**This editorial shoot was published by Style Me Pretty (twice!) here. **

Dusk has always been my favorite time of day.   First and foremost – the light is the bomb.  And it is so fleeting.  You get maybe an hour, and then it is gone in an instant.  But there is a magical quality to this time of day – caught between the bright sun of day and the cloak of nightfall.  It’s the time of day enjoyed best with a glass of wine in one hand, and a squeeze from the love of your life in the other.

In the last couple of years Villa Terrace opened their incredible Italian mansion on Lake Michigan up to not just daytime wedding ceremonies, but also receptions.  I was overjoyed at this news, and I wanted to do an editorial shoot that showcased some of the lesser-known gems of this amazing property.  And something that showed how utterly romantic it all was at the end of the day.

Enter my partner-in-creation, Anna from A. Styled. Event.  She’s incredible.   It’s mostly her ideas you see showcased in these photos.  We conceived of a story, a couple, some unique touches.  She reigned in our out of control Pinterest board into something edited, cohesive and so on-point.  And the girl is ORGANIZED.  Like Real Simple magazine organized.  I have never been to a shoot that has run so smoothly, come together so quickly and easily and felt so relaxed.  I can only imagine the effect she has on a wedding day!

Once we had a concept stamped out – we brought on the rest of our incredible team.  Each of these people contributed so much…I’ll highlight them as we go, because I know you want to see some pictures!

Invitations were provided by the wonderfully talented Amy Graham Stigler at Monograham (who also is the head designer for Smock).  When you want something special, signature and that will be treasured, she’s the one to see.

   

BHLDN provided the dress, earrings and hair pins for our Bride’s look.  The groom was expertly outfitted by the stylists at Harley’s for Men.  The beauty that abounds at BHLDN is well known, but you might not know that Harley’s has a great rental line as well as completely custom suits.   

We simply must stop and discuss the florals.  Renee at Frontier Flowers of Fontana totally outdid herself.  I’ve seen her transform the most lackluster venue into a showpiece.  And I’ve seen her leave people speechless at Art in Bloom.  But she really impressed me with the delicate textures she brought together for our shoot.  One of her best talents is that she always seems to pull some-sort of last minute trick out of her hat to add just the right finishing touch to a day. 

 

The twin arbors in the lower garden of the Villa Terrace or so underutilized.  Intimate and lush, we knew they would make the perfect “church” for our little ceremony.   The rustic bent-wood chairs were loaned to us by Lake Area Rentals.        

Ah, that dress!  And did you notice the awesome hair on our bride?  That intricate masterpiece (and the perfectly mussed ‘do on our Groom) are compliments of the effervescent Nhung Nguyen.  And the impeccable makeup is by my favorite makeup artist, Jennifer Kessler of Natural Radiance.  That woman is unflappable, and her work is always perfection.

 

See what I mean about the Villa at night?  Pure magic! 

Our rustic farm table and the authentic cafe lights were provided by (and hung expertly) Lake Area Rentals.  The beautiful natural wood was such a warm and inviting contrast to the peeling plaster and stately columns of the terrace.

   

No wedding dinner is complete without an incredible meal.  We called upon one of the best – Zilli Hospitality Group.  They created six unique dishes for our ‘dinner’, and a trio of desserts (which you saw earlier).  The thing about Zilli is that their food always looks magazine-worthy, and it tastes twice as good as it looks! 

These chair banners are also from BHLDN.  I always thought they could be transformed post-wedding into gorgeous pillow covers.  

Credits:

Stylist: A Styled Event |Florist: Frontier Flowers Of Fontana | Stationery: Monograham Paper | Catering: Zilli Hospitality Group | Hair: Nhung Nguyen | Dress, Earrings, Hair Pins, Chair Banners: BHLDN | Invitations : “Spence” By Smock | Linens: Table Toppers | Makeup: Natural Radiance | Photographer: m three Studio Photography | Rentals (Chairs, Tables, Cafe Lights): Lakes Area Rental |  Suit: Harley’s For Men | Venue: Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum

Big, BIG THANKS to all who were involved, stayed late, hauled supplies, climbed ladders and gave of their time.  A little sneak peek at the action behind the scenes: