Color Day Themes: Queen Bee

Here's a quirky little inspiration board for you based on one of nature's most misunderstood creatures, the honey bee. Bees are industrious, work together in harmonious unison, and if we look back to ancient times in Egypt, the symbol of the bee was used to represent royalty. In terms of colors, black and yellow are always what come to mind when we think of these insects. But, your event or decor can certainly be the bees knees without totally going overboard with the color, just stick with a more saturated hue like a mustard or golden honey and stay away from the bright crayon kind of yellow you might be used to.  Decorate with gold and black accents, add honey comb patterns to your stationary or decor, give away natural local honey, and whip you hair into a high and mighty beehive and you'll have an event that is truly buzz-worthy.

Images from: Trisha Dean, Wren Handmade, Timeless Paper, Anthropologie, J2Jewelry, bee intrigued, EmenGeeDesigns, Seasonal Delights, Cape Bride, The Small Object, Paper and Oats, Projector, kissandtellcards, KOtwo, Anna Kuperberg via Sparkliatti          

XOXO

Jen & Saira  

Color Day: Daffodi-lightful

To our surprise, despite the odd weather we've been having in NJ, the Daffodils are here! Dotting the landscape from Turnpike exits to neighborhood garden beds, these bright and happy yellow flowers can been seen across the state right now. Daffodils bloom quickly and most commonly come in bright or pale yellow, warm white, or a white and yellow combo.  So, in true springtime fashion, let's celebrate the brief Daffodil season with a cheerful color board that's sure to brighten your day.

Daffodil Yellow Color Inspiration Board

Images from: Tutus Chic, Nordstrom, Wedding Girl, Candy & Cake, Taste of Home, Chadwicks, The Shoreside Bride, Wedding Flowers, Ritzy Bee, Wish Special Events, Martha Stewart   

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Passion for Pastels

This time of year is one that inspires so many different color combinations.  For many people, springtime inspires us to decorate and dress in pale, soft colors like green, pink, blue, or yellow.  Or, if you'd like, you can combine them all together for a pastel palette suitable enough for the easter bunny himself. While these colors have come to represent Easter, we're not saying you need to go full on bunny and rainbow colored crazy.  Just adding some pretty vintage looking pastels and an egg/bird decorative item here and there can be quite cheerful and truly egg-cellent.

Vintage Pastels/Easter Inspiration Board

Images from: Pretty Chicky, Wedding Nouveau, Marigolds and Mithai, Cedar Wood Weddings, ZsaZsa Bellagio, The Sweetest Occasion, My Girl Design, Eternal Eden, highteaforalice, Pickled Parlor, The Cinderella Project, Design Sponge, Martha Stewart

XOXO,



Jen & Saira

Color Day: Shades of Autumn

Here is another great color combo for fall!  We know that incorporating a whole range of colors can be tempting, particularly for the fall season, and who are we to stop you?!  What we will do is show you how to combine multiple fall colors in a way that is tasteful and sophisticated and not reminiscent of a hand print turkey.  So, to pick a few colors we went with brown, green, orange and yellow.   You could easily add more splashes of burgundy to this palette, if you so choose, but we like to keep things a little simpler.  Plus, focusing on just these four lends to an almost vintage, 1970's feel that we are really digging.

Brown, Green, Orange, and Yellow Fall Wedding Color Inspiration Board

Images from: KottonKandy52, TheSlightlyObsessiveBride, ElizabethAnneDesigns, wedding-cupcakes, Zazzle, OnceWed, ModCloth, wishspecialevents, merrimentdesign, KellyOShiroEvents, David's Bridal, Urban Outfitters

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Spices of India

Namaste!  Let's continue this week's food theme with a pallet inspired by some of our favorite cuisine. Tikka Masala, Palak Paneer, Curry, Tandoori anything.. we just can't get enough ethnic foods and Indian is one of our favorites! With it's rich red, deep gold, & earthy green spices, Indian food is by far the most colorful and vibrant of them all!  We love the way these savory hues play off each other and work together to create a color scheme that invokes comfort, warmth, & passion.  This is one delectable color inspiration that we're sure will add a little spice to your home, event, or Fall wardrobe.

 Indian Spices Color Inspiration Board

Images from: Macy's,  The Sweetest Occasion, Santa Barbara Chic, Anthropologie, Alfred Angelo, Urban Outfitters, Wedding Paper Divas, Project Wedding, Elizabeth Ann Designs, I Do Inspiration, Polka Dot Robot, Taste of India 

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

         

Real Wedding: Mike and Sheryl - Part 2 of 2

Welcome back for the conclusion of Mike and Sheryl's wedding.  We've taken you through their engagement, into the getting ready and pre-ceremony shots, and now, here is where the magic happens and you see it all come together.  Sheryl and Mike managed let their personalities shine through each element of their wedding, which exuded both vintage charm and modern style. From the live musicians at the ceremony, to the mashed potato bar, to the vintage photo booth, and right on through to the sparkler send off it was apparent to all that this is a couple who not only has great style but that loves to have fun together.  

Sheryl and Mike chose to host their ceremony and reception in Newark, NJ - where they had first met.  Now, we know what you're thinking because we thought it too. Could Newark, NJ - once ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the nation - be the perfect place for a fairytale wedding?  We were skeptical at first, but my oh my were we shocked and awed by the beauty of The Mezzanine, on the second  floor of The National Newark Building. Art Deco, bank vaults, funky teller window turned bar - the history and 1930's feel was captivating...although certainly not more so than the charm of the lovely bride and groom and the romantic and modern details that they brought to the space. 

The Dress: Pnina Tornai

The Shoes: Emilio Pucci

The Suit: Andrew Fezza

Bridesmaids' Dresses: Alvina Velenta

Groomsmen's Suits: Alfani

Flowers: Laurelwood Designs

Veil: Kleinfield

Photography: Wayne Yuan Photography

Make-up: Expert Makeup Artistry - Lauren Del Preore Iavarone

Hair: Headhunters - Annie Mees

Photo Location(s): Hilton Newark Penn Station, Branch Brook Park, 

The Mezzanine, and Broad Street Newark

Catering: Frungillo

Stationary: Paper & Inklings

Music: Ceremony & Cocktail Hour - Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra

Reception - DJ Gaza (Gary Hoffmann)

Videographer: Well Spun Wedding Films

Thanks again to Mike and Sheryl for sharing these gorgeous photos.  You both mean a lot to us and we wish you a wonderfully happy and healthy marriage.

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Real Wedding: Mike and Sheryl - Part 1 of 2

We hope you enjoyed our post last Friday on Mike and Sheryl's gorgeous E-session at Coney Island.  Today we are thrilled to share this lovely couple's special day with you.  These images were captured by the very talented duo, Wayne and Angela, from Wayne Yuan Photography.

  

There were so many stunning shots that we couldn't pick just a few, so we've decided to split Mike and Sheryl's wedding into two parts - getting ready/pre-ceremony portraits and  then next week tune in for the ceremony/reception. Getting ready is a sometimes fun and sometimes stressful time for a bride and Sheryl was happy to share some of her feelings with us.  When asked how she felt the morning of her wedding Sheryl told us she was actually pretty calm and relaxed and then she followed with, "I think the most memorable part was when the flowers arrived at the room. I was already all done up and dressed, and the photographers were taking some portrait shots. They were so beautiful and they really pulled everything together. It was the last thing I needed to feel like a bride and then we were off to see Mike!"  



Sheryl and Mike decided to take their pictures pre-ceremony (obvi the best way to do it since this ensures the hair and makeup is still all in place).  They had a romantic rendezvous at the bottom of the Hilton Newark Penn escalator and, blessed with a gorgeous day and bright shining sun, they were whisked away to Branch Brook Park for some pre-ceremony portraits with the Bridal Party.

Thanks again to Sheryl and Mike for sharing these with us!  Be sure to check back next week for the finale which will include details on designers & vendors and, of course, beautiful shots including the ceremony, reception, general decor, and more!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Nautical Navy and Yellow

Ahoy, sailor! While we already gave you a little taste of a nautical theme with our wardrobe post we haven't yet featured it as a color inspiration.  Today we feature two colors that are very prominent in the sailing world!  Often when you think nautical you think blue and white, but what you'll also notice is a lot of times these colors will be accented with a rich gold. Blue and yellow (gold/mustard/whatever you want to call it) are the perfect colors for your nautical themed project as one color anchors your palette as a neutral, while the other is your fun color that you can add in small doses to liven things up.

Images from: WeddingWire, Nonpareil Magazine, StyleMePretty, PrettyChicky, ThePartyDress, CakeCentral, CourageandCowards, ClassicKicks, EveryLastDetail, WeddingRumors, Crate and Barrel , Anthropologie

     XOXO

Jen & Saira

Color Day: Au Naturel - Milk and Honey

We love the coolness of the milky white paired with the subtle warmth of the honey colored yellow/gold and what better color scheme for a hot summer day that crisp and clean neutrals. This milk and honey color palette is extremely serene and inviting and is sure to help you and your guests think cool and calming thoughts.  Beat the heat with a color scheme that is light and airy just like the materials for the season.. think cotton, linen, and flowy chiffon.  We also love this look for home decor (Hello, all you apartment dwellers with white walls!) and think this is the perfect color scheme to give you that clean, bright, and open living space that is also cozy and inviting.

Milk and Honey (Ivory/White and Gold) Inspiration Board images from:

 Aisle Dash, TheKnot, Swap the Dress, OnceWed, WedShareDaily, WeddingPaperDivas, TheDailyGreen, Every Last Detail, TheFinerThings, Milk and Honey Cafe, EatDrinkOneWoman    

XOXO

 Jen & Saira   

Dress Shop: Mellow Yellow

We love all shades of yellow: banana, sunshine, lemon, mustard -- you name it, we'll wear it. So it's no surprise that it's one of our favorite summer shades. A cute yellow summer dress is all a girl needs to stay cool and look hot. Here are some of our favorite styles that are sure to make you sizzle:

Available at Nordstrom, this bold printed empire waist dress is such a fun, sweet look for the warm weather! The dress is casual enough for a summer bbq, but still pretty enough to wear to an outdoor wedding. And if you're wearing it out on a cool summer night, top it off with a white cardigan and a strand of pearls to channel your inner 50s housewife.

This lightweight shirt dress by Volcom is casual and flirty, just like summer love. There's a delicate drawcord at the waist to give it a snug fit, and the straps are optional if you dare to go bare... shouldered, that is. 

Who knew that a giant flower adorning your chest could be so attractive! We both fell in love with this Maggy London piece while dress shopping for a friend's wedding, but we must warn you, it's definitely only for the small chested. But if it fits, oh my! It's such a lovely, unique dress that is part-Greek goddess and and part beach babe, culminating in a fresh and charming look just right for summer weddings. 

And if you love a giant flower, then this taffeta dress by Arden B is right up your style alley. This sweetheart tube dress is very bold and outgoing, but we know you love the attention. When you got it, flaunt it!

We love this two-tone dress by American Apparel, and trust us, it will look much better on you than it does on the floppy hatted model. Grey and yellow are one of our favorite color combinations (but of course you know this already) and is a perfect look for the summer. But a word of caution: you must either have a fabulously tight stomach or a mean pair of spanx to pull this look off without sucking in your tummy all day. But if the dress fits... 

You'll make quite the tasty treat in this brocade lemon yellow sheath dress. We love the eyelet neckline and the piping on the waistline, but most of all we love the color! Plus we think you could definitely sneak this into your work wardrobe by throwing on a blazer and matching pumps. Available at Macy's.

XOXO,

Jen & Saira