Real Wedding: Katie and Luke

You know when you get a wedding from The Schultzes, its going to be good! And boy, this one does not disappoint. It doesn't get much better than a sweet winter wedding filled with romantic purples and dreamy snowscapes. Even with unexpected snow storm that had this couple searching for a new officiant the day before, Katie and Luke had a gorgeous day with wonderful memories.

Here are some details from the lovely Katie:
Our wedding was January 30th at the Fearrington House in Pittsboro, North Carolina. We were married in their garden terrace, a beautiful enclosed space with a large stone fireplace, and had our reception in the on-site barn. When we chose January 30th as our wedding day, snow was honestly not a serious consideration in our minds. We live in North Carolina, and significant snowstorms are a rare event. As our luck would have it, the snow began failing heavily during our rehearsal dinner the night before. By morning, we had a lovely, deep blanket. 

When we were planning our wedding, we knew location and photography were two of our top priorities. We couldn’t have been happier with the Fearrington House. Their event planning staff took care of a lot of the logistics, and gave us real peace of mind throughout the process. Needless to say, The Schultzes were wonderful photographers. Like all of our vendors, they took the weather in stride and made sure we had incredible memories of our day. 

I stayed by myself at my house the night before our wedding, so I began the day digging my car out from under the snow. That is a memory I won’t soon forget! Because North Carolina does not often get that kind of weather, some of our out-of-town guests were not able to attend. While we missed their presence, the smaller-than anticipated guest list created an intimate atmosphere that actually turned into an amazing day. We really focused on the essential elements of the day: we were there, we had someone to marry us (we had to find a new officiant the day before because ours got stuck in Tennessee on the front end of the snowstorm), and we were surrounded by loved ones. 

This last shot is so stunning!

Photography | The Schultzes
Venue | Fearrington Village
Band | The Brothership
Make-Up | Make-Up Art by Jenny

Thanks so much for sharing your sweet day with us Katie and Luke!

And many thanks to The Schultzes for sending this beauty our way!

Inspiration Board: Sweet Valentine

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so I thought I'd create some Sweet Valentine inspiration for you. You can do a Valentine's wedding, without it being overly Valentine-ish. I love this more subtle and charming take on the day of love. Some simple red flowers and delicious treats will do the trick. I am in love with this darling ruffle cake! Add in these heart shaped cookies and silhouette sugar cubes, and everyone is in for a sweet treat. This polka dot bow tie is a must for any Valentine's groom. For the gown, abandon the wedding dress white for this blush tone stunner. This beauty is so fabulous, I don't think anyone would blame you!

[ Credits ]

Top: Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Kate Spade

Bottom: Ruffled, Once Wed, Wedding Chicks, Elie Saab

Real Wedding: Rebecca and Owen

Fall is such a gorgeous time of year in the north, and this wedding pretty much has the perfect autumn wedding venue. The trees are so golden and picturesque! Not only is the place stunning, but this couple is pretty sweet too. They took a lot of thought into making sure their day was as eco-friendly as possible. This couple proves that you can help the earth a little and look fantastic doing it!

From the dapper groom, Owen:
Right from the beginning, we knew that having an environmentally conscious wedding was not just important, but essential. That's why Harrington Farm was the perfect location. They serve local, organic food and get energy from a nearby wind turbine. Our good friend Yvette runs a website dedicated to sustainable design, and she designed all our invitations and Save the Date cards, using recycled paper and the most environmentally friendly inks.

As usually happens, we ended up with more invitations than we needed.  So Rebecca took the extras, and cleverly using some glue and an ink stamp, created our place cards!  We reduced waste, and as an added bonus everything matched the color scheme.

Once all the important stuff was done, and the day finally arrived, we were finally ready to relax and celebrate.  From day one, finding just the right band was at the top of our list.  Soul Kitchen was perfect.  They were upbeat and fun and kept everyone's feet moving all night long.  Developed during many years of Thanksgiving preparations, the Milburys have a tradition of singing Motown into spatulas and cooking spoons.  As a welcoming gift into the crazy family, Rebecca was presented with her own engraved spatula, and everyone stood and sang "My Girl" while the band played on.  We couldn't have asked for a better ending!

Photography | Concept Spring Studio
Reception | Harrington Farm
Florist | Danielson Flowers
Paper Goods | Re-Nourish
Band | Soul Kitchen
Hair | Jeffery Lyle Salon

Inspiration Board: Cozy Winter

Since it doesn't get that cold down here in Florida, I dream of crisp and cozy winters. Winter is and should be all about fresh frost and hot chocolate. I loved the idea of blending the cool blue tones with the warm chocolatey ones. The end result is this lovely blend of rustic elegance and icy glam. Anemones are the perfect winter flower, soft and sweet. I am completely smitten by this cross stitch invitation! So adorable and unique. Of course, serving hot cocoa and some delicious truffles are a must. This gown from The English Department is dreamy and romantic, two things every winter wedding gown should be. Add in some sparkly flats and a "wow" statement necklace, and you are well on your way to a cozy winter dream wedding.

[ Credits ]

Top: Eva Lindh, Prismera, Vera Wang, Love and Lavender

Bottom: The English Department, Minted, Style Me Pretty, J. Crew, Style Me Pretty

Inspiration Board: Christmas Time is Here

Christmas time is here! Its that time of year where bright berry reds and soft snow whites flourish. I love a rustic winter wedding filled with antlers, pine cones, and mistletoe. Simple centerpieces with cranberries and pomegranates keep it fresh and festive. A sweet snowflake garland brings in the winter touches without being too cliche. Go with wood printed invites for the rustic chic feel. This Pricilla of Boston stunner is the perfect winter wedding gown! Just enough warmth with plenty of sparkle.

[ Credits ]

Top: Eva Lindh, Kate Spade, Style Unveiled, Bird and Banner

Bottom: Style Me Pretty, Maisy and Alice, Piperlime, Pricilla of Boston

Inspiration Board: Black and White and Chic All Over

Winter weddings don't have to be ultra glam or soft and romantic, they can also be bold, modern, and fun! I was really inspired by this fun houndstooth Kate Spade flat. I thought a houndstooth wedding would be perfect for winter! But a lot of houndstooth can be too much to handle. Keep it modern and chic by mixing and matching patterns you love. This wide stripe works great for the table cloth and some gold silverware adds elegance. Extra seating areas with fun blankets keeps everything merry and bright. For your look, a fabulous bolero is a must! I'm in love with this stunning ruffle number. Underneath, go with a sexy and sharp Vera Wang that is sure to turn heads. And if you're looking for a statement necklace, you are in luck, because this Elva Fields beaut is a crowd pleaser.

[ Credits ]

Top: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Kate Spade

Bottom: Style Me Pretty, Elva Fields, 100 Layer Cake, Hello Lucky, Vera Wang

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

Inspiration Board: Vibrant and Stripes

I think this is one of my favorite palates of all time! I love the contrast of these neutral stripes with the bright and vibrant colors. The black and white just lets those strong hues pop! I was so inspired by this beautiful centerpiece. It is quirky and fun, yet utterly elegant and sophisticated. This look definitely needs a dapper groom. I love a gray suit, especially paired with a striped tie and some hot shoes! I am completely in love with this stunning Vera Wang gown. The sash brings in just enough black and some fabulous red shoes keep it fun and sexy!

[ Credits ]

Top: Erin Swift, Kate Spade, Once Wed, Kate Spade

Bottom: 100 Layer Cake, Once Wed, Sweet and Saucy, Vera Wang

Inspiration Board: Autumn Orchard

I love the idea of a beautiful orchard wedding for the fall! Take cues from the scenery for your color palate: warm reds, oranges, and golds. A lush bountiful bouquet really makes a statement, and this bouquet is the perfect fall arrangement. Lots of textures and colors keep the rustic feel while still being elegant. These little fruit menu pouches are just divine! Such a great way to incorporate your venue and is an easy and simple DIY project. Keep with the orchard theme by giving mini pies as favors. I love packing them in these sweet vintage boxes wrapped up with twine, such a cute gift! Go rich and natural with a chocolate buttercream cake. It looks just as gorgeous as fondant and your guests will love it so much more! Keep your look simple with this darling J. Crew gown and a charming gold necklace, and autumn never looked better!

[ Credits ]

Top: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Whimsy Treasures

Bottom: Thread, Sparkle and Hay, Piperlime, J. Crew Weddings

Real Wedding: Joanna and Jeremy

Do it yourself and modern don't often go hand in hand. Most DIY weddings tend to be eclectic and homespun backyard celebrations. So when I received this stunning wedding from A&A Photography, I knew it was a gem! The bride and groom blended DIY details with a modern sensibility flawlessly. It just goes to show that no matter your vision, it can always be done on a budget!

Here's a bit from the bride, Joanna:
My husband, Jeremy and I didn’t have a long list of demands for our wedding day. Top on our list was a beautiful day followed closely by having our friends and family in attendance. Taking that fact into consideration, it was obvious that we needed a Midwest venue to suit the geography of our families. A destination for everyone but a manageable distance nonetheless. After a short review of potential venues, it became clear that the War Memorial was it. It had a brutal beauty that appealed to both of our architectural sensibilities.  And the lake setting meshed perfectly our desire for a relaxed beach wedding with our, otherwise, generally urbane nature. So, before we knew it, we were planning our Milwaukee destination wedding from our home in Austin, Texas.

Much DIY crafting ensued.  We were determined to do as much of the work as we could for two reasons, we’re fairly type-a and we were definitely on a budget.  Well, at least we wanted to be sure our budget was spent in ways we felt were most important.  Pomanders for the ceremony aisle, save the dates, invites, you name it; it began to take shape in our apartment.  I even made the flower I wore in my hair!  Thanks of course to the pros who not only take the time to get crafty but then document their process so that the rest of us can learn and adapt to suit our events, online wholesale flowers and a few very crafty friends!

Waking up on our wedding day, we were greeted by a dismal forecast.  By lunch time, the rain was missing from the forecast, and I was coming to terms with upside of having a ‘bright grey’ wedding day.  By the time we got to the venue mid-afternoon, the clouds were parting.  Walking down the aisle awash in sunshine with a gentle breeze, seeing my guy waiting for me up ahead, I knew that this was right.  Everything about this was right – even if everything else went slightly askew with this day, it was perfect for me in this moment.

At the end of the night, we were exhausted and completely happy.  Through many laughs and a couple of tears, we had a day just like we wanted - one surrounded by the people we love the most all in celebration.

Photography | A&A Photography
Venue | Milwaukee County War Memorial