“The earth laughs in flowers”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes even a single bloom is all you need for brilliant wedding decor!  Observe:

WOW… wedding planners actually DO get out every once in a while…

We were honored to attend the annual Darkness to Light Gala in Marion Square. Everything was absolutely beautiful and spectacular and we had such a blast being on the other side of the party!

I know we usually reserve this blog to post our wedding photos… but I just got back from Italy and, quite frankly, I just can’t resist posting a few vacation shots!

It was a trip for me and my sweet hubby to relax but it’s impossible for me not to draw inspiration for wedding and event design from my travels. I hear fashion and home designers often cite their international journeys as their muses of sorts… why don’t we draw on that more often for wedding design, too?

WED looks at wedding decor as if it is an interior design project. We have a blank “room” (venue) — how do we fill the space to create an area that is comfortable for the “family” (guests), is spatially appealing and highly-functional, coordinated but not matchy-matchy, and most of all- reflects the “clients” (bride and groom)!

Here are my musings from my Italian adventure…

This is my vantage point along a trail from Riomaggiore to Manarola (in Cinque Terre)… I picture this translated to a tablescape down a long seated table of a river rock runner, soft sheet moss, and succulents!

Love all the locks! How pretty would these interlocking locks be in printed material?

How about lemon trees among the lounge area of the tent to give a fresh, natural, and light fragrance for relaxing guests? Or flanking a bar?

Color palette for a wedding: Aqua blue, cornflower blue, graphite and charcoal!

Someone has stacked these rocks at the beach in Riomaggiore. I love the simplicity of the sculptural elements. Creating a whole that is more than the sum of its parts is true design genius!

The museums in Rome were really pieces of art in and of themselves. How about integrating this marbling affect on the walls with the graphic zig zag pattern on the floor for tablecloths, drumshades, and menus/seated cards at a reception?

Nearly 2000-year-old Colosseum — still standing due to its perfect mathematical symmetry in its architecture. A carefully thought-through and planned out diagram for an event is one of those absolutely CRUCIAL “behind the scenes” elements of our design.  At WED we call this, “Symmetry that doesn’t feel like symmetry!”

How about serving a family-style meal at a reception, complete with wine served in carafes instead of their bottles?

I am slightly obsessed with this modified greek key pattern. This is from a sarcophagus in Rome dating back to 50 BC. Goes to show that a great motif will never go out of style, but can be modernized to no end.

National Museum of Rome at Palazzo Atemps. “Simplicity!”

Love the chandeliers! Changing up lighting in a tent can make all the difference in the world…

This colonnade is just stunning. How about hanging a fabulous patterned-fabric in the ceiling of a tent, then lining the poles with plants and cocktails with simple linen and arrangements. Talk about dramatic!

Using plants in weddings… I know it seems a little outdated, but this challenges me to find a way in which it works!

Can someone please hire me to plan their wedding around this photo? I think fruited olive branches are perhaps one of the most beautiful things in the world, and you know the olive branch was an ancient symbol of peace and camaraderie.

Another color palette: raspberry, midnight blue, spring green and slate.

Come on, do I need to explain how gelato is inspiring?

Lighting is essential for weddings, too!!

Do we ever really pay much attention to the flooring at our weddings? How about an inspired dance floor or beautiful rugs in lounge areas to create visual interest?

And finally… me and my sweetie… taking it all in and enjoying every minute in Italy!