So here’s the thing about the Inspired Creations Contest. I just love seeing how different teams can take the same rules (spend no more than $500; incorporate a little glitter and glam; make something beautiful) and come up with such wildly different ideas. All beautiful. All unique. Today’s entry comes from Bella Rains Garden Studio and Lavender & Twine and was inspired by a gorgeous pair of emerald satin Badgley Mischka pumps. From there they created a stunning tablescape under …

Today I have a special treat for you! The amazingly talented Jess Tierney, lead graphic designer at Bella Figura and a good friend of mine, is sharing her inspiration for her dream party. Jess officially has me dreaming of long summer days and preppy nautical stripes. You’re going to love this! Jess also has a fabulous blog so check it out!

My perfect party would be a nautical inspired weekend getaway with my closest friends to a dreamy beach house right …

Have I ever told you how much I love camping? I big time l.o.v.e to camp. Bring on the s’mores, the sleeping bags and long days of reading, canoeing and telling campfire stories and I’m in heaven. With that said, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a campsite with as much style as this one. It’s colorful, Moroccan-inspired and shines with cute details that make this camping trip anything but ordinary. Why not bring a little party to your next …

At my day job at Bella Figura (and Boxcar Press and Smock) I have the great opportunity to work and interact with a lot of the wedding industry’s finest talent. It’s a pleasure, to say the least. Recently we teamed up with the incredible Anne Sage of The City Sage for a gorgeous Pride & Prejudice inspired wedding shoot, photographed by Lisa Lefkowitz. (Who is  basically so talented it blows my mind.) You may have already seen this beautiful inspiration …

Today I couldn’t resist sharing this pretty black-eyed susan inspired bridal shower by I Am Baker featured last week on Sweet Designs. Nothing says summer like a long white cotton table runner and big mason jars filled with striking black eyed susans. The pretty homemade cakes were topped with black-eyed susans and little cookies were frosted with the bride and groom’s upcoming wedding date. This kind of event design is so chic, but really quite effortless. Grab big bunches of …

This morning’s guest blogger, Annie Packman of Marry You Me, really needs no introduction. She’s an incredibly talented blogger with a great editorial eye and today I’m honored to have her share her very first styled inspiration shoot on The Sweetest Occasion!

I am so thrilled/honored/ecstatic to be guest posting here on The Sweetest Occasion today! When Cyd asked me to do a guest post, I promised her I would cook up something good. I’d been dying to do my own styled …

Another day, another gorgeous Inspired Creations Contest entry! Today’s design is from the talented team of Catie Ronquillo Photography, After Yes Weddings, The Left-Handed Calligrapher and Emily Hudspeth, and features a gorgeous urban rooftop picnic at Off The Grid, boasting tremendous views of the Dallas skyline. For me, this shoot is all about the mix of colors and materials pairing a cool urban vibe with the laid back approach of a fun rustic picnic. The mixed and …

As promised earlier, I’m back with another beautiful wedding inspiration shoot from Ashley Pepitone, this one inspired by the sights, sounds and smells of a country fair. Think popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs and game tickets and you get the idea. A fun, upbeat and nostalgic celebration guests are sure to remember fondly for years to come.

Ashley used carnival game tickets from School Locker hand stamped with each guest’s name as escort cards. Guests find their way to their seats …

This morning’s Inspired Creations Contest entry is the first of two from Ashley Pepitone, a budding event designer. Inspired by summer days spent on her grandparents’ farm in Massachusetts, Ashley was inspired to create a design that would be reminiscent of frolicking about the fields and raiding the strawberry patch for fresh, sun-ripened berries. She used design elements and wares available locally in most towns for an easy, sunkissed look perfect for a sunny late spring wedding.

Ashley shares, “I imagine …

To follow up on today’s amazingly beautiful gypsy-inspired al fresco wedding inspiration shoot for the Inspired Creations Contest, I have a few more portraits to share and a DIY tutorial for the adorable wishing tree guest book the team created. Without further ado, we’ll resume with more gorgeous images from flutter glass Photography…