Category Archives: fall

{Real Wedding} Brandy & Philip: Small Budget, DIY Country Vermont Wedding

By Chandra Fredrick | Nov 5

small budget DIY country wedding in Vermont | Boro Creative Visions Photography

One of the things I love about my job is getting a little peek into people’s weddings and seeing parts of the country I’ve never been to before. This sweet wedding in Vermont has added yet another place on my must-travel list. And the emotion captured in the images by Boro Creative Visions Photography is heart melting too.

Advice for couples planning now? Have fun and get creative! We had a very low budget wedding and had to really get creative and make our wedding our own. We didn’t have the budget for a traditional tier wedding cake so instead I used a Pepperidge Farm Vanilla Cake (that is what my parents had after they eloped!) and then used my in-laws original cake-topper from the 70′s. I made signs that explained the symbolism of the cake, it was one of my favorite details and cost almost nothing!

For centerpieces, I bought decorative watering cans from Michaels and grew petunias all summer in pots. For a simple project I placed the petunia pots into the watering cans and made homemade signs for the table names. The tables were named after mountains my husband and I have hiked together.

{musical choices}

Ceremony: Forever Young by Bob Dylan – My husband’s very musical cousin played an acoustic version of the song during the ceremony.

Recessional: Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads. My husband and I had a very chaotic year before our wedding: my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, we had a surprise pregnancy and had just moved to Vermont. This song was perfect for us!

First Dance Song: How Sweet it is to be Loved By You by James Taylor – A special song as we go to James Taylor’s concert every year on the 4th of July.

The simplicity of our wedding was perfect and the details represented all the things we love, the outside, family and Vermont.

How sweet is this wedding? And their son in the last photos – adorbs! I miss little baby feet… Congrats on your baby boy and marriage, Brandy & Philip!

{Vendors} Photography: Boro Creative Visions Photography / Catering: The Perfect Pear Cafe / Pig Roast: The Apple Ridge Gang Catering (no website, but number available upon request) / Rentals: Tarbox Tent Rentals / Florals: DIY (the bride & her mother) / DJ: family friend / Cake & Cake Topper: DIY and vintage / Bride & Bridal Party Jewelry: Cosi Carina on Etsy / Baby’s attire: Sara Sweet and Small on Etsy

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{Real Engagement} Meghan & Kelly: Romantic Autumn Engagement on an Ohio Farm

By Chandra Fredrick | Nov 1

romantic fall engagement on an ohio farm | ben & les photography

Happy first day of November! Did everyone have a fun Halloween? I am finally on the mend from this terrible cough and was able to go trick-or-treating with my fellas. Before we get to the rest of today’s e-session, here’s a little peek of my favorite costume idea ever:

father-son blues brothers halloween costume idea from oh lovely day

What did everyone else dress as for Halloween? I’ve always loved this holiday,

but it is SO much more fun when you have kids – I had no idea!

Now for today’s gorgeous fall engagment session: I love it for a couple of reasons. First, the images by Ben & Les Photography are drop dead gorgeous (and so is the couple, btw!) Secondly, I’m an Ohio girl myself, so to see this gives me a taste of home in the fall, which I miss so much. And the bride-to-be said they wanted their e-session to be about their love and the things they love, which is their country life. I think this is the perfect mix of country-chic-romantic-sexy. And I’m coveting her white lace dress. Is that enough reasons?

Kinda makes you want to have some private time with your honey in a cornfield (or in this case a bean field), no?

{Photos by Ben & Les}

{Inspiration Board} White Washed Wood, Linen + Bone

By Chandra Fredrick | Oct 30

white washed autumn wedding inspiration from oh lovely day

{palette} white washed wood, bone, and linen combine with the stark bare trees, the antlers, and white pumpkins and florals to make for a hauntingly beautiful autumn wedding
{inspiration} this palette and style would be perfect for a more formal fall wedding. Want to incorporate fall details without it being all “orange pumpkins?” Antlers, white pumpkins, and a white washed palette instantly makes fall super chic!

Love the anters? Check out these different ways to incorporate antlers into your wedding.

{photo credits} linens via etsy, pumpkins in chair via i heart shabby chic, whitewashed barn ceremony via The Wayfarer, antler terranium via ruffled, pumpkin florals via one charming party, florals with antler stand via martha stewart weddings, bridal gown via The Bridal Tree, stag via systems approach

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{Real Wedding} Ashley & Craig: Foodie & Wine Enthusiast Wedding at a Solvang Vineyard

By Chandra Fredrick | Oct 29

rustic foodie and wine lover wedding in solvang, california | Jen Rau Photography / Event Planning: The Green Ribbon Party Planning Co. / Caterers: Whoa Nelly Catering / Venue: The Barn at Coquelicot Vineyard / Cake and Desserts: My Sweet and Saucy and SusieCakes / Floral Design: Brown Paper Design

Today we have another one of those weddings where I wish I could go back in time and become friends with this couple just to be invited. Any wedding celebration that is set up to basically be a food and wine tasting is my kind of party!

Ashley and Craig love food and wine, so they wanted their day to showcase that love. Since they both have a connection to agriculture, Ashley through her career and Craig through his family, The Barn at Coquelicot Vineyard in Solvang was the perfect choice for their venue. Their main focus was to have people try different foods and wines and mingle so there were no assigned seats and the whole event was set up as a food and wine tasting.

Ashley and Craig are huge foodies so finding a great caterer was extremely important to them; they selected Whoa Nelly Catering and it was a perfect fit. Their menu included options such as grilled Niman ranch pork shoulder with spice dried plums, Castelvetrano olives and roasted root vegetables and kabocha squash bruschetta with sheep’s milk feta, pomegranate and dandelion. The guests raved about the food – they were able to go from station to station sampling as much as they wanted and tasting different wines along the way.

Instead of a cocktail hour, Ashley and Craig had a Farmers’ Market hour with people offering tastings of apples, pears, persimmons, cheese and olive oil.

In place of table numbers, there were ‘Ashley and Craig’ trivia cards by Posh Paperie to encourage people to start talking and the flowers in rustic containers by Brown Paper Design really made the tables pop.

I mean, between that delicious fare from Whoa Nelly & the sweets table by My Sweet and Saucy I would have spent this entire wedding eating. Maybe it’s best I wasn’t a guest after all

I’m also in love with the vibrant red florals and simple rustic and festive details. Green Ribbon Party Planning Co. didn’t miss a thing! And the venue? It is a vineyard and a farm with a barn all in one – can you say perfect? Plus, if you’ve never been to Solvang, California you must go – it is the most charming and quaint little town.

Oh, and today is this couple’s one year wedding anniversary, so congrats & happy anniversary, Ashley & Craig!

{Vendors} Photography: Jen Rau Photography / Event Planning: The Green Ribbon Party Planning Co. / Caterers: Whoa Nelly Catering / Venue: The Barn at Coquelicot Vineyard / Cake and Desserts: My Sweet and Saucy and SusieCakes / Floral Design: Brown Paper Design / Stationery & Paper Goods: Posh Paperie / Hair and Make-up: Team Hair and Make-up / Music - DJ Matteo / Linens: La Tavola / Rentals: Santa Ynez Elite Party Rentals

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{It’s in the Details} Cardigans on the Bride + Bridesmaids for Fall & Winter Weddings

By Chandra Fredrick | Oct 23

Today’s guest post comes to you from a fellow midwestern gal, Brit of Landlocked Bride, and she is sharing one of my favorite bridal accessories for fall – the cardigan!

While Chandra enjoys some well-deserved time off, I’ll be jumping in to one of my favorite wedding details. Cardigans! If you look in my closet it’s full of cardigans. They’re a staple in my outfits every single day in the Fall and Winter (when I’m not obsessing over cozy cable knit sweaters and scarves). And, what better way to add a touch of personality to your wedding day outfit than to throw on a colorful cardigan. cardigans for brides and bridesmaids for fall and winter weddings

Acres of Hope Photography via SMP / Anna Sawin Photography via SMP

cardigans for brides and bridesmaids for fall and winter weddings

Jason + Anna Photography via SMP

Cardigans serve a pretty practical purpose at the end of the day: to keep you warm. And, they’re great at that. But sometimes, we add a cardigan for that little something extra. cardigans for brides and bridesmaids for fall and winter weddings

Kina Wicks via Ruffled / Bradley James Photography via Wedding Chicks

/ Blue Bottle Photography via SMP

Smitten Photography via SMP / Jessica Jones Photography via SMP

Cardigans are an easy way to add a splash of color to your wedding attire or to your bridesmaids’. They can also add softness or romance to an outfit – especially if your girls are wearing a darker color (i.e., gray or black). Cardigans can add texture, like lace, sequins or a knitted pattern. And, even more, cardigans can add a pattern for visual appeal. cardigans for brides and bridesmaids for fall and winter weddings

BHLDN / Madewell

Anthropologie / Anthropologie

If you were to wear a cardigan on your big day, what color would top your list? Or, are you a pattern girl? Or, all of the above!?

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{Lovely Favors} Favor Ideas for Fall + Winter Weddings

By Chandra Fredrick | Oct 19

Today we’ve got a guest post from Favor Craver with some fab favor ideas for fall + winter weddings!

At long last the summer is over, and perpetual wedding guests/favor cravers like me can look forward to getting the best edible favor there is: chocolate! As the air gets chilly and celebrations move indoors, a chocolate favor can finally survive the walk from the reception hall to the car without melting inside my purse. Hooray!

I’m not picky about how I get chocolate. I like chocolate bars, like these Mast Brothers bars wrapped in pretty paper.

{via brooklyn bride}

I like fudge — I mean really, who doesn’t — and I really like fudge when it comes in nice big boxes like these.

{via the The Bride’s Tree}

I also like my chocolate hot, so I’m completely thrilled to get hot chocolate favors. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

{via Twig and Thistle}

Are you treating your guests to some chocolately goodness at your wedding in these cool-weather months? Promise you’ll invite me! I only drink a little and I give fabulous presents.