2013 Pantone Color of the Year

One of the things I look forward to every December is when Pantone announced the color of the year. Yesterday, Pantone unveiled that 2013's color of the year is Emerald. As a designer, I'm drawn to vibrant colors. Emerald green definitely fits the bill.

This year everyone had fun with Tangerine Tango, 2012's color of the year. I'm sure that next year won't be any different. Rest assured that you will be seeing Emerald everywhere in fashion, decor, and weddings in 2013 and I look forward to it! Photo

Wedding Decor Trends That We Love (Part 2)!

We wanted to share with you more trends being used in weddings. Chevrons are stripes of inverted V's. They were traditionally used on military uniforms to show the length of service. Today, they are being used in all areas of wedding design including invitations, cakes, linens, etc. Ombre means the gradual shading from light to dark. It is being used on fabrics, cakes, flowers, etc. Here is a great example on these bridesmaids dresses. Photo Photo

Wedding Decor Trends That We Love

We are seeing a lot of great trends in wedding decor that we absolutely love! Ribbon adds a fun creative touch to your wedding day. Seen here it is used as a focal point backdrop.

Traditionally, baby's breath was used as a filler for other flowers like roses. Have you seen the way baby's breath is being used to stand alone now? It can be very romantic.

We saved the best for last. Sequins add all the sparkle you could ever ask for to your big day. Colors like black or gray can be very elegant.

Have fun deciding on what decor style that fits your style. Happy planning! Photo Photo Photo

Details....details.....napkin folds

There are lots of details to think about when planning your wedding. Here is one that you may not even think about, but it does add to the style of the design of your table setting. Your napkins. So here are just a few possibilities if you want your napkins folded fancy.



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A Splash of Color "Wish List"

I love having discussions with brides about how to incorporate color into their wedding. Most brides grow up dreaming of their wedding all of their life. One of the first choices you might make are what colors you wants to include. Once you decide on your colors, some brides don't know how to use those colors throughout the day. So here are a few ideas for you.



I found this great inspiration board. As you can see, if bringing in color is on your wish list, there are endless ways to do it. You can bring in color on your bridesmaid dresses, bouquets, invitations, shoes, men's ties, your cake, chair sashes, lighting, drapery, and my favorite, signature drinks. But you don't have to stop there. Have fun with it. Happy planning!

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Turn up the lights in here....I want you to see this!

A recent Association of Bridal Consultants Atlanta meeting is my inspiration for this post. I enjoy being an active member of this organization so much so that I assist in planning our regular meetings. This particular meeting was about transforming a room with lighting.



You have several options to choose from such as break up patterns, pin spotting centerpieces or washing the walls with color. Here are some beautiful pictures I found where lighting did just that at wedding receptions.



Remember to include lighting in your wedding planning budget.
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The Royal Wedding

Last Friday, I was on of the countless viewers watching Prince William marry Kate Middleton. The 1,900 invited guests began arriving at Westminster Abbey more than two hours before the ceremony began. One of the first things I noticed was all of the beautiful and creative fascinators and hats the ladies wore.



We only got a quick glimpse of the bride as she came out of the Goring Hotel. So everyone anxiously waited for Kate to step out of her car to get a better look at her. She wore a gorgeous white laced long sleeve gown by Sarah Burton. Everyone was all the buzz about her unexpected posy bouquet of myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William, and hyacinth. Another unexpected topic of discussion was the bride's sister Pippa's white dress which was also designed by Sarah Burton, because bridesmaids do not normally wear white.



After the hour long catholic ceremony full of choir songs and readings in the church decorated with trees, the bride and groom rode in style in their horse drawn carriage to Buckingham Palace. Prince William looked very handsome in his red military uniform.



Everything was perfectly timed for the day right down to the time when everyone anxiously waited for the newly titled Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William to go out on the balcony and have their first public kiss. The newlyweds seemed a little shy about the kiss. Then all of a sudden they delighted the crowd with a second kiss.



I will admit that I was impressed with the celebration, but the entire time I was waiting for one of the many children that were the bridesmaids and pages to get restless and act up. To my surprise, they were very well behaved. Even when 3 year old Grace van Cutsem frowned and covered her ears, she was adorable.
It will be interesting to see what trends will emerged because of the things that we saw at the royal wedding. Will more brides wear long sleeved lace gowns and carry smaller bouquets? Will more guests wear hats to the ceremony? Will bridesmaids wear white? Will more couples depart in horse carriages? Will we see more trees as decor? What do you think?
Happy planning!

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Manzanita Trees

Manzanita branches have become an important part of event design in the last couple of years. One of the reasons for this is because they can be used in various ways to give you totally different looks and feels. One option is to spray paint the branches silver and have them dripping in crystals. Another option would be to hang flowers from the branches. Either way, it's a winner!

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Color Inspirations

I'm not going to say much on this post, because these fabulous photos speak volumes for themselves no matter what your wedding color is!







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Ghost Chairs

A great way to make your wedding reception or event very modern is to rent ghost chairs. The beautiful clear chairs match any color decor you select. They also come in a wide range of tints. I personally like the original clear and the black tinted ones.

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Tablescapes

As a member of ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants) I get to participate in wonderful educational and networking meetings. At our March meeting, we had an exciting tablescape competition at 550 Trackside.


If you are environmentally conscious, you can do great things with a green themed table. Notice the cute party crashers at the table?

In February, I had the pleasure of being invited to Get Married A Toast to the South Soiree at Opera. There was a breathtaking mirrored table designed by Bold American Events & Catering.

As you can see from these great designs, you don't have to have a boring standard table design for your wedding, rehearsal dinner, shower, or any other event in your plans. Be creative!

A Lounge at Your Wedding Reception

Adding a lounge at your wedding reception will be a big hit with your guests. Not only is it a comfortable place for people to congregate, but it is a great focal point if your reception room is a little on the boring side. Your rental company has many different styles to choose from so that you can get the look and feel that you desire.







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Family Style Seating

Family style seating at your wedding reception is a big hit at receptions these days. Looking down a long table full of your closest family and friends is so much more inviting than everyone being spread out at smaller tables around the room. You have the option of putting just a couple of tables end to end or connecting several tables to go from one end of the room to the next.


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Gobo or go home!

I know the saying is "Go big or go home", but I just love gobos! What could be better than having your name up in lights? It is an unforgettable sight to have you and your new spouse's name up on a wall or even in the middle of your dance floor announcing to everyone who you are. It is a wonderful focal point at your wedding reception. Your lighting company can design a custom gobo monogram to fit your style. The sky is the limit. So gobo or go home!

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Chair Covers for Your Wedding Reception

One thing that is important not to forget about the look and feel of your wedding reception is the chairs. If your venue has unattractive chairs, a good option is to cover them with chair covers.


Chair covers come in an endless variety of colors and styles. Take your time and choose ones that match your personality and wedding style.

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Everything I Always Wanted to Know About Tents

On Wednesday, I was one of an exclusive group of event professionals that were invited to attend a workshop all about tents. In today's economy many engaged couples are calling tent rental companies wondering if their money is better spent investing in a tent to use as their ceremony and reception location.

Discussing everything from basic tent information to the cost of decor for tents at the workshop, made me remember a gorgeous tent setup at an event in 2008 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Today tents can be basic or be decked out with tables, chairs, flooring, carpet, chandeliers, gathered liners, dance floors, stages, bars, televisions, drapes and more. If you are worried about the weather outside, don't be. You can add heating or air to your tent for comfort as well.