A Rosy Posy

This vibrant arrangement by the divine Poppies and Posies is enough to bring a smile to anyone who's feeling the sting of Monday! The tight cluster of pink roses and blood orange celosia is simply swoon worthy!

Photo by Robert Sukrachand.

Alison and Chris

I made a dear blogging friend in Alison before I realized that only days before we "met", I was drooling all over her big day on Martha Stewart Weddings! The collegiate theme (the lovebirds met at Georgetown) and the classic pairing of cobalt and white are a prepster's dream come true, and these newlyweds beautifully blended family traditions to create an event that was steeped in prosperity! Best of all might just be Kate Headley's pitch perfect photos, that capture every moment and detail beautifully!

Alison and Chris tied the knot at the Dumbarton House in D.C.; they were married in the gardens and celebrated their nuptials with a dessert reception at the historic house. The bride wore a ruched gown and classic veil by Paloma Blanca and a pair of cobalt patent leather pumps from Gucci, set off by a string of Mikimoto pearls (a wedding gift from her groom) and a pair of sapphire "Valentine" earrings from Adorn.com, a divine jewelry boutique with the option to rent! Bridesmaids donned Lela Rose dresses, and so did Alison when she and Chris made their grand exit; the girls accessorized their blue frocks with shoes from Ann Taylor, hairpins from J.Crew and earrings from Banana Republic. The groom and his men looked dapper in grey Joseph Abboud suits from Men's Warehouse and blue ties from Turnbull & Asser.

The bride and groom were adamant about making their wedding day their own; to that end, they were married late in the day and skipped a more traditional sit-down dinner in favor of a dessert buffet. Design Cuisine provided nibbles both sweet and savory, as well as a stunning cake (a two tier key lime with blueberry filling) that incorporated many special details Alison and Chris included in their reception decor and invitations.

The bride's bouquet (designed by Holly Heider Chapple Flowers) included rosemary and hydrangea in honor of her grandmother, Rose Marie, and her dress and the wrapping for her bouquet was trimmed with lace from her great-grandmother's wedding gown. The bride's grandmother Katherine passed away six weeks before Alison and Chris were married, and she was able to wear her special ring on the big day. The groom also wore a ring with rich history; it belonged to the bride's grandfather, who received it from his mother, and they used his grandparents' cake servers when cutting into their classic confection.

The letterpress invitation suite designed by Paper Moss was an instant classic, and features D.C.'s beautiful cherry blossoms, while the stamps on the outer envelope represent the bride, groom and their history (a Dolley Madison stamp honors her stay at their venue, Dumbarton House, Alison grew up in Indiana while Chris is a Maine-born boy, and a LOVE stamp designed by Robert Indiana, two George Washington stamps and three D.C. stamps tell a tale of their courtship).

When it came to ceremony decor, Alison, Chris and their planners at Ritzy Bee were equally committed to showcasing the bride and groom. Alison's 400 prize ribbons from 4H fairs and track competitions, as well as vintage pennants, varsity letters and trophy cups gave the reception of winning collegiate feel. The bride also collected vintage books from D. Kelley Fine Used Books, proving these two are as bright as they are athletic.

At the end of the night, guests took home iced cookies, made by Design Cuisine, in the shape of the lovebirds' home states, and packaged with small buttons designed by Paper Moss and made by Just Buttons. Ladies also wrapped up in pashmina shawls on which the bride stitched custom labels from Initial Impressions for weeks!


A big thank you to Alison and phenomenal photographer Kate Headley for sharing these stunning shots with me!

Wild for Jason Wu

I'm sure you've heard about Jason Wu's collaboration with Net-a-Porter's Bridal Boutique (I know I went wild when the first sketches were released!), but this little number is even better than I imagined! Bow-embellished silk-faille dress-are there any words more beautiful in the English language?

Of course, this gorgeous little number and most of the rest of the collection is already sold out! Here's hoping they're keeping making these stunning dresses! Do you have a favorite from Jason Wu's bridal collection?

Tea Time

I know, Friday mornings mean just one thing around here: liquor. But to tell the truth, Friday at 5 looks more like a cup of tea and a teaming Google reader full of gorgeous weddings in my house, and I might imagine yours! Don't get me wrong-I won't turn down a classic daiquiri or a delicious Clover Club, but most Friday nights, I just want to fall into my jammies and take a nap!

So what is the tea I depend on when I'm just short of collapsing? Harney & Sons Paris. First discovered at a coffee shop near our Baltimore apartment (City Café, I miss our Saturday brunch date!), I started buying it directly from the website. Not only is it the perfect blend of black tea, vanilla, caramel and a touch of Bergamot, the charming tea tins make perfect vases!

Tell me, do you have a favorite tea?

Photo by Yvette Inufio.

a Wedgewood Wedding

You may not be able to round up 150 Wedgewood place settings for the big day, but I love the idea of using a classic china pattern as fondant inspiration! John and I devoured two seasons of Cake Boss recently, and my obsession with confections has reached a fever pitch!

What do you think the best looking cakes include? Do you go for lots of detail, or do you keep it simple? I'll tell you my answer-I'm a sucker for buttercream cakes with simple pearl beading!

Choosing the Ring

With engagements at their peek during this holiday season, I have heard so many wonderful stories from brides-to-be. One thing many of them seem to share is shopping with their future fiancés for their engagement ring; what do you think, darlings? Does it ruin the surprise to know what's in that little velvet box, or should you have some say in the ring you'll be rockin' (a terrible pun, I know) forever?

Photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat.

Something Blue

A pair of unforgettable Manolo Blahniks for a very special Tuesday Shoesday-Matchbook Magazine arrives today! I hope you've carved out some time in your day to drool-this is sure to be divine!

Photo by Jose Villa.

Cupid's Arrow

I can't resist MaeMae Paperie-Megan Gonzalez's designs are always perfectly whimsical, and with three different printing options (letterpress, flat and at-home), they suit every budget. She recently launched her first collection of readymade wedding suites, and this Artemis-inspired RSVP card was too divine not to share!

For more of Megan's gorgeous stationery inspiration, check out her blog-you'd be mad not to!

Elizabeth and Colby

Since January and February can be some of winter's darkest months, I thought that I'd share a summer wedding as a way to ward off winter blues. What could chase away the doldrums better than this stunning celebration, photographed by the talented Tanja Lippert?

Elizabeth and Colby were married at her grandparent's lake house where she grew up. While the bride, groom and their attendants got ready, guests played bocce ball, croquet, horseshoes and badminton on the lawn. The bride wore a stunning Melissa Sweet gown, while her bridesmaids got gussied up in dresses from David's Bridal, and the boys counted on Jos. A. Bank for their suits.

The couple was married under a driftwood arbor the bride and her father built together; Dad was also instrumental in the restoration of the property, which had fallen into disrepair. The bride had a favorite wedding book as a child, "A Frog Went A-Courting", and had begged her grandfather to plant a willow tree so she could be married beneath it. While he told her it would block their pristine view of the lake, 6 years before his passing he planted not just one but four willow trees around the property. The bride and her family also planted lavender on the property and around the arbor, providing the perfect natural ceremony décor.

The bride also found inspiration for their stationery suite in "A Frog Went A-Courting"; illustrations from the book were used as backing for their program fans. The bride spent over 50 hours at the helm of a platen press crafting their four-color save the dates, invitations and signage, as well, and said she made a lifelong friend in her letterpress mentor, Robert Johnson. Not only did the bride make her own stationery suite, she and her maid of honor arranged bouquets, centerpieces and aisle flowers. This crafty bride also collected vintage jars, beverage dispensers, cafe lights and apothecary jars for table settings and décor, handmade eyelet lace candle holders and birch wood centerpieces, calligraphied drink name tags and crafted eyelet candy favor boxes! She so enjoyed the work that she has since started an event planning and design business, Clementine & Clover, based in Southern California!

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed summer cocktails and a selection of Spanish tapas chosen by the groom, who is a Spanish professor. Chic le Chef catered the party while McKee Somerville baked a buttercream-frosted chocolate-raspberry and carrot cake. A string quartet, friends from the bride's grandmother's days in the local symphony, played a mix of classic, swing and motown hits, and a backwater blues band, Quinn DeVeaux and the Blue Beat Review, kept guests dancing until well after midnight. And of course, the incredible Tanja Lippert captured each beautifully crafted moment in stunning detail.

So did that chase away your winter blues? I know this magical wedding cured me of mine!