We can’t think of a more magical setting to elope than Iceland. If you agree, you will love today’s styled elopement by destination photographer Ashleigh Hobson.

Here’s what Ashley had to say about the shoot:

Iceland is one of the most visually stunning places on earth. The variety of colors and textures can be so overwhelming, it creates an epic landscape for small ceremonies, intimate celebrations, and personal elopements. I wanted to create an inspirational shoot for couples looking to let mother nature take care of all the decor and keep their wedding beautiful and laid back. It can be pretty tricky to plan from abroad, and doubly so in small countries with minimal wedding industry infrastructure, so I teamed up with some rad folks to provide some ideas.

We worked with a real life super in love couple, Sóley and Kristófer and explored the Reykjanes peninsula in Southwestern Iceland, around the iconic Blue Lagoon, and through the eerily beautiful mud pools and fumaroles of the Gunnuhver geothermal area.

I hooked up with Morna Fell, an especially creative florist to create a number of different styles of bouquets, boutonnieres, crowns, and floral pieces. She foraged for some blooms, and used untraditional materials to create unique pieces. We kept referencing back to the Icelandic landscape, incorporating wool ties woven through a floral crown, and a mossy base for a pin cushion style bouquet dotted with delicate blooms. The cool muted tones lent a natural look to the florals, allowing shape and texture to be paramount. I loved her floral cuff, a play on the corsage you may have rocked to a senior prom, but this time with a much cooler vibe. Her pieces are delicate and carefully constructed, but were sturdy enough for climbing through lava fields and tight embraces.  Benedikta Ársælsdótir is a wicked talented makeup and hairstylist based in Reykjavik, and she styled a casual updo for Sóley, rolling her long hair under to keep it in place through the strong Icelandic winds. She made sure to leave make up natural enough to see Sóley’s awesome freckles, but used pretty gold hues and a little bit of smoke around her eyes, and a sweet berry stain for her lips. We styled their wardrobe with light fabrics that let our couple move, climb, and play, a soft long sleeve gown, chunky ice blue jumper, (as they call sweaters in Iceland) and hunter suede ankle boots for Sóley, and a casual navy jacket and bowtie combo for Kristófer. 

Vendors:

Photography: Ashleigh Hobson

Florals:Morna Fell

Hair and Make Up–  Benedikta Ársælsdóttir

Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Sóley’s shoes: Sam Edelman

Sóley’s Dress: Dainty Hooligan

With only a month and a half to plan and her military fiancé Dawson out at sea, bride-to-be April decided that an intimate wedding made the most sense logistically. To keep costs manageable and stress low, they chose to invite immediate family and a few close friends – for a total of 20 guests – to their Mast Farm Inn wedding in the North Carolina Mountains. Despite the practical nature of their choice, April and Dawson’s wedding day proved to be an incredibly beautiful and meaningful affair for the couple focused on the things that mean the most to them: their love, their commitment, and their future.

Special thanks to Heather Barr of Revival Photography for capturing and sharing all the beautiful moments with us!

April, 29 & Dawson, 25

Valle Crucis, NC 

Wedding Date: January 4, 2015

Number of Guests: 21 (including bride and groom)

Wedding Cost: $4,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Mast Farm Inn (outdoor ceremony)

Wedding Reception Location: Mast Farm Inn (inside the restaurant of the B&B)

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

To be completely honest, we went with an intimate wedding for logistical reasons. My husband is in the military so everything had to be planned around when he could get leave to come home. He had been in Alaska the six months leading up to the wedding and was actually out to sea the two months prior to the wedding. We had a total of about 1.5 months to plan it due to the short notice of his leave being approved. So, I made the executive decision to keep it small and intimate. It was easier on me to plan so quickly and it kept the expenses manageable.

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

The guest list was definitely the biggest challenge. It wasn’t so hard deciding who we would invite, – immediate family and a few friends – the difficult part was breaking the news to everyone that we were keeping it small. Everyone was very understanding, but it was hard seeing people be disappointed that they couldn’t be there.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

I didn’t think so. We decided to invite roughly 20 guests due to the constraints of the venue so we just stuck with immediate family and we invited a few friends to cap off the remaining spots. We decided it would be easier to not invite any extended family so as to not offend anyone. Though I’m sure family members were disappointed, they were understanding and didn’t give us a hard time about it. We will likely have another party/family gathering at a later date for extended family to meet and mingle.

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

Not so much. We were just honest in our explanation that due to the constraints of the venue, limited amount of time for planning, and to keep costs manageable, we were unable to invite a lot of people that we would have liked to have been there.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

There were so many good things:

1. Low stress. I was able to work with the wedding planner at the Mast Farm Inn and she communicated with all of the vendors and was my point of contact for any issues. Also, less people equals less stress. The more people you invite, the more opinions you have to deal with.

2. Budget friendly. By having an intimate wedding, you can still have a very nice wedding without having to go into debt.

3. The people who are there are the ones who matter most.

4. At the end of the day, it helps emphasize what matters most. It’s easy to get lost in all of the little details but having an intimate wedding helped me focus on our relationship, commitment to one another, and future together.

 

Vendors:

Hair & Makeup: Shear Shakti; Boone, NC

Flowers: Peggy Mendel

Dress: Oleg Cassini

Venue: The Mast Farm Inn, Valle Crucis, NC

Wedding Planning Services: Danielle Deschamps — The Mast Farm Inn

Photography: Heather Barr of Revival Photography

It might feel like winter is never going to end, but today we’re bringing you a little bit of sunshine to brighten your day with a peek at the Bel Aire Bridal Spring 2015 Collection. We’re swooning over it and we think you will be too!

Full of romantic and boho-chic pieces, Bel Aire Bridal’s veils and headpieces are designed to showcase your personality and style while customizing your wedding day look, and their 2015 Spring Collection is all about highlighting your natural beauty with light and delicate accessories.

Bel Aire Bridal‘s collection is incredibly versatile and uses lace, rhinestones and intricate beading to contrast vintage beauty with modern designs.

From glittering rhinestone hair clips with a touch of Hollywood glamour to delicate halos perfect for the free-spirited boho bride, no matter what kind of bridal look you’re going for – classic sophistication, pretty vintage, or ultra-modern-chic – Bel Aire Bridal has a gorgeous headpiece to make your look complete.

With such an amazing variety of accessories to choose from, it’s hard to pick just one. The best part, however, is that you don’t have to! Instead of purchasing a second dress just for the reception, why not simply change up your hair accessories for a whole new look?

And because many of Bel Aire Bridal’s designs complement each other, you can chose a dramatic piece for yourself and style your bridesmaids in a similar look with a different headpiece.

For more beautiful accessories check out the Bel Aire Bridal website, blog, or find  an authorized retailer near you!

Sponsored Post.

Yarn details in your wedding aren’t only an ode to the crafters and knitters, they’re also an inexpensive and gorgeous way to add a homemade and DIY feel to your decor. We’ve picked 15 of our favorite ideas to incorporate yarn, many of which you can have a go at yourself. So hit the craft store, experiment with different textures and colors and get crafting!

1. Decorative Balls

Balls of yarn can fit in seamlessly with the rest of your table settings if you stick to the same color palette. Yellow and orange details work well with a variety of elements and textures.

2. Wrapped Flatware

A DIY project that anyone can do to transform the look of flatware. Choose the color yarn of your choice and get wrapping! Metallic threads would look amazing here too.

3. Bottles and Jars

If you’ve been keeping hold of old bottles and jars but they’re looking a little worn, then this is for you. Cover up any labels or marks with different colored yarn. You could use a certain color for each table if you are having a rainbow theme.

4. Heart Pops

For an outdoor ceremony, you might be thinking of ways to make your aisle path a bit clearer. Instead of going of a runner, you can use small red hearts that are stuck onto sticks and placed in the ground.

5. Alternative Confetti 

Rice, petals or other traditional confetti aren’t for everyone. For a mess-free and reusable option then these soft pom-poms are a great alternative. The photographs will be great and they can be collected up to be used again for any future crafts.

6. Yarn Table Numbers

Make your own yarn art with these fun table numbers in bright colors.

7. Teal Table Runner

This is such a unique idea that adds a different dimension and height to your table. You can also do this yourself and create your own original runner. A great talking point.

8. Knotted Backdrop

We love the look of this yarn backdrop for an outdoor ceremony. The small knots and ties are reminiscent of flowers, so it fits in well with the scenery.

9. Chair Decor 

Wooden chairs can sometimes use a makeover. Chair decor is an easy way to do this, especially with these monograms signs.

10. String Chandeliers

These lanterns are very enjoyable to make. Mainly because it involves using balloons, glue, yarn or twine. A nice weekend task so you can get messy and relax from the wedding planning.

11. Tassels Galore 

Tassels are a big trend in wedding decor at the moment. Use different lengths and colors of yarn for a hanging decoration.

12. Bouquet with a Difference

If you or someone close to you is a seamstress, knitter or fan of sewing this is such a lovely and unusual touch.

13. Bar Sign

The contrast between the softness of the yarn with the glitter is a really neat look.

14. Mini Wrapped Numbers

If you don’t want the table numbers to interfere with the rest of your decor, then shrink them! These pink and aqua numbers are the perfect size.

15. Oversized Sign

Welcome your guests with a large sign that’s filled with love. A romantic quote underneath it will finish the sign off.

Photo one: clycreation.com; Photo two: afabulousfeteblog.com; Photo three: weddingchicks.com; Photo four: pinterest.com; Photo five: wayneyuan.com; Photo six: pinterest.com; Photo seven: ashleyludaescher.com; Photo eight: lovebyserena.com; Photo nine: eplove.info; Photo ten: sandytam.ca; Photo eleven: 100layercake.com; Photo twelve: dealmaecoracao.com; Photo thirteen: hazelnutphotography.com; Photo fourteen: amandajameson.com; Photo fifteen: Chase Kettl

Having never visited New Mexico, but nontheless intrigued by the “Land of Enchantment”, Chris and Chelsie decided to elope in the Sandia Mountains of Albuquerque. Despite unforeseen events and numerous hiccups on their wedding day – including having to change their wedding date at the last minute, as well as frigid temperatures – the couple rolled with the punches, and with the help of their amazing photographer Latisha Carlson and wonderful vendors, had the most memorable, and magical elopement possible!

BTW, Chris and Chelsie own Twisted Limb Paperworks , a stationery company that offers handmade, 100% recycled invitations and paper goods.

Chelsie, 26 & Chris, 35

Albuquerque, NM

Wedding Date: November 12, 2014

Number of Guests: 0

Wedding Cost:  $4,000 – this included all of our travel expenses, “honeymoon” activities, photography, flowers, attire, and even wedding bands.

Wedding Ceremony Location: The Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Wedding Reception Location: Since we chose to get married out-of-state and it was just the two of us, we had a perfect, low-key evening in Santa Fe with dinner at Tune-Up Café and a night by the fire in our hotel room at Las Palomas. We’ll be hosting a “reception” celebration later this year for friends and family. We’ll be sending out invites handcrafted with love by us and our company.

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

I think from the moment we got engaged, we knew we wanted to elope. We loved the weddings we had attended for our friends and family, but wanted our day to be more personal – something for just the two of us.

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

For starters, we had never been to New Mexico. Trying to plan our wedding in a state we had never visited was a challenge. What we did know was that we were both intrigued by the “Land of Enchantment” and knew we wanted to get married outdoors in its beautiful landscape.

We had the BEST photographer who knew of beautiful places in the area and had amazing ideas, and even referred me to my florist and makeup artist, who were both amazing. She worked with us every step of the way to ensure our day was amazing – she even rescheduled our shoot when we found out two hours before we were to be married that we wouldn’t make it to the mountains in time.

Unfortunately, we had run into quite the dilemma with the Cimarron Police Department the night before. Long story short, I was pulled over for speeding the night before our wedding. I was let off with a warning, but when we went to get our marriage license the next morning in Las Vegas, NM, I came to find that the officer had kept my license. We had to coordinate its rescue in order to get our license and by the time all was said and done and I had it back in my hands, it was too late to get married.

As you can imagine, finding out two hours before the time you are to be married is super stressful, but Tish and all of our vendors were so amazing and our day ended up being perfect because of it!

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

Of course. We would have loved for our family and friends to be there to witness our celebration, but we made it our priority to find a photographer who we felt could best capture our day and our personalities. We’re so glad that we found that with Matt and Tish and were able to bring back amazing photos to share with them.

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

Not really. I think a few people were upset that they couldn’t be there (our parents especially), but everyone was very supportive and understanding.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

It was so cold, but so beautiful! I believe the temperature was hovering somewhere in the high 20’s and it was so windy. We had planned to be married on the 10^th when the weather was in the 70’s but when our dilemma changed our plans to Wednesday, the typhoon weather had made its way into Albuquerque, drastically dropping the temperature. It was so cold and windy that when it came time to say my vows, I could hardly get the words out. Strangely enough, we both hate the cold, but loved that we experienced this. Our day was so personal and intimate. Chris and I stood there at the crest of the mountain, shivering our butts off for over an hour for one another…now that’s love.

What were the highlights of the reception?

After our ceremony, we drove down the side of the mountain and made our way into Santa Fe. On the way down, we saw a meteor! It felt like a true blessing and sign of good luck. It was a great ending to such an amazing day.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Freedom. Having an elopement allowed us to save money that we may have spent on a more traditional wedding and gave us the freedom to explore New Mexico and celebrate our day without the stress of coordinating a reception, travel arrangements for friends and family, etc.

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

Remain flexible. If something doesn’t work out how you planned, don’t fret. You’re getting married and that’s what’s important. Everything happens for a reason and you should be grateful for all of the surprises your wedding might bring. They might just be blessings in disguise.

Vendors:

Photographer: Latisha Carlson

Officiant: Tracy Winslow

Floral: Amy Gallegos, For The Love Events

Makeup: Becca Lusko

Hair: Bride

Wedding Dress: Free People

Wedding Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Groom Shirt: Express

Groom Pants: J Crew

Groom Vest: Calvin Klein

Groom Shoes: Steve Madden

Jewelry: Express