I am a designer at heart and stationary is one of my ultimate weaknesses. One thing I’m absolutely crazy about is foil printing. So when it became a trend for wedding paper goods I was ecstatic! Designers all around the country are popping out some amazing invitation suites, place cards, menus, stickers, you name it… all with a hint of shimmer and glimmer thanks to foil stamping or printing. Some brides go for the more traditional gold and creme, while others are utilizing black, pink, etc. and bolder paper color choices. I’ve collected a few of my favorites below:
Would you use foil stamping or printing in your wedding papergoods or decorations? Are you for the more traditional gold or would you try to use other colors?
Though the weather can’t seem to make up its mind about what season it is, this wedding definitely puts me in a spring-y mood! The slate blue bridesmaids dresses, the lush pastel florals, and the delicate DIY lace details in the votives and escort cards are making me swoon. Then the party really gets going with a mariachi band, mini cupcakes, and colorful cocktails! Happy almost 1 year anniversary, Nathalie and Saul!
From the Bride:
We met at a friend’s gathering for a Manny Pacquiao fight. Our mutual friend mentioned to Saul that they had already talked to me about him and it was up to Saul to make his move. So he sat by me and the only thing that I saw where these “ugly” converse shoes (not chucks, but skater shoes) he was wearing. All he was talking about was his trip to Paris that was coming up in a week. Long story short, I said there was no way you should be taking those shoes to Paris, and the entire crowd at the gathering was laughing. To say the least, it broke the ice and Saul finally introduced himself to me. Food, drinks, dancing followed and Saul asked me on a date via Facebook! I accepted anyway, and the rest was history!!! Hence the Converse Chucks at the wedding reception.
Saul picked a fantastic place to get ready- Simone’s in Pilsen. It was an excellent touch of color to the guy’s afternoon, and a good start to the Mariachi festivities. Our ceremony was at my early childhood church St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Chicago, IL. My sister and I were baptized there. My sister also got married there so we have a lot of wonderful memories. Meson Sabika in Naperville IL for our reception was selected for the well known Spanish Tapas and intimate setting at their Pavilion. For our music, we had a DJ and the traditional music Mariachi group. The lively feel came into play once our guests and groom joined our Mariachi band in singing along.
I love soft pink so I wanted to keep it simple and clean with an accent of light grey. We accented the tables with pink appliquéd lace votives which I made, in addition to coordinating the table numbers with the color scheme. I incorporated the lace theme with lace stamped escort cards. Saul vigorously worked hard to cut the wine cork escort card holders. I purchased some handmade felt flowers on Esty for our ring bearers to carry. The theme was Happily Ever After Starts Here! We thought it would be a nice touch to give our guests a look at the past by sharing our parents’ wedding pictures and our baby pictures. Saul and I have both been to Paris and loved it so we found a box that had a Parisian theme which we made into our wedding card box.
Coming up with unique, fun, and personalized details to add to your wedding is something every bride should embrace. From your dress, to your accessories, from you transportation to your venue, there are endless ways to make your day as special and unique as you – including the cake! We’ve seen candy bars and cupcakes, now here are 4 more alternatives to consider for your big day.
1) Cinnamon Roll Cake
photo via Cake Central
2) “Fruit” Cake
Photo via Chic Vintage Brides
3) Doughnut Cake
Photo via Glitter Weddings
4) “Cheese” Cake
Photo via It’s Your Big Day
These cakes are definitely on the less traditional side – do you plan on having a wedding cake alternative served for your reception?
Bright pops of color (just wait until you see the bridal party shoes) a little bit of vintage flair, a day starting at a magnificent cathedral and ending at a cozy art gallery – this wedding has a perfect combination of traditional and modern. One element that I love is that the bride chose a shorter veil. Typically in a ceremony venue as extravagant as the one they were married in, you see brides with long, cathedral or chapel length veils, and I love how this bride took the less traditional route and topped it off with a big chunky pearl necklace. Breathtaking. I also love that the dogs are captured during the getting ready shots, and especially that the whole family was involved in such a special aspect of the day before the bride walked down the asile.
From the Photographer
Megan and Joe are two optometrists with an eye for vintage-modern details. The bride, whose family is from the Midwest, wanted their families to enjoy both the vintage and modern flair that Denver has to offer, from a ceremony in the historic Cathedral Basilica to the art gallery space where they enjoyed their reception, Artwork Network. With those two ceremony and reception locations, they complemented the vintage and modern theme with vintage greys and colorful salmons and pinks.
I love how brides have made wedding cakes their own. Incorporating personality into your wedding cake adds a flair all its own and everything from floral to lace is in right now. But a big trend this year is modern, simple cakes that add just a hint of personality and punch to incorporate the overall theme. We’ve collected below some of our favorite cakes on this trend:
Photos From: Style Me Pretty
How would you incorporate this trend? What accent would you add?
No one could argue that this is both a beautiful wedding, with a very fun-looking reception, looking at these photos. The church is awe-striking, the bridal party looks exquisite, and the bride’s dress is incredible (especially how the bottom fans out when she’s spinning!). The guests and bride and groom are having a blast on the dance floor. It all looks awesome. But my absolute favorite thing about this wedding is just one photo, of the bride and groom sharing a moment sitting down together alone. These moments are so important in a wedding day, as it is a day that joins two people together for a lifetime, and those two people should get a chance to relish it, as well as have an amazing time celebrating. This couple obviously did both, and I applaud them for it.
From the Photographer:
Leslie is a Minnesotan native, but met her groom, Matt, while in college in Texas. All of their Texas friends were shown the beauty of a St Paul wedding, on one of the hottest days of the year. A large formal ceremony took place in the Cathedral of St Paul, followed by a lovely reception at the (thankfully air conditioned) History Center. The wedding party was the epitome of classic beauty in Monique Lhullier and Hugo Boss. The couple showed their southern hospitality and chatted with guests during dinner. The band was amazing and the dance floor was packed the entire night. Leslie even changed into a cute second dress made for dancing.
The wedding gown. It is one of the most iconic, and memorable pieces from a wedding day. It’s timeless, it’s beautiful, it’s a reflection of you and how you want to look on the most important day of your life. However, choosing the dress may not always be as easy as one would hope. Some brides can try on one dress, others 5 dresses, or possibly 65. Some brides may cry, others may not. Some brides know exactly what they want, when others may choose something completely unexpected. The process is one to cherish; it can be fun, it can be challenging, but embrace your time to find your dress. Although there are different elements to consider before choosing your perfect dress, the infographic below will help you get started! The talented crew at Bridal Book shares 13 wedding gown trends for 2013.
What is your favorite trend of 2013? Do any brides-to-be have a gown that fits into one of the categories above?
The lovely hues of purples, the settle touch of sparkle in the brides ensemble, and the stationary that is introduced at the ceremony and continues to coordinate into every element of the reception – it’s no surprise that this bride-to-be is actually a wedding planner herself. The personalized, and perfected details of this wedding are what make it unique and memorable. Add oversized toasting glasses and candy favors in the mix, you know that you are in for a good time!
Amy Shepherd Photography
From The Bride:
Being a wedding planner myself, I thought that planning my wedding would be easy. I was wrong AND I broke all the rules! For instance, buying my dress before we secured a reception venue. It didn’t matter though, because I LOVED my dress.
Our wedding was truly a team effort for Chris and I, because we paid for it ourselves. We also have very different backgrounds, I’ve grew up in a big city and Chris has grew up in the country. So we chose a venue that could bring both of those worlds together. We didn’t want any of our guests to feel uncomfortable.
My wedding planner (and boss) Saundra and I concentrated on every little element at the wedding to create an experience for our guests. Chris was happy to help by making some of the decor, like our stand to hold our quilt squares. My own personal touches was to give custom pails of candy and treats as a thank-you gift to every vendor. I’m well known for my love of candy. Chris and I both love to laugh and have fun, so we bought these obnoxiously large wine goblets to use as our toasting flutes.
Funniest moment? A groomsman dumped SALT into the drink that Chris was suppose to toast with, however, I got the drink by mistake. Not sure how I didn’t choke in front of everyone.We were probably one of the few couples that in our thank you speech, we thanked all the vendors first, before our families. Look, we know what it takes to put on a fabulous wedding, a strong team of vendors!
Honestly, it was such a lovely and memorable day, that we really couldn’t have done it any better, nor would we have changed a thing.
Wedding Planning & Event Design: planning forever events | Videographer: Eyenamics | Flowers & Rentals: Welborn Events | Catering: Bauerhaus Catering | DJ: Celebrity Party Music, Dave Kennedy | Cake: Piece of Cake | Reception Venue: Rapp Owen Granary
A return to formal is something the wedding industry has seen come back full force in 2012 and it seems to be staying strong in 2013. From chandeliers to plated dinners, brides are bringing back formality and pomp to their celebrations. One aspect of this comeback I am swooning over is how brides are incorporating formal chinaware. Whether their grandmother’s vintage set or mismatched cups and plates as centerpieces, we’re seeing these adorable and beautiful pieces being utilized in such creative ways! We’ve collected a few pieces below for inspiration:
Last six images: Style Me Pretty
What are some ways you would incorporate chinaware into your celebration? Would you be a stickler for matching or crave mismatching sets? Would you utilize it as centerpiece inspiration only?
Where would you go hunting for pieces, do you have a favorite antique store?
