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Elegant Black, White and Pink Dessert Filled Wedding – By Top Wedding Planner Mindy Weiss

June 5, 2012 | editorial team

Full of elegant touches and loads of sugar, Erica and Adi had the “sweetest” wedding celebration… literally. They had a huge dessert table filled with every treat imaginable including cake pop favors and a “Love is Sweet” theme. Desserts were naturally an integral part of the day since Erica owns Sweet E’s Bake Shop, and her passions, along with help from the expert team at Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, made this sophisticated by fun-loving wedding a sweet tooth’s delight! Enjoy these amazing photographs by Duke Photography, and the wedding planning story from bride Erica herself.

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

The Couple: Erica and Adi

The Wedding: 11.12.11 – St. Regis, Monarch Beach Dana Point, CA

What three adjectives best describe your wedding? Magical, fun and unforgettable

What was your wedding color palette? We used a classic black and white palate with touches of pink and silver.

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

What inspired your personal wedding style, and how did you incorporate your style and personalities into your big day? When we saw the St. Regis hotel we immediately fell in love. The elegance, glamour and sophistication of the hotel was exactly the style of wedding we wanted. From there we added our own personal touches to make the decor unique to us. I love sparkle and girly, pretty things, so there were touches of pink, shimmer and rhinestones on everything. We also did a few fun things like our own drink specials that were passed out at the reception. Adis drink was a Rum Punch and mine was a Kiwi-Tini.

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Looking back, what are the moments, decisions or memories that you love the most about your wedding? We really focused on making the wedding weekend personal to us. The wedding was about our love for one another and we made sure to focus on that. The planning was over and everything was set, so we made sure to relax and enjoy our wedding weekend. The first time we saw each other dressed and ready was such a magical moment. From then on we felt like we were in a dream. Walking down the isle I felt so many loving eyes on me; the love in the room was incredible. Our ceremony was beautiful and felt so intimate, even though there were 250 other people there. Adi’s dad married us, which really made the ceremony so personal and special. We also wrote our own vows which was so romantic; a keepsake we will have forever. Throughout the entire night we just kept reminding each other that we were at our own wedding. It was such a surreal experience and we tried to take in every moment.

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

What piece of advice would you give to a bride planning her wedding today? Video and photography are so important! Everyone says that after the big day, all you are left with are the memories. It is so true!!! All your hard work of planning goes by in an instant. So loving your photographer and videographer is SO important. Our photographer, Duke, was the first vendor we booked and his photos inspired us throughout our wedding planning process. Now that the wedding is over we are so happy that we have such incredible photos and video to look back on for the rest of our lives.

Looking back, do you have a favoriteproject or successful decor idea from your wedding? Tell us wha tyou loved about it! I own a bake shop in Los Angeles called Sweet Es Bake Shop. We do weddings for other couples all year long ,so now that it was my turn I really wanted to go all out. Sweet Es is so much a part of our lives it just seemed fitting to make the sweets an integral part of our wedding. We set the tone for the entire event with the theme Love is Sweet. Printed on the save-the-dates, stamps, welcome bags, favors, itineraries, and more, Love is Sweet was a theme throughout our entire wedding weekend. The sweets started with the welcome bags where we had chocolate covered oreos with our monogram. Then at the rehearsal dinner the sweets continued with heart photo cookies on every plate, a dessert table, and a surprise groom’s cake. The groom’s cake was a life size cake in the shape of our two dogs, Luna and Cody. It was truly the most amazing cake we have done! Plus, it was a very sweet surprise for Adi. 

At the wedding, guests were served a trio of wedding cake flavors. We couldnt choose our favorite flavors, so we chose three of our favorite flavors and each guest got to taste a bite of each – blue velvet, molten chocolate chip, and white chocolate raspberry champagne. Then, for the big finale we did a huge dessert table full of all our favorite sweets: cupcakes, cake pops, chocolate pretzels, chocolate marshmallows, peanut butter bliss, cheesecake bites….the list goes on. We also matched the decorations of all the sweets to our color scheme and added shimmer and rhinestones wherever I could. For our wedding favors each guest left with a gift box of two bride and groom decorated cake pops with a heart shaped note that read Thank you for sharing the sweetest moment of our lives.

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

Sparkling Southern California wedding at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, planned by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants, photographed by Duke Images

The Wedding Team:

Photographer: Duke Photography
Event Planner: Mindy Weiss
Ceremony/Reception Venue: Monarch Beach Resort
Videographer/Film Maker: Vidicam Productions
Officiant: Rabbi Norbert Weinberg
Invitation Designer: 2HeartsB1
Catering: Someone’s in the Kitchen
Florist: Tic Tock
Wedding Cake and Dessert Table: Sweet E’s Bake Shop
Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Bridal Accessories: Stuart Weitzman
Bridemsaids’ Apparel: Monique Lhuillier
Groom and Groomsment Apparel: Groom – Theory, Groomsmen – Friar Tux
Make-up: Jeanine Canter
Live Music: West Coast Music
Favors: Sweet E’s Bake Shop
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Rings: Zadok Jewelers

 

Thank you so much for sharing your extra sweet wedding with us! Best wishes!

Craving something sugary? Check out the Cakes and Food section of our Inspiration Gallery!

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Junebug’s NEW Men’s Wear Wedding Fashion Report! – Photographed by J. Garner Studios

June 4, 2012 | editorial team

Junebug's new Men's Wear for Weddings Fashion Report, photographed by J. Garner Studios

It’s an exciting day here at Junebug – we’re unveiling our newest Fashion Report: The Groom – six sharp looks for the modern man!

We’ve always been big supporters of grooms on our website – from the Groom 101 wedding planning tips and honeymoon destination ideas in our Groombug section to blog posts about gifts for groomsmen and amazing men’s portraiture on our blogs, we believe wedding planning is important to everyone, the guys included!

For this new Fashion Report we wanted to showcase a variety of dashing, timeless looks that any man would love, so we partnered with the experts at Nordstrom Weddings to come up with looks that range from classic tuxedo to modern hipster chic. The whole shoot was photographed by the amazingly talented team at J. Garner Studios, with makeup by Erin Skipley, and boutonnieres by Ravenna Bloom, Woodland Flowers and Garden Party Flowers. Take a peek at these sample photos here, jump over to our Fashion Report section to see the full feature, and read on to learn some great men’s wedding fashion advice from Nordstrom’s National Bridal Director, Andrea Wasserman!

 

Junebug's new Men's Wear for Weddings Fashion Report, photographed by J. Garner Studios

While working on putting together this new Fashion Report, I was lucky enough to get to chat with Nordstrom’s National Bridal Director, Andrea Wasserman, and get her advice on men’s wedding day fashion…

Christy: As Nordstrom’s National Bridal Director you must see wedding fashion from so many different perspectives – how do you recommend people approach choosing their wedding fashion differently (or similarly) than their everyday fashion?

Andrea: On your wedding day, you want to feel like a more special version of yourself – not like someone else! Consider pushing the boundaries of your everyday look a little bit. If you’re a suit-and-tie guy, try a bow tie. But going the other way and skipping a jacket altogether might be too much for you.

 

Christy: Let’s talk men’s wear; what do you think of as today’s classic, timeless wedding look for men? How about a more modern approach for a younger, more relaxed groom?

Andrea: If you’ve always envisioned a groom in a classic tux and your event is going to be formal, that’s still a great direction to go. But if you’re going for a different vibe, or don’t feel a tux is the right investment for you, I love a two-button trim fit suit with a shorter jacket and a narrow tie. Depending on the color palette for the day, a medium gray (even a subtle plaid) can be beautiful for a softer, less formal look.

Junebug's new Men's Wear for Weddings Fashion Report, photographed by J. Garner Studios

Christy: What are some basic fit and style tips for men’s wear that will help pull any look together?

Andrea: So much of looking and feeling great all day is about the fit. Don’t underestimate the importance of a fantastic tailor. And while miracles can be pulled off, don’t leave alterations until the last minute. To make it all easier, avoid buying any jacket that doesn’t fit well in the shoulders. And to make sure you end up with the right size, try the jacket size you think you are, and then try a size down. Mixing it up with a non-white shirt or a patterned tie will offer a less traditional look.

 

Christy: What are some easy ways for men to add personality to their wedding look?

Andrea: Try a pant cuff, and make it wide enough to count. Or pick out a quirky sock, and hem the pants a little shorter to show some ankle. If that’s too much for you, talk to your florist about a twist on the classic boutonnière or add a pocket square or tie pin.

Junebug's new Men's Wear for Weddings Fashion Report, photographed by J. Garner Studios

Christy: Are there men’s accessories you’re loving right now, that would be fun in a groom or groomsman’s wedding day look?

Andrea: I’m a fan of the pocket square! One that complements the bridesmaid dresses and bouquets, but doesn’t draw too much attention and isn’t completely matchy-matchy.

 

Christy: Any additional words of advice to a man looking for the perfect wedding attire?

Andrea: Work with a person and store who will help you put your whole look together and make sure you have every piece you need. The last thing you want is to buy the suit at one place, troll around the web for a bow tie and then carry it all around to find a coordinating shirt. The complimentary stylists in the Nordstrom Wedding Suite work with men as well as with women so they’ll put together head-toe-looks for the entire wedding party, make sure you have everything you need and coordinate on-site alterations.

Thank you so much Andrea!

Readers, check out our full Fashion Report, get more wedding planning tips for guys in our Groombug section, and be sure to visit NordstromWeddings.com to see all the wedding fashion options for you and your whole bridal party!

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Midsummer Night’s Dream Wedding in Vermont From Viera Photographics – Robyn and Scott

June 1, 2012 | editorial team

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

Robyn and Scott planned a magical, nature-inspired Midsummer Night’s Dream wedding filled with personal style and significance. From the 25 pies Robyn’s mom baked, to the sun breaking through the storm clouds just in time for her walk down the aisle (as if her dad were right there!), each lovely moment of the day was captured by Viera Photographics’ unique and talented eye! I’m so glad that Robyn graciously shared their wedding story with us today.

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

The Goals: From Robyn – We wanted our wedding day to feel organic and natural, to have a feeling of escape like at a music festival or nature camp, to be a night that felt magical and very true to us. The music was very important. We really wanted a real band, not just a “wedding” band. And of course, we wanted to have an absolute blast!

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

The Design: In hindsight, I realize that anytime I had a very distinct vision and desire, it always ended up being the right choice. The food, the dress, my decision to walk myself down the aisle (holding a place for my deceased father). Our ceremony was held outside and the reception under a tent. We used “nature” as our color palette for a very Midsummer Night’s Dream look with an element of fantasy. A high point of the reception were our pies. My mom baked 25 pies for the reception! Her pies were always my favorite growing up and I wanted everyone to know what an amazing baker (and mother) she was. I wanted to give her a chance to shine. She wanted to kill me for making her bake 25 pies though!

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

The Look: I was always inspired by Sex and the City, when Carrie is in Paris waiting for Aleksandr in her Versace “Mille Feuille Dress” (a thousand layers). That was the image I always had in the back of my mind and I felt so lucky to pull it off. I’ve always been one to go outside the box so a dove gray dress from Escada felt perfect. I also envisioned a headpiece with feathers that matched my own hair tones. I wasn’t sure I would be able to find it but I wandered into an East Village shop, Gallery Vercon, and found Vashti de Verteuil. She is this incredible and sweet designer who searched high and low for the exact right feathers. Feather by feather we designed the piece together.

I told my girls they could chose any color they found in nature; cream, sand, dust, stone, greens, grays. It ended up working out perfectly. I wanted it to feel very Midsummer Night’s Dream, with everyone standing in the woods and looking like they matched but still with a feeling of something magical happening. I did make sure they all wore wedges though, sinking in the grass all night is no fun!

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

The Moments: My father passed away when I was 17 and I knew this would be a hard day for me without him. The weather was crazy and unpredictable; a torrential downpour one minute, windy and sunny the next. I kept saying I just wanted the photos and ceremony outside. There was no sun at “go time”, but when I stepped out of the inn ready to walk down the aisle the sun came out and shone on my face. I knew it was my father. He was there the whole time.

We also had so many romantic moments on our wedding day. The first time Scott saw me in my dress was incredible. My mom made me so nervous that he wouldn’t be 100% happy because I wasn’t wearing white and urged me to tell him ahead of time. When he saw me, he thought the dress was so remarkable and perfect for me. I knew I had made the right decision. Also, saying our vows was romantic! Hearing Scott say those words and being so unabashedly him and endearing. It was beautiful. Also getting to eat the amazing farm to table food was pretty romantic in my book. As a health coach and cooking teacher, I think food is sooooo important. People still tell us our food was not just some of the best wedding food they’ve ever had but the best food!

The Pros: For more information about the talented team that helped create this romantic day, please visit Robyn and Scott’s page in our Real Wedding Library!

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

 

sweet Vermont country wedding at the Hermitage Inn on Junebug Weddings - photos by top Orange County wedding photographers Viera Photographics

Thank you for sharing your romantic and sweet day with us Robyn and Scott, and thank you to Viera Photographics for sharing your incredible work!

Readers, for more inspirational real wedding stories, please visit our Real Wedding Library, and to see another recent wedding from Viera Photographics, take a peek at the ultra-stylish winter wedding in Lake Tahoe that we published earlier this week!!

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Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings