Wedding Wednesday: Striped Reception Decor

Happy Wedding Wednesday my little loves! I am so excited to start sharing tips and tricks I learned while planning and styling my wedding on Cathclaire. 

Do you guys create mood boards?One of my favorite things about creating visual content is the making the mood board for a project. I had tons of fun creating Pinterest boards for my inspiration and collaborating on them with my wedding planner, Lauren at For Love of Love, and my with wedding photographer, Kaytee Lauren. Fun fact: as a little girl outnumbered by seven brothers, scrapbooking and mood boarding with fashion magazines was my saving grace!

The common thread in all of the mood boards for the style aspects of my wedding day was bold black and white stripes. (In fact, bold stripes are a common thread in my home decor and my wardrobe also - more on that later.) From the ring bearers ring pillow to the table cloths, I wanted to juxtapose the vintage decor at my reception venue, Havanna 59 in Richmond, with a bold yet simple statement. One of my favorite parts of the decor were the letterboard signage, especially the one on the bar with one of my favorite quotes from Frida Kahlo:

"Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic."

To pay homage to the Cuban theme in Havanna 59, I chose to have clean palms as the florals, spray painted gold pineapples (yes, real pineapples..) and prayer candles as the minimal decor for the reception table tops. I love how these elements created the ultimate contrast to the somewhat busy decor of Havanna 59 and also created a Beverly Hills Hotel vibe. Can you tell I love California?

My Honeymoon Travel with Four Seasons West Palm Beach

I am so excited to share with you my travel review of my honeymoon in West Palm Beach, Florida. Kevin and I spent a full week in West Palm Beach for our honeymoon and did not want to leave. Between the amazing team at the Four Seasons property, the crystal clear blue ocean (room) views, and the sophisticated ambiance of West Palm beach - we couldn't get enough of this are of Florida.

The first night we arrived, I was so pooped from the wedding that I slept a full fourteen hours. Yes, you read that right - 14 hours of sleep. I am a self-proclaimed introvert so a glamorous weekend chalk full of events with family and friends was amazing but also tiring! Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a single thing. Any old way, after catching up on some z's, we ventured out to the beach and let me tell you something: once you have experienced the beach with the Four Seasons, you will never want to experience it any other way.

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3 Tips on How to Pick a Wedding Videographer

Here comes the influx of wedding content! I am so excited to share this video (and a taste of the photos from the oh-so-talented Kaytee Lauren!) with you guys and while this may be just the beginning, we are starting out with a bang with our wedding video from Altamira Production Co.

In terms of how to pick a videographer, the first thing I have to say is: just do it. I know the budget is a big thing when it comes to weddings because, well, weddings are hella-expensive and I've been there, but also - weddings, when you are the bride or groom, are a whirlwind. Everyone I've ever talked to (now my newlywed-self included) in regards to their wedding has described the day as flying by and a whirlwind. While they mean this in the best way, I can testify that fact is absolutely true. When Nick from Altamirasent me our wedding video, I can't explain all the feels we felt reliving such a whirlwind yet beautiful, big day in our lives. The cinematic feel doesn't hurt either.

Next, I would recommend spending a lot of time researching. Brides today have such an advantage because there are so many sample videos and reviews of videographers on the world wide web available. My advice is to watch sample videos, read the reviews, and see who's style resonates with you. What kind of video do you want to be made of your special day? Do you want drone footage? Cinematic editing style?*  What about a documentary style video? If you want something with a touch of all of the above like mine, Altamiracan make it happen!

Researching wedding vendors can be an overwhelming and tiring task - I can attest to that. I had my style and fashion elements picked out early on for the wedding, but all of the (what some may call "BIG") details like the date and venue didn't come as easy. One of my goals with sharing my experience with you guys is to hopefully help make your process of choosing what you love for your wedding a little easier! On that note, even if you aren't in RVA, Altamira travels for videography! They've done all kinds of work with noteworthy DJs and done wedding work where Reb got married at The Homestead amongst tons of other venues!

Lastly, find a videographer you have confidence in. Your wedding day flies by so fast with so many moving parts - the last thing you need is to be worrying about how your video may or may not turn out. This was my number one when choosing a videographer for my wedding. I wanted someone whose work spoke for itself and who could come in on my big day and make shit happen. Nick and I spoke a few times about this video but he ultimately showed up and was a fly on the wall for the whole day and MADE THIS. I am still in awe of his astonishing work and the whole team at Altamira. Find someone to video a special day in your life whose art speaks for itself and you won't ever have to think twice.

*Translation: Do you want to feel like a movie star? 

PS Did you see how sparkly my dress looked walking down the aisle?