The latest issue of Town & Country Weddings magazine features the most incredible collaboration between the reigning queen of all things sweet, Amy Atlas and some totally drool-worthy jewels.

It’s hard to pick a favorite from this line up but if pressed, I think I’d have to say those playful pink jumbo barber pole candy sticks dripping in sapphires and aquamarine gemstones.

Seriously…all this bling + decadent sweet things = heart palpitations.  I love it.

I’ve recently become quite fixated on all things equestrian. This should probably not be surprising considering that I live among a ton of horse farms. There’s nothing like catching a glimpse of the sunset over a field of majestic horses on your way to Target.  In my imagination (where I spend a lot of time!), this wedding is a cross between Ralph Lauren “Americana Equestrian” and the dashing and proper English riding culture, with a bit of Anthropologie vintage goodness thrown in for good measure.  That might not make much sense to anyone but me but that’s ok…it’s my blog afterall!

The groom would be dashing in a tweed vest or jacket and the bride would accessorize with a velvet sash or perhaps even a velvet bolero in ochre or a deep fern green to keep the chill away (did I mention this is taking place in the fall?)  And of course riding boots.  I mean, that goes without saying right?

Tarnished pewter loving cup trophies would make great floral containers and add a lovely patina to the tabletop which I’d set in burlap with a tartan plaid overlay.  To balance out those masculine colors and textures, I’d want the florals to be romantic, light and unstructured for a fresh and feminine effect.  Guests would find their way to these gorgeous tables via escort cards fashioned in the likes of vintage horse show ribbons.

So as you can see, I’ve thought about this for a minute!   Now…who wants to photograph this dreamy affair?  MUST.BRING.TO.LIFE.!!

{Photo credits:  Top row: Mino Photo, Florals by Lauryl Lane  Flora Organica Design; Second row: Ballard Designs, Flickr; Bottom row:  Yves Saint Laurent, bridles via Flickr, houndstooth fabrics via The Scottish Weaver}

I know what you’re thinking…”Spring?  But it’s just finally starting to feel like fall here!”  The mercury may be dipping, but the fashion world is already in full spring mode, with the hottest looks for Spring 2010 sashaying down the runways in New York.  With that, comes the Pantone declaration of color trends to watch for in the coming season.   Love them or hate them, Pantone is THE authority on color and their picks often make their way into fashion, home decor and yes, even weddings!

So behold their picks for the coming season.  It looks like bright and bold is in with several eye-popping colors making the list.  I like that they’ve tempered some of the more vibrant selections with soft neutrals.

My mind starts to spin with all the lovely combinations of these colors in a wedding palette!

That Eucalyptus is screaming Spanish moss draped live oak to me.  Pairing it with the Pink Champagne and some fabulous gold accents would make for a muted but glamorous affair.

Download full free color report and get those color wheels spinning!

In my opinion, one of the best things that has happened to bridal party attire recently is the idea that (gasp!) all of your bridesmaids are different and don’t need to be dressed up in perfectly identical frocks for your wedding.  Stylish, modern brides are putting this theory into play in a few different ways.

- Choosing 1 dress style & 1 color family: For the bride who wants a cohesive look in hemlines and necklines, this is a nice, foolproof option.  And with fashion forward designers like Simple Silhouettes, Coren Moore and Jenny Yoo offering not only chic dress options, but a wide range of complimentary colors families, this look is easier than ever to pull off.  Not sure what colors are complimentary?  Courtney over at the Little White Book did a great post recently on using paint chips to identify color hues that work together.

-Choosing 1 color & letting your bridesmaids select dress styles that suit them: This is a great option if you have a lot of varying body types in your bridal party (pregnant bridesmaids will be particularly thankful!)  Again, designers are making this easier than ever with fabrics and colors that can be applied to virtually all their styles.  I love J.Crew and Aria for this option.  Check out their real weddings album page for tons of inspiration on putting this look together.  The no-nonsense way to pull this off – put your bridesmaids in black.  The look is sophisticated, impossible to botch and allows bridesmaids to shop virtually anywhere for a black dress they love (READ:  will actually wear again).

-Choosing 1 color family & overall feel for dress styles, then thinking outside the wedding “box”: Certainly of all options, this one requires the most legwork and dress hunting.  But the result can be chic, modern and just beautiful.  To maintain a consistent design aesthetic, this look is best when hemlines are kept consistent.  Provide some direction to your bridesmaids for the overall look you want then set them loose to find options anywhere and everywhere.  Some of my favorite places to start include Bluefly.com which lets you search their dress inventory by color family and Anthropologie for their always fresh and unique styles.

{Photo credits:  top -  Todd Pellowe Photography, middle – Joe Mikos Photographers, Overexposed, bottom – Christian Oth via StyleMePretty}

{Photo credits:  top – One Love Photo, middle – Todd Pellowe Photography, bottom – Victor Sizemore Photography}

One last little gem that I like to see – bridal parties in 1 dress style in a coordinated color with the maid of honor in a complimentary, patterned dress (see middle photo above).   It’s a great way to spotlight her important role while still maintaining a consistent overall look.

Happy shopping!