A Farmhouse Wedding

What a setting! I'm a Midwestern girl, so it's no surprise that a rustic wedding at a dairy farm would be a delight for me to feature here on my little bloggity blog. Oh, and you must stop by Penned & Pretty today to see the corresponding wedding invitation suite!

Loving the delicate details in the brides dress contrasted by the dirt road.

What a lucky couple to have their wedding ceremony in the front yard of this adorable farmhouse!

The floral arrangements looked as though they were handpicked and you can't have a wedding in the country without a banjo!

A beautiful country background is the perfect setting for this casual formal yet informal bridal party photo. I always love a great ring shot and I love the texture of the wooden planks in this one!
Don't forget, you must stop by Penned & Pretty today to see the invitation for this beautiful wedding!

This lovely wedding was first spotted at Always Tuesday. Photos by Poiema Photography and used with expressed permission.

The Perfect Fall Bouquet

When I lived in Indianapolis, I worked with this little red head with a soft laugh and a welcoming smile. As you'll see, that little red head became a radiant bride this past October and Nicole Green {my favorite photographer} was there to capture her gorgeous day.

There was nothing, nothing {alright, perhaps the bride herself!} more beautiful than the bouquet that Kathryn held throughout the day. Be still my heart. The perfect fall bouquet:
Plum Shoes will always hold a special place in my heart. Kathryn's were just as adorable.
Kathryn, you were such a beautiful bride! I love this picture of the two of you. It's absolutely a "framer."

Kathryn gave each of the bridesmaids an adorable pashmina to wrap around their shoulders throughout the day since the middle of October can be a little chilly in the Midwest. Besides the flowers, I think that they were my favorite little detail of the day. The golden hue of the pashminas compliment the fall color scheme perfectly!

I love how Kathryn's bouquet pops against the white wall in the picture below. Like I said before, it was and is the perfect fall bouquet.
I'm always up for a good ring shot and Nicole always does such a beautiful job with them. Maybe I'll post mine for all of you to see next week. Until then, here is Kathryn's gorgeous ring atop Scott's ring and some beautiful fall foliage. All pictures taken by the lovely Nicole Green and used with expressed permission.

p.s. Kathryn was a Penned & Pretty client. Nicole was gracious enough to send over a picture of the place cards that I penned with my calligraphy for Kathryn's wedding reception. You can see it at Penned & Pretty by clicking right here!

A Gorgeous Friend Turned Gorgeous Bride: Part 2

Jessica & Steve's wedding was the perfect mix of rustic meets beach. Therefore, the gave the bride and the groom had the perfect excuse to go barefoot for most of the day.
The groom and groomsmen wore dapper tweed vests. The groom's boutonniere opened throughout the day and coordinated perfectly with the overall rustic feel of the day.
The bridesmaids bouquets looked like they were plucked from a wild garden and formed into the most lovely arrangement.
Steve and Jessica were united in marriage next to the ebb and flow of the waves. I don't think that there could be a more fitting setting to marry in than on that mirrors the ups and downs of a marriage that you have to forge through together.
Remember this post?! Let me remind you that its a little nerve wracking to be standing up there in front of all of your guests during your ceremony. Instead of standing up there clutching your {gorgeous} bouquet, remember to reach for your fiance's hands. Not only will your nerves settle down, but it makes for a quite the lovely picture.These next two pictures are my favorites. I feel as though they truly convey why you and your new husband should take a moment at the end of the aisle to relish in the fact that you are finally married. For keeps, as they say.

Yet another favorite. I adore her bouquet.

I just cannot imagine a more charming venue to have a wedding reception. Picture perfect.

Now this, my friends is what a couple looks like when they are totally in the moment during their first dance.

I'm not sure on the exact back story on this truck, but I love the photos ben williams was able to capture as the couple was using it for their getaway vehicle. If you can't tell, this picture reflects the true spirit of Jessica and Steve.

Dearest Jessica, you're just as pretty as you were in high school. Figures! I hope that your wedding day was as beautiful as it appears in the pictures. More so, I hope that you have found your best friend and life long partner in Steve. Wishing you years and years of happiness!!!

Jessica and Steve's wedding day was captured by ben williams weddings. Pictures used with expressed permission.

A Gorgeous Friend Turned Gorgeous Bride: Part 1

I had a friend in high school named Jessica. She was beautiful, outgoing and had an infectious smile. As you'll see, not much has changed. Jessica got married a few months ago and my jaw dropped when I saw the pictures of her wedding day. I know you'll love them as much as I do.

For starters, meet Jessica. A gorgeous friend and a gorgeous bride.
Jessica got ready for her day in a rustic cabin. My favorite shot of her getting ready was this one in which she was carefully putting a flower in her hair as her best friend looked on.

Naturally, my gorgeous friend would marry a gorgeous guy. Meet Steve:
I have to say that some of my favorite shots of the bridal party are of the groomsmen. I love their vests and boutonnieres {to be seen in the next post}, their chuck taylor shoes {below} and the fact that they were genuinely having fun together. You just don't' see that all too often.

Not to be outdone, the bridesmaids were full of smiles too.
Jessica and Steve were married in northern Michigan at Point Betsie Lighthouse. The venue, and the area around it, provided hills, sand dunes, water and an all around perfect place to say your vows and take your wedding photos.

One of my many favorites. More of the beautiful venues and ceremony images to come tomorrow!!

The photographer that so beautifully captured Jessica and Steve's wedding day is the talented Ben Williams of ben williams weddings . Pictures used with expressed permission.

A Chicago Wedding Recap

I will say it til I am blue in the face, Stephanie was a lifesaver on our wedding day. Because of her mad planning skills and sheer rock star talent displayed while coordinating our wedding, two of my close friends booked her within weeks. Almost a month ago, at the wedding of Candice & Landon, we were reunited. After I danced for a solid three hours, a bridesmaid's responsibility, we took a little picture together. Today, over twitter, she asked me if the little picture would make it's way onto this bloggity blog. Be careful of what you ask for.
I think that we both look equally pretty {after an outdoor ceremony & dancing}, but my aviators {gift from the bride & groom} give me a slight advantage if I do say so myself.

p.s. Stephanie is based out of St. Louis but will travel, as long as there is a McDonald's at some point on the route. Check out her blogsite here.

Since we're chatting about Candice & Landon's wedding, I might as well share a few more pretty pictures The first picture with all {but 1} of my best friends was taken during the cocktail hour. Isn't her dress amazing!??! I had serious envy.

The flowing feathery ruffles were to die for. She was such a beautiful bride. With killer pink heels.

And the feathery hairpiece was the cutest thing that I have ever seen. She made it herself for less than $10 and it complimented the dress {and her birdcage veil} perfectly.

My favorite photo of Candice, ever. Hands down.

A little preview of their day can be seen here. professional photos by katherine salvatori photo.

{One of} My Best Friends Wedding{s}

I remember standing in my chapter house on bid day looking around at all of my new "sisters". Some I recognized, one was my roommate, and others I had never seen before. Jenn was one of those girls that I had seen before. Tall, blonde, and gorgeous I never thought she would want to be friends with little ole me! But over the years we developed the same circle of friends and became two of the five seniors that lived in the sorority house together. When I first started dating Chris, Jenn and Stephen (her then boyfriend) were one of the first people I introduced him to. They bonded over their love of the Cincinnati Bengals (back when they could win more than 1 game in a season) at our Baller Bash party and it was all downhill from there. The four of us then hung out all the time and haven't stopped since. From the late night hilarity in broadripple in our college days to spending three days with my Mom and I in the days after my Daddy passed away in June, Jenn has been a true friend in every way. Chris and I were honored to stand next to Stephen and Jenn this past June as they tied the knot in Cincinnati.
What a beautiful day it was and what a beautiful bride!
Our bridesmaids bouquets were a-mazing! Hot pink roses with black feathers. The stems were wrapped with black satin and completed the look.
So after the ceremony the bridal party (and dates) hopped in THE most phenomenal party bus of all time and went down to "Millionaires Row" to snap a couple pictures. The classy ride wouldn't be complete without six cases of beer, two giant champagne bottles, and $1 sunglasses with our choice of hot pink, neon green, or flashing orange accents. Since they were so fantastic, we had to get a picture with them. We're on the far left.

Just a few of our sorority sisters.
To be honest, I don't think that I had any of the cake, I was more about the open bar that night. But I'm sure the cake was as delicious as it looked.

Congrats Stephen and Jenn! And thanks for letting me snatch these pictures from your facebook albums in order to feature them here.

A Post from Mommy

Mommy and I attended a family friends wedding this past weekend. So I convinced Mommy to make an appearance on my blog today and comment about one of the big questions she has related to weddings. Have a gander:

If you have been to a wedding recently, you have probably realized that once dinner is over and the dancing begins, the guys gather by the bar where the beer is flowing and the girls head to the nearest table with a friend who has gossip to share. The gossip ranges from outlandish outfits at the reception to how embarrassing the toast of the best man was. By the way, the Best Man's toast at this wedding was inappropriate to say the least. When a good song comes on, the girls disband their gossip circle momentarily and head to the dance floor. It is there that they hold their glass of wine and twirl their hand in a lasso fashion (ala "Save a horse ride a cowboy"). All along the boys stay so far away from the dance floor they would need binoculars to see it.

Long story short: How do you pull the girls away from their gossip circle and make the men put down their beers long enough to actually be within 10 feet of eachother. In the old days, the conga line was the answer. The men would unwillingly get snapped into the line and that was that. Seeing as how my daughter shudders at the thought of a conga line, I highly doubt there will be one at her wedding. Then there was the age old trick of the YMCA...but I suppose that is outdated too. What are your thoughts as to how to keep the dance floor full at the reception?
I'm back, friends, with some other observations to share from this weekend:

The bartender would pre-pour cups of beer from the tap and set them at the edge of the bar. This way there was no waiting in line if all that was desired was a cup(s) of beer. Therefore, the line for the bar was wonderfully short for those of us like me that just wanted a glass of wine. However, the beers were quite readily accessible and just begging to be consumed. Perhaps this led to too much beer being consumed since no one ever had to wait in line for it!?

At this venue the cake table was set up near the front corner of the venue. We're hoping that at our reception, the cake can be near the dance floor and be the center of attention while we cut into it. I think that while we're there we will make a speech thanking everyone for coming.

Here was the real kicker for my Mom. The priest never said "I now pronounce you husband and wife." He just introduced the new couple and they kissed and practically ran down the aisle before anyone could even stand up and start clapping!! For the money that you are giving to the priest, you better actually get a pronouncement out of it!

Thoughts?!

{One of} My Best Friends Wedding{s}

Kristen recently got her professional pictures back....and they are BREATHTAKING. All photos courtesy of: Lisa Walker Photography.

Let's start off with the beautiful bride:

I love the way T is looking at her in this picture. They were married in the lobby of the Columbia Club and were lucky enough to snap some pictures in the gorgeous venue before the ceremony began.
Throughout the ceremony there was this amazing light pouring in through the windows:
Little did we know during the cocktail hour that the bride and groom had slipped outside onto Monument Circle and enjoyed an ice cream cone (well, T says that Kristen enjoyed it and she wasn't too good at sharing) and some time walking around the circle.

This next shot is Kristen's pride and joy...the ring shot:

And now, the details! The cake, the ballroom, and the "short" and "tall" centerpieces!

What a wonderful day uniting two great people. Thanks for letting me be a part of it!

My Parents Wedding

Back in 1983, there was a wedding....a fabulous one if you ask me. It was the wedding of my parents.
My Mommy and her Dad, practicing walking up the aisle at the rehearsal.

The next day my Mom donned this blusher/"birdcage" veil that her Mother MADE for her!! I think its to-die-for. I wonder if she still has it... Husband and wife! Love the grey suit...good choice Daddy! My Mom wore her Mother's wedding dress.
Mommy's side and Daddy's side after the wedding.

Walking into their reception as husband and wife.

And there you have it friends...that is my favorite wedding EVER. Almost 25 years ago and the pictures are still beautiful...and so are my parents.