Tuesday Shoesday

Sweetness is...coordinating your pale ballet flats with your gorgeous vintage inspired cake. 

And laying in the grass with your honey ♥

Photos by Ashley Photographer via Style Me Pretty

Vintage Summer Picnic

Because I don't just love weddings but also entertaining in general, I wanted to share this sweet summer picnic that reader Lisa sent my way! She put together a cute vintage inspired summer picnic in the park with a classic picnic menu including sandwiches, fried chicken and macaroni salad.

From Lisa: "I used plenty of little lanterns, old soda crates, fresh flowers, and my mom's vintage tablecloth to set the table."

"Jars are an excellent way to hold picnic food! They transport easily and look much prettier than tupperware. It's a simple way to add beauty to the table and still keep it functional."

"Wrapping each sandwich individually in parchment paper

gives it that extra special restaurant style touch!"

Wrapping plastic cutlery in cute patterned napkins and trying them with twine is such an inexpensive and fun way to bring some cuteness to utilitarian items.

"I used mini buckets for individual beverage icers to keep drinks super cold."

Lisa's American Summer Picnic Menu:

Homemade Cold Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Sandwiches filled with cold cuts and veggies

Egg Salad sandwiches

Macaroni salad 

Fresh Melon Ball salad with a caramelized orange juice & ginger sauce

Tapioca pudding with fresh blackberries and whipped cream

Layered Green Salad with homemade dressing

Homemade Chocolate Sheet cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting

Gourmet potato chips

Thanks so much to Lisa of Moore Minutes for sharing this adorable picnic with us today! 

Real Wedding: Cara and Corey

I am always so thrilled/honored/touched/over the moon when I receive wedding pictures from brides who read my blog. I love seeing what brides come up with to make the day their very own, and when the pictures are of the couple surrounded by family and friends having an amazing time you can practically feel the love coming through the photographs. This is one such wedding. Sent to me by reader Cara and photographed by Lydia of D.I.A. Images, this wedding was a sweet affair with many personal touches and details. These two are so sweet together that I can't help but think of the song 'Chapel of Love' when I look at these pictures of them so in love, and with Cara's short dress, d'orsay pumps and birdcage veil she looks like she stepped right out of the early 60's!

From Cara: "Corey and I were married in Winona Lake, a small lakeside town in Northern Indiana. We were married on November 13, 2010. Our wedding was vintage and traditional, yet with some modern twists (no sand pouring or unity candle for us). My husband is a musician and wrote a song and reworked others to make the wedding music truly unique for our day."

Thanks so much to Cara and Lydia of D.I.A. Images for sharing these with us today!

Credits: Photography: D.I.A. Images, Bride's Dress: Oleg Cassini, Groom's Attire: Suit was created by a small local suitshop with items from J. Crew, Florist: Iris Trail Florist Shop, Cake and Baked Goodies: Lauren Shewman of The Sweetest Thing (inspired by a Martha Stewart cake), Centerpieces: DIY and Iris Trail Florist Shop.

Tuesday Shoesday

Happy Shoesday! I couldn't resist these lacy gold Badgeley Mischka heels... they are so romanic and vintage feeling. The gold tablecloths paired with soft frilly white flowers in a depression glass vase atop a crocheted doily are the perfect match for these pretty shoes. 

Badgeley Mishka 'Bryant' from Nordstrom; Centerpiece by Blossom Floral, photo by blaine photography via Project Wedding

Giveaway: MarryThis! Planner

I'm back to blogging today and I am so thrilled to be sharing a fabulous giveaway in honor of the occasion! 

Ever wish you could take a cute styled shoot and somehow magically turn it into a wedding on a budget? That's the idea behind MarryThis! - a fantastic new planning tool for brides built around a theme for a wedding, with reality in mind. For $30, you can download your very own planner guide that will take you "from your dress to the cake and give you all the information you need from beginning to end."

From MarryThis!:

"We get it -- there are a lot of magazines, blogs and books out there vying for your attention in planning your wedding. So what makes MarryThis! any different? It’s because we provide you with specifics in every step of the wedding process.

Included in each MarryThis! guide are:

• Detailed budgets (with actual prices!) ranging from 75-350 guests

• In-depth timeline, with steps from the engagement to the big day

• Insider information from wedding vendors, including saving money and hot trends

• Color schemes for your favorite color

MarryThis! has released five guides so far, with themes ranging from vineyard wedding to morning brunch. My favorite so far? This pretty 'Chic All White Wedding' is one of my personal favorites. Just look at all the loveliness!

photos by Sara Gray Photography

To celebrate my return to blogging, I'm giving one of you fab readers a chance to win your choice of MarryThis! planners, perfect for the newly engaged bride looking to plan an amazing wedding with tons of style. 

To enter, simply leave a comment telling me why you want to win a MarryThis! planner. (Please make sure to include your email address!)

Winners will be chosen at random this Friday, July 1st at 6 pm PST. 

Good luck!

I'm Back in the States!

I'm back in the States! We got back late last night after two final whirlwind weeks of traveling Europe. We got to visit with Sofia and André of Brancoprata in Poto, Portugal - they are our favorite couple ever! Then we went to Barcelona, Spain before spending our last hurried days in London having a busy but amazing time, including a fab last night out on the town with my friend Celine of Celine Chaplin Photography. I apologize for lack of posting, now that I am back home I can't wait to getting back to writing and doing this blog - I've missed posting and interacting with you all every week!

I wanted to leave you with a sneak peek of a London love session that Brandon and I did with Celine Chaplin Photography and Miss Honey Bare - a fab vintage hair and makeup artist.

photo by Celine Chaplin Photography