar as the backdrop for our tablescape and couple. The Grand is nothing short of its name – it’s old-world Mediterranean style makes the perfect backdrop for emulating Europe in Southern California.

Because the Grand has colorful walls of Mediterranean pink, we chose a predominantly neutral palette for our tablescape and florals. Green Apple Event Co styled our table with soft La Tavola linens, candles that were freestanding and nestled in marble holders, and metallic chargers upon which soft blush plates rested. These plates, along with Blue Ladder Botany’s orchids and sweet peas provided enough of a color pop to tie into the existing colors at the venue without overwhelming the design.

Our models wore sophisticated wedding attire in keeping with the grandeur of the property and its grounds. I secured a gorgeous couture Marchesa gown for our bride that could not have been more perfect for a luxe bride who loves European style and high fashion. Our groom wore a sleek tux from The Black Tux – a perfect complement to the bride’s gown.

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