Social Media and Your Wedding

Social Media is continuing to takeover the world wide web of a world we live in.  It's amazing to think where the social media world was even just a few years back and compare it to where it is today.  It often could take at least a weekend-- sometimes a few weeks or even longer, for word to travel of a couple's wedding and all of the details that went along with it.  Today, it's all accessible at your fingertips within moments and the best part is, you oftentimes get pictures too!!!    

According to Mashable, about one in ten brides update their Facebook relationship status within minutes of saying "Yes", and nearly one in three (31%) do so within hours of getting engaged.  It seems everyone is using social media to stay connected and share information about exciting life events with others.  Whether you love it or hate it, social media is here to stay and offers a unique way to connect with your guests.

Photo courtesy of Arkarthick

About 62% of brides like when their guests immediately post photos from their wedding onto various social media sites (according to Mashable).  If you do fall into this category, we suggest you create a hashtag to your event (e.g. #amenaandbrandonsayido #johnandcarrieswedding #bebowedding).  Share it with your guests and ask them to include it after any photos they post from your wedding.  This will provide you with the opportunity to view your wedding from various angles and see all of the unique and fun experiences your guests had while celebrating with you.  The best part about it is that it is free!  Check out these fun ways to share your hashtag with your guests:  

Photos courtesy of (1) CeeBeeandJ, (2) Pinterest, (3) In Bliss, (4) Style Me Pretty

If you like the idea of collecting photos from your guests but would prefer they not be shared via social media, consider using a company such as Wedding Snap or Photo Opp which provides a platform for couples to collect wedding photos and videos from their guests.  Guests can capture, store and instantly share their unique wedding photos in one central, password protected location.  This is a great option for guests that prefer not to use social media or don't understand the whole "hashtag" thing.  

Photos courtesy of Wedding Snap

Although some couples encourage their guests to immediately post photos from their wedding onto various social media sites, if you are unsure, we suggest that guests hold off until the newlyweds have had the opportunity to post their photos first.  If you are a more private couple that would prefer not to share photos from your wedding with the entire world, consider posting a simple sign like this at your wedding:

Photo courtesy of Etsy shop SerendipityDesigned

We just had to share this fun gift idea with you.  It is perfect for the social media/Facebook loving couple!

Photo courtesy of Etsy shop blushface

Oh and speaking of social media... are you following The Sterling Team?  Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!   

What do you think about social media and your wedding?  Will you or have you developed your hashtag?  If so, what is or would it be?  We want to know, share with us, by commenting below!

xoxo,
The Sterling Team

Shoe Shot Sunday: Sandra + Matt

Sandra and Matt were married at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel yesterday!  They happen to be close friends and planned an intimate wedding for their closest friends and family.  My husband was the Best Man and has been best friends with the groom for over 18 years thus this one hits close to home.

I'm super thrilled to share some stunning shoe shots with you today thanks to the lightening fast turnaround of Becca Rillo Photography.  Becca went above and beyond and I'm so grateful she was there to document all of the special moments throughout Sandra and Matt's big day.

Here are a handful of my favorites... there were so many awesome one's!

 

And we can't forget the groom's shoes!  All the men dressed up in black converse to go with the personality of the day.  So stylish!

 

Or the stylish maids in leopard print chunky heels!  So much fun!   

 All photos courtesy of Becca Rillo Photography

Happy Feet!  Plus a big warm congrats to the happy couple!  Wishing them nothing but the best on their new journey together as husband and wife.

Here's one last image, a favorite of mine from the day so you can see just how dapper they all looked from the toes up!

Shot Shot Sunday: Lindsay and Chris

I'm a secret lush for a super fun, charming wedding.  Lindsay and Chris' is exactly that and I'm so excited to share some super lighthearted, funky and of course fun shots with you. This wedding was featured originally on Style Me Pretty New York and was captured by the talented team of Art Beauty Life:  Jenny Ebert Photography.

I have to admit,  I'm a sucker for Converse on the wedding day for the men but add some fun socks in the mix and then you'll have me swooning! 

All photos courtesy of Art Beauty Life:  Jenny Ebert Photography

Star's Inspirations: Unconventional Guest Books

Weddings are often filled with traditions, many of which make the event memorable for the Bride and Groom as well as their guests.  I love tradition, especially at weddings, but I also think it can be fun to add a little twist to an old idea.  Unconventional guest books are a great way to add a bit of excitement to this wedding staple.  An unexpected guest book not only adds something creative to your big day, it leaves you and your hubby with a unique and sentimental treasure you can cherish forever.  There are many wonderful ways a Bride and Groom can ask guests to leave them a special message on their wedding day.  Below are some of my favorites...

Have a custom puzzle with a picture of you and your fiance made.  Ask each guest to choose a piece and write you a message on the back.

Photo courtesy of Etsy Shop: Memory Lane Puzzles

Ask guests to leave you a message on a Jenga block.  This would be fun to play every anniversary!

Photo courtesy of Oh! Weddings

Create a custom "Guest Lib" with things about you and your fiance and ask each guest to complete it. After the wedding, the "Guest Libs" can be complied into a funny little guest book.  Your guests will have a lot of fun with this one!

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Set up a recording station for guests to leave you a video message.  You can either hire someone like The Guestbox or designate someone to do the recording for you. Or you can even set up a DIY station with directions for your guests.  After the wedding, combine all of the clips into a slide show.  You can even include music and text (if you are good at that sort of thing :)

Photo courtesy of Love & Lobster

This is one of the most unique ideas, and possibly my favorite!  Have a dictionary (maybe a beautiful vintage one) and ask quests to choose a word that best describes you as a couple, circle it and write their message.  Then ask them to tag their word so you know where to find it.  This would be an awesome coffee table book after the wedding!

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Ask guests to sign a sentimental object (if it is hand made by a loved one, even better!).  It can be a bench, a large rock, a chair, a storage chest, a frame... the possibilities are endless!  After the wedding you can display the signed object in your home or garden.

Photo courtesy of Style Me Pretty

Now this may not count as an actual "unconventional guest book" since it is quite popular but I've decided to include it since it is still considered outside the norm of the basic guest book of the past.  Have a book complied of your engagement pictures made by your photographers and ask guests to leave you a message in it.  It is a nice keepsake and it gives your guests a chance to view your engagement pictures.  Today, this may now even be considered an oldie, but still a goodie and one of the most popular!

Photo courtesy of Wedding Photography Design

As you can see, there are many creative and unconventional ways to collect messages from your guests on your wedding day.  Please let us know if you've come across any other unique "guests books" at weddings you've attended by commenting below.  

Best,

Star

Inspired by Lavender!

Aloha from Hawaii!  After an incredibly successful Spring and Summer season, the bulk of our busy season has calmed this week allowing me to take a quick breather in Maui.  So grateful for a little much needed rest and relaxation and of course beautiful inspiration too!

Earlier this week, very early in the morning we traveled to the Haleakala National Park to watch the sunrise and then headed to an amazing breakfast at Kula Lodge.  If you plan to travel to Maui anytime soon, I highly suggest this experience... it was incredible!  You can also bike down the park which I've heard from others is pretty epic as well.

Anyway, following our delicious breakfast I begged for a detour to the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm and it was just stunning.  I felt ever so inspired by this magical place so today's post is dedicated to all things Lavender!

I had to start with this beautiful photo of the actual farm we visited.  I was thrilled to learn that they can accommodate intimate weddings onsite under the gazebo seen in this photo. Wouldn't this be the perfect destination for your Maui wedding followed by a fun reception at the beach...

Photo courtesy of Hawaii FYI

Love this shot.  How sweet is the draped tulle with the mini pots of lavender?  I'm also swooning over this bicycle!  What a perfect backdrop for a bride and groom or even a couple flower girls with ring bearers. 

 Photo courtesy of Pinterest

I also love this place vintage place setting!  The lace placemat over the lilac colored linen with that country plate and the lavender sprigs just take it over the top for me.  Not to mention the super sweet paper flower with the personalized copper name!

Photo courtesy of Heart Love Weddings

Not to mention this blush peach signature cocktail with the lavender sprigs!  I adore the texture the sprigs add and the way these colors compliment each other.

 Photo courtesy of Indulgy

 These bouquets must have the most relaxing and delicious scent.  I bet you'd like to have the aisle seat as these maids walk down it! 

  Photo courtesy of All Things Lavender

The perfect quaint country wedding couldn't be complimented without something extra sweet too right?  How about this lovely lavender inspired Croquembouche?  Pretty sweet right!

Photo courtesy of Swoon

Love this look for a lounge grouping, long belly bar cocktail table or even kings tables as part of a cluster that sweeps down the middle of the table.  The lavender and wheat grass combo is so natural and graceful.   

Photo courtesy of She's Not The Marrying Kind

Very tiny but lovely escort cards with a little goodness tied in.  Love these little ones and I'm sure they smell amazing too!

Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Such a perfect bouquet for that rustic wedding at a winery or just outdoors period.  I can see this in the garden, in a field, even at the right destination like Santa Barbara.  So beautiful and so soothing by scent if you can imagine...  

Photo courtesy of Bouquet Bridal

Isn't this just the sweetest of bouts?  I love how delicate it looks but at the same time somewhat complex in texture and neutral with color.  

Photo courtesy of Snippet and Ink

By far one of my favorite photos in the bunch.  Not just for my love for bows but also the texture, the color and again the beautiful aroma this would welcome your guests with!

 Photo courtesy of Etsy

Lavender is also one of the "it" flavors currently in the dessert world.  You'll find it paired with vanilla or a butter cake, with blueberries, honey and even some with chocolate! 

Photo courtesy of Wedding Decor 

I love this!  It can be just the perfect reminder of your inspired by lavender wedding day by giving them a sweet satchel to remember it by.  

Photo courtesy of GCDSpa

Hope these lovely images and ideas inspire you like the fields did for me in lovely Maui.  It's paradise out there but weaving a little lavender in your day is something you can do locally or for your destination wedding anywhere around the world. 

Star's Inspirations: The Written Word

Whether expressed through a favorite book, a poem, a story, a love letter, a sonnet, or a classic novel, the written word has a romantic and almost nostalgic feeling.  Incorporating the written word in your wedding decor is a unique way to personalize your wedding.  

Are you or your fiance lovers of the written word?  Was it the written word that helped bring you together?  Maybe you were college sweethearts and met in a Shakespeare class or are known for sharing romantic poems with one another.  If so, you may want to consider incorporating your favorites via printed pages at your wedding.  This can be accomplished in many unique yet simple ways.  Start by tearing out pages from your favorite book, break out your scissors (or Cricut, in my case) and get creative.  Some of my favorites are illustrated below.  I find these images utterly romantic and so sweet. 

Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Photo courtesy of Krista Sew Inspired

Pretty garlands made with book pages...

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Photo courtesy of La Papeterie Diva

Photo courtesy of All Things Girly and Beautiful

Photo courtesy of I.Wed.Style.

Love this heart garland made with book pages.  Beautiful and an easy project for the DIY bride.  I posted a tutorial on how to make these hearts in my previous blog post "DIY with Star: Paper Hearts"

Incorporating vintage books in your decor is also a beautiful addition.  They can be stacked  as part of a centerpiece or used as table numbers.

Photos courtesy of Simply Perfect Weddings

Photo courtesy of Ruffled

Book pages on a wedding cake.  How pretty is this!?

Photo courtesy of Brides.com 

Using edible Scrabble tiles is also really fun way to share a message, especially if you are a couple that is really into playing board games!  There are so many great ways to incorporate Scrabble tiles into your wedding decor.

Scrabble tiles as table numbers...

Photo courtesy of A Design of My Own

And as place cards...

Photo courtesy of Style Me Pretty

Photo courtesy of Intimate Weddings

Photo courtesy of Pinterest  

I love these cakes!  If they are little too unconventional for you as a wedding cake, they could be perfect for a Groom's Cake or a rehearsal dinner dessert.

Photo courtesy of United With Love

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

These cakes are a little more traditional but still have the fun Scrabble spin...

Photo courtesy of Blog.Celebration.CO.ZA

Photo courtesy of the Ritzy Bee Blog

Xoxo,

Star