This LOVELY, creative winter wedding shoot is a shining example of how to have a Holiday celebration without the reds and greens.
Every last detail was thoughtfully planned by a team of super-talented vendors that have mastered the art of wedding design.

This styled scene could not be any sweeter!  Hope it inspires all you Holiday season brides.

• Photographer: Becca Rillo Photography
• Event Planner:  Marisa Nicole, Weddings & Events
• Floral Designer:  Enchanted Garden Floral Design
• Invitation Designer:  LLY Designs
• Dress Store:  TheGownSwap.com
• Other:  Tasteful Treasures
• Cake Designer:  The Butter End Cakery
• Equipment Rentals:  The Vintage Table Co., A1 Event Rentals
• Makeup Artist:  Elegance By Alex
• Event Venue:  Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve
• Location: Calabasas, CA
• Models: Alexandra Bowers & Brian Leahy

Married couples: take cue from this gorgeous husband and wife, Kellie and Chris Walters.
Five years ago, when they first said “I do,” a dreamy photo shoot could not be worked into their budget.
However, after seeing the phenomenal work of Anna Cunningham of Sweet Hope Photography, they decided to revisit their special day and have no regrets.

Their vintage/country inspired photo shoot (reddux) looked like an absolute blast and could not have turned out more lovely!

It included horses, dogs, hydrangeas, lace, vintage cameras, butterflies, lamps, a tractor and more…

No captions necessary- SWOON AWAY!
   

• Photographer: Anna Cunningham, Sweet Hope Photography
• Beauty: Jessica McKee, Makeup by Makeup

This one of a kind wedding, photographed by the great Rochelle Mort, is full of delightful details that are sure to make your jaw drop.

As you can see, Jillian and Timothy (aka. Boomer) are a beautiful couple!
After glancing through their photos, you know that they enjoyed every second of their special day.  I also loved every moment of viewing this magical wedding.

I want to start by showcasing the incredible fashion!  The bride looked timeless in a Marisa gown with a sweetheart neckline and floral sash.
To incorporate some sass, Jillian wore a pair of mustard colored peep toe pumps with shimmering gray fabric flowers.  SO SWEET!

In their stylish statement necklaces, dresses from Lula Kate, gray satin heels, etc,  Jillian’s bridesmaids looked ultra chic.  You can tell that they were excited to be part of occasion (and who wouldn’t be when you can look that fabulous?).

I am convinced there was a celebrity stylist on board putting all of these darling and cohesive ensembles together.
I also wonder if these precious kids have agents yet…they are ridiculously cute!

When it came to selecting the perfect location, the couple searched up and down the state of California, but ultimately there was no place like home.
They agreed that having the wedding at the bride’s family estate and farm in Tulare would make the occasion even more special.

“I love the fact that every time I go home I will remember one of the most special days of my life,” said Jillian.

I am certain that their 300 wedding guests gushed about the spectacular venue. What a dreamy looking cocktail hour?

The incredibly unique and personalized touches that were part of this occasion blew me away.

Some of my favorites include; the “Boomerang” and “Jillybean” signature cocktails; a hanging display of various men’s ties used as seating cards, a sweet table that had personalized doughnuts and other treats, a late night “Taco Riendo” stand, and an incredible floating picture wall along the back of the head table featuring vintage family photographs in black and white.

According to Jillian, “Having grown up on a dairy farm, I knew from the beginning that I wanted my wedding to have a rustic feel.  It was also important to me to keep the elegance factor incorporated as much as possible.”

“I kept telling my mom that I wanted a barn meets chandelier style,” she added. 
Mission Accomplished!

Jillian knew she was in great hands with the help of her mother, who she admires for always getting things done.
“From sewing the table runners to collecting mix-matched silverware through ebay auctions, she did it all.” she said.

The bride also credited her trusty wedding coordinator, Tanya Fulghum of Soiree Event Designs & Couture Floral for helping to execute the wedding of her dreams.
From the get go, Tanya understood her style and put Jillian at ease throughout the whole planning process.

The reception was not only stunning, it was an absolute blast!

It was extremely important to Jillian that they selected an AMAZING band to keep guests on the dance floor.  The James Gang of West Coast Music did just that.

“I have to say that in all my years of shooting weddings I have never seen guests having so much fun,” said photographer Rochelle Mort.

“Besides walking down the aisle to my future husband, the most memorable part of the day was coming into the reception tent after being announced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Murray,” said Jillian.

“It was amazing to look around and see the faces of so many people who have been a part of our lives in different ways, all in one place, and for one reason: to celebrate with us! I felt excited, loved, happy, and most of all, blessed.”

To see this magical wedding in motion, check out Jillian and Boomer’s wedding video recap from Curtis Nemetz Productions.

• Ceremony Location:  Private Church
• Reception Location:  Bride’s family residence (Tulare, CA)
• Photographer: Rochelle Mort Photography
• Assistant Shooters: Gary Mort and Sonny Requejo
• Catering/Food: The Vintage Press
• Coordinator: Tanya Fulghum, Soiree Event Designs & Couture Floral
• Florist: Sweet Memories
• Rentals: Wildflower Designs , Classic Party Rentals, Town & Country Party Rentals
• Wedding dress: Marisa
• Jewelry: Earrings, Perfect Details
• Bridesmaid’s dresses: Lula Kate
• Videographer: Curtis Nemetz
• Hair: Jamie Vander Poel
• Shoes clips: Mikiye Creations
• Makeup: Elisha Reynoso
• Cake: Goodies
• Music: The James Gang, West Coast Music
• Officiant: Msgr. Rick Urizalqui

Since Wed Savvy celebrates bridal diversity, here are some top picks for (almost) every style bride:

Lela Rose, Marchesa and Monique Lhuillier

Anne Bowen, Vera Wang and Claire Pettibone

Romona Keveza, Rivini and Vera Wang

Anne Bowen, Jenny Packham and Claire Pettibone

Ines DiSanto, Romona Keveza and Pnina Tornai

Reem Acra, Ines DiSanto and Romona Keveza

Monique Lhuillier, Talia dress by Elizabeth Fillmore and Watters

Alfred Angelo, Rivini and Amsale

Monique Lhuillier, Romona Keveza and Christos

Vera Wang, Angel Sanchez and Monique Lhuillier

All images courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides Magazine

Thanks to Lucky Magazine and Dior Beauty, ten stylish women gathered at Bloomingdales in downtown Chicago for a private event where they learned how to create their own flawless faces.

Dior’s incredible skin care solutions and outstanding new color palettes did absolute wonders for the attendees.  Sadly, the yellow department store lighting does not do the pictures justice…

I highly recommend that all you brides (and everyone else) visit the Dior Counter to discover their amazing beauty products.

Flowers by Dilly Lily and Delicious Cupcakes from Sprinkles courtesy of Lucky Magazine

This adorable, flowerless photo shoot is the result of a crafty collaboration between some of California’s finest wedding vendors.

The colors are vibrant, the setting is breathtaking and the details are abundant!

I’m smitten over the abundance of eye catching splashes of hot hues, whimsical decorations and geometric patterns.

Notice how many creative elements that unconventionally mimic the floral form including; the brooch bouquet by Fantasy Floral, the 3D frosted flowers on the Sweet and Saucy cake and the silk rose tablecloth and chair backs from Wildflower Linens.  SWEET!

With Becca Rillo behind the lens, every detail pops revealing the multiple textures and depths in every scene.

There’s a fantastic blend of dramatic and whimsical image styles in the set.

Clearly, this flowerless wedding has no shortage of FUN which is key to making your celebration memorable

Big thanks to Sophia at Les Belles Affaires for submitting this photo shoot.

• Photography: Becca Rillo
• Models: Allison Horack & Matt Conde
• Brooch Bouquet: Fantasy Floral Designs
• Location: Private Estate, Rancho Sante Fe
• Coordinator: Les Belles Affaires
• Invitation Designer: Where’s the Party? (Orange County)
• Dress Store: Erin Cole Designs
• Cake: Sweet and Saucy
• Linens: Wildflower Linen
• Hair & Makeup: Flawless Faces
• Event Rentals: Archive Vintage Rentals & Signature Party

One event you don’t want to miss is the Gilt Groupe wedding sale starting on Thursday, October 20 to October 24.

You deserve the very best on your big day and thanks to GILT, you may be actually be able to afford it.

Score your favorite designer fashions for much less and look picture perfect from head to toe at your shower, rehearsal dinner and down the aisle!

From Carolina Herrera runway gowns and Badgley Mischka Accessories to the “best of bridal picks” from celebrity wedding planner Colin Cowie

Judging by the steals and success stories from the last Gilt wedding shop, my anticipation and expectations are pretty much through the roof.

If there is anyone out there who has yet to become a member of the miraculous Gilt Groupe, follow this link to sign up and start saving!  Shop Savvy:)

When Ryan was a sophomore at the University of Washington, a friend living in a nearby sorority asked him to do her a big favor. “To carry on her sorority’s tradition, she was required to come up with a special performance as a surprise for her newlyassigned freshman little sister,” described Ryan.

“When she asked me to play the guitar and sing the John Mayer song, “Your Body is a Wonderland,” my immediate response was “no way,” but she continued continued to press me on it so I gave in a few days later.”

On the day of the serenade, Ryan arrived at the house in nervous form.  He became terrified when he saw 25 other guys in line (with their own acts) who would be watching him sing a sappy love song while most of them had more comical skits to work with. “I was handed a huge bouquet of flowers and a piece of paper with the name of the girl I needed t0 sing to.  It was a torn out piece of college ruled notebook paper with “Ashley Guimond” written in blue highlighter marker.  Next to it, just so I wouldn’t screw up the pronunciation it said “Gee – mond,” recalls Ryan. “That was the first time I met Ashley.”

On top of already having knots in his stomach, Ryan was instantly enamored by Ashley’s beauty and thought “Wow, she’s cute!” Not only did Ryan manage to get through the awkward performance, but he nailed it and received a standing ovation and props from all the other guys. Word got out that Ryan wanted to see Ashley again (and have a conversation this time around) and the following weekend they hung out with some friends.

“Here we are over 8 years later, and I’m sure glad that piece of paper had the love of my life written on it,” said Ryan.

Fast forward from one incredible chapter to the next- and check out Ashley and Ryan’s big day. As you can see, the bride and groom make an absolutely stunning couple! The two planned an epic summer wedding near Seattle without the help of a professional coordinator.  This made every decision more special and meaningful to the both of them.

Of all decisions to be made, hiring Jen Repp to photograph their special day was a no brainer. “Her work speaks for itself and she is just so talented,” said Ashley.

I couldn’t agree more with the stunning bride…These images tell such a beautiful story and don’t even need captions!

There were many heartfelt moments that the bride and groom will never forget.

One of them was when Ryan saw his bride for the first time.
Ashley looked radiant and Ryan’s reaction was priceless!

The couple had a romantic ceremony full of sweet sentiments and personal touches. One moment that stood out from the rest was when Ryan’s sister, a bridesmaid, concluded the service by singing “Forever” by Ben Harper.

It seems like singing love songs might be in Ryan’s family genes?!?

“Unlike many grooms who sit back and let the bride work out the details on her own, Ryan was very much involved in the planning process which meant a lot to me,” said Ashley.

She added, “While I had a vivid image of what I wanted my wedding to look like, it was my sister who really helped me bring all the details to life.  She handmade all of my save the date cards and wedding invitations, she found the yellow vases that were then wrapped in lace for our centerpieces, she helped me create the place card stands using easels, which were later used to display some of our childhood photos, and on and on.  I don’t know what I would have done without her!”

Love is Sweet, indeed!

Overall, the three most important factors were food, photos and fun! The food was delicious, the photos turned out incredible and everyone had such a blast.  ”We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding,” said the bride and groom.

Finally, the perfect image to sum up Ryan and Ashley’s unforgettable wedding… pretty dreamy, right?

• Ceremony & Reception Location: The Golf Club at Newcastle
• Photographer: Jenn Repp Photography
• 2^nd Shooter: Ali Harvey
• Caterer: The Golf Club at Newcastle
• Coordinator:  None
• Florist:  The Petal and the Stem
• Wedding dress: Paloma Blanca, purchased at La Belle Elaines
• Headpiece: Handmade by Sally Crew, purchased at La Belle Elaines
• Rings:  E.E. Robbins Bellevue
• Bridesmaid’s dresses: Coren Moore
• Shoes: Anne Klein
• Hair: William at Vain Salon (Seattle)
• Makeup: Off White
• Cake: Sharon’s Catering and Cakes
• Music: Seattle String quartet and DJ Jason Labaw
• Invitations: Handmade by Danielle Guimond (sister of the bride)
• Officiant: Pastor Jeremy Vaccaro
• Hotel Accommodations: Grand Hyatt Bellevue, WA

Searching for some nautical or preppy wedding inspiration for your big day?  I’ve got you covered! Above: A real preppy bride and groom (Shannon and Chris) found on Alchemy Hour Designs blog Photo credits:

1. Nautical mini cakes by The Caketress
2. Invitations- Live Door blog
3. Flowers by Catrina Maria
4. Reception image by Joee Wong Photography
5. Photo by Corey Hendrickson via Style me Pretty
6. Groom’s attire found on Ellenor Design Blog
7. Dress photo from My Wedding Concierge
8. Flowers by Antheia via Brides.com
9. Initials found on The Knot
10. Custom invitation suite by J. Sullivan Design
11. Nautical favor boxes from the Southern and Preppy Blog
12. Striped groom’s tie found on Calliespondence
13. Initialed anchor sign from Little Sprout Creations
14. Centerpiece kit from Object Splendor

For more nautical and preppy wedding inspiration, check out these gorgeous real weddings:

• Nautical Malibu wedding on Style Me Pretty
• Preppy Newport Wedding on Brenda’s Wedding Blog
• Nautical Maryland Wedding by Corey Hendrickson
• Preppy New England Wedding
• Chesapeake Bay Beach Club Wedding

Jackie and Tim both work as Prosecutors in New York, but the Attorneys did not cross paths in the big apple In August 2008, the two attended the same training session in Columbia, SC and shared immediate sparks.

Luckily, living in the same city meant that their romance could continue to blossom when the session was complete.

At the end of 2009, Jackie returned to the same training facility where she met the love of her life.  She knew this session could not be as special as the first, but Jackie was wrong.  On the final night of training, Tim flew to Columbia and staged a surprise proposal with the help of the facility and some colleagues.

“It was incredibly romantic and very sweet,” recalls Jackie.

When K and K Photography sent me Jackie and Tim’s wedding photos, my jaw hit the ground.  Every single image was (and is) truly spectacular!  It looks like one of those remarkable events that you pray to get invited to.

I fell even more in love with this wedding after speaking with the bride. “I wanted everything about the wedding to be personal or meaningful in some way,” said Jackie. Jackie grew up in the Sarasota Florida area where, coincidentally, Tim’s family owned a vacation condo.  The couple knew Sarasota was the perfect destination for their October nuptials.

Jackie and Tim also shared fond childhood memories of attending the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus and the Ringling Museum of Art with their families. They couldn’t have dreamed up a more stunning venue than the historic Ca’d'Zan Mansion, a glamorous estate built by John and Mable Ringling in the 1920s.

The colorful mansion, nestled along the water, helped to inspire many of the other wedding details. Everything came together with the help of Coordinator Beth Carrick of Flawless Occasions.

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Jackie looked absolutely radiant in her layered Vera Wang wedding gown with a floral belt.

The venue had no shortage of dreamy settings for taking pictures…

This next image, in particular, is screaming to be framed on the couple’s wall.

Dressed in stylish blue Jenny Yoo dresses, the bridal party looked fabulous.  You can tell by all the smiles and facial expressions that they were all ecstatic to be part of Jackie and Tim’s special day.

Have you ever seen such beautiful clowns?!?  

After planning an outdoor ceremony and reception, Jackie was so thankful that “The weather was absolutely beautiful (not a cloud in the sky), and the temperature was perfect.  The sunset over the water during the ceremony and cocktail hour was amazing,”  she said.

The couple incorporated many creative vintage circus elements into their wedding, including;

• Vintage Circus Lettering on signs and invitations
• Guest welcome bags full of vintage circus candy
• Escort Cards in Giraffe or elephant silhouettes
• A photo booth full of fun circus props
• A cotton candy machine during dessert
• Round red clown noses for fun photo-ops
• Custom trapeze and ringmaster cake topper featuring the bride and groom

Side note: That cake topper is off the charts! It was handmade by the talented Kate Chilko, a friend of the bride and groom.
Visit katechilko.com or email Kate to get one of your own. 

From the below image, you can see how the beauty and style of the mansion helped inspire their complimentary color palette. Apple Blossoms Floral Design did a great job of adding some vintage flair and charm to the luscious bouquets and centerpieces.

When I asked Jackie to pick her favorite wedding memory, she said:

“I’ll never forget our first dance to Peter Gabriel’s “Book of Love.”  We had just gotten married, we were dancing on the terrace of this beautiful mansion by the water with all of our family/friends around us, on a perfect night – I really could not have imagined it any better!

To conclude Jackie and Tim’s magical celebration full of beauty, love and laughter, guests showered the newlyweds with gold streamers as they made their exit (smiling from ear to ear).

• Venue: Ca d’Zan Mansion – Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota, Florida)
• Photographer: K and K Photography
• Caterer:  Mattison’s Catering
• Coordinator: Beth Carrick of  Flawless Occasions
• Florist: Apple Blossoms Floral Design
• Rentals (linens, chairs, etc.): Mattison’s Catering
• Wedding dress: Vera Wang
• Bride’s belt: Vera Wang
• Bride and Bridemaid’s Purses: Davie & Chiyo on Etsy
• Bride and Bridesmaid’s Jewelry: Lulu Splendor (Etsy)
• Bridesmaid’s dresses: Jenny Yoo
• Shoes:  Something Bleu
• Beauty: Michele Renee Makeup Artist Group
• Cake: Publix
• Lighting: RJ Vida
• Music: RJ Vida
• Invitations: Sway Space
• Officiant: Reverend Dr. David Cole
• Transportation: Ambassador Limousine
• Hotel Accommodations: Lido Beach Resort, Holiday Inn
• Photo booth: Shutterbooth
• Engraved elephant & giraffe place cards: JonNi on Etsy
• Cake Topper: Kate Chilko