Luck of the Irish

Did everyone have a lucky weekend? We sure did! The Huffington Post did not forget Amorology when featuring their favorite green inspirations for all things wedding. We are thrilled they fell in love with our mint husband and wife chair back signs by Brightly Designed from our musically inspired Key To My Heart wedding. If you are hooked on all shades of green, we suggest you view their St. Patrick's Day Wedding Ideas post. The features go from pistachio macaroons to emerald bridesmaid gowns and all things in-between. A big thank you to The Huffington Post for including us in their lucky green post!

Inspiration Board: Crisp Spring Blues

Today I was feeling the blues, but in a fresh country chic kind of way. It just feels so crisp and the perfect compliment to a Spring day. I was inspired by this simple and stunning tulip bouquet with the sweet striped ribbon. Some charming print fans help tame the heat and make cute programs too. Burlap and lace are musts for any rustic chic wedding. I love these quick chair covers and dainty lace detailing on the vases. Both are easy DIY ideas. You all know how I love a bow tied groom. This one looks so dapper with his patterned tie and flower boutonniere. And of course I have fallen in love with yet another J. Crew gown. This beauty is so modern and elegant and perfection paired with these killer heals.

[ Credits ]

Top: Love and Lavender, Ellen Silverman, Once Wed, Green Wedding Shoes, Piperlime

Bottom: Once Wed, Green Wedding Shoes, Once Wed, J. Crew

Real Wedding: Ariane and Ethan

There is something so lovely about a DIY backyard wedding. Today's is chock full of sweet rustic charm and darling details. The bride, Ariane, summed up planning a small budget wedding perfectly: "Even though our budget was small, I knew I had to pay attention to the details to make the event seem bigger than it was." This is exactly what you should do when planning a budget wedding. Even the smallest of details have a big impact on the overall look and on your guests.

From the lovely Ariane:
Ethan's Aunt and Uncle own a beautiful home in Swampscott, Massachusetts and offered to host the wedding in their backyard as soon as they heard about the engagement. We couldn't resist, since it is such a gorgeous space and the free price fit into our very small budget. Ethan and I had talked a lot about how we wanted the wedding day to go. We were uncomfortable with spending lots of money on just one day and we knew we could make it special in our own way without a large budget.  I'm a fairly crafty person and with the help of our talented friends and family, we were able to pull off the perfect vintage, backyard wedding on a tiny budget. The wedding day turned out to be more beautiful than I had imagined.

Our wedding was completely DIY.  My mom and I found Martha Stewart printable invitations at Michael's on sale - 100 invitations, envelopes, RSVP cards and envelopes for $20.00.  I designed the invitations and hand stamped a design on each one.  I also designed, the menus, programs, and save the date cards myself.  I made 100 tissue paper pom decorations thanks to a Martha Stewart craft idea, hand painted the table numbers, and hand stamped the tags on the mason jars we used for glasses.  Even though our budget was small, I knew I had to pay attention to the details to make the event seem bigger than it was.  The last thing I wanted was to make the day seem cheap.  Little details make your event special and memorable for everyone.  The rest of the decorations were things we found at yard sales or already owned.  Making everything myself got stressful at times and we jokingly called the wedding our "huge mistake."

It truly was a family affair.  Ethan's brother is a chef and cooked most of the food we served which revolved around a backyard cookout theme.  Ethan's mom baked all of our pies and desserts including gluten free and vegan options for our friends with food allergies.  We bought flowers at the whole sale flower show in Boston and my friend Rebecca made the flower arrangements using blue mason jars we bought at a vintage store.  My mom is an artist and quilter and hand sewed our chuppah, which meant so much to us since the chuppah represents the home the couple is building together.  

We had a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony and a not so traditional reception.  Our immediate families gathered around the chuppah with us as we said our vows.  It was such a joyous occasion and everyone was radiating love.   Our fantastic photographer, Lauren Piper, captured all of the wonderful moments of that day.  She really caught the mood and the vintage feel of the wedding.  We had all of our closest family and friends with us to celebrate as we became husband and wife.  It was a perfect day.  I think it was so special because we had all worked so hard to make it happen - I know I put in plenty of blood, sweat and tears into the day.

Photographer | Lauren Piper
Bouquets | Roses and Thistle
Gown | J. Crew
Earrings and Shoes | J. Crew
Belt | Little White Dresser
Bridesmaid Dress | Anthropologie
Make Up | Daniela Shappee
Groom/Groomsmen Suits | J. Crew
Cake Topper | Baumbirdy
Stamp | Paperwink
Chuppah | Mother of the Bride
Ketubah | Gallery Judaica

Inspiration Board: Golden Apple

Spring will soon be here and I'm inspired by bright golden yellows. I love spring weddings with some sweet rustic charm. Mixing patterns is an easy way to bring in a bit of country chic. A bounty of fresh flowers adds sunny cheer. Serving up a few tasty tarts and pies in lieu of cake is always a delicious option. And I am a huge fan of the vintage key escort cards. It is always sweet and unexpected. I love this cute flower bracelet by Alexis Bittar, its the perfect accessory for a spring wedding.

[ Credits ]

Top: Ellen Silverman, Style Me Pretty, Alexis Bittar, Martha Stewart Weddings

Bottom: Style Me Pretty, Minted, Jenny Yoo, Martha Stewart Weddings

Real Wedding: Cari and Marty

There are so many reasons I love today's wedding. First off, it's shot by one of my fave photographers, Ken Kienow, who is amazing. Second, I am dying over the bride's stunning Carolina Herrera gown! Third, her brooch bouquet is probably one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen. And lastly, because of this beautiful moment of when Cari sees her brother, who just got back from Iraq, for the first time. It is so sweet, and truly what great weddings are made of!

From the bride Cari:
We live in Chicago and decided, on a bit of a whim, to get married in California. My dad and I had biked down the coast the year before and I fell in love with the central coast. My husband thankfully let me talk him into it all! And our parents were so gracious to generously help us achieve the idea.

Planning was easier than I ever thought it would be. We planned a weekend trip out to the SLO area about six months before the wedding and I set up one appointment for each prospective vendor. I figured with all the research that I had made great picks. And I was right! Everyone we met with, we hired. The most important things to us while planning was that we felt a sense of trust with our vendors since we were planning from a distance.

We also felt it was important that we have a Catholic ceremony (which my husband's uncle, a deacon, performed); hence we chose the incredible Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. I also really wanted to showcase our surroundings since most of our guests had not been to that area before. So we chose to have the rehearsal dinner at Edna Valley Vineyards and then conclude the celebration with a tented reception at Dolphin Bay, on a seaside cliff, as the sun set. It was truly magical for everyone there.

My favorite parts of the day: Seeing my brother in his dress Army uniform for the first time. Hearing my husband say when I reached him at the end of the aisle to marry him, "Well... that was worth every penny." And an impromptu stop at the Tolosa winery on our way to the reception with just our wedding party and us! We really just laughed so much through it all. THAT was the overall best memory of the day. 

Photographer | Ken Kienow

Ceremony | Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

Reception | Dolphin Bay

Dress | Carolina Herrera at Ultimate Bride 

Bride's Brooch Bouquet | Noaki Jewelry

Florist | Jenny McNiece Flowers

Cake | Cakes by Judy

Hair | Gina Payne

Make Up | Melissa at The Bladerunner

Paper Goods | Randy Payne Designs

DJ | Joe LaBarbera

Lighting | Chris Bailey

Transportation | Elegant Image Limousines

Thanks so much to Ken for sharing these beautiful images!

And congrats to Cari and Marty for a gorgeous wedding!

Inspiration Board: Spring Pinks

Even though its still winter, I'm ready for fresh and bright Spring! I'm loving this chic combination of pink, burgundy, and green. I got my inspiration from this stunning bouquet. It feels rustic and handpicked, yet so perfectly placed and elegant. For the centerpieces, go with the same natural feel with fresh flowers and artichokes in wooden boxes. Keep the food crisp and light, using seasonal ingredients and local flavors. For the gown, I love this sleek and simple silhouette with just a hint of blush pink. And this love ring is just too sweet not to wear! End the celebration with some bright and fun confetti for a stylish Spring affair.

[ Credits ]

Top: Once Wed, Style Me Pretty, Love and Lavender, Sydney Evan

Bottom: Once Wed, 57 Grand, Elva Fields, Oscar de la Renta

Inspiration Board: Burgundy and Succulents

You all know how much I love jewel tones for fall, and burgundy is no exception. It is autumn perfect when paired with succulents! This candlestick centerpiece is simple, romantic, and chic. What an easy and elegant DIY! And nothing is quite as romantic as a ring bearer bowl from Paloma's Nest. It is the sweetest accessory your little man can carry. Bring the texture of the succulents in details throughout the wedding. I love this classic and charming heart invitation. Then the floral pattern is replicated in the bodice of this gorgeous gown. But don't forget to add in some velvet (fall's biggest trend) with a cute bow clutch!

[ Credits ]

Top: Jasmine Star, Piperlime, Betsy White, Kate Spade

Bottom: Paloma's Nest on Style Me Pretty, Jenny Yoo, Jasmine Star, Christos

A Summer Celebration: Melissa & David's Wedding

We absolutely love working with Stephanie & Isaac from Stephanie Williams Photography and will jump at any opportunity to do so. We equally love working with brides who are crafty and creative, so how lucky are we that we got to work with both at this sweet wedding?!

As we mentioned before, Melissa is one awesome bride. She is an interior designer and just opened her own store, Bixby & Ball! Needless to say, we had so much fun planning with her. Melissa was just breathtaking on her big day and here's the proof!

David and his groomsmen were quite a fun group as well! The matching green ties and vans really reflected the boys' personalities perfectly. We love how no detail was forgotten; check out their awesome green watches!

Gorgeous flowers complemented the summer soiree perfectly thanks to Adrianne Smith Floral Desgin. Adore the mix of the bright & cheery flowers paired with the moss and succulents.

Melissa let her bridesmaids choose their own dresses in various shades of yellow. We think each one of them did a great job and absolutely love the look of all the varied shades!

Love that Stephanie caught these adorable croquet shots!

Scrumptious cake from VG Bakery! It was definitely a focal point located against the handmade backdrop that Melissa's father constructed for the wedding.

Melissa's mom also got in on the crafting and created the escort and place cards that our team arranged in the moss and succulent lined boxes. With both of her parents being so involved in the wedding, we definitely see where Melissa gets her creativity from!

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe was the perfect venue to host Melissa & David's summer wedding! The gold chairs and chargers shimmered under all of the playful string lighting. The aqua napkins and table runners added just the perfect amount of pop to the adorable yellow and white check linens.

The whole wedding was a joyous event, but it really got jumping when Flashdance DJ Michael Antonia, aka the Human Jukebox, started doing his thing. I've seen people dance at a wedding, but never like they did at Melissa & David's. Great job Michael!

Immense thanks to Stephanie Williams Photography for sharing these lovely photos with us! And a huge hug to Melissa & David for letting us be a part of their day! Congratulations you two!