Every now and again a wedding comes through with such a lovely color tonal range that its just dreamy to look at and that is very much the case with Amanda Mertz & Jeremy Shook’s gorgeous Mississippi wedding!  Wanting to craft a colorful day without loud dominating colors, soft corals & greens were given the go head while a wizard in florist clothing Au Courant Floral created some of the most beautiful & unique arrangements I have seen in sometime!  Guest sipped on down home lemonade with mustache/lip straws while watching our couple say ‘I do’.  String quartet music wafted in the background as this refined modern affair took place under the setting sun with dancing under the stars to follow!  What a sweet lovely treat filled with the loveliest of colors, the perfect way to close out May and head into summer proper!

Note From The Bride…

Guests were treated to sweet, southern, pink lemonade in mason jars, as they enjoyed the sounds of a string quartet, before the ceremony. In lieu of programs, we chose a chalkboard, ornately framed, listing the wedding party and the evening events. Adding another personal touch, I created a large, wooden board with multi-colored envelopes secured to it, for guests to place notes, instead of a traditional guest book. The flowers: The day of the wedding, I stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by a long table full of the most beautiful, stunning bouquets I had ever seen. My bouquet was hydrangeas, peonies, lamb ear, balsa wood and succulents, wrapped in a turquoise damask cloth, secured with a gorgeous turquoise broach. Attached to my bouquet was a stone from my late grandmothers’ favorite earrings. We were married on Cinco de Mayo, so we featured a gourmet taco station with catfish, zesty chicken, and duck tacos, made to order. Signature drink was “The Shookarita”, a cute spin on our last name. A fresh, organic margarita on the rocks, garnished with salt. These were topped off with a turquoise “mustache” straw for the men, or a hot pink “lip” straw for the ladies. We incorporated our love for trail mix into the reception, and put our own spin on a traditional “candy bar”.

Vendor Love

Venue: Lost Rabbit Marina  | Dress: Martina Liana | Hair: Nathans Salon | Make-up: Brittany Thompson | Catering: Julep Restaurant | Floral Design: Au Courant Floral | String Quartet: Jackson Strings Quartet | DJ: Evan Tubbs of Birmingham, AL | Photobooth: Adam + Alli Photography | Lighting: Davaine Lighting | Officiant: Bill Boyd | Event Planner: Shanna Lumpkin Events | Photographer: Mark Eric Photography

From the looks of things on Pinterest of late, there is a serious sugar craving going on for ceremony backdrops that defy traditional setups in place of the more unique, creative & awe inspiring.  Personally I adore the idea of not just unique ceremony locations but an intriguing collection of elements to craft your very own signature look.  I really feel that creativity in weddings is reaching a gorgeous design crescendo of late with seemingly nothing off limits.  Vintage doors, window frames, books, lanterns, bicycles, ribbon, garlands, pinwheels, you name it, are just a few elements that have taken to decorating the ‘I do’ spot these days.  I wish this was something that was making such waves only a few short years ago, as I certainly would have loved to have gone this route myself!

Such wonderfully creative and at times innovative ceremony backdrops are the subject of this weeks Why It Works Wednesday!  I recently spotted a gorgeous gem of a backdrop on Ruffled {Which I realize last week’s WIWW also came from Ruffled!}, photographed by the amazing One Love Photo, with a strong bohemian vibe to the set up.  There are so many absolutely terrific elements to this ceremony spot, I am super eager to jump into things and bring to life why this wondrous installation works so well!  Let’s get to it shall we!

 *Photograph by One Love Photo

Sorry for the giganto photo, but I felt it was really important to view this suspended picture frame backdrop in its full glory, as large as the site will allow, so that you can properly take in the full effect!  Upon first glance it may seem like a very busy backdrop {this is not always a negative!} in truth there really are only 3 pure elements being played with here: picture frames, floral arrangements & string.  The first that we will discuss, and most certainly the focal point of the design are the frames.  Keeping with the current trend in weddings to mix-match, each frame is uniquely its own, with none repeating.  The key here is to pick small details that relate them to each other well enough to present a harmonious aesthetic overall.  Be it a style of craving, a detail within the pattern itself you name it. While design elements are indeed a part of why each frame was chosen, if you look back at the set up again, you’ll notice that each frame’s color is a beautiful tone, which also compliments its nearest neighbor.  Last but not least, to keep the flow of the design, each frame is its own size while the shape is kept the same, again an element that ties them together in their uniqueness.  Varying the frame’s in the size department keeps it fresh and interesting, each with its own reason to be looked at.

Each frame comes with its very own slightly mix-matched floral arrangement, each pinned on a different corner of the frame.  Here again repeaters, while unavoidable all together with only 4 corners to choose from, were kept to a minimum, keeping the visual as interesting as possible.  The blooms themselves are bold colors in striking orange, loud fuchsia, & pale purple.  These color demanding focal pieces stand out strongly against the darker wood and deep green of the surrounding area.  Notice how each arrangement as well, contains leafy stringy greens which serve to make each arrangement more abstract and unusual.  This design serves to connect with a more organic feel, how one could imagine they might be found in nature, as well as supplying a lovely air of whimsy!

The last element to the design is perhaps my favorite!  I am utterly in love how the strings were treated as a piece of the design versus something to be hidden and tucked away.  The beauty of the stringing job in this case is the angle at which they were hung.  Rather then boring ol’straight up stringing, each was tied closer together then the width of the frame creating an intricate lattice work in the open air above the frames.  The overall effect is something that is playful, light and airy.

I adore this backdrop and personally feel that even though it might feel very bohemian, in my opinion it easily translates to just about every wedding genre & theme.  The basic principles of great design, organic goodness & whimsy will carry over beautifully no matter what!  I highly encourage you to head over to Ruffled to view the full post on this wedding, as there are lots of lovely little elements of this wedding to enjoy!

Wedding Location: Seattle, WA / Wedding Photographer: one love photo / Venue: Robinswood House / Wedding Flowers: Ravenna Blooms / Wedding Dress: Milly from Nordstrom Wedding Suite / Bride’s Shoes:Joan and David / Hair and Makeup: Off White / Hair Accessory: Bride’s mother / Bridesmaids’ Dresses:Nordstrom / Groom’s Apparel: Tux Shop / Wedding Caterer: 12 Baskets Catering / Cake and Desserts: The Sweet Side Cake and Pies Alamode / Music: Sonny Byers and Jazz Trio (friend of Bride) / Wedding Favors:JonBoy Caramels

College is not only a place to learn, it often leads to not so chance meetings of soul mates, which is exactly the case with Christina Montero & Hans Reichstetter while attending Georgetown University.  As life would have it, even though our couple shared a class freshman year, it wasnt until senior year, with a few more shared classes that Hans finally broke the ice!  Han’s proposal was completely adorable, incorporating Jake, their cat!  ”We were at our minuscule studio apartment on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, it was about 9am on a Saturday and I had just woken up.  As I was walking to the bathroom, I passed our cat Jake and he was wearing a T-shirt.  Yes a T-shirt and it said something along the lines of “Congrats on the Ring”.  I freaked out, woke up Hans, who told me to continue on to the bathroom where I was faced with a HUGE collage of photos that spelled out “Will You Marry Me? “. All of the photos were photos of just us over the past 8 years.  In the soap dish was the ring, and the tub was filled with roses. Hans got down on one knee and the rest was history. It was amazing! He then whisked me off to a weekend getaway in the Catskill Mountains where we could relax and enjoy our engagement bliss.”

Keeping with offbeat awesomeness, Christina & Hans choose the ever stunning Vizcaya Museum and Gardens keeping to a vintage glam Hollywood meets shabby chic feel, yet adding touches that kept things light & fun for all the guests.  One such act of whimsy was La Hora Loca, which was inspired by Christina’s close friend’s wedding in Costa Rica at which when the clock struck 11pm, tons of “marti gras” type costumes were handed out to all the guests, one can only imagine the craziness that ensued!  We love this dual personality wedding, from the mega glam elements to the innovative ways of keeping it filled with joy, laughter, & love!

Novella of the Bride…

The number one goal was to have fun! So with everything we did, we tried to infuse a bit of fun and care-free attitude. Most of our friends and family weren’t from Miami so the setting, warmth and easy-breezy way of life was a critical to our wedding vibe.  I think it’s very easy to get sucked into the formalities of the wedding, especially at a place like Vizcaya, and so whenever possible, both Hans and I kept things light.  If I had to define a broader design theme to the wedding, I would say vintage glam Hollywood meets shabby chic with Miami/Latin flare.  There were touched that took me back to the 1930’s but then there were other things that were from Etsy that kept things playful and easy.  Some special touches included birdcage table decour, cootie-catcher ceremony programs, a plentiful candy bar, mini cupcakes, and “Hora Loca” costume props.  When the clock struck 11pm, we had a ton of “marti gras” type costumes handed out to all the guests, a bongo drummer joined the DJ’s ensemble and with this, the energy level went up 200%.  The costumes, masks, props, etc. were nothing fancy (ordered through orientaltrading.com) but they let people dress up in ridiculous things and be goofy. The photos that stemmed from the time (yes, we even had antlers) are some of the best.

My mom, dad and our wedding planner  Vanessa were the back-bone of my wedding. Honestly, I would say managing all of the little details from afar wasn’t easy but my wedding planner Vanessa was amazing and kept everything on track, all with a stress-free attitude.  I also had my parents on the ground (they live in coconut grove), which was super helpful since they both know how to get things done.  What got a bit draining was having to squeeze in a lot of wedding to-dos whenever I visited Miami. When I wasn’t there, I was constantly in touch with Vanessa and my mom but all in all, it was worth every minute.  I also want to give a shout out to Janet McDonald from Bill Hansen Catering.  She was super helpful from day one and not only gave great advice on my catering options, but she is chock-full of info about wedding vendors/possible site options in Miami.  She helped me find Vanessa which I’m so grateful for.

Since we are from the NYC area, we wanted a place that was a mini-destination for most of our guests. I also have very close family from Peru, so Miami was an easier place to travel to that somewhere in New England. Lastly, my parents live in Miami so it made it really nice to have someone on the ground.

Vizcaya was one of those magical places that I thought would be the most amazing place to get married, but I never thought that would become a reality. I had my parents running around town considering loft spaces, hotels, museums, beach fronts, and even parking garages but because our wedding was going to be at the end of March, we finally decided a place that could showcase the beauty of Miami would be ideal. My family and Hans decided there was nothing like Vizcaya: It suited our vision, had different spaces around the property we could use, and it’s open until 1am (which is rare for an outside venue!), so we booked it. In the end, the venue was beyond what we ever imagined and I would recommend it to any bride – remember, you don’t need to go overboard with decorations! The place is already beautiful.

I can’t pin-point one favorite memory. It was honeslty one of the best days/weekends of our lives and was one very happy blur (thank god for photos!). You have the people you love the most surrounding you, you are commiting to support your best friend forever, you get to eat great food, and have a super fun dance party.   We loved everything from “The first look”, to primiping with my bridesmaids, to planning and executing an awesome ceremony onThe Mound (within Vizcaya), to posing in the photo-booth, to wearing crazy costumes, to playing drums with our drummer Chi-Chi!

Vendor Love

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham “Eden”
Shoes: Badgley Mischka “Lacie”
Veil: Brenda Bridal Veils – Tulle Wedge Birdcage in Ivory
Hair & Make-Up: Susana Betancourt
Ceremony Musicians: Master Musicians
DJ: RockWithU
Florist: Karma Goddness
Caterer: Bill Hansen Catering
Baker: Filled & Frosted
Furniture Rental: Ronen Rental
Wedding Programs: AlchemyHourDesigns
Lighting: Uplyte
Photo Booth: Peekaboo Photo Booth
Wedding/Event Planner: Karma Goddness
Photographer: Adagion Studio

I cant exactly put my finger on it, but there is just something about Italian weddings that I am so  incredibly drawn to!  They are inherently elegant, sophisticated & refined, while still maintaining the perfect dash of sexiness.  The venues & views at each unique  affair always come stock with romance on high.  The wedding of Paula Tavira & Louis Oliveira is not an exception, but the very definition of a stunning luxury wedding.  Wanting to emphasize crystal detailing & stunning floral decorations, Paula worked with Franci’s Flowers Wedding Design to make her vision come true.  The gorgeous grounds & roof top views of Via La Vedetta  paved the way for a swoon worthy day that is deserving of many a repin on Pinterest!

“A long story of love! Paula left Portugal heading to Angola for Louis 14 years ago!  During a holiday in Florence they bought rings in a shop in the famous  Ponte Vecchio, then only in front of God did they exchanged these rings.  After 2 beautiful daughters and 14 years they choose to come back in Florence to celebrate in front of all their family & friends coming for all over such as  Angola, Paris , Portugal!”

“I wish to thank Francesca my wedding designer who took care of all planning and decor Isabel and Yolanda my friends who supported me.”

Vendor Love

Event Planner:  Franci’s Flowers Wedding Design
Florist:  Franci’s Flowers Wedding Design
Ceremony & Reception Venue:  Via La Vedetta
Caterer: Guidi Lenci
Wedding Dress Designer:  Pronovais
Cake Designer:  L’Arte Della Torta di Melanie Secciani
Music:  Firenze Classica
Photographer:  Rosapaola Lucibelli Photography

This wedding is so much fun for a variety of reasons!  I dont want to double talk over the note from our wonderful photographer, but I will say the location for the reception is AMAZING!  There are also little details about this wedding that are superb such as the thought & design behind all the printed material, the super fun idea of setting table names as debate topics and so much more!  Do enjoy!

Note from Alex + Natalie Nelson Photography:

“What happens when you blend elements of aviation, Hawaii and the glamorous 1940′s in Wisconsin? You get a fantastic wedding full of life, color and personality…and SPAM! Hawaii wedding photography right here in the heart of Wisconsin. Their wedding was full of fantastic details including a decadent cake from The Cake Guru and delicious appetizers which included Spam sushi and other assortments of delicious Hawaiian inspired cuisine. The tropical flowers brought on the color wheel with blues, oranges, pinks and yellows! The ceremony was held in the backyard of Katie’s childhood home with impeccable landscaping done by her mother – the word amazing doesn’t really do the landscaping justice. Plus, the area was peppered with tropical plants and ferns that made it feel like you were experiencing the tropical atmosphere of Hawaii. And finally…The Reception! EAA was the perfect backdrop for a fantastic cocktail hour amidst the historic planes. Other than chatting with friends and family, the venue provided endless opportunities to walk around and explore the history of aviation. There was even a fantastic Flight Simulator for guests to experience…best before dinner! And…to share Katie and Kevin’s perfectly complimentary and happy blend of personalities, their first song was perfectly choreographed to “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”! Now, we take you back to 1940′s Hawaii…”

Katie and Kevin met when they lived in Hawaii. Kevin was stationed with the Navy in Honolulu and Katie was going to school at the University of Hawaii working with WWII materials. Their first date was via Corvette to the North Shore where they stopped to see sea turtles before getting pizza. They watched the sunset behind surfers at the Turtle Bay Resort, before driving Katie home with the top down, listening to Elvis Costello on the iPod – dreamy right!?

Vendor Love

Caterer:  Zuppas
Event Planner:  Cherry Blossom Events
Floral Designer:  House of Flowers
Reception Venue:  EAA
Cake Designer:  Tamara’s the Cake Guru
Photographer:  Alex + Natalie Nelson Photography