We love the cheerful, bright pops of color in this week's Real Wedding, photographed by Melissa Musgrove Photography and Halberg Photographers. Held on a perfect summer day at the Santa Barbara Polo Fields last July, Trisha and Ryan's wedding was a perfectly executed and joyful celebration that would not have been possible without the help of their amazing planner, Colette Lopez from La Fete Weddings, who also happens to be the mother of the groom! This wedding was definitely a family affair!

The goals: When it came to their wedding day, Trisha and Ryan wanted a lively celebration that would not only be fun for their guests, but fun for themselves as well. Trisha says her mother-in-law and wedding planner, Colette, was instrumental in providing her and Ryan with the kind of wedding day they were looking for. She was there to help guide Trisha through the planning process and take care of all the little details, making it possible for the couple to really enjoy their big day.

The look: Trisha chose bright fuchsia, turquoise, black and white as her wedding color palette, a combination she loves. The bridal party was dashing in turquoise dresses for the girls and turquoise polka dot ties for the guys. Even the bride was rockin' a pair of turquoise heels under her gown! The flowers from Cody Floral Design were all in shades of fuchsia and the tables and invitations were decorated in black and white, making for a delightfully bright and chic day.

The moments: The bride and groom say they "couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day." The sun was shining as they spoke their vows to one another in their sentimental and romantic outdoor ceremony. Trisha says one of the most romantic moments of the day was "being alone for a few moments after the ceremony, just to capture our day." They also loved spending time with their photographer as the sun was setting, having photos taken of just the two of them. 

The details: The whole family got involved in the wedding and contributed special touches to make the couple's celebration the grand event that it was. The wedding cake and favors were made by the bride's cousin, a pastry chef, and another cousin performed a traditional Hawaiian wedding dance for the couple at the reception. A traditional Bonsai toast to celebrate many years of happiness and love was made by another family member and last but certainly not least, the bride's mother-in-law, Colette, used her expertise to help plan the entire wedding, and as the bride says, "everything else in between."

The pros: To learn about all of the wedding professionals that helped to make this wedding a reality, please visit our Real Weddings section.

Thank you for sharing your wedding with us Trisha and Ryan!

To plan your own Southern California or Seattle wedding, check out our trusted Plan Your Wedding Hotlist!

The Artist: Jim Garner of J. Garner Photography

The Adoration: Last week in Las Vegas at WPPI (the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International convention) we had the pleasure of spending time with lots of talented photographers, both long time friends and exciting new acquaintances. What a treat! We were so inspired by the prints and albums they submitted to the WPPI competitions, that we just had to share them with you too! Starting with today's Phenomenal Photography post and over the next couple of weeks we'll be bringing you some of the inspirational imagery we fell head over heels for at WPPI.

First up is our dear friend and amazing photographer Jim Garner of J. Garner Photography here in Seattle. As always, his work is innovative, emotional, and wonderfully dramatic. Jim is an incredible visual story teller and a true artist who we deeply admire. It has been a thrill to get to see his work over the years, and to watch him win so many well deserved accolades at WPPI!

The lovely Vané from Brooklyn Bride is presenting the Urban Wed Event next week in New York and we wish we could be there to attend! Some of the fantastic NYC professionals you'll get to meet there will include Paper+Cup Design, Paperfinger Calligraphy, Cobblestone Catering, Samuelle Couture, Face Time Beauty Concierge, Hatch Creative, Nine Cakes and Jenny Ebert Photography. Ticket sales are limited to 150 per night, so pick yours up today! 

The Urban Wed Event
March 23rd and 24th, 5-8pm
Nest Event Loft
920 Broadway #1703
New York City, NY

Los Angles brides are lucky indeed to have the new bridal event Unveiled arriving this month! All along Melrose the bridal boutiques of Monique Lhuillier, Carolina Herrera and Temperley London will open their stores and showcase their collections, and other amazing Southern California businesses like Kate Somerville Skin Care, Bacara Resort and Spa, The London West Hollywood, Bella Bridesmaid and Patina Wedding will introduce you to their wedding products and services. What fun! To purchase tickets visit www.unveiledevent.com, and have fun!

Unveiled Event- Bridal Style Revealed
Sunday, March 28, 11am - 4pm
Melrose Place (between La Cienega Blvd. & Melrose Ave.)
Check-in at 650 North La Cienega

Welcome back Aisle Dash! AOL's bridal site Aisledash.com has been redesigned and relaunched under the watchful and super creative eye of Anne Chertoff of the blog From I Will to I Do, and it's packed full of fun and useful wedding information. Check it out!

This April during the 2nd annual B-List wedding blogger's conference, wedding bloggers from all corners of the country will convene on Washington DC (I can't wait!) and if you're a wedding vendor in the area, you can be a part of it too! Come meet all the bloggers you know and love at our Wedding Vendor Meet and Greet on Friday, April 16th, and let us know about your business! Space is limited, so get your tickets soon!

Wedding Vendor Meet and Greet
Friday, April 16th, 7-10pm
The Torpedo Factory
105 North Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

Vintage brooch wedding bouquets? Yes please! I'm loving these colorful wedding creations from Amanda Heer of Fantasy Floral Design. What a sweet way to use the accessories your grandmother has been collecting for all these years, or the sparkly items you've been picking up at flea markets since you were a kid simply because they make you happy! Check out the Fantasy Floral website and blog for more information about these creative vintage accessories.

The Artist: Aaron Horton Productions

The Adoration: Pure and simple, the editing of this wedding film from Aaron Horton Productions is brilliant. Without narration, without a script, without any effort required by the viewer, it slows down time and draws us in, and powerfully tells the story of Susie and Ryan's wedding day. Enjoy!

For more information about this wedding and all the vendors involved, be sure to visit the Aaron Horton Productions blog!

Today's Real Wedding looks like it was a rockin' good time and makes us wish we had been there for all the excitement! Spectacularly photographed by  Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed of Ben Chrisman Photography, this destination wedding, in Todos Santos, a dazzling beach locale in Baja, Mexico, was a fun-filled, sentimental getaway for the gorgeous Jean and Michael and their closest family and friends.

The goals: Jean and Michael wanted a wedding that was a true reflection of their personalities and above all, fun for their guests. Not into the idea of a big event, they chose a small destination wedding in Todas Santos, Baja, Mexico. With just fifty guests, they were able to have the intimate and special day that they had dreamed of, and there was ample time and opportunity for forming new friendships, bonding with loved ones and of course, plenty-o-fun!

The look: With such a gorgeous beach view as their backdrop, there wasn't need for much decoration. Jean chose colors for the wedding that were inspired by Todos Santos - blue for the sky, green for the lush foliage and white for the long sandy beaches. She also included pink and orange in her wedding color palette for their fun and festive feel, and incorporated them into every detail from the flowers and invitations, to the favors for the guests - a pretty package of pomegranate and orange-sherbet jellybeans wrapped in blue boxes with orange bows.

The bride's wedding dress was a stunning creation by Carolina Herrera, and the bridesmaids were able to choose their own black and white bridesmaids' dresses. Each one wore a custom-made necklace, designed by the groom's sister for The Jewelers of Las Vegas, to match the bow on Jean's gown. The groom and groomsmen were perfectly beach-casual in tan pants and ivory shirts.

The moments: In a sentimental and humorous ceremony, the most romantic moment for the bride and groom was reciting their vows, which they wrote themselves. Another special moment for the couple was their first dance to "Stay With You" by John Legend, chosen for its timeliness. Says Jean, "we began dating around the time the album came out, and every song on it related to our relationship in some way". The couple agrees that the entire wedding get-away was filled with moments they will always treasure, because they were able to have their families and close friends with them for those full four days.

The details: Jean and Michael filled their wedding day with many funny and touching details that helped them complete their vision of a fun-filled destination wedding. Each groomsman received a flask before the ceremony engraved with the the couple's names, the date, and the quote "Another One Bites the Dust". As for Jean, her "something old" was a ring made from a Greek coin with the goddess of hearth and debauchery on it, given to her by her mother. The bottom of Jean's shoes were appliqued with blue rhinestones saying, "I Do", and her jewelry and hair comb were new presents from her soon-to-be hubby.

Everyone danced and celebrated long into the night, creating the magical good time, full of love and laughter, that the couple had been hoping for. You can see the energy bursting from the party pictures below, which are like none we've ever seen before. Great job to photographers Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed for capturing all the fun!

The pros: To learn about all of the wedding professionals who helped make this wedding a reality please visit our Real Weddings Section.

Thank you for sharing your wedding day with us Jean and Michael! We are totally inspired by your joy!

If you're planning a Seattle or Southern California wedding, don't miss our trusted Plan Your Wedding Hotlist featuring the most talented and passionate wedding professionals available!