We Love: Solstice 2013 & Summer Style

Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year (in the northern hemisphere.) And summer starts today! We’re loving this time of year and we’re excited to make the most of it.

We blogged about Midsummer Night’s Dream Wedding Style, and we’re still interested in everything that captures that magical, dreamy, summery feeling.

We’re feeling braids and ethereal makeup – for weddings and for whenever. Here’s a slideshow of “Midsummer” hair and makeup looks.

This dress from Free People embodies the aesthetic. So does this one, more demurely.

This bridal party is rocking the “Midsummer” style.

Mint-pea pesto has got to be the summery-est pasta you can get. Bonus points for being simple and beautiful.

You may already know our own David Cooper is a cycling fiend. Homemade Chocolate Almond Cherry Energy Bites sound like the ideal pre- or post-gym snack. Not to mention ridiculously easy to make. We love raw food recipes for summer.

A designer’s dream cabin in Japan. That’s what we mean when we say Refined Simplicity!

And the dinner party topic of the weekend is… The 12 tendencies of highly creative people.

Have an elegant, creative, delicious summer weekend!

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Moms Rock!

Motherhood: All love begins and ends there. So said Robert Browning, and it’s true for all of us.

Does your family have any special Mother’s Day traditions? We just like to spend the day outside with the kids, have lunch out and treat Mom like the queen she is.

So in honor of our miraculous, beautiful moms, here’s our list of links we’re loving. Have a wonderful weekend!

Are you anywhere near Houston, Texas? We’re jealous. We would love love love to see this art installation by Soo Sunny Park.

We love the idea of bridesmaids in wearable, sophisticated dresses. And so do they! We wrote about using a statement lipcolor to dress up a simple bridesmaid’s dress. And here’s another idea we love…

We came across not one, but two amazing collections of every conceivable earring. They’d be great accessories for bridesmaids, for dressing up your LBD or with a fancy updo, but we’d also wear some of them with a t shirt and jeans. What do you think of these? And these?

Who’s up for a road trip? You don’t have to be honeymooning to do these. We’ve done NY to Maine many times and it’s heaven.

Bring on the ombre wedding details. You know how much we love it!

And if you want to save your wedding gown for future generations, this wedding gown preservation kit guarantees that your dress wont yellow for at least 100 years!

This a great read, and a great last minute Mother’s Day gift, and here’s a cool link to things we didn’t know about the elegant Jackie O.

Happy Mother’s Day weekend!

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We Love: Hammocks & Nail Art

We had a carrot cake with these antique candles carved into a French Renaissance bride and groom that I’d been saving since I was a teenager for my wedding day. It was super relaxed with all the families hanging together on the beach. Pure bliss. Everyone left at noon and we went back to life as usual.

That’s Jemima Kirke from the HBO series Girls, describing her wedding.

Pure bliss.

Here’s to a weekend as relaxed and lovely as Jemima’s beach wedding. We’re thinking about buying a hammock and doing some light internet reading & pinning. How ’bout you?

A mind-blowing pizza recipe? This is an excellent start.

And we need these chocolate bars. Okay, maybe we don’t need them, but how good do they look? Honestly.

Amazing, stylish hammocks that make a positive impact! Definitely where we want to spend next weekend.

Design Love Fest takes the quirky style to a chic Airbnb in Barcelona and everything is beautiful and wildly bohemian. Kind of a cool alternative to a hotel honeymoon.

We’ve never seen bedding like this. Painterly and cool.

The best wedding nail ideas.

And that’s it for now!

Please be sure to Like us on Facebook and talk to us in the comments on here. Have a beautiful weekend!

Photo by Eric Laurits via 1oo Layer Cake.

 

We Love: Nars Blush & Vintage Lace

Let’s forget about tax day looming, and just focus on these links we’re lovin’.

Are you the jealous type? This is hilarious.

Talk about dressing to impress. Is this (scroll down) the most perfectly intimidatingly grown up outfit ever?

You can’t go wrong with this perfect blush. Have you tried it?

Speaking of blush, we’ll be posting more rose gold engagement rings next week!

How cute is this illustrated margarita recipe? We’ll bring the guacamole.

Reminds us of beach weather, which reminds us of these iconic photos.

And this, let’s always remember.

Featured photo of vintage dresses by the inimitable Garance Doré.

Have a lovely weekend, and maybe a margarita!

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We Love: A Brunch Wedding & Statement Lipstick

Here’s a wedding makeup idea your bridesmaids will love. A statement lip can make a subtle, wearable bridesmaid dress really ‘pop’ and coordinate with your color scheme. Check this out for inspiration.

The sensibility doesn’t have to be bright and poppy, either. In fact, we love the juxtaposition of moody makeup and spring flowers, too.

Imagine a chic burgundy or oxblood manicure with these Jeff Cooper rings. The contrast of fresh florals and deep, dramatic color looks so cool.

Good news! You have two more days to save 20% off wedding & bridesmaid dresses at J. Crew! We’re really feeling this color. And doesn’t the illusion neckline on this one feel like something Sofia Coppola would wear?

These accent walls are totally inspiring for home, but we think they’d make great photo, reception or ceremony backdrops as well.

And speaking of parties. Our Bloody Mary love is well documented, so how about serving this for a chic brunch reception, shower or engagement party? Lovely.

And it wouldn’t be a wedding roundup without the emotions running high. Here are two of the most romantic things we’ve seen lately.

First, there’s the ‘first look,’ above, via Grey Likes Weddings. Click through for the whole story. What a darling! And then, check out this beautiful visual poetry.

Have a heavenly weekend, friends. ‘Like’ us!

 

 

We Love: Polka Dots & Engagement Photography

With epic winter storm Nemo on its way, we’re planning a  perfect storm of productivity and cozy bliss at home this weekend. What’s your plan? Here’s our weekly list of readables, in case it involves relaxing with a good blog. Think warm thoughts, and we’ll see you Monday!

How cool would one of these be for a wedding venue or photo backdrop? These crazy colorful exteriors by the artist Hense are a great antidote to the winter blahs.

And here’s another good one for winter brides. How to wear bronzer in the winter!

Want your engagement portraits to look like the ones in the trendy wedding inspiration blogs? Here’s a handy guide to styling your own engagement shoot, and it doesn’t look too hard.

Are you a DIY kind of couple? This looks so fun and easy. You could polka-dot anything!

Wow. Alec Baldwin is the best interviewer! Let’s nominate him for the next Oprah!

What diet? New York Times insists that making a fine pot of polenta is well within your grasp, even if you’re not an Italian grandmother. We want to believe!

And above, the photo’s from an Italian wedding shoot by Cinzia Bruschini, via Green Wedding Shoes.

Like us on Facebook, we’re giving away a diamond necklace for Valentine’s Day!

 

 

We Love: Flower Girl Dresses & Signature Cocktails

Brrr, it’s cold out there! Great weekend to curl up with a good read, a great cake and a spectacular cocktail. Check out our list of all that and more. See you Monday!

If you don’t have a fireplace to cozy up to, this little luxury is totally justified.

How incredible would this Chanel nail polish collection look with your Jeff Cooper rings? We can’t imagine a more perfect wardrobe of nail colors.

A gluten free cake we really want to eat! Made with kabocha squash, too, so it’s healthy. From the prettiest food blog, The Yellow House.

We love this cocktail for a winter wedding. Or for brunch tomorrow.

This is so over the top, we love it. Check out this Alice in Wonderland Wedding on Green Wedding Shoes. The ceiling of the cathedral, the bride’s bustle, and the colors at the end are bananas!

Check out this lovely post on Lovely Bride, full of flower girl dress and hair inspiration

Get out the Kleenex! The most romantic real-life love story we’ve seen in a long time.

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Photo by Carmen and Ingo.

We Love: Wedding Makeup & Mixology

“I don’t know what luxury is anymore. A good peach is luxury.”

That’s J Crew CEO Mickey Drexler speaking at WWD’s CEO Summit last week. We took this quote to heart because we totally agree: luxury is incredibly subjective.

What is luxury? Kind of a great dinner party topic, right? Some of us crave the luxury of more time above all. Others work hard to attain luxurious things.

Is beauty a luxury? If so, then that’s the one luxury we don’t want to live without. Refined, simple beauty from expected and unexpected sources is our joy.

If you have the luxury of a little free time this weekend, enjoy this week’s fun links from around the web.

Try this next time you see some gorgeous reflections. Jessica Backhaus’s vibrant photographs of Venetian canals.

Bridal beauty! Perfect bridal makeup for a fresh, natural look.

Simple, elegant, a little beachy. We love this minimalist wedding cake.

For the home mixologist, these interesting  additions take your cocktails to the next level.

Need a winter pick-me-up? Colorful watches by Marc Jacobs. They’re like vitamin C in watch form.

Thinking ahead? Here’s a local Valentine’s Day present for the foodies! Made in Brooklyn by the Sweet Fine Day family.

Pictured above, an undeniably romantic image by the talented artist Lee Jung.

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