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This Couple’s Sweet First Look Will Give You All the Goosebumps

April 10, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

If you needed any more reasons to be convinced to have a first look, look no further than Melissa and Chris’s first moments together on their special day! The couple’s first look took place on top of a deserted parking garage, which allowed their raw emotion and love to truly shine under Florida’s big blue sky. Lauren Louise Collective beautifully captured every amazing detail of their first look, tropical couple portraits, and greenery-inspired wedding décor at minimal Lake Worth venue, Social House.

The Couple:

Melissa and Chris

The Wedding:

Social House, Lake Worth, Florida

Chris and I both agree the most memorable part of the day would be the first look and vows. For the first look we went to the top of a deserted parking garage in Delray Beach and saw each other for the first time, that moment will forever be engraved in my mind.

My two-piece wedding dress was handmade. The skirt by my grandma and the top by my good friend/designer Rachel Marie Hurst. Having people that mean a lot to me create something special for my wedding made the day that much more meaningful and unforgettable.

Working with our photographers was a dream. They know how to capture the moments in life rather than rigid, posed photos. The ease of the day showed in our final photos and we love them!

Our vows were extra special because we wrote them ourselves and the amount of love that was in the room (small 75 person wedding) was overwhelming.

Remember at the end of the day, it’s just a party. The most important thing that will happen that day are the vows, and the actual ‘getting married’ part. Everything else (the food, dancing, drinks) is all fluff, make it fun but don’t stress yourself out about the little things.

Both Chris and I are very involved in the local art/music scene in South Florida. Social House, a creative co-working studio, is a staple in that community, bringing together some of the most creative people I know. After we got engaged there wasn’t a question in our minds where we were going to get married… it was hands down Social House.

Having a wedding that solely reflected us as a couple was the most important part of planning. We didnt stress about the small stuff and thought about what would make a wedding fun for not only us but our closest family and friends… naturally good music (huge motown, funk, soul fans), great food (we didnt want a sit down wedding because we loved the idea of just an extend cocktail hour so everyone could mingle), and an open bar (our favorite bartenders from Delray Beach donated their time and made the night even that much more enjoyable).

Our wedding vibes were minimal & green. Our wedding venue/reception is very bright and clean with beautiful white brick walls and simple decor that speaks for itself. We didn’t want to take away from the space so we went with a minimalist vibe with lots of green plants and palms (which saved on the overall floral cost).

We didn’t have any distinct wedding colors which led to some beautiful inspiration from our floral/rental/planner Jenny (Port+Palm Co.). The flowers that she picked for the bouquets were seasonal and had lots of different colors.

Chris‘s band Hillside Spirit Revival played a mini set right before we got into the first dances.

Processional: Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
Recessional: That’s What’s Up – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
First Dance: Florida Key – The New Basement Tapes
Father-Daughter Dance: Wild World – Cat Stevens
Mother-Son Dance: In My Life – Beatles

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Lauren Louise Collective
Event Planning, Floral Design, & Rentals – Port + Palm Co.
Venue – Social House
Catering – Aioli
Cake – Nanis Dough
Officiant – Dan Westervelt
DJ – Shutdown Productions
Live Music – Hillside Spirit Revival
Videography – byDesign Films
Invitations – Melissa Michaud
Makeup Artist – Palm Beach Makeup Pro
Hair Styling – Salon Resta
Wedding Dress – Rachel Marie Hurst
Bridal Accessories – Acute Designs, Keds
Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Apparel – Calvin Klein
Transportation – Molly’s Trolleys

 

Congratulations to Melissa and Chris, and a huge thanks to Lauren Louise Collective for sharing their wedding with us. Love this wedding’s minimal greenery vibes? Then you’ve got to see this Reading Art Works wedding that takes modern minimalism to the next level!

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Festive Big Sur Wedding at Point 16

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the most important thing about your wedding day is that it authentically reflects you as a couple. Nora and Nik’s wedding at Point 16 is a perfect example of how to do that! They both work in the environmental arena, so an outdoor celebration was the natural choice for them. When it came to décor, rather than scour the depths of Pinterest, they stuck to the bohemian colors and rustic textures they liked and let the overall design happen organically. The vibrant floral arrangements by Big Sur Flowers were some of the most beautiful we’ve ever seen – and we’ve seen a lot! We especially love how the bride used similar flowers in a half crown, which she tucked into a braided updo that showed off the low-back design of her Katie May dress and and gold back necklace by De La Luna. This wedding was truly unique from start to finish, and photographer Evynn LeValley did a beautiful job capturing every detail!

The Couple:

Nora and Nik

The Wedding:

Point 16, Big Sur, California

My husband and I both work in the international climate change and environment sphere and are nature lovers in general (we started dating in grad school while in Costa Rica), so we wanted a very natural setting for our wedding festivities that reflected our style and where our guests could relax in an intimate atmosphere. We live in Oakland and had casually Googled “Big Sur venues” before we got engaged after a stay at an AirBnB near Point 16. So, by the time we got engaged, we knew it was the spot for us and booked it within a week of our engagement. We loved that the ceremony and reception sites were one and the same, which gave us more time to catch up with our guests and make the most of a gorgeous outdoor setting.

My dad officiated our ceremony and wrote the entire thing himself (with our input, of course). He crafted a really unique and personal ceremony that complemented our vows, and it meant a lot to both of us to have him be our officiant.

For my wedding style, I knew what I didn’t like, so I visited a few bridal boutiques in San Francisco to narrow things down based on my personal style. I ended up falling in love with the Katie May gown that I chose – form-fitting with a low back and luxe materials, but still with a relaxed easiness that would look at home on the Big Sur coast! I complemented the low back with a necklace from De La Luna and custom statement earrings. Instead of a veil, I opted for a half flower crown incorporating pops of color and different textures on top of my braided up-do.

The entire day was more than we could have hoped for and just amazing, so it’s hard to pick just one most memorable moment! The day was really made by the amazing natural surroundings of Point 16 and the Big Sur coast. Point 16 has one of the best microclimates in Big Sur, and we truly got to enjoy the very best of it on our wedding day. Our ceremony felt like it was on the edge of the world, and it was a truly special and perfect place to exchange our vows. Later on, the fog stayed off the coast and resulted in a gorgeous late afternoon sky and sunset. Whales even surfaced nearby, and it was so much fun closing out the night around the fire pit wrapped in blankets and dancing under the stars.

I was never one of those people that was planning their wedding for years prior to actually getting engaged, and I took a pretty laid back approach to planning that likely horrified observers and seasoned wedding enthusiasts! I almost completely eschewed Pinterest boards or any formal wedding planning resources, and I exercised complete disregard for the concept of wedding colors and just went with what I liked. I planned from the bottom up, rather than being inundated with a million ideas that may or may not reflect us as a couple and what we envisioned for our day.

Our advice for couples who are planning their wedding is to not overthink it. Trust your gut and your personal style! It was easy to see how couples can fall victim to the paradox of choice when it comes to literally every aspect of wedding planning, so don’t second-guess yourself – you can spend forever agonizing over options you never even knew existed, when in reality, you are your own best inspiration!

Processional – “Prelude” by Bonobo
Recessional – “Kiara” by Bonobo
First Dance – “Only Love” by Ben Howard

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Evynn LeValley
Event Planning and Catering – A Big Sur Affair
Venue – Point 16
Floral Design – Big Sur Flowers
Cake – Big Sur Bakery
DJ – Los Gatos DJ
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Skyla Arts
Wedding Dress – Katie May
Bride’s Shoes – Dolce & Gabbana
Bride’s Back Neckalce – De La Luna
Bride’s Leather Jacket – VEDA
Groom’s Apparel – Samuelsohn
Rings – 14 Karats (designed by bride and groom)
Agate Slide Place Cards – Invite Alice

 

Congratulations to the newlyweds, Nora and Nik, and thanks to Evynn LeValley for sharing these beautiful wedding photos! Want to see more Big Sur magic? This breathtaking handmade elopement at Glen Oaks Big Sur will take you on an incredible journey from the woods to the beach at sunset!

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Breathtaking Irish Bridal Inspiration at Leixlip Manor and Gardens

April 9, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Five gorgeous wedding gowns, a beautiful location at Leixlip Manor and Gardens, and the exquisite imagery of photographer Paula O’Hara…what more could we ask for? In addition to the gowns, this bridal shoot features some incredible gold headpieces and veils by Gibson Bespoke that provide inspiration for how to create your entire wedding day look, whether you love traditional, eclectic, or modern style. We love how event planners Grace & Saviour tied a romantic, old-world feel into the reception table inspiration, as well, complete with antique details, moody florals by Bella Botanica, and a decadent cake by Kelly Lou Cakes.

The Talented Team:

Photography – Paula O’Hara
Event Planning – Grace & Saviour
Venue – Leixlip Manor and Gardens
Floral Design – Bella Botanica
Cake – Kelly Lou Cakes
Invitations – Appleberry Press
Makeup Artist – Making Faces Gorey
Hair Styling – Bridget Haren
Wedding Dresses – Myrtle Ivory, Alice May Bridal, Marian Gale, The White Gallery, and House of Delphine
Bridal Accessories – Gibson Bespoke

 

An extra special thanks to Junebug member Paula O’Hara for sharing these breathtaking bridal inspiration portraits with us! To see more gorgeous images by this photographer, check out Jen and Sean’s intimate and personal Donegal wedding at Horn Head!

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