est. 2007
About us
Wedding inspiration, written with care since 2007
Snippet & Ink helps couples and their guests find wedding ideas that feel true to them, from the dress and the cake to the last dance.
2007Founded
10Editors & contributors
55Expert sources
Our story
It began with inspiration boards for friends
Snippet & Ink was launched in September 2007 by Kathryn Storke Grady. That summer, several of her friends got engaged, and she started making wedding inspiration boards for them for fun. A blog was the easiest place to share them. As she later put it, she “had no idea it would eventually become my job.”
The idea behind those first boards still guides the site: show beautiful things, and never lose sight of what a wedding is about. Snippet & Ink became known for wedding inspiration features, real wedding ideas and DIY projects, and it grew into one of the long-running independent voices in wedding publishing.
This is how we described ourselves on our About page in 2013:
“Since its launch over five years ago in 2007, Snippet & Ink has been the go-to planning resource for sophisticated brides who dream of a unique and meaningful wedding day. By featuring only the most thoughtfully curated content, and by bringing beauty and authenticity to every post, Snippet & Ink is a place where brides and grooms can find ideas and advice for planning their dream wedding.”
Today the site covers every part of the celebration: bridal gowns and guest outfits, hair, makeup and nails, cakes and decor, rings and jewelry, groom style, venues, and planning on a real budget. Our goal is the same as it was in 2007. We want wedding planning to feel exciting, not overwhelming.
“I try to strike a balance between eye candy and meaningful, thoughtful details.”
Kathryn Storke Grady, founder, in a 2012 interview with Alt Summit
Our team
The people behind Snippet & Ink
Snippet & Ink is made by people who do this work with their own hands: a founder who started with inspiration boards for friends and now styles brides, grooms and their families; an Editor-in-Chief who has planned and designed celebrations through 25 years in hospitality and events; a wedding photographer who became our managing editor; and a beauty and style writer who works with brides on hair, makeup, nails and mehndi.
Founder & Bridal Stylist
Kathryn Storke Grady
Kathryn Storke Grady is the founder and editor of Snippet & Ink, where she brings together two of her favorite things: love stories and pretty parties. She is known for her inspiration boards, her editorial eye, and her buttermilk chocolate chip scones. She lives near San Francisco with her handsome husband, a sassy kitty, and a wiggly puppy dog. Today Kathryn also works one-on-one with brides, grooms and their families as a bridal stylist, choosing wedding dresses, rings and bridal jewelry, and outfits for the whole wedding party.
Editor-in-Chief & Wedding Expert
Terri Shearer
Hi, I’m Terri. I’ve spent the past 25 years building my career around hospitality, people, and creating spaces where meaningful moments happen. As a hands-on wedding expert, I plan and design celebrations in person: budgets and timelines, decor and floral arrangements, wedding cakes, stationery and catering. As Editor-in-Chief, I edit, review and write for Snippet & Ink.
Managing Editor
Christina McNeill
Christina McNeill started at Snippet & Ink in 2013 as an Editorial Assistant, and quickly became an indispensable part of the team, taking on more responsibility every day to eventually become a partner and managing editor. She brings her photographer’s eye and romantic’s heart to everything she does, both here at Snippet & Ink and with her wedding clients. She lives in San Francisco with her rock and roll loving husband and two very Great Danes.
Beauty & Style Writer · Bridal Beauty Artist
Madison Barber
Madison Barber is a beauty and style writer for Snippet & Ink and a hands-on bridal beauty artist who works with brides on hair, makeup, nails and mehndi, from the first trial to the wedding morning. She is a fashion, beauty, and shopping expert, and has spent years researching new brands and great deals. She has bylines in InStyle, Byrdie, Bustle, and Elite Daily. Prior to writing for Snippet & Ink, Madison was a writer for Bustle Digital Group’s lifestyle brands, including Bustle and Elite Daily, where she authored over 50 roundups of trending products across women’s lifestyle categories. She received a B.A. in English from Villanova University and is based in New York, NY.
Contributors
Photographers, florists, artists and writers
Our contributors work in the crafts behind many of the topics we cover. Their experience runs from flowers arranged for Chez Panisse to film photography, hand-lettered illustration and small-batch food, and it informs these parts of the site:
Wedding Photography Wedding Poses Engagement Photoshoots Wedding Decorations Wedding Themes Wedding Stationery DIY Wedding Gifts & Favors Wedding Desserts Destination Weddings Newlywed Advice
Maggie Battista
Food & gifting
Maggie Battista started Eat Boutique as a blog in 2007, and sold out of her first gift box of small batch independent food in 2009. Discovering the best small batch foods by boutique food makers, Eat Boutique has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Gilt Taste, and Daily Candy. Maggie continues to offer unique and delicious handmade food in monthly tasting subscriptions and seasonal gift boxes for food fans and home cooks. Maggie also hosts Eat Boutique Markets, where she spotlights cookbook authors and food and drink makers.
Contributes to: Wedding Gifts & Favors Wedding Favors Wedding Desserts Wedding Cake Alternatives
Silvana di Franco
Wedding photography
Silvana di Franco loves all things weddings, cinema, and music, and feels especially blessed that she gets to pick up a camera and make a living with it. Her blog-site is a journal of sorts, and a labor of love in constant motion, with wedding photography, musings on life and family, food shots, and some just-for-fun entries. Silvana is also the lucky wife to Dean and mother to Luca, and together they enjoy lots of uncontrollable laughter.
Contributes to: Wedding Photography Wedding Portraits Wedding Poses Pre-Wedding Photoshoot
Max Gill
Wedding decor & floral arrangements
Max Gill is known for the wildly beautiful arrangements he creates for famed restaurant, Chez Panisse, with a focus on local and seasonal flowers (some of them grown in his own backyard). He first discovered his love for flowers back in 1999, when he was asked to arrange flowers for a friend’s wedding. Says Max, “Besides being steeped in nature and beauty, flower arrangements tend to make people happy. There’s a generosity associated with flowers that I love to be a part of.”
Contributes to: Wedding Decorations Wedding Table Decorations Wedding Themes Weddings by Season
Heidi Murphy
Wedding & lifestyle photography · Writer
Heidi Murphy is a wedding and lifestyle photographer, and aspiring foodie. Though her heart belongs to Martha’s Vineyard, she lives north of Boston with her husband and their three dogs in a charming seaside town. She has an affinity for simple flavors and simple pleasures, farmer’s markets, organic everything, s’mores, corn from the grill, and of course – champagne. Heidi’s work on film has been featured stateside and abroad. Her musings and imagery can be found on her blog White Loft Style.
Contributes to: Wedding Photography Engagement Photoshoot Wedding Ideas
Rebekka Seale
Illustration & hand lettering
Rebekka Seale is an artist and illustrator based in Nashville, Tennessee. All of her work is hand-painted and hand-lettered, reflecting her love of homespun charm in a digital world. She loves creating original paintings, custom portraits, stationery and illustrations for print. While she’s working, she daydreams of pastries and trains and New Orleans, and especially riding the train to New Orleans. See her latest work on her blog, Dear Friend.
Contributes to: Wedding Stationery DIY Wedding Wedding Color Palettes
Emily Westbrooks
Writing & lifestyle
Emily Westbrooks is a Dublin-based freelance writer and lifestyle blogger. Raised in Maine, Emily moved to Dublin in 2008 after marrying to her Irish husband, Michael. Originally planning only to stay for a year, she now calls Dublin home. She loves exploring Dublin, adventuring through the hills of Ireland, and traveling around Europe. She chronicles her adventures in Ireland on her blog, From China Village.
Contributes to: Newlywed Advice Destination Weddings Wedding Traditions
Contributor bios appear as they were published on our About page.
What we cover
Seven areas, one celebration
Every article belongs to one of seven areas, so you can follow a single thread of your planning from start to finish.
Editorial standards
How we create our content
Wedding decisions are personal and often expensive. Here is how an article is made at Snippet & Ink, and the principles behind everything we publish.
01
Choosing the topic
We start from the questions couples and guests actually ask: what to wear to a haldi, how a bun holds up under a veil, which cake survives an outdoor summer reception.
02
Researching the details
We check the practical facts that matter on the day, such as fabric behavior, care, lead times and how a technique holds up, against professional practice and makers’ guidance.
03
Writing for a real reader
Each piece is written to help someone decide: how to wear it, how to adapt it to a budget or venue, and what to ask a stylist, baker or florist.
04
Editing and review
Before an article goes live it is edited for accuracy, clarity and tone. Our Editor-in-Chief, Terri Shearer, oversees this review.
05
Keeping it current
We revisit published guides when trends, prices or products change, and we fix reported errors promptly.
Our principles
Grounded in working professionals
Our ideas draw on the work of planners, photographers, stylists, beauty artists and cake designers who do this every week. You can see the experts whose work informs our coverage below.
Inclusive by default
We cover weddings of every culture, faith, budget, body type and family shape, from courthouse ceremonies to multi-day celebrations with a mehndi night.
Practical, not just pretty
Every inspiration piece aims to leave you with something you can use: a style to show your stylist, a question to ask a vendor, or a way to adapt a look to your budget.
Independent recommendations
We choose what to feature on its merits. If an article ever includes sponsored content or affiliate links, we say so clearly on that page.
Kept current
Trends change and prices move. We review and refresh our guides so the advice still holds when you read it.
Corrections welcome
If you spot an error, email [email protected]. We review every report and update the article when a correction is needed.
Credit where it is due
Every article is credited to the people who actually wrote, edited or reviewed it. We never put a professional’s name on work they did not create.
Respect for every tradition
Mehndi nights, haldi ceremonies, church weddings and courthouse vows each come with their own meaning. We describe customs accurately and write about them with care.
Advertising stays separate
Ads help keep Snippet & Ink free to read, but they never decide what we cover or what we recommend, and they are kept apart from our articles.
Expert sources
Industry experts we follow and reference
These 55 professionals across 8 specialties shape how we think about weddings. Their published work, awards and techniques inform the ideas and standards in our coverage.
Wedding Planners (9) Wedding Photographers (8) Bridal Fashion Stylists (5) Bridal Hairstylists (8) Bridal Makeup Artists (6) Mehndi & Henna Artists (6) Bridal Nail Artists (6) Wedding Cake Designers (7)
Wedding Planners
SS
Sonal J. Shah
South Asian wedding specialist featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal; named a top US planner by PartySlate.
LG
Lauren Grech
Plans weddings for high-profile couples worldwide and teaches event design at NYU.
JP
Julie Savage Parekh
Named a top US planner by Martha Stewart Weddings and one of The Knot's 100 most inspiring people.
TA
Tzo Ai Ang
Has produced weddings at The Plaza and Cipriani; recognized by Martha Stewart Weddings and BRIDES.
KJ
Kanako Jones
Commissioned by Aman Tokyo, The Peninsula Tokyo and Pierre Gagnaire; has written columns for ELLE and 25ans.
CS
Chantal Holik Sertić
Founder and planner who writes about luxury destination weddings on the Adriatic coast.
Wedding Photographers
BB
Berit Bizjak
Named among the top 12 NYC wedding photographers, with more than 20 years behind the camera.
JV
Jose Villa
Known for fine-art film photography; work published in Vogue, Tatler and Harper's Bazaar.
LB
Lizzie Burger
Luxury wedding photographer working in both digital and film.
BV
Bettina Vass
Grand Winner of the 2024 International Wedding Photographer of the Year, chosen from over 2,000 entries across 63 countries.
AP
Andreas Politis
Gold award for Wedding Details at the WPV Convention 2016, plus several PWS awards.
KL
Karina Leonenko
Destination wedding photographer based in Cyprus who works worldwide.
Bridal Fashion Stylists
LL
Lanie List
Founded the bridal boutique Lovely Bride and later became Chief Commercial Officer at Rent the Runway.
JS
Julie Sabatino
Pioneer of bridal styling; has worked with planners Marcy Blum, Mindy Weiss and Colin Cowie and been featured in Vogue and The New York Times.
KB
Kennedy Bingham
Bridal stylist and content creator focused on modern bridal fashion.
LT
Lindsay Terranova
Personal fashion stylist for 15 years, now dedicated to brides.
BC
Beth Chapman
Former VP of Merchandising at Ann Taylor who founded a bridal salon and teaches bridal retail.
Bridal Hairstylists
AS
Ashlee Scala
Nearly 20 years in beauty; Best of The Knot winner every year from 2019 to 2025.
RB
Rachel Brauner
The Knot Best of Weddings 2021 winner.
LH
Lilly Hair
Bridal hair specialist with more than 20 years of experience.
MJ
Marlise Jimenez
Licensed cosmetologist certified in bridal hair and makeup; owner of Glossed Studio.
NA
Natalie Anne
Named International Hair Influencer of the Year and holds a Guinness World Record.
HH
Hayley Holmes
More than 29 years in hair; featured by GHD Global and Beyond the Ponytail.
EF
Emma Forletta
Highly Commended at The Wedding Industry Awards 2024.
BR
Brides By Rose
Hair Stylist of the Year at the Essex Wedding Awards 2023.
Bridal Makeup Artists
BW
Brittany Whitfield
Work featured in Rolling Stone, Harper's Bazaar and W Magazine.
LL
Leah London
Trained at London College of Fashion; clients include Elsa Hosk and Ruby Rose.
SS
Sarah Stafford
Award-winning destination makeup artist trained by celebrity artist Wendy Robin.
AB
Ali Bisnov
Certified at Make-Up Designory; has worked with NYX Cosmetics and the Miss California pageant.
NK
Nayyar Khan
Specializes in Indian and Pakistani bridal makeup and hair, and teaches courses.
I
Irena
More than 20 years in fashion makeup; regular contributor to Condé Nast Brides.
Mehndi & Henna Artists
SB
Sumita Batra
Founder of Ziba Beauty and author of The Art of Mehndi; clients include Beyoncé and Madonna.
NA
Neha Assar
Bridal mehndi artist in Los Angeles and Orange County since 1994.
H
Heather
Henna artist since 1999 and host of a leading US henna conference.
HP
Heeramani Patra
More than 20 years of experience; travels nationwide for weddings.
RH
Rabiya Hassen
Henna artist with more than 15 years of experience, including work in Doha and Abu Dhabi.
S
Sunita
Has taught at HennaCon in Los Angeles and supplies henna products.
Bridal Nail Artists
KM
Katie Masters
Nail artist with a waitlist of 100+ clients; launched a gel color line with the Japanese brand Kokoist.
LO
Linette Olivares
Nail educator specializing in Gel-X and Russian manicure techniques.
AM
Annabel Maginnis
Award-winning nail technician and founder of Glitterbels; works on fashion weeks and editorials.
HD
Hazel Dixon
Winner of more than 100 national and international awards, including Nailympia titles.
DB
Dani Bailey
TrendVision Nail Technician of the Year, UK & Ireland 2021.
Wedding Cake Designers
ES
Elizabeth Solaru
Three-time winner of Sky TV's The Great Cake Bake and author of the cake book Opulencia.
RI
Ron Ben-Israel
Called the King of Cakes by Modern Bride; featured in The New York Times and Vogue.
FC
Fiona Cairns
Created the royal wedding cake for Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011.
PP
Peggy Porschen
Created Stella McCartney's wedding cake; known for refined British cake design.
JD
Julie Deffense
Named a Cake Masters Top 10 Cake Artist in the USA (2019) and author of five cookbooks.
LC
Lisa Cheng
Cake Designer of the Year at the Scottish Wedding Awards 2023; has taught at Cake International.
Fresh from the blog
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Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you
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