The beautiful details at this rustic chic farm wedding just go on and on! Couple Kelsey and Anthony planned a wedding that was perfectly them, and the images from Captured Photography by Jenny document every incredible design detail and emotional moment of the day. I'm swooning over here!

The Couple: Kelsey and Anthony

The Wedding: 4.7.12 - Estancia Culinaria - Homestead, FL

What three adjectives best describe your wedding? Fun, quirky and special

What was your wedding color palette? Brown, green and cream

What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you incorporate your style and personalities into your big day? Our wedding style was inspired by our relationship, personalities and interests, along with the venue itself. The wedding was held at my farm, which really catered to interesting and fun decor. More importantly, it holds a lot of importance in our hearts and it’s where we always dreamt of getting married. We incorporated our personalities into our big day in pretty much every aspect of the wedding. Our dog, Luna, walked our rings down the aisle and the bridal party was made up of 22 people who meant the most to us. Also, I changed into Toms, and Anthony changed into converse after the ceremony! We wanted the wedding to have a laid-back, rustic feel to it.

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? It’s hard to narrow it down and pick just a few! Our wedding felt like a fairytale to us. After a four and a half year engagement, walking down the aisle to meet the love of my life at the end felt so surreal and wonderful. It’s a moment I’ll always remember vividly. We waited a long time for that day and I can honestly say that it was just perfect. Also, I think one of our favorite moments had to have been our first dance. We danced to, “In My Life” by the Beatles and felt like we were the only ones in the tent. It was a really special moment and we’ll remember it forever.

Choosing to go with our big bridal party was a great choice. We were hesitant at first because we had so many people we wanted up there with us, but were worried what guests might think about the huge bridal party. We finally decided that it was our big day and if we wanted to include all of our friends, we should! Looking back, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. It felt great to have all our friends and family up there with us and we like that it was unique and different. Plus, we never once heard that we had too many people up there!

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? Don’t spend so much time stressing about planning that you forget to enjoy the planning process! It can be really stressful trying to plan everything to make sure it all turns out perfectly. But, take time to enjoy it all and have fun with it. Don’t be afraid to incorporate quirky details that may seem to be non-traditional. Don’t be worried about what guests will think or say. Everyone going is there to support you and will walk away thinking everything was perfect. Enjoy the wedding itself! It flies by! Taste the food, take time to sit down for cake, have a drink, and dance! Your wedding day only comes around once in your life - make it special!

The Wedding Team:

The Photographer: Captured Photography by Jenny
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Estancia Culinaria
Catering: Mena Catering
Florist: Vivian's Petals
Wedding Cake: Elegant Temptations
Wedding Dress: Watters Brides
Bridesmaids' Apparel & Accessories: Apparel - Dessy
Hair & Make-up: Make-up - Christie Lopez, Hair - Celeste Munyon
Live Music: Junior's Entertainent Group

What a wedding! Kelsey and Anthony, thank you so much for sharing your rustic, charming wedding with us!

Readers, to see more stunning wedding photography, check out our Photobug blog!

Today's styled inspiration shoot is a fun mix of color, creative re-purposing, and unique ideas. Put together by Junebug member Bella Signature Design and captured by Clane Gessel's artistic eye, it is just the sort of inspiration we love at Junebug!

From Bella Signature Design: Our shoot was a combination of two lovely gents (Chris and Glen, who are a real couple and planning their upcoming wedding!) playing with us in a fun, eco-friendly wedding design. We used  lots of recycled materials; our goal was to use what we had around. The ceremony backdrop was made out of Home Depot masking tape, recycled ribbon from past events and painted receipt tape. We used the same materials on the aisle chairs, where we let the tape spool out behind the chairs. The runner was hand painted by one of our staff on a natural-colored canvas that we already had. The fabric pomanders were made with fabric from left over projects, chuppah coverings, and ceremony backdrops. Our staff created a ton of pomanders out of them! For the table, we used the same materials plus a few roses and ranunculus to add that soft touch. Chris and Glen were magical to shoot - totally in love and oh-so-photogenic!

Thank you to all of the talented professionals that created this beautiful, eco-friendly wedding inspiration!

Photos: Clane Gessel
Styling & Decor/Floral: Bella Signature Design
Venue: Sodo Park
Custom Aisle Runner: Bella Signature Design 
Stir Sticks, Sparkly "Groom" Signs, Table numbers: Covet and Swoon

Christin and Joe celebrated their marriage with a sophisticated, white-on-white wedding at the elegant Flagler Museum in Palm Beach Florida. The stunning venue, gorgeous fashion, thoughtful details, and of course all of the happiness, were captured by bee photographie.

The Goals: from Christin - First and foremost, we wanted God to be present as we became man and wife. It was also important to us that our ceremony was very personal. We wanted our family involved. My brothers preformed a song, Joe's aunt did a reading, and my Dad did a prayer of blessing. It was so special having all of our siblings in our wedding party too! After that, we wanted to be surrounded by the people we love as we exchanged our wedding vows and celebrated.

The Design: I wanted a very classic, sophisticated, almost "Great Gatsby" feel. Being in Palm Beach, we also wanted to incorporate a bit of an ocean or beachy feel which was done by using coral and lanterns on the tablescapes. Our color palette was very neutral. I have a hard time committing to color, and you can't go wrong with white for a wedding! I wanted white on white on white! All of the flowers were white, and my bridesmaids were in a champagne colored dress.

For the details, we brought in personal touches. I custom designed our invitations, which were very simple but classic and timeless. The paper, letterpress and fonts were all very important in creating our perfect invitation. The final touch was the custom stamp with a picture of our engagement spot! For our wedding favors we did a beautiful box of large matches with a shell on the front. On the binding is said "Christin & Joseph- The Perfect Match"!

Our cake was was a four-tiered buttercream-frosted vanilla cake, adorned with fresh peonies, and it looked amazing on the lucite cake stand! But I really loved our appetizers and desserts! MINI everything!...mini tomato soup and grilled cheese, fish and chips, sliders, hotdogs, chicken gyros. For dessert we had mini cupcakes, ice cream cones, milk and cookies, and milkshakes. They were so cute and delicious!

The Look: The formality of our venue definitely was a factor in choosing my wedding dress. It was soft and feminine, slightly sexy, and had just the right amount of detail. Monique Lhuillier really has a way of designing dresses to make women feel and look their absolute best. For my shoes, jewelry and accessories, I wanted to incorporate my personal style with some vintage pieces, dramatic earrings for the reception, and sexy nude heels.

My bridesmaids looked amazing in neutral nude/champagne convertible gowns. They each wore it in a way that flattered them most, and they looked unique, yet cohesive. The guys looked so dapper in their tuxedos. You can't go wrong with a classic bow tie and tux!

The Moments: There were so many special moments! Walking down the aisle towards my soon to be husband. Exchanging our vows...there is something about reciting vows that have been around for years and years, words that our great great grandparents said. They are packed with so much meaning. It's incredibly romantic!

At the reception, we played some Greek music and all the guest formed a circle and danced like crazy around the room. My dad, brother and Joe got in the middle of the circle, flailing their arms, kicking, and throwing napkins! It was hilarious! And when we made our grand exit it was amazing to see all our friends and family giving us a farewell with such love and enthusiasm as we got into our vintage Rolls-Royce!

The Pros: Please visit Christin and Joe's page in our Real Wedding Library for more details on the talented professionals that helped create their wedding day!

Thank you so much for sharing your elegant wedding day with us, Christin and Joe! We wish you all the very best in your new life together!

Happy Memorial Day dear Junebug readers! Here's to a long weekend filled with fun!

We'll see you back here tomorrow with a wedding you're sure to adore!

Although Memorial Day weekend just kicked off the summer fun, I couldn't resist sharing this fabulously stylish and creative winter wedding from near Lake Tahoe, since many of you out there are probably planning winter weddings as we speak! Groom Karl imagined a campfire-style wedding in the middle of the forest, while Christina envisioned something a bit more polished, so they looked to wedding planner Scott Corridan to create a chic event that suited both of their personalities. I fell head over heels in love with the hot cocoa, roasted chestnuts winter wedding fashion and modern woodland decor in these wedding photos by Viera Photographics!

The Couple: Christina and Karl

The Wedding: 1.29.11 - Northstar - Lake Tahoe, CA

What three adjectives best describe your wedding day? It was a snowy woodland adventure!

Was there a decor theme that ran through your wedding? What was the inspiration for that particular idea and how did it reflect you as a couple? The theme sprang from Karl’s idea of making our wedding feel like a hunting lodge in the forest. I was hoping for something a bit more polished and elegant. Ultimately, we both wanted a small winter wedding, where we could fit everyone in a small room together at just a few tables. Scott managed to bring these ideas together brilliantly. It felt like a chic woodland event.

What were some of the different ways you used decor elements to create the beautiful, cohesive event you were envisioning? For the ceremony, we relied on the natural setting of a snowy aspen grove with a creek running behind it on the Northstar golf course. For the reception, having a lot of flowers at a winter wedding did not make sense. So, Scott focused on bringing the reception alive with linens, tablescapes and candles. The linens were an assortment of bold black and white graphic prints. The tables were topped with lots of candles and interesting objects like, sculptures, antlers, etc. We had faux busts of animals suspended from the ceiling and twinkly lights everywhere.

Where did you choose to hold your wedding, and how did the location influence your decor decisions? We made the crazy decision to have our wedding outside ... in the middle of winter ... in Tahoe. Given that, we had to figure out a way to make things both cozy and elegant. As people arrived to the ceremony, they were greeted with hot cocoa, coffee, Baileys and roasted chestnuts. To keep the feel of the location natural, we interspersed chairs with wooden stumps for people to sit on and had others stand. Thus, when I walked down the aisle, it felt like I had just happened upon a magical gathering in a snowy aspen stand. It was beautiful.

Looking back, do you have a favorite project or successful decor idea from your wedding? Tell us what you loved about it! I outsourced the projects and decor. I was far from a DIY bride! So, I was stunned to see how beautifully all our zany ideas came together. The ceremony site itself, on a snowy slope with a creek running behind it and surrounded by aspens was stunning. I will never forget turning around after our “log-sawing” moment (a German tradition in which the newly-married couple saws through a log together to show how well they will work through problems in life together) and seeing almost everyone we love gathered around us in that beautiful spot.

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Viera Photographics
Event Planner: Scott Corridan
Ceremony Venue: Northstar Golf Course
Reception Venue: Baxter's Bistro at Northstar
Officiant: Vik Barad
Invitation Designer: Edition One Books
Catering: Baxter's Bistro
Florist: Scott Corridan
Wedding Cake: Baxter's Bistro
Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Bridal Accessories: Shrimpton Couture
Bridesmaids' Apparel and Acessories: H&M
Groom and Groomsmen Apparel and Accessories: H&M
Hair and Make-up: Hair - Laura Seegmiller, Make-up - Kiss & Makeup
Live Music: Lake Tahoe Entertainment
Transportation: Northstar
Favors: Truffles
Rings: Chabo's Jewelry

Christina and Karl, we absolutely love your chic and cozy wedding celebration!

Readers, want to learn more about creative wedding details? Check out our Wedding Inspiration Gallery!

Blending two cultures seamlessly, Karen and Jorge fused their very different backgrounds into a beautifully cohesive ceremony. Creative decor details, fun cultural traditions, and a fantastic toast full of love and support made this wedding unforgettable! 

The Couple: Karen and Jorge

The Wedding: 3.24.12 -  Sodo Park - Seattle, WA

What were the top three priorities for you in planning your wedding? Food, drinks and atmosphere. We focused a lot on the food. Jorge is from Spain and we love the simplicity of Spanish food. Our caterer, Herban Feast, even used one of Jorge’s recipes for one of the appetizers and found an Iberico ham. It was a hit at our wedding, particularly when the Spanish family had to show the meat cutter how to cut the ham correctly! As for drinks, there was no way we could have a wedding without unlimited beverage options! Also, we wanted our wedding to give our families the opportunity to connect and talk. I have friends from all over and many of them had not met each other. Even our families come from different parts of the world, so giving them the chance to interact was very important to us. We had a buffet to make the serving simple, and to cut down on the "sit down" structure and focus on interacting with other people.

What wedding traditions or cultural traditions did you incorporated into your wedding and what did they mean to you? We did one that was a bit different. In Spain, people often get married when they are younger and need money. Traditionally, they cut the groom’s tie and the bride’s garter belt into pieces and sell them. Money is collected in an empty wine bottle. Since the neck is so narrow, you can only put in dollar bills. We got $100 for a triangle section of his tie!

What was your biggest wedding planning success? Our wedding invitations and cake topper. I loved the process! I didn’t want a typical wedding invitation and thought of a comic strip book theme. We had about four pages that contained cartoons, which were drawn by Jorge, of the story of how we met to the point where we got engaged. We both made our cake topper, and it matched the cartoon theme. I'm not artistic but this was the first time I felt creative!

One of the couple's favorite moments of the day was the sweet toast that Jorge's brother, Fernando, put together for them. He involved all of the guests in the surprise, and shared the details with us. From Fernando - Jorge asked me to make a toast and I wanted to do something special for them. I decided to show photos that I got from their families as I was giving my speech, and prepared a video showing congratulations messages from their family and friends. This took more more than 2 months and 250 emails back and forth, contacting family and friends in Spain, Thailand and the US! I also wanted to create an atmosphere of love around them, involving everybody. After the video, I had the wedding party stand in front and lip sync "All You Need is Love" from the The Beatles, while the rest of the guests waved red hearts that we had secretly distributed a few minutes before the wedding. Every table received a pack of hearts with the instruction to waving them at the chorus of the song that would be played later. They even didn’t know what was to happen! Then, as a finish, we opened six streamers of hearts and surrounded the couple with them. They were absolutely surrounded by love from all angles! I think they enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed preparing it.

The Wedding Team:

The Photographer: Benj Haisch
Event Planner: Alison Lum
Ceremony/Reception Venue: Sodo Park
Catering: Herban Feast
Florist: Flora Noelle
Wedding Cake: Karen Kros - Ba-Bar
Wedding Dress: Alice + Olivia
Bridesmaids' Apparel and Accessories: Banana Republic
Men's Apparel and Accessories: Groom - Mario's, Groomsmen - Tuxedo Club 
Hair and Make-up: Ann Nguyen - Le Salon Rouge
DJ: Chris Lum
Favors: Handwoven satchels filled with candy from Thailand
Wedding Rings: Groom - Turgeon Raine, Bride - Cathy Waterman

Thank you so much Karen and Jorge! What great memories and moments!

Planning a wedding? Check out all the incredible wedding planning experts on our World's Best Planners & Designers Hotlist.

Matthew Robbins is a name synonymous with beautiful events and thoughtful details, but when I think of Matthew's work, the first thing that comes to mind is the word INVENTIVE! The NYC designer, who is a frequent contributor to Martha Stewart Weddings and numerous other wedding and style publications, has just released his first book - and it's filled with all of those creative ideas he is known for. The stunning book, Matthew Robbins' Inspired Weddings, shows how any object that's special to you can be used as the inspiration for your wedding decor - a concept that we love! Today we're super lucky to get to share an excerpt in which Matthew uses treasured old schoolhouse maps to create a drop-dead gorgeous wedding color palette and decor design concept for a modern wedding with a pretty vintage touch.

Excerpt from Matthew Robbins' Inspired Weddings: Designing Your Big Day with Favorite Objects and Family Treasures:

Why a Schoolhouse Map? When I was an art student in San Francisco, nearly every penny I had went into my art; I was always searching for cool objects to inspire me. Inside one of my favorite shops, I discovered these large schoolhouse maps, and, though I couldn't afford them at the time, I knew I had to have them. I decided to offer the friendly shop owner some of my artwork as a trade for the maps and, to my absolute delight, she agreed. I've kept them stored away forever, knowing that some day I would pull them out for something really special.

Maps instantly conjure up thoughts of travel, enticing us with all the wonderful destinations the world has to offer. I enjoy staring at them, tracing my finger from here to there, wondering when I'll have the opportunity to explore all the places I long to visit. The idea of a treasure map intrigues me as well - it holds the possibility that something wonderful is out there waiting for you, if only you can locate the big X that marks the spot. I tapped into this inspiration by featuring lots of silvery and glinting pieces that feels as if they might have just been discovered inside some sunken, newly salvaged treasure chest.

What About the Palette? I love the colors used in these fantastic old maps: the pale pinks, creams, greens and yellows, and those wide expanses of watery blue that come together to create this beautiful, vintage palette. The black graphic detailing is inspiring as well.

Who Is the Client? This inspiration is perfect for the couple that loves classic details, but wants to avoid a stuffy, formal event. I can't help but imagine a bride who wants to accomodate her mother's wish to host the event at the local yacht club, yet is trying to infuse the space with her own sense of romance and effortless style.

When and Where? A slightly more Victorian venue would be lovely with an inspiration like this, maybe the local country club, or perhaps the nearest botanical garden. I can also picture and map-infused wedding in an elegant white tent by the water, be it a beach, a river, or a beautiful lake. I definitely envision an event like this taking place in the spring or summer.

My Focus: I'm drawn to how old world and rustic and yet chic and modern maps can be. I show here how to incorporate all of these styles. You can blend romantic decor classics, like vintage silver and cherry blossoms, with a more casual, contemporary aesthetic, ending up with the best of both worlds.

Check out Matthew's stunning new book for page after page of beautiful and creative wedding inspiration just like this, and visit our Wedding Inspiration Gallery for real wedding photos and ideas of all kinds!

Today we have a gorgeous wedding inspiration shoot to share with you. Created by Summer Jean Photography and White Dress Events, both of Holland, Michigan; it reflects their love of Michigan's beautiful lakes, vintage decor, and pretty peonies. The coral and turquoise color palette feels like summer and romance all rolled into one, and I love how the floral motif practically jumps off the floral arrangements right onto the beautiful papers and vintage plates!

From West Michigan wedding photographer, Summer Osborn of Summer Jean Photography: It all began one evening when Cassie Celestin of White Dress Events and I we were meeting for coffee and the cafe experienced a power outage. Even that could not stop us from talking about wedding details that we love and how it would be fun to plan a styled shoot together, even if it meant sitting in the dark! Then and there, we decided we would do an inspiration/styled shoot including all of our favorite things - romance, anything vintage, and the nearby shores of Lake Michigan. We did the shoot at Holland State park, with our real life couple, Amanda and Bryan, who are getting married this July!

We wanted to feature our beautiful lakeshore area and wanted to show couples how they could have a beach wedding without the typical sand and seashells motif. We immediately went to work on planning our shoot. We selected a color scheme of coral, aqua and white and enlisted the help of several local vendors we have worked with before. We knew we could trust them with our vision, so we told them what we were looking for and let them do the rest. We understand that as artists and professionals, when a client trusts us 100%, we do our best work. We wanted our vendors to have that same feeling and to have a final product that they could be excited about. It is very important for brides to hire professionals who really have the experience and know what they are doing. We always recommend hiring vendors who really understand your vision!

Photo Shoot Team:

Photographer: Summer Jean Photography
Event Planner: White Dress Events
Location: Holland State Park
Floral Designer: Eastern Floral
Invitation Designer: Jamie Lynne Creative
Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero
Wedding Dress Store: September's Bride
Cake Designer: Ryke's Bakery . Catering . Cafe
Hair Stylist: Audrey Streng
Heirlooms and extras: Refunction Junktion
Bakery: The Piped Cookie, Patricia's Chocolates

Want even more wedding style inspiration? Check out our wedding photo gallery where you can search by color palette, fashion look, decor items and more!

Browsing through wedding photos, it's easy to get lost in all of the beautiful photographs of gorgeous wedding dresses. There seems to be a common thread in some of my favorites though; whether they be ruffled ballgowns, sleek sheaths, or structured a-lines, the dresses hanging on beautiful hangers appear to have their own wedding-day accessory. Take a look at what a great addition a beautiful hanger makes to your dress photo!

Feeling inspired to include a beautiful hanger in your wedding day plans? I love the idea of a family heirloom hanger (Grandma hung her wedding dress on it too? Perfect!), a personalized memento of your wedding day, or one with beautiful antique detailing.

Above: Stunning vintage French brass hangers, available from mamaisonfrancaise on etsy.

Above: A sweet "something blue!" The options for personalized wire details abound on Etsy. Photo by La Vie Photography.

Above: Wedding photographer and Junebug member Ashley Garmon knows the importance of a beautiful hanger. She is now creating these beauties, available through Heirloom!

Above: Darling charms that commemorate your special date! From Wedding Hanger Shop.

If you'd like to see more ideas for making your dress photo fantastic, be sure to visit our wedding gown image gallery!

Robyn and Scott planned a magical, nature-inspired fête filled with personal style and significance. From the 25 pies Robyn's mom baked, to the sun breaking through the stormclouds just in time for her walk down the aisle (as if her dad were right there!), each lovely moment of the day was captured by Viera Photographics' unique and talented eye! I'm so glad that Robyn graciously shared their wedding story with us today.

The Goals: From Robyn - We wanted our wedding day to feel organic and natural, to have a feeling of escape like at a music festival or nature camp, to be a night that felt magical and very true to us. The music was very important. We really wanted a real band, not just a "wedding" band. And of course, we wanted to have an absolute blast!

The Design: In hindsight, I realize that anytime I had a very distinct vision and desire, it always ended up being the right choice. The food, the dress, my decision to walk myself down the aisle (holding a place for my deceased father). Our ceremony was held outside and the reception under a tent. We used "nature" as our color palette for a very Midsummer Night's Dream look with an element of fantasy. A high point of the reception were our pies. My mom baked 25 pies for the reception! Her pies were always my favorite growing up and I wanted everyone to know what an amazing baker (and mother) she was. I wanted to give her a chance to shine. She wanted to kill me for making her bake 25 pies though!

The Look: I was always inspired by Sex and the City, when Carrie is in Paris waiting for Aleksandr in her Versace "Mille Feuille Dress" (a thousand layers). That was the image I always had in the back of my mind and I felt so lucky to pull it off. I've always been one to go outside the box so a dove gray dress from Escada felt perfect. I also envisioned a headpiece with feathers that matched my own hair tones. I wasn't sure I would be able to find it but I wandered into an East Village shop, Gallery Vercon, and found Vashti de Verteuil. She is this incredible and sweet designer who searched high and low for the exact right feathers. Feather by feather we designed the piece together.

I told my girls they could chose any color they found in nature; cream, sand, dust, stone, greens, grays. It ended up working out perfectly. I wanted it to feel very Midsummer Night's Dream, with everyone standing in the woods and looking like they matched but still with a feeling of something magical happening. I did make sure they all wore wedges though, sinking in the grass all night is no fun!

The Moments: My father passed away when I was 17 and I knew this would be a hard day for me without him. The weather was crazy and unpredictable; a torrential downpour one minute, windy and sunny the next. I kept saying I just wanted the photos and ceremony outside. There was no sun at "go time", but when I stepped out of the inn ready to walk down the aisle the sun came out and shone on my face. I knew it was my father. He was there the whole time.

We also had so many romantic moments on our wedding day. The first time Scott saw me in my dress was incredible. My mom made me so nervous that he wouldn't be 100% happy because I wasn't wearing white and urged me to tell him ahead of time. When he saw me, he thought the dress was so remarkable and perfect for me. I knew I had made the right decision. Also, saying our vows was romantic! Hearing Scott say those words and being so unabashedly him and endearing. It was beautiful. Also getting to eat the amazing farm to table food was pretty romantic in my book. As a health coach and cooking teacher, I think food is sooooo important. People still tell us our food was not just some of the best wedding food they've ever had but the best food!

The Pros: For more information about the talented team that helped create this romantic day, please visit Robyn and Scott's page in our Real Wedding Library!

Thank you for sharing your romantic and sweet day with us Robyn and Scott, and thank you to Viera Photographics for sharing your incredible work!

Readers, for more inspirational real wedding stories, please visit our Real Wedding Library, and to see another recent wedding from Viera Photographics, take a peek at the ultra-stylish winter wedding in Lake Tahoe that we published earlier this week!!

It's an exciting day here at Junebug - we're unveiling our newest Fashion Report: The Groom - six sharp looks for the modern man!

We've always been big supporters of including grooms on our website - from the Groom 101 wedding planning tips and honeymoon destination ideas in our Groombug section to blog posts about gifts for groomsmen and amazing men's portraiture on our blogs, we believe wedding planning is important to everyone, the guys included!

For this new Fashion Report we wanted to showcase a variety of dashing, timeless looks that any man would love, so we partnered with the experts at Nordstrom Weddings to come up with looks that range from classic tuxedo to modern hipster chic. The whole shoot was photographed by the amazingly talented team at J. Garner Studios, with makeup by Erin Skipley, and boutonnieres by Ravenna Bloom, Woodland Flowers and Garden Party Flowers. Take a peek these these sample photos here, jump over to our Fashion Report section to see the full feature, and read on to learn some great men's wedding fashion advice from Nordstrom's National Bridal Director, Andrea Wasserman!

While working on putting together this new Fashion Report, I was lucky enough to get to chat with Nordstrom's National Bridal Director, Andrea Wasserman, and get her advice on men's wedding day fashion...

Christy: As Nordstrom's National Bridal Director you must see wedding fashion from so many different perspectives - how do you recommend people approach choosing their wedding fashion differently (or similarly) than their everyday fashion?

Andrea: On your wedding day, you want to feel like a more special version of yourself - not like someone else! Consider pushing the boundaries of your everyday look a little bit. If you're a suit-and-tie guy, try a bow tie. But going the other way and skipping a jacket altogether might be too much for you.

Christy: Let's talk men's wear; what do you think of as today's classic, timeless wedding look for men? How about a more modern approach for a younger, more relaxed groom?

Andrea: If you've always envisioned a groom in a classic tux and your event is going to be formal, that's still a great direction to go. But if you're going for a different vibe, or don't feel a tux is the right investment for you, I love a two-button trim fit suit with a shorter jacket and a narrow tie. Depending on the color palette for the day, a medium gray (even a subtle plaid) can be beautiful for a softer, less formal look.

Christy: What are some basic fit and style tips for men's wear that will help pull any look together?

Andrea: So much of looking and feeling great all day is about the fit. Don't underestimate the importance of a fantastic tailor. And while miracles can be pulled off, don't leave alterations until the last minute. To make it all easier, avoid buying any jacket that doesn't fit well in the shoulders. And to make sure you end up with the right size, try the jacket size you think you are, and then try a size down. Mixing it up with a non-white shirt or a patterned tie will offer a less traditional look.

Christy: What are some easy ways for men to add personality to their wedding look?

Andrea: Try a pant cuff, and make it wide enough to count. Or pick out a quirky sock, and hem the pants a little shorter to show some ankle. If that's too much for you, talk to your florist about a twist on the classic boutonnière or add a pocket square or tie pin.

Christy: Are there men's accessories you're loving right now, that would be fun in a groom or groomsman's wedding day look?

Andrea: I'm a fan of the pocket square! One that complements the bridesmaid dresses and bouquets, but doesn't draw too much attention and isn't completely matchy-matchy.

Christy: Any additional words of advice to a man looking for the perfect wedding attire?

Andrea: Work with a person and store who will help you put your whole look together and make sure you have every piece you need. The last thing you want is to buy the suit at one place, troll around the web for a bow tie and then carry it all around to find a coordinating shirt. The complimentary stylists in the Nordstrom Wedding Suite work with men as well as with women so they'll put together head-toe-looks for the entire wedding party, make sure you have everything you need and coordinate on-site alterations.

Thank you so much Andrea!

Readers, check out our full Fashion Report, get more wedding planning tips for guys in our Groombug section, and be sure to visit NordstromWeddings.com to see all the wedding fashion options for you and your whole bridal party!

Full of elegant touches and loads of sugar, Erica and Adi had the "sweetest" wedding celebration... literally. They had a huge dessert table filled with every treat imaginable including cake pop favors and a "Love is Sweet" theme. Desserts were naturally an integral part of the day since Erica owns Sweet E's Bake Shop, and her passions, along with help from the expert team at Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, made this sophisticated by fun-loving wedding a sweet tooth's delight! Enjoy these amazing photographs by Duke Images, and the wedding planning story from bride Erica herself.

The Couple: Erica and Adi

The Wedding: 11.12.11 - St. Regis, Monarch Beach Dana Point, CA

What three adjectives best describe your wedding? Magical, fun and unforgettable

What was your wedding color palette? We used a classic black and white palate with touches of pink and silver.

What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you incorporate your style and personalities into your big day? When we saw the St. Regis hotel we immediately fell in love. The elegance, glamour and sophistication of the hotel was exactly the style of wedding we wanted. From there we added our own personal touches to make the decor unique to us. I love sparkle and girly, pretty things, so there were touches of pink, shimmer and rhinestones on everything. We also did a few fun things like our own drink specials that were passed out at the reception. Adi’s drink was a Rum Punch and mine was a Kiwi-Tini.

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? We really focused on making the wedding weekend personal to us. The wedding was about our love for one another and we made sure to focus on that. The planning was over and everything was set, so we made sure to relax and enjoy our wedding weekend. The first time we saw each other dressed and ready was such a magical moment. From then on we felt like we were in a dream. Walking down the isle I felt so many loving eyes on me; the love in the room was incredible. Our ceremony was beautiful and felt so intimate, even though there were 250 other people there. Adi's dad married us, which really made the ceremony so personal and special. We also wrote our own vows which was so romantic; a keepsake we will have forever. Throughout the entire night we just kept reminding each other that we were at our own wedding. It was such a surreal experience and we tried to take in every moment.

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? Video and photography are so important! Everyone says that after the big day, all you are left with are the memories. It is so true!!! All your hard work of planning goes by in an instant. So loving your photographer and videographer is SO important. Our photographer, Duke, was the first vendor we booked and his photos inspired us throughout our wedding planning process. Now that the wedding is over we are so happy that we have such incredible photos and video to look back on for the rest of our lives.

Looking back, do you have a favoriteproject or successful decor idea from your wedding? Tell us wha tyou loved about it! I own a bake shop in Los Angeles called Sweet E’s Bake Shop. We do weddings for other couples all year long ,so now that it was my turn I really wanted to go all out. Sweet E’s is so much a part of our lives it just seemed fitting to make the sweets an integral part of our wedding. We set the tone for the entire event with the theme “Love is Sweet.” Printed on the save-the-dates, stamps, welcome bags, favors, itineraries, and more, “Love is Sweet” was a theme throughout our entire wedding weekend. The sweets started with the welcome bags where we had chocolate covered oreos with our monogram. Then at the rehearsal dinner the sweets continued with heart photo cookies on every plate, a dessert table, and a surprise groom's cake. The groom's cake was a life size cake in the shape of our two dogs, Luna and Cody. It was truly the most amazing cake we have done! Plus, it was a very sweet surprise for Adi. 

At the wedding, guests were served a trio of wedding cake flavors. We couldn’t choose our favorite flavors, so we chose three of our favorite flavors and each guest got to taste a bite of each - blue velvet, molten chocolate chip, and white chocolate raspberry champagne. Then, for the big finale we did a huge dessert table full of all our favorite sweets: cupcakes, cake pops, chocolate pretzels, chocolate marshmallows, peanut butter bliss, cheesecake bites....the list goes on. We also matched the decorations of all the sweets to our color scheme and added shimmer and rhinestones wherever I could. For our wedding favors each guest left with a gift box of two bride and groom decorated cake pops with a heart shaped note that read “Thank you for sharing the sweetest moment of our lives.”

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Duke Images
Event Planner: Mindy Weiss
Ceremony/Reception Venue: St. Regis, Monarch Beach
Videographer/Film Maker: Vidicam Productions
Officiant: Rabbi Norbert Weinberg
Invitation Designer: 2HeartsB1
Catering: Someone's in the Kitchen
Florist: Tic Tock
Wedding Cake and Dessert Table: Sweet E's Bake Shop
Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Bridal Accessories: Stuart Weitzman
Bridemsaids' Apparel: Monique Lhuillier
Groom and Groomsment Apparel: Groom - Theory, Groomsmen - Friar Tux
Make-up: Jeanine Canter
Live Music: West Coast Music
Favors: Sweet E's Bake Shop
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Rings: Zadok Jewelers

Thank you so much for sharing your extra sweet wedding with us! Best wishes!

Craving something sugary? Check out the Cakes and Food section of our Inspiration Gallery!

OK, I'll admit it. We've got boys on the brain this week at Junebug! We are so excited about our newest Fashion Report, The Groom - six sharp looks for the modern man, and just love sharing ideas about getting the guys all dressed up! Today I thought I'd address a common question that comes up during wedding season: how do you properly pin on those sweet little boutonnieres that your florist just delivered?

First, a little bit of history. The tradition began when men would place a single bloom through the buttonhole of their suit lapel to add a touch of color and style. There was a small loop at the back of the lapel to hold the stem in place. Across the pond, they still call a flower worn on a lapel a "buttonhole", while we've adopted the French term "boutonniere". Whatever you call them, lapel flowers are now usually a tiny cluster of stems that is pinned on. Usually only worn for formal occasions such as weddings, funerals, or proms today, they were often a daily part of getting dressed for men in earlier times!

Today, a man's boutonniere should still be placed on his left lapel, the same side that the handkerchief pocket is on. (And yes! Men can wear a pocket square AND a boutonniere!) Boutonnieres are usually pinned on, with the flower pointing up and the stem running parallel to the direction of the lapel.

To pin a boutonniere on, insert one pin from the BACK of the lapel, pushing through the fabric to catch the stem portion of the boutonniere and then pushing back out toward the lapel back. Repeat with a second pin, also from the back of the lapel, making an X-shape with the two pins. This second pin is important because it prevents the boutonniere from flopping over as the day wears on. Ta-da! He's all set to wow with a fun accessory!

Today's boutonnieres offer your guy the chance to make a personal statement. From formal white calla lilies or orchids, modern ranunculus and grasses in wild colors, to unusual materials such as buttons, ribbons, antique trinkets or mementos, they offer men a chance to show their love for a certain look, interest, or memory. I've even seen them out of wine corks, scrabble pieces, computer parts, and remnants of vintage baseballs!

Be sure to check out all of the gorgeous boutonnieres, and head-to-toe fashion ideas for men, in our new Fashion Report, The Groom - six sharp looks for the modern man!

I'm so excited to share Evan and Brian's gorgeous southern plantation wedding with you today! I could go on and on describing their incredible venue, fresh color palette, sweet blossoms, and gorgeous fashion, but I'll just let the beautiful photos from Browne Photography tell the rest of the story!

The Couple: Evan and Brian

The Wedding: 5.28.11 - Glen Arven Country Club - Thomasville, GA

What three adjectives best describe your wedding? Elegant, fun and beautiful

What was your wedding color palette? Black, white and soft green

What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you incorporate your style and personalities into your big day? My personal style is classic with a twist, exactly like our wedding! The ceremony site really inspired me to keep the wedding very classic and beautiful. We added a twist at the reception with great bands, tons of dancing and lot of food. I also wanted to keep my dress a little different and not have the classic wedding dress.

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? The ceremony site was one of my favorite parts. You drove in the gates, down a beautiful canopy covered road to the main house. Our ceremony was on the lawn overlooking the pond. For the reception, it was a big decision to put the tent over the putting green and have the band outside. I will never regret that decision to dance looking over the beautiful golf course and oak trees. Also, I’m so glad that we decided to have a big wedding with all of our friends and family. I honestly loved everything and cannot think of anything I would change.

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? Know what you like and what your style is, and focus on that. You could spend hours and hours looking at different things and second guessing yourself. It will drive you crazy! Once you have made a decision you are happy with, embrace it and don’t look back!

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Browne Photography
Ceremony Venue: Private Plantation
Reception Venue: Glen Arven Country Club
Officiant: Father Frederick A. Buechner
Invitation Designer: Paces Paper
Catering: Glen Arven Country Club
Florist: Singletary's Flowers
Wedding Cake: Savannah Moon Bakery
Wedding Dress: Vera Wang
Bridal Accessories: Shoes - Jimmy Choo
Bridesmaids' Apparel and Accessories: Dresses - J.Crew; Earrings - Diana Warner
Groomsmen Apparel and Accessories: Tuxedos - Hicks; Cuff Links and Studs - Whitfield Jack Jewelry
Rings: Griner Jewelry Co.
Hair: Kim Davis, Les Cheveux Studios
Live Music: The "Mighty" Tams and The Gully Roosters
Favors: Gift Bags - Skyline Graphics
Rentals: Andrew Tents

Thank you so much for sharing your elegant wedding with us, Evan and Brian! Best wishes!

To plan your big day with the best wedding professionals in your area, check out our World's Best Photographers and World's Best Planners libraries!

Stylish couple Gwen and Anthony's striking engagement shoot from Michael L'Heureux | Photography is full of mid-century modern design; clean, crisp images; and Mad Men-esque fashion. I love seeing how a couple can take a particular style or era that they love and use it as the starting point for a beautifully unique engagement shoot! Gwen and Michael generously gave us a little insight into the inspiration and how it all came together.

From bride-to-be Gwen - Most people who know us, know that we have a fascination for anything mid-century; vintage clothes, Dave Brubeck, and retro cars are just the beginning. I don’t think Anthony had quite the same interests until he met me, but he is undeniably a believer now. For me, the fascination started long before Don Draper and Mad Men were on the scene. In fact, my first car was a beautifully restored ’66 Mustang!

Fast forward from a little girl watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s over and over again to the woman designing her engagement photo session and you get me - pulling together all the details to bring our retro vision to life! When we first set eyes on Michael L’Heureux’s website, his talent was overwhelming and we just about hired him without even meeting in person. So as far as locations go, we are fortunate enough to live in an awesome area in the San Francisco East Bay with lots of protected open space. Fortunately one of Anthony’s groomsmen owns a beautiful ’63 Ford Galaxie and was willing to let us borrow it for the day; I got my hands on a vintage wool blanket and borrowed a picnic basket from a friend.

From Photographer, Michael - It is always a pleasure when a client comes to me with a specific vision for the style they would like to see in their images. I love this set, and I think the key to their success was the open collaboration between photographer and client. The open flow of ideas during this shoot lent itself to what I think is a highly stylized and thoughtful representation of the couple. It just fits them!  They are the couple that has impeccable style, great chemistry, and likes a bit of adventure. Basically, the couple you look at and say, "Wow… they are the perfect couple!" I can't wait for the Santa Barbara wedding to come!

The Photoshoot Team:

Photographer: Michael L'Heureux | Photography
Dress: Siri
Hair and Make-up: Yvette Swallow

Thank you so much for sharing your retro, stylish engagement shoot with us, Gwen and Anthony! 

Readers, for more inspiration from real-life couples, be sure to check out our Real Wedding Library!

Bridget and Tim's late summer wedding was an intimate, romantic, weekend-long event at one of the most beautiful places in Washington. Quintessentially northwest, Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island has breathtaking views, a relaxed vibe, and gorgeous historic buildings. It was the perfect spot for the couple that had recently transplanted to the northwest and wanted to share their new home with all of their guests. Enjoy this glimpse of their nature-inspired wedding day that was captured by two talented, fun ladies - Laurel McConnell and Barbie Hull!

The Goals: We wanted our wedding to be meaningful and personal. Our main goal was to have everything, from the ceremony to the decorations, reflect our relationship as well as our personal style. We didn’t want our event to be constrained by typical wedding expectations and wanted to have a fun, unique event that our guests would always remember. We chose to have my grandfather, Jack, perform the ceremony because we wanted the ceremony to be performed by someone who knew us, so that the ceremony would be heartfelt and personal. He did a wonderful job; there was not a dry eye in the house by the end of the ceremony! He and my grandmother celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary shortly after the wedding, so it was an honor to be married by someone who has had such a successful and happy marriage. Also, we wanted to be connected to the earth while we were saying our vows, so the entire wedding party took off their shoes for the ceremony!

The best decision that we made was our unique timeline. We chose to have the wedding ceremony at 11:00am and the reception at 5:30pm. Since all of our guests were staying at the resort, it gave them time to enjoy the island, while giving us time to relax and take pictures. We didn’t feel rushed and it gave us the chance to take everything in and really enjoy the day. We wanted photography to be a focus on our wedding day, so we went on a two and a half hour trip around the island to take pictures. It was one of the best parts of the day! With such an extended time for pictures, we were able to get shots in Pacific Northwestern woods, rolling fields and cliffs overlooking the Juan de Fuca. Our very talented photographers, Laurel McConnell and Barbie Hull were amazingly fun and were able to take some really fantastic pictures. It was the most relaxing part of the day, where we didn’t have to focus on anyone else but each other.

The Design: We held the wedding and reception at Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island, Washington. Tim and I moved to Seattle from Frederick, Maryland about a year before the wedding, so we wanted to showcase one of the most beautiful areas of our new home. We were drawn to the resort’s history and it’s beautiful gardens. It was an intimate wedding with forty guests, most of who traveled across the country to be with us. Since most of our guests were visiting from the east coast, we wanted to take advantage of the time that they were with us. Our wedding was a two-day event, which started on Sunday with a bridal shower for the ladies and a whale watching tour for the gentleman. In the evening we had a welcome barbeque for all of our guests, followed by the wedding the next day.

We relied on the colors of the natural elements we incorporated as our decorations to bring color to the reception. We really wanted to capture the Pacific Northwest, so we used moss table runners and pinecones that we had collected together on several hikes. The candles had a soft green burlap ribbon with hemp rope accents on them. We used blue hydrangeas as an accent color on the tables, which were mostly greens, browns and creams. Our table numbers were vine maple stumps with reclaimed house numbers that we found at a second-hand building supply shop. To add dimension to the tables, we used five different heights of candles.There were over 600 candles at the reception! We hung candle-lit grapevine chandeliers from the ceiling.

We also purchased an old window from the same building salvage store, painted the glass with chalkboard paint and wrote our seating chart on the windowpanes. Our wedding favors were the escort cards that we made for our guests. Keeping with the engraved wood theme from our invitations, Tim branded pieces of birch bark with each of our guest’s names by hand.

The Look: I wanted my look to be timeless, and the garden that the wedding ceremony took place in was the inspiration for my bridal style. My dress was my favorite part of my look. As soon as I put the dress on, I knew I would wear it down the aisle. One thing that I really loved about it was the asymmetry, which added interest to our pictures since the left side of the dress looked different from the right side of the dress. The rose I wore in my hair was designed for me by Sally Crew, and my bouquet was made mainly of large polo roses to echo the flowers on the dress. Tim loves my hair down, but I knew if I wore my hair down all day I would be hot. Since we had such a long time in between the wedding and reception, I was able to have my hair put up in between. It was really fun to have two different looks during the day.

My something old and something borrowed was a lace trimmed handkerchief that was hand tatted by my great-great aunt. Six women in my family, including my mother, have carried the handkerchief at their weddings, so it was a very special piece to have with me. My something blue came from two things: one was the pair of Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers that I was secretly wearing under my wedding dress, which I had embroidered with my new last name. No one knew that I was wearing those shoes until Tim took off my garter! It was really fun to see everybody’s faces when they saw my shoes. My youngest sister also made me an anklet that was blue.

The Moments: Exchanging vows was the most wonderful part of the day. Tim told me, on our second date three years earlier, that he never wanted to have another first date, so we had been looking forward to our wedding day for a long time! On the day of our wedding, I wrote Tim a letter and had it delivered to him just before the ceremony. Tim had asked me every day for those three years if today was going to be the day that he was going to marry me. I always told him “not yet”, so it was really special to start my letter with “Today is they day that we get to be married.” The letter meant a lot to Tim and I think it was the perfect way to start the ceremony. And, it was an incredible feeling to make a lifelong commitment to each other in front of our families and closest friends.

Right after we were announced at the reception, we had our first dance to “At Last.” The song was beautifully done by the band and we were dancing in our own world, focused only on each other. Under Tim’s direction, our family and friends had decorated the Pavilion for the reception. I hadn’t seen the decorated room, and didn’t notice any of the decorations until after the dance was over. It literally took my breath away to see how perfectly everything had come together and to see our hard work pay off.

The Pros: Please head over to Bridget and Tim's page in our Real Wedding Library to see the detailed list of the talented professionals that contributed to their day.

Thanks you Bridget and Tim for sharing your beautiful nature-inspired wedding day with us! We wish you all the best!

Having visited the lovely Sayulita, Mexico myself a few years back, seeing amazing wedding photos like these from photographer Jillian Mitchell immediately take me back to the magic of this sleepy Pacific surfing town! Couple Gloria and Kevin did their Mexico destination wedding right, and after this blog post, they've got me dying for some quality time on the beach!

The Couple: Gloria and Kevin

The Wedding: Villa Amor, Sayulita, Mexico

Where did you choose to hold your wedding, and what was the inspiration for this location? (Gloria) We first read about Villa Amor in Sayulita, Mexico in the travel section of the New York Times in 2008, and just tucked it away in our minds. When it came time to pick a location for our wedding three years later, we had a lot of choices: Vancouver (my home town), San Luis Osbispo (his home town), San Francisco (where we live). Even though we had never been to Sayulita, there was something about this little seaside town that kept drawing us in. We did as much research as we could online and we kept hearing little stories from friends of friends who had been there, and thought it was such a special place. We went with our gut instinct and are so glad we did!

(Kevin) Selecting the destination was the first decision we made and it was the most important by far. Like a lot of people we know, our friends and family are all over the country - in fact, they're all over the world. So, our wedding was going to be a "destination" wedding for some of our guests no matter what. We got the perfect location; it was exotic and warm, while still being affordable and easy to get to.

Were there any places where you “broke the rules” in your wedding planning? Why and how did you do that? Having a destination wedding in a remote place takes a lot of the decision making out of your hands, which is wonderful. It's a lot easier to pick a cake when there's only one bakery. Full disclosure: we had churros instead of cake and I don't think anyone was disappointed!

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? People lose some of their inhibitions when they're away from home. I don't think I've ever seen people wrestling over a microphone at a wedding. My nephews, who we asked to dress in bow ties and moustaches, stopped the show when they performed a dance routine at the reception.

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? If you're doing a destination wedding, you need to trust your wedding planner. She is your counsel for everything from what to eat to what photographer to hire. We had someone we trusted and we slept better for it. This is the biggest party of your whole life. Plan accordingly.

The Wedding Team:

The Photographer: Jillian Mitchell
Wedding Planner: Karen Ruezga of Villa Amor
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Villa Amor
Invitation Designer: Sweet Penelope
Florist: Flor Mimo
Catering: “O” Restaurant
Wedding Dresses: Ceremony - Lazaro, Reception - BCBG
Bridal Accessories: Shoes - Topshop, Veil - Delicate Spirits
Bridesmaids' Apparel: Victoria's Secret
Groom and Groomsmen Apparel and Accessories: Apparel - Banana Republic, Shoes - Hugo Boss, Ties - Macy's

Thank you so much for sharing our intimate wedding getaway with us! Best wishes, Gloria and Kevin!

Readers, to learn more about wedding professionals across the world, check out our World's Best Planners and Designers library!

With unbeatable views and packed with antique treasures, this fashionable wedding at the Hudson Hotel in NYC was the perfect combination of rustic charm and modern elegance. I am loving the romantic, "secret garden" feel with a modern twist, beautifully captured by Stephanie Koo Photography.

The Couple: Lindsey and Scott

The Wedding: 10.15.11 - Hudson Hotel - New York, NY

What three adjectives best describe your wedding? Boutique, vintage and chic

What was your wedding color palette? The decor of the night included many neutral soft colors. There was a mixture of cream, blush, light pink and purple roses.

What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you incorporate your style and personalities into your big day? Since our venue was a raw, tented space, we were able to incorporate a rustic feel into the ceremony without compromising our vision of a chic and timeless reception. The ceremony design included a chuppah made of birch tree trunks, herbs spread throughout the aisle, large candle lanterns and greenery throughout the space. The space was then transformed for the reception to create a romantic atmosphere with beautiful antique pieces, votive candles and floral centerpieces.

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? There were so many memorable moments! Walking down the aisle, the heartfelt toasts, dancing with family and friends, the antique treasures that created our design and Scott’s impromptu guitar performance with the band at the end of the night were all very special memories. But, most of all, we think back on the day and feel so grateful that we have so many loving people in our lives to celebrate and share in our special day.

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? Enjoy every minute of the planning process, get creative, and have fun with it. There is no one specific way to do things or a set of rules to follow. And after all the time you put into planning, relax and enjoy the night with everyone else. It will fly by way too quickly!

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Stephanie Koo Photography
Ceremony/Reception Venue: Hudson Hotel
Officiant: Rabbi Burt Siegel
Invitation Designer: Alpine Creative Group
Catering: Hudson Hotel
Florist: Shields Flowers and Events
Wedding Cake: Cheryl Kleinman Cakes
Wedding Dress: Anne Barge
Bridal Accessories: Shoes - Jimmy Choo
Bridesmaids' Apparel: J.Crew
Groom and Groomsmen Apparel and Accessories: Tux - J.Crew, Cuff links - Brooks, Velvet slippers - Saks Fifth Avenue
Hair and Make-up: Daniela Kanfer and Pamela Lugo
Live Music: The Cafe Wha?
Dance Instruction: Sandra Cameron Dance Center
Rings: Catherine Angiel

What a gorgeous wedding! Thank you for sharing your very stylish wedding day with us, Lindsey and Scott! 

Looking for more wedding inspiration? Check out our Photobug blog, which is filled with amazing photos from the best wedding professionals!

This season, I admit to having a secret crush on the color orange; from creamy shades of peach and coral to bold punches of tangerine, I just can't get enough! (Sorry pink, I'm sure I'll return to you soon)! Wedding planner and designer Crystal Adair-Benning of Distinct Occasions must be in a similar frame of mind, since she dreamed up this lush coral and orange wedding inspiration photo shoot and worked with an incredible team of professionals to bring it to life.

From wedding planner Crystal Adair-Benning of Distinct Occasions: My Inspiration for this shoot... we ALWAYS talk about being authentic and true to yourself in designing your wedding. I design for clients all the time but on this shoot I really wanted to speak to my own heart and all the things that I love. Essentially offering my clients, colleagues and friends my vision of an amazing wedding. I spent weeks doodling and daydreaming about what thrills me, gets me absolutely swooning and this was the outcome. Abundant flowers in corals and oranges, dresses by my favourite designers, Sarah Houston and Claire Pettibone, and details that aren't fussy but super fabulous. Add some fantastic sparkle and just WOW! I am NOTHING without an amazing team who saw my vision, ran with it and helped give it shape, texture and a whole lot of love! And the couple, by the way, are real, truly in love clients of mine who are saying their own 'I Do's' next year - how cute are they!?!

Photo Shoot Team:

Planning & Design: Distinct Occasions
Photography: Tyler James Photography
Florals: Mimosa Flower Studio
Decor Props & Styling: Design2Decor
Cake: The Caketress
Venue: R5 Lounge, Niagara Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls
Dresses: Claire Pettibone from Studio Sposa & Sarah Houston
Hair: Lisa Marie Dionne of Bridal Beauty
Makeup: Sarah Smith
Stationery: Palettera

Thank you so much to the whole photo shoot team for sharing this gorgeous wedding inspiration with us!

Kara and Bryan's wedding at historic Harkness Mansion in Connecticut, was filled with family, friends, elegant peacock inspired decor, and a bright purple and teal color palette. Enjoy this glimpse of their wedding day, captured by top New England wedding photographers JAG Studios!

The Couple: Kara and Bryan

The Wedding: 7.2.11 - Harkness State Park - Waterford, CT

What were the top priorities for you in planning your wedding? We wanted our wedding to have romantic, vintage style. Everything from my wedding dress, bridesmaids' dresses, the guys' suits, accessories, flowers, old low-rider Chevy truck, to the historic venue, revolved around a romantic, vintage theme. We also wanted a non-traditional and personal ceremony that would blend a bit of our culture, beliefs and spirituality. This is a group of people who like to get down! It was important for us to blend together a variety of music genres for all people celebrating with us. We also wanted to have a wide variety of delicious foods served at stations since we prefer to eat a bit of everything and were not interested in having a long sit-down dinner.

What wedding traditions or cultural traditions did you incorporated into your wedding and what did they mean to you? We carefully selected music that was deeply meaningful to us and our guests. We had our wedding party of Phish fans walk in to the beautifully orchestrated Phish classic “I am Hydrogen.” My father and I danced to Eddie Vedder's cover of “Forever Young”; my favorite musician, singing words written by my father's favorite musician. We also included both Apache and Irish blessings in our ceremony to honor our cultures and spirituality.

Were there any places where you “broke the rules” in your wedding planning? We spent a lot of time hand making stylish bunches of long sparklers that matched our colors and peacock theme with the cute little saying “Let Your Love Light Shine.” After requesting that our friends and family join us by the ocean, under the moonlight, for a group photo with the sparklers, we learned that the sparklers were not allowed at a historical landmark and state park...I really WANTED to break the rules but didn’t!

What was your biggest wedding planning success? Everything came together in a lovely, elegant way! We are so grateful that we were surrounded by our friends and family, and were lucky enough to have my fun loving step-sister Krista marry us. Our down to earth friends, Jacklyn, Chris and Jeremy from JAG Studios, photographed our celebration of love and captured the day's beauty in a timeless fashion through their amazing photos.

What was the most important thing that you learned through the wedding planning process and what would you tell other brides-to-be? Don’t drive yourself crazy, but do pay attention to details. It is the small things in life that matter the most, and all of those small details on your wedding day are really what will make your day intimate, unique and true.

The Wedding Team:

The Photographer: JAG Studios
Ceremony Venue: Pergola and Gardens at Harkness Park
Reception Venue: Mansion at Harkness Park
Videographer/Film Maker: Rebecca Dornman
Catering: Culinary Concerts
Florist: Datura
Wedding Dress: Pattis Bridal
Bridal Accessories: Shoes - Frye, Ring - Libero Jewelers, Necklace - April Rose, Headpiece - Datura
Bridesmaids' Apparel and Accessories: Dresses - Dessy, Accessories - Crowning Glory Shop
Groom and Groomsmen Apparel and Accessories: Suits - Kenneth Cole, Ties - Dessy, Shoes - Adidas, Hats - Datura
Hair and Make-up: Hair - Cory and Megan Moon, Make-up - Marisa Corvo
DJ: A Starry Night
Rings: Libero Jewelers

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful wedding with us Kara and Bryan!

We recently featured another incredible wedding from JAG Studios - Kristin and Ilina's gorgeous Massachusetts garden wedding, complete with historic stone buildings and Indian wedding attire - on our Photobug blog. Check it out for more wedding inspiration from these talented photographers!