classic bride

Cute Engagement Shoot in Portland, Ore. with Paper Hearts and a Bow Tie

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:21:00 +0000

This couple looks so cute and down to earth and I love that they weren't even engaged for this shoot! That's right - their friends, photographers Kim+Phil were visiting Portland, Ore., and they knew a proposal wasn't too far away. Sure enough, a couple of weeks after the shoot Sarah and Joe got engaged! Congrats you guys! xx. Lovely images by Kim+Phil Photography.

Too cute, no? Thanks to Kim+Phil for sharing these beautiful images with us!

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Intimate Dockside Boutique Hotel Wedding in Newport, Rhode Island

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:06:00 +0000

Just arrived home from Paris and I'm exhausted from our jam-packed {but oh-so-fun!} weekend - I'll share all the adventures with you soon but today I have an incredibly beautiful New England wedding to share. I just adore Erica and Allen's day and I think you will, too! Lovely images by Erin McGinn.

Says photographer, Erin McGinn, "Erica and Allen were the epitome of beachside chic. Their intimate dockside wedding at 41˚N in Newport, Rhode Island was bathed in the most beautiful sunlight. The girls in minty light blue and the boys in navy paired with all white flowers was the perfect palette for the day. We photographed all around the property of the boutique hotel from the abalone lined entry way to the boat-lined docks and the contemporary lounge area. It was so much fun to be able to enjoy the day alongside Erica and Allen, who kept me laughing all night."

Says Erica, "We chose 41 North because it was on the water, simple, white (I love white) and felt relaxed yet chic and sophisticated. It’s just a cool place (kinda like Allen). Neither of us wanted a super formal, over the top wedding. We really just wanted guests to relax and HAVE FUN in a really pretty place! The guest list included family and very close friends that may as well be family – we took forever to decide what we wanted to do for our wedding (elope? Islands? Maine? Newport?). We landed on RI because if you ask Allen, I LOVE IT HERE! I really do, he tried to get me to move to a million places but I just couldn’t bring myself to move away- he ended up here because he’s the best!"

Such a picture-perfect day! Wish I could pack my bags and head for New England right now. ;)
Congrats to Erica and Allen and warm thanks to Erin for sharing these gorgeous photos. xx.

Credits:
Photography: Erin McGinn Photography / Venue: 41˚ North Newport, RI/ Dress and Belt: Ivy and Aster from The White Dress by the Shore/ Shoes:Coach / Flowers: Flowers by Bert and Peg / DJ: Murray Hill Talent/ Makeup: Jane Sincere / Hair: Laurie McGowan of Moss Salon / Video: Mike Picard Motion Pictures

What's in your Wedding Day Clutch?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:35:00 +0000

Want to know what I carried the day of our wedding? Check out my list below ... yes, I was definitely that kind of a bride who made a list:

Lipgloss and money ... that was about it! ;)

What essentials will you be carrying?

Images by Look Photography.

CB's Idea: Turn your Wedding Brooch into Statement Necklace!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:44:00 +0000

When I was planning our wedding {way back when}, I found a stunning mother-of-pearl brooch at an antique store while visiting my parents in Alabama. I scarfed it up and promptly had it monogrammed and omg, did I love it. I attached it to my favorite clutch and carried it the night of our rehearsal dinner {see below}.

ps. Tune in tomorrow to see the vintage brooch I chose for my wedding clutch ... and what was inside.

Image by Look Photography

... Sadly, my beloved little brooch somehow fell out of the limelight after the wedding. Luckily, I recently realized the potential it still had and I e-mailed my favorite jewelry-making lady, Tory, to see if she could create a statement necklace with the brooch. Check out what Tory came up with:

Don't you love it? I just know this is going to be my favorite piece to wear in Texas this summer! So don't forget about your wedding jewelry! If you're not using it, figure out a way to repurpose it so you will. There's nothing more sad than beautiful jewelry collecting dust, am I right?!

If you'd like to work with Tory on your own custom piece, you can check out this section in her Etsy shop or contact her directly at TissageArt@gmail.com. She also has a beautiful ready-to-purchase collection in her Tissage shop!

Casual Bohemian Bridal Looks from Minna

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:45:00 +0000

I normally despise press releases and hit delete before even opening them but for some reason, I decided to open the PR from bohemian bridal label Minna ... and I'm glad I did. I think you will be, too...

So adorable, right? I love that their {affordable!} dresses are designed to go beyond the wedding day. I took a look around the shop and thought I'd note my top two favorites for you:

This headband-meets-veil is all sorts of amazing and I'm totally wanting this jacket to wear every day and possibly sleep in, too. Check the shop out for yourself here.
This is not a sponsored post.

Headed back to Paris - Suggestions?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:37:00 +0000

See you soon, love!

As my time in Europe is drawing to a close {boo!}, it just felt right that I should pay my favorite city in the Milky Way another visit. So my friend, B, and I are heading out this Friday for a long weekend in Pareeee.

We already have a pretty packed schedule but, as always, I love to open the floor and see if any of you have some must-do tips/suggestions. So please comment away! ;) For now, here's what we have lined up:

FRIDAY
- Drive to Paris {can you believe we only live 4 hours away?}, stopping at a few antique mega-houses we researched. {eeee!}
- Try to squeeze in a tour of the Opera Garnier or the catacombs {both were closed last time J&I visited!} :(
- Enjoy drinks/dinner at Le Train Bleu. Do you guys know about this little gem? Our photographer, Julianne Berry clued us in and I am dying to visit!

SATURDAY
- Porte de Vanves flea market - my favorite market in Paris. You can read about my last adventure at the market here.
- Moulin Rouge at 11p ... we're finally doing it!

SUNDAY
- Brunch at the Champs-Élysées Laduree. :) :)
- Visit two flea markets on the outskirts of Paris and hit up three more markets in the Champagne region on our way home. ;) {I have a feeling B's SUV is going to look like the Audi wagon from our Brittany trip}

Bon voyage, loves!

Image by moi ... from J&I's reunion trip in 2012.

What to Wear as a Wedding Guest ... in Tuscany?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:01:00 +0000

Your summer calendar probably contains at least one wedding to attend if not several. So what's your go-to guest attire? ... And would it change if the wedding were somewhere crazy amazing like Tuscany? Luckily, I have an expert with us today to discuss just that. Monica Fortini is the fashion purchaser for a Tampa bridal shop, CC’s Boutique. And to get us in a full Italian frame of mind, I've sprinkled the post with images from Jeremy and Elise's love shoot in Siena, Italy. Gorgeous photos by Patrick Moyer.

Says Monica, "My first advice to anybody attending a wedding is to check the invitations and see if there is a theme. This is the easiest way to begin to form an image of what you would like to wear. Is the wedding casual or black tie? Is it indoors or outdoors?

And make sure, when you are traveling somewhere like Tuscany, to check what the expected weather is for that time of year. Unlike traveling within the U.S., it can be harder to tell what season the wedding is being held. A quick Google search should solve the weather issue. But what about your attire? Due to Tuscany’s countryside style with its vineyards and olive groves, weddings typically have one of the following themes: Country Chic, Romantic, Soft and Feminine, Picnic, or Rustic. Again, check the invitation. This will generally reflect the theme of the wedding and serve as a good guideline to follow.

The majority of weddings in Tuscany occur outside. In the event of cooler weather, I would definitely recommend a long evening gown in light, fun colors for black tie and a long, maxi dress in bold, bright patterns for semi-casual. Don’t forget a light jacket or scarf to cover your shoulders not only out of respect for the ceremony, but also to keep you warm. In warmer weather, shorter, pastel dresses are perfect to reflect the romantic edge the countryside of Tuscany brings to the wedding.

And don’t forget your shoes! Tuscany may not be the best terrain for heels because you will most likely be outside for some portion of the wedding—I adore outdoor ceremonies and they are beautiful in Tuscany but I highly recommend wearing flats. Yeah, yeah I know, they aren’t nearly as fun or sexy, but hey, think of it as the bride’s day. I promise, your feet and balance will really thank you when you are walking through a vineyard or treading across the infamous cobblestones.

Most importantly, just relax and enjoy the beautiful Italian scenery around you and the joy of the couple you are celebrating."

Thanks so much for sharing your insight with us, Monica! Now tell us what you would wear to an Italian wedding. ;)

Images by Patrick Moyer.

This post was written for Classic Bride by Monica Fortini. Monica is the fashion purchaser for CC’s Boutique, premier Tampa Bridal Shops.

Magical Elopement in Paris with a Dreamy Mermaid Gown

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 06:55:00 +0000

Aside from Maggie's gorgeous Vera Wang mermaid gown, I absolutely adore that the bride's bouquet was found at a local flower shop in Paris. Doesn't it seem so French to visit a flower shop the morning of your wedding and pick out a bouquet? Love. Fabulous photos by Julianne Berry Photography.

Says Maggie, "Steven and I met in high school my junior year, he was a senior. We dated for 10 years before we tied the knot. Initially we were planning a wedding back home, but while planning it we were getting too stressed [...] Then one day, we decided we should elope. Steven came up with eloping to Paris and I loved it.

The idea of getting married in the City of Love seemed liked a fairytale come true! We discussed it with our parents and they loved the idea as well and decided to come along with us.

The first thing we decided to book was our photographer. I googled 'best photographers in Paris' and 'elopements in Paris' and Juliane Berry Photography came up. I did some research and contacted her right away. Next thing you know, we had our photographer booked. This made things real! For the next few months, we focused on booking the hotels, flights, looking for my wedding dress and his suit.

May came sooner then you know it. We got married on May 5, 2013, in the Jardin des Tuileries. I wore a gown by Vera Wang, White Collection and Steven wore a Zara suit with Aldo shoes. The veil was made by my mom and the bouquet of tulips we found at a local flower shop in Paris.

Everything went perfect the day of the wedding. The weather was great, the trees were blooming with cherry blossoms and the tulips were amazing! Everything about that day was perfect but most importantly our families were there with us to share a really special day."

Is there anything more romantic than eloping in Paris?! Congrats Maggie and Steven! And thanks to Julianne Berry for sharing these amazing images. Truly magical, don't you agree?

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Faux Deer Taxidermy Decor for Weddings. Yes!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:09:00 +0000

Since moving to Germany three years ago, I've grown really fond of collecting antlers at the numerous European flea markets I shop. {You can sneak a peek of my collection in this post} And I happen to think antlers and faux-deer taxidermy would be adorable for a rustic chic wedding ... bonus points if the venue is a farm or held in a barn. Since I know it can be hard {and expensive} to collect the real thing, I found two super clever tutorials on creating your own faux-deer taxidermy decor:

I've mentioned Molly's blog before and I always look forward to reading her posts. Her German house is a former barn so that ikat-covered deer fits right in! Wouldn't he be cute at a wedding? I think I'd drape some glittery sequin strands around his antlers. The chalkboard could also work to share a menu, seating arrangement, etc. Maybe Molly should just start hosting weddings in her cute converted barn. ;)

Read Molly's DIY tutorial here.

And how cute is this deer wrapped in pages from Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales? Love the idea of using pages from your favorite book. If it's for your wedding, use a book that means something to you and your honey. :)

Check out this tutorial here.

Thoughts? Would you include {faux or not} deer taxidermy in your wedding or home?

Images via The Poor Sophisticate and Casa Sugar.

European {Honeymoon-Inspired} Travel Journal: Venice, Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 10:15:00 +0000

ENTRY NO.34 // VENICE, ITALY

Venice. Have you been? This trip marked my second visit for me and it's unlike anywhere I've ever been. A mix of fairytale beauty, crowded squares, cooing pigeons and magically still canals. And, as many honeymooners will attest, a romantic city to the core. I think Venice would be a fantastic blip for a month-long Italian honeymoon. Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Atop the Campanile di San Marco

Want to know what I think about this bar? Scroll down to my "tips" section and see.

Couldn't help feeling a bit famous at every bridge we came to on our gondola ride. ;)

We decided to cave and do what every other tourist in Venice does - take a gondola ride. Despite the stroke-inducing pricetag, I'm so glad J&I did this. It's certainly my favorite memory of Venice ... our gondolier swept us away from the noisy, cramped streets filled with tourists and transported us to a world of small, quiet canals. Bliss.

We first went out to the lagoon where the water was a bit more choppy.

... And then we found our way to a labyrinth of still canals punctuated only by the singing of a passing gondolier.

CB's Top Tips for Venice:

- Waterbus. Unless you are on a lavish, no-holds-barred honeymoon, I'd take the waterbus over a water taxi any time. The water taxis are notorious for being over-the-top expensive {albeit convenient}.

- Campanile di San Marco. For an amazing view of the city/lagoon, pay a small amount of money to take the elevator to the top of this bell tower located in St. Mark's Square. Beautiful views. I've also heard that there is another {less well known} stellar spot for views - the San. Giorgio Maggiore located across from San Marco. From this point, you are granted a view across to Venice rather than looking down on it.

- Bellinis / Harry's Bar. I think everyone who heard I was visiting Venice told me I must visit Harry's Bar. So we decided to hunt this bar down one afternoon for some aperitifs. We found it without much trouble but were surprised to find a small, unattractive bar inside ... it actually reminded me of some of the hole-in-the-wall type bars we frequented in college. Despite the unappealing interior, we looked around the crowded bar for a table and found two girls who offered us their table as they were leaving. As T&I were thanking them, a waiter came over and told us that we would only have 10 minutes at the table. I can't tell you if those 10 minutes would have been worth it because we decided to leave and find another bellini-serving bar. Personally, Harry's Bar seemed like a bit of tourist trap where you go to a dingy, unsophisticated bar to drink an overpriced drink just to say you did it. Just my two cents. Have you been? Tell me about your experience. ;)

- Gondola ride. Maybe this is another tourist trap but J&I caved and I think it was worth every penny {I mean euro cent}.

- Burano. If you're spending more than a day in Venice, you should really consider taking a water bus over to the island of Burano. It's a great little escape to a beautiful Italian fishing village dotted with rainbow-colored homes. You can see my travel journal about Burano here.

If you have any tips, insights, suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear them! Happy Honeymooning!

Did you miss the other entries of CB's Travel Journal? Click here to catch up! ;o)

All images by moi.

This post sponsored by:

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White Jeans for a Rehearsal Dinner / Bachelorette Party?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Wed, 29 May 2013 13:22:00 +0000

In college, I used to have this pair of Hollister {ahem, don't judge} white jeans that I wore religiously as soon as the spring temps started to climb. They looked amazing and they could be dressed up or down in a pinch.

Fast forward 9 years {gulp} later and I'm dying over white jeans all over again. My friend, T, was rocking a pair on our cruise and I couldn't get over how awesome they looked. They are officially on my mental 'must-have' list which got me thinking how fun they would be for a rehearsal dinner or bach party! As much as I love getting dressed up, there's nothing I love more than dressing up a comfy pair of jeans - it's the best of both worlds - you're totally comfy but you look killer. ;)

So what do you think? Would you skip the dress and opt for a pair of white jeans for your rehearsal dinner / bridal shower / bach party? Or really going out on a limb ... would you change into white pants/jeans after your wedding? I'm really loving the "edgy" idea of being so relaxed! Here's a few looks from my style board on Pinterest that I think would work great for a pre- or post- wedding event:

Want more white hot style? Check out my style board.

All images via Pinterest.

Dreamy Napa Horse Farm Engagement Shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:14:00 +0000

As promised, today I'm sharing the "prequel" to yesterday's gorgeous wedding - the engagement shoot! Paula and Scott chose to visit Napa for their e*sesh and stumbled upon a horse farm during the shoot - serendipity! Thanks to eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY for sharing these lovely images!

So pretty! Would you consider having your engagement shoot at a farm?

This post sponsored by:

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Romantic Rustic Chic Winery Wedding in Sonoma, Calif.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 27 May 2013 10:44:00 +0000

Hope you're having a wonderful Memorial Day, loves!

I'm loving every last detail of Paula and Scott's gorgeous winery wedding in Sonoma and I know you will, too! You might recognize their wedding as it was featured on SMP, the holy grail of all wedding blogs, earlier this year. Laura Monfredini, of eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY was kind to share lots of new photos of their wedding with us today. And, for an extra special treat, I'll be sharing Paula and Scott's incredibly gorge e*sesh tomorrow - the couple chose to visit a horse farm in Napa and the results are nothing short of amazing, I promise. ;)

Says photographer Laura Monfredini, "Paula & Scott met 'the old fashioned' way - in a bar in San Francisco one night when Paula happened to be out after work. At the time, she was only in San Francisco on a temporary basis for a summer internship and she wasn't looking for anything serious. As they say, sometimes love finds you when you aren't looking, because by the end of that night in the bar, she was smitten with Scott. And by the end of the summer, she decided to give a long-distance romance with Scott a shot. He was smitten too, and a year and a half later when she moved back to San Francisco, he proposed.

Their wedding took place at the beautiful Viansa Winery in Sonoma, California. The setting was a perfect mix of rustic elegance, complete with a tent housing crystal chandeliers.

The ceremony took place in the barrel room, and Paula walked down the aisle to harpists playing "Here Comes the Sun," which is their song.

After the wedding, the couple said their favorite part was dancing with their families. The two families hadn't met before the wedding because Paula's family lives in Brazil, and Scott's in Oregon. During the reception, Paula changed into a short, Kate Spade dress so she could boogie with everyone else!"

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to see Paula and Scott's incredibly romantic e*sesh at a Napa horse farm. I'm telling you - it's one of my favorite engagement sessions I've ever seen. ;)

Thanks to eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY for sharing these exquisite photos with us and congrats to Paula and Scott! xx.

Credits:
Photography: eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY
Flowers: Loop Flowers
Cake: Occasional Cakes
Cupcakes: Kara's cupcakes
Band: A Frontline Band
String Trio: A Garden Strings
Caterers: Sage Catering
Ceremony: Your Ceremony Matters
Videographer: Martin Films
Dress: Monique Lhuillier (long), Kate Spade (short)
Suit: J. Crew

This post sponsored by:

Find out more about in-post ads: theclassicbride@gmail.com

Sarah Love, Love, Loves: Pinhole Press Photo Books

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:54:00 +0000

I have long adored the products of Pinhole Press. If you're not familiar, they are an online boutique for photo gifts and their products are always so clean and streamlined and gorgeously unfussy. Oh, and their photo books ... le sigh. I recently put together a photo book sharing some of J&I's favorite travel adventures in Europe using the wonderful service of Pinhole Press and I could not be more delighted to share the brilliant outcome with you. And I have to say it, I think these photobooks would be amazing to document a wedding and/or honeymoon.

I chose the Panoramic Photo Book and the quality of the print and paper far out rivals any I have ever encountered. The thick matte texture of the pages feel amazing and I absolutely love how when you open the pages, the binding seems seamless! The photo book "lies perfectly flat letting your photos stretch across the spread without interruption." Umm, genius. The cover also feels luxe with the combination of a personal photo/title and the soft linen backing and siding.

Want to see what I put together? Here's a few of my favorite pages:

Above: Out-take from our Parisian shoot. Photo by Juliane Berry.

Above/below: Tropea, Italy. Read more about that adventure here.

Above: One of J&I's first escapades to Paris. Read more from that trip here.

Above: J&I's first foray to Provence. Catch up on that vacay here.

Above/below: My favorite visit to Paris with J. It was our getaway together after being apart

for six long months {sometimes I'm really not fond of his job...}. Absence certainly made our hearts grow fonder and Paris made everything that much more magical for our reunion.
Read about our fun time here.

Above: I couldn't leave our Paris shoot out so I included this little tease.

See more from our shoot here. Images by Juliane Berry.

I seriously love the layout of my book and it couldn't have been any easier to put together with the super intuitive design interface on Pinhole Press. It was so simple to use and I love the option for the panoramic spreads. They add such a dramatic + sweeping feel to the book. And it feels so nice to have a book of images that J&I usually just share online - it's like our photos have been brought to life. Lovely.

If you're interested in building your own Pinhole Press photo book, you can check out their gallery here. They offer a magnificent selection including hardcover, panoramic, softcover as well as a great variation of sizes. Below is the type of book I built ... see how great it would look as a wedding photo book?

Off topic, I also wanted to share a few other fabulous products you might be interested in from Pinhole Press. They have an amazing wedding collection:

And I'm really digging these cool beer bottle labels below. They're styled here for a Father's Day bash but I think they'd be pretty fab for wedding welcome baskets or bach parties!

This post is sponsored. In exchange for this review, I was gifted a photo book by Pinhole Press.

European {Honeymoon-Inspired} Travel Journal: Burano, Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:32:00 +0000

ENTRY NO.33 // BURANO, ITALY

J&I flew into Venice to meet T&J to begin our Greek Isles cruise and while hanging out in Venice together, we decided to take a waterbus over to the island of Burano for the day. So, so glad we did. A labyrinth of rainbow-colored houses and mesmerizing canals awaited us ... such a perfect day trip if you're spending your honeymoon in Venice or northern Italy.

After walking around for a bit, we decided to sit down for some aperitifs {oops, I don't know the Italian word but my bellini - above - was out of this world} and a long, leisurely lunch. We enjoyed fresh caprese salads and some of the most delicious pizzas {yes, pizzaS} I'd ever had in my life. The restaurant we chose was next to a little plaza and the people watching was incredibly entertaining.

The view from the waterbus as we were departing Burano! Till next time. ;)

CB's Top Tips for Burano:

- Waterbus. Unless you are on a lavish, no-holds-barred honeymoon, I'd take the waterbus over a water taxi. The waterbus from Venice cost us about 16 euro roundtrip per person. The water taxis are notorious for being over-the-top expensive and for the trip to Burano {about 45 minutes}, I imagine the pricetag wouldn't be pretty.

- Go freestyle. There are plenty of guided tours available that will take you to Burano but I've heard they only allot you, at most, a few hours, on the island. My advice would be to skip any tours and just go on your own. Go at your own pace ... meander around the canals and enjoy a bellini or two without having to check your watch every 5 minutes.

- Other islands. In addition to Burano, there are also two other famed islands near Venice. Murano, famous for its glassware, isn't far and may be of interest. Torcello is another island nearby and from what I've heard, it's a quiet little authentic slice of Italian life. If you have the time, they might be worth visiting, as well.

If you have any tips, insights, suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear them! Happy Honeymooning!

Did you miss the other entries of CB's Travel Journal? Click here to catch up! ;o)
All images by moi.

Casual Hippy Bohemian Redwood Forest Grove Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:05:00 +0000

I have often thought how amazing a forest wedding would be but Meagan and Tony take that idea to whole new level of cool by getting hitched under a redwood grove. I. looooove. it. Amazing images by eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY.

Says photographer Laura Monfredini, "I wanted to send you some shots from a sweet wedding we did up in Fairfax, Calif. -- it's a cute, tiny, hippy town out in Marin County that's in between San Francisco and the northern coast. The couple got ready at Cavallo Point, which is one of my favorite spots & the wedding ceremony/reception was in Fairfax under a redwood grove.

They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but for Meagan and Tony that is anything but true. Tony is from England and he was in Las Vegas for his brother's bachelor party (or, as they say, 'stag' party) and Meagan was there for a trade show. The fates aligned and they ended up in the same bar one night. Meagan caught Tony's eye, and they started talking, and they never stopped -- one of their wedding toasters joked that they logged more hours on Skype than the whole guest list combined. For them, it was instant love and shortly after they met, Tony moved to the US to be with Meagan and he proposed to her shortly after.

The couple are both creative -- Meagan is a makeup artist (she did her own gorgeous retro-look for her wedding, as well as a few of the bridesmaids!), and Tony is a musician. They conceptualized their day as bringing together their creative sides with a touch of their heritage and with a music theme based on their song, 'All You Need is Love' by the Beatles. Together, with the help of many of their creative friends, they pulled off a beautiful affair under the redwood trees in Fairfax, Calif., that included a caricature artist and retro-touches for an English-feel.

The couple did all of the major details themselves -- they scoured the Alameda Flea market for vintage touches, they did all of the floral arrangements themselves. They had a touching, personal ceremony officiated by a family friend. It was really important to the couple that their guests have fun at the reception. They also set up a candy bar and had a friend play the acoustic guitar for a musical-festival vibe during the reception. Many of their friends stood up to toast the couple -- so many stories were shared and it brought the whole party together and made things so personal."

Aren't the towering redwoods and string lights just magical? Thanks so much to eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY for sharing these lovely images and congrats to Meagan and Tony! xx.

Credits:
Photography: eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY (Bill Hipps & Laura Monfredini)
Hair/Makeup: Meagan Major (the bride!)
Flowers: the bride & her maids and Mom
Officiant: a family friend
Bride's Shoes: Christian Louboutin
Venue: Cavallo Point (getting ready) & Deer Park Villa (ceremony and reception)
Caricatures: Bay Area Caricatures

GIVEAWAY | Amazing Stationery GIVEAWAY from Minted - 150 winners!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:25:00 +0000

As you probably already know, Minted is one of my top favorite sites for gorgeous custom stationery so I'm thrilled to be partnering with them today to offer 150 of my readers a custom greeting card! If you're not familiar with Minted, this would be a great way to try out their product and find out just how amazing they are!

With Father's Day right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to round up my favorite Father's Day cards on Minted and share them with you ... because if you win, it might be nice to share the love with your Dad. :) You can check out my top picks below or browse the full gallery of Father's Day cards here.

But first, let's discuss the super simple details and just how easy it is to enter this contest!

THE DETAILS
What's being given away:

150 randomly selected winners will receive a gift code for a free greeting card at Minted.com

How to enter:
Just click here and enter your name and e-mail. That's it, folks! :)

Deadline to enter:
June 1, 2013, at midnight Central European Time. Winners will be notified by e-mail. Bonne chance!

And I loved that last one so much I just had to customize it for my own super special Dad:

Yep, that's me and my daddy picking azaleas together.
Aren't we a fine looking pair? And I can't help saying we still are! ;)

I also put a little something together for my Mom because I'd never want her to feel left out. She's a pretty fabulous part of my life and I like reminding her of that:

Tell me which card you would choose if you win! :)

ps. Minted also has a great collection of Father's Day gifts and Father's Day art if you need something to go along with that card. ;)

This post is sponsored by Minted. Images via Minted and my personal collection.

Sneak Peek of Greece {+ some exciting proposal news!}

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

Hey loves, J&I made it back from our Greek Isles cruise this week and we are trying to get preliminary things for our move to San Antonio in order. {Whew, why are moves so exhausting?!} Anyway, I thought I'd share a tiny glimpse of our cruise with you! We met up with our friends T&J {you might remember T from these Med travels} in Venice and then cruised onto Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos and Olympia. And you know that saying, "save the best for last?" Well, that's just what T's boyfriend did because right after my husband and I left for the airport, J proposed in St. Mark's Square in Venice while it was raining!!!! I mean ... could you ask for a more romantic proposal than that?!? Only wish we had been there so I could have taken a crazy + countless number of photos and maybe been mistaken for the paparazzi. ;) Okay, maybe that wouldn't have been so romantic. Seriously, congrats T&J! J&I are so stoked for you both and can't wait to put on our party shoes for your big day!

Yep, that's the newly engaged couple ... before they were engaged! Imagine how happy they look now! ;) [+ me!] ;)

Santorini in all its splendor.

J&I loving it up in Santorini.

The Greeks are so on trend. I mean, who has a chartreuse door?! Adorbs, no?

More to come soon!

ps. Amazingly fun giveaway coming up, too! :P

Idea: {Wedding} Flower Crowns

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:01:00 +0000

Right before we flew to Venice, J&I caught Lana Del Rey in concert in Luxembourg and aside from the amazing show {I was completely starstruck and wanted to buy tickets to follow her all over Europe like a total groupie}, I was intrigued with the number of girls in the audience wearing floral crowns. They were so sweet yet felt so current and on trend. And, of course, it made me think how wonderful they'd be for a wedding. Whether for the bride, bridesmaids or the sweet flowergirl, I think floral crowns would be a darling statement.

Maybe Kate Moss got the trend rolling with her wedding:

{Via Vogue // photo by Mario Testino}

See more crowns here. Tell me what you think of the crown trend.

Charming Winter Wedding at Miami University of Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:40:00 +0000

As I'm finishing packing for J&I's Greek Islands cruise {we're flying to Venice tonight and I can't wait to meet up with Miss T & her beau for a gondola ride and some drinks at Harry's Bar and all the adventures that are sure to ensue!}, I thought I'd share another college campus wedding with you. It's another Miami University wedding {did you miss the first?} And it's totally making me miss my alma mater {and the snow!} already! Enjoy and bon voyage, loves! Beautiful images by Anna Kirby Photography.

The lovely bride, Kate, says, "Our style was simple and elegant, using blue, silver, and ivory colors to reflect both our Alma Mater (Duke University) and to give the day a shimmery Christmas feel. We chose to have the wedding in Oxford, Ohio – the quaint college town where I spent my undergraduate years, and a central location for both of our families to gather. The chapel held a lot of sweet memories for me as an undergraduate musician at Miami University, but more importantly, the chapel created a beautiful setting for us and our guests to celebrate and reflect on the joy of marriage.

We didn’t do a lot of decorating in the chapel, but with the fabulous stained-glass windows, cast-iron chandeliers, and traditional wooden interior, not much was required!

The couple had the pastor from Kate's home church, Dave Mason, officiate the ceremony and his wife, Linda Mason played piano. Linda was also Kate's piano teacher from grade school. One of their close friends played the violin during their unity candle lighting.

Kate's favorite memory? Being up on the altar together at Kumler Chapel – while the rest of the day was fun and beautiful, being up in front of everyone, saying our vows, hand-in-hand, face-to-face, really made the day feel special and right.

Having the reception at the Oxford Community Arts Center provided a warm holiday glow, where we could enjoy visiting with our friends and family in a small space with a character all its own! We loved having the local artwork on display, Christmas décor throughout, and the wall of mirrors in the ballroom. (perhaps a little Christmas in Versaille?)

While planning our wedding, we tried to stick to the theme of 'simple elegance.' It was important to us to create a more intimate setting that would allow time and space for conversation with our close friends and family, and also give us the opportunity to reflect on the beauty of our marriage, where our relationship had been and where it was now headed."

Kate's advice: As stressful, confusing, and overwhelming as wedding planning can become, have confidence that the wedding day will be every bit as beautiful and wonderful as you would have hoped. Also, definitely take the time to find an excellent photographer – someone who can take the lead with their creative license, and promise not to do a lot of posing. We don’t remember seeing Anna most of the day, but her photos clearly managed to not only capture those big moments of walking down the aisle and dancing with our parents, but also the little stuff – like happy reunions with college friends, relatives telling jokes, the nervous smiles before the ceremony… a reflection of how much joy and love was being shared that day. Being able to look back on the day and remember these things means the world.

Thanks so much to Anna Kirby for sharing these sweet images! xx.

Credits:
Photographer - Anna Kirby Photography http://annakirbyphoto.com/
Hair and Make Up - Attitudes Uptown http://attitudesuptown.com/
Floral Design - The Fig Tree http://www.thefigtreehamilton.com/
Wedding Ceremony - Kumler Chapel at Miami University of Ohio https://www.hdg.muohio.edu/Weddings/
Officiant - Dave Mason
Wedding Reception - Oxford Community Arts Center http://www.oxarts.org/
Reception Coordinator - Donna Stevens with the Oxford Community Arts Center
Baker - Spoon Fulla Sugar http://www.aspoonfullasugar.com/
Catering - All Things Catered http://www.allthingscatered.com/
Center piece candles and lanterns, custom champagne flutes, and other reception details were all DIY projects.

This post sponsored by:

Find out more about in-post ads: theclassicbride@gmail.com

Gina Made It WINNER

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:38:00 +0000

Happy May 1st! And big congrats to the winner of the Gina Made It giveaway: Christina Chin! Christina, you'll be receiving a message soon regarding your prize. :)

Thanks to Gina Made It for sponsoring this awesome contest!

xox.

DIY: Watercolored Letterpress Invites via Minted

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:37:00 +0000

Hey loves! I made it back from Italy but it looks like I brought home a nasty cold, as well. And just in time for our Greek Isles cruise later this week - boo! While I'm trying to recover, I thought I'd share this awesome DIY from Minted's new blog, Julep. Their creative director, Annie Clark, designed and hand-painted these beauties for an event and I'm seriously obsessed with how great they look!

Would you add some DIY watercolor to your wedding? If so, tell me what you're trying. ;)

Images via Minted.

GIVEAWAY | Preppy Prettiness: Gina Made It Headbands and Bun Bow

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:54:00 +0000

Right now, I'm hopping on a jet plane with my BFF, B, to Milan, Italy. {eeee!} We're going to take the train over to Cinque Terre and stay in Riomaggiore for the week to soak up some sun, do some hiking and swimming and down a few cocktails like the champions that we are. {Yep, I convinced her to come back with me} ;)

But don't think I forgot about you! I scheduled out a little surprise for you today while I'm soaking up those Italian rays! That's right, I'm excited to be giving away some goodies from Gina Made It!

Gina attributes her preppy + polished style to the days she spent studying in New England at Bowdoin College, her travels abroad, and her love of the sea. She says, "As a curly haired girl, I always kept an eye out for comfortable headbands to help with those unruly hair days, or to keep the beach breeze from creating a wispy mess! My own line of headbands started after years of creating decorative party headbands for birthday girls and brides-to-be. My younger sister, who at the time was a senior at Marymount School of NY, started wearing them to class and girlfriends began asking her where she got her headband. Mimi’s response: 'Gina Made It!' "

Such a cute way for a business to begin, no? Gina Made It is now in boutiques across the country and all the products are proudly handcrafted in North Carolina at a worker-owned, eco-friendly factory. Love that.

Love this chic twist on the sock bun!

THE GIVEAWAY
What's being given away:

A bun bow for the bride and a headband for the maid of honor. The winner may choose from available styles.

How to enter:
Simply leave a comment on CB's facebook page telling us which styles you would choose if you win!

How to achieve extra entries:
- Like Gina Made It on facebook ---and/or---

- Share this giveaway on your blog
............. Just make sure to mention if you do either or both of these on CB's facebook page. ;)

Deadline to enter:
Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at midnight Central European Time.
One randomly selected winner will be announced on May 1, 2013! Bonne chance!

This post is sponsored by Gina Made It. Images via Gina Made It.

Gorgeous Custom Wedding Rings {and more!} from Joseph Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:59:00 +0000

I am so excited to share a lovely store and company hailing from Seattle with you today! Joseph Jewelry offers an exquisite array of antique engagement rings, stunning wedding and anniversary bands and a to-die selection of estate jewelry. But their custom engagement rings may be my favorite of all! Clients can sit down with a designer {in person or online} to create ideas from scratch or they can take inspiration from showcase rings and customize them to make them more personal - I truly love this idea, don't you? Let's first take a peek at some of their envy-inducing antique engagement rings:

Gorgeous, right? You can browse the full collection of antique engagement rings here. I'm honestly not sure how I would ever be able to choose just one! ;) Now let's sneak a peek at some of the eye-popping custom engagement rings from Joseph Jewelry:

I absolutely love the creativity that went into these striking designs. I'm also really fond of using colored diamonds or lovely gemstones instead of your gorgeous yet typical diamond. I also love that all of the custom jewelry from Joseph Jewelry is created on-site and they have a wonderfully-skilled master hand engraver who can add fabulous personalization to any purchase or existing piece of jewelry.

Feeling inspired to design your own engagement ring? Get started here.

Now moving onto the selfish bit of the post! I'm currently on the hunt for a new wedding band so I naturally gravitated toward the fine selection of anniversary bands on Joseph Jewelry's site. Below are my top picks:

I'm so torn between these lovely anniversary band styles. A simple and classic infinity band .... a romantic filigree-inspired ring ... or a big and bad band with serious antique appeal ... who am I kidding? I'm totally digging that last style. Which style of band suits your tastes?

Finally, I must share a glimpse of the jaw-dropping selection of estate jewelry:

Gah! Don't you feel like a kid in a candy store? Hope you'll tell me what caught your eye. Personally, I'm pretty hung up over those gorgeous anniversary bands {in case you didn't catch that already!}.

ps. Keep up with Joseph Jewelry via their social media handles:

Pinterest // Facebook // Twitter // Google Plus

This post is sponsored by Joseph Jewelry.

A Peek of a Wedding at Notre-Dame de Reims, France

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Darcy) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:27:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, my husband surprised me with a 3-day weekend so we decided to take advantage and I booked a b&b in the Champagne region of France. We first drove to the city of Reims to visit the gorgeous cathedral, Notre-Dame de Reims, where the kings of France were once crowned:

And can you guess what we found inside? Oui! A magnificent French wedding!

The seats here are empty because the bride and her father {sorry for the poor picture quality but doesn't he look so proud and joyful?} had to walk past the public area to get to their "private" wedding area:

It was such a treat to be able to sit in on a French wedding! I wish I would have taken more photos. :( After enjoying the city, we took off for our countryside b&b. It was so fun and surreal to pass by famous champagne vineyards:

We finished up the weekend with a day of flea marketing and a side trip to the memorial of the Battle of Verdun. Have you visited the Champagne region? If so, I hope you'll share your tale with me!

Images by moi.