It’s already the middle of February, which means week three of our sneak peek at Matthew Robbins’ Inspired Weddings - a book full of so much eye candy, I only wish I could show you more! Drawing inspiration from sources like citrus fruit and a vintage schoolhouse map, Matthew Robbins shows us that beautiful ideas can come from just about anywhere. Today, wedding details inspired by a green and white bead (perfect for those of us ready for some Spring)…
Matthew Robbins Design, Thuss+Farrell
Matthew Robbins Design, Thuss+Farrell
Matthew Robbins Design, Thuss+Farrell
Matthew Robbins Design, Thuss+Farrell
I love the pops of orange on this table – it feels like a rustic garden and a tropical escape at the same time!
Matthew Robbins Design, Thuss+Farrell
If you weren’t ready for Spring yet, did these luscious flowers do the trick?
One more sneak peek before the month is up, or to see all of the beauty Matthew Robbins has created for this inspiring book, you can purchase your very own copy from Anthropologie, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.
Let’s start the week with a gorgeous wedding in Rosemary Beach, Florida – the ceremony venue is one of the loveliest I’ve ever seen! Andrea and Scott chose a neutral palette of mostly white and pale green, with beautiful results. Photography by Magnolia Pair.
Says the bride, “During the ceremony, it started drizzling outside. I wasn’t aware of this until after when we were supposed to take pictures on the beach while guests had cocktails in the park adjacent to the Town Hall. The drizzling turned into rain and not only were we unable to take very many pictures on the beach, but the reception area had to be flipped quickly after the ceremony so the cocktail could be moved inside. Thank goodness my wedding planner and parents had a “Plan B” and everything turned out okay. In the end everyone had a great time and Scott and I definitely felt like we were surrounded by true joy and love the whole day.”
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? The beaches of South Walton and along Highway 30A have been a special place for me and my family since I was little. My grandfather started bringing us to the area each summer around my birthday 25 years ago. I dreamed of getting married there because it brought back years of family memories and I felt like it was a tribute to my grandfather, who loved it there so much. My husband and I also really wanted our wedding weekend to be a mini-vacation for our family and friends. Rosemary Beach was a perfect fit – with the beautiful beach, the picturesque town with charming shops and delicious restaurants, and the beautiful, white Town Hall that gave us the “churchy” feel we were looking for.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? Scott and I were inspired knowing that our closest friends and family would be gathering together in this special place to celebrate the most important day of our lives. With this in mind, we wanted our guests to feel relaxed and to enjoy the beauty and charm of the area. Once the venue was chosen, I knew exactly how I wanted my wedding to look and feel. The Town Hall and my beautiful wedding dress served as inspiration for the style of the wedding. I used white and neutral colors, with a hint of green, to highlight the natural beauty of the Town Hall and the beach town. I also wanted to choose colors that I could look back on 20 years down the road and still be happy with!
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? Dancing with my dad was a moment I will never forget. My dad is not a dancer – in fact, I had never seen him dance before until we took a dance lesson to get ready for the wedding. Dancing with him was a special, once-in-a-lifetime moment that I will always cherish. Also, after our reception, Scott and I went back to our Carriage House in Rosemary Beach and we just sat there and talked about our wedding day and how happy we were. It was then that I realized that we were married and how excited I was to be Scott’s wife. Then we met all of our friends out at a local dive and kept celebrating – the night just kept getting better!
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? One of my wedding “musts” was to have my dad, who owns a catering company in Baton Rouge, cater the wedding. Another reason Rosemary Beach was a perfect fit was because they would allow his company to do the catering. Having my dad cater the reception allowed us to share some of our favorite foods and drinks with our guests. Needless to say, everything was delicious! It was also important for Scott’s Dad, who is a pastor of a church in Houston, to officiate our ceremony. Having him marry us made the day even more special. He was able to really personalize the ceremony and even told a few funny stories about my husband’s childhood.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? Face the fact that complications will arise – some things are out of your control. Embrace the moments that make your wedding unique, laugh at them later on and remember all that matters at the end of the day is that that you will be married to the love of your life. Another important piece of advice I received was to spend as much time by my husband’s side as possible. Although it’s easy to get pulled in different ways at the reception, it’s important to try and stay together as much as you can and experience it all together.
What advice do you have for other brides? Find a wedding planner or a day-of coordinator – especially if you are having a destination wedding. Weddings are very stressful, but the bride and groom (and their mothers!) shouldn’t have to worry about directing vendors or solving problems on the big day. Having a planner will allow you to relax and enjoy the day.
What are you up to this weekend? Ryan’s folks are coming to visit, and it’s supposed to be really warm here, so I think we might drive up to our favorite oyster place for lunch on the water. Otherwise, I’ll be enlisting the help of my mom and Ryan’s mom in tackling our would-be nursery, which currently looks more like an unkempt storage unit than any place you’d put a baby. Wish us luck!
Happy Valentine’s Day dear readers! In addition to our Snapshot of a Marriage post (a celebration of lasting love), we thought we’d give you a post the celebrates the other part of Valentine’s Day we can’t live without: chocolate! We asked some of our favorite wedding vendors to share their most-loved chocolates with us, and the result is a collection of amazing sweets that would make for delicious wedding favors, welcome bag gifts, or just everyday indulgences. Enjoy!
Meg Smith | Photographer Caramels with Exotic Salts from Woodhouse Chocolate (top left)
“My favorites are any of the caramels with exotic sea salts from Woodhouse Chocolate in St Helena – my hometown. You feel like you’ve stumbled across a chocolate store in Paris. And if you want to see a child completely in awe bring home one of their chocolate animals for a very special occasion.”
Elizabeth Messina | Photographer Dark Chocolate Truffles from La Maison du Chocolat (not pictured) Dark Chocolate Truffles by Jessica Foster Confections (top right)
“I have a not so secret love affair with chocolate, and perhaps my favorite chocolate indulgence is a single dark chocolate truffle. The flavor is simply sublime. Maison du Chocolat Dark Chocolate Truffles have such a rustic feel, and the richness, flavor, and texture are divine. Jessica Foster is a local boutique company and each one is made by hand – these are the truffles I served at my wedding and they will always be close to my heart.”
Jose Villa | Photographer Cocoa Truffles from Trader Joe’s
“I love Trader Joe’s truffles! I know getting chocolate at Trader Joe’s is not exactly a luxury, but they are darn good… and dangerous!”
Ariella Chezar | Floral Designer Aztec Chili Tiles from Poco Dolce (far left)
“While I love almost all of Poco Dolce’s chocolate tiles (with their Burnt Caramel high up on the list), the Aztec Chili tiles have the perfect little kick combined with excellent quality chocolate. Yum!
Lisa Vorce | Event Planner & Designer Chocolat Chaud from Angelina (left)
“My sister and I spent a very cold winter in Paris when we were young, and nothing warmed us up like the hot chocolate from Angelina. “La Maison Angelina” has been around since 1903, and serves the most luscious, thick, lava-like chocolat chaud you could imagine. Actually, you should go there, so you don’t have to imagine it! I promise, you’ll be in love! And if you can’t get there anytime soon, MarieBelle offers a line of hot chocolates that are delish as well!”
Bryan Johnson, A Bryan Photo | Photographer Almonds & Sea Salt bar by Mast Brothers Chocolate (right)
“Mast Brothers uses the best ingredients and you can taste it in every bite. The almond and sea salt bar is exceptional because the dark chocolate is lightly sweet with a hint of salt for a savory twist! So delish.”
Christina McNeill
Kathryn’s favorite… Butterscotch Squares by See’s Candies (a)
“Basically brown sugar covered with milk chocolate – it’s super sweet and is a childhood favorite that I will love forever.”
Laurie Arons | Event Planner & Designer Champagne Truffes by Teuscher (b)
“It is a combination of a milk chocolate shell exterior, with a dark chocolate creamy make-your-mouth water ganache and a surprise of champagne creme in the center. Delicious!”
Sarah Ryhanen, Saipua | Floral Designer Twix bar (c)
“My favorite chocolate is probably a Twix bar. I like cheap chocolate, and lots of it.”
Cynthia Warren | Illustrator, Designer, Calligrapher Burnt Caramel Tiles from Poco Dolce (d)
“I desire less sweet things as I get older. However, the Poco Dolce bittersweet chocolate tiles are a perfectly sized little taste treat. They come in several flavors but my favorite are the burnt caramel. I love letting the velvety dark chocolate melt in my mouth to reveal the crunchy burnt caramel toffee inside – the combination of flavors and textures is delightful. The small sprinkling of gray sea salt on top finishes the flavor experience perfectly. Heaven!”
Steve Fortunado, Room Forty | Caterer Dark Chocolate 70% bar from Green & Black’s Organic (top left)
“Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate is hard to beat for breaking off corners of a delectable brick – I dig that it is fair trade, organic, the flavor is intense, balanced – and can be used for cooking or for straight up gnawing. I’m partial to the pure bars, because that simple, pure high quality chocolate goes really well with wine and spirits, and if we’re in the mood to eat chocolate, we’re usually in the mood to drink as well.”
Kate Holt, Flowerwild | Floral Designer White Chocolate bar from Green & Black’s Organic (top left) Chocolate Covered Pretzels (not pictured)
“This white chocolate is divine – it isn’t overly sweet, and is really smooth and creamy.
Also, I always love a chocolate covered pretzel. I guess it’s the sweet salt thing that gets me – whoever figured that combo out is a genius!”
Calder Clark | Wedding Planner & Designer Sea is for Caramel bar by Sweeteeth (top right)
“I’ve always heard that your taste buds change every 7 years. Old wives’ tale or not, mine have become salt obsessed! So Sweeteeth’s ridiculous sea salt caramel dark chocolate bar covers my every craving, plus they’re local and so genuine that it’s easy to support artisan chocolatier Johnny Battle.”
Kathryn’s other favorite… Passion Fruit Truffle by Laderach at CocoaBella (bottom right)
“I had no idea what I was biting into the first time I tried one of these bon bons, but the sweet white chocolate shell with the tart passion fruit center was the most delightfully surprising taste I’ve ever had. They’ve become one of my all-time favorites.”
Rebecca Schmidt Ruebensall, Mr. Boddington’s Studio | Designer, Stationer Put Your Money On Honey from Droga Chocolates (right photo, top left corner)
“[We worked on some designs for Droga Chocolates] and I think it’s safe to say that Put Your Money On Honey are our absolute favorites. They are dark chocolate covered caramels made with wildflower honey and a dash of salt on top – delicious! We make excuses multiple times a day on why another box should be opened! Research, of course.”
Is your mouth watering yet? I’m not sure I’ve met a chocolate I didn’t like a lot, and there are some I truly love, but I’m always looking to try something new. So do tell – what is your all-time favorite chocolate bonbon or bar? Leave a comment by 11:59PM PST letting us know what chocolate you love most, and I’ll send one of you a box of my favorite Butterscotch Squares from See’s Candies!
