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Real Weddings:

Alice and Tom’s Tuscan Villa Wedding

photography by Nastja Kovacec

Alice and Tom discovered La Selva Giardino del Belvedere through Instagram and booked it sight-unseen. When the couple travelled to Italy the year prior to the wedding and saw the villa venue, it was even more beautiful than they imagined. The day incorporated an elegant farmhouse vibe that perfectly compliments the Tuscan landscape including florals and a spectacular ceremony arch by Statti Fiori. We love the authentic, relaxed style of the day and beautiful images of a stunning couple celebrating their love through the lens of photographer Nastja Kovacec.

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From the bride and groom:

As Alice’s father’s family is Italian, once we were engaged in December 2016 we started the hunt for wedding venues. We knew we wanted a venue which could accommodate the bridal party and with a boho/farmhouse vibe. Tom happened to find La Selva Giardino del Belvedere on Instagram and we loved it straight away. Living in Hong Kong, we could not go to see the venue before we booked it! We went to Italy a year before our wedding and saw the venue which was even more beautiful than we thought.

From following La Selva on Instagram we also found our photographer Nastja Kovacec who had taken photos at previous weddings held at La Selva. This was the same for the florist, Statti Fiori. Francesco, whose family own La Selva, doubled up as our wedding planner. He helped us to organize a wedding website for our family and friends to book accommodations nearby and also provided us with a list of his usual suppliers. We ended up using all of Francesco’s usual suppliers (aside from hair and makeup) and he coordinated everything on the lead up to the wedding and the wedding day itself. He arranged welcome drinks at a nearby bar the evening before our wedding, and a pizza/pool party the day after. We were nervous initially planning a wedding in Italy from Hong Kong but everything went as smoothly as it could. The most stressful part of the wedding planning was getting the guests to RSVP and book their accommodation!

 

Photography: Nastja Kovacec // Florist: Statti Fiori // Invitations: Annie Clark through Minted // Venue: La Selva Giardino del Belvedere // Wedding dress: Pronovias // Hair and makeup: Tahlia Jayde // Wedding shoes: Aldo // Bridesmaids: Jumpsuits from Two Birds // Groom’s attire: Kilt from Janet Eagleton and Son, Perth Scotland. Kilt jacket and waistcoat: Yuen’s Tailor Hong Kong. Shirt and tartan trousers: Il Sarto, Hong Kong // Groom’s shoes: Marks & Spencer // Engagement and Wedding Rings: Hilary Schwartz Collection // Diamond eternity bracelet: Hilary Schwartz Collection // Sapphire and diamond earrings borrowed from bride’s mother (something borrowed and blue!), Ruby ring: family heirloom gifted by bride’s grandmother (something old!) // Catering: Organized by Wedding Venue // Music: String Quartet And DJ

 

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Real Weddings:

Sylvia and Josh’s wedding at The Grass Room

featuring Valentina Glidden

Sylvia and Josh let The Grass Room, a neglected-industrial-property-turned-lush-hip-venue in downtown L.A., determine the overall feel of their event. The property was under construction when they put down their deposit, but they knew it was going to me the perfect spot for the couple to celebrate their marriage. They said their vows under the high greenhouse ceilings and dined at family-style tables surrounded by hand-painted wall murals. Our friends atCCL Weddings designed and planned the day, whimsical invitations were byRed Letter Day, white florals by Milieu Florals and wedding cake by Merely Sweets and Valentina Glidden was on hand to capture it all in beautiful images.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

I think our venue was really one-of-a-kind. We actually took a risk and reserved the date when the venue was still under construction. We knew of Marvimon and after hearing about the design plans from the designer himself, we knew we couldn’t go wrong with reserving the space. When we finally saw the finished venue, we were floored! The architecture and the design aesthetics were beautiful. Very hip and trendy. We especially loved the idea of the high ceiling greenhouse giving an outdoor vibe, allowing natural sunlight to enter. We loved that it was different.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

In regards to design, we wanted our wedding invitations to have a personal touch. Being an animal-loving vet student, I wanted to incorporate our dogs and the artwork turned out perfectly. We ended up using them for our backdrop for the reception as well.

The bar menu was also pretty reflective of us as a couple. We both enjoy a good whiskey and I’m a sucker for lavender and berries.

The ceremony was very personal for us, because Josh’s brother was the one to marry us. He was our officiant as well as one of Josh’s best men. It was so special to have a family member join us in marriage and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better.

 

What was the most memorable part of the day?

We both agree that the most memorable part of our day was during the ceremony. When we stood up there facing each other holding hands with huge smiles on our faces, it was a wonderfully pleasant and personal moment for us. We persevered through a lot of personal things leading up to the wedding and when we realized it was really happening, we just soaked it in together. That memory is still fresh in our minds.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We were babies when we met! Josh and I met 10 years ago in August 2009 during a joint church retreat. We kept in touch and gradually started dating and a long-distance relationship has always been our thing (he lived in San Diego, I was going to school in Davis). We began to share our dreams and hopes in life and we have always dreamed of traveling the world together. He knew that Greece was always number one on my list. So Josh planned a trip to “Florida” for us, sharing a detailed itinerary of our trip to throw me off. On our car ride to the airport, he handed me euros and said, “We’re actually going to Greece!” I was instantly in tears. He took me to my dream vacation and then asked me to marry him.

Photographer: Valentina Glidden // Planner and design: CCL Weddings // Florist: Milieu Florals // Paper Goods: Red Letter Day // Venue: The Grass Room // Cake: Merely Sweets // Wedding Gown: Atelier by Dawn // Bar: Bear and Stone // Catering: Hungry Bear // Valet: White Label Valet // Hair &Makeup: Jenn Wang // Rentals: La Pinata // DJ: VOX DJs Andy Rossi // Photobooth: VOX DJs Cinthya Garate // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

 

Showers & Events:

Tinggly Wedding Gift Ideas

If you are like us, you are always on the hunt for “the perfect gift.” Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the value in gifting experiences instead of physical items. Now that is something that we can get on board with!! Enter unique Tinggly wedding gifts! Tinggly is a global gift. They sell only gift collections and not specific experiences.

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Here is how it works:

One price, hundreds of experiences: One gift buys you an entire collection of experiences for your loved ones to choose from. They can choose one experience and book it in few clicks.
Anywhere in the world :Their experiences are available in more than 100 countries across the globe.
5 years validity: Recipients have 5 years to book their dream experience, so they have plenty of time to plan their adventure.
Special Delivery: At Tinggly you can send your gift in a numbers of ways: email (instantly!), DHL worldwide delivery (2-3 business days), or print it out and give it them in person.
They offer experiences from island hopping in Thailand, whale-watching in Iceland, or a fabulous Game of Thrones tour in Croatia. We are totally on board with any of those amazing options!

What will you get?

With Tinggly you can get either an eVoucher (pdf) file instantly to your email, print it and present to that special someone. Alternatively, you can order a gorgeous gift box, which includes a voucher with your greeting, and a beautiful brochure about Tinggly and experience gifting idea. The box is delivered via DHL in 2-3 business days. And, Tinggly gift offers a personalized note on every voucher for free.

Now what are we waiting for?! Let’s get shopping!

Real Weddings:

Megan and Nick’s Wedding at Toledo Zoo

featuring Jenna Nicole Photography

Megan and Nick, both financial advisors, met her first day on the job and Megan knew instantly that she’d marry Nick someday. “It only took eight months of sitting next to each other and some begging for Nick to agree to date me,” for destiny to take it’s course! The couple celebrated their nuptials int he Malawi Event Center at Toledo Zoo with especially memorable appearances by safari animals including the giraffe that snacked on 70 pounds of lettuce fed to him by the guests. Classic details complimented the avante garde reception location including stunning white florals  by Bartz Viviano Bartz, stationery by Fiddle Stix and a gorgeous Yolan Cris gown. Jenna Nicole Photography  was on hand to capture all the details (and giraffes!) in these lovely photographs.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

There were a few things that made the wedding special, and ironically, most of them happened by no planning of our own. When we got engaged in April, Nick and I agreed we wanted a fall wedding and did not want to wait until the following year to get married. With this quick timeline, our options were very limited. Luckily, as we searched for reception venues, the Toledo Zoo was building a brand new reception hall in the middle of their African Safari exhibit. Because it did not exist yet, very few people knew about it or looked to reserve it so we easily booked it! The Zoo really made the night memorable with the true stars making their debut during the cocktail hour. Every guest was able to feed the giraffes (70 lbs of lettuce total!) which was a huge hit with everyone. There are more pictures of them than there are of us!

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

The process of finding the dress did not go how I was hoping. I really wanted an A line dress, long sleeves and no beading but when I tried those on, I looked more like a flower girl than a bride. I also had a lot of people with me who all had a different vision of what they imagined I would look like on my wedding day. I was very overwhelmed and no closer to finding “the one”. A few weeks later, I was going to Columbus for a work conference. I knew I was behind on finding a dress, so I called B Loved Bridal (found on my friend’s blog, Bray’s Way) and the owner, Lesley, immediately made an appointment for me. I felt horrible not having my mom or sisters with me but even with the last minute decision, one of my best friends, Mady, joined me. Lesley was AMAZING and locked the doors of the boutique so we could go to town trying on a bunch of gowns. I tried on the Yolan Cris Olivia dress but made customized adjustments so that it could have long sleeves and be in the color I loved. I was nervous because it felt like I was reinventing the wheel, but Lesley was confident that it would work out perfectly and it did! Oh, and I never made it to the work conference…oops.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

Our presider, Father Allen Zobler, made everyone of all faiths feel comfortable. The joy he brought to our ceremony made me never want it to end. The music at the ceremony, done by friends of my family, Nick and Elena De La Torre from the band, Of the Tower, were outstanding. Their talent brings me to tears! Other personal touches were two surprises that Nick and I had for each other at the reception. Nick surprised me with a wine fountain full of Riesling…. I love Riesling! And I surprised him with a smore’s bar.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

The ceremony was by far the most memorable part of the day. I put much more time and attention on the ceremony than the reception. I didn’t even attend the cake tastings — thanks Nick and my mom! My dad’s welcome speech was also something I will never forget. Let’s just say he crushed it. Ultimately, having our family and friends gathered in one place celebrating our marriage was our biggest takeaway.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Nick and I met at work. We are both financial advisors and run our practices at the same firm, Savage & Associates. The day I started at Savage, June 1, 2015, I knew we would get married. It only took eight months of sitting next to each other and some begging for Nick to agree to date me. But hey, it all worked out!

Photography: Jenna Nicole Photography // Florist: Bartz Viviano Bartz // Stationery: Fiddle Stix // Reception Venue & Caterer: Toledo Zoo, Malawi Event Center // Ceremony Venue: St. Joan of Arc Church // Wedding Gown Boutique: B.Loved Bridal Boutique // Wedding Gown Designer: Yolan Cris // Makeup: Makeup by Amy Lewis & Co. // Hair: Emily Myers // Wedding Cake: Jane’s Cakes and Confections // Ring Boxes: The Mrs. Box // Ceremony Musicians: Nick and Elena De La Torre // Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Rental Company: Meredith Party Rental // Band: Bluewater Kings Band

 

Real Weddings:

Jessie and John’s wedding at Red Tail Ranch

photographed by Katherine of Max & Friends

In honor of May Day, we’re sharing Jessie and John’s wedding at Red Tail Ranch. It’s a true testament to the power and brilliancy of great florals. Rain poured down on the couple’s outdoor wedding day and their planners, GATHER Events, hustled behind the scenes to keep the day beautiful and comfortable for family and friends. The result was a tented reception filled with graphic florals by Of The Flowers in a vibrant palette of yellow, tangerine, coral and ocher complimented by clean lines and natural textures like those in the paper pieces by Swell Press. The bold beauty of the floral palette and joy of the lovely couple was only enhanced by the grey backdrop of the rainy day and lucky for us Katherine of Max & Friends captured it all.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

Well — it POURED rain for what we had planned to be an outdoor wedding! Although we were initially worried, this turn of events morphed into an incredible opportunity for us to feel the love of our community, who just took the whole thing in stride. Our GATHER planners and other vendors moved heaven and earth to make sure our friends and family were comfortable and having the best time ever despite the weather. It ended up feeling special, memorable, and intimate in a way that we certainly hoped for, but never could have planned!

We also ended up having a welcome hour / cocktail hour prior to our ceremony, where we got to welcome our guests to our wedding. We had been nervous about the whole “ta-da” moment of the ceremony feeling not “us” — getting the chance to see all of our favorite people show up for us was a great way to make the ceremony more meaningful and feel more connected. Another cocktail hour also gave The Whaling Club another opportunity to wow our guests with their incredible cocktails and hospitality, a true wedding highlight!

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it.

We found Jessie’s dress at Sarah Seven — the first place we visited.  The experience was incredibly uplifting, affirming, and reasonable — and gave Jessie and her mom some really wonderful memories.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

We had some incredibly thoughtful and creative people help us make things personal. All of our wedding paper was created by Britt Rohr of Swell Press — she in particular helped us honor loved ones who couldn’t be there in our ceremony program. Natasha of GATHER miraculously turned some of Britt’s work into the coolest bar signage we’ve ever seen and which still graces our apartment bar today. We also wrote each guest a note on their place card  — it was a big priority for us to communicate to our community how much their support meant to us and GATHER helped us make that happen.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

It’s trite, but the best part of the day for both of us was saying our vows in front of our village. We felt so much love and support as we took this next step together.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met at an HR training at work — such a snooze!  Once we got to the point where we decided to truly build our lives together, the thought of one person asking the other didn’t feel right. So, after doing the dishes following a big dinner party at our tiny apartment, we decided to “go public” with that decision. For us, the highlight of becoming “engaged” was the chance to share that decision with our friends and family and get all sorts of support and advice for our next steps together.

Planning/Design: GATHER Events // Photographer: Katherine of Max & Friends // Florals: Of The Flowers // Invitations: Swell Press // Ceremony Venue: Red Tail Ranch // Calligraphy: Red Letter Day // Gown: Sarah Seven // Makeup/Hair: Page Beauty // Dessert: Knead Baking Company // Laser Cut Signs: Spoken Glass // Dj: Dart Collective // Caterer: Whoa Nelly Catering // Bar: The Whaling Club // Furniture Rentals: Found Rentals // Table Top Rentals: Borrowed Blu / Casa de Perrin // Linen Rentals: La Tavola Linen // Rentals: Town and Country Rentals / Marborg Industries // Transportation: Dutch Details Ojai