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Ahhh... Paris. What could be more romantic? We're all big Francophiles here at Junebug, so this stunning wedding at Sainte Germain's Basilica of Sainte Clotilde and Maison des Polytechniciens has been making our hearts race! Grab yourself a cup of coffee (or glass of wine) and settle in to check out this post - you'll want to dive into the images by K Hulet Photography and the planning details created by Fête in France, and absorb every beautiful detail!
From the bride, Suzanne: Looking back on the day it brings back wonderful memories. It was more than we could have ever imagined or wished for. To have all our loved ones, friends and family with us in Paris was truly magical! Paris has always been special to us as we spent some great times in the City of Light when we were dating. The city is truly one of the most beautiful in the world. We wanted to capture the architecture and mood of the city which we love so much.
Anne Mulvihill of Fête in France was the maestro in pulling the wedding together for us as we live in Ireland and could only get to Paris every few months prior to the event. With her expertise and contacts she pulled it altogether. She was wonderful! For that we will be forever grateful.
Our photographers Kevin and Katie - well, where do I start? From the first moment we met them we all just clicked. Our visions of what we wanted to catch on camera were very much in sync. They helped put Paul and I at ease from the time they showed up in the morning right through until 1am the next day! They worked extremely hard in capturing the atmosphere on the wedding. All my family and friends have been blown away by their talent, grace and sheer work ethic. We think the photographs really speak for themselves capturing the magic of the day. We are looking forward to seeing them in June as they are photographing my sister's wedding too!
From photographers Kevin and Katie Hulett of K Hulet Photography: This destination European wedding was that of the beautiful Irish couple, Suzanne and Paul. I don't know when we've laughed more, or been hugged and squeezed more than we were at this wedding. Imagine a crowd of the friendliest, happiest, loudest people--and then double it--and you'll get an idea of this couple's wedding celebration. On the night before the wedding the family met at a bar in Sainte Germain. It was a great celebration. The next morning the wedding day started off in Suzanne and Pauls right-bank apartment. Paul spent hours on the phone trying to find one with a view of the Eiffel Tower for Suzanne, who loves it so much. The Tower view was as amazing as you could imagine and right outside her balcony window. The chapel that they were married in was the Sainte Clotilde, in Sainte Germain. It was one of the most detail minded chapels that we have ever been to. After the ceremony we walked Paris and got some city shots and then on to La Maison des Polytechniciens, a very difficult venue to tie down in Paris. You have to either be an engineer or be related to an engineer of the place to even be considered. The venue had a downstairs club room/cave that was very cool and unforgettable, where the group ended the day. Anne and Nancy, of Fete in France did an amazing job on the details of this wedding.
The Wedding Team:
Photography K Hulet Photography
Wedding Planner: Anne Mulvihill of Fête in France
Wedding Ceremony Venue: Basilica of Sainte Clotilde, in Sainte Germain, Paris
Wedding Reception Venue: Maison des Polytechniciens
Wedding Film: Pier-Yves Menkhof
Florist: Sol y Flor
Wedding Cake: SugarPlum Cake Shop
Live Music: Jazz around Midnight
DJ: Albert of Artmonie Communications
Makeup and Hair: Sanni Sorma and Sonja Stein Benhamou
Wedding dress and Veil: Vera Wang
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Jewelry: Antique
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible Paris wedding with us Suzanne and Paul!
The Couple: Caroline and Nick
The Wedding: 07.30.11; 333 First Avenue Dallas, Texas
What were the top three priorities for you in planning your wedding?
The most important thing for us was building a very strong foundation upon which to begin our marriage and we had such a great experience planning the ceremony and learning things we never knew about each other in premarital classes. We wanted to celebrate our marriage, and our reception reflected that. A live band, open bar, and fun crowd were our top priorities for the reception. First, we made sure the guests had a nice long cocktail hour, then beverages and light music during dinner, followed by live songs and an upbeat, young band that kept everyone dancing. The dance floor was packed the entire night!
What wedding traditions or cultural traditions did you incorporated into your wedding and what did they mean to you?
During our ceremony, we served communion to our guests and it was a very moving moment for us because we were able to spread the love we shared with everyone who came to support us. We also brought our dog, Milo, to the reception. He is such a big part of our life and all of our friends love him so he donned a very handsome tuxedo and danced with us for a few hours before escorting my grandmother home.
Where there any places where you “broke the rules” in your wedding planning? Why and how did you do that?
Instead of traditional matching bridesmaid dresses, we asked our bridesmaids to choose their own dresses. Since each of them has such different style and body shape, they each chose something that was perfect for them but looked really great together. For this to work, we had to let go of almost all style decisions. We gave guidelines (grey & church appropriate) and approved the dresses as they looked in a “collection,” instead of based on our personal style. We also used lots of “Friendors” to create the decorations for our wedding. The bridesmaids made the puff-balls above the dance floor from tissue paper, my family made the potted succulent centerpieces (which also served as party favors, because what are you supposed to do with 30 potted succulent arrangements?) and, among other things, our super talented friends designed and made our wedding programs from mix-matched scrapbook paper.
What was your biggest wedding planning success?
Our biggest wedding planning success was the glow stick dance party / send-off. Before the wedding, people thought we were crazy and teased us for having a “Rave” Wedding, but the guests loved them! Once Sweet Pea Events brought the glow sticks out on the dance floor for the last few songs, people really cut loose and pulled out all their “best” dance moves. It was, hands down, everyone’s favorite and most memorable part of our wedding. We chose to use necklace length, but if I could do it again, I would choose bracelet length because a lot of guests accidentally hit each other when they swung them through the air.
What was the most important thing that you learned through the wedding planning process and what would you tell other brides-to-be?
The most important thing I learned is that getting every last detail right is not that important. You are marrying a wonderful man (or woman) and creating a life together that will stand the test of time. What a fantastic way to begin by incorporating his ideas into the wedding and letting him take the lead on things he cares about? Let people make/do things for your wedding (my step-mother wrote us a song!) and LET GO of how it’s going to turn out (especially if you’re letting your bridesmaids pick their dresses)! Let your dad spend hours deciding the location of the bar & buffet and counting the number of parking spots in the lot. Be excited when your mom chooses her dress because it’s a big day for her too. Remind your bridesmaids they are beautiful and you love them. Have family parties the week before the wedding so you make sure you show your relatives how much it means to you that they came. The day is about being beautiful – be beautiful inside, outside, and in your marriage. Best Wishes!
The Wedding Team:
Photographer: Perez Photography
Event Planner: Sweet Pea Events
Ceremony Venue: Highland Park United Methodist Church
Reception Venue: 333 First Avenue
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Catering and Rentals: Edisons
Personal Flowers: Red Sole Events
Centerpieces: Bride & Family, with boxes from Ikea
Cake: Sugar Bee Sweets
Wedding dress: Monique Lhuillier
Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Groom and Groomsmen Apparel and Accessories: Al’s Formal Wear
Hair: Katie Page at Green Peridot Salon
Make-up: Kay Castro
Live music: Identity Theft
Dance instruction: Vow to Dance
Favors: Pecan Pralines made by bride
Stickers: Sweet Sanity on Etsy.com
Calligraphy Return Address Stamp: Emilie Friday
Tissue Paper for Pom-Poms: Container Store
Glow Sticks: Glow With Us
Thank you so much for sharing your gorgeous day with us, Caroline and Nick!
Readers, be sure to check out our Wedding Photo Gallery for more gorgeous wedding planning inspiration!
The Couple: Andi and Andy
The Wedding: 9.10.11 - Arista Winery and Studio Barndiva, Healdsburg, CA
What three adjectives best describe your wedding day? Joyful, warm, relaxed.
Was there a decor theme that ran through your wedding? What was the inspiration for that particular idea and how did it reflect you as a couple? We had dual inspiration from northern California wine country and the reception site, Barndiva. The theme was centered all around the sunny outdoors - “rustic wine country chic” with a dash of folk art.
What were some of the different ways you used decor elements to create the beautiful, cohesive event you were envisioning? The color theme of chocolate brown paired with coral, orange and pink was represented in the bridesmaids' dresses and flowers, table linens and favors. The groomsmen wore navy blue suits with orange and blue ties, which added a nice accent of color.
Where did you choose to hold your wedding, and how did the location influence your decor decisions? Barndiva is a restaurant and art studio that is all about locally sourced, amazingly prepared food with rustic, folk art decor. This was a huge inspiration for all of our decor decisions, although not much decor was needed as the setting itself was beautiful on its own.
Looking back, do you have a favorite project or successful decor idea from your wedding? Tell us what you loved about it! The chocolate brown table linens really gave a rich, lush feel to the outdoor setting while making it more relaxed and inviting at the same time. The white china and coral, orange and pink flowers really “popped,” which may not have happened with only the standard white table linens.
The Wedding Team:
Photographer: Joan Allen Weddings with Julio Duffoo
Ceremony Venue: Arista Winery
Reception Venue: Studio Barndiva
Invitation Designer: Paper Source
Florist: Dragonfly Floral
Wedding dress: Amy Kuschel
Bridesmaid’s apparel and accessories: Bella Bridesmaid
DJ: DJ Stan Loh
Dance instruction: Angie Major
Thank you so much for sharing your wedding with us Andi and Andy!
Readers, you can see even more amazing wedding style inspiration in our Wedding Photo Gallery!
This year, instead of bringing flowers in its May wake, April itself promises to be filled with flowers (and dresses, and cakes, and cocktails...) the entire month at these gorgeous events happening around the country!
Bridal Bash 2012 at The Nature Museum
Sip, nosh, and mingle! Check out fabulous trends, sample seasonal cuisine, and marvel at amazing cakes created for the cake design challenge...all at the beautiful Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Talented professionals from Event Creative, Limelight Catering, Lola Event Productions, Sugar Chic Designs, Style Creative, and many more will be on hand to share all of the awesome ways that they can make your event spectacular.
April 5, 2012; 6-9 pm
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
Tickets available through Natural Museum Bridal Bash
Sarah Seven and Ivy & Aster Trunk Shows at L.A.'s new Lovely Bride
Lovely Bride has long been a favorite of New York brides, and is now bringing all the loveliness to their new L.A. outpost! Come check out this beautiful new boutique AND some pretty fab dresses at either the Sarah Seven (April 20-22) or Ivy & Aster (April 27-29) Trunk Show.
April 20-22, Sarah Seven
April 27-29, Ivy & Aster
Lovely Bride
638 1/2 North Roberston Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.lovelybride.com for reservations
Dazzling Details Wedding Bazaar
Dazzling Details is the event where you can find all your wedding details in one location, on one day! From cake toppers to your fascinators, favors and shoe accessories, they've brought them all under one roof for you! Be a VIP ticket holder and get a luxury swag bag full of amazing products and enjoy a continental breakfast.
April 22, 2012; 12-6 pm
The Historic Savage Mill Manor
8502 Fair Street
Savage, MD 20763
Tickets available at www.dazzlingdetailsbazaar.com
The Wedding Salon - Luxury Wedding Show
The Wedding Salon puts on a magical New York bridal show and expo for NY brides. Countless luxury wedding pros will be available to help you plan your big day. Discover the latest trends in photography, invitations, honeymoons, couture gowns, cakes, and more, while enjoying beauty makeovers, cocktails, and incredible table decor!
April 23, 2012; 4-8pm
The Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
For tickets, visit www.weddingsalon.com or email SarahB@WeddingSalon.com to enter to win tickets!
Carolina Herrera Spring 2013 Bridal Trunk Show
The one and only, and much revered fashion designer, Carolina Herrera, is having a trunk show at her Beverly Hills boutique, featuring her 2013 bridal collection. If you're looking for a wedding dress that is timeless, refined, and exquisitely romantic, then this is a don't miss event!
April 26 - 28, 2012
8441 Melrose Place, Los Angeles, CA
RSVP 323-782-9090
LULY YANG COUTURE's 10th Year Anniversary Couture Runway Show- A Monarch's Tale: The Journey of a Decade Luly Yang' inspired creations never fail to make me gasp in wonder and then lust after one of her glamorous, elegant dresses. She does wonders with luxurious fabrics, spot-on draping, and oh-so-perfect embellishments. Come see exactly what I mean at her annual evening wear runway show that will be held at the beautiful Fremont Studios. Save the date and support Seattle Children's Hospital while enjoying an evening of haute couture, cocktails and more!
April 27, 2012
Fremont Studios
155 North 35th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
Tickets on sale now at www.lulyyang.com
To Have & To Hold - A Wedding Event by Etsy
Lucky, lucky New York brides! To Have & To Hold is the first-ever wedding event hosted by Etsy, and it's being held in NYC! They will be showcasing items from some of the most unique Etsy weddings sellers and bring different ceremony and celebration styles to life. They'll help you find handmade and vintage pieces that work for your personality and budget, including wedding dresses, wedding party attire, accessories, decor and paper goods. I know the inspiration is going to be absolutely dripping from everything there! April 28, 2012; 10am-6pm
91 - The Event Space
91 Horatio Street
New York, NY 10014
Tickets available through Eventbrite
For those interested in photography, there are even more events featured on Photobug today, including great workshops offered by Junebug's members.
And we're not done yet! Later today, on What Junebug Loves, we'll be featuring a seriously charming wedding that we totally adore. See you soon!
To the cheers, hoorays, and hallelujahs of vintage loving brides everywhere, the fabulous online shop Ruche has just launched their very own Bridal Collection! I too am quite excited by the new line, and have found myself looking through their site with my own fashion lust barely kept in check. Want to hear the best news of all? To celebrate their new launch, the kind folks at Ruche are giving $50 Gift Certificates 3 lucky Junebug readers! Thanks Ruche!
To enter to win, simply head over to www.ShopRuche.com, take a look through their bridal collection, and then leave us a comment here letting us know what your favorite items are! Easy as that. They have wedding dresses, veils, shoes and accessories that are perfect for a vintage style bride, as well as loads of darling every-day and special occasion fashion. There is so much to choose from, and it's all adorable and totally affordable. We'll accept giveaway entries all week long, and choose our 3 winners at random on Monday, April 9, 2012. Good luck everyone!
Ruche Bridal Lookbook Photoshoot team:
Photography: Stephanie Williams Photography
Event Designer & Paper Details: Sugar and Fluff Design House
Florals: Bunch Studio
Cakes: Sweet and Saucy Shop
Hair & Makeup: KC Witkamp
Vintage Rentals: Ribbons and Rust
Pony Rentals: Giddy Up Ranch
Location: Kimberly Crest
The Couple: Anna and Andreas
The Wedding: 5.1.11 - Church of Panagia Platsani and Restaurant "Ochre," Oia, Santorini, Greece
What three adjectives best describe your wedding?
Beautiful, romantic, and joyful
What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you
incorporate your style and personalities into your big day?
We wanted to have a wedding in a warm beautiful place in Southern
Europe that guaranteed good, sunny weather during the day. Our choice fell
on the charming, little town of Oia in Santorini Island, Greece. The
wedding dress was by Spanish designer, Pepe Botella Novias, and was chosen because of how it suited the Mediterranean setting, and because of how it's layered skirt fluttered in the wind. I also felt that orchids would make a perfect wedding bouquet for such a dress. The wedding cake was styled with shells and sea
flowers. We did not want to overload our wedding with details,
decorations and entertainment, but we did do a sailing cruise to the volcano for
us and our guests between the ceremony in the church and the reception
dinner. We also secretly prepared an exciting swing dance for our first dance, which took
our guests by surprise.
Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that
you love the most about your wedding?
We loved the decision about having our wedding on Santorini. It gave us and our guests a memory for a lifetime. We are very happy with how the day
went.
Wedding color palette: White, silver, blue
The Wedding Team:
Photographer: John and Joseph Photography
Event Planner: Nina Raftodimou of Weddings in Santorini
Ceremony Venue: Church of Panagia Platsani
Reception Venue: Restaurant "Ochre"
Wedding dress: Pepe Botella Novias
Bridal accessories: Shoes - Christian Louboutin
Groom and groomsmen apparel and accessories: Suit and shoes - Valentino
Cake, Flowers, Hair/Make-up, and Transportation organized by Nina Raftodimou of Weddings in Santorini Thank you so much Anna and Andreas for sharing your gorgeous seaside event! Readers, be sure to check out our Real Weddings Library for more wedding inspiration!
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