wedding wednesday

For this week's Wedding Wednesday, let's talk flowers. I know some brides feel flowers can be a waste of money for the big day and I see truth in that- they will die anyway. But, most of the mesmerizing photos from weddings and receptions include gorgeous (and even simple) floral.

I've never had a strong affinity towards one flower over another, so I researched what would be in bloom in May and made a list of my favorites based on our colors- white, yellow, and blue. Ultimately I wanted the bouquets and centerpieces to look as though someone had just picked wild flowers from a field or garden and bundled them together. My favorites ended up being craspedia, sea holly, and solidago.

Two of my good friends had used The Garden Gate Florist for their weddings and since they came with a great reputation, I chose to work with them. My mom and I met with Lindy, one of the owners, and she was extremely helpful in capturing my vision.

From the bouquets, to corsages, to boutonnieres, to centerpieces- all the flowers and greenery looked perfectly plucked from a rustic garden.

The options are endless when it comes to centerpieces, but here are a few that strike my fancy:

As I've shared before, king protea and succulents are (in my opinion) some of the most stunning flowers out there.

This watering can centerpiece is not just rustic, but very romantic. I like the little pops of purple lavender. Instead of little touches of lavender, you could have an entire vase full of them:

Baby's breath also makes a gorgeous centerpiece. Jenna is thinking of using them for her bridesmaid bouquets and I could not be more excited!

I'm inclined toward mason jars for vases, but it's refreshing to see unique ideas too. Hollowed-out trees sure make sweet flower holders.

And lastly, some succulents in an eclectic vase. Something about the peach, mint, and green colors make me think of a desert wedding.

What about you- do you think flowers are a worthy investment for a wedding and reception?

// Photo sources: 1.-9. by Matt Miller, 10. by Corbin Gurkin via decor8, 11. by K. Holly Photography via Snippet & Ink, 12. by Jose Villa via Once Wed, 13. by Brooke Schwab via Once Wed, 14. by Amy Carroll Photography via Once Wed, 15. by Jill Thomas via Once Wed //

over the weekend

Sorry for being MIA yesterday- I am still trying to recover from the weekend. Friday and Saturday were packed with set up and breakdown for the Gwinnett Medical Center Cornerstone Society Gala at the Georgia Jet Hanger in Lawrenceville. Those two days were long and grueling, but it was so enjoyable to see all the hours, days and months of planning pay off. Bethany (the event coordinator) did a fabulous job orchestrating the set ups and making the night memorable for every guest- which by the way, totaled over 600!

My hope is to share more details and photos from the gala later this week! I will let you in on one of the perks of being Bethany's assistant Saturday night- I had my own radio.

Sunday was filled with church and a trip to Madison for a bridal showcase. Bethany, Ashlynne and I went to a beautiful tea room owned by Kathi Russell. I'm hoping one of my friends will have a luncheon or bridal shower there in the future!

Overall this weekend was crazy busy and fun. I feel like I'm gaining a better understanding of what event coordinating encompasses and how important it is to have healthy outlets for stress (because something will always go wrong). 

I'm taking today off to rest up and fight off what feels like a cold/allergies/emotional exhaustion, etc :) Taylor has been so sweet in taking care of me and being patient as I get back to our normal routine.

have a groovy weekend

 
This weekend is bound to be a little crazy. The 615-person gala is taking place tomorrow night and I will be at the jet hanger all day today and tomorrow setting up and helping Bethany (the event coordinator). I can't wait to share the details of how the airplane hanger transforms into an elegant dining room. Did I mention the guest speaker is Frank Abagnale?


I hope your weekend is extra groovy and here's a little link lovin' for your Friday afternoon.

Black & white

Obsessed with The Cream wedding event- seen here and here.

Simple and cheap DIY 

This video made me laugh

This feature also made me laugh :)

Mac n cheese hors d'oeuvre for The Oscars

// Top photo via Pinterest //

dream home {dining room}

Although it's the sacred space for holiday meals, the dining room might be the least appreciated room of the house. I do not want this to be the case for our new home; especially since our farmhouse table is so special to me- Taylor gave it to me the night he proposed and it was used at our wedding reception.

I'm hoping to exchange our low wood chairs for something modern and industrial. If we had an unlimited budget, of course I would want Tolix chairs, but anything sleek will do.

Thonet and Bentwood chairs have a charming look too. Perhaps we will end up with a mix of rustic and modern seating.

The room is currently a butter cream yellow and I'm having a hard time deciding if that's the color I want to keep. I'm leaning towards a dark gray because I think it will complement the dark wood table. I'd also love to add a patterned rug like this one from Ikea:

A bar cart would look pretty fabulous in the dining room as well.

// Photo sources: 1. via the style files, 2. from Design*Sponge, 3. via Pinterest, 4. from Design*Sponge, 5. from Martha Stewart, 6. from Ikea, 7. from Design*Sponge, 8. via Apartment Therapy, 9. from Center City //

wedding wednesday

Since I briefly talked about bridesmaid dresses the other week, I thought I would continue the topic today. When it comes to bridesmaid dresses it seems like most brides want the color and fit to look flattering on every girl. I'm so grateful Jenna is letting each of her bridesmaids select a dress of their choice based on her color palette.

Jenna's bridesmaids will be wearing cream and blush tones while her honored guests will be in shades of gray. The entire look is sure to be dreamy and romantic. I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect dress that matches Jenna's vision and my goal is to avoid only two things - strapless and chiffon. Naturally I visited Anthropologie first.

This cream number doesn't just have pockets, it has a "lacy, ladylike texture" and stretches to fit any form. The $128 price tag isn't bad either considering it's the ideal summer day-to-night dress.

This lovely wrap dress from asos with sheer sleeves and sequin cuffs caught my eye even though it might be too warm for sleeves in May. I also liked this crochet shift dress and the options from Forever21 below:

I don't know what Jenna will want in terms of shoes yet, but I'm thinking something low and comfortable for the outdoor ceremony. A sensible and girly wedge would be the perfect fit.

For jewelry, I'm hoping to rock a statement piece or some strands of pearls from Stella & Dot.

// Photo sources: 1. from Rebecca Hansen Weddings via OnceWed, 2. via Polyvore, 3.from Anthropologie, 4. from asos, 5. from Nordstrom, 6. from Forever21, 7. from Forever21, 8. from Forever21, 9. from J.Crew, 10. from stella & dot, 11. from stella & dot //

let's do this

At the beginning of the new year I shared my resolutions. One of those had to do with firm goals for my physical health. Unfortunately I haven't been as diligent with these goals as I would like. Today was a new day and I hit the gym with Taylor. He put me to work and I'm excited to share my progress and some helpful tips now that I'm really motivated. And it helps that I am married to a personal trainer :)

// Photo via Let's Drift Away //

have a cool weekend

Is it really Friday? My week seemed like such a blur. At work I've been helping with three major events taking place over the course of the next few months. One is a gala at the GA Jet Hanger, another is a rehearsal dinner at the Georgia Theatre, and the third is a ball at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Each day has taught me something new about myself and the industry. Blogging has certainly been a nice way to decompress. I hope you have something super cool planned this weekend! And enjoy a little link love.

A jaw-dropping South African beach wedding

The Madewell Songbird dress

Longing for the tropics

Design*Sponge is on Pinterest! Hip hip hooray!

Craving pink jeans with a denim top- as seen here, here, AND here.

Itching for Spring!

How to knot a kerchief 

Heard Emily Hearn in concert the other night and she's fabulous.

Remember my sweet friend Shannen? She has a totally awesome blog too!

xoxo

// Top photo via Un Petit Baroque //

recent happenings

Remnants of love from the past couple days.

// Top left: Heart-shaped Boston cream donut from Dunkin' Donuts //

// Top right: Sweethearts Duet Hoot at The Melting Point //

// Middle: A vintage valentine for my hubby //

// Bottom left: Flowers from my hubby //

// Bottom Right: Heart pin from my boss //