Inspiration Board: colors of the rainbow

{credits:  mustard & sage, michelle doll cakes, brancoprata, primele calligraphy, lovely morning, craftzine.com via inspired goodness, la maison des lilas}

Loving...

good morning! yes, yes this whimsical wedding has been around a bit in the blogging community, but i have been enamored by all of these embellishments and details ever since i saw it!  the unbelievable amounts of paper pinwheels, flags, kites, flowers are just gorgeous!  there are a lot of you brides out there who think you have to revert to the warehouse wedding favor websites to decorate your wedding, but let this be a beautiful example of excellent planning, organization, elbow grease and great vision--all inspired by a single kite.  i won't say this was easy (as i am sure it was not, Jesi did an amazing job!) but don't sell yourself short when it comes to making your wedding beautiful.  plan early, be creative and have fun.  and seriously, hire a wedding planner--these guys did and i know they did not regret it!!

check out Jesi Haack Weddings Blog for more pictures and all the vendor details!!

{images:  ashley rose photography}

Gown Friday

enjoy the last moments of August this weekend...summer is slipping away rather quickly...
this is Vera Wang's 2010 collection. daring as expected and nothing short of beautiful drama.




{images: noir facade}

Trendspotting: Hanging Mobiles

one of the easiest ways to breath life into a stale wedding site is to hang pretty things from above. rather than a big empty room with no character or a wide open outdoor space needing a sense of intimacy, bringing beauty from above adds a sense of dimension, drama, color, and a wonderment. i love to find the latest in this trend--paper poms, lanterns, apothecary jars, confetti...and now, these gorgeous mobiles from Polli.

the one above is called Jack Summer (my definite fav!), as it is so wonderfully reminiscent of a vine or beanstalk of course. each of the colorful leaf cutouts have curved slits where you can place photos or note cards--isn't that so clever? seen below are recycled paper ornaments from the Eco Deco Kit and it comes as a set of 30. you can string each up individually (as shown) or use in a garland--or pretty much anything else you can think of!



{images: polli}

The Bold and the Beautiful

good morning! when i came across these stunning pieces of jewelry the other day i about fell over. these are the most fabulous style statement necklaces i've ever seen! Charlotte Hosten is the Canadian designer behind these couture pieces and pushes the definition of a necklace to the limit by using magnificent oversized baubles, repurposed jewels and pearls, vintage heirloom brooches--even reclaimed men's works shirt collars to create adornments worthy of their size and drama! these pieces will bring your plain white T to a whole new level and add that wow factor you brides have been looking for. gorgeous! and i say if you are going to wear a bib necklace you better go big or go home!

Loving: Found Bottles

i'm kind of obsessed with apothecary jars & bottles right now. check out these gorgeous vintage apothecary, french wine, soda water and yogurt bottles from Europe 2 You. the colors and shapes are rich with age and story--it's impossible not to bring charm and character into your room with these stunning pieces! use the bottles as vases, candle holders or dangle them from above and let the light dance between their colorful glass shapes for a antiqued, European atmosphere. love it!

Summer Settings

good morning, ladies! it's a brand new day and the sun is shinning, and i'm excited for this coming week. fresh with possibilities and gorgeous weather, and a beautiful wedding to attend for a dear friend from years past wrapping up the week on saturday--a lovely end of august itinerary.

some of summer's best moments are spent outdoors enjoying family and friend's company and good food. i find myself longing for our old outdoor space from our last home where we would pull out our aged wooden table onto our covered patio and dress it with dozens of candles, fresh cut blue hydrangea from our garden in mason jars and meals hot off the grill...oh, just lovely! these summer settings are ideal for any kind of occasion, especially for anything wedding! boho chic to lobster broil, you can create a space that will make your guests feel like they are part of your summer tradition in your outdoor space.




{images: wisteria}

Summer Exuberance

so inspired by this gorgeous color board--a beautiful collection of emerald, leaf, lemon and sand that offer such sophistication and exuberance! perfect for an end of summer wedding--a oh dear, did i say end of summer? okay, well, i'm preparing myself for our unpredictable Oregon weather to take a real turn any moment...that's okay, i wouldn't change it for anything--i love it here!

{image: flights of fancy}

Happy Anniversary!

today is my 4 year wedding anniversary! so thankful and blessed to be married to my husband who has a never ending supply of compassion, understanding and love for his wife and family. he truly is the only one for me. love you, honey!

{image: mindy strauss life photography}

News!

good morning! i have a couple exciting things to share with you. Weddings Fresh has been selected as one of the Top 50 Wedding Blogs for 2010! i'm incredibly honored that we were nominated by you, the readers--so thank you, and thanks to Online Schools for creating a forum that is available to brides and bloggers alike to recognize blogs that give them inspiration and tools to help them with their wedding day. yipee!!


the other exciting news i have to share is announcement of the new online designer website, Aisle New York. it's the first of its kind, a membership-only website that showcases exclusive bridal brands, offering the only online e-commerce platform for high end luxury bridal. this provides the fashion savvy bride with the best in everything from gowns to fine jewelry, lingerie to shoes, and veils to handbags--and all at killer prices! and if you buy their wedding insurance (from $175-$225 depending on the price) you can even return the dress if it doesn't fit! i can't wait until the launch in october, but the site is open right now for pre-registration!

Gown Friday: Destination Romance

this gown friday is all about the Weddings Fresh philosophy, that you can't make any wedding planning decisions until you perfectly pair your wedding dress with your wedding site.  it's key that these two visual elements are exquisitely partnered to create a cohesive design and beautiful expression of your personal style statement.  all other design choices can flow from these two decisions. 

for today, we are exploring the romance of a destination wedding.  what i love most about a destination wedding (other than the fact you get to fly off to some gorgeous, exotic location!) is a bride can truly go beyond much of the traditional expectation of her wedding dress and move into a chic fashion-forward approach to her style.  less classic pairings of strapless necklines, a-line skirts and white, and more drama, modern lines, and color!

{1) moodboard, halston 2) coco & kelly, babara tfank 3) apartment 34, bibhu mohapatra 4) dress, design, decor; lela rose 5) classic bride, monique lhuillier 6) dress, design, decor; valentino 7) ffffound!, toni maticevski}


{all dress images:  style.com}

Celebration Canopy

these photos were taken by the creative illustrator Camilla Engman on her vacation in France. the entire town was preparing for a celebration and covered the sky with these fun paper poms. it would make for a stunning canopy for a wedding, don't you think?!



{images: camilla engman: vacation photos from france via design is mine}

I Dream of Cupcake

i'm still kind of in the birthday mood this morning...we all know our birthdays turn into birth-weeks, right? and don't you agree nothing says happy birthday more than a cupcake?! they are adorable for weddings of course, but there is something so wistful about cupcakes and a girl's birthday--perhaps that is exactly why we love them so at our weddings.





{images: paul barbera}