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

An Elegant Outdoor Wedding at a Post-byzantine Mansion in Greece

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Soft and organic hues set the scene for a tranquil and romantic wedding celebration. Embracing the beauty of nature, the bride and groom chose a palette of neutral and earthy tones to complement their outdoor ceremony. Capturing the essence of the day, the photographer Sotiris Tsakanikas captured candid moments and natural emotions with an unobtrusive approach.

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True happiness was evident in every moment of the couple’s special day. The bride and groom radiated joy and love, surrounded by their closest friends and family. Laughter and happiness filled the air as the couple exchanged vows and celebrated their love with unbridled joy. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and memories that will last a lifetime.

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We met on a dating app, bumble, in 2018. I was living in Germany at the time for work and was delayed at a UK airport travelling home. Bradie lived near that airport at the time, so when I downloaded the app, he was the first person to pop up on my screen! The rest is history. We connected instantly, spent the first year visiting each other all the time travelling between London and Cologne and eventually when I moved back to the UK, we moved in together in March 2020 (just before lockdown!) – We are very similar in character and love to live life to the full – we adore travelling and exploring new areas and doing new activities. We love to laugh and regularly make each other cry of laughter, but we are also very loving and sensitive to one another. – Bradie originally wanted to propose to me in the Caribbean but due to the lockdown, our travelling ideas were limited. He instead spent 10 months planning an entire engagement with one of my best friend’s CJ (bridesmaid) without me knowing or suspecting a thing. We love the sea and boats, so he organised for us to go on a yacht for our anniversary – this is where he proposed at sunset! It was absolutely perfect, and to make it even better, he also organised for our parents to come the next day which was an additional and very special surprise. – We are extremely social (we never relax) and enjoy spending as much time as possible with friends and family. – We love capturing special moments and are very hot on taking pictures and videos to capture memories with everything we do – it really means everything to us to capture the moments as naturally and as authentically as possible! – We rarely differ in our opinions on things, and are both very hard-working and ambitious but we also do love winding each other up a lot :) *written by the bride

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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]The bride turned heads in a stunning, chic wedding gown from renowned designer Riki Dalal. With its elegant lines and luxurious fabrics, this gown epitomized classic beauty and sophistication[/field]
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The five bridesmaids looked stunning in their elegant blue-grey dresses, which complemented the overall theme of the wedding perfectly. Their sleek, form-fitting silhouettes added a touch of glamour and refinement.

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[field title=”Food & Drink”]The drinks and food served at the wedding reception were a true highlight of the evening. The reception venue provided a range of options for guests to enjoy, including champagne for toasting, a variety of aperitifs to suit everyone’s taste, and a selection of sweet and savory treats. Eclair cakes, cupcakes, finger food, and tapas catering were also available, offering a delicious range of options for guests to enjoy while they celebrated the happy couple. The drinks and food were expertly prepared and served by the venue’s talented staff, ensuring that every guest was well taken care of and had a memorable time at the wedding. Whether sipping on a crisp glass of champagne, indulging in a delicious eclair cake, or sampling a selection of tapas, the guests were treated to an unforgettable culinary experience that they will always cherish.[/field]
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The floral and decor of the wedding was a stunning and unforgettable sight. The theme of the day was elegantly showcased through the stunning white roses that graced every table. The soft, delicate petals of the roses added a touch of beauty and romance to the atmosphere, creating a warm and inviting ambiance for the guests. The simple yet sophisticated arrangements of white roses perfectly complemented the crisp white linens, adding a touch of sophistication to the event. The floral arrangements were expertly crafted and placed, bringing a touch of nature and life to the venue and adding to the overall charm of the day. The guests were truly impressed by the beauty and attention to detail in the flowers and decor, making it a memorable and enchanting part of the celebration.

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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]The three-tiered wedding cake provided by the reception venue was a magnificent masterpiece that stole the show. The intricate design and flawless execution made it an eye-catching centerpiece of the event.[/field]
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After the wedding ceremony, music was a beautiful and memorable aspect of the celebration, with a talented ensemble of musicians performing on the violin, saxophone, harp, and cello.

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Hatzi Mansion

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Petit Bouquet

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Modern Textures and Garden-Style Florals at Stanly Ranch in Napa

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The color palette was black and white.

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This wedding can best be described by a mix of art, architecture, nature, style, and design! Modern romantic spaces were created that brought together the architecture and beautiful natural landscapes.

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The bride looked stunning in her Vera Wang wedding gown, an incredible couture dress for an incredible location and day. She opted for natural, timeless beauty and loose waves in her hair.

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Delicious farm-to-table appetizers and meals were provided by Stanly Ranch for the cocktail hour and reception.

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Garden-style florals were opulent and focused on classic white of varying textures and plants. The decor was modern and natural, combining many different elements (wood, metal, pottery, glass) and textures. The wedding was set up with an intimate, cozy vibe in mind. The reception featured one long table with all the guests sitting together, welcomed by personal notes from the bride and groom. The dance party was held in a garden house, intimate and warm, with fireplaces, candles, and florals.

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Most noteworthy was the epic ceremony site, where the couple shared heartfelt vows beneath a huge steel infinity sculpture created by artist Gordon Huether. Stanly Ranch’s Infinity Hill offers expansive views of the entire ranch and the surrounding rolling hills and vineyards. It’s quite a breathtaking location to celebrate a marriage.

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Anna and Paul celebrated their wedding at Stanly Ranch, the latest Auberge luxury resort and wedding venue in Napa, California. Stanly Ranch, located in the heart of wine country, celebrates the romance of connecting with family and friends in a setting that’s steeped in the winery estate tradition, inspired by the beauty of the land, and infused with a fresh spirit of the adventures of Napa Valley, and the luxuries of good service and style. Surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards, the open, modern design of the ranch’s architecture truly invites the outside in, offering a unique and relaxing ambiance. Designer and wedding planner Alexandra Kolendrianos created modern, romantic spaces where Anna and Paul joined their family and friends in a weekend celebration of joy. The bride looked stunning in her Vera Wang wedding gown, an incredible couture dress for an incredible location and day.

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Found Rental Co.

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Petit Bouquet

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A Rainy Wedding Day in Wine Country at a Private Estate

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[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Whites, greens, nudes and mauve[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]This couple wanted a modern, romantic, natural vibe to compliment the beautiful outdoor setting amid the vineyards. They were thrown a curveball when it ended up raining, but they managed to make their plan B feel equally romantic and beautiful.

Eli: We got the advice from friends before we started planning, that it’s helpful to set an intention or “mission statement” to help when making decisions. We chose “hospitality, inclusivity, and nostalgia.” Practically speaking, that meant we emphasized having lots of good food options, saving time for friends and family to give wedding speeches during the rehearsal dinner and wedding night (words of affirmation are big for us), handing out point-and-shoot film cameras for guests to take candids during the evening, and we made sure there were plenty of heat lamps so that guest were comfortable, since the wedding was in late October. And we asked our musically-talented friends to help build our playlist, because we wanted the dance floor to be lit.

Hosanna: Eli said it! For how much energy and money you really don’t take that many physical artifacts from your wedding so I wanted tangible reminders of the day (nostalgia). I used to do professional photography, so all of the candid pictures and disposables I have them all over our apartment they bring us so much joy.[/field]
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Eli: We worked with a really incredible multidisciplinary designer, Christine from https://dear-survivor.com/ who partnered with us with imagining the design style from initial mood board, through gem selection, then casting the custom ring setting. She did a fabulous job, 10/10 would recommend. I wanted to surprise Hosanna with the engagement but, it was important to us that Hosanna knew roughly what the ring was going to look like, since she’s the one who will be wearing it for years to come. Christine did a great job of including both of us in the design process, but helping me keep little details a surprise, and I planned a big surprise engagement where I involved all of our friends living nearby. Since this was during COVID when most people were still being super cautious with group activities, we did a big meet at a park where everyone could come hang out and keep their distance while still toasting champagne, etc. Hosanna: +1 to what Eli said. All (and I really do mean all) of my family, friends, even friends of friends love looking at my ring and asking me about it and the story. I am immensely grateful to Christine for taking my very rough literal back-of-napkin sketches and getting to the heart of what Eli and I wanted. I will never forget when Eli surprised me with the design book for Valentine’s Day and a consultation call with Christine. Her vision and drawings perfectly captured us and our vision for the ring. She made the process fun and approachable. I’m never tired of telling the story behind our engagement ring and inspiring people to imagine a ring that speaks to the heart of their love.

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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]JLM Couture from Allison Webb NYC[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]The bridesmaids all looking stunning in their slim-fitted, white pantsuits that made for a modern and powerful look.[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Green suits are from Suit supply [/field]
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[field title=”Food & Drink”]They had a signature cocktail called a Cidar Smash to warm guests up by the pool area, and used a beautiful acrylic tray full of charcuterie appetizer cones as escort cards. Then the dinner consisted of a 3 course meal, starting with a charred carrot salad with smoked trout roe and preserved lemon, then grilled salmon with wild mushrooms, smoked parsnips and a pumpkin seed vinaigrette, or slow smoked beef with sage yams, and mustard greens, followed by cake and a huge assortment of bite-sized desserts that were beautouflly presented on a bookshelf by the bar. [/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Flowers and decor we were going for a really clean white palette because the house and natural beauty around us with the autumn colors of the vineyards and the warmth of the house. With the tent and the rain it ended up creating a kind of Twilight vibe as well which made everyone feel cozy. I’m so grateful to our guests after a year and a half of pandemic life we all just danced our hearts out to stay warm and celebrate love and life![/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]Wedding cake was from Susie Cakes[/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]Lots of live music throughout the evening, starting with the ceremony and continuing through cocktail hour.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]Groom is in a custom suit from Tailors’ Keep San Francisco [/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]The house was special to us, I’d been going up there for years and had always thought it would be an amazing place to get married. We found out The original builder of the house actually built it for his wedding! It was really special to have my family and family friends in the house leading up to the wedding.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]The couple really wanted some photos in the vinerayds on property but it was schedued to rain all day long starting before noon, so they went with the flow and decided to move their first look up a few hours so that they could get a few minutes together in the vineyards right before the rain came. Sometimes changing plans at the last minute are the best plans! [/field]
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TEAM Hair and Makeup

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A Stunningly Elegant Wedding at Villa Balbiano on Lake Como

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A palette of white, ivory, champagne, and delicate green with some pink touches and subtle peach to warm up the atmosphere. Gold elements enrich the table decor.

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Lake Como is known for the most exclusive and elegant weddings in Italy. The couple chose an all-white theme to accentuate that element of elegance and refinement—classic, elegant, and refined romance at its finest.

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The bride chose a haute couture wedding dress from Vera Wang to complement the elegant theme of her wedding

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The menu was a delight, from the long aperitif with Prosecco, Aperol, and Bellini cocktails to the Italian finger food Duck breast, balsamic vinegar from Modena, spinach and coconut flake Tagliolini fresh pasta with black truffle and Toma Piemontese cheese.

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Peonies, roses, dahlias, carnations and gypsophila, golden lanterns, golden candle holders, and vases filled tables.

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[field title=”Wedding Cake”]Done by a professional cake designer. 5 tiers vanilla sponge cake with Chantilly cream and strawberries. They cut the cake by the lake, under a wonderful arch of flowers while fireworks lit up the sky[/field]
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Petit Bouquet

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The Heritage Collection

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Laid-Back Luxury at Beaulieu Garden in Napa

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We chose bold hues such as dark jade, magenta and aubergine, and balanced them with soft ballet pink and mauve.

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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]We wanted to create something for the bride and groom that was warm, sexy, laid-back luxury. We embraced more is more and drew inspiration from the warm glow of Moroccan lanterns, the bold yet delicate botanical prints of Dior and Gucci, and the abundance of Napa during harvest season. Throughout the design process we repeated the mantra, “it’s a vibe not a theme!”. [/field]
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The bride wore three stunning outfits throughout the day. Her ceremony look was a striking garden-inspired Monique Lhuillier number which complemented the beautiful setting at Beaulieu Garden and was a nod to the floral motifs which inspired the design. She donned a second gown for the reception by Oscar de la Renta. The delicate glimmer reflected the candle light throughout dinner and sparkled throughout dancing. Her final dress was a playful Oscar de la Renta mini – perfect for her afterparty.

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As a couple that has hosted many events, they wanted a meal that would be simultaneously elevated and approachable. From the moment guests arrived they were greeted with a choice of a signature cocktail, champagne or a non-alcoholic craft mocktail. At cocktail hour they enjoyed meticulously crafted passed hors d’oeuvres and a seafood bar piled high with crab legs and shrimp. Paula Le Duc Fine Catering presented an elegant three course dinner with a tableside choice of entree. The first course was a beautiful carrot salad that highlighted California’s trademark farm to table cuisine, enhanced with a middle eastern influence. The guests then enjoyed a pasta course followed by a choice of halibut and game hen. For dessert, in addition to wedding cake, guests enjoyed a sumptuous buffet of sweets, including the groom’s favorite banana trifle and chocolate for the bride! At the afterparty the guests took a break from dancing to enjoy fresh-cut french fries and flat bread pizzas.

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Flowers on flowers for a flower-loving bride! There were so many custom details for this couple – we really got to run wild with our ideas. We made it a point to weave the motifs from the invitation suite throughout the wedding with special touches – custom-printed trays for drinks and hors d’oeuvres, a foil-printed dragonfly on the cocktail napkins, and a custom, seamless dance floor and stage facade featuring the bold florals hand painted by Elsa Madeleine. We sourced hundreds of Moroccan-style lanterns and festooned the installation with greenery. Custom-designed and built gold arbors shaded the dessert display and framed the dancing lounges which featured authentic Turkish kilim pillows, sourced especially for this event. The flowers were incredibly lush and featured blooms like dinnerplate dahlias, garden roses, and clematis. The color palette featured bold, moody blooms such as dahlias, garden roses, and calla lilies, softened with flowering vines like clematis and blooming jasmine.

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Wedding Cake: The wedding cake was a true collaboration between the SLE Design team, the stationer Elsa Madeline and the incredibly talented Flour & Bloom. Ora Beth drew inspiration from the gilded details of the wedding invitation and elaborate floral design. The Flavors were a split between Olive oil Cake with meyer lemon buttercream and double chocolate cake with espresso buttercream.

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Petit Bouquet

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A Neoclassical French Wedding at the Enchanting Château du Grand-Lucé

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[field title=”Wedding Colors”]The palette was inspired by the stunning pastel interiors of Château du Grand-Luce. With pastel florals in every shade of ivory, blush, lavender, and blue and a dinner table that the bride called her “pink dream”, it was feminine and classically French.[/field]
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Jessica & Mark’s Bridgerton-inspired intimate destination wedding at Château du Grand-Luce was every bit of the fairytale that the bride imagined. From the exquisite interiors which feel like stepping into a macaron box to Jessica’s ethereal gown that felt lit from within to their exquisite dinner table, everything about their day was an absolute dream come true. Located in the verdant Loire Valley, just south of Paris, this neoclassical Château du Grand-Luce was built by a nobleman in 1760 and has hosted the most discerning travelers for centuries. With sublime attention to detail, its opulent interiors are a stunning tribute to its royal provenance and uncompromising splendor.

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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]The bride, Jessica, wore a Regency-inspired gown by Love Shack Fancy to get ready. We took advantage of the château’s lush interiors and photographed on a stunning 19th-century settée with an exquisite French tapestry scene. he bride opted for an ethereal tulle off-the-shoulder gown by Rara Avis which, thanks to the abundance of glowing French sunshine, felt absolutely lit from within. She paired the gown with a crown from Bridal Adornments which added the perfect touch to her regal look.[/field]
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[field title=”Food & Drink”]Guests traveled through the hedge maze to reach cocktail hour where champagne coupes tied with handmade silk ribbon and a violinist greeted them to kick off the soirée. As the sun dipped lower into the sky, candles were lit and guests enjoyed a feast fit for a king created by the accomplished chefs at Château du Grand-Luce, accompanied by classical music played on the harp and violin.[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]The dinner table was adorned with layers of finery, from handmade blush Belgian linens to exquisitely carved chargers and antique French China and cutlery. Napkins were monogrammed with each guest’s initial and antique gold frames served as placecards which guests took home as a memento from the wedding. With pastel florals in every shade of ivory, blush, lavender, and blue and a dinner table that the bride called her “pink dream”, it was feminine and classically French.[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]As the sun set, Jessica & Mark shared their first dance and cake cutting while guests looked on with candles in the garden. Their three-tiered cake was adorned with the couple’s monogram and intricate floral details inspired by the bride’s gown.[/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]Jessica & Mark’s intimate ceremony took place in the château’s formal gardens. Lush blooms in blush, lavender, and pale blue set in compotes, urns, and pedestals created an absolutely enchanting environment that felt like you had stepped back in time and into another world. Jessica & Mark whispered secret promises to each other during the ceremony, an absolutely precious moment which was just for the two of them.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]La Papeterie Design handcrafted an artful invitation suite which was delivered to guests in a beautiful handmade linen box with ice blue silk ribbon enclosing the paperie.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]The couple wrote love letters to each other which they read aloud during their first look which took place in front of Château du Grand-Luce, along with privately sharing their wedding vows.[/field]
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Petit Bouquet

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The Perfect Mix of Modern and Romantic at Lake Lucerne in Switzerland

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[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Soft blues and light greens with white[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]

My parents have spent a lot of time in Switzerland since I was young. They have a house about 5 minutes away from the wedding venue. While we were dating, Jeff and I would fly over to visit my parents every summer and explore. I’m happy to say that Jeff loves this beautiful mountainous hidden gem of a country just as much as my family and I do. It had always been my dream to get married there, and thankfully Jeff and his family loved the idea. We were encouraged to reconsider a destination wedding, but I’m so glad we were able to have our dream wedding. Special things are worth waiting for. My very talented wedding florist, Tabea Maria-Lisa, described my vision as “a boy’s baby shower”; I laughed and said that I felt confident that she understood my vision! She tweaked and embellished my ideas and created the most lovely whimsical garden for our ceremony. I wanted a long table with lanterns and candles for our wedding party, and she gave me everything and more! It was spectacular. Holly Hollon created the most beautiful bespoke letterpress invitation suite with a gorgeous crest for our wedding. It included an accordion folding card with a beautiful illustration of the lake and venue that listed the events of the weekend, a detailed map of relevant destinations around Lake Luzern for our guests, as well as a welcome booklet with various watercolor illustrations.

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[field title=”Proposal Story”]Jeff proposed on December 27, 2019 just a few days after Christmas. He had just been gifted a drone and spent those two days mastering his pilot skills so he could propose and record us all at the same time! He’s a very quick learner. Anyway, we were driving up to meet all the Rapp’s in Lake Placid for the New Year, and we decided to stop at the Rapp Family Lake House to stretch our legs (something we frequently did on the long drive up from Boston). As I was throwing snowballs for our Labrador, Moose, Jeff was suddenly proposing to me with my mom’s ring! It was exactly right. Just Jeff, Moose and me (plus the drone footage for the families & Instagram).[/field]
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I had no idea where to start with this! All the blogs said to go to Pinterest, so that’s what I did! Slowly, I started to notice a trend and pattern in the dresses I would pin, and that’s how I found the genius who is Berta. I fell in love with the Berta collections online, so I did some searching and I found a store in Miami that carried the designer. Five bridesmaids and I piled into my SUV and drove an hour and a half for a Berta Trunk Show at Chic Parisien in Miami. We had such a fun day shopping together and I was lucky enough to find my wedding dress! Months later, my mom and I returned to Chic Parisien to try on a second dress that we had seen in a campaign for a newer collection. It was the perfect “second dress” and I became a two-time Berta Bride. My wedding shoes were sparkly white Christian Louboutin heels. My earrings belonged to my aunt and were also worn by her daughter on her wedding day. My engagement ring is my mom’s original engagement ring, and my wedding band belonged to my maternal grandmother. I had all of my most important women with me in some way.

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[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]I had 9 bridesmaids and they divided perfectly into 3 groups of 3: 3 childhood friends, 3 college friends, and 3 sisters-in-law. I envisioned all my friends in one shade of blue, and then my sisters in a complimentary blue/green shade. I also wanted my Maid of Honor to stand out, so we went on a special shopping endeavor to find her the perfect beaded blue dress. I love how all the dresses blended together to create a cohesive bridal party look.[/field]
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Jeff wore a floral Dazi bow tie and Swiss suspenders. His tuxedo was made by Blank Label in Boston. He changed into a white smoking jacket for the reception, also made by Blank Label. He wore Stubbs & Wootton velvet slippers. The groomsmen wore tuxedos organized through the BlackTux. It was a simple classic look that I was able to add some flair to with Swiss suspenders and colorful bow ties. Similar to the women, I had the 5 friend groomsmen wear Dazi bowties in a soft blue and the brother groomsmen wear ciel blue bowties from the Tie Bar. The fathers of the bride and groom also wore Swiss suspenders and matching floral bow ties.

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[field title=”Food & Drink”]Amongst the things we had for dinner:
– romana salad hearts with roasted sunflower seeds, thyme grissini, air-dried Grand Cru ham and apple balsamic vinaigrette
– homemade truffle ravioli with fava beans, artichokes and parmesan foam
– creamy poultry soup with truffled dumplings
– brüggli salmon trout from saddle with Ticino polenta and spring vegetables
– tarte au citron with meringue and mango sorbet[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]My vision was blue hydrangeas and white roses!

Tabea did an incredible job creating a garden-feel, with lots of greenery and plenty of florals.

My bouquet had white roses, light blue hydrangeas, and seasonal flowers in different
shades of white, ivory and light blue.

The shape of the bouquet was round but with a lush look and tied in a structured way. Stems were tied with hand-died silk ribbons in blue tones.[/field]
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We had a 5-tier cake with 3 tiers of different flavored cake. The cake was white with a waterfall of white roses, blue blowers, and greenery. At the top sat a little figurine of our dog Moose.

[/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]It was a generally secular ceremony with splashes of religion that we felt were important to us. Jeffrey is Christian and I was raised Jewish. To honor my Jewish heritage, I had my mom read the 7 Hebrew Wedding Blessings (in English), and Jeffrey broke the glass after we exchanged vows and rings.

A string quartet played at the ceremony, we had “Wildest Dreams” played when the
bridal party entered and the classic “Canon in D” when I entered.

Our first dance song was “Jackie & Wilson” by Hozier. Jeffrey didn’t have too many super strong opinions about our wedding plans, but when I asked if he had any thoughts on what our first dance song should be, he announced that he’d picked it out years ago. I thought it was so sweet and fully accepted his choice.

The father-daughter song was “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys, while the mother-son song was “Mama Said (There’d Be Days Like This)” by the Shirelles.[/field]
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I think we both agree that the vows were the most important part of the day to us. We had been legally married since October of 2019….so this was finally our chance to voice our commitment and individual promises to each other. Saying our vows was like putting the final stamp on our marriage in front of all our loved ones. My brother Lance was our officiant and he did such an amazing job. It was really special having him play such a big part in our wedding day. Our ring bearer was our dog Moose ! He wore a fancy Swiss leather dog collar embossed with gold metal Edelweiss. He looked quite handsome and was a perfect gentleman. He made his way down the aisle with poise and then took a seat by the groom’s feet. The most touching moment was probably when I hugged my other brother Jonathan after the ceremony. He and Jeffrey were both so emotional! It was very sweet. Jonathan has always been my best friend, and seeing the emotional impact our wedding had on him meant a lot to me. He also gave the greatest speech at our reception. Not a dry eye in the place!

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[field title=”Special Detail #2″]Another very special detail: the surprise boat ride my parents planned for us. I think the photos from the boat are some of the most beautiful photos from the whole day, so I am very grateful for that. Mailys got right on the boat with us and took so many wonderful photos!

My dad also surprised us with the most amazing fireworks I have ever seen. It was just another way for my parents to express their shared excitement and joy with us and it was absolutely breathtaking.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]About our honeymoon: we originally wanted to go to Indonesia, but it was not an option due to Covid restrictions. Instead we went to Santorini, Greece for 5 days, followed by 5 days in Split, Croatia, and then back to Switzerland to pick up our dog from my parents house. Santorini was so beautiful and romantic! We had the best time and Jeffrey planned the best activities for us! He took me horseback riding through the caldera, wine tasting at a local vineyard, and sailing on a romantic sunset catamaran cruise. Once we were fully relaxed in Santorini, we were ready to sightsee our way through Split! It was the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure.[/field]
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Luxury Pastel-Soaked Wedding at an 18th Century Venetian Estate in Corfu

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peach, cream and green

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Perched on the lusciously green hillside of Messongi on the S/E coast of Corfu Riviera, the 18th-century Venetian manor sits perfectly amid Millenial olives, Italian cypresses, and ancient elms. Its signature 1770 gateway, blazoning the gravel driveway and coral stuccoed walls- still bearing the markings of the Trivoli Pieri families – hems in several buildings, including the central villa, an olive press, stable houses, a church, a farm, and warehouses, which in 2010 were renovated completely to include an infinity pool, a master dining room, and salon, kitchens, residential chambers and private quarters. Here, manicured lawns meld with marbled pathways, thriving herbs and fuzzy stems give away sweet aromas, and immaculate gardens and orangeries are gently enclosed to create endless beautiful nooks to discover. Inside objects, d’ art and curios, await, modernity and heritage are perfectly attuned, while on the backyard, a forest clearing expands into a farmstead brimming with possibilities.

We love it when a venue comes with many spaces available for different parts of a wedding day. The gravel yard of the Courti estate was perfect for Laert & Amanda’s cocktail hour. We set the scene in miniature floral arrangements, minimalist garden sofas and tables, rustic white stations for bubbly, refreshments, and early cocktails. The Venetian Well served traditional Corfiot flavors in fanciful amuse bouche and canapes, while George Pantelios saxed the moods up in bistro-style solos and remixes by DJ Spartakos. During cocktail hour, Sotiris whisked our bride and groom away for their wedding portraits. From the stone wall ensconced Mediterranean Giardino filled with fuzzy shrubs, rose bushes, pistachio trees, dahlias, lavender, thyme, and camellias, to the side garden where Aurora and Euphoria succulents thrive, and then on to the olive grove and the pool our husband and wife enjoyed some fun moments alone taking in the beauty of their venue and the romantic aura of their destination. The groom’s friends, along with the bridesmaid squad, now having changed into gorgeous red gowns, joined in for some shots, and the couple joined their friends at the cocktail scene for a few laughs and catching up.

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Amanda had flown all the way from Albania along with her Geraldina Sposa bridal gown, her Jimmy Choos and her bridal trousseau.

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Our groom had planned for two looks for his Big Day – a blue suit and Louis Vuitton kicks for the ceremony, and a black tux with Salvatore Ferragamo slippers for the reception.

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One cannot have a destination wedding in Corfu and not taste the traditional dishes known for their Mediterranean character and Venetian influence. Traditional tastes were reinterpreted by the award-winning chef of The Venetial Well into modern dishes such as black cod, stonefish gnocchi, tartar with carob soil, Challan’s Duck breast with elderflower, goat milk cream semifreddo with violet meringue, and more to create a unique culinary experience for our couple’s guests.

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Arrangements brimming with all kinds of roses, Spray, David Austin, Nancy Reagan, and garden varieties were perfectly weaved by Leonidas Rammos with lisianthus, eucalyptus, and hydrangeas to stunning effect. Leonidas and his team festooned the wedding reception’s crystal chandeliers with climbing ivy stems and blooms, decorated the main entrances of the estate in floral garlands, curated the bride’s and bridesmaids bouquets, and crafted the groom and his lads’ beautiful boutonnieres, all coordinating to perfection with Amanda’s favorite colors and the Courti Estate’s color palette. For the bride and groom’s table, our floral designer came up with a triangular shape of strategically placed rosebuds and foliage to spotlight the seated couple.

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Think of a three-tiered stucco-effect wedding cake to resemble the plasterwork on the Courti Estate’s walls, macaron towers, and utterly delicious pastries such as meringues, giant macaroons filled with sweet and sour creams, fresh fruit, flower, and white chocolate flavors, all by the master baker Cake Boutique Corfu! Ah, one always needs to leave room for cake when getting married in Corfu!

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The decadently verdant island of Corfu has for centuries been portrayed as a haven for utter romance. Sophisticated, cultural, luxuriant, Italianate, and adored by British royalty. With its distinctive architectural beauty and multifaceted tapestry of monuments, groves, estates, and spectacular vistas, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better-suited destination to hold the wedding celebration of a lifetime. A globetrotter and lover of all things delectable, our groom Laert fell in love with Corfu ever he first visited our island. After several stays and meanders across its entire span, he knew he had to marry his beloved Amanda right here. Eager to start looking at venues, the couple contacted us to help them design a mesmerizing affair and find a dream location. After listening to their vision for the ultimate dance party and super-stylish, romance-laden luxury affair, we knew The Courti Estate was the perfect match.

Early in the morning of July 10, wedding preps began at the Courti Estate villa. Amanda and her bridesmaids got their MUAH in one of the suites while Laert and his groom squad across the hall. As our bride wished to surprise Laert with a first look, everyone ensured there was a good buzz in the lounge room between them. Our couple’s wedding photographer Sotiris Tsakanikas began with capturing the first details of the day. First, the hand-drawn calligraphy wedding invites and papeterie Amanda had flown all the way from Albania along with her Geraldina Sposa bridal gown, her Jimmy Choos and bridal trousseau, and then Laert’s stylish choices (our groom had planned for two looks for his Big Day – a blue suit and Louis Vuitton kicks for the ceremony, and a black tux with Salvatore Ferragamo slippers for the reception).

Soon it was time for the groom and his lads to have their first portraits on the side yard next to one of the oldest poplars on the island. When the bridesmaid squad slipped in their bottle green gowns, more portraits followed. While the lads rode their luxury shuttles to Mouse Island for the ceremony, the girls made a circle around our groom and kept him busy with songs -according to the Corfiot custom- so that Amanda could sneak out and surprise him. Our first happy tears rolled right there…

One of the most photographed and famed spots in Corfu is none other than Mouse Island. Host to Pantokrator, the 11th-century Byzantine chapel that only opens for the public on August 6, Mouse island was, according to legend, Ulysses’ ship, the vessel that brought the legendary king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey to the island of the Phaeacians, transformed by Poseidon into an island. This time, two separate boats brought Laert, Amanda, and their family on the shore, where their guests awaited to cheer. We placed columns with floral arrangements in front of the staircase leading to the chapel, creating a long upward aisle. The orthodox wedding ceremony took place on the terrace before the church, with everyone circling the bride and groom. Amanda and Laert were pronounced husband and wife following the readings, blessings, and the couple’s signatures. Rice toss came next before the family boarded a luxury speedboat for a little tour on the Corfu Riviera.

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They say it is the tenderness that makes our hearts melt, the loveliness that makes us dream of going places and returns to them after we’ve first visited, and the sweetness that has us reach out. We wished to channel all this warmth and beauty into Amanda and Laert’s reception, both decor, scheme, and color-wise. But what we also wanted them to have was a smashing party and fulfilled their wishes for a million stars over their heads. Their opulent production meant crafting a glamorous wedding reception with an entire dance floor and a stage for their performers in the backyard of the Courti Estate. We topped the reception scene with an art installation video screen and a canopy of twinkling lights alluding to the waves of the Ionian sea. At the same time, crystal chandeliers hung over the dance floor and above the bride and groom’s table. Since our bride wished chandeliers to illuminate the entire venue, we also had several pieces hanging from the trees. For the facade of the villa and the gardens, the couple wanted something vivid, bright, able to play with the light in unique ways, so they opted for geometric light projections on the main building as lanterns with candles and fluted columns for the side yard.

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[field title=”Special Detail #3″]BIG ENTRANCE, FIRST DANCE & PARTY TILL DAWN! Greece is a party nation, and wedding celebrations in the Ionian islands are a huge affair! But so it is for Albanians, whose verve and party panache can easily set the tone for days of festivities. Channeling their cultural heritage, our bride and groom flew in their own native band and went for local music and a DJ. They wanted it all, and we would go all the extra miles to keep them happy! For their big entrance, we provided every guest with glow sticks to be waived as they crossed the mansion’s gate to the reception space, and as the music went on, the beautiful duo walked the white carpet and cypress studded aisle to the dance floor. The party began after Laert’s bilingual (Albanian & French) welcome speech, and dancing did not stop until the wee hours.
It was an explosion of fun, beauty, and incredible experiences for us all. Before they headed back to Brussels, this ah-mazing family left us with a gift of light and love, one we will cherish for life, their trust in our ability to make them a celebration that won’t fade from memory. We couldn’t have asked for anything more!
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Petit Bouquet

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Couture Wedding Inspiration at Villa Pizzo in Lake Como

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”The Inspiration”]

This Lake Como editorial was inspired by the beautiful Villa Pizzo itself, from it’s expanding gardens along the lake side with 360 degree views that will take your breath away. We wanted to highlight the property while honoring its neoclassical design. So when thinking of how to incorporate its history with a splash of modern simplicity, we knew we had to incorporate texture, couture gowns, and an epic boat ride into the design. Created to showcase an intimate wedding weekend, each event within the wedding day design utilized a different area of the Villa and its property, from bridal portraits inside the villa among intricate architecture to the ceremony site on one of the villa’s secluded terraces overlooking the lake, to the reception dinner at the base of the epic outdoor stairway leading into the gardens. Following their ceremony, the couple took a celebratory boat ride with prosecco along the lake in a classic Lake Como Riva.

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[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Mauve, pinks, peach, cream, lavender[/field]
[field title=”The Venue”]

Villa Pizzo is situated right along the edge of Lake Como. Built on rich land, the property stretches from the shore of the lake to the edge of the hills and was originally full of vineyards and olive groves. The villa offers the longest lakeside garden in Lake Como, with lush greenery, cypress trees, and rose bushes along the lakefront, which add to the romance and charm of this stunning property. Wedding celebrations can utilize both the interior of the villa and the vast gardens. From breathtaking vistas to artistic statues, this villa is the perfect location for any dream wedding on the romantic Lake Como.

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The bridal gowns were the main focus of the design. Both gowns were designed by Dylan Parienty Paris and were chosen to be statement pieces. Her main gown represented a modern take on the ballgown, with various layers of chiffon, a plunging neckline, and a dramatic train. This paired perfectly against the epic views of the mountains along the lake. For her second dress, the bride wore a heavily embellished slimmer cut gown with a high neck, satin and lace flowers, bows on the sleeves, and a playful layer of fringe. It was the perfect mix of elegance, party and play. We paired Bella Belle Shoes with her second look, and green linen Manolo Blahnik pumps with her wedding gown. Hair and makeup artist Ivona Milosevic created two different looks to pair with the brides’ gowns. Our groom was just as chic, styled in a classic black tux for the ceremony from Area 2 Rezzonico in Como, and a velvet dinner jacket and loafers for the reception.

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To continue with an emphasis on modern and texture, Chiara Sperti Floral Events created a showstopping organic, color blocked arch for the ceremony. Centered on one of Villa Pizzo’s many verandas, the mix of peach, blushes, and creams popped against the beautiful blue backdrop of the lake. For the tablescape, NKT Events incorporated different elements such as stone, gold, and mauve velvet linens which were paired perfectly with the ceramic dinnerware embroidered with an intricate lace motif. Candles in varying heights added to the romance of the design. Krisanna Elizabeth created the wedding day stationery with a more classic approach. With luxurious calligraphy and hand-torn paper, the menus provided a classic Italian touch to a slightly more modern tablescape.

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[field title=”Favorite Design Element”]Our favorite design element was the repurposing of the floral arrangements. Following the ceremony, we choose to repurpose the floral arch into floor arrangements around the reception tablescape, and then later redesigned these same pieces to utilize in our cake display. The cake was created by Ramperti Pasticceria, to mimic the layers on our bride’s main wedding gown. This created a lush and luxe experience for each wedding moment. [/field]
[field title=”Tips To Pull Off The Look”]

Never be afraid to incorporate color and texture into your day, especially in such a fashion-forward, epic location as Lake Como. The varying textures and stature of the bridal gowns in this shoot, as well as the pops of color, showcase a unique interpretation of a modern, chic wedding design blended with the classic scenery of Villa Pizzo and Lake Como.

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Sanctuary Gardens 10 Year Vow Renewal in the Beautiful Okanagan

Design/Vision/Vibe: My love for ethereal and whimsical details is alive and stronger than ever. We decided for our vow renewal we wanted to use our original wedding colors, soft pink and blue. We wanted to create an elevated fine art version of our original wedding day. Soft colors, delicate details, carefully crafted florals, pretty jewelry and of course the love of my life, our boys and some close family members made for the most perfect evening.

Story: Being a photographer myself, I am so used to capturing everyone else’s special moments, memories and events. It felt so surreal to have the roles reversed as I celebrated my 10 year anniversary with a very intimate vow renewal at Sanctuary Gardens. For context, Tom and I got married as wee little babies! We dated for 6 months, were engaged for 3 months, and married after 9 months of knowing each other. I was freshly 20, and my husband was 23 when we tied the knot. Tom and I have been chatting about how the past ten years have seemed to go by in the blink of an eye, but at the same time the beginning of our relationship feels like a lifetime ago. Time is a funny thing. The thing about getting married so young is that Tom and I got to grow up together. We navigated adulthood together: university degrees- together. First “real jobs” together. First house, together. We have been a partnership and a team as we’ve grown up. I’m so grateful I get to navigate life with Tom. It truly was SO special to ponder on the past ten years and celebrate each other and how far we’ve come in our relationship.

We said our vows overlooking the most picturesque mountains of Sanctuary Gardens in Kelowna, BC. The sun was setting behind the mountains and the wind was blowing through my Anthropologie dress that I am SO utterly obsessed with. The wind made the organza gown dance and flutter in the summer air. The off-the-shoulder movement, and sweeping floral, diaphanous organza is fit for a fairytale. Tom’s blue suit perfectly coordinated with the blue delphinium in the floral design and also in the tones of the Okanagan lake and mountains. I was lucky enough to have Teryn Lee Photography and Nory Films come to document this day. It was magical! I am forever grateful and will cherish these memories with my family for a lifetime.

Floral and decor: I work at a fine art floral studio, Lovella Lifestyle, and have become best of friends with Angela, the floral designer. If it wasn’t for Angela, the fiercely talented woman behind Lovella, this vow renewal never would have happened. She was the mastermind behind this and really encouraged me to do something big to celebrate my 10 year anniversary. Typically Tom and I would just get a babysitter for a couple hours and go out for dinner, but Angela was convinced we needed to do something bigger for our 10 year. I’m so grateful for her encouragement to make this special day happen for my husband Tom and I. I’ll spare with you all of the details for my love for Angela but I will say that pulling this off required lots of details aligning perfectly, and a lot of hard work. She included so many whimsical florals in the floral design including: garden roses, majolica spray roses, lisianthus, ranunculus, sweet peas, and my all time favourite flower: delphinium. Angela special ordered the delphinium from Holland and they were the most fluffy, beautiful shade of blue and they just make my heart sing. The delphinium tied the whole design together adding color, texture, height and whimsical dimension. While I adore every part of the floral design, my jaw dropped when I walked up the hill to see the grand floral arch standing tall overlooking Okanagan lake with the mountains as a picturesque background. It absolutely took my breath away.

Cake: For our cake we opted for a lemon cake with blueberry compote and vanilla buttercream icing. Not only was it was delicious but it was also so pretty! I am so in love with the soft buttercream floral design that our cake artist, Flour and Cake did. It was placed on top of an elegant cake stand with a gold base and a stone marble top. Lovella provided the most beautiful florals to perfectly frame the cake; making everything look so pretty and like a water-colour painting in the film photos from Teryn Lee Photography.

Stationery: The first dance song from our wedding was “A thousand years” by Christina Perri. Patricia from Studio Dukesa included the lyrics of this song with custom hand written calligraphy on hand torn paper. There were so many thoughtful touches to our heirloom stationery suite from Studio Dukesa. She also included a hand drawn illustration of our venue using foil on handmade paper, a custom floral envelope liner, scrolled name cards, and a wax seal from Patricia’s personal collection. She incorporated our colour palette perfectly with the soft blue envelope and soft pink ribbon. The gold foil and custom calligraphy added so much elegance to the overall design. I love how our stationery honoured our first dance song from our wedding, while also highlighting the venue from our vow renewal and tying together the fine art design.

Music: Like I mentioned before, our first dance song was “A thousand years.” This song means a lot to Tom and I, and both of us referenced these lyrics in our vows: “Jennifer Jean, what a decade it’s been. We met each other on January 5, 2012 and my life was forever changed from that point on. You came into my life like a ray of sunshine and you’ve continued to bring light into everyday of my life and into the lives of everyone around you. I am so happy to celebrate this day with you.” These are the words I heard as Tom began his vows: my heart racing, my chin quivering, and butterflies dancing in my stomach even though we’ve been together for ten amazing years. I feel so blessed to have found a man like Tom. As I concluded my vows to Tom I said: “there is a quote I reflected on a lot when we were dating and discussing marriage. It goes: “Aim high, but do not aim so high that you totally miss the target. What really matters is that he will love you, that he will respect you, that he will honour you, that he will be absolutely true to you, that he will give you the freedom of expression and let you fly in the development of your own talents. He is not going to be perfect, but if he is kind and thoughtful, honest and full of faith, the chances are you will not go wrong and that you will be immensely happy.” Thomas, thank you for loving me and respecting me. You have made me so immensely happy. Thank you for honouring me and my freedom of expression, and for believing that sameness does not equate to oneness. Thank you for choosing me, everyday. I can honestly say there is no one else on this planet I feel more unwavering love from. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. I remember the first time we kissed I was smiling so big that you kissed my teeth. 10 years later and I still can’t stop smiling. Loving you is easy. Like the lyrics from our first dance song say, “I have loved you for a thousand years, I’ll love you for a thousand more.”

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At the end of the vow renewal we danced to the song, “Heaven” by Calum Scott. This song highlights how it feels like heaven when you’re with your soulmate. Tom and I have always talked about wanting to create a safe haven and “heavenly” home, so this song reflects the love we are cultivating together and now with our two boys. This song also softly played as Tom and I had a private picnic at the end of the vow renewal with food provided by the fabulously talented, Gathered Food Curation and Styling.

Final thoughts: Planning and designing this vow renewal was so special for me. It was so fun to reflect on our wedding ten years ago, and also reflect on how our relationship has grown over the past decade. I loved incorporating nostalgic details while adding a fine art flair. I couldn’t be happier with the evening. I’m a big believer that all couples should celebrate their milestones together. I’m so thankful to all the talented vendors who made this dream come to life for my husband and I.

A Blue and White Al Fresco Summer Wedding

This is a blue and white celebration done oh-so-right. A. Griffin Events designed a day that feels like a fairytale come to life, and lush floral design by Edge Floral was the exclamation mark on the elegance. All the incredible details are artfully captured in imagery by Eric Kelley Photography, visit the full gallery for a closer look.

From A. Griffin Events… This al fresco dinner in the Linden Grove is rarely seen at summer Meridian House weddings. Chancing summer storms in DC is equivalent to playing Russian Roulette with your wedding, so the safer path is to opt for a tented soiree. However, the risk was worth it to Danielle and Mike, who had rescheduled their wedding three times. On the wedding day, the threat of a dreaded summer storm moved their ceremony indoors to the gallery, Danielle’s favorite room in the house. The storm passed during the ceremony and guests moved throughout the house and gardens for cocktail hour. Their specialty cocktail, a play on a whiskey sour, was topped with a stencil of an emu as a nod to one of their early dates at the DC Zoo. The couple’s two rescue dogs, Darwin and Walter, were the highlight of cocktail hour. Lovingly watched by the Furever and Always team, the pups were attired in handmade tuxes ordered from a Ukranian artist right before the war began in 2022. We’d given up hope of them coming once the war broke out, but the artist surprised us and shipped them in time for the wedding. As the sun began to set, guests entered the Linden Grove for dinner. Candle-laden glass orbs dripped from the trees while tall taper candles reached up from the summer blooms in hues of blue and soft whites ran along the center of the tables. Hand-made ceramic plates in hues of soft blue and mint stacked on the table were topped with a ribbon-tied five-page menu. While the decor was stunning, the food was the centerpiece of the evening. Each course touched on a favorite experience and memory in the couple’s relationship. The guests returned to Danielle’s favorite room, the Gallery, for her favorite course: dessert! A stunning display on a gold etagere accompanied the three-tier square marbled cake. Handmade truffles displayed on silver trays accompanied the European coffee station.

From the bride and groom…Due to COVID, we ended up spending 3.5 years planning our wedding! Our vision evolved throughout the process as we went through three COVID-driven date changes and one renovation-driven venue change, but one thing we always knew was that we wanted our reception to center around sharing an elegant, multi-course “tasting menu” dinner with our guests that would evoke memories of dates at our favorite restaurants. Our color palette was light blue, green, and white with touches of soft pink. Our style vision was an elegant, al fresco garden party. We wanted our guests to feel as though they had stepped off the city streets of DC and into an enchanted, European-inspired evening. The Linden Grove at Meridian House with its tall, lush green trees was the perfect setting for our vision. We both love trying new restaurants, and we really wanted to give our guests the experience of an elaborate, delicious, and beautifully plated dinner. We worked with the team at Susan Gage to design a custom 5-course tasting menu that included gougères, a gazpacho tower, a spring burrata salad, sea bass, and hanger steak. For dessert, we offered two flavors of wedding cake plus a trio of ice cream sandwiches, butterscotch pots de crème, Nanaimo bars, vanilla and lemon panna cotta, and an assortment of miniature cookies and brownies. Over the course of our 3.5 years of planning, we adopted two rescue dogs, Darwin and Walter. We couldn’t imagine not having our dogs at our wedding, and thanks to the amazing handlers at Furever & Fur Always, they were there to greet guests as they arrived for the ceremony. To fit the black-tie dress code, they both wore custom tuxedos. These tuxedos ended up being one of the most special parts of the wedding, as they were hand-made in and shipped from HappyDog Pet Couture in the Ukraine during the start of the war there. To show our support and appreciation, we pinned Ukrainian flags on their lapels. In honor of our dogs, they each had their own signature drink. We adopted Darwin in September of 2020 and since then had planned to have a Darwin Sour as our specialty cocktail, as a play on Danielle’s favorite – whiskey sours. When we unexpectedly decided to adopt Walter less than three months before the wedding, we added in Walter’s Single Malt Scotch Bar to feature several of Mike’s favorite scotches. To make light of our many COVID-induced date changes, we listed our four wedding dates on napkins at cocktail hour – with the three postponed dates crossed out and the final date, June 11, 2023, in large font. We also framed copies of the numerous save-the-dates, date change announcements, and invitations that we sent out over the several-year planning journey, and the etagere from which guests collected their escort cards was decorated with framed photos from our July 2020 elopement.

Our ceremony was family-centric. Mike escorted Danielle’s mom down the aisle, Danielle’s dad walked her down the aisle, Danielle’s brother officiated the ceremony, Mike’s daughter was Danielle’s maid of honor, and Mike’s son was his Best Man. Our favorite moment was looking out during the ceremony and seeing for the first time all of our friends and family who, after 3.5 years, were finally all together in one place, many of whom we hadn’t seen since pre-COVID. We found stunning sky blue plates from Something Vintage that were the perfect complement to our flowers and really elevated our tablescape. Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc. We worked with our florist to fill Meridian House’s stunning Linden Grove with an abundance of naturally arranged hydrangeas, roses, and other florals that further drew out the enchanted forest feeling. We also hung hundreds of tea lights in small glass spheres in between the trees – when the sun went down, the twinkling lights made the grove feel absolutely magical. My gown was made-to-order from Mira Zwillinger. I bought a gown from a different designer in February 2019 for our May 2020 wedding that was postponed due to COVID, but in the intervening years I fell head over heels for Mira’s designs and couldn’t imagine getting married in anything else. The gown was hand-crafted in Israel and included hundreds of rose appliques, which made it perfectly suited to our garden setting. Our favors were our favorite chocolates, fleur de sal caramels from local DC confectionary J. Chocolatier, and our cake was from our favorite local bakery, Buttercream Bakeshop.

Monique Lhuillier x Paperless Post – A Match Made In Heaven

With sustainability on everyone’s mind, we’ve been a fan of Paperless Post since they launched in 2009. So, when we heard that they were doing a collab with one of our favorite bridal designers, Monique Lhuillier, we couldn’t wait to sneak a peek at the collection–and OMG, it does not disappoint! Everything you love about Monique Lhuillier, from whimsical floral prints and delicate lace to their intricate embroidery, is beautifully captured in these digital invitation suites. And if you really want to be cohesive, they shared the gowns that inspired each of the designs…🤩

“It is the artistry of the collection that perfectly reflects the delicate essence of my bridal gowns. Florals and my love of gardens is on full display in print, color, and silhouette,” says Lhuillier. “For those who are looking for a memorable yet effortless way to approach wedding invitations, Paperless Post is the premier destination.”

Timeless Lace

When it comes to weddings, you really can’t go wrong with lace…it truly never goes out of style. But one of our favorite things about Monique Lhuillier is how they always manage to breathe new life into this classic motif. These embossed lace designs are delicate and have a hint of wildness to them that sets them apart from other lace-inspired suites. And while these suites are giving neutral, we love that they are still very much colorful in their own right with shades of almond, muted terracotta, rose gold, and sky blue.

Royal Brides

Do these Iilly of the Valley invitations remind you of anyone? Iconic brides like Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and Grace Kelly all carried bouquets featuring this symbolic flower that signifies a return to happiness–and in our post-pandemic world, it doesn’t get more appropriate than that. The beautifully textured paper and vibrant watercolor illustrations practically pop off the screen. We love that this one comes in a few different colorways so you can keep everything uniform or mix and match!

Festive Florals

For us, these are the suites that really scream Monique Lhuillier. With butterflies, wildflowers, citrus, and ribbon they embrace color and whimsy and really set the tone for the rest of your wedding. Seriously, if you don’t have a color palette yet…now you do.

Every Little Detail

What really sets Paperless Post’s invitation suites apart from other virtual invitation services are the details. Couples can customize everything about their suite from the backdrop, envelope, and liner down to the stamps (yes, they have stamps!!!). And Monique Lhuillier made sure that they incorporated all of these special elements into their collab and the result is nothing short of divine. Seriously, we had to try it out for ourselves, of course, and couldn’t stop adding stamps to our virtual envelope! To make it extra bespoke, couples can upload a logo or monogram to their invitation suite. And for those couples who already have a color palette picked out they even offer custom color matching to ensure that everything fits together seamlessly. Oh, and they also have coordinating Save The Dates, so you can get started with Paperless Post as soon as you’ve got a date.

Why [Paper]less is More

We know you’re familiar with Paperless Post–that feeling you get when you see that pretty envelope pop up in your inbox and you just can’t wait to click it, but did you know that they’re so much more than just invitations? Yes, by going Paperless for your wedding you’ll be doing the responsible thing for the planet, but you’ll also be doing yourself (and your planner) a huge favor too! Paperless Post is a full-service hosting tool. Couples can create event blocks, manage RSVPs, communicate with guests, share video and photo galleries, collect mailing addresses and so much more!

Check out the entire collection on PaperlessPost.com and make sure to give @PaperlessPost and @MoniqueLhuillier a follow on IG for even more gorg wedding inspo!

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Petit Bouquet

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Travel Inspired Wedding in the Most Gorgeous Forest Setting

Today’s enchanting Nestldown wedding is a true fairytale come to life tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains. World travelers Evelyn and Yen tied the knot under towering Redwoods and lush blooms by Gavita Flora. After the ceremony, guests dined al fresco at long banquet tables curated to perfection by the talented design team at Details Darling. For wedding inspiration that rivals that of Edward and Bella’s Twilight wedding – head on over to the full gallery, all captured by Elizabeth Warrick!

From Details Darling… Evelyn and Yen’s wedding day was a magical and enchanting celebration of their love and passion for travel. The beautiful garden setting at Nestldown was like a fairy tale, with lush greenery and stunning natural beauty. The couple’s love for travel was evident in every detail of the day, from the charming vintage suitcase used as a card box to the luggage tag escort cards that took guests to their table destinations. Early on in their relationship, Evelyn and Yen had bonded over their experience in Singapore; Evelyn had lived there for a year in the past, and Yen had grown up there.

Through their five-year relationship they have traveled to London, Mexico City, Madrid, Dubrovnik, and many other cities around the world. It was only fitting that they got engaged in Paris. Each table was named after one of these special places that Evelyn and Yen had traveled to together, and was adorned with a vintage postcard of the city and an explanation of why that city is significant to the couple. The postcards were not only beautiful to look at, but also held special meaning for the couple, as they represented the adventures and experiences they had shared. The personal touches on the wedding day were truly breathtaking.

Evelyn and Yen wrote heartfelt notes for each and every guest, expressing their gratitude and love. The notes were wrapped around the menus at each place setting, adding a personal touch to the reception. Additionally, fun fact napkins added an element of surprise and entertainment, making the day even more memorable for guests. The highlight of cocktail hour was the vintage telephone guest book. After The Tone provided a beautiful old-fashioned telephone for guests to leave messages for the couple. The sound of laughter and love filled the air as guests called to leave their well wishes and congratulations.

Beautiful blue and white vintage plates added a romantic and elegant touch to the reception, tying together all of the blue accents throughout the day. Every detail of Evelyn and Yen’s wedding was carefully planned and thoughtfully executed, making it a truly unforgettable and magical celebration of their love. As dancing kicked off, the guests surprised Evelyn and Yen with a high-energy choreographed flash mob. Then, the live band filled the air with beautiful music bringing the dance floor to life. Guests danced and sang along to their favorite songs, contributing to the magical atmosphere.

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A Celebration Filled With Love, Lemons, And Limoncello

This spring celebration is bursting with special touches. Sirpilla Soirees planned the dreamiest of days filled with lots of love, lemons, and limoncello! Bold and beautiful floral design by Stem Floral Studio adds to the intrigue, and every magical moment is artfully captured in imagery by The Cannons Photography. Fall in love with all the inspiration inside the full gallery.

From Stem Floral Studio… Located just east of Columbus, Ohio, is Granville, a quaint New England-style village. The couple chose the historic Bryn Du Mansion to host their spring wedding.

The bride and groom honored the family tradition of their limoncello recipe with each guest’s name written on miniature bottles for the custom-made seating chart. Classic blue and white chenoise vases in various styles adorn the tables with lemon trees and pops of vibrant color.

Lovely details include the bride’s grandparents serving as both flower girl and ring-bearer, a custom dance floor with the bride and grooms initials, and guests were wowed with a first dance like no other!

Modern Romantic Wedding With The Prettiest Escort Card Display We’ve Ever Seen!

Bold and bright colors are just the start of the fun at this spring wedding. Aisle Be With You, LLC brought our couple’s wedding dreams to life, and Poppy Lane Design filled it with the most beautiful of blooms- including a show-stopping escort card display. The happiness and love of the day shine through imagery by Erin Wilson Photography; see it all inside the full gallery.

From Erin Wilson Photography… Alicia and Omar’s sweet modern romantic wedding full of beautiful soft colors, Hispanic influences at their American wedding. This couple had family travel from Mexico to Oklahoma City and wanted to celebrate with a big beautiful wedding all weekend.

The event featured beautiful soft velvets, textures, colorful florals, and the prettiest escort card display. One of the more unique moments of the wedding was the ceremony design.

Every guest was circling the couple so that they could see their family everywhere the bride and groom looked. It was stunning!

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Erin Wilson Photography

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Aspen Ranch

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Warm, Coastal Pebble Beach Wedding at Monterey Peninsula Country Club

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Crisp white, soft crème, blush, nude, hints of marigold, and deep burgundy with greenery.
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[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]The design was inspired by our love of the Monterey Peninsula, especially during Fall. We wanted our wedding to feel warm, coastal, and inviting – to remind you of our home on the California coast during a chilly October evening. To play off the Spanish-style architecture of our venue and the lush greenery of the Pebble Beach area, we leaned into warm taupes, mauves, and toffee colors with accents of deep burgundy and pine. With the help of our amazing planner and designer, Palette Events Co., we were lucky enough to share our favorite place with our favorite people, accentuating the natural beauty of the area and creating a day that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.[/field]
[field title=”Proposal Story”]At our apartment together in San Francisco, we were lucky enough to live across the street from Golden Gate Park. Sam would walk our dog, Mattie, through the park almost every day, and on weekends I would join them! We’d walk from the fuchsia dell, all the way to the duck ponds, but we would always end our walks in the redwood grove. This particular Saturday, Sam dropped down on one knee and proposed to me when I least expected it. I truly can’t imagine a more intimate, special way for us to share that moment. And, luckily, Sam had planned ahead and told some of our closest friends to hide and capture the proposal for our families back home – not to mention shower us with champagne![/field]
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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]My wedding gown, designed by Oscar de la Renta, was actually the first gown I had tried on exactly 1 year before the wedding – and the one that I thought I could never pull off! I must say, my stylist, Samantha Levis (The Bold and Bridal) could not have been more helpful throughout the entire process! It was stunning and simple, perfectly aligned with my tastes, and the team at Oscar de la Renta was absolutely incredible. To complement the low v-neck style of the gown, I found the most beautiful Gianvito Rossi shoes with a pointed toe and worked with Julie Harris Designs to create a custom English tulle veil. For my hair, I wore it in a simple updo adorned with pearls from my mother’s wedding veil. I also wore pearl earrings gifted to me by Sam’s mother – the gift she received from Sam’s father to wear on her wedding day. Finally, I wore a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring as my something blue. [/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]My bridesmaid dresses were from Fame and Partners, a custom, bespoke dress company offering “atelier-level” service to its clients. I sent my bridesmaids styles and fabrics in a champagne tone for them to choose which dress they would feel most beautiful in. The flower girl wore an adorable dress and satin cardigan from Maisonette.[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Sam really wanted to wear a unique tuxedo for the wedding day, but didn’t want to stand out too much. He worked with Pocket Square Clothing, a custom men’s formal wear company, to design a dark, pine-colored tuxedo that would appear almost black in certain lights. They chose a wool fabric that ended up containing both black and green threads, and augmented the entire tuxedo with various embroideries and little details that made it truly unique. To cap it all off, Sam worked with PSC to design a custom pocket square embroidered with the names of loved ones. My wedding present to Sam was the set of engraved Tiffany & Co. cufflinks he wore on the day, a nod to one of his favorite works of fiction. Sam’s groomsmen were given a basic template and color palette for their tuxedos, and were similarly allowed to find what worked best for them. Sam also gifted each of his groomsmen monogrammed pocket squares, also provided by Pocket Square Clothing. [/field]
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[field title=”Food & Drink”]For our cocktail hour, we had a selection of beautifully passed hors d’oeuvres along with 2 full bars to help accommodate all of our guests. As a personal touch, we added espresso martinis and a raw bar – two of our favorite things! For the reception, we worked with the chef at Monterey Peninsula Country Club to curate an incredible seasonal menu, pairing each course with wines chosen by Sam’s father. [/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Our floral vision was really guided by the idea that the florals should align with the season – there was no color phobia on our part! The arrangements and personal bouquets designed by Golden Fields Floristry were filled with my favorite seasonal flowers like mauve dahlias and chrysanthemums, chocolate cosmos, toffee and quicksand roses, and marigold butterfly ranunculi. I worked with my florist to select and incorporate greenery, and large, “fluffy” blooms in loose, organic, and airy shapes to achieve a garden-inspired look. To complement our venue’s Spanish-style architecture and the grand ballroom, we added burgundy and taupe paper goods by Kelsey Malie Calligraphy. Finally, our amazing wedding planner, Courtney with Palette Events Co., helped us tie it all back to our “warm and welcoming” guiding vision, incorporating wood-burning fireplaces, blankets, pashminas, and other cozy autumn essentials. [/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]Sam and I worked with Layers Sensational Cakes in Monterey to create our 4-tiered cake. During our tasting we genuinely couldn’t decide on 1 flavor, so we went with 4 instead – a different flavor for each tier! We had princess cake, carrot cake, death by chocolate cake, and a yellow cake with fresh strawberries. The cake was topped with beautiful white buttercream and decorated with gorgeous dahlias from our florist. Our best man and his girlfriend, one of my bridesmaids, gifted us beautiful Tiffany & co. champagne flutes to use for our wedding toast![/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]While we were hoping to keep our ceremony relatively brief, we were intent on creating an intimate moment with all of our loved ones. One of my closest friends was kind enough to be our officiant and, according to most of our guests, he was also the highlight of the ceremony. From the readings to the little personal jokes, it was more than we could have hoped for and it was my favorite part of the whole day! For the ceremony music, we had a string trio from Elan Artists performing as people found their seats. And when I walked down the aisle, they performed a rendition of ‘On Melancholy Hill’ by the Gorillaz, one of our favorite songs, and it was enough to make us both cry on the spot. During cocktail hour, we were lucky enough to have an incredibly talented pianist from Kelly Productions playing while people enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and began to mingle. It really helped set the mood![/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]One thing that made the day that much more special was the inclusion of our “Best Lady,” i.e. our dog, Mattie. When Sam and I met, he had owned Mattie for 5 years already, but I very quickly stepped in as her mom. Our wedding wouldn’t have been the same without Mattie involved, so we dressed her up in the finest leather leash and collar from CopperLeafLeather on Etsy, personalized with an engraved gold plate with the phrase “Best Lady,” and she was escorted by one of Sam’s groomsmen. [/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]The union of a large Persian with a large Italian family is going to have a lot of dancing, which is why we had not only a DJ rather than a band, but also an accompanying violinist for our “live” music addition. DJ Taahaa and the violinist Yara were absolute hits at the wedding and we’ve already given their contacts to multiple interested couples. We couldn’t stay off the dance floor![/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]One other minor detail that really helped the natural beauty of the Monterey Peninsula be a star of the ceremony was having the majority of our bridal parties sit down for the ceremony. We each had 8 people in our parties, and we really didn’t want to block the incredible view of the ocean. So, instead, we had everyone but my maid of honor and Sam’s best man sit down after all guests had been seated. Our wedding party was thankful for a moment to breathe and to witness our ceremony from the audience![/field]
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BBJ La Tavola

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Colorful, Vibrant Wedding in Sanibel Island, Florida with Tropical Undertones

From the azure skies to the lush greenery, the natural beauty of Sanibel Island, Florida, is truly unparalleled. With the help of skilled photographer Kati Rosado Photography, every moment of this magical wedding day was captured in breathtaking detail, creating imagery that rivals the beauty of the location. Beautiful blooms in vibrant colors designed by Floral Symphony pop, and every detail is carefully curated for a one-of-a-kind experience created by Penny Layne. Visit the full gallery for endless inspiration.

From Penny Layne… Ashley and Jonathan’s wedding weekend in Sanibel Island was the perfect getaway weekend for their closest family and friends. Jonathan and his family hail from London, and Ashley’s life is in Los Angeles, California. So when they were trying to figure out the best place to tie the knot, Sanibel Island felt like the perfect fit! They had spent a lot of time there, and it was perfectly in the middle, making it a super relaxed, fun destination location for their guests.

They kicked off their weekend with Welcome Drinks at the local Sundial Resort where guests sipped cocktails and enjoyed fun bites by the water. On their wedding day, they prioritized the things that were most important to them — good food, great cocktails, and an incredible band. The verdict was a stunning ceremony on the ocean where guests witnessed Ashley and Jonathan say “I Do” with their feet in the sand. Ashley wore the most stunning Lihi Hod dress, and we accented her look with a stunning bouquet that felt like sunshine — couldn’t think of anything more perfect for a bride this special.

We constructed a stunning floral installation in the sand, and they had a solo guitarist perform their favorite songs.

After the ceremony, guests were invited to enjoy cocktail hour on the lawn, where they sipped tropical drinks and enjoyed light bites. Their design was vibrant and of the region — tropical, locally sourced produce, bold, colorful florals and choice blooms, and specialty signage that was coastal but never kitschy. Escort cards were dotted with foraged seashells, and the space was magical under a canopy of string lighting.

As guests made their way into the tent for the reception, they enjoyed an alfresco seafood forward menu at magical tables dressed to the nines — gorgeous florals, aged clay pots, fresh seasonal produce, bold yellow candles, and woven chargers anchored the design while oceanic inspired menus brought the full design circle.

After dinner, guests danced the night away with the warm summer breeze and finished the night with an afterparty onsite at their iconic bar.

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Bay Kings Band

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Modern Take on a Traditional New England Wedding at Wadsworth Mansion

[section title=”The Planning”]
[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Sage, Cream, and Gold. [/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]When we started planning the wedding we knew pretty early on that we would be getting married in Connecticut. Once we chose our venue (the stunning Wadsworth Mansion) our goal became to design a wedding around the beauty and history of the venue. We really wanted to have a modern take on the traditional New England wedding.[/field]
[field title=”Proposal Story”]I am a YouTuber (@therudgefam) and lifestyle instagrammer (@terryannmelisa), and I am always getting content! Michael suggested that we do a staycation in the city of Boston where we lived at the time. He booked us a room at the Godfrey Hotel, a spa day, dinner reservations at many of the restaurants we had always been meaning to try but never ended up trying. It was a long weekend filled with so many fun activities! In between our reservations, Mike suggested we go to Acorn Street to take pictures for my blog. Acorn Street in Boston is the most photographed street in America. I always wanted to see it in person so I was very excited to go! When we arrived Mike seemed a little fidgety, but I was so excited to finally see Acorn Street that I didn’t think much of it. After admiring the area for a bit, Mike started taking photos of me for my blog. He was getting very into it, insisting that he get all of my angles! At one point, he gets down on the ground to take a photo from a lower angle. Before I knew it, he was on one knee and reaching into his pocket. I was absolutely shocked when he pulled the ring out. It’s one of the happiest moments of my life! Now we go back to Acorn Street every year on the anniversary of our engagement (October 25th) and recreate our last photo there as boyfriend and girlfriend![/field]
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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]I was so inspired by Meaghan Markle’s wedding reception dress. The halter silhouette seemed so classic to me, and I definitely wanted to go that route with a bit of a twist! I chose style C525 from Allure Bridals Couture collection. The halter silhouette was exactly what I was looking for, the fit and flare style was flattering. What I really fell in love with was the beading which I felt matched/complimented the old Hollywood glam of our venue.[/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]All of the bridesmaid dresses are from Jenny Yoo. I wanted the girls to wear sage, satin dresses. Jenny Yoo had the most style options for dresses in that color and fabric. It was so important to me that my closest friends felt comfortable and beautiful in the dress they would be wearing. With all of the style options Jenny Yoo had, my bridesmaids were able to choose the style that best fit them and their body. A couple of them have actually re-worn their dress to other weddings![/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Michael definitely wanted to wear a tuxedo but wanted to stand apart from his groomsmen. He chose a dark blue tuxedo with a satin shawl lapel from Bonobos. His shirt had a fun white monochromatic floral detail. All of the groomsmen rented their tuxes from The Black Tux which shipped the tuxes 10 days before the wedding so everyone could have enough time to make any changes![/field]
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[field title=”Food & Drink”]Mike and I really wanted our guests to enjoy all aspects of the meal. I would describe the food we chose as elevated comfort foods! The passed hor d’oeuvres included chicken and waffles, grilled cheese and tomato soup, cheeseburger sliders, and short rib buttermilk biscuits. It was decadent and delicious! Our signature drinks were Mint Juleps (my husband’s fave), and a twist on my favorite drink the French 75. We named it the Mexican 75 because I had the bartenders switch out the gin for tequila (my personal favorite). We had an open bar, so needless to say, everyone had a great time![/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]We wanted our floral design to be simple but impactful! So we had baby’s breath lining the aisle. We had beautiful greenery down the length of the reception seating, and huge plumes of baby’s breath cascading down the end of each row of seating. Additionally, we had baby’s breath and beautiful white roses affixed to the pipe and drapes that arched over banquet seating. I thought it was simple and so beautiful! Our florist Petal & Wren nailed our vision! For my bouquet I had beautiful white roses.[/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]We had a minimal “naked” cake. The twist was the cake and the icing were raspberry flavored! It was soooooo delicious![/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”][/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]We got married in the summer of 2021. There were still so many Covid protocols in place, and it was also the peak of the Bridgerton frenzy! I took a chance and asked if we could have our wedding reception on the lawn of the Wadsworth Mansion. Instead of going the circular table route, I worked with my wedding planner Angie, at A Perfect Soiree, to have two long rows of banquet seating. At the very last minute I thought it would be absolutely beautiful to add pipe and drapes to the seating. I imagined how beautiful it would be to have long white, sheer drapes fluttering in the wind as our guests ate on the lawn of this amazing mansion. I am still to this day, so pleased that our vendors were able to bring the vision to life. The seating is definitely my favorite aspect of the wedding![/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]It was a dream of mine to have a string quartet play while I walked down the aisle. Ariana Strings is the second vendor we booked after booking our venue. I walked down the aisle to a beautiful string rendition of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love which was one of my dad’s favorite songs.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″][/field]
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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Late Summer European-Inspired Wedding at Cairnwood Estate

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[field title=”Wedding Colors”]The color palette for this wedding included shades of peach, blush, toffee, yellow, gold, ivory, and olive green, to complement the colors of Cairnwood Estate.[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]The late summer golden hours of September were the inspiration behind our color palette, and Cairnwood’s European-inspired style was the perfect setting to build upon our vision for a romantic, fairytale day.[/field]
[field title=”Proposal Story”]Dan & I are high school sweethearts. After dating for 9 years (4 of them long distance through college), Dan surprised me with a thoughtful, beautiful proposal at Barnegat Lighthouse in LBI. After getting down on one knee, he then surprised me even more with our families waiting at a restaurant to celebrate with us. When we walked in, the entire place began cheering for us. It was magical.[/field]
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[field title=”Wedding Gown”]Perfect for the romantic dreamer with a love for modern luxury” is how designer Martina Liana describes this voluminous ball gown. Between the whimsical 3D floral elements, exposed corset, sparkle tulle layers, and cathedral length train – this dress had everything I could ever want. I added my own personal touch by customizing a removable tulle bow out of streamers that attached to the back of the dress and flowed into the train, and adjusting the straps throughout the day for three different looks.

I initially came across a photo of the dress online, early in my dress search. Three months and dozens of dresses later, I found myself constantly coming back to that photo. A lucky last-minute opening during a trunk show, and incredible parents willing to make the 2 hour drive to Kleinfeld’s in NYC with me, secured my chance at trying the dress on. It was love at first sight and I said “yes”! A surreal moment having grown up watching Say Yes to The Dress as a little girl.

I’ll always remember the many trips my dad and I took to my alterations appointments in the weeks leading up to my wedding. We would drive into the city, he’d patiently watch as every layer of tulle was pinned to perfection (thank you Josephine!), and we’d stop for a slice of NYC pizza before heading home![/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]My bridesmaids wore matching full-length dresses from Revelry in a gorgeous deep olive satin fabric – a neutral color with more warmth and depth to complement the overall color palette, florals, and greenery decorating the venue. The goal was a style that was elegant, modern, and could realistically be worn again. I have always loved the classic, simple silhouette of a satin slip dress and appreciated the extra support and structure Revelry’s dresses had compared to other satin options. The overall quality and opportunity for home try-ons helped ensure that my bridesmaids felt comfortable and were just as excited to wear the dresses! The flower girls matched in the kid’s midi-length version of the bridesmaids’ satin style, also from Revelry, and looked adorable![/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Dan chose a classic black tuxedo with a peaked lapel and satin bow tie for his wedding day attire. Inspired by his dad’s wedding fashion, he opted for a black satin cummerbund, but selected a tapered pant for a more modern fit. He finished his look with YSL’s Y Eau de Parfum and engraved cufflinks gifted by his bride. The groomsmen wore matching black tuxedos with black satin vests to differentiate their look from the groom’s.

The entire process was made incredibly easy by the wonderful staff at Chadmoore Formal Wear (thank you Graziano family!). This multi-generation owned shop has been our family and friends’ go-to for high school proms and special events over the years, so it was a joy to return for our wedding!
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[field title=”Food & Drink”]We kicked off cocktail hour with a flowing peach bellini tower! In lieu of a traditional champagne toast, guests raised glasses of this sweet mix of white peach juice and prosecco. This was my mom’s idea – we both love anything peach!
For signature drinks, we picked two of our all-time favorites – a Moscow Mule and a Spiked Arnold Palmer. At their seats, guests found small bottles of limoncello – generously homemade by a family friend. It has been a family tradition for years to toast his crowd-favorite lemon liqueur and was a special nod to Dan’s Italian roots.

Cocktail hour included some delicious hors d’oeuvres, such as mini lobster rolls, crab cakes, chicken sate, and tomato soup shooters with grilled cheese bites by Sage Catering. Philly cheesesteak egg rolls were a necessary addition as our families both originate from the area. Our only regret was not having the chance to eat more of the delicious filet dinner ourselves, as we ended up spending the hour making rounds to our guest tables.[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Florals by Whisper & Brook Flower Co. brought my vision to life and made the stunning venue even prettier. Lush, full-bodied flowers and greenery tied the venue, bridal party looks, and design details together under one coordinating color palette. Natural, organically shaped bouquets and ‘growing’ garden arrangements throughout the venue added a romantic whimsy. A favorite focal point was airy greenery adorning the grand staircase.

A cohesive vintage gold design was kept between smaller décor details such as table numbers, bar signs, and framed photos of us over the years, as well as loved ones who could not be there with us to celebrate.

A statement piece was the 7’ standing mirror turned seating chart moment. It was a vision I had for months, which my mom, brother, and close friend helped me turn into a reality. A DIY not for the faint of heart! This mirror is now a statement piece in our living room![/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]Our wedding cake from Bredenbeck’s Bakery was made up of 4 tiers, alternating between lemon cake with raspberry puree filling and butter cake with chocolate buttercream filling. The cake was decorated in simple white icing and was adorned with fresh flowers.[/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]Ceremony: Growing up Catholic, having a nuptial mass was incredibly important to us. We exchanged our vows in the most beautiful, ornate church – Immaculate Conception in Jenkintown, PA.

Special Moment: My mother’s grandfather gave a blessing at my parents’ wedding reception. They have saved his original handwritten copy of the blessing for the last 30 years. His daughter, my grandmother, recited the same blessing at our reception for Dan and I.

First Dance Song: Dan & I chose the song “You Make Me Feel So Young” as our first dance to honor our late grandfathers, who loved Sinatra. We spent a few nights watching videos and choreographing a dance together, even practicing once in the hotel hallway the night before. We had so much fun in the days leading up to the wedding dancing around our empty new house and will always have those memories to look back on.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #1″]Dan’s wedding band was his late grandfather’s wedding band.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″]A family friend generously drove us in a gorgeous vintage 1940 Packard![/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]As we began to prepare for our wedding, we found out that we had actually crossed paths 6 years prior to meeting on the first day of high school, as we had made our First Holy Communion on the same exact day, in the same parish in May 2004. One of our good friends gave us an incredible gift on the night of our rehearsal when he surprised us by editing together video footage paralleling the two of us on that day. It turned out that Dan walked in right behind me! And you can see each of us in the background of frames of the other. It was a surreal moment seeing ourselves making that sacrament together over 18 years ago, just hours before we would meet at the altar to exchange our vows.[/field]
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Whisper and Brook Flower Co.

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Petit Bouquet

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Colorful Modern Summer Wedding Filled With A Fantastic Floral Chandelier

Look up! You have to see the floral chandelier, designed by Silks a Bloom, at this show-stopping summer wedding. The picturesque day was perfectly planned by Amanda Reed to create an unforgettable experience for all, and you can feel the love and joy of the day radiating through imagery by Erin Wilson Photography. Endless inspiration awaits you inside the full gallery.

From Erin Wilson Photography… Carlley and Turner’s wedding was the most colorful fun wedding I have ever seen! Carlley is an artist, and she was so inspired by color. She worked alongside her planner Amanda Reed to create an experience for their guests that was such a wow factor.

Carlley’s dress was a show-stopper! Her dress was covered in floral applique, and the train was so unique. I love that her bridesmaids carried varying florals. Some really sweet moments at their wedding was when Carlley’s brothers walked her down the aisle. Carlley’s father has passed away, and her brothers had the honor of walking her down the aisle. Not only that but they had the sweetest first look at her. Her younger brother walked her down the first half of the aisle while her older brother walked her down the second half of the aisle. It was such a beautiful moment. After their ceremony, when they were just announced husband and wife they were greeted with a second line that lead them from their church down the street to the reception venue.

From the watercolor-like floral painting on the cake and softer romantic feeling at the dinner side of the reception to the moodier nighttime vibe of the dance floor area of the reception… everything was a moment. The floral installation over the dance floor was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It was an elevated nighttime garden party with a live band, and it was everything that represented Carlley and Turner. They served late-night snacks from their favorite restaurant, threw boas and fun goodies from the ceiling during dancing the keep the party going and their college mascot even made an appearance. It was a party for the ages. One of my favorite parts of the night was the colorful confetti send off… it was the perfect touch to their colorful day.