Real Wedding: Sabrina & Julian

As the co-founder of a company that is involved in the wedding invitation business, people often ask me what my own wedding was like. They're always surprised to learn that I eloped; what's more, I didn't even send out wedding invitations!

I share this potentially incriminating piece of information, as well as the visual evidence (no pictures of gorgeous letterpress wedding invitations!) because it underscores a fundamental belief I hold about weddings: at its core, a wedding is a deeply personal experience, and there is no right way to celebrate it.

Weddings present an inherent tension for the bride and groom, who are faced with the daunting task of deciding how to orchestrate the affair. On the one hand, they are an incredibly intimate, deeply personal exchange of vows (elope!). On the other, they are a celebration of the joining of families, friends and community (fabulous party!). Everyone has to find their own place on the spectrum; I've personally begun to believe that the English may have it all figured out (as usual!) with their tradition of a small, intimate ceremony followed by a larger reception (with fabulous hats!). That said, the most important thing is to do what is right for you.

Julian and I tied the knot at the lovely Ventana Inn & Spa in Big Sur, a magical spot on the California coast that had also been the site of the first weekend trip we ever took together. Because he from England and I grew up all over the world, our friends and family are far-flung and organizing a traditional wedding felt logistically daunting. So, we settled for a small ceremony with just our immediate family and a few close friends, including photographer Belynda Webb. In lieu of a traditional wedding gown, I wore a Marc Jacobs cocktail dress and a short netted veil. We stayed at the romantic Post Ranch Inn and the entire family made a weekend of it, taking in the serenity of the Big Sur coast. The experience was truly magical.

Whether big or small, simple or decadent, the experience is what it's all about!

Photographs courtesy of Belynda Webb.

Real Wedding: Shauna and Jeff

We were honestly blown away by wedding of Shauna and Jeff's wedding at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Marin last August. (Shauna is a designer at Hello!Lucky and was kind enough to invite us!). What inspired us most were all of the thoughtful, lovely, personal details -- it made for an incredibly fun, happy, and beautiful celebration.

Shauna wore a beautiful beaded cocktail dress which her grandmother had worn her own 1953 wedding. Jeff walked down the aisle to Johnny Cash's Walk the Line (possibly the most romantic song ever!), and guests received lovely (and much-needed!) vintage handkerchiefs to dry their eyes. Post-ceremony, we all indulged in "Hitched Hooch," a delicious, peachy cocktail that Jeff concocted to pay homage to his Texas roots (coasters with a cowboy boot stitch motif spelled out the recipe!).

The reception dinner was held in a rustic, cozy dining hall with an open kitchen which allowed us to see the chefs at work. The exquisite food and wine were all local and organic (Shauna and Jeff are both devoted foodies, and Jeff is a wine buyer at Andronico's Market). The centerpieces and flowers were designed by Mary Lois Hare (at Loop Flowers) and included local, seasonal flowers of yellows, creams, browns and oranges displayed in blue glass mason jars collected from the local flea market.

Shauna designed her own gorgeous, vintage-fabric-inspired wedding invitations, save the dates, and day-of stationery, which were (of course!) letterpress printed by Hello!Lucky. (Her invitation and related stationery are available for purchase here.). Shauna's photographer was the talented Marla Aufmuth

It was a truly special and unforgettable day. Congratulations, Shauna and Jeff!

Real Wedding: Matt & Sarah Adler

We first met Sarah and Matt at a wedding show at San Francisco’s Fort Mason. We were immediately taken by their adorable vintage-inspired style. Sarah has demure, impeccable taste and could be a 40s-era movie queen, and Matt is always dapper and the consummate gentleman.

To our great delight, they invited us to collaborate with them on their wedding invitations. Their inspiration was tall ships and nautical imagery. They had already designed an icon for themselves, a heart and anchor. We poured over pages upon pages of nautical diagrams and images of tall ships, and created a design that combined a tall ship, lighthouse, message in a bottle, and, of course, hearts and anchors. We letterpress printed the wedding invitations, reply cards, and map. The wedding invitation suite was wrapped in a glassine, tied with baker’s twine and sealed with a wax seal bearing Sarah and Matt’s icon. Since Sarah and Matt are very crafty (Sarah subsequently contributed a DIY card-making project to our forthcoming book, Handmade Hellos), they did the assembly at home.

The wedding reception was held at the Lodge at The Regency Center, where a Maxfield Parrish-inspired theatrical backdrop set the scene. Escort cards for the guests were fashioned after the "message in a bottle" idea with each bottle containing a personal note from the bride and groom - most of the miniature apothecary-style bottles were found at antique fairs, flea markets, and on ebay. Photographer Julie Mikos took the gorgeous photos of the ceremony and Melissa of A Simple Ceremony did the exquisite floral arrangements. The stunning black and white cake was created by Carolyn Wong.

Congratulations, Sarah and Matt! We are so happy for you! Photographs courtesy of Julie Mikos and Sara Remington.