Gray & Purple Wedding Inspiration

It's Friday and I'm obsessing over this color palette and inspiration board I designed this morning. One of my darling new brides likes gray & purple, and here's what I've come up with to inspire her modern (yet romantic) wedding dreams.

I wanted to select a neutral, light-ish grey and a variety of purples to add sophistication and interest to the palette. I started with the plum color (the left one on the palette)... I think without this red-based color, the gray would look too 'cold', as the other purples are blue-based. The plum just warms up the palette and adds a lushness that I love.

I used the floral photo on the left as inspiration for the palette because I love the bright orchid and magenta colors against the perfect matte gray. I absolutely love the simple circle design on the bottom of the cake and how they create the new shapes at their intersections.

Yay for new inspiration boards! They're my favorite.

Vineyard Inspiration Board

I have the sweetest couple getting married on a vineyard this October! So I've created an equally sweet inspiration board for them featuring their color palate of fig, blush, and coral. The bride originally liked the idea of coral and turquoise blue, but coral is such a traditionally summery color, that the lighter blue was pulling it too much into spring/summer. So, we kept the coral/blue theme but took inspiration from arguably the most beautiful fruit there is: the fig. The almost-black purpleish-blue skin covering the gorgeous coral and blush tones inside are divine and provide the perfect color backdrop for a wedding on a vineyard, surrounded by sprawling grape vines.

For centerpieces, we will be using less floral and more arranged fruit elements to give the feeling of harvest time on the vineyard. I love the striking contrast between the pale linen color (blush) and the super dark, texture-filled fruit centerpiece. Delicious.

Since everyone is so into vintage weddings right now, we decided to have a bit more of a modern flare with elements like a black chandelier hanging over the head table, hanging glass bulbs with candles in all the trees, and clear "Ghost" chairs for guest seating.

There will still be some sweet vintage-esque elements like burlap table runners and wooden fruit crates to serve as coffee tables next to adirondack chairs (with modern-feeling throw pillows) during the cocktail hour to provide attention-grabbing contrast and to keep with the natural feeling of the property.

And since there's a beautiful pond in the middle of the vineyard, we'll be taking some shots in a row boat, of course. What bride doesn't want to step into a row boat on the water in her wedding dress??

To round out this theme, I'd love to see sliced figs wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with EVOO and s/p on everyone's plate as they sit down for dinner. Yum.

Spring Wedding on a Ranch

Here's a new inspiration board for an outdoor spring wedding at a ranch in Sedona, AZ. It's going to be just beautiful with the black, white and olive color palate creating a striking contrast to the rest of the environmental greenery. I'm thinking that we need just a hint of the softest pale yellow to warm it up ever so slightly.

I'm envisioning outdoor couches and chaise lounges, lots of chandeliers hung from the trees, candles, all white flowers and a touch of black & white damask to provide points of interest. Plus, this is an Italian family, so there will be lots of fantastic food and even homemade limoncello that I can't WAIT to try!

Fanciful French Fete

I am forever in love with all things francais. This board was inspired by the amazing charm bracelet I found at One Hundred Wishes - a site I drool over. The bracelet is the focal point in this Vintage French Country Fete board. If I could live inside this board, I most definitely would.

Colors: Aquamarine, Early Morning Sunshine, Antique Pearl, Prism Pink

Credits: Mariabella, Lisa Lefkowitz (5), Jose Villa (3), Meg Baisden Photography (2), Karen Wise, Sweet Monday Photography, Open Air Photography (2)

Charcoal & Sage Inspiration

I've created a new inspiration board for one of my brides getting married outdoors on a cool November morning, surrounded by an intimate family group. The ceremony will take place at a beautiful private Villa looking up to Camelback Mountain at the gorgeous Montelucia resort in Paradise Valley. The ceremony will be followed by a large reception the next evening, allowing them to invite lots of friends. Plus, Robyn gets to wear a short, floofy party wedding dress for the reception... who doesn't love that?

The beautiful couple's color palate is Sage (and all the silvery hues of succulents) and Charcoal, with a little Winter White.



What's really cool is that they are incorporating some truly special mementos of some very special people in their lives... the bride will be featuring a single pale yellow rose in her bouquet to tip her Texas hat to her late grandmother who was affectionately called "The Yellow Rose" as a nickname. Robyn will also have a few oranges lining the ceremony aisle to pay homage to her grandparents who used to live on an orange orchard that was steeped in her childhood memories. Now that is sweet.

Vintage Chic Wedding Inspiration

I'm loving my newest vintage-chic wedding. It will be hosted at the bride's parents' home, which happens to look so utterly adorable that it will conjure up images of the sweet Father of the Bride home. A huge 2-story with the most charming of personality, and massive tree-lined yard. Oh the photos. They will be absolutely perfect.

I can't wait to share more of this incredible wedding with you. But, first - the inspiration board. The bride and groom want a very natural, rustic, yet chic decor and theme - I've brought to them the contrast of crystal and wood, herbs and floral. Utterly divine. Based on this inspiration board, we're going to have an actual Model T Ford which belongs to the brides' family featured INSIDE the tent to serve as our display 'case' for the homemade pies and tarts dessert bar. Loving it? Um hmm. Me too. I could eat it up.

And to top it off, the groom's family owns a vineyard and fruit orchard in Ohio, which we will be prominently featuring in the incredible menu and possibly even the favors.

Now, we're working on stationery suite, which includes Save The Dates printed on actual vintage hankies by the fabulously talented Erin Raspberry Napier of Lucky Luxe. Can't wait to feature those next! Stay tuned!


Source: Basically, most of the photos are from Art Fool, but the center image is from Union Photography, the dessert display is from Wedding Chicks, and the images of apples and favor bags are from Martha Stewart Weddings.

My New Favourite Colors

First of all, I am adopting the Canadian way of spelling favourite. Favorite is so blah. Favourite is so fancy. I like it! So, continuing on - to say that I'm sweet on my new obsession of peacock colors and peacock feathers is an understatement. I'm officially smitten and off the market for any other color combinations. This week. I don't care if it's trendy. It's also so classic - I mean you can't make up an animal like that. So now the beautiful, graceful peacock is officially my favourite animal too.

Anyhow, one of my sweet brides knew she wanted a merlot-colored red for her wedding in October, but she couldn't decide on the secondary colors for her palate. Well, my friends, I pounced on this chance for my new favourite colours (I'm adopting that one too) to show up at an event. And believe me - they're going to show. up.

Merlot red. Peacock teal. Sapphire Blue. I. Love. You. Here's my inspriation for your event, Leigh. I hope you love it!

Main Color Palate Board:

Source (left to right, row by row): OH, HOW CHARMING!, Melissa Sweet, OH, HOW CHARMING!, Sasha Souza, OH, HOW CHARMING!, Flickr, Unknown, Bride Design, Sasha Souza, Unknown, BBJ Linens, Sasha Souza, GOD, Crystalier, Flickr, Flickr

Pre-Ceremony Board:Source (left to right, row by row): GOD, Mac Cosmetics on Flickr, Bride Design, Sasha Souza, Sasha Souza, Studio Stems, Melissa Sweet


Reception Board:


Source (left to right, row by row): OH, HOW CHARMING!, Unknown, Unknown, Tiny Water, Flickr, OH, HOW CHARMING!, BBJ Linens