I love margaritas—frozen, on the rocks, flavored, classic, I don’t discriminate. ‘Tis the season for entertaining, and as far as I’m concerned, nothing says party like a tequila treat. And trust us, this refreshing ginger margarita from Grace Atwood at The Stripe is about to become your go-to party cocktail. Get the party started with the mouthwatering recipe below!

From The Stripe…  I’m just going to warn you right now, this might be the best cocktail I’ve ever made. It’s partially because I l-o-v-e anything ginger, but also, it’s just so good. I love that it uses an egg white as it makes for a frothy, speakeasy-style cocktail. 

Gabrielle HurwitzFresh Ginger Margarita

prep time

cook time 5 Minute/s

total time 5 Minute/s

Serves 0Ingredients

• 1 oz. Tequila
• 1 oz. Lime Juice
• 1 Tbsp. Triple Sec
• 2 Tbsp. Ginger Syrup
• One Egg White (per margarita)
• Fresh Piece of Ginger for Garnish

Instructions

1. Start by making a ginger simple syrup.
2. Prep your ginger by peeling it and slicing it into little pieces.
3. Then, add 2 cups of sugar + 1 cup water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow to simmer.
4. Add your ginger… muddling it in the syrup as you cook. (Cook for about five minutes.)
5. Strain out the ginger and allow to cool.
6. Add tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec, ginger syrup and egg white.
7. Stir it vigorously to get the egg white nice and frothy.
8. Serve over ice and enjoy!

Photography: The Stripe | Recipe & Styling: The Stripe

Winter is a truly magical season—the infectious holiday cheer, snowflake kisses from the sky and cozy nights spent by the fire. And, winter weddings? Well, they’re just as romantic as the season itself. With a crisp chill in the air, it’s an amazing time of year to tie the knot. And in one of these winter-esque wedding dresses, you’ll look every bit the part.

Winter Wedding Dresses

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Winter Wedding Dresses

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More Winter Wedding Inspiration

Cozy Up a Winter Wedding | 10 Winter Wedding Drink Ideas | Color Palettes for Winter Weddings

This home is a study in eclectic; with a homeowner who wanted to reflect her passion for travel and a look that’s both curated and glamorous. Pretty sure she hit the mark. And the lighting game? Wildly strong (insert muscle emoji here) Tour some of our favorite rooms below all captured by Danielle Moss and for even more of the home, including rooms with some serious vibrancy, head to the VAULT.

My vision has always been for our home to feel inviting, timeless ,collected and curated over time. I wanted to create an eclectic space balanced with neutral and glamourous touches.I wanted our home to be a reflection of our styles and personalities.

Our home represents our passion for travel and other cultures.When we travelled to Istanbul I purchased a kilim rug and this past summer I brought back a beautiful runner for the entryway from Marrakesh. I added big prints to provide some depth and texture over the bar cabinet.

Our kitchen area leads to the living room in an open floor plan. So I wanted to make sure design is cohesive and well-thought and lived –in and welcoming at the same time. The Quartz countertops and island is our favorite features in the kitchen and I knew I wanted the Hicks pendants to go over Quartz countertops. The kitchen also opens up to our sunroom which creates a great setting for entertaining.

I have always had this love affair with horse so I knew I wanted a horse print over the mantle. May be it has something to do that a horse typifies power,grace and nobility. My favorite room is our living room because its bright and airy and flooded with natural light.

My signature element seems to be luxurious velvet! I tend to throw at minimum, a velvet pillow or two into every space.I splurged on velvet sofas , velvet bed and velvet dining room chairs paired with raw edge walnut table. And the wonderful thing is that velvet tends to handle heavy use and cleaning very well.

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Behold the newest love of my life, this gallery. It’s just that ohmigoddess good. Because when you marry rooftop merriment with the artistic eye of Paper ‘N More and Amanda Watson Photographers, well it’s big-bang awesome. A wholesome and hearty celebration that is going to send any party-goer into a pretty lil’ pin-fest, and we’ve got it all in THE VAULT!

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From Paper ‘N More…Our styled shoot was inspired by the closeness of family and friends and by the honor that a bride & groom feel as they are surrounded by loved ones upon entering their big day. We wanted to incorporate small touches of gratitude throughout the dinner – handwritten notes from the bride, thoughtfully curated gift baskets (including items from our shop and other local retailers) and personal sentiments in each element of design. The tablescape was intended to create a feeling of warmth – with details including vintage floral china, family style dining, candlelight – all tied together with gorgeous green garland and blooms in shades of blush, deep pink and ivory. Guests enjoyed a sangria bar, custom yard games and an appetizer bar while mingling under the stars on the rooftop at PLENTY.

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See even more rehearsal inspiration here!

Photography: Amanda Watson Photography | Event Planning: Merren Events | Floral Design: Tony Foss Flowers | Venue: The Rooftop At Plenty Mercantile | Film Processing: Indie Film Lab | Paper Goods: Paper 'N More | Rentals: Marianne's Rentals for Special Events

This right here is how we do Saturday. A day dedicated to the pretty we’ve partaken, it’s our time to lookback at all the features that set our heart racing. From skyline sweethearts to no-ifs-ands-or-buts beautiful inspos, we’re shining a light on a few regionals below! And once you’ve perused and pinned the immeasurable amount of lovely, we wouldn’t be surprised if you spent the rest of the weekend in THE VAULT!

CANADA

It’s times like these I wish I could jump into my screen and live in these photos, because this photo shoot from Vasia Photography is all kinds of gorgeous. I want to wear that Alexandra Grecco dress every day and the pretty bejeweled hair wreath surrounded by ethereal flowers every day for the rest of my life—a girl can dream, right?

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NORTHWEST

The perfect combo of rustic + romantic, this orchard affair is all the more beautiful thanks to lush florals from Penny And Lulu, an adorable duo, and sweet lavender hues.

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DESTINATION

Join us as we take a transatlantic tour of London town through the lens of Shadi Boulos, and if you need us anytime soon, stop by THE VAULT – there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find us settled in right there.

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MIDWEST

First I fell for the Bride’s dress – an Amsale masterpiece – then I caught a glimpse of the bridesmaids’ bouquets followed by these pics of the newlyweds dancing on the beach, and oh well, I’ll be spending all weekend in this gallery.

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DESTINATION

Ready, set, go: who is the first person you want to share this dreamy destination wedding with? Trust me it’s that good! So, get ready to be inspired because this peach filled fete is an homage to beauty.

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SOUTHWEST

All newly engaged ladies, take note! THIS is how you do a super stylish e-shoot to remember. With a variety of perfectly on point looks, this Bride-to-be showed off her innate chicness and of course, her affection for her handsome Groom-to-be.

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TRI-STATE

Wedding Math: take 1 seriously in love couple + the ultimate NYC skyline = an unbeatable e-sesh from the lens of Still55 Photography. From their picturesque portraits to a seriously sweet stroll, this gallery is one you won’t want to miss.

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Mantels get a lot of attention for one month out of the year: December, when stockings are hung by the chimney with care. But, there’s no reason why your mantel can’t stand out and sparkle the other 11 months. With the help of some fabulous inspiration from THE VAULT, we’ve rounded up the goods to make your fireplace the focal point of any room.

How to Make Your Mantel Sparkle

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How to Make Your Mantel Sparkle

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More Spotted Goodies

Cozy Design Touches for Fall | 50 Under $50 | Rose Gold Home Accents

Fall weddings don’t have to always mandate that pumpkins and various shades of orange are involved, and lucky for us, Chic Celebrations got that memo too. With Archive Rentals, Bloomwell and Co. and McCune Photography working their magic at Rancho Las Lomas, we have a shoot that will go down in SMP history as autumn inspiration at its best. Start pinning away in our VAULT right here!

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From Gianna San Filippo of Chic Celebrations…. Fall is here! This year we have seen so many unique and luxe wedding trends that we don’t see going away anytime soon. We wanted to take some of those trends and put an autumn twist on them. Autumn weddings don’t have to include pumpkins and maple leaves! We love the rich and moody colors of Fall, but sometimes a neutral palette is just as gorgeous.

Watercolor and marble has been so prevalent. The paper goods featured a super subtle dip dye to match the rest of the shoot elements. And the marbled gray tier of that wedding cake was perfect. And that greenery draping the top!! We also loved the muted Vintage Rose color of the Silk and Willow runner. It helped the loose greenery runner pop, but still wasn’t too punchy. Unique white china and brass flatware and glassware from Archive Rentals really added the right amount of shine.

Olive and Ivy are so textural, they worked beautifully and added a lot of movement in that bouquet. Bloomwell & Co is such an artist, while each piece was unique the altar, table and bouquet all tied it in so cohesively together. The Sarah Seven gown is the ultimate romantic touch, layers of tulle and lace soften the look so much and still make any autumn bride feel as light as a feather.

Happy Fall, stay warm!

Peruse more fall wedding inspiration here!

Photography: Mccune Photography | Event Design: Chic Celebrations | Floral Design: Bloomwell & Co. | Wedding Dress: The Dress Theory | Cake: Sweet & Saucy Shop | Bride's Shoes: Valentino | Jewelry: Trumpet & Horn | Hair + Makeup: 10.11 Makeup | Groom's Attire: Friar Tux | Venue: Rancho Las Lomas | Bridal Boutique: The Dress Theory | Calligraphy + Stationery: Project Watermark | Hair Accessories: Styled By Twos Company | Hanger: Delovely Details | Rentals: Archive Rentals | Ribbon + Table Runner: Silk and Willow | Ring Box: The Mrs Box

SO MUCH BEAUTY. I know, I know I say that a lot, but this time it’s fo’real. Because when it comes to the unparelled conversation-worthy gorgeousness that is Athens, well it is totally justified. And thanks to Vasia Photography, sitting in THE VAULT is one of those galleries that requires an extra dose of pinch-me-please due to all the pretty, because frankly it’s just that dreamy.

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From Vasia Photography…We wanted to share with you an inspiration shoot that we photographed earlier this year in Greece!

Our approach to this shoot was to show the beauty and simplicity of a traditional Greek village, and to tell a story of a bride on her wedding day and the connection she has to her home.

Pláka is a beautiful old historical neighbourhood in Athens clustered around the slopes of the Acropolis. Incorporating a labyrinthine of beautiful whitewashed streets and neoclassical architecture, it is home to many generations of Athenians and akin to a traditional Greek village, despite its city-center location.

It is custom in Greece for brides to be married in the church of their community, making bridal portraits in their home town very common. Inspired by the beauty and simplicity of the surrounds of Plaka, we imagined a bride on her wedding day walking these streets, connected to her family and land. The striking Rue de Seine gown contrasts against the white walls of the narrow streets, the olive in her bouquet mimicking the detail in her dress.

Other details:
– Her traditional hair piece is purchased from a local Greek market.
– The daphne flower in the bridal bouquet is local to the area

This shoot was in preparation for a fine-art photography workshop we’re holding in Greece, the next one is in May on Santorini! The premise is exploring Aisthētiké – Greek for the philosophy of the nature of art, beauty, and taste; the creation and appreciation of beauty.

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See even more wedding inspiration here!

Photography: Vasia Photography | Floral Design: Celsia Floral | Wedding Dress: Loversland | Hair And Makeup: Frantzeska Koukoula | Venue: Athens Greece | Bridal Boutique: Loversland | Creative Direction & Styling: Tahnee Sanders | Model: Amelia From New Model | Ribbon: Stella Wolfe

This bouquet? Well, it has officially stolen our wedding loving hearts. Because when it comes to handfuls of fluffy peonies paired with lush garden roses, well let’s just say #bouquetgoals. Crafting the lovely blooms was none other than Huckleberry Karen Designs who is giving us an inside scoop on what they used to build out this new fav bouquet. For more al fresco wedding loveliness, see the full feature here ~ and of course, the full gallery is in THE VAULT!

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Elegant California Garden Wedding

• 4 stems white peonies
• 5 stems Kiera David Austen garden roses
• 5 stems polo garden roses
• 3 stems white stock
• 5 stems white ranunculus
• 7 stems white veronica
• 2 stems white standard chrysanthemum
• 5 stems majolica spray roses
• 3 stems of Italian ruscus foliage
• 5 stems of seeded eucalyptus
• 3 stems bay leaf foliage
• 3 stems jasmine vine

From Huckleberry Karen Designs… When I first spoke with Crystalin about her wedding she was confident in the vision she wanted for the wedding. She wanted a relaxed and casual wedding where guests can dance under the stars and be surrounded by nature. She wanted the flowers to be natural, garden like and airy. She was drawn to soft full flowers and preferred a loose style where the flowers had space and room to breath.

In order to keep things light and airy I worked on the right balance between the flowers and foliage. To give the bouquet a garden like feeling we used four different types of foliage in different shades of green. The Italian ruscus is a darker green and helps add depth and dimension compared with the lighter seeded eucalyptus foliage. We also used a variety of flowers with different sizes and shapes. The linear flowers (stock and veronica) helped create movement and we chose classic flower shapes with the garden roses and ranunculus to give the bouquet a classic and elegant feel. It truly is a timeless bouquet that will transcend the years to come.

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Find more Bouquet Breakdowns here!

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Floral Design: Huckleberry Karen Designs | Photography: Christine Sargologos Photography

I don’t like coffee but I’m fairly certain even I would get out of bed for this scrumptious treat from Jen Pinkston at The Effortless Chic. This Snickerdoodle Latte is basically like eating snickerdoodle cookies for breakfast without anyone scoffing. Sorry, Starbucks, this may just be our new favorite seasonal treat.

From The Effortless Chic… I’m fully aware that the pumpkin spice latte is king this time of year, but, dare I say, I prefer this sweet cinnamon number to the psl. It’s super simple and will have you skipping the Starbucks drive-thru all week long. Promise.

Gabrielle HurwitzSnickerdoodle Latte

prep time

cook time

total time

Serves 0Ingredients

• Milk frother
• Mugs
• 4 Shots of espresso or extra dark roast coffee
• Steamed milk of your choosing (about 1 cup per latte, but it’s personal preference)
• 4 Cinnamon sticks
• 2 Cups water
• 1 Cup sugar (caster sugar is ideal, but any sugar will do the trick)
• Ground cinnamon
• Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil. Add sugar and cinnamon sticks and reduce to simmer about 10-15 minutes to create your cinnamon simple syrup. (This is the longest part of the process, but this syrup will be good in your refrigerator for up to two weeks!)
2. Warm milk using a milk steamer or stove top then froth the milk until the consistency thickens. You can also use a Nespresso Aeroccino which does both at the same time.
3. Pour two shots of espresso (or extra dark roast coffee if you don’t have an espresso machine) into each mug then add steamed milk. Add 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon simple syrup to each mug then top with whipped cream and ground cinnamon.

Photography: Melissa Valladares | Recipe + Styling: The Effortless Chic

While it’s no surprise that weddings cause us to open up our wallets a lot more than usual, we’re not always aware of those hidden costs — from cake cutting fees to shipping and handling for those inevitable late night online shopping adventures.  But to be prepared is to be aware, so when a new expense pops up, you can manage it stress-free. See below for the sneaky costs that took our editors by surprise at their recent nuptials and take note!

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Postage + Envelopes:

Of course you’ll need stamps for all those pretty invitations (and even your Save the Dates) but it’s likely you didn’t add up the costs of all those little stickers. In addition to stamps for the invites, you’ll need postage for the RSVP card as well. And since smudges and mistakes are bound to happen, make sure to order extra envelopes while you’re at it – calligraphers usually request backups too!

Alterations:

We all know that most wedding dresses are going to need some nips and tucks, but the actual costs of these alterations may be a bit higher than ever expected. Discuss prices with your tailor at first visit to cover all bases.

Church Fees:

While not all churches and religious venues are the same, many may not charge a fee to use their space for your ceremony, but a donation is expected.

Makeup Trials:

While we highly recommend a makeup and hair trial prior to your big day, these appointments are not always included in the cost of the makeup artist’s fees. Inquiring on this cost beforehand can save you embarrassment on the day of.

Shipping + Handling:

Before ordering anything online, we highly recommend checking the shipping costs before hitting “Purchase!” One editor, excited to find hundreds of votives at an amazing price online, almost ended up spending three times the cost of the votives on shipping alone. It may take time to research more options but it’s worth it!

Cake Cutting:

Many catering companies and venues charge an additional fee to cut and serve the cake to your guests, especially if it’s from an additional source. I remember being caught off guard by this but after a bit of research found it to be a very common practice.

Welcome Bags:

One of the biggest surprise costs I had at my wedding was being informed that there would be a fee per welcome bag to drop them off in our guest’s rooms. As not all hotels hand out bags at check in, this was unexpected, catching me off guard only days before I said “I do.” Asking and knowing this ahead of time is incredibly helpful in avoiding down-to-the-minute worries.

Gratuities:

It’s considered polite and proper to tip many wedding vendors, from DJ’s and bands to catering staff and more, for their good service. Having these ready to go, in cash and in labeled envelopes before the big day, will save you time and stress.

Dry Cleaning:

If you got down on the dance floor at your celebration, there’s a pretty good chance your dress is going to be a bit dirty by the end of the night. Having your gown cleaned up and preserved post-wedding is a bigger process than standard dry cleaning and the cost is higher as well.

How to Save Money as a Wedding Guest

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How to Save Money as a Wedding Guest

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ONGOING GIVEAWAYS + DISCOUNTS…

Squarespace 
Zola
Secrets Resorts + Spas

THIS WEEK’S DISCOUNTS…

For our California Brides… Discount from The Ranch at Laguna Beach

For our New England Brides… Discount from Sweet Monday Photography

For our Tri-state Brides… Giveaway from NST Pictures and a giveaway and discount from Alexandra Grecco!

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Are you ready for this? A wedding celebration that’s so flawlessly composed that you’re knees will inevitably weaken? Find a seat luvvies, because this gallery a la Katie Grant is about to do all that and more. From their ever-so-sweet ceremony, to the al fresco rip-roarin’ reception that followed, you’re going to want to witness every bit in THE VAULT!

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From Katie Grant… Amy & Isaac married in a very sweet and personal winter wedding in their church in Perth, followed by an al fresco cocktail hour and a barn cocktail style reception. The young couple were nothing but smiles as they got ready individually on the morning. Amy looked radiant in her crown braid and fitted lace gown. Isaac gifted his groomsmen personalised cufflinks and they all looked dapper in their matching suits. Everything on the day was so special and intimate; form the heartwarming speeches to the backlit wall in front of which they had their first dance.

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See even more barn weddings here!

Photography: Katie Grant Photography | Floral Design: Lua Leuca | Wedding Dress: Essense of Australia | Reception Venue: Rose And Crown | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Dangerfield | Makeup: Lisa Marie Make Up | Hair: Kayla Marshall | Groom's Attire: Roger David | Transportation: Your Limo | Wedding Venue: Bassendean Church | Bridal Salon: Tuscany Bridal | Ribbon: Adorn Company

We’ve got a LOT of moments tucked away in THE VAULT. Like, 2 million plus moments, my friends—watch out, you can get lost in there. But admittedly, I like getting lost in there because I find snaps like the ones below sewn into every corner, featuring our Little Black Bookers and their crazy good talents. What are you waiting for? Dive in!

Must-See Member Moments

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Must-See Member Moments

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Start planning your wedding with The Little Black Book!

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Featured Members: Jose Villa | Winston Flowers | Ruth Eileen Photography | Perry Vaile | Katie Fischer Design | Alexandra Grace Photography | Corbin Gurkin | Lowndes Grove Plantation | Callie Davis of Nancy Ray Photography | Erin McLean Events | Diana McGregor | Lisa Dolan | Dana Fernandez

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

Photography

Jose Villa Photography

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I can always spot a San Francisco wedding from a mile away. There’s just something about the city that lends itself to stylish weddings, and this one from Milou + Olin is all the proof you’ll need. Think classic with a modern twist, and a four-tier creation by Sweet on Cake that sent guests into the happiest sugar coma ever. Party on in THE VAULT and catch Lovespun Films’ capture below.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/119510721 600 338]

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From The Bride…From the beginning Jake and I wanted wedding that was classic and timeless. We never wanted to look back at our pictures and feel like they were dated. So we selected the things we loved and pieced every detail together one by one.

We looked everywhere for a venue for the first five months of our engagement and if we wanted a June wedding, time was definitely running out! We looked in the Napa Valley, Tahoe, Arizona and San Francisco, of course! We had a very specific list of what we wanted and as gorgeous as the other venues were they were still missing the mark. The Flood Mansion was always my first choice, however when I looked at their website a few days after getting engaged, they were completely booked for the next two years!

Out of desperation one September morning I called and said “Do you have any dates available in 2014?” We wanted a June wedding, but at that point we would be happy with whatever was available. Helen, the nice woman on the other end replied “What date are you looking for?” I laughed to myself knowing that a June date was completely out of the question, but thought I’d ask anyway. “June, ideally, but we would be happy with whatever” I said. Nervous for her response she said “Well, we actually were supposed to close our calendar from June through September 2014 for a construction project, but I just received a letter from the VP of construction this morning that the project is no longer taking place so our calendar is wide open! What date would you like?”. Oh, my goodness I couldn’t believe it, it was meant to be! “June 21!” I said. And so we were set in our dream city at our dream venue.

The challenging part for me was the fact that I was the bride, the designer and the florist. It was easy yet hard to know so much of what we could do while also staying within our budget. As I am in the wedding industry I am constantly looking through magazines and blogs so it was hard for me to pick and choose what was necessary and what was not. The flowers were a bit a challenge as I was juggling a lot those last few weeks and looking back I definitely don’t think any bride should be at the flower mart the week of her wedding.

Luckily, I had “my girls” and fellow Chapel Designers there to back me up. I worked in my friend, Susan’s (Three Sisters Flowers) studio Monday through Thursday the week of the wedding and then she, Erin (Scarlett & Grace) and their staff managed the rest Friday and set-up everything on Saturday. Without their help our wedding wouldn’t have looked as gorgeous! I am so grateful to be apart of such an amazing group! 

We enjoyed every minute of our wedding, however as everyone says it goes by entirely too fast. What we loved most was that we took the time to write our own vows to each other. There were days leading up to the wedding that we were so overwhelmed with other details that we almost thought it might be easier just to let the officiant speak, but we persevered and I wrote mine and Jake wrote his and it’s the one thing we cherish most in our wedding film. Yes, it takes more effort but definitely worth it. Now I have our vows framed in our home and its something our family can cherish for years to come. 

My advice for other brides would be to let your vendors do their thing! You hired them and you should trust that they will see your vision through. The less of a control freak you are the better the end product tends to turn out. Even with my own brides, when they give me strict instructions on how to arrange their flowers and what exact flowers should be used, I feel confined and uninspired. The brides who give me their color palette and overall vision and just tell me to “do my thing” get something more unique and less cookie cutter. That was a pact Jake and I made from the beginning…to just let our vendors do their thing! 

Photography: Milou + Olin Photography | Cinematography: Lovespun Films | Coordination: Chelsea Bowman | Floral Design: The Petal Pusher | Floral Design: Scarlett & Grace | Floral Design: Three Sisters Custom Flowers & Events | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: Sweet on Cake | Jewelry: Swarovski | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Alfred Angelo | Catering: Oak And Smoke Catering | Hair: Celia Castaneda | DJ: DJ Superior Sound | Groom's Attire: Vera Wang | Groomsmen Attire: Vera Wang | Venue: James Leary Flood Mansion | Bridesmaids' Jewelry: J.Crew | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Blueprint Studios

For someone who doesn’t have kids yet, I spend an awful lot of time thinking of what my dream nursery looks like. And I think i’ve settled on the fact that I want the kind of nursery that is perfect parts playful and sophisticated. One that I will love spending hours in, and that is filled with little treasures that are both meaningful and functional. Sweet little Nora’s nursery has my wheels spinning, so we pulled together a few ways to design an equally adorable and chic space of your very own.

Layer in the luxury

Add in a sense of luxury with amazing textures (think: velvets, faux furs and the softest cottons) and the perfect chandelier to instantly up the luxe factor.

Mix Your Moods

Don’t be afraid to pair sophisticated with fun. We love how the more grown-up-feeling rug perfectly compliments a playful print.

Try a Neutral Color Palette

If you aren’t finding out your baby’s gender beforehand but still want to have the perfect nursery, consider sticking with a neutral color palette. It’s adds instant chic factor.

Invest in Timeless Furniture They Can Grow Into

A timeless piece allows the room to grow right alongside your sweet little babe. And don’t be afraid to add a little personality to it, like this whimsical credenza.

WALLPAPER WITH A WOW FACTOR

If you are looking for a nursery with instant wow factor, show-stopping wallpaper is your answer. Look for a paper with colors or a pattern that’s versatile enough to let your little one redecorate around it for years to come.

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More Fabulous Nursery Inspiration

Starry Nursery Tour | Woodland-Inspired Nursery | Simple Modern Nursery

You know we’ve got a thing for urban engagement sessions, but when the Bride-to-be is one of our own, it’s all the more exciting. She works hard behind the scenes to keep this pretty blog ticking, so when we heard Abby Silverman and her other half, Tom were set to tie the knot, we knew their pics by Michaelwill Photography would be perfect. They took to the streets of Pittsburgh for a “city chic” engagement, and there’s lots more to see inside The Vault.

From the Bride-to-be... Tom and I really wanted our engagement session to feel like us – which meant something easy going and casual. We both live in New York City and wanted our backdrop to feel like we were on some tree-lined street in Brooklyn. While Pittsburgh (where we are getting married) is certainly not Brooklyn, we found the perfect compromise with the Mexican War Streets of Pittsburgh.

The beautiful row houses there have so much unique character and charm. With the help of our incredible photographer Michael Will, we found an absolute gem tucked away from the North Side (and away from tailgaters celebrating a big Steelers win). The light (and temperature) was perfect for a casual stroll around the city. The Pittsburgh skyline is a cannot miss and we happened to catch it right as the sun was setting. It was perfect!

Photography: michaelwill photographers | Dress: Club Monaco | Shoes: Gilt Groupe | Necklace: J.Crew

When it comes to gifting, we like to make it a full experience all wrapped up in a fab package. And when it came time to shower Stephanie with goodies for sweet little Nora, that gift extravaganza was all about pink with flamingos taking center stage. Have a look at the anatomy of a great baby gift which can easily be substituted with accessories that fit the gift recipient. Oh and a fun DIY too!

For this gift, we knew that Stephanie planned on infusing a pink flamingo theme to Nora’s nursery so we set out to scout items both practical and some purely fun that would play to this theme and also give us that oh my goodness this is the tiniest, cutest little piece of clothing I’ve ever seen fix. Find all the items tucked away in this bag of treats below plus some of our favorite sources for like minded pieces.

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Our Baby Gift Sources

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A Chic Headband

We found our striped and knotted number at Indie Littles

Other Headbands and hats we love: Nordstrom | Baby Gap | Zara

The Cutest Bloomers

These flamingo diaper covers from Pottery Barn Kids are beyond cute.

More Bloomers to check out: Zara | Aden + Anais | Nordstrom

Baby Sunnies

Every girl needs a pair of great sunglasses. We found our heart pair at Carter’s

Baby Sunglasses we can’t get enough of: Nordstrom | The Honest Co. | Baby Gap

Cozy Hooded Towel

This pink number from Serena & Lily has us wishing it came in an adult size

Other Adorable Hooded Towels: Restoration Hardware Baby | Pottery Barn Kids | Land of Nod

A Cuddly Friend

Let’s be honest, it’s all about this little lady spotted at Anthropologie. She immediately found a way to our hearts and thus became the center of this baby gift bag and a permanent fixture in Nora’s nursery.

More cuddly stuffed animals: Anthropologie | Land of Nod | Restoration Hardware Baby

Personalized Tote

Running with the flamingo theme, we snagged a simple canvas tote from Amazon and personalized it with our own template. Love that little flamingo as much as we do? Get instructions for making your own tote below!

Other personalized tote options: West Elm | Nordstrom | L.L.Bean

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Canvas tote bag
Iron transfer paper
Scissors
Iron
Flamingo template

Download and print the Flamingo template onto iron transfer paper, according to package instructions. The illustration is already reversed, so you don’t need to worry about that.

Cut out the illustration, removing as much of the excess white space as possible.

Iron the tote bag to remove any wrinkles. Empty the iron of water and turn off the steam. Place the illustration face down in the center of the tote bag and cover with a thin dishtowel.

Press the iron over the dishtowel-covered illustration for 30 seconds at a time until the image is attached to the tote. Let cool and gently peel up a corner of the backing to make sure the image is in place. If some peels up with the backing, just replace the backing and press it with iron for a few more seconds.

Remove the backing and fill the tote with some of your favorite flamingo goodies!

Photography: SMP Living | Photography: Zara | Design And Styling: SMP Living | Event Planning: West Elm | Event Planning: Amazon | Event Planning: Gap | Cakes: Etsy.com | Invitations: Michaels | Vendor: L.L. Bean | Vendor: Serena & Lily | Vendor: RH Baby & Child | Vendor: Carters | Vendor: The Honest Co | Vendor: Billy Ella | Vendor: Land Of Nod | Vendor: Pottery Barn Kids

Hopland is officially my happy place, and today we’re totally going there thanks to Lynette Boyle Photography. Because really, it wouldn’t be fair if we were to deny you the distinguished beauty of this wedding. It’s the type of crackling good fun you just won’t want to miss, and now you won’t have to because we’ve got it in THE VAULT!

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From The Bride…Jake and I met in a little town known as Las Vegas. I was on an Arizona fishing trip with my family and last-minute asked them to drop me off in Vegas to stay for a night with my girlfriends. Jake was in town for his friend’s bachelor party. Our mutual friend Janine decided to take me at the stroke of midnight to meet up with her friends, one of whom was Jake. We met and hit it off immediately, danced all night, and that turned into a long distance relationship, me in LA and Jake in SF! I guess what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas…and can lead to an engagement right in front of the Golden Gate bridge, twinkling in the dark San Francisco night.

Ever since I was a little girl and watched “My Best Friend’s Wedding”, I dreamed of having my future wedding reception under a big white tent. When the time came to look at venues, we looked at many but when we stumbled upon Contento Vineyard, our jaws dropped and we were absolutely in love with the site. It’s on a private vineyard in Mendocino wine country, on top of a plateau overlooking picturesque rolling vineyards, with a rustic barn and a big white tent! It’s also a DIY-lover’s paradise and acted as a blank palette to design as we wished with the most amazing vendors. Throwing in Jake’s love of country everything and the outdoors, and my love for all things French, we decided on a theme of French Festival, which was the inspiration for many elements of our wedding: our French balloon monogram (which we put on everything!), lavender bridal bouquets and succulent boutonnieres, chandeliers and candelabras, a vintage rooster gift box, and gilded touches. I also taught myself calligraphy, which proved to be quite useful in order to add wistful accents. Jake’s favorite sports team is Michigan football, whose colors are blue and “maize”, so we decided on a light blue and gold color palette to be in the same color family, and I threw in my favorite color of mint.

After the church ceremony, guests were transported to the vineyard by shuttle, and it was wonderful to see all the guests exploring the gorgeous property and into the vineyards as well. I decided to surprise Jake with a Michigan sports cake, and he surprised me at the same time by wearing an “ao dai”, a Vietnamese gown during the cake-cutting. Our dear friend, a DJ by the name of TRAVISWILD, put on an upbeat music performance to get our grooves on. By the end of the night, my beautiful Jim Hjelm dress was completely ripped and covered with dirt, but that to me was a sign of a great night. We are so grateful to our incredible vendors for working so tirelessly with us through the Mendocino heat and long nights to make the day so unforgettable.

From Lynette Boyle Photography…One of the nicest things about working with couples like Christine and Jake is that they care about everyone involved in their wedding day. They want everyone to have an incredible time, even their vendors. They spent so much time preparing things to make all of their guests from near and far feel welcome and at home. They spent hours hand-making welcome bags, escort cards and cornhole boards, hunting at flea markets, choosing signature cocktails, and picking out thank you gifts. It meant so much to their guests that they did everything themselves. I also loved how they managed to surprise each other throughout the day with thoughtful gifts and gestures. Most importantly though, they did all these things because they wanted to, not because they felt like they had to. What a privilege it was to photograph this beautiful couple on their wedding day!

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See even more Hopland weddings here!

Photography: Lynette Boyle Photography | Cinematography: Two Spoons Productions | Coordination: Lake Event and Design | Floral Design: Sweetness And Light | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Cake: Giorgi's Wedding Cakes | Invitations: Ragan House Lettering | Invitations: Hadassah Calligraphy | Ceremony Venue: Saint Mary Of The Angels | Reception Venue: Brutocao Contento Vineyards | Bride's Shoes: Christian Louboutin | Rings: Kieu Hahn Jewelry | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Shoshanna | Catering: AATR Weddings | Hair And Makeup: Krissy From The Parlour Ukiah | DJ: Weddings By Sunnyside | Groom's Attire: The Tie Bar | Groom's Attire: Own Only | Groom's Attire: Ralph Lauren | Bride's Earrings: Bloomingdales | Bridesmaid Gifts: Elizabeth's Embellishments | C+J Lighted Sign: Bed Bath & Beyond | CJK Chair Sign: Mattie V | Cake Topper: Red Light Studio | Dress Hanger: BHLDN | Escort Card Favors: Kate Aspen | Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab | Groom's Cake: Giorgi's Wedding Cakes | Groom's Pocket Watch: Paperonly | Menu Chalkboards: Mintage Designs | Ring Bearer Airplane Sign: Dj Hush Dan Haddad | Robes: Silk And More | Table Numbers: OAKYdesigns | Veil: IHeartBride

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

Lynette Boyle Photography

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Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Southern Oregon landscape is a little place called Hillcrest Orchard. The perfect combo of rustic + romantic, it’s one part breathtaking scenery and one part made for marrying. Now take all of that prettiness and add in lush florals from Penny And Lulu, an adorable duo and sweet lavender hues and it’s awesome wedding in one, two, three.  Head to The Vault for every amazing moment captured by Olivia Leigh Photography.  It’s a must-see.

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From Olivia Leigh Photography… This was a beautiful summer wedding located at Roxy Ann Winery with the most wonderful couple, Claire and David. They had a great vision for their day and wanted a very romantic, fun and memorable day. These were my ideal clients, because they were just so perfect to work with. Their love for each other is out of this world and their family and friends were just as equally wonderful to work with! I feel very honored to have documented their amazing day!

From the Bride… It was really important to both of us to be married outside, surrounded by the natural beauty of where we grew up in Southern Oregon. Our vision was to create a rustic chic vibe, and our goal was to throw the best party possible for our friends and family as a way of expressing our gratitude to them. We worked closely with my aunt, Kathryn Kenna, a wedding planner in San Francisco, but ultimately really trusted the vendors that we hired for our wedding. They all had amazing advice and suggestions for us, and knowing how great their work is, we just trusted them along the way.

We chose lavender as our floral and wedding theme, because of its color and amazing smell, and it is in full bloom throughout Southern Oregon in June. We incorporated lavender into all our bouquets along with cream and peach garden roses and eucalyptus.

We got a lot of inspiration and ideas from Pinterest, Instagram, and wedding blogs, but ultimately we went with what felt most comfortable to us. We wanted our family and friends to have great wine, food, and cake, and be comfortable dancing the night away! The biggest hits of the wedding were the parasols we handed out for the ceremony, our homemade photo booth, and the flip flops we left out for guests during dancing.

The cake and wedding photography were also huge successes! The day was such a blast, we were able to relax and really enjoy every moment – although it flew by!

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See more Orchard Weddings in THE VAULT!

Photography: Olivia Leigh Photography | Wedding Planner: Kathryn Kenna Of The Wedding Resource | Floral Design: Penny & Lulu Studio Florist | Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Cake: Tracy Biada Of My Sweet Ol'etcetera Bakery | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: ModCloth | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Jacksonville Inn | Hair And Makeup: Janice Moon | Groom's Attire: Ben Sherman | Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux | Venue: Hillcrest Orchard | Photography - Assistance: Cortney B Photography

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

Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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As an east-coaster, I have my bouts of jealously over those of you who live in sweet, golden California. The coast, the vineyards, that glow-y sun…! But then I’m reminded, with weddings like this one from Gabe Aceves, that our side of this beautiful nation is peppered with pretty. Specifically, the Pippin Hill Farm kind of pretty. Make sure to soak up this east coast goodness, folks—it’s all here in THE VAULT.

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From Gabe Aceves… Eden + Brandon’s beautiful wedding at Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards in Charlottesville VA was a stunning day and perfectly designed by Eden and Brandon (Eden is a style blogger and it shows). Everything was flawless and the planning was perfect by Amanda Gray from Ashley Baber Weddings.

Family and friends helped fold over 2,000 paper cranes for dance floor decoration and escort cards. Exceeding the Japanese wedding tradition of 1,001 folded cranes to ensure luck and happiness. A co-worker of Brandon’s also helped design the invitation suite and Save the Dates.

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See more Pippin Hill Farm Weddings here!

Photography: Gabe Aceves Photography | Event Planning: Ashley Baber Weddings | Floral Design: The Arrangement Company | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara Soft | Bridesmaids' Dresses: After Six | Lighting: Blue Ridge AV & Lighting | Tuxedo: Hackett | Venue: Pippin Hill Farm