Now that you’ve seen our stunning venue, I thought I’d spend a minute introducing our theme and colors (a la Miss Lemon Drop). Mr. CC and I decided (a long time ago) that our wedding vibe is going to be simple, yet elegant. Keeping with this, Mr. CC requested that our colors be black and white. I thought it was a bit odd that he was so set on this color scheme (I mean, anyone else have a groom that was actually interested in picking colors and themes?!? Seriously.), but it’s a good thing he was pretty set on it because it would have taken me for.ev.er. to decide on what colors we should use.

One of my favorite simple yet elegant elements in our wedding is the bridesmaid dress. Honestly, I had been eyeing up these black, floor-length dresses from Ann Taylor Celebrations for almost a year before Mr. CC even popped the question. And then! We got engaged and they went on sale! And I thought, it’s a sign! Always one to enjoy a bargain, I quickly called my ladies and had them order the dresses. For only $70 each, I decided we couldn’t possibly go wrong (I love a good sale!).

Mama CC was a bit skeptical about having the bridesmaids wear black at first (“It will look like they’re going to a funeral” she commented), but I think she’s convinced now. Black is a flattering choice for my ladies who have varying skin tones and body shapes. I also love the a-line skirt and most of the ladies have commented that this style really flatters them, and that they could even wear it again.

I also wanted elements of my dress to be echoed in the bridesmaid’s garb… although, at the time these were ordered, I hadn’t purchased, or even looked at wedding dresses. I did know that I wanted a strapless dress with simple lines and few details. Mama CC and I attended a weekend sample sale last fall, and I only tried on 5 dresses before finding “the one” – a champagne/ivory-colored silk Judd Waddell ballgown with fantastic crystal buttons. Very simple, very elegant. And to make things even better, it was only a small fraction of the original $2000 price (again, making this girl a very happy ‘tini. I love a good sale!).

Our color palate was then modified to black and ivory/champagne so that my bridal ensemble would go with the color scheme. We’re going to accent with deep red florals – roses and calla lilies – for a little pop of color. We picked red because it’s a very classic, rich color, and if we’re lucky, it will be mimicked by the changing color of the trees in October!

(photo credits for the moodboard: left to right, top row - Weddingbee, JaneBK on Flickr, Real Weddings on The Knot, (eek! I forgot to write this one down! Sorry!), middle row - Ann Taylor Celebrations, Real Weddings on The Knot, Wedding Paper Divas, bottom row - Judd Waddell, Weddingbee, GrlSixx on Flickr )