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    10 Eye-Catching Jewelry Finds From Etsy

    Posted on September 5, 2017 by Emily

    Whether you are looking for the perfect gift for your bridesmaids, a stunning engagement ring, or an accessory for your walk down the aisle, we’ve got you covered! Here are 10 awesome unique jewelry pieces from Etsy.

    When looking for a dainty wedding ring, it can be difficult to find one that is eye catching. With this rose gold ring set from MinimalVS you can have the best of both worlds!

    If a tropical wedding is in store for you, these gold pineapple necklaces from SweetheartJewelryBox could not be more appropriate!

    This tassel statement necklace from forestiere would complete your boho bridal look. Imagine how fabulous it will look with your boho wedding dress!

    Any boho lover’s jewelry collection would not be complete without these stunning raw crystal necklaces from BohoCrystalRocks. Layer them with several different colored gemstone necklaces, and you are set!

    Stacking rings are the ultimate accessory! This minimalist crystal stacking ring from StatementGrey is only $10!

    Made with your choice of diamonds or gemstones, these sterling silver and 18k gold stacking rings from LilianGinebra are something to be treasured!

    Have you ever seen a ring as lovely as this daisy ring from TheManerovs? The likeness to the genuine flowers is uncanny!

    A touch of druzy takes an everyday outfit to the next level! These tiny round druzy necklaces from LayeredAndLong are so pretty, you’ll want to order one in every color!

    With the two gold speckled globes representing the sun and moon, this bangle from daimblond is truly one of a kind!

    If you love the design of the bracelet pictured above, but prefer something more understated, these beautiful floating gold leaf earrings from daimblond are the choice for you!

    *This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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    Arina and Daniel’s Li’l Greek Wedding

    Posted on September 4, 2017 by Christina

    Arina & Daniel, both from the USA, chose a small Greek Island for their intimate wedding.

    After a heartfelt ceremony on the secluded island, the couple and their guest spent time enjoying the idyllic setting, then headed back to the mainland for a gorgeous dinner.

    “We were able to just relax, have a glass of champagne and enjoy the boat trip to the church and a wonderful seafood dinner on the beach later. No pressure, pure fun,” explains Arina.

    Kudos to Grace and Blush Photography for capturing this destination wedding so beautifully!

    Arina, 27 & Daniel, 30

    Location: Symi, Greece

    Wedding Date: September 10, 2016

    Number of Guests: 70

    Wedding Cost: $30,000

    Wedding Ceremony Location: Small Greek Orthodox church on the main Symi island, Greece

    Wedding Reception Location: Beach Taverna, Symi Island, Greece

    Why did you have an intimate wedding?

    We wanted to have a special ceremony and be surrounded by people who we care the most. Also, from a practical standpoint, we were able to include “more” for every guest and manage to stay within the budget. We didn’t want to cut corners, and save on the rehearsal dinner, boat trips or wedding menu. We also wanted to spend time with each and every guest and it wouldn’t have been possible with a large number of people.

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

    Intimate weddings are much easier to plan, in my opinion. You know the tastes of basically every single person coming and it’s easier to organize a party for everybody to have fun. Our biggest challenge was the fact that we live in America and were planning a ceremony in Greece. We had to hire a wedding planner that helped us and negotiated for us while we were away. Planning a destination wedding is not an easy task. But keeping it small was extremely helpful and took some of the pressure away.

    Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

    Yes and no. It was easy for us to decide whom we wanted to see at our wedding as a couple. But quite difficult to explain it to our parents and prevent them from inviting their friends 🙂

    Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family?

    If so, how did you address them? We have family in three different countries and, therefore, family friends of our parents, business partners, neighbors, cousins. We promised to go out for dinner with them to celebrate. Plus, our wedding was not just intimate, but also remote, so majority of people were happy they are not obligated to travel so far. We did allow all of our guests a plus one option, and I wouldn’t recommend cutting the guest list by not doing that. I can’t even imagine asking my best friend to not bring her husband along or for my cousin to leave his girlfriend at home 😉

    What were the highlights of the ceremony?

    We had a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony on a small island off Symi Island. There was nothing but the church, priest and us. I arrived on a separate boat with my father, and the highlight for me was seeing all the guests and Daniel waiting in front of the little chapel surrounded by turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea. It was so beautiful, it felt surreal.

    What were the highlights of the reception?

    Skinny dipping at dawn 🙂 The taverna where we celebrated is the only building on the whole coast and is not accessible by land. We arrived there by boat and therefore were completely separated from the rest of the world. After the guests left, including our parents, we indulged in the wonderful swim under the stars in the warm Mediterranean. The best way to start a married life, for sure.

    What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

    The fact that you are surrounded by people who are close to you is wonderful. We were able to just relax, have a glass of champagne and enjoy the boat trip to the church and a wonderful seafood dinner on the beach later. No pressure, pure fun.

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

    If you want your ceremony to be meaningful and relaxed, intimate wedding is a way to go. You will be surrounded by people who truly care about you, so if anything goes not according to the plan, they have your back and will have fun no matter what.

    destination wedding greece

    Vendors:

    Photographer: Grace and Blush Photography

    Venue: Beach Taverna, Symi Island, Greece

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    Chris and Marissa’s Intimate Off-the-Grid California Wedding

    Posted on September 1, 2017 by Christina

    Marissa and Chris’ wedding could not have been any more gorgeous. From the awe-inspiring desert landscape, to the bride’s fabulous Rue De Seine gown, the wedding was the perfect mixture of desert authenticity and rustic glamor!

    Marissa and Chris chose the talented Sam Arroyo to capture their Cali wedding. For them, great photography was essential!

    “Spending a good portion of the budget on the photographer that would capture the happiest day of our lives was a no-brainer. I had asked one of my dearest friends to tell me the one thing she would have changed about her wedding if she could and she said without hesitation, the photographer. She said it was her biggest regret and there was no way we were going to make the same mistake. Friends of mine had gotten married earlier that year and I was obsessed with their wedding photos and video, so I knew exactly who I was going to call for a recommendation. They gave me Sam Arroyo’s name and the rest is history!”

    Marissa, 30 & Chris, 33

    Location:  Pioneertown, California

    Wedding Date: November 12, 2016

    Number of Guests: 28

    Wedding Cost:  $16,000-18,000. We spent the majority of the budget on location, my dress of course, and our photographer. I had originally imagined spending somewhere closer to $10,000 but we fell in love with  The Ruin Venue that was quite a bit more expensive than I had originally planned and it was worth every penny. The owners of the property, Paul and Tony, were AMAZING. I can’t say enough good things about working with them to create our dream wedding. They went above and beyond what we ever expected. As for the dress, I had also planned on spending far less but that all went out the window and when I put on the Rue De Seine dress I had been coveting for over a year. It was just too perfect, and I couldn’t imagine getting married in anything else. Spending a good portion of the budget on the photographer that would capture the happiest day of our lives was a no-brainer.

    Wedding Ceremony Location: The ceremony took place in front of this incredible rock formation on the The Ruin Venue, right at sunset. We skipped the seats and our friends and family just gathered around us as we said our vows. It was magical.

    Wedding Reception Location: The reception took place mainly in the ruins themselves where the original fireplace from the home was warming up the chilly November night. There was a beautiful bar made out of old wine bottles and an ornate fire pit that has to be seen to be believed, so there were plenty of places for people to congregate and chat; it was lovely! We had dinner not long after the sun went down, under a newly constructed pavilion that was adorned with strings of carnival lights. We wanted it to feel like a family dinner we’d have at home so we opted for a family style dining table and a menu of barbeque and comfort foods.

    joshua-tree-wedding.jpg

       

    Why did you have an intimate wedding?

    We had an intimate wedding for a couple of reasons. First, a large wedding was never what I had in mind. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to be married before meeting Chris, and he’s already had one wedding so for us it was really about the marriage more than the wedding and we just wanted to make sure we didn’t waste the night only getting to talk to each person for a couple minutes at a time. Second, this might be the only chance we get for all, or most, of our nearest and dearest to meet and spend time together. We wanted them to have the opportunity to get to know each other rather than sit at isolated tables and form familiar cliques, which you often see at larger weddings. We didn’t want it to feel like there are friends and then there is family. We wanted everyone to hang out together and that’s exactly what happened so it was perfect. Lastly, Chris is from Australia, which meant the majority of his friends and family are on the other side of the world and many of them would be unable to make the big trip. Even for those who could make the trip we rather they come when wedding coordination isn’t making life so hectic and we can really take the time to catch up and show them our city. We have plans to have a reception in Australia at the end of this year. So ultimately we chose to have a more intimate U.S. wedding supplemented with a party or two in Australia.

    joshua tree wedding

    joshua tree wedding

    joshua-tree-wedding

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

    Guest list! We knew we wanted something intimate but that doesn’t make creating the guest list any less painful. I have a really large family on my dad’s side and I would have loved to have each and every aunt, uncle, cousin, second cousin, kids etc. at the wedding but it just wasn’t possible. We basically had to take on an all or nothing policy and that was really hard. I lost sleep over the guest list. Also we ran into some challenges with rentals in that many of the vendors were not used to catering to such a small event. Sometimes the only option was to rent 500 wine glasses and we just didn’t need that many. Even the venue owners said they had never done a wedding as small as ours, so it was a learning curve for everyone. Also we didn’t exactly set ourselves up for the easiest time when it came to venue choice. The locations itself was pretty off the grid so trying to get even 30 guests to the location, and to find them accommodations proved to be quite the challenge. Not to mention we had no cell service out there so coordination was difficult! However having only 30 guests worked out to our advantage because I can’t imagine how hard coordination would have been with 50 or 100 guests. Also I have to say that being off the grid a bit was one of the best parts of this night. Nobody was on his or her cell phone, scrolling through social media, or uploading pictures; it was just us and the desert sky, great wine, and even better conversation.

    Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

    As I said above it was incredibly difficult and it was the only thing I cried about through the entire process. I didn’t want to offend anyone, and I knew deep down that was probably unavoidable. Of course some people understood completely, particularly those who have had to deal with wedding guest lists themselves, but of course there are always a few that take it personally and I can’t explain how difficult that was for us. There are so many people we love and cherish deeply that we could not invite and that bothered me up until the day of the event, and even for some time after.

      

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

    No one came right out and said that they were bothered by not receiving an invitation but of course we heard through other people that some had been offended. Honestly, I didn’t address it at all. I’ve heard horror stories about this kind of thing but I was really lucky in that I think at the end of the day the people in my life know that an invitation or lack of one is not a direct reflection of how much I care for them. I feel very secure and confident about the relationships I have in life and I hope they would feel the same.

    What were the highlights of the ceremony?

    Hands down it was walking down the aisle arm in arm with my dad to marry my best friend for the second time. Chris and I didn’t have our parents at the first little chapel wedding so having them all there to see us exchange vows was incredibly special and definitely the highlight of the day for me. Having my grandmas there was also really important and brings tears to my eyes now just thinking about it. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Chris’ grandparents there as well.

     

     

    What were the highlights of the reception?

    Such a hard question! Family style dinner under the stars, dancing with my dad in the courtyard of the ruin, taking tequila shots with my mom, smoking celebratory cigars in front of the fireplace with my husband and father in law, or reminiscing around the fire pit with my best friends…all of these moments were highlights that I’ll never forget. However I think if I had to choose one defining moment it would be dancing with my husband to Kenny Loggins, “Danny’s Song” with a glass of red in my hand and tears in my eyes. That’s the moment when it all kind of sunk in and the emotion was pretty overwhelming.

    joshua-tree-wedding

      

     

    What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

    Hands down it was having our friends and family get the chance to get to know one another. We had a pizza night rehearsal dinner at a house my family had rented in Pioneertown and I knew after that the following night was going to be a blast. Everyone just clicked so well and it was so wonderful to see my best friend talking to my grandma, and my husband getting to know my sister’s fiancé, and my in-laws getting to know my aunts and uncles. Honestly it was surreal. There’s just so few times in life where you get to have all these people that you love so deeply in one room together laughing and talking, and acting like they’ve known each other forever. It was magic. I truly believe that if we had decided to have a wedding of 100 or 200 people these connections might not have happened.

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

    My only advice would be that once you’ve decided to go intimate you have to really commit. As the months of planning go buy you are going to think about this person or that person or someone’s spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend, or that friend from work, or that second cousin twice removed that you should invite but you have to just come up with your guest list early on and stick with it. You have to accept that not everyone is going to be happy about it but this day is about you and your significant other. Nobody else. So do what’s going to make you happy and just trust that it’s going to work out. Don’t have a big wedding to please other people. If you plan this wedding based on what other people want you’ll find yourself broke, disappointed, or both.

     

    intimate joshua tree wedding

    Vendors:

    Photos: Sam Arroyo

    Styling: The Ruin Venue

    Florals – Huntress Florals 

    Dress – Rue De Seine

    Venue:The Ruin Venue

    Furniture rentals – Thrifted Sisters Vintage

    Catering –  CV BBQ

     

     

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    12 Fabulous Ring Holders from Etsy

    Posted on August 30, 2017 by Emily

    Your wedding ring will stay on your finger (hopefully!), but what about all the other beautiful rings in your collection? Here are 12 of our favorite ways to display rings from Etsy.

    These beautiful monogrammed ring dishes from ModernMud are perfect for you and your significant other. Order one each, and display them side my side.

    This monogrammed gold ring dish from TorontoGiftingCo is a simple and sweet option.

    These gorgeous crystal ring holders from ModernMud will have you admiring your rings even more often!

    Keep your treasures in something as lovely and unique as they are! We love the simple beauty of these origami glass boats from hereandnowshop.

    How cute is this cactus ring holder from paintmydream? If you are having a desert wedding, it would be a perfect little gift for your bridesmaids!

    This pretty handmade ring dish is from ShabbyChicRetreat. We love the subtle decoration!

    Embellished with 14k gold leaf, these ring cones from AbigailJewellery are just what you need to display your minimalist rings!

    You can customize these elegant ring cones from CraftMonkees with the colors of your choosing, so they will match all of your decor.

    These simple and splendid ring holders are from noemarin.

    If modern and minimal is what you are looking for, you’ll love these black and gold ring holders from mindtheminimal.

    *This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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    Rosy and Will’s Ashfield, MA Intimate Wedding

    Posted on August 28, 2017 by Christina

    With the participation of Rosy’s 104-year old grandmother being the main reason for having an intimate wedding, Rosy and Will’s wedding was truly a family affair.

    The wedding took place at Gloriosa & Co., a charming little venue that also took care of the food, which was all made from scratch.

    The photos of Rosy’s grandmother and the couple are so touching. We can’t help but get a little teary eyed looking at these beautifully captured moments. Thanks to the photographer, Julia Luckett, for capturing this wedding so perfectly.

    Rosy, 36 & William, 29

    Location: Ashfield, MA

    Wedding Date: April 29, 2017

    Number of Guests: 20

    Wedding Ceremony Location: Gloriosa & Co. at the Curtis House, Ashfield, MA

    Wedding Reception Location: Gloriosa & Co. at the Curtis House, Ashfield, MA

    Why did you have an intimate wedding?

    So that Rosy’s 104 year old grandmother could participate.

    ashfield ma intimate wedding

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

    Some of the “challenges” were keeping everything affordable but elegant and artistic, making sure Rosy’s grandmother had a comfortable place to be that was close to her home. But the honest answer is that there weren’t really any major challenges, due in part to how we all collaborated really well as a team, and everyone (family and businesses) were given the chance to do what they do best!

    —

    Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

    No, besides Rosy’s grandmother, it was all parents and siblings and their partners. We also invited Rosy’s aunt and her partner, because grandma lives with her full time.

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

    We are having a big wedding celebration in the summer, which will include extended family and friends. The only issue with this is it is lots of extra planning!

    What were the highlights of the ceremony?

    How everyone seemed to enjoy each other’s company, even with some family members meeting for the first time!

    What were the highlights of the reception?

    The food from Gloriosa & Co!

    What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

    The opportunity family members have to spend sincere quality time with each other.

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

    Say yes!

    Vendors:

    Photography: Julia Luckett

    Venue and Food: Gloriosa & Co. in Ashfield, MA (Gloria and her team at Gloriosa & Co. made all of the food from scratch using produce grown on site or from local farms. It was awesome!)

    Bride’s Dress and Shoes: Cathy Cross

    Groom’s Attire: Michael Kehoe

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