Love, Freddy & Ma

A few days ago we posted about the new service for brides at Freddy & Ma, and now they are offering our readers 20% off any of the bags on their site from now until the end of September with the code FAYEGREER. And brides always get 20% when you order 5 or more of their clutches. If you are stumped on which bag to go for, check out their blog for some great ideas- we especially love the "Bag of the Day" where Freddy & Ma style a whole outfit around one of their bag designs!

Albertine Press

Based out of Boston, this letterpress design and print shop does everything from save-the-dates to baby announcements- all of it unique and just a little eccentric. We especially love the escort cards on the top right, where each table featured a drawing of a favorite place in Central Park like Bethesda Terrace and Alice in Wonderland.

{photos from Albertine Press}

Orange and Chocolate

So it definitely doesn't feel anywhere close to fall yet for us, but it seems like after Labor Day everyone is in the mood for fall. While we are not huge fans of orange and black for a Halloween-inspired wedding, we do love this combination of orange and chocolate, in cakes as well as flowers. The bouquet and table centerpieces of orange dahlias and chocolate-brown cosmos are just a perfect color combination for a modern fall wedding. Also check out the orange dahlia wreaths worn by these flower girls (photos by Liz Banfield).

{L to R: bouquet from Brides, cake from InStyle Weddings, reception from The Knot}

Faye is a favorite!

Although the inspiration board contest over on Style Me Pretty is over, Faye still feels like she won because her board was picked as one of Abby's favorites! Read more about it here and here.

{photo from MS via Brooklyn Bride's flickr pool}

Needle + Thread Invites

We are loving all of the stitched details that keep popping up on invitations lately. Fabric envelopes and pockets allow you to add pattern and color without muddying up the actual invite, so you can mix the formality of a simple invitation with the casual warmth that comes from the handmade detail. Even though they are intended to look handmade and sweetly imperfect, they can still set the tone for a rustic wedding, a modern garden ceremony, or even a more formal event.

{Clockwise, L to R: Brides, Bird & Banner, Gingham invite by Chelsea, Bird & Banner}

Hamptons Style

It's labor day weekend! Feeling inspired by the prospect of a lazy and long weekend, I keep going back to look at these pictures from the Hamptons taken by The Sartorialist for Style.com. Click here to see the full slideshow.

{L to R: Eva Prinz, Lauren Bush, and Mandy Moore from Style.com}

Wouldn't it be fun to be a guest at wedding with this kind of laid-back elegance- sort of like a Gatsby-style event with croquet, melon balls, and lots of women wearing big, floppy hats (for Faye, she loves hats)? That is the kind of country club wedding I would actually want to go to...

{Top: Brides, invitation from Bird & Banner, MS Weddings;
Middle: croquet set on Oh How Charming!, Calico cake from MS Weddings, bouquet by Ariella Chezar;
Bottom: picture from Style.com, dress from MS Weddings, melon balls from Martha}

Enjoy your lazy long weekend!

Ripe Tomatoes

Chelsea posted the most beautiful picture of a basket of organic, heirloom tomatoes from a wedding she recently worked on. The colors of the ripe tomatoes are so vibrant and juicy looking- they would look so pretty as centerpieces like Martha did, using baskets that look straight from the market (and cheap- $1.29 to $1.49 each!). We love this paired with placecards on a painted tin can or votive candle holder with breadsticks blooming out of it.

{both pictures from MS Weddings: (L) tomato centerpieces, (R) breadstick placecards}

Bicycles

Sorry for the lateness this morning, I am moving out of my apartment today and while my internet was cut off right on time at my old apartment, of course it was not hooked up as planned at the new place! Anyway, this post on of our favorite new blogs, Oh Happy Blog!, reminded me of these bicycle-themed invitations I bookmarked to share with you all. I especially love Heatherjeany's on the bottom right where the "Reception to follow" traces the back wheel of the bike! Oh well, enough prettiness, back to packing...

{Top: (L) Austin Press, (R) Greenwich Letterpress; Bottom: both Heatherjeany}

May+Belle Calligraphy

Maybelle describes her lettering style as perfectly imperfect, but I wish my handwriting was imperfect like hers; I would love to learn calligraphy so I could make pretty little things like these...

{images from May+Belle Calligraphy}

White Wedding Cakes

Some of the best white wedding cakes incorporate texture and a level of detail that really make an impact. Although I still love bright and colorful cakes, these are refreshing to look at, and for brides I think a white cake can be a relief- it goes with everything!

{Clockwise, L to R: Dogwood cake from MS Weddings, cake by The Cake Girls, Appliqué cake from MS Weddings,
Danish modern cake by Lovin Sullivan, Pleated cake on Brides, Button cake from MS Weddings}

Mushroomy Things

Lately Faye and I are loving mushroomy things! These invites and cakes would be perfect for an outdoor wedding in the fall, and the Mushroomy Compliments card by Pearl & Marmalade (far right) would be a sweet card for your groom the morning of your wedding.

{L to R: Greenwich Letterpress, Heatherjeany, Pearl & Marmalade}


{L to R: Meringue Mushrooms from MS Weddings, Marzipan Mushrooms from MS Weddings, Woodland Cake by The Cake Girls}

Don't forget to vote!

You can now vote for your favorite inspiration board from the second round of the contest on Style Me Pretty. Of course I voted for mom (Faye), whose picnic-style recommitment ceremony seems to have channeled a Martha Stewart Wedding without even knowing it! So don't forget to vote, even if you don't vote for Faye ;)

{photo from frolic!}

Hot Air Balloons

This post from Oh Happy Day! on Friday reminded me of all the cute stationery I've seen lately with hot air balloons...

{clockwise, L to R: Up Up and Away noteset by Pearl & Marmalade, Journey wedding invite by Austin Press, Journey envelope close-up by Austin Press, post wedding party invite by Sesame Letterpress}

Martha Stewart Photo Galleries

This might be old news, but over the weekend I noticed these little photo galleries from Martha Stewart Weddings where the pictures are not so itty bitty! Some of the content of their website is so small you can't see the painstaking details (which MS is all about), so we are happy to have these slideshows to browse since we are the unlucky few without back issues to sift through. They are a little difficult to navigate though, so we thought you might like links.

A Slice of Heaven- includes couture cakes, china cakes, and cakes decorated with flowers
All in the Details- includes guest books, seating cards, and place cards
Bridal Bouquets- includes roses, pink bouquets, colorful bouquets, and ribbons, wraps & details
Take One, Please- includes cookies, other sweet treats, and pretty packages
Style & Substance- includes tea length dresses, ball gowns, and slim sheaths
Gorgeous Gowns- includes photospreads Portrait of a Lady, Fashion A to Z, The Dress Atelier, and In Perfect Shape

These are non-wedding focused, but cute none-the-less...
Cutest Cupcakes
Summer Parties

Freddy & Ma Weddings

Many of you have seen Freddy & Ma's custom handbags in magazines like InStyle and Lucky, and also recently on the arms of The Hills' cast! So Faye and I were excited to hear that they are expanding their custom handbag services to brides-to-be and bridesmaids, offering special customization services from helping brides design their own purse for the big day to providing pretty purses for your bridesmaids.

As part of this new service geared towards brides, they will offer exclusive colors you won't find on their website, or if you are really into matching colors, you can send them fabric swatches and they will find complementary hues to recolor any of the 750 existing prints (in the past some prints have even been designed by Oh Joy!, seen here and here) to match your palette. In addition, specialty custom options are available if you want to create custom variations of their prints to make each bag as unique as your bridesmaids. If you want to keep it subtle, they can line each bag in a different color. Or you can add Freddy & Ma to the guest list for bridal showers and bachelorette parties, and they promise to "coax out the inner handbag designer in everyone, and help friends and family design their very own purses" (limited to NY, San Francisco, and LA). Oh, and they are just really cute!

{email brides[at]freddyandma[dot]com for more information, or call 917.514.5155}

CeciNY Save-the-Dates

More pictures of the save-the-date designed by CeciNY used in the Nashville board below. Love the mix of cranberry and sage with the dogwood flowers, banjo, and guitar.


And we love this save-the-date for a winter wedding in Beaver Creek, Colorado...

Nashville Inspiration Board

I was a conspirator on another board posted on Style Me Pretty this morning- this one was cooked up with my officemates in our cell with no windows that equals an office for four people. So I thought I would give you guys the breakdown of where the photos came from!

{Top: photo by Lisa Lefkowitz, invite by CeciNY, photo by Lisa Lefkowitz;
Middle: chandelier on Brides, cake and bouquet from Rebecca Thuss;
Bottom: "Thanks Ya'll" favors from The Knot bio for AliKay, dress on Brides, reception photo by Mel Barlow}

Faye's Picnic-Inspired Recommitment Ceremony

Yay for Faye- her inspiration board is up on Style Me Pretty today! She combined a bunch of photos we have posted on the blog in a pretty sweet way...so proud of her, how do you think she did? If you knew Faye, you would think this really expresses her personality- she is bubbly, always optimistic, and says "bless your heart!" (and really means it) at least 12 times a day.

{Top: bouquet by Enchanted Florist, BCBG dress photo by Paul Johnson, cake from Lovin Sullivan;
Middle: invitation from Sesame Letterpress, cupcakes from Brides, escort cards by CeciNY;
Bottom: ring pillow photo by Lisa Lefkowitz, table setting on The Knot, watermelon on flickr}

On the short side

Faye and I both flipped for this BCBG dress in the store, but unfortunately the one color dress I could not buy was white since I was shopping for a wedding. But seeing the dress again here reminded us of how cute it would be for a casual wedding or a re-commitment ceremony (which I hope my parents do!). This bride makes the dress look chic, sophisticated and perfectly wedding-day appropriate. See more short bridal dresses on Brides.

{photo from Paul Johnson Photography}

Winter Wedding Inspiration

My favorite inspiration board so far from round 2 of the contest on Style Me Pretty- beautiful job, Isis!