Vintage Purple & Green North Carolina Wedding

Nov 9th

by: Carlee

I think y’all are going to love this pretty purple wedding from Meet the Burks! Full of vintage details and set against a lush, Springtime backdrop, this Southern soiree will have you swooning in no time. My favorite detail? The groom and friends performed at the ceremony and – spoiler alert! – there’s a banjo involved.

From the bride:

What (or who) helped you most in your planning process and/or on your wedding day?

I had a very distinct idea of what I wanted my wedding to look like, including type of venue, setting, and colors which really helped as I began planning. Without a planner or coordinator, I found recommendations from friends, family, and vendors to be extremely helpful as I looked for caterers, florists, etc. Also, although not an official wedding planning site, I found quite a few ideas on Pinterest.

What was the most important thing to you when deciding who to work with for your wedding?

We wanted to work with people who we trusted, ideally someone or a company that was recommended to us. Prices and fees also dictated our choices. Although we didn’t establish a set budget, we did have in mind what we thought was appropriate for the various categories. A balance of quality and price were most important to us.

What was your inspiration for your wedding details and/or design?

My favorite time of year, early spring, dictated the time of year. My favorite color combinations in the spring dictated my flowers and colors (purple, pale green, and white). I have always wanted to be married outside at an old, white plantation on a large plot of land. This type of venue lends itself to a vintage theme which I really loved.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

I loved the personal nature of my wedding. On the centerpieces, we incorporated family china from all side of my family and the groom, Josh’s family. With those things, we mixed in candles, flowers, and other various vintage props that we purchased from antique shops in the area. My mom’s side of the family sang a traditional song about love/family at the reception. My husband actually sang and performed a song with his brother and friends during the ceremony. Our pastor incorporated personal stories as well as he spoke. So, all of these things, I thought made the wedding really personal and especially meaningful.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

I would say that before you begin exploring vendor and venue options try to have an idea in your mind of what you would like your wedding to look like. Then, based upon what you know is practical for your budget (rough or exact), alter that idea until you reach something satisfactory and practical monetarily. From there, ask friends and family for recommendations. COMPARE, COMPARE, COMPARE, and lastly, do not hesitate to be upfront about what you can and cannot afford OR what you are and are not willing to pay.

Mary Kelly and Josh made their budget a high priority during planning. That was not – how shall I say this – a strength of mine as a bride. How about you? Are you sticking to your budget?

XOXO,
Carlee

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Meet the Burks / Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Moxie Studios / Wedding Venue: Vesuvius Vineyards / Florist: Carolina Roses / DJ: Charlotte DJ Company / Ceremony Officiant: Nathan Chapman / Cake Baker: Ann Leatherman / Catering: Family Catering / Hair/Makeup: Creations Hair & Makeup

Ask Lauren: On The Fence About A First Look

Category: 2 Comments

Nov 8th

by: Lauren

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Happy Thursday everyone! Today is the start of new ELD series called Ask Lauren! Some of you may know that I used to be a wedding designer and planner- and before that, I was an absolutely clueless bride. As a bride I, had all of these questions, but no one to turn to ask- which is why I want ELD to be a resource for YOU! Brides, now you can submit your wedding planning questions, and I’ll either answer them here on ELD or email you with an answer. You should never have any unanswered questions about your wedding- and remember, there are no silly questions either! You have never planned a wedding before- you SHOULD have questions! :)

Photo by Stephanie Ascari Photography

So now on to our first question for “Ask Lauren”…

Hi Lauren,

I have a question regarding wedding photos. My groom is on the fence about a first look. If we wait until after the ceremony, there is only 45 minutes to get family, wedding party and couple shots at the church. Is this enough time? I am very stressed we will not have enough pictures of just he and I. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

– Kelly

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Hi Kelly! First off, THANK YOU for reading ELD and submitting your question! You were the very first one! :)

Wedding day photos can be tough when you’re on a schedule, and you definitely want to make sure that you’re getting enough photos of you and your new husband! Having those photos is HUGE part of why you have a photographer, right?! Without knowing your exact wedding day timeline, and just knowing that you would only have 45 minutes, I would highly recommend doing a first look.

Photos by Avant Images

Doing a First Look will ensure that you’ll get those portraits of you and your husband, and you won’t have to be stressed about whether or not you’ll have time to get photos of the two of you. Plus, it makes for some absolutely INCREDIBLY photos! Not to mention that if your wedding is taking place during the winter, the sun likes to go down WAY early, so doing a First Look will allow you have photos with great light! :) Usually people are a little wary of first looks because they want the whole “walking down the aisle” experience. Well my friend, it’s still the same. You’re still walking down the aisle to your future spouse, and it will still be just as emotional. Seriously- some of the best photos that I have seen during the ceremony were of brides and grooms that DID have a first look!

Photo by Jason Mize Photography

With all of that said, a big part of having a successful First Look is planning for it. So here are a few things to remember when you’re planning for your first look:

– First and foremost, talk to your photographer about it and find out how long they would prefer you have for time. Since you won’t really have too much time after your ceremony, I’m guessing your photographer will prefer to have more time so they can do your portraits.

– Make sure that you are DONE with your First Look photo session 30 minutes before the ceremony so you can get where you need to be and not be sidetracked by guests!

– When doing a First Look, you will have to be ready a little earlier than you may have planned. Tell all of your vendors who are involved in the getting ready portion of your wedding day that your schedule will have to be moved up to accomodate (hair & makeup, transportation, bouquet delivery, photographer, cinematographer).

Photos by Rustic White Photography

So sure, you may have to be ready about an hour earlier than you planned on, but it’s better than only have 5 seconds for photos! :) If you need some proof for your fiance, check out all of these posts that had First Looks. And be sure to check out these past posts too…

Thursday Tips: First Looks Are Awesome!

Pro Insight: First Looks- The Images Speak For Themselves

{Wedding Planning Advice} Slow Your Day Down

{Thursday Tips} Consider A First Look

And these posts by some wedding pros are GREAT too!

SHOULD I DO A FIRST LOOK?

FIRST LOOKS… WHY SHOULD I DO THIS?

Maybe we should take a look at some examples of the awesomeness of First Looks…

Photo by The Burks

Photo by Michael Newman Photography

Photo by Twila’s Photography

Photo by Ashley Daniell Photography

Photo by Kerri McConnell Photography

Photo by Live View Studios

My answer to anything timeline-related is always to do whatever is going to cause the least amount of stress on your wedding day. And most of the time, that does indeed involve including a First Look! Kelly, I think your fiance will definitely be okay with doing a First Look- especially once he reads up on it and sees the proof of how awesome it is! :)

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Brides, are any of YOU planning on doing a First Look? Or maybe on the fence about it like Kelly and her fiance? What are your thoughts on First Looks?

Don’t forget to send in your own wedding questions for Ask Lauren!

Wedding Planning Advice: Pace Yourself!

Category: 1 Comments

Nov 8th

by: Lauren

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“Take everything one step at a time, and pace yourself! Nothing creates more stress than trying to do everything at one time. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. At Inside the Envelope we do everything we can so that when the brides receive their invitations, they have to do as little as possible. It is our goal to make the invitation process as carefree as we can- this is supposed to be fun!”

– Nicole of Inside The Envelope

Inside the Envelope

email: info@insidetheenvelope.net | phone: 630.205.6624 | website: http://www.insidetheenvelope.net
twitter: Follow @InsideEnvelope | facebook: “Like” Inside The Envelope!

location: Chicago, Illinois | type: Paper Products | style: Modern | price: $$

Pink & Peach Vintage & Rustic Wedding

Category: REAL WEDDINGS 4 Comments

Nov 7th

by: Lauren

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After yesterday’s colorful Fall wedding inspiration, and now this vintage and rustic pink wedding that I have for you all today, I think you may be on gorgeous overload! Impossible? Yep, I agree! With shades of pale pink and peach, a mixture of a vintage and rustic styles, and photography by J. Layne Photography, you really can’t go wrong…

From the Bride, Gabi:

“From the beginning, I always wanted a small intimate wedding. I went back and forth with the size of the wedding and finally decided on having our closest family and friends. It was hard choosing in the end but wonderful to have the small intimate feeling. We love being outside and decided to have our wedding at Rivertown on the river surrounded by beautiful trees.”

“I would describe our wedding as a touch of vintage and rustic with pastel soft colors. I spent a lot of time on Pinterest gathering many ideas. Once I put those ideas together, I went to work looking around at many discount and antique stores. There were also a LOT of DIY projects. The linen runners were sewn by my mom. My husband and I stained all the wooden crate boxes. Invitations were a DIY kit put together by my mother in law, husband, and I. All flowers & bouquets/boutonnieres, were put together by my stepmom and the help of my dad and sisters. Even our friends pitched in and helped make fans and our photo booth.”

“My advice for any new bride is this…As hard as it is, always make your wedding day about you and your future hubby. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the stressfulness of wedding planning and pleasing others and listening to all of their opinions. It’s important to sit back and relax and remember the importance of your wedding day- you and your future husband. Always make it about you two- do what you want in the end! :)”

I couldn’t agree more with Gabi’s advice! A big thank you to J. Layne Photography for sharing this wedding and their beautiful work with us!

So are you on gorgeous overload yet? ;) I love pink and peach together- you can never go wrong with that combination! Are any of you using pink or peach as your wedding colors?