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Featured Wedding: Abril & Mark – Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag them Away

Why start a featured wedding with the title of a Rolling Stones song? We couldn’t resist when we saw that the Bridal Procession was to the song “Wild Horses.” Intriguing. Even better to end your ceremony with a procession to Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.” So we were hooked before we even saw the gorgeous photography provided by Jennifer Lindberg Photography!

The setting for the wedding of Abril and Mark was held at the glorious Laguna Gloria Museum in Austin, Texas (now the Austin Art Museum – Laguna Gloria — a personal favorite and must see when visiting Austin). The couple met while at SMU. She was attending the prestigious law school, while Mark was there getting his MBA.

Her stunning wedding gown is Monique Lhuillier. “This was the gown of my dreams,” explains Abril.  “When I first saw it online, I knew it was THE dress.  I tried it on and I was right. I only tried a handful of other dresses and nothing compared.”

A few special notes the bride wanted to share. “My mom is a china painter and she hand painted every single small porcelain dish (our guest favors). Our (dog) kids, Austin and Ema, were there to celebrate with us and I individually cut by hand every Westie shaped escort card!”

Other wedding vendors include: Hair & Makeup – Tanya Carpenter, owner of TRU Salon in Dallas; Floral Designer – Prive Floral; Wedding Planner – CLINK; Cake – Michelle’s Patisserie

Featured Wedding – Sunshine & Grant

Last summer we posted the precious engagement photos of Sunshine and Grant by Thisbe Grace. Now we complete the circle with beautiful photos of their wedding reception under the stars at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Downtown Dallas.

Sunshine & Grant toasted and danced the night away with guests from all over the world. Under the direction of wedding planner Jordan Payne, it was a garden inspired wedding with autumn florals (her colors were purple, peach and ivory), including an array of foliage, bringing it all together with gold details throughout. It was complete with modern details like a white dance floor at the foot of the 40 foot garden sculpture and white lounge furniture under crystal chandeliers hung in the trees.

The ceremony was at SMU’s Perkins Chapel. Grant went to SMU, which made it more personal. They were married by one of their closest friends. According to Sunshine, her ceremony was the perfect balance between the celebration of the day and the reality of the commitment the couple was making. They almost vetoed the Nasher (even before they saw it!) because Sunshine didn’t want an outdoor reception, yet they fell in love with the modern art, the water, and all the beautiful trees once they saw it in person.

The idea of the three cakes came from a picture of three, single layer wedding cakes on cakes stands that Sunshine found. She and her sister found a store in Venice Beach with stacks of vintage glass cake stands and bought two for the wedding. The third cake stand belonged to Delicious Cakes.

Bridal Gown – Romona Keveza
Wedding Planner – Jordan Payne Events
Photographer – Thisbe Grace
Bridesmaid Dresses – Jim Hjelm
Entertainment – Andy Austin
Cake – 3 cakes by Delicious Cakes.

Rehersal Dinner – Sammy’s BBQ – We wanted to serve authentic Texas cuisine and our friends love to dress up, so the invite said “hats, boot and belts encouraged.”

Hair & Makeup – Mo Bowers of Fairy Godmother Bridal. About my Makeup – “I love purple eye shadow and when I saw a photo of a bride wearing it for her bridal photos, I was inspired to wear my favorite color, Beautiful Iris by MAC. Mo suggested a red gloss for my lips, and I questioned her suggestion, until a fabulous sales associate at Blue Mercury in Philadelphia helped me fine Chanel 106, which is my new favorite lip color.”

New York Weddings – Lindsey & Tyler

Sometimes, the most important decisions are the easiest to make. “I realized very early on that this was the girl I was going to marry, probably a month or two after we started dating,” confides Tyler Rhoten of his bride, Lindsey Magness.

“We wanted to have an iconic New York wedding, which showed our out-of-town friends and family the best of the city we love and call home. Our locations were a big part of achieving that,” says the couple. StrictlyWeddings.com NYC partner, Gruber Photographers, shared this iconic wedding with us and it’s sure to become one of your favorites!

The sizeable bridal party – eight maids in all – wore floor-grazing charcoal gowns and held vibrant bouquets in brilliant hues of purple and blue. A vision in a tumble of ruffled fabric that fell in origami-like layers, Lindsey floated down the candle-lit aisle, her mother and stepfather by her side. One magical moment: Just as Tyler and Lindsey kissed after being pronounced man and wife, a gospel choir burst into song, setting the mood for the remainder of the night with their rendition of “Oh, Happy Day,” which set the mood for the remainder of the night.

For the reception, guests made their way to the New York Public Library for a night to remember. Tyler and Lindsey shared a ride in a classic car, which was fitting for their timeless, New York theme. “My advice to any bride and groom is to set aside some alone time, even just five minutes, between the ceremony and reception,” advises Lindsey. “It was so nice to take a moment to appreciate that we were officially married before starting the celebration.”

The bride’s favorite color palette of black and white, accented with shades of purple, set the backdrop for the elegant affair. Table cards cleverly fashioned to resemble catalog cards guided guests to their sage-toned seats. Long rectangular tables filled the immense room, each topped with gleaming silver candelabras and flowering branches of purple blossoms that reached toward the vaulted ceiling. Contrasting short, clean arrangements of white orchids, tea roses, lavender, purple iris, and calla lilies added texture. Candles of all shapes and sizes played up the romance, illuminating the hallowed halls. No two tables were identical, a visual feast for the eyes. Violet lighting cast a romantic glow during the dinner and dancing.

For guests that were less footloose and fancy-free, small lounge areas were provided to sit and enjoy so they wouldn’t feel left out of the action. Combining influences from the couple’s favorite Mexican and Italian cuisines, guests feasted on a first course of penne with tomato and hot peppers, lasagna Bolognese, and spinach tagliotini with ham and peas. A light salad followed. The main course included a choice of Dover sole or rolled chicken, both accompanied with sides of tomato and roasted-pepper flan, asparagus, and potato duchesses. A towering five-tiered buttercream cake was adorned with beautiful bouquets of sugar flowers, ranging from the palest lavender to the deepest plum. The ice cream-loving couple surprised their loved ones with a gelato cart serving hand-dipped cones. “It was definitely a hit with our guests!” says Lindsey. In lieu of traditional favors, a donation was made in honor of attendees to two local organizations. However, another tantalizing delicacy served as a sweet reminder of the night. Guests were encouraged to fill a to-go bag with fresh bomboloni (Italian filled donuts).

Bride & Groom: Lyndsey Magness & Tyler Rhoten
Photographers: Gruber Photographers
Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier
Veil: Mark Ingram Bridal
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Reception: New York Public Library
Ceremony: Saint Bartholomew’s Church
Cake: Sylvia Weinstock Cakes

Copy: Inside Weddings

Featured Wedding | Mike & Christen | Wedding Chicago Style

The oh so fab photographer Jai Girard, our Chicago StrictlyWeddings.com partner, sent us this wedding (and others to come soon) that is truly wonderful! We love Jai’s dramatic photos and how she captures her bride and groom is so many fun and creative ways.

Our bride and groom, Christen and Mike, met through a mutual friend and there first official date was the following night … love at first sight? Mike proposed to Christen atop a cliff overlooking the desolate Papkolea Green Sand Beach on the Big Island (Hawaii). A very rare type of beach, its unique olive green sand is made of a smi-precious stone eroded by the ocean and crushed into fine sand. Mike surprised Christen after a 3 mile hike through volcanic rock to get there.

Fun to know…Christen’s something old was a beautiful diamond that she won at the grand opening of a department store. Her parents had placed in on a ring setting that she was allowed to wear to church until she was old enough. By then, it was dated so it was put away in her mom’s jewelry box. Come her wedding day, her parents surprised her with her “old” diamond in a new beautiful necklace.

Ceremony: St. Hyacinth Basilica
Reception: The Blackstone Hotel
Wedding Gown: Lazaro
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Flowers: A Stem Above
Cake: Take the Cake
Entertainment: Bradley Young Orchestra
Rings: Harry Winston

Camp Lucy Wedding – It Took This Couples’ Breath Away

StrictlyWeddings.com partner, Photographer Jennifer Lindberg, is one of our fab wedding resources who recently clued us in on the greatness of Camp Lucy (recently talked about in StrictlyWeddings.com’s blog) as a Texas Wedding Destination. To be able to showcase one of our featured weddings at this Texas Hill Country wedding venue, is even better.

Emily and Matt met at the Monkey Bar at Mi Cocina in Highland Park Village in Dallas. She was there with friends and he was too; fortunately, their friends overlapped. Years later, he rented out the Monkey Bar and proposed to Emily in the exact place they met. Matt told Emily they were meeting his work friends for happy hour, she was late and very surprised! Lots of their friends and family joined later to celebrate their engagement.

The wedding took place at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs, Texas. The couple did not want to get married in Dallas and The Texas Hill Country is one of their favorite places. Emily’s 90-year-old grandmother, who lives in a retirement community in Austin, suggested they make a stop at Camp Lucy. “Lucy” (the Lucy) is a good friend of the grandmother’s at the retirement home and she had recently toured it with her. As soon as Matt and Emily drove up, it took their breath away. They had found the spot. It was also pretty special that her “sweet grandmother” played such a role in it, too.

Melissa Sweet was the designer for her gown. For tradition, the bride’s “something old” was a brooch from her grandmother who had passed. For something new, her parents, knowing she cries, gave her a lace handkerchief embroidered with the couple’s wedding date. She wrapped the handkerchief around her bouquet and pinned it with her grandmother’s brooch.

• Verve Austin/ Barbara Shorts - Event planning and coordination
• Photographer – Jennifer Lindberg Weddings
• Marquee Rental – Tents, Chandlier, Stage Furniture & Heaters
• Westbank Flower Market – Florals
• Crescent Video - Film
• Arundel Ensemble – Strings
• Hair and Make up - Mandy Ray Hernandez
• Transportation Consultants – Valet
• R& R Limo – Shuttles
• Sight – Ceremony and Reception – Camp Lucy Dripping Spring Texas:
• RK San Antonio – Catering & Linens, Displays
• Dripping Spring Rental – Table and Chairs
• Strong Production -Tent Draping & cocktail tables
• Lighting – illios Lighting

Chicago Featured Wedding: Sweethearts Forever

Many thanks to Chicago photographer Jai Girard for sharing these beautiful photos. They are so Jai … we just love her style.

Chris and I are high school sweethearts who dated for ten years before getting married. On a romantic trip to Las Vegas, Chris popped the question at the Venetian hotel. He took me by surprise when he brought a huge assortment of pastries up to our room, with one special box put aside. Inside? A chocolate torte (my favorite!) with a diamond ring.

As Ohio natives who have lived in Chicago for some time, we wanted our guests to enjoy the glamour and excitement of a Chicago wedding. We began planning an intimate wedding, selecting the Ritz Carlton hotel as an elegant backdrop for the reception. I did not use a wedding planner – who needs one when they’ve been dreaming of their wedding and all the details for this many years?

The ceremony was held at Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue. Afterwards, guests gathered in the Terrace of the Ritz Carlton for cocktails and the Dining Room for dinner. I wanted the wedding to embody modern elegance and romance, with a touch of sparkle. Jessica Griffin from Botanicals was able to meld my ideas into beautiful floral creations, which accented the rooms’ natural sophistication. Her selections far exceeded my expectations. One of the most unique elements of our wedding was the all-vegetarian fare. As a vegetarian couple, it meant a great deal to us to serve vegetarian food. Ours was the first such wedding hosted at the Ritz and they did a fabulous job! The festivities began with house-made deep-dish pizzas to keep with the Chicago theme. Chef created unique and delicious entrees and an ice cream sundae station (along with wedding cake) were served as sweet treats later in the night.

We will be forever indebted to our wonderful photographer, Jai Girard, who not only captured precious moments, but did so with exquisite elegance and beauty. We will treasure the images for years to come. A thank you to our family and friends is also in order – it would not have been the same without them!

Bridal Gown: Kenneth Pool with Swarovski crystal buttons added down the back. I tried on over 100 gowns before I found this one!
Headpiece & Shoes:  the Left Bank
Photographer: Jai Girard
Wedding Ceremony: Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago
Wedding Reception: The Ritz Carlton, Chicago
Florist:  Botanicals
Bridal Party Hair: Ginger Damato
Bridal Party Makeup: Wendy Woodside, Wendy City Faces
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bella Bridesmaid
Music: Cagen Music, Incognito
Cake: Sarah’s Pastries & Candies

Featured Weddings: A Love So Special – Rachel & Greg

Dallas StrictlyWeddings.com partner Thisbe Grace Photography shared this romantic wedding of Rachel and Greg held at The Mansion. The bride, Rachel, took time to share with us the couple’s “love story” as well as various wedding details.  Dallas wedding planner Paige Chenault was valuable in making the couple’s vision come to life.

It all began back in August 2004 at a local hospital in Detroit, Michigan, where an adorable man asked me, “Are you on my team?” I had no idea at the time how much this man would impact my life. I was a fourth year medical student, and Greg had just started his medical residency. First a friendship ensued, followed by a romance. We were madly in love and one year later began a long distance relationship between Detroit & Cleveland for three years, while we both completed our respective training. Here we are 7 years later, living & working in Dallas, with our 2 cats and dog.

We both wanted an intimate gathering of our closest family and friends. I grew up in Minnesota, and Greg grew up in Michigan, but we decided to have our wedding in our new home of Dallas. We decided to have a welcome party, following the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, in the gorgeous penthouse suite at The Stoneleigh Hotel, which reminded us of a beautiful historical home.

On Saturday, we had our wedding ceremony and reception at The Mansion on Turtle Creek. We visited a few potential sites in the city and ultimately chose this venue because we considered it to be quintessential Dallas. The location was just the right balance of luxury along with an intimate setting. I gave my bridesmaids customized fashion illustrations of them in their beautiful dresses, which were drawn by an amazing and talented artist, Dallas Shaw.

It was so comforting to see Greg before the ceremony and be in the arms of the man I love. As a Minnesota native, I loved the idea of having birch branches for our altar centerpieces during the ceremony. As a pleasant surprise, our fantastic florist went the extra mile and created magical centerpieces of crystals, white orchids, and candles, all interlaced and hanging from the birch branches to create two breathtaking trees around the altar.

Greg and I are from the Great Lakes and both share a love and appreciation for Lake Superior. We decided to purchase stones from Lake Superior, which we then shaped and polished for weeks in a rock tumbler. As each of our guests entered the ceremony, they were given a small stone to hold throughout the ceremony and give well wishes and special blessings. Upon exiting the ceremony, each guest placed his or her stone in a vase that we now keep on our fireplace mantle.

We hired a live-event artist to capture the scene of our first dance. The painting is absolutely gorgeous and is displayed above our fireplace as well. The reception tables either had cascading floral centerpieces or glass tops with flickering candlelight. The ambiance was absolutely romantic! Our custom white dance floor, a must for me, really made the center of the room.

Because of our love for Sprinkles red velvet cupcakes, by far the most delicious dessert imaginable, we decided to have the cupcakes designed to look like a tiered wedding cake, situated on a floating cake base. We ended the night with a huge confetti celebration to our song “Don’t Stop Believin”.  A very special thank you to our absolutely wonderful wedding planner, Paige Chenault, who worked countless hours in bringing all our ideas and loves to life. We will forever be thankful to all our family and friends, for travelling the distance to celebrate our wedding with us.

Bridal Gown: Romona Keveza – The Bridal Salon at Stanley Korshak
Bridal Shoes: Jimmy Choo – Stanley Korshak
Bridal Party Makeup & Hair: Absolute Radiance
Bridesmaids’ Attire: Bella Bridesmaid
Wedding Planner: Paige Chenault – Paige Chenault Events
Wedding & Reception Venue: Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
Rehearsal Dinner & Welcome Party Venue: The Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa
Florist: The Wildflower
Photography: Thisbe Grace Photography
Videography: Hakim Sons Films
Music: Beyond & Serenata Strings
Lighting: Beyond
Cake: Sprinkles Cupcakes
Invitations: Stamped Paper Company – Jill Efrussy
Décor/Rentals: BBJ Linens, POSH, & The Wildflower
Live-Event Artist: Posta Bella – Jaime Pickerell

Featured Wedding: Junk Gypsy Plans a Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton Wedding Reception as only Best Friends Can

The pressure is definitely on when you’re the one who takes on the task of creating the ambiance and “experience” that would be Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton‘s wedding reception. Now imagine the pressure when you’re a close friend of Miranda’s; best friends in fact; known her since her humble beginnings to her incredible success. It’s a story that the owners of Junk Gypsy Co. will tell for years to come.

StrictlyWeddings.com is so honored to feature this wedding reception hosted by the very funny and charming ladies of Junk Gypsy Co. These ladies know how to throw a party!

To understand the creative spirit that inspired the details of Miranda & Blake’s wedding reception is to try to understand the passion that drives these women. There’s no taming their free spirit. The Junk Gypsy Co. started with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of heart and soul. The girls traveled like gypsies collecting roadside treasures and tattered grandeur, meeting kindred spirits and storybook characters along the way – Miranda was one of those storybook characters.

We’ve borrowed a few of their words and descriptions from the Junk Gypsy blog. The theme? Glam Deer Camp! If only we could have heard the laughter as they uncovered all the details and “finds” with Miranda & Blake. Photos by Robert Evans. (Please keep in mind these images are not yours to use as you wish anywhere on the web or in publication, they are copyrighted and protected. They are here for your viewing pleasure only.)

A rock star Elvis silver velvet tufted sofa, 2 drops of jupiter metallic silver chairs, and fleamarket ottomans

Below left, Miranda’s bouquet!

for some of the chairs Junk Gypsy created a custom design just for the occasion and had it crafted into chair slipbacks….inspired by MiRANDA & BLaKE and some of the things they love…

a trophy buck, hunting, guns, and randy travis’s song, forever & ever amen … with baroque details, ornate scrolls, and prairie-colored roses. the design was printed on canvas and sewn to fit the chairs. they tied floppy hot pink satin sashes on each chair for a pop of hollywood honkytonk.

for other chairs, they wrapped ripped pieces of canvas around the backs and then tied them off with vintage belt buckles and die cast cap guns.

Junk Gypsy founders and sisters Jolie and Amie

Such wonderful touches like the ones above. Planning every little detail to tell the story and share the magic of the couple’s love.

The wedding cakes were specially made by Jay Qualls, owner of Maples Wedding Cakes from Nashville.

Below an authentic tipi perfect for a true-blue Oklahoma boy with rugs, mushy pillows, and a crystal chandelier…

The VIP trailer for the reception. Junk Gypsy added a hodge-podge of fleamarket rugs, cowhides, retro metal chairs, and tons of candles. And inside, the coolest gypsy-vibe-room ever. “At one point we were standing in the doorway with Dierks Bentley and his wife Cassidy…and inside the airstream sat Reba and her husband-Narvel Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson (another Texas girl), Lady Antebellum, and Kellie Pickler … surreal.”

Neal McCoy entertains the crowd at the reception.

New York’s The Pierre Perfect Setting for this Featured Wedding

StrictlyWeddings.com New York City partner, Gruber Photographers, shared this beautiful wedding with us that was held at The Pierre. The bride and groom, Chloe and Alex, met in early 2003 at Dim Sum Go-Go in Chinatown, and thus began dating six years later, ending the longest flirtation on record! Good friends through many days, it was clear marriage was their next destination. The proposal came when on a trip to Beijing. Alex cornered Chloe in remote China atop the Great Wall. Out of breath with nowhere to go, she readily agreed. Later he made up for it with champagne cocktails in the hotel in Beijing.

The wedding ceremony was held at New York’s landmark The Pierre Hotel in the Cotillion room where the famous tango scene in the movie ‘Scent of a Woman’ was filmed. The reception was also at The Pierre.

Wedding Vendors
Place: The Pierre Hotel
Photographer : Gruber Photographers
Videographer : Robert Allen
Flower & Design : David Beam
Hair : Hiro at Eva Scrivo
Make up : Eunjung Kim
Rings: Tiffany
Tuxedo: Tom Ford
Ceremony Dress: Vera Wang
Reception Dress: Valentino
Wedding Shoes: Fendi
Bridesmaid dress: Priscilla Boston
Bride’s Cake for wedding: Sylvia Weinstock
Groom’s cake for rehearsal dinner: Colette’s cakes

Featured Wedding: Just say WOW! This wedding’s glamour was definitely in the details

We love Austin photographer, and StrictlyWeddings.com partner, Jennifer Lindberg’s incredible work. Our latest Feature Wedding showcases not just her photography, but the outstanding job by all the other wedding vendors to create this stunning wedding.

The following wedding details from Blair and Andrew’s wedding were shared with us by Wedding Coordinator CLINK…

The ceremony was held in the Pavilion of Barton Creek Resort and we brought in draping and chandeliers to create an elegant and breathtaking ambiance. A cross backdrop was adorned with roses in shades of ivories, peach and pale yellow and was complimented by two modern arrangements that completed the look perfectly.

The remarkable cocktail hour included an ice sculpture that served double duty as a jaw-dropping centerpiece and raw bar display. The pianist played throughout cocktail hour so there was never a lull in phenomenal entertainment.

The ballroom doors opened and WOW!!!!!!! The ballroom was transformed into a couture playland of modern floral, linens and lighting. From the cake table that had four linens layered to make it just right – to the chair ties on the head table that were tied in a rosette style to compliment Blair’s dress. IT. WAS. TREMENDOUS. Purple smoke bengaline linens adorned all the guest tables and was the perfection combination of modern and elegant. The head table had a dark lavender satin as the base, platinum crush for the middle layer and purple smoke bengaline on top. Centerpieces were all different shapes and sizes of purple and coral floral housed in mercury glass containers.

After enjoying a delicious dinner, guests danced the night away! The band was awesome and was more than willing to let Blair, Andrew and other members of the wedding party up on stage to get the crowd going.

Blair’s to-die-for gown served as inspiration for the custom designed wedding cake. Melissa Sweet herself couldn’t have designed those sugar flowers better!!! And the delicate wisps of feathers blew ever so gently all night. As an added personal touch a crystal bee was placed on the cake. Everyone calls Blair “B” so it was a great feature.

 Andrew’s Louisiana heritage inspired our late night snack – beignets!!! Complete with bags flown in from Café Du Monde in New Orleans – YUM! Guests were beside themselves with all of the fun surprises they had in store. And then the final surprise of the night, the horn section led the entire wedding out to “When the Saints Go Marching In.” FUN! Blair made a quick change into a beaded Marchesa dress and then she and Andrew were COVERED in a blanket of fluterfetti as they made their way to an antique convertible Bentley.

Venue/Catering/Cakes – Barton Creek Resort
Chairs and Linens – Marquee Rachel Church
Linens – BBJ Linen
Cocktail hour linens – Cloth Connection 
Draping – Strong Events
Lighting – ILIOS
Makeup Artist – Kandy Glass
Hair Stylist – Sasha Lemay
Ceremony Music – Arundel Ensemble
Soloist – Steve Morris
Pianist – Mac Bynum
DJ Penguin Entertainment – Josh Wilkinson
Reception Music – Professor D Scott White
Florist – The Flower Studio
Ice Sculpture – Amazing Ice
Photographer – Jennifer Lindberg Weddings
Videographer – Crescent Video
Wedding Coordinator – CLINK