Spring / Summer Floral Guide

I love this flower, branch and berry guide that the amazingly talented Sullivan Owen curated for BHLDN.   It features six groups of seasonally relevant blooms that are perfect for your spring or summer wedding.  Some are well-known blooms, while others like the beautiful pale purple Hellebore could easily become a new favorite!  

I hope you enjoyed this guide as much as I did.  Be sure to head on over to BHLDN to see the rest of this guide in its entirety.  

* all images from  BHLDN

Secret Garden Inspired Paper

The last few weeks have been very busy.  Event season is in full-swing and I am currently prepping for an inspiration shoot with one of my favorite photographers... more on that later! I must admit that with the busyness I find myself spending less time reading my favorite blogs and more time reviewing contracts, design proposals and of course meeting with clients and the fabulous vendors I get to collaborate with this year.  That being said I caught a quick glimpse of this wedding yesterday on Green Wedding Shoes and the paper goods from Seaside Papery stopped me in my tracks.  Take a look below and you will know what I mean.

*Image credit: John Schnack Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

Be sure to head on over to Green Wedding Shoes to see the rest of this beautiful Secret Garden Wedding designed by Cortnie of Canvas and Canopy, she is a brilliant event artist!

A Gatsby Garden Party

Today is the day and by now some of you may have already seen The Great Gatsby.  With so much buzz about this movie's premier, there has been no shortage of Gatsby-inspired celebrations featured on wedding blogs for weeks now.  I love all the glittering gold and art-deco details that is present in many of these shoots and real weddings, but when I think of The Great Gatsby,  I think of  something else.  I remember the scene in the book when Nick Carraway describes seeing crates of oranges being taken into the back of Jay Gatsby's house and then goes on to say that every week the juice from 200 oranges is extracted for Gatsby's parties.   To me, this is a symbol of pure decadence and indulgence, which is what makes this period in history and this story fascinating.  

Below is my version of a Gatsby-inspired celebration.  What I imagine is a garden party that takes place on a sprawling lawn;  a tablescape filled with glittering gold details, peach bellinis, fresh citrus and summer blooms, and of course loads of fabulous fashion and jewelry inspired by the 1920s.  

*images sources from top left, clockwise: tablescape / glamourous bride/  Emily Riggs headpiece/ Ceci New York invitation suite/ garden bar cart

Jazz Age Glamour

A few weeks ago I wrote this post in which I talked about my excitement for the upcoming premier of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.  Premier week is finally here and I could not be more excited.  I love how the internet has been buzzing with excitement this week and how all my favorite wedding blogs are featuring Gatsby-inspired content.  

One of the amazing things about this film is how so many creative and talented people have joined together with Luhrmann to create and design specifically for the movie.  From Miuccia Prada digging through the archives of Miu Miu and Prada to adapt designs for the movie, to Jay- Z producing the film's soundtrack (which I swear feels like a combination of all my Pandora stations) this film has inspired many artists.  

This brings me to Tiffany & Co.'s  Jazz Age Glamour Collection.  This collection features pieces commissioned for and worn in the film, as well as pieces that were inspired by the glamour that defined the roaring twenties.  My favorite piece from the collection is that stunning platinum, diamond and pearl headpiece seen above.  Take a look at the collection below and let me know which pieces are your favorite! 

* Image Sources: Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan/ all other images from Tiffany & Co.

Cinco de Mayo

Sunday is the fifth of May, which means it is Cinco de Mayo.  The fifth of May commemorates the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France in the Franco-Mexican War.  In the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a day to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage.   When I think of a Cinco de Mayo inspired wedding I immediately think of the bright, bold colors that are characteristic of the streets of Sayulita.  I love the idea of combining these bright, bold colors with more romantic and delicate details like that of the traditional Papel Picado banners featured in Mexican wedding celebrations.  Whatever your plans may be for this weekend,  I hope you enjoy the Cinco de Mayo inspiration below.

* image sources from left, clockwise: bar, floral shrug + doily chandeliers / novia & novio  / doily drink stirrers / floral hair crown / bright napkins + place cards / gold and turquoise place setting /  bright florals and gilded cactus / sombreros

Kentucky Roses

In full disclosure I have never been to the Kentucky Derby or any horse race for that matter.  That being said, there is no shortage of inspiration when it comes to the annual Kentucky Derby, which takes place this Friday and Saturday.  Maybe it's because I love the dress that Julia Roberts wore to her first horse race in Pretty Woman or my love of traditions and nostalgia, but this year I find myself daydreaming about warm days, mint juleps, pretty hats and of course roses.  I love the idea of an early May wedding inspired by the Southern traditions of the Kentucky Derby.

*image sources, left to right:  tent / gilded horseshoes / bridesmaids / miniature horse place card / antique trophies filled with flowers / outdoor table / mint julep coaster / mint julep / garland of roses / race ribbons / Derby-inspired paper goods/ hair fascinator + large floral arrangement

Spring Bridal Market

New York Bridal Week took place at the beginning of last week.  This semi-annual event showcases the world's most-celebrated bridal designers and their upcoming collections.  I meant to write this post when the festivities ended last week, but I figured it is better late than never.  There were so-many beautiful gowns to choose from that I decided to break down my favorites by trend.   Here are my top picks from the Spring 2013 bridal week in New York.


The Peplum, reinvented
I love how Amsale is continuing to incorporate Peplum details on her beautiful gowns.  These dresses show how she is softening this silhouette by creating a less-structured and more romantic peplum waist.

{Amsale | Christos | Amsale}

Color
Color continues to be popular on bridal runways.  Oscar de la Renta opted for pale blue, while Vera Wang chose bold, fall colors like this bright red dress.

 {Oscar de la Renta | Vera Wang}

Barely-there necklines
It has been two years since Princess Catherine wore the gown that started it all, but the illusion neckline continues to be popular on the runway.  I love the delicate details on both of these gowns.

  {Reem Acra | Monique Lhuillier}

Lace
Lace is a often thought of as a traditional fabric used in wedding dress construction, however designers continue to find modern ways of incorporating this fabric into their designs.  I love how both designers opted to contrast the sometimes stiff and structured look of lace, with softer, etherial chiffon.

  { Monique Lhuillier | Lela Rose}

One- Shoulder 
A one-shoulder gown is a perfect choice for the bride that is looking for a more supportive neckline than that of the sexy, sweetheart shape.  I love the silver and shimmery applique of the Marchesa dress on the left and the modern and structured feel of Caroline Herrera's dress on the right.

{Marchesa | Caroline Herrera}

Draping back
I love the shape and element of surprise that these dresses have.  Reminiscent of Pippa Middleton's famed maid of honor gown, these wedding dresses showcase how draping mixed with lace and embroidered details can create a wow-worthy exit.

 {Caroline Herrera | Ines Di Santo}