Style Me Pretty

Napa Wedding at The Carneros Inn by Larissa Cleveland Photography + Help Me Get Hitched

Goodness gracious, this next little numbers is darling with a capital D. It’s as though Help Me Get Hitched brought all this pretty together just to make me giddy with wedding glee. The cute personal details, the bountiful florals from Julie Stevens Design, the pretty paper details from The Aerialist Press and all the smiles in between is enough to make this blogger smitten. Larissa Cleveland Photography snapped up every little moment for us all to gush over, and we can do so in the full gallery of images!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Help Me Get Hitched… Christine and Matt Cox dated for 10 years before they decided to get hitched, and I think it’s safe to say the bride started planning this wedding even before Matt popped the question. They were married at The Carneros Inn, located in the wine country of California. Christine, being a creative bride, thought of everything, from the candy apple favors to their send-off at the end of the night (on a tandem bike the groom bought as a wedding gift). The couple decided to play off their last name and since Cox is a type of apple, they went with an apple theme. The bride had the right idea by keeping it simple and classy at their modern, barn-like venue. The wedding party got prepared for the day in their country chic cottages at the inn. They stood in front of two wine barrels and crates full of green apples to say their “I do’s.” The cake had four layers of wainscoting, just like the walls at the dinner reception. The floral arrangements were in a mix of modern metal and warn wood boxes to keep with that modern barn feel. All the perfected detailed planning paid off with the perfect wedding day.

From the Bride… Matt and I based our wedding around two main themes: green apples and the tandem bicycle. We chose the green apple because the ceremony took place in The Carneros Inn’s apple orchard, and we chose the tandem bicycle because Matt is an avid cyclist. We wanted our wedding to feel warm and inviting for all of our guests. From the handmade table numbers to the “Christine & Matt” wedding labels, we wanted it to feel special and unlike any other. In the end it was by far the best day of our lives, and we love to look back at all the fabulous photos and reminiscence! 

Wedding Photography: Larissa Cleveland Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: The Carneros Inn in Napa, California / Wedding Planning: Help Me Get Hitched / Floral Design: Julie Stevens Design / Wedding Cinematography: Thomas Hughes Films / Wedding Cake: Branching Out Cakes / Wedding Stationery: The Aerialist Press / Quartet: Starlite Strings / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Hair + Makeup: David Magna Workshop

South African DIY Wedding by Blue Bottle Photography

This bride is what it’s all about. She’s happy, she’s spunky, her soulful style literally jumps right off the screen. And she’s adorable. The kind of bride that I not only want to gush over, but that I wish lived closer to so we could be very best friends. She even sewed her own freaking gown. I know. I love her too. Anyway, this wedding is just about as good as it gets and with photography by Blue Bottle, well…it’s hopeless. Love that is. Oh and there is SO much more goodness in the gallery.

From the Bride… I totally started planning my wedding before I was even engaged. My husband and I dated long distance for a year and a half before we were finally in the same city. I am Canadian and he is South African; we decided to get married in South Africa because that’s where we met. My family was so supportive throughout that process. They didn’t bat an eye to come thousands of kilometers to be there for me on my day. Even though we didn’t have a very big budget, they overwhelmed me with their support through the entire process. I have always wanted to have a “fabulous DIY wedding with an eclectic, whimsical and a little bit hippie theme.” I’m so happy with what I got. My wedding dress was $100 from a one day closeout sale that I stumbled upon completely by accident with my mom one day. It was magical. Maureen Patricia of Queen Couture in Victoria made some alterations so that the dress fit my vision and my body like a glove! I also decided to make a second dress to wear at the reception. My dream dress has been the Vera Wang from Bride Wars but in case anyone hadn’t noticed, Vera is a bit steep for my pocket, so instead, she was my inspiration and I started sewing. I bought $10 shoes from Costa Blanca and made a killer necklace from a 1920′s vintage belt buckle and some ’60s costume pearls. Double score. Two outfits: $400.

The flowers were an amazing score as well, we picked arum lilies from a farm two days before the wedding through a friend, free of charge. I also asked a few other friends and family members if they could donate some white flowers, greenery and lavender for the reception decor and my bouquet. I kept a crocheted doily that my great-grandmother made for me when I was eight and used it to wrap my bouquet — it was my little piece of home that I took with me when I got married. My bridesmaids and I also spent hours scraping labels off of wine bottles to put flowers and candles in at the reception. My parents, grandparents, fiance, my aunt and some dear friends made it a group effort to cut and sew the long table runners for the reception. This wedding was truly a community effort!

I designed and sewed my junior bridesmaids’ dresses (one was repurposed; it was originally my own dress), and they looked completely fabulous. My bridesmaids wore whatever they wanted (within a color palette — my inspiration was the colors of a peacock feather) so I could rest assured they would be comfortable in whatever they wore. Our wedding cake was a Rice Krispie cake. I love the stuff and am not really such a fan of cake. Plus, it was cheap. My mom made it the day before the wedding. The cake toppers were a favor from another wedding that I reused. Because some people could only make the ceremony, we split up the speeches into two parts. Reece said his speech to me directly following the ceremony along with Mitch, his brother and best man. My dad and I, as well as my maid of honor, made speeches after dinner. I loved it because I knew Reece was so relieved to have his speech out of the way for the rest of the wedding! Our wedding was a continuous affair throughout the day. There wasn’t really a lull where people didn’t know what to do between the ceremony and reception. By the time the tea and treats had wrapped up at the chapel, the guests were invited to have drinks, cheese and hors d’oeuvres at our reception venue. We had some amazing friends who also provided live music and even wrote us a song that everyone joined in singing. By the time we arrived, everyone was already completely wound up, excited and ready to party. 

Photography: Katrina of Blue Bottle Photography / Ceremony: Crab Apple Chapel in Dargle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa / Reception: Hillhouse in Dargle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa / Flowers: DIY from Friends’ Gardens / Wedding Cake: DIY by the Bride’s Mother / Table Runners: DIY by the Bride’s Friends & Family / Wedding Dress #1: Bought on Closeout in Victoria / Alterations to Dress #1: Maureen Patricia Couture / Wedding Dress #2: DIY by the Bride / Bride’s Necklace: DIY with Costume Pearls + 1920′s Vintage Belt Buckle / Junior Bridesmaids’ Dresses: DIY by the Bride

Portland Fairytale Wedding Inspiration by Bridal Bliss

Let’s throw a little inspiration into today’s lineup of lovely, shall we? Because this pretty little Portland shoot is just filled with too much fabulous not to share. A lovely modern fairytale with details galore, Bridal Bliss covered every corner with steal-worthy ideas – and that, we love.  Every image of this pretty party is completely pin-worthy thanks to Emily G Photography, making for a gallery of images that is just be-yond.

Click here for the FULL photo shoot!

From Bridal Bliss… This photo shoot took place at the natural light filled Imago Ballroom, a new event venue in Portland. The goal of this project was to create a look that would appeal to a modern couple seeking a fairytale wedding. Using metallic elements, crystal accents, textures and rich colors, we created a setting that Cinderella and her prince would feel right at home in. The table was draped in a soft golden-champagne satin cloth with a custom, textured, blush overlay. The florals were designed to introduce bold, opulent colors to our otherwise neutral palette. Silver succulents, rhinestone-studded chargers, classic silver filigree china, mercury glass and crystal accents brought the sparkle and shine to the shoot. A whimsical dessert table, signature cocktail and custom ring bearer pillow and flower girl purse added to the layers of detail. Our modern day Cinderella bride wore a Martina Liana gown with a bead-encrusted bodice and a feathery, layered tulle skirt. She was also dolled up with custom, hand-crafted jewelry and rhinestone-covered pumps — our modern version of the traditional glass slipper. The invitations, menus and signage featured the words, “happily ever after…” to convey our fairytale theme.

When planning your own Cinderella wedding, first, choose a neutral background. Neutrals have come a long way from the typical black, white, brown of the past. Modern neutrals like our blush, champagne, and metallics really allowed our rich purple palette to stand out. Second, add some sparkle. We love the way that the crystals and mercury glass pieces reflected light and caught the eye. And lastly, showcase your theme throughout. From the invitations that give your guests a first impression of your wedding before it’s even happened, to the dress, the desserts, drinks and décor. Each piece to the puzzle should speak to each other, having a common thread that helps convey your fairytale theme.

Photography: Emily G Photography / Venue: Imago Theatre Ballroom in Portland, Oregon / Event Coordination: Bridal Bliss / Floral Design: Bella Bloom Florals / Cinematography: Black Label Event Films / Stationery: Paper Bloom / Officiant: A Beautiful Ceremony NW / Catering: Vibrant Table / Dessert Styling: One Divine Party / Rentals: West Coast Event Productions / Wedding Dress + Accessories: Martina Liana (Style 377 in Silk Ivory with Dove Sash) via Charlotte’s Weddings and More / Shoes: Benjamin Adams (Charlize) / Jewelry: Mandalena / Hair + Makeup: Face Body Beauty / Menswear: Duchess Clothier

Louisville Wedding at Glassworks by Austin Warnock Photography

This gorgeous celebration captured by Austin Warnock Photography is perfectly pretty proof that you don’t need to track down a backyard, barn or ranch to have a stunning nature-inspired wedding.  In fact, because this creative couple chose such a unique venue in the heart of Louisville, KY their rustic wedding looks super fresh and modern!  You can check out the entire day in the full gallery right here!

Click here to see the ENTIRE wedding in the full gallery!

From the Groom… Emily and I both love the outdoors, so we went on our first date to the Falls of the Ohio. It has become a memorable place for us through the years as a memory of a lot of firsts. We went through a long distance relationship and came out on the other side stronger together. And with our love of nature, we initially planned an outdoor wedding for May and just couldn’t wait until May so we decided to push things forward to March. Since March is so unpredictable we had to look for other venues to have our wedding. We really wanted a location for the ceremony that was very bright and open, something that could bring in the outdoors without making everyone freeze from the chilly weather. We looked around the southern Indiana and Louisville, KY area for a location that was open and in a natural setting. Sadly there were very few venues that met our criteria. Finally we found the Glassworks building in Louisville, KY for our reception. Along with reserving the Glassworks Building we were able to reserve the Skyloft in the Zirmed building across the road. It has windows on 3 sides that overlook the Ohio river. It was bright, welcoming, and brought in the outdoors.

Our florist helped us bring in nature even more by using tree branches, moss, rocks, and candles to decorate. Our florist also put together beautiful, natural bouquets and boutonnieres for the bridal party with wild flowers and greenery, and for Emily, an unexpected but much appreciated sunflower!

During the ceremony we decided to do a foot washing as a sign of our sacrifice and submission to each other and to remind us to put the other first. The sound track for the wedding consisted of Us and Our Daughters, David Gray, Jon Foreman, and Sigur Rós.  The wedding was very small and intimate with only family and a few close friends being invited. It made it feel safe and beautiful to us.

For the reception we decided to make it a huge party. We had our good friend, Miguel De La Rosa, as the DJ. He played a broad range of music and did an amazing job of keeping people dancing. We entered to Everlasting Light by the Black Keys and it was fantastic! My favorite touch was the cake table. Instead of having cakes, we had mini key lime pies and a cake from The flying Cupcake in Indianapolis for us to cut (it was a flavor called velvet Elvis…it’s amazing). A friend of ours was able to commission some stands for the key lime pies, made from tree branches with cross sections of a tree nailed to the top of them. They were the perfect outdoorsy touch.

We had three different center pieces on the tables. Some tables had lanterns with flowers and candles around them, the other two were different kinds of tree branches.  The flutes for our toast were hand made by Jake Pfeifer (luckily a cousin of the bride).

We danced the night away without a hitch. There is no way that we could have done this with out the help of Emily’s mom, Lula. We both live in Indianapolis so it was tough for us to plan with being about two hours away. It was better than we could have ever imagined!

Wedding Photography: Austin Warnock Photography / Ceremony Venue: Zirmed Towers Skyloft / Reception Venue: Glassworks / Wedding Florals: Gatherings Florals by Shannon Ross / Groom’s Attire: Express / Groom’s Bowtie: Macy’s / Groomsmen Attire: H&M / Groomsmen Bowties: Sam Myers / Invitations: DIY (by Groom) / Cake Stand: DIY (family friend) / DJ: Miguel de la Rosa (Friend of Bride & Groom) / Bride’s Dress: Jasmine by Wtoo / Bride’s Jewelry: Jennifer Casady / Bride’s Hair Piece: Dana Castle  Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson / Bride’s Veil: Dress and Dwell / Bride’s Hair: Strandz