General Archives - Page 4 of 71

Hotel Del Coronado Wedding

February 18, 2015 Leave a Comment

Hollywood’s most anticipated evening is approaching a few days away. An evening where you will find all the movie stars, and celebrities coming together to celebrate last year’s best movies. The Oscars is this Sunday and we can not wait! In celebration of Oscar’s night, we are excited to share this exquisite wedding at a historic hotel where many movie stars made an appearance and stayed for a night or two. The famous Hotel Del Coronado located in San Diego, California is a legendary oceanside venue offering some of the most amazing features. Its old world charm and its incredible ocean-views is what has many visiting, including us! We love this hotel and all its beauty. You can imagine how beautiful this wedding is when it is set in such a historic and iconic location. With a lovely ceremony on the lawn with the ocean as its backdrop, and a ballroom with the most stunning chandeliers, paired with a gorgeous couple, this wedding is classic and elegant. All the details has us swooning at each and every image. Captured by ABM Wedding Photography, this wedding is worth a standing ovation. Just like the Oscars evening, it deserves an award for most beautiful seaside wedding.

Let us know which detail you love the most!

From ABM Wedding Photography…

These two lovebirds met at the tender age of 15! Through all of the ups and downs of High School, these two made it through. One of the things they love as much as each other is Coronado! It is one of the places they enjoyed frequenting for day trips so it made so much sense to them to chose Coronado as the place for their big day! What a beautiful place for a start to a new beginning.

Vendors:

Photography: ABM Wedding Photography

Venue: Hotel Del Cornado

DJ: Choice Entertainment

Flowers: Organic Elements

Filed Under: General, Real Weddings Tagged With: ABM Wedding Photography., Beachside wedding, bride, Coronado Island, groom, Hotel Del Coronado, real wedding, San Diego Wedding

Wedding Event Trailer from Splendidly Mobile

February 16, 2015 Leave a Comment

Mondays can be a drag, especially after a holiday weekend featuring Valentine’s Day. However, we got something pretty amazing that popped into our inboxes today, and we think it will knock your pretty little socks off. We are excited to share with you a company who has created a luxurious, beautiful, and elegant space for brides, grooms, and their maids and groomsmen. Oh, and the best part? Its mobile! So, for all those venues which may not offer a bridal suite/groom’s room, or for those outdoor weddings, this fabulous event trailer offers a beautiful and very functional space. We love it, as we love when couples can have that place to get ready, relax, eat, and take those first shots. Are you ready to step inside and experience the luxury? For your next event, consider Splendidly Mobile, and you will not be disappointed.

Rafael Photography

Harvard Photography Studios

About Splendidly Mobile…

Splendidly Mobile is LA and Orange County’s only customizable event trailer. The one-of-a-kind concept was born out of years of planning outdoor events and wishing our clients had a more upscale entertaining space.

The event trailer is perfect for outdoor rustic bridal showers; get ready suite for wedding parties, mancave for the groom and his men or VIP lounge for your guests. The possibilities are endless!

We deliver the trailer to you, set it up and provide you with a personal attendant during your rental.Your rental also includes stocked refrigerator with non-alcoholic beverages for up to 10 guests. Customized food and beverage packages are also an option. All we need is a 50’x20’ space (about 5 parking stalls).

Trailer Amenities

30ft trailer with a 12ft slide-out to create 180 sq feet of interior space
Restroom
Air Conditioning
30″ Hi-def TV with DVD player
Blue tooth capable stereo
CD player
Full kitchenette
Personal attendant during rental
Dressing room
2 full length mirrors
Black or white leather furniture options
Dark wood flooring
Outside covered lounge area

Please visit us at www.splendidlymobile.com or call 562-889-5025

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bridal, bridal suite, bride, groom, luxury, man cave, Mobile Bridal Suite, Splendidly Mobile, wedding, wedding day

Five Valentine’s Day Flower Trends

February 13, 2015 Leave a Comment

With Valentine’s Day just one day away, we are extremely excited and can not wait to celebrate. It has us literally jumping up and down. One gorgeous detail that stands out from all the chocolate & candy treats, the cuddly bears, and the greeting cards, are the flowers. In our book, flowers are what really brings that pretty and beautiful into the wedding day (besides the bride and groom of course!). As bridal bloggers, we are always looking for the latest trends in all things wedding, and that includes flower trends. That is why today we are putting together our love of trends and Valentine’s day for one fabulous spotlight. What are the latest trends in Valentine’s day florals? With the help of our incredibly talented friend and floral designer, Jackie Combs at Lotus & Lily Floral and Event Design, we have five Valentine’s Day flower trends to share with you. Go ahead, take a look, and see which bloom is the one for you or your loved one. Let us know your favorite in the comments below, we love to hear from you!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

1. Deep Red: With the announcement of the color of the year, Marsala, we are seeing a return to deep colors, and for Valentine’s Day red in it’s various tones will always be a favorite.

2. Deconstructed: A more deconstructed ethereal and organic design, fusing different types of ferns, vines and greenery with mixtures of flowers such anemones, ranuculus, roses and orchids.

3. Succulents: A dense, urban, monochromatic design, bunching a few types of flowers together and adding succulents or individual orchid blossoms.

4. Texture: A trend which features a surge of colored and textured vases as well as lots of metallics, especially gold!

5. Freshly Picked: The hand tied bouquet will always remain as it is….a very romantic, less expensive way to give flowers because you eliminate the vase or vessel. This style lends itself to that “freshly picked” design which follows the deconstructed ethereal look mentioned previously.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: blooms, floral, trends, Valentine's Day flowers, Valentine's day trends, wedding

Top Five Gifts for Galentine’s Day

February 12, 2015 Leave a Comment

This weekend could not come soon enough! We’ve been so excited to spend the special day with our loved ones- all our loved ones. You may have been focused on your significant, but you can’t forget about your girlfriends! Valentine’s day is all about showing love and giving to the people that you love. If you’ve been focusing on the fiance the last few days, take some time out to pick up something sweet for the ladies in your life too. If you’re caught up on the 14th with Valentine’s Day, save brunch on the 15th for Galentine’s Day!

Frame Your Friends

Need something quick but cute to do? Pick up some fun frames (we love the frame section at Target for a good score) and look through your timeline for some fun pictures. Look for throwbacks (happy Throwback Thursday!), group pictures, just really cute pictures together. A framed photo is a perfect quick reminder of the good times.

Bag It

You know what we ALL need that we never have enough of? Reusable bags! Reusable bags are perfect to help the environment, transport your groceries safely, and they’re cute. Go on a hunt for some cute reusable bags for your girlfriends- it’s always a great little gift! If you’re on a budget these are easy to afford for all your friends. We’ve spotted cute ones at Trader Joes, Forever 21, and Target that are all under $5.00. If you want to be really sweet, stuff it with their favorite snacks!

Spa Night

If you have a little more cash to spend, put together a full night of indulgence for your friends! Get a basket or bag and stuff it with candles, a bath bomb, and a face mask. Give her the gift of relaxation! If you want to get really fun, you can get a mug with some tea or hot cocoa to make it a cozy night in. You can also tuck away a bottle of wine in there to make it an extra special spa night.

But First..

If your friends are all about that #Instagram or #SelfieLife, make it easier for them and spring for some selfie sticks! They are seriously the gift of the season and it’s still going strong. If you look hard enough you can score them for around $5-$10 each, and for a few extra bucks you can get a bluetooth button so you don’t have to do the whole ten second timer thing. Just make sure you make your girlfriend promise they only post pictures where you all look good!

Binge!

Want to really make your friends smile? Indulge their guilty pleasures and pick up a season or two of their favorite girly show. Gilmore Girls, The OC, Gossip Girl- it’s all fair game! Make her promise to binge watch a few episodes with you so you get some girl time in. She’ll love having something fun to watch and she’ll remember how awesome you are every time she picks it up!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, bridesmaid, fiance, friends, friendship, girlfriends, Valentine's day

Valentine’s Day Wedding Inspiration Styled Shoot: Vintage Oaks Ranch

February 11, 2015 Leave a Comment

Bows, arrows, hearts, and glitter are some of the things we can not stop talking about during this week of love. When we opened up our inboxes, the images made our hearts smile, and knocked our pretty little socks off. This wedding styled shoot put together by Shelly Taylor Photography and the fabulous team of vendors is absolutely amazing. We are loving all the Valentine’s inspired details. It is not just pink color, or the hearts, but this styled shoot has some glam and glitz as well. Set in such a rustic setting, the pinks and gold compliment this venue beautifully. Actually, in our eyes, just perfectly. If you are looking for a dose of Valentine’s love with some wedding style and design, then you will not want to miss this one! Be warned, you may get stuck for awhile, so make sure you clear your schedule and enjoy!

The inspiration from Shelly Taylor Photography…

Vintage Oaks Ranch is a brand new venue, and we wanted to create a romantic Valentine theme wedding inspiration with a mixture rustic and glam textures. The gold arrows were the central design theme, for a subtle Valentine design element, which can carry over into the couple’s home as keepsakes. Katy Girl Goods Etsy shop designed the table numbers and coasters. Many of the design elements and furniture were also borrowed from the venue, and this is one service they offer their brides.

Vendors:

Photographer: Shelly Taylor Photography

Event Designer: Shelly Taylor Design

Location: Vintage Oaks Ranch

Rentals: Action Rental

Baked Goods: All Sugar’d Up

Bridal Gown: Georgio’s Bridal & Prom

Bridal Gown Designer: Maggie Sottero

Handmade Goods: Katy Girl Goods

Make up: Kimberly Cutler Professional Make-up

Hair: The Experience Salon

Flowers: Wolfe’s Florist

Paper-goods: Noteworthy

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bridal, love, pinks, Shelly Taylor Photography, Styled wedding shoot, texas wedding, Valentine's day, Valentine's Day Inspired, Vintage Oaks Ranch

Top Five Ways to Say ‘I Love You’ to Your Fiancé

February 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

Do you feel that love in the air? Or maybe you feel that ring on your left hand? Either way, tis the season to celebrate the most fun thing in the world- LOVE! You don’t necessarily have to do a grand gesture (but if you feel like it, our holiday splurges would work just fine!), sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most. We’ve got five sweet ways for you to say ‘I Love You’ this weekend that are sure to get you brownie points.

Snack Attack

Have you heard the phrase “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”? Yeah, it’s an oldie but a goodie for a reason. If your fiiancé is a snacker, swing by the store and grab his favorite snacks. Keep a stash in a secret place like in your car or in your purse, and surprise him with them. Sneak them into his lunch (if he brings it to work), into the center console of his car (as long as it doesn’t melt), or surprise him while he’s at his computer or watching tv. It’s one of those little things that reminds them you care and you like spoiling your sweetie.

But First… Send Him a Selfie

If you’re feeling cute, write down something cute like “I love you!” on a piece of paper, hold it up, and shoot a selfie to send to him. It’s a more personal way of getting your message across, you remind him how adorable you are, and it’s something easy on your end. Just remember, keep it safe for work in case he’s in public. Always keep it classy, ladies. Just saying!

Do Some Leg Work

It must be a guy thing- so many guys have a TON of clothes that they love that they will never get rid of that are covered in holes and patches. Why do they do that? A lot of guys are sentimentally attached to some outfits or pieces of clothing and will wear them into the ground. So where do you come in? Go ahead and sneak them out to get them patched up by a tailor. Get those hems fixed, those zippers replaced, just go ahead and refurbish the beloved pieces that your fiancé just can’t let go of.

Treat Him to a Guy Date

You always get to go on dates with him, why not let him have a date with his buddies instead? Hint- you may not want to phrase it like that, but the sentiment is there. Something fun you can do is order a big fight on pay-per-view and some beer for your man and his men to enjoy. You can set them up with dinner at a wing joint. You could even (if they’d be up for it) get them manly manicures at a guy-friendly salon (they do exist, and they’re awesome).

Have a Date Night In

You know what every guy loves? Staying at home and enjoying it. Even if they won’t admit it or claim to be outdoorsy, there’s nothing wrong with being at home and having a good time. Tell him it’s date night but stay in. This is the time to get your inner chef on (or even better- order in!) and cater him in the comfort of his own home. Stream a movie you both love, have a good meal, and keep it simple. Sometimes that’s the best way to spend a night with the person you love.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: date, date night, fiance, love, romance, valentine, Valentine's day

Georgia: Kisses and Hugs Engagement Session

February 9, 2015 Leave a Comment

Kicking off the week of love with this darling engagement session from Julie Anne Photography, LLC. This e-session has us totally getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit, and we can not get enough of it. The Kiss booth, the vintage Coke bottles, and a couple who is so darn cute and adorable, we cant stand it! It is the type of session that has us totally in love and wanting to celebrate Valentine’s Day a few days early. When you are in love like these two obviously are, then you know it will be a perfect engagement session full of nothing but laughs, kisses, hugs, and pure happiness. Enjoy your Monday morning with a dose of Valentine’s Day love from this beautiful couple.

From Julie Anne Photography, LLC…

Atlanta is known for Coca-cola, the Georgia Bulldogs, and Falcons so the color scheme was easy – red & white! Here in Georgia, we also love the outdoors, running barefoot and our little sundresses. The inspiration for this shoot was to take the vintage concept of carnival kissing booths and old coke bottles and recreate them with a bit of whimsy in one of my favorite fields. We started with straight letters on the booth but a gust of wind knocked the letters crooked and I thought it just really added character. The lighting was perfect and the couple was so natural. Very little posing or direction was given. Samantha was the one who took her shoes off and hopped up on the picnic table. Jared with his five o’clock shadow, button down with the rolled sleeves, and big smile just screams southern boy. The whole session took less than 45 minutes to shoot because they made it so easy – laughing and having a great time!

We love to hear from you, so please tell us your favorite detail from this engagement session!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: atlanta bride, Atlanta wedding, bride to be, engagement session, Georgia couple, groom to be, Valentine's day, Valentine's inspired engagement session

Top Five Tax Refund Splurges for Brides

February 5, 2015 Leave a Comment

We’ve all got our W-2s back, all we’ve got to do now is file and wait. If you’re on your tax refund game like we are, you’re all kinds of excited for a nice check from Uncle Sam. You shouldn’t count on your tax refund to get you out of a hole or cover any part of your wedding budget, but you should count on it to treat yourself. You worked hard for the money, you deserve to enjoy the kick back you get from it. So keep that tax refund to yourself and treat yourself- you earned it!

Massage it Out

What’s more relaxing than a massage? Yeah, we can’t think of anything either. There are a multitude of health benefits that are associated with getting a massage such as easing anxiety or depression, pain relief, and even in certain cases weight loss. Often times your medical insurance will help you get discounts or even cover (!!!) your massages at certain locations. If you’re planning a wedding you definitely deserve a good massage.

Blow Out

Want to feel fancy immediately? Cruise by your hair salon and get yourself a blow out just for fun. You don’t need an occasion (other than for some serious selfie action), you just need to enjoy yourself. Right now there are a ton of blow out-only salons popping up for you to come by and just do a blow out- no other treatments required. It’s such a fun way to have insta-fab hair, and good hair really brings out the sparkle in your engagement ring.

Get the Big Girl Package

You may already have your bi-weekly mani/pedis scheduled, but for your next round go for the gold (or platinum). It’s time to splurge for the best package you can do at your salon! Seriously spring for the paraffin wax, the extra long massage, and the cuticle softeners. If you have a ring on your finger, consider it an investment. If people are looking at your ring, you want to make sure your hands look good too!

Upgrade You

Check your phone plan and if you’re up- go get that upgrade! We’re iPhone fans and the six is such a fun splurge. If you’re a droid kind of gal, the newest Galaxy has amazing reviews and a gorgeous screen. Since you’ve got friends and family coming out soon to celebrate your love, you’re going to need a more powerful phone to contact them all! Plus if your phone camera is a little shaky or pixelated, you need to upgrade ASAP. With so many exciting changes on the way, you’re going to want an awesome camera at your fingertips.

Sweet Day

This one is selfishly our favorite splurge, be forewarned. Take that tax refund and a girlfriend and have a complete guilt-free food day. Go cupcake hopping, have those bottomless mimosas, curl up and watch Netflix with as much ice cream as you can eat. One day won’t throw off your wedding diet, and you worked hard in 2014 so you could enjoy the things you eat! If you want to be good, you can double up your guilt-free day with Valentine’s Day and ease your chocolate cravings all at once. If you do want to have one guilt-free day AND do chocolate on Valentine’s Day though, we won’t judge you!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, budget, guilt-free, money, spending, splurge, treat yourself, wedding

San Pedro, California Wedding

February 4, 2015 Leave a Comment

When you have a wedding as pretty as this one, it is hard to choose which images to share. The photographs from Your Lovely Wedding are simply stunning, and each and every image is pure gorgeousness. This beautiful bride and her groom have really won our wedding loving hearts. Their wedding speaks to us with all its lovely details. We can not help but swoon at the breathtaking bride and her maids, the handsome groom and his men, the unbelievable views from the ceremony site, the personal touches found throughout, and the most beautiful florals. We love how this couple incorporated some fun details into their wedding. It is one of the happiest days, so why not add a bit of silly? We especially love the money crown made for the groom, and the men hoisting him up like the King that he is. Just an overall amazing wedding and we are so excited to share this one with you. Spend today browsing the amazing images of a wedding which has us swooning for days.

We love to hear from you! Tell us your favorite detail of this wedding in the comments below.

From Your Lovely Wedding…

Photographed in San Pedro and Averill Park. It was an unforgettable experience to share this day with the beautiful couple Christina and Arnold. The Bridal Party wedding preparations took place at the Masonic Lodge with breathtaking views everywhere you looked. While the views were amazing it was Christina and Arnold who stole the show! They looked simply stunning. This was one of the classiest weddings you will ever see. It was a fantastic event full of love and fun. Thank you for making us a part of your special day. Congratulations on your beautiful wedding and blessings in your new marriage!

Filed Under: General, Real Weddings Tagged With: Averill Park, bride, groom, real wedding, San Pedro, wedding

Top Five Detox Tips for Brides

February 3, 2015 Leave a Comment

Yesterday Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and gave us a whole six more weeks of Winter- bummer, right? But just because we officially have six more weeks of winter, that doesn’t mean you can still eat like it’s winter. That’s right, the holiday stretch is over so there are no more excuses for eating junk food (official dates are Thanksgiving to the Super Bowl, after that it’s time to get on track!). We’ve got five easy ways to start getting back into shape for the big day.

Ditch the Sweet Drinks

Soda, Frapps, even juice can pack on sugar comparable to whole chocolate bar and have calories that rival a meal. You don’t need to do sugar, juice, or any kind of sweet drinks when there are so many amazing healthy and yummy alternatives! If you’re fancy in the kitchen, you can juice yourself some healthy foods like ginger, kale, and fruit into a fantastic organic mix. If you like comforting drinks, start getting used to tea. We love decaffeinated pomegranate green tea. Green tea helps flush out your system, and the fruit-infused ones give you a great kick of flavor.

Trick Your System

One awesome feel-full trick that helps you save on calories? Before you sit down for a big meal, drink a big glass of cold water. That will help fill your stomach before you start munching away at empty calories like bread and butter. Plus, water is the best thing you can do for your diet- it really does everything for your body! It will clear up your skin, make you feel better, and keep you hydrated so you don’t get headaches or feel tired.

Create Food Goals

If you’re competitive, this is one of the best ways to whip your diet into shape. You don’t necessarily need to keep track of everything you eat, but you can keep track of all the good stuff you eat. Aim for at least two vegetables at first, then up the ante when you find it easier to hit your goals. We like to keep tally of the servings of veggies in our daily planner so we can see how many veggies we’ve had per day. Everyday, try to do a little more or have different vegetables.

Stop the Snacking

If you have a desk job, chances are you can be a chronicle snacker. If that’s you, it’s time to do some cleaning out. Clean out anything edible from your desk/cubicle except for gum or mints (you need to stay minty!). Put it out in a common area so your coworkers can graze, but you need to commit to staying away. Keep all temptation away and replace it with something good, like raw almonds or fruit. The fewer chances you have to eat junk food, the less you will eat junk food!

Team Efforts

In theory, it’s super easy to say no to junk food and yes to foods that will cleanse your body. You know what makes it easier, though? A friend! Get your fiance (after all, he has a big day coming up too) to join you, or even your bridesmaids. Having someone to keep you accountable can make all the difference, plus you can figure out new fun recipes together!

Filed Under: General Tagged With: bride, detox, diet, food, tips, wedding