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

summer color: inspiration for a driftwood and coral wedding

Today, I wanted to share one of my all time favorite summer wedding inspiration post! This one first appeared on the blog back in 2012. I still love the muted colors and gentle seaside theme.

Most of the time, I try not to be too literal with the themes in my wedding inspiration posts.  But "driftwood" gray was just begging for some beachy details, and some actual driftwood... and my foray into the wedding blogosphere became a lesson in giving in to distraction.  From driftwood I wandered to beach grass, lanterns, and shades of coral, slate, and succulent green.  While this post was inspired by gray, it's hard for me to brainstorm for an event that isn't filled with color!  For what it's worth, I still tried to keep it more evocative of a beach destination rather than in-your-face beach themey.

Wedding Paper Divas

Ruffled

Destination brides are blessed when it comes to bridal 

portraiture.  How about a shoot on a boat in the harbor?

Style Me Pretty 1 | 2

A beach wedding calls for candlelight.

Green Wedding Shoes

Another example of the mismatched bridesmaids' dress

trend done right; I love the muted colors in this photo.

Style Me Pretty

The succulents and eucalyptus make this bouquet so interesting.

A Low Country Wedding

Don't these paper lanterns look like sea anemones from below?

Rehearsal Dinner Guide | Pinterest

For a beach destination wedding, I think it's important 

that centerpieces fit the setting without making it look

 like Captain Jack Sparrow is on the guest list.

This Modern Romance

The Knot

Flavored sea salt would be a nice favor for guests to take home

 from a beach wedding - here's how to make your own.

Have you been lucky enough to attend any beach weddings?  How did the bride and groom incorporate the beach setting into their attire, flowers, and decor?

If you would like to add any of the images from this post to Pinterest, please use the link below the picture to visit the original source and pin from there.  Thank you!

inspiration: a snow white forest wedding

It's been a while since I rounded up fairytale wedding inspiration, so today I'm sharing some swoon-worthy images inspired by another of my favorite stories. The literary version of the Snow White story wasn't one I begged for as a child, but I've loved seeing modern interpretations, from Snow White and the Huntsman to Mary Margaret in Once Upon a Time that give Snow White more agency and power, and make her love story much more compelling. Today, I'm drawing on the Grimm brothers' original fairy tale to capture the innocent essence of the sweet princess.

Midnight Floral wedding invitations by Angela Marzuki from Minted | Docuvitae via Style Me Pretty

Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, the queen sat by her window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And whilst she was sewing and looking out of the window at the snow, she pricked her finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. The red looked so pretty upon the white snow that she felt no pain, and she thought to herself, "Would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window-frame." Soon after that she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow, and as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony; and she was therefore called Snow White. 

Rebekah Hoyt Photography via Heart Love Always

As Snow White grew into womanhood, she grew more and more beautiful; and when the Queen asked her looking-glass —

"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?"

it answered—-

 "Thou art fairer than all who are here, Lady Queen."

 But more beautiful still is Snow-white, as I ween."

North Majesty Trail on Etsy | A Brit and a Blonde via Style Me Pretty

When the Queen's huntsman had drawn his knife, and was about to pierce Snow-white's innocent heart, she began to weep, and said, "Ah dear huntsman, leave me my life! I will run away into the wild forest, and never come home again."

And as she was so beautiful the huntsman had pity on her and said, "Run away, then, you poor child." It seemed as if a stone had been rolled from his heart, but now the poor child was all alone in the great forest, and so terrified that she looked at every leaf of every tree, and did not know what to do. Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, and the wild beasts ran past her, but did her no harm.

Dana Cubbage Weddings via Style Me Pretty

She ran as long as her feet would go until it was almost evening; then she saw a little cottage and went into it to rest herself. Everything in the cottage was small, but neater and cleaner than can be told. There was a table on which was a white cover, and seven little plates, and on each plate a little spoon, seven little knives and forks, and seven little mugs. Against the wall stood seven little beds side by side, and covered with snow-white counterpanes.

The princess was so hungry and thirsty that she ate some vegetables and bread from each plate and drank a drop of wine out of each mug, for she did not wish to take all from one only. Then, as she was so tired, she laid herself down on one of the little beds, said a prayer and went to sleep.

Scobey Photography via Style Me Pretty

When it was morning Snow White awoke, and was frightened when she saw the seven dwarfs. But they were friendly and she stayed with them. In the mornings they went to the mountains and looked for copper and gold, in the evenings they came back, told wonderful stories, and were quite merry.

Candace Berry Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

When the apple was ready the Queen painted her face, and dressed herself up as a country-woman, and so she went over the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs' cottage. 

Snow White longed for the fine apple, and when she saw that the woman ate part of it she could resist no longer, and stretched out her hand and took the poisonous half. 

Canary Grey via Style Me Pretty | Meg Van Kampen Studios via Wedding Chicks

It happened that a king's son came into the forest, and saw the beautiful Snow White in her repose. And with his kiss, she opened her eyes, sat up, and was full of joy.  Snow White went with her prince, and their wedding was held with great show and splendour. 

Which of these fairytale-inspired details is your favorite?

Let me know in the comments!

sunday simplicity.

Melanie Gabrielle via Style Me Pretty

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and 

warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and 

for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

― Edith Sitwell

sunday simplicity.

Kristyn Hogan via Elizabeth Anne Designs

“Home isn't where you're from, it's 
where you find light when all grows dark.”

― Pierce Brown

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

sunday simplicity: sparkle

Brooke Schultz Photography via Ruffled

sunday simplicity: the binding...

Delbarr Moradi Photography via Style Me Pretty

“We are all a volume on a shelf of a library, a story unto ourselves, never possibly described with one word or even very accurately with thousands. A person is never as quiet or unrestrained as they seem, or as bad or good, as vulnerable or as strong, as sweet or as fiesty; we are thickly layered, page upon lying page, behind simple covers. And love - it is not the book itself, but the binding. It can rip us apart or hold us together.” ― Deb Caletti

clicks of note: the world's just spinning...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• Seattle band The Head and the Heart released their second album last year.  The title track, "Let's Be Still," is calm, soothing, and a perfect cure for a case of the Mondays. I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Vue Photography via Elizabeth Anne Designs

• Glamorous bohemian inspiration for autumn at Elizabeth Anne Designs.
• Erin from House of Earnest always has impeccable style and taste.
• Modern Sequins created a whimsical fall tabletop with West Elm items.
• Southern Weddings features a sweet, sparkly DIY soirée on the  farm.

SMILE.

• Cheerful desktop wallpapers from Design Love Fest and Sarah Hearts.
• Daniel Radcliffe's rap skills on Jimmy Fallon win the Internet this week.
• NPR's interview with Mindy Kaling... and Cosmo's new (feminist!) editor.
• Congratulations to Laura from Finding Home on her fun new venture!

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up my November favorites, my favorite neutral pieces and studded ballet flats (a trend that's still going strong) for fall, decor and recipes for a modern Thanksgiving, my fall blog loves, fall entertainment favorites, and an Instagram recap.
• Two years ago, I shared inspiration for a black and white anemone-themed wedding and my favorite healthy pumpkin pie oatmeal breakfast recipe.
• Three years ago, I featured our indoor wedding portraits, recapped our social hour, showed off our outdoor bridal party portraits, and the ones of just me and Mr. Q.  I also posted about gratitude, shared my recipe for slow cooker baked apples and a peek at how we used cedar and teal as our main kitchen colors.

sunday simplicity: fall

Love Made Visible via Ruffled

“Life starts all over again 
when it gets crisp in the fall.” 

― from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

welcome, fall.

Clark Brewer Photography via Grey Likes Weddings

"If more of us valued food and cheer and 

song above hoarded gold, it would be 

a merrier world." — J.R.R. Tolkien

clicks of note: you take all the time you need...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• The past two weeks have been busy.  Now that my classroom is set up (almost) just the way I like it, I've learned all of my students' names, and my classroom routines are rolling right along, I'm hoping that my life will settle back into its easy routine.  This week, I'm teaming up with the amazing Rebecca and some other lovely ladies for a Back to School Giveaway over at Caravan Sonnet!

LISTEN.

• I fell in love with Oh Honey's "Lonely Neighbor" when it popped up on my YouTube suggestions - it's such a sweet song, the sound is very different from anything that's on the radio right now, and I love that the video features different kinds of couples.  I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Danielle Evans Photography via Elegance and Enchantment

• E+E shows off a classic barn wedding with the best cake stand ever.
• 100 Layer Cake spotlights a beautifully bohemian bridal shower.
• Southern Weddings features a pretty, classic Amelia Island wedding.
• Loving this chic, creative San Diego engagement session from SMP.

SMILE.

• Check out BRIDES' gallery of celebs who eschewed white weddings.
• Freutcake teaches us how to set a perfectly mismatched table.
• Fun, quirky, useful and interesting life hacks from Quora users.
• I enjoyed this peek into a ballet dancer's daily life from Vulture.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up some olive and moss green wardrobe inspiration for fall, styled a classic preppy gameday,
• Two years ago I shared neutral wardrobe inspiration and home decor ideas and daydreamed about a mod-influenced citrus wedding.  
• Three years ago I shared inspiration for a destination wedding in tropical shades and a pump-it-up playlist.

clicks of note: three years

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

• With our third wedding anniversary coming up this Wednesday, I was revisiting our social hour playlist.  I still love John Mayer's "Only Heart" as much as I did then!  I'll be linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Cassidy Carson Photography

• Bridal Musings shows off a gorgeous watercolor inspired wedding shoot.
• A dreamy styled backyard dinner photographed by Cassidy Carson.
• Southern Weddings features a Texas farm celebration full of sweet details.
• This Louisiana garden wedding at Style Me Pretty is a Southern fairytale.

SMILE.

• Clark + Kensington is releasing paint colors inspired by OPI nail polish!
• Design Improvised came up with an adorable DIY garden party clutch.
• Distractify features a round-up of very cool old photos.
• Wedding Chicks rounds up ten skinny cocktails.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I rounded up the cutest July birthday cards, shared some vintage-style wedding inspiration,and recapped our Tennessee vacation, including the Titanic Museum Attraction, the Cumberland Plateau, and our day trip to Nashville.
• Two years ago I shared my summer Instagrams and fashion, home decor and wedding inspiration in shades of bellflower and chambray.  We got creative and celebrated our first wedding anniversary, and received a mystery marriage book in the mail.

welcome, summer!

Caroline Joy Photography via Style Me Pretty

"I had that familiar conviction that life 

was beginning over again with the summer.” 

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

clicks of note: some days are better than other days...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• Michael Franti and Spearhead always have a spot in my summer playlists, and "Life is Better With You" is so sweet.  The colorful lyrics video is fun, too.  I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Belathée Photography via SCOUT

• A fun, chic Chicago apartment tour via The Everygirl.
• Ruffled features a creative, modern inspiration shoot.
• At SCOUT, a pretty summer tablescape you could DIY.
• A dreamy blush and mint yacht club wedding at SW.

SMILE.

• Cute, chic cocktail party matchups at Coco and Kelley.
• Freutcake's heart-shaped succulent planter can perk up a patio.
• These colorful photos of Sydney's beaches are so fun!
• Could you tell Ryan Lewis who Ryan Lewis is, though?

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I went back in time through my blogging history with the Sunday Social girls.
• Two years ago, I shared my desire to be more considerate and mused on Father's Day (and my awesome father-in-law).

inspiration for a cerulean blue and peach ballroom wedding

Unexpected color palettes make for some of the most memorable weddings.  Today I'm sharing a few bits of inspiration for a wedding featuring toned-down versions of complementary colors blue and orange, perfect for spring or early summer.

Corbin Gurkin Photography via Style Me Pretty | averyhouse via Style Me Pretty

Tonya Joy Photography via Ruffled

Corbin Gurkin Photography via Style Me Pretty | Kamilyin via Spokane Bride Blog

clicks of note: on this lovely sunny day...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• Zachary Levi and Bert from Sesame Street remind you to GO OUTSIDE.  The cutest.

SWOON.

Elisabeth Millay via Southern Weddings

• Coco and Kelley features high fashion home decor inspiration and ideas.
• Dreamily beautiful Paris travel photos from Entouriste - can we go now?
• This DIY paper punch backdrop from Ruffled is perfect for summer parties.
• Southern Weddings features a sparkly, elegant and fun Charleston fete.

SMILE.

• Don't forget to watch the Belmont Stakes this weekend - go Cali Chrome!
• Jenny Steffens Hobick's summer collection is perfect for entertaining.
• Different perspectives on legendary places worldwide (The MetaPicture)
• Rachel is hosting a fun Instagram photography challenge this month!

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I did some summer reminiscing with the Sunday Social ladies and shared the weird Google search terms that brought people to the blog in 2013.
• Two years ago, I shared inspiration for a mint and blue wedding (still love this color palette).  
• Three years ago, I found myself having a wedding planning meltdown, which I survived by deciding to DIY a lot of our details.