I had quickly fallen head over heels for this dramatic Lanvin necklace I found at Barneys a bit ago. While I didn’t have the nearly $3,000 to spare for the piece, my heart still fluttered each time I saw it. {I adore simple, updated-classic clothing paired with bold accessories and thought this necklace was simply dreamy!}
Then, last evening – inspired by the summer heat that so quickly hit Chicago, I went looking for a few bargains at Forever 21.
While I was initially hunting for cutie dresses to wear on the 4th of July – my absolute favorite holiday! – I did, however, come home with a heaping sack of fantastic designer-inspired statement necklaces. Here were a few of my favorites – each ranging from $7-$16!:
These necklaces are perfect for a chic dinner in the city or dressing up your rehearsal dinner ensemb, or even paired with a simple cotton maxi dress to turn heads while shopping at the farmers market!
While my heart is still in a tizzy for the beautiful Lanvin piece, my craving for drama is temporarily satisfied with my pouch full of purchases from Forever 21…
{photo credits: lanvin necklace from barneys.com; apricot, white and blue necklaces from forever21.com}
We were thrilled to be invited to participate in a wonderful event a few weeks ago. Blue Plate Catering {one of my favorite special event caterers here in Chicago!} invited a collection of the most influential wedding and event consultants to an evening of culinary inspirations, stunning decor {all provided by Botanicals!}, lively entertainment {compliments of the amazing Ken Arlen Orchestra!} in the wonderful setting of the Ivy Room.
My partner in crime, Jesse Deckard, took care of pulling nearly all of the details together while I was crazy busy fine-tuning Caroline’s wedding details {only two days later!}. Because we designed the event, Blue Plate graciously invited us to enjoy the evening along with all of our favorite planner friends. The night was incredible, one to remember!
The weather was spectacular, allowing us to cocktail in the charming courtyard. Simple crisp white pintuck linens dressed the tables. High boys were cinched with fresh moss cuffs, and each of the tabletops were accented with a white lacquered urn hosting a solid sphere of mosses. {See image below}
When guests were invited to dinner, we unveiled a room dressed in peacock hues. We framed each of the windows overlooking the courtyard with blue and teal toned taffeta curtains, each accented with a crystal chandelier. The 9 dinner tables were each highlighted by an oversized sphere of solid peacock feathers, hung with precision just feet above the center of each table. {see image below}
Centerpieces were kept low, balancing out the drama occurring overhead. Generously sized white lacquered boxes hosted copious amounts of fresh green viburnum and plum hued sweetpea. Our custom tables were used in place of rented dinner tables. The white square tables were inlaid with a true platinum leaf finish, reflecting the abundance of candlelight. {See image below}
Chic lucite ghost chairs allowed the decor to be on show. {See image below}
A contemporary and comfy lounge setting was positioned in front of each window. Our pintuck covered couches were adorned with teal and blue throw pillows, hedges of purple iris enhanced the cocktail tables along with inset peacock feathers and a cozy circular rug lent a rest from all of the geometric lines of the room. Custom end tables provided yet an additional spot to place one’s {17th!} cocktail. {see images below}
Our white tufted semi-circular bar became a focal with a larger peacock feather orb suspended overhead. Peacock feather projections added a textured movement around the room. {See image below}
This was certainly one of the most fun industry nights to date! Special thanks to Matt from Sound Investments for providing the stunning lighting for the event, to Donna at the Ivy Room for her gracious hospitality, The Blue Plate Gang for pulling everything together, Ken Arlen and his wonderful full orchestra, Elizabeth Grace for her perfect printables and to all of the consultants that made the evening such a blast!
Some may recognize this board…I created it earlier this winter for my oldest and dearest friend, Caroline.
After over a year of long distance planning from San Francisco, Caroline and Gene became husband and wife this past weekend.
While the newlyweds are off on their honeymoon get-away…I’d love to share a few images of their stunning decor.
Caroline and Gene both appreciate design – Caroline is a landscape architect and her husband, Gene, is an architect. Caroline adores texture, depth and movement and appreciates interesting foliages accented with fluffy and bold blooms. We went with a color palette of 75% varied green tones, highlights of saturated melon hues and cool periwinkle tones.
The wedding ceremony and reception took place at the iconic University Club, a charming haven for relaxation, sophistication and socialization. Caroline’s family has been members for years – so the intimate Michigan Room became the setting for the love-filled nuptials and celebration.
The bride carried a gorgeous, textural clutch-style bouquet designed with white and dusty grey hues. Elements included peonies {in varied stages of development}, lisianthus {with their cutie undeveloped buds}, sweet pea {in honour of a nickname her mama used to call her}, fragrant lilac, grey brunia berries, velvety lambs ear and dusty miller foliages. The bridesmaids carried striking coral/melon peonies accented with unexpected grey dusty miller and plum colored cotinus foliages. {see image below}
Because the ceremony and reception took place in the same room, the catering staff and my Botanicals staff had to ‘turn’ the room. We wanted a different feeling for the ceremony and reception, so we decided to keep the ceremony simple and romantic. We closed the heavy drapes along the east and south walls and created an aisle framed by a pathway of flickering candlelight. A pair of rich wooden columns hosted graphic white lacquered vases topped with verdant fern plants to simply flank the couple. Finally, we always ribbon off the last row of chairs to encourage guests to be seated down the sides. The ribbon is untied before the processional for added drama. {see images below}
Guests exited the Michigan Room after the special and unique ceremony and made their way past the place card table to the Presidents Bar for wine and cocktails.
The place card table hosted a collection of varied vases and apothecary jars – each hosting different elements…some showcasing bold arrangements, other elements contained within the walls of the jars like terrariums. Richly colored plums and grapes were used for a beautiful visual and textural contrast against the varied green and melon tones. Finally, we provided four shallow white lacquered boxes hosting a tailored bed of fresh mosses upon which guests’ seating assignments were displayed. {see images below}
When guests’ re-entered the Michigan Room, we unveiled a stunning urban backdrop of Millennium Park by opening the Clubs’ existing curtains. Guest tables were dressed in crisp white pintuck linens, pre-set with the Clubs’ crested charger plates {a wonderful benefit of a private club!} and accented with crisp apple green bengaline napkins.
We created two centerpiece designs: A single white urn hosting a full, lush and crazy textural collection of varied foliages including meandering jasmine vine, feathery maidenhair fern fronds, oregon ferns, broadleaf geranium foliage, grey dusty miller and plum colored cotinus {I’m a total foliage snob and was obsessed with the selections!} Gently punctuating the rich foliage base were coral/melon peonies, fluffy viburnum, melon godetia {super cost effective bloom!}, green spider mums, lotus pods, succulents, seed pods and periwinkle scabiosa. Rich plums and tumbling grapes finished the sizable arrangements.
The alternating guest tables featured a collection of pieces placed in the middle of the tables. A mid-sized white urn hosted a petite version of the other centerpieces. Extending the design further, our cutie miniature white urns hosted varied floral/foliage pairings.
It was important to Caroline and Gene that they got to share their dinner with the bridal party – but also wanted to make sure there was room for dates/spouses. We lined 3, 8′ long rectangular tables end to end to create a grand setting. Guests were seated all around to add to the intimate feeling.
A long shallow and narrow box {measuring 12′ long!} was positioned in the center. Varied glass cylinder vases were either used to display the bridal party flowers or were swirled internally with artful fern fronds and topped with floating candles. The exaggerated box housed a little landscaped world of foliages and flowers used throughout the event.
Caroline and Gene shared their special day with just over 100 guests. The day was tailored to fit the the two of them – from start to finish. A day filled with love and emotion, style and beauty. A day to inspire them for the rest of their lives.
{Special thanks to: my wonderful Botanicals team – who pulled everything together while I was busy0 getting my hair and make-up done, to Lisa Zimbler Events for her day-of assistance, to the University Club for providing the wonderful setting for the day.}
Peonies are in season! I yearn for this time each year. While we are in transition with many spring blooms as they start to become less and less available…we wholeheartedly welcome The Peony.
Like many, peonies are one of my most adored flowers. They are romantic, they are gardeny, they are classic and sophisticated.
I just couldn’t pass up these vibrant raspberry sorbet colored peonies {pictured}…Ten stems have proven the perfect pick-me-up. A vintage trophy urn sits next to my bed hosting a handful of ruffly stems, accented with their natural foliage…what a wonderful way to drift to dream and later awake! A single stem used on my vanity adds charm for no one but me (my husband could care less!), and a tiny bud vase hosted one bloom on my desk that grew to the size of a melon!
Peonies can be used en masse for a bountiful, ruffly look or can be used mixed with other seasonal flowers like hydrangea, ranunculus and sweetpea for a remarkably textural look.
Versatile peonies are a wonderful selection for bouquets, for large focal arrangements, used singly floating in a beautiful dish, or used in centerpieces.
Brides beware – while many claim that most flowers are available year round – peonies are not one of them. Choose your wedding date wisely, lovelies, as I have had many clients disappointed with the news that we can’t create a peony-laden féte in early September! While in Chicago, peonies start to become available in the winter, the variety availability is quite limited, the quality is often disappointing and the prices are hefty. May and June (especially late May and early June) are wonderful months for the best and most voluminous blooms, for the best prices (although never a bargain, I fear) and for the most inspiring color and variety selections.
The wedding took place at The Ivy Room, at Medinah Tree Studios – in the heart of the bustling city.
Our clients adored the venue and wanted to honour it by incorporating lush, naturally inspired designs with loads of varied verdant foliages – including much ivy, of course! – and detailed with crisp white flowers.
The bridesmaids carried petite bouquets of open creamy spray roses and seasonal viburnum.
The {hoped for} outdoor ceremony had to be moved inside due to weather. We created a stunning chuppah to frame the ceremony, laden with woven foliages and vines and detailed with hundreds of white roses, hydrangea and casablanca lilies.
A custom frame in-set with moss was suspended from the back of the chuppah and later used to display the couples’ custom Katuba.
Beautiful richly stained wooden boxes hosted a textural hedge of ferns, adding a natural background to the indoor setting.
Luckily, the weather cooperated enough to allow guests to enjoy the beautiful courtyard oasis for cocktails. Crisp pintuck linens were detailed with miniature vintage rusted urns and petite arrangements of spray roses and ivy.
Because the ceremony ended up taking place in the same room as the dinner, the wonderful Calihan Catering staff, Marina and her army of helpers and my amazing Botanicals team transformed the room into a warm candlelit setting for dinner and dancing, all while guests sipped champagne and mingled during cocktails.
Chandeliers were suspended from varied hang-points in the room and completely enhanced with fresh foliages and flowers, adding to the natural, formal and intimate feel the clients originally dreamed of.
Floor to ceiling curtains were brought in to frame each window, detailed with fresh ivy tie-backs and whimsical pomanders.
Dennis from Frost Lighting added beautiful ambient lighting in amber-tones along with textured projections shone around the perimeter of the room to soften the lines of the space.
Some centerpieces were designed in richly stained wooden boxes, while others were displayed in footed rusted urns. Flowers included roses, hydrangea, lilies, lacy queen anne’s lace and succulent plants were presented against a bed of textural foliages including dusty miller, ferns and ivy.
A ring of ivy adored each white hemsitch {love} napkin, and graceful fern fronds were submerged in water and topped with floating candles to add to the romantic glow of the room.
Rachel and Gray were an absolute stunning couple with a wedding to match.
The space was designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano. With this new addition to the existing Art Institute, the whole campus is now the second largest art museum in the States.
Additionally, there are some incredible green features including the bizarrely unique “flying carpet” – that helps filter daylight to light the upper levels of the museum, significantly saving on electricity consumption.
Various spaces of The Modern Wing are available to rent for special events. Perfect for the urban chic bride {eco-savvy or not!} looking to make a wonderful statement with her venue selection – I can’t wait to design an event here!
Whether you are in search of a new private event venue or simply craving some art and culture, you must visit the new Modern Wing!
{photo credits: building images taken from the art institutes’s website, http://www.artic.edu/aic/. lush and verdant tree images taken on my visit to the modern wing}
This weekend I honour my mother, my very best friend. Not only is she the most beautiful woman I know, she is the strongest and most inspiring. And in all those things, she is still the goofiest woman I know! I am so blessed she is mine!!
Also, a special Happy Mother’s Day extended to all my girlfriends who are recent 1st time mama’s – this day is also in celebration of you ladies!
Today I am thrilled to feature one of my favorite local paper design studios: Clementine Ink + Paper {formerly known as Flourish Invitations}.
The founder and designer of this adorable and versatile studio, Jenna Plonka, works directly with all clients to create lovely paper creations, worthy of any special occasion.
Jenna worked with me to create my custom-designed wedding invitations {a design that she now turned into a studio line, available to all and featured on her website{see image below}. I was absolutely obsessed with my charming letterpress invitations! She and I worked to create the perfect visual and graphic balance that gave guests a bit of a sneak peak into our wedding day style.
From there, Jenna tackled all printables for my wedding – designing looks that were cohesive yet unique from one another. Jenna respected my direction in regard to budget, creating budget-savvy options for my consideration. She helped with everything from the programs, to the table cards, menu cards, table numbers and additional random signage. Here are a few images featuring our wedding printables…
{Our charming invitations!}
{Our programs!}
{Our table cards!}
{Our menu cards!}
{Signage for croquet!}
Since the wedding, I have used Clementine for a handful of personal projects {shower invitations, anniversary invitations etc.} and she has continued to excite and impress me. She can also be incredibly valuable by offering thoughtful verbiage and proper etiquette. Also, you may want to take her up on her addressing + mailing service. For a nominal fee – you can sleep at night knowing that your invitations were stuffed, stamped, sealed and mailed off to perfection!
Whether you need help with your save the dates or your baby announcements {or anything in between!} – Jenna Plonka of Clementine Paper + Ink will assure that your printables are beautiful and flawlessly executed with no drama and no fuss.
I’m obsessed.
{photo credits: snapshot of clementineink.com, other images compliments of gerber and scarpelli photography}
I am so excited – the flowers are stunning, the weather is finally worth celebrating and love is in the air.
In the meantime, here is a little eye candy…
I adore this simple and sophisticated cake created from my friends at Cake Girls.
Also, here are a few dreamy images from one of my favorites, Carolyn Roehm. I was inspired to post these in honour of today’s client…a couple who loves natural designs, textural elements and a fresh green and white color palette. I’m sure I’ll post their wedding images in the future.
If only Chicago offered settings like the image below… {le sigh}