Introducing Molly Carr Fine Art Photography

Well hello there! For those of you who have continued following along during my prolonged absence here in this little space on the internet - thank you! If you follow me on Instagram you may already know, but for those of you who don't I'm excited to share that I have officially started my own photography business - Molly Carr Fine Art Photography. This has been a longtime dream of mine and I couldn't be more excited, hopeful, and terrified. My hope is to continue Dreams in HD in more of an inspirational capacity, but in the meantime, I will continue to be blogging about all things travel, photography, and weddings at www.mollycarrphotography.com. Thank you for your support!

Hello!

Well hello there! It's been far too long and I've got some big news - I'm officially Mrs. Molly Carr. After over nine years of dating, Ryan and I were married on a golden afternoon in California at HammerSky Vineyards. The day absolutely overflowed with love and joy, and will forever remain in my heart as the happiest day of my life.

In the midst of working full-time and planning a destination wedding (which I could not recommend more), I seem to have neglected this little space of the internet. To be honest, whenever I would think about it I would feel a pang of guilt because blogging has always been one of the ways that I find time for myself. It has always given me such fulfillment and been such a wonderful source of creative inspiration. I have found that blogging is one of the few things in life that seems like whatever I put in I get back ten-fold. So, now that the wedding is over I am going to turn my focus back to myself and in turn to this blog. Thank you for your love and support over these years, it truly means the world to me and I look forward to reconnecting with each and every one of you!

Our Wedding :: Floral Inspiration

One of the elements that I'm most excited about for our wedding is the flowers. Our florist, Adornments Flowers & Finery, is amazing so I'm really going to just let her take my ideas and run with them. Here are some flowers that are currently inspiring me.

Wedding Invitation Inspiration

This past week has been an absolute whirlwind. On top of a busy schedule at work, I've had several appointments, a baby shower, a wedding shower, and went home to Dayton for the weekend. I haven't had much time to blog, but as we're in the initial phases of designing our wedding invitations I wanted to share some of my inspiration. I love the look of handmade paper, watercolor washes, a pale color palette, and loose, modern calligraphy. What are your favorite kind of wedding invitations?

Wedding Dress Shopping

The only aspect of wedding planning I was truly nervous about was dress shopping. I am very particular and indecisive, so I just knew that finding "the dress" wouldn't be as easy as it was for most. Plus, I don't enjoy being the center of attention so getting on a pedestal and twirling around while everyone ooooh'ed and aaaaah'ed over me was really just not something that appealed to me. While I expected the experience to be challenging - I had no idea that it would take me ten stores, about 100 dresses, and four states before I found my perfect dress. However my persistence paid off - the moment I stepped into my dress I had "the feeling" that everyone talked about (and quite honestly I never thought I would feel) - that dizzying, butterflies in my stomach, overwhelmed with emotion feeling which instantly told me at long last I had found my dress.

Our Honeymoon Plans Part III: Santorini

Last but not least, for the final stop of our honeymoon we will be spending five days on the magical island of Santorini {a destination that has been on the top of my bucket list for many, many years}. After researching the options I decided that Oia, with it's chic ambiance and postcard views, would be the perfect town for us, and thanks to my travel buddy Sara's recommendation we will be staying at the Katikies Hotel.

Our Honeymoon Plans Part II: Lake Como

Though we have spent several weeks in Italy, we have never been able to make it far enough north to visit Lake Como. The pristine lake has long been a favorite European holiday destination and has been featured in films such as Casino Royal, advertising campaigns, novels, and regularly by the media {thanks in part to George Clooney owning a famous villa there}. Over the years I have daydreamed about visiting {as evidenced by this blog post}, and in the back of my mind I kept telling myself to wait, and maybe, just maybe, we could go for our honeymoon. I'm absolutely thrilled to say we will be doing just that, and will be spending three days on Italy's most beautiful lake.

Our Honeymoon Plans Part I: Tuscany

While none of the wedding planning decisions have been easy for me {I have a very specific vision yet am also quite indecisive - a challenging combination}, choosing our honeymoon destination has been virtually a nine-month long debate. We bounced around staying in over-the-water bungalows in Bora Bora, going on a safari, relaxing in Hawaii, exploring Portugal, and even adventuring in Patagonia {which, I quickly found out, does not exactly have honeymoon weather in September}. However, from the get-go we just haven't been able to get Europe out of our minds, and the two destinations that we kept coming back to were Santorini and Lake Como {both on the very top of my bucket list}.

Our Wedding :: The Bridesmaids

One thing I knew way before we got engaged was that when the time came, I wanted to allow my bridesmaids to pick their own dresses. I have been a bridesmaid many times and I understand that there are a lot of expenses that go along with being one. Two weddings I had previously been in had mix-and-match bridesmaid dresses, and I absolutely loved how it turned out both times. Not only were we able to pick dresses that were in our budget, but we also could pick dresses that reflected our style and fit our body type. Come the day of the wedding, it was obvious that everyone felt so much more excited and confident, which in turn created a positive energy that lasted for the entire day and evening.

Our Wedding :: The Destination

Last week I blogged about our choice to have a destination wedding and our venue, HammerSky Vineyards. We took a less traditional approach in the fact that when we booked the venue 1) we had never seen it before and 2) we had never even been to the Central California wine country region before! However, knowing how much we loved the Napa area and the fact that my parents had vacationed in Paso Robles before and had the best time, we decided to just go for it.

Our Wedding: The Venue

After returning from Thailand and relishing in being engaged, we took time to really think about what we wanted our wedding to mean to us. We bounced around nearly every idea from having a 300+ person wedding in our hometown to getting eloped in our backyard {ok, that was my idea and it only lasted about thirty seconds}, but we ended up deciding that an intimate destination wedding was exactly what we wanted. After attending over forty weddings together we definitely knew we wanted our wedding to be a reflection of us as a couple and to be an opportunity for us to spend time with our closest friends and family. But the problem with having a destination wedding is the options are virtually endless.

Wedding Inspiration: Midsummer Night's Dream

Moonlit gardens, dark moody florals, whimsical details, dancing under the stars, ethereal tulle, a cake dripping with moss  -  A Midsummer Night's Dream is the perfect inspiration for a summer wedding.

Wedding Inspiration :: Sofia Coppola's Marine Antoinette

We're officially in full-swing with wedding planning, and just like when it comes to decorating our house, I seem to find inspiration everywhere and anywhere. One source of inspiration that keeps coming into my mind is Sofia Coppola's beautiful "Marie Antoinette." With its pastel hues, decadent dessert tables, gorgeous light (a standard in all of Coppola's films), and magical scenes shot in the gardens of Versailles, I could easily see the film translating into a wedding!

Inspiration :: An "Up" Themed Anniversary Shoot

Brace yourselves...because if you're anything like me you will need a box of tissues after reading this post {only happy tears, don't you fret!}  Even though Nina and Gramps were first featured on Style Me Pretty six months ago, their "Up" themed anniversary shoot is just too sweet not to share again.  Looking through the heartwarming photos brings tears to my eyes, both because the love that Nina and Gramps share is so palpable you can almost touch it, but also because seeing the couple together makes me miss my own Grandfather.  He and my Grandmother lived their own real-life fairy tale, and I will always aspire to have a love as deep and boundless as they had for one another.

Event designer {and granddaughter of the adorable couple} Lauren Wells explains…Meet Nina & Gramps: they have been married 61 years, have never taken their rings off, remain the best of friends, and have just one picture from their wedding day – their photographer stood them up!

On a personal level, us grandkids (they are my husband’s grandparents) thought an anniversary shoot would be the perfect holiday present for them, and that they would cherish photos of the two of them. On a professional level, I thought it would make for a perfect styled shoot, so I used the movie UP as inspiration. (Gramps is always wearing a bow tie, anyways!)

Caroline from Wildfolk managed to bring the balloon colors to life in her flowers, and Nina cried when she got handed her beautiful bouquet. Working with Cambria is always a dream, and these photos are pure magic – us grandkids cannot wait to see Nina & Gramps’ faces when they open these photos on Christmas morning!

Spring Wedding Style :: For Her & Him

FOR HER: Maggy London Lace Sheath Dress // Brian Atwood Star Clutch // Horseshoe Ring // Maria Francesca Cross Midi Ring //  Faith Ring // YSL Sheer Candy Lipcolor 'Juicy Grapefruit' // Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Cologne // The Newlywed Cookbook // BaubleBar Jade Diamond Drops //   ZARA Jacquard Coat with Pockets // Carolinna Espinosa Allentown Sandal 

FOR HIM: Bonobos 'The Foundation Slim' Cotton Linen Khaki Jacket // Brooks Brothers Seersucker Stripe Tie // Jack Spade Dipped Cufflinks // Mougin & Picquard for JCrew Watch // Ray-Ban Clubmaster Sunglasses // JCrew Socks // Brooks Brothers Pocket Square // Thomas Pink Slim Fit Dress Shirt // Trask 'Hudson' Spectator Shoe // Bonobos 'The Foundation Slim' Chambray Pants

I don't know about you, but our calendar is already packed full of weddings this year.  I find that spring weddings are my absolute favorite season in terms of fashion. I love the pastel color-palettes and the fact that the mild weather allows you a bit more styling freedom {it's hard to look put together when it's nearly 100 degrees outside}. So, when Bonobos contacted me and asked if I would be interested in styling one of their new suits for a spring wedding I jumped at the chance! {For those of you who don't know, Bonobos makes well-crafted menswear that focuses on a perfect fit. Their Straight Leg Washed Chinos are Ryan's absolutely favorite pair of pants in the world.}  

For the ladies I pulled together a look around a beautiful pearl gray sheath dress. The lace-overlay allows the colorful lining to delicately show through...pastel pink on top and lavender on bottom.  And for $158, it is a versatile piece that won't break the bank. Pair it with a retro topper coat, statement earrings, a quirky clutch, and a great gift for the newlyweds and you're good to go! For the gentlemen I designed the look around Bonobos' new suiting collection. I love the look of mix-and-match pieces, so I paired the classic cotton khaki jacket with a trendier chambray pant. Add a pop of color with orange accessories, a seriously awesome watch, some Ray-Bans, and voila! Happy wedding season!  More wedding looks...

For Her:

For Him:

Fine Print: This post was in no way pair for or sponsored by Bonobos, I simply love the brand and chose to collaborate due to the fact that I thought it was a natural fit with my Dreams in HD!

My Best Friend's Wedding

Last weekend my best friend in the world was married to her long-time boyfriend in North Carolina.  Everything from the lush flower arrangements to the signature cocktail {Jalapeno Margaritas, YUM!} to the long, flowing bridesmaid dresses to the gorgeous bride, nearly overflowing with happiness and love, was perfect.  A few photos I snapped with my iPhone over the weekend are below {see more from her Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party}.  Cheers to love and friendship!

PS - Follow Dreams in HD on Bloglovin' here!

Dreaming About Weddings

Lately we have been talking a lot about weddings.  As I mentioned earlier, I am going to nine this year, so needless to say weddings are on my mind quite frequently.  I wrote about wedding gift ideas and my go-to wedding ensemble, but today I am simply going fantasize a bit about my dream wedding.

While I am most certainly not in any rush to get to the alter {honestly, after doing long-distance with Ryan for 5 years, I am just content being able to finally live together} it is still fun to daydream about the perfect wedding.  I picture my wedding to be a mix of rustic, vintage, elegance with lots of quirky, girly details.  I feel most myself when I am outside, connected with nature, so quite simply the only place I picture myself getting married is in the great outdoors.  I will admit this is a bit risky, as the Midwest is known for unpredictable weather, so I would definitely have to choose a location that has an indoor option -- preferably either a whitewashed barn or space to set-up a century tent.

Food is very important to Ryan and I, so guests will dine on family-style farm-to-table cuisine.  I know an open-bar is the norm these days, but I imagine us having a few fine wines, craft beers, and two or three signature cocktails {lavender lemonade anyone?}  Instead of one large wedding cake I will have a dessert table filled with small cakes, pies, and other sweet treats.  After dessert we will dance the night away under the glow of tiny white lights as far as the eye can see.

Sigh, that sounds about perfect to me!

Locations: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} // Decor: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} // Desserts: {1} {2} {3} // Dancing: {1} {2}

Wedding Gifts

Decor Bon Bon Pink Cake Stand // Chalkboard Sign Tin Planters // KitchenAid Stand Mixer // 

Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail Glass Set // Chantal Copper Classic Tea Kettle // Jonathan Adler Ganja Canister //

The Newlywed Cookbook // Jadeite Mixing Bowl // Kate Spade Larabee Dot Fête - Mini Champagne Saucer Set 

I don't know about you, but my next few months are absolutely packed with weddings {I am going to nine this year}.  Many of these weddings also include showers and bachelorette parties, so needless to say I will be purchasing a lot of gifts for my friends and family.  While it is always a safe bet to simply order something from the couple's wedding registry, sometimes it is fun to pick out a gift that is a bit more original which really fits the bride and groom's personal style.  A few of my favorite gift picks are above {I have purchased both the cookbook and the Kate Spade Champagne Couples for my BFF and she absolutely loved them}.  I hope this inspires you to pick out something fun and unique for a special couple in your life!

Tim Burton Inspired Wedding

Happy Wednesday Lovelies!  I recently watched one of my favorite Tim Burton films "Big Fish," and it reminded me of an absolutely fantastical wedding featured a few years back on Style Me Pretty.  The bride used the Burton film as her inspiration, and literally had me ooohing and ahhhing over every single detail, each more creative than the last.  The nostalgic colors and decor {complete with scratch ticket escort cards} evoke the feeling of childhood wonder at a community carnival.  From the vintage suitcases to the ridiculously cool cake topper, the beautiful florals to the perfect paper goods, the antique gramophones to the lush woods of the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous "big top" themed tent to the surprise fireworks...this wedding is my idea of whimsical perfection!

All images via Style Me Pretty