A Classic Vineyard DIY Wedding

This wedding screams classic! I mean each and every detail is absolutely gorgeous and jaw dropping beautiful. Let me tell you a little secert…this wedding is DIY. I could not believe it, as all the romantic and elegant details are done to perfection. Perfect for this stunning couple.  Amazingly captured by Sonya Lalla Photography, this wedding has all the pretty details created for a magical day. Oh, and this bride is super stunning! I mean that lace dress was made for her. I LOVE the bridal gown.  Before heading out to start the weekend, take a moment to view the lovely photos of this classic wedding.

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From the bride…

Steve and I have known each other pretty much our whole lives. We grew up together in church and went to the same school growing up. He has been best friends with my brother for as long as I can remember so he has always been around. As a matter of fact, our parents have been close friends for a long time as well, so there are strong ties between our two families.

Having grown up together, people would always talk about us “getting together”, but nothing ever really happened between us. He is four years older than I, so he was in college while I was in high school. When it was my turn to go to college, and I was officially “old enough”, neither of us made a move, and we both moved on. We were always very close friends and saw each other all the time at church and various family get-togethers.

As a few years passed, we were both in different relationships, but people kept wondering when/if we ever would finally end up together. As my relationship ended, his relationship was just beginning and it seemed that timing was against us again. I was in the process of moving on while his relationship was going seemingly well, but I couldn’t help but wonder “what might have been”. Soon after, his relationship ended, he came to me one afternoon and said that we needed to talk. He told me how he had always had feelings for me and wanted to see if things between us could work. That was just over a year ago and we have been inseparable ever since.

Last summer he flew me out to Washington to meet some of his family. While we were there he drove me to Seattle, a city I have always wanted to visit. While we were looking around and seeing the city, he told me to look up at the Space Needle.Once I glanced up, he said “We are having dinner up there tonight”. I was so surprised and thought it was the sweetest thing for him to surprise me with such a nice dinner. After we finished our wonderful meal, he came over to my side of the table, asked me to stand up, got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. It was the most intimate and perfect proposal!

 Wedding Day

We tried to make things just simple, pretty, and classic. “Classic” is what I tried to think of whenever I was making decisions for the day. We only used two vendors, besides our wonderful photographers:-), and that was Weinhardt Party Rentals for our glasses and napkins, and Zach Lewis, from Illinois, for our music. Other than that, everything was done by us. We ordered our flowers from Sams Club and put them together the night before, my wonderful Momma made our food, my students helped us set up and tear down, my cousin help set up all of the bars and did all of the signs, and Steve’s childhood neighbor did all of our desserts. There were plenty of other things that people helped us with and we are so thankful for everyone who helped make our day so perfect.

 

Vendors:

Photographer: Sonya Lalla Photography 

Reception Venue: The Vineyard at Riverbend Chapel

Lighting: Weinhardt Party Rentals

Top Five Ways to Get Help for your Wedding

If you’ve got a wedding coming up, chances are you’ve been knee deep in wedding craziness for what feels like forever. It’s totally fine to feel a little overwhelmed and want to get some help. That can be hard to ask of others, but we totally get where you’re coming from, and we want to help you!

Get Professional Help

If you have some time before the wedding, do the right thing and get someone who knows what they’re doing. Our very own Bridal Hot List Editor-in-Chief Niloufar Gibson is a serious rock star wedding planner (check out her work here!), and can make your big day a million times easier. If you’re not in the area, check yelp first to find wedding planners that are loved in your area. It can make a world of difference and make your whole experience that much smoother.

Recruit the Girls

You have a bridal party for a reason- to support you! Your maid of honor is your right-hand girl- she’s there to help with everything and anything. From there, your whole bridal party is also there for you, so go ahead and ask for help! Bridal parties are great for doing projects like decorating, putting together goodie bags, and stuffing envelopes. Think of projects you could use an extra set of hands for, invite your bridal party over, grab some snacks and make a night of it! Just keep it fun so it doesn’t feel like work and you’ve got yourself a whole troop of wedding assistants.

Aim for Free

You don’t have to already be friends with someone to get wedding help- you can cross your fingers and hope someone will help you out just because! If you’re renting anything like linens, chairs, anything at all, try to get package deals to keep costs down. If you’re ordering items to give away, ask if the company will send you samples for free. Take the extra time (or assign a savings-savvy bridesmaid) to reach out to vendors to work out package deals. Get help where you can get it!

Assign POCs

‘POC’ stands for ‘points of contact’, and it can save you the headache of your phone blowing up the week leading up to your wedding. Assign someone to help people with directions and identify that person in a piece of communication that you send out. Ask a local in the wedding party to be available to help with any out-of-town guests who may get lost, and put their phone number or email address in the invitation. Aim random dress code questions to a bridesmaid, and have someone gather information on food allergies and communicate that to the caterer. Spread the love by giving out jobs to those who can help. All you’ll have to do at the end is write thank you’s to all those people!

Take your Time

If you need help with something, sometimes the best thing you can do is slow down. Any task is harder when you’re stressed out or anxious or feeling pressured. If you don’t want to ask for a favor, you can always do yourself a favor and take some time to destress. Refocusing can make everything look a lot more doable. Take a step back and look at your problem and identify where you need help, what you need specifically, and who you can talk to to make it happen.

 

California Airplane Engagement Session from Michelle Lacson Photography

From the moment I saw the image of a super sweet airplane and the gorgeous couple alongside it, I was hooked! Each and every image across my computer screen screamed “Picture Perfect”, and ready to be framed. I have to admit that I kind of want to frame one of these and put it up in my office. But that may be a bit strange. (haha). Instead, I will enjoy the amazing images from the very talented (and of my favorite photographers), Michelle Lacson Photography.  I just love when couples have unique e-sessions which reflects who they are. It is moments like this chic and cool California engagement session, that really make me love my job even more.  I can go and on and on about this engagement session, (and it can be days!), but instead will give you the chance to view the most fantastic photographs worthy of a standing ovation. Serisously, I LOVE this session! Go ahead and browse the pretty images of a pilot and his beautiful gal.

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From Michelle Lacson Photography

Meet Tina & Paul.  Tina was a waitress when they met,  and he was one of her regulars. They wanted to do a plane theme- they love to fly (and Paul is a pilot!). So, about a week before our session, Tina  & Paul became an internet sensation. She is an ASL interpretor and did a signalong video that spread like wildfire! These two are such a sweet couple, and I had a blast getting to know them on our session.  They are fun and super romantic! I really enjoyed capturing the love between these two lovelies. A gorgeous couple with the most amazing moments captured. I could have shot this session for days, it was that good to shoot.  What a great day of photographing this lovely couple!

Top Five Single Girl Survival Tips for Weddings

So your best friend is getting married- that’s awesome! But if you’re not coupled up, it can be scary to go to go to a friend’s wedding. There’s a certain stigma associated with weddings and couples that can totally be intimidating. Bridal Hot List can be your wingman at your next wedding (we love brides and someday-brides alike!), and we’ll get you through it!

Focus on Other People’s Love Lives

Why are you going to a wedding in the first place? Oh right, two people loved each other so much they decided to throw a party and make it official! That’s plenty of reason alone to not focus on what’s going on in your love life and instead focus on someone else’s. If you’re a romantic, go ahead and appreciate the romance!

Bring a Buddy

It’s dangerous to go alone- take a friend with you! Check out who’s invited and see if you can buddy up with another friend who’s going stag. If you can’t find anyone else who’s heading out to the wedding, ask around to see who’s not coupled up. It’s okay- you’re not the only one looking for a wedding buddy! You also run the chance of being paired up with a wedding buddy who’s really cute, and that’s always worth the risk.

Get Involved

If you can’t find someone to buddy up with and you’re not a romantic, go ahead and make yourself useful! Be an awesome friend and offer to help out as much as you can and just stay busy. Weddings are a huge event, there will always be a way that you can help out! Offer to help out with the guest book, watch any kids, keep an eye on any randomly invited ex’s to keep them separated, or anything else that may come up! Do something good and help out. Who knows- that karma may come back around and you could find yourself getting extra help at your next event!

Ask Questions

Talking to strangers can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re hitting the wall looking for someone to talk to, just start asking questions. People love to feel like their opinion is valued, why don’t you indulge someone and find out more about whoever’s sitting next to you? Ask them who they know, where they’re from, go ahead and swap stories! You could be sitting next to your new best friend.

Take Pictures

Looking for an icebreaker? Offer to snap some shots! Now more than ever, people have access to great cameras and knowledge on photography. Bring a point and shoot at the very least and go around taking some candids! It can be a great way to start talking to new friends and an even better way to remember the party later.

 

A Rustic Black and White Wedding

We love DIY weddings and this one made our hearts go pitter-patter. All the rustic details are super gorgeous. We love ourselves a rustic look for weddings.  From the wooden furnishings, beautiful  exposed brick walls, rock features, greenery surrounding, and lovely outside details, this venue is the perfect venue for these two lovebirds.  One of our favorite details are the bride and groom’s moments together. All captured by Caroline Lessard Photographe, the photographs really reflect the true love this adorable couple has for each other. Our favorite detail? Honestly, it is so hard to choose when there are so many lovely details. Going back to the bride and groom’s moments, we really love the photographs of them at the building with the rocks and blue shutters. Oh my goodness, these images are breathtaking.  Each and every image of the bride and groom is full of joy and happiness. We can not help but smile when we view the photos. Enjoy this Monday Morning with a dose of Rustic Love!

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From Caroline Lessard Photographe

This rustic DIY wedding took place at Vergers Charbonneau on a sunny day. They got everybody to dress in black or white, and the theme color for the wedding was red. Despite every moment of this day was truly emotional and beautiful, I have to say that I have a little something special for the first look session. I just love to see the look of astonishment when they see each other for the first time. Always a touching moment for me as I feel truly special and lucky to be part of their special day. The couple session took place in the surrounding. One of my favorite catch are the pictures around the barn, I feel that their chemistry is so revealing in those pictures.

Vendors:

Photographer: Caroline Lessard Photographe

Venue: Vergers Charbonneau

Comic Book & SuperHero Wedding from Elegant Images

As you know, I love weddings and all the beautiful and lovely details they offer. As a wedding blogger and a wedding planner, I am lucky enough to have weddings as part of my daily life. It is so amazing to have the chance to see all the pretty details and the crazy talent behind it all. But, something you may not know about me is that I have a nerdy side to me. Yes, it is true. If you asked me if I like any of the following “nerdy” things, I would say yes to each one of them:  Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Dr. Who, Cosplay,  and Super Hero movies.  I know, they are two very different worlds, but there is something about each of these worlds that I really love. I just really like this nerdy stuff.  Today’s real wedding feature has the sweet combination of my favorite things together for a  fabulous Comic Book & Super Hero themed wedding.  You can imagine the excitement I feel. When I glimpsed at the first images of this super cool and gorgeous wedding, I HAD to see all the images and see what this amazing wedding was all about. Each and every image had me smiling bigger and bigger. By the end of viewing all the photos, I was jumping up and down. Take a look at the incredible photos from Elegant Images and all the fun and unique wedding details. I LOVE this wedding!

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From Elegant Images

Comic Booked themed wedding at Lionscrest Manor. Destination Colorado wedding for bride and groom  from North Carolina. Bride and Groom huge fan of comics, Game of Thrones, etc. Had custom shoes and cake topper made. Bold colors.

Vendors:

Photographer: Elegant Images

Reception Venue: Lionscrest Manor

Floral Designer: Boulder Blooms Florist

Cake:  Colorado Rose Cake Comp

Caterer: Greens Point Catering

Top Five Tips for Finding your First Dance Song

We all love to dance, but how much do you think about what you dance to? Well, you’re about to. The first dance at your wedding is going to be the most important and most memorable dance of your life- it deserves some serious thought. Your first dance as a newly married couple is a special opportunity to really show some personality and introduce your friends and family to the life you are about to lead together.

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The most popular wedding song of all time? You guessed it, “At Last”. We love Beyonce’s cover from the ‘Cadillac Records’ movie.

Think Back

Do you have any special songs that have always been “your song”? That’s a good place to start. Even if it’s a more pop-py song, don’t be discouraged! Almost as soon as a song is released, a slowed down romantic cover is posted on the internet. Even if the song you fell in love to is more at home in a club than a church, you’ll be able to find an appropriate and romantic version of it.

Think Forward

Do you have a song in mind that gets you excited for your new married life? Some love songs mean that much more when you have shared goals in mind that you as a couple are working towards achieving. It may not have even come up yet for the both of you, but if you find something special in a song it’s worth looking into! Be sure to write down the lyrics to make sure that it is something that you really relate to.

Define your Vibe

Are you classic, no-nonsense, and romantic? Are you modern, progressive, and trendy? Have your song match your wedding by stylizing it to your profile! If you’re not super music savvy (or you STILL have the Grease soundtrack playing in your car… from fifteen years ago), do some research on songs that match your wedding. From your style profile, you can really narrow down what kind of songs to look into.

Do Research

We’ve got a homework assignment for you- settle in your jammies and turn on Netflix. Totally serious. Just start looking through your favorite TV wedding episodes and write down what music they’re playing, and if you like them. For example, on Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt got married walking down the aisle to an opera song and later had a friend play guitar to some of their favorite songs. On Modern Family, an instrumental version of “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros played over their wedding. Saddle up for a marathon of wedding episodes from your favorite shows and take notes. You could find a new favorite that you didn’t even realize you already loved!

Spot a Spotify Playlist

Look online for playlists that other people have created for their weddings. A common way to narrow down music now is to create music playlists on Youtube or Spotify, and they’re free to browse. Just search for “wedding playlist” and you’ll be able to get some insight into other people’s wedding songs. Keep an eye out for artists that you also listen to so you can match your taste to the playlist.

A Rustic Barn Wedding from DragonFly Photography

A rustic wedding with the sweetest details. We are in love with this Southern couple and their old barn wedding. It is times like this, where we love our jobs even more. To see how couples make weddings their own with the prettiest personal touches. It makes us happy and tickled pink when brides and her gals get personal with their wardrobe. Totally in love with the cowboy boots that they show off. Super cute! We also can not get over all the amazing greenery and rustic details of this wedding. The perfect location for this gorgeous couple. Enjoy the stunning images from Dragonfly Photography.

 

 

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From Dragonfly Photography...

These two wonderful souls have been best friends since high school.   When I asked Jill if she was getting excited about her wedding this was her response, “I just can’t believe that I’m really fixing to marry my best friend from high school, the guy I use to wish I could marry every time I blew out my birthday candle for 10+ years, and most importantly a guy who is like my pawpaw. Out of my grandparents 50 yrs of marriage my pawpaw never said one negative thing to my nanny nor did I ever see one single argument out of them. Johnny and June didn’t have a thing compared to them:)  I always dreamed of a marriage like theirs and I’m fixing to have that. Like for real.  I’m just so excited and can’t believe I’m this lucky.”

These two Southerners had a vision of having a rustic barn wedding.  What better place to have this wonderful affair than the old family barn.  After months of cleaning and moving everything out of the barn, everything was set and ready for these two to commit themselves to one another in front of their closest family and friends.  It was a perfect day.

Top Five Tips for Last Minute Bachelorette Parties

It’s already August- can you believe how quickly this summer passed by? If this summer’s been moving too quickly for you, you may have missed out on a few fun things. For example, did you remember to do a bachelorette party? Or were you more focused on the actual wedding? It’s okay to be focused on the big day, but you need to remember to take some time to have fun with your girls, too! If you need to take a weekend aside to have some fun with your bridesmaids, keep scrolling to check out our top tips on planning a last minute bachelorette party.

Keep It Short

Keep the bachelorette party to just a night if you’re in town, or two tops if you’re hitting the road. As you get closer to the wedding, you’ll all become more and more busy. Booking a long spa weekend with a Monday or Friday away from work can be too hard to plan for most people- especially if they’re already taking time off to go to the wedding. If you’re hitting the road aim for leaving on a Friday night and coming back Sunday afternoon. Do what you can to make it as unintrusive to everyone as possible.

Make a Plan

Of course you have one thing on your plan- have fun! But other than that, you need some sort of an agenda to keep it from being you and your bridesmaids all dolled up with nowhere to go. Look into any clubs, shows, or events that are going on that you could get reservations for (you don’t want to show up somewhere and have to wait in a long line or get turned away). Locking in a plan is so important and often gets overlooked. Be sure whatever you do and wherever you’re going is actually going to happen!

Sound the Horn

Have your maid of honor (or two of your bridesmaids) help you arrange your bachelorette party. You can’t do it all alone, afterall! Have one of your girls be the more main point of contact for wrangling all your bridesmaid so you don’t have to. Have them be sure that everyone is in attendance and knows what to wear. The last thing you need right now is your bridesmaids texting you suggesting different clubs to go to. Planning a wedding requires enough juggling as is, you don’t need to juggle arranging another party on top of it!

Plan your Rides

If you’re trying to get into some (safe!) trouble, be sure that everyone will be able to get home safe. Set up uber drivers, taxis, or a designated driver if there’s going to be any drinking at all. There’s often promo codes for free credits for uber drivers and other similar services (so you can do it on a budget!). Know in advance if you’re going to sleep at a friends house or if anyone is going to sleep on your couch for the night. Do what you can to get to your location and get home as safely as possible. It can be easy to overlook getting a ride, but you’ll be happy you planned ahead when the line for a cab goes around the block and you’re in uncomfortable heels.

Designate the Team Photographer

Be sure everyone’s phones and cameras are all charged up and ready to go! It can be handy to have one person be in charge of taking pictures so you’re not all fighting for selfie time. Have your maid of honor or one of your bridesmaids handle taking pictures for everyone and uploading in a timely manner. You may also want to prep her on what to upload and what not to upload, but that’s more up to you.

 

Weddings at the Villa San Juan Capistrano

Another fabulous venue tucked away in a lovely town.  For living in Orange County my whole life, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this pretty hidden gem in the historic part of San Juan Capistrano, California. I was lucky enough to stop by this quaint and pretty venue offering the most amazing details. The Villa San Juan Capistrano is an old home turned into a wedding magical venue with the most charming details.  From the moment I walked under the stunning greenery walkway, my eyes were all over the place, admiring all its lovely details. A place any bride and groom can call home for one day and make their own.  If you love rustic and old world charm, then consider The Villa San Juan Capistrano to celebrate your wedding day!

Tyler Branch Photography

Tyler Branch Photography

osh Elliott Photography

josh Elliott Photography

Becca Rillo Photography

Becca Rillo Photography

Tyler branch Photography

Tyler branch Photography

Becca Rillo Photography

Becca Rillo Photography

Ryan Phillips Photography

Ryan Phillips Photography

 Troy Grover Photography

Troy Grover Photography

 Josh Elliott Photography

Josh Elliott Photography

 Adrian Jon Photography

Adrian Jon Photography

 Adrian Jon Photography

Adrian Jon Photography

 

About The Villa San Juan Capistrano

Warm. Inviting. Timeless. Exclusive. Historic.

The Villa San Juan Capistrano is brought to you by the innovative minds that created the Ramos House Café located in The Los Rios Historic District in Orange County.

The turn-of-the-century home was part of the Yorba family estate, built in 1918. The property has worn many hats over the years, such as: a board and batten house in the 1930s, where itinerant farmers from nearby orchards would spend the night; as well as an antique store/wedding facility, owned by Gep Durenberger in the 1960s until the early 2000s.

Today, the unique establishment has been renovated and restored by current owner, John Q. Humphreys, as a timeless event space.

Now in its fifth wedding season under Humphreys’ ownership, The Villa San Juan Capistrano provides unforgettable memories, complete with a romantic, garden atmosphere full of ancient fruit trees, all enhanced by gas lanterns, with historic buildings surrounding the stone courtyard where festivities take place.

The Villa San Juan Capistrano is equipped with a few of the industry’s finest vendors. Iva Lee’s is the property’s exclusive, full-service caterer, and handles food, beverage, and rental services. Divel Entertainment is the facility’s resident DJ, who also offers MC services with basic packaging. How Elite Valet Service is included in the venue rental, and is complimentary to guests on the day of the event. And lastly, The Villa San Juan Capistrano includes an onsite-day-of-coordinator to manage functions on the scheduled event date.

Step inside and feel the essence of time flourish around you and loved ones.