If there is one thing I adore about Cali its the ability to dine Al Fresco in a gorgeous setting that samples that of the Spanish mission style ambiance.  Whats more is how perfectly the creamy stucco walls and terracotta like floors lend themselves to a really rich, deep color palette as well!  This styled session highlights so many wonderful ways to dress a table in elegance & refinement all the while paying proper homage to lush organic surroundings.   A deep berry upper layer table cloth sets the tone, while flashes of gold are present in both the under layer table cloth as well as fat bows around the chiavari chairs.  The gold serves as a much need eye pop & shimmer to an otherwise dark affair.  Beautiful gnarled wood brings a real earthy element to the table, while dressed with sliced citrus fruits, artichokes & pomegranates, creating an open cornucopia touch.  Unique blooms transport the table into a more ethereal feel while little details like single blooms & succulents are playfully entrapped in over turned glassware.  The overall effect is a wonderfully organic, rich feeling table set up that steps well away from cookie cutter & transports its guest into a twilight night under the stars!

Vendor Love

Event Venue: Aldea at Tlaquepaque, Phoenix | Event Designer: Trisha Lucy {Petals & Lucy} | Floral Designer: Community Florist | Photographer: Jill Lauren Photography

I always feel an extra desire to applaud couples who realize that a giant wedding to-do is not really their speed.  There is something so powerful in focusing all your energy on  an intimate yet highly sophisticated wedding, much the way that Kristin Redmond & Hans Loven have done at the Sunken Garden at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.  Not feeling the need to bring the masses, our sweet couple instead focused on finer details like stunning location, unique blooms, couture wedding gown & iconic reception space.  Influenced by the desire to use symbology, much the way a wedding is the beginning of a new life, our couple opted to say their ‘I do’s’ with the raise of the sun, starting a new day.  While this wedding might not have a big supporting cast, the beauty & essence of love is in no short supply!

Novella of the Bride…

Hans and I met on Match.com.  For our first date, we unfortunately both went to different Starbucks located within a couple blocks of each other.  I, thinking he had stood me up, called him and asked whether he was planning to come.  He quickly told me that he’d also been waiting.  A bystander having overheard me pointed to the other Starbucks and we quickly realized that we were both at the “wrong” Starbucks. Once we came together, the remaining 9 hours went in a flash.   Nearly immediately we began seeing each other everyday! Now, we having been together for 5 years.

We felt that a morning wedding, in a garden, was much more appropriate and in line with the idea of our new beginning. Thus, we had our wedding at 9:15am in the morning on September 17.  It’s hard to beat the beauty of the como conservatory.  It was particularly wonderful at that time.  We have never seen it look so beautiful before or since. Hans and I often visited the conservatory especially during the cold MN winters.  We also decided to have a small wedding with only our closest friends and family.  While this did mean that some people were unable to attend and a few ruffled feathers to deal with, neither of us would change having 40 people there to celebrate. It was very intimate and we were able to spend time with each one of our guests. We also had an art deco influence with my wedding band, invitations, the reception venue, and a few other details. To add some flair and laughs, we decided to buy funky bow ties as party favors, which led to a number of amusing photos including our group panorama with all our guests.

Hans and I really teamed up on the wedding.  We made all the decisions together except of course…my dress.  My good friend Juliana went on most of the trips with me and my friend Veronica flew in to go shopping as well.  In the end my pursuit for a dress was not successful in person.  I had found a dress online early in my research, but couldn’t locate it in any stores in the surrounding states.  After no success in stores, I took the plunge and ordered my dress based on my measurements.   It was a bit nerve racking but it arrived, I love it, and it only required minor tailoring.

Couple’s Favorite Moments: “This is a difficult question to answer. I counted 5 favorite moments when considering this question. I’ll share one moment; immediately after the ceremony when we had walked out of the sunken garden Hans grabbed my hand, dipped, and kissed me…we were both ecstatic.   Hans shared that his favorite moment  - the feeling the instant the ceremony concluded.”

Vendor Love

Ceremony Venue: Sunken Garden at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory  | Reception Venue: W.A. Frost  | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals – Couture Collection  | Shoes: Bettye Muller | Hair & Makeup Stylist: Julie Swenson at Smart and Chic Bride  | Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss  | Invitation Designer: GoGoSnap | Music: Baroque Trio  | Florist: Pazzobello Flowers  | Caterer: W.A. Frost  | Baker: The Cake Diva  | Photographer: Erin Johnson Photography

This just might be one of the cooler weddings that I have seen in sometime, seriously!  There is an essence to the entire affair that I am completely mad about, Be Who You Are.  Laura Tarr & Andrew Brown of Bristol, UK have style in spades {as do their guests!} and made sure that their wedding day was a pure reflection of what they really loved.  Having a deep admiration for all things truly vintage & 1940′s, Laura along with the help from family and friends, endlessly searched for genuine items from the 40′s be it the clothing {all dresses are real vintage finds!} to the flatware and table setup.  Quirky touches such as crocheted cupcakes were presented to guests while more whimsical elements like knotted vintage scarves framed the ceremony space.  All in all I love the pure express of this couple imprinted onto their wedding day all beautifully captured by Charlene Morton Photography!  I totally am feeling the expression here, Brits do it better!  I adore how amazingly the bridal party got into the spirit along with guests who also dressed the part!  There is so very much to love but perhaps the most amazing part of all…… Llamas!  Yes thats right, there are llamas!

What Storyboard Likes…gives way to an awesome word from Charlie of Charlene Morton Photography!  {*Normally I would rant about why I love this wedding so much, but Charlie does such a beautiful job poetically stating her first hand account of the day, I’ll just shut it and let Charlie do the talking!}

The morning of the wedding began at Laura and Andrew’s Bristol home, where the bridal party preparations were well underway. Hair and make-up artists had set up camp in the kitchen with boxes of rollers, brushes pots and powders. As we arrived the bridesmaids had their hair set and were all in coloured hairnets which held their curled and pinned hair-dos in place. The bridesmaids dresses were all vintage, and had been painstakingly sourced by Laura. 4 long laced prom style dresses (some of which had been hand-dyed pastel tones) were all authentic vintage, absolutely beautiful and were as if they were made to suit each of the girls. The addition of handmade flower corsages tied the bridesmaids together seamlessly. Laura had also sourced matching colored vintage costume jewelry for each of her bridesmaids which were presented as gifts in dainty handbags she had hand sewn!

Laura’s 1940′s vintage dress had been sourced from America, and was found in a dusty trunk which had not been opened since the wartime, a really incredible find! The dress had been shipped to the UK and altered to reduce the skirt size to a more A-line shape to modernize slightly and fit Laura perfectly including the delicate long lace arms and  high laced neck.  The preparations were a wholly relaxed morning of fun, smiles and friends.

We headed off to Leigh Court ahead of the Bridal Party. Guests had arrived and convened on the entrance steps, framed against vast sandstone pillars, and soaked them selves in the sun awaiting the arrival of the bride.  The groom’s party arrived, each with flashes of 1940′s inspiration, from the quaffed fringes, to contrast brogues and black braces. Even the guests had joined in on the fun, with 1950′s style prom dresses, red lipstick and feathered hats. This wedding really was vintage done well.

Vintage cars transported the bridal party to Leigh Court and they were whisked away to an upstairs room to prepare for the ceremony. (Elements of the day like this created a really traditional feel to the proceedings, and including a greeting line after the ceremony) The sun was well and truly shining and remained bright well into the evening, allowing guests the pleasure of sitting outside and enjoying their Pimms – probably for the first time this year!

The details were magnificent and the 1940′s inspired theme ran throughout the day, with vintage silk scarves adorning the sweeping staircase in the main hall.  The long double staircase provided the perfect setting for the bridal entrance, with bridesmaids starting first, ascending the stairs gracefully in a staggered line, followed shortly after by Laura and her father, arm in arm.

After the ceremony we took the opportunity to line the guests up outside for the confetti throwing, the newlyweds walked through a long tunnel of their guests whilst being showered in pastel petals. Pimms was served on the back lawn, and we swept the bride groom and their nearest and dearest away for some group shots.  The group shots soon turned into a pose off, with the ushers and groom attempting to out pose the modelesque bride and her bridesmaids. The boys flashed their brogues, and emulated the suave gentlemen of the 1940′s era, whilst the girls undertook a very editorial look and showed the boys how its done!

Thanks to the Vintage China Hire, the dining room had been transformed into a tea party fit for a queen (and her king!). Delicate vintage teacups, mismatched with ornate teapots, floral doilies and china cake stands provided the basis of the table set up. It was the intricate details and personal touches which really made the difference, female guests were gifted with hand knitted cupcakes, created by Laura’s mother, whilst the male guests were treated to personalized handkerchiefs. Miniature crackers provided an ingenious icebreaker around the tables, and wild pastel toned seasonal flowers were scattered in glass vases.  High tea was served in a rush of tea leaves, miniature sandwiches and fresh cream cakes whilst a Rockabilly band set up in the adjoining room.

In order to dance the night away in style Laura slipped into something a little more comfortable, a shorter 1950′s vintage dress with sage green satin sash. With an abundance of petticoats and delicate lace sleeves she relaxed into her outfit change in order to enjoy the rest of her night. The sun shone for the entire evening allowing some beautiful shots with dreamlike sun-glare.

The entire day was a flawless blend of vintage and tradition, with family and close friends sharing the day together. The evening entertainment included a rockabilly band, and outside barbecue, a lovely relaxed evening to top off a perfect wedding day. Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Brown!

Novella of the Bride…

Myself and Andrew had been together for 9 years. Andrew is my best friend’s brother and I fell for him from the first time I saw him. He was the cool older brother and I was just his kid sister’s friend but I won him round eventually. We first really got together at a music festival as we both love music and the rest as they say is history.

We really wanted to go for a 1940′s theme, as I love all things vintage and the 40′s is my favourite decade. We found it very difficult to find clothing that was from the period so had to compromise a bit on that by buying items from the 1950′s and having them altered. I did manage to have my 1940′s champagne flutes for the toast though which I was super happy about.

Leigh court has the most amazing stair case. It was magical walking down it with my dad to the song that Andrew had picked for me to make my big entrance. Another great thing about Leigh court was that it had great outdoor and indoor space. If the weather hadn’t of been great we would have had just as good a time staying in doors. All the rooms flow really well in to each other. The band played in one room with a dance floor where people could have a bit of a bop around while in the connected room you could just sit and listen and take in the atmosphere.

My family have been really supportive. My mum made all the ladies table favours, they were the little crochet’d cupcakes that had scented disc’s popped in the bottom so they could be used as drawer scenters. One of my best friends, Siobhan, helped me make my save the date cards and came with me on numerous trips about the country in the search of the perfect wedding dress. My sister was a star of the day, making sure all the decorations were set up exactly how I had imagined and made sure I had the day to remember by taking over all the organisation to make sure everything went to plan.  I’d just like to thank everyone I’ve listed above. Without them my day wouldn’t have been the day I’d dreamed of. Everyone made my wedding perfect and the day I will remember for the rest of my life.

Bride’s Favorite Moment: “Seeing the smile on Andrew’s face. He was the happiest I have ever seen him. He didn’t have a huge involvement in the planning and organizing so most things were a bit of a surprise to him but I could genuinely tell he loved every bit and was chuffed with every bit. Other than that I can’t really pick any one time. Everything was just lovely and perfect and everyone that came really had a really great day.”

Vendor Love

Venue: Leigh Court  | Wedding Dress: Two 1950′s Vintage Dresses via Luxe Bridal & eBay | Bridesmaid Dresses: Vintage Dresses {1930′s, 1940′s & 1950′s} | Alterations: Susan Gilby  | Hair & Makeup Stylist: Isabel While  | Invitations: Hand made  | Transportation: Kens Cars  | Music: Pete Jackson and The Zodiacs  | Rentals: Vintage Crockery via The Vintage Hire | Florist: Greenfields Florist  | Caterer: Leigh Court | Photographer: Charlene Morton Photography

What better way to showcase the captivating female form then surrounded by mother earth herself!  Venturing into a true rustic setting, Tamara & Lisa Hodack wanted to highlight all the earthy goodness that they could muster all the while showing off Tamara’s oh so fabulous body!  Not to go there buuuuut, dammmmmn girl that booty!  In all seriousness though, I love everything from the setting, the fringe goddess wrap, to the way the light playful wraps around Tamara in each set.  What a fabulously yummy & wonderfully earthy boudoir session!

A Note from Lisa Hodack Photography:

“Being an earthy girl myself, I’ve always wanted to photograph an outdoor boudoir session. Tamara and I collaborated our ideas and she turned out to be the most perfect girl for the shoot! She is the owner of an eco-friendly business called Juja&Stone, who makes all natural beauty products, handmade custom bags from recycled materials, and more. I wanted this session to capture a perfect mix between Tamara’s natural beauty and style as well as the gorgeous light and backgrounds our earth has to offer. The end result turned out better than I could have imagined!”

I have a real thing for table settings, when done right, setting a table properly and creatively as can be is practically art in and of itself.  When guest are presented with the {reception} room for the first time, rest assured that after the awe of the whole picture subsides, the very next thing they are looking at are your tables!  One of my most favorite boards that I curate on Pinterest focuses expressly on the art of the table setting which I have dubbed, Elegance of Table Setting.  Designing ones tables for an event is a true art but with a bit of help and design breakdown, you’ll soon enough be seeing the saucers through the forest of plates, if you know what I mean!

There has been the most chic, lovely & wondrous backyard BBQ place setting floating around for a bit now and I am super eager to discuss it on WIWW!  This gorgeous dream of a setup has color harmony out the wazoo, gentle eye breaks in the form of texture & pattern, along with a beautifully organic touch!  The full post can be found on OnceWed and as always I highly encourage you to head over to check it out!  Let’s see this light beauty shall we!?

 *Photograph by Robert Sukrachand

Color Theory:  The first element to the entire setup that really resonates is the color harmony.  Complimentary colors in the form of green & peach are the true stars here.  The varying tones of each color beautifully jive with its neighbor as each is slighty lighter {or darker} then the next.  The wonderful thing about the color scheme is that some elements, such as the rosemary sprig & some of the leaves in the planter box, contain a tonal range all within themselves!  This vibrant collection of complimentary colors delivers a truly fresh & nirvana like state to any table set up.  While the greens & peaches are spectacular, the mix of neutrals within the rest of the table serve to keep our lofty shades grounded!  In just about any color match up, neutral colors are fair game.  The rule of thumb here is simply to make sure that your tonal ranges match up.  You’ll want the right kind of whites, the right deepness of blacks, and the right earthiness of your browns.  Here, charcoal to true blacks are used, mixed with what I will call lived in whites.  Tying it all together is the light beige table cloth which is the perfect balance between the deep blacks & light whites.  Color harmony takes a lot of work, but when you get it right, there is nothing more glorious!

Pattern Party: Personally I am a huge proponent of patterns.  In most cases, if I can throw in at least one pattern, I’m a happy girl.  By design, patterns keep the eye moving, beautiful noise if you will, therefore the key is always pattern selection.  Pick competing patterns and your eyes will cry, pick just the right combos and the sky’s will sing!  The beauty to the pattern selection here is the use of two striking patterns that are not loud attention seekers.  When working with multiple patterns, the key is to select patterns that will play nice with one another.  Mixing of geometric shapes are typically a nice way to go, just make sure there is a common thread to tie them together. The pairing of these two work so well as the simple windowpane check squares in the base layer echo that of the diamond shape that is found in between the circles within the top napkin.  I bet when you first looked at the set up you didn’t even realize how very complimentary the two patterns were!  The hidden gem to the layering however is the choice of the solid black menu which provides the eye break within the pattern world and beautifully ties them all together.  Even the choice of font for the menu eloquently picks up on the thinness of the check print as does the name card which echos that of the curvier nature of the circle napkin.  Speaking of ties, the small simple black & white striped ribbon tying our napkin package together, works beautifully to counter balance those geometric shapes within the napkins.  Lastly the soft gentle textures & patterns in the floral, their leaves and even the table cloth all serve as the perfect compliment to the over all picture!

Earthy Goodness:  Perhaps my favorite piece to this puzzle is the wonderfully organic feel to the entire set up.  Starting with the simple yet oh so powerful touch of the Rosemary sprig as the perfect finishing element to the choice of the centerpiece which emulates that of how one might envision flowers to appear in a natural proper English garden.  Even the choice of using a low planter box {dark stained to beautifully harmonize with the color scheme!} brings you back to a true backyard garden feel, touching back to mother earth.  I am not sure if it is or not, but the tablecloth seems as if it might be made of  hemp, at the very least linen, either way, wonderful organic fibers that further that yummy earthy feel.

Light, bright and fresh can be wonderfully achieved with just the right elements.  Gorgeous florals, select patterns, organic or metallic, you name it, the table setting world is your oyster!  Remember just because you want a lighter {or darker} setup doesn’t mean that you can not have darker elements.  Not to get all philosophical on you, but for what is a highlight without shadow detail, and the reverse is equally as true!  Be sure to check out the full backyard BBQ wedding at OnceWed HERE.  I’d love to hear what your favorite elements in today’s WIWW are!  Are you a fan of patterns like me, or is it the organic earthy elements that touched you?  Have something you’d love to have design explained, send it in, you never know, it just might be the next WIWW!

Vendor Love

Photography by Robert Sukrachand // Event Design + Florals + Coordination by The Nouveau Romantics // Catering by14 Acre Farm // Vintage Rentals by Magpie Vintage Rentals // Wedding Dress by Leanne Marshall // Groom’s Suit byBrooklyn Tailors //  Invitations by Katherine Ahn