Utterly Engaged } The 1st Online Wedding & Bridal Magazine. Inspiring Brides with Style.

Last Friday, Lucia and I with Lydia Yeung of Ever Ours had the honor of meeting Emily Sperling, the President of ShelterBox USA and Volunteer & Youth Program Manager Alan Monroe, who flew in from Florida for a conference with volunteers in the area. It’s amazing how strangers can feel like family even before we met. After so many emails back and forth after For Japan With Love, we were so excited to meet them in person! They were the most down-to-earth, kind and fun individuals. We had so much fun catching up and sharing our experiences throughout the past year with the immense response from you and the blogging community. They also presented us with the first ever award called “Keep it Simple. Do it Now” in the name of For Japan With Love. It was truly an honor to accept it on behalf of all of you who’ve contributed and participated in helping us raise money and awareness for this cause.

ShelterBox Volunteer Jim Dyer, myself, Lucia and ShelterBox USA President Emily Sperling

Our meeting brought us back to our 2012 Design Challenge, where 13 teams created a tablescape design inspired by two countries that have been touched by ShelterBox. If you haven’t seen their amazing work, you should check it out in our Issue No. 20 starting on p. 134. Minted.com has an extensive collection of cultural wedding invitations that could easily go along with the tablescape designs from our Design Challenge. Check out some of our favorite! Can you spot which tablescape design goes with which invite?

Shop Minted’s Unique Wedding Invitations

Easter is coming! Eggs can add a touch of fun and personality to the table at a shower or even at your wedding. Some can even serve as your egg-scort “card” with their name and table number ; ) We love all the new creative ways to decorate your eggs. Here are some of our fave!

From L-R, top to bottom:
washi tape eggs
leaf print eggs
egg shell garden (photo by Easy Dreamer Photography)
message in an egg
henna doodle egg

Home is where the heart is. So it’s only fitting to bring your wedding celebration home. Tessa and Jared were married at Tessa’s family home  with lots of personal touches like felt hearts garlands hanging throughout, their wedding date carved into a heart-shaped section of a tree trunk, old family photos, and much more. One of the best parts was the antique, convertible Thunderbird that Tessa and Jared rode to the reception at a nearby pavilion. The Thunderbird used to be Tessa’s grandmother’s car, but the current owner brought the car over for the special day and drove the couple himself! A belly dancer and a traditional bread cake that went along with the Babushka dance were special treats during the reception. Love all the little thoughtful details they put into their wedding. To see more pics from their wedding, go here.

Photos by Jenny Kim Photography

CREDITS
Caterer:  Capers Catering
Event Designer:  Lauren Herbert
Floral Designer:  The Flower Shop at Kennedy’s Country Gardens
Invitation Designer:  Tessa Sestina
Cinema and Video:  Chris Berntsen Films
Other:  Rosa Noreen - Belly Dance
Cake Designer:  Crumbs Bake Shop

Happy Friday! I’m inspired by our Spring Issue no. 20 and found these sweet floral DIY projects to add a little Spring to your day! I might have to try making those adorable floral stamps this weekend.

1. Gilded floral | Creature Comforts

2. Flower crown | bleubird

3. Mini crepe paper flower favor | Oh Happy Day

4. Handcarved flower stamps | Gennine’s Art Blog

Spring is here! With all the colors popping up in nature, fashion and everything else, we are inspired to put together this issue to reflect all these beautiful vibrancy.

In this issue, you will find romantic destinations for Springtime honeymooners, a not-so-typical modern bridal shower of blooms and beauty, an intimate Palm Springs wedding that’s a labor of love, and more. Our Utterly Engaged girls also got to sit in the hot seat for a makeover from makeup artist Amy Clarke who shared tips and tricks to bring out the inner beauty in each one of us. Hopefully, this will help you see past your outward flaws and focus on your inner beauty as well! Also, don’t miss the full recap of our 2012 Leap Year Remix Party, complete with the winner of the Design Challenge! Find out who it is!

Hope you enjoy the colors of Spring in this issue and are inspired to use them in your celebrations!

with love,
Lucia & Henny