Christian Dior Makeup? Yes Please.

Its an incredibly rare occasion where I'll say, "Oh my gosh go enter this contest!"

I'm saying it now, so you can bet it's worth it to click on over to Style Me Pretty.
They've partnered with Dior Beauty to give away Wedding Day makeup for a bride.
E.nough.said
Contest ends Aug. 10, so get to it!

Preparing for your floral consult

A brilliant bride goes to consultations prepared and open minded.  The problem so many people run into is that they don't know what being prepared means.  So here's a few simple things that will help you out.

1. Know who you need flowers for: all the ladies, gents and kids.
2. Know as much as possible about the venues you'll be using.  By this I mean, what times your florist will have available to deliver, install and strike, the number and sizes of tables you'll be using, and what sites you'll be using for which parts of your wedding day. Also provide the florist with the on site coordinators contact information if you aren't using an independent wedding planner.
3. Bring a picture of your wedding dress.
   
4. Know and give your comfortable and bottom line budget.
5. Let your florist know if you would like them to give you a creative proposal or if you prefer to have something quite similar to what you're showing them.
6. Know the kinds of flowers you like and the ones you hate.  Best bet is to bring pictures. Be as descriptive as possible. Blogs and wedding books are great for this. Here are a few good ones:

• Beautiful Wedding Flowers: More than 300 Corsages, Bouquets, and Centerpieces
• The Knot Book of Wedding Flowers
• Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design
• Weddings by Tara Guérard
• Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your Celebration
• Signature Weddings: Creating a Day Uniquely Your Own 

My little list

Here's a list I compiled a few years ago (regrets and I told you so's) that made me laugh again tonight.  Boy I wish I could get everyone to agree with me.

• Get video. Confirmed #1 regret. You cannot see yourself walk down the aisle and you can't hear your dad's toast ever again and you will never see the best man polka with your grandma and be loving it.
• Do not include registry on invites. Bad etiquette, I don't care what anyone tells you.
• Do a trial run with hair and makeup. It's worth your sanity.
• Don't order bathroom flowers.  They're stupid.
• Have pre wedding day time with your photographer. Your wedding day photography will will better for it. Make your photographer a friendly face and not a stranger.
• It is not a media circus.  Your photographers and videographers are never in the same place at the same time.  Most clients ask me if the videographer ever came. No I am not joking.
• Don't bring your dog.  They are cute but stress everyone out and add more work.
• Eat your dinner.  You will be starving at the end of the night.
• Don't make a minute by minute schedule.  Being early and bored is better than rushed and late. Pad your timeline.
• Don't skip outdoor lighting. Events in the dark? Really?  No, a tiki torch will not light the place enough.
• Don't give up fit for pretty. Under the dress- break out the Spanx leave Victoria in the hotel room for later.
• Don't get drunk. A doorknob will find your eye somehow and you won't look as cute in your sparkler exit photo that you don't remember taking.  Even though you have the burns to prove it.

Another great wedding video

Lauren & Joe had a gorgeous wedding at LaPlaya in Naples late last summer. They shared their wedding day with family and friends from New York to Naples. You can really see the love between these newlyweds when they share their first dance; you'll notice that Lauren is singing word for word to her new husband.  I didn't see this that night, because I wasn't close enough to see.  So the video was like seeing it from an entirely new perspective and now I have even better memories.  I'm grateful for that.  Oh and if you only knew why Lauren & Joe were laughing at their ceremony.  Oh my gosh, it was great!

Lauren and Joe - Directors Cut Video, LaPlaya, Naples from Rob Epple on Vimeo.

The only thing I wish I could experience again that wasn't on video was Lauren's reaction when I brought her into the ballroom to preview it.  It made my day.  I loved that we got to use the shades of purple from lavender to eggplant. And could you just die over the wreath of flowers around the cake?

Something Blue

Just a little Saturday happiness.

Something Blue.

A Boca Grande Destination Wedding Vol. 3 The Reception

Every wedding must come to an end.  I wish they could all end as great as this one.

The tent was so perfectly "Boca Grande" The beautiful white draping and crystal chandeliers were filled with a mixture of Kings tables, round and square tables. We also had mini chandeliers around the perimeter of the tent that were just the perfect unexpected detail that made it not your average tented wedding.

I was thrilled that we were not using they typical glass vases for this wedding.  The purple hydrangea were striking in the white ceramic vases on top of the barely mint green linens.

Does this cake table scream charming or what?  The mixture of 2 tiered cakes and cupcakes is what kept it from feeling overly structured.  Over structured does not go hand in hand with a island destination wedding! Chic, elegant, sophisticated - yes. Forced - no.

Tell me you wouldn't want to have a cocktail here with your best friends. There's something very soothing about outdoor lounges with natural furniture and crisp whites.

Yes, this italian wedding was celebrated into the wee hours of the night. I could have taken this picture 89 times over.  Everyone had that much fun.

So cute and a total DIY by the bride and groom. We found a few open bottles on the tables...I think that might have explained some of the super smiles. Ha!

Always a huge hit, a cigar roller. I think this was one wedding where I was almost wondering if he was going to keep up with the demand. No worries...he did!

How adorable is this photograph? Father & Daughter.  Its always the candid images that grab my attention. Let me go ahead & thank Impressions Photography for all these photos now. THANK YOU.

Gorgeous Gladiolus. Beautiful fresh crisp white Gladiolus.  If I could have these in my studio every single day, I would.

 I've never been a fan of table number. I prefer to design them small for the table, to blend in while they do their job.

 Photo booths have become the norm at most of our weddings.  I know why though- they're outrageously fun. The backdrop style booths tend to work the best.  The great thing is that your guests walk away with fun photos and you get an unconventional photo album that is usually sweet & hilarious.

 If you were walking by...

Gasparilla Inn. So Florida. So Boca Grande. So Wedding.

Vol. 1 here and Vol.2 here

A real wedding, a real celebration: the directors cut video

We are really excited to share with you one of our favorite weddings from last fall. This destination wedding was four days of absolute celebration!

Bari & Rob's wedding was held at South Seas Resort on Captiva Island, Florida. "Fun" would be an understatement.  I'm pretty sure I was the sickest I had ever been in my entire life that weekend, but the happiness that there was surrounding this couple and the amazing wedding team we had kept me going strong.  What you're viewing is a directors cut, created by AMC Video, which of course I love and have watched 8 times and cried (happy tears) at least the 1st 5 times. I really hope you will enjoy it as well!