Wedding Wednesdays: Mix and Match Bridesmaid Dresses

What better way to bring in the New Year than with gold sparkly dresses?! I love the trend of letting your gals pick the bridesmaid dresses of their choice. Having the dresses be the same material or within the same color family helps unite the different styles. Dresses with different necklines let bridesmaids pick styles which best suit their personal body type or style!

Photography by Genevieve Renee Photographie  // via Southern Weddings

Photography by Genevieve Renee Photographie  // via Southern Weddings

Photography by Caroline Joy Photography // via Emily March Photography

Photography by Braedon Flynn Photography // via Style Me Pretty

Photography by Megan Thiele // via Southern Weddings

Photography by Emily Blake  // via Style Me Pretty

 Photography by Sean Money and Elizabeth Fay // via The Lovely Find

Photography by Mandy Busby Creative // via Style Me Pretty

Photography by Dan + Natalie Watson of Waston-Studios // via Style Me Pretty

Weddings Wednesdays: North Carolina Photographers

My lovely home state of North Carolina sure does have a bushel of talented photographers! On this delightful Wedding Wednesday, I am featuring some of my favorite ladies (and the occasional gentleman) who are behind the lenses. Photography is such an art...especially wedding photography. It's a picture of a sweet kiss on the forehead or father looking adoringly at his daughter that will be cherished forever. I love looking through my parents wedding album and seeing how wedding photography has evolved over the years.  Natural light, candid shots, and beautiful family heirloom details are a few of the many pieces to beautiful photography. If you are like me and love nothing more than beautiful love stories told through stunning photography, go and sit a spell on these lovely photographers' blogs. I promise you won't regret it!

Emily March Photography Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Instagram @emilymarchpayne

Robyn Van Dyke Photography Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Instagram @robynvandyke

Cameron Faye Photography Charlotte, North Carolina | Instagram @cameronfaye_

Nancy Ray Photography Raleigh, North Carolina | Instagram @nancyray

Jordan Maunder Photography Durham, North Carolina | Instagram @jordanmaunder

Wedding Wednesdays: Man's Best Friend

 

I don't know about y'all but I am an absolute dog lover. I have had a dog all of my life and I truly can't imagine life without one! My family has always had big dogs... from a Lab mixed with Shepherd to a Lab mixed with Great Dane! I love the idea of having your furry companion at your wedding. A dog is with you through the ups and downs of life and always seem to know when you need their head on your knee... Why not share the happiest day with your sweet dog?! I think having a {well behaved} pooch at an outdoor wedding is a great way to add a personal loving touch... and why not deck them out in flowers, bows, or bow ties?!

Photography by Red Fly Studio // via Style Me Pretty

Photography by 1313 Photography // via Southern Weddings

This picture is one of my favorites... Oh how I adore that sweet Labrador nose holding those rings! 

Photography by Jeff Cooke Photography // via Pinterest

Photography by Taylor Lord // via Southern Weddings

Such a sweet grey face... Nothin' better than a man's best friend hangin' with the groom and his men! 

Photography by Katherine Miles Jones // via Southern Weddings

I love this...Look at that well-mannered pup waitin' for the groom and bride to get hitched!

Photographer Happy Everything Co // via Southern Weddings

Pinterest // Photography by Peter Miller Photography // via The Lovely Find

Photography by Shannon Christopher // via Style Me Pretty

The bond between a girl and her dog is stronger than any diamond! I would cherish a picture from my wedding day with my sweet four-legged companion who walked with me through the struggles and joys of life!

Wedding Wednesdays: Floral Design

Pretty flowers, oh how they melt my heart! I love when I have fresh flowers around the house, they just make my whole house brighter. Flowers are a subtle way to incorporate a chosen color palette into a wedding day. Whether bright, soft, bold, or natural colors, gorgeous floral designs are a surefire way to have guests in awe!

 Photography by Shannen Norman // Floral Design by the Bride // via Style Me Pretty //Photography by Ashlee Raubach // Floral Design by Twig and Twine // via Style Me Pretty

Photography by Meredith Perdue // Floral Design by Flora Fauna // via Style Me Pretty

Photography by Emily March Photography // Floral Design by Springwell Gardens

Floral Design by Mimosa Flower Studio // via Belle The Magazine

Photography by Brooke Images // Floral Design by Shea Hopely // via Southern Weddings

Photography by Emily March Photography

Wedding Wednesdays: Invitations & Calligraphy

I have a love for beautiful handwritten notes... they are so personal and timeless. I grew up writing notes to friends, family, and of course, sweethearts.  Nothing is better than receiving a good ole fashion handwritten letter in the mail (or by the tree of a childhood fort)! Wedding stationery should be no different. It is a way to reach out to friends and family in a personal way to invite them to share in your celebration. Stationery and calligraphy are great ways to set the tone for the type of wedding guests should expect... super formal? rustic? beach casual? Beautiful stationery and curly calligraphy are a pair that continue to melt my heart! I finally purchased a calligraphy kit from Design Roots by May Designs and am ready to begin my calligraphy journey.

This stunning invitation suite by Ashley Buzzy McHugh is featured in the Southern Weddings V6: Fine Feathered Fete shoot.  I just love how the colors play off of the feather! This calligraphy work is by far one of my favorites. The mixture of prints and cursive is flawless.

Photography by Ali Harper // Prop Styling & Set Design by Blue Eyed Yonder // via Southern Weddings

This chalkboard inspired invitation suite is perfect for a rustic do-it-yourself bride! 

Paper & Lace Collections // via Rustic Wedding Chic

This lovely floral invitation suite by Juliet Grace Design is featured on the Southern Weddings blog. I love the soft strokes and how it plays in with the floral theme of this North Carolina wedding.

Photography by Alicia Swedenborg // via Southern Weddings

This soft floral invitation suite by Momental Design is featured in the Southern Weddings V6: Generations Past shoot. This shoot is simply gorgeous, filled with southern traditions and family heirlooms. Photography by Katie Stoops // via Southern Weddings

I love the classic blue and white stripes in this invitation suite by Heather O'Brien. Don't those blueberries look like you could just pick them off the page? The curly calligraphy is to die for!

I hope y'all enjoyed gawking at all of the gorgeous calligraphy and stationery!

Wedding Wednesdays: Southern Weddings Volume 6

Today my post is dedicated to the lovely, talented ladies of Southern Weddings! On Tuesday, which just so happened to be 11.12.13, they released volume six of the Southern Weddings magazine. Hoorayyy! I can't even explain in words how incredibly beautiful this magazine is. The story behind Lara Casey's creation of Southern Weddings is so humbling and inspirational... but this is so much more than any ole wedding magazine. Southern Weddings is rooted in the true meaning behind a weddings, love, family, traditions and most importantly the Lord. "We Love because He first Loved us." 1 John 4:19

This incredible cover shot is by the talented Ryan Ray and the only thing to make it even better is that they are a real married couple! Ahhh no staged couple here!! Read about the cover on the Southern Weddings Blog. The Song of the South shoot is one of my absolute favorites. It was taken by the Raleigh based Nancy Ray Photography, whose work behind a camera is truly breathtaking.

Y'all one of my favorite bloggers was featured in V6!! Victoria at Happily Ever Strader gave her humbling advice for couples to make decisions as a we rather than an I.

Kate at The Small Things Blog, another Raleigh native, is the lovely lady behind pretty much all of the hair tutorials on Pinterest! I love her advice about not setting people up for failure. This goes for so much more than just married couples!

This spread of dogs in bowties, bows and flowers melts my heart! I love the idea of ALL the family members being there for your special day :)

I can't CONTAIN my excitement for this launch party!! I will be sure to try and remember to take pictures between my gawking at all the people in the wedding industry I adore.