If we’ve met, even once, you know that there’s nothing I love more in the world than Christmas time (if we haven’t met– lets do tea sometime!). Thankfully, I celebrate Christmas for a good three months. Yes, yes I am the sole shopper that loves to see decorations lining shelves well before Thanksgiving. Really, if I’m being honest, Halloween is not too early for a classic Christmas song. There are character flaws that I’m ashamed of, but I assure you this is not one of them. Oh friends, the smell of freshly cut Frasier Firs, the giant buttons on pea coats, and warm drinks… they all add up to bliss! It just so happens that Joy Michelle Photography is sharing an engagement session today that has me in holiday heaven! This tree farm is the exact place the Tim proposed to Ashley last year, making it the PERFECT choice for their session this yea!

These Bouquet Blueprints are literally my favorite articles that I share here each month. There is something so special about holding wedding bouquets, and I’m the lucky gal who gets to play dress up with amazing designs that the insanely talented Floral Design by Jacqueline Ahne creates just for us. Like this Crimson Christmas stunner. Deep red blooms including Amaryllis, the holiday fav, and lightly silver-spray painted seeded eucalyptus bring this christmas bouquet to life. The red anemones provide the perfect pop of white, while the hypericum berries add a shiny red texture that reminds me of cranberries… all tied up with a big red bow!

Availability

Amaryllis is an iconic Christmas flower making it perfect for this winter bouquet. It is only available November till April with peak availability December and January. They come in a wide range of red and pink tones including some stripped varieties. When designing with this flower be careful not to touch the blooms too often as they do tend to show damage easily. Anemones are also seasonal with their availability from November till May.

Recipe

1/2 bunch seeded eucalyptus (with a light coat of silver spray paint)
3 stems red amaryllis
10 stems red anemones
8 stems deep red roses
6 stems hypericum berry

Care

The anemones in this bouquet are the most sensitive to water. So it’s best to make sure they’re properly hydrated before designing the bouquet and to keep the finished product in water until ready to use. When removing the bouquet from water, allow extra time for the water to completely drain from the amaryllis. The stems are large and hollow which allows them to hold a large amount of water. Again, make sure to not overly handle the amaryllis blooms because they do show damage easily.

Painting eucalyptus

When adding an element of sparkle or metallic shine to a bouquet the easiest way is to paint foliage. This seeded eucalyptus is a perfect element to paint because it’s a hardy leaf that does not distort when painted and does not have multiple layers that need to be painted. Instead of a solid silver finish, a light almost glitter finish was used in this bouquet to give the illusion of a metallic look with out over powering the beautiful blooms. For a realistic look, it’s usually best to minimize painted elements and allow the natural blooms in the bouquet to shine.

Bouquet Blueprint Credits

Photography: Something Turquoise Photography for Something Turquoise // Florals by: Floral Design by Jacqueline Ahne // Styling: Jen | Something Turquoise // gorgeous wedding dress courtesy of: Justin Alexander #8635

When Aleisha McCormack from Save the Date Wedding Podcast first emailed me about potentially being on her show, I literally couldn’t email her back fast enough! I’m always up for new things and expanding my life experiences so I’m absolutely thrilled to share that today I’m on my very first podcast interview! Aleisha and I talk about all things DIY wedding in this half-hour show… come to find out, she was a DIY bride herself. In this episode I share how I came up with my blog name, my favorite items to craft with, how I get inspired for my weekly projects and how to manage your time as a DIY bride. So if you are planning a DIY wedding (which you probably are because you are here), or are tired of looking at my hands in my tutorials and want to actually hear my voice – check it out!

Listen To My Show Here:

Click this link to listen to it now!

Subscribe to the Podcast:

Subscribe to Save the Date Wedding Podcast to have them magically send each new episode to your iTunes account or to simply download this episode visit this link.

Show notes:

Want links to the information we discussed? You can find them here .

To learn more about Save the Date Wedding Podcast with Aleisha McCormack please visit their website at SaveTheDatePodcast.com !

There is something so bright and welcoming about this next wedding. Even on a grey, rainy day everything turned out so beautifully! Captured by Krista A. Jones Photography , this bride’s brilliant smile and the surprise reception dessert (spoiler alert: snow cones) make this a very sweet day! Only secondary to the sweetness is the subtle sprinkling of sparkle. From the bridal Jimmy Choos to the sweetheart table, we love that this affair is draped in elegance and glitter!

We heart Krista A. Jones Photography , SugarBakers & Behind the Veil LLC !

The above vendor featured in today’s post is also part of our guide. For more information about hiring these professionals, be sure to check out our Vendor Guide ! If you are a vendor interested in learning about the guide, visit us here !

Wedding Vendors

Photographer: Krista A. Jones Photography

Hair & Makeup Artist: Behind the Veil Beauty

Venue: Silver Swan Bayside

DJ: Mixing Maryland

Rings: Neil Lane for Kay Jewelers

Bride’s Dress: Wtoo by Watters

Bridal Salon: Betsy Robinson

Bridesmaid Dresses: Etsy

Cake Baker: SugarBakers

Transportation: Zbest Limousine

“We were inspired by Laura of Lauraland Design’s family cabin. It is nestled up against a national forest with wildlife galore and Colorado’s collegiate peaks towering in the distance. We wanted a truly DIY inspired party for this lovely couple. The rich color palate was chosen first; greens, browns, pops of red, and accents of gold. The short lace wedding dress from Blue Bridal Boutique was perfect to show off Lindsey’s winter boots. We borrowed and made many of the key pieces for the shoot including the fur Lindsey is wearing. It is a family heirloom of Laura’s mom. We stacked logs from the wood pile on the property to make up the cake table, pine needles and branches were found on the ground to as accents throughout the shoot, and we found all of the pinecones that made up Lindsey’s headpiece on the property…

The tablescape put together by Christina Dunn was made up of moss, candles, antlers, pinecones, pomegranates, lanterns, and artichokes. Melted wax on the candle holders gave them a romantic feel. Lindsay’s fiance, Dayne, dressed himself with some pointers from the girls. They make the perfect pair to photograph. We had so much fun putting this shoot together for a real couple in the mountains of Colorado.” – Tess Polivka Photography

Shoot Credits

Photography: Tess Polivka Photography // Event Planner: Christina Dunn of Belle & Bijou Social // Stationary: Lauraland Design // Cake: Whipped Bakery // Wedding dress: Blue Bridal Boutique // Real couple: Lindsay & Dayne

Country Christmas Wedding Style Shoot with JoPhoto

Today’s Christmas wedding style shoot is part four of our winter wedding series we shot with JoPhoto. This shoot in particular was inspired by the entire team’s love for the south and all things country. The bride’s flannel top and groom’s denim button up and plaid bow-tie worked together perfectly to bring together the worlds of southern charm and winter wedding elegance. Thank you to the entire team of designers that made this 15 hour day of winter wedding fun so memorable and successful!

See the full gallery of images HERE .

Enjoy our other three winter wedding inspiration shoots below.

Christmas Wedding Inspiration

Winter Wedding – Night time Portion

Christmas Engagement Photos

From the designers (The Bride Link and Custom Love Gifts)

For this inspiration shoot, the designers at The Bride Link and Custom Love Gifts wanted to portray a winter wedding nestled in the trees with some timeless yet unexpected rustic details. Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm in Blaine, Tennessee, was the perfect outdoor setting for JOPHOTO to capture the soft lighting close to sunset. The soft lighting continued into the night with vintage candlesticks from Vintage Inspirations lighting the path through the trees.

The couple was framed by two vintage doors from Restoration Rentals that were embellished with adorable and easy DIY wreaths created by LB Floral. The evergreen details were repeated in winter inspired bouquet. A classic hairstyle and soft smoky eye by Southern Belle Beauty complimented the bride’s elegant pearl necklace. The gown from White Lace & Promises was topped with a fitted flannel shirt that had a hint of silver thread to add a touch of elegance to the rustic pattern. The flannel flair continued in the groom’s bow tie with a rustic denim shirt and elegant tailored suit, all from Coachmen’s Clothiers.

Winter is not always a bride’s first choice for her wedding season, however, it offers so many opportunities for truly unforgettable photos!