ABOUT LOVE & LAVENDER
Love & Lavender presents a balanced view on wedding planning & style through the eyes of seasoned husband and wife bloggers, Meredith and Andrew. The digital nomad couple strive to showcase epic bridal experiences from around the world to help brides, grooms and vendors alike. As a leading voice in the wedding industry, the blog focuses on unique how-to guides, product reviews, and roundup lists on topics such as bridal fashion, jewelry, decor ideas, wedding stationery & honeymoons.
Husband & Wife Team
Elena and Daniel are the husband and wife team behind Love & Lavender.
Between their digital nomad travels they enjoy cheese and cows in the wonderful land of Switzerland, where Daniel was born and raised.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN…
2010
Love & Lavender started as a hobby wedding blog in Seattle Washington by founder (Ellen) in January 2010.
2014
Meredith and Andrew acquired Love & Lavender in early 2014 and grew it to be the wedding and gifting industries.
2022
Elena and Daniel acquired Love & Lavender in 2022 with the intention to grow Love and Lavender even further.
ABOUT MERIDITH AND ANDREW
Meredith met her true love, Andrew, in 2012. After getting engaged in Florence, Italy, the newly engaged couple realized it was time to get down to the business of planning their upcoming nuptials.
The wedding process is a real relationship tester for you and your partner. Not to mention the involvement of all your family and friends, and all the little details in between.
Let’s just say the wedding planning experience gave them a lot of writing material for future blog posts!
In August 2014 they were married at a beautiful Victorian style mansion in their hometown of Vancouver. Realizing life is meant to be lived free from the constraints of a cubicle, they each made an escape from career malaise. They set out on a multi-year travel adventure throughout Europe, and have turned a hobby blog into a full time business.
MEREDITH
Meredith is a cheerful perfectionist by temperament and holds a degree in Crime & Intelligence Analysis, which helps her as one of the best wedding researchers around! She contributes to content management, copywriting, is a social media wizard, wedding trend watcher and receptionista!
She runs her own online wedding ecommerce site called Classicveils.com. Utilizing her experience and knowledge of the wedding industry, she aims to guide you through your wedding planning process with straight-to-the-point, well researched answers to all your wedding planning queries.
ANDREW
Andrew is self-admittedly unemployable, which is likely why he finds himself running a budding wedding website! An entrepreneurial spirit at a young age means Andrew enjoys the exciting challenges, freedom, and creativeness that owning a business offers.
His technical ability keeps the website alive. Along with managing content, he sets the strategic direction to ensure L&L will be around for years to come.
If he had to choose a motto it would be: “Create and deliver value everyday; live life on your own terms with zero regrets.”
ABOUT ELENA AND DANIEL
Elena met her true love, Daniel, in 2002. Elena proposed 7 days later, and they got married 3 weeks later. When you know, you know.
They did not have a wedding, there were no guests, and Elena did not get to wear a wedding dress.
Can you blame her for being obsessed with all things wedding and running a wedding blog?
ELENA
Elena has logic-driven personality type with a talent for solving problems and a focus on accomplishing goals (yes, we did copy this from per MBTI personality profile). She has created her first website in 2006, and made websites her full time job in 2011.
Elena manages content, social media, and strategic partnerships.
DANIEL
Daniel loves being successful in helping organizations to activate untapped opportunities for profit and growth by providing analytical, forward-looking, and sustainable strategy consulting and executive advisory services. At least, that’s what his Linkedin says.
Daniel has over 25 years of experience in senior management and as a board member in an international environment but he left the corporate rat wheel to enjoy unregular work hours and a digital nomad lifestyle.
Daniel helps Elena with strategic decisions, finances, legal, HR, and anything that has the word “spreadsheet”.
We love America, it’s an amazing country to live in and we think it’s really awesome when couples express their love of America through their wedding. Today’s wedding does just that!
Allison and Matt went all out with their 4th of July wedding celebration on Windmill Island in Holland, Michigan. Everything from the games, to the decorations, to the cuff links screamed red, white and blue! Julie Harmsen Photography was behind the lens at this patrotic event!
Danny and Jillian put together a rustic wedding with fun details and a fabulous photographer Matthew Morgan. When you combine all three, you know you are in for a real treat! They have some amazing ideas such as their signs and word search program!
We are happy to be starting this week with an uber-amazing coastal California wedding by the ever-so-talented Joielala Photography. In fact, we look like we have coat hangers in our mouths because we love this wedding so much! Amy and Adam put together a drop-dead gorgeous wedding overlooking the ocean, complete with billy ball decor integrated throughout.
Invitation designs by Minted.
The wedding was held at the Orella Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA.
Thanks Joielala Photographie!
To end this week we are going to be sharing with you the super sweet wedding of Ellie and Cameron. With it’s country feel, DIY flare, and fabulous photography by Christa Kimble we knew it would be the perfect way to start the weekend!
Thanks Christa Kimble! Have a great weekend everyone!!
Francois and Adri had a gorgeous farm wedding in South Africa full of colorful DIY details. We can’t say enough good things about this amazing wedding, from the fabulous decorations to the out of this world photography by Welovepictures – we are swept off our feet!
Adri’s dress was custom made by Gerrit Pienaar. It incorporated lace from her grandmothers wedding dress, sweet!
Adri’s dad, a pastor, officiated their ceremony.
What a great idea to have different favors for the boys and the girls! The jam was made by a friend’s mom and all the favors were put together by Francois’ mother and sisters, who also made all the bunting.
To help stay within their budget, Francois and Adri incorporated decor they already had from their home. They also enlisted the help of family and friends on DIY projects, including the table runners which Adri’s mom made!
Sigh, so gorgeous!! Congratulations Francois and Adri, and many thanks to Welovepictures for letting us feature their photography!
Vendors
Photographer: Welovepictures
Venue: The Cow Shed
Hiring Vendor: In Good Company
Coordinator: Adoration Events
Hairpiece: Accessorize
Cupcakes & cookies: Baked with Love
Florist: Pollinationstation
Dress: Gerrit Pienaar – Claris
Music: Bernhard Breytenbach
Food:Prep’ed by Sasha
We LOVE this wedding! Khara and Huby’s put together a classic and beautiful outdoor wedding and with Onelove Photography behind the lens you know it will be jaw dropping!
Here is what the bride had to say about her wedding: “We chose to use natural tones to compliment the trees and rustic background. It was very important to incorporate family talent in as many ways as possible. My grandmother is an inspiration to Huby and I, and it was important that we had her be a part of the design. She crocheted the runner on our ‘sweetheart table’ and the piece around my bouquet. One of the best compliments we received was that our wedding was a ‘love fest’. This is exactly the type of feeling we were hoping to evoke from our friends and loved ones.”
Khara’s cousin Jessy of
Vendors
Caterer: Creative Catering by Glenn
Floral Designer: Fleuris Flower Studio
Reception Venue: Arrowhead Pine Rose
Cupcakes: Sweet Sophias Bakery
Other Desserts: portos bakery
DJ: Arrowhead DJ
Shoes: Seychelles Footwear
Today we have one of the coolest weddings we’ve ever seen, with tons of unique, artistic details! Tamara and Aaron were inspired by an old fashioned gypsy circus-carnival. Aaron, a visual artist and cinematographer, did all the wedding art and made most of the aesthetic decisions, while Tamara arranged all the logistics of their Monterey destination wedding. Everything turned out SO beautiful, and we’re warning you, you may want to have a napkin nearby to wipe up the drool!
Tamara and Aaron were on a $5000 budget, so they got creative with their wedding venue. Tamara found a house on vrbo.com and booked it, site unseen. Luckily, it turned out perfect! They spent the week before the wedding at the house with the bridal party, and had the wedding there at the end of the week.
Favorite Wedding Moments
Comments from the bride: “My favorite thing about the wedding day, besides marrying the man of my dreams, was looking around and realizing that everyone had made this happen for us out of their sheer goodwill and love. This is encompassed in one moment- we were eating our reception dinner inside the house because it had started sprinkling outside and I looked out the window and saw that my friend/bridesmaid Sharaya had taken the time to sew and put chair bows on the chairs that were in front of the cake table. I was struck because the cake table itself was more beautiful than I thought it would be, with a lace table cloth (I still don’t know where that came from) and two cute little chairs.
“What hit me at that second was that Sharaya is a BUSY girl. She is in the middle of law school, on a worship team at her church, working, not only did she sing the hymn during our ceremony, she made these silly chair bows just because I had liked them on a blog AND took the initiative and made sure to tie them on perfectly before the ceremony. That was how the whole day happened, people just gave generously beyond what we had expected.”
Their cake was so awesome–it was made out of donuts!! YUM.
Advice for Future Brides
I feel like I was a horrible bride, lol. I used Google docs incessantly, but when it came to the day of all my spreadsheets didn’t help that much. I forgot to carry my bouquet down the aisle, didn’t get to talk to any of my guests because everyone scattered from their tables when it started sprinkling, and Aaron and I toasted with redbull/vodka in a champagne flute instead of champagne because that was the closest thing. The one thing I would say is this: You HAVE to forget about pleasing other people. I made the mistake of basing a few decisions based on what I thought would look good in pictures, or what I thought my parents wanted to see, and those are the only things I regret.”
Congratulations Tamara and Aaron! Your wedding was amazing!! Huge thanks to Tahni of Joyeuse Photography for sending these photos to us.
Vendor List
Venue: VRBO
Event Coordination: Rhonda Kersey
Hair & Makeup: Don Nguyen
Prop Design: Lucas
Tables: Melissa Vandenbroucke from Set in Your Way
Floral Arrangement: Veronique Harmon
Photography: Joyeuse Photography
Cake: Psycho Donuts
Cake Topper: AKaperty Fultings
Videography: Tom and Liz Duval
DJ: Spencer Myers
Invites/Decor: The groom, Aaron Vandenbroucke
Aaron also did an amazing proposal video, which can be found here
Dress belt: Etsy
** Please note this giveaway has ended **
To start this week off on the right foot, Minted has offered one reader a $75 credit toward any of their fabulous designs! One of our favorite things about Minted is the huge selection of amazing wedding invitations and save the dates. From classic to rustic to whimsical, they truly have something for everyone.
Invitations are so important because they really set the tone for the wedding and give your guests a little taste of what’s to come. If you’re struggling to find a theme or direction for your wedding day, just browse through Minted’s collection, find something that resonates with you, and use that invitation as a jumping off point for the rest of your inspiration! Here are just a few of our favorites.
1. Barn Party – We love how this invitation is summery and celebratory! With cute little bunting flags in sorbet colored shades, any wedding inspired by this suite is sure to be full of good times.
Invitation via Minted, table setting via Ruffled, candy buffet via Amy Atlas, soda bar via Project Wedding, bouquet via Green Wedding Shoes.
2. Ever After – This invitation lends itself to a classic, black and white celebration with touches of whimsy…and of course, lots of clocks!
Invitation via Minted, clock wall via Green Wedding Shoes, bride and groom via Postcards and Pretties, bouquet via Pinterest, pocket watch boutonniere via Emmaline Bride, striped altar via The Bride’s Cafe, bridesmaids via Love & Lavender.
3. Stache and Kiss – The type and adorable graphics on this invitation made us think of a fun, carnival-inspired celebration with lots of quirky details!
Invitation via Minted, signs via Green Wedding Shoes, bride and groom via Style Me Pretty, kissing booth via Once Wed, ferris wheel via Once Wed, peanuts via Style Me Pretty, table via Green Wedding Shoes, ticket cake via 100 Layer Cake, bouquet via Brides.
To end this week we are thrilled to be sharing this uber cute wedding photographed by Amanda K Photography. Ashley and Chris put together a unique wedding full of fun details at the Roxy Ann Winery in Medford, Oregon. Their day was gorgeous–check it out!
Have a great weekend everyone!!
Jon and Bri put together a simple, rustic, and utterly charming wedding. We adore all the striped ribbons and handwritten touches–and the location is super pretty too!
Vendors
Photographer: Ever Whim Photographs
Venue: Historic Sand Rock Farm
Cake: Barbara Daddario
Dress: from Elegant Lace Bridal Style: Angelina Faccenda by Mori Lee
Bridesmaid Dresses: The Limited
Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Caterer: Local Harvest Catering
Rentals: Alexis Party Rentals
Favors: Taffy from Marini’s, boxed by the bride & groom
Bouquets and Boutonnieres: Boulder Creek Flowers
DJ: Kimbrough Salas
Hair and Makeup: Tranquille Salon
Today we have a beautiful Los Angeles library wedding ceremony with lots of pretty details, shot by the talented Jessica Feely! In addition, Monica and Mathew chose to host their wedding reception at The Legendary Park Plaza Hotel in LA.
Monica and Mathew were the lucky couple to win Jessica’s annual photography giveaway. Their wedding was just gorgeous, and with such beautiful photos capturing every moment, let’s just say it doesn’t get much better than this!
Gasp! What a perfect bouquet.
We love the idea of personalized crosswords at each table setting. Check out some other fun wedding game ideas games for your guests.
Can’t get enough of this adorable couple? Well, you’re in luck because we are sharing their day after session later today, so check back soon!
Vendors
Photographer: Jessica Feely
Second and third shooters: Katie Elmer and Kara Rush
Videographer: Craft House Productions
Flowers: Fleuretica
Makeup: Stacy Wu
Hair: Monica Chiu from Theresa Huang Makeup & Hair Design
Coordinator: Hannah Lee from Simply Hannah
Event Stylist: Erin McDonald from Dandelion and Grey
Ice Cream Truck: Coolhaus Ice Cream
Ceremony Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Reception Dress: Shin Bu Bridal in Los Angeles
Lighting: TMM Pro DJ and Lighting Services
Cake: Jeseca Creations
Venue: Legendary Park Plaza
We just can’t resist a wedding by the fabulous South African husband-wife photographer team, Welovepictures! Today we are thrilled to share a gorgeous DIY wedding held on the bride’s parent’s farm in Smithfield, Free State. All the details are wonderfully stylish and charming, and despite the fact that it rained, Wim and Endri were all smiles!
The ceremony was held in a eucalyptus forest with hay bale seating and lots of bunting!
How cute is this bathtub filled with drinks!
Congratulations Wim and Endri!
We have a soft spot for DIY weddings that are as budget-friendly as they are beautiful, and this one definitely fits the bill! We were tickled pink to hear that Judith got a lot of her ideas right here on Love & Lavender. From the paper boutonnieres and silkscreened hanky invitations to the vintage china and the chandelier hanging over the ceremony, the details were all lovely and perfectly fit Judith’s vision of a vintage DIY wedding.
The venue was Josh’s aunt’s backyard and the wedding party got ready in her house, which is 104 years old!
The locket Judith wore contained photos of her dad–such a special way to make sure he could be there with them. The bouquets were from Whole Foods, which is kind of crazy considering how beautiful they were!
Now this adorable couple is headed off on a new adventure–Judith is going to be teaching English in Osaka, Japan! Best wishes to you two, and thanks to Blue Elephant Photography for submitting this gorgeous wedding.
Vendors
Photographer: Blue Elephant Photography
Florist: Whole Foods
Venue: Private Residence
Cake: Icing on the Top
Cake topper: Goose Grease
DJ: Kurtis Tucker
Veils and headpieces: Old Soul New Heart
Since we’ve been on vacation, we have a big stack of amazing weddings that we’ve been dying to share with you. Today we are so pumped to feature Jenny and Bennett! When we received their email we couldn’t wipe the smiles off of our faces. Their elegant and simple wedding was absolutely gorgeous, with jaw dropping details. To top it off their special day was captured by Austin Gros (who we all know is amazing)!
A huge thank you to all the amazing bloggers who shared their weddings with us these past two weeks. It was so fun to see the variety of gorgeous weddings and to hear all the insight from these talented ladies. In case you missed any of them, check them out by clicking on the blogger’s name: Lace and Likes, Hey Gorgeous, The Loveliest Day, Engaged & Inspired, Dandelion & Grey, The Southern Aisle, Forget Me Knot Weddings, and Snippet & Ink!
Vendors
Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie
Groom’s Suit: Zara
Ceremony Venue: Scarritt Bennett, Wightman Chapel
Reception Venue: Travellers Rest Plantation
Bouquets/Corsages/Boutonnieres: Jasmine Trenary of Artisan Flowers, flowers from Import Flowers
Table Arrangements: flowers from Import Flowers
Reception Music: Evan P. Donohue
Officiant: John P. Leggett
Lighting: Delta Stage Lighting
Tent: Music City Tents and Events
Catering: Chef Works
We thought we’d wrap up the blogger’s wedding series with one of our favorite bloggers, Kathryn of Snippet & Ink. We’ve been reading Snippet & Ink for years and Kathryn’s posts are always the perfect blend of classic and modern. So it was no surprise that when she got married this past December, every detail was so gorgeous, elegant, and well thought-out!
Tell us a little bit about your blog and how you got started
“I’ve always really loved weddings – my mother and her creative friends really taught me an appreciation for detail and design, and weddings are a way to bring all of my favorite things together: luscious flowers, romantic dresses, perfect paper, delicious food, and love! Snippet & Ink started as a fun hobby that let me spend time with those things, and somehow turned into my full-time job.”
Tell us a little about you and your husband–how you met, the proposal, etc.
“Ryan and I met when we were both teaching in the Mississippi Delta, through Teach for America, after which we moved to Wisconsin for him to attend graduate school. Before our next move, to Austin, Texas, I guess he wanted to make things official! He proposed on a weekend trip to Door County, with a beautiful vintage cocktail ring.”
Wedding planning can turn a lot of perfectly normal girls into emotional wrecks! Any advice you can give for how to stay balanced during wedding planning?
“My mom would laugh if she knew I was answering this question, since I was a total emotional wreck for the whole first half of our engagement. But somehow, things finally came into perspective for me. A few things that helped me to stay sane:
- Thinking of our wedding day as a gift to our friends and families. Even though the day was about us, it wasn’t “our day.” Recognizing that weddings are also important to parents, grandparents, etc., we relinquished control of things that they really cared about, as long as it wasn’t in direct opposition to something that was a priority for us, and as long as we could afford it.
- Remembering that this was not the last party I’ll ever have. There were all kinds of ideas I loved that just didn’t fit into our wedding, and I decided that if they were that important to me, I could always apply them to a birthday or anniversary or baby shower. Not to mention that some things were just too expensive or time consuming to do for 100 people, but would be totally manageable for 10.
- Letting people take care of me. I’m not generally very good at this, and like to think I can/should do everything myself, but when it came to our wedding, I made room for the people who care about me to help. This required that I give up some of my control freak tendencies, which meant letting people do things their way, but ultimately it was totally worth it. Not only did it relieve some of my stress, but it also created a feeling of community and support that was unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
- Remembering that our guests wouldn’t know what my to do list looked like, so they wouldn’t know if something was missing. If it’s not fun or you don’t have time or you can’t afford it, then don’t do it. Either delegate to a friend or family member, hire someone to do it, or let it go entirely. Chances are that no one except you will even notice, and you’ll save your sanity.
- Expecting imperfection, and letting go of expectations. I think this sort of sums up everything else – just letting our wedding and the planning be what it was going to be, I was able to let go of a lot of the things that I thought mattered to me, and in the end I was able to really enjoy our engagement and our wedding day for what it was.
What was your favorite moment from your wedding?
“There were so many special moments, like walking out of the church with my new husband, and being completely surprised by a boys chorus singing Christmas carols! Our amazing planners, Laurie Arons and Jenna Lam, set it up without us ever having a clue.”
As a blogger, you see tons of amazing inspiration daily. How did you narrow all that inspiration down for your wedding?
“It took me forever to narrow it down – every time we looked at a new venue, I mentally planned the whole wedding there! We even had to put planning on hold because I was getting a little overwhelmed (aka crazy), and needed to step back a bit. Decisions were infinitely easier when we finally decided on a place and a date.”
Any advice for brides-to-be on how to get inspired for their own wedding?
“Don’t get your heart set on any specific detail, and let your location and season be your guide. If you love garden roses (like me), but they aren’t in season (in December for example), choose something else: there are always beautiful flowers available, and you can save garden roses for another party another time.”
Lots of brides are on tight budgets nowadays. In your experience, what are three things that are important not to scrimp on, and what are three things that could go?
“Even if you’re on a tight budget, hire a good photographer. I have several friends who chose one photographer over another because they were less expensive, and all of them regretted the decision once they got their photos back. And if at all possible, hire a wedding planner, or at least a day-of coordinator. The last thing you want to do on your wedding day is worry about logistics, and having someone there to make sure everything goes smoothly is priceless.
If you could go back and get married again, any changes you’d make?
“There are a few small things I’d probably change, but really the only thing that I have slight regrets about is not making a shot list for our family portraits. It made picture time more stressful than it needed to be, and we missed some important shots, like Ryan with his brother and sister, or the entire group all together.”
Vendors
Photographer: Elizabeth Messina Photographs
Venue: Presidio Social Club
Florist: Michaele Thunen Designs
Designer: Kathleen Deery Design
Cake: Perfect Endings
Planning, coordination: Laurie Arons Boutique Events, directed by Jenna Lam
Ceremony Venue: The Swedenborgian Church
Dress: Angel Sanchez purchased at Jin Wang
Invitations and paper products: PS Paper
Tent, Chiavari chairs: Classic Party Rentals
We thought this wedding would be a great way to kick off our second week of blogger’s weddings. It comes from Allison of Engaged & Inspired, who just got married this April! Everything about her wedding was drop-dead gorgeous — we especially adore the ceremony backdrop and the bridesmaids in their brightly colored cardigans.
Tell us a little bit about your blog and how you got started.
“I got started on Engaged & Inspired officially when I became engaged. I had wanted to do it for a long time, but after he gave me the ring, I told my web designer husband that this would be a great time to give me an extra little present 🙂 My blog.”
How involved was your husband in wedding planning?
“My husband does design so he was very involved in areas that he was needed in. All the invites, paper products, and other little items were done by him.”
As a blogger, you see tons of amazing inspiration daily. How did you narrow all that inspiration down for your wedding?
“That was very very challenging for me. I don’t think I actually know the answer to that question even now. I think it had something to do with what projects I actually completed and which I either forgot about or didn’t have time for. That was probably the true reason I was able to narrow down inspiration. I also trusted my vendors like crazy. On the day of I wasn’t even sure how to picture the wedding. When I first saw it, I was utterly blown away at the amazingness of the team, they exceeded every dream, inspiration photo, and every plan I had ever had in my mind.”
If you could go back and get married again (to the same guy, of course), are there any changes you’d make?
“hahahahaha probably too many, honestly. I totally forgot about stir sticks, I would have loved super awesome ones. Little things like that, nothing major, but there are definitely a few more touches I would have loved to add.”
Lots of brides are on tight budgets nowaways. in your experience, what are three things that are important not to scrimp on, and what are three things that could go? any other budget tips?
“I was one of those brides. I wouldn’t skimp on the photography, those little touches that make the day magical, and for me, it was the venue and the dress. I skimped on a lot of the traditional aspects for sure. I did TONS myself to save money here and there. And I skimped on transportation, cake (though they turned out amazing!) and videography. The major budget tip I can give is to think your budget is at least $5k less than it really is. And tell everyone that. If you are working with $20k, think it is $15k, plan for $15k and tell your vendors that it is $15k. Since brides are known to go over budget it is nice to have a buffer near the end.”
Wedding planning can turn a lot of perfectly normal girls into emotional wrecks! Any advice you can give for how to stay balanced during wedding planning?
“Embrace the crazy and realize that you are kind of a big deal as a bride. I was that girl 100% and I didn’t do well with it, so if I did have any advice I wouldn’t take it if I were you. I turned into a nut case!”
If you did a lot of diy or thrifting for your wedding, do you have any tips or favorite sources?
“I did TONS. I didn’t really have any “resources” but every time I looked at a photo I decided to DIY it and then googled how to do it. I didn’t go searching through those DIY sites for new projects.”
Tell us a little about what you’re doing now, and what your hobbies are (other than blogging)
“I’m noticing myself getting more and more into planning for babies, nurseries, baby showers, etc. 🙂
“I don’t know why but I seem to get sucked in. I have also continued to be a major crafter and now make custom DIY projects (not very many….but I am increasing the number each day) for other brides. I find it to be a super fun way to continue to stay creative, but this time helping other brides. 🙂 It is definitely a hobby, but I am having fun with it.”
Thank you so much Allison!!
Photographer: Jason + Anna Photography
Cinematographer: Matt Cross
Florist: Floral Theory
Event Design: Engaged & Inspired
Event Planning: Shannon Leahy Events
Venue: Holman Ranch
Wedding Invitations & Paper Goods: DIY
Vintage Rentals: Milk Glass Vintage Rentals
Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet (“Uma”)
Bride’s Shoes: Chinese Laundry
On this beautiful Tuesday we thought we would share with you the elegant Ontario wedding at Paletta Mansion in Burlington. Rhiannon runs the blog and also styles events at Hey Gorgeous Events. She has amazing style which you can see throughout her wedding.
Here is what Rhiannon said about her wedding:
“Andrew and I were married, September 24th, 2010 at Paletta Mansion in Burlington, Ontario. While our day was so far from perfect logistically, finally becoming husband and wife after 5 years of dating and two years of long distance loving, was the perfect way to start our new journey together. We had a small, intimate, very DIY wedding full of personal, vintage and fun touches that represented us and our relationship together.
We splurged on an awesome photographer and a really unique and memorable venue. Since we paid for a really big chunk of our wedding, we really did some soul searching to decide what items were worth our money and what were not.
If I could offer any piece of advice to future brides it would be to please please please hire a wedding planner. I can assure you they will be worth every single penny. I didn’t think we could afford a planner leading up to our big day nor did I think we would need one. Since I was in the beginning stages of starting my own business planning and styling weddings, I figured the experience and practice would be worth it. But no bride should ever have to set up her own centerpieces and cake, greet her vendors, or make sure her big day dreams are a reality.
And I hate to sound so cliche but in the end, your wedding is really just one day in a lifetime commitment called marriage. Remind yourself of this throughout those stressful planning moments and you’ll be surprised how minuscule decisions like table arrangements and bridesmaids dress styles really are!”
Paletta Lakefront Park and Mansion
The mansion stands on an exquisite 14 acre lakefront property referred to as “the jewel in the crown” of Burlington waterfront.
This three storey, 11,000 square-foot mansion has original hardwood floors throughout, and is the perfect location for a function such as a wedding.
Vendor Information
Photographer: Amanda Wilcher Photographers
Event Planning: Hey Gorgeous Events
Venue: Paletta Mansion
Cake: I Do! Wedding Cakes
Flowers: Tonya VanderBrugghen
Paper Products: Papertalk Press
Dress: Enzoani, style Diana
Veil: Promises and Lace
Macaroons and Cake Pops: Lemon Tree Patisserie
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew
Groom and Groomsmen Tuxes: Moores
Maple Flavored Marshmallows: whimsyandspice
Team Bride & Groom Pins: repchi
Bride & Groom chair signs: lilmissi
Vellum Table Numbers: ILLUMIEnate
Custom Made Garter: LoBoheme
Wood Letters: t hebackporchshoppe
If the gorgeous couple in these photos looks familiar, it’s because we featured their engagement session and a styled session that they modeled for here. So of course, as soon as we saw their wedding photos on Jenny Haas’ blog, we knew we had to feature it as well! Natalie and Ked planned a beautiful wedding full of lovely details.
We love the chandeliers hanging from the rafters! Such a simple way to prettify an indoor ceremony.
Windowpanes and burlap are some of our favorite rustic wedding decor!
Photographer: Jenny Haas
Venue: Mulhauser Barn
Flowers: Petals and Things
Desserts: Homemade by family and friends
Food: Mrs. B’s
Bride Dress: Casablanca
Groom Suit: Banana Republic
Videographer: Jeff Cooney Weddings
Today we wanted to talk about one of our favorite accessories…tights! Tights are so fun, and an awesome way to add some pizzazz to your bridesmaids’ outfits, especially in the cooler months. We are especially loving textured, patterned, and colored versions.
Brightly colored tights are adorable and full of personality! via Style Me Pretty
These lacy tights complement the bride’s lace dress. Images by Lizelle Lotter
We love how the only thing matching about these girls’ outfits are their bright red shoes! via 100 Layer Cake
If you’re getting married outdoors in the fall and want your bridesmaids in short dresses, a pair of thick opaque tights paired with boots would keep their legs warm! via Green Wedding Shoes
How cute is this bridal party? We love their entire look: sheer patterned tights+sparkly jackets=perfection! by Caught the Light
And don’t forget about yourself! Tights look amazing on brides too–we especially love this stylish bride. Her bright pink tights are such a fun contrast to her white dress! via Green Wedding Shoes
Save THIS PIN to your Wedding Planning board on Pinterest so you can always find it when you need to!
We have a huge smile on our faces from today’s wedding at Casa Romantica! Colin and Natalie’s wedding was full of fabulous details including a gorgeous ceremony backdrop with ribbons and an uber cute guest book table. Their special day was captured by the husband and wife team of Brent Van Auken Photography, who are based in Southern California but are available to travel world wide!
Vendors
Wedding Photography: Brent Van Auken
Flowers: Greenl Leaf Designs
Caterer: Jay’s Catering
Wedding Cake: Jay’s Catering
Ceremony Location: Casa Romantica, San Clemente
Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson
Wedding Dress: Amy Kuschel
Bridesmaid Dresses: LuLu*s
Hair & Makeup: Beauty and the Beach
Wedding coordinator: Carrie Goff
We know a lot of couples are planning weddings on tight budgets. Well, this budget backyard wedding post is for you! Lauren and Jackson pulled off a seriously gorgeous wedding on a small budget, with lots of handmade details and help from family and friends. Paige Newton did such a great job photographing their beautiful day!
These silk-screened handkerchiefs made lovely decor all strung up–and they were also favors for the guests!
Lauren’s inspiration for their wedding started with her engagement ring, which was her great-grandmother’s in the the 1920s–the flapper era. A flapper inspired wedding became feathers and birds which evolved into a vintage feathers and birds theme.
We love the laidback feel of this backyard reception! Tissue paper pompoms and globe lights strung across the yard set the mood perfectly.
The cake spread looks so cute–and yummy! To save money, Lauren bought plain cakes and had her bridesmaids decorate them.
We love this darling nest cake topper!
Budget advice from the bride: “My husband’s advice to other budget wedding planners is plan on spending the time instead of spending the money. We had friends and family help us with everything. My advice for keeping it to a budget is if you see something you want, be prepared to make it yourself and ask lots of people to help. If people offer to help, let them! Every little bit counts and it all adds up quickly, so I had to be really sure that I wanted some thing and make sure I knew how I was going to use it before purchasing.
“Be open minded to planning the details a little differently than imagined and being creative to save money. Just know – if you pick an unusual or expensive theme it will be harder to find budget items.
“Tell vendors that you are on a budget and most are willing to work with you. Most of all, have a good time no matter what little things happen, because when it comes down to it the days is about marrying the person you love.”
Such good advice! Thanks Lauren and Jackson, and congratulations!!
Vendors
Cupcake: Polkadots Cupcake Factory
Photography: Paige Newton
Cake: Haute Cakes & Couture Desserts
Groom’s cake: Made by a bridesmaid April to look like one of their pet chickens
Flowers: Whole Foods
Centerpieces: Lauren’s sisters collected clear bottles and put one single flower in each. They were used at both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding.
Alcohol: Lauren and Jackson made their own beer and made, bottled and labeled their own wine for the wedding
Day of Coordination: Lauren’s friend Lyndsey at LeeNups
DIY: Wedding programs, bridesmaid’s hair pieces, veil, silk screened handkerchiefs, table assignment frames, table numbers, banners, signage, favor bags, photo booth, the paper flower garland, boutonnieres and much more.
Weddings and denim are two words you may have thought you’d never see together…but think again! This All-American fabric is surprisingly chic and super cute if used the right way. Don’t believe us? Scroll down and see some of our favorite denim+wedding inspiration.
Denim doesn’t have to look “country”…these denim-wrapped vases and bottles of soda are so fresh and modern-looking! via Jesi Haack.
This bridal party looks so stylish in their denim dresses and suits! via Once Wed
A groom in jeans sets the tone for a fun and laid-back wedding. via Love and Lavender
We are sure your groomsmen would be thrilled to wear jeans and sweaters instead of tuxedos! via Forget Me Knot Weddings
Jeans can be found in abundance at thrift stores, and you can get them really cheap. Cut them into strips to make napkin rings with a little twine, via Green Wedding Shoes. Or better yet, make placemats with the back pockets face up and tuck the napkins and flatware into the pocket, via Today’s Nest!
There are lots of other ways you could incorporate denim in your big day–wrap your bouquet with it, make little rosettes for your boutonnieres, make bunting out of it, etc. What a perfect way to breathe new life into an old pair of favorite jeans that you don’t wear anymore!
TIP: Save THIS PIN to your Wedding Planning board on Pinterest and get back to this post later.
A burlap inspired wedding: read on for this gem. You know that feeling when you come across a wedding so fabulous that your heart beats a little faster and you start to sweat with excitement at the beauty of every picture you see, hoping it will never end? Well, we get that feeling from time to time and this wedding we are going to share with you today did exactly that! Todd and Cyndi’s wedding was a DIY wedding with a lot of burlap – from the ties to the table runners. Alisia K Photography and Mandy Lynne captured every detail perfectly.
The groom and groomsmen ties were all handmade out of burlap.
Today’s feature is a little different from what we usually post on the wedding blog, and that’s part of the reason why we love it so much! A little bit rock and roll with a crisp black and white color palette, this wedding is pure style.
Congratulations to the couple — Rob and Amy.
We loooove all the different bridesmaid dresses! Oh, and where can I get me some of those shoes? As a matter of fact, where can I get this entire wardrobe?!? And don’t even get me started on those bridesmaids’ clutches.
What a cool ceremony space! The stark modern white doesn’t really need much added decor or color. Don’t the white chairs with the black cushions look awesome all lined up?
Welovepictures did a fabulous job capturing Rob and Amy’s big day, which was held at The Forum in Bryanston, South Africa.
Mark and Bridget got married the day of the super-moon, the day the moon was closest to the earth and appeared extra big. What perfect timing! Their Cape Town wedding at Welgemeend was full of fabulous details and lots of love.
When a photographer and a writer get married and their day is captured by Welovepictures, you know you’re in for a real treat!
Wedding at Welgemeend ~ Photos
We love the book ring pillow!
This adorable seating chart was created by Skinny La Minx. We love how the different tables were designated by different fabrics.
Advice from the bride on how to stay focused on what matters: “Don’t get caught up in the details! We did a LOT of crafting and DIY – we made 1000 paper cranes, amongst many other things – but we kept reminding ourselves that nobody else would notice all the tiny details. I think the point of planning a wedding is that it has to be a joy, and as soon as it stops being a joy you need to dial back on your expectations. There were so many other ideas we had, but in the end you choose your favorites and then remember that it’s one day and you want to be relaxed and happy enough to enjoy it.”
Vendors
Photographer: Welovepictures
Venue: Welgemeend, Cape Town
Bridal Accessories: All vintage or borrowed.
Cake: Heart-shaped brownies by Khayelitsha Cookies
Flowers: The Flower Warehouse
Food: Michele Koopmann
Rings: Brenda Parker
Stationery: Mark Peddle (the groom)
Last week, we featured a sweet wedding in which the bride wore an adorable pair of oxfords, and ever since then we’ve been obsessing over brides in oxfords. So super cute, and a more practical option for an outdoor wedding (and for dancing the night away) than a pair of heels.
We love the shade of blue on these shoes, and how the laces are a little more special. You could dress up any pair by using ribbon or lace instead of plain old shoelaces! via this wedding (doesn’t the bride look way cute in them too, below?)
We’re loving the casual vibe of this bride and groom, via Rummey Bears
They’re super cute for bridesmaids too! via Grey Likes Weddings and Nibs
This bride looks adorable in a short lace dress + oxfords. via The Pretty Blog
A sparkly pair or a floral pair would be especially perfect for a wedding!
Oxfords have such a vintage appeal, especially in pale pink like the ones this bride found. via Ruffled
What do you think of this trend? Are oxfords wedding-worthy–and more importantly, would you wear a pair for your own wedding?
TIP: Save THIS PIN to your Wedding Ideas board on Pinterest and get back to this post later.
This wedding put a huge grin on our faces from the moment we saw it! Jasmine and Ben went way beyond the call of duty in the creativity department for their wedding. Their reception was stunning and was only made better by the fabulous photography of Amanda K Photography.
We LOVE their wedding invitations!!
We are loving the uniqueness of this head table!
Dessert is one of our favorite parts of a wedding and this wedding was definitely not lacking in that area!
Congrats Ben and Jasmine!
We’ve been fans of mismatched bridesmaid dresses for a long time, so we are absolutely in love with this idea that takes mismatched dresses a step further – outfit each of your bridesmaids in a different color of the rainbow!
If done right, this look can be pretty darn fabulous and it’s great for those who have trouble pinning down a specific color scheme. Not to mention, rainbows are a sign of hope and promise, so the symbolism is super sweet too!
If you are a little bit of an off-beat bride yourself, here are some rainbow attire examples to inspire you.
Rainbow Bridesmaid Dresses
Here’s a super cute bridal party rocking the rainbow look. As you can see below, it looks cohesive even if all the dresses are a different style. This makes it really easy for your ladies to go shopping for a dress. Just give them a paint swatch with their color and let them pick out a dress they love and will wear again!
1. Dresses by Dessy
You can definitely pull off the mismatched look like the wedding party above. However, if you are looking for a little more uniformity between your ladies, a great place to start looking for rainbow colored bridesmaids dresses is Dessy. They have nearly 200 color options and they let you mix and match bridesmaid styles from all of their collections, meaning you can create the perfect matching rainbow look!
Etsy has some great dress designers who offer bridesmaids dresses in all shades of the rainbow. Check out the following talented designers who will hand-make all your rainbow bridesmaids dresses from scratch.
2. Rainbow Bridesmaids Dresses – Knee Length
by StaysiLee
A bit of a 1950s vibe going on with these Knee Length cocktail dresses. What fun for a wedding!
3. Pastel Rainbow Colored Bridesmaids Dresses
by Cocomelody
This elegant dress by Cocomelody is an equisite choice for your rainbow bridal party. Not only do you have a wide array of colors to choose from, this dress can be styled to create ten different looks! With style such as strapless, halter, or delicate short sleeves, this versatile dress has a style for just about everyone.
4. Bridesmaids Dress in Multiple Colors
by Azazie
Sweet and sophisticated, the Azazie Blake dress is a wonderful choice for your bridal party. With over 60 colors to choose from, it’s a piece of cake to create the perfect rainbow you have envisioned. The V-neck, empire waist and boning combine for a great style that will flatter a variety of body types.
Bridesmaid Accessories
When it comes to a perfectly colored rainbow palette, you can’t forget about matching accessories. Have some fun, and give these rainbow colored accessories a go.
5. Rainbow Crystal Tennis Bracelet
by VLCoJewelry
Dazzling multi-colored crystals create a wonderful looking tennis bracelet. We love the rainbow effect along with the subtlety of each crystal.
6. Rainbow Bridesmaid Clutches
by DapperGent
A custom clutch is always a bridal-party pleaser. Choose custom colors in every shade of the rainbow (neutral tones too!), and inscribe a special personal note on the inside coin pocket. Accent your clutch with a choice of a rose gold, silver, or gunmetal snap.
7. Rainbow Bridesmaid Flower Hair Pins
by JuLVa
Accessorize with colorful flower hair pins like the ones above. Cute, cute, cute!
8. Rainbow Earring Collection (Sterling Silver Earrings)
Gift each of your bridesmaids a pair of colorful earrings to match their unique dress color! We bet the look will be wonderful!
Don’t Forget About the Guys
Rainbow Tie Collection
As this fun bridal party shows, there’s no need to fret if you have more than seven maids–just add in a couple different shades of each color! Include the guys in the color scheme by letting them wear different colored ties to match.
This wedding might just be our favorite rainbow wedding yet! The bridesmaids took it to the next level by wearing rainbow eye shadow. Plus, how cute are all the dresses hanging?? The guys wore different rainbow suspenders and shoes to match!
If the idea of going totally ROYGBIV is a bit too much for you, you could still do multicolored dresses like in this lovely wedding. As a side note, we love that the bride wore a floral print dress!
There are lots of ways you could incorporate this trend in a more subtle way too – have each of your bridesmaids wear a different colored sash or carry a different colored bouquet, etc.
What do you think? Would you go rainbow for your big day?
TIP: Save THIS PIN to your Bridesmaids Dress board on Pinterest and get back to this post later.
Today’s elegant wedding is like a dream – a gorgeous dream full of vintage treasures, baby’s breath bouquets, and beautiful people! And with Clayton Austin behind the lens, you know it’s going to be amazing. We are absolutely smitten with each and every detail, and we have a feeling you will be too!
We love the lacy bridesmaid dresses paired with the baby’s breath bouquets!
How cute are these escort cards?!
So lovely! Thank you Clayton for sharing this wedding with us!
We are so excited to share not one but TWO weddings at Highland Springs Resort!
Wedding #1 – Romantic
Kaitlin and Doug put together a romantic wedding photographed by Tyler Branch Photo. We are loving their wooded ceremony under a 1,000 year old tree and reception at Highland Springs Resort. Be sure to check out the lavender fields in this wedding – one of our favorites!
Wedding #2 – Whimsical DIY
Ashley and Justin planned a super fun DIY affair with help from their family and friends. Their day turned out amazing, and Ashley Rose did a fabulous job capturing it all! We have to admit, we’re a little jealous of everyone who got to attend this wedding because it looks like it was a blast, and all the details are totally up our alley!
We seriously adore Ashley’s shoes, and the bridesmaids in boots!
Their programs had fun activities for the guests to do while waiting, like a word search and a fill-in-the-blank page!
The ceremony backdrop is so awesome, and totally DIY-able!
We love the Thiebaud inspired cake spread, and the adorable cake topper!
These vintage drawers were filled with candy–such a cute way to display the sweets!
For favors, Ashley and Justin gave out CDs with their favorite party tunes.
Congratulations Ashley and Justin! You two are such an adorable couple.
Want more inspiration for your wedding at Highland Springs Resort? How about a romantic wedding feature or one with some of the best lavender field photos on L&L.
If you can’t get enough of this sweet wedding, be sure to check out the features on Forget Me Knot Weddings and on Ashley Rose’s blog.
Vendors
Photography: Ashley Rose
Venue & Caterer: Highland Springs Resort
Dress designer: Aidan Mattox
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell
Groom’s suit: J.Crew
Hairpiece: Twigs and Honey
Flowers, Cakes, Paper Goods: DIY
Emily and Tony had a rustic wedding with nature inspired details. We love how their wedding reflected their surroundings, and we’re majorly impressed that Emily managed to pull off such a lovely wedding with three finals the week before! Joyeuse Photography captured their sweet and simple day perfectly.
Emily and Tony put a chair with photos of their grandparents right by the tree at the altar, as a way of having their grandparents “sitting” there with them. So sweet!
Thanks Joyeuse Photography!
We are really excited to share this beautiful southern wedding today. Julie and TJ incorporated a lot of southern elements into their special day including the cotton in the bouquets and the food — fried chicken, squash casserole, and shrimp and grits!
Laura Leslie Photography did a fabulous job capturing all their special details.
Julie found her wedding dress through Brides Against Breast Cancer–an organization that helps grant wishes to people with breast cancer.
Their wedding cake is from Cecelia Villaveces Cakes in Athens. Julie’s grandmother would buy Julie’s birthday cakes from there when she was younger.
What Julie said about her wedding:
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?
Can we have two? We did a handfasting, and it was great to have the wedding party symbolically bind our hands with ribbon. Also, I loved walking back down the aisle, beaming next to my new husband, while family and friends showered us with lavender!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding?
We were on a budget, but that was a fun challenge because we ended up doing a lot of things ourselves and making the wedding more unique. I would say that the most difficult part was planning a wedding from another state (I live in Tennessee), but my mother and aunt were both a huge help in the planning department.
Vendors
Venues: John Oliver Michael House
Photographer: Laura Leslie Photography
Florist: Ginni Edwards w/ Fertile Crescent Gardens
Wedding Cake Baker: Cecelia Villaveces Cakes
Caterer: Twigs Catering
Bride’s Dress: BCBG, purchased through Brides Against Breast Cancer
Accessories / Bride’s Shoes / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: JCrew
We’re excited that it’s Friday, and even more excited to share with you all today’s sweet vintage inspired wedding with a splash of yellow color! Marilyn and Sean held their reception at The Newark Club. Their day was full of unique and personalized details, captured by Sweet Little Photographs.
Marilyn’s advice for all you ladies currently planning your wedding:
“Personalize your wedding and make it a reflection of yourself and your soon-to-be husband. Have fun with everything! Remember what the day is about. You are celebrating your love and you should be surrounded by people who love and support you. If you are stressing about your weight, the flowers, the favors, etc. you are not having fun. Have fun and do it your way.”
Love their personalized Converse!
Thanks Sweet Little Photographs and congrats to Marilyn and Sean!
Vendors
Venue: The Newark Club
Photographer: Sweet Little Photographs
Dress: Watters “Austin” from Lovely Bride
Ring: BJ by Jules Kim
Shoes: Vivienne Westwood
Florist: Precious Petals Too
Invitations: Parcel
Cake topper: Milk Tea
Boutonnieres: Yana Designs
Stick Props: Whisker Works
Cupcakes: Sweet Avenue Bake Shop
Today’s wedding has it all: a gorgeous couple, stunning scenery, lovely details, and truly beautiful photography by Ashley Maxell! The sunny color palette makes us happy, and the yummy looking candy table has us drooling! From the bride, Taylor, As for the day…well is was perfect, I honestly never thought I could be/would feel so happy and stress free on my wedding day…I mean everything was just perfect.
This is Taylor’s favorite moment from her wedding day: There is one moment that I think of every time i think about my wedding day…. its kind of random, but there is actually a picture of it… it was on the dance floor, and mark and I were dancing together by ourselves having a little moment, and he picked me up off my feet and spun me around in circles….it doesn’t sound like anything too special, but i just remember it so well, and feeling like the happiest girl in the world, it felt like something out of a movie to me, I don’t know how else to really describe it.
Congratulations Taylor and Mark! What a stunning wedding. Thank you Ashley for sharing these photos.
Photography: Ashley Maxwell Photography
Venue: Hilton El Conquistador
Flowers: Darlins Flowers
DJ: Michael McCune, Weddings of Distinction
Dress designer: Priscilla of Boston
Bridesmaid dresses: Jasmine Bridal
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Jewelry and Veil: Etsy
Today we’re sharing the cutest picnic wedding ever! We are seriously obsessed with everything about it, from the vintage vibe of the decor to the bride’s ruffly dress, and of course, the adorable pet poodle! Sitting in a Tree did an amazing job with the florals and design, and we can’t get enough of the lovely photos by Tinywater Photography. This wedding was in the most recent issue of Utterly Engaged, so be sure to check out the feature there too!
The typed out vows are so sweet. And that bouquet…swoon!
We love the beribboned ceremony on their front porch.
The bride wore a poodle necklace to match their super cute dog. Her hair and makeup were done by Luxe Image.
After the ceremony, they had a sweet picnic under a tree. More ribbons were woven together to make a little blanket.
How cute is that ruffly dress + yellow cardigan combo?
Be sure to also check out the video below, from Cinematt! It’s super cute.
We are big fans of color and this wedding is full of it! Thomas and Cori put together a bright wedding full of fun details captured by lunaphoto.
What great rings–we want one!
What a cute, unique seating chart!
We LOVE this photo booth!
Vendors
Photography: LunaPhoto
Venue: The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
Bakery: Sweet Cheaks Bakery
Florist: Adorations Botanical Artistry
DJ: Varioproductions
As many of you may guess, we are very partial to anything with lavender. So when this inspiring lavender wedding (at The Lavender Inn) was submitted, we were thrilled. Everything about Jenae and Steve’s wedding screams lavender – from the venue to the food. Even the fabulous photography by Lavender and Twine.
The Lavender Inn in Ojai, California is the perfect venue for this themed wedding. A historic house built in 1874 that is now run as an upscale B&B complete with spa, yoga, and cooking classes.
For a wedding blog such as Love and Lavender, the amount of Lavender used in this wedding is spectacular!
Thanks Lavender and Twine photography!
Vendors
Photographer: Lavender & Twine
Caterer: Petite Reve Chocolates
Event Planner: An Enlightened Event
Floral Designer: Bella Raines Garden Studio
Reception Venue: The Lavender Inn
Invitation Designer: Bungalow36 Design & letterpress
We’re kicking this week off with a unique and intimate wedding captured by the talented Texas-based duo Bend the Light Photography. The bride and groom planned lots of lovely details that really reflected their quirky personalities. We think their wedding was super cute, and we’re pretty sure that you all will agree!
We adore this unique invitation, which tells Amanda and Steven’s love story. Here’s what it says:
December 11, 2009:
Amanda packs up and leaves little old Fairfield, Texas
for New York City to pursue her high-fashion dreams.
January 27, 2010
While shopping for cashews one day in Brooklyn, Steven strikes up a chat
with the girl holding a bag of pecans. He loves her Texas twang.
May 16, 2010
On their first date, Amanda wonders is Steven wears his hair
in a pompadour every day (he does). Steven wonders if there is a law
that prohibits vegetarians from dating meat-eaters (there isn’t).
July 3, 2010
After asking her twice, Steven officially proposes to Amanda in
Washington Square Park. Amanda officially says yes.
April 9, 2011
Vowing to always shop for groceries together,
the happy couple ties the knot in San Antonio.
We love the fact that Amanda didn’t go with a typical wedding dress. Instead, she put together a gorgeous skirt-and-top ensemble from J.Crew. Such a great idea–cost effective, and something she can wear again!
If you read the information on their invitation, you know Steven always wears his hair in a pompadour.
Amanda and Steven’s wedding was extremely intimate–a total of five wedding guests and three instrumentalists!
The table setting was gorgeous! Vintage china, brightly colored linens, and fabulous placecards, not to mention tons of beautiful flowers in mercury glass and milkglass vases.
One of our favorite details is definitely this Dr. Pepper cart–so super cute!
We love the colorful bendy straws and the silhouette flags that match their invitations.
Congratulations Amanda and Steven! Your wedding was so fun and inspiring!
Vendors
Photographer: Bend the Light
Invitations: Mr. Boddington’s Studio
Wedding Coordinator/Event Designer/Florist: Tricia Hamil with Viridian Design Studio
Venue/caterer: JW Marriott Resort and Spa, San Antonio
Band: Allegretto Music
Reception Lighting: Illuminating Celebrations
Bride’s outfit: J.Crew
Groom’s Suit: Dolce & Gabbana
To end this long week we have decided to share with you a chic castle bridal shoot by the always amazing Craig and Eva Sanders Photography. Every little girl dreams of getting married in a castle, so this is super fitting for the little girl in us.
A wedding at Rowallan Castle would certainly be a fairy tale. Set in the countryside, this 12th century castle in Scotland is simply stunning. I can imagine the sense of awe from wedding guests as they arrive along the long tree-lined driveway and well manicured path and pull up to the old wooden door, eagerly anticipating what awaits inside.
We can only imagine the opulent and elegant decor for a castle wedding – grand hall, fireplaces, and dining areas! When you have a castle as your wedding venue, you likely don’t need much in the way of decor as the ambiance and setting speak volumes.
Thanks Craig and Eva Sanders! We hope you all enjoyed!
Vendors
Hair and Make up: Sparkle Hair & Make-up
Flowers: Mood flowers
Jewelry: Corrine Smith Designs
Models: The Model Team
Dresses: Bijoux Bridal Boutique
Location: Rowallan Castle
In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo we decided to share with you all this gorgeous destination wedding photographed by the super talented Sarah Yates. We love weddings when the bride and groom take it to the next level of amazing and boy howdy did Tori and Austin do just that! To get your mouths watering Tori is behind Sitting in a Tree, which means you are all in for a real treat!
The brides shoes are so FABULOUS!!
Loving all the table details!
What a super cute cake topper…so unique!
To see more of this gorgeous wedding head over to Sarah Yates or you can also see it on Style Me Pretty.
Vendors
Photographer: Sarah Yates
Venue: Villa Amor
Event Design, Floral Design, Paper Goods: Sitting in a Tree
Wedding Dress: Nordstrom Rack
Floral Headpiece: Untamed Petals
Maid of Honor’s Dress: Vera Wang
Truly the ultimate vintage DIY wedding. We see a lot of amazing weddings on a daily basis, but we have never seen such an amazing wedding with special DIY crafts and vintage details. Plus, this wedding was all put together in ONE month. I cannot even imagine the stress level of planning a wedding from start to finish in only one month – awesome job Rachel and Brian!
Nickel Images were behind the scenes and have captured the details of vintage and farm perfectly. This surely will be a day that Rachel and Brian will remember.
Ultimate Vintage DIY Wedding
So a little side note, the groom’s ring (which was his grandfathers) fell out of the ring bearer’s box and took 3 hours and a metal detector to find!
This is a neat DIY craft – hanging empty picture frames with twine from the poles of the canopy tent.
What a way to use an old piano, we’ve never seen a piano dessert table like this!
Congrats Rachel and Brian! We hope you all enjoyed this wedding as much as we did!
Vendor Information
Photographer: Nickel Images
Venue: Private residence
Wedding planner: Rae Clausen
Florist: DIY by the bride’s sister, purchased from Eldens Gardens Dahlia
Dress, veil, shoes and accessories: Vintage & up-cycled
Bridesmaid dresses: Nordstrom
Caterer: DIY by the family
Wedding Cake: Groom’s mother and aunt
Wedding invitations: DIY
With summer just around the corner (at least we are crossing our fingers that it is) we thought we would share with you a nautical theme styled shoot photographed by the ever so fabulous Lavender and Twine Photography. With a tendency to get sea sick, neither of us are big on boats, but that all changed when we laid eyes on this beautiful creation put together for a workshop by Chenin Boutwell and Wedding Chicks.
We are loving all the ceremony details!
We are dying over the added accessories–so chic!
What an AMAZING sign!
You can’t have a nautical themed wedding without crab—mmmm!
Looks like they are sailing off to their future as husband and wife. Thanks Lavender and Twine for sharing this with us!
Vendor List
Photographer: Lavender & Twine
Hair Stylist: Symmetry Beauty
Caterer: Annabelle’s Coffee
Floral Designer: In The Now Weddings & Events,The Vine’s Leaf
Reception Venue: Bella Colina Towne & Golf Club
Invitation Designer: Paper and Thread
Studio Cinema and Video: Craft House Productions
Dress Designer: Jenny Yoo Collection
Cake Designer: Erica OBrien Cake Design
Linens and Coverings: LaTavola Linens
Equipment Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals, Classic Party Rentals
We are so excited to share this gorgeous, rustic wedding with you all today! This log cabin wedding on a lake has many details: beautiful log cabin extending over lake, bride’s beautiful hairpiece, and a jaw-dropping dessert table. We are totally smitten with every part of it. Emily Heizer Photography did a fantastic job capturing this dreamy day!
What a beautiful setting! The lake looks so calm and peaceful.
We love the bridesmaids outfits–ruffly pink – peach dresses and boots!
This dessert bar has us totally drooling. The cake looks too cute to eat!
Jamie and Jesse, congratulations! Your wedding was so lovely.
Vendors
Photographer: Emily Heizer PhotographyVenue:The Hideout
Caterer: Mountan MagicDJ: Good Times Dj- Kelly Scott
Dress Designer: La SposaFlorist:Art in Bloom
Groom’s Attire: J. CrewShoes: Frye
Makeup: Diana Ingalls Cake/Desserts: Russell’s Mercantile
Coordinator: Wendy Smith Officiant: David Beronio
So did anyone stay up and watch Prince William and Kate’s wedding? We know it will be hard to top a royal event such as that, but we are going to try with this uber cute barn wedding in Rancho Dos Pueblos! The talented photographers of Stone Crandall Photography captured Michelle and Ryan’s wedding perfectly. Everything about this wedding screams perfection – the venue, flowers, and the travel theme. This wedding is simply breath taking!
Barn Wedding in Rancho Dos Pueblos
Off to a great start don’t you think?
Okay, we have to say it one more time – WE LOVE BOW TIES!!
What a romantic setting…sigh.
We are huge fans of all the travel inspirations!
We love the map monograms–so cute!
What a dreamy day! Thanks Stone Crandall Photography!
Vendors
Location: Rancho Dos Pueblos, Santa Barbara, CA
Wedding Planner: Kelly Oshiro
Flowers + Decor: Tricia Fountaine
Cake: Christine Dahl
Guitarist + DJ: Pete Goslow
Rentals: Town & Country
Lighting: Bella Vista Lighting Design
Photography: Stone Crandall Photography
Gordon and Princess had a hot air balloon engagement session to remember! Every year there is a hot air balloon festival in Clark, Pampanga in the Philippines. So Gordon and Princess decided to take advantage of that amazing backdrop for their engagement photos. What a romantic setting and absolutely beautiful photographs to capture the moment. They met up with talented photographer Ryan Ortega, who was kind enough to share these photos with us!
We love the photo of them running away from the collapsing balloon.
We love this photo! We have seen similar ones with a Polaroid, but never with an iPhone.
Gordon and Princess made these giant letters and calendar date to use for their save the dates–what a great idea!
We have a treat for you all today, in the form of a colorful and stylish South African wedding from welovepictures! The bride, Annelle, runs a fabulous wedding stationery company called Seven Swans, so it’s no wonder that everything is perfectly styled and there’s plenty of cute signage. Throughout the entire planning process, Dirk and Anelle never spoke of their wedding, but always called it their Groot Partyjie, which means “big party” in Afrikaans. Their fun-loving personalities really shine through in the photos!
The groom and groomsmen wore awesome rosette ribbons, clearly labeled with their roles.
Annelle and Dirk kept the church decor simple for the ceremony. Once everyone headed outside, they were greeted with bright blue and red bunting on the church rails and the groomsmen holding boxes filled with popcorn for the guests to throw at the bride and groom.
The pre-drinks station was so cute! What a great idea to have cute straws labeled with people’s names so they can keep track of their drink.
The table decor consisted of striped French linens, crates and bottles filled with white flowers, and kraft paper bags filled with cherries. The cardboard deer, which was prominently displayed on the head table, is a beloved “mascot” of Dirk and Annelle’s.
A cookie buffet served as both dessert and favors. Annelle’s brother silkscreened the cookie bags by hand and Dirk’s sister gave them the adorable wooden bride and groom topper!
Thanks to welovepictures for sharing this fun and fabulous wedding!
Wedding Vendors
Venue & catering: Delsma Farm
Photography: welovepictures
Stationery: Seven Swans
Flowers: Anette van Brauershaven
Bride’s dress: Lunar
Bride’s shoes: Trenery
Earrings: Ida Elsje
Groom’s suit: Sesto Sento
Wedding bands: Ivan Bancroft
Rosette boutonnieres: Hill’s Rosettes
Hair: Riana Ehlers
Makeup: Iza Loubser
Wedding Car: Kontrei Toere
Cookies: Nelle Cakes
We are seriously obsessed with today’s safari themed wedding! From the bride’s amazing custom-made ruffle dress to the fabulously unique safari theme complete with giant giraffes, this wedding is absolutely dripping with style.
Laura’s vision for her wedding was a fusion of her love for Anthropologie and the couple’s honeymoon location of South Africa (we are very jealous!). With these elements in mind, she planned an exotic safari wedding held at the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens.
Even the threat of rain couldn’t dampen their spirits. In fact, we think all the colorful rain boots and umbrellas make for some pretty darn cute photos!
And speaking of photos, we can’t think of anyone who could have captured this better than Sara of Onelove Photography. Enjoy!
This dress may just be our most favorite – ever. The ruffles, the sweet bow in the back, and the fact that it was handmade by Parker’s aunt!
All of the bridesmaids wore vintage dresses from Etsy. Laura’s three sisters wore different colorful ones, and all the rest of the bridesmaids wore black.
Uniquely patterned and colorful gumboots for bridesmaids and the bride — we approve!
Super cute flower girls. We love the “here comes the bride” wood hearts sign.
What an amazing setting! No worries about the rain when you’ve got a clear umbrella for your wedding to keep you dry.
We adore Laura’s sparkly bolero! Such a stylish way to stay warm for those cool climate weddings.
Laura gathered over 50 vintage tea tins for the flower arrangements and made the tablecloths from burlap she bought in bulk.
The tables were named after animals you might see on a safari. Such a fun idea! We also love the oversized clothespins holding up the photos.
Instead of a wedding cake, Laura and Parker baked over 160 mini-apple pies in mason jars for each guest’s dessert. Here is the tutorial they used to accomplish this dessert feat!
We love the elaborate safari themed photobooth! Can you believe they actually had two giant giraffe statues?
Love it! Can someone please have a wedding just like this and invite us?
Vendors
Venue: UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens
Photographer: onelove photography
Reception: Montclair Women’s Cultural Art Club
Florist: Sonset Flowers
Day of Wedding Coordinator: Jewell Chung
Caterer: Culinary Excellence
Bowtie: thetiebar.com
Today’s wedding is absolutely gorgeous, with lots of elegant, vintage-inspired details and a swoon-worthy venue! Malcolm and Ray are a seriously beautiful couple and the photography of Clayton Austin. Love. Stories. never fails to inspire us.
We love Ray’s dress, and her veil is pretty amazing too!
The boutonnieres were so cute, with vintage skeleton keys, lace, and buttons.
Isn’t that venue breathtaking?
We love this series…so sweet.
What a great photo! We love that Malcolm wore Converse with his suit.
What an amazing wedding! Congrats Ray and Malcolm–and thank you Clayton for sharing your photos with us.
Marissa and Ricardo had a lovely Strawberry Farms wedding reception with lots of fun details. From the gorgeous florals by Honey and Poppies to the dreamy photography by Floataway Studios, there are so many things to love about this Spring wedding in California!
Cute shoes! And such a sweet bouquet.
We love the paper heart escort cards. Simple and sweet!
We will never be sick of wood slice cakestands, tissue paper pompoms, and globe string lights!
Vendors
Photographer: Floataway Studios
Florist: Honey and Poppies
Ceremony: St. John Neuman’s Church
Reception: Strawberry Farms
We’ve got such a sweet wedding at Ashland Berry Farm to share with you all today! With vintage lace details, pretty pink florals, and the amazing photography of Jodi Miller, this wedding is definitely one to remember.
Katrina made the bridesmaids sashes using thick lace and a fabric flower. She wrapped the same lace around the bouquets.
These wreaths made out of sheet music are super cute and would be easy to make!
Love the globe lights and the tissue paper pompoms hanging from the rafters.
Lace tablecloths are so pretty!
Thanks Jodi and Kurt! And congrats to Katrina and Eric–your wedding was absolutely lovely.
Vendors
Photographer: Jodi Miller Photography
Stylist: Lynn of Sunshowers and Rainshine
Ceremony: Commonwealth Chapel
Reception: Ashland Berry Farm
Florist: Stephanie Pritham, friend of the bride’s
Dress designer: Casablanca
Bridesmaid dresses: Anthropologie
Cupcakes: Pearl’s Cupcake Shoppe
Linens/rentals: Classica Party Rentals
Caterer: Champagne Taste
Nelis and Xandri had a beautiful vintage-inspired wedding with pops of red everywhere from Xandri’s nails to the fabric wrapped around the trees. The details are all so lovely, and Lizelle Lotter‘s photography really takes our breath away!
We love the idea of a typewritten invitation! So cute.
Xandri’s favorite moment was walking down the aisle and when Nelis’s dad (who married them) said, “you may kiss the bride!”
We love her red nails and those hearts hanging from the tree!
The table assignments were typewritten and hung in assorted vintage frames.
Bunting decorated the reception tent, and cute little fabric hearts hung on each chair!
The lovely centerpieces included vintage books and pitchers and teapots filled with wildflowers.
Xandri’s advice for future brides is: Just enjoy every moment and treasure every bit of the journey – it goes by so fast!
Thank you Lizelle and congrats to Nelis and Xandri!!
Vendors
Photographer: Lizelle Lotter
Venue: Beloftebos
Wedding coordinator: Danica Kriek of Beloftebos
Dressmaker: Chrissie Wallis
Stationery: DIY
Flowers: Okasie Hermanus
Hair and make-up: Lyritta vd Merwe
DJ: Hein von Solms, The Art of Sound
Caterer: Corneli de Villiers
Today’s post is one of the cutest photoshoots we have ever seen! From the bride’s ruffled blue dress to the adorable pug in a bowtie, everything about it makes us smile. Mandy and Zoe of Dottie Creations and Dottie Photography did all the styling, stationery, and photography themselves! What talented ladies.
The fun signage is a super cost effective way to add some major style points to your wedding. And those red shoes – swoon!!
Seriously, how cute is that pug in a red velvet bow tie?
We love how they wrapped all the tin cans with fun sayings as well.
Chelsea and Gareth, the models, looked stunning! We love the vintage feel of their outfits and her makeup.
Such a fun and colorful dessert table! We want some of everything, especially those heart shaped red macaroons.
Yes indeed! We love that sign — “Diets are for losers eat the CAKE!”
What a cute and easy prop!! If you’re having a photobooth at your reception, why not leave books out and have guests write you notes on the different pages?
Thanks Mandy and Zoe for letting us feature your work! You can see more photos from this adorable shoot on Rock n’ Roll Bride.
Vendors
Photographer: Dottie Photography
Venue: Carrington House
Dress: Tasty Vintage
Makeup: Rochelle O’Brien
Hair: Lisa from Ciao Hairdressers
Cakes: Couture Cakes
Stationery: Dottie Creations
Models: Chelsea Fitzpatrick, Gareth Thomas & Ken the pug
Assistants: October Ward & Karen Catchpole
Philip and Anneli had a beautiful South Africa wedding full of color, whimsy, and fun DIY details! We especially love all the cute pennant flags throughout their wedding. The lovely venue is Forest44, just outside of Stellenbosch, South Africa. The stunning photography is by one of our favorites, the wonderful welovepictures. Enjoy!
What cute shoes!
Yay! Pennants in the bouquets, what a fun idea!
The girls laying on the ground are so adorable!!
Giant pom poms hung over the reception space, and more pennants with the table numbers were tucked into the centerpieces.
We are big fans of these photo booth props.
Congrats Philip and Anneli! We hope everyone has a great weekend.
We hope you’re in the mood for a super cute vintage DIY wedding today because that’s exactly what we’ve got! Josh and Ashley planned a beautiful DIY affair shot by Ever Whim Photographs. Ashley calls their wedding “a community event” because their family and friends really came together to help them pull this wedding off, and it all turned out beautifully! Splashes of yellow décor and details highlight the wedding – from flowers to scarves and yellow shoes for bridesmaids. The wedding cake with yellow flowers and burlap bow cake topper is such a wonderful and simple DIY idea.
Ashley made her dress with the help of her friend Brandi and her sister Devlin. It turned out so well, and for just $25! We love the cute fabric flowers they added to the bodice. Ashley says, “Don’t be afraid to just go for it. You may find you’re better at something than you think. And be willing to make mistakes. Halfway through the dress-making we noticed that we had sewed the bottom on inside out. We just cut it off at the bodice and sewed it correctly the second time. No one would have even noticed!”
We LOVE how all the bridesmaids wore different yellow shoes, tights, and yellow scarves! Ashley and Josh couldn’t figure out the colors they wanted for their wedding until Ashley found her shoes at a Shoe Fly in Boulder, CO. Those shoes were the inspiration for the entire color scheme of the wedding!
Groomsmen in sweaters–genius!
Ashley’s mom painted the picture of the thumbprint tree. So cute! We love the burlap bunting too.
This ceremony backdrop is such a great way to add some fun to an indoor space! Josh’s parents cut out the ampersand from plywood and then mounted it and painted it yellow. It now sits in Josh and Ashley’s home!
Josh proposed by sending Ashley on a scavenger hunt around downtown Denver. At the end he had a friend write the lyrics to the song “Umbrellas” by Sleeping at Last in chalk right next to the Museum of Modern Art (where they had their first date). To incorporate that story into their decor, Josh and Ashley bought old sheets at the Goodwill and then stenciled on the lyrics to the song. How sweet!
The adorable button cookies were made by Ashley’s mom.
We love this wedding cake, especially the burlap bow cake topper. So perfect for a budget-friendly wedding, and totally DIY-able.
Favorite Moment of the Day
Bride’s Comments: “Josh and I cut the cake (which was made by my co-worker at Starbucks) and being the ornery kids we are, we shoved the cake into each other’s faces. However, I hit Josh so perfectly that the cake went up his nose, and as a natural instinct he leaned away from me accidentally running into the table behind him. Wouldn’t you know, that table was where our cake was sitting. It was a “slow-mo” kind of moment like at a basketball game when the star player is about to make the winning shot before the buzzer goes off. It was inevitable that the cake was going to hit the floor, which it did, and the crowd went wild! It was priceless. Lesson: Things WILL NOT go according to plan, but those “accidents” can turn out to be the most memorable and most talked about moments of a wedding.”
Advice for Future Brides
“Don’t get caught up in ‘this wedding is all about me’ cause really, it’s not. There will never be a day where the most important people you love are gathered in one place. Without the family and friends who had their hands in our wedding in some way, it would not have been the same. Our relationship blossomed in the midst of this community of people, and our marriage has been no different. It is a HUGE commitment, but one that will endure the test of time when friends and family and Jesus are a part of it. The best advice I ever got was, ‘Don’t do life alone’. As Timshel says, ‘You are not alone in this, as brothers we will stand and will hold your hand, hold your hand’.”
We are sharing two weddings from the big island of Hawaii (Kona)!
Kona Wedding #1
This wedding has us craving sunny weather and the beach! Wendy and Chuck had a Big Island wedding in Hawaii. She wanted to combine her light, airy, feminine style with masculine touches for Chuck. With dark table runner and romantic flowers, everything fits together perfectly!
A perfect Hawaiian backdrop for the ceremony. Her dress is georgeous and the photographer, Ruth Anne, really captured all the details of this wedding.
As the warm airy festivities rolled on and the DJ pumped out the tunes, the night ended with s’mores made with kona flavored marshmallows – yummy!
Vendors
Photographer- Ruth Anne Photography
Venue- Fairmont Orchid
Florals-Bliss in Bloom
DJ- Tiger Jones Productions
Kona Wedding #2
This couple wanted to incorporate that into their day without it being a cliche tropical wedding. Together with their friends and family, they put together a budget-friendly Hawaiian wedding that really takes our breath away, with fabulous photography by Brookelyn Photography.
The giant pom-poms are so cute!!
We love this shoe shot!
How cute is that apothecary jar with the upside down lid? We love how they put their table numbers inside it too!
Vendors
Photographer: Brookelyn Photography
Event Design: Mimi Gubser (Bride)
Venue: Friends of the couple’s private property (in Kailua-Kona, HI)
Makeup/Hair: Friend of the bride
Cake/Desserts: Food for Thought
Caterer: Luciano’s Catering
Dress Designer: Amsale Tyler
Floral Design: Bliss in Bloom (Annie Sundseth)
Groom’s Attire: H + M
Lighting: Hawaii Event Lighting
Officiant: Pastor David Reese Thomas
Shoe Designer: DKNY
Stationery: Made by the bride
Today’s wedding is so drop-dead gorgeous! From Ilana’s amazing protea bouquet (and we do mean amazing) to the tin can centerpieces wrapped with lace, we just love everything about it! And the photography by Lizelle Lotter? Absolutely perfect.
We love how Ilana wore her hair in a casual side-swept ponytail. So cute!
Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Isn’t that unique bouquet stunning? We especially adore the giant protea.
The guys wore fabric hearts instead of traditional boutonnieres, and they all had different colored ties to coordinate.
We know that a lot of you are planning indoor weddings. This room is a perfect example of how an indoor reception can be just as beautiful as an outdoor one–if not more so! The bunting draped across the ceiling adds so much.
Tin cans wrapped with lace are inexpensive and surprisingly chic vases!
What a beautiful couple, beautiful wedding, and beautiful photography! Congrats to Giele and Ilana.
Vendor Information
Photography: Lizelle Lotter
Decor and Flowers: Vars Liefde
Venue: Delsma Farm, Riebeek Valley, South Africa
To end the work week we decided to share this super cute wedding! Onelove Photography captured Chris and Amy’s bright, cheerful wedding perfectly. Amy wanted the theme of the wedding to be color, which we think they pulled off to a “t”.
Amy had her Asos shoes modified with princess embellishments (we love how they turned out!). A friend from the UK brought a British “Horseshoe wedding charm” for Amy.
Amy wanted all her bridesmaids to be in a different color of dress.
We really love the seating chart and name tags. Amy did a great job of tying all the details of her wedding together.
Amy wanted the paper Asian lanterns to match the bridesmaid’s dresses.
Amy is an exec at Coca Cola so she incorporated it into her wedding with coke floats!
Vendors
Hair Stylist: The Powder Room
Caterer: Elaine Bell Catering
Floral Designer: Julie Stevens Design
Reception Venue: Cornerstone Sonoma
Invitation Designer: Uniquity Invitations
Dress Designer: Priscilla of Boston, Jenny Yoo Collection
Cake Designer: Branching Out Cakes
Heirlooms and extras: Artikal
Lighting: Luna Bazaar
Equipment Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events
Shoes: Asos With Embellishments from Purely Paige
Officiant: Kimberly Thompson
When we opened up this submission we flipped! We love this styled shoot–not just because of the fabulous photography by Stacy Kokes Photography but because there is an amazing surprise to it! Stacy had been planning a styled shoot and asked her friends Devin and Kim to be the models. A couple days later, Devin sent her an email asking if he could use the shoot as a means to propose to Kim! Check it out.
We are loving all the vintage details!
Here is the big moment!!
So sweet! What a fabulous way to propose, and so fun to have the whole thing captured with such beautiful photography! Thanks so much to Stacy for sending it our way, and a big congratulations to Kim and Devin!
Today’s beautiful wedding at the Carolina Yacht Club has us dreaming of summer and the beach! It has really made this gray, rainy Seattle day feel a little warmer. Bridger and Nick met on a beach, so it’s only fitting that they would get married by the water.
Amanda and Brent of Millie Holloman Photography captured their lovely day.
We love the Oxford Blue thistle in Bridger’s bouquet! The flowers were done by her mom’s college roommate, Sandy May. Her boots were special too–they belonged to Bridger’s mother when she was younger!
The bridesmaid dresses are so cute, with those big bows in the front—they’re from J.Crew.
Coming down the aisle was Bridger’s favorite moment of the day–seeing all the bright, smiling faces of their friends and family…and of course, Nick!
The centerpieces incorporated colored mason jars and driftwood.
This is such a cute ring shot! And aren’t their rings beautiful, too?
** Please note this contest is now CLOSED **
You’re all in for a real treat this week — a giveaway of Tessa Kim’s fabulous bridal accessories!
She designs amazing and unique hairpieces, veils, sashes, and brooches. She has just come out with a new range of designs that we are sure you all will love. What better way to display your personality than with these gorgeous accouterments? Tessa has generously offered to give one of our readers $100 towards any purchase at her shop!
All you need to do to enter is head over to her shop, pick out your favorite item (we know it will be hard to select just one), and then come back to Love and Lavender and tell us what it is.
P.S. We love the styling of these photos, don’t you? The gorgeous images are by Candice Benjamin.
We are ending this week with an amazingly sweet wedding full of DIY details. Tiffany and Brandon wanted an informal, whimsical wedding with vintage touches. Leo Patrone took their wedding up a notch with his fabulous photography!
The invitations are so cute!! This is what the bride had to say about them:
“Our invitations and programs were illustrated by our officiant and good friend Ryan and screen printed on chip board by our best man Joe. My bridesmaids helped me slice, round the corners and assemble the invites with twine. The RSVP card was my favorite part because we asked our guests to give us a thumbs up for yes and thumbs down for no.”
The programs are so unique! And the ceremony cheer flags are a great idea!
Brandon sang his vows to his blushing bride while he, the groomsmen, and the officiant played different instruments. You can see a video at the bottom of this post!
Tiffany and Brandon really value their families and wanted to incorporate them into their wedding day. Tiffany found a small card catalog filled it with moss and then put pictures of their families in them.
Tiffany designed and printed all the table numbers.
Thanks Leo for sharing this beautiful wedding! Here is some more information from the bride:
Any advice for future brides?
Hire a wedding planner. They can help your vision become reality. I didn’t do this and I wish I had.
Hire a videographer. I didn’t do this because I didn’t think I would ever watch a video of our wedding day again, but if I had known what was in store for me, I absolutely would have had someone there to capture our vows. I mean, he SANG and played me a song! But on that same note, I don’t want a 2-hour video of our wedding. I think a short, 10-minute highlight reel would be perfect.
Be very specific in your contracts with vendors and your conversations with vendors. Don’t assume they know what you’re talking about even though they’ve been in the business for years. I didn’t want pink flowers and I got pink flowers.
Be true to who you are and let your personality shine through details. When you worry about pleasing too many people, the day becomes a big rain cloud instead of a bright and sunny day. Your guests are there to celebrate with you, so be sure that your wedding is a true reflection of who you are individually, and as a couple. If your guests can see you are having fun and enjoying the day, they will follow suit.
Splurge on your honeymoon. Brandon and I spent eight days in Tahiti/Moorea and got to stay in a bungalow over the water. We kayaked, swam with dolphins, read, relaxed on the beach and ate! It was an incredible and much-needed vacation.
Vendors
Venue: The Wright House, Provencal, in Mesa, Ariz.
Photographer: Leo Patrone Photography
Cake: Let Them Eat Cake
Invites/programs: Illustrated by Ryan V Lower and screen printed by Joe Matarazzo
Cake topper: Etsy
Dress hanger: Etsy
Bridesmaid & flower girl dresses: purchased from Twirl
Bride’s shoes: Badgley Mischka
Rings: Etsy
As soon as we opened up this submission from Marvelous Things Photography, we knew we wanted to feature it! Jeremy and Anastasia’s wedding at Colonel Francis Beatty Park was full of love, color, and heartfelt details.
Anastasia and her friends DIY’d almost everything–and it all turned out beautifully!
Anastasia’s hairpiece was made by one of her friends.
The flowers are so cheerful and colorful!
Jeremy wore a boutonniere with a peacock feather–love that idea.
Congratulations Jeremy and Anastasia!
Vendors
A sugar cane farm wedding that is totally Amazing, with a capital A! Roger and Nicky tied the knot on a sugar cane farm that has been in Nicky’s family for over a hundred years. The vintage details were all perfectly styled, and the photography…swoon!
Believe it or not, this is the first wedding captured by the obviously very talented Gareth and Kate of welovepictures (too).
The flowers are so lovely! And once again, the bridesmaids show that mismatched dresses are a super chic way to go.
We love Roger’s boutonniere! The measuring tape is the perfect touch.
Pretty, pretty, pretty!! Thanks so much to the team at welovepictures for sharing this wedding! Congrats to Roger and Nicky!
Location: Addington Farm, Empangeni, South Africa
We’ve got a double dose of Denise Bovee this week, which makes it a good week in our book! Today’s wedding at a private estate in Camarillo is full of gorgeous eye candy, especially the bride’s amazing ruffly dress which we l-o-v-e.
We love how they used a mailbox for their guests’ cards!
How cute is that “here comes the bride” pennant–and the flower girl holding it?
We love the bridesmaid’s mismatched dresses!
They incorporated peaches into their centerpieces–so cute!
Thanks Denise for letting us share your photography again! For more images of Brandon and Chelsea’s day check out fellow photographer Nick.
When a photographer marries a graphic designer, you know their wedding is going to be amazing! Today’s wedding is just that. Liz and Kip (the talent behind Karson Photography) put together this stunning Boone Hall Plantation wedding in South Carolina with the help of Candice from YOJ Events. Everything about this wedding is perfect, from the fabulous photography by Juliet Elizabeth to the flowers by Jade Water Designs.
See what we mean? The flowers are so gorgeous!
All the stationary was done by the bride.
The cotton was a fitting decor choice, considering the wedding was held at a plantation in Charleston, SC. The vintage cameras tied in the bride and groom’s passion for photography!
The place card wood rounds are so cute and really add to the rustic vibe!
These log centerpieces with billy balls are AMAZING! We are so smitten over these log vases!
We love the s’more stand! What a great way to set it up!
Thanks Juliet Elizabeth, this wedding swept us off our feet!
Vendors
Venue: Boone Hall Plantation Cotton Dock
Photography: Juliet Elizabeth Photography
Design and Coordination: Candice with YOJ events
Flowers: Jade Water Designs
Cake: D’lish
Hair and makeup: Ash & Co.
Catering: Gourmet Bay Catering
Rentals: Eventworks, Event DRS
Band: Leah Suarez and Friend
We have another amazing real wedding from We Love Pictures. Wimpie and Carla tied the knot at their Red Ivory Lodge wedding in Hartebeespoort, South Africa. This casual couple had a day that was full of color and joy!
We love the cute ribbon and button boutonnieres!
The groom kept it casual in jeans and a vest.
The centerpieces were so adorable! Vintage books tied up with ribbon, birdcages, mason jars, and tea tins filled with colorful flowers, and buttons strewn all over the table.
Erin and Richard put together a carnival wedding inspired by James and the Giant Peach, Alice in Wonderland, and Big Fish. This wonderland wedding was beautifully captured by La Vie Photography. Everything about this wedding screams fun, from the invitations to the reception décor!
The bride designed her own invitations. We love all the different parts: a ceremony invitation, transportation card, RSVP post card, a hanky (with the words “keep your heart warm and your eyes dry”, and an invitation for the reception.
The programs were little newspapers, we hope this becomes a trend because we are loving it!
Their ceremony took place at The Ruins in Seattle, WA. What a room!
The reception was breathtaking! The draping from above blew us away! What a magical day.
They had scratch tickets for each guests seat.
The dessert table was beyond expression. We would have gained a lot of weight if we had been there. I can’t decide which dessert is my favorite!
Vendors
Reception: Private estate
Wedding Designer, Flowers, and Cake: Sinclair & Moore Events
Stationery: Hobson House Design
Gown and Veil: Vera Wang from Marcella’s La Boutique
Rentals: ABC Rentals
Today’s wedding has us longing for summer! It’s one of the best beach weddings we’ve ever seen, and all the personal touches make it even more special–from the hundreds of paper cranes to Ingrid’s dress, which was made with love by her mom! The photos, courtesy of We Love Pictures, are pretty amazing too!
We’ve been noticing a trend of floral crowns on brides and bridesmaids and we must say, we are big fans! It’s so hippie-chic.
Love, love, love the ribbons!
The jumping bridal party shot…classic! We love the mismatched bridesmaids.
What a pretty bride! Can you believe her mom made that dress?
Now, let the paper crane goodness begin! Pieter and Ingrid used these handfolded beauties everywhere. Such a simple and inexpensive (albeit time-consuming) way to give your decor some major style.
What a sweet, sweet wedding. Thanks so much to We Love Pictures for sharing it with us!
Sally and Chris’s special day is one of those weddings that just blows us away! The bride is our kind of girl, she loves pink and vintage…which is right up our alley and Yvonne Wong’s photography captured so many jaw-dropping beautiful moments at this Arctic Club Hotel wedding.
We love their stationery–and no wonder; the bride is a (super talented) graphic designer! The gorgeous twin-silhouette logos graced everything from the invites to the programs. The striped ribbon and gorgeous calligraphy were the perfect touches!
Sally and Chris have a Saturday morning ritual of going to the Seattle landmark Top Pot Doughnuts. So it was only fitting that their wedding day would start off at Top Pot!
Sally made the boutonnieres out of vintage church-hymnal pages…what a fun and unique idea!
LOVE their flowers!!
The stained glass dome made a breathtaking ceremony site. A string quartet set the mood, along with an altar set with peonies and candles!
The tables included mercury glass vases filled with peonies and anemones, placecards hand-lettered by the bride, and striped paper straws for sipping iced tea!
Their night was topped off with a buffet of doughnuts (yum!). We have never seen doughnuts look so beautiful!
We love the gorgeous striped take home bags.
Congratulations, Sally and Chris! Your wedding was absolutely beautiful and elegant!
Vendors
Venue: The Arctic Club Hotel
Photographer: Yvonne Wong Photography
Letterpress Invitations and Paper Goods: la Happy
Floral: Wilson Gardens, Linda Wilson
Today we’re sharing a gorgeous, rustic wedding from Cape Town photographers We Love Pictures! The setting is lovely and the entire wedding looks so relaxed, fun, and celebratory–the kind of wedding we’d love to attend!
We love the bridesmaids’ floral crowns and the groomsmens’ brown suits–what a stylish bridal party!
All the handpainted signs are so cute.
Congratulations David and Kirsten!
We have a major soft spot for vintage weddings, so Patrick and Emily’s day definitely pulls at our heartstrings! The floral arrangements, the vintage centerpieces, and the photography by Jackie Wonders are all swoon-worthy!
We love Emily’s bouquet, and the vintage brooch pinned to the front is just perfect!
The seating cards were attached to a giant birdcage.
The centerpieces were gorgeous! A variety of vintage containers held blooms in shades of ivory, blush and grey–such an elegant color scheme.
For the photobooth, Patrick and Emily set up an empty frame that hung from shepherd’s hooks in front of a couple chairs. I love how the hanging vintage chandelier is visible as the newlyweds take a picture at the frame photo booth.
They also had an elegant sofa for guests to lounge in. Love it!
Vendors
Makeup: Jennifer Bueno Makeup & Hair
Photography: Jackie Wonders Photography
Music: Caprice Strings
Venue: Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
Entertainment: Wayne Foster Entertainment
Florals and Wedding Design: Krista Jon Couture Designs & Downtown Florals
Furniture/Decor Rentals: Archive Vintage Rentals
Ceremony Venue: Sacred Heart Catholic Church Ocean Beach
Coordination: Kiki Lee Herr
Limo: Fifth Avenue Limo
So we thought we would start some valentines inspiration this week with Susan and Sam’s wedding. Their wedding has just the right amount of hearts, love, and pink! They got married at Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano. Their beautiful day was captured by the super talented Gabriel Ryan.
These shoes are to die for!
What a great guest book table!
The ceremony backdrop is perfect! We love the furniture!
Their pin-wheel place cards in wheat-grass was put together by Christine Pak of Se-lah-ve.
We are loving the table decor!
Audrey’s Edible Creations designed their dessert table….swoon!
Megan and Ethan got married in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where Megan spent summers growing up. Kristyn Hogan photographer captured this lovely bride and groom. Everything about this wedding is phenomenal!
What a cute garter! We are fans!
The flowers in this wedding are drool-worthy!
We love props in weddings!
Everything about this cake is amazing! We are sighing with delight just looking at it!
Photographer: Kristyn Hogan photographer
Hair Stylist: Clear Waters Salon and Day Spa
Event Planner: City Bride
Floral Designer: Lilypots
Reception Venue: The Abbey Resort
Invitation Designer: Mr. Boddington’s Studio
Dress Store: Bridals by Danielle
Dress Designer: Daniel Thompson Bridals
Cake Designer: Take the Cake
DJ: A-AAA Soundsensation
Ceremony Location: Yerkes Observatory
Equipment Rentals: AAA Tent Masters & Party Rentals
Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Joseph A Banks, Brooks Brothers
Lauren and David’s wedding was full of color and Southern charm. The venue is the historical William Aiken House in Charleston, SC, which is absolutely gorgeous and full of ornate decorations. There are so many details to love about this wedding, but Lauren Cowart‘s photography really takes the cake!
We love all the cute bird-themed details, with bird-shaped place cards pinned to a birdcage, and a birdhouse for a guestbook!
A bright yellow wall at the venue made the perfect backdrop for photos. So fun!
A good sparkler exit ended the evening on a high note! Congrats to the happy bride and groom!
Venue: William Aiken House
Wedding coordinators: Southern Protocol
Florist: Anne Bowen of Stems
Photographer: Lauren Cowart Photography
If you like the color purple, you’re going to adore today’s Russian River vineyard wedding. It’s full of gorgeous and elegant details, and Silvana Di Franco Photography captured it all to perfection!
Barbara’s cute shoes are from Kate Spade.
The wishing tree is such an elegant guestbook idea!
We love the purple lanterns hanging from the trees.
Love the paper crane cupcake topper and the getaway gold cart. So cute! The cupcakes are ice cream cupcakes from Cold Stone Creamery…can we say YUM!!
Russian River Vineyard Wedding Vendors
Photographer: Silvana Di Franco Photography
Florist: Heather Murdock of The Blue Orchid
Venue: Private residence
Caterer: Zack’s Catering
Music: Russian River Ramblers
Rentals: Wine Country Party & Events
Hair & Makeup: Hether Boyd of The Powder Room
Dress: Vianette
We are in detail heaven today with this gorgeous whimsical outdoor wedding! Grace, her sister, and her mom arranged all the flowers and made paper bunting, origami cranes, and napkins in all different colors.
Emily Takes Photos knocked it out of the park with her amazing photography!
One of the bridesmaids designed the adorable invitations with an illustration of Grace and Jason!
Jason wore a tie clip with a vintage typewriter key, from Etsy seller Keys and Memories!
The colorful paper cranes made an awesome ceremony backdrop.
What a cute ringshot! We love the hearts in Grace’s rings too.
Jason’s mom made the delicious bundt cakes.
Check back later today for Grace and Jason’s day after session!
Vendors
Photographer: Emily Takes Photos
Baker: Beckmanns Bakery
Catering: Vignette Events
Venue: Radonich Ranch
Invitation designer: Kari Waldrep Design
Dress Designer: Jenny Yoo
Cake baker: Beckmann’s Old World Bakery
Shoes: Steve Madden
Tie clips: Keys and Memories
Hair comb: Heavenly Treasures
Bridesmaid’s Jewelry: Starfish Project
Trey and Emery’s wedding is full of warmth and color. The bride’s bright red shoes and the groom’s turquoise shirt set the tone for this cheerful red and turquoise outdoor wedding.
Make Moments Photography really rocked the socks off this wedding. Their photography captured all the details perfectly!
WOW is all we can say to these shoes. They fit in perfectly with this cheerful wedding!
There is nothing dull or ordinary about the groom’s bowtie!
Emery made her bouquet from her grandmother’s brooches. The brooches really make this a cheerful bouquet, and the predominant red and turquoise-blue are delightful!
This cheerful red and turquoise-blue money tree should draw lots of cash!
This cake is definitely in it’s own league! Soups Salads & Sweets did a great job!
Instead of a groom’s cake, Trey and Emery decided to have a bunch of groom’s pies…yummy!
What a great idea for a bar! We are big fans!
Congrats Trey and Emery and a huge thanks to Make Moments Photography!
Tomorrow is Love & Lavender’s first birthday, and to celebrate, we decided to give our blog a little facelift! Our pretty new header (and all the other calligraphy you see in the sidebar) is the work of the fabulous Li Ward of Fat Orange Cat Studio. Li is so amazing! In addition to her calligraphy skills, she is also a talented pet and wedding photographer. Li has an eye for capturing the intimate moments of your wedding day as well as all the unique details, and her photography is timeless and artistic! Since Li started out as a pet photographer, she has a soft spot for clients that love animals. She is based in Boston but she loves to travel too!
Be sure to check out Li’s blog as well for her most recent work.
We know that the holiday season is over, but we just had to share this wedding with you all! The decor is a combination of elegant fall and winter wedding elements, with a rustic-chic vibe.
Nicole and Josh were married in Covington, Louisiana with photography done by the talented Katherine Holly.
Sparkly Jimmy Choos … swoon!
What a beautiful ceremony backdrop!
We are always fans of unique seating charts! This would be a really budget-friendly idea.
The gourds and pine branches are the perfect mix of fall and winter!
Vendors
Photographer: Katherine Holly
Event Coordinator: Nicole Rodrigue
Caterer and Reception Site: Tchefuncta Country Club
Musicians: Soul Revival Band and Tony Maggio
Cake: Gambino’s Bakery
Videographer: Blake Crawford
Today we’re sharing a gorgeous farm wedding from New Hampshire, shot by Dreamlove Photography. The bride Christina incorporated many colorful, handmade details, and the result is absolutely delightful!
We absolutely love Christina’s bright and colorful bouquet!
Christina and Ian made homemade blueberry jam as a wedding favor.
Christina’s friend sculpted the cake topper to look just like her and Ian. It’s so cute!
Congratulations Christina and Ian!! And thanks to Katie and Max for sharing these photos with us!
We love getting submissions from our readers, so when we saw this wedding in our inbox we were thrilled–especially since it was sent to us all the way from Russia! Alyona and Max’s gorgeous wedding was full of vintage touches, put together by their decorator, Nadya Zotova and her assistant Nastya Gubanova. The wedding took place in the Botanical Gardens in Moscow, Russia.
Is it just us or would mushrooms make a cute bouquet? (Yes, we know they are a fungus, but still!)
We love the set up of the reception. It’s so romantic!
Thanks Nadya, and congratulations–or поздравления—to Alyona and Max!!
Photographer:
Stylist: Lyuba Lukina
Florist: Olya Morozova
Decorator: Nadya Zotova
For today’s real wedding is a fun and casual wedding at Vista West Ranch that brought together a love for nature and good BBQ! Nhu and Steve planned a beautiful DIY affair inspired by the Texas hill country. They also tried to incorporate “green” elements wherever they could: reusing wine and soda bottles for the flower arrangements, using biodegradable plates and silverware, and using old postcards for the guest sign-in.
We love the cute escort cards with the table numbers stamped onto paper luggage tags.
Nhu kept the centerpieces simple, with flowers from Whole Foods in recycled bottles. We love the rustic wood table numbers too!
Nhu and Steve had lots of fun activities for their guests, including lawn games, a photobooth with empty frames, and a chalkboard for props.
Congratulations Nhu and Steve! Your wedding was absolutely lovely!
Vendors
Photographer: Katherine O’Brien
Venue: Vista West Ranch
Desserts: Michelle’s Patisserie
Food: Louie Mueller Barbecue
Yay! We are finally over hump day and to celebrate we are going to share with you a super cute wedding photographed by the fabulous Jagger Photography! Beth and Kevin put together a green wedding with one of Washington’s best produce…the APPLE! You all know that we are a little biased towards Washington weddings to begin with (since we were both born and raised here), but seriously, this wedding is super cute and the bride and groom are just as sweet.
Love Beth’s ruffle dress!
Beth and Kevin got married at Golden Gardens in Seattle, overlooking the ocean…so pretty!
Each table was named after a type of apple.
Venue: Golden Park
Photographer: Jagger Photography
Erin and TJ had the most cheerful, sunny wedding full of gorgeous details and lots of laughter. They were married at the Ocean Institute in Orange County. Stephanie Williams captured their day perfectly!
We are in love with Erin’s dress and her cute ruffly shoes!
After getting ready at the Laguna Cliffs, Erin and TJ headed down to the beach for some portraits. They are such a cute couple!
The dusty miller leaves in Erin’s bouquet are just gorgeous. And we’re totally jealous of the sun in these photos!
We love the braid in Erin’s hair! So cute!
Graphic yellow and white fabric lined the aisle, with lanterns leading the way to the ceremony.
Love the colors in this wedding. So fresh and happy!
Today’s wedding by Simply Bloom Photography is sure to brighten your Friday! It’s breathtaking, romantic, and perfectly carefree! We love how you really get a sense of the majestic New Hampshire outdoors. The venue, Toad Hill Farm, was the perfect choice for Sarah and Jason. And wait til you see the bridesmaids…their outfits are amazing!
Sarah wore a stunning Amy Michelson gown and a lovely floral crown.
The organic floral arrangements were done by Emily Herzig, and they were stunning! We love the loose, fresh-picked look of Sarah’s bouquet.
An amazing view of the New Hampshire mountains served as the ceremony backdrop. To mark an altar, Sarah and Jason sprinkled a circle of white petals, symbolizing eternity.
Okay, now for our favorite part! Aren’t those bridesmaids’ outfits adorable?!? The bridesmaids shawls from Etsy were the perfect touch.
We love the back of Sarah’s dress!
The reception was full of even more swoon-worthy details! The birch slice table numbers are inspired, and we love the paper hearts too!
Sarah and Jason gave away organic honey as favors, a fitting choice!
For dessert, Sarah and Jason opted for pies, which were displayed on rustic wood slice cake stands.
Congratulations Sarah and Jason! See more of this wedding on Simply Bloom’s blog (thanks ladies!)
Vendors:
Photographer: Simply Bloom Photography
Wedding planner: In the Pink Ink
Venue: Toad Hill Farm
Florist: Emily Herzig Floral Studio
Invitations: DIY
Music: High Range Band
Bride’s dress: Grace by Amy Michelson
Groom’s apparel: J. Crew
With Jenni being from Los Angeles and Austin being a Nashville native, they wanted a mix of big city glamour and country charm wedding. Their day was romantic, fun, and filled with lots of personal touches!
Jenni and Austin’s beautiful wedding was shot by the talented Souder Photography.
Historic Cedarwood Wedding Venue
Cedarwood is an 1830’s historic home with beautifully restored and appointed interiors. The staff boasts over 20 years of award-winning experience in wedding design and styling. Located 8 miles north of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, they provide complete wedding packages.
City Glamour and Country Charm Wedding
Jenni’s gorgeous dress is by Alvina Valenta. We love the detail on the top!
The venue, Historic Cedarwood, also did the flowers, which looked incredible. We love the ribbons hanging from Jenni’s bouquet, and that arch over the ceremony is stunning!
For the escort cards, Jenni’s dad cut out leaves and her mom hand wrote each of the guests’ names.
The table numbers and programs were designed by Jenni and her close friend Amber (The Feel Good Gourmet).
For favors, Jenni and Austin gave out custom CDs with their favorite songs and delicious homemade s’mores complete with a cartoon of the bride and groom drawn by Jenni’s step-mom.
Jenni said this sparkler photo is one of her favorites and we totally agree. So cute! Congrats Jenni and Austin!
Vendor Information
Venue/Florist: Historic Cedarwood
Photography: Souder Photography
Invitations: Designs in Paper
Catering: A Dream Come True Catering
Cake: Patty Cakes
Getaway Car: Vintage blue jaguar from Matchless Limo
Bride’s dress: Alvina Valenta from Panache
Hair: J. Bangs
Make-up: Amy from Woo
Toni and Todd’s Oregon ranch wedding is our first real wedding of the year, and it’s a good one! Photographed by Amanda of Celebrate Life Photography, every detail is heartfelt and absolutely beautiful!
Toni’s fondest memories of growing up are on her grandparents’ ranch in Bend, Oregon, so it made a perfect venue for their wedding.
We absolutely love Toni’s dress and bouquet!
Toni’s grandfather passed away a few years back, so as a way to make him a part of her wedding, their families took the wood from an old barn that he built many years ago and used it to construct this amazing set for the ceremony. Not only was it super meaningful for Toni and Todd, but it looks incredible and really set the scene for their special day!
The set even included a doorway that opened up to the aisle. We love it!
Congratulations Toni and Todd! Your wedding was stunning in every way!
Vendors
Photographer: Celebrate Life Photography
Venue: Private property of the bride’s grandparents
Event Coordinator : Rachelle Bell, with Champagne Wedding and Event Coordination
Bakery: Cakes by Melanie
Hair and Make-up : Face Body Beauty (Jennifer Walker)
Entertainment: Pro Dj’s Oregon (Bart H.)
Florist : Candi Millar
Catering: Tate & Tate
An Alabama farm wedding that was a casual, beautiful event full of gorgeous details and rustic charm! It was held at a friend’s bed and breakfast, Donovan Farm & Inn.
Heather Hester Photography captured Tyne and Tim’s wedding day perfectly!
What gorgeous flowers! So simple and sweet.
The lace detailing on Tyne’s dress is so exquisite. Her mom and her found the dress at a Running of the Brides and added the lace themselves!
We love the favor table, with galvanized buckets full of candy, and paper bags for guests to fill up! It was in honor of Tyne’s grand daddy, who loved to pass out candy.
Wood slices were used in the centerpieces and on the dessert table.
Tyne’s brother designed the logo that they used on the cakestand.
What a sweet wedding! Congratulations Tyne and Tim, and a big thank you to Heather for sharing this wedding with us!
Today we are going to be sharing a fabulous jeweled wedding with you all. Kenny and Kaleigh’s day was captured by the super talented Poser:Image. They put together a very chic wedding with lots of details!
The illustration of them is uber amazing!
If you know us, you know we swoon over ring shots!
We love her bouquet…the striped ribbon steps it up a notch.
We really like their menus!
Converse make weddings so much cuter!
We love the look of unfrosted cake!
We hope this wedding brightened up your Wednesday!
When we saw this super fabulous wedding with colorful wedding pennants, we knew we had to share it with you all! Lisa and Cody’s family and friends played a huge part in making their day at Rancho Wikiup come together.
Lisa’s mom made the wedding pennant flags, the painted signs, and the cake. Her uncle did her hair, their dog Frank was the “ring bearer” (love that!), Cody’s sister was the officiant, and Lisa’s brother ran the fun cowboy-themed photo booth. A friend of theirs played the violin for the processional and another friend was the DJ!
Their beautiful DIY wedding was captured by the very talented Emily Takes Photos.
The bridesmaid’s dress was from J. Crew. We love the bright and cheerful pattern!
We LOVE this bridal heel shot!
The flowers were heavenly! We love the mix of dahlias, daisies, and succulents–and is that a persimmon in the groom’s boutonniere? Genius!
The ceremony decor was so creative and fun! Lisa made all the paper flowers, with the help of her talented mom.
The fans and hankies are such fun favors!
We love the idea of pennants as seating cards!
The jam jar favors were made by Lisa and her mom.
Lisa’s mom made the Cold Beer sign. What a cute idea for a bar!
Congrats Lisa and Cody! Your day looked AMAZING!
Vendors
Venue: Rancho Wikiup
Photographer: Emily Takes Photos
Flowers: Floral Grubb Garden
We are oh-so-thrilled to be sharing Sarah and Chad’s Maine wedding today! It’s absolutely brimming with beautiful inspiration and steal-worthy details, and no wonder! The bride, Sarah, runs the delightful event planning & design business, Daisies & Pearls.
From Sarah: “Event details fell right into place for Chad & I, upon visiting the historic Whitehall Inn for the first time. The Inn has been in operation since 1901 and was all too perfect for the backdrop to our dream wedding; right down to its charming farmer’s porch lined with wicker rockers. Vintage postcards featuring the Whitehall Inn were mailed to our guests asking them to kindly save Friday, August 6, 2010 for our wedding.”
Sarah got creative with the floral design, crafting ribbon boutonnieres, organza hair combs, and fabric clutches for the bridesmaids. Her bouquet was the real showstopper, made out of vintage flower brooches collected from family, friends and shops!
Sarah and Chad wanted their wedding to have a “vintage summer garden party” feel. Since poppies are the ultimate summer flower, red poppies were prominent in all the details, from the invitations to the escort cards.
Their venue, Whitehall Inn, owned a vintage typewriter once used by Edna St. Vincent Millay! Guests used it to write their well wishes for the newlyweds. Sarah handcrafted number tags resembling typewriter keys, which she adhered to clothespins. They served as escort cards and anchors for the paper poppies.
The table decor was full of personal meaning. Chad’s fondest childhood memory is bottle digging with his grandfather. Thus, it was only fitting that they used his grandfather’s vast antique bottle collection in the centerpieces. Each one held a single stem of a red dahlia, snapdragon, or zinnia. The finishing detail was the table numbers, which featured Sarah and Chad’s beloved dogs, Daisy Mae and Pearl!
The reception’s crowning glory was the dessert table, which looks so very scrumptious! It featured vanilla and red velvet cupcakes with fancy cupcake liners and toppers. Poppies made of gum paste were the perfect accents!
Congratulations Sarah and Chad! Your wedding was amazing. Thanks to Meredith of & Unlimited for sending these photos over.
Vendor List
Ceremony: Our Lady of Good Hope
Reception Venue & Catering: Whitehall Inn
Dress: The Cotton Bride
Bride’s Shoes/Dresses: J.Crew
Earrings: Marla J Designs
Groomsmen Ties: Vineyard Vines
Groomsmen Monogrammed Pocket Squares: SheriAngellCreations
Bridesmaid Earrings: Josephines
Cupcake Liners: Cupcake Social
Gum Paste Poppies: Sweet Dejavu
Flowers: Hoboken Gardens
Stationery: Sarah Cowen
Lanterns: Luna Bazaar
Photography: & unlimited and Stacey Hedman
We are so thrilled to be sharing Ian and Hyojung’s green and ivory wedding with you today! Paperback Weddings did a marvelous job capturing this do-it-yourself couple’s magical day.
Green and Ivory Wedding
Bride’s Comments: “Our theme was largely dictated by the natural setting, a desire for a very laid back vibe, as well as an affinity for all things contemporary. We tried to use greens, browns, and ivory in everything we did and so we thought of everyday objects in that color scheme that could be re-purposed, like green apples, twine or the cardboard.”
We looove Hyojung’s shoes!! So cute.
We really like how they used bunting in the ceremony!
Hyojung’s DIY’d her own veil–can you believe it?! It’s so pretty!
Hyojung used to be a kindergarten teacher. She drew from that experience for some of the wedding details, including a trivia game about her and Ian. What a great way to get the guests to interact!
For name cards they used granny smith apples with the guest’s names pinned to them. What a “green” idea!
Thanks Paperback Weddings for this outstanding green, brown, and ivory color scheme wedding.
Vendors
Bride’s dress: Light in the Box
Bride’s shoes: Martinez Valero
Flower: Mary’s Plants and Things
Catering: The Wild Artichoke
Rentals: Persiano Events
When it comes to weddings, we have a soft spot for vintage weddings with homespun decor. So when we saw Bethany and Ethan’s wedding we knew we had to share it with you. Photographed by the fabulous Stephanie Williams, we just can’t get enough of all the wonderful home made details!
Bethany’s beautiful dress with a gorgeous flower at the waist was bought at Etsy.
Our two favorite things–buttons and cute ring shots!
Bethany and Ethan made all the fabric banners, which we LOVE!
The wedding took place at Bethany’s childhood home (awww)!
Bethany’s mom made all the quilts throughout this wedding (she is a very talented/busy lady)!
All of the vintage decor and flowers were provided by Annette Gomez.
Their dessert table is so fabulous! We love all the vintage details!
What a beautiful day! Thanks Stephanie! To see more of this gorgeous day head over to her blog.
** Please note this contest is now CLOSED **
Happy Monday! We are super excited to be starting this week off with such a cute giveaway. Revived Vintage has vintage/antique chalkboards with amazing frames! These chalkboards would be perfect for wedding menus, signs, photo booths, and more. This week we will be giving away the Rose Frame Chalkboard. This chalkboard is made of a solid wood vintage frame that is super shabby chic!
Here are some ideas of how to use a chalkboard in your wedding.
Seating chart via Wedding Chicks, Program via Love & Lavender.
Drink station signs via Hey Gorgeous
Today’s gorgeous wedding is by the oh-so-talented Jagger Photography. It’s full of laughter, love, espresso, along with an eggplant and grey wedding color scheme. The kind of fabulous details that we know you adore!
From the bride, Lizzie: “We started the planning process with two words that mattered very much to my wonderful husband. Unique. Meaningful. He felt very strongly that weddings are such a formality and that they tend to lose their initial purpose of celebrating a couple’s love and decision to unite. He is a total romantic and really didn’t want me to turn into that obsessive bride. The theme throughout it all was relaxed, outdoor California, romantic, with a little whimsy and a lot of wine. Our colors were espresso, his favorite, and eggplant, mine, with touches of airy green. We found our venue on VRBO and fell in love with the place and its caretaker – Anvil Vineyard & Ranch and Patrick Tremo. It was really so fun – I wish we could do it all over again once a year but then we’d go broke!”
Lizzie’s brother-in-law Devin Prater designed all the paper goods as a gift to Lizzie and Joaquin. He did an amazing job!
The bouquets and boutonnieres were done by Dragonfly Floral. To save money, Lizzie contacted the local Sonoma Farmer’s Market to buy local flowers for the ceremony decor and centerpieces–she was able to get them for $10/bunch!
The darling directional sign was made by Joaquin’s parents.
Before the ceremony, guests picked up paper cones filled with lavender to toss at Joaquin and Lizzie as they headed back down the aisle.
Ribbons hung behind Joaquin and Lizzie during their sweet ceremony. They were all smiles the entire time!
The guests sat on benches–such a savvy alternative to chairs.
After the ceremony, Joaquin and Lizzie planted a tree. What a sweet symbol of the start of a new life!
The place cards were tucked into wine corks collected by Joaquin’s parents throughout the year.
Lizzie made the centerpieces with the help of her stepdad who cut slices of a dying tree and finished them with lacquer (they later gave these wood slices as gifts to friends and family). In keeping with the vineyard theme, Lizzie and Joaquin collected wine bottles and added custom table number labels designed by Devin.
The food and drinks were important to Lizzie and Joaquin and we’re sure their guests appreciated it! The menu sounds absolutely to die for: roasted pork tenderloin, seasonal roasted vegetables, and porcini ravioli in masala cream sauce, plus platters of local cheese and an amazing signature drink!
Basil lemonade and lavender iced tea…yum!! We love the striped paper straws too!
Congratulations Lizzie and Joaquin! We loved every bit of your special day.
Vendors
Venue: Anvil Vineyard & Ranch // Bride/Bridesmaids attire: J.Crew dress, Steve Madden shoes // Groom’s attire: Hugo Boss suit, Banana Republic shirt, Aldo boots // Flowers: Bonnie at Dragonfly Floral // Catering: Grapevine Catering // Photography: Jagger Photography // Graphic Design: Devin Prater
We’re thrilled to be sharing a vintage style barn wedding today, with gorgeous photography by Michele M. Waite!
Carmen and Dusty wanted their wedding to reflect their style and personalities: casual and fun with all of their family and friends included. Since they both grew up in small towns, they decided to have a country themed wedding in a barn at the Swans Trail Farms in Snohomish, WA. Carmen is a graphic designer, so she designed their invitations and all of the other print pieces.
Carmen and Dusty’s families were a big part of their wedding day. Carmen’s mom even made her wedding dress!
Love all the vintage items throughout their day!
We love all the gorgeous flower arrangements and the vintage vases!
They wanted to create a country backyard feeling for the reception….we think they pulled it off!
The cake topper was Carmen’s grandma and grandpa’s that they used at their own wedding and is over 50 years old! They had family and friends make the pies for dessert and Carmen’s great aunt made them their wedding cake.
Congrats Dusty and Carmen! Your wedding was beautiful!
Vendors
Venue: Swans Trail Farms
Catering: Max Dale’s Steak & Chop House
Photography: Michele M. Waite Photography
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Maggy London
Flowers/Florist: Linda Walde-Wood
Rentals: Photo Booth 3, 2, 1 Foto
Bride’s dress and hairpiece: custom-made by the mother of the bride
Shoes: cowboy boots from a consignment shop and peep toe pumps by Alfani
Today we’re sharing a gorgeous Wedding at Sonoma County Ranch. The photos were captured by Lianne Milton; the flowers, design, and styling were done by Rachel of Finch & Thistle Event Design, who sent us the details of the special day.
Jenny and Jeff’s wedding took place on the bride’s grandmother’s 350 acre ranch in Sonoma County, just outside of Healdsburg. The ceremony was held on the lawn of the caretaker’s cottage overlooking fields ripe with hay and emerald vineyards lining the hillsides in all directions. White flags rippled in the wind, lace patterned lanterns danced from the tree branches and the sun beat down on a crowd anxious to witness the marriage of this long-time couple (11 years) at last.
Wedding at Sonoma County Ranch
Isn’t the location so beautiful?
Jenny’s bouquet was composed of dahlias, scabiosa, lisianthus, David Austin roses, dusty miller, and more.
Guests found their table assignments from escort cards clipped onto wire along with pictures of Jenny and Jeff’s families.
The reception area was decorated with fabric covered saddles, cafe lights, and papel picado flags personalized with the bride and groom’s names.
Thanks to Lianne for sharing her photography and for sharing all the details of this sweet wedding!
Alycia and Joe had a lovely wedding, captured beautifully by Ashley Rose Photography. The venue is the Jones Victorian Estate in Orange, CA. Scroll down or click to see their adorable engagement session that we featured earlier today!
The bouquet, by Flower Allie, was wrapped with lace. We love the cameo brooch attached to it!
Alycia had a short dress and a pair of Toms for the getaway!
A typewriter held a note thanking guests for coming to the wedding and instructing them to write a message on fabric to be made into a guestbook quilt.
Joe’s wood ring is so unique!
These DIY wood signs are so simple and cute.
We couldn’t resist including this shot of the adorable flower girl. Love her tutu!
Today we’re sharing a gorgeous purple wedding at Pine Lodge, Lake Tahoe. Photos were captured by Courtney Wilson Photography. The color purple is predominant throughout, from the bridesmaids cardigans to the men’s ties and sneakers. With handmade details, stunning views, and an adorable bride and groom, this wedding definitely has no shortage of eye candy!
About the Venue: Pine Lodge
Pine Lodge is located on the west side of Lake Tahoe and was built in 1903 by a San Francisco financier. The Lodge, also known as Ehrman Mansion, provides a beautiful setting for special events such as weddings and reunions.
The bride Juliana designed all the paper products herself. They turned out adorable!
Juliana wore a lovely Priscilla of Boston dress and blue flats from Sundance.
The bridesmaids outfits were so cute, from the cardigans to the tights to the brightly colored shoes!
We’re loving the buttons in the bouquet by Thran’s Flowers.
And the guys wore Vans! Love that.
Sugar Pine Point State Park was a beautiful location for the ceremony!
Kevin and Juliana had lawn games and a photobooth to keep their guests entertained and blankets to keep them warm!
The rustic table decor included wood rounds, lanterns, and mason jars filled with buttons.
The desserts were made with love by family and friends.
So sweet! Thank you to Courtney for sharing Kevin and Juliana’s day with us. See more of it here!
We are thrilled to bring you this gorgeous wedding shot by one of our faves, Jagger Photography! Candise and Paul got married on a farm in Moorpark, CA. Every last detail was absolutely lovely.
The flowers were to die for–and they included one of our favorites, scabiosa pods!
These are some of our most favorite bridesmaid dresses ever! The rosettes on the shoulder are just darling, and the navy color goes perfectly with the flowers.
Candise wore a gorgeous headband in her hair. Isn’t she just the cutest?
The ceremony was held in a walnut orchard. Clear vases filled with flowers hung from the arch, which was draped with billowy white fabric.
We love the big chalkboard with the table assignments.
Since the wedding was held in a walnut orchard, Candise and Paul gave bags of walnuts as favors!
Candise’s sparkly shoes were by Kate Spade! We are in love with them.
We’re inspired by the use of artichokes in the centerpieces, and wooden boxes make fabulous vases!
The cake was decorated with buttons. A wood round served as the cake base.
Thanks to Jagger Photography for letting us share it!
We are really excited to be starting off the week with such an amazing wedding! Zac and Taryn had a beautiful wedding put together with the help of Amber Events. We love everything about it–from the flowers to the cake, this wedding kept us entertained! Onelove Photography did a great job capturing this playful couple’s special day!
The invitations were done by Magnolia Papier.
We love the expressions on the bride and groom’s faces when they first see each other!
What gorgeous flowers! Honey and Poppies did a great job putting together all the flowers!
This program is so fun! We love the artwork!
Awww…how sweet!
What a fun way to keep the guests entertained!
Mmm…We are getting hungry just looking at this!
Vendors
Wedding Dress: J. Crew
Photography: OneLove Photography
Brides Shoes Urban Outfitters
Bridesmaids Shoes: DSW
Wedding Hair: Beauty By Grace
Wedding Makeup: Brittany Kuhl
Hairpiece: Untamed Petals
Caterer: Lucille’s BBQ
You are in for a treat today with this gorgeously styled California wedding shot by Denise Bovee! Lindsay works at Nordstrom doing displays and Erik works for Pixar, so it was only natural that this creative couple did all of their wedding decor themselves (with the help of some talented friends).
Michelle of Mia Bella Weddings coordinated the day and John Park assisted Denise as the second shooter.
We are so in love with Lindsay’s attire, especially that stunning necklace! Good choice.
The gorgeous bridal party: each of the bridesmaids had a different colored dress, and the guys had fabric boutonnieres to match. So cute!
We love these photos with the pumpkins, the colors are gorgeous!
And now, for our favorite part – the reception details!
Guests signed in by typing their heartfelt congratulations on a vintage typewriter and were greeted by a peacock handmade out of newspaper!
The image above and the two below were captured by the second shooter, John Park.
We love the use of wine barrels as tables throughout the wedding. Such a great idea!
Lindsay and Erik set up this display with photos of their parents on their wedding days and vintage objects.
The silhouettes were drawn by Erik!
The centerpieces included copper watering cans filled with flowers, glass terrariums, and pieces of wood with slots that the table numbers were tucked into.
Thank you to Denise and John for sharing this lovely wedding with us, click here to see more of it. And congratulations to Lindsay and Erik!
Welcome back! We are super pumped to show you our favorite parts of our styled shoot…the cookie and milk stands!! Make sure to check out part one here if you haven’t seen it. The images are the work of the fabulous Jonda Spurbeck Photographers.
We built the cookie stand by stacking hay bales and laying a windowpane on top. We used apple baskets to give the table some dimension and height, intermingling them with cake stands. We also built a wooden “cookies” sign that hung over the table. From that, we hung oven mitts, a spatula, and a whisk!
The cake was a simple two-tiered beauty that we frosted the morning of. We purposely wanted it to look messy (no really, we did!) and we added chocolate chips piled on the top and around the base of each tier.
The cake topper was a fun and easy DIY. We took two hardboiled eggs, painted faces on them, and set them inside a piece of an egg carton. We added a mini hair flower, bowtie, and wooden heart to finish it off!
Finally, our crowning glory was the milk stand, which took both of our husbands to build. We put chocolate, strawberry, and regular milk in mason jar drink dispensers from Pottery Barn.
We also did a bunch of fun shots in the field, using our props and some wooden signs we made.
We couldn’t resist doing a milk mustache shot! Got milk?
Huge thanks to La Belle Elaines, Shop Ruche, and Feathers and Frills for contributing the dress, boots, and hair flower (respectively). And of course, thanks to Jonda Spurbeck for the amazing photography!
We are super excited to share today’s post with you, not just because it totally rocks, but because we are the ones behind it! (Ellen and her husband Josh are the fabulous models).
It’s our first styled shoot, so we wanted to do something we had never seen before. We settled on a theme of Milk and Cookies, and we put almost everything together ourselves – from the stationery and flowers, to the props, cake, and cake topper. It was so much fun to plan every detail!
Jonda Spurbeck Photography found the gorgeous alfafa field in the countryside of Eastern Washington, brought hay bales and windowpanes, and baked some of the cookies. Their photography captured everything perfectly!
For the guestbook table we make a sign with Josh and Ellen’s “recipe for love” detailing the highlights of how they got together in recipe form. We had cards for guest to write their own “recipes for love” and a recipe fox for them to file it away in. We’ll be posting downloads for the recipe cards later.
For favors we filled milk bottles with layers of ingredients for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. We designed the labels for the from and back that had the recipe. We had them stacked in a wooden crate that Aileen’s husband made.
For the table, we decided to do a table runner that played off of the ruffles in Ellen’s dress, so we sewed strips of ivory fabric together (while Ellen was getting her hair done–yay for multi-tasking!) The centerpieces were a collection of items from Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, thrift stores, antique shops, and things we already owned. For the seating, we went with hay bales to play off the country theme (plus, cows eat hay and milk comes from cows…connection?? We decided yes!)
We made the napkins with a variety of patterned fabrics and tied heart-shaped cookie cutters around them with twine.
The plates were from Anthropologie, with menus on top that we made out of cedar shingles with simple paper menus nailed into them.
We are obsessed with ringshots!
To keep with the country theme, we had Ellen’s mom braid her hair…just like when she was in second grade! 🙂 We loved how it turned out.
We used kale for Ellen’s bouquet, which was one of our favorite details. It was so cheap and easy too–it took us all of 5 minutes to make, and only cost $8! We used ranunculus, dahlias, and blue thistle for the rest of the flowers throughout the shoot.
The boutonniere was made of ranunculus, blue thistle, and a kale leaf wrapped with burlap.
La Belle Elaine’s, a Seattle bridal shop, contributed the gorgeous Jim Hjelm dress. They were amazing to work with and had a fabulous selection of dresses for us to choose from! Mai of Shop Ruche donated a pair of kick-ass boots and Krystle of Feathers and Frills donated the lovely hair flower.
There’s more – click to see Part 2 of the Milk and Cookies shoot!
Today’s wooded backyard wedding is just the way a wedding should be: relaxed, laid-back, and full of personality! Tyler and Emily arranged every detail to reflect their relationship and what is important to them. The gorgeous venue was their home, which is surrounded by gardens and fields of hay bales! In addition, Tyler and Emily made sure to use recyclable material wherever possible. Even Emily’s dress was vegan.
Their beautiful day was captured by Aubrey Joy Photography.
Isn’t this just the sweetest shoe photo you’ve ever seen?
The cedar pillars for the wooded backyard wedding ceremony stage were made by Emily’s father.
There were so many sweet details at this wedding. We love the canoe full of gifts and all the homemade favors: wine, roasted nuts, and zucchini bread!
Emily collected jars from craigslist to use as drinking glasses and made name tags for them all.
The wood rounds on the tables were a DIY project too!
Emily and Tyler love to garden. In fact, they actually grew a lot of the food for the wedding! The catering was done by Naturally Decadent Affairs.
Yummy looking cupcakes by Katies Cupcakes
Emily and Tyler sang a duet for their guests, “Jackson” by Johnny Cash. (Plus, later in the evening, Emily also busted out the Thong Song!)
A good time was clearly had by all!
Photographer: Aubrey Joy Photography
If typical wedding venues don’t get you giddy, we may just have an idea for you! We’ve gathered up some of our favorite wedding sites that are truly avant-garde. Channel your inner Dr. Seuss and the question is, would you, could you…
Under a Bridge? This Portland bridge makes for a stunning ceremony location. Love it!
In a Desert? Why not throw in some camels while you’re at it!
In a treehouse? This wedding venue (which is right by us in Issaquah, WA–woot woot!) is soo amazing.
In an ? If you don’t have any igloos handy (we don’t understand why you wouldn’t) the snow would work perfectly!
On a plane? This is not recommended if you get motion sick.
Underwater? Make sure to wear waterproof make up.
There is something sweet about backyard weddings, and this one in particular! Rod and Stacy got married at their own home, which they remodeled for the wedding. Danielle Gillett captured the day perfectly.
The flowers were so beautiful!
Do you recognize that red heart? It’s from Rod and Stacy’s engagement session, which we featured back in April!
The ceremony was held in front of Rod and Stacy’s organic garden.
The reception was held on their newly landscaped lawn, which was decorated with tissue paper pom poms hanging from the trees and big umbrellas to keep guests cool.
Their darling wood caricature cake topper was the perfect spot for a ring shot!
To see more of this charming wedding, click here.
We are so excited about this farm wedding in Winters, California, captured by the talented Denise Bovee! There are so many creative details and fabulous ideas that we know you’re all going to love. The gorgeous (and we mean gorgeous!) wedding venue is The Farm on Putah Creek.
Their gifts to each other were super sweet and personal. Samantha gave Bryan a custom made banjo with the shape of her bird tattoo as the cut out. Bryan gave her a vintage typewriter filled with a heartfelt letter he had typed!
Bryan’s button boutonniere was so cute.
We love the mismatched china and the fruit in metal locker baskets!
We can’t get enough of furniture brought outdoors! It makes for such great photos. Speaking of which, check out Bryan and Samantha’s gorgeous engagement session, they took a table out into a lake!
Back to the wedding reception – burlap runners and wildflowers in eclectic vases are so casual chic. We also LOVE the one long rectangular table stretched along the tree-lined path.
Bunting name cards tied onto the chairs, what a cute idea!
Did we mention that we love the one long table??? The lighting is pretty lovely too.
Thanks so much to Denise for letting us share this gorgeous wedding.
Courtney and Nick wanted an intimate and fun wedding with lots of personal touches, and that is exactly what they got! Their wedding at the Southwest School of Art and Craft in San Antonio, Texas, was a fitting location for this craft-loving bride.
Stefanie of Your Wedding, Your Way did a fabulous job coordinating all the details and making sure everything was perfect, while the photography for this beautiful DIY wedding was by Bend the Light Photography.
A friend of the happy couple made the C and N moss letters that hung on the gate of the reception site. The bride’s parents made all the escort cards and the wood signs directing people to the wedding.
Nick and Courtney opted for a first look before the ceremony. We always love the photos of when the groom first sees his bride! Such a sweet moment.
Courtney wore a Priscilla of Boston gown while her bridesmaids wore Jenny Yoo.
Nick bought his groomsman matching socks and handkerchiefs, with C+N embroidered in purple thread.
The mason jar aisle markers were made by the bride’s parents. All the flowers were done by Eden’s Echo.
The wedding programs were designed and painted with watercolors by a friend, Lauren Westrup. She incorporated elements from their invitation and cake topper to make a unique fan program that Courtney said was one of her favorite details!
Courtney (with the help of her mom and aunt) made the tissue paper C and N that hung on the bride and grooms chairs.
Their cake was made by Sweet Traditions. That cake topper is so CUTE! Courtney made the pinwheel table numbers.
Courtney and Nick spent a lot of time at flea markets and garage sales finding clear vintage cake stands and trays for their dessert table. It was definitely worth all the time! It came out really beautiful!
For favors, Courtney and Nick gave out their favorite spicy hard pretzels (made by Courtney’s mom!).
What a sweet wedding! We especially love that so many elements were contributed by friends and family members.
Congratulations to Courtney and Nick and a big thank you to Bend the Light Photography for sharing these images with us!
When Laura Murray sent us this styled wedding, we couldn’t wait to share it with you all! Laura and her team of fabulous Colorado vendors chose a pink and grey color scheme for their music themed styled shoot. We were especially excited to see all the sheet music details since we recently did posts about old book pages!
The bride wore a short Nicole Miller dress from Colorado bridal shop Anna Be and a fabulous chunky necklace from Anthropologie.
The dessert table by Jaclyn of Lemon Sprinkle Events featured some sweet treats that every wedding guest would love: powdered sugar donuts, pink lemonade cupcakes (from Happy Cakes in Denver), bubblegum jelly beans, and vanilla meringues. Jaclyn also created the paper bunting and flag dessert toppers.
Buffy of Pink Posey Design put together the gorgeous bouquet and floral centerpieces using pink dahlias, white roses, seeded eucalyptus, sweet peas, dusty miller, and white hydrangea. She also created a DIY boutonniere incorporating sheet music.
The models, Alisa and Roman, were made even more beautiful at the hands of Styles by Jenece, who was in charge of hair and makeup.
Laura created the place cards, invitations and table signs. We love how she used sheet music for the table numbers and the escort cards.
Sheet music in the shape of a heart served as a backdrop for photos. Super easy DIY photobooth idea!
And of course, to tie in the music theme, the groom serenaded his bride with a guitar!
Thanks so much Laura for sending this shoot our way! We loved every bit of it.
Music Inspiration Ideas
1. Sheet music
Sheet music is so pretty, romantic — and inexpensive! Runner via Bride’s Cafe, petal cones via Once Wed (found on Postcards and Pretties). Incorporate sheet music graphics into your wedding invitations via Oh So Beautiful Paper
2. Pianos
A piano is pretty much the greatest prop ever–especially in an unexpected setting like a desert!
3. Boomboxes and Mix tapes
These couples were made for each other like boomboxes and mix tapes! Cute props and invites via Ruffled. Coasters and mix tape favors via Hi-Fi Weddings.
4. Records
Use them in your centerpieces or have guests write on them for a guestbook, via Once Wed an Hi-Fi Weddings. They also make the most amazing invites, via Wedding Chicks and Once Wed!
Jeannie and Dane had a gorgeous wedding full of amazing details! From the ceremony backdrop to the centerpieces and cake table, this wedding is beautiful! Alison Hu did a fabulous job capturing their special day at the Padri Restaurant in Agoura Hill, CA.
The invitations were created by a talented designer at Minted.
The bride wore a Sue Wong dress with Badgley Mischka shoes.
These flowers by Fujikos Flowers are swoon-worthy
Yummy!! Sweet and Saucy Shop did a great job creating some jaw-dropping desserts!
We love seeing books used in weddings, whether they’re stacked underneath centerpieces or used as a photo prop. One of our favorite ways to use old books is to let the pages take center stage. Old pages are so pretty, versatile–and cheap! Here’s some crafty ways to turn some old book pages into something fabulous!
1. Cake
Cover a cake topper with book pages, and even wrap some around the cake! by Brandon Kidd.
2. Chargers
Layers of ruffled paper make super pretty chargers, via Green Wedding Shoes.
3. Pomanders
Hang paper pomanders for an elegant (and cheap!) version of a chandelier, via Green Wedding Shoes.
For a different take on this idea, cover a big round balloon paper mache style, via Style Me Pretty. A smaller version makes a cute pomander for the flower girl to carry.
4. Place Setting
Tuck a page stamped with a cute image underneath the napkin, via Marry You Me.
5. Paper flowers
We adore these paper flowers (and the “love story” sign) via 100 layer cake. So pretty!
6. Wall art
This pretty idea, via The Sweetest Occasion, is so simple! Rip pages out of a favorite book and hang them as wall art. Brilliant!
And that’s just a few of our favorites! Like we said, book pages are so fabulously versatile–we can think of hundreds more ways to incorporate them into your decor.
You’re in for a treat today with this sweet Oklahoma wedding! Austin Gros is the photographer behind the images, and of course, he rocked it. We love all the purple accents and the fun details.
The guys with their colorful socks–what a fun picture!
We love the childhood pictures hanging from the trees in frames. Great idea, and so simple!
Don’t they just look radiant?
What cute chalkboard signs! And that cake! Messy frosting + that cake topper = perfection.
Congrats to Layne and Kyle! Thanks to Austin for sharing these lovely images.
We were sent this beautiful succulent styled wedding and had to share it with everyone!
Poser:Image hosted a photography workshop and Deanie Michelle Events planned the event. The shoot had a succulent theme with the florals done by Ashlilium.
Doodle Dog did all the paper products, including the invitation suite, programs, menus, napkin ring tags, placecards, wine bottle labels, and the signs! And all of it on the day of–whew! They did a great job.
Love the orange napkins with the green potted succulents.
Lovely Lemonad is indeed a necessity on a hot day! And what better way to serve up a cold beverage than with these glass drink dispensers. Check out our roundup post for more beverage dispenser ideas.
Vendors
Location: Cafe Malaga
Design: DoodleDog
Today’s sweet wedding comes from talented photographer Kate Harrison. Deena and Joe were married at Nestldown, a beautiful venue nestled in the California redwoods. They infused tons of charming details into their rustic DIY wedding–and we were so impressed to learn that they planned it all from the UK!
We are totally smitten with these programs!
The escort cards were super cute! Watercolor floral prints were pinned onto a clothesline, indicating the table assignments.
The table decor was rustic perfection, with mossy birdhouses atop rounds of wood, mason jars filled with pinecones and flowers, and blue vintage drawers (from a flea market) filled with moss and chalkboard table markers.
Instead of expensive favors, Deena and Joe made a donation to the Institute of Cancer Research. They also gave out lucky pennies that they painted pink. In one drawer were US pennies and in the other, pennies from the UK (Joe’s home country). Such a clever idea!
The cupcake table was so lovely, topped off with an adorable cake topper by UK illustrator Del Thorpe!
Thanks to Kate for letting us feature her photography!
Today’s wedding is totally drool-worthy, with a crisp navy and white color scheme, a stunning bride, and gorgeous photography by Stephanie and Isaac Williams! Jessica and Andrew were married at the Holy Family Church in Pasadena and their reception was held at the Oakmont Country Club.
Jessica’s dress, by Christos, is so classic and beautiful! We especially love the little beaded cap sleeves.
The bouquets were so pretty! We’re loving the striped ribbon tied around the stems–and the big white balloons too! Each bridesmaid had a different kind of white flower in her bouquet. We have to admit, we’re kind of in love with the tulips below.
Jessica handmade these clutches for her bridesmaids–how sweet is that?
Jessica and Andrew had journals set at each table that guests could write their well wishes in, doubling as table numbers and a guestbook.
The favor packaging is so cute–we l-o-v-e that wax seal!
The night ended with a sweet array of pastries, donuts, and cake! Yum…
Eric and Ellen’s wedding was shot by Heather and Grayson of Jagger Photography. It was held at Pomeroy Farms, a historic farm in Yacolt, WA that just opened up for weddings this summer. It looks like a truly beautiful location–and here’s the best part: Ellen and her bridesmaids, who have been friends since they were kids, used to go there for tea parties! So cute.
Eric and Ellen chose to have a big potluck before the ceremony. That way, no one was starving during it!
Love the bunting backdrop they made for the ceremony.
Ellen also made her hairpiece–the night before the wedding! Talented girl.
What a sweet, creative wedding! Click here to see more.
We LOVE Lindsay and Michael’s wedding! The billy balls take it to the next level of cuteness! Morgan Trinker has a great eye for beautiful shots, and this wedding is full of them.
Love how Lindsay added billy ball yellow to random details, even her shoes!
It’s always fun seeing different ring shots.
Looks like a super excited flower girl.
We have never come across a wedding with so many billy balls…swoon!
Vendor List
Dress: Essense of Australia
Venue: Ballyowen Golf Club, Hamburg, NJ
Florist: Lisa Plociniak of A Touch of Elegance
Cake: Cafe Peirott
Headband: Untamed Petals
All jewelry: from two etsy shops kalliArt and NinaRenee Designs
Shoes: Dessy
We all have a little bit of nerd in us–so we adore these engagement sessions using “nerdy” props.
1. Calculator. These two met at math camp–so the calculator prop is totally perfect! via Tealily Photography
2. Chalkboard. These chalkboard e-pics are beyond adorable, via postcards and pretties.
3. Optometry. How awesome are the eye chart and the tie in this e-session via Ever OursThe groom-to-be is in optometry school.
4. Books and Reading glasses. Nothing says “geek chic” more than some books and a pair of thick rimmed glasses. Via Celebrate Life Photography and The Unbride.
5. Math Equations. We adore this clever “equation” with giant cutouts, from this e-session.
We got a big smile on our faces when we saw this Seattle wedding in our inbox. From the bridal parties casual attire to the fun wedding games, this couple really look like they enjoyed their special day. Jessica Feely is the talented photographer behind these images. She did such a great job!
Intimate Backyard BBQ Wedding
In the words of the bride: “We wanted our wedding to be us: laid back, carefree, and FUN! So we decided on an intimate backyard BBQ. And with the help of friends and family we got just that. There was a burger bar, photo booth, candy buffet, croquet and homemade cupcakes! It was everything we wanted and more.”
We love Corey’s pinwheel boutonniere!
Allison’s short dress is so cute with her “something blue” tulle peeking out!
The dessert table is a cupcake lovers dream! Chocolate and vanilla frosted cupcakes with sprinkles along with bacon topped cupcakes. I think I gained a pound just looking at this photo.
These cupcakes are maple flavored with bacon pieces on top! They’re all the rage up here, and apparently they’re quite delicious.
We both love playing games, and we think they can be fabulous inspiration for a wedding. Here are some of our favorite ideas that we hope inspire you!
1. Seating cards
Use game pieces like dominoes and checkers to designate the tables, via The Knot and Style Me Pretty.
2. Board Game Theme Cake
We love how the cake on the left even has chess boards as the base! Photos via The Knot and Kate Harrison.
3. Board Game Boutonnieres
We have a thing for nonfloral boutonnieres, and these ones are especially cute! They would be perfect for a Candy Land, dominoes, or poker themed wedding! via Wedding Chicks, BrideTide and Fritts Rosenow.
4. Board Game Wedding Favors
Personalized decks of cards would be perfect for a poker theme, via Austin Gros. It would be extra cute if the number corresponds to the age you were in the picture, via Martha Stewart. Play off of Monopoly with “Chance” lottery tickets via Wedding Bee, or make personalized magnets with scrabble pieces via Project Wedding!
5. Scrabble Tiles
Using scrabble tiles in weddings is quite the trend right now–for good reason! They are just so cute and versatile. Look for used Scrabble games at thrift stores.
Save the Dates, via A Summer Picnic Wedding and flickr
Placecards, via Snippet and Ink and Love & Lavender.
Signs, via Ruffled and Forget Me Knot Weddings
6. Chess Pieces
With it’s iconic game pieces and bold black and white palette, chess is a great place to draw inspiration from.
Oversized chess pieces work as centerpieces or photo props. Via Grey Likes Weddings and Caroline Tran
A black and white checkered dance floor looks a lot like a giant chess board, via Snippet and Ink and Ann Wade Parrish Photography
7. Puzzles
Although technically not a “game,” we think puzzles deserve a spot on the list. We like the symbolism of two pieces fitting together perfectly–it seems so appropriate for a wedding!
Puzzle piece menus, via The Knotty Bride, would get the conversation rolling at each table.
Puzzle Invitation. Send guests unassembled puzzle pieces that form your invitation or save the date, via Etsy. Or, create a simpler version that links together the invite and rsvp card, via The Sweetest Occasion.
Dessert could feature adorable puzzle cookies, via “Fully Baked” and a cake decorated with fondant puzzle pieces, via Elizabeth Anne Designs
Don’t you think a game-themed wedding would be super fun?
Whether your dream wedding is a dazzling black-tie affair or a barefoot backyard celebration, opting for handmade wedding invitations adds a level of romance that makes the entire affair feel more precious and intimate. Plus, handmade wedding invitations tend to be much more unique and customizable. This allows you to design something that represents you as a couple and ties in with the theme you have picked for your big day.
The listings we have found offer a few different options for happy couples choosing to create handmade wedding invitations. So DIY divas, rejoice! Get ready to stamp it up and craft to your heart’s content. But if you don’t feel like you have the time or desire to craft your own handmade wedding invitations from scratch, don’t worry. The invitations we’ve shared here include options for you, too!
Read on, bride (or groom) to be!
To DIY or to Delegate…
So what exactly are you getting when you purchase a “handmade wedding invitation” listing or product?
Some shops will offer everything from custom wedding invitation design to creation. When purchasing one of these listings, you will receive complete invitations ready to address once they arrive on your doorstep. This option is nice because you won’t have to worry about the hassle of gathering materials yourself, but you’ll still have handmade invitations and a unique design.
Other shops or listings may offer design-only options, where an artist will create a unique design for you which you will receive digitally to print on your own paper. Some sellers may include the digital design along with a physical kit including the materials you’ll need to create your own invitations. (And if you really want to do-it-yourself, we’ve included some tips on the materials you’ll need to create your own version of each of our picks!)
Regardless of what approach you take, there is something so romantic about handmade wedding invitations. We love the idea of customizing the perfect invite for your special day, and we are confident that any of our picks will help you do exactly that!
Handmade Wedding Invitation Designs You’ll Fall For (We did!)
1. Handmade Botanical Wedding Invitations
These handmade wedding invitations by Etsy seller augustandwhitedesign take our breath away with their simple, sweet, and utterly romantic design. The textured cotton paper and simple hand-drawn illustrations make this look like a page ripped right out of your favorite childhood love story and are perfect for a wedding of any size or theme. There couldn’t be a better way to start your big day off on the right foot!
Try making it yourself with:
- Some cotton paper (Etsy seller AllThingsCottonPaper has a wide variety of colors available)
- Any Inkjet printer
2. Linocut Handmade Wedding Invitations
Perfect for the couple who plan on their wedding being the party of the year, these linocut printed invites are just plain fun! The bright colors and psychedelic-inspired patterns will definitely make your invitations stand out from the rest, and will have guests stoked to party with their favorite couple!
Try making it yourself by creating your own linoleum stencil! All you need is:
- A sheet of linoleum
- A linocutting tool (these can be found at any local craft store)
- A sheet of glass (should be medium-large in size)
- A brayer or small paint roller
- Some colored ink
- Paper
3. Lace Handmade Wedding Invitation
The strikingly simple yet elegant design of these invitations had us dreaming of a rustic summer wedding in the country. The finishing touches on this lace wedding invitation set by LovelyRusticWeddings add just the right amount of vintage romance to make it truly memorable and one of a kind.
If you’re doing your own printing, you can add this same bit of country flair yourself by picking up some:
- Lace (This crocheted lace by HereIsTheShop would be perfect)
- Jute Twine
4. Modern Calligraphy Handmade Wedding Invite
Dripping with elegance and cool simplicity, these calligraphy-style invitations by MargauxPaperie are to die for. It’s hard to believe that something so seemingly minimalistic could seem so impressive, but you can’t deny how expensive and exclusive these look! Your guests will feel like VIPs receiving these in the mail!
If you’re thinking of making these yourself, check out this L&L post on Calligraphy Pens for Beginners.
5. Handmade Seed Paper Wedding Invitation
by Etsy: LittleGreenPaperShop
If you’re feeling guilty about all of the paper you’ll be going through when sending your invites, you can breathe a deep sigh of relief with these babies! These invites are made out of seed paper which means that after the big day, guests can plant them and watch wildflowers grow in their place. How cool is that?!
This pick is sure to brighten your day and bring a smile to the face of every one of your guests. Not only do the brightly colored flowers bring a lovely warmth and natural romance to the design, you’ll actually be helping the environment by sending them out.
If you’re making your invites by hand just pick up your own seed paper, like this one from Etsy seller LittleGreenPaperShop!
6. Handmade Paper Minimalist Wedding Invitations
by Etsy: KraftWeddingPapers
Taking the pastel color trend and adding just right amount of sophisticated edge, these stone-colored beauties by Kraft Wedding Papers are equal parts romantic and timeless. With clean lines and a flawless color scheme, this is the perfect pick for a wedding of any size and is sure to add a dash of class to your big day!
Make it yourself with:
- Cotton Paper (We’ll take the opportunity to again recommend AllThingsCottonPaper!)
- Colored Ribbon
- Some sealing wax. We found this awesome wax sealing kit on Amazon!
7. Burlap Handmade Wedding Invitations
Burlap is a really fun and unique material to use if you’re looking for something with a rustic or country touch! These two picks are great examples of how something as seemingly rough as burlap can actually look really sweet and romantic when done right.
Make it yourself by simply buying some burlap! Etsy seller Jutemill sells it by the yard.
8. Custom Stamp Suite
If you’re unafraid of a little DIY, then this handstamp suite by Etsy seller PaperLuxStationery is a great option for you. Work with designer Melissa Owen to make this beautiful floral design your own and then once it arrives grab a drink, put on your favorite song and get to stamping.
If you really want to make it personal, try making your own stamp! Make it simple by picking up this easy-to-use kit by Pixiss.
9. Hand-Drawn Wedding Invitations
by PaperFudge
I really can’t say enough about this pick! Bright, colorful, and totally unique, your guests will be talking about this invite for the rest of wedding season. Its quirky illustrations set the perfect tone for a couple who aren’t looking to take themselves too seriously and just want to have a good time.
If you’re artistically inclined, you can use this as inspiration to hand-draw an invitation all your own. Or if you’re anything like me, maybe it’s better you find an artist friend who can do it for you!
10. Custom Wax Seal Stamp
by WreathLoveCo
A wax seal is the perfect way to dress up even the most simple invitation, but a custom seal? Now THAT will bring your invites to a whole other level of elegance. This listing from Etsy seller WreathLoveCo can be customized to match your theme and invitations. We love the idea of using your initials, the year, a floral motif, or a classic heart. Be sure to check out the shop’s reviews for some inspiration!
If you’d rather make your own wax seal, just take a look at this wax seal kit by PAXCOO!
11. Handmade Watercolor Wedding Invite
Adding just the perfect splash of color, these watercolor invitations by JenSimpsonDesign are a true knockout! Reminiscent of crystals or marbled stone, they bring an air of sophistication and expensive taste. However, the watercolor design remains simple and accessible enough to be a great fit for a wedding of any size.
Switch up the color or the watercolor shape by making it yourself! Just buy a set of watercolors and some paper and have some fun – you may just create a masterpiece.
Sealed With a Kiss (Or A Wax Seal)
From rustic burlap designs to elegant calligraphic script, there is a handmade wedding invitation design out there for every happy couple. Something about the high-quality paper, the attention to detail, and the customization of these handmade options just exudes romantic charm.
We hope you’ve found some amazing options to consider for your invites! Your guests will consider themselves very lucky to receive such special invitations to such a wonderful event.
And don’t worry – after all of the hard work of making your own invitations, picking pre-made thank you cards definitely isn’t considered cheating.
*TIP: Save THIS PIN to your Wedding Planning board on Pinterest and get back to this post later*
Today’s beautiful outdoor park wedding with coral and peach colors was shot by Jenny Haas, whose photography we always adore.
Matt and Maggie were married at the Old Overlook Park in Ohio.
The beautiful flowers were done by Kelsey Jane Floral Design.
We have a major crush on Maggie’s wedding shoes, by Steve Madden. Plus, they’re cork wedges – perfect for an outdoor park wedding!
Maggie had her girls carry fans instead of typical bouquets.
Matt and Maggie had a totally gorgeous and scrumptious looking dessert table. Yes, those are donuts on a stick. Maggie’s family handmade all the cake balls!
Congratulations to Matt and Maggie! And thanks to Jenny for sharing her lovely photography with us!
Natalie and Adam were married at the Gross Point Academy Chapel, an old brick academy right alongside a river. They chose to have a nautical theme for their wedding, with the idea of “tying the knot.”
Very fittingly, the reception was held at the Detroit Yacht Club, right on the water. The amazing photography is by one of our favorites, Heather and Grayson of Jagger Photography!
The gorgeous bouquets and boutonnieres were are all made of fabric and tied with rope! Adam’s ring had a rope design on it as well.
We are pretty much in love with these boutonnieres.
These two could seriously be models, don’t you think? Natalie’s eyes are so striking.
Instead of wedding cake, they had Boston Coolers–vanilla ice cream and Vernor’s Ginger Ale. Sounds yummy and looks adorable as well!
Donna and Sean had a country wedding at Marriott Ranch in Virginia. You can tell that they put so much time and love into their special day, everything was done so beautifully. We are going to apologize ahead of time for this long post, it is so wonderful that we just couldn’t cut anything out!
Jodi Miller is an amazing photographer and really out did herself on this wedding!
We love polka dots, so you can imagine how excited we were when we saw her wedding dress.
They put together a hay bale sitting area…how CUTE!!!
The pillows were handmade out of burlap and scattered throughout the wedding.
Donna and Sean hired a bluegrass band to play at the ceremony.
The cones were handmade out of paper and their families helped make the pom-poms.
A lemonade stand was set up for guests to drink during the ceremony.
Their wedding definitely did not lack directions.
What fun favors – hot sauce and homemade jam.
Donna handmade the cupcake platters using antique shallow bowls, candle sticks and spray paint.
Vendors
Venue/Caterer: The Marriott Ranch, Hume, Virginia
Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Cupcakes: Sally’s Gourmet Cupcakes
Hair/Makeup: Brooke Williams
Britt and Bob’s wedding was held at the 910 Art Gallery. We love how they took cues from the brightly colored walls of the gallery and picked a color scheme to match–grey and yellow, with pops of pink and orange! Melissa of Fresh in Love Photography did a fabulous job of capturing it all.
This wall that Britt and Bob set up was so cute–and it would be super easy to do! It made a great background for photos.
Britt and Bob also brought along balloons–another super easy and affordable prop that added a lot to the bridal party photos!
Thanks Melissa for sharing this sweet wedding with us!
Today we’re sharing a lovely aqua and red wedding, captured by Heather H Photography. Caitlin and Rob were married at The Cates House in Alabaster, Alabama.
We love the pops of red in the bridesmaids’ shoes and Caitlin’s bouquet! Caitlin let her girls pick their own dresses in the “pond” color by Lula Kate. Her dress was a strapless, trumpet style from David’s Bridal.
The flowers were done by Tiffany Robinson of Studio Flower.
The guy’s grey suits were by Calvin Klein, from the Men’s Wearhouse. I love the color coordination and how the poppy red stands out against the grey suits.
At the guestbook table, pictures of Caitlin and Rob were hung with clothespins from a pair of old aqua blue shutters. Instead of just signing their names, guests filled out note cards with their favorite recipes! What a great keepsake for the newlywed couple – they can try cooking the meals together for years later.
We always love a good sparkler send-off!
Thanks Heather for letting us share your photography, and congrats to Caitlin and Rob!
We posted Colin and Erin’s engagement session back in February, so we were thrilled to find their beautiful wedding, shot by Diedre Lynn Photography! These two are so photogenic–it was seriously hard to pick which pictures to share.
The flowers were so beautiful, done by Georgette’s.
The wedding was held at the Eastport Marina Banquet Center.
The next series of photos are our favorites. Colin is totally rocking those suspenders and the two of them look lost in their own world! So beautiful.
Erin is a ballerina; we absolutely love this photo.
Thanks Diedre for letting us feature your gorgeous photography! Check out more of her work here.
You are going to LOVE today’s sweet, happy, color-drenched wedding! Katie Day, the photographer, said on her blog, If I had to pick a theme, I’d call it “pure joy.” Indeed, everything about Tara and Andrew’s wedding makes us smile–and Katie’s photographs capture the day perfectly!
The wedding was held at Pratt Place Inn & Barn in Fayettesville, Arkansas.
The bouquets were wrapped in different brightly colored, patterned ribbons.
Such a fun shoe shot. We love Andrew’s socks.
Katie designed Tara and Andrew’s invitation suite, programs, and signs, all of which we loooove. They even had a custom stamp!
You gotta love that ringbearer outfit (complete with suspenders!) and the poofy flower girl tutus.
Andrew and Tara’s candy bar is one of the best we’ve ever seen–it was put together by Tara’s mother.
They also had sno-cones! So fun.
Andrew and Tara also had a “kids only” table with lots of great activities like coloring books and a personalized I-Spy list.
Thanks so much to Katie for letting us share these photos. To see more, click here!
We are so excited to share today’s wedding with you! Shot by the talented Austin Gros, each and every photo is gorgeous! Colby and Lucy were married on a small farm north of Atlanta.
The boutonnieres and the bridesmaid bouquets were made out of baby’s breath.
For the ceremony, tissue paper pom poms hung from the trees.
Colby and Lucy gave away mix CD’s as favors–an idea we totally love!
Thank you so much Austin for sharing this wedding with us! Congratulations to Colby and Lucy.
Bird of Dog n’ Bird has put together a real treat for us today! Dog n’ Bird is one of our favorite blogs–with perfect little snippets of fresh and unique inspiration, it never fails to put a smile on our faces. Today’s guest post is no exception!
Hello, I’m Bird and I’m delighted to be adding a little guest postage on the always inspirational Love & Lavender! It’s an honor to contribute to such an elegant, well curated blog. Today I’m talking color, or lack thereof. Nude hues are a big trend for 2010. The look is chic, appears high end, and allows for a surprising amount of versatility.
1. Fashionable and flowy in a matching style.
2. Still neutral, but draping and retro flair change the look.
Still neutral, but draping and retro flair change the look.
3. This Two Birds Bridesmaid dress can be worn 15 different ways.
4. The design of the shoe is accentuated by the nondescript color tone.
5. Neutrals are fun here, and eco-friendly with balsa wood flowers in the bouquet.
6. Beautiful and age appropriate junior bridesmaids.
7. Gorgeous to see soft dresses against the texture of a neutral burlap curtain.
Credits: 1. Amanda Kraft via Style Me Pretty 2. Paper + Lace Photography via Green Wedding Shoes 3. Jasmine Star via JL Designs 4. Missy Photography 5. Jason and Anna Ball via our very own Love and Lavender 6. Corbin Gurkin via Style Me Pretty 7. Heather España via Ruffled
We are so happy to be sharing a beautiful wedding today from Sofia of Brancoprata! Sofia and her husband André are an amazing design/photography team from Portugal! Not only are they super talented, but they are so sweet. It is truly an honor to be posting their work on L & L today. Thanks so much Sofia!
Hi, I’m Sofia from Brancoprata and I’m very happy and excited to be here on the amazing Love and Lavender.
Today I would like to share with you a real Portuguese wedding. Hope you like it!
Rute and Raul got married in Braga on July 17th. Since our first meeting we realized that this couple wanted a very pink & sweet wedding without going over the top! Modern, minimalistic, but with a romantic and girlie twist!
Programs and little boxes for petals were distributed during the ceremony.
Every little detail was carefully planned, the invitation design was used throughout the entire stationery and even on the centerpieces where we used some Ikea frames with flowers and candles! Rute loves roses and peonies, so obviously, they were used everywhere! We also included pink dahlias.
Favors were different kinds of plants that each guest could choose from. We didn’t used a guest book, we decided to have cushions were guest could hang their love notes to bride and groom.
As guests arrived at the venue a signature strawberry drink was served!
After dinner everybody sang Happy Birthday to Raul’s brother and afterwords, since it was a perfect Summer night, Rute and Raul cut the wedding cake outside on the balcony with an amazing view over the city and some fireworks.
Finally it was time to dance and these two rock the night away ending the party at 6:35 a.m.
When we left them, they were going to see the sunrise from that same balcony… how romantic is that?
It was a perfect wedding and we will never forget Rute and Raul for their kindness and good mood!!
Vendors
Wedding dress: Rosa Clara
Church: Sé de Braga
Venue, Caterer & Wedding Cake : Sameiro Eventos
Stationery & Decor: Brancoprata (Sofia Ferreira)
Photography: Brancoprata (André Teixeira)
The first thing that caught our eye about Adam and Jordan’s wedding was the shoes. The perfect little yellow shoes with the adorable bows! We would have posted their wedding just for those shoes. Then we read on and discovered their invitations and programs and we fell totally in love. We know you’re going to love this wedding too, captured by Our Labor of Love.
For those of you that love these shoes as much as we do, they’re by Chinese Laundry on Zappos!
We totally adore it when grooms wear socks that have a little personality and go along with the bride.
And now for those paper products we told you about! So Adam’s last name is Jordan, and of course Jordan’s first name is Jordan, so while they were dating there was always the question of whether she would change her last name when they got married. Well…she did!
Believe it or not, earlier on in the day, there was a tornado complete with sideways rain and tornado sirens! But right after the ceremony, the sky cleared up to a beautiful sunset.
Love that last picture. Thanks so much to Our Labor of Love–their photography is always so inspiring!
Today’s wedding is from one of our favorite photographers, Rosie of Simply Rosie Photography. These photos are full of color and love! Kat and Kenny decided to have some photos taken at the Niverville Fair in Manitoba, Canada, and what a great decision that was!
We love the vibrant colors of the fair! What a perfect backdrop.
For favors, Kat and Kenny decided to give each guest a Pic-a-Pop soda pop with the following note:
November 23rd, 2008 He PIC‘s the girl
May 6th, 2009 He POP‘s the question
June 12th, 2010 He’s the luckiest man alive, he’s on top of the world….. well SODA!
With thankful hearts
Kat & Kenny
June 12th, 2010
Thanks Rosie! These are amazing!
We realized it’s been a while since our last ring shot post–and we’ve found some really cute ones to share! We hope you enjoy them and are inspired to grab some little props and get creative with your own ring(s)!
Mmm…s’mores! Love this ringshot from a camping engagement session via The Loveliest Day (plus, isn’t that ring itself gorgeous?)
This one cracks us up! We absolutely adore these rings in their getaway vehicle. Photo by Melissa McClure Photography
We swear, anything looks cuter when paired with an Izze. Photo by Rani Lu.
Scrabble tiles are such an effortlessly adorable prop. Photo by Staci J
The mini broom and groom cake topper is already super adorable–with the rings on top, it’s just too cute for words! via Ruffled.
Last but not least, a sweet and simple ring shot from The Loveliest Day that seems easy to recreate.
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Today’s sweet farm wedding with sunflowers was sent to us by Imthiaz Houseman. It’s full of great details that are completely approachable and doable. We love the bright yellow flower colors used in the bouquets. The lovely reception was held at Brooke’s family barn in Colorado.
Imthiaz said: “Brooke and Seth knew what they wanted for their day and they made it happen. They made their wedding day a family affair because they always put family first. It was laid back and stress free!”
This ringshot is special because Brooke and Seth both wear rings passed down from family members. Seth’s is from his father, who passed away when Seth was ten, and Brooke’s is from her grandmother, who passed away a few years ago.
Since family is so important to Brooke and Seth, they made sure to include their family by pinning up pictures from every generation to decorate the gift table.
The food sounds absolutely delicious. The guests enjoyed ice cream bars, cornbread, and chili from Rainbow Restaurant in Northern Colorado.
The centerpieces were mason jars filled with sunflowers and wheat and tied with raffia, done by Palmers Flowers and Decorating.
Since Seth is a beekeeper, Brooke and Seth gave out little jars of honey as favors.
Brooke and Seth started off their married life with a rainbow! How special is that?
Thank you to Adam and Imthiaz for sharing their photography!
We love all types of weddings from extravagant to simple, huge to small. This wedding definitely falls under the simple and small scale for weddings! Kristin had a dream that they were going to get married in Austin, Texas (even though neither of them had ever been to Austin), and their wedding would be photographed by the talented Paige Newton. Sure enough, both of those things came true! They ended up getting married at the Hotel Saint Cecilia in front a very small audience.
Kristin’s adorable dress was from Dolly Couture.
Brooch bouquets rock our world! They can be made in advance and last forever–this one was made by the talented Amanda Heer.
Don’t you just LOVE Kristin’s shoes?
Paige (the photographer) actually did most of the event styling, putting together some fabulous details with items from around her home and little treasures found at thrift stores!
A big thank you to Paige for letting us feature her gorgeous photography! See more on her blog here.
We know you are all going to love today’s post – a spectacular California vineyard wedding! Liz and Ryan were married at a beautiful winery called Murrieta’s Well in Livermore, California. This vineyard wedding was complete with lots of wine barrels, exquisite bouquets, and absolutely gorgeous scenery.
Proof that mismatched bridesmaids dresses are the best. We love the soft, muted colors of these dresses.
We absolutely LOVE a bride in a chunky statement necklace!
Ryan and his groomsmen looked dapper in suits from Express Men.
Liz was absolutely stunning! Her dress was from Gabrielle’s Bridal Atelier and her hairpiece was by the talented La Boheme.
We love that adorable banner. So cute!
The flowers were done by Wildflower Event Florals, who did such a great job. We especially love that they incorporated balsa wood flowers into the bouquets and boutonnieres.
For their guestbook, Liz and Ryan had a “wedding tree,” which guests left their fingerprints on.
The escort cards were held in wine corks that had slits cut in them. For favors, Liz and Ryan made CDs of their favorite music and hand-stamped the kraft paper cases.
Liz and Ryan (who have known each other since elementary school!) love all things vintage and rustic. For their centerpieces, they collected vintage books and mason jars. Ryan handmade the wood table numbers and the chalkboard signs.
What a beautiful wedding with so many inspiring details! Thanks to Jason and Anna for sharing their lovely photography with us. Click here to see more!
Deidre Lynn blew us away with this wedding! Tyler and Laura’s special day was quaint and whimsical and so perfectly captured in the photographs.
Flowers were provided by Modern Elegance.
When we first saw the bride’s legs we thought they were tattoos – they are actually tights from Anthropologie. The bridesmaid’s dresses are hand-made; the bride’s garter was made by her sister.
Tyler’s grandmother made the centerpieces – check out her work here.
Laura Jean’s dress is from J. Crew.
This whole wedding looks like something out of a dream. We always look forward to material from Simply Bloom Photography. Combining their beautiful photography with this amazing wedding at Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum has really put a smile on our faces. Using touches of real flowers (mostly DIY décor) Fina and Nathan put together this gorgeous event which was held in Austin, Texas.
Photographer’s Comments: “This beautiful eco-conscious bride is known amongst her peers and friends to recycle any type of object with the least bit of potential and transform it into something beautiful and useful! Fina and Nathan were married at the Umlauf Sculpture Center in Austin, TX and their wedding was simply put, a beautiful quirky creation. The yellow and grey colors were soft and stylish. We are serious when we say that, every single little detail was planned with a picturesque feel and consciousness. What we loved most about this event, was that everything about it seemed to shout the bride and groom’s styles and depict who they truly are.”
Love the color palette of the gray dresses with the pale green succulents and the bright yellow billy balls!
Venue: Umlauf Sculpture Garden
We are so excited to share today’s wedding, shot by the talented Kristen Tourtillote. There are so many great details that we know you’re going to love! Meredith and Tommy are both from Annapolis, Maryland and their venue, the Sherwood Forest Clubhouse, is a private golf club where you have to know someone who lives there to book it. Built in the 1920s, Kristen calls it something straight out of Dirty Dancing. A clubhouse for rich businessmen and their families to party at and get drinks during the humid summers.
The bridesmaids all chose their own dresses and shoes–and they worked together beautifully.
We love “first look” moments…so sweet.
Meredith’s dress, from Lex Bridal in Annapolis, was so beautiful! She accessorized it with a pretty sash from J.Crew.
The bowling alley was one of the golf club’s activities. It still had the original pins and balls!
Meredith and Tommy’s program was so personal and unique–we love the idea of sharing your love story rather than just a timeline of events. So much more fun for the guests!
Tommy’s mother and aunt did all the flowers–and they did an amaaaazing job. Meredith’s bouquet was truly stunning.
How much do you love that deer staring them down as they said their vows?
The reception was held in the main dance hall of the golf club. The decor was so lovely–strings of globe lights hung from the rafters, lots of natural light from the big windows, and gorgeous floral arrangements in wooden boxes built by Meredith and her dad!
We also love the Scrabble placecards. Seriously, how great are Scrabble tiles? They are so versatile and adorable.
The lovely cake was made by Fiona’s Cakes.
To get a more in-depth look at Meredith and Tommy’s gorgeous wedding, watch their video, captured perfectly by Monachetti! Make sure you see the dance party at the end.
Today we’re sharing a sweet DIY backyard wedding sent to us by New Orleans photographer Maile Lani. Brandy and Chris met in high school when Brandy came to class late and the only seat left was next to Chris. Seven years later, they got married!
Brandy’s dress was from J.Crew. She also had a second dress–her grandmother’s vintage 1950’s dress that she changed into for the reception.
Brandy’s grandfather pulled his bright red 1957 Chevy into the yard for photos.
The reception space was so beautiful! Brandy used an assortment of vintage china with mismatched cloth napkins and the cutest little white flower napkin rings. She also made colorful bunting banner garlands that she strung up around the tent.
Who would have guessed that sheet cake could be so lovely?
What a sweet wedding with so many great details! To see more, visit Maile’s blog here.
If you’re a succulent fan, you’re going to love this wedding! Annie and Gero have a succulent garden at home and since Gero is something of a “succulent whisperer”, they incorporated them throughout their wedding.
The bouquets and succulent boutonnieres were created by Ann’s Flowers. The stems of Annie’s bouquet were wrapped with one of her mom’s handkerchiefs.
The ceremony and reception were held at The Victorian in Santa Monica.
Gero handmade all the succulent centerpieces which looked amazing. Go DIY groom!
We love the chalkboard markers they used to designate the table numbers.
Instead of a big wedding cake, Annie and Gero had cupcakes with a small two-tier cake for them to cut. The cupcakes, by {love+cupcakes} are so cute!
Thank you to Heidi for sharing this lovely wedding with us! To see more of it, click here!
Vendors
Venue: The Victorian
Photographer: Heidi Ryder
Bouquets and boutonnieres: Ann’s Flowers
Centerpieces: DIY by the Groom
Cake/Cupcakes: {love+cupcakes}
If you thought doilies were just for your grandma, think again! Doilies are being incorporated into weddings in so many fresh and inspirational ways. Let’s take a look at a few below.
1. The Doily Wedding Dress
Who would have thought a bride could do a handmade gorgeous wedding dress like the one pictured on the left. She literally crocheted every single doily! If you love the look of it but don’t have the talent to DIY it, Lela Rose makes a lovely dress that looks like it’s covered in crocheted doilies too.
2. Doily Decor
There are a million ways to use doilies in your decor–these are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing: garlands, table runners, and napkin rings.
3. Doily Dessert
On the left, the entire wedding cake design is inspired by doilies. On the right, doily cupcake wrappers are so incredibly easy to DIY!
4. Doily Accessories
Some ideas for doily accessories include a clutch, a DIY ring pillow, and earrings!
5. Doily Wedding Paper Ideas
You can use cloth or paper doilies to add texture and prettiness to your save the dates, invitations, envelope liners, placecards, and favor boxes.
Stacy and David’s wedding took place in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and it’s absolutely gorgeous! Bright pops of sunny yellow color go perfectly with the otherwise classic black and white suits, bridesmaid dresses, cake, and decor.
The venue was the Whitney Oaks Golf Club and the photos were captured perfectly by Kate Harrison.
Stacy and David had a sunny yellow color scheme with classic black accents. Paper lanterns hung on the chairs added a pop of color to the ceremony site.
We love the bridesmaid’s ruffly applique dresses!
We’ve seen a lot of different props in engagement sessions and weddings, but Chris and Heidi pretty much take the cake! They had an airplane at their wedding! These photos, by Carl Zoch, are all so amazing.
The wedding venue was the Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City.
The composition of the photo above is simply amazing.
Aviator sunglasses were a perfect accessory!
We love that bouquet, and the bright and cheerful paper lanterns decorating the ceremony space below.
Instead of throwing rice or blowing bubbles, the guests threw little airplanes at the bride and groom as they made their way back down the aisle–tying in perfectly with their aviation themed wedding.
And the best part is, Chris and Heidi’s getaway vehicle was the airplane!! How awesome is that?
What a fun wedding! Thank you to Carl for sharing his photography with us.
We thought we’d give a little attention to the bridesmaids today. Hideous bridesmaids dresses have been the butt of wedding jokes for years, but they don’t have to be! Here are some of our favorite ideas for bridesmaids attire that we would actually like to wear!
Bridesmaid Attire Inspiration
1. Patterned Dresses
Bridesmaid dresses don’t have to be solid colors! They look adorable in patterns, as proved by this bridal party and this one.
2. Skirts and Tops
Bridesmaid dresses don’t even have to be dresses! These bridal parties (by Rebekah Westover and Style Me Pretty) look chic in skirts and tops.
3. Cardigans
One of our all-time favorite ideas is different colored cardigans, like this awesome bridal party.
4. Mismatched Dress
Whoever said that bridesmaid dresses have to match? As long as the color and length stay the same, it looks fabulous to let your bridesmaids wear different dresses that reflect their different personalities. Images via Savvy Soirees and Heather Saunders.
5. Cowboy boots
We pretty much love the idea of bridesmaids in cowboy boots! They make for adorable pictures, as shown by this bridal party and this one.
We hope these ideas inspire you to break out of the “bridesmaid dress” mold. We promise you (and your bridesmaids) will be glad you did!
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This turquoise and red wedding is full of absolutely stunning details, including one of our favorite color schemes! Katherine O’Brien did such a wonderful job capturing Cindy and Mario’s big day.
The venue was a picturesque property called Texas Old Town.
Rosehip Flora did an amazing job with the bouquets and boutonnieres, as well as the bird’s nest displays that decorated the ceremony.
We are total suckers for anything with succulents, and we especially love the contrast of the bright red flowers with them!
The chuppah was made from Cindy’s mother’s wedding veil, which made it extra special.
The birds and red flower theme carried over into the reception centerpieces, with mason jars full of lovely arrangements and more adorable little bird’s nests.
The escort cards were miniature pecan pies with the guests names and table assignments tied to them. Vintage alphabet cards in turquoise frames designated the tables.
Photobooths always add so much extra pizazz (especially ones with silly props). It’s fun to see the guests’ personalities come out!
Thanks Katherine for letting us feature this lovely wedding! There are many more photos on her blog, so click here if you want to see more!
In the case of wedding festivities, the traditional saying ‘the calm before the storm’ is often quite the opposite! Your actual wedding may feel a bit stormy, in the sense of planning every detail and making sure things go smoothly.
The good news: you have the calm part to look forward to by taking a relaxing honeymoon with your new spouse.
This article is about making it more stress free when planning your amazing honeymoon outfits.
Whether you’re a detail-oriented type of guy or gal, or someone who leaves everything to the last minute, our essential guide is sure to have you on the airplane with minimal time and effort. So relax, take a big exhale, and get ready for a romantic and peaceful honeymoon with your new spouse.
Amp up the Honeymoon Romance
After the positive and negative “stress” of a wedding, couples need some quiet downtime as newlyweds. Although my husband and I enjoy all types of travel, for our honeymoon we knew that we wanted to just relax and have nothing to worry about. We selected an all-inclusive package at a resort in Tahiti, where we planned to swim up to bars, sip Margaritas, and float in clear turquoise waters.
Packing for Tropical Climates
The advantage to tropical climate packing is that you don’t have all the bulk and weight, since you won’t be needing many warm sweaters, coats, or boots. Although you will have more space, packing can become a bit of an art form since you’ll want to stay under the standard weight requirement (see our tip below on carry-ons).
The great news?
With a few key versatile pieces you can have dozens of outfit options and everything you need – whether you’ve got a week or a month to honeymoon!
Other Types of Honeymoons
If you’ve decided on another type of honeymoon don’t panic! We’ve got a comprehensive guide to packing for all types of honeymoons here. Alright, let’s get down to business. You bought your tickets, chose your accommodation and are setting your mind into honeymoon-mode.
Tip: if you haven’t finished the planning we shopped around several sites but mainly used Expedia and Hotels.com to book some amazing deals.
Make a Packing List
My suggestion is to grab a pen and blank piece of paper while you read this article. Yes, you can do this step now even if your honeymoon is months away.
Make a numbered list of what you will pack, with some ideas from this guide along with other packing guides. It will become clear what you already have and what you need to acquire.
There may be some items that you want to order online that could take from a few days to a couple of weeks to arrive. We hear you asking, “But, why pack super early when I may use certain items before I go, especially at the wedding?”
This list doesn’t mean you have to put anything in a suitcase, but you’ll leave yourself a lot more prep time and far less stress at wedding time if you only need to gather and place in the bag rather than have to choose! We want to make this list as practical as possible, not only to save you time and money, but to make sure you have essential items that you will use over and over again.
Of all things, we know firsthand the investment that is made in “everything wedding,” and it only makes sense you get the most bang for your buck. I like to own carefully selected items that have style, value, and function all in one. Quality may come at a higher price initially, but the value provided over the years does payoff. You will notice several items in our list that can be re-used from your wedding for your honeymoon.
Baggage: Go Small or Stay Home
We’re all about the carry-on bags. Nowadays, with airlines charging expensive fees for bags and extra weight, and the common occurrence of missing luggage, save yourself the potential trouble!
If you’re in the market for some amazing new travel gear or want to put it on your registry, we’ve done all the research and compiled our favorite luggage here. Honestly, among bigger ticket purchases like a mattresse or home coffee machine, luggage is a place where a little extra investment goes a long way.
Without further a-do, here’s our carefully selected, head-to-toe, carry-on sized list that will have you looking smokin’ hot for all of those Insta shots … as well as for your new spouse!
Honeymoon Outfit Accessories
1) A Squishy Straw Fedora
by BP.
Hats can be the type of accessory whose trend changes almost every season, with one exception: the fedora!
Fedoras tend to be more classic and last style-wise, not making you look so last year. Better yet, some fedoras such as the one pictured are squishable, meaning you can save yourself the trouble of wearing it on the plane or it coming out of your suitcase totally warped.
Come on’ people – a squishee hat!
I bought this hat as an investment piece – it’s the only one I own – and trust me, it has already paid for itself several times over!
2) A Big Floppy Hat
by LuckTen
There’s nothing that shouts I’m on holiday and ready to lounge in the sun with a glass of fizz louder than a big, floppy hat.
Whether you’re picnicking, adventuring or honeymooning poolside, an oversized hat will keep you cool while making you feel like an international woman of mystery. Can you picture yourself walking along the surf, dangling your hat in one hand and holding on to your hubby with the other?
Do yourself a favor and grab a floppy hat for that snapshot moment!
3) Folding Wayfarer Sunglasses
by Ray-Ban
Continuing on the theme of accessories that tend to stay on trend, enter RayBan Folding Wayfarer sunglasses. With a tiny and functional twist on the iconic Wayfarer, these beauties are an investment piece for so many reasons. Great eye protection, a style that flatters just about everyone, and particularly great for travel since they fold up to a tiny palm-sized case.
No products found.
For more on this particular pair check out our review here.
4) Reversible Faux Leather Tote & Wristlet
by Street Level
I love a simple, classic over-sized purse when I travel. This way, I have extra space to carry a small laptop or tablet, scarf or sweater, snacks, phone and earbuds, and any other essential items for the plane. Plus, if I’ve stuffed my carry-on, there’s usually room in my large purse for any extra necessities.
Stylish, yet functional. You’ll notice this theme will become a pattern. I recommend this one by Street Level for the following three reasons.
- It is reversible for two-looks-in-one
- It comes with a wristlet to keep cards and phones secure
- Although it looks like leather, it’s vegan so no animals were hurt in its production!
5) Crossbody Day Bag
by Baggallini
Got a full on, super fun itinerary planned for your honeymoon celebrations? Get prepped with a safe, secure and easy to carry crossbody bag to store all your essentials.
Ok, this isn’t what you want to wearing when you’re out for romantic cocktails. It IS a bag that’s going to come in really handy when you’re exploring historical highlights or bustling markets. Keep all your essentials tucked away inside and you’ll be able to keep your mind where it belongs – on the fun new things you’re experiencing together.
Honeymoon Jewelry
I pondered this one for a while, but realized that jewelry is one thing I love to collect as a souvenir. In Tahiti, of course, I bought pearls. Nowadays I don’t like traveling with expensive items so I stick with my wedding band/engagement ring and a simple pair of inexpensive earrings. The rest I pick up to take home with me as a memory!
Honeymoon Outfit Tops
6) Leather Moto Jacket
by Madewell
You might be wondering why on earth one would bring a jacket to a place where you’re going to be soaking up the sun and cooling off in the ocean. Well, there are bound to be moments where it gets a bit on the cooler side.
A moto or denim jacket is a stylish yet functional piece. It will go with jeans, leggings and even over a maxi dress at night. This is a standard part of my in-transit outfit since I always feel like an icicle on an airplane.
7) Cozy Cardigan
by UGG
Although you may be honeymooning in a tropical climate, it can really cool off at night. And besides a jacket, you’ll want to have a couple of warm items for air-conditioning. This cardigan by UGG is the ultimate in cozy.
8) Active Wear Tee
by Zella
Pack at least two t-shirts in your suitcase, among your long-sleeves and tanks. Choose one that can work for a variety of purposes. I love this Zella tee because it can be used for day-to-day outfits and it’s also an activewear item for yoga classes or scenic hikes.
9) Tank & T-Shirts
A tank top is probably the one item besides a swimsuit (and underwear obviously) that I use on a daily basis while on vacation. Tank tops are lightweight and easy to pack, wash, and dry. So you can afford to take four of them along no problem!
I always take tanks that are loose, soft and comfortable yet stylish. This cute custom tank by Before The I Dos keeps it beachy and fun with the custom detail. Again, think versatile. A tank like this can be easily layered under a moto jacket with jeans/leggings or on its own with cutoffs over a bikini. Check out this Honeymoon Vibes t-shirt. It’s pretty cute too!
Honeymoon Swimsuits
Even though one swimsuit would probably suffice, I’m a two to three swimsuit packer. I figure, why not take a few options – two bikinis (sporty and stylish), and one to two one-pieces. Like the tanks, they weigh almost nothing and are tiny to roll up. Plus, if you’re headed to a beach resort, you can be sure this will basically be your uniform for the week.
10) High Waist Vintage Style One-Piece
Retro swimwear is back in a big way. Not only are one-pieces and bodysuits having a big moment, but high-waisted, full coverage suits are everywhere. I adore this suit by Swimsuits for All, reminiscent of the days of Marilyn Monroe. Flattering, sexy and right on trend, this is going to look great in photos.
11) Honeymoon Worthy One-Piece
by Becca
If you’re not into the retro or super trendy stuff, this one-piece is an amazing alternative that channels “Just Married” vibes. An ultra-feminine, romantic, lace print with an underwire to keep you feeling supported and gives off a flattering look whether you’re curvy or boy-shaped.
A great bonus is that this can double as a bodysuit in an outfit under cutoffs or jeans.
12) String Bikini
by J. Crew
What’s a beach holiday without at least one show off piece of swimwear? This will take up next to no room in your luggage, but it will make a big impact on the beach. Feel flirty and fun in a sweet, string bikini.
13) A Bathing Suit Cover-up
by VIX SWIMWEAR
If your swimwear will be on the skimpy side, it’s always a good idea to pack a cool cover up. Something elegant like this red number is perfect for slipping on after a dip in the pool and will have you feeling cocktail-ready in no time.
A kaftan is another no fuss option if you don’t want to muss your hair.
Honeymoon Dresses
14) A Maxi Dress
by LOVEAPPELLA
A maxi dress is still an essential vacation item in my mind. The maxi has been around for a while and isn’t going anywhere trend-wise. It’s the perfect item to have on hand for romantic dinners, elegant photos, and as an added bonus, it’s loose, cool and comfy.
I love the simplicity and ease of this maxi dress that comes in five colors and will still be totally on trend this time next year.
OR
A Convertible Dress
by Etsy: FashionDesignsStore
Alright, if there’s one piece that you invest in from this post, I’m putting in a plug right now for this Convertible Wrap Dress. Over 8 different looks in one dress! That’s 8 days of your vacation you can have a different outfit while packing ONE thing!!
15) A Romper
by Fraiche by J
Set off for long walks or shopping trips feeling footloose and fancy free in a super stylish romper. It’s the perfect daywear, and this particular little number is smart enough for dinner too. Looks perfect with strappy sandals or colourful sneakers and will help you stay chill even on the hottest days.
16) A Going Out for Dinner Dress
You’ll want to pack at least one fancy dinner dress, too. This gorgeous plunge-neck creation is a brilliant choice and it comes in your choice of eight colors. Some seriously timeless styling means it won’t be dating any time soon.
Honeymoon Lingerie & PJs
17) Sweetheart Robe
by Silkandmore
Here’s the perfect chance to get even more use out of some of your wedding purchases. If you wore a robe or kimono for wedding day morning makeup/hair preparations, pack it. I can guarantee you’ll use it on your honeymoon too.
Whether you want to layer it over some gorgeous lingerie, pull it on after the shower, or wear it as a bikini coverup, it will come in handy. Plus, chances are it is made out of lightweight, very packing-friendly fabric like this super soft and silky robe by Silkandmore.
18) Lingerie
Although lingerie isn’t a heavy item to pack, I don’t think it’s necessary to go totally overboard. One or two cute, sexy pieces will work, along with a few pairs of nice underwear and bras.
I bought one of these babydolls and get a surprising amount of wear out of it, even outside of vacation and special occasions. It’s comfortable, cool on hot summer nights, and as a bonus, makes you feel super sexy when you slip it on.
19) Basic PJ Set
by Eberjey
A cute little PJ set like this one from Eberjey makes me feel flirty, fun, and oh-so-relaxed. It’s soft and comfy and ideal for lounging around, yet also flattering enough to make sure you’ll still feel the honeymoon vibes.
20) Underwear
by Amazon
My sister-in-law first told me about these several years ago and hyped them up so much I had to check them out. Let me just say, they did not disappoint! If you’re hesitant about the price, I get it. However, let me tell you these were a game-changer. They are the only underwear I’ve worn ever since I put them on the first time. They have lasted in the washer (I’ve also put them through the dryer by accident on many occasions), through intense workouts, and I love the fact that they are uber-comfy while also being sexy.
An added bonus is that you can match them with a lacy bra for double-duty as lingerie. Thongs aren’t your thing? Their Vikini style and Boy Shorts will equally rock your world.
21) Drawstring Linen Pants
by Free People
Although technically these should go under the pant category, I’m going to include them here because this is another double-duty item. These linen pants are pajama worthy with a drawstring and super lightweight fabric, yet totally acceptable as pants during the day.
Pull them on over your swimsuit as you return from the pool or beach and they’ll dry in no time.
Honeymoon Bottoms
22) Cuttoff Denim Shorts
by 501
Remember your absolute favorite, worn-to-death, pair of Levi’s 501s?
Well, they are still every bit as good now as they were back in the day. I suggest taking at least one pair of denim shorts, they’ll go with every one of your tops, and they are the perfect thing to pull on over your swimsuit. Really, what can beat a classic pair of Levis?
If you’ve never owned a pair, it’s time you entered the world of 501s. Enough said.
23) The Ankle Skinny Jeans
Normally I wouldn’t recommend taking many (if any) pairs of jeans since they can be bulky and heavy. BUT, I’m going to make an exception because I have often worn one pair on the plane in transit. That is … if you plan to forgo the just married matching honeymoon outfits!
These are my go-to pair for several reasons.
- Current/Elliot has been dominating the denim scene in recent years with their looks-good-on everyone cuts.
- They’re more like jeggings – plenty stretchy and totally comfy, and of course easy to pack when rolled.
- Not only do they feel amazing they look even more amazing.
A bit on the pricier side. Worth it? Totally.
24) High Waist Moto Legging
by ALO
Hands down, I recommend packing at least one pair of leggings. They are easy and light to pack, and if you play your cards right you can use them for dressing up AND being active. These Moto leggings by Alo are the perfect example. They have details that make them look super dressy under a tunic with heels, but are also made for playing sports and practicing yoga.
Honeymoon Footwear
25) Honeymoon Flip Flops
I think these are absolutely adorable! They’ll certainly make sure you’re celebrating your big day with every single step. Let the world (well, your fellow beachgoers, at any rate) know just how happy you are with a pair of personalised flip flops – the perfect way to make this holiday staple extra special.
26) The Perfect Ballet Travel Flats
by Tieks
Ballet flats are a favorite go-to shoe. They look brilliant with basically everything and are a real treat when you’ve been in heels all day.
And, what could be better when you’re packing your honeymoon bags than flats that fold up into a teeny tiny package. For more on this particular pair of Tieks check out our review here.
27) From Wedding to Honeymoon Sandal
If you invested in a pair of comfortable shoes for your reception (like the Tieks above), now’s the time to get more use out of them. I purchased a pair of Valentino Garavani similar to the ones pictured, and I was so satisfied that I now bring them on every vacation — even colder climates if I’m going to be in a hotel.
I particularly like this style that wraps around the ankle. Not only do they have classic Valentino comfort, they are stylish enough to wear to dinner disguised as fancy sandals vs flip flops.
28) A Light Weight Pair of Sneakers
by Zappos
If you’re anything like me, there’s a time when comfort comes pretty high on your list of ‘must haves’. I love looking swish as much as the next person but sometimes you’ve got to treat your feet right. These classic sneakers from Converse are just the ticket. I personally prefer the clean white ones without the signature stripes. They’re super comfy even on long walks, they’re nice and light for packing, and they’re just sleek enough to keep your wardrobe on the right side of stylish.
29) A Casual Pair of Sneakers
by Toms
Whenever I travel, regardless of the destination, I wear a pair of comfortable yet stylish casual sneakers. Normally they are part of my airplane outfit, but sneakers like these ones by Toms are so lightweight they’ll also fit in a carry-on no problem. I love that these ones have a beachy vibe, and as a double bonus – they’re vegan!
30) A pair of Heels
Sensible shoes are a must have for any holiday, but a honeymoon needs a little special something. A good pair of chunky heels like this are high in the glamour stakes as well as practical for lengthy evening walks to and from the hotel.
Honeymoon Extras
31) Personalized Honeymoon Luggage Tags
It is likely the first time you’re traveling together as a married couple. So take full advantage of this momentous trip with some seriously cool and understated luggage tags
You never know, a member of the cabin crew might just notice your new status and give you a little special treatment. These are a cute buy that you’ll be able to use again and again.
32) Honeymoon Sand Holder Keepsake
by Etsy: PointerCreatives
There’s a good chance you’ll find lots of lovely mementoes no matter where you’re honeymooning, but why leave it to chance? Bring this nifty little glass bottle with you and you’re guaranteed you’ll be brining home something special to commemorate your travels.
Scoop up the sand on a romantic walk and be sure to share lots of meaningful kisses along the way.
So there you have it. Mix and match these items to fit in a carry-on bag, and I can almost guarantee you a month’s worth of different outfits. Honeymoon outfits that are both of excellent quality and versatile are always a good idea for travel and just in general to own.
Capsule wardrobes have been exploding recently, due to their simplicity and ease – making decisions easier and saving time. Think of this as your capsule honeymoon wardrobe – essential items that will work together for many options, yet not weigh you down. You’ll have absolutely everything you could want and need, and feel much lighter, satisfied, less stressed and so much better for it.
We would love to hear from you. Is there anything not on this list that is an essential for you when planning a romantic getaway? Let us know in the comment section below!
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One sweet trend that we’ve noticed is having a big wedding dessert table to supplement (or replace) a traditional wedding cake. First let’s take a look at some of our favorite unique dessert table ideas.
And then stay tuned for later in the article where we look at a pretty pink dessert table styled shoot!
Dessert Table Ideas
1. Vintage Drawer Dessert Table
We love the setup of this table from Style Me Pretty.
Stacked vintage drawers house treats like apple turnovers and doughnuts…yum!
2. Chic White Vanity
This dessert table from Bride Scouts is one of our all-time favorites.
First of all, those empty white frames and the gorgeous vanity are perfection. Second of all, she did the entire thing for $40–every single treat on it was from the grocery store!
3. Artwork Inspired Dessert Table
The inspiration for your dessert table can come from anywhere – even a piece of artwork!
We love this Thiebaud inspired cake spread, by Kate Harrison. Seriously, how cool is that?
4. Giant Balloon Dessert Table
A post on dessert tables would not be complete without a work by Amy Atlas, who is pretty much the queen of dessert tables!
We especially like this one. Big balloons are such a simple (and affordable) way to add some drama and height to your spread.
5. Ice Cream Bar Dessert Table
We absolutely love the idea of an ice cream bar, and how cute is this one?!
The girls of Eat Drink Chic provide detailed instructions for how to pull this off and even have templates for all the cute labels!
6. Bookshelf Dessert Table
We never would have thought of putting desserts on a bookshelf but it’s such a great way to display them, especially with cute wallpaper in the background.
7. Mossy Tree Dessert Table
This is so well styled, from the moss on the table, to the wooden cake base, to the little bird sitting on the nest of robin’s egg blue macaroons!
8. Winter Wonderland Dessert Table
We love the way the girls of adorable winter wonderland table that they put together: “Like a sugar-coated forest, this magical dessert table features such delicious delights as red velvet candy cane cakesicles sprinkled with peppermint, fluffy red velvet cake sandwiches and piles of fluffy white snowballs.”
Sounds delicious!
Pretty Pink Dessert Bar
We love desserts! So when we saw this beautiful dessert table styled-shoot we immediately wanted to share it with you all. Not only do the sweets look super yummy, but the team of talented Texas vendors put together a gorgeous table setting too!
We love all the cute labels for the desserts!
The table is so elegant! We love the color scheme, and the chair accents are the perfect touch.
Vendors
Photographer: Catie Ronquillo
Event designer: Ebony Peoples
Baker: Deceitfully Sweet
Graphic designer: Doodle Dog Advertising
Florist: Haute Floral
Today, we want to share more budget-conscious ideas with a beach wedding on a budget. There is nothing more romantic than a wedding at the beach! If you go through your city’s parks department, you should be able to reserve a stretch of beach for a lot less than a typical “wedding venue,” and you’re guaranteed to have a beautiful backdrop for all your pictures! For this inspiration board, we envisioned a fun and laid-back 1950’s beach-party-inspired affair.
Last week we shared our ideas for a backyard wedding on a budget – click here if you missed it.
Beach Wedding on a Budget – Essentials
The Decor
We envision a big white tent on the beach with bunting banners draped across it. The tables would have simple, casual centerpieces of mason jars and vintage bottles filled with bright, cheerful flowers. Mason jars can be purchased for $1/jar or less, and you can find vintage bottles fairly inexpensively at thrift stores and antique stores. You could even save wine bottles for an even more budget-friendly approach.
The Food
Barbecue is perfect for a summer beach wedding. It’s casual, delicious, and it won’t break the bank! Trader Joe’s sells mini hamburger patties and mini buns that would be perfect along with chips. Old-fashioned soda bottles are a must for the 50’s inspired beach wedding. If you’re looking to save money, you could follow this DIY tutorial on how to make your own soda out of generic brand soda water. It even includes downloadable templates for adorable retro labels!
The Dessert
Ice cream cones and a spread of delicious cakes and pies would take the place of a tiered wedding cake. You could challenge your friends and family to a bake-off and have them each bring their signature baked good. Stick little flags into each dessert with the name of baker. Then, have everyone vote on the best dessert! At the end of the night, we imagine a beach bonfire and s’mores. You can make cute little s’mores packets as your favors by simply repackaging graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, all of which are very inexpensive. If you need inspiration, here is a tutorial.
The Fashion
Going with our 50’s inspired theme, what immediately jumped to mind for the bride’s dress was something short with a poofy skirt–which is perfect for the beach, because it won’t drag in the sand and get dirty. Stephanie James and Dolly Couture are two great places to look for short vintage-inspired wedding dresses. For the bridesmaids, pick something bright and cheerful that they will actually wear again, like this cute little number (on sale!) from Anthropologie.
The Details
Make ribbon wands for guests to wave at you as you head back down the aisle or as you depart. Provide frisbees and volleyballs for fun and games on the beach–some of the more adventurous guests may even jump in the water! A bonfire with s’mores would end the evening perfectly.
The Invitations
We designed our bunting banner invitation suite with this board in mind–and to help you stay on budget, it’s free!
Image Credits: Soda pop captured by Meg Perotti, Mini burgers captured by Welovepictures, Yellow dress captured by Jagger Photography, Smores captured by Kat Bevel Photography, Beach vases captured by Best Photography, Chip bags captured by Mary Banducci Photography, Tent
and bunting captured by Photographers: Modern Hearts, Camp Fire captured by James Besser, Mason Jar captured by Amanda Thiessen,
Photography, Car captured by Maile Lani, Wedding gown captured by Aubrey Joy, Drift Wood Sign captured by Danielle Gillett Photography, Ice cream captured by Amanda Lloyd Photography.
Today’s wedding took place in the ghost town of Grapetown, Texas. Jonathan and Cameron chose the location because they had often passed by it on a 60 mile loop that they cycled on the weekends.
Jonathan and Cameron designed a poster for their invitations that included information like the history of Grapetown, a map, their wedding website, and what attire to wear. We love the idea of doing posters instead of traditional invitations. They totally set the tone for the fun, western-style wedding that this was!
Of course, no western style wedding would be complete without a pair of cowgirl boots to walk down the aisle!
Jonathan and Cameron handmade their ceremony backdrop–a Maypole with orange and blue flags stapled to ribbons.
For the food, the couple kept everything local — Texas beer, Hill Country wine, and a Tex-Mex brunch of brisket tacos and quesadillas (yum!).
If you’re loving the font that they used in all their paper goods, it’s called Rosewood and it’s available to download here.
The favors were bars of soap, handmade by the bride. She labeled them “Smithdish,” a combination of their last names Smith and Standish, and called them “Cedar Fever.” With a mix of olive, canola, safflower, coconut, juniper, lavender, and sage oils with hill country juniper berries and needles, they sound amazing!
The reception/dance hall was decorated with paper lanterns and lots of posters!
For the guestbook, guests signed the mat of a framed poster.
We totally want to be guests at a wedding like this! With entertainment like bocce ball, horse shoes, and swing dancing, we are sure that everyone had lots of fun.
For dessert, there were cupcakes on a galvanized metal stand complete with a “Day of the Dead” topper.
What a fun wedding! Thank you to Katherine for sharing her beautiful photography.
Vendors
Photographer: Katherine O’Brien
Florist: Dodds Nursery, Fredericksburg
Officiant: Reverend Leigh Rawlings
Band: Miss Leslie and her Juke Jointers
Caterer: Cartwheels Caterers
Dress: Priscilla of Boston
A unique ceremony backdrop is designed to frame the scene of your wedding ceremony, tying in with your theme and turning every photo into a perfectly curated shot. Selecting the perfect backdrop can elevate your wedding photos from cute and kitschy to professional and elegant.
Ceremony backdrops are excellent for tying your theme in with your ceremony space and narrowing the focus of your audience (and the camera). For example, if your ceremony is taking place on a beach or in a garden it is easy for your nuptials to be overtaken by the sand and the surf, or the expansive foliage. A structured backdrop helps offset a busy background (no matter how beautiful it may be!) and brings the attention back to you.
Whether you are opting for a boho backyard bash or a refined evening gala, there is a ceremony backdrop out there for you! We’ve collected our top picks of versatile backdrops, from beachy macrame to flowery arches. Which one would look picture-perfect at your venue?
Wedding Ceremony Backdrop Ideas
1. Macrame Wedding Backdrop
by Etsy: TheHousePhoenix
This macrame backdrop by TheHousePhoenix will add a warmth to your vows that will perfectly exemplify the creation of your new life together. Perfect for a smaller, rustic themed wedding, this is a great fit for an outdoor or barn ceremony. This backdrop is also totally timeless – not too flashy, not too trendy but always pretty and forever sweet!
2. Triangle Wedding Arch
by Etsy: StylishBrideAccs
Truly a boho bride’s dream, this strikingly minimalistic triangular backdrop looks like it has been pulled straight out of a magazine! The clean geometric lines give it a truly high fashion feel, while the textured wood adds the perfect dash of hippie flavor. Add your favorite flowers, palms, or decorative feathers to make it truly one-of-a-kind!
3. Hexagonal Metal Arch
by Etsy: EfavormartBoutique
It’s hard to believe that something so simple would have such an impact on your wedding day aesthetic but there is no denying that this round metal arch has a feminine and romantic feel perfect for anyone’s big day! We just love the versatility of this piece. It is the perfect choice for any theme – indoor or outdoor, rustic or modern, large or intimate, this pick will make the perfect addition to your wedding day décor!
4. Pergola Arbor
by LeJoy Garden
The best thing about this wedding arch by LeJoy Garden? Easy. It’s the potential! If you’re looking to create a wedding backdrop that is tailor-made for you and your taste, then this is the perfect place to start. Consider it a blank canvas! It is light weight and easy to assemble meaning you can set it up and dress it yourself, ensuring you’ll get to make it look exactly like you want it to!
5. Artificial Flower Garland
by Dearhouse
Whimsical, romantic, and classically sweet, this floral wisteria and garland arch is a no hassle and surprisingly affordable way to add some picturesque, natural beauty to a wedding of any theme or size. Leave it as is for simplistic, classic look or add personal touches like brightly colored artificial flowers or fairy lights for a an extra bit of pizazz!
6. Floral Copper Pillars
by Etsy: PishPoshLove
Simple yet unique, eye-catching yet subtle, and decadent yet dainty, these arched floral pillars put a modern twist on the ever-so popular and always fashionable floral archway. As demonstrated perfectly on the PishPoshLove Etsy page, these pillars are just as effective in a polished, upscale wedding venue as they are in the middle of a perfectly lit garden or country-fide barn setting! Whether you cover it in natural greenery or brightly colored roses, this is a truly beautiful piece that will look just as beautiful in photos as they do in person!
7. Draping Fabric Over Birch Arch
Draping fabric is a really simple yet effective way to give your big day the ethereal and out of this world feeling that you’ve always dreamed of! We love the idea of pairing these beautifully colored drapery panels by Ling’s moment with this rustic birch arch by blueskies forever. The juxtaposition of the pastel, youthful, and fairytale-esque fabric with the natural texture of the birch wood will make your backdrop truly unique!
8. Tapestry
by Etsy: BlushingDrops
This is the perfect piece if you’re looking to add a bit of personalization to your wedding ceremony scene! Showcase the lyrics of the song that played on your first date, a verse from the poem you shared on your first Valentine’s Day, or even a personalized message to your loved ones in the crowd. Either way, this beautifully minimalistic tapestry is an amazing pick that will make your wedding aesthetic all your own!
9. Giant Paper Flowers
by Etsy: PolyankaDesigns
Bright, colorful, and totally eye-catching, these large paper flowers by Etsy seller PolyankaDesigns are the perfect background pick for an outdoor or garden ceremony. We love these because while they pull from the traditional floral patterns so often found in wedding décor, they have a really youthful flair that make them a great fit for your modern and trend-setting day!
10. Artificial Vines
by Yatim
Whether you are looking to set a mystical, tropical, or ethereal scene, this artificial hanging vine backdrop may be exactly what you are looking for! Trying to capture some Midsummer Night’s Dream vibes? Add some fairy lights with a light scattering of brightly colored flowers. Looking for a more romantic Pride and Prejudice inspired look? Forget a light scatter – go crazy with dramatic, pastel arrangements! Craving something a bit more heavenly? Incorporate some white drapery! Whatever you are trying to achieve, this pick is a really versatile and effective place to start!
11. Green Leaves
by LYWYGG
While similar to the hanging vines listed previously, you may want this green leaves photography background if you’re looking for something a bit more in touch with nature. This is a really no-fuss way to give the illusion that you and your partner are exchanging vows in the fairytale forest of your dreams! Plus, this is literally made to POP in photos, so you can be assured those candid ceremony photos will look bright and polished!
12. Chiffon Curtains
by B-COOL
Simple, feminine, romantic, and undoubtedly timeless, you just can’t go wrong with these chiffon curtains by B-Cool! They look like they were taken right out of a dream and will look just as beautiful on a beach or in a garden as they will in a church or posh wedding venue! The best part though, is that despite looking very expensive, they are actually very affordable! Don’t you just love a bargain?
13. Rustic Wood Arch
by Etsy: EventDecorDirectShop
The perfect pick for a barn or country themed wedding, this wooden ceremony arch is simply to die for! This is definitely one of the pricier options on the list but that clean and crisp wooden stain, impressive craftmanship, and grandiose 7ft height, make this pick worth every penny! Leave it as is for something natural and rustic or dress it up with some drapery for something a bit more feminine either way you’ll feel like country royalty while standing before your loved ones!
14. Storybook
by Etsy: LGCreativeStudios
You’ve finally found your storybook ending, why not make it official in front of the storybook backdrop? We are just suckers for all things idyllic and romantic and this amazing piece by highly rated Etsy seller LGCreativeStudios totally fits the bill! You can even personalize the text with your own love story – how sweet is that?!
15. Flower Wall
by No products found.
No products found.There is no denying it – this hydrangea wall mat is breath-takingly beautiful. I mean who doesn’t want to tie the knot in from of a literal wall flower?! How posh and chic! This also immediately springs to mind all of those decadent wall flowers Kanye West was always gifting Kim Kardashian. You always wanted one and now you can have one too! (RIP in Kimye – those flower wall Instagram posts will be sorely missed).
16. Copper Wedding Chuppah
by Etsy: ACollectionOff
This is the kind of wedding backdrop that everyone is sure to love! (yes, even that one judgemental aunt!) It’s grand, it’s romantic, it’s ethereal, and it’s feminine without being too frilly. It truly does have something for everybody!
17. Crochet Chuppah
by Etsy: LaceNWhimsy
Made for the boho wedding of your dreams, this crochet canopy by highly rated Etsy seller LaceNWhimsy is the perfect for and down-to-earth, outdoor wedding. The canopy itself is handmade, carefully crocheted by shop owner Beverly, which adds a really warm and homey feeling to a day that can easily become overly manufactured and commercialized. Plus, it’s totally reusable which means you don’t have to worry about hurting the environment after only one use! Use it as a table cloth or area rug and voila! You’ve given the piece a whole second life!
18. Curtain Twinkle Lights
by No products found.
No products found.Okay, so this isn’t a particularly unique idea but believe us when we say that twinkle lights are popular for a reason! They add such a beautiful ambience to any wedding day décor and are incredibly versatile, meaning they will make a perfect addition to any wedding day theme! The possibilities are truly endless.
19. Aisle Runner
by Etsy: jcreatescalligraphy
The picture of elegance, this versatile aisle runner looks so sophisticated when hung up as a back drop. It’s unusually thin width looks so simple and sleek! This particular pick can be adorned with your favorite song lyrics, making it a deeply personal addition to your big day!
Real Wedding Backdrop Inspiration
1. A lovely stage designed by the bride
2. A backdrop table filled with flowers
3. A bold and colorful backdrop made by the groom
4. A rustic backdrop with strings of cotton
5. A ceremony arch made with bookcases
6. A fabric backdrop inspired by a circus tent
7. A crystal chandelier hung from an arch made of dried palm fronds
8. A weathered wood structure with built-in vintage windows
Such creative ceremony backdrops floating around the web recently! I mean, how do these brides come up with these ideas?!
Yup, those are paper plates! I love the idea—so budget friendly!
Bright and beautiful! I love how colorful these two backdrops are.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 , 7, 8
There You Have It!
Whether you’re tying the knot on a sandy beach, in a rustic barn, or at a refined country club, a unique wedding backdrop has the ability to tie your theme together and elevate the entire space. Your audience will know exactly where to look, and the beautiful ceremony scene will be framed by a tasteful backdrop designed to set your pictures apart.
When it’s time to make that fateful walk down the aisle, you’ll glimpse the stunning wedding ceremony background and know that the time has come. You’re getting married! And the wedding photos you’ll cherish for years to come will be picture-perfect, thanks to your ceremony backdrop.
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We are so excited to share this gorgeous wedding today! Steven and Allison were married in Johnson City, Tennessee and did a FABULOUS job capturing every detail of their big day. We were shocked to learn that it was his first time shooting a wedding–we are sure we will see a lot more from him in the future!
Allison’s necklace was passed down to her from her family.
We love this shot–she looks so happy!
Allison’s beautiful dress was from JCrew, and so were the bridesmaid’s dresses! We absolutely love seeing bridesmaids in patterned dresses.
We love all of these group shots. Huge bridal parties always look awesome when they’re all lined up–and this group looks particularly fun!
Steven cut all the logs for the centerpieces and Allison collected the mason jars for the tealight centerpieces throughout their engagement.
Love those cute little covered buttons on the back of her dress.
Allison found the bird for the cake topper on Etsy and Steven’s aunt made the wedding cake the traditional New Orleans way–with charms in it! Apparently, it’s a tradition in New Orleans for the unmarried female friends of the bride to simultaneously pull ribbons out of the cake, which have silver charms attached. The charms include a ring, a heart, a thimble, a button, a horseshoe, a clover, an anchor, a dime, and a penny. Each one has a traditional meaning (the ring means next to marry, the heart means true love, the thimble means old maid, etc.). What a fun tradition!
What a sweet wedding this was! Thanks Jamie for sharing these beautiful images!
Need some wedding cake inspiration? We love when an element of the bride’s attire becomes the basis of an entire wedding cake design. Whether it’s a necklace, the material of the dress, or a detail like covered buttons, a sash, or a brooch, we think that using your attire as inspiration is fantastic! Here are some of our favorite ideas.
Necklace via this post, cake via Real Simple
Dress via One Love Photo, Cake via Lovin Sullivan Cakes
Dress via Katy Elliot, Cake via The Knot
Dress via Dog n’ Bird, Cake via Pretty Little Things
Dress via PreOwned Wedding Dresses Cake via Zoe Clark Cakes
Dress via BridalWave, Cake via Maisie Fantaisie
We are so excited to share today’s gorgeous wedding, sent to us by the talented Kristi Wright. Stephanie and Edwin were married at Chapel Dulcinea and the reception was held at the 12 Oaks Ranch in Austin, TX. Stephanie did an amazing job with all the details!
The welcome sign was made using recycled wood from Stephanie and Edwin’s old fence–love it!
The gorgeous flowers were done by Westbank Flower Market.
Stephanie and Edwin made a book of their engagement pictures and asked guests to sign the pages.
We LOVE the chandeliers hung throughout the reception pavilion.
How cute is that cake topper??
Click here to see more images from this beautiful wedding on Kristi’s blog.
Angela and Kim began with a traditional Cambodian wedding ceremony and then held an American reception. The couple is attired in matching brightly-colored outfits, with opulent gold silk. Traditional Cambodian weddings use gold to represent the couple being royalty.
We think they pulled both the ceremony and reception off beautifully! You can really get a sense of just how much family and heritage meant to Angela and Kim.
Today’s lovely wedding was photographed by Caroline Tran.
Traditional Cambodian Wedding
In Cambodian weddings, there is a knot tying ceremony. However, it’s not the bride and groom who tie the knot. Rather, family members come up and tie red string around the couple’s wrists as a symbol of their blessing.
The clothing is so intricate and beautiful! In the next few photos, you can see the amount of work and detail that go into making both the bride and groom’s stunning gold outfits.
After the ceremony, the guests shower the bride and groom with rice-shaped seeds.
The American reception was held at Kim’s parents’ home in Palos Verdes, CA. What a view!
For favors, Angela and Kim gave out tea bags and little jars of honey. The adorable logo was drawn by Angela’s talented sister! Love it.
Of course, we love the adorable matching ceramic bird cake topper!
Thank you to Caroline Tran for letting us feature her gorgeous photography! To see more of Angela and Kim’s wedding, click here.
After our post on buttons last week we received a wedding full of buttons! We are so excited to share Oz and Elizabeth’s wedding at The Bluffs Country Club, Louisiana. Photographed by the amazing Maile Lani.
Elizabeth had Mrs. Bissing from etsy make her bouquet. Some of the buttons were passed down from Elizabeth’s grandmother.
Elizabeth made all of the bridesmaids bouquets.
The boutineers were made by Cole’s Floral & Garden Design.
Elizabeth and Oz got married at in St. Francisville Louisiana.
The cake was made by Gambino’s Bakery. We love the button details!
It can be hard to know what to do with all your wedding decor after the big day is over. You can always try to sell things, but we like the idea of reusing your wedding supplies as fabulous and meaningful home decor! I think it is great to be able to not only budget-friendly to reuse your decor, but also it’s sweet to be able to keep pieces of your wedding out for everyday use for memory’s sake.
Here are some ideas for how to use popular wedding items in your home.
1. Chalkboards
For the wedding: menu sign via Bride on a Budget
At home: entryway sign via Make Digital, shopping list via Blondie ‘N’ SC
2. Apothecary Jars
For the wedding: candy buffet via Amy Atlas
At home: containers for bath essentials via Pottery Barn, storage for noodles via Apartment Therapy
3. Mason Jars
For the wedding: vases via Elizabeth Anne Designs
At home: sewing kit via Martha Stewart, soap dispenser via Heather Bullard, gift jar via oh, hello friend
4. Vintage Keys
For the wedding: seating chart via Oh Lovely Day
At home: DIY framed keys via Mamie Jane’s, hanging wall art via Pottery Barn
5. Vintage China
For the wedding: place settings via Samantha Luck
At home: wall art via Entertaining with Style, clock via It’s a Jaime Thing
6. Bright and cheerful fabric
For the wedding: hanging as a photobooth backdrop
At home: table cloth and shower curtain via Anthropologie, DIY instructions for shower curtains here.
7. Polaroid Picture Ideas
For the wedding: Have guests take polaroid photos of themselves and pin them onto twine that you’ve strung up, along with notes for the couple.
In the home: Make a heart-shaped collage with the polaroids via Black Eiffel or cover an entire wall with them via Apartment Therapy.
8. Vintage Book Ideas
For the wedding: Stack vintage books on each table as part of your centerpieces, via Green Wedding Shoes
In the home: Bolt stacks of books together to make a stool, via Dezeen (the lamp base is also made out of book pages!), or if that seems too difficult, simply stack the books to make an end table, via Design Esquire.
9. Tea Tin Ideas
For the wedding: Tea tins make adorable vases, via Martha Stewart
In the home: Fill tea tins with wax to make candles via Country Living or turn one into a charming lamp base like this one by iamanie on Etsy
10. Empty Frame Ideas
For the wedding: Frames for photo booth via Kiss the Groom
In the home: Hang them on the wall via Vegreenism or use them to frame objects via Brooklyn Limestone
11. Birdcage Ideas
For the wedding: Hang birdcages above the head table for drama via Ruffled.
In the home: Group them on top of furniture via Apartment Therapy or turn them into charming planters via Just a Little Bit
12. Shutters
For the wedding: Shutters make creative table runners, via Colleen Sherman
In the home: Use the shutters to make an entryway organizer via Martha Stewart or a fabulous shabby-chic headboard via Curbly.
13. Wine corks
For the wedding: Cut slits in wine corks and use them as place card holders, via Libellule Gifts
In the home: Turn the corks into a trivet via Craftynest or make a creative corkboard out of them, like this one from Bed Bath & Beyond.
14. Silverware
For the wedding: Use pretty silverware in your place settings, via Love and Lavender.
In the home: You can still use silverware in place settings of course, but if you have some extra, try making a kitchen clock like this one from Seventh Avenue, or key racks like this one via Design*Sponge!
15. Cake Stands
For the wedding: Use footed cake stands to elevate cakes via Love and Lavender
In the home: Use the cake stands as condiment holders via New England Lifestyle, flower arrangements via Martha Stewart, or candle holders via Real Simple.
16. Wire Baskets
For the wedding: Use a wire basket to hold cards or programs, via Perched on a Whim.
For the home: Use them to light your yard via Brown Turtleneck Sweater, as a mail holder via My Sweet Savannah, or as a fruit basket via Stock Food.
17. Mini clothespins
For the wedding: Mini clothespins make cute and super easy place card holders, via Real Simple
In the home: String some yarn across an empty frame and use the clothespins to clip on pictures, ticket stubs, and cards via Unadventurous Adventures or glue little magnets to the back and use them to organize your fridge, via brionesandco.
18. Wood Slices
For the wedding: We’ve seen so many creative uses for wood slices in weddings. One of our favorite ideas is to use a custom stamp on them to make these adorable rustic save the dates, via Nonpareil!
In the home: use the other side of the wood slice to make a unique clock via Design*Sponge, or use it as a tray for serving food via Martha Stewart Weddings
19. Wood Crates
For the wedding: Use wooden crates to give some height to your dessert table, via Love & Lavender.
In the home: Use the crate as storage for books and magazines via Pottery Barn or stack multiples to make side tables, via Design*Sponge.
20. Yarn
For the wedding: Use a box filled with yarn to display escort cards, via Forget.Me.Knot Weddings
In the home: Besides it’s obvious use (knitting), yarn can be used to make a gorgeous wreath via Etsy, or fabulous (and cheap!) giftwrap via Flickr
21. Drawer Knobs
For the wedding: Eclectic drawer knobs from Anthropologie make a unique bouquet, via 100 Layer Cake.
In the home:Make an old piece of furniture look cuter via Love and Photographs or use drawer knobs as finials for a curtain rod, via Design*Sponge!
Hope this inspires you to put your wedding decor to good use after the wedding is over!
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When we looked at today’s Camarillo Ranch wedding we smiled; it is such a cheerful looking affair with bright pops of green color!
Adam from Embrace Life Photography did a fabulous job capturing Cassie and Jeff’s special day.
Cassie was able to find a pair of green satin shoes that matched perfectly with her color scheme.
This rack of spools is a really cute idea and super easy to make. It makes for a great wall hanging in a home!
Love the groomsmen in their Converse shoes.
This tree makes for an incredible backdrop!
The ceremony and reception were held at the Camarillo Ranch House; a 19th century Queen Anne Victorian house in Camarillo, CA.
Wedding Venue Spotlight: Camarillo Ranch
Originally created as part of an 1837 Mexican land grant that included over 10,000 acres, Camarillo Ranch was purchased by Juan Camarillo in 1875. His son built the Queen Anne Victorian home in 1892 along with the barn and stables at a later date. Today the Queen Anne Victorian style Camarillo Ranch operates as a House Museum, and hosts over 150 private and public events throughout the year.
The 4.5 acre venue consists of multiple areas: a spacious red barn that is ideal for a rustic wedding; a wedding gazebo garden; a themed butterfly garden; a formal Victorian garden; and a garden with large mission-style fountain and rose covered arch.
Capacity: The expansive main Front Lawn with its canopy of historic trees can accommodate up to 600 guests. The East and West Garden areas offer more intimate event venues for 50-250 guests.
Pricing: Packages range from $5000 up depending on day of week (as of November, 2014). Check the Camarillo Ranch wedding website for more details.
Are you the type who hasn’t fallen for the 1930’s wedding ring marketing ploy proclaiming: Diamonds are forever and everyone needs a solitaire?
Or, are you looking for something outside of the box, no pun intended?
This curated post of unique engagement rings for women is for you!
Choosing a Unique Engagement Ring
While there may be some debate around what exactly classifies an engagement ring as unique, in general, unique means the ring isn’t the setting, shape, or color of a traditional ring. So, you won’t be seeing any round-cut solitaires in white gold on this list. Still, there are many ways to choose a unique ring.
While the center stone may still be a white diamond, the cut of the diamond may be different (see some of the emerald cut rings I included below). Or maybe white diamonds are her thing? There are plenty of colored diamonds (the peach ones might just be my favorite) and other types of gemstones — like opals — that make beautiful alternatives.
As far as how to know if a non-traditional ring is the right choice, that’s usually a combination of personal taste and budget. While stones other than white diamonds can be less expensive, they can also cost just as much or more than a traditional stone. But there are options for the budget-minded. The real decider is personal taste, though. Some women (including me) want something a little bit different but totally them. If that’s the case, this is the list for you.
Unique Engagement Rings for Women
1. Design Your Own Ring
There’s nothing quite as special as a custom designed ring. James Allen has so many design options to choose from, you’re sure to find the setting of her dreams. Then, after you find your setting, select your diamond and you have a one-of-a-kind ring she’ll love to show off.
Why I like it:
- Exactly the ring you want
- Every detail is customizable
- It’s a ring that’s uniquely her
2. Morganite Waverly Diamond Ring
I’m pretty sure I just swooned. This ring is the definition of romantic, with the peach center stone surrounded by scalloped pavé diamonds, it’s the sweetest amount of sparkle. The scalloped pavé diamonds also adorn the band making this ring truly spectacular
Why I like it:
- Peach color is exquisite in halo setting
- Detailed yet delicate
Best Morganite Engagement Rings
3. Peach Cushion Morganite Fortuna
Peach might just be my new favorite color. Another option for a pop of color in your ring, this beauty is covered in pavé diamonds. From the gentle curving halo around the cushion cut center stone to the diamonds lining the contemporary split shank band, they’re literally everywhere (can you say sparkle?). If that wasn’t enough, there’s even a row of diamond accents along the bridge. What’s not to love?
Why I like it:
- Literally diamonds everywhere
- The Fortuna band is created just to fit this style
- Peach color is unique yet eloquent
4. Contemporary Entwined Bisou Strands
You don’t need a center stone to have a beautiful engagement ring. This contemporary ring has three diamond encrusted stands entwined to make the band. I love that this ring is memorizing enough to be worn on its own yet it could easily be combined with a second band to start a stack.
Why I like it:
- Can easily stand alone as engagement ring and wedding band
- Looks beautiful as part of a stack
- Low profile design makes for easy wear
5. Sweeping Ivy Diamond Open Ring
If I didn’t love my engagement ring so much, this would be the ring I’d hope for. The glistening diamond encrusted vines look like they’re growing around your finger. But what I really love is the open design — I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Why I like it:
- Open front is stunning
- Vine design gives an earthy vibe
- Vines symbolize your growing love
6. Opal Vintage Prong Gold Diamonds
This Opal ring showcases beautiful color and fire for a classic yet vintage feel. Customize this ring to your preference with your choice of gold and side stones. It’s difficult not to get lost staring endlessly into those vibrant rainbow hues!
Why I like it:
- Opal ring is perfect for vintage style
- Multiple options for side stone shapes
- Doublet opal to create optimum sparkle
Best Unique Vintage Colorful Gemstone Engagement Rings
7. Trillion Cut Morganite
Move over round diamonds, this triangle cut stone is going to stand out in a crowd. If size matters to your special lady (and you know it does), consider a Trillion cut. Compared to a standard round cut gem of the same carat, a trillion cut stone will usually look larger. Besides that, you won’t run across this cut shape often, making this ring choice the perfect option for those looking for top quality uniqueness!
Why I like it:
- Trillion cut makes stone appear larger
- Incredibly detailed setting
- Triangle halo highlights beauty of the center stone
8. Minimalist Art Deco Baguette
When I think of The Great Gatsby, I picture this ring. The art deco design is reminiscent of decades past. This style may appeal to minimalists, but it has an understated glamour that’s impossible not to love. The baguette diamonds are complimented by round accent stones creating all sorts of unique geometric prettiness.
Why I like it:
- 1920’s vibes
- Elegant, minimalist design
- Offset stones add visual interest
Unique Art Deco Engagement Rings
9. Ascher Cut Square Recycled Sterling Silver
An elegant and sleek eco-friendly engagement ring that could be the perfect alternative to an expensive diamond ring. The creator of this 14k yellow gold cast ring polishes it up using the same techniques that stone cutters use in order to achieve a super-sparkly look.
Why I like it:
- Includes matching band
- Lab grown sapphire is flawless
- Teardrop shape is an absolute showstopper
10. Raw Handmade Gemstone
For women who are into crystals or a rustic look, this ring is sure to be a favorite. The clear highly prized volcanic Quartz Crystals set comes in either a sterling silver or white or yellow gold ring. Let this crystal shine like a diamond with natural faces.
Why I like it:
- Each raw gemstone is one-of-a-kind and totally unique
- A variety of settings to choose from
- Choose from raw sapphires, diamonds, quartz…whatever stone you love best!
Amazing Raw Diamond Engagement Rings
11. Vintage Yellow Gold Pavé Crown Bezel
As if resurrected from a time long ago, this diamond set into a beautiful 18k gold bezel provides an ancient look and feel. A fitting engagement ring for someone who loves vintage style jewelry?
Why I like it:
- No prongs to worry about
- Low profile design for easy wear
- A timeless design she’ll cherish forever
12. White Flat Solitaire
If you are looking for a unique ring that offers a little more of a demure feel to it, than this captivating emerald placed in a flat profile set might be just the ring you have been looking for. Bold and modern, the flat profile of the ring will create a statement for the center stone. The wider band is what really sets this ring apart, giving the ring its wow factor.
Why I like it:
- Modern design makes a statement
- Bold enough to hold its own in a stack
- Solid platinum band is sturdier than some thinner alternatives
13. Twig and Leaves Textured Diamond
A nature-inspired handmade ring with leaf design that is absolutely stunning. The two-toned metalwork is gorgeous and lends this ring an even more natural feel. A center stone in the size of your choice completes the look by offering a little extra bling. This ring is perfect to highlight her connection to Mother Earth (and you!).
Why I like it:
- Two-toned design adds contrast
- Bark detailing on band is so realistic
- Perfect for the nature-goddess she is
Get it from DoronMeravWeddings
14. Salt and Pepper Diamond
If you are looking for something truly unique, this is the ring for you. A salt and pepper diamond. We have never seen anything like it and we bet you haven’t either.
A diamond in the rough and one of a kind. A salt and pepper diamond basically has a lot of inclusions, normally what a diamond ring shopper is trying to avoid. But this is where the beauty lies. These diamonds show the real flaws and the natural beauty of a diamond.
Why I like it:
- Multiple designs to choose from
- Each diamond is totally unique
- Salt and pepper diamonds are more visually interesting than regular diamonds
15. Marquise Moissanite Vintage Art Deco
Another beautiful and uniquely shaped diamond is the marquise. The marquise shape is believe to have been commissioned by King Louis XIV of France which reminded him of his true love perfectly shaped mouth and smile.
Hmm … romantic?
I suppose so. In any event, this diamond offers a very dramatic shape and makes a dazzling choice for an engagement ring.
Why I like it:
- Option to add a matching band
- This ring screams royalty
- Vintage, art deco vibes
16. Emerald Shape Split Shank
I had never seen a split-shank combined with an emerald-cut until now, and I must say after curating hundreds of rings, this one “wowed” me. Something about the sparkling split shank design just works with this cut of stone. Timeless and elegant, this one’s a winner in our books.
Why I like it:
- Horizontal diamond orientation creates a streamlined look
- Diamond encrusted split shank adds extra bling
- Setting fits up to a 1.5 carat center stone — extra glam!
17. Delicate Stackable Three Rings Set
Why buy one ring when she can have three? These delicate rings are made for stacking. The center ring features a princess solitaire that is oh so eloquent in its simplicity. Two matching bands encrusted with diamonds encase the center ring to create a show stopping design.
Why I like it:
- Wear just one or all three
- Customization options available
- Low profile design for easy wear
18. Old Mine Cut GIA Certified
We love any unique story of where a diamond comes from, like this one. It’s a mine cut diamond, which popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. They have larger facets than modern cut diamonds.
Being that it is hand mined, the facets of this diamond tend to be less uniform and larger, which gave these sorts of diamonds the phrase “cut for candle light,” as they were cut to catch the beautiful light from the flickering fire.
The steep depth of this diamond gives it volume as well as a faint hint of yellow color, like that of a lovely glass of champagne. Cheers to that!
Read more about the Old Mine Cut in our article about round cut diamonds.
Why I like it:
- Diamonds are ethically sourced
- A cut that’s dynamic in all lighting
- Classic yet unique style
19. Triple Moon Goddess
If your lady is on trend, she will fall head over heels in love with this lunar boho engagement ring made with sparkling Claire De Lune Moissanite by Charles & Colvard or brilliant galaxy diamond. / This particular ring was inspired Selene, a Titan goddess in Greek mythology who was the goddess of the moon. Not quite right? There are a variety of similar designs to choose from. What better way to honor life’s natural rhythms than with this stunning ring.
Why I like it:
- Celebrates the goddess she is
- Variety of settings and stones to choose from
- Perfect for women who love mythology
Get it from SwankMetalsmithing
20. Black Silicone Emerald Silicone
This ring combines the durability of silicone with the sparkle of a center stone. Perfect for the modern woman with things to do! Now she can wear her engagement ring without worrying about wear and tear on the band. Choose the color of the center stone and she’ll have a ring she’ll love wearing.
Why I like it:
- Silicone ring fits true to size — not stretchy like other versions
- Durable design with a bit of bling
- Comfortable and easy to wear
21. Stackable Bead Silicone Ring
A simple band option, this silicone ring is just the thing for the woman who works with her hands. Qalo rings are my go to style when I hit the gym or travel, and it’s easy to see why. Simple yet beautiful, they’re tough enough to withstand swinging weights or anything else she might be doing.
Why I like it:
- Stackable
- Durable
- Affordable enough to buy a few!
22. Eternity Light Silicone Ring
Another silicone option, this ring is great for stacking like the one above. The eternity design is the perfect way to celebrate your eternal love. Plus, there are so many pretty colors to choose from! She might need one of each.
Why I like it:
- Comfortable to wear daily
- Durable
- Pretty shade of lavender
23. Two Dazzling Open Constella Rings
If you want her to shine like the star she is, these Constella rings are perfect. Made to wear together or alone, their open center is unique and eye-catching, especially since it’s marked by two sparkling crystals. The multiple ways to wear lets her create a style that is all her own.
Why I like it:
- Wear together or separate
- Can double as a wedding band and engagement ring
- Open center style is eye-catching
24. Pear Cut Vittore Trendy Ring
This bold ring makes a statement. Alternating teardrop crystals sparkle in the band, catching the light and the gaze of passers by. This ring stands out on its own but also pairs well with other rings in a stack. Whether you choose white or rose gold, this ring is sure to win her over.
Why I like it:
- Swarovski crystals catch all the light
- A bold, statement piece
- Can double as a wedding band and engagement ring
25. Pear Shaped Impressive Tear Drop Center
Another pear shaped diamond, this ring is perfect for the woman who wants unique elegance. The non-traditional diamond shape paired with the twisted shank creates a design that is all its own while still leaning toward traditional. With all its beauty, it’s sure to keep people talking.
Why I like it:
- Pear-shaped diamond is a unique center stone shape
- Diamond encrusted shank gives extra bling
- Multiple metals to choose from
With so many unique rings online and offline just waiting to be found, we decided to spotlight some awesome ring beauties to make it easier for you to decide. These rings aren’t exactly traditional, but each one tells a story, and a few are even one-of-a-kind.
These all caught our eye for being absolutely stunning. Here are a few that really shine bright.
If your lady is on trend, she will fall head over heels in love with this lunar boho engagement ring made with sparkling Claire De Lune Moissanite by Charles & Colvard or brilliant galaxy diamond. This enchanting ring was inspired Selene, a Titan goddess in Greek mythology who was the goddess of the moon. What better way to honor life’s natural rhythms than with this stunning ring.
Phew! That’s all for now. Hope you were able to fall in love with at least one of the above unique engagement rings!!
And, once you are ready to buy a matching wedding band, please see How to Find the Perfect Wedding Ring to Match Your Engagement Ring, Unique Wedding Bands for Women and Unique Wedding Bands for Men.
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We were so excited to showcase Brandi and Lee’s adorable rustic wedding! The stunning location is the Barr Mansion in Austin, TX.
We love the ringbearer’s adorable moss pillow!
Brandi and Lee met in culinary school so a lot of their wedding decor was food-related. For their seating chart, they assigned each table a vegetable and pinned their guests names onto corresponding vegetables. Each table then included that vegetable in it’s centerpiece.
Brandi and Lee also gave out envelopes filled with their favorite recipes as favors.
These photos are stunning!
To see more of Brandi and Lee’s adorable wedding, click here!
These 7 amazing wedding cupcake ideas go beyond the average small round cake with icing! Cupcakes have become increasingly popular as a dessert option at weddings, and there are so many beautiful and fun options. Whether for a wedding shower, bachelor/bachelorette party, a new take on a groom’s cake, or to substitute for a wedding cake, these cupcakes can really add a lot.
1. Get Detailed
These look way too amazing to eat! Sugarbloom Cupcakes
2. Cupcakes on a Stick
A nice way to keep your hands from getting messy. Left The Funky Fresh Mama Right Cupcakes That Take The Cake
3. Bride and Groom Themed Cupcakes
Weddings are about the bride and groom. Why not make that include dessert? Left Mom and Daughter Cakes Right Cake Confections
4. Amazing and Unique Cupcake Wrappers
These wrappers can turn an ordinary cupcake into something fancy without spending a lot! Left Paper Orchid Stationery Right Shop Bakery Nook
5. Wedding Cupcakes that Look Deceiving
When it comes to food, our mind enjoys the visual aspect of eating as much as anything. Popcorn and ice cream, or cupcakes? Let your guests decide. Left Cake Central Right Jayne Harrison via Dog N’ Bird
6. Cupcakes that Show Love
You can make these adorable cupcakes on your own and they come with a little extra treat! Left Better Home and Gardens Right Martha Stewart
7. Mini Wedding Cake Cupcakes
Make your guests feel special by giving them their own mini wedding cake! Do you want to make these for your wedding? You can buy your own mini wedding cake pan here.
Left: The Lush Cake. Right: Brides.com
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We are so excited to share this wedding with you today! There are so many great details. Lucy and Phil met in a college dance class where she tried to hook him up with one of her friends–but it was her that he fell in love with. Five years later on an anniversary trip to Hawaii, Phil popped the big question and of course, Lucy said yes! Considering their love for the beach, they incorporated yellow, aqua, and earth tones as their wedding colors. Their wedding was beautifully photographed by Christine Farah.
The gorgeous flowers included scabiosa pods, chrysanthemums, and orchids. For the bridesmaids, Lucy picked a J.Crew color and asked them to pick out a dress that reflected their own style in that color. The maid of honor wore a flowered dress in a darker shade of teal.
Lucia’s adorable shoes were her something blue. We love these shots!
Lucy and Phil love to travel, so they incorporated wooden boxes filled with love letters, vintage suitcases and antique globes on the guest sign-in table. The programs were “passports.”
To continue the travel theme, Lucia made paper airplanes in the wedding colors and wrote the guests’ names and their table numbers on them. Then she pinned them onto boards covered with maps. We love this idea!
We absolutely love Lucia and Phil’s cake spread, and their adorable bird cake topper!
The reception was held at the Villa del Sol in downtown Fullerton. What a gorgeous location!
Edit: Also, Lydia of Ever Ours pointed out to us that the gorgeous bride, Lucy, is a co-editor of Utterly Engaged and a co-owner of d*lish design!
White Haute PhotographyOhana Photographers
Traci wore black Stuart Weitzmans, a feather hairpiece, and an awesome black lace necklace. Her bridesmaids all wore different black shoes.
We just did a post on nonfloral bouquets, so we were excited to see that Traci’s was made out of buttons! The guys wore matching button boutonnieres, ordered from Etsy.
We love how the cake plays off of Traci’s necklace.
One trend we’ve been seeing a lot of lately is brides creating bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces out of objects other than flowers, and we can see why! The results can be stunning, unique, and more budget-friendly. You can make them or order them ahead of time as you like. Best of all, they won’t wilt and you can keep them after the wedding as gorgeous keepsakes!
Non Floral Bouquets
1. Feathers
This lovely bouquet was created by Croska on Etsy.
2. Wheat
We’re loving the wheat bouquet and boutonniere below, especially for a fall wedding. The boutonniere is from InStyle Weddings.
3. Sola Flowers
These “flowers” would trick most people from a distance – they’re actually tapioca wood! The bouquets are from Brandon Kidd’s , photographed by Jasmine Star. You can buy sola flowers here.
4. Vintage Brooches
These lovely brooch bouquets by Fantasy Floral Design have been making their way around the wedding blog circuit. But even if you’ve already seen them, they’re worth seeing again! Photographed by Alice Hu.
5. Clay
Made by DKDesignsHawaii on Etsy, this bouquet composed of clay stephanotis flowers and Swarovski crystals is pretty realistic looking (not to mention beautiful)!
6. Tissue paper
The flowers in the bouquet and centerpiece below are all made of tissue paper. Click here for the DIY instructions by Martha Stewart!
7. Vegetables
Asparagus and kale look perfectly at home in these bouquets. Who would have ever guessed? The bouquet on the left is courtesy of Caroline Ghetes; the one on the right is from Sarah K. Chen.
8. Paper Butterflies
This bouquet by Yumikuki on Etsy sets our hearts “a-flutter.”
9. Wire
These bouquets are so unique. Crafted by Refinerii on Etsy, they are made of wire adorned with vintage crystals, pearls, and rhinestone buttons from old pieces of worn out jewelry.
10. Doorknobs
Photographed by SimplyBloom, this bouquet is made up of doorknobs and drawer pulls from Anthropologie!
11. Berries
We LOVE the way berries look in a bouquet, whether mixed in with flowers or on their own. The image on the left is from Martha Stewart and the image on the right is from the Bride’s Cafe.
12. Fabric
This elegant bouquet by Silver Sixpence is made of handcrafted fabric roses.
13. Cotton
These images are actually from the same wedding that utilized the sola flowers in #3. Brandon and Kristen also included cotton balls in her bouquet, his boutonniere, and their decor!
14. Pinecones
This glittered pine cone bouquet would be perfect for a winter wedding. You can find DIY instructions here!
15. Herbs
For those of you who feel like a bouquet just isn’t a bouquet without something fresh and green, what about herbs? Besides being budget-friendly, a bouquet made of herbs would smell so good. The boutonniere is by InStyle Weddings.
Whether you mix non-floral objects with flowers, or go totally non-floral, these bouquets show that it can look absolutely stunning. There are so many more possibilities. We’ve seen bouquets that included seashells, buttons, ribbons, and maple leaves just to name a few.
Let us know if you have any ideas for non floral bouquets!
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Emily and Jasen’s wedding took place at the Mohonk Mountain House. The lake setting is so romantic and the photographers of Our Labor of Love did an amazing job!
The wedding sign is so CUTE! We love how it’s a cut out of the bride and groom.
The rowboats add so much to these photos. They are all incredible!
Turns out that having overcast weather on your wedding day is not such a bad thing after all!
Thanks so much Our Labor of Love!
Today’s backyard fall wedding was held in the her parents backyard in Euless, Texas. It is filled with all sorts of personal and thoughtful DIY details that really showcase the couple’s interests. Kyla and Josh share a passion for bikes and even opened their own bike store. Most of the decor had a tree theme that was reflected throughout their wedding – from the hand painted signs that her parents made to the button gifts and the cut tree circle cake stands. The Bride and Groom seem like a creative and fun couple and Katherine O’Brien did an amazing job capturing their day!
Josh and Kyla are in love with children’s illustrations. They both have tattoos of some of Shel Silverstein’s work, so it was only fitting that they used one of his books as a guest book for people to write wishes, prayers, and hopes!
This necklace had a special significance to Josh and Kyla. It was from Josh’s grandmother who lives in Italy. The inscription means, “This is so you always know that I love you more than yesterday, less than tomorrow.” Josh’s grandmother wanted to give the necklace to Kyla to show her love and presence since she couldn’t be at the wedding due to her age.
Kyla bought her bridesmaids these adorable diamond ring mugs. You can find them here
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The fly fishing lures were a meaningful part of the the guy’s boutonnieres. Josh’s grandfather, who passed away a few years ago, taught Josh and all his family how to fly fish. The lures were worn in honor of him.
After the dinner reception they headed into the barn where they served hot chocolate and cider to all the guests. They had a soul train dancing line and the groom and father had a dance off. Being so chilly out the bridesmaids all changed from their dress shoes and danced the night away in comfy UGG boots.
The impromptu throwing of the leaves was the photographer’s idea. It made for a perfect grand exit and fit the tree theme.
To see more lovely pictures, go to Katherine’s blog!
We received an email last week from a bride who was looking for cute, feminine wedges for her outdoor wedding and we immediately started looking. We quickly found that there are tons of casual wedges out there, but very few that are elegant enough to be wedding shoes.
Here is a round up of the best wedding wedges we could find!
Our Favorite Wedding Wedges for 2022
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We are excited to share this beautiful wedding with you today. Jonda Spurbeck and Staci Faw did an amazing job capturing all of the little details. Lyndenn and Josh seem like such a fun couple!
We love the aqua blue and red color scheme.
Not only are these leg warmers super cute, but also very practical for a winter wedding in eastern Washington! We also like how the bridesmaids carried clutches instead of bouquets.
We love these shots of them sharing a milkshake at an old-fashioned ice cream shop!
They found these books at an antique store while taking their wedding photos. The covers matched the wedding colors and they were all love stories! How perfect is that?
Thanks Staci and Jonda!
There is something about a backyard wedding that seems so intimate and fun, and Hunter and Kristen’s wedding is no exception! Jason and Anna Ball were the photographers, with their second shooter Rachael Earl capturing all the details.
We totally want to be guests at a wedding like this, especially after reading the description on Jason and Anna’s blog:
“This wedding had the makings of everything you would want as a photographer, backyard wedding, vintage styling and a plethora of crazy awesome details. Everything from pie on a stick (seriously!), popcorn stand, a candy stand, corn-on-the-cob and shish kabobs, amazing lighting and a custom home-made backdrop to boot!”
Such a fun shot of all the groomsmen…we also love the next two with the couch!
The homemade backdrop made for an awesome ceremony setting.
See the pie on a stick? We love it!
Looks like everyone had a blast! Thanks for sharing these photos, Jason and Anna.
We are so excited to share this wedding with you today! Nicole and Phil are such a cute couple and Amy Carroll captured their special day perfectly. The ceremony and reception took place at the Tecumseh Country Club in Michigan. We love all the little details that the bride and groom put together, and you can definitely see their love for each other in the photos.
After seeing this picture, we really wish we were redheads! Her hair looks amazing against that green wall.
What a fun idea! We wonder which side got the most attention.
What a beautiful wedding! To see more photos, check out Amy’s blog.
Today’s wedding, by Kellie Kano, is stunning! A black and white theme is evident, especially the bride and groom silhouette details. The bride and groom make a beautiful couple and they look so happy in all the pictures. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
The story behind this photo is super sweet. From Kellie, “As a surprise to Vaneesha, Logan gave her a laminated copy of the journal entry he wrote when he realized she was the one. I got chills as I watched her read it, and thought to myself, ‘she’ll show this to their kids one day’.”
Kellie did such a good job capturing the emotions of the first look moment.
We love all the bride and groom silhouette details!
Vendors
Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo
Suit: Hugo Boss
Tie: the Tie Bar
Flowers: Floral Dimensions
Cupcakes: the Cupcake Shop
Paper Goods ( menus, napkins, etc): Posh Paperie
Coordination: Bustles & Blooms
DJ: DJ Joe Bunn
We love shoes as much as the next girl, but not everyone has the budget to drop several hundred dollars on their shoes. Soo, we’ve put together a list of some amazing wedding shoes and their more affordable counterparts. Enjoy!
The Splurge: Badgley Mischka Caroline, $219 at Zappos / The Steal: RSVP Lily, $71.20 at Zappos
The Splurge: Giuseppe Zanotti, $590 at myglassslipper / The Steal: Bow Tie Pump, $22.90 at UrbanOriginal
The Splurge: Christian Louboutin Pigalle, $249 / The Steal: Glitter Pump, $17.10 at GoJane
The Splurge: Badgley Mischka Carlo, $219 at Zappos / The Steal: RSVP Ivana, $89 at Zappos
The Splurge: Stuart Weitzman, $315 at myglasslipper / The Steal: Me Too Jeanette, $43.90 at Nordstrom
The Splurge: Manolo Blahnik, $715 at Bergdorg-Goodman / The Steal: RSVP Taran, $62.74 at ZapposThe Splurge: Stuart Weitzman Gigi, $325 at Zappos / The Steal: Vaneli Madora, $99.95 at Nordstrom
We love shopping for good deals, so post a comment or send us an email if you need help finding your dream shoe for less!
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We absolutely fell in love with this this wedding by talented photographer Cameron Ingalls. The bride and groom are completely gorgeous but it’s really the details that made us swoon. Seriously, this wedding is absolutely brimming with creativity–we especially adore the bride and all of her bridesmaids in their cardigans! We couldn’t decide on what pictures to choose, so we are going to do their wedding in two posts! Check back tomorrow for the second half!
The bride is a graphic designer and owns an Etsy shop called Frenchie & Flea, so of course all the paper details are super cute.
We LOVE billy balls–what a perfect way to capture the rings!
Who would have ever thought that cardigans could add so much?
Photography: Cameran Ingalls Photography
