Oct 13, 2014
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons has a crush, a HUGE crush actually, on all things California in their 2014 November/December magazine. They take an in depth look at the myriad of different locations in California for your destination wedding (thank goodness it is the third largest state in land space so there is plenty of options for everyone).
From deserts to beaches to big cities to mountains and from vineyards to lakes, they scout the best spots that will have the just right venue for your dream wedding. An added bonus is that your guests don’t need a passport for this vacation!
Here at Merrily Wed® we are thrilled to offer the insight expert advice for their close-up on Lake Tahoe weddings from tips on how to make your wedding really maximize what our charming Lake Tahoe area offers as well as the scoop on some great one-of-a-kind venues.
Ready to buy your tickets for Destination Lake Tahoe?!
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Jul 23, 2014
Emily and Joe’s lovely Lake Tahoe wedding is a modern classic. They exchanged vows, sipped signature drinks, dined under twinkling lights and danced on a custom white dance floor with sparkling crystal chandeliers overhead – all by the water’s edge!
Held at the West Shore Cafe and Inn, the waterfront space was transformed with lush Southern-style white hydrangea blooms woven with magnolia leaves from Blooms by Martha Andrews.
“We knew that we wanted a more traditional looking wedding, rather than Tahoe rustic, and the team at Merrily Wed® helped our vision come to life,” Emily says. A mostly white palette mixed with a light dove gray allowed texture to play into the decor.
The classic style of Jonathan Young Weddings photography captured this wedding perfectly!
Her adorable 4 flower girls can’t go without a mention either – babies breath hair wreaths with dove gray ribbon completed their ensemble and two dashing ring bearers rounded out the beautiful wedding party.
The thrills began with Joe making a grand entrance on a classic woody boat with nothing less than formal tux attire for the groomsmen, junior groomsmen and for him. The bridesmaids were gorgeous in long chiffon light gray Amsale dresses while Emily herself wore a stunning Vera Wang gown.
Gray escort cards with white script along with silver julep cups and platinum beaded glass chargers all subtly wove the touches of gray & silver.
Prominent accents include a custom monogram incorporated in the boxwood wreaths, dining napkins, goodie bags, lounge pillows, matchboxes…
All white luscious florals, white linen, a white leather lounge, a delicious white wedding cake – wedding white was never seen better!
Elegance in simplicity… congratulations Emily and Joe!
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Jun 19, 2014
The West Shore and the East Shore of Lake Tahoe each have a special allure that draws visitors to their sunny beaches – some sand and some rock. They also both have a wealthy history dating back to the 18th century thanks to the aristocratic families that weaved their legacy with Tahoe lore. At Merrily Wed® we have found these shores to be memorable locations to hold your destination Lake Tahoe wedding.
George Whittel built a fabulous summer home that he named Thunderbird Lodge. It sits in isolation on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe. This section of the lake is rugged and pristine, in contrast to much of the rest of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. His failure to allow development on the 27 miles of shoreline that he bought more likely was a result of wanting privacy than being a nature conservationist. Regardless, it has kept this section of the lake from being developed with hotels, homes and shops.
Thunderbird Lodge – photo courtesy of Catherine Hall Studios
Visitors to Lake Tahoe often may not be aware of historical attractions such as Thunderbird Lodge and two other mansions on the western shore that tell a tale of how the fabulously wealthy spent their summers at Tahoe back in the first half of the 1900’s. All three homes are open to tours every summer and two of the three are beautiful venues to host your destination Lake Tahoe wedding.
Landscaping at the Thunderbird Lodge includes waterfalls, pools and streams connected by winding stone pathways and flourishes such as a stone shamrock and other whimsical designs. One tunnel leads to the infamous Card House where Whittel indulged his passion for late night card games and alcohol.
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Thunderbird Lodge – photo courtesy of Catherine Hall Studios
Your wedding guests may even be able to see the Card House on a tour of the famous Thunderbird property during your wedding. A tower was added to the original lodge after Whittel’s death by investor Jack Dreyfus Jr, where today the space is now used for weddings and special events. The Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society manages the proceeds from tours and events to help maintain and restore the property and the 55-ft Thunderbird mahogany yacht.
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Thunderbird Lodge – photo courtesy of Catherine Hall Studios
The Hellman-Ehrman Mansion on the west shore is the largest of these three mansions consisting of 11,703 square feet and three stories. Hellman and his descendants used Pine Lodge from 1903 until 1965 when Hellman’s granddaughter sold it to the state of California. It is now part of Sugar Pine State Park and commonly known as the Ehrman Mansion. Weddings are held on the lawn by the lake and receptions are commonly located on the hilltop closer to the Pine Lodge/Ehrman Mansion.
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Ehrman Mansion – photo courtesy of Brian MacStay Photography
The third historic mansion rich in history and wealth is Vikingsholm just a little farther down the west shore from Hellman-Ehrman Mansion. This was Lora J Knight’s summer retreat whose estimated wealth at that time was $43 million, built in 1929, and sits at the head of Emerald Bay, arguably Lake Tahoe’s most scenic spot. She wanted the mansion to look Scandinavian as the bay reminded her of fjords in Norway.
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Vikingsholm – photo courtesy of Vikingsholm.com
She also owned tiny Fannette Island which sits in the middle of Emerald Bay. A small stone teahouse that she built sits on its crest. She rarely used it because of the difficulty in accessing it. For the same reason Vikingsholm, despite its intriguing beauty, is not an ideal wedding location due to the narrow path one must hike to reach it.
Whether selecting the West Shore or the East Shore, incorporating one or more of these locations would be a great idea for visiting guests to see more of Lake Tahoe’s rich history. And if you are lucky, one historic site may be host to your wedding itself!
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Oct 29, 2013
Set your wedding table with your own personalized touch of style from customized hand-written chargers to hand-picked colorful mason jars. Here at Merrily Wed® we couldn’t resist these 5 options which look like a million bucks but cost almost nothing to make. Whether choosing three or picking just one idea, they are all an easy way to put your own stylish stamp on your wedding reception!
Chargers
What a perfect way to share your cherished vows or maybe the words to your favorite wedding song on these sweetly inspired DIY porcelain plates courtesy of Ruffled Blog. It is a keepsake that will last forever too!
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Table Numbers
Natural rustic meets the oh-so trendy metallic chalkboard to greet your guests at their tables. Either adorn a simple weathered wood box or hang from an object of your desire… Also courtesy of Ruffled Blog.
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Wedding Cake Stand/Dessert Buffet Pedestals
A perfect pairing for a Tahoe treat (or two)! We just loved this woodsy accent to any decadent dessert display. Once Wed gives the simple step by step instructions on the how-tos!
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Festive Mason Jars
Put a little pizazz in your wedding decor and elevate the mason jar from cute to irresistible with just a spray of paint by 100LayerCake. These beauties can be used everywhere!
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Ice Cream Favors
To temper the summer heat, show your gratitude for your sweet guests with some ice cream in a jar. Check out this recipe of thanks from City Cradle Design that had our mouths watering. With a simple modification you can serve S’Mores in a Jar instead which is always a hit!
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Tahoe Signature of Style,
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