Today, I'm missing Paris ...

Let's take the metro together:

Havas Worlwide Paris / Carte de Vœux (Best Wishes) 2013 - Flying V - 

Wizzdesign (QUAD) from QUAD on Vimeo.

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Moroccan Wedding Blankets

Source: elramlahamra.nl via Sarah Darcy on Pinterest

Hey loves, have you heard of Moroccan wedding blankets? I first saw one in all its sequined + glamorous glory on Pinterest {hey, you following me? Lots of good wedding pins are just waiting for you to find them!} and then started researching like mad since I'm headed to Marrakesh this weekend. {Eeee!} Here's what I found:

"Berber wedding blankets are woven in anticipation of, you guessed it, a wedding, by the bride's female relatives. It can take many hours — even weeks — of work to attach those hundreds of mirrored sequins once the weaving is complete; it is thought that during this collaborative task, the bride's relatives teach her all about the birds and the bees, among other marital duties and expectations. After the wedding ceremony, the bride wears the blanket tied around her neck as a kind of cape. It might be associated with her trip to her new marital home, which could be a chilly ride." - Apartment Therapy


Isn't that the coolest? Head here to read more about the history and see some gorgeous photos of how people are using them in their homes {including Kate Hudson's bedroom}. And if you don't have a trip to Morocco planned soon, you can buy a pretty blanket here and make up an adventurous backstory for your guests. ;)

Here's hoping I come home with something just as pretty! :) Bon voyage! xx

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The Best DIY Idea for an E*Sesh!

How cute are these DIY heart print jeans? I think they'd be perfect for an engagement session:

Check out the complete DIY tutorial here!

Images: My Little Secrets

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Fabulous Minted GIVEAWAY!!!

Valentine's Day is going to be extra special on CB this year because I will be happily bestowing some super fabulous Minted goodies to one very lucky CB reader!! Okay, on to the good stuff:

What's being given away:

One lucky CB reader will win $75 worth of Minted credit! 

How to enter:

Simply leave a comment on this post and include a valid e-mail address so I have a way of contacting you in case you win.

How to achieve an extra entry:

Scroll down to the bottom of the blog and follow CB by clicking 'Join this site.' Just let me know you did so in your comment and I'll throw in an extra entry for you. ;o) 

Deadline to enter:

February 13, 2013 at midnight Central European Time.

A randomly selected winner will be announced on Valentine's Day! Bonne chance!

Here's a few of my favorite current wedding invitations currently offered on Minted:

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Sweet San Fran Winter Wedding

I have a pretty San Francisco wedding to share with you today and with the subtle touches of red in the color palette, I feel like this could easily double as inspiration for a darling Valentine's Day wedding! Thanks to Laura Monfredini for sharing these gorgeous photos of Laura and Tristan with us. Enjoy:

Says photographer Laura, "Laura and Tristan's beautiful wedding took place on a Friday evening in downtown San Francisco. The setting was perfect since they are both native San Franciscans who met each other in High School. They dated briefly then, but it ended the way so many high school romances do. Fortunately, they never forgot about each other, and four years ago, they reconnected -- this time for good.

They planned an elegant, black-tie evening wedding that started with vows shortly after sunset in the historic Old St. Mary's Cathedral, which is in the heart of downtown San Francisco on the cable car line, at the corner of one of the busiest streets in Chinatown. The reception was at the Marines Memorial Club, which is an elegant venue a few blocks away.

 

Laura and Tristan took full advantage of being located in the heart of Silicon Valley -- they set up their wedding on the mobile app "Wedding Party," which functions like a private Instagram where guests can post photos they take on their smart phones. They also used TaskRabbit, an online source of just about everything, to have someone run wedding-day errands for them, and they shuttled some of their VIPs around using Uber Cab, another start-up based here in San Francisco. Thanks to both technology, and Laura's organizational skills, the day went off without a hitch. They just beamed all day long -- neither of them ever stopped smiling. It made our hearts so happy to see!"

I'm especially loving those bridesmaids' topknots! So cute! Thanks again to Laura, of eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY for sending this lovely wedding over to share. xx

Credits:

Photography: eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY, ellephotographs.com
Venues: Old St. Mary's Cathedral, oldsaintmarys.org (ceremony), and Marines Memorial Club, marineclub.com (reception)
Hair & Makeup: Victoria Toda, victoriatoda.com, and Carwin Brice, carwinbriceIII@gmail.com
DJ: DJ Von, djvon.com
Cake: Branching Out Cakes, branchingoutcakes.com
Flowers: Floramor, floramor.com
Bride's Gown: Janene's Bridal Boutique, janenesbridalboutique.com

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Valentine's Gift Guide 2013

Have you ever watched a show or movie where a girl is surprised by a super creative + romantic gift by her love? And it's not just the gift but the presentation of the gift. I'll admit it ... years ago, I was swooning hard over the way the boys on Laguna Beach asked the girls to Prom. It was incredibly cheesy but I told J I thought it was so sweet and so creative and that year, he went all out for Valentine's ... I came home late from work and the house was completely dark except for a trail of glowing tealights surrounded by rose petals. I followed them and found J at the end holding a stuffed animal. I know alot of my friends would find this corny and gag-worthy but the fact that he spent so much time and thought on the set-up was enough for me. I didn't realize until J pointed it out that the stuffed bear was holding a pair of diamond earrings! Frosting.

So if you're craving presentation {and an awesome gift}, here are a few ideas for your honey {maybe he'll randomly stumble across them - just leave this page open for days on end if you have to!} ;)

Time to up the ante on these pretties ... read on for my gift presentation tips ... ;)

Clockwise, from top left:
- fibi & clo Love Knot Brown sandals, $49.50 - Attach a pair of airline tickets to somewhere warm + tropical along with a big red heart cut out of construction paper {for a little old-school charm}. You could also do this with a pair of heart sunnies. :)
- kate spade I Kissed a Frog Multi Clutch, $328 - Sparkle plenty! And perfect for dropping a secret love note inside.
- kate spade Wedding Belles Elliana, $398 - I just don't think you can go wrong with a Kate Spade gift. And because this one would be perfect for re-use on a wedding day, I think it would be the perfect 'wrapping' for an engagement ring! :) After all, isn't Valentine's Day the best day of the year to get engaged?
- Sparkly blue luichiny Sa Lest shoe, $89.95 - What's even better is the soles of these heels have a big red heart on them! Love! To get extra special, attach a card requesting your love change into her favorite LBD and these heels for a night out on the town together.
- Taupe Passport Case in Embossed Python by GiGi New York, $52 - Hello, vacation! Slide a teaser to your next getaway inside.
- Mujus Coraline hand-carved heart keychain, $12 - Well, this is just begging for a key, isn't it? Whether it's to a brand-new SLK 200 {J, are you reading this? (; }, new digs or a super-corny 'key to your heart,' the sweetness will have her melting.

What are you giving your loved ones this year? I do hope you'll tell!

{In order to comply with FTC Regulations, I was kindly sent product from fibi & clo, GiGi New York and Luichiny for this post}

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Destination Wedding Inspiration from Lovely Notes: Santorini, Greece

I am so excited to see Michele's monthly post features Santorini! My husband and I just booked a Greek Isles cruise with another sweet couple this spring and we just can't wait to see more of Greece! Okay, enough from me ... it's all yours, M:

For this destination, I was inspired by the bright blue sea and hot pink bougainvillea. Santorini may very well be my favorite spot in Europe. Known for its gorgeous sunsets and dramatic views, it doesn't get more romantic than this. It's possible I'm biased since I spent part of my honeymoon there. In any event, it's easy to come under the island's spell while visiting. The beauty is endless. The cliffs are embedded with a labyrinth of white homes and the occasional blue dome. The dome's deeper hue mimics the endless shades of blue you will find in Greece...

As for a destination wedding, I was inspired by these very shades for the bridesmaids and florals. A light blue dress pops with this bouquet. Blue glass vessels perfectly complement whites and creams or bright pink flowers. Colored glass flutes for champagne also evoke the sparkling sea. A Grecian gown is fitting for this destination bride. Lanterns lining the reception outdoors illuminate the scene when the sun sets. Lastly, this letter-pressed invitation suite sets the scene for out-of-town guests. Pack your breeziest attire for this romantic locale.

Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to visit this enchanted island! What a gorgeous locale for a wedding. Thanks, Michele! 

Check out Michele's gorgeous wedding visions for these faboo destinations, too:

Paris // Provence // Seville // Venice // and her own stunning wedding {beyond words!}

ps. A little bird told me that Michele is headed to Megeve, France, for a winter wedding soon so there might be a French Alps inspiration board coming to CB soon! ;)

Credits:
Row 1 Moon and Trees; Style Me Pretty; Source Unknown
Row 2 Oh So Beautiful Paper; Michele's own image :)
Row 3 La Belle Vie; 100 layer cake; Style Me Pretty

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Marrakesh Bound - Pls share your Tips + Advice? :)

Source: idfxmagazine.com via Sarah Darcy on Pinterest

Late last night, I booked a last-minute-ish flight to Marrakesh with my friend, K. We leave next Saturday for a long weekend. I'm stoked but aside from my feverish pinning and my ever-growing shopping/souk list, I don't know too much about Marrakesh.

So if you've been, I hope you'll share some of your insight and favorites with me. We're deciding on a hotel today {we're thinking a Riad in the Medina} so if you have any recommendations, we're all ears. ;)

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European {Honeymoon-Inspired} Travel Journal: Tropea, Italy

ENTRY NO.29 // TROPEA, ITALY

I already teased to Tropea with this blog entry about the amazing seaglass and Italian tiles I collected along the coastline. Today, I'm going share everything else I know about this little gem with you. A few weeks before New Year's, I came across some Tropean eye candy on Pinterest and was hooked. I had our passports packed and our flights booked faster than you can say gelato.

Yep, I scaled a kind-of scary rock {for me} to take this photo for you guys - my conviction for this blog never ceases! ;)

I think the most fun I may have had during our trip was "discovering" secret beaches and cliffs and grottos with J. Okay, so they may not have been secret but they felt that way because while very few people were on the main beaches, nobody was out on the cliffs and hidden beaches we scaled/climbed rocks + boulders to find. It was fun, romantic and exciting.

You can't really tell but we had to climb over huge rocks and risk getting drenched
by some strong waves to get to this hidden little beach. It was so fun to discover it together!

This Franciscan monastery is probably the main sight of Tropea. It's even more gorgeous at sunset. We tried to climb to the top but it was closed. Instead, we scaled the rock around the back which is how I got the first photo in this entry. There is also an incredible grotto on the backside of this little island:

Our first day, the tide was so high we couldn't enter the grotto because huge waves were crashing inside. The next day, the water was calm and we were able to explore inside and hang out which was beyond cool. J made a promise that one day he would build us a grotto-inspired hot tub - yay! I hope that day comes soon. :)

Due to the holidays, not much was open in Tropea but we were able to find a few pizzerias and gelaterias. The historic town itself is stunning and boasts beautiful views of the Mediterranean as well as a 12 c. Norman Cathedral.

There was lots and lots of graffiti in Tropea. I know this bothers some people but I'm always a little fascinated by it. Most of the graffiti in this town resembled love notes and much of it was in English. The 'note' above reads "Enjoy the little things."

My JBear walking back down to the grotto ... taking notes for that hot tub he plans on building me. ;)

CB's TOP TIPS FOR TROPEA:

Fly in to Lamezia Airport. From there, it's only an hour to Tropea by taxi, rental or train.

Tropea is located within the province of Vibo Valentia in Calabria which is near the toe of Italy's boot. If you're planning a long getaway, Tropea could make an excellent base for exploring all of Calabria, the Aeolian Islands, Sicily and more.

Try the red onions. The area in and around Tropea is famous for producing red onions {cipolla di Tropea}. Some of the gelaterias in town even make a red onion gelato. We didn't find that flavor on our trip but I definitely would have tried it if we had!

Bring back free souvenirs. If you like the look of seaglass, comb those beaches, baby! It's there and it's pretty abundant if you take a good look. Or bring home some authentic wave-washed Italian tiles. I have mine sitting in a Kate Spade bowl on our coffee table and adore them!! Read more about this awesome topic here.

Try a tartufo. It seemed to be a popular dessert and J&I really enjoyed it. It's a scoop of chocolate icecream covered in cocoa with a gooey chocolate center. Nom nom nom.

Have you been to Tropea? If you have any tips, insights, suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear them! Happy Honeymooning!

Did you miss the other entries of CB's Travel Journal? Click here to catch up! ;o)

All images by moi.

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Winners of the Flea Market Style Weddings magazine!

Congratulations to the following two winners of the Flea Market Style Weddings magazine giveaway:

JRJanuary 9, 2013 at 7:23 PM

I love Flea Market Style!!!! I can't wait to see the new Flea Market Style Weddings!

NancyJanuary 8, 2013 at 10:54 PM

I love the vintage inspired theme! And love that flea market style has come with a wedding issue!
Xo, Nancy

You two will be receiving an e-mail shortly regarding your free issue. Congrats and happy planning! xox.

And a big thank you to FMSW for generously offering these issues to my readers. :)

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European {Honeymoon-Inspired} Travel Journal: Sea Glass Souvenirs in Tropea, Italy

J&I recently traveled to Tropea, Italy, for a long New Year's weekend. I'll have the full travel journal for you soon but I must break in with a sidenote of {utmost} importance.

The beaches of Tropea {near the toe of Italy's boot} are overflowing with gorgeous seaglass!!! Any beach-loving gal worth her seasalt will be swooning hard right now so I'll give y'all a moment to catch your breath.

You can see a tiny sample of the seaglass I found in the photo above but I ended up coming home with two stuffed quart-size bags of the puuurty glass!

And in addition to the awesomely abundant seaglass, I also discovered the coolest Calabrian souvenir in existence. Let me explain: When Italians decide to renovate their homes or tear a building down, they often throw the colorful glazed terra cotta tiles into the ocean. Time passes and these tiles are whittled by the ocean's waves into rounded triangles and parallelograms and tons of other awesome shapes. Most still retain a splash of their color which span the rainbow. I even found a few with flowers and cool graphic designs. I brought a big bag of these tiles home with us, too. Apparently, you can find them on many Italian beaches - I just read a fun blog entry here about collecting some in Positano and turning them into fresh mosaics. You can also see an example of the colorful tiles here.

When I got home, I may or may not have spent a good hour or so googling the intricacies of seaglass hunting {the official term is seaglunking} ... and I may or may not have been the subject of ridicule from my friends after they learned this. Did you know some diehard seaglunkers study moon and weather patterns to discover the best times and beaches to search the shore? Okay, I might not go that far but it was fun to read this article about the seaglass hunting craze. And I may be referring to this list of the best beaches for collecting seaglass in my research for future vacay locales. ;) 

I've heard the beaches of Venice are supposed to be amazing for seaglass due to the nearby Murano glass factories. Anyone been?

Have you done any seaglass searching during a vacation or honeymoon? I hope you'll tell me your best beach find!

Image: Moi

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Alexandra and David | Adorable Dog Walking E*Sesh in NYC

As soon as I caught a glimpse of Alexandra and David's engagement photos, I couldn't wait to share them with you. The images truly feel like an intimate peek into their happy lives - which is what these sessions should be all about, right? The cute couple had their wedding in Spain {!!} but chose to have their e*sesh in fabulous NYC. Delightful photos by Missy Photography.

See more from Alexandra and David's e*sesh here.
Thanks to ultra-talented photographer Melissa Murphy for sharing with us. xx.

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GIVEAWAY: Flea Market Style Weddings magazine!!

You know I love a good vintage find - my wedding was filled to the brim with them! So I'm sure you can only guess how excited I was to hear that one of my favorite reads - Flea Market Style magazine - is debuting a wedding version of their magazine this month:

I can hardly wait to get my hands on a copy and peruse this holy grail of vintage wedding goodness! And the vintage-obsessed kindred spirits over at FMS Weddings have kindly offered to give away 2 copies of the magazine to 2 lucky CB readers! Here's how to enter:

What's being given away:
Two CB readers will win a January 2013 issue of Flea Market Style Weddings magazine.

How to enter:
Simply leave a comment on this post including a valid e-mail address. Could it be any easier? :)

How to achieve an extra entry:
- Follow Classic Bride with Google Friend Connect {just scroll to the very bottom of this page} -or-
- Share this giveaway on your blog
... Just make sure to mention what you did in your comment so you will receive the extra entry/entries. :)

Deadline to enter:
January 14, 2013, at midnight Central European Time.
A randomly selected winner will be announced on January 15! Bonne chance!

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Want to know more? FMS weddings will come out once a year. The first issue is 144 pages, features six weddings, plus tons of other good stuff! And word on the street has it that CB is kindly mentioned as one of the top 50 Vintage-Inspired Wedding Websites! Thanks, FMS Weddings! xox.

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Laid-Back Chic Bridal Shower in Santa Barbara, Calif.

I love that this bridal shower has the feel of a fun laid-back party - shouldn't that be what it's all about, anyway? Ashley's Santa Barbara soiree blends a perfect mix of surfer chic, preppiness and a hint of vintage. Gorgeous photos by Patrick Moyer.

See more from this lovely bridal shower here.
Thanks to photographer Patrick Moyer for sharing. xo.

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