Lavish Events

Photo Shoot for Gray Photography Workshop

Here is a new blog venture for me guys - I have been experimenting with photography - check it out and let me know what you think!

Flowers:::Peony

The peony is a beautiful bloom with paper thin petals all ruffled and sweet.  These are a classic bridal flower, and make an easy, pretty arrangement.  They do tend to be a little on the pricey side, but just a few peonies in a small vase make a lovely statement.

According to wikipedia:

The peony or paeony (Paeonia) is the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America.

Most are herbaceous perennial plants 0.5–1.5 metres tall, but some are woody shrubs up to 1.5–3 metres tall. They have compound, deeply lobed leaves, and large, often fragrant flowers, ranging from red to white or yellow, in late spring and early summer. In the past, the peonies were often classified in the family Ranunculaceae, alongside Hellebores and Anemones.

Amazing wedding photography for an amazing wedding!

Check out this incredible slideshow of images from last weekend's wedding - Jessica of Budget Savvy Bride and her handsome groom, Eric.  Shot by the lovely, funny, and talented Chris & Adrienne Scott for Evin Photography.  I especially love the b/w shot of Jess getting into her dress... she's so gorgeous.

Ooops I did it again!

So sorry Charlie, I have been blog absent again!  Had a wedding this past weekend, it was in fact, the fabulous Jessica of Budget Savvy Bride fame.  I have a busy busy May, so my blogging will probably be few and far between, but I still love ya! 

At Home:::: ice cube trays

Entertaining at home can be as grand as a catered party or as casual as a backyard barbecue.  I'm loving all of the fun, quirky ice trays you can find nowadays.  Add a little fun to all of your cold beverages.  And get brownie points with the wee ones as well.

Your "Something Blue"

Found these little beauties on the web today, via Pretty Bourgeois.  So cute for your something blue!

Flowers:::Sweet Pea

I love sweet peas not only for their fragrance, but the frilly, ruffl-y shape they have.  They are delicate and sweet, just as their name implies.

According to Wikipedia:

Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is a flowering plant in the genus Lathyrus in the family Fabaceae (legumes), native to the eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete.

It is an annual climbing plant, growing to a height of 1-2 m where suitable support is available. The leaves are pinnate with two leaflets and a terminal tendril, this twining round supporting plants to help it climb. The flowers are purple, 2-3.5 cm broad, in the wild plant, larger and very variable in colour in the many cultivars.

Sweet peas have been cultivated since the 17th century and a vast number of cultivars are commercially available. They are often grown by gardeners for their bright colours and the sweet fragrance that gives them their name.

 

The Wow Effect

Every host or hostess dreams of throwing THE event of the year.  The kind of party/wedding that people talk about for years afterward.  Of course, this gains the host or hostess a certain renown amongst their friends and family....not to mention it feels damn good!  What is it that gives an event that certain....something...pizazz...wow effect?  I can pretty much sum it up in one word: interaction.  When you attend a party, a really good party, what catches your attention?  Is it simply the free bar?  Or is it the hired bartender who twirls bottles, flings glasses, and engages you?  When you are dreaming of unique touches for your event, dream bigger.  Instead of a candy bar, have a live taffy pulling demonstration where guests can choose their flavor of taffy and have it pulled right there.  Instead of just a band, hire entertainers - aerial acrobats, a strolling minstrel, or a mime.  Instead of a sushi station,try a live model as a sushi table.  How about professional models dressed in full regalia (matching your theme of course) offering canapes to guests?  One of my favorites:  a  model donning a napkin dress, offering canapes to guests as they pull a napkin off her dress.  Always think bigger and better.  These special touches and unique interactions  are what make great events even greater.  

If you are planning a wedding and thinking - this stuff is too out there!  Think again!  Use these fun touches during your cocktail hour or the final hour of the reception.  And if you're on a budget (like so many of us!) dream of ways to bring in these special touches for less.  Hire a friend or a student.  Pay for goods yourself and hire out labor. Think outside the box!!!

Nashville Wraps, Eco Friendly Packaging

It's always wonderful to support a local business, and even more wonderful if that business supplies products that are environmentally friendly.  Now, don't get confused - I am not a believer in global warming or the notion that the world is going to self implode.  But I do belive in personal responsibility and I believe that carries forward in every facet of life.  It's important to treat God's creation with the utmost respect, and always try to better the world in which we live.  This brings me to Nashville Wraps - a locally owned packaging company right out of sweet sweet Tennessee.  Nashville Wraps is where Schakolad buys most of their packaging, and also where I direct clients who need favor boxes or gift bags for their events.  They have an entire section devoted to eco friendly products made out of recycled or biodegradable materials.  They are also stylish - gotta love that!  Here are a few picks:

100% recycled kraft boxes in many different sizes

Gift packaging printed on 100% recycled kraft paper

Bags made from Encore film - 25% recycled plastics collected in the US - also 100% recyclable at any collection station

Cotton curling ribbon made of 100% non woven renewable and biodegradable cotton fiber

Biodegradable cello bags - perfect for a candy buffet!

Designer:::Kenneth Pool

A seemingly impossible dress caught my eye in one of the bridal magazines - breathtaking and elegant; the Kenneth Pool insignia printed on the bottom of the page.  Naturally I had to investigate.  Once I navigated to the website, it didn't take long to realize I was in love.  Every single dress in this year's collection is at once modern but classic, timeless but contemporary, and most importantly, romantic.  Kenneth Pool is a facet of the Amsale dynasty, and the Kenneth Pool line is the effort of designer Austin Scarlett - you may remember him from the first season ofProject Runway.  Here is a glimpse of my faves, but you can view the entire collection here.