Sharing the Love

It has been a very fun and eventful week here at Amorology! Just wanted to share some of the highlights with you that made us smile :)

First, we had so much fun doing our orange grove photoshoot with our friend and photographer Jill Thomas. It was an absolute bonus to have the entire shoot featured on Style Me Pretty this week! We love SMP and it is always fun to see our work on such a mega bridal blog :) Don't forget about our free engagement shoot and styling giveaway! See details of how to enter here.

Heather was also interviewed by Envelopments this week. Be sure to check out their blog to hear her thoughts on our carnival wedding, as well as some fun wedding tips! Thanks to the folks over there for such sweet words about Amorology :)

And last, but certainly not least, Kaite and Jordan's Hampton's-inspired wedding is featured on Ruffled! They were so sweet to include all of the details of our Beside the Seaside theme, from messages in a bottle, to a real rowboat photobooth!

Like I said, we have really been fortunate to work with such great people who all contribute to making these weddings come to life. A special thanks to Style Me Pretty, Envelopments and Ruffled for featuring our work. We know there are oodles and oodles of gorgeous, fun and creative weddings to choose from out there, and it means the world to us to be a part of your blogs :)

first anniversary party

welcome back to the party! More fun photos from our shoot with Jill Thomas Photography! Here is part two...and more reason to celebrate.

inspiration:

this is a vintage inspired shoot. using an old bridal magazine, vintage attire, record player, and even a couple vintage chairs. but we wanted a vintage inspired shoot with an element of beauty and elegance

theme:

we wanted to create a nostalgic feeling, that was reminiscent of each couples wedding day. we also wanted to honor traditions and to remember the moments that began their life together. we imagined our couples beginning a new tradition on their first anniversary and gathering friends together to celebrate.

the couples each re-created photos that reminded them of their actual wedding day.
Micah and Tracy: remembering their rainy Seattle wedding day

Ben and Paige: remembering their destination wedding
Megan and Evan: remembering their rustic ranch style wedding

using a record player, each couple danced to their first song that they danced to on their wedding day. This is one of my personal favorite anniversary traditions. I still love dancing with my husband with each passing year on our special day. It always makes my heart beat a little faster.

remember to enter our contest to win a free engagement session by Jill Thomas and style/design consult by us to make it fun. Just send in a picture of you and fiancé with oranges (the more creative and fun the better) as well as a description of what your ideal date together would be.

Be sure and send your photos and info to orangeyoursohappy@gmail.com

and we will be selecting one lucky winner as well as a 2nd and 3rd runner up who will win one of peppermint cloud's darling boutonnieres. we just adore their work and are so happy they could be a part of our contest. see below what you could win!!

love this cute picture of my brother and beautiful sister- in- law. It may be one of my very favorites of them!

a big thank you again to all of our vendors and beautiful couples who helped to make this shoot come together!!

event design: amorology weddings photography: jill thomas florals: twigg botanicals hair: kami christensen hair/makeup: kami christensen and paige christensen wardrobe styling: jill thomas and ben christensen wardrobe: second hand, vintage, and anthropologie paper elements: brightly designed cakes:flour and flower boutonnieres: peppermint cloud hair pieces : feathers and frills bow ties: me and matilda

First Anniversary Shoot

we had so much fun creating this first year anniversary shoot with the fabulous Jill Thomas of Jill Thomas Photography. I absolutely love getting to work with talents such as Jill who share a similar style and love for all things beautiful with Amorology, that it makes putting things together like this an absolute joy! This was such a fun project to work on and many people were involved and I am so excited to share it with you. you can also head over to style me pretty for their feature as well on us!

the setting:

a first anniversary dinner party in orange groves in north county san diego, ca

the attire:

each couple is wearing their original wedding attire to remember their wedding day. we wanted the attire to be done in a more fun casual way. what would you do if you could retake your photos one year later?

(the actual attire is mostly second hand. vintage suits on the men and gowns are vintage and/or second hand. some attire is anthropologie as well.)

the table:

we wanted it to be as if each couple brought their own elements from their wedding. so there are lots of different colors, different chairs, even different plates. we imagined them sharing their own personal touches at the dining table and creating a tapestry of textures, mix and match china patterns, hand-stitched napkins and dining chairs from each of the couples trousseau as we set a charmingly elegant table. gold and crystal candelabras add to the warm glow of candlelight alongside the vintage lace wrapped candle votives. soft peonies, kale, lizzy, rununculous and garden roses filled a rusty bucket and sat among 3 cake toppers from each of the couples weddings-to be eaten on their first anniversary as the couples shared highlights from their first year of marriage! little paper flags that read "happily ever after" were placed in oranges upon each plate as a nod to both the present and future of their relationships.

Vintage handkerchiefs hung from twine and wood clothespins across the orange trees creating a lovely sheer backdrop.

the amazing hair and make-up was done by Jill's sister, kami christensen. we were all swooning over how beautiful the girls looked! she did a gorgeous job keeping things perfectly within the feel of the shoot. the headpieces are from one of our most favorite etsy stores, feather and frills .

the wonderful peppermint cloud donated some boutonnieres. they are amazing and actually custom made oranges just for our shoot! I adore their store, please check it out...also see our contest as we will be giving away some of these darling boutonnieres! also from etsy- me and metilda who gave us the awesome orange bow tie. I am just loving the bow ties these days and they have a store filled with them!

Also, all the flowers were done by Twigg Botanicals who captured the romance with their stunning combinations and softness of textures.

we will be posting part two tomorrow. so stay tuned!

event design: amorology weddings photography: jill thomas florals: twigg botanicals hair: kami christensen hair/makeup: kami christensen and paige christensen wardrobe styling: jill thomas and ben christensen wardrobe: second hand, vintage, and anthropologie paper elements: brightly designed cakes:flour and flower boutonnieres: peppermint cloud hair pieces : feathers and frills bow ties: me and matilda

engagement shoot giveaway

So excited about our upcoming contest with Jill Thomas Photography! Be sure and submit your photos and stories so we can have the opportunity to work with one of our lovely lucky readers!

Beside the Seaside: Photobooth Fun!

More fun from Kaite and Jordan's Hampton inspired wedding! What would the Hamptons be without a boat near the shore? We had so much fun creating and designing this photobooth!. Working with Courtney Scowby of Brightly Designed we developed the Beside the Seaside logo to carry through the theme of the event. We then built and painted the waves to sit in front of the boat that truly appeared to be drifting across the ocean. The vintage umbrellas we hand selected worked beautifully too with the custom pillows by pin cushion princess. that we used to cozy up the boat. And the best part?....Seeing how much the guests loved it!!

Our lovely photographers from the night, Amelia and Justin Lyon. Such naturals with the camera :)

My little loves and I even had time to sneak in a shot in the boat :) Finn's expression is hilarious.

So much work went into making Kaite and Jordan's dream wedding a reality. Thank you to everyone, including my family,who are always willing to help where they are needed (husband I am talking to you!) as well as a big thank you to Mike Cunningham from The Digital Orange who manned the photobooth for us and did a great job! We couldn't have been happier with how the pictures turned out!

a vintage hampton style affair: Kaite + Jordan

I was so excited when Kaite came to me to help her plan her wedding and it seemed only fitting to create a vintage Hampton inspired theme for her and Jordan. After meeting at college and spending some time together in Huntington Beach, careers took both Kaite and Jordan to New York where their incredibly romantic relationship really began. Spending time on the beaches in the hamptons, the pair often had sand in their toes and it was truly "Beside the Seaside" that they fell in love, not only with one another but with the east coast.

OK, so I know there are a few different ring shots here...but we just couldn't pick our favorite. Amelia Lyon did such a great job of getting some truly creative and beautiful shots. We especially love this one of the rings on the corks from the glass bottles which sat at every place setting holding Hampton sand.

We worked with Courtney Scowby of Brightly Designed to create all of the paper elements for the wedding, including vintage style post cards which sat atop each plate. The back side allowed for all guests to leave the couple a message, which Kaite's mom offered to mail to them throughout their first year of marriage and on anniversaries. The front side featured various engagement pictures (also by Amelia Lyon) as well as several love and beach quotes such as, "If you want to know how much I love you, count the waves."

We turned to Twigg Botancials to bring the vintage Hampton's feel to life. The flowers were absolutely incredible, but I think my favorite piece she did was Jordan's boutonniere. The tiny sea shell, succulent and orchid created such a beautiful textural look!



I am head over heels in love with her bouquet. I loved the soft pinks and creams Twigg used with the garden roses, orchids and stalk. The lace wrapped stems and vintage brooches were the perfect feminine addition.

With the girls in navy dresses and the boys in light tan suits the look was beautiful and fresh! I loved the contrast of the navy dresses and vests with the light creams of the flowers in these pictures. We of course also had to put the boys in Topsiders to truly complete the Hampton look.

Kaite and Jordan's eyes just happen to be appropriately as deep and beautiful as the sea! I can't wait to see their little ones one day! Can you imagine the incredible eyes they will have!!!

This is just a sneak peek of the photobooth pictures to come! We picked out several umbrellas and had pillows and waves custom made for guests to enjoy throughout the reception. You won't want to miss the rest of these pictures!

We really had so much fun creating all of the details for this wedding. We brought in tons of seashells and starfish to decorate the entire venue. When we saw this crab bread, we just couldn't resist bringing it in for the reception as well. :)

We created this custom cake stand for Kaite and Jordan using their colors of blue and teal. We also selected the traditional blue and white striped ribbon to adorn the cake. Twigg added the royal blue hydrangea to accent the cake as well.

The ceramic wicker vases that we found too really added some unique texture to the table. When I think of the Hamptons, hydrangea and wicker immediately come to mind. I think the combination kept the venue playful but still completely elegant. We of course couldn't use just plain glassware, so we selected this baja glass that had a bit of a bluish green hue to it.

The clam shell was brought in by Twigg Botanicals. It weighed a few hundred pounds, but was well worth the hauling! We placed it in the center of the room as a statement piece.

I loved, loved, LOVED their color palette. We knew we wanted to incorporate a classic striped canvas into the linens but pairing it with a Tiffany blue made it even more fun! Sometimes when we come up with color combinations, people look at us like we are crazy, and it takes some convincing of our brides to really visualize it. Luckily, Kaite completely trusted us and the overall look really came together! I loved the unexpected combination and they were so happy with how it turned out and that always makes me happy. :)

The venue allowed for both indoor and outdoor seating. The weather was perfect and we had a great view of the ocean. It felt like we had been transported to the east coast.

Each place setting not only had a custom-made postcard, but also a message in a bottle with Hampton's sand that read "Beside the Seaside we Fell in Love," which was repeated on the backdrop of the photobooth (pictures of this to come!). Guests also were given favors of salt water taffy in the same Tiffany blue as the linens of course!

I love all of the colors in these next shots. The bright, spring green and the crispness of their outfits created a beautiful fresh look that comletely reminds me of the Hamptons.

Kaite's family gently coerced her into singing a song she had written for Jordan at the reception, and we were all so glad they did. She has an amazing voice, and her brother played alongside her with the guitar. The song was truly touching and incredibly special; I didn't see a dry eye in the entire room.

We brought in a vintage getaway car to sweep the couple away from their reception. Guests showered the couple with rose petals as they left. I loved the feel it gave the wedding, and the black and white photo below is probably my favorite picture from the entire wedding. It looks so incredibly vintage; straight out of a magazine.

Kaite and Jordan, you two are so incredibly beautiful and gracious. We were so privlidged to be part of your big day. Thanks agian to Amelia Lyon and team for shooting such amazing pictures! We definitely have more to share from this wedding. Stay tuned for all of the pictures from their amazing photo booth we custom built, including a real row boat, umbrellas, starfish and more!

Sneak Peek: Kaite + Jordan

Do you remember these amazing shots from Amelia Lyon?? We are so excited to share all of the photos from Kaite and Jordan's vintage, Hampton-inspired wedding that was just featured in Ceremony Magazine!


Every last detail of this charming wedding will be up tomorrow, so be sure to check it out!

Featured: Ceremony Magazine

Ceremony Magazine is such a great resource for brides. It has tons of vendor information for local caterers, photographers, locations and more! Which is why we are so excited to be a part of their latest issue! Three of our weddings are featured in the current issue, including a four-page spread on Kaite and Jordan's Hampton's-inspired wedding. Be sure to pick up the latest issue to check it out!






Congrats to all three couples for having their weddings featured...what a cool keepsake! Kudos to our amazing photographers, Natalie Norton, Hugh Forte, and Amelia Lyon...your work is incredible! Thanks to everyone who was involved in all three of these weddings, and a special thank you to Ceremony Magazine for including us!

Stay tuned...all of the amazing details from Kaite and Jordan's wedding will be up on the blog later this week!

Anne of Green Gables Inspiration Board

{Photo Credits: flowers from Jessica Claire's wedding by Jose Villa; cameo via peppergirlsmommy etsy shop; orchard via Studio Lovejoy; tie via xoelle etsy shop; library books via buckscountyframes etsy shop; getaway carriage via Martha Stewart Weddings; victorian boot via Peter Fox; cake via My Sweet and Saucy; plaid flowers via MayLynnFlowers etsy shop; lanterns via DeFalco Photography from Amorology; bride via flickr}

When I was a little girl, I used to absolutely love the book Anne of Green Gables. I was thrilled when they made it into a movie, and still have it on tape somewhere! I remember sitting in my room pretending I was Anne and trying with all my might to make my stuffed animals turn into real students so I could be their teacher (I swear I was really popular and had lots of friends).

I was recently going through some remaining items in my childhood room and came across the book. It's crazy how some small material things can bring back rushes of emotions and memories. My memories were filled with everything I imagined Green Gables to be: green, soft, romantic and a bit wild. I was instantly inspired and created this board for some daring, wildflower bride.

When I sit down to start gathering images for an inspiration board, I have to have music playing. Music inspires me more than anything, so I thought I would start listing "soundtracks" with my inspiration boards so you could also understand the feeling I was experiencing. Don't worry, I won't make you listen to a full album of 12-15 songs, I'll just have a few that stood out to me during the process.

Soundtrack:
Chasing Pirates, Norah Jones
Don't Let Me Fall, Lenka
Always and Always, The Notebook Soundtrack
Smile, Glee Cast Version (Obvi!)

I hope you enjoy!
Mello

In Living Color: Roselyn + Ben

Roselyn and Ben are so incredibly full of life and very much in love!! We can't wait for their February wedding, and couldn't resist showing you their adorable engagement session from Jimmy at Gideon Photography. We love color, and fell in love with how bright and happy their pictures are! Congrats, you two!!

I hope these pictures brought a little bit of sunshine your way today.