sunday simplicity: national ice cream day.

Danielle Poff via The Wedding Standard

Your love is better than ice cream

better than anything else that I've tried

- Sarah McLachlan

sunday simplicity.

Kayla Barker Fine Art Photography via Style Me Pretty

“August has passed, and yet summer continues by 

force to grow days. They sprout secretly between the 

chapters of the year, covertly included between its pages.”

― Jonathan Safran Foer, Tree of Codes

Kayla Barker Fine Art Photography via Style Me Pretty

sunday simplicity.

My Lens of Love via Camille Styles

“In the silence of love you will 

find the spark of life” - Rumi

sunday simplicity.

Britt Croft Photography via Southern Weddings

"I believe everyone is free to make choices, bad and good; I 

believe everyone is noble and full of potential; I believe in 

hope and the possibilities for happy endings." - Shannon Hale

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
WATCH.

• I can't think of anything more beautiful to share today than Lin-Manuel Miranda's acceptance sonnet and tribute to the Orlando victims from last night's Tony Awards. Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love.

SWOON.

Apryl Ann Photography via Style Me Pretty

• An industrial-meets-boho home tour from Glitter Guide.
• Love this sweet Nashville brunch wedding with stripes.
• An elegant outdoor wedding with an NFL twist.
• From Wedding Chicks, romantic Southern inspiration.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Red Stamp, Paper Leaf, Design is Yay.
• The Syncopated Ladies' tap tribute to Prince.
• Currently compiling summer outfit ideas on Pinterest.
• From Ann Voskamp: June is the new January:

Let the world go ahead and get loud and large. There are fresh starts in quiet starts. There are small and hidden seeds that are growing into forests, that are growing into the greatest yield.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: travel-inspired berry/olive wardrobe updates, preppy coral wedding inspiration, and Instagrammers to follow.
• 2014: my summer favorites for Sunday Social, checking in with Literary Junkies, creating my ideal summer camp packing list, rounding up my Instagram faves, and recapping my early summer in entertainment.
• 2013: I joined Bloglovin' and featured a sunny yellow Sunday Simplicity.
• 2012: an Instagram round-up from my small town life, inspiration for a library-themed wedding, and Scottish wedding ideas inspired by Brave.  
• 2011: our plans for a sparkler send-off and reception sweetheart table (the best idea!).

sunday simplicity.

True Photography Weddings / Couture Events

“You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams. 
And  I  know  if  I  can  make  you  smile by jumping over a 
couple of couches or running through a rainstorm, then I'll 
be very glad to be a song and dance man.” ―  Gene  Kelly

clicks of note. happy labor day!

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Erin McGinn Boutique Photography

• Bridal Musings spotlights Aria's romantic wedding gowns.
• This preppy, nautical engagement shoot from Erin McGinn.
• How cool is this CBS Hollywood backlot wedding from GWS?
• Peridot Weddings planned this lively farm to table wedding.

SMILE.

• Brides to be: cocktail hour tips from Bridal Musings.
• Cup of Jo's piece on parenting in Kenya was so interesting.
• House of Lars' Dress the Rainbow is such a beautiful idea.
• A pink Shibori dye how-to. It was only a matter of time.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I recapped my late summer in entertainment, shared a Sunday Social all about my favorites,
• Two years ago, I rounded up graphic black and white pieces for fall and inspiration for a Jane Austen inspired garden wedding, recapped my summer in entertainment, and blurbed the fall 2013 shows I was looking forward to.
• Three years ago, I shared our wedding's thrifted touches, rounded up modern terrariums from around the web and more geometric accessories, and joined an Instagram challenge for book lovers. 
• Four years ago, I shared more of our wedding's handcrafted details, a peek at the girls getting ready at the salon, and what the guys were up to.

sunday simplicity.

Heidi Ryder Photography via Ruffled

"If you have a garden and a library, 

you have everything you need."

- Cicero

Heidi Ryder Photography via Ruffled

clicks of note.

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Best known for her time on the fourth season of The Voice, Michelle Chamuel released her first pop album this year. I discovered the title track, "Face the Fire" through Spotify and it's been on repeat ever since - let it be your girl-power anthem this week.

SWOON.

Andrea Nunez via the West Elm Blog

• Layla's 3-D Lowcountry gallery wall inspires me.
• From SW, a lovely wedding at Chandelier Grove.
• SMP features a beautifully rustic Italian wedding.
• Andrea's midcentury living room makes me smile!

SMILE.

• August desktops from Minding My Nest, Paper Leaf, Smashing.
• Burkatron made some adorable, chic plaster pineapple magnets.
• Astronauts' views of the Perseid meteor shower.
• Target's plaid lookbook for this autumn has arrived!

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I participated in a Sunday Social about my preferences, shared soft neutral summer wardrobe inspiration, and rounded up music-inspired save the dates and wedding invitations.
• Two years ago I participated in a forward-thinking Sunday Social, shared my favorite work outfit, and featured colorful kitchen pieces and inspiration for a soft coral and teal wedding.
• Two years ago,  I shared navy blue wardrobe inspiration and home decor ideas,  and daydreamed about bohemian weddings with brides in forehead bands.

Real Wedding: Rustic Elegance at Explore Park

This past weekend I had the pleasure of helping with a wedding in an absolutely beautiful location: Virginia's Explore Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The wedding was extra special to me because the bride is my BFF Breeze's younger sister and since I've known her for 20 years, I love her like she's my own sister too. She and her groom actually met at Breeze's wedding and everyone there could see that it was love at first sight.

Photo by my sister-in-law Autumn

The wedding ceremony took place in Mountain Union Church, a reconstructed Greek Revival church and schoolhouse from the 1880's. The bride was given away by her grandfather, who later said in his toast that it was the happiest day of his life because both of his granddaughters are so happy. Special touches included vows written by the bride and groom and a tree ceremony with readings from both of their mothers. The couple became homeowners last year so knowing that the tree will be planted on their homestead was a sweet touch.

The reception was held in the Chestnut Ridge Room in the Arthur Taubman Center, a modern building designed with 18th century style in mind. The bride and her bridesmaids filled the room with special touches including a puzzle guest book and chalkboard relationship timeline. The wedding colors were coral, cobalt, and gray, and everything came together through the use of repeated textures - "tree cookies," chalkboards, burlap, and lace. Photographs were also a major decorating theme for the reception.

We created this sweetheart table with antique chairs from the couple's home. The drink holders are from Kirkland's - I couldn't resist picking them up when I saw the burlap!

The bride's best friend is a photographer who created this "LOVE" art on a hike through the woods. The bride adores owls, so we had to get a few feathered friends in on the decor!

The centerpieces included a "tree cookie" cut from the bride's grandfather's farm, a cobalt wine bottle from a local vineyard wrapped in lace and filled with baby's breath, a burlap-wrapped glass soda bottle filled with cobalt and blue flowers, and a tiny Weck-style burlap-wrapped canning jar filled with an LED light and glass marbles. Each table also had photos of the bride and groom at similar phases in their lives (and in poses that basically proved they are soulmates).

The couple are known as avid environmentalists who love hiking, camping and attending music festivals, and their plates and cutlery were 100% compostable. The dinner buffet included wraps, veggie slaw, and fruit salad from a local café. 

This rustic, elegant wedding at Explore Park was one of the most unique and creative weddings I've attended - it was certainly a labor of love for friends and family, and the bride and groom have never looked happier or more in love.

sunday simplicity.

"I had that familiar conviction that 

life was beginning over again with the summer."

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Images by Ashley Seawell Photography via Snippet and Ink

inspiration for a coral prep wedding

Since my post a couple of weeks ago on how popular Pantone's Strawberry Ice color has become this summer, I haven't been able to stop dreaming of cool coral pinks. Today, I'm imagining a preppy Southern summer wedding with garden-fresh florals, champagne, calligraphy, and plenty of bow ties!

Floral Bloom wedding invitation by Artsy Design Co. on Etsy

Athena Bludé Photography via Grey Likes Weddings

How beautiful is this driveway? I love the pop of blue from the hydrangeas.

Josh McCullock via Wedding Chicks | Emily Steffen via Style Me Pretty

Does it get more preppy than a dog in a polka dot bow tie?

Nicole Ryan Photography via Fab Mood

Erin Volante Floral via Bollea | Jessica Christine Photography

Athena Bludé Photography via Grey Likes Weddings

Equestrian-inspired details get me every time.

Coco Tran via Style Me Pretty | Kristin Byrum Photography via Style Me Pretty

What's your favorite color for summer weddings?

inspiration: restaurant wedding receptions

There are a lot of great reasons to choose a favorite restaurant as a wedding reception venue: being in a beloved place can offset wedding-day anxiety, small venues keep guest lists (and prices) down, and you know the food will be fantastic! Decorating is relatively easy because tables, linens, and candles are usually already a given. Restaurants, bistros, pubs, and tap rooms are also a great place to meet up with family and friends following a town hall wedding or elopement. Today I've rounded up some beautiful restaurant reception photos and ideas from around the web.

Alisha Crossley via Southern Weddings | Laura Ivanova via Style Me Pretty

Wouldn't it be romantic to hold your wedding reception in the same place where you had your first date, or where your proposal took place? Some couples may choose to hold their reception in a restaurant that has been a family favorite for years - a sweet nod to tradition and community.

Scarlet O'Neill Photography via Intimate Weddings

The Studio Nouveau via Intimate Weddings

Giuli and Giordi Photography via Snippet and Ink

Why try to recreate a design style you love using expensive rentals when you can have an intimate reception in an authentic space? I love the idea of using a restaurant's existing spaces - bars, counters, tables, and patios - to offer guests an evening to remember.

Laura Ivanova via Style Me Pretty | Kristen Wood via Snippet and Ink

clicks of note: who knows what we'll find...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Jason Mraz will always be one of my favorites.  Right now I'm loving "A World With You" from his new album Yes.  I'm linking up with My So-Called Chaos for Musical Mondays.

SWOON.

Meg Runion Studios via Style Me Pretty

• This Verulam Farms wedding is so Charlottesville.
• The Woodgrain Cottage's fall home tour is so cozy.
• Wedding Chicks features gorgeous hairstyle ideas.

SMILE.

• 13 Days of Halloween starts this weekend!
• Need a quick escape? Road trip photography.
• Love this natural engagement story via Jo.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up blush + taupe wardrobe updates, shared Halloween costume ideas for couples + groups along with some Gatsby-inspired options, and completed an A to Z book survey.
• Two years ago I shared navy + orange wardrobe ideas, put together inspiration for a rustic navy wedding, rounded up wedding cake pop ideas, shared my photos from High Point Furniture Market as well as a what-to-wear guide, and put together a musical alphabet.
• Three years ago I rounded up fall centerpiece ideas and shared photos from my first trip to High Point + a recipe for crock pot baked apples.

clicks of note: show the world the you inside...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• If you like 20-year-old Meghan Trainor's radio single "All About That Bass," you'll love the super-positive "Close Your Eyes."  This girl has such a powerhouse voice!  I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Brett Heidebrecht Photography via Style Me Pretty

• The Bride's Cafe features the perfect black and white palette.
• A simple, stylish backyard wedding from Elizabeth Anne Designs.
• How sweet is this hot air balloon birthday party from HWTM?
• Style Me Pretty features a gorgeous blue desert engagement sesh.

SMILE.

• Cool stuff from NYFW: Luis Antonio, Lela Rose, Alice and Olivia.
• From SheFinds: 8 things brides forget to do after the reception.
• Pretty printable fall gift wrap and tags from designer Lia Griffith.
• I enjoyed reading this essay about Joan Rivers from XOJane.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I put together a rainy game day outfit.
• Two years ago, I shared lilac and rose wardrobe picks for fall, inspiration for a neutral pastel wedding, a roundup of ballerina bun hairstyles, and my personal manifesto.  
• Three years ago, I showed you my bridal portraits taken the morning of the ceremony and recapped our wedding's prelude.

sunday simplicity

Nine Photography via Ruffled