I have been getting a lot of emails about this last post and having an artist at your wedding. So I wanted to take a few minutes to elaborate on that. First the idea came from the most special collaborative effort for the lavender inspired shoot. We asked a local artist that we found on a local art education site and the idea went on from there.

I was also thinking that there might be another way to incorporate this concept at your wedding and create a memorable piece that will adorn the newlyweds walls for years to come. If you are anything like me and my Hubby we had 2 pictures on our wall when we got married….. both wedding gifts! They still hang on our wall and we adore them!

I like gifts that last and are useful that’s why I love UncommonGoods. They have great home-brew gifts, I got my hubby this last year and he loved it!

But back to the wedding idea. A while back Aisle Candy featured these posters. UncommonGoods has them here and they are totally custom! So cute! This is my favorite… I love it when my hubby dances with me.

Or lets say you lived in two different states, this one would be so cute as decor for your reception and after.

They are lots more ideas and super cute wedding things here at UncommonGoods. Check it out I know you will love it!

xoxo

Sara

So I am back at it my friends! It’s been a while and I can not believe that I haven’t shared this editorial shoot that KT Merry Photography, Maria from Dreamy Whites and I put together. I love working with people that love collaborating with others. To me this is the essence of a real wedding. Teamwork between your new soon to be parents, you and your fiancé, and sometimes your budget. Everyone working together to create something memorable.

For me this day represented the best kind of collaboration. Laughter, ideas, new friendships and beautiful simplicity.

KT had this great idea to hire an artist to paint the scene from the ceremony for the couple to have in their home as a reminder of that day. Brilliant!

I will be sharing my favorite BIY (Buy It Yourself) lavender items and one super easy DIY lavender project. I believe that DIY should be easy, beautiful, inexpensive, and useful in real life. After all what bride wants to be stuck with 12 beaded monograms…. what do you do with them?!

That is exactly what I did, little hand beaded monograms that sat on the tables…Seriously, what should I do with them?

I hope you enjoy this lavender inspiration as much as I do. Tell me what you do with lavender and maybe I will make it a BIY feature!

xoxo

Photographer: KT Merry Photography  /  Decor/Stylist: Maria of Dreamy Whites  /  Hair & Makeup: Jacqueline Scott  /  Floral Design: Martha Andrews  /  Gowns: Ever After & Ivy and Aster  /  Headpieces: Jannie Baltzer  /  Invitations: Kari Dyas kadyas(at)aol(dot)com  /  Plein Aire Artist: Barbara Greenswieg

I love so many elements of this wedding I can’t even tell you! Everything from men in uniform, super cute table decor, the sweetest speech notes, to the lovely floral design by Suzan M Florals. All captured by Brian Leahy Photography.   This San Diego wedding took place at Tower23, a great location with vistas of the beautiful Pacific.

So tell me what kind of wedding are you having? Beach, woods, open field, indoor? I can’t wait to hear!

xoxo,

Sara

Photography: Brian Leahy Photography  /  Florist: Suzan M Florals  /  Venue: Tower23  /  Entertainment: Lighthouse Entertainment

I have a treat for you today! I have been chomping at the bit (that’s cowgirl speak for super excited) to show you this inspiration shoot KT Merry Photography and I put together. In celebration of it being featured on Style Me Pretty I wanted to do a little give away. Have you seen Abby Larson’s (the genius behind Style Me Pretty) new book? Well it is a visual feast and FULL of helpful how to’s and DIY’s that get my stamp of approval for being realistic.

So my friends you can enter to win the book Style Me Pretty Weddings by the following ways

~ “like” Aisle Candys Facebook page and leave a comment on this post that you did this.
~ Pin this post or anything on this site via the handy-dandy Pin this button. Leave a comment that you did this.
~ Leave a comment about your favorite part of the shoot here. I wanna hear what you like and want to see more of, so fill me in! 

Now on to the inspiration:

This shoot took place in the historic Craneway Pavilion across the San Francisco bay. It has the most amazing views of the bay, and huge light filed windows. We wanted to shoot to reflect the individual beauty of brides, and showcase fresh hair, makeup, and gowns.  That is why we looked for a location that was a bit more industrial and out of the norm for wedding locations.

We pulled a supper amazing team together and they all really did an amazing job. Mimi & Taylor were the amazing talents behind the make up and hair, and I have to say they are some if the most talented I have seen. Gowns from Ever After, Tara LaTour and Amy Kuschel  were so different and stunning against the stark linen backdrops provided by Hartman Studio Rentals. PJ from Milk Glass Vintage Rentals brought her beautiful vintage finds like chairs and trunks and glassware. Karen from Lila and Sage joined us with amazing cakes and of course who can forget the bar set up. Bella Umbrella sent us the prettiest umbrellas and parasols that added such a whimsical touch to the shoot. 

You can see part one of this shoot here, with some rad recipes from Lila and Sage. 

Thank you so much to our amazing vendors! It was so much fun working with such a great group of creatives! A huge thank you to KT and Chad of KT Merry Photography for (once again) amazing images! And hats off to Mimi & Taylor, they truly are amazing talents.. and supper sweet too!

AS if all this eye candy wasn’t enough…. Pop over to Style Me Pretty and enter to win amazing products used to create these looks! AND Kt Merry Photography’s Blog for another chance to win! 

xoxo

Sara

Photography: KT Merry Photography  /  Location: Craneway Pavilion   /  Hair & Makeup: Mimi & Taylor Assistants, Courtney and Lina  /   Stylist: Cynthia Chang, cynthiaschang(at)gmail(dot)com  /  Rentals: Milk Glass Rentals  /  Catering/Bar: Lila & Sage  /  Floral Design: Shawna Futagaki,  Flower Divas  /  Gowns: Ever After Miami,  Tara LaTour,  Amy Kuschel  /  Parasols: Bella Umbrella Boutique  /  Backdrops: Hartmann Studio Rentas  /  Modeling agencies: Stars ~Kris   JE ~ Johanna & Asia  HMM ~ Gabby & Sydney

My hubby spent the last 2 years getting healthy. Eating right, working out and ridding mountain bikes has helped him loose over 100lbs! I am so proud of him….there is one thing no one warned us about…. His wedding band no longer fits! I mean it flies off when he waves hello to someone! So now we get to go wedding ring shopping all over again. SO Much Fun!!

So we have started our hunt to get him a new band. In our search we found Wedding Rings Direct. I love that you can get samples and have them sent to you so you can make sure it’s the correct size as well as the feel of the ring.  After all you want to make sure your wedding ring looks as good as it feels. I think that is so rad that they give you that option!

Wedding Rings Direct has a TON of wedding rings to choose from (read: so many choices you are guaranteed to find what you want). However if you want something completely custom they have that too. Highly skilled craftsman will take your sketch, idea or image and crate a bespoke ring just for you! And usually around 3 weeks to create a bespoke ring is great!

I am totally smitten with these manly beauties.  I love the wood inlay. I also did a wee bit of poking around for myself.

What!?

Can you blame me

I can’t get over these amazing cluster rings! I cant wait to get hubby a ring that fits and share what he picked with you. So I would love to know what you picked? Are you going for classic, modern, something totally custom? What I love is that Wedding Rings Direct has all these options! Happy shopping!

Xoxo

Sara

Amazing luxury beach wedding planned and paid for by Brides!! Uh, YES please! As part of the Brides Live Wedding program, one lucky couple will win a dream wedding at the luxury St Regis Monarch Beach Resort in California.

Perhaps best of all, is that this event’s details will be chosen for the winning bride and groom by Brides’ Facebook fans!  Bridal gown, wedding shoes, and bridesmaid dresses from David’s Bridal, Rings from Simon G., a one-of-a kind cake from Buddy “The Cake Boss” Valastro of Carlo’s Bakery, Honeymoon in the Cayman Islands, and a Target registry are all included! Once the winning couple is chosen, fans will be voting on every detail!

And when its time to walk down the aisle on your big day, extended friends and family can watch Live on Facebook. Ok, seriously that sounds like a dream to me! I actually think the best part of all this is that a donation to the winning couple’s charity of choice will be made. What a way to start off your married life; by giving back!

Enter to win the first ever Brides Live Wedding. Oh my, I hope you win! Click here to enter before January 10th! Hurry friends!!

xoxo

Sara

Today I just couldn’t wait to share our newest sponsor with you. Honeymoon Pixie! I have been dreaming of a vacation lately, with all the hustle and bustle around here, and just love checking out their site for a little inspiration. Andrew is the CEO and he has put together some amazing secret (read: quite and romantic) honeymoon destinations… go take a look for yourself and prepare to register for your dream trip!

Here are Andrew’s top 5 pics:

“Do you want a honeymoon that’s off the beaten track or a little out of the ordinary? Traditional honeymoon locations can be great, but these five secret honeymoon destinations have much to offer, including magnificent scenery, a sense of adventure, and indulgent romance. Here are our top five places to go if you want an exceptionally romantic honeymoon:

Positano, Italy

Located on the Amalfi Coast, the small fishing village of Positano is built on the side of a mountain with colorful buildings spilling down the rocky hillside to the sea below. Writer John Steinbeck referred to Positano as a “dream place”.  Across the village, you can find bright foliage and flowers in bloom. There is an inviting rock beach with the warm Mediterranean Sea at its base to enjoy.  Other than amazing scenery and lovely beaches, the town prides itself in not having many tourist attractions. A honeymoon to Positano is all about relaxing and enjoying authentic Italian coastal cuisine.

Positano features two beautiful beaches, Spiaggia Grande and Fornillo. Spiaggia Grandi is a smooth pebbled beach lined with cozy restaurants and cafes. The sunsets from here are noteworthy and not to be missed. Fornillo beach is more private and less traveled, as it can only be reached by a path that starts at Spiaggia Grande.

Marrakesh, Morocco

If you want a truly interesting honeymoon, Marrakech, Morocco is certainly an ideal destination. It’s a city of exotic beauty with an exciting maze of covered market streets. As you explore the streets, you’ll be entertained by a variety of unique street performers like fire jugglers. Don’t forget to visit the lovely Majorelle Gardns and the restored Saadian Tombs. Marrakech is an especially wonderful destination if you’re honeymooning from October through March, when you’ll be rewarded with beautiful weather. If traveling in January or February, skiers can also enjoy the Oukaimden ski resort, less than fifty miles outside of Marrakech.

If you do decide to honeymoon in Marrakech, try to reserve a riad, a traditional Moroccan house in the older part of town. These old houses provide an affordable place to stay and the opportunity to connect with the culture of Marrakech. Many riads feature restaurants or pools in the central courtyard, and some have rooftop terraces with gorgeous views of the city.

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt is the quintessential Austrian village, and it has all of the quaint buildings, mountain views, and gorgeous church steeples that come to mind when Austria is mentioned. In fact, Hallstatt is the oldest village in Austria, and its history dates back to the 8^th century B.C. The village is located in the Salzkammergut Lake Region and nestles between the Dachstein mountain range and Lake Hallstaettersee, which you have to cross by ferry in order to get to the village.

Hallstatt is a great honeymoon location for history and museum lovers. It includes several museums and holds the world’s oldest salt mine. It’s also a fantastic option for an adventure honeymoon as there are many hiking trails to explore. Hallstatt features some top-notch luxury hotels, where you can enjoy wonderful food and hospitality on your honeymoon.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown really does have it all, particularly if you’re looking for an adventurous honeymoon that also includes much-needed rest and relaxation. Remember that the lands “down under” operate on the opposite seasonal schedule as the U.S. and Europe, which means that Queenstown is the perfect destination for skiers and snowboarders who hope to honeymoon in June through September.

In and around Queenstown, you can enjoy adventure activities like jet skiing, quad biking, bungee jumping, climbing, river rafting, and paragliding. The area also features some of New Zealand’s finest wineries, so you can come down from your adrenaline rush with a relaxing winery tour. If you want a greener honeymoon, you should also look at eco-tour options and natural attractions like hiking tours, horseback tours, and kayak tours in and around Queenstown.

Castle Hopping in Scotland

If you both love history and all things medieval, castle hopping in Scotland could be the perfect honeymoon for you. Several UK-based tourism companies offer guided tours, but you can also use the services of these companies to help arrange your own self-driving tour. Castles worth visiting include Edinburgh Castle, Balmoral Castle, Eilean Donan Castle, Floors Castle, Inveraray Castle, and Tantallon Castle. One interesting thing about castle hopping in Scotland is the variety and locations of castles; you’ll find castles in the forest, on rocky outcrops, on the coast, in lakes surrounded by water, and in the capital city of Edinburgh.

There are several castles that operate as hotels. These include Ashford Castle, Carr Hall Castle, and Stonefield Castle. While not all castles will allow overnight visitors, there are excellent hotels or bed and breakfast options nearby to most castles.

In between castles, you can enjoy the scenic countryside throughout Scotland and its many beautiful lochs, with Loch Ness being the most well-known.”

Ok I am ready to pack! And can I jsut say that the people over at Honeymoon Pixie are just the sweetest. Have a great weekend friends!

xoxo

Sara

I am always looking for easy stress free ways to entertain, no matter what the season. This lavender inspired sweetness hits the spot! I have a few rules when I entertain, I will NOT be a slave to the kitchen, I want to have something for everyone (kids included), and I really don’t like doing dishes…

ok who am I kidding… my hubby does them

but still

So when I spoke with Karen from Lila & Sage (PS Karen won food networks Cupcake Wars! Yeah Karen!) and KT Merry Photography about doing a drink and entertaining shoot they were all for it. So here it is easy to replicate, tastes great and very little clean up… for hubby.

A big hug around the neck for Style Me Pretty for the amazing feature! We have more to show from this photo shoot as well, can’t wait to show you!

xoxo

Sara

Photography: KT Merry Photography  /  Catering/Bar: Lila & Sage  /  Rentals: Milk Glass Rentals

I am just thrilled to be featured on Style Me Pretty today! Our last feature was for this NYC beauty. A lot has been happening around here since then, and I am so excited to share it all with you. For now take a peek at a little shoot that I had the pleasure of being involved with. With some of the most amazing creative’s around, KT Merry at the lens and possibly the most amazing location. Ireland was the backdrop and I came up with a few DIY items for this amazing inspiration shoot. I will feature the entire “DIY or BIY” (one of our new features) next week. For now scoot on over to Stlye Me Pretty some eye candy! Don’t forget to tell them how much you love it! Part 1 here, and part 2 here.

Here are the “DIY or BIY” projects that I will share with you next week.

Is anyone planing a destination wedding? I would love to hear about it!

xoxo

Sara

Photography: KT Merry Photography  /  Photo Shoot Venue:  Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Ireland / Styling: Ciara O’Halloran of Style Serendipity / Floral Design + Garlands: Carrie O’Connor of Best of Buds Flowers and Events / Wedding Cake: Sarah Bond of Celebration Cakes / Invitations, Menu, Program + Seating Chart: Slideshow Press / Chairs: Café Bar Deli / Lace Runner: Neiman Marcus / Vintage Book Favors + Lavender Toss Sachets: DIY by Sara of Aisle Candy / Irish Wolfhounds: Gerry Clarke via Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland / Wedding Dresses: Samuelle Couture + Jenny Packham via Chic Parisian / Shoes: BHLDN / Emerald + Diamond Bracelet: Vintage via C. Madeleine’s / Flower Bracelet: Jenny Packham / Engagement Ring: Keanes Jewellers / Hair: Kelly McLean of The Vintage Bride / Makeup:Jennifer Ireland

Happy weekend to you all! Here is some eye candy for your morning coffee… or in my case green lemon aid. I should be drinking it in those fab mason jar wine glasses. To funny! This is such a cute southern wedding from InTandem I am so smitten with the bridesmaid dresses and the killer location, I heart stain glass.

Thank you so much Intandem! Congratulations Cori and Jon!

xoxo

Sara

Photographer: InTandem  /  Reception Venue: Mercury Hall  /  Event Planner: Pearl Events Austin  /  Florist: Bouquets of Austin  /  Rental:  Premiere Party Central  /  DJ: Greenbelt DJ Productions  /  Bakery: Cutie Pies