What's In My File: Abbie + Tanner

Abbie and Tanner are a darling couple who we are so excited to be working with! They are getting married this June with a lovely seaside-inspired wedding. Tanner proposed to Abbie on a boat, and they both love the San Diego atmosphere of beaches, ocean and simplicity. Here is the inspiration board we put together for their big day.

We wanted to stay away from "typical" beach decor...so no sand or seashells. Instead, we turned to the textures of the deep blue seas and the creatures within. Sea urchins, salt, and rich blues will be the main focus. Tanner is a huge donut fan, so of course we had to incorporate that! We are even having custom donuts made to look like life savers! We can't wait for their wedding and all of the fun details!

Gown Friday!

in honor of J. Crew opening their first bridal store (no, not here in Oregon, but of course Madison Ave, Manhattan) and the Memorial Day Weekend ahead of us, here is J. Crew's 2011 bridal collection. you know i love my Crew! this collection nothing short of what we crave from this rising fashion powerhouse--simple beauty with unexpected details that give brides a little more of a modern touch to the traditional white dress.

i hope you all enjoy your long weekend. i am thoroughly looking forward to some family time!







{images: marthastewartweddings.com}

Rifle Paper Co

i gasped when i came across the work of Rifle Paper Co. this morning! i haven't seen anything quite like it before! oh my! Anna Bond and her husband Nathan head up this Florida based boutique stationary and design studio, and their work often includes hand-painted illustrations and lettering by Anna herself. these uniquely nostalgic and charming designs bring a sense of honor back to the handwritten letter craft. they are planning to launch their custom wedding and event templates later this year and i cannot wait!

below are a couple of their featured recipe cards. in the midst of all the craziness generated by wedding showers and events leading up to your big day, the traditional sharing of recipes can truly be a sweet occasion. i love the symbolic of passing down from the older generation to the younger, in continuing long-standing and new traditions in the kitchen. if you are planning on hiding away a little recipe card your shower invitations, these are a wonderful fit!



{images: Rifle Paper Co & Paper Crave}

Engaging: Lauren + Mike

Lauren and Mike are getting married in just a few weeks and we couldn't be more excited for their Utah wedding! We've had the privilege of getting to know Lauren and Mike, and not only are they a gorgeous couple, but they have such sweet spirits. Photographer Matt Clayton took these happy, Spring-like engagements for them :)

They took these pictures at Lauren's home. I love how they filled the yard with parasols, they made the pictures look so fun and colorful!

I think this picture looks like it could be straight out of a JCrew ad! They seriously look like they just popped out of a catalog!

Congrats, Lauren and Mike! We can't wait to head up to Utah to be a part of your special day!!

FAY & BENJAMIN SNEAK PEEK

Here is my favourite photo of the week.... the incredibly divine couple, Fay & Benjamin sneak a kiss in their wedding car just after their ceremony.

Of course we always knew we were in for a special day following our pre wedding shoot which included an adventurous dip in Sydney Harbour. Can't wait to show you more of their wedding pics on the blog soon.

Ashley & Derek: Revisiting Romance

Ashley and Derek are a drop-dead gorgeous couple! They are truly beautiful both inside and out and it was an absolute pleasure to be a part of their big day. Stephanie Williams worked her magic as their photographer and captured their sweet, soft and very romantic night.

KLF Florals was responsible for creating all of the soft and elegant flowers. We fell in love with Ashley's bouquet which perfectly combined all of her colors of black, white and soft pinks.

Do you see what we are talking about? Ashley looks like a model straight out of a magazine in these pictures. Her dress was an Anne Barge couture gown that looked like it was made just for her.

Etsy seller, Jen from Pin Cushion Princess, custom made this ring pillow for the couple in their custom colors. I love how the fabric rosettes created a beautiful texture.

This shot is one of my favorites! They look stunning! The tree wrapping around them is unlike anything I've ever seen. I think most of these pictures speak for themselves...so just enjoy!

Ashley and Derek and three wedding cakes, including a brides cake with extremely delicate sugar flowers and a grooms Texas cake! Sweet Cheeks Bakery really did a great job of creating these tasty confections for the couple!

A calligrapher was used to hand write place cards for each of the guests as well as the escort card lists.

The runners on the table were actually paper! The unique pattern was a beautiful backdrop for all of the flowers and the lovely invitation. :)

Toward the end of the evening, the gentlemen were smoking cigars and the dancing was in full swing. Possibly one of my favorite swoon-worthy moments from a wedding came when Ashley was seated in a chair on the dance floor and all of the men sang "My Calendar Girl" to her acapella. It is a family tradition of theirs and definitely had all of the guests singing along.

The sparklers were the perfect ending to the perfect night. Ashley and Derek, you two are one handsome couple :) We know your future will be filled with love and happiness! Thank you for allowing us to be part of it :) And thanks again to Stephanie Williams for such beautiful pictures! As an extra special treat, head over to 100 layer cake for highlights from Ashley and Derek's lovely wedding :)