22 Feb 2012

Wed: Taylor & Lee on Singer Island

posted by Becca in Real Weddings

It's Wednesday and we are so excited to have a lovely beautiful Florida wedding to share with you! A combination of a beautiful couple in love, a breathtaking beach ceremony and a relaxed weekend in Palm Beach were all of the elements that the bride and groom had dreamed of and was exactly what Cassidy at Thompson Photography captured.

From the bride, Taylor, "We knew that the ocean was a big part of our lives. After looking at so many venues from Miami to Palm Beach, we started to feel defeated not having found one we loved. We wanted a place where our guests could fly in and stay at one location, not having to worry about traveling to another spot. So when we drove up the coast to find The Palm Beach Resort and Spa we were thrilled it had everything! A great restaurant overlooking the beach for our rehearsal dinner, two pools, a spa, friendly and efficient staff, clean large rooms, a spa and even day care for Lee’s nieces. This venue gave us the right feel of not too big, but still feeling like a resort. Lee’s family and friends are from Canada, so it was important for us to find a place where they would be comfortable staying longer than a weekend."

Photography by Thompson Photography

Taylor gave me the story on the inspiration for their wedding day that I wanted to share:

"Being from Long Island, I have always been in love with beaches. Lee lived in Australia and spent a lot of time surfing. Both of us agreed that the ocean was going to be a big part of our lives. During the summer, we have been sucked in by the crisp ocean air of The Hamptons! Loving the idea of being surrounded by fresh produce, wineries and of course the amazing vintage style of The Hamptons Lee and I knew that’s where our inspiration was going to come from. My mother has always decorated her homes in a way that combines comfort and casual with rich and classic pieces. She calls it “Bohemian sheik!” We love the “Ralph laureny” style with lots of white, silver and dark woods. We pull from mixing old distressed items with newer ones. Another inspiration comes from one of our favorite thing to do. Lee and I adore long dinners with many courses, great wine and company. At times, we wanted our wedding to feel like an intimate dinner party."

Singer-Island-Wedding-Thompson-Photography (51)

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

I have to say, when I opened the photos and saw Taylor's dress, I couldn't stop talking about how much I loved it! The dress is so simple but yet stunning! The layers of fabric that delicately blew with the breeze of the ocean made her truly look like a beautiful beach bride. It is true when they say, once you find the right dress, you know! Taylor found hers, after trying on many...

"I must have tried on about 50 dresses that I liked… a lot, but this dress I loved! I wanted to feel whimsical and classic. Many of the dresses were off white or cream. I loved how this one was starch white. It was so bright! The best part about my dress was when the light hit it, the dainty outer fabric allowed you to see through to the layer underneath that hugged my curves. I felt like I had the best of both worlds with a playful and sophisticated dress!"

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

I mean really, how cute are the groomsmen's matching grey sneakers!

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is this moment, the moment where the bride sees her groom when she is walking down the aisle. You just know that this smile is worth a million words as she looks at her soon to be husband.

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

"I was very excited for my guests to notice all the small details. We truly believe that's what makes a wedding feel personalized. Anyone one who knows me knows I love games! So we had scrabble pieces on top of the cocktail tables. Guests were spelling out words and sayings like "Lee Loves Taylor". My mom found these little champagne bottles that were actually bubbles for guests to blow as Lee and I entered. It added some fun and a twinkle in the air! She and I spent a lot of time deciding on what to put into guests goodie bags. There were lots of cute little things to use, but my favorite was the cookies baked from Taylor made Café, my health food café. I felt very proud to see my guests indulging in them throughout the weekend!"

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

Photography by Thompson Photography

I had to end this beautiful wedding with the advice that Taylor and Lee wanted to share with our Floridian Couples in regards to the Big Day: "The best advice we would give to a couple about to tie the knot, is to remember you are best friends. Planning this wedding should be fun. It’s about the union of two people in love and at the end of the day, all the rest will fall into place. And laugh at the mishaps!". Taylor and Lee, thank you! We couldn't agree more! Your wedding was stunning and it looked like the two of you truly did have the best day of your lives!

VENUE/VENDOR INFORMATION:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa | Photography: Cassidy with Thompson Photography | Flower Design, Decor & Draping: Cindy at Rock Star Event Planning | DJ: Adam Lipson | Gown: Romona Keveza purchased at Boca Raton Bridal

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21 Feb 2012

Making it Fabulous: Jessica Lorren Organic Photography

posted by Laura in Expert Advice

Sharing her fabulousness with us today is the amazingly talented wedding and portrait photographer Jessica Lorren.

making it fabulous jessica lorren

AND YOU ARE... ?

I'm Jess and I am the photographer, manager, editor, emailer, planner, and everything else at Jessica Lorren Organic Photography. I am fueled by a deep passion for relationships. Obviously photographing them but also cultivating them with the couples I get the joy of working with. I believe there is something magical experienced by a photographer and their subject that bonds them. There is nothing more fulfilling for me than turning a wedding inquiry into a friendship that lasts well beyond the wedding day. Being given the task of providing heirloom imagery for those friends is the deepest honor I could imagine. So that's why I do it.

TOP TREND OF THE MOMENT:

Can I pick two? Obviously I am a huge fan of first looks. Not only do they offer a perfect opportunity to photograph the bride and groom in the ideal location and lighting but they are great for providing a few quiet intimate moments alone as a couple before the craziness of a wedding day sets in. I find it to be so romantic and emotional which naturally makes for amazing imagery. Next, and I am so excited about these right now, bridal boudoir sessions. What new hubby wouldn't want a pretty little box of sweet images of his beloved? I added these last year and let's just say, my grooms are loving it.

YOUR FAVORITE CREATIVE TOUCH:

My favorite creative touch is, was and always will be: nature. Using the outdoors and its elements as decor. Getting married outside and letting mother nature's magic set the stage for your day provides a cohesive, affordable and organic approach to beautifully styling your wedding. Wood, moss, grasses, ferns and wild flowers oh my! Not to mention that creamy natural light all day long...

jessica lorren organic photography

THE SPLURGE YOU'RE LOVING MOST RIGHT NOW:

If you're going to splurge somewhere, hire a stylist. Someone with a trained eye and refined approach will add another level of personalization and help you implement everything aesthetically on the big day so you don't have to!

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20 Feb 2012

Wed: Amy & Andy at the Signature Grand

posted by Laura in Real Weddings

As a designer, it may seem odd for me to say this, but it's not the details that I love most about a wedding... it's the story. When I find a new wedding in our inbox, I immediately cross my fingers in hope that there will be a genuinely sweet tale behind the couple that is reflected in the photos I'm about to explore.

Today's wedding is the perfect example of this - which, since it came our way from Captured Photography by Jenny, is not a surprise. It was so hard to limit the photos to show you, because every single one added to the story of Amy and Andy: their joy and happiness, the love they have for their family, and the sincerity of how they feel for each other. To top it off, the story of how they met is completely fun and heartwarming. As Jenny sums it up, "Andrew and Amy were awesome… and seriously, they could not stop smiling the entire day (which means we couldn't stop either)."

The gorgeous bride, Amy, shared their charming story with us (which, as you now know, is my favorite part!):

"Andy and I have known each other for years. He is my best friend from high school's older brother. When we were in high school I had a crush on him (much to the dismay of my best friend) but he was in College in Illinois, and he barely knew I existed. It wasn't until years later, when he moved back to Florida from Illinois and saw me hanging around his house with his sister that he took notice. We dated for about a year and a half, and then he proposed.

"The proposal took place on his birthday. I had to work all day, so we had plans for a low key evening. I stopped on my way home to get the finishing touches for his present, and the plan was that when I got home, I would call him so he could head over while I got ready to go out. I opened the door, and all the lights were out. There were candles everywhere. Lining the mantle, lining the kitchen counter, and on the floor, creating a path that lead right to him. He stood there, super handsome in his suit, waiting with a bouquet of roses, and a scrapbook that he had made with pictures, ticketstubs, and all sorts of mementos from almost every date we had ever been on. He asked me to marry him, and I joyfully said yes. I cannot believe it has been almost a year since that moment. It changed our lives forever, and I wouldn't change it for anything.

"PS: My best friend (who I said at one point was dismayed) is now thrilled, and was my maid of honor :)"

I'll admit it: I teared up when I read that.

There you have yet another case for doing a first look... so sweet. And I'm obsessed with the shot below, with the bridesmaids peeking in on the couple.

My favorite detail of the day: a different single-flower bouquet for each of Amy's bridesmaids, with the flowers combined in her own bouquet. A totally steal-worthy idea (and a great way to bring a bit of variety to the matched look)!

The invitations and paper goods were designed by Amy's "amazingly talented friend/bridesmaid/graphic arts designer", Daniella.

Amy also talked a bit about the process of planning their destination wedding: "The biggest challenge to planning the wedding was that it took place in Florida, and my Husband and I live in Houston. We are both originally from Florida, and that is where most of our families live, so we knew that was where we wanted to have it. We planned several trips to Florida during our 8 month engagement, and those trips were packed with appointments, but we managed to get it all done. There was a lot of trusting that things would turn out as I had imagined (which is very difficult for me) but everything really did turn out just as I had imagined, and in many cases better!"

Congrats, Amy and Andy! We're so happy you shared your story with us. And big thanks to Captured Photography by Jenny for showing us the beauty of their big day.

VENUE/VENDOR INFORMATION:

Ceremony Location: Coral Ridge Presbyterian, Ft. Lauderdale | Reception Venue: The Signature Grand, Davie | Photography: Captured Photography by Jenny | Floral Design & Chapel Draping: Boca By Design | Reception Draping: Special Event Decorators | Stationery: Daniella Chisholm | Gown: Priscilla of Boston | Ceremony Music: Consortio Quartet | DJ: Elegant Occasions | Cake: Divine Delicacies | Submission: Two Bright Lights

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