Words cannot describe how beautiful this desert wedding is. The minimal elegance, the intimate folksy vibe, and the sweet little DIY details …these are all the ingredients of a perfect wedding!

This DIY wedding was truly a collaboration between family and friends, and that is what makes it so incredibly special. The venue was the family’s chapel; the groom’s mom officiated the wedding, the bride wore her mother’s wedding gown while the groom wore his father’s suit, the decor were all contributed by friends and arranged by the bride’s sister; cocktail food and refreshments were provided by a friend; and all the musicians were friends of the family.

Melissa wrote, “Now we look back at the images of everything from our sumptuous, emotional, rehearsal dinner, to the shots of us getting ready in our own home, to the incredibly unique and intimate ceremony, to the remarkably enjoyable and peaceful reception, and marvel with awe at how we did it all and just how marvelous it was…with a little (okay a whole lot of) help from our friends (and family).”

Now that’s a wonderful day! Too often, we forget that the wedding day is really about the celebration of love with friends and family, not a fancy soiree. The intimacy and joy of a wedding comes from the people. I love sharing real weddings that expresses that authentic joy and I hope that seeing their beautiful photographs inspires you too!

Special thanks to Hannah of Hannah Arista Photography for sharing this beautiful wedding with us!

Vendor Credits:

• Venue: Church of God, Baldy Mesa/Victorville, California
• Photographer: Hannah Arista Photography
• Dress: vintage-mother of the bride’s from the late 70′s, altered by “Lucy,”  La Verne, California
• Suit: vintage-father of the groom’s, tailored to fit
• Hair and makeup: Janine Cortez Ker
• Reception Music: Phoebe Bridgers, Inner Prisms, Laura Jean Anderson, and Fivacious

Additional Credits:

• Officiant: Alice P. Johnson
• Rental Equipment: Bear Valley Party Rentals, Victorville, California
• Invitations: Handmade by the Bride and Groom
• Wall sconces: The Green Gypsie, Claremont, California
• Succulents: donated by several friends
• Floral arrangements & ceremony playlist: Megan Elcrat & Phillip Jones
• Cookies (“Cake”): Rose Rios

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Loooving the delicate details of Whitney Deal’s new spring 2013 bridal collection.  Each piece exhibits exquisite handiwork and I love that they’re very affordable for something so one-of-a-kind. These would be perfect for a spring or summer wedding. Check out her shop here.

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{Photo by Aubrey Trinnaman}

Oh my, this is such an excellent idea! Make a giant Vday poster for $5. Get the free graphic art and DIY instructions here. Perfect for a last minute gift .

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{Niceties blush pink dress, Over the Moon heart balloon, and Heartburst confetti all from BHLDN; blush pink ballerina shoes photo by Elizabeth Messina}

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I’ve been seeing all kinds of swoon-worthy Vday inspirations, gifts, and ideas all over blogs and Pinterest. Here I collected a few of my favs pink themed Vday inspirations. Do you have any plans this Vday?

Noel & I will be heading to Oregon!

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This darling vintage Disney shoot with Chelsea and Dylan is killing me with cuteness! I’ve never seen any engagement shoot like theirs. Their vision was The Great Gatsby meets Disney! They also wanted their outfits to match that era, so Dylan evoked the old time journalist look while Chelsea wanted to stay modern with a vintage twist.

Brooke Aliceon was the brilliant photographer behind the shoot (she also did the Harry Potter engagement shoot I posted). She wrote, “We walked through California Adventure and every time I had a shot in mind, I would get them in pose and then snap away.  They were so easy to work with and were not at all embarrassed by the crowds stopping to watch them.  We even were able to have the tram operator wait for a bit so I could capture an image of them kissing next to it.” Well, now you know what it takes to get those awesome shots in one of the most crowded place on earth .

Chelsea  had on 3 different outfits and here are the details:

Forever 21
-Lace 3/4 sleeve dress
-All jewelry

Nordstrom
-White hat
-Short sleeve lace dress
-Maroon lace up heels

Detour Salon in Encinitas
-Free People Strappy Lace Mullet dress
-Double lace headband 

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Imagine getting married under a canopy of ancient oaks nestled in the hills…sounds too good to be real? Not for savvy wedding stylist, Carly Rae!

Having planned many weddings for her own wedding design company, Carly had the advantage of experience on her side.  When it was their turn to get hitched, Carly and Billy knew exactly what they wanted. With the help of some of the best wedding vendors in SoCal, they made their dream wedding a reality. It’s no wonder their oak canyon wedding turned out so stunning!

Carly describes their theme as inspired by the lyrics “the tide is out, the moon is high, we’re sailing” from their favorite song, “Sailboats” by Brooke Fraser. With a nod to nautical, they incorporated sailboats, blue stripes, and feathers into the wedding details, while keeping the overall decor soft and romantic.

These two have an incredible eye for beauty and simple elegance.

I had a chance to catch up with Carly and Billy over a cup of tea just yesterday to chat about business and life. They’re taking their business full steam ahead, networking with local vendors, bringing on new team members, and having a ton of fun doing what they love! I love meeting creative entrepreneurs like Carly and Billy. They inspire me to continue to follow my own passions and never give up.

When you get a chance, check out the beautiful weddings Carly and Billy have worked on at Carly Rae Design.

Vendor credits:

• Venue: Oak Canyon Nature Center 
• Coordination + Styling: Carly Rae Weddings
• Photography: Jagger Photography
• Florist: Primary Petals
• Stationary: Alex Choura
• Dessert: Sweet Lucies  + Sweet and Saucy Shop
• Catering: TK Burger truck
• Dress: Vera Wang
• Suit: Jcrew, Zara, + Club monaco
• Photo Booth: Katherine Elizabeth Photography

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Hi Love! It’s Christmas Eve and I’m about to head out but before I do, I just wanted to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas! May your holiday be merry and bright!

Above: Heart wood slice from a cute DIY winter wedding on Ruffled; tree sapling favor from My Wedding Reception Ideas; holiday dinner napkins from Apartment Therapy; and DIY cake topper from BHG.

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Since the Victorian era, photobooths have never gotten old.  You’re guaranteed to have a good laugh in one!

Do you guys have any favorite photobooth moments?

(Silly Victorian photobooth moment found via Reddit & photobooth proposal from Angela and Ithyle.)

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Hallow’s Eve is upon us and I couldn’t think anything more fitting for this dark, magical night than Bona Drag’s Ceremonial Collection. The collection’s masterful eerie vibe is bewitching, don’t you think?

p.s. In the mood for more eeriness? Check out Angus Stone’s Monster music video too.

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{Groom wearing orange photo by Jeff Barfield; orange centerpiece photo by Troy Glover; orange dress via indulgy; orange bouquet image by Meredith Perdue}

A cold breeze greeted me this morning and I realized with gladness that fall is here. It’s the time of changing leaves, rain boots, and of course pumpkins! Fall is simply the the best time of year.

This board is inspired by the gorgeous warm glow of orange against an overcast autumn sky, summing up perfectly for me the feeling of fall. As I peruse the web for orange inspirations, I was pleasantly by surprised by how beautiful orange really is. It seems like an unusual color for weddings, but it works so well.

More swoon-worthy orange wedding inspirations:

An amazingly beautiful orange wedding dress.

This orange wedding cake is too cute to eat.

His orange plaid tie is super cool.

A pumpkin patch wedding, love!

This fall French farmer’s market shoot leaves me speechless.

Til next time, stay warm!

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