Today we are being taken to the streets of New York for this lovely engagement session. That sequin dress caught my eye from the get go! Wings of Glory Photography captured these two perfectly, wouldn't you agree?
Here are a few shots of our first wedding of the season back in March! I'm seriously so in love with that dress. The lace and buttoned back is such an incredible detail, don't you think? This was such a great season starter at Holman Ranch.
Now this, this is an engagement session at its finest. You can feel the organic chemistry, nothing feels forced, and that is the perfect combo for a great set of engagement photos. Britt Rene Photography knocked it out of the park in this Santa Cruz engagement session. And that dreamy flower crown? That would be the work of the wonderful Seascape Flowers.
Everyone tells you your wedding goes by in a flash. And they are right. But you might not realize how right you really are. They key to making your wedding day last is in the timeline, and the current traditional timeline needs a lot of work. So let's dive into this, shall we?
You are on a schedule the whole time. Have you ever been on a minute by minute schedule for 8 hours straight? It is kind of brutal, and that's the honest truth. I pad timelines throughly, and yes, sometimes things are a little off. Honestly, the timeline is second for me to the feeling of the day. Want to do rounds at tables (which are taking more time than we alloted for), do it! The timeline is meant as a guide, so I always make it second to the couple creating amazing memories on their wedding day. That said, there are some things you can do to make yourself feel a little less scheduled throughout the day.
Getting ready: Start getting ready early, enjoy your time with you girls and make a morning out of it. Drink mimosas, get breakfast delivered and make that time a great experience for your bridal party. It's your wedding day, what else do you have to do?!
First look: Do it. Seriously. It'll save you so much "wedding time". When couples opt for a first look it offers a chance for you to get a lot of photos done ahead of time - bride portraits, groom portraits, bridesmaids photos, groomsmen photos, couple photos and full bridal party photos. I like to give about 2 hours of time before the wedding for all these shots, plus about a half hour before the ceremony for touchups and to sit down and take it easy before walking down the aisle.
When couples don't do a first look, all the above photos I listed out have to be done during cocktail hour. This means a few things - you definitely won't be joining the cocktail hour, and you won't have a chance to breathe before we are onto the next. A first look allows you and your bridal party to enjoy a bit more of the actual wedding since we got so much out of the way ahead of time.
Family photos: Ahh family photos. Now these are kind of a pain logistically. Of course you want some photos with your wonderful family, and you should have them, but try to keep the list short. Keep it as close to immediate family as possible, and always make sure you have a family shot list planned. This will help the photographer get all the shots you are hoping for, and will give them a list of names to call out for each photo. Unfortunately your sweet aunt doesn't realize that grabbing a drink and chowing down on the yummy apps while everyone is looking for her, well, that's taking time out of your couple portraits or maybe even your 15 minutes of time to enjoy cocktail hour. Let your family know ahead of time if they are in photos and tell them to be around and available so we don't have to go on the search for them!
Dinner: take a few minutes to eat and then it is off to do rounds and say hi to your guests for the first time since the wedding began! (3 ish hours later!!). But that can't take too long because you've got sunset photos and toasts! It is all a whirlwind. If you do a first look, you'll have been able to enjoy cocktail hour and at least say hi to a few people. Not too much you can do here in terms of making this time last a little longer, but do tell each person giving a toast to be mindful of the time. They don't have to rush it, but telling them to be mindful will help them understand that they don't have an infinite amount of time.
Dancing: Once you've hit the dancing portion you have a little more freedom to let lose and enjoy yourself. This is often the first time you'll get a moment to yourself. Do you want that interrupted by yet another thing? Cake cuttings, bouquet/garter tosses and other little traditions of that nature can be awesome if you're into them, or they could just be one more thing that pulls you off the dance floor. Just think about it before saying you definitely must do them.
TLDR (Too Long, Didn't Read):
Do a first look and get as many pictures as you can done before the ceremony starts.
Create a shot list for family photos and keep the number of photos to a minimum.
Add 10 minutes into your timeline right after the ceremony for some alone time with your new husband! Believe me, it is worth it.
Tell the special people giving toasts to be mindful of time.
Toss out tradition. It's your wedding day, you don't have to do anything. If cake cutting or the bouquet toss have no meaning to you, scratch them.
This season I'm really into loose, colorful bouquets. The palettes in each of these comes together in a very organic way, but without being afraid to make a little bit of a statement when it comes to color!
Some brides will mention colors they really don't want. Yellow for example. But as you can see in each of these bouquets, there are small touches of yellow that are done in a thoughtful way to enhance the palette of the bouquet as a whole. Sometimes, by trying to express what you want, you might limit yourself to something that could be great instead of good. Remember that you have hired your vendor team because you love their work, now trust them and see what they come up with!
We are in for such a treat today from Photography by Erika Parker. I love the simplicity and the gorgeous scenery in which this takes place.
Redwoods mixed with a stunning creek, that's Northern California for you! It really doesn't get any better than perfecting lighting, ethereal dresses and a little jaunt in the water. Thanks to Sun & Life Photography for sharing these beautiful images.
Photographer: Sun and Life Photography//Hair Stylist: Melissa Marie Hair//Floral Designer: The Bonny Doon Garden Company//
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
Finding a venue is the first step in planning a wedding. It also happens to be one of the most challenging. Finding everything you want in one place isn't easy, but it can be done! (sometimes you just have to visit a billion venues, like I did).
I received an email asking for venues from Big Sur to Santa Cruz with redwoods, pine trees or gorgeous views. Not all of these fit that exact bill as I like to give options, just in case! I thought I'd share some good venue options here too!
Big Sur:
Anderson Canyon: This one is my very favorite!
Wind and Sea: Great for smaller weddings.
Glen Oaks: Recently redone! This place looks so beautiful, although very mid-century modern.
Post Ranch Inn: Gorgeous location, but only for smaller parties up to 20 people.
Ventana Inn: This was another top contender when I was getting married! Beautiful hotel and location to get married :)
Carmel:
Holman Ranch: Obvi I have to throw Holman Ranch on this list. :)
Gardener Ranch: Beautiful spot and it has accommodations for up to 50 people! So you really get to make an experience out of it!
Santa Lucia Preserve: This place is a stunner! Logistically, it is a tough one as you have to have a member of the community "sponsor" your event. This was my number one location when I was getting married but I was turned off by how much of a pain it would be to try to find someone to sponsor, etc.
Santa Cruz:
Nestldown: Beautiful trees, a gorgeous barn. This place sort of has it all.
Castle House and Gardens: I love this charm of this location. It takes "backyard wedding" to a whole different level!
Costanoa Lodge: This one isn't my most favorite in terms of ceremony locations, but it has some gorgeous views and a very cozy feel.
Break out the cocktails and get ready to party! The rehearsal dinner is a perfect time to enjoy the company of your closest friends and family before the whirlwind of your wedding day. This event also gives your two families a chance to mingle and get to know each other. The "Be Yourself, Together" Campaign
So today I'm here with a round-up featuring everything you need to create a perfect party. Target has turned into a huge resource for entertaining and decorating my home. Seriously, they are just so good!
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1: Vase | 2: Taper Candle Holder | 3: Candle Holder | 4: Marble Print Tray | 5: Votive Elephant Candles | 6: Bar Cart
Keep the rehearsal dinner fuss-free yet beautiful with lots of candles and simple place settings. No need to go over the top with details galore, that is what your wedding day is for!
Add a few vases of flowers to the tables, and some serving trays for those yummy bites (seriously, how amazing are those marble trays?!) and of course a bar stocked wit hall the essentials to get the party going!
Take the time to enjoy your company and don't stress over anything on the night of the rehearsal dinner.
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I posted a sneak peek of this wedding on Instagram a while back, so I'm really excited to finally share the whole thing!
This venue and this dress are seriously the most perfect combination. I just love how this whole wedding was pulled together from the luscious floral, amazing sunset and beautiful brick detailing. It was all captured wonderfully by j. Woodbery Photography.
Photographer: j.woodbery photography//Transportation: Coats Classic Cars LLC//Event Venue:Loft 212//Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Mr Burch Formal Wear//Cinema and Video: ProjectMEDIA Productions//Makeup Artist: Rawwbeauty Makeup Artistry//Floral Designer: Studio Flower//
Submitted via Two Bright Lights
