{Thanksgiving 2013} hey gord-eous

Because we spend Thanksgiving at my in-law's home, I don't get to decorate a Thanksgiving table.  But that doesn't stop me from dreaming about the day that I can fit more than four people at my dining room table and we can host Thanksgiving for our family.  & this lovely autumn gord centerpiece in a rich fall palette?  It's high in my Thanksgiving-of-the-future dreams!

Do you host Thanksgiving or spend it family or friend's home?

Photo: via

{weddings} fall, koru-style

I've been honored to feature beautiful real weddings in the past year & a half, including some incredible fall weddings.  Now that fall is here in all its apple cider glory, I thought it might be fun to revisit my favorite fall wedding images from the Koru archives.  Let's call it fall, koru-style.

My favorite Koru fall wedding images also happen to represent my a few of my favorite things about fall.  Colored leaves. Plump pumpkins.  Beautiful mums.  Golden oranges & yellow.  Fall is a season rich with delights!

Photo 1: Guy Heart Studio via; Photo 2 & 3: Ampersand Wedding Photography via; Photo 4: Karen Feder Photography via; Photo 5: Lucas DeSousa Photography via

{wedding cakes} mum's the word

Fall mums have made their grand entrance in my home sweet home of Hoboken.  In glorious shades of autumn, they grace the front stoops of brownstones & beautify the landscape of parks.  Mums equal fall, it's that simple.  So is there anything more perfect for a fall wedding cake than a fresh golden-orange mum topper?  Celebrate the season, celebrate the love!      

Photography: Red Fly Studio via

{weddings} Welcome, Autumn 2013

A little something special happened while I was taking a blogging break for a beautiful wedding: Autumn officially arrived!  The season of chilly nights, changing leaves and hot apple cider is here.  &, of course, Autumn weddings are happening!  In celebration, I've gathered a few favorite Autumn wedding images for you to enjoy.

Welcome, Autumn!  I am so happy you're here.

Photo 1: Olivia Leigh Photographie via; Photo 2 & 4: Best Photography via; Photo 3: Cappy Hotchkiss Photography via; Photo 5: With Love & Embers via

pretty

Just a pretty Autumn bouquet today because sometimes just a little pretty is enough.

Image Cluney Photo via

Welcome, Autumn

Every season has a special place in my heart: winter brought me our engagement AND our wedding, spring gives me warm breezes & daffodils, summer provides me with sunny beach days & autumn doles out hot apple cider & pumpkin patches.  As it's my nature to be fair, I've never declared a favorite season.  Until now.  Autumn is my very favorite season!

Autumn officially arrived last weekend but I had begun my Autumn celebration long ago.  I was excited to kiss Summer good-bye & I pulled out my candy corn hurricane & pumpkin spice candle the very first week of September.  As the official start of Autumn drew closer & closer, I got more excited about crisp days, colorful leaves & hot apple cider.  It slowly became quite clear that Autumn is my very favorite season. 

To officially welcome Autumn on the blog, I didn't think there was anything more perfect than this sophisticated Autumn centerpiece.  I love the typical rusts & browns of Autumn mixed with unexpected blush & cream.  Such a stunning combo!  & those miniature white pumpkins just steal my Autumn-loving heart.

Welcome, Autumn; I am so very happy that you are here.  Do you have a favorite season?

{Real Nashville Wedding} Shelly & Kevin

What do you get when you combine historic Nashville, Tennessee locations with an autumn wedding day?  A fabulous celebration!!!  Let's take a peek at the lovely photographs from Joe Hendricks Photography:

Nashville, Tennessee is a cool city with plenty of history & Shelly & Kevin chose to accentuate that classic charm on their beautiful October  wedding day.  The Bride & Groom said "I Do!" at Belmont Mansion, an elegant mansion with Victorian opulence just minutes from downtown.  Shifting gears into celebration mode, The Bride & Groom held their reception at historic Nashville landmark of Marathon Village, an antiquated automobile factory transformed into a unique space with exposed brick & wooden beams.  They infused their day with the striking autumn colors of orange & purple from the Bride's bouquet to the paper lanterns.  The new Mr. & Mrs. rode into happily ever after in a vintage 1929 Packard.


Congratulations, Shelly & Kevin! 


VENDOR LOVE  
Photography: Joe Hendricks Photography  /  Submitted via Two Bright Lights  /  Ceremony Venue:  Belmont Mansion with Rich Events  /  Reception Venue: Marathon Village  /  Event Planner:  Wild Iris Events  /  Florist: Bouquets By Brenda  /  DJ:  Nashville Party Authority  /  1929 Packard:  At Your Service Chauffeuring

{Real Wedding} Melissa & Phillip

Who doesn't love a good love story?  Partner a good love story with a gorgeous Southern wedding &, well, I'm hooked.  Let's dive in with the pretty images of Melissa & Phillip's wedding by Lauren D. Rogers Photography:

Oh so pretty!

Melissa & Phillip were destined to meet as their paths kept crossing.  Both attended the University of Virginia.  They only meet briefly.  Both worked at the same consulting firm in Atlanta.  They met again when they were placed on the same project.  They became friends, they became a couple &, finally, in October 2011, they became husband & wife.

Melissa & Phillip's autumn wedding took place at Clifton Inn, a stately white manor house in a beautiful setting surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The day was infused with the glorious oranges, reds & yellow of the autumn season accented with deep blue & dark purple.  With details like a bourbon bar, a bourbon whiskey guest book & grits favors, the Bride & Groom laced nods to their Southern heritage throughout the celebration.  Perhaps the best detail of all is Melissa's cheery, gorgeous smile in every photo, exuding such happiness on her wedding day!  

Melissa & Phillip said "I Do!" in an outdoor ceremony full of autumn-colored flowers, sunny skies & family & friends.  The romantic wedding celebration continued inside the manor house with dinner, dancing & merriment.  The fun night concluded with a festive sparkler departure for the Bride & Groom.  What a perfect beginning to the new chapter of Melissa & Phillip's love story!    
 

VENDOR LOVE

Photography: Lauren D. Rogers Photography  /  Submitted via Two Bright Lights  /  Ceremony & Reception Venue: Clifton Inn  /  Event Planner: Beehive Events  /  Band: The John Winntet  /  Make-up Artist: Daphne Latham  /  Cake: Clifton Inn  /  Tent: Skyline Tent Company

{Sneak Peek} Melissa & Phillip

Here's a juicy sneak peek at the fabulous wedding coming next Wedding Wednesday:

I promise you that it's a beauty that you don't want to miss!  With a sweet love story & a darling autumn wedding to match, Melissa & Phillip's wedding story is sure to inspire.  I can't wait for you to see it!!  Color me very excited!

Till then, Happy Weekend!

Photo by Lauren D. Rogers Photography

All You Need

Don't you wish you could whip up something Fall fabulous like this pumpkin centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table?

RZ & I don't have a Thanksgiving table per se as we travel to my in-law's home for the holiday.  There is no room for plates on their table, let alone decor.  Their table is a true bounty of a Thanksgiving feast, filled with delicious, abundant American & Filipino food.  We serve ourselves from the dining room table, then scatter about the rest of the house to eat & enjoy the family day.

My childhood Thanksgivings consisted of an adults' table & a kids' table.  The adults' table was a formal affair with pretty china & flickering candles while the kids' table was a folding table with festive paper plates.  Later, they trusted us with a real china but it was tough to graduate to the adults' table.  I'm still at the kids' table, sigh.  There's only so much room at a dining room table!

I suppose you could have a blanket picnic on your living room floor & it wouldn't matter.  All you need is family, love & gratitude for Thanksgiving.

Is your Thanksgiving table a formal, candlelit, place card type?  Or is it a more casual, mix & match china, food-filled type?        

Image by Heather Armstrong Photography via Inspired by This

Pumpkins, Pumpkins & More Pumpkins

Tonight, I have a date with my cutie 2-year-old goddaughter to paint three baby pumpkins.  I'm so thrilled to be seeing & experiencing Halloween through a little one's spirited eyes. We have three small pumpkins & primary color paints: the making of a very seasonal good time!


We'll be sticking to the basics with our pumpkins but there is nothing wrong with a little Halloween pumpkin dreaming is there?!


Behold the Autumn beauty of this incredible pumpkin path:

Image via Country Living

The most delightful curlicue pumpkin:

Image via Country Living

Simple, dimple!  Disguise your pumpkin with a vintage (as shown) or new Halloween mask:

 Image via Country Living

Black & white pumpkins, achieved with black paint or Sharpie marker, are tres Halloween chic:

Image via Country Living

I loved Lite-Brite as a kid so this Lite-Brite-effect, crescent moon pumpkin has my heart:

Image via Country Living

For easy, no-carving inspiration, check out last year's Halloween pumpkin post!

Which pumpkin inspiration is your favorite?  What cool plans do you have for your Halloween pumpkin?