Our 5 Year Wedding Anniversary

Hello and happy Friday! Today is our 5th wedding anniversary and boy have the years flown by. I cannot believe it has been that long and that we are now blessed with the sweetest, little boy. I haven't shared our professional wedding photos here so I thought today was a great opportunity. 

I'm sure most brides will say their wedding day was magical and I am no different. Shane and I were reminiscing last night about that day and I remember so vividly waking up and running to the blinds to open them and look at the weather. I immediately ran outside to see how it felt and it was the most PERFECT weather. A bit of a breeze, sunny, and 75 degrees. Basically the most perfect Spring day. It was exactly what I wanted and why I chose March as our wedding month. 

All my bridesmaids slept at my house and my best friend Callie and I were in our room together (Shane was at his parent's house). I remember laughing together and just being so happy to be with my friends and have the entire day to look forward to. 

We got married at an iconic Naples spot.. the Naples Beach Hotel. Everyone we worked with there was absolutely incredible and they truly helped make our day so special. 

 As I walked down the aisle to my high school sweetheart behind him I saw the sunshine gleaming through the 1920's chandelier hung at the alter. I see that picture in my head every time I think back to that day. I am so blessed to be able to go through this life with such an incredible partner. Thankful for the years we have had together and the many years I have been able to share with my soulmate. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Friday and weekend!

xo, Alina

Photos by: Heather Donlan Photography 

Flowers: Isn't She Lovely Florals 

Wedding Invitations, Programs, Custom Monogram: DM Paper Designs

Chandelier: Surroundings, Naples

Wedding Dress: Loretta Bridal, Naples

Hair and Makeup: Texture by Gabriella

Bridal Jewelry{pearl bracelet, necklace and bridesmaids earrings}: Nadine Lawson (Aunt)

Pearl Earrings: Honora 

Rings: Diamond District 

Bridesmaids Dresses: Light In The Box

Groom and Groomsmen Tuxes: Joseph A Bank 

Is There a Place for Your Pet in Your Wedding?

Let’s be honest – we don’t just love our pets. Many a great love story starts with “we met because of our dogs,” and lots of couples genuinely consider their four-footed friends their children. Our pets are hugely important in our lives, so finding a place for them in a wedding is an understandable priority.

Some pets are better suited to weddings than others, of course. Well-behaved dogs in particular tend to be the best honorary attendants (i.e. best dog or flower dog). There are exceptions to every rule, but when considering whether or not it is a good idea to include your pet in your wedding, take into account how your animal friend reacts under stress in large crowds and in brand new places. Your added excitement on the wedding day is a factor that is hard to test in advance, so it’s necessary to really know your friend’s temperament well.

If you plan to include your pet in your wedding, follow these tips for the best possible day:

• Consult with your venue management in advance. It’s not just a courtesy – sites rules and local laws may play a role. If you are working with separate ceremony and reception venues, contact both for approval. Get it in writing as venue management has a tendency to change frequently.
• Recruit a “handler” for your pet - someone responsible, familiar with your pet and able to address emergencies on the wedding day. No matter how comfortable you are with your friend, wedding days are different, and you need someone to back you up when you’re needed for a photo or to greet your guests. Depending on your vision, it may be a handler disguised in one of the burgundy bridesmaid dresses your party is wearing, or someone who sits subtly by ready to jump in if needed.
• Alert your photographer in advance that your pet will participate.
• Don’t bring your pet too early – much like a child, most animals behave better when they are not tired or strung out. Leave enough time to acclimate but not enough time to become bored (frankly, it’s pretty good advice for small children too!).
• Do feel free to dress your pet to the nines. He or she is part of your wedding party. While you might not put your furry pal in an identical copy of the burgundy bridesmaid dresses, pick up a fancy collar, a canine tuxedo or order a special corsage if you can safely attach it. If you choose live flowers, consult carefully with your florist to ensure that the blooms you select are not toxic to animals. Practice with the outfit in advance.
• Speaking of practice, do include your animal attendant in the rehearsal. Not only is it good for building his or her comfort, it is necessary for the other wedding party members, the handler, and the vendors working the ceremony to understand what is needed to make the plan successful.
• Consider an early departure for your pet – if you can arrange to allow your buddy to go home after the ceremony, you’ll have a chance to party and your pet will get to chill in a comfortable environment.

If you find that actually including your pet on the wedding day is impractical or inconvenient, you can still incorporate pictures in your displays, mention him during your ceremony, or even incorporate a motif that pays homage to your buddy.

No matter how you choose to include him, there is definitely a place for your pet in your wedding.

Author Bio

Wendy Dessler

Title: Super-Connector at OutreachMama Wendy is a super-connector with OutreachMama and Youth Noise NJ who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition. You can contact her on Twitter.

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Weddington Way Style...

                                               

                                                           

 Groomsmen: Michael Kors Oliver Tuxedo Bridesmaid: Alfred Sung dress in Pearl Pink Accessories: Necklace // Earrings 

Hello and Happy Hump Day! 

Although my wedding has long passed, I do find myself occasionally pinning fun wedding things I see on Pinterest. It is awesome to see all the new things people have come up with. So when Weddington Way inspired me to share my favorite bridesmaid and groomsmen pairings on my blog I agreed. I took SO long to decide and find my bridesmaids dresses {longer than my own dress} I must have looked at them all! When I was asked what I wanted for my wedding all I said was "classic". I wanted to be able to look at the photos and in 20 years they could still be current. My pairings today are definitely classic and this bridesmaid and groomsmen are ready for a beautiful black tie affair. You could add a beautiful necklace or a pair of chandelier earrings to the bridesmaids dress to make it more unique for your wedding. I included a few accessories they have available as examples. I especially like this dress in the Pearl Pink color. It is a color that is flattering on most people and photographs beautifully. You can find more dresses like this one here. The men's rental tuxedos also come with a ton of different color options to choose from for their ties or bow ties.
If you are planning a wedding definitely check out Weddington Way for your bridal party. They have rental and purchase options that fit every budget.


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Wedding Highlight Video!

We just received our wedding highlight video from our videographers {Reel Treasures} and I am so happy with it! I wanted the highlight video to be fun and the song I picked is really upbeat. We should be getting the full length versions on Monday or Tuesday! 

Happy Sunday everyone!!

Wedding Highlight

xo, Alina

Wedding Pictures {Part 1}

Yay for wedding photos! We still haven't received any photos or videos from the wedding so these are just photos taken by guests at the wedding. I am going crazy with anticipation for the professional photos! 

The wedding day went absolutely amazing and a dream come true! Everything went as planned and the weather was perfection.

I am a very VERY lucky girl to have had such an amazing, happy and beautiful wedding day. 

Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait for the rest of the photos :)

xo, Alina

Wedding Talk Wednesday: Kelsey & Alex's Nautical Naples Wedding!!

Ok so I know its like 11:00pm on Wednesday but whatever lets talk weddings!!

This past Saturday 8/3/13 one of my close friends Kelsey got married to her high school sweetheart Alex. I was a bridesmaid {for the first time} and it was awesome. Kelsey is also a bridesmaid in my wedding and we have gone through the planning process together. 

The wedding ceremony was at the North Naples Methodist Church and the reception was at The Bay House which was the PERFECT venue for a nautical themed wedding. 

I feel so lucky to have been apart of their special day an it makes me more anxious for my wedding day to arrive ;). 

So lets get into the amazing pictures!

Picture of Shane and I before the rehearsal dinner. I obviously wore my You Gotta Regatta dress because of the nautical theme. {Side note: I got the gold lilly pulitzer belt the day before on sale for 24$ holla!} 

The ceremony program. DM Paper designs did this and they are doing my wedding to. Debra is amazing!

Ceiling of the church! It was just amazing

First time bridesmaid next up BRIDE :)

Here comes the bride!

First dance

Obviously weddings get me excited!!!

Father daughter dance

Our bouquets when they arrives at Kelsey's house earlier in the day

Her dress hanging in her backyard. I can only imagine how amazing the professional photographs will be. 

Princess Kelsey! I kept telling her this all day because she seriously looked like a princess.

Bridesmaids :)

LOVEEE the centerpieces. I literally walked into the room and died. Isn't She Lovely Florals styled and designed the wedding and did the flowers as well. I thought I had my florist but after seeing the amazing work they did for Kelsey I immediately made an appointment with them for next week on my birthday! 

See why I said they picked the best venue? There are boats on the ceiling!

This was the parents table and I just LOVEEE these arrangements. 

Glow stick bar. Which was an awesome idea and super cool to have later in the night. 

Arrangements for the bridal party table

These candle holder are from Kelsey's mom furniture store and I died over them. I need them for my house asap. 

The outrageously AMAZING candy bar. Shane and I were blown away. 

Cutting the cake

Shane and I had such an amazing time at this wedding and we are so grateful to have been apart of it. The happy couple is currently honeymooning in Amsterdam, Norway, and then finishing in France. I wish them all the best and I love you Kelsey! 

Thanks for reading! 

xo, Alina