Summer weddings on the sea are some of the most gorgeous events. With the rolling waves and soft beaches as a backdrop, not a lot can obscure the beauty of a nautical wedding. We love subtle nods to the sailing life like groomsmen in Sperry Top-Siders or an anchor imprinted on an invitation or program.
Sperry’s, Sailboat, Invitation, Ring pillow, Bridesmaids, Nautical bathing suit, Anchor invitation, Place setting, Headband, Wedding cake
A beautiful (and sweet!) alternative to flowers, fruit can act as a colorful addition to a wedding bouquet, boutonniere, or tablescape. In-season citrus and peaches in the summer or apples and pears in autumn and winter bring a fresh, natural vibe to an event. And who doesn’t love a few juicy berries atop a beautiful wedding cake or in sweet, personalized containers for a delicious send-off at the end of the night?
Fruit boutonniere, Strawberry favor, Booze and berries, Lemons, Cherry favor, Wedding cake, Pear place card, Peach cake, Apple favor
As spring begins to bloom, we can’t help but be inspired by one of nature’s prettiest gifts: lavender. Soft and delicate, lavender is both aromatically enticing and aesthetically pleasing. We love seeing this color incorporated into spring tabletops and flowy gowns.
Lavender, Gown, Cupcakes, Cocktails, Staircase, Hanging dress, Bridesmaid, Cake, Wedding party
Linear prints, geometric shapes, and clean design are all emphasized in the art deco style that we so love for 2012. Originating around the time of the flapper, art deco has come to symbolize modern sculptural design as seen in the Chrysler Building from the late 1920′s to the Etro runway in 2012. Art deco continues to influence the event and wedding worlds in embellished gowns, t-strap heels, and styled tablescapes. What’s not to love?
Jenny Packham wedding gown, Christian Louboutin heels, Letterpress invite, Wallpaper, Alexander Wang gown, Etro runway, Carolina Herrera runway, Tablescape & Gown, Cake
Just in time for a fresh spring color palette, the Elie Saab 2012 Couture collection revealed a wide array of rainbow-hued pastels. We are seeing baby pinks, soft yellows, and light blues making appearances in gowns, heels, and florals for spring. To keep your pastels looking modern, we suggest pairing a softer color with a brighter (dare we say, neon!) shade, like mint green and bold coral.
Elie Saab 2012 Couture, BHLDN bridesmaids, Elie Saab 2012 Couture, Bouquet via Martha Stewart Weddings by Pat’s Floral Designs, Louboutin heels, Matchbooks, Peppermint patties, Mint trench
Kelli Brooks and Randall Scheri had a late-Spring wedding at the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia. Their event was a lush, green, and reverent celebration of the season.
With under a hundred guests, Kelli and Randall were able to keep the ceremony intimate in Clifton’s “Croquet Lawn”—an English-style, cultivated garden enclosed in white lattice. The Inn’s many elegant yet accessible rooms were woven with tables for the after-ceremony meal. Dining tables were set with a variety of flowers in pink, green, beige, and lavender, laid out simply and mixed with dark violet flowers, which added complexity and depth. The tablecloths were a subdued gold, overlaid with glimmering sage and deep aqua toppers. One of the themes of this wedding was definitely comfort: clean and cozy settees staged on the outside patio welcomed guests outside to a lush, green yard, and more casual cocktail and dining tables for mingling. The guests left with locally-made artisan chocolates—something to take home and savor the event days later.
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Clifton Inn// Catering: Clifton Inn// Rentals:Festive Fare// Hair and Makeup: Moxie// Band: Pheonix// Florals:Floral Images and Pat’s Floral Design // Photography: Jen Fariello// Videographer: Aaron Watson// Lighting and AV: Blue Ridge Light Forms// Tent: Skyline Tent // Favors: Gearhart’s Chocolate//Printed Materials: Good Press Paper Co.// Calligraphy: Ginny Rogan
Soft, feminine, and utterly romantic, ruffles have been gracing the aisles of weddings since brides have been craving a bit of drama on their big day. While a frilly, ruffled gown may remind you of the girly tea parties of your youth, you can keep your look modern by choosing fluttery layers that are a bit deconstructed. We love Marchesa’s ruffled gowns in luxe fabrics; they are a perfect example of dramatic ruffles with a bit of an edge.
BHLDN wedding gown by Elizabeth Messina, Marchesa, Ruffled sleeve with champagne, Anthropologie shower curtain, White wedding cake via 100 Layer Cake, Ruffled bridesmaid dresses, Table decor, Ruffled wedding cake via Wedding Chicks, BHLDN bolero, Love wedding cake, Ruffled sleeve, Christian Louboutin heels
This next Easton couple took classic to a whole new level of refined elegance with their wedding. Keturah Bracey and Jay Horine were married at the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia on a beautiful Spring day. The couple started off their wedding weekend with family and close friends at welcome and rehearsal dinners at Farmington Country Club. The indoor and outdoor tables at the welcome were staged with the full bounty of the spring and summer harvest: baskets of strawberries, peppers, and beets mixed with vases of Swiss Chard and wildflowers—all set across gingham and Vera Bradley tablecloths. The rehearsal dinner was aglow in sparkling simplicity: silver tablecloths with silver candelabra centerpieces surrounded by groupings of pink, white, and yellow roses in a sunlit room.
On the day itself, the bounty of nature was a continuing theme, with table centerpieces of all heights projecting calla lilies, roses, and orchids—all white!—up to the tented celling above. Flowers of every variety seemed to bound right off the escort table, the dining tables, and even the wedding cake! The tablecloths, the bridesmaids dresses, and the groomsmen’s ties were all glimmering sheens of navy and baby blue. In the candle-lit outdoors tent, navy-blue-draped tables stretched forth to a white-and-blue-checked dance floor accented with a single white wedding cake. A stark, simple centerpiece for an utterly classic affair!
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Clifton Inn// Catering: Clifton Inn// Rentals:Festive Fare// Furniture: A Vista Events// Printed Materials: Rock Paper Scissors // Hair and Makeup: Moxie// Band: Leggz // Wedding Cake: Sylvia Weinstock Cakes// Florals:Floral Images// Photography: Jen Fariello// Videographer: Ian’s Creations// Lighting and AV: Blue Ridge Light Forms// Tent: Skyline Tent
Metallic detailing at events and weddings certainly add a bit of modern glamor. Nothing is more true about one of the more unique metals: copper. With its slightly rosy hue, copper graced some of our favorite spring runways and has become a new staple in metal hardwares; we love Anthropologie’s ode to this hue in its dining chair and flatware!
Anthropologie chair, Cake via Style Me Pretty, Makeup source unknown, Copper heels, Invitation suite, Anthropologie flatware, Copper vases source unknown, Copper champagne bottle, Bathroom, Men’s shoes, Bathtub, Norman Ambrose Spring 2012
The groom’s cake may seem like a relatively new presence on the wedding scene, but this growing addition has strong roots, specifically in the American South. (Back then, a single woman who boxed up a slice at a wedding was supposed to sleep with the cake under her pillow that night and she would dream of her own husband-to-be!). The basis of the new popularity lies in a kind of battle of the sexes—the modern groom wants his own presence in the wedding celebrations! The groom’s cake is generally more masculine, in contrast to the wedding cake: it is often a darker or richer cake, is only one layer, and, occasionally, reflects the groom’s personality or interests (think sport- or alma mater-inspired cakes).
How a couple incorporates their groom’s cake varies, and depends mostly on personal preference. Some display the groom’s cake next to the wedding cake at the reception, cutting the second cake later in the night, after the wedding cake has been cut. Some use the groom’s cake as a desert at the rehearsal dinner. Alternatively, the groom’s cake can become the focal point of pre-wedding preparations and celebrations for the groomsmen. It’s definitely an ever-changing and open tradition worth considering.
You can see the groom’s cake as a bit of groom’s revenge, and you can also see this second cake as a nod to the uniqueness of the couple: it’s a respectful acknowledgement of the two distinct individuals who are coming together.
Image 1 courtesy of Patricia Lyons and cake by Sylvia Weinstock, Image 2 and 3 courtesy of Patricia Lyons and cake by Mahlia Creations, Image 4 and 5 courtesy of Patrica Lyons and cake by Cakes of Art.
