Modern Black & White Mississippi Wedding

Mar 16th

by: Lauren

It’s Friday! MY how this week has flown by! So how about we end this week with a modern black and white wedding? Yes? Okay then. :) This Mississippi wedding comes to us from Adam + Alli Photography, and I just love these pops of color that were used with the black and white. Such great inspiration for a modern wedding… plus, the bride and groom are SO very happy- you will definitely be smiling along with them!

See, aren’t the bride and groom SO very happy? It rubs off on you, right? :) I think the favors are so cute- little mini packages of cards AND chocolate bars. You KNOW these guests were happy! A big thanks to Adam + Alli Photography for sharing this fabulous wedding with us!

What do you think of the pops of color with black and white? I love it- it changes things up a little bit! Are any of you planning a black and white wedding?

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Adam + Alli Photography / Portrait Station: The South Warehouse / Flowers & Decor: Fresh Cut Catering and Floral by Wendy P / Catering: Fresh Cut Catering and Floral by Wendy P / Cake Baker: Sandra Groover / DJ: DJ 51-50 / Photo Booth: RentTheBooth.com / Bridal Salon: The Bridal Path / Bridesmaid Dresses: David's Bridal / Groom’s Attire: Men's Warehouse

Thursday Tips: What To Wear Under Your Wedding Dress

Category: WEDDING PLANNING 3 Comments

Mar 15th

by: Lauren

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Happy Thursday friends! I’m out of town yet again today, and so I asked my friend Erin of Bare Intimates to share her expertise with us about what to wear under your wedding dress! Because let’s face it… that’s something I have NO clue about, and I’m not about to even attempt to give you all advice on something I don’t know about! But Erin knows this stuff like the back of her hand, so take it away Erin!

For any bride, what you wear on your wedding day is probably the most significant outfit of your life. Brides spend countless hours tracking down the perfect dress, veil and shoes – but almost all of them have no clue where to begin when it comes to what they should wear under their dress.

Photo by Meg Baisden

If you’re having trouble deciding what to wear under your wedding dress, remember this: choosing the correct undergarment can not only slim your figure, but it will lift your bust and enhance the fit of your wedding dress. First things first, the style of your dress completely dictates what type of undergarment you should choose:

Strapless, Ball Gown – Brides trying to enhance their natural waistline should try pairing their gown with a bustier or corset for extra slimming and smoothing. I love this “Beth” set from Kiss Me Deadly for not only its shaping and support, but the delicate lace fabric is soft and feminine. Because of the natural boning most ball gowns have built in to the frame of the dress, naturally thin brides will be ok opting for built in cups or a backless strapless bra. My favorite is by Sassybax from Bare Necessities.

Mermaid – Brides choosing a fit and flare gown are obviously aware of their body and want their curves to make a statement! You’ll want to flatten your stomach and smooth out your hips, so try wearing a high waisted slimming undergarment – like this slimmers thong from onGossamer.

Halter – Most halter gowns have a plunging neckline, so you’ll absolutely need to find the best halter bra to pair under your gown for the proper support and comfort. I love this Marie Jo Avero Plunge Bra.

Sheath/Column – These slim fitting gowns are typically made of chiffon or organza, so it’s crucial you wear seamless undergarments. Try having cups sewn in to your dress and wear a seamless panty. If you are looking for more coverage, try a tailored slip for an extra layer.

A-Line/Princess – The most popular of the dress styles, this is all about preference. This style is flattering on almost all body types and can be easily modified. Keep your neckline in check when choosing a strapless bra, cups or bustier to match. The natural wide skirt can hide almost everything on your hips, so go for comfort! Hanky Panky is the best for a long day of walking down the aisle, standing and dancing the night away.

Photo via

You should never let your wedding day lingerie go too long without thinking about it. Do your research! Ask your bridal consultant while trying on gowns and always purchase and bring your chosen undergarments to your first fitting. This will allow your seamstress to know exactly how your body will be looking on your wedding day and give you the best fit possible. And before we go, here are a few more tips to remember:

1. You have to wear white. False! Unless you’re wearing a sheath chiffon dress, your wedding dress will have enough fabric to cover the color. I love when brides wear a pop of blush pink, peach or light teal under their dress.

2. Consider your undergarments if you are doing a garter toss. We all know how these can end up so consider what underwear you are wearing before your dress is lifted up in front of everyone.

3. Bridal lingerie can be functional and beautiful. Just because no one will see it, does not mean you should not feel gorgeous in stunning lingerie. It’s your wedding day! Go all out.

The important thing to remember is that this is your wedding dress! You deserve to have it look the best it possibly can on you.

Thanks for having me, Lauren!

Thank you for all of these great tips Erin! Like I said before- I have NO clue about undergarments for the different types of wedding dresses! I didn’t even know half of this stuff even existed! Hopefully all of this great information will help some of you out! :)

Modern Red & Aqua Outer Banks Wedding

Category: REAL WEDDINGS 9 Comments

Mar 14th

by: Lauren

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Happy Wednesday! Oh my this wedding I have for you all today is gorgeous! In my 2.5 years of blogging, I don’t think I’ve featured a wedding that’s red and aqua, have I? Hmmm, well no matter what the answer to that question is, I LOVE this wedding from Robyn Van Dyke Photography! It’s modern, bright, and even has a beach and coral theme! It’s a nice departure from the normal “beach” weddings that I see here in Florida. Oh and the bride Lori will be joining us to reminisce about her wedding planning experience too, so keep an eye out for some great advice! :)

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

My Mom was the biggest help during the planning process. As a year round teacher, she was able to tackle a lot of wedding related items during school breaks while I was at work. My photographer was also a great help in finding ideas with our color scheme. We bounced tons of ideas back and forth and even styled the engagement shoot together.

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

I think the most important thing for us when we decided to work with a vendor was compatibility. We wanted people who we felt like could have been our friends for years. We actually worked with two vendors who were our friends and/or acquaintances. We also looked for vendors who were compatible with our style as a couple. As an artist myself, there were certain aspects of the wedding that I was very particular about, like photography and our Floral/Event Designer. In choosing our Photographer, I was looking for the Fine-Art Photojournalistic style and Robyn’s style was just what we were looking for. When choosing the Floral and Event Designer, we went with someone who was very creative and understood our vision. Words can’t describe how happy we were with Robyn Van Dyke Photography and Bells & Whistles!

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

We were very happy with almost all of our vendors. I think that many of them did do special things for us that were above and beyond.
-Our wedding planner was amazing. We couldn’t have done it without her special care and attention to detail. She also gave us an Outer Banks beach bag with really cute towels for us to use the next time we go to the beach!

-My Photographer is also a personal friend of mine who greatly helped me through a really tough time in my life that happened around the time of my bridal portraits. I honestly don’t think those pictures would have turned out as fabulous as they did without her support!

-Our Floral/Event designer, created the chandelier I had been dreaming of having and did it all within our budget!

-Our ceremony guitarist, John Baldwin, called me a few weeks before the wedding, just to see how I was doing and to talk. He even learned a new song for our wedding ceremony! It’s personal touches like that, that makes someone stand out in your mind after the wedding!

-Our rehearsal dinner/reception site, The Currituck Club, made most all of the food gluten free for my sister and I who cannot have any gluten. They even surprised us with gluten free crab cakes at the rehearsal dinner. My sister hasn’t had gluten free crab cakes since she had to go gluten free 9 years ago!

What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

Marrying the love of my life of course! J It is so hard to choose just one thing about our wedding that was my absolute favorite, but I loved our reception décor- it was AMAZING!! Especially the chandelier!

What is your best piece of advice for other brides?

Looking back on the past year, I think the best piece of advice I could give is don’t stress so much! It will all come together in the end. You will have bumps along the way, but just sit back and remember why you are planning this wedding. You are marrying the love of your life and that’s all that matters!

Aw, I just think these two are so adorable, don’t you? Plus their decor is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your wedding with us Lori! And thank you to Robyn Van Dyke Photography for sharing her gorgeous images with us!

So what do you all think about the red and aqua for a beach wedding? Do you love it, or do you prefer a more subdued color palette? I really love the fact that the decor was beachy, yet still incredibly tasteful and gorgeously done! Oh and did you catch that custom chandelier that Lori was raving about in her interview? It’s pretty awesome, right?!

Vendors who made it all happen…

Photographer: Robyn Van Dyke Photography / Wedding Planner/Coordinator: The Proper Setting / Ceremony Venue: Oceanfront at Hampton Inn Suites, Corolla / Reception Venue: The Currituck Club / Flowers & Decor: Bells & Whistles / Cake Baker: Just Desserts / DJ: John Harper / Vintage Car: 1939 Packard / Limo: Beach Limousine / Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Jewel) / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Attire: Black Tie Affair / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Jewelry: Vintage heirlooms of bride's grandmother

Bold, Modern Cobalt Blue & Plum Inspiration Board

Category: 2 Comments

Mar 13th

by: Lauren

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Hey friends! Boy am I glad it’s Tuesday! Kind of not, because that means this week is already going by WAY too fast, but I’m glad Monday is over with! I spent ALL DAY doing taxes. And when I say ALL DAY, I mean all day… like from 9 am to 11pm. I didn’t even eat. What. The Heck. I thought with Daylight Savings Time the days were supposed to feel longer?! The good news is that I’m done- at least I hope I am- and I’m considering it my final rite of passage for becoming a full time blogger. ;) Which reminds me… the anniversary of the relaunch of ELD (and the launch of Every Last Vendor) is coming up soon… I think I might do a little something to celebrate! And now I’m just thinking out loud… anyways, something good DID come out of my day of numbers and spreadsheets yesterday… the need for some PRETTY! I’ve actually had this inspiration board for a little while… it was my inspiration for a shoot that I recently did in Las Vegas, and I am DYING to share it with you all!!! I’m still waiting on photos, but I thought it was time to at least share the inspiration with you all!

Row 1: Tablescape, Bout, Necklace, Felt Fringe, Plates

Row 2: Bouquet, Tablescape, Dress, Cake, Bouquet

Row 3: Color Palette, Tassels, Painted Vases, Centerpiece

Bold, modern, and eclectic- some of my favorite styles combined to create something pretty awesome. I’ve been obsessed with a cobalt blue lately. I wanted to pair it with some feminine colors, but still have everything be bold, so I went with a plum and dusty pink. Of course I had to throw in some teal and gray for some extra modern style. I won’t go too deep into the description- I’ll save that for when I post the actual shoot! Now I’m kind of dying to see a wedding with these colors- would any of you use them for your wedding? What do you think?! :)

Oh and PS- is anyone else wondering where February went, or am I the only person who keeps forgetting it’s March?!