We’re so excited about the new issue of Real Weddings coming out this week, and with it, we crown new cover models!

If you’ve followed our blog at all, you know that picking covers for our magazines has to be one of the toughest jobs we have….each issue of Real Weddings, we host a cover model contest where beautiful brides vie to be featured on the cover of Real Weddings Magazine.

This past fall, four gorgeous brides—Lexi, Katie, Kendall and Sarah—worked their butts off for us for our two cover model contest photo shoots! Mother Nature threw us some curve balls, too, like 100+ degree temps for the shoot at the Ranch at Lone Oak Longhorns to just a few weeks later dealing with near freezing temps for the shoot at The HideOut (we actually had to cut the shoot short because of S.N.O.W. on the way!). But you’d never know because these amazing women channeled their inner supermodel and powered through, and we love you for it!

And of course, the photos were absolutely spectacular, and made our jobs so much harder (in a good way!) to try to pick just three covers: one for Winter print, one for Spring print and one for the digital edition of Winter/Spring. Seriously. Wait until you see the mock ups of all of the covers we had to choose from and you’ll get it!

But the time has come to reveal our cover model winners! Can we get a drum roll please?

First up…the Winter print cover: Congratulations to real bride, Kendall, for being chosen as our cover model winner for our Winter 2020 cover.

Real Weddings Magazine-Real Bride Models-Sacramento Wedding Vendors

On the Winter 2020 Cover (above):  On Kendall from our “Mountain Retreat” cover model contest feature: Gown from a&bé bridal shop; Hat from Macy’s; Earrings by Delicora; Necklace by Sorrelli Jewelry; Bouquet by Flourish; Hair by Halo Salon & Day Spa; Makeup by Happily Beautiful Makeup Artistry & Skin Studio // Photography by Jennifer Clapp Fine Art Photography on location at The HideOut.

On the Spring print cover:  Congratulations to real brides, Lexi & Katie, for being chosen as our cover model winners for our Spring 2020 cover.

Real Weddings Magazine-Real Bride Models-Sacramento Wedding Vendors

On the Spring 2020 Cover (above):  From our “Home on the Range” cover model contest feature: On Lexi (left): Gown from Always Elegant Bridal & Tuxedo; Earrings from Macy’s; Bouquet by Bella Bloom; Hair by Lisa Harter Hair and Makeup Artist; Makeup by Happily Beautiful Makeup Artistry & Skin Studio; On Katie (right): Gown from The Bridal Box; Earrings from Macy’s; Bouquet by Hillside Blooms Floristry with Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com; Hair and Makeup by All Dolled Up Hair and Makeup Artistry // Photography by Sarah Maren Photography on location at The Ranch at Lone Oak Longhorns.

On the Winter/Spring 2020 digital edition cover: Congratulations to real bride, Sarah, for being chosen as our cover model winner for our Winter/Spring digital edition cover.

Real Weddings Magazine-Real Bride Models-Sacramento Wedding Vendors

On the Winter/Spring 2020 digital edition Cover (above):  On Sarah from our “Mountain Retreat” cover model contest feature: Gown from Diamond Bridal Gallery; Jewelry by Carolee; Bouquet by The Bloom Lab with Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com; Hair and Makeup by All Dolled Up Hair and Makeup Artistry; Set design by Danielle Roe Events; Set flowers by The Bloom Lab with Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com // Photography by Jennifer Clapp Fine Art Photography on location at The HideOut.

 We’ll share more photos from these shoots soon, we promise! But for now, we had to share our new covers with you!
THE DETAILS—THE WINTER COVER SHOOT: “MOUNTAIN RETREAT”
Venue // The HideOut | hideoutkirkwood.com
Photographer // Jennifer Clapp Fine Art Photography | jenniferclappphotography.com
Videographer // JB Wedding Photography | jbweddingphoto.com
Hair and Makeup for Sarah // All Dolled Up Hair and Makeup Artistry | alldolleduphairandmakeup.com
Hair and Makeup for Kendall // Halo Salon & Day Spa | halosalondayspa.com
Happily Beautiful Makeup Artistry & Skin Studio | happilybeautifulmakeup.com
Gowns // a&bé bridal shop | aandbebridalshop.com/sacramento/bridal-shop
Always Elegant Bridal & Tuxedo | alwayselegantbridal.net   //  The Bridal Box | thebridalbox.net
The Clothes Mine | theclothesmine.com // De La Rosa’s Bridal & Tuxedos | delarosasbridal.com
Diamond Bridal Gallery | diamondbridalgallery.com
Second Summer Bride | secondsummerbridesacramento.com
Shoes // DSW | dsw.com  Accessories // Brides & Hairpins | bridesandhairpins.com // Carolee | carolee.com
Delicora | delicora.com //  Hair Comes the Bride | haircomesthebride.com
Macy’s | Moka Davis, My Stylist@Macy’s Roseville Galleria | macys.com/mystylist
Sorrelli Jewelry | sorrelli.com // Stella & Dot | stelladot.com // Style Avenue Studios | styleavenuestudios.com
Flowers // Accents by Sage Floral Design | accentsbysage.com // Amour Florist & Bridal | amourmoments.com
Bloem Decor | bloemdecor.com // The Bloom Lab | thebloomlab.com // Curious Floral | curiousfloral.com
Flourish | flourishdesigns.com // Garden of Weedon Designs | gardenofweedon.com
Hillside Blooms Floristry | hillsidebloomsfloristry.com // Morningside Florist | morningsideflorist.com
The Party Concierge | partyconcierge.com  // Placerville Flowers on Main | placervilleflowersonmain.com
Relles Florist | rellesflorist.com // Strelitzia Flower Company | weddingsbystrelitzia.com
Visual Impact Design | visualimpact-design.com // Wild Flowers Design Group | wildflowersdesigngroup.com
Wholesale Flowers // Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com | fiftyflowers.com
Styled Décor Vignettes
Design // Danielle Roe Events | danielleroeevents.com
Décor Flowers // The Bloom Lab | thebloomlab.com
with Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com | fiftyflowers.com
Signage // Swoonable | swoonable.net   Set Rentals // Blossom Farm Vintage Rentals | blossomfarmrentals.com
Set Cakes // Go West Baking and Events | gowestbakingandevents.com
Special thanks to our real bride models, Sarah and Kendall, and all of the professionals who contributed to this feature!

THE DETAILS—THE SPRING COVER SHOOT: “HOME ON THE RANGE”

Venue // The Ranch at Lone Oak Longhorns | loneoaklonghorns.com
Photographer // Sarah Maren Photography | sarahmaren.com
Videographer // JB Wedding Photography | jbweddingphoto.com
Hair and Makeup for Katie // All Dolled Up Hair and Makeup Artistry | alldolleduphairandmakeup.com
Hair and Makeup for Lexi // Lisa Harter Hair and Makeup Artist | lisamharter.com
Happily Beautiful Makeup Artistry & Skin Studio | happilybeautifulmakeup.com
Gowns // a&bé bridal shop | aandbebridalshop.com/sacramento/bridal-shop
Always Elegant Bridal & Tuxedo | alwayselegantbridal.net  //  The Bridal Box | thebridalbox.net
The Clothes Mine | theclothesmine.com // De La Rosa’s Bridal & Tuxedos | delarosasbridal.com
Diamond Bridal Gallery | diamondbridalgallery.com
Second Summer Bride | secondsummerbridesacramento.com
Shoes // DSW | dsw.com   Accessories // Brides & Hairpins | bridesandhairpins.com
Delicora | delicora.com  // Hair Comes the Bride | haircomesthebride.com
Macy’s | Moka Davis, My Stylist@Macy’s Roseville Galleria | macys.com/mystylist
Sorrelli Jewelry | sorrelli.com // Style Avenue Studios | styleavenuestudios.com
Flowers // Accents by Sage Floral Design | accentsbysage.com // Amour Florist & Bridal | amourmoments.com
Bella Bloom | bellabloomflowers.com  //  The Bloom Lab | thebloomlab.com // Curious Floral | curiousfloral.com
Flourish | flourishdesigns.com // Hillside Blooms Floristry | hillsidebloomsfloristry.com</
Morningside Florist | morningsideflorist.com // The Party Concierge | partyconcierge.com
Placerville Flowers on Main | placervilleflowersonmain.com
Strelitzia Flower Company | weddingsbystrelitzia.com
Visual Impact Design | visualimpact-design.com // Wild Flowers Design Group | wildflowersdesigngroup.com
Wholesale Flowers // Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com | fiftyflowers.com
Styled Décor Vignettes
Design and Rentals // Simple Country Weddings | simplecountryweddings.comBlossom Farm Vintage Rentals | blossomfarmrentals.com
Getting Hitched Design + Rentals | gethitchedweddingrentals.com
Sacramento Event Co. | sacramentoeventco.com
Décor Flowers // Hillside Blooms Floristry | hillsidebloomsfloristry.com
with Wholesale Flowers from FiftyFlowers.com | fiftyflowers.com
Signage // Swoonable | swoonable.net   Set Tents // New Willow Farm Retreats | newwillowfarmretreats.com
Set Cakes // Savannahs Savory Sweets | savannahssavorysweets.com
Set Wine // Rancho Victoria Vineyard | ranchovictoriavineyard.com
Special thanks to our real bride models, Katie and lexi, and all of the professionals who contributed to this feature!

And, tune back in to our blog to see more from our cover model finalist series posting soon!

Blog post by Real Weddings Magazine’s Editor/Publisher Wendy Sipple.

Photos by Jennifer Clapp Fine Art Photography and Sarah Maren Photography / copyright Real Weddings Magazine.