Need a Honeymoon?

anyone out there looking for a free honeymoon? yeah, i thought so :) check out this fabulous giveaway hosted by PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. oh how i am longing for warm weather and beautiful sun! rain, rain, go away...

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Good luck!

WILL YOU MARRY ME? SAY CHEESE! (#3)

Here's #3 - (as told by photographer Mike Allebach)

I'm rarely ever nervous as a photographer. I can't remember the last time I felt nervous before a shoot but this past Friday I was nervous. Dan and I stood outside the Phoenix in Center City by Love Park waiting for Jackie to make her appearance. She had no clue what was about to take place.

Jackie came out of the Phoenix from a spa visit that Dan had secretly scheduled for her and she walked across 16th street towards Love Park. At the corner stood Dan smiling, knowing full well what the next 10 minutes would hold. I stood in the bushes, more nervous than Dan, snapping photos at machine gun speed playing paparazzi.

For more pictures of this surprise proposal check out Allebach

WILL YOU MARRY ME? SAY CHEESE! (#2)

Here's #2 - (as told by photographer Laurel McConnell)

Lets set the scene: Nick is an illustrator for a hot gaming company. Danni has a huge following on her design blog, Oh Hello Friend (it’s yummy, check it out!). They met at art school 4 years ago. His plan: surprise Danni with a flight from their sunny and “everyday-is-70-degree” Orange County home to the rainy “every-day-is-a-crap-shoot” Seattle getaway.

The other day, some pictures of a very special nature arrived in my inbox: I was to magically get these to appear on the back of my camera (you’ll see, just wait for it!).

Now, cue the actress, Seattle’s own Darrah Parker (wild applause emanates from the audience). At 1pm today, Darrah and I boarded a ferry to Bainbridge Island, and found ourselves snapping pictures of each other on the windy deck while crossing Puget Sound. Okay, Fib #1…. I was REALLY snapping pics of Danni and Nick, acting all cute-like in the background. Nick not only woke up his sleepy girlfriend from her short snooze on the relaxing ferry, but dragged her out to the violently blustery (um, understatement of the year) deck to watch the silly girls shooting pictures and take in the sea air. He gets an A+ for his mad setup skills- he kept pulling her into ideal spots for us to snag some shots no matter what her agenda was!

Nearly an hour later, we found ourselves in the gorgeous Bloedel Reserve, a historic, well kept, private park on the island. Waiting, waiting, waiting. I kept saying to Darrah, “What if he changed his mind and he’s not coming? What if they got lost in the 150 acres? What if we are at the WRONG “Waterfall Lookout By The Historic House?” Sure enough, here they come, meandering down the path. Seriously, Danni, could you walk any slower? Didn’t you know there were three people screaming silently in their minds with excitement with what was about to happen? Of course not. She was sightseeing and leading their self-guided tour, map in hand, having a grand ol’ time, mostly oblivious to Nick’s scheming.

Enter Darrah, stage left. Laurel wanders off to check her cell phone and “look busy with something else,” while actually getting into position. Mini-fib #2.

“Oh my gosh! Hey! Weren’t you the guys on the ferry?” chimes Darrah. Luckily, Danni totally remembered us as being the silly tourist girls on the deck getting blown over by the wind, and being all smiles, greeted us like old friends as Nick gave “The Look” to mean it’s “Go Time.”

“I saw you guys, and I took some really cute pictures of you. Wanna see?” Fib #3. Danni and Nick agree in unison. Nick reaches into his pocket. Here it comes. Darrah flips through some of the cute (stalker-like!) images we snuck of them on the ferry. Then she gets to the REAL images.

She turns around, and Nick is on his knee, holding the sweetest ring I ever saw, barely able to hold those four words in his mouth before they gushed out in the most beautiful sentence a girl ever wants to hear.

For more pictures of this surprise proposal check out Laurel McConnell

obsessed...

i know it's a little late for a post, but it's just one of those days...but my boys are napping (yay!) and i am staring at the new j crew catalog--goodness. i know. it's bad for my health. but can you see those booties? oh. my. goodness. and those pants? that's my look, ladies!! well, that's my look if i can get my hands on those items before they sell out! isn't that ruffle vest adorable as well? enjoy your day!

WILL YOU MARRY ME? SAY CHEESE! (#1)

We hire a photographer to take pictures of our wedding day, sometimes to take pre wedding pictures shortly after we're engaged. If we're a little more daring we secretly have boudoir pictures taken as a special surprise for our husband-to-be, and even trash the dresh when it's all said and done. But what about the proposal? The proposal is what started it all, so why let this moment slip by when you can capture it too on film and have it forever?

This is a trend growing in popularity that Viva la wedding can't get enough of which is why the next few posts will be dedicated to just that. Stories of surprise proposals with pictures taken by the photographers who were hired to shoot them.

Here's #1 - (as told by photographer Cheyenne Schultz)

Since Amy and Andrew, I've decided that shooting actual engagements is totally my favorite thing ever to shoot. I've been dying to post these. So, here's how it went down.

Back in August, web/graphic designer and aspiring photographer Andrew contacted me to let me know he was in the beginning stages of planning his proposal to his then girlfriend - Amy - and wanted to book a session to have it photographed. Over the course of the next couple months, we schemed up a great plan for this to happen.

Amy and Andrew are from Raleigh, so the first thing was getting them to Charlotte. Andrew worked it out to be in for a weekend to visit friends, which would be followed by an opportunity for Andrew to come shadow me photographing an engagement session on Monday morning (at least, that's what he told Amy). Once Monday morning rolled around, I picked up the phone to call Andrew and unfold the plan......Andrew relayed the message to Amy - the engaged couple for the session had cancelled on me because of the weather (lies......all LIES!!! :), but if they wanted, I could go ahead and just photograph the two of them, as Andrew would still be able to learn a lot being in front of the camera. Amy took the bait and the pair headed to meet me.

I started out the shoot like I would any shoot...but talked out loud at what/how I was shooting and why - just to keep Amy on the trail that this was a learning experience for Andrew. I had told Andrew beforehand what I was going to say that would be the cue for him to drop to his knee...... "One thing I'll do sometimes to encourage interaction is to have the couple face the opposite ways from each other and when I say "go", I'll have them turn around and run toward each other into a hug. So, let's go ahead and do that. Amy, go ahead and face that way, and Andrew, you face the other way."

Amy turned around, Andrew dropped to his knee, and my heart about stopped I was so dang excited! "Okay, GO! Turn around!" And this is what she saw. BEST. MOMENT. EVER.

For more pictures of this surprise proposal check out love the schultzes

A Novel Romance: The English Dept 2010 Bridal Show

good morning! i had a fabulous time at The English Dept 2010 Bridal Show yesterday down at the Cleaners at the Ace Hotel. the little bright room as packed full with anxiously awaiting brides, photographers, wedding vendors and Elizabeth Dye admirers alike. once the first model descended down the runway our eyes were met with dreamy chiffon and silk silhouettes, soft floral accents perfectly tied around empire waists, gorgeous Twigs & Honey hair pieces (see the image below and go here for more!) that dazzled us with feathers, netting and millinery flowers; as well as a selection of other dresses from jenny yoo, melissa sweet, coren moore, alix & kelly, vera wang, simple silhouettes, thread, and embellish.

i absolutely adored the simplicity and genuine sweetness of Elizabeth Dye's designs. her vision goes hand-in-hand with the nontraditional attitude portlanders share toward wedding design. Thread had a fantastically casual summer full-length seersucker wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline, while Embellish designed a sensuous silk, high-necked halter gown with floral accents that was reminiscent of 1920's hollywood glam. Jenny Yoo's bridesmaid collection was more on the traditional side, but offered a fresh and modern approach with soft pleats, ruffles, ruching and soft fabric covered buttons. the stunning concord red, jeweled green and baltic blue were ideal for coming spring and summer months--even a bright orange that reminded me, and a couple of other guests of something you would wear to an OSU game...but there's a color for everyone :)

i hope you take some time looking at all of these gorgeous designs, including Twigs & Honey's hair accessories--to die for!!

{twigs & honey hair accessory}

though this particular shrug was not in this year's show, it is available on her esty site. i adore the high ruffle collar!


The English Dept. 2010 Bridal Fashion Show credits:

millinery Dayna Pinkham
accessories The English Dpt., Twigs & Honey
shrugs and jackets Elizabeth Dye
veils Modern Romance
flowers Ink & Peat
hair Salon 220
makeup Madeline Roosevelt
host Ace Hotel

Gown Friday!

{porchlight interiors, priscilla of boston}

for this gown friday i used some of my favorite rooms for inspiration. the main reason this is appropriate is each of these fabulously colorful and chic rooms has a specific mood and feel to it. what kind of atmosphere will your decor convey to your guests? what is the overall feeling you hope to achieve when planning your wedding: chic or comfortable? elegant or vintage glamor? traditional cozy or modern minimalism? grand opulence or kitschy garden party? most anything you want can be achieved. but first you must define what you want by choosing your wedding site and wedding dress. and with those two major decisions set in stone, then the rest will flow effortlessly with smaller, easier design selections that you will make during the rest of your planning process. it's all about having a visual guide--it will help keep you focused!! i know i've mentioned this before, but it's good for a nice review :) see you on monday!!

{plush palette, romona keveza}

{this is glamorous, elie by elie saab}

{weekend host, nicole miller}

{cote de texas, monique lhuillier}

{dress design decor, romona keveza}