{Detail To Love} Unique Ceremony Ideas

May 11th

by: Lauren

Happy Friday afternoon everyone! So this week’s weddings had some FABULOUSLY unique ceremony ideas… namely, things to do as “unity” ceremonies!

We started the week off with a chemistry-themed wedding where the bride and groom poured two clear chemicals together to create another blue chemical! Kind of perfect since they were both chemists, right?!

Photos by Emily Takes Photos

Then, we had a vineyard wedding, where the bride and groom placed letters to each other inside a crate with 2 bottles of wine. They nailed the box together, vowing that if they ever had hard times, they would open the box, read the letters, and drink the wine together.

Photo by Aaron Watson Photography

Both of these ceremony ideas are awesome, right?! And exactly the kind of details I love to see! Have any of you decided on what you’ll be doing for your own ceremony yet?

Classic Jacksonville Garden Wedding

Category: REAL WEDDINGS 5 Comments

May 11th

by: Brit Stewart

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[Editor’s note: Hey friends! I’m hijacking Brit’s post real quick to tell you something super fun about this wedding… the beautiful bride, Kim, is my best friend’s best friend! So it’s kind of like we’re friends by proxy, right?! Either way, I’m quite excited to be able to share it with you all today! Alright, time for you to enjoy it! :)]

Man, if only we all had a garden like Kim and Michael had for their wedding in which to marry! It’s such an incredible backdrop for their ceremony, and made for the perfect First Look location. And, it absolutely helps that the sun was shining and the greens were so vibrant. Their wedding reminds me that although the perfect location makes the perfect backdrop, so does the couple and their unconditional love. And of course with that, your wedding photos will be full of so much life- much like these from (once like a spark) photography!

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

My mom was amazingly helpful in planning the wedding. She is very organized and detail-oriented like me so we were a great team. Even though there was a great deal of work to be done, we had a lot of fun in the process. I will miss those late night phone calls going over every detail. I couldn’t be happier with how the day turned out, and I really have my mom to thank!

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

Other than a sense that our styles were similar, definitely personality. I was already in love with the photography I had seen from “Once Like a Spark,” but meeting with the photographer Carla Gates sealed the deal. I felt completely comfortable, it was like having coffee with a new friend.

Did any of your vendors do anything special for you before, on, or after your wedding day that you would like to share?

Our caterer, Mark Shine from Designed Events, was so accommodating. Our first impression of him was great. He really made our “menu tasting session” special – he accommodated 8 very-opinionated family members in the tasting and set up a beautiful table in an art gallery with a very nice ambiance and glasses of wine for the group. It’s those special touches that made all the difference.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

Our ceremony really represented us as a couple. I am Catholic and Mike is Jewish, and we decided to have an interfaith ceremony in the gardens of the Cummer Museum on the St. John’s River. Our ceremony was designed by us, and highlighted both cultural and religious backgrounds. We had both a priest and a rabbi officiate the ceremony and they were both open and supportive in making sure everything was personal and meaningful to us.

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

1. I highly recommend doing a “First Look”– it’s a very romantic and personal moment between you and your husband and the pictures are to-die-for! I definitely cherish those moments from our wedding day, and I love having those amazing shots to look back on because you can see in both our faces how special it was.

2. Your wedding should be a reflection of both you and your husband, so make sure to include his style and taste in the making of the details. My husband loves sweets, so the biggest layer of our wedding cake was his favorite flavor – Black Forest cake. He also picked out a great play list for the band, which had all of the guests up dancing the whole night.

Their sunny wedding day has me wishing it wasn’t a rare, but rainy day, in Denver today! What wedding photos are you most looking forward to at your wedding?

xo,
Brit

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: (once like a spark) photography / Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Raya McArthur / Reception Venue: The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens / Flowers & Decor: Shea Hopely Flowers Inc. / Cake Baker: Edgewood Bakery / Band: the faze band / Ceremony Musicians: The String Group / Bride’s Dress: Romona Keveza

{Thursday Tips} When Is The Right Time To… Have An Engagement Party?

Category: WEDDING PLANNING 3 Comments

May 10th

by: Lauren

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Um, I’m not sure if I’ve already said this this week, but OMG IT’S MAY!!! I don’t know about you, but I have absolutely NO clue where April went! This seems to be a bit of a pattern for me- the months FLYING by, which result in me spending the whole first half of a new month thinking it’s still the past month. Well, since it’s May, I figured it was about time for another post in the “When Is The Right Time…” series- you know, the series that I said I was going to be doing but have yet to actually start. Today’s topic: having an engagement party!

When is the right time to… have an Engagement Party?

I asked around about this, because I myself had my engagement party a year before my wedding, but I’ve seen them occurring just a few months before the wedding too.

My “research” has indicated that if you’re going to have an engagement party, it’s best to do it about a year before your wedding. Think of it as a way to sort of “kick off” your engagement. In a perfect world, I would suggest doing it soon after getting engaged so you’re REALLY celebrating… it could even be before you set a date! It’s also a good idea to have an engagement party if you’re planning on having a long-ish engagement- hence the year prior to the wedding suggestion.

Photo by JUSTIN JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

Planning your wedding in less than a year? I say still go for the engagement party… as long as your wedding isn’t like 4 months away. If that’s the case, you have way too much work to do and you won’t necessarily have time for an extra party!

Who hosts the engagement party? Traditionally it’s the bride’s parents, but the party can also be hosted by the groom’s parents, your friends, or other family members. Engagement parties hosted by friends are always fun… I can’t wait for my best friends to start getting engaged so I can throw them parties! ;)

As for whether to even have an engagement party… well that is entirely up to you, your fiance, your friends, your family, etc. But I will leave you with this little thought… EVERYONE loves a good party. ;)

So now how about you… have you had an engagement party? When did you have yours, and who hosted it? For those of you who haven’t had one yet and still have some time before your wedding, do you want to have an engagement party?

Navy & Pink Vintage Vineyard Wedding

Category: REAL WEDDINGS 4 Comments

May 9th

by: Lauren

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I have an absolutely GORGEOUS vineyard wedding for you all today by Aaron Watson Photography and Beehive Events! The combination of both rustic and vintage elements paired with a navy and pink color palette is so very beautiful- especially for the gorgeous vineyard where the wedding took place. Of course I can’t forget the fabulous florals all throughout the wedding… you all know I’m a sucker for great florals! :) And the lovely bride, Stephanie, is joining us to share some of the wedding insight she gained throughout her planning…

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

The planning process was all me, but Shawn Cosette at Beehive Events portrayed my vision flawlessly and beyond my expectations.

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

I wanted to work with people that were not only willing to work hand in hand with me, but people that were not afraid to step outside the box. I knew I wanted a chic vintage feel, but with some key touches that were a little unique. Everyone was amazing at helping me create it!!!

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

I don’t know that any bride could have been happier with her wedding. But a few things did stick out in my mind:

The venue. Until you take a trip to Veritas Vineyards in Afton, VA, you will never know how truly breathtaking the view is. What more could you ask for than all your friends and family witnessing the love you have for each other while taking in the scenery of the Shenandoah Valley! Add in the unforgettable décor by Shawn Cosette and poof! The dream you have always envisioned as a little girl has come true.

The ceremony. Rev. Claire Goodman helped Leigh and I come up with a special wine ceremony during our vows. Prior to our wedding Claire asked us to write a letter to each other (not read them) and fill a wine crate with two bottles of wine. During the ceremony, we put our letters into the box and symbolically hammered it shut. The reason for this was if our marriage ever endured serious hardships in the future, we promised to sit down together, drink the wine and read the letters that reminded us of how much we loved each other on our wedding day. Well, we have almost made it through year one, and that crate has not been opened yet!

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

There were two pieces of advice given to Leigh and me before our big day that we have held close to our hearts and would love to pass on. The first is to make sure you not only enjoy every minute of the planning, but on the day of your wedding-the two of you step back from the crowd for a minute and take in the fact that all the love in that room is for you. Your wedding day can be a very overwhelming experience, and you always want to visually remember that one very special moment.

The second piece of advice was to always remember you are a team. It is hard for Brides to realize sometimes that your special day also includes your husband! But their opinion does count too, and in the future as long as you stay a team; sometimes against parents, sometimes against friends-you should be able to endure anything.

Thank you to Stephanie for sharing her insight with us, and to Aaron Watson Photography for sharing his images so we can all be inspired! :)

I’m always a fan of the bolder color palettes like the pink and navy in this wedding… but I think the Mr & Mrs signs at the sweetheart table win my pick for favorite detail! You all know I love my Mr & Mrs signs! Although, I do love the bottles of win sealed up in a crate with letters too! ;) How about you all… what’s your favorite detail of this wedding? And what do you think of the colors, navy and pink? Will any of you be using those colors?