If I could do it all over again, I’d go for a two-piece number like this Limor Rosen beauty. It takes center stage in this modern shoot styled by Kaella Lynn Events, pairing perfectly with blush, ivory and buttery yellow roses from Tango & Foxtrot. Experience the beauty of the full collection through Lynette Boyle’s imagery, here in the full gallery.
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From Kaella Lynn Events… Inspired by the Spring season and beautiful Old St. Hillary’s church, I wanted to create a decorative design reminiscent of the Victorian Era, but with modern, clean lines. Soft florals and colors were balanced by slate and velvet textural elements and a touch of minimalism. This design speaks to the couple who prefer that light, natural look proving that you can still appy multiple layers of visual interest and detail.
We’re totally on board with tying the knot in paradise, and choosing the U.S. Virgin Islands is a fabulous place to start. But when it comes to narrowing down which awesome island is right for your celebration, we’re here to help. From fun-filled activities to gourmet dining, we’re breaking down our three fave islands to make your choice a whole lot easier. (Hint: You can’t go wrong.)
ST. CROIX: FOR THE CULTURALLY-INSPIRED DESTINATION WEDDING
St. Croix is perfect for tying the knot with resorts that feature everything from world-class golf courses to casinos. But what really stands out are the island’s amazing historical offerings. Think awesome arts, crafts and music events, so you can check out gems like St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church and the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, or even soak in the culture at one of the many, manyevents on their yearly lineup. And don’t forget those fab accommodations. With fewer than 200 rooms per property, your guests can really relax in between all of the sight-seeing in an intimate setting. Check out the Tamarind Reef Resort, Spa & Marina… it’s one of our favorites.
If your dream wedding locale is one part national forest and one part world-renowned beaches, St. John is clearly your spot. We think of it as the perfect mix of untouched beauty and modern amenities, with Trunk Bay stealing the spotlight. (Hello, underwater nature trail.) It’s hiking breathtaking trails, touring botanical gardens (like the pretty Pastory Gardens) and scuba or snuba diving in those deep, crystal blue waters. Not to mention that you can host your Big Day at one of their amazing hotels, inns, villas and even campgrounds! (Note: We’re obsessed with the Concordia Eco-Resort and its wood-framed tents.) Oh, and the tropical forest, petroglyphs and sugar mill ruins will change your nature lovin’ life.
For those of you who enjoy spending your days bopping from shop to shop and your nights taking in the next big band or dancing with your love, St. Thomas is perfect. With duty-free shops perfect for buying those souvenirs (or that dress you can’t take your eyes off of) and a list of entertainment hot spots that includes theaters, clubs for dancing and casinos, you’ll be loving every minute of your stay. Plus, St. Thomas is known for ultra-luxe accommodations that are simply made for those of you wanting to treat your guests to world-class restaurants, fun-filled nightlife and secluded beaches. We’re all for tying the knot in total sophistication at the Ritz Carlton, St. Thomas or the Sugar Bay Resort & Spa. You honestly can’t go wrong.
Whether you’re looking for a week filled with adventure, simply want to relax in paradise, can’t wait to tour all of the historic locations, dance the night away or all of the above, the U.S. Virgin Islands has an island that is right for you and your Big Day. Contact them now to get the ball rolling on what will be the wedding plusvacay of a lifetime.
You’re engaged and ready to start planning for the big day! The process is fun, but stress can easily creep in when trying to figure out how to pay for it (the average cost of a wedding is upwards of $30,000). Avoid feeling overwhelmed (and going into debt) with this roadmap for bringing your vision to life without compromising your financial health.
Prioritize your needs.
As a couple, work together to decide what are the needs and wants for the wedding. Then prioritize them. For some that might mean food and entertainment, for others it could be venue and decor. Consider your long-term goals as well. Do you want to own a home? Travel? Factor those items in when deciding how much to spend on your wedding says Jason Field, CPA at Anderson Tax (who is getting married later this year).
Set a budget.
Once you’ve figured out short and long-term goals, set a realistic budget and stick to it, says Kris Yamano, Vice President and Regional Leader of Wealth Planning for BMO Private Bank. How much should be saved depends on the anticipated cost of the wedding. Be realistic. A $30,000 wedding requires a monthly savings of $2,500 for 12 months. Extend your engagement to give yourself enough time to save and/or tighten the money belt to reach your goal.
Start saving early.
As soon as a budget is set, begin saving. The earlier a couple starts socking away for the big day, the better. Kris recommends using an online savings calculator to determine how much is needed in order to reach the target amount.
Open a wedding fund account.
Keep the money you’re saving for the wedding in an account that’s separate from your regular checking and savings, suggests Kris. This will help to better track milestones and eliminate the sensation to splurge when the dollar amount starts going up.
Use credit wisely.
It’s alright to put wedding items on a credit card in order to rack up points, and take advantage of the consumer protection against fraud says Kris. However, in order for a credit card to work in your favor, it is necessary to pay the balance off immediately. Avoid carrying a balance. If you’re unable to pay for the charge within the billing cycle, that is a clear indicator that you’re going over budget.
Don’t forget, the most important part of a wedding is celebrating the love between two people — not how much, or little money is spent. Couples should dole out whatever makes them comfortable, while also remembering going into debt to finance a wedding isn’t worth it.
From SMP Blogger Bride, Paige of Studio Bicyclette… As we near our wedding date, the details of the big day are starting to fall into place and the vision is really coming to life. I’ve learned that each and every decision you make when styling a wedding helps to tell the story of your big day and showcase your own personal style. It’s important to pay attention to the details, carefully think through the selections you make when choosing your rentals and decor, and work closely with your vendors to help you make your dream a reality. Today I’m sharing a mockup of our table designs and a few of my favorite tablescape tips.
Find Your Inspiration
It’s no secret that I’m a big proponent of inspiration boards, and I can’t stress enough the importance of taking the time to pull ideas for your wedding details and tablescape design, as we talked about in an earlier post. This is when your wedding style really starts to emerge and you’re able to narrow in on what your overall vision is and also how that will translate into the details.
Determine the Specific Details
There were a few themes that quickly emerged for me when I went through the inspiration gathering process, and so I knew I wanted to incorporate hints of silver, tie in a nod to sparkly night skies and constellations, with touches of a periwinkle in my tablescape design.
I worked closely with my stationery designer, Alex Perlin on the menus and name cards, and those also brought in little hints of colour as well as incorporating the constellation design that is woven throughout and has a graphic feel that is also mimicked in the DIY silver geometric shapes that will be hanging in the tent above the tables.
The color palette and silver stars will also show up on our dessert table, and I just had to include a peek at the mini pop tarts that The Wedding Cake Shoppe is making for us, with whimsical pastel icing and a sprinkling of tiny edible straws.
Keep in Mind Your Venue
I really wanted to mimic the more laid back vibe of the cottage where we’re celebrating, so it was important to me that the table didn’t feel too formal, or contrived. One of the ways in which I achieved that was to forgo traditional place settings, instead of bundling the flatware together with a selection of ribbon, which is also where I attached the name cards. This gave it a more casual feel, which felt especially relevant because our dinner is being served out of a taco truck! I also added in a mirrored starburst drink stirrer from The Roc Shop to the bundle that again tied in that constellation theme and added a fun touch.
The floral centerpieces from Blush and Bloom were also designed with this in mind, and we opted for a selection with a little color and lots of foliage to complement the natural setting but also provide a statement.
Keep Your Details Consistency + Pay Attention to Composition
There are a few design and composition tips to remember when you’re styling a tablescape, and for this design, I was really conscious of incorporating texture and playing with various heights on the table to create visual interest.
For the texture, I added a raw silk table runner in the softest dove gray, swirling it down the center of the table so it had an ethereal, barely there effect. I knew I wanted to tie that in elsewhere for consistency, so I used the same dove gray silk for one of the ribbon options in the flatware bundles, with the other ribbons adding interest in a variety of widths, colors, and finishes. My periwinkle color showed up as another ribbon selection, as did a silver ribbon that added a hint of sparkle.
In terms of playing with height, I achieved this through my candle choices, opting for a selection of three different sizes to really create that effect, and grouping them together so the tallest ones were towards the center.
Don’t Forget the Personal Touches!
Styling is all about telling a story, and when it comes to a wedding especially, the details are the perfect place to infuse a little bit of your own personal style and design an event that is truly you. The starry skies or constellation theme that I’ve mentioned a few times is something that is woven into me and my fiancé Jason’s love story, so as a final touch to the table, I added a sprinkle of silver star confetti, which we also sealed into our invites so that they’d spill out when opened.
