Lauren + Peter :: California Wedding & Elegant Garden Party
We’ve got the most beautiful wedding to show you today and it couldn’t be more perfectly tailored to this gorgeous spring weather! While it may have actually been shot in July (and in sunny CA), we still feel it’s fitting because Californian’s have spring weather all year round don’t they?  ;)  Speaking of CA, our uber-talented SanFran photographer, Michael, was there to capture the whole day and he did such an incredible job. Lauren and Peter described their vision to us as a casually elegant, and very personal garden wedding. It was going to take place at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park, which she described to be like a Spanish Mission with lots of unbelievably gorgeous gardens. We immediately thought – garden party! You know, the exquisite outdoor parties thrown by prestigious europeans at Buckingham Palace and the Palais de l’Elysée. Need we say more? AMAZING. Here are a few tips when planning your own Garden Party Wedding:
1. Garden Party ≠Casual. Just because you’ve decided to throw an outdoor wedding, doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be casual! You better believe the garden parties thrown at the Palais de l’Elysée are formal. Lauren didn’t forgo the gorgeous long wedding dress just because she was going to be outside – she chose a beautifully beaded gown that worked perfectly with their exquisite outdoor surroundings & decor.
2. Choose colors that complement the gardens. L + P chose to use hydrangeas in the bouquets and centerpieces that worked beautifully with the many hydrangeas in the gardens at the venue. They also used a lot of royal blues (bridesmaids dresses, tablecloths, etc.), which made the perfect palette for all of the purples, pinks and greens of the flowers to lie next to.
3. Don’t skimp on the dinner! Have the formal, 3 course, plated meal you always dreamed of – just under a few crisp, white umbrellas for shade! Mixing the beauty of the outdoors with the beauty of some exquisite stemware and delicate china is the perfect way push your outdoor wedding from a rustic picnic to the elegant garden party you envisioned.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Â Thrilled to have you as part of our OLAS family L+P!
Photographer: Michael; Ceremony/Reception: Allied Arts Guild; Florist: Apis Floral; Cake: Jen’s Cakes; Caterer: Cafe Primavera; DJ: Elite Entertainment; Harpist: Michelle Sell; Dress: Casablanca; Shoes: Dessy; Hair: Christina Hair Artistry; Favor Tags: My Own Labels; Graham Cracker Cookies: Miette
Read MoreMelissa + Andrew::Part 2::New England Commandant’s House Wedding
We brought you Part 1 of Melissa and Andrew’s drop-dead gorgeous classic New England affair, and now it’s time for Part 2. Our Chicago photographer, Roya, made the trip out East specifically for the occasion, and we are SERIOUSLY loving these ceremony shots. The emotion is so evident through these photographs, and we are swooning over Melissa and Andrew’s reception (be sure to check out the Japanese lanterns and the gorgeous calligraphy!)
You may remember Alyssa + Shaun’s gorgeous nautical wedding (Part 1 + Part 2) shot by our New England photographer Graham at one of our favorite venues – The Commandant’s House in Charlestown, MA. Just a few short weeks later, (once like a spark) was back at the Commandant’s House for Melissa + Andrew’s perfectly classic soiree.  This time, our Chicago photographer Roya made the trip out to the East Coast to take part in precious Melissa and Andrew’s big day. Melissa works at Google in Boston, where several of her co-workers used (once like a spark) for their weddings. (We love our Google Boston girls!! xoxo)  Andrew is a restauranteur, and owns some hot-spots in Boston. Melissa and Andrew met one weekend at his restaurant…and the rest is history!  We’re so glad that you invited Roya and (once like a spark) to be a part of your big day!
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Melissa + Andrew::Part 1::Commandant’s House New England Wedding
You may remember Alyssa + Shaun’s gorgeous nautical wedding (Part 1 + Part 2) shot by our New England photographer Graham at one of our favorite venues – The Commandant’s House in Charlestown, MA. Just a few short weeks later, (once like a spark) was back at the Commandant’s House for Melissa + Andrew’s perfectly classic soiree. Â This time, our Chicago photographer Roya made the trip out to the East Coast to take part in precious Melissa and Andrew’s big day. Melissa works at Google in Boston, where several of her co-workers used (once like a spark) for their weddings. (We love our Google Boston girls!! xoxo) Â Andrew is a restauranteur, and owns some hot-spots in Boston. Melissa and Andrew met one weekend at his restaurant…and the rest is history! Check out Part 1 of this absolutely gorgeous wedding day, and be on the lookout for Part 2 soon! Â As you’ll see, Melissa and Andrew decided to do a first glance, and it was a really special, sweet moment. We’re so glad that you invited Roya and (once like a spark) to be a part of your big day!
Venue: The Commandant’s House; Florist: Madison Floral; Dress: Augusta Jones; Hair/Makeup: Philip Mark Salon
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Carrie + Chris :: GA Wedding Part 2 :: Personalized DIY
Hi again!
We just couldn’t wait any longer to bring you Part 2 of Carrie and Chris’s beautiful GA Wedding, so here it is! If you have yet to check out Part 1, do so now and then head back here. C + C really wanted their wedding to feel intimate and welcoming, and we just love all of the little personal DIY touches they included that really worked to pull it all off. Remember that gorgeous garter photo from Part 1? Homemade! Additionally, they used these adorable little twine penant banners, customized with their names, that were so.crazy.cute in their photos together. Another idea they had, was to bring mini chalk boards to write on and use during their couples shots. These are the kinds of personal touches that can make your wedding photos have that little extra something special you’re hoping for. Tracy (our CA photographer who flew in especially for C+C), did such a great job using these throughout the session – just wait till you see! One of the things Carrie said to us during the planning process, was that while she’d still like to have all of the more traditional photos taken at their wedding, she also really wanted lots of the creative and whimsical photos “that are very (once like a spark) too.” Ok, GUSH ALERT. We really can’t say enough to you all how much it means to us to hear that you love our OLAS aesthetic of classic beauty with touches of art and whimsy. We work so, so hard to make your photographs not only beautiful, but we want them to stand out and literally take your breath away. We say it all the time, but we’ll say it again, because it’s so true: we have the VERY BEST clients. Thank you for choosing OLAS! xoxo
Ceremony: Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church; Reception: Country Club of Roswell; Dress By:Â Allure Bridals; Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston;Hair/Makeup:Â Claudia Mejerle; DJ: Atlanta Sound and Fury Entertainment;
Read MoreCarrie + Chris :: GA Wedding Part 1 :: Red Is For Romance
Hello dear OLAS family!
We hope you’ve all been enjoying the unseasonable heat wave the whole country seems to be experiencing! Crazy right? Speaking of heat waves, we’re so happy to share  Carrie + Chris’s red-hot-romantic GA wedding with you today (like what we did there?).  :)  Carrie knew early on in the wedding planning process that she was going to use red as her statement color, which we think is such a great choice for weddings – it can be fun, dramatic, romantic, what have you! It’s all about the way you decide to use it. Carrie pulled this off flawlessly, using it to give her wedding both an intimate and romantic feel. Here are a few ways how:
1. Those SHOES! Obviously, first, we’ve got to mention the shoes (uh, gorgeous!). We love that C chose to go with a fun pop of color for her shoes – a little “peek-a-boo” of red if you will.
2. Red Roses = Romance. There’s no question red roses are the flower known ’round the world to exude romance. 189 million stems of roses are sold in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day  alone, and 1.2 billion throughout the year! We’d definitely say that roses are always a great choice if you’re trying to create a romantic feel for your wedding. If Carrie was going for a more flirty & playful vibe, she might have chosen a different flower in red, say gerber daisies for instance. It’s all about how you decide to use it!
3. Long, draped, bridesmaids dresses (in red of course!). Nothing says romance like a beautiful, flowy red dress. The chiffon dresses Carrie chose feel absolutely effortless, while still leaving a big romantic impression.
P.S. Be on the look out for Part 2 coming soon! Also, don’t you just love how our SoCal photog phenom, Tracy (who flew to GA just for C + C’s special day), found her own little accents of red to photograph the details? She’s amazing  :)
Dress By: Allure Bridals; Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston; Hair/Makeup: Claudia Mejerle
Read MoreBrianne + Jeffrey::Preppy Southern GA Wedding
We’ve all been feeling the beginnings of warm weather, which has us majorly itching for all-things-summer. Luckily, Brianne and Jeffrey’s southern, summer wedding did just the trick! The pops of bright colors, the amazing warm light, and the overall light and airy feel of this day embody all that is summer – we’re loving it! Brianne and Jeffrey got married at their hometown church, and had a bright, preppy feel to their day. They used pinks and bright greens throughout all of their details, and we are seriously, seriously loving the amazing lime bridesmaids dresses. Brianne also used bright green ribbons with white polka dots throughout some subtle details (everything from the wreaths decorating the church doors to the wrap around the bridesmaids bouquets), and it gave just a touch of a prep. Our amazing photographers were able to really utilize the area around the church in downtown Powder Springs, Georgia.I mean….vintage Coke signs and hidden alleyways? Can it get more perfect? After their ceremony, Brianne and Jeffrey and their guests headed over to the reception at Marietta Country Club, where our photographers were able to take advantage of the pristine light as the sun was setting and get some *gorgeous* couples shots. B+J’s reception was a total blast – the shot of the guests egging on the keyboard player is one of our favs! Thanks so much, Brianne and Jeffrey! We love you guys!
Ceremony: First Baptist Church of Powder Springs; Reception: Marietta Country Club; Florist: Your Flowers by Isa; Cake: Sheila Morris; Band: Nathan Angelo; Wedding Dress: Allure; Shoes: Caparros; Bridesmaid Dresses: Watters; Accessories (Necklace and Hair Flower): Etsy; Hair: Salon Silhouette; Makeup: Parish;
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