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}
One of my favorite online stationary boutiques, Felix Doolittle, offers cutie {classic and preppy} solutions for many needs.
I often steer clients to the adorable website for assistance with show-worthy printables when things like the standard worn and smudged silver-framed table numbers or menu mysteries simply won’t make the cut.
Here are a few of my favorite uncomplicated motifs offered for table numbers…Perfect for when you want to let your guests know what table they’re seated at in style. Choose a motif that fits the look of your tablescape and you’ll look like you’ve custom created the perfect accent for the tables! {see images below}
While you’re at it, select charming menu cards to match! {see images below}
And when you return from your worldly honeymoon travels and you’re craving more motifs and darling design – have Felix Doolittle put together fantastic return address labels, donning your new name and local. {see images below}
The fun doesn’t stop there – check out Felix Doolittle for stationary needs from bakers labels, to note cards, to moving announcements, to gift tags and more!
One of my client weddings was featured in the winter issue of Flower Magazine. Working with the oh-so-fabulous and oh-so-fun Marina Birch of Birch Design Studio, we took the client’s dreamy inspiration of the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica {showcasing a crisp black, white and bold green color palette repeated throughout the Wearstler designed hotel} and created a design that complimented the Georgian blank slate of the lovely Chicago History Museum.
Because wheels-up wasn’t an option for me – I was unable to ‘research’ the hotel style in person {it’s since been added to my never-ending life to-do list}, I put together just a few images of the luxe Viceroy lair, that I then took into consideration when creating the chic brides floral and decor designs. {see images below}
Marina had a custom pattern and motif created for the couple. One that graced elements from the wedding invitations, custom linens to the menu cards. We used the mostly white linens and graphic black chairs with {then} custom citron green seat cushions to provide the backdrop for a collection of black lacquered vases hosting copious amounts monochromatic green flowers and ferns (a favorite of the bride). {see images below}
The ceremony took place under a custom cabana-inspired canopy, detailed with graphic black trim and a petite chandelier. My talented Botanicals designers also created a chic floral monogram for the bride and grooms’ chairs that denoted the seats of honour. {see images above}
I had a blast taking the Viceroy’s fuse of ‘classic sophistication and contemporary chic’ style and translating it into an equally fabulous wedding design for one of the most lovely couples to date!
{wedding and posting credits} event design: kara at botanicals – a branch of hm design, wedding consultant: marina of birch design studio, event photography: garbo photography, inspiration: the viceroy santa monica, feature: flower magazine
You’ve heard me say it before…but you can find inspiration almost anywhere! You may recognize some of these events from posts past, but they were fantastic examples of brides finding inspiration for their wedding design by looking beyond the pages of the glossy and coveted Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine. Here are a few places my clients have looked for inspiration:
Frenchy Feast: A client wanted her wedding to have a charming Frenchy Feast feeling. I combined bold flowers and lush foliages in raspberry, royal purple and green hues with textural and unexpected plums and cascading grapes. Everything was designed in varied silver containers and lined down the tables, creating a rolling landscape of lusciousness for their wedding.
Movie; De-Lovely. I had one client that was inspired by the movie De-Lovely. She longed for a wedding design that was opulent, had vintage-inspired details and that showcased her coined phrase ’A Beautiful Mess’. Before creating her proposal, I put together an inspiration board, capturing the essence of my vision. This is a great way to see if we’re heading in the right direction, initially. For her wedding, we used graceful ostrich plumes, cascading phalaenopsis orchids, vintage crystal pendants, candelabras and vintage silver. The bride looked radiant and even wore a stunning vintage headpiece to complete her Lovely vibe.
Interior Designer; Kelly Wearstler: Another favorite client was completely obsessed with the eclectic stylings of ‘It Girl’ interior designer, Kelly Wearstler. Her modern glamour style inspired a color palette of whites and golds. In addition to the monochromatic white centerpieces, I detailed the tablescapes with eclectic pieces: gold lacquered coral, geometric sculptures, bamboo flatware and gold gilded crystal stemware to name a few.
The lovely Hope from Wedtro recently interviewed me about current wedding trends.
In respect to color right now, I’m obsessed with a simple, muted color palette. Warm nudes and neutrals are hot on the runway this season and are hot in wedding design. (Check out this beauty by Donna Karan (pictured), and the collections of Philip Lim 3.1, Catherine Holstien, Rodarte and Calvin Klein this recent fashion week in Bryant Park!)
You may have received a heart-shaped choker, a paperweight in the shape of an over-sized dazzling diamond ring or perhaps you even got a pink flask with the brides’ wedding date stamped front and center…All you know is that the gifts you’ve received as a dedicated bridesmaid have hardly been worthy of all of your adoring attention and unwavering support. After all, you did personally assist by fishing the wilted spinach from her teeth before her close-up, you did hold her dress high above her head as she not-so-discretely ‘powdered her nose’, and you even humored her when she insisted that pepto-pink, floor-length organza bridesmaid dresses would truly complete her vision…
Do YOUR girls a favor when you’re the bride-to-be and give them something stylish as well as useful. Iomoi.com has the most crave-worthy gifts, fit for your fabulous friends. Check out a couple of these great, customized ideas…
Personalized Stationary…I covet cutie cards and adore the encouragement to take a few more minutes and write a hand-written note instead of posting a vague thank-you on facebook. Each come with lined envelopes and a custom motif – include a monogram or choose something charming and whimsical. Have fun selecting different designs specifically for each of your girls. Here are just a few of my favorite, sassy motifs:
(Stationary can also make a wonderful engagement gift for a new bride-to-be…goodness knows she will have a lot of thanking to do before her big day!)
Alternatively, these custom Lucite bar trays are a totally chic addition to a worthy friends bar-cart, kitchen island or coffee table! Add a few matching/contrasting coasters and she will be having the happiest happy hour ever! **Note: These gifts can be great for the guys too – choose more masculine colors and patterns!
I often encourage my clients to provide me with anything they find meaningful that I can then incorporate into their wedding design…I’ll create a bouquet wrapped in the fabric taken from her mothers wedding gown, or encourage the seamstress to secure a locket with a picture of a loved one to the inside of her voluminous gown. Simple ways to make the biggest day of her life even more special – if it is only just bride herself that is aware of ‘that extra special touch’.
It meant so much to me that my 91 year old grandmother was able to share our wedding day with us. I wanted to somehow honour her and her exciting presence – but wasn’t quite sure how. I ended up finding a charming and perfectly chic way one dreary April afternoon while my mother and I visited her.
My grandmother got married in 1939 and wore a simple, tailored suit that she embellished with glamorous Eisenhower Ice buttons. When I found those very buttons in her tattered jewelry box that early spring day, I knew instantly that adding them to secure my vintage brocade ribbons was the perfect sentimental touch I had hoped for.
(Thanks to the fab Gerber and Scarpelli team for capturing the special touch so beautifully. And thank you to my Botanicals staff for putting together my dreamy bouquet!)
My great friend (and proud mama of a new baby boy – (see previous entry!)), Lisa Gia Bascomb of Parties Etc., and I worked together on a late summer wedding. Their wedding is now featured in the current issue of Brides Chicago.
Lisa’s clients, Rebecca and Gary, were simple and laid back and wanted their wedding to reflect themselves, while also lending an urban chic feeling to the setting – all with no fuss. We selected a color palette of crisp, summery apple green and white.
Their Chicago wedding took place at the Museum of Contemporary Art, on the very day of the legendary Chicago Air and Water Show. (Setting up the outdoor ceremony was thrilling as the F-22 Raptors soared overhead!) Here are the images from the exciting feature.
The ceremony took place outdoors, under a gauzy chuppah, composed of layers of white chiffon, cinched mid-way by custom green floral cuffs.
Two alternating centerpiece designs were placed on guest tables around the Museum. One half of the tables featured glass collection style centerpieces. These centerpieces were composed of varied glass geometric vases, positioned symmetrically in the middle of the table. Each vase hosted a mono-floral collection of green or white flowers including open-cut calla lilies, cymbidium orchid blossoms and green button pomps. The remaining guest tables featured a tall, sleek glass vase will an architectural burst of sculptural white calla lilies. The base of these centerpieces hosted a trio of vases, swirled with submerged flax foliage and topped with a floating disk candle, for a romantic glow around the room.
We worked with the outstanding husband-wife dream team Pen Carlson Photography – who shot the absolutely stunningly artful images. Brett and Kiri are one of my latest obsessions. They truly ooze talent (I am constantly inspired by their work). On top of that, they are incredibly lovely to work with. Here are a few more showstoppers taken by the dynamic duo:
I delivered the bridal party flowers to an apartment high in the Hancock Building – check out this brilliant view of the air and water show that the bridal party took in as they were getting fussed and mussed over by hair and make-up.
A shot of the groom – I love the editorial style!
The bride carried a sleek bouquet of open-cut white calla lilies, cut short and collected in double-faced silk ribbon. I absolutely adore this photograph!
The bride and groom arrived on the remarkable summer day. A day brides dream of.
A stolen kiss. The groom wore a coordinating miniature calla lily boutonniere – the perfect selection to compliment the bridal bouquet, but also a great choice as they are a wonderfully hardy blossom that holds up fantastically out of water.
One of my oldest, most special friends is getting married this summer. As her matron of honour, I’ve got plenty to say and plenty to be inspired about! I am so excited that Caroline and her family have enlisted my help with some of the details…
Caroline and Gene live in dreamy San Francisco and are planning their Chicago wedding mostly from afar. Both the ceremony and reception will take place at the iconic University Club…Where Caroline’s family has been members for years.
After a few phone calls and a handful of emails – I was able to nail the happy couple down over the holidays to really talk design. I presented them with a quick inspiration board – put together based upon the unique (and fabulous) color palette and the essence that Caroline conveyed to me.
Caroline is hoping for a color palette of 75% varied greens (ranging from bold citron tones to earthy mossy hues), accented with touches of vibrant melon and periwinkle. The bride is a landscape architect and adores varied textures and interesting, unexpected (almost quirky!) elements – from funky foliages to bountiful blooms. The groom is an architect, himself – and so the couple certainly has an eye for color, proportion and design!
Here is the board I put together – also deciding to add crisp, graphic white as a mod backdrop for the collection of colors….
Caroline and Gene are so perfectly suited for one another…I am yet again inspired by the power of love – and how it so captures pairings that are truly meant to be. I am thrilled to be a part of her planning process and am excited for whats to come…Stay tuned!
The current issue of one of Chicago’s hottest wedding magazines, Chicago Social Brides is on stands now.
I was pleased to find that one of my past client weddings was featured. As I have already talked about this wedding in an older post “Client Inspiration – Movie & Era” where I showcased her Inspiration Board; I will spare some (but not all!) details. Here was the full page spread…
The bride is the owner of one of the trendiest boutiques in the city, She Boutique, and had absolutely no free time – but did feel loads of pressure to fulfill a vision of an uber striking wedding – not to mention the hundreds of expectant guests, all awaiting a smashing display of the brides style. With a bit of simple direction (inspiration from the movie De-Lovely, a white, black and silver color palette and a love for all things sparkly…) I created a current, chic design with a nod to timeless style and charm…worthy of the fashionista herself.
Thanks to Cloud 9 Weddings, and The Drake Hotel – and my amazing Botanicals staff who took care of every last detail of the set-up while I happened to be walking down the aisle myself!