We’ve updated the Library with lots of great new links again this week – SO exciting! Remember that listings on the Library are absolutely free, so that we can provide you with the most comprehensive wedding vendor listings possible. If you would like to be added to the Library or have a vendor you would like to recommend, simply contact us! Also, big thanks to those of you who have submitted vendor reviews this week. Keep it coming!

If you are a vendor and would like to participate in our new expanded listing program, contact us and we’ll get you all set up.

{EXPANDED LISTINGS}

Heidi Ryder – Burbank, CA

Lillie Studios – Albany, NY

{PHOTOGRAPHY}
Ashley McCue (TX)
John Partridge (CA)
Jay Kelly (CA)
Eye of Passion (CA)
Gwyneth Colleen (NH)
Stacey Doyle (RI)
Jake Holt (TX)
True Love Photo (CA)
Wendy Hithe (CA)
Lyndsay Undseth (CA)
Lydell Photo (CA)
C.Pelland Photography (WA)
Cory Weber Photography (MI)
Andrew and Jessica (CO)
Grise Photography (IN)
Michelle Warren (CA)
Carl Zoch Photography (OK)
Y&R Photography (NC)
Lisa Kae Photography (MI)
SDK Photo (CA)
Lydia Daniller (CA)
M. Benedicte Verley (RI)
Duke Photography (CA)
Whitney Elizabeth (NC)
Todd Nichols (KY)
Jenna Cole Photography (TX)
John Rozier (CA)
Sara D Harper Photography (GA)
SB Childs Photography (IN)
Margaret Singer (MA)
Love Captures (NY)
Hollye Schumacher (AZ)
Brooks Weddings (TX)
4Eyes Photography (NY)
Sara Gray Photography (OR)
Real Photography (CO)
Mandy & Me. (FL)
Megan Dailor (NY)
Jonathan Wherrett (Australia)
Tara Whittaker (Calgary)

{CALLIGRAPHERS}
Barbara Kua
Emilie Friday
Paperfinger

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I get giddy when I see a beautifully packaged and presented wedding invitation – it can be something as simple as a handwritten card letting your guest know where to meet you for the ceremony or as elaborate as this boxed folio invitation sent to us by Stephen of Love Life Images.

Jason and Catherine are having a destination wedding in Los Cabos and this gorgeous invitation designed by Love Letters incorporates a few of my favorite things: a photo, a motif, and a pocket.

Great packaging too!

All of these gorgeous photos are by the fabulous DC-area photographers Love Life Images.  Their blog is just full of eye candy!

E.

These beautiful fabric bowls are just perfect - perhaps use them to hold bells for your guests to ring throughout the reception, as gifts for your bridesmaids, to house your bridal jewelry for photo ops, or as flower girl “baskets” for that sweet vintage look – the list goes on and on!

{Tutorial found at Poppy Lane, via Whip Up}

I spent about a week in New York, shooting some engagement sessions and a wedding with a photographer friend. Julie and Mat are a wonderful couple I met quite a long while ago, and despite having their wedding here in Chicago, we elected to change things up a bit and do their engagement session in New York, where Mat lives. If you’re planning a trip to another city or if you and your fiance are in a long distance relationship, it might be worth asking your photographer if they’re planning any trips that might coincide with yours, as a new and different locale can make for an exciting few hours of shooting for both the couple and the photographer. Here are some favourites from their session!

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Hi all – we’re updating the Link Love page.  If you’d like to exchange links just leave us a comment and we’ll get you added!

xo,
E.

Heather and Gian just have the most adorable story – they met while working as researchers at UCLA, *pretending* that they were a couple.  And through the course of their research they fell in love!  How sweet is that?

Their gorgeous Malibu wedding, photographed by the fabulous Jasmine Star and coordinated by the equally fabulous Joyful Weddings and Events featured a great color palette of deep reds, purples, and pinks.

Here are our beautiful and insanely happy bride and groom:

Fans were provided for each guest at the ceremony, held outdoors at the Calamigos Ranch.  This is such a thoughtful touch!

Pomanders on shepherd’s hooks lined the aisles and were scattered hanging on ribbons from the trees too!  All of the amazing florals were created by JL Designs.

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M and I both suffer from a serious love for sweets and adamantly agree that no meal is complete without dessert. In fact, were we not so committed to leading a healthy lifestyle, I dare say we’d both happily forgo dinner and jump straight to dessert far more often than we should. We just love sweets. With that said, it might come as a bit of a surprise that the wedding cake has been fairly low on the totem pole throughout the planning process. Once I started researching the price of cakes, I have spent a considerable amount of time convinced I’d just go without a cake entirely. I’ve never been big on the cutting of the cake so it just doesn’t seem that important to me.

A very beautiful but likely very expensive cake from Vanilla Bakeshop

If we were to have a wedding cake, something simple and all white, perhaps with a few flowers would be ideal. Like a lot of others, I’m not a huge fan of fondant so simple buttercream would be just heavenly. However, at this point I’m pretty convinced a tiered wedding cake is not in our future, because I just don’t care enough about it to spend the kind of money it would require. Like a lot of people these days I love the idea of serving cupcakes instead, but again this alternative can get very pricey. I’ve had a number of bridesmaids and friends offer to help bake cupcakes, but in all honesty I just can’t see how we could pull it off without a lot of additional stress. Add in the fact that when I bake I do so only from scratch, no box mixes and no canned frosting, and I can see it becoming far more effort than it’d be worth.

Cupcake tower from the wedding of Kim of Inspired Goodness

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about cake buffets and in particular, pulling together a lovely spread of cakes purchased from a regional grocery store chain known for their amazing bakery.

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Jessica from How About Orange always has the craftiest and most genius ideas. This time, she’s shown us how to made these adorable gift bags from envelopes — and she’s even given us a download for the pretty labels!

{Tutorial found at How About Orange}

I’m constantly inspired by unique treasures.

I think lighting is key in all aspects of life.

I believe everyone has the right to go for their dreams.

and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of Elizabeth Anne Designs!

Although these four short sentences don’t sum up my life entirely, it does give you a glimpse into the world of Abby.

As a professional wedding specialist and a bride to be, I have a unique perspective on planning a wedding.  I think the most charming weddings are those that cultivate great relationships and add personality and individuality to the wedding night.  It is not about the amount of money that is spent or what gifts you may receive, it is about the feelings that are felt and the laughs that are shared.

Throughout my time here on EAD, I will share with you my journey and advice on wedding planning.  My fiance, Ger, is from Ireland while I am originally from Pennsylvania.  Currently we live in Boston, MA but just moved from San Francisco.  It has been quite a challenge deciding on a venue to get married at since our guest list will be spread all over the world.  Although we haven’t set a date yet, we know the day will be inspired by a very Provence, rustic, vintage feel.  We are looking to incorporate a lot of DIY projects as well as design the flower arrangements, cake and look of the evening all on our own.

I’ll first start our journey of how we met…

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Good afternoon! I’m back in California after my trip home….and boy, was it an efficient trip! We got a lot of planning and projects done, because this week was the last that I’ll be home before I’m there for the wedding! We’re at 83 days right now, so the next flurry phase is the invitations. I’m designing my own…once they’re printed, I’ll get a post up about that!

This project was one of my favorites from my trip home. We’ll be using the monogram to decorate the front door of the venue:

It was pretty simple to make and took literally about 15 minutes. Here’s what you’ll need:

-1 spool of 2″ ribbon, color of your choice, about $3-4
-3 craft letters, purchased from Michael’s or other craft store. We picked two white, and the one we used for the middle “B” was a little bit larger and flatter to emphasize the last name. Cost per letter is $1-2
-one bag of flat sheet moss, about $5. I used about 2/3 of a bag for one letter.
-hot glue gun

Step one: lay letter(s) down that you’ll be covering in moss. You can choose to cover them all in moss, or just one!

Step two: hot glue the moss to the wood letter.

Step three: add loose moss in patches on top of the glued moss. It will make it look a little more woodsy and natural!

Then, cut the ribbon into thirds and tie to the letters. Hang from desired location!

This was an easy way for us to incorporate our monogram into our wedding venue, and it also serves as an easy, do-ahead decoration!

Enjoy the rest of your week, lovelies!

-B