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

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!

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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

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

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.

 

Top Five Tips for the Perfect Engagement Selfie

You said yes- congratulations! After you’ve calmed down and called the most important people in your life, it’s time to release the news to the public. It may be tempting to spill the beans as soon as you are officially engaged, but waiting can sometimes be a good thing. Take some time before uploading a blurry ring picture to really perfect your engagement selfie and it’ll pay off tenfold in likes.

Check Your Nails

Yes, focus is going to be on your new favorite piece of jewelry but you’re going to want to make sure your fingers are looking good too. Do a quick swipe under your nails to pull out any dirt. If your nails are chipping, do a quick fix with a layer of darker polish over your existing polish. It doesn’t have to be a new full manicure, but it shouldn’t look sloppy. You’ll look back on this picture a lot, you want it to be awesome and beautiful.

Mattify Your Face

If you’re going to be smiling in the shot, mattify your T-zone so you don’t look oily or greasy. You want to remember your natural happy glow, not that you get oily when the weather changes. Do a quick light swipe of an HD powder or a spray of a mattifying face sealing spray.

Upgrade to a Couplie

It may be a little harder to wrangle and coordinate, but an engagement couplie is probably the most appropriate use of a couplie. We love the classic kiss shot with the ring featured- it’s a romantic way of telling the full story all in one picture. You can also get creative with how you both end up in the shot- make it fun, and make it you!

Filter Wisely

No one actually goes #NoFilter- especially not for such an important selfie! Pick something that is well saturated and doesn’t blur any edges. You want your ring to sparkle against your skin, so it’s important you flash a natural glow to contrast. Avoid anything that softens- you want to emphasize the sparkle! And don’t do black and white, it drowns out the whole picture.

Caption Accordingly

Yes, the “He liked it, so he put a ring on it!” is cute, but it’s been done. A lot. Try a little harder and come up with a caption that more fits you as a couple. Mention how long you two have been together, maybe hint at how the proposal went, or do a cute play on word on your names (if applicable- don’t push it). Be creative, be fun, and make it personal. Those little steps go a long way.

 

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.

Belmont Shore, California Photo Session from Jaime Davis Photography

Monday morning is looking pretty romantic right about now. Thanks to Jaime Davis Photography and her mad photography skills to capture the sweet moments between a couple who has been married seven years. It is moments like this one, that has me loving my job more and more each and every day. What I love about this session is that you would think that it was their engagement session, but it is not! When I first received the gorgeous images, I really did think that this was an e-session. It was all due to strong and pure love that is  popping out from each and every image. What is so amazing is how Jaime Davis Photography knows exactly what to do for her couples and make them feel super comfortable and relaxed.

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Meet Cortney and Travis. They have been together for 7 years and have an adorable daughter. What I offer couples that have been together more than a period of time is a session what I like to call the Beloved Session. It is a unique and emotional photo session for couples that have been together longer than 3 years. Instead of capturing posed images I give my clients things to say or do that maybe you have never done before or have not done recently in your relationship. By giving you cues or things to say it creates a genuine photograph that represents the two of you.
 Cortney and Travis are a fun loving, easy going couple and that is reflected in most all of these photographs. My couples says they walk away as if their relationship has been renewed or having a greater appreciation for the other person.
Jaime Davis Photography is offering $100 off any Beloved session until Sept 1st! If you are interested in sharing some romantic moments with your love, contact Jaime Davis Photography and book your session today!  email: jaime@jaimedavisphoto.com

Top Five Tips for Writing Your Own Vows

Writing your own vows has become more and more popular over the last few years, and with reason! It’s a great way to express how you feel and what your relationship is like in a personal, honest way. It can also be one of the most challenging, important tasks you can take on while organizing a wedding. Don’t let this task be daunting though, it’s completely doable! We know it can be hard to express how you feel, and we’re here to help.

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Look Back Before You Move Forward

Before you even start drafting, go through photo albums (aka, Facebook for most of you!) of adventures the two of you have taken. Look back at your favorite times together, look back at your engagement photos. What made those times special? Were your favorite times together when you were doing something daring, like exploring a new city? Or was it something creative, like painting or building something together? Zero in on what moments in your relationship made you really fall in love with each other. Take notes on when you felt most in love and connected to your special someone. This will be the basis for your vows.

Find Your Theme

Once you’ve gone through your favorite times together, go from there. Think about what kind of couple you are together. Where your best moments romantic?  Adventurous? Silly? Daring? Whatever it is, keep that word in mind while you write. This will be the key theme in your vows. Every couple is different, so it’s good to play to what makes you special as a couple.

Think Big and Narrow it Down

Once you have a vow, write it down and write different key examples down underneath it. It can help to write out specific stories under that word. Of course, keep it to G-rated and non-embarrassing stories (your parents will hear it- keep it family friendly!). From the stories, think about those special moments when you looked over and realized this was the person you were going to marry. Those special, intimate moments are the ones that make or break a couple and are a great source for your vows. Think back to them and think about what specifically you felt and what made you feel that way (are you feeling warm and fuzzy yet?).

Get Organized

Now that you have a love theme and some special moments to back it up, throw it all together! It can help to type things out as bullet points. If everything is typed, you can move sentences and bullet points around without having to cross things out, erase things, or get out more paper. Remember to open by addressing the vows, then go into the relationship. You can go into what your fiance means to you, what your love means, how you make each other feel, how you’ve changed each other’s lives, etc. Figure out what’s most important to you and work from there. Organize all your bullet points in order of what flow you feel would work best. Do you want to tell a story, then go into its’ impact on your life? Do you want to start with a generality then go into what you mean to each other? Go with what feels right until it sounds right to you.

Focus and Make it Count

Just remember if you’re feeling overwhelmed- this is all a labor of love (literally!). It can be very easy to be overwhelmed when you’re sharing something as intimate and personal with not only your partner, but with your friends and family. If you need help, look up some vows online or watch videos of ceremonies for inspiration. Read as many love letters as you can. Just keep it all about love and if you get frustrated, take breaks. Something as special and personal as vows deserve time and care. Keep it focused and don’t cut corners. This matters and it’ll be the most important love letter you ever write- make it count!

 

A Bridal Blogger’s Photo Shoot by Jaime Davis Photography

Good morning lovelies! It probably comes to no surprise that I am obsessed with all things wedding. I mean, I get to write about pretty wedding things all the time.  From viewing gorgeous images on my computer screen, and swooning over each and every image, to attending some of the most fabulous bridal shows in town. Oh, how I love my job!  Today, I am doing things a bit different. I am viewing the images from the mini shoot that I recently had the pleasure of being a part of. Do you want to know how a bridal blogger’s mini photo shoot looks like? You are about to see how much fun this bridal blogger had with this photo shoot.

My husband and I have not had professional photos of us since our wedding day, and that was nine years ago! I wanted this shoot to be perfect. Perfect for my husband and I.  It had to be set in nature, and somewhere quiet with breathtaking views.  The photographer also had to be perfect in capturing the images in nature. So, I reached to brilliantly talented photographer, Jaime Davis from  Jaime Davis Photography , and when I  told her this,  she was so excited to be part of this photo shoot.  Jaime knew exactly where to go, and as soon as she showed me photos of this location, I knew that was the place. It was perfect!

Let me tell you, getting ready for this photo shoot, and then arriving at location seemed like a dream. I still thought that I was there to be behind the scenes of someone else’s photo shoot. I was not used to being the subject of the shoot.  After the first few shots, it still felt a bit strange, and then soon after I was super comfortable and we started to have some fun! Thanks to Jaime who knows how to make a girl feel totally comfortable in front of the lens. My husband and I felt like it was our wedding day all over again. Without the white dress and tux, but the feeling of overwhelming love for each other. We truly had a great time.  Can you tell how much we love each other? I think these images speak for themselves. Ready to see the gorgeous images from a bridal blogger’s photo shoot?

 

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Hair and Make Up:  Laura Cavanagh of Star Beauty by LC 

Photography: Jaime Davis Photography

 

Valentine’s Day Cookies and Milk

Happy Valentine’s Day!

When you think about V-Day, what comes to your mind? C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E! Chocolate gets the spotlight, front and center of every possible dessert creations. However, there are many other dessert-like dishes that can be created on this sweet day. Here is one of my favorites. Great for couples to share, for single friends to sip and enjoy together, and for families to slurp with children. It is super fun, easy, and cute!

COOKIES AND PINK MILK

This is what you will need:

  • 1 Gallon of milk (choose your favorite nonfat, 1% or 2% or whole)
  • Sugar cookie dough (buy your favorite brand. Just make sure that it has direction for making it into a rolled out cookie dough).
  • Red food coloring
  • Heart shaped cookie cutter
  • Round shaped cookie cutter (or anything other round shaped item that you can use to cut out cookies)
  • Milk bottles or shooter glasses or vintage looking glass
  • Vintage paper straws

 

Directions:

1)     Preheat oven by following the directions on cookie dough package

2)    Follow cookie dough directions for rolled dough.

3)    Roll out your dough and cut your cookies. I made round cookies and then cut the center with a heart shaped cookie cutter.

4)    Bake your cookies and once done set aside to cool.  PS: you can also bake all the heart shaped cut outs and freeze them. Use them to decorate cupcakes or any other dessert at a later time.

5)    Pour your milk in a pitcher.

6)    Add one drop of red food coloring.

7)    Mix. If too light of a pink, add one more drop.  Go slowly so that you can achieve your perfect hue.

8)    Pour the milk in the individual glasses.

9)    Place straw and place 2-3 cookies on the straw.

10)  Repeat for each glass.

A perfect treat for a day filled with love, no matter who is by your side.

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Top Three Valentine’s Day Inspired Wedding Flowers

Fact: I am in love with flowers. Blooms that are simple, over the top, or just a single rose, they make me happy and smile each and every time. In my book, without flowers and blooms, this world be pretty darn boring and ugly. With Valentine’s Day just a couple days away, a gorgeous detail is popping up at each and every floral shop. Beautiful blooms, ready to be picked up and shared with a loved one!  I am all about the romance, and romantic details. That is why today I want to talk about romantic weddings and how florals can make any wedding day oh-so-pretty!  With the help of our incredibly talented friend and floral designer, Sussanna Davidson at French Buckets, we have three gorgeous Valentine’s Day inspired wedding florals to inspire any bride for her wedding day. Go ahead, take a look, and see which bloom is for you.

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  • Peachy:  Oh so peachy!  This gorgeous floral arrangement is made up of peach Amaryllis, garden roses, pink jasmine and rice flower.  What a lovely arrangement and so perfect for that garden style wedding. This charming set is bright, lush, and full of smiles.   (The pretty background is paper from paper-source).
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  • Red Hot Love: These blooms are super stunning and totally scream Valentine’s Day. Look how bright and vibrant these flowers look.  This  super gorgeous arrangement is made up of  red amaryllis, pink hyacinth, pink jasmine and wild raspberries. Looking to have a classical wedding with a touch of surprise? This will surely be a showstopper. A total knockout!
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  • Simple and Sweet: These lovely blooms are made up of  sweet pea’s, geranium, pink sweetheart roses and pink hyacinth.  It is simple, yet is so pretty with the pop of colors that are present. This  sweet little centerpiece compliments a romantic style wedding.   (The pretty background is paper from paper-source).

Five Fun Valentine’s Day Gifts for Grooms

It’s almost Valentine’s Day! Are you ready? Even if you’re not, there’s no reason to worry. Save the stress for the ceremony and check out our gift guide for your groom.

For the Chef

If you landed a man who’s great in the kitchen, you might as well get him the right tools for the job. A good knife block is a great addition to any kitchen, and will encourage him to cook more! Knife blocks can range anywhere from $40 and up, depending on the quality and how big the set is. Just remember, a knife set is a great investment and you do get what you pay for. 

For the Man of Mystery

Boys do love their toys, and spy toys are a sure-fire hit. A spy pen camera or spy watch is something fun for him to play with and are typically under $50. Typically the cameras in spy gear aren’t very high quality, so he really can’t get into too much trouble. It may not be as practical as a knife block, but it sure will be fun.

For the Gamer

Are his thumbs always sore from all the video games? Trick out his device in a cool way. Get a cool skin for his handheld device so it’s easier for him to find in the man cave. We’re obsessed with these fun skins from Etsy ($6-$10 each skin). You can also spring for  another year of either his PlayStation or XBox online membership, or load his Nintendo account with some funds for downloadable play.

For the Pop Cultured

Does he speak in movie quotes and wish he were the long lost Bluth brother? Find some fun fan art from his favorite television show or movie. Just search the title in Etsy and you’ll find tons of cool fan tributes that would be perfect and original for him. If he’s a Potterhead, we love this fun flask (Etsy, $20).

For the Architect

If your groom likes to tinker and create fun things, give him a blast from the past with a cool lego set. It’s a great fun activity that you can help out with, plus it’ll look great as a centerpiece. We’re obsessed with the limited edition ‘Back to the Future’ set ($35, lego stores) that builds a floating Delorean.