WEDDING BLOG

This Florence Wedding at Villa La Vedetta is a Botanical Wonderland

December 17, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

It feels like our Junebug couples have been on an Italian destination wedding kick lately and, we have to say, we don’t mind it! Nikki and Colton started the beginning of their forever in one of the most romantic places on Earth and, putting all their trust in Exclusive Italy Weddings, they scored the Villa La Vedetta, which has one of the most gorgeous views in Florence. The garden feel of the venue inspired their neutral color palette and the floral-forward design that included high-low centerpieces, chair garlands, and an asymmetrical ceremony backdrop designed by Floralia. The soft pink, white, and gold palette added to the already elegant vibe of this day, and the couple’s chic style — the bride in a modern Ines Di Santo gown and the groom in a classy blue suit jacket from Bonobos — took that vibe to the next level. We’re so in love with all the images John David Weddings and Francesco Spighi captured of this Italian destination wedding, from the intimate garden ceremony to the guests’ late-night dip in the pool!

The Couple:

Nikki and Colton

The Wedding:

Villa La Vedetta, Florence, Italy

Colton and I are both lovers of Italian food and wine. Some of the most beautiful moments of our lives have happened when we were eating and drinking with people that we love. We wanted to create a one-of-a-kind Italian dining experience for guests at one big “family” table. After holding a traditional Aperitif hour in the garden, we had our dinner which was 3 courses seated, with wine pairings for each course.

We booked our venue sight unseen, putting full trust into our wedding planner. She assured us that Villa La Vedetta provided the flawless Italian backdrop that we were looking for paired with a renowned restaurant that would be sure to provide an amazing culinary experience for our guests. When we saw the photos online of the unbelievable view we were sold. Looking back on our wedding day, I couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else. The excellent location, fabulous panoramic views, great food, delicious wine, and lovely garden made it the perfect location for us. Our guests booked every room in the Villa so we were able to have the property exclusively for 3 days which made things so much fun!

“One size fits all” does not apply to weddings. There are so many different aspects of a wedding. Don’t be afraid to skip what is not important to you. Don’t waste your energy in traditional wedding steps if you don’t want them at your wedding. Focus on the parts that mean something to you instead of stressing about fitting in every tradition to check off a list.

The theme of the wedding was elegant simplicity, with a color palette of white, ivory, blush, olive green, and a touch of gold. The Villa has such lovely gardens and spectacular views that I did not want to stray from. I tried not to distract the guests from the beauty of the venue and the city around us.

Processional – “Canon in D” by Pachelbel (played by a live string quartet)
Recessional – “You Are The Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne (played by a live string quartet)
First Dance – “XO” by John Mayer

At around 3 AM when the DJ had finished playing the remaining guests, including Colton‘s father, decided to jump into the pool! I joined them in my wedding dress! Luckily our photographer was still around and he caught it all on camera! This is completely unplanned and unexpected but it was the most amazing way to end the night.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – John David Weddings
Second Photographer – Francesco Spighi
Event Planning – Exclusive Italy Weddings
Venue – Villa La Vedetta
Floral Design – Floralia
Officiant – Tuscanpledges
Live Music – Musica Evento
Videography – Marco Caputo Films
Stationery – Momental Designs
Hair and Makeup Artist – MakeupLady
Wedding Dress – Ines Di Santo
Groom’s Apparel – Bonobos
Rings – House of Brilliance

Congratulations to Nikki and Colton, and a special thanks to Junebug member photographer John David Weddings for sharing this Villa La Vedetta wedding! Love their floral-forward design? This New Orleans wedding at The Chicory is an ultra stylish floral explosion that you don’t want to miss!

California Summer Inspired Temecula Wedding at Tucalota Creek Ranch

December 16, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

coral dark blue kelly green light pink orange yellow

When we found out that Heidi and Josh’s wedding at Tucalota Creek Ranch included a “hooch hauler” and a Harley reception entrance, we were completely sold! Going for more a party vibe than a formal wedding, the couple worked with 9TwentyEight Weddings & Events to create a celebration worthy of their love — that was also budget-friendly and DIY-heavy. The couple treated their guests to an outdoor summer wedding that showcased the best of SoCal, complete with citrusy floral centerpieces designed by Bloom Babes, yard games, and the one-of-a-kind Hooch Hauler that the groom made especially for this occasion! Our words will never be able to do this wedding justice, so just do yourself a favor today and set aside lots of time to marvel at the pure wedding magic Alexes Lauren Photography captured in these photos!

The Couple:

Heidi and Josh

The Wedding:

Tucalota Creek Ranch, Temecula, California

We both had our hearts set on an extended honeymoon in Europe and had even considered eloping at one point since neither of us was drawn to the more traditional style of a wedding. With our honeymoon travel plans on the top of our priority list, and our hopes to grow our family soon, we agreed we wanted to keep a very reasonable budget and think of our special day as one where we could celebrate and enjoy so many people we love dearly all in one place at one time. We envisioned a party to kick off the next chapter of our lives together and used our budget constraints to encourage us to get creative in our wedding design and decor.

We quickly decided on Tucalota Creek Ranch, in Temecula, which also happens to be Josh‘s parent’s property in wine country. The variety of picturesque areas on the property gave us the freedom to create a completely unique yet intentionally low-key wedding with the personalized vibe we had dreamed of.

Our close friend Ryan served as our officiant, and we encouraged him to completely surprise us and to feel free to be funny and lively. He worked in some hilarious fun facts about us which had the guests and us laughing through it all. We loved it!

I will never forget the moment when we were announced as husband and wife! There is one specific picture Alexes took right after we kissed and are about to walk back down the aisle, and every time I look at it I remember so clearly that feeling as if I might burst with happiness!

We knew from the very start that we wanted our big day to be more of a fun and eclectic party that happened to also be our wedding party. We set the tone from the start with Save the Dates that read “Free Drinks, and a Wedding on the Side.” We wanted a completely unique event, with an intentionally low-key vibe, yet creative and personal to us.

The decor was inspired by my obsession with lemons, bright colored wildflowers, and summer nights enjoyed under the stars. I definitely wanted an abundance of color and floral arrangements that were a bit more unkempt. The girls from Bloom Babes absolutely made my vision perfection with a romantically messy bouquet of colorful flowers that even included kumquats. The farm tables were lined with delicate loose greens, fresh cut citrus, candles, and a variety of potted herbs.

A special surprise for our guests was the reveal of the Hooch Hauler — a fully functional mobile bar built by Josh from an abandoned horse trailer left at his parents’ ranch. The result of many “work weekends” and an expensive ER bill (when Josh nearly cut his finger off), it was truly a passion project that we are so proud of. It was one of the many unique DIY additions that made our day authentically us!

One other surprise was at our reception when we rode out on a Harley, which was originally gifted from Josh‘s Mother to his Father for their 25th wedding Anniversary. The guests told us later that they all guessed that we would ride out on a horse since the ranch is an active horse ranch which boards and trains many horses, so it was fun to completely surprise them with something that was unexpected and also a sweet nod to my husband’s parents!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Alexes Lauren Photography
Event Planning – 9TwentyEight Weddings & Events
Venue – Tucalota Creek Ranch
Floral Design – Bloom Babes
Catering – Harvest Kitchen
DJ – The Creative Music DJ
Videography – Prince Weddings
Makeup Artist – Beach Bridal Beauty
Hair Styling – Genna Khein
Wedding Dress – Love & Lace Bridal Salon
Rentals – Rustic Events
Mobile Bar – Hooch Hauler

Congratulations to Heidi and Josh, and a big thanks to Alexes Lauren Photography for sharing this incredible wedding at Tucalota Creek Ranch with Junebug! Love these cool California vibes? Then you’ll love this colorful and crafty California wedding at The Living Desert!

Get Your Boho Beachy Vibes Fill from This Seal Beach Pier Wedding Inspiration

December 15, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

brown champagne ivory orange sage green

Macrame and gold table decor? Check. Asymmetrical floral and pipe ceremony backdrop? Check. Two gorgeous Watters wedding gowns? Check and check! This Seal Beach Pier wedding has all the dreamy boho wedding goodness you could hope for, and it was all captured in impeccable detail by the oh-so-talented Dearly Beloved Photography. From the ceremony in the garden to the sweetheart table under the pier to the sandy sunset portraits, Events by Dish and the team of vendors left no detail unattended in creating a beachy wedding inspiration that would be perfect for any summer-loving, boho bride!