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Real Weddings:

Gretchen and Brett’s Forth Worth Wedding

photography by Charla Storey

Gretchen and Brett’s adorable Forth Worth wedding is filled to the brim with personalized touches designed and executed beautifully by Chancey Charm Dallas. The bright, industrial backdrop of BRIK Venue set the stage for all the cool details including scene-stealing white floral structures by Moss Floral Design, a candlelit dinner followed by a desert table and showpiece cake by Amuse Bake Shop and late-night sliders from retro food truck Easy Slider. The couple enlisted Charla Storey to capture their big day and RAVE about their keepsake photos—and we can all see why!

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

After a few strikeouts, I found the gown at Lovely Bride in Uptown Dallas. It was hanging in the window on display and I knew immediately that I wanted to try it on! Turns out, they had gotten it in that day and I was the first bride to try it on. It was destined to be mine!

I had every intention of wearing the gown all night, but I decided last minute (week of!) to change into a white jumpsuit that had a special meaning. A couple of summers before, I had worn the same jumpsuit (but in pink) to a friend’s wedding, which Brett says I looked so good that it made him realize he wanted to marry me! I bought it in white for the rehearsal, but decided it was the ultimate party outfit and had to break it out on our big day.

A few other touches that made our wedding personal/unique:

  • The welcome reception (before the ceremony) was definitely a big hit. It made people excited to be there, even for the ceremony, and really set the tone for the rest of the night!
  • We had a string quartet play some of our favorite, non-traditional tunes for the ceremony: the processional was Edelweiss from the Sound of Music (my all time favorite movie and a song my dad used to sing to me growing up), the wedding party entered to Sweet Child of Mine by Guns & Roses, I walked down to Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles, and we recessed to Bitter Sweet Symphony by the Verve!
  • Brett boogied down with both his mom AND his 85 year old grandmother during the mother/son dance.
  • We used a Wes Anderson coffee table book as our guest book. His movies are some of our all time faves and now we have the book on our coffee table and it’s so fun to flip back through and see everyone’s notes along with the movie photography!
  • We spent a lot of time crafting our program, especially our thank you/shout outs to everyone who helped make our day extra special. I’ve included a copy of it here because we loved it so much!
  • Those Easy Slider burgers are so freaking good!! It was the ultimate late night snack :)

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Looking around and seeing every person I care about in one room, having the absolute time of their lives! Brett and I set out to throw the most epic party ever, and I say we met and far surpassed that goal. Also, running through the sparklers into the Easy Sliders truck was pretty awesome…the looks and laugh-out-loud smiles on peoples’ faces were priceless!!

Tell us your story.

Brett and I met in Fayetteville, AR where I moved after college without knowing a single soul! We hung out as friends in group settings, which progressed into date nights, which ultimately led to him calling me his girlfriend at the horse races in Hot Springs, AR. From there, we enjoyed a year together in Arkansas getting to know each other while hiking, biking, floating, boating, camping, and all the other Natural State activities you can think of. We eventually followed each other to Dallas (the debate is still ongoing on who followed who exactly) to advance our careers and we continued to grow closer as we and our relationship matured. Then on Christmas Eve Eve 2016, with both of our families present, Brett got down one one knee and asked me to marry him!

We don’t have a video, but have LOTS of awesome photos from the lovely Charla Storey!

Also, shout out to Liz for being the MOST awesome planner I could have ever dreamed of!!!! I could NOT have done it without her. She was so incredibly thorough, thoughtful, and detail oriented, but had a relaxed demeanor about her that always put me at ease. 12/10 for sure.

Planning/Design: Liz Ise, Chancey Charm Dallas // Photographer: Charla Storey // Florals: Moss Floral Design // Venue: BRIK Venue // Gown: Kate McDonald // Bridal Salon: Lovely Bride Dallas // Beauty: Lip Service Makeup // Catering: Reata Restaurant // Entertainment: Royal Dukes Band // Bar: HD Liquid Catering // Dessert: Amuse Bake Shop // Photo Booth: The Photo Bus // Wedding PR: Something New for I Do // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

 

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Real Weddings:

Robyn and Jesse’s wedding at Four Seasons Scottsdale

featuring Cameron Clark Photography

Washington DC couple, Robyn and Jesse wanted their guests to fully experience the Arizona desert throughout their Scottsdale destination celebration planned by Imoni Events. The couple opted for an outdoor ceremony and reception at Four Seasons Scottsdale so guests could enjoy the warm evening air. Invitations by Celebrations in Paper featured a watercolor illustration of Pinnacle Peak, the desert backdrop at the venue which was decked out in stunning white flowers and greenery by The Wildflower. Robyn and Jesse even surprised their guests with a firework before heading into the ballroom after dinner—an amazing kick off to a killer dance party. Lucky for us, the couple enlisted the eye of Cameron Clark Photography  to capture all their special details—and stunning scenery—in these gorgeous images.

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What made the wedding special and unique?[/caption]

From Cameron Clark and Sarrah from Imoni events: There were a lot of specials touches mixed in throughout Robyn and Jesse’s day. Since they live in Washington DC they wanted their guests to fully experience the Arizona desert. They opted for an outdoor ceremony and reception so guests could enjoy the warm evening air. For their invitations we incorporated a watercolor painting of Pinnacle Peak, the desert backdrop at Four Seasons. They also had a surprise firework show for all of their guests at the end of dinner before heading into the ballroom for dancing. The band played a Michael Jackson set where we handed out white sequined MJ gloves— the bride and groom love Michael Jackson!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal? 

Robyn carried a beaded purse that was her grandmother’s. Jesse surprised Robyn with a beautiful necklace. When the guests arrived to the ceremony, we had Jonah Littlesunday, a Navajo flautist, playing to incorporate the Native American heritage. At their head table the guests had monogrammed napkins at each place setting with the couples new monogram, and when the wedding ended the guests were presented with cake truffles shipped from Milk Bar, the bride and groom’s favorite bakery.

What was the most memorable part of the day? 

The surprise fireworks were a huge hit with all the guests and the couple really enjoyed that moment.

Photography: Cameron Clark Photography // Event Planning and Design: Imoni Events // Floral Designer: The Wildflower // Paper Stuff: Celebrations in Paper // Venue/Location: Four Seasons Scottsdale Troon North // Dress: Lazaro Bridal // Videography: Bright Bokeh // Entertainment: The Instant Classics // Hair: Emily Hughes // Makeup: Phoenix Makeup Collective // Rentals: Glamour and Woods // Linens: BBJ Linens

 

Inspiration Shoots and Boards:

Winter Pastel Inspiration shoot

featuring Kristen Hendricks Photography

Photographer Kristen Hendricks Photography brings us a palette of wintery pastels in this inspiration shoot set at Silver Oaks Chateau. Dusty blue details in the tablescape, textural florals by Roses & Mint and hand lettering by RSVPEAS add romance while mix-and-match china and Made by Lia‘s petite blue cake decked out in florals keep things feeling modern. Kristen Hendricks Photography captured all the details set against the seasonal backdrop of bare trees and we’re thrilled to share the beauty in these images.

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Real Weddings:

Caroline and Ben’s wedding at Parker Hill

featuring Davy Whitener Photography

We are completely holi-dazzled by Caroline and Ben’s Auburn, Alabama wedding. Invision Events planned the day with help from florist The Flower Store and stationer Linen & Leaf. The deep maroon palette is the perfect twist on traditional holiday colors and keeps things totally timeless with a multi-seasonal appeal. The details are stunning—a lush ceremony arch, letterpress calligraphy, wood-mounted custom signage, embroidered cocktail napkins, suspended greenery structures and flowers everywhere—and the best part is that it was all set against the backdrop of the bride’s family cabin at Parker Hill. The family property is also a venue and Carline and Ben’s wedding was the first to be celebrated there. Lucky for us, the couple enlisted the skills of our friend Davy Whitener Photography to capture their day and the images are stunning.

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What made the wedding special and unique? 

The wedding was unique to me because it was freezing and raining most of the day! We had to do a last minute rain tent for ceremony, but it ended up all working out and was beautiful. We were all close together and huddled up! And our pictures turned out beautiful!

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

My mom and I found the Rivini gown in Atlanta at Lori’s Bridals where “Say Yes to the Dress” is filmed. I had looked at several other places, but when I tried this one on it was that feeling of “THIS IS IT!” It fit me like a glove so I didn’t need to do many alterations and the veil really sold me on the dress as well.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

We did a lot of personalization like most people do from the napkins to the cups, but I think the biggest thing was having the wedding at our family cabin. My dad renovated it for the wedding so none of our guests had ever been there! It was our own style from the actual venue down to the décor!

What was the most memorable part of the day?

The vows were the most memorable part of the day for me! Our longtime family friend married us and my aunt read a poem that my grandmother – who had passed the year before – had written years ago about getting married on a rainy day. It was so surreal that it was actually raining on our wedding day! I felt like my grandmother was with us at the ceremony.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met in Destin when I was on a girls trip in 2015. I vacationed in Destin a lot and had a friend that was living there. We ran into him and he introduced us! Ben deployed to South America a week later for six months. We kept in touch and when he got back to the states we immediately started dating. The engagement was very low key! We were living in Destin and on the way to dinner he said needed to get something from my parents beach condo that he had left there. We went out on the balcony and there were flowers and he got on one knee and asked! It was just us – very personal and sweet! And overlooking the ocean which is a big part of our life!

Photography: Davy Whitener Photography // Planner/Designer: Invision Events // Floral Decor: The Flower Store // Stationery: Linen & Leaf // Venue: Parker Hill // Videography: A Bryan Photo // Beauty: Irrelephant // Attire: Bridals By Lori / Rivini // Cake: Just A Little Frosting // Rentals: Collection Event Furnishings / Event Rentals Unlimited Birmingham / The 12th Table // Decor: Party Tables / Unique Event Elements / Sassy Biscuit // Music: Auburn Quartet / The Main Attraction Band // Catering: Jennie Weller // Bride: Caroline Parker // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

 

Real Weddings:

Ali and Drew’s wedding at Pawleys Pelican Inn

featuring 3E8 Photography

Ali married Drew and his beautiful son Jack in an intimate ceremony at a vintage South Carolina inn, along the ocean. According to 3E8 Photography there wasn’t a dry eye at Pawleys Pelican Inn when the couple professed their vows. Ali, a design graduate, had a specific vision for the couple’s day and enlisted the help of planner Smells Like Peonies Events to execute her vision. The details include dusty-hued florals by Willow Event Designs that are a total embodiment of the wedding aesthetic—relaxed romance with subtle vintage boho vibes. Illustration and stationery design were by the bride and a show-piece cake was by Incredible Edible Cakes. The rainy day was punctuated by a break in the clouds for a spectacular sunset and 3E8 Photography captured it along with all the moments of the day in these images.

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What made the wedding special and unique? 

From the photographer-  All of the details were designed and styled by Ali, executed by a WONDERFUL wedding coordinator, and came together like a fine art masterpiece. She married Drew and his beautiful son Jack in an intimate ceremony at a vintage South Carolina Inn, along the ocean. They wrote their own vows and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. It rained for most of the day, but the sun broke in the evening to reveal one of the most intense sunsets I have ever seen! The venue was a personal favorite of mine. It was a vintage inn on Pawley’s Island South Carolina. The venue featured original, beautifully worn-in wooden floors and a wrap around porch that was so quintessentially southern. Everything about the wedding exuded charm and intimacy, providing the perfect platform for the showcasing of love and celebrating with the closest of friends and family.

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

From the bride- The dress I got from Tie The Knot Bridal Couture Collections in Naples, FL. As a designer I was very hesitant to go into a bridal store and have to work with someone who pulls gowns for you. However, I was also nervous to purchase anything online for fear of return policies, etc. Time was ticking and I made an appointment last minute when visiting my mom in Naples. She wasn’t able to be with my sister when she picked her wedding dress so I knew it would make her happy to have an appointment she could be at. The girl that ran the shop understood my style from the few pictures I showed her and I ended up falling in love with the 3rd dress I tried on. I actually picked it more for my fiance than I did for me. It showed more curves than I am used to showing but I knew it was flattering and he would like it on me. I loved the back of the dress and felt very romantic in it. My mom loved it as well which sealed the deal.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal? 

From the bride – Every detail was crucial in helping us achieve the aesthetic and vibe that we were striving for. Brian was on board from the start and super supportive of our vision. He understood that we not only wanted him to come and take photos of us and our family, we wanted him to capture the entire feeling of ‘our day’. Brian not only delivered what we had wanted, he went above and beyond my highest expectations. I was up the night before the wedding working on the set-up details, things that I thought of last minute that I didn’t get a chance to tell Brian about beforehand. However, when we received our pictures after the wedding I saw that Brian could see it all without me having to point anything out. His eye for detail is excellent. Brian captured the mood, the details, the emotion, our friends, and our family perfectly.

What was the most memorable part of the day? 

From the photographer – The most memorable parts of the day, for me, occurred at the very beginning and very end of the wedding. I walked into a venue that I had never before photographed, with a bride that I had only had the chance to speak to on the phone. What I was greeted with was something so beautiful, so quaint, and so vintage charming that I can only hope to return to that venue again and work with more brides whose lives are entrenched in the arts. Being trusted to capture something that was so personal to someone was a wonderful privilege for me. Well, I lied. I have another favorite part of the day – the vows. The vows were handwritten and just beautiful to witness. I teared up behind camera and was overcome with the emotion, practically spilling from the tiny room in which the ceremony took place. It was beautiful. Lastly, the sunset. It was cloudy and rainy all day, but the sun peaked through the clouds right toward the end of toasts, basking the venue in this intense, golden glow. I quickly stole the couple out for some sunset portraits and they became my favorite shots of the day.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

From the Bride – I met Drew when my sister, Katie, began dating his brother, Anthony (they are now married). Katie and I lived together in NYC and Anthony was living abroad in London at the time. Whenever Anthony made it to NYC, Drew would take the opportunity to see his brother and visit as well. We got to spend some time together and quickly our relationship turned romantic. After two years of long distance, I moved to Pittsburgh to be with Drew and his son Jack. Drew proposed a little less than a year later. He got down on one knee at the same time as The Bachelor in the final episode. I thought he was mocking the show, as he often does, and didn’t take him seriously until I saw the ring!

Photography: 3E8 Photography // Event Planning: Smells Like Peonies Events // Florals: Willow Event Designs // Invitations: Bride // Venue: Pawleys Pelican Inn // Dress Boutique: Tie the Knot Bridal // Dress: Willowby by Watters // Cake: Incredible Edible Cakes // DJ: Bunn DJ Company // Catering: Care Free Catering // Rentals: Event Haus Rentals