BAKED Contest Winner!

We had so many excellent and luxurious indulgences submitted for the BAKED contest, it was hard to choose. But there has to be a winner and we have chosen Marsha! Marsha's comment spoke to us because it seems like the ultimate in comfort and indulgence. "Persimmon pudding during Thanksgiving at home with the McRae family for the holidays!" That indulgence is good for the taste buds AND the soul.

Marsha will be receiving a copy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, a fabulously delicious cookbook from the founders of the famed BAKED bakery in Brooklyn, NY - now also in Charleston, SC! We want you to enjoy these sweet recipes with your family Marsha, so give us a shout and let us know how to reach you!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter our contest! We enjoyed getting a glimpse into our reader's favorite indulgences!

Image courtesy of the Martha Stewart website

Blog Love ~ Don't Box Us In

We love this site from the staff of Trash The Dress! Don't Box Us In invites everyone to "experience the other side of wedding photography" - a concept Weddings Unveiled would like to encourage as much as possible. It's no secret that every bride and groom has a list of must-do photos for their wedding day, but when the photographer is given the freedom to be creative with the rest, the true story of their day unfolds. With question and answer sessions from both the photographers and their clients, this site is a great place for some insight into the difference between good wedding day photography and spectacular wedding day photography. Don't miss the interviews with our friends, Our Labor of Love Photography in Georgia and Agnes Lopez in Jacksonville, Florida.

WU is Blogged!

We have been blogged by the Bridal Inquirer! The lovely team over at The Bridal Inquirer has nominated our website as one that shows great attitude and gratitude all while being inspiring! And we just want to return the favor and say thank you! We love being nominated and so appreciate being included in the list of inspiring blogs out there!

How Do We Thank Thee....

It's Thursday! That means it's time for us to thank all those who have loved up Weddings Unveiled. Please check out these fine and lovely blogs. Thank You!!

Real Wedding ~ Tessie and Matt

Tessie and Matt's lovely winter wedding, photographed by our talented friends, Bill and Anne Holland of Holland Photo Arts, was held at the picturesque Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, VA. Tessie and matt work as artist-blacksmiths in their own blacksmithing shop and actually designed their own wedding invitations featuring a scroll design that Matt sketched. Their palette was a study in browns, soft greens and creamy neutrals. Deep chocolate tones and glowing candlelight were mixed with iron lanterns, rustic vines and soft, massed florals for a warm, welcoming feel. Enjoy!

Photography: Holland Photo Arts.

Real Wedding ~ Leslie and Fernando

We love this family farm wedding in Burnsville, NC sent to us by the incredibly talented photographer Laura Negri Childers, whose own beautiful wedding was published in the Spring, 2008 issue of Weddings Unveiled. Leslie is a Charlotte, NC bride who met her Brazilian husband Fernando in New York where they live. The charming combination of their farm setting with bright juicy colors and lush florals is both rustic and luxe, resulting in an endless array of thoughtful, creative details. Don't miss the amazing cake stand!

To view Leslie & Fernando’s wedding day click here:www.lauranegriphotography.com/slideshows/edwards.oliveira

Photography: Laura Negri. Wedding Coordinator: Confetti, Betsy Blue & Janie Sellers. Ceremony Location: Big Drift Ridge Farm in Burnsville, NC. Florist: In Bloom Ltd. Cake: Cakes by Jane. Caterer: Side Porch.

Good Reads ~ Southern Weddings: New Looks from the Old South

If you aren’t already familiar with Tara Guérard, she is the founder of Soirée in Charleston, SC and considered one of the country's most talented event designers. Her work has appeared in numerous national publications, including Food & Wine, Town & Country and of course Weddings Unveiled, among many others.

Tara has lived in the south her entire life and her book, Southern Weddings: New Looks From The Old South, is filled with a wealth of inspiration. It showcases twelve of Tara’s most spectacular weddings, from a seaside soiree to country club chic and everything in between. She shares the tools and tricks of the trade for each celebration, taking readers through the event planning process and giving practical advice on how brides can create their own remarkable event. “Every time I design a new wedding," Tara says, "I first ask myself how can I make it doable, practical, personal, affordable and fabulous?”

Southern Weddings: New Looks from the Old South. $29.95 at Barnes & Noble.

Photographs by Liz Banfield.

Big News! ~ Stay Tuned

All we can say for now is...

BAKED contest! ~ Again...

We've discovered a little problem with our BAKED contest. It seems that no one has been able to post images within a comment to enter the contest. Since we'd really love to give away this yummy yummy book, let's try this again!

It's contest time and the lucky winner will score a sweet prize! We posted last week about Baked in Charleston, SC, the second location of the famous Brooklyn, NY bakery. In addition to the two bakeries, Founders Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito recently published their first cookbook, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, in October of 2008. They have been kind enough to send us a copy and we'd like to share this treasure with all our readers! The cookbook boasts some of Baked's most beloved recipes like Sweet and Salty Cake, Peanut Butter Crispy Bar, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf and Cheddar Chipotle Biscuits. Sounds delicious, right?

To enter the contest, post a comment about your favorite "sweet indulgence." Feel free to interpret anyway you'd like. A sweet indulgence could be your favorite flavor of ice cream to a luxurious, "indulgent" getaway with your honey. We'll announce a winner next Friday, January 30th and send that lucky person a copy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.

If you're in downtown Charleston, be sure to stop by Baked's new location at 160 East Bay Street. Baked Charleston hours are weekdays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., and weekends from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.bakedcharleston.com/ or call 843.577.2180.

How Do We Thank Thee....

It's so great for us to be able to express blog love every week to all those who support and love Completely Unveiled. Check out this week's lovely blogs, to which we say a resounding THANK YOU!

WU Hearts Betsy White

We love the chic style of Betsy White, an online stationery boutique that is putting out some killer designs. Founder Gia Graham is in love with design and it shows in these unique and stylish options for invitations and save-the-dates. Offering an array of stationery with printing options ranging from Thermography to more pocket-friendly Digital Printing, Betsy White manages to make all of them irresistible! Wondering where the name Betsy White came from? It has its roots in old Barbadian dialect. The word betsywhite refers to the song of a local blackbird which sounds an awful lot like "Besty White". Gia heard this sound everyday growing up in the island nation of Barbados and it made her happy. As does her design. And as far as we can tell, the origin of the name is just one of the cool things about this chic boutique. Find out more at the Betsy White website.

Images courtesy of Betsy White

Real Wedding ~ Jesse and Thom

We seriously can't get enough of the details, the images, the color, the dresses...
Ok, we love everything about Jesse and Thom's fantastic Mexico wedding, photographed by our amazing friends, Our Labor of Love photography in Atlanta, GA.

Jesse and Thom live in New York city and decided to get married in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, a few hours' drive north of Mexico City. Though they planned their colorful destination wedding from afar, they thought of every vibrant detail. Brilliant reds and oranges are present in everything from the boutonniers and bouquet (featuring red peppers!), to the place cards and paper lantern globes hanging for the reception. While Jesse's "dance-with-me" red heels are super-sexy, don't miss Thom's Converse All Stars. He and all his groomsmen sported these custom-made kicks with their names on the back.

Jesse wore two dresses, a practice that Weddings Unveiled loves to encourage. Her ceremony gown was a flowing, romantic halter and her reception dress was short and flirty -- perfect for dancing. A mariachi band serenaded everyone during cocktail hour while their tequila bar featured 4 different types of tequila and little ceramic shot glasses that (conveniently) tie around the neck so that you can't misplace your shot glass, even if you had (ahem) one tequila shot too many.

Their gorgeous images are packed with details galore and so much inspiration. For more pictures from their day-after session, visit Our Labor of Love's blog at http://www.ourblogoflove.com/. Enjoy!

Real Wedding ~ Cissie and Corey

We love this softly beautiful winter wedding of Cissie Graham, granddaughter of beloved minister, Billy Graham, sent to us by Adam Barnes. We're taken with Cissie's statuesque, dark-haired beauty and simple, classic style. The gathered, rambling texture of her florals compliment the wedding's romance, while glowing candlelight casts a dreamy warmth among the rich, dark wood and natural stone of their Asheville, NC surroundings.

Photography: Adam Barnes and Amanda Caldwell for Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography, Inc. Reception: Biltmore Country Club.