Sunday Edition #64

by the bride's friend and witness, via East Side Bride

Love Shoot: Lindsey & Kevin

As a kid, I spent summers (still do!) in the Rocky Mountains in Montana, so every time I see photos on Carrie Patterson's blog, it makes me a little homesick for that place. Lindsey and Kevin's engagement shoot was no different - an absolutely gorgeous shoot, complete with big sky clouds, in Wyoming's Tetons. I also love how simple this shoot was - pick a special place, throw on some cowboy boots, and take some photos with the one you love. What could be better?! Though the couple lives in California, Lindsey shares a bit about their decision to hold their engagement shoot and their wedding in Wyoming:

"Kevin spent his childhood summers in Wyoming with his grandparents, and his family owns a small ranch outside of Jackson. I knew from the first visit I took with Kevin that it was the ideal location for our wedding. We both love the natural beauty and laid-back style that the state offers, and we look forward to having our guests experience the serene beauty we love so much!"






Though a thunderstorm threatened that morning, it broke up into clouds, providing great natural lighting for the shoot.












Thank you so much to Carrie Patterson for sharing these beautiful photos with us, and best wishes to you Lindsey and Kevin! You can see even more from this shoot, and from the gorgeous Tetons, over on Carrie's blog.

Happy Weekend!

Somehow this week just flew by - it never seems to me like there's enough time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, I guess all there is to do about it is to slow down with things like cocoa and cookies in between all of the rushing around. Oh, and how about a chocolate tasting? That's what my honey and I are doing this evening at one of my favorite little shops here in Austin, and it sounds like just my kind of night. How about you? How are you taking time to savor the holiday season? Hmmm.... savor.... I think that's my new word.


{by Little Brown Pen}

Inspired by Chelsea's holiday tables.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Wonderfully bold wrapping paper.

This song now playing on repeat, thanks to this guy.

Say yes to suspenders, via Once Wed.

What a nice way to think about gifts.

No tree for us this year, but hopefully next year we can rent one.

I'd like some of these vanilla roasted pears with ice cream please.

Cupcake ruffles.

Wedding in 73 seconds, via A Practical Wedding.

Records on ice. Well, made of ice - absolutely fascinating!

Give the gift of root beer.

Modest Peach sent me a bracelet, and it's named after me! I'm blushing...

Have a happy weekend lovelies!

Discounts, Giveaways, Etc.

Discounts

Modest Peach has named one of their beautiful bracelets after me - they sent me one and it's just lovely. And from now until 12/31, you can get 25% off your entire order at Modest Peach. Coupon code: KATHRYN

Blank Label is offering Snippet & Ink readers 10% off their custom men's dress shirts until 12/18. Coupon code: snippetandink

Through the holidays, Brilliant Earth* is offering FREE shipping via FedEx Next Day and 2nd Day Air, on every U.S. and Canadian order, 12/1 - 12/23.

For couples getting married between February and April of 2010 in or around New York City, Oh Darling! Photography is offering 15% off all of their wedding packages. Learn more here.

Get 25% off your order at Prismera Designs with their friends and family sale, until 12/31. Coupon code: FRIENDS25

Giveaways

The UK blog Pip Pip and All That is hosting 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways, including gifts like a fascinator from One Little Dove, rings from Haute Bride, and a garter from Julianne Smith. Check it out here.

Brenda's Wedding Blog is giving away 2 place settings of Lenox Opal Innocence china. Enter here.

Etc.

The incredibly talented Kate at Flowerwild is launching a new floral workshop for all stylists, designers, and flower lovers. It will be held at the beautiful San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara next March, and Rebecca from Duet Weddings and photographer Bonnie Tsang (I love both of their work!) will be there too. Learn more here.

Award-winning German photographer Marco Schwarz and cinematographer Konrad Licht are offering a free wedding portrait session (valued at $5000) to two couples living in New York City. Couples will be responsible for the cost of airfare for the photographer and cinematographer. For more information, contact Marco at <info@schwarz-bild.de>.

Check out Pantone's unveiling of 2010's color of the year, including a mention of Dessy's* beautiful bridesmaid dress offerings.

*Snippet & Ink sponsors

Real Wedding: Ashley & Michael

Here I am, running late again. Some days I'm totally on top of things, and other days I'm, well, not. But I do hope you feel the posts are worth the wait!

The day after I posted last week's "Keep It Simple" inspiration board, I got an email from one of my favorite photographers, Leo Patrone, because he had shot Ashley and Michael's lovely wedding in October, and thought it fit perfectly with that inspiration board: a city hall ceremony, a dinner party reception, all in San Francisco!




How cute are these love notes on a chalkboard wall in the entrance of the couple's home?






I think you all know what a sucker I am for balloons...


I love how joyful she is here!






People ask me what to do with your bouquet during the ceremony if you choose not to have any attendants. Simple! Just turn around and hand it to someone in the first row, like your father (I love that shot).






After the ceremony at San Francisco's city hall, the couple took their guests on a tour of the city's most picturesque spots, in a classic old cable car. With snacks! Guests nibbled on organic popcorn, vegan doughnut holes and lavender short bread cookies, all locally made.




Dinner took place in a private dining room at Spruce, decorated with tons of pillar candles. Everyone enjoyed a five-course tasting menu, planned by the restaurant's chefs and sommeliers for the wedding.


The darling cake was inspired by the design on Ashley and Michael's invitations.

Invitations: eco-friendly letterpress by Bella Figura*

Flowers: Natalie Bowen Designs

Bride's dress: Elizabeth Fillmore at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier

Shoes: Pedro Garcia from Yoox

Ceremony venue: San Francisco City Hall

Cable car rental: Classic Cable Car Sightseeing

Reception venue: Spruce, San Francisco

Wooden place cards: sustainably harvested birch wood by Night Owl Paper Goods

Cake: Flours

Wedding Planning / Custom favor labels: Downey Street Events

Thank you so much to Ashley and Michael for sharing their beautiful wedding with us - best wishes to you! And thank you to Leo Patrone for thinking of Snippet & Ink and sending over these beautiful photos (I can't even tell you how tough it was to narrow it down to these few, there were so many great shots to choose from).

*Bella Figura is one of Snippet & Ink's sponsors.

Board #447: Fantaisie de Noël

I love the holiday season and the way it lends itself to fantasy and whimsy and even a little mystery. Today's wedding board was inspired by this idea, and by the laurel garland from Tail of the Yak*, with the olive green, the pop of pink ribbon, and the aged gilt of the mirror behind it. I think it's a luxurious and unexpected twist on the traditional Christmas green and red, and it's definitely full of holiday fantasy.

(*Tail of the Yak is an incredibly well-curated and magical little shop in Berkeley, and if you ever have the chance to visit, do. It also happens to be where my engagement ring came from, which might make me a little biased, except that it actually is the most wonderful shop ever to exist. Promise.)

Mood: sumptuous holiday whimsy
Palette: laurel and pine green, fuschia velvet, bronze and chocolate

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: laurel leaf garland with pink ribbon from Tail of the Yak via Oh Happy Day, chocolate taffeta dress photo by Rodney Smith, centerpiece with magenta rose and begonia leaves by Ariella Chezar
Row 2: place setting with red napkin photo by Silvana di Franco via Wiley Valentine, vintage-style Roman-inspired crown from Heather Bullard, fuschia velvet chairs via My Little Apartment
Row 3: snowy library from Anthropologie's Nov. '09 catalog, bouquet with deep pink garden roses and jasmine by Artfool, hand-lettered menu with pink garland border by Cynthia Warren for Chez Panisse (photo by Aya Brackett)
Row 4: vintage fuschia velvet shoes via Nostalgia at the Stone House, designer Christmas tree with glass ornaments in shades of pink, chocolate chestnut wedding cake with sugared fruit and laurel leaves and diamond engagement ring in fuschia velvet box both from Martha Stewart Weddings

(I know I've been writing a lot more lately, and I hope that's okay with everyone. Some of you are probably just here for the pictures, and that's okay too.)

In the context of our recent conversations about keeping things simple, today's wedding inspiration board might not make much sense, especially if you are thinking of "simple" as "minimalist." There is certainly nothing minimalist about this sumptuous holiday wedding that I've imagined for today - it's full of outrageously rich fuschia velvet, it's decorated with garlands and Christmas trees, there's a crown and illustrated menu and fabulous vintage shoes, and a tiered chocolate cake covered with sugared fruit. I think, no matter how you try to make it fit, "simple" just doesn't apply here.

But I don't believe that richness and thoughtfulness are mutually exclusive. In fact, I think that they can and should go hand in hand. That was how I thought about today's inspiration board - it's the way I'd like to approach the holidays, my own wedding planning, and most parts of my life. It includes finding and creating beauty - both material and spiritual - in every day, thinking carefully which objects you choose to surround yourself with, giving to others, and doing these things in a way that is authentic for you. Below is part of an email I wrote to my friend Meg awhile back (she even posted it on her blog!) that seemed appropriate for this conversation, and that I thought I'd share with you:

...[I was thinking] about was why do I love all of the wedding details? Because I really do love them (well, most of them; there are a chunk that I find absurd). And I realized that it's because I love details in general, I love things that are done thoughtfully and beautifully, that are meaningful, and that are little gifts to other people whether they realize it's a gift or not. And if a bride doesn't feel that way about the details, and if all she feels is pressure and like she doesn't measure up, then that's not thoughtful or meaningful in a good way, and it's not a gift to anyone! People need to remember that their wedding day should reflect who they are, and if for them that means walking down the aisle to Johnny Cash, and not perfectly coordinated vintage stamps, then THAT'S their gift.

So, what do you think? How you feel about this idea? Is it something that resonates with you? How are you applying it to your own wedding planning (or holiday shopping, or whatever)?

Technical difficulties....

So I'm running late today anyway, but now for some reason, when I try to upload the inspiration board, it's showing up with this totally weird color profile. I have never had this problem before, so I'm kind of at a loss for how to fix it. I'm going to keep working on it, and in the meantime if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears.

Board #446: Ivory & Evergreen

I apologize for repeating images from time to time - there are some that I return to again and again. It seems like every year around this time, this sweet ruffled dress by Oscar de la Renta makes an appearance in one of my inspiration boards (like here, and here). I just can't help it - I love it! And even though it's short, it feels like the perfect winter wedding dress to me.

Though winter weddings are generally more formal than in other seasons - I think it's the fact that we're stuck indoors and wearing more clothes - that's no reason to sacrifice the simplicity that we've been talking about lately. Choose a dress that makes you feel beautiful, a classic color palette (inspired by this post), and choose a few details that matter to you and make them extra-special (like quirky calligraphy, or a wreath in lieu of a traditional bouquet, or miniature panettone for your guests to take home). As Gia Canali wrote in this insightful post (which I linked to on Friday, but in case you missed it), take it easy and do a few things well.

Update! Check out what Meg posted this morning over on A Practical Wedding!

Mood: classic sophistication, elegant whimsy
Palette: ivory and evergreen

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: tea-length Oscar de la Renta dress from Martha Stewart Weddings, shoes and birdcage veil photo by Jose Villa, olive branch heart via Cafe Cartolina, miniature panettone favors from Martha Stewart Weddings with letterpress tags by Austin Press
Row 2: bay leaf garland from Martha Stewart Weddings via The Bride's Guide, chapel photo by Mark Staff, white rose petals photo by Jonathan Canlas
Row 3: laurel-wreath table number from Alison Events, cake with greenery decorations photo by Jose Villa, whimsical calligraphy by Betsy Dunlap, wreath "bouquet" from Martha Stewart Weddings via The Bride's Guide

Sponsored Post: BravoBride

If you're in the midst of planning a wedding, I imagine that you might be looking for ways to save money without sacrificing style. Or maybe you're a newlywed, wondering what to do with the extra 200 balloons left over from your wedding reception. Enter BravoBride. It's an online marketplace where brides, newlyweds and wedding vendors can buy and sell new and pre-owned wedding items. From dresses to jewelry to decorations, on BravoBride you can buy and sell just about anything to do with weddings.



How about a Rivini gown for less than half the original price, or a never worn platinum engagement ring and wedding band set (that retails for $6500) on sale for $2500? Plus, with the holidays coming up, BravoBride is a great place to find the perfect gift or party decorations. Definitely stop by and see what they have - you might find just the thing you're looking for, but cheaper!

Board #445: Baby It's Cold Outside

Gosh it's starting to feel like winter, even here in Austin. We actually did have a tiny bit of snow on Friday, which was so exciting - there's always something a little magical about snow flurries. Then on Saturday, my honey and I went to a friend's house and decorated cookies and watched Home Alone. And of course I've been listening to Christmas music since before Thanksgiving (I know! I couldn't help myself!). Anyway, I thought that since we're well into December, it would be fun to do a week of winter wedding inspiration boards. First up, a winter wonderland of cold white and sophisticated blue, with a few touches of silver glitter.

Mood: quiet winter chic
Palette: snow white, silver ice, royal blue

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: snow bride photo by Kdog Photographers, royal blue stilettos photo by Jose Villa, cake with silver crown topper photo by Elizabeth Messina, snowy farm photo from Martha Stewart
Row 2: white flowers and votive candles via Daisy Pink Cupcake, blue birds and holly invitation suite by Austin Press
Row 3: blue settee photo via Design Shimmer, white chocolates and teacup from Martha Stewart Weddings, sparkly headband by Jennifer Behr, peony bouquet photo by Jose Villa

I also just had to share this bit of wonderful news. My cousin sent out an email on Saturday night to everyone in our family, announcing that she and her boyfriend would be getting married the next day! So in case she happens to stop by Snippet & Ink: Congratulations Barb and Mike! I love you!

Sunday Edition #63

by Leigh Miller

Real Wedding: Julie & Dan

Since there was so much talk this week about intimate weddings with a keep-it-simple mentality, this really felt like the perfect time to share Julie and Dan's wedding with you. As soon as I read Julie's account of the day and their wedding choices - even before I saw the beautiful photos from You Look Nice Today - I knew this was a wedding after my own heart. In Julie's own words:

Dan and I dated for about three and a half years before we got married. All along I mostly thought that we would elope or have a destination wedding as I wasn’t into the idea of a traditional wedding. Being an event planner by trade, the last thing I wanted to do was plan my own huge party. Additionally, I hate to be the center of attention and the idea of hundreds of people staring at me, well it really made me nervous.

When Dan proposed (in Paris!) and we told our folks, I realized that a wedding could really be just the excuse we needed to see family and friends from out of town, not to mention the cocktails and dancing in fancy outfits. So, the wedding was on. We were engaged in April and married in September which definitely helped ease my anxiety as well as create a sense of focus. I knew I wanted it to be small, low-key, modern, fashionable, cheap(er) and fun!

So here we go. How this couple kept things sweet and simple...

Julie got ready at the very cool Ace Hotel (okay, I've never been there, but I hear it's pretty cool, and it looks way cool...). Julie, her mom and her sister did all of the flower arrangements in the hotel a couple of hours before the ceremony, with flowers purchased at the grocery store.


From Julie - "I did not spend a lot of money on décor. I brought things from our home, like an old typewriter, some old books, framed posters of Paris, an old globe, wedding pictures of family members. I used tall glass vases and white willow branches for our 'altar. I added tissue paper flowers to add some color. I also bought crepe paper streamers and paper wedding bells from our local party store. Modern geometric fabric from IKEA was used as table cloths."










If you're worried about a cocktail party not being special enough in the food department, listen to this menu: Dungeness crab cakes, prosciutto & basil with peaches and melon, pulled pork silver dollar sandwiches, antipasti, gazpacho shots, and duck confit quesadillas. Yes, please.


Mini cupcakes in red velvet, carrot, and chocolate.


Says Julie, "I’m a big fan of design blogs and used some of them for inspiration along with indie wedding blogs. I’m drawn to the style of the 1960’s and knew that I wanted to incorporate those elements with a modern/natural edge. An idea we borrowed from a blog was the Wedding Tree. Our graphic designer friend Matt created an image of a barren tree. We asked all of our guests to use various shades of green stamp ink to stamp their thumbprints on the tree as leaves. This, along with our typewriter, was used as our guest book."




40 fabulous guests joined Julie and Dan for their celebration.


{Left} "I have so many favorite moments from the whole weekend. Our families and friends really stepped in and helped us in so many ways. One of my absolute favorites was dancing with my brother and sister to the B-52’s Rock Lobster. I’m not sure how many folks are familiar with the dance that accompanies that song but let’s just say that we were on our backs, kicking our legs up like lobsters while everyone stared in disbelief!"
{Right} "The biggest DIY element was our photo booth. I saw the idea on one of the wedding blogs and thought that it would both highlight our love of photo booth pictures (we have a ton and used one for our Save-The-Date) and it would create an activity for our guests to take part in. Weddings can sometimes be so awkward for your guests, especially if they haven’t met before."



Venue: Center for Architecture, Portland, Oregon

Bride's Dress / Veil / Red Shoes: Lena Medoyeff / Coco's Masquerade / John Fluevog

Groom's custom Suit, Shirt, Tie: Duchess Clothier, Portland, Oregon

Ceremony music: Friend of the couple, Christopher Corbell

Reception music: iPod playlist made by the groom

Catering / Cupcakes: Phresh / Cupcake Jones

Thank you so much Julie and Dan for sharing your beautiful and inspiring wedding with us, and thank you to Ryan from You Look Nice Today for sending over these awesome photos. I leave you with this bit of advice from the bride: "Take a deep breath and know that you cannot control everything. From our gas BBQ falling out of the truck on the way to the reception, to the large glass vase that broke the day of the wedding, our day was filled with Murphy’s Law. And you know what, it didn’t make any difference. The other bit of advice I have, and I know you’ve all heard this before, but really try to step back and take a mental picture of the day. It all goes by so very quickly!" Amen, sister.

And in case you missed it earlier today, check out Julie and Dan's engagement shoot here.

Love Shoot: Julie & Dan

I was so excited to hear from Ryan Wilcox of You Look Nice Today Photography and see his work, and I'm thrilled to get to share it with you today. He sent over these sweet engagement photos of Julie and Dan, and in addition to adoring his photography, you know how much I love a red balloon! Here's what Ryan has to say about working with this couple...

"When I first met Dan and Julie they screamed to me everything I love about my home city of Portland, Oregon. They are totally hip, fun, and a little quirky. So for their photo session I chose the industrial district of south east Portland and when Julie showed up with a big red balloon I knew they would be one of my favorite couples that I've ever had the privilege of shooting. Looking at the photos now I really feel that we were able to capture their unique personalities and indie rock style. I seriously HEART this couple."





















So here's even more fun - later today I get to feature Julie and Dan's wonderfully sweet Portland wedding. Until then, here's a little teaser...