Brides USA - August-September 2019 PDF

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14
AUGUST The
+
SEPTEMBER Influencer VOL. 86 NO. 4
2019 Issue
104
Jewelry designer Danielle Snyder gets married in the Bahamas, a place
that’s the perfect combination of bohemian, soulful, and beachy
110
Pack your bags for a colorful camp getaway! We’re talking bubblegum
balloons, petite page boys, sweet flower girls, and one glam party
122
SoCal was the ideal spot for a pop-up wedding overlooking
the dreamy blue Pacific
132
Spend the day in Montego Bay with this musical duo, who tied the knot
to an island-inspired playlist before bumping to an epic DJ set
136
“Do the unexpected” was the theme for this lively celebration, set in
historic and picturesque Cartagena
Style Beauty Details

49 Royal details, renaissance 69 A makeup influencer talks 79 Our guide to wedding
touches, and retro romance backstage beauty 72 Upgrade gifts you won’t return: Think
inspire this season’s freshest your #RingSelfie with a pop of pretty colorful glassware,
aisle styles. See them all in our polish 74 Best big-day hair chic entertaining pieces,
Bridal Fashion Week Spring advice: Go all natural 76 Ditch and a pantry stocked with
2020 Trend Report the “I do” diet international flavors
Away Plus
86 Destination weddings: hot 20 Editor’s Letter 38 Budget Like
spots from the top planners 96 A a Pro: Rings 40 Essay: A YouTube
love story for everyone to like guru on viral wedding videos
100 Zero-drama guide 146 The Moment: one couple’s
to go-elsewhere nuptials post-ceremony puppy love
august + september 2019 brides.com

16 brides.com
Amanda D’Mellow
& Derick Samuel
Sintra, Portugal
“The kids were

constant reminders
for us to make sure
we had fun, let
loose, and allowed
ourselves to enjoy
the magic of the
day,” says the bride.
Weddings
We
Love
FROM TOP: ATMOSPHERE FOTOGRAFIA (1); JENNY FU (2)
Sonja “Sonny” Georgevich

FOR A CHANCE
& Jeff Allen
TO BE FEATURED BY BRIDES, Mount Tremper, New York
TAG YOUR WEDDING
PHOTOS ON INSTAGRAM WITH
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18 brides.com
“We didn’t have

a formal color
scheme or
theme,” Jena
says. “We just
went with what
felt romantic,
ethereal, Jena Choi &
Curt Goodwin
and classic.” Los Angeles
Jasmyn Wilkins
& Cecil Tanner
Lawrenceville, Georgia
FROM TOP: KELLY BROWN (2); NICOLE LITTLE (2)
BRIDES IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2019 CONDÉ NAST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 86, NO. 4. Brides (ISSN 1084-1628)
is published bimonthly (February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November, December/January) by Condé Nast Bridal Media, which is a unit of Condé Nast. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: Condé
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G R OU P G I F TI NG . WOR LD ’ S L AR G E S T S E LEC TI O N . BO NU S G IF TS
STA RT YOU R REG I S TRY AT A M AZO N.CO M / WE D D I NG
20 editor’s letter
A look back
For 85 years,
Brides has
been a trusted
friend to so
many couples.
We absolutely
love helping
you make your
big day the
most memora-
ble one ever.
Happy anniversary,
beautiful Brides!
The year 2019 is a banner one for Brides, kicking off with a celebration of its
85th anniversary in this issue. Although Condé Nast printed its first Brides in summer
1959 (see the vintage fall cover above), the magazine actually began in 1934 as a
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WESTON WELLS; LESTER BOOKBINDER/CONDÉ NAST ARCHIVE;
publication mailed free of charge to women whose wedding announcements appeared
in newspaper society pages. From the very beginning, this cornerstone brand was
the leading authority in the field, informing, encouraging, and guiding couples, from
proposal through the wedding, to the honeymoon and beyond.
That legacy continued as we launched Brides.com, and will keep building as we
grow our footprint every year, helping brides plan—both on our website and across
social media. This year Brides moves to a new home at Dotdash, a leading digital
company committed to helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired.
I’m so excited to continue our mission to bring you trusted advice and empower
creativity in everything involving this huge life moment. I hope you will join us online
as we expand our library of the most comprehensive and inclusive wedding content—
Celebrating Love
CONDÉ NAST ARCHIVE (4); SERGIO SANDONÁ
for all types of weddings.

At a beach wedding in the
So here is our own State of the Union address: We promise to uphold and celebrate
Bahamas, Danielle Snyder
the joy that comes with love and marriage. To that end, we send a shout-out to Vow wed Brandon Shorenstein
(vowtoendchildmarriage.org), an organization devoted to creating a world in which on May 11, 2019. Photograph
every girl can decide when, if, and whom to marry. Stay in touch with us @brides! by Sergio Sandoná. For
a similar look, try Le Stylo
waterproof eyeliner in Noir;
Monsieur Big mascara;
L’Absolu Mademoiselle Shine
in Kiss, Smile & Shine, all from
Lancôme. Makeup artist:
Lisa Harman Gooder, Executive Director Eric Polito. Reem Acra gown;
@lisagooder hat from A & A Treasures.

D E S IG NE R BR ANDS . WOR LD ’ S L AR G E S T S E LEC TI O N . 1 80 -DAY R ET UR NS
STA RT YOU R REG I STRY AT A M AZO N.CO M / WE D D I NG
#MYLOVESTORY
Those flowers
for themselves.
Switch to GEICO and save money for the things you love.
Maybe it’s the imported tulips that match the bridesmaid dresses. Or the extra tier
on the wedding cake. It’s what you want for your wedding – and it doesn’t come
cheap. So switch to GEICO, because you could save 15% or more on car insurance.
And that would help make the things you love that much easier to get.
geico.com 1-800-947-AUTO (2886) Local Office
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Average savings amount based on national GEICO New Policyholder
survey data through November 2018. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2019 GEICO
26
Lisa Harman Gooder

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Executive Editor Donna Bulseco

Director of Editorial Operations Diane Dragan
EDITORIAL DIGITAL OPERATIONS

Style Director Kate Donovan Digital Director Roberta Correia Production Manager John Mok
Real Weddings Director Anna Price Olson Senior Digital Editor Neha Prakash Copy Manager Ellen Shea
Wedding Style Editor Hannah Baker Digital Editor Jamie Cuccinelli Research Director Alison Forbes
Fashion Market Editor Sophie Moore Contributing Digital Editors Jenna Milliner-Waddell
Travel Editor Rebecca Misner
Editorial Assistant Rosemary Leger SOCIAL & VIDEO Public Relations & Special Projects Director Samantha Kane
Social Media Manager Mariah Kulak Contributing Editor Alexandra Macon
ART/PHOTO Executive Producer, Video Lauren Lumsden
Design Director Anastasia Casaliggi
Senior Visuals Editor Nic Williams Anna Wintour
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Susan D. Plagemann
CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER
Head of Marketing Kimberly Fasting-Berg

Head of Sales, Fashion - International David Stuckey
Head of Sales, Fashion - American Amy Oelkers
Head of Sales, Beauty Lucy Kriz
Head of Sales, Auto Tracey Baldwin
Head of Sales, Media/Entertainment Bill Mulvihill
Head of Sales, Biz/Fi/Tech Doug Grinspan
Head of Sales, Vice Laura Sequenzia
Head of Sales, Luxury Risa Aronson
Head of Sales, CPG Jordana Pransky
Head of Sales, Home Jeff Barish
Head of Sales, Health Carrie Moore
Head of Sales, Travel Beth Lusko-Gunderman
Head of Sales, Golf Dan Robertson
Sales Director, American Fashion Jacqueline Stockel
Head of Operations Deborah Brett
VP, Finance and Business Development Sylvia W. Chan
VP, Brand Marketing Jill Steinbach Friedson
Senior Business Director Karen Bruere Manville
PUBLISHED BY CONDÉ NAST

Chief Executive Officer Roger Lynch
UNITED STATES
Chief Financial Officer David E. Geithner
Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer Pamela Drucker Mann
Chief People Officer JoAnn Murray
Chief Communications Officer Joseph Libonati
Chief of Staff Samantha Morgan
Chief Technology Officer Edward Cudahy
Chief Data Officer Karthic Bala
EVP, Consumer Revenue Monica Ray
EVP, Research, Analytics & Audience Development Stephanie Fried
Head Creative Director Raúl Martinez
INTERNATIONAL
President Wolfgang Blau
CONDÉ NAST ENTERTAINMENT

President Oren Katzeff
EVP, Motion Pictures Jeremy Steckler
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CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Jonathan Newhouse
Condé Nast is a global media company producing premium content for more than 263 million consumers in 30 markets.
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Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork, or other materials to Brides for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by Brides in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts,
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For subscriptions, address changes, or adjustments, call 800-456-6162 or write to Brides, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617.

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38 budget like a pro
Q:How do we
know if a ring is
worth the
investment?
—@emilydianenovak via Instagram
A: For many brides, the engagement ring is the ring, so the stakes are higher to find one Want to know
you will love forever. Rings are clearly a meaningful investment: A Brides American when to splurge
Wedding study done in October 2018 found that on average, couples spent $7,829, or 14 and when to
percent of the wedding budget, on an engagement ring; $1,890, or 3 percent, on the wed- save? Ask us all
ding band. Typically, high-carat (1 ct and up) individual stones will retain a certain value your burning
over time, versus a ring with a lot of tiny stones. Larger stones are easier to remove, reuse, budget questions
@brides on
and reset—or sell, if necessary. My advice is to know your diamond cuts: Classic round
Twitter, Facebook,
(1) and emerald (2) shapes are always popular (and timeless), and feel modern when set
or Instagram.
accordingly. Marquise (3), heart, and Asscher (4) cuts are trendy, so if you’re looking
for unique, these will provide! Some brides like the square-shaped princess (5) cut too.
Maybe you’ve already got that rock on lock, and are now shopping for wedding bands.
If cost is a concern, it could be as simple as a dainty gold band to sit beneath your stun-
ner. After all, this may not be the last band your partner will buy for you! Look at the
wedding band as a starting point—find what complements your engagement ring so you
can build a stack in the future. Here’s an idea: Wait for a bigger diamond-studded band
on a future anniversary or significant occasion.
Still, if you’re ready for a diamond band now and have a set budget, I would suggest
one in 14K-gold with pavé-set diamonds that encircle the band. Anything with pavé
diamonds will offer a big look without the price point of larger individual stones.
What gets costly when it comes to the actual wedding day is the other jewelry needed
for the occasion. We offer a jewelry loan to our clients; check with your jeweler to see
if they have this incentive too. If not, go the something-borrowed route from a mom,
COURTESY OF DESIGNER; ILLUSTRATIONS: KATE DONOVAN
grandma, sister, or friend. And if your wedding-day jewelry is a beautiful tennis bracelet
or diamond studs that you will wear often, it might be worth the long-term investment.
—Stephanie Gottlieb, founder and designer of Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry

Collection and Bridal Concierge, based in New York City. stephaniegottlieb.com
@stephaniegottlieb on Instagram.
1 2 4 5
august + september 2019 brides.com by ROSEMARY LEGER

dream dresses in sizes 0–30
YouTube’s Derek
Blasberg weighs in
on how social
media has created...
#the viral
wedding
The first part of this fairy tale is fairly traditional. Boy meets girl, boy proposes,
they get married. But what happened to Jillian Peterson and Kevin Heinz in the days
following their wedding in St. Paul, Minnesota, exactly one decade ago, is a thoroughly
modern fable for today.
Jillian, who loved to dance growing up, had the idea for her wedding party to boogie down
the aisle to a pop song. “It was one of the first things we decided we wanted to do when we
got engaged, although I’m not sure if our friends thought we were kidding or serious until
the day of,” Jillian remembers now. The result? A five-minute processional that begins with
two ushers tossing wedding programs into the air and goofily bopping down the aisle. The
rest of the wedding party follows, including a dramatic group number and finally the bride
crunking with unadulterated joy toward the altar. It’s candid, playful, silly, and absolutely
endearing. The boyfriend of one of the bridesmaids recorded it from his perch on the aisle
and the couple posted it on YouTube. “We sent it by email to our wedding party and family.
That was it. The Today show called us within 48 hours!”
Unwittingly, Jillian and Kevin had pioneered a new bridal phenomena: the viral wedding
party. “To be honest, when people told me it was going viral ten years ago, I had no idea
what that even meant,” Jillian says with a laugh. “We didn’t even hire a videographer!” The
video will eclipse 100 million views this year, which isn’t even the most surreal part. Soon
after it was uploaded, the couple got offers to write books, host a reality show, dance at other
weddings—all of which they turned down because both were full-time graduate school stu-
dents. They opened a P.O. box and strangers started sending things, including Christmas
cards, wedding gifts, and letters from soldiers overseas. They had a wedding email address
that was flooded with more than 10,000 messages after just a few months.
august + september 2019 brides.com by DEREK BLASBERG

essay 41
In the decade since Jillian and Kevin got married, social media has become an integral
part of the wedding process. Slickly produced proposals and epic save-the-date videos
began to be A Thing. Proposals utilizing cue cards (like when the guy tells his best friend’s
wife he is in love with her in Love Actually) became as popular as Amazing Race–inspired
proposal videos. And my favorite: The flash mob proposals! I loved when my pal Marc
Jacobs proposed to his boyfriend at a Chipotle in 2018.
Throughout my career in fashion, I’ve fielded all sorts of questions from future brides
(and a few grooms) on all sorts of sartorial issues. Is a strapless too ’90s? Do I have to
invite my future mother-in-law? Why is it so hard to find a bridesmaid dress that works
with everyone’s figure? (My answers: Kinda, yes, and don’t do matchy bridesmaid dresses!)
But when I became the head of fashion at YouTube, I started receiving questions that had
nothing to do with style: How do you pick a hashtag? How long should a wedding video
be? Is it bad if a wedding video doesn’t get a zillion views? (My answers: Be witty, defi-
nitely less than eight minutes, and get a grip!)
This May, The New York Times published a story called “Weddings So Exclusive No One
Made the Guest List.” It detailed a new trend of couples hosting lavish, meticulously
planned elopements, and instead of inviting friends and family, they just sent a video link
of the ceremony after the fact. When my boyfriend’s sister and her longtime boyfriend got
married earlier this year, they did something similar: They had a small, private ceremony
for immediate family and a big party afterwards. The couple asked me to film the actual
ceremony on my phone and upload it. I was happy to oblige (although, yes,
I was nerve-wrecked I was going to mess it up somehow), and I posted the
whole ceremony as an unlisted video on my YouTube channel the next day.
The couple sent it to their friends (unlisted videos are only accessible to
those who are given access) and told me they would watch it when their
real-life memories of the ceremony started to fade. “Like all good
At YouTube, we started to see an increase of wedding-themed content
spike around 2015—everything from getting-ready-with-me type videos to
video strategies,
hair and makeup tutorials. Like all good video strategies, the content I find the content I find
most compelling is something that’s super personalized. A good example is
Safiya Nygaard, a YouTube creator who has been documenting her wedding
most compelling is
process since her engagement video. Earlier this year, she took a video cam- super personalized…
era with her dress shopping and was very candid about the process.
Today, every couple is thinking about videographers and hashtags in addi-
I have no problem
tion to a florist. In fact, a cottage industry of companies entirely devoted to admitting I’ve been
content creation for your wedding has sprung up all over the country.
Just like all the hullabaloo surrounding a wedding, there are examples of known to shed a
people focusing on the wrong elements of marriage, which is really anything tear watching some
not focused on the act of starting a life together. But, for the most part, I love
that YouTube has given me a front-row seat to all of these major life of these videos!”
moments, even when they’re about complete strangers. I have no problem
admitting I’ve been known to shed a tear watching some of these videos!
I called this a fairy tale because the JK Wedding Entrance Dance has a happy
ending. Actually, it has a few happy endings. The couple is still married—Jillian
is a psychologist and professor of criminal justice, Kevin is an immigration attorney, and they
have three kids—and they are still pals with everyone in their homemade music video. In the
past decade, 11 of those people have earned doctorate degrees (medicine, law, education,
ecology, physical therapy) and added 22 kids to the mix. Even the man who filmed the video
married his then-girlfriend, one of the bridesmaids, and they have two children. In 2009, the
television show The Office parodied their wedding video. “We were shocked,” Jillian says,
adding they didn’t know it was happening until they saw it on television with everyone else.
Does Jillian have any advice for aspiring viral brides out there? Not really. “It was all an
accident!” she says, adding: “I would say be yourself, have fun, and enjoy your day.”
brides.com august + september 2019

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M A D I S O N - J A M E S . C O M
Walk down the aisle in 49
a wedding dress you

absolutely love.
Say yes to lace,

tulle, or ornate
embroidery.
Designers went all out
to woo brides-to-be at
the spring 2020 Bridal
Fashion Week with
dresses sure to tempt
minimalists and
romantics alike. Shown
here: Reem Acra
ALYSSA GREENBERG
by SOPHIE MOORE brides.com august + september 2019

50 bridal fashion week spring 2020
Dreamy Dresses
HIGH/LOW
You can have it both ways: Flirty and
Ines
Di Santo
Valentini
Spose
Mira
Zwillinger
Suzanne
Neville
TOP LEFT: ALYSSA GREENBERG; COURTESY OF THE DESIGNERS
Francesca
Miranda
Monique
Lhuillier

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Gorgeous gowns like these are called
Justin
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Packham
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Webb
Pronovias

Ines
Di Santo
Dreamy Details
ROYAL
TOUCHES
Romanticism ruled on the spring 2020
ALYSSA GREENBERG
runways, showing up in sheer flower

appliqués and gold-tasseled baubles.

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Dreamy Dresses
OVER-THE-TOP
RUFFLES
Wherever these frothy tiers live—at the hem,
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Oscar de la
Renta
Hayley
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RENAISSANCE
ROMANCE
Ethereal, check. Sexy? Yes, that too.
With their puffy sleeves and lots of lace,
these gowns evoke a dressier era.

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Miller
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Flora

TODAY TOMORROW
When it comes to purchasing your wedding day style, Men’s Wearhouse has you covered with a
wide selection of contemporary fits and styles. From the big day to everyday you’ll look and feel
your best in a look that is all your own.
Reem Acra
Dreamy Details
THE NEW VEIL

We fell for the way designers
reinvented the classic bridal hair
accessory as a modern and
beautiful head-wrap.
ALYSSA GREENBERG

INTIMATE EXTRAVAGANT
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Dreamy Dresses
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Fresh, pretty, fun! 69
Our first look at spring

2020 trends.
“People are
starting to be
OK with color,”
says influencer
Michaela
Podolsky.
“It used to be taboo to
introduce a colored liner
or some shimmer into your
bridal look,” says makeup
pro @michaelapodo, who
joined us at the Ines Di
Santo and Lela Rose shows.
“But we’re finding a great
way to balance it by
keeping the skin bare.” On
her big day, she kept her
complexion glowy with
Giorgio Armani Luminous
Silk foundation.
TAYLOR JEWELL
Lela Rose
by DONNA BULSECO brides.com august + september 2019

70 beauty
Think: Soft pinks

and a bit of shimmer
Monochromatic
blush duo in
Pink Dahlia, $38.
2 Burberry Cat
Lashes mascara
in Ultra Black,
$30; nordstrom
.com. 3 Dior
Addict Lip Glow
in #011 Rose
Gold, $34.
4 Stila Suede
Shade liquid
eye shadow, $24.
5 Marc Jacobs
Youthquake
Hydra-Full
Retexturizing
Gel Crème, $59.
ALYSSA GREENBERG; STILL LIFES: COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS

3
5 Ines Di Santo
4
“I love when a designer takes a chance,” says Podolsky, who
called out the coral pinks, pale blues, and rose-gold eye shadows at
Ines Di Santo. At Lela Rose, a shimmery pink was done “in a taste-
ful, approachable way” in the inner corner of the eyelid. For brides
to be, she recommends starting micro-current facials a year out
(“they call it a workout for your skin”) and exfoliation (Biologique
Recherche P50 is a favorite formula). Her own wedding day beauty
boost? A SK-II facial treatment mask for dewiness.

72 beauty
Time to 3
Shine
L E AV E A L I T T L E TO T H E
I M AG I N AT I O N when figuring
TED + CHELSEA CAVANAUGH; PROP STYLING: WENDY SCHELAH
5 out your wedding day polish.

Atlanta manicurist Hannah Lee
(@HannahRoxIt) likes a base
of OPI’s Bubble Bath on finger-
tips, enhanced with a pearly
iridescent layer. “For a more
eye-catching nail, do a fun
glitter gradient,” says Lee.
1 Smith & Cult nail polish in Glass
Souls, $18. 2 Chanel Le Vernis
in Eau de Nacre, $28. 3 Essie nail
6
polish in Rock Your World, $9.
4 Dior Vernis in #257 Incognito,
$28. 5 Essie nail polish in Come
Out to Clay, $9. 6 OPI nail lacquer
in Bubble Bath, $11.
by CHINEA RODRIGUEZ
august + september 2019 brides.com For more nail polish news, go to brides.com.
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74 hair
Perfectly natural:
Here’s how to make the
most of the gorgeous
hair you have, say our
experts, who revealed
their own big-day plans.
What’s your
never-without-it
hair finisher?
Riawna Capri @riawna

“Vitamins for your hair” is what
Capri calls her In Common
Magic Myst Universal Elixir
finishing spray, $35.
Think Timeless.
Find a wedding hairstyle that’s
effortless and easy—“nothing too
crazy”—says Riawna Capri, for hair extension brand @her Mary Bennett
COURTESY OF LELA ROSE; CAPRI, BENNETT, BATSON: COURTESY OF SUBJECTS

who is co-owner of the Nine Zero givenhair. Her tip for DIY’ers: Test @msnaturallymary
One salon in Los Angeles and the look you want a few times Bennett swears by Dark and
engaged to the other co-owner, so you have it down—and also Lovely’s Curl Defining
Nikki Lee. “You don’t want to Crème Glaze, $8, and
so you know exactly what styling
Göt2be Glued Spiking gel,
shellac your hair with hair spray tools to bring. $4.69, both at Target.
so it’s stiff. You want it to be soft
and have movement.” Her tip:
Share photos of what you like
Consult the climate.
Hair influencer India Batson
with your stylist. ”That way there’s
got engaged in March, and
no room for disappointment.”
while she hasn’t nailed down
her wedding day ‘do, her wavy,
Go big for volume. curly hair will be in its natural
Mary Bennett is a Houston- state. “I’m thinking half-up, half-
based hair guru who got married down, as all down might feel
in 2018. For her ceremony, she too hot,” says the Atlanta-based India Batson
@indiabatson
added length and volume to bride-to-be, who is planning
Deva Curl’s Melt Into Moisture
her coily bob with extensions a summer nuptial. Her tip for conditioning mask, $36, “keeps
she hand-curled herself. “It was beautiful bridal hair: A day-before hair frizz-free,” says Batson.
super time-consuming,” says hair mask ensures strands are
Bennett, who is an ambassador well hydrated. For more hair ideas, go to brides.com.
august + september 2019 brides.com by SHERRI GARDNER

ALLUREBRIDALS.COM
76 wellness
Let’s go steady:
Calm strategies
toward wellness
Tailor your menu.

Jordan Younger (@
thebalancedblonde)
follows an SOS-free
(salt-, oil-, and sugar-
free) diet. “This kind
of anti-inflammatory
diet is the most heal-
ing way of life for me.”
Model moderation.
“My plan means eat-
ing lean protein,
smart carbs, healthy
fats, and fiber and
adding flavor boosts
with herbs,” says
Sarah Grace
(@freshfitnhealthy).
Thumbs up to her
healthy spicy water-
melon margarita
recipe too.
Pack a wedding
snack or two.
“Apples are hydrat-
ing, full of fiber,
deliciously sweet,
one ingredient, and
Have wedding- don’t come in
wasteful packaging,”
day diets gone the THAT’S WHAT HEALTHY FOOD
says dietitian
Lisa Hayim (@the
way of matchy INFLUENCERS said when we asked

them to describe the #wellness goals
wellnecessities).
ANGUEL DIMOV OF EVERGREEN KITCHEN; STYLING BY BRIANNE BEAUDOIN
bridesmaid that got them to their big day. Social

media isn’t generally thought of as the
dresses? #yes! most supportive place, but you can find
a community there that lifts women up
and represents a range of diverse body
types in a positive light.
In fact, connecting with that community was critical for me. It took what
felt like a lifetime of dieting to get the memo that calorie counting wasn’t the
answer to my sought-after happiness. After therapy and inspiration from
some strong women committed to body positivity, I focused on accepting
myself and writing about it. Practicing self-love is harder than avoiding every
food group in creation, but ultimately so much better for you.
Leading up to my own wedding—many moons ago—I tortured myself over
being thinner. I look back at photos of that day and think: Why did I waste
a single minute worrying? All I see is my ear-to-ear grin, being surrounded
by my oldest friends, happy tears as my mom walked me down the aisle, and
august + september 2019 brides.com by SELENE MILANO-ANGEL

“I spent a lot of time as a look of pure love as I danced with my
new husband. With that in mind, we
an adult unlearning asked our favorite health-focused
the hate that society influencers—all newlyweds or brides-
to-be—to offer inspiring advice on how
has for fat bodies,” to ditch the diet and soak up the love.
says Bianca Karina First, don’t cave to the pressure.
(@biancakarina_).
Bianca Karina (@biancakarina_),
whose tagline is “a lifestyle not limited TEST
by size,” admits she started out feeling
forced to do “the wedding weight-loss DRIVE
YOUR
thing.” She says, “At almost every dress fitting someone would say, ‘Well, we want
to give you enough time to lose weight.’ ” But Karina refused to be intimidated. “I
spent a lot of time as an adult unlearning the hate that society has for fat bodies,”
she says, “so I didn’t make any specific health goals around my wedding.” Kathryn
WeddingMoon
¨
Budig (@kathrynbudig), author of Aim True: Love Your Body, Eat Without Fear,
Nourish Your Spirit, Discover True Balance!, asks brides to examine their desire
to lose weight. Her emphasis? “Be you! That’s why your partner wants to marry PREVIEW YOUR WEDDINGMOON ®
you, so don’t kill yourself to look ‘better’ for one day of your life.” WITH 2 NIGHTS IN PARADISE!
Nourish your mental well-being, along with your physical health.
Smoothie queen Ksenia Avdulova (@breakfastcriminals) spent all of her teenage
years dieting and wanting to lose weight, and it took daily practice to make peace Beaches® makes it easy for you to
with her body just as it was. “Getting married is a great reason to reinforce my test drive your dream destination
self-acceptance so that I can focus on more important things,” says Avdulova, “like wedding and experience our 5-Star
being present for myself and my family on one of the most special days of my life.” Luxury Included® Resorts first-hand.
Her advice: Meditate daily, even for five minutes a day, beginning now. “Head- Be our guest for two nights at an
space and Insight Timer are fantastic apps to get you started.” As for bridal inspo, exclusive rate starting at $250 per
she did a Pinterest board using images of brides with a body type similar to hers night double occupancy,* plus if you
to avoid incentivizing dieting. book your WeddingMoon® group of
Eat to feel good rather than to look good. This means different things to 5 rooms or more, under a group code
different people. Lisa Hayim (@thewellnecessities) has a strict policy of not let- or contract and you’ll receive up
ting health goals fluctuate for events. “Wellness is about living a balanced lifestyle to $600 in credits,* complimentary
without restriction and obsession,” she says. As a registered dietitian with a mind- group inclusions,* and more! Certain
ful eating approach, she prioritizes her health by nourishing her body with a restrictions apply.
predominantly plant-based menu and movement that soothes aches and stretches
muscles. Food blogger Erica Key (@eatingwitherica) eats for a living but orders Beaches Turks & Caicos
healthier options. “Instead of the filet mignon, I opt for a Chilean sea bass or
salmon and add more greens to my diet,” says Key. She warns women not to look
at the scale every day. Have an “accountability partner instead,” she suggests, who
helps you achieve a balance of nutritional choices.
Obsessive restrictions only harm you in the long run. That’s why Hayim
advises her clients not to get caught up in their food intake. “I’ve worked with
brides and then new wives, and that can be how the binge cycle begins,” she says.
Sarah Grace Spann (@freshfitnhealthy), a nutritionist who suffered with an eat-
ing disorder in high school, says the only way to a sustainable healthy lifestyle is
to swear off fad diets. “Remember, if you deprive yourself of something for so
long, you’ll likely binge on it later,” says Spann. “Everyone swears by Whole 30,
but what happens on day 31? You wind up overindulging in everything.” by Sanda
Joy is sexy. Don’t let fears about your appearance in wedding photos weigh on Resorts ls
you, says Karina. Instead, she advises, “Just be present.” It’s easier than you think,
VOTED WORLD’S BEST 21 YEARS IN A
says Younger. “You’re marrying the love of your life, so it’s hard not to be incred- ROW AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS
ibly happy!” At the end of all the planning, Budig spent the week before her
wedding “straight-up celebrating. We ate and drank at our favorite restaurants BEACHES.COM/TESTDRIVE
with our family and friends, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.” 1-877-BEACHES or call your
Travel Advisor
@beachesresortsweddings
*Visit www.beaches.com/disclaimers/bridesaugsept2019testdrive
or call 1-800-BEACHES for important terms and conditions.
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While his daily uniform consists of jeans and a

T-shirt, rocker-groom Riker Lynch isn’t afraid to go
“a little extra” by rocking his signature metallic pink
Doc Martens when on tour with his band. For his
wedding, however, Riker envisions a more timeless
look and wants to channel his inner James Bond
with a classic tuxedo. A well-tailored tux will always
be in style, and with a few fresh tweaks Riker can
make the look all his own.
No tux is complete without the perfect

bowtie. Whether a stark black jacquard
or a pop of color, it’s an opportunity to
make the look unique. Monaco Black
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Modernize the classic
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BridesLiveWedding.com
Surprise the 79
newlyweds with a gift that’s

truly memorable
2 3
Picking a
wedding gift
can be super
daunting…
So that’s why we turned
to our favorite taste
makers to give us their
own ingenious ideas for
creative, personalized,
and thoughtful presents.
1 Olli Ella Nyla changing

basket, $69. 2 P. F. Candle
Co. Terra soy candle, from
$30. 3 Savonnerie Fer à
Cheval soap, from $5.90.
4 Hawkins New York waffle
towels, from $35. 5 Buly
1803 Eau Superfine toner, $49.
by HANNAH BAKER photographs by TED + CHELSEA

s t y l i n g b y K A T E D O N O VA N a n d H A N N A H B A K E R brides.com august + september 2019
80 registry
Go-to gifts for 1
the cool couple

The following recommendations
from these style-setters are sure to
be well-received.
Event producer David Stark, 2

David Stark Design and Produc-
tion “It’s not uncommon for me to
give blankets with the cou-
ple’s names and wedding FOREVER PERFECT
date discreetly stitched in a
corner,” Stark says. “It’s the Serving
personalization that makes
practical items so revered.” Pieces
“These splatterware
Doan Ly, founder of A.P. ceramics come in both
Bio The floral designer neutral and vivid tones,”
enjoys gifting experiences. says Stark. “The oversized
“Selfishly, I love taking scale makes them an
friends out because I get to indulgence most people
enjoy their company—and won’t buy on their own.”
the opera or a great restau-
rant,” Ly says. “And I never pass up
a Ferris wheel or carousel ride!”
FOREVER PERFECT Justina Blakeney, designer Her

solution for when you don’t know
Nature’s the couple well? “Something crazy
Best practical, like a membership to a

CSA [community supported agri-
”A nicely potted plant lasts culture] delivery box for a few
longer than flowers and months. I wrap a few organic
transforms any space,” fruits and veggies along with the
Ly says. “Pick out one that’s CSA gift certificate tucked away
easy to maintain and give inside. Surprise!”
details on care.” Bonus
points if you present it in an Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy trend
3 extra-special planter. expert and judge on NBC ’s
Making It If you’re choosing some-
thing from the registry, include a
companion gift to personalize it,
says Johnson. “Buying a blender?
4
Add on margarita glasses.”
1 March platter, $120. 2 CB2 walnut

spatula and narrow spoon, $13 each.
3 The Sill Philodendron Green in small
Grant planter, $36. 4 CB2 twofold
5 brass and marble coasters, $70 for set
of 4. 5 Oh Joy! cups, $50 for set of 2.

You’re getting flutes you’ll want to
flaunt/more glassware than you’ll ever
have guests/so many gifts it makes
you giddy/married.
C
crateandbarrel.com/wedding-registry
82 registry
FOREVER PERFECT
Gorgeous
Glassware
Whether you like colored
glass or cut crystal, a
set is incredibly special,
says Rose. “I will never
forget the thrill
of opening up a full set 3 5
of crystal!”
1
4
7
8
9 Lela Rose, fashion designer Robin Standefer and Stephen

When going off-registry, Rose relies Alesch, designers and cofound-
on a classic item like an antique sil- ers of Roman and Williams “A
ver cake-server she has engraved quality set of table linens is the per-
with the couple’s monogram. “I also fect heirloom gift that gets better
love giving custom napkins I with time and can be passed down.”
embroider; not only is it personal They usually include a note about
and unique but hopefully inspires its history: who made it, where it
people to use them to entertain.” came from, and how it was made.
1 Lenox Trianna blush redwine glasses, $60 for set of 2. 2 Il Buco Vita tumbler, $36.
3 SaintLouis bubbles green footed cup, $225. 4 ABC Home wine glass, $36. 5 LSA
Hint wine glass, $40 for set of 2. 6 ABC Home wine glass, $18. 7 Riedel Optical
Happy O tumbler collection, $69 for set of 4. 8 LSA Sorbet tumbler, $22 for set of 2.
9 ABC Home rocks glass, $24.

84 registry
Joy Cho, author and founder of
Oh Joy! “I love giving gifts that
people will use in the company of
other important people in their
lives,” says Cho. “Entertaining
pieces are used when our family
2 3 and friends are enjoying a good
meal.” Knowing a serving bowl will
be a part of a special occasion
1 “makes it all the more important.”
Stephanie Fishwick, artist,

calligrapher, and wedding
stationer If you’re stumped for a
present, why not send a registry
item along with something deeply
personal to you and your partner
that reflects your life together?
“My husband and I love cooking
together,” says Fishwick, “so we
include our favorite cookbook with
a personal inscription from us.”
Presentation can also
FOREVER PERFECT make a gift memora-
4
Party ble: Fishwick collects
vintage baskets to fill
Props with smaller registry
items for shower
”You can’t go wrong with goodies, and often
entertaining items; a wraps presents in her
beautiful board for serving favorite linens.
cheese or a set of plates
for dining alfresco are Bri Emery, art direc-
sure to be used time and
tor and founder of
time again,” says Cho.
D e s i g n L o v e Fe s t
When it comes to
superlative goodies, this creative-
minded style maven goes (literally)
outside the box. “One of my favor-
5 6
ite things to do is make a pinboard
of 20 gifts I think the couple would
FOREVER 7 love, and then let them choose!
PERFECT It’s always so fun to see what they
Edible end up picking—plus, it shows you
really put extra thought and effort
Indulgence into the process,” says Emery.
“I love gift baskets! Since 1 Crate & Barrel Hayes marble cheese
we love to cook, we like tools, $30, set of 3. 2 Il Buco Vita platter,
putting together special- 8 $300, set of 3. 3 CB2 rose quartz tray,
ized boxes that have $100. 4 Terrain large cutting board, $88.
5 French Cooking in Ten Minutes by
some of our favorite
11 Edouard de Pomiane, $12. 6 Hawkins
kitchen tools, special reci- linen napkin in Blush, from $18, and Pom
pes, quality olive oil, 9 Pom at Home Carmel napkin in Cay-
and spices,” Emery says. enne, $95 for set of 4. 7 A L’Olivier extra
virgin olive oil, $34. 8 Il Buco 10-year
aged balsamic vinegar, $53. 9 Il Buco
Vita chocolate bars, $5 each. 10 The
Wooden Palate Perfetto bowl, $300.
10 11 Il Buco Vita spices, from $10.

86
The Big Reveal:
10 Best Places for a Destination
Wedding Now
Take it from
the pros—and
get married
in a spot your
guests will
never forget.
Wedding planners
are world travelers who
search the globe for
unique cities, historic
resorts, and under-
the-radar spots perfect
for memorable ceremo-
nies. Read on to find
a place for yours!
HOT SPOT
Cape Town,
South Africa
Colin Cowie, Colin
Cowie Destinations
@colincowie
“Having planned
weddings for 30-plus
years, I have chosen
to host my own wed-
ding at Boschendal
next February,” says
Colin Cowie.
Insider advice “Have
your ceremony on
the big lawn with the
COLIN COWIE LIFESTYLE
Outeniqua Mountains
as a backdrop.”
august + september 2019 brides.com by DONNA BULSECO

© 2019 Aruba Tourism Authority
Aruba is the picture-perfect backdrop for your dream destination wedding or honeymoon.
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one hitch…yours. Discover Aruba’s special wedding and honeymoon packages today.
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88 destination wedding hot spots
HOT SPOT
San Miguel
de Allende, Mexico
Jesse Tombs, Alison Events
Planning & Design @alison_events
Why it’s special The city is

magical, with its terraced cobble-
stone streets lined with colorful
haciendas, cafés, and shops.
The wedding Transport the
group to Luna Escondida, a 15-
minute drive outside of town in
the central highlands. It has vast
lush gardens, two beautiful indoor
dining options, and a shaded
trellis garden that are perfect for
the ceremony or day-after brunch.
Insider advice Plan to go in the
dryer months of April and May.
Reserve a room-block at the
charming Belmond Casa de Sierra
Nevada or Hotel Matilda. San
Miguel is famous for its rooftop
bars (try the Luna at the Rose-
wood hotel) and food scene (the
Restaurant, Áperi, or La Única).
lunaescondida.com
HOT SPOT HOT SPOT
Saratoga, Wyoming Montecito,

Lynn Easton, Easton Events California
@eastonevents Mindy Weiss, Mindy Weiss Party
Consultants @mindyweiss
Why it’s special This small West-
ern town has a big draw: Brush Why it’s special An iconic
Creek Ranch, a working cattle coastal getaway that dates
ranch turned 30,000-acre luxury back to the 1800s, this beach
getaway that’s basically a grown- community has some of the
TOP: NORMA & BLAKE; BOTTOM: COURTESY OF BRUSH CREEK RANCH
up sleepaway camp. The wedding loveliest natural backdrops
Take over Brush Creek Ranch’s in the country. The wedding
Lodge & Spa, and have your Host the big day at Rosewood
ceremony on the open range or Miramar Beach, which opened
inside the Cowboy Chapel. in March—a property that feels
For the reception, dress up the like a grand estate and boasts
resort’s Trailhead Lodge or the fabulous event lawns with views
newly opened Saddle Barn for an of the ocean. After the cere-
authentic Western time. Insider mony, move inside for dinner in
advice Enhance the weekend the gorgeous and elegant
with activities like horseback Chandelier ballroom (it seats
From top: Serve riding, ATV excursions, and fly- up to 350!). Insider advice
dinner outside at Luna fishing. Epic views make for Take your guests to Lotusland,
Escondida; Brush memorable ceremonies and pre- a unique botanical garden
Creek Ranch’s fancy and post-wedding parties that in Montecito; stop at Jeannine’s
teepees invite you in.
can go late into the night: There’s for the best pancakes around.
no need to worry about a noise rosewoodhotels.com/en/
ordinance! brushcreekranch.com miramar-beach-montecito
august + september 2019 brides.com (continued on page 92)

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YOUR
You’re sure to find the
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Along with your

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92 destination wedding hot spots
HOT SPOT
Sorrento, Italy
Clara Boatto and Eva Trevisan,
Design Anarchy by Chic Wed-
dings @designanarchyevents
Why it’s special Think of it as

the gateway to the Amalfi Coast.
It’s close to Capri and Positano,
making guest excursions easy.
The wedding Guests will be
wowed by Villa Astor, a 19th-
century estate that sits atop a
rugged cliff. The lovingly restored
property has ancient ruins, a
natural grotto, gardens with stone
statues, and a stunning terrace.
Insider advice Book rooms at
La Minervetta in Sorrento or Il San
Pietro di Positano in Positano.
Try Chez Black in Positano or Don
Alfonso 1890 in Massa Lubrense
for the rehearsal dinner. Plan a fun
guest activity like sandal-making
in Capri. theheritage-collection
.com/villa-astor/
HOT SPOT
Amenia, New York

Jove Meyer, Jove Meyer Events
@jovemeyer
Why it’s special Consider

Troutbeck, a lovely, yet low-key,
country estate, just an hour and
a half drive outside upper Man-
hattan, that is the ultimate city
escape. This charming destina-
tion features well-appointed
rooms (with Frette linens and
plush armchairs) and 45 pictur-
esque acres, where guests can
relax by the pool, play tennis, HOT SPOT guests. With activities like falconry,
ride bikes, enjoy a hike, or speed Ballyfin, Ireland archery, fly-fishing, and horseback
over to see what’s happening at Matthew Robbins, Matthew riding, your group will be well-
the nearby Lime Rock racetrack. Robbins Designs @matthew entertained. The glass conserva-
The wedding Plan the main robbinsdesign
tory is a gem for the ceremony.
event in the romantic walled gar-
Hold cocktails at the cascading
den; it feels like you’ve been Why it’s special Set in the heart
fountain; serve dinner in the
transported to a magical place! of vibrant green Irish landscapes,
the main draw of this village formal dining room. Then, invite
Insider advice Locavores will
COURTESY OF PROPERTY
applaud the fresh fare with ingre- is Ballyfin Demesne, a historic guests to the secret pub for
dients from nearby purveyors like manor house that blends old- the after-party. Insider advice Do
Rock Steady Farm and Samascott world surroundings with modern a buddymoon on the Belmond
Orchards. troutbeck.com amenities. The wedding This Grand Hibernian, a dreamy train
exquisite spot works well for inti- ride through the Irish countryside.
mate weddings of up to 130 ballyfin.com

93
Blanchards Beach Shack. Host

the rehearsal dinner at Picante—
great Mexican food and margari-
tas. Say your vows at Malliouhana,
Auberge Resorts Collection on
Meads Bay. Insider advice Book
tiny Sandy Island for the day after
and spend the time partying with
tropical drinks and grilled lobster,
and dancing to the amazing
Omari Banks band—Omari is the
son of legend Bankie Banx.
aubergeresorts.com
HOT SPOT
Walland, Tennessee
Jessica Sloane, Jessica Sloane
Event Styling and Design
@jessicasloane
Why it’s special Known for its

southern hospitality, innovative
cuisine, and views of the Great
Smoky Mountains, Blackberry
Farm has a new sister property,
HOT SPOT HOT SPOT Blackberry Mountain, with the
Cala Blava, Spain Anguilla same five-star amenities plus
Alison Laesser-Keck, Stefanie Cove, Stefanie Cove an emphasis on adventure. The
Alison Bryan Destinations and Co. @stefcoveco ceremony Get married on the
@alisonandbryan main lawn for a ta-da! entrance.
Why it’s special The beloved Afterward, move guests inside
Why it’s special The Balearic Caribbean island is back (post the lodge for dancing and a deli-
Islands sit in the picturesque Hurricane Irma) with renovated cious dinner at Three Sisters,
Mediterranean waters alongside accommodations and the same courtesy of executive chef Josh
impressive architecture and pristine turquoise water. The Feathers. Insider advice Hiking
towering limestone cliffs. In wedding On arrival day, direct trails are breathtaking (in a good
fact, Cap Rocat—a former for- sun-worshippers to meet up at way)! blackberrymountain.com
tress turned chic boutique
hotel—is built right on a cliff
overlooking the Bay of Palma. Clockwise from left:
The wedding Greet guests Villa Astor overlooks
(with glasses of champagne, the Bay of Naples;
of course!) at the dock south of Cap Rocat in
Mallorca delivers
the Palma de Mallorca airport history and striking
and transport them by boat views; book
along the turquoise bay to Cap Anguilla’s Malliou-
Rocat. The adults-only property hana Auberge for a
features a panoramic terrace luxury beach party.
that makes for a scenic cere-
mony location. Insider advice
Take a day trip to Ses Salines
COURTESY OF PROPERTIES
and Es Llombards, two adorable

towns to visit; fit in a delicious
lunch at Cassai, a fun choice.
Or go to Calo des Moro beach
for a swim in the pool-like water
and a picnic of local wine and
cheese. caprocat.com

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96 away
CAPTIVATING IN
CAPPODOCIA
Jake Snow bends
the knee to pro-
pose to Marie Fe
at the Koza Cave
Hotel in Turkey
last November.
On the Road THE ATTRACTION WAS IMMEDIATE for Instagram dar-

lings Jake Snow and Marie Fe, but building a relationship and a
to Forever
shared business took nearly three years and hard work. That
isn’t obvious to anyone scrolling through shots of the lithe and
lovely couple, traveling in exotic destinations. But read their
posts, and one thing stands out: What they are selling you is a
genuinely heartfelt message. Life is short; love is all that matters.
Back in July 2016, Snow was doing just fine, playing Aussie-rules football in South Australia while
working part of the year on a vineyard, and then taking time off to travel before repeating the cycle.
@MARIEFEANDJAKESNOW
He was single and actively not looking for a relationship when he went to Thailand’s Koh Tao island
with a few buddies. Fe’s path to the popular isle was different. She had just come off a tough year—her
father had died, and she had quit a fast-paced job at a fashion management firm in Germany to move
to Barcelona for graduate school. She was traveling with a friend before starting her new life and was
not looking for love when she met Snow while wading in the cerulean Gulf of Thailand. “I sort of
nonchalantly swiveled my way through the water to her,” Snow says. »
august + september 2019 brides.com by REBECCA MISNER

celebrate with us. stay with us
nobuhotelloscabos.com
98 away
“Before Marie, I had

never met anyone
who made me think
The 20-somethings bonded,
rom-com style, talking
about marriage.
about their biggest fears Within a week of
and secret dreams for many
days—trying to fit it all in
meeting her, I knew
before Snow headed off to I would marry
Cambodia and Fe to Viet-
nam. But once his plane her.”—Jake Snow
touched down, he scrapped
his plans and messaged her,
casually asking what hotel she was at in Ho Chi
Minh City. Six hours later, after a dusty bus trip,
he surprised her there.
After he arrived, “we had these intense conver-
sations,” Snow recalls. “Like ‘why does anything
other than what we’re feeling matter?’ And we
decided to see where it would lead.” Apparently,
they traveled well together. That was August, a
month after they met, and Fe and Snow haven’t
been apart since. For the next two years, they
took a page from Snow’s playbook—working at
the vineyard for several months to save up money
to travel. The two started posting their adven-
tures on Instagram, mostly to let friends and
family know what they were up to.
But then something changed. “People started
messaging us, asking how we made this life for anyone who made me even think about marriage, The @mariefe
ourselves,” says Fe. “We realized people were but within a week of meeting her, I knew I’d andjakesnow
inspired by our choices and finding the courage marry her,” Snow states. Last October, he couple at the
to follow love and make changes in their lives.” proposed to her in the historic town of Göreme Great Pyramids
Their followers continued to grow, and by in Turkey’s Cappadocia region, where hundreds of Giza in
mid-2018 they had an impressive number of of hot air balloons take off at sunrise every November
admirers (and at last count 523,000) but weren’t morning. He popped the question with the 2018
keen on product endorsements. “Instagram was beautiful balloons ascending in the background,
never about trying to get free stuff. It always has as the now-viral video—complete with Marie
been a way for us to share our story and inspire swearing and thinking it was a joke—shows.
others to go after the love and life they want,” The lovebirds are in no rush to wed. But they
Snow said. Still, they needed a source of income, have set a date for a June 2020 wedding in a
so they did their research and came up with a villa on Seseh Beach, near Canggu in southern
photo-filter software that could be downloaded Bali. They will keep things small (around 100
from their website. guests) and local, working with a Bali-based
While the financial success of that venture has wedding planner and on-island businesses for
allowed them a certain freedom, life isn’t without flowers, cake, and catering (all vegan). They will
external pressures: Followers who have been with also make a donation to a regional charity in
them from the beginning aren’t shy about push- lieu of wedding favors. Of course the real ques-
@MARIEFEANDJAKESNOW
ing for a wedding. “Before Marie, I had never met tion is where they will honeymoon; after all,
they plan to hit at least a dozen countries before
“I do”-ing in Indonesia. “I don’t know,” Snow
says with a laugh. “But a cabin in the woods
with no WiFi and zero possibility of Instagram
posting sounds perfect.”

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100 destination weddings
The Zero-Drama Guide to
Destination Weddings
A world’s-eye
view on where
to say “I do”
After 12 years of dating, we finally
got around to getting engaged last
winter. Somehow the orthodoxy of a
big Manhattan event where Ashley
and I were the center of attention
had always felt too conventional for
us. Then we started toying with the
idea of vows in a land far, far away.
Destination wedding is a loaded
term that can intimidate even the
most ambitious couples. Why add
travel to the endless pile of complica-
tions inherent in your nuptials?
Why go thousands of miles away and
add a language barrier on top of
it? But when Ashley spied an ad
for a small hotel in the Alentejo
region of Portugal, we took the bait
and emailed. A few days later, they
got back to us with pricing. It was
half of what we had considered
spending in New York City! That
revelation started the wheels spin-
ning. The world opened up its arms
to us and said “Do it!”
We aren’t the only ones being
beckoned. Once a couple realizes
MARCIN PRZYBYLSKI
that a destination wedding doesn’t

Always dreamed of tying take a bottomless stash of cash,
the knot in a far-off locale? So, choosing a spot is a romantic
endeavor. Tara Sowlaty Lehrer,
make the fantasy happen! cofounder of the lifestyle blog »

T h e b i g d ay i s c o m i n g
An elegant chapel, a terrace by the sea, lush green gardens. Wherever

your journey takes you, Palladium Hotel Group has the destination
you’ve always dreamed of. Happily ever afters begin here.
For more information, please contact

your travel professional, visit
PALLADIUMWEDDINGS.COM
SPAIN ǀ ITALY ǀ MEXICO ǀ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ǀ JAMAICA ǀ BRAZIL /PalladiumWeddings

102 destination weddings
How You Glow, married her husband, Why having a wedding planner helps (a lot)
Brian Lehrer, in a Tuscan villa in 2018
surrounded by 33 happy guests. “Not T h ey h a ve d o n e i t b e f o r e T h ey f i e l d we i r d r e q u e s t s
everything goes exactly as you planned Planners have a level of on-the-ground Like “I want to transport my dog via
it,” says Sowlaty Lehrer. “But we let the knowledge you can’t mimic even after private jet” or “fly in my own doctor to
spending endless hours researching
magic happen, imperfections and all.” online. That expertise counts doubly
Plus, “destination” doesn’t have to mean when you’re planning something
getting your passport stamped. Bustle abroad, where cultural nuances can
Events founder Erin Taylor says her home be tricky to navigate. They can finagle
the best prices on pretty much
base of Napa Valley attracts those wanting everything and secure vendors for
a domestic hot spot. “It’s not just for the last-minute needs.
wedding day. Guests can explore and take
it all in and not have to go anywhere else.” T h ey a r e u n f a z e d by m o n -
We’re diving in, having pondered our s o o n s a n d c r e a t i ve t y p e s
Every planner can cite a weather
own options, and it seems that locations
disaster and how they solved it, but
further afield than New York are calling what can truly be unpredictable is a
our name. But even among all these couple who has a Big Vision of the Big
doubts and false starts, we’re sure about Day. “Weddings have become more
authentic to each couple,” says Taylor.
one thing: We won’t take another dozen “No one wants a cookie-cutter event.”
years to make a decision.—T. M. Brown These pros know how to say ‘no’ nicely.
INVITE THEM AND THEY WILL DEFINITELY COME

NICETIES COUNT WHEN NAVIGATING YOUR GUEST LIST
BE REALISTIC GIVE THEM TIME REMIND THEM CATER TO YOUR FEED, TRANSPORT
How many guests can No one wants to buy a You would be surprised GUEST STARS AND AMUSE THEM
your venue (and bud- flight to a far-flung spot how many people don’t Are your grandparents ”We have two rules
get) accommodate? a handful of months check the expiration central figures in about treating
Don’t invite 160 if you before the fact. Do a date on their passports your life, or is one of guests well,” says
can only afford 130. “If save-the-date, or email until they’re headed your guests’ mobility Bebell. “Feed them
you invite them, they’re it. “That way people to the airport. Send a impaired? Those aren’t and arrange
saying yes. Everyone can say, ‘Hey, this is funny note-to-self minor considerations, transportation on
wants a vacation,” important and we have memo in an email when says deBell. Be sure arrival.” Oh, and give
says Kara Bebell, who plenty of time people RSVP and direct to ask your venue about them at least one
cofounded the to save for it,’ ” says them to make sure accessibility options excursion to enjoy
Travel Siblings with Loli Events founder they review and renew before signing with the couple.
brother Harlan deBell. Lauren Fremont. immediately! a contract. —T. M. B.
Money, Honey: HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Technology makes long-distance planning fairly easy, but planners
What will it cost? such as Fremont of Loli Events, who specializes in weddings in
France, says “having somebody on-site is priceless” to negotiate
the best prices. Fremont works hand in hand with her business
You may think a destination event would create a mountain of partner, Coralie Prats, who is based in Paris.
debt, but there are ways to scale down the costs.
SHOP LOCAL
KEEP TO THE SHOULDER SEASONS Here’s a jaw-dropping comparison: “You can get $25,000 worth
High season—typically June through August in Europe and of flowers in New York City for $5,000 in France,” says Fremont.
ILLUSTRATIONS: KATE DONOVAN
Asia; December through February south of the equator—will Clients reap the benefits of being close to where the petunias
cost you dearly. Resorts may ask you to buy out the entire are picked or when labor costs are less, she adds. It also means
property for three days instead of the usual two, boosting cash your wedding can look like it meshes with the gorgeous back-
outlays into the stratosphere. That’s why booking in May or drop you’ve chosen. Using libations from a close-by vineyard
October can save you a ton of cash on everything from buyout or charcuterie snacks from the town butcher pay off at reception
costs to flights. “Whether it’s Hawaii, Europe, the Caribbean, and dinnertime. And why not review SoundCloud mixes for
or Greece, shoulder season is key,” says Bebell. “Otherwise, your in-town musicians recommended by the venue, instead of opting
guests are paying exorbitant airfares.” for the expense of flying in your favorite funk band? —T. M. B.

103
The Entourage: During my nine years living in

New York City, I’ve cultivated a
Sussing out your finely tuned team of beauty pro-

fessionals who help me look and
beauty options feel my best. So when it came

time for my wedding—a summer
destination event in Italy—it felt
wrong that these women would
not be the ones making me look my absolute best on my big day.
After all, there’s a true camaraderie with someone who pulls the hair from your
upper lip—shouldn’t she score a wedding invite? That led to more questions: Should I
add the cost of transporting them to my wedding budget? Or trudge back and forth
Wedding Gown
from Milan for trials till I found my entourage?
Flight Plan
These are common concerns for brides opting for destination weddings, says my
HOW TO PACK AND planner, Rachel Birthistle of the Lake Como Wedding Planner. “Using someone new
GET IT ON BOARD can be stressful, and brides often fly in their own teams,” she says. “Many women are
Do carry-on to avoid used to having individual artists for other services, such as brows, eyelashes, nails,
the stress of lost lug- spray tans, as well as hair and makeup.” Birthistle says the first step is research. “Estab-
gage. Transport it in lish in advance what services are readily available and which to consider flying in,” she
an extra-long garment
says. You might also book highly experienced hair and makeup teams who will be more
bag and consult the
costly but can put you at ease.
airline for carry-on
Second up: Don’t forgo the trial. Squeeze in as many tryouts as you can during trips
requirements. First
class or priority for site visits or catering tastings. Alternatively, ask beauty pros for their travel schedule
boarding might be
worth the cost!
FOLDING TIPS
First, hang the gown space on your biggest day,” says Birthistle.
in the garment bag, Consider the unique (but still helpful) option of a trial
so it is easy to handle.
via FaceTime. Send photos via video chat so the artist
Then fold the sides
can familiarize herself with your hair, face, nails, etc.,
of the gown into each
other toward the cen-
and then ask her to use a model with similar skin
ter. From there, take tone or hair texture to re-create the looks you want.
the bottom of the train For day-of emergencies (like a last-minute zit),
and roll it up until the Birthistle suggests organizing a “little black book” of
skirt is neatly encased local pros to contact if something arises (pun not
in the garment bag.
Zip it up carefully.
ON CAMELBACK INSIDE LANGJÖKULL NEAR A WATERFALL IN

IN MOROCCO GLACIER, ICELAND PATAGONIA
“Guests wander Marrakech’s “Adventure-loving couples Set within Argentina’s Nahuel
medina,” says James Wales unafraid of a little cold can Huapi National Park, the
ILLUSTRATIONS: KATE DONOVAN
of travel company Black plan a chill ceremony, Peuma Hue lodge appeals to
Tomato, “then head to the riding off in a super jeep nature-lovers who want to
Agafay Desert to see the into a blue, white, and say vows in the wilderness
bride ‘come down the aisle’ neon-pink sunset,” says with a Magellanic woodpecker
on camelback at sunset with Iceland adviser Alys or silver fox in attendance.
the High Atlas Mountains Colayera of Black Tomato. Fun is sleeping late in a
behind her.” Bridal culottes Travel operator luxurious yurt before kayaking
a must. Black Tomato Pink Iceland can arrange all day. Travel pros Swoop
can set up the honeymoon. the cool I do’s! Patagonia know the area well.
blacktomato.com pinkiceland.is swoop-patagonia.com

BOHEMIAN
MODERN
Romance
“We thought if we’re
going to make people
travel, we wanted to
get married in nature,
whether it was in an
English garden or on
the beach,” says
Danielle Snyder about
what she and her fiancé,
Brandon Shorenstein,
envisioned. “I just kept
coming back to the
magic of the Bahamas.”
105
RHAPSODY
A New York City designer and her fiancé invited friends
and family to an ethereal beach wedding on Harbour Island
that was a little bit whimsical and also kind of wild
P H OTO G R A P H S BY S E R G I O S A N D O N Á
E V E N T BY M I C H E L L E R AG O D E S T I N AT I O N S

D
Danielle Snyder, cofounder and designer of the fashion and
accessories brand Dannijo, and Brandon Shorenstein, who
works in real estate, have several friends who like to lay
claim to having set them up. But it was a Yom Kippur dinner
that actually brought them together. The hostess casually
asked Danielle if she was dating anyone and suggested a
friend’s nephew. “I realized a mutual friend had also tried to
set us up years before,” says Danielle. The two connected and
scheduled a first date. “The emails from the beginning were
pretty funny,” Danielle admits. “Of course, I gave him a Mon-
day!” They hit it off, and in June 2018, Brandon proposed in
Greece. In no time at all, they settled on a date: May 11, 2019.
They chose Harbour Island in the Bahamas, which is
known for its pink-sand beaches, and the Other Side for
the ceremony. “The island is the perfect combination of
bohemian and soulful,” Danielle says. The couple collabo-
rated with event planner Michelle Rago with the goal of
juxtaposing the aesthetics of two favorite movies. “I wanted
the barefoot, wild elements of The Blue Lagoon mixed with
Victorian lace and pearls reminiscent of Legends of the Fall.”
For a wedding dress that evoked this dreamy, romantic
milieu, Danielle went to Reem Acra
for a custom look. “She created me in HAND
a dress! It’s feminine, whimsical, and in Hand
unexpected,” says the bride. “My
“We wanted to focus
favorite part was the ‘LOVE YOU’
on enhancing the
written in sequins underneath the
beach’s natural
tulle skirt.”
beauty,” Danielle
The ceremony began at 5:30 p.m., says, about the
as the bridal party made their way lovely simplicity of
down the aisle to an instrumental the Other Side.
version of “Time of Your Life.” Then
the bride’s niece and nephew—flower girl Margaux and ring
bearer Liev—almost stole the show as Danielle walked in
with her parents to “Bitter Sweet Symphony.” Says the bride:
“Liev yelled ‘yay’ as I got to the chuppah!”
After the exchange of vows and rings, the newlyweds
greeted guests under the tent for dinner. “It was magical
and enchanting,” says Danielle. Brandon and Danielle kicked
off the dancing with Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” and
Gary Snyder, the father of the bride, gave a speech that
had everyone laughing and crying. For the after-dinner fes-
tivities, Danielle made a quick change into a mini iridescent
Ashish dress worn with Dannijo crystal earrings and Miu
Miu sandals. “It reminds me of Ariel at the end of The Little
Mermaid!” she says. Post-outfit switch, a junkanoo
performance (a street parade with music, dance, and cos-
tumes of Akan origin) got the party started; the band the
Right Mix kept everyone on the dance floor all night long.
At one point, the father of the bride grabbed a saxophone
for an impromptu performance that no one there will soon
forget.—Alexandra Macon

107
WEDDING TEAM
PLANNER Michelle Rago
Destinations
CEREMONY & RECEPTION VENUE
The Other Side, Eleuthera
CATERING & RENTALS
Ocean View Club
FLORAL DESIGN
Alice Spitalny of Little Island
Design, Ocean View Club
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sergio Sandoná
PRETTY
Beachy
“I’m from Florida, so
I am definitely a beach
girl,” says Danielle,
who wore a custom
Dannijo headband, ear-
rings, and shoes she
designed for her special
day. Above: Guests,
including friend Brooke
Shields, enjoyed the
seaside vibe.
PLEASE
Be Seated!
Guests dined at two
long tables draped with
lace linens inside a
sailcloth tent “adorned
with a hanging floral
installation of ferns and
blossoms,” says event
planner Michelle Rago.
108
FANTASY
Come true
“We just got each
other,” Danielle says
about working on
her gown with
Reem Acra. The bridal
bouquet mixed
flowers like lisianthus,
tulips, and peonies.
“She wanted it to
complement the lush
chuppah,” says Rago.
109
OCEANS Seven
The weekend-long festivities
brought friends and family together,
including matron of honor
Jodie Snyder Morel (far left), who is
Danielle’s sister and Dannijo partner.

110
BUNK
Up
Rosie Rothrock and
Andrew Parietti’s
loved ones expected
a trendy city wedding
in San Francisco.
Instead, they got a
weekend sleepover
at a summer camp
in Boulder Creek. “It
was the best surprise,”
the bride says.

LOVE
CAMP!
A Bay Area couple hosts
the ultimate family
reunion in the redwoods
outside Santa Cruz
P H OTO G R A P H S BY J E N N E M E R L I N G W E D D I N G S
E V E N T BY A S H L E Y S M I T H E V E N T S
112
B
BIG LOVE. These words, in glowing ’70s-style
lettering, were emblazoned on the colorful
invitation to Rosie Rothrock and Andrew
Parietti’s wedding last August. And no, the
phrase was not a reference to the HBO series.
“ ‘Big love’ is how Andrew and I sign off our
texts to each other,” Rosie says. “I use it for
emails to my family too.” One could also
say that big aptly described the event’s
290-person guest list. “I alone have 53 first
cousins,” Rosie emphasizes.
Even the setting—a forest of soaring red-
wood trees—had a giant factor. After Andrew
proposed on the sidewalk near Rosie’s San
Francisco apartment in March 2017, the cou-
ple took a road trip south—and stumbled
upon Camp Campbell, a YMCA sleepaway
camp north of Santa Cruz. The discovery
turned out to be serendipitous. “Our wedding
felt like a big reunion rather than a one-night-
only dinner party,” says Rosie, who heads up
branding for Caliva, a cannabis company.
Andrew, the former president of Outdoor Voices, is a retail entrepreneur.
Guests embraced the setting by sharing cabins and bunk beds, but the
weekend was far from spartan. The lovebirds brought in a wood-fired
pizza oven and a Motown band for Friday’s welcome dinner, then the
next morning transformed the pool into a massive, neon-hued disco
party with Funboy pool floats and a DJ. “I was so relaxed my brides-
maids had to drag me out of the water to get ready,” says Rosie, who
slipped into a Pronovias gown with a statement train and veil.
The ceremony took place in the camp’s outdoor chapel, where Rosie’s
friend officiated and her siblings read from the children’s book Every-
body Needs a Rock (a family favorite) before the vows. “We spent the
most time planning and fretting over the vows,” admits the bride.
Afterward, everyone sipped Aperol spritzes served with napkins that
Rosie had printed with “Andrew Rothrock” to poke fun at their never-
ending debate of who would take whose last name. (Negotiations con-
tinue!) Dinner was served buffet-style—instead of sloppy joes, there was
salmon—under bistro lights outdoors before the dancing began atop a
flower mandala. At 10 p.m., the party moved into the camp lodge
turned groovy nightclub. “We danced till it hurt and my shoes and
dress were trashed!” says Rosie. In short, it was not just Big Love—it
was Big Fun.—Catherine Hong

INTO THE
Woods
To let the redwood
grove speak for itself,
Wild Club florals
enhanced the cere-
mony space only with
clusters of ferns and
white blooms.
BED OF Roses
Dinner took on a colorful tone with tables of
bright linens, arrangements of wildflowers
and fresh fruit, and custom “Ring Around
Rosie” posters scattered throughout. Planner
Ashley Smith added the final pop: the floral
mandala on the dance floor.
115
ALL IN THE
Family
In addition to their
bridesmaids and
groomsmen, the cou-
ple had seven young
attendants, whom
they lovingly called
the “flower folk.” They
included drawings
from the kids in the
ceremony program.

117
WORKS OF
Art
The reception space
was finished off with
two major installa-
tions: a banner of pink
balloons on the lodge
itself (left) and a
stained glass window
(right) that doubled
as a bar-back.

118
MORE,
Please
Like their favorite bar,
Lone Palm, Andrew
and Rosie’s “Club
Rockietti” featured
neon lights and
late-night bites.
TRUE
Colors
Rosie let her hair
down and added a
Frida Kahlo–inspired
floral headpiece for
a second look, while
Andrew changed
into his favorite Nir-
vana tee for dancing.

Color Them
120
on one style—
we wanted to
do it all.”
GET THEIR LOOK
1 Fresh fruit (kiwi, lemons, grapefruit)
added a delectable layer to tabletops.
Maison Boissier candies, $48 for a set
of 3; food52.com. 2 With so many hues,
TOP LEFT: JENN EMERLING; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS

the couple stuck to slate-gray tapers for
consistency. Hawkins candleholders,
GOOD SPORTS
“Almost all of our
siblings spoke,
and we both got
totally roasted,”
dress. Mango sandal, $80.
WEDDING TEAM
PLANNER
GROOM’S ATTIRE YSL
Events, Bourne Paper Co.
Weddings
Woodworm Party Store

TOP RIGHT: JENN EMERLING; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS
2
Happy
brides.com
4
august + september 2019

MAGIC IN
MALIBU

123
HOME Base
Bride Caroline Cruse
found this modern
house in an architec-
tural newsletter. The
couple rented it for
the nights before and
after the nuptials.
On a quiet hillside overlooking

the Pacific, a pair of devoted hikers
created their own kind of
love summit, hay moon and all
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERICH MCVEY
EVENT BY LAUREL & ROSE
C
Caroline Cuse knew just what her ideal
wedding locale looked like, though she
wasn’t entirely sure it existed. “I grew up
hiking the hills around Los Angeles and
dreamed of getting married overlooking
the ocean,” says the photographer and
floral designer. By her side in the search?
Sean Duncan, a financial technology strategist, whom she
met in 2009 while both were students at Harvard. Hailing
from the UK, Sean had never been to Southern California
before he met Caroline, but soon fell in love with its wild
landscape too. In 2016, he proposed on a hike in the Santa
Monica Mountains.
The couple looked at venues, but nothing felt quite right
until Caroline received a text from her mother that simply
read, “I think I found it.” Attached was a photo of a lush,
grassy hill in Malibu with views of the Pacific. “It was per-
fect,” she says, but the remote area had no infrastructure,
WILD BLUE so everything from electricity to decor had to be imported
Yonder to Black Sage Mesa, named to reflect the abundance of the
aromatic evergreen on the site.
“We wanted the wed-
On the afternoon of July 28, 2018, the couple met before
ding to feel true to the
location, a beautiful
the ceremony for an emotional first look (“We both cried!”
untouched piece of says the bride). They had chosen the date to say their vows
land,” says Caroline,
who called the overall
look “elegant, wild,
and natural.” Far right:
The bride scanned
flowers to border the
invitation. Stationer
Lotus & Ash added
a handful of real
pressed flowers to
each suite.
125
because it coincided with a full red moon. “It’s also called

a hay moon and it carries powerful feminine energy,” says
Caroline, who wore a classic Leanne Marshall dress: “I fell
in love with the way it moved.”
Following the cocktail hour, when guests sipped Pimm’s
Cups—a nod to Sean’s years in England—the party moved
inside the tent for dinner and dancing. Everyone got along
famously, and the night ended with guests surrounding
the duo and belting out Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” and “send-
ing all this energy and love our way,” says Caroline.
The next day all traces of the hoopla were gone, and
Black Sage Mesa returned to its natural unassuming state.
Since then, the couple has hiked there several times to
reminisce. “It feels almost mythical—our fancy party
popped up for one night and then vanished,” Caroline
says. “Like magic.”—Leigh Crandall

LET THE SUN
Shine in
“After an overcast
morning, we all started
cheering when the sun
triumphed and the sky
broke into blue,” Caro-
line recalls. Fittingly,
her seven ‘maids and
five VIP “greeters” wore
shades inspired by the
site’s mustard flowers,
sky, and ocean.
127

128
FOR THE
Ages
“There was a ton of
energy on the dance
floor from all the
generations,” says
Caroline. “Both my
88-year-old grandma
and our flower girl
were tearing it up!”

GRAZE SUPER
Freely Blooms
At the reception, food stations “Each table was full of gorgeous
and open seating allowed flowers and grasses, and looked
guests to mix, mingle, and eat wild yet elegant,” says Caroline,
as they pleased. “It was so who worked with Moon Canyon
fun seeing how friends from to achieve that effect. Arrange-
different parts of our lives ments included Julia roses in
connected,” says the bride. memory of Sean’s sister.
130
Natural Light
GET THEIR LOOK
1
flowers. Stephanie Fishwick
flowy but also unique,” says the

bride. Galina dress, $399; davids
bridal.com. 5 Burberry Her Blossom
Eau de Toilette, from $63. 6 Cult
Gaia bag, $348. 7 At the end of
the night, Caroline’s platforms were
dusty from running through the
brush. “I’m too sentimental to
FAR LEFT: ERICH MCVEY; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS

wash it off!” Zara sandal, $50.
8 Mercedes Salazar hairpin, $137;
net-a-porter.com.
CENTER STAGE 8
“We stood on a
small wooden
platform with the
ocean behind us
and the mountains
beside us,” says
the bride of the
ceremony scene.

2
took place just

before sunset.
5
FAR RIGHT: ERICH MCVEY; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS

AISLE OF
Smiles
“Effortless. Everlasting.
Elegance.” That’s
how Maurice Slade
and Jamie Baratta
described their wed-
ding. The bride wore
a Vera Wang gown; her
ring was custom-made
by Spinelli Kilcollin.
133
A
LOVELY
DAY
This music-loving couple chose
an iconic resort in Jamaica for their
romantic, rock-solid celebration
P H OTO G R A P H S BY J E N N I F E R J O H N S O N
E V E N T BY A L F R E D H O U S E P R O D U C T I O N S

SUNSET
Ceremony
Along with vows, the couple
had readings from Pablo Neruda,
Maya Angelou, and Emily
Brontë that “embodied the love
we have for one another,”
says Jamie. Below: Maurice and
his nephew Micah Slade

S
135
ISLAND Some brides obsess about their dream dress. Others, their
Inspiration fairy-tale location. But when Jamie Baratta started plan-
ning her March 9, 2019, wedding to boyfriend Maurice
The wedding was Slade, she had a different focus. “For me, it was all about
formal (“Jamie and the music,” she says. “The music had to be bomb.” For
Maurice did not want to
anyone who knows the couple, this came as no surprise.
get married barefoot
An up-and-coming young attorney in the music
in the sand,” says the
planner, Priyan Chan
industry, Jamie did a stint at Def Jam Recordings before
draratna), but things got law school and now works with Cardi B and ASAP
casual later: Everyone Rocky. Maurice, meanwhile, is a VP at Epic Records, an
dressed in white for a alum of Roc Nation, and cofounder of the hip-hop con-
beach barbecue. Tables cert series Grits & Biscuits. So, naturally, one of the first
were topped with duties Maurice took on once they chose Jamaica was to
coconuts and shells. make an island-inspired playlist to send to their friends
ahead of time. Bob Marley, Beenie Man, Sister Nancy,
and, yes, even Musical Youth (who could forget “Pass
the Dutchie”?) all made the cut. “We wanted everyone
to get into the spirit of the trip,” says Jamie.
The Los Angeles–based couple chose to keep the wed-
ding intimate, with just 60 guests, so the storied Round
Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay—where John F.
Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy often stayed—worked per-
fectly. The bride’s aesthetic of elegant minimalism was
reflected at every turn, from her sliplike Vera Wang
gown and opera-length gloves to her bouquet of perfect
white tulips. “A palette of bright colors is typical of trop-
ical weddings,” says Jamie, who chose softer-toned
Azeeza dresses for her bridal party. “But whites and neu-
trals felt much more me.” The ceremony was officiated
by Maurice’s father, Alzo Slade, an ordained minister,
and was held on a stone deck overlooking the beach. “It
let us keep a formal feeling to the ceremony,” says Jamie.
Clear acrylic chairs added a glamorous modern touch.
At the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed coconut shrimp,
cracked conch, and jerk-roasted suckling pig along
with clever signature drinks (like Penny’s Punch,
named after Maurice’s nickname for the bride). The
music made the night truly memorable: Maurice’s
friend DJ Pedro Cavaliere played a dream set that
spanned ’90s hits, cur-
WEDDING TEAM rent hip-hop, salsa, and
PLANNER Priyan music from the “Dirty
Chandraratna of Alfred House South.” Best of all was
Productions
when Maurice, a lifelong
VENUE Round Hill Hotel
OutKast fan, got down on
and Villas
BRIDE’S ATTIRE Vera Wang
his knees and serenaded
dress and Dorothy his new bride to UGK’s
Gaspar gloves “International Players
STATIONERY Anthem,” backed up by
Details Design Studio all his groomsmen. Says
PHOTOGRAPHY Jamie, “It was pre tty
Jennifer Johnson epic.”—Catherine Hong

136
TROPIC OF
DREAMS This worldly couple threw
parties for three days in
Cartagena: at a chic city
club, at a former convent,
and on the beach.
P H OTO G R A P H S BY M E L I S S A M A R S H A L L
E V E N T BY C C C E V E N T P L A N N I N G

HEAVEN ON
Earth
The ceremony on
February 8, 2019, was
at the Catedral de
Santa Catalina de Ale-
jandría, a dramatically
vaulted 17th-century
church in the historic
center of town.
138

C
139
Cartagena is a port city in Colombia known for its

beautifully preserved Spanish colonial architecture,
historic squares, and quaint cobblestone streets—the
kind of picturesque elements that make saying “I do”
there special. Valentina Hernandez Botero, who was
born in Bogotá and raised in South Florida, convinced
George Dufournier, her boyfriend of five years, that it
was just the spot for their nuptials. “I wanted to show
my country to his family and have them experience
everything I love about it,” she says of her French
in-laws, who live in Paris, where George grew up and
where he proposed in December 2017.
To that end, the couple—who met in 2012 as college
students at a boat party in Miami—orchestrated three
days’ worth of fun, blending age-old Colombian tradi-
tions with a distinctly modern approach. “We decided to
focus on what was most important to us—making our
guests feel like they were on the most amazing trip—and
forget the rest.” What didn’t make the cut? A wedding
cake, printed invitations (they used Paperless Post), and
any florals beyond the bridal bouquet. Instead, they
sprang for a band and a DJ, a
JOYFUL four-course seated dinner, and
Moments an all-day beach party the day
“Our motto is to after the reception.
always do the unex- The ceremony was held at
pected and create Catedral de Santa Catalina de
experiences that Alejandría on Friday after-
make people feel noon, and after their vows the
alive,” says Valentina. newlyweds ambled down the
aisle to “I Say a Little Prayer”—
performed by the bride’s sister, the recording artist
Naty Botero—and into one of the horse-drawn carriages
transporting the 130 guests to the Sofitel Santa Clara
hotel, a former convent built in 1621. After dinner and
lots of champagne served by waiters dressed in monks’
robes—a unique hotel tradition—guests boogied until
midnight, or hora loca (“It translates to ‘crazy hour,’ ”
says Valentina) when the party went into full-on carni-
val mode with drummers, dancers, feathered head-
dresses, and guaro shots until 4 a.m.
The next day, with the formalities behind them, the
couple could relax with friends. And they did, heading
to a house on the ocean for a “Just Married” bash. Not
that there was much lazing around: “Our friends DJ’d
for a full 12 hours—no joke!” says the bride. Everyone
had plenty of energy thanks to enjoying another
Colombian wedding custom the night before. “At about
2 a.m., waiters brought out soup called levante
muerte—raise the dead. You sip on the broth and no
hangovers, guaranteed!”—Jenny Comita

FRIENDS
Forever
“I had seven! My lucky
number,” says Valentina
about her bridesmaids,
who dressed in blush
tones. George chose
“three men from three
important phases of his
life—high school, col-
lege, and present day.”
141

142
COMING
Home
“Ever since I was little,
I dreamed about a
wedding in the magical
city of Cartagena,”
says the bride, whose
dress was from
Made With Love.
WILD
Palms
Inside the Sofitel Santa
Clara hotel, the couple
created a “dreamy,
tropical, and warm”
environment by using
tall arrangements of
palm fronds and lots of
candlelight—even
without flowers!

143

Go for Glam
“We mixed
French
elegance with
the magical
realism of
Colombia.”
GET THEIR LOOK
1 Modern bamboo lanterns were hung
to add warmth to the largely open
reception space. IKEA pendant lamp,
$70. 2 Valentina wore pearl drop
earrings she found on Etsy. Lizzie
Fortunato Alta drop earrings, $230.
3 “I wanted a dress that I would be
comfortable in,” says the bride of her
floral-embellished design. “Luckily,
this was the third I tried on!” Morilee
by Madeline Gardner gown, $1,750.
4 Beachcrest Home platter, $36;
wayfair.com. 5 The bride did her own SCENIC SELFIE
makeup, creating a “natural, dewy” Post ceremony, the
look with her favorite blush and lip tint, newlyweds took a
shown here. Charlotte Tilbury Beach carriage ride around
Stick in Ibiza, $45. 6 The couple colonial Cartagena.
welcomed their guests with 6
locally made bags that held the
weekend’s itinerary and doubled as
a unique keepsake. Emily Levine 5
bag, $145; net-a-porter.com. 7 “We TOP: MELISSA MARSHALL; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS
had tons of candles—always a must!”
Valentina says. Hawkins simple
mirrored lanterns, from $35.
WEDDING TEAM
PLANNER CCC Event Planning
CEREMONY VENUE Catedral
de Santa Catalina de Alejandría
RECEPTION VENUE Sofitel Santa
Clara Hotel
BRIDE’S DRESS Made With Love Bridal
GROOM’S ATTIRE Dior
FLORAL DESIGN Decorfiestas
PHOTOGRAPHY Melissa Marshall

NEAR RIGHT: MELISSA MARSHALL;
ALL OTHERS: COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS
brides.com
145
august + september 2019

146 the moment
Bethany and Pete Altenburg with Cooper

November 4, 2017, Palm Springs, California
“We always knew Cooper would be part of our big day. He is the third member
MIRAGE AND LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY; FLORALS: LAYERED VINTAGE
of our trio, so to us it was as much his day as ours. We’ve hiked, camped,
and backpacked with him and spent just about every holiday together for over
five years. And yet, we worried the excitement of the wedding day would pose too
big a risk to his safety. So we made the tough(est) decision to keep him separated
from the chaos of the festivities. It was only appropriate that our first post-
ceremony photo would be with our favorite guy—the one we were most eager to
share our happiness with (sorry Mom and Dad!). We knelt down to ease his
anxious whimpers and of course to receive those enthusiastic, FOMO-laden
kisses—and to tell our guy, ‘We did it!’ ” —Bethany Altenburg
august + september 2019 brides.com Show us your #bridesmoment! DM us @brides on Instagram.

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