What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring, than with a brand new, swoon-worthy collection of bridal gowns? Allure Bridals‘ Romance Spring 2016 Collection is full of the fairy tale lace, sweetheart necklines and ball gowns that true romance is made of.

Allure Bridals believes that brides should feel nothing short of gorgeous on their wedding day. When it comes to Allure’s dresses, decadent detailing align with sweet comfort. What’s not to like?

Check out this beauty. Spectacular, right? This timeless ball gown is part of the sweet yet sexy collection. We love that it is in an unexpected blush color. Perfection!

This lovely lace dress has an intricate back deep enough to keep things modern but the lace nod keeps things classically beautiful.

Allure Bridals couldn’t create a romance collection without the iconic sweetheart neckline. The stuff wedding dreams are made of!

We love the deep neckline with lace sleeve detailing in this stunning gown. The jeweled belt on this A-line gown make it perfect for brides of all shapes and sizes (this collection is featured in sizes 2-32!).

Finally,  something for fall and winter brides—sleeves! We adore the lace sleeves and all the little pieces that make up this absolutely breathtaking dress.

There you have it! If you love all things romantic, Allure Bridals’ new Spring 2016 Romance Collection has the perfect dress for your classic love story.

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If I had to sell my possessions, and I was only allowed to keep enough stuff to fit inside the trunk of my car, my photo books would be coming with me. That’s how much they mean to me.

I am a shutterbug; I literally have tens of thousands of photos on my hard drive. Photo books force me to dig through this behemoth pile of pixels and pull out the gems before they succumb to the vacuous black hole (aka ‘the cloud’) that expedites them to the Land of the Forgotten. To bring these gems into the light of day in the form of a book is important work.  In fact, I am part of the first generation who captures life in megabytes; I feel it is my duty to make a hard copy of these moments before they are sucked into the tech wasteland that exists on the other side of crashed hard drives.

Transforming pixels into paper is beautiful alchemy with the right photo book company. Enter Mixbook. After using a different photo book service for my last three photo books, I recently seized the opportunity to give Mixbook a try.

When my completed book arrived at my door a few days ago, I was blown away by the quality. Mixbook uses only the highest-quality, heavy-weight papers that lend themselves beautifully to photographs. I ordered the  12″x 12″ Coffee Table Square Premium Lay Flat Hardcover, which I would highly recommend to anyone making a wedding photo book. It costs a bit more than the other book styles, but it’s well worth it. When you compare it to the expense of a photographer’s professional wedding album, which can cost thousands of dollars, it’s still an economical option for budget-minded brides willing to take on the creative process themselves.

The Mixbook interface is easy to work with; I wasn’t required to install any software on my computer – everything was completed online. I simply uploaded my photos, then chose from a myriad of templates, which are completely customizable. Mixbook has dozens of fonts to choose from, so finding a font that suited the book was easy.

It took me a couple of weeks to create my 87-page book; I worked on it when I had free time in the evenings, and as a person who can never find enough creative outlets, I  relished my evening photo book time. Not only did it give me the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from reminiscing about happy times, I felt I was doing meaningful work; my daughters would have something tangible to remind them of their childhood.

If the thought of making your own gorgeous photo book sounds enticing, head on over to Mixbook and input promo code IWBOOK for 40% off premium cards & 10×10 photo books – and 30% off site wide. Promo code expires 3/31.

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Sarah and Jordan didn’t want an audience at their wedding. They wanted to keep the commitment that they were making to one another front and center; having only two guests enabled them to do just that. Without having to worry about pleasing a room full of guests – not to mention go over budget, the couple was able to relax and enjoy their wedding day without stress.

Big thanks goes to the one and only Jamie Delaine, who captured this elopement perfectly. Thanks, Jamie!

Sarah, 32 & Jordan, 28

Location: Vancouver, BC

Wedding Date: July 28, 2015

Number of Guests: 2

Wedding Cost: $6,200 inclusive of rings (engagement & wedding)

Wedding Ceremony Location: Hycroft Manor, Vancouver

Wedding Reception Location: We didn’t have a traditional wedding reception but we did enjoy dinner on our wedding day, with our witnesses, at Five Sails Restaurant at the Pan Pacific hotel. A week and a half after we were married we also had a family potluck dinner, with immediate family, hosted in my Mom’s clubhouse. We knew we wanted to take time to celebrate with our families. Jordan and I wore our wedding outfits again and our families also dressed up so we could capture some family photos all together.

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Neither Jordan or I are ones who like all eyes on us. We wanted those moments, when we committed our lives to each other, to be just the two of us focused fully on each other and not on entertaining. We believe that the purpose of a wedding is not just about one special day. It’s about a marriage that would exist everyday from that day forward. Also, we knew that weddings can become very expensive and we didn’t want to start our marriage in a boat load of debt, for one day’s merriment.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

There were many little things on our wedding day that I had to manage myself because I didn’t have people  with whom to delegate tasks. It was tricky because Jordan and our witness Jason were to arrange the furniture at our venue and myself and our witness Jessica needed to put the final decor touches in place. This was to take place before our first look, so we had to strategically hide from each other during these moments to complete our tasks without seeing each other.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

I wouldn’t say it was difficult to pare down the guest list, but we were very thoughtful in our selection of witnesses. We didn’t want to play favourites with family. We wanted to make sure we had people there that genuinely mattered to us. As well, we wanted witnesses that had a similar view of marriage as we do – a covenant made before God, declaring our commitment toward one another. A commitment that is greater than feelings. A choice made for better or worse, in sickness and in health. We wanted to choose witnesses that would rally around us and hold us accountable, especially in the times when it’s not easy.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them? 

We’re so thankful to have such loving and supportive family and close friends who encouraged us to do what we wanted for our special day. That’s not to say we didn’t hear opposed opinions, but the people that really matter in our lives shared nothing but excitement for our choices. While they weren’t there in the moments we said “I do”, they get to walk with us on the journey. A journey which is only beginning.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Our ability to improv was one of my favourite parts of our ceremony. We didn’t have it all worked out. We had the overall flow but there were moments when we just made it up as we went. With only 7 people in the room the pressure was off. The moments would be just as God intended which brought immense peace and joy into those moments. An example of our improv was, as part of our ceremony we had planned to take communion together; but silly me, I forgot the bread. I realized it was forgotten when we arrived at the venue, which is far from home or any stores. What I did happen to pack were some granola bars; so we did what we had to do and broke the granola bars into pieces. When we placed the pieces of granola bar into our mouths, we realized the pieces were a little larger than anticipated. Chewing like chipmunks, we couldn’t help but laugh. Such a moment in front of an audience would have made me embarrassed for sure; but in our intimate setting, it made those moments that much more special.

What were the highlights of the reception?

After our ceremony we went to dinner at Five Sails Restaurant with our two witnesses, so it was just the four of us. It was lovely and we got to simply enjoy the meal that was specially prepared for us. The food was delicious and the service and care was exceptional.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Our intimate wedding certainly helped us achieve our goal of being in those moments, solely focused on each other and the life long commitment we were making to one another. From 4:30pm onward we got to spend every moment together, side by side, enjoying each others presence. It was so lovely.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

If it’s what you want, do it! Don’t cave at other people’s opinions or expectations. I’ve been involved in planning a few weddings and with each one there is always some sort of drama. Yet somehow after the wedding, none of it matters. Peoples opinions and emotions dissipate, leaving the couple with the aftermath of their decisions and how their special day lined up to what they really wanted. It’s your day, make it what you want.

Vendors:

Bride’s Dress: Homemade by Bride and Mother of the Bride

Groom’s Attire: Tip Top Tailors

Hair Stylist: Escape Salon and Day Spa

Bridal Bouquet & Boutonnière: 99 Nursery

Officiant Pastor: Village Church, Eric Damewood

Photographer: Jamie Delaine

Videographer: Beautiful Life Studios

If you love hiking, camping and the great outdoors, you will love today’s styled shoot! Inspired by a small intimate forest elopement, Ramblefree Photo Co. created this fun, non-traditional shoot, perfect for inspiring the couple who loves to be outside.

Here’s what Hannah at  Ramblefree Photo Co. had to say about this gorgeous shoot:

For this forest-themed styled elopement, we were inspired by an unconventional couple who adores nature, the outdoors and each other. The couple chose to eschew a large, elaborate wedding in favor of a small ceremony with just the two of them and their adorable dog. They love hiking and camping, so they decided to camp in a favorite state park overnight, enjoyed a tasty breakfast and coffee together in the morning, then hiked to a beautiful spot in the forest and got married on top of a boulder in the shade of a rocky ledge. The bride carried a lush, wild bouquet and wore a simple, non-traditional ensemble consisting of a wine-colored sweater and a blush and ivory ombre tulle skirt. After the ceremony, she donned a plaid cape to keep warm as it got darker. The couple took some portraits together before hiking back down the mountain to begin their lives as newlyweds.

Vendors:

Location: Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden, CT

Floral Design: Wild Folk Studio

Invitation Suite and Menu: Darling + Pearl Letterpress

Mugs: Wild and Free Designs and Humble Monster

Sweater: Bride’s own

Skirt: Kohl’s

Cape: Modcloth

Accessories: Charming Charlie

Groom’s Outfit: Shirt-ASOS, Pants-Groom’s own, Tie + suspenders – The Tie Bar

Your bedroom is your sanctuary – or at least it should be – and starting your life with someone is the perfect opportunity to create the  boudoir of your dreams. If a unique registry full of just the right pieces for your dream oasis is what you’re looking for, then Crate and Barrel has exactly what you need. Crate and Barrel collaborates with designers, artists, and artisans to bring you the most interesting and exclusive housewares around. Rounding up some of our favorites, this is what our dream bedroom registry would look like, what about yours?

1 – When creating the perfect space to rest our weary head at the end of the day, we believe having the absolute best pillow possible is key to a good night’s sleep; and you can’t get much better than these plush and luxurious Premium Down Bed Pillows filled with soft natural duck down.

2 – Ideally our dream bedroom would have a fireplace, but since that isn’t always possible we think these Lillian Brass Metal Lanterns are the next best thing.

3 – Is there anything cozier than this super soft Alpaca Wool Throw? We certainly don’t think so! Just add some candles and a bottle of wine and we’re all set for a romantic night in.

4 – Good lighting is essential for setting the mood, and making the bedroom the calm oasis it’s meant to be. The Astor Floor Lamp is a classic, yet bold option that effortlessly ties the room together while adding warmth to the space.

5 – One of our favorite ways to spoil the one we love is with breakfast in bed and a beautiful Willoughby Tray would make it that much easier to do just that.

6 – Fresh flowers are a simple and pretty way to brighten up any room including the bedroom. These Patina Vases are so gorgeous on their own, however, we think adding flowers is completely unnecessary.

7 – In a perfect world alarm clocks wouldn’t exist, but since they are a necessary evil they might as well look good, don’t you think? This chic Bedside Alarm Clock, created by the London Clock Company exclusively for Crate and Barrel, might even make us into a morning person (but probably not).

8 – Nothing kills a mood faster than a room full of clutter. These Canvas Bins are a great way to keep the bedroom organized so that it can remain a serene and relaxing place to retreat to at the end of the day.

9 – We believe that slipping into a freshly made bed is one of life’s greatest simple pleasures. Choosing the right linens can be overwhelming, but we personally love these elegant and wonderfully textured Lindstrom Duvet Covers and Shams.

10 – While clean neutral tones are great in a bedroom, this Paradise Found Giclée Print is the perfect way to add a splash of color into the space while still keeping the overall feeling of the room calm and relaxed.

11 – Every bedroom needs a mirror and this Amal Wall Mirror is not only a functional, but also a beautiful choice.

12 – Last, but not least, what would our dream bedroom be without our dream bed? The Colette Upholstered Bed, with its curved legs and soft headboard, is both elegant and all kinds of sexy! It might seem excessive, but we recommend getting the king size; when it comes to beds, bigger is definitely better in our opinion!

Inspired? Create your dream registry now! Need a little advice? Check out Crate and Barrel Private Registry Events for some one-on-one time with one of their registry experts.

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