You may remember seeing the first video that captured our May Curtain Call shoot here, or seeing some behind the scenes photos here, but you really can’t appreciate how fun this type of shoot is until you’ve done it!
We’re teaming up again with LVL Photography & Ben Pancoast Photography for a marathon curtain call shoot on Saturday, August 30th in St. Joseph! For a cost of only $200 you can join in the fun with 2 photographers, 2 great locations, a professional hair stylist and all of your fun & amazing images on a cd for you to print and use as you like! If you’re interested in joining us, you can hold your spot for $100 and should email me at jessica@stellaeventdesign.com as soon as possible! Below, check out Part 2 of the video highlighting the curtain call shoot in May, shot by All Star Productions!
What can I say, this was a fun wedding! Kate+Mitch booked our day of & design services almost 18 months ago, so I’ve had a lot of time to get to know this awesome couple and their family, which makes a wedding all the more special to be a part of. Kate chose an elegant color palette of sage & brown and incorporated small details throughout every aspect of the ceremony and reception. The ceremony was held at Shadowland Pavilion on Silver Beach and the decorations there were simple and clean with white chairs, an arch made by the groom, and a small aisle formed by tin buckets of hydrangeas. Guests were provided with cold water for the hot day, and their programs were fans which is always appreciated by guests at an outdoor ceremony!
Kate and her mom ordered bulk flowers of hydrangeas, hypericum berries and lemon leaves and we created simple centerpieces for all of the tables which were accented by small damask overlays in brown and sage. I love doing floral arrangements when we get the chance, and we’ve gotten to do several weddings this summer so far! The bouquets for the gals were created by Beikmann Associates and they were absolutely beautiful! Kate & Mitch offered Mojitos as their signature drink and used the lime theme in several other places including 2 large glass vases of limes at the bar, and limes used to display their escort cards! The beautiful wedding cake was created by Dee’s Specialty Cakes, and it was delicious as always! Dee’s also created the sailing inspired groom’s cake (I especially liked the sign Kate made to go next to it that said, “Mitch, will you be my first mate?” Too cute). Each table was named after a landmark location in Chicago that was special to the couple, and table numbers had a picture of each location. They also incorporated their love for the windy city (where they both live) by capping off the night to “Sweet Home Chicago.”
Throughout the day, beautiful moments were captured by Jen of JK Photography and her 2nd shooter, Dustin Francis. To see all of the amazing pictures from the day, check out Jen’s blog! She’s always got fabulous eye candy to check out, so if you haven’t tied the knot yet, it’s a great place for inspiration!
The dance floor was packed all night and everyone kept dancing thanks to the band, Drop35. They did a wonderful job of keeping guests on the dance floor, and the whole place was packed right until midnight! At the end of the night we passed out sparklers so that guests could light their way out! Kate & Mitch, thank you so much for letting us be a part of your day, and for being so much fun to work with—have a great time on your honeymoon in Florida!
MORE MICHIGAN WEDDINGS BY STELLA EVENT DESIGN:
Megan+Greg at Mill Creek Barns in Watervliet, Southwest Michigan
Lisa+Bart at the Blue Dress Barn in Millburg, Southwest Michigan
Jess+Bryan’s beach wedding at The Veranda at the Whitcomb in St. Joseph, Michigan
Yana+Brannon at Shadowland Pavilion and The Heritage Center in St. Joseph, Michigan
Stefanie+Jim at Santaniello’s and Weko Beach in Bridgman, Michigan
Kelly+Russ created adorable favors just for the kids at their intimate September ‘08 wedding. The couple took their love for Legos and created adorable buckets, complete with each childs name, and filled them with a Lego set. Before the wedding, the couple personally constructed each set, and took a picture to show each child what their completed Lego project should look like!
Not only were these adorable, but they were also functional, and kept all of the kids occupied while adults enjoyed the dinner reception at the Bistro!
Kelly was an incredibly fun bride to work with! She’s a spunky gal, so it was a no-brainer that we could pull off something a little different with her wedding! Kelly chose a deep fall color palette for her September 27th wedding, using dark reds, oranges, yellows and greens! She gave me free range on selecting centerpieces, and we came up with the lovely design above, courtesy of Crystal Springs!
However, when it came to her bouquet, Kelly fell in love with a bright pink and kept coming back to it despite the change in color palette, so we decided to roll with it! Instead of trying to force the wedding into one color scheme, we used a bright pink color palette with green accents for the beach ceremony, and carried the fall colors throughout the reception.
It turned out amazing, and I’m glad we did it—don’t let anyone put you in a box when it comes to your wedding design. Go with your instincts and have fun!
I absolutely adore the quaint chapel on Morris Farms where Megan+Scott hosted their October nuptials! The building had so much charm and character, and it was absolutely adorable! Plus, there was an old fashioned school house on the same grounds that was a great spot for some unique post-wedding pics with the bride and groom!
Don’t forget to investigate your ceremony location, reception venue, or local area to locate some fun and unique places to snap some post-wedding pics! Grab your fiance and make a date day of exploring fun photo locations, and you’ll save a ton of time on your wedding day and have some amazing photos!
Tracy+David hired me to help them with their decor, and I had an amazing time helping them put together a design concept using their bright+bold color combo of pink+orange! Along with the fun color combo, Tracy also wanted to incorporate crystals as an accent. We brought color into Foundry Hall with HUGE pink+orange paper lanterns (you can’t tell, but they were about 3 feet in diameter), bright pink table runners, and pink+orange rose petals.
To tie in the crystals, we used swarovski scatter crystals on the table (I love these!) and also used crystal tree centerpieces on the two larger tables. All in all, this setup was one of my favorites, despite it being one of our most difficult of the year, having to secure the 20+ huge lanterns into the beams of Foundry Hall! Well worth it—this wedding was gorgeous!
When Claire was given her grandmother’s broach last minute, she found the perfect place for the “something old” on her bouquet handle.
Then later, in lieu of the orchids we had planned on putting in her hair to replace her veil, we opted to make use of the broach again and pin it into her hair for a little extra bling at the reception! Such a great use of “something old” that lasted all day!
There are two things I love in this scenario! First, I love incorporating sentimental things into weddings. Second, I love finding spur of the moment ways to be creative!
If you’re looking for some fun and unique invitations, accessories and bridal party gifts for your wedding, then you have a new fun place to shop! Check out Ever After Wedding Market on 1000 Markets. It’s a lot like Etsy, but what I love about it is that everything is grouped into specific “Markets,” and everything in the Ever After Market is specifically for weddings!
And while you’re browsing 1000 Markets, check out the Luxe Market, too! You won’t be disappointed by all the pretty things–I had to tear myself away! Happy Shopping!
If you’re looking for a beautiful gift for your bridesmaids—not to mention a lovely accessory for pictures—consider getting your girls a pashmina wrap (also called a stole). This can also offer a great option to ‘maids who may not be comfortable remaining sleeveless all night, or who could use an extra layer in cool weather. Buy them in a shade to match your motif, and you’ve got a winning combo of beauty+usability! Check out The Pashmina Store to pick your perfect shade!
Recently, I was contacted by a bride who wanted to honor her mother at her wedding. Her mother passed away when she was very young, and she was raised by her stepmother, so she wanted a way to honor her mother that would be meaningful but subtle. In the past, this has been done in a number of ways—a special note in the program, an altar arrangement dedicated to a loved relative, or using a special belonging of theirs, such as a handkerchief or piece of jewelry.
One of my favorite ways to honor a loved one at the wedding is pictured above. Lockets are filled with the pictures of loved ones and are tied into your bouquet handle. It’s classy, subtle, and very personal. Have you seen any other creative ways to honor a loved one who has passed?
