This year's theme was Steampunk - which I still don't have a good grasp on, but the party looked really cool! Sheree from Apres Party and Tent Rental was the Design & Decor Chair this year and she has such a unique eye and brilliant vision.

I was nominated in the Best Wedding category for two different weddings this year, and won with Jess & Paul's incredible wedding on Lake Minnetonka. I was even more honored that this wedding took home the Best ISES Team Effort award that I shared with Robin from D'Amico, Allison from Ultimate Events, Andrew with AV for You and Raed from Indulge & Bloom. It really took an enormous amount of effort from every single person involved to make this wedding happen.

Finally, I was asked to be a presenter for a few awards, which was really fun. Russell with Wisteria won for Best Table Top Design for a wedding we did together and I got to hand him the trophy.

Next year will be the 10th anniversary of the Star Awards and the 15th anniversary of the Minneapolis/St. Paul ISES chapter. So I am sure all the stops will be pulled for an epic event!

Here are a few photos from the party thanks to Katrina of Studio Laguna (who won for Best Wedding Photography)...

It is a touch ironic that I sponsored a signature drink that I couldn't even enjoy, but Gretchen with Gretchen Berry Design Co. (nominated for Best Graphic Design) assured me the "rocket fuel" was delicious.

Love this cute little centerpiece! What a great way to use a mum ball.

One of my favorite decor elements was this custom Paris bar done by Apres and Big Ink. Such an easy way to personalize an event with the bar front. And you know everyone needs something to look at while waiting for a drink.

Who are those good lookin' ladies?! Unfortunately Chowgirls didn't win this year, but it was fun hanging out with the Chowgirls crew. Hopefully next year they won't be just finalists, they will be winners!

Presenting the Best Design & Decor budget over $25,000 to Beth who was shocked to say the least that she won. Took her awhile to come to the podium to get her trophy and she was already on stage!

Here I am in my non-steampunk dress (no steampunk materinty section!) but steampunk hair accepting the award for Best Wedding.

Me and Laura with the Best Wedding trophy. I wouldn't be where I am without her support! Couldn't ask for a better friend and assistant.

The whole team accepting for Best Team Effort. The best part about this award? Being able to talk about Paul's balls. You want to know the story, I am happy to share!

Thanks to 1012 photo for this shot that still makes me smile.

Sometimes I think cylinders get a bad rap, that they are too plain or mundane to be used in an extravagent arrangement. Well these photos from our gala dinner say otherwise. I love the way they incorporated the cylinders on top of pedestals to create a really dramatic effect.

Thanks to Elan Artists, Scott Clark Photo and chellisemichaelphotography.com for the images.

Here is the room shot. You can see the various centerpieces on the tables. Look how tall and striking those cylinders look! I am sad that I didn't get a shot of the entrance to the room; on each side of the doorway were tables full of cylinders with floating candles. So warm and inviting.

Table number one. The candlelight reflects so beautifully off the mirrored table top. Check out those cylinders!

Table number two. There is hardly any floral in this centerpiece yet it is elegant, dramatic and luxurious.

This table doesn't have cylinders but it shows how you can combine multiple centerpieces for a cohesive look, some that are heavy floral like this one and some that are more candlecentric.

Here's how it all came together... thanks to Becca Dilley for taking such great photos!

1. RUSTIC

Rustic has been around for awhile, featuring shabby chic, organic, vintage, lots of mason jars and lanterns. Mismatched plates and chairs, loose wildflower arrangements, really embracing the rustic, outdoor feel. Looks like something thrown together last minute for a cozy dinner in a barn. For 2013 rustic gets a makeover... Rustic Glamour!

There will be cleaner lines, and a cohesiveness through china, silverware and glassware. More edited look and presentation, bringing some elegance back. This is also eclectic, combining the modern and rustic/vintage, kind of a "fresh take" on the farm wedding.

2. PATTERN

Pattern is the new monogram.

Before, a couple would personalize their wedding by using a monogram throughout the wedding design. Now you can personalize through a pattern. It is a more visual, interesting way to create a personalized look. Many rental companies are now carrying great patterned pieces in their inventory - linens, napkins, table runners, accessories, etc.

Or you can customize a pattern based on something specific such as the pattern/lace on your bridal gown, the wallpaper in your venue, an heirloom piece from your grandma, etc.

Pattern is easy to carry through multiple elements of your day, from the stationery suite to the accessories you carry.

3. PLACE MATS

A really new trend that will develop in 2013 and into following years is placemats. Before when people wanted to add dimension and detail to each place setting they used a charger/base plate. Now you can utilize a place mat.

Printed place mats - can double as your menu card, and even place card!  Digital printing makes it easy to create a custom placemat that matches everything in your wedding design. Local stationers can easily make a placemat that doesn't make a huge dent in your budget, or you can find pre-made options online like on Etsy.

If you want to kick it up a notch, linen, vinyl, faux leather (think crocodile) and wicker placemats can really add that final detail to the place setting.

3. COLOR

Blue is a major trend for 2013.  People are opting to make a bold statement with color.

Blue is a really hard color to incorporate through flowers since there aren't that many naturally blue blooms.

A few ways to incorporate blue successfully are through your linens, stationery, and attire. Or pair a blue vase with a bold flower for a dramatic effect.

There's me, putting the finishing touches on the tablescape.

There it is! Beautiful in yellow and blue. Now let's break down the components.

The acrylic "ice" chair from Ultimate Events. I love this modern update to the traditional wooden chiavari chair. So cool! Another great option for an even more modern look is the acrylic ghost chair with a rounded back.

Here is the fantastic place setting! First, I love the yellow vintage plates from The Vintage Type. The champagne flute also can be rented from them. The place mat was inspired by this invitation and the talented team at Paperista created the perfect place mat that doubled as the menu card. The white hemstitch napkin from Apres was a great blend of modern and vintage - the way it was placed at the place setting (offset, under the plate) lent itself to a more modern feel as well. The silverware, water goblet and coffee cup and saucer (the Lotus pattern) are also great Apres items. And did I mention the classic rustic farm tables? Love that Bash Collective has these beauties for rent - in large quantity! These tables are handmade with love by the owner Alyson.

A close up of the menu. I took it from a past event I did with Chowgirls. It made the hosts hungry!

Debbie knocked it out of the park with her centerpieces! I absolutely loved the mix of floral, the yellow felt so fresh, vibrant and springy. The frosted glass containers were a nice change from mason jars to be sure. And it was really cool how she connected the centerpieces with greenery. An unexpected detail that will keep people talking and certainly lives up to her company name, Distinctly Debbie.

These acrylic table numbers were the perfect choice for the tablescape. So many people neglect the poor table number, but it is an important finishing detail. You can rent these from Paperista, who knew?!

These little cuties were a last minute addition and I am so happy I had them! The blue glass vessels are another The Vintage Type find, and Lisa with Flora Bella did the arrangements. Carnations CAN BE cool! Mixing up shades of blue is a great way to add visual impact to the table.

This set up didn't get much air time, but it is another way to incorporate all the trends I talked about. Here we have a FANTASTIC chevron linen by Apres. Since the linen is so modern, I brought in vintage through the silverware, china and the centerpiece (that you can't really see, but it is in a antique pewter bowl). The modern napkin ring came from Target, and the wine glasses came from my house, but Apres or Ultimate Events both have nice modern glassware options. It is the same hemstitch napkin from the other table, but done in a completely different way. The navy letterpress menu card is from Paperista, and what you can't see is the edges of it that are yellow! Really cool detail.

Another thing you didn't get to see a lot of was this beautiful bouquet Debbie designed to go with the centerpieces. I am especially fond of the yellow ribbon detail around the stem wrap.

A new company I just learned about is Jenna Lou Designs, and she specializes in handmade bags and accessories. I wanted to show how you can incorporate your color scheme and pattern all the way through to your accessories and her purses are the perfect way to do it! She will custom make a purse for you (and/or your bridesmaids) out of whatever fabric you want. What a great gift and fun piece you will use after the wedding day. Of course, with my stripe addiction, I had to buy the navy chevron purse from her after the shoot.

Hey look! It is me on TV, in the TV studio!

The best thing about the birch is that it was cut with love by the mother of the bride.

We used a 10.5" cylinder for the birch, and a 7" cylinder for the burlap and candle.The easy trick to the burlap candle is to use extra wide burlap "ribbon" that has wire in it, so it is much more manageable.

As you may know, I have a "most bang for your buck" philosophy when it comes to planning. I love to repurpose decor especially, like these cylinders! First they created a beautiful aisle, then we moved them indoors as centerpieces.

This wedding has inspired me to do an ombre cylinder, so stay tuned for that.

The ceremony space under the tent at Nicollet Island Pavilion prior to lighting the candles. What you can't see was the super cool bookshelves we used creatively as a room divider. (Since they don't have anything to do with cylinders I am not sure why I am mentioning them.

And after! Even during the daytime these candles have an impact.

As centerpieces.

I loved seeing the cylinder INSIDE the bird cage, how creative! One of the drawbacks of lanterns and bird cages is how to light them without getting wax everywhere. Problem solved! not only does it add dimension and visual interest, the cylinder is easy to clean up. They used cylinders throughout the tablescape, simply lovely!