Finding My Glass Slippers

It dawned on me this week that because of the schedule of my dress fitting, I actually need my bridal shoes in May, which feels incredibly soon. Because of that little realization, I've spent this week looking at and thinking about different shoe options.

I'm sure that I'm not the only one that thinks of Cinderella's glass slippers as the shoes that set the bar for all bridal shoes until the end of time.

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Of course, the problem with Cinderella's shoes is that a real bride can't exactly traipse around taking photos, gracefully walk down the aisle, greet her guests at cocktail hour, and dance the night away in glass.

Pinterest has no shortage of "real life" glass slippers, either:

Source: 2, 3 

While I'm all about sparkle, which I have made abundantly clear in past blog posts, I am also all about dancing and all about pretty while still being practical. Here are a few more down-to-earth, and less fairy tale shoes that I'm considering:

Source: 4, 5, 6, 7

Taming the Locks

This week I'm trying to find a hair stylist in the small town where we'll be getting married. And while looking for someone, I've been searching for a lot of inspiration. I've known from the beginning that I want to wear my hair up - but that was about as much as I had decided. Source: left, right

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Source: left, right

Source: left, right

It looks like I'm drawn to styles that are soft, romantic, and a little messy. :-)

Which one is your favorite? Did you know from the beginning how you wanted your hair?

Wedding Vendors I Love

This years marks my third wedding season. Over the years I have had the chance to work with some wonderful vendors to make a wedding day come to life. I receive emails asking for vendor recommendations, so here is the list I send to every bride. So here goes....my favorites. The people that I'd love to work every wedding with. The people that I'd trust with my own wedding. The people that know how to create something beautiful and amazing every single time. These are the people that blow me away, and they will do the same for you.

Venues:

Holman Ranch: Pretty sure my obsession with Holman Ranch has been sufficiently documented on Engaged & Inspired by now. But seriously, how is this not the most amazing place that ever existed?

Catering:

Paradise Catering: You know how at weddings the food just tastes ok? Paradise changes that every. single. time. The first time I tasted their food I was in awe. Every single dish was better than the last. The appetizers were to die for, the vegan spring roll and peanut chicken skewers are my two absolute faves. I used them for my own wedding, and I would highly suggest everyone else does the same.

I have had the extreme pleasure of working with them since my own wedding. From the standpoint of a vendor working with another vendor, I know everything is going to be ok if Paradise is catering. They run one tight ship. The entire crew knows exactly what they are doing and every time the execution is flawless. They know what they are doing and they do it well. Very well.

Photography:

Delbarr Moradi: I could gush about this girl all. day. long. Every single image she takes is gorgeous. She puts so much thought into her photographs and always makes her couples shine. Aside from the fact that she takes some of the best photos you will probably ever see, she is one of the sweetest people as well.

Carlie Statsky: I love this girl. Her photographs are breathtaking and she is one of the easiest people to get along with. For those non-model-types like me, it really helps to be very comfortable with the person behind the camera, and she is so good at making your comfortable. Let's just say I've been stalking her for a very long time. I'm obsessed.

Pictilio: This is one fun-loving photo team that make your day so much fun and totally romantic. They are a treat to work with and have some amazing images to show for all their great work. They shot my sister's wedding (which was on Green Wedding Shoes + Huffington Post) and I was so impressed with the images. I loved every single one.

Florists:

Floral Theory: I mean, best florist in the world? Yes. No seriously. Yes. Some florists are just florists, but this girl takes it to the next level. She doesn't think only as a florist, but she thinks as a designer. How are the colors, elements and textures going to fit with tablescapes. How about your bouquet against your dress. She takes it to the next level and is worth every penny.

Huckleberry Karen:

Desserts:

Sweet Celebrations: Being obsessed with mini-anything like I am, I love that they offer mini cakes for your wedding day. She also has an incredible menu of desserts & cakes but if you ask me, mini cakes are the best. And the taste? So good.

Sweet Tooth Confections:

Hair & Makeup:

Melissa Hoffman

Rentals:

Milkglass Vintage Rentals: Milkglass Vintage is my favorite vintage rental company out there. She has the most amazing style and taste. I wanted just about every piece for my wedding, I loved it all. Since my wedding, she has grown a massive collection and even has a warehouse of goods now. Talk about vintage heaven. If you're looking for some good stuff to make your wedding a little more special, this is the place to go.

Wedding STD's

This week I am happy to report that we can cross our Save the Dates (or STD's as we like to call them) off our list!  What I thought would be a simple project somehow turned into a 2 + month project.  When we mailed these out on Valentine's day, I finally started to feel like we are making some progress.

We wanted to do something original so we asked a family friend to draw an illustration for us. We couldn't be happier with the way they turned out!

Now onto the other half of my dress!

Did you design your own Save the Date? How did they turn out?

Planning a Wine Country Wedding, Part 2: The Design

Laurel here from Esla Events for the next installment of our Wine Country wedding series. This week’s topic: designing and styling your big day. There is no shortage of inspiration out there these days, from blogs to magazines to books (my current favorites are this one and that one). So instead of getting into the style of your design, below I provide some tips to consider when styling your designs. None are rocket science but, as any bride can tell you, it's really easy to get so deep into the specifics of your idea that you overlook some styling basics. Think of this as a 7-point cheat sheet for taking your designs from concept to execution successfully, and for getting yourself unstuck when needed. 1. Ask yourself, “What’s behind it?” Sure, you’ve considered the backdrop for your ceremony, but what about your dessert table? Your head table? Your bar? You’ll want these to be in convenient locations that makes sense for access and flow, but don’t forget about the overall visual experience. If there isn’t a gorgeously textured barn wall or natural feature to help frame the component, create one by hanging something (see point #7).

Photo by MEF Photography | Rentals by OTL Vintage | Design and Styling by Esla Events and Amanda O'Shannessy Creative

2. Incorporate a few specialty pieces. One of the easiest and most surefire ways to enhance the look of your day is to rent a few signature items. Even if you don’t have a huge budget, focusing your limited dollars on one or two additions or upgrades can really help elevate your aesthetic. Some favorite strategies include: creating a lounge area with beautiful vintage pieces from One True Love, Heritage & Craft, or Milk Glass, upgrading your napkins and dinner table linens to La Tavola’s Tuscano line, or switching out basic folding chairs for crossback chairs, available at Wine Country Party, Hartmann Studios, and Classic Party Rentals.

 Photo by MEF Photography | Rentals by OTL Vintage | Design and Styling by Esla Events and Amanda O'Shannessy Creative

3. Use varying display heights. Use stands, wood crates, or other props to create height on your various stations and display areas. Not sure how to do this? Just check out your favorite boutique or coffee shop for ideas on how to execute this well. The end result is a more friendly, engaging, and visually pleasing design.

Photo and Design by Esla Events

4. When in doubt, use the rule of three. Most items look better in clusters of three, especially when they’re varied in height. Not sure why, they just do.

Photo by MEF Photography | Florals by Leigh Okies Design | Design and Styling by Esla Events and Amanda O'Shannessy Creative

5. Consider the white space. In addition to figuring out what should go where, think about what shouldn’t be there. Giving core design elements breathing room can amplify their visual impact.

Florals by Studio Choo | Photo by Esla Events 

6. Hang something. Many venues in Napa and Sonoma have arbors, wine racks, and other easy-to-hang-from anchor points. Hanging candles, lights, ribbon, signs, and chalkboards are all easy ways to personalize a space, add that romantic touch, and get the most visual impact for your efforts.

Photo by Meg Perotti  |  Florals by Studio Choo  | Rentals by Heritage & Craft  |  Ribbon wall and design by Esla Events

7. If you're not sure whether it will work, prototype it. Sketch it. Count it out. Visit a rental showroom. Make a floor plan. Make a sample. Whatever your strategy, getting the idea out of your head and into a physical form will ensure there are no surprises on the big day, and might even give you additional ideas. And don't be shy! As you can tell from my sketch below, you don't need to be an artist to use this trick—just doodle to get clear on your idea!

Still feeling design-challenged? Consider hiring an event designer to help you flesh out your ideas, help you find all the needed materials and rentals, and handle all the styling on the big day. Or better yet, check out Amanda O’Shannessey’s recently launched workshop series, Styled.

Making a Statement {Bridal Bouquets that Stand Out}

Much of our wedding look and feel is inspired by the artist Alphonse Mucha, known for his Art Nouveau botanical paintings of women, like the ones below:

Sources: 1, 2

While we don't exactly subscribe to the school of thought of having set "wedding colors," our general color palate will be greens, golds, coppers, pewters, and some pinks. We're in the early stages of talking to some florists, and I've been thinking about my bouquet more and more. I've become quite fond of the idea of a "statement" bouquet, in a brighter, yet still complementary, color to the rest of the wedding flowers. Here are a few that I've found inspiring this week:

Sources: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Adventures in Cake Tasting

Happy Valentine's Day! What better thing to blog about on Valentine's Day than cake. Yumm give me a slice of cake and a glass of champagne any day and I am one happy girl. Anyways, this past weekend we had a marathon of cake tasting. Our caterer strictly handles food so we needed to find another baker to make our cake. Of course, practicing my due diligence, I scheduled tastings with three different bakers in the same day. Blame being out-of-town bride for this kind of madness. (Way too much sweetness for one day).

After choosing the flavors and fillings, the next question bakers want answered is what the cake will look like. Luckily I brought my handy ipad mini to show them some of my favorite cakes out there:

Thinking Beyond the Cake

Happy almost Valentine's Day! I can't stop thinking about sweets this week. There are so many cute and creative ways to tie your favorite confections into your wedding day. From the get-go my fiance and I liked the idea of doing something different from the traditional wedding cake.

Source: left, right

Milk and cookies. Yum.

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I love what this couple did - instead of having a wedding cake, they had a wedding cake-shaped piñata and then did a french croquembouche for dessert - that translates to 'crunch in the mouth'!

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Macaroons are adorable and come in endless colors and flavors.

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Donuts - always a crowd-pleaser.

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And you can't go wrong with ice cream. I'm actually eating some raspberry sorbet as I type this right now :-)

Did you decide to forgo the wedding cake? What are you going to do instead?

Details in the Heart

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, this week I have been looking at ways to subtly add hearts into our wedding without being overly predictable or cutesy.  I love a sweet heart as much as any other girl, but want to incorporate this idea with an element of restraint so as to keep it from looking like a Valentine's explosion. Here are a few creative ideas I found to add some extra love to your special day.

Wedding attire: I would love to create our own heart patch with our initials and wedding date.

Sources: 1 & 2

Add some love to your sole! These awesome heart stopper pads on the right will help you stay upright down the aisle and while you are breaking it down on the dance floor.

Sources: 1 & 2

Sources: 1 ,2 & 3

Darling Details: (above) Ring pillow, heart touches on envelopes, photos props, (below) heart confetti, guest book, and garland.

Sources: 1, 2 & 3

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Are you adding any heart details to your special days? Happy early Valentines Day to you and your sweet!

Planning a Wine Country Wedding, Part 1: When & Where

Today we are announcing a new Engaged & Inspired series, Planning a Wine Country Wedding. This series is written by one of my favorite Wine Country wedding planners, Laurel of Esla Events. Esla Events is responsible for some absolutely gorgeous weddings, no seriously, check out her gallery of work. Truly breathtaking. Find out more about Laurel and Esla Events right here. Take it away Laurel! 

I’m thrilled to contribute to Engaged & Inspired’s wealth of information and insight for real brides who are planning real weddings. My four-part series will focus on planning a wedding in Napa, Sonoma, and the surrounding areas. While I have a few ideas for the upcoming posts, I want to first open it up to you, Engaged & Inspired readers: What would you like to know? Feel free to email me directly at laurel@eslaevents.com, or leave a comment on this post.

Two of the first major decisions you’ll need to make when planning your wine country wedding are where and when to get married, so let’s begin there.

“When” is relatively straight-forward. Prime wedding weather in Napa, Sonoma, and surrounding areas is mid-May through mid-October, with the most reliably comfortable months being June and September. However, couples get married year round in this beautiful area. Even now in February, there are beautiful blankets of yellow mustard among the vineyards and, just yesterday, I was comfortably running around Yountville in a dress. The weather is of course less predictable from November to April, but if you’re on a budget or have a challenging schedule, don’t feel limited to just the prime summer and fall months.

"Where” to get married is the more interesting, and often more personal and challenging, question.

Beautiful custom map by The Aerialist Press

You might have a vision in your head already — a cozy dinner with a beautiful vineyard backdrop and soft magical light, right? But beyond that, you might be surprised by the range of variables you’ll need to consider. Here are a few questions I always ask clients when beginning the venue hunt:

How far from San Francisco do you want your guests to drive? If you want to encourage all guests – including your San Francisco friends and family – to make a weekend of it and stay overnight one or more nights, select a venue in Healdsburg, Glen Ellen, or Calistoga, which are a solid 1.5-2 hours outside San Francisco. This can make for livelier receptions, as your guests won’t have to worry about driving home after the celebrating (assuming you provide transportation back to the main hotel, if needed). However, if convenience is a bigger factor for you, and you don’t want to ask your out-of-town guests to drive another two or three hours after their cross-country flight, then opt for a venue near the cities of Sonoma or Napa. Some favorites include The Carneros Inn and Gundlach Bundschu.

How late do you want your wedding to go? Local noise ordinances makes outdoor dance parties impossible after 9 or 10pm. If you want to twirl late into the night with your friends and new husband, seek out venues with indoor reception areas, such as Cline Cellars and Calistoga Ranch.

Do you want cocktails to be served? If so, be sure to check whether the venue you’re considering allows hard alcohol. Many vineyards only allow wine (often only their own) and beer, but many other types of venues allow both, especially hotels and estates, such as Solage and Beaulieu Garden.

What does an “intimate setting” mean to you? Many couples are drawn to wine country for the promise of an intimate, relaxed, and beautiful setting. There are many types of “intimate” in wine country though, and getting clear on what exactly that means to you and your fiancé will help focus your search. Do you want all your family and friends to stay onsite all weekend at a property like Dawn Ranch? Or do you imaging whisking all your guests away to a beautiful hideaway like Healdsburg Country Gardens? Or does is really mean renting a wing of rooms at your favorite hotel like Bardessono, and having all festivities right there onsite?

Talking about those four basic questions with your fiancé will help focus your search, and make the most of your initial visits to the area.  Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, check out search tools like Here Comes the Bride, the local venue list at The Collection, or simply cruise around Engaged & Inspired and other blogs for leads. I recommend seeing no more than 3-4 sites in one day to avoid venue-overload.

And now for a little visual fun: photos of a few of my favorite venues by some of my favorite photographers!

Beaulieu Garden Located in Rutherford, this beautiful private estate is full of magical features like a sunken garden, fountains, and vine-covered arbors. This venue is perfect for couples wanting an elegant, extremely private, al fresco setting for their big day (and for those with a decent-sized budget.)

Photo by Larissa Cleveland

Photos by Larissa Cleveland

Photos by Larissa Cleveland

The Carneros Inn For those of you skeptical of hotels as wedding venues, this modern-meets-rustic oasis will win you over with its impeccable design (no crazy carpets here!), beautiful layout, and private-feeling event areas. One of my favorite spots.

Photo by Carlie Statsky Photography

Photo by Carlie Statsky Photography

Photo by Carlie Statsky Photography

Annadel Estate Winery This is one of the most intimate and beautifully raw settings I’ve come across in Wine Country. The vine-covered ruins are the centerpiece of the property, and they’re beautifully complemented by a large lawn and barn.

  Photos by MEF Photography

Calistoga Ranch For smaller weddings, this gem offers several different site options, including a beautiful lawn area overlooking a small lake on one side and a valley on the other, a gorgeous pool area, and a cozy wine cave.

Photo by Sabine Scherer Photography

Photo by Sabine Scherer Photography

Photo by Sabine Scherer Photography

Gundlach Bundschu While I haven’t personally planned a wedding here yet, I’ve visited the wine tasting room many times and have fallen in love with the ceremony site. Conveniently located near Sonoma, Gundlach sits on a hill overlooking beautiful hills and vineyards.

  Photos by Jessica Burke Photography

 Coming up next: TBD! Email me your topic requests, or post them in the comments below.