Although I genuinely heart every wedding that we choose to feature on Style Me Pretty, I can honestly say that very few have inspired me in the way that this wedding has. Photographed stunningly by Sarah Yates (obsessed with her btw) and designed to perfection by Volare Events, this wedding is layer upon layer of gorgeousness. From the textures and the colors to the emotion and the pure joy…I literally see something new every time I pore through the photographs. If ever you were in a wedding slump, this is the PERFECT wedding pick-me-up. And although you may question the terms shabby chic, vintage and rustic by the time you get to the end of the post, the warmth and simplicity of the initial stages of the day fit the description to a T! Click here to see even more.
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Karen from Volare Events…When the Bride and I first discussed what she pictured for her wedding, she said she wanted it to feel like a relaxed afternoon bbq while she also wanted the event to be elegant and sophisticated. She loves Anthropologie and described herself as “simple.” We zeroed in on the styles that best suited them – shabby chic, vintage and rustic.
From there we came up with colors and materials to tie those styles together. For colors we chose shades of purple and periwinkle accented with a soft gray and crisp white. We also chose materials such as twine, mason jars, modern clear glass, soft white embroidered fabric, vintage picture frames, hand made tree branch table number holders, white linen & textured artist paper and simple chalkboards.
Flowers: For floral styling, we enlisted the incredibly talented Holly Vesecky of Holly Flora. Holly used loosely gathered collections of showy large flowers – hydrangea, peonies, dahlias, ranunculus, alyssum, freesia, delphinium, tulips, china mums, garden roses, stephanotis and lavendar herb – in purple, periwinkle, grey and white displayed in a mix of modern glass and mason jars. Ceremony aisle and bride’s bouquet were decorated with grey swiss satin and the pathway, stairs and fountain were highlighted with groups of pillar candles. Again, shabby chic to perfection!
Linens: For the table linens, we chose Natural Flax (think burlap, only soft and refined) and periwinkle napkins that we folded and tied with twine and placed on top of white plates.{Dare we say shabby chic inspired?}
Custom Printed Items: Design goddess Christina Reinersman created the custom print materials – wedding programs, escort cards, table numbers and favor tags. The setting and florals provided lots of color (energy) so it was important that the printed materials touched on the natural side. Understated and varying shades of violet, perwinkle and charcoal in custom water colors were hand painted on highly textured artist paper to create a hand-crafted, natural feel to items guests would have their hands on (programs and escort cards).
Escort Card Table: For the escort card table, sandblasted manzanita branches were arranged in a simple large glass cylinder and we hung guest escort cards from the branches. The escort cards were longer in shape and featured the hand painted watercolors, providing a ‘floral blossom’ touch to the arranged branches. This arrangement was placed on top of a custom made table covering by Christina made out of a beautiful white on white embroidered fabric.
Guest Favors: Bottles of agave nectar were placed at each place setting with a tag tied to the bottle with baby twine. The favor tags featured the bride and groom’s names and wedding date and when removed and unfolded, revealed a favorite margarita recipe of the bride and groom’s using the all natural agave which guests would take home.
Food and Drink: Guacamole, chips and margaritas (the bride and groom’s favorite cocktail) set the tone . . . followed by a sit-down dinner served family style.
Henna Ceremony: The henna ceremony is traditionally part of the rituals that take place on the eve of a wedding. The dried green henna leaves are ground and soaked in water, which turns them red, and then cooked into a thick paste. At the ceremony, the paste is placed in the center of a decorated tray. The henna tray (as well as trays of sweets) is passed from hand to hand, above the heads of all the women. The whole time, the guests dance to the beat of the drums and are swept into a state of ecstasy. It is meant to be a joyous celebration with sweets and desserts, which symbolize a sweet life for the couple. Each time the tray is lifted over the head of the chosen woman, the guests erupt into a joyful “Kululululu!”. After all the women have received the blessing, an elder woman dips her fingers into the paste and paints a circle on both of the bride’s hands. The circle is meant to ward off the evil eye. Then the grandmother does the same for all the other women. While in some cultures women were the only ones invited to the henna, nowadays, the henna ceremony is a large celebration with many guests of both genders. Everyone is welcome!
Wedding Design and Planning: Karen Oliver – Volare Events / Photography: Sarah Yates – Sarah Yates Photography / Floral Design: Holly Vesecky, Holly Flora / DJ and Dance Floor Lighting: Lee Dyson – courtesy of DeBois Entertainment / Ceremony String Quartet: Fiddle Stix / Custom Printed Materials/Linens Design and Production: Christina Reinersman – maré c (no website yet) / Specialty Linen Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Chivari Chair Rentals: Fusion Linens / Bride’s Make-Up: Robyn Fisher / Bride’s Hair: Leah Vautrot / Bride’s Dress: Angel Sanchez / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Groom’s Suit: Isaia / Valet: Premiere Valet Services / Henna Ceremony Planning: Moroccan Party Planners / Guest Shuttles: Corporate Coach Charters