We were so excited to see the preview of Mary & Jim’s wedding video by West Front Productions. Brian Paterson did a great job capturing their special day. More about Mary & Jim’s May 28th wedding next week…
sweet hearts
We are loving the original and handmade artwork of Sarah & Bendrix. Based in London, they “believe in romance, sometimes like to be sentimental and think that gifts made with care and love are the best.” Their custom, framed pictures are available in quite a few colors and can be personalized with initials and/or a date. Check out all of their offerings on Etsy…
images via sarah & bendrix
choosing a wedding photographer
Looking for a wedding photographer but don’t know where to start? We were excited to help Karen Caffarini of Gatehouse Media with her recent story about how to choose a wedding photographer…
“You’ve tried on countless bridal gowns to find the perfect one, visited dozens of banquet facilities and tasted their meals, and spent many Saturday nights listening to bands and disc jockeys. You’re confident you’ve put together the perfect wedding, now how do you pick the perfect photographer to capture every special moment? Here are some tips.
• Make sure they are offering everything that is important to you. Consider the certain number of pictures, certain type of album, engagement shoot, shooting in your chosen locations and high-resolution digital negatives.
• Ask to meet with the photographer who took the pictures you have seen and love. If you like him or her, make sure this specific photographer’s name is in the contract to ensure you won’t get a different, perhaps less qualified, photographer, says Jaclyn Fisher, a wedding consultant and co-owner of Two Little Birds Planning with Caroline Covelli in the greater Philadelphia area.
• Choose a professional photographer who best matches your personal style and your wedding day’s aesthetic or theme, recommends Chanan Steinhart, CEO and co-founder of MyPhotoCreations, on online destination offering free design software for creating photo products. Those with a retro theme may find photographers who shoot in black and white to be a good fit, he says.
• Know your budget. If you are limited in funds, think creatively, Steinhart says. You could hire the photographer for the ceremony and early hours of the reception, then have guests take candid pictures later on during the reception with disposable cameras. This will provide the couple with stunning professional pictures and fun shots.
• Ask questions, such as what they like most about being a wedding photographer, to get a feel for the photographer’s personality to make sure you get along, Fisher says.
• Look at photographers’ websites and blogs to determine the quality and style of their work. Look at sample albums. The photographer will capture your day in the same way, says Fisher. Look for good and bad reviews on blogs and websites, adds Steinhart. Check references.”
congratulations to the duke and duchess of cambridge
Of course we have to write about the Royal Wedding today, and we want to tell you about our favorite part.
It’s not the timelessly romantic dress designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen that so perfectly combined Kate’s classic and modern style with the tradition and sophistication of this special day. (Although we cannot deny our love for the special detail of the custom-made lace that featured the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock… four emblems of the United Kingdom.)
It’s not the beautiful flower arrangements designed by Shane Connolly that featured a lovely bridal bouquet of sweet william, lily of the valley and hyacinth, as well as eight 20-foot high Maple and Hornbeam trees, all growing in planters, that will be replanted after the wedding. (Although we love the couple’s eco-friendly choices and the use of sweet william in Kate’s bouquet, a charming tribute to her groom!)
Our favorite part of this wedding, and all weddings, are the sweet and tender moments. Like when Prince William stood nervously waiting to see his bride, biting his lip just like his mother Princess Diana used to do. And at the altar, when Prince William mouthed to Kate, “You look beautiful.” And on that 4-minute long recessional walk where they looked so poised, but still anxiously squeezed each other’s hands. And on their ride to Buckingham Palace in the same 1902 State Landau carriage that Prince William’s parents rode in after their wedding, as they waved to the cheering crowd, Kate leaned over in the carriage to tell William, “I’m so happy.” These are the moments that we love and why we love what we do! Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!
honeyfund
More couples are living together before their wedding day, meaning they already have a lot of the things for their home, the things that wedding registries are made of.
Honeyfund offers friends and family the option of helping the bride and groom celebrate their wedding by making the honeymoon that much more special. Guests can choose specific items to pay for on their trip. Consider a honeymoon tour of Italy:
A rail ticket from Venice to Rome- $45 x 2
A hotel stay in Florence- $100
Gondola ride through the Venetian canals- $100
Dinner at La Giostra- $120
Tour of the Vatican Museum- $40… the options are endless.
The $$ goes directly to you for your trip, and the website makes it easy to manage tracking gifts and thank you notes. The best part is that when you are enjoying your Gelato in Venice as you tour the Piazza San Marco, you can think of all of your lovely family and friends that made it possible.
love me do
We had so much fun visiting the Love Me Do Photography studio last month. We had met Amanda, Carina, and Nadine at Lovesick in January and we had to reschedule our first get together because of the snow.
The studio was grand and such an amazing palette for their work, with showcased photos in vintage frames lining the walls, wide open hardwood spaces, a long bench to chat around, and lovely tea and cookies.
We were intrigued to hear all about their passion for photographing weddings, and how they work so well with one another. Brides get to choose who they prefer to work with- Carina/Amanda or Nadine, based on their personal tastes and different styles of shooting. Though slightly different in style, these photographers each come from fine art photography backgrounds, with the same goal to capture moments in a photojournalistic approach, but with a fine art sensibility.
Check out their portfolios:
We love how they explain the entire process so that the bride and groom know what to expect in working with them. Their approach, in their own words, is to take photographs that narrate a story of the entire day, while portraying their subjects as genuine as possible.
images via Love Me Do Photography
cutest cake topper
Today’s adorable etsy find… personalized wooden cake toppers by the pretty pixie. You can customize the mini bride & groom’s hair & eye color, hair style, bride’s dress, bride’s veil/headpiece, and groom’s tux/suit.
images via the pretty pixie
in the mood for inspiration
We are absolutely loving BHLDN’s moodboards!
BHLDN (pronounced beholden) is the new bridal line under the Urban Outfitters Inc./Anthropologie umbrella that launched on Valentine’s Day. The website currently offers unique, stylish, and sophisticated bridal gowns, dresses (think bridesmaids, rehearsal dinner & honeymoon), lingerie, shoes, jewelry, cover-ups, hair adornments (veils & headbands), and accessories (gloves, clutches & belts). And stores in Houston and Chicago are currently in the works.
Back to the moodboards. This is the perfect tool to help a bride-to-be play and discover her wedding style. They allow you to mix, match, and add images to create your vision. Or you can simply explore and be inspired by the moodboards created by BHLDN and other brides. Want to keep your wedding ideas a secret? That’s fine too, you don’t have to make your moodboard public.
Here are some of our favorites…
Bright, Brighter, Brightest by Dana
Inspired By A Photo by NikkiH (photo by Tommy Agriodimas)
images via BHLDN.com
springtime in paris
The 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show is in full bloom, and we can’t think of a better place to go for some bridal inspiration. This year’s theme is Springtime in Paris and it’s so much fun to see how the theme inspired the area’s floral designers. (We love the fun use of carnations!) If you’re looking for wedding ideas or just like pretty things, check it out now through Sunday, March 13th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
two little birds tip: If you go on the last day, you can get a lot of great deals at the marketplace. Many retailers discount their items because less merchandise means it’s easier to break down their booth and they’ll have less to transport back to their shop.
pretty pearls
We were recently helping a bride look for bridesmaids jewelry on etsy and found these sweet bridal accessories. The pretty pearl cluster necklaces and bracelets are perfect for the fashionable bride who still wants a classic or antique look for her big day.
image via amidesigns
two little birds planning 