Lace and Ribbon Bridal Portraits

So I have a problem, I love our wedding pictures so much (thanks to our amazing photographers) and I had a really hard time cutting down which pictures to post. So, I hope you are all ready for an overload of amazing photography! For our wedding recap posts, I’m going to go through the day in pictures so you get a feeling of how the day actually was. If you haven’t read my previous post about our venue, you can read it here.

Ben and Kelly’s wedding will be in Kentucky, but they met and fell in love in Washington, DC. So it was only fitting that their engagement session, photographed by Megan W Photography, showcased some of DC’s magical landmarks! First stop, Adams Morgan.

South Carolina’s River Oaks Charleston was the perfect backdrop for this gorgeous bridal story captured by Exquisitrie by Kelly Sauer. Though set in the Lowcountry, the shoot evokes the romance and history of Europe, with the Old World textures of River Oaks and magical Ivy gown from Saint Isabel Bridal. Bridal portraits always seem to tell the story of “waiting” – preparing dreams of the wedding day, holding bated breath, settling in to begin the story of married life – and this feeling is perfectly encapsulated in the stunning images directed by Kelly Sauer Ltd. Co. We are positively smitten!

After meeting as children while summering in Wisconsin, Caitlin and Nicholas reconnected 10 years later in Chicago. They dated long-distance for several months until Caitlin moved from Miami to Chicago, and their classic Washington DC wedding began their happily ever after! A Catholic mass at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church—where Caitlin was baptized—gave way to the reception at Congressional Country Club, where two generations of her family have been members. The bride and groom wore heirlooms passed down from grandparents on both sides—Caitlin wore her grandmother’s pearl earrings to complement her stunning Romona Keveza gown, and Nick, his grandfather’s wedding ring. The couple rode to and from the church in Caitlin’s grandfather’s 1966 convertible, and at the end of the night, all guests received maple syrup from Nick’s great-uncle’s farm on Washington Island, where Nick & Caitlin first met. We adore the beautiful florals from Petals by the Shore and all of the gorgeous images from Ampersand Photography—see them all in the gallery!

The moment we set our eyes upon Tiffany’s Charleston bridal portraits, we were smitten! With the classic Southern setting of the verandah of Edmondston-Alston House on Rainbow Row as a backdrop, Kelly Sauer captured Tiffany at her most radiant, in her gorgeous gown and veil from Jean’s Bridal, which was inspired by Princess Kate’s. The stately home does not normally allow photography, but with Tiffany having grown up loving the home—and even working there giving tours in full period costume!—she was given the special privilege of shooting her bridals there. Our favorite part of this shoot? Tiffany’s little bare feet peeking out from her taffeta gown!

We are just drooling over these bridal portraits from IYQ Photography! From the 1950s vintage dress—with that fabulous cape featuring beaded cutouts—to the fishnet veil headpiece and shiny blue antique car parked on the cobblestone streets of the Shockoe Bottom district of downtown Richmond, Virginia, the vintage look of these photos is so effortless and charming. We love bride Mary Alice’s dark curls in contrast to the soft makeup and dramatic red lips by Makeup by Ellie. Mary Alice’s pewter peep-toe heels with stylized bows and the full, ruffled petticoat put the gorgeous factor completely over the top!

We were hoping against hope we’d seen the last of snowy weather this winter—that is, until we saw this engagement session from Vicki Grafton Photography and fell in love with the season all over again! Is there anything better on a cold day than snuggling up to your love? We think not, and that’s exactly how Washington, D.C. couple Megan and Zach took advantage of this chilly day at Dumbarton Oaks Park! We love Megan’s classic fashion sense and the pop of pastel teal peeking out from beneath her pea coat!

We heart our EAD vendor guide members. They are super talented, incredibly professional and most importantly, beautiful people with a passion for making their clients’ wedding days an unforgettable experience. Today we are thrilled to spotlight one of these spectacular vendors and give you a deeper look into her life, style and work! Rebekah J Murray is based in DC, but travels the world making art (and friends) while creating images that make us swoon.

Shannon’s bridal portrait session from Christina Carroll Photography is full of shabby chic amazingness. It was taken at The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell, a super cute bed and breakfast between Austin and Houston that is a perfect mix of rustic and romantic. I’m absolutely in love with Shannon’s gown, originally by Allure Couture and then deconstructed/reconstructed by the bride herself! And how beyond gorgeous is Shannon?  Beautiful, shabby chic bridal portraits with fabulous antique details. Enjoy!

Catherine and Nate had a laid back wedding at Catherine’s family’s vineyard, Tarara Winery. The girls got ready in a historic cabin hidden in the woods, a perfect, natural backdrop for Katelyn James to take photos. Can you believe her dress is handmade? The wildflower bouquets by Holly Chapple were wrapped in twine and hemp, complementing their relaxed feel. With rustic touches like these, a ceremony by the lake, and yummy pies, Catherine and Nate had a wedding that was beautiful and completely personal!

In the words of the bride, “Only a Washington, D.C. lawyer and a Congressional staffer would want to be surrounded by books on their wedding day!” Now, when I think about books and the written word in weddings I envision neutral color palettes similar to the antiqued pages of an old book, but Brooke and Aaron’s color palette was fresh and fun! There were book page cones that lined the aisle, library card escort cards in an antique card catalog, hanging book page fans, and rosettes and vintage books on each table, all accompanied by beautiful blooms and cheerful paper pomanders. Lisa Boggs Photography did a beautiful job capturing the soft and fresh color palette that A Sweet Soiree created for the day.

We have a tasty (pardon the pun) little engagement shoot to share with you today! Mindy and Mark love to cook together so they brought in Amanda from Swoon Over It to capture some of the sweetness. These two are adorable and their food looks delish, so fun!

I hope you are loving sherbet week as much as we are!  Sherbet is such a cheerful and fun color, and I just adore how this styled brunch shoot from Ashley of CA Event Planning and Korie Lynn Photography brings it to life!  This Berry Tea Time Brunch uses just the right combination of dark and light pinks, dainty lace linen, fresh berries, and scrumptious desserts to create a tabletop and drink station full of beautiful inspiration for morning weddings.   Set in the quaint courtyard of the James Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Ashley incorporated her grandmother’s floral china, a gorgeous ruffled cake from Fat Girl Cakes, and vibrant floral from Jane Guerin, and I just love the playful and sweet end result.  Thanks ladies for sharing!

We are completely emotional over this video – Loren and Lex from Brinton Films did an incredible job! It is so amazing to watch the best day of our lives unfold in a beautiful video. They truly captured the love and emotion we were feeling that day.

I hope you all are ready for some beautiful rustic country wedding inspiration! This styled shoot takes place at the brand new Virginia venue of Lamontagne at Bluemont. It’s a historic home built in the 1800’s that overlooks the Blue Ridge mountains that was originally a Bed and Breakfast. So gorgeous! See if you can find the perfectly aged brick floor in two of the images below.

Meaghan and Zach’s Norristown wedding is full of sweet DIY details! Meaghan’s mother and her best friend arranged all of the centerpieces, boutonnieres and bouquets, and guests found their seats with the help of their escorts cards that were fashioned in small individual pots of sunflowers. Melissa and Scott of Scott Hopkins Photography traveled up to Philadelphia from their home in Savannah to capture all of the lovely images, and the beautiful outdoor pavilion of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove is the lovely setting – it’s so romantic with the paper lanterns and twinkle lights!

Reasons why I love this Nashville engagement session: the way it tells a story (the couple chose locations of first and other meaningful dates), the gorgeous turquoise wall, a delicious milkshake that I can almost taste, and the adorable couple of Matt and Alison. Enjoy the bliss!

As a true Southern girl, one of the traditions I absolutely adore is bridal portraits.  When I spotted Mary’s gorgeous session, captured by The Nichols, I knew I had to share them with you!  The images are truly breathtaking, and Mary is a positively stunning bride.

In the mood for a warm thermos and some cookies?  Then you’ll love this adorable engagement session, styled and photographed by Jenny Haas and spotted on Love and Lavender, as much as I do!  I especially adore the cookies wrapped in ribbons – add a little cellophane and voila!  Beautiful and tasty wedding favors.

I adore every little thing about Robert and Susan’s Chicago engagement session! From the modern floral, to the rifle prop, it’s perfectly gorgeous and perfectly all-about-them. Robert is the co-owner of fabulous Chicago restaurant Longman and Eagle. Susan is a stylist and co-owns Sparrow Hair Salon. And my lovely friends Jessie of Simply Jessie Photography and Kelly of Fleur really rocked out the images and decor!