A Champagne Bar

How gorgeous is this champagne bar?  

Wouldn't this be perfect for a bridal shower or a spring wedding?  

I love the use of proteas (remember this post?).  

It's soft and flirty and who doesn't love a champagne cocktail.

Here are some cocktails I really want to try:

Lillet Rose Cocktail

   

Pink Passion Lemonade

   

Peach Bellini

    

Ginger Basil Grapefruit Spritzer

Happy Monday xo

{photo from Divine Party Concepts}

The Nature of Isa

A little over a year ago I attended a wedding for one of Justin's cousins.  

It was a lovely winter Oregon wedding and the bride was a dream in her wedding dress,
but her veil was what caught my eye.  It was so beautiful and hard to forget.

Later that night at dinner I was making small talk with the girl next to me,

we talked about how nice the wedding was but when I mentioned 

how much I loved the bride's veil she informed me she was the designer.

So began a blossoming friendship with Allison Johansen 

the creator, owner, and designer behind The Nature of Isa.

A few months later Allison invited me to her shop 

to photograph a couple of pieces for Decor Amor.  It was dreamy.  

Her small urban studio is tucked away in a busy Portland neighborhood.  

Its soft lighting and hints of vintage flair make this space 

an ideal setting for a bride to find her gown.

 

Allison designs and creates each piece.  She does custom work or 

you can try on one of the many samples in her shop.  

She works with lace, tulle, silk, and beading.  

If you are interested in a custom dress I would
highly recommend contacting Allison.  

A custom dress can take as little as three months
from start to finish.  

 

Her dresses range from $1500 - $2500.  

She can do bridesmaid and Mother of the Bride dresses as well.

Allison carefully follows trends and said that right now 

brides are loving gold, hints of color, and tulle.
Sequins are also a big accent piece for 2015 and 2016 brides.

Allison also loves two-piece dresses.  In her shop she has gorgeous 

lace corset tops that can be paired with a skirt.  

Wouldn't that lace top with a silky skirt be perfect for a Mother of the Bride?

Thank you for hosting me Allison!  You make a delicious 

grapefruit Mimosa and you have a real talent and eye for design.

For any brides out there, click the photo below to plan a visit to Allison's shop.  

No matter what dress you end up with you will be a stunning bride but
with Allison's help you will have a dress or veil to remember.

{All Photos by Me}

Watercolor Cakes

Watercolor wedding cakes are one of my favorite trends right now.  

They can be soft and romantic or bold with pops of color. 

 Below are some of my favorite sugary masterpieces.

Also, watercolor macaroons...

adorable!

Do you have a favorite?

 xo

{ Martha _Weddings : 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : Wedding Chicks }

Marsala

As you may already know Pantone picked their colors of the year 

and I couldn't love them more.  My favorite of the bunch is Marsala. 

Which one did you love most?  

Click here to see them all.

{ 1   2   3   4 }

Flower School: Holly Berry

Holly berries add that perfect pop of red to a classic winter wedding bouquet.  

They also make for beautiful centerpiece additions and cake decor.  

Holly is available year round and has a vase life of around eight days.

You can learn more here.

You can purchase holly berries here.

Happy Wednesday.

{   1.   2.   3.   4.   }

In Honor of Halloween

 My favorite costume growing up was Ariel from 

the Little Mermaid (sorry for the lack of photo evidence).  

So, in honor of my favorite Halloween costume I wanted to share 

with you this amazing Little Mermaid themed wedding shoot.  

I love a good creative theme and this one was done exceptionally well.  

Take a look!

 

Happy Halloween!

xo

{original post by Pop Sugar}

Etiquette: Wedding Invitations

 

When I first started addressing my wedding invites I had no idea how complicated it can be.  

Formal, informal, blended families, unmarried vs. married vs. living together.  

So many things to think about.   Below are some links to etiquette experts 

and what they have to say.  I tend to lean towards the more formal method 

but you know your friends, family, and wedding best.  

I just hope I can shed a little light.

Emily Post will always be the queen of etiquette.  

Her website was a daily visit for me 

during my wedding planning process.  

I highly recommend it!

Not only does Crane and Co. design beautiful invites 

but they also know how to help you address them. 

Martha Stewart knows it all! 

Here are some of her invitation words of wisdom.

{photo and calligraphy from la Happy}

City & Bride

I came across this gorgeous shot of a stunning bride in my pretty city.

If you have a few minutes and need some pretty inspiration 

I highly recommend checking out this post on Style Me Pretty.

Absolutely beautiful.

{photo by O'Malley Photographers}

All About Apples

I am all about apple accents.  They add a simple and elegant touch of fall 

to cakes, invites, centerpieces, and event escort cards.  The above are some of 

my favorite examples for events but below are some apple links from around the web.

Have a great weekend xo

* This thin apple tart looks incredible 

* Apple votives look beautiful especially outside at night. 

See how to make them here.

* Apple Cinnamon Pork Chops - yum! Definitely added to

this week's meal planning. 

* I'm craving a day of apple picking here.

* Five Health Benefits of Apples can be found here.

{  Photos Above   1   2   3   4   }

Calligraphy Chairs

I want this to be the next big thing.  

Instead of place cards you write everyone's name on their chair!

This. is. Genius.  (and gorgeous!)

 

This gorgeous idea came from the talented team of Karson Butler Events.

Their website is incredible and I would highly recommend taking a look.

 

~

Event: Karson Butler Events

Calligraphy: Laura Hooper

Photography: Jodi Miller Photography