Katherine + Kyung | A Dream Destination Wedding in Paris

Love on the River Seine

Ohh la la! Happy Monday, lovelies! Well picture this -- you’re on a yacht with your fiance floating down the Seine River, the shimmering lights of Paris glide past; you're surrounded by close family and friends to witness you becoming man and wife. I'd say you probably can't get any more romantic than that.  Meet Katherine and Kyung who, come time to plan their intimate wedding celebration, had the same thought. I'll say! Captured by the talented Jacquelyn Poussot Photography, and organized by Rendez-vous in Paris, this destination wedding is well...pure romance. Je t'aime!

As Katherine shared with us: When my husband and I first talked about getting married, we knew we wanted it somewhere far away from the US. Some place where just a handful of people would be, and somewhere that we’d always remember fondly. We originally thought of Tokyo, Japan, because we have always had amazing vacations there. But after the disaster in early 2011, we decided to switch the locale.

I’ve always wanted to get married in the most romantic place possible, and Paris is the place I envision when I think of romance and butterflies and love. Once the destination was decided, we then had a couple options: a chateau wedding? A wedding in a hotel? But then paging through some photos online, I saw something that made my heart stop — a shot of a couple getting married on the Seine. Once I saw that, I knew that I would want that most. 

We were not at all prepared for how dreamy the wedding day would be. I had been working with Heather and Jaq via email for a few months, and basically, everything had been done sight unseen. I should also mention that I had never been to France, and my husband had been there back when he was only in high school. So, really, we had no idea what to expect. 

From the limo ride from our hotel through the beautiful shots that Jaq took us through around Paris, then to our final destination, a beautiful yacht on the Seine, it was such a whirlwind. (Check out one of our other lovely couples as they tour around Paris for their engagement shoot)

We were giddy and amazed, and once the yacht started moving along the river and passed under a twinkling Eiffel Tower, it felt like the night had been made just for us. Even now, a few months after the wedding, we will randomly exclaim, “Remember how beautiful the Seine and Eiffel Tower were during our wedding?!” 

 

The ceremony was short and sweet, and we were surrounded by 20 of our closest family and friends. We were above deck with the lights of the city flowing by and the wind ruffling our hair. We then enjoyed some very delicious food inside the cozy yacht from Le Notre — the best food we’ve ever had at a wedding, and maybe one of the best meals we had in Paris (and we had some yummy meals in Paris!). The croquembouche from Pierre Hermé was literally sparkling – the sparklers on the tower somehow made each puff even more delectable.

As we left the warm and inviting yacht a married couple, we knew we had just had an experience of a lifetime. Many thanks to Heather and Jaq for a truly special time. They are two of the most charming and creative people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, and they nailed every detail.

Wedding Photography: Jacquelyn Poussot Photography / Wedding Location: Paris, France / Wedding Planning: Rendez-vous in Paris / Flowers: Frederic Bertin / Food: Le Notre / Hotel: Hotel Chaplain Rive Gauche / Wedding Cake: Pierre Hermé / 
Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin

 
I adore everything about this wedding --  the location and their unique venue, the lush flowers and tablescape, simple dress and stunning scenery. Every piece of this intimate destination wedding helped to create an unforgettable, life long, joyous memory for Katherine and Kyung...and all their guests. Congratulations to the happy couple! And thank you to Jacquelyn for sharing this wedding with us through Two Bright Lights. Such talent, I look forward to working with you again soon.

What is your super awesome, most romantic ever destination wedding wish?  We want the where and the how....you are responsible for the who! Leave a message below and share this beauty of a global wedding with your friends.

Make it fun and fuss-less,

 

{Color Inspiration} Pretty Pink & Grass Green Wedding Palette -

Preppy Palette

Did you see Monday's gorgeous Real Wedding? I was so inspired by Angel's color choices, I just had to put together a Color Inspiration Board for you! A Pink and Green wedding palette is fresh, clean and romantic; it feels light and airy, and full of promise! From soft, sweet blush pink to almost festive fuchsia, from light sage green to a deep pine, there are so many shade combinations that all work well together for any type of wedding.

Sources: Bridesmaid's Bouquet, Green Table, Lemonade, Green Shoes, Invitations, Bouquet, Reception, Lime Centerpiece, Roses to the Altar, Table Setting, Balloons, Lime Place Cards, Cupcakes

Once considered "preppy", these colors have most transitioned in mainstream wedding popularity!  A perfect choice for a late spring, early summer wedding, this duo palette makes me want to eat some cotton candy and sip a Grasshopper drink! Who is with me?

What other great color combo do you think is super popular these days? Passing fad or here to stay?

Check out this and other Color Inspiration Boards over at Pinterest! So many great inspiration images to share there, we'd love it if you'd follow us.

Have a colorful day,

{Freebie Friday} Wedding Printables to Boost Your Budget

WAAHOO FRIDAY! My very favorite thing about the wedding world today is the explosion of blogs offering up the good stuff - free DIY and printable wedding items. Everything from invitations to signs, save the dates to time lines, you can literally find anything if you Google it enough! Most printable items need your loving DIY touch and while you may not fancy yourself a craft maven, the alternative is a wedding cost the size of a down payment for a house.

Printable wedding goodies are good practical planning and will boost your wedding budget. Get on board with your printer, grab some paper from you favorite craft store, and get to downloading! Here are some of my favorites that I think would be a smart addition to any wedding.

Save the Date Cards
You can find an amazing selection of free printable, customizable Save the Date cards like this one over the Wedding Chicks - they are the best for free wedding printables! From Mad Men to Lovebirds, Bunting Flags to Mason Jars (yes, there is a Mason Jar Save the Date - totally cute), they have it all.

Click HERE for the download page.

Wedding Invitations
I think Bunting Flag ANYTHING is super cute for wedding - it screams fun and festive to me! Check out this Bunting Flag Wedding Invitation I found over on Love and Lavender. Not only do you get the invitation but also a response card as part of the printable package. They have so many great invitation choices, you are bound to find a perfect match for your wedding theme. Best of all - Free.

Click HERE for the download.

Wedding Day Mad Libs
Remember doing Mad Libs as a kid?? You loved them then so why not now too! Had to share this super cute, free Mad Libs printable from over at Love vs. Design. Looking for an interesting alternative to the boring "sign your name here" guest book? Why not these Mad Libs - they'd be a rockin' hit with guests and make a great keepsake book when done. Just print these cuties out, place at your welcome table with some nice pens and an instruction sign! Pure genius planning on your part!

Click HERE for the download

Guest Book Advice Cards

And for more Guest Book fabulousness, we head over Marry This! and their free printable Guest Book Advice Cards. I love this idea cause we all could use a little advice and we KNOW how much our friends and families want to give it. A great wedding keepsake! This download is a fun set of double sided customizable advice cards with an instructional sign! I am in printable heaven!

Click HERE for the download. And while you are there, check out their other amazing wedding guides and printables, like this Wedding Planning Timeline or Customizable Initial Tags.

Hand Illustrated Bride and Groom Signs 
These Bride and Groom Chair signs from Wedding Chicks are so adorable and a perfect addition to any garden or outdoor wedding! I love the colorful flowers and the hand drawn, DIY esque font - can you see these at your wedding? They are non customizable however change the ribbon and you've made them your own!

Head over to the Wedding Chick to print out these chair signs, which were designed by Loft Life Press 

DIY Wedding Favor Boxes

Last but not least, we have these super adorable and totally affordable DIY, printable Wedding Favor Boxes over at Style Me Pretty, designer by Twig and Thistle! TOTAL BUDGET BOOSTER! Do you KNOW how much favor boxes cost?  They have four different designs in a couple colors.  I'm sure you could find some crafty or computerized way to change the color if need be. These cute boxes would also work well for a bridal or baby shower...hint!  

Click HERE for the download. If you have a different design in mind, try this Love is Sweet DIY Wedding Favor Box. Download, Print, Cut, and Fold...Voila!

Hope you've enjoyed my Printables Round Up! We all know that weddings can cost an arm and a leg. Notice I said CAN, as in doesn't necessarily need to happen. I fully believe that with smart planning, good research, wise purchasing and a little elbow grease, you can help your wedding budget. Save some money with these printables so you can spend it on the things you REALLY care about most.

Which of these printables would you choose to help boost your budget? You can find these and so many more DIY ideas over at our Pinterest page. Won't you join us there?

Have a lovely weekend,

{DIY Idea} Ombre Paint Swatch Chandelier from Hey Gorgeous

Ombre is everywhere in the wedding world right now, with cakes, dresses, and especially decor. Couples, planners, designers, love the slight graduation in color that ombre brings to the table. It takes us from the light peach to a deep cantaloupe (insert your wedding color here) and everything in between. I love this trend because it allows you to use many colors within a family and not stick to the matchy match color plan of yesterday.

When I saw this Ombre wedding decor idea over on the Hey Gorgeous blog, I just had to share it. For people who love DIY, this is an ideal project; for those who covet Ombre decor, a perfect idea, for brides who love snatching paint swatches from your local Home Depot...priceless happy dance.

These are all the items you will need to......

...create this gorgeous Ombre Paint Swatch Chandelier! 

Can you image your entire reception filled with these beautiful creations...the flow, the glow, and so inexpensive, it's just crazy! Chalk this one up under easy, budget decor.

Head over to Hey Gorgeous blog for all the DIY Chandelier instructions. The picture tutorial is so easy to follow; you could have one of these done in a few hours!  Thanks to Rhiannon for this fabulous tutorial. Photos by Jenna McKenzie.

What other DIY Projects are you planning for your wedding? I am a huge supporter of making as much of your wedding as you can; it is fun, personal, and practical, aka budget friendly, save your money. Join us over on Facebook and Twitter for more DIY ideas and bride chatter!


Happy Crafting,