I am SO EXCITED to share this modern garden purple and green styled wedding shoot with you all today! I’ll be honest, when I first looked at the photos, I thought it was a real wedding. It looked that real. I was surprised when I read the description and discovered that it was a brilliantly styled shoot, put together by an amazing group of vendors including (the venue) The Oaks at Salem, (the florals) Tre Bella Florist, (the paper goods) Sealed With Appeal, (the overall design) Prevoir Special Events, and (the photography) Prevoir Photography. I was so impressed by every last detail they thought to include from the exquisite florals, to the gorgeous wedding gown, to the  elegant and beautiful tablescape. There’s also a gorgeous bride and her maid of honor, a handsome groom and his best man, even a dapper French Bulldog in a green bow tie named Claude. All in all, this wedding shoot is exactly the kind of shoot we at Heart Love Weddings live, love and long for. Enjoy!!

{Behind the Design with Erin Costa of Prevoir Photography} This styled shoot was planned keeping the modern, elegant bride in mind. The setting was at the beautiful Oaks at Salem in Apex, NC, and included four wonderful models, one four-legged model, an Excalibur vintage car, and beautiful floral arrangements. The bride and groom, Lauren and Dustin Prusik were married this past summer and were more than excited to relive their special day. The bridesmaid was the lovely Kim Barber and the handsome groomsman was Alex Warren, both of Raleigh, NC. Our four-legged model, Claude, the French Bulldog, joined us for part of the shoot, and was quite the heartthrob! We had been experiencing a blast of very warm weather down in North Carolina for March, but that warm weather decided to go away on the day of our shoot. You would never be able to tell from the models, but it was about 45 degrees outside. Dustin and Lauren especially enjoyed the afternoon, as if it was their wedding day all over again.

Stacey and I own an event planning company named Prevoir Special Events, LLC. I am also a photographer and work under the name Prevoir Photography, LLC. We often do even planning and photography combined for our clients. Our name means to plan, to anticipate, to foresee in French.

Stacey and I (Prevoir Special Events) have a September bride at The Oaks at Salem, which is a fairly new venue around here. We went out for our site visit and instantly fell in love with the venue. April, who owns the venue, is the definition of pure Southern charm and hospitality because we ended up staying and talking with her for over three hours! We mentioned that we would love to have a styled shoot out there and she was all for it! We had a theme in our heads of something modern, simple, beautiful and elegant, yet realistic to inspire our brides. We picked our color scheme out of green and cream, and then decided to bring in the pop of deep purple. The tea light place holders and menus were designed by Adger at Sealed With Appeal.

As we got all of our wonderful vendors on board, everything just fell into place. We told our florist, Tre Bella, what we were envisioning for the shoot and they just blew us away with their floral arrangements! The French Bulldog is Stacey’s pooch :) He did a great job and looked oh-so-charming in his matching bow tie! We had such a fun day on the shoot and the models were so relaxed and it just made for a really great day. The models all went to high school together, and the bride and groom were recently married last July – they are definitely still in their honeymoon stage and it showed in front of the camera. Everyone loved posing with the Excalibur provided by Classy Transportation! We photographed all around the venue from the staircase, to the porch, to the fireplace, you name it! The photo ops were endless!

After you’re done oohing, aahing, sighing and swooning over this shoot! Head on down and leave a comment to tell these vendors just how fabulous you think they are and this shoot is! We love it so much and couldn’t thank Erin enough for sharing it with us today!! xoxo

I know, I know, I know we are all anxiously awaiting the warmer weather of late spring and summer. I am too. The weather in Massachusetts has been less than stellar of late. For those of you (like me) sitting in the cold, gray, yucky wetness, this sweet wintry engagement session from Alissa Ferullo Photography will warm you from the inside out. The love between Denise and Matt is just that sweet. But for those of you experiencing beautiful, warm weather, take a little chill pill and come swoon over love with me!

Denise and Matt first began hanging out in the fall of 2008 after many failed attempts. The previous summer, Matt attempted to get Denise’s attention during a summer rodeo gathering. She gave him her phone number, but (foolishly) screened his call when he called.

A few months later, fate had them colliding again during a University of Wyoming football game in Laramie. They agreed to meet for drinks, but just as friends. Over cocktails at one of Sheridan’s local hot spots a few days later, they realized just how much they enjoyed each other’s company. Before they knew what was happening, they began spending more and more time together, and soon, were falling in love.

Fast forward a couple of years…

With Denise’s birthday coming up, Matt asked her to accompany him for a usual walk with their pups, Vea and Bailey, plus her parents’ pup, Pinot, after work. Because of an impending Wyoming winter storm, they wound up having to take the walk the day before her birthday. This was after they spent hours looking for Denise’s pup, Vea, who had taken off earlier in the day.

After all had been placed to rights again, Matt and Denise went on their previously scheduled walk. As they came upon the place they had recently hypothetically envisioned as the perfect wedding location, Matt brought the subject up again. With the sun just beginning to set behind the Big Horns, he dropped to one knee and asked Denise to spend the rest of her life with him. Of course she said yes!

They returned to their house to find a perfectly placed bottle of Henriot Champagne and a dozen red roses in the living room. Matt had asked his father to come up and set everything up for their return. They’ve been counting down the days to their August 18th wedding (where they will revisit their engagement spot to exchange their vows) ever since! :)

{Behind the Lens with Alissa Ferullo} Being the lucky one to document the excitement, the sweetness and the bliss between a newly engaged couple, while creatively making those captures into artwork, is so much fun for me as a photographer. From a professional standpoint, engagement sessions are the perfect way for the three of us to get comfortable with each other, to laugh, and to experiment with posing ideas that can be easily replicated on their wedding day. I have always taken a fairly laid-back approach to portrait photography in order to allow my clients to be themselves, while still mentally creating to some degree the “look” of the photo I’m envisioning (location, lighting, composition, etc.). With couples, I provide general (often laughably misunderstood) guidance for placement, interject posing ideas, and then simply wait for the magic to naturally happen between them; it doesn’t take much for them to get in the zone and to connect in front of my lens.

Matt and Denise were adorable and comfortable together, easy to photography and so much fun to hang out with. I can’t wait for their wedding in August – I have no doubt that it will be a beautiful, timeless, fashionable, emotional and unbelievably happy day!

Whether this was a “warm you up” or “chill you out” kind of post, I hope you enjoyed it immensely! :) Congratulations, Matt and Denise!! We are so excited that your wedding will be in the same place he asked and you said yes and the same place you hypothetically envisioned your wedding in the first place. One of the sweetest details we’ve heard :) Best of love and luck to you both! A very special thank you to Alissa Ferullo for sending us this sweet shoot today!! xoxo

It’s been a very busy month for us here at Heart Love Weddings, and we are so excited for the wonderful love that our readers have been showing our vendors! We think that we have a pretty amazing group of wedding pros, that’s why we just love to shout it from the rooftops how much we love and appreciate each and every one of them!

We know how important it is to make the right choice when it comes to choosing a wedding photographer and wedding planner. And we think we have a pretty amazing group to choose from! Many of them have their own blogs where they share different tips and even more of their great talent. Britt Croft Photography shared Why I Love Engagement Sessions and Why I’m Doing a First Look last week to brilliant response. Live View Studios was so excited to shoot the engagement session from our joint giveaway last year. We’ve shared some sneak peeks and will have the full feature up soon! Can’t wait :) Studio 516 Photography shared some great ideas for wedding attire, especially for intimate weddings or elopements. Today also marks not only her third wedding anniversary but her third year in business!! Yay :) Jillian McGrath Photography has been busy, busy, busy. Can’t wait to share some of her latest weddings with you! Christi Falls Photography has been a busy gal with engagement shoots. And if a boudoir session has ever been on your bucket list then Katherine Henry Boudoir is your gal! She’s got a brand new studio that she is just dying to share with you! ;)

Britt Croft Photography

Live View Studios

Studio 516 Photography

Jillian McGrath Photography

Christi Falls Photography

Katherine Henry Boudoir

Can’t decide if a wedding planner is a must-have on your wedding to-do list? Well, think no more, just do check out Viva L’Event and Danielle Pasternak Wedding Coordinator. Danielle always has great tips to share! Like this one: 12 Steps to a Smooth and Efficient Wedding Rehearsal. And we recently featured a baseball themed wedding that Viva L’Event shared with us!

Viva L’Event

Danielle Pasternak Wedding Coordinator

Happily Ever BorroWED’s site is filled with gorgeous sparkly things that makes a girl fairly giddy with anticipation! Be sure to inquire about their Send before You Spend option – great idea! TADA Makeup + Weddings is our latest addition to our Bridal Fashion & Beauty category. Tara was responsible for the gorgeous glam look for Alexandra’s recently updated head shots! :)

Happily Ever BorroWED

TADA Makeup + Weddings

Looking for some great wedding invitations? Then look no further than our fabulous invitation designers, Blush Printables and Simply Designed Invitations. Each has their own unique qualities and designs, you just have to find your favorite! :) I truly love the font on the newly introduced DIY Wedding Invitations – Jane by Simply Designed. And if you remember our post on Basket Bridal Shower Ideas, then check out this adorable Kitchen Bridal Shower invite on Blush Printables’ Etsy Shop! I think it would be the perfect way to kick this type of shower off!!

Simply Designed Invitations

Blush Printables

Well, it’s another wrap on a beautiful Wednesday! Thanks to all our wonderful vendors who just love our readers and can’t wait to share their talents with you on your special day!

Looking for more information on these fabulous vendors, please visit the Vendor Boutique and check out the beautiful inspiration boards that we feature for each of our fabulous vendors! Don’t forget to check out their websites and blogs too! :) xoxo

If you are interested in joining the Heart Love Weddings family and Vendor Boutique, click over to our Advertising page and fill out the new form. We’ll be in touch with our brand spankin’ new media kit within 24 hours! Have questions? Email karin at heartloveweddings dot com.

Have you heard? Ombre is pretty hot this wedding season! We featured a red ombre wedding inspiration board a few weeks ago, and this week I just couldn’t help myself! I had to create a purple one. Oh, how we do love purple around here! It’s also a very popular color according to wedding planners, and from what I can tell in many featured weddings. Purple is one of those colors that works well as a neutral, thus a lot of colors can coordinate with and accent it. Pink, green, blue, orange, yellow, navy and yes, even red, all work and play well with purple. All the shades of purple, no matter how saturated, from the deepest to the lightest, also invoke a certain calm and peacefulness. So ideal for a wedding!

This beautiful shade of purple in the bridesmaid’s dress is what started the inspiration today, and you can see how a small amount of buttery yellow in the gorgeous bouquet plays well with lavender as the background. The oh-so-pretty lilacs in the vintage table setting makes for a beautiful greeting for your guests as does the lavender lemonade. Does anyone know what lavender lemonade even tastes like? Does it have an earthy, herby taste or is the lavender stem only for show and pretty factor? Do tell, anyone that knows! Little homemade lavender sachets are the perfect touch for our purple inspiration. And as far as I’m concerned having an ombre wedding cake, especially in purple, just takes the cake – ha! Lastly, no wedding is complete without a little touch of sparkle. Whether a bit of bling on your finger, on your wedding dress sash or better yet, your pretty shoes, sparkle is a must!

How about you? Are you digging the ombre trend? Take it, leave it, love it? Let us know! And if you do, what’s the next color you’d love to see us ombre up? :)

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo

Row 1: Bridesmaid and Bouquet via Inspired By This | Vintage Place Setting captured by Karma Hill via Wedding Chicks | Lavender Lemonade captured by Karen Mordechai via Santa Barbara Chic

Row 2: Favors captured by Sutherland Kovach via Style Me Pretty | Purple Ombre Cake by Sweet & Saucy Shop via Style Me Pretty | Sparkly Shoes via Inspired By This

Colors: Deep Purple, Lilac, Lavender, Sparkle!

The choice to serve alcohol or not at your wedding is one of those factors that can often times create a great deal of discussion amongst everyone involved in the planning process. Everybody has an opinion, and sometimes the solutions can become an arguable point. Now, why does the discussion about alcohol become such a heated topic? Because there are a number of options, where cost is probably one of the biggest concerns. We’re going to dive right in, sharing some pros and cons along with a few tips you should consider when choosing to serve alcohol at your wedding or not.

Photo by Adam Barnes via Southern Weddings

{Open Bar} An open bar is probably one of the more popular choices when planning your cocktail hour (usually a time when the bride and groom are taking portraits) and your reception.

Pros:

• Easy for your guests. No worries for them if they didn’t bring enough cash with them.
• Guests have many choices and varieties of drinks (both alcoholic and non), especially when the wedding is held at an established venue such as a restaurant or banquet house that is well stocked.
• An open “bar” is more conducive to guests getting their own drinks rather than waiting for staff to wait on them.

Cons:

• Possibility of overindulgence by a small group of your guests. Only you can be the best judge of your family and friends.
• Expense. Having an open bar can be a budget buster and that is why many opt out.
• Depending on your guest list, an open bar can be a distraction from other events at your wedding reception. I have been to weddings where some guests were more interested in “hanging out” at the bar because the drinks were free, than watching the cake cutting, first dance or bouquet toss

Photo by Anne Marie Photography via Style Me Pretty

{Cash Bar} A cash bar is when your guests will be expected to pay for all of their alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages with the exception of a champagne toast at dinner.

Pros:

• Easy on your budget.
• Usually, lesser chance for overindulgence by your guests.

Cons:

• Your guests may feel a little disgruntled especially if the drinks turn out to be very expensive. The price will depend on whether your wedding reception is held at the local Moose Club, where beer is $2.00 a bottle, or at the Four Seasons, where it might be $7.00 a bottle. The bigger the price tag for your guests, usually the less they will drink. It might even chase them out of your reception sooner; like right after the meal. Kind of sad, right?

Photo by Hazelnut Photography via Style Me Pretty

{Limited Bar – Open or Cash} A limited bar is just that. Limited. Choices include one or two different beers (regular and lite), red and/or white wines, even limitations of soda – Coke, ginger ale and/or club soda. No hard liquor but a signature drink – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic may also be available. You may offer a champagne toast with dinner, which is a nice touch when having a limited bar.

Pros:

• A limited bar can save everyone money, whether open or even cash.
• Most guests are satisfied with options of beer or wine.
• It’s a happy medium for everyone.

Cons:

• Choices for guests are limited. Maybe they don’t like beer or wine. Then they are left with only soda (maybe not even one that they like) or water.

Photo by Anna Page Photography via Style Me Pretty | Photo by The Nichols via Style Me Pretty

{Non-Alcoholic} The decision to serve no alcohol can be a very personal choice. It may be based on religion or other personal circumstances. Either way, family and friends who know and love you will understand and respect your decision. Katelyn James, a popular wedding photographer in Virginia who’s personal wedding we featured in January, did not serve alcohol at her wedding. She observed, that while no alcohol was served, everyone had the best time ever!  Don’t believe me? Then watch her awesome wedding video, starting at 4:13. Evidence that alcohol does not a party make, because when all is said and done, it is your day, a celebration of your love and marriage. :)

A couple of other things to think about when considering the types of refreshment to serve at your wedding. When having an open bar, to save money, you can place a dollar limit of your choice. We did that at our wedding. When we were close to the limit, the head bartender came to us and let us know. As we were very close to the end of the evening, we opted to keep the tab open, resulting in only an additional $30 to our original budget. If you do reach your limit, you can then convert to a cash bar, however, it may create a bit of awkwardness for your guests.

Photo by Dan Cutrona via Inspired By This

If you’re having a backyard bash, there are other options that you have available. If you have a caterer, check with them if they will be providing the liquor and what their pricing will be. Since you are hosting, a better option might be to purchase your own liquor and save a bunch of money if you are able to take advantage of a discount liquor store. Be sure to advise the caterer or hired bartender to not open all the bottles or get the labels wet on the unopened ones. This way you can easily return items that were unused and save some money.

One last tip, when working with your venue or caterer, ask if there is a package/fixed price for the bar or if you could pay on a consumption basis. Guests sometimes will surprise you and not drink as much as you originally might have thought or planned. You can save a fair amount, especially on those guests that will nurse a drink all night long.

Photo by Adam Barnes via Southern Weddings

Now, if all this has your mind a totally jumbled mess, then my last recommendation… hire a wedding planner, tell them your budgetary needs and wants, and let them handle it! :)

You can see why this topic could cause some angst with so many (maybe too many) options. Who knew, right? Anybody else feel this way? How will you or did you handle serving alcohol at your wedding? Let us know in the comments below! xoxo