I'm back today sharing more about our darling daughter's wedding!I have never had such a hard time blogging about anything before …I think it's just because there is so much emotion surrounding the event …andI want to do it justice!
I have savored and enjoyed the whole journey to the big day.
From the engagement party …
tolooking almost every weekend for the perfect for us wedding venuethat took us seven months to findand
ended up oh so perfect!
To shopping for her dress ...the fittings and toasting to the perfect dress ...A gorgeous wedding shower …
Months and months of planning …
But what I will truly rememberwas how Jeff and IandEllis and Elliotworked tirelessly on designing and building installations for the big day!
It was having a common and united purposethat I truly treasured.
I will be the first to sayI had wedding trepidations in the beginning.It just seemed to me that maybe weddings had become too big of a deal these days.But come the endI can truly say the journeywas just as heart warmingas the big day destination.
So for those of you in the throes of upcoming weddingsmy adviceenjoy and savor the processfor it can be the building of new family relationshipsas you welcome your newest family member.andbuild a bridge to welcome their family own family into yours.
One of our favorite projects was the escort installationthat Ellis had wanted to be a major focal point at her wedding.It ended up to be an installation that we all brought something to her idea!
Jeff and Elliot were able to design an engineera structure that could break down into piecesto get it to the venue and then be reassembled once there.
At the Anthropologie opening I had seen these fabulous Voluspa candles and Skeem Design matchesthat I thought would make perfect wedding favors.
Then we realized if we attached calligraphy tags to themthey would make for perfect escort 'cards' as well!
(And a Huge thank you to Ellis's Bridal party
for attaching the tags to each favor
the day of the wedding!
You all are so wonderful!!)
And that my friendsis how the structure was begun!Jeff designed panels with shelves attached with brass hardware to complement the colors in the favors.The panel were then attached to the bigger 10 foot boards.Backs were added sandwich board style.Jeff and Elliot were able to accomplish this together within a weekend!
Ellis designed the finishing signage detailwith having laser cut lettering done that was in the form of a huge decalthat Jeff and Elliot were able to painstakingly affix.
The escort/favors ended up to be a huge hit!
They were favors guests actually wanted to take home!
I can not say enough great things about our venue!With each visit during planning I loved it more!Especially the front patiowhich has a view of the oceananda fire that we had burning all night.
We rented furniture from Adore FolkloreIt was their pieces that helped set the bohemian vibe that Ellis had wanted.This space in front of the firewas my absolute favorite of the night.I will remember forever sharing it with family and friendsat such a magnanimous family event.
If you follow me on Instagramthen you have seen me rave about ourspectacular floristKimberly of the Dainty Lion!To meshe is a true artistwith her present medium being flowers!
Just look what she did to the cow skullby simply adding blooms!!
I must admit I loved everything Ellis chose for her weddingbut the cow skull I was just going with what she wanted …
That is until I saw it in decor playand them with the added blossoms …Now I am truly in search of one for my courtyard!!
I just love this front patioIt felt private and enclosedwith the warmth of a private backyard.
The reception space inside the ballroom worked out wonderfully as well!
We placed the Sweetheart Table for the Bride and Groomon the stageran the Head Table for the Bridal Party perpendicularwith rounds for the families and friends on either sides.
I couldn't be happier how the Sweet Heart table came out!
We started with adding a metal installation behind the velvet curtainsto help make the stage feel smaller and more intimate.
We draped a drop cloth over the structurefor a perfect backdrop for the macrame blanket hangingthat was actually a Nate Berkus throw from Target.
On top of that we hung macrame hangingsthat we filled with cactus and golden pineapplesthat we used throughout the weddingas a modern nod to a welcoming tradition.The pineapples take spray paint amazingly welland can last up to five days!
The table was another beauty from Adore Folkloreas were the fabulous basket weave chairs and cushions!The rug was a bridal blanket also from Adore.
We added boxed palms to the sidesto frame the table out perfectlyandadd to the intimate feeling I was looking for in setting their special table.
It was the continual adding of textureswith just bit of color that helped us achieve the look we were after.A look that was stylized but wouldn't over power the starring Bride and Groom!
I have to say the macrame hangingswere all Ellis's ideaand they were just the absolute fresh exclamation markto the entire vignette!
I couldn't wait to set the Sweet Heart table as Ellis and I had been collecting each special piece for months.T had done several mock ups at home just to get the right feeling and flow.
And againti was the fabulous creations by the Dainty Lion that truly brought the table to life!!
I sprayed cut tree rounds gold as wellas it was a quick, inexpensive and effective way to bring lifts and levels to the table scape
Brass swans were added to the wedding tableas they too,mate for life.They were a fabulous flea market find!
A pair of E's made it to the tablefor Ellis and Elliot!
We collected geometric candlesthis one being from Target again.
It was the place setting for the bride and groom that I especially adored!
Ellis and I found this fantastic Love plates at Anthropologielast winter.They were the jumping off point for the entire table!
We added wooden placemats (that you might remember form her shower HERE.)atop a crocheted runner.
The gold flatware is from West Elm.we offered the turquoise plate from Anthropologieto make the focal plate stand out more.
The lovely glassware we found in San Diegoduring some of our many visits down to see Ellis and Elliot.
But it is this vintage line(of which the matching Mr. was on the Grooms place setting)that sealed the deal on the Sweetheart Table to me!
A most lovely and sweet gift from Mary Q ValeThat always does the most exquisite florals at all of the French Basketeer's gatherings!Mary, I tole you I would find the most perfect way to use these vintage pillowcasesyou so oh so very generously gifted me.Rest assuredthey will now be family heirlooms of this newly married couple.Big thanks to you darling!
How sweet is my girl's place card.Such a quaint little slip …I don't think she realized just how fast a name change comes into play.And certainly bittersweet to this Mommato realize the last time she had our surname.
Weddings ask a lot of Momma's hearts.And not just the brides Mommasbut the grooms as well.So many gorgeous moments …mixed in with some bits of the bittersweet.
We wanted to keep the guests place settings clean and elegantletting the flowers take center stagein the all white room.
Jeff and Elliot made pine placemats for each pacesetting I just love the addition of the organic texture and neutral color.
These chic, ceramic table numbers hail fromAnthropoigies wedding store Beholden.That store made many online order deliveries to the house during the course of the wedding planning!
Ellis had these amazing menus printed up.
Guests were offered three choices of entreesso we used three different types of ferns to mark the place settings so the servers would know who got which meal.
I just loved how the leaves quietly played into the table scapewhile being informative to the staff as well.
We set up a great photo booth as well!
The couch is another stylish piece from Adore Folklore.More boxed trees to frame the space.Two more 10 foot boards behind the couchover which we draped sheer fabric for just a blush of color.
Kim of the Dainty Lion finished it off just perfectlyby adding the palm fronds in between the sheers.I was just all bubbly when I saw how that final touchjust brought the whole photo booth installation together!!
For photo props I brought several dozens crownsand I must say that photo booth was bush all night longwith people having the best time!Especially when they got to take their photos home with themas they were printed out right there!!
The elegant signage was done by Taryn of Twinkle and Toast.
Ellis interned for Taryn last year
and
always talked so highly of Taryn.
Meeting her as a guest at the wedding
I can definitely see why the high praise!
What a doll!
It was through Ellis's internship at Twinkle and Toast that
Ellis was able to meet so many of the fantastically talented vendors
we used for Ellis's wedding!
They definitely made up a vendor Dream Team.
I will be adding links to all of their sites in my next post.
Of course the bride and groom had signature cocktails!How fresh and SoCalwere both of their picks!
Well there you have my second installmentall about our decorand what I was working on full time the last few months!
I will be back next timewith the soul of the whole wedding
The Ceremony!
Thank each of you so muchfor following along on our family story!
As always my friends
I wish you love and joyas you style your life
