Weddings

Today’s dream registry comes from Emily who you’ll usually find over at Em for Marvelous, where she shares the people, places and things she loves most.  Since my husband and I are about to move into our first home (yippee!), it was particularly fun for me to put together this dream registry.  Some of the items we received from our actual registry and love; the rest I’m wishing we could put on a housewarming registry! :) 1. This print has all of my favorite colors in one package ($350, Michelle Armas) 2. We brought this mason jar soap dispenser to a Christmas yankee swap and it was the most-desired pick of the night! ($24, Terrain) 3. We love our Le Creuset pots and pans!  Worth every penny. ($275, Le Creuset) 4. These pretty pillows are perfect for layering over neutrals ($65, Caitlin Wilson Textiles) 5. We use our set of one-liter Weck jars for picnics and drinks at parties ($12, Weck) 6. I hate when small appliances just take up space, but we’ve been enamored with our Griddler ever since it arrived. Perfect for pancakes and paninis and so easy to clean! ($100, Crate & Barrel) 7. Kate Spade’s famous polka dot pattern was a little expensive for our tastes, so we elected to just put the bread and butter plates on our registry.  I love mixing them in with our everyday china. ($19 per plate, Macy’s) 8. I’m currently wishing for these striped hand towels for our downstairs powder room ($10, West Elm) 9. It’s my firm belief that no home is complete without a flag flying from the porch.  I like the classic ones from Best Made Co. ($34, Best Made Co.) 10. These beautiful throws are handmade in Maine, are incredibly soft to the touch, and come in the most lovely colors ($236, Brahms Mount) See all of Emily’s new home adventures and more on Em for Marvelous!

Remember how we scored our sparkly for cheap? Well, the internet came to the rescue again. I follow a UK group on Facebook called 10 ways to have more money as a student, without working. It’s brilliant—every day pictures are posted with deals, codes, and other awesome finds. I’ve got a few things because of that site. Free food with vouchers, 1p chocolates, and even a one terabyte external hard drive! A couple of months ago they made me aware of an offer that was on at a supermarket. Twenty-five percent off when you buy two cases of French wine. And one (gorgeous) wine I had my eye on was already over 50% off. Add to that a voucher for £12 off a £60 spend, and my brother’s 10% discount and well…£12 bottle of wine for just under £4. Our venue was going to charge us £10 a bottle of wine, or £6 corkage—so at £4 a bottle it’s pretty much the same price to bring in our own. But I’d much rather have a bottle of Chablis than a bog-standard Chardonnay, so we’ve done good. Maison Fort du Roi Chablis by Tesco Wines And if we were buying white, we may as well buy some red, too. Amazingly, this offer extended to all cases of wine the week after, so we had our pick of the reds! I hit up the Tesco Wines website and the first thing I did was look for discounts. What was the point in buying a £5 bottle of wine if I could get a £5 bottle of wine that used to be £10 or more? I wasn’t to be caught by the cheeky discounts, though. You know the ones—where they stick up a £5 bottle of wine for £10 for like, a week, just so they can say it’s half price when it goes back down? You’re not fooling me this time! Only the good stuff for this party! There were two bottles that had amazing reviews and I was drawn to both of them. Côtes du Rhône Villages and Gran Fabrica Cariñena Gran Reserva. The first had a beautiful bottle. The latter? Well, it was called FABRICA which I thought was just the best thing ever. (It’s the simple things.) We bought a bottle of each and sampled them to see which one we preferred. Both went down a treat. Personal photo They were absolutely beautiful. So smooth. I am really not a wine snob; in fact, I’ll drink pretty much anything. So having a good wine was a real treat for my palate. In the end, we chose the Gran Fabrica because of a) the name and b) I loved the label. It was also a 2001 vintage which I just thought was better than 2011. Note: I really do know nothing about wine. That wasn’t the end of our drink journey, though. The soft drinks that our venue provides are just the usual Coke, lemonade, etc., and we thought it would be nice to provide something a little more…elegant for the non-drinkers and designated drivers. Shloer is one of my favourite “adult” soft drinks and it’s soooooo yummy! It’s around £2.30 a bottle usually, but this weekend Asda had a deal on for £1.25 each. So off I went to purchase 24 bottles for all of 30 pounds. (Four bottles were out at the till.) We got two bottles of rosé for the arrival drinks (to complement our rosé sparkly), two bottles of white grape for the toast (to complement the normal sparkly), and a bottle each of white grape & elderflower, and red grape, for each table. We won’t have a lot of non-drinkers (four, I think?) so this should be enough for those who aren’t consuming alcohol. And I think some of the kids would like to feel “grown up” with something that is a little bit like champagne. My parents garage is now full of bottles. Did you have an easy time choosing the wine for your wedding? Did you have something other than Coke and lemonade for the non-drinkers?

One combo I can never get enough of?  Formal + fun.  Just those two words together conjure up images of elegant brides dancing the night away with their dapper grooms.  It’s a wedding fusion that never fails to deliver the pretty and today’s shining example is this downright breathtaking Sarasota affair from Fabulously Chic Weddings, aka, a drop-dead gorgeous mix of sophisticated details and heartwarming moments, all wrapped up in mesmerizing images from Trenholm Photo.  See it all unfold in the full gallery. Oh, and we’re not done yet.  Check out this incredible film from Voila Cinematic.  It’s beyond amazing. ColorsSeasonsSpringSettingsEstateStylesTraditional Elegance From the Bride… When we were first thinking about how we wanted our wedding to look and feel like, Brad simply requested the end scene from the movie “Meet Joe Black.” I knew at that point it had to be formal and it had to have an air of opulence. Stylistically we both love vintage and refurbished items, so after finding the Powel Crosley Estate we knew it was the perfect match. The Powel Crosley Estate really had everything we were looking for: the winding staircases, magnificent fireplaces, fabulous wood beams that spanned across the ceilings, and the gorgeous and expansive private views of Sarasota Bay. Having grown up with religious backgrounds we knew our ceremony had to be in a church. We do have a local church that we attend, but knew with our guest count it would be too large. So we started to hunt for a quaint small church that we could have our ceremony in. With the original wood floors and white pews, the adorable red doors, and the quintessential little white church feel, the Crocker Memorial Church quickly became our choice. Being local, we love how we were able to have two Sarasota landmarks as our venues. As far as the aesthetics went for our wedding, we wanted to add to the romance of the venues. At the Crocker Memorial Church, we went with simplicity. We didn’t want to distract from the rich history that we loved about it. By simply adding fabric, in a couple of textures and shades, crystals to reflect the light, and restored pieces of wood picked up from a local salvage yard, to a backdrop, we were able to add to the church’s overall feel without taking away from its history. We also had two large vases with all white flowers to add to the romantic feel. At the Powel Crosley Estate, we thought the lighting had to be perfect to really set the mood. What a better way than with candles, candles, and more candles. We used an assortment of ivory candles in fluctuating sizes and in varying containers. We also had large silver candelabras and medium sized matte black candle sticks to hold candles as well. We put a chandelier and café bulb lighting over the dance floor to continue the mood outside when dancing. There were two long tables to accommodate the sixty guests, adding to that intimate feel we were trying to capture. The tables had beautiful rosette textured linens in a dark champagne color to give the angular tables some body and texture. The floral arrangements, neutral in color with mostly white and pale peach soft and structured flowers, were in a variety of non-matching clear and mercury glass vases. The overall color scheme was neutral shades with metallic and black accents.   Other personal touches included the guest place cards. I created little formal characters of each guest in attendance with their name attached. These served as double duty being that they also helped the servers to know which guest ordered which entree (white name card being fish and black name card being beef). We also had our new monogram placed on a Victorian styled mirror that was hung above the fireplace to display our new married title. We also wanted a way to incorporate our family members who were no longer with us. We accomplished this by having black and white photos put in metallic and mirrored frames above us on the f

As a Bride, you hope for nothing but perfection on the days leading up to your wedding day.  All the planning and preparation, all the t’s and i’s dotted – but even all of that couldn’t stop Hurricane Sandy. Which, if you aren’t from the area, left the city in quite a state for weeks after. But you wouldn’t know any of that was going on when you peek through all the pretty captured by Rebecca Yale Portraits. Because even with all the bumps in the road, Curtain Up Events helped pull off that perfect NYC day this couple always dreamed about, and you can see it all right here. And you simply can’t miss their film from Cinemacake… ColorsSeasonsFallSettingsBallroomEvent VenueStylesCultural BeautyTraditional From Rebecca Yale… This was a very special day —  Donna and Guy’s beautiful West Village townhouse wedding was the wedding that almost wasn’t–  when Hurricane Sandy blew through the city just days before their dream wedding. With their venue without electricity ’til mere hours before the wedding and the city still in chaos (still feeling those hurricane winds), Donna and Guy came together with the help of their wonderful planner Danielle Bobish of Curtain Up Events and pulled off an amazing wedding! From the Bride… The only thing I thought I would be worrying about a week before my wedding was fitting into my dress, whether or not people would dance, and if my fiancé Guy, would remember to bring the rings. Who knew that all those things would be faint thoughts in the back of my mind once Hurricane Sandy hit us on Monday, just 6 days before the wedding. I met my husband Guy at my best friend’s backyard BBQ in the west village. From our short yet sweet conversation I could have never known how incredible my life was about to become just from knowing him. Our conversation turned into a coffee, which then became a movie followed by chocolate mousse on McDougal Street and ending with hot toddies at Blue Ribbon Bakery. It was the longest date of my life, but like most days with Guy, I really never want them to end. He proposed a year later in Tel Aviv (where our families are from) on the beach. Our love for all things New York led us to choose one of the most quintessential New York scenes for our wedding venue, 632 on Hudson, which is a beautiful townhouse in the West Village. We had family flying in from Israel that needed places to stay, we had guests whose homes were flooded or worse, and we had a venue with no power. I am not going to lie and say I took it well. I was shocked, mopey, and outright depressed. But it didn’t last long when I realized that through all the obstacles I had to face, there was no “I” anymore. I had magically become a “we” with a fiancé who transformed me into a positive thinking, how-can-we-solve-this, compassionate person. Guy made me realize that nothing was going to stop us from having an incredible wedding, whether or not we had to use candlelight to light our wedding. We worked together to get through every obstacle and to think about others in need and displaced by the devastating storm rather than focus on ourselves, because we had each other and we knew that our big day would survive no matter what. We ended up getting power back the morning of the wedding, all our guests showed up and danced the night away to the amazing spinning of DJ David Chang. The party was full of wonderful small details to make the night extra special like our signature drink the Negroni, hot toddies on the roof, beautiful fall details throughout the venue like mini gourds and pashminas for the guests to wear outside, miniature icebox cakes (our favorite), a vintage Polaroid photography booth, gorgeous flowers and decor, which all came together for an incredible sense of togetherness, family, and fun. Wedding Photography: Rebecca Yale Portraits | Wedding Venue: 632 on Hudson | Cinematography: Cinemacake | Event

Everything about Juliana and Jeff’s wedding is so iconically Palm Beach: Tiffany blue accents, palm trees surrounding The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-By-The-Sea where the ceremony was held, and the waterfront sophistication of the Bath and Tennis Club, site of the reception. Juliana’s dress is lovely paired with a lace-edged mantilla veil, and we adore the blue boat shoes Jeff wore with his suit and pink tie. We hope you love these happy images from Jessica Lorren Organic Photography as much as we do—see them all in the gallery! Photography – Jessica Lorren Organic Photography \ Ceremony Venue – The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-By-The-Sea \ Reception Venue – Bath and Tennis Club The post Simple + Chic Palm Beach Wedding appeared first on Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog.

Monique from Metal Doily Press sent over the invitations from her wedding earlier this year – and I love that she chose to print them on thick chipboard! Monique paired the chipboard with a bright teal blue and chevron stripe accents to complement the modern decor in her wedding. So pretty! From Monique: Our wedding took place at the Old Hollywood-inspired Ebell Club of Long Beach. From the moment we got engaged I had a good idea of the elements I wanted use in the invitations: chevron stripes, Jessica Hische’s Buttermilk font, the color teal, and letterpress printing. My husband and I worked on choosing the secondary font and other details together. I started by hand lettering our save the date information, which I then turned into a custom rubber stamp. I stamped the design onto thin chipboard in black ink and paired it with a teal envelope to hint at the colors that would be coming with the invitation suite. The letterpress printed invitation is a 3-color piece: a blind impression chevron stripe at the bottom and text in teal and black. With our thick 100 pt chipboard, the hotel information was easily letterpress printed on one side and the the driving directions to the venue on the other. I chose to flat print the RSVP card as I would be having those all mailed back to me. Thanks Monique! heck out the Designer Rolodex for more tal­ented wed­ding invi­ta­tion design­ers and the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas! Photo Credits: Simply Happy Photography © 2008 - 2013, Oh So Beautiful Paper | Monique + Karl’s Teal and Chipboard Letterpress Wedding Invitations | affiliate links may be used in posts

Jen and Dave planned a summer wedding for their guests at a Pacific Palisades venue, Harold’s House,  with sweeping views of the ocean. They drew from California’s coast for inspiration by using blue hued florals and fresh citrus as a fun contrast! You all know that Lady Grey loves a black tie cocktail hour especially. There’s nothing like a man in a tux. Very special thanks to John Schnack Photography for sharing his work! We adore all the design and ideas by stylist: Charley Izabella King. We are so ready for the summer. Somebody bring us some lemon drop martinis, stat.      Vendors: Photography: John Schnack Photography // Venue: Harold’s House // Coordinator/Stylist: Charley Izabella King // Videography: Custom Made Productions // Cocktails: Crave Cocktail Catering // Band: Fast Times Band // DJ: Juliett Rivas // Strings: La Folia Chamber // Catering: Michael C Events // Makeup: Noseph Trinh // Floral Design: Peony and Plum // Cake: Sweet Lady Jane // Lighting: The Lighter Side // Rentals: Town and Country Rentals // Hair: Veronica Valdivia The post By The Seashore appeared first on Best Wedding Blog - Wedding Fashion & Inspiration | Grey Likes Weddings.

Are you considering planning a destination wedding or honeymoon?  Have you been unsuccessful in your search for that perfect location?  Have no fear, EverAfter is here to help you coordinate your dream destination wedding!  Their team of Romance Travel Specialists have compiled an extensive collection of the most breathtaking and romantic destination hotspots that Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic have to offer. Ever After’s Specialists have personally visited all locations in their exclusive database, so they can expertly match you up with resort that best suits your style, budget, and needs.  That means no more falling in love with a location that you can’t afford that doesn’t have all the luxurious amenities you desire for you and your guests!  The best part about this service is that it’s completely FREE!  That’s right, FREE! – that’s not a typo. Here’s how it works: Step 1: Fill out a super-simple short form to help Ever After understand your wedding dreams and vision Step 2: You’ll be matched to a Romance Travel Specialist who is an expert in the type of wedding you are planning Step 3: Your Specialist will call you to discuss the wedding experience you envision and any special needs for you or your guests Step 4: Your personal Specialist will find the perfect destination and resort that matches your unique vision and personality Step 5: Your Specialist will oversee the planning of your ceremony and reception, and advise you on local customs, wedding documentation and legal requirements. Step 6: Your Specialists will plan all of your guest travel, accommodations and activities, working with each of your guests to customize their experience. Let’s face it – wedding planning time is beyond precious and cannot be wasted.  So stop wandering the web for hours on end, trying to find the perfect location to have your destination wedding or honeymoon, and let the experts at EverAfter take care of everything for you! Simply call 800-256-4920 or visit EverAfter.com. Hundreds upon hundreds of beautiful destination resorts await you! The post Ever After Weddings And Honeymoons appeared first on The Wedding Chicks. The content in this post is for personal use only and may not be syndicated on other blogs. If you see this content on a URL other than The Wedding Chicks, please send an email to info@weddingchicks.com with the infringing URL.

I'm stepping onto my Mommy Soap Box for a second.... How sweet is this birthstone nameplate bracelet?! Birthstone Nameplate Bracelet via shopLUCA on Etsy I have a necklace with my sons' names and birthstones, but this is a serious competitor! Granted, I would need two, but for you moms that only have one child, this is so great! Wonder if you can add another stone and another name? This bracelet would also make a really amazing gift for a mom or grandma. I'm in love. Off soap box... What types of jewelry do you like to display your little one's birthstones?

With a bit of Sargent Pepper, a dash of class and a touch of retro, Samantha and James planned their Rock n Roll wedding for February this year. The day started out at Melbourne Zoo for the ceremony and concluded at Half Moon, a restaurant in Brighton, Victoria. “James had been married before so all we wanted from the day was for it to reflect us, for everyone to have some yummy food and drinks and dance all night”, Samantha explained. “It wasn’t a traditional wedding – which was important to us. We both have such a strong love of life and having fun so we selected things that would keep our guests smiling. Both of James’ parents have passed away and my father had passed too, it was important to make the day a happy one and show everyone how important it is to make the most of everyday and laugh and smile.” “Getting married in the zoo was incredible! We rocked up in a camper van and were married under the most amazing tree, a heritage listed Morton Bay Fig Tree. I walked down the aisle to a cover of ‘Sea of Love’ performed by Cat Power to a very smiley husband to be.”