
Beautiful capture from Stella & Peter’s Maui Wedding by Jose Villa.
Just a few of our favorite details fit for all of you queens out there.

TOP: French castle which happened to be the backdrop for this beautiful wedding (also seen on Style Me Pretty here…)
2ND ROW: Queeny ring from Etsy / Rifle Paper Co.’s Royal Coasters definitely belong on my cordial cart
3RD ROW: Glittery clutch fit for a princess from Talia’s Santa Barbara Wedding / Royal Wedding Cake with Vintage Crown from Jessica & Chetan’s Parisian Wedding
4TH ROW: Complete happiness from Kate Spade’s tumbler / Venetian Palace from my scouting trip to Italy
BOTTOM ROW: If I could’ve planned any royal wedding, it would have been this one / DIY greeting card for the king in your world from Real Simple
Speaking of catering, beautiful food is a great way to carry out a cohesive aesthetic for your day. Here are the absolute basics to discuss with your caterer when thinking about the presentation of your nibbles.

TOP: Design renderings of the custom server attire for this beautiful wedding at Villa Sevillano
MIDDLE: If you don’t want to get into custom trays, cutting boards make lovely tray options in wood, marble or slate.
BOTTOM: Pretty cocktails from our Ojai shoot for Style Me Pretty by Steve Steinhardt
Just a few books I’ve been loving lately, in case you’re looking for a new (or old) love…

TOP ROW: Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander & Rosamund Stone Zander / Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
BOTTOM ROW: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald / Style me Pretty Weddings by the uber fab Abby Larson
Taking a little moment to toot our own horns and share our current press on the news stands…First up, Wes & Jaime’s Bali Wedding at the Amanusa Resort graced the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings, which obviously we are beyond thrilled about. Pick this issue up…it’s their biggest issue ever and is chock full of inspiration. 


C Weddings did a feature on one of our favorite weddings that took place at Villa Sevillano. M&C’s wedding was one of a whole other level with a custom structure that took days to install and just overall a beautiful residential, refined and relaxed vibe.


Style Me Pretty released their Best of issue from 2012 which includes reader’s favorites from the year and we were in it! Well, us and the gorgeous wedding of Jacey & Grant…We are always honored to be included in anything SMP touches!

And, Weddings in Houston Magazine features a bit of our planning advice on why everyone should work with professionals only on their wedding day. This magazine is gorgeous and full of amazing planning tips. Just in case you want to take a peek at our last wedding we designed for a Houston Bride, click here and here to see Tara & Kurt’s big day on the Big Island at the Four Seasons Hualalai!

When I saw the video of Rachel & John’s day from Love Spun Films, it sealed the deal. I already knew Jessica and her team were talented in creating a beautiful recap of a wedding day, but didn’t realize how in tune she was with the emotions and intimacy that a wedding day holds until I saw this little number. I mean, the look on the groom’s face at the altar could bring me to tears right this second. I hope you enjoy as much as I did! And, just in case you missed it, see Monday’s post for beautiful images by Jose Villa of the wedding day and even more over at Style Me Pretty!
Rachel and John were the absolute sweetest. Rachel was a Midwestern girl, and John from southern California. For their wedding they wanted their day to feel effortless and approachable for her Midwestern guests and reflect the Spanish roots both of John’s family but have a feel of old California. Hummingbird Nest Ranch with it’s Spanish villa feel was the perfect backdrop for their vision. The guests were sent gorgeous Spanish lace invitations wrapped in actual Spanish lace and silk ribbons to reflect the color story of creams, taupes and fuchsia as well as the Spanish lace shown on Rachel’s gown.
The ceremony took place in a grove of olive trees that provided a natural landscape so her lace and bougainvillaea-covered altar could pop. Down the aisle, more bougainvillaea grew up the chairs and lined Rachel’s pathway. The bridal party wore taupe and carried soft bouquets of pink peonies wrapped in Spanish lace. Guests were greeted with Agua Fresca and Spanish-inspired fans to keep them cool.
Dinner was set overlooking the villa under a canopy of raw Italian light bulbs. Guests sat at long wooden feasting tables lined with Spanish-style fabric. Fuchsia peonies, bougainvillaea and other blooms filled terra cotta pots, creating an elegant fiesta vibe for the day. After dinner, guests danced until the wee hours, when street tacos and frosties from Wendy’s were served. And, because their dog was such an important part of the family, in lieu of traditional wedding favors, John and Rachel gave “doggie bags” filled with treats for everyone’s furry children who stayed home that night.
Check out these little beauties by Jose Villa, one of my all time favorite artists, and you can see even more on Style Me Pretty.
We’ve had some lovely press recently and couldn’t wait to share…First up, we had the honor of planning Morgan Norman’s wedding at the gorgeous Villa Sevillano in Santa Barbara and some of her beautiful images were in New Idea magazine, a society publication out of Australia. We’re keeping the images under wraps, but not only was her and her new husband, Chris, just the loveliest, but the wedding day was jaw dropping. You’ll have to pick up the publication to get a glimpse. Definitely an honor!
The charming Big Island wedding of Laura Hooper is in the latest issue of Inside Weddings. We shared a few images a couple months back, but you have to pick up the magazine to see even more and read about Laura & Jeremy’s story. We loved this wedding! You can also see her welcome party on Style Me Pretty and even more images of here entire celebration here, here, and here. And, her beautiful dessert display also made an appearance on the amazing blog of Amy Atlas.
Well Wed, a local publication out of the East Coast, picked up Michelle & Austin’s East Hampton Wedding, which goes down as one of our all time favorites (seen here on Style Me Pretty!) Bride’s magazine also added this piece of loveliness to their website inspiration as well. Also, you can see more in Darling. Everyone seemed to just love this classic beauty!
Bettina was a true Texas girl who had put down roots in Los Angeles a few years back, adding a strong Bohemian influence to her classic Southern style. The wedding took place at the gorgeous Gull’s Way Estate in Malibu, and was the perfect backdrop for Bettina’s 400 guests, who traveled from Texas and beyond to be there. Bettina looked soft and slightly boho in her gown by Temperley London, while her 24 bridesmaids donned nightgown style dresses in shades from blush to peach. The men remained classic in white dinner jackets. For the design of the day, we blended soft neutral tones with traditional moments like tulle, lace and silks and unexpected touches by incorporating animal prints, antlers and ghost chairs. Flowers were overgrown and wild and brought a sense of effortlessness to what would have been a traditional, Texas, black tie affair. The entire day was about balancing approachability with formality, and the juxtaposition of things like zebra rugs, chandeliers and feathers did just that.
After the oceanfront ceremony under a driftwood structure, guests were led to cocktail hour by an eight-piece gospel choir singing “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” where they enjoyed the bride’s favorite drink, classic Coca-Cola, cocktails and nibbles passed on silver trays while they watched the sunset. For dinner and dancing, the group had a feast of comfort foods such as macaroni-and-cheese and mashed potatoes before hitting the dance floor to a 14-piece band complete with a Neil Diamond cover singer. The night ended with the In-N-Out truck — a highlight for all of the Texans who only get the treat when heading out west.
If you’re interested in seeing more gorgeous images from Steve Steinhardt, definitely hop over to Style Me Pretty, who featured many more images last week.
The New Year, just like a wedding, is reminder of all of the possibilities that can be, both personally and as a couple. Both are a chance for a clean, fresh start and to me, no wedding says clean and fresh like that of the wedding we produced for Natalie and Pat in Napa at the gorgeous Carneros Inn. This was not a New Year’s Day wedding, but it certainly could have been with it’s cool blue tones, abundance of white on white and sleek ghost chairs. The aesthetic, the food and the intimate group of 80, made for a modern yet comfortable day and one we were thrilled to have a hand in. If you want to read more about Natalie & Pat’s story, check out our article in Darling, or hop over to Style Me Pretty to read Abby’s take on it. She even called it a “Wedding That Set the Bar” in a recent article for Huff Post. Enjoy the images from the too talented for words, Jose Villa, and here’s to fresh starts in 2012 and to many, many more beautiful weddings!