Ashley and Jeff’s August wedding was definitely not par for the course! What a celebration they had on their wedding day from their late afternoon nuptuals to dancing their hearts out wee into the night. Nor wind, nor rain (at least the threat of) could keep this party down!
Due to the 35-40 mph gusty wind conditions, their 200+ closest friends adjourned to the indoor ceremony inside the 16,000 square foot mansion. With their wedding party assembled on the marble staircase above, Ashley and Jeff exchanged their vows while their guests looked on in the standing-room only living room. This turned out to be the most intimate and closely knit ceremony setting they could have ever asked for.
The gorgeous aquas/lime greens found in her bridesmaids’ dresses echoed Ashley’s elegant beach party wedding style. Her dining tables clothed in similarly hued linen perched above the white sandy beach. White, aqua and lime green with dashes of chocolate brown colored her wedding day.
Ashley adores birdies (of all types) and these feathered creatures alighted everywhere from the tablescapes to dangling alongside prism crystals in the trees and branch arrangements. Classic white flowers from orchids to tulips to gardenias to soft roses were complimented by organic elements of birch twigs, reindeer moss and clear marbles.
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Photography by Jay Reilly
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Good food and family run strong on both sides. A labor of love, Jeff’s mother baked hundreds and hundreds of cookies that filled the glass pedestals on the dessert bar (and later everyone’s tummies!). Custom coasters unveiled one of the treasured cookie recipes while coasters of another type revealed Ashley’s family’s secret baked bean recipe served during the cocktail style reception.
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Photography by Jay Reilly
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Mother Nature tried to rattle this day with her gusty wind but nothing could tarnish Ashley and Jeff’s beautiful wedding day!
After finding your dream wedding gown (and possibly falling in love again…), don’t forget about your main squeeze and his entourage. The formality of your gown will easily dictate what your groom and his groomsmen should wear. At MW’s lakefront weddings we have seen different types of attire ranging from formal to semi-formal to casual. There are so many choices for the men to choose from so take care with these details and they will be sure to look amazingly dapper!
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Formal:
The most classic attire is the tuxedo or Black Tie. The tuxedo usually includes a black coat, trousers with stripe on leg seam, white tuxedo shirt, cummerbund, black bow tie, cuff links and black leather dress shoes. For a quirky spin – ‘Creative Black Tie’ – on the traditional tuxedo, replace the black bow tie with a fun color that compliments the color palette of your special day or sport a black shirt for a modern look.
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Photo Courtesy of Ben Chrisman Photography, Dave Getzschman of Ben Chrisman Photography & Jennifer Baciocco Photography - All Merrily Wed Weddings.
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For the utmost formal event, it must be White Tie complete with a white bow tie, vest, possibly jacket with tails and a white tuxedo shirt.
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The most common style that we see at lakefront weddings is semi-formal. Semi-formal usually includes a well-planned suit and tie. This style can be personalized by using a different color suit besides black. Some of the popular suit colors we have seen besides black are: navy blue, charcoal gray, chocolate brown and tan.
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Photos Courtesy of (clockwise) Kate Webber Photography, Lisa Leigh Photography, Mulberry Photography and Jay Reilly Photography. All Merrily Wed Weddings.
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Another fabulous look we love is a “By the Lake” style by combining a navy sportcoat and khaki slacks. This nautical trend is a favorite for many reasons including the adaptability to fit your personal taste.
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Photos Courtesy of (clockwise) Christa Hoffarth Photography, Jennifer Baciocco Photography and Jay Reilly Photography. All Merrily Wed Weddings.
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Don’t forget the details!! All of these semi-formal styles can look great paired with a tie that pulls from your wedding color scheme.
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Kilt:
Another dapper look for those willing enough (and with the legs!) to pull this ensemble off is the kilt. A kilt is a classic Scottish and Celtic garment. It is a knee-length garment that is pleated in the rear and made from wool in a tartan pattern. Many grooms choose to wear a pattern in their family clan’s tartan to represent their Scottish or Celtic culture on their special day. Tradition has it that nothing else is worn underneath the kilt…
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Photos Courtesy of Photography by Monique, Organic Photographs and Ben Chrisman Photography. All Merrily Wed Weddings.
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Semi-Casual:
A semi-casual wedding calls for a more relaxed style. A khaki linen suit or pairing a nice collared silk shirt and slacks are perfect looks for a laid back feel. If it gets chilly during the evening, a sportcoat is a great addition to the shirt/slack combination.
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Photos courtesy by Ben Chrisman Photography. Merrily Wed Wedding.
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Your groom and groomsmen are sure to look as unforgettably stunning as you (well, almost as smashing!) with just a little care in choosing their stylish look.
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Claire and Cole met each other, of all places, in the Reno International Airport. Walking past him, Claire gave him a double look, and not for the obvious reasons, but because of Cole’s certain man accessory. What was the accessory you ask? A fanny pack. A few jokes and banter led to seats together on the plane…
This past August they said their “I Do’s” above the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe. Claire’s color palette was ivories, creams, champagnes and touches of black. Her inspiration for the day was her beautiful Enzoani wedding dress which has a glamourous vintage feel to it with the rouched bodice accented with gorgeous beaded floral rosettes.
She complimented her gown’s style by adding a bronze sash with beaded floral rosettes to her bridesmaids’ black dresses. Cole and his groomsmen sported black suits with the retro addition of black Converse’s on their feet. xxxx
Elements of black lace, black and champagne feathers, antique pearls and sparkling beading were woven throughout the ceremony and the reception. Ivory and champagne feathers graced the black vintage ceremony urns and within Claire’s bridal bouquet. The black feathers also added a striking contrast within the bridesmaids’ bouquets. Black petals carved a “W” in the ivory petal carpeted aisle and the adorable flower girl carried a black basket.
Champagne linen with black lace toppers dressed the cocktail tables, centerpiece vases wore cream lace and black ribbon while black sequined pillows sparkled on the white couches in the lounge area. The center of their super cute dessert buffet was a simple and stunning double tiered wedding cake accessorized with lace and pearl-beaded floral rosettes.
Claire wanted all her guests to sigh and say, “That was so Claire!” at the end of the day and I think we succeeded! In tribute to their fateful first meeting, everyone departed their reception each with their own ‘man bag’ fanny pack! xxxx
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Ginger and Brannan had just a few butterflies on their wedding day but definitely not of the stomach kind! These two knew at ‘first paper-shredder’ that they had something special, strong and lasting between them. Fast forward to their glorious 2010 Lake Tahoe private estate wedding with amazing views of not only the crystal blue Lake but the Sierras surrounding it.
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Ginger wore a stunning lace Amy Kuschel gown and she selected a chocolate brown Coren Moore bridesmaid dress to compliment this. We summerized the look by adding splashes of light/dark pinks, purples and tangerine orange throughout the reception – in the bouquets, centerpieces, menus, paper lanterns and the scrumptious dessert tower. The Monterey blue sash of the brown dress was also mimicked on ribbons wrapping the floral vases. Whimsical touches of butterflies alighted on top floral and food arrangements while cute floral stamps accented the paper decor everywhere. These colorful accents added to the festive mood of their wedding day!
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As the wooden sign says that Ginger & Brannan displayed at their reception – “Love Much, Laugh Often, Live Well”… and so it was on their beautiful wedding day. We know it will be well beyond too!
xxxx For those of you who adore the vibrant autumn colors of orange, persimmon, burgundy and brown, you will ‘fall‘ for Vanessa & Scott’s Tahoe lakefront wedding. Destination I Do Magazine did and this richly hued Fall wedding is currently featured in their beautiful publication out in the stores now. xxxx
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Below is Vanessa’s Wedding Board – I couldn’t resist throwing together with some of the subtle details, that combined, made this an impressive color feast. Gold and pine wood complimented the natural, Tahoe-inspired look she wanted. Loose moss, stray branches and river rocks nicely contradicted the gold chargers and gold-edged table frames which comprised the tablescape. Celebrating Vanessa’s Swedish heritage, two intertwining heart wreaths were hung above their head table. xxxx
Photos courtesy by Dave Getzschman of Ben Chrisman Photography
xxxx The one thing though that I will never forget, is not found in the details on the final wedding day, but rather lies in the first day that I met this incredible couple. We chatted, strapped on some snowshoes like old friends and scouted out their ideal wedding site in several feet of snow. Now that is true Tahoe style.
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