Grey's Greatest:

Our Seven Favorite Weddings from 2012

Happy New Year!!! We could not be more excited for what’s in store for 2013. For one, I’m getting married (eeeehhhh!!!!). We also have some amazing surprises in store for Grey Likes Weddings! To celebrate the brand new Grey, we’re counting down to our launch. Since we’re seven days away, today we’ve got our seven favorite weddings from 2012, all organized by season!

First up for spring is Mary Catherine and Joe’s beautiful Chandler Vineyards wedding shot by Clary Photo. Head here to see the rest!

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Our next spring favorite from 2012 is Matt and Lizzie’s Scottish wedding (ironically also shot by Clary Photo!). Click here to see the rest.

For our summer favorites, we couldn’t resist Brady and David’s Bald Head Island wedding shot by Jeremy Harwell of Harwell Photography. Click here to see more!

Another summer favorite the we couldn’t resist from sharing is Adam and Danica’s Sunrise Springs wedding shot by Clary Photo. (Apparently we adore the weddings Clary shoots!) See the rest of this wedding here.

For fall, we adored Katelyn and Eric’s Dos Pueblos Ranch wedding shot by Braedon Flynn. See more of this gorgeousness here!

Another fall favorite that we adored is Cydney and Bennett’s Jackson Hole Wyoming wedding shot by Carrie Patterson Photography. You can see the rest of this loveliness here.

And our favorite favorite winter wedding was Diana and Benjamin’s Sedona wedding shot by Ryan Ray. You can see tons more images here!

Styled Shoot:

Jen Huang Montecito Workshop

Our dear friend and very favorite photographer, Jen Huang, recently invited us to attend another one of her incredibly inspiring workshops! We had the opportunity to share with her attendees a little about publishing and what editors are looking for. Jen’s attendees always have the privilege of shooting with her as part of the workshop, and I can’t begin to tell you how lovely her shoots always are! Jen is hosting another workshop in March where we’ll be speakers again, so definitely consider attending if you are a photographer!

Today we’re showcasing this inspiring photo shoot inspired by the opulence of the renaissance! It has an old world feel all throughout! We especially adore the dress by Sarah Janks from the Lovely Bride shop in LA (seriously–go try this one on if you are looking for dresses!!!), the hair comb by Erica Elizabeth, the blooms by Kelly Kaufman Design, and those gorgeous cakes created by Enjoy Cupcakes.

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Here’s a lovely description about the inspiration behind the styling:

With every Jen Huang Workshop comes an exquisitely styled wedding shoot with a cohesive inspired concept. Inspired by the rich and romantic Italian renaissance period, this conceptual shoot celebrates the height of art and science in Europe. A decadent display of Limoges, gold rimmed glassware, antique metal trays, sumptuous fruits overlaid with peonies, a dramatic centerpiece and a plethora of sweets sits atop a heavy mahogany table surrounded by elegant embellished chairs. The model wears a lovely beaded blush Sarah Janks dress, barefoot and with a low neckline of course. Her elegant evening make up look is complimented by her bright golden curls, and her ever-faithful groom, decked in navy with a pop of magenta, is the perfect match.

Venue: Private Estate, Santa Barbara // Dress: Sarah Janks via Lovely Bride // Gold Hair Comb: Erica Elizabeth //Hair & Makeup: Jess Wilcox Hair and Makeup // Florals: Kelly Kaufman Design // Cakes & Cake Plates: Enjoy Cupcakes // Shoot Styling: Jen Huang Workshops
Papergoods: Plumbum Press // Shoes: Honey Girl // Suit: Groom’s own

Real Weddings:

Polka Dot Bridesmaids

One of our favorite things to see in a wedding is a fashionable bridal party! Brittney and Jim’s wedding has us falling hard for these incredibly fun polka dot bridesmaid dresses (with tuxedo clad groomsmen–you know how much I love a man in a tux!). So when you throw in a gorg bride and groom, how could we not be completely obsessed? These dresses are making us giddy. Literally. So while this particular dress is no longer in stock, embrace the idea of spicing up your bridesmaids with polka dots!

Very special thanks to Amy Majors Photography for sharing her work with us! Be sure to read the tid bit from the beautiful bride, Brittney about her sentimental wedding inspiration.

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I grew up admiring the black and white wedding photos of my grandparents. I always knew I wanted my photos to resemble that timeless era. I found my dress in a vintage shop in uptown. The shop owner had no specific history for it but dated the style to be circa 1950s. Jim picked a white tuxedo coat and bow tie and from there the tone was set. A classic chapel neither mine nor his but “ours” was found at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul. The James J. Hill Library was chosen as a reception venue because it felt like you were truly walking back in time. Antique jars, milk glass, old books and candle lit lanterns decorated the tables. We love how our photos captured every beautiful moment.

Photographer: Amy Majors Photography // Cake Designer: Wuollets Bakery // Event Venue: James J. Hill Reference Library // Ceremony Location: James J. Hill Reference Library // Floral Designer: Petalio By Design // Dress Store: Andrea’s Vintage Bridal

Real Weddings:

Caravan Elopement by Elizabeth Messina

Today we are excited to be releasing an exclusive first peek of the latest issue of the Knot Magazine cover shot by Elizabeth Messina. Before the big reveal, we thought we’d share with you more images (some of which have not been released!) from the INCREDIBLE caravan elopement that was created by Merryl Brown Events and her team. Erin and Jack’s elopement was the very first wedding to take place at The Villa at Sunstone Winery, and Elizabeth’s images have most certainly put them on the map! You’ll get a chance to see more of Sunstone later today, because it was the location for The Knot Magazine cover shoot as well.

All three of our family blogs are featuring Elizabeth Messina today, so head on over to Grey Likes Nesting and Grey Likes Baby for more gorgeousness. Be sure to check back in just a bit for the exclusive online release of the cover!

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Merryl Brown Events (the genius behind all of these INCREDIBLE details) filled us in on Erin and Jack’s wedding:

The gypsy-inspired wedding at Sunstone Villa was one of our favorite weddings ever! We had a brilliant team of vendors, the bride and groom were stunning and the setting was sublime. Having the honor of producing the first wedding ever at Sunstone Villa combined with working with the amazing Elizabeth Messina created an absolutely magical day for all. The resulting images are simply beautiful!

In case you are wondering about this INSANE location, Sunstone Villa, we thought we’d share with you a little information from the owners, Anna and Bion Rice:

Sunstone Vineyards and Winery has grown up to now be Sunstone Vineyards, Winery & Villa. We are so pleased to be able to share our private Villa residence with our club members and select friends. A true labor of love, The Villa was constructed entirely from ancient artifacts and materials recovered from buildings and humble French villages by Sunstone founders Fred and Linda Rice while on numerous trips to quarries and reclamation yards. Up until recently, the Villa has had no public access, and now it is being exclusively offered as part of our newly launched “Season to Remember” packages, which offer a private tasting, tour and overnight stay in one of our four luxury suites. Staying in the Sunstone Villa is like a European STAYcation….right here in your own backyard.

Photography: Elizabeth Messina // Producer + Coordinator: Merryl Brown Events // Venue: Sunstone Vineyards // Floral Design: Flower Wild // China: Small Masterpiece // Hair + Makeup: Christina and Shannon // Caravan Builders: Jim Forsha of Imagine Design + Jamie Nelson Construction // Caravan Decorative Painting: Maryvonne Laparliere // Caravan Base Painting: Galvin Painting // Food Styling: Valerie Rice // Baker: Elizabeth Colling // Musicians: Vincent Zorn and Vedant Koppera // Ethnic Jewelry: Adesso // Formal Jewelry: 33 Jewels // Wedding Gowns: Vera Wang, Claire Pettibone // Bridal Lingere: Claire Pettibone // Man’s Attire: John Varvatos // Officiant: Saral Burdette // Videographer: Bliss Video Productions // Headpieces and Veils: Twigs and Honey // Desserts: Sweet Nuit Chocolates // Bride: Erin Skipley // Published in C Magazine

Real Weddings:

New York Equestrian Wedding

Caitlin and Robert’s wedding is inspired by the bride’s love of riding horses (and her obsession with flowers!). We adore the gorgeous church where they were wed! After the ceremony, guests were invited to the bride’s grandmother’s property known as “The Edition Farm.” I love that the details reflect such personal elements! Very special thanks to Athena Blude Photography for sharing such lovely images.