real weddings • allison and kevin • cape may seaside fete

other than my own wedding, one of my favorite events has to be my sister's wedding 3 years ago. fabulous modern color mixed with sophisticated antique accents made her wedding truly original in every way — it is still a model for my own personal wedding style.

probably my favorite thing? the incredibly unique juxtaposition of a hot pink and black color scheme against a beachy blue backdrop, and a reception hall with tiffany blue and silver walls. it was beach-meets-old-hollywood-glamour, and it totally worked.

allison's venue, the congress hall inn in cape may, new jersey, did a fabulous job with the special touches, like accommodating a special menu of mini-philly cheesestakes for the groom, and an out-of-this-world sugar seashell wedding cake for the bride.

with all the attention to detail, allison was fortunate to have bella pictures on hand to capture all of the gorgeous scenery — especially since they turned into a stunning custom photo album as part of their package. i just have to crack it open every time i see it on her coffee table.

oh, yes...and it doesn't hurt that my sister and her husband are both gorgeous! of course, the lazaro couture wedding gown did put everything over the top, and i absolutely loved it.

i gotta tell you, girls, sometimes the dream dress is just worth the splurge, don't you think?

laura hooper calligraphy

as a designer, i gravitate towards artists who have truly transcended their craft and elevated it beyond the ordinary. one such artisan is laura hooper, who has mastered the traditional art of calligraphy and enlivened it with a fresh, contemporary flair.

not only is her work beautiful, it looks just as good on classic cream letterpress as it does on uber-modern black linen. she's the first calligrapher we look to whenever a bride inquires about using this incomparable addressing method.

it's no surprise to learn that laura has been featured by multiple icons like instyle weddings, the knot magazine, ceremony magazine, town & country weddings and bride & bloom — to name just a few. her vast array of styles and expertise is almost hard to believe.

no matter the color palette, paper style or design aesthetic, laura has a calligraphy solution to match. and she's a doll to boot. how can you not love her?

welcome your guests in style

for the couple having a destination wedding or otherwise expecting guests from out of town, there's no better way to welcome travel-weary loved ones than with a unique gift basket.

and there are no better gift baskets around (we think) than those dreamed up by kate parker weddings. chock-a-block with fabulous regional goodies and conveniences, they immediately set the tone and catapult each guest into celebration mode.

the styles are endless. big city wedding? try the philadelphia basket, which among other fun things features fiji water, a med kit, a local map and a local philly favorite — tasty cakes. the chicago basket has the same practical items plus brownies from the chicago brownie company. yum.

or maybe you're headed for new england, to the harbor hideaway of nantucket, or the vast wilderness of vermont. either way, you can't go wrong with nantucket style cape cod potato chips or some delicious nutty steph's vermont granola.

beach wedding, you say? no matter which coast, kate parker has you covered. grab some gum balls from florida by mail out of the miami basket, or — speaking of orange — bite into some handmade gecko cookie company shortbread from the o.c. basket.

possibly the best of all the baskets? those geared towards the little ones. the kids basket comes with juice, crayons and a pack of uno cards. perfect for keeping the ragamuffins occupied while mom and dad tear into their grownup delights.

and of course, let's not leave out your guests' other baby. this lola parker couture doggie bag features rawhide twists, a dog bowl and pee pads. can you stand the cleverness? we can't!

a hip halloween wedding

what do you get when you mix classic autumn elements with gothic black, burgundy wine, and a little bit of whimsy? a fabulous halloween wedding.

with the amazing contrast of colors, the limitless favor and decor ideas, and a great sense of humor, there's no reason lovers of this holiday can't be a little spooky and sophisticated.

our favorite idea in the bunch? has to be a tie between the surprisingly chic skeleton ceremony site decor, and the ominous black widow cocktail. do you drink it or does it drink you?

design & photo credits
first row — skeleton bow photo • chung li photography; guest book • better homes and gardens

second row — day of the dead wedding cake • wiltelang's flickr photostream; candy favor display • the knot, photo by janae shields

third row — black widow cocktail • talk of tomatoes; bridal bouquet • melia's floral

irreverent imagery

i absolutely love it when couples have a sense of humor about their wedding, and love it even more when a gifted photographer gets the joke and finds beauty in it.

these two photos by ben james are truly playful, personal and gorgeous. most "wedding rings" shots include flowers or fabric — this wiley couple chose chucks. too cool.

in the second photo, i love the juxtaposition between the romantically sunlit bride and the happy gerber daisies in a funky pair of cowboy boots. thing is, having clever ideas is key to a unique event, but even more important is a photograher who knows how to capture them.

if non-traditional and unexpected are two words in your personal style book, then be sure to have fun with your wedding photos too. and consider ben james, who runs studio benjamin james out of ventura, california. he also does engagement and other personal event photos. we love him.