Today I have some spectacular creative wedding inspiration from Wedding Business Club member Marianne Blackham Photography. She recently photographed the intimate vow renewal of Hayley from Fairytale Pursuits.

Marianne and Hayley combined the vow renewal with a styled shoot so Marianne could show how to plan a luxurious and romantic vintage winter wedding in an urban venue. She’s often asked how to make this happen so Marianne is here to share the details so you can successfully re-create this theme yourself.

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To add a luxurious touch make sure the place settings reflect that goal.

Include a champagne flute, wine glasses, as well as a glass for water. Make sure there are the appropriate number of plates and utensils, as demonstrated below. 

If the venue is urban but a vintage or romantic feeling is desired then make sure to use decor to reflect that.

For example the DJ brought vintage equipment to add a vintage touch to a very urban venue.  Also look for vintage landmarks around the venue to get pictures at to add a vintage touch . . . as demonstrated below.

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Vendor Credits: {several of these link to affiliates}
Photographer: Marianne Blackham Photography — Event Venue: American Institute of Architects — Floral Designer: Bee Inspired Events — Bridesmaid Dresses:Bella Bridesmaids — Cinema and Video: Capital Films DC — Event Planner: Fairytale Pursuits — Officiant: Hitched 360 — Other: J and L Designs -- Wedding Cape — Makeup Artist: Liz Miller Beauty & Design — Linens and Coverings: Party Rental Ltd. — Second Shooter: Pedro Alicea — Caterer: Simon Cuisine — Cake Designer: Sorby Sweets LLC — DJ: The Dapper DJs — Heirlooms and extras: The Garter Girl by Julianne Smith — Invitation Designer: The Stationery Barn — Signage: Weddings By Joedi

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Today’s amazing purple and white Washington DC military elopement comes to us from Marianne Blackham Photography. Both the bride and groom are in the Navy with the groom being a Navy doctor and the bride a Navy RN.

The couple decided they wanted to elope so that he could get married in his white uniform. The elopement took place in a charming alleyway in Washington DC with a brunch reception taking place later on at the Four Seasons. Enjoy their amazing wedding photo gallery below which also features photos by co-shooter Cynthia Bennett Photography.

Creative Wedding Inspiration Include:
1. One bloom bridal bouquet {loving the purple calla lilies}
2. Pretty purple frosted cupcakes {match the bouquet}
3. Knee-length lace wedding dress
4. Gorgeous statement necklace
5. Pretty organic design for the sweetheart table

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What was your favorite element in this intimate military elopement? Please let me know in the comments, I'd love to know.

Wedding Vendor Credits:
Photographer: Marianne Blackham Photography
Co-Shooter: Cynthia Bennett Photography
Event Planner: Jacquelyne Edith Events, LLC
Makeup Artist: Ktylas Beauty
Officiant: Hitched 360
Dress Designer: Ebrada Atelier
Invitation Designer: Devine Designs by Diesha
Hair Stylist: Courtney Maricle
Bakery: Buttercream Bake Shop

Before I share with you a holiday blast from the past - I have to share with you this festive patriotic bouquet from TheBouqs and it's only $40. You will receive Red, White, & Blue Roses shipped farm direct from an active volcano with Free Shipping. It's the perfect centerpiece or even bridal bouquet for  your festive 4th of July themed wedding or party.

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Now, it's time for a gorgeous DIY holiday wedding, photographed by Rebecca Watkins Photography. This couple married on July 6th and their vintage Americana wedding was inspired by the Fourth of July and Kelly's grandfather {who had worked for Coca Cola for nearly 40 years}. Come see the entire wedding in the original post here

Today's wedding {beautifully photographed by Meghan Christine Photography} is filled with lots of love and so many amazing details - I am actually going to leave the following as the bride, Lindsey, wrote it .

"We wanted the wedding to have a sort of vintage/eclectic feel, but at the same time feel very relaxed and down to earth. Both Mark and I are very outdoorsy and we wanted our wedding to have a relaxed, laid-back summer feel. My mom was a huge help to me, as was my wedding coordinator. I love DIY projects and wanted the day to really reflect us, so I had a blast making a ton of different things! I made the pinwheel favors and ribbon wands after finding a DIY tutorial online. They were time-consuming, but so worth it! I found the inspiration for my brooch bouquet online and collected and assembled the brooches myself and with help from friends and the bouquet included brooches from my mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and the mother of the groom. The hankie favors were DIY, cut out of a thrifted sheet and embroidered on my sister’s fancy sewing machine. The boutonnieres were the only DIY project I came up with entirely on my own, without online inspiration or tutorial – I made mini versions of the larger pinwheels and hot-glued them, along with lace, ribbon and twine, to craft pin-backs. The place cards I stamped and embellished myself, and I also printed and assembled the ceremony programs. Most of the reception decorations were either thrifted or borrowed – we only rented a few things like the tablecloths, table runners and chairs."

I LOVE THIS from Lindsey!!!!!! "My wedding dress was my mom’s but since she and my dad got married in the 80s, it needed some significant changes – the giant puffed sleeves were out, for one. My amazing tailor Tricia took the dress and completely made it over – I got my mom’s dress with an updated look."

The pennant banners that decorated the reception area thrifted from bedsheets from goodwill that were cut them into pennant shapes with pinking shears, pinned to twine, then sewn together.

Lindsey and her mom and searched for months through the dishware sections of every goodwill and thriftstore in their area to pick out eclectic and vintage-looking chinaware. After carting home enough dinner plates, salad plates, teacups, and silverware to feed 200 people, her mom ran them all through the dishwasher. Then she paired up dinner and salad plates that looked good together.

As written by the Lindsey . . . "My cousins and I made all the wedding cakes. I chose three flavors – chocolate, white almond and carrot cake – and we baked for two days, under the supervision of my teenaged cousin Leah who wants to go to culinary school and open a bakery someday. I ordered the cake toppers from a shop on etsy. The cakes were one of the best parts of the reception – I have gotten so many compliments on them and lots of people asking for the recipes."

And, this is the sweetest way I've ever been able to end a real wedding post - with these words from the bride . . . "I found most of my DIY projects in various places around the web and relied on advice from my bridesmaids and cousins. This was definitely a family affair! I love having a big extended family, and I treasure all the time I got to spend with my cousins, aunts and friends. Since Mark’s family lives in Pennsylvania, only a few of his close family and friends could make the trip to Indiana, but they were so helpful in setting up and tearing down the ceremony and reception spaces. We had a great time at our wedding – it was wonderful to finally get to enjoy the fruits of so many months of planning and to celebrate our new marriage! If I could go back, there’s nothing I would change."

Vendors:
Photographer: Meghan Christine Photography
Floral Arrangements: by the bride's aunts
Wedding Dress Alternations: Tricia Gastineau of Alamode Kabash Sewing
Reception: Jasper County Fairgrounds
Ceremony: St. Joseph’s College Chapel
Coordinator/Planner: Rachel Hansen

Today's wedding combines modern and vintage elements, while keeping the personal touch of the bride and groom, Jess and Sean. The amazing photography was captured by G.E. Masana Photographer {an artful and documentary wedding photographer}. The bride's sister-in-law designed the invitations, programs, wine bottle labels and table numbers. She also designed the monogram that the couple used everywhere.

Don't you just LOVE this photograph of the church? The lighting is spectacular.

As the bride loves peacock blues, she had her bridesmaids dresses in three different shades in that color family and included accent colors of gray and hot pink throughout the wedding.

This is such a terrific idea - instead of a traditional guest book, the bride and groom collected over a hundred postcards from their trip to France and guests chose one to take with them. They then wrote a note to the couple and mailed it back to them after the wedding. Even a month after the wedding, Jess and Sean were still receiving the postcards.

This is so clever . . . Jess and Sean had a crossword puzzle on the program for their guests and the answers were on the napkins at the cocktail hour.

I can't help but think of the stairs in the Titanic when I see the photo below.

If you look close at the photo below, do you see the silhouette of the bride and groom? Isn't this shot amazing?

A big thank you to G.E. Masana for sharing this gorgeous wedding with my readers today. To see more from G.E. Masana Photographer - please visit his web site and blog.

Wedding Vendors:
Bed & Breakfast: Harborwoods Guesthouse, Sag Harbor, New York
Wedding Ceremony: Most Holy Trinity Church, East Hampton, New York
Wedding Catering & Reception: Vineyard Caterers, Aquebogue , New York
Bridal Hair & Make-up: Jean Lawson
Bridal Gown Designer: Angelina Faccenda
Bridal Salon: Bay Shore Bridal Suite
Wedding Flowers: East Hampton Florist
Wedding Entertainment: Mamalee Rose & Friends