I'm back today sharing more about our darling daughter's wedding!
I have never had such a hard time blogging about anything before …
I think it's just because there is so much emotion surrounding the event …
and
I want to do it justice!
I have savored and enjoyed the whole journey to the big day.
From the engagement party …
to
to
looking almost every weekend for the perfect for us wedding venue
that took us seven months to find
and
ended up oh so perfect!
ended up oh so perfect!
To shopping for her dress ...
the fittings and toasting to the perfect dress ...
A gorgeous wedding shower …
Months and months of planning …
Months and months of planning …
But what I will truly remember
was how
Jeff and I
and
Ellis and Elliot
worked tirelessly
on designing and building installations for the big day!
It was having a common and united purpose
that I truly treasured.
I will be the first to say
I had wedding trepidations in the beginning.
It just seemed to me that maybe weddings had become too big of a deal these days.
But come the end
I can truly say the journey
was just as heart warming
as the big day destination.
So for those of you in the throes of upcoming weddings
my advice
enjoy and savor the process
for it can be the building of new family relationships
as you welcome your newest family member.
and
build a bridge to welcome their family own family into yours.
One of our favorite projects was the escort installation
that Ellis had wanted to be a major focal point at her wedding.
It ended up to be an installation that we all brought something to her idea!
Jeff and Elliot were able to design an engineer
a structure that could break down into pieces
to get it to the venue
and
then be reassembled once there.
At the Anthropologie opening
I had seen these fabulous Voluspa candles and Skeem Design matches
that I thought would make perfect wedding favors.
Then we realized if we attached calligraphy tags to them
they would make for perfect escort 'cards' as well!
(And a Huge thank you to Ellis's Bridal party
for attaching the tags to each favor
the day of the wedding!
You all are so wonderful!!)
(And a Huge thank you to Ellis's Bridal party
for attaching the tags to each favor
the day of the wedding!
You all are so wonderful!!)
And that my friends
is how the structure was begun!
Jeff designed panels with shelves attached with brass hardware
to complement the colors in the favors.
The panel were then attached to the bigger 10 foot boards.
Backs were added sandwich board style.
Jeff and Elliot were able to accomplish this together within a weekend!
Ellis designed the finishing signage detail
with having laser cut lettering done that was in the form of a huge decal
that Jeff and Elliot were able to painstakingly affix.
The escort/favors ended up to be a huge hit!
They were favors guests actually wanted to take home!
I can not say enough great things about our venue!
With each visit during planning I loved it more!
Especially the front patio
which has a view of the ocean
and
a fire that we had burning all night.
We rented furniture from Adore Folklore
It was their pieces that helped set the bohemian vibe that Ellis had wanted.
This space in front of the fire
was my absolute favorite of the night.
I will remember forever sharing it with family and friends
at such a magnanimous family event.
If you follow me on Instagram
then you have seen me rave about our
spectacular florist
Kimberly of the Dainty Lion!
To me
she is a true artist
with her present medium being flowers!
Just look what she did to the cow skull
by simply adding blooms!!
I must admit I loved everything Ellis chose for her wedding
but the cow skull I was just going with what she wanted …
That is until I saw it in decor play
and
them with the added blossoms …
Now I am truly in search of one for my courtyard!!
I just love this front patio
It felt private and enclosed
with the warmth of a private backyard.
The reception space inside the ballroom worked out wonderfully as well!
We placed the Sweetheart Table for the Bride and Groom
on the stage
ran the Head Table for the Bridal Party perpendicular
with rounds for the families and friends on either sides.
I couldn't be happier how the Sweet Heart table came out!
We started with adding a metal installation behind the velvet curtains
to help make the stage feel smaller and more intimate.
We draped a drop cloth over the structure
for a perfect backdrop for
the macrame blanket hanging
that was actually a Nate Berkus throw from Target.
On top of that we hung macrame hangings
that we filled with cactus
and golden pineapples
that we used throughout the wedding
as a modern nod to a welcoming tradition.
The pineapples take spray paint amazingly well
and can last up to five days!
The table was another beauty from Adore Folklore
as were the fabulous basket weave chairs and cushions!
The rug was a bridal blanket also from Adore.
We added boxed palms to the sides
to frame the table out perfectly
and
add to the intimate feeling I was looking for
in setting their special table.
It was the continual adding of textures
with just bit of color that helped us achieve the look we were after.
A look that was stylized
but wouldn't over power
the starring Bride and Groom!
I have to say the macrame hangings
were all Ellis's idea
and
they were just the absolute fresh exclamation mark
to the entire vignette!
I couldn't wait to set the Sweet Heart table
as Ellis and I had been collecting each special piece for months.
T had done several mock ups at home
just to get the right feeling and flow.
And again
ti was the fabulous creations by the Dainty Lion
that truly brought the table to life!!
I sprayed cut tree rounds gold as well
as it was a quick, inexpensive and effective way to bring lifts and levels to the table scape
Brass swans were added to the wedding table
as they too,
mate for life.
They were a fabulous flea market find!
A pair of E's made it to the table
for Ellis and Elliot!
We collected geometric candles
this one being from Target again.
It was the place setting for the bride and groom
that I especially adored!
Ellis and I found this fantastic Love plates at Anthropologie
last winter.
They were the jumping off point for the entire table!
We added wooden placemats
(that you might remember form her shower HERE.)
atop a crocheted runner.
The gold flatware is from West Elm.
we offered the turquoise plate from Anthropologie
to make the focal plate stand out more.
The lovely glassware we found in San Diego
during some of our many visits down to see Ellis and Elliot.
But it is this vintage line
(of which the matching Mr. was on the Grooms place setting)
that sealed the deal on the Sweetheart Table to me!
A most lovely and sweet gift from Mary Q Vale
That always does the most exquisite florals at all of the French Basketeer's gatherings!
Mary, I tole you I would find the most perfect way to use these vintage pillowcases
you so oh so very generously gifted me.
Rest assured
they will now be family heirlooms of this newly married couple.
Big thanks to you darling!
How sweet is my girl's place card.
Such a quaint little slip …
I don't think she realized just how fast a name change comes into play.
And certainly bittersweet to this Momma
to realize the last time she had our surname.
Weddings ask a lot of Momma's hearts.
And not just the brides Mommas
but the grooms as well.
So many gorgeous moments …
mixed in with some bits of the bittersweet.
We wanted to keep the guests place settings clean and elegant
letting the flowers take center stage
in the all white room.
Jeff and Elliot made pine placemats for each pacesetting
I just love the addition of the organic texture and neutral color.
These chic, ceramic table numbers hail from
Anthropoigies wedding store Beholden.
That store made many online order deliveries to the house during the course of the wedding planning!
Ellis had these amazing menus printed up.
Guests were offered three choices of entrees
so we used three different types of ferns to mark the place settings
so the servers would know who got which meal.
I just loved how the leaves quietly played into the table scape
while being informative to the staff as well.
We set up a great photo booth as well!
The couch is another stylish piece from Adore Folklore.
More boxed trees to frame the space.
Two more 10 foot boards behind the couch
over which we draped sheer fabric for just a blush of color.
Kim of the Dainty Lion finished it off just perfectly
by adding the palm fronds in between the sheers.
I was just all bubbly when I saw how that final touch
just brought the whole photo booth installation together!!
For photo props I brought several dozens crowns
and
I must say
that photo booth was bush all night long
with people having the best time!
Especially when they got to take their photos home with them
as they were printed out right there!!
The elegant signage was done by Taryn of Twinkle and Toast.
Ellis interned for Taryn last year
and
always talked so highly of Taryn.
Meeting her as a guest at the wedding
I can definitely see why the high praise!
What a doll!
It was through Ellis's internship at Twinkle and Toast that
Ellis was able to meet so many of the fantastically talented vendors
we used for Ellis's wedding!
They definitely made up a vendor Dream Team.
I will be adding links to all of their sites in my next post.
Ellis interned for Taryn last year
and
always talked so highly of Taryn.
Meeting her as a guest at the wedding
I can definitely see why the high praise!
What a doll!
It was through Ellis's internship at Twinkle and Toast that
Ellis was able to meet so many of the fantastically talented vendors
we used for Ellis's wedding!
They definitely made up a vendor Dream Team.
I will be adding links to all of their sites in my next post.
Of course the bride and groom had signature cocktails!
How fresh and SoCal
were both of their picks!
Well there you have my second installment
all about our decor
and
what I was working on full time the last few months!
I will be back next time
with the soul of the whole wedding
The Ceremony!
Thank each of you so much
for following along
on our family story!
As always my friends
I wish you love and joy
as you style your life
I finally found a pocket of time to relish all of your memories of Ellis's wedding. How glorious! How sentimental! How magical!
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful, Tamera! I've been waiting eagerly for these posts!
ReplyDeleteOh Tamera. These wedding posts have just left me breathless. Stars all around.
ReplyDeleteOh, so enjoyable to read Tamera, and so generous of you to share this beautiful, stylish, wonderful family wedding. Every detail is a delight to see. Those golden pineapples are amazing, and the flowers simply gorgeous. Thank you for sharing. xx
ReplyDeleteTamara - I'm speechless. My jaw dropped while looking at all the beautiful detail and textures you and your family created. How in the world do you do it?
ReplyDeletegorgeous x
ReplyDeleteWow!! Such a beautiful wedding. Thank you so much for sharing! The attention to detail and all the special touches were lovely. Congratulations to all!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous details! I love all the colors and textures that you chose! :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous details! I love all the colors and textures that you chose! :)
ReplyDelete