With This Ring...

Where I've Been

2011-05-17T19:20:00.003-05:00

Hi there friends, it's been awhile. Huge thanks to all of you who reached out to ask where I had run off to - I appreciate your concern more than you know. It's actually very happy news...I am expecting a baby girl :) You can read about all the details on With This Nest, but know that I will be slowly coming back to this space in the weeks ahead. Thanks for sticking around!

{Image via Grey Likes Weddings | Photography by Joielala Photographie}

Real Wedding: San Diego, California

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

How cool is the black and white wall with the green frame behind this lovely couple? I love the way it looks, and it would be really easy to replicate at a reception with the right supplies. This particular stylish background is located at the University Club of San Diego (go look at the website, its a green, black and white dream)! Thanks to heidi-o-photo for sending along the gorgeous images.

Real Wedding: St. Louis, Missouri

2011-02-28T06:00:00.001-06:00

I always live it when a bride commits to a bold color palette, so Kerri & Jason's orange and pink color combination was an instant favorite! The couple originally wanted to be married at the World's Fair Pavilion, but when the venue was booked they incorporated the vibe they wanted to achieve into a new space. During the reception Kerri's was surprised by a phone call from her sister, who was at home on bed rest and about to have a baby. The DJ put the call on speaker phone and by the time the conversation was through there wasn't a dry eye in the house - such a sweet moment!

Photographer: Beth Berry Photography
Floral Designer: Becky Huffman Flowers, LLC
Reception Venue & Caterer: Lumen Private Event Space
Invitation Designer: Unique Moments by Mid-West Marketing
Cake Designer: Wedding Wonderland Bakery
Band: Downtime Band
Ceremony Location: Southwest Baptist Church

Real Wedding: Los Angeles, California

2011-02-22T06:00:00.001-06:00

Sharon and Ivan were married this past December in Los Angeles, in an understated but beautiful affair. To sum up the wedding, event coordinator Krista Cremidan of Nouveau Events said, "Their quiet personalities were reflected in the subdued and beautiful color pallete they chose, made up mainly of light pinks. The reception centerpieces were also simple and elegant bringing, a slight hint of color to the table tops. The reception colors were punched up at the after party where close friends and family mingled under a canopy of strung lights and glowing paper orb shaped lanterns. Tea lights lined the windowsills and added to the loungy laid back, yet hip feel."

Photographer: onelove photography
Event Planner: Nouveau Events
Floral Designer: Vickie's Flowers
Reception Venue: Helms Daylight Studio
Cinema and Video: All Because He Asked
DJ: Shine Entertainment
Ceremony Location: Wilshire United Methodist Church
Makeup Artist: Kelly Zhang Studio
Photo Booth Equipment: DG Events

Williams-Sonoma Event

2011-02-21T17:30:00.003-06:00

New York readers! This weekend the fabulous Anne Chertoff (Editor-in-Chief of aisledash.com) is hosting an event at Williams-Sonoma where she will be sharing wedding planning, style and registry tips. There will also be refreshments and a goody bag...the event is limited to 40 people so RSVP soon if you plan to attend! {RSVP: 917-369-1131}

Real Wedding: Vancouver, British Columbia

2011-02-14T06:00:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day, friends! I thought the perfect way to celebrate today was with Liza & Greg's lovely outdoor wedding, which took place in Canada this past summer. Liza and Greg love the outdoors, so a family affair on a local farm was the perfect backdrop for their nuptials. Their wedding was filled with DIY projects and personalized right down to the dinner for their guests, which was grilled by the groomsmen! The pair handed out fishing flies that had been hand tied by Greg, the centerpieces were made with flowers from Liza's garden, and be sure not to miss the adorable lace covered rocks that were given as paperweights. Liza's dress was custom made, and I think you'll agree that it looks stunning in the amazing light streaming into the photos below.

Photographer: Chad+Anastasia Photography
Event Planner: Bottoms Up Bartending
Floral Designer: Proline Trading
Reception Venue: UBC Farms
DJ: Hot Hit Productions
Officiant: Lynn Katey Marriage Commissioner

Real Wedding: Westerville, Ohio

2011-01-31T10:06:00.002-06:00

This is quite possibly one of the more charming weddings I've come across lately. I love the lavender and gray color palette, but mostly I think that Whitney is just the most adorable bride! I love her choice of simple accessories and her all white bouquet. Thanks to Kevin Keefer Photography for sending over the images!

Real Wedding: Wagner Vineyards, New York

2011-01-26T06:00:00.005-06:00

Julie & Sergey's simple blue and white themed vineyard wedding is sweet in every way. The hydrangeas in galvanized buckets at the ceremony are perfection to me, and (even better) they were re-purposed as centerpieces during the cocktail hour. One of Julie's bridesmaids handmade all the paper goods for the wedding - and, see those gorgeous cobalt blue wine bottles below? The couple made their own wine to give away as favors! Thank you to Justin & Mary for sending over all the gorgeous images (you can find more photos from the day on their blog).

Real Wedding: Manitou Springs, Coloradog

2011-01-24T06:00:00.003-06:00

Not only is the color palette for Jandee & Shane's Colorado wedding gorgeous, I love the relaxed vibe felt in all their photos. The relaxed vibe is even more impressive because if any bride and groom had a reason to be extra stressed it was these two - they packed up and moved to Germany the week after their wedding! Jandee rocked her tea length dress and the contrasts of plum and yellow throughout the day really added to the overall atmosphere. And don't you just love the boutonnieres? You can see more images from the day on JasonG's blog...

Photography: JasonG Photographer
Wedding Coordination: Angie with Sapphire Celebrations
Catering: The Craftwood Inn
Flowers: Ambiance Floral
Linens: Chair Covers and Linens
Cupcakes: The Couture Cake Company
Music: A Music Plus
Hair and Makeup: Girls and Curls
Venue: The Rockledge Inn

Quick Palette: Rainbow Hues

2011-01-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

Because it's Friday and because this has been a really long week, I thought we could all use a little rainbow inspiration. These adorable stained wooden tags are from Wedzu - they come in packs of 50 and would make great escort cards, don't you think? Maybe a little calligraphy on the front? Adorable. {Image from Wedzu, found via Erin Ever After}

New Jersey Engagement Session

2011-01-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

I am sure a lot of you newly engaged readers are starting to think about engagement photos, and I thought this shoot from Kay English Photography was full of great inspiration. In my humble opinion the best engagement photos are simple and timeless - something you would still have framed on your mantle when you're celebrating your 50th Anniversary. The dramatic and artistic backgrounds make the perfect backdrop for these photos and I also like that the couple opted for both formal and casual styles. Timeless for sure! Have you started planning your engagement session yet? What all do you have in mind?

Real Wedding: Seattle, Washington

2011-01-11T06:00:00.003-06:00

Brittany and Cody were married the day before Halloween, in an adorable and funky affair. The couple used black and white feathers throughout their decor, and opted for some black and white damask runners as well (which of course, I love)! The hand drawn heart they used throughout the reception is just lovely, and I really like that they were able to carry off a Halloween wedding with just the right amount of seasonal decor.

Photographer: Abbey Hepner Photography
Caterer: Green Apple Catering
Floral Designer: Fiore Blossoms
Reception Venue: 415 Westlake
Cake Designer: New York Cupcake s
DJ: Darin Hanson
Ceremony Location: St. Marks Cathedral

Real Wedding: Youngstown, Ohio

2011-01-10T06:00:00.001-06:00

Alex and Xan (who actually also share a name, Alexander and Alexandra) are dancers who fell in love while they were studying their craft in school. They now own a dance company together and were married this October at a 19th century Country Club in Ohio. Xan decided to wear her mother's wedding dress for the occasion, and the couple carefully choreographed the steps to their own first dance. The first dance was filled with numerous references to things in both families’ romantic pasts (for example, the fact that Xan’s grandparents met in a revolving door is referenced in a long slow circling around each other). I love all the playful images throughout their wedding day - truly such a lovely event.

Photographer: The Lovely Lens
Reception Venue & Caterer: Youngstown Country Club
Floral Designer: Bloomin Crazy
Bridesmaids Dresses: David's Bridal
DJ: All Night DJs
Ceremony Location: St. Dominic's Church
Jewelry: Alex Sepkus
Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Men's Wearhouse

Real Wedding: Orlando, Florida

2011-01-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

There is so much to love about Shelby & John's lovely wedding (not to mention the bride's fabulous name from one of my favorite movies). The couple opted for rustic decor, which included the bride's green and white bouquet and wreaths adorning the doors of the church. Various lanterns at the reception set a romantic tone, and be sure not to miss that amazing cake! It's not often that you see chocolate wedding cakes and this one might just be my new favorite.

Photographer: Pilster Photography
Floral Designer: Lee James Floral Designs
Reception Venue: Historic Dubsdread Ballroom
Dress Store: Solutions Bridal
Cake Designer: Bake Me a Cake
DJ: Fun Factory Entertainment

Real Wedding: Keystone, Colorado

2011-01-03T09:57:00.002-06:00

Hello, friends! I hope you all had a great holiday break and are hopefully easing back into your normal routine a little better than I am (when the alarm went off this morning I think I could have genuinely shed a tear). But this gorgeous wedding from the talented Jason G is certainly making my morning easier. Katie and Scott were married this past August in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony. I really love it when couple's choose decor that blends in with their natural environment, and Katie and Scott did just that.

Prior to their traditional ceremony, the couple opted to have a private Native American ceremony. You can see the images below. After their two ceremonies were completed they moved onto a gorgeous reception, complete with carved birch vases for the centerpieces. You can see even more images from the day on Jason's blog.

Photography: Jason G
Event Planner: Bella Design & Planning
Venue: Keystone Ranch
Native American Ceremony Officiant: Leon Joseph Littlebird
Music: Great Time DJ

Real Wedding Rerun: Franschhoek Winelands, South Africa

2010-12-31T06:00:00.000-06:00

This week I am republishing some of my favorite weddings from 2010. I hope you enjoy and I will see you back here with fresh content next week!

Tina and Christian decided to tie the knot in the Franschhoek Winelands of South Africa, and wanted to create a modern vintage feel to their wedding day. Those two terms sound like they might conflict, but the team from Wedding Concepts helped them pull the day together beautifully! The couple opted for a color palette of ivory, soft green, pale yellow and accents of chocolate brown and they punctuated the day with gorgeous crystal chandeliers and stemware. And I have to say, the custom cigars with Tina and Christian's silhouettes are one of my favorite details! {Photography by Garyth Bevan and Jacolene}

Real Wedding Rerun: Calistoga, California

2010-12-30T10:54:00.000-06:00

This week I am republishing some of my favorite weddings from 2010. I hope you enjoy and I will see you back here with fresh content next week!

Emily and Rob have been together for twenty years, and when they decided to plan a wedding they wanted they day to be symbolic of both the life they've already lived together and the new journey they were about to embark upon. Their entire vision was based around the day they decided to get married - the first day of spring! I adore so much about this event - the relaxed vibe, the bride in such unique and beautiful attire, and of course the gorgeous location. But instead of my blathering on, Emily has been kind enough to share some of the day with us in her own words:

We created our ceremony with our officiant to be based around spring/renewal/nature/the four elements and so the programs we made reflected this as they detailed the ceremony, while they also celebrated our past by featuring bios of the wedding party chronicling moments shared over the years. I tied them with yarn as we also had a whimsical homespun thread running through the wedding (which feels springtime to me), and I threw in some long ribbon details on the program baskets and on our bouquets to further bring in the whimsy of springtime. I chose charcoal grey and chocolate brown as the wedding colors so as not to compete with nature, and just threw in some bright and mix-matched patterned favor cones, cocktail napkins, and escort cards to brighten it up a bit and to continue the whimsical thread at the cocktail hour and reception.

Our DIY reception decor was all natural elements, moss/rocks/wood, and...birds! We felt that the enormous freedom and a new journey that renewal and spring means for us was perfectly embodied in birds, so we brought that into the DIY decor with bird escort cards, owl table "number" holders, a few bird statues, and the birds cake topper--the escort cards and cake topper in particular again continuing the whimsy and color we wanted as well. To celebrate our past adventures together at the reception, we brought in colorful vintage-looking postcards (some made from pictures I had taken during our travels) of some of our favorite places in the world to use as table "numbers", and the aforementioned cake topper had elements of who we've been together--a map of the California coast, a ukulele, headphones, newspaper, book, all representing the traveling we've done, our love of music (and travel to see our favorite bands), Rob's musical talents, our involvement in current events and our love for and time spent in cultural pursuits. The cake itself had the nature design from the invitations on each tier.

All of the beautiful images were captured by Sabine Scherer Photography, and you can see more details from the wedding on her blog. The remainder of the vendors are listed below:

Location: Calistoga Ranch
 Location coordinator: Jen Beranek 
Wedding planner: Lisa of Bellisima Vita 
Florist: Paul of Tesoro table
Cake: Calistoga Ranch 
Cake topper: Rainsend (from Etsy)
 Bride's skirt: Carmen Marc Valvo 
Bride's blouse: Chloe Dao (from Project Runway!)  
Necklace: J.crew (a nod to Michelle Obama actually)

Real Wedding Rerun: Winter Park, Florida

2010-12-29T10:53:00.000-06:00

This week I am republishing some of my favorite weddings from 2010. I hope you enjoy and I will see you back here with fresh content next week!

Dayna and Ian's wedding is such a perfect way to start off the week - you are going to love all the DIY details! The bride and groom are both so stylish and they each infused their personalities into the event in different and meaningful ways. Dayna personally purchased or made nearly every detail herself, relying heavily on Etsy, Craigslist, thrifting and local antique shops. I love that so many of her details can be achieved on a budget - the ladders and lighting for the ceremony, the hand sewn table numbers and the adorable table assignments (hanging on an old window, nonetheless)!

Ian is wearing his father's suit from the 70's that he had altered for the wedding. And since he brews beer as a hobby, he also created a few different ales for the wedding (that is the large white box with the taps you see pictured below). The couple gave out CD's in personalized covers as favors and I think it is lovely how they carried the theme of "You & Me, It's Love" throughout the event.

{Photography: Studio 222 Photography | Caterer: Black Bean Deli | Reception Venue: Winter Park Farmers Market}

Real Wedding Rerun: Terrain Styled Wedding

2010-12-28T06:00:00.002-06:00

This week I am republishing some of my favorite weddings from 2010. I hope you enjoy and I will see you back here with fresh content next week!

Anna and Chris had such a beautiful wedding, that incorporated both tuxedos and personal DIY style all in one event. Anna is a textile designer, so the couple utilized gorgeous quilts and fabrics throughout the event. The table assignments were listed on a giant framed chalkboard and a bluegrass band entertained guests during the cocktail hour. The couple utilized simple metal lanterns as centerpieces (genius) and had a local baker create pies made from family recipes. They helped develop the aesthetic and decor for the event from a designer at Terrain, which is surely why I love every bit of this wedding!

Venue: Audobon Center in Audobon, PA
Photographer: Lorraine Daley Wedding Photography
Flowers/Decorations: Matthew Muscarella, from Terrain
Brides Dress: Cymbeline Paris
Brides Shoes: BP Platinum
Bridesmaids Dresses: J Crew
Catering: Jeffrey Miller Catering
Pie: Original recipes from Anna's family, but made by Jeffrey Miller Catering

Real Wedding Rerun: Monterey, California

2010-12-27T10:49:00.001-06:00

This week I am republishing some of my favorite weddings of 2010. I hope you enjoy the look back and will meet you here with fresh content next week!

Lacee & Jason were married on a beautiful California day, and their reception is full of so many details! Lacee and her Mom created all the elements for the reception, right down to the lanterns and the ribbons in the trees. The chalkboard is actually Jason's Grandmother's and some of the teacups in the tablescapes were from Lacee's Grandmother. I love the idea of incorporating elements with a family history! The adorable cake was from Layers, and all of the lovely photography is by the talented Caroline Tran. You can see more photos on Caroline's blog!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T09:10:00.002-06:00

My apologies for being completely MIA this week, friends! Turns out that moving into a new house and offering to host not one but two Christmas meals is a lot to take on in two weeks. But I am happy to report that the groceries are in the fridge and the boxes (most of them at least) are unpacked. I hope you all have a lovely celebration with your nearest and dearest and I look forward to meeting you back here next year. There is a lot in store for the New Year - some gorgeous new weddings and a new look for With This Ring! Next week I will be republishing some of my favorite weddings from 2010 and will be back with new content after the first of the year. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

The World's Quickest Giveaway

2010-12-15T13:16:00.004-06:00

**Update: Giveaway Closed! You just received an email if you were the winner. Thanks, everyone!**

Remember this giveaway, that was about a million years ago? I offered up the mini wreaths I created for Utterly Engaged (see the article on how to use them here) and the remainder of the flip flops from our reception. Well, two moves later and I found the box still containing all those items. It turns out, the winner of the original contest never contacted me! I am about to go mail some Christmas presents and so this is the perfect chance to send a box full 'o goodies to one of you.

There are about 10 pairs of flip flops left in various sizes, still wrapped in their little green ribbons. And I will even include the laminated sign! As for the wreaths, there are one of each that say "The Bride" and "The Groom."

No comments this time, we're in a holiday rush over here. So, THE FIRST PERSON TO EMAIL ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IS THE WINNER. Ready?? Go!

Real Wedding: Boise, Idaho

2010-12-14T14:45:00.004-06:00

I always love it when I can feature both a couple's engagement session and their wedding and Anne & Paul's might be my favorite, especially because it is from the always amazing Tana Photography. You can read more about the couple on their engagement post, but Paul is a military pilot stationed in Arkansas. Because of his love of flying, the couple used paper airplanes as part of the decor for their wedding (you can see the wedding party flying them in one of the photos below).

The bridesmaids wore a mixture of ivory dresses, and some wore lockets that were gifts from the bride. Anne also gave all the men handmade bow ties and pocket squares. Goose feathers and hens ‘n chicks are in her bouquet and centerpieces, as a nod to her parents’ farm. At the reception Anne handmade (and sewed) all of the personal touches in the décor and even the escort cards were folded paper airplanes, directing guests to their tables. Arent' the "bride" sign and the signs on the cake table fantastic? I love all the fabric! There are so many personal touches throughout the day, you should really take a minute to read all the details from the bride below.

Photography: Tana Photography
Design and Planning: Soiree
Venue: Silverstone Center
Flowers: Boise At It’s Best
Cake: Greg Marsh Designer Cakes
Bride’s Gown: Alita Graham at Kleinfeld Bridal
Bride’s Hair and Makeup: Breathtaking By Camilla
Lighting: Integrity Audio Visual

From the bride, Anne:
"I tried to plan our wedding to reflect us and to make a love-filled, jovial event for everyone. We invited our friends and family because we wanted to let them know how much they have influenced us and how much our relationship has evolved because of their love and support. To symbolize this, each guest had a candle at the ceremony. The light started from the back, moved to our parents, who lit our candles, and then Paul and I lit our unity candle with the light from our friends and family. We wrote our own vows, which ended up being just like us, half silly, half serious. As I was researching weddings, I really liked the crafty wedding, but was not crafty. So, I joined a sewing class and learned how to sew. I sewed and crafted everyday from then on making banners, flags, pillows, signs, gifts, bow ties, etc! We didn’t necessarily have a theme for our wedding, instead I tried to incorporate aspects of us. We had paper airplanes everywhere because Paul is a pilot. We used books instead of table numbers because we both love to read and met in a high school English class. For dinner we had a tapas menu of all of our favorite dishes. For dessert we had a cake, for Paul, and a soft serve ice cream truck for me! I wrote a thank you note on the back of every guests name card because we really were touched by the people who wanted to come and be with us. The best part was that we had a small enough wedding that we really had time to spend with our friends and family and it was a wonderful night!"

Real Wedding: Chicago, IL

2010-12-13T06:00:00.001-06:00

Meghan and Matt were married on a beautiful Chicago day, surrounded by a Fall color palette. The bride's bouquet was made up of warm colored roses and hydrangeas, which she carried as both of her parents escorted her down the aisle. The richly colored linens at the reception were set off by gold chiavari chairs, and the couple served chocolate covered strawberries in addition to wedding cake (yum). Be sure to check out Meghan's dance moves in the last photo!

Photography: Glen Abog

Wedding Planning: Engaging Events by Ali

Flowers: Asrai Gardens

Linens and Chairs: Classic Party Rental

Paper Products: Jenna Plonka at Clementine Ink

Videography: Modern Image Studios