Here's a little bit of what Kendyl told me about her upcoming wedding:
Our church and reception are both in downtown Charlotte. Our church is a small, old, but beautiful brick chuch right in the heart of the city. Our reception is [... in a] beautiful old building (used to be a church) with stained glass windows, and a very 'old' feel. As for colors, I have decided on a deep purple/eggplant/plum (some sort of shade of purple), champagney/gold, ivory, and some greens. When I think of what kind of feel I would like for our wedding, I think of Southern charm, but a little bit vintage, elegant and traditional, but also fun! And definately not too stuffy! I have purchased my dress ... it's a Pronovias, with a lot of lace ... But we have not decided on bridesmaid's dresses. I am having the most trouble thinking about what I want for my cake, flowers, and invitations/papers. I like very traditional things. I love the look of calligraphy and I also am having a small obsession with moss initials, but don't know how to incorporate into my venue without looking too outdoorsy ...
And here's what I came up with:
{click to enlarge}
Details (from left to right):
Row 1: Martha Stewart image; photo by Kate Headley; Grace on Brevard venue; Michelle Rago image.
Row 2: Grace on Brevard venue; DIY Magnolia wreath painted gold; vanilla and blueberry macaroons; Vintage gold locket.
Row 3: DIY moss letter from my wedding; photo by Kate Headley; Mint juleps; Magnolia swag from Pottery Barn.
The written (with some added visuals):
Flowers: I think a bundle of creamy white hydrangeas could make sweet bouquets for the bridesmaids and would pop against plum-colored dresses. A mix of lilacs and lavender could make a striking bouquet for the bride ... or some vibrant purple hydrangeas dotted with pansies could make a fun statement, too! And a single magnolia would be very adorable for a flowergirl! This centerpiece of magnolias and hydrangeas is classic and simple, too:
Decor: To really highlight the natural greens and golds in your color palette, I would use several generous swags of magnolia leaves with some turned up to show the golden brown as well as the rich green. You could use these to frame doorways and windows. Another idea is painting some magnolia wreaths a warm gold -- perfect to hang on the church doors!
Favors: Lavender and ivory-colored macaroons from
Laduree would add such a whimsical (and scrumptious!) detail.
Signature cocktail: To play up the southern charm, I would suggest serving traditional Mint Juleps!
Cake: I love the idea of dotting your cake with sweet and playful pansies! Maybe use vanilla icing and make it a three tier to dress it up a bit:
{darling cake found here on The City Sage}
Bridesmaids dresses: J. Crew has a great selection of dresses in lovely plum shades -- I'm really loving this style!
Invitations/papers: I think something very simple with gilded edging would set a very traditional and southern tone. Envelopes could be addressed in calligraphy. And because your wedding will be in the fall, I think pinecones would be a perfect fit to hold escort/place cards (spraypaint them gold to incorporate your color palette and have the cards hand-calligraphied for a personal touch!):
Fun (!): Add a photobooth and have plenty of fun masks available (you could have them in purples, golds and ivories to further define your color palette) for guests to play and have fun.
Extra: For a bit of twist on tradition, you could wear this stunning pair of Manolos with a shimmering gold brocade pattern, available at
Nieman's:
If you'd like me to create a personalized inspiration board for you, read up on the details here (half of the proceeds go to charity so it's all for a good cause and it's fun!) and then shoot me an e-mail telling me a little bit about your vision and I'll get to work!
Remember this post about using custom-cut silhouettes in place of family photos at your wedding? Well, I have the most wonderful resource to share with you today to accomplish just that!
