Holly + Braden’s Log Cabin Destination Wedding in San Francisco

When you move from Chicago to New York, where do you have your wedding but a log cabin in San Francisco?  Holly and Braden met in San Francisco and knew that’s where their wedding had to be.  They chose The Log Cabin at the Presidio which sets a perfect city meets rustic charm day in place.

From the bride:  “A destination wedding has its unique set of challenges, but it also has advantages that were great for someone like me who has a tendency to over think everything. We were able to make many decisions quickly because we just did not have much time in town. We also had to research and put our faith in people we trust for a lot of the decisions of other decisions that had to be made without seeing or meeting key people before the wedding. In fact, the people we used through trusted referrals were some of our best decisions. If you’re planning a DIY destination wedding like ours, the more time you can be there before the wedding, the better. Also, try and schedule time to do fun things with your partner, friends and family because enjoying this time with them really is what it’s all about. That said, eating pizza and drinking wine on the floor together, chatting, making giant paper flowers, building poms and clipping flowers was a pretty great way to spend time together as well.”

 

Despite the challenges, Holly and Braden were equipped with a star-studded DIY support team.  Headed up by Holly herself who designed the stationery suite, their friends and family rallied from across the country to pull together a fantastic fun and elegant day full of handmade florals, paper poms and pie! I love the fact that Holly hired some fantastic key vendors to highlight her hard DIY work. (DIY brides need help too ya know.)  Having a good balance between pros and craftiness lets you enjoy all the special moments leading up to and on the big day.

 

Sonya Yruel had done such an amazing job documenting the fun and festivities of the day!  You have to check out the gallery to see all of the additional goodies, like the pies baked by Holly’s mom and sis and the adorable wedding quilt guest book.

Vendor Information:

Photography: Sonya Yruel Photography

Venue: The Log Cabin at the Presidio

Catering: Jane Hammond Events

Hair and Makeup: Elite Bridal Artists

Bride’s attire: OreaSposa

Bridesmaid’s attire: Bloomingdales, Ann Taylor and Modcloth

Groom’s attire: Calvin Klein

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

 

 

Shannon + Jared’s Groovy Styled Elopement

Happy Monday!!!

Since we had so many spontaneous disasters last week on the site, I thought we should put some good mojo out there to make sure we get off to a groovy start this week!  What better than a spur of the moment elopement!  Photographer Charity and Ricky, received a panicked call form the suddenly bride to be Shannon.  She and DH-to-be needed someone to capture an intimate ceremony that night. Despite an upcoming wedding later that year in Hawaii, they went with a “Why Wait?”  I, for one, am so glad they did!

Lucky for Shannon and Jared, Charity and Ricky had an upcoming workshop so a super jazzed styled elopement was born!  From the photographer: “Shannon chose a Ruche dress that I had put aside for an upcoming workshop. Then added an Urban Outfitters fascinator, Anthropologie earrings, Target shoes, and a bouquet of colorful roses….she was ready to elope. Jared chose a Target ensemble along with their 3 Beautiful kids.”  Shannon has such a hip and happening vibe going on, and for a tiny event the emotions captured are ginormous!  You have to feel the coolness of this Wyoming event in the whole gallery.

We can’t thank Charity and Ricky for layin’ this one on us.  Right on!  Congratulations Shannon and Jared.  We hope you had a groovy second, first wedding in Hawaii too!

Vendor Information:

Photographer: Charity and Ricky

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Nicole and Keifer’s Sporty Outdoor Engagement

Big LOVE, baseball bats, a puppy and the woods.  Don’t be scared.  It’s not an episode of The Soprano’s or a missing scene from Of Mice and Men.  It’s actually my most recent Love Shoot crush at Holcomb Garden in Indianapolis.  Kristeen Marie Photography has proven to me (the former engagement session non-believer) that a great photographer can elevate some great creative ideas into a world series of forever captured memories.  They hit this one out of the park!

Baseball is a huge part of this couple’s life seeing that Keifer’s a baseball coach.  I love all of the possible images taken for save the dates and remembrances of pre-game activities for Nicole, Keifer, and sports fans all over.  And their puppy is just too cute for words!  The many contrasts that Butler University’s Holcomb Gardens provide the big LOVE that really isn’t all that hard to see when you look into Nicole and Keifer’s eyes.

 

Thank you Kristeen Marie Photography! And congrats Nicole & Keifer!

 

Vendor Information:

Photographer: Kristeen Marie Photography

Shoot Location: Holcomb Gardens

Cute & Easy Bridal Shower Cupcakes

Show me a person who doesn’t like cupcakes and I’ll show you a mystery of the universe. Cupcakes are delicious! They’re delicate, small and tasty. Plus, since you can decorate them any way you like, they make a starling addition to any occasion — like, for example, a bridal shower.

And you don’t have to be a baking queen to make them look good. All you need is a few basic ingredients, an hour or so, and a zip-lock bag. Bada bing, bada boom – cute bridal shower cupcakes.

The batter

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 8oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Mix butter and sugar

Place the softened butter and sugar into a big bowl and beat them until they get fluffy.

Step 3: Add eggs

One by one add and mix the eggs into the mixture. Make sure to beat well between each addition so that the mixture is light.

Step 4: Add flour and milk

Add the baking powder and a third of the flour and mix lightly, then add the vanilla essence and a third of the milk and mix again. Alternate between the flour and milk, each time mixing lightly until everything is blended. Be careful not to over-mix.

Step 5: Spoon into forms

Spoon the mixture into the cupcake forms.

Step 6: Bake

Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes. You can test if they’re ready by sliding a wooden stick into the center – if it comes out clean, they’re done.

Step 7: Cool cupcakes

Allow the cupcakes to cool and prepare the icing!

Icing

Ingredients:

  • 4oz butter
  • 2 ½ cups icing sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • 3 teaspoons rose syrup
  • Food colouring
  • Zip-lock bag

Step 1: Mix butter and icing sugar

Mix the butter and icing sugar until they form a smooth paste. If you’re worried about your mixer spraying the icing sugar all over the kitchen, and don’t have a guard, you can knead the butter and sugar together with your hands until they’re somewhat blended, then mix.

Step 2: Add milk

Add a tablespoon of milk and mix. If the mixture is still too stiff, add another spoonful.

Step 3: Add food coloring

Separate the icing into bowls and add the desired food coloring until you achieve the colors you like – you’ll need one color for the base, one for the leaves and at least one for the flower petals. I went with white, green and pink.

Step 4: Add rose syrup

Add a teaspoon of rose syrup to each of the colors of icing and stir it through lightly.

Step 5: Make base

Spread the base color of your icing mixture over the cupcakes.

Step 6: Make piping bag

Cut a triangle out of the corner of a zip-lock bag and fill it with the green icing.

Step 7: Make leaf

With the fold of the zip-lock bag facing up, squeeze out the icing. As you do so, move the bag slightly forwards and backwards to form the veins on the leaf. Here’s a brilliant YouTube tutorial by howtocookthat.net that’ll show you exactly what to do.

Step 8: Repeat

Repeat the process until you have two leaves on each of your cupcakes (except if you’re making mini ones, in which case one should be enough).

Step 9: Make petals

Wash out your piping bag or make a new one, and fill it with your flower icing (in my case, pink). Begin the same way as with the leaves, by squeezing out the icing, but rather than zigzag-ing in and out, squeeze lightly and pull the bag away and up, to form the petals.

Step 10: Make flower

Using the technique in step 9, work your way around the cupcake until you’ve completed a circle. Then make a smaller circle on the inside, and another one, until you reach the very center.

Step 11: Repeat

Repeat the steps until you’ve completed your cupcakes. For a bit of variety you could make other frosting colors, or vary the size of the flowers you make. Have fun with it!

Liz + Kyle’s Rustic Ranch Engagement

When Michele Shore Photography sent over this next engagement session, I fell in love with the rustic, romantic, rugged yet homey location. Little did I know that those are the exact words that Studio 3285 S. Bowen uses to describe the picturesque property in Arlington, Texas.  Liz and Kyle’s sweetness jump out against this bucolic background.  I guess it helps when you have a couple that looks like pros in front of the camera.

Maybe it’s the perfectly simple styling, or the amore in the air, but they just like they belong there.  Check out the gallery for a few wardrobe changes, a couch, and some amazing architecture too.    This sweet spring shoot was beautifully captured by Michelle Shore Photography and we can’t thank them enough for sharing.  We wish Liz and Kyle big congratulations for their upcoming

May wedding!

Vendor Information

Photographer: Michele Shore Photography

Venue: 3285 S. Bowen

Faith and Jared’s Colorful Cliff-top Wedding

I must be in vacation mode.  Travel weddings are flying all around this week!  Studio Sequoia has shared with us the brilliantly bright wedding of Faith and Jared.  Held at Calumet Park in San Diego overlooking the Pacific, the whimsical beachy vibe of this wedding speaks volumes of this couple’s super sweet personality.  (and so does the scrum-didily-umptious dessert table!) Whether you’re looking at the DIY or the look in their eyes, one thing is for sure it’s destination…love!

Keeping up with this week’s travel theme, I love Faith’s perfect posy created from maps of destinations she and Jared have traveled together.  Such a great idea! It could make for a fantastic anniversary bouquet too, since she can continue to add to it now that they have moved to England for Jared’s new military pilot job.

Be sure to check out the whole gallery for some more seashell DIY ideas including a headband, boutonnieres, and mason jar votives.  Also, thank Studio Sequoia for capturing the gorgeous scenery, fantastic fashion (who doesn’t love a dress with pockets) and the sweet story of Faith and Jared.  Congrats you two!

 

Vendor Information

Photographer: Studio Sequoia

Venue: Calumet Park

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Kendra + Nick’s Travel Inspired Vintage Wedding

I love when a good DIY theme comes together! I love it even more when it suits a couple’s love story perfectly.  Kendra and Nick traveled all the way from Germany to hold their wedding where they first met at Rancho Soquel in Santa Cruz.   Whether you break out your Wayne Newton or your Ferris Bueller, you better brush up on your German because this one is uber awesome!  Carlie Statsky Photography gets a big old finger snappin’, toe-tappin’ Danke Schoen for capturing the amazing details of Kendra and Nick’s vintage travel inspired wedding.

It’s really hard to choose just one amazing element of this wedding.  There were the DIY 3-D table names, luggage tag place settings, burlap wrapped vases on pretty purple linens- Oh! Don’t forget the amazing pearl necklaces with fabric rosettes; but in the first captain’s seat has to be the amazing the invitation suite from Serendipity Beyond Design, complete with passport program and hanging wooden aircrafts.  These were an absolutely perfect way to set the tone for an elegant event sure to soar above the ordinary.

The photographer shared that Kendra and Nick chose their theme not only based on a love for international travel, but Nick also has a little love affair with vintage aircrafts and holds his own pilot’s license.  Make sure to check out the gallery to see the cool engagement shots taken at an airport hangar with Carlie Statsky Photography too!

Alles Gute! Kendra and Nick.  Danke to you and Carlie Statsky Photography for sharing this seriously mag-neat-o day with us!

Vendor Information

Photography: Carlie Statsky Photography

Wedding Coordinator:  The Wedding Connection

Event Venue:  Rancho Soquel

Caterer:  feast for a king catering

Floral Designer:  seascape flowers

Invitation Designer:  Serendipity Beyond Design

Dress Store:  Lilly Bridal Salon

DJ:  Santa Cruz Live Music

Shoes:  Jimmy Choo

Other:  Sunset Production

Submitted Via Two Bright Lights

Stacy + Danny’s Bright Beachy Destination Wedding

Did you ever see a couple and just knew they were fun to be around?  Meet Stacy and Danny.  Their personality is as whimsical as their DIY.   Their vision was to plan a “uniquely us” destination wedding on the beach in Florida while they were in Argentina studying abroad.  Let’s just say, that almost didn’t happen, but boy are we glad it did!

From the bride:

“What a roller coaster of changes this wedding was! Planning a wedding from Argentina is not recommended.. :)”  After planning a destination wedding in Florida from Argentina while studying abroad they found themselves without a venue and in their hometown of Phoenix.  All these destination changes would be enough to make any bride’s head spin, but then there was an impending tornado.  Luckily, with the help of Hammock Beach Resort, their bright attitudes, and some creative crafting not destination, nor threat of tornado can stop these two from having a candy coated beach wedding.

 

We have to thank Mark Dickinson Photography for weathering the storm and capturing the details that traveled so far to make this wedding special.  Make sure to check out the gallery to see the perfect paper flower pomanders, gorgeous paper crane garland, some yum-yum Dum-Dum centerpieces, and ring-pop exchange complete with blue tongues.

 

Photography:  Mark Dickinson Photography

Reception Venue:  Hammock Beach Resort

DJ:  Power Entertainment DJ Service

Cake Designer:  Sweet ‘N’ Flour

Floral Designer:  Flowers N Pearls Casa Araiza

Wedding Dress:  David’s Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses:  Bill Levkoff

Hair & Makeup:  Vanessa Ripyla

Jewelry:  Charming Charlie

Lanterns:  Wish Lantern

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

 

Mallory + Jarrod’s Rustic Woodsy Wedding in the Mountains

OMG!  I love this wedding! Its just 2G2BT!

Hopefully this next wedding will be enough to make up for all of the downtime we’ve had.  (Sorry about that. :/)  Here’s a hint, there’s hankie invites and  horses.    That was enough to have me hooked, especially when the photographer let us know that hankies were pretty useful when the groom read his vows.  The fact that grandma jumped in on the diy to make hundreds of candles adds to the “home sweet home” nature of Mallory and Jarrod’s fantastic fete.

TBH- Kellum Valley Farms in Georgia might be the dreamiest woodsy-meets-rustic stone ruins backdrops on the side of a mountain I’ve ever seen.  If this venue decorated with some antique fans isn’t enough to blow you away, then the work of Alex Gibbs Photography surely will.   You have to check out the full gallery to see all of the coo details and intense love bubbling over between these two.

Vendor Information

Photography: Alex Gibbs Photography

Venue: The Ruins at Kellum Valley Farms

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Gail + Pete’s Contemporary Engagement Session

Since we are on the topic of love shoots, I think it’s only appropriate that we have a double header today.  Another pro of engagement sessions is that photographers often  know some great locations to shoot.  I don’t know about you, but the only thing I might love more than an amazing rustic barn shoot filled with blue skies and a cute couple, is a shoot full of architectural elements, great angles and beautiful smiles.

After Tara and Justin’s Country Chic session, the perfect contrast is Gail and Pete’s pretty city shoot.  Love stories like these always melt my heart.  Gail moved to North Carolina to be near her sweetie who is a reservist in the Coast Guard from Tampa, FL.  Any sacrifice here is made up for in the obvious amount this couple has for each other.

Open Aperture Photography not only did a fantastic job capturing the love they exposed for the cameras, but also the amazing exposed brick and historic architecture of downtown New Bern, North Carolina.  A town located at the intersection of two rivers, this shoot is the intersection of beautiful natural elements, history and contemporary architecture.

Thank you for sharing this lovely shoot!  Congratulations Gail and Pete!

 

Photographer: Open Aperature Photography

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