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Posts from the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Mar 14

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Engagements: Captured

I’m deep into the start of wedding season. I’m actually spending the week in my hometown of Mobile, Ala. getting ready for Whitney and Cliff’s wedding this weekend. Thus, I’m going to play the “I’m really busy” card (read: slacker) and do another photography post (read: low effort).

This time, I’m focused on the engagement photo shoot. Now, I’m a sucker for great wedding photography. But, engagement shoots are especially fun to me. It’s where you can devote the time to calm down, relax and just enjoy being with your fiance while a pro photographer captures your love in a casual, every day life type of setting (if you so choose). Full disclosure: I have had absolutely nothing to do with any of the photos that you are about to enjoy in this post beyond the fact that the folks in them are my super awesome clients having a ball with a few of my favorite photographers that I get to work with and subsequently brag on. I did not style these shoots. I did not even attend these shoots. I am simply admiring them and hopefully encouraging others to have fun with their engagement shoots as well.

I could spend time going into a few points for you to think about when it comes to your engagement shoot. But, that is for another post. Right now, I just want you to sit back and enjoy these lovelies. Until next time… XOXO, Julie

Brittany and Justin – Lucky Photography
These two are so cute! I can’t wait for their Wetumpka, Ala. wedding in May. It is going to be beautiful!

Adding a stop at Toomer’s Drugs for some lemonade during the shoot? Genius. And super cute! War Eagle!

Kristi and Josh – MJ Gillespie Photography
Their wedding here in Auburn, Ala. is just around the corner! It is going to be such a lovely affair. Seriously. Just wait for the photos.

Ellen and Ryan – FlipFlopFoto.com
Oh my goodness. I have been in love with these photos since they first appeared on Facebook (see them here). I have had such a great time working with Ellen and her family. Their rustic chic wedding at Children’s Harbour is coming in June. Get ready!

Rachel and Sean – Chanterelle Photography
These two gorgeous people are already married (remember their awesome wedding in Pike Road, Ala.?). But, I am still in love with their engagement photos. And, yes. They own a gym together. A couple that works out together, stays together. And looks hot together…

Feb 1

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What’s Inspiring Me Now: {Preppy Wedding} {Vintage Meets Southern Wedding} {French Country Wedding}

I like the thought of having semi-regular columns on the blog. I know I have done a few inspiration posts in the past, but they have now gained their own title of “What’s Inspiring Me Now”. With the start of the wedding season (that’s what peeps in the biz call the frenzy of wedding bookings after the holidays), I’m scouring the internet for all kinds of inspiring photos for the upcoming season. Not that any of my clients have asked for these designs. I just think that it is a good thing to stay inspired. Instead of one particular design that has hit this wedding planner’s fancy, I’ve started several boards that I’m in love with. Maybe it’s the thought of spring being here soon, maybe it’s my love of warm weather, maybe I just can’t live in the season that we are in, but the following designs seem to scream spring/summer wedding to me. They are also screaming photo shoot to me…..

1. The Preppy Wedding. There are a lot of things to like about the preppy wedding. My favorite? It’s kind of like less-is-more goes bold. I know that sounds strange, but think about it. It’s clean lines. Not overdone. Just great color contrasts. There are plenty of colors that go along with a preppy design, but my choice would be navy and white. Almost nautical. To be honest, navy has been one of my favorite colors my whole life. And there are an amazing amount of colors that go with navy – think how great pops of bright pink and kelly green would look with this. But, today is all about putting navy and white together. I found this photo on Pinterest that kicked off this design thought: white anemones. While the center of these flowers are technically black, they have a blue tint to them that make me think preppy.

2. The Vintage Wedding Meets Southern Wedding. I have posted several times about the interestingly controversial (among the industry) vintage wedding. Is it in or out, trend or classic, stylish or campy…? Apparently no one can decide. So, I decided to start pinning things for my idea for a vintage wedding. Then, I looked at the board as a whole and I realized that it was taking on a distinctly southern feel. Vintage, yes. But, definitely southern. And I have decided to put the controversy to rest on the whole vintage wedding design: southern does vintage right. Actually, southern does a lot of stuff right. But, particularly vintage. To be sure, this wedding would be quite a home in Alabama or Georgia – my stomping grounds. The photo below was the one that kicked off this board. So effortless and beautiful.

3. French Country Wedding. This is my nod to girly. Or, indulging my need to travel vicariously through photos. I think it would be awesome to bring a little bit of the French countryside to Alabama. I love the movie Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst and the scene with them having a summer soiree under a tent is perfect. A beautiful garden, a relaxed feel, a simple wedding. I feel like Martha Stewart would be all over this wedding (I like to imagine that Martha and I are close). The photo that kicked this board off would be a bunch of lavender. It smells amazing and is gorgeous in bunches and is so French Provincial. Merci!

I’d love to hear your thoughts and what might be inspiring you these days! Until next time… XOXO, Julie

Jul 20

Wedding Inspiration – Winter

It’s about 1,000 degrees and 200% humidity here in Alabama and it has made me dream of a lusciously cold winter fete. Although, I have to admit that it is more than the lack of oppressively hot weather that attracts me to a winter wedding. I think that there is something innately romantic about a winter affair. The quiet that comes with the winter. The peacefulness and mystery of a snowy winter scene. The juxtaposition of watching a roaring fire and drinking warm libations while the outside world is blanketed in cold. It’s a study in contrasts and I love it.

So, while I have been pinning away at various wedding inspiration boards, winter scenes have been popping up and I thought that I would give us all a reprieve from the heat and discuss my thoughts on winter wedding design. To start out, I have to explain the difference between the words design and theme. I, personally, don’t like to use the word theme when it comes to weddings. Themes are for children’s parties. Not weddings. Design is something that will stand the test of time. Something that will be meaningful to the couple. I believe that a design is meant to support the event’s purpose. It is the environment. Not the focus. A theme is a focus and it will inevitably take away from the reason for the event – the couple’s love and commitment to each other. If you create a design that is the environment to support the event, it will be effortless and natural. Beautiful, yes. But, nothing that will overshadow the reason for the wedding.

Now that we are all clear on that point, on to the design. I know that this particular scene that I am setting isn’t necessarily achievable here in Alabama. While we do get snow, it is always on the most unbelievable day possible and completely unpredictable – like, we had snow on Christmas day last year. Who would have thought?!? Just keep in mind that I pack light. Well, not really. But, I would be super happy to travel to the Rockies where I would love to see this wedding happen. What I am really going for is an atmosphere of warmth and elegant coziness. Refined rustic. Kind of what I always want my Christmas Eve to feel like, if I were lucky enough to have it in the mountains. Anticipation and wonder. An air of magic. The feeling that even though you are dressed up for a celebration, you are relaxed because you are with your most favorite people ever.

So, here is a beginning to an inspiration board that I started for this winter fantasy wedding. See all of it here: http://pinterest.com/invisionwedding/wedding-designs-that-need-to-happen/

 

 

 

Jun 29

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My Favorite Wedding Design: An Inspiration Post in Black and White

When I get a new wedding client, I begin by making a story board of photos for the particular design that we are working towards – which has now gone digital with Pinterest. Just recently, I have found myself pinning a few more photos of things that I find inspiring. Not for any client or wedding in particular. Just for things that I, personally, am excited about. I get in various moods. Sometimes a spring design is really exciting. The next day, I’m dreaming of an intimate wedding in the vineyards of Napa. Well, I have a few Pinterest boards started for things that I love and I thought that I should start sharing them in a semi-regular column here on the blog. So, here’s my very first personal inspiration board post. And, just to throw this out there, I would DIE to make any of my inspiration boards come to life in a photo shoot if I can’t plan this for myself in real life. *hint, hint to any photographers, florists, etc. to jump on board…

Also, you are welcome to follow this board on Pinterest here.

Julie’s Dream Wedding Design Yes. This is what this post is all about. Thank you in advance for letting me be completely self-serving with this post. I can design for just about anyone’s style, taste, season, etc. But, if I were to pull photos for my personal fairy tale, then this is what you will get. No, this is not what my real wedding looked like – although, there are some similar threads. I had a slightly smaller budget than what this wedding would require. But, this really does sum up what I love more than anything. Formality. Anything I do or plan for myself inevitably becomes more formal than first proposed. As my sister, Lisa, once told me, “Julie, you aren’t an uptight person. But, you like uptight things.” It’s true. I LOVE it. So, I will walk you through my design and we can all dream together of attending such a shindig. One day…

When I say formal wedding, you would assume black tie, correct? To explain what black tie design means to me: black and white. Or silvers. And greys. Not really any color. Obviously, black tie events that have loads of color happen all the time. I’ve designed some of those. But, for my own personal taste, it’s black and white. To those who know me, this will come as no surprise. It’s almost odd how much I love the combo of black and white. In fact, my whole house is done in black and white and grey. I own more black dresses/pants/clothes in general than any normal person should. My husband and I drive one black and one white vehicle respectively. I have a black and white dog. I also have a brindle dog, but still… Just goes to show you, this fantasy design is pretty engrained. As a side note, this is how your wedding should be – an extension of your personality. Never try to be something that you aren’t. I wouldn’t be happy with a beach wedding (as gorgeous as they are) any more than the beach wedding personality would be happy with this design.

Since I haven’t been shy about how the invitation is everything to a wedding, I’ll put my money where my mouth is and start there. For my fantasy, I need the invitation to scream black tie. An invitation with custom calligraphy. Black ink. Letterpress or engraved (below is letterpress, I believe). Perfection.

Next up: Attire. I have always loved Badgley Mischka. I follow their evening wear designs from afar. I can’t say that I own any Badgley Mischka. But, their designs are lovely. I give you their designs in both Bridal and Bridesmaids options.

Shoes by Badgley Mischka as well.

Jewels by Harry Winston, natch.

Next item: Location. I think a gorgeous hotel in Paris would make me happy. Like Le Meurice. Quintessential Paris style. Merci.

I suppose we need some decor. White. Everything white. With silver accents. And candles.

And, to round out my fantasy, dessert. Simple cake. The best way to end a night.


So, what do you think? Would any of you like to attend my fantasy wedding? Is this too expected? What would you do for your fantasy wedding or event? Anyone up for a photo shoot???

And, be sure to visit the Pinterest board here. It has even more photos to round out the vision.

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