The lovely and adorable, Shannon, reads the COOLEST fashion blogs around, and she keeps me updated on the best news ever. So thanks to my stylin' friend, I got a handful of links in my inbox during a short intermission on a the set of a shoot yesterday - some sneak peek images of the new BHLDN wedding line at Anthropologie, being released online on Valentine's Day.

Many thanks to Joanna for sharing these fantastic images with us:

Check out Joanna's blog at A Cup of Jo.

And these previews are thanks to the fashionista Emily:

Check out Emily's fashion blog at Cupcakes and Cashmere. See you guys on Monday!

Hugs,
Erin

Eric and Cindy are both scientists by trade and their quirky, science-themed summer wedding at The North Chapel in Point Loma and the Marine Room Restaurant in La Jolla captured their lovable personalities perfectly. Everything from the place cards to the dinner that was served reflected a part of their lives - their affection for their adorable kittens, their self-proclaimed "science nerd" relationship, and their love for great food and remarkable experience.

When it comes to weddings, the entire theme, style, and experience of the wedding day begins with the save the date and the invitation, and Eric and Cindy hit the nail on the head with their lovable science-themed invites. They had little romantic science graphics drawn by hand and incorporated throughout the wedding stationary. I don't think I've ever seen such darling drawings!

Everything is so quirky and adorable with this stationary. I mean, even the shortbread cookie favors that they gave to guests at the wedding tasted adorable.

I love the faded graphics on the ceremony programs that spell out chemical formulas to define Eric and Cindy's love. Ha!

So what about the Save the Dates?? Well folks. I don't think I've ever seen save the dates that made me laugh so much.

In true scientist fashion, they used the periodic table of elements to help you 'crack the code' and spell out their save the date message. Totally awesome?? Heck yes.

I love when couples infuse their unique personalities into their weddings in creative ways - and the more creative, the better! So let's all push the creative bounds together and I'll be sharing many more of my favorite Brilliant Ideas throughout the year with you guys!

Hugs,

Erin

Diane incorporated bamboo into the floral designs, and Josh and Amy gave away bamboo inspired wooden coasters as their favors.

Amy was such a stunning bride!

The bamboo boutonnieres were some of my favorites from the entire year.

Amy made sure to bring along a wedding invitation for us to photograph, which is always a great idea. We love to be able to photograph your stationary in the context of your wedding decor.

The stunning Bali Hai on Shelter Island.

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check out the talented folks that made this wedding happen below:

The Couple: Josh and Amy

Date: August 1, 2010

Ceremony Venue: Bali Hai Restaurant

Reception Venue: Bali Hai Restaurant

Event Design/Flowers: Diane of Whimsey Florals

Cake Designer: The Cake Lady

Music: Jazz Combo (Josh and Amy are musicians, so friends played for them during the reception)

Hugs,

Erin

"What if Anthropologie did Weddings?"

Shuuuuuuuuut up!! It's brilliant. Sheer genius. I want to kiss whoever does the email marketing over at Anthropologie headquarters/heaven (sorry sweetie). Maybe that way I can glean just a little bit of the pure magic that rolls out of their heads with every single advertisement that I receive from them. I mean, their brains must be made of fluffy puppies and cotton candy, because I get warm fuzzies all up in my insides and I can hardly contain myself when a new message comes through (thanks Gretchen for that phrase on Facebook - I'm a total plagiarizer). And this, my friends, has been a long time coming...

Anthropologie Unveils Wedding Line with BHLDN, February 14th.

So to our 2011 brides, I will be that THING clapping and squealing on your wedding day if you decide to take Anthro up on their offer. And to all of our fabulous grooms out there that are wondering where you're Valentine's date went... just check your local mall.

Happy shopping!

Hugs,

Erin

Our couples never cease to amaze me with their creativity and talent - why do we get to work with the coolest couples ever?? A few years ago, Jason and Michelle moved to San Diego together from the east coast, so for most of their guests, their wedding will be a mini-vacation to the beaches of California. So to promote the destination vibe for her friends and family, Michelle sent each guest a message in a bottle as a wedding invitation.

Um, yeah. I was giddy when I saw it.

I love the shell and the sand, and I love that the cork is attached to the invite.

It looks like Michelle even burned the edges of the paper. What attention to detail - she's my kind of girl.

I love when our couples take the leap and do something that is completely unique and personalized for their wedding. It makes the experience so much more memorable.

And as a sneak peek, we actually have Jason and Michelle's San Diego engagement session coming to the bloggy blog tomorrow! If these invitations are a preview of how adorable these two are, just wait until you see them in person.

Hugs,
Erin

Quinn and her mother did everything for this wedding, including all of the flowers, and Quinn got ready at her parent's gorgeous estate in Boise. Quinn also managed an Anthropologie store, so she took much of her inspiration from the design that surrounded her at work.

Quinn had this shawl made for her based off of a design she found in her Anthropologie store. It was so soft and warm - perfect for a crisp, cold winter day in the Northwest.

I absolutely loved the florals that Quinn's mother created, and Quinn gave each of her bridesmaids her favorite necklace design from Anthropologie.

Quinn and her mom made paper flower centerpieces that ran the length of the long family-style tables at the receptions, and a fresh pear sat at every place setting. I also loved that they had their favorite restaurant in town, Boise Fry Company, serve their famous burgers and fries for guests. Tim is also a professional violinist, and Quinn surprised him with a custom groom's cake made to look exactly like his violin. So sweet!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check out the people that made this wedding happen below.

The Couple: Tim and Quinn

Date: January 1, 2010

Ceremony Venue: Capitol City Christian Church

Reception Venue: Barber Park

Event Designer: Terri Isaacson

Cake Designer: Greg Marsh Designer Cakes

Catering: Boise Fry Company

Hugs,
Erin

Date: April 17th, 2010

Venue: The Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara

Florist/Event Designer: Jackie Combs Floral Design

Cake: Montecito Confections

Hair/Makeup Artists: TEAM Hair and Makeup

Rentals/Lounge Furniture: Classic Party Rentals

Linens: Wildflower Linens

Lighting: LBPS Events

DJ/Sound: AMS Entertainment

As we move into official wedding planning season, I'm so excited to revisit this elegant affair! Josh and Emily's wedding in Santa Barbara at the luxury boutique Canary Hotel in downtown was nothing short of whimsical elegance. Emily is one stylish girl and from the champagne pink linens to the handmade bridesmaid dresses to the lush candy bar to the swanky lounge atmosphere of the dance party - everything reflected her taste for a little elegance and a bit of whimsy. My favorite part of this wedding, though, is the color palette. You wouldn't think champagne pink would turn into such a show stopper, but thanks to the genius of Jackie Combs and her creative floral designs (this girl also did Jason and Molly's wedding on The Bachelor), this wedding took on a whole new flair! To see all of the details, including the cake and more of the candy bar, visit Josh and Emily's wedding at the Canary Hotel here.

Each bridesmaid got to pick out their choice of fabric and a style of dress from a selection that Emily put together, and it came together so well with the unique atmosphere of the Canary Hotel.

The ceremony took place on the roof of the Canary Hotel overlooking downtown Santa Barbara.

And here's my favorite part! I loved how they gathered small vases of different sizes and shapes for the center of the square and rectangle tables, and kept everything to a warm neutral in the room.

Later in the night, guests moved from dinner in one room to a lounge party in the next. The lighting they brought in definitely completed the whole look and feel of this swanky late night atmosphere.

Venue: La Jolla Financial Building, La Jolla Cove

Wedding Date: March 28, 2009

Coordinator: Rae Peterson, About the Bride Weddings

Florist: Sweet Pea Flower Company

DJ: Gary, Sounds Perfect Entertainment

James and Danielle built one of the most creative wedding venues we've ever seen. Yep, they built it. From scratch. Danielle had always dreamed of a one-of-a-kind wedding, so she found a completely empty balcony at the La Jolla Financial Building overlooking the gorgeous La Jolla Cove and transformed it into an adorable space with tons of cute details and personality for their La Jolla wedding at sunset. They had specialty cocktails served in mason jars, named the tables after their favorite action movies and chick flicks, and adorned the place with feminine pinks and greens to create a soft and lovely space for their guests. When the sun went down, the place lit up into an all-out party that went well into the night!

The food was served fresh, hot, and made to order right off the grill. Guests loved it!

James and Danielle wanted to have a gorgeous sunset for their wedding, and there is no place in San Diego with more beautiful sunsets that La Jolla.

Venue: Orange County Museum of Art

Wedding Date: July 26, 2008

Coordinator: Athena Serapio, J'Adore Events

Florist: Flowers by Marina

DJ: Fortune Entertainment

When Jeff and I first got the call from Melissa about her wedding at the Orange County Museum of Art, we were stoked to be a part of such a fun and creative wedding. But then when we met the stylish and cute Melissa in person a few weeks later, we could hardly wait! This wedding centered around bright colors and white, white, white! I loved how Melissa used the big open space of the museum to her advantage with her fresh palette and clean details. I especially loved that she used their engagement images to make a custom card holder for the gift table. So cute!

Hugs,
Erin

Venue: Darlington House, La Jolla, CA

Wedding Date: July 13, 2008

Photographers: The Youngrens

Our favorite weddings take place at boutique venues with a lot of character. The kind of places that offer up their unique and stylish personalities with an inviting hug, but that also allow you to infuse your own colors and details without much effort. When we first encountered the lovely Darlington House tucked away in its peaceful corner of La Jolla, we were instantly smitten. Like sit down with a glass of wine and just fall in love smitten. But this place is so, well, darling that I doubt anyone can walk away from its Spanish charm and stuccoed walls without feeling entirely head over heels in stylish love. Amanda and Don did their Darlington House wedding entirely right with vibrant colors and lots of charm, the kind of details that brought this ultra cute venue to life.

All of the guys wore Vans and tweed hats - a combo that I LOVED!

Amanda's gorgeous Melissa Sweet wedding dress and Via Spiga heels.

So I know that today is Sunday, which means that this post should be a Recipe Sunday... but I had a major Recipe Sunday fail this week (don't worry, the kitchen is ok and Gracie only got a few kitty hairs burned in the process... totally kidding). I'll be back next week, though, so hold on to your hats and glasses until then and enjoy Amanda and Don's gorgeous wedding!

Hugs,
Erin