A sneak peek.....

Hi Friends!  Seems like I've been away forever, but I'm back!  And, I'm happy to report that it's official - we were married last week in beautiful San Francisco - so we're officially Mr. and Mrs!  I'm thoroughly enjoying calling him my husband now!

Photos to come soon, but in the meantime, a sneak peek of my hair and makeup.  Mei of Triple Twist Hair and Makeup in San Francisco did an amazing job.  The hair was literally a last minute decision and I could not have been happier with the final result.  Thank you Mei!

And, see those pins in my hair - I made those!  A how-to tutorial is in the works.  They were super-easy to make and I loved how they looked.

Happy Friday!

xo
d.

I Love Mondays - Ombre!

Hello Friends!  I want to wish you all a Happy 2012 - but it's almost embarrassing to do so since January is practically over!  Where have I been?  I've been here and there, planning weddings, meeting brides and grooms, exploring new and exciting venues, and putting the final touches on my own wedding, too!  So, embarrassed or not, I do wish you a fabulous new year!

I'm finally back to blogging, too, and wanted to kick-off the new year with an emerging trend in the wedding industry - ombre!  When I first noticed the ombre trend trickling into weddings, I was not sure the direction it would take.  Now, though, I'm really loving it.  It feels fresh and fun.  It lends itself to casual or super elegant, and everything in-between.  You can flirt with ombre, such as with the flower arrangements shown below, or you can go all out with an ombre wedding dress.  The color (spectrum!) is yours to play with. 

LOVE this ombre-inspired centerpiece.  

I'm particularly fond of ombre bridesmaid dresses - the look is unified without being matched exactly. 

ombre - loosened up.

The ombre-effect in hair highlights is really hot in Hollywood right now.

And if you want to take the look from top to tip, ombre nails!  I think this would look really fun on toes too!

Thank you all for sticking with me, and check back soon for regular updates!

xoxo
d.

photos via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Plans of a Planner - A Change of Course

As you might imagine, plans are everything to a planner.  Heck, as a wedding planner, the word plan is even part of my title.  Just as important as a good plan, though, is the ability to roll with the punches when the plan changes.  And friends, my plans have changed.

Rather than the country club wedding we were planning, we've decided to elope!  Some might question my use of an exclamation point at the end of that sentence, but it's one of the most perfectly placed exclamations I have ever used (and for those of you who know me, you know that I'm a prolific user of the e.p.).  See, I'm very excited for us and for our new plan.  In actuality, eloping was our first plan of action, even before we were engaged, so we've come full circle back to what we really wanted to do.

What's the plan?  Glad you asked.  In the early spring we're traveling up to beautiful San Francisco and getting married in that city's iconic City Hall.  Our amazing photographer has agreed to go with us, and of course the day wouldn't be complete without our parents and my future brothers-in-law.  A month or so later, we'll travel to...wait for it...Paris for more photos and our honeymoon!  I am SO excited. 

San Francisco City Hall

The Eifel Tower, Paris, France

Lesson for other brides:  follow your heart, do what feels right to you.  Do I regret my country club plans?  No way, definitely not.  It would have been a beautiful way to celebrate our marriage.  We've just decided to stay true to ourselves and do what feels most like us.

photos (1), (2), (3)

I Love Mondays - Brightly Hued Wedding Nails

I think I'll dub 2011 the year of the bright lip and even brighter nails!  This year, more than any other year I can recall, women of all ages have embraced colorful lips and nails, and that trend has definitely found its way into wedding fashion as well.  For as long as I can remember, pale pink polish or the ubiquitous french mani have been de rigueur when it comes to weddings.  No more!  Brides are embracing their passion for color, from mis-matched floral centerpieces to fun painted furniture as accent pieces, to their lips and nails.

Love this look on Drew Barrymore.  Girl can pull off just about any look, and she does vintage here quite well.

Bright flowers with equally bright nails.

Lovely coral...and Chanel to boot!

Love that her nails are short, but she went for red anyway.  My kind of girl!

I love this look, but I would be hard-pressed to wear it myself.  However, I would definitely wear each of these colors.

Notice that the "moons" of her nails are a lighter color - intriguing!

Love this color -  need it now!

I'm calling this one the "party nail."  So elegant and eye-catching.  Would you try it?

Happy Monday!
xo
d.


all images via my Pinterest page

Happy 1st Anniversary Becca & Chris!!

One year ago today I had the pleasure of seeing this beautiful couple exchange wedding vows!  I can't believe it's been a year already.  

We had planned their ceremony for the wide green lawn at Malibou Lake Mountain Club, but mother nature wasn't in the mood to cooperate that day.  With the early afternoon came rain, first a drizzle, then large drops.  Lucky for us, the side patio of the clubhouse was covered, and with a few heaters added made the perfect back-up ceremony site.

Becca's favorite color, purple, played a big role in setting the tone for the day.  Along with the fall foliage and the mountains surrounding the club, it was the perfect note to offset a grey day.

I had so much fun with these two, and now have the privilege of calling them friends.

We spent many a weekend hunting down vendors and coming up with fun ideas for their wedding, and when the big day arrived, it was nothing short of amazing!

Thank you Becca and Chris for allowing me to be a part of your wonderful wedding!!

xo
d.

photos by our amazing photographer, Suzanne Mapes Photography.

Timeless

Wow...I needed a moment to process that this photo is not from last century, but from a couple of months ago.  I love the timelessness of both of their looks.  Of course, the amazing Ralph Lauren is the genius behind Lauren's dress and David's attire too.  Published in Vogue (and found on here at Vogue.com), the beautiful photos are the punctuation point to a great love story, too. 

photo by Norman Jean Scott via Vogue.com

I Love Mondays - Soft Wedding Bouquets

Hello!  I'm finally back to the I Love Monday series.  I've missed writing about my favorite things, and thank you for letting me have a little time to get things in order!

To kick off my return, today I'm writing about something that surprises me - my new-found love for soft bouquets.  You see, I've always been a structural flower kind of girl.  And I've almost always gravitated toward bouquets and arrangements that were comprised of a single flower.  I guess old dogs can learn new tricks, though, because more and more I find myself drawn to beautiful arrangements comprised of soft, almost paper-like flowers.  I really love soft colors bound with a striking ribbon.  And I've always loved bouquets that were personalized with charms, small lockets with photos of loved ones, and rosaries. 



ohhhh how I love anenomes




ranunculus and roses are divine

                                                    

while a little more structured, the dusty miller and anenomes soften the overall look



I love this one so much...I think those are ranunculs and roses, but what are the papery pink blooms?

I really could look at these photos over and over.  And a little hint.....these shots are accompanying me on my visit with my florist for our wedding!  :-)

Thank you for your patience, and...Happy Monday!

xo
d.


photo credits:
established in paris
w-weddings
unknown
Martha Stewart Weddings scanned by Deanna Nash Events