I adore the simple extravagance of this table, set in an unkempt field under a beautiful, blooming tree. Simple crisp white linens, layered and knotted will make sure your cloths don’t get caught in the breeze. I love the use of the worn rustic chairs with beautiful pillows for padding. What’s on the menu? I imagine a beautiful collection of warm breads and cheeses, petite scone sandwiches and gorgeous fresh berries for dessert. And let’s be real…doesn’t champagne make everything better?
Love.
{image credit} taken from country homes and interiors
While I must admit the majority of my clients will register at the usual suspects: Bloomingdale’s Home, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma etc. {all of which I think are wonderful options}…I do get excited about the more unexpected options {Ok, ok, so we may have registered for Cutco knives, but that’s not what this is about…}.
One of my favorite local tabletop and home boutiques, Tabula Tua, has gorgeous and unique home accessories, china and furniture. It also has a…registry! Shop in the charming boutique or direct friends afar to the website for gorgeous gifts galore.
Right now, I’m loving the elegantly rustic Match pewter pieces found at Tabula Tua:
The beautiful dinnerware is handmade in northern Italy.
I adore the vintage look of the pewter pitcher. Use with freshly cut blooms when you’re not using it as a serving piece.
The beautiful and varied candlesticks look gorgeous clustered or singly – anchoring a mantle or adorning a tablescape.
Registering for your wedding doesn’t mean you have to select china, linens and flatware…have some fun with pieces that inspire you and your beloved…
-The honey jar is perfection – in use or not!
-I also adore the butter dome…your bagel never had it so good!
-Just because you’re perfecting your nighttime routine of wrinkle fighters {sniff sniff…haven’t won that battle yet!}, teeth whiteners or lash enhancers doesn’t mean you have to do it with plastic pieces from your college years. Get rusticly glam with Matchs’ bath collection!
-Accent your guest room nightstand with one of their gorgeous timepieces – your pals will never be late for breakfast again!
Freshly back from celebrating my husbands’ grandfather’s 95th birthday in sunny Florida, we’ve got to efficiently prepare for a big afternoon/evening. The Kentucky Derby {one day my schedule will allow for a full day of fun and fashionable prepiness} and a big hockey game…{Blackhawks vs. Canucks – less thrilled, but I’m a good sport…}
In order to simultaneously unpack and freshen up for the evening, cocktails seemed appropriate {if not necessary?} – and what better way to celebrate the day than with a fresh Mint Julep? {Mint taken from my moms’ thriving herb garden only hours ago inspired it all!}
I just finished the batch {pictured above}; the simple recipe taken from Epicurious :
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups chopped fresh mint, plus additional whole sprigs for garnish
crushed ice
1 1/2 ounces good bourbon
…..
In a saucepan combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped mint, and let the mixture stand for a bit.
Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids, discard the solids, and let the syrup cool.
For each julep fill a silver julep cup or 10-ounce glass with some of the ice, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the mint syrup, or to taste, and 1 1/2 ounces bourbon, and stir the julep. (A frost will form on the outside of a silver cup.)
Garnish each julep with 1 of the additional mint sprigs. Finish with a trimmed-down straw in order to enjoy fragrant sips.
As the wedding industry continues to boom…it seems as though nothing can be too customized, too chic or too fashion forward. Seemingly an infinite amount of choices need to be considered by any average bride…
Colors – it’s not just pink and green or an all white wedding anymore. Brides are selecting color palettes that are unique combinations reflecting themselves, the season or their moods.
Dresses – first it was Vera, then Monique…now dozens of dress designers are creating gowns fit for any fashionista – and at any budget!
Dinner Tables – round tables were the norm just a few years back – but not only have square and {my favorite!} rectangular tables become almost common, there are even more to choose from now. Rental companies are now offering taller tables where guests are seated on custom stool-like chairs to add yet another layer of texture and dimension to your setting. Decor firms are moving forward with handfuls of customized table options – whether mirrored or even inlaid with a custom fabric (or gorgeous patterned wallpaper!), brides are able to ensure their special day is unlike any of their girlfriends.
Accessories are no exception. If you’re not familiar, please let me introduce a new obsession…ban.do! Started by two stylists in LA, ban.do is a super-duper charming lot of {mainly, but not exclusively} hair accessories like headbands, pins and bows. Each even comes with it’s very own haiku!
The pieces are not limited to brides, however, many would make a gorgeous accent for girls who choose not to wear a veil – but still want some drama {yipee! tiara’s are not the only non-veiled option!}
Here are a few of my favorites:
Their bridal line has beautiful head-bands and pieces, many with vintage inspired detailing.
The black label contains unique pieces that are all either one-of-a-kind or limited edition. Vintage elements are incorporated, found from all over the world.
And the cutie heart by ban.do is an affordable line – with all pieces under $50.
When you’re in love – why not tell the whole world?!
A pretty yellow bow can make any basic outfit extrodinary!
Bliss Weddings was beyond honoured to be ask to coordinate the first ever Chicago Wish Upon a Wedding. A new charity similar to Make a Wish Foundation, Wish Upon a Wedding has a very special focus: to give weddings to people affected by life-threatening illnesses.
It gives couples a chance to focus on things other than health issues, medical bills and treatment schedules. Wish Upon a Wedding allows committed couples to share and experience the wedding of their dreams, without cost or sacrifice on their end. All services are donated – from gowns to make-up, from music to decor.
Beth and Nick met over 10 years ago and after quite a few years as friends, the pair realized that they were much, much more than – just friends. Beth was diagnosed with urachal adenocarcinoma in December 2009. Nick immediately proposed.
Their wedding took place this past weekend, hosted at their dear friends’ restaurant, Giovan’s. Renny and I were on board to oversee all special details of the day.
While Beth has embraced her chic, shaved head – she decided to don a simple bob for her wedding day. A charming bird-cage veil was adorned with gorgeous, dazzling crystals.
The emotional ceremony was laden with love and humor – it was so clear that Beth and Nick found their soul-mates in one another.
The gorgeous spring day was the perfect backdrop for the pink and green color palette. The tables were fancified with specialty rentals from Classic Party Rentals and set with menus {printables were provided by CW Designs} highlighting the meal and hosting petite packets of seeds for guests to plant in their gardens. The gorgeous cake, by Mary from Take the Cake, featured coordinating cherry blossom branch details. All florals were provided by Amy at Blumen. Beth carried a gorgeous and modern elliptical-shaped bouquet bursting with peonies, viburnum, lilac {from Amy’s garden} and jasmine vine. The centerpieces were presented in polished silver bowls and hosted a spring-inspired collection of ranunculus, viburnum, roses and tulips. The programs also doubled as seating assignments – a luxury we could afford to do with the intimate 50 guest wedding.
The day was beyond special, the bride was glowing and the groom seemed to float on air. Thank you so much to Wish Upon a Wedding for including us in the celebration and for their wonderful gift to deserving couples like Beth and Nick.
{image credits} most images provided by kurt and nick gerber of gerber and scarpelli. a few also shot by me.
I just can’t stand my {home?} office view. Totally uninspiring.
Alright – I’m a liar. I’m obessed with my city. Obsessed with beautiful late afternoon spring days and after a lovely day with some favorite clients and ahmazing vendors, I can’t help but be obsessed with my career.
Enjoy the weekend – Renny and I will be preparing for a very special wedding Sunday. Incredibly emotional and romantic. Can’t wait to share!
As each day passes, we have more and more blooming beauties available at the local florist or floral market {swoon!}. Here is a small champagne bucket hosting an unruly and textural collection of fuchsia peonies (still pricey, but quite a bit hardier!) and fluffy green viburnum. Love at first sight. {Many people mistake viburnum for hydrangea – however one woody stem of viburnum will give you multiple petite, clusters of floral heads, as opposed to a single, larger head on a stem of hydrangea.}
Here, a single bunch of pink flowering dogwood was so abundant I was able to fill a pair of vases!
When thinking about wedding or event flowers {why do I always feel like the bearer of bad news? So sorry – I just never want anyone to be disappointed!} please keep in mind that flowering branch is quite hard to time, seasonally. Seasons of availability shift from year to year due to the weather. So to plan on 30 elevated centerpieces of stunning flowering dogwood for your April 3rd wedding next year may leave you either: at the beginning/middle {fabulous!}/or end of their peak seasonality. Speak with your floral designer to make sure you are familiar and comfortable with any “plan b” options in case they need to make a game-time decision based on the quality of product, a specific year.
And as spring continues, I will vow to keep you in the loop of what’s gorge, available and in the running of becoming my new floral obsession…
I’m not exactly sure why when the weather turns nice, I’m inspired to spend more time buried in the kitchen. Desserts have never been my thing, but for some reason I’ve recently found myself craving the creation of some sweet treats.
A quick flip through the April issue of Martha Stewart was precisely what I needed…
Here was my version of Martha’s Mini Eclairs with Strawberries and Cream. The light fluffy pastries were packed with subtly sweet whipped cream, jammed with macerated strawberries, fresh mint and finally dusted with a shower of delicate powdered sugar.
Cute accessories will always catch my attention. Interesting, fresh ideas and inspired drive seem to always also catch my attention.
When I initially stumbled across Stella & Dot, I fell in love with a handful of their reasonably priced pieces. I have found their jewelry to be the perfect pick-me-up for an old stand-by stuffed in the back of your closet or the perfect gift for a girlfriend, your mom or even your bridesmaids.
After reading a bit more about the company, I also fell in love with the concept. Stella & Dot was founded by Jessica Herrin – who also co-founded weddingchannel.com {at age 24!}. Stella & Dot took the old tupperware party concept and applied it to modern day – with local stylists hosting trunk-shows and managing ecommerce sites positioned around the country – modern women have found a way to balance life and career. Along with the help of chief creative designer, Blythe Harris, – who previously gained experience designing for names like {practical favorite} Banana Republic and {less practical favorite} Cartier – Stella & Dot has rapidly become a celeb favorite and have gained accolades in nearly all popular magazines.
Here are a few of my current favs:
I love love the Boca necklace with the totally adorable bee brooch detail. This longer style would look great with a dress, a white tee and jeans, or even over a tunic on the beach.
The Sayulita was featured in In Style recently and would be a great for the girl with boho-meets-glam style.
I love the initial charm necklaces…for bridesmaids or new mommies {great with their new wee-ones’ initials featured!}
The Grace bracelet is versatile and an updated version of a classic. I even love this paired with a few gold bangles and your chunky men’s watch – all loaded on one arm!
And surprise, surprise…the Starfish studs are just too cute to pass up. I particularity love these with an ultra-casual outfit.
Happy Shopping! {ps: mother’s day is May 9th!}
{image credits} tupperware party from mindbubble.com. all other images taken from the stella&dot website
