March 14, 2008
A Candy-Apple Wedding
Today I have made a board for Megan, who will be holding her wedding on a Tuesday! I think that this decision caused her and her fiancé some concern and stress, but in the end they have decided to stick with a date that is meaningful to the couple. In her words her wedding will be Simple and Elegant. I don’t see why one would need any more words than that to have a really beautiful and meaningful day.
Megan’s main color is bright apple red along with classic white. Her fiancé is an outdoorsy type. They live in Tennessee, and I am sure that they will be able to find a way to incorporate that state’s natural beauty into the day. Perhaps the rehearsal dinner could be a casual picnic with good TN fare, somewhere with a beautiful view. On red and white picnic blankets, of course! 😉
I love this Bicycle cake topper for the outdoorsy couple, as well as a rustic looking table number card. These Thank You cards are extremely simple in feeling, with a professional-rustic quality to them.
Escort Cards could also be done with minimalism – gilding the edges in red like shown in this photo, but I would also suggest that Megan and her fiancé take the time to write out a personal message to each guest as a way to add a personal and meaningful touch as they walk through the door.
A white Ikea candle (here is one for 2.25!) can be a simple but eye-catching centerpiece, like shown in this photo on the board, surrounded by red rose petals. Alternatively, one could have a mixture of sizes of white candles and scatter petals down the center of the table as a “runner.”
I also thought that it would be a great budget-friendly idea to use this Candle Carver I noticed on Brooklyn Bride, and line up bright red apples down the center of the table with small tea lamps lit inside.
Megan really wants a three tier round cake and this one is smashing. If she doesn’t go the way of a wedding cake, I would suggest serving seasonal red berries with ricotta or marscapone in a small glass cup. Strawberries are also in high season and could be offered along with Angel Food Cake and whip cream in Buffet Style. Wouldn’t that be cool – A Strawberry Shortcake Buffet?!
What about one chocolate covered strawberry, (or more 🙂 ) on each plate as a small seasonal favor. If she had the time, she and the fiancé could spend a Saturday afternoon out picking strawberries about a month before the wedding, and then make a simple jam from this at home (it just takes sugar and berries and about a half hour), then pour a small portion into as many tiny jars as there are guests, and give this as a favor. I actually am considering doing this for my own wedding for sure!
In terms of flowers, Megan knows what she wants. No Gerber Daisies, just elegant red roses. She might consider having a mixed red and white rose bouquet, or using white baby’s breath for a traditional looking bouquet.
Like Southern Fancy recently mentioned, colored shoes are thought of as a personal and more exciting touch to the day’s wardrobe. I like this simple but sexy pair.
I hope this helps Megan! I love thinking of Tennesse, where my father’s family is, and I know you will have a beautiful day. I get married just 4 days after her…WHOA!! 🙂
March 9, 2008
Kelly’s Board (and mine:) )
I was just reading along in my google reader when I noticed that one of my favorite wedding blogs was showing a whole post about some Jessica girl’s wedding. I read that her colors are teal, gold and white. Then suddenly I was all, “Hey…that’s me!” I am touched. Check out what they put together for me here.
I happen to have made an inspiration board for another bride-to-be recently. She and I exchanged a few comments, then emails and I decided to have a whirl at helping Kelly round out her vision for her wedding.
Kelly’s colors are green, white and black. Her mood: ” classic, fun, laid back and unique.”
She was torn between a damask print, or dots but finally (and smartly, I think) decided on dots, since those could be incorporated (in varying sizes) much more easily, and would feel more “laid back.”
One of Kelly’s small concerns is that she “also want to make sure to incorporate green in as much as possible. I am starting to feel like this will be a black and white wedding with splashes of green.”
So here’s what I suggested:
For apparel I threw in the bouquet on the bottom left and the green necklace on the top right. The necklace might look fab with the black dress she is having her bridesmaids wear. The green bouquet in the middle is a softer, more romantic look. She could use small ferns or palm fronds to get the more vivid green in the bridesmaid bouquets.
Her preference is for Kelly Green, but mixing greens of similar shades like Lime, Kelly and Grape (perhaps not mint or forest…) would be fine if you mixed them throughout. The centerpiece photo in the board pulls this off very well.
Check out the photo of the OREO truffle. This has the black and white colors and could function as an adorable favor. The photo and recipe are from a baking blog, but most likely a good caterer could do this easily. (Or DIY, like the blogger, ha!) I also love the cake on the bottom with the polka dots.
That reminds me, I love the idea of a few things having polka dots (i.e. not everything). Since Kelly wants cupcakes in place of a cake, I picture white frosting cupcakes with little fondant black and green circles. The pins in the top right-hand corner are actually name tag/escort cards, but give off the polka-dot air.
(Isn’t it interesting that people don’t do nametags at weddings, when clearly it would help people tremendously!)
What about a candy buffet in these colors? Check out www.candyfavorites.com and click on By Color. Stash them in cheap Michael’s containers, grab a polka dot plastic bag and fill ’em up as a favor or dessert buffet! The only black candy I can come up with is Licorice, or any licorice flavored jelly bean etc. To cut a bit of cost, you could also include bright green apples in the buffet.
The white candle in the middle is Ikea (we just bought like forty of them) and the ribbon on top is just an idea. You could also wrap some sort of ribbon (polka dotted or not) around clear or white vases holding flowers (see photo below). The green centerpiece image is Awesome, and shows what all you can do that is green without even using flowers. Think ferns, fronds, palms, grasses. There is a bright green feather on the board to make you think of using feathers as well for a cheaper, fun idea.
Finally, the lamp: Just a crazy idea for a centerpiece to get us thinking outside the box!
March 6, 2008
What is great about an inspiration board?
February 27, 2008
My Evolving Color Scheme
February 12, 2008
Razzle Dazzle: Gray and Red
I did not intend to make two inspiration boards this week, but E and A put up this board, which is gray and brown. It’s stunning. I had never considered gray and brown together. Never ever.
I have been waiting for people to catch on to gray for a long time. It is such an elegant color, when used correctly. It’s always been one of my favorite colors to wear. That said, I have never worn it with red.
I chose red because I had the image of gray pebbles in my head and I thought to myself, what colors would go with that? Suddenly I thought about red roses. Just as quickly I decided that would be awful. Pebbles are rustic. I could line the table-runner with them. I could spell the new couple’s last name in them. Roses, on the other hand – and red roses to boot – are supreme luxury and indulgence. Total opposites, it seemed. So, I went for it, simply because I like a challenge.
Photo: michelemwaite.com/blog, dress: fashioninc.org; pebbles: langstone.com; hair piece: Mikiye.etsy.com
room: theknot.com; drinks: 5ive15ifteen.com; car: paulrussell.com; photo: nuto.ca
roses:freedigitalphotos.net; shoe: piperlime.com; bracelet: Mikiye.etsy.com
February 10, 2008
Red, White and right now.
Color is one of the main steering points of a wedding. Which colors become trendy for events and wedding planning are often dictated by fashion. Have you noticed the red, white and blue nautical theme popping up? Or how Anthropologie and Banana Republic both have new seasonal lines that literally pop with color? So how does that translate into a wedding theme?
This is how I see it: Geneva has the largest Fourth of July outside of the United States. My wedding is in June and about a third of the guests will be American. However, if I were having more American guests, wanted to tie in my culture in a special way, I might opt to do a Fourth of July Expat Wedding.
This is my first Inspiration Board, and I am meeting Blue Orchid Design’s challenge to use photographs that do not come from a previously held wedding. This board would also work for any American wedding on or around this holiday. I know that some couples choose to take advantage of the time given around the holiday, and hold their wedding on this day, and with the right touches you won’t make them feel like they’ve missed any of the 4th of July festivities.
Top Row: Bridesmaid Dress idea (Banana Republic. Read “wearagainable”)
White Lantern as a Centerpiece (polspotten.nl)
Dress with Red Trim (David’s Bridal)
Middle Row: Red, white and blue invites (earmarkinvitations.com)
As part of the cocktail or dessert, serve Rocket Pops! (photo from istock)
Bottom Row: Red lantern to mix with white lantern along tables (kzuid.nl)
A slightly muted blue and white Bridesmaid Bouquet (800florals.com). Throw in some literal blue irises in this mix, and you’ll make a nod to Pantone.
A classic white cala lilly Bride Bouquet (Walmart)
A red and white cake (honeywelldesigns.co.uk)
Did you notice the bridal bouquet came from Walmart!? Thirty dollars yo! What other wonders might Walmart be hiding? If I were in America I would go check it out.
So, I am thinking that in theme with the Fourth, a great big sprawling buffet would be best. The tables could be laid out with a simple white linen, a white and blue striped runner, and red and white lanterns. Small round clear vases with two or three white peonies peeking out, interspersed. If you have the budget, and its within the law, take your guests outside to watch fireworks. Fireworks are legal in Switzerland so we can get away with this, but check your local state laws. Another option is to tie one sparkler to one balloon. Do this times as many guests as you have. Then, after sunset, go out and have all the guests simultaneously light the sparkler and let the balloons fly. It’s magical.
Here is a photo of the effect. That dark head in the right foreground is me. The white shirt in front of me is fiancé.
Weddings Start to Finish 
