The cake was a simple design composed of squared-off layers topped with off-set ivory rose clusters.
Modern Romance
I had a lovely meeting today with one of my favorite old friends, Samantha, who is getting married this April. Today I presented Sam’s proposed wedding design and walked her and her sister through all of the details that I envisioned for her day.
After our initial meeting weeks ago, I was inspired to create a wedding design based upon Sam’s vision and direction, while also seriously considering her future husband, George’s, fairly different take on design.
Sam was inspired by a fantastic black and white photograph of her grandparents, taken years ago. The photo had a simple elegance about it…It had a slightly glamorous feel, yet still felt modest. The image radiated love and companionship.
Sam had a title for her wedding, Modern Romance. She wanted it to have a classic and warm feeling, without feeling ‘expected’ or ‘cookie-cutter’. Her chosen color palette of red and white evolved slightly over the last few weeks to a focus on classic whites for the ceremony, shifting to a saturated, rich, monochromatic collection of bold reds, cranberries, crimson and claret for the reception.
Now, George had a slightly different vision for the wedding design…He and his grandmother used to love the original movie, Dracula, and therefore liked the idea of incorporating some Gothic touches here and there.
I quickly put together this inspiration board for the couple…One that captured Sam’s vision and taste while also incorporating a bit of George’s vision (perhaps even more than Sam expected!)
I see Sam and George’s wedding as a sophisticated soiree, laden with romantic, glamorous touches and unexpected ornate black accents. Featured flowers in the tailored creations will include numerous varieties of velvety red roses, miniature calla lilies and cascading hanging amaranthus. With our graphic ornate black risers and compote bowls, vintage black glass votive cups, billowing fabrics and warm candlelight-inspired lighting scheme, Samantha and George’s wedding will be the perfect balance of glamour and elegance…A wonderful way to start a life together.
Fall In Love…(Annie and Eric Part II)
My friends, Annie and Eric, find themselves continually enticed by what they’ve learned about having a destination wedding held in Mexico…That said, they are still considering staying local for an autumn wedding next year.
Wanting to give her a fair dose of inspiration – I created this board for her (below) to compare to the board I shared in my last entry.
While I absolutely adore traditional fall colors, I wanted to create a look that was a bit unexpected and special…worthy of the chic couple.
Taking a cue from warm tones of candlelight, I suggested a color palette of deep espresso, rich burnt oranges, softer apricot hues and champagne/ivory tones. Additionally complimenting those colors, I love the look of metallic gold and copper accents paired with bold peacock tints.
I told Annie that I saw copious amounts of candlelight, amber perimeter lighting and varied floral designs.
Autumn designs can look gorgeous with a more eclectic viewpoint – so incorporating varied woods, rusted urns and candle stands along with vintage metallic pieces would set the tone perfectly…Also, while we love the feel of a raw, rustic setting, we would also want this wedding to have an urban chic air about it – honouring the fantastic city we live in!
Whether they choose a Chicago autumn wedding or a tropical affair – Annie and Eric have plenty of style that will allow them to create the wedding of their dreams, perfectly suited for them.
Sunny Inspiration…
Fly by Design
One of my most stylish brides to date hired me a mere month an a half before her late September wedding date. Luckily, however, it seemed as if we were a match made in heaven from the first day we sat together in our consultation room – chatting and dreaming about a worthy wedding design – to the minute she walked down the aisle, tearing with excited anticipation.
Lucky for me, this bride had done her research. As an interior designer for one of the hottest firms in Chicago, she knew it was important to properly vocalize her wishes for her wedding design. She had scoured countless glossy wedding, fashion and design magazines for inspiration. She had also taken inspiration from her unique and charming venue, The Murphy Auditorium, and from one of her favorite designers, Ralph Lauren, famous for a casual sophistication like no other.
The bride envisioned a wedding that oozed richness, specifically achieved through her chosen color palette of deep purples and blues enhanced with antiqued silver and pewter accents – surrounded by the rich wood-paneled walls of the room. She hoped for a wedding reminiscent of a men’s club circa 1920. She hoped for a wedding that may seem as if it were a vignette designed by Ralph Lauren, himself, for their fantastic Michigan Avenue store.
The ceremony was lit merely by candlelight. A custom aisle runner of rich navy spilled into the pleated curtains erected to mask the bands equipment. The aisle was bordered by a collection of varied glass vases, brimming with crystal clear water and topped with floating disk votive candles – a pathway of illumination leading the bride to her groom – all placed atop a solid border of feathery white rose petals. Creating the dramatic framed focal point for the couple was our vintage wrought-iron geometric arch, laden with rich and unruly foliages including magnolia, cotinus and camellia, bursting with bundles of white local hydrangea and open champagne colored roses, finally finished with the unexpected addition of black grapes and hanging mason jar votive candles.
The reception centerpieces were designed low to the table, allowing the evening to feel like an intimate candlelit dinner party. I considered the whole tablescape when creating the brides reception design. Vintage inspired silver-footed compote bowls overflowed with bountiful creations of Dutch blue hydrangea, purple lisianthus and garden stock, camellia foliage and velvety dusty miller. We chose chairs only found at Tablescapes Rentals that feature a champagne colored finish – a warm accent to the silver tones used on the table. Exquisite solid silver chargers were topped with a folded navy napkin framing the dinner menu and a charming sprig of seasonal privet berries. The elegant shape of the Murano stemware oozed elegance, as the table was lit with an abundance of candlelight.
The cake was simple and elegant. We created a petite hand tied bouquet of rich purple lisianthus and anemones accented with textural privet berries that simply rested atop the highest tier. The stems of this tiny nosegay were bound in navy Swiss double-faced silk ribbons left long to tumble down the tiers, for a graphic and graceful contrast against the classic ivory dressed cake.
Although the planning flew by in a matter of weeks, the details and the design could have fooled anyone, masked as years of careful planning because of the passion and inspiration I felt to create a wedding fit for one of the most stylishly savvy brides I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Autumn in Awe
A favorite client of mine, Alison, came to me (along with with my favorite planner friend Lisa Gia Bascomb of Parties Etc.) to help her design their November wedding last year. She wanted their day to have a classic, warm feeling – but did not want it to look expected nor stereotypical. Their beautiful wedding is now featured in the current national issue of The Knot.
Both the ceremony and the reception were held at one of our favorite venues (perfectly suited for a fall wedding), Cafe Brauer. The ceremony took place under a worn, wrought-iron chuppah, a canopy created from billowing rich chocolate taffeta chosen to compliment the table linens. The front of the chuppah was designed with a rustic collection of natural grapevines, white fluffy hydrangea, open garden roses and seasonal foliages.
Her color palette of chocolate brown and rich burnt orange was the perfect compliment to the raw brick setting.
With a guest count that allowed us to play with the size and shapes of the tables, we decided to seat guests at a collection of square tables and long rectangular tables.
The square tables hosted vintage rusted urns designed with textural collections of green Dutch hydrangea, orange ranunculus, tulips, roses, looped magnolia foliage (to showcase the velvety brown backing) and rope-like hanging amaranthus tumbling from the arrangement.
The rectangular tables hosted mono-floral collections of the saturated orange blooms to create a cleaner, more streamlined look running down the length of the table.
The Cub’s Dixieland Band surprised guests with serenade during the cocktail hour.
Here are a few more beautiful photos, shot by the amazing Pen Carlson duo.
Cafe Brauer has a wonderful skylight detailed with raw, exposed beams that are perfect for hanging things from. Here, to add to the warm, rustic feel, I suspended dozens of mason jar votive candles – twinkling above guests as they danced.
Alison’s bouquet was designed with out-of-season blooms including lilac, parrot tulips, lisianthus and ranunculus to name a few. I wrapped her bouquet with textural swiss silk ribbons, secured by her grandmothers vintage brooch.
Below is one of my favorite shots…so artful.
Her chilly November wedding left guests in awe of her Martha-worthy personlized details and perfectly special day.
Rustic Charm in the Heart of Lincoln Park
My good friend (and industry ally – she’s one of the top sales consultants at Levy Catering!) Briana Merrill got married last fall. What does someone who works on client weddings every weekend decide for her wedding look? I was lucky enough to have been chosen to design their simple, elegant wedding that is now featured in the current issue of The Knot Chicago…
Briana and Nate got married in the gardens outside the Lincoln Park Zoo, on one of the most beautiful days of the early fall. Her charming wedding reception took place at the legendary Cafe Brauer, one of our favorite venues. The site has a warm, rustic, prairie-style feel to the space. Briana wanted to play up it’s key attributes, and therefore selected a color palette of creams, sages and chocolates.
I used a selection of varied containers – from richly stained wooden pieces (that complimented the rented chairs) to vintage rusted urns. We found lanterns that reflected the arts-and-crafts architecture of the venue and worked them into some of the designs.
During the ceremony, we had rustic shepards hooks hosting gorgeous, lush pomanders noting her aisle. The intention was to relocate all of the pomanders to the chairs of the bridal party table – but because she was blessed with such a gorgeous, sunny day – the pomanders were looking quite tired by the end of the ceremony. We created a pair of show-worthy ones to highlight the bride and grooms chairs from extra event flowers. Nothing like improvising!
Briana’s bridal bouquet was gorgeous and the perfect accessory to her chic, sophisticated dress. It was designed in classic whites, creams and champagne hues – but executed with flowers like lisianthus, veronica, dahlias, cymbidium orchid blossoms, ranunculus and hypericum berries to give the bouquet an elegant rounded silhouette, rich in texture.
Working with the oh-so-savvy wedding consultant, Katie Kozlowski of Dettagli, was a blast and we were able to execute a wedding for our friend Briana that lived up to her very high standards!
Additional notes: Thanks to the wonderful Kurt Gerber of Gerber and Scarpelli (who shot my wedding!) for the lovely images!
With Style and Grace…
One of my absolute favorite wedding publications, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, approached me to do another photo shoot for their gorgeous, glossy pages. Alongside my partner in crime, Jesse, we created a dreamy setting in the wine cellar of the Park Hyatt’s NOMI.
Stand By Me…
Moroccan Inspired Magic
This bride wanted her late summer wedding to feel like a festive, Moroccan-inspired feté…however, as the couple has never traveled to the African country (therefore not having a specific ‘meaning’ to them) they were cautious to make the event too themey.
After speaking with the bride and groom, initially, I put together this inspiration board.
I envision the urban loft venue, River East Art Center, (loved for it’s soaring ceilings, warm timber beams, and dramatic floor to ceiling columns) with copious amounts of deep, saturated hues of oranges, raspberries, cranberries and rich blues/plums.
I see worn, eclectic golden and brass accent pieces and billowing raw silk curtains and drapes.
I picture a lounge section defined by light, gauzy fabrics featuring varied patterned pillows and pads upon which guests will relax and recharge in between dances. Twinkling overhead may be a few vintage-looking crystal and brass chandeliers and lanterns.
An abundance of candlelight will be imperative and the guest tables will be dressed in richly colored, layered table linens Centerpieces may be composed of overflowing elements and a collection of varied, random vessels.
Guests may sip pomegranate champagne cocktails and place settings may be detailed with it’s own petite peacock feather tucked into the pocket fold of the heavy fabric napkin.
And this is only the beginning of the endless options and details that may create this wonderfully, inspired event…