Pretty in Pink

On a gorgeous summer day, a beautiful bride and her closest family and friends came together in an elegant backyard setting to celebrate her upcoming nuptials. Using a feminine color palette of pale, blush pink contrasted with black, it was all about the details at this lovely soiree...



We welcomed guests with a thirst quenching station of everything pink and yummy- Raspberry and Strawberry-Kiwi Lemonades and sugar rimmed glasses of Kir Royale.



We needed to beat the heat, so the client offered a sweet, pink fan as a favor and heat-buster. Although it was warm, we lucked out on the weather, and the plentiful shade, cool drinks and handy fans just made it all the more pleasant!



The tables were simple, yet gorgeous and we overheard many of the guests raving about the beauty. We created floral arrangements of stunning peonies and country roses accented by a crisp black ribbon and a rhinestone buckle. Black chandeliers brought  in an extra accent and proved that it doesn't have to be a night time event to warrant the use of beautiful candles...





Little details peppered the party- from individual wine charms and seating cards to the bride's signature (pink) drink.



The catering was perfect for a late morning brunch: scones, cream, jam, grilled vegetables, and a light, delicious chicken dish that left the guest raving.



We loved getting "girlie" with it and trimmed the dessert table in a bride-worthy blush pink tulle skirt.





French Macaroons, a host of cookies, candies and a feminine cake trimmed in "bling" enticed the guests.



It was a bridal shower to cherish. A group of lovely guests, a gorgeous day and an atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression. Congratulations to our Blushing Bride!!

A Back to School Party: for adults

AS SEEN IN JULY'S ISSUE OF MINGLE MAGAZINE

Although we are always, ALWAYS up for a party, inspiration comes easily when the party is a Back to School Fundraiser for your own child’s school. Such was the case when we were presented with a school fundraiser- no theme, no ideas- we could do anything we wanted! Our first step? To create an inspiration board. We love this step in the creative process because it really brings together colors, textures and spring boards of ideas about transforming something into…well, something else. Our inspirations centered around the idea of school, itself. We envisioned school buses, pencils, chalkboards, and children. Although the fundraiser was for adults only, we wanted to somehow find a way to keep the “children” in the big picture. We chose a palette of yellows, white and a touch of gray to keep a fresh, yet modern feel.

Since our party was set to take place in a parent’s backyard, we wanted a look that created an updated garden party feel. We searched out yellow chevron patterned fabric and made runners for each table- a bright and colorful accent to the clean, crisp white linened tables. We kept things casual by choosing mason jars as vases and used a variety of sizes. Centerpieces, that were simple enough to do, were bright and cheery arrangements of sunflowers, gerbera daisies, yellow stock, queen’s anne lace, and the unusual flower with the funny name- “chicken bones”. The table “look” was complete with these fresh arrangements!

What says “School” more than a chalkboard? We bought some inexpensive frames, and spray painted them with a simple gray spraypaint. Then, we used a single piece of cardstock and painted it with chalkboard paint, inserted it into the frame without the glass, and…voila! Chalkboard table number frames! Did you ever wonder how some chalkboards look like a resident artist wrote on them? The trick is to use a Chalkboard pen. It was a new find for us, but completely changed our world…no more messing with a thick, straight-edged piece of chalk.

A Lemonade Stand is something that appeals primarily to children. However, we wanted to steal the concept and make an adult friendly-version.  We dressed our Lemonade Stand with beautiful glass beverage dispensers, drinking glasses prepared and waiting with a lemon wedge and yellow straw, and dozens of lemons and limes! We served up gourmet versions of lemonade with flavors like Rasberry Basil, Ginger Limeade, and Blackberry Mint. We created cohesiveness with the guest tables by creating chalkboard labels for the lemonade dispensers and even re-purposed eclectic frames to become interesting chalkboard signs. The lemonade stand was a welcome addition to a party that took place on a warm September evening and guests came back time and again for more.

The fresh and cheery ambiance carried over well into the evening, as market lights peppered with paper lanterns in our colors of yellow, white and gray, gave way to a warm glow in the yard. Guests mixed and mingled throughout the evening and we like to think that the inviting ambiance helped to create an air of generosity, which led to many donations.

 

Finally, what Back to School event would be  complete without the beginning- of-the-year school supplies to drool over? We created a useable, simple “favor”, by placing a pad of Post-Its and a little yellow pencil on each placesetting. The supplies were utilized during the guest speaker portion of the evening, and we love a freshly sharpened pencil and a full pad of ready-to-post notes! So, take note: “Back to School” just got even more fun when it includes an inspired backyard fete!

A Party for Two- Fairytale Style

It's the ultimate question (okay...well, maybe not ULTIMATE question, but I digress...): What do you do when you want to throw a joint party for your children...when one is a boy and one is a girl? Well, one year, our client concocted this idea and we jumped right on board- A Fairytale Themed Birthday Party for a One-year old boy and a Four-year old girl! I've been thinking about this party, as we're working on that same little girl's upcoming Birthday party this weekend. I've been feeling sentimental and thought I'd share a past party that still makes me smile...(Although, my photography and camera equipment/skills at the time do NOT make me smile. I guess I can measure my progress in that area...Practice makes perfect, right?)

We took a blank-slate room and made it cozy with lounge furniture and a rug (which later became the "Baby Pit", where the 1 year-olds sat to enjoy music time!) Our color palette paid tribute to the boys and girls using only Royal shades of blue and purple...



The centerpieces were so much fun! Each one was based on a different Fairy Tale and anchored together with gold paper mache books. It was fun to check out each one and it encouraged the guests to mix and mingle!




Tee hee hee...I couldn't help but have a little sense of humor with this one...


This one's too hard, This one's too soft, This one's JUST right...



We embellished a few kings and princess crowns and had them on the ready...




Wands and Swords. You cannot do Fairytale without them.

Some of the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen! Julie, of Blue Cupcake, outdid herself on these. Our beautiful backdrop designed by our graphic artist go-to, Sarah n' dipity Design, made the presentation of the cakes and desserts something special. The colors and pattern really made a gorgeous backdrop for the confectionery masterpieces!




My client's Mom stepped up and made the adorable "1" and "4" cookies!


"Fairytale Fizz" cocktails and "Jack and the Beanstalk Growing Kits" as favors, were a few of the extra touches that made this event something to remember...even as we are currently embarking on a 6th Birthday party for the same young girl!

A Fairytale Themed Party for Two definitely ends with a Happily Ever After...

Mad Science!

It's always thrilling to see your work within the pages of a beautiful, glossy magazine, and we were thrilled with our feature in Mingle Magazine's Spring issue- released yesterday! If you are not familiar with Mingle, you should definitely check it out- it is a source of gorgeous inspiration and ideas! 

Since we haven't highlighted the party that was featured in the Mingle issue, I have decided to share it with you here, although I've added a few extra photos to fill out the details. Enjoy!

How do you take the “scary” out of Halloween in order to create a kid-friendly party, while making it a “teaching moment” all at the same time? With a Retro-inspired “Mad Science Party”, of course! When our good friend and accomplished teacher, Carrie, approached us about the design of this party, she knew she wanted to highlight the science part of Mad Science, which she knew would appeal to boys and girls alike. The brainstorming began and in 8 short weeks, we had all of the elements we needed to begin to make her Mad Science dreams a reality!

We drew inspiration from a color palette of hot pink, biohazard yellow, black and silver.  The design came to life when we assembled large, but simple mobiles to represent molecular structures. Styrofoam balls painted in hot pink, neon yellow and black were strung together with silver wood dowels and hung from the ceiling. We pre-set a kids’ table with a black linen, a runner made from hot pink felt, yellow plates,  and silver plastic utensils. Beakers of varying sizes, filled with pink and yellow colored water, bubbled over with dry ice. In order to make sure that Halloween wasn’t completely lost within the theme, we spray painted pumpkins and gourds in metallic silver, which gave them an interesting, almost scientific look!

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The kids were excited to open their individual Biohazard lunchboxes- packed in a gable box and filled with all kinds of science-silly named foods, like “Newton’s Apple” (for the apples, of course.) One of the biggest conversation pieces, was the dessert table that was baked entirely by Carrie and her Mom. We constructed a near-replica of the Table of Elements out of frosted sugar cookies, while molecular-inspired rice crispy pops were displayed in a candy filled vase. Even though the party was geared toward the kids, the adults were not forgotten, and sips of bubbly and H2O were generously passed between the costumed guests.

As a fun and thoughtful take-away gift, we assembled favors of test tubes filled with candy, lollipops, popcorn and neon bracelets- wrapped up in a funky and fun yellow rubber glove. Personalized Biohazard tags made each child feel special, as they sought out their gift before leaving.

We wholeheartedly believe that Love is in the details, and the details at this adorable party were plentiful! So many of our details were budget-friendly ideas chalked full of supplies we could get at local craft stores. For the items that weren’t available locally, we found others, just a click away, on the internet. Authentic beakers, test tubes, petri dishes and magnifying glasses peppered our displays and dry ice from a party super store kept everything mystical and bubbly. We even took the time to hand stitch some pillows to match our biohazard stickers & tags, so that guests were comfortable as they lounged about. It’s our belief that if your guests feel pampered and comfortable, your party will be a success!

This party was a true collaboration of minds and the result was enjoyed by all. While “Mad Science” isn’t scary, it is just spooky enough to make for the perfect setting for a Kids’ Halloween party. The kids loved all of the experiments and treats, while the adults enjoyed the attention to details and the love and care with which it was all presented. It seems that it’s hard to completely shake the Mad Science mentality once you’ve begun…our brains are already furiously brewing up ideas for the next party concoction!!

Eclectic Romance

Every once in awhile we get a Wedding client who knows EXACTLY what they want, the personal style they'd like to reflect and the flexibility to let us really help them achieve that look. Brigid and Ryan were a Designer's DREAM! The bride envisioned a palette of purples-every shade imaginable, offset with white and black and a surprise accent of red. They wanted to feature the red at the reception only and keep it as a subtle surprise. First, the ceremony...



The bride's bouquet was done in all Pacific Blue roses with brooches she has collected over the years. The Bridesmaid bouquets were small and simple, but the range of purple hues was a stunning effect.









The bride and groom loved the idea of something natural, but grand as a backdrop for their ceremony. Of course the multi-million dollar estate they got married at provided gorgeous views, but we enhanced and defined the altar with a beautiful 9' tall manzanita tree dressed in crystals and hydrangea.



As the guests were enjoying cocktails inside, we transformed the yard into this gorgeous, eclectic reception area.





We reserved most of the red for the bride and groom's sweetheart table, but each table number and reception card provided the pop of red that kept the whole design concept pulled together and cohesive.






We used two different styles of centerpiece design to keep things interesting and add a little extra dimension. Some tables held low, but lush arrangements with simple pillar candles highlighting the look, while others held beautiful black candelabras and black mint julep cups spilling with flowers.  The black crystal chandelier hanging over the center of the black and white check dance floor was breathtaking...



The sweetheart table was stunning with it's vibrant red arrangement.



After the ceremony, Brigid and Ryan showed off their own red accents...red bridal shoes! Ryan wore fabulous red sneakers and a red tie, while Brigid floated like a goddess atop custom, red Nicholas Kirkwood heels. Guests had a blast hopping into the Retro Photo Booth to take crazy, fun photos as a reminder of this magical night.






The guests danced the night away, only taking breaks now and again to rest their feet in the chic lounge we created- filled with white leather couches, mirrored tables and plenty of candlelight and flowers to make it even more gorgeous. A roaring fire in the outdoor fireplace finished the look.



The last "pop" of red came in the form of this beautiful cake and cupcake display done by the bride's friends Amanda and Sam from Sweet Spoons Bakery. Beautiful red sugar flowers looked fresh from the garden and the red velvet cake inside? Delicious!!

We thoroughly enjoyed bringing to life all of the zest and uniqueness that this couple exudes. Congratulations, Brigid and Ryan! We wish you as much fun in your life together as your wedding provided to all of your guests!