Rocket Science Weddings and Events

It isn't really a secret that I love being on TV, so when I get the opportunity I take it! Twin Cities Live invited me on to talk wedding trends for 2013. It had been awhile since I was on so I was thrilled to be back, especially after hearing that the lovely host Elizabeth Ries just got engaged! You can see the segment here.

Instead of just showing photos, I thought it would be really fun to bring in stuff and set up an entire table that highlighted all the trends I would talk about. I had lots of help pulling this together, it couldn't have been done without: Apres Party & Tent Rental, Bash Collective, Becca Dilley Photography, Distinctly Debbie, Flora Bella, Jenna Lou Designs, Paperista, The Vintage Type and Ultimate Events.

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!

Laura and Jim just tied the knot on July 14th at Windows on MN and I can't wait for the pro pics by Jeff Loves Jessica (I think I say that for every wedding, but it is true!). I snapped a few cute details on Instagram, the theme for their wedding was "Day and Night" with a bit of bicycles thrown in.

Yes, last Cylinder Thursday featured orchids. But this goes to show you how versatile an orchid is, and a glass cylinder for that matter! Check out these golden blooms floating... so pretty. 

At long last, Cylinder Thursday is back, and with gusto! Now, loyal reader, you may have a sense of deja vu when looking at this entry. I did indeed do an entry with an orange cylinder made like the cylinders you see here. However, I think this is worthy of its own post because here you can see the cylinders in action, and in TECHNICOLOR!

Tonight was a great open house at the Chowgirls' Parlor. They were celebrating getting their liquor license as well as the unveiling of this great, urban event space. The Parlor is perfect for parties of 40-60 people, who want an intimate art atmosphere. The art on the walls currently is by Chank Fonts, but a little bird told me the next show may feature the super talented Josie Lewis.

A lot of people put a lot of work in to making this party great, including: Connie Duglin Specialty Linens, 1012 photo, Sweets Bakeshop, Two Smart Cookies, Muddy Paws Cheesecake, and all the staff at Chowgirls.

There was a great turnout, it was fun (as always!) to chat with Katrina of Studio Laguna, Matt of The Traveling Photo Booth, Sally (and Maia) of La Vie Photography, and the Wedding Guys Matthew and Bruce.

Without further ado, here are some technicolor cylinders and some pictures of the party.

Yes, those are fuzzy fur linens (faux of course!).

This blue color was probably my favorite.

By the end of the night, the logo cookie was the only one left.

I want to congratulate Zoe & Devin, past clients of mine, on the birth of their baby girl. Last week's Cylinder Thursday post was dedicated to them, but I forgot to mention that. Last week I also mentioned how much I want to do baby showers. Well, I attended a great one at Oak Ridge Country Club not too long ago for Vanessa, the uber talented graphic designer for Amy Zaroff Events + Design.

Vanessa and her husband don't want to find out what they are having, so I thought the team at Amy Zaroff did a great job of creating a gender neutral baby shower without looking generic. Or Winnie the Pooh. I apologize in advance for my crappy iPhone pictures.

Cute keepsake for baby, loving wishes from all the attendees. And of course the pencil was included for us to write our wishes with!

Our placemat was a quiz on all things baby.

The delicious dessert, a banana pudding and cake pop, done by Cocoa and Fig.