WEDDING BLOG

White and Blue Italy Inspired Wedding in Sarasota, Florida – Studio 222 Photography

August 29, 2013 | editorial team

Oh! The romance in this Italy inspired wedding in Florida simply jumps off the page and makes me wish I had been one of the lucky guests in attendance! Photographed by Studio 222 Photography, each photo is such a treat. Enjoy!

The Couple: Robyn and Bill

The Wedding: 3.2.13 – The Powel Crosley Estate, Sarasota, Florida

The Goals: We knew that we wanted the day to be all about celebrating with our family and friends. We have been dating for nine years and they have been a huge part of who we are as a couple, so our priorities centered around throwing a great party. We wanted the ceremony and reception to be romantic and meaningful, filled with small details of our relationship.

The Design: We wanted the atmosphere at our reception at The Powel Crosley Estate to feel like you were dining al fresco in an Italian vineyard. We served all of the food family-style, had Bocce playing on the lawn, strung up cafe lights and had the wine pouring! We had lanterns, potted herbs, cork place card holders and burlap runners dressing the tables. The Powel Crosley was my dream wedding venue and a lot of my inspiration came from its beautiful house and grounds. One of my bridesmaids even created a hand-sketched drawing of the house which became the main design on our invitations.

The Look: My wedding dress was much more than I ever thought I would have. I went in for a fitted gown and came out with a ball gown! But all my previous inspiration went out the window when this dress stole my heart with its pearl beaded bust and silk draping bottom. I felt incredibly glamorous! I love Kate Spade, so my bridesmaids surprised me the morning of the wedding with a pair of their mint colored heels with a gold bow! I loved that my bouquet was wrapped in a piece of my late-grandmother’s silk scarf which my cousins have started passing down for each of our wedding bouquets. My bridesmaids wore long navy dresses made by b2. They carried baby’s breath bouquets and my great grandmother’s Spanish fans.

The Moments: I think my favorite part of the day was reciting our vows during our ceremony. They were so romantic and personal and I could just feel this energy in the church. It was such a happy moment! There are a lot of things that stand out in my mind, but dancing into the night with our friends and family was so perfect and everything I wanted our wedding reception to be.

The Advice: If I was to give advice, I would say to focus on the things that are truly important to you. Don’t get caught up in the little details and focus on staying true to who you are as a couple. Oh, and that your mom is probably right about a lot of things!

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Studio 222 Photography
Event Planner: Sarasota Wedding Gallery
Ceremony Venue: St. Martha’s Catholic Church
Reception Venue: The Powel Crosley Estate
Videographer/Film Maker: Life’s Highlights
Officiant: Father John Cusick and Archbishop Wilton Gregory
Invitation Designer: Designed by one of my bridesmaids, printed by Kate’s Paperie
Catering: Milan Catering
Florist: Elegant Design Floral Art Studio
Cake: A Slice of Heaven
Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Bridal Accessories: Veil – Priscilla of Boston, Shoes – Kate Spade (Karolina Bow)
Bridesmaids’ Apparel: Dresses – b2 in Navy
Groom’s Apparel & Accessories: Jos. A. Bank
Groomsmen’s Apparel & Accessories: Jos. A. Bank
Hair – Jameca Harrington of Urban Blonde Salon
Makeup – Ana Molinari
DJ: Rubin Ervin
Transportation: School bus from Destiny Transportation
Favors: Scratch off Florida Lottery tickets
Lighting: Affairs in the Air
Rings: Engagement Ring – Jared, Wedding Bands – Blue Nile

Wedding Planning 101 – Creating Wedding Reception Lounge Areas

August 27, 2013 | Junebug Weddings

(Photo by Jay Lawrence Goldman)

Wedding reception lounge areas are a trend that have taken the wedding world by storm, and now they are a key component on many couple’s minds as they plan their wedding. Providing a little seclusion from the main party, lounge areas allow your guests to mix and mingle in a more relaxed atmosphere than the traditional reception seating arrangements. We’ve put together some top tips on how to create a reception lounge area that is as inviting as it is functional. Read on!

(Photo by Jay Lawrence Goldman)

1. Mood Lighting
One of the most important elements to consider when designing your reception lounge space is the lighting. The most effective, not to mention the most budget friendly way to achieve lighting that feels warm and inviting is with candlelight. In the photo above, wedding consultant Mindy Weiss took full advantage of the fireplace at the Pelican Hill Resort and filled the lounge area with flickering firelight.

(Photo by Ben Chrisman Photography)

2. Getting Cozy
Create a feeling of privacy with sweeping fabric draped over the lounge area or enclosed in a luscious tent. Add a fun chandelier and you’ve got all the ambiance you’ll need.

(Photo by STUDIO 6.23)

3. Dividing Spaces
If your wedding reception is taking place in an open space, like the field pictured above or a large ballroom, structure the decor in a way that divides the massive singular space into smaller areas where guests can socialize. The lanterns hanging from the trees allow for the lounge area to be defined, but still open to the golden landscape beyond the celebration.

(Photo by Yvette Roman Photography)

4. A Pop of Color
Your reception lounge area is a wonderful opportunity to add a splash of color with some luxurious and lavish decor. If you’re having trouble getting your hands on colorful furniture, toss some vibrant throw pillows on a more neutral alternative. Adding an area rug is another great way to introduce color to your reception lounge area, as well as continuing to define the space.

(Photo by Holland Photo Arts)

5. Building Character
As you incorporate your overall wedding design concept into every facet of your wedding reception, your lounge area should be no different. Get creative! The wedding shown above used wine barrels as tables for a vineyard wedding. Keep in mind that while you should be clearly defining the space, you still want your lounge areas to fit into your cohesive plan for the entire wedding day.

Looking for more? Take a peek at all the reception lounge area design inspiration in our wedding photo gallery!

Brightly Colored Fall Wedding in Alabama by Christopher Confero Design

August 26, 2013 | editorial team

dark pink lavender light pink orange

Oh the colors in Laurel and Vince’s brilliant fall wedding in Alabama! The orange, fuchsia and pink florals, the romantic setting and the sweet Southern charm were beautifully brought together by the talented and charming Christopher Confero. And that wedding cake by Gia’s Cakes! Wow! Read on for fall wedding details you don’t want to miss!

The Couple: Laurel and Vince

The Wedding: 10.6.12 – Anniston Country Club, Anniston, Alabama

The Goals: We didn’t want to stress out too much about the details of the wedding day. We wanted to make sure that our family and friends enjoyed themselves and that we did too.

The Design: I wanted everything to have a classic romantic feel to it. I don’t have very modern taste. When Christopher Confero and I first met he asked really good questions that made me feel like he had an idea of what I was going for. He also had me make a Pinterest board where I pinned everything that flowed with my style. It was comforting to connect with a professional who was able to take my visions and make them reality. Plus, he helped us add a personal touch that made things actually mean something to us. For example, we worked with Sonia Davis to design a monogram for our wedding invitations that had laurel leaves in it for my name. Now we are actually expecting a little girl in November and we are using the same monogram with her initials in her nursery. Vince’s mother is really talented with design and she came up with the initial design for our wedding cake. There were layers that mimicked my dress, my wedding bands, our monogram, etc. Little personal touches like this made special memories for us to look back at rather than just so say those were our invitations or that was our cake.

The Look: I wanted to be comfortable and feel like myself. I went into Diane’s with the idea that I wanted a strapless dress with no beads, no lace, no crystals, no big train – just a simple dress that wouldn’t get in the way while I was dancing with my new husband. I was so thrilled to get just that. Keeping the dress simple made it easy to accessorize. I wore my mother’s pearls and some fabulous glittery Kate Spade shoes. My bridesmaids wore gorgeous one shoulder fuchsia gowns. The colors were so vibrant and pretty that day. I love looking at the photos.

The Moments: It is so hard to pick! My wedding day was so much fun for me from the time I woke up until we went to the airport for our honeymoon. I loved watching the backyard evolve as they worked at bringing in the flowers and setting up for the ceremony. I also had a good bit of downtime with family and bridesmaids while we were all getting ready that was really special. I would say the most memorable moment for me was saying our vows. We were so blessed to be able to have a close friend officiate our wedding and I think having someone we were so comfortable with made us really able to focus on each other and what we were promising, rather than everything going on around us. I have watched the video of our ceremony so many times and I never can make it through without tearing up.

The Advice: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Planning a wedding is overwhelming and it is easy to let it get to you. If you’re able to hire a wedding planner, do it! I had no idea what a relief it would be having someone there to help throughout the planning process. Christopher worked with wedding professionals that he knew he could trust and that was great. There are so many choices and it is nice to know you’re working with someone that has proved themselves in the past. I think our biggest wedding planning success was having a carefree wedding day. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t stress along the way, but that day was perfect. We were both so happy and had such a wonderful time with the people we love.