Bride

What is your story as a couple, how did you meet & fall in love?

We were originally just friends and knew of each other because we went to the same high school. A couple years after we graduated, I called him to see if he could help fix my grandpa’s tractor. He came over and we would spend time together while he worked on my grandpas tools in the garage. out and for a year he told me he wanted more than just a friendship with me. Even though I told him I only thought of us as friends, we still continued to do fishing tournaments and hang out together. As that first year went by, I slowly started to realize I had fallen in love with my best friend. One night, after getting up enough nerve, I told him of my change of heart and we’ve been together ever since! If you ask RJ today, he’ll tell you he “gut hooked me”, like you do a fish, and
hes had me the whole time

What makes the two of you a perfect match?

I would say we balance each other out pretty perfectly. We have just the right amount of similarities and differences to make a great team. He makes me smile no matter what and we never stop laughing and having fun together. We both push each other to be better people independently and as a couple.

How did he (or you) propose?

He proposed in a tree stand while hunting together on my family’s property in South Carolina.

How long was the planning process? Did you think it was enough time?

We had 5 months to plan. For us, it was enough time, but we had to hit it hard! If it would have been any longer, I think we would have gotten sick of the planning. We were able to get everything done in just enough time!

What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?

I think the best advice I received was not to stress or worry about anything. Everything always comes together perfectly.

What tips & tricks (can we use “hacks”?) can you share future brides that you yourself have learned during and after your wedding?

I would say don’t take things too seriously and get stressed out about things you cannot control. It rained during my outdoor wedding and we still had the best time!

What were some challenges you faced while planning your wedding & what did you do to address them?

The only challenge we faced was being on a time restraint. We had to rush order the bridesmaids dresses, which cost more, but that was pretty much it!

What inspired your wedding décor? Why did you choose the things that you did?

We wanted our wedding to have a feeling of elegance and have that “old Florida” feel to it. With that in mind, we had an outdoor venue on the water and tried to use as much natural decor as possible.

What was the wedding budget?

$30,000.00

Where did you save the most money?

Floral and cake.

What was the biggest expense?

Food and alcohol.

How many guests were invited in your wedding and what was the final guest count?

315 were invited and about 270-280 was the final guest count.

How did you narrow down your list?

We really didn’t do much narrowing. Most of the guest list was family and close friends, we both come from a big family so we knew from the beginning it would be a bigger wedding.

What songs did you use during the ceremony?

When they first walked up, an assortment of Kenny G songs were playing.

Processional: – “Into The Mystic” by Van Morrison; – “Stranded” by Van Morrison;

Brides Entrance with Dad: – “Tupelo Honey” by Van Morrison

Recessional: – “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson;

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Bahamas!

What are you most excited about for the future?

Just knowing I have the rest of my life to spend with my best friend is the neatest feeling in the world. I’m excited to see where our future takes us…I really don’t care where, as long as we get to do it together

Do you have advice for couples still in the planning process?

When you get caught up in the planning frenzy and find you may be a little stressed, just remember why you’re doing it….it’s all so you get to spend forever with the person you love most.

What is the overall story for this album?

One amazing and fun Florida wedding.

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

I was inspired by that Old Florida feel – orange groves and jadite glassware. I wanted the outfits to be elegant and classic – and also wanted everyone to be comfortable in what they were wearing.

What was your favorite part of the day?

Besides getting married, my favorite part of the day was being surrounded by our closest family and friends and getting to celebrate such a special moment with them all! The love we felt from everyone was such a overwhelming indescribable feeling!

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

My sister-in-law, Chelsea, handmade our wedding invitations. Our envelope lining was a watercolor scene she painted of the everglades and she also did a watercolor painting of a palm tree for one side of the envelope. She addressed our invitations in calligraphy. My sister, Natalie, sketched an orange, which was used all-throughout the wedding. It was on our invitations, thank you cards, stamps and many other places. (We received A TON of compliments on our invitations.) Chelsea also baked out cakes! The grooms cake was in the shape of a can of Copenhagen (my husband dips) and the actual wedding cake was a 3 tiered cheesecake with a big bow on it!

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

The highlights for the ceremony was the music and the pastor’s speech. He was really personal and we received a lot of compliments on it. Another big highlight for the ceremony was finally getting to say “I do”! The highlights for the reception was the dancing and jumping in the lake for our farewell exit!

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

No theme. We just tried to create a elegant, old Florida feel to the whole event.

What part of the ceremonies do you think was the most memorable for you? (& your guests?)

We received many compliments on our music choice and the pastors speech for the ceremony. It was a very simple, yet meaningful ceremony. The part that was most memorable for the reception was the whole wedding party jumping in the lake at the end.

Vendors

Photographer:  Earthmuse Photography
Dress Store: Bella Bridesmaids
Equipment Rentals: A Chair Affair, Inc.
Makeup Artist: LeJeune Artistry
Hair Stylist: LeJeune Hair and Makeup Artistry
Reception Venue: Paradise Cove Orlando
Ceremony Location: Paradise Cove Orlando
Caterer:Plus Catering
Invitation Designer: Simpliche
Floral Designer: velvet&twine
Dress Store: calvet couture bridal

The post Old Florida Vibe appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Photographer

What is the overall story for this album?

Welcome to Josh and Tiffany’s wedding day! This couple, my goodness, they made capturing their love for one another such a privilege since I first met them last Fall. My favorite aspect of the day, besides the beautiful moments I witnessed, was watching how Tiffany and Josh interacted with their friends and family — just love and joy that radiated through their smiles! I absolutely sense the passion and pure love they have for one another when I look through their photos. They were silly, playful, and completely honest whenever I was photographing them together, and that made my time with them a complete joy. I think if someone asked me what I thought falling in love looked like, I would show them Tiffany and Josh’s wedding photos. I am absolutely a fan of weddings that are at one location all day. It makes the photo experience so relaxing and fun for everyone, so having that time with these two made me feel spoiled! Then to top it all off, I got to photograph them with a horse! Gahhhhh … just so much fun!

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

Pinterest – she said she found a lot of ideas through that site.

What was your favorite part of the day?

My favorite part of the day was their first look. It was an emotional moment for them both, filled with tears and laughter.

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

A lot of the reception decor was DIY projects

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

The highlights of the ceremony was not just that these two seemed so ready for this day, but everyone in their family was too. There was a moment when there did not seem to by a dry eye in the entire ceremony space. The best part of the reception was the activities and dancing they had to entertain guests. There was an entire patio dedicated to fun games and cigar bar.

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

Just very rustic/chic decor theme

What part of the ceremonies do you think was the most memorable for the bride and groom?

I think the most memorable part of the day was the entire ceremony! They were both very emotional the entire time, especially when they took communion together.

Vendors

Photographer:  Maggie Fortson Photography
Bridesmaid Dresses:Bari Jay
Event Venue:Forest Rivers Environmental Center
Beauty:Head Hunters
Bakery:Nana’s Cakery
Beauty:Off the Vine Florist

The post Romance and Rustic appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Photographer

What is the overall story for this album?

High School sweethearts Amber and Danny finally tied the knot! The couple’s relationship first began when they met in 2000 at their high school at the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center in Columbus, Ohio. After 13 years of long distance relationships, and a lifetime of adventures, laughter and love, the couple finally got married. Being a fun loving couple from Columbus, COSI, the Center of Science and Industry, made for the perfect unique location to host their big day! Before the ceremony, Amber and Danny had a first look session, featuring the beautiful downtown Columbus Skyline. The ceremony was held in COSI’s planetarium–this was the first time that the planetarium had been used as a ceremony space. Amber and Danny constructed a beautiful wooden backdrop complete with mason jars and led tea candles. Family photos followed afterwards in the Ocean exhibit. Their outdoor reception was breath-taking, overlooking the evening Columbus skyline on the east side of COSI along the Scioto River. One of the unique features from their reception was their “Zombie” themed wedding cake featuring the couple battling zombies on the top of the cake- Danny was depicted yielding a golf club and Amber holding an ax. The couple’s dogs, or “fur babies” as they like to call them, Boz and Lola, even made the top of the cake! Amber payed close attention to all the details of her day, from the whimsical blue and orange color scheme, to her beautiful large bouquet, to her blue veil that she made herself. The unique setting, Amber’s careful attention to detail, and the couple’s love for each other and love of life made their wedding one to remember.

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

Whimiscal and colorful tastes of the couple, blue and orange color scheme

What was your favorite part of the day?

I LOVED this couple’s bright and fun personalities. We had so much fun working with them and their happiness really showed in their photos. I absolutely loved the setting for the reception. It was absolutely breathtaking to have the Columbus skyline atnight, and celebrate their big day outdoors under the stars! Definitely one of my most unique receptions to photograph yet!

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

Matching the color scheme, Amber made her own blue birdcage veil. Since the planetarium doesn’t have a lot of decorations, Amber and Danny constructed a beautiful wooden backdrop complete with mason jars and led tea candles to warm up the space.

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

Ceremony: The couple made history as the first wedding to take place in COSI’s planetarium! The planetarium was actually out of order and not a functioning planetarium for years, but it had enough seating for their guests. Since their wedding, COSI has completely redone the planetarium and it is now working again and a huge hit! COSI has started advertising it for future wedding ceremonies after Amber’s wedding went so well!

Reception: The setting made the night! Beautiful outdoor reception along the Scioto River in Downtown Columbus on the east side of COSI had a breathtaking view of the downtown night skyline.

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

Whimisical happy colors, and the setting highlighted their love for the great city of Columbus, Ohio.

What part of the ceremonies do you think was the most memorable for the bride and groom?

Where to begin…the zombie cake, the first ever planetarium wedding, Amber and the bridesmaids serenading Danny during the reception…there were so many wonderful moments!

Vendors

Photographer:  Muschlitz Photography LLC
Location:Center of Science and Industry (COSI)
Floral Designer: The Flowerman Columbus
Hair Stylist:Ambushed Salon
Museum:COSI
Makeup Artist:Dara Beasley Make-up Artist
Photo Booth Equipment:Great Photo Booth
Other:Natural Designs
DJ: Night Music DJ Professionals
Cake Designer: Short North Piece of Cake

The post Whimsical Blues and Orange appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

“What exactly do you mean?” I asked, because I never get tired of seeing wedding stuff. “Everyone has the same types of centerpieces, the same decor…I want everything in my wedding to be totally unique,” she said.

I can understand her point. Many ideas are overdone and this can be frustrating for a bride who really wants her wedding to stand out. This prompted an hours-long search for unique wedding elements. Some of my favorites were the centerpieces, and I wanted to share them with you!

As a book nerd, I am in love with this centerpiece idea. Here, a stack of books creates the centerpiece, with the top book open to reveal a charming bouquet of flowers. What a fun and definitely not overdone idea.

Believe it or not, this stunning mask is a wedding centerpiece. We just love the mysterious, majestic look that this centerpiece provides. Imagine different masquerade masks on each table! They would work well with or without flowers.

Not many brides use photos as their centerpieces, but this idea is absolutely stunning. They’ve just glued four cheap frames to each other and added a battery-operated candle in the center. This is beautiful and brilliant!

We just love the idea of using letters as a wedding centerpiece. This example shows a New Year’s Eve wedding, but this could work for any wedding and any season. Use the letters of your last name, your first name, or letters that spell out beautiful words.

There are some truly rare ideas out there though none of them are 100% unique. Spend some time with your imagination and creativity and see what you come up with. Let us know which of the above centerpiece ideas is your most favorite in the comments below!

The post Unique and Inspiring Wedding Centerpieces appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Won’t you look at this colorful and awesome wedding. The blue, greens, and pinks totally went well with each other and they created this lively palette that I’m sure many brides-to-be are considering. And aside from this palette, the details were whimsical as well. The cake had a funny topper, it was surrounded with cupcakes in the colors of their palette. They had a sweets stations (ahhhh) and lots more! Congratulations on your wedding, Morgan & Patrick!

Photographer

What is the overall story for this album?

Elegant, Summer Wedding at a unique venue that felt and looked like a southern plantation…in Ohio! “A special congratulations to Morgan and Patrick on their Romantic Summer Wedding at The Lakes Golf and Country Club! It was such an honor to work with them both on their special day. From the beginning, it was easy to see the couple’s connection. Laughter is such an important part of their lives we know that their relaxed and fun approach to life will serve them well in the years ahead! We are so excited
for them both as they start this next chapter of their lives together! Morgan and Patrick began looking for venues for their wedding a year before their wedding so that they could get a better feel for what the venue landscaping would look like on their big day. The fell in love with the beautiful scenery and classic style of The Lakes Golf and Country Club. We’re glad they did! We made some beautiful images of the two of them and our videographer friends at Iconic Media captured some wonderful moments on video! We had a great time capturing all the special moments and people from their wedding and hope that they’ll remember their big day with a smile every time they look at their photos. We wish them all the best! Enjoy some of our favorites from their wedding!”

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

Fun, fresh, summer feel. Happy colors. The bride loves pink and wanted to make sure it was incorporated.

What was your favorite part of the day?

I loved everything about their day…but mostly how happy everyone was. Everything about their day just radiated “happy”-from the color scheme, to their families, and the crowded dance floor! There’s nothing better than seeing 2 people in love and it was so easy to see how head over heels for each other the couple was, that you couldn’t help but smile.

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

Not much in the way of DIY projects, but they did incorporate the bride’s love of the Steeler’s in the cake topper and she had her grandmother’s butterfly brooch on her bouquet.

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

Family is super important to the couple and Morgan had her two grandmother’s be the flowergirls during the ceremony! It was super cute and a huge hit amongst the guests.
One of the biggest highlights, that showed the special connection that the couple has is the Bride and Groom gifts that they exchanged prior to the ceremony. 4-leaf cloves have a special meaning for the couple…Patrick has a knack for being able to find them! Morgan gifted him 4-leaf clover cuff-links, and he gifted her a 4-leaf clover necklace. It was so sweet seeing how moved the bride was when she opened her “little blue box” from Tiffany’s to find the necklace! At the reception the couple was so excited to play the “Shoe Game”!

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

No specific theme, but it featured a lot of fun and happy colors.

What part of the ceremonies do you think was the most memorable for the bride and groom?

I think having her grandmother’s as flower girls, Morgan dancing with her grandmother during the reception, and the bride and groom gifts were their favorite parts.

Vendors

Photographer:  Muschlitz Photography LLC
DJ:Encore L’Amore Events
Cinema and Video:Iconic Media LLC
Floral Designer: MadisonHouse designs llc
Cake Designer:Our CupCakery
Photo Booth Equipment and Candy Table: Social Confetti Events
Reception Venue: The Lakes Golf and Country Club
Event Planner: The Wedding Assistant of Columbus

The post A Colorful Grand Affair appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

1. Leaf Engagement Ring

This 14k white gold engagement ring features a stunning solitaire framed by beautiful leaf details and an eternity-style band. What we love most about this ring is its uniqueness – it’s just something you don’t see these days. We think it’s truly lovely.

2. Art Nouveau Ring

As lovers of the Art Nouveau period, we naturally fell in love with this stunning engagement ring. The central diamond is surrounded by a filigree or scrollwork and smaller diamonds have been placed into each opening. The ring also features three small diamonds on either side of the setting. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

3. Scrollwork Ring

One of the things we love most about vintage engagement rings is the attention to detail, and this ring certainly has it. Surrounding the central diamond is some very elegant scrollwork that is absolutely breathtaking.

4. Simple Gold Ring

We also truly love very simple rings, because sometimes it’s that simplicity that creates such elegance. This ring is made to look like a stacking ring, with yellow gold layered over white gold. The brilliant center diamond is bezel-set, giving this vintage ring a timeless and romantic look.

5. Rose Gold Cluster Ring

We love rose gold; it’s so warm and beautiful. It looks absolutely stunning in this vintage engagement ring, which features a large center stone surrounded by smaller stones, giving it the look of a flower.

Do you love vintage wedding rings? Which one of these is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

The post 5 Amazing Vintage Gold Engagement Rings appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Right from the start, the pictures already showed that this wedding is the embodiment of timeless elegance. Our bride wore a very feminine wedding gown that was just perfect with all its details. Her entourage wore beautiful lilac dresses which she complemented with bouquets that had a little bit of pop. The church where they had the ceremony looked so regal that you’d think our couple were royalties. The ballroom where they had the reception was equally glam as well with the elegant details of the table arrangements and ambiance. Congratulations on your wedding day, Megan & Ante!

Bride

After meeting at a local restaurant in Greenwich, CT, Ante and I were inseparable. Within the first month of dating he told one of his friends that he was certain he was going to marry me. After years of adventure, fun and life, he proposed to me on December of 2012 in beautiful Stowe, Vermont on a horse and sleigh ride. The rest is planning history….

When we began to start planning the wedding both Ante and I wanted a classy, elegant, vintage but fun wedding. Sometimes themes can take over your personality and stifle the atmosphere, so we decided to ensure pure elegance with loud touches of us. I have never been one to envision what our wedding day would look like but we did know that we wanted it to be timeless. Through these wants and needs, we decided on a color palate that was softer. We utilized blush pinks, ivory, gold, pink and peach. Once I started on the color gold needing to be elevated the rest fell right into place.

Our invitations were gold booklets tied together with lace and pearls. The bouquet for me was made of pure soft colors with gold and pink ribbon wrapping the stems and a sentimental pin from my grandmother. The bouquets for the bridesmaids were slightly louder in color with the incorporation of bright peaches and pinks while their dresses were lighter gunmetal. The guys had pink orchids, with Ante wearing an ivory/white orchid. My dress was a flared Ivory lace with tulle liancarlo, that had a romantic lace back yet elegant V neck line. Ante was dressed in a two piece fitted Hugo Boss navy blue suit with the classy touch of suspenders (my favorite part ).

Our venue could not have been more perfect at the New Haven lawn club. The classic chandeliers and functioning fire places really set the romantic mood! Cocktail hour had an amazing raw bar and the best part is, Ante and I got to enjoy the hour with our guests! The decoration style of the ballroom was based on our color scheme and involved white/ivory glittery table cloths. The table were covered with endless candles, cork bottom favor cards and family appreciation cards. The center pieces continued the feel of romance by having floating candles and hydrangeas dispersed throughout strategically placed branches. Because we really still wanted to essentially have a great party the band had to be amazing and it sure was! We were able to achieve such a romantic dinner with true elegance and class but still managed to have a great great party! Oh did I mention the late night snack with cheeseburger sliders and Parmesan French fries? AMAZING…

We wouldn’t change a thing and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day…. And an even more amazing honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand! Thank you Carla Ten Eyck for capturing the best day of our lives!

Vendors

Photographer:  Carla Ten Eyck Photography
Dress Store: A Little Something White Bridal Couture
Other: Bloomingdale’s
Floral Designer: Fleur de Lys
Cinema and Video:Inspiration in Motion
Cake Designer: J Cakes
Makeup Artist: Jennie Fresa Makeup and Skincare Boutiquerie
Reception Venue: New Haven Lawn Club

The post Pure Timeless Elegance appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Bouquet

Cakes

Details

Outfits

Shoes

The post March Roundup – Best of Bouquets, Cakes, Details, and many more! appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

Before everything else, can we just swoon over these two cute bride and groom owls? So adorable. This elegant wedding was filled with deep red details, decors, outfits, and accents that it looked so awesome. Using this kind of vibrant red is a bit unusual to weddings, some usually opt to go a bit darker, but this wedding is an epitome why this popping shade of red is an amazing idea. Everything just looked so enjoyable and festive. Congratulations on your beautiful wedding Devyn & Vincent.

Vendors

Photographer:  Abacus Wedding Studios
Reception Venue:  Beaver Brook Country Club

The post Vibrant Red Wedding appeared first on Elegant Wedding.

This is probably one of the most creative way to take you and your photos guest – recreate the glamour of the red carpet. Just simply set up the red carpet (of course) and a backdrop bearing your wedding’s title or even just you and your beau’s initials. Not only is it fun but you can’t deny that your guests will feel extra special for your day! Anyway, thank you for the great idea and congratulations on your wedding, Kasey & James!

Photographer

James and Kasey wanted something very unique for their wedding, which was held at the incredible Crystal Tea Room in center city Philadephia, P.A.. Something which would serve as both entertainment and an incredible wedding favor. Despite having their wedding in Philadelphia, the found Abacus Studios, was among a very few, select companies, which provided the Ste-and-Repeat Service in its entirety. from designing the backdrops, to setting everything up, taking the beautiful photos, and than printing and matting each images, with a beautiful display for the guests. The response was tremendous, as, guest clamored for their photo of their walk down the “Red Carpet”, looking their best. Based on the reviews left by the couple, the trip from Philadelphia to South Plainfield New Jersey was worth it!

Vendors

Photographer:   Abacus Wedding Studios
Reception Venue:  Crystal Tea Room

The post Red Carpet Glam appeared first on Elegant Wedding.