They’re just magically dreamy deliciousness. Really! Like 100%. SO, for now…

Just know that the hotness is on it’s way.

xoxo,

A.

Let your love grow today!

xoxo,

A.

Designers On-Board So Far:
1. In The Now
2. Events of Love and Splendor
3. Joyful Weddings
4. Jesi Haack
5. Simply Modern Weddings
6. The Treasured Petal
7. JL Designs

*And if you’re a designer who thinks you have a great “hand made” or “hand-me-down” that could be of use to the next generation of brides, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly for a booth space [space is quite limited at this point, as we want this fun and intimate and exclusive].

Please sign up for a ticket so that we know you’re coming! Would love to see lots of bright, smiling and familiar faces there [so past clients, bring new engaged or yet-to-be engaged friends!]. This could work well for anyone getting married, buying a new home, or just looking for some savvy buys to infuse some style into everyday life! We want *you* to have the trends you’ve seen on blogs, magazines… everywhere- come right to ya!

xoxo,

A.

Ahh. That’s better, right? Now since you’re nuzzled in, let’s get it going! The idea was presented to us by Amanda @ Ruffled Blog, to style a shoot for her that was anything we wanted, with a vintage twist. Since my personal aesthetic is to push the box and add a modern twist to everything I design… I knew it had to be special. Enter Retro Vintage Outdoor Cafe. Serving souls all night long. The concept easily flowed from my mind to my fingers in a frenzy-typed email out to photographer Adrienne Gunde and from there, the details just fell perfectly into place. I’ll splice our ridiculous amount of pictures with the write-up that I sent over to Ruffled, just so you kinda know what’s going on. I hope your heart feels full and warmed [via pictures and coffee/cocoa] when browsing the images below. I know mine does. Truly, there is nothing better than love.

Okay so everyone lately has been focusing on bringing the indoors to the outdoors, and I love that about photography right now. I knew that if I wanted to do something like this for a shoot, I really wanted to challenge myself and take it a step further.

I immediately concepted the idea of building a cafe out in the wilderness. We found the perfect clearing with trees flanking the area and my ideas were set into motion.

As for the shoot itself, I imagined a couple deeply in love, newly-weded, who got distracted with the idea of a cup of coffee and some dessert on the walk home from their wedding. After the grand send off, after the dancing and drinks, after the party…. THIS is where the end up. At a quaint cafe, open late, laughing and loving the night away until dawn strikes and they mosey on towards home.

I love the idea of these two lovebirds reveling in the memories of their wedding day. Their feet ache, her head hurts from being pinned up, they’re exhausted… but they’re elated. Full of joy. Full of newness, hope, and love. Full of lemon crumble cake!

[sun slowly rising on them.... DYING!!]

The idea is that these two order a slice of cake, a tea, and a coffee, and chat the night away until the cafe closes and as they walk down a quiet side road in the breaking dawn… they give a whole new meaning to the term “walk of shame”. I adore the idea of a wedding “walk of shame”- like you spent the WHOLE night out and you’re walking down the road now barefoot, shoes in hand, veil off and hair let loose, ready to head to sleep finally.

I created a “wedding style” for our models- magenta, purple tones, gold and browns accented by the groom’s grey suit. Then I created our “cafe style” to be complimentary, simple and stand out on it’s own in buttery yellows, blue hues and warm ivory/wood tones. The light posts we brought in set the perfect stage and feel for our “open late” cafe scene.

The whole idea was this humble cafe that sets up their services in the middle of a clearing- just because they can. It’s their “thing”, and they’ve been doing it for years. Quite feasible that a young, in love couple would see it walking by and stop in for a couple of warm drinks on their way home and then splurge on a piece of cake. Of course, the sitting time creeps longer and longer once you realize how bad your feet ache and how tired you are- the night of the wedding is a perfect excuse to just take your time.

Phew! Don’t you just love that last photo? I think that’s how all newly-weds feel on their way home from their wedding! Glad to see you stuck it out through this whole post! But, hey- imagine having to pick which images to share?? It was a tough job that I took on, all for the love of you my readers!

One last run-down again of the vendors in an easy-to-find paragraph for you:

Adrienne Gunde Photography for the genius photos
Carlie B Hair and Makeup for our “danced-all-night” bride look
Found Vintage Rentals for everything cool you see pictured, essentially ;)
Classic Party Rentals for the rest [lamp posts, chairs and such]
In The Now Weddings + Event Styling behind concept, flowers, design…
Ruffled Blog for the opportunity, the feature, and the prompt!
The Vintage Bride for the gorgeous wedding gown
Posh Paperie for the ever-important paper and branding details
Nick and Yanessa Bowser for making everything look GOOD with the use of their physical persons [God-given, don't let it go to your heads! ;)]

Have a newly-wed moment today… whether you’re a nearly, a newly, or a seasoned pro at marriage… soak in the moments that make you flutter and flit all at once!

xoxo,

A.

Hope you’re loving this Friday like I am! I cannot believe half of the year has flown by already. 2010 has set itself up for so many amazing things- I almost am more excited to just look back at the end and see what unfolds. Until then, I’m hanging on with high hopes! Do the same, my lovelies!!

xoxo,

A.

P.S.- random fact- on this day, June 11, 2002- my husband and I started [re]dating! It was merely a year later when I had a ring on my finger and was planning in full swing. I remember 6/11 vividly because he asked me if we could “count it from the 10th” so it’d be easier to remember. How romantic!! ;) Here’s to never forgetting the little things!! And by the way- he’s never forgotten, 11th or not!

Special thanks to Video Keepsakes of Beverly Hills for this puppy, and for bringing their amazing 8-man crew to the wedding!! Love that. :)

See, y’all? THIS is why I recommend video. They just capture emotion that still frames never can. Feel me?

xoxo,

A.

I just 100% adore how their photographer, Zenia Photography, captured their love story!

Plus- well- it doesn’t hurt if the couple is completely gorgeous, too… right?

And now- some of the details you’ve really been DYING for…

Thanks to Zenia for the photos and for the remarkable pleasure of working together once again! Go give her a hoot and holler over on her blog!!

And, one for the road:

The lineup:

Sweet Tunes [and lighting] provided by Mike @ Carcano DJs
Rentals by Classic Party Rentals [to the rescue, I may add- thanks Gretel!!]
Design and Coordinating by [the ever-fabulous] In The Now Weddings
Photography by Zenia Photography
Cake and Flowers provided by the bride and family!

Have a dig-your-toes-in-the-mud kinda day. And don’t be afraid to get some dirt under those fingernails, either!

xoxo,

A.

I promise you guys [cue terribly long, terribly punctuated run-on sentence riiiiiight now!], I don’t know how it happens, but I truly feel so fortunate, undeserving, and full-on blessed to end up with such tender, love-oriented couples who just happen to take pictures radiating those feelings for one another! Melissa and Fonzo are certainly no exception. When Brandon Kidd [their super fab photog] blogged their engagement session last week… I fell out of my chair. Okay, okay… not literally [but I certainly did emotionally- and then I emailed the link to every single team member working on their wedding... which is 4 of them. 4 + me = 5 members of the awesome-sauce committee]. They looks delicious and stylish and in love and sweet and- well, they look everything that they truly are! I cannot WAIT for their June wedding.

In case you didn’t notice about me yet… I love a good “pop color”- and Melissa is rocking that shirt like it’s going out of style! But, you know, color never does!

Possibly my favorite picture of them ever ever ever:

Happy hearts make happy weddings.

I know you’d all GAWK if I told you that there’s still more over on Brandon’s Blog that weren’t posted here but it’s true! So go visit, leave him some lovely words and ooey gooey notes of pretty things! M+F… you know I’m thrilled about your pending nuptials. I’m so honored to be a part of it! You two are the real deal. And for that… I love you!

Spend some time with living green things today and remind yourself that you’re alive!

xoxo,

A.

So when our fabulous shoot photographer Jasmine Star told me she’d sent the photos from our cute-tastic Vintage Parisian Chanel Inspired Photo Shoot their way, I was in full-swoon for it! We got accepted, placed, and raved about so quickly it felt like a true whirlwind experience. I adored being a part of the shoot [and the head designer after the initial concept was presented to me] and these photos just remind me of such a fun, lovely experience. More on the shoot later, but for now… go leave love HERE and enjoy some great photos!

Big props to Jaclyne our amazing florist and of course my design partner-in-crime, Rachelkins!! Everyone deserves a sanity-keeper… am I right? Glad that I have mine!

xoxo,

A.

Have a whimsy-filled weekend, dears!

xoxo,

A.

I could NOT be more thrilled with the way the ideas were captured by fave photog Chenin Boutwell. She turns everything she snaps right into gold- so I’ve been giddy since moment one about this!

The stylish workshop was broken up into a couple of posts- so be sure to visit ALL of them and leave love for your fave event stylists over there!!

Wedding Chicks Part 1

Wedding Chicks Part 2

Definitely there are MORE images, descriptions and fun to come regarding this workshop so stay tuned for more! Thanks so much Amy, Jocey, and Chenin for allowing me to turn a portion of a San Clemente Golf Course into a dreamy, Nantucket wonderland!!

xoxo,

A.

Stacey and John were married at an In The Now FAVE venue- Rancho Las Lomas!

The gorgeous bride…

[I mean how is that NOT the money shot for every photographer??] But I must admit- something about this picture is so enchanting and shows exactly how Stacey felt, acted and appeared on her wedding day… calm, collected, so full of true joy!

My FAVE, below, and a shot at Rancho I’ve actually never seen before!

More to come from this wedding in the future- I promise! Hope you’re all soaking in the beauty of the spring air. Wedding season is in FULL swing, lovelies, and I’m adoring every busy minute of it!

xoxo,

A.

That’s us, at the very beginning of the shoot. I’ll explain more later [like, um, why it's pitch black out] but here’s one of the whole gang of us, at the end [minus the team from FOUND Vintage Rentals, who snuck out before we could snap em!]:

Pardon our attire- it was quite chilly out still! And it’s a bummer because you can’t see the EPIC IN THE NOW shirts that we were rocking!

From left, to right:
Nowie Rachel
Models Nick and Yanessa Bowser
Me! Me! Me!
Nowie [+ hubberkins extraordinaire] Josh
Carlie B, Hair/Makeup guru
Sweet Photog Adrienne Gunde

I like to call this the “good sport” team! This was not a shoot for the faint of heart- and we all came together as a force to be reckoned with! Something so empowering about that feeling. Totally in love with it! We couldn’t have also done it without Karrie Pyke, our lovely dress provided by The Vintage Bride, the veil by Candi Merle @ Crowning Glory and Classic Party Rentals. Have I piqued your interest yet??

This shoot is under wraps until we debut the amazingness on Ruffled, so stay on your tip toes! More to come!!

xoxo,

A.

This delightful sweets table that I’m sure you remember has seemed to get my blog and twitter friends clamoring with excitement! And rightfully so! Thanks to Cyd at The Sweetest Occasion for the wonderful little write up and feature of our perfectly placed desserts!

It’s an honor to be featured anywhere, but when blogs come out of the woodworks to love on something you’ve had your hand it… it’s truly a new level of humbling! Thanks to all my readers, friends, family and fans from my deepest heart… in ways you’ll never know, you are the ones that have kept me in this industry, creative and brimming with excitement! Jump on over to The Sweetest Occasion to see more of us and so so SO much more weddings!

Happy sunny day, y’all!

xoxo,

A.

And the infamous TISSUE POM POMS that [if you follow me on twitter, you heard me moan about a couple of days last week] my team and I made in the wee hours of the morning!!

Visit Nicole’s post for more images and leave her pretty pretty comments about her pretty pretty pictures! I cannot wait for y’all to see the ridiculously perfect vintage furniture that Jeni from FOUND supplied. You will flip. Like for serious.

Until then, hang on and enjoy the ride!!

xoxo,

A.

I’ll be honest- although the industry right now seems to be flooded with designers who are inspired with the recent remake of Alice and Wonderland [this re-creating their versions of Alice's Tea Party], the table that Grey Likes Weddings featured last week stopped my heart. In fact, ONE in particular detail left me swooning, big time…

The cake!! The mini three-tiered hedge of a cake with half painted red roses. You guys… I love it. I love the fondant work. I love the creativity. I love the attention to detail. I cannot get enough. The cake was crafted by the genius behind I Believe It’s Cake and for the past week [since I saw it] I’ve been trying desperately to find an excuse just to hang out in Laurie’s presence so I can hug her in person. You can visit the photoshoot feature and see many more pictures of the inspired design… but really, here’s what you’ll be looking for [and at!!]:

And yes- that little crown is the topper. But really, it’s the roses that send me over. And the fondant leaves. I’m not sure how aware you are but I’m obsessed with ANYthing shaped like a hedge!

I’m off to work a fabulous wedding with a wonderful couple at a top notch venue. What a way to start my weekend! Hoping this Friday finds you well, lovelies!

xoxo,

A.

I absolutely ADORE these romantically textured blossoms that grace little feathery poufs with a grey ribbon collar. If I got married again… this would be a serious contender! Thanks to Green Wedding Shoes for the inspiration [and the rest of that shoot is pretty fantastic so you should probably spend a solid 20 taking a look...], and to Aly at The Vine’s Leaf for the florals. She may be my brand new fave and I cannot, CANNOT, wait to work with her in the coming months!!

Lovely Friday to you all, my lovelies! What’s your favorite style of wedding posies? Loose, organic and wild? Tight, sleek, and slender? A bit in between? Focus on finding the you in this crazy wedding world, and when you find it- don’t let it go!

xoxo,

A.

These flowers just make me overjoyed that it’s spring here in sunny Southern California!

Enjoy your beautiful Friday and don’t forget to take some moments looking UP at the skies!

xoxo,

A.

SoCal Photog Shootout 2010 from CraftHouse Productions on Vimeo.

Nick came out to take footage of the ShootOut and his compilation of the day is so perfect in essence. Talk about an art form! I’m so thankful that he was there to catch- in video format- the emotion and feeling of the day, as well as all the design details we worked to put together! It makes me feel so much more validated for my hard work [and heart] that went into the event!

Thanks NICK! You are amazing. Hope you all can spare 4 minutes to watch the awesome sauce above.

Wiggles and giggles to y’all on this warm Wednesday!

xoxo,

A.

This dessert display is sooo channeling Amy Atlas! I’m in LOVE with the simple color combo and the Valentine feel to it. By the way, did you know that Krispy Kreme sells these little delicious heart-shaped donuts on Valentine’s Day only?? Brittany picked them up from the store on the way down to the wedding and they were definitely worth the extra trip [as the closest KK to Pala Mesa Resort is actually in Mission Viejo!!].

And one more precious detail:

Alicia came up with the idea to glue these little colored envelopes into the guest book, perfectly sized for each guest to sign their own Valentine to the bride and groom! So Martha of her!

You know, that’s how we roll here at In The Now! Details are a big deal. Details are the real deal. And we love them to pieces!

Thanks to Adrienne Gunde for making this look like a million bucks! We looove the pictures!! Can’t wait to share more with y’all!

xoxo,

A.