Today we have a fabulously modern tablescape from Ariella Chezar and Meg Smith. The contrast of hot red and orange against the stark white studio is such a sophisticated look – I can just imagine wedding guests coming in from the cold to find this burst of flame red and orange. I also love a bride in a chic white pantsuit.
Long before I ever started Snippet & Ink, I was drooling over the floral designs of Ariella Chezar, and the photography of Meg Smith, two of the most talented women out there. I can probably list about five people whose work inspired me to start this blog, and Ariella and Meg are two of them. So I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was when they sent me several gorgeous and inspiring wedding shoots, and how honored I am to share them with you here on Snippet & Ink.
Since I spent Christmas with my honey’s family this year, I’m headed home today to spend a week with my mom and my sister. Why not start the new year with a day off and a trip, right?
(This photo has nothing to do with me or my trip home, but it was so darling and it made me smile. By the ever talented Jonathan Canlas.)
Regular posts will be back tomorrow, but for today, I thought I’d ask all of you to pick up my slack by sharing some inspiration… How are you maintaining your sanity and perspective during your wedding planning process? And would you be so kind as to share it with the rest of us in the comments below?
One of the many pressures on brides today is to come up with a totally unique wedding style. Something no one has seen before. A wedding in which every last detail is a reflection of the bride’s and groom’s personalities, from the personalized vows to the napkins. I certainly have felt this pressure, and when it starts to drive me utterly bananas, I try to remind myself that what makes a wedding truly unique and personalized and yours, is that it is a ceremony and celebration for you and your partner. It’s a wedding that, presumably, hasn’t been seen before.
All of that is to say, you do not have to reinvent the wheel. Stick with classic elements that will never look dated, and do them well: beautiful engraved invitations with traditional wording, pearl jewelry and a blusher veil, white flowers, champagne toasts, a white buttercream cake. A lovely wedding that is perfectly simple and timeless.
Mood: simply classic, timeless
Palette: wedding white, touches of green foliage
If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t given much thought to boudoir photography. Or if you have thought about it, it seems either totally cheesy or totally intimidating, and not the sort of thing you’d ever consider for yourself. And if you’re anything like me, I think you might just change your mind once you see these beautiful photos by Kristen Hudson, the talent behind Haute Boudoir.
I absolutely love the fashion-influenced, fine art style of Haute Boudoir‘s portraiture – it may sound like a strange thing to say about boudoir photography, but there’s something truly timeless about Kristen’s photos. Here’s just a little peek of some of the lovely images from the Haute Boudoir gallery…
I think the thing I love most about Haute Boudoir is that not only do Kristen’s clients walk away with a beautiful set of photos, but they also walk away with an amazing experience. While the photos may be an anniversary or Valentine’s Day gift for your special someone, the photo shoot itself is just for you. As one of Kristen’s clients says, “I’m so glad I did this for myself!”
Inspired to unleash your inner starlet? Head over to the Haute Boudoir site to see even more beautiful photos and learn more about the different photo packages that Kristen offers.
Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had delightful holidays, and maybe some left-over treats to make this Monday back at work a bit sweeter. I thought I’d pick up where we left off in December, with inspiration boards that take a less-is-more approach to wedding planning…
I absolutely adore this beautiful dress by Elizabeth Dye, and when I noticed the “nosegay” of raw cotton* in the model’s hand, I was inspired to create this quaint winter wedding board. This would have been pretty in just brown and white, but a small amount of the faintest Tiffany blue adds a bit of visual interest, and allows this look to work as well in early spring as in winter. The tea-length dress, birdcage veil, locket, and champagne coupes are the perfect touch of vintage – sweet, not theme-y. Glassine envelopes filled with rice look pretty either plain or embellished with a custom rubber stamp. And how about this for a twist on DIY? Write out your wedding invitations by hand. It doesn’t require craftiness or creativity, just nice enough hand-writing, pretty ivory paper, and good black ink. Not only is it traditional, it will also be a delightfully unexpected surprise for your invitees. Depending on the tone you’re trying to set, you can either use traditional wording or you can write a personalized note to each guest.
(*Raw cotton is a wonderful decorative element during winter months when fresh flowers are either unavailable or frighteningly expensive, and it makes for unusual bouquets and boutonnieres, as well as beautifully rustic wreaths and centerpieces. You can order it online, or if you live in an area that grows cotton, see if a local farmer might let you have some on the cheap.)
Mood: sweet and quaint
Palette: cotton boll white, chocolate truffle, barely-there blue
I’m still totally smitten with the idea of a simple ceremony followed by a reception of champagne and dessert. It works with any number of guests – champagne and dessert makes for a perfectly lovely gathering of just a few close friends and family, but it’s also not going to break the bank if your guest list is considerably bigger. Also, this type of reception doesn’t require professional event planning experience. Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely admire the beautiful work that event designers do, and have so much respect for the skill of planners and coordinators. But not everyone can afford (or wants) to hire one of these professionals, and for those who are planning a wedding without one, a dessert and champagne reception is manageable with help from a few friends and family members. Bake or purchase some pretty cakes and treats, pick up some chocolates from your favorite local shop (if you’re in San Francisco, the caramel truffles at XOX are my personal favorite), buy some nice champagne in bulk, and borrow pretty cake plates and candy dishes from aunts and godmothers. Plus, there’s something charming in a wedding that doesn’t seem “produced.”
