Under the stars and moon....

Their love story.....

   Sarah and Dave were brought together through their mutual friends at a New Year’s Party.  While Dave was acting like the “Brit from London” and discussing her 

favorite novel “Jane Eyre”, he totally captured Sarah’s interest from that point~

Bride: Sarah Jablonski

Groom: David Moore

Date: June 24, 2012

Photographer: Yanshi Liu   YL Photography

DJ:  Chris Mattews  djyourwaywithchris.com

Venue: The Merion, Cinnaminson, NJ
Hair/Makeup: BiJou Salon, Hamilton, NJ
Flowers/Stationary: In Full Bloom LLC, Hamilton, NJ

Colors: Enchanted vintage garden theme~purple, green

Something Old-New, Borrowed-Blue~

New~engagement ring setting

Old~Borrowed~Late Grandmothers ring 

Blue~Electric Blue Toenail Polish

Fast forward a few years...

Under the stars and moon was Dave’s proposal to Sarah, it was a week before their anniversary. He had been trying to find an opportunity to propose to Sarah and discovered that the snow on the ground had a blank canvas for his message...

  Before Sarah returned, he started to carve the letters “will y” in the snow and quickly realized that the snow underneath was frozen. So his alternate plan was under a projector that spilled out magical stars on the walls and ceiling in the room!

   Both of them sharing a strong Irish Heritage, they chose to incorporate a hand fastening element to their ceremony, as well as her favorite poem “I carry your heart” by: E.E. Cummings. Under the stars and Moon in the “Skylight” ballroom at The Merion Caterers in Cinnaminson, NJ is where their reception took place. They felt it evoked that “ethereal” feel just like their love for each other!

 Sarah’s bouquet consisted of premium lavender and eggplant mini callas paired up 

with mauve cymbidium orchids. Designed in a asymmetrical fashion, hand wrapped and ballet tied

with Swiss satin, studded with crystal diamante’ pins. Sarah’s bridesmaids were an

echo of Sarah wrapped with lavender ribbon.

All sprinkled with Pixie dust....

Oversized trees with fluffy green and purple hydrangea, “Avant Garde” purple roses, green cymbidium orchids and dark purple larkspur, hanging crystal votive holders add that twinkling ambiance The medium arrangement was designed on a sculpting sheet with silver Manzanita branches, moss and theme floral with petite hanging tealights.  Petite bees and butterflies were nestled throughout the branches on both arrangements. Third arrangements were clear glass cloches with succulents, moss and theme flowers and last was a beautiful crystal compote with theme flowers. The flower girls carried a petite basket covered in kermit poms filled with purple rose petals and pixie dust!

The guests were entertained by "Dj your way with Chris

Matthews, he knows how to get and keep the crowd on their feet! Awesome photography from Yanshi Liu from YL Photography!

We were so happy to be a part of the planning process for Sarah & Dave’s wedding as well as providing gorgeous flowers and stationary for their special day. They chose the Vintage Daisy Raisin stationary ensemble reflecting their
personalities.  They hold a special place in my heart and their personalities are as unique as they are. Thank you Sarah and Dave for being a part of our family!  Congratulations and good luck for a happy, healthy marriage!

Non Floral Boutonnieres

Welcome to the dog days of summer, folks! As the mercury rises and the season for nuptials rolls along in full swing, we thought it'd be the perfect time to talk about non floral button holes. Perfect for outdoor ceremonies, since heat and flowers don't particularly care for one another, and they also let your groom's personality shine.... It's his day too, ladies!
When the time comes to discus with your man the flowers he will wear, and he rolls his eyes and stomps his feet in protest of the frilly pink blooms, opt for a more masculine alternative.
Ask yourself and your groom a few questions:
What are his hobbies? Does he love fishing, poker, video games, music, etc.
What's the feel of the wedding? Romantic, whimsical, etc.
Does he have any special mementos from his childhood or otherwise? A lucky charm, if you will?
Now the fun begins. Brainstorm with us and we will come up with a great way to show off the man of your dreams.
There are tons of images online to use for inspiration, but here are just a few of my favorites.
Images courtesy of:
You say too
Surroundings online
Rule 42
Of beat bride

High fashion florals

I am currently obsessed with Francoise Weeks' botanical headpieces. They are stunning! So inspiring and, true, maybe a little impractical, but this is the world of high fashion!

Instead of the sky-high, and probably extremely heavy designs, opt for something on a smaller scale like the peony headpiece below  from thefullbouquetblog.com

Happy birthday, America!

Hope the summer holiday is treating you all well. We are in the midst of wedding season, so very sorry for the short hiatus. We will have a post soon featuring boutonnieres!

In the mean time, I'll leave you with some inspiration shots displaying one of the hottest wedding trends of the season... Succulents!

Until next time...

Garden party inspiration

I'm constantly reading other blogs for inspiration and trends. One of the themes I'm drawn to is garden parties. These images are courtesy of 100 layer cake. They have such a cute blog and I just love the ceremony decor and the lace hoops, made by the bride. Take notes, DIYers!

Featured Bride 2011~Courtney Berhang & David Durski

 So you know that saying, "Best laid plans...something, something...?" I forget the end, but it means-plan all you want, but something's bound to go wrong. That quote really hit hard for this month's feature bride when Hurricane Irene made landfall in New Jersey in late August 2011.

Bride: Courtney Lauren Berhang
Groom: David Joseph Durski
Date: October 21,2011
Venue:  The Addison Park, Aberdeen, NJ
www.theaddisonepark.com
Photography: Jessica Erb www.jessicaerbphotography.com
Colors/Theme: Old Hollywood, pink, black, silver, white

Courtney and David met in high school through a mutual friend, but their love story didn't start til a few years later. They saw each other at a night club and reconnected. David called soon after to ask Courtney on their first date.
  

    Fast forward 8 years. After finishing school, buying a house, and working together through thick and thin, David decided to purpose marriage. He told Courtney they were going to their favorite restaurant to celebrate a huge success of his. At dinner they toasted to new beginnings when David pulled out a ring and asked Courtney to be his wife. She was extremely surprised, "Thank God I went all out in getting ready. I really had no clue. It was a magical evening."

   And so began the planning. Courtney fell in love with her venue, The Addison Park in Aberdeen, NJ. The grand staircase and entranceway, with its modern vintage feel and black and white marble floors matched the Old Hollywood theme perfectly. The ceremony was held outdoors in the property's lush gardens. It was the perfect setting to exchange their vows.

   Courtney's bouquet consisted of girly blooms of pink dahlias, sexy cymbidium orchids, sophisticated mini calls lilies, and wispy white feathers finished with velvety dusty miller leaves.
 Her bridesmaids carried matching bunches of timeless black-eyed gerbera daisies, orchids, and mini callas, all with a rich dusty miller collar, classically tied and studded with crystals.

Pink roses, fluffy hydrangea, orchids, mini callas and feathers were seen throughout the event.
  

  From the guest card table to the chairs of the ceremony, guests were reminded of a time when glamour and elegance was forefront.Round, full arrangements of theme flowers sat atop custom candelabras made by IFB, emulating regal Hollywood. Silver accents and feathers set the stage for dancing and endless amounts of delicious food. "We didn't want our guests to be hungry," says Courtney, of the bash.

   Luckily, Courtney and David had an amazing team on their side. When Hurricane Irene came to town, the staff at The Addison Park was happy to accommodate for a date change. "We were supposed to be married on August 28, 2011, but Irene had other plans for us. We were still able to marry outside in October, a bit chilly, but extremely romantic."

  Slight adjustments were made to the flower choices. Janene of In Full Bloom worked with the couple to determine the best route. The end result was to use more mellow shades of pink rather than the saturated summer hues.

  Unfortunately, Courtney and David incurred extra costs due to the last minute changes. Wedding insurance is a great idea if you're in the planning stages of your wedding. The insurance covers natural disasters, illness, and the like. Do your research and protect yourself against the unexpected. You will remember this day for the rest of your life, including the little hiccups that come along the way. 

Brides have so much so worry about, the weather shouldn't be one of them.

Special thanks to Courtney and David for being a part of the IFB family. 

Congratulations and good luck for a happy, healthy marriage.

Bouquet Handle Adornment

No bouquet is complete without tailored stems. How you wrap your bridal bouquet should reflect your style and personality. This is where your bouquet becomes a work of art that you will remember for many years to come.

                    

    The most popular way to wrap your bouquet is with ribbons and fabric. 

   A lovely satin or chiffon ribbon adds a classic feeling,

   timeless and elegant.

                

    Natural fabrics like this burlap cuff studded with pearls says sweet
    sophistication.

              

Vintage lace simply looped around the stems of this beautifully relaxed
bunch of field flowers lends balance and a touch of refinement.

Using adornments like family heirlooms adds the little details that every bride craves. Lockets, rings and religious jewelry honors your family and can symbolize the unity of 2 families coming together.

               

Studding the stems with pearl or crystal pins offers a clean and classic look.
For a twist on the classic, try vintage hat pins, buttons, brooches, and earrings.

The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to utilizing foliage to finish your bouquet. You can create collars with aspidistra, ti, flax, or salal, just to name a few. Bear grass, or a wider monkey grass can be used to create lines and movement.

Whatever you decide for your big day, have fun and don't be afraid to think outside the box!