Lauren Kinsey

Alison and Cory were wed in a simply lovely ceremony in the romantic town of Seaside, Florida. Thoughtful details (the groom sent his bride a love note in a bottle!) made the most of an already beautiful beach town setting.

Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey

Says Alison, “I had ten bridesmaids, and it was important to me that they have just as much fun as I did. I stuck to a color scheme but ultimately let them choose what they felt the prettiest in.”

Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey

The bride’s bouquet consisted of white hydrangea and ranunculus, plus ostrich feathers for a little drama.

Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey
Lauren Kinsey

 

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  Seaside, Florida is a beautiful, relaxing beach town, and it was always our dream to have our guests stay in the pastel-hued cottages, walk the narrow streets with white picket fences, and make a vacation of our wedding weekend. Perfect weather and having everything within walking distance really made for the perfect wedding scene.

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?  Walking down the aisle. (Alison) That day, we chose not to see each other up until that moment. My beautiful bride dressed in the perfect wedding dress. (Cory)

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  Our mothers lit candles at the altar, which we used to light a unity candle during the ceremony.

What was the best advice you received as a bride?  In the early stages of planning, my fiancé and I made a list of what was important to us for our special day. During the planning, we revisited the list to make sure we were saying on track and remembering the important things.

Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day?  We were blessed with perfect weather!

 

See all of Alison and Cory’s Florida beach wedding in the gallery.

Photographer: Lauren Kinsey / Event Planner:  Heather Archdeacon- Williams / Venue: Seaside Chapel / Dress: Lazaro / Shoes: Bettye Mullet from BHLDN / Earrings: Broque Revival / Tuxedo: Jos A. Bank / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.CrewBHLDNDillards / Stationery: The Paper Moon / Floral Designer: Bella Flora / Getaway Car: A Brides Ride / Music: The NashVegas Allstars / Catering: Café Thirty-A / Cake: Confections On The Coast / Videographer: Diva Productions
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Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett

Carrie and James’s wedding is such a clear representation of their fun-loving personalities, starting with the custom “Honey Badger Don’t Care” postage stamp used on their invitation suite…

Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett

James wore a custom Kente bow tie.

Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett

The best part of the day? “Our favorite part of the day was the first look before the wedding events began. We were able to share a very personal and touching moment for just the two of us.”

akil-bennett-snippetandink-
Akil Bennett

Tables were decorated with candles and dramatic black calla lilies.

Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett

From a cigar roller to a caricature artist to a stand-up comic to a photo booth, Carrie and James kept their guests entertained all night.

Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett

Guests enjoyed late night snacks, including miniature versions of chocolate chip cookies, nutella cookies, ice cream cones, and Coke floats.

Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett
Akil Bennett

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  We liked the modern, edgy feel of the space and the floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the city.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  We wanted everyone to walk away with a sense of who we were as a couple by the time they left the reception through the elements we planned for our wedding day. We also wanted to celebrate our guests as well by providing them with plenty of entertainment and personal gifts to take with them.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  After being pronounced husband and wife we incorporated a Ghanaian tradition where the bride and grooms hands are tied together with traditional Kente Cloth signifying two becoming one. During the reception we incorporated the traditional money dance where we were showered with money, signifying prosperity for our future. The day before the wedding we did the traditional Ghanaian Knocking Ceremony where the groom’s family comes to ask the elders (the bride’s family) for the hand of the bride.

What was the best advice you received as a bride?  Make sure you eat before the ceremony! By the time you get to the reception many hours have gone by. If you haven’t eaten beforehand you might be in danger of fainting. Also, make sure you tell yourself in your head what is coming next (such as “I’m about to walk down the aisle to meet my husband.”). That way when you think back to that moment you’ll be able to remember it and how you felt.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Make sure to create the day that you and your future husband want. It’s okay to listen to advice or tips, but stay true to the vision the two of you created together.

 

See all of Carrie and James’s super fun wedding in the gallery.

Photographer: Akil Bennett / Event Planner: Resha Zazueta with Something to Celebrate / Venue: Hotel ZaZa in Houston, Texas / Officiant: Pastor Remus E. Wright / Dress: Pnina Tornai from Kleinfelds / Shoes: Jimmy Choos / Earrings: Zales / Suit: Vera Wang / Stationery: Tangerine Paperspace / Music: Tiana HallDJ Lewis GrellHard Proof Afrobeat / Comedian: Godfrey / Cigar Rollers: Houston Cigar Rollers / Caricature Sketch Artist: Keith Amador / Photobooth: Cupics Photobooth
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I don’t know about you, but a trip to the wine country sounds perfect right about now. Meg Smith and Kristi Amoroso take us there with this beautiful vineyard wedding.

Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso

The bride and groom wrote their own vows, incorporating lines from their first dance song “If Not For You.” They also included more than 15 cousins in the ceremony by having them collectively read the lyrics to “It Takes Two” by Marvin Gaye.

Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
wine-country-bride-groom-portraits-8
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso

One of the best parts of the day? Dinner under the trees!

Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso
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The bride designed the stationery suite, which was printed by The Desk Set. Favors were bottles of olive oil made with olives from the property. The four-tier cake was decorated with hydrangea, roses, and ribbon.

Meg Smith, Kristi Amoroso

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  We chose my family’s home and vineyard as our location because it is a spectacular setting and we have spent many wonderful times there with family and friends. It is a special place to us both and it is also where Aaron proposed to me.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  We were definitely inspired by the beautiful setting and vineyard landscape. Stone Farm is a really special place for both of us and we wanted to get married somewhere that was meaningful to us. My sister was also married at Stone Farm one year earlier and we wanted to create a similarly incredible experience but with a different look and feel. In some way it was challenging to come up with something different, but from a planning standpoint it made it really fun and we were able to be very creative.

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?  We loved the whole day from start to finish. It just went by too fast! Some of our favorite parts include our exchange of vows, the bluegrass music playing at our cocktail hour around the pool, the heartfelt toasts given by family members at dinner time, dinner under the trees, our first dance under the beautiful tent with the sun going down on the vineyard, and the late night sing along around the fire pit to close out the night. I also loved my bridal hike and picnic lunch on Friday to kick off the weekend because I was surrounded by so many incredible women in my life. For as long as I can remember I wanted to get married at home – I love my family and I love being at home and so it was the perfect place.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  The groom is half jewish and we decided to include a little bit of Jewish tradition with the horah.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Enjoy the planning process because it is very easy to get stressed and overwhelmed by the little things. It can be such a fun and exciting time as long as you remember to keep things in perspective.

 

See all of this romantic wine country wedding in the gallery.

Photographer: Meg Smith / Event Planner: Kristi Amoroso / Floral Designer: Kathleen Deery / Venue: private home in Sonoma, California / Dress: Romona Keveza / Shoes: BHLDN / Bridesmaid Dresses: BHLDN / Suit: J. Crew “Ludlow” / Ties: Brooks Brother / Rentals: Kathleen DeeryClassic Party RentalsZephyr Tents / Catering: Melons / Cake: Sweet on Cake / Music: Bravo String QuartetAdam TraumThe Cheeseballs / Videographer: Thomas Hughes Films / Getaway Car: Antique Tours
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Britt Chudleigh

Where to wed when the bride is from Connecticut and the groom is from California? For Heather and Brett, Jackson Hole was the obvious choice, as a place they’ve enjoyed together and where they got engaged.

Britt Chudleigh
Britt Chudleigh
Britt Chudleigh

Bridesmaids carried pink antique hydrangea and the bride carried white garden roses.

Britt Chudleigh
ring-bearer-short-pants-6
Britt Chudleigh
vintage-red-convertible-getaway-car-8

One of the best parts of the day? “My family surprised us with an antique car as we walked out of the church,” says Heather. “The owner was a local gentleman who did not drive this car for any compensation. He was impossible to reach and would only accept a donation in his wife’s name to the local hospital. It was very special to spend our first moments together as a married couple in the presence of a man who loved deeply and we were touched that my family arranged it.”

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Britt Chudleigh
white-dinner-jacket-groom-11

The signature cocktail was a play on the couple’s last name, a “My Tighe” (aka Mai Tai).

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Britt Chudleigh
birch-log-centerpiece-pink-hydrangea-14
Britt Chudleigh

I love this little detail: “Brett has been known to wear Croakies to every wedding and formal event we go to. In honor of his charming style and since Croakies are a Jackson Hole company we made custom Croakies for our guests with ‘Tighe the Knot’ printed on the back of them. Brett wears his proudly almost every day in California.”

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  Brett is from California and I am from Connecticut. Jackson Hole which sits in between those places has been incredibly special to both of us for many years – skiing, fly fishing, hiking and roadtripping. We got engaged at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain after a day of skiing.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  We love the outdoors, we love being free, and Jackson represents that to us.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  We don’t consider ourselves overly traditional in the classical sense, but there were some traditions we incorporated. I married with my grandmother’s ring – she represents to me all that is fun and adventurous and wonderful in life, an attitude I hope to carry with me in my life and marriage.

What was the best advice you received as a bride? Right before you leave the church, pause for a moment and look at everyone’s faces. It’s quite cool.

What advice do you have for other brides? Spend some quality time with your best friends and family leading up to the event. It’s far more important than a last minute beauty appointment.

Do you have any budget tips for other brides?  Be as creative as possible and ask for anything you want even if it’s not customary. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

 

See more of this romantic Jackson Hole wedding in the gallery.

Photographer: Britt Chudleigh / Event Planner: Destination Jackson Hole / Venue, Catering: The Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club in Jackson Hole, WY / Bride’s Dress: Milly / Groom’s Attire: Saks Fifth Avenue / Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid / Stationery: Farewell Paperie /  Floral Designer: Char-Ral Floral / Music: Pete Muldoon / Videographer: Tower 3 Productions
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Olivia Griffin

I’m not sure what I love most about this traditional wedding from Olivia Griffin: the pink spring blossoms or the bride’s heirloom veil. Or the classic tuxedos. Or the bridesmaid style. Or that the reception took place at home… Okay, maybe it’s safe to say that I love it all, and I think you will too!

Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin

Tough to beat a classic tuxedo!

Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin

The ceremony took place at the same church where the bride’s parents were married.

Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin

How much do you love these shots with the vintage Mercedes?!

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Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin

The reception was decorated with blossoming branches and a mix of pink, red, and white flowers.

Olivia Griffin
Olivia Griffin

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  I had always wanted to have my wedding at my parents’ home. It was important to me to hold this exciting event in an a more intimate space. Weddings are about family and friends and I loved being able to host everyone in the house I grew up in.

What was your favorite moment or part of the day? Dancing at the reception with my friends and family.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  Everything about my wedding was a tradition it seemed, which was really nice! I wore my great grandmother’s veil, which every woman in her family has worn since. I wore my mother’s dress and we were married in the same church as my parents (where every member of my dad’s family has also been married). And my grandmother made sure that I had a six pence in my shoe.

 

See more of this traditional springtime wedding in the gallery.

Photographer: Olivia Griffin / Venue: private residence / Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew / Rentals: Event Rentals / Music: Big Swing & Ballroom Blasters / Catering: Cribbs Catering
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