DIY Arrangement: Step by Step!

Be sure to check out my guest post on Classic Bride for a step-by-step on making an arrangement!

Amazing photo below by Jasmine Star.

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Tie That Binds

Happy Friday! Today I’m excited to share with you some delightful goods from Mekala and Tie That Binds. In addition to wedding stationery, Tie That Binds has some fabulous little wedding details that are as thoughtful as they are sweet. And I love that they offer all sorts of a la carte options that cater to any size of budget. These types of additions can really pull together the look and feel of a wedding and really take things to the next level. SWOON!

Excuse me? Family recipes? Great design? Favors? Stop it!

Will you be my bridesmaid? NO DOUBT…especially if you are bribing me with pretty body wash and a tote.

Trouble with the mother-in-law? Say it isn’t so. You’ll have her eating out of your hand with this gift…

Shower: Here Comes the Bride…in YELLOW!

I can’t imagine how delightful it would be to have creative friends with enough chops to host a cheery summertime shower like this one. AND…they did what we all would love to do and hired Katee Grace to document all the fun. Note to all of you non-engaged readers: SEE…you don’t have to be a bride to justify your need for daily Grey inspiration. I mean, Hello! You need inspiration for throwing showers and parties, right???

Real Wedding: Katherine and Chris

My favorite thing about this sweet wedding is the incredible location (Golden Gardens in Seattle, Washington). Field overlooking ocean? Check. Loft-like setting with great lighting for reception? Check. Beachfront in close proximity for post-wedding cupcakes and photos? Check. Done and done! I also love the monarch butterflies that were released. Too cute!

Special thanks to my new photog friend Bradley Hanson for sending over these great shots!

Jessica Claire Photography Workshop

Guess what??? I’m more than pleased and quite humbled to share with  you some exciting news! Grey Likes Weddings is teaming up with Jessica Claire for a knock-your-socks-off photography workshop! This September, I will have the opportunity to design and style a mock wedding and ceremony (talk about a real life inspiration board!) hosted and taught by Jessica Claire. If you are a photographer and are interested in learning more about the workshop, be sure to check it out here.

Aaaaand….in the spirit of inspiration, I’ve got a pretty mood board for you. I especially love photo #2, which is a wedding cake garland made from vintage stamps by DSharp (be sure to check out the DSharp blog as well!) You may remember one of their darling garlands from the current summer issue of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Enjoy!

1. District Weddings 2. DSharp 3. LaLaLaurie 4. Wedding Chicks 5. Martha Stewart 6. The Gilded Bee 7. Martha Stewart 8. via Modern Vintage Wedding 9. Katee Grace

Pretty Plum Sugar

Lounge wear. Hmmm… First thought: I love that we name our clothing with suggestive activites we ought to consider “optimal” while wearing them. Swim suit. Running shoes. Riding boots. (I must be doing my boots a disservice).

Anyhow, back to lounge wear. Now, I’ll be honest. I’m a lounger. A POWER lounger. I don’t need to read how-to books on de-stressing your life because I’m an expert at relaxation. (Read: lazy).

However adept my lounging skills, it has come to my attention that I lack the proper uniform. I’ve yet to stock up on and adequately don what has apparently been deemed proper attire. Alas, my prowess is amiss! Maybe it is because I’m not yet married. The lounge wear diva must be derived from the sultry wife who is ever-wise in her quest to remain the seductress of her man. And what better way to win over the affections of heart and hand than by the wearing of lounge wear? I’ve added it to my list of must-haves for the “Modern Dowry”.

Here are some lovely little ditties from Plum Pretty Sugar that would be a GREAT start for any gal’s lounging collection.

Mascara Maven: Lasting Power

I am pleased to welcome back our fab guest blogger, Mascara Maven, who has some great tips for keeping your bridal glow absolutely perfect…from the walk down the aisle to your getaway escape.

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Mascara Maven: Lasting Power

When you exchange vows, you commit to have and to hold for life. That’s some serious lasting power. Well, maintaining the lasting power of your makeup, especially on your wedding day, is also a big deal- but not nearly as much work as you might think! To avoid transferring half of your foundation onto your groom’s shoulder or leaving pretty pouty lip prints on Aunt Sally’s cheek, it’s worth investing in just a few products that have what it takes to keep your face on!

Step One: Prime Time

Ladies, start the canvas off on the right foot: Face Primer. Now, I am partial to Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, which I think is the absolute best. It acts as a physical barrier between your face oils, pores, and lines, and matte-ifies your skin to provide a smooth surface for your foundation to glide over. Not only will your foundation stay on all day, but primer keeps it from creasing and settling into fine lines. And don’t be afraid to throw a layer on your groom (that is if he’ll let you!)- this primer can be worn alone to even out skin tone.

For those of you with dryer skin, I highly recommend Tricia Sawyer’s Skin Balancing Water Primer. One pump of this all over your face (after moisturizer) provides a hydrating non-greasy and oil-free way to balance out your skin. It also has aloe leaf for a cooling and soothing feeling and smells fantastic!

Step Two: Put A Lid On It

You want those gorgeous eyes to sparkle all day so smudgeproof those lids. To prevent creasing due to oily lids, start off with an eyeshadow primer. Just a dab a day will keep smudging at bay. It also keeps eyeshadow bright and vibrant with no disappearing act. I have fallen in love with Too Faced Shadow Insurance because it actually tightens the eyelid. Hello eyelift!

Another cult favorite is the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion which works wonders, and the brand new re-formulated Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer.

Step Three: Lock and Load

I am a huge advocate for lip stains. They are phenomenal for brides because of the no-fuss factor and I have never met a groom who actually likes wearing sticky lip gloss.

I have mentioned it before, but the Tricia Sawyer Beauty Clearly Pretty Lip Stain is Ah-mazing! It definitely leans on the pink side of stains, but blends with lipsticks beautifully, leaving a pink pout that will last from the first kiss all the way to the dance floor.

Another great (and budget-friendly) find is Revlon’s ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor that lasts a whopping 12 hours! They have a wide range of ooh la la colors and come with a clear gloss to moisturize. Consider grabbing a lighter color too for hitting the beaches come honeymoon time.

Step Four: Seal the Deal

I like MAC’s Fix+ Spray as my final spritz to set the entire face. It leaves a natural radiance and sets all the makeup. You can also dust a translucent finishing powder as your final step. Keep a little with you on a powder puff if you think you may get shiny.

Prime Examples:
Celebs prime and seal just like the rest of us. They need to be shine-free and perfect for red carpet events and photos.

Ivanka Trump:

Stunning and flawless makeup- not a shine to be seen.

Blake Lively:
Perfectly Matte – gorgeous skin

Ann Hathaway and Rhianna:
With such dramatic eyes, an eyeshadow primer is a must!

Sunday Suppers & Amy Atlas

Sunday Suppers teamed with Amy Atlas for their recent event and henceforth completely blew my mind. The photos of the Morroccan inspired table were shot by Karen Mordechai are just unbelievable. Additionally, Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille contributed some of the desert creations, as did Ali Kantor. The cake is by Love Street Cakes, goodie bags by Thoughtful Day and the flowers by Rountree Flowers. I SWOON! Can these folks get together to do my wedding?

photo by Aran Goyoaga

photo by Aran Goyoaga

Jill & Kevin Dance us into a Happy Weekend!

I hope you have an absolutely wonderful weekend. As a send off, I thought I’d share this video of Jill and Kevin’s walk down the aisle with you, that my FABULOUS friend Valerie sent me today. Apparently the whole idea of dancing in church is controversial, but I’ll tell you what. I sobbed through the ENTIRE video. Am I a little emotional? Okay, yes, maybe. But what I love about this couple is that their dance down the aisle is such an appropriate expression of what I’m sure one must be feeling when they are walking down the aisle to CELEBRATE the most blessed of unions! Talk about an AMAZING bridal party!

Enjoy!

Real Wedding: Alisa and Shahraab

I can’t resist sharing Jose Villa‘s perfection whenever I have a chance. I’m unbelievably delighted to post Alisa and Shahraab’s wedding, which took place at The Parker, Palm Springs and was designed by Alison Events. How much do you love these colors?