Real Wedding: Jen and Toffy in Mammoth

It’s rather unusual that I get a chance to see a beautiful mountain wedding, so it’s always exciting when one pops up in the inbox. Jen and Toffy’s wedding, shot by Floataway Studio, has a really unassuming, simplicity to it. The scenery at Parallax Restaurant at McCoy Station on Mammoth Mountain naturally lends itself to a rustic sensibility.

Here’s a little info about the wedding from the bride:

We did almost everything ourselves, from the welcome bags to the wood veneer programs, song books, invitations, Save the Dates, rehearsal dinner invitations, etc.  We also decorated the church and reception sites ourselves the day before and the morning of the wedding.My friend Danny made the toffee favors from scratch, and Toffy’s parents donated all the brownies in the welcome bags and at the reception hot cocoa station from their bakery Sugar House in the Philippines. All the vintage books were discards from my high school library. The birch accents were collected by my dad in Ohio and flown out along with all the mason jars and vintage/antique bottles on the reception tables.

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Destination: Cabo Azul

This is the first time I’ve ever posted about a venue. But I was so bowled over by this place that I just HAD to share it with you. Let me start by saying that it seems with some wedding venues, hosting weddings was an afterthought when it came to designing the space. I’ve even been to a place that forgot to add a bridal room when they built the site, so the bride had to get ready in an office!

All that is to say that it seems Cabo Azul Resort had the bride and groom in mind when they designed much of their space. I know there are thousands and thousands of places to host a destination wedding (if you’re in to that kind of thing) but for some reason, Cabo Azul has captured my imagination (at least for the time being!). The resort is brand new and seems like to ideal spot for a romantic vacation/honeymoon/WEDDING! Anyhow, I’ve spent the entire week staring at these photos, so I thought I’d share some of them with you!

Real Wedding: Sherry and Scott

If I could have it any way, my dream wedding would most definitely be a destination wedding. And what could be more fun than a wedding in Cancun complete with a Mariachi band and tequila shots? I love these dreamy photos by Leigh Miller, who has captured beautifully the bright and sunny feel of Sherry and Scott’s Mexico wedding.

Destination Inspiration

I recently read somewhere that destination weddings are actually a more affordable option than in-town weddings. I thought that statement to be counterintuitive, but the writer said the when you plan a wedding in a beautiful far off location, not only are you paying for less guests, but you’re also paying for less decor…why mess with perfection?

Well, I think this lovely wedding sent to me by reader Danielle and her husband Josiah really demonstrates that a stunning location is sometimes all you really need. They let the location dictate the look and feel of the day and I think the photos speak for themselves. Photography studio Rawsii took these gorgeous photos.

Speaking of Rawsii, just a little extra tid bit that the photographer flew to Danielle and Josiah’s destination wedding in Florida and shot all the photos for free, because she wanted to support the non-profit Sonny Villa that the bride and groom founded. (Which, by the way, is such a great outreach…I literally teared up when I went to their site to check it out!) How sweet is that? Awww….

Real Wedding: Amanda and Abner

Take a look at this destination wedding in Manasota Keys, Florida, shot by Tec Petaja. WOW! Not only is the location spectular, and the decor absolutely delicious, but Tec got lucky with such a beautiful couple!

Inspiration Request: Winter Cabin & Pea Coats

I received this very challenging inspiration request from Brooke: 

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I do love the inspiration boards, maybe a new one? Woodsy, wintery…think Anthropologie (as is all my inspiration) in a Colorado cabin with the bride and her ladies in p-coats. -Brooke

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Wow. Okay, Brooke! I did the best I could, but given that the concept is SUPER unique, it was nigh impossible to find some of these images. First off, let’s say NO to a light blue/all white winter wedding. Let’s be a little different!

I was inspired by the recent throwback to plaid. Maybe you hate it. But I thought it was kind of fun to add a few punches of that in there. Imagine envelopes lined in plaid paper. Cute! 

After several hours of tireless searching, I admitted defeat. I could NOT find a picture of bridesmaids (or a group of girls for that matter) all wearing pea coats and dresses and boots. The idea is unbelievably adorable, so I did my best to convey the concept. (If you find a picture, post it or a link to it in the comments…I’m dying to see one!)

Flower girl in red pea coat? Check. Bridesmaids in knee high vintage boots? Check. Bride and groom in snow? Check. Lodge, with fireplace? Check. And if this were my wedding, (not gonna lie…I know I always say this, but this board makes me want a winter wedding) then I might do a soup bar for dinner. Yum. And gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Mmmmm…. I do love soup. And how fun would your wedding weekend be up in the snowy mountains? Maybe some sledding in the snow before the rehearsal? Maybe a snowboarding bachelor/bachelorette party? I’m loving it! 

Sources left to right from top: 1. Matthew Morgan 2. Source 3. Source 4. Get Married 5. Perfect Bound 6. Source 7. Grazier Photography 8. Siskin Photo 9. Roger’s Gardens 10. Get Married 11. Perfect Bound 12. Get Married

Real Wedding: Stephane and Susan

This gorgeous destination wedding is brought to us by Hoffmann Photographer. I am absolutely delighted that I have the opportunity to post such a beautiful wedding…Oh how I’d love to getaway to Cabo San Lucas. This wedding takes place at the One and Only Palmilla. Special thanks to  Valerie for sending Hoffmann Photographer my way!

Real Wedding: Heather and Mike

Today, I wanted to post a bright and cheery wedding, so I went on a search and found photographer Stacy Sodolak of SMS Phtography via The Knot (after which I couldn’t leave her blog). This destination wedding fit the bill perfectly for what I was in the mood for…all of the color choices are so creative and well suited for a Mexico wedding. I’m telling you…this type of wedding is high on my wedding wish list. I hope you enjoy!

Trend Alert: Brunch Wedding

 

Photo by Cooke Studio

I was thinking about blueberry pancakes this morning and I thought to myself, that’s one thing you never see at a wedding: breakfast–more specifically, blueberry pancakes. When most of us think of weddings, we think of an evening setting with glowing candles, filet mignon and cocktails. But what if you want to mix it up a little and trade in martinis for mimosas?

I think a brunch wedding has a number of benefits…so much so, that after thinking about it for a while, I decided when I plan my own wedding, I may just do brunch. A few of the pros? To name a few: 

:: Pricing :: Rental fees, food and vendors can be more affordable.

:: Availability :: Venues that book fast usually have brunch slots open.

:: Energy :: People aren’t as likely to tire out and escape at the stroke of midnight.

:: Time :: A brunch wedding avoids the typical curfew most venues enforce.

:: Honeymoon :: With enough time in the day, you and your new hubby can enjoy a nice romantic dinner before heading up to your honeymoon suite. 

The photos below were inspired by what I’d love for a brunch wedding: a vineyard, great food, mimosas, close friends and family, live music and plenty of time to enjoy each and every tid bit. 

Photo sources left to right from top: 1. Jose Villa 2. Richard Woods Photography via Lulu Events 3. Cooper Carras 4. Free Digital Photos.net 5. Martha Stewart 6. Martha Stewart 7. Design by Grey Likes Weddings 8. MSNBC 9. The Knot 10. Martha Stewart 11. Jose Villa 12. Cooke Studio

If the photos above haven’t convinced you, I know these will. This wedding was shot by the unbelievable photograper, Cooper Carras and was originally featured on the fabulous blog, Snippet and Ink. I’ve posted a few below here. 

If that isn’t enough, guests were instructed to follow a strict “khaki and white” dress code and the party joined in a croquet match. 

Tell me now…have I convinced you to have a brunch wedding??? I thought so.

Weekend Love

Happy Saturday! In honor of the weekend, I thought I’d post a few images of a destination wedding in Greece. We can dream can’t we? Photographer Ben Chrisman captured these stunning images and now I’ve definitely put Greece at the top of my “must see” list. I hope you enjoy!!!