Tina and Ray connected on a dating website—it was Ray’s straight-forward message a yoga pose photo that made him stand out. The couple had a fabulous first date and the rest is history. For their Friendly Hills Country Club wedding celebration, the couple wanted a blend of traditional and modern. All white everything was a must for the bride and the florals by Flowers by Dana definitely nailed it. Ultimately, Tina decided the event needed a little contrast and added the gorgeous navy bridesmaids gowns. We’re loving them! Lucky for us Anya Kernes was on hand to capture the rainy day portraits and lovely style of Tina and Ray’s big day.
From the bride: Ray and I met on match.com. I was very overwhelmed with how many messages were coming through and Ray was straight to the point and his photos drew me in – I think it was the one where he was doing a yoga pose. Our first date was in Venice at Whalers bar and we hit it off immediately. We stepped outside to take a walk along the boardwalk and decided to tandem bike to Santa Monica. We had such a great time we decided to grab dinner, watch the sunset and the rest is history. We wanted to include this part of our story into the wedding, so as cliche it may be, it was perfect for us to have match boxes as our escort cards – ‘The Perfect Match’.
For the wedding, my husband and I wanted something very clean and simple. I like the modern sterile look and Ray is a little more traditional, so I knew what I had to work with when we picked The Friendly Hills Country Club, also knowing that the venue was down the street from where he grew up. I also wanted white everything, from the tables to the flowers with silver tones and Dusty Millers to give that elegant look. I also knew we would need a little color, and with my bridesmaids’ dresses being navy, we incorporated hints of gold and navy to give it a little accent.
I’m sure all women can attest that planning is not easy, and if it is, then you must have been born to be a planner. I knew right away after Ray proposed that I wanted to get the venue out of the way as well as the dress. I also knew I needed help on the day of and definitely wanted to have a wedding coordinator. After many blogs and meetings with vendors, we prioritized our list of vendors and checked off our list, and that helped us to book the best vendors to make our special day perfect.
If I would share some advice, it would be to start planning early and aim to finish early and also to enjoy your wedding day. Being able to trust your vendors and know that they will perform their best, made our day unforgettable.
Photographer: Anya Kernes // Wedding Coordination: Liz Yoon // Florals: Flowers by Dana // Invites: Paperless Post // Venue: Friendly Hills Country Club // Dress Designer: Paloma Blanca (Mikaella) // Dress shop: Flares Bridal in Walnut Creek // Cake: Frost My Cake // Band: Kalama Brothers // Videographer: Viken Productions // Photo Booth: GC Photo Booth // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box
Krystle and Richard’s day was a modern wedding celebration with a focus on tradition. With the help of Keestone Events, a Cathedral-like wedding was planned with a classic dinner reception at Renaissance Dallas to follow. Navy and rose gold make for a fresh palette and punchy pink florals by Everly Alaine Florals in the bridal party and centerpieces add a punchy visual twist. Bethany Erin was the professional behind the lens capturing all the gorgeous images below.
From the bride: Prior to planning, I envisioned having a modern wedding mixed cohesively with tradition. I knew that I’ve always wanted to get married in a Cathedral-like church, with a fun dinner/dance reception to follow.
When deciding on wedding colors, we wanted something clean and classy. Our take on the classic black & white was navy & rose gold. We included just enough DIY in our wedding to make it personalized, but not overwhelm us with a lot of work, from the escort cards & table numbers that we cut, wrote, and embossed to the agate place cards written in calligraphy.
I knew I wanted something different when it came to our wedding cake (or should I say cakes). Instead of one huge cake, I wanted 3 smaller ones, each artfully decorated differently, yet cohesive when side by side. Our bakery was awesome! True artists and best tasting cakes ever!
I was so happy with the results of all our wedding planning! The whole day was filled with special moments. If I had to pick one, I’d say my favorite moment was our dance intro going into the reception. We both love to dance, and I feel that our hype really set the energetic tone for the rest of our guests, which lasted the whole night!
Photography: Bethany Erin // Planner: Keestone Events// Florist: Everly Alaine Florals // Invitations: Zazzle // Reception: Renaissance Dallas // Menus: NorthSaltStudio // Videography: Jonathon Link// Hair + Makeup: Natalia Issa// DJ: Jason Esquire // Cakes: Haute Sweet Patisserie // Lighting: Discovery Lighting // Photo Booth: Flock Together Fotobooth // Rentals: Big D Party Rentals // Popsicles: Steel City Pops // Groom’s Suit: Suit Supply // Bridal Gown: Simone Carvalli
We’re loving the mix of styles in Patti and Thomas’s North Carolina barn wedding celebration at WinMock at Kinderton. Planned and designed by Grey Collective member Rebecca Rose Events, the event details included a cheerful palette of coral, pinks, crisp white and buttery yellow. We’re especially loving the preppy, bold navy and white stripe details against the rustic, barn venue and we are beyond obsessed with the giant, pink florals also by Rebecca Rose Events. Lucky for us photographers Jake + Heather were behind the lens capture all the stunning moment of the day along with some great shots of the couple’s scene-stealing pups.
What made the wedding special and unique?
The best part of our wedding was to see all the people from the different aspects of our lives coming together under one roof to celebrate our love, mingle and have fun.
Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!
My gown was an Essence of Australia ball gown wedding dress in ivory soft organza over moscato gown with blossom sash. I found it shopping together with my mother and two triplet sisters, Martha and Ellie, over Christmas break at a small boutique, Southern Bride in Yadkinville, NC.
What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?
Our wedding cake had our two dogs, Olive and Dexter, made of fondant poking their heads out of the bottom layer. It was important to both of us that the dogs be incorporated in the wedding. We also had personalized corn hole boards purchased by my (one of 2) matrons of honor and her husband.
What was the most memorable part of the day?
Walking down the aisle to see my husband’s beaming face as he stood waiting to marry me.
Tell us how you met and became engaged.
When we met, Thomas was a freshman at North Carolina State Univ. and I was a junior at Wake Forest Univ. I was good friends with his sister, also a student at Wake Forest. We met at a Martin Luther King Day party his sister threw at Wake Forest. We spent the remaining of our college years driving between Winston-Salem and Raleigh on weekends to see one another. We took long distance to another level when I moved to Gainesville, FL to pursue my doctor of veterinary medicine, and Thomas stayed in North Carolina to work for a healthcare software company. Our engagement was approximately 7 years later after meeting when I was returning to NC from a weekend trip away with my sisters. Airports and travel having such an important role in our relationship, Thomas surprised me at the Piedmont Triad International Airport on my return with flowers, a ring and a proposal!
Planning, Event and Floral Design, and Production: Rebecca Rose Events // Photography: Jake + Heather // Graphic Design, Stationery & Gift Boxes: Rebecca Rose Creative // Envelope Calligraphy: Carole Murray // Venue: WinMock at Kinderton // Catering: Holly Tate Fine Catering // Lighting: Sound Illusions // Cake: Maxie B’s // Entertainment: Bunn DJ // Linen Rentals: La Tavola and Nuage Designs // Chairs, China, Glassware, Flatware: Classic Event Rental // Hair & Makeup: UpDo’s Studio // Bridal Gown: Essence of Australia
Set in the hills of Julian, California, Jenny and Jacob exchanged vows at Sacred Mountain Retreat on the patio overlook, with the rolling hills and mountain fog in the background. Simple and elegant, the ranch house was a lovely atmosphere for a wedding, and beautifully decorated by Simply Elegant Weddings. The two said “I Do” in front of a wooden circle that was built by the bride’s brother-in-law. We’re loving the warmth of all the wood details and the understated black and white palette. The celebration is both relaxed and lovely and captured perfectly by Shelly Anderson Photography.
Photographer: Shelly Anderson Photography // Coordination/Event Design: Simply Elegant Weddings // Florals: Simply Elegant, Bride and Family // Invitation Designer: Minted // Invitations: Minted // Venue: Sacred Mountain Retreat // Makeup Artist: Janice Makes Faces // Catering: The Wild Thyme // Bouquet: DIY // Make Up: Janice Wheeler // Hair: Rikki Tieman // Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes // Ceremony Backdrop: DIY by Bride’s Brother in Law // Wedding Dress(es): Nicole Miller and Galina Signature // Veil: Sara Gabriel // Clutch: Badgley Mischka // Shoes: Nine West
I received an inspiration request from a reader who is getting married on an island. She doesn’t want the look to be too forced, though, so I went for a colorful palette with navy blue, aqua and a little dollop of yellow. Hope you enjoy!
Oh! Be on the lookout for this week’s giveaway announcement, which will be up later today!
Sources left to right from top: 1. Etsy 2. Tastefully Entertaining 3. Etsy 4. Besty Dunlap via Snippet&Ink 5. Christie’s 6. Etsy 7. Source 8. J.Crew 9. Martha Stewart via Snippet&Ink