If you tell me there’s a wedding that ends the night with a panda piñata raffle, then don’t be surprised when I start fidgeting in my seat from anticipation. Today’s wedding from Steven Michael Photo and Hitched Weddings and Events blends stripes, navy, polka dots, and modern elements for a perfect marriage of nautical wedding inspiration.

From the bride, Emily: I don’t believe we ever had a specific “style” in mind when planning, but we definitely wanted it to feel like an extension of us – casual, a little quirky, and comfortable. We wanted to put a spin on traditional wedding elements, while keeping it classic. Since I work at the local art museum, I seemed to lean towards an aesthetic that was more modern, such as bold patterns, clean lines, no-fuss flowers, and unexpected elements like the Panda piñata. Above all things, we wanted an opportunity to share music and good food with our guests in a city we love, Kansas City.

We didn’t have a specific theme in mind, but navy, grey and pops of green dominated the color palette. I wanted it to feel clean and fresh. I honestly hadn’t settled on a theme or colors until I became obsessed with a pair of J.Crew navy and white striped shoes. I knew they would be perfect to wear for the wedding and they inspired me to include a striped ribbon on my bouquet. My husband’s bow tie (and socks, actually) also matched! I liked mix and matching patterns, so we incorporated stripes, pin-dots, even plaid, and grey chevron in subtle ways. I think patterns add visual interest and anew twist to traditional wedding elements.

My DIY projects were more “DIWF” (do it with friends). I sought help from my creative friends at the museum I work at, as well as other graphic designers in our friend group to help us with many of the details. I helped design the large name card stand, which also included an element for visitors to write notes on old library cards and put them in old book cover pockets, which were affixed on the stand. My only DIY moment was making ribbon wands with my bridesmaid. My husband actually helped us solve how to keep the ribbons on the dowel rod – cable ties!

Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? While blogs and Pinterest are exceptional for sharing ideas and for narrowing a wedding vision, it is incredibly easy for brides (I’m guilty) to become obsessed with every detail and feeling the need to incorporate every “trendy” thing they see online. Discuss with your fiancé his priorities for the wedding day and have a shared understanding of what is important as a couple, and you’ll be less likely to fuss about the small stuff.

Many brides told me to step back during the reception and observe all of the activity, and I never knew the value of being present in the moment until our wedding. It’s really easy to get caught in the whirlwind of saying hello to everyone, but pausing to take-in the ephemeral moments and details (how your fiancé smiles, what the air feels like, watching your dad talk to your friends, seeing people’s reactions to the food and dancing to music) this is what made our wedding so memorable.

Lastly, if your budget allows, I highly recommend hiring trustworthy coordinators who align with your style and personality. Jessica and Amy from Hitched Weddings & Events were amazing to work with. They were incredibly professional and made the wedding day go so smooth. We didn’t have to worry about a thing! Plus, their creative flowers and unexpected fresh designs made our wedding so pretty and fun.

Wedding Music:
Ceremonial music curated by Victoria Chamberlin, my incredibly talented friend and musician. She performed the oboe as an accompaniment to the organ. I didn’t want traditional wedding hymnals, so she helped me select some beautiful organ music not normally played at weddings.
Prelude: Sleepers, Awake!, J.S. Bach; Air from Water Music, G.F. Handel
Unity Candle: Concerto for oboe in d minor, Mvt 2, Tomaso Albinoni
Processional: Nimrod from Enigma Variations, Edward Elgar
Recessional: Hornpipe from Water Music, G.F. Handel
Dinner Music: Decemberists, Mates of State, Arcade Fire, Beach House, Band of Horses, Empire of the Sun, Chairlift, Grimes, Junior Senior
First Dance: “No One is Gonna Love You,” Band of Horses

Wedding Location: Kansas City, MO / Wedding Photographer: Steven Michael Photo / Wedding Flowers and Day-Of Coordination: Hitched Weddings and Events / Ceremony Venue: Country Club Christian Church / Reception Venue: Terrace on Grand / Wedding Dress: Pronovias La Sposa “Dibujo” via Bridal Extraordinaire / Wedding Shoes: J. Crew / Jewelry: Kate Spade / Hair: Jenny Mitchell of Hairpins Salon / Makeup: Meredith Ware of Ware Hair & Makeup / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Ann Taylor / Bridesmaids’ Gloves: Greatlookz / Bridesmaids’ Shoe Clips: Up a Tree Cup a Tee Co. / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Groom’s Tie: Tie Bar / Groom’s Socks: J. Crew / Wedding Caterer: TASTE Catering / Wedding Cake: chefshop / DJ: Craig Loftis of Elite Sounds Entertainment / Chevron Runners: Ultrapom / Wedding Invitations: Lisa Nichole Designs / Name Cards and Table Numbers: Kelsey Murietta, Flossy Stylish Designs / Guest Book Poster: Danielle Dragan / Transportation: Horizon Limousine

The very second we saw this shoot from Danielle Capito Photography and Michaela Noelle Designs, we knew it wouldn’t be fair to keep you all from seeing its beauty. Michaela describes the shoot as “succulents meet Kate Spade brights,” which to us represents the perfect blend of masculine and feminine at Santa Barbara’s Historical Museum.

From the stylist, Michaela: From the moment I heard Danielle mention she wanted to photograph an inspiration shoot full of funky and natural elements, I couldn’t stop dreaming up this succulent-meets-Kate Spade-brights decor. Interior design being my first love, and DIYing everything in sight being a close second, I’ve always loved mixing styles and creating unique details people won’t soon forget. With the gorgeous, teak wood tables and succulents acting as our natural element and the hot pink serving as our funky, yet feminine punch of color, this look became a setting I could envision guests completely enjoying themselves at an afternoon wedding. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum was the perfect backdrop as it boasts beautiful natural brick, a pretty water feature and green ivy, cacti and flowers galore.

This is a look that anyone can achieve, and the crafty brides-to-be will especially love the unique touches. The recipe is simple: Clear glass plates with a patterned plate on top, bright flowers in a funky vase, gold flatware, a variety of glassware, and some colorful cacti for the table top. The baby succulents serve as the name card holders and the guest’s favor. Desiring to keep the feel casual, we created a delectable dessert table featuring an exposed layer cake, fruit tarts and Kate Spade-esque gold cake pops. The bride’s gown, headpiece and bouquet truly epitomize the inspiration shoot’s heart and soul: bohemian sophistication, with an unexpected twist.

Shoot Location: Santa Barbara, CA / Photographer: Danielle Capito Photography / Floral Design and Styling: Michaela Noelle Designs / Succulents: The Succulent Source / Wedding Dress: Saja Wedding / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Headband: Nordstrom / Bridal Sash: Untamed Petals by Amanda Judge / Makeup: Candi of All Dolled Up / Cake: Jen Manuele / Cake Pops & Fruit Tarts: Sweets & Celebrations / Table Runner: Skoope Home / Utensils: West Elm / Water Glasses: Anthropologie / Straws: Daintzy / Rentals: Elan Event Rentals / Balloons and Tassels: One Stylish Party / Invitations, Menu, RSVP & Name Plate design: SS Print Shop

I think it’s pretty much an established fact by now, but whenever I see a wedding with bridesmaids decked out in sequins, I get a little giddy. Throw in some snow, faux fur, and images by Lauren Fair Photography, and I’m on cloud nine. Keep an eye out for some elegant touches of this year’s Pantone color, emerald, throughout the wedding decor!

From the bride, Julie: We wanted our ceremony to be cozy and intimate (there was tons of candlelight on a snowy December evening) and we wanted the reception to be a relaxed but glamorous celebration! I wanted everything to be representative of us as a couple and didn’t feel constrained by traditional wedding norms. I envisioned an eclectic yet cohesive mixture of textures that resulted in bluegrass mountain man meets New Year’s glam. It turned out to be pretty magical. WAY better than what I could have ever imagined. We couldn’t have done it without our wonderful family and friends – they love us a whole lot.

Our inspiration for our “rustic glam” theme was simple: Shane is rustic and I am glam. Shane is an outdoorsy mountain man and I can be a bit of a fashionista (who also happens to love the outdoors.) I didn’t want to pick colors or a theme that was too girly – I wanted it to be representative of the both of us, and I thought that pine, flannel, cotton, gold sequins, fur and glitter would make for a stellar combination. The “color scheme” was more focused on textures, but it ended up being lots of neutrals (white, beige, browns & tans,) dark green, and metallics (mainly gold.) We DIYed everything from a welcome sign, giant moss/glitter initials, glitter pinecone place cards, escort card frames & flannel table runners.

Our favorite memory from the wedding was by far the ceremony. The candlelit intimate setting felt like holy ground, and everything about it was so personalized and special. We didn’t write our vows until the night before (or in Shane’s case, the morning of) but they were passionate and perfect. People were laughing and crying, and we were so close in proximity to everyone. I kept turning around and looking at all of these wonderful people who loved us so dearly. It was magical. Shane bawled through the whole thing, and I mainly just laughed and literally jumped up and down with unbearable excitement – until we reached the end of the aisle at the end of the whole thing – I realized that we were actually married and I completely lost it.

Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? Our advice to those planning now is to make the ceremony personalized. So many people blow it off and just look forward to the party afterwards, but the ceremony is the part where you are actually becoming husband and wife! Don’t waste it. Tell the officiant your vision and how you want it to feel, and make it special to you are your fiancé. I have been to many weddings where if you closed your eyes, you wouldn’t be able to tell who was getting married. Soak it in, and relish that time to really focus on the promises you are making to one another. Parties are awesome, but marriage is forever.

Wedding Music:
Processional: live bluegrass rendition of the hymn “Come Thou Fount” performed by local bluegrass band, Valley Stomp
Recessional: “Joyful, Joyful” from Sister Act, performed by our friends Joy and Andrew Meade
First Dance: “Skinny Love,” Bon Iver
Father/Daughter Dance: “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” BJ Thomas
Mother/Son Dance: “Blackbird,” The Beatles
We thought a lot about our first dance song and had a really hard time picking one. We both are big music lovers, and put a lot of pressure on finding the perfect selection. We still hadn’t chosen our song the day before the wedding when we thought of “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver. We had listened to that song on repeat on our first date, which we spent laying out on blankets by a riverside “studying” for our upcoming college exams. The song turned out to be perfect because it reminded us of such a giddy time in the beginning of our love story.

Wedding Location: Potters Mills, PA / Wedding Photographer: Lauren Fair Photography / Wedding Flowers: Bride’s mother and Woodrings Floral Garden / Event Design: Bride’s mother and sister / Wedding Venue: The General Potter Farm / Wedding Dress: Oleg Cassini #CWG468 / Wedding Veil: Vera Wang / Wedding Shoes: Chinese Laundry and Etienne Aigner / Hair: Naomi & Company / Makeup: Hillary Dabrasky / Bridesmaid Dresses: I had my bridesmaids pick out their own dresses – the only criteria was that they were gold and completely covered in sequins. The wedding was on New Year’s Eve Eve, so they added the much needed sparkle. They purchased them from all over, but most are from Nordstrom and ASOS. / Groom’s Attire: ASOS / Groom’s Boots: Steve Madden / Wedding Caterer: Down to Earth Catering / Wedding Cake: Holly Sheppard / Processional and Reception Music: Valley Stomp / Ceremony Music: Joy and Andrew Meade / Cinema and Video: Willow Tree Films / Transportation: Fullington Tours / Wedding Invitations: Chelsea Burrows