Nice Day for a (Winter) White Wedding

Best Wishes for a Very Happy New Year!

I had every intention of posting during the holidays, my absolute favorite time of year, but work was (thankfully) quite abundant and I just never had a moment to sit down... until now!

Here it is, January, a time that can seem dreary, cold, lifeless even. But it doesn't have to be! When it comes to weddings and other events especially, the winter season brings with it a whole bevy of blossoms- amaryllis, tulips, ranunculus, anemone, flowering quince branches- that can remind you that while it may be bare outside, the arrangements can be as lush as ever.

When I visit the wholesalers, I tend to gravitate towards the bolder colors- hot pinks, plums, deep purples, even red sometimes. But the neutrals have been catching my eye lately as well. A party or wedding with a winter white scheme can be very satisfying to the eye. Whites, ivories, creams, silvers, and even a little blush here and there are a very soothing combo that can be sophisticated, clean, and elegant, a perfect compliment to any interior- or a cold, wintry exterior, for that matter!

Here are some inspirations I found that fit in with my idea of a beautiful winter wedding:

Bouquets

It takes two hands to hold this one- with roses, pine cones, orchids,
dusty miller, and eucalyptus to name a few!


Loosely arranged blush and white roses with feathers
and silver brunia


Nothing more than country roadside "weeds" and white feathers-
but absolutely perfect


Anemone, berzelia, and lady slipper orchids- unexpected and totally unique

Roses, ranunculus, freesia- and a gorgeous ribbon

Silver foliage and a satin blue ribbon are a perfect match



Boutonnieres

Love the feathers, a great alternative to blooms.


Centerpieces

Pinecones and Paperwhites- rustic and relaxed

The color can really set of the whites here...

...and silver here.

Simple bunches of Amaryllis make a long-lasting statement

Magnolia leaves have a gorgeous velvety underside
that lend great color and texture

Football mums and dusty miller- and terrific containers!

Cake...

I'm drawn to anything with a bird on it- what
a beautiful design!

...and candles, lots of them!

One of my tasks over the holidays was a small second wedding reception that fits in well with this scheme of white in winter. Here are a few shots from this event...




Stay tuned for part two of this post. I am designing a wedding in a couple weeks that will tie in with this theme as well. Whites, silvers, and a hint of peachy pink and pop of coral to warm it up a bit- and of course, lots of candlelight!

A Fair to Remember

This weekend the Country Living Fair came to town. I've been looking forward to checking it out ever since they announced it would be in Atlanta this year. It is always held in Ohio, so I was very glad they added a southern location finally!
Country Living Magazine is another favorite, especially the October through December issues. My November issue is still in its plastic mailer, and I am saving it for after Halloween.

The fair was held at Stone Mountain Park, which I must admit I've never had much of a desire to visit. In my mind it was always a big Confederate Memorial Carving and laser light show, nothing more. After leaving the fair, I decided to drive around and see what else goes on at the park. It turns out, a lot! It was very pretty, and I found a nice hiking trail around the lake that took about an hour. There are many trails, aside from the one that takes you up to the summit, and plenty of outdoor activities including fishing, camping, and golf.

View from the Cherokee Trail around the lake

Here are some photos from the fair itself. Although I was tempted more than once, I did not buy a single thing!

This huge pumpkin and gourd display would be

very impressive on someone's front lawn!


Hand-carved Noah's Ark- amazing!



Cute party witch hats, but clearly meant for a
smaller head than mine!


Sugar molds are a popular way to
bring candlelight into a room

Carved out of gourds



A quirky way to fill an empty wall




No more than one head per body, please

Beautiful handmade wool yarn

Yummy cinnamon-rosy Potpourri

One of many bird prints, a grouping of these
would be perfect!

What a terrific pair of chairs!

Collectible Canning Jars

Pilgrim figurines

Used originally for grain storage, these barrels
would make unique planters

Watering cans and buckets-
I can see them used as casual containers
for mixed wildflower bouquets




French market baskets

A beautiful old cupola

Repurposed lighting

Yarn spools

Dress form

Cozy outdoor fire

B-I-N-G-O

What would YOU do with clock parts?

Screen printed pillows

Vintage frogs, used in floral arranging

Napkin rings

Handmade coat

Mad for this Mag

Today I received my much-anticipated Fall issue of Flower, the ultimate magazine for all things, well, flower! I love love love this quarterly publication (although I wish it were a little more frequent than that!) out of Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham is also the home of Southern Living, Cooking Light, and another favorite (now sadly defunct), Cottage Living.

In one section titled Design School there are step-by-step instructions and photos on how to put together a particular arrangement. For this issue, they recruited Amy Osaba, a talented Atlanta floral designer, to create a beautiful "cornucopia of color".

Amy giving a demo

Pick up the magazine to see the gorgeous final masterpiece!



Also in this issue is a spread on the absolutely amazing outdoor fall "farm fresh" wedding of Elizabeth Shaw McWilliams, the daughter of Margot Shaw, Flower's editor. The floral designer for the event was Sybil Sylvester of Wildflower Designs who is also design editor of the magazine.




Again, pick up the magazine for more photos from this glorious wedding, along with fall florals by David Lavoy, and an interview with interior designer Bunny Williams (who has a knack for flower arranging, are you surprised?).

One more mention before I get back to reading... an article on the High Line, a public park created out of the abandoned and almost-demolished elevated railway on Manhattan's West Side. I've heard about this rail yard transformation elsewhere, but now I'm ready to take a trip to visit it for myself!

Awaiting Autumn

Something I've always loved about living in Atlanta is that we experience each season. It would really be strange for me to have Christmas in a warmer climate, although we are not quite lucky enough to have a white one here!

But what I love more than the seasons themselves is the change from one to another, and the transition between summer and fall is the most exciting to me. Yes, it's still climbing into the nineties these days, but you can definitely feel the approaching cooler weather in the morning hours.

I was lucky to design a wedding last weekend that was a palette of oranges, reds, yellows... a perfect color scheme for celebrating the coming season. These photos show personal flowers that accompanied the wedding party down the aisle.



This wedding really got me excited about autumn, which officially arrives Wednesday September 22, 2010 at 11:09 PM ET. I am a big fan of Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons, so I'm listening to the "Autumn" concerto... listen to the 1st movement!