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This Romantic Hummingbird Nest Ranch Wedding Felt Intimate Despite a Large Guest List

April 18, 2020 | Junebug Weddings

Ashley and Tyler’s romantic Hummingbird Nest Ranch wedding has our hearts skipping a beat! When this couple was searching for their venue, they knew they wanted all the magical vibes and many areas for their guests to enjoy. The even created a fun pre-ceremony cocktail hour so their friends and family could enjoy with them even longer! Every detail was executed with perfection thanks to the help of their rockstar planners Moments 2 Memories Events, who helped pull together the team that made this day something out of a Pinterest board. We’re obsessed with the rentals from A Rental Connection and Edge Design & Decor, incredible floral arrangements Penelope Pots Floral & Event Design created, and every photo Arina B Photography captured of this ultra-romantic Hummingbird Nest Ranch wedding!

The Couple:

Ashley & Tyler

The Wedding:

Hummingbird Nest Ranch, Santa Susana, California

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RECOMMENDED READING: 7 Wedding Dress Trends for 2020

I was initially having trouble finding an outdoor wedding venue within the SoCal area that wasn’t a ranch or a beach. I knew that we both wanted something totally magical and different. We wanted something that we could create to be our own, that was easily accessible for our guests, and that didn’t have too many rules or regulations. When we found Hummingbird Nest Ranch, we knew it was perfect! It provided so many different areas that we could chose from to have each part of the wedding day at. From there, we curated each main event- the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception to be exactly how we envisioned it in our minds. We even had a pre-cocktail hour, which took place before the ceremony, for guests to have a quick bite to eat and a drink before the festivities began.

We surprisingly did a lot of DIY for our wedding! Our invitations, signage, and table numbers were all designed and created by the two of us! We had so much fun creating such unique pieces for our wedding day, we actually began a small signage business shortly afterwards. Everyone was so surprised to hear we made all of those things ourselves by hand! It made it that much more special and intimate to be receiving compliments on those aspects of our day.

The most memorable part of the day was reading our vows to one another. We both wrote our own unique vows and that was so special to hear for the first time for both of us.

Our wedding colors were dusty rose, navy blue, burgundy, splashes of gold, and lots of greenery! Although we were having a summer wedding, I wanted our colors to set the tone of the elegance of the occasion, without being too bold or taking over! Pink is my favorite color so I definitely wanted to incorporate that with a soft dusty rose in the florals and design elements.

 

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Arina B Photography
Event Planning – Moments 2 Memories Events
Wedding Venue – Hummingbird Nest Ranch
Floral Design – Penelope Pots Floral & Event Design
Catering – Sason Catering
Dessert – Churro Bar
Bar – Salute Bar Events
DJ – DJ Sepo
Videography – One Story Weddings
Invitation Design & Signage – Tash Design Co
Makeup Artist – Cheek to Cheek Artistry
Hair Styling – Julie Grimmet
Wedding Dress – Watters
Groom’s Apparel – The Black Tux
Rentals – A Rental Connection
Additional Rentals – Edge Design & Decor

 

Congratulations, Ashley and Tyler, and many thanks to Junebug member Moments 2 Memories Events for sharing their day with us! If you love the work Moments 2 Memories Events did for this day, be sure to check out their page in our directory of the world’s best wedding planners.

 

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This Unbelievably Dreamy Fairmount Park Horticulture Center Wedding Gave Guests Garden Vibes Without Weather Worries

May 22, 2019 | Junebug Weddings

Elisabeth and Ethan brought the outdoors in for their Fairmount Park Horticultural Center wedding, and we can’t stop smiling! The Styled Bride infused the couple’s love of travel and their love of flowers with rustic and vintage furniture for a design that was equal parts modern and timeless. Devon & Pinkett went above and beyond with the spring-inspired floral designs, in addition to making one of the most charming travel-inspired escort card displays we’ve seen! From the sweet first look in downtown Philly to the intimate greenhouse reception, Pat Robinson Photography beautifully captured every angle of Elisabeth and Ethan’s spring wedding!

The Couple:

Elisabeth and Ethan

The Wedding:

Fairmount Park Horticultural Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We were planning our wedding a year in advance in a different country, so we knew it was crucial to have a great team of vendors that we could trust and who could collaborate well with each other. Through Skype interviews, reading blogs, and scrolling through Instagram, we eventually decided on each vendor based on how well we communicated, on their unique creativity, and on how they were able to see and truly understand our vision for our wedding. We wanted to make sure that our wedding was reflective of who we were and what was important to us, and we definitely felt that we chose the right people to carry out our vision.

Both of us had always loved the idea of an outdoor ceremony, filled with flowers, green foliage, and natural light. However, we knew that early April weather would be unpredictable. In fact, a week before our wedding, it was set to snow on our wedding date (luckily, it didn’t!). We are beyond happy that we chose the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center because it had everything we wanted, from the gorgeous natural light to the surrounding flowers and plants, all while keeping us warm from the chilly weather outside. And the pictures ended up looking absolutely gorgeous!

During our ceremony and after we exchanged our vows, we intentionally took some time to turn to our parents in a moment of thanksgiving. As our musicians played soft music, we read prepared letters to each of our parents, to honor and thank them for years of love and support. It was definitely a tearful event and something very meaningful to both of us.

Our personalized escort card display was designed so beautifully by Devon & Pinkett. An important aspect of our relationship has always been travel, and so we wanted to incorporate that theme into our display. The escort cards were shaped like luggage tags, and they were pinned onto three framed vintage maps of the three cities that are most significant to us: Boston, Shanghai, and Taipei. We’ve traveled to each of these cities together and each one holds meaningful memories for our relationship. The display was complete with floating frames, hanging greenery, vintage luggage cases, and accented florals.

It can be so easy to get caught up in the wedding planning process, in thinking about the aesthetic details or what people expect of you. When it comes down to it, your wedding is simply a celebration of your lifelong commitment to one another! Your wedding day honestly goes by so quickly — choose to find the simple joys throughout the entire day and don’t sweat the small stuff!

Processional – “O Come to the Altar” by Elevation Worship (performed by our close friends Hannah Kim & Andrew Kerhoulas)
Recessional – “Paradise” by George Ezra
First Dance – “Easily” by Bruno Major

For our wedding favors, we offered succulent cupcakes by Nutmeg Cake Design. They were absolutely delicious and life-like; so many of our guests specially mentioned them to us afterward. It was a small lovely touch that fit right into the greenery in Fairmount Horticulture Center, and made our guests feel appreciated!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Pat Robinson Photography
Event Planning – The Styled Bride
Venue – Fairmount Park Horticultural Center
Floral Design – Devon & Pinkett
Catering – Constellation Culinary
Cake – Nutmeg Cake Design
DJ – Lovesick
Videography – Willow Tree Films
Stationery – Papertree Studio
Makeup Artist – Beke Beau
Hair Styling – Amanda D’Andrea Hair
Wedding Dress – Monique Lhuillier
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Jenny Yoo
Groom’s Apparel – ISAIA
Groomsmen’s Apparel – The Black Tux
Favors – Nutmeg Cake Design
Escort Card Display – Devon & Pinkett
Signs and Calligraphy – JLiu & Co.
Photo Booth – Poser Photobooth Co.

 

Congratulations to Elisabeth and Ethan, and a huge thanks to Junebug member Pat Robinson Photography for sharing this incredible Fairmount Park Horticultural Center wedding! For more from this talented photographer, check out this minimalist garden wedding at Terrain at Styer’s!

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With No Bride, These Stylish Grooms Invited Their Guests to Wear White to Their Four Seasons Resort Orlando Wedding

May 15, 2019 | Junebug Weddings

Inspired by the all-white party in the movie White Chicks — yes, you read that correctly — Nick and Grant’s all-white Four Seasons Resort Orlando wedding was visually stunning! Pixies & Petals helped bring the couple’s vision to life, using all-white florals and linens alongside accents of greenery and natural textures, to create a look that was simultaneously elegant and understated. The grooms both wore navy blue suits from Suit Supply, which looked striking against their guests’ all-white attire. And, in keeping with the non-traditional feel of the day, they even included their fur babies in the ceremony! We can’t say enough about this beautiful wedding and these fantastic photos captured by Matthew Schueller Photography!

The Couple:

Nick and Grant

The Wedding:

Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Florida

What was most important when planning our wedding was keeping the ceremony and reception space as simple as possible. The venue itself is so beautiful that we didn’t want to overdo it. For us, we wanted our wedding to embody the idea of less is more. We wanted our guests to feel like they were in a fairytale, and we think we did just that.

With our wedding already being non-traditional in every way, we were able to personalize our wedding to fit exactly what we wanted. We had our father walk each of our two dogs down the aisle while we each separately walked down the aisle with our mothers. This allowed us to involve every family member — even the ones with paws and a tail! We also had Grant‘s 19-year-old sister officiate the wedding, with our wedding being the first she had ever attended. She was amazing!

Getting married to the love of your life is not about all the money you’ve spent or the plans that you made. It is about creating an unbreakable bond that will last a lifetime in front of the people you love. Remember that your special day is about that person you chose to walk down the aisle with. Whether you have to swim through a river of rain or skip through the sunshine, remember to control what you can control and everything will be just fine.

The most memorable part of the day was when we sat down for dinner. That was our first opportunity to take a step back and appreciate all of our hard work and time spent planning our big day. As we sat there, we couldn’t help but smile and giggle at one another as we witnessed something so incredibly special, it makes us happy just thinking about it. We overlooked a beautiful terrace filled with love, laughter, and most importantly family. Our smaller separate families magically turned into one big family and upon that realization, we knew that our 5 years of ups and downs, twists and turns were all worth it in the end!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Matthew Schueller Photography
Event Planning and Floral Design – Pixies & Petals
Venue – Four Seasons Resort Orlando
DJ – Power Entertainment
Videography – byDesign Films
Stationery – Paper Source
Hair and Makeup Artist – Danis Johnson
Grooms’ Apparel – Suit Supply
Rings – David Yurman
Favors – William Dean Chocolates
Seating Chart/Chalkboard – Two Peas Designs
Pet Care – Fairytail Pet Care

 

Congratulations, Nick and Grant, on the beginning of forever and on this incredible Four Seasons Resort Orlando wedding! Love the idea of an all-white wedding? This couple played up the California desert hues with an all-white wedding at Wolf Feather Honey Farm!

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We Can’t Get Over the Epic Views and Neutral Hues in This 320 Guest Ranch Montana Wedding

November 6, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

We don’t know many couples who would book a venue unseen in a state they’ve never been but, for Jess and Greg, that gamble paid off big-time for their Montana wedding at 320 Guest Ranch! Between the wide-open mountain valley views and the raging river beside their reception tent, the homegrown ranch could not have been more perfect for their laid-back wedding. Katalin Green not only helped plan this epic day but created the prettiest floral arrangements in neutral shades that added elegance to the rustic feel. In keeping with a more casual vibe, Jess looked gorgeous in a Grace Loves Lace dress, which she paired with a simple flower crown and wildflower bouquet. No detail was overdone but the overall look and emotion Katherine Joy Photography & Video captured in these photos was simply stunning.

The Couple:

Jess and Greg

The Wedding:

320 Guest Ranch, Big Sky, Montana

We personalized our ceremony in so many ways! My uncle learned how to play “Healing” by Rebelution on the guitar and sang it at the beginning of the ceremony. We stood on a sacred bison hide and our officiant performed a sage ceremony before the actual ceremony so we could actually stand on it. My mother also wheeled our 11-month-old daughter in a wagon and we wrote our own vows. (We also made out for a long time during our first kiss, which we didn’t realize was abnormal until attending other weddings afterward!)

We wanted a destination wedding but not somewhere tropical. We had never been to Montana and decided the best way to get us there was to book a venue sight unseen plan a wedding there. We booked it and then flew out there in January and, even though it was covered in snow, we knew it would be perfect!

Our first dance was the most memorable part of the day! Greg signed us up for dance lessons, and we went twice a week for the two months leading up to our wedding. When the band played our first dance, we forgot everything we had been taught and just started hysterically laughing along with everyone watching us. It was so bad it was good!

The Wedding Team:

Photography and Videography – Katherine Joy Photography & Video
Event Planning and Floral Design – Katalin Green
Venue – 320 Guest Ranch
Cake – Sweet Pea Bakery
Live Music – Eleven Dollar Bills Band
Stationery – Paper Source
Wedding Dress – Grace Loves Lace
Groom’s Apparel – Joseph Abboud
Rings – Brilliant Earth
Cigars – 406 Cigars

 

Congratulations to Jess and Greg, and a special thanks to Junebug member Katherine Joy Photography & Video for sharing this lovely 320 Guest Ranch wedding! Need to see more gorgeous mountain wedding inspiration? Grab your tissues for this impossibly sweet Rocky Mountain National Park elopement!

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This Couple Treated Their Out-of-Town Guests to a Quintessentially Texas Wedding at Jacoby’s Restaurant and Mercantile

August 30, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

If down-home country vibes and relaxed elegance are your jam, you’re going to love Emma and Luke’s wedding at Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile. Because so many of their guests were flying over from London, the couple planned an entire week of activities to celebrate their beloved Texas home, which culminated in their wedding at a ranch-to-table restaurant that accommodated their ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Although most of the decor belonged to the restaurant itself, Pollen Floral Art added vibrant blooms of bouquets, centerpieces, and sign adornments that added the perfect pop of color to the outdoor rustic venue. Nikk Nguyen Photo nailed it in capturing the unique vibe and unbelievably beautiful moments of this quintessentially Texas wedding day!

The Couple:

Emma and Luke

The Wedding:

Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile, Austin, Texas

We had a lot of people flying in from London and abroad, so we really wanted the vibe of the wedding to be relaxed and focused on people having fun. We had a whole week of activities planned and we didn’t adhere to strict traditions. We danced and laughed more than cried, but that’s our vibe!

My uncle was our officiant, and he was quirky and perfect. The ceremony was super short — about 8 mins — and everyone just stood around us (no chairs). We also came out to fun songs and we had beers and a signature cocktail ready for people as they arrived.

Jacoby’s was perfect for us because we could have the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and party all in one small space (but still have different areas for each part of the day). It was also ideal because the restaurant is designed and styled well by their owners, so I could use their decorations as my own.

It was unseasonably warm in Austin (about 90 in May) and so by the end of the DJ sets it was pretty hot and sweaty, half the men ended up taking their shirts off and dancing around to “Shout” when Luke and I were on stage with the band. We could see everyone smiling and laughing their heads off.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Nikk Nguyen Photo
Day-Of Coordinator – Thoroughly Polished
Venue – Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile
Floral Design – Pollen Floral Art
Dessert – Round Rock Donuts
DJ and Live Music – Love & Happiness
Makeup Artist – By Laura Martinez
Hair Styling – Hair by Kelsie
Wedding Dress – Made with Love Bridal
Groom’s Apparel – Capra & Cavelli
Rentals – BeeLavish
Calligraphy – Adriane Sam Lettering
Photo Booth – Vannagram

 

Congratulations to Emma and Luke, and a special thanks to Junebug member Nikk Nguyen Photo for sharing this charming Texas wedding at Jacoby’s Restaurant & Mercantile! Love the vibrant pops of color they used? Get ready to be blown away by this colorful and classy Palm Springs wedding at The Bougainvillea Estate!

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75 Guests Enjoyed the Vintage Vibes at This Austin Wedding at The Carrington

August 28, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

With thrift store finds and personal treasures from their own home, Rae and Christian created the wedding of every vintage-lovers dreams for their big day at The Carrington. Their outdoor ceremony and reception were as intimate as could be, featuring mismatched furniture, a macrame ceremony arch, vintage rugs, colorful glass vases, and a VW bus provided by Vannagram & Co. that made for some seriously sweet couple portraits captured by From the Daisies. The couple followed their vintage vibe all the way through to their fashion choices, as well, with Rae donning a high-neck lace dress from Unbridaled and gold coin headpiece and Christian rocking a burgundy suit, floral print shirt and tie, and fedora hat.

The Couple:

Rae and Christian

The Wedding:

The Carrington, Austin, Texas

From the bride: During planning, I gave so much attention to the reception that I didn’t even think about the ceremony affected me as much as it did. I remember sitting in the 1979 Volkswagen bus, listening to the engine sputter with a slight smell of gasoline, waiting by myself in the back of the bus to be driven around to the ceremony, thinking this it, take this moment in, and that’s just what I did. Even with doing the first look there is nothing like walking down the aisle seeing your husband-to-be standing up there. From stepping out of that bus to writing our own vows to dancing down the aisle to one of our favorite songs “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as newlyweds while flower petals were thrown at us, the ceremony by far was the most memorable.

From the groom: By far was watching Rae walk down the aisle. Nothing else I’ve done feels as significant as that moment.

I love my wedding dress story! I went to try on dresses on a whim one day after work and found the dress. But, because it had an expensive price tag, I knew I better keep looking. I went to a few other stores with no luck. Discouraged, I told my now husband that I was just going to have to get that dress. It was the one, and I was starting to feel defeated. Days into feeling unsure on what to do, I got an email from Unbridaled saying it was the last day I could order the dress because it was going to be discontinued. At that point, I had made my mind up it was the dress. Of course, I opened my email a day late. I called them frantically hoping I could still get the dress ordered. The answer was no, but the floor model was available to purchase for 50 % off. I swear I think of all the dresses I tried on it was one of the only ones that actually fit! It was truly meant to be. It was the dress I wanted, and it just worked out. 

With a guest list of 75 we wanted to keep the venue on the more intimate quaint side. We loved the vintage feel from the old building, and the backyard feeling from the courtyard. With no rain we did both the ceremony and reception outside, which we loved getting to dance under the stars and the lit bulb string lights. We liked having the indoor option just in case it did decide to rain.

We basically moved everything that was in our house to the wedding to decorate. Our house was very sparse looking from taking everything from dishes we had been collecting from thrift stores to the rugs lying on the floor to pictures hanging off the wall. The vibe of the wedding came very naturally to us. Loved having used items that we get to look at on the daily.

Processional – “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles (instrumental) and “Top of the World” by The Carpenters
Recessional – “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
First Song – “February Seven” by The Avett Brothers

The colors came from this an embroidered piece of artwork that hangs in our living room. I found the piece a few years ago from an estate sale. Who knew that one day it would be the inspiration piece to the whole wedding. Even the invitations were inspired by this piece. It hung behind us while we were cutting the cake.

We wanted to do something different, which is hard to do sometimes. I am a sucker for a photo booth at any party. However, they can be very expensive. Thought of combining the favors and our idea of a “photo booth” into one with having an event sketch artist. This was a total hit. The guests loved getting to have their portrait drawn while getting a keepsake from our wedding.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – From the Daisies
Day-Of Coordinator – Pink Parasol
Venue – The Carrington
Floral Design – Blumen Floral Co.
Catering – Peached Tortilla
Cake – Sweet Treets Bakery
DJ – DJ Mike
Stationery – Celeste Clark
Wedding Dress – Unbridaled
Groom and Groomsmen’s Apparel – Express
Favors – Eva Duplan Illustrations
VW Bus – Vannagram & Co.

 

Congratulations to Rae and Christian, and a big thanks to From the Daisies for sharing this beautiful wedding at The Carrington with Junebug! Love the retro vibes of this wedding? Then you have to see how a flower child and a skateboarder tied the knot in this French wedding at Chateau de Zuthove!

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This Couple Made Sure Their Mexican-Inspired Wedding at Empire Polo Grounds Felt Intimate for Their 230 Guests

August 3, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

Perlita and Samuel’s California wedding at Empire Polo Grounds was a true celebration of Mexican culture that was bursting with color and elegance from beginning to end. Although their guest list was large, the feeling of the day was as intimate as could be. The couple and their planner, Fawn Events, paid special attention to every detail, from the hand-picked clay cups, tiles, and shot glasses from Mexico to the fruit that Rogue & Fox Floral Co. added to the floral design for a quaint dinner party look. And the vibrant, multidimensional color palette gave it an unmistakable party vibe! Alexandria Monette Photography captured every moment with the same care, attention, and creativity that went into crafting this gorgeous California wedding!

The Couple:

Perlita and Samuel

The Wedding:

Empire Polo Grounds, Indio, California

We wanted to make sure our wedding day felt like “us” and wanted all 230 of our guests to have a memorable day. We’re super close to our families and friends, we love to host, and we love a good celebration. It was also super important that our Mexican heritage was represented throughout the day. We incorporated a Mariachi for cocktail hour, Mexican tiles and clay cups that we handpicked in Rosarito, MX, and served both Mexican and American dishes throughout the evening.

From the groom: For me, the most memorable part of the day was watching Perlita walk through the church doors with her father. I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think about her sheer beauty when I saw her walking towards me! I still can’t believe I get to have her as my wife! 

From the bride: Our ceremony was honestly one of the more entertaining ceremonies I’d ever experienced. We got married in a Catholic church, and while most services are very formal and serious, our priest kept it personal, fun, and entertaining. It was the perfect way to start such a memorable day! Having my mother, who’s been a hairstylist for over 30 years, do my hair was also one of my favorite memories of the day. It was just so special to have those moments with her and have her play such a big role in getting me ready!

Our best advice is to make sure your wedding day feels like you and your partner. It’s easy to get tied up in trends, etiquette, and other people’s opinions but don’t focus too much on all of that. I was so worried during the planning that everything wouldn’t look super cohesive and I kept talking myself out of all my initial ideas. I wanted it to look and feel elegant, but I also just wanted a huge dance party with all of our family and friends. We brought in tons of candles and romantic florals with fresh fruits, including kumquats and pomegranates. We also kept things fun by including a percussionist with our DJ and confetti cannons during the open dancing part of the evening. 

Our second set of advice is to try to get vendors who have worked together in the past. Our coordinator connected us to our florist, photographer, lighting, and cake contact and we absolutely loved how they all worked together! Having seen what they had put together as a group in the past, I honestly trusted whatever they were going to make happen as on our wedding day.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Alexandria Monette Photography
Event Planning – Fawn Events
Ceremony Venue – Our Lady of Solitude
Reception Venue – Empire Polo Grounds
Floral Design – Rogue & Fox Floral Co.
Catering – Mr. Worldwide Catering
Cake – Elise Cakes
DJ – Happen
Hair Styling – International Hair Design
Wedding Dress – Calla Blanche
Rentals – La Piñata Rentals
Marquee Word, Farmhouse Tables, and String Lights – Lights for Nights
Photo Booth – Porty the Foto Booth Bus

 

Congratulations to Perlita and Samuel, and a special thanks to Alexandria Monette Photography for sharing this gorgeous wedding at Empire Polo Grounds with Junebug! Love this vibrant color palette? Then we think you’ll love this colorful Planet Bluegrass wedding in Lyons, Colorado!

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Sophisticated Tropical 20-Guest Wedding at Sanara Tulum

July 10, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

When Chloe and Sae asked 20 of their closest family and friends to fly around the world to Mexico for their wedding at Sanara Tulum, they knew they had to make it worth their while! The couple relied on the local expertise of Diana Romo Weddings to bring the couple’s beach wedding dreams to life and create an unforgettable experience for all their guests. With a ceremony on the beach featuring a stunning display of tropical greenery designed by Maria Limón and a cozy reception at the venue’s open-air restaurant that featured lounge seating areas, elegant tablescapes, healthy food options, and mini bottles of Patron for each guest, we think they nailed it! Photographer Melissa Marshall had a plethora of beautiful photo spots to choose from and made use of every single one, from the waterfront bar to the tropical jungle to the modern interior of the resort.

The Couple:

Chloe and Sae

The Wedding:

Sanara Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Sanara Tulum was the perfect place for a small group. Not many hotels could accommodate only 20 guests and our budget could not cover other larger venues that required at least 60-70 guests. Most hotels are only available when the entire hotel was reserved, but Sanara Tulum allowed us to reserve a part of spaces to accommodate our budget. Plus, it had a refined contemporary design that was balanced with tropical jungle surroundings.

If you plan a destination wedding in Tulum, we highly recommend you find the venue first thing! It’s not easy because you won’t see the spot in person unless you are from the area, so you’ll have to research extensively. Once you have the venue booked, ask if they can refer a wedding planner. That was how we found Diana’s team! Her team had planned plenty of wedding experiences, and they provided us with useful information throughout the entire process. It is never easy to plan a wedding without a planner, but especially when you plan a destination wedding. We were very lucky to work with Diana’s team!

Our guests were the most important part of planning our wedding. We kept it very small for close friends and families and they came from all around the world. We understand that it is not easy to fly around the world for a 1-day event. We truly appreciated that they all joined us in Mexico!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Melissa Marshall
Event Planning – Diana Romo Weddings
Venue – Sanara Tulum
Floral Design – Maria Limón
Cake – Zaida Marcos Sweet Boutique
DJ – Dulce Gómez Rullán
Stationery – Art + Alexander
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Zoe Elizabeth Makeup
Wedding Dress – Sarah Seven
Bridal Accessories – BHLDN
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Jenny Yoo
Groom’s Apparel – Suitsupply
Rings – Anna Sheffield
Rentals – Archive Rentals
Transportation – Your Cancun DMC
Welcome Bags – Imari Mexico

 

Congratulations to Chloe and Sae, and a big thanks to photographer Melissa Marshall for sharing this sophisticated Sanara Tulum wedding with Junebug! Thinking of having a destination wedding? Make sure you read our insights on what nobody tells you about planning a destination wedding before getting started!

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This Luxe Sunstone Winery Wedding Surprised Guests with a Legal Marijuana Lounge

May 6, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

After an epic engagement in Santorini, it was only fitting that Monica and Adam’s wedding at Sunstone Winery was equally romantic. So, to make the wedding weekend truly feel like a community experience, they invited all their guests to stay in the Italian-style villa for the entire weekend and showered them with love and attention from beginning to end. One of their most unique surprises were the lounge areas at the reception, which included a smoke lounge with hand-rolled favors for any guests over 21 to enjoy. Because Monica and Adam both work in the legal marijuana industry, it fit their personal vibe to include such a modern reception activity, and their planning team from Soleil Events made it fit in seamlessly with the timeless look and elegant feel of the rest of the decor. Alexandria Monette Photography knocked it out of the park in capturing every perfectly designed detail and every dreamy moment the couple spent in the vineyard after the ceremony.

The Couple:

Monica and Adam

The Wedding:

Sunstone Winery, Santa Barbara, California

From the photographer: Adam proposed to Monica in the most fairytale romantic way. Prior to their trip to Santorini, Greece, Adam found a planner who would set up the perfect proposal at the highest building on the coast of Santorini. He hired musicians, a private chef, a photographer, had their dinner table decorated and even hired “extras” to stand in as pretend hotel guests in the abandoned building so that Monica wouldn’t catch onto his plan. He proposed at the top of that building overlooking the Aegean Sea. Their love for travel to beautiful places led them to Sunstone Villa in the hills of Santa Barbara on a gorgeous summer day for their celebration. They were inspired by the moody + sophisticated vibe that an Italian Villa can represent and wanted their wedding to feel like a destination celebration.

There are so many amazing wedding trends out there that we’d love to indulge in, but we wanted to keep things timeless. I wanted to be comfortable and look myself. I opted for a very clean wedding dress made out of crepe with a dramatic train. The girls wore blush colored dresses also made out of crepe. The men wore classic black suits as my husband wore a classic tuxedo.

we are in the legal marijuana industry and wanted to incorporate it somehow. So, we gave out pre-rolled joints with our hashtag #thisweddingisdope on it. We also gave out personalized jars of matches. They were all there for everyone to grab at our smoking lounge (21 and over of course). My brother, his girlfriend, and the girls in the wedding party all sat around the giant round table at the villa putting everything together the night before. It was such a fun experience as everyone sat around drinking wine and laughing at how many times we had to redo things.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Alexandria Monette Photography
Event Planning – Soleil Events
Venue – Sunstone Winery
Floral Design – Anna Le Pley Taylor
Catering – Chris Brugler Catering
DJ – DJ Sam House
Live Music – Ocdamia Strings
Stationery – Minted
Wedding Dress – Monique Lhuillier
Bridal Accessories – Gucci
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Bloomingdale’s
Groom’s Apparel – ISAIA
Rings – Tiffany & Co.
Rentals – Found Vintage Rentals
Lighting – Bella Vista Designs

 

Congratulations to Monica and Adam, and our most sincere thanks to Alexandria Monette Photography for sharing this incredible wedding with Junebug! Looking for more inspiration for creating a timeless wedding look? Alicia and Paul will show you how it’s done in their timeless Michigan wedding at the City Opera House!

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This Couple Surprised Their Guests with a Gorgeous Boranup Forest Wedding Among the Trees

March 22, 2018 | Junebug Weddings

Eleanor and Alvin’s Boranup Forest wedding was full of epic surprises from beginning to end! The couple asked their guests to meet them at a decoy location and then bused them into the forest to keep the ceremony location a secret. But then Eleanor and Alvin got an even bigger surprise from the owners of Leeuwin Estate when a helicopter showed up to take them on a sunset trip above the coast and the forest before arriving at their reception. As you can imagine, this wedding was full of joy and energy, which Black Bird Tale managed to capture in impeccable detail. It was also full of exceptional decor and florals, including some of the prettiest cascading arrangements that Natural Art Flowers created and hung from the rafters of the clear marquee reception tent.

The Couple:

Eleanor and Alvin

The Wedding:

Boranup Forest and Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River, Western Australia

SHOP THIS LOOK

 

From the groom: I opted for a navy three-piece suit for the day and a classic black tuxedo for the evening. I paired these with a watch given to me by my parents, a red and blue striped tie, a tie-pin from my in-laws, and brown leather shoes from one of my favourite shoemakers – Church’s. All our accessories (old and new) were given to us by our parents and have plenty of sentimental value. 

From the bride: When browsing through the web for potential wedding designers, I came across a dress made out of the most beautiful crochet lace that I knew I wanted on my wedding dress. I approached the designer with an idea in mind, and she crafted a timeless and unique two-piece gown that is just as comfortable as it is stunning. Since my gown was a two-piece, she also made me a pair of white pants I could change into for the after party. I paired the dress with a set of jade earrings my mother gave to me when I was 14 and light mauve heels. In the evening, I wore a diamond necklace given to me by my in-laws.

When we decided to have our wedding in Boranup Forest, we thought it would be fun to keep the ceremony venue a secret and surprise guests on the day. We gave specific instructions to guests to meet at a designated spot at a specific time and hired buses to shuttle them to the venue. They then had to take a 200m walk further into the forest before reaching the clearing where the ceremony was set up. I don’t think any of them expected a wedding in the woods amongst the towering Karri Trees. What they didn’t realize is that we actually hinted a little drawing of the Karri Trees on our invitations.

After the ceremony, the two of us went to the beach to take several portrait shots and when we were done, our photographer told us that there was just one last venue she wanted to take us to for some final shots. We were then led to a large field where we found a helicopter parked. She revealed that the helicopter was for us and we didn’t believe her at first. Turns out, Leeuwin Estate (our reception venue) organized the helicopter ride as a surprise for us and our vendors were all in on it! We were treated to the most amazing aerial view of the sunset against the coastline and Jackson (the pilot) even did a loop around Boranup Forest to look for our ceremony spot before we arrived to Leeuwin Estate in style. It was pretty epic and our guests were in hysterics!

Because we had a spring wedding, we capitalized on the beautiful scenery that Margaret River provides and chose outdoor venues with lots of wood and greens. We wanted the styling elements to complement the killer setting we already had in hand and opted for a clean, elegant, and eclectic look. We love the idea of contrast and went for a lush white ceremony set up in the middle of the forest , a clear marquee with lots of fairy lights in the middle of a lawn overlooking the field and trees, and a black tie wedding right in the midst of nature.

Our best advice to couples planning their wedding is to take the time to source and get to know your vendors because it is important to trust the team of people you engage (especially if you are planning a destination wedding). We also strongly encourage couples to convey what they want to vendors, but also leave room for vendors to work their creative magic, which brings us back to the point of engaging vendors you are confident in. That way, you get to be surprised when you see your wedding day come together.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Black Bird Tale
Event Planning – Kristin Zan
Ceremony Venue – Boranup Forest
Reception Venue – Leeuwin Estate
Floral Design – Natural Art Flowers
Cake – Bake the Cake
Videography – The Wedding Tape
Wedding Dress – Caramel & Co.
Groom’s Apparel – Kevin Seah and Church’s

 

Congratulations to Eleanor and Alvin, and a huge thanks to Junebug member Black Bird Tale for sharing this gorgeous forest wedding with us! Looking for more stunning floral inspiration? Check out the epic florals in this Portland wedding inspiration at The Rookery Bar!

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