Featured: Keely + Hill's Southern Wedding at Boxwood Estate

We are thrilled to be kicking of this Friday with a feature on one of our favorite blogs, Carats & Cake!

Keely + Hill's southern, elegant wedding was one of our all time favorites. From the gorgeous decor, which was inspired by our brides classic style to one of the most fun wedding receptions we've ever seen. We're serious - the band Loose Chains had everyone dancing and partying all night long! And it was all in the name of celebrating one of the most incredible couples! Check out the full feature, here, on Carats & Cake. 

See a few of our favorite photos and more detail from Keely + Hill's special day in this blog post.

All this wouldn't have been possible without the help of our talented vendor team:
Wedding Planning and Design: The Graceful Host
Photography: Lauren Friday Photography
Floral Design: New Creations Flower Company
Ceremony and Reception: Boxwood Estate
Catering: Something Classic Catering & Cafe
Cake: Wow Factor Cakes
Entertainment: Loose Chains via East Coast Entertainment
Ceremony Musicians: Elegant Ensembles
Tent and Lighting: Party Reflections
Linens: Party Tables
Hair and Makeup: Lisa Freeze
Wedding Dress: Bellissima of Salisbury
Bride's Shoes: Valentino
Videography: Shamus Coney Films
Transportation: Salisbury Trolley Tours
Paper Goods: Olive Paper
Pillow, Koozie and Napkin Printing: Mom N Pop's Print Shop

XO,
A.

Real Wedding: Sophisticated Glamour at The Ritz Carlton Urban Garden

What happens with you get a gorgeous bride with an eye for design and a handsome groom with a smile that will light up a room?! You get Kendra and Randy's chic uptown Charlotte wedding at the Ritz Carlton Urban Garden! 

When I tell people I'm a wedding planner, their next immediate comment is "Oh I bet you deal with a lot of bridezillas!" I quickly answer, "Nope!". And I'm serious. My brides are some of the sweetest, most genuine, grounded women I've ever met. I feel so lucky to get to be a tiny part of their lives as they marry the love of their life. Kendra was an absolutely dream to work with! Here is a woman who knows what she wants - I love that! - and as a talented interior designer, she has an incredible eye for design - my kind of bride! Together, we created a wedding that was a perfect reflection of Kendra and Randy's style: sophisticated glamour.

This wedding day felt extra special because it was a celebration of two families coming together. The bridal party consisted of Kendra and Randy's family members and children, and Kendra was even escorted down the aisle by her two adorable son's! It was a beautiful Carolina spring day full of love!  

It's so easy to fall head over heels in love with this sweet couple! I loved every second of our time together and watching them say I Do was such a treat! Cheers to you, Mr and Mrs White! I am grateful to have been a part of your special day. And I have to extend a huge thank you to our team of talented vendors who helped make Kendra and Randy's day an absolute dream:

Wedding Planning + Design: The Graceful Host / Photography: Lauren Rosenau Photography / Flowers: New Creations Flower Company / Paper Goods: Pink Toast Ink / Venue, Catering and Wedding Cake: Ritz Carlton Charlotte, Urban Garden / Hair and Makeup Artists: Makeup by Jenny Le / Wedding Dress Designer: Victor Harper Couture / Wedding Dress Boutique: Nitsa's Apparel / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale Bridesmaid / Ceremony Musicians: Queen City Ensemble / Reception Band: In The Pocket via EastCoast Entertainment / Rentals, draping and furniture: Spark By Design / Rentals, linens and staging: Party Reflections / Rentals, linens: BBJ Linens / Rentals, linens: Party Tables

And don't miss Kendra + Randy's wedding featured on Inside Weddings! Read more about their story and see photos from their special day, here.

XO,
A.

Welcome to the World, Ryan Elliott

I hate to interrupt all the pretty wedding goodness - but today, I have a personal blog post to share with you today.

On April 6, 2016 my husband and I were thrilled to welcome our baby boy, Ryan Elliott Cash. After going into labor at 3:00am that morning, we made our way to the hospital and were all checked in by about 6:00am. I was actually 5 days past my due date and our midwives had scheduled an induction for that Friday. (And I swear to you that having that induction date scheduled was what sent me into labor!) Coming into the world a whopping 10lbs 11oz and 23inches, our son was a bundle of perfection with the prettiest red hair I've ever seen! And where the red hair came from, I'll never know. :)

Motherhood has been both wonderful and challenging. The first few days are no joke hard. Actually, there needs to be another word to describe it because hard just doesn't seem to do it justice! But just as everyone says, every single second of the tears - both of joy and sadness - is worth it for the sweet baby you get to snuggle in your arms. And as just everyone says, time flies by! I honestly cannot believe that our little boy is already one month old. 

Our birth story is nothing special or unusual. We knew that we would be having a "large" baby from our third trimester ultrasound. I had no health problems prior to getting pregnant, no gestational diabetes, no high blood pressure - nothing except a family history of large babies! At 36 weeks, he was already estimated to be over 7lbs and was measuring ahead by two weeks. We thought maybe he would come early since he was already a good size, but as one doctor reminded us - just because a child is the size of a kindergartener, that doesn't mean he's ready for kindergarten. That analogy helped put things into perspective for us, and we patiently waited and waited for when he would make his big arrival. Around 38 weeks, our midwives talked to us about potentially needing to schedule a c-section due to his estimated size - he was measuring at 41 weeks by this point! We prayed about it and consulted with OB/GYNs, and ultimately decided that it wasn't the best course of action and that we'd continue to wait it out. In the meantime, we put the finishing touches on his nursery, enjoyed plenty of time together, and I even worked a wedding at 40 weeks and 1 day pregnant! Fast forward to the morning of April 6 and it was finally time for us to meet our son.

Our families actually don't live anywhere near us, and I really wanted to have my mom there when I went into labor. I called her as we drove to the hospital around 5:00am, and by 7:30am she was on a plane from New Orleans to Charlotte. When I checked into the hospital, I was already very far along - 6cm! And by the time I was brought into my room I was approaching 8cm. It was at that time that I decided to go for the epidural. I have zero regrets about this choice. I really wanted to labor naturally for as long as possible, and I felt that I hit my limit and pulled the trigger before I was in too much more pain. The epidural made the process of birth so much more enjoyable and I was able to really be present rather than wishing I was anywhere else in the world, doing anything else! (And for anyone considering an epidural - I'm not a needle person. In fact, I pass out usually when I receive a shot. But the epidural was not bad at all and it was over in a flash - don't let it scare you, too!) So with the epidural by my side, we continued to wait. But we didn't have to wait very long. My contractions were increasing and I continued to dilate pretty quickly. Magically, which a change in position as directed by the nurse, my labor stalled a little. This delay allowed for my mom to land in Charlotte and make it to the hospital just in time for the birth! I know that was God working in our lives so that she could be there for this huge moment. Pushing was a whole different ballgame and it nothing like you see in the movies. After roughly 40 minutes of pushing, he was here! As they laid him on my chest, I was in shock that he was actually here. I was so overwhelmed with what was happening! This baby that I had prayed for, thought about for 9+ months, and dreamt about was actually here! And when the put him on me, I thought okay he's not that big - no emergency c-section like we thought might happen and he looks absolutely perfect. After a while they took him to go weigh him and clean him off and my husband, Todd, went with him. A few seconds later he goes, are you ready to hear how much he weighs? My guess was 9lbs 6oz, and we had taken the guesses from family and friends, too. So when Todd says 10lbs 11oz, I was just shocked! There's no way this baby was that big - he definitely didn't look like it. Then they gave me his inches and he was off the charts there, too! When they went to go stamp his foot, it was actually too big for the pad. So we realized pretty quickly that our baby boy was overcooked! :) But he was perfect in every way - just a little overachiever, I guess.

When we tried to figure out a name for our little guy, we really wanted something with significance. The only problem was that we had no significant family names for boys! (Go figure the list of girl names we had created was full of family names and names with emotional attachment - isn't that how it always goes, though?!) All of my family names were way too Italian to go with Cash, and Todd's family didn't have anything either. Todd's Dad had passed away in 2013 and the loss of his Dad still leaves a big hole in his heart. We wanted to honor his memory in some way - but no one, not even his Dad, was a fan of his name. So we decided to use his initials instead! Now that we had the letters REC, we needed to fill in the blanks! Ryan had always been a favorite name of mine since I was a little girl. When I was younger, having the large imagination that I had, I named my guardian angel Ryan Elizabeth after learning about angels in religion class one day. She was a "person" I prayed to all the time and I truly felt like I had an angel guiding me through life. Ryan Elizabeth was on our list of girl names, too. So when we nailed down the initials REC, using Ryan for our baby boy was a no brainer for me. I mean, Ryan is traditionally a boys name anyways! And now it means that my guardian angel finally came to life! I loved that we found a name with significance for both my husband and I - it makes saying his name that much more special.

Now that Ryan is here, our lives are that much more sweeter ...and a little less restful! We feel truly blessed to be his parents and to be given this gift. So happy one month birthday to our little sweet redheaded boy. We love watching you grow everyday! 

XO,
A.

Photo Credits: Hospital photos by my talented and sweet friend Allison Kuhn Photography // Newborn photo by the awesome Lindsay Thalinger Photography // iPhone snap by yours truly with a Batz Kids monthly milestone swaddle

Valentines Day Inspiration: Blush and Bashful

Valentines day is drawing near - if you didn't already know by the absurd amount of chocolates every where you go! I'll admit, I used to fight my love of the color pink for a long, long time. But I've accepted that I'm a girl who loves the color pink - and it feels great! All jokes aside, pink is a really beautiful color to add into your wedding color palette. In fact, it's one of the two Pantone colors of the year! Lets face it, nothing says fairytale love full of floating hearts and romance like a little infusion of pink into your wedding day. It's a versatile color that can easily take center stage in a design, or serve in more of a supporting role letting other colors shine. Here are a few examples of how our sweet brides have embraced the color pink and incorporated it into their wedding day!

Sophisticated Luxury at Ritz Carlton Urban Garden

Kendra and Randy, April 2015
Lauren Rosenau Photography
New Creations Flower Company

English Garden Party at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Danielle + Sam, June 2013
Rachel Fesko Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Secret Garden at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Adrianna + Terrell, August 2014
Richard Israel Photography
Chelish Moore Flowers

Elegance in Nature at Morning Glory Farm

Megan and Tyler, August 2015
Alicia White Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Chic and Modern at Foundation For The Carolinas

Jackie + Daniel, August 2014
Smitten and Hooked Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Sweet Southern Love at Boxwood Estate

Keely + Hill, May 2014
Lauren Friday Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Playful Vintage Elegance at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Mia + Alex, April 2014
Lauren Rosenau Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Sweet and Glamorous at Mint Museum Uptown

Rachel and Mike, October 2014
Lauren Rosenau Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Lush Garden Romance at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Christina and Zach, June 2015
Lauren Friday Photography
New Creations Flower Company

Let us know what you think! How will you incorporate pink tones into your color palette?

xo,
A.

Featured: Elegant Southern Irish-Inspired Wedding

Get ready to meet the most adorable couple ever! Megan and Tom were married in a sweet celebration in July of 2015 at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Dilworth, followed by a reception at Charlotte Country Club. We infused so many details inspired by their lives and love story - read all about it here, on Style Me Pretty!

Here are a few of our favorite photos from Megan + Tom's wedding day!

Check out this amazing highlight video from videographer, Shamus Coneys Film!

Aren't they the cutest?! I am so, so, so thrilled to be able to share Megan + Tom's wedding day with the readers of Style Me Pretty and of course, you! This day was just as magical as it looked, and we have a team of talented vendors to thank for giving their all for Megan + Tom's big day!

Event Planning + Design: The Graceful Host
Photography: Lauren Friday Photography
Cinematography: Shamus Coneys Film
Floral Design: New Creations Flower Company
Stationery: Elisabeth Rose Stationary
Ceremony Venue: Cathedral Of Saint Patrick
Reception Venue: Charlotte Country Club
Makeup: Makeup By Jenny Le
Hair: Sara Egri
Band: East Coast Entertainment
Bridal Boutique: Bellissima Of Salisbury
Catering + Cake: Charlotte Country Club

Megan + Tom it was an absolute honor to be a part of your wedding day. I truly enjoyed getting to know you both and being a part of your celebration! 

XO,
A.

Featured: Simple and Chic Foundation For The Carolinas Wedding

We are over the moon to see Shelby + Jordan's beautiful wedding at Foundation For The Carolinas featured on Carats and Cake! Our lovely bride, Shelby, dreamed of a clean and elegant wedding in a color palette of neutral cream, white and grey. With modern and feminine touches, we created a timeless design with endless details inspired by Shelby + Jordan. Check out the full feature, here.

Here are a few of our favorite images from Shelby + Jordan's beautiful wedding day!

We absolutely LOVED working with Shelby and Jordan (and their families!) to help them celebrate their amazing wedding! These two danced well into the night and enjoyed a little late night pizza delivery from Fuel... it was such a fun party with Split Second Sound keeping the energy going strong all night. Shelby, thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your special day - it was an absolute pleasure getting to see you two say I do! 

Huge thanks to all the vendors who made Shelby + Jordan's day so fantastic!
Planning/Design: The Graceful Host
Photography: Smitten and Hooked Photography
Floral Design: New Creations Flower Company
Catering: Best Impressions Caterers
Venue: Foundation For The Carolinas
Entertainment: Split Second Sound
Paper Goods: Pink Toast Ink
Cake: Sky's The Limit Custom Cakes
Makeup/Hair: Makeup by Jenny Le
Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta from J. Majors Boutique
Grooms Attire: Vera Wang from Mens Wearhouse
Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Oh, and this just might be my favorite room reveal of all time... Shelby you're the best!

xo,
A.

Recap of 2015

It's been a wild and exciting year for The Graceful Host! We feel so honored and lucky to have worked with so many amazing couples over the past few months. With styles ranging from glamorous to organic, we've loved helping out brides + grooms bring their dream wedding to life! To celebrate a fabulous year - and our 3rd anniversary! - lets recap this gorgeous year!

Kendra + Randy
Ritz Carlton, Urban Garden
April 18, 2015
Photos by: Lauren Rosenau Photography

Melinda + Scott
Mint Museum Uptown
May 30, 2015
Photos by: CaptureMe Candid

Christina + Zach
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
June 6, 2015
Photos by: Lauren Friday Photography

Shelby + Jordan
Foundation For The Carolinas
June 13, 2015
Photos by: Smitten and Hooked

Megan + Tom
Charlotte Country Club
July 11, 2015
Photos by: Lauren Friday Photography

Cassie + Hunter
Mint Museum Uptown
August 8, 2015
Photos by: Lauren Friday Photography

Megan + Tyler
Morning Glory Farm
August 15, 2015
Professional photos by Alicia White Photography to come! iPhone snap shots by yours truly for now.

Brittany + Taylor
Mint Museum Uptown
October 3, 2015
Professional photos by Lauren Rosenau Photography to come! iPhone snap shots by yours truly for now.

There will never be the right words to express my gratitude to each of the families who allowed us to be a part of their special celebrations, to all our hardworking and talented vendors who went the extra mile to make our clients happy, and to my amazing team - whom without none of this would be possible!

I am going into 2016 with a very full and thankful heart for the year that was. Thank you for your support and love of my business... it's what drives me every single day! No doubt there will be some amazing things to look forward to in 2016 - like 7 incredible weddings, an all-new rebrand project to be revealed soon, oh and a new baby! ;) Take a bow 2015, you were a good one!

XO,
A.

12 Entertaining Tips from The Graceful Host

Huge thanks to The Venue Report for using some of my planning tips + advice in their recent article about entertaining! From words of wisdom & helpful tips to the perfect party play list & a few of my go-to recipes, I'm talking about ways you can make your life easier as you prepare to be the hostess with the mostest this fall and into the holiday season! Check out the full article, here.

Featured: Romantic Southern Wedding Inspiration at Graylyn Estate

I am over the moon to have our romantic wedding inspiration featured on Weddings Unveiled today! I have to extend a big huge thanks to Allison Kuhn Photography for all the gorgeous images! We were presented with many challenges in executing the shoot - the monsoon of a rain storm being the biggest of all. But thanks to Allison and Lindsey Regan Thorne of Be Pretty we moved on to plan B, and I think the end result is still absolutely stunning! Working with a talented team of vendors makes the biggest difference in the world, and I am so honored to have had the chance to work with an incredible team!

Creative Director, Styling and Calligraphy: The Graceful Host
Photography: Allison Kuhn Photography
Venue: Graylyn
Florals: Amy Lynne Originals 
Farm Table: Classic Party Rentals 
Chairs, China, Glassware Rentals: Party Reflections 
Linens: Nuage Designs 
Wedding Cake: Wow Factor Cakes 
Invitation Suite: Amanda Day Rose 
Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier from Nitsa’s 
Earrings: Nordstrom 
Hair & Makeup: Lindsey Regan Thorne 
Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank 
Models: Bethany and Scott Grotz

Our inspiration came from the effortless elegance of Southern brides. Since lace, vintage touches, and a crisp white tuxedo are some hallmarks of Southern weddings, I took those elements and gave them a unique twist. The brides stunning Monique Lhuillier gown from Nitsa’s is a perfect example of a classic silhouette that has been modernized with a fun and flirty high low-esque skirt. I fell in love with the addition of the beautiful lace linen from Nuage Designs to our tablescape - it was the perfect way to add lace to our dining table! I brought in vintage china from Party Reflections for just an extra pop of color at each placesetting and added a flower with calligraphy place cards by yours truly. The color palette was one of my favorite aspects of this shoot! I am in love with the combination of pale yellow, blush, peach and green! The design is a mixture of classic and traditional Southern elements done in an elegant and sophisticated style. Be sure to check out the full feature on Weddings Unveiled! Here are a few of my favorite photos from the shoot.

XO,
A.

Featured: Jackie O Inspired Wedding in Uptown Charlotte

I am incredibly proud to see Lauren & Will's beautiful wedding featured on Weddings Unveiled today!! Working with this sweet couple was an absolute dream, and their wedding day is still one of the most fun we've ever had! This group knows how to party! I loved each and every detail we planned. When I first met Lauren, she mentioned wanting a wedding at was inspired by Jackie-O: timeless, classic and full of style. I fell in love with these two the moment we met, and we had such a blast planning for their August 9, 2015 wedding at St. Peter's Catholic Church, followed by the Charlotte City Club. Just wait until you see their stunning portraits by the talented Lauren Rosenau Photography around uptown Charlotte - these two are absolutely breathtaking!

Don't miss the full feature on Weddings Unveiled today by clicking here. And see a few of my favorite photos, as well as a full recap of Lauren & Will's big day in this post. Thank you so much, Weddings Unveiled for the gorgeous feature - it's an honor to share this special day with your readers!

Lauren & Will, thank you two so much for letting The Graceful Host be a part of your wedding day! You and your families will always hold a special place in my heart!

xo,
A.

Anniversary: Veronica + Chip

This past weekend, we wished a very happy one year anniversary to one amazing couple - Veronica and Chip Getz! I absolutely LOVED having the opportunity to work with these two. Talk about two of the kindest, most genuine people I've ever met! Not to mention one seriously gorgeous couple, who are just a perfect match! Their romantic & sophisticated wedding at The Mint Museum was a highlight from our 2014 season. And in honor of their anniversary, I couldn't help but share their fabulous highlight reel from 5Ahead Films! 

Here are a few of my favorite photos by the talented Jeremy Igo Photography from their beautiful day!

One incredible year down, and just a lifetime to go! Cheers to you, Mr. & Mrs. Getz! Lots of love to you both!

XO,
A.

Anniversary: Mia + Alex

Just one short year ago, a beautiful bride with an infectious smile married a total gentleman in a sweet ceremony that combined both of their cultures and religions. Sadly our garden wedding plans were rained out - but a little (well, okay - a lot!) of rain didn't dampen this spirits of this amazing couple one bit! It's pretty ironic that it also rained on their anniversary, just one year later. But you know how the saying goes, rain on your wedding day brings good luck! :) I recently heard a new saying about rain on your wedding day that was so awesome - The wetter the knot the harder it is to untie. How's that for some perspective?! I have a feeling this amazing couples would agree.

I loved this beautiful garden wedding design, inspired by nature. We incorporated so many little details that were a reflection of Mia & Alex - like their hot air ballon guest book, which is where Alex proposed to Mia! If you haven't seen the full blog post, click here. Their wedding portraits in the Orchid Conservatory of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is one of my favorites from 2014. I loved seeing it pop up on Huffington Post blog last summer as part of their 14 Boho Desert Wedding Ideas! Today I'm sharing a few of my favorite highlights to from their big day to celebrate!

Isn't this bride so beautiful?! I love Mia's gorgeous tiered lace dress! And that smile - so infectious! I am so honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of this special day! Cheers to many, many more years of wedded bliss for this adorable couple!

XO,
A.

Photography: Lauren Rosenau Photography | Flowers: New Creations Flower Company | Venue: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Anniversary: Katie + Eric

It is with such great joy that I wish a very happy one year wedding anniversary to two clients turned dear, dear friends! I can honestly say that I just don't know where I'd be with out Katie. She and her amazing husband - and her super sweet family - have become like a second family to me, and I am so, so grateful to have such amazing brides like her! This wedding was so much fun in so many ways - from the people to the design! Our sweet bride is a lover of Kate Spade style, which was at the core of our design. Effortless, fun, preppy, modern, & classic style were all words we kept in mind when pulling together Katie's wedding design. I love the mixture of clean lines and graphic patterns with use of unique floral textures in the centerpieces. The Mint Museum Uptown was the perfect location for this modern art loving couple! I absolutely loved seeing their wedding shared recently on Wedding Chicks - check out the full feature here in case you missed it!

I am sharing just a few of my favorite photos from Katie and Eric's wedding day, beautifully captured by Lauren Rosenau Photography. You can see more from my other post about Katie and Eric's wedding here and here.

I cannot believe it's already been one year since this sweet couple said "I Do"! Time really does fly when you're having fun with your best friend - Am I right you two?! I am so grateful that Katie sent me an email back almost 3 years ago. (It is still one of the nicest, sweetest inquiry emails I've ever received!) I hope you have a very happy one year anniversary and enjoy celebrating together! I wish you all best as you relive one of the best days ever - and I wish you many, many more years of wedded bliss! Love you both tons & tons! 

XO,
A.

Photography: Lauren Rosenau Photography | Flowers: New Creations Flower Company | Venue: The Mint Museum Uptown | Cake: Wow Factor Cakes

Featured: Fashion-Forward Bridal Portraits in Charleston, SC

On a beautiful September day in Charleston, South Carolina, a little team of Charlotte wedding vendors traveled down to the low country to create a fashion-forward and non-traditional bridal portrait session. At the time, I was working with a sweet bride who was a lover of fashion-forward style, which served as inspiration throughout our time planning for her wedding. So for her bridal portraits she asked if she had to wear her wedding dress for her portrait session. And that got me inspired to style a few different bridal looks for the bride who wishes to be fearless & sassy on her wedding day, rather than go the traditional route with a wedding dress. We took to the streets of Charleston to get the historical charm & architectural contrast against the modern, black and white palette in the bridal looks. I wanted to embrace some of the more daring bridal trends making their way into the bridal market fashion for 2015  like crop tops, tulle skirts, & low-cut backs, just to name a few. I absolutely fell in love with the gorgeous sequin skirt she's wearing from Erin Grey Couture.... I've never seen anything else like it! Isn't it incredible?!

Huge thanks to our mighty little vendor team:
Creative Direction & Styling: The Graceful Host
Photography: Lauren Rosenau Photography
Flowers: New Creations Flower Company
Hair: Paper Dolls Wedding Hair & Makeup
Makeup: Michelle Lopez
Skirts: Erin Grey Couture found at J. Majors Bridal Boutique
Dress: J. Majors Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Valentino
Birdcage Veil: J. Majors Bridal Boutique

And to Emily Breeze Ross for being such a beautiful model and the source of inspiration for this fun and unique shoot!

What do you think of this fashion-forward bridal look? Are you going to be a fearless bride and embrace a non-traditional bridal style on your wedding day?

Be sure to check out the full feature from Trendy Bride magazine by clicking here.

XO,
A.

Anniversary: Whitley + Darian

Hard to believe it has been a one year since this dashing couple said I do in a beautiful riverside ceremony at Brakefield at Riverwalk and celebrated among family and friends in one of the most glamorous spaces we've every transformed! I absolutely loved every single second of working with Whitley and Darian to help them plan for their big day! And we were so honored to see this wedding be published on Style Me Pretty, in the Carolina Bride book and in the summer issue of Carolina Bride magazine! Style Me Pretty even named Whitley and Darian's wedding one of their favorite NFL weddings on SMP! We LOVE it! Take a peek at a few of my favorite photos from their wedding day captured by Lauren Rosenau Photography.

It is so great to take a look back ... this wedding was so much fun and simply stunning! Bringing our bride's vision to life was so rewarding! And I know it's been an exciting first year of marriage for this sweet couple! Wishing you many, many more years of bliss! Cheers to you, Mr. & Mrs. Stewart! xoxoxo!

xo,
A.

Photography: Lauren Rosenau Photography | Flowers: New Creations Flower Company | Venue: Brakefield at Riverwalk | Cake: Wow Factor Cakes | Wedding dress: Victor Harper Couture from Nitsas Apparel 

St. Patrick's Day Wedding Inspiration

Today is St. Patrick's day, which means for many means shamrocks galore, green beer, corned beef, and teeny tiny little leprechauns. (Well, maybe just regular beer!) But did you know that green wasn't the original color associated with St. Patty's day? It was actually a lighter shade of blue that was tied to St. Patrick, but eventually the color green became associated with Ireland through its gorgeous landscape - i.e. the Emerald Isle - and the green shamrock that St. Patrick used to teach the Holy Trinity. The tradition of wearing green on St. Patrick's day, though, came from people picking shamrocks and placing them in their lapel's in the late 1800's. Here in the United States, wearing green has been a way for people to identify with Irish culture.

Now that you've had a little St. Patty's Day color story history lesson - how will you incorporate green into your wedding day? Maybe you're looking to celebrate your Irish roots, or maybe you just want to bring a little luck of the Irish to your special day! I've gathered a bunch of green wedding inspiration from past weddings, like this one featured on Style Me Pretty and this one featured in The Knot magazine, with everything from green wedding shoes to favors to bouquets and centerpieces to bagpipers to welcome bags.

Photography Credits: 1. Lauren Rosenau Photography / 2. Lauren Rosenau Photography /3. Rachel Fesko Photography / 4.Lauren Rosenau Photography / 5. Rachel Fesko Photography / 6. Lauren Rosenau Photography / 7. Lauren Rosenau Photography / 8. Lauren Rosenau Photography (to see more from this wedding, click here) / 9. Rachel Fesko Photography /10. Rachel Fesko Photography / 11. Rachel Fesko Photography / 12. The Beautiful Mess / 13. Lauren Rosenau Photography / 14. Rachel Fesko Photography / 15. Crystal Stokes Photography (to see more from this shoot, click here) / 16. Lauren Rosenau Photography 

Hope you remember to wear your green today! :)

XO,
A.

Wedding Inspiration: Vibrant Sophistication at the Mint Museum Uptown

I am so excited to share this design board with you today! Our lovely couple fell in love with the gorgeous Sam Francis painting at in the Atrium at the Mint Museum Uptown while planning for their May wedding. In fact, they loved it so much that it became the inspiration behind our vibrant wedding design! Our artistic design board includes an elegant mix of both modern and romantic aesthetics. We've included clean lines and minimalistic elements with some floral lines that are architecturally inspired and asymmetric in construction, and then mixed in with more lush centerpieces, using flowers that speak to a more delicate and feminine feeling to contrast the masculinity of the modern touches. I love this look of sophisticated elegance inspired by such a gorgeous piece of art! (And y'all know I love to play with color!)

Like most couples, details have been an important part of M & S's wedding, and I have loved working with these two and their awesome vendor team to create a truly unique wedding, that a perfect reflection of them. It all started with the key that was used to "lock in their love" on the famous love lock bridge in Paris - where this amazing couple were engaged! I seriously cannot wait to show y'all how else we'll be using they key! :) 

I'm so excited to be a part of M & S's big day - they are seriously the BEST! - and I cannot wait to celebrate them in just a few short months! I hope you enjoy this little peek into their wedding design.

XO,
.

PS. I couldn't resist sharing a photo their Save The Date.... how awesome is this?! Thanks to Carrie and her team at Pink Toast Ink! I love the use of the key and we even included one of their favorite quotes... of course keeping the key theme going on!

Just Married: Jackie O Inspired Wedding

Lauren and Will's classic and elegant Uptown Charlotte wedding at the Charlotte City Club will always be one of my favorite's. I fell in love with this dashing couple from the moment we met - and boy, oh boy are they easy to love! I had an absolute blast getting to know this sweet couple and their family as we planned for their August wedding. Working with this dream couple was so awesome - can we do again, already?! 

Our lovely bride wanted a classic wedding, inspired by Jackie O, in a neutral color palette of ivory and cream, silver, and navy that was luxurious and stylish, yet simple and timeless. The dining room of the City Club was filled with candles and candelabras to bring in the feeling of an intimate dinner party among friends.  As we began designing, Lauren mentioned a wedding that would "stand the test of time", just like Jackie O's fashion. I just loved her inspiration! 

Here's a fun fact about this couple: even though they both grew up not far from each other in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and had mutual friends, they didn't actually meet until Lauren took a trip to Charlotte to visit a friend! So, given that they met and now live in the Queen City, we incorporated the Charlotte skyline into their invitation suite by Elisabeth Rose - just wait til you see how gorgeous it is! Even their stunning wedding portraits were taken in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. It was important to the bride and groom that their families and friends traveling in for their wedding would be able to experience Charlotte, so they chose to keep the celebration Uptown with a ceremony at St. Peter's Catholic Church, followed by dinner and dancing at the gorgeous, and oh so classic, Charlotte City Club. 

Oh and our bride and groom have a shared love/obsession of sports, so the brand new BB&T ballpark was the perfect location for their rehearsal dinner... And we even snuck in a sweet little engagement session with their photographer, Lauren Rosenau Photography.  Here's a little peek... aren't they just the cutest couple ever?!

I'm so excited to share a few details from Lauren and Will's wedding with you today! I want to first thank all the talented vendors that helped give this amazing couple such an incredible wedding day:

Planning & Design: The Graceful Host
Photography: Lauren Rosenau Photography
Florist: New Creations Flower Company
Venue: Charlotte City Club
Church: St. Peter's Catholic Church
Catering & Bar: Charlotte City Club
Cake: Wow Factor Cake
Entertainment: Split Second Sound
Save The Dates and Invitations: Elisabeth Rose
Rentals: Party Reflections
Hair & Makeup: Paint Box (Michele Dula) 
Hotel: The Marriott City Center
PediCab Transportation: R&R Pedicab
Trolley Transportation: Sunway Trolley
Wedding Dress Boutique: Hayden Olivia
Wedding Dress Designer: Hayley Paige 
Ceremony Programs, Escort Cards,
Seating Chart, & Wedding Signage: The Graceful Host

We're so honored that Weddings Unveiled shared Lauren & Will's wedding! To see the full feature, click here.

Family heirlooms were important to Lauren. As the bride finished dressing, the mother of the groom gave her a few special pieces - the hospital cap that her husband to be wore as a baby and a family poem. Lauren pinned the hospital cap to the inside of her gown as her something "old". Another special heirloom tied to the bride's bouquet was a pendant her Uncle bought for her mother while he was deployed in Europe. Lauren said, "She always treasured it and I wanted to have something of his with me to honor him." 

I love Lauren's face here.... such a priceless expression!

Seriously, how much do you love these portraits?! Lauren is just the most gorgeous bride ever and Will looks incredibly handsome! I can't get enough of these two!

After the first dance, our beautiful bride changed into a fun party dress that was perfect for dancing! This reception was definitely one of my absolutely favorites, and it had me wanting to jump on the dance floor to join in on all the fun!!

Love our brides killer style! She changed into an adorable romper for the sparkler exit. They made a getaway in a pedicab, and then headed out into the night to meet friends to continue the party! Don't you just love these pedicab photos?!

Lauren and Will, you are two of the sweetest people I've ever met! I enjoyed every second working with y'all. Thank you so much for choosing The Graceful Host to be a part of your wedding and for trusting me to bring your vision to life! Love you both to pieces! I hope one day your grandchildren will look through  your wedding and talk about how classic & timeless your wedding looked with that Kennedy-inspired style! Or maybe they'll just mistake you for a famous Ralph Lauren fashion model, because you totally could be! :)

XO,
A.