How cute is this engagement session? Marit and Kim drove up from San Diego and headed over to Point Dume in Malibu. Their fab photographers Kim and Andre from We Call This Love Photography captured some really great images and I can’t wait until their wedding this summer at Leo Carillo Ranch!

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Gaby and Thomas are such a great couple; they met at St.Mary’s and have been together for many years. Gaby is a popular personal chef, cookbook author and food stylist and blogger – check out her amazing blog What’s Gaby Cooking – if you are looking for recipes, you are in for a treat! As a foodie, she was very concerned about the food at her wedding and so she selected one of the best caterers in the business Whoa Nelly! Catering. They prepared a fantastic farm to table menu which featured a charcuterie board on every table and a late night snack of chips and guacamole. Details from the wedding were lovingly crafted by Gaby’s mom and Thomas’ dad. Their wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty and you can see more here.

Photography – Karen Wise Photography
Venue – Malibu private residence
Flowers – friend of the bride
Catering – Whoa Nelly! Catering
Linens – La Tavola
Dress – Jenny Yoo

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Kendra and Robb had one of my all-time favorite weddings! They wanted to have a wedding out in Palm Springs, in my opinion, an ideal place to get married. They selected the Viceroy and let the venue really dictate the design. We wanted to embrace the colorful and fun spirit of the hotel and create a personal and thoughtful event for the guests to enjoy. There are so many great touches and I hope you like them as much as we do. Their wedding was featured on 100 Layer Cake and you can see more here.

Photography – Annie McElwain
Venue – Viceroy Palm Springs
Flowers – Brown Paper Design
Linens – La Tavola
Cake/Sweets – Sweet and Saucy Shop
Paper Goods – Posh Paperie
Dress – Jim Hjelm
Hair/Make-up – Fiore Beauty

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Christie and Rob were truly a pleasure to work with and they had a very clear vision for their wedding. It was important for their guests to have a great time and share a entire weekend away with them so they selected a mini destination wedding on the island of Catalina. We worked with so many amazing vendors in order to create a look that was preppy but took cues from the island as inspiration to give things a twist. You can head over to Green Wedding Shoes to check out more of this beautiful event here.

Photography – Annie McElwain
Venue – Catalina Country Club
Flowers – Twig & Twine and Honey and Poppies
Linens – LaTavola
Cake/Sweets – Sweet and Saucy Shop
Paper Goods – Posh Paperie
Dress – Amsale

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Jenny and Justin’s goal was to have an intimate wedding with their family and friends and that’s exactly what they got! The location was very important to them since most of their guests were from out of town and they wanted to really wow them. They searched around and decided on Wayfarers Chapel and a beautiful private home in Palos Verdes with spectacular views that had jaws dropping.

Having a wedding that truly reflected their personalities was key. They chose Epicurean Caterers and we offered crepe and dim sum stations to showcase two of their favorite types of food. They selected a local florist to create the personal flowers, Ezai Floral Design, because Justin is a regular at the shop, buying Jenny flowers there for all occasions.Danny Maika provided great acoustic music all night which served as a great backdrop for conversation and some dancing. And they topped off the night with Bundt Cake because they are huge fans of Nothing Bundt Cakes.

Photography One Love Photography
Venue Wayfarers Chapel and a private home
Catering Epicurean Catering
Bouquet Ezai Floral Design
Music Danny Maika
Dessert Nothing Bundt Cakes

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Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words! Meet Leighton and Tim. They are pretty awesome. They decided it would be funny to go find some fabulous vintage gear and head on over to Sears to do a proper portrait session for their Save the Date. These are some of the beauties they had to choose from – really amazing if you ask me! I just know their wedding at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum is going to be a really fun one based on their personalities. I am sure their guests got an idea of the type of weekend they are in store for based on these photos alone! And that’s what a save the date should do – get people excited to come to your wedding in addition to simply providing information.

It’s important to remember that your save the date can be fun and completely different from your wedding invitation. They don’t have to match each other and it is the perfect place to be unique and different if that is your style!

images via Sears

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I have to admit that I am a big fan of flowers. They are beautiful and colorful and add so much to the decor of a wedding. I am lucky enough to be friends with a few really amazing and talented florists and their work always inspires me. I can’t stress enough how important it is to hire a professional florist for your big day, but that’s a topic for another post!

I have recently become obsessed with looking at photos of bouquets and I have rounded up a collection of several that I am currently in love with – I think there is a little something for everyone. I personally really like color at a wedding and I think that shows in my selections, but I understand that sometimes a bride prefers a more subtle look so I threw in some muted options as well. There are just so many variations out there, so be sure to look around and always remember that a bouquet makes a great accessory to a wedding gown!

images found on pinterest here and original sources below
1, 2, 3
4, 5, 6
7, 8, 9
10, 11, 12
13, 14, 15
16, 17, 18
19, 20, 21
22, 23, 24

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As 2012 comes to close, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. It was my first full year in business for myself and I was lucky enough to work with some amazing couples on their weddings and special celebrations. I was able to share countless phone calls, meetings, venting sessions, design discussions, laughs and hugs with some truly great people and I wish nothing but the best for them in the future. I met several new vendors who I now adore and strengthened my friendships with some lovely ladies I already knew. I got to travel all over California, from Napa and Palm Springs to Santa Barbara and San Diego and see the most beautiful brides, prettiest spaces and happiest days!

I can’t wait for 2013 to begin because I have so many wonderful new couples and I already know that it is going to be another spectacular year filled with extraordinary events!

And as always, I have to thank my friends and family for their continued support and encouragement. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2013!

images clockwise from left to right
Annie McElwain
Katie Vowels for Annie McElwain
Annie McElwain
Cean One Photography
The Purple Tree Photography
Ryon:Lockhart Photography 
My iphone
Christina Dely Photography
My iphone
Joe Buissink
From the bride
Karen Wise Photography
Swoon by Katie

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Obviously, you can tell by the name of my company that I love the color green and I really  always have. My home is filled with various shades of green, my eyes are green and so is my birthstone so I was influenced from an early age. Therefore, I was beyond excited when Pantone announced that the color of the year for 2013 was emerald! Finally, people are on board with what I have known all along. Green is great! Green is not only a well-balanced color, but it can be bright and cheerful or serve as a neutral. It pairs well with many other colors and is synonymous with nature. It brings to mind new life, rebirth and spring – all good things! I gathered a bunch of green images that inspire me, many from my pinterest page which you can find here.

I am looking forward to many of my 2013 brides embracing the color green as much as I do. I know I have some on board already!

images via
lily collins, bouquet, ring
couch, heraldry, jeans
earrings, dress, stairs
door, bed, necklace
watch, ring, shoes

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JoAnne and Alex met as freshmen at USC and became good friends; soon after, Alex wanted more than friendship but JoAnne already had a boyfriend. The tension mounted after a while and they had a falling out. A few years later they ran into each other and agreed to a coffee date on Valentine’s Day. They talked for hours and the rest is history! Therefore, it was only fitting that they get married at USC – a place that is very special to them both.
JoAnne and Alex wanted their friends and family to have a fun dance party and they got their wish – the dance floor was packed the whole night! Cake was also at the top of their priority list, JoAnne’s family has a tradition of eating the wedding cake the morning after the wedding so we had to make sure there was enough cake for both days. Every layer had a different flavor, including pumpkin, since they were married in October. It was delicious!

Photography – Ryon:Lockhart Photography
Venue – USC Town & Gown
Flowers – The Little Branch
Cake – Sweet and Saucy Shop
Music – California Sounds

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