Laura Hannah is an amazing local photographer! She has shot the weddings of two of our featured brides and is definitely one of the best area photographers - no matter what you desire to have photographed. Recently, she combined with Paige Eden to form L'amour de vie (love of life). This duo shoots some of the most amazing wedding photographs I've ever seen. I hope you enjoy a look at their brilliant work...

Etsy Favors

I have fallen head over heels in love with etsy.com. This website is "a place to buy and sell all things handmade." It is an awesome place to find just about anything made by artists, crafters, designers, really just about anything you can think of. It's a great way to support individuals and find really unique items. Today I did a little poking around an found some great options for wedding favors.


favors :: childhood paper game by katskrafts, round gift tags by So Inviting!, bottom right Flowers from blue bird gifts, chocolate goodies by Snuppe2, round tins by A Passion for Fashion

You will definitely be seeing more etsy posts from me - this is such a great resource for any wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, etc. And a great place to find a unique gift!

Yellow has become a very big color - it has been all over the runway and our designers have sampled many of their new bridesmaids dresses in this very cheery hue. To celebrate this wonderfully summery color, I've created an inspiration board based on yellow. Enjoy!

photos :: Flowers by Domino Magazine, Lemonade photo from Brides, Stationery by Moontree Letterpress, Cake by the Haute Cakes, Bridesmaid Dress by Jim Hjelm, Floral Design by James Abel Events (photographed by Studio 563)

When I was planning my wedding, I know one of the hardest things for me to find were really cool gifts for my wonderful bridesmaids. I wanted to be creative and pick out unique gifts for each of my girls - something they personally would really enjoy. With all the other planning going on, finding a completely unique gift for each girl proved to be too much for me to tackle.

1154Lill provides an option to customize a great bag for each of your girls without having to scour the earth (or the internet) for different but "equal" gifts. Simply choose the style of bag (they vary in price from $26-$200) and pick a fabric that you like.

style from top to bottom - Donna, Samantha :: photos from 1154lill.com

I received one of these custom bags as a gift not too long ago and I am completely in love with it. I love that it is one of a kind, made just for me and the quality is amazing.

all photos courtesy of Studio JK Photography - studiojk.com

Wedding details :: Amy and Thomas were married at Holy Ghost Catholic Church. The entire day was captured by Joe and Joyce Keum of Studio JK Photography. Their reception was held at The University Club in Downtown Denver. Amy wore a Maggie Sottero gown with a cathedral-length veil and custom jewelry by Winters & Rain, all from The Bridal Collection. Amy's beautiful flowers were created by Diane Evans, of Evanscraft Designs. DJ Bret with Main Events provided the music. In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, the couple served individual 3-tiered mousse desserts, prepared by the University Club. Keri McLean, of State of the Arts Dance Studio helped the couple prepare for their first dance. At the end of the night, the couple was swept away by horse and carriage provided by Irish Rose Carriages, based in downtown Denver.

A few notes from the bride:

-The bridal party went to the Grand Salon downtown to have our hair done, (they let us book the entire place and they brought in champagne and snacks for us). Afterwards we had a traditional tea while we did our makeup and got dressed.

- During the reception, we were able to personalize the room with framed photos, and coffee tables with our scrapbooks.

- Our guest book was a pressed chocolate leather journal that I customized with images of us over the 7 years we dated and different wedding vows - our guests wrote personal messages around the photos.

- We named all of the tables after places we lived or have been together.

- The gifts on the table were Christmas ornaments (we are big on Christmas) and were made from Springerle cookie molds - which Thomas' ancestors used.

Your guestbook can be as simple as a nice book with lined pages and pretty pen or you can really get creative with this memento. We've pulled a few of our favorite ideas for you today; keepsakes you will want to pull out and look at over and over again.

photos from brides.com and marthastewart.com

left to right, top to bottom :: Create a scrapbook of small colored envelopes your guests can tuck their well wishes into. Great small envelopes in a wide variety of colors available at paper-source.com - check out their 4bar envelopes which are similar to those shown above or their super cute #1 baby envelopes :: A great way to not only capture your guests thoughts on your big day but their photo as well - a Polaroid scrapbook. Guests can affix their photo in the book and write a message by it scrapbook style. Polaroid.com has many great product options for this idea :: Rolodex guest book - have your friends and family write their messages on a rolodex card and file it under their last name. As an added bonus, have them write their contact info on the reverse side of the card and this rolodex of sweet notes can serve double duty! Lovelydesign.com sells the beautiful rolodex shown (with a great assortment of colored recycled paper cards) :: A simple, no fuss option is a signature mat. You can place an engagement photo in the center or a simple design that goes with your theme like above and replace it with a wedding photo later. Guests sign their well wishes on the photo mat, then find a special place in your new home for the keepsake. Signature mats are available at most photography and craft stores. Target.com

also has a variety of shapes and styles.

One part of wedding planning that often gets overlooked are wedding favors. This small personal touch can have a lot of impact if done with thoughtfulness and creativity. We found some creative ideas that we hope will inspire you.

all photos from marthastewart.com

Almost every guest loves a gift they can eat :: Fresh produce from the area is a great way to celebrate the season. After all the rich food and sweet goodies that a wedding often entails, a fresh favor is a great note to send your guests off with :: For an environmentally friendly wedding, homemade granola makes a great gift. Your guests will enjoy your kind gift the morning after :: As a local touch, prepare bags of Rocky Mountain "rocks" for guests to take with them. :: For years, brides have sent a piece of wedding cake home with their quests. For a modern twist, wrap small personal cakes (such as the small bundt cakes shown) in small boxes for a sweet and classy gift...