KC You There

Wedding First look or No First Look? Pros & Cons

(Photos by Abby Jiu | Planning + design by KC You There | Florals: Bows & Arrows)

Should you or should you not do a wedding first look?

Not sure what I’m referring to? Well here’s a breakdown – a “first look” on a wedding day is when the bride and groom see each other prior to her walking down the aisle at their ceremony. While it’s the norm to do this in some religions, it’s become even more favored by most couples. As a planner, I wanted to share the top pros and cons of this newer tradition…

Pros of a First Look:

>Getting to see each other sooner

>Ease nerves & get your tears out before the ceremony (it’s ok if you still shed some at the altar)

>Taking just about all of the portrait and “must have” shots prior to the ceremony (aka getting them out of the way and leaving more time for connecting with loved ones later)

>Being able to enjoy your cocktail hour!

Cons of a First Look:

>You won’t be sticking to a ‘traditional’ way (that may be important for some)

>Seeing each other for the first time at the altar

>Having to refresh hair & makeup (which could be costly as you’ll likely need to keep your hair & makeup artists on for longer)

>Potential issues with lighting – your photographer will really need to be the one who suggests the best location, as couples portraits will be taken earlier in the day if you choose a first look

>You may have to start to getting ready a bit earlier in the day since your timeline will shift for pictures

couple seeing each other for first time at wedding

Whatever you choose, there’s no right or wrong way – you’ll know exactly what works best for you and your partner. I always said I wanted to see Curt for the first time by walking down the aisle and meeting him at the altar, but the wedding planner in me thought for practicality reasons, we should do a first look. We want to enjoy the day as much as possible with each other and our guests – which means getting to cocktail hour and our reception sooner rather than later. Above all, I know we’ll just want to see each other as soon as possible.

BRIDES Real Wedding Feature: A Gorgeous Backyard Wedding

We’re so excited to finally have the opportunity to share Lauren & Joey’s gorgeous backyard wedding in Buffalo, as seen on Brides.com. It’s been a challenge to have to keep these beautiful images to ourselves for so long, but well worth this amazing feature. See below for the rest! Thank you to Lauren, Joey and their families for giving us the opportunity to execute and design the wedding of their dreams!

Read about the entire Brides magazine real wedding online HERE.

Planning + Design: KC You There || Bride’s Dress: Inbal Dror || Bride’s Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana || Bride’s Jewelry: Roberto Coin || Hair & Makeup: Groom Service Beauty Bar || Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August || Groom’s Attire: Harris & Howard, Christian Louboutin || Engagement Ring: Aura Diamonds || Floral Design: Bows & Arrows Flowers || Paper Products: Rust Belt Love, GM Calligraphy || Dessert Bar: B Sweet Designs || Ceremony Music: Sean Heidinger || Reception Music: No Limits Band || Rentals: McCarthy Tents & Events, Petunia Rose, La Tavola Fine Linens, Hostess Haven, BLVD Weddings, Revival Rentals || Transportation: Advantage Limo || Accommodations: Hotel Henry || Photo Booth: Ayres Photography || Videography: Jacquelyn Daley || Photography: Bridget Rochelle Photography

Martha Stewart Weddings Real Wedding Feature: Refined, Rustic Lake Placid Wedding

Tory & Sean’s Lake Placid Wedding

We’re so excited to finally have the opportunity to share Tory & Sean’s Lake Placid wedding, as seen in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. It’s been a challenge to have to keep these beautiful images to ourselves for so long, but well worth the eight page spread. See below for the rest of the feature, and for more of my favorite shots by Apryl Ann Photography. Thank you to Tory & Sean for giving us the opportunity to execute and design the wedding of their dreams!

martha stewart lake placid wedding feature

Tory and Sean are a modern, stylish NYC couple originally from Buffalo, but like many New Yorkers they wanted to escape the city for the big day. Having spent time together in the Adirondacks, they knew it would be the perfect destination—most guests could enjoy a weekend getaway without having to jump on a plane. They enlisted KC You There to help them bring their vision of a rustic Lake Placid wedding full of glamorous details to life.

A fall wedding at Whiteface Lodge Resort

Whiteface Lodge Resort was chosen as the ultimate Adirondack wedding venue, with its rustic, log cabin aesthetic blended with modern amenities and truly endless views. This lent itself well to our idea of mixing rustic and glam, earthy and luxury. You cannot beat this location for an outdoor ceremony in the fall!

Floral design by Bows & Arrows added another layer of sophistication, with organic yet refined arrangements in white and green.

formal grooms portraits at lake placid gay wedding

white bridesmaids at lake placid wedding

white and green ceremony arch with organic flowers

ceremony aisle at lake placid wedding venue

organic wild white and green ceremony flowers

Other details that made this Lake Placid wedding special for the grooms included a custom wedding logo (and details such as gold chargers that mimicked the look), graphic elements designed by Sean himself, and a decadent dessert table.

Thank you to all of the vendors involved and most importantly, our outstanding team:

Photography: Apryl Ann Photography // Planning & design: KC You There // Venue & catering: Whiteface Lodge Resort // Florals: Bows & Arrows // Cinematography: Love & You Studios // Band: Ohlala of Onyx Artists // Stationery: Sean Dimmer (one of the grooms) // Seating chart, table numbers & dessert table backdrop: Rustbelt Love // Calligraphy: A fabulous Fete // Dessert table: B-Sweet Designs // DJ: Sean Heidinger // Photo booth: MirMir // Linens: BBJ Linen // Rentals: Vermont Tent // Wooden signs: Sweet Carolina Collective // Cocktail napkins & matchboxes: For Your Party // Faux Flower Crown: Christy’s Garden // Welcome bag items: Macarons – Laduree / Candles – Paddy Wax / Skincare cream – Susan Ciminelli / Emergency kit – Etsy & Amazon / Popcorn – Pipsnacks

A Tour of Coco Chanel’s Parisian Apartment

Photos of Coco Chanel apartment tour in Paris

Touring Coco Chanel’s Parisian apartment at 31 Rue Cambon was quite possibly the best part of my trip to Paris. Attending the show was up there, but this was surreal. My friend Helene received an invitation and thankfully took me along and for that, I’m forever grateful. Read on to see images from her space and learn some incredibly fun facts about her apartment and Mademoiselle Chanel herself.

elegant mirror in Coco Chanel apartment tour in Paris

Karina at Coco Chanel apartment tour in Paris

{And then there was the chair}

Coco Chanel’s Apartment in Paris

We learned so much from this Coco Chanel apartment tour. Here are a few of the facts that truly stood out to me:

Mademoiselle Chanel did not sleep at this apartment, in fact there are no beds! She used this space for hosting and entertaining only and actually slept at the Ritz Carlton across the street
She was a Leo (like me!) and had lions all around her apartment from frames to small statues
Wheat was a recurrent theme in her apartment as she thought it brought her luck. You can actually see wheat spread across some of the accessories at Chanel
She loved Camellia’s as they represented purity, which you can see through out the gorgeous chandeliers in her apartment. She also loved them because when wearing the flower, the lack of scent would not disrupt the scent of her most famous perfume, NO. 5. Camellia’s pop-up in every Chanel collection
Lastly and my most favorite fact, when entertaining in her dining space she would block the doors with her stunning, hand carved panels as she did not like to see the door – it would remind her of guests having to eventually leave

It was unbelievable to learn about the history of the apartment while literally standing in the space and seeing the decor she received as gifts from the likes of Dali first-hand is something I’ll never forget. Most importantly, learning about the small details truly helped to make the connection between Chanel’s collections and Mademoiselle Chanel herself.

Kate Spade New York for Williams Sonoma Dinner Party

grey and pink polka dot kate spade dinnerware from williams sonoma | TrentBaileyStudio

A garden inspired white and green dinner party design with Williams Sonoma x Kate Spade dinnerware

Kate Spade New York is known for being chic, yet playful, and this white-dotted dinnerware collection with Williams Sonoma is no exception. Paired with exclusively white candles and white napkins, and accented with white anemones, pink garden roses, and fresh eucalyptus, this tablescape exudes a fresh, relaxed elegance.

polka dot wine glass by Kate Spade New york

display of Kate Spade dinnerware at Williams Sonoma dinner party | TrentBaileyStudio

cute cocktails on bar with black signage

black and white kate spade dinnerware and glassware with polka dots

white candles and greenery on table with Kate Spade dinnerware collection | @TrentBaileyStudio

table garland and centerpieces by @TrentBaileyStudio

{Photography by Trent Bailey Studio}

custom place settings with polka dot plates from Kate Spade x Williams Sonoma

blush and white tablescape for kate spade dinnerware collection

{Last three images by KC You There}

Williams Sonoma x Kate Spade Dinnerware

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of being apart of the launch of the new Kate Spade New York ‘Sadie’ collection for Williams Sonoma with Style Me Pretty and I’m finally sharing the beautiful images from this dinner party. Frankly, I’m obsessed with the new collection. Not only does it feature Kate Spade New York’s signature polka-dot design, but you can actually intermix the four colors – I have my eyes on the grey and blush sets! During the night I had the opportunity to chat with Abby Larson, founder of Style Me Pretty and she had so many great tips and tricks for entertaining. Thankfully, she shared her expertise with Williams Sonoma for everyone to see. One of my favorite tips she shares is to determine the overall vibe of your event – and I couldn’t agree more. If your vibe is playful and chic, the new Kate Spade dinnerware collection is sure to set the tone.