brooklyn x catskills wedding inspo at the catskill mountain house

this project is one of my all time favorite collabs. an incredibly talented team of creatives got together to inspire you at the catskill mountain house. hipster vibes + boho beauty + eclectic details + mountain views = this.

alicia king photo

alicia king photo

Photography: Alicia King Photography

Venue: The Catskill Mountain House

Event Design: Monica Relyea Events

Florals: Catskill Weddings

Bride’s Ring: Zimmer Brothers Jewelers

Hair & Makeup: Jessica from Ell Beauty Bar

Invitation & Signage: Coppola Creative

Cake: Super Cakes

Rentals: North Country Vintage Rentals

triple chocolate & cranberry oatmeal cookies from jack & grace events

need a last minute holiday dessert? look no further!! if you've had the pleasure of trying these cookies from lauren of jack and grace, you already know they're amazing. did you know lauren used to bake goodies for local shops? if you haven't tried these - you must make them! all three chocolate types makes them sweet and rich, with a chip in every bite. plus there's oatmeal in there, meaning you can eat them for breakfast. 

ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

technique

1. preheat oven to 350 f. grease or line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. beat butter and both sugars until smooth. add egg and vanilla.
4. add flour mixture and oats into butter mixture. stir to combine. add chocolate & cranberries.
5. arrange tablespoon size drops of batter onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart. 
6. bake cookies one sheet at a time until edges are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
7. cool on sheet for at least five minutes, and transfer to wire cooling rack.

shaina lee photo

photo: shaina lee photo

styling & recipe: jack and grace events

mcn gift guide

I adore gift giving. I love to watch a smile spread across a loved ones face (or better yet, a tear in their eye. love a good crying gift giving sesh). you know what's even better than that though? knowing you're DONE with holiday shopping. so I'm here to share my favorite finds this year & a few past year favorites. shop the links below. I am not affiliated with any of the companies or products, these truly are my faves! there's a few more ideas listed below that aren't in the visual so make sure to give it a once over. 

FOR THE NEW HOME OWNER

• Cheese Plate
• Cheese Knives
• Kitchen Towels

FOR THE FUN MOM

• Dog Cookie Jar (make sure you give him a ribbon collar, it's all about presentation)
• Flour sack towel
• Jarred Cookie Mix - Buy it HERE or DIY it HERE

FOR THE TRENDY GUY (or the guy you need to help ~*become*~ trendy)

• All Black Watch
• Cotton / Cashmere Sweater
• One More! Cole Haan Zerogrand Shoes

FOR THE MUNCHKINS

• Mudpuppy Chess & Checkers
• Mudpuppy Dominoes
• Bad Girls Throughout History Journal
• Gel Pens (for doodling in said journal)

FOR THE BEACH LOVER

• Yeti Can Cooler
• Backpack Beach Chair (this is essential for beach goers. make sure it has a cup holder!)
• Chic Beach Tent

FOR THE BOSS

• Farm Girl Flowers Arrangement
• Not a flower fan? They make cute & thoughtful gift boxes too!

FOR THE HOME COOK

• Cookbook stand & weight
• Cookbook! Some of my favorites:
  • Smitten Kitchen
  • Dinner
  • Genius Recipes

FOR THE WANDERLUSTER

• When my family vacationed in Italy we bought a few ceramic pieces in Florence in the classic lemon pattern. One of the pieces broke when we got home & my mom was heartbroken. I was able to find the same exact pattern online! The Little Market supports artisan women around the world by selling their goods. While this lemon pattern is selling through, there's still a few pieces left. Get it HERE

HAPPY GIVING!

xoxo, mcn

lettering workshop with coppola creative

I had always toyed around with the idea of hosting a workshop. I loved the prospect of getting to pass my knowledge onto others. There is a magic and power to creating something, with a skill you never knew was inside of you. It's a special moment to watch that happen for someone else. I was so thrilled when Kate at Kate and Co Events gave me the extra little push; she reached out to me in hopes to collaborate on a workshop! Kate is a pro styler, making our space look like "Pinterest came to life" - as one of my students described. And she even brought on Alhy Berry to document it all.

Thanks to my squad for helping make it happen | Event & Florals Kate Co Events | Photography Alhy Berry | Rentals Cartwright

Interested in attending a workshop? Interested in hosting a workshop? Shoot me a note to be added to the list or chat about hosting! Click Here.

sip and see

Alhy Berry Photography

"So, many of you have been asking “what is a ‘Sip ‘n See’?”  It’s a sweet Southern tradition—a casual affair, meant to give family and friends the opportunity to ooh and aah over your new addition. New parents are short on time (and sleep!), so it is the perfect party to outsource.  The new parents invite their close friends and family to come enjoy a drink (sip), meet (see) and cuddle the new baby.  Yajaira and Kipp brought us onboard to design, style and plan the day. And what an adorable occasion it was!" -Jack and Grace Events

| Squad |

Event Planning + Design: Jackandgraceny
Photography: Alhyberry
Custom Lettering: Coppolacreative
Floral: Jackandgraceny

at home engagement session / featured in red oak weddings & how he asked

photography: kristina staal

featured: how he asked by the knot

featured: red oak weddings

hudson valley wedding inspiration / le shag beauty lookbook

Samantha Lauren Photographie

Venue Senate Garage www.senategarage.com | Event Planning Nellie Hill Events https://www.facebook.com/NellieHillEvents/ | Hair and Makeup Le Shaghttp://www.leshag.com/ | Florals Petalos http://petalosfloral.com/ | Stylist Jennifer Havrilla nycstyle2001@yahoo.com | Wedding Dress Blush Bridal Boutiquehttp://www.blushbridalbtq.com/| Jewelry Capsule Collection Boutique https://www.facebook.com/Capsule-Collection-Boutique-429361053892438/ | Rentals Events Unlimited http://www.eventsunlimitedpartyrentals.com/ | Invitations and Calligraphy Coppola Creativehttp://coppolacreative.com/ |  Rings Schneiders Jewelershttp://www.schneidersjewelers.com/ | Photographer Samantha Lauren Photographie www.samanthalaurenphotographie.com | Catering Bridecreek Catering http://www.bridgecreekcatering.com/

indian summer event inspiration / featured on bespoke bride, borrowed & blue, and the westchester wedding planner

Inspired by nature’s color palette as Summer transitions to Fall, an Indian Summer has the beauty of both seasons rolled into one. What better way to celebrate the couple of the hour than with a bright and playful afternoon outside serving margaritas and throwing confetti? 

We were all desperately hanging on to the last ray of summer sunshine; and were happily surprised when an Indian Summer hit in the middle of a sweet autumn October.

Vibrant pineapple floral arrangements brought the DIY low palette table fit with rugs, blankets, and pillows to life. Over at the bar cart, margaritas were ready to be mixed, and custom chocolates looked too beautiful to eat. Down the walking path, the giddy couple threw custom mixed confetti at each other, and didn’t have to worry where it landed because it’s biodegradable! The bride to be, Karolina, stunned us all in a two-piece ensemble featuring a blush lace crop top and flowing tulle skirt in a contrasting cream. The afternoon ended with a a pair of clinking glasses etched with “his and hers,” as the sun began to descend behind the glowing estate.

So how does a couple take this inspiration and bring it to life at their own event?

Start with the pallet table and set the scene for a casual and approachable setting.” Megan told us.Simply stack as many palettes long and tall as you deem right. To achieve the same color feeling, gravitate towards indigo blues and white when picking decor. Layer your seating; runner rugs, blankets, and tons of pillows and poufs. Create a quick and gorgeous runner with a few yards of your favorite fabric and some branches of eucalyptus. If it’s available make sure you grab a few bundles of the seeded variety, it adds some texture and variety in size.

Onto the bar cart: stock it up! Using clear glass containers and throwing in fresh fruit creates a clean and colorful look. If you’re going for the “mix your own” bar, label everything! Hire a calligrapher or cozy up to your friend with the best hand writing. Make sure to throw in some small flower arrangements, even if it’s just a few blooms in a rocks glass. Now pour yourself a margarita and relax.

If a bride to be could take anything from my daydream that came to life, I’d want her to be inspired to savor the moment, and throw love around like confetti.

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Visionary and calligraphy - coppolacreative.com Photography jamielefkowitzphotography.blogspot.com Event jackandgraceny.com Dress bellabridesmaids.com Florals firstblushweddings.com Dessert bluetulipchocolates.com Beauty jackiestyles.com Confetti theconfettibar.com Ribbon angelaliguori.com Jewels thejewelrygallery.com

asheville wedding proposal

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Mike and I were vacationing in Asheville, North Carolina with our friends Matt and Jamie. When we got to our rental house and weredeciding who got which room Matt said "let the honeymooners have the master suite" - I laughed but seriously thought nothing of it. Little did I know he thought he was accidentally blowing Mike's cover. The next day we headed out on a drive on the Blue Mountain Parkway headed towards a hike on Black Balsam Knob. The drive was gorgeous, sunny, and picturesque. But as soon as we got to the trail head parking lot the skies opened up and it started pouring. Mike said he wanted to wait it out, even though we had a brewery tour scheduled in a couple of hours that we might miss. That should've been my tip off. He actually tried to convince us we should just start the hike, even though it was still raining. Looking back I know it was because he was anxious to pop the question, but at the time I had no clue. Mike's ambitious and adventurous, it is totally like him to want to start a hike in the pouring rain. Almost all of the cars left the parking lot and we stuck around waiting it out. Eventually it cleared up enough that we decided to head up the trail. I felt light headed. Maybe it was the altitude, maybe it was intuition. A moderate but short hike brought us to what felt like the top of the world. Jamie had her camera and started snapping photos of the 360 degree views of the Pisgah National Forest all around us. Jamie's a photographer and it was totally normal for her to have her professional camera with her. In case you haven't noticed the theme, I had no idea what was going on. Mike beckoned me over to sit next to him, and he started digging in his backpack as I asked him for his phone to take a photo. When I looked over at him he wasn't handing me his phone, but rather on one knee holding a little wooden box. I heard Jamie clicking in the background. Mike took my hand and told me he had known for a long time that he knew he wanted to marry me. As the quote goes, "we were together, I forget the rest". I blacked out. I cried a lot. We stood and hugged and I looked at the ring and realized something so incredible. This was the marquis diamond my father proposed to my mother with. With my heart literally in my hand, I said yes to forever.

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Thank you a million to a talented photographer & great friend Jamie Lefkowitz

westchester wedding inspiration / featured on red oak weddings

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"This styled shoot focused on whimsical details and the stunning Claire Pettibone dress. We wanted to give this shoot a different look than the typical- so we let the bride's makeup be inspired by the gorgeous florals- the deep purples/mahogany colors especially. We wanted to create the feel of a midsummer's night dream, in modern times. Magic, light, and full of custom details. A bunch of local vendors pooled their resources to make this beautiful shoot happen. The back of this dress- and the accompanying cape helped inspire the long floral centerpiece and other touches. Hand-painted macaroons gave the dessert table a nature-feel." - Kelsey Combe on  Red Oak Weddings

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Event -  www.katecoevents.com Photographer - kelseycombe.com Florist -  firstblushweddings.com Makeup - beautybychelseadae.com Calligraphy - coppolacreative.com Gown - clairepettibone.com Cake ericaobrien.com Flower Crown - crownsbychristy.com Rentals rentaparty.com Jewels trumpetandhorn.com Box themrsbox.com

modern jewel tone wedding inspiration / featured on artfully wed

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"When thinking about this concept, we were inspired to mix the old with the new. The gardens and architecture of this late 1800s historical home nestled in the heart of Amherst, Massachusetts, created a simple but elegant backdrop to allow our deep beautiful jewel tones to take center stage. Our vision for this beautiful shoot was to showcase a deep modern jewel tone palette and embrace a balance of the classic surroundings and the rich modern romance. We created a bold design with hues of pinks, purples, greens and blues, a palette that we accented with the mixture of vintage details and modern touches. From the modern invitation suite with its geometric shapes and bold colors to the ombre guest seating we were inspired by this beautiful balance of classic and modern." - Parsimony Inspired, Artfully Wed

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Photographer: Melanie Zacek Photography Event & Stationery Designer: Parsimony Inspired Venue: Amherst Woman's Club Floral Designer: Flowers by Justine Cake Designer: Pete's Sweets Dress Store: Bridal Heirlooms Hair & Makeup: Brush Salon Jewelry: DMG Gallery Groom's Attire: The Bridal & Tux Boutique Calligraphy: Coppola Creative Laser Cut Name Tags: Fab Station Rentals: Jerome's Party Plus Shawls: Marisol Aparicio

hudson valley wedding inspiration / featured on 100 layer cake

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"When you’ve locked down a barn venue like Crested Hen Farms in New York, it’s kinda impossible not to have the space be *the* biggest inspiration for the day. Once Elite Wedding & Event Planning + Hudson Valley Vintage Rentals spotted the barn, all the team wanted to do was add a little romance and elegance to their rustic surroundings. Not to mention a hint of glam! Thanks to Alicia King Photography for sharing what they dreamt up!" -100 Layer Cake

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Photographer: Alicia King Photography / Videographer: Beautiful Memories Video of NY / Venue: Crested Hen Farms / Design & Planning: Elite Wedding & Event Planning / Floral Design: Lavender and Leaf Designs / Design & Vintage Rentals: Hudson Valley Vintage Rentals /Hair: Ellie & Britt / Makeup: Meredith Hayman / Calligraphy & Signage: Coppola Creative / Invitation Suite: Flyaway Paperworks / Cake: Abby’s Dessert Bar / Cake Stand: Elizabeth Isabella Designs / Linens: Candy Crush Events / Lighting: Stortz Lighting / Dress Designer: Lakum