Lovely Lavender Wedding Inspiration

Lavender is such a feminine color, exuding grace and elegance, while adding a sense of whimsical romance and a touch of nostalgia. I love incorporating it into a bridal bouquet or wedding decor.

From the first scent of lavender with its calming essence, to the various related tones including lilac, mauve and orchid, lavender is a firm favorite color theme for many brides. I was inspired to highlight this gorgeous color and show how it can be incorporated into a palette.

Here are some fantastic images I wanted to share so that you too can enjoy a relaxing moment of ahhhh…

For more color inspiration, take a look at our Pinterest Boards

The Great Gatsby Wedding Scene That Could Have Been

Plaza Hotel Wedding I’ve always thought The Great Gatsby was one of the most romantic novels and movies of all time. New York in the jazz age just sparkles as the backdrop to the plot while icons like The Plaza Hotel act as major plot points.

While the latest movie version, directed by Baz Luhrmann, may not follow the mood of the book too closely and creates a mash up of roaring 20’s glamour with New York glitz in the 2000s, along with 3D technology, it’s still a compelling experience.

As A.O. Scott wrote in The New York Times review: “He fuses the iconography of dressed-up ’20s decadence with the swagger of hip-hop high-end consumerism.”

I’ve been lucky enough to work in almost all the iconic New York venues, including The Plaza Hotel. Take a look at these images of the glamorous wedding I designed there a little while ago. They could almost be taken for a scene from an alternate ending of the movie, where Gatsby’s dream came true.

What Flowers Do I Get Mom for Mother’s Day?

2013-04-30-IMG_00151 Mother’s Day is quickly approaching and flowers are always the perfect way to recognize Mom on this very special day. As the creative director of Matthew David Celebrations, the big question I’m always asked is “What are the perfect flowers to get for Mother’s Day?” To help you answer this important question, I’ve outlined five ways to find the ideal flower for you Mom.

1 – What was her Wedding Flower?

Find out what your Mom carried down the aisle — and send a bouquet of that blossom with a photo of her on her wedding day. I suggest including a note that says “I hope this brings back great memories of that special day for you.” (Of course, this tip does not apply if your Mom is divorced. Move on to my second tip!)

2 – What’s her Favorite Flower?

No brainer here. If you don’t know the answer to this — tease it out of her in a casual conversation. However, the closer you are to the day — the more likely she is to connect why you are asking. So, don’t wait!

3 – What’s her Favorite Color?

This is an easy conversation that could start with home improvement (I’m thinking about painting my bedroom…) and could easily lead into a discussion of color, e.g. “what’s your absolute favorite, Mom?”

4 – What are the Best Sellers?

Still struggling to find the right flower. Simply pick a top seller like Lilies. There are so many varieties to choose from that you almost can’t go wrong — unless she’s allergic!

5- Just do it!

In fact — you could choose just about any flower and that will make her smile. And, I bet that smile would be just a little brighter if the flowers match your mom’s personality!

Cinco De Mayo Inspired Wedding Theme

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day ( Sept 16th) . It actually commemorates the unlikely victory and resilience of the Mexican troops over the French Army in the battle in the state of Puebla in 1862. Americans amidst the Civil War were inspired by this victory and supported Mexico by joining in the Cinco de Mayo spirit and celebrating its heritage and culture with festivities, parades, great food and Mariachi music for all to participate.

Here are some ideas for a modern twist on a traditional Mexican wedding theme with soft pastel colors in lieu of the expected bright colors.

A refreshing tablescape with clear cylinder vases and succulents filled with dry pinto beans.

Watermelon skewers with crumbled cotija cheese and maldon salt.

Mexican Papel Decor

Delicious Frozen Margarita!

A Mariachi Band to surely get you dancing

Eco-Friendly Wedding Design to Celebrate Earth Day

I want to talk about eco-friendly New York weddings, something I’m especially conscious of on Earth Day. I know what you’re thinking: “I care about the environment, but my wedding still needs to look sensational.”

I get it. Just because something is eco-friendly doesn’t make it pretty, no matter how noble.

Doing right by the environment is vitally important to me as a wedding designer so I’ve done a fair amount of thinking and researching, to see how your wedding can be less wasteful while also being beautiful and not budget-busting.

Below are some of my favorite ideas and techniques, as well as some suggested partners in the effort to make weddings more sustainable. Have a tip of your own? Send it my way!

1. Handmade is beautiful. If you’re creating signage, forgo printing and use natural materials, like these wooden table numbers created from fallen tree branches.

2. Go online. Create a website that includes the invite, RSVP, and map, etc. The cost of a good designer and developer to make the site will be less than design and printing costs for an old-fashioned letterpress invite.

3. Go green, literally. It hurts to see all those fresh flowers bite the dust after just one night, doesn’t it? Consider potted plants. Think lush tropical foliage or glamorous oversized palms. I love to use succulents (currently as on trend as you can get) as part of centerpieces, and invite guests to take them home as gifts.

4. Ditch the bottled water. This can be a big money saver. Offer pitchers of water to guests instead of an endless supply of H2O in plastic bottles, even with a custom label.

5. Pass it on. Even though I’ve been at this a long time, I’m still always astounded at how much stuff is left over after an event.

I love Materials for the Arts, a non-profit organization that takes unneeded items from events and businesses and redirects them to schools and nonprofits with arts programming. Full-disclosure: I’m on the board. But that doesn’t make them any less awesome.

Got tons of food? Give City Harvest or Rock and Wrap it Up a ring — they’ll make sure those appetizers end up in someone’s mouth, not in the trash.

Happy Earth Day!

Cherry Blossom Wedding Inspiration

Spring has arrived with lots more sunshine, and the blooming of flowers and the budding of leaves. Cherry Blossoms ( ” Sakura” In Japanese ) is a gorgeous reminder of the renewal of Spring. They are so pretty! LOVE the idea of having cherry blossoms in a wedding. Here are some examples:

Pretty wedding cake with a cherry blossom design

An outdoor wedding with a cherry blossom archway. Lovely!

What a beauty! A wedding reception under cherry blossom trees

A simple yet beautiful wedding bouquet with cherry blossom sprigs

This mini wedding cake with cherry blossom frosting looks scrumptious

Easter Fun

I love Easter as it gives us all a chance to tap into our creativity and be a little crafty. For those who opt for a natural way to color your Easter eggs, take a look at this recipe

Here are some stylish and unusual Easter egg decorating ideas from all over that I LOVE and hope you do too.

Decal Eggs: Martha Stewart Chalkboard Eggs: Oleander and Palm

Washi Tape Easter Eggs: Lovely Indeed

Vintage Inspired Eggs: Crafts n Coffee

Polka Dot Easter Eggs: Craftberry Bush

Pantone Easter Eggs: How About Orange

Farm Fresh Easter Eggs: Joy Ever After

Easter Eggs Terrariums: The House that Lars built

Shabby Chic: Design DIning and Diapers

Monogram Easter Eggs: Lil Luna

Buttons and Lace: Flamingo Toes

Bright Easter Eggs: No.2 Pencil

Red Wedding Themes: Passionate Poppy and Fiery Ruby

I love color, it’s one of the first choices I make when designing a wedding or event. It’s also one of the most important and difficult decisions every bride has to make, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite colors and inspirations to help make your decision a little easier. Each post will highlight a different color trend and look.

Romantic Red Wedding Flowers

While traditional white may be what everyone associates with weddings, in reality, bright colors are very popular, sometime softened with muted tones. However, I prefer to layer on different tones and intensities of the same color to create depth and maintain a clean look.

According to Kellee Khalil, founder of wedding inspiration search engine Lover.ly, the most popular color searched and bundled on their site this year for wedding themes is RED.

Ruby Red is passionate, bold, fiery and strong. It demands a response. Which means it’s not the best choice for every bride. But if it fits your personality, a bright poppy red wedding makes a huge statement about who you are.

Once the color is set, I then interpret it as an individual statement about the bride, it could be the rustic red of apples or strawberries for an outdoor wedding, the vibrant ruby of red cut crystal for a glamorous gala, or even a red carpet celebrity moment.