Real Wedding…Ours!

Thanks so much to the wonderful editors of Brides Chicago for selecting my very own wedding to feature on the glossy pages of their publication!  The Spring/Summer issue is on stands now.  Here are just a few of the details highlighted by the Brides Chicago feature…

Our wedding took place on the grounds of the charming and beautiful country club where my family has been members for years, Hinsdale Golf Club.  The ceremony was initially intended to be set in the gorgeous manicured gardens, however, in an unsurprisingly Chicago turn of events…weather forced us inside for the ceremony and cocktail hour.  A second chuppah was created out of the fabric backdrop behind the band in a mere 20 minutes as guests were arriving.

My girls wore adorable party dresses from JCrew and carried bold magenta peonies {number one favs of my mother and I!}, accented with charming dusty miller and camellia.  Our custom letterpress invitations were produced by the lovely Jenna from Clementine ink + paper.

My mother in law and I surprised my husband {and our guests} with a serenade by the Cubs Dixieland Band for the duration of the cocktail hour.

Dinner and dancing took place in an elegant {and massive!} white tent set in the middle of the golf course – guests arrived via chauffeured golf cart and open air trolley.

Petite cabaret tables were positioned on the lawn outside of the tent where we had croquet and cigars available for guests, once the weather cooperated.  These cocktail tables were dressed in yellow linens and surrounded by white chiavari chairs with custom black and white striped cushions.

Back in 2006 {just after we got engaged} I chose a color palette that I had yet to execute for a client…Frenchy black and white accented by sunny yellow {ok ok, so since then the color combo has been a bit overdone…} The tables were set with graphic black and white linens from BBJ and topped with centerpieces set atop ornate lacquered stands and garden urns.  Flowers included cattleya orchid blossoms, casablanca lilies, open roses, fragrant peonies and barely-in-season viburnum.  We had beautiful yellow silk ribbons detailing each guest napkin that perfectly framed our menu cards.

Partytime Productions provided the tent and gorgeous lighting – pin spots highlighting each centerpiece as well as textured projections shone on the canopy above.  The tent ceiling also featured suspended votive candles that twinkled above guests as they danced and a black chandelier noted our family head table.

The sweltering day and unexpected weather did not disappoint.  The day was about love.  About life.  About family and friends.  It was absolutely overwhelming to look around the tent knowing that every person in attendance was there to celebrate and support Joel and I.

Forget dreams of a McMansion, luxe cars and expensive jewelry – can I throw a fabulous wedding-themed fete each year?  Please…?

{credits}  images taken by gerber and scarpelli.  tent and lighting by partytime productions.  linens provided by bbj.  tables, chairs, chargers, goblets etc. provided by tablescapes.  all floral and decor executed by my former home…botanicals.  my gown by the amazing alice padrul. 

Real Wedding: Caroline & Gene

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.}

{photo credits: all images shot by erica barraca}

Home for the Holidays

The wonderful Stacey Roney, co-founder of Glossed and Found (the hot new online magazine and newsletter, reporting the most current trends in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industries) invited Jesse and I to be featured on their website as their lifestyle experts.

Stacey wanted to feature home holiday decor ideas that were easy to create and cost effective. Here are a few of my pointers to help make your home feel like a winter wonderland in no time:

-Fresh fresh fresh!! The use of fresh winter greens inside or outside will add a festive and welcoming aroma for you, your family and any guests. Whether it is a fresh pine garland or more modest wreaths from your local florist or boyscout or even loose clippings from your backyard thrown into an existing vase…the addition of fresh spruce, pine, juniper or cedar will lend a scent no candle can mimic!

-Cloved oranges. Another quick easy way to add a holiday fragrance to your kitchen or home is to take fresh oranges and stud spiced cloves directly into their waxy skin. Showcase the charming creations in a simple bowl on your kitchen island for a cost-effective color burst.

-Current Classics. Don’t waste your money on purchasing new holiday decorations from year to year…Choose pieces that are classic – but that still fit and speak to your personal style. Whether you select a glamorous Winter White theme or a Lodgey Rustic theme – finding key pieces to carry you from year to year is a sure way to allow for a little more $$ for a fancypants new holiday dress!

-Gorgeous Ribbons. As you may or may not know – I am a major ribbon snob…and adding some beautiful double-faced silk or extra-wide patterned ribbons to your home is an easy way to dress up the basics. Tie bundles of birch bark logs with ribbons and place them next to your fireplace. Tie lengths of ribbons around copious amounts of pine-tips on your christmas tree. Loop ribbon tails through your dinning room chairs (no bows!) to gracefully add color to the setting. PS: Tartan plaid may have been hot on the runways this season – but it’s even hotter for home decor!

Check out Glossed and Founds website (http://www.glossedandfound.com/) for the video footage of Jesse and I and the Botanicals Team simply enhancing ones home for the holidays…

Special thanks to Rachel and Stacey of Beauty on Call/Glossed and Found and the wonderful Fig Media crew for shooting the artful footage.

Ho ho ho.